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Hive Happenings Newsletter

Dear Stenwood Families,

Wow! What an absolutely wonderful week it has been! We know that while the first week of school is so exciting, it can be a lot. This is true for your child, and for you. Thank you all for helping your children be ready for their first week in the Hive.  Those long days back at school are a big adjustment for all of us, especially our littlest Stingers.  Keep up those routines and we know that in the next few weeks, it will become easier for you and your child.

Today, our 4^th, 5^th, and 6^th graders had a chance to hear the band, chorus, and orchestra from Marshall High School. See pictures below.

If your child is assigned a bus, there is very important information below about new student ID Cards. Please read it carefully and go over this with your child; we will go over this information in class next week. They will be coming home with their new ID Card today!

Next week, on Wednesday night, September 2^nd, we will be hosting our in-person Back to School Night.  Below are the details for the two sessions.  This is a parent-only event. 

• Back to School Night - FINAL REMINDER - WEDNESDAY!

• Student ID Cards for the New Bus Navigation System Sent Home Today with Bus Riders - UPDATE

• Cell Phone and Smart Watch Policy - Updated Reminder - NEW THIS YEAR

• Advanced Academic Programs - NEW

• Family Information Phone Lines - NEW

• Welcome Videos from Fairfax County School Board Members - NEW

• School Meals and Free/Reduced Lunch Applications

• Activating your SIS ParentVue Account

• Parent Digital Consent System

• What is Schoology

• Stenwood PTA

Erica Riley, Principal
esriley@fcps.edu 

Bryan Case, Assistant Principal 
bgcase@fcps.edu

Back to School Night

Back to School Night on Wednesday, 9/2 from 6:00 - 7:30 PM

Please join your child’s teacher for Back to School Night. This session will focus on curriculum, specific grade level information, and Family Life Education information.

 Here is the schedule for the evening:

Session 1: 

6:00 - 6:40pm

 * Transition Time: 6:40 -  6:50pm *

Session 2 (repeat of Session 1): 

6:50 - 7:30pm 

This is an adult-only event; we ask that you arrange childcare for your children so you can attend fully to the information being presented.

Student ID Cards for the New Bus Navigation System Sent Home Today with Bus Riders

We distributed student ID cards to all our students who ride the school bus or use FCPS transportation services today. Classroom teachers passed ID Cards to all students that have a bus assigned to them. Bus riders who registered or transferred to Stenwood after July 1^st will get theirs at a later time. 

We will take time in class to review how to use the card on the bus and how to store throughout the day.

• ID cards should be worn or attached to your child’s backpack and brought to the bus each morning.
• Then, we are having students hold them in their backpacks in their classroom during the day. The IDs should not be worn throughout the day. This will help to prevent losing them.
• Students will take the cards out at the end of the school day as they get ready to ride the bus.

Students who have student ID cards should begin tapping as they board and exit the bus. Only students who use FCPS transportation services will be provided with a student ID card at this time.

We ask for your patience! Bus drivers are checking in students and may need some extra time at each bus stop while they do this. The transportation team is working hard to minimize any potential delays. If your child’s bus is delayed, you may access the Bus Delay Notification System or use the Here Comes the Bus mobile app to receive the delayed bus report. Email messages will be sent to announce significant bus delays. Please contact the Transportation Office at 703-249-7100 with any additional questions. For concerns after 5:30 p.m., contact the FCPS Office of Safety and Security at 571-423-2000. 

Update your contact information in SIS ParentVUE to make sure you receive email messages about bus delays.

Learn more about the bus navigation and student ID cards.

FCPS Cell Phone and Smart Watch Policy

FCPS' cellphone expectations for students help foster engagement, learning, and positive social behavior in the classroom.

SB108 is a new Virginia law that went into effect on July 1^st, 2026 and states that all schools in the state must follow a "bell-to-bell" phone-free policy.  This means that cellphones, phone accessories, and all smart devices (including watches that serve a dual purpose, such as smart watches, as well as airpods, earbuds, headsets, smart glasses, and other items connected to the internet) must be off and personally stored (i.e., backpacks) for the duration of the school day: bell to bell.

Learn more on this updated FCPS “bell-to-bell” cellphone policy.

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 15th.
• 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.
• Students in Grades 3 to 6 may retake an ability test one time. Families may request the ability test retake by contacting Bryan Case, school testing coordinator, at bgcase@fcps.edu by September 30^th.

Families are invited to attend two AAP information meetings led b Kaleigh Hartman, our Advanced Academic Resource Teacher (AART):

• AAP Continuum of Services: Friday, September 25^th at 8:45am in the cafeteria. Families will learn about the continuum of advanced academic services available to FCPS students.
• Full-Time AAP Identification: Friday, October 9^th at 8:45am in the cafeteria. Families will learn about the referral and identification processes for Full-Time AAP services.

For more information, please contact Kaleigh Hartman, AART, at kkhartman@fcps.edu or visit the FCPS Advanced Academic Programs webpage. 

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 IdiomasPadres/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.

Welcome Videos from Fairfax County School Board Members

Here are the welcome videos from ALL Fairfax County School Board members. 

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.

Activating Your SIS ParentVUE Account

The SIS (Student Information System) ParentVUE Account is an online tool parents can use to access information about their child’s attendance, report cards, discipline incidents, health information, and more. In ParentVUE, you can also view student progress reports/report cards and SOL scores.

Your secure SIS ParentVUE Account offers you the ability to use one username/password to login to both the SIS ParentVUE Account and Schoology.

Using the SIS ParentVUE account, parents will also be able to view school information, including teacher e-mail addresses, the FCPS calendar, and emergency contact information. Visit the FCPS website and use the search function and keywords “SIS Parent Overview” for more information.

Many of our Stenwood families have already activated your SIS ParentVUE account with the activation key. If you are unable to login to your account, you may need to reset your password on the SIS Parent Account login page (https://sisparent.fcps.edu):  

• Select the “Forgot Password” button.  
• Your username is the primary email address you have on file with us in our Student Information System.  
• More information is available here.

Newly enrolled families should have received an activation key for your account.  If you have not yet activated your account, please reach out to Michelle Burke (mpburke@fcps.edu) or Brian Spector (bmspector@fcps.edu).

Please take action now to ensure your account is active, so that you won’t miss a beat!

Parent Digital Consent System

Again this year, families will use the Parent Digital Consent System to complete some forms that have used paper in the past. You will log in using your ParentVUE Account credentials, there, you will be able complete the Digital Resources Consent form for the school year, which is required for all students. You will also be able to find more information about opt-out forms and complete those forms for your student.

What Is Schoology?

Teachers can use Schoology to post their classroom materials online; to provide a safe forum for students to discuss their ideas and collaborate on projects; and to assign and collect homework electronically.

Parent Accounts

A Schoology Parent Account gives you access to:

• Your child’s upcoming assignments (note: Parents can not see FCPS Google Workspace items using their parent account)
• School, class, and group announcements.

Parent accounts will be available in mid-August. To access Schoology, parents will need to have an active SIS/ParentVUE account. 

More information on how to login and use Schoology is available online.

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.  

First Day of School!