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September 18, 2026

Weekly Update for September 18, 2026

Dear Parents, 

I hope this email finds you well! Below is your weekly update from Fork Union Military Academy. Please let me know if you have any questions.

DAY STUDENT INFORMATION

Mark your calendars for Friday, October 30 as Fork Union hosts its annual Trunk or Treat. This event wouldn't be possible without our Parents Association. Parents can get involved by signing up to decorate a trunk and participate in the event or by donating candy for our cadets to enjoy. Interested in helping?

Please contact Parents Association representative LTC Vashon Hubert at hubertv@fuma.org. Thank you for helping us make this a memorable night for our cadets!

Reminder: As cadets transition into the Class B uniform for the daily class schedule, Day Students are reminded to keep all issued uniform items in their barracks rooms so they can access them as needed throughout the week. 

100 GIFTS IN 100 HOURS: JOIN THE CHALLENGE!

This October, the Fork Union community is coming together for a special 100 Gifts in 100 Hours challenge in celebration of our annual Day of Giving!

Beginning Monday, October 12 at 8:00 AM and continuing through Friday, October 16 at 12:00 PM, our goal is simple: inspire 100 gifts in 100 hours in support of Fork Union Military Academy.

Every gift, no matter the size, moves us one step closer to 100 and helps support the people, programs, and experiences that make a Fork Union education possible.

Parents and families are an important part of the Fork Union community, and we hope you’ll join alumni, faculty, staff, and friends of the Academy in helping us reach our goal of 100 Gifts. 100 Hours. One Fork Union.

More information, including how to participate, will be shared as we get closer to October 12.

ARE YOU READY FOR PARENT'S WEEKEND?

Fork Union Military Academy is excited to welcome families to campus for our annual Parent’s Weekend, October 9–10, 2026.

Please be sure to RSVP for all events you plan to attend if you haven't already. The Afternoon Tea and Tailgate Dinner on Friday require admission fees. Cadets and children ages 5 and under are free.

RSVP for Parent's Weekend

Families who wish to schedule a Parent-Teacher Conference are encouraged to reach out to their cadet’s teacher directly by email to arrange a meeting time.

Schedule of Events

Friday, October 9, 2026 

  • Welcome Message from COL Steve Macek (1:30 PM) - Free
  • Afternoon Tea in the Beatty Library (2:00 PM) - $5 per person
    • Parent-Teacher Conferences from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM
  • Tailgate Dinner at Estes Dining Hall (6:00 PM) - $10 per person

Saturday, October 10, 2026

  • Open House in Thomas Gymnasium (9:00 AM) - Free
  • Parade at Stadium Field (10:30 AM) - Free
  • Parent's Weekend Leave (11:00 AM) - cadets should return to campus Monday, October 12 by 7 PM. 
SAT TEST | OCTOBER 3, 2026

The October SAT will be administered on campus on Saturday, October 3, 2026.

Families who wish to register their cadet for the October SAT should do so through the College Board website. The registration deadline is Friday, September 18.

To register, please visit: CollegeBoard.com

THANKSGIVING & CHRISTMAS LEAVE PLANNING

Families are encouraged to begin thinking ahead about Thanksgiving Leave and Christmas Leave.

Please use the Orah Parent Portal to submit all leave requests and to schedule any Fork Union transportation needs for your cadet. Submitting requests early helps ensure proper planning and coordination.

Thanksgiving Leave

  • Departure: Thursday, November 19, at 12:30 PM
  • Return: Monday, November 30, by 7:00 PM

Christmas Leave

  • Departure: Thursday, December 17, at 12:30 PM
  • Return: Tuesday, January 5, by 7:00 PM

For families scheduling flights, please try to schedule all departure flights for after 4:00 PM on departure days to allow enough time for cadets to arrive at the airport and check in for their flights.

For transportation details, please click here: FUMA Transportation - Fork Union Military Academy

DO YOU NEED TO CONTACT YOUR CADET'S STUDENT DEVELOPMENT OFFICER?

If you need to contact your cadet's Student Development Officer, please use the email addresses listed below. Student Development Officers are to support communication between cadets, parents, and teachers. They serve as an important point of contact for families and can help answer questions, provide guidance, and support your cadet throughout the year.

HOW TO SEND MAIL & PACKAGES TO YOUR CADET

Families MUST use the following addresses below when sending mail and packages to their cadet. 

Please be sure to use your cadet's full first and last name and include his company name. We have received several packages addressed with nicknames, initials, or incomplete names, which makes it difficult for staff to identify the correct cadet and may delay delivery.

Address for Cadet Mail (Letters, Envelops, Magazines, etc.)

Cadet *First Name* *Last Name*
*Company Name* Company (i.e. Alpha, Bravo, Charlie or Delta)
Fork Union Military Academy
PO Box 278
Fork Union, VA 23055

Address for Cadet Packages

Cadet *First Name* *Last Name*
*Company Name* Company (i.e. Alpha, Bravo, Charlie or Delta)
Fork Union Military Academy
4744 James Madison HWY
Fork Union, VA 23055

Please note that packages should be sent through authorized commercial delivery services such as UPS, FedEx, or USPS. 

Independent delivery services, including Instacart, Walmart Delivery, DoorDash, Grubhub, and similar services, are not authorized on campus and should not be used for cadet deliveries.

CADET CARE PACKAGES FOR BIRTHDAYS AND ANY OTHER OCCASION

Do you want to do something special to surprise your cadet while being away from home? Treat him to a birthday surprise, a pick me-up, or a just because treat from the list below:

Ms. Rhonda White, a member of our Commandant's Department, provides parents with the opportunity to treat their cadet with something special. Choose from the following:

  • Qty of 6 Cupcakes for $10
  • Qty of 12 Cupcakes for $20
  • Qty of 12 Brownies for $10
  • Qty of 12 Chocolate Chip Cookies for $12
  • Small Size Gift Bag of Treats for $25
  • Large Size Gift Bag of Treats for $40
  • Chips and Salsa Bag for $12
  • Rice Crispy Treats for $12

For more information, please contact Ms. Rhonda White at whiter@fuma.org.

ACADEMIC CALENDAR 

Please bookmark the link to our Academic Calendar for the 2026-2027 school year. This calendar highlights all the major events on campus for the academic year, including dates of when each term begins and ends, leave weekends, SAT tests and all holiday breaks.

The easy way to find this calendar is on forkunion.com under Academics - Academic Calendar.

IMPORTANT DATES:

Please always check the Academic Calendar for updates on events. Below are a few coming up in the next couple months:

  • Leave Weekend | September 18-20, 2026
    • Cadets can depart campus for the weekend on Friday, September 18 following any athletic requirements. Cadets must return by 7 PM on Sunday, September 20. Parents must use the Orah Parent Portal to submit a Leave Request, and those requests are due Tuesday, September 15.
  • Term 1 Final Exam | October 1, 2026
    • The Term 1 Final exam will be held on Thursday, October 1.
  • Term 2 Begins | October 2, 2026
    • Term 2 begins on Friday, October 2.
  • SAT Test | October 3, 2026
    • The October SAT Test will be administered on campus on Saturday, October 3. To register, please visit: CollegeBoard.com. The deadline for registering is Friday, September 18.
  • Parent's Weekend | October 9-10, 2026
    • Fork Union Military Academy will host its annual Parent's Weekend beginning Friday, October 9 at 1:30 PM. Families are invited to join us for an afternoon of activities leading into the annual Parent's Weekend Parade on Saturday, October 10, at 10:30 AM. To RSVP for Parent's Weekend, please click here
  • Parent's Weekend Leave | October 10-12, 2026
    • Cadets may enjoy an extended weekend off campus with their parents beginning Saturday, October 10 at 11 AM. Cadets must return to campus by Monday, October 12 at 7 PM.
  • Founder's Day Celebration | October 12-16, 2026
    • Fork Union’s 100 Gifts in 100 Hours challenge begins Monday, October 12 at 8:00 AM and runs through Friday, October 16 at noon! Our goal is to inspire 100 gifts from alumni, parents, faculty, staff, and friends in support of the Academy. Every gift counts toward our goal! More information to come!
  • Trunk or Treat | October 30, 2026
    • We need our Parents Association’s help to make this year’s annual Trunk or Treat on Friday, October 30 a fun Halloween experience for our cadets! Parents can get involved by signing up to decorate a trunk and participate in the event or by donating candy for our cadets to enjoy. Interested in helping? Please contact Parents Association representative LTC Vashon Hubert at hubertv@fuma.org. Thank you for helping us make this a memorable night for our cadets!

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Best regards,
Kelly Barnette
Director of Communications
Fork Union Military Academy
Email: barnettek@fuma.org


This email can also be found on the Parents page of forkunion.com under Announcements.


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