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Dear Forestdale Families,

We hope this message finds you well. As we approach the winter break, we wanted to take a moment to share some important information and express our excitement for the time ahead.

We're all looking forward to the upcoming winter break! It's a wonderful opportunity to relax, recharge, and spend quality time with loved ones. We hope you have a chance to enjoy the season's festivities, from cozy nights by the fire to festive gatherings with family and friends.

As the year draws to a close, we want to express our sincere gratitude for your continued support and partnership. We wish you a safe and joyous winter break, and a happy and prosperous New Year.

May the new year bring you happiness, health, and success. We look forward to seeing you all refreshed and ready to learn when we return to school.

Warm Regards,

Ms. Nikki Steptoe-Coleman, Principal

Ms. Mary-Elizabeth Hagaman, Assistant Principal

Dr. LaDonna Tate, Assistant Principal

December 

December 11                    Principal Parent Coffee @ 6pm

December 13                    PTA Parent Night Out

December 12                    2nd Quarter Interim Reports Home

December 16-20               Winter Spirit Week

December 23-January 3   Winter Break

January

January 6                        Return to school from Winter Break

January 20                       Martin Luther King Jr Day (Schools/Offices Closed)

January 29                       Teacher Workday/ Student Holiday

Winter Spirit Week, 12/16-20

As Forestdale prepares for Winter Break, lets have some fun. Below you will see our Winter Spirit Week schedule. Just our way of coming together as a community and possibly wishing for a little snow this season.

Boundary Community Meeting

Community meetings regarding FCPS’ comprehensive boundary review are underway. You are encouraged to attend the meeting in our region, which will take place on Thursday, December 12, 6:45-8:15pm at Annandale High School Cafeteria. 

Please register in advance by clicking on the date. Language interpretation will be available. If you are unable to attend on this date, view the list of remaining meeting dates on the Comprehensive School Boundary Review webpage. You may also sign up for FCPS’ School Boundary Review newsletter.

Fairfax Winter Resources

🍲 Food Assistance and Resource GuideFood insecurity impacts more than 96,000 Fairfax County residents. There are many resources available to support those who need food assistance. Learn how to help these families and the many resources available to support those who need food assistance on Fairfax County’s website or view the county’s Human Services Resource Guide.

📚 Bundle Up With Books Over Break

Fairfax County Public Library’s (FCPL) winter reading adventure has begun and will continue through Friday, January 31, 2025. Visit your local FCPL library branch or visit their website to register and get a sneak peek at the prizes being offered. Check out their Winter Reading Events webpage to learn about laser tag, movie nights, crafting sessions, Noon-Year Eve celebrations, and book discussions.

⛄ Get Outdoors for Winter Fun!

The Fairfax County Park Authority has rounded up its seasonal fun into a handy list of events happening across the county. 

Learn more about the Winter Wonderland and the Holiday Train at Burke Lake Park, Holiday on the Farm at Frying Pan Farm Park, and many more fun events.

Forestdale PTA Corner

Click "Forestdale PTA Corner" to go to the PTA website.

Becoming a PTA member helps shape school programs and raise funds to directly support our students and teachers. Join us to help create a stronger, more vibrant school community!

Click the picture to join.

Parents Night Out, December 13th

Click HERE to Register.  This event is limited to 50 children; register today to guarantee a spot!

Registration closes tomorrow, Wednesday, December 11th.

What's for Breakfast & Lunch

Breakfast Menu

Lunch Menu

Follow Forestdale on Social Media!

Follow us on social media for Forestdale adventures and announcements! 

Facebook                      Instagram

6530 Elder Avenue Springfield, Virginia 22150 | Office: 703-313-4300 
Attendance: 703-313-4343 | Health Room: 703-313-4310 
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Dear Forestdale Families,

We hope this Thanksgiving season finds you and your loved ones well. As we reflect on the past year, we're grateful for the opportunity to partner with you in your child's education.

As we approach the end of the year, please take a moment to review the exciting events and activities happening at Forestdale over the next few weeks.

We wish you a safe and joyous Thanksgiving break.

 

Warm Regards,

Ms. Nikki Steptoe-Coleman, Principal

Ms. Mary-Elizabeth Hagaman, Assistant Principal

Dr. LaDonna Tate, Assistant Principal

November

November 27-29               Thanksgiving Break

December 

December 4                       AAP Night @ 5pm

December 5                       Family Life Ed Preview Night @ 6:30pm

December 11                     Principal Parent Coffee @ 6pm

December 13                     PTA Parent Night Out

December 23-January 3    Winter Break

Thank You Families!

Thank you families for participating in our first "Say Thank You with Pie" Day. Being able to set up this dessert bar for staff made this week extra special. Thank you for being a part of our community, thank you for your children, and thank you for your partnership.

Full-Time AAP Referral Process Parent Information Night, 12/4 @ 5p

Please join Katelyn Spengler, the Advanced Academics Resource Teacher, to learn about the referral process for full-time services, formerly called Level IV. This is for parents in grades 2-6 who are interested referring their child for these services. Referrals are due by December 15th to Katelyn Spengler.  You may bring them to the school or email them to her directly at [email protected].

Parent FLE Preview Night, 12/5 @ 6:30p

Students in grades Kindergarten-6th grade participate in Family Life Education (FLE). Students receive instruction in a human growth and development unit and an emotional and social health unit.

You are invited to attend an evening opportunity to preview the Family Life Education media and lessons and to talk with school staff about the program.  The meeting will be held on Thursday, December 6th at 6:30 via Google Meets (https://meet.google.com/kym-kikv-kbz). All program materials and media for all grade levels will be available for your review at this time.

Principal-Parent Coffee, Dec. 11th

Families join us for another evening discussion around topics that matter to you.

We heard the requests at our last meeting, and on December 11th at 6pm we will be discussing "Math at Home". This is a follow-up to our recent Math Family Night. Our Math Specialist, Ms. Aaliyah James will be joining us to share ideas for supporting math at home.

There will be a Spanish interpreter available at the meeting. We also invite families to bring cookies to exchange as a sweet treat and a way to get to know each other.

Forestdale PTA Corner

Click "Forestdale PTA Corner" to go to the PTA website.

Becoming a PTA member helps shape school programs and raise funds to directly support our students and teachers. Join us to help create a stronger, more vibrant school community!

Click the picture to join.

Parents Night Out, December 13th

Click HERE to Register.  This event is limited to 50 children; register today to guarantee a spot!

Forestdale Safety Corner

Process for Signing Your Child In/Out of School

1. Bring your identification

2. Complete check-in/out form on the computer.

3. Office staff will verify sign-out and call for students to meet you in the office.

4. Early dismissal, students should be picked up from the office no later than 3pm. This supports a safe dismissal plan and arrival of afternoon buses.

Thank you for your support in maintaining this important safety process.

What's for Breakfast & Lunch

Breakfast Menu

Lunch Menu

Follow Forestdale on Social Media!

Follow us on social media for Forestdale adventures and announcements! 

Facebook                      Instagram

6530 Elder Avenue Springfield, Virginia 22150 | Office: 703-313-4300 
Attendance: 703-313-4343 | Health Room: 703-313-4310 
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On Friday, 11/8, we were very excited to have families join us for our Annual Veterans Day celebration. 

Dear Forestdale Families,

We’re already two weeks into the second quarter, and it’s been a fantastic start! We’re grateful for your ongoing support and involvement in our school community, which makes such a positive impact on our students and staff.

This week, progress reports will be sent home in Thursday folders. We encourage you to review and discuss your child's progress with them and their teacher.

Important Reminders and Upcoming Events:

• 3-Hour Early Release: Our next 3-hour early release will be on Monday, November 18, with dismissal at 12:35 PM. 

• Thanksgiving Luncheon: Join us on Thursday, November 21, for our annual Thanksgiving Luncheon! We can’t wait to celebrate with you. More details below.

At Forestdale, we are dedicated to creating a safe, supportive, and engaging learning environment. Together, we can help each child reach their fullest potential!

Warm regards,

Ms. Nikki Steptoe-Coleman, Principal

Ms. Mary-Elizabeth Hagaman, Assistant Principal

Dr. LaDonna Tate, Assistant Principal

November

November 14                    Progress Reports go home in Thursday Folders

November 18                    3-Hour Early Release

November 21                    Thanksgiving Luncheon

November 27-29               Thanksgiving Break

December 

December 4                       AAP Night

December 23-January 3    Winter Break

Early Release Monday, 11/18

Our next 3-hour early release Monday is November 18th. Students that are leaving school will dismiss at 12:35pm. We will follow the same dismissal plans provided by parents/guardians for the early release on October 21. SACC will be open for students that attend afternoon SACC.

If you need to make a change to your dismissal plan, please email our Family Liaison, Ms. Claudia Torres at [email protected] by Friday, October 15th.

Forestdale is a Purple Star School!

Dear Forestdale Elementary,

It is with great pleasure that I inform you that the Virginia Council on the Educational Opportunity for Military Children voted on October 21, 2024, to approve Forestdale Elementary School as a recipient of the SY 2024-2025 Purple Star Award.  Your award designation is valid for a period of three school years beginning with this school year 2024-2025.

On behalf of your military connected and newest students please accept my sincerest appreciation to all involved in making your school a welcoming and supportive place, especially for our military connected students. 

Respectfully,

Dan Dunham

Forestdale Thanksgiving Luncheon

Join us for a special Family Thanksgiving Luncheon on Thursday, November 21! We invite families to come and celebrate with us.

To ensure we have enough room for everyone, we've made small adjustments to class lunch times. Click here to find your child's lunch time.

Lunch is free for all Forestdale students. Family members are welcome to join for $4.75 per ticket. You can add money to your student’s  MySchoolBucks  account or purchase a ticket on-site on the day of the luncheon (cash only).

To help our cafeteria team prepare enough food, we kindly ask that you RSVP in advance using this link or by scanning the QR code on the flyer below.

We look forward to building community and sharing this time of fellowship with you!

Outstanding Employee Award Nominations

Nominations are now open for the Outstanding Employee Awards! 

To submit a nomination for a Forestdale Elementary Outstanding Employee in one of the categories below, please complete the nomination through this Google form link: Click here.  You may nominate one employee at our school or multiple employees (one individual may only nominate one employee per category.)

All that is required for a preliminary nomination is a paragraph or two about how this employee demonstrates exceptional work in the criteria for that category. The google form link has more information regarding the criteria for each of these awards and the eligibility requirements are below. Falcon teams/individuals can work on a nomination packet together. Parents are welcome to make nominations in any category and staff will be available to help with the nomination criteria. 

Outstanding Teacher  

Eligibility: Has at least three years of experience as a teacher (in any school/school district); librarians are included in this category

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

Outstanding Principal

Eligibility: Has at least three years of experience as a building principal (in any school/school district) 

Outstanding New Principal

Eligibility: Has up to three years of experience as a building principal (in any school/school district)                            

Outstanding Leader  

Eligibility: At least one year of experience in their current position as a Schedule-C or School-Based Administrator scale employee (that is not the building principal): 

Common positions in this category: Assistant and Associate Principals, Director of Student Activities, Director of Student Services

Outstanding Professional Employee  

Eligibility: At least one year experience in current position as a Schedule-B employee or other non-instructional employee in a school that supports school leadership 

Common positions in this category: School-Based Technology Specialist, Technology Support Specialist, Assessment Coach, Career Center Specialist, Instructional Coach, Psychologist, Social Worker, School Counselor, Safety and Security Specialist, Resource Teachers that serve in an administrative role in a school 

Outstanding Operational Employee 

Eligibility: At least one year of experience in current position as Schedule-A or Classroom Instructional Support Scale employee

Common positions in this category: Administrative and Office Staff, Safety and Security Assistant, Custodial Staff, Food Service Staff, IA, PHA, PHTA, All Parent Liaisons (regardless of how they are paid)  

 

The deadline to submit a nomination is November 15th, 2024.

If you have any questions, please contact Jeanne Igo at [email protected]

Student Birthday Celebrations

We want to make sure our Falcons feel valued on their birthday and practice safety. Please take noted of the Forestdale guidelines for birthday celebrations.

• Preferably, non-edible treats should be shared with the classroom in celebration.
• If choosing an edible treat, please coordinate with the classroom teacher.
• All edible treats should be store bought and peanut free.
• If treats are brough to lunch, the classroom teacher must be available to hand out to students (allergy safety).
• Balloons should not be brought into school.

Complete Impact Aid Survey

FCPS is asking all families to fill out a Federal Impact Aid Survey. The form is available in SIS ParentVUE under Online Packets (in the upper right corner after logging in). Please complete it as soon as possible.

For any families who have not completed the survey in ParentVUE, schools will provide paper forms starting Wednesday, November 13. Paper forms should be returned by Wednesday, December 4.

Completing this form for each school-aged child in every household is important. Information from this survey resulted in more than $4 million in funding last year from the U.S. Department of Education. These funds are used to support all Fairfax County public schools and centers.

For more information, please watch this video on Impact Aid and visit the Federal Impact Aid Survey page.

Need to Register for ParentVUE? 

Learn how to activate your SIS ParentVUE account, so you can easily submit your survey. 

Technical support for using ParentVUE or completing the survey online is available by submitting a Parent Support Request ticket. Select SISParent in the Application dropdown menu and type Federal Impact Aid Survey under Issue Description. Or, call the Parent Technology Help Desk at 833-921-3277 (833-921-FCPS).

What's for Breakfast & Lunch

Breakfast Menu

Lunch Menu

Follow Forestdale on Social Media!

Follow us on social media for Forestdale adventures and announcements! 

Facebook                      Instagram

6530 Elder Avenue Springfield, Virginia 22150 | Office: 703-313-4300 
Attendance: 703-313-4343 | Health Room: 703-313-4310 
Web | Facebook | Instagram

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

Principals Message

Dear Families,

As the weather begins to cool, it's important to ensure your child is prepared for the changing temperatures. Please remember to send them to school with warm layers, such as jackets, sweaters, or sweatshirts. To help us keep track of personal belongings, we ask that all items be clearly labeled with your child's name.

Enjoy your long weekend, we will see students on Tuesday, October 15th.

 

Your Principal Team

Nikki Steptoe-Coleman

LaDonna Tate

Mary-Elizabeth Hagaman

October

Monday, 10/14: Student Holiday/Staff Development Day

Friday, 10/18: Principal-Parent Coffee, Lunch Edition 12pm (Virtual)

Monday, 10/21: 3 Hour Early Release (Students Dismiss at 12:35pm)

Wednesday, 10/23: PTA Meeting @ 7pm

Friday, 10/25: PTA Trunk or Treat Event

Wednesday, 10/30: Family Math Night @ 6pm

Thursday, 10/31: Storybook Character Day

Thursday, 10/31: Student 2-Hour Early Release (Students Dismiss at 1:35pm)

November 

Friday, 11/1: Diwali Holiday (Schools & Offices Closed)

11/4-5: Student Holiday/Teacher Work Days/ Election

National Hispanic Heritage Month

If you haven't stopped by Forestdale recently you have missed our amazing display. We wanted to honor the contribution of those of Hispanic descent. Bonus, our students are able to look in mirrors daily and see the strength and resilience in themselves.

National School Lunch Week

Celebrating the Power of School Lunches

Multiple studies show that school lunches are important in supporting overall student health by improving students’ diets and combating food insecurity. Students who eat school lunches consume more fruit, vegetables, and fiber than their peers. 

This School Lunch Week, FCPS Food and Nutrition Services’ (FNS) reminds families that they are dedicated to providing flavorful, healthy, sustainable, and student-focused meals. New menu items have been launched this year based on student feedback. 

Want to know what’s for breakfast or lunch? Nutrition Services now has printable menus available. 

Principal Parent Coffee, 10/18

Our next Principal Parent Coffee is Friday, October 18th at 12pm. Join Principal Steptoe-Coleman for a virtual lunch chat about our Family-School Compact. This is our annual summary of guidance for how we plan to work together as a school community toward student achievement.

We will have Spanish interpretation available.

Click here to join meeting

Welcome New Family Liaison

On October 1st we welcomed our new family liaison to the Forestdale Community. See her message to community below, and you can meet her at the Parent Coffee next Friday.

Dear Families,

I would like to introduce myself; My name is Claudia Torres, and I am the new Family Liaison at Forestdale Elementary School. My goal is to provide the connection between school, families, students, and teachers. I’m so excited to be able to serve our community by helping parents to get the information and support that they may need to ensure their child’s success. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact me via phone at (703) 313-4331 or by e-mail at [email protected]

“Together we can make a difference.”

Early Release Monday, 10/21

Our next 3-hour early release Monday is October 21st. Students that are leaving school will dismiss at 12:35pm. Thank you for your communications last month and letting us know if your child needed aftercare at school. We will follow your same plan for dismissal early or at 3:35pm, that families shared in September. SACC will be open for students that attend afternoon SACC.

If you need to make a change to your dismissal plan, please email our Family Liaison, Ms. Claudia Torres at [email protected] by Friday, October 18th.

Reporting School Absence

Parents and caregivers can report full-day absences for the current school day and the next four school days using ParentVUE. For absences that extend beyond this five-day window, parents and caregivers must report these directly to the school by calling the attendance line or using the attendance email. Parents and caregivers must also report late arrivals and early dismissals directly to the school, as partial-day absences cannot be recorded in ParentVUE. 

Sign-up for ParentVUE today, click HERE. 

Family Math Night

Join us on Wednesday, October 30th for Family Math Night. There will be fun and games all while learning math! We will see you at 6pm!

Forestdale Safety Corner

Follow these tips to help keep our school community safe:

• Arrival/dismissal is a very busy time on our small campus, consider carpooling with a neighbor or sending your child on bus to reduce traffic.
• If driving child to school, please use our Kiss and Ride line, it is a fast and efficient process.
• If driving and walking your child to the door in the morning, please legally park along Elder Avenue. Our student walkers depend on you for safety.

Forestdale PTA Corner

Click "Forestdale PTA Corner" to go the NEW PTA website.

Becoming a PTA member helps shape school programs and raise funds to directly support our students and teachers.  Join us to help create a stronger, more vibrant school community!

Click the picture to join.

When: 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Where: Kiss and Ride area

What: Join Forestdale PTA for a FREE Trunk or Treat event.  Costumes are welcomed---or come as you are!  Bring a bag or bucket and trick-or-treat in a familiar and safe environment.

WE NEED TRUNKS!!!

To make this event extra SPOOKTACULAR, we need trunks for our trick-or-treaters.  Click HERE to sign up.

Follow Forestdale on Social Media!

e Follow us on social media for Forestdale adventures and announcements! 

Facebook                      Instagram

6530 Elder Avenue Springfield, Virginia 22150 | Office: 703-313-4300 
Attendance: 703-313-4343 | Health Room: 703-313-4310 
Web | Twitter: @ForestdaleES