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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
March 8, 2024
Celebration of Cultures Night
Thanks to all the families who joined us for Celebration of Cultures Night last night! It was a huge success, as Lane Lions from many different backgrounds came together to share food, friendship, and fun! Our diversity is one of our greatest strengths as a school community, and it was on full display throughout the event.
Special thanks to the families who created beautiful displays and delicious food to share about their culture; to our performers who shared language, music, and dance; and to our volunteers behind the scenes, without whom all of this would not have been possible!
Take a look at these snapshots from the evening.
Upcoming Events
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Monday, March 11th – First full day of Ramadan
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Monday, March 11th & Tuesday, March 12th – Lane PTA Restaurant Nights at Ledo Pizza
- Friday, 3/15 – PTA Basket Bingo, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
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Monday, 3/25 through Friday, 3/29 – Spring Break, school and office CLOSED
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Monday, 4/1 & Tuesday, 4/2 – Student Holidays/Teacher Workdays – Students DO NOT REPORT
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Wednesday, 4/10 – Eid al Fitr Holiday – School and Office CLOSED
In This Issue
- Don’t Forget to Spring Forward on Sunday!
- First Full Day of Ramadan on Monday, March 11th
- Basket Bingo Is Next Friday!
- Registration: It’s as Easy as 1-2-3!
- Survey of Preschool Children
- Family Engagement Survey Now Open! Your Voice Matters!
- 2023-2024 Yearbooks Now on Sale! Order Now and Save!
- New Dates for Walk In My Shoes! Parent Volunteers Needed!
- National Women’s History Month
- PTA News: March restaurant nights
- Parent Resources: Upcoming online gathering for military families, magnet school lottery information, upcoming webinars for parents
- Community Events & Activities: Hayfield Craft Fair, Techstravaganza
- FCPS News & Announcements: Community Conversation on Fentanyl and other drugs
News & Notes
Don’t Forget to Spring Forward on Sunday!
Daylight Saving Time begins Sunday, March 10th, at 2 a.m. Don’t forget to move your clocks ahead one hour!
As a result of the time change, many students will be walking to school or to bus stops in the dark. Help your child stay safe by having them wear reflective clothing and bright or light colors, or add reflective items to their backpacks or clothes. Also, encourage your child to be especially alert for cars that are turning or backing up and not to run into the street or cross between parked cars.
First Full Day of Ramadan on Monday, March 11th
The first full day of Ramadan is Monday, March 11th. In Islam, Ramadan is the most sacred month of the year. During Ramadan, Muslims abstain from food and drink from dawn to sunset each day, while striving to increase their spirituality through prayers, charity, and good deeds. Read more about Ramadan in National Geographic Kids.
Here at Lane, we will support our students who are fasting by providing an alternative space for them to go to during lunchtime. Students who wish to use this space for quiet activities such as meditation or prayer, reading, writing, or drawing, should let their teacher know. Parents can also reach out to their child’s teachers or Lane administrators about this accommodation.
March 11th is a religious and cultural observance day. The school calendar recognizes many religious and cultural observances during the school year. There is school on observance days, however, tests, quizzes, field trips, or FCPS-scheduled athletic events will not be scheduled. See the school year calendar.
Basket Bingo Is Next Friday!
Last Call for Basket Bingo Tickets!
Lane PTA’s annual Basket Bingo event will be held on March 15th from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m.! There are only a handful of tickets left! And food tickets must be pre-purchased by TODAY! Be sure to purchase your tickets before the event sells out!
Please note that due to Fire Marshal room-capacity limits, the PTA can only sell 300 tickets. Every person, regardless of age, must have a ticket to attend!
This big event requires a lot of volunteer support, and there are many ways you can help. All volunteers will receive one free ticket to attend Basket Bingo (in most cases, you can volunteer and still play the games). For the few positions that cannot play along, free raffle tickets will be offered. To check out the ways you can help, please click here.
Basket Bingo Fun for All! Online Raffle Open Until 3/15!
If you've already got plans for March 15th or maybe Bingo isn't your thing, we've got some fun raffle prizes online for everyone and anyone to participate! Click here to buy Online Raffle Tickets! Here's what you can enter to win:
- 5 WITS Arlington – 4 passes (Value: $140)
- Kingstowne Cat Clinic – Free Exam & 12 months free nail trims (Value: $260)
- Nationals Baseball – 2 Infield Box 2024 Ticket Vouchers (Value: $150)
- Red Wagon – Spring Break Camp for 3/25-3/29 (Value: $295)
- Shakespeare Theater – 2 tickets to use in July 2024-August 2025 Season (Value: $250)
- Six Flags – 4 one-day tickets for 2024 Season (Value: $140)
- Spy Museum – 2 general admission tickets (Value: $68)
- Lane Lions Cub Club Spring 2024 – Registration Fee Waived (Value: $125)
- Lane Elementary Spirit Basket – Hats, bags, drinkware, gift card to Spiritwear Store (Value $200)
Registration: It’s as Easy as 1-2-3!
There’s an easy five-step process for parents wanting to register their child for kindergarten:
- Determine eligibility.
- Identify your local school.
- Gather documents.
- Fill out forms.
- Schedule an appointment.
After the appointment at the school (the student and one caregiver must be present), the student will be ready for orientation, Bridge to Kindergarten, or any other introductory events each school may host. Read more about the registration process.
Lane will host a Kindergarten Orientation for incoming kindergarteners and their families on Tuesday, April 2nd from 9 to 10 a.m.
If you’re enrolling older children and would like more information about the school, please contact our family liaison, Melanie Crosby Hardy at macrosby@fcps.edu.
Registration for all grade levels will begin on Monday, April 8th. Parents/guardians of all new students must schedule an individual appointment with our registrar, Jami O’Hagan, to finalize enrollment. You can sign up now for appointments starting April 8th here.
Survey of Preschool Children
Do you have a child who will enter kindergarten next year at Lane? Do you know of friends or neighbors who do? If so, we need your help!
A “Survey of Preschool Children” eligible for kindergarten enrollment for the 2024-2025 school year is currently being conducted. We request that parents of students eligible for kindergarten complete and return this survey to our school’s office. Your child at Lane should have brought one home in Wednesday Folders this week. A child who will reach his or her fifth birthday on or before September 30, 2024, is eligible for kindergarten this coming fall.
Please return the survey by Friday, March 22nd. You can fill it out online, save it as a PDF, and send it as an attachment to our registrar, Jami O’Hagan, at jjohagan@fcps.edu. You can also print and mail the form to the school or drop it off in person.
Please share this information with any parent of a rising kindergarten child in your neighborhood that may not have a child in our school and is not aware of this survey.
Thank you!
Family Engagement Survey Now Open! Your Voice Matters!
Fairfax County Public Schools is now conducting its third Family Engagement Survey. We encourage you to take it to share your thoughts around important topics impacting your student’s success. Your voice is important, and we want to hear from you!
Survey topics include:
- Welcoming environment
- Communication
- Student success
- Advocacy
- Family and school partnerships
- Community partnerships
Your responses will help us better recognize, understand, respect, and address family strengths and needs in our schools.
FCPS survey partner K12 Insight emailed a link to families on March 3rd and again on March 6th. If you didn’t receive it or can’t find it, please use this link. If you would like to complete the paper version of the survey, please come to the Lane office.
The survey will take about 10-15 minutes to complete and will be available in 10 languages. Please visit the Family Engagement Survey webpage for more information.
If you have any questions about the survey, please contact Julie Kubiak at jbkubiak@fcps.edu.
2023-2024 Yearbooks Now on Sale! Early Bird Price Ends March 23rd!
School yearbooks are now on sale. The basic book is just $16.50 now, but the price will go up to $20 in March. Order now and save!
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There are options such as imprinted name on the cover, extra autograph pages, and stickers you can choose to add.
Ordering is simple: Just go to http://ybpay.lifetouch.com, put in yeabook ID code 10217424, and pay with your credit card. Early-bird deadline is Saturday, March 23rd!
PLEASE NOTE: There most likely will not be any additional books for sale in June. If you want your child to have a yearbook, please order one now.
New Dates for Walk In My Shoes! Parent Volunteers Needed!
Lane will host a Walk in My Shoes event during P. E. classes on Tuesday, April 16th and Wednesday, April 17th. Postponed from December during Inclusive Schools Week, 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. Here is the schedule for grade-level participation.
Tuesday, April 16th
- 5th grade: 9:45 – 11:15 a.m.
- 4th grade: 11:20 a.m. – 12:50 p.m.
- 2nd grade (except Peters): 1:55 – 2:55 p.m.
Wednesday, April 17th
- 6th grade: 9:45 - 11:15 a.m.
- 3rd grade: 11:20 a.m. – 12:20 p.m.
- Kindergarten and & Peters’ 2nd grade: 12:50 – 2:25 p.m.
- 1st grade: 3 – 4 p.m.
Each volunteer will receive a script and information regarding their activity and the challenge being explored. Depending on need, you may be asked to understudy a second station. Stations will be confirmed Monday, April 8th. You can review the available slots and sign up here:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0C44ACAE2BA6FA7-44908671-walk#/.
National Women’s History Month
Every year, March is designated as Women’s History Month by presidential proclamation. The month is set aside to honor women’s contributions to American history. Learn more about the heritage months, celebrations, and traditions celebrated in FCPS. Read more about Women’s History Month in National Geographic Kids.
PTA News
March Restaurant Nights at Ledo Pizza, March 11th and 12th
Hungry for pizza, pasta, or other great Italian food? If so, plan to join the Lane PTA and other Lane Lion families for March Restaurant Nights at Ledo Pizza in Kingstowne on Monday, March 11th and Tuesday, March 12th from 4:30 to 9 p.m. A portion of all purchases by Lane families will be donated back to our school.
Parent Resources
Summer Camps and Learning Programs
Have you made summer plans for your child yet? Are you looking for a summer camp for your child with special needs?
The Family Resource Center has compiled information on summer camps, including local options, camps for students with special needs (sorted by need), and camps for students experiencing grief or who have parents in the military.
New Regulation on Meditation and Reflection Spaces
FCPS has developed Regulation 1502 to ensure all students and staff have reasonable accommodation and access to meditation and silent reflection spaces within the school division. The regulation provides guidance for schools on how to manage requests for silent reflection during instructional and non-instructional time, and for students to leave school for religious activities.
These spaces may change location from year to year at Lane, or even during particular times in the school year, but we will always work with families to meet their children’s needs. Parents/caregivers must provide written permission for students requesting to miss instructional time on a regular basis. Please reach out to our administration team regarding accommodations.
Visit FCPS' Guidelines for Religious Activities webpage for more information. You can view Regulation 1502 online as well.
FCPS Virtual Military Family Gathering, March 13th
Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) values the unique experiences and perspectives of our military-connected families and students.
Family and School Partnerships invites military-connected parents and guardians to attend a special virtual gathering to connect directly with FCPS staff and community members, learn about valuable resources, and share their experiences within FCPS.
This interactive session will be held on Wednesday, March 13, 2024, from 7 to 8 p.m. Please register for this event to receive the Zoom link and meeting invitation.
For more information about the gathering and/or military-connected resources, please email Meredith Ayala, Family Partnerships Specialist, Military-Connected Youth & Families, at mlayala1@fcps.edu or militaryfamilies@fcps.edu.
Magnet Schools Lottery Now Open
Three FCPS elementary magnet schools provide programs that enhance learning in science, technology, and performing arts. Registration for the 2024-25 elementary magnet lottery is open and will remain so through Friday, April 12th. Get more information about the schools, their programs, and locations.
Upcoming Free Webinars from the Family Resource Center
Behavior Solution Series for Elementary and Secondary Families: Taming Tantrums and More
Friday, March 15th, 10 to 11:30 a.m.
Join staff from the FCPS Behavior Intervention Services Department to help families encourage positive communication and behavior at home.
Parents, have you ever had a moment when things feel like a big puzzle and you just need the right pieces? We will share strategies to help when your child’s behavior feels like a rollercoaster. Learn how to turn meltdowns into moments that make you go 'ta-da.'
Register for all or part of the Behavior Solution Series for Families
Community Events & Activities
Hayfield Secondary Craft Fair Saturday, March 16th, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Hayfield Secondary School is holding its annual craft fair on Saturday, March 16th from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.! There will be over 125 vendors selling amazing crafts, a silent auction that includes restaurant gift cards, Kate Spade purses, and a Williamsburg vacation!
Admission is free. There will be food and snacks for purchase. Proceeds benefit the All-Night Grad Party, which provides a safe environment for Hayfield seniors to celebrate their graduation with friends!
Techstravaganza STEM Event at TJ on May 18th!
Techstravaganza is a free, public, hands-on STEM activity fair for elementary and middle school students in Northern Virginia. In previous years, the event has included more than 4,500 students and 70 labs presenting STEM activities. The 20th annual Techstravaganza will be held on Saturday, May 18th from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Annandale.
Slots fill up fast, so register today at https://tinyurl.com/techstrav24. Visit tjtechstrav.org for more information.
FCPS News & Announcements
Join a Community Conversation on Fentanyl and Other Drugs
A community conversation addressing the opioid crisis within Northern Virginia and Fairfax County Public Schools will be held Monday, March 18th, 6:30 to 8 p.m., in the auditorium at Lake Braddock Secondary School. Please enter through Door #14.
All attendees will receive a free REVIVE! Narcan training during the event and learn about support services currently available within FCPS and Fairfax County.
This discussion will provide families, staff, and students with valuable knowledge about the dangers of drugs and deadly fentanyl. The material discussed is suitable for students in grades 6-12. Together as a community, we aim to explore collaborative strategies to minimize the impact of these harmful and too-often fatal substances.
Language interpretation services are available as well as American Sign Language accommodation. Childcare and transportation will also be provided, as needed.
Learn more about the event and register online.
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