WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE FOREST - 5/8/26

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Thu, May 14 -    Strings Spring Concert, 6:30pm Fri, May 15 -      NEW DATE: 1st Grade                            Grandparents Day Concert, 2:30pm                             PTA Spring Fling, 7pm May 16-24 -        South County Pyramid Art                            Exhibition, Lorton Workhouse Arts                            Center (flyer below) Wed, May 20 -    3-hour Early Release, dismissal                             begins at 12:35pm                             Parent Workshop: Friendship 101                             for Growing Kids - Virtual,                             6-7:30pm (more info below) Thu, May 21 -     Chorus Spring Concert, 7pm

Good afternoon Newington Forest Families,

What a wonderful Teacher Appreciation Week in the Forest! Our Teachers and Staff were shown lots of love throughout the week from their students, families and from our wonderful PTA Board who provided:

• a great lunch on Tuesday
• a drink customization station on Wednesday
• an ice cream sundae bar on Friday

Also this week, 3rd and 5th grade students completed their Reading SOLs. Great job, students! Onto Math SOLs in the coming weeks. Please check the SOL schedule below.

I wish our staff and families a wonderful Mother's Day weekend. 

Sincerely,

Angela Thompson Principal

Class Placement Parent Input

As we begin planning for the 2026–27 school year, I want to remind families of the process for providing input for class placement.

Class placement is a structured process that takes many factors into account to ensure balanced and supportive learning environments for all students.  Our teams take great care in the class placement process to ensure the best possible experience for every student.

In previous years, we invited families to submit requests based on teacher characteristics.  This year, we welcome families to share significant interpersonal conflicts your child has with other students that could affect their learning environment or friendships that are especially meaningful to your child. If you would like to provide input, please submit it using the Google Form below by Friday, May 29, 2026 - https://forms.gle/6eGp5rrs355WXvqbA 

Please note that our admin team has several mandatory trainings this summer and will not have the time to review late submissions. Please submit input by the deadline.

We value your partnership and the role you play in supporting your child’s success.

Thank you,

Angela Thompson
Principal

Cafeteria Volunteers Needed
(Now – May 29)

We are looking for volunteers to support our cafeteria during lunch periods through May 31. Shifts are short and flexible, and your help makes a big difference in keeping our lunch environment safe and organized for students!

Available time slots include:

• 11:00–11:30 AM
• 11:30 AM–12:00 PM
• 12:30–1:00 PM
• 1:00–1:20 PM

If you are interested, please sign up here: https://volunteer.fcps.edu/custom/501/opp_details/3593

Once you sign up, we will email you a separate link to select and confirm your specific shift. Thank you for supporting our school community!

NFES SOL Schedule Spring 2026

Please note the changes in our calendar below! Please 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.

PTA Spring Fling

Friday, May 15, 2026
6:00 - 8:00pm
NFES Blacktop/Field

This event will be FREE for all! You will only pay for concessions!

***Please remember that this is not a drop-off event. All students MUST be accompanied by an adult.***

Pre-order your pizza

Volunteer your time

NFES Parent Workshop – Friendship 101 for Growing Kids

Wednesday, May 20
6:00–7:30 PM
Virtual Event

Join Rachel Bailey, Parenting Specialist, to learn practical strategies to help your child build strong friendships and handle peer conflict with confidence.

Click here to register: https://forms.gle/2pTx2oW3auBe4Chv6

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

We are excited to share the 35 Newington Forest Artists will have their art pieces on display at the South County Pyramid Art Exhibition! What an honor.

It is free to visit the exhibition, so please stop by to check out their displays.

When: May 16-24

Where: Lorton Workhouse Arts Center, 9518 Workhouse Way, Lorton, VA

Gallery Hours: Wednesday-Saturday 11am - 6pm, Sunday 12pm-5pm

Thank you, Mr. Nathan Drake, Art Teacher, for always encouraging our students to shine through their art.

Volunteers Needed on Field Days!

Mark your calendars for our Field Days in June!

Friday, June 5th

Wednesday, June 10th

If you are you available to help make Field Day a success, please volunteer below!

• Kindergarten: https://volunteer.fcps.edu/custom/501/opp_details/3537
• Grades 1 & 2: https://volunteer.fcps.edu/custom/501/opp_details/3547
• Grades 3 & 4: https://volunteer.fcps.edu/custom/501/opp_details/3548
• Grades 5 & 6: https://volunteer.fcps.edu/custom/501/opp_details/3549

FCPS CTE Summer Learning Opportunity

We're thrilled to invite you to join us for an unforgettable experience at one of the CTE summer enrichment programs! These week-long programs will introduce you to the wonderful world of Career and Technical Education, help you develop new skills, and make new friends.

Our programs offer a wide range of activities designed to spark your curiosity and keep you engaged. You will have the opportunity to learn coding, problem solving, cooking, and more! Our experienced and enthusiastic teachers are dedicated to creating a safe, supportive, and fun environment where you can challenge yourself and discover new passions.

You can find more details about our programs on our camp websites below:

• Tech Adventure Camp: https://www.fcps.edu/academics/summer-learning-programs/camps-and-institutes-tech-adventure-camp 
• CTE Summer Academy: https://www.fcps.edu/academics/summer-learning-programs/camps-and-institutes-CTE-summer-academy 

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact Beth Mehr, CTE Educational Specialist at bgmehr@fcps.edu. We'd be happy to chat with you and your family.

South County HS Basketball Camp

Get ready to level up your game this summer! The South County High School Stallions are hosting two action-packed sessions of basketball camp, and we want you on the court with our District and Region championship-winning program.

Camp Details

• Session 1: June 22–26
• Session 2: June 29–July 3
• Time: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM daily
• Cost: $195.00 per session

Learn from the best at the home of the Patriot District and Occoquan Region Champions. Whether you're looking to sharpen your fundamentals or compete at a high level, our camp provides the perfect environment to grow your skills.

Don’t wait! Spots fill up fast! Register now at www.stallionsboysbasketball.com.

FCPS Caters to Food Allergies

May is Food Allergy Awareness Month. The FCPS Office of Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) works to ensure every student has access to safe and nutritious school meals. Since 1 in 13 children in the U.S. has a food allergy, FNS works closely with families to provide reasonable meal accommodations for students whose medical needs affect what they can eat at school.

To support students appropriately and safely, families are asked to submit medical documentation to FNS from a U.S. licensed health care provider so we can tailor meals to each child’s needs.

Learn more about the documentation required and the steps to develop a safe menu for students.  

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: FCPS Caters to Food Allergies Immunizations Needed Before 7th and 12th Grade Thank you Teachers and Staff! 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

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