Mark you calendar for Tuesday March 3rd at 5:30 pm. Cardinal PTA will have an IN PERSON meeting the Cardinal Library. We will begin with PTA business and enjoy pizza and refreshments.
Following PTA business, APS's DEI office will provide a family training starting around 6pm. Parents, children, and siblings are all welcome and encouraged to attend!
Please see the attached flier for additional information and you can RSVP through the QR code or at this link. The RSVP is to get an estimation of attendance so that we do not over or under order food for the training.
It’s time to come embrace the cold with your favorite arctic friends for a Polar PALooza at this year’s Winterfest! Cardinal families are welcome to come to the school between 10am and 2pm to enjoy games, face painting, inflatables, as well as the ever-popular cake walk and bake sale! The event and games are free to all attendees due to the generosity the Cardinal community shows at the auction and other events. The cake walk, bake sale, and food vendors will be pay as you go. But the Winterfest can’t happen without your help! We need volunteers to help staff the festival as well as provide cakes and baked goods! Please consider donating your time and effort to make this a fun event for our kids!
Cake Walk and Bake Sale
Bring your decorated cake for the contest to school on Friday, January 23rd by 9am. Cakes will be put in the 1st floor conference room by volunteers who will receive them at all entrances. Cakes for the cake contest should be decorated by the students. Parents may assist, but students must do as much as possible . . . be creative and incorporate the WinterFest theme!
Everyone is encouraged to participate. This year, we invite families to submit treats that are meaningful to your family if you would like to do so! Feel free to dust off a family recipe or bring traditional sweet that holds significance to you and your Cardinal student, and you are also welcome to include with your submission a small index card sharing why it is important to you.
If you have any questions, please contact Jessica Agostinho at 202-492-2979 or jessica.n.agostinho@gmail.com.
Cardinal Cultural 
The PTA is launching a monthly art showcase celebrating our school’s cultural diversity! Each month, students are invited to submit one piece of artwork celebrating culture, family traditions, heritage, or diversity inspired by the featured theme. Artwork will be displayed on a bulletin board outside the cafeteria for the entire month.
January Theme: Celebrating the New Year
Students may create art showing how their family celebrates the New Year, any new year! — including Gregorian, cultural, faith-based, or seasonal New Years. Artwork should be submitted during January and will be displayed throughout January.
How to Participate
Students may use supplies from home or pick up a bag of PTA-provided supplies in the office. Artwork will be returned through classroom teachers after the end of the month.
The Cardinal CHIRP team and the PTA have several efforts underway to help Cardinal families and the broaders Arlington community impacted by cuts to SNAP.
Farmer's Market Fresh Food Drive Sunday 11/16
The PTA will be collecting produce and other fresh foods at the Westover farmer's market for Cardinal and other APS families this Sunday, November 16. You can support both families in our community and the market vendors by shopping for produce and dropping it off at our donation table near the basketball courts. Produce will be delivered to Cardinal families and any excess will be donated to Arlington Title I schools. If you'd like to support this effort but can't make it on Sunday, you can Venmo a donation (@CardinalElementaryPTA; note the donation is for the farmer's market) and we will shop on your behalf.
Gift Card Collection
The PTA is also collecting gift cards for Cardinal families that need additional support. If you are able to give, gift cards for local grocery stores (Safeway, Harris Teeter) and Target are especially needed. You can drop off gift cards in the donation box in the front office through next Friday, November 21.
AFAC Food Drive
The Cardinal CHIRP team is collecting food donations for the Arlington Food Assistance Center to help the broader Arlington community. Donations can be placed in the boxes at the main entrance or by the gym doors until next Friday, November 21. The foods most needed are:
Join us for Neon Nights, a family picnic for the Cardinal community, this Friday, Oct. 17 from 6 to 9 p.m.! Families can purchase takeout or bring a packed dinner to the school's grass field to enjoy together.
What should we bring? 
What about dinner? 
How about dessert? 
What activities will you have? 
Join us for Neon Nights, a family picnic for the Cardinal community, next Friday, Oct. 17 from 6 to 9 p.m.! Families can purchase takeout or bring a packed dinner to the school's grass field to enjoy together.
What should we bring? 
What about dinner? 
How about dessert? 
What activities will you have? APS has a Working Group related to the School Board Advisory Committees and it has proposed some changes to the School Board Advisory Committees structure. See here for the detailed proposal: Slide-deck_Advisory-Committee-WG_Community-engagement_09_24_2025.pdf.
This proposal could result in a significant change in parents’ abilities to communicate with the school board in a constructive way, including working together to make proposals that would improve our schools.
The current chairs of the Advisory Subcommittees strongly supports Option 2 (keeping some standing subcommittees).
Cardinal Cares is expanding its reach and kicking off the new school year with our first community service opportunity - a Fall Collection Drive benefiting Comfort Cases. Comfort Cases is an organization that provides backpacks filled with comfort and personal care items for youth entering the foster care system. Typically, children are given a trash bag to pack their belongings when they are removed from their homes. The Comfort Cases organization is working to end this practice while providing the essentials for a child's first few days in foster care. We will be collecting donations the week of October 20th - 24th in the Cardinal main office. Please see the list below of requested items and consider contributing to this great cause. All items must be in NEW condition. Thank you so much in advance for your support! Any questions please reach out to Kelley Belmont at kelleybelmont1@gmail.com.
Discover if Girl Scouts is right for you! Learn about who Girl Scouts are and what they do, and how parents & you can get involved in local troops.
Tuesday, September 23rd, at 6:30pm
Cardinal ES: Cafeteria
Adults and youth invited!
For more information, contact:
Email: Imanneh@gscnc.org
Phone: 202-274-3334
Cardinal Families - we hope you had a wonderful weekend! This a friendly reminder that registration is OPEN and closes this Sunday, September 21 @ 11:59 PM!
Please note: unfortunately most classes are low-enrolled and in danger of not running, unless noted otherwise. Though a class may be "confirmed to run" or "full" based on enrollment, there are various factors that affect whether a class runs or not, including but not limited to, paid enrollment and overall enrollment for the day.
Spread the word to your family and friends! They don’t want to miss out on this opportunity for their child to join us for hands-on activities and skill-building!
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Hello Cardinal families,
We are thrilled to be back for the fall 2025 session providing a variety of Enrichment Programs for your children. Exciting and enriching, our after-school programs offer a safe and welcoming space where children can discover new interests, make lasting friendships, and grow in confidence. Whether it’s getting creative with art, diving into science experiments, or playing team sports, there’s something for every child to enjoy. Give your child the chance to learn, grow, and have fun—because each day is a new adventure waiting to happen!
Important Updates:
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Click the "Registration Link Here" below to bring you to your school's registration site.
Check out these quick tips for Cardinal families in the Welcome to Cardinal Flyer.
Donated to AFAC through the Food Bus
Gifted to school staff for training, supplies, field trips and more
Gifted to McKinley staff for training, supplies, field trips and more
Purchased at the Book Fair, including 60 for the school library
Offered to students, from robotics and coding to yoga, cooking, and more
Traded in for carnival games, activities, and food at the Fun Fair
Participated in the arts thru Reflections and the Educational Theater Co.
