|
English | Español | አማርኛ | 中文 | 한국어 | Tiếng Việt | العربية | فارسی | اردو
Hello FEES Families,
We hope that everyone had a wonderful and safe long weekend! We were excited to welcome students back today. Last week the admin team had a chance to spend some time in classrooms, and I have to say—our Eagles are SOARING! I’ve seen students collaborating, asking thoughtful questions, practicing new skills, and, most importantly, learning how to be a part of their classroom communities. There’s something special about seeing a school come alive in these first few weeks! Again, please mark your calendars with the important dates below. We’re looking forward to another great week!
📅 Please mark your calendars for these upcoming events:
-
September 15 | 5:30–7:00 PM — Back to School Night Join us for an evening to meet your child’s teacher, learn more about grade-level curriculum and expectations, and receive important information about the school year. This is an adults-only event; students should not attend.
-
September 22 | 5:15–6:00 PM — AAP Information Night Learn more about Advanced Academic Programs and the variety of services and opportunities available to our students.
-
September 22 | 6:00–7:00 PM — PTA Meeting Please join us for our first PTA meeting of the year! Our PTA plays a vital role in supporting our students, staff, and entire Forest Edge community. We would love to have you be a part of it!
-
September 29 | 8:00–8:30 AM — Principal Parent CoffeeParents of students in PreK, Kindergarten, and 1st Grade are invited to join Dr. Rogers for coffee and conversation. We’ll discuss timely topics, answer questions, and continue growing together as a school community.
Warmly, Dr. Brittany Rogers, Principal Mrs. Ashley Fisher, Assistant Principal
Excellence ⭐ Purpose 🧭 Joy 💚
The August Attendance Challenge was a HUGE success!! Ask your child about the Forest Edge SWAG they received on Monday.
Our SEPTEMBER ATTENDANCE CHALLENGE:
Any class with a monthly average attendance rate of 98% or higher will earn a class popcorn party! How many classes will win??
Dear Parents/Guardians,
Keeping students and staff safe is a priority for all of us. We have a crisis management and emergency preparedness plan for our school that is reviewed and updated regularly. Our plan includes procedures on how to respond to incidents such as fires and tornadoes. Students and staff regularly practice these drills every school year. We also practice lockdown drills.
Virginia Law (22.1-137.2) requires schools to notify parents at least 24 hours before a school practices a lockdown drill. However, we are not required to share the exact date and time of the drill. We are required to practice lockdown drills two times a year. FCPS lockdown drills do not include any type of active shooter scenario training, they are instruction and classroom based.
We will conduct a lockdown drill at our school soon. Our pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students are exempt from mandatory participation in lockdown drills during the first 60 days of the school year. They will participate in our second and final drill later this school year.
Additional information on our lockdown drill program to include parent tips and FAQs can be found on the Emergency Planning and Crisis Response web page. After reviewing this content, you should discuss the value of these safety drills with your child.
Keeping our school safe and secure for all students and staff involves the participation of the entire school community, and we thank you for your help to keep our school safe.
Sincerely,
Ashley Fisher
Assistant Principal
Please remind your student that personal electronic communication or computing devices should be off and personally stored (i.e. backpacks) for the duration of the school day — bell to bell. This includes:
- Personal laptops and tablets.
- Smartphones and smartwatches.
- Other personal electronic communication or computing devices.
If you need to reach your student during the school day, please call our main office at [main office number]. Learn more about the FCPS Cellphone Policy and Device Policy.
Your voice matters, and Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid wants to hear from you! At FCPS, parents are partners, working with us to set our students up for long-term success at school and in life.
A series of Community Conversations will be held across the school division. You are invited to share your thoughts with Dr. Reid and ask her questions. Events are planned for the following dates at 6:30 p.m. (unless otherwise noted):
- Wednesday, September 16, 6:45 p.m., at McNair Elementary School
- Monday, September 28, at Riverside Elementary School
- Monday, October 19, at Spring Hill Elementary School
- Monday, October 26, at Beech Tree Elementary School
- Thursday, October 29, at North Springfield Elementary School
- Friday, November 13, at Colin Powell Elementary School
Registration links will be shared soon. Childcare and interpretation services will be provided. Events are one-hour long and open to all. Find out about other opportunities to connect with Dr. Reid.
Back-to-School Night is September 15 (5:30 PM - 7 PM)! Join us to meet your child’s teacher and learn more about the exciting year ahead. Additional details are coming soon!
Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) is committed to challenging all students through talent development and differentiated instruction. A continuum of Advanced Academic Program (AAP) services is available to students in Grades K-12 and is designed to match services to each student’s unique academic needs.
Identification for Subject-Specific and Part-Time AAP services occurs throughout the school year. Full-Time AAP services have two identification cycles:
-
Fall identification: Students in grades 3-7 who have enrolled in FCPS since January may be referred by October 15, 2026.
-
Spring identification: Any FCPS student in Grades 2-7 may be referred by December 15, 2026.
FCPS uses ability testing as one consideration in the holistic identification process for AAP services.
- All students in Grade 2 take the Naglieri General Ability Tests (NGAT).
- Students in Grades 3-6 who do not have a multi-domain ability test score take the NGAT.
- Students in Grades 3-6 may retake an ability test one time. Families may request the ability test retake by contacting Christina Arnberg, School Testing Coordinator, at crarnberg@fcps.edu by September 30.
Families are invited to attend two AAP information meetings, led by [NAME], our Advanced Academic Resource Teacher (AART):
-
AAP Continuum of Services: Tuesday, September 22nd at 5:15 in the LIBRARY. Families will learn about the continuum of advanced academic services available to FCPS students.
-
Full-Time AAP Identification: Tuesday, October 20th at 5:15 in the LIBRARY. Families will learn about the referral and identification processes for Full-Time AAP services.
For more information, please contact Meghan Hanson, AART, at mhanson@fcps.edu or visit the FCPS Advanced Academic Programs website.
Virginia is no stranger to inclement weather. From severe thunderstorms to high winds to flooding, many different types of weather events can (and sometimes do) impact our schools. FCPS has a plan for each of these scenarios that prioritizes the safety of all our students and staff. What does FCPS do during a flood? What about a severe thunderstorm?
Learn how FCPS prepares for and responds to weather events, and find resources to help your family prepare, on the FCPS Weather Safety webpage.
Keeping students and staff safe is a priority for FCPS. Each school has an emergency preparedness plan to respond to incidents such as fires and extreme weather. Schools are required by state law to practice emergency drills, including lockdown drills, each year. Schools are also required to notify parents and guardians at least 24 hours before a school conducts a lockdown drill. However, schools are not required to give the specific date and time of the drill in advance.
The first lockdown drill of the school year must take place within the first 20 days of school. Preschool and kindergarten students are exempt from practicing the first lockdown drill.
Your child may come home and talk about their experience during the drill. We encourage you to talk with your child about the importance of being prepared for emergencies. Please review these frequently asked questions to support your child before and after school lockdown drills.
⚠️ Know Our Security Terms
FCPS uses specific terminology to describe the actions school staff and students should take to ensure safety in a variety of situations. It is important for staff, families, and students to understand what the different terms mean and how they impact school operations.
Watch this video to learn about safety terms including lockdown; secure the building; and stay put, stay tuned.
If students, staff, or families have a safety concern at school (that is not an immediate emergency), they should submit a tip to the FCPS Safety Tipline. In an emergency, please call 9-1-1.
Families can now easily grant consent for their children to access a variety of school resources through the Parent Digital Consent system. This online tool can be accessed using your SIS ParentVUE account login. Parents can easily opt their child in or out of a variety of resources, including online educational tools, school counseling services, and more.
Visit the Parent Digital Consent webpage to access the system. Watch this video to see how to use the tool.
Opt In or Out to Student Devices Being Sent Home for Grades 1-6
New this year, families can opt out of having student laptops sent home with their student.
- If you do not want your student to bring their FCPS-issued device home, please toggle the Opt Out button to a check mark and confirm by pressing Save Selection.
- If you would like your student to bring their FCPS device home, no toggle action is needed. Confirm by pressing Save Selection.
Students whose families opt out will continue to have access to an FCPS-issued device during the school day. Please reach out to your student’s teacher to understand expectations for homework and any learning activities that may require access to technology outside of the school day.
The Fall Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener will be administered to students in grades 3 through 12 in October. Students use the SEL Screener twice a year to share their perspectives on how well their school and community help them develop skills they need to succeed. The screener works by asking questions or presenting statements that students can think about and respond to. This gives students a way to share how well their school community makes them feel valued, included, and supported.
After each screening, results are available in the Documents tab of SIS ParentVUE and mailed to families without a ParentVUE account. For more information, including SEL Screener questions and opt-out information, please visit the Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener webpage.
September 4th & September 7th - Student Holidays (Labor Day)
September 15th - Back to School Night (5:30 - 7:00 PM)
September 21st - Student Holiday (Yom Kippur)
September 22nd - PTA Meeting 5:30 PM
September 29th - Principal Coffee for grades PreK, K, and 1st
September 30th - 3 Hour Early Release: Dismissal at 12:35 PM
|
