Parent Handbook 2025-2026

Essential Information Parents and Families Need to Know

Principals’ Message

Dear Lane Families,

Welcome to a brand-new school year! We are filled with excitement and anticipation as we prepare to launch another incredible year of learning, growth, and community at our school.

Our Parent Handbook is your go-to guide for important information, expectations, and resources to support your child’s success. We encourage you to refer to it throughout the year, and please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions or needs that arise. Our doors—and hearts—are always open.

At the heart of everything we do is our commitment to partnering with families. We believe that strong home-school connections lead to the greatest outcomes for our students. Your voice, involvement, and support matter deeply. We are here for your child and for you, every step of the way.

This year, we are especially focused on a strong academic start, with a continued emphasis on excellence in reading, math, and science. Our mission goes beyond academics—we are also dedicated to nurturing the whole child, ensuring every student grows in confidence, character, and creativity.

As we work together this year, we are guided by our school motto: "Communicate, Collaborate, and Care." These three words capture the spirit of our school community. We will communicate openly and honestly, collaborate as partners in your child's education, and care deeply—for our students, for one another, and for the world around us.

We can’t wait to see the amazing things this year will bring. Thank you for trusting us with your child’s education. Together, we’re going to make this school year one of the best yet.

With love and appreciation,

Mrs. Opie, Principal
Mrs. Chianetta, Interim Principal
Mr. Dickens, Assistant Principal
Mrs. Lopez, Assistant Principal

Contact Information and Bell Schedule

Address:7137 Beulah Street, Alexandria, VA 22315

Phone Numbers:

Regular School Hours:9:20 a.m. to 4:20 p.m.

For more details on school hours, visit our School Hours page.

Our Doors Are Always Open

Parents and families are welcome to visit us during the school day, although we would like to preserve the first six weeks of school to build classroom routines. Once this period is over, you can: 

  • Join your child for lunch in the cafeteria.We just ask that you let the teacher know ahead of time, in order to manage table capacity, and that you limit your visits to once per month.
  • Sign up to volunteer in the classroom or other school locations.FCPS is introducing a new electronic volunteer management system this year. All volunteers will be required to create an account and sign up for different opportunities in advance. To ensure the safety of students and staff members, some volunteer work will require a background check.
  • Chaperone a field trip.Field trips take learning out of the classroom and into the community, offering unique, hands-on experiences for our students. All grade levels take field trips, and we require the support of parent/guardian chaperones to make them happen. Chaperones will need to complete a background check. More information will be sent home soon.
  • Observe in the classroom.In order to minimize disruption of instruction, observations are limited to 30 minutes in length and must be prearranged with an administrator. 

School Drop-Off and Pick-Up Reminders

To ensure the safety for our students, we ask parents to remember the following guidelines:

  • Doors open at 9:05 a.m. Students arriving prior to 9:05 are to remain with their parent/guardian.
  • As a safety measure, we ask that all Kiss & Ride students be dropped off and picked up using the Kiss & Ride lane near Door #2 in the small parking lot adjacent to the building. You will need a Kiss & Ride tag in your car window to pick up your child.  Please do not drop off or pick up students in the parking lot, in front of the building, or in the surrounding neighborhoods.
  • If you arrive after 9:20 a.m. and Kiss & Ride has closed, please park your car and walk your students through the main entrance (Door #1) to sign them in as "Tardy."
  • Special reminder early pick-up: If you must pick up your child early at the end of the day for an appointment, please arrive at the office by 3:30 p.m. We will not call children for early dismissal or make a change in transportation after 3:30 p.m. due to the impact on dismissal procedures in the classrooms.
  • Parents must notify the office as well as SACC and other after-school care programs if their child will be absent or picked up early.

Bus Transportation

Parents of students who are eligible to ride the school bus will receive a letter from FCPS Transportation indicating their assigned bus stop and schedule before school begins. Students should report to the bus stop at least five minutes prior to the scheduled time.

Students are required to board and depart the bus at the assigned stop to prevent overcrowding on buses. Any changes require permission from the school office.

Kindergarten students will not be let off the bus unless they are met by a designated person who is of middle school age or older.This includes parents, siblings, and day-care providers ).  Students will be returned to school if a parent is not at the bus stop to meet them.The bus driver may not accept responsibility for another person picking up your child. For this reason, please inform the school if someone else will be picking up your kindergartener.

If you require a change in transportation, such as riding a different bus or meeting a parent at the Kiss & Ride site, please send a note to your child’s teacher on the morning of the change.  If a student is going home with a friend, BOTH students must bring permission notes from their parents.

In order to ensure that your child arrives home safely, all bus changes must be made by 3:30 p.m. on that day.

Breakfast and Lunch

Prices:

  • Lunch (including milk):  $3.25
  • Breakfast: $1.75
  • Milk:  $0.75       
  • Energy Zone bottled water (16 oz.):  $0.50
  • Adult Meals:
    • Breakfast: $3.00
    • Lunch: $5.00

You may deposit money into your child’s account during Open House or by one of the following methods at any time:

  • Onlinethrough  www.myschoolbucks.com
  • Checkmade payable to Lane ES Food Services.  Please include your child’s name on all checks.

If your child received  free or reduced meals (FRM)  last year, please e sure to turn in a new application. Applications can be submitted online ; paper copies can be printed at home and turned in to the school or picked up in the front office and filled out on site.

Attendance

All students should be in their seats by  9:20 a.m.When your child will be tardy or absent for the day, please let the school know by sending an email to  [email protected] , by calling the attendance line at 703-924-7777 , or by entering it in ParentVue . All of these options are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This is a critical safety precaution for your child.If we do not hear from you by 9:20 a.m., you will be contacted by an automated system using the contact information on file.

Each student returning from an absence should present a note from a parent or guardian stating the reason for the absence if they have not reported it in advance.

An excused tardy or absence includes:

  • illness
  • death in family
  • doctor or dentist appointment
  • observance of a religious holiday.

We encourage family trips during scheduled school vacations and strongly discourage such trips during the school year because these extended absences interrupt sequential learning in many subject areas. Virginia law requires us to withdraw any student who is absent from school for 15 or more consecutive days.Upon the student's return a parent must officially enroll the student again.

It is critical to your child’s success that they are in school daily and on time.Students who miss 18 days (10% of the school year) are considered chronically absent. This is monitored by the school, county, and state.

School Dress Code

Each day, students must wear

  • a top (shirt, sweater, dress, etc.)
  • a bottom (pants, sweatpants, shorts, leggings, or skirt)
  • shoes (should allow children to run, jump, and climb safely at recess; closed-toe shoes like sneakers are preferred; no flip flops)
  • specific clothing required by specialized activities (such as sneakers and on P.E. days).

The official FCPS Dress Code is detailed in the  Students Rights & Responsibilities (SR&R).

Students who arrive at school wearing inappropriate attire will be removed from class, and families will be asked to bring new clothes.

School Security

Safety continues to be an overriding priority at Lane Elementary.  We regularly review our security procedures in order to ensure a safe learning environment for our students.  We appreciate your assistance in helping us keep our students safe by following these procedures.

  • Visitors and volunteers must sign in and out using their driver’s licenses at the kiosk in the school office and receive a temporary badge. These badges must be worn at all times when in the building. They should be removed before you exit the school. Visitors and volunteers can expect to be questioned by school personnel if they are not wearing a badge.
  • If your child needs to leave school during the day for any reason, please send a note to the office 24 hours in advance of the appointment. There is no need to call ahead. When you arrive at the office, please sign your child out and show your photo identification. Students are not called to the office until you arrive.
  • Students will not be released to anyone except their parent/guardian or those listed on the emergency care form, unless other arrangements have been made in writing by the parent/guardian. This permission slip should state who is picking up the child. Photo identification will be required. Students may be released to either parent/guardian provided there is no contrary court order on file.

These procedures have been adopted to protect the safety of our students.  We appreciate your support in ensuring a caring, happy, and, most importantly, safe learning environment.

We Value Volunteers!

Fairfax County Public Schools is launching a new districtwide volunteer-management system known as Volunteer FCPS. Starting immediately, ALL potential volunteers for all schools will need to apply for clearance through this system before they are able to start working in the schools (during school hours). This system is designed to better protect our students and staff and families in the building. All volunteers must create an account in Volunteer FCPS and complete a volunteer orientation. All volunteers will also still be required to sign-in in the school office using the visitor kiosk. 

There are three levels of volunteer opportunities:

  • Level 1volunteers are those volunteering one time or for a large event with FCPS staff present at all times. These volunteers do not require a background check, however, they must sign-in at a visitor kiosk by scanning their IDs to check their names against the Sex Offender Registry.
  • Level 2volunteers are those who have ongoing or regular contact with students or field trip chaperones.
  • Level 3volunteers have one-on-one, unsupervised contact with students. 

Level 2 and Level 3 volunteers are required to complete a criminal background check. 

Our family liaison, Melanie Crosby Hardy, will be coordinating volunteers this year and will be happy to help you through the process. If you have questions, please reach out to her at [email protected] .

To see the opportunities that are currently available, please visit our school page on the Volunteer FCPS site: https://volunteer.fcps.edu/custom/501/organization_details/651 . Sign up on what looks interesting to start the registration process. New opportunities will be added throughout the year.

We hope that you will volunteer here at Lane this year. No amount of time is too small!

Join Our PTA!

The Lane PTA is a nonprofit organization, run completely by volunteers, that supports the staff, students, and families at Lane.

PTA stands for  Parent- Teacher  Association, and the membership reflects that partnership. The PTA sponsors enrichment classes, organizes social events, and raises funds to help the school meet its physical and program needs.All Lane families are encouraged to join and are welcome at all monthly meetings and events. You can learn more about the Lane PTA website or on their Facebook page .

Lane PTA Officers      

Here are this year's PTA Executive Board members. Feel free to reach out if you'd like to volunteer in a particular area or if you have questions.

Student Rights & Responsibilities

Information on the FCPS Student Rights and Responsibilities  (SR&R) will becoming home soon. In accordance with state regulation, parents are required to review this information with their children and return the signed signature sheet to their child’s teacher by  September 30, 2025.

Cell Phones and Accessories

The SR&R clearly explains FCPS' policy on the use of cell phones and other electronic devices during the school day.

“Students in grades K-6 (including 6th grade students at Poe MS, Holmes MS, and Glasgow MS): Phones must be off and personally stored (i.e., backpacks) for the duration of the school day: bell to bell. Phone accessories and all smart devices (e.g., airpods, earbuds, headsets, other items connected to the phone) are also to be off and away when phone use is prohibited. Watches that serve a dual purpose (e.g., smart watch) may be worn; however, phone features (e.g., texting, internet, calls, etc.) are to be off from bell to bell. Students are prohibited from using phones, tablets, and other mobile devices in restrooms and locker rooms, unless there is a medical necessity or emergency. Cell phones may be used on campus before and after school only.”

Smart glasses may only be worn if they are prescription, and all electronic features must be turned off or disabled during the school day.

School/Home Communication


News You Choose 

( [email protected] )

Stay up-to-date with what's happening at Lane Elementary!  All families who have an email addresses on file will automatically receive News You Choose messages, including our electronic newsletter, The Weekly Roar,  which is sent out every Monday.  We also use this platform to share updates, announcements, and flyers as we continue to “go green."

If you have not yet shared your email address or you need to update the one on file, please contact our family liaison, Melanie Crosby Hardy, at [email protected] . You can also sign yourself up for Lane News You Choose messages at https://www.fcps.edu/family-resources/family-communication-resources/news-you-choose. Select "News and Announcements" under Lane Elementary. 

eNotify 

( [email protected] )

All families and staff members are automatically enrolled in the eNotify system, which is used by both FCPS central offices and schools to send out essential email and text messages. It is important to keep your child’s emergency contact information up-to-date so that you don't miss this critical communication. You cannot opt-out of e-Notify messaging. 


Talking Points

This text service is used to send short messages schoolwide and for individual classrooms. You are automatically enrolled in this platform through our Student Information System (SIS). You can choose to receive messages as SMS messages or through the TalkingPoints Families App. Check our First Day Packet for more information about additional, optional TalkingPoints messages that you can sign up to receive. 

Take-Home Wednesday Folder

Wednesday has been designated as our “take home folder" day.  Parents are encouraged to look for paper communication from the school and classroom each day, but we will try to limit most correspondence to Wednesdays.

Schoology

Schoology is an online learning management system (LMS) where teachers post assignments and other resources for their classes. Schoology Parent Accounts provide access to view your child's courses, assignments, and calendars.

Social Media

Lane has two social media accounts to help keep our families and the community informed. Follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/LaneElementaryFCPS/ and on Instagram at @laneelementaryfcps to stay up-to-date and get a peek into the daily school activities of our Lane Lions.

Classroom Parties and Birthday Celebrations

Your child’s teacher and parent volunteers who support the classroom makes arrangements for class parties, which are limited to two per year.

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.

School Health Room and Medical Services

Lane has a School Health Room, also sometimes called the Clinic. Our School Health Aide is Jovana Velez. She works every day. We also have a  Public Health Nurse assigned to us by Fairfax County to help monitor the care of students with ongoing health needs.

The Health Room helps students who become sick or injured during the school day as well as students who need medication or other routine care.


Medication Authorization Forms

The school is not permitted to administer any medication unless a parent has completed a  Medication Authorization  form, which requires a doctor's signature if the medication is by prescription only. (Parents may sign for over-the-counter medications.) 

Students are not permitted to transport medication!(The only exception is cough drops.) Parents must bring any medication to school and check it in with the School Health Aide. 

The Public Health Nurse will be available during Open House to accept medications and discuss any concerns you may have. You can also call the Health Room at 703-924-7710 for more information.

Illness

Students with the following symptoms are encouraged to remain home from school: 

  • rash
  • sore throat
  • vomiting
  • diarrhea
  • watery and inflamed eyes
  • fever.  

A child must be fever-free without the aid of fever-reducing medication for 24 hours before returning to school. 

To protect our students and staff from certain highly contagious illnesses, we require a doctor’s note stating that a child may return to school after these illnesses:

  • pink eye
  • impetigo
  • ringworm
  • scabies
  • other rashes.

Students who become ill or injured during the school day report to the Health Room, where the School Health Aide evaluates their symptoms and takes their temperature. If your child has a fever over 100.4 degrees, you will be called immediately to come pick up your child. Students who have a fever over 100.4 degrees cannot go back to class.We request that parents or an emergency contact must pick up the student in 30 – 45 minutes, if called.

Certain other symptoms will also require parents to pick up their child from school and keep him/her home until symptom-free for 24 hours. These include:

  • persistent abdominal pain

  • vomiting

  • diarrhea

  • unexplained rash

  • head lice

  • persistent cough.

If there is no fever, your child will rest for 20 to 30 minutes to see if they feel better. Afterwards, they will return to class, or you will be called to pick them up.

Lost & Found - Don't Forget to Label!

Missing something? Be sure to have your child check our Lost & Found in the cafeteria! 

Please label items like coats, jackets, backpacks, lunchboxes, water bottles, etc., NOW so that we can make sure they get back to their owner if they are misplaced or left behind. (First initial and last name is best.)