The Weekly Roar - Friday, November 17, 2023

Fairfax County Public Schools sent this bulletin at 11/17/2023 09:32 PM EST

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

 

The Lion’s Roar

November 17, 2023

 

Sharing Stories and Support

Thank you to all the families who supported our recent food drive by donating items and helped our Student Ambassadors and PTA members sort, count, and pack up those items last night. What a generous community we have! We filled more than 15 boxes (a vanload!) with canned goods, dry goods, and cleaning supplies for the Koinonia Foundation, a local nonprofit that supports families in need across our area. And that was in addition to the hundreds of healthy snacks we collected to stock our own school-based food pantry that helps our students in need during the day. Kindergarten collected the most items, amassing more than 1,000 individual snacks!

An overview of the items collected in food drive
Students and parents sorting and counting food items
Students and parents sorting and counting food items

 

When the sorting, counting, and packing was done, the attention turned to sharing stories, as several Lane teachers read some of their favorite books aloud. Comfy pajamas and warm cocoa made the evening even more cozy and fun!  

Teacher reading to students in the gym
Teacher reading to students in the library
Teacher reading to students in the cafeteria

 

Upcoming Events

  • Wednesday, 11/22 – Friday, 11/24 – Thanksgiving Holiday (School and Office CLOSED, SACC open regular hours on Wednesday only)
  • Monday, 11/27 – Friday, 12/1 – Book Fair!
  • Wednesday, 11/29 – Book Fair Family Night, 5 – 8 p.m.
  • Monday, 12/4 through Friday, 12/8 – Inclusive Schools Week
  • Tuesday, 12/5 & Wednesday, 12/6 – “Walk in My Shoes” Inclusive Schools Week activities during P.E. classes
  • Thursday, 12/7 – Fall Picture Retake Day
  • Thursday, 12/7 – Winter Chorus Concert, 9:30 a.m. for students, 6:30 p.m. for families
  • Wednesday, 12/13 – New Family/Student Ambassador Family Cookie Exchange, 4:30 p.m.
  • Friday, 12/15 – Advanced Academics Program Referrals due to Ms. Simon
  • Monday, 12/18 through Monday, 1/1 – Winter Break, School and Office CLOSED

 

In This Issue

  • Giving Thanks
  • The Book Fair Is Coming to the Lane Library!
  • More News from the Lane Library: End-of-Quarter Overdue Notices
  • News from the P.E. Department – “Walk in My Shoes” Coming December 5th & 6th During Inclusive Schools Week
  • PTA News: Event updates, Book Fair
  • Parent Resources: Staying healthy in cold/flu season, special-education resources for families, alcohol and the holidays, community review of Language Arts instructional resources

 


News & Notes

 

Happy Thanksgiving art


Giving Thanks

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 22nd, through Friday, November 24th, for Thanksgiving. School will reopen on Monday, November 27th at the regular time.

Due to the shortened school week and the holiday, there will not be a Lion’s Roar newsletter next week.

We wish you a warm and wonderful holiday, filled with family, friends, and – of course – lots of good food!

 

Native American Heritage Month

Native American Heritage Month is a time to celebrate rich and diverse cultures, traditions, and histories and to acknowledge the important contributions of Native Americans. It is also a time to raise a general awareness about the unique challenges they have faced both historically and in the present, and the ways in which tribal citizens have worked to conquer these challenges.

 Native American Heritage Month

Learn more about the heritage months, celebrations, and traditions celebrated in FCPS.

 

The Lane PTA Book Fair is Coming to the Library! Volunteers Needed!

Monday, November 27th through Friday, December 1st – In Person
Tuesday, November 21st through Monday, December 4th – Online

Please visit the fair website: https://bookfairs.scholastic.com/bf/laneelementaryschool3. You will find information about:

  • volunteering (or you can go directly to the electronic sign-up)
  • setting up an eWallet
  • online shopping.

 

Here’s what’s happening:

  • Monday, November 27th – Wednesday, November 29th: Student Preview Days (no purchasing during the school day). Students will get a chance to look at fair items and create wish lists.
  • Wednesday, November 29th, 5 – 8 p.m.: Family Night! Purchasing begins for students and families.
  • Thursday, November 30th and Friday, December 1st: Student Purchasing Days. Students will have a chance to purchase items during the school day at a scheduled time.

Family members may also come in on Thursday, November 30th from 9:45 a.m. to noon, and on Friday, December 1st, from noon until 3:45 p.m. to purchase items. We accept cash, credit cards, and checks (payable to Lane PTA), and we have a digital payment option: eWallet. Now your student can shop the fair cash-free! Visit our Book Fair homepage to learn more and to create an account. We strongly encourage the use of eWallet to avoid lost money! Unused money turns into a Scholastic gift certificate that can be used for other Scholastic items.

Please note that the in-school fair ends at 3:45 p.m. on Friday, December 1st.

We will also hold an online book fair, with items available for purchase Tuesday, November 21st through Monday, December 4th.

Proceeds from both the in-person and online fairs support the Lane Library, which is used by all students and teachers at Lane, and the larger Lane community as well. We’re so excited about the fair! For more information, please also visit https://bookfairs.scholastic.com/bf/laneelementaryschool3.

Questions? Please contact Sue Chozick, Librarian, at schozick@fcps.edu.

Thank you for your support!

 

More News from the Lane Library:
End-of-Quarter Overdue Notices

With the start of second quarter, please note that the library emailed overdue notices yesterday. Students who have books that were due on or before November 3rd will receive a notice. Please do your best to look for these books and return them in good condition! It is also possible that books have been sent to school but have not yet made it to the library. If this is the case, apologies in advance for the crossed communication.

As a reminder, there are no fines for overdue books, however families are expect to pay the replacement cost for lost or damaged books.

Contact Sue Chozick, Librarian, at schozick@fcps.edu with any questions.

 

News from the P.E. Department – “Walk in My Shoes” Coming December 5th & 6th During Inclusive Schools Week

December 4th through 8th is Inclusive Schools Week. As part of this week, with the support of the Lane PTA, we will host a “Walk in My Shoes” event during P.E. classes. The purpose of this event is to give general-education students a broader understanding of the daily situations faced by some of their friends with developmental challenges and learning differences. The program fosters empathy for others and gets students thinking about how they might be able to help a friend.

This will be part of a larger Inclusive Schools week observance throughout the week that will provide information and fun for many different populations across the school.


Volunteers Needed!

“Walk in My Shoes” requires a lot of adult support to be successful. We are looking for volunteers to assist with many different activities. If you would like to volunteer during your child's session, see the times below:

 

Tuesday, December 5th

5th grade: 9:30 – 11:15 a.m. (15 volunteers needed)

4th grade: 11:10 a.m. – 12:50 p.m. (17 volunteers needed)

2nd grade (except Peters): 1:55  – 2:55 p.m.  (12 volunteers needed)


Wednesday, December 6th

6th grade: 9:45 – 11:15 a.m. (20 volunteers needed)

3rd grade: 11:20 a.m. – 12:20 p.m. (12 volunteers needed)

Kindergarten & Peters (2nd): 12:40 – 2:30 p.m. (16 volunteers needed)

1st grade: 3 –4 p.m. (17 volunteers needed)

 

Each volunteer will receive a script and information regarding their activity and the challenge being explored. You can find descriptions of each station on the sign up. Please review the activities and help if you are able! Stations will be confirmed Monday, November 28th.

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0C44ACAE2BA6FA7-44908671-walk#/

Thank you in advance for your support!

 

 

PTA News


Give Back Night/Storybook Night a Big Success!

Thanks to all the families who came out last night to listen to staff members read some of their favorite stories, enjoy some snacks and hot cocoa, and organize and pack up all the food items donated through our recent food drive. Our school food pantry is now well-stocked with healthy snacks for students in need during the day, and a full vanload of canned goods, dry goods, and cleaning supplies will soon be delivered to Koinonia Foundation on Franconia Road to support families in the broader community! Thank you, Lane Lions, for your amazing generosity!


Book Fair

Our students will be welcomed back from the Thanksgiving holiday with the Lane Book Fair!! The dates are November 27th through December 1st. For the students who raised $100 or $500 during the Read-a-Thon, emails went out last week with information on how to receive your child's credit!

 

 “Walk in My Shoes” Is Coming in December!

We are still looking for volunteers to assist with this impactful, hands-on inclusion event. Please see the article above for a schedule by grade level and sign-up links.

 

 

Parent Resources

 

Staying Healthy This Cold/Flu Season

Cases of RSV, the flu, and other viruses often rise this time of year. It is important for students to wash their hands regularly and cover their coughs and sneezes. Please monitor your child’s health daily and keep them at home if they are sick. Visit FCPS' Health and Safety Guidance webpage for more tips.

 

Special Education Resources for Families

Fairfax County Public Schools has the following resources available to assist families of students with special needs.

 

From the Hayfield Pyramid Substance Abuse Pyramid Specialist: Alcohol & the Holidays

Holidays may involve family time, games, movies, food, and possibly drinks. Although loneliness is a cause for alcohol or drug consumption, being around others does not necessarily mean a decrease in unhealthy habits. Alcohol consumption increased during the pandemic and has not decreased after we have returned to a semblance of normalcy. Many people are still trying to figure out how to navigate our “new normal.” We encourage the consideration of a few things as we move towards the end of the year, have time off, and look forward to social interactions.


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 my child(ren)?
  • Are the conversations I have about alcohol consumption realistic?
  • Are the conversations I have with others reinforcing alcohol use as a coping skill during stressful times?
  • What messages am I sending my underage child(ren) if I allow them to drink with me or another adult in the house?


Information 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

 

Community Review of Elementary English Language Arts Basal Instructional Resources

FCPS will adopt new Elementary School Language Arts Basal Instructional Resources for the 2024-25 school year. Public review of the recommended materials is part of the process for selecting new resources.

You may access the resources in person and online from Wednesday, November 15th until Friday, December 15th at noon. Digital materials for public review and comment will be available on the Elementary Language Arts Basal Resource Review webpage. Those reviewing instructional materials may complete an electronic comment sheet that will be available on the webpage during the review period.

Visit FCPS' website for instructions on how to view hard copies of the instructional materials at Pimmit Hills Center. The Elementary Language Arts team will be there to answer questions Friday, December 1st from 4 to 8 p.m., and Saturday, December 2nd from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

All community feedback will be shared with the review committee and School Board.