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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 24, 2026—First Day Edition
Thanks for a Great First Day!
Students were welcomed back in style this morning, starting with a beautiful and fun sign out front.
Student Ambassadors came to school early to "chalk the walk" with positive and welcoming messages and artwork.
Student Ambassadors also served as a cheering squad, welcoming students into the main lobby with pom poms and smiles.
The 3rd grade team came dressed to impress in matching shirts!
Mrs. Barbiere's class started the year off with a first-day group photo.
After the morning bell rang, parents and other family members were treated to coffee and breakfast treats by the Lane PTA.
Upcoming Events
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Wednesday, 8/26 & Thursday, 8/27 – PTA Restaurant Night at Rita’s Water Ice, 4 to 8 p.m.
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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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Thursday, 9/3 – Potluck “Breakfast Bites” for Kindergarten Families – 8:30 a.m., Cafeteria
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Thursday, 9/3 – PTA Meeting, 6:30 p.m., Cafeteria
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Friday, 9/4 & Monday, 9/7 – Labor Day Holiday, school, office, and SACC 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)
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Friday, 9/11 – Potluck “Breakfast Bites” for 1st Grade Families – 8:30 a.m., Cafeteria
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Monday, 9/14 – PTA Fall Enrichment registration opens
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Friday, 9/18 – Potluck “Breakfast Bites” for 2nd Grade Families, 8:30 a.m., Cafeteria
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Friday, 9/18 – PTA Lane Lion Loop Fun Run Fundraiser kickoff
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Monday, 9/21 – Yom Kippur Holiday, school, office, and SACC CLOSED
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Thursday, 9/24 – Inclusion Play & Chat, 5:30 p.m., Main Playground
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Friday, 9/25 – Potluck “Breakfast Bites” for 3rd & 4th Grade Families, 8:30 a.m., Cafeteria
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Friday, 10/2 – Virtual “First Friday” with the Principals: Being Socially and Emotionally Present Throughout the Year, 8:30 a.m. on Zoom
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Friday, 10/2 – PTA Lane Lion Loop Fun Run
In This Issue
- Important Technology Updates – Use of FCPS Devices at Home and Cellphones/Smart Devices During the School Day
- Transportation Patience and Safety
- Required Back-to-School Forms
- Make Plans Now to Attend Back-to-School Night on Tuesday, September 8
- Learn More About Volunteering at Our Virtual “First Friday” Family Coffee with the Principals This Friday, August 28, 8:30 a.m.
- Lane Library Needs Volunteers!
- Lane Safety Patrol Applications Reopened for New School Year
- It's Not Too Late to Sign Up for Music Electives for This Year!
- “Breakfast Bites” Are Back! Grade-Level Gatherings Begin September 3 with Kindergarten Potluck
- Celebrating Birthdays at Lane
- Help Your Child Navigate the Lunch Line
- Customize Your Lightspeed Settings
- SEL Screener Parent/Guardian Notification
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New Updated App Available! Everything You Can Do Through SIS ParentVUE
- Limited Early Release Wednesdays
- PTA News: Membership, meeting, Restaurant Nights at Rita's this week
News & Notes
Important Technology Updates – Use of FCPS Devices at Home and Cellphones/Smart Devices During the School Day
FCPS recently revamped its technology policies in two ways that affect our students here at Lane.
First, FCPS provides electronic devices to help students access learning tools and complete digital homework at home as needed. To ensure that all students have digital access, all FCPS-issued laptops will be sent home each night UNLESS parents choose to keep the device at school through the Parent Digital Consent System.
PLEASE NOTE: The default response is sending home the laptop; if you take no action, your child will bring the device home each night.
If you would like to have your child’s laptop stay at school: Please log into the Parent Digital Consent system, click on the FCPS-Issued Student Device Take-Home Opt-Out Form, and move the toggle button to the right until you see a checkmark. Your selection should look like this:
If you would like your student to continue bringing the device home, no toggle action is needed. Just confirm by pressing “Save Selection." (You will see a gray “X.”)
The second change is regarding the use of cellphones and other 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 these important updates with your child.
Transportation Patience and Safety
Thank you for your patience with all of our transportation options as both students and staff learn new routines!
If you did not fill out a pink Transportation Form at Open House on Friday, your child should have brought one home today. Please be sure to fill it out and send it back to school tomorrow. This information is a critical student-safety protocol.
Student ID Cards for Lane Bus Riders
Teachers will be passing out student ID cards to all students who ride a bus to and/or from school. Students who have 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 may need some extra time at each bus stop while they check students in, especially in the first few weeks. The FCPS transportation team is working hard to minimize any potential delays.
Learn more about the bus navigation and student ID cards.
If a student’s bus is delayed, parents may access the Bus Delay Notification System or use the Here Comes the Bus mobile app to receive the delayed bus report. Email messages will be sent to announce significant bus delays. Contact the Transportation Office at 703-446-2150 with any additional questions. For any concerns after hours (after 5:30 p.m.), contact Safety and Security at 571-423-2000.
To make sure you receive email messages about bus delays, update your contact information in SIS ParentVUE.
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Kiss and Ride Number Hang Tags
If you are a Kiss and Ride family and weren’t able to attend Open House, you should have received your Kiss and Ride hang tag at school today. It is very important that you display this number clearly in your car so that staff can log it in our system each day. If you do not have a hang tag on display when you pick up your child, your departure may be delayed. Using these hang tags consistently not only speeds up our Kiss and Ride process but also increases safety for our students.
If you have requested a second Kiss and Ride hang tag with your number, please note that they have to be ordered and will likely take at least a week to arrive.
Required Back-to-School Forms
Our Virtual First Day Packets are online and ready to go! You can find the required forms (except for the Emergency Care Form) and other information on the Virtual First Day Packet page on our school website.
These forms must be reviewed, updated (if needed), and signed through your ParentVUE account or using a paper form (if available):
If you use any paper forms, please return them to school or scan them and email them to our registrar, Sook Fan Simpson, at sksimpson@fcps.edu.
Emergency Care Form
Thank you to all the parents and guardians who signed off on their child’s Emergency Care Form for the new school year at Open House. If you were not able to attend this event, you should have received a copy of this very important form today. Please be sure to update it and return it as soon as possible. Be sure to sign it!
Additional Optional Forms
Thank you for your prompt action and your support!
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.
Learn More About Volunteering at Our Virtual “First Friday” Family Coffee with the Principals This Friday, August 28, 8:30 a.m.
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.
As noted in previous emails, 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.)
You can learn more about volunteering at our virtual “First Friday” Family Coffee with the Principals this Friday, August 28, at 8:30 a.m. We will cover general expectations for volunteers, the different types of opportunities, confidentiality, and more.
Use this link to join us live at 8:30 a.m. But don’t worry if you can’t make it. The session will be recorded and posted on our website and in our weekly newsletter as well.
Lane Library Needs Volunteers!
Our librarian, Mrs. Chozick, is in need of volunteer help in the library. Most of the work will be shelving books (training will be provided); occasionally other help will be needed, like making copies or taking down displays, but expect to be shelving books most of the time.
If you can spare just one hour once a week, that would be splendid! As it is most helpful to have volunteers throughout the day and week, so that books can be continuously shelved, volunteer times are on a first-come, first-served basis.
Please contact Mrs. Chozick at schozick@fcps.edu to let her know what times you might be available or if you should have any questions. Thanks so much for considering helping in the library!
Lane Safety Patrol Applications Reopened for New School Year!
Would your child like to be a Safety Patrol this year? If so, now is the time to apply as the application window reopens for a limited time. Follow this link to fill out the application.
Students and parents are encouraged to complete the application together so they are both aware of the requirements, duties, and responsibilities.
Questions? Please contact P.E. teacher Mr. P at PPPhongsavan@fcps.edu.
It’s Not Too Late to 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
“Breakfast Bites” Are Back! Grade-Level Gatherings Begin September 3 with Kindergarten Potluck
Our popular “Breakfast Bites” grade-level potluck morning are returning a again this fall to start this year off with some fun family gatherings.
Each breakfast will be held before school from 8:30 to 9:15 a.m. Families can attend together to enjoy a light breakfast and family fellowship with other Lane Lions in the same or similar grade levels before students go off to class. Parents and other family members who attend may stay a bit longer to continue conversations and ask questions of the family liaison and other staff members who may be present.
Most of these events will be held on Friday mornings. The one exception is our first one, for kindergarten families, which will be held on Thursday, September 3, due to the holiday on Friday the 4th. All kindergarten families are invited to attend that morning. We ask that each family bring a breakfast dish or item to share (muffins, donuts, casseroles, etc.). If you are a kindergarten family that would like to attend, please RSVP here and let us know what you plan to bring. Watch for flyers coming home in this week's Wednesday Folders!
We look forward to seeing our kindergarten families on Thursday, September 3. Here are the dates for the other grade levels:
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Friday, September 11 – 1st Grade Families
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Friday, September 18 – 2nd Grade Families
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Friday, September 25 – 3rd & 4th Grade Families
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Friday, October 9 – 5th & 6th Grade Families
Sign-ups for these events will be posted in the coming weeks!
Celebrating Birthdays at Lane
At our school, we promote healthy eating and a safe environment for all students. FCPS requires that foods offered on the school campus meet or exceed the USDA SMART Snacks in School nutrition standards. At Lane Elementary, we encourage this level of nutrition for foods provided for celebrations, parties, and classroom snacks brought by staff or family members. If sending in a special treat, please notify the teacher at least a day in advance so the teacher can inform you of any special dietary restrictions/limitations in the classroom. Snacks and treats must be store-bought, individually packaged, and have an ingredients list so possible allergies can be checked. Please, no sodas or balloons.
Food-free ideas for birthday celebrations include stickers, pencils, character erasers, or the family could possibly donate a book to the classroom library. These guidelines help us ensure that all classroom celebrations are safe for students with food allergies and consistent with our wellness policy.
Please check with your child’s teacher in advance regarding how their class recognizes birthdays. Teachers are unable to distribute invitations to birthday parties.
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.
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.
Manage Student Web Access at Home
At Lane 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 the 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 that you 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.
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.
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.
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 worked hard all summer planning events and programs for the 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.
Celebrate Back-to-School Week at Rita’s!
All Lane Lions are invited to a special Back-to-School two-night event! Wednesday, August 26, and Thursday, August 27, at Rita's Water Ice in the Hayfield Shopping Center (7592 Telegraph Road) is celebrating Lane Elementary's first week of school by hosting back-to-back Back-to-School Restaurant Nights! Between the hours of 4 and 8 p.m. each day, a portion of sales will be donated to Lane. Treat the whole family to a tasty chilly treat and support our school at the same time!
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