10/16/23 News From the Nest: Family Edition

If you need this message in another language, please visit this link: https://glenforestes.fcps.edu/aggregator/sources/1

Si necesita este mensaje en otro idioma, visite el sitio web de nuestra escuela en este enlace: https://glenforestes.fcps.edu/aggregator/sources/1

اذا كننتم بحاجة ان تستلموا هذه الرسالة بلغة اخرى  فنرجوا زيارة موقع ا مدرستنا  على هذا الرابط.                  

https://glenforestes.fcps.edu/aggregator/sources/1     

10/16/23

Glen Forest Families:

I hope this message finds you well.  As the fall season gracefully settles in and the leaves change colors, your children are also evolving, growing, and maturing before our eyes. It's a privilege to be a part of their journey and to witness their growth. Thank you for sharing your children with Glen Forest ES!

PTO Needs Your Help!

The PTO (Parent Teacher Organization) is a volunteer organization and can not survive without volunteers! Below are concrete ways parents can actively participate both small and large in our school:

• Help handout spirit wear
• Volunteer at the Book Fair (set up as well as help running the cash register during the day)
• Volunteer to set up or clean up at International and MultiCultural night
• Volunteer to help plant and beautify our school grounds
• Help transition our PTO and Club registration online
• Provide translation at events
• Volunteer to run a spring club
• Provide clerical help to teachers/staff
• Gather donations for Bingo Night
• Work with others to coordinate teacher appreciation (this can be as simple as agreeing to bring candy, snacks such as apples, cheese, and crackers to the break room...etc up to helping with teacher appreciation week)
• Help connect GFES with businesses or places of worship looking to donate time or money to help our school and it's community
• Leaning to replace one of our executive board members next year

We desperately need help with all of these items!  No offer is too big or too small.  Please read through this list and choose a way you can positively impact our school community.  Please contact the PTO at glenforestpta@gmail.com if you are able to help with any of the items above.  

The next PTO meeting is Wednesday October 25 at 7:30pm.  The zoom link is below.  We hope to see you online!

 https://myfcpsk12.zoom.us/j/93477400889

Understanding the Full-Time AAP (Advanced Academic Programs) Screening Process

At this meeting, parents of 2nd-5th grade students will learn about Fairfax County’s AAP Full-Time Services Referral, Screening, and Identification Process.  There will be an Arabic and Spanish translator available.

When:  Tuesday, Oct 17, 2023, 6:30-7:30 PM

Where: Glen Forest Cafeteria

Attention 2nd Grade Parents: CogAT Testing Postponed

Unfortunately, the vendor’s testing platform for the CogAT assessment is experiencing nationwide technical issues. Riverside Insights, the publisher of CogAT, is aware of an issue that affected CogAT administration. Under their guidance, we are still unable to resume CogAT testing for Fairfax County Public Schools. CogAT testing for the division will resume once a resolution has been deployed by the publisher (Riverside Insights) and they have confirmed that students may resume testing. 

FCPS staff continue to collaborate with the publisher to ensure your student receives accurate results in the best testing environment possible. We have been assured by the publisher that students will be able to resume testing where they’d left off, with their remaining time allotted reflecting the point at which they were paused. Please be assured that for tests during this period which have been completed, data can be successfully submitted for reporting. All results from these test administrations can be reliably interpreted.

As with any assessment, please bear in mind that the CogAT is a single data point used within the holistic advanced academics screening process. No data points in the screening portfolio, including an ability test score, has a minimum required score or a weighted consideration in matching students to available Advanced Academic Programs (AAP) services. 

For families who feel their student needs to be considered for full-time AAP, the next step is to submit a referral form no later than December 15, 2023. Families should not wait for the completion or reporting of CogAT scores should they wish to refer their student for Full Time AAP services.

Lexia Parent Night: Learn About Literacy Support

FCPS funds Lexia for all elementary and middle schools to use as part of their literacy instruction. Lexia is a computer-based program that supplements classroom instruction to help students develop literacy skills. It also provides teachers with the data to identify students who need additional support, and the ability to know which specific concepts and skills to prioritize. Attend an information night to learn more about Lexia and how FCPS is integrating it into the classroom. Parents/caregivers will also get tips for supporting their students at home. 

Information nights will be held from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. on:

• Wednesday, October 18, at Thoreau Middle School (Cafeteria).
• Thursday, October 19, at Edison High School (Auditorium).

Register to attend or submit a question in advance. 

Integrating Lexia into the literacy curriculum aligns with the Virginia Literacy Act, FCPS’ Equitable Access to Literacy, and Strategic Plan Goal 3, which aims to have all students reading on level by the end of third grade.  

Know Our Security Terms

FCPS uses specific terminology to specify the actions school staff and students should take to ensure safety in a variety of situations. It is important for staff, families, and students to understand what the different terms mean and how they impact school operations.

Watch this video to learn more about the definitions of the security terms: lockdown; secure the building; and stay put, stay tuned. If students, staff, or community members have a safety concern at school (that is not an immediate emergency), they should submit a tip to the FCPS Safety Tipline. In an emergency, please call 9-1-1.