Important Dates
Attendance Matters
Attendance drives everything! It is tied to almost every aspect of school performance and future outcomes.
What are some simple things we can all do about attendance?
- Positively encourage good attendance with your children
- Communicate about obstacles to attendance so the school can offer support
- Encourage, support, and assist your children with learning and acting responsibly by:
- Asking specific questions about classes and homework
- Get to know your child’s teachers
- Reach out to teachers when your child is struggling
Avoid absences unless absolutely necessary!
Rolling (Cumulative) Gradebook
Given the uncertainty of schedules and virtual learning for all students during the 2020-21 school year, Falls Church HS has decided teachers will use a rolling (cumulative) gradebook. A rolling gradebook allows for progress towards a final mark that captures the total picture of student grades, regardless of length of quarter or number of assignments in each quarter.
Acknowledging that the coming school year begins on a later start date and will have both synchronous and asynchronous learning, it is important to utilize a gradebook type that provides maximum flexibility and ensures equitable grading practices to meet the academic and social-emotional needs of all students.
With a rolling gradebook, grades for individual assignments from each quarter carry over and build upon the previous quarter; therefore, quarter grades are a snapshot of a student’s current progress in the course and demonstrate performance to that date, not just for that quarter. Final grades are determined from all assignments and assessments throughout the year, regardless of the quarter the work was completed.
A rolling gradebook is an approved gradebook type per Secondary Grading & Reporting Policy and numerous FCPS schools/teams/teachers already utilize a rolling gradebook.
Benefits associated with using a rolling gradebook include:
- Allows time for demonstrating mastery of content and opportunities for remediation, completing make-up work & retakes (following established school, department or collaborative team policies)
- Helps students maintain positive mental health when setbacks occur
- Reports long-term progress to students as the year progresses, not just short-term achievement in each quarter
- Provides a more accurate reflection of the student grade at any given point in time
- Reduces number of tests or large projects due at the same time over multiple classes (usually at end of quarter)
- Negates imbalance of quantity of assessments within each quarter and timing challenges at certain times of year
- Encourages content units to end naturally and not get rushed due to quarter breaks
To learn more details about a rolling gradebook to include how it will look in SIS Student/ParentVUE, please take time to review the following video. Teachers will communicate grading design and policies via the course syllabus. Students/parents are encouraged to reach out directly to the teacher with additional questions.
SAT School Day for Seniors
Wednesday, September 23, 2020
Next Wednesday, September 23rd is an asynchronous day for all high school students. Seniors that registered prior should have received an email confirmation. Seniors that have registered should review the SAT School Day Student Guide.
We’ll be sending logistical information out later this week such as arrival times, parking, and materials to bring.
Parent Consent for Select Digital Resources
At FCHS, 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:
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.
Thank you for your attention to this important component of distance learning and support of our teachers!
Student Rights and Responsibilities (SR&R)
Parent/Guardian Acknowledgement
Parents and guardians, please review the Student Rights and Responsibilities and related resources at www.fcps.edu/srr. After reviewing the information, please help us by filling out the SR&R Parent Acknowledgement Form. The form must be filled out one time per student.
7th Annual FCPS Mental Health and Wellness Conference
FCPS continues partnering with INOVA and Kaiser Permanente to host the annual conference. This year’s theme, Tools for Fostering Success at Home, in School, and Throughout Life, features speakers addressing social emotional learning and resiliency. Virtual sessions will be offered September 14th-October 3rd with a kickoff panel hosted by NBC 4’s Eun Yang. Register here: https://www.fcps.edu/resources/student-safety-and-wellness/mental-health-and-resiliency/mental-health-and-wellness.
Additionally, Our Minds Matter is hosting a student summit beginning Wednesday, September 23rd with a Mindfulness Workshop. Students may register here: bit.ly/ommsummit2020.
Technology Help @ FCHS
In-person Help: Entrance #2
- Monday
- Tuesday thru Friday
All other requests, please use the Parent and Student Technology Support portal
Useful Links/Information
FCHS Return to School & Virtual Learning
FCPS Return to School
FCPS Technology Support for Families
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FCPS Cares
Do you know a Falls Church
HS or FCPS employee who does ordinary things in an extraordinary way or goes
beyond what is expected? If so, then click here to
share with everyone.
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