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To read this newsletter in other languages, please visit our website.
Para leer este boletin en otros idiomas, visite nuestro sitio web.
يرجى زيارة موقعنا الألكتروني لقراءة هذه النشرة الإخبارية بلغات أخرى
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The Lion’s Roar
November 18, 2022
Thanks to all the families who donated food to our fall food drive! Because of your generosity, last night we were able put together dozens of weekend food packs for students in our school community and deliver a couple carloads of staples to replenish the Koinonia Foundation food pantry, which will help support families across our local area. Special thanks to the PTA and the Student Ambassadors, who co-sponsored the drive.
Last night was also the PTA’s Family Storytime Night. Students and their families were able to stay late at school to enjoy listening to stories read by school staff members. Thanks again to the PTA and to the teachers who shared their favorite books with eager audiences of all ages.
Upcoming Events
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Wednesday, 11/23 – Friday, 11/25 – Thanksgiving Holiday (School and Office CLOSED)
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Monday, 11/28 – Picture Day Make-Ups and Retakes
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Monday, 11/28 – Friday, 12/2 – Lane Library Book Fair
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Monday, 11/28 – FLE Preview Night, 6 p.m. on Zoom
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Wednesday, 11/30 – Book Fair Family Night, 5 – 7 p.m.
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Friday, 12/2 – “First Friday” Family Engagement Series: Hurried Parent, Stressed Family (Holiday Edition), 8 a.m.
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Monday, 12/5 – Friday, 12/9 – Inclusive Schools Week/”Walk in My Shoes”
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Tuesday, 12/6 – December PTA Meeting, 6:30 p.m.
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Wednesday, 12/7 – Yearbook Activity Group and Classroom Candid Pictures
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Friday, 12/9 – New Family/Student Ambassador Family Cookie Exchange, 4:30 p.m.
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Thursday, 12/15 – Advanced Academics Program Referrals due to Ms. Simon
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Monday, 12/19 – Monday, 1/2 – Winter Break
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Tuesday, 1/3 – School Reopens
In This Issue
- We Are Grateful for You! Happy Thanksgiving!
- Fall Portrait Make-Ups and Retakes Monday, November 28th
- Family Life Education (FLE) Materials Preview Night Monday, November 28th; Instruction to Begin Soon
- You Can Be an Active Part of the FCPS Strategic Planning Family Team!
- Volunteers and Materials Needed for Inclusive Schools Week, December 5th – 9th!
- The Book Fair Is Coming Soon!
- Recorder Lessons Start December 5th for Grades 3 through 6! Have You Purchased Your Child’s Recorder Yet?
- Full-Time Advanced Academics Referrals Due Thursday, December 15th! Quick Review Guide Available
- Parent Resources: IEP Palooza, Upcoming Webinars, Alcohol & The Holidays
- PTA News: Next Meeting – Tuesday, December 6th
News & Notes
We Are Grateful for You! Happy Thanksgiving!
We would like to begin this last Lion’s Roar before the Thanksgiving holiday with heartfelt words of thanks to all of you – our Lane Elementary families – for being such supportive and dedicated members of our school community. It is truly a gift to be a part of such an amazing partnership, and we are honored to work with your children every day.
Please remember that school will be CLOSED next Wednesday, November 23rd through Friday, November 25th for Thanksgiving. School will reopen on Monday, November 28th at the regular time.
We wish you a warm and wonderful holiday, filled with family, friends, and – of course – lots of good food!
Fall Portrait Make-Ups and Retakes Monday, November 28th
If you are new to our school, your child was absent on the day pictures were taken earlier this fall, or you are not happy with the portraits you received, we will be offering make-ups and retakes on Monday, November 28th.
If you ordered a package from the first photo session and you wish to have your child’s picture retaken, please return the original package on Picture Retake Day. If you are new or your child was absent, you can find ordering information on the flyer below.
Family Life Education (FLE) Materials Preview Night Monday, November 28th; Instruction to Begin Soon
A message from Allen Dickens, Lane Assistant Principal
Students in grades K through 6 participate in Family Life Education (FLE) instruction through their classroom teacher. Students in kindergarten through grade 3 receive instruction in an emotional and social health unit. Students in grades 4 through 6 receive instruction in a human growth and development unit and an emotional and social health unit. For more information about the FCPS Family Life Education program, please see the detailed grade-level program descriptions on the FCPS website at https://www.fcps.edu/academics/elementary-family-life-education-fle.
In addition, grade-level– specific curriculum lessons are available for review in multiple locations.
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Online in Schoology. Here you’ll find lessons and media titles for which FCPS has streaming rights. Any additional media or book titles that are not streamed are available at your child’s school library. Parents/guardians log in to Schoology using the same username and password as their Student Information System (SIS) Parent Account. See this document for step-by-step instructions on how to find this information in Schoology.
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Your child’s school. Please contact the school to schedule a time to review lessons and/or media.
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City of Fairfax Regional Library. This site offers lessons only. Media is not available.
You are invited to attend an evening opportunity to preview the Family Life Education media and lessons and to talk with school staff about the program. The meeting will be held on Monday, November 28th at 6 p.m. on Zoom. Please use this link to join the session or join by phone using one of these methods:
Phone one-tap
US: +19292056099,,94249613467# or +13017158592,,94249613467#
Join by Telephone
For higher quality, dial a number based on your current location.
US : +1 929 205 6099 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 305 224 1968 or +1 309 205 3325 or +1 312 626 6799 or +1 646 931 3860 or +1 346 248 7799 or +1 360 209 5623 or +1 386 347 5053 or +1 507 473 4847 or +1 564 217 2000 or +1 669 444 9171 or +1 669 900 6833 or +1 689 278 1000 or +1 719 359 4580 or +1 253 205 0468 or +1 253 215 8782
Meeting ID: 942 4961 3467
All program materials and media for all grade levels will be available for your review at this time.
Parents/guardians who do not wish to have their child participate in FLE instruction may choose to opt their child out of any or all of the lessons. If you would like to opt your child out of one or more lessons, please fill out the form provided to you in your child’s orientation packet at the beginning of the school year or you may access the opt-out forms online at https://www.fcps.edu/academics/elementary-family-life-education-fle.
If you have already indicated your desire to opt your child out of FLE lessons by using the form provided earlier in the school year, you do not need to complete another form. Should you opt your child out and then later decide you want your child included in FLE instruction, you must notify your child’s school principal in writing before instruction begins.
An alternative non-FLE health instructional program is provided for children who do not take part in FLE instruction, and every effort is made to foster understanding and respect for family choices and to avoid peer pressure for or against participation in the program.
Instruction of the instructional units occurs at various times during the school year. Please contact your child’s teacher for specific dates of FLE instruction. We look forward to working as your partner in providing information that will help your child make healthy choices related to the exciting changes and new challenges he/she will be facing in the next few years.
You Can Be an Active Part of the FCPS Strategic Planning Family Team!
Developing the FCPS Strategic Plan will involve assembling multiple work teams that represent the perspectives of school staff, families, students, and community partners and organizations. FCPS is currently seeking nominations for families and caregivers who are interested in contributing to the strategic planning process as part of the Family Team (FT). This team will come together four times during the next several months. The families and caregivers of our current or prospective students can self-nominate or can be nominated using this form. Nominations are due by Tuesday, November 22nd.
Volunteers and Materials Needed for Inclusive Schools Week, December 5th – 9th!
Get excited for this year’s Inclusive Schools Week! Held December 5th through 9th, the theme is “Unity within Community—Inclusion Around the World.” At Lane, we will hold an inclusion-themed spirit day for each day of the week and special activities during P.E. classes based on the Walk In My Shoes (WIMS) curriculum.
WIMS' empathy-building activities are interactive and hands-on and enable students to experience the perspectives of individuals with visual, communication, fine motor, and sensory differences, along with individuals with food allergies and English Language Learners. The goals of the activities are to increase knowledge, shift perspectives, and teach the importance of supportive and inclusive environments as we all experience the world in our own unique way.
To make this week a success, we need volunteers to run the activity stations on December 8th and 9th during P.E. classes, and we need donations/supplies to run the program. Volunteers will receive a packet of information ahead of the event with more information on how to run their station. Donations can be put in the boxes next to the elevators or sent directly to the school (labeled for Ms. Kurtenbach).
Volunteers must sign up and donations must be dropped off at school by Monday, November 28th.
- Sign up to volunteer here: https://bit.ly/iw_volunteer
- Sign up for supplies here: https://bit.ly/iw_supplies
If you have any questions, please contact Jee Deogracias (inclusion@lanepta.org) or Claire Kurtenbach (clkurtenbach@fcps.edu). Thank you for making this event a success!
A Letter from the Principal: The Book Fair Is Coming – November 28th through December 2nd!
Dear Parents and Families:
Get ready! The Scholastic Book Fair is coming our way (YAY!). Choosing their own books empowers kids and inspires them to become Bolder, Prouder, and Stronger Readers. AND—as always—every book they buy earns rewards for our school.
Here’s what you need to know about the Fair, which will take place from November 28th to December 2nd in the Library:
This year, say goodbye to cash and hello to eWallet—your child’s digital payment account. Before the Fair, set up eWallet for worry-free, cash-free purchases. Anyone can contribute! Share each child’s eWallet so friends and family can add funds and give your kids more books to enjoy.
If you can’t make it to the Fair, then shop at our school’s Online Book Fair. All orders ship directly to your home, and shipping is free for book orders over $25. Your online orders will also benefit our school.
Visit our Book Fair homepage to learn more and get started with eWallet, shop online, and volunteer:
http://www.scholastic.com/bf/lanees
The countdown to more Bookjoy is on! Catch you at the Fair!
Happy reading,
Christine Prahl, Principal
Lane Elementary
Recorder Lessons Start December 5th for Grades 3 through 6! Have You Purchased Your Child’s Recorder Yet?
Recorder instruction will start in general music classes the week of December 5th. Please make sure that your 3rd through 6th grade child has a recorder and brings it to school by that date.
Many students should already have a recorder from previous years. If not, please purchase a recorder for your child and send it to school labeled with their first and last name on the bag. Recorders will stay in the music classroom until the end of this year. Students will continue with recorder instruction for the rest of their elementary school years, so they will need their recorder next year as well.
If your family has a financial need for a recorder, please let us know, and we will ensure your student receives a recorder.
Please see the letter from Mr. Lynch and Ms. Corcelius that was sent home earlier this month for details on the recorder program and places you can purchase one if needed. If you have questions, please contact Mr. Lynch at klynch1@fcps.edu or Ms. Corcelius at jzcorcelius@fcps.edu.
Full-Time Advanced Academics Referrals Due Thursday, December 15th; Quick Review Guide Available
If you wish to refer your child for full-time Advanced Academics Program (AAP) placement, don’t forget that you must complete the referral form and accompanying documentation and email it to Lane’s Advanced Academics Resource Teacher Linda Simon at lesimon@fcps.edu no later than Thursday, December 15th at 11:59 p.m. No referrals will be accepted after this time.
Please let Ms. Simon know in advance if you plan to refer your child, even though you have until December 15th to submit the referral. This allows her to prepare paperwork to accompany the referral.
Resources are available to help with completing the referral form.
Please contact Ms. Simon if you have questions.
Parent Resources
IEP Palooza and Community Resource Fair – Saturday, December 3rd, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m., Annandale High School
Presented by FCPS and SEPTA (the Special Education PTA), this event will dig into many different aspects of the IEP process and offer a variety of resources to support students with special needs. Information is geared towards parents, school staff, and students aged 14 and up. Register for free here.
See the flyer below for details.
(Flyers are also available in Arabic, Chinese, Korean, Spanish, Urdu, and Vietnamese.)
From the Hayfield Pyramid Substance Abuse Pyramid Specialist: Alcohol & The Holidays
The holidays usually involve family time, games, movies, food, and possibly drinks. The holidays may involve less family members this year, but that doesn’t necessarily mean less alcohol for some. Alcohol consumption has increased during the pandemic and when ABC stores were deemed essential it didn’t help lower those rates (ABC News, September 29, 2020). Many people are still trying to figure out how to navigate our “new normal” since a global pandemic wasn’t on our to-do list in 2020, but we encourage you to consider a few things during these trying times.
Questions to consider when drinking with your family:
- What message am I sending if I drink in excess around my underage child?
- Have I had conversations about responsible drinking with them?
- Are the conversations I have about alcohol realistic?
- Do my conversations with others reinforce alcohol use as a coping skill during stressful times?
- What messages am I sending my underage child if I allow them to drink with me or another adult in the house?
Info to consider:
- “One-third of Fairfax County students (33.7%) reported drinking alcohol at least once in their lifetime, ranging from 18.8% of eighth-grade students to half of twelfth-grade students (49.4%). One in seven students (15.2%) reported drinking alcohol in the past month, ranging from 4.5% of eighth-grade students to 27.7% of twelfth-grade students.” (FCPS Youth Survey 2020)
- “Female students reported higher rates of alcohol use in their lifetime (36.1% compared to 31.2% of male students), in the past month (17.1% and 13.1%, respectively), and binge drinking in the past two weeks (7.3% and 6.5%, respectively)” (FCPS Youth Survey 2020).
Resources:
Holiday Stress
Helpful Info to Quit Vaping
FCPS video on Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs
Substance Abuse Prevention (Spanish)
For general questions about the FCPS Substance Abuse Prevention Program, please contact the Office of Student Safety & Wellness at 571-423-4270 and be sure to follow us on Twitter at @FCPSSAPS.
For further Information and support, contact Bryan Villalobos, Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist, at bvillalobos@fcps.edu
Upcoming Webinar from the FCPS Parent Resource Center
Meet the Author Series: The 5 Love Languages of Teenagers: The Secret to Loving Teens Effectively by Dr. Gary Chapman
Socially, mentally, and spiritually, teenagers face a variety of pressures and stressors each day. Despite these pressures, it is still families who can influence teens the most, and The 5 Love Languages of Teenagers equips parents to make the most of that opportunity.
Join Dr. Chapman as he shares his insights and thoughts about loving our teens.
Friday, December 2nd, 10 - 11 a.m.
Register for Meet the Author Series: The 5 Love Languages of Teenagers: The Secret to Loving Teens Effectively by Dr. Gary Chapman
PTA News
Join Us for the November PTA Meeting on Zoom – Tuesday, December 6th, 6:30 p.m.
All parents and caregivers are invited to join the PTA for their virtual December meeting on Tuesday, December 6th at 6:30 p.m.
Here’s the link to join:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83675189124?pwd=NExkdkxEZDYwYVB5S213RlRScTBVdz09.
We hope to see you there!
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