In this Issue

1. Message from Dr. Floyd
2. Yearbook Pickup... continued
3. Student Services Information
4. Testing Information and Accommodations 
5. First Day of School - Tuesday, September 8th
6. Woodson Minds Matter
7. WTW Military Family Network
8. Seeking Theater Mask Coordinator
9. Cavalier Cruise Refunds
10. Summer Yearbook Pictures Needed
11. NOVA Webinar: Navigating College Options for You and Your High School Graduate
12. Mental Wellness Consultations
13. Healthy Minds Blog

1. Message from Dr. Floyd

Hello Woodson Families,

Last week was a bit of a whirlwind, thus our usual Friday message was moved to Monday. As we prepare for a 100% virtual opening, we are in the process of revamping our traditional Cavalier Kickoff, the community event welcoming students back for the new school year. We recognize that this year's kickoff will be different which will bring various emotions for our community. To prepare for the new year, our staff will be working hard the three weeks prior to school opening on Tuesday, September 8 by planning engaging and interactive online lessons as well as learning new technology through various trainings. 

Our hope, goal and charge is to eventually return to in-person school during school year 2020-2021. Until that time, I want to encourage families to rally together around hope and wellness versus divisiveness and discord. We must respect one another’s position and choices around the return to school decision. According to what has been shared with me, disrespect of teachers and families is evident in social media which is unhealthy for all involved. Each family, whether teacher or student, is entitled to their belief of what is best for their current situation. This is not a time to judge nor is social media a place to put others down for choices that you yourself may not have made. Instead, I encourage everyone to listen and honor differing perspectives. Personally, I am grateful for the freedom to express individual opinions and hopeful we all do so with dignity and respect. As we often remind students, what is posted online stays online and no one has the right to shame others for their opinion. Please help us to focus on appropriate community and national digital citizenship as we model those behaviors for our students.

A big thank you to Ms. Koby and her team of volunteers for a successful, socially distant yearbook distribution last Thursday. Many thought it couldn’t be done but Woodson did it!  We still have a couple yearbooks to sell, if interested please contact Ms. Koby at  EWKoby@fcps.edu.  More information on distribution is in the next story. 

We will continue to share Woodson specific updates to families each week regarding the opening of school and textbooks, computers, schedules, etc. FCPS will continue to provide answers to Frequently Asked Questions around the opening of school.  These FCPS FAQs can be found at https://www.fcps.edu/returntoschool/return-school-questions-and-answers.  As we get closer to mid or late August, I will hold a Town Hall meeting around the opening of school.  In addition to an opening of school Town Hall, we are in the planning stages for:

• A Woodson Pyramid town hall to continue our discussions around cultural responsiveness
• A Woodson staff presentation and discussion around mental health strategies for students and families in August
• Our Equity Team is also planning another Woodson Town Hall for staff featuring some of our alumni.  
• Parent Town Hall focused on Special Education

Stay safe, stay well, and stay connected as Cavaliers!

Dr. Floyd
Principal

2. Yearbook Pickup... continued

Yearbooks may be picked up in the main office from 10am-2:30pm daily. You must bring a photo ID and wear a mask upon entering the school building.

Also, there are a very limited number of books available for sale. The cost is $90 cash (exact change, please) or check made out to W. T. Woodson High School. We cannot accept credit cards.

Questions?  Email Beth Koby at ewkoby@fcps.edu.

3. Student Services 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.

4. Testing Information and Accommodations

Some students with documented disabilities are eligible for accommodations on College Board exams. Students cannot take the SAT, SAT Subject Tests, PSAT/NMSQT, or AP Exams with accommodations unless their request for accommodations has been approved by Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD). Please contact WT Woodson’s Assessment Coach, Kathleen Guinee (kpguinee@fcps.edu) for more information.

5. First Day of School - Tuesday, September 8th

At their July 9 business meeting, the Fairfax County School Board approved delaying the start of the 2020-21 school year to provide staff members additional time to plan instruction and schedules, provide professional staff development, and finalize transportation and other operational details.

The revised calendar delays the first instructional day for students by two weeks, from Tuesday, August 25, to Tuesday, September 8. Other employee work schedules will remain unchanged and the revised calendar provides adjustments for additional staff development and planning time between Tuesday, August 25, and Thursday, September 3.

View the revised 2020-21 school year calendar. 

6. Woodson Minds Matter

Woodson Minds Matter is a student-led movement to change school culture around mental health. They are accepting applications for the 2020-2021 leadership board NOW through August. Are you interested? Apply using this link! 

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1hfc0VrxuKKthQJsZ6IIHTvehMY26bahbCxsa5-k7jJA/viewform?edit_requested=true

7. WTW Military Family Network

Calling all current and new military families!  We are restarting our military network effort for the upcoming school year. Our mission is to foster a community of military members at WT Woodson High School. This year will be particularly difficult for new students and families to make connections due to the continued pandemic crisis we face.

Current military families, that would like to  be part of our “Connections” effort by being a buddy to a new military family or by sharing neighborhood information --or --new families that would like to join our network, please send and an email to: wtwmilitarynetwork@gmail.com

We will be in touch soon!

8. Seeking Theater Mask Coordinator

The PTSO is seeking one parent to help coordinate volunteers to sew special see-through masks (basically larger masks with plastic windows) for theater students and faculty. It is vital for theater students to be able to see as much of a face as possible. If you are interested in this effort, please contact Miklos Kiss at miklos.kiss@cox.net.

9. Cavalier Cruise Refunds

Cavalier Cruise refunds are in process for all those that requested a return and those that did not reply to the return inquiry email in June. All that paid by credit card should be seeing a refund last week or this week. Those that paid by check or PayPal will be processed by the end of June. If you have questions please contact Carol at a carhar0129@hotmail.com.

10. Summer Yearbook Pictures Needed

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

11. NOVA Webinar: Navigating College Options for You and Your High School Graduate

Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) is inviting FCPS alumni, rising seniors, and their parents and/or guardians to an informational webinar on Tuesday, July 28, 2020, at 6:30 p.m. Join Dr. Annette Haggray, Provost, Alexandria Campus, and Dr. Pamela Hilbert, Provost, Annandale Campus, as they speak about “The Changing Higher Education Landscape” and its shifting plains.

Topics will include:

• Program Options at NOVA
• NOVA’s Six Options for the Fall
• Financial Aid and Payment Plans
• Transfer from NOVA to the College of Your Choice

Advance registration is required: https://vccs.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_0UJ8LQfVSOCcWDBkTiUvAg

12. 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.

13. Healthy Minds Blog

Healthy Minds is a blog for parents, educators, and community-based providers who are interested in supporting student mental health and wellness. 

As a part of the Healthy Minds Fairfax initiative, the FCPS Office of Intervention and Prevention Services develops posts with timely information for all.  Recent topics have included social and emotional learning, countering stigma and racism, and building resilience to handle challenging times.  Healthy Minds includes tips and strategies for increasing wellness and resiliency, as well as fostering success at home, school, and in the community. 

New content is posted weekly.  Visit the Healthy Minds Blog.

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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