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Hello Stenwood Families,
We had a busy final week of 2025 in the Hive!
Every class at Stenwood enjoyed a Glow Party during PE earlier this week, thanks to Raya Shibliski and our amazing PTA! This was the perfect time of year for the "Help the Hive" fundraiser reward. Thank you to all the parents who volunteered to help make it happen!
Thank you also to the families who nominated Stenwood for Tommy’s Teacher Tour. Tommy McFly was here Monday to shower our staff with appreciation, including Virginia Lottery tickets, swag, and Georgetown Cupcakes! We also want to thank the PTA for providing a delicious lunch from Plaka on Wednesday.
In addition to the festivities, we hosted two Family Invites and connected them to two Family Academic Partnership Workshops. Our 4th graders did a wonderful job sharing their writing, and our kindergarteners had so much fun this morning with their holiday crafts! If you were unable to attend the workshops led by Mrs. Workman or Ms. Claypool regarding home support for reading and math, please see below for instructions on how to access those materials.
We also held Hive Families this week! This month, we focused on playing board games and building relationships. It is wonderful to see students from all grade levels playing together and developing connections across the school.
Winter Break runs from Monday, December 22nd, to Friday, January 2nd. To ensure a restful break, no homework has been assigned during this time. If you would like to help your child maintain their literacy skills, please refer to the Winter Break Literacy Adventures Calendar.
Winter Break Office Hours:
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Dec 22nd - Dec 26th: Closed
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Dec 29th - Jan 2nd: Open 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
 Below you will find information about the following items:
- Family Academic Partnership Workshop Series - Updated
- Benchmark: Finishing Up Learning about Government and Citizenship In Language Arts - NEW
- Original, Makeup, & Retake Pictures Are Now Online! - Reminder
- Happy Chanukah! - NEW
- Merry Christmas!- NEW
- Joyous Kwanzaa! - NEW
- FCPS Budget - Stay Informed - NEW
- Impact Aid Survey - Reminder
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Holidays and Observations Drawing Contest - Reminder
- School Meals and Free/Reduced Lunch Applications - Reminder
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Stenwood PTA - Reminder
Sincerely,
Erica Riley, Principal
esriley@fcps.edu
Bryan Case, Assistant Principal
bgcase@fcps.edu
Family Academic Partnership Workshop Series - K-2 Literacy Session
Thank you to those of you who were able to attend Mrs. Workman’s K-2 Session last week on Reading at Home. We heard from several families how helpful it was. If you were not able to attend, you can view the recording.
https://myfcpsk12.zoom.us/rec/share/ge6141p7RIfoykKxX_if5DZaS0ZIuqd5IcR6oCNAHnHpLHPaL2xt_vnnJGJ3VD4.WygMdHibeL0Ypkgn?startTime=1765288893000
Passcode: u^9pqt0Qyn
You can also access the materials for all of the Family Academic Partnership Workshops in your Schoology Account.
We will continue to host Family Academic Partnership Workshops throughout the year. Teachers will include information in their newsletters.
📚 Finishing Up Learning about Government and Citizenship In Language Arts 📚
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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.
Original, Makeup, & Retake Images from Stenwood Elementary School 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
Happy Chanukah!
Happy Chanukah to all in our community who celebrate! Chanukah, also known as the Festival of Lights, commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem and the miracle of a small jar of oil lasting for eight days. Families celebrate by lighting the menorah, sharing traditional foods like latkes, and enjoying time with loved ones. Hanukkah Sameach!
Merry Christmas!
Christmas is a Christian holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ and is observed globally as both a religious and cultural celebration. Many families honor the day by exchanging gifts, decorating trees, and gathering for festive meals to share in the spirit of peace and joy. Merry Christmas!
Joyous Kwanzaa!
Kwanzaa is a week-long cultural celebration that honors African heritage and reinforces seven core principles, such as unity and self-determination. Each day, families light a candle on the kinara and reflect on their history and community through storytelling, music, and traditional feasts. Joyous Kwanzaa!
Reid Reflects: State Standards and the FCPS Budget Story
In her latest Weekly Reflections, Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid thanked every member of our community for supporting FCPS as it remains fully accredited. Referencing a news release on accreditation, Dr. Reid noted how FCPS needs funding to support and maintain this excellence.
Visit the Budget Story webpage to learn more about the FCPS budget and the funding challenges that schools across Virginia, not just FCPS, face because of outdated state funding formulas. Read more of Dr. Reid’s Weekly Reflections.
Make Your Voice Heard!
Look for opportunities to share your ideas about funding public education and encourage your neighbors, friends, and community members to follow the FCPS budget process. Several key decision dates and engagement opportunities are listed below:
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Thursday, December 18th, 2025 - The Virginia Governor introduced the Fiscal Years 2026-28 state budget.
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Wednesday, January 7th, 2026, beginning at 10 a.m. - There will be virtual regional public hearings on the governor’s proposed 2026-28 biennial state budget.
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Thursday, January 22nd, 2026 - Dr. Reid will present the proposed FCPS budget to the School Board.
Visit the FCPS budget webpage for more information.
✅ Please Return Your Federal Impact Aid Survey
FCPS is asking all families to complete 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 the survey as soon as possible.
Our school will provide paper forms to families who have not completed the survey in ParentVUE. For more information, please visit the Federal Impact Aid Survey page or watch this video about why Impact Aid matters.
Register for ParentVUE
Learn how to activate your SIS ParentVUE account, so you can easily submit your survey and have access to other helpful information about your child’s education at 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 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!
School Meals and Free/ Reduced Lunch Applications
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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.
Stenwood Elementary PTA
We hope you join our amazing PTA! stenwoodpta.membershiptoolkit.com
CARES Pizza Luncheon!
Empathy
Glow Party!
Hive Families!
Tommy McFly's Teacher Tour!
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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