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News & Notes
Schedule Changes Ahead for Eid-al-Fitr, End-of-Quarter Teacher Workdays, and Spring Break!
They say that March weather comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb, but for the school calendar, that works in reverse. While the month begins relatively steady and calm (fingers crossed that we don’t get more snow!), the last two weeks are packed with schedule changes. Please make sure you have the following dates marked on your calendar:
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Friday, March 20 – Eid-al-Fitr/Nowruz Holiday
In Islam, Eid-al-Fitr is a three-day festival to mark the end of Ramadan. Muslims dress in new clothes, give to charity, and pray in congregation. Eid is celebrated with the exchange of presents and delicious food with family and friends. This year, the celebration begins at sundown on Thursday, March 19 (an evening only observance day for schools) and continues through the weekend. Friday, March 20, is a holiday, with schools and offices closed in observance of Eid and Nowruz, the Persian New Year. See the complete school year calendar.
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Wednesday, March 25 – 3-Hour Early Release Wednesday
Our next Early Release Wednesday will be March 25. Students will be released three hours early that day at 1:05 p.m. We will once again, offer supervised activities after school for those families with child-care hardship because of this Early Release scheduling.
To plan for our after-school groups this month, we will follow parent responses provided for the February Early Release. If you need to change your child’s plans from last month, please call the school office at 703-924-7700 as soon as possible and no later than Thursday, March 19. You may also reach out via email to our family liaison Melanie Crosby Hardy at macrosby@fcps.edu. If we do not hear from you, we will send your child home as previously directed.
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Friday, March 27 – End-of-Quarter 2-Hour Early Release
Unlike our 3-hour Early Release Wednesdays, there will be NO after-school supervision for students. ALL students will be dismissed at 2:05 p.m. to go home or to their regular after-school care provider.
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Monday, March 30, through Friday, April 3 – Spring Break
School will be CLOSED this week. School will reopen at the regular time on Tuesday, April 7.
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Monday, April 6 – Student Holiday/Teacher Workday
Spring Break gets extended for students by one more day to provide time teachers for end-of-quarter paperwork and professional development.
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Friday, April 10 – Student Holiday/Staff Development Day
The first full week of April also ends with a day for professional development for staff. Students do not report to school that day.
Video of Last Week's "First Friday with the Principals" Now Available
Thank you to the parents who were able to join us live online last Friday for our March "First Friday with the Principals" presentation. The topic was “Creating a School Where Every Child Belongs.”
If you weren't able to attend, you can view the recording here.
Family Engagement Survey Opens Monday, March 9
FCPS is administering its Family Engagement Survey, which opens today— Monday, March 9—and will remain available through Monday, March 23. Your feedback is critical in helping us to better recognize, understand, respect, and address family strengths and needs in our schools.
Survey topics include:
- welcoming environment,
- communication,
- student success,
- advocacy,
- family and school partnerships, and
- community partnerships.
The survey will be available in English, Amharic, Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, Korean, Pashto, Spanish, Urdu, and Vietnamese.
Parents/caregivers will receive a survey link via email from FCPS on March 9. A survey link will also be posted on FCPS’ website. Paper surveys will be available at each school. Please stay tuned for more information.
2025-2026 Yearbooks Now on Sale! Price Increases on March 27!
School yearbooks are on sale! The basic book is just $18 now, but the price will go up to $22 on Friday, March 27! You can have your child’s name printed on the cover for an additional $5. Order now and save!
Ordering is simple: Just go http://www.buytheyearbook.com, put in Lane Yearbook School ID #732283, and pay with your credit card. All orders are online only.
PLEASE NOTE: There most likely will not be any additional books for sale in June. If you want your child to have a yearbook, please order one now.
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You’re Invited to Lane’s 30th Anniversary Celebration—Friday, April 17, 6 to 7:30 p.m.
This year, Lane Elementary is celebrating 30 years of learning and leading with pride, and we want our entire school community—past, present, and future—to be a part of those festivities.
Back on September 5—the day Lane first opened its doors to students in 1995—we marked the anniversary with a schoolwide “Happy Birthday” singalong and cupcakes for every student, but the big celebration is yet to come.
On Friday, April 17—30 years to the day of Lane’s official dedication ceremony—we will all come together for a community 30th birthday bash. The event will feature food, music, appearances by former administrators and other staff members, and—best of all—the chance to catch up with old Lane friends and maybe make some new ones.
The details are still being confirmed, but the date is set. Please feel free to share it with other Lane families or friends that you know. We want the word to ROAR from mouth to mouth to bring as many lions as possible back to the den.
Stay tuned for more info coming soon!
Celebrating Art and Music at Lane!
March is Youth Art Month! Administered through the Council for Art Education (CFAE) this program encourages support for quality school art programs and promotes art-material safety. Visual arts experiences develop skills unlike any other curriculum subjects, including problem solving, creativity, observation, and communication. At Lane, our art teachers, Mrs. Carlson and Ms. Morales, take their curriculum to new heights, incorporating elements of STEAM as well as traditional visual arts, allowing all students to practice creative expression.
March has also been designated by the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) for the observance of Music In Our Schools Month® (MIOSM®), the time of year when music education becomes the focus of schools across the nation. Our general music teachers, Mr. Crouch and Ms. McCormick, bring the magic of music—instrumental and vocal—to our students every day.
National Women’s History Month
Every year, March is designated Women’s History Month by presidential proclamation. The month is set aside to honor women’s contributions in American history.
Learn more about the heritage months, celebrations, and traditions celebrated in FCPS.
Read more about Women’s History Month in National Geographic Kids.
Calling All Kindergarteners for the 2026-27 School Year! Registration Is Open Now!
Do you have a child at home ready to start kindergarten next year? If so, now is the time to let us know your little lion will be coming to Lane! Registration for the 2026-27 school year is now underway, and we want to hear from you!
If you don’t have a rising kindergartener yourself, please share this information with friends and neighbors who do.
There’s an easy five-step process to register a child for kindergarten:
- Determine eligibility.
- Identify your local school.
- Gather documents.
- Fill out forms.
- Schedule an appointment.
“Countdown to Kindergarten: Supporting a Smooth Transition” Webinar on Friday, March 27, 10 a.m.
Is your child heading to kindergarten this fall? Join FCPS staff for “Countdown to Kindergarten,” a virtual event designed to help families prepare for this exciting transition! The webinar will take place on Friday, March 27, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. During this webinar, families will learn practical tips and essential information to support their child's smooth and successful start to kindergarten in Fairfax County Public Schools. Register to receive the event link.
We will be hosting at least a couple of Kindergarten Registration/Orientation events in the coming months. Starting the registration process now will put you on the list for all the latest news and updates.
You can read more about the registration process here.
Try Online Registration!
Online registration for the 2026-27 school year is open for all grades, kindergarten through 12th grade. It’s the quickest way to start the process! Learn how to begin the online registration process here.
When registering, parents/caregivers will need to create or log in to an existing SIS ParentVUE account.
If you’d like more information, please visit Lane’s Kindergarten Registration page on our school website:https://lanees.fcps.edu/announcements/kindergarten-registration-2026-27-now-open.
If you need further assistance or have questions, please feel free to contact:
- Registrar: Sook Fan Simpson — sksimpson@fcps.edu
- Family Liaison: Melanie Crosby Hardy — macrosby@fcps.edu.
We look forward to welcoming you and your child to Lane Elementary School soon!
FCPS PreK and Early Head Start Now Accepting Applications for 2026-27 School Year
FCPS PreK and Early Head Start are now accepting applications for School Year 2026-27!
This is a high-quality Early Childhood Program for eligible families. PreK (which stands for Pre-Kindergarten) is a full-day program, and spaces are limited. The PreK program prioritizes children who will be 4 years old by September 30 but also accepts applications for children who will be 3 years old by September 30.
Your family may qualify for PreK or Early Head Start if you:
- Live in Fairfax County
- PreK: Have a child who will be age 3 or 4 by September 30
- Early Head Start: Have a child who is 0-2 years of age and pregnant women who live in the Reston, Herndon, and Springfield areas
- Have a student(s) with economic and educational risk factors such as:
- Income eligibility
- Homelessness or Foster Care
- A Parent with Limited Education
- Student receives Special Education Services.
For more information or to apply, visit the FCPS PreK website, email fcpsprekoffice@fcps.edu, or call the PreK Office at 703-208-7900 (English) or 703-208-7901 (Spanish).
¡El programa PreK y Early Head Start de FCPS ya está aceptando solicitudes para el año escolar 2026-27!
Somos un programa de educación infantil de alta calidad para familias que cumplen con los requisitos. El programa de PreK es dia completa y los espacios son limitados. El programa PreK prioriza a los niños de 4 años cumplidos antes del 30 de septiembre, pero también acepta solicitudes para niños de 3 años cumplidos antes de esa fecha.
Su familia puede calificar para PreK o Early Head Start si:
- Vivir en el condado de Fairfax
- PreK: Tiene un hijo que tendrá 3 o 4 años antes del 30 de septiembre
- Early Head Start: Tiene un niño de 0 a 2 años de edad y mujeres embarazadas que viven en las áreas de Reston, Herndon, y Springfield
- Tiene un estudiante(s) con factores de riesgo económico y educativo como:
- Elegibilidad por ingresos
- Sin hogar o acogida temporal
- Un padre con educación limitada
- El estudiante recibe servicios de educación especial
Para obtener más información, visite el sitio web, llame a la Oficina de PreK: 703-208-7900 (Inglés), 703-208-7901 (Español), o envia un correo electrónico: fcpsprekoffice@fcps.edu.
PTA News
Basket Bingo Tickets Now on Sale! Volunteers Play for Free!
Mark your calendars for March 13! Lane PTA’s Annual Basket Bingo Fundraiser is coming soon, and this year’s theme is celebrating Lane’s 30th birthday.
A limited number of tickets are on sale now. Buy them as soon as possible if you'd like to attend.
- Adult Tickets: $27
- Student/Child Tickets: $9
Purchase tickets here:
https://lanepta.givebacks.gives/3f0da2/Event/Details.
Volunteers Needed to Prepare Materials on Tuesday, March 10!
The PTA is looking for people to help put together Bingo packets before the big event. If you’re available during the day and would like to help, please sign up here: https://volunteer.fcps.edu/custom/501/opp_details/3182.
Volunteer to Play for Free!
Volunteers receive free admission to Basket Bingo. Volunteers do not need to purchase a ticket to play. You’ll only need to buy extras like raffle tickets, extra bingo cards, or food if you’d like.
Sign up to volunteer here:
Help Fill the Basket Bingo Basket Prizes
Each grade level is sponsoring a themed basket to be raffled off at Basket Bingo. You can donate an item from your child’s grade wishlist, or make a direct donation and let us do the shopping for you.
Grade-Level Basket Themes and Wishlist Links