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February 27 Spirit Day
Next Friday will be Sports Day! Students can wear sports jerseys, team apparel, activewear, athletic gear, our school colors, and accessories such as headbands, scarves, or hats.
Please avoid cleats, masks, and helmets.
Feedback on School Improvement Plan
We value your partnership in making our school a place where every student thrives. Our 2025-2026 School Improvement Plan outlines our bold goals for student growth, including increasing reading proficiency in grades K-3, boosting Math SOL pass rates to 75%, and raising Science benchmark scores by 5% in 5th grade.
We want to hear from you! Please visit our school website to review the full School Improvement Plan and then share your thoughts via Google Form. Your feedback ensures our strategies meet the needs of our diverse community.
Student Experience Survey
In the coming weeks, FCPS will be administering the Student Experience Survey to all students in grades 3-6. It will help the school division better understand students’ experiences in our schools. It will take about 45 minutes and be completed during school hours during the weeks between February 23 and March 6. A preview of the survey is also available.
If you do not want your child to participate in the survey, you may opt them out using the online opt-out form or paper form attached at the bottom of this message. If you do not want your child to participate in the survey, please return the survey at your earliest convenience.
Opt-Out forms: العربية (Arabic) | 中文 (Chinese) | English | 한국어 (Korean) | Español (Spanish) | اردو (Urdu) | Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)
Thank you for supporting our efforts to make improvements in FCPS schools. If you have questions about the Student Experience Survey, please contact research@fcps.edu.
New Visitor Management System
We are excited to announce that our school is now using the new Raptor Visitor Management System (VMS). This upgrade is part of our school’s and FCPS’ ongoing commitment to enhancing school safety and streamlining the process for visitors at our school. The VMS ensures that no visitor is on the sex offender registry.
There are no changes to our current visitor procedures. Visitors must still report to the main office to sign in, and schools should continue to follow existing protocols when responding to positive alerts.
But now there is also an app, which can make check-in’s even faster at school. Visitors who choose to download the RaptorSafe App and create a Raptor Passport can pre-verify their information before they get to school. The app will give you a QR code you can use when you check-in at school.
If you have questions or need assistance with the new system, please contact our front office. Thank you for your partnership in keeping our schools safe!
View the Raptor Safe FAQ page to learn more.
Student Fasting Meal Kits
From February 18 to March 19, 2026, a Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) waiver allows students fasting during the school day to request take-home meal kits. These kits include a complete school breakfast and lunch to be eaten after the school day ends.
Important Meal Kit Information:
- Kits are charged based on a student’s meal status (Free, Reduced, or Paid).
- Students may claim one breakfast and one lunch kit per day.
- Students who eat a meal at school during the day are not eligible for a take-home kit on the same day.
- Kits are distributed at the end of the school day. Students must pick up their own kits; adults are not permitted to collect them.
Parents or guardians must submit a weekly request form via the FCPS FNS website by the deadlines:
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February 23, 2026 for the week of March 2, 2026
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March 2, 2026 for the week of March 9, 2026
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March 9, 2026 for the week of March 16, 2026
Forms must be submitted on time to receive meal kits for the following week.
🐾 P.A.W.S. (Parents Appreciating Wonderful Staff)
When you see a staff member go above and beyond for your child or family, please take a moment to fill out the PAWS form to show your appreciation! We will then hand deliver your anonymous message to the staff member so they know they are appreciated. 😊
🧸 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 caregiver must be present), the student will be ready for orientation or any other introductory events each school may host. Read more about the registration process. For more information, call our student information assistant, Michelle Vasquez at (703) 206-5300 or email mvasquez1@fcps.edu.
💻 Try Online Registration
Parents may register their children online for kindergarten through 12th grade. Learn how to begin the online registration process. When registering, parents will create (or log in to an existing) SIS ParentVUE account.
📆 Kindergarten Orientation
Orientation will take place on April 10 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Come meet the Kindergarten teachers and learn about Kindergarten at Timber Lane.
Rooted in Resilience: Echoes of Excellence
Families and community members are invited to reflect on the past, celebrate the present, and uplift the voices shaping our future at FCPS’ Second Annual Black History Month Celebration. Rooted in Resilience: Echoes of Excellence will take place on Wednesday, February 25, at 6 p.m., at Carter G. Woodson High School.
The event will honor the rich history, strength, and contributions of the Black community through inspiring student performances and a powerful keynote address by Rev. Vernon C. Walton, pastor of First Baptist Church of Vienna. Light refreshments will be available.
Family Resource Center Webinars
FCPS Family Resource Center is offering a variety of webinars for families. Click on the titles to register!
 Screening & discussion of the movie Screenagers: Elementary Edition
Hosted by the Franklin Sherman PTA (film info & trailer available here) Monday, March 9 at 7 pm (likely until 8:45 pm ish). Come to learn more about the benefits of delaying smartphones and other technology safety initiatives, as well as the success of the Wait Until 8th campaign at Franklin Sherman. We have 5 grades with active pledges, and 88 total pledges in the first month alone! We will have copies of The Anxious Generation available to borrow, as well as links to other resources that PTAs and Principals can share with their communities. Together we can help delay smartphone use for a greater number of kids in the broader McLean community, and have more of a lasting impact for kids as they enter Longfellow and MHS.
Middle School Transition Fair
You are invited to FCPS' Middle School Transition Fair, an evening for families of elementary and middle school students receiving special education services to learn about planning for the future.
At this event, families can meet Career and Transition Services (CTS) representatives and other support staff, learn about postsecondary education, employment, and community supports, and hear from a student and parent panel sharing real transition experiences.
The fair will be held on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, from 6:30–8:30 p.m. at Luther Jackson Middle School. Language support will be available.
This is a great opportunity to ask questions, connect with resources, and feel more confident about your child’s next steps. We hope to see you there!
Event Flyer and Translations
Event registration link
Pre-Order Your Yearbook Today!
Pre-order your yearbooks through Strawbridge.
Upcoming Events
SY2025-2026 Academic Calendar
February
Feb 27: Principal's Coffee at 8:30am
March
Mar 5: McLean Pyramid Art Show at MPA from 4:00 to 6:00pm
Mar 12: Family Market from 4:00 to 5:15pm
Mar 12-20: Bookworm Bookfair from 9:00am to3:30pm
Mar 18: 3-Hour Early Release at 12:35pm
- Roar and Explore from 5:30-7:00pm
Mar 20: Nowruz Holiday (No School)
Mar 24: 4th Grade Field Trip to National Symphony Orchestra
Mar 27: End of Quarter 3 - Early Release at 1:35pm
March 30-April 3: Spring Break (No School)
April
Apr 6: Teacher Workday (No School)
Apr 9: 6th Grade Field Trip to Longfellow
- Family Market from 4:00 to 5:15pm
Apr 10: School Planning Day (No School)
Apr 15: Purple Up! Month of the Military Child
- Annual PTA Bingo Event from 5:30 to 7:00pm
Apr 22: 3-Hour Early Release at 12:35pm
Apr 30: String/Band concert from 6:30 to 7:30pm
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