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Good afternoon Cedar Lane Community!!
We've already passed the halfway point of the first quarter, and we couldn't be more pleased with the engagement and hard work our students are demonstrating! However, this also means that report cards and progress reports will be coming out very soon. We encourage families to continue checking in with their students about their assignments and grades. This is a critical time to address any challenges and ensure a strong finish to the quarter.
As a major highlight for next week, we will be hosting SAT and PSAT exams on Wednesday, October 8th. Students in grades 10 through 12 will be participating in these important assessments. Please note that there will be no school for 9th-grade students on this day. Furthermore, we will have an early dismissal at 12:45 p.m. for all students participating in the exams. We encourage all participating students to take full advantage of this day, as these assessments provide essential experience and data for their preparations for the future.
Have a wonderful and relaxing weekend,
The Staff of Cedar Lane School
Contents:
Wednesday, October 8 ⇒ SAT/PSAT Day (See Information Below)
Monday, October 13 ⇒ Indigenous Peoples Day (No School for Students)
Tuesday, October 14 ⇒ Cedar Lane PTSA Meeting
Monday, October 20 ⇒ Diwali (No School)
Tuesday, October 28 ⇒ PTSA Hallowingo Event
Friday, October 31 ⇒ Last Day of the First Quarter/Halloween
SAT School Day and PSAT/NMSQT Testing Day
SAT School Day and PSAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (NMSQT) exams will be held at each high school on Wednesday, October 8, at no cost to families. The digital SAT School Day exam is offered to 12th grade students, and the digital PSAT/NMSQT exam is provided to 10th and 11th grade students.
Unscheduled Day for Ninth Grade Students Because of the testing, most ninth grade students will not have school on October 8. Students are encouraged to complete any missing work or assignments that need to be completed prior to the end of the first quarter.
Ninth grade students with disabilities who receive low incidence special education services will still receive in-person instruction with a two-hour early release on October 8.
Contact the Student Services team at your child’s school with any questions. Learn more about SAT and PSAT assessments in FCPS.
Fechas de los Exámenes SAT y PSAT/NMSQT
El Día del Examen SAT y de la Evaluación Clasificatoria al PSAT/”National Merit Scholarship” (NMSQT, por sus siglas en inglés) se efectuarán sin costo alguno para las familias, el miércoles 8 de octubre en cada una de las escuelas secundarias. El examen digital “SAT School Day” lo toman estudiantes de 12vo. Grado, y el examen digital PSAT/NMSQT lo toman estudiantes de 10mo. y 11vo. grados.
Día sin Programación para Estudiantes de Noveno Grado
Debido a los exámenes, la mayoría de los estudiantes de noveno grado no tendrán clases el 8 de octubre. Se les recomienda a los estudiantes que completen cualquier trabajo o tarea pendiente que deban terminar antes de que se termine el primer trimestre.
Los estudiantes de noveno grado que tengan alguna discapacidad, que reciban servicios de educación especial para discapacidades de baja ocurrencia aún recibirán el 8 de octubre instrucción en persona, con dos horas de salida temprana.
Contacte al equipo de servicios al estudiante de la escuela de su hijo si tiene cualquier pregunta. Conozca más sobre las evaluaciones SAT y PSAT en FCPS.
⏰ Take the School Start Times Survey
FCPS is continuing to explore options for adjusting school start times, with the primary goal of beginning the middle school day at 8 a.m. or later. In order to minimize any costs associated with this change, elementary and high school start times would need to shift as well.
Providing feedback opportunities for the community is a critical part of this effort. Since 2024, FCPS’ consultant has hosted five community forums and administered two surveys. A new School Start Times Survey is open and includes two options that are designed to support student well-being, align with research, balance transportation logistics, and minimize costs.
Staff, parents and caregivers, students, and community members may provide input on the two options by taking the survey. The survey deadline has been extended to Monday, October 6. Find more information on adjusting school start times on the FCPS website.
Social and Emotional Learning Screening:
FCPS is committed to supporting all students’ mental wellness and social and emotional learning. FCPS approved a Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener that students use to share their perspectives on how well their school and community help them develop skills they need to succeed. These skills include achieving goals, understanding and managing emotions, establishing and maintaining relationships with adults and peers, and making responsible decisions. Students also share how successful their school and community are at making them feel valued, included, and supported. These factors are critical to positive academic, social, and emotional success. All students in grades 3-12 have the opportunity to participate in the screener twice a year, in the fall and spring.
The SEL Screener elevates the voices of our students by making sure their perspectives are considered in decision-making. Screener data is used to plan programming for the division, schools, and individual students. Division and school level results, which do not include individual student information, may be used by staff to improve SEL and mental wellness practices and to inform strategic plans. Division and school level results may also be shared with the community to describe the needs of our student body and provide opportunities for partnership.
Individual students’ Screener data will only be accessible to teachers, administrators, and staff with legitimate educational interests. Results will be maintained in secure files and databases accessible only to these individuals. In partnership with families, staff review this data alongside other information to plan interventions for students with identified needs. Parents and guardians will receive an individualized report regarding their student’s screener results following each assessment window. School staff are available to discuss results with families.
You can opt out your child from participating in the SEL Screener by completing the form below. The opt out applies to the current school year and must be completed annually. For more information about the SEL Screener and access to its contents visit https://www.fcps.edu/student-tests-and-assessments/student-assessment-details/social-emotional-screener.
2026-27 FAFSA Form Now Open
Federal Student Aid has released the 2026-27 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Any college-bound high school senior — regardless of income — who wants to be considered for federal, state, and school financial aid programs should complete a FAFSA form.
Parents and caregivers are encouraged to work with their students to complete the FAFSA as early as possible. Check each college’s financial aid office website for deadlines and financial aid forms. Then, create an account if you have not already done so, and fill out the FAFSA.
The Virginia Alternative State Aid (VASA) application has not yet opened, but should be available in late January for students who are unable to complete the FAFSA. To help determine which aid option is right for you, visit the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia website.
Get Help Filling Out the FAFSA
Over the next few months, College Access Fairfax will offer several programs on completing the FAFSA/VASA and finding and applying for scholarships. Get information on these programs and how to access them on the College Access Fairfax website.
College Access Fairfax staff are available for virtual one-on-one help sessions to help complete the FAFSA/VASA. To request an appointment, families should email appointments@CollegeAccessFairfax.org.
🎤 Community Conversations With Superintendent Dr. Reid
Your voice matters, and Dr. Reid wants to hear from you! Parents are partners, working with us to set our students up for long-term success at school and in life.
A series of Community Conversations will be held across the school division to discuss current challenges and future opportunities. These events are also a chance for you to share your thoughts with Dr. Reid and ask her questions. Events are planned for the following dates from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. To register for the October 3 meeting, please click that date below. Registration links for the other dates will be available soon:
Child care and interpretation services will be provided. Events are open to all. Please check our website for updates.
 Mark your Calendars! The PTSA has two fabulous events planned for October!
On Oct 14th at 7pm we have our Virtual General Membership Meeting- all are welcome-the PTSA needs your input to plan useful and informative events and speakers and has updates to share with everyone - we hope you can make it!!
On Oct 28th from 6-8pm at Cedar Lane School we will have our Annual Hallowingo Celebration- we will serve dinner and play lots of bingo for some fun prizes- bring the whole family! Costumes are welcome! Hope to see you soon!
Why Are Bonds Needed to Fund FCPS Construction Projects?
The building and renovation of schools are not financed through the FCPS’ operating funds, but through bonds. Similar to an individual or a family obtaining a mortgage on a residence to spread the cost of home buying over several years, bonds spread the cost of major capital improvements over a number of years. This ensures that current and future residents and users share in the payment.
This approach is good for our taxes, too. If capital construction were financed out of current tax revenues on a pay-as-you-go basis, projects would need to be paid for in a much shorter time frame, likely reducing other county services or necessitating tax increases. Fortunately, the county’s bonded debt is not likely to be a contributing factor to any increase in local taxes.
A bond referendum to benefit FCPS will be on the ballot this Election Day, Tuesday, November 4. It represents an investment by the community into the facilities everyone uses — whether for school or to gather as a community.
Read more about the FCPS 2025 Bond Referendum. Learn more about registering to vote. Make a voting plan and vote on Tuesday, November 4.
📍 Comprehensive Boundary Review Update
FCPS will begin holding October community boundary review meetings on Monday, October 13. The new draft map, Scenario 4, will be shared with the community for feedback at those meetings. It will also be uploaded to the Boundary Explorer Tool shortly before October 13. Community members will then be able to provide feedback in the tool at their convenience.
As a reminder, the community provided feedback on draft scenarios 1-3 in the spring. Scenario 4 continues to build upon the first three scenarios. It is informed by the Superintendent's Boundary Review Advisory Committee, which reviewed community feedback received in the spring to help develop priorities that the consultant used to create Scenario 4.
Visit FCPS’ Comprehensive Boundary Review webpage for more information.
🙋 Every Day Is a Stepping Stone to Success
Attendance is an important life skill that will help your child later in life. It’s a good habit to build now to help them graduate from college on time and routinely report to work on time once they have a career.
Please take a look at the FCPS Calendar. Try to schedule any trips or family events on weekends and school holidays. Every day of learning is a day toward success. Keep in mind that absences add up quickly. Students who are absent 10% of the school year (or just two days per month) are considered “chronically absent.”
When possible, schedule appointments for your child outside of school hours. If your child needs to miss school because of an illness or appointment, you must report the absence to our school. Please call (703) 208-2424, email CedarLaneSchool.Attendance@fcps.edu, or use ParentVUE to report absences and other attendance related issues.
Visit FCPS’ Attendance webpage for resources on attendance.
FCPS News
In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics:
- FCPS Welcomes Military Families
- October Community Boundary Review Meetings
- Community Conversations
Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today.
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