Woodbridge Elementary School

Dear Woodbridge Families,

Thank you for making our first Back-to-School Night such a wonderful evening! Our building was filled with smiling students, engaged families, and excitement about learning. We had a full house at our Title I Annual Meeting, a strong showing from our community partners, and meaningful opportunities for families to connect with teachers. We appreciate your thoughtful questions and your partnership as we build our new school community.

One of the highlights was seeing how proudly our students shared their houses! Our House System is beginning to take shape, and the excitement is growing across Ignite, Ascend, Ember, Forge, and Radiant and don't forget the Hatchlings. Students are learning that their actions contribute to something bigger: a community where everyone belongs and everyone can make a difference. Through kindness, perseverance, creativity, and responsible choices, our Phoenix are earning house points and putting our shared values into action.

Ask your child which house they belong to, what their house represents, and how they have helped their house this week. We look forward to watching these connections grow as students celebrate one another and build friendships across our school.

Thank you to our dedicated staff and community partners for helping make the evening so welcoming. Most of all, thank you, families, for being part of Woodbridge’s beginning. It is exciting to see our school spirit and traditions come to life!

Together We Rise!
Brooke LeVecchi
Principal

Mark your calendars for an exciting day of learning and fun at the PWCS Title I FamilyCamp on October 17, 2026, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at George M. Hampton Middle School, 14800 Darbydale Avenue, Woodbridge, VA 22193. This event is designed to bring families together to explore educational activities, engage with teachers, and discover new ways to support your child’s learning journey.

What to expect:

• Interactive workshops for parents and students

• Fun educational games and activities

• Opportunities to connect with other families and educators

• Free resources to take home

Bus transportation will be available for families attending the event.

• Pick-up will be at Potomac View Elementary School at 8:00 a.m. and at the Bayview Apartment Leasing Office (1293 Bayside Ave., Woodbridge, VA 22191) at 8:10 a.m.

Phoenix clubs will begin on Tuesday, October 6. Students will be dismissed at 5:30. Sign-ups for clubs are still being offered using this form. Woodbridge Elementary Clubs – Fill out form Please make sure to look at the grade levels each club will accommodate. At this time, there are no clubs available for students in Kindergarten or First Grade. Hopefully these grade levels will have a club offered some time next year.

If you have any questions, please reach out to Mrs. Morrone, our clubs coordinator.

Ways to Develop English Language

Helping Your Child Develop English Through Conversation

Talking with your child is one of the best ways to help them develop their English skills. Regular conversations give children opportunities to practice new vocabulary, form sentences, express their ideas, and become more confident speaking English.

Strategies for Families

1. Ask open-ended questions.
Ask questions that encourage your child to give more than a one-word answer.
Instead of: “Did you have a good day?”
Try: “What was your favorite part of your day? Why?”

2. Talk about everyday activities.
Use everyday routines as opportunities for conversation. Talk while cooking, driving, shopping, eating dinner, or getting ready for school. Ask your child to describe what they see, what they are doing, or what they think will happen next.

3. Give your child time to respond.
Learning a new language takes time. After asking a question, give your child a few extra seconds to think and organize their words before answering.

4. Expand your child’s sentences.
When your child gives a short answer, repeat it and add more detail.
Child: “The dog is running.”
Adult: “Yes! The big brown dog is running quickly across the yard.”

5. Encourage complete sentences.
Gently encourage your child to answer using complete thoughts. You can model the beginning of a sentence if they need help.
Adult: “What did you like about the story?”
Child: “The dog.”
Adult: “You can say, ‘I liked the dog because…’”

6. Introduce new vocabulary naturally.
Use new words during conversations and explain their meanings in simple ways. Try using the new word several times in different situations.

7. Talk about books and stories.
After reading together, ask your child to retell the story in their own words. Talk about the characters, setting, problem, and solution. Ask questions such as, “Why do you think the character did that?” or “What do you think will happen next?”

8. Encourage your child to explain their thinking.
Ask questions such as “Why?”, “How do you know?”, and “Can you tell me more?” These questions help children practice using longer sentences and explaining their ideas.

9. Use pictures as conversation starters.
Look at family photos, pictures in books, magazines, or other interesting images. Ask your child to describe what they notice, make predictions, or create a story about the picture.

10. Play conversation-based games.
Games such as Would You Rather?, 20 Questions, I Spy, and guessing games make speaking practice fun and natural.

11. Model English without overcorrecting.
If your child makes a mistake, you do not need to correct every error. Instead, model the correct language naturally.
Child: “He go to school yesterday.”
Adult: “Yes, he went to school yesterday.”

12. Keep conversations positive.
Celebrate your child’s effort and ideas. The goal is to help your child feel comfortable communicating. The more confident children feel about speaking, the more willing they will be to practice.

Remember: Your Home Language Is Important, Too!

Families do not need to stop using their home language in order to help children learn English. Talking, reading, telling stories, and having meaningful conversations in the language you know best helps children build vocabulary, background knowledge, and communication skills that support learning additional languages.

A few minutes of meaningful conversation every day can make a big difference!

Join us on Wednesday, October 14, for our October Spirit Day! Students and staff are encouraged to wear pink in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month and to show support for those affected by breast cancer.

If your child is missing a personal item, please have them check the Lost & Found area in the cafeteria. We have several jackets, water bottles, lunch containers, and other items waiting to be reunited with their owners!

Join Prince William County Fire & Rescue for the 3rd Annual Expo & Fall Festival on Saturday, October 3, from 12:00-5:00 p.m. at Pfitzner Stadium in Woodbridge! Families can enjoy fire truck tours, rescue demonstrations, games and activities for children, food, and more. This free community event offers fun and learning for all ages.

We are excited to announce the soft opening of our school pantry! As we continue to collect donations and build our inventory, we want to ensure that families experiencing an immediate need for food can access support.

If your family is experiencing a need, please complete the form below. Maite Diaz-Funez, School Parent Liaison, or Cory Cobern, School Social Worker, will reach out to you confidentially to discuss available resources and support.

Capital Area Food Bank Mobile Food Market is coming to Prince William Public Libraries this fall!

Families can receive fresh fruits and vegetables at no cost on a first-come, first-served basis. Please bring your own grocery bags. Visit the Potomac, Bull Run, or Central Library locations on select dates in September, October, and November for this community resource.

Potomac Library

2201 Opitz Blvd

Woodbridge, VA 22191

Bull Run Library

8051 Ashton Avenue

Manassas, VA 20109

Central Library

8601 Mathis Avenue

Manassas, VA 20110

The safety of our students is always our top priority. When visiting Woodbridge Elementary or picking up a student early, please be prepared to show a valid government-issued photo identification upon arrival.

For security purposes, students may only be released to individuals who present a physical form of identification and who are listed as an approved emergency contact.

Photo or digital copies will not be allowed.

Strong family-school partnerships begin with open, respectful, and consistent communication. Your child’s teacher should always be your first point of contact when you have a question or concern about your child’s learning, classroom experience, assignments, behavior, or classroom routines.

We also ask families to remember that teachers are actively teaching, supervising, planning, and working with students throughout the school day. Their primary focus during these hours must be student learning and safety.

To help our teachers remain focused on students, please limit multiple messages about the same question or concern and allow teachers time to respond. Sending repeated messages through different communication methods can make it more difficult for teachers to manage communication while providing students with the attention they deserve.

Teachers will respond as soon as they are reasonably able. We appreciate your patience and partnership as we work together to support every student.

For questions about attendance, absences, or general school information, please contact the Woodbridge Elementary School office at wdes-office@pwcs.edu.

Thank you for helping us protect instructional time while maintaining strong communication between home and school.

Los estudiantes de PWCS en los grados 3 al 12 participarán en la encuesta Socioemocional (SEL) Snapshot, que ayuda a comprender cómo desarrollan habilidades importantes para la vida. Esta encuesta no se usa para calificaciones, disciplina ni evaluaciones de salud mental. Las familias pueden revisar las preguntas, acceder a los resultados a través de ParentVUE y optar por no participar.

Para obtener más información, escanee el código QR que aparece en el volante adjunto.

We are excited to welcome families and special guests to join their students for lunch beginning October 1st! More information about lunch visit procedures will be shared as the date approaches.

We are also looking for volunteers to help make this school year a success. Opportunities include assisting during lunch, supporting our monthly Family Food Markets, helping with the Book Fair, Field Days, and other school events throughout the year. If you're interested in volunteering, please complete the Volunteer Interest Form linked below.

Please note: All volunteers must complete the required volunteer training and school division volunteer requirements before participating in any volunteer activities.

USE THE BUTTON BELOW TO FILL OUT THE INTEREST FORM

Thank you to all families who have already reviewed the 2026-2027 Woodbridge Elementary School Family Handbook. If you have not yet done so, please take a few minutes to review it. The handbook contains important information about school procedures, expectations, attendance, safety, and communication. We will continue to update it throughout the year as we grow our new school community together.

USE THE BUTTON BELOW TO ACCESS THE FAMILY HANDBOOK

To help students return to learning quickly after an accident or spill, please send a complete change of clothes for your child to keep at school. Our nurse's clinic will not have extra clothing available.

We recommend including:

• Shirt
• Pants/shorts
• Underwear
• Socks

Please place the items in a labeled Ziploc or reusable bag with your child's first and last name, and update them throughout the year as your child grows and seasons change.

If families need resources for extra clothes, please reach out to our School Social Worker, Cory Cobern CobernCD@PWCS.EDU or our School Parent Liaison, Maite Diaz-Funez, DiazfuMS@PWCS.EDU.

Students are sorted into one of five houses that represent our core values:

• Ignite – Proactive
• Ascend – Perseverant
• Ember – Resilient
• Forge – Innovative
• Radiant – Inspiring

• Thursday, October 1 - Back to School Night and Title 1 Family Meeting- 5:30-7:00 PM
• Friday, October 2- School Picture Day

House System - Family Important Dates

• Student House reveal day – Friday, August 28th
• House parade (mini celebration) - Thursday, September 3rd
• Quarter 1 House assembly – Friday, October 30th
• Quarter 2 House assembly – Wednesday, January 27th
• Quarter 3 house assembly – Thursday, April 15th
• Quarter 4 House cup celebration – Wednesday, June 16th

1550 Prince William Parkway, Woodbridge, VA 22191

Main School Phone Number

703.494.3154

Brooke LeVecchi, Principal - leveccbb@pwcs.edu

Emmanuelle Hill, Assistant Principal - CrossEA@pwcs.edu

Latisha Copeland, Administrative Intern - SAMUELLS@pwcs.edu

Ana Salmeron, Financial Specialist - SalmerAL@PWCS.EDU

Delores Ford, Admin Assistant II - FordDS@pwcs.edu

Doris Guzman, Office Assistant - GuzmanDM@pwcs.edu

Maite Diaz-Funez, Parent Liaison - DiazfuMS@PWCS.EDU

Cory Cobern - School Social Worker - CobernCD@PWCS.EDU

Melba Ester - School Nurse - EsterMT@PWCS.EDU

Woodbridge ES CIP Summary with Goals (2026–2027)

Woodbridge Elementary’s Continuous Improvement Plan focuses on launching a high-performing, inclusive school by strengthening instruction, building a strong culture of belonging, and using data-driven systems to support all students.

Key Priorities

• Increase reading and math achievement for all students
• Close achievement gaps for historically underserved groups
• Establish consistent instructional systems (CLTs, MTSS)
• Build a positive, inclusive school culture and strong family partnerships

Literacy Goals

• 85% of grades 3–5 students will pass the Reading SOL by June 2027
• 80% of K–2 students will be in the low/moderate risk range on VALLSS
• 100% of students will show growth on STAR Reading

Mathematics Goals

• 85% of grades 3–5 students will pass the Math SOL by June 2027
• 100% of grades 1–5 students will show growth on Momentum Math

Instruction & Systems Goals

• 100% of teachers implement consistent CLT structures and data-driven practices
• 100% of identified students receive evidence-based literacy interventions
• Design Thinking integrated into instruction across all teams

Positive Clime & Culture

• Improve overall attendance and reduce chronic absenteeism
• 100% of chronically absent students receive mentoring/support

Family & Community Goal

• Establish and operate a school pantry system to support families and remove barriers to learning

Key Strategies

• Deliver strong Tier I instruction with targeted intervention supports
• Implement MTSS for academics, behavior, and attendance
• Use data to guide instruction and monitor progress
• Build a culture of belonging through the House System, PBIS, restorative practices, and family engagement