The LCPS Letter

Message from Superintendent Spence

As we close out the 2023/24 school year, I am grateful to our LCPS community—to our educators and staff, students, families, and community partners—for a great year of engagement, commitment, and learning. At each school I visited this year, I was continuously impressed by the level of intellectual exploration and personal growth of our students. I also admire and appreciate our educators and staff’s commitment to their students' success. Thank you all for a wonderful year!

As I attended graduations over the last two weeks, I was so moved by the speeches, the feelings of excitement for the future and seeing the tremendous support for our graduates. As this outstanding and talented group of young people move onto their next steps in their education, or enter the workforce or military service, I want them to know that they have the entire LCPS community cheering them. They will surely achieve amazing things!

Summer is a time of renewal for our students, staff, and schools. Many of our staff will be busy preparing for next year, including developing new plans for deeper learning and strategies for greater engagement, as well as taking care of our school buildings and performing necessary maintenance and repairs. For our students, I encourage them to pursue their interests and remain curious and engaged with the world around them. I hope they take the summer to connect with their friends, families and community, and I look forward to their return to school in August, recharged and ready for an another wonderful year of growth and learning.

I hope everyone has a wonderful summer!

Sincerely,

Aaron Spence, Ed.D.

Superintendent

LCPS Students Win Awards at International Science and Engineering Fair

LCPS students who participated in the ISEF

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Four LCPS students represented the division at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), the world’s largest pre-college STEM, May 11-17 in Los Angeles, California, with three winning awards for their work. At ISEF, they presented alongside nearly 1,700 other students from around the globe after being selected during the 42nd Annual LCPS Regional Science and Engineering Fair in March. Read more about the students who participated and won awards at the ISEF.

Discovery Elementary Fourth-Grade Students Explore Loudoun’s History

Discovery Elementary students present research projects

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Discovery Elementary School partnered with the Loudoun Freedom Center to support fourth-grade student’s exploration of Loudoun County’s history. Earlier this school year, the students visited the Coton Plantation, which is located near Lansdowne. Following the trip, the students immersed themselves in a thorough examination of documents, many of which were primary sources. Their research led to a greater awareness of Loudoun County's history, including the history of the enslaved at Coton Plantation. The students then shared their findings during a Capstone Project Showcase. The students' culminating projects highlighted their active experience in historical inquiry and analysis. Read more about the Discovery Elementary's Capstone Project Showcase.

Students Participating in Transition Services Programs Celebrate Accomplishments

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Start on Success

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Project SEARCH

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Community and School Together

Students participating in Start on Success, Project SEARCH, and Community and School Together (CAST) were recognized recently for their hard work and accomplishments. These three programs are part of the Office of Special Education’s Career and Transition Services and provide students with opportunities to develop real-world skills and experiences. During this school year, Start on Success students gained hands-on experience at Inova Hospital, interning in various hospital departments. Similarly, Project SEARCH students immersed themselves in roles ranging from spa services to culinary arts at Lansdowne Resort. And some of our CAST students made meaningful contributions at Ashby Ponds. Through these programs, students not only received instruction in workplace readiness skills but also had the chance to participate in internships within their community business partner sites. As they conclude their internships, students leave with newfound skills and experiences that will serve them well in their future endeavors. Learn more about Career and Transition Services.

LCPS Is Taking Steps to Address Misinformation

The Loudoun County Public Schools’ Department of Communications and Community Engagement has taken steps to address misinformation and disinformation within the community. This issue has been a community concern for some time but was recently addressed in a presentation to the School Board through a Communications Audit by the National School Public Relations Association.

Initial steps to address misinformation and disinformation across the division are now in place and include:

LCPS staff have filed a complaint of broadcast news distortion by WJLA-TV with the Federal Communications Commission.
The entire complaint can be found on LCPS's new Correcting Misinformation and Disinformation page. LCPS will now identify inaccurate information about LCPS on this page to assure interested parties have access to correct information when attempts at misinformation or disinformation occur.
LCPS has created a webpage called Just the Facts, which will contain fact sheets that accurately reflect school division policies, actions and issues. Fact sheets will be added to the page regularly.
A new X (formerly Twitter) profile has been created for the LCPS Public Information Officer, @LCPS_PIO, in order to quickly address misinformation and disinformation about LCPS and provide accurate and timely information about significant division issues to the community and media.

Application Period to Request School Assignment Change Is Closing Soon

The application period to request special permission to change a student's assigned school is closing on June 30 at 11:59 p.m. Parents may request special permission for their student to attend a school outside of their attendance zone per Loudoun County Public Schools Policy 8155, School Assignment. This policy allows elementary students to attend a school on special permission for one school year. Special permission must be applied for each year. Policy 8155 also allows middle and high school students to attend a school for multiple years until the student completes the highest grade level at the school where special permission was granted; however, parents are required to renew annually if they wish to remain on special permission at the school. Please visit the LCPS Special Permission website to apply. Special permission may be approved if there is capacity at the requested school. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Office of Student Services at 571-252-1021.

Alternative Transportation Requests for the Upcoming 2024-25 School Year

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Alternate transportation is defined as "Transportation to/from a location that is not the bus stop based on the student's home address and is within the attendance area of your student's school of assignment." Alternate bus stop locations may be requested for pick-up or drop-off of a student at a daycare facility or a family member’s residence that is not at the student’s registered home address. An alternate transportation request must also be submitted for a general education student who would like to be assigned to the same bus as their special needs sibling.

An alternative transportation request must be made by the parent or guardian and is not submitted by the school. Use the Resources & Opportunities menu in ParentVUE to submit your request using a Permission Click Form. Approval is subject to the seating availability on the bus and is not guaranteed. Parents and guardians will be notified by email of the determination. Requests received by Friday, July 12, will be conditionally approved, denied, or placed in pending status while availability is determined for the 2024-25 school year. Parents will be notified of the status of their request via email on or before Monday, August 12.

For step-by-step assistance on how to submit your request, see the LCPS website. Under ParentVUE FAQs, scroll down to the ParentVUE Data & Security subheading and click on the second question: How do I submit a request for Alternative Transportation for my student?

LCPS to Provide Free Meals this Summer

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LCPS will be providing free meals this summer for students ages 18 and younger at eight locations throughout Loudoun County. All meals must be consumed at the school or site location to comply with USDA and VDOE requirements and cannot be picked up by a parent or guardian to bring home. See the LCPS website for dates and locations of the summer meals program.

Families interested in additional food assistance over summer break can go to the Loudoun Feeds website and click on the “Find Food” button to find a list of community partners who will have adequate food supplies on hand. Loudounfeeds.org provides a calendar that shows the date, time, location and requirements of open food pantries.

Round Up at Giant Food to Support LCPS Nutrition Program

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Giant Food is offering its customers an opportunity to support the LCPS Nutrition Program. Between July 1 and August 1, Giant customers will have the option to round up at the register to support the Nourishing Our Youth program. Proceeds from this program will directly support efforts to eliminate childhood hunger. Over the last two years, Giant Food and its customers have donated over $1.3 million to school divisions participating in this program.

LCPS Website Getting a New Look

LCPS is redesigning its main website, www.lcps.org, and all LCPS school websites based on feedback from LCPS families, staff and the community. One of the goals of this redesign is to improve the overall user experience, search functionality and ease of finding information and resources more quickly. Plus, the new website will be mobile-friendly and include a brand-new LCPS app. Look for the newly- redesigned websites in mid-July. Until then, the current website will be fully functional. All web addresses will remain the same. Once launched, LCPS staff will continue to tweak the website and conduct usability tests. Thank you for your patience as we make this exciting transition!

Families of Students Receiving Special Education Services Asked to Take Survey

The LCPS Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC) requests that parents/guardians of students receiving special education services complete SEAC’s annual survey. Each year, SEAC solicits parent/guardian feedback to inform SEAC’s work, guide their priorities, and plan presentations for the upcoming school year. Parent/guardian input is essential to ensure that SEAC can identify common themes and needs that affect our special education students. The survey date was extended. Please complete the survey by Sunday, June 30.

Kindergarten Registration Is Open

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Do you have a child who is ready for kindergarten? Kindergarten registration is happening now for children who are five years old or who will be five on or before Sept. 30, 2024. Parents/guardians are encouraged to begin the registration process online through the pre-registration portal. Check the LCPS website to know what school your child will attend based on your address and the documents needed for registration. Once you have completed pre-registration, the school registrar will contact you to schedule a registration appointment. All enrolling students are required to be adequately immunized. Register your child for kindergarten today!

Immunization Requirements for Rising 7th and 12th Grade Students

Don't forget to schedule required immunizations for your rising 7th and 12th graders. Students in grade 7 and grade 12 are required to receive the following vaccines prior to the start of school:

Required Vaccinations for All 7th-Grade Students:

One dose of Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis) given at age 7 or older
One dose of Meningococcal Vaccine, MenACWY (MenQuadfi, Menveo), given at age 10 or older

Encouraged Vaccinations for All 7th-Grade Students:

HPV (Human Papillomavirus) vaccine

Required Vaccinations for All 12th-Grade Students:

One dose of Meningococcal Vaccine, MenACWY (MenQuadfi, Menveo), given at age 16 or older

Once your student is vaccinated, please provide their school with the appropriate documentation. For more information, please see LCPS' Immunization Requirements webpage. For more general information about back-to-school immunizations for students of all ages, see this Virginia Department of Health website.

Calendar Reminders

Staff waving goodbye to students on school buses

Teachers and school staff at Trailside Middle wave good-bye to students on the last day of school.

Upcoming Holidays and Events

This is the final planned issue of the LCPS Letter for this school year. This newsletter will return in August.
The first day of school for the 2024/25 school year is Thursday, Aug. 22.
The 2024-25 school year calendar has been revised. The updated calendars are available on our website.

We Welcome Your Feedback!

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.

Quick Links

Ask the Superintendent

Loudoun County Public Schools

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

www.lcps.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LCPSofficial
Twitter: @lcpsofficial

The LCPS Letter

Message from Superintendent Spence Message from Superintendent Spence

LCPS Students Win Awards at International Science and Engineering Fair LCPS Students Win Awards at International Science and Engineering Fair

Discovery Elementary Fourth-Grade Students Explore Loudoun’s History Discovery Elementary Fourth-Grade Students Explore Loudoun’s History

Students Participating in Transition Services Programs Celebrate Accomplishments Students Participating in Transition Services Programs Celebrate Accomplishments

Start on Success

Project SEARCH

Community and School Together

LCPS Is Taking Steps to Address Misinformation LCPS Is Taking Steps to Address Misinformation

Application Period to Request School Assignment Change Is Closing Soon Application Period to Request School Assignment Change Is Closing Soon

Alternative Transportation Requests for the Upcoming 2024-25 School Year Alternative Transportation Requests for the Upcoming 2024-25 School Year

LCPS to Provide Free Meals this Summer LCPS to Provide Free Meals this Summer

Round Up at Giant Food to Support LCPS Nutrition Program Round Up at Giant Food to Support LCPS Nutrition Program

LCPS Website Getting a New Look LCPS Website Getting a New Look

Families of Students Receiving Special Education Services Asked to Take Survey Families of Students Receiving Special Education Services Asked to Take Survey

Kindergarten Registration Is Open Kindergarten Registration Is Open

Immunization Requirements for Rising 7th and 12th Grade Students Immunization Requirements for Rising 7th and 12th Grade Students

Calendar Reminders Calendar Reminders

We Welcome Your Feedback!

Quick Links

Loudoun County Public Schools

Message from Superintendent Spence

LCPS Students Win Awards at International Science and Engineering Fair

Discovery Elementary Fourth-Grade Students Explore Loudoun’s History

Students Participating in Transition Services Programs Celebrate Accomplishments

LCPS Is Taking Steps to Address Misinformation

Application Period to Request School Assignment Change Is Closing Soon

Alternative Transportation Requests for the Upcoming 2024-25 School Year

LCPS to Provide Free Meals this Summer

Round Up at Giant Food to Support LCPS Nutrition Program

LCPS Website Getting a New Look

Families of Students Receiving Special Education Services Asked to Take Survey

Kindergarten Registration Is Open

Immunization Requirements for Rising 7th and 12th Grade Students

Calendar Reminders