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Dear Stenwood Families,
We are buzzing right along in our 1st quarter, with only a few weeks left! Our 5th graders taught many family members different types of energy in their Family Invite this week. The stations they led walked us through many different examples of the four types of energy. Next Friday, our 1st graders will host their first Family Invite of the year!
Most of our grade levels are wrapping up the first unit in Benchmark, our new FCPS literacy basal curriculum. The students have worked really hard throughout Unit 1 and have invested in learning about different topics:
Kindergarten - What Plants Need
1st - Plants and Animals Grow and Change
2nd - Plants and Animals in their Habitats
3rd - Animal Adaptations
4th - Observing Nature
5th - Cultivating Natural Resources
6th - Relationships in Nature
Your child will be bringing home their student book where they have been reading, annotating, and responding to questions about the text. This is a great opportunity to see what your child has been working on and learning lots of facts!
We are having our third Hive Family Meeting today where we will play some games! Hopefully, your child will be bringing home a letter from their Hive staff member. This letter will help you learn a little more about the Hive staff member.
May all in our Jewish community observing Yom Kippur have an easy and meaningful fast. Remember that Monday, October 14th is a holiday for students as we honor Indigenous People’s Day. See the complete school year calendar.
We will see all of our Stingers back in school on Tuesday, October 15th, when we kick off our Digital Citizenship Week with Hat Day. See the rest of the spirit days for Digital Citizenship Week below.
Below you will find additional information about:
Sincerely,
Erica Riley, Principal
esriley@fcps.edu
Bryan Case, Assistant Principal
bgcase@fcps.edu
Favorite Things about Stenwood Form
Every FCPS School is creating a highlights section on their website of some of the great things that make each school special. We know that many of you share in our joy of being part of the amazing Stenwood community. If you have a few minutes, please fill out this short form to give us your perspective on what makes Stenwood special! We are asking for responses by next Friday, 10/18.
X Marks the Tray
On October 16th, all school cafeterias will participate in “X Marks the Tray”, where lucky students can find a sticker on the bottom of their hot entree container randomly. This can be redeemed for our popular whole grain, reduced sugar sweet treat at the end of the lunch period. We will have our Stenwood cafeteria staff and two parent volunteers in the cafeteria to help distribute trays to students.
2024 Thanksgiving Lunch
It is time to start planning for Stenwood’s Annual Thanksgiving Lunch! On Thursday, November 21st, all students are invited to have their families come join them for a Thanksgiving Lunch. Below is the schedule, your child’s lunch time is different from the normal lunch schedule.
 Please RSVP by Friday, 10/25 using this link. Mrs. Schmid, our cafeteria manager, needs to place her food order.
If you would like to volunteer, please sign up using this link. Volunteers will be helping with visitor check-in and meal serving. Do not sign up during your child’s lunch block. Please also do not plan to have younger siblings with you if you are volunteering.
Early Release Monday - Survey for Remaining Dates
We will send out final confirmations for 10/28 next week. We have created a survey for the remaining dates. Here is the survey, please fill it out if you already know your needs for the December dates or all. We will also include it in our confirmations next week and we will send out reminders if we have not heard from you beginning in early November so we can plan for the 12/9 early release.
Digital Citizenship Week
Tuesday, October 14th through Friday, October 18th is Digital Citizenship Week. Here are our Spirit Days for the week:
Tuesday, October 15th - Hat Day - Is Seeing Believing?: Before you believe what you see or hear, Check the facts and keep your mind clear. Stay smart—wear your thinking cap!
Wednesday, October 16th - Wear Yellow - CAUTION Good Choices Ahead: Wearing yellow bold and bright, just like the middle stop sign light Helps us remember what to do with online dangers, old and new!
Thursday, October 17th - Wear Sweats - Stand Up to Cyber Bullying: As good Dig Cit’s it’s important to know, we can stand up to bullying wherever we go . Lace up your shoes, throw on your sweats, standing up to cyberbullying is the best idea yet!
Friday, October 18th - Rock some awesome socks - Sock-cessfully Secure Your Digital Footprint We leave tracks when we travel online, So let’s rock awesome socks and wrap up Dig Cit Week feeling fine!
Advanced Academic Program (AAP) Information Sessions
If you were unable to the meeting regarding the Continuum of Service in FCPS here is the link to a recorded slide deck: https://myfcpsk12.zoom.us/rec/share/9weKvqEOCEXBUJrVTZhsXG1vagXQEZ0839JpQjt4B9wz9l9W8LaXT-BMEL8xqsRT.tvDFjq0DnsjmPk0g
Passcode: k?Y572EKAY
If you were unable to unable to join us for the session on Full-Time AAP Services and screening process today, here is the recorded slide deck:
https://myfcpsk12.zoom.us/rec/share/YsxNIqbXk-146uVH8egDlrnySQ7kHSNAL80FN2SK6WsCuPs5sDcXxDod_X_3IV4.lcIEGXVmJbS9eijb
Passcode: z92H.crpR&
As shared in both sessions, the Full-Time Services Referral deadline is December 15th, though Mrs. Hartman would love families who are planning to refer to turn them in December 9th - 13th if not before to ensure she has enough time to review that all required parts have been submitted before winter break begins.
You can find the Referral Form and Parent/Guardian Questionnaire here:
https://www.fcps.edu/academics/advanced-academic-programs-aap/forms-advanced-academic-program-aap
Referrals and optional materials are due no later than December 15th. Mrs. Hartman prefers to receive materials December 9th-13th or earlier to allow her ample time to review the materials and notify parents of any additional information needed or errors found.
- You may email Full-Time referrals and optional materials directly to Kaleigh Hartman at kkhartman@fcps.edu in one email. Hard copies are also accepted.
- You will receive a confirmation email within 1-2 business days.
Stenwood Community Book Club
Today, we also held our first Community Book Club of the year. Parents and caregivers met to discuss The Anxious Generation by social psychologist Jonathan Haidt. Our book club conversations are always very engaging and helpful as we all navigate how to support our children in a technology-based world that looks very different from the one many of us grew up in.
Last year, the first book the Stenwood Community Book Club read was Good Inside by clinical and family psychologist Dr. Becky Kennedy. These two authors have actually teamed up to create a short and fantastic resource that you may find useful, even if you haven’t read either book. Click here to access 5 strategies for Parents of The Anxious Generation. The last strategy is to take collective action with your community.
We are already having great conversations in the Community Book Club about this and would love to grow that community even more. If you haven’t already joined the email list, please fill out this form to express your interest and feedback and we will provide you with more details directly. Our next meeting is November 7th at 3:30 pm, in person at Stenwood. The book club is facilitated by Catherine Wideman, Kindergarten Teacher and Tammy Berick, School Counselor. It is open to all parents, guardians and family members who want to join.
The Stenwood Storybook Pumpkin
Festival Is Coming!
It’s that time of year again, where students can share their love of books by decorating a pumpkin as a favorite storybook character. Students can decorate a pumpkin (one small enough for them to carry) and bring it to the library anytime between October 15th-October 30th, where it will be on display for all to see. |
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Students should also include a “clue card” with 3 clues for everyone to guess the character and book. On the reverse side of the card should be the answer along with the student’s name. You can find the official guidelines and a slide show of previous years’ pumpkins in the Library Schoology Course. |
 PS…please don’t carve the pumpkins! As always, contact Mrs. Cole with any questions you might have.
Your engineers have begun engaging in the Engineering Design Process to design and build a variety of things this school year! We continue to appreciate your donations of recycled and/or consumable products for our projects, including:
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Thin Cardboard (cereal boxes, paper towel tubes, dry goods boxes)
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Paper and Paper Bags (newspaper, large grocery bags, lunch size bags)
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Crafting Items (popsicle sticks, crafting paper, tape of all kinds, tape dispensers, stickers, pipe cleaners)
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Household Items (paper cups, straws, toothpicks)
Items can be donated directly to the Lab (Rm 219) or dropped off in the front office.
Yom Kippur
Friday, October 11th, will be an evening-only observance day for Yom Kippur, the holiest day in Judaism. May all in our Jewish community observing Yom Kippur have an easy and meaningful fast. According to Jewish tradition, Yom Kippur is when God decides each person’s fate, so Jews are encouraged to make amends and ask forgiveness for sins committed during the past year. There is school that day, but important events will not occur after school. See the complete school year calendar.
Indigenous Peoples’ Day
Monday, October 14th, is a student holiday and staff development day for Indigenous Peoples' Day. On this day, we honor the histories, cultures, and contributions of Native peoples, past and present. See the complete school year calendar.
School Pictures Are Now Online!
 Any student who has not had a chance to order your school picture, it’s not too late!
Please visit: vosphoto.com/underclass
Use your student ID when prompted for the online code.
For questions regarding school pictures please email: underclass@vosphoto.com
School Meals and Free/ Reduced Lunch Applications
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Breakfast and Lunch
Breakfast will be $1.75. Lunch will be $3.25, milk $0.60. Money can be added to your child(ren)’s accounts using www.myschoolbucks.com. You can also write a check to Stenwood Food Services and deliver it to our Food Services Manager at Open House. During the school year, you can find the menu for breakfast and lunch at https://linqconnect.com/public/menu/ESSF44 .
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Free and Reduced-Price Status
Students eligible for free or reduced-price meals will continue to receive these benefits through the end of September. A new application must be filled out each new school year and forms are available online now: https://www.fcps.edu/resources/student-safety-and-wellness/food-and-nutrition-programs/free-and-reduced-price-meals. Applications are accepted at any time, but we encourage you to apply or renew your application before the end of September. Call (703) 813-4800 if you need help. This must be completed for eligible students to receive free meals.
Stenwood is Hiring!
We are looking to hire Classroom Monitors and Substitutes! If you are interested in any of these positions, please reach out if you have any questions or if you want more information. Here is a link to FCPS’ application portal.
Classroom Monitors: Monitors will work every day students attend throughout the 2024-25 school year, and will directly support classrooms by providing additional supervision to students during lunch or in the classroom. The pay is $17.88/hour. Teachers will provide directions/assignments for monitors and students to complete. Please apply here and email me at esriley@fcps.edu so we can schedule a time to talk more. Please share this opportunity with others who might be interested.
Stenwood Elementary PTA
We hope you join our amazing PTA! If you are 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, you can fill out a survey that will be sent out once class placements have been communicated.
More information about the PTA is available on their website.
National Walk and Roll to School Day!
5th Grade Parent Invite!
Force & Motion
CARES Pizza Luncheon!
Assertion
SCA Spirit Day! -
Matching Day
Stay Connected
Here are a few ways to stay connected with all the happenings at Stenwood ES
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Facebook
facebook.com/StenwoodElementary
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Instagram
@stenwoodelementary
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Website
stenwoodes.fcps.edu
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PTA Facebook
facebook.com/StenwoodElementaryPTA
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