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The Weekly Roar
Monday, January 5, 2026
Happy New Year, Lane families, and welcome back to school! We wish you and yours a wonderful 2026, and we can’t wait to see where new adventures take us all in the coming year!
Upcoming Events
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Thursday, 1/8 – Hayfield Rising 7th Grade Curriculum Night, 6 to 8 p.m., Hayfield Secondary School Auditorium (Snow Date: 1/12)
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Thursday, 1/8 – Lane PTA Meeting, 6:30 p.m., virtual via Google Meet
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Friday, 1/9 – First Friday Family Zoom: “New Year, New Goals: Helping Your Child Set and Stick to Academic and Social Goals,” 10:30 a.m., on Zoom
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Monday, 1/12 – Mark Twain Rising 7th Grade Transition Night, 6 to 8 p.m., Mark Twain Middle School Cafeteria
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Wednesday, 1/14 – School visit for 6th graders attending Mark Twain Middle School next year (during the school day)
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Thursday, 1/15 – School visit for 6th graders attending Hayfield Secondary School next year (during the school day)
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Thursday, 1/15 – “Walk in My Shoes” inclusion activity during P.E. classes (Volunteers needed, see article below for more information.)
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Friday, 1/16 – Spelling Bee registration/permission forms due to Mrs. Chozick
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Monday, 1/19 – Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Holiday, school, office, and SACC CLOSED
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Wednesday, 1/28 – End-of-Quarter 2-hour Early Release, students dismissed at 2:05 p.m., NO AFTER-SCHOOL CARE provided by the school
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Thursday, 1/29 – Student Holiday/Teacher Workday, students do not report
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Friday, 1/30 – Student Holiday/Teacher Workday, students do not report
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Wednesday, 2/4 – Hayfield Rising 7th Grade Parent Coffee, 6 to 7:30 p.m., Hayfield Middle School Lecture Hall
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Thursday, 2/5 – Celebration of Cultures Night/Winter CARE Night, 6 to 8 p.m.
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Friday, 2/6 – First Friday Family Zoom
In This Issue
- Monthly Message from the Principals
- Join Us for Our Inaugural First Friday with the Principals Family Zoom This Friday, January 9
- “Walk in My Shoes” Coming January 15! Volunteers Needed!
- Share Your Family’s Culture at Lane’s 2026 Celebration of Cultures Night – Thursday, February 5
- The Spelling Bee Is Coming Next Month; Deadline to Register Is Next Friday, January 16!
- 6th Grade Middle School Transition Begins This Month
- PTA News: First meeting of 2026 this Thursday
- Parent Resources: Winter community resources, English classes, upcoming webinars
News & Notes
Monthly Message from the Principals
Dear Lane Families,
Happy New Year and welcome back! We hope your Winter Break was filled with rest, joy, and meaningful time together. As we return to school this January, we are energized and excited to continue our work together in support of every Lane Lion. This year marks our 30th anniversary, and as we step into 2026, it truly feels like a “New Year, New Goals” moment for our entire community.
Strong Home–School Partnerships Matter
At Lane, we know that students thrive when families and schools work together. Thank you for the countless ways you support learning at home, stay connected with teachers, and partner with us to build a positive school community. Your involvement makes a real difference for kids.
Finishing Quarter 2 Strong
Second quarter is quickly coming to a close, and our students have been working hard both before and after Winter Break to prepare for mid-year assessments. We are proud of their effort, perseverance, and growth. When progress reports are released, we encourage families to take time to reflect with your child—celebrate successes, discuss challenges, and set a few meaningful goals for the second half of the year. Teachers are always available for conferences and conversations to support planning for every student’s academic success.
Responsive Classroom at Lane
Lane is a Responsive Classroom school, and as we return from break, we will be revisiting these principles with students—focusing on community, responsibility, and respectful interactions. Families can support this work by talking at home about kindness, problem-solving, and how each of us contributes to a safe and welcoming school environment. Together, we help our Lane Lions grow not only academically but socially and emotionally as well.
Join Us: First Friday with the Principals
We invite you to join us for our first First Friday with the Principals this Friday via Zoom! Our focus will be:
“New Year, New Goals: Helping Your Child Set
and Stick to Academic and Social Goals.”
This is a great opportunity to strengthen our home–school partnership, share strategies, and connect as a community. Check Wednesday Folders this week for a flyer.
Low-Lift Ways to Support Learning at Home
Families often ask how to help—here are a few simple, high-impact ideas:
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Math: Ask your child to explain how they solved a problem or where they see math in everyday life (shopping, cooking, budgeting).
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Language Arts: Encourage daily reading, talk about characters or main ideas, and have your child write short notes, lists, or reflections.
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Science: Ask “why” and “how” questions, notice patterns in nature, or talk about real-world connections to what they’re learning in class.
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Goal-Setting: Help your child choose one academic goal and one social goal and check in weekly on progress.
Thank you for your continued partnership, trust, and support. Please remember that our doors are always open—we value communication and collaboration with families. Together, we are building a strong, connected community and preparing our students to finish the year strong.
With gratitude and excitement for what’s ahead,
Your Lane Principals
Mrs. Opie
Mr. Dickens
Mrs. Lopez
Join Us for Our Inaugural First Friday Family Zoom This Friday, January 9!
We will be kicking off 2026 with a new series of monthly virtual “coffees” with our administration team. Known as “First Fridays with the Principals,” these hour-long online connection opportunities will give you a chance to hear directly from our school leaders – Principal Ebony Opie, Assistant Principal Allen Dickens, and Assistant Principal Maureen Lopez – about important initiatives happening at Lane.
Our first First Friday will take place this Friday, January 9. The topic will be “New Year, New Goals: Helping Your Child Set and Stick to Academic and Social Goals,” and the discussion will focus on student goal-setting, motivation, and building routines that support success.
We will meet live online using this link at 10:30 a.m., all are welcome to join from wherever you are! If you’re not able to make it live, don’t despair! We will record the session and post the video on our website the following day.
“Walk in My Shoes” Coming January 15! 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 Thursday, January 15. 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 these times:
- 9:30 – 11:45 a.m. (3rd through 6th grade students participating)
- 12:40 – 2:55 p.m. (kindergarten through 2nd grade).
Each volunteer will receive a script and information regarding their activity and the challenge being explored. Visit our “Walk in My Shoes” Sign-Up Genius to sign up. Thank you!
Share Your Family’s Culture at Lane’s 2026 Celebration of Cultures Night – Thursday, February 5!
  
The new year has begun, and that means it’s time to start getting excited for one of our favorite annual family-focused events – Celebration of Cultures Night! This very special event gives all Lane families the chance to share their culture and traditions with our school. It features displays, performances, crafts, and FOOD from all over the world provided by our own Lane Lion families!
Celebration of Cultures Night will be held this year on Thursday, February 5, from 6 to 8 p.m. It will also serve as our Winter Cultural Awareness & Recognition Event (CARE) Night and will include special areas with displays and activities recognizing Black History Month, Lunar New Year, and Ramadan.
This is an event your family won’t want to miss! Mark your calendars now for February 5 and watch Wednesday Folders this week for a flyer with more details on how your family can participate and share your culture!
If you already know you want to participate in this event, please sign up here.
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The Spelling Bee Is Coming Next Month; Deadline to Register is Next Friday, January 16! |
The Spelling Bee buzz has begun! If your child might be interested in participating this year, please mark your calendar for Thursday, February 12. The bee is open to all students in grades 1 through 6 and is completely optional. Practice sessions and mandatory grade-level preliminary bees will be held before school for several weeks prior to the bee, which will be held after school.
Registration packets with permission forms were sent home before Winter Break. If your child is interested in participating in the bee, please fill out, sign, and return the permission form as soon as possible and no later than 4 p.m. next Friday, January 16. For more details, watch this video from Mrs. Chozick.
6th Grade Middle School Transition Begins This Month!
Our oldest Lane Lions – our 6th graders – will begin the process of moving on to middle school this month. 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:
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Rising 7th Grade Curriculum Night – Thursday, January 8, 6 to 8 p.m. in the Hayfield Auditorium (Snow Date: Monday, January 12)
- 6 to 6:30 p.m. General Session (Auditorium)
- 6:30 to 8 p.m. – Curriculum Fair (Middle School Cafeteria)
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Hayfield tour for students (during the school day) – Thursday, January 15
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Parent Coffees:
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Wednesday, February 4, 6 to 7:30 p.m., Middle School Lecture Hall (Snow Date to be determined)
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Wednesday, March 4, 9 to 10:30 a.m., Middle School Lecture Hall (Snow Date to be determined)
You can find more information, including the 7th grade course catalog, on the Hayfield website. Please contact Lane counselor Dr. Teresa Perry or Bessie Fealey, Hayfield school counselor, if you have questions.
If your 6th grade Lane Lion will attend Mark Twain Middle School, please make note of these upcoming transition events:
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Transition Info Night – Monday, January 12, 6 to 8 p.m.
- 6 to 7 p.m. – Department presentations and course registration information, Twain Cafeteria
- 7 to 8 p.m. – Information session for parents of rising 7th graders about the Level IV (Full-Time) Advanced Academics Program (AAP)
- 7 to 8 p.m. – Information session for parents of rising 7th graders about AVID (Advancement via Individual Determination)
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Twain tour for students (during the school day) – Thursday, January 15
For further information, please reach out to Stephen Fitzgerald at Twain at sjfitzgerald@fcps.edu or 703-313-3720 or Dr. Perry at Lane.
PTA News
Join the Lane PTA for Its First Meeting of 2026 – This Thursday, January 8, 6:30 p.m. Online!
The PTA is looking forward to many great events and programs in 2026! You can learn all about what’s coming up in the next few months by joining them for their first meeting of the new year this Thursday, January 8, at 6:30 p.m. The meeting will be held virtually on Google Meet, and all parents and caregivers are welcome to join.
Use this link to join the meeting: https://meet.google.com/owa-kqau-xcd.
Parent Resources
Winter Resources for Families
A list of resources has been compiled for students and families in case they or others they know need assistance during these cold winter months. Please visit FCPS’ winter resources page for information on academic support, mental health support, and county resources related to food, clothing, housing, and other needs.
English Classes in Our Community
If you’re looking for adult English classes, or know someone who is, please consider the two options below.
- The English Empowerment Center is now registering students for its in-person and online classes. In-person locations include the Lorton Community Center, which is not too far from Lane. You can find more their website. Classes are $85.
- St. John’s Lutheran Church, located on Franconia Road, is also registering students for its in-person and online English classes beginning in February. Both morning and evening classes are offered. Cost is $40. For information visit www.sjlc.com/esl, email esl@sjlc.com, or call 571-480-5654 (English-only line). Registration is open through January 10.
Upcoming Free Webinars from the Family Resource Center
Futures Planning in Unique Circumstances: What Resources are Available and What Plans Do I Need to Put in Place for my Special Needs Child? (virtual)
Friday, January 9, 2026, 10 – 11:30 a.m.
Participants will examine essential steps in the caregivers’ financial plan, with an emphasis on estate planning, retirement considerations, and long-term care needs. This will help families establish a strong financial foundation to effectively support their children's well-being.
Register here
How to Develop Motivation with Your Child
Friday, January 16, 2026, 10 – 11:30 a.m.
Join us to learn strategies for teaching your child adaptability, resilience, and problem-solving. We'll cover practical ways to navigate unexpected changes, manage disappointments, and help your child thrive in uncertainty.
Register here
Futures Planning Workshop — Creating the Framework for Futures Planning, Session 2
(in person at the Family Resource Center, 2334 Gallows Road, Room 100, Dunn Loring, VA 22027)
Friday, January 23, 2026, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
In this in-person session, participants will have access to a hands-on, thought-provoking workshop geared to get them started with effectively taking long term care of their children with special needs.
Register here
Tips to Reduce Parent Stress and Anxiety
Friday, January 27, 2026, 10 – 11:30 a.m.
Join Rachel Bailey as she discusses how parenting today can feel like a constant cycle of pressure, guilt, and second-guessing. In this workshop, you will learn why certain situations feel so overwhelming (it’s not just the situation itself!) as well as specific strategies to reduce the overwhelm. You’ll also learn how to respond from a place of steadiness rather than reactivity, resulting in less anxiety, more confidence, and a greater sense of ease in everyday parenting.
Register here
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