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Welcome, Forestdale Families!
The new school year is officially here, and we can't wait to see all of our wonderful students tomorrow, Monday, August 24th! We also want to give a huge thank you to everyone who came out for our Open House last week. It was wonderful to see so many of you and feel the excitement for the year ahead. It was also great to see so many of you at our Inaugural Community Bus Tour, it was a lot of fun to see some many families ready to kick off a new school year.
Our teachers have been working hard all week to get their classrooms ready and create a welcoming and engaging environment for your children. We have a fantastic year ahead of us, and we're so excited to kick things off. In this newsletter, you'll find important information to help you and your child have a smooth start, including safety procedures for arrival and dismissal, details on how to get involved with the PTA, and instructions for signing up for our communication tools.
To report an absence, please
- Email us at ForestdaleESAttendance@fcps.edu
- Call the school attendance line (703-313-4343)
- Use your ParentVUE account. This ensures our records are accurate and keeps our students safe.
Please note that family lunch visits will be paused until October 1st to allow students to adjust to the new cafeteria routines. Thank you for your understanding.
We look forward to a fantastic school year with all of you. See you tomorrow morning!
Together for OUR Students,
Nikki Steptoe-Coleman, Principal
Mary-Elizabeth Hagaman, Assistant Principal
Dr. Nikisha Gibson, Assistant Principal
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Forestdale Calendar Reminders
August 2026
8/24: First Day of School (Doors Open 8:40am)
8/25: PTA Dinner Fundraiser (Hangry Burger)
8/27: First Day- ECCB Preschool 1/2 Day Program
September 2026
9/4, 7: Labor Day Holiday (No School)
9/8: PTA Meeting @ 6:30pm
9/21: Yom Kippur Holiday (No School)
9/23: Back to School Night @6pm
9/25: Fall Picture Day
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🥞 Forestdale Meal Menus🍎
The first day of school for our grades K-6 students and our students in the Preschool Autism Classroom (PAC) is Monday, August 24, 2026.
Our first day for our AM/PM Early Childhood Class-Based (ECCB) Preschool program and our PreK (formerly called HeadStart) is Thursday, August 27, 2026. Correction from Welcome Back Letter
Our school hours are from 8:50 a.m. to 3:35 p.m., and every minute counts! Doors open daily at 8:40am
The doors will open at 8:40 a.m., and parents may walk their child to the classroom door on Monday, August 24. Students will be walking to class independently with staff support beginning Tuesday, August 25th.
Students in grades PreK-6 should be in their classroom seats no later than 8:50 a.m. Our day begins by connecting with one another and building relationships among staff and students for productive learning.
For the safety of all students, please follow these procedures when on campus:
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Arrival and Dismissal: The main entrance will be roped off, to traffic, to prevent cars from entering the bus loop during arrival and dismissal. The second entrance is designated for Kiss and Ride only. If you wish to walk your child to the front door, please park legally in the surrounding neighborhood. Reminder, the road directly in front of schools are bike lanes, and there is NO PARKING.
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Campus Access: To be granted access to the building, or to pick up your child, you must present proper identification. We will not be able to release a child or allow entry without it.
Starting this school year, students must use FCPS-issued devices for school-related digital activities during the instructional day. This is in accordance with a new School Board requirement, approved on July 16, which states that students may not use personal electronic communication or computing devices, including personal laptops, tablets, smartwatches, smartphones, and similar devices.
If devices are brought to school, students will be prompted to turn off and put away in backpack until end of day. Families will also be reminded of expectation as needed.
Discipline protocols have been added to the FCPS Student Rights & Responsibilities: Handbook for Families.
To ensure a safe and successful start to the school year, please have your child follow their daily arrival and dismissal procedures on the very first day. Establishing this routine early helps them learn how to get to and from school safely.
Bus
When I know my child's route? Bus routes are posted to SIS ParentVUE accounts. Children with specialized transportation should have received a call from transportation with details.
Student ID Cards: Students who ride the bus will receive a student identification (ID) card, which will be provided by the first week of September (update), more information coming soon.
Students who ride the school bus will tap their student ID card when boarding and exiting the bus. This ensures that transportation team members can see which students are riding which school buses. Again this will begin early in September.
You can monitor your child's bus arrival. To know when your child's bus is approaching, get the Here Comes the Bus mobile app. It is a school bus tracking system that gives you real-time bus location and text or email notification. Click here for more information and the FCPS access code. Here Comes the Bus will be replaced with FCPS My Ride later this year.
Kindergarten and PreK, and ECCB Students:
Kindergarten students, riding the afternoon school bus will be returned to school unless a parent, guardian, caregiver, or an older sibling (middle school age or above) meets them at the bus door and verbally confirms their name.
Pre-K, PAC, & ECCB students, riding the afternoon school bus will be returned to school unless met by a parent, guardian, or caregiver, 18 years or older meets them at the bus door and verbally confirms their name.
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Walkers
Families walking their student to school can walk them to the crosswalk on Elder Avenue or to Door 1. Walkers will be dismissed from Door 2 at the end of the day.
If you child is not in our School-Aged After Care (SACC) program, you must meet them at Door 2 by 3:35pm. We do not have additional aftercare options.
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Kiss and Ride
- New families who are in need of a Kiss and Ride tag should come into the school office to get a tag. Tags are required for families whose students will be picked up every day from the Kiss and Ride line.
- Families using Kiss and Ride should enter through the 2nd school entrance.
- Students will be let out of cars starting at 8:40 a.m. and will be dismissed to cars starting at 3:35 p.m.
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Changes to Your Child's Transportation
Teachers need to know how all students typically get to school. Should you need to make alternate arrangements one day (i.e. you will pick up your child instead of sending him on the bus), let the office and teacher know that morning so they are aware of the change. The best way to make a change during the school day is to call the office, 703-313-4300. Teachers are instructing and not checking email.
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If you need to make a change to your child's regular transportation for the day, here are best practices:
For Same-Day Changes
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You must call the school office at 703-313-4300 to make a change.
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The call must be made by 3:00 PM.
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Do not email the teacher for same-day changes, as they may not see the message in time.
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If you're picking up your child, you'll need to sign them out in the front office with a valid ID.
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It's recommended that you sign your child out before 3:15 PM.
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Students cannot be taken off the bus once they are on it after school.
For Next-Day or Future Changes
In short, if you need to make a change for today, call the office. If you're planning ahead for tomorrow or later, you can email or text the teacher.
Joining the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) is a wonderful way to directly support our students, teachers, and school community.
How to Get Involved:
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Join the PTA: Register for your annual membership online at forestdale.givebacks.com.
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First Dinner Out Fundraiser: Tuesday, August 25th, from 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM at Hangry Burger.
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First PTA Meeting: Tuesday, September 8th (mark your calendars!).
We look forward to seeing you there and partnering together for a fantastic school year!
FCPS Annual Calendar (Click Here)
Back to School Night
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When: Wednesday, September 23rd, 6pm-8:00pm
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Who: Families & Students
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What: Join us for our annual Back to School Night! It's a great opportunity to meet your child's teachers, learn about the curriculum, and find out how you can support their learning this year. We look forward to seeing you there!
October 9th: Back to School Block Party
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When: Friday, October 9th, 6-8pm
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Who: Families & Students
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What: Come celebrate a successful first month of school with us at our Back to School Block Party. This is a great chance to learn more about our school and discover how you can get involved. We'll have food trucks on-site for you to purchase dinner, so bring your appetite!
Back to School Emergency Forms and Opt-Outs coming home in folders on Monday afternoon. Please complete and return to school ASAP.
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.
Important Apps to Download
Now would be a great time to download important FCPS apps and bookmark key pages to set you up for the school year. Below are our recommendations and their specific use.
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ParentVue - Access your student’s attendance records, grades, and assignments at any time with SIS ParentVUE. Contact our registrar at [email/phone number] 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! Need help creating a SIS ParentVUE account? Find out more about SIS ParentVUE. Video instructions in English. Video instructions in Spanish.
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Here Comes the Bus- Know when your bus is approaching your stop! Here Comes the Bus® app is a school bus tracking app that provides real-time bus location. This helps parents and students get to the bus stop on time. Here Comes the Bus® utilizes our GPS data and is available on multiple devices. FCPS school district code 28982 and you will need your ParentVue app set up first.
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Talking Points - TalkingPoints is an easy and safe way families can communicate in their home languages with their child’s teachers for free. We will be using this platform to communicate with you about your child’s education and progress.
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