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Dear Mighty Red Bird Families,
Our hearts are still full following last night’s wonderful Kindergarten Showcase! It was a joy watching some of our youngest learners take the stage with such confidence and enthusiasm. Between the bright smiles and those sweet songs, the performance was an absolute highlight of our week and a beautiful reminder of our special community. We want to extend a huge thank you to our music teachers, Ms. Cave and Mr. Vance, for the opportunity to let our little stars shine.
We invite you to join us for our Virtual Principal’s Coffee tomorrow morning from 9:30 AM – 10:30 AM. We are currently at the midpoint of the year, making it the perfect moment to check in on our "Blueprint for Success." During the coffee we’ll discuss how our goals are becoming a reality at CFES. We'll walk through the "Foundation" of our recent student data, share the "Framework" by highlighting the incredible daily work happening in our classrooms, and finally, look toward the "Finishing Touches" we have planned for the remainder of the year.
We are so grateful for your continued support!
Warm Regards,
Mrs. Long, Mrs. Agner, Mrs. Compton
Upcoming Dates 📆
February 26 - Virtual Principal's Coffee (9:30 AM - 10:30 AM)
March 13 - Spring Picture Day
March 20 - No School (Eid al-Fitr)
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.
🌟Mrs. Long's Blueprint Byte
This week’s Blueprint Byte captures our "Framework" in action as our kindergarteners dive into small-group literacy work! These young scholars are busy building their foundation by mastering CVC words and turning letter sounds into reading success. It is a wonderful example of the focused, hands-on learning that happens every day.
2025-2026 Cardinal Forest Yearbook Ordering
1 Visit www.candidcolor.net and select Yearbooks. Enter your access code:CRFEYBK26
2 Select the quantity of books to purchase. Add the yearbook to your cart. Click “view cart” or “checkout” to verify your order and continue.
3 Fill out your student’s information. Enter your billing information and pay by credit card.
Order your yearbook by: March 28, 2026
Cardinal Forest Yearbook Cover Contest
New Visitor Management System
New Visitor Management SystemWe are excited to announce that our school is now using the new Raptor Visitor Management System (VMS). This upgrade is part of our school’s and FCPS’ ongoing commitment to enhancing school safety and streamlining the process for visitors at our school. The VMS ensures that no visitor is on the sex offender registry.
For most visitors, the user experience will be the same when you check-in at the front office.
But now there is also an app, which can make check-in’s even faster at school. Visitors who choose to download the RaptorSafe App and create a Raptor Passport can pre-verify their information before they get to school. The app will give you a QR code you can use when you check-in at school.
If you have questions or need assistance with the new system, please contact our front office. Thank you for your partnership in keeping our schools safe!
Meal Kits for Fasting Students
From February 18 to March 19, students who are fasting during the day can take school meals home. These kits include one breakfast and one lunch to be eaten after the school day ends.
Families must fill out a request form each week for every student who wants a kit. Please note other important details below:
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Cost: Meals are charged just like a normal school day.
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Pickup: Students must grab their kits at the end of the school day.
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Menu: Kits include school meals that are easy to heat at home.
Visit the Food and Nutrition webpage for forms, deadlines, and other information. Please contact the Office of Food and Nutrition Services with any questions at FCPSFNS@fcps.edu or 703-813-4800.
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 tonight, Wednesday, February 25, 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
Summer Learning
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 5.
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.
Transition Fair for Students in Special Education
Planning for Life in and After High School for Students with IEPs
Families, caregivers, and educators of elementary and middle school students receiving special education services are invited to join Career and Transition Services (CTS) to learn about planning for life in and after high school.
The transition fair will take place on Wednesday, March 4, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., at Luther Jackson Middle School.
Ensuring the success of our students with disabilities after high school is dependent on what is known as transition planning. Please join CTS and other support service personnel for an evening focused on planning for the future.
An exhibitor fair will include teachers and representatives from CTS high school courses, career academies, age 18-22 programs, and transition services for students with disabilities. This event also includes a presentation with a brief overview of transition services and a student/parent panel sharing firsthand experiences. Register in advance.
Kindergarten Registration: It’s as Easy as 1-2-3
There’s an easy five-step process for parents wanting to register their child for kindergarten:
- Determine eligibility. Identify your local school.
- Gather documents.
- Fill out forms.
- Schedule an appointment.
After the appointment at the school (the student and one caregiver must be present), the student will be ready for orientation and any other introductory events each school may host. Read more about the registration process.
Also, please share with families you may know that have a child who will turn 5 on/before September 30, 2026!
If you have any questions, please reach out to Karen Stephens at kdstephens@fcps.edu, or 703-923-5201
Volunteer FCPS
Register Today With Volunteer FCPS Volunteer FCPS allows individuals to search and register for volunteer opportunities. It helps ensure a safe, consistent, and welcoming environment here at [School]. All volunteers must:
- Create a profile in Volunteer FCPS.
- Register for opportunities through Volunteer FCPS.
- Sign in and out of schools using the visitor kiosk.
Arrival and Dismissal - Be A Good Neighbor!
As a reminder, please help us keep arrival and dismissal times safe and smooth for everyone. We ask families to be good neighbors and mindful of:
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Not blocking intersections or painted boxes during Kiss & Ride —this impacts visibility and also prohibits access for emergency vehicles.
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Crossing only in crosswalks and watching carefully for cars.
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Avoiding parking in residential areas, fire lanes, or private parking spaces.
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Refraining from making illegal U-turns.
District News/In Case You Missed It (ICYMI)
FCPS News In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics:
- Celebrating Our Students
- Summer Camp and Learning
- New High School Name
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