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The Lion's Roar
Monday, December 16, 2024
Upcoming Events
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Continuing through Friday, 12/20 – SCA Spirit Week!
- Tuesday, 12/17: Sports Jersey Day
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Wednesday, 12/18: Scarf vs. Hat Day (which one will win?)
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Thursday, 12/19: Candy Cane Day (wear red and white)
- Friday, 12/20: Pajama Day!
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Thursday, 12/19 – Lane Band and Strings Concert (6th grade musicians only), 6:30 p.m.
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Monday, 12/23 through Friday, 1/3 – Winter Break
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Monday, 1/6 – School reopens after Winter Break
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Thursday, 1/9 – PTA Meeting (virtual), 6:30 p.m.
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Tuesday, 1/14 – PTA Restaurant Night at La Fiamma, 5 – 9 p.m.
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Monday, 1/20 – Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Holiday and Inauguration Day, School, Office, and SACC CLOSED
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Wednesday, 1/29 – Student Holiday/Teacher Workday, students do not report
In This Issue
- A Message from Our Administrators: Well Wishes to Mr. Griffin and a Warm Welcome to Ms. McCormick!
- Winter Break Is Next Week!
- Even If School Is Closed, Learning Can Continue
- Pre–Winter Break SCA Spirit Days Start Seasonal Fun
- Winter Break Holidays
- Looking for the Perfect Holiday Treat for Your Child’s Teacher or Other Lane Staff?
- “Walk in My Shoes” Coming in January! Volunteers Needed!
- 6th Grade Middle School Transition Begins in January!
- Help Wanted: Seeking Dining Assistant for Our Cafeteria
- Save the Date for the 2025 Lane Spelling Bee – Thursday, February 13th
- PTA News: Regal fundraiser, donations for specialists
- Parent Resources: Winter Break resources for families, upcoming webinars
- FCPS News & Activities: Special Education Newsletter, boundary review meetings
News & Notes
A Message from Our Administrators: Well Wishes to Mr. Griffin, and a Warm Welcome to Ms. McCormick!
As the year progresses, we often find ourselves reflecting on the incredible individuals who have shaped our school in countless ways. Today, we write to honor and thank one such person, Mr. Griffin, for his dedication, passion, and service to our school and community.
Mr. Griffin has been a remarkable part of our team, bringing boundless enthusiasm and energy to his role as our music teacher. His passion for kids and learning has been evident in every note played, every song sung, and every moment spent fostering a love for music among our students. His ability to inspire creativity, build confidence, and create lasting memories in his classroom and beyond has truly enriched our school.
While we will deeply miss Mr. Griffin and all he has done for Lane, we are so grateful for the legacy he leaves behind. His work has touched the lives of so many students and families, and his presence in our hallways and on our stage will not be forgotten.
We wish him all the best in his future endeavors and know that his talent and dedication will continue to make a difference wherever he goes.
We would love to extend a warm welcome to Ms. McCormick who will officially be joining us following Winter Break. Ms. McCormick comes highly recommended and has already been working closely to help students during the transition by being present and collaborating with our music team. We look forward to the passion and expertise she will bring to our music program.
With gratitude,
Mrs. Opie
Mr. Dickens
Mrs. Kubiak
Winter Break Starts Next Week!
Winter Break is nearly upon us! Please note that school and the office will be CLOSED Monday, December 23rd through Friday, January 3rd. The last day before the break – Friday, December 20th – will be a regular full day of school, with dismissal at 4:05 p.m. as usual.
We understand that there are many events happening at this time of year. Please remember that if you have to pick your child up early for any reason it’s important to send a note or email to your child’s teacher that morning. This helps ensure that your child will be ready to leave the classroom when you arrive at school. We appreciate your cooperation in this matter.
School will reopen on Monday, January 6th at the regular time. Please make sure you have these dates on your calendar.
We wish all our Lane Lion families a warm and wonderful Winter Break!
Pre–Winter Break SCA Spirit Days Start Seasonal Fun
The SCA has scheduled a set of spirit days this week to help us get into a celebratory mood for Winter Break. We kicked off the fun today with “Animal Day.” Here’s a list of themes for the remaining days this week:
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Tuesday, 12/17: Sports Jersey Day
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Wednesday, 12/18: Scarf vs. Hat Day (which one will win?)
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Thursday, 12/19: Candy Cane Day (wear red and white)
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Friday, 12/20: Pajama Day!
We hope your child will get into the spirit and participate!
Even If School’s Closed, Learning Can Continue
FCPS encourages students to take advantage of fun learning opportunities during Winter Break and snow days. Consider these winter activities to blend education and play for your students during Winter Break or weather-related school closures.
Winter Break Holidays
There are several cultural holidays coming up in the next few weeks. We wish very happy holidays to all who celebrate this time of year!
A very Merry Christmas to those in our community who celebrate! Christmas is an annual holiday that commemorates the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, the person who stands at the heart of the Christian tradition. It is celebrated in many unique ways across the U.S. and the world on December 25th, most commonly by the joyous giving of gifts. Learn more about Christmas here. |
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Chanukah, an eight-day Festival of Lights, is a Jewish holiday commemorating the rededication of the Holy Temple and the miracle of a small quantity of oil that lit the Temple’s menorah for eight days. This year, Chanukah begins at sundown on Wednesday, December 25th. See the complete school year calendar. |
Happy New Year to all our Lane families! We look forward to working with your children and building our partnership with you in 2025!
Looking for the Perfect Holiday Treat for Your Child’s Teacher or Other Lane Staff?
If you’d like to give your child’s teacher or other staff member a token of appreciation during this holiday season but aren’t sure where to start, we can help! Thanks to the PTA, we’ve collected “Teacher Favorites” lists to guide you! You can find the lists, organized by grade level/department, on our school website.
Please note that gifts are completely optional. And remember … sometimes the best gifts are the simplest – a homemade card, a letter of thanks, a special treat your child helped to bake, or even a heart-felt “Happy Holidays!” wish.
“Walk in My Shoes” Coming January 27th! Volunteers Needed!
As part of our ongoing commitment to inclusion and raising awareness about disabilities, Lane will host “Walk in My Shoes” during P.E. classes on Monday, January 27th. 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.
Walk in My Shoes requires a lot of adult support to be successful. We are looking for volunteers to assist with many different activities. Help is needed during the times below.
- 9:15 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (3rd through 6th Grade)
- 12:45 – 4 p.m. (Kindergarten through 2nd Grade and Ms. Slomka’s 3rd Grade)
Each volunteer will receive a script and information regarding the activity and the challenge being explored. Depending on need, you may be asked to understudy a second station. Stations will be confirmed January 23rd. Please review the available slots and activity descriptions at the link below and click on the button to sign up. Thank you!
Volunteer link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0C44ACAE2BA6FA7-54027507-walk#/.
For more information about the Walk in My Shoes program visit http://www.walkinmyshoes.net/about-us/.
6th Grade Middle School Transition Begins in January!
Once we return from Winter Break, our oldest Lane Lions – our 6th graders – will begin the process of moving on to middle school. Information on course selection will be sent home by our counselors soon, and course request forms will be due near the end of January. Our 6th graders will attend either Hayfield Secondary School or Mark Twain Middle School, depending on where they live.
If your 6th grade Lane Lion will attend Hayfield Secondary School, please make note of these upcoming middle school transition events:
- Hayfield tour for students (during the school day) – Tuesday, January 14th
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Rising 7th and 8th Grade Curriculum Night – Thursday, January 9th, 6 – 8 p.m. in the Hayfield Auditorium (Snow Date: Monday, January 13th)
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Parent Coffees:
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Tuesday, February 4th, 6 – 8 p.m., Middle School Lecture Hall (Snow Date: Wednesday, February 12th)
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Friday, March 14th, 9 – 11 a.m., Middle School Lecture Hall
(Snow Date: Thursday, March 20th).
You can find more information, including the 7th grade course catalog and a Virtual Curriculum Fair on the Hayfield website. Please contact Lane counselor Stephanie Kasparek or Bessie Fealey, Hayfield school counselor, if you have questions.
If your 6th grader will attend Mark Twain Middle School, please make note of these upcoming events:
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Mark Twain Middle School Curriculum Night for rising 7th grade parents – Monday, January 13th, 6 p.m., Twain Cafeteria (Snow Date: Tuesday, January 21st)
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6 – 7 p.m.: Departmental presentations on electives, English, ESOL, Health & P.E., the IB program, math, science, social studies, special education, student services, and world languages
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7 p.m.: Advanced Academic Program (AAP) Level IV information for parents of eligible students, Cafeteria; AVID (Advanced via Individual Determination) program presentation for parents of students who have been recommended by their current teachers for the program
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Electives Extravaganza and school visit for students (during the school day) – Wednesday, January 15th (Snow Date: Wednesday, January 22nd)
- Parent Coffee – Tuesday, June 4th, 9 a.m.
Please feel free to contact Mrs. Kasparek at Lane or Stephen Fitzgerald, Director of Student Services at Twain, if you have any questions.
Help Wanted: Seeking Dining Assistant for Our Cafeteria
Lane needs dining assistants to support our lunchtime routines in the cafeteria. The job is 3.5 hours a day (approximately 10:45 a.m. to 2:15 p.m.), Monday through Friday. Duties include monitoring students, assisting them as they clean up and clean tables, and interacting with them in a positive way to assist them with their social skills.
We are looking for dedicated people who can be patient, caring, structured, and fair. Would you like to join our team? If so, please contact Kelly Tolley at kltolley@fcps.edu.
Save the Date for the 2025 Lane Spelling Bee – Thursday, February 13th!
The Spelling Bee buzz has begun! If your child might be interested in participating this year, please mark Thursday, February 13th on your calendar. The bee is open to all students in grades 1 through 6 and is completely optional. Practice sessions will be held before school for several weeks prior to the bee, which will be held after school.
Watch Wednesday Folders this week for basic bee information and a parent permission and registration form, which should be signed and returned as soon as possible if your child would like to participate. Forms are due by January 17th; no late forms will be accepted. Study packets will be sent out to registered students on Wednesday, January 22nd.
PTA News
December Regal Movies Fundraiser
Looking for a gift for friends and families that gives back to Lane as well? The PTA has a great one — Regal Movie Ticket Bundles! For just $30 you get 2 Standard 2D Movie tickets redeemable at any Regal location nationwide. Lane receives 25% of the sale. This fundraiser runs through December 31st. Buy your bundle here!
Specials Teachers Holiday Collection
Have your kid's specials teachers (Art, STREAM, Music, etc.) on your mind this giving season? Help us provide gift cards for them this holiday season by donating $10 here.
Parent Resources
Winter Break Resources for Families
A list of resources has been compiled for students and families in case they or someone they know needs assistance while schools are closed for Winter Break. Please visit FCPS’ winter resources webpage for information on academic support, mental health support, and county resources related to food, clothing, housing, and other needs.
FREE Webinars from the Family Resource Center
Help! My Kids Won’t Go to School!
A roadmap to help parents unravel the underlying causes of their child’s school resistance.
Parents will learn how to take care of themselves in the heat of the moment and how to set supportive boundaries at home. In addition, families will discover key facts and root causes for school refusal.
Friday, January 10th, 10 – 11:30 a.m.
Register Here
A Series on Supporting Your Child’s Executive Function Skills
Discover how to support your child’s executive function skills in our webinar series. We will present information on understanding your child’s developmental milestones, recognizing signs of executive dysfunction, and implementing effective strategies to support their learning at home and in school.
Friday, January 17th, 10 – 11:30 a.m.
Register Here
Depression in Teens
Practitioners will discuss the prevalence of major depressive disorder and how to identify depression in teenagers as well as elements of recovery and strategies for treatment.
Friday, January 24th, 10 – 11:30 a.m.
Register Here
Comprendiedo el Trauma en su Hijo
Aprendemos sobre el trauma en este semanario de web de 3 partes y sobre los diferentes tipos de trauma, las respuestas naturales y los efectos que esto puede tener tanto en los niños como en los padres y estrategias que los padres pueden usar para apoyar a sus hijos de manera efectiva.
Parte #1: 31 de Enero de 2025 10-11:30 a.m.
Parte #2: 14 de Febrero de 2025 10-11:30 a.m.
Parte #3: 21 de Marzo de 2025 10-11:30 a.m.
Register Here
FCPS News & Activities
Winter Special Education and 504 Newsletter
The latest issue of the FCPS Special Education and 504 Newsletter is available online. Topics in this issue include:
- Community Resources for Families of Students with Disabilities
- Save the Date: 2025 Family Summit
- SEL Screener Results
- New Accessibility Resources
- Adapted Physical Education and Recreation Program
- Why Some Students with Disabilities Stay in FCPS Until Age 22
- VR Programs Supports Out-of-State Post Secondary Schools
- Executive Functioning Webinars
- Early Literacy Resources
- ESY and Assessment Webinar
- COVID-19 Compensatory Education: FCPS Service Delivery Options
Subscribe to the Special Education and 504 Newsletter.
Community Meetings on the Comprehensive Boundary Review
If you did not get a chance to attend one of the recent community meetings on the Comprehensive Boundary Review, please consider attending the final meeting in this first phase of the boundary review process. The Region 1 meeting will take place Wednesday, December 18th, 6:30 – 8 p.m., in the Madison High School cafeteria. Register today. If you are unable to participate, stay tuned for details about virtual Community Boundary Review Meetings coming early next year.
View FCPS’ Comprehensive Boundary Review webpage for more information. Sign up for FCPS’ School Boundary Review newsletter as well.
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