Important Dates
- 1/18 - Holiday
- 1/19 - Normal synchronous Green Day
- 1/20 - Holiday
- 1/21 - Normal synchronous Green Day
- 1/21 - PTSA Meeting (7:00 pm)
- 1/22 - End of 2nd Quarter (2-Hr. Early Release)
- 1/25 - Teacher Workday/Student Holiday
Attendance Matters!
Attendance drives everything! It is tied to almost every aspect of school performance and future outcomes. Please visit the Falls Church High School website attendance page for updated policies and procedures.
A note about Monday attendance:
Please remember that while there is no bell schedule on Mondays, attendance is still required. Students are responsible for logging in to their 4th period/Advisory teacher’s Google Classroom and completing the Google attendance form posted by the teacher between 8:10 a.m. and 11:10 a.m. in order to be marked present.
The top 5 Reasons students miss school are:
- Their work is not completed, or they have anxiety about their work load.
- They are not interested in school or bored by their classes or teachers.
- There are things going on with family at home or the family is not supportive of school.
- The student has physical health issues that prevent them from coming to school.
- The student has some mental health issues getting in the way (#1 issue: anxiety).
It’s important to communicate these and other needs to our Dean, SOSA, administrators, counselors, & clinicians.
Avoid absences unless absolutely necessary!
Thank You!!
A huge Jaguar thank you to everyone who contributed gift cards for our staff appreciation raffles! Go Jag Community!
Celebrating our Students!
Our weekly recognition of students who are demonstrating excellence in academics, behavior or citizenship.
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Kate Tillett: Kate is always in class, contributes insightfully to our literary discussions and did a fantastic job on her vocabulary project. I would like, in fact, to use her project as a model for her peers. Keep up the great work, Kate! Mr. Fahringer
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Ngoc Thuy Luong: Thuy is a senior this year! Her dedication and commitment as an English language learner have been and continue to be outstanding. She comes to class consistently, on time, and prepared. Thuy's friendly, kind, and approachable attitude inspires me and her classmates. Ms. Heike
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Ethan Nguyen: Ethan has gotten 188 out of 190 questions right on the four tests he's had in World History I honors this year. Mr. Berzonsky
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Tiffany Lopez-Villegas: Tiffany is a new student from Justice High School, and I am so impressed with how proactive she is. She quickly got to work learning about and making up missing assignments. I had her in class one day, and since then she attended my office hours multiple times. Dr. Masciangioli
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John Contreras: John is working hard during virtual instruction and is doing a great job completing his work and working towards his goals. He always has a smile and positive energy to share! Ms. Ellis
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Calendar Reminder
Schools and Offices Closed on January 18 and January 20
As a reminder, schools and offices will be closed on Monday, January 18, for the Martin Luther King, Jr., holiday, and on Wednesday, January 20, for Inauguration Day.
Friday, January 22, is the last day of the second quarter and is a two-hour early release day.
Monday, January 25, is a teacher work day and a student holiday.
Fans in the Stands Cutouts – Support the Jaguars!
You can't stop our JAGUAR PRIDE! We can't be there in person but we can still be part of GAME DAY! Show your support in the stands for your favorite Jaguar Athlete!
Jaguar Fans in the Stands cutouts ($30) can be ordered now. We will continue to sell cut-outs week-by-week.
Orders will be fulfilled on Fridays for the next few weeks. Orders received by Friday will arrive at Falls Church the following week. All gym sports cutouts (Basketball, Wrestling, Gymnastics) will be displayed in the stands for all home events. Swim/Dive athletes will have their Cutouts available at the school. Swim/Dive athletes can bring in their Fans in the Stands on meet day (but must remove them at the end of the swim/dive meet each time). Track will be placed outside in the stadium for the track meet. Please note that the cutouts have grommets (holes to adhere to the fences) and are constructed of material that will endure elements outside!
Pictures can be of anyone - Parents, Grandparents, Siblings, Pets or Friends. Please be sure the photo is from the waist up. All sales are final even in the event of sports pauses/cancellations due to Covid-19. Your purchased cutout will be yours to keep after the season is done.
Order yours here: https://www.nationsprint.com/clients/fan_cutouts6/
From FCHS Spotlight Theatre
FCHS SPOTLIGHT THEATRE is proud to announce our spring musical “YOU’RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN”.
Auditions for the infamous Peanuts characters will be February 9 and 10 with callbacks on the 11th. ALL FCHS students are encouraged to audition. Please be prepared with either a song from the show or a musical theatre song in the style of the show.
Contact Mr. R-L or Mrs. De Marco if you have any questions about the show.
WOOHOO! Our Cappie critics are doing a great job this year reviewing virtual productions across the county! Congratulations Jack Child whose review of FFX High School's show will be published in the Fairfax County Times!
FCHS Drama boosters meeting, Wednesday, January 13 at 6PM. Please contact our Drama Booster secretary Angela Bandemehr through her email abandemehr@gmail.com if you would like to attend.
From our Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist (SAPS)
My name is Anna Teeter and I am the Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist for the Falls Church Pyramid. If you need support for a student or have concerns you’d like to discuss, please feel free to reach out to me via email at amteeter@fcps.edu or call 571-402-2613.
For general questions about the FCPS Substance Abuse Prevention Program, please contact the Office of Student Safety & Wellness- (571) 423-4270.
Realistic New Year’s Resolutions
A recent study on New Year’s resolutions found that about 40% of Americans set resolutions at the start of the year, and less than half are successful after six months. If you keep your resolutions realistic by taking smaller, more achievable steps towards your goals, there is a greater chance that you will make lasting change! Please see below for some ideas toward possible changes you could make in the New Year!
Source: https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/01/health/keeping-new-years-resolutions-wellness/index.html
Quit Vaping with the “This is Quitting” program:
- “This is Quitting” is a program specifically tailored for Fairfax County adolescents and young adults and sponsored by the Health Department, FCPS, CSB and other community partners.
- This is a free, anonymous, texting services that helps students set a quit date and receive up to 12 weeks of tailored texts to assist in the quitting process.
- Get 24/7 on-demand support for cravings, stress, relapse, or requests for more messages.
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Text in VapeFreeFFX to 88709 to get enrolled.
- To learn more about the “This is Quitting” program: https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/livehealthy/tobacco-free/vape-free-fairfax/quit
Make Sleep a Priority:
- The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends that teenagers aged 13 to 18 years should regularly sleep 8 to 10 hours per day for good health. A research study in Virginia showed that 20% of teenagers get less than 5 hours of sleep, while average amount is 6.5 hours.
Source: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/teenagers-who-don-t-get-enough-sleep-at-higher-risk-for-mental-health-problems/
Achievable Sleep Goals:
- Try to have at least 30 minutes of screen-free time before going to sleep because the light from the screen can often interfere with sleep.
- Drink less caffeine – found in soda, some tea and coffee – particularly in the 4 hours before bed since caffeine can stop you from falling asleep and reduce the amount of deep sleep you get.
- Write down your worries, talk through stress with a friend or family member, or make a to-do list before going to bed. These strategies may be helpful so you can get a more restful sleep without lying awake thinking about stressors.
Be kind to yourself:
Change is often hard and takes time. Forgive yourself for mistakes. You are here and doing your best, and that is most important 😊
If you or someone you know is having a mental health crisis, please contact the Fairfax Community Service Board Emergency Team at (703) 573-5679
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Parent Project
Are you raising a difficult child? Would you like to learn how to respond in a skillful way to your strong-willed children?
Then we invite you to participate in Parent Project.
Parent Project is a prevention/intervention program that will provide you the opportunity to learn and practice effective strategies to build a positive relationship with your children; stop heated arguments; improve school attendance and academic performance, among other relationship challenges.
Parent Project is a ten session program, on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
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When - January 12 to February 11, 2021.
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Time - 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
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Location - Virtual
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Language - Spanish
Certificate and $75.00 gift card will be provided to parents that attend at least 8 session.
Space is limited!
To register - call or email Carolina Dotel, ccdotel@fcps.edu, (703)207-4074.
Return to School Family Guide
FCPS has created a family guide to help answer many of your questions regarding the return to school. It can be accessed here:
FCHS is Looking for Classroom Monitors
We are looking for full-time classroom monitors to support learning when students return in-person. If you are interested in applying for this position please reach out to Gabi Ritchey (gbritchey@fcps.edu).
Description: Provides in-person classroom assistance to a school or center assisting a virtual teacher with conducting classroom activities; works with individual and small groups of students; operates technology to include cameras, learning platforms, and learning tools; helps maintain order and discipline and assists in managing the behavior of students; provides supervision throughout the school day including in the classroom, halls, lunch, recess, and specials; performs administrative and non-instructional duties, such as keeping daily attendance; and ensures all CDC/safety protocols and procedures (e.g., fire drills) are implemented and followed.
Qualifications: Any combination of education and experience equivalent to graduation from high school. Must be comfortable with basic technology equipment/tools; knowledge of and ability to ensure all CDC/safety protocols and procedures are implemented and followed; and ability to interact effectively with assigned student population.
Technology Help @ FCHS
In-person Help: Entrance #2
- Monday thru Friday
- 7:00 am - 8:30 am
- No appointment needed
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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