English | Español | አማርኛ | 中文 | 한국어 | Tiếng Việt | العربية | فارسی | اردو

Principal's Note

Dear London Towne Families,

Welcome to the start of a brand new school year! As we open our doors tomorrow, Monday morning, our mission remains as clear and steadfast as ever: "ALL means ALL." We are fully committed to ensuring the personal growth, safety, and academic success of every single member of our Towne family.

The first day of school always brings incredible excitement and anticipation. To help your child hit the ground running, we encourage you to start establishing solid home routines right away:

• Consistent Schedules: Set standard bedtimes and wake-up times to keep energy high.
• Launchpad Spot: Pick a designated home for backpacks, shoes, and materials so mornings are stress-free.
• Homework Station: Create a quiet, assigned space dedicated to learning at home.

These small, consistent habits make a huge difference in setting our students up for success!

Every Day Counts: On-Time Attendance

Daily, punctual attendance is essential. Our school day officially begins at 8:20 AM, with the first bell ringing at 8:05 AM.  Every morning opens with a classroom Morning Meeting—an inclusive, welcoming routine that sets a positive tone and builds community for the entire day. Please ensure your child arrives on time so they don't miss this crucial start.  Any student arriving after 8:20 AM will need to be escorted into the office and be signed in by an adult.

FCPS Personal Technology Policy: Bell-to-Bell

As a reminder, we follow the updated FCPS policy regarding personal technology. To support a focused, distraction-free learning environment, personal electronic devices—including cell phones and smart watches—are not permitted during the school day. All devices must be turned off and stored away in student backpacks for the entire day, from "bell to bell".

Arrival & Dismissal Safety Procedures

Your child’s safety is our top priority. To keep our drop-off and pick-up running smoothly and securely, please keep these important reminders in mind:

• Traffic & Security: All local traffic laws are strictly enforced. Gates by the back parking lot and playground will remain locked during school hours.
• Kiss n' Ride: The parking lot is closed to non-school personnel until 7:58 AM. Please note that left turns into the parking lot from Billingsgate Rd. are not permitted.
• Student Escorts: While we know how eager parents/guardains may be  to walk their children directly to their classrooms, parents/guardians will not be permitted inside the building. Do not worry—our dedicated staff will be outside with warm smiles to guide every student safely to their room!

Thank you for your ongoing support, dedication, and partnership. We can't wait to see those smiling faces back in our halls tomorrow!

Warmly,

Shele Banford, Principal

Jordan Moore, Assistant Principal

Lucy Zamora, Assistant Principal

Save the Date!

🍎Monday, August 24:  8:05 a.m.  FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!

🧮Thursday, August 27:  MAP Math Screener (Grade 6)

🎉Friday, August 28:  9:00 a.m. 1st Quarter Schoolwide Pep Rally

🌞Friday, September 4:  No School - Labor Day Weekend

🌞Monday, September 7:  No School - Labor Day Weekend

📚Tuesday, September 8:  VALLSS Reading Screener Begins (Grades 1-6)

🧮Wednesday, September 9:  MAP Math Screener (Grades 3-5)

London Towne Events and News

🥪 London Towne Lunch Visitor Expectations 🥪

We are so excited to welcome you to join your child for lunch at London Towne Elementary! To help ensure a safe, positive, and enjoyable experience for everyone, please follow our ROAR guidelines:

• Respect: Use kind words and a welcoming tone, follow cafeteria directions promptly, and keep photos or videos focused solely on your own child to protect student privacy. Students are NOT permitted to use cell phones, smart watches, or personal electronic devices at any time during the school day.

• Own Your Actions: Remember to sign in and out at the front office while displaying your visitor badge, stay seated with your child throughout your visit, and schedule any conversations with teachers for designated conference times outside of lunch.

• Advocate for Yourself and Others: Keep all food and drinks exclusively with your child, alert cafeteria staff right away if a student needs help, and let school staff handle student discipline.

• Ready to Learn: Help your child return to class on time when lunch ends and say your goodbyes in the cafeteria so teachers can smoothly transition back to instruction.

🏫 London Towne Back to School Night 🏫

All families are invited to join us for our Back to School Night to learn about the school year ahead on Thursday, September 17

• 6:00 - 7:30 p.m.: Grades K-6

PTA News and Happenings

Follow the LTES PTA on Instagram to stay to date with all the fun, upcoming events! 

FCPS Events and News

SEL Screener Family Notification

The Fall 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. 

Back to School Family Checklist

🍎 We’re Eager to Welcome You Back to School!

As summer winds down, we are looking forward to welcoming students back to our classrooms. Use the following list to help make sure your child is ready! 

☑️ Sign Up for SIS ParentVUE

Access your student’s attendance records, grades, and assignments at any time with SIS ParentVUE. Contact our registrar at [email/phone number] if you need an activation code. Find out more about SIS ParentVUE.

☑️ Update Your Contact Information

Be sure you receive important information! Update your phone number(s) and/or email address(es) by clicking “My Account” and reviewing the “Online Verification/Update.” On that form, you can also update immunization records, health information, and emergency contacts. 

☑️ Update Immunizations and Records

Immunizations are required for all students to attend school in Virginia. This is an important part of protecting them from certain diseases and keeping them healthy. 

When your child is immunized, remember to request a copy of their immunization record and bring that to our front office or submit the record via SIS ParentVUE as soon as possible. Find more information on FCPS’ website.

☑️ Learn About School Meals

Families need to provide their children with money to purchase meals at school or send them with a packed lunch. Alternatively, families may apply to receive free and reduced-price meal benefits, pending approval.

☑️ Bookmark the School Year Calendar

Be sure to bookmark the FCPS school year calendar to keep track of school holidays, breaks, and observances:

• Days marked blue with an “H” are student holidays. Schools are closed on these days.
• Days marked orange with an “O” are religious and cultural observance days (or evenings, if only half marked). There is school on these days, but certain events that cannot be made up may not be scheduled on these days.
• Days marked as TW, SD, and SP and in pink are holidays for students but working days for teachers and staff.

Please note that some holidays and observances, such as Eid al Fitr, may shift, and the calendar may be adjusted.

New Student ID Cards

FCPS is launching a new bus navigation system, which includes student ID cards for students who ride the bus. Students will use the cards to tap on and off the bus, helping FCPS and families know exactly which students are riding which buses.

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 and how it will improve route efficiency, safety, and transparency with families. Check out the frequently asked questions for families.

2026-27 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. 

Our school’s early release Wednesdays: 

• October 21

• December 2

• February 10

• May 5

Visit the FCPS website for more information about early release Wednesdays, including the list of early release dates.

Download New ParentVUE App

On Tuesday, July 28, a new ParentVUE mobile app became available in the Apple and Google app stores. This new app provides parents and caregivers with a more secure sign-in. The current “classic” app will remain active for about six months. Families must download the new app by December 2026 to ensure they have continued mobile access to their child’s school data.

In the new app, families can enroll in multi-factor authentication (MFA) for FCPS Single Sign-On. While enrollment is optional, we strongly recommend that everyone enable this security feature.

Learn more about installing the new ParentVUE app. Parents needing assistance should submit a Parent Support Request.

Help Your Child Navigate the Lunchline

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.
• 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.

Student Rights & Responsibilities Update

Families are encouraged to review the updated FCPS Student Rights and Responsibilities (SR&R) document, which explains expectations for student behavior and adult responses in order to enhance school safety and to create a fair, equitable, and supportive school environment.

Updates for the 2026-27 school year include new Universal Grade Matrices (UGMs). UGMs are charts that show behavior expectations and school responses by grade level (K-3, 4-8, and 9-12). These at-a-glance resources (in Appendix D of the SR&R) are designed to make it easier for parents and caregivers to understand how schools respond to different types of behavior concerns.

Visit the SR&R webpage for more information and to review additional updates to the SR&R for the 2026-27 school year.

Apply for Pre-K and Early Head Start

FCPS Pre-K and Early Head Start programs provide a high-quality early learning experience for qualifying children ages 6 weeks to 4 years living in Fairfax County with economic and educational risk factors. 

• The pre-K program prioritizes 4-year-old applicants but also accepts applications for children who will be 3 years old by September 30. 

• Early Head Start is located at three elementary schools — Clearview, Crestwood, and Dogwood — and accepts applications from expectant mothers and parents/guardians of children 6 weeks to 2 years old.

Families are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. However, space is limited and provided based on need, not on a first-come, first-served basis. Applications are accepted online, by email, by postal mail (printable application), or in person at 7423 Camp Alger Avenue, Falls Church, Virginia 22042.

If you have a question about the application process or status, please call 703-208-7900 (English) or 703-208-7901 (Spanish).

Volunteer FCPS Update

💗 Register Today With Volunteer FCPS

Volunteer FCPS allows individuals to search and register for volunteer opportunities. It helps ensure a safe, consistent, and welcoming environment here at [School]. All volunteers must:

• Create a profile in Volunteer FCPS. 
• Register for opportunities through Volunteer FCPS. 
• Sign in and out of schools using the visitor kiosk.  

At the Volunteer FCPS site, you can complete a volunteer orientation. Visit the Volunteer FCPS Frequently Asked Questions for more information.

Monday, August 24, is the first day of school.  Check out these back-to-school tips to make sure your child gets off to a great start.

See the complete school year calendar.

FCPS parents, students, and staff members are invited to share their favorite pictures or videos from the first day of school on social media using the hashtag #FirstDayFairfax. Follow FCPS and your school on social media to see photos and videos throughout the school year!

Friday, September 4, and Monday, September 7, are Labor Day holidays for all FCPS employees and students.

Virginia legislation requires that schools opening prior to Labor Day must be closed the Friday immediately preceding Labor Day. We hope everyone takes the long weekend to celebrate a strong start to the school year and enjoy time with family and friends. See the complete school year calendar.

6100 Stone Road, Centreville, Virginia 20120  |  Office: 703-227-5400

Attendance: (703)-227-5454 |  Web | Instagram