Kicking Off the School Year with Community Connections

Leesburg Elementary School students and their families came together last Saturday for a day of fun and learning about the many resources and opportunities available through school and community organizations. The Tuscarora High School band brought plenty of energy to the event, and a local barber even offered free haircuts. Students and families also enjoyed playground activities, a photo booth and opportunities to connect with one another. What a great way to kick off the school year!

LCPS Students Show Continued Improvement on 2026 SOL Tests

student at classroom desk doing schoolwork

Reports released by the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) on August 25 show continued strong improvement by LCPS students as measured by the 2026 Standards of Learning (SOL) tests. The results indicate that SOL proficiency rates have increased or remained the same in most subject areas. These results reflect the positive impact of school support systems, division initiatives, the work of our educators and strong partnerships with our families. Read more about LCPS student SOL scores.

Students Can Earn High School Credit for Language Skills

Does your student speak, read or write in a language other than English? Through the LCPS Credit Through Testing (CTT) program, students in grades 9–12 can earn official high school credits for their language skills at no cost. With over 100 languages available, it's a fast track to graduation requirements and a great way to qualify for the prestigious Virginia Seal of Biliteracy on your diploma. Registration opens on Sept. 1 and closes on Sept. 30, and space is limited! Learn more, including test dates and registration details.

Safer School Together Software Use

This school year, LCPS has further enhanced our commitment to digital safety. In addition to our digital citizenship classes, Lightspeed, Gaggle and Safe2Talk, we have partnered with Safer Schools Together (SST) to maintain awareness of publicly available, concerning or potentially threatening online behavior. This awareness will allow us to provide informed interventions and appropriate support.

How does it work? SST’s capabilities monitor and identify concerning information from publicly posted social media and other online sources, allowing real-time, active review of information that is concerning or potentially threatening to our schools or students. Concerning images and language posted online can be brought to the attention of the Safety & Security Team, School Threat Assessment teams, and school leaders and, when paired with other information, could help preempt developing situations or more quickly identify student concerns. Learn more about Safer Schools Together.

As a reminder, safety and security is everyone’s job. While something may seem insignificant to you or your student, when reported and pieced together with other information, it can save lives. Find more Parent and Caregiver Resources from SST or visit LCPS Safety and Security.

All suspicious or concerning behavior should be reported to the principal or law enforcement. For those who prefer to remain anonymous when reporting information, the Safe2Talk app is available. Please help us promote See Something, Say Something and Safe2Talk throughout the community.

Provide Your Thoughts on the FY28 Budget Development

Even though the 2026/27 school year has just started, our staff is already hard at work planning our students' learning for the 2027/28 -- fiscal year (FY) 28 -- by reviewing data and beginning the budget development process for FY28.

The School Board would like to receive early feedback from our parents, staff and community on the programs, investments and needs. At a time when we anticipate a slowing rate of revenue growth over the next few years, we are taking a close look at existing spending, identifying where we can achieve better results with different investments and investing in ways to improve student outcomes. Our students are at the center of this work.

Using ThoughtExchange we are seeking your thoughts on what the School Board might consider as it develops the FY28 budget. This platform gives everyone a chance to share their perspectives and understand what’s most important to the group.

Participate in the ThoughtExchange and return at any time before Tuesday, Sept. 15 to rate new ideas. You can also find it at www.lcps.org/thoughtexchange.

Help Review Challenged Instructional Materials

LCPS invites parents and staff to join a volunteer roster for potential service on the Challenged Materials Review Committees. This annual process aligns with Policy 5047 and strengthens transparency and family involvement. Sign-up opened Aug. 1, 2026, and will remain open through July 31, 2027. Learn more and sign up: Challenged Instructional Resources.

LCPS Serves Up Boys Volleyball as a Varsity Sport

Boys volleyball is now an official LCPS varsity sport, with all of our high schools offering teams this season. The School Board approved the addition of boys varsity volleyball, girls varsity flag football and vrsity girls wrestling, expanding athletic opportunities for student-athletes across the division. Girls flag football began competition last week, while girls wrestling launches during the winter sports season.

LEF Releases FY26 Annual Report

The Loudoun Education Foundation (LEF) connects the generosity of our community with the people and programs shaping the future of LCPS. This week, LEF released its FY26 Annual Report. Whether it was in the classroom, summer programs, workforce learning opportunities or Fueled, LEF was able to show up for our educators and students. As we start this new school year and new fiscal year, LEF invites you to consider a donation to LEF. All LEF donations support LCPS educators and students. Thank you for helping LEF bring even more opportunities to our educators and students.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Learn How College Application Manager Streamlines the Application Process

Parents of seniors are invited to attend the College Application Manager webinar on Wednesday, Sept. 2, from 6 to 7 p.m. to learn how SchooLinks can support your student as they apply for colleges. The webinar can be accessed via College Application Manager Webinar Access Link. Attendance for the webinar is limited by the platform's capacity. For families who are unable to attend the live webinar, a recording will be posted on the LCPS SchooLinks webpage at a later date.

This webinar is hosted by the LCPS Office of School Counseling in partnership with SchooLinks. In addition to the College Application Manager, SchooLinks helps students discover their interests and strengths, explore colleges and careers and create individualized plans that best reflect their goals.

Special Programs Fair Shares Learning Opportunities

Eighth-grade students and their families are invited to attend the Secondary Special Programs Fair. For the convenience of our families, this event will be held twice:

Thursday, Sept. 17, 6 to 8 p.m., Heritage High School (520 Evergreen Mill Rd SE, Leesburg)
Saturday, Oct. 3, 10 a.m. to noon at Park View High School (400 W Laurel Ave, Sterling)

The Special Programs Fair will provide an overview of the programs and student panelists will share firsthand experiences. Attendees can meet with program representatives, ask questions and learn about the diverse educational pathways available in LCPS.

An Evening of Connection and Conversation

Join us for Our Turn to Talk, a powerful film that follows five teens as they navigate the challenges of growing up, discovering who they are and finding their voices in the world. Through honest conversations, they share the pressures they face and the realities of living with mental health challenges, while offering valuable insights into what they wish adults better understood.

Our Turn to Talk

Date: Thursday, Sept. 24, from 6 to 8 p.m.

Location: LCPS Administration Building (21000 Education Ct., Ashburn)

Arrive at 6 p.m. to enjoy snacks and connect with others. We'll have pizza, popcorn and movie-theater candy. The film begins at 6:30 p.m. and will be followed by a facilitated discussion designed to deepen our understanding of youth mental health and spark meaningful conversation. Recommended for ages 12 and up.

Other Upcoming Events

Welcome to LCPS English Learner Family Workshop

Thursday, Sept. 3, 6 to 8 p.m. at the Sterling Community Center (120 Enterprise St, Sterling) Learn more.

Locating and Supporting Children with Disabilities: Understanding the Child Find Mandate

Monday, Sept. 14, 6:30 to 8 p.m. LCPS Administration Building (21000 Education Ct., Ashburn. Register.

Discover the Academies of Loudoun: Information and Application Steps

Thursday, Sept. 24, Spanish and English session at 6 p.m. Arabic and English session at 7 p.m. Visit the Family Room webpage to learn more and see the webinar link.

See the LCPS Events and Meetings Calendar for more upcoming events.

SCHOOL BOARD NEWS

School Board Summary and Meeting Schedule

The Loudoun County School Board held its first meeting of the school year on Tuesday, Aug. 11. Read a summary of the meeting. The next School Board meeting will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 8, starting at 4:30 p.m. The agenda will be posted to the School Board website (under Meetings) by 5 p.m. the Friday before the meeting. All School Board meetings are live-streamed.

Policy Review

LCPS policies are reviewed every five years per the Code of Virginia. During this process, LCPS asks for input from advisory committees, stakeholder groups and the community at large. Visit the Policy Review webpage for more details and feedback submission deadlines. Providing input does not guarantee that the feedback will be included in the final policy. All feedback will be reviewed by the School Board Committee as they develop policies for submission to the entire School Board. The authority for final approval of any policy lies solely with the Loudoun County School Board.

CALENDAR REMINDERS

Friday, Sept. 4 is a student holiday.
Monday, Sept. 7 is Labor Day and a student and staff holiday.
Consult the school calendars before scheduling vacations or other student absences. Please prioritize school attendance for your child. Calendars for the 2026/27 and 2027/28.

The LCPS Letter

Kicking Off the School Year with Community Connections

LCPS Students Show Continued Improvement on 2026 SOL Tests