News from the Nest

Veterans Day Lunch 

We are excited to recognize the veterans in our Piney Branch community! Veterans and their families are invited to attend our Veterans Day Luncheon on Tuesday, November 10 at 12:00 p.m. Guests will enjoy a complimentary lunch and special performances by our PBES Chorus Club and Purple Star Ambassadors. 

RSVP by November 2nd using the attached form. 

Questions? Contact Merissa Bartoli at [email protected]. 

Wall of Honor Help us honor the veterans in your family! Please send in a photograph by October 30 labeled with: 

• Veteran's name 

• Branch of service 

• Student's name 

Please send a copy of the photograph, as submitted photos cannot be returned. 

School Messaging Troubleshooting 

Having problems receiving School Status emails? Try these troubleshooting steps:  

1. Check your spam folder in your email.  
2. Open ParentVUE and verify that your email is correct. If you have trouble doing this, you can email the school and we can check. 
3. Make sure you have not accidentally unsubscribed to School Status by asking to resubscribe. To resubscribe to email, a parent or user can email [email protected]. Once resubscribed, you user will receive a reply email stating that you have been removed from the unsubscribe list.
4. In your email filters, make sure that you have not blocked School Status. Also ALLOW or WHITELIST the following: 

Having trouble receiving texts?  

Text START to 855-813-4963 to subscribe to messages from your child’s school. You will receive an auto-reply message that lets you know that you have been subscribed to receiving those messages. 

Recognize an Outstanding PBES Educator or Staff Member! 

Is there a PBES educator or staff member who has made a positive difference for your child or family? We’d love to hear about it! Take a moment to share your appreciation through our Outstanding Educator and Staff Recognition form. Your kind words help us celebrate the dedication, care, and hard work that make PBES such a special community. 

Thank you for helping us recognize our amazing staff! 

Literacy Night 

Save the date for our Fall Literacy Festival - Wednesday, November 18th, 6:00-7:30PM. Please join us for a night of literacy games, read aloud stories, food, and more - every family will receive reading games and materials to take home! If you plan to attend, please use the link below to help us with a headcount for the event.  

Fall Literacy Festival – Fill out form 

26-27 Encore Calendar 

For your convenience, Ms. Nichols has created an Encore Events Calendar for the 26-27 school year. See link below to preview.  

PBES Encore Events 2026-2027 

Watch D.O.G.S. is Back

Watch D.O.G.S. is ready to start taking volunteers to come and spend a day at Piney Branch. We are asking dads, uncles, grandfathers, older brothers to volunteer their time and come and spend a day or half day at Piney Branch. Our PBES Watch D.O.G.S. coordinators have created a schedule to keep you busy and active throughout the day. For any questions you can contact [email protected]

What is Watch D.O.G.S?

• Watch D.O.G.S. stands for Dads of Great Students, and it encourages dads of a school community to actively volunteer at their child's school and be presence of extra security, to provide positive male role models for the students, demonstrating by their presence that education is important.
• To provide extra sets of eyes and ears to enhance school security and reduce bullying.

How can I sign up?

Click the Sign-Up link! 

Do I need anything to volunteer? 

PTO is happy to provide t-shirts for the first five volunteers! T-shirts can be purchased at the link below.

Click here to obtain a Watch D.O.G.S. T-shirt

Career Day 

We are hosting our annual Piney Branch Career Fair on Friday, October 23rd, 2026. Volunteers can choose to speak to one grade level or stay with us for the entire day.  

This special event is designed for our Kindergarten through 5th grade students, giving them a chance to explore the wide world of careers through the eyes of our amazing parent community. 

We’re looking for parent volunteers to share their career journeys, tools of the trade, or even lead a hands-on activity. Presentations can be simple, fun, and tailored to young learners. No public speaking experience required—just your enthusiasm! 

Interested in joining us?  Please sign up so we can begin planning the schedule. 

Thank you for helping us make Career Day a meaningful and memorable experience for our students. We can’t wait to see the incredible variety of careers represented this year! 

Career Day Schedule: 

9:30-10:25AM  2nd grade

10:25-11:20AM  Kindergarten

12:05-1:00PM  1st grade

1:00-1:55PM  5th grade

1:55-2:50PM  4th grade

2:50- 3:45PM  3rd grade

Please reach out to Courtney McAfee at [email protected] and/or Kelly Nicewonger at [email protected] or 571-261-5300 for questions 

Testing Information 

Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test (NNAT3) – Grade 2 

On Thursday, October 22, all second-grade students will take the Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test (NNAT3) as part of PWCS's universal screening process for Gifted Education. The NNAT3 is a 30-minute, nonverbal assessment that measures students' reasoning and problem-solving skills through visual patterns and logic questions rather than language-based tasks. Results will be reviewed alongside other classroom achievement data to help identify students' learning strengths and instructional needs. The best way to prepare is to encourage your child to do their best. A copy of your child's results will be shared with families when scores become available. 

For additional information, please contact Monica Sobers at [email protected] or Megan Howland at [email protected]  

Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) – Grade 3 

This fall, all third-grade students will participate in the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) as part of PWCS's universal screening process for Gifted Education. CogAT measures students' reasoning and problem-solving abilities and helps identify learning strengths and instructional needs. Results are reviewed alongside other classroom achievement data to support the development of effective learning opportunities for each student. Testing will take place between October 19 and November 20, 2026, with specific testing dates to be determined by the school. The best way to prepare is to encourage your child to do their best. A copy of your child's results will be shared with families when scores become available. 

For additional information, please contact Monica Sobers at [email protected] or Megan Howland at [email protected]. 

Virginia Language and Literacy Screening System (VALLSS)   

STAR Test Results  

Parents of Students in Grades 3-5,  

 Your child has recently taken a Renaissance Star Reading assessment. Your child’s teacher uses the results to measure general achievement in reading skills, and to determine your child’s learning needs. It is important to understand that these scores provide only one picture of how your child is doing in reading. If you have any questions, please reach out to your child’s teacher. 

In addition to the Star Parent Report accompanying this letter, the information below will provide more context about your child's score and performance. 

Scaled Score 

Scaled scores are useful for comparing student performance over time and across grades. A scaled score is calculated considering the item’s difficulty and number of correct responses. For example, a score of 889 on the Star Reading test results in having a higher score than 77% of students in second grade and is typical of a second-grade student at this time of the year. 

Percentile Rank 

Percentile Rank ranges from 1-99 and compares student performance to other students in the same grade nationwide.  

Grade Equivalent 

Grade Equivalent scores show how a child’s performance compares with that of other students nationally. For example, a first grader with a Grade Equivalent of 2.3 performed as well as a typical second grader after the third month of the school year. The score does not necessarily mean that the student is capable of doing` second-grade work. Instead, it indicates that this student’s skills are above average for the first grade. 

Instructional Reading Level 

Instructional Reading Level is the grade level where a student is at least 80% proficient at recognizing words and comprehending reading materials in the classroom. 

Zone of Proximal Development 

Zone of Proximal Development is the ideal range where students can read independently to show optimal growth in reading. 

How You Can Support Your Child’s Learning   

1. Consult resources created for parents by PWCS and the Virginia Department of Education.  

• For additional information on English Language Arts instruction, please visit English Language Arts and Literacy Program   

• For additional information about testing and resources, visit the VDOE website

1. Contact your child’s teacher to learn more about ways you can give support from home. Below are questions you can ask:  

• In what skills does my child need more support?  

• How can I support these skills at home?  

• Are there other classroom assessments I should be aware of to help me understand my child’s progress?  

Translations:

Arabic

Chinese

Farsi-Dari

Korean

Pashto

Spanish

Urdu

Vietnamese

Boxes of Basics

Boxes of Basics is a non-profit company that our social worker here at Piney Branch works with closely to help provide clothes for some of our low-income families. Piney Branch is now a donation center and we’re asking the community for any new or gently used clothes for sizes newborns through 16-youth. For more information about Boxes of Basics you can visit their website.

PWCS School Device Insurance 

PWCS has arranged discounted device insurance to help families avoid repair or replacement costs if a school-issued device is damaged, lost or stolen.  

What is covered?                                                                    

• Accidental damage, including drops, cracks, and spills 

• Lost or misplaced devices 

• Theft or burglary 

• Damage from fire, flood, or vandalism 

Please see the link below to register for the Securranty School Device Protection 

Register here for School Device Protection.  

School Meals 2026-2027

Applications for free and reduced-price meals are now available on the PWCS Nutrition Site. Below, please find the USDA-approved school meal prices for the 2025-2026 school year:

Breakfast

• Student full price - $1.80
• Adult price - $2.95

Lunch

• Elementary school student full price - $2.80
• Adult full price - $5.05
• A la carte –
  • Milk, $1
  • Bottled Water $1.00
  • *Cookie $1.00
  • *Packaged Snack $1.00
  • Side Dish $1.50
  • *Strawberry Shortcake $2.50

(* one per day ) 

PTO News

Thank you to everyone who joined us for Movie Night — we had an absolute blast celebrating together as a community. Our Squishy Basket Raffle is now closed, and the lucky winner will be announced later this week. 

2026 Color Craze T-Shirt Deadline 10/16

Our t-shirt order and additional participant registration deadline for Color Craze has been extended to Friday, October 16th at 5:00 p.m. To qualify for Color Craze t‑shirts and register additional participants, you must complete the following steps. 

Create your student's fundraising page 
If you haven’t set up your student’s page yet, start here. A correctly created page ensures eligibility for t‑shirts, additional participants, and prizes. 

Share the page and meet the required minimums 
Share your student’s link with family, friends, and coworkers to help reach the required minimums. All funds support PBES literacy and S.T.E.A.M. programs 

Order t-shirts and register additional participants 
Once minimums are met, complete the t‑shirt order form and additional participant registration form so your runners are ready for the October 30 event. 

DEADLINE REMINDER  All fundraising minimums, t‑shirt orders, and additional participant registrations must be completed by Friday, October 16 at 5:00 PM. No exceptions. T-shirt orders and additional participant registration will NOT be accepted after the deadline. Additional participants must check in at the PBES office and must be pre-registered to be eligible to participate in the event. 

For full details, deadlines, and prize information, visit the Color Craze webpage. 

Squishy Raffle Winners 

Thank you so much for participating in our first ever Squishy Basket Raffle! Our community showed so much excitement and enthusiasm for this event that we are considering hosting another one later this year. Stay tuned for more details! 

The raffle is now officially closed, and we're excited to announce our winners: 

First Place: Penelope G. takes home the coveted Squishy Basket, filled with NeeDohs, RMS Dumplings, and much more! 

Second Place: Elise K. takes home the hard-to-find 2026 NeeDoh December Advent Calendar! 

Congratulations to our winners, and thank you again to everyone who participated and helped make our first Squishy Basket Raffle such a success! 

PTO Meeting October 21 

Join us on Wednesday, October 21 from 7-8 p.m. in the PBES Library to learn about upcoming PTO events, volunteer opportunities, membership options, and more. Meetings are open to the entire Piney Branch community regardless of membership status and will be held throughout the year in the school library. Free childcare will be provided by our NHS students from Gainesville High School to make it easier for families to attend. Plus, save the date for future meetings. 

Can't attend in person? Join us via Zoom. 

Color Craze Run October 30 

Our Color Craze fundraising event will culminate with a running event during the school day on October 30th, 2026. Students will join the Color Craze run by grade to celebrate their hard work. The school grounds will transform into a colorful canvas as students dash through clouds of color with laughter and excitement. They will enjoy a dance party and popsicles after the run. All students participate regardless of fundraising status. Learn more about how your student can earn a commemorative t-shirt and qualify to have family members join in the running event. 

Our 2026 Color Craze running event schedule and additional details for students, additional participants, and volunteers will be available shortly. 

Volunteer registration for Color Craze is now open! If you're available to help during the school day, we invite you to sign up today! Volunteer space is limited and spaces fill up quickly. 

2026 Fall PTO Calendar of Events & Moments 

Check out what's new and save the date for our marquee fall events.

October 

• 10/21 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. PTO Meeting @ PBES Library - Free child care will be provided. 

• 10/30 Color Craze Run (Rain date: Nov 6) 

December

• 12/11 NEW! Mad Science of Washington Event 
  Stay tuned... more details will be announced shortly. 

More exciting events will be announced later in the year. Bookmark our events page to get updates in real time. *Events and dates are subject to change. 

PTO Sponsored Initiatives 

In addition to PTO events, we sponsor initiatives that support our students, teachers, staff, and community. Check out some of our upcoming initiatives for the 2026-2027 school year and see what's new this year. 

• Piney Branch Elementary School Spirit Wear  
  NEW! Designs for the 2026-2027 school year are now available for purchase online through Sep 8.    

• Teacher Appreciation Events & Moments 
  We sponsor monthly teacher appreciation events to ensure our teachers, administrators, and staff know how grateful we are for all they do. 
• 2026-2027 Yearbook 
  Enjoy photography, design, storytelling, or simply want to help celebrate our school community? We welcome you to join the PTO Yearbook Committee. Email the committee to learn more or express interest at [email protected]. 
• Square 1 Art Fundraiser  
  More information coming soon. 

Support the PTO!  

There are many ways to support the PTO - choose the option(s) that fit your schedule and commitment level. 

• Volunteer at one of our marquee events or chair a committee! 

• Become a member for as little as $10! Attending meetings or participating in events is appreciated, but NOT required! 

• Make a financial contribution to support our events and initiatives! The PTO is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. We appreciate your contributions. All donations can be sent to the PTO via Venmo @PineyBranch-ElementaryPTO. 

Stay informed and follow the Piney Branch Elementary School PTO Facebook page! Get event updates, connect with fellow members, and catch all the latest news. Join our social community!

Thank you for supporting the PTO! 

Visit the PTO Website! 

 **PTO Websites (Webpages) and social media accounts are not managed, approved, or sponsored by the Prince William County Public Schools.

Community Flyers/Announcements 

Petite Pioneers Clinic 

Next month on October 28th we will be hosting our annual "Petite Pioneers" Clinic! Open to grades K-8, our petite dancers who join us will receive a t-shirt, dinner, learn a fun Halloween-themed dance routine, and most importantly perform with us during our halftime show! The participants of the Petite Pioneers Dance Clinic will perform the dance they learned at the Patriot vs. Garfield game during halftime on Friday, October 30th at 4:30pm. Feel free to contact [email protected] with any questions. See link below for registration details. 

Click here to register for Petite Pioneers Clinic 

Cub Scouts  

Cub Scouts is a year-round program for boys and girls in grade levels K-5th. Scouts and their families enjoy participating in safe, age-appropriate activities like camping, service projects, life skills, games, and other fun activities that guide them through Scouting’s core values, give them a sense of personal achievement, and prepare them for life. To register your student or learn more information about the Cub Scouts you can click the link below.  

Learn more or and register for Cub Scouts here