|
Be sure to follow us on Facebook (facebook.com/OaktonHS), Twitter (@OaktonHS), and Instagram @oaktonhs! Visit our Oakton Accolades page to see our latest student accomplishments.
Important Dates
December 10-11: Catch-Up Days (see below)
December 21-January 1: Winter Break
January 18 - No School, MLK, Jr. Day
January 20 - No School, Inauguration Day
January 22 - 2 Hr. Early Release, End of 2nd Quarter
January 25 - Teacher Workday
January 26 - Tentative Return for In-person Instruction
 General Information
Report Cards
All 1st quarter report cards have been mailed. If you have not received a report card by Monday, November 23, please contact your school counselor. Parents who went "paperless" can find the pdf report card under the Report Card tab in StudentVue and ParentVue.
Second Quarter Catch-up Days: December 10-11
In an effort to provide time during the school day for students to catch-up on any outstanding assignments/assessments, we are establishing two school-wide catch-up days this quarter. These days will be on Thursday, December 10 and Friday, December 11. We hope that will provide students ample time prior to the winter break to be caught up in all their classes so they may fully relax and enjoy the winter break. Students will still check-in to classes on those days and attendance will be taken. Teachers will then be available to explain what assignments individual students are missing and be there to provide support and/or answer questions as they work on their assignments.
Cougar Commendations Nominations
It’s time for Fall 2020 Cougar Commendations. Teachers are in the process of nominating students to be recognized for their achievements in one of the five Fairfax County Portrait of a Graduate attributes. Nominated students will be recognized at a virtual ceremony in December. In addition, we also have Faculty Cougar Commendations to recognize OHS faculty/staff for their hard work, passion, and innovation. Parents are invited to use this nomination form to recognize a faculty/staff member for their dedication. All nominations are due by Friday, Dec. 4. Faculty members will be recognized at a virtual staff meeting. It means so much to our faculty and staff to know that you notice their efforts. Please contact Sara Dornauer (sadornauer@fcps.edu) or Margaret Moran (memoran@fcps.edu) with questions.
FCPS Back2Fairfax Teacher Seminar
The Office of Talent Acquisition & Management (TAM) will host the third annual Back2Fairfax Teacher Seminar virtually on Tuesday, December 15, 2020, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
This event will give current high school juniors, seniors, graduates, and former FCPS Teachers for Tomorrow students an opportunity to meet and hear from teachers and administrators in Fairfax County Public Schools.
Participants will attend breakout sessions that will cover a variety of topics including developing a resume, preparing for an interview, applying for a license, finding the school that is the right fit, and teacher and administrator panels. Attendees will also have an opportunity to visit with exhibitors from Title I, Early Childhood, Pre-Teacher Employment with FCPS, Great Beginnings, Teacher Leadership, Employee Benefits, and various professional groups and organizations.
Virtual Event Information Tuesday, December 15, 2020 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm Registration here
Oakton Athletics Update
Winter sports tryouts are set to begin on December 7th (basketball) and December 14th (gymnastics, swim and dive, winter track, wrestling). Tryout information will be posted on www.oaktonathletics.org under the Announcements tab or under each individual sport. Tryout times are subject to change so please check the website prior to the first day of tryouts. In order to try out, the following information must be submitted before tryouts:
A completed VHSL Physical Form (must be on the VHSL form and completed after May 1, 2020 in order to be valid for the 2020-2021 school year), https://www.vhsl.org/vhsl-physical-form/
- FCPS has a new athletic registration system. Every student trying out for a sport must be registered in this new system. This site now contains the concussion education and emergency care form. If you have already submitted a paper copy of the concussion ed, you must complete it again on this site. https://oakton-ar.rschooltoday.com/
Are you planning on playing a winter sport? If so, do you think you will need bus transportation to practice after your virtual school day is done? Please take a minute to complete this Winter Sports Transportation survey.
Student Services Updates
November Lessons
9th Grade – December 1st
- First Quarter Reflection: Enhancing Your Study Skills Part 2 - Students will continue to develop and enhance their study skill strategies as they focus on note taking. The benefit of Focused Note Taking is to encourage students to actively engage in the process to improve the effectiveness of their study time.
Students will meet with their school counselors through links provided in Google classroom. If you have questions, please contact your child’s school counselor.
Lunch & Connect
The Counseling Department, along with Oakton Minds Matter, will be offering a virtual Lunch & Connect on Tuesday, December 1 from 11:00 – 11:30am. Students will have the opportunity to connect with their friends and meet new ones by answering questions in Kahoot and then discussing their answers. Students should come willing to share their opinions: vanilla vs chocolate, salty vs sweet, summer vs winter. Any students who are interested in attending should sign up using this Google form: https://bit.ly/35K5OGR; and the BBCU link for the session will be emailed to them. We look forward to you joining us!
Monthly Newsletter
Greetings from Student Services! Inside November’s newsletter, check out the activities Student Services has been working on including weekly advisory lessons and World Kindness Day. We also want to welcome our new part-time school psychologist, Ms. Liz Vater, to Oakton. Also, check out our monthly Mental Health Moment that focuses on anxiety – what it looks like and how to manage it.
Mental Health Resources
Helping individuals at risk to create a network for support and safety can help them take positive action and reduce feelings of hopelessness. Find mental health resources here.
Student Yoga Sessions
The Counseling Department will be offering yoga sessions every other Monday to provide a space for students to relax, reconnect, and reduce physical tension. Any students who are interested in attending should sign up using this Google form: https://bit.ly/3pdXiIb, and the BBCU link for the session will be emailed to them. We look forward to you joining us! More dates to follow.
Yoga Sessions
December 14th (1:30 – 2:15pm)
Renovation Update
Please visit our website for more information on the scope of the renovation and the renderings of what the building will look like when completed.
PTSA News and Updates
PTSA Notes
We hope everyone had a great holiday weekend.
-
Save the Date - December PTSA Meeting on Wednesday, December 9th at 7pm. RSVP here to have the Zoom link sent to you.
-
Oakton Pantry - Again, thank you to all the families who donated for the Thanksgiving Meal sign up. Details on our holiday list will be sent out soon.
-
Online Mock Sat Test - NEW: Mock SAT prep test for Saturday, December 12. Sign up here.
-
Seniors have YOU joined the PTSA yet? ONE MORE DAY -- All Seniors who join before Dec 1 are eligible for PTA Scholarships! Memberships and donations help support the students, teachers, and Oakton community!
-
Not receiving PTSA emails? Check your name and profile at the top of the page to see if the box is checked to "Receive E-Mail Notifications"
-
Translating our PTSA website - Did you know our website can be translated into many languages? Click "Select Language" on the top right corner of the page. Select the language you wish to translate into and instantly it will translate the web page without opening a new tab.
Oakton PTSA
oaktonhsptsa@gmail.com
Oakton Pantry News
The Pantry is available to assist students with non-perishable food, household goods, and personal hygiene items. If you are in need, please contact the school's Parent Liaison, Martha Ghahremani, at mlghahremani@fcps.edu.
Thank You and Holiday Gifts for Families in Need:
Thank you to everyone who donated Thanksgiving meals. The families were so appreciative and touched by your generosity.
The Pantry is coordinating donations of holiday gifts and winter clothes for our students. For details and to sign up for a wish list item, please see our sign up at: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/508094BABAB2EABFA7-copy
Groceries for Winter Break:
We will be distributing groceries to our students on Dec. 14 to help them through Winter Break. If you would like to donate, we ask that you do so no later than Friday, Dec. 11. Donations may be dropped off inside the first set of doors near the Main Office at the school. There is a marked cart that says Pantry Donations. You may also have items shipped directly to the school by using our Amazon Wish List:
https://smile.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/2PXP0VZH14Y/ref=nav_wishlist_lists_1?_encoding=UTF8&type=wishlist
Thank you for your continued support!
Parent Resources
Parent Resource Center
Be sure to check out the FCPS Parent Resource Center here for resources available to all families!
This site includes registration and information about monthly parent webinars.
2020-2021 Webinars
Registration opens one month before each webinar. Sign up for our New You Choose newsletter to get an email when registration opens.
Conectando con nuestros hijos de manera positiva UN webinaro para las Familias (Making Positive Connections with Our Children: A Webinar for Families) Presented in Spanish
Are you struggling to communicate with your children? Need new strategies? Please join us to learn how to communicate calmly while eliminating the stress that comes from your children not listening.
Webinar Highlights:
- Strategies to parenting your kids from a place of love and connection
- How to help you and your kids regulate your emotions.
- Strategies to get your kids to listen to what you say
Presented by Ana M Stevenson, LCSW and Aynalem (Nalem) Valdes, Mental Health Counselor Intern Northern Virginia Family Services, Multicultural Center
Thursday, December 3, 2020, 10 - 11:30 a.m.
Register for Making Positive Connections with Our Children: A Webinar for Families Presented in Spanish
Positive Discipline: Keeping Your Sanity While Getting Your Teens to Cooperate
This workshop will provide information to parents on various discipline techniques and routines to use for adolescents.
Specific information to be presented will include:
- The Teen Brain
- The Purpose and Meaning of Discipline
- Constructive Communication
- Choices and Consequences
- Rules and Rewards
Presented by Marcus Garr and Debi Hackney, Social Service Specialists, Parenting Education Programs, Fairfax County Department of Family Services.
Friday, December 4, 2020, 10 - 11:30 a.m.
Register for Positive Discipline: Keeping Your Sanity While Getting Your Teens to Cooperate
Postsecondary Education Considerations for Students with Disabilities
Join FCPS Career and Transition Services to learn about postsecondary concerns for students transitioning to college.
Highlights will include:
- Disclosure
- Accessing Accommodations
- Disability Support Services
- Differences Between High School and College
Wednesday, December 9, 2020, 10:00 a.m - noon.
Register for Postsecondary Education Considerations for Students with Disabilities
Coping Strategies for Anxious Kids
“Dry mouth, sweaty palms, a pounding heart. Everyone feels anxious once in a while. But for approximately one in eight teenagers, anxiety is more than just a temporary worry or fear — it can stress them out too much to even come to school. And that can leave parents desperate.” Kavitha Cardoza
Join Dr. Erin D. Berman, a Clinical Psychologist at the National Institute of Mental Health in Bethesda, Maryland for an important session helping children cope with anxiety.
Webinar Highlights:
- How to identify an anxious child
- How to change anxious thinking
- The science and biological roots of anxiety in children
- How computer technology is transforming the understanding of anxiety
- Current treatment options
Friday, December 11, 2020, 10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Register for Coping Strategies for Anxious Kids
Encouraging Positive Behaviors at Home Series
- 12/17/20: All Behavior Happens for a Reason: Behavior as Communication
- Overview on the reasons why behaviors may occur
- Overview about reinforcing positive behavior
- General tips for encouraging replacement behaviors
Thursday December 17, 2020, 10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Register for All Behavior Happens for a Reason: Behavior as Communication
Important Information About Meals During the School Year
Fairfax County Public Schools is currently offering all students nutritious meals at no cost. Meals are offered at school sites and along bus routes Monday through Friday (excluding holidays) with both breakfast and lunch being served at the same time. Breakfast and lunch meals for Saturdays and Sundays are distributed at all locations every Friday. Grab and Go Meal Sites and Bus Routes
Changes to bus routes are posted on the website by 5 p.m. each day. If there are bus delays while distributing meals, the information will be posted on the FCPS Bus Delay website.
Did you know that Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) has Parent Information Phone Lines to support parents in our eight most common languages staffed by bi-lingual employees?
Parents, who would feel more comfortable communicating in their first language, can call the Parent Information Phone Lines Monday-Friday and access a live bi-lingual (sometimes multilingual) employees.
Our phone line staff is also available to FCPS staff who want to connect with parents in the parent’s first language.
Phone Line Staff can help with the following:
- Basic needs resources (food, utilities, shelter)
- Translating and interpreting of FCPS information and communications
- Contact with school personnel
 FCPS Cares
Do you know an Oakton High School 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.
How to Modify or Unsubscribe to the Newsletter
To modify your membership to our messages (or to add yourself to the Oakton Athletics list!) you can manage your subscription to Oakton HS messages online.
|
