Greetings, Seahawk Community!

Good Evening, Seahawks!

Today marked the official beginning of the 2026–2027 school year, and I could not be more excited to welcome our students back to South Lakes High School.

It was wonderful welcoming our staffulty back to The Lakes this last week. Throughout the building, I saw teachers collaborating, preparing classrooms, planning meaningful learning experiences, and getting ready to welcome our Seahawks. Their energy and commitment remind me why I am so optimistic about the year ahead.

I also want to extend a tremendous thank you to our custodial team, who worked throughout the summer to prepare our building for students and staff. Their work is often done quietly and behind the scenes, but it is essential to everything that happens at South Lakes.

Important Start-of-Year Reminders

Cell Phones and Personal Electronic Devices: South Lakes will implement the new FCPS expectations regarding student cell phones and personal electronic devices. Our purpose is larger than simply putting phones away. We want to create an environment where students can focus, learn, connect, and belong. Consistency among students, staff, and families will be essential to making this successful.

FCPS-Issued Devices: Students should come to school prepared to use their FCPS-issued device for school-related digital activities in accordance with FCPS requirements regarding student device use during the instructional day.

Building Safety and Security: Students and families should follow all established procedures for entering and exiting the building. Maintaining a safe and secure campus is a shared responsibility, and we appreciate everyone's cooperation with our security procedures.

Closed Campus: South Lakes High School operates as a closed campus. Students may not leave school grounds during the instructional day without appropriate authorization.

Food Deliveries: Commercial food deliveries for students, including services such as DoorDash and Uber Eats, are not permitted during the school day. Families and students should plan accordingly.

Attendance Matters: One of the most important predictors of student success is simply being present. Students cannot fully benefit from excellent instruction, relationships, interventions, extracurricular opportunities, and the South Lakes experience if they are not here. We ask families to partner with us in making consistent and timely attendance a priority throughout the school year.

With Gratitude,

Carlos Seward

We value your feedback. Share your observations, suggestions, questions and celebrations with me here.

Crossing Guard Update

Beginning this school year, Fairfax County will no longer assign crossing guards to our school. As always, we encourage students, families, and drivers to use extra caution when traveling to and from school, follow all traffic laws, and remain alert to pedestrians and other vehicles. Because traffic patterns may be different, please allow a few extra minutes when arriving at or departing from school.

South Lakes High School Food Pantry Update

The South Lakes Food Pantry serves a vital need for the people in our community by offering food staples and toiletries free of cost and supports hundreds of our community’s families each week.

The pantry is open to families in the area on Thursdays after school beginning at 4:30. We also provide an opportunity for our students to visit the food pantry on Thursday afternoons prior to dismissal. The first day that students will have access to the food pantry during the school day will be on Thursday, September 17th. 

This year, only students whose parents/guardians have completed a permission form are allowed to access the pantry during instructional time. Please complete this Food Pantry Permission Google form to grant your student permission to visit the pantry.

All students are welcome to visit the pantry after the school day has ended from 2:55 pm - 3:15 pm - parent permission is not needed to visit the pantry after the school day has ended.  

Beginning this school year, FCPS is enforcing a strict "bell-to-bell" policy (8:10 am to 2:55 pm) for cell phones and other personal devices that can connect to the Internet. Personal devices include:

• AirPods/earbuds (corded or cordless)
• Headphones
• Smart glasses
• Smart watches
• IPads
• Personal laptops

These items should be stored in backpacks (not in purses, crossbody bags, or on a student’s person) or stored in lockers. 

Unless a student has an accommodation for specific use documented in a medical plan, 504 plan, or IEP, cell phones and devices which are not stored in backpacks or in lockers will be collected and secured for the day, and administrators will follow up with consequences outlined in the FCPS Student Rights and Responsibilities document.

If you urgently need to reach your student or send a message during the school day, you can call the following numbers: 

Last Names A-Dia: 703-715-4507

Last names Dib-Lamg: 703-715-4509

Last Names Lamh-Reg: 703-715-4523

Last Names Reh-Z: 703-715-4512

Special Education Office: 703-715-4567

Main Office: 703-715-4500

Thank you for your continued partnership and cooperation in helping us build a safe, respectful, and highly engaged learning community at South Lakes!

Transportation Student ID Cards for South Lakes High School Bus Riders

Next week, SLHS we will begin distributing student ID cards to all our students who ride the school bus or use FCPS transportation services.

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.

Apply Today for Free and Reduced-Price Meals

According to the Centers for Disease Control, eating breakfast at school is associated with better attendance rates, fewer missed school days, and better test scores. Studies show that students who eat both school breakfast and lunch tend to have healthier diets than those who don't participate in school meals. 

Families who qualify for free or reduced-price school meals can receive breakfast and lunch at no cost for their children. This includes more than one-third of FCPS students. Families must complete the Free and Reduced-Price Meals (FRM) application before the start of each school year. Approved applications may also qualify students for additional benefits. 

The application for FRM is now available for the 2026-27 school year. Students who were approved for FRM last year are eligible for the first 30 days of school this year (or until a new application is processed).

ACTION: Families should reapply as soon as possible so eligible children continue to receive meals at no cost.

Access the application and view criteria and up-to-date information on the FRM webpage. Families should reach out to their schools with questions or for assistance.

"The Lakes -- Podcast"

Last year, Billy Watts, our Assessment Coach, and resident genius, created the first ever South Lakes High School Podcast, entitled "The Lakes!" The podcast featured stories, interviews, and advice for students, parents, educators, and community about all things South Lakes High School. 

He plans to continue and grow his podcasts this year with episodes called "senior playbook" based on the SEL intervention "saying is believing." Keep an eye out for these new stories and more as we begin the 2026-2027 school year. Check out and subscribe to our school's podcast, "The Lakes" on Apple, Spotify, or Amazon podcasts.

NEW FCPS App

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.

Download the app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.

School Meals

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.
• 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.

Lightspeed Updates

You Can Manage Student Web Access at Home

At South Lakes High School, 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.

Schoology

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

SEL Screener Parent/Guardian 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. 

FCPS on WhatsApp

Follow FCPS on WhatsApp

Is WhatsApp one of the ways you stay connected with family, friends, and your community? Now you can use it to stay connected with FCPS, too.

Follow the new FCPS WhatsApp Channel for helpful information and reminders throughout the school year, including important announcements, upcoming dates, tips for families, and more.

Family Information Phone Lines

Family Information Line Available in Nine Languages

Parents/caregivers who speak Amharic, Arabic, Chinese, English, Farsi, Korean, Spanish, Urdu, or Vietnamese may call a telephone information line for general information about FCPS. View the list of phone numbers.

Immunizations

Update Your Child’s Immunizations and Records

Please check with your healthcare provider as soon as possible to make sure your child is up-to-date on the immunizations required by the state of Virginia. Prior to the start of school on Monday, August 24, please submit your child’s immunization documentation. If your child has an appointment to receive their required immunizations after August 24, please submit an Immunization Action Plan to confirm the appointment.

You can check your child’s immunization compliance and submit their immunization record in SIS ParentVUE. Records may also be delivered to a school’s front office. If needed, families may also provide other immunization documentation including a healthcare provider’s written statement of a permanent or temporary medical exemption or a notarized Religious Exemption Form. Please visit the FCPS How to Submit Immunization Documentation webpage for step-by-step instructions on how to submit each of these items.

Immunization Events for FCPS Students

FCPS, in partnership with Inspire Health Alliance, will be providing school-required immunizations and optional flu shots for all FCPS students, ages 18 and under, with no out-of-pocket costs. Multiple events will take place at designated FCPS locations. Additional dates will be made available throughout the school year. Parents or guardians may view upcoming events and schedule an appointment for their student. Participation is voluntary.

Additional immunization resources are also available. 

Become Unskippable: Fentanyl and Overdoses

How to Talk With Your Teens So They Won’t Skip What You Say

Strong communication is key to supporting your student's mental health. FCPS provides guidance on how to have short, impactful conversations with your teen about difficult subjects such as fentanyl and overdoses.

Learn more about how to have conversations with your child in a way that will make you unskippable.

No-Cost Mental Health Teletherapy for High School Students

Mental Health Teletherapy 

Virtual therapy sessions are available to FCPS high school students at no cost to provide a safe space to address concerns such as: 

• Mood/behavior changes, motivation, grief/loss.
• Anxiety, worry, fears.
• Social skills, bullying, peer and family relationships.
• Academic stress.

Students can be referred by a guardian or designated school staff member. You may refer your child by calling 571-749-2940 or by contacting an FCPS school counselor, social worker, psychologist, or director of Student Services. Visit the FCPS Teletherapy webpage for more information

Mental Health Services

Your Child's Mental Wellness Matters: Access Comprehensive Services

Reach out to the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board (CSB) for specialized youth mental health services designed to help your child succeed. The CSB has individual and family counseling, psychiatric diagnostic evaluations, medication management, parenting groups, peer support, crisis response, recovery supports that include medication-assisted treatment (MAT), intensive services, and other services. 

Contact CSB Entry and Referral to get started by calling 703-383-8500 or emailing csb@fairfaxcounty.gov. 

Additional Mental Health Resources

FCPS has resources available to support your child’s mental health. During after-school hours, parents and students who need additional support can use the 988 Lifeline to get free, confidential guidance from trained crisis counselors on how to best help someone experiencing a mental health challenge or crisis. You can call or text the number. 

Recent reports have shared an 11% drop in suicides among young people since the rollout of 988. Please note, the hotline is not only for those experiencing suicidal ideation (or thoughts), it is also available for any mental health or substance abuse-related crisis and those with a loved one experiencing those crises or suicidal thoughts. 

And as always, if your concern is an emergency, you should call 911.