Message from Dr. Smith
Hello Bruin Families,
We have had a great week of welcoming our MS families into our building for Back to School Night. Teachers and parents were able to meet each other in-person and gain helpful information on how to help their student find success with their classes this year. For families who were not able to make it, we have asked our teachers to put together a video and post it to Schoology by the end of this month with information about themselves and their courses. We also encourage families who have courses specific questions to reach out to their child’s teachers for the most up-to-date and detailed information.
On Wednesday, September 29, we are looking forward to welcoming our families with high school students next week. In order to ensure there is adequate space in each classroom we ask that families send one representative to follow each of their student’s schedules. A parent presentation will begin at 5:45 pm in the Little Theater, closest to door 14, that will include information on how to support your student and how to help them develop a “growth mindset”. Beginning at 6:30 pm, families will meet their Period 4 period teacher, and then we will follow the remainder of their schedule going to their Purple Day classes first and then their Gold Day classes.
We also want to remind families that the week of October 11th there are several changes to our schedule. October 11th is a School Planning Day and a student holiday. We will also have PSAT and SAT occurring on October 13th for all 10th and 11th grade students & 12th grade students who are registered. Dismissal on this day will be 12:45 pm for students who are testing. On this day, all other students will not attend school in-person and will be given asynchronous assignments. One final reminder for this week is that all students will participate in the SEL screener this week during their 4th period Advisory class.
We hope to see many of our high school families on Wednesday night next week. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to our staff.
United as Bruins,
Daniel W. Smith, Ed.D.
In this Issue
NEW Information
Lake Braddock Has Received the College Success Award
Mask Reminder
Looking for Library Volunteers
Schoology Parent Information
LBSS and FCPS Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month
Reminder about Food Deliveries
High School Information
Back to School Night Information
PSAT/NMSQT for all 10th and 11th Graders Wednesday, October 13th
SAT Day for 12th Grade Wednesday, October 13th
Winter Sports Tryout Information
How to Submit a Physical for Athletics
Green Day Activities
Vaccine Requirements for Athletics
Class of 2022 Information
Class of 2022 Graduation Day Set
College Planning Parent Night Follow-Up
Middle School Information
ACT/SOS Presentation for 7th Grade Students
Middle School After-School Program
Middle School Yearbooks are Now on Sale!
Important Reminders
Important Calendar Reminder
Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener
County Math and Reading Inventory Assessments Coming Soon
World Language Credit Exam Information
Late Bus Information
School Planning Council
Digital Consent
SR&R Reminder
PTSA Information
PTA Reflection Contest
PTSA and Hunt Test Preparation
FCPS Information
Students Keep Learning in Pause, Quarantine with SteamIN/CheckIN
Why Does FCPS Use the 14-day Quarantine Period?
Why Is There No Virtual Option?
Updates to the Student Athlete Vaccine Requirement
FCPS Virtual Mental Health and Wellness Conference
Important LBSS and FCPS Resources
How to Stay In Touch
LBSS Attendance Lines
Procedures for Picking Up a Student Early
Purchase Tickets to Lake Braddock Athletic Events thru ETIX
Schoology
Multilingual Parent Podcasts: Connecting Parents and School with Schoology
FCPS Technology Support for Families
FCPS Cares
FCPS Medical Resources for Families
FCPS Mental Health Resources
New Information
Lake Braddock Has Received the College Success Award!
We are proud to announce that Lake Braddock has received GreatSchools.org’s 2021 College Success Award!
Lake Braddock is one of 1,838 public high schools in 25 states to be honored with the annual College Success Award, which recognizes and celebrates high schools like ours that demonstrate excellence in ensuring students are prepared to succeed in college.
Now in its fourth year, the College Success Award is based on data that show how our school prepares students to succeed after high school, including whether they enroll in college, are ready for college-level coursework, and persist into their second year.
We applaud the hard work of the entire Bruin community — including students, parents, teachers, and others that aspire to help our students succeed in college and beyond. We invite you to join in the celebration of our 2021 College Success Award!
See the full list of winners from Virginia and learn about best practices from Award-winning schools at https://www.greatschools.org/gk/csa-winners/.
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Mask Reminder
To ensure a safe school year, masks are required for everyone, regardless of vaccination status, inside FCPS buildings. We have limited supply of masks to provide for students. We ask that you please remember to send a mask in with your student.
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Looking for Library Volunteers
Do you love organizing things? Interested in YA books and reading in general? Please consider volunteering your time in the LBSS Library!
Duties include:
- sorting and shelving books according to the Dewey Decimal System
- organizing and straightening shelves
Our LBSS students are great readers and the circulation of books has never been busier. Your help is greatly appreciated.
To volunteer, please apply for volunteer status. Pick up and fill out forms in the Main Office. Once complete, you will receive your official FCPS volunteer badge, and Carolyn Hilyard, LBSS Librarian, will contact you to set up your preferred volunteer time.
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Schoology Parent Information
Would you like more information about setting up and navigating your Schoology parent account? Check out the FCPS Parents and Guardians Schoology page which includes guides and tips for the following topics:
- Logging into your Parent Account
- Switching between your Parent Account and your Student’s Account
- View Student Activity
- View Student Courses
- View Recent Grades, Overdue, and Upcoming Assignments
Per FCPS Regulations, you can expect Schoology courses to be updated on a weekly basis with in at least one of the following categories: in-class assignments, homework and projects, dates for tests/projects, learning resources or important reminders and messages.
Check here for some answers about Schoology from the Parent Coffee.
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LBSS and FCPS Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month
Hispanic Heritage Month is acknowledged annually from September 15-October 15. The celebration was created to honor the rich history, culture, and many contributions of Hispanic Americans. Learn more about Hispanic Heritage Month.
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Reminder About Food Deliveries
A reminder that students cannot place an order for food to be delivered to school during the school day. We appreciate your cooperation.
High School Information
Back to School Night Information
Our High School BTSN is on Wednesday, September 29 at 6:30 p.m.
An optional Parent Presentation will be held prior to BTSN in the Little Theatre beginning at 5:45 p.m. The presentation will include information on how to support your student and how to help them develop a growth mindset.
Students will bring home a copy of their schedule along with a map of the school. You can also access their schedule in SIS ParentVUE, and copies will be available in the Career Center during BTSN.
Bruin Ambassadors (LBSS students wearing lanyards) will be stationed throughout the building to help locate classrooms and answer questions.
Please start in your student’s 4th period Advisory classroom. We will start with a brief video message, followed by the presentation from the Advisory teacher.
You will then walk your student’s schedule as follows:
Purple Day
1st Period
3rd Period
5th Period
7th Period
Gold Day
2nd Period
6th Period
8th Period
Each teacher will have 10 minutes to speak to the families in each period. Teachers will focus on the information about the course, major assignments, grading and assessment, and communication. Questions or concerns about COVID protocols and layered prevention strategies are consistent across FCPS and LBSS and should be addressed with an administrator. If you have specific questions or wish to discuss a specific issue with your child’s teachers, please email the teacher to arrange another time.
If you are unable to attend BTSN, teachers will post informational videos about them and their course(s) to their Schoology page by the end of this month.
In order to assist with social distancing and COVID protocols, we ask that only one parent or guardian attend BTSN and that students remain at home, if possible.
Staff will be available in the Career Center to assist with SIS ParentVUE and Schoology accounts.
We look forward to seeing you at our Back to School Nights and at the many Lake Braddock events throughout the year. Go Bruins!
PSAT/NMSQT for all 10th and 11th Graders Wednesday, October 13th
On Wednesday, October 13th LBSS will host both the PSAT/NMSQT for all 10th and 11th graders. Students are automatically registered and no further action by families is needed. All 10th and 11th grade students who report to school on Wednesday, October 13th will take the PSAT/NMSQT 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, and their website also offers general test preparation tips for students. Students will receive their testing locations in early October.
SAT Day for 12th Grade: Wednesday, October 13, 2021
12th grade only
Students had to have registered by September 8. We cannot accept walk-up registrations.
- Essay and subject tests are not available during SAT School Day
- Students who arrive late, after 8:30 will not be permitted to test.
Winter Sports Tryout Information
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VHSL Physical Form must be dated on or after May 1, 2021; must be the revised January 2021 version of the VHSL form; and submit electronically via email, turn into the Activities Office/Athletic Trainers, or hand in during Tryout Card distribution.
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Register online. Create one account per family and register all students in the same family in that one account. A new form must be completed by a parent/guardian for this school year (cannot edit last year's form).
- Tryout cards will be distributed Nov. 3-5 during all high school lunches in the cafeteria or after school in the Athletic Training room (G101). These cards must be given to the coach on the first day the student attends tryouts.
Questions? Contact the Student Activities Office via email or call 703-426-1001.
Green Day Activities
Green Days are opportunities for out of season coaches to work with potential student athletes on skill building and conditioning. They are NOT mandatory to try out for a team. There are VHSL rules about when they can hold green days like how many a coach can run, how close to actual try-outs, etc. Students who want to attend must submit the 4-page VHSL athletics participation packet of forms.Click to edit this placeholder text.
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Class of 2022 Information
Class of 2022 Graduation Day Set
We are excited to announce that Graduation for our Class of 2022 will take place on Monday, June 6th at 9:30am at Eagle Bank Arena! Please stay tuned for upcoming announcements for the Senior Class.
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College Planning Parent Night Follow Up
12th Grade Parents,
Thanks to those of you who joined us for our virtual college planning parent night! Whether or not you were able to attend, we are interested to know how best to bring you this important postsecondary planning information, so please take time to provide us feedback by answering a few questions: College Planning Workshop Survey
Here are some important links as a follow-up so that you have all of the information you need to help your child if they're applying to a 4-year college:
If you have any questions, please click on the counselor contact information listed above and send an email to your child's counselor.
Middle School Information
ACT/SOS Presentation for 7th Grade Students
On Friday, September 17th all seventh-grade students were given a memo to bring home regarding the ACT/SOS Presentation. This county-wide initiative is designed to identify and help students who are struggling with depression and possible thoughts of suicide. The ACT/SOS Presentation is scheduled for 7th grade students during the week of October 18th at Lake Braddock. All 7th grade students will participate in a presentation and survey about signs of depression during their Advisory class.
The Signs of Suicide (SOS) program consists of an informational video that describes the Acknowledge-Care-Tell (ACT) message, a brief paper survey, and follow-up discussion with LBSS teachers, counselors, and clinical staff (psychologists and social workers). Counselors and clinical staff will also meet individually with any students who score at risk for depression or suicide and notify those students’ parents.
Why is there a county-wide push for depression and suicide screening? According to the November 2019 Fairfax County Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 30 percent of students in grades 8, 10, and 12 experienced symptoms of depression in the past year. The rate of students considering suicide was 14.3 percent while 6 percent reported they attempted suicide in the past year. In addition to events in recent years that have directly impacted communities within Fairfax County, we want to do our best to keep LBSS students from becoming part of these statistics.
The SOS video and survey have already been used by other FCPS middle and high schools and have been used at Lake Braddock for several years. Parents are invited to review the materials by accessing the SOS Parent Portal at https://sossignsofsuicide.org/parent. This portal is designed to provide parents with information about suicide prevention efforts, view the SOS videos, and access educational materials which are helpful tools for supporting your child’s mental health wellness.
If you do NOT wish for your student to participate in the 7th grade presentation, please complete this Opt-Out google form by October 4, 2021. Please contact Ms. Haider at 703-426-1004 or Ms. White at 703-426-1039 if you have any questions.
Middle School Yearbooks are Now on Sale!
You can order your book (including personalization) at YearbookOrderCenter.com!
Books are currently on DISCOUNT!
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Important Reminders
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Important Calendar Reminder
Lake Braddock Secondary School is hosting a PSAT and SAT School Day on Wednesday, October 13. Students in grades 10-12 will be participating in these exams, and all students will see a change to their schedules on October 13, as follows.
- All high schools and secondary schools have a 2-hour early release.
- High School Academy classes and shuttles are cancelled.
- Students with disabilities taught on an adapted curriculum (Category B) who are not participating in PSAT or SAT exams receive normal in-person instruction for the shortened school day.
- Grade 7, 8, and 9 students have a virtual asynchronous learning day.
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Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener
This year, all FCPS schools are administering an SEL Screener throughout the year. At Lake Braddock, students will complete this 18 question screener on October 14th, 2021 during Advisory. Please click here for more information.
County Math and Reading Inventory Assessments Coming Soon
During the weeks of September 6-October 8, all middle school students will take the county Math Inventory and Reading Inventory. All students, including high school, who are enrolled in Algebra I or Algebra I Part I, will also take the Math Inventory. These assessments will help measure student’s baseline of math learning, which will be reassessed in January and May as well. Students will complete the inventories in their classrooms and can be completed during a class period. For more information, visit the county webpage.
World Language Credit Exam Information
Registration is now open for the World Language Credit Exam! The World Language Credit Exam assesses language proficiency. Students who take the exam may earn up to three pass-or-fail credits (levels one, two and three) in the language. Credits are typically added to the student transcript in January. Exam credits may also fulfill the World Languages requirements for the Advanced Studies Diploma and the Virginia Department of Education’s Seal of Biliteracy. A student may participate in the exam two times per language between grades 7 through 12. In other words, students have two chances per language to earn credits by taking the exam.
Click HERE for additional information on this opportunity!
Please note that students must connect with their counselor to register for this exam.
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Late Bus Information
Late buses have officially started. Late bus days are Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. Buses will pick up students in the front of the building with a departure time of approximately 4:45 pm. Please check StudentVue and ParentVue for your student's late bus number and stop. If you have any questions, please contact your student's appropriate subschool.
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Digital Consent for Students
Attention Bruin Families! Don't forget to submit your Digital Consent Form!
Parental Consent for HS Digital Resources
Parental Consent for MS Digital Resources
SR&R Reminder
FCPS’ updated Student Rights & Responsibility booklet is now available online and in the ParentVue section of the Student Information System (SIS). The SR&R booklet explains expectations for student behavior, and adult responses to enhance school safety and to create a fair, equitable, and supportive school environment.
Each year, we ask parents to review, sign, and return the SR&R to their child’s school. There are two ways for parents to acknowledge that you have received the document:
1. In ParentVue, you may now download and digitally sign the SR&R. Every parent/guardian with a ParentVUE account will see the SR&R upon login to ParentVUE until the SR&R acknowledgement has been completed. E-signing for one child will suffice for all siblings within the household. Your name in the digital signature box must match the parent/guardian’s first and last name in SIS exactly before the signature will be accepted.
2. Download and sign the Parent Signature Sheet and please return the signed signature sheet to your child's subschool.
Signatures are due by October 29, 2021.
PTSA
PTA Reflection Contest
Explore the Arts and Express Yourself! Student submissions wanted for the annual PTA Reflections contest. This year's theme is: I Will Change the World By... Students should submit their completed works of art digitally in one (or more) arts categories: Dance Choreography, Film Production, Visual Arts, Photography, Music Composition, and Literature. Students participate in the appropriate division: Middle School (grades 7-8), High School (grades 9-12), and Special Artist (students in any grade who identify as having a disability).
The deadline for entries is October 18th, 2021 at 4:00 p.m. No entries will be accepted after the deadline. If you have any questions, please contact Laura Key, Reflections@lbssptsa.org.
PTSA and Hunt Test Preparation
Hunt Test Preparation is partnering with the LBSS PTSA to offer a $100 discount to LBSS students for a five-day test prep session in October/November. Hunt Test Prep will donate $50 to the PTSA for each LBSS student who registers for a SAT prep session. The five-day, in-person sessions are being offered on October 16, 23, 27, 30 and November 3 and October 17, 24, 28, 31 and November 4. Founded by two former FCPS teachers, Hunt Test Preparation instructors are seasoned in preparing students for success. To register for an SAT test prep session, please visit: huntprograms.com. For more information, please call: 703-425-7656.
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FCPS Information
Students Keep Learning in Pause, Quarantine with StreamIN/CheckIN
FCPS students being paused, quarantined, or isolated due to COVID-19 will soon have a way to stay connected with their classes until they return to in-person learning.
StreamIN/CheckIN provides meaningful instructional support for students who are paused, quarantined, or isolated due to COVID-19. Participating in StreamIN/CheckIN offers these students the opportunity to stay engaged with their classes so when they return, they haven’t missed a beat.
Learn more about StreamIN/CheckIN on our website.
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Why Does FCPS Use the 14-Day Quarantine Period?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continue to recommend 14 days as the safest length for quarantine to decrease the risk of the spread of COVID-19 to others. (Overview of COVID-19 Quarantine for K-12 Schools | CDC). Based on local conditions and needs, local public health authorities may recommend shorter quarantines (after day 10 without testing, or after day 7 after receiving a negative test), but during this time of high community transmission, the Fairfax County Health Department continues to follow the 14-day recommended quarantine length. The CDC estimates an up to 12% risk of becoming positive for COVID-19 after these shortened quarantine periods. These recommendations may be subject to change based on public health guidance.
Why is There No Virtual Option?
We understand that you may still feel the need for your child to attend the Virtual Program this school year. Lake Braddock is excited to have all staff and students engaging in five days of in-person instruction. We believe that in-person learning is the best approach, and are focused on providing a safe and positive learning experience for all students. The positive COVID rates in FCPS schools are around .3%, which encourages us to continue to believe that in-person learning for those without a documented medical need is the best option this school year. If your child has developed a documented medical need, please feel free to reach out to review alternative options. For more information, review the Return to School Frequently Asked Questions webpage.
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Updates to the Student-Athlete Vaccine Requirement
Students who are 16 years of age or older (age as of November 8 for the Winter season) and want to participate in athletics will need to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or have either a medical or religious exemption. Unvaccinated students who are 12-15 years of age must provide a weekly negative COVID-19 test to be eligible to participate in team activities.
Submitting Proof of Vaccination
Starting October 4, student-athletes can submit their proof of Covid-19 vaccination to their school. Students will need to either show their vaccination card to authorized school personnel or provide clear documentation via an electronic format of the vaccination card or photocopy to the authorized school personnel. Schools will provide specific details of submitting proof of vaccination information.
Religious Exemption
Starting October 4, student athletes (both middle and high school) can submit the Religious Exemption form to their school. The form must be notarized and should be submitted directly to the Student Activities Office of their high school. Students who are not receiving the COVID-19 vaccine due to religious reasons will be required to submit a negative COVID-19 test weekly. Please use the Commonwealth of Virginia Certificate of Religious Exemption form.
Medical Exemption
Starting October 4, student-athletes can submit the medical exemption information to their school. They will need to provide documentation of a medical exemption from their physician. Students can do this through a letter from their doctor (on the doctor’s office letterhead) stating the student has a medical condition that prevents them from receiving the Covid-19 Vaccine. Students who are not receiving the COVID-19 vaccine due to documented health or medical reasons will be required to submit a negative COVID-19 test weekly.
Deadline for Medical and Religious Exemptions for Winter Sports Season
The Deadline for submitting medical and religious exemptions for the Winter season is Monday, November 1. The exemption must be received by the November 1 deadline for students to participate in winter tryouts. This will allow enough time for those students with a medical or religious exemption to provide proof of their negative Covid-19 test that week so that they may participate in tryouts. As a reminder all students with a medical or religious exemption for receiving the Covid-19 vaccination must provide proof of a negative Covid-19 test weekly.
Students with a Religious or Medical Exemption and Unvaccinated Students Aged 12-15 (Age as of November 8 for the Winter Season)
Unvaccinated students who are 12-15, or students with a Religious or Medical exemption must provide a negative test weekly to participate in team activities. Currently, FCPS is working on securing a vendor to assist with providing access to weekly testing for athletes. We will share more information as it becomes available.
For more information, please review the FCPS Athletics Vaccination Requirement – FAQs page.
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FCPS Virtual Mental Health and Wellness Conference
FCPS Virtual Mental Health and Wellness Conference Starts September 27
The 8th Annual FCPS Mental Health and Wellness Conference and Inova Act on Addiction presents Strategies for Today and Beyond. The conference will be virtual this year September 27-October 1. The conference will kick off on Monday September 27, with a panel of esteemed guests, moderated by Jummy Olabanji from NBC4.
On Tuesday, September 28, keynote speaker, Dr. Dan Siegel, will present The Resilient Brain: Cultivating Courage and Curiosity to Expand a Child’s Capacity to Build Inner Strength. Dr. Stacey Hardy-Chandler will be the featured keynote speaker. She will discuss how to embrace our strengths as a means of coping during uncertain times.
Our Minds Matter will host a student session on Tuesday, September 28. Students learn how to use journaling as a method to support their mental health and well-being.
Registration information and the complete schedule and list of speakers are now available online.
Important LBSS and FCPS Resources
How to Stay In Touch
Please stay in touch with us throughout the year by:
Attendance Lines
MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS:
HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS:
Procedures for Picking Up a Student Early
Prior to 8:00 am, the student must present a note from the parent to their subschool office. Notes must include time of dismissal, reason for leaving, and a contact number. Parents of middle school students must also include the name of the person picking the student up. Please note that this person must be listed as an emergency contact. If you use the online attendance form for an early dismissal, please tell your student to stop by their subschool office to pick up the dismissal pass.
At the time of early check-out, middle school parents must come in Entrance 1 and meet their student at the security desk. Anyone picking up a middle school student must bring a photo ID with them. High school parents may pick up students outside Entrance 1.
Without advance notice provided by a note, there may be a wait until our staff is able to locate the student, particularly if the student is at lunch or in a physical education class. We further regret that without advance notice, we are unable to accommodate requests for early dismissal after 2:15 pm.
Read our full Attendance procedures at our website.
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Purchase Tickets to Lake Braddock Athletic Events Thru ETIX
Are you planning to attend a Lake Braddock home game to support the Bruins? Purchases may be made well in advance, before you leave the house on game day, or at the gate with your cell phone using posted QR Codes! All home game admission tickets must be purchased through ETIX.
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Schoology
Students, families, and staff throughout FCPS and in our school community will use Schoology (pronounced /SKOO-luh-jee/) as our learning management system.
Here is what you need to know now:
Multilingual Parent Podcasts: Connecting Parents and School with Schoology
Listen and subscribe to an FCPS multilingual family podcast to hear timely, important information related to school news. The podcasts are produced in conjunction with the Office for ESOL Services and the Office of Professional Learning and Family Engagement.
In this week’s episode, hear Manuel Gomez Portillo, an FCPS ESOL resource teacher, answer questions about Schoology (pronounced SKOO-luh-jee). Schoology is the new FCPS learning management system. This system promotes communication, collaboration, and personalized learning for students.
Parents who use Schoology can stay connected to their child’s schoolwork and participate in specialized groups like PTA, sports, and band. Teachers use Schoology to post their classroom materials online; provide a safe forum for students to discuss their ideas and collaborate on projects online; and to assign and collect homework electronically. It helps students stay organized and it keeps the class connected.
Listen and subscribe:
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FCPS Technology Support for Families
The Parent Technology Help Desk is available to support parents and students through this new school year. Parents and students can visit the Parent and Student IT Support Portal to find self-help resources or submit a tech support request ticket.
Telephone Parent Information Line Available in Eight Languages
Parents who speak Amharic, Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, Korean, Spanish, Urdu, or Vietnamese can call a telephone information line for general information about FCPS and to receive support if they are having difficulty communicating with their children's schools due to a language barrier.
FCPS Cares
We invite you to share and submit your story about a Lake Braddock staff member who has gone above and beyond for your child this year. Share the positivity, dedication and commitment that occurs here each and every day. Click this link.
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FCPS Medical Care Resources for Families
Whether your family needs medical care for a COVID-related issue, seasonal cold or allergies, injuries, routine exams, or mental health and wellness, our community has a number of resources for you. Visit the Mental and Physical Health and Community Resources webpage for a full list of organizations that can provide support and care.
FCPS Mental Health Resources
- If you are depressed, in crisis, or just want to talk, please text NEEDHELP to 85511 or call 1-800-273-TALK. Someone will be there to listen.
- If you're going through a tough time, don't go it alone. Reach out to a parent, friend, or trusted adult. You can also text NEEDHELP to 85511 at any time–day or night.
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