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Dear Mighty Red Bird Families,
It is hard to believe that we are already wrapping up the first quarter of the school year! Time has flown by, and when we look back at this quarter, we are so proud of our students and staff. Every hallway and classroom has been filled with enthusiasm, curiosity, and hard work. Thank you for your ongoing partnership, encouragement, and support from home. It makes a world of difference and sets our entire community up for success.
This Friday is extra special as we celebrate Distinguished Day in honor of our official status as a VDOE Distinguished School! To mark the occasion, we invite all students to dress to impress, wear their favorite outfit, or wear whatever makes them feel their absolute best and brightest. Please also keep in mind that Friday is a 2-hour early release day.
Thank you for being such an incredible community. We are so grateful for our families and look forward to carrying this great momentum right into the second quarter!
Warm Regards,
Mrs. Long, Mrs. Agner, Mrs. Compton
Upcoming Dates 📅
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
November 6 - Lost and Found being donated
November 17 - Thanksgiving Lunch
November 19 - Heritage Night
Quarter End, Early Release, Student Holidays
Friday, October 30, is the last day of the first quarter, and a two-hour early release for students. Schools are closed for students on Monday, November 2, for a school planning day, and Tuesday, November 3, for a teacher workday. Don’t forget to get out and vote on Tuesday, Nov. 3! See the complete school year calendar.
All Saints Day and Día de los Muertos
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We recognize those in our community observing All Saints Day and Día de los Muertos. For Catholics, All Saints Day (November 1) is a special Holy Day and celebrates all those who are with God in Heaven, known and unknown. All Souls Day (November 2), known in Mexico and Latin America as Día de los Muertos, is a day of remembrance and prayer for all those who have died, especially for the souls who may be in purgatory. These special days are celebrated by Catholics, Anglicans, and some Protestants throughout the world. |
🌟Mrs. Long's Blueprint Byte
Kindergarteners gathered on the carpet to build foundational reading skills together using the interactive whiteboard display! By combining clear teacher modeling with multi-modal tools like air-scooping and echo reading, students seamlessly moved from blending individual sounds to reading text as an active learning community.
🏆 Cardinal Forest Outstanding Employee Nominations
Cardinal Forest is fortunate to have the best teachers and staff around! This year, we are excited to recognize our Outstanding Employee Nominees for the 2026-2027 school year!
Outstanding Teacher: Nancy Bowser, Michele Venuto, Tim Pulte, Maurice Hubbard, Nicole Holohan, Brian Shields, Taylor Giordano, Mallory Cave, Alison Saffron, Silvana Hart, Elaine Chisenhall, Monique Shirer, Linda Trossbach, Beth Evanosky, Anna Cooper, Caroline Cahill
Outstanding New Teacher: Olivia Rice
Outstanding New Principal: Ashleigh Long
Outstanding School Professional Leader: Cindy Agner, Rebecca Barry
Outstanding Educational Service Employee: Ahmad Abdelhalim, Lisa Willis, Karen Stephens, Mai Alderbashi, Rayshawn Terrell
Congratulations to our Nominees! Thank you to all in our community who took time to recognize and nominate members of our Outstanding Team and thank you to our Awards Liaison, Mr. Pulte!
Lost and Found
Our Lost and Found is overflowing! Please make time this week to take a look at the rack located in the Cafeteria hallway. Items will be donated on Friday, November 6th. Thank you!
📚 Uncovering Characters in Language Arts 📚
Benchmark Unit 2 in Language Arts is about why characters matter. Students in K-5 will be learning about different characters, and how they shape stories and face challenges. Grade six students will learn about how characters are changed and inspired by others.
Connect with your child’s learning at school with these fun questions and hands-on activities at home:
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Question: How does the way you act change the way people think about you?
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Activity: Pretend you are a talk show host and interview your child as if they are the main character of their favorite book.
At the end of the unit, your child will take their unit magazine home. The magazine includes an activity calendar with fun ways to help students build on what they’re learning at each grade level. You can also find information on how to support your child’s reading at home on the Benchhmark Families website.
Social Emotional Learning Resources for Famiies
The SEL Team has partnered with the Family and School Partnerships Office to offer a Family Café Series titled, Growing Together: Talking about Social-Emotional Learning at Home. Families will have the opportunity to learn about the SEL Screener and how they can use their child’s results as a starting point for conversation and skill building. There is one session scheduled within each region, however families can attend any session that is most convenient for them. Sessions will be offered October - December, 2026.
Family Cafe Flyer
Family Cafe Registration
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.
NEW ParentVUE App
Maintain Access to Your Child’s Grades and Assignments: Download the New ParentVUE App
New ParentVUE and StudentVUE mobile apps launched in July. Be sure to download the new app before winter break. After that time, you will need to use the new mobile app or a web browser to access ParentVUE or StudentVUE.
For instructions on installing the new apps and learning more about the updated login process, visit ParentVUE and StudentVUE mobile app resources. If you need assistance, please submit a Parent Support Request.
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.
Immunizations
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The Importance of the Flu VaccinationThe annual flu vaccine is the most effective way to protect your child from getting sick and to prevent the spread of illness within our classrooms. Staying up-to-date with your child's flu vaccination helps:
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Reduce School Absences: Keeping students healthy means more time spent learning and engaging with peers.
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Protect the Community: Vaccination helps shield vulnerable family members and neighbors from seasonal illness.
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Support Overall Wellness: Routine flu shots are a key component of a proactive student health plan.
Upcoming Flu Shot Events
FCPS, in partnership with Inspire Health Alliance, will be providing flu shots for all FCPS students, ages 18 and under, with no out-of-pocket costs. Multiple events will be taking place at designated FCPS locations. Additional dates will be made available throughout the school year. Parents or guardians may view upcoming events and schedule an appointment for their student. Participation is voluntary.
Attendance Matters
Encouraging Regular Attendance
Regular attendance is a good habit to establish in childhood. It can lead to greater success in high school, college, and careers. Teachers and students miss your child when they can’t make it to school. If you or your family need support, please reach out to your school's front office. We are here for you!
If students miss too much school, school staff may reach out to the family to partner with them on addressing barriers to regular attendance. Visit the FCPS website for attendance resources.
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)
In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics:
- Literacy Resources
- Return Your Impact Aid Survey
- Download the New ParentVUE App
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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