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Woodson Weekly -
January 7th |
Woodson Weekly is published every Friday to provide the community with important information about school life at Woodson High School.
Vision Statement
We are a school community where all students have purpose and value!
 Beautiful sunrise over Woodson on Thursday, January 6th
Important Upcoming Dates
Monday, January 10th - Odd Day
Monday, January 17th - Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Birthday, School Holiday
Wednesday, January 19th - Religious and Cultural Observance Orthodox Epiphany
Thursday, January 20th - 2 Hour Early Release, End of 2nd Quarter
Friday, January 21st - Teacher Workday, No School for Students
Monday, January 24th - Staff Development Day, No School for Students
Monday, January 31st - Curriculum Night; 6:30-8:30pm
In this Issue
NEW News
1. Message from Dr. Floyd
2. Navigating the COVID Surge
3. Academic Advising and Course Selection for 2022-2023
4. Virginia School Survey - Climate and Working Conditions
5. Northern Virginia Community College Online Early College Program
6. College & Career Center News
PAST News, but still important
7. Lightspeed Parent Report on Child's Device Activity
8. How do I check my Student out from School?
9. Order the 2022 WTW Yearbook
10. Laptop Tech Support Hours
11. Woodson's PTSO
NEW News
1. Message from Dr. Floyd
Good snowy, Friday afternoon Woodson community:
This week certainly was not how I imagined the week after winter break would be. I am looking forward to being back together at Woodson next week. If you have not already read the information from FCPS around the COVID Surge, please see the email sent yesterday or in story #2 below.
All athletic events in the next couple weeks will be open only to immediate family. Visit the athletics website for the basketball live stream links. Our teams appreciate your support from afar and are looking forward to having spectators once again.
Unfortunately, our pep rally scheduled for next Friday will be postponed along with our annual FanQuest (Special Olympics basketball event) on Saturday. New dates will be announced in the next couple of weeks.
To best curb this surge and mitigate to decelerate, please put an extra couple of masks in your child’s backpack in case they lose theirs during the day, and remind them of the expectation for everyone to wear their masks over their mouth and nose. Please keep the kids home if they are not feeling well, this is not just about COVID, it is also cold and flu season and we all want to keep our students healthy.
Remember to complete the online attendance form or call the attendance office (703-503-4800) if your child will be absent. If your child has been exposed to a COVID positive case and needs to quarantine or if your child has tested positive, please call the main office (703-503-4600) and ask for Ms. Burke to discuss next steps. We are happy to help navigate our families through the school side of this process.
I hope everyone is warm and safe after a longer than expected winter break.
Dr. Floyd
2. Navigating the COVID Surge
FCPS has been working hard to prepare for staffing shortages with the recent COVID surge. These shortages will impact schools in every way, from classroom instruction to operations.
Below is the FCPS plan to provide instruction as we return from this extended winter break.
Classroom Coverage
When a classroom teacher is out, we will consider the following in this order:
Dedicated class coverage by:
- a substitute teacher from the sub pool
- another teacher or staff member
- Central Office volunteer subs who have instructional experience.
- Pairing two classes together with one teacher.
- Grouping multiple classes to provide supervision during asynchronous instruction.
Our teachers will be reminded to upload classroom materials to Schoology, when students need to access lessons asynchronously. While we hope to continue to offer StreamIn/CheckIn for students who are paused, quarantined or in isolation, this may not always be possible.
Transportation
Staffing shortages are impacting our operational staff as well. Expect that there will be delays in bus routes with more double-backs that may mean students will arrive after the bell. Schools will adjust instruction to ensure that no child is missing important classroom time. Access the Bus Delay App to receive current bus delay information. When possible, please consider driving your child to school, or walking or biking if you are nearby.
Food Services
Breakfast and lunch service has not been impacted at this time, but it is possible that with greater staff absences, we may need to change to providing bag lunches, instead of the regular menu.
Here are some ways that you can partner with us to keep our schools safe and open for learning.
Health and Safety
- Keep your children home when sick.
- We encourage everyone who is eligible to get vaccinated or boosted, which is the best protection against serious illness caused by COVID-19.
- Sign your child up for optional screening testing and make use of our diagnostic testing if your child has symptoms.
- Remind your child about our layered prevention strategies including proper mask wearing, hand washing and using hand sanitizer.
- Be sure your child brings home their laptop and charger every night.
Supporting Our Classrooms
Apply to be a substitute teacher. Watch for emails from your school leadership for other volunteer opportunities.
FCPS will follow this operational plan for the next 2-3 weeks. During this time, we must adjust our expectations about instruction and give our staff the space needed to make adjustments and on the spot decisions needed to combat this COVID spike.
Please know that while things will not be perfect, we are all doing our best. We are all in this together as a community, and it will take all of us to keep our schools open. I believe that we will come through this better and stronger, because I believe in the value of public education for the success of our students. Thank you for supporting our schools.
3. Academic Advising and Course Selection for 2022-2023
Later this month, after the 2nd quarter concludes, Woodson staff will begin working with students on the course selection process for the 2022-2023 school year. Additional information about these events will be shared soon, but below is an overview of the academic advising timeline.
Academic Advising dates:
Tuesday and Thursday, January 25th and 27th – Students will receive information during their 3rd period Advisory lessons these days regarding the academic advising process and selecting the appropriate classes for next year.
Monday, January 31st – Elective Fair for students during 3rd period (additional information about this to be shared soon).
Monday, January 31st at 6:30pm – Curriculum Night (tentatively scheduled as an in-person event from 6:30-8:30pm; if health conditions are a concern then this event will be virtual instead; additional information to be shared soon).
Tuesday and Wednesday, February 1st and 2nd – Teachers will conference individually with students during each class to provide feedback on course selections for next year.
Thursday, February 3rd – Counselors will begin holding individual academic advising meetings with each student to select classes for next school year (Juniors will meet with their counselors first, followed by Sophomores in mid-February, and then Freshmen in late February/early March; a specific timeline for these meetings will be shared soon).
4. Virginia School Survey - Climate and Working Conditions
This spring our school, in cooperation with the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services and the Virginia Department of Education, is conducting the Virginia School Survey of Climate and Working Conditions of students, classroom instructors, and staff. The purpose of this survey is to measure student support, student engagement, school discipline, and safety conditions in each school. This information will be used to guide educational practices that produce a safe and supportive school environment.
The online survey will be administered to all students grades 9-12, on February 4th, 2022 during 3rd period. The survey does not ask for your child’s name and all answers are anonymous (no one will know how your child answered the survey). Parents and guardians will not have access to their child’s survey answers. You may review the student survey at this website: https://tinyurl.com/VaSchoolSurvey.
The survey will ask questions such as how students feel about their school, how students get along with one another and their teachers, how students feel about school rules, and their perceptions of their teachers’ willingness to help them. Students will also be asked what kinds of bullying they may have observed during school and whether they have been bullied themselves.
All students in your child’s grade level will be eligible to participate in the survey. Students participating in remote instruction and in-person instruction are both eligible to participate. The survey is voluntary and your child can decide not to participate. No action will be taken against you, your child, or the school if your child does not participate. If you do not wish for your child to participate, please notify the school office by email to jtobrien1@fcps.edu by January 31st, 2022.
Your child will not receive any immediate benefit from participating in the survey, but the survey will help us to maintain a safe, inviting, and supportive learning environment for your child.
5. Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) Online Early College Program
NOVA will offer select college courses this Spring 2022 with free tuition to Fairfax County high school juniors and seniors. Courses are twelve weeks, virtual, asynchronous classes and will begin February 1, 2022. Students must meet placement requirements and understand there may be textbooks or other material fees associated with courses. Students will need access to a computer and the internet. The online courses are not intended to replace any 2021-22 classes for which students are already registered at their high school. The program provides an accelerated opportunity to earn transferable college only credits. Details about the Online Early College Program can be found on the FCPS site or the NOVA site.
Additionally, NOVA will be offering Early Online College courses for juniors and seniors during the 2022-23 school year.
6. College & Career Center News
The Woodson College & Career Center is located in E 109. Office hours are 7:30 am until 3:30 pm. Please join the College & Career Center Course in Schoology – Access Code 3M8B-S8X4-N2H55 to receive announcements/upcoming opportunities. The College & Career Center newsletters are posted here.
Please mark your calendar for the following events:
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Senior Café in the Career Center on Jan 12, 7:30 – 8:00 am – a Q & A for Seniors
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Marine Corps Recruiter Visit Cafeteria A and B on Jan 12, ALL LUNCHES
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Tomorrow Virtually!! Last College Access Fairfax Workshops for the Class of 2022 on 8 January 2022 (more information and Zoom links can be accessed at www.collegeaccessfairfax.org):
Paying for College, 9 am – 10 am
FAFSA Line-by-Line, 10:30 – 11:30 am
Scholarship 101 , 1 pm – 2 pm
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NOVA Application Session for Seniors in the Career Center on Feb 2, 10:15 – 11:15 am (with FAFSA Support)
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Virtual College 101 Presentation for Sophomores & Juniors on Feb 2, 7 pm – 8 pm
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US Service Academy/ROTC Program Info Night on Feb 15, 7:00 pm in the Woodson Auditorium (snow date Feb 22)
Questions? Please email cliebmosley@fcps.edu
PAST News - but still important
7. Lightspeed Parent Report on Child's Device Activity
FCPS has new tools to help parents and guardians know more about their child’s activity on any FCPS device. These tools are provided by Lightspeed, our internet content filtering service, at no cost to families. You may sign up for a weekly Parent Report, which will provide a list of the top sites your child visited.
If you want more detailed information, sign up for the Internet Use Parent portal and log-in anytime to see more detail about your child’s browsing and “pause” access to the internet during non-school hours. Find out more and sign up for these services on our website.
8. How do I check out my student from school?
Please let the Attendance Office know if you need your student to leave school early. You can notify Attendance 3 different ways:
- Submit the online attendance form and have your student pick up their pink checkout pass from the Attendance Office (E107) between classes or during lunch.
- Student brings a note to the Attendance Office before 9:45am. The student will be issued a pink pass to leave class at the appointed time. The note must include the following - student name, date and time of when student is leaving, and reason for early check-out, student ID, parent signature and contact number.
- Call the attendance line, 703-503-4800 and select Option 3. After leaving a message, please have your student pick up their pink checkout pass from the Attendance Office (E107) between classes or during lunch.
At the time of dismissal, your son/daughter will bring the pink check-out pass back to the Attendance Office for verification before meeting you outside.
If returning to school that same day, students must check in at the Attendance office before going back to class, even if it is between classes.
If one of the options above is not followed, we cannot guarantee a speedy checkout, so please make sure you notify the attendance office prior to picking up your son/daughter to ensure you make your appointment or commitment on time.
Due to staff responsibilities at the end of the day, we are not able to honor unannounced early dismissals within 15 minutes of school dismissal.
For full details on Attendance Procedures, please visit the Attendance page on the Woodson website.
9. Order the 2022 WTW Yearbook!
Let’s celebrate our Woodson Cavaliers in 2021-2022! To purchase a yearbook or to make an adorable ad for your graduating senior, go to https://www.yearbookordercenter.com/ and type in the code 5278. You can create an ad, buy a yearbook, or submit photos all in one place!
Please contact tmweghorst@fcps.edu if you have any questions!
10. Laptop Tech Support Hours
If students need FCPS laptop technical support at Woodson HS, please submit a ticket using the FCPS Parent/Student Tech Support Portal.
Our walk-in hours in Room A114 are:
- Odd Days during Learning Seminar
- Monday - 7:45am - 8:10am
- Tuesday and Wednesday - 11:25am - 1:20pm (lunches)
- Wednesday - 2:55pm - 4:00pm (when late buses start)
Any other time you should try to make an appointment.
Thank you, W.T Woodson HS Tech Support Team
11. Woodson's PTSO
Our mission is to make every child’s potential a reality by engaging and empowering families and communities to advocate for all children.
PTSO meetings take place the 2nd Tuesday of the month at 6pm in the Library at Woodson HS.
Whether you are a new or returning WTW parent, please get involved in any way that works for you. Here are some quick links to get you started:
Join our PTSO
Make a Donation
Sign up for one of our Volunteer Opportunities
Ask a local business to become a Business or Community Sponsor
Find WT Woodson on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter
Go shopping! Amazon, Office Depot, groceries, etc. Link your accounts and a portion of your sales will go to our school!
Mental Health Resources | 24/7 Emergency Numbers
If you are in crisis, text NEEDHELP to 85511, call 1-800-273-TALK, or dial 911; TTY dial 711
CrisisLink Regional Hotline: 703-527-4077 (CrisisLink is a hotline for individuals in crisis or family/friends seeking guidance for how to help a loved one)
Dominion Hospital Assessment and Referral Line: 703-536-2000
Inova Emergency Services: 703-289-7560
Mobile Crisis Unit: 1-844-627-4747
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK or 1-800-SUICIDE
Merrifield Center Emergency Services: 703-573-5679; TTY dial 711 (The Merrifield Center of the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board, offers a range of clinical programming. Emergency Services, staffed 24 hours per day, seven days per week, works with people in psychiatric crisis who need immediate attention.)
Plan D Nova https://www.plandnova.org/ (a website for Northern Virginia teens who suffer from depression: #breakthestigma)
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