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Hello Stenwood Families,
The snow and ice has melted enough to get out of the Hive for recess and our Stingers were grateful for it! We know some snow lovers are looking for more coming on Sunday. And some others just cannot wait for Spring to come already. But before we get too carried away looking at forecasts, let’s look back at a short, but fun week in the Hive.
Our PTA Science Labs started on Thursday. Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd graders had fun with slime. 3rd and 4th graders investigated some DNA. And 5th and 6th graders took to the skies with the rocket shaped sling shots. If your child didn’t have their Science Lab this week, they’ll do it next week on Monday or Tuesday. Thank you to the PTA for this fun enrichment activity.
And today, a well-loved yearly invite for 3rd grade, the Cities Project, took place this afternoon. 3rd grade students create items to sell to one another for “Bee Bucks,” and we saw many creative producers, and happy consumers in our simulated “city.”
Next week on Friday, we will have our next Hive Family meetings in the morning. Please make sure your child is at school on time so that they can meet with their Hive Family. It will also be Iconic Character Day! We look forward to seeing our Stingers dressed up in their favorite characters from books, movies, or TV shows as they travel the hallways to meet with their Hive Families!
 Below you will find information about the following items:
- Purple Up! - NEW
- New Visitor Management System- Raptor Safe - Reminder
- Ramadan Accommodations - Reminder
- Fasting Meal Kits - Reminder
- Public Schools Week - NEW
- Yearbook Ordering - Reminder
- Benchmark: Exploring Technology and Society in Language Arts - NEW
- Black History Month Celebration - Reminder
- Summer Learning and Fun for Students - Reminder
- Community Peers Preschool Program - Final Reminder
- Original, Makeup, & Retake Pictures Are Now Online! - Reminder
- Marshall High School STEM Night! - Reminder
- Dual Language Immersion - 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
Purple Up!
April is the Month of the Military Child, and FCPS will be celebrating Purple Up! Day on Wednesday, April 15th, 2026. This is a special day for us to come together and wear purple as a visible gesture of support for our military-connected youth. In our store, the following items are available:
T-shirt
Hoodie
Pajama pants
Key chain
Yard sign
The online store will be open Monday, February 16th, 2026, through Monday, March 9th, 2026.
https://www.customink.com/s/fcps-purple-up-spirit-wear-store
New Visitor Management System - Raptor Safe
 Raptor Safe is our new visitor management system. This will be the standard way to sign in at all FCPS schools.
The new system allows you to preregister via the Raptor Safe app, saving you valuable time when checking in for school visits or events! We strongly encourage all family members to download the app and complete their registration today, it will only take a couple of minutes to complete the process!
Registration Options:
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Via the App: Search "Raptor Safe" in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. You can also visit raptortech.com/raptorsafe-app/ for direct links.
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In Person: If you are unable to register ahead of time, you can still complete the process at the school kiosk. Please ensure you have a valid photo ID with you to check in.
Ramadan Accommodations
During Ramadan, families are encouraged to contact Mr. Case, bgcase@fcps.edu regarding accommodations, including but not limited to those around lunch, prayer/meditation and silent reflection spaces and times, and instruction.
Fasting Meal Kits
From February 18th to March 19th, 2026, FCPS allows students fasting during the school day to request take-home meal kits. These kits include a complete school breakfast and lunch to be eaten after the school day ends.
Important Meal Kit Information:
- Kits are charged based on a student’s meal status (Free, Reduced, or Paid).
- Students may claim one breakfast and one lunch kit per day.
- Students who eat a meal at school during the day are not eligible for a take-home kit on the same day.
- Kits are distributed at the end of the school day. Students must pick up their own kits; adults are not permitted to collect them.
Parents or guardians must submit a weekly request form via the FCPS FNS website by the deadlines:
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February 23rd, 2026 for the week of March 2nd, 2026
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March 2nd, 2026 for the week of March 9th, 2026
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March 9th, 2026 for the week of March 16th, 2026
Public Schools Week
Public Schools Week is an annual celebration that brings together school leaders, educators, parents & community leaders to recognize the importance of our nation’s public schools. It is honored next week from February 23rd to February 27th.
Yearbook Ordering
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Help your child remember the moments that made this school year special by ordering your copy of the Stenwood Elementary School Yearbook NOW at http://www.yearbookforever.com! The yearbook will feature memories that you and your child will want to look back on for years to come.
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 The company has a set amount they will print, so once they hit the limit, they will not print any additional yearbooks. The cutoff date to buy one is March 6th, 2026, if they are not sold out before then.
📚 Exploring Technology and Society in Language Arts 📚
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Benchmark Unit 5 in Language Arts is about technology and how it can help us solve problems at home, school, and work. Students in K-5 will be learning about technology and society. Grade six students will learn about technology in the 21st century. |
 Connect with your child’s learning at school with these fun questions and hands-on activities at home: Question: If you could invent anything, what would it be?
- Activity: Talk to your child about what daily life was like before today’s advances in technology. Where would you go to find information? How did you stay in touch with friends and family? Ask your child if they think they would like living without modern technology.
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.
Black History Month Celebration
 Rooted in Resilience: Echoes of Excellence
Families and community members are invited to reflect on the past, celebrate the present, and uplift the voices shaping our future at FCPS’ Second Annual Black History Month Celebration. Rooted in Resilience: Echoes of Excellence will take place on Wednesday, February 25th, at 6 p.m., at Carter G. Woodson High School.
The event will honor the rich history, strength, and contributions of the Black community through inspiring student performances and a powerful keynote address by Rev. Vernon C. Walton, pastor of First Baptist Church of Vienna. Light refreshments will be available.
Prepare for Summer Learning
and Fun for Students
Registration is open or will be available soon for summer camps and learning opportunities offered by Fairfax County Public Schools for all students.
Career and Technical Education and Institute for the Arts Camps
Career and Technical Education camps and Institute for the Arts camps will be held in July at Robinson Secondary School from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Bus transportation will be available from select FCPS middle and high schools. Tuition assistance is available to FCPS families eligible for free or reduced meals.
Tech Adventure Camp (TAC) is a week-long exploratory camp that allows current K-5 students to explore STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math), culinary, health, trades, and business and marketing areas. Watch this video about CTE camps. Registration is open through Friday, June 5th.
Elementary Institute for the Arts (E-IFTA) is a weekly fine and performing arts camp for students in grades K-5 who love to sing, dance, act, perform, make, and create. Students attend four daily classes in dance, music, theater, and visual arts and work with experienced educators who create engaging, fun classes.
New this year: Students in the above camps can also register for aftercare, which is available from 2 to 5 p.m.
Community Peers Preschool Program -
FINAL REMINDER
Stenwood has a community peers preschool program. This program provides opportunities for our students to participate in integration activities with typically developing peers. The program is designed to teach preschoolers with delays and without delays in the same classroom. It can provide young children with a more stimulating environment, teach skills for coping with different situations, and provide the opportunity to learn appropriate social skills.
Our program will invite a limited number of community preschoolers (2 per class), who are ages 3.5 (by September 30th) to 5 years, to participate in our daily preschool activities.
The children from the community will have the opportunity to make new friends and share experiences with current early childhood special education students. Our students will, in turn, benefit from being with community peers who can model appropriate language, motor, and social skills.
All children learn through their play. Intellectual growth occurs in a social context, influenced strongly by the quality of social interactions. The goal of this program is to encourage active learning and promote social interaction and acceptance through shared experiences between the community children and our preschoolers with special needs. Bus transportation cannot be provided for the community peers. Feel free to contact us for further explanation of our program.
If you are interested in having your child considered for this opportunity, please complete the Community Peers Preschool Program Interest and Information Form by Friday, February 27th. Stenwood will host a playdate for interested students in late March/early April. If you know of anyone who may be interested and does not receive the Stenwood Hive Happenings, feel free to forward them this information.
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
Marshall High School STEM Night!
 Marshall High School will be hosting its second annual STEM Night February 24th from 5-8 PM in its cafeteria! Participants include former Stenwood students.
There will be many activities such as DNA pipe cleaner models, Alka-Seltzer lava lamps, science fair presentations, a visit from their robotics team, and many more!
Marshall has also officially launched their YouTube channel @GCMSTEMStars where they will be posting weekly videos about a range of STEM topics.
Apply for Your Child to Learn in Two Languages
FCPS’ 2026-27 Dual Language Immersion (DLI) Program lottery opens on Monday, January 12th. The program offers students in kindergarten and first grade the opportunity to learn in English and another language — French, German, Japanese, Korean, or Spanish — for half of each instructional day.
The online, countywide lottery is open to Fairfax County residents. Families must have a SIS ParentVUE account. Students not currently enrolled in FCPS should register at their base school before applying for the immersion program.
Families applying for first grade, the deadline has now passed. Those applying for kindergarten must do so by Monday, March 2nd, at 4 p.m.
Informational meetings will begin in January. View dates and details on the FCPS calendar. If you have questions, please contact Brigid Williams at 571-423-4600.
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: We will collect submissions on the 1st of each month for holidays occurring the following month. For instance, since Purple Up Day! is April 15, drawings for it would be due by March 1st. 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
101st Day of School
Valentine's Day Parties!
PTA Science Labs!
3rd Grade Cities Project!
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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