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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
May 10, 2024
More Museums, Garden Delights, and Testing Well Wishes
It was once again a busy spring week at Lane. Here are some highlights.
The spring field trip extravaganza continued this week, as 5th grade journeyed to The National Natural History Museum in Washington, D.C. to explore natural wonders of the world around us.
Natural wonders in our own backyard garden provided hands-on learning for 5th graders and our multiple abilities students.
And Ms. Brusick’s 3rd graders got a pleasant surprise before their first SOL test on Wednesday morning as they received letters of encouragement from their families, teachers, and friends.
Upcoming Events
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Continuing through Friday, 5/17 – SCA drive for animal shelters
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Monday, 5/13 – 5th Grade Math SOL Test
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Tuesday, 5/14 – 3rd Grade Math SOL Test
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Tuesday, 5/14 & Wednesday, 5/15 – PTA Restaurant Nights at Smyrna
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Wednesday, 5/15 – 4th Grade Math SOL Test
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Friday, 5/17 – 6th Grade Math SOL Test
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Monday, 5/27 – Memorial Day Holiday, School and Office CLOSED
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Tuesday, 5/28 – Farewell Reception for families leaving Lane, 4:30 p.m.
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Wednesday, 5/29 – 4th Grade Strings Concert, 6 p.m.; 5th and 6th Grade Band and Strings Concert, 7 p.m.
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Thursday, 6/6 – Chorus Concert, 6:30 p.m.
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Friday, 6/7 – PTA Glow Party, 6 p.m.
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Wednesday, 6/12 – Last day of school, early dismissal at 2:05 p.m.
In This Issue
- Happy Mother’s Day!
- SOL Testing Continues Next Week
- Family Input for Class Placement Next Year
- Feedback on Fall Portrait Process
- From the Shelves of the Lane Library: End-of-Year Library Information
- Attention Rising 7th Grade Twain Families: Upcoming Events for Families
- SCA Animal Shelter Drive Continues through May 17th
- Patrol Applications Due This Sunday, May 12th
- Jewish American Heritage Month: Share Your Culture with Your Lane Family!
- Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month: Share Your Culture with Your Lane Family!
- PTA News: Staff appreciation; May Restaurant Days at Smyrna
- Parent Resources: Middle school start times, military family listening session, summer camps, and more!
- Community Events & Activities: Hayfield Fun Finale, Techstravaganza, FCPS Summer Extravaganza
News & Notes
Happy Mother’s Day!
We’d like to start this week’s newsletter by wishing all the moms in our community an early Happy Mother’s Day (which is this Sunday, May 12th). We are proud to have you as part of our Lane Lion Pride! (Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-ND)
SOL Testing Continues Next Week
Our required Standards of Learning (SOL) are well underway and will continue next week. Here is the schedule for the remaining tests:
- Monday, May 13th: 5th Grade Math
- Tuesday, May 14th: 3rd Grade Math
- Wednesday, May 15th: 4th Grade Math
- Friday, May 17th: 6th Grade Math
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.
If you have any questions about the SOLs or other academic concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact your child’s teacher.
Family Input for Class Placement Next Year
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. It will remain open throughout the month of May.
As you click the link to the form, you will find directions that need to be considered as you complete the 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 2024. Families will be contacted by the assigned teacher before attending Open House in August.
If you are interested in sharing information, please complete the form below by May 31, 2024.
FAMILY INPUT FORM
Feedback on Fall Portrait Process
As you know, we made a change this year from using a photography vendor for our fall portraits (and yearbook photos) to taking them ourselves, which enabled us to send every family a digital copy of their child’s photograph for free.
We are currently planning for next year’s portrait/yearbook process and would like to get your feedback on the new process this year. Please fill out a one-question survey here by Friday, May 24th. Thank you in advance!
On a related note, we’ve had inquiries about class pictures this spring. Mrs. Chozick will be taking class photos soon and all families will receive a free copy of the digital file.
From the Shelves of the Lane Library: End-of-Year Library Information
As we get closer to the end of the school year, please note the following.
- Starting on Thursday, May 16th, weekly notices to help remind students of ALL of their checked out library materials (not just overdue items) will be emailed.
- All student library books are due on Wednesday, May 29th. Please do your best to get them in by this date!
- As always, the library does not have fees for overdue books; however, families are expected to pay the replacement cost for books that are lost or returned damaged.
Thank you for supporting the library! Contact Mrs. Chozick, Librarian, at schozick@fcps.edu with questions.
Attention Rising 7th Grade Twain Families: Upcoming Events for Families
Mark Twain Middle School will be hosting two events for families in the coming weeks.
First, on Thursday, May 16th, the PTA will host its annual Twain Community Night from 6 to 8 p.m. Pizza and other concessions as well as spirit wear will be available for purchase. All academic departments will be represented, and the Pick a Prize raffle features many great items. See the flyer for more information.
Second, on Tuesday, June 4th at 9:15 a.m. the school will offer a Rising 7th Grade Parent Coffee to provide an introduction to the school and time for questions. See the flyer for details (English, Spanish).
Help Wanted: Family Liaison
We are looking for a new hourly family liaison to join our team to help connect with and support parents and families in the Lane community. The position would be about 7-8 hours per week on a flexible schedule. Fluency in Spanish is preferred. Pay rate varies with experience, beginning at $22.89 per hour. Contact Kelly Tolley at kltolley@fcps.edu for more information or to submit your resume.
SCA Animal Shelter Drive Continues through May 17th
From May 6th to May 17th, the SCA is holding a collection drive to support animal shelters! Each grade will bring in specific items for the drive. (There are also items that anyone can bring in, if they already have them.) Items should be new (or gently used as noted on the flyer). Collection containers will be placed in the main hallway. See the flyer for more details and grade-level item assignments.
Patrol Applications Due This Sunday, May 12th
Lane Safety Patrol applications are now open! Any current 4th or 5th grader may apply to be a Safety Patrol for the 2023 – 2024 school year. Just follow this link to apply. Students and parents are encouraged to complete the application together so they are both aware of the requirements, duties, and responsibilities. Applications are due May 12th. Students selected will be notified of acceptance the week of May 24th.
Notifications of acceptance will be emailed to the student’s school account and to the parent’s email address. Please contact the Patrol Sponsor, Ms. Kurtenbach (Ms. K), with any questions at CLKurtenbach@FCPS.edu.
Jewish American Heritage Month: Share Your Culture with Your Lane Family!
May is a national month of recognition of the history of Jewish contributions to American culture, acknowledging the diverse achievement of the Jewish community in the U.S.
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Here at Lane we would like to mark this special month in two ways. First, we invite all of our students who identify as Jewish to share something from their culture with their Lane friends and families. Students are encouraged to bring in an item to put on display for the rest of the month of May.
The item must be:
- Specific to Jewish culture
- No larger than a lunchbox or heavier than 10 pounds
- Unbreakable (to protect the item when taking it to and from school)
- School-appropriate for elementary-aged students.
Sharp items or weapons of any kind are prohibited.
Each item must be accompanied by a large index card or half-sheet of paper that includes the following information:
- Student’s name
- Student’s teacher’s name
- What the item is
- What country/culture the item is from
- One or two sentences about why this item is important to the student and/or how it relates to Jewish culture.
Items will be displayed in the glass case outside the Lane Library. Items without written information will not be displayed. Please send items in by Friday, May 17th.
Please note that Lane and FCPS are not liable for loss of or damage to any item brought in to display.
Second, we would like to end Jewish American Heritage Month with a slide show featuring our Jewish American students. If you would like for us to include a picture of your child, please email it to our family liaison Melanie Crosby Hardy at macrosby@fcps.edu no later than Friday, May 24th.
We hope your student will participate and look forward to learning more about your family and culture!
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Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month: Share Your Culture with Your Lane Family! |
People with ancestral roots in Asia and the islands of the Pacific have been integral to the story of America. In 1992, May was designated Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month to celebrate their heritage and contributions.
Here at Lane we would like to mark this special month in two ways. First, we invite all of our students who identify as Asian American and/or Pacific Islander to share something from their culture with their Lane friends and families. Students are encouraged to bring in an item to put on display for the rest of the month of May.
The item must be:
- Specific to Asian/Pacific Islander culture
- No larger than a lunchbox or heavier than 10 pounds
- Unbreakable (to protect the item when taking it to and from school)
- School-appropriate for elementary-aged students.
Sharp items or weapons of any kind are prohibited.
Each item must be accompanied by a large index card or half-sheet of paper that includes the following information:
- Student’s name
- Student’s teacher’s name
- What the item is
- What country/culture the item is from
- One or two sentences about why this item is important to the student and/or how it relates to Asian/Pacific Islander culture.
Items will be displayed in the glass case outside the Lane Library. Items without written information will not be displayed. Please send items in by Friday, May 17th.
Please note that Lane and FCPS are not liable for loss of or damage to any item brought in to display.
Second, we would like to end Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month with a slide show featuring our Asian American and Pacific Islander students. If you would like for us to include a picture of your child, please email it to our family liaison Melanie Crosby Hardy at macrosby@fcps.edu no later than Friday, May 24th.
We hope your student will participate and look forward to learning more about your family and culture!
PTA News
Appreciating Our Lane Staff
The PTA did an amazing job of celebrating our staff this week for Staff Appreciation Week! From the pastry and bagel breakfast on Monday to the delicious Delia's lunch on Friday and all the sweet and salty snacks in between as well as the goodie bags filled with supplies, our staff certainly felt the love! Thank you for the “Thanks Yous,” PTA!
Restaurant Days at Smyrna Tuesday, May 14th and Wednesday, May 15th
Join the PTA for its monthly restaurant fundraiser on May 14th and 15th at Smyrna, a relatively new restaurant in our area that celebrates the Aegean kitchen, crafting Greek and Turkish dishes filled with the flavors of the region. Check out their menu here.
All Lane purchases from the entire day both days will send a percentage of the total back to our school. Watch Wednesday Folders for flyers (required for your purchase to count).
Parent Resources
Share Your Thoughts on Middle School Start Times
Attend a forum to hear about adolescent sleep research from an expert, learn about FCPS’ ongoing middle school start times study, and participate in small group discussions. All forums will deliver the same presentation and provide the same feedback opportunities. Breakout sessions will be held for middle school students to share their voices. Students are encouraged to attend!
Register by clicking on one of the following dates:
Monday, May 13th, 6:30 - 8 p.m., virtual forum.
Monday, May 20th, 6 - 8 p.m., at Hughes Middle School
Wednesday, May 22nd, 6 - 8 p.m., at Frost Middle School
While registration is not required, it does help with planning. Language interpretation and childcare will be provided. Learn more about the project exploring middle school start times.
Military Families Virtual Listening Session
Dr. Lisa Coons, Virginia Superintendent of Public Instruction, is interested in hearing from military families across Virginia.
You may wish to consider joining others in their sharing of their family’s educational experiences during the Military Families Virtual Listening Session on May 15th from noon to 2 p.m.
To participate in the virtual listening session you must have access to Microsoft Teams.
Microsoft Teams
Join the meeting now
Meeting ID: 224 877 418 291
Passcode: 4Acmv5
Dial-in by phone
+1 434-230-0065,,898717595# United States, Lynchburg
Find a local number
Phone conference ID: 898 717 595#
For more information, please contact Dan Dunham at dan.dunham@doe.virginia.gov. To connect with FCPS resources, please email militaryfamilies@fcps.edu.
Register Today for FCPS Summer Camps
Registration for FCPS Career and Technical Education (CTE) camps and Institute for the Arts (IFTA/E-IFTA) camps closes on Friday, June 7th. Tuition is waived for students eligible for free and reduced-price meals. Bus transportation is available from select FCPS high schools and middle schools. Learn more about Summer Learning and Fun.
Summer Camp Opportunity for Strings Students!
SoCo Summer Strings is returning this summer! The camp will be hosted at South County Middle School weekdays from July 8th to 19th, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
The camp is open to all rising 5th through 9th grade students with at least one year of experience on the violin, viola, cello, or bass. Students will participate in two large ensemble rehearsals, an instrument-specific technique class, and a sectional each day.
You can find more information and registration for camp at www.schsorchestra.org/soco-summer-strings. Early registration is open until June 9th, so reserve your student’s spot soon!
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Rec-PAC Is Now Registering for the Summer and Lane Will Be a Site!
Rec-PAC (Pretty Awesome Children), operated by Fairfax County Park Authority, is a six-week structured recreation program with emphasis on leisure skills designed for elementary school children.
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Participants will have an opportunity to enjoy a wide variety of activities such as fun and fitness, indoor and outdoor games, team sports, nature, crafts, storytelling, sports festivals, talent shows and supervised play sessions. Each location has a ratio of 1 staff person to 18 participants. Lane will be a Rec-PAC site this summer.
Rec-PAC runs from Monday, June 24th through Thursday, August 1st. Each of the six weeks has its own theme with different themed activities happening throughout the week. You can sign your child up for any of the individual weeks or all of them!
Registration is now underway. Scholarships are available for families who qualify. You can find details in the Rec-PAC brochure.
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Attention 6th Grade Parents: Summer VIP Camp Now Registering! |
All rising middle schoolers are invited to attend a summer of fun and leisure with VIP Camp. VIP Camp — which takes place Monday, July 1st, to Thursday, August 1st — is designed to encourage teens to develop healthy and positive recreation interests and features a wide variety of leisure activities and programs. VIP Camp costs $100 to attend.
This camp is sponsored by Fairfax County Public Schools and Fairfax County’s Department of Neighborhood and Community Services. Students who will attend Hayfield and Twain Middle Schools will attend the VIP Camp at Sandburg Middle School. Use this link to register for that program.
Scholarships may be available for families struggling with financial hardship. Reach out to Sandburg’s after-school specialist for more information.
Space is limited so register soon! You can learn more at http://bit.ly/VIPcamp2024.
Free Webinars from the Family Resource Center
COVID-19 (C19) Compensatory Services Partnership Between FCPS and Varsity Tutors
Join us for an information session about a new partnership between Fairfax County Schools (FCPS) and Varsity Tutors. This partnership will provide students with disabilities an additional opportunity to receive compensatory education as a result of the COVID-19 Pandemic in accordance with their IEP.
Tuesday, May 14, 2024, 10 - 11 a.m. OR Wednesday, May 15, 2024, 7 - 8 p.m. (choose one session)
Register for this event
Meet the Author Series: The Breakthrough Years by Ellen Galinsky
Child development expert Ellen Galinsky challenges widely held assumptions about adolescents and offers new ways for parents and others to better understand and interact with them in a way that helps them thrive.
Galinsky’s Shared Solutions Framework and Possibilities Mindset show you how to:
- turn daily conflicts into opportunities for problem-solving where both teens and parents feel listened to and respected
- encourage positive risk-taking in your child like standing up for themselves, making new friends, and helping their communities
- promote five essential executive function-based skills that can help them succeed now and in the future.
Join best-selling author Galinksy as she shares her latest research on raising thriving teens.
Friday, May 17, 2024, 10 - 11:30 a.m.
Register for this event
Behavior Solution Series for Secondary Families: Taming the Teenaged Brain
Navigate the rollercoaster of teenage emotions with our training on behavior strategies, tailored to support you at home during those challenging adolescent years. We will provide practical insights and proven techniques to foster understanding and communication with your teenager.
Friday, May 31, 2024, 10 to 11:30 a.m.
Register for this event
Community Events & Activities
Hayfield Super Saturday Fun Finale
The Hayfield Class of 2026 invites students in grades 3 through 6 to join them in a celebration of FUN and games as the school year comes to an end at the Super Saturday Fun Finale. The event will be held in the Hayfield High School auxiliary gym from 8:30 to 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 18th and/or Saturday, June 1st. The cost is $20 per student per session. See the flyer for details and registration information.
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.
Save the Date for FCPS’ Summer Extravaganza
Don’t miss a day of family fun and learning at the FCPS Summer Extravaganza at Woodson High School on Saturday, June 1st from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Students will have the chance to engage in educational activities designed to spark curiosity and inspire growth.
Representatives from local businesses, Fairfax County Public Library, and the Fairfax County Park Authority are participating in the Summer Extravaganza. Community organizations, such as Neighborhood Community Services, will be at the event as well. All will have learning activities, tips, and helpful information for families. Enjoy face painting, food, music, a moon bounce, a petting zoo, storytime, and student performances — all at no cost!
Visit the Summer Extravaganza webpage for more details and register to attend. Registration is not required, but it's helpful for planning purposes.
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