In this Issue

1. Message from Dr. Floyd
2. Return to School - Deadline July 10th
3. Social Justice Book Club
4. Mental Wellness Consultations
5. Social Studies Curriculum Changes
6. HBCU Undergraduate Panel Opportunity
7. Yearbook Distribution - July 23rd
8. Summer Contact Information
9. Subscribe to the Woodson Weekly

1. Message from Dr. Floyd

Happy Independence Day Woodson Families: 

As many of you are aware, Dr. Brabrand sent out a letter (found here) to the community outlining plans for our return to school in the fall.  The entire presentation to the school board is located here.  A dedicated web page is set up where additional details about Reopening of School plans are posted here which includes Frequently Asked Questions for families.  In addition, Dr. Brabrand will have a Virtual town hall meeting on Monday, July 6th at 6:30PM.

Families have the option of sending their students to school two days a week with two days a week of asynchronous instruction or opting to remain 100% virtual (4 days a week).  In both cases, Monday’s are reserved for students who may need additional help/resources and teacher planning. 

Schools may be able to offer more than two days of in person instruction but this will depend on the number of students requesting face-to-face instruction and our ability to do so while meeting all social distancing and health department guidelines effectively.  Students who wish to come in for face-to-face instruction would be grouped so that each class meeting is within the CDC and Fairfax County Health Department guidelines and allows us to socially distance to the greatest extent possible in the classrooms.  Students will have to eat lunch in classrooms and will pass one another in the hallways between classes. 

All students and staff in the school will be required to wear masks unless there is a medical reason for not doing so.  I will be looking at our current school footprint and will be working throughout the summer to identify additional spaces throughout the building that we can utilize for teaching spaces so that we ensure the safety of students and staff.  

In a letter sent to families via email on Monday, families were asked to select the type of learning option that best meets the needs of their family.  These preferences must be collected by all families by Friday, July 10.  This deadline is crucial, please make sure you complete this from FCPS.  Without it, we will be unable to plan accordingly.  The number of students opting for face-to-face instruction vs. virtual will drive our staffing model and our ability to design appropriate schedules for students.    

We understand that for many families this may present as a difficult decision to make. As a school, we will continue to provide as many details as we have available through communications to ensure that you feel you are able to make the most informed decision.  We take safety and health precautions very seriously, and I will share those measures as they unfold. 

To create a master schedule for the 2020-2021 school year based on these preferences will be a huge undertaking, and one that we have not done before. But we are up for the task ahead!  The information from the community and staff will drive all of these decisions and we will work as fast as possible to provide updates as it relates to your student’s schedule.  I thank you in advance for your patience as we continue to navigate through this new development.

Stay healthy, safe and connected,
Dr. Floyd

2. Return to School

An email was sent from FCPS to families Monday, June 29th, with instructions for selecting the type of learning option that best meets the needs of their family.  These preferences must be collected by all families by Friday, July 10.  This deadline is crucial, please make sure you complete this from FCPS.  Without it, we will be unable to plan accordingly.  The number of students opting for face-to-face instruction vs. virtual will drive our staffing model and our ability to design appropriate schedules for students.    

For the coming year, parents and caregivers have two learning options for their students:

• Full-time online instruction OR
• In-person instruction with social distancing in our school buildings.

To help staff plan, parents and caregivers need to commit to one of these options for the entire 2020-21 school year for each child.  If health conditions improve that would allow FCPS to resume in-person instruction for all students, we would reassess FCPS's operating status at that time.

Central Office has been hearing that some families are experiencing difficulties with accessing the portal to select their enrollment option for the fall.  Please see below for the requirements for parent to be able to complete the “Return to School – Enrollment Options” or “Survey”. The email went out to anyone that was listed as Parent/Guardian.

• Link:https://www.fcps.edu/enroll2020
• Only the enrolling parent can fill it out (if it’s not the enrolling parent, they will receive a “username or password incorrect…” message.
• Need Student ID to complete the survey.
• Parent email must match Enrolling Parent Primary Email. 

Responses are due by Friday, July 10, 2020.  If no response is received, the student will automatically be enrolled for in-person instruction for the year.

3. Social Justice Book Club

The Equity Committee will like to invite you to join our Social Justice Book Club along with our faculty. At your earliest convenience, please complete the Social Justice survey to help up with planning purposes. Please let Dr. Hewan know if you have any questions at gkhewan@fcps.edu.

4. Mental Wellness Consultations

The FCPS Office of Intervention and Prevention Services will continue to offer mental wellness consultations throughout the summer. If you have concerns about your child’s well-being or if your child would like to speak with a school psychologist or school social worker, please request a consultation.  Our FCPS mental health providers are available to help families get needed support through a 45-minute phone consultation or through secure video conferencing. Appointments are open to all FCPS families. 

Consultations are offered in two ways:

• Directly to parents of students in any grade level. This consultation provides an opportunity for parents to receive guidance on how to support their child’s social-emotional, behavioral, or academic functioning. Information about community resources will also be made available.
• Directly to students in middle or high school. This consultation provides support and strategies to students who may be experiencing difficulties with anxiety, mood, behavior, or peer or family interactions; as well as academic challenges such as organization, time-management, or adjusting to a new school.

We encourage parents to take advantage of this service. Click here to request a consultation. You may also leave us a message at 571-423-4276.

5. Social Studies Teachers Collaborate with Colleagues Statewide to Create Anti-Racist, Culturally-Responsive Curriculum

A group of FCPS teachers have been collaborating with colleagues from five other Virginia school districts to create a social studies curriculum that presents diverse perspectives and challenges students to critically examine materials, events, and institutions for bias, identity, and multiple perspectives.  The new curriculum will be available to students in grades 3, 4, 6, 7, and 11 as soon as this fall.

Beginning in 2018 under the umbrella of the Virginia Inquiry Collaborative, FCPS teachers worked with colleagues from Albemarle County, Virginia Beach City, and Charlottesville, and later Madison County and Powhatan County Schools, to collaborate around curriculum development designed for use across Virginia, beginning with a focus on fourth grade Virginia Studies. 

For more details on this new curriculum visit the announcement on the FCPS News site.

6. HBCU Undergraduate Panel Opportunity

The Justice High School Equity Team and FCPS Student Equity Coalition are hosting an HBCU (Historically Black College and University) Undergraduate Panel on Thursday, July 16 at 7 pm-8:30 pm on Google Meets. All FCPS students are invited to attend.

We see a strong need for conversations about HBCUs in FCPS. Most of our experience reflects teachers and schools pushing students toward PWIs (Predominantly White Institutions) or pushing students of color toward community colleges. Most field trips are to PWIs, most college research assignments are about PWIs, and most of the college literature that is available is about PWIs. We see a need for change and hope this panel is a part of that step in the right direction.

We plan to use half of the panel time for pre-written questions. We will then open the discussion up for questions from the audience.

7. Yearbook Distribution

Frequently-asked questions

When and where is Distribution?

Thursday, July 23 10 AM to 4 PM at Woodson High School. We will be deciding closer to the day whether it will be a car pick up or a walk-up-to-a-table-wearing-masks event. We will make it as simple and easy as we can, following all health guidelines.

What do I need to bring with me?

Bring some form of photo ID.

What if I will be out of town on the 23rd? Or what if I want my neighbor to pick up my book for me?

You may designate a friend or neighbor to pick up your book for you. You should fill out this form 

https://forms.gle/xueDfU1PBJeXHF1d9

by Monday, July 20 at midnight! We cannot allow other parties to pick up your book if you don’t fill out the form. Everyone picking up a yearbook will have to show an ID.

What if I’m moving from the area before the 23rd?

If you are moving, please contact Beth Koby, yearbook adviser, at ewkoby@fcps.edu to make arrangements.

Will books be for sale on Distribution day?

If we are not sold out prior to Distribution day, there WILL be some books for sale, first-come, first-served. Books will be $90, cash or a check made out to W. T. Woodson High School.

Can I still reserve a book now?

Yes! A limited number of copies are still available.  Go to https://www.yearbookordercenter.com/index.cfm/job/5278

What if I’m not sure if I ordered a book already?

Contact Beth Koby, yearbook adviser, at ewkoby@fcps.edu. I’ll be happy to look it up for you.

What happens if I miss Distribution entirely?

You’ll have to wait for school to open to pick up your book.

What If I’m feeling sick on Distribution day?

If you are not feeling well or if anyone in your household has COVID 19 or has been recently exposed, DON’T COME to the distribution. Email Beth Koby, yearbook adviser, at ewkoby@fcps.edu to make arrangements.

The 2021 yearbook needs your help!

Work on the 2021 yearbook has already begun. We want to cover how Woodson students are living their lives in quarantine (and phased reopenings). We need photos of YOU making the best of your spring and summer. Are you…

• Playing lots of video games?
• Sitting with friends around the fire pit (keeping social distance, of course)?
• Trying some new projects in the kitchen?
• Keeping fit?
• Zooming a lot with friends?
• Training your quarantine puppy?

Whatever you are doing, yearbook needs photos!

You can share your pictures with the yearbook staff via eShare.  You can do this two easy ways.

1. Go to www.HJeShare.com and enter the school code: wtwoodson
2. Download the HJeShare app for iPhone or Android at the App Store or Google Play. Again, the school code: wtwoodson

Either place will give you instructions on uploading your images and letting the yearbook staff know who is in the pictures!

While we cannot guarantee that all shared photos will be published, if you don’t share, your great pictures can’t even be considered! Start sharing today!

Contact Beth Koby, yearbook adviser, if you have problems. ewkoby@fcps.edu

8. Summer Contact Information

Due to the continued closure of FCPS buildings due to COVID-19, listed below is contact information for the remainder of June, July and August:

Please note that administration and support staff not listed above, will return on Wednesday, July 15th. Instructional staff returns on Friday, August 14th. Please refer to our website for a complete staff directory.

We encourage you to email any questions or concerns to staff listed above, while our building remains closed and we are operating with limited summer staff.

Additional Information

Registration: Until our offices reopen, parents will need to complete the registration paperwork that is available online and reach out to the registrar, Christine Lieb-Mosley via email until offices reopen.   Families will be contacted via email or phone for the next steps in the registration process.

Withdrawal: If you need to withdraw your student from Woodson for the 2020-21 school year, please contact Woodson Registrar, Christine Lieb-Mosley, who will schedule a time/date to return the school issued laptop, complete a withdrawal form and other learning materials.

Records Request: Until our offices reopen to the public, there are no office hours. However, if a family has a transcript or records requests, they should email the registrar throughout the summer.

9. Subscribe to the Woodson Weekly emails

Do you know someone that would like to receive the Woodson Weekly emails? 

Woodson Weekly is sent through FCPS News You Choose and is a service anyone can subscribe to using this link:  https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/VAEDUFCPS/subscriber/new?qsp=Woodson_HS.

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

Merrifield Center Emergency Services: 703-573-5679; TTY dial 711 (The Merrifield Center of the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board, offers a range of clinical programming. Emergency Services, staffed 24 hours per day, seven days per week, works with people in psychiatric crisis who need immediate attention.)

Plan D Nova https://www.plandnova.org/ (a website for Northern Virginia teens who suffer from depression: #breakthestigma)

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