Hugh Mercer Elementary School

We loved seeing those that were teamed up twins.

☀️ Superintendent’s Summer Scholars Program ☀️

The registration deadline has been extended to June 1, 2026!

Summer Scholars is a great opportunity for students to continue learning through engaging activities, hands-on experiences, and exciting field trips this summer.

📍 Lafayette Elementary School
📅 July 7-24, 2026
(Monday-Thursday only, no Fridays)

⏰ 8:45 AM-12:45 PM
⏰ Mondays, July 13 & July 20: 8:45 AM-3:00 PM

👧 Open to current FCPS K-5 students

💲 Program Cost:
• $100 per student
• $50 per additional child
• Family maximum: $200
• Field trip entrance fees not included

Payment is due at the time of registration unless preapproved payment plans are in place.

❓Questions?
Please contact your school’s summer program administrator:

• Gladys West: Tony Lewis | (540) 372-1140
• Hugh Mercer: Brian Cannavo | (540) 372-1115
• Lafayette: Matthew Bailey | (540) 372-1135

Program Coordinator: Dina Vales
📧 dvales@cityschools.com

By submitting a registration form, you are giving permission for your student to attend all Summer Scholars field trips. Families are responsible for notifying the school of any medical needs prior to the start of the program by emailing the program coordinator.

🔗 Register here: https://bit.ly/4dQl7kq

May is Mental Health Awareness Month💚. Starting tomorrow, we are having a district-wide mental health spirit week.

Looking ahead!

Please save the dates for our upcoming Special Education Advisory Committee meetings in October and December.

Students connected math and reading by making words with money. How much are your words worth?

Recently, local school board members were treated to an impressive display of creativity and faced some tough decisions in selecting the 2026 winners in the Virginia School Boards Association’s Northeastern Regional Art Contest on May 12, 2026. Student art from the elementary, middle, and high school levels representing each school division in the competition, were judged at the regional forum for area school board members.

FCPS is proud to celebrate our own 2026 VSBA Art Contest Winners, who will be recognized at the June 8th School Board meeting.

Mental health matters, and you are never alone.

Students and families can reach out to our mental health staff, counselors, and teachers for support.

If you need immediate help, call or text 988. The Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available 24/7.

Together, we can support each other and break the stigma. 💚

In January 2025, we launched a new tool called Alongside. This app provides an extra layer of support to provide students with helpful mental health resources and help our staff catch signs that a student might be struggling. It helps by providing access to tools, check-ins, goal setting, and optional chatbot support. It’s meant to supplement, not replace, real human help, like school counselors, therapists, or crisis services.

Since its launch, the app has already helped us identify students in immediate need and connect them with important support services.

Fredericksburg City Public Schools is committed to building relationships with families. Parents and guardians can help by participating in the 2025-2026 FCPS Parent Survey! Share your thoughts around important topics impacting your students’ success. Survey results will be used to develop a plan to improve family and school partnerships in our schools. Please complete the survey by May 29, 2026.

Visit our website to complete the survey👉 https://www.fxbgschools.us/

⚾ Play ball this summer, FCPS!

Registration is now open for the Fred Nats Baseball League, running June 1 through August 31.

Open to boys and girls ages 8–18, this league is a great way for students to learn the game, build confidence, and stay active all summer long.

✔ Scholarships available (free entry for qualifying students)
✔ Local fields at James Monroe High School
✔ Welcoming environment for all skill levels

📲 Register using the link below.
https://clubs.bluesombrero.com/sunshinebaseball

Every student deserves support when they need it. Thanks to our partnership with Hazel Health, FCPS students can connect with licensed therapists through free telehealth services, at school or from the comfort of home.

🔗https://www.hazel.co/get-started

Students in Mrs. Leech's class, Mrs. Obert's class, Ms. Phipps's class, and Mrs. Keeka's class are patiently awaiting the arrival of some new adorable classmates. They are expected to be here on or around May 18th

Earlier this week, Instructure Inc., an international provider of educational software, announced that it had suffered a cybersecurity incident in late April affecting Canvas. Although the security of the Canvas system has been restored, data related to students and educators at hundreds of school systems and universities around the country were subjected to unauthorized access.

Canvas has assured us that they are investigating the matter.

Fredericksburg City Public Schools utilizes Canvas as our online learning system. According to the information currently available, the data potentially involved may include certain personal information; however, Instructure has indicated that passwords, dates of birth, government-issued identification numbers, and financial information do not appear to have been affected.

Planning and preparation have been at the forefront of our actions. We have spent considerable time monitoring and discussing this situation as well as collaborating with neighboring school divisions, insurance companies, and data experts.

Again, the breach was limited to Canvas internal systems, while the security of our network was never disturbed.

We are taking the Canvas data breach seriously and will continue to keep you informed as we learn more.

📰Fredericksburg School Division Chosen to Participate in National Student Mental Health Initiative📰

🔗https://www.fxbgadvance.com/p/fredericksburg-school-division-chosen?utm_source=publication-search

💻 FREE Virtual Mental Health Series for Families – May 💚

Families are invited to join a FREE virtual mental health series this May, presented by ParentGuidance.org through The Cook Center for Human Connection.

🕖 All sessions are offered at:
👉 7:00 p.m. & 9:00 p.m. ET

⭐ Special Highlights Include:
• Ask a Therapist LIVE – May 12 at 8:00 p.m. ET
• The Effects of Screen Time & Your Child’s Mental Health – June 1

✅ Expert‑led
✅ Virtual & convenient
✅ Free for families

🌟 Mental Health Spirit Week Is Coming! 🌟

📅 Join us for Mental Health Spirit Week!
This week is all about self‑care, kindness, connection, and well‑being—and we want students and families to participate together!

✅ Dress up
✅ Try daily wellness activities
✅ Start conversations about mental health
✅ Have fun while supporting healthy minds

🧠💚 Every day brings a new theme to remind us that mental health matters for everyone.

📰‘We are playing catch up’: FCPS hatches plan to go from zero to hero in CTE📰

🔗https://bit.ly/4uv128M

📰Transportation Opt-In, Walking Zones On the Table for Next School Year in Fredericksburg 📰

🔗https://www.fxbgadvance.com/p/transportation-opt-in-walking-zones