WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE FOREST - 3/19/26

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calendar reminder graphic

Fri, Mar 20 -       NO SCHOOL, Eid al-Fitr Holiday

Sat, Mar 21 -      STEM FEST, 11:00am-1:00pm

Mon, Mar 23 -    Curriculum Knight, 6:30-8:00pm

Wed, Mar 25 -    3-hr Early Release, Dismissal
                           begins at 12:35pm

Fri, Mar 27 -       End of 3rd Quarter, 2-hr early
                           release, Dismissal begins at 1:35pm

                           SCA Spirit: Decades Day

Mar 30-Apr 3 -   NO SCHOOL, Spring Break

Mon, Apr 6 -      NO SCHOOL, Teacher Workday

                           NFES Community Clean Up Day,
                           9:00am-11:00am

Fri, Apr 10 -       NO SCHOOL, School Planning Day

                           Kindergarten Orientation,
                           8:30-10:00am

Mon, Apr 13 -    NEW DATE: 3rd Grade Recorder
                           Concert, 7:00pm

Wed, Apr 15 -    FCPS Purple Up! Day

Tue, Apr 21 -     NO SCHOOL, Statewide Election

Thu, Apr 23 -     Parent Workshop - Helping Kids 
                           Handle Big Emotions


Good afternoon Newington Forest Families,

I hope to see so many NFES students and families at Curriculum Knight on March 23rd! You can still RSVP to attend at bit.ly/NFESFamilyLearning. We're getting ready for a fun night for all students in grades K-6. Please remember that this is not a drop-off event. Students must attend with a parent.

Next week, we also have:

  • Wednesday, March 25: 3-hour Early Release. Dismissal will begin at 12:35pm. Reminder emails were sent to parents earlier this week.
  • Friday, March 27: End of 3rd Quarter & 2-hr Early Release. Dismissal will begin at 1:35pm.

Last reminder - there is no school tomorrow, Friday, March 20th, in honor of the Eid al-Fitr holiday. 

Sincerely,

Angela Thompson
Principal


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Family Curriculum Knight

WHO: All K-6 Students & Families
WHEN: Monday, March 23, 6:30 - 8:00 PM
WHERE: Newington Forest Elementary

RSVP: http://bit.ly/NFESFamilyLearning

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Grade

Grade-Level Activity Stations

 Kindergarten 

Math & Phonics Make-and-Take

Play, Prep & Practice!

Create fun, hands-on phonics and math games to build CVC word skills and strengthen number sense at home.

1st Grade

Social-Emotional Learning Make-and-Take

Calm, Create & Connect!

Learn simple coping strategies and create take-home fidgets to support focus and self-regulation.

2nd Grade

Reading Comprehension Bookmark Boost

Read & Succeed!

Discover easy strategies families can use to help students better understand what they read.

3rd Grade

SOL 101: A Parent’s Guide to Student Success

Building Confidence for SOL’s

Learn about SOL question types, test-taking strategies, ways to reduce test anxiety, and resources to support your child during testing season.

4th Grade

By the Book & Fun with Facts

Explore ways to strengthen reading comprehension with any book and practice multiplication with fun card games.

5th Grade

Science SOL Prep Activities

Scientific Investigation Review Take-Away

Hands-on science review and matching games focused on scientific investigation skills that families can practice at home.

6th Grade

The Power of Practice: A Homework Night

Learn why homework matters and get tips for building routines, improving focus, and asking “guiding questions” to support your students at home.


soil

Soil Presentation

This week, 3rd grade enjoyed an interactive Soil Presentation by Soil Scientist Dan Schwartz from NoVa Water and Soil Conservation Project. This presentation was designed specifically to correlate with 3rd grade's Soil Unit. 


stem

 

When: Saturday, March 21, 2026
Time: 11am - 1pm
Where: Newington Forest Elementary School

Enjoy FREE activities related to STEM, including Robotics, Coding, Experiments, and more! 

For students in Pre-Kindergarten through 6th Grade!

Pre-register or register on-site!
https://bit.ly/3N8hXhx?r=qr

Questions? Email: steamologyus@gmail.com


KO

Friday, April 10, 2026
8:30am – 10:00am

reg

To accommodate the busy lives of our families, we will be hosting a Registration Night in addition to our daytime appointments.

April 23th

4:30pm – 6:30pm

For registration questions, please contact Ms. Jessi Padua, School Registrar, at jpadua@fcps.edu. Visit http://bit.ly/3KZQVY3 to make a registration appointment.


Newington Forest Elementary
SOL Schedule Spring 2026

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Our SOL testing days are just around the corner! You can help your student feel confident and ready by reviewing the schedule and ensuring they arrive at school on time. If you know your child will be absent on a testing day, please notify their teacher as soon as possible so we can plan accordingly. 

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Apr 27
6th Pre-SOL Tech Check

Apr 28
6th Gr Reading

Apr 29
Early Release Day
4th Pre-SOL Tech Check

Apr 30
4th Gr Reading

May 1
Make-ups

May 4
Make-ups 5th
Pre-SOL Tech Check

May 5
5th Gr Reading
3rd Pre-SOL Tech Check

May 6
3rd Gr Reading

May 7
Make-ups

May 8
*4th Grade Field Trip
Make-ups

May 11
Make-upx 5th Pre-SOL Tech Check

May 12
5th Gr Science 6th Pre-SOL Tech Check

May 13
6th Gr Math
4th Pre-SOL Tech Check

May 14
4th Gr Math

May 15
Make-ups

May 18
Make-ups
5th Pre-SOL Tech Check

May 19
5th Gr Math
3rd Pre-SOL Tech Check

May 20
3rd Gr Math

May 21
Make-ups
4-6 Reading RETAKE 

May 22
Make-ups
3 Reading RETAKE 

May 25
HOLIDAY -No School

May 26
Teacher Work Day - No School

May 27
HOLIDAY -No School

May 28
RETAKES

May 29
RETAKES

Jun 1
RETAKES

Jun 2
RETAKES
5 Science RETAKE
3 Math RETAKE

Jun 3
RETAKES
4 & 6 Math RETAKE

Jun 4
RETAKES
5 Math RETAKE

Jun 5
RETAKES


cleanup

NFES Community Clean Up Day

Monday, April 6
9-11 AM
Meet @ Kiss and Ride area

Let’s work together to keep our campus beautiful!
Support with litter clean up, mulching, weeding, and spring garden prep!

Students must be accompanied by an adult. This is not a drop off event.

RSVP at https://bit.ly/NFEScleanup2026

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workshop

NFES Parent Workshop:
Helping KIds Handle Big Emotions

Understanding Anxiety, Stress, and Emotions and How Parents Can Help

THURSDAY, APRIL 23
6:00 - 7:30 PM
ATTEND IN PERSON OR ONLINE

Join us either in person at Newington Forest Elementary or virtually for an informative parent workshop with Rachel Bailey, M.A., Clinical Psychology, who has helped thousands of parents and children learn practical tools for improving behavior, motivation, resilience, and self-esteem. Through her podcasts, speaking engagements, and parenting programs, Rachel shares easy-to use strategies that families can apply right away.

This session will help parents recognize signs of anxiety and stress in children and learn ways to support healthy emotional coping skills at home and at school.

RSVP at bit.ly/April2026Workshop

Questions? Contact Andrea Howard, Family Liaison, at ahoward@fcps.edu

workshop2

Dr. Reid talks to community members

Community Conversations: Share Your Thoughts With Dr. Reid

As a listening leader, connecting with community members across our school division is critical to FCPS Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid. Her Community Conversations are opportunities for you to share your thoughts and ask questions. Events will be held from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. on: 

Click on a date to register to attend that event. Registration is not required, but helps with planning, especially for child care and interpretation services. Events are open to all. Visit the superintendent’s engagement page for the most up-to-date information.


2026 Special Education Family Conference banner

2026 Special Education Family Conference

The 2026 Special Education Family Conference, Stronger Together: Connecting Families and Schools, will take place on Saturday, April 18, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Marshall High School

Dr. Shelley Moore will deliver the keynote address on The Evolution of Inclusion. It will look at how the goals of inclusion have continued to shift and evolve, as we learn more about diversity and identity. Participants will be invited to reflect on their own contexts and consider next steps for advocacy and action.

Visit the