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The Weekly Roar
Tuesday, February 24, 2026
Celebrating a Fantastic February!
It's been a busy few weeks at Lane. We've had snow and ice, not once but twice. We've had a Spelling Bee champion named and valentines shared. And we marked the milestone of the 100th day of school. Here are just a few pictures from the last few weeks. Watch our social media channels for more in the coming days.
The 2026 Spelling Bee had a record number of hopeful spellers, with more than 70 students participating. When all the words were spelled, 4th grader Othman N. emerged as the champion, with 2nd grader Theodore Y. coming in second as the runner up. Congratulations to all of our outstanding spellers!
There were hearts and smiles everywhere on February 13 as students and staff across the school celebrated Valentine's Day.
Celebrations marking the 100th day of the school year included making necklaces with 100 cereal rings and envisioning what a 100-year-old might look like.
Upcoming Events
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Wednesday, 2/25 – Early Release Wednesday, students dismissed at 1:05 p.m., UNLESS we have been directed to keep them at school until 4:05 p.m.
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Wednesday, 2/25 & Thursday, 2/26 – PTA Restaurant Nights at Farmhouse Tuscan, 3 - 9 p.m.
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NEW DATE! Thursday, 2/26 – Celebration of Cultures Night/Winter Cultural Awareness & Recognition Event (CARE) Night, 6 – 8 p.m.
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Wednesday, 3/4 – Hayfield Rising 7th Grade Parent Coffee, Hayfield Secondary School, 9 – 10:30 a.m.
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Friday, 3/6 – March “First Friday with the Principals” Family Zoom: “Creating a School Where Every Child Belongs” (rescheduled from Friday, 2/6), 10:30 a.m.
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Friday, 3/13 – PTA Basket Bingo, 6 – 8 p.m.
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Friday, 3/20 – Eid-al-Fitr Holiday, school, office, and SACC CLOSED
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Wednesday, 3/25 – Early Release Wednesday, students dismissed at 1:05 p.m., UNLESS we have been directed to keep them at school until 4:05 p.m.
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Monday, 3/30, through Friday, 4/3 – Spring Break
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Monday, 4/6 – Student Holiday/Teacher Workday, students do not report
In This Issue
- Early Release Wednesday This Week! Please Notify the School of Changes to Your Plans!
- Celebration of Cultures Night/Winter CARE Night Is This Thursday, February 26
- 2025-2026 Yearbooks Are on Sale! Order Now and Save!
- Ramadan Student Fasting Meal Kits Available
- Seeking Representatives for New Family Advisory Committee
- Calling All Kindergarteners for the 2026-27 School Year! Registration is Open Now!
- FCPS PreK and Early Head Start Now Accepting Applications for 2026-27 School Year
- Upcoming Student Experience Survey at Lane
- Apply for Your Child to Learn in Two Languages
- PTA News: Basket Bingo tickets now on sale, Restaurant Nights at Farmhouse Tuscan this week
- Parent Resources: Summer camp information, Middle School Transition Fair, upcoming webinars
- FCPS News & Activities: Black History Month event this Wednesday
Early Release Wednesday This Week! Please Notify the School of Changes to Your Plans!
Our next Early Release Wednesday is THIS WEDNESDAY, February 25. Students will be released three hours early that day at 1:05 p.m. We will once again offer supervised activities after school for those families with child-care hardship because of this Early Release scheduling. This option is designed to be for students who have no other option.
To plan for our after-school groups this month, we will follow parent responses provided for the Early Release in December. If you need to change your child’s plans, please call the school office at 703-924-7700 as soon as possible. You may also reach out via email to our family liaison Melanie Crosby Hardy at macrosby@fcps.edu.
If we do not hear from you, we will send your child home as previously directed.
Celebration of Cultures Night/Winter CARE Night Is This Thursday, February 26!
We won’t let winter win! We had to postpone Celebration of Cultures Night and Winter Cultural Awareness & Recognition Event (CARE) Night, but the celebration will go on THIS THURSDAY, February 26, from 6 to 8 p.m.! With displays and performances by Lane families and staff, you’ll be able to travel the world without leaving our school building!
Celebration of Cultures Night will also be our Winter CARE (Cultural Awareness & Recognition Event) Night. We’ll have special areas with displays and activities for Black History Month, Lunar New Year, and Ramadan. We’ll have crafts to make and take home, snacks, and music, including a special performance by our music teachers!
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All families are welcome at this free event. We hope to see your family on Thursday!
2025-2026 Yearbooks Now on Sale! Order Now and Save!
School yearbooks are 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!
Ordering is simple: Just go http://www.buytheyearbook.com, put in Lane Yearbook School ID 732283, and pay with your credit card. All orders are online only.
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.
Ramadan Student Fasting Meal Kits Available
Ramadan is the most sacred month of the year in Islam. During this month Muslims abstain from food and drink from dawn to sunset each day while striving to increase their spirituality, through prayers, charity, and good deeds. Read more about Ramadan in National Geographic Kids.
Ramadan began last week, and runs through Thursday, March 19. Throughout this time period, 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. Here are the remaining deadlines.
- March 2, 2026, for the week of March 9, 2026
- March 9, 2026, for the week of March 16, 2026.
Forms must be submitted on time to receive meal kits for the following week.
Seeking Representatives for New Family Advisory Committee
At Lane, we believe that strong family-school partnerships contribute to success for all students. The admin team is looking for family representatives to support our school community by serving on a new Family Advisory Committee.
Family representatives would speak on behalf of students and families in their grade level about experiences and hopes, learn about and support implementation of the school plan and other initiatives, and provide feedback to the school team. For the remainder of the year, there will be two virtual meetings in the evening, one halfway through each of the remaining 3rd and 4th quarters.
If you would like to be considered for the committee, please fill out this form.
Thank you!
Calling All Kindergarteners for the 2026-27 School Year! Registration Is Open Now!
Do you have a child at home ready to start kindergarten next year? If so, now is the time to let us know your little lion will be coming to Lane! Registration for the 2026-27 school year is now underway, and we want to hear from you!
If you don’t have a rising kindergartener yourself, please share this information with friends and neighbors who do.
There’s an easy five-step process to register a child for kindergarten:
- Determine eligibility.
- Identify your local school.
- Gather documents.
- Fill out forms.
- Schedule an appointment.
We will be hosting at least a couple of Kindergarten Registration/Orientation events in the coming months. Starting the registration process now will put you on the list for all the latest news and updates.
You can read more about the registration process here.
Try Online Registration!
Online registration for the 2026-27 school year is open for all grades, kindergarten through 12th grade. It’s the quickest way to start the process! Learn how to begin the online registration process here.
When registering, parents/caregivers will need to create or log in to an existing SIS ParentVUE account.
If you’d like more information, please visit Lane’s Kindergarten Registration page on our school website:https://lanees.fcps.edu/announcements/kindergarten-registration-2026-27-now-open.
If you need further assistance or have questions, please feel free to contact:
- Registrar: Sook Fan Simpson — sksimpson@fcps.edu
- Family Liaison: Melanie Crosby Hardy — macrosby@fcps.edu.
We look forward to welcoming you and your child to Lane Elementary School soon!
FCPS PreK and Early Head Start Now Accepting Applications for 2026-27 School Year
FCPS PreK and Early Head Start are now accepting applications for School Year 2026-27!
This is a high-quality Early Childhood Program for eligible families. PreK (which stands for Pre-Kindergarten) is a full-day program, and spaces are limited. The PreK program prioritizes children who will be 4 years old by September 30 but also accepts applications for children who will be 3 years old by September 30.
Your family may qualify for PreK or Early Head Start if you:
- Live in Fairfax County
- PreK: Have a child who will be age 3 or 4 by September 30
- Early Head Start: Have a child who is 0-2 years of age and pregnant women who live in the Reston, Herndon, and Springfield areas
- Have a student(s) with economic and educational risk factors such as:
- Income eligibility
- Homelessness or Foster Care
- A Parent with Limited Education
- Student receives Special Education Services.
For more information or to apply, visit the FCPS PreK website, email fcpsprekoffice@fcps.edu, or call the PreK Office at 703-208-7900 (English) or 703-208-7901 (Spanish).
¡El programa PreK y Early Head Start de FCPS ya está aceptando solicitudes para el año escolar 2026-27!
Somos un programa de educación infantil de alta calidad para familias que cumplen con los requisitos. El programa de PreK es dia completa y los espacios son limitados. El programa PreK prioriza a los niños de 4 años cumplidos antes del 30 de septiembre, pero también acepta solicitudes para niños de 3 años cumplidos antes de esa fecha.
Su familia puede calificar para PreK o Early Head Start si:
- Vivir en el condado de Fairfax
- PreK: Tiene un hijo que tendrá 3 o 4 años antes del 30 de septiembre
- Early Head Start: Tiene un niño de 0 a 2 años de edad y mujeres embarazadas que viven en las áreas de Reston, Herndon, y Springfield
- Tiene un estudiante(s) con factores de riesgo económico y educativo como:
- Elegibilidad por ingresos
- Sin hogar o acogida temporal
- Un padre con educación limitada
- El estudiante recibe servicios de educación especial
Para obtener más información, visite el sitio web, llame a la Oficina de PreK: 703-208-7900 (Inglés), 703-208-7901 (Español), o envia un correo electrónico: fcpsprekoffice@fcps.edu.
Upcoming Student Experience Survey at Lane Elementary
Our school will participate in the FCPS Student Experience Survey. This survey will gather important feedback from students about their school experiences to help FCPS make meaningful improvements.
All students in grades 3 through 6, except those who have opted out, will receive a link to the survey in their FCPS email on February 23. We will administer the survey during the school day between Monday, February 23, and Friday, March 6. Any student may take the survey at home, if they are unable to take the survey during the school day. You will receive a communication with details on how to preview the survey and opt your child out, if you choose. The electronic opt-out form can also be accessed at this link.
We believe it's important to hear from our students about what we're doing well and where we can improve. This work also aligns with the equity commitments in FCPS’ 2023-30 Strategic Plan, which include a focus on amplifying student voice and experiences as we work toward meeting plan goals.
Apply for Your Child to Learn in Two Languages
FCPS’ 2026-27 Dual Language Immersion (DLI) Program lottery is now open! The program offers students in kindergarten and 1st grade the opportunity to learn in English and another language — French, German, Japanese, Korean, or Spanish — for half of each instructional day.
The online, countywide lottery is open to Fairfax County residents. Families must have a SIS ParentVUE account. Students not currently enrolled in FCPS should register at their base school before applying for the immersion program.
The application window for 1st grade application closed last Thursday. Those applying for kindergarten must do so by Monday, March 2, at 4 p.m.
If you have questions, please contact Brigid Williams at 571-423-4600.
PTA News
Basket Bingo Tickets Now on Sale! Volunteers Play for Free!
Mark your calendars for March 13! Lane PTA’s Annual Basket Bingo Fundraiser is coming soon, and this year’s theme is celebrating Lane’s 30th birthday.
A limited number of tickets are on sale now. Buy them as soon as possible if you'd like to attend.
- Adult Tickets: $27
- Student/Child Tickets: $9
Purchase tickets here:
https://lanepta.givebacks.gives/3f0da2/Event/Details.
Volunteer to Play for Free!
Volunteers receive free admission to Basket Bingo. Volunteers do not need to purchase a ticket to play. You’ll only need to buy extras like raffle tickets, extra bingo cards, or food if you’d like.
Sign up to volunteer here:
https://signup.com/go/NKDRsvV
Help Fill the Basket Bingo Basket Prizes
Each grade level is sponsoring a themed basket to be raffled off at Basket Bingo. You can donate an item from your child’s grade wishlist, or make a direct donation and let us do the shopping for you.
Grade-Level Basket Themes and Wishlist Links
Prefer to skip the shopping? Make a direct donation here, and we’ll take care of the rest:
https://www.givebacks.com/causes/lanepta/campaigns/basketbingocollections.
Thank you for helping make Basket Bingo a fun and successful night for our Lane community. We can’t wait to see you there!
Join Us for February Restaurant Nights at The Farmhouse Tuscan in Landsdowne Wednesday the 25th and Thursday the 26th, 3 to 9 p.m.
The PTA's monthly restaurant fundraiser moves to a chic new neighborhood partner Wednesday and Thursday evening this week—The Farmhouse Tuscan, located in the Hilltop Shopping Center near Wegmans. The restaurant features “bold Italian for the modern palate”; you can check out their menu here. A percentage of all Lane sales between 3 and 9 p.m. each day will be donated back to our school. Be sure to take the flyer with you!
Parent Resources
Prepare for Summer Learning and Fun for Students
Registration is open or will be available soon for summer camps and learning opportunities offered by Fairfax County Public Schools for all students.
Career and Technical Education camps and Institute for the Arts camps will be held in July at Robinson Secondary School from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Bus transportation will be available from select FCPS middle and high schools. Tuition assistance is available to FCPS families eligible for free or reduced meals.
Tech Adventure Camp (TAC) is a week-long exploratory camp that allows current K-5 students to explore STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math), culinary, health, trades, and business and marketing areas. Watch this video about CTE camps. Registration is open through Friday, June 5.
Elementary Institute for the Arts (E-IFTA) is a weekly fine and performing arts camp for students in grades K-5 who love to sing, dance, act, perform, make, and create. Students attend four daily classes in dance, music, theater, and visual arts and work with experienced educators who create engaging, fun classes.
New this year: Students in the above camps can also register for aftercare, which is available from 2 to 5 p.m.
Take a look at this Summer Camp Summary handout for a list of FCPS and county opportunities, including both academic and recreational options. Fairfax County Neighborhood & Community Services’ Therapeutic Recreation Services (TRS) provides supports and programming for people with special needs and offers several options for students during the summer. On Thursday, February 19, at 6 p.m., TRS will host a virtual information session on its summer opportunities. View this TRS flyer for more information.
The FCPS Family Resource Center also has summer camp guides on its website, including adaptive camps for students with disabilities. These guides are updated regularly to provide the most up-to-date information for families.
Stay tuned to The Weekly Roar in the coming weeks for more information!
Registration for VIP (Values in Prevention) Summer Camp for Rising 7th Graders Opening Soon!
Values in Prevention (VIP) summer camp brings together multiple middle school communities in a coordinated effort to offer recreation, leisure, wellness, and prevention programming specifically focused on tweens. Held in partnership with the Fairfax County Department of Neighborhood and Community Services (NCS), the camp is not curriculum-focused but instead focuses on building positive relationships with peers and caring adults while introducing students to new hobbies and activities in a safe and supervised environment.
The VIP camp for this part of the county will be held at Whitman Middle School in Alexandria from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m., Monday through Friday during the month of July, except on July 3 (Independence Day holiday) and July 31. Transportation to and from VIP camp is available, with most bus stops at feeder elementary schools. Breakfast, lunch, and snack are provided to all students at no cost, but students are welcome to bring their own lunches.
This camp does have a modest fee for each student. The fee for this year is not yet confirmed, but it has consistently been $100 for the entire month. Students who receive Free and Reduced Fee lunches can have that fee reduced to half. Additional financial assistance is also available on a case-by-case basis. Financial burden will not be a barrier for students to attend. The camp schedule includes at least four field trips, most of which are intentionally planned to promote socialization and offer worthwhile recreational experiences. There are additional fees for these field trips.
VIP Camp staff consists of After-School Program Specialists at area middle schools, teachers/instructional assistants who normally work in the After-School Program, School Resource Officers from the Fairfax County Police Department, and staff from NCS’ community and teen centers. All individuals have background checks and are badged.
Registration for VIP Camp will open on March 17 at 6 p.m. A link will be sent out closer to that date.
Middle School Transition Fair for Families of Students Receiving Special Education Services—Wednesday, March 4
FCPS will host its 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 on Wednesday, March 4, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Luther Jackson Middle School.
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.
This is a great opportunity to ask questions, connect with resources, and feel more confident about your child’s next steps. Language support will be available.
Event registration link
Download the flyer in English
Flyer translations:
Arabic
Chinese
Korean
Spanish
Urdu
Vietnamese
Upcoming Free Webinars from the Family Resource Center
You Can't Pour from an Empty Cup: Tips for Self-Care (Kinship Series)
Friday, February 27, 10 – 11:30 a.m.
Join licensed clinical social worker and kinship caregiver Dr. Monique Lilakos to learn more about stress management and self-care.
Register here
Tips to Reduce Parent Stress and Anxiety
Tuesday, March 3, 10 – 11:30 a.m.
Join Rachel Bailey for a workshop on why modern parenting feels so overwhelming— and how to manage it. Learn practical strategies to reduce stress, respond calmly instead of reactively, and parent with more confidence and ease.
Register here
You’re Not Doing It Wrong: Parenting Through “Bumps” with Neurodivergent Kids
Friday, March 6, 10 – 11:30 a.m.
Parenting a neurodivergent child evolves in stages, often in unexpected ways. This webinar explores how parental roles shift over time and introduces a three-phase framework to help parents navigate change with clarity, curiosity, and intention—building more confident, responsive leadership along the way.
Register here
Why Smart Kids Struggle
Wednesday, March 11, 10 – 11:30 a.m.
Many students struggle not because of ability, but because of executive function. This session helps parents recognize these challenges and learn simple strategies to reduce overwhelm and help kids get unstuck—without nagging or doing it for them.
Register here
BIS Part 3: How to Develop Emotional Regulation with Your Child
Friday, March 13, 10 – 11:30 a.m.
Join us to explore how to move beyond stopping challenging behavior and instead focus on teaching the core skills of recognizing, understanding, and responding to emotions in healthy ways. Walk away with tools leading to a calmer family life.
Register here
Countdown to Kindergarten
Friday, March 27, 10 – 11:30 a.m.
Is your preschooler heading to kindergarten this fall? Join us for Countdown to Kindergarten, a virtual event designed to help families prepare for this exciting transition!
During this webinar, families will learn practical tips and essential information to support your child's smooth and successful start to kindergarten in Fairfax County Public Schools.
Register here
FCPS News & Events
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.
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