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Mon, Feb 17 - No School, President's Day
Wed, Feb 19 - Group & Individual Picture Day
PTA Meeting, 7pm
Inaugural Black History Month
Celebration, 5:30pmpm, Woodson HS
All schools and offices will be closed on Monday, February 17, for the Presidents Day holiday.
See the complete school year calendar.
NFES Chorus Sings the School Song
Here is a snapshot of our NFES Chorus singers performing a special recording of our school song. The school song has never sounded better, Mrs. Gordon!
101 Dalmatians in 1st Grade
Our 1st Grade team celebrated the 101st day of school in style on Friday!
Kids Heart Challenge
NFES Knights raised $5,254.36 for the Kids Heart Challenge! Ms. Gallego's class was raised the most combined funds with $1003! Way to go Kindergarten! Thank you, Mr. Moxie, for leading this FUNdraiser for our school.
There is still time to help us reach our fundraising goal. Tap or scan the QR to contribute to this fundraiser!
SCA Candygram Sales
Our SCA made $220 by selling 440 candygrams! Lollipops and bracelets were sorted and hand delivered to Knights by our SCA officers. Thank you, Mrs. Jensen, for organizing this festive fundraiser!
Picture Day is Feb. 19th!
Get your smiles picture ready for February 19th! We will be taking class and individual photos.
Pre-order photos at https://www.strawbridge.net
Code: FM459112
🐻 It’s Kindergarten Registration Time!
Attending kindergarten provides children with an opportunity to learn and practice the essential social, emotional, problem-solving, and self-regulation skills they will use throughout their lives. Fairfax County Public Schools typically conduct kindergarten registration events, including orientation, between January and April. Eligible children can also be registered throughout the summer, but registering your child early helps us prepare and ensure we have the teachers and resources needed on the first day of school.
Families should prepare for registration by gathering documents and completing forms on the FCPS kindergarten registration webpage. FCPS offers support and resources for all families to help with registration and the transition to kindergarten. For support in other languages, visit the kindergarten registration webpage.
To schedule a registration appointment for your rising Kindergartener at Newington Forest Elementary School, please contact Ms. Padua, our Registrar, at [email protected].
✨ A strong start is Goal 1 of the 2023-30 Strategic Plan.
Upcoming Student Experience Survey at NFES
Our school will participate in the FCPS Student Experience Survey. This survey will gather important feedback from students about their school experiences to help FCPS make meaningful improvements.
All students in grades 3-6, except those who have opted out, will receive a link to the survey in their FCPS email on February 24. We will administer the survey during the school day between Monday, February 24, and Friday, March 7. Any student may take the survey at home, if they are unable to take the survey during the school day. You will receive a communication with details on how to preview the survey and opt your child out, if you choose.
We believe it's important to hear from our students about what we're doing well and where we can improve. This work also aligns with the five equity commitments in FCPS’ 2023-30 Strategic Plan, which focus on amplifying student voice and experiences as we work toward meeting plan goals.
Learn More About How Your Child Feels at School
The Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener will be administered to students in grades 3-12 in March. Students use the SEL Screener twice a year to share their perspectives on how well their school and community help them develop the skills they need to succeed. The screener works by asking questions or presenting statements that students can think about and respond to. This gives students a way to share how well their school community makes them feel valued, included, and supported.
After each screening, results are available in the Documents tab of SIS ParentVUE and mailed to families who do not have a ParentVUE account. For more information, including SEL Screener questions and opt-out information, please visit the Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener webpage.
Student Transfer Renewal Applications Open February 15
A student transfer is valid for one year only. A parent or guardian must submit a renewal application each year for student transfer consideration. A renewal application may be submitted for students who continue to meet the same student transfer criteria as indicated on the original student transfer request. For students no longer meeting the same student transfer criteria, a new transfer request must be submitted.
Additional information about the application process and types of transfer requests are available on our Student Transfer: Frequently Asked Questions page.
Student Fasting Meal Kits for February 28 - March 28
Thanks to a new program from the Virginia Department of Education, students who are fasting during the school day between February 28 and March 28 can now take school meal kits home at the end of the day.
Families will need to fill out a weekly Fasting Meals Request Form for their child or children to receive school meal kits. A separate form must be filled out for each week and each student.
To receive meal kits for Friday, February 28, and the week of March 3, please submit the first request form by Monday, February 24. Visit the FNS webpage for more information, including weekly request forms and deadlines.
Breaking Down the Budget: Investing in Our Classrooms
Did you know that more than 85% of FCPS’ budget stays in our classrooms? Currently, 92.5% of FCPS staff are school-based, more than neighboring school districts.
We are in the middle of FCPS’ annual budget process, which includes opportunities for you to give feedback. Learn more about the proposed FCPS FY 2026 Proposed Budget and see the budget timeline.
🏗️ FCPS’ Construction Projects Offer Community-Wide Benefits
The Fairfax County School Board approved the annual update to FCPS’ FY 2026-30 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) at their regular board meeting last week. A CIP is a working budget document that shows the timing and costs of improvement to school buildings, such as renovations, additions, and new schools. Learn more about planned improvements.
Fairfax County Public Schools’ updated plans for new school construction, capacity enhancements, and renovations are outlined in the CIP. Projects include constructing two new elementary schools; renovations at 18 elementary schools, two middle schools, and two high schools; and relocation of modular buildings.
🤧 Protect Yourself and Your Community From the Flu
Fairfax County is experiencing very high levels of influenza (flu) illness. The Fairfax County Health Department reports that visits to emergency departments and urgent care centers for flu-like illness have increased, especially among children, and multiple flu outbreaks have occurred in our community and school settings. Read a letter from the health department.
The health department suggests taking the following steps to reduce the spread of flu and other germs:
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Cover coughs and sneezes. If you must be around others while ill, wearing a mask can help reduce spread.
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Wash hands often with soap and water for 20 seconds. Use alcohol-based hand sanitizers when soap and water are not available (with supervision for younger children).
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Clean frequently touched surfaces.
According to the health department, to help prevent or reduce the spread of illness it is important for individuals who are sick to stay home and away from others until symptoms improve and until they have been free of fever for at least 24 hours. Visit this Attendance webpage for guidance on when your child should go to school.
FCPS Cares is an opportunity for parents, staff, and community members to recognize FCPS employees for going above and beyond to help others and show they care. We invite you to submit your story so we can all acknowledge the good work of our Newington Forest staff members.
FCPS News
In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics and others:
- Flu Prevention
- Students Spread Joy
- Investing in our Classrooms
Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today.
8001 Newington Forest Ave. Springfield, VA 22153 | Phone: 703.923.2600
Attendance: 703.923.2626 | Web | Twitter
