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Are you receiving Lane ES updates but no longer have students here? Now is the time to update your FCPS News You Choose here.
The Weekly Roar
Monday, August 17, 2026
Back-to-School 2026 Edition
Upcoming Events
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Friday, 8/21 – Quiet Open House, 2 to 2:30 p.m., for selected students only; 2:30 – 4:30 for all other students (see article below for specific alphabetical timeslots)
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Friday, 8/21 – PTA Open House “After Party,” 3 to 5 p.m. on the back fields
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Friday, 8/24 – First Day of School! Doors open 9:05 a.m.
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Friday, 8/24 – PTA First Day Coffee, 9:20 a.m., Cafeteria
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Friday, 8/28 – Virtual “First Friday” with the Principals: Volunteering at Lane, 8:30 a.m. on Zoom
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Friday, 9/4 & Monday, 9/7 – Labor Day Holiday, school and office CLOSED
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Tuesday, 9/8 – Back to School Night, 5:45 to 6 p.m., General Session; Classroom Session 1, 6 to 6:35 p.m.; Classroom Session 2, 6:40 to 7:15 (see article below for details)
In This Issue
News & Notes
Join Us for Open House This Friday, August 21!
All students and their families are invited to come to school this Friday afternoon to see their classrooms, meet their teachers, and reconnect with Lane friends.
In order to manage our capacity for this popular event, we will divide our school community into three groups.
The first group is for our “Quiet Open House,” which is designed especially for our students with special needs who could benefit from a quieter, less-crowded event. This session will be held from 2 to 2:30 p.m. It will be by-invitation-only based on students’ individual documented needs; teachers and case managers will reach out directly to families. If you feel your child needs to attend this session and you do not hear from your child’s teacher or case manager by Wednesday afternoon, please contact our family liaison, Melanie Crosby Hardy, at macrosby@fcps.edu.
The next two groups will be for our general Open House. Groups will be divided by the child’s last name. Families whose last names begin with the letters A through L should attend from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.; those whose last names begin with the letters M through Z should attend from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. (If your family has students with different last names that would be in different groups, you may pick one and attend at the same time.)
Families are encouraged to drop off their school supplies at Open House. If you haven't yet purchased your supplies, you can find the grade-level lists of required items on our website.
New PTA Open House “After Party”
On Friday, August 21, adjacent to Open House, the PTA will host a mini “After Party” on the fields behind the school. There'll be food trucks, a DJ, and some games. Families are welcome to visit the celebration before and after their window to visit classrooms.
Volunteers Needed!
The PTA is looking for volunteers to support their back-to-school events, including Open House and the “After Party” and the First Day Coffee. If you would like to help, please check the available slots and sign up using the links below. (Please note that if you are new to Lane or new to volunteering at Lane, you will also need to register and apply as a Lane volunteer. See the article below for details and links.)
Open House
First Day Coffee
First Day of School Information
The first day of the new school year is Monday, August 24, only one week away! We are so excited to welcome your students to our hallways and classrooms and kick off a brand-new year. Here are some things to keep in mind to help make that first day run smoothly.
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Our doors will open at 9:05 a.m. We encourage all students to take their usual mode of transportation to school on the first day to help build routines. If your child rides a bus, you are welcome to meet the bus outside in the bus loop or meet your child in the lobby to take pictures.
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Parking will be extremely limited. If you are coming to school on the morning of the first day, please walk if you are able. Parking will be very limited in both the main lot and the parking lot near the ball fields. You may need to park in the garage adjacent to the new government center. Please do not park in the bus loop. You may be towed.
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You may walk your child into the building and to the classroom on the first day only. When the bell rings at 9:20, please say goodbye, give one last hug, and leave the classroom. You are welcome to join the PTA and other families at the annual First Day Coffee in the cafeteria. When you leave the coffee, please exit through the cafeteria doors and do not go anywhere else in the building. (This is a security protocol.)
- Safety and security continues to be an overriding priority at Lane Elementary. All adults who enter the building during school hours must sign in and out in the front office with a government-issued photo ID. This includes the first day of school if you leave and return after 9:20.
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All students must have updated immunization information on file to start school on August 24. Students who do not meet these requirements will not be assigned to a class and parents of those students will be called to take their child home until these requirements are met.
Need more tips on how to have a successful first day? Check out the Be First-Day Ready website.
Important Technology Update: No Use of Cellphones or Smart Devices During the School Day
Per a new FCPS School Board regulation, “cellphones, phone accessories, and all smart devices must be off and personally stored (i.e., backpacks) for the duration of the school day, bell to bell. Smart devices include watches that serve a dual purpose, such as smart watches, as well as earbuds, headsets, smart glasses, and other items connected to the internet.”
Students who require access to a cellphone, pursuant to an Individualized Education Plan (IEP), Section 504 Plan, individualized health care plan, or Limited English Proficiency Plan will continue to have such access.
Please discuss this important update with your child.
Transportation Reminders
At Open House, please pick up and fill out a pink transportation form for your child to tell us how your child will usually go home (bus, Kiss & Ride pick-up, daycare pick-up, or walk). If you are unable to attend Open House, please call the school to let us know how your child will go home the first day. We will send a form home with your child to fill out and return.
Bus Information
- Fairfax County Public Schools provides free bus transportation for all students who live more than a mile from the school or must cross a major road to get to school. Parents of students who are eligible to ride the school bus will receive an email indicating their bus stop and schedule. This information should be sent before Open House, but if you do not receive it, please check in the office at Open House.
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NEW for 2026-27 School Year! Student ID cards, color-coded by school and school type, will be provided to all students who ride the bus or use FCPS transportation services. Students will use the cards to tap on and off the bus, helping FCPS and families know exactly which students are riding which buses. Learn more about the new system and how it will improve route efficiency, safety, and transparency with families. Check out the frequently asked questions for families. Students are not required to wear their ID cards during the school day.
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Students should report to their assigned stop at least five minutes prior to the scheduled pick-up time. They must board and depart the bus at their assigned stop.
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Kindergarten bus riders MUST be met at the stop in the afternoon by a designated person who is of middle-school age or older — a parent, a sibling, or a day-care provider. Kindergarteners will be returned to school if the designated person is not at the bus stop to meet them. The bus driver may not accept responsibility for another person picking up your child, so if someone else will be picking up your kindergartener from the bus, please inform the school.
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Download the Here Comes the Bus app to keep track of where your child’s bus is in real time. The school district code is 28982.
Kiss & Ride Information
- If your child will regularly be picked up at Kiss & Ride in the afternoons, please pick up your Kiss & Ride number and hang tag at Open House. (We will be issuing new numbers to all riders this year.) This helps us streamline our dismissal process and keeps your child safe.
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Please do not drop off your child before 9:05 a.m. This is a safety issue, as there is no adult supervision prior to that time.
- If someone other than a parent will be picking up your child from Kiss & Ride, please contact the front office to let us know.
Walker Information
- Students able to walk to school safely are designated “walkers.” They will enter the building in the morning through Door #2 (near Kiss & Ride) and be dismissed at Door #5 (near the gym).
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Kindergarten students MUST be met by a parent or other designated person of middle-school age or older at Door #5. They cannot walk home with older siblings at Lane.
- If someone other than a parent will be picking up your child, please contact the school and let us know.
Reminders for All Types of Transportation
- If you need to change your child’s transportation for a day, such as riding a different bus or switching from taking the bus or walking to Kiss & Ride, please notify your child’s teacher and the front office that morning.
- If a student plans to go home with another student, we must receive permission from BOTH students’ parents.
- In order to ensure that all children arrive home safely, all transportation changes must be received by the school by 3:30 p.m. on that day.
Make Plans Now to Attend Back-to-School Night on Tuesday, September 8
Please make plans to join us for Back-to-School Night on Tuesday, September 8, from 5:45 to 7:15 p.m. This event is very important for parents and guardians, as it offers a chance to meet teachers and hear directly from them about plans for the year ahead and classroom policies.
We will start the evening at 5:45 with a general session with information for all families. Classroom-specific information will be provided by teachers from 6 to 6:35 p.m. A second session will be offered from 6:40 to 7:15.
Two additional presentations will be offered for interested families before the event at 5:15 and after the first session at 6:45. Our family liaison, Melanie Crosby Hardy, will present a New Family Orientation overview with general information about our school. Our Clinical Team (counselors, social worker, and psychologist) will provide information about social-emotional learning and support at Lane and how they work with students.
This event is designed to be for adults only. Child care will not be available. If you bring your children with you they will remain with you throughout the evening.
New Updated App Available! Everything You Can Do Through SIS ParentVUE
SIS ParentVUE is a secure portal to view and manage your child’s attendance, grades, and other student data. Now is the time to log on to take care of back-to-school forms and checklists! If you do not yet have an active SIS ParentVUE account, contact our family liaison, Melanie Crosby Hardy, at macrosby@fcps.edu for an activation code and instructions.
The FCPS SIS ParentVUE app was recently updated to include a more secure login. Please download the new-and-improved version today!
Here are some things you can do through SIS ParentVUE.
Update Contact Information
Be among the first to know about weather closings, bus delays, and other critical communications from your school and FCPS by providing your cellphone number and email in SIS ParentVUE. To update your contact information in SIS ParentVUE, click the “Online Packets” tab in the upper right of the screen, then click the “Online Verification/Update” icon.
Submit Absences
Parents/caregivers can submit daylong absences through SIS ParentVUE. Log in to the platform and click “Report Absence.”
Partial-day absences and changes of transportation should still be reported directly to the front office.
Review and Submit Immunization Forms
Parents/caregivers can check their child’s immunization compliance and submit immunization records in SIS ParentVUE. Records may also be delivered to our front office.
If needed, families may also provide other immunization documentation, including a health care provider’s written statement of a permanent or temporary medical exemption or a notarized Religious Exemption Form.
Please visit the How to Submit Immunization Documentation webpage for step-by-step instructions on how to submit each of these items.
Other Communication Apps and Expectations
In addition to ParentVUE, Lane Elementary and FCPS use a variety of platforms to communicate with families.
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News You Choose: Stay up-to-date with what’s happening at Lane by reading emails sent through News You Choose. This includes our school newsletter, The Weekly Roar, which is sent out every Monday. All parents/guardians with an email address on file will be added to our database to receive these messages. News You Choose is our primary form of communication as we continue to “go green” by limiting paper copies of flyers.
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eNotify: The school and FCPS central offices use this messaging system to send email, text, and phone messages that contain essential information. This platform draws contact information directly from our student-information system, so it is important to keep your contact information (email and phone number) current. Parents/guardians cannot opt-out of eNotify.
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Talking Points: Classroom teachers and other school staff use this two-way, text-based messaging system for ongoing communication with students’ families. Messages can be received as standard SMS texts or through the Talking Points app. All families are automatically enrolled. Once you are added to the system, you can choose to download the app, if you prefer. Visit the FCPS TalkingPoints website for more information and to download links.
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Take-Home Wednesday Folder: Wednesday has been designated as our “take home” day. Parents are encouraged to check backpacks for communication from school each day, but we will try to limit most correspondence to Wednesdays. These folders will also include graded work and event flyers.
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Schoology: Schoology is an online learning management system (LMS) where teachers post assignments and other resources for their classes. Schoology parent accounts provide access to view your child's courses, assignments, and calendars.
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FCPS App: Introduced last year, this app gives you the division and school-based information you need in one convenient place. It includes links to calendars, foodservice menus, specific school contacts, weather alerts, and links to ParentVUE, Schoology, MySchoolBucks, and bus-navigation apps.
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Social Media: Lane has two social media accounts to help keep our families and the community informed. Follow us on Facebook (LaneElementaryFCPS) and on Instagram (laneelementaryfcps) to stay up-to-date and get a peek into the daily school activities of our Lane Lions.
Communication with Teachers
Classroom teachers also use a variety of methods to reach out to parents and families. These include emails, Talking Points messages, weekly newsletters, and handwritten notes. We encourage families to communicate regularly with teachers, but please bear in mind when you send a message that you may not receive a response immediately. Our staff members are all actively engaged with students and other staff members throughout the day. Staff members are expected to respond to messages within 24 hours, not including weekends and holidays.
Make Note of School Security Measures
The safety of all students and adults in our building is our top priority every day, and we regularly review our security procedures in order to ensure a safe learning environment. This includes following strict protocols for visitors and volunteers during school hours.
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Access to the building during school hours is controlled by the front office staff through the main entrance. All visitors and volunteers must enter through this door. When visiting or volunteering, you should never let other adults (other than staff) in through other doors or prop doors open.
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We require all visitors and volunteers to sign in and out using a driver’s license or other government-issued photo ID. The sign-in kiosk is located in the front office, which is where all visitors and volunteers must report before proceeding to other locations. You will be issued a temporary badge, which must be worn and visible at all times when you are in the building. After scanning your badge to sign out, you should remove it and dispose of it before exiting the building.
- If you are a frequent visitor or volunteer at Lane, you may want to register on the sign-in app (known as Raptor) ahead of time. This can significantly reduce your wait time and make check-in go much faster, especially if you are attending a large event. Visit the Raptor Safe link to register.
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Students who leave school during the day for any reason will only be released to parents, guardians, or those listed on the emergency care form unless written permission has been provided by the parent or guardian. This permission must state who is picking up the child. Photo identification will be required. Students may be released to either parent/guardian provided there is no contrary court order on file. Please be sure your child’s emergency contacts are up-to-date.
These recommended procedures have been adopted to protect the safety of our students and staff. We appreciate your support in ensuring a caring, happy, and, most importantly, safe learning environment.
We Value Volunteers!
Lane volunteers work with students, assist in the library, prepare art and instructional materials, support PTA projects, and more! Contact your child’s teacher, a PTA officer, or our family liaison to learn how you can support our school.
All volunteers must register and complete an application on Volunteer FCPS, the division’s central volunteer-management system. This process is designed to protect students and adults in our building. Visit the Lane Volunteering portal to get started. (If you have already been approved as a volunteer, you DO NOT need to reapply this year.)
All volunteers must also sign in and out in the front office and obtain a badge. Volunteers will be provided with school-based training.
Virtual “First Friday” with the Principals: Volunteering at Lane
Friday, August 28, 8:30 a.m. (virtual)
Throughout this school year, the Lane administrators will offer a short virtual presentation for families on the first Friday of the month. Each session will focus on a timely topic and current events happening at the school. The first session will be held on Friday, August 28, at 8:30 a.m. on Zoom. The topic will be volunteering at Lane. The session will be recorded and posted on our website and in our weekly newsletter as well.
Sign Up for Music Electives for This Year!
Attention 4th, 5th, and 6th Grade Families!
There is still time to sign up your child to learn how to play an instrument in Strings (grades 4, 5, 6) or Band (grades 5, 6 only) this school year! Lessons happen during the school day (during Specials) with a concert at the end of the year. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to be part of these AMAZING instrumental programs at Lane!
Students in 5th and 6th grade also have the opportunity to join Chorus this year! Chorus lessons also happen during the school day, and there are two concert performances during the year. Students may choose an instrument AND Chorus. Sign up for Chorus now!
If you have questions, please reach out to the music teachers.
James Piccirello, Strings, jradkisonpic@fcps.edu
Raina Payne, Band, rmpayne@fcps.edu
Grayson Crouch, Chorus, gcrouch@fcps.edu
Jasmine McCormick, Chorus, jrmccormick@fcps.edu
Limited Early Release Wednesdays for 2026-27
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.
Here are the dates for Early Release Wednesdays at Lane this year:
- 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.
PTA News
Join the PTA Today!
The Lane PTA has been hard at work all summer planning events and programs for the upcoming school year. Their membership portal is open! Please consider joining this dedicated group of volunteers who do so much to support our students, staff, and families!
You can find more information and become a member using this link.
First PTA Meeting In Person Thursday, September 3, 6:30 p.m.
All Lane caregivers are invited to attend the PTA’s first meeting of the school year, in person, in the Lane Cafeteria, on Thursday, September 3, at 6:30. Come meet other Lane parents, hear from administrators, find out about all the great things the PTA has in store in the coming year, and learn how you can get involved.
First Lane PTA Restaurant Night Coming Soon!
Throughout the school year the PTA hosts monthly fundraisers at local restaurants. The first one will be on Wednesday, August 26, and Thursday, August 27, at Rita’s Water Ice in the Hayfield Shopping Center. Watch flyers and the PTA Facebook page for details coming soon!
Greetings from the PTA’s new Inclusion Chair!
Hello Lane community! I’m Eileen Federline, and I’m excited to serve as the PTA’s Inclusion Chair this year. Our inclusion goal is to help create opportunities for connection, celebrate the diversity of our school community, and ensure that everyone feels welcome and included.
If you’d like to receive inclusion updates and newsletters (including a forward of inclusion updates from the county), please reach out to the PTA’s Inclusion mailbox, inclusion@lanepta.org, to be added to the distribution list.
We’re always looking for ideas and feedback from our community. If there are programs, events, resources, or topics you’d like the Inclusion Committee to explore, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the Inclusion mailbox with your suggestions or thoughts.
I look forward to connecting with you throughout the year!
~ Eileen Federline
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