Forestville Friday Updates!

Upcoming Dates:

October 5th - Student and Staff Holiday (Yom Kippur) 

October 10th - Staff Development Day - Student Holiday 

October 14th - PTA Movie Night


Custodians

Thank You, Custodians and Cafeteria Staff! 

A big THANK YOU to our awesome custodial team for their commitment to our students and staff, for their hard work maintaining our school and grounds, and for their dependability and willingness to tackle any task. We also want to thank our wonderful cafeteria staff for all that they do to feed our students on a daily basis! We appreciate all of you! 

Custodial and Cafeteria Apprecaition Week: October 3rd-October 7th


Maria

Welcome, Forestville Parent Liaison 

Please help us welcome Ms. Maria Isaza, our new Family Liaison, to Forestville Elementary. Ms. Isaza is an experienced Family Liaison within Fairfax County Public Schools. Family liaisons work in schools and the community to help families get the information and assistance they need to support their children's success. Additionally they support new families as they transition to a new school community and returning families, connecting them with resources in the community. Please see the message below from Ms. Isaza:

 Hello Forestville Community,

I am Maria Isava, the new Family Liaison for Forestville Elementary. I have been with FCPS for 13 years serving as a Family Liaison, Interpreter and Instructor within the Flex program. As a Family Liaison, I will collaborate with our Social Worker, School Counselors, Clinical Team, Forestville Families, and our overall Forestville community, by connecting families to needed resources. I will share with our families information around events happening in the county and any important information going on in FCPS.

On a personal note, I enjoy nature and outdoor activities, music, world cuisine, and learning about other cultures. I am excited to be a part of the Forestville community and I look forward to collaborating with our school and parent community to provide any support that may be needed. 

Sincerely - Maria Isaza 


Dr. Reid

Superintendent Community Conversations

Dr. Michelle Reid will continue to host Superintendent Community Conversations across the division through November to get to know our communities. Events are being scheduled at high schools in each pyramid at 6:30-7:30 p.m. Schools will share registration information with families and employees in advance of each event. See the list of events that have been scheduled.

The save the date for the Langley Pyramid is 10/26/22


Pre-School

Preschool Community Peer Program

Forestville Elementary is pleased to announce that we will be having a community peers program for our preschool program. The Early Childhood Special Education staff have been investigating the possible opportunities for our students to participate in integration activities with typically developing peers. This will involve teaching preschoolers with delays and without delays in the same classroom. It can provide young children with a more stimulating environment, teach skills for coping with different situations, and provide the opportunity to learn appropriate social skills.

Our program will invite a limited number of community preschoolers (1-2 per class), who are of the age of 4-5 years old, to participate in our daily preschool activities. The children from the community will have the opportunity to make new friends and share experiences with current early childhood special education students. Our students will, in turn, benefit from being with community peers who can model appropriate language, motor, and social skills.

If you are interested in learning more about this program, please feel free to contact Ms. Bahamonde, Forestville preschool teacher, at mkbahamonde@fcps.edu, to learn more about the program. 

Please reach out to Ms. Bahamonde as soon as possible if interested, as she will need you to fill out an interest form by October 3rd and the preschool program will be having a parent information session and playdate on October 6th, from 11:00-11:30am. 


ESSER III Funding Supports Student Success: Your Voice Matters

In the fall of 2021, FCPS received $188.8 million in Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER III) funding to support the safe operation of schools and address the impacts of COVID-19 on students. 

ESSER III focus areas have included resources for prevention and mitigation of COVID, academic services, multilingual engagement, support for students’ social emotional needs, and professional development. 

Your Voice Matters!

A feedback form will be live on the ESSER III webpage Friday, September 23. Your input will inform the School Board and FCPS staff on the community’s view of our work. Watch this video to see the impact ESSER III funds are having in our schools. Learn more on FCPS’ website


Our Voices, Our Future

Fairfax County Public Schools is launching the engagement phase that will help us develop our brand new Strategic Plan

During her Community Conversations listening tour in each high school pyramid, Superintendent Michelle Reid has heard from many of you about your hopes and aspirations for our students. That feedback will become part of our proactive strategic plan that will serve as our North Star—or guide—for the future.

Starting in October, we will be inviting the entire FCPS community to engage in building our shared future. This includes hearing from our parents and caregivers, students, and broader community, as well as surveying students in grades three and above. You will have an opportunity to have your voice heard in one of many sessions (both in-person and virtual) during November and December. We encourage you to join us in this journey by actively participating in the conversation.

The goal is to have the final strategic plan by June 2023. For a more detailed overview, visit FCPS’ Strategic Planning webpage.


SEL Screener Updates (K-2)

Students in grades K-2 will no longer participate in the Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) screener. Instead, the Child Behavior Rating Scale administered in kindergarten, existing attendance, and behavior data will be used to determine necessary social emotional instruction and supports. School teams will use these measures alongside family input, as they develop their understanding of students’ needs and strategies to support them.

Students in grades 3-12 will be able to participate in the SEL screener. School teams and families use this information to develop positive school cultures and support students academically and personally. This year, students will participate in the screener in the fall (October/November) and spring (March). Parents are able to opt their child out of taking the SEL screener. Read more about SEL and signature practices online.


FCPS Parent Resource Center

The FCPS Parent Resource Center offers a welcoming and engaging environment for families, educators, and community members. It provides access to information and resources to support the success of all students, including those with learning challenges, special needs, and disabilities.

Throughout the year it offers family and educator webinars. Upcoming sessions include:

To join the PRC email list and receive notices of upcoming webinars, sign up for their News You Choose newsletter