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The Weekly Roar
Monday, November 3, 2025
Thanks for a Spirited Week!
We would like to thank the SCA for planning a really fun set of spirit days last week to celebrate the end of the first quarter. From a sporty competition to crazy hair and socks, tie-dye and camo, inside out and backwards, and finally to the orange and black seasonal color splash on Friday, it was a blast! Thanks to all of the students and staff members who participated! Check out our Facebook and Instagram pages—and our feed on the new FCPS app (see story below)—for more pics!
 
Seasonal Fun for Strings Students at the Hayfield ORCHtoberfest!
There was a dash of seasonal silliness on Thursday, October 30, too, as some of Lane's 5th and 6th grade Strings students participated in ORCHtoberfest at Hayfield Secondary School with other elementary students from across the Hayfield Pyramid. They got to dress in costumes for their appearance on the big stage and enjoy a special dinner backstage. Congratulations to our talented musicians!
 
Upcoming Events
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Tuesday, 11/4 – Student Holiday, Students DO NOT report
- Friday, 11/7 – Veterans Day Celebration Breakfast and Classroom Visits (see the article below for details)
- Tuesday, 11/11 – Veterans Day Holiday, School and Office CLOSED
- Tuesday, 11/18 & Wednesday, 11/19 – PTA Restaurant Nights at Delia’s
- Wednesday, 11/19 – Early Release Wednesday, Students dismissed 3 hours early at 1:05 p.m., UNLESS the school has been notified they need to stay until 4:05
- Wednesday, 11/25 through Friday, 11/27 – Thanksgiving Holiday, School and Office CLOSED
In This Issue
News & Notes
Last Call for Veterans Day Activities and Photos!
We are honored to have so many military families – currently active and veteran – in our school community. If you or other family members are active-duty, reserve, or veteran service personnel, we would like to honor you this Veterans Day by inviting you to visit our school this Friday morning, November 7.
Our Veterans Day family breakfast will be held before school in the cafeteria from 8:30 to 9:15 a.m. If your family would like to attend, please RSVP here by noon on Wednesday, November 5: https://forms.gle/WaCC7CUFZ5XJtxMX7. Be sure to tell us how many in your family will attend (including you).
If you plan to attend the breakfast, please be sure to bring your driver’s license (we cannot scan military IDs) and plan to arrive about 8:15 so you have time to sign in and get your visitor badge. New FCPS security policies now require all visitors and volunteers to sign in, even if they arrive before school officially starts.
If you would like to visit classrooms and speak to students on the 7th, please sign up by Wednesday, November 5, using one of these methods:
- Sign up online: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E094CA8A69-59575607-veterans
- Fill out the paper form sent home in Wednesday Folders and return it to our family liaison, Melanie Crosby Hardy
- RSVP to Mrs. Crosby Hardy via email at macrosby@fcps.edu.
We will schedule you for two different classrooms, one of which will be that of the student to whom you are connected. This is to ensure that all classrooms have at least one visitor. Be sure to tell us which grade level is preferred for the second session. (If you are connected to more than one child at Lane, we will place you in those classrooms.) Classroom presentations will be about 15 to 20 minutes long.
Last Call for Photos!
As part of our Veterans Day celebration, we would also like to create an electronic “Gallery of Honor” slide show featuring photographs of the active-duty and veteran members of the military in our school community. To be included, please email a photo of your military family members to our family liaison Melanie Crosby Hardy at macrosby@fcps.edu by Friday, November 7.
Please note: These photos will be included in a video that will be featured on our school news show. The video will be housed on YouTube, although only people with the link will be able to view it. It will not be shared publicly. Please let us know if it is OK to include your family’s name with your photo in the slide show.
Fall Portrait Distribution Update
We have finished finalizing our fall student portraits, and copies will be emailed out to families this week. They will be sent in batches by grade level. This digital file is yours to use however you'd like. You can have it printed however you choose through online or local retail outlets. The school will not be providing printed copies.
We will be offering a Retake Day on Thursday, December 11. More details will be sent to families after the portraits have been emailed out.
Full-Time AAP Screening and Placement Process Presentation
If you missed last Thursday’s meeting about the screening process and timeline for full-time Advanced Academics Program (AAP) placement you can view the presentation here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1n39fY3P3WIQZcGLIrs2EdjDX-BgnEJtW/view?usp=sharing.
Parents of 2nd through 6th graders who would like their child considered for full-time services for the 2026-2027 school year must submit a parent referral form no later than December 15 at 11:59 p.m.
Please Note: This December 15 deadline applies to all grade levels, including 6th graders screening for 7th grade even though middle school course selection does not take place until January/February 2026. If you want to have your child screened for services in middle school, please be sure to submit the referral by December 15.
If you wish to submit a parent referral for your child, you do not need to wait until December 15 to do so. Referrals are being accepted now. Please email Lane’s Advanced Academics Resource Teacher, Linda Simon, at lesimon@fcps.edu to let her know you plan to submit a referral so she expects it. You can also contact her with any questions.
News from the Lane Library: Overdue Notices Coming Soon
Dear Lane Readers,
With the start of second quarter, please note that the library will be emailing overdue notices on Thursday, November 6. Students who have books that were due on or before October 31 will receive a notice. Please do your best to look for these books and return them in good condition! It is also possible that books have been sent to school but have not yet made it to the library. If this is the case, apologies in advance for the crossed communication.
As a reminder, there are no fines for overdue books; however, families are expected to pay the replacement cost for lost or damaged books.
Contact Sue Chozick, Librarian, at schozick@fcps.edu with any questions.
2025-2026 Yearbook Cover Contest Entries Due This Friday!
Have a budding artist at home? If so, encourage your child to enter this year’s yearbook cover-art competition. It’s open to all grade levels.
An overall winner and grade-level winners will be selected. The overall winner’s work will appear full-size on the front cover of yearbook, which will be distributed at the end of the year. Grade-level winners’ works will appear in a reduced size on the back. You can find entry guidelines on the flyer sent home last month in Wednesday Folders.
This artwork should be done by your child alone. Any entries that are obviously drawn by parents or older siblings will be disqualified.
All entries must be turned in to the office by this Friday, November 7. Late entries will not be accepted!
Please Note: The contest flyer mentions an Artwork Release Form, which was supposed to be copied on the back of the entry form but was not. Please have your child turn in the entry form with their completed artwork. A release form will be sent to the parents of all students who apply once the entry art is received. We apologize for any confusion this error may have caused.
Attention FCPS Families! The Federal Impact Aid Survey Now Available to Complete Online
The Federal Impact Aid program provides money to districts that enroll federally connected students. Help FCPS secure funding from the Impact Aid Program by helping us identify:
- military families,
- federally connected families,
- families living on a military base.
Please complete one form for each child in your household. Remember that only the parent that registered the student with FCPS (the ‘enrolling parent’) can fill out the Impact Aid Survey form.
For families without access to ParentVUE, a paper copy of the form will be sent home with your student starting November 12. Your information will be kept strictly confidential.
Your support will ensure that we receive the resources for which we are eligible.
To access the Impact Aid Form from your computer or mobile device, we recommend using Google Chrome.
Step 1: CLICK HERE or type sisparent.fcps.edu into your Chrome address bar to be taken to SIS ParentVUE. If you don’t have a SIS ParentVUE account, contact the school for an activation letter.
Step 2: After you’ve logged into your ParentVue Account, look for the ‘Online Packets’ link at the top of the page. Click ‘Online Packets.’
Step 3: Next, click the ‘Federal Impact Aid Survey’ button on the bottom of the page. This will take you to the Impact Aid Survey for you to complete.
If you have multiple children in Fairfax County Public Schools, please fill out a form for each child. You will know you have completed all of the forms when you get to the final page, and see a green check next to each of their names.
Technical support for using ParentVUE or submitting the survey online is available by submitting a Parent Support Request ticket. Select SISParent in the Application dropdown menu and type “Federal Impact Aid Survey” in the Issue Description section. You may also call the Parent Technology Help Desk at 833-921-3277 (833-921-FCPS).
FCPS Outstanding Staff Awards Nominations Are Open!
Each year, FCPS looks to honor several staff members for outstanding excellence in their roles:
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Outstanding Teacher (has at least three years of experience)
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Outstanding New Teacher (has less than three years of experience)
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Outstanding New Principal (has less than three years of experience as a building Principal)
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Outstanding School Leader (has completed at least one year as an Assistant Principal, Director of Student Activities, or Director of Student Services)
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Outstanding Professional Employee (Counselor, Psychologist, Social Worker, School Based Technology Specialist (SBTS), Technology Support Specialist, Instructional Coach, Assessment Coach, Special Education Department Chair, Assistant Director of Student Activities (ADSA), Athletic Trainer, Safety & Security Specialist)
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Outstanding Operational Employee (Administrative and Office Assistants, Finance Technician, Student Services Registrar, Custodial Staff, Operating Engineer, Food Service Staff, Instructional Assistant, Family Liaison, Safety & Security Assistant)
We believe that our staff is truly exceptional and that the work we do for our students deserves celebration beyond our school.
You may submit this form more than once. You do not have to nominate for all categories. For your nomination, you will be asked to write at least a paragraph explaining how your nominee meets or exceeds the criteria for the award.
Our Lane Elementary School winners will be submitted for consideration at the pyramid, region, and division levels. If your nominee is chosen as the Lane ES winner, you will be asked to complete the nominator statement form that is included in the official packet for consideration in the next round of the competition.
Thank you for celebrating the wonderful work done at Lane ES by highlighting some of our amazing staff members!
Click here to nominate your favorite Lane staff for an award. All nominations must be submitted by 8 p.m. on Monday, November 10, 2025.
Don’t worry if you nominate someone for the wrong category. Our award liaisons will sort everyone into the correct category before the committee votes. If you have questions, please contact April Stephens at astephens1@fcps.edu.
Download the New FCPS Mobile App
The FCPS mobile app offers a customized platform to help keep families connected and informed, directly from their smartphones. You can download the Fairfax County Public Schools mobile app by going to the Apple App Store or Google Play Store and searching for “FCPS.”
With the app you can:
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Stay up-to-date: Get the latest news from Lane and FCPS.
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View school calendars: See events, activities, holidays, and early dismissals.
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Check school menus: See what’s for lunch and breakfast today, tomorrow, or next week.
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Tap to contact: Quickly call attendance lines or email school staff.
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Access key links: Jump to ParentVUE, Schoology, and the FCPS website in one tap.
Users can access updates and content without having to sign in, making it easy for everyone to stay informed.
Learn more about the new mobile app, including feedback from parents TeAndra Nelson and Roy Dykes.
It’s School Psychology Week!
During the week of November 3-7, the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) and schools across the United States celebrate the 2025 National School Psychology Week (NSPW). This week celebrates the contributions of school psychologists and the important role they play in schools and communities, helping children thrive in school, at home, and in life. This year's theme, "Finding Your Path," reflects the ways that school psychologists help students, families, and school communities set and achieve their goals.
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At Lane, our school psychologist is Dana Martino. She supports the social-emotional learning of all our Lane Lions. You can reach her (and the rest of the Lane Clinical Team) at LaneClinicalTeam@fcps.edu. If you’d like to learn more about her role at Lane, as well as the work of our other clinical team staff members (our counselors and our social worker), view the parent presentation from Back-to-School Night.
You can learn more about the work school psychologists do from the National Association of School Psychologists.
PTA News
Help Needed This Thursday with Popcorn on the Playground at Recess!
All students will receive popcorn during their recess this Thursday, November 6, as part of the celebration for the success of our PTA Loop Run fundraiser last month. We need volunteers throughout the day to help distribute the popcorn. Please take a look at the schedule posted on our Volunteers portal and sign-up to help when you can. (If you have not yet signed up through this system, you will be prompted to register and apply—it only takes a few minutes!)
Restaurant Nights at Delia’s Tuesday, November 18, and Wednesday, November 19
Join the PTA for its monthly restaurant fundraiser on November 18 and 19 at Delia’s in Springfield. Watch Wednesday Folders for flyers coming soon.
It’s Not Too Late to Join the Lane PTA!
We’re a quarter of the way through the school year, but it’s never too late to join the Lane PTA. The cost is just $10 per adult member. Visit their website to join today!
Parent Resources
Impact of Federal Shutdown on Local Community
Fairfax County is home to around 80,000 federal employees and thousands of federal contractors. Its Federal Workforce Resource Hub is intended to help navigate current and future issues for residents, government employees, active military/veterans, contractors, nonprofits, and businesses who may be affected by actions, changes, or disruptions to federal services or employment.
Community Resources for Families in Need
Through partnerships with community-based organizations and other Fairfax County agencies, Fairfax County Coordinated Services Planning (CSP) provides information, referrals, and advocacy to help individuals connect with services, including basic needs (food, shelter, clothing), financial assistance, health care services, and referrals to services and resources.
Visit the CSP website or call 703-222-0880 for assistance.
How to Access or Donate Food to Those in Need
View the Emergency Food Access Providers webpage to see where to access food or donate to your local food bank.
Services for Hearing-Impaired and Visually Impaired Students
Students with sensory disabilities require special services and support to access instruction that is typically presented auditorily (by means of hearing) and visually. FCPS provides educational services to students who are deaf, hearing-impaired, or visually impaired. They are supported in various settings, including at their school site or throu | 