 Teachers were so excited to see students on Communication Day! Ms. Blevins connects with her Learning Seminar students.
Important Upcoming Dates
Tuesday, September 8th - First Day of School (Odd Day)
Thursday, September 10th - Virtual Back To School Night at 6pm
Monday, September 14th - Virtual Open House at 8am for Odd Days
Wednesday, September 16th - Virtual Senior Parent Night at 7pm
Thursday, September 17th - Social Justice Club Meeting at 7pm
Monday, September 21st - Virtual Open House at 8am for Even Days
Wednesday, September 23rd - SAT School Day - Seniors Only
Wednesday, September 23rd - Virtual Financial Aid Night at 7pm
In this Issue
1. Message from Dr. Floyd
2. First Day of School - Tuesday, September 8th
3. Three Must Do Forms to Start the Year
4. Digital Resources Consent Form - Required for ALL Students
5. Opening of School Information
6. Student Attendance for the 2020-21 School Year
7. Schedule Change Requests
8. Students with FCPSOn Laptops
9. Parent Technology Help Desk
10. Schoolwork Outside of Class Time
11. 2020-21 Class Council and SAC Elections
12. College & Career Center News
13. Social Justice Club Meeting - Thursday, September 17th
14. Welcome New Staff
15. Mental Wellness Town Hall Presentation
16. Yearbook Info for 2020-2021
17. New Healthy Minds Podcast: Finding Someone to Listen
1. Message from Dr. Floyd
Happy Labor Day Weekend!
Well, we are finally here. Labor Day weekend, marking the end of summer and the start of the school year. Your child should have links in their fcpsschools.net email account to access all of their classes. These were just sent yesterday, Thursday September 3rd.
Back To School Night is just around the corner, September 10th at 6PM our links will go live. In order to meet parent’s schedules, this event will be virtual and asynchronous. Parents will have the opportunity to stop in to ask teacher’s questions through a Virtual Open House on Monday, September 14th from 8-9AM (Odd Day classes) and on Monday, September 21st from 8-9AM (Even Day classes). While we cannot make this Open House about individual students, if you have questions regarding the curriculum or you just want to say hi to the teacher, please stop in. At anytime during the year if you want to have a parent teacher conference, please set that up through the teacher or your child’s counselor.
What do you do if you do not have a link for a class by Tuesday morning? Please contact that teacher or your counselor who can assist in getting you the link. It not happen immediately but we will help to get it done ASAP!
If at anytime you have questions about the class, please reach out to the teacher first. Please allow them 24-48 business hours to respond. Should you need further assistance, you are welcome to contact the administrator for that department.
I do want to take a moment and denounce the acts hate towards my colleague at Garfield ES this week. During a PTA meeting the principal was “zoom bombed” with hateful rhetoric and disturbing imagery. Such actions are disgraceful will not be tolerated in any FCPS related environment. As we begin school in an online environment, I encourage our families to discuss proper online behavior with your children.
Have a wonderful weekend. Please stay safe, stay well and stay connected, Cavaliers!
Dr. Floyd
Principal
2. First Day of School - Tuesday, September 8th
Tuesday, September 8th is the first day of school. The first day of school will be an Odd Day. The day begins with 1st period at 8:10 a.m.
Woodson Bell Schedule
Mondays are reserved for intervention/enrichment, independent student work and teacher planning/professional development.
Tuesdays and Thursdays are Odd Days (Periods 1, 3, 5 and 7)
Wednesdays and Fridays are Even Days (Periods 2, 4, 6, 8)
Our bell schedule For all bell schedules visit https://woodsonhs.fcps.edu/about-us/bell-schedules
3. Three Must Do Forms to Start the Year
Emergency Care Form
Health Information Form
Digital Resources - Parent Consent Form
- Woodson uses a variety of digital tools for learning. You may look through the list before signing the form. For more information regarding this form, see the Digital Resources Consent Form description below.
4. Digital Resources Consent Form
At Woodson, our teachers will use a variety of digital resources to support student learning and promote communication and collaboration with students and families. Some of the digital resources your child may use this year will require your consent before they can be used. You can find our school’s list of the resources that require parental consent here: https://woodsonhs.fcps.edu/adopteddigitalresources.
Included on this page is also a link to a form where the enrolling parent or guardian will need to indicate whether or not their student is allowed to use the list of digital resources this year. This page also provides more information about how FCPS carefully reviews digital resources for approval and why we must request your consent before using certain tools. We encourage you to complete the parental consent for digital resources form as soon as possible, as your child will not be able to use the digital resources until we have received your permission. Please reach out to Kathy Martin, assistant principal overseeing technology at kamartin@fcps.edu if you have questions or concerns about the digital resources we’ve chosen to use this year.
5. Opening of School Information
Welcome to the 2020-2021 school year where we are "Virtually Unstoppable!" Here are links to important information for Woodson's Return to School.
 Ms. Silver welcoming students to the new year on Communication Day!
6. Student Attendance for the 2020-21 School Year
FCPS welcomes new and returning families for the 2020-21 school year. Our September 8 virtual opening poses some interesting challenges, so we hope this will help families understand the new attendance routines.
In Virginia, public school students aged 5-18 are required to attend school regularly. That is true whether FCPS is offering distance learning or in-person instruction. Teachers will take attendance during learning sessions and ensure that all students are counted. Parents can assist with this process by doing the following:
- Ensuring that their student(s) logs in to classes on time, and throughout the day.
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Calling the school attendance line at 703-503-4800 if their student(s) are unable to participate.
- Communicating any concerns to the school, such as difficulty logging in or having access to FCPS classes.
- Reporting any hardship, such as student illness or any issue that might prevent the student from participating regularly.
- Returning phone calls or emails when notified that their student(s) did not participate that day.
- Ensuring that your student(s) submit activity logs as directed.
If your child is unable to login to live, face-to-face online instruction with their teacher, the teacher will be recording the class and posting the video within Blackboard/Google Classroom so it can be viewed at a different time. The video can also be used to provide review for all students.
If a parent calls and indicates their student will not be there for a certain class period, they are excused for the class period. Accessing the material later will not change the status of the absence.
If there is no parent contact, and the student failed to log in, the student is unverified (UNV) for that class period. FCPS bases attendance for secondary students on “present” one or more periods of the day, and reports which periods a student did not appear in class.
FCPS staff members will work with parents to ensure that the transition to virtual learning is as smooth as possible. Help us to help you set your students up for success.
More information about attendance is available online.
7. Schedule Change Requests
School counselors have been hard at work this week responding to schedule change requests and have strived to accommodate as many requests as possible prior to the first day of school. At this point, due to staffing and course balancing, we will put a hold on schedule change requests until Monday, September 21st. After that date, change requests can be submitted to counselors. The process for communicating change requests will be communicated to students/parents closer to the date.
That said, if you find an error on your student’s schedule please contact your assigned school counselor immediately so that this can be corrected. Examples include being enrolled in a class that was passed last year/this summer, or requesting an honors course but being mistakenly placed in a standard course. Another example is a student in special education who may require a small group class but have not accurately been placed in such a setting. We want to correct those as soon as possible, so please let your counselor know if any corrections are needed.
8. Students with FCPSOn Laptops
Pease help us continue to prepare student FCPSOn laptops for the new school year by following these steps:
- Plug the device into an outlet.
- Turn the device on and let it boot up.
- Ensure it is connected to the internet at that location.
- Let the device sit for 30 minutes. No additional log-ins or activities are required.
- Do this once per week this month to ensure the laptop has the latest updates to start the new school year.
This weekend/next week, please take time to turn on student laptops, charge them if needed and test the microphone and video. To do so, please type the word "Camera" in the search bar on the lower left side of the desktop screen. Open the camera app. Switch from still camera to video mode on the right. Press the red button to record with some audio. Now view and listen to your video. Can you hear your voice? Can you see yourself? Hurray! Your webcam and microphone are working. If your camera or mic doesn’t work, have the student log on to this site to look for troubleshooting tips: https://sites.google.com/fcpsschools.net/cav-kiosk/tech-help/bbcu-audiovideo-troubleshooting?authuser=1.
We need to run a report at the school to see if our devices are online or if we have an issue at the school.
 Thank you to our Technology Team of Ms. Ellis, Mr. Dillon and student tech Colin for helping prepare student laptops for the beginning of school.
Woodson HS offers a student tech support class, if you are interested please contact your school counselor.
9. Parent Technology Help Desk
To support families who are working with their children during distance learning, FCPS launched a new Parent Technology Help Desk. The number is 1-833-921-3277 (833-921-FCPS). It will be answered by staff 7 a.m.to 11 p.m., seven days a week. If the help desk is unable to solve the issue on the phone with the parent or guardian, they will enter a ticket on the parent’s behalf and the request for help will be transferred to the appropriate FCPS team.
Parents or guardians who need help in a language other than English should let help desk staff know, and a interpreter will join them on the line. (FCPS also has existing parent information phone lines, available in eight different languages, that can assist with general questions about FCPS.)
FCPS has also set up an online portal to allow older students and parents and guardians to request technology help directly.
Get more information about the new Parent Technology Help Desk.
10. Schoolwork Outside of Class Time
As we approach the first day of school, one question that has been on the minds of many is, “What will homework look like this fall?” That is an important question as we consider that we are all working from home, all day long, and we know the “school day” will feel quite different from other years.
Mondays have been designated as a day when some students will be participating in direct instruction with teachers, but all students will be expected to complete additional assigned tasks without teacher support, much like traditional homework. These tasks may include assignments such as practice activities, readings, projects, research papers, viewing videos, assessments, computer programs, etc. Secondly, the Tuesday through Friday schedule prioritizes maximum time for teacher-student interaction, and therefore requires students to spend a significant part of the day online. In consideration for student health and wellness, we will need to be mindful of the expectations for students to engage in additional work in the evenings.
Schools have been provided the following weekly guidelines for work being completed outside of scheduled class time:
High School Students
- Standard/Honors: Total of 60 minutes per course per week.
- Advanced Placement, Dual Enrollment, and International Baccalaureate: total 75 minutes per course per week.
- Completed on each Monday or other times on a limited basis.
Of course, not all students work at the same speed and therefore teachers will use these guidelines and their professional judgement to make reasonable assignments that prioritize the most essential learning for our students. If you are finding that your child is experiencing difficulties with completing assignments, please do not hesitate to contact the teacher or encourage your child to talk with the teacher.
11. 2020-21 Class Council and SAC Elections
Anyone interested in running for Class Council or Student Advisory Council (SAC) must submit the required information no later than Tuesday, September 8th at 11:59 pm.
All necessary information is posted in each classes’ Google Classroom. Please contact Mr. Schaefer djschaefer@fcps.edu or Mrs. Schmauder plschmauder@fcps.edu for more information.
12. College & Career Center News
Virtual Senior Parent Night on Wednesday, September 16th, at 7 pm:
Senior parents and students – please join us to learn about the college application process, scholarship opportunities, and how to use the website Naviance as a resource. There is no need to sign up. The meeting link will be shared out closer to the event date.
Virtual Financial Aid Night on Wednesday, September 23rd, at 7 pm:
Senior parents and students - please join us to learn about the financial aid process. Chad Spencer, Senior Associate Dean of Admission and Financial Aid at Davison College, will share his expertise with us. There is no need to sign up. The meeting link will be shared out closer to the event date.
Virtual College Visits for Students are beginning on Monday, September 14th:
Visiting in September, we have Bridgewater College, Old Dominion University, Morehouse College, University of Chicago, Christopher Newport University, East Carolina University, Spelman College, University of South Carolina, George Mason University, University of Virginia, Princeton, University of Alabama, VA Tech, William & Mary, and James Madison University.
To view the dates and to register, please log into Naviance (use your SIS username and password) and scroll down on the homepage to What’s New. Please visit often for updates!
New Scholarship and Enrichment Opportunities
For a list of new Scholarship Opportunities, please log into Naviance (use your SIS username and password) – go to Colleges - Scholarships and Money – Scholarship list. To access new Enrichment Opportunities, such as College Fairs, Essay writing workshops, Volunteer and Job Opportunities, please log into Naviance (use your SIS username and password) – go to Colleges – Research Colleges – Enrichment Programs. New Scholarship and Enrichment Opportunities are added weekly by the FCPS Scholarship and Enrichment Office.
If you have any questions, please contact Christine Lieb-Mosley, College and Career Specialist, at cliebmosley@fcps.edu.
Coming up: Updated Career Center Website and Social Media Profile. Please stay tuned!
13. Social Justice Club Meeting
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The Social Justice Club will meet on September 17th from 7 to 8 PM.
Participants will discuss Chapters 1, 2, and 3. A link will be provided in the coming days.
If you are interested in participating the Social Justice Club, please email Dr. George Hewan at gkhewan@fcps.edu.
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14. Welcome New Staff
Help us welcome more new faces to Woodson this year!
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My name is Stephanie Van and I am one of the new English teachers at Woodson. I am from North Dakota and graduated from Marymount University with an English Education degree I have been in Fairfax county for 5 1/2 years as an English teacher at West Springfield High School.
I am super excited to start this new chapter in my career at Woodson! Looking forward to meeting and working with you all this year!
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Hello! I’m Zach Ford and I will be teaching 9th Grade English this year. I spent the last two years teaching in Stafford County and prior to that I spent six years as an active duty Army officer.
I lived in Fairfax County during my high school years, then I completed my undergrad at The University of Texas-Austin. I also completed my masters degree at Temple University in Philadelphia. Outside of school, I enjoy traveling and reading and I spend some weekends with the Army Reserve as well. I look forward to a great year!
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15. Mental Wellness Town Hall Presentation
We held our Mental Wellness Town Hall on Tuesday evening. Thank you to those who were able to attend. We hope you found the information presented by our Clinicians and Student Services teams to be helpful.
If you were unable to attend, you can view the PowerPoint slides from the meeting on your own. Please contact your student’s school counselor if you have any questions or concerns regarding mental health and wellness.
16. Yearbook Info for 2020-2021!
Yearbook for 20-21 is rolling! What a year to own a relic of these unprecedented times and showcase Woodson students for “making it the most of it.”
We love our candid shots and want summer photos!
You can share your pictures with the yearbook staff via eShare. You can do this two easy ways.
- Go to HJeShare.com and enter the school code: wtwoodson
- Download the HJeShare app for iPhone or Android at the App Store or Google Play. Again, the school code: wtwoodson
We want anything from vacations to staycations! We want to show off those new hobbies, virtual celebrations, and mask fashion!
You can follow us on Twitter @WoodsonYearbook. If you have any questions, please contact Woodson yearbook advisor Ms. Weghorst at tmweghorst@fcps.edu.
17. New Healthy Minds Podcast: Finding Someone to Listen
Being apart from each other hasn’t been easy for anyone. Listen to Fairfax County Public Schools’ Healthy Minds podcast this week to hear a conversation with Laura Mayer, director of PRS CrisisLink, an important FCPS community partner.
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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