|
English | Español | አማርኛ | 中文 | 한국어 | Tiếng Việt | العربية | فارسی | اردو
A Message from Mr. Morris
A Celebration of our Military-Connected Families!
We are closing out a successful Month of the Military Child in April! I want to extend my gratitude to all of our families for your support and engagement throughout the month. It was inspiring to see so much purple across our campus which served as a visible reminder of our shared commitment to honoring our military-connected students and families. I would also like to recognize the students who joined our morning news each day to help lead these celebrations. Their voices and pride helped bring this month to life.
This year’s theme, Rooted in Resilience, truly reflects the strength, adaptability, and spirit of our Stratford Landing students and families. Since I began my journey here in 2019, the dedication and sense of community among our military-connected families has been one of the most impactful and defining aspects of our school. That resilience is evident not only in how our students navigate change, but also in how they support one another through shared experiences.
One parent shared a great story from our ice cream social we offer to military-connected families in April that beautifully captured why we do what we do. “My son was asked by another child at how he was feeling about our upcoming move, and he shared that he was both excited and sad. Every other child at the table immediately understood and agreed and they talked about how that feels. He had a beautiful opportunity to feel connected to other kids who know exactly what those complicated feelings feel like and that’s truly priceless.” Moments like these are made possible not only by our students and families, but also by our dedicated teachers, who are deeply attuned to the unique needs of military-connected children.
Thank you for the care, understanding, and intentional support you provide each and every day.
Important Dates
Join Us for “Success Day” at SLES on June 10!
We are thrilled to invite you to Success Day, a student-driven celebration of growth, learning, and achievement. Think of this as an end-of-year "open house" where our students take the lead in telling their own stories of success. Students will share not just what they learned, but how they’ve grown this year. We’re still finalizing some details, and we will share more information about the day with you soon, including specific times you’ll be able to come to SLES and celebrate a great year with our students.
Prior to the Covid-19 Pandemic, “Success Day” was a tradition at Stratford Landing and we’re eager to return to this wonderful tradition of celebrating learning and growth and partnering with our families.
Staff Appreciation Week
As we celebrate Staff Appreciation Week at Stratford Landing, one of the best things you can do is simply say thanks. Please take a moment to complete an “FCPS Shout Out” for a staff member that has had a positive impact on your family this school year. A few words of recognition can go a long, long way. Thank you for considering.
FCPS Cares Program
Principal’s Hour
This is an excellent way our families can stay connected to the work of Stratford Landing. You'll get to hear from me on a variety of important topics, and you'll also have plenty of time for your questions and discussion. This is a great opportunity to stay informed, engaged, and connected with what's happening at our school.
At this upcoming meeting, we will reflect on our current school year and preview our upcoming school year. You will be able to offer feedback regarding this school year and ask questions as it relates to next school year. There is so much to celebrate this year. I also want to ensure a forum for our families to provide feedback so we may continue to strengthen and improve our work here at Stratford Landing.
Our last remaining Principal’s Hour Meeting:
Monday, May 18, 6:30 – 7:30 pm; Use this link to join. No need to RSVP.
Stratford Landing Class Placement Information for the 2026-2027 School Year
Many families value having a role in their child’s class placement. Parents and caregivers have the best overall knowledge of your child and her/his unique traits. The class placement process is approached very carefully and thoroughly at Stratford Landing, and we consider the academic and social needs of each student. To provide the best environment for your child, we seek input from both staff and families. Our teachers drive the class placement process, and we trust their judgement and expertise when creating class placements. We ask that you do not reach out directly to teachers to make requests for next school year. Parents and caregivers can provide their input through this process. When completing the form, please share the qualities of a teacher and classroom environment that would best meet your child’s needs.
Requests for specific teachers, or to be grouped with specific students, will not be honored. Instead, this is an opportunity for families to share information about their child that would support learning. To create equitable and dynamic class groupings, it is impossible to honor every request from a family to place a child in a specific classroom with specific students. Please be assured that with or without family input, each child's needs will be carefully considered to ensure the selection of a classroom in which your child will learn best and thrive socially.
Class assignments will not be finalized or communicated to families until closer to the start of the 2026-2027 School Year, likely just a few days before the new school year begins.
Complete this Class Placement Family Input Form to provide your input for the 2026-2027 school year. This form will close on Friday, May 22, 2026.
Thank you.
Your Principals,
Kevin Morris and Shea Hestmark
Career Day 2026!
SLES Families! Mark your calendars—Career Day is coming on Friday, June 12 (9:00–11:30 AM)! | 
