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Hive Happenings Newsletter

Dear Stenwood Families,

We had a wonderful last week of the first quarter in the Hive!  We are so proud of everything our Stingers have accomplished this first quarter!  We know lots of you will be having your conference in the coming days which is a great opportunity to hear how your child is doing in class. First quarter progress reports will go home Monday, November 9^th.

On Monday, our 1^st graders learned more about pumpkins and enjoyed beautiful weather on their trip to Cox Farms.

We had Hive Families on Wednesday! Some Hives came together for a little friendly family competition playing games, while others worked together to collaboratively build a hive with paper. 

Thursday brought our 5^th Grade families to Stenwood to learn about Energy, Force, and Motion through student hosted stations of experiments and presentations. 

Today, we saw many Stingers dressed for the future they see for themselves on our SCA Spirit Day, Career Day. And our Kindergarteners doubled down on the fun of the day with a Pumpkins Family Invite this morning.

Remember that Monday, November 2^nd and Tuesday, November 3^rd are student holidays. We hope everyone has a safe and fun long weekend, and we look forward to keeping the momentum going when we return to school next Wednesday, November 4^th.

Below we have some additional information:

• Kiss N Ride End of Day Reminders - NEW

• Please Complete Your Federal Impact Aid Form - In ParentVUE - Reminder

• Veterans Day Breakfast - RSVP Due Today!

• 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

Kiss N Ride End of Day Reminders

For those of you who arrive on foot or bike early for dismissal, please make sure to wait off of the blacktop and benches while our 5th grade finishes up recess.  Once students have made their way inside, you are welcome to shift to the blacktop to wait for your Stingers to come outside.

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 28^th.

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 DUE TODAY

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 11^th from 8:00-8:45AM

Where: Stenwood Cafeteria

RSVP: Complete this form by Friday, October 30^th to let us know if you plan to join!

Questions? Please email Bryan Case bgcase@fcps.edu. 

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:

• Fall identification: Students in grades 3 to 7 who have enrolled in FCPS since January may be referred by October 15^th.
• Spring identification: Any FCPS student in Grades 2 to 7 may be referred by December 15^th.

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):

• AAP Continuum of Services: Here is the recording: 
• https://myfcpsk12.zoom.us/rec/share/R5Z73LG-oULpT6cipkdmFdSrSH0TsD9mRJMMT8AQ368pXINzjZNolfI7Bozh-fKv.L9SJfNRFIO6l9egM?startTime=1790185374000
• Passcode: R*swx2vr*w
• Full-Time AAP Identification: Here is the recording:
• https://myfcpsk12.zoom.us/rec/share/g-TE8FTEqBX51_F3c4_Pyi-KyiL4y8Izr-B5xUfT8n4olozbM6yO8UBRDi3QrOB3.lMmPenPzKAUWfbox?startTime=1791489698000
• Passcode: dZ^gf8F+ip

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 1^st 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 1^st (but the 4^th 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 4^th, 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:

• Prioritizing Skills to Teach at Home on Wednesday, November 18^th.

• Toilet Training on Wednesday, December 9^th.

• Managing Challenging Behaviors at Home on Wednesday, January 13^th.

• Communication: a Foundation for Independence on Wednesday, February 10^th. 

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:

• Friday, November 13^th, at 6:30 p.m., at Powell Elementary School

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.
• 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. 

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.

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.  

5^th Grade Family Invite!

Energy, Force, and Motion

Career Day!

Kindergarten Family Invite!

Pumpkins

Stay Connected Here are a few ways to stay connected with all the happenings at Stenwood ES

Facebook facebook.com/StenwoodElementary

Instagram @stenwoodelementary

Website stenwoodes.fcps.edu

PTA Facebook facebook.com/StenwoodElementaryPTA

2620 Gallows Road Vienna, VA 22180 |  Main Office: 703.208.7600
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