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Dear TLES Families,
The second week of school has been filled with smiles, laughter, and learning! Students had a blast as they dove into new activities and collaborated with new friends. A huge shout-out to our amazing teachers for ALL their hard work in making this such a wonderful start to the year!
Yesterday our school’s gymnasium was filled with energy and excitement as we kicked off the school year with our ROAR assembly! Our amazing Assistant Principal, Mrs. Buchanan, led an inspiring event that got everyone fired up about our ROAR, our school-wide rules.
We talked about how being Respectful, Owning your actions, Advocating for yourself or others, and being Responsible will help our students have a successful year. We also unveiled some exciting plans for the year, including new ways we’ll be recognizing both individual students and classes for their hard work and positive behavior in the classroom, in the cafeteria and beyond!
We’re so proud of our students for an incredible start to the year. We can’t wait to see all the amazing things they’ll accomplish! Be on the lookout for our quarterly ROAR assemblies, and parents, we can’t wait for you to join us via Zoom for the next one at the end of the quarter! Let’s make this year the best one yet!
Ben Chiet, Principal
Sarah Buchanan, Assistant Principal
Keeping Our School Safe: A Community Effort
At Timber Lane Elementary, the safety of our students is our top priority. We want to thank our families for their partnership in keeping our school secure. We have several procedures in place to ensure a safe learning environment, and your cooperation is vital.
General Security All school doors are locked at all times. We use an external camera system to monitor all exterior areas - from Door 1 to Kiss 'n Ride to the Upper Field. We also conduct regular safety drills with students and staff and work closely with local authorities to ensure our protocols are up-to-date.
Visitor & Student Drop-Off Procedures For the safety of all, we require every visitor to show a valid ID upon entry. Our new security system, the ScholarChip Visitor Identification System, scans your ID and matches it with our Student Information System (SIS) to verify your connection to our students. This ensures that only authorized individuals can enter our school. Please be prepared to present your ID every time you visit.
Families should only drop students off in one of two ways:
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Through our supervised Kiss 'n Ride (car rider system), where students are dropped off directly to a staff member.
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After arrival hours, students must be accompanied into the building by a parent/guardian and signed in at the front office.
Arrival and Dismissal During arrival and dismissal, we ensure every entrance and exit is well-staffed and supervised. All doors remain locked throughout the school day, with access only through the front office.
Thank you for helping us maintain a safe and secure environment for our students and staff. Your partnership is essential to our success.
📱Student Smart Watches and Cell Phones
Please remind your child that FCPS is phone-free! For elementary school students, this means:
- Smart watches that serve a dual purpose may be worn, but the phone features (texting, Internet viewing, and calls) are to be off when phone use is prohibited.
- Cell phones and personal devices (airpods, earbuds, headsets, other items connected to the internet) must be off and away for the entire school day (bell to bell).
If you need to reach your child during the school day, please call our main office at 703-206-5300. Learn more about FCPS’ cell phone and personal device policy.
🍽️No-Cost Meals on September 9
Tuesday, September 9th, is a student holiday. There is no school.
Food and Nutrition Services will provide free meals for all students 18 and under at Timber Lane Elementary School. Our goal is to ensure students have access to meals on days when school is not in session.
On September 9th, both lunch and a snack will be served simultaneously from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in the cafeteria. Families who are interested must sign in and out at the main office. Please make sure to only access the cafeteria while accessing our building. Thank you!
New Math Screening and Growth Assessment for Elementary Students
Starting in September, FCPS elementary schools will use the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) Math assessment to assess grade level mathematics skills in grades 1-6. The MAP Math test along with the iReady Reading test fulfill a state requirement to measure academic growth in grades 3-6 throughout the school year.
MAP Math tests are administered in the fall, winter, and spring. They help teachers identify students' strengths and areas where they may need more support.
Families can learn more about MAP Growth assessments by visiting the MAP Test Information webpage.
SEL Screener Parent Notification and Updates
The Fall Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener will be administered to students in grades 3 through 12 in October.
Students use the SEL Screener twice a year to share their perspectives on how well their school and community help them develop skills they need to succeed. The screener works by asking questions or presenting statements that students can think about and respond to. This gives students a way to share how well their school community makes them feel valued, included, and supported.
After each screening, results are available in the Documents tab of SIS ParentVUE and mailed to families without a ParentVUE account. For more information including SEL Screener questions and opt-out information, please visit FCPS’ Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener webpage.
3-Hour Early Release Schedule
If you have not already, please complete our survey to let us know if your child will need after school care. Please complete a separate form for each child you have enrolled in TLES. Your response will apply to ALL 3-hour early release Wednesdays for the year. If changes need to be made, please notify the front office at least one week prior.
- September 10
- October 29
- November 12
- December 10
- February 18
- March 18
- April 22
- May 13
*TLES's 70th Anniversary!!!*
Join us as we celebrate Timber Lane Elementary School's 70th anniversary!
TLES has proudly served the Falls Church community since September 6, 1955.
Mark your calendars for Saturday, September 6th from 11:30am-2:30pm for an afternoon of fun!
A variety of food and sweets will be available for purchase, and you can buy TLES spiritwear with cash or a check. Enjoy live bands, a DJ, inflatables for the kids, games, arts and crafts and more!
Please help with one of our volunteer spots! Sign up here!
It's guaranteed to be a good time!
☎️Multilingual Parent Information Line
Parents/caregivers who speak Amharic, Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, Korean, Spanish, Urdu, or Vietnamese may call a telephone information line for general information about FCPS. View the list of phone numbers.
Upcoming Events
SY2025-2026 Academic Calendar
August
Aug 29: Labor Day Break (No School)
Sept 1: Labor Day Break (No School)
September
Sept 6: TLES 70th Anniversary Celebration 11:30-2:30
Sept 9: Special Election/Teacher Work Day (No School)
- Meals Provided for Families @ 9:00am-1:00pm - Door #1 (Only)
Sept 10: 3-Hour Early Release @ 12:35pm
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Back To School Night @ 5:30
- Grade Level Presentations at 5:30-6:00 & 6:30-7:00
- Specialists (Art, Music, PE, Library, Guidance, STEAM, Technology, Band & Strings) 6:00-6:30 in the cafeteria
- Enter through Door #1
Sept 15: 1st PTA Meeting at 6:00pm in the cafeteria (NEW DATE)
- Beginning of school year meeting & presentation in English & Spanish
- All families welcome to attend
- Please enter through Door #3
Sept 23: Rosh Hashanah (No School)
October
Oct 2: Yom Kippur (No School)
Oct 9: Family Market @ 4:00-5:15pm (Door #3)
Oct13: Indigenous Peoples' Day/Student Holiday (No School)
Oct 13: AAP Parent Information Session @ 6:00-7:00pm (Door #3)
Oct 20: Diwali (No School)
Oct 29: 3-Hour Early Release @ 12:35pm
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