Our School Mission Statement: 

Our mission is to impact every student and create a solid foundation for lifelong learning. We will accomplish this by building strong relationships within our school community and providing equitable access to high-quality instruction. We do this so that Halley Elementary students will be equipped to positively influence the world around them and achieve their fullest potential. 

 

Our School Vision Statement: 

Halley Elementary School is an inclusive and welcoming community dedicated to empowering our students with the skills and mindset to take on the world. 

Kerry Peerman – Principal 

Paula Johnson-Tyler – Assistant Principal  

Lucy Zamora – Assistant Principal 

 

School Office Telephone         

703-551-5700 

 

Attendance Line            

703-551-5757  

24 hour answering machine 

 

Clinic Telephone            

703-551-5710 

 

Cafeteria Telephone            

703-551-5721  

 

 between 8:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. 

 

Fax Line                        

703-551-25797 

 

FCPS School Bus Office           

703-249-7100 

 

Transportation Emergency     

703-446-2000 (until *5:00 p.m.) 

 

 *In event of a transportation emergency after 5:00 p.m. call the Office of Safety and Security 703-764-2400 

Please look for the FCPS Student Rights and Responsibilities to be coming home soon. In accordance with state regulation, parents are required to review the information with their children and acknowledge this information by October 29. 

Please review this information on the FCPS webpage. 

If you have questions regarding school, need assistance finding resources and services to support your family, please contact our Parent Liaison.

To ensure safety for our students, we ask parents to remember the following:

· Doors will open at 9:10 a.m. Students arriving prior to 9:10 a.m. are to remain with their parent. WE WILL NOT HAVE SUPERVISION FOR STUDENTS BEFORE 9:10 a.m.

· For the first days of school, staff members are assigned to assist children in finding their classrooms.

· As a safety measure, we ask that all Kiss & Ride students be dropped off at Entrance #1 or entrance #4. You will need a Kiss & Ride tag in your car window. Please do not drop off students in the parking lot or in front of the building.

· If you arrive after 9:20 am and the Kiss & Ride has closed, please park your car and walk your students through door #1.

· Students arriving after 9:20 am will need to be signed in as tardy.

· During arrival, please refrain from walking your students to class in order to prevent disruptions to classroom routines.

Special Reminders:

· If you must pick up your child early at the end of the day for an appointment, please arrive to the office by 3:30pm. We will not call children for early dismissal or make a change in transportation after 3:45pm due to the impact on dismissal procedures in the classrooms.

· Parents are to notify the office, SACC and after school care programs if their child will be absent or picked up early.

ARRIVAL:

All students should be seated in their classrooms by 9:20 a.m. Students are considered tardy if they arrive after 9:20 a.m. and are required to go directly to the front office to receive an “Office Pass”.

 

Parents are required to sign their children in at the office if it is after 9:20 a.m. PLEASE ALWAYS CHECK-IN AT THE FRONT OFFICE.

 

DISMISSAL:

Walkers and Kiss & Ride students will be dismissed from their classrooms at 4:05 p.m. Bus riders will be dismissed shortly thereafter.

 

ABSENCES AND TARDIES:

If your child is going to be absent or late, contact the school office before 8:30 a.m. on the day of the absence by phone at (703) 551-5757. The attendance line is available 24 hours a day for your convenience. If the parent/guardian does not notify the school of the child’s illness, the absence will be unexcused.

· Excused Absence and Tardy—Illness of the student, death in the family, doctor or dentist appointment, extreme inclement Weather, and observance of a religious holiday.

· Unexcused Absence and Tardy—Family trip, childcare situation, oversleeping, non-school–related activity, traffic, or missed bus.

 

More Information about absences:

· Notify the school by 8:20 a.m. *everyday* your child will be absent or tardy for any reason. Parents who do not notify the school by 9 a.m. to verify their child’s absence will be contacted by FCPS.

· Call the Dedicated Attendance Line: 703-551-5757 The answering machine is available for leaving messages after hours and on weekends.

· Email: [email protected]

· Long term absence: Please contact the school principal directly in advance of absence dates. Homework is not provided ahead of time for children who are being pulled out of school for family vacations.

 

When leaving messages or emailing for attendance purposes, it is important to include all the following with the notification:

· Date(s) of absence

· Students First and Last name

· Grade and Homeroom Teacher

· Reason for Absence: Please use as much detail as possible; absent due to illness, out of town, tardy, etc.

· Parent/Guardian Contact Information

We have a new birthday treat policy: Cupcakes, donuts, goodie bags, candy, pizza, and/or other edible items, will not be allowed at school to celebrate a birthday. All students having a birthday will be recognized in their classrooms and/or on the news show.

Our teachers are committed to recognizing your students’ special days and will be providing students a menu of items from which to choose to celebrate their birthdays. These items may include and would not be limited to choices such as pajama day for the whole class, the opportunity to sit in a special chair for the day or an invitation for a special guest to read to the class. Teachers might also communicate with families about options for your child (gift pencils for every student, donate a book to class library, and more).

At Halley ES, like many other schools, we have a large number of students who suffer from life-threatening allergies and other medical needs. As a school community, we work diligently to lessen the chances of an allergic incident occurring and to keep our students safe. We also strive to create an inclusive environment, where all students can equally participate in the school day and activities. Please do not send food into the building with your child to share. Thank you for your support and understanding.

Party invitations may not be distributed at school due to a School Board Regulation that outlines students may not make mass distributions of non-school materials in school buildings or on school grounds during school hours, including bus arrival and departure times. Parents may give the teacher permission to distribute their contact information (emails) to other parents for the purpose of parents communicating outside of school.

At Halley Elementary, our bus riders are expected to:

· Follow all FCPS rules listed in the Student Rights and Responsibilities booklet.

· Avoid crossing over or playing on private property.

· Arrive at the bus stop 5-10 minutes prior to the scheduled pick up time.

· Remain seated and talk quietly after boarding the bus.

· Cooperate with the safety patrols and bus drivers.

 

Student failure to exhibit acceptable standards of conduct while riding a school bus can result in a suspension of bus transportation privileges. Procedures for safe transportation are discussed with all students at the beginning of the school year. Parents’ reinforcement of the rules for safe loading and unloading of buses and of standards for behavior on buses and at bus stops is essential and will promote safety. School buses will pull into the bus lanes in the front of the school. Students will enter the school from their buses through the front lobby doors. Adults will be present at arrival and dismissal times to ensure student safety.

*Please Note: Failure to comply with FCPS’ rules and regulations regarding proper bus safety and etiquette will result in disciplinary action which may include removal from the bus.

Stay up-to-date on school bus arrivals with FCPS' bus delay notification system (https://busdelay.fcps.edu). This system provides parents with timely notification of late bus route information. Parents may access the Bus Delay Notification System or use the FCPS Mobile App to receive the delayed bus report. Morning route information will be available until noon. Afternoon bus route information will be available from 1 to 7 p.m.

 

 

 

Halley ES has an established area called Kiss & Ride, which is designed as a safe place for adults in private vehicles to load and unload children. To ensure safety for everyone, observe the following rules when loading and unloading children:

• Teach children how to buckle and unbuckle seat belts so they can do it themselves. 
• Practice so that children can open and close the car door independently.
• Load and unload from the passenger side of the car only.
• Remain in the driver’s seat unless assisting your child with bulky items.
• Vehicles equipped with child protection locks may require assistance for your child to exit the vehicle. If so, please roll down your window and ask the teacher on duty.
• Children may not load/unload items from the trunk/rear compartment of the vehicle.
• Parking in the parking lot and calling to children to cross between cars is not permitted.
• Parking in the Kiss & Ride lane and leaving your car unattended is not permitted.
• Follow the directions and guidance of the staff on duty.

**If you will be using Halley’s Kiss & Ride service for afternoon dismissal at least 3 days per week on a consistent basis, parents must complete the 

 Halley Kiss and Ride Registration Google Form to receive your assigned Kiss & Ride window display.

 

 

 

Procedures

MORNING 

When dropping off your child in the morning, an assigned Kiss & Ride sign is not needed. 

Designated loading/unloading spots have been reserved for student and staff safety.   We have two kiss and ride drop-off areas: front of building (entrance #1) and back of building (entrance #4).

Students are permitted to enter the building at 9:10AM.   If you arrive early, please have your child wait in the vehicle until staff have directed students to exit safely.

Kiss & Ride will close at 9:20 (the start of the school day).  If you arrive after Halley staff have returned to the building please park your vehicle in our school parking lot and escort your child to entrance #1.  Our office staff will assist you with further directions.

 

AFTERNOON 

Dismissal begins at 4:05.  We have two kiss and ride pick up areas: front of building (entrance #1) and back of building (entrance #4).  As you approach the parking lot in the afternoon, make sure you display your assigned Kiss & Ride sign in your front window.  Any car without a proper Kiss & Ride sign will be asked to give Halley staff the first and last name of the student they will be picking up.

Kiss and Ride students will be dismissed from their classrooms by registration number.

You are expected to follow the directions of the Halley staff member assisting with Kiss & Ride traffic.  Drivers should prepare to spend at least 10 to 20 minutes in the Kiss & Ride line once dismissal begins.

We appreciate a phone call to the office if you know you will be delayed, as it helps alleviate children’s anxiety about a late pickup. The office phone number is 703-551-5700.

 

Frequently Asked Questions about Kiss and Ride 

 

Q. If I’m only going to pick up my child once or twice a month, or one or two days a week from school should I have a Kiss and Ride number? 

A. No.  Only those families who will use afternoon kiss and ride at least 3 days a week on a consistent basis need to register for a kiss and ride number.

 

Q. If I’m in a carpool, do we share a number or does each family need their own number? 

A. Each family needs their own number.  Please register each child for kiss and ride.  The adult providing carpool accommodations should have a copy of the kiss and ride number.

 

Q. If I’m only driving my child to school in the morning and he/she takes the bus in the afternoon, do I need a Kiss and Ride number? 

A. No. 

 

Q. On the  rare occasion I am stuck in traffic and can’t pick my child up in time, what happens? 

A. Please call the main office at 703-551-5700 if you anticipate being late.  Please be advised that our office closes at 4:30pm.

 

Q. What if I lose my Kiss & Ride sign? 

A. We distribute two kiss and ride signs to each registered family.  If you need another Kiss & Ride sign due to loss or damage call the main office at 703-551-5700 and we can reissue another sign while supplies last.

CHANGE IN HOME-TRAVEL ROUTINE

IF YOUR CHILD IS GOING HOME A DIFFERENT WAY, Please, Please, Please do everything you can to remember to send in a note with your child in the morning indicating the change. If this is not possible, a parent/guardian MUST notify the school prior to 3:30 p.m. on that day. Otherwise, children will need to go home their normal way. This will ensure the safety of students. Transportation webpage with more information

Phones must be silenced and in backpacks for the duration of the school day.  Watches that serve a dual purpose (e.g. smart watch) may be worn; however, phone features (e.g., texting, internet, calls, etc.) are to be disabled.  

 

Teachers  (grades 3 – 6) may allow usage of cell phones for instructional activities where they are the most appropriate tool, however one-to-one FCPS devices should meet most needs. 

Safety continues as an overriding priority at Halley Elementary. We regularly review our security procedures in order to ensure a safe learning environment for our students. We appreciate your assistance in helping us keep our students safe by following the procedures outlined below.  

We require all visitors and volunteers to sign in and out using their driver’s licenses at the school office and receive a visitor’s badge. Visitors can expect to be questioned by school personnel if they are not displaying the visitors or volunteer badge issued at the office.   Visitor badges should be removed before you exit the school.    

Entrance #1 is the only visitor entry point during the school day. 

If a student needs to leave school during the day for an appointment or any reason, please send a note to the office 24 hours in advance of the appointment. When you come to the office to pick up your child, please sign the child out and an office assistant will call for your child. Students will be called to the office when you arrive.  

  Students will not be released to anyone except the parent/guardian or those listed on the emergency care form unless other arrangements have been given in writing by the parent/guardian. This permission slip should state who is picking up the child. Photo identification will be required. Students may be released to either parent/guardian provided there is no contrary court order on file.  

These recommended procedures have been adopted to protect the safety of our students. We appreciate your support in ensuring a caring, happy and most importantly, safe learning environment. 

Special Diet Requests 

Any parent requesting a physician prescribed diet should contact the Public Health Nurse that supports our school (See Health Room), who will coordinate with the Registered Dietitian Nutritionist in the Central Office. The school nurse or health aide will give the manager the current list of students with requested food allergies such as milk. The manager will flag these students on the terminal.   

Breakfast:  

All students who arrive on-time will have breakfast available as they enter the buildingStudents-$1.75; Adults-$2.35 

Lunch: 

Students- $3.25; Adults - $4.50 

*Payments can be made via MySchoolBucks, cash/ check to café manager.    

MySchoolBucks 

This online payment service provides a quick and easy way to pay for school-related purchases. You will be able to pay for a variety of school fees using credit/debit cards or electronic checks. 

 

This user-friendly service is free. Log onto MySchoolBucks to set up an account.    Once the account is open, parents can check the fund account at any time. More information about MySchoolBucks can be found on the Fairfax County Schools webpage   

Need help? Reach Customer Service by: 

• emailing @email 

• calling 1-855-832-5226. 

• visiting www.myschoolbucks.com and clicking on “Help/FAQs.” 

If your child received free or reduced lunch in the past, please be sure to turn in a new application to ensure access to additional services associated with this application. 

Applications for free and reduced meals are available in the school office or online at http://www.fcps.edu/fs/food/mealprices.shtml 

Water bottles: 

 Students should have a water bottle with their name on it. Water bottles may be refilled in classrooms throughout the day as monitored by teachers. 

 

Lunch during 2022-2023 

During the 2022-2023 school year, our school lunch procedures will be adjusted due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Our self-serve salad bar will not be in service due to social distancing. In addition, parents will not be permitted to have lunch with their child as we are required to limit the number of individuals in the cafeteria. All of our cafeteria tables are cleaned and sanitized in between lunch periods. 

If your child must receive medication during school hours, you are required to complete the appropriate Fairfax County Public Schools authorization forms.  You can complete the Medication Athorization Form online.

Hard copies are available in the school clinic or office.   

Medication will not be dispensed without proper authorization from a physician. Please complete all medication forms accurately before bringing medication to school.  A student may carry and use an inhaler for asthmatic conditions when the student’s physician and parent have both completed the necessary form available from the school clinic. 

The first dose of any new medication must be given at home. Parents or guardians are responsible for submitting a new form to the school each time there is a change in the dosage or in the time at which the medication is to be taken. 

Parents are reminded that children may not transport or possess any prescription or over the counter medication, at any time.  ALL MEDICATION, PRESCRIPTION OR OVER THE COUNTER MEDICATION MUST BE BROUGHT TO SCHOOL BY A PARENT.  However, students may bring over the counter cough drops in their original package. They may not share cough drops or any other medication with other students.   

FCPS Covid 19 layered safety protocols  

Clinic 

The purpose of health room services in school is to partner with you to keep your child in the best position to learn.  Services provided include: 

1.  Care of sick and injured students until parents arrive to get their child. 
2. Hearing and vision screening (grades K, 3, new to Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS), and those students referred by teachers and parents). 
3. Administration of care for students with identified problems or conditions during the school day. 

 

If your child is injured or becomes sick at school, we will notify you immediately.  If we cannot reach a parent, we will call someone listed on your Emergency Care Form.     *Please remember that your child should be fever-free for 24 hours, without medication, before returning to school 

 

In the case of severe emergencies: 911 will be called and parents will be notified.  A staff member will accompany the ambulance with your child and await your arrival to the ER at the hospital.   

    Contagious Illnesses

In accordance with the communicable disease policy for Fairfax County Public Schools, students with symptoms such as rashes, skin eruptions, watery and inflamed eyes, fever, sore throat, vomiting or diarrhea should stay home until the doctor evaluates their symptoms and determines whether they are contagious. 

Parents will be contacted and expected to take their child home if he/she is sent to school with symptoms of an illness, becomes sick, or develops a rash. 

Please notify the school office if your child should contract the flu, Covid 19, chicken pox, strep throat, measles, head lice, or any other contagious disease. 

Immunizations 

Before entering a public school (preschool, FECEP, and grades K-12), documentary proof shall be provided of adequate age appropriate immunization with the prescribed number of doses of vaccine.        

Vaccines must be administered in accordance with the harmonized schedule of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, American Academy of Pediatrics, and American Academy of Family Physicians and must be administered within spacing and age requirements (available at http://www.vdh.virginia.gov/Epidemiology/Immunization/acip.htm).  Please refer to the Student Registration website for the most current immunization requirements as they are subject to change: http://www.fcps.edu/dss/osp/StudentRegistration/registration-requirements.shtml 

Rising 7th grade students are required to have a booster dose of Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis). Middle school students cannot begin school in August without providing documentation of the Tdap booster to their child’s FCPS middle school.  

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, students that exhibit COVID-19 symptoms will be supervised in our CARE room. The CARE room is separate from the health room. The CARE Room is necessary due to the requirement for social distancing and room capacity. A designated staff member will be assigned to supervise students in the CARE Room while waiting for the parent to pick up the student. Once a parent has been alerted of their child’s symptoms and entry into the CARE Room, please be prepared to retrieve your child from school within one hour. 

The following guidelines have been developed in order to maintain a safe and secure learning environment at Halley Elementary School.   In the event a family would like to observe a student or have a clinician observe a student in their classroom environment, the following policy points must be followed: 

Parents/observers must contact the Principal and Assistant Principals in advance to arrange a mutually agreed upon date and time to observe in the school setting. Please provide specific reasons for the visit to assure the observation is productive and appropriate. Permission is required in order to arrange the observation.     

• Parents/observers must sign a confidentiality release form before a visitor/observer is allowed an observation. 

• The school administrator will be present during all observations. 

• Observations are set for a limited amount of time not to exceed 30 minutes (or time determined by administrator) in an individual classroom setting. This will assure a limited amount of disruption and distraction for the students and teachers. If the parent/guardian would like to complete more than one visit/observation, he/she must seek permission from the school administrator. 

• If a parent wishes to bring another visitor/observer with him/her, permission must be sought from the school administrator. Other family members, consultants/advocates, therapists and/or other professionals visiting must be approved by the administrator. 

• The school administrator reserves the right to refuse or decline an observation or visit if it is deemed inappropriate or if it is believed the observation may cause a disruption to the educational environment. 

• No pictures, videotaping or electronic devices will be allowed during the observation. 

• All visitors are required to check in at the main office. 

Information coming soon.

All FCPS schools have crisis management and emergency preparedness plans in place.  These plans are designed with the help of our school system’s security planning staff, local law enforcement, and emergency management officials. Plans are regularly reviewed and updated. The plans include procedures to respond to critical natural incidents like fires and tornadoes; we practice these drills regularly throughout the course of the school year. 

In addition to fire and tornado drills, we practice lock-down drills.  A lock-down is a well-established procedure designed to protect students and staff members in a case in which there might be threats of violence within a school. During a lock-down, students remain in their classrooms or are escorted to classrooms if they are in the halls. All interior and exterior doors are closed and locked. Once the facility is rendered safe and students are accounted for, the school is returned to normal operation.     While we have no reason to believe that any threat of violence will arise, it is always best to be prepared. It is important for students and staff members to thoroughly know and practice procedures so that we can effectively implement a lock-down in the event one becomes necessary. Training drills help ensure a calmer, more effective lock-down should one occur. 

All schools are required to complete two lock-down drills in the month of September and then two additional drills later in the school year. If you have any questions about these safety drills, please don’t hesitate to contact administration.   Parents are encouraged to become familiar with emergency response terminology: 

Lockdown – Lockdown is used to describe enhanced security measures taken to protect against potentially violent intruders who have entered the school.  No one is permitted to enter or exit the school until public safety officials give the “all clear.” 

Secure the Building - Used if the threat is outside the building (example, a robbery near the school). Outside activities are canceled; all exterior doors are secured while staff members and students are free to move about inside the building. No one is permitted to enter the school until public safety officials give the “all clear.”  

Shelter-in-Place –Procedures used to temporarily separate people from hazardous outdoor atmosphere, such as a hazmat incident. No one is allowed to enter the school until public safety officials give the “all clear.” 

Stay Put, Stay Tuned – Implemented at the request of public safety officials to limit the impact on the transportation infrastructure. Normal end-of-day release will not occur until authorized by public safety officials. Parents are allowed to “check out” their students from school. 

Parents are asked not to call the school in emergency situations so phone lines can remain accessible for handling the specific situation. Communication will be sent via the FCPS emergency messaging system.   

Please visit the Fairfax County Public Schools website: Emergency Preparedness and Support Frequently Asked Questions:  http://www.fcps.edu/emergencyplan/faq.shtml 

In order to ensure the greatest learning potential for all students, we recognize the critical importance of consistent school-home communication. 

  

• Halley Website 

• Take-Home Thursday folder 

  • Thursday has been designated as our “take home” day. Parents are encouraged to look for communication from school each day, but we will try to limit most correspondence to Thursdays.  Please sign up for our Hornet Happenings (News You Choose) to arrive weekly in your email. 

• News You Choose  

  • Stay updated with what is happening at Halley Elementary!  Sign up for News You Choose emails with the Hornet Happenings Newsletter weekly 

  • Read  News You Choose is on our Halley Website    

• Schoology  

  • Log in with your ParentVue SIS credentials at Https://LMS.FCPS.EDU 

  • Review each class or group where your child is enrolled 

  • Look for information and announcements in the Parents Course  

• Twitter 

  • Follow us https://twitter.com/WilliamHalleyES to get a peek into the daily school activities of our Hornets. 

• Enotify 

  • Enotify is the automatic enrollment service for parents of FCPS students and employees of the system. It draws contact information from the student information system and the employee databases. FCPS central offices and schools use Enotify for three types of messages: emergency, attendance and outreach. It is important that parents keep their child’s emergency contact information up to date with the school. 

    Contact information may also be updated online through @email in Parent SIS 

Other Communication: 

· Parent-Teacher Conferences - Teachers and parents should schedule a 15 minute conference during the 1st semester to discuss student academic, social/emotional, and behavioral progress.   

· Interim and Quarterly Progress Reports - The quarterly progress report is sent home approximately 2 weeks after the end of each quarter.  Interim reports are a single sheet that are sent home with select students in the middle of 2nd, 3rd, and 4th quarters. 

· Email and Phone -  Parents and teachers should communicate through email and phone as necessary.  Please allow 48 hours during school days for teachers to respond to email.  Please note that teachers may not be able to respond to email during the evening and weekend hours.  If you need to contact a teacher during the school day due to an emergency, please call the main office at   (703) 551-5700. 

Art 

Art instruction is provided to all students for one hour weekly. Students have the opportunity to work with a variety of mediums, which include clay, paints, drawing materials and paper.  All classes are aligned to the specific grade level’s curriculum.  

Our Art Teacher is Vicky Willis

General Music 

Students in grades K-6 receive weekly general music instruction. Children sing, listen, improvise, move to music, and play instruments.  

Our Music Teachers are Carol Poblete and Sabrina Gordon

Physical Education 

Two physical education (P.E.) teachers serve our school and instruct students in grades K to 6 for weekly instruction.  Appropriate dress for P.E. includes tennis shoes, socks and pants or shorts.  (Girls who wear a dress or skirt on days they have P.E. classes should also wear   shorts under the dress.) 

Our Physical Education Teachers are Ian Creek and Thomas Pennell

We are proud to offer comprehensive Advanced Academic Services at Halley Elementary. Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) believes in developing the strengths and talents of all students. Every student needs to be challenged and engaged in exciting learning experiences. 

FCPS policies and procedures are grounded in equity and inclusion. Our commitment to providing rigor to all students is part of the FCPS strategic plan. AAP offers a continuum of advanced academic services to meet a broad range of student needs. We take a holistic approach that uses a variety of assessments to determine the level of service to match the child’s current needs. 

What all students at Halley Elementary receive: 

• Critical and creative thinking lessons. 

• Access to AAP curriculum and strategies. 

Some students need a differentiated curriculum to address their cognitive and social-emotional needs. These students receive additional AAP services based on: 

• Academic needs beyond peers at their grade level. 

• Strengths in language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies. 

• A need for increased depth, complexity, and pace of instruction. 

Students’ advanced academic needs may change over time. The AAP continuum of services develops and builds on students’ current strengths and talents. At Great Falls Elementary, we provide all four levels of AAP services to students.  

Level I: Grades K-6 – All students receive talent development lessons with critical and creative thinking strategies and AAP curriculum lessons. 

Level II: Grades K-6 – Identified students receive AAP curriculum lessons in the general education setting in areas of academic strength. 

Level III: Grades 3-6 – Identified students receive AAP curriculum lessons in more than one academic content area. The Advanced Academic Resource Teacher (AART) leads these lessons. Programming has increased depth and complexity in several content areas. 

Level IV: Grades 3-8 –Identified students receive AAP curriculum lessons full-time. Programming has increased depth, complexity, and pace in all academic content areas. In grades 3-6, Halley has one local level IV classroom per grade.  

Please visit  the Advanced Academici page on the Fairfax County website for more information pertaining to AAP services in FCPS. 

Halley Elementary allows students to participate in band and/or strings. Students in grades 5 and 6 have the opportunity to participate in strings/orchestra while students in grades 5 and 6 have the opportunity to receive band instruction.  

All students in kindergarten through sixth grade still receive at least one hour of general music instruction during the course of an academic week. Students in grades 5 and 6 can also choose to participate in chorus. The fifth and sixth grade chorus each meet once a week during school hours to prepare for various FCPS and school sponsored assemblies.  

 

Ryan Woessner- Band Teacher

Samantha Hegre- Strings

Carol Poblete- General Music and Chorus

Sabrina Gordon- General Music and Chorus

Halley Elementary is committed to serving every student by name and by need. Halley Staff works and learns from our FCPS chief equity officer to promote equitable opportunities for all students by examining policies and practices, advocating for those who are marginalized, and providing learning opportunities for staff to build their capacity to interact with students, families, and colleagues in ways that are empowering and responsive to all. 

We are working to deepen our commitment to creating a climate and curriculum where all students see themselves, recognize their identity is affirmed, and receive the resources they need to reach their fullest potential.   

Since 2018, curriculum and instruction in FCPS schools are guided by the Design Principles of Cultural Responsiveness, which prioritizes rigorous and relevant learning experiences that affirm diverse identities, foster critical thinking, and support meaningful relationships. 

The Halley PTO brings parents and teachers together to enrich our school community and enhance the educational experiences of our students. The PTO funds various committees that make our school extraordinary. Our organization is composed of many dedicated volunteers and we welcome new parents to contribute their many talents to extend our initiatives. 

The PT0 provides financial support for school programs such as: 

• Social-emotional support programs and resources for all students 

• Teacher professional development  

• Field trip scholarships for students  

• Classroom supplies and special projects 

Most importantly, our goal is to build a sense of community!   The PTO sponsors events to encourage school community building such as: 

• Fall and/or Spring Festival 

• Boosterthon 

• Bingo and Movie Nights 

• Restaurant Nights 

• Coin Wars 

  

  

PTO meetings are held regularly and ALL are welcome (and encouraged!) to attend. Our current PTO website is https://www.halleypto.com.