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Fri, May 15 -      TONIGHT! PTA Spring Fling, 6-8pm May 16-24 -        South County Pyramid Art                            Exhibition, Lorton Workhouse Arts                            Center (flyer below) Mon, May 18 -    Fairfax County Public Library visit                             Patrol End of Year Celebration,                             2:30-3:30pm Wed, May 20 -    3-hour Early Release, dismissal                             begins at 12:35pm                             Parent Workshop: Friendship 101                             for Growing Kids - Virtual,                             6-7:30pm (more info below) Thu, May 21 -     Chorus Spring Concert, 7pm Mon, May 25 -    NO SCHOOL, Memorial Day                             Holiday Tue, May 26 -     NO SCHOOL, Teacher Workday Wed, May 27 -    NO SCHOOL, Eid Al-Adha Holiday Fri, May 29 -      Deadline: Class Placement                            Parent Input                            Volunteer Breakfast, 9:15-10:45am

Good afternoon Newington Forest Families,

Yesterday's power outage was a major unexpected surprise in the Forest. I want to thank Mrs. Min for her leadership in managing the situation in the building, our Teachers and Staff for ensuring the safety of our students, and all of our students for remaining calm and continuing with their school day.

Thank you to the parents who have volunteered, and are signed up to volunteer in the future, in our cafeteria during lunch. Your help has made such a difference! 

Next week, we have our final 3-hour Early Release of the school year on Wednesday, May 20th. We will begin dismissal at 12:35pm. Reminder emails were sent to families earlier this week.

Please see below for an update on the School Board's approved changes to the SR&R regarding cell phones and smartwatches. 

See you tonight at the PTA Spring Fling!

Sincerely,

Angela Thompson
Principal

Strings Spring Concert

Last night, Ms. Ragusa held her very first outdoor Strings Spring Concert, and while it was a little chilly, it was wonderful experience. Our Strings students loved performing outside and did so beautifully. Thank you, Ms. Ragusa, for planning a great performance!

Grandparents Day Celebration

Today we celebrated the very special people who fill our lives with love, wisdom, hugs, stories, and smiles — our grandparents. Grandparents are treasures in our families, creating memories and reminding us of the importance of family.  We are so happy that so many families could join us today. Your support and encouragement mean so much to our students.  Our first graders have worked very hard to make this performance special just for you. Thank you Mrs. Gordon and Mx. Bosley for putting together today's concert.

Class Placement Parent Input

As we begin planning for the 2026–27 school year, I want to remind families of the process for providing input for class placement.

Class placement is a structured process that takes many factors into account to ensure balanced and supportive learning environments for all students.  Our teams take great care in the class placement process to ensure the best possible experience for every student.

In previous years, we invited families to submit requests based on teacher characteristics.  This year, we welcome families to share significant interpersonal conflicts your child has with other students that could affect their learning environment or friendships that are especially meaningful to your child. If you would like to provide input, please submit it using the Google Form below by Friday, May 29, 2026 - https://forms.gle/6eGp5rrs355WXvqbA 

Please note that our admin team has several mandatory trainings this summer and will not have the time to review late submissions. Please submit input by the deadline.

We value your partnership and the role you play in supporting your child’s success.

Thank you,

Angela Thompson
Principal

NFES SOL Schedule Spring 2026

Please note the changes in our calendar below! Please 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.

Cafeteria Volunteers Needed
(Now – May 29)

We are looking for volunteers to support our cafeteria during lunch periods through May 31. Shifts are short and flexible, and your help makes a big difference in keeping our lunch environment safe and organized for students!

Available time slots include:

• 11:00–11:30 AM
• 11:30 AM–12:00 PM
• 12:30–1:00 PM
• 1:00–1:20 PM

If you are interested, please sign up here: https://volunteer.fcps.edu/custom/501/opp_details/3593

Once you sign up, we will email you a separate link to select and confirm your specific shift. Thank you for supporting our school community!

NFES Parent Workshop – Friendship 101 for Growing Kids

Wednesday, May 20
6:00–7:30 PM
Virtual Event

Join Rachel Bailey, Parenting Specialist, to learn practical strategies to help your child build strong friendships and handle peer conflict with confidence.

Click here to register: https://forms.gle/2pTx2oW3auBe4Chv6

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

NFES Chorus Spring Concert

Thursday, May 21, 2026
7:00pm
Cafeteria

We are excited to share that 35 Newington Forest Artists will have their art pieces on display at the South County Pyramid Art Exhibition! What an honor.

It is free to visit the exhibition, so please stop by to check out their displays.

When: May 16-24
Where: Lorton Workhouse Arts Center, 9518 Workhouse Way, Lorton, VA
Gallery Hours: Wednesday-Saturday 11am - 6pm, Sunday 12pm-5pm

Thank you, Mr. Nathan Drake, Art Teacher, for always encouraging our students to shine through their art.

Volunteers Needed on Field Days!

Mark your calendars for our Field Days in June!

Friday, June 5th

Wednesday, June 10th

If you are you available to help make Field Day a success, please volunteer below!

• Kindergarten: https://volunteer.fcps.edu/custom/501/opp_details/3537
• Grades 1 & 2: https://volunteer.fcps.edu/custom/501/opp_details/3547
• Grades 3 & 4: https://volunteer.fcps.edu/custom/501/opp_details/3548
• Grades 5 & 6: https://volunteer.fcps.edu/custom/501/opp_details/3549

What's in the Backpack?

Conversations with parents and families about substance use / Conversaciones con padres y familias sobre el uso de sustancias

Target Audiences / Audiencias Objetivo:

Including South County, Lewis, Hayfield, Annadale pyramids / lncluyendo las piramides de South County, Lewis, Hayfield, Annadale

Thursday, May 28, 2026
5:30pm - 7:00pm
John R. Lewis High School - Cafeteria
6540 Franconia Road Springfield, VA 22150

Join us to learn about vaping devices, current trends, and how to talk with your teen. / Acomparienos para aprender sobre dispositivos de vapeo, tendencias actuales y como hablar con su hijo/a. 

New Cellphone Policy Starts July 1

On Thursday, May 7, the Fairfax County School Board approved changes to the FCPS Student Rights and Responsibilities (SR&R). The approved changes include updated guidance for cellphone possession and use, to align the FCPS cellphone policy with Senate Bill 108. This new Virginia law goes into effect on July 1 and states that all schools in the Commonwealth must follow a “bell-to-bell” phone-free policy.

This means that starting July 1, 2026, across all grade levels at FCPS, student cellphones, phone accessories, and all smart devices (including watches that serve a dual purpose, such as smart watches, as well as earbuds, headsets, smart glasses, and other other items connected to the internet) must be off and personally stored (i.e., put away in backpacks) for the duration of the school day — thus, no cellphones from bell to bell. 

High school students will no longer be able to use cellphones and personal devices during lunchtime. More details are available on the FCPS Cellphone Policy webpage. 

Other SR&R Changes for the 2026-27 School Year

Visit the FCPS website or the School Board agenda to learn about additional updates, including:

• Added guidance and procedures for in-school and out-of-school suspensions and discipline investigations, including supports for students with disabilities and multilingual learners. 
• Expanded guidance and standardized disciplinary procedures (“Universal Grade Matrices”) related to harassment, hate speech, discriminatory behavior, and Title IX reporting requirements.
• Responses to incidents involving intimate images, fighting, physical aggression, object throwing, and drug policy violations.

Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Update

On Friday, May 8, Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid provided an update on the Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 Budget. FCPS receives the majority of its funding from the Fairfax County Government and the Commonwealth of Virginia. 

The Fairfax County Government recently adopted its FY 2027 Budget, and at the funding levels provided, there is currently a $28 million budget gap. In addition, the state budget has not been finalized. At last Thursday's School Board meeting, the superintendent proposed adjustments that would balance the FCPS budget. 

Read Dr. Reid’s message to the community for more information on the budget process and budget priorities.

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: 2027 Budget Updates New Cell Phone Policy Stay Up-to-Date with the Mobile App Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today.