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Dear Mighty Red Bird Families,
Welcome to the 2026-2027 school year! We are so excited to welcome everyone to Open House this Friday and see our students walk through the doors on Monday morning for the first day of school!
The beginning of a new school year is always special, and this one has extra meaning as we celebrate Cardinal Forest's 60th Anniversary! For 60 years, students, families, and staff have helped make our school the community it is today, and we are excited to add another chapter to that story together. I am also incredibly grateful to lead alongside Assistant Principals Cindy Agner and Raven Compton. Their deep care for our community shines through every day, whether they are greeting students, supporting teachers, connecting with families, or celebrating the everyday moments that make our school such a special place.
As your child's principal, you can count on me for clarity, communication, collaboration, and care. Care is at the heart of how I lead. I want every Mighty Red Bird to feel known, valued, and supported when they walk through our doors, and every family to know that your questions, concerns, hopes, and perspectives matter. I will be present, accessible, and responsive; I will listen carefully and communicate openly; and I will make decisions with the best interests of our students at the center. You can count on me to approach our work together with thoughtfulness, consistency, and a deep commitment to your children and our school community.
That same commitment guides our classrooms. Our Blueprint for Success ensures every child knows what they are learning, feels comfortable and supported in their classroom, and gets the tailored approach they need to thrive—whether that means additional support, a different way to access the learning, time in a small group, or an extra challenge. We want our students to feel known, cared for, confident, and excited about learning.
Entrusting us with your children each day is a profound responsibility, and one I hold deeply. We are partners in this work, and I want you to feel comfortable reaching out, asking questions, sharing concerns, and celebrating successes with us. There will be so many moments to celebrate in the year ahead, and I’m grateful we get to experience them together. It's going to be a great year!
Warmly,
Ashleigh Long
Proud Principal
Cardinal Forest Elementary School
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Upcoming Dates 📅
🗓️ August 21 - Open House
- 9:00 - 10:00 - Preschool, Pre-K, Kindergarten
- 10:30 - 11:00 - New Families Orientation and Meet & Greet
- 11:30 - 12:45 - Returning Students (1st - 6th Grades)
🗓️ August 24 - FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!
🗓️ September 16 - Back to School Night
- 5:50 - Doors Open
- 6:00 - 6:30 - PTA Meeting (Cafeteria)
- 6:35 - 7:10 - Session 1
- 7:15 - 8:00 - Session 2 (repeat of Session 1)
🌟Mrs. Long's Blueprint Byte
In each newsletter, I will highlight examples of our “Blueprint for Success: Building a Strong Foundation for All Learners” in action. This week, our teachers and staff have been engaged in community building, collaboration, professional learning, and lots of proactive preparation to ensure that every Mighty Red Bird has an amazing school year!
2026 - 2027 School Supply List
Open House
Cardinal Forest Open House – Friday, August 21 🎒✨
Come meet your teacher, drop off your supplies, and grab some Kona Ice (available 9:00 AM–1:00 PM)! 🍧
Times by Grade/Group:
✏️ 9:00–10:00 AM: Preschool, Pre-K, & Kindergarten
✏️ 10:30–11:00 AM: Families New to Cardinal Forest (Meet in Cafeteria)
✏️ 11:30 AM–12:45 PM: Returning Students (1st–6th Grade)
See you Friday, August 21st!
Arrival and Dismissal
Cardinal Forest's Bell Schedule is 9:10 a.m. - 3:55 p.m..
Doors open at 8:55 a.m. and students arriving at or after 9:10 a.m. must report to the main office. Dismissal begins at 3:57 p.m.
Kiss & Ride families, please keep intersections clear and do not park in the surrounding neighborhood.
Please note: Dismissal changes must be submitted by 3:00 p.m. If you need to pick up your child early, you must arrive at the main office before 3:15 p.m.
Arrival and Dismissal may take longer the first week of school. Thank you in advance for your patience!
Kiss and Ride
Kiss & Ride vehicles should enter the school parking lot from Forest Street at the designated Kiss & Ride entrance. Follow the yellow dashed arrows through the parking lot and form two vehicle lines as shown on the map. Continue through the loop to the designated student pick-up area alongside the school. After students have entered vehicles, follow the yellow arrows through the parking lot to the designated exit.
For everyone's safety and to keep traffic moving, do not block the bus loop entrance or bus loop exit. The separate entrance marked “Bus Only” may not be used by cars during arrival or dismissal.
Kindergarten
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Bus riders: Enter and exit through Door 1 at the front of the building. During dismissal, buses are dismissed by bus number beginning at 3:58 p.m. Kindergarten bus riders must be met by an adult at the bus stop.
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Kiss & Ride: Families use the designated parking lot loop for arrival and dismissal. Afternoon pickup begins at 3:57 p.m.
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Walkers: Enter and exit through Door 2, located by the cafeteria on the left side of the building. Walkers are dismissed at 4:00 p.m. Kindergarten walkers must be met by an adult.
1st and 2nd Grade
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Bus riders: Enter and exit through Door 1 at the front of the building. During dismissal, buses are dismissed by bus number beginning at 3:58 p.m.
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Kiss & Ride: Families use the designated parking lot loop for arrival and dismissal. Afternoon pickup begins at 3:57 p.m.
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Walkers: Enter and exit through Door 8 on the right side of the building. Walkers are dismissed at 4:00 p.m.
3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th Grade
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Bus riders: Enter and exit through Door 1 at the front of the building. During dismissal, buses are dismissed by bus number beginning at 3:58 p.m.
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Kiss & Ride: Families use the designated parking lot loop for arrival and dismissal. Afternoon pickup begins at 3:57 p.m.
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Walkers: Enter and exit through Door 1 at the front of the building. Walkers are dismissed at 4:00 p.m.
Back to School Checklist
As summer winds down, we are looking forward to welcoming students back to our classrooms. Use the following list to help make sure your child is ready!
☑️ Sign Up for SIS ParentVUE
Access your student’s attendance records, grades, and assignments at any time with SIS ParentVUE. Contact our Student Information Assistant, Karen Stephens (kdstephens@fcps.edu), if you need an activation code. Find out more about SIS ParentVUE. Also, download the new ParentVUE mobile app so you can access your child’s records easily from anywhere!
Update Your Contact Information
Be sure you receive important information! Update your phone number(s) and/or email address(es) by clicking “My Account” and reviewing the “Online Verification/Update.” On that form, you can also update immunization records, health information, and emergency contacts.
☑️ Update Immunizations and Records
Immunizations are required for all students to attend school in Virginia. This is an important part of protecting them from certain diseases and keeping them healthy.
When your child is immunized, remember to request a copy of their immunization record and bring that to our front office or submit the record via SIS ParentVUE as soon as possible. Find more information on FCPS’ website.
☑️ Learn About School Meals
Families need to provide their children with money to purchase meals at school or send them with a packed lunch. Alternatively, families may apply to receive free and reduced-price meal benefits, pending approval.
☑️ Bookmark the School Year Calendar
Be sure to bookmark the FCPS school year calendar to keep track of school holidays, breaks, and observances:
- Days marked blue with an “H” are student holidays. Schools are closed on these days.
- Days marked orange with an “O” are religious and cultural observance days (or evenings, if only half marked). There is school on these days, but certain events that cannot be made up may not be scheduled on these days.
- Days marked as TW, SD, and SP and in pink are holidays for students but working days for teachers and staff.
Be First-Day Ready! 🍎
The first day of school, Monday, August 24, is just around the corner! Check out these back-to-school tips to make sure your child gets off to a great start.
Also find out what will be new this school year.
Early Release Wednesdays for 2026-2027
FCPS will continue with limited early release Wednesdays for elementary schools during the 2026-27 school year. The number has been reduced from eight to four days.
Early release Wednesdays provide elementary teachers with a dedicated block of time to prepare lessons, participate in professional development and training, and collaborate with their peers. A well-supported and continuously improving teaching staff leads to better educational outcomes for students.
Please view the dates for our school’s early release Wednesdays below:
- September 30
- November 18
- January 13
- April 7
Visit the FCPS website for more information about early release Wednesdays.
Arrival and Dismissal - Be A Good Neighbor!
Please help us keep arrival and dismissal times safe and smooth for everyone. We ask families to be good neighbors and mindful of:
- Not blocking intersections or painted boxes during Kiss & Ride —this impacts visibility and also prohibits access for emergency vehicles.
- Crossing only in crosswalks and watching carefully for cars.
- Avoiding parking in residential areas, fire lanes, or private parking spaces.
- Refraining from making illegal U-turns.
- No pets are allowed on school property.
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