|
English | Español | አማርኛ | 中文 | 한국어 | Tiếng Việt | العربية | فارسی | اردو
Dear Stenwood Families,
It was a very fun week in The Hive this week. On Wednesday afternoon, we filled the hallways with music and dancing, as we got to have a school-wide dance party! This was earned by your generosity shown through the PTA's Help The Hive fundraiser. Grade level celebrations have also taken place over the last few weeks including some extra recess and some fun pajama days!
We hope that all who observed Yom Kippur on Thursday enjoyed their time with their families. When we returned to school on Friday, many classes put together cards to celebrate our amazing custodial team in honor of this week’s National Custodian Appreciation Day. Our team of Mr. Truong, Ms. Mercedes, Mr. Loi, and Mr. Park keep our building clean and safe throughout the year and we are incredibly grateful for them!
Next week is going to be a busy one! 1st, 2nd, and 6th grade all have their first Family Invites of the year. Kindergarten has their first field trip. Wednesday is Walk & Roll to School Day. (Keep your eyes on the weather; you may need your rain boots!)
Thank you for helping us bee the amazing community of learners here at Stenwood. Enjoy the beautiful Fall weekend!
Finally, we welcomed three Stingers in just 10 days! Congratulations to Mrs. Fleury, Mrs. Jones, and Ms. Meenu on their new arrivals!
Below you will find information about the following items:
- Picture Day Volunteers Needed - Sign Up Today! - NEW
- Walk and Roll to School Day - NEW
- Annual Hearing and Vision Screening - Reminder
- This is Us Night – Reminder
- Benchmark: Finishing Up Our Learning About Life Science in Language Arts - NEW
-
Holidays and Observations Drawing Contest - Reminder
- Kiss N Ride Reminders - Reminder
- Walkers Reminders - Reminder
- Advanced Academics Programs Upcoming Information Sessions - Full-time Information Meeting Next Friday
- FCPS School Start Times - Now Open - Reminder
- FCPS Boundary Review - Updated Information
- Attendance - Updated
- School Meals and Free/Reduced Lunch Applications - Reminder
-
Stenwood PTA - Reminder
Sincerely,
Erica Riley, Principal
esriley@fcps.edu
Bryan Case, Assistant Principal
bgcase@fcps.edu
Picture Day Volunteers Needed
We have picture day on October 24th and we are looking for parent volunteers to assist. Sign up here if you are interested in volunteering.
To volunteer for this or any opportunities this year, you will need to go through the FCPS volunteer application process. Even if you are not interested in volunteering for picture day, we encourage you to start your application now, link for chaperones. Link for general volunteers who do not want to chaperone.
Walk and Roll to School Day -
Wednesday, October 8th, 2025
 FCPS will participate in National Walk and Roll to School Day on Wednesday, October 8th, 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. Parents are encouraged to accompany their children to school. Get more information about Walk to School Day.
Annual Hearing and Vision Screening
 The vision and hearing screening will be held on October 9th (3rd grade), October 14th (kindergarten), and students who are new to FCPS (across both days). The purpose of screening is to identify students who need further evaluation due to difficulty seeing the screening chart or hearing the screening tones. If your child wears glasses, please be sure that glasses are at school on screening day.
Parents will be notified by letter if screening results indicate that further evaluation is needed. Prompt follow-up with your health care provider is recommended as vision and hearing difficulties can interfere with learning.
If you would like to assist as a “Volunteer” with the screening process, please contact Nino Bravo (our School Health Aide) at nbravo@fcps.edu or 703-208-7610 or Adriana Rota (Family Liaison) at agrota@fcps.edu or 703-208-7618.
This is Us Night
Come together on Thursday, October 16th, 6:00 to 7:30pm, at the 4th annual This Is Us event. Celebrate the stories, traditions, and experiences that make our Stenwood community shine!
Enjoy delicious food, fun activities, and shared stories from our very own Stingers as we learn more about the diverse cultures, family traditions, and personal passions that shape who we are.
There will be flexible ways to participate -- whether in person, with a display, or through a recording-- so every family can join in the fun.
Interested in sharing something? Sign up by Friday, October 3 here.
Let's come together to celebrate what makes each of us --and ALL of us-- Stenwood.
Benchmark
📚 Finishing Up Our Learning About Life Science
in Language Arts 📚
Benchmark Unit 1 in Language Arts is coming to a close! Over the last several weeks, our students have learned, read, and written about the natural world around us.
Connect with your child’s learning at school with these fun questions and hands-on activities at home:
- Question: How do living things change? How have you changed since last year? How do you think you’ll change in the next five years?
- Activity: Go outside and try to spot three different plants or animals. Discuss how they get food, water, and shelter.
At the end of the unit, your child will take their unit magazine home. The magazine includes an activity calendar with fun ways to help students build on what they’re learning at each grade level. You can also find information on how to support your child’s reading at home on the Benchmark Families website.
Holidays and Observations Drawing Contest
Our Equity Team is hosting an ongoing drawing contest to celebrate all the holidays and observations throughout the year.
Submission Details: For the first half of the year, we will collect submissions on the 1st of each month for holidays occurring the following month. For instance, since Veterans' Day is on November 11th, drawings for it would be due by October 1st. You're welcome to turn in your artwork early—just drop it in the box in the office!
What Happens Next? The winning drawing will be featured in our newsletter and on our social media. All other submissions will be proudly displayed in our hallways for everyone to enjoy!
Missing a Holiday? If your family celebrates a holiday or observance that isn't on our list, please feel free to include it!
Ready to Draw? You can pick up a template paper for the contest in your classroom or the office, and it is posted on our website for easy access. We can’t wait to see the incredible artwork from our Stenwood artists!
Kiss N’ Ride Reminders
If you choose to park on Carnegie and walk up for arrival and/or dismissal, please know that the streets directly behind Stenwood are permit parking only. In addition, please be respectful of our neighbors. Please do not block driveways or crosswalks. During grade-level and schoolwide events, we do work with the Fairfax County Police Department to get permission for families to park in the neighborhood. When advertising events, we will communicate if the parking in the neighborhood has been coordinated. That exemption is not in place for arrival or dismissal. FCPD began issuing warnings for both parking without a permit and illegal parking. Several neighbors have reached out with their concerns, please help Stenwood be a good neighbor to our Stenwood neighbors.
Walkers Reminders
Parents picking up their children at dismissal, please make sure to wait on the blacktop so that our walkways to the cars and special transportation vans are clear. Please also remember that FCPS Schools have a No Dogs Allowed policy. If you are walking with your dog, please stop at the entrance to the loop to keep them off FCPS property.
Advanced Academics Programs Upcoming Information Sessions
Advanced Academic Programs (AAP) Parent Informational Meetings:
Questions? Please reach out to Kaleigh Hartman at kkhartman@fcps.edu
FCPS School Start Times
Take the K-12 School Start Times Survey
FCPS is continuing to explore options for adjusting school start times, with the primary goal of starting the middle school day at 8 a.m. or after. In order to minimize any cost for this project, elementary and high school start times would need to shift as well.
Providing feedback opportunities for the community is a critical part of this effort. Since 2024, FCPS’ consultant has hosted five community forums and administered two surveys. That feedback helped in developing two options for adjusting school start times. The options are designed to support student well-being, align with research, and balance transportation logistics.
We invite you to provide input on the two options by taking a short survey. This voluntary survey will close on Monday, October 6th. Visit the FCPS website for more information on adjusting school start times.
Comprehensive Boundary Review Update
FCPS will begin holding October community boundary review meetings on Monday, October 13th. The new draft map, Scenario 4, will be shared with the community for feedback at those meetings. It will also be uploaded to the Boundary Explorer Tool shortly before October 13th. Community members will then be able to provide feedback in the tool at their convenience.
As a reminder, the community provided feedback on draft scenarios 1-3 in the spring. Scenario 4 continues to build upon the first three scenarios. It is informed by the Superintendent's Boundary Review Advisory Committee, which reviewed community feedback received in the spring to help develop priorities that the consultant used to create Scenario 4.
Visit FCPS’ Comprehensive Boundary Review webpage for more information.
Attendance
🙋 Every Day Is a Stepping Stone to Success
Attendance is an important life skill that will help your child later in life. It’s a good habit to build now to help them graduate from college on time and routinely report to work on time once they have a career.
Please take a look at the FCPS Calendar. Try to schedule any trips or family events on weekends and school holidays. Every day of learning is a day toward success. Keep in mind that absences add up quickly. Students who are absent 10% of the school year (or just two days per month) are considered “chronically absent.”
When possible, schedule appointments for your child outside of school hours. If your child needs to miss school because of an illness or appointment, you must report the absence to our school attendance team at stenwoodelem.attendance@fcps.edu.
School Meals and Free/ Reduced Lunch Applications
 |
|
Breakfast and Lunch
Breakfast will be $1.75. Lunch will be $3.25, milk $1.00. 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 (these menus do not appear to be available yet).
|
  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 Elementary PTA
We hope you join our amazing PTA! stenwoodpta.membershiptoolkit.com
PTA Help the Hive Dance Party!
Stay Connected
Here are a few ways to stay connected with all the happenings at Stenwood ES
|
|
|
 |
 |
|
Facebook
facebook.com/StenwoodElementary
|
 |
|
Instagram
@stenwoodelementary
|
 |
|
Website
stenwoodes.fcps.edu
|
 |
|
PTA Facebook
facebook.com/StenwoodElementaryPTA
|
|
