From The Principal
Family,
Before I get into any sort of news sharing, I want to just state that while this week has been great having more students and staff in the building, it has been a very tough week of reporting out COVID cases that have popped up at our building. It is discouraging to think about our students who may need to be in-person for differing reasons that are excited about the return, and then have to communicate home to you all that for a brief moment the building / facility may have been unsafe. That is tough to do because I know that every parent reading those notifications are immediately having to think, “How did this impact my child?”. I have every confidence that each of you are in the ears of your students about what is important as it relates to their safety. I know this because every conversation that I have had with a parent about the reporting of a positive case, this was shared with me. But what I am asking each of you going forward is that you make sure that conversation is a face to face, eye to eye conversation about the fact that due to the fact that as a country we are moving in the direction of getting closer to being back to “normal”, it is more important than ever for everyone to mask up, wash hands, and socially distance. And we must not just do this to protect ourselves, but also for one another. For the Family. It is a must that we do this so that we can be in a better place for next year. This work begins right now.
Okay, that was the locker room halftime speech for this week. Everybody in…. Family on 3,…. 1, 2, 3, FAMILY!!!
So this week was actually very nice. To see our 10th and 11th grade students return to the building and be among our 9th and 12th graders was psychological healing for me. And to know that the vast majority of conversations that I had with students were again very positive about what they were experiencing was a huge weight lifted off of my shoulders as well. The staff has been working very hard to not just teach our students, but also to ensure that the welcome back was appropriate. As a staff we talked about how much of a mental process it was to return to the building and to be in a place with many more people than we were in prior to the 23rd of February. We knew that our students would have to go through that same mental process. So our teachers took the time to work through “first day of school” processes these past two weeks again to let the students adjust. I think that it proved to be a positive for us to go through that as an entire school community. Please pass on to your children my appreciation for their patience and flexibility. Your children have once again displayed resilience, and I am very proud of them.
Our students are also still driven to perform at their best. This week we learned that a number of our students participated in the 2021 Virginia DECA State Leadership Conference last week. It was the first ever (and hopefully only) virtual state competition. Sarah Hinkhouse, one of our Business and Marketing teachers shared the following:
We are thrilled to say our chapter received recognition for:
- being the largest chapter in the State, despite the pandemic and virtual school
- our public relations, community service, membership and advocacy efforts which earned us leadership academy invitations at the upcoming International Career Development Conference (ICDC).
- being a Gold Re-Certified School Based Enterprise in our third year of operation collaborating with the WAT program
- Our blue chip annual report put together by Michele Togbe & Julia Kwak with the guidance of Vera Woodson. The 80-page documentation of our chapter activities is a beauty and the trophy you’ll see in the main office is a representation of that hard work!
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Sara West won the Yebo Agency Scholarship
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Ayesha Atif won the Rescue Agency, Public Benefit, LLC Scholarship
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34 Stallions medaled in either their Role Play(s), Test, or overall performance. That is over 53% of our competitors who were recognized for their efforts!
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58 total medals were won by our chapter as many students received awards in multiple areas.
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Sarah Hinkhouse & Vera Woodson received an Outstanding Advisor award.
23 Stallions qualified for DECA's International Career Development Conference and competition virtually, April 12-April 30, 2021.
This is remarkable news and we are proud of our students who continue to find ways to thrive during these times as well as the teachers who continue to provide a pathway for our students’ success.
I want to thank our athletes who continue to compete on the courts, fields, and trails for giving all of us the opportunity to put our minds somewhere else for a couple of hours as we cheer them on. It has been nice to see those of you who have been able to get out to the events. I have not had the opportunity to see all of our student athletes perform yet, but I am coming. So I look forward to seeing you all there. And if you can’t make it out, you can look for me on one of our streaming channels. I’ll be that little person in the camera view in the South County gear 😊. More information can be found at https://stallionnation.com/ and selecting the SC Livestream Link on the left-hand side of the page.
We are going to have our second round of the English SOL Writing Assessment tomorrow. I want to thank those of you who have students participating in the assessment in advance for getting them there on time and making sure they got a good night’s sleep tonight. We will have breakfast available for them if they want to pick it up before going into their testing environment.
This week, our Senior class students will have the opportunity to put a pie in the face of their principal and one other staff member. I don’t know how they got me to agree to do this. I think there may be some foul play involved here. I may come back to you all to track down these culprits! In the meantime, wish me well as I put my life on the line for these young people. What in the world was I thinking?!
Look for more information to come out from the Superintendent’s Office about how final grading will be handled for students. There will be some decisions for Families to make about your students’ final grades. I won’t go into detail here because I don’t want to share any information that is still being decided at this time. Yeah, I am annoyed by teaser information too, so I understand your, “Well why did you even say anything then?” comment rolling around your head right now. As my children tell me, “My bad.” But I still love you guys!
Folks, please be sure that you are staying on top of your student’s progress with classes. We are getting closer and closer to the end of the year and we all hate surprises when it comes to grades. ParentVue provides you with the opportunity to see your child’s gradebook. If you find anything that doesn’t look right, reach out to your child’s teachers directly and ask questions. We pay our teachers to answer questions, so they understand they could be coming. They will be more than happy to ensure you have all the relevant information needed to be able to yell at your child (that is supposed to read “have discussions with your child”).
The option for in-person summer school is available for those who need it to recover credits from this year. With two sessions available, this is the perfect opportunity to ensure your child does not lose ground due to this crazy year. Please take advantage of those sessions if needed.
From the logistical side of things, I want to share that we had another visit from the county's Safety Team who has the responsibility of evaluating the effectiveness of our mitigation strategies that we have put in place to ensure our students' and staff's safety. Once again we received "Effective" ratings across the board for our work.
Okay, I have talked your heads off enough for this week. A quick thanks to those of you who were able to join me on Thursday for the Principal’s Coffee. It was good to see you all. So that everyone knows, I did instruct those who attended to find a friend and bring them along next time. As you know, I truly believe in student voice. Parental voice is also very important to me. So please participate in these opportunities to interact with our school leadership and make sure that your voice is heard. And a quick shout out to my personal bodyguards, Ann Wilkie and Mallory Person. You are both very much appreciated! See if you were at the coffee, you would understand what I am talking about!
Here are a couple of important upcoming dates:
Late Busses Begin 3/17
End of 3rd Quarter – 3/26
Spring Break – 3/29 – 4/2
Teacher Workday – 4/5
Well that is all I have for this week. See you all soon. Thank you for your continued support and for trusting me to serve you and your children. Please know that I don’t take this responsibility and opportunity for granted. I AM the PROUD principal of the best students in Fairfax County! #OneStallion
Gary
Testing Corner
Parents of 11th Grade Students
Monday March 15 will be the second day of the Writing SOL exam. Students who only did the Short Paper on March 1 and students who were unable to test due to technical difficulties will be testing Monday morning. Please discuss the following message from the SCHS Tech Team regarding their FCPS-issued laptop.
Before you come back to SCHS for the Writing SOL on Monday, the Tech Team would like you to go through the following steps in order to reduce the possibility of technical difficulties on Monday morning.
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Every day between now and Monday, power up your FCPS-issued laptop.
- After you have logged in and it is ready to go, re-start your computer. Don’t power it down, do a re-start and log back in again.
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Re-start a second time.
- Do this process EVERY DAY. When you re-start your laptop, it received important updates that will allow your computer to access TestNav the SOL testing platform.
- If possible, do this same process on the FCPS network in/ near an FCPS school. You can do this by going into the parking lot of an FCPS school – any FCPS school- and going through the same power-up/re-start/re-start procedure.
- Before Monday, make sure any documents, pictures, presentation, etc. you have stored on your laptop have been moved to your FCPS Network Drive. If you do have a technical issue on Monday, your computer will likely need to be re-imaged, deleting everything you have stored on the laptop. By placing it in your FCPS Network Drive, your files will be on the network drive when you get your re-imaged laptop back.
All Tenth Grade Students and Parents
On Monday, April 19, South County High School tenth graders will have the opportunity to take the PSAT 10. FCPS will cover the cost for any tenth grade student to take this test.
To help the school prepare for testing, families are asked to complete the form below by Friday, March 19. This form asks about participation in the test, the need or bus transportation, and interest in free breakfast or lunch on the day of the test.
South County High School: PSAT 10 Intent to Participate Form (https://forms.gle/zt35XLfQbJWCgYgn8)
A translated version of the form content may be found on the PSAT 10 Intent webpage (https://www.fcps.edu/node/42692). This form works best when accessed from your student’s @fcpsschools.net account. Due to health and safety protocols, FCPS sites cannot accept walk-ins on the day of the exam.
General information about the PSAT 10 test format is available on the College Board webpage (https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/psat-nmsqt-psat-10). Monday, April 19 has been designated for independent learning in FCPS high schools, so students who choose to take the PSAT 10 will not miss synchronous instruction or intervention with their teachers.
Note: the PSAT 10 cannot be used for as a qualifying test for the National Merit Scholarship Program. The PSAT/NMSQT must be taken in 11th grade for that qualifying score. The PSAT 10 is also not a requirement for graduation and will have no effect on your student’s grades or cumulative GPA.
For students who want to practice the SAT from the comfort of their own homes, College Board has several SAT Practice tests available on their website.
We will share more details about test day schedules and bus transportation in the coming weeks. FCPS health and safety protocols for PSAT 10 administration are available online (https://www.fcps.edu/node/41891).
If you have questions about the PSAT 10 administration at South County High School, please contact us at Chris Bird, School Test Coordinator, at cwbird@fcps.edu or at 703-446-1643..
The College Search
South County Student Services is partnering with Lake Braddock Student Services to host a panel of 5 College Admission Representatives for juniors and their parents. We hope you will be able to join us virtually on March 16, 2021 at 7:00PM. Please use this Google form to register. A participation link will be sent out the morning of the event to those registered. If you are unable to attend, the event will be recorded. The topics to be covered are as follows:
- Junior Year and the College Search
- Community College Options
- How Do Colleges Make Admission Decisions?
- Financial Aid/Scholarships & Private Schools
- Managing the Process and Student Decisions
Yearbook News
Ordering Yearbooks and Senior Ads
Yearbooks and Senior Ads are on sale at www.yearbookforever.com . The only way to guarantee you have a book is to pre-order it online. We may have extra books on sale at the end of the year, but can not guarantee it. Last year we sold out, so if you want a book, buy now.
Senior ads will continue to be sold until space runs out. We currently have filled about half the senior ad space. They can also be bought at www.yearbookforever.com
Sharing Pictures
The yearbook is relying heavily on pictures from the community this year, and we really want to represent as many people as possible. If you would like to share photos with the book (especially if you haven’t done so yet), you can email them to Ms. Delinski directly at jldelinski@fcps.edu. Or you can upload them at www.yearbookforever.com, go to South County’s page, and click “Community Upload.” Our access code is SOCO2021
From the PTSO
Academic Awards Pickup- 3/22 (12pm-4pm)
We will be having a 2nd pickup for Academic Letters/Pins on March 22nd from 12pm-4pm at the entrance to Door 15. This door is to the right of the Main Office Doors. You can head straight to Door 15, no need to go to Main Office.
All Night Graduation Party CHIPOTLE Fundraiser
We need your help! Let’s raise money for the Class of 2021 ANGP.
Eat at Chipotle at Lorton Market St. on Wednesday, 3/24 5pm-9pm. Click here for the flyer to show cashier.
Class Office or Hype Squad Leader
Interested in running for Class Office or Hype Squad Leader for next school year?
Class Officer (for rising sophomores through seniors) and Hype Squad Leader (only available for rising seniors) Interest Forms are posted on all Class of ___ Google Classroom pages.
Students must submit an interest form in order to gain access to the application. Interest Forms are due by 11:59pm on Monday, March 26th.
If you have any questions, reach out to Mrs. Price at kaprice1@fcps.edu. Thank you!
New Merchandise Available
at the
Stallion Spirit Store Website!
South County’s Stallion Spirit Store is open virtually with NEW merchandise available on our NEW website! You’ll find the Order Form with directions on how to return; once the order is filled, payment can be made on MySchoolBucks and picked up at the school.
Thank you in advance for supporting the Entrepreneurship & Marketing program as well as the Work and Transition program here at South County. The students from these programs typically work the Spirit Kiosk at lunches to build customer service skills as well as count inventory and review financial records. These work-based learning opportunities allow students to connect classroom lessons to actual scenarios.
Substance Abuse &
Mental Health Moment for March
Stallion Family,
My name is Catric Marshall and I am the Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist for the South County Pyramid. If you need support for a student or have concerns, please feel free to reach out to me via email at cwhaleymarsh@fcps.edu or call 703-446-1773.
Emotional intelligence is the ability to recognize and manage one’s emotions. Through self-awareness one may examine and guide thoughts and actions, show empathy, establish positive relationships, and make responsible decisions. We all have a set emotional baseline. Our circumstances affect how we feel, think, and behave but once the novelty of the event has passed, we return back to the normal emotional baseline (Psychology Today). The Happiness Formula indicates that your state of being is 50% genetic, 10% life circumstances, and 40% your attitude.
Mindfulness Moment
Movement and the healthy state of your brain are interconnected. Physical activity benefits the brain as much as it does the body. Engaging in exercise reduces symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress. It also provides a boost to your mood, self-esteem, and enhances cognitive functioning (MindBody). For more information check out these links:
The Scientific Reasons Why Movement is the Key to Happiness – Next Big Idea Club
Dancing for Happiness: How Movement Affects Our Mood – Thrive Global
How to be physically active while social distancing - CDC
Current Substance Abuse and Misuse Trends
There were 70,630 overdose deaths in the United States in 2019. During the pandemic status in 2020 due to COVID-19 there was an accelerated increase in overdose deaths. Although there has been decreases in the lifetime use of marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, synthetic marijuana and injection drug use over the past decade, substance use remains common. Nationally one in three students report current alcohol use, one in five students report current marijuana use, one in seven report current binge drinking, and one in fourteen report current prescription opioid misuse. The impacts of COVID-19 include increased use of substances alone, limitations to medical treatment due to fear, lack of technology resources to participate in remote prevention, treatment, and recovery sources, and a disruption in illicit drug supply (National Center for Injury Prevention and Control Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).
The Offices of Student Safety & Wellness Presents: The Teenage Brain and Drug Trends for Parents:
Session 1: The Teenage Brain Building Connections on March 18 @ 7PM
Session 2: Drugs & the Teenage Brain on March 25 @ 7PM
Session 3: Drug Trends in Teens: Identifying Common Substances in the Household on April 8 @ 7PM
RSVP to Catric Marshall at cwhaleymarsh@fcps.edu for session information.
Permanent Safe Drug Disposal Locations
● Health Department Link for Safe Drug Disposal (with map of permanent drop-off locations, including pharmacies, police stations, fire stations, clinics, etc.):
https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/health/drug-disposal
● Link with Location Search field where one can enter their zip code to find closest drop-off locations for unused meds:
https://apps2.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/pubdispsearch/spring/main?execution=e1s1
Vaping Initiative
The Fairfax County Health Department, Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board and Fairfax County Public Schools have partnered to implement the Truth Initiative’s This is Quitting program. This is Quitting is a teen and young adult-focused vaping cessation text messaging program based on the best scientific evidence from the tobacco cessation literature. For more information about the program, click here.
The Community Services Board (CSB) is still providing general mental health and substance abuse services. Their information can be found by clicking HERE.
Please contact me for additional vaping, substance abuse and mental health support. For general questions about the FCPS Substance Abuse Prevention Program, please contact the Office of Student Safety & Wellness: (571) 423-4270 or by visiting our website by clicking HERE.
Best Regards,
Catric Marshall, MSMHC., LRIC
Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist
cwhaleymarsh@fcps.edu
The South County Baseball, Football and Wrestling teams will doing their Spring Fundraiser Mulch sale on April 16-18. Bags of mulch will be $4.50 per 3 cu. Ft, Bag of Premium double shredded hardwood bark mulch. The bags can be delivered to your house for a $10 delivery fee or you can pick up at South County and we will load the bags for you. If you are interested in purchasing mulch please email Sean Anderson at Sdanderson@fcps.edu for an order form.
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