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Principals' Message
Welcome to the 2024-2025 school year!!
It was so nice to see TLES filled with so many of our families at Open House this past Thursday! There were so many smiles, so much excitement and so much joy resonating throughout the building.
We can't wait for our first day of school on Monday, August 19th. Our teachers have put the finishing touches on their classrooms and everything is beautiful, ready and waiting for your child(ren) to arrive! The first day of school is always a special occasion filled with anticipation and new beginnings.
We understand that this transition can be a big step for both you and your child. To ensure a smooth start to the day, we kindly request that if you plan on dropping your child off, you say your goodbyes in the car or at the school entrance and allow our staff to greet them. This will help minimize any morning separation anxiety and allow our teachers to establish a comfortable routine for everyone.
To ensure a successful start to the school year, we encourage you to prioritize daily attendance. Your child's presence in the classroom is essential for their academic growth and social development. Please schedule all future vacations around our school breaks as much as possible. Vacation and travel will count towards students' unexcused absences, which negatively impacts our accreditation.
This year PreK through 6th grade car riders will ALL follow our car rider procedures for drop off. PreK families will no longer park and walk students to Door #2. If you are a car rider, please follow the protocol outlined below when arriving between 8:30-8:50, with drop off at Door #5. Arrivals after 8:50 will have to park and walk students into the building at Door #1. Please note our drop off procedures in the next section below.
The first few weeks of school is a time where FCPS Transportation fine tunes their bus routes and works to increase the efficiency of pick-up and drop-off times. We can expect delays in pick-up and drop-off times the first few weeks of school. Thank you for your patience during these first few weeks of school. Our drivers are dedicated and hard-working individuals with one of the greatest responsibilies possible: managing what's happening inside their buses while navigating the conditions outside of their bus and ensuring your child(ren)'s safe travels. Transportation and bus routes are not supervised by TLES Administration. Any concerns about transportation times should be communicated to Area 2 Transportation at (703) 446-2050. Please also sign up for the "Here Comes the Bus" app in order to track your child's bus location when in route.
We are incredibly excited to embark on a new school year filled with learning, growth, and fun! We believe that a strong partnership between home and school is essential to student success. We look forward to working closely with you to create a positive and enriching experience for your child.
Warmest regards,
Ben Chiet, Sarah Buchanan, & Ashley Vaccaro,
Timber Lane Elementary School Administration
2024-2025 Car Rider Procedures
Kiss & Ride is a designated loop for parents to drop off or pick up children before and after school. The designated times are 8:30am - 8:50am and 3:35pm - 3:50pm - THIS YEAR FOR ALL PreK to 6th grade car riders.
A visual overview of the route can be found here.
Procedures
All students arriving by car are required to follow the traffic pattern outlined by the red and green arrows above and must be dropped off to a TLES staff member at Door #5. Once you pull into the TLES staff parking lot, you will take an immediate left, and follow the traffic pattern indicated above.
Number System: We have implemented a number system. Each child/family will be assigned a number. Parents will receive a decal that should be visible in the front of their vehicle. Students will receive a number tag with the corresponding number to be worn on their backpack.
For Kiss and Ride to function properly, parents must follow these procedures:
Kiss and Ride Rules
- Remember the speed limit on school grounds is 5 mph.
- Please have your Kiss and Ride number visible
- Children will load and unload from the driver side of the car only
- Drivers please remain in your car, unless you have to step out to buckle in your child(ren). If buckling your child into a car seat, please be mindful of all families waiting in line.
- Please stay in a single file line as you move to and from the Kiss & Ride area.
- Cell phone, texting and other distractions while driving through Kiss and Ride is prohibited to ensure student safety.
- Pull forward as far as possible into the designated Kiss & Ride lane before loading or unloading.
- Parking in the Kiss & Ride lane and leaving your car unattended is not permitted.
Kiss and Ride Tips
- Seat children so they may enter/exit the vehicle easily.
- Please be kind and patient
- Allow additional time and use caution on rainy or snowy days.
- Make sure you and your student know their teacher’s name.
Thank you for your efforts to keep Timber Lane Elementary School a safe place for children!!
Click here or scan the QR code below to sign up for Kiss and Ride:
As we all return to school, all of us have to get back into each of our unique morning routines. Please help us get students in the habit of arriving to school on time, between 8:30-8:50 each day. Modeling responsible behaviors and respecting school rules and schedules is something we appreciate your support with. This sets students up for work habits and responsible behaviors they will carry with them for a lifetime!
Door #5 - For PreK to 6th grade car riders only. The area where students are dropped off and picked up by car is called "Kiss 'n Ride." Please follow the required path and drop off students in the designated safe area where staff members meet the students.
Door #1 - Students do not enter through Door #1 during arrival; only after 8:50am if late for school.
Door #2 - PreK and Grades 1-6 walkers and bus riders enter and exit through Door #2.
Door #3 -Kindergarten walkers and bus riders enter and exit through Door #3.
Late Arrivals
- If arriving after 8:50am, please park and walk your child(ren) through Door #1 with your driver's license or other proof of identification.
- Students cannot be dropped off at school late without a parent/guardian being present and in the building to sign students in for the day.
Early Dismissal
- Please alert the main office by 2:30 PM in the event there is a change in your child’s regular dismissal plan.
- If your child is going home with another student, written permission is needed from both families.
- Anytime a child is signed out of the office, the adult signing the child out will be required to show a photo ID.
- Written permission sent via email or text from the parent/guardian is required to release students to any individual not listed on the student’s emergency care card.
Cell Phones📵 Phones Down, Engagement Up: FCPS Cell Phone Policy
Keeping cell phones off during the school day helps students focus and learn. It also boosts positive social behavior. Review FCPS’ cell phone expectations by grade level with your child and help keep our classrooms free of distractions! If you need to reach your child during the school day, please call our main office at 703-227-5400. Smart watches are also included in FCPS policy and will be kept in students' backpacks throughout the day.
Recognizing Birthdays & Other Celebrations
Birthdays are special moments that deserve recognition. Families are welcome to send in store bought treats only for the class, with clearly identified ingredients on the package. Please communicate with your child(ren)'s teacher prior to bringing in any food into school. Items can be shared during the class's lunch time only.
If your child is in a nut-free classroom, your child's teacher will let you know. Any birthdays or class parties will have to follow the restrictions shared with your child(ren)'s teacher. We have students who follow a vegan diet, have nut allergies, are allergic to gluten, among other more specific diet plans. Parents of children with certain food allergies or restrictions are encouraged to supply their child's teacher with with shelf-stable treats for their child to ensure all children are included in all birthday celebrations. It is the responsibilitiy of the parent to provide sufficient items across the school year.
Home-made items for birthday celebrations will not be permitted in our building this year. It is best if families stick to store-bought cupcakes, donuts, cookies, etc. and items with clearly marked ingredients. Giant offers cupcakes made in peanut-free facilities and is a great option. Please always consult with your child(ren)'s teacher prior to bringing any food into school.
Water Bottles
We encourage all students to bring in a reusable water bottle on a daily basis. There are water bottle filling stations throughout the building.
Cafeteria
Families are welcome to join their child for lunch. Upon arrival, they will check into the main office to receive a visitor’s badge and wait for their child’s class in the lobby. Families are welcome to bring outside food for their child to enjoy as sharing food with other students is not permitted. Students will be provided opportunities immediately before lunch and after lunch to use the restroom. Restroom use during lunch will be reserved for emergency situations only.
The application for free and reduced-priced meals is now available for the 2024-25 school year. Students who were approved for free and reduced-price lunch last year are eligible for the first 30 days of school this year (or until a new application is processed). Families should re-apply as soon as possible, so eligible students continue to receive meals at no cost.
Parent Digital Consent
All parents: please complete all required digital consent forms.
Starting August 1, 2024, student consent forms currently on ParentVUE will be moved to the Parent Digital Consent System (PDC).
Families can log in to the PDC using their ParentVUE login credentials to complete consent forms assigned to their child. School staff will have access to view consent status and edit consent with permission from the family.
Forms available in the PDC starting in the 2024-2025 school year include:
- School Counseling Opt-Out
- Digital Resources Consent
- SEL Screener Opt-Out
- Consent for Release of Student Records in Support of Postsecondary Applications
- Denial of Access to Military Recruiters
- Family Life Education Opt-Out
- SOL Retest Permission
- Hazel Health
- BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) Opt-Out
- SOS Screener Opt-Out
- Objection to Release of Information to Outside Organizations
- Objection to Release of Directory Information to the Public
As we update the PDC, more district-wide forms will be added.
Click here or scan the QR code below to access the Parent Digital Consent System:
The Early Release Mondays planned throughout the school year for elementary schools are essential to allow educators time for planning and professional development. Students will be dismissed 3 hours early seven times throughout the school year and are encouraged to return home via their normal route. However, we understand there may be a childcare hardship because of the early release Mondays for many of our families. To resolve these concerns, student supervision will be available for families who need it. Once we have 100% of families complete this survey, we will communicate plans for any students remaining at TLES after-school and what the Early Release Day schedules will entail.
The following dates are planned for Early Release Mondays throughout the school year:
- September 23
- October 28
- November 25
- February 24
- March 17
- April 28
- May 19
To help plan for our school’s childcare needs during the early release Mondays, please complete this form: https://forms.gle/zLLqTonUNXReDbKW8 for each of your children who are enrolled at Timber Lane Elementary. The form covers the first two early release Mondays, scheduled for September 23, 2024 and October 28, 2024. If you have multiple children, you will need to submit multiple forms. Staff will confirm the after school supervision plan for each student.
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