Forestville Focus

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Calendar Reminders

December 15: AAP Full-Time Referral Deadline (More info below) December 15 - December 19: Winter Spirit Week (More info below) December 22 - January 2: Winter Break (School and Office are closed) January 5: Students/Staff return to School January 19: School Closed - Dr. Martin Luther King Observance January 23: Save the Date - PTA BINGO Night January 28: Quarter 2 Ends 2-Hour Early Dismissal (Dismissal at 2:00 p.m.) January 29-30: Student Holidays/Teacher Workdays

Get Ready for Winter Spirit Week!

Our annual Winter Spirit Week starts Monday, December 15th!

Here is the daily schedule:

Window for Full-Time AAP Referrals Closes TOMORROW, December 15

Parents and guardians of students in Grades 2 through 7 who would like their student to be considered for full-time Advanced Academic Programs (AAP) services must submit the AAP Full-Time Referral Form to [name and email address of the AART or principal] no later than December 15, 2025.

Each year, families can submit a referral for full-time AAP services any time from the first day of school through December 15. No late referrals for full-time AAP services will be accepted.

Once a referral is received, our school will compile information related to the student. Then, a committee of six trained professionals from across the county will review materials to determine eligibility for full-time AAP services. 

Next Steps for Parents

Eligibility decisions are communicated by early April. Parents may request a copy of their child’s materials after February 20, 2026, by emailing Elyssa McKinnon

At the elementary level, referrals for subject-specific and part-time AAP are screened by the school. If you miss the full-time referral deadline, your student can still be screened for subject-specific or part-time AAP services for the remainder of the year. 

At the middle school level, honors courses are open to all students.  

For more information, please visit the Advanced Academic Programs webpage.

Forestville’s Outstanding Employees

We are happy to announce our Outstanding Employee award winners!

These staff members do a great job every day to support our students and school. Please join us in celebrating their hard work and dedication.

Our winners include:

• Ms. Grider (Kindergarten): Outstanding Teacher

• Ms. Cornman (2nd Grade): Outstanding New Teacher

• Ms. Schnaue (Counselor): Outstanding Professional Employee

• Ms. Roper (Instructional Assistant): Outstanding Operational Employee

🐦Forestville Winter Fun

Forestville staff celebrated this week with a friendly Gingerbread House competition. Teams of teachers collaborated on these creative abodes and they included creative stories about snow days, jumping fish, Wicked and so much more. The students have loved seeing them in the display case and spotting the hidden breadcrumbs embedded throughout each design. Yet another reason why our Forestville staff is the best around!

🤝Forestville Celebrated Inclusive Schools Week

Forestville celebrated Inclusive Schools Week this past week. Student Council Association (SCA) Representatives from 6th grade recorded videos to play on the morning announcements each day. Students shared ideas about belonging, welcoming, kindness, patience and more. We were glad for the extra time to focus on keeping Forestville a supportive and safe learning environments for all students. Special thanks to our SCA sponsors Ms. Pearson and Ms. Noel!

🏢Got a Career? FORESTVILLE NEEDS YOU!

Forestville Elementary School is planning a fun and engaging career exploration event for our sixth-grade students on Friday, January 16, 2026. We are looking for dynamic presenters to share about their profession! The format of this event will be like a Career Fair where each presenter will have a table/designated area, and students will rotate through the Career Fair to interact with presenters representing a host of career pathways. We encourage you to bring props, posters, and other engaging materials for our students as you will be interacting with students across multiple grade levels. Giveaways are welcome as well. Please complete the form below if you would be interested in volunteering for this event. We appreciate your help with our Career Fair as we work to expose our students to a wide array of career fields and future opportunities. For planning purposes, it would be helpful to respond by Friday, January 9, 2026. Please contact Shana Schnaue, School Counselor at saschnaue@fcps.edu with any questions. 

Sign up to be a Career Fair presenter today!

Winter Weather Recess Reminders Forestville asks all families to send their students to school with jackets, gloves/mittens and hats labeled with the child's name. These items are essential to supporting safe recess outside and the names help as the students shed their layers through play. Forestville will go outside each day the weather allows. We follow FCPS and National Weather Service guidelines. At times, outdoor recess times may be shorter than 30 minutes and we will still go outside for the time period it is safe to do so. More information can be found here.

🎉 Save the Date! 🎉 Cooper MS Core and Elective Curriculum Night

• Who: Rising 7th and 8th-grade Students and Guardians zoned to attend Cooper MS 🧑‍🎓
• What: Cooper MS Core and Elective Curriculum Night 🍎📚
• Where: Cooper Middle School 🏫
• When: Tuesday, January 27th from 5:30 to 7:30 PM 📅
• (Snow Date: February 3rd) ❄️
• Why: Discover all the exciting Core Classes and Elective Options for next year! ✨

Can't attend? No problem! Materials will be available to review online starting the following day on the Cooper MS website. 💻

📚 Finishing Up Learning about Government and Citizenship In Language Arts 📚

Benchmark Unit 3 in Language Arts is coming to a close! Over the last several weeks, our students have learned, read, and written about government and citizenship. 

Connect with your child’s learning at school with these fun questions and hands-on activities at home:

• Question: Why are rules important?
• Activity: Have your child make a poster for an imaginary election — what would they promise as a leader?

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.

Want to see what learning, laughter, and life at Forestville really look like? Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for a front-row seat to the amazing moments happening in our classrooms and around our school. From special events and student highlights to spirit days and everyday fun—you won’t want to miss a thing!

📸 Facebook: ForestvilleFCPS
📸 Instagram: @forestvillefcps

Tuesday Folder

Forestville uses Schoology for all Tuesday Folder contents. All flyers are posted to Schoology Course: Forestville All Parents and contents are listed below.

• No content this week

Reporting Student Absences

We are committed to partnering with families to promote positive attendance habits. Any day that your child is unable to attend school, parents should report the absence. By reporting absences, families are partnering with our staff so that everyone can make sure students are supported and have access to resources. 

Full-day absences can be reported in SIS ParentVUE. Parents can also report absences by calling our school attendance line at [phone number] or emailing [attendance email address]. School staff will call parents if students are absent, and our school has not been notified in advance.

Parents can monitor their child’s attendance records in SIS ParentVUE.

Attendance Codes in SIS ParentVUE Explained

Attendance codes in SIS ParentVUE are assigned by school staff to better identify the reasons behind student absences. This allows us to respond thoughtfully and provide appropriate support. Visit the FCPS Attendance Policy webpage to learn more about the codes.   

When Your Child Is Sick

It is also important to keep your child home when they are sick. The Can My Child Go to School? webpage provides helpful recommendations on when to keep your child home. 

For instance, as long as they are feeling like they can participate in school activities, a child should attend school if they have cold symptoms. However, if they have severe, uncontrolled, or rapid coughing; wheezing; or difficulty breathing, definitely keep them home and contact your health care provider. 

❄️ Prepare for Winter Weather

Winter weather will be here before you know it! Watch this video to see how weather closing decisions are made at FCPS. 

FCPS’ website is generally the first place to find out about emergency weather closings. Other communication channels will be used as quickly as possible, including email, text, social media, the new FCPS mobile app, and news stations. Learn more about how schedule changes are communicated.

Be sure to plan for the winter season. Update your contact information in SIS ParentVUE, bookmark the FCPS website, and arrange emergency child care if needed.

⛄ Keep Your Child Warm During Outdoor Activities

We will monitor the weather for low temperatures, wind chill advisories and warnings, and weather advisories that may prevent children from being outside. Make sure your child is dressed appropriately with a warm coat and other cold-weather clothing, so they can comfortably enjoy their time outdoors. View the National Weather Service’s tips on staying safe during cold weather.

If you need assistance getting cold-weather clothing for your family, please call Fairfax County Coordinated Services Planning (CSP) at 703-222-0880. Their multilingual staff can assist with any challenges you are facing, including food, shelter, employment, financial assistance, and health.

⛄ Winter Resources for Families

A list of resources has been compiled for students and families in case they or someone they know needs assistance while schools are closed for winter break. Please visit FCPS’ winter resources page for information on academic support, mental health support, and county resources related to food, clothing, housing, and other needs.

Even If School Is Closed, Learning Can Continue!

We encourage students to take advantage of fun learning opportunities during the upcoming winter break and on snow days. Consider these winter activities to blend education and play at home.

🍲 Food Assistance and Resource Guide

Food insecurity impacts more than 96,000 Fairfax County residents. Learn how to help and discover the many resources available to support those who need food assistance or shelter. View the county’s Human Services Resource Guide.

Volunteer FCPS Helps Community Members Connect With Schools

Volunteer FCPS allows individuals to search and register for volunteer opportunities across the division. It helps ensure a safe, consistent, and welcoming environment at all of our schools. All volunteers must:

• Create a profile in Volunteer FCPS. 
• Register for opportunities through Volunteer FCPS. 
• Sign in and out of schools using our visitor kiosk.  

Individuals can complete a volunteer orientation on the Volunteer FCPS website. View Volunteer FCPS Frequently Asked Questions to learn more about the volunteer levels. 

Recent Updates to Volunteer Opportunity Levels

Due to the overwhelming response from our community, FCPS is temporarily pausing fingerprint requirements for most Level 3 volunteers. Those who have already been fingerprinted will be processed to be eligible for all Level 3 opportunities. ​​​​​​​

As part of the application, all volunteers sign a statement confirming they have not been convicted of violent crimes, crimes against children, or other serious misconduct.

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

Winter Break Literacy Adventures

Engaging in literacy activities over winter break helps students maintain the reading, writing, and speaking skills they built during the first half of the school year. Even a little daily practice, such as these 10 fun family activities, helps ensure they return to school confident and ready to continue growing in literacy. Enjoy these literacy adventures as a family! 

📰FCPS News

In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics:

• FCPS Showcases Success
• Be Among the First to Hear About School Delays/Closings
• Winter Resources for Families

Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today.  

Forestville Spelling Bee

The Spelling Bee is coming soon, and we’re excited to see our students shine. Space is limited to the first 50 registrants per Bee. The Spelling Club will meet after school on January 8, 15, 22 (Grades K through 3 in Library; Grades 4 through 6 in Cafeteria). The Spelling Bee Club is optional, but a great way to practice. 

Register here starting 12/1

Key Details:

• Registration Deadline: January 5  
• Junior Bee: February 5, 6 to 8 PM (K through 3)
• Senior Bee: February 26, 6 to 8 PM (4 through 6)
• County Bee: March 22

For more information email forestvillebee@gmail.com.

Bingo Night - January 23

SAVE THE DATE! BINGO Night is BACK, and it's a month earlier this year! More details to come but mark your calendars!

Session 1: 6 to 7:30 p.m.

Session 2: 7 to 8:30 p.m.

Forestville Elementary Talent Show: Save the Date!

It's time to Save the Date for the Forestville Elementary Talent Show!

Here is the schedule by grade level:

• March 9 and 10: Rehearsal and Show for Grades 4 through 6

• March 11 and 12: Rehearsal and Show for Grades K through 3

More information about the event, including details on how to participate and attend, will be coming soon!

1085 Utterback Store Road | Great Falls, VA 22066 | 703.404.6000 
Attendance: submit online or call 703.404.6098 | Web | Twitter
Administration: Sarah Brooker | Afton Carlson