The LCPS Letter
As part of an English class writing exercise, 6th-grade Willard Middle School student Jatin Bashmaulla wrote a business-style letter to Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Christopher Wray to thank him for the service and protection the FBI provides to the country. Bashmaulla thought he might get a letter back. Instead, the Director dispatched Special Agent in Charge Kevin Vorndran of the Washington Field Office and more than a dozen agents and personnel to speak to Bashmaulla and his classmates about what the FBI does. The agents arrived with specialized equipment and vehicles that students and staff were able to interact with and ask questions about. Read more about the FBI's visit to Willard Middle.
LCPS Administration Building staff have a new spot to purchase snacks thanks to students in the Community and Schools Together (CAST) program and LCPS Career and Transition Services. The pop-up shop, called the Cruising Café, sells snacks and beverages. CAST students, with the support of a job coach, are assigned a specific day and time to work at the cart. They are responsible for setting up the shop, product inventory, and all aspects of running a successful business. And they provide excellent customer service! Student worker Mokshad said, “I like selling people water, soda, and chips.” Coworker Akriti agreed, saying, “I like giving people what they want.”
LCPS Career and Transition Services supports students who are receiving special education services plan for independence in post-high school life. The Cruising Café is just one example of a skill development opportunity offered to CAST students. Similar opportunities are provided at partnering businesses around Loudoun County. Each high school has a transition teacher and job coach who supports students with individualized education plans (IEPs) and liaises with middle and high school Special Education teachers on transition planning for students aged 14 to 22. For more information about Career and Transition Services, please contact Suzanne Burch, Transition Specialist.
LCPS is offering a free workshop series for community members interested in coaching high school sports. The six-course learning series, to be held in person at the LCPS Administration Building (21000 Education Ct., Ashburn) between May 15 and June 17, will provide comprehensive training and preparation to equip prospective coaches with the skills and knowledge necessary to excel on and off the field or platform. This workshop series will empower participants to make a difference in students' lives through coaching and mentorship.
The series includes the following:
Becoming a Transformational Coach
A Better Way Athletics
LCPS/ Virginia High School League Rules
Virginia High School League
Nuts and Bolts
Officials and Human Resources Hiring Process
Please note that space is limited and is on a first-come, first-serve basis. For a detailed description of the classes, review the attached flyer or visit the LCPS Athletics webpage. To secure your spot, complete the interest form, and a member of the Athletics Department will be in contact. All questions should be directed to Derek Farrey, Assistant Director of Athletics and Extracurricular Activities.
LCPS offers free, on-demand tutoring through Varsity Tutors to all kindergarten through grade 12 students. This free resource is available to all LCPS students. The free Varsity Tutors program provides homework help, writing support and live enrichment sessions 24 hours a day and seven 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.
Free parent coaching is available to LCPS parents and guardians. Parent coaching is a confidential resource that connects parents/guardians with a parenting coach and therapist-created content to help navigate the ups and downs of parenting. Parents/guardians can also access a library of videos and parenting courses at any time to help find answers and compassionate help to mental health, emotional or developmental challenges. These resources are available at no cost, thanks to a partnership between LCPS and ParentGuidance.org.
Based on feedback from staff, LCPS is offering a new tool for the 2024-25 school year called Lightspeed Classroom. This device management software will help teachers effectively manage classrooms. This new software provides a set of tools to keep students focused and engaged in their learning. With Lightspeed Classroom, teachers can push websites to student devices, view and blank student screens, send and receive messages and more. Currently, LCPS is piloting this solution with a small group of teachers, and we’ve heard great things. We look forward to sharing this optional tool with all teachers next school year. Please contact the Department of Digital Innovation with any questions.
Registration is open for LCPS' Early Childhood Education Learning Labs. Learning Labs are hands-on learning experiences designed for children ages 3 to 4. Learning Labs are hosted at eight LCPS high schools and are open from October 2024 through May 2025. Interested Loudoun County families can register online for the Learning Lab enrollment lottery between May 1 and May 15. For more information about the Learning Labs, including locations, registration and enrollment timelines, visit the ECE Learning Lab webpage.
The Loudoun County Environmental Commission is hosting an Energy and Environment Forum on Tuesday, May 14 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the Academies of Loudoun. The event will feature breakout sessions with opportunities to learn about ongoing activities in the areas of energy and environment. It will also feature listening sessions to provide feedback on what environmental and sustainable focuses are important in Loudoun County. For more information, see the Loudoun Energy and Environment Forum webpage.
