Mark your Calendars
Monday, May 29 is the Memorial Day holiday. There is no school for students and staff that day. Enjoy your holiday weekend!
Spring Means a Change in School Attire
While it may not always feel like it, spring is finally here; that means a change in school attire. Please take a close look at your child’s wardrobe, as you may need to separate play clothes from school clothes. Please remember that we expect students to come to school dressed in proper attire for school activities.
Here are a few reminders from our Parent Handbook regarding school clothes:
• Clothing should fit, be neat and clean and conform to standards of decency.
• Flip-flop sandals are discouraged as they can slide off and cause accidents on the playground.
• Clothing with improper language or images should not be worn.
• Sagging, low-cut pants, short-shorts, low-cut necklines, tube tops, halter tops, spaghetti straps, backless blouses or blouses with only ties in the back, and clothing constructed of see-through materials should not be worn.
• Head coverings, such as hats, caps, scarves or bandannas should not be worn unless required for religious or medical reasons.
• Tennis shoes with rubber soles are necessary for physical education classes and active recess play.
Restriction of Outdoor Activities
Pollen season is upon us, and it can make for some uncomfortable days for those of us who are impacted by allergies. As a result, we are getting requests from families to limit outside activities, particularly recess. It’s important to know that recess is a part of the instructional day. Not only is it required by the state of Virginia, but it is an opportunity to for students to move their bodies and to relax their minds as they prepare for the second part of their instructional day.
When students have medical conditions that impact their participation in outside activities such as recess, physical education, Field Day, field trips, walking to and from school, waiting at the bus stop, and other learning opportunities, FCPS in conjunction with the Health Department require a doctor’s note identifying the start and end date with defined parameters. It’s important to note that the division does monitor the air quality and students do not go outside on code red days.
If you are considering limiting your child’s access to outside activities due to a medical condition, please contact the school health room aide, Ashley Walker, for more information or to get a copy of the FCPS Physician’s Referral for Participation in Physical Education form.
Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL) Testing begins Next Week
Students in Grades 3-8 will be taking the Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL) Tests beginning the week of May 7 and continuing through June 8. It will be very helpful if you can avoid appointments which may take your child out of school during this time period. Also, it will help your child perform his or her best if he or she has had a good night’s rest, eats a healthy breakfast, and comes to school with a positive attitude.
The Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL) tests are required of all students in Grades 3-8 across the state by the Virginia Department of Education. SOL tests measure the extent to which students have learned the content and skills specified in the Virginia SOLs. Content areas tested include writing, reading, mathematics, history/social science, and science. All tests are online and no electronic devices are allowed in the testing environment.
The purpose of the testing is to provide information about student achievement in several subject areas. Scores from the tests will be used to determine whether students fail to meet standards, are proficient in meeting the standards, or are advanced in the standards.
Students in the state of Virginia will be permitted to have a one-time retake if a student scores between 375 and 399 on any SOL test. Typically, this means the student missed 1-3 questions on a test in order to pass. A letter about retakes was sent home with your child, and parents will be notified if their child qualifies for a retake.
Official scores will be sent home with the final progress report.
SOL Test Options for Students Observing Ramadan
This year, the main Standards of Learning (SOL) testing window overlaps with Ramadan, the Muslim holy month marked by daily fasting. The SOL testing window begins Monday, May 7, and all SOL make-ups and retakes must be completed by Friday, June 8. Ramadan begins the evening of Tuesday, May 15 and ends the evening of Thursday, June 14.
A parent or guardian whose child will be fasting to observe Ramadan this year and is in an SOL testing grade has the option to ask that his or her child be tested at the beginning of the SOL window (May 7-15) to avoid testing during the holiday. Keep in mind that this may mean testing before the rest of the class.
If you are a parent or guardian wanting to take advantage of this option, or if you have any questions, please contact Ms. Cunneen, assistant principal, as soon as possible. Or, if you decide to have your child test with the rest of the class, be sure to let the school know your child is fasting. We have scheduled all SOL tests for early in the day when students’ energy levels are likely to be highest, and we still would like to be mindful of those students who are fasting during this time.
Attendance Matters
As we close out one year and look forward to another school year beginning in August, parents and guardians are encouraged to keep in mind the importance of regular school attendance. Planning ahead to avoid taking students out of school for trips or appointments when possible can have significant positive effects on your child’s short- and long-term academic success.
Did you know?
• Regular school attendance in elementary school improves the chances that your child will read on grade level.
• Chronic absenteeism (missing 18 or more school days per year) is a primary cause of lower academic achievement even when the absences are "excused" or understandable.
• Students who attend 90% or more of the school year are more likely to graduate from high school on time.
• Absences can be a sign that a student is losing interest in school, struggling with school work, dealing with peer conflicts or facing some other potentially serious difficulty, and help is available.
Local Data
• 8.7% of youth survey respondents report skipping at least one day of school during the month of October, 2015.
• 3.2% of youth survey respondents report skipping 3 or more days of school during the month of October, 2015.
The Fairfax County Youth Survey was administered in November of 2015 to 33,276 students in grades 8, 10, and 12.
Attendance Policies
FCPS expects students to be in school and follow their assigned schedules unless their absence is excused due to illness, a death in the family, a medical or dental appointment, or religious obligations. Click here for the FCPS Attendance Policies.
Check Your Child's Attendance
Parents can log into the Student Information System (SIS) Parent Account to view your child's attendance. For additional support with accessing and using the SIS Parent Account visit our SIS Parent Account overview page.
Click on the image below to see a video message from Dr. Brabrand about the importance of regular attendance.
PTA Corner
School Beautification Day on May 19
Come join the Forestdale PTA on Saturday, May 19, at Forestdale from 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. for our School Beautification Day! (Please note this is a change from the original advertised time.) The Forestdale community will come together to help plant flowers and ground cover around the building, spruce up and stain some outdoor picnic tables, and clean up our outside spaces. This event was planned using raised funds from our Boosterthon fundraiser and will help bring Virginia native plants to our school grounds. Our goal is to work towards becoming a wildlife sanctuary! Some gardening supplies will be available. If you have additional supplies to share during the event, please bring them with you. We hope you can join us!
Staff Appreciation Week
The Forestdale PTA would like to invite all parents and students to show extra gratitude to our staff members during the week of May 7th.
We will have a daily theme; you may choose to join in for each day or just select days. Each day students will bring a different item for their teacher or a staff member. Items should not be expensive and are meant to be small tokens of your gratitude. You might also come up with your own ideas of ways to show your appreciation to the Forestdale staff. Participation is optional.
Monday, May 7th- Bring in a flower for your teacher or a staff member- this could be a real flower or a picture of a flower.
Tuesday, May 8th- Bring in candy or a snack for your teacher or a staff member.
Wednesday, May 9th- Write a note or draw a picture for your teacher or a staff member.
Thursday, May 10th- Bring in a school supply item for your teacher or a staff member.
Friday, May 11th- Bring in a piece of fruit for your teacher or a staff member.
Thank you for considering honoring our Forestdale Staff!
Forestdale PTA is on Facebook Live!
Forestdale PTA meets the first Tuesday of each month. Can’t make it to the meeting? No problem! Watch the meeting live on your computer or phone! Follow Forestdale Elementary PTA on facebook, and watch our meetings live each month. We’ll “see” you there!
Important Dates
May 8
Sixth Grade Field Trip to Gettysburg
PTA Meeting,
7:00 p.m., library
May 7- June 8
SOL Testing Window, grades 3 – 6
May 7 – 11
Staff Appreciation Week
May 9
Sixth Grade Pictures
May 18
Band, Strings, and Chorus Concert
6:30 p.m., gym
May 24
Interims go home
May 28
Memorial Day Holiday, no school
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