 As befits the season, students get creative with fall leaves!
Dear Wakefield Forest Families,
I hope you are enjoying the crisp air of fall. The girls and I enjoyed a camping adventure at Bull Run last weekend. As fall brings in cooler weather, we will still be eating outside as much as possible and students should dress appropriately with layers. Labeling these items will help us get them back to you if they are misplaced.
Please remember that Monday and Tuesday, November 1 and 2, are teacher workdays. Teachers will be planning, finalizing progress reports, and holding teacher conferences. On November 2, WFES will be used as a voting location. We are excited that our renovation will be on the election bond and certainly hope it passes so renovation can begin in the summer of 2022. Please see additional information below about the bond.
It’s exciting to see so many families walking and picking kids up at the end of the day. Please help us keep our spaces clean and safe by not sitting/standing on our outdoor tables and supervising children. We are unable to provide supervision before or after school.
Thank you.
Sharyn Prindle
Principal
 |
|
COVID Testing in Schools |
In support of our commitment to safety, Wakefield Forest, along with all other FCPS schools, will begin optional COVID-19 screening testing students the week of November 8.
Routine testing is a highly recommended strategy to reduce COVID-19 transmission and keep our schools safe. Following recommendations by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, at least 10% of students who are not fully vaccinated and have parent/guardian consent will be randomly selected for weekly testing.
Parent/guardian consent is required for students to be part of the testing pool. We will share more information about how to submit your child(ren)’s vaccination status and opt-in to testing soon.
Test results will be kept confidential. Parents/guardians will be able to review results through the secure vendor portal. Families may select an option to share their child’s test results with FCPS. Sharing results with FCPS is optional. More information about COVID-19 testing in FCPS can be found on the FCPS website.
 |
|
Dress as Your Favorite Character on Friday, 11/29 |
We can't wait for our first SCA Spirit Day this Friday, November 29. We encourage students to dress as their favorite character from a book, movie, or TV show. Please, no toy weapons or big props, and please make sure that your child's vision is not obstructed. Face masks are still required. Also, please make sure your child will be able to easily participate in PE and recess.
 |
|
Mask Reminders |
There are many types of masks you can use to protect yourself and others from getting and spreading COVID-19. When choosing a mask for your child, choose one that fits snugly.
Cloth Masks can be made from a variety of fabrics, and many types of cloth masks are available. Look for multiple layers of tightly woven, breathable fabric and nose wires. Masks should block light when held up to bright light source.
Students should NOT wear
- Masks with exhalation valves or vents
- Single layer or masks made of thin fabric that don’t block light
Disposable face masks are widely available. Look for a description indicating multiple layers of non-woven material as well as a nose wire.
Students should NOT wear
- Masks with gaps around the sides of the face or nose
- If wet or dirty
KN95 Masks
Look for KN95 masks that meet requirements similar to those set by CDC’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) for respirators.
Do NOT wear
- Counterfeit (fake) KN95 masks
- If hard to breathe
- With other masks; wear KN95 alone only
BE AWARE: About 60% KN95 masks in the United States are counterfeit (fake) and DO NOT meet NIOSH requirements.
 |
|
Fall Book Fair is Coming November 8-12 |
The WFES Library is happy to announce that we will be holding an in-person fall book fair the week of 11/8-11/12! Students will have the opportunity to shop our large selection of books during the school hours each day. Keep an eye out for a detailed schedule of book fair hours and an overview of the offerings in Thursday folders on 10/28 and 11/4. Please note that we will NOT be hosting an evening event for this fair, and parents will not be permitted in the building during school hours for shopping.
Online shopping will be available starting 11/5 at the following:
https://www.scholastic.com/bf/wfes.
We are also looking for a limited number of volunteers to help set up, run, and pack up the fair. If you are interested in helping out, please visit https://www.signupgenius.com/go/409084cadaf2ea31-fall2 to sign up. All volunteers must be WFES parents and must wear a mask at all times while at the book fair and on school grounds. Please contact WFES librarian Amy Rapuano at alrapuano@fcps.edu for any questions.
 |
|
Please Label Jackets |
With the cool weather in the mornings changing to warmer afternoons, many students are shedding their jackets at recess and then forgetting to retrieve them from the playground. Those jackets are taken to our Lost and Found. We encourage parents to label their children’s jackets with their names; even a first name and last initial would be helpful.
 |
|
FCPS School Bond on November 2 Ballot |
The FCPS school bond referendum will be on the general election ballot on Tuesday, November 2.
If approved, the School Bond will fund projects at two high schools and 12 elementary schools, including Wakefield Forest ES:
- Wakefield Forest Elementary
- $30 million
- Renovation including additions, totaling approximately 103,000 SF. Additions include a library, classrooms, music room, administrative offices, cafeteria expansion, and site improvements.
To read more about the WFES renovation in the Braddock Buzz, click here.
 |
|
Community Review of Elementary English Language Arts Basal Instruction |
Fairfax County Public Schools will adopt new Elementary School Language Arts Basal Instructional Resources for school years 2022-2023 and 2023-2024. A review committee composed of community members, administrators, and teachers will meet in November and December to review the instructional materials under consideration and community feedback. Public review of the recommended materials is part of the process for selecting new resources.
Elementary English Language Arts basal instructional resources may be accessed in person and online October 26 through November 26, 2021. Digital materials for public review and comment will be available at the following link https://www.fcps.edu/node/36853. People reviewing the material online may complete an electronic comment sheet at https://forms.gle/VKxcfabLedjYAZpS8.
In addition, hard copies of instructional resources will be available in the lobby of Willow Oaks Administrative Center. Willow Oaks is open each business day from 7:30 am to 3:00 pm and extended hours will be provided until 7:45 pm on October 26 and November 3, 2021. All community feedback will be shared with School Board members before the vote at the School Board regular meeting.
 |
|
Community Review of K-8 Science Basal Instructional Resources |
Fairfax County Public Schools will adopt new K – 8 Science Basal Instructional Resources for the 2022-2023 school year. A review committee composed of community members, administrators, and teachers will meet in November and December to review the instructional materials under consideration and community feedback. Public review of the recommended materials is part of the process for selecting new resources.
K - 8 basal instructional resources may be accessed online until November 14, 2021. Digital materials for public review and comment will be available at the following link https://www.fcps.edu/node/39027. People reviewing the material online may complete an electronic comment sheet https://forms.gle/g76TjGmewaN8Fgfb6. All community feedback will be shared with School Board members before the vote at the School Board regular meeting. To ensure your community members are aware of the opportunity to review materials please share this opportunity by Friday, October 29, 2021.
 |
|
Students Rights and Responsibilities |
The FCPS Student Rights and Responsibilities document 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 ParentVue in your child’s SIS account or sign the Parent Signature Sheet to acknowledge that you have received this document. If you have not done so already, please e-sign through ParentVue or return the signed signature sheet to your child's school by October 29, 2021.
 |
|
Counselor Check In |
We would like to remind our families that we are here to support you and your students! If your child needs a check in with Nancy Garcia-Henderson or Chelsea Boateng, WFES counselors, please complete this form:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1sN3uJzbb-O4cRpECBzHOD9ysu07rT8s_QhBrFIcUPlc/viewform?ts=6123e7df&edit_requested=true
Friday, October 29: SCA Spirit Day - Character Day
Friday, October 29: 2 hour early release (at 1:25 pm)
Monday and Tuesday, November 1 and 2: Student Holidays - Teacher Workdays
Wednesday, November 3 from 2:50 - 3:20 pm: Patrol Officers Meeting
Monday, November 8 - Friday, November 12: Fall Book Fair
Wednesday, November 10 from 6:30 - 7:30 pm FLE Parent Preview (virtual)
Wednesday, November 10 at 7:30 pm: PTA Meeting (virtual)
Thursday, November 11: Veteran's Day, 2 hour early release
|
