The Eagle Express
Weekly Message from Rachel Novak, Principal of FFES
October 19th-23rd, 2026
Good evening Farm Families,
We were thrilled with the turnout for Trunk-or-Treat this year, both with the number of participating trunks as well as dressed-up guests! Thanks to our awesome PTA for all of their work and planning to make this such a fun event for all!
Reminder: there is no school tomorrow, October 19th, due to Parent-Teacher Conferences from 10AM-6PM. When you arrive for your conference, please walk straight through the main entrance and proceed directly to your child's classroom. Please take a moment to stop by the Eagle's Landing to look through Lost & Found items while you're in the building. You can also visit the cafeteria to look through and provide your input on the various literacy programs that are being considered for textbook adoption next year (our Reading Specialist and Innovative Learning Coach will be on hand to answer questions). The Book Fair will be open in the Library during conferences, too. If you scheduled a conference time outside of the 10AM-6PM window, please wait at the front doors for the teacher to greet you.
MAP scores for grades 3, 4, and 5 are now available in ParentVue. During parent-teacher conferences tomorrow, families will receive score reports for all of our fall testing. If your student is receiving a student reading plan, you will be provided a copy of the plan along with directions on how to access it and your student's progress in ParentVue.
We will hold our annual Veterans Day Celebration on Tuesday, November 10th. If you or a close family member have served in the military, please consider joining us for this special event. You can sign up here by Wednesday, November 4th.
Our first photo this evening showcases Ms. Feuer's students diligently focused on their math lesson despite an unexpected power outage last week; Mrs. Brooks' 4th graders exploring the archaeology of indigenous artifacts (with cookies!); and Mrs. Hesdon's 2nd graders celebrating "Fat Bear Week".
We are looking for volunteers to assist us with clerical tasks (i.e. printing and filing copies for teachers) as well as for assistance during lunch shifts in the cafeteria. If you are interested, please fill out this Form.
Staff Spotlight: Please use this form to recognize any staff member(s) whom you feel go above and beyond for our school and community. Staff will be celebrated on afternoon announcements, will receive a certificate of recognition that includes the name of the caregiver/family who completed the form on their behalf, and will be featured on our social media pages. Thank you for recognizing all of the "heart" work that our staff pours into our students and families!
Please read on for additional reminders and updates.
Front Office Hours
- 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM, Monday-Friday unless otherwise noted
Early Pickup Reminder
To ensure all students are dismissed safely and efficiently, we cannot release students for an early pickup after 2:45PM. We appreciate your assistance with this.
ParentVue
ParentVUE is your go-to portal for accessing your student’s attendance records, grades, and assignments. Be sure to keep your contact details updated to receive timely messages from FFES and the school division.
Transportation
We encourage all families to download the MyRide K–12 app to track bus updates in real time. Please check your MyRide K-12 app regularly as routes, assigned drivers, pickup times and drop-off times are subject to change. Staying up to date within the app ensures you receive timely and accurate communication about your child’s route and driver. Transportation updates will also be available on the Bus Delays & Notification Dashboard each day. If you experience issues, please use our Issuetrak online form for the fastest resolution.
As a reminder, all pre-K, kindergarten, first-grade, and those students with supervised-release requirements must be met by a responsible adult at the bus stop each afternoon. Without one, your student will be returned to school.
Donations
If you are able and willing, we welcome snack donations throughout the school year to distribute as needed to our students. Please contact Mrs. Jenkins (jenkinses@staffordschools.net), Ms. Finch (finchme@staffordschools.net), or Ms. Bridges (bridgescc@staffordschools.net) if you're interested in making a donation.
Attendance
Our clinic is in need of donations of new underwear of all sizes for boys and girls. Gently used clean leggings and elastic waist pants for boys and girls, preferably size 5-9 will also be appreciated. Please drop off donations to the clinic. Thank you.
Your child's regular attendance at school is vital to her/his success in academics and beyond. Please see the image below for tips on when to keep your child at home vs. when you should still send them to school despite minor symptoms. We've also included a link to an article that explains the impact of chronic absenteeism on your child's academic progress.
Here's to a wonderful Week 11!
🎃🎃🎃
Rachel
This Week:
Monday, October 19th: No School for Students (Parent-Teacher Conferences)
Tuesday, October 20th: Girls on the Run @ 7AM
Friday, October 23rd: Girls on the Run @ 7AM; Fun Run During Specials; Q1 Grade Reports go live in ParentVue @ 4:00PM
Looking Ahead:
Monday, October 26th-Friday, October 30th: Red Ribbon Spirit Week (see flyer below)
Monday, October 26th: Girls on the Run @ 7AM
Wednesday, October 28th: PTA Spirit Night @ Chipotle, 4-8PM
Thursday, October 29th: DARE March, 1:30PM
Friday, October 30th: Girls on the Run @ 7AM
Monday, November 2nd: Girls on the Run @ 7AM
Tuesday, November 3rd: No School in Observance of Election Day
Thursday, November 5th: Fall Picture Makeup Day
Friday, November 6th: Girls on the Run @ 7AM
Monday, November 9th: Girls on the Run @ 7AM
Tuesday, November 10th: Veterans Day Breakfast, 9-10:15AM
Wednesday, November 11th: No School in Observance of Veterans Day
Friday, November 13th: Girls on the Run @ 7AM; 5th Grade DARE Graduation @ 1:45PM
Sunday, November 15th: Girls on the Run 5K @ Fred Nats Stadium
Wednesday, November 18th: PTA Spirit Night @ Marco's Pizza, 3-8PM
Wednesday, November 25th-Friday, November 27th: No School (Thanksgiving Break)
Specialists' Corner
SCHOOL NUTRITION
Please see the graphic for this week's lunch choices.
You can still apply for free or reduced-price student meal benefits for the 2026-27 school year. A new application must be submitted each school year. Families who believe they may qualify are encouraged to complete an application before the start of school. Applications are available online through SchoolCafe, at your child’s school front office, or through the Stafford Schools Nutrition Services website. If you have questions about the application process or meal benefits, please contact Nutrition Services at 540-654-9040.
