WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE FOREST - 3/19/26

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Fri, Mar 20 -       NO SCHOOL, Eid al-Fitr Holiday Sat, Mar 21 -      STEM FEST, 11:00am-1:00pm Mon, Mar 23 -    Curriculum Knight, 6:30-8:00pm Wed, Mar 25 -    3-hr Early Release, Dismissal                            begins at 12:35pm Fri, Mar 27 -       End of 3rd Quarter, 2-hr early                            release, Dismissal begins at 1:35pm                            SCA Spirit: Decades Day Mar 30-Apr 3 -   NO SCHOOL, Spring Break Mon, Apr 6 -      NO SCHOOL, Teacher Workday                            NFES Community Clean Up Day,                            9:00am-11:00am Fri, Apr 10 -       NO SCHOOL, School Planning Day                            Kindergarten Orientation,                            8:30-10:00am Mon, Apr 13 -    NEW DATE: 3rd Grade Recorder                            Concert, 7:00pm Wed, Apr 15 -    FCPS Purple Up! Day Tue, Apr 21 -     NO SCHOOL, Statewide Election Thu, Apr 23 -     Parent Workshop - Helping Kids                             Handle Big Emotions

Good afternoon Newington Forest Families,

I hope to see so many NFES students and families at Curriculum Knight on March 23rd! You can still RSVP to attend at bit.ly/NFESFamilyLearning. We're getting ready for a fun night for all students in grades K-6. Please remember that this is not a drop-off event. Students must attend with a parent.

Next week, we also have:

• Wednesday, March 25: 3-hour Early Release. Dismissal will begin at 12:35pm. Reminder emails were sent to parents earlier this week.
• Friday, March 27: End of 3rd Quarter & 2-hr Early Release. Dismissal will begin at 1:35pm.

Last reminder - there is no school tomorrow, Friday, March 20th, in honor of the Eid al-Fitr holiday. 

Sincerely,

Angela Thompson
Principal

Family Curriculum Knight

WHO: All K-6 Students & Families
WHEN: Monday, March 23, 6:30 - 8:00 PM
WHERE: Newington Forest Elementary

RSVP: http://bit.ly/NFESFamilyLearning

Soil Presentation

This week, 3rd grade enjoyed an interactive Soil Presentation by Soil Scientist Dan Schwartz from NoVa Water and Soil Conservation Project. This presentation was designed specifically to correlate with 3rd grade's Soil Unit. 

When: Saturday, March 21, 2026
Time: 11am - 1pm
Where: Newington Forest Elementary School

Enjoy FREE activities related to STEM, including Robotics, Coding, Experiments, and more! 

For students in Pre-Kindergarten through 6th Grade!

Pre-register or register on-site!
https://bit.ly/3N8hXhx?r=qr

Questions? Email: steamologyus@gmail.com

Friday, April 10, 2026
8:30am – 10:00am

To accommodate the busy lives of our families, we will be hosting a Registration Night in addition to our daytime appointments.

April 23^th

4:30pm – 6:30pm

For registration questions, please contact Ms. Jessi Padua, School Registrar, at jpadua@fcps.edu. Visit http://bit.ly/3KZQVY3 to make a registration appointment.

Newington Forest Elementary
SOL Schedule Spring 2026

Our SOL testing days are just around the corner! You can help your student feel confident and ready by reviewing the schedule and ensuring they arrive at school on time. If you know your child will be absent on a testing day, please notify their teacher as soon as possible so we can plan accordingly.

NFES Community Clean Up Day

Monday, April 6
9-11 AM
Meet @ Kiss and Ride area

Let’s work together to keep our campus beautiful!
Support with litter clean up, mulching, weeding, and spring garden prep!

Students must be accompanied by an adult. This is not a drop off event.

RSVP at https://bit.ly/NFEScleanup2026

NFES Parent Workshop:
Helping KIds Handle Big Emotions

Understanding Anxiety, Stress, and Emotions and How Parents Can Help

THURSDAY, APRIL 23
6:00 - 7:30 PM
ATTEND IN PERSON OR ONLINE

Join us either in person at Newington Forest Elementary or virtually for an informative parent workshop with Rachel Bailey, M.A., Clinical Psychology, who has helped thousands of parents and children learn practical tools for improving behavior, motivation, resilience, and self-esteem. Through her podcasts, speaking engagements, and parenting programs, Rachel shares easy-to use strategies that families can apply right away.

This session will help parents recognize signs of anxiety and stress in children and learn ways to support healthy emotional coping skills at home and at school.

RSVP at bit.ly/April2026Workshop

Questions? Contact Andrea Howard, Family Liaison, at ahoward@fcps.edu

Community Conversations: Share Your Thoughts With Dr. Reid

As a listening leader, connecting with community members across our school division is critical to FCPS Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid. Her Community Conversations are opportunities for you to share your thoughts and ask questions. Events will be held from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. on: 

• Monday, April 13, at Belle View Elementary School.
• Thursday, April 16, at Ravensworth Elementary School (note date change).
• Monday, April 20, at Westgate Elementary School.
• Wednesday, April 22, at Crestwood Elementary School.

Click on a date to register to attend that event. Registration is not required, but helps with planning, especially for child care and interpretation services. Events are open to all. Visit the superintendent’s engagement page for the most up-to-date information.

2026 Special Education Family Conference

The 2026 Special Education Family Conference, Stronger Together: Connecting Families and Schools, will take place on Saturday, April 18, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Marshall High School. 

Dr. Shelley Moore will deliver the keynote address on The Evolution of Inclusion. It will look at how the goals of inclusion have continued to shift and evolve, as we learn more about diversity and identity. Participants will be invited to reflect on their own contexts and consider next steps for advocacy and action.

Visit the FCPS 2026 Special Education Family Conference webpage for more information, including breakout session offerings and a list of vendors that will be on site. Confirm your attendance for this year’s conference.

FCPS Cares is an opportunity for parents, staff, and community members to recognize FCPS employees for going above and beyond to help others and show they care. We invite you to submit your story so we can all acknowledge the good work of our Newington Forest staff members.

FCPS News In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics and others: Winter Sports Champions Parent Acknowledgement of Course Requests Last Chance to Take the Family Engagement Survey Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today.

8001 Newington Forest Ave. Springfield, VA 22153  |  Phone: 703.923.2600

Attendance: 703.923.2626  |  Web  |  Twitter