Justice Newsletter - November 24, 2019

"It always seems impossible until it's done."  ~ Nelson Mandela


Sandy Evans Retirement Reception

A Note from Principal Eck

Dear Justice Families,              

              On Thursday, November 21st, Region 2 staff, families and students came together to celebrate Sandy Evans for her work on the FCPS school board for nearly a decade. The reception took place at Justice High School.

                We are looking forward to seeing our students on Monday, November 25 and Tuesday, November 26. As a reminder, Justice and all Fairfax County schools and offices will be closed for the Thanksgiving Break, Wednesday through Friday, November 27-29, 2019.  Classes will resume on Monday, December 2.

               Justice faculty respects the need for families to have time together over the holidays and extended breaks. We will follow the FCPS Holiday Breaks Homework Guidelines:

  • Students should not be assigned to complete work over school breaks.
  • No major assessments should be scheduled immediately upon return from break
  • The due dates of long-term assignments should not be scheduled immediately after the holiday break.

              We are thankful for your support and hope you can take time to enjoy your family and friends. 

              As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me or school staff. We are happy to help.


Staff/Student of the Month

Each month we nominate staff and students who demonstrate an International Baccalaureate (IB) Quality/Traits. This month we are featuring Balanced. Staff and students who are Balanced understand the importance of intellectual, physical and emotional balance to achieve personal well-being for themselves and others. If you would like to nominate a staff member or student, please email Maria Eck with your nomination. Please add a short descriptor of why you are nominating the person.  


Absences Add Up! Schedule Family Travel During School Breaks

Fairfax County Public Schools is required to keep track of student participation in school, through attendance reporting to the state of Virginia. You may have received one or more calls or electronic messages when your student did not arrive in class on time, or when the school was not notified that the student would be absent.

It is vital that parents access the school attendance phone line or attendance e-mail when they know that their students will miss school. Knowing the reason why students are absent helps school personnel understand if a specific reason (such as illness or family hardship) is keeping them out of school. 

When parents know that their students must be out for a specific period (more than a day), they can access and submit a prearranged absence form. This must be done at least three to five days in advance of the absence. This gives administrators and teachers time to consider the work, tests, and projects the student may need to turn in on the student’s return to school. Parents should avoid end-of-semester or end-of-course exam periods; state testing periods; etc., when making plans. Please make every effort to arrange travel during school breaks.

Absences add up, and research indicates that missing 10 percent of the school year, for any reason, can have a negative impact on student success. Learn more about FCPS’ attendance expectations.


Rising 9th Grade Orientation & HS Curriculum Night

The Justice HS Rising 9th Grade Parent Orientation & Curriculum Night will be held on Thursday, January 9th. Pre-orientation sessions for special populations will be held at 6:00 pm for parents interested in hearing more about the following topics: ESOL, IB/MYP, and Special Education. The full orientation will kick off at 6:30 pm and is geared towards providing information for Rising 9th grade students and parents. At 7:15, students and parents of all high school grade levels will have the opportunity to talk with teachers, department chairs, school counselors and administrators about course offerings, course requirements, and scheduling choices. In the event of inclement weather, the program will be held on Monday, January 13th. 


Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB)

Students in grades 10-12 have the opportunity to take the ASVAB Career Exploration test for FREE at school on Thursday, December 13, 2019, at 8:30 am in the Career Center. Sign up by December 6th in the College & Career Center or on Naviance under College Visits-ASVAB. The ASVAB is the most widely used multiple-aptitude test battery in the world and is administered by a military representative. The test is available to all students, regardless of whether or not they have an interest in a military career. It assesses a student's ability to learn new skills and is a predictor of success in training and education programs. It includes an interest inventory and other activities and resources designed to help students explore the world of work and gain confidence in making career decisions. For further information please go to http://www.asvabprogram.com. The library site has a study guide resource to assist with planning for the ASVAB. Please go to: ASVAB Prep. Results will be sent to JHS and will be distributed at a results/interpretive session. text.


Senior Transcripts/Letters of Recommendation

Students must turn in their transcript requests to the Student Services office 30 days in advance of the college deadline. Seniors need to be mindful of the impact of the upcoming winter break when counselors and teachers will not available from 12/23/19 - 01/05/20. Students with a January deadline must submit their requests by December 1st. Students who do not submit a transcript request prior to break will have their requests processed after break. As long as the student has submitted the application on time, most colleges will offer some leniency in the deadline for the documents that the school must provide. College application sites can sometimes become overloaded on submission deadline dates so students are encouraged to submit their applications as early as possible to avoid any glitches that may prevent the application from being received by the official deadline. These reminders are sent in an effort to avoid unnecessary stress. Please contact your child’s counselor if you have any questions.


Scholarships and Enrichment

Several new scholarships and opportunities have recently been posted. Please contact Alicia Grande for information.

New Scholarships Posted

  • National Society Daughters of the American Revolution American History – deadline Feb. 15, 2020
  • National Society Daughters of the American Revolution History Scholarship – deadline Feb. 15, 2020 
  • National Society Daughters of the American Revolution Nursing Scholarships – deadline Feb. 15, 2020 
  • Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. - Northern Virginia Alumnae Chapter Scholarship – deadline Feb. 21, 2020 
  • Stephen Bufton Memorial Educational Fund – deadline May 15, 2020 
  • Herb Block Scholarship – deadline July 7, 2020 
  • Patrick Henry Maddren Scholarship – deadline August 1, 2020 

 


Parent Resource Center Upcoming Workshops

Workshops from the FCPS Parent Resource Center in Dunn Loring:

  • Zones of Regulation, Thursday, December 5, 2019, 10 a.m.-noon.
  • Raising Children with High Self-Esteem in a High Pressure Culture, Friday, December 6, 2019, 10 a.m.-noon.
  • Twice Exceptional Students: What Parents Need to Know, Friday, December 13, 2019, 10 a.m.-noon.

fundraising

PTSA Armchair Fundraiser Give-A-Thon

From November 15 to December 15, the Justice HS PTSA needs your support

2019 ARMCHAIR FUNDRAISER GIVE-A-THON!

STAY HOME – KICK BACK – READ A BOOK – WATCH FOOTBALL

There’s no need to leave your house or your chair!

There are no items to purchase, no events to attend!

 

In this season of gratitude, we ask you to contribute using one of the donation levels below. YOUR DONATION IS 100% TAX DEDUCTIBLE.

100% of the proceeds will go to supporting the PTSA programs that benefit our Justice High School community! Our goal is to raise $6,000.

 

  • HOT COCOA LEVEL – $1000+: - Help us fund scholarships for college or trade school bound graduating seniors
  • TURKEY LEG LEVEL $500 - $999 - Help us supply snacks/supply items for Junior Focus day and Saturday morning SOL prep sessions
  • COZY SWEATER LEVEL $200 - $499 –Help us provide emergency food assistance, clothing, supplies, toiletries, for students in need
  • PECAN PIE LEVEL $100 - $199 - Help us contribute towards the purchase of supplies for students’ Capstone projects.
  • APPLE CIDER LEVEL $50 - $99 - Help us fund the purchase of software upgrades for student use
  • FALLING LEAVES LEVEL $25 - $49 - Help us fund student and club activities
  • PUMPKIN SPICE LEVEL $5 - $24 - Help us fund students participation fee to a science competition

 

Please contribute online by visiting our website www. https://justicehsptsa.org/, or go directly to the PTSA store https://shop.justicehsptsa.org.

 

You can also mail a check payable to Justice HS PTSA to the address below or drop off your check in the PTSA box in the school office.

 

Justice HS PTSA

Justice High School

3301 Peace Valley Lane

Falls Church VA 22044

                

Many employers sponsor matching gift programs and will match any charitable contributions or volunteer hours made by their employees. Find out if your employer will match your contribution. THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT!


Important Dates

November 27-29 - Thanksgiving Holiday

December 23 - January 3, 2020 Holiday (Winter Break) 

January 6 - Classes Resume 

January 20 - Holiday (Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday)

January 24 - End of Second Quarter

January 27 - Student Holiday (Teacher Workday)

January 28 - Student Holiday (Staff Development Day)

 

To view all of the Justice calendars (activities, schedules, etc.), please click here.

 


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