August 28, 2019
Your Source for News about the Highlander Community
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Wellness Wednesdays Begin September 4
Mark your calendars for our first Wellness Wednesday for Parents! We’ll meet on September 4 at 8:30 am at The StudyPro (6849 Old Dominion Dr #200, McLean). Nick Corsi, Systems of Support Administrator at MHS, will discuss all of the support available to students at McLean. Members of the Safe Community Coalition will also join us to discuss community-wide resources available to help you and your students succeed. To wrap up the discussion, we will ask parents to exchange ideas and resources that have been helpful for their families. Also beginning September 4 the Wellness Committee will be providing fun, stress-busting activities for the students during all lunches on Wednesdays.
PTSA Membership, Directory, and Fundraiser
 Welcome back to school! Late last week we sent out details about verifying your contact information, PTA membership, and our direct donation fundraiser, all in one step! It came from AtoZ Connect under the name "McLean Directory." Please check your spam folder.
Since the direct donation fundraiser is our ONLY annual fundraiser, we're hoping to start out the year right with full coffers for many of the things we do! While we are happy with a donation in any amount, we suggest $100 per student (less than current middle and elementary school levels!). New this year we are offering a McLean HS car magnet for donations at the $100 giving level. All donations are tax-deductible.
As a reminder, PTSA memberships are annual, so you'll need to rejoin each year. If you join by October 1, you'll receive a copy of the school directory mailed to your home.
Last Week for Safeway Fundraiser
McLean High School is partnering with Safeway Foundation and the Safeway store located at 1688 Anderson Rd., McLean, VA to raise funds to Support our growing population through purchases of furniture and equipment to modernize classrooms and accommodate temporary classroom trailers.
During the month of August, you can show your school spirit by making a monetary donation at the 1688 Anderson Road Safeway location. All funds raised by Safeway Foundation and this store will be donated to McLean High School.
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How Can I Stay in the Know?
This newsletter + the MHSPTA website + we've recently started sharing more information on Facebook and Twitter. Check us out--we're @ptsamclean for both!
(Also, if you have left the school, you might like to update your subscription information. Only you have access to your subscription information.)
And, we'd love to see you in person! Please come a little early or stay a little after Back to School Night and stop by PTSA table to get information about upcoming events, join the PTSA and make a donation, learn about the directory, parent coffees, volunteer needs (big and small).
Upcoming Candidate Forums for School Board Members and Other Local Officials
While the news media is focused on the 2020 presidential election, we have an election this fall that will have a big impact on our day-to-day lives. November 5 will be the biggest local election we’ve had in four years, with these offices on the ballot:
- All Members of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors (Nine)
- Chair of the Board of Supervisors for Fairfax County (One)
- FCPS District School Board Members (nine) and At-Large Members (three)
- Fairfax County Soil and Water Conservation District Directors (three)
- Commonwealth’s Attorney for Fairfax County and Fairfax City (One)
- Fairfax County Sheriff (One)
- Virginia General Assembly State Senators (nine) and House of Delegates Members (17)
The Fairfax County Council PTA is partnering with the League of Women Voters and 14 other non-partisan organizations to present Candidate Forums where citizens can ask questions, learn about local issues and meet the candidates in person.(The PTA does not take part in political campaigns or support individual candidates, but is committed to helping ensure parents' voices are heard.) One upcoming forum is as follows:
At-Large School Board, FCPS School Board and Chair of the Board of Supervisors Candidate Forum
- Monday, September 23, 2019, 7:00 PM - 9:30 PM
- Fairfax County Government Center
All of the other forums currently scheduled can be found here.
Adult Volunteers Needed for McLean Ethics Day
The McLean Ethics Day Committee is excited to open adult volunteer registration for Senior Ethics Day to be held on Tuesday, September 10, 2019! Parents of all grade levels are welcome to take part as the Class of 2020 devotes a day to workshopping ethical decision-making for life after high school. To find out more or to register for an opportunity assist to our seniors as they prepare for the next chapter of their lives, click HERE.
If you have questions about the workshop or would like to make a financial contribution towards this annual event for seniors, please contact co-chairs Melissa Sporn and Erica Glembocki.
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Library Volunteers Needed
Do you love libraries and books? Would you like to get a sneak peek into the awesome MHS library? Do you have an hour every other week to work with our amazing library staff? If you said yes to these questions, then we have the volunteer opportunity for you. Please message Petrina LeBlanc at petrinam1@aol.com for details.
Vaping - Even More Dangerous than Previously Thought
The University of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Poison Center recently issued a statement cautioning that vaping, which has grown in popularity with young adults, is a suspected cause of lung injury. See their easy-to-digest Q&A, which explains exactly what vaping is, its growing use, and why parents and teens should be aware of its dangers.
All Night Grad Party Volunteers Needed
McLean's All Night Grad Party (ANGP) will be held the night of June 2 this year. We had two fabulous cochairs last year who are ready to pass along their binders! Pick a friend and plan the event that over 60% of seniors attend. There are a number of volunteer positions, but unless we have cochairs, we cannot hold the event at all. Please contact Sue Ellen Beggs for more information.
ISO Volunteers for PTSA Grants Committee
The PTSA Grants Committee seeks to fund programs/items that enhance the learning experience at McLean High School and needs parents, particularly parents of incoming freshmen, to help review these grant applications from the MHS faculty and staff. The time commitment is minimal, with two meetings per year, once in the fall and once in the winter. Please note that committee members are required to be a MHS PTSA member during the 2019-2002 school year. If you are interested in participating in this year's committee and/or you have questions, please contact Heather Kimmel, Committee Chair. Thank you!
Clubs and Academic Teams at McLean
McLean – a place where everyone belongs!
From competitive academic teams to fun social clubs, McLean High School has you covered. Our active Wellness Committee can help students find their niche at our school.
As the class schedules and athletics fill the calendar, make sure to include time for the many clubs, societies, and academic teams offered at McLean! McLean has over 100 opportunities to get involved. Some teams are highly organized while others are more free-form; still others may be inactive and are just looking for fresh interest to begin again. Some are highly competitive; others are open to all.
Students: look for after school activities this fall to expand on the skills you have already developed. Or, check out a completely new club. Can’t find an existing opportunity that interests you? Start one! Check out how to do this.
Parents: all these great activities at the high school are run by students. As such, our students are developing great leadership, communication, and organizational skills. These are valuable tools which will help them as they move on from high school. But, please be patient: it’s a process…these aren’t skills learned overnight.
We believe engaged students are healthy students, and our Wellness Committee is here to help every student find a place where they belong. If you’d like to get involved on the parent side of things, or are concerned your student isn’t finding a place to fit, feel free to email the Wellness Committee to find out how to support your student.
Resources for Parents Related to Special Education
The FCPS Parent Resource Center (PRC) helps parents of students with disabilities. It sponsors workshops, has a lending library, and has Parent Liaisons to help parents solve problems. The PRC provides services relating to twice exceptional students, special needs life planning, parent stress, post-secondary education, resource fairs for students, access to support groups for students and adults, and many more! Click HERE for the PRC's latest list of events and activities.
Back to School Clothes? Supplies? Getting ready for college? We need your Amazon points!
Simply bookmark: http://www.amazon.com/?tag=mcleanhs.20
And use the link to access Amazon BEFORE you add items to your cart. Items that are left in your cart for 24 hours or more do not qualify. To save items to purchase later, please use your Wish List. Every purchase counts! Thank you!
Reflections Arts Program –Explore the Arts and Express Yourself
For 50 years, National PTA’s Reflections program has helped students explore their own thoughts, feelings and ideas, develop artistic literacy, increase confidence and find a love for learning that will help them become more successful in school and in life.
The theme for the 2019-2020 program year is Look Within. Students submit their completed works of art in one or all of the available arts categories: Dance Choreography, Film Production, Literature, Music Composition, Photography, Visual Arts. Look for posters and announcements in the fall regarding submission information and deadlines. Several MHS students won awards last year.
Student winners from the local level have the opportunity to move up through their district, region, and state PTA programs to the national level. Questions? Email sliberatore@nvcc.edu for more information.
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