 We Love our Custodians!
Forestdale Families,
This past week was Custodian Appreciation Week, and Forestdale's custodial team is the best of the best! Each day, these amazing Falcons "take care of this place" by ensuring our students, families, and staff come into a safe, beautiful, and clean building each day... and they do it with smiles full of love. You can hear the custodians' laughs throughout the halls as they greet students and staff ; what an important part of our family they are! Please join us in showing our deepest gratitude to our amazing team (left to right), Ms. Salomey Agyeiwah-Takyi; Ms. Mary Koduah, Building Supervisor; Mr. Thanhphuong Luu, and Ms. Ama Adu-Ampong, Assistant Building Supervisor.
As we move forward into fall, we hope you enjoyed the sunshine that finally came out on this beautiful weekend and had a great day off with your students. We are wishing you a wonderful start to this season and a great short week!
Your partners in education,
Mrs. Jenny Cunneen, Proud Principal
Dr. LaDonna Tate, Proud Assistant Principal
Today's Student Holiday
Indigenous Peoples' Day honors the histories, cultures, and contributions of Native peoples, past and present. This year, Monday, October 10 is a student holiday and staff development day. See the complete 2022-23 school year calendar.
Taking Care of Others During "Socktober"
The Forestdale Safety Patrols invite all students, staff, and families to participate in their Socktober charity event by bringing in new socks to support the homeless in our area. See details below. Our patrols thank you in advance!
Click here to Watch the Socktober Promo created by our amazing Patrols!
 Fairfax County Public Schools will participate in International Walk to School Day on Wednesday, October 12, in an effort to promote physical activity and reduce traffic congestion and pollution near schools. Students and employees are encouraged to bike or walk to school and work where safe to do so on October 12.
CogAT Testing for Grade 2 Students
All second grade students will be taking the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) during the week of October 17-21, 2022. There are three batteries (verbal, nonverbal, and quantitative), and each battery will be given on a separate day. The test is being administered online and students will have an opportunity to practice logging on and answering questions before testing.
If you have any questions about the assessment, please contact your child's teacher or the assistant principal, Dr. LaDonna Tate, at lmtate@fcps.edu.
Preparing for Parent-Teacher Conferences
We are more than halfway through the quarter already! At the end of this month and into November, parents and families will be participating in parent-teacher conferences. This is a valuable time to connect with your child’s teacher and to learn about how he or she is progressing. To prepare for this conference, we recommend:
- Talk with your child before the conference. Ask what he/she thinks the teacher will say. Talk about any likes, dislikes, problems, and successes.
- Think about what you want to learn from the conference. Make a few notes. They help all of us stay focused!
- Ask the teacher to explain anything you don’t understand. We are in a profession of acronyms— PPG, IEP, SEL, iReady, CORE, PASS, VKRP, DSA, SOL. No question is a foolish one.
- Be prepared to talk and listen. Tell the teacher what you see at home. Talk about your child’s interests. Tactfully talk about any concerns. Let us know about anything that might affect your child’s learning at school. Sometimes the smallest changes at home have an impact on your child at school.
- Follow up. Stay in touch. If you think of a question you didn’t ask, write a note to the teacher. Remember that the teacher is also anxious to please. Try to mention a bright spot in your child’s program. If there are issues, listen carefully to the concerns and ask probing questions. Sharing issues can be difficult for both teachers to convey and parents to hear.
If you have not scheduled a conference with your child’s teacher, now is the time to do so. We hope you find the end-of-the-quarter conferences informative and an important step to your child’s continued success in school!
 Supporting Your Child’s Mental Health
Identifying whether your child’s behaviors are normal or a warning sign of a mental health concern can be difficult. Talk to your child and pay attention to their actions. Also, consider these warning signs:
- Increased irritability, hyperactivity, energy, and/or aggressive behavior.
- Excessive sadness, hopelessness, or worries.
- Loss of appetite, or significant weight gain or loss.
- Lack of sleep, or too much sleep.
- A decline in grades, school avoidance, or attendance concerns.
- Alcohol or drug use.
- Withdrawal from activities and/or friends and family.
- Thoughts of harming themselves or others.
If you notice any of these warning signs or feel your child may be experiencing a mental health challenge, help is available. All Fairfax County public schools have at least one school counselor, school psychologist, and school social worker. Please reach out to our school counselors: Stephanie Felix scechaidevia@fcps.edu, Sofia Echaide scechaidevia@fcps.edu; our school social worker Amity Kim ankim@fcps.edu; or our school psychologist Ukindra Johnson uljohnson@fcps.edu to discuss your concerns and identify resources. Find additional information to support your child’s wellness on FCPS’ website.
If you or someone you care about is experiencing a mental health crisis such as thoughts of harm to self or others, please take action:
- Text NEEDHELP to 85511 for the CrisisLink hotline or call them at 703-527-4077.
- Chat online with a specialist.
- Go to the nearest emergency room or contact the Sharon Bulova Center for Community Health Emergency Services at 703-573-5679. Call 911.
Forestdale Celebrates All our Learners
During October, Disability History and Awareness activities provide an opportunity to create greater public awareness for individuals with disabilities, with the goal of full inclusion in our community.
LGBTQIA+ History Month is recognized in October nationwide. We acknowledge and celebrate that LGBTQIA+ students, staff, and families are an integral component of our nation.
 Trust Policy- Multilingual Podcast
Fairfax County Public Schools produces a multilingual podcast every two weeks to highlight relevant information for families in their own languages. It is produced in English, Spanish, Arabic, and Korean.
The latest episode introduces the FCPS Trust Policy and reminds families to review the Student Rights and Responsibilities document. Learn more about the Podcast.
 Save the Date: Superintendent Community Conversation on November 10
Please save the date for a very special event! Dr. Michelle Reid, FCPS superintendent, will host a Community Conversation at John R. Lewis High School on November 10 from 6:30-7:30 p.m. This event will be a unique opportunity to help Dr. Reid get to know our school community and learn more about her vision for our district.
Language interpretation will be provided, as available, as well as child care and light refreshments. Please click here to register to attend.
National Bullying Prevention Month
October is National Bullying Prevention Month. To help develop a common understanding of Bullying, below is the FCPS definition.
Bullying in Students Rights and Responsibilities is defined as: “Any aggressive and unwanted behavior that is intended to harm, intimidate, or humiliate the victim; involves a real or perceived power imbalance between the aggressor or aggressors and victim; and is repeated over time or causes severe emotional trauma. “Bullying” includes cyberbullying. “Bullying” does not include ordinary teasing, horseplay, argument, or peer conflict.”
For more information on how FCPS handles a bullying situation please visit the FCPS Bullying Prevention and Intervention webpage. Our goal is to ensure all students are safe and feel welcomed at school. If you have questions and/or concerns about something that is going on at school, please be sure to contact your child's teacher.
PTA Corner
First Zoom Meeting: October 12
The next PTA meeting will be at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 12 on Zoom. The PTA will discuss this year’s calendar of events and budget. Ms. Cunneen will give school updates and answer questions, too. All are welcome to attend. Click here to join.
Minions! Outdoor Movie Night: October 21
The students have voted, and we’ll be showing “Minions: The Rise of Gru” for our free outdoor movie night on October 21. Bring your families, folding chairs, and blankets to the field behind the school. PTA will provide free snacks and water. Doors open at 6:15 p.m. The movie will begin at 6:45 p.m.
Important Dates
October 10
Indigenous Peoples' Day: No School (Student Holiday/Staff Development Day)
October 12
International Walk to School Day
Virtual PTA Meeting, 6:00 p.m.
October 24
Diwali: No School (Student and Teacher Holiday)
October 28
End of First Quarter; 2 Hour Early Release (1:35 p.m.)
October 31
Teacher Workday/Parent-Teacher Conferences (Student Holiday)
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