What's Bruin in the Den

Hello Bruins,

I am excited to share the latest edition of What’s Bruin in the Den. This newsletter provides an opportunity to keep our families informed, celebrate the accomplishments of our students and staff, and highlight the many wonderful things happening throughout Forest Park.

Since our last publication, our students and school community have had much to celebrate:

• Students enrolled in Spoken Russian who participated in the 2026 Russian Olympiada were recognized by the PWCS School Board for their outstanding performance.

• Our football, cross-country, golf, field hockey, and boys’ and girls’ volleyball teams have continued to demonstrate their talent, dedication, and Bruin pride. We look forward to supporting our teams as they work toward district and regional tournament play.

• We successfully completed our required September safety drills.

• We held our first Principal’s Advisory Council meeting of the year. During the meeting, I shared information about staffing, the school budget, and our Continuous Improvement Plan.

The first part of October has also been busy and exciting. We hosted our band concert and PTSO meeting, along with our National Honor Society induction ceremony. During the induction, more than 100 students were welcomed into the National Honor Society. Congratulations to these students for demonstrating the scholarship, leadership, service, and character represented by the four pillars of NHS.

Celebrating Our Custodial Team

This week, we proudly celebrate our custodians. Each day, regardless of the weather or circumstances, they arrive ready to prepare and maintain a clean, safe, and welcoming school for our students and staff.

Their work often happens quietly and behind the scenes, but it makes an important difference in the daily life of our school. We are grateful for all they do to make Forest Park a comfortable and inviting place to learn and work.

When you see a member of our custodial team, please take a moment to offer a thumbs-up or simply say, “You are appreciated.”

Supporting Teaching and Learning

During the past several weeks, I have had the opportunity to visit classrooms and meet with teachers during their planning time. These visits allow me to see, hear, and sometimes participate in the thoughtful and engaging lessons our teachers prepare for students.

This work is an important part of our continued effort to strengthen instruction and improve outcomes for every student, particularly as we respond to our Targeted Support and Improvement identification under the federal accountability system. Families may refer to the communication sent on October 7, 2026, for additional information.

Back-to-School Packet Reminder

As we continue through the school year, please make sure you have completed the Back-to-School Packet in ParentVUE.

The information families provide helps us maintain accurate records and communicate important updates about your child and our school. We want every family to remain informed and connected to their student’s progress at Forest Park.

Student Meals and Meal Accounts

As a reminder, Forest Park High School does not provide free breakfast and lunch to all students. Students who do not qualify for free or reduced-price meals are responsible for purchasing their meals or bringing food from home.

Families are encouraged to:

• Monitor student meal-account balances regularly.

• Add funds to accounts as needed.

• Complete the free and reduced-price meal application if eligible.

• Discuss daily breakfast and lunch plans with their student.

Our Food and Nutrition Services staff work hard each day to provide nutritious meals and outstanding service. Their work supports student wellness and helps ensure that students are ready to learn.

Our parent liaison, Ms. Ceron, has also offered evening sessions to help families complete the digital free and reduced-price meal application. Families who need assistance may call the school and ask for Ms. Ceron.

Attendance and On-Time Arrival

Please continue emphasizing the importance of attending school every day and arriving at each class on time. Consistent attendance and punctuality help students remain connected to their learning, build positive routines, and make steady academic progress.

Every school day should be a positive and productive experience for students and teachers, and it is wonderful to see that happening throughout our building.

In Closing

Wonderful things are happening at Forest Park! I invite our families to experience the energy and pride of our Bruin community by attending one of our upcoming academic programs, performances, athletic events, or family engagement opportunities.

As we continue through the fall, let us keep building positive momentum so that every student can experience a successful, engaging, and enjoyable school year.

Thank you for your continued support, trust, and involvement in your child’s educational journey. We are grateful for your partnership and proud to have you as part of the Forest Park family. I look forward to seeing many of you at our upcoming events.

Go Bruins!

Richard Martinez
Principal

Forest Park High School

Your Feedback Matters

What's Bruin in the Den? is intended to keep our families informed, connected, and engaged in the great work happening at Forest Park. If you have feedback, suggestions, or an accomplishment worth celebrating, please reach out. Your partnership helps strengthen our school community every day.

• October 12: Teacher Workday- No School for Students

• October 13: Boosters Meeting at 7 p.m.

• October 14: PSAT Administration for Grades 9-11 (Seniors will participate in asynchronous learning.)
• October 14: PWCS College and Career Fair 6-8 p.m. at Forest Park
• October 16: Senior Class Trip to Busch Gardens (Only for students who registered)

• October 21: Choir Concert at 7:30 p.m.

• October 26: PAC Meeting at 6 p.m.
• October 29: Orchestra Concert at 7 p.m.
• October 30: End of Marking Period 1

• November 2: Touch Base (7:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.) and Teacher Workday- No School for Students
• November 3: Teacher Workday- No School for Students
• November 6: Homecoming Football Game and Parade
• November 7: Homecoming Dance

• November 10: Academic Honor Ceremony (2 sessions- view email sent to select families)

• November 10: Boosters Meeting at 7 p.m.
• November 11: Holiday- No School
• November 25- 27: Holiday-No School

🎃 Forest Park Fall Festival and Zombie 3K Run 🎃

We're excited for the upcoming Fall Festival and Zombie 3K Run!

✅Sing up to run! Register HERE

✅ Become a Vendor
Have a craft, small business, or side hustle? We'd love to have you! Vendor spaces (10' x 10') are $25. Register HERE.

✅ Community Partners Wanted
Organizations and businesses that provide services to the community are invited to participate at no cost. Share information, resources, and giveaways with attendees. Register HERE.

We'll also have our "Junk or Treat" Saver's Fundraiser trailer on site. Bring a bag of clothes or a box of household items to donate and receive a small treat in return.

Thank you for helping us make this a fun and successful community event!

The Forest Park Counseling Department has some exciting programs and events going on!

We're excited to host the Eastern Prince William College and Career Fair on Wednesday, October 14, from 6-8 p.m. We'll have over 20 career representatives from various job fields and over 80 colleges represented. This is a great opportunity for students and families to see a wide range of opportunities and programs these institutions have to offer.

The Counselors are continuing to meet with all of our new Freshmen through PWCS' new insight process. Getting to know our Freshmen is a tremendous opportunity to get a head-start in supporting our new students as they begin to navigate their high school experience. After counselors complete Freshmen meetings, they'll move on to following up with current Sophomores.

In the coming weeks, the department will also visit all four grade levels through various core classes to introduce our new Bullying Awareness curriculum in an effort to continue to bring awareness to what the effects of bullying can have on individuals and groups of people in the school environment.

For updated information from our Parent Liaison, Ms. Ceron, please view her Newsletter.

Sincerely,

Ms. Ceron
Parent Liaison

Please view flyers for upcoming mobile markets.

Below is a map of our morning drop-off pattern. Please follow the guidance of our security/administrative team who will be assisting with the traffic flow. We also ask that you drive the speed limit and do not pass cars. Lastly, please be patient the first week of school. We have an increase in parent drop-offs but we also have new student drivers. Together, we can make this successful.

Student drivers are required to purchase an FPHS Parking Permit via security to park on campus. Information has been advertised by the SSO Office. Cars parked on campus without a school issued permit run the risk of being towed away at the owner’s expense. Parking passes are to be purchased online through Rycor. More details can be found at the FPHS site.

Back to School Packets are now open in ParentVUE. The packet has everything parents/guardians need to ensure students are set up for success this year. Through the packet, you can:

- Review emergency cards

- Update contact information

- Complete annual policy reviews and acknowledgements

All parents/guardians must complete the packet by next Friday, September 18, 2025.

Having up-to-date emergency contact information for our families is vital. We need all families to complete the annual Back to School Packet. If you do not have an active ParentVUE account, please call our office. For questions about ParentVUE, please contact the Help Desk at 703-791-8826.

We are excited to begin another successful year of sports. VHSL has updated their physical forms. Please be sure to use this copy when submitting. All athletes will need to have an account with Arbiter and upload all pages of the physical to their online account. For more details on how to create an account, please visit PWCS site for details.

Please contact the Athletics Office for more information by calling the school at 703-583-3200.

Although most PWCS devices are covered by a basic warranty, we highly encourage our families to purchase additional insurance to cover things like loss and vandalism (not covered by the basic coverage), you can purchase supplemental coverage from Securranty.

More information can be found at the PWCS site.

Requests can be accepted in many ways. Below are some ways to request dismissals in advance:

1. Have your child bring a note the morning of the dismissal. They will deliver to their alpha administrative assistant to confirm. Please note that we MUST confirm the note with you.
2. Call the morning of the dismissal. You will be transferred to the alpha administrative assistant to confirm. Please note that ONLY parent/guardians may call in for requests. We can not accept calls from emergency contacts.
3. Send an email the morning of the dismissal. Below is a list of the alpha administrative assistants and their emails:

• A-Cle: Mrs. Campbell campbeGW@pwcs.edu
• Cli-Haq: Mrs. Mejia mejiaCS@pwcs.edu
• Har-Maz: Mrs. Bambling bambliSE@pwcs.edu
• Mc-Rol: Mrs. Rocco roccoSM@pwcs.edu
• Rom-Z: Mrs. Burgos burgosNX@pwcs.edu

Absences must be reported to the school with in five days of absence.

When entering Forest Park as a visitor, you will be required to go through the School Security Screening Device and have a valid form of ID. This applies to early dismissal requests, meetings, etc. Please have identification available. We cannot accept photos of IDs.

It is our desire that all students arrive at school on time; however, we know that circumstances may occur from time to time. If a student arrives at school late and has a pass, the student must report to Ms. Argueta in the Main Office to get their attendance entered and receive a pass to class. For students who arrive late at school without a pass, the student will go to the Kiosk at the Main Entrance to the right of the screening device and use their student ID to scan in and receive their unexcused tardy pass to class.

FPHS requires that students carry their School ID on their person at all times. The ID is needed address tardies, entrance to games, and other school functions. The school photographer is scheduled to be at school in late August to take student photos and provide students their IDs. For students who miss this opportunity will need to see Mr. Walker in Security to obtain their ID.

The following are the USDA-approved school meal prices for the 2026-27 school year:

Breakfast

Student full price - $1.80

Adult price - $2.95

Lunch

Elementary student full price - $2.80

Middle student full price - $2.95

High student full price - $3.05

Adult full price - $5.05

A la carte - Milk, $1.00

If you have questions, please contact the Food and Nutrition Department at 703-791-3151.

The Community Eligibility Provision list is updated for the 2026-27 school year, and the free and reduced-price meals application is open. To complete, please visit:

My School Apps

My School Apps Spanish

If you have questions regarding the free and reduced-price meal application process, contact the PWCS Food and Nutrition Department at 703-791-7314.

PWCS is hiring! Please CLICK HERE to view current vacancies.