The LCPS Letter
The next Student Success Talk with Superintendent Aaron Spence is on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 5:30-7 p.m., at Trailside Middle School. This is the second of eight planned Student Success Talks which will be held across the county between now and May. These talks provide practical tips on supporting students’ academic, social and emotional success. Topics include ParentVUE and other digital tools, assessments and testing, college and career readiness, mental health and well-being and family involvement. This is a great opportunity to engage with LCPS leadership and connect with other families. For more information and to learn when the Success Talks will be held in your area, visit the Student Success Talks webpage.
In considering whether some school names reflect LCPS values of inclusion and diversity, the Loudoun County School Board is considering changing some school names and is seeking public comment. Committees have been appointed to review the first two school names being considered: Frances Hazel Reid Elementary School and Mercer Middle School.
The next step, per policy, is to survey the community. Additional information on the school name review, including School Board Policy 6510, Naming School Facilities, is available on the LCPS School Names webpage.
You may complete the survey as a community member, parent/guardian, staff or student. Choose the role that best represents you. Please visit lcps.org/thoughtexchange to take the survey by Monday, Dec. 16.
It is almost time to register your new LCPS student for the 2025/26 school year! The online pre-registration portal for kindergartners and students new to LCPS will open on Monday, Jan. 6. Current LCPS students do not need to complete this process. The 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 after Feb. 3, 2025. Paper registration forms are also available at your student’s home school, or you may download them from the LCPS website. If you have questions, please contact your student’s home school or LCPS Student Registration at RegistrationServices@lcps.org. See more information about Student Registration on the LCPS website.
Episode 2 of the LCPS Podcast dropped today. Be sure to check it out! This week's podcast is from the Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility. New episodes of the LCPS Podcast are released on Thursdays. The podcast hosts interview educators, students, administrators and parents about the current trends in education, news about what is happening in our schools, and information about our staff and students. The podcast is available on all major podcast platforms. For more information, please visit LCPS.org/podcast.
Mark your calendars for Saturday, Jan. 25 from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and plan to attend the One LCPS: United for Wellness Conference and Resource Fair, LCPS’ 7th annual mental health and wellness event. This year’s conference will be held at Watson Mountain Middle School. The event reflects LCPS’ focus on supporting all areas of student health and features LCPS education and student support specialists and community partners. These experts will share tips and strategies for promoting your student’s mental health, academic and social engagement and overall wellness. The conference includes a resource fair with local businesses and nonprofits offering services and guidance to support your family. There will also be food trucks, live music and so much more! We look forward to seeing you at the United for Wellness Conference and Resource Fair. Mark your calendars and plan to attend. You won’t want to miss it!
As you gather with friends and family this holiday season, consider helping our neighbors in need. The Loudoun Education Foundation’s Fueled program serves approximately 2,000 LCPS students each week through meal bags and in-school pantries. We are seeing a record level of requests for help from families in need. Just a $25 donation to LEF covers the cost of 10 student meal bags. Give at LoudounEducationFoundation.org/donate.
LCPS will host Parent Information Nights for the Dual Language Immersion (DLI) program at various locations across the county in December and January. The DLI program gives native English and Spanish-speaking students the chance to develop strong skills in both languages while achieving academic success. Students learn to read, write and communicate effectively in English and Spanish, while their primary language continues to grow. The program helps students become bilingual, biliterate and culturally competent. Parents and guardians with incoming kindergarteners and/or rising first-grade families interested in the DLI program should attend one of the upcoming in-person meetings. For dates, times and locations, visit www.lcps.org/DLI or see these flyers: Information Night Flyer (English) or Information Night Flyer (Spanish).
Winter break is just around the corner! Thank you to the families and students who have made attendance a priority. We also appreciate everyone’s efforts to schedule trips and family visits during student holidays to help students stay in school to support their academic growth. See the calendars posted on the LCPS website to know when your students have holidays. Every day of school is an important opportunity for students to learn and to connect to their peers and teachers. Make every day count!
National Computer Science Education Week highlights the importance of computer science and technology in education for students in grades K-8. From exploring artificial intelligence to discovering career pathways that utilize technology, National Computer Science Education Week encourages curiosity and innovation. The Loudoun County School Board officially approved a proclamation recognizing Dec. 9-15, 2024, as Computer Science Education Week in LCPS.
Families are encouraged to explore activities together at home to complement classroom learning. The Computer Science Lesson repository is a valuable resource for engaging hands-on projects to help spark students’ curiosity about the possibilities in the technology field. These lessons are a sampling of activities that can be completed at home:
- Face Sensing with Scratch Lab (kindergarten - grade 2): Students can explore facial expression sensing in Scratch, using a camera to control animations and responses.
- Neural Networks for Kids (grades 3-5): Parents/guardians can read or guide students through a simple explanation of neural networks, introducing them to AI concepts.
- Sassy Career Explorer (grades 6-8): Students can explore careers using Sassy, an AI-powered tool that helps students think about their future career options.
Families, parents and guardians are invited to share their child’s experiences and projects on social media using the hashtag #LCPSCSWeek and tagging @LCPSOfficial, @CSforLCPS and @LCPS_CTAE. Share photos, videos or reflections on what students have learned to celebrate their achievements and inspire others to explore computer science.