Churchill Chatter
Issue #35
May 20, 2015
Churchill Road Elementary
7100 Churchill Road McLean, Virginia 22101
Office (703) 288-8400 24-Hour Attendance (703) 288-8484
http://www.fcps.edu/ChurchillRoadES/
President's Pen
Although there is only one month of school left, the PTA is
not slowing down. Here are some of the projects the PTA is
working on:
Advocacy: Last month, the Fairfax County Board of
Supervisors voted not to fully fund the school board's
advertised FY 2016 budget. The vote is disappointing, to say
the least, Superintendent Karen Garza explained in her
statement: “Supervisors are sending a clear message that
they are unconcerned about the increasing challenges of our
students, our teachers, and our schools. (They) refused to
fully fund our budget for the 2015-16 school year (FY 2016),
when faced with a nominal $7.6 million deficit. We have
grave concerns as to what will happen in the 2016-17 (FY
2017) school year when we face a devastating shortfall
of more than $100 million."
 Advocacy Committee members Maddie Ellis, Esther Lee,
Julie Broad, Sanjay Singh, Kelly Green Kahn and Dawn
Stewart have done an amazing job keeping our community
informed of the budget approval timelines and they
provided us with letter templates for reaching out to
community leaders.
The Advocacy Committee is
convening this month to discuss what more the PTA can
do in order to advocate for the schools.
 Supervisor John Foust, who represents our district, will
attend the June PTA meeting to discuss how the Board of
Supervisors came to their decision. We encourage all
CRS parents to attend the meeting on Wednesday, June
10th at 8:30 a.m. in the Exploratory Arts Room. Let your
voices be heard and show how concerned you are with
their failure to support our schools.
 Thank you to the Advocacy Committee and to everyone
who sent letters to our community leaders imploring them
to fully fund the school budget.
Please click on the following links for more information on the
school budget: FCPS FY 2016 Budget, Superintendent
Garza's Statement, Frequently Asked Questions, and Sign
Petition.
PTA votes in new leadership: At the PTA meeting last
week, the general membership voted in the 2015-2016
officers. The new leaders are:
 President: Melissa Schwartz
 Vice-President: Jill Farah
 Treasurer: Kristine Deringer
 Recording Secretary: Lisa Givens
 Membership Secretary/Armchair Fundraiser: Elizabeth
Marino
 Appropriations: Kelly Green Kahn
The PTA is undoubtedly in good hands with these capable,
dedicated individuals. The new officers will begin their term
next month. The first project they will tackle is determining
the 2015-2016 PTA budget.
Thank you to our 2014-2015 PTA Officers
Last month, I recognized the committee chairs and co-chairs
who have devoted many hours to the PTA. This month, I
would like to thank the PTA officers who were exceptional in
their leadership roles.
 Treasurer: Kelly Green Kahn - For two years, Kelly has
worked diligently and expeditiously to process invoices and
reimbursements in a timely manner. Kelly has also spent
hours if not days reconciling our bank statements with our
budget reports to provide us with accurate, informative
treasurer's reports each month. But, Kelley’s contribution
to the PTA extends far beyond her treasurer role, she has
actively contributed to the Advocacy Committee and
volunteered to help with the Bobcat Games.
 Membership Secretary: Melissa Schwartz - Melissa
somehow manages to juggle a busy work schedule with
her volunteer duties and still makes time to shuttle her kids
from school to their after school activities. Her long
serving tenure as a co-chair for several PTA committees
and her determination to improve processes makes
Melissa the perfect candidate to serve as PTA President.
Melissa understands the nuances of each committee and
will strive to make the PTA run even better next year.
 Recording Secretary: Elizabeth Marino – Elizabeth did an
excellent job providing detailed notes for us this year.
Elizabeth was also an active member of the Bobcat
Games planning committee. With her understanding of
how the PTA financially provides support to CRS,
Elizabeth will be a champion of raising funds for the school
as next year's Membership Secretary/Armchair Fundraiser.
 Appropriations: Soraya Schwartzberg - Last week,
Soraya helped us navigate through the Appropriations
process by distributing request forms to the staff and
conducting the review meeting. The PTA was able to
allocate close to $9,000 to fund staff requests. Even with
her hectic full-time work schedule, Soraya made time to
ensure that the Appropriations process was managed.
A special thanks goes out to Principal Don Hutzel, Assistant
Principal Sharon Jones, Staff Representative Corinne
Reilly and former PTA President Jeff Palk who have been
instrumental in providing sound advice and guidance to the
PTA.
I wish all of our new officers and committee chairs and cochairs a successful 2015-2016 school year!
Mel Quinn, CRS PTA President
Issue #35
Page 2
Backyard BBQ Fun for All!
We were very excited that Mother Nature smiled upon us
last Friday for the annual CRS Backyard BBQ in our very
own backyard. A record crowd of more than 650 CRS
community members came out to mingle with friends in a
fun and casual atmosphere. Winston, our CRS mascot,
even joined in the fun. Everyone was treated to delicious
barbeque fare and hot dogs. Rita’s Ice, a crowd favorite,
was served up for dessert. A DJ was on hand to keep the
crowd entertained with all kinds of music – from current
favorites to classics from the 70s and 80s. While parents
socialized, kids played wall ball, danced to the music and
played on the playground. A good time was had by all!
A very special thank you
is extended to Wheat’s
Landscape for their
generous donation of
many cases of bottled
water for this event. It
was
very
much
appreciated by all the
attendees!
A huge thank you to
Christie Stute and Bonnie
Myshrall, who chaired
this fun event, and to all
of our parents who
volunteered to help make it a success – from preparation,
to serving food, to clean up. Thank you also to Robin
Hoeymans and Sarah Walter of the Community Service
Committee for organizing the first-ever clothing drive for
our buddy school, Dogwood Elementary. The generosity
of the many families who donated clothing is appreciated.
We hope that this will drive will continue in future years.
May 20, 2015
Second Graders Rock the House
Second grade presented a new musical this year entitled
Biomes: How Plants and Animals Adapt to Their Habitats.
The students, from alligators to polar bears to mushrooms
and cacti, the students sang their best to rave reviews from
parents and classmates alike. Thank you to music
specialists Ms. Judkins and Mrs. Maz for working with the
students on this performance. Many thanks also go out to
the parents and grandparents who helped Ms. Bamdad sew
the costumes: Emma Yang, Elaine and Karen Kelly, and Alix
Vernon, as well as sibling Caroline B. who helped with
costume design. Big thanks as well to Meredith Blankenstein
and Wendy and Samantha Powers for the sets.
Muffins with Mom!
Kindergarten students treated their moms to a musical
performance and sweet treats in honor of Mother’s Day.
Issue #35
WELLNESS CORNER
Little changes make a big difference
Benefits of Protecting Your Skin against Sun Damage!
As we begin to enjoy more sunny days,
especially with the holiday weekend
ahead, remember to take a few simple
steps to protect your skin against sun
damage. Make sure everyone in your
family has a hat they enjoy wearing, preferably one with a
wide brim to shade the face and neck. You should also
invest in a good pair of sunglasses to protect your eyes.
You will want to use fresh sunscreen; sunscreen loses
potency over time so check your sunscreen’s expiration
date. Try to use sunscreen with at least an SPF of 15 or
higher and apply it generously throughout the day. By
enjoying colorful fruits, high in carotenoids and lycopene,
you can help to naturally reduce the risk of sunburn.
Watermelon, which is rich in lycopene and hydrating, is a
wonderful and delicious choice to protect your skin from
sunburn on hot days. Also, remember to drink plenty of
water, especially when in the sun or if you are sweating.
Most importantly have fun with your family enjoying the
outdoor games and activities you love!
Register NOWfor the 6th Grade Party!!
Don't miss registering your 6th Grader for this
highly anticipated celebration featuring a DJ,
awesome outdoor attractions and games,
fantastic food & lots more fun!
Date: Thursday, June 11th
(Rain Date: Friday, June 12th)
Time: 11 am – 2 pm
Place: CRS!!
Use the link on the PTA's website to register your
child
-http://www.churchillroadpta.org/churchillroad-class-of-2015-6th-grade-party/
A link is also available for volunteer sign ups -please come help out and join the fun!
Registration deadline: June 1st
Don't delay, register today!!
Page 3
May 20, 2015
Box Tops Update
Our Box Tops for Education
program student winners through April are Spencer Nash
(517), Kanuux Chaudhuri (426), and Mattie Shafer
(261)! They have turned in the most Box Tops so far this
year. Ms. Robosky’s 1st grade class and Ms. Ezzell’s
5th grade class are the only classes to reach 100%
participation. A big Bobcat cheer for them! The classes
with the next highest participation rates are Mrs. Kuhfuss’
6th grade class (81%) and Mrs. Williams’ 1st grade
class (50%). Go check out the poster on the way to the
cafeteria for details. Congratulations to all of them for
helping our school earn money!
May is your *LAST CHANCE* to be a Box Tops winner
this year, so go find those Box Tops.
Check for expiration dates! Did you know that there are
a lot of Box Tops due to expire on 6/1/2015? They won’t
bring in any money for our school after that date, so
please don’t save them up – go find them and bring them
in – QUICK!! Each one is worth 10 cents, and that adds
up. Box Tops are on all kinds of household products and
grocery items. Be sure to check tissue boxes, binders,
ziplock bag boxes, and freezer items that might not get
used right away.
Remember, in order to receive credit for your Box Tops,
make sure they are labeled with your full name and
teacher’s name. Please trim them on the dashed lines
and then give them to your teacher or drop them in the
collection bin in the front office.
For details about the Box Tops program at CRS, please
go to the CRS PTA website (www.churchillroadpta.org)
and click on the Committee Info tab, then scroll down and
click on “Box Tops”.
Thanks for your support!
Angela Keiser, Carla Gilbertson, and Seema Lohia Singh
CRS Box Tops Coordinators
[email protected]
Cheers of the Week…!
Congratulations to our Churchill Cheer winners for the
week of May 11. Cheers are given to students who follow the
four R’s. Winners are: Mary Kim (Kindergarten); Miqy Khapra
(1st); Jake Rychlik (2nd); Isabelle Mireles (3rd); and Ian
Starbane (4th). Our good citizenship winners are Tavian Jones
(5th grade) and Arielle Moore (6th grade). Our class winner is
Mrs. Williams’ first grade class. Keep up the good work!
At Churchill Road, we follow the four R’s. We respect
ourselves, we respect others, we respect property, and we
respect the Earth.
We show courage, compassion,
perseverance and responsibility.
Issue #35
Page 4
Budding Journalist
Churchill Road has a budding journalist in its midst.
Fourth grader Morgan M. recently had her letter to the
editor printed in the Washington Post. The letter, in
response to the Post’s May 12 article on Tom , clearly
articulated Morgan’s point of view. Congratulations to
Morgan for taking an active role as a citizen.
May 20, 2015
First Graders Count Down!
First graders are enjoying an ABC countdown to the last day
of school. They have already enjoyed paper Airplane Day
and Bubbles Day with their 6th grade buddies!
4th Graders Review for SOLs
5th Graders Visit Maryland Science Center
Fourth graders are utilizing their math and
social studies blocks to learn a variety of
strategies to prepare for their upcoming
SOLs, from interactive computer programs to
content review.
The entire fifth grade enjoyed some hands-on fun and a
scavenger hunt at the Maryland Science Center as review for
their upcoming science SOL!
Issue #35
Page 5
Phantom, Beauty & the Beast!!
Tickets on Sale May 26!
Churchill Road Elementary School’s
BobCat Players present Beauty &
the Beast Jr. with a forward by
Musical Theatre Revue’s Phantom of
the Opera! Join us for a Rose Affair
as Churchill Elementary School’s
Bobcat Theatre presents two epic
tales! The curtain opens each
evening with Musical Theatre Revue’s selections from
Phantom of the Opera. CRS 3rd through 5th graders will
enchant you with your favorite music from this Broadway Hit!
BE OUR GUEST! You will then be whisked to mid-18th
century France to enjoy the epic French fairy tale of Beauty &
the Beast presented by our own BobCat Players. They will
perform Disney’s Junior one-hour version of this enchanting
tale. Perfect for all ages! This year’s cast hosts a seasoned
group of 3rd through 6th graders.
A special “Meet the Characters” matinee will be held at 3:30
on Friday, June 19. Your child will have the opportunity to
meet Belle, Beast, Lumiere, Mrs. Potts & Chip after the
show! Belle & the cast have a special treat for each
youngster! Don’t forget, this is early-release day on the last
day of school for Fairfax County students!
TICKETS: Tickets can be bought online via the PTA website
beginning May 26.
LOCATION: All shows will be performed at the Alden
Theater at McLean Community Center, 1234 Ingleside
Avenue, McLean, VA 22101.
SHOWTIMES:
May 20, 2015
SOL TESTING BEGINS TODAY
Churchill Road students in Grades 3-6 will be taking the
Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL) Tests from
Wednesday, May 20 through Friday, May 29, 2015. If your
student will be absent on a scheduled testing date, please
notify his or her classroom teacher. Make-up tests will be
scheduled upon the student’s return, through the end of the
testing window. Dates for each grade level test are shown
below. (SOL date changes are highlighted.)
Grade 3
Monday, June 1 12:30 PM TBD Reading
Thursday, May 21 12:30 PM Math
Grade 4
Weds., May 27 12:30 PM VA History
Thursday, May 28 12:30 PM Reading
Friday, May 29 12:30 PM Math
Grade 5
Weds., May 27 8:45 AM Science
Thursday, May 28 8:45 AM Reading
Friday, May 29 8:45 AM Math
Grade 6
Thursday, May 21 8:45 AM Math
Tuesday, May 26 8:45 AM Reading
Tuesday, May 26 Algebra 1 Honors (select students)
Feel free to email Ms. Sharon Jones, CRS Assistant
Principal, at [email protected] with any questions.
Community Heroes Field Day
Friday, June 5th
June 18 @ 7 PM;
June 19 @ 3:30 PM and 7 PM
Langley Choirs to Present:
“A Disney Spectacular”
May 28 and 29
Your Help Needed!!
Field Day this year will be held on Friday, June 5th!
The theme is Community Heroes.
The PE
department is seeking gently used items to be
donated and used for field day stations:
The Langley High School
choirs will present their
spring show, “A Disney
Spectacular,” on Thursday,
May 28, and Friday, May 29,
at 7 pm. Both shows will be
held at McLean Bible
Church at
8925 Leesburg Pike in Vienna. Tickets are available
at the door for $10 for adults and $5 for students up
to 8th grade.
•
•
•
•
The show will feature songs and medleys from
several Disney productions, including Frozen,
Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, Jungle
Book, Pocahontas, and Aladdin.
You can still order a 2014-2015 CRS Yearbook!
Order
now
to
secure
your
copy:
http://www.cvent.com/d/2rqpmx.
Order
deadline is Friday, May 29.
Mail Carry Bags (2)
Stethoscope (2)
Inflatable Pool (2)
Lifeguard Buoy (2)
If you would like to donate any equipment, please
contact Mr. Varhol ASAP at [email protected].
Thank you very much for your help!
Order Your CRS Yearbook NOW!
Issue #35
Page 6
Wednesday, May 20:
12:30-3:00
3:15-4:15
3:15-4:15
3:15-4:15
3:15-4:15
3:15-4:15
3:15-4:45
3rd GR Reading SOL
3D Game Design 4-6
Flag Football 5-6
Girl Power
Jr. Acting/ Mus K-2
Agility, Soccer K-6
Scratch Program 2-4
MOD19
Gym
Room 201
Stage
Field/Gym
Library
May 20, 2015
Monday, May 25:
MEMORIAL DAY HOLIDAY
SCHOOL CLOSED
Wednesday, Jan 14:
Thursday, May 21:
8:45-11:15
12:30-3:00
3:10-4:30
3:15-4:45
3:15-4:45
3:15-4:30
3:15-4:45
3:15-5:00
3:15-4:30
5th GR Reading SOL
4th GR Reading SOL
Art Club 2-6
Room 205
Chess Club 2-6
Café
Mus Prod Club 3-6 Room 211
Musical Theater Club Stage/Gym
Whiz Kids K-2
MOD19
Friday, May 29:
6th GR Math SOL
3rd GR Math SOL
Girls on the Run
Field
Art Club 2-6
Room 205
Chess Club 2-6
Café
Tiny Chefs K-2
Staff Lounge
Mus Prod Club 3-6 Room 211
Musical Theater Club Stage/Gym
Whiz Kids K-2
MOD19
Friday, May 22:
3:15-4:30
3:15-4:30
3:15-5:00
3:15-4:30
3:15-4:30
3:15-4:30
Thursday, May 28:
8:45-11:15
12:30-3:00
3:15-4:45
3:15-4:45
3:15-4:45
3:15-5:00
3:15-4:30
Acting & Improv 4-6
Gourmet Chefs 3-6
EV3 Robotics 3-6
Basketball 2-6
Intro to JAVA 5-6
Jr Minecraft 1-3
MOD1
Staff Lounge
Café
Gym
MOD19
Café
Tuesday, May 26:
8:45-11:15
3:15-4:15
3:15-4:15
3:15-4:30
3:15-4:15
3:15-4:15
3:15-4:30
6th GR Reading SOL
ASL 3-6
Crazy 8s Math 1-5
Struct Eng K-2
Flag Football 3-4
Zumba for Kids K-3
Show Choir 3-6
Room 208
MOD2
Cafe
Gym
EA Room
Stage
Wednesday, May 27:
8:45-11:15
12:30-3:00
3:15-4:15
3:15-4:15
3:15-4:15
3:15-4:15
3:15-4:15
3:15-4:45
5h GR Science SOL
4th GR VA History SOL
3D Game Design 4-6 MOD19
Flag Football 5-6
Gym
Girl Power
Room 201
Jr. Acting/ Mus K-2 Stage
Agility, Soccer K-6 Field/Gym
Scratch Program 2-4 Library
Yearbook Order Deadline
8:45-11:15 5th GR Math SOL
12:30-3:00 4th GR Math SOL
3:15-4:30 Acting & Improv 4-6 MOD1
3:15-5:00 EV3 Robotics 3-6
Café
3:15-4:30 Basketball 2-6
Gym
3:15-4:30 Intro to JAVA 5-6
MOD19
3:15-4:30 Jr Minecraft 1-3
Café
IMPORTANT REMINDER:
Friday, May 29 is the LAST
DAY for the PTA Go Home
Note System.
Memorial Holiday and Attendance Reminder
School will be closed next Monday, May 25 for the Memorial Day holiday. If
your student will be absent any additional days surrounding the holiday,
please report the absence by calling the CRS 24-hour attendance line at 703288-8484 or by emailing [email protected].
IMPORTANT REMINDER: Go-Home Note System Ends on Friday, May 29th
Due to the many activities occurring at Churchill as we close out the school year - for both
students and staff - CRS will accept matching go-home notes for play dates through May 29th.
Beginning Monday, June 1st, the PTA registration website for notes will be closed, and notes will
not be accepted in the Front Office. This includes bus notes and notes for Kiss & Ride to pick up
a student other than the driver’s own child. Please make your own arrangements for after-school
plans. We thank you in advance for your cooperation in this matter.
Library Books Are Due Friday, June 5
As the end of the school year approaches, we need to collect all of our library materials. All
library books are due on FRIDAY, JUNE 5, 2015. Please help your students locate all
outstanding library materials and return them to the library. Questions? Please contact Mrs.
Warren at [email protected]. Thank you!
The CRS Home Page address: http://www.fcps.edu/ChurchillRoadES/. To submit Chatter material, please email Editor Kim Moran at
[email protected]. Deadline for submissions is NOON each Friday. Keep In Touch (KIT) reminders will typically be emailed to the CRS
community on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 4:00 p.m. Please email your brief KIT message to Kim Moran and Don Hutzel at KIT Request. All KIT
messages should be sent to the school at least 24 hours in advance of their posting. Non-profit organizations may submit fliers for distribution beginning
in the 2015-2016 school year..