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Upcoming Laurel Ridge Events
Monday, August 24 - First Day of School!
Thursday, September 17 - Back to School Night (see below)
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Principal's Message
Greetings Laurel Ridge Families,
It was wonderful to see so many of you at Friday’s Open House! Laurel Ridge’s teachers and staff have been hard work transforming classrooms into warm, welcoming learning environments for our Lions. We cannot wait to welcome them on Monday morning.
As we prepare for the first day, establishing predictable daily habits helps set our students up for success. Transitioning from summer freedom back to a structured morning can feel overwhelming, but small, consistent steps make a big difference:
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Reset the Clock: Shift bedtimes and wake-up times to school hours and try to stick to them each day.
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Establish a Launchpad: Designate a specific spot near the door for backpacks, shoes, and water bottles to eliminate last-minute morning scrambles.
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Practice the Morning Walkthrough: Walk through the morning routine (dressing, eating breakfast, and packing up), so your child knows exactly what to expect.
To ease first-day jitters, please remind your students that it is completely normal to feel a mix of excitement and butterflies – even teachers and principals get the first-day jitters! Instead of asking broad questions like "Are you nervous?", try specific, open-ended prompts such as, "What is one thing you’re excited to explore in your new classroom?" or "How can we make your first morning feel extra special?"
Finally, as we build these positive routines, please remember that consistent attendance from day one is essential. Every day your child is in school, they build vital academic foundations, deepen social connections, and strengthen their sense of belonging within our Lion Pride. Thank you for your partnership, your enthusiasm, and your support.
Megan Counts
Laurel Ridge Principal
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Be First-Day Ready
The first day of school, Monday, August 24, is just around the corner! Check out these back-to-school tips to make sure your child gets off to a great start.
Also find out what will be new this school year.
Save the Dates
Back to School Night: Thursday, September 17th 6:00 – 8:00 pm
These sessions are an opportunity for parents and caregivers to learn about grade level curriculum, classroom procedures, schoolwide expectations, and more.
- 6:00 – 6:45 pm: Kindergarten – 6th grade (Session 1)
- 7:00 – 7:45 pm: Kindergarten – 6th grade (Session 2) This session will be a repeat of Session 1 for families who have more than one child.
 Student ID Cards for Laurel Ridge
Bus Riders
We will begin distributing student ID cards to all our students who ride the school bus or use FCPS transportation services.
ID cards will be distributed to students at school by Friday, August 28th.
Students who have student ID cards should begin tapping as they board and exit the bus. Only students who use FCPS transportation services will be provided with a student ID card at this time.
We ask for your patience! Bus drivers will begin checking in students next week and may need some extra time at each bus stop while they do this. The transportation team is working hard to minimize any potential delays.
Learn more about the bus navigation and student ID cards.
Get Ready for Day One with the FCPS App!
🎒 As we gear up for the first day of school, make sure you have the FCPS mobile app downloaded! It's the quickest way to check the school year calendar, view lunch and breakfast menus, find school contacts, and jump to ParentVUE or Schoology from your phone..
 Help Your Child Navigate the Lunch Line
Check out some tips to help your child get through the lunch line quickly and have more time to eat:
- Teach your child their student ID number to receive meals at school.
- Sign up for and add money to MySchoolBucks to purchase meals at school.
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Apply for free and reduced-price meals. Students who were approved for free and reduced-price meals last year are eligible for the first 30 days of school this year (or until a new application is processed). Families should submit a new application as soon as possible, so eligible students continue to receive meals at no cost.
If your child has any food allergies, learn how to submit accommodations for dietary restrictions and allergens.
Access menus for breakfast, lunch, and other school meals, as well as allergen and nutrition information.
You Can Manage Student Web Access at Home
At Laurel Ridge, we acknowledge that parents are our students' first and most important teachers. Parents now have greater control over their child’s FCPS-issued device outside of school hours through Lightspeed Parent Portal.
In addition to monitoring weekly internet activity, parents can now also customize web access at home on FCPS devices through Lightspeed using Schedules and Web Rules.
With Schedules, you can set tailored times to automatically pause or restrict internet access. This makes it easier to enforce rules around homework time, family dinners, weekends, or bedtime.
In Web Rules, you can create Custom Block Lists to block specific, individual websites they do not want your child accessing at home. This allows parents greater control over what is happening online, under their own roof.
These new custom controls take effect at home, outside of school hours, and when the device is off the FCPS network. They will not override standard district filtering policies during the instructional day.
Customize Your Lightspeed Settings
All parents should be receiving weekly Lightspeed Online Student Activity Report emails. To set up these new features, click the “Log in or Register” button at the bottom of your weekly Lightspeed Online Student Activity Report email.
Visit the FCPS Lightspeed Parent Portal Guide for more information. If you have additional questions, submit a Parent Technology Support Ticket.
Parents are encouraged to discuss internet boundaries with their children so that they can understand the reasoning behind any limits and the differences between access at home and at school. Get tips on talking to your children about technology safety.
💻 Catch Up on Your Child’s Classwork in Schoology
Teachers use Schoology to post their classroom materials online; to provide a secure forum for students to discuss their ideas and collaborate on projects; and to assign and collect homework electronically. It helps students stay organized, and it keeps the class connected.
A Schoology Parent Account gives you access to:
- Your child’s classes.
- Your child’s upcoming assignments.
- School, class, and group announcements.
To access Schoology, parents will need to have an active SIS/ParentVUE account. Get more information on how to login and use Schoology.
SEL Screener Parent/Guardian Notification
The Spring Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener will be administered to students in grades 3 through 12 in October. Students use the SEL Screener twice a year to share their perspectives on how well their school and community help them develop skills they need to succeed. The screener works by asking questions or presenting statements that students can think about and respond to. This gives students a way to share how well their school community makes them feel valued, included, and supported.
After each screening, results are available in the Documents tab of SIS ParentVUE and mailed to families without a ParentVUE account. For more information, including SEL Screener questions and opt-out information, please visit the Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener webpage.
Advanced Academic Programs
Fairfax County Public Schools is committed to challenging all students through talent development and differentiated instruction. A continuum of Advanced Academic Programs (AAP) services is available to students in Grades K to 12 and is designed to match services to each student’s unique academic needs.
Identification for Subject-Specific and Part-Time AAP services occurs throughout the school year. Full-Time AAP services have two identification cycles:
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Fall identification: Students in grades 3 to 7 who have enrolled in FCPS since January may be referred by October 15.
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Spring identification: Any FCPS student in Grades 2 to 7 may be referred by December 15.
FCPS uses ability testing as one consideration in the holistic identification process for AAP services:
- All students in Grade 2 take the Naglieri General Ability Test (NGAT).
- Students in Grades 3 to 6 who do not have a multi-domain ability test score take the NGAT.
- Students in Grades 3 to 6 may retake an ability test one time. Families may request the ability test retake by contacting [NAME], school testing coordinator, at [EMAIL] by September 30.
Families are invited to attend two AAP information meetings led by [NAME], our Advanced Academic Resource Teacher (AART):
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AAP Continuum of Services: [DATE] at [TIME] in [LOCATION]. Families will learn about the continuum of advanced academic services available to FCPS students.
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Full-Time AAP Identification: [DATE] at [TIME] in [LOCATION]. Families will learn about the referral and identification processes for Full-Time AAP services.
For more information, please contact Janet McHale, AART, at JAMcHale or visit the FCPS Advanced Academic Programs webpage.
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