|
English | Español | አማርኛ | 中文 | 한국어 | Tiếng Việt | العربية | فارسی | اردو
Dear Cardinal Families,
We are swinging into May with joy and excitement all around us!
🌟 Celebrating Great Attendance
First, I want to share a huge "Thank You" to our families. We have been closely monitoring our daily attendance, and we are thrilled to report that we are seeing more and more days where 10 or fewer students are absent. Making school a priority truly matters. Thank you for your commitment to getting them to the classroom and ready to learn!
📚 Keeping Our Focus
While the anticipation of summer break is building, we still have a significant amount of learning to accomplish. Recently, we have noticed an uptick in challenging behaviors across the school. I want to be very clear with our community: disrespect, talking back to adults, and distracting from lessons will not be tolerated.
Our teachers and staff are working hard to provide engaging lessons, and every student deserves an environment where they can focus. Please take a moment this weekend to talk with your child about our school-wide behavior expectations. Reminding them to stay respectful and attentive will ensure that these final months of school are productive and enjoyable for everyone.
Let’s finish this year strong, stay kind, and make this May one to remember!
Warmly,
Allison Hoak, Principal
Jon Kemmerer, Assistant Principal
✅ Faster Check-ins with RaptorSafe
We know your time is valuable! To make your next visit quicker and easier, we encourage you to use the RaptorSafe app.
Instead of waiting for manual entry at the front desk, you’ll enjoy instant access by simply scanning your personal QR code at the kiosk and heading straight to your destination.
Need help setting up your app? Stop by the front office, we’re happy to assist. Thank you for helping us keep our school safe and efficient
|
💻Expanding Learning Opportunities for All Students
At Cunningham Park, we're committed to providing every student with the tools and opportunities they need to thrive both during the school year and over the summer.
This summer, all students will be allowed to check out a technology device that will support continued growth. This will ensure continued access to tools such as ST Math and Benchmark Universe that allow students to work at their own pace and level. Programs like these adapt to each child's needs, providing extra support in areas where they're building skills and advancing them when they're ready for more challenges. This opportunity will allow students to continue their personalized learning at home, to develop digital literacies and important routines around managing their technology. If your student requires a laptop, they are available for checkout from CPES.
If you have questions as we prepare for this summer, please reach out to our tech coach, Sydney Miller at smiller1@fcps.edu. We value your partnership and want to ensure every family feels informed and supported. Thank you for working alongside us to provide your child with every opportunity to succeed.
💌Final Call: Class Placement Input
Today, Friday, May 1, is the final day to submit the Parent Input for Class Placement Form. As our team begins the careful process of building balanced, positive classroom communities for the fall, we value your perspective on your child’s unique needs or social connections. Please remember that placement options are limited, and we ask that you do not request specific teachers.
If you have information to share, please submit a separate form for each child by the end of the day; requests received after today’s deadline cannot be considered. Thank you for your partnership and for trusting our team to create the best environment for every student!
📚PTA Read-A-Thon
The Read-A-Thon is an annual program sponsored by the CPES PTA. Every student who submits a reading log (including those without pledges) will receive at least $5 in Book Bucks to spend at the Spring Book Fair! There are prizes for the classes and students who read the most minutes. Please turn in your Read-A-Thon packets by May 8. Thank you!
Kindergarten Orientation
Our kindergarten orientation will now be held on Wednesday, MAY 13 at 1:30 pm to give parents of students entering school in August an opportunity to learn more about kindergarten at our school. Your rising kindergarten should attend this event as well. Students will meet teachers and participate in an activity in the classroom while parents learn about CPES.
Contact our registrar, Nicole Madariaga, at njmadariaga@fcps.edu or 703-255-5602 to register your child today!
📅Upcoming 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.
Learn more about how to support your child and why test participation matters.
|
Grade
|
SOL Content Areas Tested
|
|
3
|
Reading (5/19), Mathematics (5/12)
|
|
4
|
Reading (5/8), Mathematics (5/15)
|
|
5
|
Science (5/18), Reading (5/7), Mathematics (5/14)
|
|
6
|
Reading (5/5), Mathematics (5/15)
|
|
💗FCPS CARES
If a Cunningham Park employee or group has impressed you with their care and commitment, tell us their story below so they can receive FCPS CARES recognition. Submit an FCPS CARES today!
FCPS Information
🏆Nominations Open for the Bussey Memorial Equity Award
Nominations are now open for the 2026 Dr. Lawrence Bussey Memorial Equity Award. This award recognizes an employee, student, or community member who has demonstrated significant and impactful efforts to improve the educational experiences and outcomes of students from groups who are marginalized or underserved.
Any staff, student, or community member can nominate an individual for the award. All nomination materials must be submitted by Monday, May 18.
The Minority Student Achievement Oversight Committee (MSAOC) sponsors this award to honor the legacy of Dr. Bussey, a founding member of the MSAOC and a longtime advocate for students and families.
Full details and the nomination information form can be found at the Dr. Lawrence Bussey Memorial Equity Award webpage.
☀️Discover Exciting Summer Learning Activities and Ideas
Join Fairfax County Public Schools for a free, family-friendly community celebration filled with hands-on STEM, arts, and creative experiences for students of all ages. This year’s Summer Extravaganza takes place on Saturday, June 6, from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., at Woodson High School.
Explore summer learning resources and connect with FCPS offices and community partners. Don’t miss the Student Market and a full day of engaging activities designed to spark learning, growth, and inspiration for the whole family.
For more information, visit the Summer Extravaganza webpage.
❤️🩹Your Child's Mental Wellness Matters: Access Comprehensive Services
Reach out to the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board (CSB) for specialized youth mental health services designed to help your child succeed. The CSB has individual and family counseling, psychiatric diagnostic evaluations, medication management, parenting groups, peer support, crisis response, recovery supports that include medication-assisted treatment (MAT), intensive services, and other services.
Contact CSB Entry and Referral to get started by calling 703-383-8500 or emailing csb@fairfaxcounty.gov.
Additional Mental Health Resources
FCPS has resources available to support your child’s mental health. During after-school hours, parents and students who need additional support can use the 988 Lifeline to get free, confidential guidance from trained crisis counselors on how to best help someone experiencing a mental health challenge or crisis. You can call or text the number.
Recent reports have shared an 11% drop in suicides among young people since the rollout of 988. Please note, the hotline is not only for those experiencing suicidal ideation (or thoughts), it is also available for any mental health or substance abuse-related crisis and those with a loved one experiencing those crises or suicidal thoughts.
And as always, if your concern is an emergency, you should call 911.
🚨Important Dates
-
May 13: 3 Hour Early Release, dismissal at 12:20 PM
-
May 13: Kindergarten Orientation from 1:30-2:30 PM
-
May 25: No School | Holiday
-
May 26: No School | Teacher Workday
-
May 27: No School | Holiday
Quick Links
|
