Sterling Jaguar Journal

Sterling families,

Our families are so important to us, and we are honored to serve you and your children every day. Thank you for your diligence in supporting them in practicing their skills at home, especially during school breaks. It's always a great day to learn!

We are blessed to serve a diverse community from all different parts of the world. This website published by LCPS may provide resources some families find useful. Our Unified Mental Health Team, comprised of our school counselors, social worker, and administrators, are available to support our families and students whenever needs arise. Please reach out if you'd like to talk through various events that may be on your mind. We are thankful to have the opportunity to support you.

Sincerely,

Jennifer M. Short, Principal

It is time to register your new LCPS student for the 2025-2026 school year! The online pre-registration portal for kindergarteners and students new to LCPS opened Monday, January 6. Current LCPS students do not need to complete this process. The LCPS student registration process involves two steps: online pre-registration and in-person registration appointments. The online pre-registration process includes determining your student’s home school, gathering the documents required for registration and uploading them to the pre-registration portal. Once pre-registration is complete, your student’s school will contact you to schedule a registration appointment to be held February 10, 2025. Paper registration forms are also available at our school, or you may download them from the LCPS website. If you have questions, please contact us or LCPS Student Registration at RegistrationServices@lcps.org. See more information about Student Registration on the LCPS website.

Clay continues in the art room. First and third grades have finished their clay pots. Classes missed due to snow days will be taking them home soon. Second grade will be sculpting pinch pot pets. They will make a practice version first before getting the "real" clay that they will then glaze and take home in about a month. First grade is moving onto illustration. They will become "art detectives" to identify the various animal features that Maurice Sendak used in his illustrations in Where the Wild Thing Are. Afterward, they will create their own creatures and use clues from their features to make their habitat background.

-Mrs. Ajima

The new year brings our annual Virginia Reader's Choice competition to the library! Each year, we read 10 books and vote on our favorite in the spring. Our first, second and third graders will listen to a read aloud picture book and do a new activity each week. Our fourth and fifth graders read chapter books independently and fill out a Google form on Schoology. Participating fourth and fifth graders will have a voting celebration in April. This is a great way to discover new stories.

We also have new activities and books available to listen to every month on your child's Library Schoology page for those cold days when you are trapped inside. Check them out!

-Mrs. Burel

-Mrs. Jeffries

Kindergarten had fun this month with different snow related activities including passing "snowballs" on the beat and "skating" to match the style of music. Fifth graders are finishing their recorder unit and beginning to learn about their choices for middle school music classes. This will include a unit on the instruments of the orchestra. Students who wish to select band or strings classes must attend an instrument try-it day. Please see the pictures for the dates and times for Sterling Middle School and River Bend Middle School.

-Mrs. Scarboro

Happy New Year Sterling Families! We've had a lot of catching up to do with all the snow days and delays. We are currently working on some hockey skills across all grade levels, with the emphasis on safety. Before that, students were practicing their hand-eye coordination and ambidexterity with speed stacking. They love creating their own cup castles, as well as competing against classmates to see who is faster. Look at those smiling faces and the intense focus!

-Mr. Horvath

-Mr. Hosti

-Mrs. Daniel

Join us for Family Coffee on February 28, at 8:00am in the school cafeteria to learn more about SchooLinks, a modern, college and career readiness platform to prepare students for what comes after graduation. SchooLinks helps students discover their interests and strengths, explore colleges and careers, and create an individualized career and academic plan that best reflects their post-secondary goals. SchooLinks at LCPS is accessible in Kindergarten through 12th grade by students and their parents. This platform is designed to meet the needs of our students as they make meaningful contributions to the world!

-Mrs. Redlin

-Ms. Westrick

Join Us for LCPS Student Success Talks!

Families are invited to attend a Student Success Talk with Superintendent Dr. Aaron Spence. Held across all eight election districts from November 2024 through May 2025, these sessions provide practical tips on supporting students’ academic, social and emotional success.

Topics include ParentVUE, digital tools, testing, college and career readiness, mental health and family involvement. Sessions run from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on scheduled days in each district. Visit the LCPS event calendar or the Student Success Talks webpage (www.lcps.org/successtalks) for details.

Interpretation services are available—contact the Superintendent's Office at clerk@lcps.org at least three days before the meeting.

Únase a Nosotros para las Charlas de Éxito Estudiantil de LCPS!

Se invita a las familias a asistir a una Charla de Éxito Estudiantil con el Superintendente Dr. Aaron Spence. Celebradas en los ocho distritos electorales desde noviembre de 2024 hasta mayo de 2025, estas sesiones brindan consejos prácticos para apoyar el éxito académico, social y emocional de los estudiantes.

Los temas incluyen ParentVUE, herramientas digitales, pruebas, preparación para la universidad y la carrera, salud mental y participación familiar. Las sesiones se llevarán a cabo de 5:30 a 7 p.m. en días programados en cada distrito. Visite el calendario de eventos de LCPS o la página web de Charlas de Éxito Estudiantil (www.lcps.org/successtalks) para más detalles.

Se ofrecen servicios de interpretación—contacte a la Oficina del Superintendente en clerk@lcps.org al menos tres días antes de la reunión.

Email: jennifer.meresshort@lcps.org
Website: https://www.lcps.org/sterlinges
Location: 200 West Church Road, Sterling, VA, USA
Phone: 571-434-4580
Twitter: @SterlingElem