Colvin Run Elementary School

Students have been working on Hour of Code activities during December. Students completed 195,382 lines of code.

We are proud to announce our custodial team was awarded "FCPS Elementary School Custodial Team of the Year". Congratulations to Ms. Reina and our wonderful custodians!

Students decorated the front lobby with their 'Hopes for the New Year."

3rd Grade Ladybug PBL
Our third Grade Entomologists enjoyed sharing their Project-Based Learning (PBL) ladybug exhibits with parents and staff of Colvin Run last Friday. Students worked in design teams to plan creative, educational, interactive exhibits that included everything ladybugs need to live. Exhibits featured ladybugs in realistic habitats and required students to use science vocabulary to help explain ideas in addition to demonstrating how ladybugs fit into an ecosystem with other living and nonliving things. Students enjoyed creating posters, dioramas, games, actual living/nonliving replicas of ecosystems, power points, and even a video "scratch" simulation to share information with visitors.

In partnership with Rise Against Hunger (formerly Stop Hunger Now), the Langley pyramid elementary, middle and high schools are again coming together in February with a goal to prepare 100,000 meal packages for schools and orphanages around the world. With each meal feeding 5-6 people, this is a wonderful event that impacts 500,000 individuals around the world and broadens the perspective of our students and families. This is a very real way for our students to better understand how their role in a school community impacts their global community.

Your child brought home a collection box in which they can save money through our “Learn to Earn” initiative. We will collect their loose coins and billsJanuary 7th-24th.

Parents and family members are encouraged to donate online at https://shn.secure.force.com/events/homepage?id=701f1000002r0UaAAI.

Thank you to Rotary Club of Great Falls, Virginia​ for donating 5,500 collection boxes to all Langley elementary and middle schools. Our students had fun assembling the donation boxes for the Langley schools.

Our students actively care for each other. Students may receive an Actively Caring For People band when they do good to help others and write their name on the poster. When the poster if filled, the students pose for a picture and a new poster is created.

Alex's Lemonade Stand 2018

STEAM Lab students observed over 30 Monarch caterpillars emerge from eggs, grow and molt, enter chrysalis, then transform into butterflies throughout September and October.

CRES Butterflies

Walk to School Day 2018

15 Year Anniversary-Brick Dedication

Bike To School Day 2018

tech-music 4-6

Our students recently rocked out to a music assembly by Brent Daniels. Brent used his digital sampler to gather sounds made by students and turned these sounds into music.

Thank you to our wonderful PTO for funding this unique opportunity. Click the links to see videos from our K-3rd and 4th-6th grade assemblies.

https://youtu.be/88soCv1evW0

https://youtu.be/nJ-obfeQBN8

tech-music 4-6

Nearly 100 boys and girls competed in the White Oaks Challenge this year. Colvin Run Elementary School won the 23rd annual championship trophy, edging another school on tie-breaks after a 6 – 6 score in their match.

The CRES Science Olympiad Team had an impressive showing at the Virginia State competition! Overall, the CRES Team finished in 11th place, an improvement over last year, and of the 26 teams competing, Colvin Run was one of only 8 elementary schools. CRES finished in 2nd place among the Elementary School competitors. Congratulations to all of our contestants and coaches!

Students earned medals in the following events:
Meteorology - 2nd - Ryan & Lucas; Mystery Architecture - 3rd - Sarah & Steven; Trial events:
Code Analysis - 6th - Eric & Oliver; Indoor Bottle Rocket - 4th - Eric & Oliver; Almost medal (7th) in Optics - Ryan & Lucas

6th Grade Math League Success

Congratulations to the CRES 6th Grade students participating in the Virginia Math League Contest! Of the 33 schools in the league, the Colvin Run team placed 2nd in the state and will be awarded a plaque for the school. The following Colvin Run students were ranked among the Top 40 contestants in the state: Laura Z., Lucas M., Ellen Z., Matthew G., Dylan C., Sabrina L., Katelyn M., and Thomas M. We are very proud of all of our CRES participants!

Kindergartners took aspects of character education, S.T.E.A.M., and the works of Hanoch Piven to create their very own STEAM Kids character. Students read the book, Let’s Make Faces, by Hanoch Piven before getting information about what a STEAM Kid is. Students were invited to create their very own character by choosing a character shape that they had a strong connection with (ex: blue triangle of respect, green square of responsibility, yellow star of honesty, orange rhombus of courage, or the red circle of compassion). They then used unique qualities about themselves from their personality to their interests to design their STEAM Kid character to resemble themselves. Students were so proud of their hard work! Check out our STEAM Kids bulletin board in the K-1 pod!

Colvin Run Elementary School participated in a math competition provided by the Continental Math League (CML) organization. The competition requires students to apply their analytical reasoning and problem solving skills. This year, we are happy to announce that our 3rd Grade team was ranked as a National winner! Congratulations to our students and to our 3rd grade teachers!

The following students contributed to the team award by achieving a perfect score on at least one meet: Hridhaan B., Alice R., Luke C., Ramkumar B., Nathan L., Felix X., Chris V., Eshaan S., Jason P., Isaac B., Jon L., Mia N., William S., Trent S., Ryan G.

Come Visit our Poetry Fence!

April is National Poetry Month. As we continue to find creative ways to grow our sense of a school community, we created a “Poetry Fence”, located in the lobby. This fence is inspired by a story about woman in Alexandria who created a Poetry Fence on which neighbors share poetry and other thoughts. Please click here to read more about this creative way to share and be inspired.
During National Poetry Month, we are encouraging students and staff to “Add a poem. Share a thought. Describe a feeling. Make it funny. Make it serious. Make a connection.” Next time you are in school, we hope you take time to enjoy our students’ work and maybe share some yourself!

Journey North Tulip Test Gardens: Spring 2018

4th Grade Secret Garden book project- Tulip Garden

In STEAM Lab, our fourth grade students have been participating in an international study of seasonal change through a tulip test garden. We planted tulip bulbs in the fall and now our tulips have emerged and bloomed in front of the Library! We hope you have a chance to enjoy their beauty!

This project is being completed in conjunction with the 4th grade book study of the Secret Garden. Thank you to Ms. Blackwell and the Fourth Grade teachers for creating this unique opportunity for our fourth grade students.
Springtime events occur at different times in different places across the globe. You can even watch the wave of spring as it moves across the globe by using the animated map!

http://www.learner.org/jnorth/maps/tulips_spring2018.html

Journey North keeps garden observations in a permanent database. With long-term data, important scientific questions can be explored.

Journey North Tulip Test Gardens: Spring 2018

Congratulations to our students for their participation in the Langley Pyramid Art Show. A special thank you to our Art teachers, Ms. Grimm and Ms. Wiseman for their leadership and fostering our students' love of Art.

4th Grade Colonial Day was a great opportunity for the students to get hands-on experience in living the life of a colonial child. They learned the art of quilling by creating beautiful birds out of strips of paper, dipped wax candles, and even tin punched their own candle holders. In addition to those colonial activities, the children also created corn husk dolls and made butter, corn bread, and pickles in the colonial kitchen. Students also learned about the life of a colonial soldier thanks to presentation by the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation. Parents were treated to the children dancing the Virginia Reel in the gym. Once the dancing was complete, the fourth graders played a variety of colonial games in small groups.

A special thank you to all the parents who volunteered their time over the last few months to make Colonial Day such an exciting and resounding success. See photos in the Colonial Day 2018 Album

Colonial Day 2018

Rise Against Hunger Update:

We reached 100% of our $29,000 goal!! This will purchase 100,000 meals impacting 600,000 people. Thank you for your continued support and for encouraging your students to raise money to help children and families in our collective effort to Rise Against Hunger.

We are moved to hear the stories students share regarding what they are doing to earn the money they donate. When we remind them each $1.00 feeds 20 children and family members, they smile and take such pride in their accomplishment knowing they just fed 5 people, 40 people, 100 people, 400 people….

Recently, a student left a note attached to his donation:
“I’d love to make the world a better place. There’s more to a dollar than what meets the eye. Instead of buying games, we need to think about the kids without games…. Or food. Food is the holy grail to some, but ho-hum to us. I’m glad the school started this drive. Not just to raise awareness but to let us help. $20 to kids is a lot. $20 to the rich is nothing. $20 to the world is progress.” -Chris D. (CRES student)

http://events.stophungernow.org/LangleyPyramid2018. Please share this link with anyone who may be interested in donating to support our cause.

In partnership with Rise Against Hunger (formerly Stop Hunger Now), the Langley pyramid elementary, middle and high schools are again coming together on Saturday, February 3rd at Colvin Run Elementary School with a goal to prepare 100,000 meal packages for schools and orphanages around the world. With each meal feeding 5-6 people, this is a wonderful event that impacts 500,000 individuals around the world and broadens the perspective of our students and families. This is a very real way for our students to better understand how their role in a school community impacts their global community.

Your child brought home a collection box in which they can save money through our “Learn to Earn” initiative. We will start collecting their loose coins and bills in January.

Parents and family members are encouraged to donate online at http://events.stophungernow.org/LangleyPyramid2018.

CRES families will be able to sign up to volunteer beginning Tuesday, January 2nd. Thank you to Rotary Club of Great Falls, Virginia for donating 5,500 collection boxes to all Langley elementary and middle schools.

In STEAM Lab, our fourth grade students planted tulip bulbs as part of their annual Journey North international study of seasonal change through a tulip test garden. The spring bloom is in conjunction with the 4th grade book study of the Secret Garden. Thank you to Ms. Blackwell, Mrs. Grabel, and the Fourth Grade teachers for creating this unique opportunity for our fourth grade students.

Springtime events occur at different times in different places across the globe, and our school will chart the bloom time on an international map. Check back next spring as you watch the wave of spring as it moves across the globe using the animated map!

Both the Wolf Trap Sing-a-Long and Great Falls Celebration of Lights were huge successes! Thank you to all of the Colvin Run families who participated. For the ninth consecutive year, CRES students and staff members performed on the Filene Center stage along with the U.S. Marine Corp Band on December 2 Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts. The next night, CRES students represented Colvin Run ES at the Celebrate Great Falls Foundation Celebration of Lights.

CRES Veteran's Day 2017

We held our annual Veterans Day ceremony to highlight our United States veterans and active military. We were honored to host thirty-five veterans and active military. Many of them came into the classrooms to share their experiences with the students. Our students took time to write letters to our veterans and active military around the world through “Operation Gratitude”. The ceremony and talking with our veterans and active military during their visit to the classrooms, helped solidify the students’ understanding of the important role our military play to help defend and maintain our freedom.
Thank you to our Veterans Day Planning Committee, our wonderful CRES staff, and students for making this such a wonderful event. A special thank you to American Legion Dyer-Gunnell Post 180 for serving as our Color Guard.

https://youtu.be/7ULUJSDb9u0

CRES Veteran's Day 2017 A celebration for the service & sacrifice of veterans and active duty military at Colvin Run

The Rotary Club of Vienna Virginia recently donated a dictionary to every 3rd grade student. The students were very excited to receive their own dictionary. Thank you to the Vienna Rotary for the generous donation to our students.

Our third grade service learning project kicked off Monday, October 2nd! Colvin Run Elementary School. Students were encouraged to wear yellow during the week to show their support for Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation as the third grade students worked to help raise money to find a cure for childhood cancer.

Churchill Road, Colvin Run schools lauded for environmental initiatives

Churchill Road, Colvin Run schools lauded for environmental initiatives Churchill Road Elementary School and Colvin Run Elementary School were among five Fairfax County Public Schools to receive the 2017 Virginia Naturally Award, administered by the Virginia Department of Game