 Dear West Potomac Community—
We hope this long weekend presents
a great opportunity for your family to rest and recharge. As we head full-force
into the month of October, we have been reflecting on the flurry (and volume) of
beginning-of-year events that have occurred in addition to great teaching and
learning in our classrooms. There’s fall sports, Wolverine Welcome, the first
day of school, mandatory safety and security drills, student forums, visitors
from South Korea, PTSA meetings, and Back to School Night(s). It’s hard to believe
we have tackled so much within just the past five weeks. Thank you to all the students,
staff, and parents who made our first month of school such a great success!
We
especially thank all ninth grade families who attended Freshman Back to School
Night on Wednesday. Your commitment to home-school partnership is of the utmost
importance. During the FCPS School Planning Day on Friday, our teachers
participated in professional learning that included work in collaborative teams
and time to update student grade reports. Please check SIS Parent Vue next week
to see how your child is performing academically thus far in the first quarter.
We know for many students, especially ninth graders and students taking their
first advanced courses, grades represent a transition to higher expectations. A
strong grade now means that a student has been consistently able to apply
knowledge, demonstrate skills, and explain concepts fundamental to the
curriculum. Yet earning a grade is about much more than accumulating points; it
is about showing application and understanding of new learning. It is wise for
us to partner together to help each student reflect on his/her work habits and set
attainable goals for the year. If you or your child are unhappy with the
current grades noted, remember there is plenty of time to improve progress before
the first marking period ends on November 4, 2016.
Finally, many this week have taken
note of local media headlines about threatening online clown posts directed at schools
in the DC Metro Area. No credible threats have been found directed to our school
or any in FCPS. We will remain vigilant and we appreciate how our students,
staff, and parents have made it a priority to make us aware of concerning information
that they see and hear online. All reports of threats are taken very seriously,
and we collaborate closely with our School Resource Officer, Officer Israel
LaTorre and FCPS' Office of Safety and Security to investigate all reports. Student
safety is and always will be our top priority.
Have a great long weekend and it is
a great time to be a West Potomac Wolverine!
Sincerely,
Alexander B. Case
Principal
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School News
National Honor Society Applications Due October 12
National Honor
Society Applications are now being accepted. If your child has an overall
GPA of 3.5 or higher, and is a sophomore, junior or senior, he or she is
eligible to apply for membership in the National Honor Society. Applications
can be picked up in room 446 or 190F. Email Laura McBride or Kaitlin Tuohey with any questions. The application package is
due no later than Wednesday, October 12.
Orchestra Regionals Performance November 12
Congratulations
to Olivia Scheidt and Henry Drembus who auditioned and were accepted into the
Northern Virginia Senior Regional Orchestra. Performance for this event will be
November 12 at West Potomac High School, Springbank Auditorium, 2pm.
Fall Cabaret Night
West
Potomac Choirs would like to invite families to our Fall Cabaret Night Friday,
October 14, at 7:00 pm in the Springbank Auditorium. We will be serving
desserts and beverages while members of the West Potomac Choirs provide a
delightful evening of entertainment. It’s a perfect date night,
too! Tickets ($10, includes dessert and drinks) can be purchased by
emailing Kye-Won Kopko, Director of Choirs, at kkopko@fcps.edu or from a Choir Student!
Homecoming Tailgate Friday, October 21, 4-6:30 pm
Join
the fun and tailgate before the West Potomac Wolverines host the TC Williams
Titans at the homecoming varsity football game Friday, October 21. The
Homecoming Tailgate takes place in the overflow lot from 4 to 6:30; game time
is 7:00. MIX 107.3 will be there with an obstacle course, tailgate games,
prizes food and more. See you there!
Wolverine Marching Band Competitions
Marching band competition season is upon us! The West Potomac
Marching Wolverines will be performing at six events this fall. Come on out and
watch! It’s fun to see a bunch of different bands, and tickets are usually in
the $12-$15 range. The schedule is as follows, and more info is at www.wolverineband.com:
- Oct. 15 — Westminster, MD
- Oct. 29 —
Charlottesville (2 events)
STEM & NVRC Host
Auction Fundraiser Saturday, October 15
The
Northern Virginia Radio Control Club & West Potomac High School STEM Program
are hosting an auction Saturday, October 15, in the Main Gym at West Potomac
High School (use Door #13 for entrance). The day begins with setup and viewing from
8 to 10 a.m. and the auction starts at 10 a.m. Auction items include:
- R/C
Airplanes
- Helicopters
- Cars
- Boats
- Supplies
Just click here for
full details.
College & Career Center (CCC) News
WPHS College and Career Center Updates
Juniors and seniors are invited to have lunch in the College and
Career Center during lunch blocks. This is a great opportunity to explore and
discuss your options for after high school graduation. Also “Lunch and
Learn” sessions will begin in October and will be held
every Thursday in the College and Career Center during lunch blocks.
College Visits Week of October 10-14
1.
Virginia Tech Tue October 11 8:30
AM
2.
University of Pittsburgh Wed October 12 11:00
AM
3.
The University of Alabama Thu October 13 9:30
AM
4.
University of Maine Thu October 13 10:00
AM
5.
Stevens Institute of Technology Thu October 13 1:30
PM
6.
University of Missouri Columbia Fri October 14 9:30
AM
7.
The College of Saint Rose Fri October 14 1:30PM
Register to attend college visits through Family Connection or
come to the College and Career Center for more information.
Upcoming Events
-
October
10 – No School for Students
-
October
16 – College Fair at Fair Oaks Mall, 7:30-9:30 p.m.
-
October
17 – College Night at Hayfield Secondary School, 7-9:00 p.m.
-
October
19 – PSAT 2-Hour Early Release
-
November
30 – ASVAB Test (Interested students should register in the College and Career
Center.)
West Potomac Financial Aid Champion Now Available
For
assistance in completing the 2017-2018 Free Application for Federal Student Aid
(FAFSA) and the CSS Profile, Mr. Dale Schimdt (drschmidt@fcps.edu) is available to meet with students and
parents/guardians throughout the year in the College & Career Center. Mr. Schmidt will be in the College &
Career Center October 11, 17 and 25, 11:15AM-1:30PM. You may also email Mr. Schmidt to schedule
appointment.
Financial Aid
Information for the Class of 2017
Beginning with this year’s seniors (the
Class of 2017), the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), used to
determine a student’s financial need, can be completed starting on October 1,
2016, rather than the traditional January 1. For those schools that also
require the CSS Financial Aid PROFILE, that form is now available. To help
you understand these forms and how to complete them, College Access Fairfax
will offer a series of FREE seminars on Saturday, November 12 at Annandale
High School and Saturday, November 19 at South Lakes High School. Topics
will include Completing the FAFSA at 9:00 AM, Completing the CSS Financial Aid
PROFILE at 10:30 AM and Scholarship 101 at 1:00 PM. For families who are ready to complete
the FAFSA (using 2015 financial data), College Access Fairfax will also be
hosting FREE FAFSA Completion Clinics with one-on-one help at the same
locations from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM on the same dates. Registration is required for the
Seminars and Completion Clinics. For more information and to register,
please visit our web site at www.collegeaccessfairfax.org.
College Test Prep Opportunities
SAT
& ACT Changes, College Fit, and More – Wednesday, October 19,
6:30pm, Library. Speaker Jed Applerouth will give a dynamic presentation
covering timely topics for college testing and applications.
SAT/ACT Information
SAT/ACT Prep Classes and Mock Test schedule now available for fall
2017. Come to the College and Career Center for more information. For more
information on the ACT and to register: www.actstudent.org. For
more information on the SAT and to register: www.collegeboard.org.
Fall 2016 Mock Tests
WPHS, Gunston Building, Rooms 153/154. Check-in opens
at 8:30am; see below for mock test start times. Cost is $23. Walk-in
registration ($28) as space allows. Bring registration, photo ID, pencils,
calculator, snack/water. Note: Scholarships (need-based) for mocks and classes
are available through the WPHS College and Career Center Specialist, Liz Carter
(eecarter@fcps.edu).
Dates with Applerouth codes at right are hotlinked to the registration page for
easy click-to-register access.
Test
Offered Date
Time
Event code
Mock SAT Sat, Oct 8
9:00am - 1:30pm
M219265
Mock ACT Sat, Oct 22
9:00am - 1:15pm
M219287
Mock SAT Sat, Nov 5
9:00am - 1:30pm
M219266
Mock ACT Sat, Nov 12
9:00am - 1:15pm
M219288
Winter
2017 Test Prep Classes
Register online at Applerouth with class code.
Start Date End Date Class Class Code
Sat 1/7/17 Sat 4/1/17 ACT ACT2914
Sat 12/17/16 Sat 3/4/17 SAT SAT2912
Online registration closes at midnight, the Tuesday before
class starts.
Scholarship and Enrichment Program Information
Scholarship opportunities are available to FCPS students to review and apply for through Family Connection. Students can review and apply for scholarships by logging into Blackboard, Family Connection, Colleges Tab, then Scholarship List at the bottom of the page. This site is updated weekly and students are ENCOURAGED to review it on a regular basis as deadline dates are critical. Here is the list of scholarships updated this week:
New and Updated Scholarships
- Future Leaders in Retail Scholarship – deadline Nov. 15
- Alpha Phi Alpha, Theta Rho Lambda Chapter Scholarship - deadline extended Oct. 21
- National Security Agency (NSA) Stokes Educational Scholarship Program - deadline Oct. 31
- Virginia Mayflower Society Scholarship – deadline March 15, 2017
- Harry F. Byrd, Jr. Leadership Scholarship—deadline October 24
New and Updated Enrichment Programs
Activities News
Congratulations to
our Golf Team: District Champions
The West Potomac
Wolverine Golf Team continued their 2016 campaign by winning their first
conference tournament since 1990. The Patriot Conference
Tournament, held last week at Twin Lakes Golf Course, was unfortunately
shortened to only a nine-hole event, but the Wolverines, lead by
sophomore Wesley Duffy (38), were able to come out on top as Patriot
Conference Champions. Others participating in the tournament were Thomas
Lipowicz, Jonathan Tucker, Cameron Danielson, Justin Shelton and Finn
Gilmartin.
WPHS Swim & Dive Interest Meetings, Time Trials
There are two interest meetings
scheduled for Swim & Dive:
1. Thursday
October 13 for students after school - 3:15-4:15 in classroom
102
2. Thursday
October 20 for parents and/or students - 7:15-8:15
Time trials will be held Wednesday, November 9, and Thursday,
November 10. They will continue the following week Monday-Thursday, November
14-17, if needed.
WPHS Sporting Events: Week of October 10-14
-
Cross Country: Thursday, Oct. 13 – Tri Meet vs. WT Woodson HS and West Springfield HS @ Mason
District Park, 5 pm
-
Field Hockey: Monday, Oct. 10 – Annandale
HS @ Home, 6:00 pm (JV) and 7:30 pm (V)
-
Football: Thursday, Oct. 13 – Annandale HS @ Home, 5:30 pm (FR)
and 7:15 pm (JV) and Friday, Oct. 14 – Annandale HS @ Annandale;
7 pm (V)
-
Golf – States: TBD
-
Volleyball – Pink Out: Thursday, Oct. 13 – Mt. Vernon HS @ Home; 5 pm (FR), 6 pm (JV), 7:15 pm (V)
For the most current news in West Potomac athletics, please check
the athletics
website.
Fundraising Information
Oktoberfest! Saturday, October 15 • Buy Your Tickets Today
Come
to the best event in town! Enjoy beverages from a local
brewery. International food including brats, sushi from Kaizen, ziti and salad
from Mamma's Kitchen, German pretzels and much more! Come socialize with
your friends and neighbors and help the World's Greatest High School. Buy
your tickets today: please click here for full details and
to buy your tickets. If you can't go, consider buying a
ticket so a teacher can attend for free! Also, some volunteers are needed to get the party started. Join the team
and get ready to have some fun planning and running this festive event – open
spots include set up, clean up and donations of water, beverages, etc. Click here to learn
more and sign up.
Wolverine Green Update
As you can see, our major fundraiser, Oktoberfest, is well
underway! The DJ is booked, ticket sales are brisk, food and drink donations
are being finalized, and an incredible selection of auction items are
accumulating, from a hammered copper fire pit with all the s'mores fixings to a
hockey stick bench along with Cap tickets and gear, limo and dinner for 6, and
much, much more.
We will once again have a Raise the Paddle live auction for our
Wolverine Green. Buy an Element Symbol Array of bricks, a blue bench or even
three feet of wall for $300. The Fire array has already been sold but we still
have Earth, Water, Wood and Metal up for grabs.
Construction will commence this fall and is projected to take
five to six weeks to complete. Please join the festivities and help us fund the
remaining $30,000 we need for the Wolverine Green.
Bricks are on sale now: Pick the
size, either 4x8" for $50 or 8x8" for $100. Symbols are an additional
$5 each. We even have the West Potomac logo available as one of the symbol
choices. For more information and to order a brick, please click here for the
order form.
Dig Pink for WPHS Volleyball • Thursday, October 13
West Potomac Volleyball
will host a Dig Pink Rally on Thursday, October 13, to promote breast
health/cancer awareness and to raise money for the research and patent support
projects that the Side-Out Foundation funds. Freshman will play at 5:00, JV at 6:00 and varsity at 7:15 in the main gym. To raise
funds, our team has set up an online fundraising campaign through
the Side-Out Foundation. To donate, go to https://giving.side-out.org/campaigns/11793. We encourage the entire
student body, faculty and administration to wear pink to school on Thursday to show support for breast cancer
awareness.
WPHS Dance Team Fundraising Events
Huge
Yard Sale and Bake Sale PART 2, Multi-Family, Saturday
Oct. 22, 8 am - 1 pm, 8504 Fort Hunt Road!! Clothing, toys, furniture,
books, etc. Proceeds will be used to cover the Varsity Dance Team's expenses
associated with participation in the UDA National Dance Team Championship at
Disney World in Orlando in February. Clean out those closets and donate
your unwanted items to the yard sale. Contact lrulapaugh@perkinscoie.com for where and
how to donate. Gently used and clean items only. Come shop Oct. 22 and take home new treasures! Rain date Sun., Oct. 23, 9 am -
2 pm.
Eat Delicious Food, for a Good Cause! Dine at Moe's October 26 between 5 - 8 pm and Moe's will give 30% of what you spend to the
Varsity Dance Team. Every bit helps us get closer to funding travel to the
National Championship Competition in Orlando. Print and take with you the flyer
found here - http://www.westpotomacsports.org/main/teamfiles/id/15535/seasonid/3957180 -to be sure Moe's credits Dance Team
with the 30%.
Life's too short to rake your own leaves! Let members of the West Potomac Dance Team do
it for you. For $40, you get four dancers for one hour ($10 per dancer per
hour, crews consist of 4 dancers and 1 parent supervisor) to gather and bag
your leaves. Time slots are for one to four hours so we can handle almost
any-sized yard. To reserve your rakers, email wheatoncm@verizon.net
with the subject line "Dance Team Leaf Raking Reservation" and
specify your top three dates (10/23, 29, 30; 11/5, 6, 13) and times (morning or
afternoon) in order of preference. Or, fill out the flyer found here: http://www.westpotomacsports.org/main/teamfiles/id/15535/seasonid/3957180. Hurry!
The schedule will fill up quickly!
Girl's
Birthday Party Coming Up? Let Us Do the Entertainment for You! You tell us the theme,
members of the WestPo Dance Team will do the entertaining. Packages are for 1
hour or 2 hours and can be built around dance themes - - including the
Nutcracker, Around the World in Dance, Ballerina's Special Day - - or a theme of
your choosing. For more information and pricing please contact Kris Moran
at KEMoran@fcps.edu. Weekend dates fill up
quickly so don't wait until the last minute to book!
Guitar Night at the Cosmopolitan Grill Wed., October 26
The West Potomac Guitar Program is
hosting a fundraiser at the Cosmopolitan Grill Restaurant on Wednesday,
October 26. Members of West Potomac Guitar classes will provide dinner music
starting at 6:30 pm. The Cosmopolitan Grill is located on Rt. 1
beside Gold’s Gym and the fundraiser will run all day. Just let them know
you are there to support West Potomac so that a percentage of proceeds will be
given back to our program!
Support the West
Potomac HS Youth Development Academy
YDA Car
Wash
When: Monday, October 10 –
Columbus Day
Where:
Liberty Gas Station, 7501 Richmond Hwy.
(near Safeway)
Time: 10am – 3pm
For
more information, contact Cathie Grant-Goodman, YDA Director, cmgrantgoodm@fcps.edu
Easiest Fundraisers
Ever
Did you know that you can help the West Potomac
PTSA earn money simply by shopping at your favorite grocery and online
stores? By taking a few
minutes to register your accounts, the PTSA could earn hundreds of dollars to
be used toward programs that benefit all of our kids. Here’s all the information you need:
-
Amazon Smile – Amazon donates 0.5% of the price of
your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to the PTSA. Amazon Smile is the same as
Amazon. Same products, same
prices, same service. All
you have to do it log into smile.amazon.com and designate West Potomac High PTSA as
the group you would like to help and the school will start earning money. Just remember to log into AmazonSmile
when you shop, instead of Amazon.com.
-
Giant A+ -
Just log onto www.Giant.com/aplus to designate West Potomac, ID #02263, using your
Giant Card or call the A+ Hotline at 1-877-275-2758 for assistance. If you registered in
the past, please verify that West Potomac is still your designated
school. Don’t forget to
encourage your friends and family to register too.
-
Harris Teeter -
The next time you shop at Harris Teeter, give the cashier the West Potomac PTSA Account number 3602 and your VIC card will start earning
money for the school. The PTSA will receive 5% of the purchase price of
Harris Teeter brand prodcuts.
If you have any questions about these programs,
please contact Monica Mulvihill at monijeff@cox.net.
Parent Teacher Student Association Updates
Senior Parents – All Night Grad Meeting Tues., Oct.
11
There
will be a meeting regarding the All Night Grad Celebration on Tuesday, October 11th
at 7:00 p.m. in the school
Library. Many volunteers are needed for many committees, so
please attend the meeting. If you are unable to be at the meeting but
still want to help, please email Becky Chittal at nmcrfc@cox.net.
Next PTSA Meeting Monday, November 14
Join us Monday, November 14, at 6:30 in the library. Our
main topic will be WPHS Activities and Electives Programs.
2016-17 WPHS Directory • Ads on Sale Now
We have over 31 businesses returning with ads
for our 2016-2017 school directory. If you have a business or service you would
like to advertise to this busy community of over 2,000 families, please contact
Marilyn Aboff at Marilynaboff@yahoo.com.
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