LBSS Weekly News - February 5, 2021

bruins care

Message from Dr. Smith

Hello Bruin Families, 

This week, we heard a final vote from the Fairfax County School Board on students returning to the building for in-person learning. Some students will return starting on February 16th and many of our students will return in March. 

  • February 16th - Adapted Curriculum Program
  • March 2nd - 8th, 9th & 12th Grade Students
  • March 9th - 7th, 10th & 11th Grade Students

At Lake Braddock and across FCPS, we will implement a revised bell schedule beginning on February 16th. This schedule maximizes instructional time, while providing one lunch period and we will use this bell schedule from February 16th-26th. Once students return on March 2nd, we will implement a new bell schedule with multiple lunch periods, to accommodate social distancing and mitigation strategies in our cafeteria. This bell schedule will be shared with our community on Friday, February 19. Currently our administrative team is finalizing some of the details for the in-person return to learning. More detailed information regarding the return to school will be coming out in the near future. 

There is a PTSA meeting on February 10th at 7:00 pm where Mrs. Kearns and myself will be discussing return to school information and answering parent questions. Registration information will soon be posted in the PTSA Facebook group, on the PTSA Website, and in their eNews next week.

We look forward to seeing students back in the building in March.  In the meantime, we are hear to answer your questions.  Please do not hesitate to reach out to your child's subschool administrator, Mrs. Kearns or myself. 

United as Bruins, 

Daniel W. Smith, Ed.D.


In this Issue

Important Information for All
New Bell Schedule
Parent Health Commitment Form
Black History Month
Student Congratulations
Kindness Notes
LBSS Online Book Store

High School Information
PTSA for 10th Graders
College Partnership Program Application
Student Parking
Class of 2021 Caps and Gowns

Middle School Information
TJHSST Application Process
TDAP Vaccine Reminder
Middle School-After School Program

Parent Academy

LBSS PTSA News
PTSA Auction

FCPS Information
FCPS Tech Support
FCPS Mental Health Resources

Important LBSS Contact Information
Attendance Procedures
How to Stay In Touch



Important Information for All



New Bell Schedule

At Lake Braddock and across FCPS, we will implement a revised bell schedule beginning on February 16th through February 26th. You can download a printable version of our new bell schedule here

bell schedule full 2

Virtual or In-Person?

In order to determine whether your student is slated to return to school for in-person instruction, please login to your ParentVue account and follow these instructions:

  1. Once logged in, you will see a menu on the left side of the screen.
  2. Click on Student Info.
  3. Scroll to the bottom of the page to see what you selected for your student.
    1. If you requested in-person instruction, you will see “Intend to Attend School In-Person.”
    2. If you requested virtual instruction, you will see “Intend to Attend School Online.”

If you have a questions about your student’s placement, please contact the Director of Student Services for your student. 

Kristin Girardin
Acting MS DSS
kegirardin@fcps.edu

Anne Polino
Acting HS DSS
acpolino@fcps.edu


Parent Health Commitment Form

As students return to school, parents/guardians will be asked to acknowledge a Health Screening Commitment form before their student(s) may return to the school building. This document indicates the parent or guardian’s agreement and commitment to completing a daily health screening prior to sending the student to school and also to keep sick students at home. You have two options to provide your response.

Responding Electronically in ParentVUE:

  • All parents who have indicated their child will attend in-school instruction will have access to this information in ParentVUE. Parents/guardians may access the document in their preferred language and will receive reminders in ParentVUE until the form has been submitted.

Responding on a Paper Form:

  • If you do not have a ParentVUE account, you may provide your commitment on a hardcopy form. You will find the commitment form and all translated versions at Parent Health Commitment Form.

One parent/guardian must acknowledge the commitment one time prior to their child coming to school in-person. Students whose parent/guardian have not returned a signed Parent/Guardian Health Screening Commitment form will be required to complete a health screening until the form is received. Once one parent has completed the Health Screening Commitment form, the form will no longer appear in ParentVUE for any related parent.


Black History Month

As we continue through Black History Month, we'd like to share a number of resources that support our school's instructional focus:

The National Museum of African American History and Culture is the only national museum devoted exclusively to the documentation of African American life, history, and culture Established by Act of Congress in 2003, following decades of efforts to promote and highlight the contributions of African Americans.

The Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) publishes several scholarly works and established Negro History Week, the precursor to Black History Month.

The Virginia’s Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Commission website includes the following resources:

Emancipation Proclamation Sesquicentennial

o RESOURCES from the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Commission

o RESOURCES from the Abraham Lincoln Subcommittee

RESOURCES from the 50th Anniversary of Public School Closings in Virginia.


Student Congratulations

A Bruin congratulations goes to Tirth Dave, Natania Elias, James Lee, Gillian Oliver and Vaishnavi Punaji for becoming interns for the Fairfax County Youth Leadership Program (FCYLP). This program is designed to educate and motivate students to become engaged citizens and leaders in the community. They will participate in monthly meetings and a paid 3-week summer internship with a department of Fairfax County government. We look forward to them representing Lake Braddock well and bringing new ideas to local government.


bruins in action

Kindness Notes

The LB Middle School Bruins in Action and the LB Philanthropy Club are inviting you to participate in Lake Braddock’s first ever Valentine’s Day Kindness Cards Shower!  The event will run from Mon. Feb. 1 to Fri. Feb. 26.

How To Participate: Develop uniquely written and designed cards or letters with heartfelt Valentine’s Day messages to senior citizens who are currently residing in one of our Burke community area nursing facilities -- Burke Health and Rehabilitation Center or Heatherwood Retirement Community.  The cards or notes should be handwritten and addressed to either of these facilities. 

Why Participate?  Because of COVID, visitors are severely restricted or prevented from visiting nursing facilities.  Therefore, a long-distance hug with a heartfelt letter or card to seniors will let them know that you’re thinking of them. In fact, develop as many cards or letters as you can!

Where To Bring Your Cards:  Drop your cards or notes off inside Door 1 at LB  from 8:00 a.m. 4:00 p.m. There will be two seperate boxes for the two nursing facilities - try to spread your work out evenly and share the love!

What should you know before you write your letters or cards?

  • Write it by hand if you can. • Make it neat. • Make it personal. • Don’t write the date. • Start with “Dear Friend.”
  • Let your reader know that you are a Lake Braddock student and why you’re writing. • Avoid religion and personal views
  • Sign your first name. While it’s important that this letter or card come from you, don’t share more personal information (like your last name, home address, or phone number)—if the reader knows your first name and that you’re a Lake Braddock student, that’s more than enough.

For Information about receiving service hours credit:  HS students contact Mrs. Williams at lhwilliams@fcps.edu and MS students contact your Social Studies Teacher!


LBSS Online Book Store

The LBSS Library is hosting an online bookstore through Bookworm Central that will continue throughout the entire year. Students and teachers can purchase books and have them delivered to their house. Purchases over $30 will be delivered for free. Stock up for the holidays and support the library.

The Online Library Book Store opened December 7. Please enjoy this promotional video HERE.

Contact the LBSSLibrary@fcps.edu with any questions.

Thank you, Lake Braddock SS Librarians



High School Information



PSAT for 10th Graders

On Monday, April 19, LBSS will host PSAT 10 for sophomores only. Testing specifics and the link for registration will be posted on March 1. However, the deadline to apply for College Board accommodations for the PSAT 10 is February 12. For more information, please visit the LBSS PSAT Parent Notification link.


College Partnership Program Applications

Applications are now available for the College Partnership Program (CPP).  The program goals are to increase the academic achievement of underachieving students and to increase the number of students, particularly first generation and minority students, who enroll and succeed in college. Through monthly school-based meetings and numerous opportunities on the county level, CPP members and their parents are provided with opportunities to successfully navigate the home, school, and college continuum. 

Students can apply online or with the paper application. The applications are due by March 19. 

Here is the link to the online application:  https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScFcGtqh77--ecJvlAfi-GR_WD0d6XIpuR6qJpvsbaZp_z0bw/viewform.  Students will need to log in to their G Suite account (FCPS Google Apps in Education) to complete the online application.  If you would like a paper application, please see your counselor or Ms. Veenstra in High School Student Services. 

There will be an information meeting on Thursday, February 25 during lunch and after school for interested students and parents. Current students will give testimony to their experience with CPP and we will have an activity that is typical of a CPP meeting.  Interested students may also join an upcoming CPP meeting on either Thursday, February 11 or Thursday, March 11.  Just let Ms. Veenstra know so she can provide a link to the meeting.

If you have any questions about CPP, please contact Margaret Veenstra at mjveenstra@fcps.edu or (703) 426-1033.

cpp

Student Parking

Due to the current circumstances, we will be doing student parking a little bit differently this year. Our number one goal with this is to provide a safe, accessible, and equitable system for student drivers here at Lake Braddock. Here are some quick facts about this year’s process:

  • There will be no parking fees this year.
  • We will be doing “open parking” in the student parking lot this year. Students will not be assigned specific, numbered spots (unless you paid to decorate a parking spot).
  • Parking privilege will be selected by lottery. We will begin with Senior applications and, if spots remain, will move to Junior applications. If after this, there are still spots remaining, we will look at Sophomore applications.
  • Students will need to complete the following form: Parking Lottery Form. Students must be logged into their fcpsschools.net account to access the form.
  • The deadline for submission of the form has been extended to Friday, February 12.

If you have any specific questions regarding this process, please feel free to reach out to Mr. Ken May, Security Specialist (kpmay@fcps.edu) or Mr. Tony DiBari, Assistant Principal (asdibari@fcps.edu).


Class of 2021 Caps and Gowns

We are in the process of planning a meaningful graduation experience for the Class of 2021 to the greatest extent possible given the current situation with COVID-19. We are considering many options to celebrate this momentous occasion. 

We are ordering our caps and gowns and we need your help and gentle encouragement. We need each senior to complete the cap and gown survey to ensure we have the appropriate cap and gown size for everyone. Please ask your graduate if they have completed the survey. If they have not, please ask them to click on the following link to give us their student id, height and weight.  Students can access this link by signing in with their fcpsschools.net account.

https://forms.gle/6UDWVtj844aqQyZc9

Thank you for your attention to this matter and we look forward to recognizing and celebrating the Class of 2021.



Middle School Information



TJHSST Application Process

For those who are interested, Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (commonly referred to as "TJ") just released updated information about the application process. The application window will begin on February 1 at 8:00 am and close on February 26 at 4:00 pm. There are two parts to begin the application: (1) Students must login and enter some basic information including parent email, and (2) Parent must login to their own account to submit the application after your student's counselor has verified that they meet the prerequisite course requirements. 

Here are important links that you will need:

  1. Eligibility Requirements: https://www.fcps.edu/registration/thomas-jefferson-admissions/eligibility-requirements
  2. TJ Freshman Application Process: https://www.fcps.edu/registration/thomas-jefferson-high-school-science-and-technology-admissions/freshman-winter

There is still information that is yet to be released, but this should help you to get started with the application.


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.



Middle School After-School Program: Bruins Stay Virtual

Visit here for an up-to-date list of afterschool offerings at Lake Braddock: https://lakebraddockss.fcps.edu/student-life-activities/club-activity-descriptions

New Activities (as of Feb 2021):

  • OBS (Open Broadcasting Software) Club
  • DC Sports Club
  • Virtual Board Games
  • Lens Photography Club

If students are interested in participating in the middle school after-school program:

  1. Complete the student interest form: https://forms.gle/7FL8qVvW3oSfVTxU8
  2. Parents/guardians should complete the parent permission form: https://forms.gle/Z5CZnfmkoNAfR1Ea8

Questions to After-School Specialist, Jamaal Hines, jlhines@fcps.edu



Parent Academy



See our Website for more information about Parent Academy events.

Resiliency in a Time of COVID

On Thursday, January 28, 2021, students from the LBSS Principal’s Cabinet Mental Health Group delivered our virtual Parent Academy Mental Health Night, “Resiliency in a Time of COVID.” They shared their findings from data collected from LBSS students regarding mental health struggles they are experiencing this year and what supports and insights parents and students need to build resilience. Ms. Janene Pack, LBSS HS counselor and licensed LPC, presented a parent portion on strategies to support their own mental health and those of their children. One of the most powerful parts of this session was that it was student-led by middle and high school students at Lake Braddock. Our Principal’s Cabinet Mental Health Group members collected data on mental health struggles that LB students are facing right now. They created the survey, collected data, and put together the presentation. Check back soon because this talented group is also working on potential lessons for Advisory to support this work. We are so proud of this group and grateful for the powerful message and session!

If you missed the presentation, you can find the recording here:

"Resiliency in a Time of COVID" - recording_1

Teenage Brain and Drug Trends Series

Thank you to everyone who registered for the Teenage Brain and Drug Trends series and attended our live sessions. Below you will find the recordings to all 3 sessions and the exit surveys for each session. Please feel free to share the recordings with other parents, family, friends, and staff members. We feel this is important information that everyone could benefit from. Also, please email me if you have any questions regarding to the presentations or would like to talk more about substance use as it relates to your students.

Session #1: The Teenage Brain: Building Connections
Recording: https://youtu.be/Pi8nUfe8Fas
Exit Survey: https://forms.gle/UqC4Hg7TKKENFGGZ6

Session #2: Drugs & the Teenage Brain
Recording: https://youtu.be/tcxxBE6TbYQ
Exit Survey: https://forms.gle/FhUXSHj8vESQC5Q36

Session #3: Drug Trends in teens: Identifying Common Household Substances & Drug Culture
Recording: https://youtu.be/7x2BcvZt4lg
Exit Survey: https://forms.gle/Bgtf2kiKxAEPg9vg6

Thank you!

Jessica Giffin, LMSW
Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist
Email: jlgiffin@fcps.edu

 



LBSS PTSA NEWS



LBSS PTSA Auction

The LBSS PTSA will be hosting a virtual auction during the first three weeks of March!  We have a wide array of products, services, gift cards, and experiences already confirmed and the list keeps growing every day!  Do you have something you would like to donate?  Contact communications@lbssptsa.org for more details!



FCPS Information



FCPS Tech 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. 


FCPS Mental Health Resources



Important LBSS Contact Information



Attendance Procedures

  • Monday attendance form:  Students must complete the required attendance form between 8:00 and 10:00 am each Monday to be counted as present. Students need to be signed in to their FCPS Google accounts to complete the form. Your child’s 4th period Advisory teachers will remind them and post the same link every week. Please encourage and remind your child to complete the form EVERY Monday morning.
  • Reporting absences, late arrivals, and early dismissals: Use the following form to report absences, late arrivals and early dismissal: https://lakebraddockss.fcps.edu/about/attendance. You can also call the subschool attendance phone numbers shown below:
ss attendance

How to Stay In Touch

Please stay in touch with us throughout the year by: