Policies and Procedures
School policies and procedures guidebook for families
Welcome to Lane Elementary School! We are very excited to have you as a member of our school community.
Below you will find information on our policies and procedures. It’s important to understand our rules and follow them. They have been created to protect the safety of your child and promote a quality instructional environment.
If you ever have questions about our policies, please don’t hesitate to call the Main Office (703-924-7700) or e-mail Parent Liaison Melanie Crosby Hardy.
The Basics
General Information
Grade Levels Served
- Lane is an elementary school that serves students in kindergarten through sixth grade.
- Preschool and Head Start Programs are not available at Lane.
Location
- School Address: 7137 Beulah Street, Alexandria, VA 22315
- FCPS Boundary Information: Find out if you're within the Lane boundaries
Important Phone Numbers
- Main Office: 703-924-7700
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Attendance Line (available 24 hours a day, seven days a week): 703-924-7777
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School Health Room: 703-924-7710
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Fax Number: 703-924-7797
Schedules
- School Hours: 9:20 a.m. - 4:05 p.m., Monday through Friday (all grade levels)
(Detailed information, including inclement-weather schedules) - School Year Dates 2017 - 2018: August 28, 2017 - Friday, June 15, 2018
- School Calendar
- FCPS 2017-2018 School Year Calendar
Policies and Procedures
The following sections provide information on the rules we follow at Lane, how we do things and why we do them that way. Please read through these pages so that you informed on all the latest policies.
Absences and Attendance Policies
- See our Absences and Attendance page.
Arrival and Dismissal
- See our Arrival and Dismissal Procedures page.
Bicycles
- See our School Transportation page.
Birthdays at School
We value your excitement to celebrate your child’s birthday in a special way. It is important for us to limit any disruption of your child’s instruction. Therefore, please do not send any flowers, balloons, gifts, clowns, gorillas, strolling minstrels, or any other form of entertainment that may cause a disruption.
Parents who would like to provide a class treat are welcome to do so. Please follow these guidelines for a successful celebration:
- Notify your child’s classroom teacher in advance so you can avoid any foods that may be hazardous to a student’s health due to allergies. With such notice, teachers will be able to monitor all children’s health and safety.
- Treats should be pre-portioned finger foods that do not require adult assistance to cut or supervision to distribute. Cupcakes, cookies, and packaged snacks work well.
- Please deliver treats to the office before 9:15 a.m. or to the cafeteria at lunch time. To avoid disruption to instruction, birthday celebrations will not be held in classrooms.
PLEASE NOTE: Personal birthday party invitations distributed in class should include every child so no one feels left out.
Bringing Things to School
The only time students should bring toys, games, etc., to school is when their teacher gives them permission to do so. The student assumes full responsibility for any item brought to school.
The following items may not be brought to school at any time:
- sports equipment
- games (unless the teacher gives permission)
- magazines (unless the teacher specifically requests them for a project)
- cameras
- personal video or hand-held game players (Nintendo DS, PSP, GameBoy, etc.) or other electronic games
- CD players
- radios
- laser pointers
- trading cards
Any prohibited items brought to school will be confiscated by school staff and will be returned only to the parent.
Please see the Cell Phone below section for information on keeping/using cell phones at school.
Cafeteria and School Meals
- See our Cafeteria and School Meals page.
Cell Phones
Use of cell phones during the school day is strictly prohibited unless authorized by the teacher. Teachers are able to designate parts of the school day where students can use cell phones to read, to scan QR codes, for research, etc. The teacher will designate when the students are able to use their cell phones.
When not in use, cell phones should be in backpacks, turned off.
Cell phones are considered personal electronic devices and use of them in school on FCPS networks is governed by the Student Rights and Responsibilities (SR&R) document. Parents and students are required to read and accept the acceptable use policy for student network access within the SR&R document. Permission to use a personal device is now acknowledged by signing the parent or guardian signature sheet.
If your child uses his or her cell phone inappropriately or the phone rings during the day, the phone will be confiscated and returned only to the parent.
Dress Code
Lane Elementary does not require uniforms. However, there are dress-code regulations in place to avoid distraction, disruption, or distress to other students.
Clothing worn to school should fit, be neat and clean, and conform to standards of decency. For obvious reasons, we prohibit:
- clothing with improper language or images.
- sagging or low-cut pants, low-cut necklines, tube tops, halter tops, backless blouses or blouses with only ties in the back, and clothing constructed of see-through materials. Shirt straps must be at least 2 inches wide.
- head coverings, such as scarves or bandanas, unless required for religious or medical reasons.
- flip-flops, rubber shoes ('Crocs®), or other shoes that do not stay on a child’s feet.
- shorts shorter than fingertip length, unless tights or pants are worn underneath.
- skirts that are higher than the top of the knees, unless shorts, pants, or tights are worn underneath.
Students not abiding by the dress code will be removed from class and parents will be contacted to bring appropriate clothing for their child.
Additional clothing articles not mentioned above but deemed inappropriate for school by an administrator will result in contacting parents for a change of clothes.
Note: Rubber-soled tennis shoes are required for PE and recess. Please make sure your child wears or brings a pair to school each day.
For more information on FCPS dress codes and clothing rules, see School Board Policy 2613.5.
Field Trips
Classes may take field trips during the school year that relate directly to the regular instructional program. The school will send a permission slip home prior to the trip. Field trip permission forms must be returned to the school no later than the day before the scheduled trip. The school cannot accept verbal permission.
All students must ride school-arranged transportation to and from the field trip destination.
Parents are often asked to help chaperone field trips, although the number of chaperones allowed to attend may be limited by space constraints on the bus or at the venue. For safety and insurance reasons, younger siblings may not accompany chaperoning parents on field trips. If you are interested in chaperoning field trips for your child’s class, please contact your child’s teacher.
Parents may be asked to contribute funds to the cost of the trip.
For more information on FCPS field trips, see Regulation 5790, Field Trips—Planning and Conducting.
Homework
Homework reinforces skills taught in the classroom and enriches the school experience. Teachers consider the maturity level and abilities of the child when assigning homework, and the amount and type of homework varies by grade level.
All students are expected to read every night. (Total time required varies by grade level.)
Contact the teacher if you have concerns about your child’s homework.
Inclement Weather Schedule
Kiss and Ride
- See our Kiss and Ride Procedures page.
Parent Communication
- See our School Communication page.
School Health Room Services
- See our School Health Room page.
School Transportation
- See our School Transportation page
Visiting the School & Volunteering
Parents are welcome to visit our school! You can come have lunch with your child, attend special class events, or volunteer in the classroom or other areas of the school. To minimize the interruption of instruction, we require that all classroom visits be scheduled in advance with the teacher and an administrator.
In order to ensure a safe environment for students and staff members, all visitors must follow certain procedures every time they come to school:
- During the school day, all visitors must enter through Door #1, the main entrance. All visitors must be buzzed in, as this door – like all outside doors – are locked during school hours.
- As soon as you enter, please go to the Front Office to sign in on the office computer and obtain an identification badge. You must wear this badge where it is clearly visible while you are in the building.
- All visitors and volunteers must also show office staff an official photo ID before they can leave the office. This is required of ALL VISITORS every time they visit.
PLEASE NOTE: If office staff members see you enter the building and bypass the office, they will follow you and ask you to return to the office to complete our sign-in procedures.
Lane enjoys the support of an extensive volunteer program. For more information on volunteer opportunities, please visit our Get Involved page.