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Hive Happenings Newsletter

Hello Stenwood Families,

We had another great week in the Hive this week.

On Thursday, we had a CARES Pizza lunch celebrating students who have demonstrated Responsibility. Last night, Mrs. Riley and Ms. Flynn represented Stenwood at the School Board Meeting, celebrating that Stenwood received the Purple Star Designation. The Purple Star Designation is awarded to military-friendly schools that have demonstrated a major commitment to students and families connected to our nation’s military. We will be proudly displaying the Award Recognition Resolutions along with the 2^nd Award Purple Star challenge coin in our front office. Thank you to Ms. Flynn and Mrs. Curry, our military kids club sponsors, and for all they did to lead the work for us to continue our designation.

Today, our Hive Families met and shared things they were grateful for together. You can talk to your child about what they shared and what other members of their Hive Family shared about gratitude.

We also want to share with you that we are starting a schoolwide focus during the 2^nd quarter on problem-solving skills. We will have lessons and discussions in classes and in specials to help students reflect and grow in their ability to work with others through conflict.

This week’s focus was on showing self-control. Lessons talked about how our bodies have brakes, just like a car does. And we use those brakes when we feel our body isn’t calm. Students talked about different scenarios where they could work to keep a calm body, use different calming strategies, and ask an adult for help when they need it.

Next week is a 5-day week of school! Which seems only appropriate for American Education Week! You can read more about that below. It is also our Fall book fair. We are looking forward to a great week!

Below you will find information about the following items:

• Thanksgiving Lunch Information and Volunteers Still Needed - Updated
• Volunteer Registration Update - Reminder
• The Stenwood Fall Book Fair is Coming! - Reminder
• School Pictures Are Now Online! - NEW
• Retake & Makeup Picture Day - NEW
• Marshall HS Candy Drive - Reminder
• Benchmark: Finishing Up Uncovering Characters in Language Arts - NEW
• Impact Aid Survey - Reminder
• Holidays and Observations Drawing Contest - Reminder
• Kiss N Ride/Walkers Reminders - Reminder
• Advanced Academics Programs Information Sessions - Recordings - Full-Time Referrals due 12/15
• American Education Week - NEW
• Immunization Events for FCPS Students - 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

Thanksgiving Lunch Volunteers Still Needed

We still need 18 volunteers, 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.  

Reminders: 

• Lunch Times -  The lunch schedule is different for this day to allow for our influx of visitors (see below).  
• Book Fair - All students have recess immediately after lunch, so if you would like to take your child to the book fair during recess, please let your child’s teacher know at the end of the lunch block.  All students need to stay in the cafeteria for the entirety of lunch.  
• Buying Lunch - Please remember all guests purchasing lunch will need to use your child’s MySchoolBucks account.  Student meals are $3.25, non-student meals are $5.00.
• Checking In - All visitors (not younger siblings) are required to have a valid picture ID to sign in at the office.  If you have used the Visitor Management System previously, you will be checked in at the front or back door, if you or a family member have not previously used the Visitor Management System, you will be directed to sign in at the office.
• Parking - We have coordinated with the Fairfax County Police Department for parking in the neighborhood.  Please be respectful of our neighbors and do not block driveways or crosswalks. 

Volunteer Registration Update

Due to the overwhelming response from our community, FCPS is temporarily pausing fingerprint requirements for most Level 3 volunteers. 

If you are scheduled for an upcoming fingerprinting appointment, please cancel your appointment unless you are a mentor, host parent, or non-parent volunteer having frequent, direct, and unsupervised contact with students, which will still require fingerprinting. FCPS will be charged if individuals miss a fingerprinting appointment without canceling in advance.

Those who have already been fingerprinted will be processed to be eligible for all Level 3 opportunities. ​​​​​​​

Field trip chaperone opportunities will now be classified as Level 2 (not requiring a background check). 

To ensure continuous safety, all new volunteers are required to sign a Volunteer Certification Statement. This statement is a legal attestation confirming you have no history of violent felonies, physical/sexual crimes against children, or crimes of moral turpitude.

Contact Volunteers@fcps.edu with any questions. 

Stenwood Fall Book Fair!

The Fall Book Fair is coming!  This fundraiser for the library will be November 17th- 21st.  Students will be able to browse the book fair, make wish lists, and then purchase books for themselves and/or their teachers.  But before all this can happen - we need volunteers to help out!  Please consider signing up for a slot or two.

Book fair is a wonderful opportunity to meet other parents, get a sneak peek at the books, and just have an all-around good time.  As always, please contact Mrs. Cole with any questions you might have.

Sign up link:  https://www.signupgenius.com/go/805044DA8AC2DA46-59878771-2025

School Pictures Are Now Online!

Order yours today at vosphoto.com/underclass!

Use your student ID when prompted for the online code.

For questions regarding school pictures please email: underclass@vosphoto.com

Retake & Makeup Picture Day

Victor O’Neill Studios is coming back for portrait makeups/retakes!

On Wednesday December 3^rd, students who were absent for the original session, new/transfer students, and those who were unsatisfied with their original portrait will have the opportunity to make them up.

Students who previously purchased a photo package and would like to retake their photo MUST return their original photo package to the photographer in order to receive a new package.

No purchase is necessary to retake photos. The new portrait will replace their original yearbook portrait and then be available for purchase.

Anyone who has not ordered can still do so using this link. Use your student ID when prompted for the online code.

For questions regarding school pictures please email: underclass@vosphoto.com

Marshall HS Candy Drive

📚 Finishing Up Uncovering Characters in Language Arts 📚

Benchmark Unit 2 in Language Arts is coming to a close! Over the last several weeks, our students have learned, read, and written about different characters in stories and their own personal sense of character. 

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 you think about yourself?
• Activity: Draw a new cover for a favorite book featuring the main character in a key moment.

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.

Complete 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^th.

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).

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 1^st 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 1^st (but the 5^th 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/Walkers 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, crosswalks, or move trash cans.  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.

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 
  • Recording
  • Passcode: ^PC.&Rzs?4
• Geared for parents of 2nd-6th graders interested in referring their child for full-time AAP services.
  • Recording
  • Passcode: !i$qt4Am4t

• 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 15^th, 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).

American Education Week

For American Education Week we celebrate ALL who work in our Stenwood community: our bus drivers, cafeteria workers, counselors, support staff, teachers, leadership and more! Learn more from the National Education Association. 

Want to recognize someone from our school who goes above and beyond? Submit a nomination to FCPS Cares. 

🩹 Immunization Events for FCPS Students

FCPS, in partnership with Inspire Health Alliance, will provide school-required immunizations and optional flu shots to all FCPS students at no cost. Additional dates will be made available throughout the school year. 

Immunization clinics will take place on: 

• Saturday, November 15^th, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Frost Middle School. 
• Tuesday, November 18^th, from 3 to 6:30 p.m., at Willow Oaks Administrative Center. 

Participation is voluntary. Additional Immunization Resources are available online. Parents or guardians may schedule an appointment for their student.️ 

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

Purple Star Designation Ceremony!

Fun at Recess!

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

2620 Gallows Road Vienna, VA 22180 |  Main Office: 703.208.7600
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