Important Upcoming Dates
September 25 - PTSA Meeting
September 27 - Homecoming football game
September 28 - Homecoming Dance 8:00-11:00
October 9 - Wellness Wednesday
October 14 - Columbus Day - Student Holiday
October 16 - PSAT day 10/11 graders/High School Transition Day - 9th graders
November 1 - 1st quarter ends
November 4 & 5 - Student Holidays
National Merit Semi-Finalists
Congratulations to our National Merit Semi-finalists! Flavia Carcani, Benjamin Hacker, Hyohyun Jung, Allison Lai, Sarah Levy, Priya Shah and Ashley Xing!
 Pictured left to right: Allison Lai, Ashley Xing, Flavia Carcani, Benjamin Hacker, Hyohyun Jung, Priya Shah, Sarah Levy
General Information
PSAT Day - General Information
- The PSAT will be administered to 10th and 11th grade students on Wednesday, October 16th.
- No registration is required. The PSAT is *free* for all 10th and 11th grade FCPS students.
- PSAT day is an early release day for students (1:05).
- PSAT practice materials can be found online at www.collegeboard.org. 10th and 11th grade students will also receive a “PSAT Student Guide + Practice Test” via English classes.
- PSAT testing locations will be emailed to FCPS Gmail accounts in early October.
- Students will need number 2 pencils and a calculator.
- Please contact Mr. Bouchard (rabouchard@fcps.edu) for PSAT/College Board accommodation requests.
- FCPS is no longer administering the PSAT 8/9. 9th grade students will participate in a high school transition program on October 16th.
PSAT Pre-Survey
At the beginning of the PSAT, students are presented with a voluntary pre-survey that asks questions about a variety of topics. Parents have the opportunity to preview this survey, and to opt out, if they choose to do so. Parents/guardians may view the pre-survey questions and access further information about the opt-out process via the “PSAT Pre-Survey Opt-Out Policy” public webpage at: https://www.fcps.edu/node/36639. Pre-survey opt-out forms must be returned to Sara Wheeler, Assessment Coach, McLean High School by Friday, September 28, 2018. If you choose to opt your student out of the pre-survey, please be sure your student knows they should not answer the pre-survey questions at the beginning of the test.
PSAT Day Opportunities for Seniors
On October 16th, MHS will host two optional activities for 12th grade students:
- College Essay Writing assistance with English 12 teachers in the MHS Library from 8:30-11:30 - by appointment only.
- College Application assistance with Mrs. Venos (McLean’s College and Career Specialist) in the Career Center from 8:30 -10:00 (drop-ins welcome).
Lock-down Drills in September
In the month of September, our school will conduct two lock-down drills. Per Virginia State code - “In every public school there shall be a lock-down drill at least twice during the first 20 school days of each school session, in order that students may be thoroughly practiced in such drills. Every public school shall hold at least two additional lock-down drills during the remainder of the school session. Lock-down plans and drills shall be in compliance with the Statewide Fire Prevention Code (§ 27-94 et seq. ).”
The school will send out a message to every parent minutes prior to the lockdown drill being conducted.
Homecoming Information
The theme for Homecoming is Candy Land!
The dance is Saturday, September 28th from 8:00-11:00 pm. Tickets will be sold on My School Bucks for $20.00, and no tickets will be sold at the door. Once tickets have been purchased on My School Bucks, students should bring their receipt to Ms. McNamara or Ms. Donoghue to pick up a physical ticket. Guest forms are available in the main office and in Ms. McNamara’s and Ms. Donoghue’s rooms (B175 & B177).
Spirit Days:
Monday- Aloha Almond Joy (Hawaiian)
Tuesday- Sleepy Skittles (comfy outfits)
Wednesday- Jolly Rancher Jersey (jerseys)
Thursday- Taste the Rainbow (tie dye)
Friday- Class Colors
Tuff Puff game is on Wednesday, September 25th at 6:30.
Homecoming football game is on Friday, September 27th at 7:00. Homecoming royalty will be announce at half time.
VISION AND HEARING SCREENING – 10th GRADERS AND NEW TO FCPS STUDENTS
10/3 and 10/4--- Wednesday, Oct. 9th and Thursday Oct. 10th, we will be conducting our Vision and Hearing Screening in the Lecture Hall. All 10th graders and any new to FCPS in 9th, 11th, and 12th will be screened. Students who wear glasses/contacts need to bring/wear them on those days.
If you are interested in volunteering anytime on either or both of these days, please use the “Sign Up Genius” link below to put your name in the time slots that you would be available.
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090F4DADA82EA7FD0-hearing4/4531557
You may also contact Julie Gamboa, School Health Aide by e-mailing her at jgamboa@fcps.edu.
Wellness Wednesdays Continues
Join your PTSA Wellness Committee and fellow parents at 8:30 am on Wednesdays at Greenberry's in McLean. On September 18 we will talk about how parents can use ParentVUE (the online gradebook) as a tool to support our students without creating anxiety about grades. We will also discuss ways to incorporate a growth mindset in our everyday interactions with our kids.
Mark your calendars for our next formal parent coffee on Wednesday, October 9 at 8:30 am at TheStudyPro in McLean. Nick Corsi will again lead the session, this time providing Sources of Strength training for parents. Find more information about Sources of Strength here.
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.
Parking Update
We are still working on our parking issue and will hopefully it resolved by early this next week. We thank you for your patience.
Request to Expunge High School Course Taken in Middle School – Current 9th Grade Students Only
Parents of students who take a high school credit-bearing course in middle school may request that the grade be omitted from the student’s high school transcript and the student not earn high school credit for the course. Parents must make this request no later than the end of the first nine weeks of the school year following completion of the course. For courses completed in 8th grade, parents of current freshmen must make the request no later than the end of the first quarter. Once expunged, a course cannot be reinstated. The Request to Expunge form must be completed to make this request. Please contact your child’s school counselor if you would like to discuss expunging a course.
Free and Reduced Meals Application
The Free and Reduced Meals application is now online. Families must re-apply every year to receive this service. More information and a link to the application can be found at: https://www.fcps.edu/resources/student-safety-and-wellness/food-and-nutrition-programs/free-and-reduced-price-meals. Please also complete the consent to share information (section 4 of the application) as this can allow the school to waive course fees and receive reduced fees for other activities. If families do not re-apply their number will be inactivated in early October.
FCPS Workshops for Parents
9/20/19 Getting Past Procrastination: How to Get Your Kids Organized, Focused, and Motivated...Without Being the Bad Guy
Like any parent, you want your child to succeed. The problem is, otherwise smart and capable kids frequently find themselves stuck in a tumultuous, never-ending struggle with procrastination, motivation, and organization.
Join us for this workshop to learn how to:
- Discover the hidden emotional causes of procrastination
- Put good behavior on autopilot using the power of habit
- Use “The Organizational Arsenal”: Tools and strategies to keep even the most scattered kids on track
- Use examples of scripts to spark motivation, address problems, and communicate with your child without being labeled the “Bad Guy.”
Presented by Ann Dolin, M.Ed., educational consultant and award-winning author. Ann is the President and Director of Educational Connections, Inc.
Friday, September 20 2019 10 a.m.-noon - location Parent Resource Center, Dunn Loring
Register for Getting Past Procrastination: How to Get Your Kids Organized, Focused, and Motivated...Without Being the Bad Guy
The sixth annual FCPS Mental Health and Wellness Conference will be held on Saturday, October 5th, at Fairfax High School from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m, sponsored by Inova. The morning session will focus on social and emotional learning, with a keynote address given by Dr. Marc Brackett, founding director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence.
A special session for high school students, the Our Minds Matter Teen Summit, will take place in the morning as well. Attendees are encouraged to stay for Inova’s Act on Addiction Summit, which will be held from 12:30 to 4 p.m.
More information is available at the Mental Health and Wellness Conference website.
FCPS Cares
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Do you know a McLean High School or FCPS employee who does ordinary things in an extraordinary way or goes beyond what is expected? If so, then click here to share with everyone. |
 Field Hockey competed in the Lake Braddock Invitational.
My School Bucks
Learn more about this online payment portal for many school fees. Parents can set up an account which they link their student(s) to so there is one account per family. Course fees, lunch funds, some ticket events can be taken care of online. MySchoolBucks eliminates the need for students to carry cash to school and for multiple checks to be written. Learn more and sign up at https://www.myschoolbucks.com/ver2/login/getmain?requestAction=home
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