|
English | Español | አማርኛ | 中文 | 한국어 | Tiếng Việt | العربية | فارسی | اردو
 |
|
Oct 27-31 - Digital Citizenship Week
Fri, Oct 31 - Storybook Character Parade, 9:15am
- “Working Out Our Problems” Workout
Gear Day
- Last day of 1st Quarter, early dismissal
at 1:35pm
Mon, Nov 3 - No School, School Planning Day
Tue, Nov 4 - No School, Teacher Work Day
Thu, Nov 6 - FLE Night: Virtual, 6:30pm
- PTA Meeting, 7pm
|
Happy Friday, Newington Forest!
For those families who celebrate, I hope you had a Happy Diwali this week.
We are excited to start the process of installing solar panels on the roof of our school. We anticipate this project to take a couple of months with very little disruption to our school days. This installation will help NFES become more energy efficient going forward.
This week, 3rd graders kicked off the Read to the Dog program. Our Knights will rotate for a chance to read aloud to Max, a patient Golden Retriever, to help build their reading confidence. Thank you, Mrs. Sharrett, for bringing this program back to NFES this school year.
We had a great turn out for our Parent Workshop focused on Bullying. Thank you to Mr. Scott, Counselor, and Mrs. Min, Assistant Principal, for presenting this important information to our NFES parents.
I wanted to send a reminder that Friday, October 31st, is the end of the 1st quarter and a 2-hour early release. ALL students will be dismissed at 1:35pm. Report cards will go home with students on Wednesday, November 12th.
Friday, October 31st, is also the day of our Storybook Character Parade AND our final Bully Prevention Month spirit day - “Working Out Our Problems” with workout gear. Students may choose to dress up as a Storybook character or wear their exercise clothes.
Sincerely,
Angela Thompson
Principal
Bully Prevention Month Spirit Day
“Team Up Against Bullying” Sports Jersey Day
  Next Friday is “Working Out Our Problems” Workout Gear Day!
Solar Panel Installation Has Begun
Knights Read to Max
Bully Prevention Weekly Themes in October
- Week of Oct. 6th “Walk in Another Person’s Shoes” Friday Spirit
Day – wear Wacky Shoes Day (Empathy for Others)
- Week of Oct. 13th “Put Bullying to Rest” Friday Spirit Day – wear your Pajamas.
- Week of Oct. 20th “Team Up Against Bullying” Friday Spirit Day – wear your favorite team jersey.
- Week of Oct. 27th “Working Out Our Problems” Friday Spirit Day – wear workout gear
 Digital Citizenship Week @ Newington Forest October 27-31
Next week, students will explore how to be responsible, safe, and respectful online during Digital Citizenship Week! Each day highlights a different aspect of positive digital use, and we encourage families to continue the conversation at home.
-
Day 1 - Critical Thinking: Help your child think critically about online information by spotting credible sources and separating fact from fiction. View the tips in English, Spanish, or other languages.
-
Day 2 - Curiosity: Support your child’s curiosity online while keeping them safe by talking about online safety and privacy. View the tips in English, Spanish, or other languages.
-
Day 3 - Creativity: Every post and photo contributes to a digital footprint—encourage creativity while reminding kids to respect others’ work and privacy. View the tips in English, Spanish, or other languages.
-
Day 4 - Human Connection: Practice kind and respectful online communication, even when feelings are hurt. View the tips in English, Spanish, or other languages.
-
Day 5 - Healthy Habits: Keep tech and media use balanced by setting healthy habits for screen time and family connection. View the tips in English, Spanish, or other languages.
NFES Advanced Academics News
Grades 2-6: The Full-Time AAP Referral Deadline is December 15, 2024. The referral form must be submitted to Ms. Matthias JLMatthias@fcps.edu, our instructional coach, while Mrs. Trope is on leave, no later than midnight on December 15. The optional parent questionnaire can also be submitted.
Late referrals cannot be accepted.
If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Matthias or the AAP office.
For more information, please visit the Advanced Academic Programs website.
✅ Return Your Federal Impact Aid Survey
FCPS is asking all families to fill out a Federal Impact Aid Survey. The form is available in SIS ParentVUE under Online Packets, which is in the upper right corner of the screen after logging in. Please complete it as soon as possible. We will provide paper forms to families who have not completed the survey in ParentVUE starting Wednesday, November 12.
Completing this form for each school-aged child in every household is important. This year, FCPS expects to receive approximately $4 million in Impact Aid funding. These funds are used to support all Fairfax County public schools and centers.
For more information, visit the Federal Impact Aid Survey page.
Register for ParentVUE
Learn how to activate your SISParentVUE account, so you can easily submit your survey and have access to other helpful information about your child.
Technical support for using ParentVUE or submitting the survey online is available by submitting a Parent Support Request ticket. Select SISParent in the Application dropdown menu and type “Federal Impact Aid Survey” in the Issue Description section. You may also call the Parent Technology Help Desk at 833-921-3277 (833-921-FCPS).
 FCPS Outstanding Employee Awards
Nomination window closes Tuesday.
This is a reminder that the nominations are now open for the FCPS Outstanding Employee Awards! If there is a specific Newington Forest Elementary staff member you would like to acknowledge, you may use the FCPS Outstanding Employee Award process to appreciate them. To submit a nomination for a Newington Forest Elementary Outstanding Employee, please complete the nomination through this Google form link: https://forms.gle/F6pBKpRpWTMkK4fcA or contact the main office.
All that is required is a paragraph or two about how this employee demonstrates exceptional work. You may nominate up to one employee per category. Your nomination will be shared with the staff member. If your nomination moves past the school selection committee, the staff member has an opportunity to continue to receive acknowledgement at the region and then, all- county level. 😊
Outstanding Teacher
Eligibility: Has at least three years of experience as a teacher (in any school/school district); librarians are included in this category
Outstanding New Teacher
Eligibility: Has up to three years of experience as a teacher (in any school/school district); librarians are included in this category
Outstanding Principal
Eligibility: Has at least three years of experience as a building principal (in any school/school district)
Outstanding Leader
Eligibility: At least one year of experience in their current position as a Schedule-C or School-Based Administrator scale employee (that is not the building principal) at their current location
Positions in this category include Assistant Principal
Outstanding Professional Employee
Eligibility: At least one year experience in current position as a Schedule-B employee or other non-instructional employee in a school that supports school leadership at their current location
Positions in this category include Resource Teacher and Special Education Department Chair, Instructional Coach, School-Based Technology Specialist, Technology Support Specialist, Psychologist, Reading Specialist, Social Worker, Speech Language Pathologist, School Counselor, Resource Teacher who serves in a non-instructional or administrative role in the school)
Outstanding Operational Employee
Eligibility: At least one year of experience in current position as Schedule-A or Classroom Instructional Support Scale employee at their current location
Positions in this category include Administrative Assistant, Office Assistant, Student Information Assistant, Finance Technician, School Finance Assistant, Registrar, Custodian, Building Supervisor, Food Services staff, Instructional Assistant, Family Liaison, Public Health Training Assistant, and all hourly employees
The deadline to submit a nomination is Tuesday, October 28, 2025.
NFES Storybook Character Parade
Come to school dressed as your favorite Storybook Character! Bring your book with you to share all about your favorite character!
Note: No masks, weapons, or scary characters. *Students may wear Workout Gear for Bullying Prevention Spirit Day or their costume.
Parade Route: Students will come out Door 2 and parade through the front bus loop. Parents are invited to watch the parade in the bus loop. Rain contingency: Parents may watch the parade in the cafeteria.
Lexia Virtual Parent Information Night
 Want to learn more about Lexia® Core5 & Lexia® PowerUp? Join Lexia® Learning for a family information night to learn how FCPS is using Lexia® Core5 and Lexia® PowerUp in classrooms across the district in the 25-26SY to support students' Literacy growth.
Sessions taking place on:
- Thursday, November 6, 6:30 - 7:30 PM
- Tuesday, February 3, 6:30 - 7:30 PM
- Wednesday, May, 6:30 - 7:30 PM
To register for an FCPS/Lexia Parent Information Night visit bit.ly/familyinfo2526.
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 Tuesday, September 30. Visit the FCPS website for more information on adjusting school start times.
🎤 Join a Community Conversation with Superintendent Dr. Reid
Your voice matters, and Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid wants to hear from you! At FCPS, parents are partners, working with us to set our students up for long-term success at school and in life.
A series of Community Conversations will be held across the school division to discuss current challenges and future opportunities. These events are also a chance for you to share your thoughts and ask questions. Events are planned for the following dates:
- Monday, September 29, from 6:30-7:30 p.m., at McNair Upper Elementary School
- Friday, October 3, from 6:30-7:30 p.m., at Annandale Terrace Elementary School
- Friday, December 5, from 6:30-7:30 p.m., at Churchill Road Elementary School
- Tuesday, December 9, from 6:30-7:30 p.m., at Fairhill Elementary School
- Thursday, December 11, from 6:30-7:30 p.m., at Bull Run Elementary School
Registration links will be shared soon. Child care and interpretation services will be provided. Events are open to all.
FCPS Cares is an opportunity for parents, staff, and community members to recognize FCPS employees for going above and beyond to help others and show they care. We invite you to submit your story so we can all acknowledge the good work of our Newington Forest staff members. |
|
 |
 |
|
FCPS News
In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics and others:
- 🏆 262 FCPS Students Named 2026 National Merit Semifinalists
- 🎓 Resources for Life After High School
- Practical Guidance for Talking With Teens About Fentanyl
Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today.
|
|
