Annandale Community Insider - November 29

Fairfax County Public Schools sent this bulletin at 11/29/2020 01:48 PM EST
a

Annandale Community:

While this Thanksgiving break was much quieter than in years past, it afforded me time to reflect on this year, a year like no other. While 2020 has presented many challenges, I am grateful for this community which has shown how incredibly strong we are when we come together to support our students, our families, and our staff.

This week, admin and coaches are excited to get into classrooms. It is always energizing to see the work of teachers and students in classrooms. Teachers and teams have been working hard to create lessons that ensure high levels of thinking and provide students the opportunity to apply the skills being targeted in each lesson. Teachers have also been sharing their work on social media. In this tweet from math teacher, Nicole Ferree, she talks about the impact that student-centered lessons has had on her students' understanding of the topic. You can check out news from around Atom Nation by following our social media accounts!

As a reminder, Mondays are now completely asynchronous. Students will no longer participate in synchronous W4 classes on Mondays. Instead, students are required to record their attendance for the day in this attendance form. Students who do not complete the form will be marked absent for the day. Mondays provide students the opportunity to reach out to their teachers for assistance with assignments. All teachers are available via during their office hours, which are posted on their Google Classroom sites. 

Thank you for all of your support and as always, reach out if you have any questions.

Shawn DeRose, Principal

 

Contact Information:
Twitter: @ShawnDeRose
Website: https://annandalehs.fcps.edu/

Important Dates

December 2 - Poetry Slam Info Meeting

December 3 - Return to Play Sports Meeting (New Date)

December 18 - Poetry Slam

December 21 thru January 1 - Winter Break

January 18 - No School - MLK Day

January 20 - No School - Inauguration Day

January 22 - End of 2nd Quarter - Early Release

January 25 - Teacher Workday

January 26 - Students Return into the Building (*Tentative)

 

Poetry Slam Info Meeting: December 2 at 3:30pm - Students who are interested in participating in the Poetry Slam on December 18 should attend the Info Meeting on December 2 at 3:30pm to learn more about the audition process. Meeting link: https://tinyurl.com/y5xjd25

 

*New Date! - Return to Play Sports Meeting: December 3 at 6:30pm - Annandale will be hosting a "Return to Play Sports" meeting on December 3. The Athletic Office and Athletic Trainers will review safety protocol, athlete registration, pickup/drop off, try out times, and provide time for questions and answers. Here is the Google Classroom Link to the event.  
a
s

New Staff Members

New Dance Coaches: Brenna Surette and Jessica Patterson - We are excited to welcome Brenna Surette and Jessica Patterson to Annandale High School! Brenna comes to us from Fairfax HS where she was an assistant Dance Coach. She graduated from George Mason University where she was a member of the GMU Masonette Dance Team. Brenna currently works as an Associate Wealth Advisor.

Jessica was also an assistant dance coach at Fairfax HS. She graduated from George Mason University and was a member of the GMU Masonette Dance Team as well. Jessica is a Special Education teacher at Chantilly HS. If you have questions about the dance program or are interested in trying out, please email Coach Patterson at jlpatterson@fcps.edu. 

Important Information

Atoms Social Media Accounts - Want the latest news from around Atom Nation? Follow our Social Media Accounts!

 

Report Cards - First quarter report cards should have arrived home last week. Please let us know if you did not receive yours. However, we encourage families to enroll in paperless report cards. To do so, log in to SIS ParentVUE, go to My Account, and check the "Go Paperless" option.

 

Monday Attendance Reminder - Please remember that while there is no longer a synchronous W4 class on Mondays, attendance is still required. Students are responsible for logging their attendance in this form to be marked present.

 

Atoms Writing Center Needs Tutors! - Students interested in becoming a tutor for the Atoms Writing Center should visit the Atoms Writing Center website (log in to a personal g-mail account and scroll to the bottom of the page) for details and come to our Interest Meeting on December 4 at 3:00pm. The meet link is on the calendar on our website’s homepage.

 

Family Guide for Return to School - Fairfax County Public Schools is partnering with families to ensure we keep students and staff safe and healthy as we return to school buildings for learning. Working together, we will follow recommended health guidance that focuses on student and staff health, safety, and emotional well-being. The FCPS Family Guide for Return to School has a wealth of information on topics like concurrent instruction, lunch, the mandatory mask policy, recess, laptops, health protocols, and more.
a

Awesome Atoms!

Food Pantry Distributes to Needy Families - Huge thank you to Norma Foti, Annandale staff and the Annandale PTSA! Last Tuesday, they distributed food to 52 families in the Annandale community. You can donate to the Pantry to help Atom families in need here. Also, please consider donating paper grocery bags (preferably with handles) to ease the distribution process.

 

Gift Card Donations - Thank you to those of you who donated gift cards that will be used to recognize staff at upcoming events. It is amazing how much a $5 or $10 gift card is appreciated. If you are still interested in donating a gift card(s), please feel free to drop them off at the main office or place them in the mail to my attention. I will share the love with staff throughout the school year. (It can be for any business you want to support, in any amount. Nothing is too small!)

News from the Activities Office

Check out the Annandale Activities Office Weekly Newsletter - "Atoms Athletics and Activities." 

 

Annandale Athletics and Activities: Core Values Survey - The Annandale Athletics and Activities department is developing their Core Values for our students, and we would like your input. Please complete this form by November 29 to share the values that are important to you. If you have any questions, please email John Ellenberger at jellenberger@fcps.edu.

 

NEW! FCPS Athletics Online Registration - FCPS activities and athletic programs has transitioned to a new online student registration system. To participate, you MUST register. You will need your student’s school ID number, emergency contact info, health insurance card and emergency contact info. This new system offers a host of benefits for schools and community members including:

  • One stop shop for registering your student for athletic programs and many common activities occurring throughout the school year.
  • Electronic submission of the emergency care card and weight room waiver- only have to fill these out once!
  • A new home for the state-mandated concussion education program.  If you already submitted the form to the office, you still need to complete the concussion education portion online.  Sorry for the inconvenience.
  • VHSL Physical form will need to be turned into the Activities Office before participating.

If you have any questions, please contact Ryan Hughes, Athletic Trainer Certified at rhughes@fcps.edu or Patrick Pacak, Administrative Assistant at pmpacak@fcps.edu.

 

Join Us for Off Season Practices - It is really important to be mindful of the fact that our students are sitting and staring at a computer for the majority of the day. At Annandale, we want to strongly encourage you and your students to take advantage of the activities that are going on in the afternoons and evenings throughout the week. You don’t have to have a background in the sport to participate. Social distancing and CDC guidelines are enforced. 

The practice times fluctuate every week, so just check the athletic website for times. All you need is a completed Physical Exam and a Emergency Care Form. If you have any questions, please contact John Ellenberger at jellenberger@fcps.edu.
ptsa

News from the PTSA

PTSA Spirit Wear Masks - Breathable Atoms Face Mask! The @AtomsPTSA and AHS Athletic Boosters have joined together to bring you this limited edition mask featuring the Atoms logo! Pay $12 online and pick up at AHS. Details here: bit.ly/AtomsMask 

 

PTSA Meeting - Dates and Times: Mark your calendar for monthly PTSA meetings which are held the 3rd Tuesday at 7:00pm. We will start the school year with virtual meetings and details will follow on how to join us. These dates include: December 15, January 19, February 16, March 16, April 20, May 18, June 8.

 

Stay Connected - “Visit”, “Like” and “Follow” - Our e-newsletter, ATOMail, is sent the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month and highlights PTSA programs and opportunities to support our students, teachers, and staff. To receive ATOMail, please sign up and set your preferences on the FCPS "News You Choose" webpage. Select “Annandale High School” and check the box for “Annandale HS PTSA”. You can also stay up-to-date on our website, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.