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Dear Mighty Red Bird Families,
It has been a wonderful week at school as we’ve come together to celebrate Earth Week. From nature prints to vibrant greens, seeing our students and staff dress up each day has been a great reminder of our shared commitment to protecting our planet.
Our classrooms have been buzzing with curiosity as student guest readers visited various grades to share Earth-inspired stories. Throughout the week, our teachers have used this time to help students make meaningful commitments to sustainability by exploring how our small daily actions contribute to a much larger global impact.
We also want to thank you for your incredible partnership. Whether you’ve been working through the Earth Week BINGO board at home or helping your child prepare for our daily themes, your involvement makes these lessons truly stick. It is through this bridge between school and home that we empower our students to be the environmental stewards of tomorrow.
Thank you for your continued support and for being such a vital part of our school community.
Warm Regards,
Mrs. Long, Mrs. Agner, Mrs. Compton
Upcoming Dates 📆
April 20 24 - Earth Week
April 20 - 24 -National School Library Week
April 24 - Class Picture Day
May 6 – Reading SOL for Grades 3–6
May 13 - Early Release Wednesday
May 14 – Math SOL for Grades 3–6
May 19 – Science SOL for Grade 5
National Library Week
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April is School Library Month and it's a great time to celebrate the essential role that school librarians play in the lives of students. School librarians ensure students have access to a wide variety of high-quality books and resources that connect them to the world and build a culture of literacy. Librarians develop lessons that are meaningful to students and help them develop critical thinking, inquiry, and information literacy skills. They support learning across all subject areas by teaching students the skills to be independent problem-solvers and creative thinkers. By creating a safe environment for all students to be engaged and curious learners, FCPS libraries are places where everyone belongs.Take a moment to learn more about FCPS Library Programs and share your appreciation of our wonderful librarian, Ms. Hawk! |
Autism Acceptance Month
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🌈 Join us in recognizing #AutismAcceptanceMonth! One in 31 children is diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder in the United States, according to the CDC. Our schools and staff play a vital role in creating and ensuring inclusive environments that accommodate and affirm autistic students. #OurFCPS |
🌟Mrs. Long's Blueprint Byte
3rd Grade Members of our Green Team visited Mrs. Walrath’s 1st Grade class during Morning Meeting to share an Earth Day story and celebrate our planet. This was a wonderful opportunity to show how protecting our environment is a shared responsibility that connects all of us across the Nest.
🌎 Earth Week
We’ve been celebrating Earth Week all through the halls of Cardinal Forest, and we are ready to finish strong! Don’t forget to show your school spirit tomorrow, Friday, by wearing blue for Watershed Day.
Community Clean Up (New Date!)
Gather with your neighbors for a Cardinal Forest Community Cleanup! The Cardinal Forest HOA is hosting a day of service to help preserve our local environment, and all supplies will be provided.
Beyond the cleanup, enjoy:
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Light bites and refreshments
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A spring-themed photo op area
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Raffle giveaways and prizes
Event Details (NEW DATE!)
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Date: Saturday, May 2, 2026
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Time: 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM
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Meeting Point: Surrey Hill Clubhouse
Advanced Academic Program (AAP) Screening for School-Based Services
This spring, all students in grades K–5 who are not currently eligible for or enrolled in Full-Time AAP will be screened for School-Based AAP Services.
If you would like to share your child’s strengths as part of this process, you may submit the AAP School-Based Services Referral Form, available here:
https://www.fcps.edu/sites/default/files/media/forms/AAPSchoolBasedServicesReferralForm.pdf
Please email the completed form to Karen Mitchell, AART – kkmitchell@fcps.edu no later than May 15th.
Please note:
- Submitting this referral form does not initiate the screening process; all students are automatically screened.
- The form simply provides you with an opportunity to share additional information about your child’s strengths and ensures you will receive an eligibility notification in June.
- If your child already participated in the Full-Time AAP screening process this cycle and was not found eligible, no additional referral is needed; you will automatically receive notification.
- If your child is already eligible and receiving Subject-Specific or Part-Time AAP services, you do not need to submit a referral form, as they will continue to receive School-Based AAP services next year.
For more information about School-Based Services, please refer to the FCPS website: https://www.fcps.edu/academics/academic-overview/advanced-academic-programs
If you have any additional questions, reach out to Mrs. Mitchell.
 SOL Support
Support Your Children During Important Spring Assessments
Students will be participating in spring assessments based on their grade level and courses. This includes summative assessments like Standards of Learning (SOL) tests, which measure what a student knows, and progress assessments like Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) tests, which measure where they are in their learning.
FCPS encourages all families to support their students in taking these tests. Virginia requires schools to test at least 95% of students on SOLs, so when families choose not to participate in testing, it can impact a school’s accreditation, accountability ratings, and ability to measure student progress accurately.
Parents and caregivers can help their children perform their best on these tests by reminding them to get a good night’s sleep, eat a healthy breakfast, and the cell phone policy still applies during testing season.
It is important that students attend school on scheduled testing dates. If you are aware of a conflict that may cause your student to miss a test, please notify us as soon as possible.
Learn more about how to support your child and why test participation matters.
☀️ Friendly Face Fridays!
Join us for Friendly Face Fridays at 9:20 AM to experience the heart of our school day! Parents and caregivers are invited to jump into our 20-minute Morning Meeting to share in the greetings and activities that bring our community together. It’s a wonderful way to connect with your child’s classroom and feel the warmth of our school family firsthand before the workday begins.
Please mark your calendars for your child's grade-level date:
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April 24: 4th Grade
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May 1: 3rd Grade
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May 8: 2nd Grade
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May 15: 1st Grade
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May 22: Kindergarten
FY 2027 Budget: Sustaining Excellence
Help FCPS Sustain Excellence: Make Your Voice Heard on the FY 2027 Budget
About 70% of the FCPS budget comes from the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. There are several upcoming opportunities to provide feedback to the county on its budget before final adoption in May. This includes an online survey. Learn how the FCPS budget helps us sustain our excellence.
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:
- Calendar Updates
- Teacher on The Kelly Clarkson Show
- Support Your Student During SOLs
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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