Forestville Focus

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Calendar Reminders

May 26: Teacher Workday May 27: Holiday - Eid al-Adha June 4: Class of 2026 Senior Grad Walk (3:00 p.m.) June 4: Spring Concert (6:00 p.m. Gym) June 5: Field Day (Volunteers Needed) June 8-12: Spirit Week - details below June 12: 6th Grade Kickball Game June 16: 6th Grade Promotion June 17: Last day of school - Dismissal at 2:00 pm

Cardinals Take the Court at Langley! 🏀

Last week, our 6th grade Cardinals took the court at Langley High School for an exciting evening of basketball, teamwork, and school spirit! Families filled the stands to cheer on our student-athletes as they competed against one another in a fun and memorable event. 

A huge thank you to sixth grade parent organizers, Ms. Mlakar, Ms. Vijayakumar and Ms. Hamidi as well as our always supportive Forestville PTA for organizing this special night and helping create lasting memories for our students. We are also so grateful to all of the Forestville staff, families and friends who came out to support our teams and celebrate our Cardinals!

Field Trips for All! 🚌

The wheels on the bus were rolling at Forestville last week! Six of seven grade levels took a field trip to places near and far! We thank our teachers for organizing these events for our students and our amazing parent volunteers/chaperones who help make these trips even more fun! Sixth grade teacher Ms. Kroog was leading her flock as they excitedly prepared to depart for Baltimore!

In case you missed it - this was the rundown:

Kindergarten - Fairfax County Fire Station

First Grade - National Zoo

Second Grade - Glen Echo Park and saw a show

Third Grade - Frying Pan Park

Fourth Grade - Richmond Science Museum and Capitol 

Fifth Grade - Visiting Luray Caverns on June 9

Sixth Grade - Baltimore Aquarium and Science Museum

We want to especially thank the our Forestville PTA for their generous contributions to our annual field trips that help offset the costs of our buses and entry fees! 

Student Principals at Forestville 🤝

Mrs. Brooker was delighted to welcome two student principals for the day earlier this month! These two students joined Mrs. Brooker on her daily rounds beginning with Kiss and Ride in the morning, classroom visits during the day and dismissal duties to end the day! We thank the collaboration between Forestville PTA and the Great Falls Auction for making this possible. Mrs. Brooker was glad for the extra hands and our storage closet inventories have never been better!

2026 FCCPTA Shining Star Nominee💫

Forestville is so appreciative of our amazing PTA for nominating Principal Sarah Brooker as the 2026 FCCPTA Power Partner Principal. She was recognized Monday evening with other Shining Star honorees at FCPS Headquarters, Gatehouse Building along with FCCPTA President, Debbie Kilpatrick and FCPS Superintendent Dr. Reid.

From the PTA: "Mrs. Brooker has made family engagement a defining strength of the school...Her commitment has transformed parent involvement from occasional participation into a sustained, school-wide partnership - strengthening school pride, supporting student success, and creating a more connected, collaborative Forestville community."

Forestville Class Placement Information✍️ Forestville invites you to share your valuable input regarding the best placement for your child for the upcoming 2026/2027 school year (SY). In addition to your input, we also consider the specific learning needs of each child, academic levels of performance, student records, teacher recommendations regarding learning styles, work habits and finally, input from counselors and specialists. We ask that forms are completed by June 1, 2026. As a reminder, requests for specific teachers should not be made as our staffing needs may fluctuate over the summer and changes will occur. Teacher assignments will be emailed to families prior to Open House in August. Please complete a separate form for each child.

End of Year Spirit Week 🎉

Join us for a fun-filled End of Year Spirit Week at Forestville Elementary! We can’t wait to celebrate together with themed dress-up days all week long.

• Monday, 6/8 – Pajama Day
  Wear your favorite comfy pajamas to school.
• Tuesday, 6/9 – Tropical Day
  Dress in tropical or beach-themed clothing to bring vacation vibes to the classroom.
• Wednesday, 6/10 – Career Day
  Dress for a future job or career you’d like to have someday.
• Thursday, 6/11 – Sports Day
  Wear your favorite sports gear as we celebrate the start of the World Cup.
• Friday, 6/12 – Forestville Spirit Day
  Wear Forestville gear to cheer on our students during the 6th Grade Kickball Game!

We’re looking forward to a week full of school spirit, fun, and celebration as we wrap up the school year together!

Medication Pickup Reminder ⚕️ Forestville school health room is reminding parents and guardians that all medication stored in the health room must be picked up no later than the student dismissal time on the last day of school (2:00 p.m. on June 17). Medication left in the health room after that time will be destroyed. It is school policy that medications must be picked up by the parent or guardian. Medication cannot be sent home with your student. If you have any questions, please contact your school health room aide, at (703)-404-6010, or your school public health nurse, Sara Harsher, at (703)-481-4242

Want to see what learning, laughter, and life at Forestville really look like? Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for a front-row seat to the amazing moments happening in our classrooms and around our school. From special events and student highlights to spirit days and everyday fun—you won’t want to miss a thing!

📸 Facebook: ForestvilleFCPS
📸 Instagram: @forestvillefcps

Last Day of School (Early Dismissal at 2:00 p.m.) The last day of the school year is Wednesday, June 17, and Forestville students will be dismissed early at 2:00 p.m.

Nominate a Forestville Employee Today Want a quick way to recognize an employee or team? Share an FCPS CARES! Families, colleagues, and students are all invited to submit. The FCPS CARES is automatically sent to the recipient(s) and their supervisor, and is posted on fcps.edu. Additionally, each month one school in our region wins a staff celebration from HR. We encourage our community to show our staff that their hard work is appreciated and we thank you in advance for your time!

Tuesday Folder

Forestville uses Schoology for all Tuesday Folder contents. All flyers are posted to Schoology Course: Forestville All Parents and contents are listed below.

• AAP Spring Newsletter
• FCPS Arts Camps
• Tuesday Folder Content Disclaimer
• STEM Summer Camp
• Great Falls Basketball Camp

PreKindergarten and Kindergarten Montessori Program

The FCPS Montessori Program is coming to the Langley pyramid with two classes located at Great Falls Elementary School for the 2026-27 school year.  Families in the Langley pyramid are invited to apply for this opportunity if you have PreK or Kindergarten children.

Program Highlights & Eligibility:

• Ages: Children ages 3 through Kindergarten (age 5 by September 30, 2026).
• Classroom Model: Montessori Early Childhood incorporates both PreK and Kindergarten students in mixed-age classrooms, utilizing a unique hands-on approach to learning.
• Tuition: A sliding scale tuition model applies to PreK students in the program. Kindergarten is tuition-free.
• Transportation: Please note that transportation is not provided for students attending outside of the Great Falls boundary. Enrolled families will need to provide their own daily transportation to and from the Montessori program at Great Falls ES.
• Selection: Admission to the program is based on a randomized lottery selection process.
• Hours & Calendar:  Same bell schedule as Great Falls ES (currently 8:50 a.m.-3:35 p.m.) and follows the FCPS K-12 standard school year calendar.

How to Apply: The Great Falls Montessori lottery application is currently open

• To apply, visit the FCPS Montessori webpage and click the "Apply to Great Falls Lottery" button. The application link also includes full details on the sliding scale tuition model for preschool-age students.
• Lottery applications will remain open on a rolling basis only until all available seats are filled.

Learn More: If you would like to learn more about the Montessori program, please watch this introductory video. 

FCPS is excited to expand educational offerings in the community and looks forward to providing this wonderful opportunity for eligible families.

If you have any questions, you may reach the FCPS Montessori program at Montessori@fcps.edu.

Third Annual FCPS Puzzle Hunt Encourages Active Family Fun The Solving Fun Puzzle Pals have been busy getting ready for the 3rd Annual Fairfax County Public Schools Puzzle Hunt, and it kicks off in only three weeks! This free event is open to solvers of all ages and is a great way to keep students and families engaged in fun, creative problem-solving over the summer. It also teaches bike and pedestrian safety and encourages active transportation. New this year: The school with the most solvers will win a special visit from Sue Doku! Sign up for the Puzzle Hunt!

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.

Please Check Your Student’s Lunch Balance

It’s a busy time of year, and we know many priorities are on your plate. As we approach the end of the school year, it is important to check your student’s MySchoolBucks account and pay any remaining school meal balance.

Free and Reduced-Price Meals

Families who earn less than 185% of the poverty level qualify for free and reduced-price meals (FRM). However, an application must be completed and submitted each school year to receive that benefit. The application for the 2026-27 school year will be available this summer. 

If you have a current balance and think you may be eligible for free and reduced-price meals, please fill out the FRM application for the 2025-26 school year. 

FCPS News

In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics:

• Graduation and Summer Resources
• Check Your Lunch Balance
• Mental Health Support

Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today.  

6/5 - Field Day Volunteers Needed

Come be part of the fun! Whether you’re up for getting soaked at a water station, cheering kids through a hula hoop relay, or refereeing an epic Rock-Paper-Scissors battle, we’ve got a station for you! Field Day is one of the most joy-filled, unforgettable days of the year and volunteering will be one of your favorite Forestville memories.  Field Day 2026 Volunteer SUG

2026-2027 Before School Spanish Program

The Children’s Center for Language and Culture, Inc. (ChiCeLaCu!) in partnership with the Forestville ES PTA is pleased to offer the Spanish Program for its 16th consecutive year. ChiCeLaCu’s goal is to cement a strong language foundation, ultimately enabling students to become proficient Spanish speakers.  This upcoming school year will feature a 3 day and NEW 5 days option.

1085 Utterback Store Road | Great Falls, VA 22066 | 703.404.6000 
Attendance: submit online or call 703.404.6098 | Web | Twitter
Administration: Sarah Brooker | Rob Plunkett