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🎉Welcome Back
Dear TLES Students and Families,
Welcome to the 2026–2027 school year! We hope your summer has provided time to relax, recharge, and create special memories with family and friends. As we look ahead to another school year, we are filled with excitement and anticipation for all that awaits our TLES community.
In the coming days, we will welcome our teachers and staff back as we prepare together for the return of our students. This is always an exciting time, filled with collaboration, renewed energy, and a shared commitment to making the year meaningful and successful for every child.
At TLES, we believe every child deserves to feel known, valued, supported, and inspired. We are committed to creating a safe, welcoming, and inclusive environment where students build confidence, strengthen relationships, discover new interests, and experience the joy of learning.
Strong schools are built through strong partnerships with families, and we are grateful for the many ways you support TLES throughout the year. From providing classroom supplies and tissues, contributing to class celebrations, supporting our PTA, volunteering your time, and showing appreciation for our teachers and staff—these gestures, both big and small, go a long way in helping us provide the very best experience for our students.
We encourage every family to join and support the TLES PTA. Our PTA is a wonderful way to stay involved, stay informed, connect with other families, and help strengthen our school community. Membership does not require you to volunteer—simply joining is a meaningful way to support our school. Visit the PTA website to join and learn more about opportunities to get involved.
The year ahead will bring new learning, friendships, challenges, and many opportunities to celebrate growth. We look forward to seeing our hallways once again filled with smiles, laughter, and the energy that makes TLES such a special place.
Thank you in advance for the support, encouragement, and appreciation we know you will provide our teachers and staff throughout the year. When families and schools work together, we create a community where our students and staff can thrive.
Welcome back, TLES! Let's make 2026–2027 a fantastic year together!
With appreciation and excitement,
Ben Chiet, Principal
Sarah Buchanan, Assistant Principal
Lindsay Duch, Assistant Principal
Upcoming Events
Kindergarten Play Date
All kindergarten students and their families are invited to a play date and popsicles on our playground from 4:00-5:00 on August 19th. This event will help students make new friends and get to know their teachers as they begin their school journey together
Open House
Join us for our Open House on Thursday, August 20 from 2:30-3:45. Families are invited to visit the school, find their child's classroom, meet their teacher, drop off school supplies, and reconnect with friends before the first day of school. We look forward to welcoming everyone back to Timber Lane and helping students start the year feeling confident and excited!
Grade level supply lists are available on our school website. Having supplies ready before the first day helps students start the year organized and ready to learn. If your family needs assistance obtaining school supplies, please don't hesitate to contact our Family Liaison, Margarita Baptiste at 703-206-5308. We are here to help and want to ensure every student has everything they need for a successful start to the school year.
Back to School Night
Our Back to School Night will be held on Wednesday, September 9, from 5:30–7:00. This evening provides families with an opportunity to hear directly from teachers about classroom schedules, supplies, curriculum, student supports, expectations, and other important information not covered during Open House.
We will begin promptly at 5:30 p.m. in the cafeteria, where the TLES Administrative Team will welcome all parents and guardians and share a few important schoolwide updates. Following our opening, families will transition to classrooms for teacher-led sessions.Please mark your calendars for this important evening. We look forward to connecting with you and beginning another great year of partnership!
First PTA Meeting of the School Year
Stick around after Back to School Night and join us for our first PTA meeting of the year at 7:00 p.m. in the cafeteria! You do not need to be a PTA member to attend. We welcome all parents and guardians to join us, hear updates, learn more about upcoming events and opportunities, and discover the many ways our PTA supports our students, teachers, and school community. To ensure all families feel welcomed, informed, and included, Spanish interpretation is provided at every PTA meeting.
🏫First Day of School & Bell Schedule🔔
The first day of school is Monday, August 24. Our school day begins promptly at 8:50 AM and ends at 3:35 PM.
Morning Arrival: 8:30–8:50 AMOur front doors open at 8:30 AM each morning to begin student arrival. Please do not drop off your child unattended before 8:30 AM, as staff supervision is not available prior to that time. Extra staff members and patrols will be on hand during arrival to welcome students and provide additional assistance to our youngest learners.
All students should arrive between 8:30 and 8:50 AM and be inside the building no later than 8:50 AM. Arriving on time ensures that students can begin the day alongside their classmates, hear important updates from their teacher, and fully participate in our Morning Meeting classroom circles and discussions. These opening moments are an important part of building classroom community and preparing students for a successful day of learning.
At 8:50 AM, our front doors will close as the instructional day begins. Students arriving after 8:50 AM will be considered tardy. Parents/guardians must park, accompany their child into the building, and sign them in for attendance purposes.
Afternoon Dismissal: 3:35–3:50 PMDismissal begins each day at 3:35 PM and concludes promptly at 3:50 PM. If your child is picked up by car or by an authorized adult, please ensure that pickup occurs within this timeframe.
Thank you for helping us maintain safe, smooth arrival and dismissal routines while ensuring that every student is ready to begin the school day on time.
📅 Calendar
Review the 2026-2027 Standard School Year Calendar for scheduled early release dates and school closings so you can plan accordingly.
End of Quarter Early Release Days
Students will be dismissed at 1:35 p.m. (a two-hour early release) on the last day of each quarter on the following dates:
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October 30
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January 28
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April 16
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June 16
All students will be dismissed at this time on these dates. Please note that TLES will not provide after-school supervision on two-hour early release days; however, SACC after-school care will remain available as an option.
3-Hour Early Release Wednesdays
FCPS will continue with limited early release Wednesdays for elementary schools during the 2026-27 school year. The number has been reduced from eight to four days.
Early release Wednesdays provide elementary teachers with a dedicated block of time to prepare lessons, participate in professional development and training, and collaborate with their peers. A well-supported and continuously improving teaching staff leads to better educational outcomes for students.
Students will be dismissed at 12:35 p.m. on the following 3-hour early release Wednesdays:
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September 30
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November 18
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January 13
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April 7
We encourage all parents/caregivers to have their student take their normal route home (bus, walk, kiss and ride) on 3-hour early release Wednesdays. While these are designated as early release days — where necessary, we will ensure that every student has supervised activities at the school and returns home at the regular time if that is what works best for your family. SACC after-school care will remain available as an option.
✅Attendance
All absences, late arrivals, and early dismissals can be reported by emailing TimberLaneES.Attendance@fcps.edu or by calling our Attendance Line at 703-206-533.
During school hours, you can call 703-206-5305 to speak directly with our Office Assistant, Ms. Castaneda, who handles student attendance. When reporting your student’s absence, please include the student’s name, reason, and details about illness symptoms.
A Request for Prearranged Absence form is required for families who have a planned absence from school for more than two consecutive days. Please submit the form to the school office at least three days in advance of the absence. You may turn in a hard copy or email a digital copy to dmcastaneda@fcps.edu
🚌Transportation
The FCPS Transportation Department is finalizing bus assignments and will soon send communication with details about bus numbers and stops, as well as options to opt out of bus services if your child will not use the bus. As part of a division wide initiative, all FCPS students will also receive a new student ID card this school year. Families of bus riders will receive additional information from FCPS about how these ID cards will be used with the new transportation system, and all families will receive updates as more features become available throughout the year.
Kiss & Ride
Please complete the Kiss & Ride form for each student who will use Kiss & Ride at TLES. this year. Parents will receive a number for their vehicle's rear-view mirror. We will distribute these vehicle numbers during our first few days of school. For any questions or concerns regarding Kiss & Ride, please contact our Familiy Liaison, Margarita Baptiste at mmbaptiste@fcps.edu.
🪪100% ID Check
For security purposes, you are required to present a government-issued photo ID if you are: entering our building at any point in time and when you are picking up a student. Access to the building will be DENIED if you do not have a photo ID. Thank you for supporting us by following these procedures and helping ensure all TLES students and staff are safe at school!
💻Parent VUE
FCPS will be sending communication to parents who do not have an active Parent VUE account. However, you can also request assistance by using the Parent Support Request Form (select “SIS Parent” in the Application dropdown and “Account Activation” from the Inquiry dropdown) for help with this process.
Parent Digital Consent
We want your child to get the most out of their school experience! To open up a world of exciting activities and valuable opportunities, we need your collaboration. Please take a moment at the beginning of the school year to review and provide your consent through our easy-to-use Parent Digital Consent system. You must have a ParentVUE account to use the Parent Digital Consent system. Paper forms for consent will also be distributed at the beginning of the year. For directions on how to give consent online, visit the FCPS Parent Digital Consent page.
New this year: You have the choice to opt out of your child taking home their FCPS-issued devices.
Student Online Verification/Update (OVU)
The OVU packet allows parents to electronically update phone numbers, emergency contacts, health conditions, and add new immunizations dates for their students via ParentVUE. Important: Do not use the OVU packet if your address has changed or if you have moved to another FCPS school. Contact the current school directly to complete address updates or to withdraw and transfer your student to the new school.
💊Prescription Medications
Children who need to take medication during school hours must have a signed Medication Authorization Form. Many prescription medications require signatures from both the parent and the physician. Authorization forms are also required for inhalers and EpiPens. For more information contact our School Health Aide, Marilyn Harris at 703-206-5310.
Medication Authorization FormEpinephrine (EpiPen) Authorization FormInhaler Authorization Form
🍴Food & Nutrition Updates
Special Diets
- All dietary accommodation requests will be processed via centralized forms, which can be found at Dietary Accommodations | Fairfax County Public Schools. Any information about dietary accommodations, including menu communications, requests, etc, is to be sent to dietary.forms.fns@fcps.edu
- Please note that forms will only need to be submitted once during the student’s enrollment, unless there are any medical changes.
Forms:
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Medical Dietary Accommodation Form - This form is for any student who requires medical dietary accommodations (including allergies). A healthcare practitioner must sign this form.
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Milk Substitution Form - This is for any student who cannot drink cow's milk. This form must be signed by a parent/guardian.
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Medical Discontinuation Form: If a student no longer requires a medical accommodation that is still on file with FNS, parents must complete this form.
- Once the dietary accommodation form is submitted to our centralized email, our Registered Dietitians will create a tailored menu that aligns with the cafeteria offerings. These menus, along with ground and pureed meals prepared on-site in separate containers, will be shared with our Kitchen Manager and families before service.
Free and Reduced-Price Meals & Additional Benefits
Families who participate in FCPS’s Free & Reduced Meal program must submit a new application every year their child is enrolled in school. We encourage all eligible families to complete the FCPS Household Income Eligibility Form/Free and Reduced-Price Meals application, as qualifying may provide access to additional benefits, including reduced or waived fees for certain FCPS programs and information about scholarships, classes, and other community services. To learn more or apply, please visit: FCPS Free and Reduced-Price Meals or connect with our Family Liaison, Margarita Baptiste at 703-206-5308.
📢Receive Important News & Notifications
We strive to keep you informed. Please take a moment to familiarize yourself with our very informative website. You can also choose to receive additional information by registering with News You Choose. We also invite you to join us on Instagram and Facebook.
✉️Message from the PTA
Hi Timber Lane Families,
We hope you're enjoying a wonderful summer! It's hard to believe we're already halfway through, and before we know it, we'll be welcoming our amazing teachers and staff back and kicking off another exciting school year.
As we prepare for the start of school, we'd love your help in making our Staff Welcome Back Breakfast a special event.
Staff Welcome Back Breakfast, scheduled for Monday, August 17th @ 8:15
We're looking for volunteers to help with setup as well as donations of breakfast items and supplies. This is one of our favorite traditions and a great way to show our appreciation for the incredible Timber Lane staff before students return. If you're able to lend a hand or contribute, we'd be so grateful! Signup Welcome Back Breakfast
Now is also the perfect time to renew your PTA membership for the 2026–2027 school year.
Renewing early ensures you'll receive all the latest PTA news, event information, volunteer opportunities, and important updates as school activities begin the week of August 17 and we count down to the first day of school on Monday, August 24.
Your membership supports programs, events, staff appreciation, family engagement, and so much more throughout the year. Whether you have a few hours to volunteer or simply want to stay connected, your membership makes a difference.
Renew Your Membership Here!
Thank you for being part of our Timber Lane community. We can't wait to see everyone soon and are looking forward to another fantastic year together!
Upcoming Dates
2026-2027 Standard School Year Calendar
Summer Office Hours: 8:30-1:30
📅August Events
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August 11: Kindergarten Summer Assessments 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
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August 12: Kindergarten Summer Assessments 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
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August 12: TLES Student Ambassadors provide new family tours (9:00 a.m. & 3:00 p.m.)
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August 17: Annual PTA Staff Breakfast (8:30 to 9:00 a.m.)
- TLES Staff Car Parade visits our neighborhoods (late morning)
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August 19: Kindergarten Popsicle Playdate (4:00 to 5:00 p.m.)
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August 20: Open House (2:30 to 3:45 p.m.)
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August 24: First Day of School
📅 September Events
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September 9: Back to School Night (5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.)
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