From the Principal
Family,
Well we made it through our first full week of synchronous distance learning and I was happy to hear and see that things went fairly well in those environments. Our teachers continue to work collaboratively from a distance to ensure that learning opportunities are equitable for our students and that we maintain that sense of community we have established over the course of the year. We all still wish that we were able to be in a face-to-face environment, but this is what we have right now, and we will continue to improve on where we are and to engage all students in this learning.
I know that there are many questions and concerns that both you and your children have around how things will close out at the end of the year and move forward in the fall. I am working with our high school principals across the county and with central office leadership on trying to come up with plans to be able to share with you all. In an effort to be as transparent as possible I want to share that, the majority of the answers to the questions you have are the same; “it depends”. But please know that regardless of what the question is, we have been working on them to have a reasonable solution to the problems and concerns.
I along with the rest of the admin team are planning a Virtual Parent Coffee for next week Wednesday (May 13). We are working on what would be the best time to do this that won’t impact classes as the student computer may be the only one in a family’s home and we want to try to allow as many families the opportunity to participate as possible. Please continue to be on the look out for more information this week about the coffee where we will solidify the logistics and the format.
Here is a bit of awesome academic news for you. This year we had three students who were selected for Governor’s School for World Languages as well as two others selected as alternates. The names of the students are below:
Selected Students:
Cameron (Bailey) Garber – Spanish
Claire Bryl – French
Laila Leak – Japanese
Alternates:
Meghan Pastino – Spanish
Prartha Shekar – French
This really is a huge deal, so congratulations to all of these outstanding students and best wishes in this fantastic experience!
The rest of this message is information that has been shared with principals to share with our communities. I apologize for the lack of “umph” in this message. I will do better next time.
Field Trip Refund Request Process
FCPS understands this is a difficult time financially for many of our families. The Department of Financial Services has received various inquiries from schools and parents about the refund process for canceled field trips due to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent school closures. Any field trip related reimbursements to FCPS are subject to contracts terms with travel brokers/vendors and non-refundable fees. These factors must be evaluated to determine potential balances available for refunds to students and parents.
Schools must settle each field trip with the travel broker/vendor to determine the amount (if any) available for field trip refunds. Once the available balance is confirmed, schools should distribute the Field Trip Refund Letter and Form to all students/parents that made payments in connection to the field trip. This letter requires:
- Parents to request a field trip refund by filling and submitting the form
- Parents may be given the option to donate funds to the school if a refund is not desired
Counseling, College and Career Distance Learning Resources for Seniors and Juniors
Both the Class of 2020 and Class of 2021 Next Steps Google sites are now being shared with students. The Class of 2021 Next Steps Google site is the second in a collection of college and career resources assembled by the College Success Program in collaboration with school staff and the Office of Counseling and College and Career Readiness.
The Google sites (linked below) will help seniors and juniors, as they begin to explore and develop their postsecondary plans. The links to the Class of 2020 and the Class of 2021 sites have been shared with the junior and Senior classes through their class Google Classroom pages, directors of student services (DSS), school counselors, career center specialists, and College Success Program (AVID, CPP, and EIP) staff. Please feel free to connect with these human resources for assistance. The parent site maps have been posted on the Blackboard Distance Learning Resource page under Counseling, College and Career Readiness. DSS have been provided additional information and tools to share these resources.
Class of 2021 Rising Seniors’ Next Steps, Class of 2021 College and Career Resources for Parents and/or Guardians
Class of 2020 Next Steps, Class of 2020 College and Career Resources for Parents and/or Guardians
Summer Learning 2020
Registration for the Credit Recovery Academy, Madison High School Summer Academy, and the Thomas Jefferson High School for Technology Summer Learning opportunities will be postponed until further notice.
Internet Access for Low Income Families in FCPS
Cox Connect2Compete supplies broadband internet access to low-income, unconnected families in Fairfax County. Households who meet income and other guidelines will be offered free Internet service through July 15, ($9.95 per month afterward), free modem rental, free installation, and a price guarantee for two years. Schools who are aware of families without internet access can share this resource with families. More information is available on the Cox website: https://www.cox.com/residential/internet/connect2compete.html To ensure all families in need have access to the Internet, FCPS MiFi delivery continues at elementary schools this week.
NOVA JumpStart Summer Program
This summer, Northern Virginia Community College will offer a selection of online, tuition-free classes to 3,500 Northern Virginia qualified students. Students must meet eligibility to apply for federal financial aid, meet placement requirements, and understand there may be textbooks or other material fees associated with courses. Since these classes are all online, students will need access to a computer and the Internet.
The online courses are not intended to replace any 2020-21 classes for which students are already registered at their high school. The program provides an accelerated opportunity to earn transferable college only credits.
Details about the JumpStart Summer Program including placement requirements and material fees can be found Here.
Family, please continue to encourage your children to actively participate in the distance learning platform. Their presence will not only help them, but also help their peers as well. We all need to be in this together! Thank you once again for your support and your patience. They are both very much appreciated! #OneStallion
Gary
Advanced Placement (AP)
Testing Updates
As previously announced, traditional face-to-face AP exams will not take place this school year. To prepare for the 2020 online AP exams, students will be accessing lessons, tools and review resources provided by their AP teacher during distance learning, as well as those provided by the AP program. For details, AP students and parents are encouraged to access recently published AP Testing and Instruction Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for Students, Parents and Staff.
The College Board emailed each AP student relevant AP testing information on Monday, April 13; therefore, it is important that students check the email associated with their College Board account. If a student has not received this email, they should contact their school’s AP Testing Coordinator or AP teacher(s). Students will be able to take online AP exams with College Board approved accommodations such as extended time automatically. Additional details are available through this link.
In order to continue to receive communication from the College Board about this year’s online exams and to receive communication from the College Board beyond high school, it is important for students to use a personal email (and not their @fcpsschools.net email) in their College Board account. Students should login to their College Board account and change their email in their AP profile. For instructions on how to verify/update your College Board email address, please see the document below:
Verifying your Student Account Email Address.pdf
Students may need to update their personal email account settings to allow messages from collegeboard@e.collegeboard.org.
Please email Mr. Bird, AP Test Coordinator, at cwbird@fcps.edu with any further questions.
 Don't miss your chance to purchase a yard sign honoring your graduating senior! The deadline to order has been extended to Sunday, May 3. Signs are $15 and may be purchased from https://southcountyptso.membershiptoolkit.com/form/m/91168
Signs are expected to be available by May 18.
Mental Health Resources | 24/7 Emergency Numbers
If you are in crisis, text NEEDHELP to 85511, call 1-800-273-TALK, or dial 911; TTY dial 711
CrisisLink Regional Hotline: 703-527-4077 (CrisisLink is a hotline for individuals in crisis or family/friends seeking guidance for how to help a loved one)
Dominion Hospital Assessment and Referral Line: 703-536-2000
Inova Emergency Services: 703-289-7560
Mobile Crisis Unit: 1-844-627-4747
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK or 1-800-SUICIDE
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