Welcome to Fort Belvoir Primary and Upper Schools! 

Fort Belvoir Elementary (composed of both Fort Belvoir Primary and Upper Schools) is proud to be Purple Star School and home to the highest military family population in the school district. We are located directly on the Fort Belvoir military installation.

With such a large population of military-connected youth, we are lucky to have two Military Family Life Counselors (MFLC) working with the active-duty student population.  Our MFLCs offer a myriad of services and is available to parents and students.

Proud to be a Purple Star School!

In 2022, Fort Belvoir Elementary was awarded the Purple Star Award by the state of Virginia. The Purple Star designation is awarded to military-friendly schools that have demonstrated a commitment to students and families connected to our nation's military. The recognition was announced by the Virginia Department of Education and the Virginia Council on the Interstate Compact on the Educational Opportunity for Military Children.

To qualify for a Purple Star, a school needs to reach out to military families through a liaison and provide resources on issues such as transitions, academic planning, and community engagement. Fort Belvoir Primary and Upper schools sponsors a Military Family Program to meet the needs of our Fort Belvoir military families. The program's goal is to connect military-affiliated families and students with each other and our school community. A variety of programs are available throughout the year. Some of the activities we organize are new family orientations, appreciation breakfasts, community Veteran's Day activities, school tours for new families, Month of the Military Child, and Purple Up Week.  

Dolores Elliott, is your Military Family Liaison. She is very excited to get to know the military families and learn how best they can support you. Please contact Dolores Elliott for military family-related questions or resources.

Student Ambassador Program

Students at Fort Belvoir Primary and Upper schools have the opportunity to participate in student ambassador programs which support our new students with their transition into the school community. 

Primary School: First Friends Program

 At Fort Belvoir Primary, one of the ways our First Friends welcome new students is with a monthly lunch bunch.  New students and their First Friend come together with other new students and their First Friend to each lunch, share about where they have lived, and just enjoy a time to get to know other students in the school across different classrooms and grade levels.

Family Ambassador Program

Family Ambassadors extend a Dolphin welcome to our new Fort Belvoir Elementary School (FBES) families and share their knowledge of the school system, Fort Belvoir, and the surrounding area.  

Communicating with New Families:

• New Family notification from FBES Family Liaison.
• Family Ambassador emails new family POC (pre-written/approved).
• Ideas (but not required): Families can get together for playdates, coffee, or even attend school events together.
• Family Ambassadors support/create family engaging activities (Food Market, Toy Swap, Coffees)

FBES Family Ambassadors do not carry the same responsibility as military unit sponsors.  However, ambassadors can help new families get settled into the community by recommending different community resources such as sports teams to join, restaurants in the area, or any other helpful community information.

Fort Belvoir Elementary’s Family Liaison

Fort Belvoir Primary and Upper has a Family Liaison dedicated to supporting military-connected families through school transition, resources for military installations and FCPS, and can provide helpful information about our surrounding community. If you are new to area or planning an upcoming move, contact Dolores Elliott at [email protected]

Military and Family Life Counselor

Consent Forms

Please complete the form below and return to your student's sub-school or email the form to your student's counselor.  OPT IN FORM

Issues addressed

• School Adjustment
• Deployment and separation
• Reunion adjustment
• Sibling and parent-child communication
• Behavioral concerns
• Fear, grief, and loss

How do we make a difference?

• Engaging in activities with children and youth through individual, group and lunch bunches.
• Providing short term, non-medical counseling support
• Available at no cost to assist children and youth, parents, family members, and staff of child and youth programs
• Providing behavioral interventions in classrooms, at camps, and in Child Development Centers to assist staff in setting and managing boundaries
• Modeling behavioral techniques and providing feedback to staff
• Being available to parents and staff to discuss interactions with children and other concerns
• Facilitating psycho-educational groups

Services are private and confidential except for child abuse or neglect, domestic abuse, illegal activity, or any other duty-to-warn situations.

Presentation Topics

• Anger Management
• Building Resiliency
• Deployment
• Children and Moving
• Communication
• Conflict Resolution
• Coping Strategies
• Divorce and Separation
• Relationship Skills
• Reintegration
• Stress Management

Contact Information

To obtain more information about the MFLC program, please contact:

Primary Elementary MFLCs:

• (703) 965-6749
• (703) 965-5312

Upper Elementary MFLCs:

• (703) 343-0157
• (703) 835-6960

Students with Special Education Accommodations

Fort Belvoir Primary and Upper schools and FCPS follow federal guidelines with respect to the IDEA and the Individual Education Plan (IEP) and 504 process and eligibility.  For more information on our Special education department, please contact our Special Education Chairs:

• Fort Belvoir Primary: Stacey White
• Fort Belvoir Upper: Jessica Grice

Resources to Support Military-Connected Students with Special Needs and Their Families

VDOE Resources:

• Critical Decision Points for Families of Children with Disabilities 
• The Virginia Guide to Special Education
• Understanding the Difference Between IEPs and 504 Plans
• Promoting My Child’s Independence and Self-Determination
• Understanding Your Rights
• Things to Know When Moving to Virginia
• Things to Know When Moving to Virginia:  Birth to 5 years 

FCPS Resources:  

• Navigating Special Education Needs and Parental Rights 
• Family Resource Center (Contact for their information brochure)
• FRC Resource Guide for Military Families
• FRC Military Families Resource Padlet 

Military Interstate Compact Resources: 

• MIC3 Brochure 
• Guidance for Military Families with Students in Special Education
• MCEC’s Guide to Understanding the Military Interstate Compact

Military Resources:

• Exceptional Family Member Program Brochure
• School Liaison
• Military One Source

Other Resources/Websites:  

• Fairfax County Special Education PTA 
• PEATC Military Outreach 
• Partners in Promise
• Virginia Family Special Education Connection

Other Links and Resources

Military Families - Below are a few links for policies and resources for military families new to FCPS and the Fort Belvoir Elementary School campus: 

FCPS Military Families 

MIC3