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Hello Stenwood Families,
We had a wonderful week at Stenwood! Our 2nd grade students performed admirably on the first-ever NGAT tests administered at Stenwood. Our 5th graders invited families on Wednesday to showcase their work on energy concepts.
Thursday brought an event we all love: PTA's This is Us Night. We enjoyed seeing our families come together to share their traditions, dancing, and food! Thank you to the PTA and all the families who contributed. We loved learning about what is important to your family!
Today, we celebrated our Assertion winners for the month of October at our CARES Pizza Lunch. We also held our second Hive Family Meeting of the year, which included some fun and friendly competition. You can ask your child:
- Tell me about the Hive design your team built.
- What helped your team to work together?
- Was it challenging to communicate with your team?
Field Day is coming up next Wednesday. If you ordered a grade-level shirt, it will be delivered to your child’s classroom before Wednesday. Please make sure your child has a labeled water bottle, appropriate footwear, and a jacket or sweatshirt labeled with your child’s name if it is chilly.
Next week will be a four-day week of school. Monday, October 20th, is a school holiday for Diwali, and all schools and offices are closed.
We'd like to say it's hard to believe that October is already more than halfway over, but those early mornings in the 40s remind us that we are officially in the fall! Enjoy the three-day weekend!
Below you will find information about the following items:
Sincerely,
Erica Riley, Principal
esriley@fcps.edu
Bryan Case, Assistant Principal
bgcase@fcps.edu
Thanksgiving Lunch - RSVP by 10/31
It is time to start planning for Stenwood’s Annual Thanksgiving Lunch! On Wednesday, November 19th, 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, 10/31 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 Wednesday - October 29th
A reminder that our next Early Release Wednesday is in a couple of weeks. Students will be released based on the selection that was made earlier this year. A reminder will be sent to families on 10/27.
SCA Canned Food Drive
SCA’s annual Canned Food Drive is right around the corner! It will run from Tuesday, October 14th - Friday, October 24th. Please consider donating non-perishable food and household items. All collected cans will go to our local food pantry, Food for Others, to support families in need. We look forward to another great food drive that will benefit our community!
School Picture Day is NEXT FRIDAY!
 📅 Date: Friday, October 24th, 2025
🛒 Pre-order Online: https://shop.imagequix.com/g1001271114
📸 Images Available: Approximately two-three weeks after picture day
📧 Questions about Ordering? Email underclass@vosphoto.com
Storybook Pumpkin Festival Is Coming!
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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 21st-October 30th, where it will be on display for all to see. |
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. |
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PS…please don’t carve the pumpkins! As always, contact Mrs. Cole with any questions you might have.
Benchmark
📚 Uncovering Characters in Language Arts 📚
Benchmark Unit 2 in Language Arts is about why characters matter. Students in K-5 will be learning about different characters, and how they shape stories and face challenges. Grade six students will learn about how characters are changed and inspired by others.
Connect with your child’s learning at school with these fun questions and hands-on activities at home:
- Question: How does the way you act change the way people think about you?
- Activity: Pretend you are a talk show host and interview your child as if they are the main character of their favorite book.
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 Lunar New Year is in February in 2026, drawings for it would be due by January 1st (but the 5th since we are on Winter Break). 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:
- AAP Continuum of Services
- Geared for parents of 2nd-6th graders interested in referring their child for full-time AAP services.
- Questions? Please reach out to Kaleigh Hartman at kkhartman@fcps.edu
- Referrals for full-time services for the 2026-27 school year are due no later than December 15th, 2025. Since Mrs. Hartman will be on maternity leave, please email your child’s completed referral to Erica Riley, esriley@fcps.edu, Michelle Burke, mpburke@fcps.edu, and your child’s classroom teacher. You will receive confirmation once it has been reviewed for completion of all required parts. Here are links to the Referral Form (required) and the Parent Guardian Questionnaire (optional, but recommended).
Diwali - Monday, October 20
 Monday, October 20th, is a school holiday for Diwali and all schools and offices are closed. See the complete school year calendar.
🪔 We wish a happy Diwali to all celebrating! Diwali is a festival of lights and one of the major festivals celebrated by Hindus, Jains, Sikhs & some Buddhists. The festival represents the symbolic victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, and good over evil.
🩹 Immunization Events for FCPS Students
FCPS, in partnership with Inspire Health Alliance, will be providing school-required immunizations and optional flu shots for all FCPS students with no out-of-pocket costs. Immunization clinics will take place from 3 to 6:30 p.m. at Willow Oaks Administrative Center on:
- Thursday, November 6th
- Tuesday, November 18th
- Wednesday, November 19th
- Thursday, November 20th
A clinic will also take place at Frost Middle School on Saturday, November 15th, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Additional dates will be made available throughout the school year.
Participation is voluntary. Parents or guardians may schedule an appointment for their student. Learn more about immunization resources.
National School Lunch Week
This week is National School Lunch Week, which promotes the importance of a healthy school lunch in a child’s life and the impact it has inside and outside of the classroom. View menus for your child’s school to help you plan for the week ahead.
Did you know that families can apply for free and reduced-price meal benefits anytime during the school year?
If a family’s income changes at any point, they may become newly eligible according to federal income guidelines and can apply immediately. This includes income interruptions caused by furloughs, layoffs, or job losses. Once approved, benefits remain valid for the rest of the school year and for up to 30 school days into the following school year, even if the family’s income changes again. Read Superintendent Reid's October 1st letter regarding other resources available to families impacted by the government shutdown.
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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).
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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.
Attendance: When Should Your Child Stay Home
Whether students miss school because of illness or any other reason, missing school leads to learning loss.
Help your student succeed by encouraging them to miss as few days as possible. However, do make sure your student stays home if they are sick. So when should your child stay home? Visit the FCPS website for helpful ideas regarding absences and how to work with your child and our school.
If your child has a chronic illness, make sure to notify our attendance line (stenwoodelem.attendance@fcps.edu) and your child’s teacher so that assistance can be provided if needed. Keep an open line of communication with our public health nurse. Call the school as soon as you know your child will be absent and tell school staff why and for how long.
FCPS AI Conversation
Meeting the Moment: FCPS Forward — AI, a conversation with division leadership, which will take place Monday, November 3rd, from 6 to 8 p.m., at West Springfield High School. Attend to:
- Learn about the opportunities and challenges of AI in education.
- Explore how AI can support FCPS student achievement and workforce readiness.
- Engage in a thought-provoking panel and keynotes.
- Help shape the future of innovation at Fairfax County Public Schools.
Agenda details will be shared with registered participants in the coming weeks. Contact DITEvents@fcps.edu with any questions.
Bond Referendums Support Communities
Do you have a question or concern about Fairfax County Public Schools, but you don’t know where to find the answer? Dawn Clements wants you to know you can ask her! Dawn’s mission as the FCPS Ombuds is to make it easier to understand the school system and help build trust within the community. In honor of Ombuds Day, learn more about Dawn Clements and the Ombuds Office.
FCPS Ombuds Office: Your Go-To Guide for the School System
Do you have a question or concern about Fairfax County Public Schools, but you don’t know where to find the answer? Dawn Clements wants you to know you can ask her! Dawn’s mission as the FCPS Ombuds is to make it easier to understand the school system and help build trust within the community. In honor of Ombuds Day, learn more about Dawn Clements and the Ombuds Office.
Lightspeed Update
💻 All Families Opted in to Lightspeed Student Online Activity Report
FCPS provides families with a free service that allows parents and caregivers a way to stay informed about their child's online activity on any FCPS device. Starting Sunday, October 12th, all parents and guardians who have access to student records in SIS ParentVUE will be automatically enrolled to receive a weekly Lightspeed Student Online Activity Report.
This report provides a summary of the websites your child visited during the previous week and is delivered every Sunday to your email directly from Lightspeed, our internet content filter.
Each weekly report also includes a link to register for the Lightspeed Parent Portal, which provides more detailed browsing information. This portal also gives you the ability to pause internet access on your child’s FCPS laptop during non-school hours, such as dinner or bedtime.
Visit the Lightspeed Parent Report page for more information and answers to frequently asked questions.
Stenwood Elementary PTA
We hope you join our amazing PTA! stenwoodpta.membershiptoolkit.com
This is Us Night!
5th Grade Family Invite
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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