Good evening Lake Ridge Middle School Parents/Guardians- We are excited to welcome our students back for the 2025-26 school year. The doors open for students at 7:40 a.m. and classes start at 8:10 a.m. Dismissal is at 2:50 p.m.
IMMUNIZATION REQUIREMENT
Virginia law requires all students entering grades kindergarten through 12 to be adequately immunized (Virginia Code § 22.1-271.2). All required immunizations must be completed by August 15, 2025, for students to begin school on August 18, 2025. Families can check their child’s immunization compliance status in ParentVUE after July 1 when the new school year rolls over in the computer.
Students who are missing required immunizations are excluded from attending school until proof of immunizations is received. If your student is missing immunizations and arrives at school, we will contact the parent/guardian to pick up the student and take them home.
TRANSPORTATION
For students who ride the bus, we highly recommend being at your bus stop 5-10 minutes prior to the pickup time to ensure that you don’t miss the bus. In addition, during the first week of school, we see that delays occur as it requires some time for bus drivers, students and parents to get acclimated to the new transportation routines. Please exercise patience for both morning pickup and afternoon drop-off. Make sure to download the new bus tracking app EZ A2B so that you can track your student’s bus in real time. Questions about buses and routes can be directed to the Transportation Department by calling 571-402-3940.
UPDATED ATTENDANCE POLICY
As part of the division’s ongoing commitment to continuous improvement, the Student Health and Wellness (SHAW) Department conducted a comprehensive review and update of the division’s attendance policy during the 2024-25 school year. This process incorporated valuable feedback from key stakeholders, including the Attendance Project Team, a cross-functional group dedicated to enhancing student attendance outcomes. Additionally, SHAW collaborated with the Superintendent’s Principal Advisory Council and the Superintendent’s Advisory Council on Instruction to gather insights on necessary policy and regulation changes. These efforts were aimed at ensuring that updated policies and regulations provide clear guidance and promote equitable practices across the division.
Regulation Updates:
- Clearly states that trips/travel are unexcused absences
- Principals no longer have discretion to excuse absences for extenuating circumstances
- Principals may request a doctor's note after:
- Three consecutive days of absence due to illness
- Nine days of absence due to illness during the school year
BOOK FAIR
The Fall Book Fair is scheduled for September 8 through September 12. Our Librarians are seeking parent volunteers to help with the fair. Please use this link to sign up.
CELL PHONE POLICY 25-26 SCHOOL YEAR
This year, Prince William County Public Schools took a bold and research-based step forward by adopting the new Cell Phone-Free Education Policy. Beginning in August 2025, all schools will implement a bell-to-bell policy that limits cell phone use during the instructional day. This decision, shaped by community input and a successful pilot across 33 schools, is rooted in a shared goal: creating classroom environments where students are fully present—mentally, emotionally, and socially. The student-created slogan, “Stop the scroll, take control,” reminds us that this policy is about empowerment, not restriction. It is about reclaiming focus, restoring meaningful human connection, and giving our students every opportunity to thrive. For more information, I invite you to review the PWCS FAQ page. You can also review the attached letter. We are grateful for your engagement and look forward to continuing this important work together. Students will be asked to turn off their phones and headphones as soon as they walk into the building. They are not to be out in the hallways/cafeteria, even before the first bell.
BACK-TO-SCHOOL PACKET AVAILABLE IN PARENTVUE
Having up-to-date emergency contact information for our families is vital. We need all families to complete the annual Back to School Packet. Completing the packet unlocks access to key details like class schedules and bus routes – so don’t delay!
SCHOOL ISSUED DEVICES AND INSURANCE
Each student will receive an iPad that comes with a keyboard case. Please remind your child that drawing on the keyboard case, writing on it, placing stickers, or using name tags is NOT ALLOWED. Additionally, keyboard cases are not covered by warranty or insurance. If a replacement case is needed due to loss or damage, it must be purchased at school for $120.
Students are responsible for bringing their devices to school every day. We will not provide loaner devices, and students are not allowed to bring chargers or cords for charging purposes. Students must manage their device's battery life at home. If a student forgets their device at home, they will be required to use pen and paper for class activities.
PWCS is once again using Securranty to provide insurance for our school devices. AppleCare is included with the iPads, but only covers 2 damaged screens a year. Damage to the case/keyboard or loss of device is not covered with AppleCare. Securranty insurance can be purchased for $29.95 and would cover unlimited accidental damage to device AND keyboard, as well as loss of device. See the attached flyer for information on how to purchase insurance.
KISS & RIDE LINE
As we continue to work on efficiency and safety, it’s important to remind you of the proper way to enter/exit from the kiss & ride line in the mornings and afternoons. If you are driving your student(s) to school, please enter in from the 2nd entrance to the school which is located by the football field. Once you pull in, and come to a complete stop, please drop your student off; having them walk a little bit is a great way to get the blood flowing and their mind awake before school. By doing this, you help to move the traffic in and out of the school in a quick and efficient manner. Do not wait to pull up to the front door as it causes traffic to be backed up both ways on Mohican Rd. Parents are not permitted to drop students off in the large upper parking lot. The entrance next to the electronic marquee is for buses and staff only. As always, please allow extra time and drive cautiously in the parking lot. Please see the attached map for the flow of the kiss & ride line. At dismissal, students should be waiting between the cones and the stop sign. See the attached map.
Parents are not permitted to stop on Mohican Road to drop off their children. It is a 4-lane major road with no shoulder. Stopping on that road to drop off your child is very dangerous, even if you turn on your flashers. It impedes traffic and creates a dangerous situation on the road at the busiest time of the day.
WALKERS
Students who walk to school and cross Mohican Road, must do so at the crosswalk. We will have PWC Crossing Guards out to assist with traffic control. Students are to follow the directions given by the Crossing Guards to ensure safety.
BIRTHDAY RECOGNITION OPT-OUT OPTION
At Lake Ridge Middle School, we love celebrating our students’! This year, we will be recognizing student birthdays each month. If you prefer that your child not be included in birthday recognitions during the school year, please let us know by contacting the front office or emailing Mrs. Aloi, [email protected] by end of day August 20th with your students full name and student ID. With this information we’ll ensure your wishes are respected.
ATHLETICS
Please see the Attached Document for updated information on how to register your student to try out for the 2025-2026 school year. Athletic Physicals are NOT to be dropped off at the school or emailed to any staff members, and MUST be uploaded to Arbiter. Our Athletic Trainer will begin to work on updating the Approval Status for anyone who has uploaded their Physical as of 8/15/2025. If your student is missing any part, the parent will receive an email from Arbiter notifying you which part needs to be corrected and to resubmit after updating the information. To ensure everyone has an opportunity to make corrections, if needed, ALL Fall Athletic Physicals need to be uploaded by Thursday, August 21st at 8pm. Football, Boys' Soccer, Girls' Track, and Volleyball tryouts will begin on Monday, August 25th and Cheer will begin Tuesday, September 2nd.
Jim Dutrow
Principal
Lake Ridge Middle School
703-494-5154