Stenwood Hive Happenings


Hive Happenings Newsletter


Dear Stenwood Families,

We are coming to you early this week in advance of the Labor Day Holiday.  We have a four day weekend from Friday, September 3rd - Monday, September 6th and wish you a fun and safe time!

Thank you so much for attending our Virtual Back to School Night!  Dr. Mitchell and I had so much fun seeing many of the smiling faces of the staff that were in the building through their classroom window.  If you did not have an opportunity to attend, your teacher will be sending out their slidedeck and recording if they have not already done so.   

Here are some additional items included in today’s newsletter:

  • Daily Symptom Check *REMINDER*
  • Outdoor Lunch Option *NEW*
  • Mask Reminders*NEW*
  • Forms for the Beginning of the School Year *DUE NOW*
  • Kiss N Ride and Walker Updates *UPDATED*
  • Activating Your SIS ParentVUE Account
  • Stenwood Classroom and PTA Form
  • Advanced Academics Parent Meetings 
  • Tech Resource: Stenwood Stingers YouTube Channel!
  • Positivity Project: Intro Week - The Other People Mindset
  • School Meals and Free/Reduced Lunch Applications
  • Stuff the Bus: September 11 and October 9

 

See you Tuesday.

 

Sincerely,

 

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

 

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


Daily Symptom Check

Parents are asked to screen their children every morning before sending them to school.  If you have any questions about whether your child is able to come to school based on symptoms or exposure, please call the office. 

  • Feeling feverish and/or having chills – documented temperature of 100.4°F or higher? 
  • Has there been any use of fever reducing medication within the last 24 hours? 
  • A new cough that is not due to another health condition? 
  • Nasal congestion or runny nose?
  • New shortness of breath or difficulty breathing that is not due to another health condition? 
  • New chills that are not due to another health condition? 
  • A new sore throat that is not due to another health condition? 
  • New muscle aches that are not due to another health condition, or that may have been caused by a specific activity (such as physical exercise)? 
  • Fatigue (more tired than usual)? 
  • Headache? 
  • A new loss of taste or smell? 
  • Abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea or vomiting? 
  • New onset of poor appetite or poor feeding? 
  • Have you had a positive test for the virus that causes COVID-19 disease within the past 10 days?
  • Were you currently tested for COVID-19 because you were sick and are still waiting for the lab results?
  • In the past 14 days, have you had close contact (within about 6 feet for 15 minutes or more) with someone with suspected or confirmed COVID-19? 

Persons who have been fully vaccinated and are identified as a close contact to a COVID case do NOT need to quarantine if they meet the following criteria: 

  • Fully vaccinated 
  • ≥14 days since last dose 
  • Asymptomatic

You can view and print a hard copy of this screening at this link: https://www.fcps.edu/sites/default/files/media/forms/HealthScreeningQuestionnaire.pdf


Outdoor Lunch Option

Thanks to Mrs. Kannler and our parent volunteers, we are able to offer lunch outside starting on Tuesday, September 7th for grades 1, 3, and 4.   At this time grades  2, 5, and 6 do not have enough volunteers to offer this option.  Kindergarten is still working on routines and will hopefully be ready to start very soon.  In the meantime, the Kindergarten volunteers will be assisting in the cafeteria.  

Backpack

If you are interested in your child being outside (weather permitting), please send your child in with a towel in a cinch sack backpack so that they can easily carry their towel out to recess and through the lunch line.  Make sure to clearly label your child’s items with their name.

Students will be exiting the cafeteria through the side cafeteria door and placed in a sectioned off area outside designated for their grade level.  The parent volunteers and one staff member will be outside to ensure they stay in the sectioned off area.  Students will need to remain outside for the duration of the lunch block and will need to remain seated on their towel. At the end of lunch students will be lined up by grade level and return inside to the cafeteria to be picked up by their homeroom teacher.  If for some reason a child drops or spill their lunch during the transition outside, they will be able to return to the lunch line to retrieve a new meal.  

Please make sure you talk to your child about the expectations of this eating option.  Should your child be unable to follow these expectations,  they will need to return to the cafeteria.  


Mask Reminders

Please make sure you check the fit of your child’s mask, especially around your child’s nose.  If your child’s mask is not fitting tightly around their nose, please look for another mask that fits them more appropriately.  Here is FCPS guidance on masks: 

  • Approved types of masks:
    • Disposable masks, cloth mask coverings, gaiters, clear masks and cloth masks with clear plastic panel
  • All face coverings/masks must meet the following requirements:
    • Face coverings/masks that fit properly (snugly around the nose and chin with no large gaps around the sides of the face)
    • Face covering/mask with two (2) or more layers of non-woven material
  • Face coverings/Masks that are not recommended:
    • Face coverings/masks that do not fit properly (large gaps, too loose or too tight)
    • Face coverings/masks or gaiters with one layer
    • Face coverings/masks with exhalation valves or vents

Forms for the Beginning of the School Year - DUE NOW!

Every school year we collect vital information from our Stenwood families during the first few days of school.  During Thursday’s Open House, you received a packet with paper copies of these forms to complete and return back as soon as possible. Below you will find links for downloadable copies and some digital submission options for these important forms.  If you are able, we encourage your family to complete and submit the forms digitally (when possible).  Thank you in advance for your cooperation in helping us obtain this information prior to the start of our school year.

 

Required Forms 

  • Emergency Care Card Form -  Please be sure that all information on this form is correct.  While you may download this form and return a physical copy to school at a later date, we request,  if possible, you make any changes using weCare@School via your SIS ParentVue Account.  See the section below regarding accessing your SIS account.  We must have an updated form for every student on file at the school.  It is extremely important that we have the name and phone numbers of at least two people in the “Other Contact Information” section of the form.  Please be sure to notify the school office of any changes in phone numbers or email addresses that occur during the school year by using weCare@School via your ParentVue Account.
  • Health Information Form -   While you are updating your Emergency Care Card Information using weCare@School , make sure to fill out the “Current Health Conditions” and/or “Current Medical Care Details on the ECC form.  This is our preferred method for supplying information we need on the Health Information Form.  
  • Digital Permission Form -  This form asks for the required parental consent of certain apps and instructional software that may be used in instruction. You can review the apps Stenwood plans on using here. Please respond as soon as possible so that teachers may plan instruction appropriately using approved tools.  We appreciate your responses before the first day of school.
  • Student Rights and Responsibilities - Finalized SR&R documents are now posted here.  This handbook explains expectations for student behavior and adult responses to enhance school safety and to create a fair, equitable and supportive school environment.   Parent/Guardians can acknowledge receipt of the SR&R in the SIS ParentVue Account or sign the Parent Signature Sheet to acknowledge that you have received this document. Please read and review the handbook with your child, and then e-sign through ParentVue or return the signed signature sheet to school by September 2nd.

Optional Forms (Return ONLY if applicable):

  1. Objection to Release of Directory Information to the Public
  2. School Counseling Opt-Out Forms
  3. Objection to Release of Information for Commercial Purposes

If you have no objection to the activities described in this booklet, do NOT sign or submit any of the forms.  

  • Family Life Education Opt Out Forms - Please read and return the opt-out form for your child’s grade level ONLY if you do not want your child to participate.  You can learn more about FLE here and further program questions may be addressed at our school by contacting our assistant principal, Meredith Mitchell.  If you choose to have your child participate in the Family Life Education Program, you do not need to return the form.
  •  Identification of Military Connected Students - Local school divisions are required to identify students who have a parent in the United States uniformed services.

Kiss N Ride and Walker Update

Thank you to our KNR families who are using their car signs!!!  Please place your sign in the dashboard of your car on the passenger side, so our staff can clearly read your child’s name and call them to you.  

A few other reminders:

  • Please remain in your car.
  • Have your children exit/enter through the passenger side door.
  • Please do not pass another car unless you are directed to do so by a Stenwood Staff member.
  • If your children are not able to independently buckle up, please practice as much as possible so that students can do so independently.  
  • Please avoid parking on Carnegie and walking to get your children.  This is significantly narrowing the road for other traffic.
  • Please be considerate of our neighbors that live on Carnegie, if you see someone trying to enter or exit their driveway, please do not block them.  
  • We can use your support by making sure that all walkers/KNR students continue to use the back of the school building for entry and exit, allowing for safe travel for our buses in the front of the building.  
  • Kindergarten parents, please make sure you connect with your child’s Instructional Assistant before taking your child at the end of the school day.  We appreciate you attending to these procedures so that we can make our arrival quicker, easier, and most importantly, safer each school day.

Activating Your SIS ParentVUE Account

The SIS (Student Information System) ParentVUE Account is an online tool parents can use to access information about their child’s attendance, report cards, discipline incidents, health information, and more. In ParentVUE, you can also view student progress reports/report cards and SOL scores.

Your secure SIS ParentVUE Account offers you the ability to use one username/password to login to both the SIS ParentVUE Account and Schoology.

Using the SIS ParentVUE account, parents will also be able to view school information, including teacher e-mail addresses, the FCPS calendar, and emergency contact information. Visit the FCPS website and use the search function and keywords “SIS Parent Overview” for more information.

Many of our Stenwood families have already activated your SIS ParentVUE account with the activation key. If you are unable to login to your account, you may need to reset your password on the SIS Parent Account login page (https://sisparent.fcps.edu):  

  • Select the “Forgot Password” button.  
  • Your username is the primary email address you have on file with us in our Student Information System.  
  • More information is available here.

Newly enrolled families should have received an activation key for your account.  If you have not yet activated your account, please reach out to Sonja Hunt (snhunt@fcps.edu ) or Brian Spector (bmspector@fcps.edu).

Please take action now to ensure your account is active, so that you won’t miss a beat!


Stenwood Classroom and PTA Form

Interested in volunteering to be a class parent, volunteering in our cafeteria or library, OR just looking to stay connected with the great work of our PTA? 

 

Please complete the Stenwood Classroom and PTA Form.  

More information about the PTA is available on their website.


Advanced Academics Parent Information Meetings

Consider joining the Stenwood administration and Advanced Academics Resource Teacher Kaleigh Hartman to learn more about FCPS and Stenwood’s Advanced Academics Program. Both meetings will be held virtually.

  • Advanced Academics Overview and Curriculum – Learn about the levels of service and curriculum in grades K-6.
    • Friday, September 17 at 9:00AM
  • Level IV Referral and Screening Process – Geared for parents of students in grades 2-6 interested in referring their child for Level IV services.
    • Friday, September 24 at 9:00AM

Tech Resource: Stenwood Stingers YouTube Channel!

The Stenwood Stingers YouTube Channel is a great resource for all your tech questions!

Schoology Picture

Positivity Project Intro Week:

Other People Mindset

This week, we are focusing on the heart of the Positivity Project, the Other People Mindset. This idea is built on five important principles:

PP
  • We can identify and appreciate the good in others
  • We support others when they struggle
  • We are present and give others our attention
  • We cheer on others’ successes
  • We know that our words and actions affect others.

“We rise by lifting others.”

                                                          ~Robert Ingersoll

 

Questions you might enjoy talking about:

  • Why is this important?
  • How do I live with this mindset?
  • How do other people live with this mindset?

School Meals and

Free/Reduced Lunch Applications

Each student is eligible for one no-cost breakfast and one no-cost lunch each school day. Check out the  FCPS school meals menus.  If your student would like to purchase additional meals or a la carte items, they will need to pay. An additional meal is $4.50.

The best way to purchase items this year is to use MySchoolBucks. Set up your student’s MySchoolBucks account and help them memorize their pin. If you have questions about MySchoolBucks, our front office staff can help.  

Free/Reduced Lunch Applications are available for those who qualify and wish to initiate or renew their applications for the 21-22 school year.  While a school breakfast and lunch are provided at no cost this school year, your family may benefit from keeping your application up to date. The application is available HERE


Stuff the Bus: September 11 and October 9

On Saturday, September 11, and Saturday, October 9, Stuff the Bus will be collecting non-perishable food donations at 21 locations throughout Fairfax County and the City of Fairfax.

Stuff the Bus

Help fight hunger and feed hope in our community by donating. For updates, including donation locations, most requested food items and more, visit http://bit.ly/FfxStufftheBus.


Welcome Image

HH Pic 1

HH Pic 2

HH Pic 3

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