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Dear Mighty Red Bird Families,
It is wonderful to see the sun staying out a bit longer! With the arrival of Daylight Savings and this beautiful warm weather, our students are coming into school with a renewed sense of energy and excitement. We hope you are finding time to enjoy these brighter evenings together.
Please join us for tonight's PTA meeting! During this evening’s virtual meeting, the PTA is proud to sponsor a vital session: "Helping Your Child Manage Anxiety." We invite you to join Megan Davis and Allie Farris from the Counseling and Assessment Practice of Fairfax for a practical, empowering look at why our natural parenting instincts can sometimes accidentally feed the worry cycle. Rather than focusing on "fixing" the child, this presentation explores how anxiety operates within the family dynamic and provides concrete, evidence-based strategies to build lasting resilience. As licensed school psychologists, Megan and Allie bridge the worlds of home and school to support families navigating ADHD, Autism, and other neurodiversities. You can learn more about their work at capfairfax.com. We look forward to seeing you online tonight for this important conversation.
Warm Regards,
Mrs. Long, Mrs. Agner, Mrs. Compton
Upcoming Dates 📆
March 13 - Authors Visit, during specials 📖
March 17 - Spring Picture Day 📸 *new date*
March 20 - No School (Eid al-Fitr)
March 30- April 3 - No School, Spring Break
April 6 - No School, Teacher Workday
April 10 - No School, School Planning Day
April 10 - Kindergarten Orientation @ 1:30PM!
Women's History Month
🌟Mrs. Long's Blueprint Byte
6th graders became architects as they tackled the "Tiny Home Challenge" to apply their knowledge of geometric dilations. Students transformed real-world dimensions into precise coordinate plane blueprints, scaling down entire living spaces to fit a strict 240-square-foot requirement. By navigating through zoning, client needs, and multiple revision conferences, they successfully moved from a first sketch to a polished, mathematically accurate floor plan and representations!
Family Engagement Survey is now open!
FCPS is administering our Family Engagement Survey, which will be open from Monday, March 9, to Monday, March 23. Your feedback is critical in helping us to better recognize, understand, respect, and address family strengths and needs in our schools.
Survey topics include:
- Welcoming environment.
- Communication.
- Student success.
- Advocacy.
- Family and school partnerships.
- Community partnerships.
The survey will be available in English, Amharic, Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, Korean, Pashto, Spanish, Urdu, and Vietnamese.
Families received a survey link via email from FCPS on March 9.
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
 Contest Rules
Please follow all contest guidelines below:
- Submit an original drawing on an 8½ inch by 11-inch piece of white paper.
- The design must be vertical (portrait orientation).
- The drawing must include a cardinal and the words “Cardinal Forest.”
- The drawing must be fully colored.
- Use crayons or markers only.
- Add as many details as possible.
- Write your student name and teacher name on the back of your paper.
- Entries are due by April 8, 2026
🧸Save the Date: Kindergarten Orientation!
We are excited to welcome our newest Mighty Red Birds!
Kindergarten Orientation will be held on April 10 at 1:30 PM. This is a wonderful opportunity for incoming kindergarten students and their families to visit the school, meet our staff, and learn more about what to expect in the year ahead.
More details will be shared soon — we can’t wait to meet our future kindergarten families!
Countdown to Kindergarten: Supporting a Smooth Transition
 Is your child heading to kindergarten this fall? Join FCPS staff for Countdown to Kindergarten, a virtual event designed to help families prepare for this exciting transition! The webinar will take place on Friday, March 27, from 10 to 11:30 a.m.
During this webinar, families will learn practical tips and essential information to support their child's smooth and successful start to kindergarten in Fairfax County Public Schools. Register to receive the event link.
Kindergarten Registration
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 (the student and one caregiver must be present).
Read more about the registration process. Click to edit this placeholder text.
Fairfax County Health Department Measles Update
Measles is a highly contagious virus that infects 9 out of 10 people who are exposed, if unvaccinated or not immune. It has been in the news lately due to cases in Northern Virginia and among people who have traveled through local airports.
If your spring break or summer plans include traveling abroad or to an area in the United States with high measles activity, the Fairfax County Health Department encourages you to ensure your family is protected. Children 12 months and older should have 1 or 2 doses before traveling. Depending on your specific travel plans, your health care provider may also advise you to vaccinate infants 6 to 11 months old. Read more about these recommendations.
Sleep Awareness Week
The National Sleep Foundation’s Sleep Awareness Week is March 8 to 14. The observance highlights the critical link between sleep and health, both physical and mental. Read more about sleep health and sleep strategies you can try at home.
Reading Opens the World Book Drive and Family Literacy Fair
30,000 Free Books for Families and Educators!
- Books are available on a first-come, first served basis, so arrive early!
- Parents and guardians are welcome to choose up to 10 free books per child for home libraries with a maximum of 30 books per family
- Educators and school staff may choose up to 50 free books for their classrooms
- Fun family activities including DJH and free arts and crafts
- Hundreds of LEGO brick boxes available while supplies last
Saturday, March 14
10:00 - 2:00
Lorton Community Center
9520 Richmond Highway, Lorton, VA 22079
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.
Purple Up FCPS 💜
Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) is gearing up to honor and celebrate its military-connected youth in April, the Month of the Military Child, and on Purple Up! Day!
Purple Up! Day ~ Wednesday, April 15th
This year, Virginia will celebrate Purple Up! Day on Wednesday, April 15, 2026. Purple Up! Day is a special day for communities to come together and wear purple as a visible gesture of support for our military-connected youth and their families. Purple symbolizes the combined colors of all branches of the military.
FCPS Purple Up! T-shirts and other items are available for purchase now through Wednesday, March 11, 2026, in our Custom Ink online store. These items highlight our gratitude and appreciation for our 14,500 military-connected students and their families. #PurpleUpFCPS! For more information and/or to connect with FCPS resources, email us at militaryfamilies@fcps.edu.
Pre-K and Early Head Start
FCPS Pre-K and Early Head Start programs provide a high-quality early learning experience for qualifying children with economic and educational risk factors, ages 6 weeks to 4 years, living in Fairfax County.
- Pre-K prioritizes 4-year-old applicants but also accepts applications for children who will be 3 years old by September 30 of the same year.
- Early Head Start is located at three elementary schools — Clearview, Crestwood, and Dogwood — and accepts applications from pregnancy to 2 years old.
Families are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. Space is limited and provided based on need, not on a first-come, first-served basis.
Applications are accepted online, by email, by mail, or in person at the program office at 7423 Camp Alger Avenue, Falls Church, Virginia 22042.
If you have a question about the application process or status, please call 703-208-7900 (English) or 703-208-7901 (Spanish).
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)
In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics:
- School Board Adopts FY 2027 Advertised Budget
- New Date for Special Education Conference
- Celebrating Our Schools
Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today.
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