Message from Dr. Smith
Hello Bruin Families,
Monday is a student holiday for Indigenous People's Day. This week, our students learned about the history, traditions, and culture of Indigenous People with their Advisory class. The resource we used in Advisory is a resource we also wanted to share with you: Indigenous People's Day Advisory Lesson.
We realize that these past few weeks have been a stressful adjustment for some students and families. Our Student Services office is having a Parent Academy event on Tuesday, October 13th to discuss self-care and personal tools to support self-care. We hope to see many of you at this event.
One final important reminder is the deadline for Juniors to register for the PSAT that will take place on October 29th. The deadline to register is today! Interested juniors must register using the Lake Braddock HS: PSAT/NMSQT Intent to Participate Form. Additional information can be found on the LBSS Student Testing website.
With Monday being a student holiday, we have asked teachers to extend any deadlines that would have fallen on Monday, October 12th to a time later in the week. Additionally teachers are not to assign work this coming Monday and students will not check in with their Advisory teachers. We hope that you and your family are able to enjoy the additional day off.
United as Bruins,
Daniel W. Smith, Ed.D.
In this Issue
Important Information for All
1. Parent Academy
2. Technology Support
3. Meet our Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist
4. Free or Reduced-Price Meals Information
High School Information
5. PSAT
6. Advanced Placement Information
7. Substance Use Prevention Group for 9th Graders
8. Senior Portraits
Middle School Information
9. TDAP Vaccine Reminder
10. MS Lunch Bunch
LBSS In the News
11. Class of 2018 Grad in the News at JMU
FCPS Information
12.Fairfaxd County Public Library Checkout Now Available to All Students
13. Grab and Go Meals
14. Video: Virtual Learning Tech Tips
15. FCPS Mental Health Resources
Important Information for All
1. Parent Academy
Please see our website for previous Parent Academy event materials.
Upcoming Events
Self-care: Good for You and Your Family
- Hosted By: LBSS Clinical Team
- October 13th from 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Learn the G.R.A.P.E.S. structure and increase awareness around your own personal tools of self-care. The presentation will provide parents tools and resources to manage stress and maintain self-care. Middle School and High School families are welcome! Use this link to register for the event: Registration Form
2. Technology Support
If you find your student in need of tech support for their school-issued laptop, please to go FCPS Technology Support. There are a number of tips, suggestions, and links for assistance. If you are not able to solve the problem, please submit an IT request online. This request will be routed to Lake Braddock's IT team, who will get in contact with you and/or your student to solve the issue. Please do not submit multiple requests or call the school office directly.
Please keep a close eye on your email. This is how our IT department will communicate with you and your student. The email will come from FCPS and will have a subject line beginning with INC followed by a number. Please also give one to two school days for a response.
3. Meet Lake Braddock's Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist
Welcome back to school for the 2020-21 school year! My name is Jessica Giffin and I am the new Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist (SAPS) for Lake Braddock Secondary School. While virtual learning this year presents challenges, it is also a year of opportunities. If you need support with your student, please feel free to reach out to me via email at jlgiffin@fcps.edu and we can discuss options that may be of help.
The Benadryl Challenge on TikTok: Over the summer, an alarming and dangerous trend has appeared. Through the social media app TikTok, teens are engaging in the “Benadryl Challenge.” This challenge encourages viewers to take large doses of the antihistamine to induce hallucinations. Excessive doses of Benadryl can cause very serious health issues, including causing death in some situations. Johnson & Johnson, the manufacturer of Benadryl, has posted a warning about the challenge, and TikTok officials said they’ve been removing posts that publicize the challenge. An article with more information on the dangers of this challenge can be found by clicking here.
Hand Sanitizer: During the coronavirus pandemic, it is common to find hand sanitizer everywhere. Hand sanitizer is cheap, easy to purchase, and has no age limit for purchase. Therefore, it has become a popular choice for teens. Hand sanitizers often have concentrations of alcohol around 60%, which is higher than the content found in hard liquor. Due to the high alcohol content in hand sanitizer, this can be a motivator for students to drink it to attempt to experience similar effects as alcohol intoxication. Articles with more information can be found by clicking here, here, and here. For statistics and information regarding an increase of hand sanitizer poisoning, please click here.
Vaping and E-cigarettes: The number of high school students regularly using e-cigarettes has dropped significantly over the past year. To view the Center for Disease Control (CDC) report on the decrease in youth vaping in 2020 please click here. Unfortunately, data shows that there is an increase in disposable e-cigarette usage due to the ability to still sell youth friendly flavors. In 2020, sales of disposable products have soared among teens, rising to a 1000 percent increase. An article with more information can be found here.
Jessica Giffin, LMSW
Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist
Lake Braddock
jlgiffin@fcps.edu
For general questions about the FCPS Substance Abuse Prevention Program, please contact the Office of Student Safety & Wellness: (571) 423-4270.
4. Free or Reduced-Price Meal Information
The application for Free or Reduced-Price Meals needs to be completed each school year for eligibility. If you applied last school year for your child(ren), please remember to submit a new application for this school year. The current eligibility status will expire on October 20, 2020.
Apply for free and reduced-price meals by visiting My School Apps . Eligibility may also provide your child(ren) other important benefits. Financial assistance with school related fees requires the completion of section four of the application – Consent to Share Information. Be sure your child(ren) are approved for the 20-21 school year.
The online application is available in the following languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, Tagalog, French, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Korean. Follow the link above to the website and then click on the Language drop down menu on the top bar. Paper applications are available to complete and submit in English upon request at FCPS food distribution sites.
High School Information
5. PSAT
On Thursday, October 29th, all juniors have the opportunity to take the PSAT at Lake Braddock. All high school classes across the county, including Academy classes, will be asynchronous on this test day. The county will cover the registration fee.
Interested juniors must register by Friday, October 9, using the Lake Braddock HS: PSAT/NMSQT Intent to Participate Form. Students must use their school @fcpsschools ID and log-in to access the form, making sure to log off all personal Gmail accounts prior to accessing the form. An error message will appear if you are not a student using an FCPS student account to access the registration link.
More information can be found at the LBSS Student Testing website.
6. Advanced Placement Information
Student Services will be updated information regarding AP courses and exams. Please check the website frequently.
In the meantime, the following information requires your attention this month:
FCPS encourages all students to take AP tests for courses in which they are enrolled. However, students will have the opportunity to opt-out of the test(s) by filling out an Opt-Out form, which will show a report with their previous tests and current AP course enrollment. The Opt-Out forms have been mailed home and will be DUE by October 23rd. Families may complete the opt-out form process in one of two ways this year: return the opt-out form to the school via postage mail or complete an opt-out form online. If your student intends to take ALL of his/her scheduled AP exams in May, there is no need to complete an opt-out form.
We will be communicating throughout the year to remind you of due dates. If you have questions about the AP format, processes, or fees please email our AP Testing Team:
Jennifer Bury - JABury@fcps.edu
Lynn Carrera – LNCarrera@fcps.edu
Megan Cashman - MTCashman@fcps.edu
7. Substance Use Prevention Group for 9th Graders
From Your LB School Psychologists:
FCPS offers activities and learning experiences which focus on the many ways marijuana, alcohol, tobacco/vaping, and other drug use can negatively impact student lives. Here at Lake Braddock, our students’ lives matter to us and as a proactive approach, we want to provide students with the most accurate and up-to-date information on the dangers of substance use and addiction, as well as treatment options. Since we know that experimentation is very common within the adolescent population, we are currently seeking 9th grade students who would be willing to participate in a substance use prevention program that we are implementing this school year thanks to a very generous grant from LBSS PTSA. The Too Good for Drugs group is a 10-lesson program focusing on goal setting, decision making, identifying and managing emotions, effective communication, bonding and relationships, effects of alcohol use, nicotine, marijuana, prescription, OTC and street drugs, as well as healthy alternatives to substance use. This program aligns with the increase in Social Emotional Learning (SEL) support that is a top priority in our students’ education. It focuses on all 5 of the CASEL Competencies to include Self-Awareness, Self-Management, Responsible Decision Making, Social Awareness and Relationship Skills.
Each week, there will be parent information forms sent home to facilitate your understanding and enhance your child’s learning. The group will be held virtually, once a week at a day/time to be determined. (Options may include: 3:00 to 4:00 pm; or during the 2nd half of 4th period – WIN time.) For more information about this program please visit: https://toogoodprograms.org/pages/what-is-too-good
This group will be facilitated by both high school school psychologists at Lake Braddock. Our Too Good for Drugs group requires your written permission for your son or daughter to participate. If you would like your son or daughter to join this group, or if you have any questions, please feel free to contact one of us.
Carleen McKenzie Mary Olsen
School Psychologist School Psychologist
crmckenzie@fcps.edu molsen@fcps.edu
Please see the example below of one of the parent information forms that will be provided to parents of students who participate in this group.
8. Senior Portraits
The slots for Senior Portraits on October 13-16 and October 20-21 are filled. We do have new dates from Victor O'Neill Studios of November 10-12, but we have not yet received the link to sign up. Once we do, we will send that out.
Pictures will be held in the Cafeteria. Seniors should enter Lake Braddock at Door 7 from the back of the building. They will then exit from Door 6 in order to maintain one-way traffic.
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to seniors@vosphoto.com.
Middle School Information
9. TDAP Vaccine Reminder
The Code of Virginia requirements for immunizations and physicals for school entry have not been waived for School Year (SY) 2020-2021.
Students will not be permitted to access face-to-face instruction without meeting all compliance requirements. For students who are conditionally enrolled and have not completed the necessary immunizations as required by the Code of Virginia, FCPS will provide provisional access to virtual learning only. Students may not participate in “in school” instruction and activities until meeting this requirement.
For questions about immunization requirements for your child, or to send proof of your child’s Tdap vaccination, please contact Angela Santizo at 703-426-1030 or assantizo@fcps.edu.
10. MS Lunch Bunch
Join your friends and fellow bruins during your lunch period. Register by scanning the QR code below.
LBSS Alumni in the News
11. Class of 2018 Alumni in the News: 2018 grad, Elizabeth Moore, is doing great things in the Physics Department at James Madison University. She gives credit for her love of physics to Mr. Beatty, her LB AP Physics 1 and 2 teacher.
FCPS Information
12. Fairfax County Public Library Checkout Now Available to All Students
Effective October 1, all FCPS students (preK-12) are able to check out materials from the Fairfax County Public Library (FCPL), even if they don’t have a traditional library card or a card has been blocked due to fines.
Under the Library Equity Access Pass program (LEAP), a partnership with FCPS and FCPL, students need only their name, not a physical library card, to check out three items at a time for six weeks each (no renewals). LEAP accounts are never charged fines or fees.
A student can have a LEAP account in addition to a standard library account. Standard accounts allow users to place holds on materials and access FCPL’s digital resources, such as eBooks and databases.
Families can apply for a standard account online and in library branches.
13. Grab and Go Meals
FCPS Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) continues to update times and locations for grab and go meals posted on the website. Grab and go meals are available to ALL students. In addition, FNS will offer breakfast and lunch meals for Saturday during distribution on Fridays. Food distribution locations and times are posted and updated frequently on the website: https://www.fcps.edu/return-school/food
14. Video: Virtual Learning Tech Tips
If you would like to be able to use your home wifi printer with your student’s FCPS laptop, check out this video for instructions on how to do so. Watch the video.
Virtual Learning Playlist
The virtual learning playlist includes several videos about digital citizenship, technology tips, and how to keep your FCPS laptop and other features ready for student success. Go to the virtual learning playlist.
FCPS Mental Health Resources
15. FCPS website for Mental Health Resources and information for emergency mental health services:
How to Stay In-Touch
Please stay in touch with us throughout the year by:
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