Wild Cat ROAR! February 8, 2026

We continue to highlight the Weller staff in our weekly newsletter. We want you to become familiar with the people who are working with your children.

Meet the Math team! From left to right: Lauren Frederickson, Joe Wood, and Cathy Fernstrom. Our math team provides interventions for students needing extra support in math.

LCPS School Counseling Services is dedicated to supporting School Counselors in building evidence-based practices that support student well-being and achievement. School Counselors are uniquely qualified to address the academic, career and personal-social needs of all students. They design and deliver comprehensive school counseling programs that improve student outcomes. They lead, advocate, and collaborate to promote equity and access for all students by aligning their counseling program with their school’s mission, vision, and school improvement plan.

Our School Counselors follow the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) National Model as a framework to build and deliver a comprehensive school counseling program. Using this model, School Counselors can provide support to students that will have a positive impact on student achievement, attendance, discipline, and overall student well-being. LCPS School Counselors are dedicated to supporting and building a comprehensive program through our STAR system. We are so impressed with the commitment our School Counselors have shown with completing our STAR system with 82% of our schools earning a star during the 2024-2025 school year, with the hope of an increase for this school year! Please visit the ASCA Website for the most up to date information and resources to best support the school counseling profession.

Here in LCPS, we believe that School Counselors are the heart of the school! At each level and school, we see our School Counselors going above and beyond to meet the needs of their students. Starting in Elementary school, counselors provide bi-weekly lessons focusing on academic, career and college readiness and personal-social development.

As part of our ongoing efforts to improve communication with our families, our school is participating in a Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) pilot program for a new two-way communication tool, Rooms (by Apptegy). Families can easily access Rooms right in the LCPS app to message teachers, get school updates and more, streamlining school communications – just what staff, students and families want.

Important: Rooms is similar to Remind and will replace Remind and ClassDojo during this pilot. This pilot program will launch on Tuesday, February 24.

How do I get started?

• In the next few weeks, check your inbox and/or text for a message from Apptegy. Follow the steps/prompts. (Please note: The email will come from accounts@thrillshare.com.)
• Download the LCPS app by searching for “Loudoun County Public Schools” in your phone’s app store.
• Select “Allow Notifications” when prompted on initial download to ensure you receive notifications.
• Click on “Rooms” or “Messages” to sign in to Rooms.

We know change isn’t easy, but with the Rooms robust platform that already integrates with the LCPS app and your school’s website, it’s a win!

This pilot program is a learning process and your feedback is important for the successful implementation of Rooms to all schools at the beginning of the next school year (2026-27 school year).

Please share your feedback and questions via this form.

Thank you for your support!

Ms. Burton

If parents are driving their children to Weller, or picking up their children at the end of the day, use the car loop on the gym side of the building. Exchange St. is not a drop off zone. Students are WALKING to school and we MUST consider their safety. The only families who may drop off students near the B-2 door are ones who have received explicit permission from the school because their children need assistance getting to their classrooms. Please follow the drop off and pick up guidelines. Accidents happen very quickly and can result in tragedy. Walkers need to use the crosswalks. Cars need to go to the car loop, not the neighborhood side streets. We appreciate everyone's consideration for all of our children.

We will be having a cereal food drive at Steuart Weller starting January 26th and ending February 13th! We are looking for full and unopened cereal boxes to donate to the Loudoun Food Pantry. During Kindness week we will be showing the “Domino Effect of Kindness.” On February 13th, before the cereal is donated, we will line the hallways with the boxes like dominos, so we can learn how donating food is a kind act that can be done in order to help someone else in need. Classes will earn incentives for filling baskets of cereal weekly. We are looking forward to spreading kindness!

Hello from the Weller PTO! We have lots of exciting activities coming up that you won't want to miss. Mark your calendar now!

• Feb 10th: PTO meeting featuring reading presentation
• Weller cafeteria | 6:15-7:45 pm
• Join us for an exciting presentation by the team of reading specialists as they walk through the literacy program at Weller. Hear directly how your student is learning foundational skills to become a life-long reader, writer, and communicator. Also learn practical strategies for what you can do at home to support your child and enhance their learning.
• Students are welcome to join. Quiet activities (i.e. coloring sheets) and snacks will be available.
• Bonus: if you register in advance, we will provide pizza!
• Feb 10th: Teacher and Staff Appreciation lunch
• We need your help making this lunch special for our wonderful teachers and staff. Please consider donating your time, treats, or resources.
• Sign-up genius (set-up, clean-up, desserts)
• PayPal to help offset the cost of catering (Dig, One Loudoun)
• Feb 13th: Domino Effect of Kindness
• One small act of kindness triggers a chain reaction, inspiring more kindness and creating a big, positive impact throughout the community.
• Bring in cereal boxes now through February 13th. The drive will culminate with a demonstration of the domino effect by creating a maze of cereal boxes through the hallways at Weller.
• All cereal boxes collected will be donated to Loudoun Hunger Relief.
• Spirit Wear
• Looking for a new Weller shirt? Winter hat? Tumbler? We've got it covered!
• Check out our new shop: https://steuartweller.myshopify.com
• Volunteers needed!
• Please consider helping the PTO with these opportunities.
• Social Media coordinator
• Work with the PTO team to regularly post content on social media channels.
• Staff volleyball game committee
• Help organize details and planning for the staff volleyball game vs Riverside varsity volleyball team on Friday, April 17th.
• Email infoswespto@gmail.com with interest.

If you have questions on anything listed above or would like to discuss other ways to get plugged in, please reach out to Krysti Lloyd at lloyd.krysti@gmail.com.

Empathy & Kindness Unit

To begin this unit, grades K & 1 will learn about the importance of kindness. Grades 2 & 3 will define empathy and how it plays a role in friendship. Finally, grades 4 & 5 will be covering concepts such as being kind when learning about different points of view and practicing kindness in the school community.

K - Help your child think of a kind act they can do for someone and support them in carrying it out. With your child, discuss how they think the receiver of the kind act felt. Ask your child how they felt doing a kind act for someone.

1 - Help your child think of a family member or close friend who could use some company. Encourage them to ask the person, “Would you like some company?”

2 - Ask your child to tell you about a time they had empathy for someone.

3 - Ask your child to name one of their friends and explain what makes them a good friend.

4 - Tell your child about a time when learning more about a different point of view helped you have empathy. Encourage your child to think of future situations where it might be helpful to learn more about a different point of view in order to get along and show they care.

5- Ask your child what problems they see in your neighborhood that affect other people. Point out how empathy helped them notice those problems.