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The Lion's Roar

Monday, May 5, 2025

Upcoming Events

• Continuing through Friday, 5/9 – Staff Appreciation Week
• Continuing through Friday, 5/16 - SOL Testing, grades 3 - 6 (see article below for specific dates for specific tests)
• Wednesday, 5/7 – Walk, Bike & Roll to School Day
• Friday, 5/9 – Family Input Form for class placement due
• Monday, 5/12 – Early Release Monday, dismissal at 1:05 p.m.
• Thursday, 5/15 – NEW DATE for PTA Family Fitness Night, 6 p.m.
• Thursday, 5/22 – Spring Chorus Concert, 6:30 p.m.
• Monday, 5/26 – Memorial Day Holiday, school, office and SACC CLOSED

In This Issue

• It’s Staff Appreciation Week! Help Us Celebrate Our Amazing Lane Staff!
• SOL Testing Continues This Week
• Next Early Release Monday Is Next Week, May 12!
• Family Input for Class Placement Next Year Due This Friday, May 9
• Spring Walk, Bike, and Roll to School Day Is Wednesday, May 7
• Attend Today, Achieve Tomorrow. We All Belong Here!
• May Heritage Celebrations: Jewish American Heritage Month and Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Month
• Parent Resources: Required immunizations for 7th and 12th grade, mental health resources, FCPS family supports, webinars
• FCPS News & Activities: Budget update, Summer Extravaganza, and more!
• Community Events & Activities: Twain Community Night, May 16

News & Notes

It’s Staff Appreciation Week! Help Us Celebrate Our Amazing Lane Staff!

This week, May 5 – 9, is National Teacher Appreciation Week. At Lane, we celebrate Staff Appreciation Week, as we honor all the amazing adults who work so hard with our students every day. This includes not only classroom teachers but also specialists (art, music, P. E., etc.), resource teachers (special education, ESOL, reading, math, etc.), and instructional assistants.

The Lane PTA is planning special treats for the entire week, and the administration has planned some special surprises as well. Thank you to all who have donated goodies through our Amazon Wish List!

If you would like to express your appreciation for the work your child’s teacher or another staff member has done this year, we encourage you to do so. You don’t need to spend a lot of money, as the best gifts are often simple and free. Handwritten notes and cards and/or drawings are always treasured.

Thank you for supporting our staff!

SOL Testing Continues This Week

If you have a child in grades 3 through 6, please remember that required Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL) testing is now underway. Here is the full schedule by grade level:

Grade 3:

• Reading – Thursday, May 8
• Math – Friday, May 16

Grade 4:

• Reading – Wednesday, May 7
• Math – Thursday, May 15

Grade 5:

• Reading – Thursday, May 1
• Science – Friday, May 9
• Math – Tuesday, May 13

Grade 6:

• Reading – Monday, May 5
• Math – Wednesday, May 14

You can help your children be physically prepared for testing by ensuring that they have a good night’s sleep the night before, eat a healthy breakfast in the morning, and come to school with a positive attitude. We also ask that you avoid scheduling appointments that will take your child out of school on test days. Make-up days will be available, but it’s best for students to take the tests on the scheduled day with their class. Retakes for certain students who qualify will start later in May.

Please see the full SOL Testing Notification for more details about these tests, answers to frequently asked questions, and retake permission forms.

If you have any questions about the SOLs or other academic concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact your child’s teacher.

Next Early Release Monday Is Next Week, May 12!

Our final 3-hour Early Release Monday of the school year will be May 12. We will dismiss at 1:05 p.m. that day and will send your child home or to after-school care the usual way UNLESS we have received instructions from you to keep your child at school. We will follow the dismissal guidance you provided last month unless we hear from you that a change is needed.

Please contact the school office at 703-924-7700 by noon on THIS FRIDAY, May 9, with any updates.

Family Input for Class Placement Next Year Due This Friday, May 9

A regular end-of-the-year task that staff work on is student groupings for class placements next year. All staff have input on groupings that can best support students within the school day. We also appreciate your input for staff to consider on how your child works and learns best. Below is our family input form.

Please do not request a teacher by name or gender. Additionally, please do NOT include negative information about past teachers, as the teachers read these forms when assisting with class assignments. If you do, please know it will be deleted.

Because of enrollment changes over the summer, class assignments will not be finalized until the middle of August 2025. Families will be contacted by the assigned teacher before the start of Open House in August.

If you are interested in sharing information, please complete the form below by Friday, May 9, 2025.

FAMILY INPUT FORM

Spring Walk, Bike & Roll to School Day Is Wednesday, May 7!

Schools across Fairfax County will participate in Walk, Bike & Roll to School Day on Wednesday, May 7, in an effort to promote physical activity and reduce traffic congestion and pollution near schools. Students and staff are encouraged to bike or walk to school and work, where safe to do so, that day. Parents are encouraged to accompany their children to school.

Attend Today, Achieve Tomorrow. We All Belong Here!

In FCPS, we all belong. From the first day of school, to the last day of school, every child matters. If your student is having a hard time finishing the year strong and attending school, please contact a trusted adult at our school — a teacher, counselor, or administrator. Visit FCPS’ website for more attendance resources.

May Heritage Celebrations: Jewish American Heritage Month and Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Month

Share Your Culture with Your Lane Family!

May is the nationally recognized heritage month for two groups – Jewish Americans and Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.

Jewish American Heritage Month celebrates the history of Jewish contributions to American culture, acknowledging the diverse achievement of the Jewish community in the U.S. In 1992, May was designated Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month to celebrate their heritage and contributions. People with ancestral roots in Asia and the islands of the Pacific have also been integral to the story of America.

We enjoyed recognizing these two heritages at our Celebration of Cultures Night last month, and we will continue that recognition throughout May. We invite all of our students and families who identify as Jewish or AAPI to share something about their culture with their Lane friends and families by sending in a photo of a special item or cultural tradition, along with the picture of themselves! We will display the photos and information we receive in the hallway near the library.

If your child/family would like to participate, please send photos and display information our family liaison Melanie Crosby Hardy at macrosby@fcps.edu no later than Friday, May 23.

We look forward to learning more about your family and culture!

New Lane PreK Program for Eligible Families for 2025-26 School Year

Our school will be gaining a grade level next year with the addition of our first PreK program for 4-year-olds from families who meet specific criteria.

Your family may qualify for PreK or Early Head Start if you:

• have a child who will be age 3 or 4 by September 30,
• receive free or reduced-price school meals, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Social Security Income, and/or homeless per definition of the McKinney Vento Act, or
• receive resources such as from a shelter and/or the FCPS homeless liaison office.

Though families may qualify, spaces are limited and selection is based on need, not “first come, first served,” with PreK priority given to 4-year-olds.

If you would like to apply for this program, visit the FCPS website:
https://www.fcps.edu/about-fcps/registration/early-childhood/prek-and-early-head-start-application.

Note: The application eligibility, selection, and enrollment process is managed centrally at the Office of Early Childhood Curriculum and Grant Management located in Falls Church, not at schools. If you have a question about the application process or status please call the main English Line: 703-208-7900 or Spanish Line: 703-208-7901.

PTA News

Family Fitness Night Rescheduled to Thursday, May 15!

Get ready to get moving with other Lane families and friends at the PTA’s Family Fitness Night! This FREE event has been rescheduled to Thursday, May 15, from 6 to 8 p.m. and will feature fitness fun for all ages. You’ll be able to try out lessons in activities like Taekwondo, Barre, and more! Raffle prizes will also be offered. (Be sure to bring cash for raffle tickets if you’d like to enter to win.) Flyers were sent home last Wednesday.

Parent Resources

Required Immunizations for Rising 7th and 12th Graders

Additional immunizations are required for students entering 7th and 12th grades.

• All students entering 7th grade are required to receive one dose of each of the following immunizations prior to the beginning of school: Tetanus, Diphtheria and Pertussis booster (Tdap), Meningococcal vaccine (MenACWY), and Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine.
  • To meet the Tdap requirement, the vaccination must be administered at age 7 or older.
  • To meet the MenACWY requirement, the vaccination must be administered at age 10 or older.
  • As a parent/guardian, you may decide that your child not receive the HPV vaccination. The school does not require documentation if a parent/guardian elects for their student not to receive the HPV vaccination.

• All students entering 12th grade are to receive one dose of Meningococcal vaccine (MenACWY) prior to the beginning of school.
  
  • To meet the MenACWY 12th grade requirement, the vaccination must be administered at age 16 or older.

Please consider getting your child’s immunizations early so that they can attend school in the fall. Summer is a busy time for families and healthcare providers. As long as your child meets the age requirements listed above, they can be immunized at any time. Additional resources are available on the FCPS Immunization Resources webpage and the Fairfax County Health Department.

Your Child's Mental Wellness Matters: Access Comprehensive Services

Reach out to the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board (CSB) for specialized youth mental health services designed to help your child succeed. The CSB has individual and family counseling, psychiatric diagnostic evaluations, medication management, parenting groups, peer support, crisis response, recovery supports to include medication assisted treatment (MAT), intensive services, and more.

Contact CSB Entry and Referral by calling 703-383-8500 or emailing csb@fairfaxcounty.gov.

FCPS Ombuds Office Provides Confidential Guidance

The Office of the Ombuds engages with families, students, and staff to offer resources and improve the experience of each and every member of the FCPS community. They work as an independent confidential resource to help answer questions, offer options to resolve concerns, and hear complaints regarding FCPS matters.

Anyone seeking assistance from the Office of the Ombuds may call 571-423-4014, text 571-496-8284, email ombuds@fcps.edu, or visit their webpage, where you may Submit a Question. Ombuds staff do not change or make decisions, policies, or regulations; take sides; or provide legal advice.

Parent Information Line Available in Nine Languages

Parents/caregivers who speak Amharic, Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, Korean, Spanish, Urdu, or Vietnamese may call a telephone information line for general information about FCPS. View the list of phone numbers.

FREE Webinars from the Family Resource Center in May

Building Self-Esteem and Stopping Bullying - Arabic Webinar
بناء تقدير الذات و وقف التنمر

Friday, May 9, 10 – 11:30 a.m.

تستعرض هذة الندوة عبرالانترنت تأثيرالتنمرعلى تقدير الذات وتقدم استراتيجيات لمواجهة ووقف التنمر، دعم المتضررين وتعزيز ثقافة الاحترام والمرونة. انضموا إلينا للمساعدة في خلق بيئة أكثر أمانًا وشمولية لكل طفل.

Register here

Summertime and an Idle Mind: Keeping Children Drug-Free While Home This Summer

Friday, May 16, 10 – 11:30 a.m.

While students look forward to summer break, families must begin to plan what their children will do with their downtime. Participants will learn basic drug safety in the home as they prepare for their children to be home for the summer and how they can reduce the likelihood of their child using mood altering substances. Participants will understand the purpose of harm reduction and how to apply it in their conversations with youth while remaining nonconfrontational.

Register here

Part 3: Using Strength-based Approach When Communicating with Twice-Exceptional Students

Tuesday, May 20, 10 – 11:30 a.m.

Supporting families in recognizing common communication challenges for twice-exceptional students and understanding the principles of a strength-based approach and how it differs from a deficit-based perspective. As well as, applying practical strategies to communicate effectively with your 2e child by emphasizing strengths and fostering empowerment, using active listening and emotional coaching techniques to support your child’s confidence and emotional regulation and implementing strength-based communication strategies in real-life scenarios to enhance your child’s engagement and resilience.

Register here

The Effects of Bullying on the Child’s Self-Esteem – Spanish Webinar

Friday, May 30, 10 – 11:30 a.m.

El propósito del taller es ayudar a las familias a definir y reconocer los diferentes tipos de acoso escolar (bullying). El taller ayudara a informar a los padres y cuidadores de posibles señales que indican que su hijo/a pueda estar experimentando el acoso escolar, y el impacto que tiene en su bienestar. Adicionalmente, proveeremos estrategias para apoyar a sus hijos si experimentan acoso escolar.

Register here

FCPS News & Activities

Excellence at a Crossroads: FCPS Budget Update

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors will begin finalizing the budget on Tuesday, May 6. The current advertised budget underfunds FCPS by $150 million.

Without new revenue, such as the meals tax (adding just $2-3 to an average dining bill for a family of four), FCPS will face significant cuts.

What Is at Risk?

Go to fcps.edu/crossroads to see examples of where FCPS exceeds minimum state standards.