Annandale Community Insider - November 28

Annandale Students, Parents and Community:

I hope you had a wonderful, restful Thanksgiving Break. I spent time with friends and family, cleaning and organizing, picking up leaves and watching a lot of college football. A recent rant by Alabama football coach, Nick Saban, reminded me what I love most about high school and college sports. I am continually amazed at the time and effort our student athletes put into representing Atom Nation both on the field and in the classroom. I have also been impressed by the number of staff and community members who take time to attend games and support our students.

Over the next three weeks, there are many opportunities for you to see and hear our Annandale students represent Atom Nation through performances and athletic events. Orchestra, chorus and band will each perform this month. Winter sports contests, which includes basketball, wrestling, indoor track, gymnastics and swim & dive, begin this week. If you have never done so, I encourage you to attend one of these events with friends or family. It is inspiring to see the ways our performing arts department and athletic teams give students opportunities to develop and showcase their talents! Check out the upcoming events on the Annandale Activities and Athletics website.

As I have shared, our priorities at Annandale this year are relationships and support, high quality instruction, and strong collaboration. As part of this work, we are committed to getting better at inviting and including student voice into our decision making processes. Recently, I met with our Student Equity Leads to discuss PRIDE Time as well as gather their ideas on how we can continue to improve our approach to supporting students’ needs. We also discussed ways we can improve inclusion and participation in our extracurricular activities. Our mission is to make Annandale a great school for all students and we know that our students play an important part in shaping our school community. 

As always, reach out with questions or concerns. Go Atoms!

Shawn DeRose, Principal

Important Dates

December 7 - Orchestra Concert, 7pm

December 8 - Bodhi Day

December 14 - Chorus Concert

December 16 - Band Concert

December 20-31 - Winter Break

Important Information

Student Check Out Procedures: In an effort to ease the process of checking students out early, such as for scheduled appointments, please provide students with a note to bring to the Attendance Office in the morning so students can receive a pass and are ready to leave at pick up time. As a friendly reminder and for students’ safety, parents are asked to come to the Attendance Office to sign the student out when picking them up early.

Donate Gift Cards for AHS Staff

At events throughout the year, we recognize staff who are going above and beyond with gift cards donated by a community member at the beginning of the year. It has been a huge hit and I am requesting your help again since we are not permitted to use any kind of FCPS funds, local or otherwise, for this purpose. It is amazing how much a $5 or $10 gift card is appreciated. If you are so inclined, please feel free to drop them off at the main office or place them in the mail. Attention: Shawn DeRose. It can be for any business you want to support, in any amount. Nothing is too small.

Awesome Atoms!

Congrats Michael Elion - Promoted to Programmer! Congratulations to Michael Elion who has been promoted to Programmer within the IT Management Team. Michael has been a School Based Technology Support Specialist for 12 years. He began his career at Whitman Middle school in 2009 and then transferred to Annandale High School in 2016.  At AHS, he supported the initial FCPSOn initiative and the transition from mobile labs to a laptop for every student.

Athletes Volunteer at Poe and Holmes Middle Schools: Throughout this school year our awesome Atoms Athletic teams have been volunteering at Holmes and Poe Middle School twice a week. We are excited to build this relationship with our feeder schools to encourage participation in Atoms Athletics in the years to come. Students, if you are interested in volunteering with your team, be sure to reach out to your head coach to see when they will be visiting Holmes or Poe.

Atoms Scholar Program Off to a Great Start! Last week, over 80 students were invited to learn more about the Atom Scholar Program here at Annandale. We met with Young Scholars in 9th and 10th grade to promote an after-school program designed to familiarize students with the International Baccalaureate (IB) program and other Honors classes, provide opportunities to explore goal setting, time management, and other skills that connect to academic achievement, and finally to provide tutoring opportunities for students who need additional support in core area classes. For more information about this program, please feel free to reach out to Linda Bradshaw.

Congratulations, L@uren Husman - Equity Lead: L@uren Husman has been named Equity Lead. L@uren came to Annandale last year as a Spanish teacher and has taught Latin, Spanish and AVID in FCPS and elsewhere. They have led professional development around multiculturalism and are currently pursuing a doctorate degree in Curriculum and Instruction with a focus on Multiliteracies, Critical Literacy and Teacher Supervision/Development. One of L@uren’s mantras is, “You have to act as if it were possible to radically transform the world. And you have to do it all the time.” –– Angela Davis. Please join me in congratulating L@uren for being named Equity Lead.

Federal Impact Aid Breakfast: Congratulations to the following W4 classes for winning a free breakfast! These classes were in the top 20 to turn in all their Federal Impact Aid forms: Boakye, Dienstfrey, Gokturk, Hallet, Han, Herman, Hsia, Kapuscinski, J. Lee, Lucas, Maglisceau, Pak, Pudasaini, Reap, Scott, Souther, Vaughn, and Young.

AHS Food Pantry Celebrates Its Third Year! The Annandale High School Food Pantry is celebrating its third year of serving the Annandale community. This success would not have been possible without the generous support of so many of you. Click out a letter of thanks and an update from Food Pantry Coordinator Norma Foti. Pantry Coordinator Letter Nov. 2021. The update includes information about community partnerships that help provide fresh eggs, milk, produce, and grocery items to 40 families as well as 150 student snack bags each week. You can help support this effort by making a donation from the Pantry’s Amazon Wish List or by making a monetary donation online. (Photo courtesy of the A-Blast)

Opportunities

Register Your Student for Optional COVID-19 Screening Testing: Parents and guardians can use the secure online portal to register their student(s). If you do not want your child to participate, no action is required. You will have the option to update your child’s vaccination status and/or withdraw consent for testing anytime. Student-athletes do not need to pre-register with the LTS online portal for screening testing, they will use a separate portal provided by our Director of Student Activities.

There will be no student COVID-19 screening testing the week of November 22 due to the Thanksgiving break. For more information on student COVID-19 testing, visit the FCPS website

FCPS Outstanding Employee Awards - Deadline Extended! We believe that our staff is truly unparalleled, and that the work we do for our students deserves celebration and recognition beyond our building. Each year, FCPS looks to honor several staff members for outstanding excellence in their roles, including Outstanding Teacher, New Teacher, Leader, Professional Employee, Operational Employee and Principal. We hope you will help us to celebrate the amazing work done every day at Annandale High School by highlighting some of our amazing staff members! 

To nominate an Annandale HS staff member, please complete the AHS Outstanding Employee Nomination Form. If you are interested in learning more about the overall FCPS awards process, you may visit the FCPS Outstanding Employee Awards Website. Nominations are due today, November 28. Contact Bryan Molle at BCMolle@fcps.edu with any questions.

Last Chance for Senior Pictures! Seniors who haven’t taken their senior pictures yet can sign up to do so December 7-10. Pictures will be taken in the dance room (back of upstairs gym) and are after school (3:00-9:00pm). Seniors can begin book 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 they have any questions, they should contact Lifetouch Prestige at 855-918-2930. This will be the last opportunity to take senior pictures!

Shark Tank Technology Challenge Open to All Students: Calling all high school students! The Fairfax Area 50+ Technology Committee has announced this year’s Shark Tank Technology Challenge, with a focus on new or improved existing technology that will have a positive impact in the lives of older adults, adults with disabilities, wounded warriors, or caregivers. Students are encouraged to consider projects that offer assistance in the following areas: 1) Active free time activities, 2) Participation in the arts, and 3) Caregiving.

Students can submit an innovative or creative project as an individual or a team. The deadline to submit the initial proposal is December 6. Final proposals are due February 22, 2022. The Shark Tank event will be held in April 2022. The winning projects will receive a cash prize. More details are available by visiting the Fairfax Area Student “Shark Tank” Technology Challenge webpage.

Yearbook and Senior Tribute Ads: The 2022 Antenna Yearbook and Senior Tribute Ads can be purchased at www.yearbookforever.com. Buy your yearbook now! Price is $85.

News from the PTSA

PTSA Food Pantry Distribution: The PTSA sponsored AHS Pantry distributes food to AHS students and families in need. Distribution will take place on the second and fourth Fridays of each month from 3:15-4:15pm in Trailer 8 at the rear of the school. The pantry distribution schedule for the school year can be found here. Bags will contain several meals and fresh produce is also available and will be distributed first come, first served. There will also be a limited supply of household products (cleaning supplies, hygiene items, paper towels and toilet paper) available. Click here for additional food and community services. Contact Alissa Green, School Social Worker at adgreen@fcps.edu with questions related to resources. 

You can donate to the Pantry to help Atom families in need here. A back to school wish list of needed items can be found here. Also, please consider donating paper grocery bags (preferably with handles) to ease the distribution process. Paper bags and food donations for the Pantry can be dropped off in the main office. Contact Norma Foti, Pantry Coordinator at pantry@annandalehsptsa.org with questions . 

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.

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.

This Week's Events:

Monday, November 29

Improv Club - 3:00 - 4:00pm - Room - 324

Step Team Tryouts - 3:00 - 4:30pm - Dance Room

Girls Who Code - 3:15 - 4:15 - Room 223

Varsity Girls' Basketball vs. Freedom (Woodbridge) - 7:00pm

Tuesday, November 30

Varsity Boys' Basketball at West Springfield - 7:30pm

Wrestling Scrimmage vs. Edison, Lewis, South County, McLean - 6:00pm

Wednesday, December 1

Asian American LEAD - 3:00pm - Bistro

Black Student Union Meeting - 3:00 - 4:00pm - Room 326

Step Team Tryouts - 3:00 - 4:30pm - Dance Room

Theatre - Black Box Show Auditions - 3:00 - 6:00pm - Room 324

Atoms Writing Center - 3:00 - 4:00pm - Room 274

National English Honor Society Meeting - 3:15 - 4:15pm - Room 271A

Boys' Soccer - Interest Meeting - 3:15 - 4:00pm - Cafeteria

Thursday, December 2

AVID - College Application Workshop - 3:00 - 4:00pm - Room 90

Gymnastics at Mt. Vernon, Jefferson, Edison, Hayfield - 6:00pm

JV Wrestling vs. Chantilly, South Lakes and West Springfield - 6:00pm

Friday, December 3

Step Team Tryouts - 3:00 - 5:00pm - Dance Room

Varsity Girls' Basketball at Alexandria City - 6:00pm

Varsity Boys' Basketball at Theodore Roosevelt - 7:00pm

Swim/Dive at Lee District Rec Center vs. Lewis - 8:30pm

Saturday, December 4

Indoor Track at Jefferson - 11:00am

Wrestling Atomic Duals vs. Wakefield, W-L, McLean, Madison, Stone Bridge, Harrisonburg, Woodbridge - 11:00am