Forest Knolls Mustang Message

Email: Jennifer_Taylor-Cox@mcpsmd.org
Website: https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/forestknollses
Location: 10830 Eastwood Ave, Silver Spring, MD 20901, USA
Phone: 240-740-1640

MCPS has clear procedures in place to ensure student safety if immigration officials visit a school. These steps help staff respond appropriately while prioritizing student well-being:

• Verify the visitor's identity and obtain official documentation.

• Notify MCPS legal counsel for guidance.

• Contact the impacted student’s family in their preferred language.

• Follow security protocols to protect all students and staff.

For more information and Frequently Asked Questions, visit the MCPS Immigration Supports page.

MCPS Stance: Our schools are and will always remain safe places where every child—regardless of immigration status—is welcomed, valued, affirmed, validated, respected, and loved.

Online registration for kindergarten for the 2025-2026 school year opens on Monday, Feb. 3. Children who will be 5 years old by Sept. 1, 2025 are eligible to register. Registration will be online through the ParentVUE portal. If your family is new to MCPS, you will need to create a ParentVue account here. For more information about eligibility and the registration process, visit the MCPS Kindergarten Enrollment webpage or contact your local elementary school.

Message from Ms. Schechter: National School Counseling Week is from February 3rd-7th. This is an opportunity to reflect on the impact counselors have on our students and community and the vital role we play in their growth. We are often the first line of support, helping students navigate their emotions, build strong relationships, and succeed academically. I work every day to create a safe space where children feel heard, valued, and equipped with the tools they need to handle challenges. This week serves as a reminder of how important it is to nurture not just their academic skills, but their social and emotional well-being as well. I’m proud to be part of a profession that makes such a positive difference in our students and school community.

Thank YOU FKES community for being so supportive and making my job enjoyable each and every day.

February 10th-14th is Kindness Week! Recognizing the importance of being kind to others and filling each other's cups up is why we celebrate this week in Montgomery County! We will have a dress up theme for each day of the week. Come dressed up in your favorite sportswear or color to show your appreciation and recognition of kindness!

The Middle School Magnet Consortium (MSMC) time begins in the fall. All Grade 5 families receive communication from the county regarding available programs and processes. There may be variations from year-to-year. In summary, there are both criteria-based programs and interest-based programs. Programs at Takoma Park Middle School and Eastern Middle School are criteria-based. There is a central-review process and then a lottery for all eligible students. No application is required for the criteria-based programs. Interest-based programs are application-based. These include Argyle Middle School for Digital Design and Development, A. Mario Loiederman Middle School for Creative and Performing Arts and Parkland Middle School for Aerospace Technology. Here is the Grade 5 letter explaining this year's process. For more information visit MCPS Middle School Magnet Consortium.

The Grade 3 Central Review process looks at school system performance data. Students whose data indicate a need for enriched and accelerated reading language arts instruction will be centrally recommended for enriched literacy instruction at their local school and placed in the candidate pool for CES. It is not necessary to submit an application. The central review process will occur in March 2025. Multiple criteria will be used to identify students for the candidate pool. To find out more about this process, please read the full letter here. Please note that this central review process is separate from the GT identification process.

As part of the Gifted and Talented identification process, parents of all grade 2 students are asked to complete a parent input form. Parents of 3rd and 5th graders who have not already received a GT designation are also asked to complete this parent input form. You will receive a letter in the mail explaining how to complete this form. Please note that you will need to log in to google with your child’s MCPS google credentials in order to access the form. The window for completion is from January 27 through February 28. However, we ask that you make every effort to complete the form by February 14. This will give us a chance at the school-level to ensure all parent questionnaires are entered before the window closes.

Please contact Ms. Mabe, Forest Knolls ES GT Liaison, if you have any questions.

Please contact Mrs. Gonzalez with questions, needs, or ideas at 240-740-4620 (office), 240-550-3254 (cell), veronica_gonzalez@mcpsmd.org (email).

Update on the Bike Bus from parent Ema Perez, father of first grader Isidor: Once the weather warms up the FKES Bike Bus will roll again! We are hoping to get back on our bicycles and the road sometime in March, depending on the weather. The Bike Bus is open to ALL FKES families! If you have not joined the Bike Bus because you or your student do not have a bike, please contact me and I will help you locate low-cost but good quality used bicycles.

The Forest Knolls Bike Bus is a parent-led weekly group bike ride to school. It runs on Fridays, departing the starting points at 7:50 am (Procter and Dryden, Sligo Woods) and 8:05 am (Margate and Snowy Owl, Northwood-Forest Knolls) and arrives at school around 8:30 am. It follows a fixed route (attached) and students and their parents join the group either at the starting point or along the route. We have music along the way and when we get to school we have donuts and milk for the kids, and coffee for the adults. The FKES Bike Bus is for all members of the Forest Knolls community, regardless of ability. If you have a student with a disability who would like to join the bike bus, or if your student does not yet ride independently, please reach out to me so that we can work on a solution for your child to ride. Kids do not need to ride a bike independently in order to participate. We have many kids who ride on a tag-along, in a trailer, or on an adult driven e-bike. If your child typically rides the bus from outside the Forest Knolls area, you are welcome to park at my house so that you and your child can ride with us.

The Bike Bus has been a positive experience for the kids over the past year. It helps them build confidence and community. We would love for your family to join us. Please give me a call at 703-400-9560 for more information.