Stenwood Hive Happenings


Hive Happenings Newsletter


Dear Stenwood Families,

Our staff were excited to see your children again after the winter break and we are hopeful 2021 will be a great year.  FCPS and Stenwood have sent out messaging this week with updates from the January 5th School Board Meeting. Please be reminded that the Board has officially paused phase-in plans and all students will be participating in school virtually until further notice.  Additionally, the bell schedule change is on pause and we will resume with our regular instructional schedule.

Monday, January 11th is still designated as an asynchronous school day for students as teachers receive additional planning time and training for phase-in.  Morning Meeting will take place this day at 8:40am and the rest of the day is designated for your child’s independent learning activities.  Some students will be participating in our winter iReady assessment window this day; your child’s teacher will be helping these students get started at the conclusion of Morning Meeting.  Families whose children are participating received an eNotify message on January 5th.

As we kick off the New Year, we hope you can help us by checking off three important and upcoming deadlines for us: 

  1. Complete our Intention Form to help us plan for next school year; 
  2. Complete the Health Commitment Form if your child is returning in person. Submit to snhunt@fcps.edu, if you haven’t already.  You can also access this from your SIS ParentVue Account.
  3. Order your yearbook this week, if you intend on purchasing one for your child this school year.  Orders close next Friday, January 15th and there will not be an additional ordering opportunity.

Finally, as we all process the events of this week, please remember that you can always reach out to our counselors Anoma Hapangama ashapangama@fcps.edu or Lynee Alston laalston@fcps.edu for support or for resources to help have a conversation with your child.  We as adults must remember that our children are listening and taking cues from the adults in their life and may need us to help process things they may have seen or heard.

Also in today’s newsletter: 

  • Response Needed: Intention Form for SY2021 - 2022 (*UPCOMING DUE DATE*)
  • Order Your Yearbook Today (*UPCOMING DUE DATE*)
  • Schoology Survey (*New*)
  • TJ Diversity Talks Webinar (*New*)
  • Employment Opportunity: Work for FCPS
  • Positivity Project:  Prudence
  • Curbside Library Checkout
  • Library Mystery Bags
  • Don't Forget to Return Your Library Books
  • Technology Help for Families 
  • Grab and Go Sites

Have a wonderful weekend!

 

Sincerely,

 

Erica Riley, Principal
esriley@fcps.edu 
Twitter @esriley1

 

Meredith Mitchell, Assistant Principal 
mamitchell@fcps.edu
Twitter @MereMitchellAP

 


Response Needed: Intention Form for SY2021-22

To ensure adequate staffing for the 2021-2022 school year, we are asking all Stenwood families to fill out this Student Intention Survey.  We request this form be completed by all families by Friday, January 15, 2021.

STUDENT INTENTION SURVEY FORM FOR ALL STENWOOD FAMILIES

Also included in this survey is a question regarding any preschool children you may have who will be attending Kindergarten at Stenwood in 2021-2022.  If you have any neighbors with preschoolers who have no other children attending our school, please share this form for them to complete and return to our school by January 15th, 2021.  The preschool children survey forms can be submitted via email to Sonja Hunt, snhunt@fcps.edu

Our Kindergarten Parent/Student Orientation meeting will be held on Monday, March 15, 2021 from 8:30 – 10:00 a.m.  We will be sending information about this meeting to those who complete the Intention Form or who call the school indicating interest in our 2021-2022 kindergarten program.


Order Your Yearbook Today!

Yearbook Photo

Yearbooks are sold ONLY online; they can be purchased for $16.25 using a credit card or PayPal account.  Yearbooks and order options will be delivered to the school at the end of the school year.

Simply go to yearbookforever.com and enter our school name.

DEADLINE IS January 15th, 2021 FOR ALL YEARBOOK ORDERS.

We need your help filling up the yearbook with photos from this year!  We are looking for photos showing:

  • Fall Festivities
  • Winter Photos
  • Virtual Work Space
  • Winter Break Photos
  • Ringing in the New Year.
  • And anything else you want!

You can upload the photos to   Yearbook Snap.  Access Code: stenwood.

We will also be asking to collect photos from you, we ask that they are either camera images or cell phone photos without the live feature attached. If you upload photos and the ending is .HEIC instead of .JPG, we are unable to use them in the yearbook.  We look forward to seeing everyone’s photo in the yearbook this year!


Schoology Survey

Thank you for participating in our Schoology pilot year. FCPS would like you to take a short survey about your experience. Your answers will help FCPS make any necessary improvements as we prepare all schools to begin using Schoology in the 2021-22 school year. The survey will take between 5-10 minutes to complete.

Please complete the survey by Friday, January 15.

Survey link: Family Pilot Year Schoology Feedback

Thank you for your valuable time and important ideas.


TJ Diversity Talks Webinar

The PTSA Diversity Committee of the Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJHSST) is launching a series of Diversity Talks webinars in January!  This series is especially for elementary and middle school students in grades 4-8. Join us to hear from people working in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) fields. What sparked their interest in STEM? What did they study in school? What kinds of jobs do they do? What else would you like to know? 

Mark your calendars for Monday, January 11, at 6 p.m. to hear the first speakers of our Diversity Talk series: Suresh Shenoy, Neena Shenoy and Nikhil Shenoy. Suresh Shenoy, a graduate of the Indian Institute of Technology, is a business leader and philanthropist who has contributed deeply to many aspects of the northern Virginia community. He was executive vice president at Alyx Technologies Inc., a Virginia-based consulting and technology services company. Mr. Shenoy was a founding member of the Thomas Jefferson Partnership Fund and served on its board until 2002. Neena Shenoy is a Mechanical Engineer (Tufts University 1981 and MIT 1985) and founder of Technology & Engineering providing engineering services. She was involved in designing aircraft engines for GE and worked on the Space Shuttle program for NASA designing and installing Special Payloads. She has also provided program management in start up businesses here and in India. Nikhil Shenoy graduated from TJHSST in 2002, MIT in 2006 and the University of Chicago in 2014. After working at Goldman Sachs, Proctor and Gamble, and Kastle Systems, he is now CEO of Colvin Run Networks, a company that he started in northern Virginia to offer artificial intelligence and blockchain solutions to governments.  

 

Parents, register at this Zoom link: https://bit.ly/TJDiversityTalk1

 

Submit questions in advance here: https://bit.ly/tjdiversitytalks


Employment Opportunity: Work for FCPS!

New employment opportunity in Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS)!

FCPS schools and centers will be hiring classroom monitors to provide in-person classroom assistance for students when a staff member remains virtual.  If you would like more information about the position, please review the job description and qualifications online and apply if interested. Please feel free to share information about this opportunity with anyone else you think may be interested.

FPCS is seeking individuals to serve as substitute teachers!

Are you or somebody you know interested in substitute teaching with FCPS? Apply here or attend one of our Friday information sessions to learn more! To sign up for a session, visit our substitute information page here. Say Yes 2 FCPS!


Positivity Project: Prudence

PP Logo

This week, we are focusing on Prudence. You plan for the future and achieve your goals by making careful everyday choices.

“When you make the right decision, it doesn’t really matter what anyone else thinks.”

                                         ~Caroline Kennedy

Questions you might enjoy talking about:

  • What does making good decisions have to do with prudence?
  • Is it hard to make decisions in certain situations? If yes, which situations?
  • Do you find it becoming harder or easier to make good decisions as you get older?

Curbside Library Checkout

Stingers can now go to Destiny Discover, the library catalog, and put books on hold!

Please note that the catalog may give you a pop-up message saying the book is ready – do not believe it!  Only come to the school AFTER you receive an email from us letting you know the items are ready and what time you’ll be able to pick them up. Be sure to mark your calendar because after one week, the books will be returned to the library so other students may enjoy them.

Click here for directions on how to put books on hold. 

Need to return books?  You may return library books on Mondays from 2:00-4:00PM and Thursdays from 3:30-4:30PM.  Drop off location will be in the Kiss-n-Ride loop in the back of the school. As always, please contact Mrs. Cole, our librarian, if you have any questions.

Stack of Books Image
KNR Loop Image

Library Mystery Bags

Need new books?  Not sure what to search for in the catalog?  Well, look no further – Mrs. Cole to the rescue!  Fill out the appropriate grade level form and she’ll put together a “Mystery Bag” for your child. It might be great, or maybe not – but trying new things is what education and reading are all about.

(Note: Separate forms for K-2 and Grades 3-6)

 

Grades K-2 "Library Mystery Bags"

Question Mark on Book Cover

Please fill out this form (Gr K-2)  if you would like to request a "Mystery Bag" from the Stenwood Library.  The "Mystery Bag" will include 5 books selected by Mrs. Cole.  It may include a combination of Picture books, "I Can Read" books, Quick Reads (early chapter books) and/or Nonfiction books.

 

Grades 3-6 "Library Mystery Bags"

If you need inspiration, you can look at the included pictures and/or access the Library/Materials Schoology course for a look at previous years’ pumpkins.  As always, please contact Mrs. Cole if you have any questions.

 

Please fill out this form (Gr 3-6) if you would like to request a "Mystery Bag" from the Stenwood Library.  The "Mystery Bag" will include 3 books selected by Mrs. Cole.

Remember, if you have a specific book you are looking for, please log into the Destiny Catalog to place a book on hold. (Directions are in your grade level folder here in the Library Course.)

Mystery Bag Clipart

 

WAIT FOR AN EMAIL BEFORE COMING TO STENWOOD

TO PICK UP BOOKS.

If you have a Yahoo email account, please check your spam folder.  Yahoo is blocking emails automatically generated by the library software.  If you are concerned that you missed a pick up time, please contact Mrs. Cole.

Questions? Please contact Mrs. Cole, our librarian, if you have any questions.


Don’t Forget to Return Your Library Books!

Library Book Return

While Mrs. Cole is happy that students are getting books during virtual education, she’s really happy when they come back so other students can enjoy them!  You can return books during curbside pickup. See information above.

 

If your child doesn’t know what has been checked out, they can log into Destiny Discover and see what they have checked out.  As always, contact Mrs. Cole with any questions you have.


Technology Help for Families

There are a wealth of resources available on the Stenwood website to assist with technology questions, including: setting up your SIS Parent Account, logging into and navigating Schoology, and resetting student passwords. You can find all that information and more here:

Stenwood ES: Return to School 2020

You can also find tech help and tips on our YouTube Channel:

Return to School Resources - YouTube Playlist

Parent Technology Help Desk: 833-921-3277 (833-921-FCPS) 


Grab and Go Sites - Updated Schedule

Here are the updated schedules for our food distribution routes:

New Lunch Schedule

Breakfast and lunch meals are offered Monday through Friday (excluding holidays). Breakfast and lunch are served at the same time. Breakfast and lunch are also offered at no cost to any student who attends in-person instruction at a school Monday-Friday. Meals for Saturday and Sunday are offered at sites and on bus routes every Friday.

More information is available online here, or by calling the Office of Food and Nutrition Services at 703-813-4800.

Free/Reduced Lunch Applications are available for those who qualify and wish to initiate or renew their applications for the 20-21 school year.  Your child(ren)’s application from last school year is only good for the first few days of this school year. You must send in a new household application for each school year.  The application is available HERE


Stay Connected

Here are a few ways to stay connected with all the happenings at Stenwood ES

WEBSITE: Stenwood ES
TWITTER: @StenwoodES
FACEBOOK (PTA): StenwoodPTA

SM