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January 15, 2026

From the Principal’s Pen

Dear Laurel Hill Families,

We have several upcoming important dates to remember. The first one being Monday, January 19. Schools and offices will be closed for the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday. Additionally, we are coming towards the end of the second quarter. Wednesday, January 28, is the last day of the quarter and a 2-hour early release for students. Schools are closed for students on Thursday, January 29, for a staff development day, and Friday, January 30, for a teacher workday. Please mark your calendars.

Please know that our teachers and staff are taking necessary steps to maintain healthy habits and reduce the spread of germs. We ask for your support by encouraging students to wash their hands frequently, cover coughs and sneezes, and stay home when feeling unwell. Working together, we can help ensure a safe and healthy learning environment for everyone.

Thank you for your continued partnership and support.

Sincerely,

Janice Dalton, Principal

Addison Smith, Assistant Principal

Thmeaka Traylor, Assistant Principal

Save the Date

Jan 19 Martin Luther King, Jr Day, No School

Jan 28 Quarter Ends/2-hour Early Release

Jan 29 Staff Development Day (No School for Students)

Jan 30 Teacher Work Day (No School for Students)

Feb 16 Presidents Day-No School

Feb 17 Teacher Workday (No School for Students)

Feb 25 3-hour Early Release Wednesday- School ends 1:05pm

2025-26 school year calendar 

wwLockdown Drill Next Week

Parents/Guardians,

Keeping students and staff safe is a priority for all of us. We have a crisis management and emergency preparedness plan for our school that is reviewed and updated regularly. Our plan includes procedures on how to respond to incidents such as fires and tornadoes. Students and staff regularly practice these drills every school year. We also practice lockdown drills.

Virginia Law (22.1-137.2) requires schools to notify parents at least 24 hours before a school practices a lockdown drill. However, we are not required to share the exact date and time of the drill. We are required to practice lockdown drills two times a year. FCPS lockdown drills do not include any type of active shooter scenario training, they are instruction and classroom based.

We will conduct a lockdown drill at our school soon. Our pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students were exempt from mandatory participation in lockdown drills during the first 60 days of the school year. However, they WILL participate in this upcoming drill.

Additional information on our lockdown drill program to include parent tips and FAQs can be found on the Emergency Planning and Crisis Response web page. After reviewing this content, you should discuss the value of these safety drills with your child.

Keeping our school safe and secure for all students and staff involves the participation of the entire school community, and we thank you for your help to keep our school safe.

Join Us for FCPS Math Week! January 12-16

❄️ County Flu Letter

Healthy Habits to Reduce the Spread of Flu and Other Germs

Fairfax County is seeing very high levels of influenza (flu) illness. Visits to emergency departments and urgent care centers for flu-like illness have increased, especially among children, and multiple flu outbreaks have occurred in our community and school settings.

Consider these tips from the Fairfax County Health Department to help reduce the spread of flu and other germs.

Health Highlights

As we approach flu season, to keep your family safe, the Health Department recommends the following:

• Monitor your child and keep them home if sick. Watch for signs of illness in your child. If your child has a fever or severe cough, keep them home. They should stay home, except for medical visits, until they are fever-free for at least 24 hours without medication, feel better overall, and are able to participate in school activities. After they return to school, parents may choose to have them wear a mask at school and during other indoor activities for 5 days after symptoms improve. This will further reduce the chance that they may spread illness to someone else.
• Get your child tested. Consider getting your child tested for respiratory illness if they are sick. You can get COVID-19 tests to use at home, and testing for flu can be done by your healthcare provider.
• Teach your child to wash their hands for 20 seconds with soap and water, especially after coughing or sneezing. Be sure to set a good example by doing this yourself. If soap and water are not available, use hand sanitizer.
• Cover coughs and sneezes. Have your child use a tissue to cover their mouth and nose when they cough and sneeze. Throw tissues in the trash after use. If they do not have a tissue, they should cover coughs and sneezes with their upper sleeve.
• Remind your child to avoid touching their face, like eyes, nose and mouth. Germs spread this way.
• Try to avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Improve your air quality at home. If it’s not too cold, open doors and windows or move activities outside to get fresh air.
• Get vaccinated. Vaccines are highly recommended to protect your child from COVID-19 and the flu. Updated vaccines available each fall are needed for the best protection to prevent serious illness.
• Talk to a healthcare provider about treatment. Talk to your child’s healthcare provider if you have questions or concerns, especially if they have a chronic illness or take long-term medications.

Critical Attendance Information

Please let us know if your child will be absent or arriving to school late.

Report all absences through:

Online: Parent Vue

Email: LaurelHillElem.Attendance@fcps.edu 

Call Attendance Line: 703-551-5353 (24/7 Recorded Line)

 https://laurelhilles.fcps.edu/about/attendance-reporting

If we are not notified by 9:30am, it is possible that you will receive an automated attendance call from the County.