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Dear Stenwood Families,
We had a fantastic week in the Hive!
Monday was Fall Picture Day. If your student was absent, we will have our make-up Picture Day on Wednesday, December 2nd.
On Tuesday, our 3rd graders invited their families into the classroom to explore animal adaptations. Students shared their own animal creations and the adaptations that help the animal to survive.
Our Kindergarters had a unique opportunity on Wednesday to have a visit from the Fire Department. The students were able to hear a presentation in the classroom and then see the fire truck up close!
Although it started a little chilly, we had incredible weather for Field Day on Thursday. Thank you to Mrs. Udasco and Ms. Opsahl for planning and setting up an amazing time for everyone and to all of the volunteers who helped this event run smoothly, including many of our 6th graders who helped run the afternoon events for our Kindergarten - 2nd grade students.
One of our favorite events each year took place on Thursday night with This Is Us Night. We enjoyed seeing all the creative ways our Stenwood Community shared out about their families, traditions, and cultures. Thank you to all who contributed with activities and delicious food!
Next Wednesday we will have our October Hive Family meetings. Throughout our school this year, classes have focused conversations on Belonging. Hive Families are a great way for our Stingers to feel known and involved. Please make sure if you need to pick your child up early that you do so before 2:00PM, since it can be difficult to get students out of Hive Families since we’re spread out all over the building.
Finally, our first SCA Spirit day of the year is next Friday, October 30th. It’s Career Day! We look forward to seeing our Stingers dressed for the future they see for themselves! Friday, October 30th, is also the last day of the first quarter, and a two-hour early release for students. There is no childcare on 2 hour early release days. Monday, November 2nd and Tuesday November 3rd are student holidays.
Below we have some additional information:
- Please Complete Your Federal Impact Aid Form - In ParentVUE - NEW
- Veterans Day Breakfast - Reminder
- SCA Canned Food Drive - Reminder
- Storybook Pumpkin Parade - Reminder
- Thanksgiving Lunch - Final RSVP Reminder
- Advanced Academic Programs - Reminder
- Holidays and Observations Drawing Contest - Reminder
- FCPS: Lexia Family Information Sessions - Reminder
- FCPS: Learn About Applied Behavior Analysis and Teaching New Skills at Home - Reminder
- FCPS: Superintendent Community Conversations - Reminder
- Family Information Phone Lines - Reminder
- School Meals and Free/Reduced Lunch Applications
- Stenwood PTA
Erica Riley, Principal esriley@fcps.edu
Bryan Case, Assistant Principal bgcase@fcps.edu
Please Complete Your Federal Impact Aid Form - In ParentVUE
FCPS is asking all families to fill out a Federal Impact Aid Survey. The form is available in SIS ParentVUE under Online Packets, which is in the upper right corner of the screen after logging in. Please complete it as soon as possible. Schools will provide paper forms to families who have not completed the survey in ParentVUE starting Wednesday, October 28th.
Completing this form for each school-aged child in every household is how we ensure we receive all the resources available to us from the federal government. For more information, please visit the Federal Impact Aid Survey page.
Help FCPS secure funding by helping us identify:
- Military families
- Federally connected families
- Families living on a military base
Veterans Day Breakfast - RSVP Now
We are excited to announce that our Veterans Day Celebration is returning this year! In partnership with our Stenwood Student Council, we will be hosting a light breakfast and ceremony in honor of our brave service men and women. If you are a Stenwood parent, grandparent, or sibling who has served or are currently serving our country, we would love to have you join us for this event with your Stingers.
When: Wednesday, November 11th from 8:00-8:45AM
Where: Stenwood Cafeteria
RSVP: Complete this form by Friday, October 30th to let us know if you plan to join!
Questions? Please email Bryan Case bgcase@fcps.edu.
SCA’s Canned Food Drive
SCA’s annual Canned Food Drive is underway! It will run until Friday, October 30th. Please consider donating non-perishable food and household items. All collected cans will go to our local food pantry, Food for Others, to support families in need ahead of the holiday season. As in years past, this is a friendly competition amongst each grade level and across the school. The homeroom from each grade level who collects the most as well as the highest earning class school wide will be celebrated with a prize for their collection efforts. We look forward to another great food drive that will benefit our community! Thanks for your support!
Storybook Pumpkin Parade
Get ready for a little storybook magic! Our Storybook Pumpkin Parade is coming to the library on October 19th. We can’t wait to see the creative pumpkins inspired by students’ favorite book characters displayed throughout the library—what a fun way to celebrate books, imagination, and fall! Please bring your pumpkins to the library starting on Monday, October 19th! More information was sent home in your student’s take home folder today!
Thanksgiving Lunch - Final RSVP
On Thursday, November 19th, all students are invited to have their families come join them for a Thanksgiving Lunch.
Please RSVP by Friday, 10/23 using this link. You will find the schedule for all classes on the google form. Mrs. Schmid, our cafeteria manager, needs to place her food order.
If you would like to volunteer, please sign up using this link. Volunteers will be helping with visitor check-in and meal serving. Do not sign up during your child’s lunch block. Please also do not plan to have younger siblings with you if you are volunteering.
Advanced Academic Programs
Fairfax County Public Schools is committed to challenging all students through talent development and differentiated instruction. A continuum of Advanced Academic Programs (AAP) services is available to students in Grades K to 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:
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Fall identification: Students in grades 3 to 7 who have enrolled in FCPS since January may be referred by October 15th.
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Spring identification: Any FCPS student in Grades 2 to 7 may be referred by December 15th.
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 Test (NGAT).
- Students in Grades 3 to 6 who do not have a multi-domain ability test score take the NGAT.
Families are invited to attend two AAP information meetings led by Kaleigh Hartman, our Advanced Academic Resource Teacher (AART):
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AAP Continuum of Services: Here is the recording:
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Full-Time AAP Identification: Here is the recording:
Twice Exceptional Students
Fairfax County Public Schools is committed to challenging all students through talent development and differentiated instruction. Twice-Exceptional (2e) learners are students who are gifted and have learning challenges or disabilities.
Families can learn more about 2e learners, how to support them, and how to partner with schools on the 2e webpage, which also includes a link to the Special Education Handbook.
New information has been added under the heading Supporting 2e Learners in FCPS.
For more information, please contact Kaleigh Hartman, AART, at kkhartman@fcps.edu or visit the FCPS Advanced Academic Programs webpage.
Holidays and Observations Drawing Contest
Our Equity Team is hosting an ongoing drawing contest to celebrate all the holidays and observations throughout the year.
Submission Details: We will collect submissions on the 1st of each month for holidays occurring the following month. For instance, since Lunar New Year is in February in 2026, drawings for it would be due by January 1st (but the 4th since we are on Winter Break). You're welcome to turn in your artwork early—just drop it in the box in the office!
What Happens Next? The winning drawing will be featured in our newsletter and on our social media. All other submissions will be proudly displayed in our hallways for everyone to enjoy!
Missing a Holiday? If your family celebrates a holiday or observance that isn't on our list, please feel free to include it!
Ready to Draw? You can pick up a template paper for the contest in your classroom or the office, and it is posted on our website for easy access. We can’t wait to see the incredible artwork from our Stenwood artists!
FCPS: Lexia Family Information Sessions
Want to learn more about Lexia® Core5 and Lexia® PowerUp? These virtual sessions share how FCPS is using both programs in classrooms across the division this school year to support students’ literacy growth and give families a chance to ask questions.
Every one-hour session covers the same content. Choose the option that works best for your family:
- Wednesday, November 4th, at 6:30 p.m.
Learn About Applied Behavior Analysis and Teaching New Skills at Home
All family members and caregivers are invited to attend monthly Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Family Training to learn how to support and teach students with autism and related disorders. No registration is needed.
Virtual trainings take place at 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. Join the session. Upcoming topics include:
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Prioritizing Skills to Teach at Home on Wednesday, November 18th.
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Toilet Training on Wednesday, December 9th.
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Managing Challenging Behaviors at Home on Wednesday, January 13th.
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Communication: a Foundation for Independence on Wednesday, February 10th.
Visit the ABA webpage for a full list of classes. Need an interpreter? Contact Stephanie Watkins two weeks before the training at 571-423-4110 or sawatkins@fcps.edu.
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:
Family Information Phone Lines
Family Information Line Available in Nine Languages
Parents/caregivers who speak Amharic, Arabic, Chinese, English, Farsi, Korean, Spanish, Urdu, or Vietnamese may call a telephone information line for general information about FCPS. View the list of phone numbers.
Spanish:
Línea Telefónica de Información para Padres Disponible en Nueve Idiomas
Padres/cuidadores que hablan Amárico, Árabe, Chino, Farsi, Coreano, Español, Urdu o Vietnamita pueden llamar a una línea telefónica de información para obtener información general sobre FCPS. Vea la lista de números de teléfono.
Korean:
학부모 정보 전화는 8가지 언어로 제공됩니다.암하라어, 아랍어, 중국어, 페르시아어, 한국어, 스페인어, 우르두어, 베트남어를 할 줄 아는 보호자는 전화 안내 라인에 전화하여 FCPS에 대한 일반적인 정보를 얻을 수 있습니다. 또한 자녀의 학교와의 의사소통에 대한 지원도 받을 수 있습니다. 전화번호 목록 보기.
School Meals and Free/ Reduced Lunch Applications
Help Your Child Navigate the Lunch Line
Check out some tips to help your child get through the lunch line quickly and have more time to eat:
- Teach your child their student ID number to receive meals at school.
- Sign up for and add money to MySchoolBucks to purchase meals at school.
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Apply for free and reduced-price meals. Students who were approved for free and reduced-price meals last year are eligible for the first 30 days of school this year (or until a new application is processed). Families should submit a new application as soon as possible, so eligible students continue to receive meals at no cost.
If your child has any food allergies, learn how to submit accommodations for dietary restrictions and allergens.
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Breakfast and Lunch
Breakfast will be $1.75. Lunch will be $3.75, milk $1.00. Money can be added to your child(ren)’s accounts using www.myschoolbucks.com. You can also write a check to Stenwood Food Services and deliver it to our Food Services Manager at Open House. During the school year, you can find the menu for breakfast and lunch at https://schools.mealviewer.com/school/StenwoodElementary.
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 Free and Reduced-Price Status
Students eligible for free or reduced-price meals will continue to receive these benefits through the end of September. A new application must be filled out each new school year and forms are available online now: https://www.fcps.edu/resources/student-safety-and-wellness/food-and-nutrition-programs/free-and-reduced-price-meals. Applications are accepted at any time, but we encourage you to apply or renew your application before the end of September. Call (703) 813-4800 if you need help. This must be completed for eligible students to receive free meals.
Stenwood Elementary PTA
We hope you join our amazing PTA! If you are interested in volunteering to be a class parent, volunteering in our cafeteria or library, OR just looking to stay connected with the great work of our PTA, you can fill out a survey that will be sent out once class placements have been communicated.
Field Day!
Kindergarten Fire Department Visit!
3rd Grade Family Invite!
Animal Adaptations
Stay Connected
Here are a few ways to stay connected with all the happenings at Stenwood ES
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Facebook
facebook.com/StenwoodElementary
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Instagram
@stenwoodelementary
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Website
stenwoodes.fcps.edu
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PTA Facebook
facebook.com/StenwoodElementaryPTA
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