Annandale Students, Parents and Community:
After months of uncertainty about what our return would look like, we could not have returned stronger. Our staff did an amazing job of welcoming and supporting students back into the building. Across all of our classes, teachers facilitated lots of opportunities for community building to reconnect with our students, many of whom have not been in a school building for over 17 months. There is no doubt that seeing and reconnecting with our students this past week has energized not just our students, but also the Annandale staff, myself included.
Special thanks to ABC 7 and NPR for covering our first day of school on Monday. ABC 7 reported live from Annandale High School throughout the morning and NPR’s story, “Joy And Uncertainty At Annandale High School's First Day Back” was released on Thursday. Both media outlets did a great job covering the excitement of the first day of school and interviewed staff, students and even our PTSA President. In addition, you can check out the amazing things happening throughout the campus via Twitter by searching the hashtag #AtomNation.
Moving forward, we know that we face challenges. We are doing everything we can to ensure our mitigation strategies are robust. Students are doing a great job of wearing their masks and we will continue to enforce this policy for as long as necessary to keep everyone safe. In addition, to support social distancing at lunch, more outdoor seating was added outside the cafeteria and in the senior courtyard. We also continue to provide students and the community with opportunities to receive the COVID vaccine. On Saturday, we hosted another vaccine clinic at Annandale High School.
At home, please continue to screen your student daily for any signs of illness prior to leaving home for school. Working together, these layered prevention strategies will help keep schools safe places for all students to learn.
As always, please let me know if you have any questions.
Shawn DeRose, Principal
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 Tyrone Turner/DCist/WAMU
Important Dates
August 30- September 2; September 7 - Senior Pictures
September 1 - SR&R Lessons Begin
September 3-6 - Labor Day Holiday (No school on Friday, Sept. 3 or Monday, Sept. 6)
September 21 - First PTSA Meeting, 7:00pm
September 30 - Back to School Night 2021
October 4-8 - Homecoming Week
October 9 - Homecoming Dance
October 13 - PSAT/SAT Day
Senior Pictures - August 30-September 2; September 7: Senior pictures will take place August 30 through September 2 and on September 7. Seniors should have received information from Lifetouch Prestige about scheduling their picture. They can start booking appointments now on https://prestigeportraits.com. They can find their name by utilizing the “Search by City & State” feature or using the appointment code they were sent in the mail. If you have any questions, contact Lifetouch Prestige at 855-918-2930. (Please note that September 3 was originally a senior picture day and has been changed to September 7. Anyone who signed up for a picture on that day has been moved to September 7)
SR&R Lessons in W4 Begin - September 1: This Wednesday, we will start our Student Rights and Responsibilities lessons in W4. The lessons are divided into two different parts to help facilitate student conversations and build community in our classes. Part 1 will be an interactive lesson, the W4 class will participate in to build community and understanding around our school norms. Part 2 will include the SR&R video presentation from Dr. Brabrand that all FCPS students must watch. Following the video students will take the SR&R test through Horizon.
Labor Day Holiday - September 3-6: Virginia legislation requires that schools opening prior to Labor Day must be closed the Friday immediately preceding Labor Day. As a result, Friday, September 3, is a holiday for students and staff members in addition to the Labor Day holiday, Monday, September 6. See the complete 2021-22 school year calendar.
Underclassmen Pictures - September 7 and 8: Underclassmen pictures will take place on September 7 and 8 through English classes. Make up pictures will be offered October 18 and 19. Parents and guardians can use this Picture Day ID to order online at mylifetouch.com: EVTFHMDVM.
Parent Support for Lunch Applications and SIS Access - September 9: Our parent liaisons will be supporting parents who need assistance with free and reduced lunch applications and SIS access. The event will take place in our newly renovated Parent Resource Center next Thursday, September 9 from 2:00-3:00pm. If you have any questions, please contact Marleni Benitez at mbenitez@fcps.edu.
PSAT/NMSQT (10th and 11th Graders) - October 13: On Wednesday, October 13, Annandale High School will host both the PSAT/NMSQT for all students in grades 10 & 11. Students are automatically registered and no further action by families is needed. The test is offered at no cost to families. All FCPS students have access to Khan Academy’s free online test preparation, whether they are taking the PSAT for the first time or preparing for eleventh grade National Merit Scholarship Qualification. The Khan Academy online curriculum is customized for students based on any previous PSAT or SAT scores. In addition, the website offers general test preparation tips for students. Students will receive their testing locations in early October.
SAT School Day (12th Graders) - October 13: On Wednesday, October 13, Annandale High School 12th graders will have the opportunity to take the SAT School Day. FCPS will cover the cost for any twelfth grade student to take this test. To reserve a seat for your senior to take this exam, families are asked to complete the Annandale HS: SAT School Day Intent to Participate Form by Wednesday, September 8. General information about the SAT School Day test format is available on the College Board webpage. We will share exam day schedules and additional details in the coming weeks. If you have questions about the SAT School Day administration at Annandale High School, please contact our Director of student Services, Erik Healey, at ehealey@fcps.edu.
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Important Information
Free Breakfast & Lunch for All Annandale Students: The U.S. Department of Agriculture extended schools’ abilities to provide meals, by giving special exemptions last year when schools were shut down due to COVID-19. This exemption has been extended for the 2021-22 school year. For Annandale and FCPS, this means that all students, regardless of their families’ incomes, will receive free breakfast and lunch through June 2022.
Student Lockers: Students locker will be available by request only beginning on Tuesday, September 7. Students will receive instructions on how to request a locker in their W4 class.
Student Parking Passes: Beginning Tuesday, September 7, students must have a parking pass to park in AHS student parking spaces. To secure a parking pass, students must complete both a Parking Agreement and Parking Application form, as well as pay the $200 parking fee. Students with obligations will not be issued a parking pass until the obligations have been cleared. Both forms must be submitted to the main office by Wednesday, September 1. On Thursday, September 2, students who have submitted both forms can pay the fee and collect their parking pass in the Cafeteria during lunch. Parking forms may be picked up in the main office or room 114. If you have any questions, please email Phillip Taylor, Safety and Security Specialist, at pjtaylor1@fcps.edu.
Kiss and Ride Update: Due to the national bus driver shortage, we have seen a significant increase in parents dropping off/picking up students (aka Kiss and Ride) at the main entrance of the building. To help us alleviate congestion and improve the safety of our Annandale students and families, please consider the following:
- Encourage your student to walk or ride their bike to school, if possible.
- Parents should drop their student(s) off beginning at 7:45am and no later than 8:00am to ensure they arrive at their first block class on-time. Students are dismissed from school at 2:55pm.
In addition, vehicles will no longer be able to make a left turn onto Four Year Run after dropping students off via Kiss and Ride. Again, this change will not only improve the flow of traffic, it will alleviate congestion and improve the safety of our Annandale students and families. See map below. If you have any questions, please email Phillip Taylor at pjtaylor1@fcps.edu.
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Support our Student Athletes!
Purchase a Red Card! Each fall, our sports programs sell a discount “Red Card” to raise money for their teams. The red cards include various discounts at eleven local businesses including: Community Car Care, Domino’s, Firehouse Subs, Food Corner, Jersey Mike’s, Jukebox Diner, Kilroy’s, Loopy’s, Papa Johns, Popeye’s, and Valentino’s. Red Cards are only $20 and can be used at any of the businesses through August 2022. If you would like to purchase a Red Card please reach out to a fall athlete or email John Ellenberger. The Activities Office thanks you in advance for your support of our student athletes. Go Atoms!
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Awesome Atoms!
AHS Students Featured in County-Wide Inservice: Four Annandale High School Students were featured in the presentation given during return week to the division’s World Languages Teachers. The students discussed their reasons for learning a language and how earning the biliteracy seal will help them achieve their future goals. Check out the video here.
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Two Annandale Students Recently Published! Many of us found new interests during the pandemic. Two Annandale students spent their time creating and publishing a book. Nathan Tyler Ong is the author, and Linh Do is the illustrator of The Art of Being Asian American, a book about adversities commonly faced by Asian Americans. The book is addressed towards Asian American Youth and is available through Amazon. Check it out! |
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Annandale Hosts Public Safety Day and Vaccination Clinic: In partnership with Communities of Trust, Annandale High School hosted Public Safety Day including a free Vaccination Clinic this past weekend. The event provided the community an opportunity to learn more about the public safety services that are available and interact with public safety officials from various departments. Thank you to everyone who made this event possible!
News from the Activities Office
Check out this week's Atoms Athletics and Activities newsletter. You can also check out important information from the Activities Office on the Annandale High School Athletics and Activities website or AHS Athletics Twitter page. Please email John Ellenberger at jellenberger@fcps.edu if you have any questions.
Get Involved, Join a Club or Sport! Here at Annandale, we value community and belonging. There is no better way to get involved than through our athletics & activities! Check out our complete list of sports, clubs, and organizations here. Feel free to reach out to the coaches and sponsors with any questions.
This Week's Game Schedule
Monday, August 30 - Golf vs. TJ at Pinecrest Golf Course - 3:50pm
Tuesday, August 31 - Volleyball at Lewis - 5:00/6:00/7:15pm
JV Field Hockey vs. Alexandria City - 7:00pm
Wednesday, September 1 - Cross Country at Mason District Park: Boys - 5:00, Girls - 5:30pm
Freshmen/JV Football Scrimmage @ Robinson - 5:30/7:15pm
Thursday, September 2 - Golf vs. Justice at Pinecrest Golf Course - 3:30pm
Varsity Football vs. Robinson - 7:00pm
Band - Halftime Performance - Rocky - 7:45pm
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News from the PTSA
PTSA Membership: On behalf of the Annandale High School Parent, Teacher, Student Association (PTSA), we would like to welcome you to the 2021–2022 school year. The key ingredient to our success is YOU. Please dare to make a difference, be better informed and join the PTSA today by filling out the online 2021–22 Membership Form. For more information about membership, visit our Membership page.
PTSA Meeting - September 21, 7:00pm: The first PTSA of the 2021-22 school year will be on Tuesday, September 21 at 7:00pm. PTSA meetings are bilingual and Spanish translation is provided. Las reuniones de PTSA son bilingües y se proporciona traducción al español. Join us in Clausen Hall or virtually! Visit the Annandale PTSA website for more information.
PTSA Pantry Needs Your Help! The AHS PTSA pantry is seeking the following items below to restock their shelves. Items can be dropped off in the main office. All donations to the AHS PTSA Pantry are tax deductible.
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Personal Hygiene
Items
Shampoo
Conditioner
Toothbrushes
Toothpaste
Razors
Deodorant
Body Wash
Hand Soap
Dental Floss
Chapstick
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Food
White rice
Breakfast cereal
Tomato sauce
Cooking oil
Corn Flour
Sugar
Peanut Butter
Jelly
Crackers
Boxes of Granola Bars
Diced Tomatoes
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Household Items
Tissues
Toilet Paper
Paper Towels
Dish Detergent
Dishwasher Detergent
Laundry Detergent
Cleaning Supplies
Sponges
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PTSA Pantry Distribution: The AHS PTSA pantry held its first distribution this past week. The pantry is available to students and families of Annandale High School. They can pick up a bag of food in the Annandale Neighborhood Center in trailer 10 in the back of the building. The next pantry pick-up is on Friday, September 10 and Friday, September 24. To learn more about the AHS PTSA Pantry please visit the pantry webpage located at www.annandalehsptsa.org or email pantry@annandalehsptsa.org.
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