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 September 3, 2026
From the Principal’s Pen
Dear Laurel Hill Families,
We have had a fantastic second week of school! It has been wonderful seeing our students settle in, fill our classrooms with energy, and dive into learning.
During these first two weeks, our teachers and staff have been hard at work establishing strong routines and procedures to build safe, predictable learning environments for everyone. Equally important, they have focused on building positive relationships with your children, laying the foundation for a supportive, joyful school year ahead. Beginning of the year assessments are continuing to happen so our teachers can learn more about your students' academic needs and find the best ways to support them.
As we look to the weeks ahead, here are a few important updates and opportunities to get involved. Our Parent Teacher Association (PTA) is a vital partner in supporting our school, teachers, and students. We encourage all families to become members! Joining the PTA is one of the best ways to stay connected and make a positive impact on our school community. See the Mark Your Calendar section below.
Our administrative team is excited to host a VIRTUAL Parent Coffee on Wednesday, September 9 at 10am. Use this link to join us. This will be an informal opportunity to connect, ask questions, discuss the upcoming school year, and enjoy a warm cup of coffee together. We hope to see you there!
Lastly,
We know many parents look forward to joining or checking out their children for lunch! To ensure students have adequate time to fully acclimate to their school day, practice cafeteria procedures, and build friendships during mealtime, we are asking for a brief window of time before opening lunch check-outs.
Parent lunch check-outs will officially begin during our 4th week of school, starting Monday, September 14th. Thank you in advance for your patience and support as we establish these foundational daily routines!
Thank you for your partnership, support, and dedication to making our school community strong. We are looking forward to a wonderful year together!
Sincerely,
Thmeaka Traylor, Principal
Hanna Langstein, Assistant Principal
Addison Smith, Assistant Principal
Back to School Night
Wednesday, September 16th, 6:00 PM - 7:35 PM.
All classes will have individual back to school night sessions. Parents will go directly to the classrooms; there is no large group meeting.
Session 1: 6:00-6:45 PM and Session 2 is 6:50-7:35 PM.
Attention Bus Riders!
We distributed student ID cards to all our students who ride the school bus or use FCPS transportation services. Students will be bringing these home today. THE CARDS WILL START BEING USED ON TUESDAY, 9/8.
ID cards should be worn or attached to your child’s backpack and brought to the bus each day.
Starting on Tuesday, 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 are checking in students 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.
Transportation Patience and Safety
Thank you for your patience as we all get used to new routines this school year. We appreciate our families following Kiss and Ride procedures and being patient while waiting for your child’s bus.
If your child’s bus is delayed, you 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. Please contact the Transportation Office at 703-446-2000 with any additional questions. For concerns after 5:30 p.m., contact the FCPS Office of Safety and Security at 571-423-2000.
Update your contact information in SIS ParentVUE to make sure you receive email messages about bus delays.
September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month
GOLD is the Awareness Color
The Annual SCHS Gold Outs in support of the Emma Jordon Kidz Fighting Cancer Foundation and childhood cancer awareness are scheduled for the following dates:
September 3rd - 12th Annual Football, Cheer, Dance, Band, Choir vs Hayfield 7pm
September 14th - 8th Annual Field Hockey vs Edison 7:30pm
September 15th - 3rd Annual Boys Volleyball vs Fairfax 6:30pm
There will be free admission to all SCHS students wearing a gold shirt for all Gold Out games this year!
Questions? Please contact Elena Jordon.
Emma Jordon Kidz Fighting Cancer Foundation
703-302-0197
BYOD/Cellphone Policy
Help Keep Our School Distraction-Free
Please remind your student that personal electronic communication or computing devices should be off and personally stored (i.e. backpacks) for the duration of the school day — bell to bell. This includes:
- Personal laptops and tablets.
- Smartphones and smartwatches.
- Other personal electronic communication or computing devices.
If you need to reach your student during the school day, please call our main office at 703-551-5300. Learn more about the FCPS Cellphone Policy and Device Policy.
AAP Referral Window for New Families
Fall Full-Time AAP Referral Window for Students New to FCPS Closes on October 15
The Advanced Academic Program (AAP) fall referral window is only for students in Grades 3 to 8 who are new to FCPS since January 1, 2026. Parents and guardians who would like their student to be considered for Full-Time AAP services must submit the Full-Time AAP Referral Form to Lauren Clark, Advanced Academic Resource Teacher, at lmclark@fcps.edu by Thursday, October 15. Late referrals will not be accepted.
For students who are not new to FCPS, the spring Full-Time AAP identification window is open to students in Grades 2 to 7. Families interested in referring their student for consideration during the spring window must submit a referral by Tuesday, December 15.
Once a referral is received, our school will compile information related to the student. Then, a committee of trained professionals from across the county will review materials to determine eligibility for Full-Time AAP services.
Other Advanced Academic Services
At the elementary level, all students are screened each spring for Subject-Specific and Part-Time AAP services. Families may also refer their student for consideration for Subject-Specific or Part-Time AAP at any time during the school year. Eligibility decisions are made at the school level, and families are notified of the decision within 30 school days of the referral. The Full-Time AAP referral deadlines do not apply.
At the middle school level, honors courses are open to all students.
For more information, please contact Lauren Clark, Advanced Academic Resource Teacher, at lmclark@fcps.edu or visit the Advanced Academic Programs webpage.
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 Sarah Orlick at 703-551-5303 if you need an activation code. Find out more about SIS ParentVUE. Also, download the new ParentVUE mobile app so you can access your child’s records easily from anywhere!
☑️ Sign in to Schoology
Use your SIS/ParentVUE login information to login to Schoology: https://lms.fcps.edu. Look for the FCPS logo to make sure you are on the right login page.
Learn more about Schoology:https://www.fcps.edu/schoology
The Schoology Parent Resource Kit: https://www.fcps.edu/schoology/parents/welcome
☑️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.
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Click Hereto access the Sparkle Muffin Podcast. This is where our Science teacher Mr. Cookson does a podcast with our very own students. They chat about science and eat muffins! |
Join Our PTA!
Please join our PTA! The collaboration within our community is what makes us great. Click Here to join the Laurel Hill ES PTA for the 2026-2027 school year. Thank you for your support!
Get Ready for the New School Year With the FCPS App and ParentVue App! 📱
Simplify your back-to-school prep! Download the FCPS mobile app to check school calendars, breakfast/lunch menus, and school contacts all in one place with no login required. Plus, get quick access to Schoology, and the bus app. Download the FCPS mobile app in the Apple App Store or Google Play, and make sure to subscribe to our school in the app settings.
Click Here for directions on how to setup and use the ParentVue Mobile App.
Explore School Meals in the New Menu Platform
Experience an easier way to view your child’s school menus using MealViewer:
- View what is being served each day.
- View the nutritional information for each meal.
- See if any specific allergens are being served.
- Get notified when your student’s favorite meal is being served.
Printable menus are always available on the Food and Nutrition Services webpage.
Understanding Student Rights and Responsibilities Updates: New Universal Grade Matrices for Families
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.
Parent Digital Consent and Opt Outs
Student consent and opt-out forms have been moved to the Parent Digital Consent System (PDC). Families can log into PDC using their ParentVue credentials to complete consent forms assigned to their child. If you have a new ParentVue account, you will not be able to access the PDC until the day after your ParentVue account is activated. Instructions on how to use the PDC are available here.
Forms include School Counseling Opt-out, Digital Resources Consent, SEL Screener Opt-out, Family Life Education Opt-out, Objection to Release of Directory Information to the Public, etc.
Wednesday 3-hour Early Release Days
There will be several three hour early release days on Wednesdays this school year. Laurel Hill will dismiss three hours early at 1:00 on October 21, December 2, February 10, and May 5.
These days are logistically very challenging at the school level, so we would ask that if you have another childcare option to please use that option. We also understand that not everyone has that option, and we are happy to keep those students with childcare hardships. There will be no additional academic instruction at this time, and students will be monitored by rotating school staff until the 4:00 dismissal.
This year we are asking families to let us know if your child will dismiss at 1:00 (early release) or 4:00 (childcare hardship) on those days using the Online Verification/Update (OVU) packet in SIS ParentVUE to confirm whether or not child care on the early release Wednesdays will be needed. This is a process that is centrally managed.
Please note that students enrolled in Beyond the Bell will dismiss at 1:00pm to that program.
Updated Varsity Football Game Policies
Beginning this season, Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) will implement security screenings using existing weapons screening systems (Open Gate) and a standardized bag policy at all varsity football games to help ensure a safe and efficient experience for students, families, staff, and community members. We appreciate your cooperation by reviewing the prohibited and approved items below before arriving, and please remember that middle school students and younger must be accompanied by a responsible adult who remains with them throughout the event.
Prohibited Items
- Backpacks
- Purses
- Fanny packs
- Tote bags
- Outside food and beverages, including water bottles
- Sporting equipment (balls, bats, sticks, etc.)
- Any item prohibited by FCPS policy or determined by event staff to present a safety concern
Approved Bags
- Clear plastic, vinyl, or PVC bags no larger than 12" x 6" x 12"
- Small clutch bag no larger than 4.5" x 6.5"
- Medical and diaper bags (permitted but subject to inspection)
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Lorton Community Action Center (LCAC) is a wonderful resource for the Lorton community. Help with food, English classes and Financial assistance available. Click Here for more information. |
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