Stenwood Hive Happenings

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Hive Happenings Newsletter

Dear Stenwood Families,

It was a very nice week back from Spring Break in the Hive. Throughout the week, teachers in classrooms and in Specials have been reviewing our school’s CARES expectations. 4^th graders enjoyed the beautiful weather on a field trip to Gunston Hall on Tuesday. Our 5^th & 6^th grade Stinger Singers in Chorus put on an amazing concert last night centered around the theme of “Give Us Hope,” with songs focused on hope for the future. Here is the link to view the recording! https://www.wevideo.com/view/3773564218. And today, our Kindergarteners continued to enjoy this amazing Spring weather with a scavenger hunt of the monuments in DC!

Below you will find additional information about:

Band, Strings Selection for 25-26 Year - DUE TODAY
Spring Picture Day: Wednesday, April 30^th - NEXT WEEK!
Optional Class Placement Input - DUE TODAY
SOL Schedule - Reminder
GoGreen Request - NEW
Social and Emotional Learning Screener: Parent Reports - NEW
Increasing Access to Middle School Algebra 1 - NEW
Protect Your Child from Measles: What You Need to Know - NEW
Share Feedback With County Health Department on School Health Services - NEW
FCPS Summer Extravaganza: Discover Exciting Summer Learning Activities and Ideas - NEW
School Meals and Free/Reduced Lunch Applications - Reminder
Stenwood is Hiring! - Reminder
Stenwood PTA - Reminder

Sincerely,

Erica Riley, Principal
esriley@fcps.edu

Bryan Case, Assistant Principal
bgcase@fcps.edu

Band and Strings Selection for the 25-26 School Year for Rising 4^th, 5^th, and 6^th

Families of our 3^rd, 4^th, and 5^th grade students received an e-Notify before spring break morning asking for their instrument selection for next year. Please make sure to respond by today Friday, April 25^th.

Spring Picture Day is NEXT WEEK!

Wednesday, April 30^th

Spring Picture Day is coming Wednesday, April 30^th, 2025! Images will be available to view and purchase approximately two weeks following our school's picture day. Stay tuned for availability notifications!

Questions about Picture Day or Ordering? Email Victor O'Neill Studios at underclass@vosphoto.com.

Optional Class Placement Parent Input Form -

DUE TODAY!

If your child is returning to Stenwood next school year, we offer you the opportunity to share any comments you would like regarding class placements. If you know that your family will not be joining us for the 2025-26 school year, please reach out to Ms. Burke, mpburke@fcps.edu or 703-208-7600 to let us know.

Our staff will be working on tentative class groupings this spring, with classroom assignments finalized in late August. As we make these placements, we consider many factors including individual student information, teacher input, and social relationships. Every class will have a blend of children with diverse needs, personalities, and learning interests. Due to the many factors we must consider in creating classroom placements, including the reassignment of some teachers to a different grade level and the hiring of new teachers, requests for a specific teacher cannot be honored.

If you have information that you believe is pertinent to your child’s placement for next year, please complete the optional Class Placement Input Form by TODAY, Friday, April 25^th for it to be taken into consideration. There is no need to complete the form if you do not have any information you would like us to consider. Thank you.

SOL Schedule

We shared these dates back in March and wanted to make sure we put them back on your radar. SOL testing will be taking place in the month of May this year for students in grades 3-6. The SOL assessments are content assessments that measure a student's growth in Reading, Mathematics, and Science (5^th grade only). These tests will be conducted during the dates listed in the table above. Please mark your calendar - it is important that your child attend school on the dates designated for them to test. Please ensure your child gets plenty of rest the night prior.

GoGreen Request

With this being Earth Week, we want to think about ways that we can help support our environment. If you are a Kiss N Ride family, we would ask you to consider turning off your car while you are idling for Kiss N Ride to open. You could even go one step further and walk or ride your bike!

Social and Emotional Learning Screener:

Parent Reports

Students in grades 3-12 took the SEL Screener during the month of March. The screener provides information on their SEL skills such as achieving goals, understanding and managing emotions, establishing and maintaining relationships, and making responsible decisions. The screener also asks students how much their school community makes them feel valued, included, and supported.

Individual student SEL Screener results are available to families in the Documents section of SIS ParentVUE. Families who do not have an active ParentVUE account will receive their results via postal mail.

For support in understanding your individual student’s results or for ideas on how to support them at home, please review the SEL Screener Results Family Guide or reach out to Mr. Case or Ms. Berick with any questions.

Increasing Access to Middle School Algebra 1

FCPS’ 2023-30 Strategic Plan Goal 3: Academic Growth and Excellence places a focus on successful completion of Algebra 1 by eighth grade. To increase access to Algebra 1 for middle school students, the school division has decided to streamline the criteria for taking Algebra 1 Honors in seventh grade.

With the simplified criteria, Iowa Algebra Aptitude Test (IAAT) scores are no longer a prerequisite when selecting either Mathematics 7 Honors or Algebra 1 Honors. Although it is not a requirement for advanced math, families may still use the test scores to help decide which level of mathematics their child signs up for.

Families of students who took the IAAT this winter will receive their score report by the end of this month. Students who were scheduled for the IAAT but did not get to complete the test will have the chance to opt-in for a makeup test at the end of the year. Parents/caregivers will receive information about this makeup testing opportunity.

Additional information and copies of upcoming family communication can be found on the IAAT webpage.

Protect Your Child from Measles:

What You Need to Know

Measles cases continue to rise in the US. About 1 in 5 people who get measles end up in the hospital. Measles can cause severe complications like a lung infection (pneumonia), brain inflammation (encephalitis), and possibly death, even with medical care. Symptoms of measles typically include:

High fever (may spike up to 104°F)
Cough
Runny nose
Red, watery eyes
A rash that appears around 3-5 days after other symptoms begin. The rash typically starts on the face and spreads down the body.

The best way to protect a child from measles is by getting two doses of the combination measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine.

If you are unsure of your child's vaccination status or your personal vaccination status, talk to your health care provider. If your child needs an immunization, make an appointment with your health care provider, visit the Fairfax County Health Department website for a list of child immunization clinics, or view other Immunization Resources.

✅ Share Feedback With County Health Department on School Health Services

The Fairfax County Health Department and Fairfax County Public Schools School Health Services invite parents/caregivers of FCPS students to participate in a survey on satisfaction with school health room services. The survey takes about five minutes to complete and will be open until Monday, May 5^th.

School health rooms (clinics) are managed by public health nurses and school health aides. Those staff provide care for students who become sick or injured during the school day, who require medications during the school day, and/or who have a chronic health condition that requires management during the school day.

Additionally, the school health room staff:

Provide health education, communicable disease prevention, and health screenings.
Work with schools to help address the root causes of population health disparities so that all students have equitable access to educational and health opportunities.
Ensure that students have care for minor injuries and illnesses, and chronic health conditions, thus helping to minimize health barriers to learning.

Survey results will provide a basis for quality improvement of school health room services as well as inform future planning for schools.

☀️ Discover Exciting Summer Learning Activities and Ideas

Attend the FCPS Summer Extravaganza on Saturday, May 10^th, 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m., at Woodson High School and get a jump on summer learning and fun! At this free event, participants can engage in educational and enrichment activities designed to inspire curiosity and growth.

An FCPS Student Program Marketplace will feature student-made goods for sale. Proceeds will support the students’ programs.

Learn about summer programs and resources available from community and business partners. Enjoy face painting, touring a fire truck, student performances, and much more!

Visit the Summer Extravaganza webpage.

School Meals and Free/ Reduced Lunch Applications

Breakfast and Lunch

Breakfast will be $1.75. Lunch will be $3.25, milk $0.60. 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://linqconnect.com/public/menu/ESSF44 .

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 is Hiring!

We are looking to hire Classroom Monitors and Substitutes! If you are interested in any of these positions, please reach out if you have any questions or if you want more information. Here is a link to FCPS’ application portal.

Classroom Monitors: Monitors will work every day students attend throughout the 2024-25 school year, and will directly support classrooms by providing additional supervision to students during lunch or in the classroom. The pay is $17.88/hour. Teachers will provide directions/assignments for monitors and students to complete. Please apply here and email me at esriley@fcps.edu so we can schedule a time to talk more. Please share this opportunity with others who might be interested.

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.

More information about the PTA is available on their website.