 Dear
West Potomac Community—
It’s
hard to believe that the month of January and the first semester are ending this
week. We certainly enjoyed the recently rare full five-day school week. Our students complimented their academic focus for the end of
the quarter with a variety of exciting school activities. Some notable examples
include Wednesday afternoon when our cafeteria was filled with intellectual
curiosity as over 400 ninth graders presented their science fair projects to
Advanced Placement (AP) science students and teachers. Many of those strongest
entries will go onto our schoolwide fair on the upcoming teacher workday. We next
celebrated senior nights for wrestling and gymnastics while our basketball
teams continued delighting us with their outstanding seasons. Beyond the
Page Theatre launched its popular winter play, Night of the Living Dead, inclusive of amazing makeup and special
effects such as a splash zone in the front of the Kogelman Theater. Finally, on
Friday night our Youth Development Academy (YDA) and World Languages and
English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Departments collaborated on an
amazing “Around the World in One Night” cultural celebration.
As we
reach the midpoint of the year, we are excited to have seniors begin reporting
news of early college admissions and plans for next year. We are so proud of
what the Class of 2017 has and continues to accomplish. We also will continue
engaging underclassmen with conversations and decisions about the courses they
want to take during the 2017-2018 school year. We remain adamant that our students
involve their parents as key players in the course selection process. Parents,
you know your children’s talents, dreams, and aspirations best. As such, your
voices are critical to help us ensure course selections align with your children’s
long-term goals.
Please
note that we will dismiss school two hours early this upcoming Friday, February
3, 2017 and that Monday, February 6, 2017 is a student holiday for teacher
grading. The FCPS Weekly Progress
Reports will not be sent between Thursday, February 2 and Sunday, February 12 as
during the time that second quarter grading is being completed and report cards
are being generated. Additionally, the
gradebook module in ParentVUE and StudentVUE will be closed from Friday, February
3 at noon through Tuesday, February 7 at 6 a.m.
It is
a great time to be a West Potomac Wolverine!
Sincerely,
Alexander
B. Case
Principal
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School
News
Night of the Living Dead at
WPHS
Beyond the Page
Theatre Company returns this iconic thriller to West Potomac. The story follows
characters Ben, Barbra and five others trapped in a rural farmhouse in Western
Pennsylvania, which is attacked by a large and growing group of unnamed
"living dead" monsters. This performance is not for the faint of heart.
It is a true horror film come to life. The show runs January 28 and
February 2, 3, 4. Buy your tickets in advance – click here for show times and
ticket sales.
Dance Team Heading to Nationals
The Varsity Dance Team qualified after a week-long audition last
summer to compete at the UDA National Dance Team Championship at the Walt Disney
Resort in Orlando, Feb. 3-5, 2017. They've been working very hard with
professional choreographers to learn two difficult and technical dances while
also meeting high academic standards, fundraising over $30,000 for competition
and travel fees, and fulfilling their role as spirited supporters and
entertainers at football games, basketball games, and community events. The
Dance Team thanks the athletic department, WABC, WPHS staff and administrators,
their parents and coaches, their choreographers, and everyone who has supported
them on this journey. If you want to catch their spirit, just click here for an
awesome video.
Wolverines Represent
West Potomac at District Band
A whopping 29 of West Potomac’s band students qualified for
District Band, which will take place this Thursday through Saturday. These
top musicians will join those from other schools for three days of rehearsal,
instruction, and enrichment, which will culminate in a wonderful concert
performance on Saturday at Hayfield. The road to District Band
includes a challenging audition: the students perform in a room where judges
behind a curtain evaluate them. They play one prepared piece, and they’re given
a brand-new piece to sight-read on the spot. They know they’ll have to perform
scales, but they never know which ones the judges will throw at them. Just
getting through the audition is challenging, so congratulations to the 100+
students who tried out!
Save the
Date: Free Flight and RC Fun Fly February 5
Please add us to your calendars
and spread the word -- hope to see you there! For more info, please
click here to visit our event site.
Student Services ISO
Volunteers for Paw Prints
We have a special request for volunteers: As part of the Renaissance school culture improvement program,
teachers need a healthy stock of Paw Prints (our school reward
currency). A challenge has been to ensure we have enough paw prints copied
and cut and ready for teachers to give to deserving students. We are
looking for two volunteers on Friday mornings (maybe two hours or so) to ensure
our “mint” is fully stocked by copying and cutting the Paw Prints for the
week's awards. Morning hours (10-12) are ideal but we are flexible. Please
click here to add your name to the sign-up.
College
& Career Center (CCC) News
Upcoming Events
-
February
7: GAP YEAR FAIR at George C. Marshall
High School, 7-9:00 pm Fair
will offer the opportunity for interested students/parents to have face-to-face
conversations with GAP YEAR program providers, trip leaders, advisors and GAP
YEAR alumni.
-
February
18: Alfred Street Baptist Church HBCU College Festival at T.C. Williams High
School, 3330 King Street, Alexandria VA.
Over 70 colleges and universities will be present to speak with
interested students. Some schools will offer on-site admissions and waive
application fees. Click here for more
information.
-
March
14: Mark your calendars for the “College Planning Night for Juniors and
Parents”. Panel
of college admissions representatives will present information on the college
admissions process, SAT/ACT tests, community college option and financial
aid/scholarships. Stay tuned for more details.
-
March
16: Military Service and ROTC Night, 6:30-8:00 pm, Edison HS
-
March
29: Northern Virginia Regional College Fair, 6:30-9:00 pm, EagleBank Arena
(formerly the Patriot Center) on the George Mason University Fairfax Campus
-
March
29: Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Test (ASVAB) opportunity for WPHS
juniors and seniors, 8:30 am, in the College & Career Center. Students must register to take the test.
Financial Aid
West
Potomac High School Financial Aid Champion Now Available to assist in
completing the 2017-2018 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and
the CSS Profile. Mr. Dale Schmidt is
available to meet with students and parents/guardians throughout the year in
the College & Career Center. You may also email Mr. Schmidt to schedule an
appointment: drschmidt@fcps.edu. Mr. Schmidt will be
in the CCC from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm February 2, 7, 9, 13, 15, 22 and 28.
Scholarship 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 bottom of page.
This site is updated weekly and students are ENCOURAGED to review on a
regular basis as deadline dates are critical.
Did
you know scholarships may be available through colleges and universities?
Students searching for scholarships also need to review college websites for
scholarship information. Best practice is
to look under Admissions and/or Financial Aid for each school. If you need help, please come to the College
and Career center for assistance.
Military Information
Interested in a Military career
after high school graduation? Military
Services representatives will be available to speak with interested students
during lunch blocks on the following days.
- US Air Force: 1st
Thursday of every month
- US Army and VA Army National Guard: 2nd
Thursday of every month
- US Marine Corps: 1st
Wednesday of every month
- US Navy: 3rd Wednesday of
every month
US Naval Academy Summer Program
The United States Naval Academy Summer Seminar is a
fast-paced, six-day experience for high achievers who have completed their
junior year in high school. Summer Seminar teaches you about life at the Naval
Academy, where academics, athletics, and professional training play equally
important roles in developing our nation's leaders. If you think that you may
be interested in pursuing an appointment to one of the nation's service
academies and serving your country as an officer, you should seriously consider
attending the Naval Academy's Summer Seminar. Click here for details.
Interested in Summer 2017 Enrichment Programs?
…visit the College & Career
Center for more information.
College
Test Prep Opportunities
SAT/ACT
Information
SAT/ACT
Prep Classes and Mock Test schedule now available for winter 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.
Winter/Spring 2017 Mock (Practice)
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: WPHS student 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. Online registration closes at midnight,
the Wednesday before the test.
2017 Dates Mock Tests Class Code
Sat-2/11, 9:00a SAT Mock M233474
Sat-2/11, 9:00a ACT Mock M232587
Sat-2/25, 9:00a SAT Mock M239185
Sat-2/25, 9:00a ACT Mock M239196
Sat-3/18, 9:00a SAT Mock M233475
Sat-3/18, 9:00a ACT Mock M232590
Sat-3/25, 9:00a SAT Mock M239184
Sat-3/25, 9:00a ACT Mock M239197
Sat-5/6, 9:00a SAT Mock M239187
Sat-5/6, 9:00a ACT Mock M239198
Winter 2017 Test Prep Classes
Register online at Applerouth.com
with class code.
2017 Classes:
Start Date End Date Class Class
Code
Sat-2/25/17 Sat-5/20/17 SAT (Prep for 6/3 official SAT) SAT3027
Sat-2/25/17 Sat-6/3/17 ACT (Prep for 6/10 official ACT) ACT302
Online registration closes at midnight, the Tuesday before class
starts.
PTSA
Program Manager – Marilyn Aboff, marilynaboff@yahoo.com
Liz Carter, WPHS College & Career Center, eecarter@fcps.edu
Activities
News
West
Potomac Sports January 31 – February 4
Basketball
Girls (FR, JV, V) Tue, 1/31 @
Lake Braddock HS; 4:30, 5:45, 7:15
Girls (FR) Thu, 2/2 @ Mt. Vernon HS; 4:30
Girls (JV, V) Fri 2/3 vs. Mt. Vernon HS; 4:30, 5:45
Boys (FR, JV, V) Tue, 1/31 vs.
Lake Braddock HS; 4:30, 5:45, 7:15
Boys (FR, JV) Thu, 2/2 @
Mt. Vernon HS; 5:45, 7:15
Boys (V) Fri, 2/3 vs. Mt. Vernon HS; 7:30
Gymnastics Thu, 2/2 Conference Tournament at WPHS, 5:00
Indoor Track Wed,
2/1 Conference Tournament @
Episcopal HS 5:30 --
Field Events, 3200 Relay
Sat, 2/4 Conference Tournament @ Episcopal HS
7:30 am --
Running Finals
Wrestling
Varsity Wrestling Fri, 2/3 Conference Tournament; Time and Place TBD
For
the most current news in West Potomac athletics, please check the athletics website.
Parent
Teacher Student Association Updates
FCPS
School Board Budget Meeting
Monday, January 30, Jackson Middle School
WPHS
PTSA President Sue Capper is signed up to speak at the FCPS School
Board Jan. 30 FY 2018 Advertised Budget meeting. With the
support of the PTSA executive board, Sue will ask the school board to consider
limiting class sizes and not cutting funds for this line item. We have three
senior leadership students who have also signed up and will be speaking for
West Potomac High School, which is already at over-capacity. The meeting is at Jackson Middle School,
3020 Gallows Road, Falls Church, at 6:00 pm. Join us! Lend your support
and let your voice be heard.
PTSA
Meeting Monday, February 13
The next PTSA meeting is February
13, and the topic is Academic Advising/Graduation Requirements.
FCPS Calendar Reminder
End of Second
Quarter: Friday,
February 3, 2017
Fundraising
Information
Live
Music: WPHS Guitar Fundraiser at Primo January 30
West
Potomac Guitar will be holding a restaurant fundraiser at Primo Restaurant
on Monday, January 30, from 5 to 7 p.m. The cost is $10 per
person, cash only, for unlimited pizza and soda. Guitar students will be
playing covers and original music for your dining pleasure.
Support Girls
Basketball at Chipotle, Monday, February 13
Grab dinner at Chipotle Monday, Feb. 13. The girls basketball
team earns 50% of the store's profits that night. Thank you, Chipotle!
Support
the Class of 2018 Bake Sale at Basketball Games
To
raise money for this year's prom, the Class of 2018 is hosting two bake sales
before/during the home varsity basketball games this week.
- Tuesday, January
31: Boys Varsity vs. Lake Braddock, 7:15
- Friday, February
3: Doubleheader! Boys and Girls Varsity, 5:45 and 7:15
Donations
are being requested for both sales: homemade cookies and brownies, or
store-bought cookie dough the day before the bake sales. (They're requesting
cookies and brownies only for portability and pricing reasons.) Also, in
consideration of our many students and faculty with allergies, please ensure
all donated goods are peanut-free. As Friday's event is a doubleheader,
they're looking for even more items for that sale.
Donations
can be brought to the main office by 2:30 on Tuesday and Friday, or comment in
the Sign-up if you need alternate arrangements. Of course, we encourage
everyone to come out to the games and enjoy some great basketball and support
the bake sales! Go, Wolverines, go! Click
here to sign up for your donation and support the Class of 2018. Thank you!
Wolverine Green: Open
for Business
We invite you to come out and enjoy the WG space – there is plenty
of seating. We have added the elements of air and space to be included in our learning
island. Three benches will be installed next week, along with Stephan
Winkleman's Hexagon Tree Bench, located near the Rock. Thank you to the PTSA
for the two Wolverine benches and to Nancy Indelicato for the water element
bench. We have six more element benches up for grabs at $1,500 each: earth,
fire, air, wood, metal, space. Chip in with neighbors and friends and claim one
as your own. Not interested in a bench but would like to help? We're accepting
donations now! Anything you can give is appreciated. All proceeds go to making
the Wolverine Green beautiful and livable for the entire West Potomac
community. Click here to make your donation online.
Get the Green in the Green
We are busy planning
West Potomac's first Earth Day celebration and the debut of the Wolverine Green
– our plans include digging in the dirt and planting a Virginia native habitat.
After our successful service project last Veterans Day with the Travis Manion
Foundation Veterans group, we are fortunate to be partnering with them once
again for our Earth Day celebration Saturday, April 22. Stay tuned for more
details to come.
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.
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