For over three decades, Forest
Elementary School has held
Field Day competitions for students in
grades K-4. The Bearcats
enthusiastically compete in events such as
the three-legged race, the 100-yard dash,
the long jump, and many more!
Coach Stokes and
Coach Michelle Jones, the real M.V.P's,
look forward to hosting this event each
year. Please join us on
the L. O. Atkins' field as this cherished
tradition, which showcases athleticism,
sportsmanship, and school pride, continues!
With every race run, every cheer shouted,
and every medal earned, the bonds
of the Bearcat family are strengthened!
Bring the whole family!
Concessions will be available.
Forest Elementary School's First Grade
Bearcats are practicing daily for the
upcoming bilingual musical!
There will be two performances
on Thursday, April 17, 2025.
It will soon be time to register Kindergarteners for the 2025-2026 school year.
Items needed for registration:
1. Birth Certificate
2. Immunization Form
3. Child's Social Security Card (Optional)
4. Parent/Guardian I. D.
5. Two Proofs of Residency (with Parent/Guardian's Name)
Bring 2 from the list:
Current Electricity Bill
Current Gas Bill
Current Water Bill
Voter Precinct Identification
Car Tag Receipt
Apartment or Home Lease with-
(parent/guardian name, date,
address & amount)
Driver's License/MS I. D. or
Consular I. D.
Filed Homestead Exemption
Application Form
Mortgage Documents or
Property Deed
Attention: All English Language Learner Parents!
Please join us at FES on the evening of April, 8th!
Calling all Kindergarten parents:
Graduation pictures are right around the corner!
Congratulations to the Kindergarten Top Bearcat students, to the Kindergarten Outstanding Students and to the Kindergarten Most Improved students for the third 9 weeks!
The Top Bearcat award is a good character award as these students are responsible, trustworthy, kind, respectful, and they are good helpers. The Outstanding Student award is an academic award; these Bearcats always have their homework, answer questions in class and have consistent good grades. The Most Improved award is given to the student who has shown improvement for academics or behavior. Well done, Tiny Bearcats!
Registration forms will be coming home with students soon.
Time would not allow for the entire crew of famous Americans from the recent Forest Elementary School Wax Museum to attend the school board meeting on Monday, March 17, 2025, so a handful of the second grade participants appeared and introduced themselves to the Forest Municipal School District Board of Trustees. Board member Chantelle Herchenhahn and Board Secretary Mattye Evans had the opportunity to take photographs with the stars of the evening. A highlight of the evening, or let’s say -a highlight of the Forest community is that Herchenhahn or Ms. H., as she is known, taught one or both parents of the young people during H.'s tenure at Forest High School. Students from left to right and the people who they represent are Karleigh Robinson (Constance Slaughter-Harvey), Taelyn Robinson (Dr. Melanie Nelson), Mykah Hayes (Cynthia Slaughter Melton), Tyrelle Kitchens (Barack Obama), Halle Pace (Phylis Campbell), and Kate Sistrunk (Oprah Winfrey).
Spring pictures are coming up next week!
Parents and teachers, please share the flyer on social media.
Smile, Bearcats!
Forest Elementary School’s P. E. teacher, Coach Don “Pete” Stokes, has been employed by the Forest Municipal School District since 1990. During this span of over three decades, Stokes has coached countless young men on the football field, and under his guidance, the track team has won district and state championships. One former student, Head Football Coach Tobias Lofton, stated, “There are great coaches, and then there are transformational coaches-those who shape not only a program’s success but also the lives of everyone they encounter.” Coach Stokes was nominated, by Forest Elementary School’s assistant principal, Debbie Fant, for the Colts Classroom Quarterbacks contest, a program sponsored by Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield. Coach is pictured with 2nd grader Chance Ficklin, who recently portrayed Stokes in the Black History Wax Museum at FES.
The Soto name in Scott county, MS is synonymous with servant leadership. Jonathan and Jacob Soto, the first, a star soccer player and the latter, a decorated Eagle Scout, are following in the footsteps of their mother, FES educator Mrs. Monica Soto, as servant leaders. The young men, Jacob and Jonathan Soto, are the sons of Benny and Monica Soto. Monica, a 2023-2024 Lifechanger nominee, established the English Language learner program at Forest Elementary School in 1999. Both Jacob and Jonathan exemplify the three main concepts of servant leadership: compassion, character, and competence. The boys, who are students at East Rankin Academy, visited Forest Elementary School’s first grade Bearcats to celebrate Read Across America. Jonathan read a popular “Pete the Cat” book. Jacob read a book and then took the time to answer students’ questions about his numerous Eagle Scout medals.
More guest readers on the FES campus today! Forest High School's color guard members dressed as Dr. Seuss characters and read to the first grade classes on the first day of Read Across America week!
In honor of Read Across America week, Chief Randy Jones and several of his firemen visited the Kindergarten classes this morning. The men read "Green Eggs and Ham" and "The Cat in the Hat" to the tiny Bearcats. Many thanks to the men of the City of Forest Fire Department!
"You're never too old, too wacky, too wild, to pick up a book and read to a child." Dr. Seuss
It's here! It's the Read Across America celebration!
Guest Readers will be on campus throughout the week!
The theme for Read Across America is: Create and Celebrate a Nation of Diverse Readers!
Read Across America week is getting closer!
Guest Readers will be visiting the campus of FES all next week!
English language learner parents, please join us in the auditorium on Tuesday evening for resources to help students at home.
Please note that the Black History wax museum is scheduled for tomorrow evening. There is no cost for admission. Tours begin at 5:30 and will end at 7:00 P. M. The event has been moved from the auditorium to the cafeteria. Please come and bring your family and friends.
Forest Elementary School will participate in Read across America next week. The National Education Association (NEA) started the holiday to honor the late author Dr. Seuss on his birthday which is March 2nd. The goal of Read across America is get students excited about reading! There will be guest readers on campus during the week and a couple of dress-up days for students! Read, Bearcats!
Teachers are masters of innovation when it comes to using a variety of strategies to spark students’ interest in learning. It’s no wonder that Amy Plaisance, the 2024-2025 FES/FMSD Teacher of the Year, came up with the unique idea to have students use LED finger lights to practice their spelling words. After the lesson on “using supporting details from the text”, Plaisance darkened the room so she and her students could write their spelling words on the ceiling using the LED lights. Great job, Bearcats!
To kick off National Acts of Kindness week at Forest Elementary School, treat bags were delivered to the school bus drivers by assistants James Van Fleet, Zy'kerria Smith, Skye Nelson and 2nd-Grade lead teacher Jackie Patrick. Forest Municipal School District's bus drivers are committed to the safety and wellbeing of all the students they transport on a daily basis.
