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Dear Mighty Red Bird Families,
This week we have been showing our spirit and celebrating kindness and unity during CFES Bullying Prevention Week. It's been fun to see everyone dressed up, united for a great cause, and showing that kindness always wins!
Thank you for your generous support of the Soar to Success fundraiser! Together, you raised more than $25,000 for our school! Results like this happen because this community cares so deeply about making Cardinal Forest a great place for our children.
A special thank-you to our PTA Board and Soar to Success Team, who organized the fundraiser from start to finish. Their creativity, thoughtful planning, and collaboration made the experience fun and engaging for our students and helped bring our community together around a shared goal. We’re grateful for the time and care they put into every part of the fundraiser.
Another big thank-you to our PTA Hospitality Committee for hosting the first Sprinkle of the year. Cardinal Forest staff poured ourselves “a cup of ambition” and enjoyed customized sodas and other beverages with plenty of flavor and flair. It was a fun, thoughtful treat and a wonderful boost to staff morale!
We hope to see many of you at Trunk or Treat on Friday! Thank you for all the ways you show up for our school and help make Cardinal Forest such a special place.
Warm Regards,
Mrs. Long, Mrs. Agner, Mrs. Compton
Upcoming Dates 📅
October 23 - PTA Trunk or Treat: 5:00PM
October 26 - Outstanding Employee Awards Nominations Due
October 28 - Impact Aid Forms completed
October 30 - 2 hour Early Release, End of Quarter
October 30 - CFES Distinguished Day!
November 2 and 3 - NO SCHOOL - Student Holidays
Digital Citizenship Week from October 19–23!
This year, our focus is on helping students reflect on how their online lives impact their social and emotional well-being.
We invite families to explore valuable learning opportunities around digital literacy and inclusion from Common Sense Media.
🌟Mrs. Long's Blueprint Byte
Our third graders are stepping up to make a big difference! As proud members of our Get2Green team, these dedicated students take leadership into their own hands every single day by collecting and managing our school’s recycling bin.
Their daily efforts are helping keep our school green, sustainable, and eco-friendly. A huge shout-out to our young environmental champions for leading by example and proving that small daily actions make a huge impact! ♻️✨
🏆Outstanding Employee Awards!
Nominations are now open for the FCPS Outstanding Employee Awards! To submit a nomination for a Cardinal Forest Elementary Outstanding Employee, please complete the nomination through this Google form link: Nomination Form Link! Nominations will close on October 26th, 2026. All the nomination categories will be on one form this year. Please make sure to click the drop-down menu and select the correct category to nominate
All that is required is a paragraph or two about how this employee demonstrates exceptional work. You may nominate up to one employee per category.
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Outstanding Teacher Eligibility: Has at least three years of experience as a teacher (in any school/school district); librarians are included in this category
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Outstanding New Teacher Eligibility: Has up to three years of experience as a teacher (in any school/school district); librarians are included in this category
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Outstanding Principal Eligibility: Has at least three years of experience as a building principal (in any school/school district)
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Outstanding New Principal Eligibility: Has up to three years of experience as a building principal (in any school/school district)
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Outstanding School Professional Staff Leader Non-instructional position with at least one year in their current position at their current work location. Includes Assistant Principal, Associate Principal, Director of Student Services, Director of Student Activities, Resource Teacher and Special Education Department Chair and Multilingual Learners Department Chair who serves in a non-instructional role for more than 50% of their time, After-School Specialist, Dean of Students, Assessment Coach, Athletic Trainer, Career Center Specialist, Career Experience Specialist, College and Career Specialist, Crisis Resource Teacher, Instructional Coach, School-Based Technology Specialist, Technology Support Specialist, Psychologist, Reading Specialist, Safety and Security Specialist, Social Worker, Speech Language Pathologist, School Counselor, Systems of Support Administrator
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Outstanding Educational Services Employee Schedule-A, Schedule-H, or Classroom Instructional Support (CIS) with at least one year in their current position at their current work location. Includes Administrative Assistant, Office Assistant, Student Information Assistant, Finance Technician, School Finance Assistant, Student Services Assistant, Instructional Assistant, Family Liaison, and Public Health Training Assistant.
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Outstanding Operational Services Employee Schedule-A or Schedule-H employee with at least one year in their current position at their current work location. Includes Custodian, Building Supervisor, Food Services staff, and Safety and Security Assistant.
Nomination Form Link 2026-2027
The deadline to submit a nomination is October 26th, 2025
If you have any questions, please contact Tim Pulte at tmpulte@fcps.edu
Federal Impact Aid Survey
The Federal Impact Aid Survey is now available in ParentVUE. Your response helps FCPS receive funding for which it is eligible by identifying military and other federally connected families, including families living on a military base.
Please complete one survey for each child. Only the parent who enrolled the student with FCPS can submit the form. Your information will be kept strictly confidential.
To complete the survey, sign in to ParentVUE and click on Online Registration. From there, scroll down to find the Federal Impact Aid Survey.
If you are experiencing difficulty completing the survey, sign in to ParentVUE using Google Chrome, select Online Packets, then choose Federal Impact Aid Survey. If you need help accessing ParentVUE, contact Student Information Assistant Karen Stephens (KDStephens@fcps.edu).
Paper forms will be sent home with students starting October 28 for families who cannot access ParentVUE.
FCPS Is Participating in Virginia Quality Birth to Five (VQB5)
Virginia Quality Birth to Five is Virginia’s system for measuring and supporting quality in early childhood programs so children enter kindergarten ready to learn. VQB5 builds on health and safety standards by measuring the quality of teacher-child interactions and the use of the curriculum. Visit the Virginia Quality Birth to Five website for more information.
Superintendent Community Conversations
Join us for a series of Community Conversations that will be held across the school division. Share your thoughts with Dr. Reid and ask her questions. Click on the date to register for any of the following events:
Registration is not required, but it helps with planning.
Transportation Survey
Share Your Feedback on Traveling to and From School
The FCPS Office of Safety and Security and Safe Routes to School program are asking families to share their experiences traveling to and from their child’s school. The feedback will help inform the Fairfax County School Board’s annual assessment of traffic and pedestrian safety near schools.
The Traffic and Pedestrian Safety Survey asks about walking and biking routes, traffic near schools, kiss-and-ride experiences, accessibility, and other safety concerns.
Your feedback will help FCPS identify common issues. Your responses will be kept confidential and shared with school administrators and the Office of Safety and Security. The five-minute survey is open through Thursday, October 15.
Be sure to identify the school related to your feedback and include specific locations where you have observed a safety issue. If you have students at different schools in FCPS, please complete a different survey for each school.
If you have any questions about the survey, please contact SafeRoutestoSchool@fcps.edu.
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.
District News/In Case You Missed It (ICYMI)
FCPS News In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics:
- Facilities Survey
- Transportation Survey
- Health Department Letter on Preventing the Spread of Illness
Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today.
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