The LCPS Letter

January and February are full of weekly budget meetings. Schools, staff and the School Board all work closely to create the LCPS Fiscal Year 2025 Budget. Central to this budget are three priorities: holding students at the center of our work, enhancing staff recruitment and retention and focusing on new initiatives while strengthening existing programs. Watch Superintendent Aaron Spence's February message (above) to learn more about how the budget supports LCPS students and staff.

As we continue to learn more about the tragic house explosion that occurred in Sterling on Friday night, our hearts are with those impacted, particularly the firefighters and their families. We mourn the loss of Firefighter Trevor Brown and continue to extend our condolences to his family. Loudoun Fire and Rescue requests that those who would like to donate to do so through Loudoun First Responders Foundation, a local nonprofit that provides financial support to first responders.

In our schools, comfort dogs Amos, Solomon and Kezia and their handlers visited schools near the site of the tragedy and J. Michael Lunsford Middle School, where one of the injured firefighters, Brian Diamond, is an English teacher. If your student needs support coping with this tragedy or any other concern, LCPS has mental health professionals available to help students with questions or difficulties. Students or parents/guardians can reach out at any time to SMHSleadershipteam@lcps.org. When connecting via this email address, please provide your contact information, including the best phone number to contact you, and one of our team members will be in touch within 24 hours.

Through the Virginia Department of Education’s All In VA plan, LCPS is offering tutoring to all LCPS students through two opportunities.

First, schools have identified some students in grades 3-5 or 6-8 to receive high-dose tutoring that supports the student's specific needs. This individualized tutoring may occur during the school day or after school. Part-time hourly tutors, high school students, community volunteers or site-assigned tutors through University Instructors will provide the tutoring at the school.

Second, LCPS offers free, on-demand tutoring through Varsity Tutors to all kindergarten through grade 12 students. This resource is in addition to the tutoring opportunity described above and is available to all LCPS students. The free Varsity Tutors program provides homework help, writing support and live enrichment sessions available 24 hours a day and 7 days a week in various subjects, including math, science, writing and more. Parents/guardians should contact Varsity Tutors to learn more about all the available services. All tutoring sessions are provided in English only. Learn more about these tutoring opportunities.

Dave Becker from Emerick Elementary School and Blue Ridge Middle School and Courtney Markowski from Round Hill Elementary were awarded Outstanding Crossing Guards for 2023 by the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT). Markowski and Becker were two of six crossing guards statewide to receive the award, which they received on National Crossing Guard Appreciation Day.

Becker is a retired firefighter and has been a crossing guard for 12 years. Markowski has been a crossing guard for 11 years. In their nominating comments, parents and community members said that both Becker and Markowski were efficient in their duties and attentive to students and their parents. They learned students' names and cheerfully greeted them while helping them safely travel to and from school. Read more about Becker and Markowski.

Community Listening Sessions are an excellent opportunity to have your questions about LCPS answered and to share your concerns or thoughts. Join Superintendent Aaron Spence at one of the upcoming Community Listening Sessions:

• Thursday, Feb. 29 at Loudoun Valley High School
  
• Wednesday, March 6 at Riverside High School
• Thursday, March 14 at Rock Ridge High School

The staff portion of the listening session is from 5-6 p.m., and the community session is from 7-8 p.m.; a 30-minute meet-and-greet follows each session.

Loudoun County Public Schools is partnering with Song for Charlie to present The New Drug Talk – a 30-minute film that outlines the dangers of fentanyl and fake pills – on Thursday, Feb. 29, at 7 p.m. at Dominion High School. An expert panel discussion -- including testimony from family members who have lost loved ones to overdoses -- will follow the presentation. Join us to learn how to help keep your loved ones safe.

• Thursday, Feb. 29 at 7 p.m. at Dominion High School

We hope you will join us at one of these upcoming workshops and learn important information from LCPS staff and community partners that will help you support your student's academic, social and emotional development. Additional information about workshops offered can be found on the Parent Resource Services and the Division of English Learners’ Office of Family and Community Engagement (FACE) websites.

• The Problem of Perfectionism. TONIGHT! Thursday, Feb. 22, 6:30-8 p.m., LCPS Administration Building (21000 Education Ct., Ashburn).
• World Language Opportunities for Your Student. Tuesday, Feb. 27, 6 p.m. in English and Spanish; 7 p.m. in English and Arabic, Virtual. Learn more.

• Welcome to LCPS Workshop for International Families. Thursday, March 7, 6:30 - 8 p.m., Virtual

• Summer Resource Fair for Families of Students with Disabilities. Saturday, March 9, 9 a.m.-12 p.m. (Snow Date: Saturday, March 16), LCPS Administration Building (21000 Education Ct., Ashburn). Registration requested.

Is your student interested in learning more about post-graduation options available through the U.S. Armed Forces or U.S. service academies? Attend Military Night at Independence High School on Monday, Feb. 26, from 6 to 8 p.m. Representatives from U.S. military branches and service academies will be available to answer questions. In addition, information sessions on the service academy's admissions process, the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) exam, the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) and the enlistment process will be held.

The annual LCPS Staff, Student and Family Survey is open. Please respond to the survey about your school using the link sent to your email from Dr. Aaron Spence. School administrators depend on the results of this survey as they develop goals for their school improvement plans. The survey data is also used at the division level to track overall trends and monitor outcomes prioritized in the One LCPS: 2027 Strategic Plan for Excellence. Representation from all perspectives is crucial to inform the decisions being made across the school division. Please take this opportunity to make your voice heard; the survey closes at midnight on Saturday, March 17. Contact research@lcps.org with any questions. More information about the survey can be found on the LCPS Annual Staff, Student and Family Survey webpage.

Your student may have recently participated in one or more of the assessments listed below. Scores and/or score reports are now available for review in ParentVUE. Assessment scores can be found in the “Test History” tab and score reports can be found in the “Documents” tab. More information about accessing the scores and reports can be found on the LCPS website.

Measures of Academic Progress (MAP), grades 1-8 and certain high school students: MAP Growth tests are adaptive (the assessment adapts to the test-takers ability level), providing a detailed picture of what your student knows and is ready to learn – whether it is on, above, or below grade level expectations. MAP Growth tests also provide immediate and accurate information about your student’s learning, enabling teachers to personalize instruction to meet students’ needs.

Virginia Growth Assessment (VGA), grades 3-8: The online growth assessments aid teachers with identifying learning strands that require additional instruction for content mastery.

Virginia Kindergarten Readiness Program (VKRP), Kindergarten: VKRP gives you and your child’s teacher a more comprehensive picture of school readiness across four key domains: mathematics, literacy (VALLSSPALS), self-regulation and social skills. It provides information teachers can use to effectively individualize instruction and partner with you to help support your child’s school success.

Phonological Awareness Literacy Screening (PALS), grade 3: PALS is a screening tool of a young child’s literacy development. Results are used to determine individual children’s learning goals, plan classroom instruction and raise awareness of children who need additional support or instruction in early reading and literacy.

Virginia Language & Literacy Screening System (VALLSS), grades K-2: VALLSS is the Virginia Department of Education’s sponsored literacy screener. VALLSS measures components of reading that are key for reading comprehension and is aligned with the newest reading science.

Formative Assessment System for Teachers (FAST), grades K-12 for certain students: LCPS uses FAST as a diagnostic for oral reading fluency and early literacy skills and as a progress monitoring tool. Progress monitoring data gained is used to determine progress and responsiveness to instruction.

All questions about the tests administered and/or the scores and score reports should be addressed to your student’s English and/or Math teacher. If it is determined that your student is in need of an intervention plan as a result of these screenings and other data, your student's school will notify you and provide you with a copy of the intervention plan.

LCPS will be sending a survey to elementary families to ask about reinstating the Virtual Distance Elementary learning program. The results of the survey will be shared with the School Board to help determine next steps. Elementary families will receive a link to take the survey on Monday, Feb. 26.

The Ticket Spicket fan app, the athletic ticketing system used by LCPS, will be replaced with the Hometown Fan app on Wednesday, Feb. 28. With the Hometown Fan App, you will no longer be required to log in with your email each time you wish to purchase tickets. Your tickets and/or season passes will transfer to the Hometown Fan App as long as you log in using the email associated with your Ticket Spicket account. If you do not see your tickets and/or passes, please contact Hometown Ticketing at support@hometownticketing.com or 1-866-HTT-4TIX. For additional information, please refer to our FAQs. You can also go directly to Hometown Ticketing for specific ticket information.

LCPS is gathering feedback and information from staff and the community on what users wish to see on the division and school websites, including what works well and what could be added to enhance user experience. Please take a few minutes to provide feedback by clicking the URL below and entering the 9-digit code to help inform improvements and adjustments to the website(s). To gather this feedback, we are using a platform called ThoughtExchange, which allows responses to be shared independently and anonymously and enables users to rate the thoughts and feedback participants have already shared. Thank you in advance for your participation!

ThoughtExchange Feedback; Code: 130-641-589

Do you have a child who will enter kindergarten next year? Or do you know someone new to LCPS? The online pre-registration portal for kindergartners and all new students is open! Once pre-registration has been submitted, the school will contact the parent/guardian to schedule a registration appointment, or parents/guardians can contact the school directly. Registration appointments will occur starting on March 1. Pre-registration is only for:

• Students, grades kindergarten to 12, who are new to LCPS
• Current LCPS pre-kindergarten students entering kindergarten
• Students who were formerly enrolled and may be returning to LCPS

The Minority Student Achievement Advisory Committee (MSAAC) is accepting nominations of educators, students, parents, community members and LCPS programs that have demonstrated excellence in supporting meaningful efforts toward a more equitable learning environment for LCPS students and staff. Submit nominations using the 2023-2024 MSAAC Award Nomination Form by Thursday, Feb. 29, by 5 p.m. Individuals selected for these awards will be recognized at the MSAAC EquiTEA and Awards Ceremony on Saturday, April 27, from 1 to 3:30 p.m. at the Historic Douglass High School (407 E. Market St., Leesburg).

The Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC) is currently accepting nominations of educators, students, programs, parents and community members who demonstrate excellence in the LCPS special education community and have gone above and beyond what is expected to be meaningfully inclusive. To submit a nomination, fill out the 2024 Nomination Form. Nominations must be received by midnight on Friday, March 22, to be considered. Winners will be notified by SEAC by the first week of May 2024. The SEAC Awards Ceremony will be on June 5 at Rock Ridge High School.

Nominations are still being accepted for LCPS Instructional Awards. Recognitions will be given in the following categories: Professional Employee of the Year, Administrative Support Employee of the Year, Instructional Support Employee of the Year, Student Services Support Employee of the Year, and Substitute of the Year. A complete list of eligible positions within each category can be found at LCPS Instructional Awards Eligibility. To nominate an outstanding employee for an Instructional Award, submit a completed 2023-2024 LCPS Instructional Award Nomination Form by 5 p.m. Friday, March 22. Please visit the Employee Recognition website for additional details.

Loudoun Education Foundation’s (LEF) first annual Old Ox Rocks for Teachers raised over $7,000 for the Innovation in Education grant fund. This fund helps bring our educators' creative classroom ideas to life. Last school year, LEF awarded over $60,000 in grants during the fall and spring grant cycles to 55 educators. This year, LEF is hoping to award a record of $80,000 in grants. If you are an educator with an innovative teaching idea and in need of monetary support, apply for LEF’s Innovation in Education classroom grant. The deadline to apply is April 4, 2024.

Upcoming Holidays and Events

• Tuesday, March 5 is a student holiday due to the Presidential Primary Election.
• Spring Break is from Monday, March 25 to Friday, March 29. We look forward to seeing students back in school on Monday, April 1.
• The 3rd Quarter Grading Period ends on Thursday, April 4.
• Please consult LCPS student calendars to help with your planning. Calendars for this school year and the next two school years have been finalized and posted.
• 2024 graduation schedule.

If you have any comments or questions about your experience with LCPS, please fill out LCPS' Comment and Complaint Form. This form offers parents, students and Loudoun County residents the opportunity to provide input, comments, suggestions and complaints to school officials. Once the form is submitted, it will be routed to the appropriate office, department or school principal.

• Ask the Superintendent

• One LCPS: Forward Together Entry Plan
• LCPS Policy Review
• Office of the Ombuds
• LCPS News Stories
  
• Mental Health and Community Resources for Families
• Student Assistance Services
• Attendance Resources
• Fentanyl and Opioid Awareness
• Free On-Demand Tutoring
• Join the LCPS Team

Ask the Department of Communications and Community Engagement
21000 Education Court, Ashburn, VA, USA
571-252-1040

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