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The Lion's Roar
Monday, February 10, 2025
Upcoming Events
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Thursday, 2/13 – Spelling Bee, 4:45 p.m. (Snow date: Thursday, 2/20)
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Monday, 2/17 – Presidents Day Holiday, School, Office, and SACC CLOSED
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Tuesday, 2/18 & Wednesday, 2/19 – PTA Restaurant Nights at Chick-fil-A, 4 - 9 p.m. NEW DATE!
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Thursday, 2/27 – Winter Cultural Awareness & Recognition Event (CARE) Night, 6 – 7:30 p.m.
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Friday, 3/14 – Rising 7th Grade Parent Coffee at Hayfield Middle School, 9 – 11 a.m.
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Friday, 3/14 – PTA Basket Bingo, 6:30 – 8 p.m.
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Tuesday, 3/18 & Wednesday, 3/19 – PTA Restaurant Nights at Silver Diner, 5 – 9 p.m.
In This Issue
- Presidents Day Is Monday, February 17th! School and Office CLOSED!
- Winter CARE Night Thursday, February 27th
- Be Part of Our Black History Month Celebration
- 2024-2025 Yearbooks on Sale! Order Now and Save!
- News from the Lane Library: Overdue Notices Will Be Sent Out This Week
- Spelling Bee Is This Thursday After School
- Dual Language Immersion Lottery Registration
- PTA News: Chick-fil-A Restaurant Nights moved to next week, meetings survey, and more!
- Parent Resources: Immunization reminder, kindergarten registration information, Family Resource Center webinars
- FCPS News & Activities: 2025-2026 Budget, Black History Month event, and more!
News & Notes
Presidents Day Is Monday, February 17th! School and Office CLOSED!
Please note that school and the office will be closed on Monday in honor of Presidents Day. We hope you and your family enjoy the long weekend! You can learn more about Presidents Day at Britannica.com.
Join Us for Winter CARE Night Thursday, February 27th
Our second Cultural Awareness & Recognition Event (CARE) Night of the year will be held on Thursday, February 27th, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. We will have displays and activities related to the three major winter cultural celebrations recognized by FCPS: Lunar New Year, Black History Month, and Ramadan.
At this event, you’ll be able to take a walk through important events in Black history and design a square for our Freedom Quilt; explore the Chinese zodiac to find your birth animal and create a decoration for the Year of the Snake; make a colorful lantern suncatcher and learn about other Ramadan symbols and traditions; and listen to music from all of these celebrations, including decades of music by Black artists that have helped shape our music today. We’ll even have some live jazz, provided by Lane music teachers! There will also be snacks, stories, and sharing time with other Lane families. Watch Wednesday Folders for a flyer with more information this week.
If you would like to join us to share information or lead an activity (craft, game, performance, etc.), please reach out to one of our family liaisons, Melanie Crosby Hardy at macrosby@fcps.edu or Andrea Howard at ahoward@fcps.edu.
Be Part of Our Black History Month Celebration
At our CARE Night on February 27th, we would like to showcase and honor our Lane Black students and families and their family histories!
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Please share your pictures and stories with us so we can add them to a display that night. You can email them to one of our family liaisons: Melanie Crosby Hardy at macrosby@fcps.edu or Andrea Howard at ahoward@fcps.edu. We look forward to learning about your history during Black History Month!
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2024-2025 Yearbooks on Sale! Order Now and Save!
School yearbooks are now on sale. The basic book is just $18 now, but the price will go up to $22 at the end of March. You can have your child’s name printed on the cover for an additional $5. Order now and save!
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Ordering is simple: Just go to http://www.buytheyearbook.com, put in Lane Yearbook School ID #722060, and pay with your credit card. All orders are online only.
You can find more information on the flyer in Wednesday Folders this week. Early-bird deadline is Friday, March 28th.
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.
News from the Lane Library: Overdue Notices Will Be Sent Out This Week
Dear Lane Readers,
With the start of third quarter, please note that the library will be emailing overdue notices on Tuesday, February 11th. Students who have books that were due on or before January 30th 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 expected to pay the replacement cost for lost or damaged books.
Contact Sue Chozick, Librarian (schozick@fcps.edu) with any questions.
Spelling Bee Is This Thursday After School!
Congratulations to all of our Spelling Bee students who have made it through the preliminary grade-level bees and qualified to participate in the schoolwide bee, which will be held this Thursday, February 13th, after school beginning at 4:45 p.m. (In case of inclement weather, the bee will be held on Thursday, February 20th.) The winner of the school bee will represent Lane at the countywide Spelling Bee in the spring.
Mrs. Chozick has sent emails to all Spelling Bee families with next steps for students who will be part of the schoolwide bee on Thursday. If your child is participating, please check your email and reach out to Mrs. Chozick (schozick@fcps.edu) with any questions.
Good luck to all of our spellers!
Dual Language Immersion Lottery Registration Open Now Through March 6th
Registration for the countywide lottery for the Dual Language Immersion (DLI) program is now open. Current pre-K students may apply for the kindergarten immersion program, and current kindergarten students may apply for the 1st grade immersion program for the 2025-26 school year.
Dual Language Immersion is available in French, German, Japanese, Korean, and Spanish.
Parents/caregivers who are interested may want to attend an informational meeting. Meetings are held at the school site. Visit the Dual Language Immersion Program Registration page for a list of meetings by language offered. The application window will close on Thursday, March 6th.
Get more information on the DLI Program webpage and DLI Program Registration webpage.
Learn About Science, Technology, and Arts Magnet Schools
Three FCPS elementary magnet schools — Hunters Woods, Bailey’s Primary, and Bailey’s Upper — provide enhanced learning programs in science, technology, and performing arts.
Registration for the 2025-26 elementary magnet lottery will be open Tuesday, March 4th through Friday, April 4th. Learn more about the programs on the Elementary Magnet Schools page and the magnet lottery on our registration page.
PTA News
New Dates for February Restaurant Nights at Chick-fil-A Kingstowne — Now February 18th & 19th
Due to the wintry weather expected to hit our area tomorrow, the PTA has moved its schedule Chick-Fil-A Restaurant Nights to next week! The new dates are Tuesday, February 18th and Wednesday, February 19th. The time each day remains the same — 4 to 9 p.m. Dine-in, drive-thru, and mobile orders count; just be sure to mention Lane Spirit Night so we receive credit. If placing a mobile order, use the code word "Lions" to ensure we get credit.
Love Basket Bingo? Join the Planning Committee!
Basket Bingo is coming in March 2025, and the PTA is looking for creative minds to join the Basket Bingo Planning Committee! Help us make this year’s event the best one yet by brainstorming fun themes and planning the event. If interested, please contact Wendy at basketbingo@lanepta.org.
The PTA Needs Your Help to Make PTA Meetings More Accessible
As part of their ongoing effort to make monthly meetings more engaging and accessible, the PTA wants to hear from you! Your feedback is incredibly valuable as they look for ways to improve attendance and involvement in their meetings, whether virtual or in person.
The PTA has created a short survey to discover what would encourage you to attend PTA meetings. It will only take a few minutes to complete, and your responses will help the group tailor future meetings to better fit family schedules and preferences.
Please feel free to share any additional thoughts or suggestions you may have.
Thank you for your continued support!
Parent Resources
Make Sure Your Children Are
Up-to-Date on Immunizations
Please make sure your child has all of their necessary immunizations. Remember, all students are required to be immunized against certain diseases to attend school in Virginia. This is an important part of keeping children healthy!
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Starting Monday, May 19, students who have not provided proof of immunization may not be allowed to attend school. You can check your child’s immunization status and submit updated immunization information by accessing SIS ParentVUE.
Please check with your healthcare provider to make sure your child is up to date on required immunizations for the 2024-25 school year. If your child needs an immunization, make an appointment with your healthcare provider, visit the Fairfax County Health Department website for a list of child immunization clinics, or view other Immunization Resources. Be wise and immunize!
Kindergarten 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 guardian must be present), the student will be ready for our Kindergarten Orientation, which will be held later this spring. Read more about the registration process. For additional information, please contact Jami O’Hagan, our school registrar at jjohagan@fcps.edu.
Try Online Registration
Online registration for the 2025-26 school year is open. Parents/caregivers may register their children online for kindergarten through 12th grade. Learn how to begin the online registration process.
When registering, parents/caregivers will need to create or log in to an existing SIS ParentVUE account.
FREE Webinars from the Family Resource Center
Comprendiendo el Trama en su Hijo
(presented in Spanish: Understanding Trauma in Your Child)
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.
Friday, February 14, 2025, 10 – 11:30 a.m.
Register here
FCPS Risk Prevention Series: Part 1 – Risk Prevention
Review how FCPS Risk Prevention processes and procedures support a safe and healthy school community. Learn about risks assessments when a child expresses threats of harm to self and threats of harm to others and/or demonstrates concerning behaviors. Families and caretakers will be provided practical information and strategies to support building factors for those in their care.
Tuesday, February 18, 2025, 10 – 11:30 a.m.
Register here
Nurturing Adolescent Growth: Part 4 – Supporting Mental Health: Recognizing and Addressing Anxiety and Depression in Teens
Join us for Part 4 of our Teen Series with Dr. Unnatti Jain, a Certified Behavior Change Expert / TEDx speaker / Author / Keynote speaker who studies behavioral patterns. Dr. Jain will help caretakers and families be able to identify mental health symptoms, enhance communication skills, and explore professional and self-care strategies.
Friday, February 21, 2025, 10 – 11:30 a.m.
Register here
SibShops
For children grades 2-6 enrolled in Fairfax County Public Schools. An opportunity to meet other siblings in a relaxed setting. Celebrate the many contributions made by brothers and sisters of children with special needs. Share sibling experiences, while receiving peer support. Enjoy games and have fun!
Saturday, February 22, 2025, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Register here
FCPS Risk Prevention Series: Suicide Prevention – Supporting Your Child
This session will equip caregivers with the knowledge and skills to identify signs of suicidal ideation in their children and respond effectively to these crises. Caregivers will learn how to respond if they learn or observe that their child may be experiencing thoughts of suicide. This session will provide practical tools and strategies to help caregivers navigate these challenging situations with compassion and confidence.
Tuesday, February 25, 2025, 10 – 11:30 a.m.
Register here
FCPS News & Activities
FCPS Proposed Budget Progress
The Fairfax County School Board discussed the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Proposed Budget at their work session on February 4th. They discussed details regarding student enrollment and investments in students requiring additional support, market comparison data for surrounding school divisions, and an update on progress toward achieving the Baldrige Award for Performance Excellence. Baldrige is a framework used to assess and improve organizational performance across various sectors, including education.
The School Board also held a public hearing on the FY 2026 Proposed Budget on Tuesday, February 4th, where they invited the community to share their feedback on the budget.
On Tuesday, February 18th, the Fairfax County executive will present the county’s Advertised Budget, and the Fairfax County School Board will hold a work session on the FCPS FY 2026 Proposed Budget. View FCPS’ Budget Development Calendar.
Breaking Down the Budget
More than 85% of the budget is dedicated to instruction and reflects the needs of our community’s young people in response to the changing world around us. Budget priorities include providing competitive compensation for all employees, including a 7% salary increase for all staff. The majority of the budget increase is dedicated to that proposed 7% pay increase.
Our families want their children in high-quality schools with the best teachers who provide rigorous academic experiences. We must provide competitive compensation to attract and retain our outstanding educators, administrators, and other school-based and operational staff dedicated to the success of our students.
The proposed 7% salary increase would likely move FCPS to the highest starting salary for teachers with a master's degree among our neighboring counties and greatly improve our recruitment efforts amidst an ongoing teacher shortage. Visit the Budget webpage for more information.
Black History Month Kick-Off Celebration (Note: Date Change)
FCPS’ Chief Equity Office invites the community to an Inaugural Black History Month Kickoff Celebration on Wednesday, February 19th, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., at Carter G. Woodson High School.
The event begins with a light reception followed by a formal program, From the Threads of Our Past to the Fabric of Our Future. The program will honor the enduring contributions of Black history and culture while envisioning a future rooted in equity and excellence. It will include inspiring performances, personal stories, reflections, and opportunities to connect and celebrate. The event is open to the entire community.
For more information, contact Nina Thomas, senior manager for Professional Learning and Cultural Responsiveness.
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