PTSA Volunteer Openings
YOUR PTSA NEEDS YOU and appreciates all that you do!
PTSA Board Nominations for
2022-2023
Are you interested in being on our PTSA Board or do you know someone who would be great in a Board position next year?
Please take a quick look at the Board positions and their related job descriptions on our website and let us know who would fit any of these positions. If you know of someone who would generally be a great Board member, but you are not sure in which specific position, we also want to hear from you!
Starting in late January, the Nominating Committee will be collecting the names to slate for our 2022-2023 PTSA Board and we always want to get a diverse group of members from our broad community on the Board.
Please contact the Nominating Committee at nominate@mcleanptsa.org with names and referrals.
Thank you in advance.
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Book Talk for Parents is Tonight!
Wednesday, January 26, 2022
From 6.30-8.00pm @ MHS Lecture Hall
Your PTSA is partnering with the Student Services to bring this book talk on What Do You Say? How to Talk with Kids to Build Motivation, Stress Tolerance, and a Happy Home. This past October, the book's authors spoke to McLean and Longfellow parents virtually. They offered much-needed practical parenting tips as our children came back to school. On Wednesday, January 26, Kathleen Otal, one of McLean’s school counselors, will be hosting a book talk. We will discuss the first half of the book as well as share struggles, ideas, and tips with one another regarding our own children and parenting experiences.
The event will take place in McLean’s Lecture Hall from 6:30pm – 8:00pm.
If you are interested in attending this book talk, please register here.If you need to purchase the book, you can do so at this link.
If you have not seen the author talk from October 2021, you can do so here.
Please email programs@mcleanptsa.org if you have questions or need additional information. We hope to see you there!
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McLean High School Coat Drive
Drop of your greatly appreciated coat and jacket donation in the Main Office and at other bins around the school this week!
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January Friday Tea
Station SignUp
Let's treat our wonderful teachers and staff to some breakfast treats and bring in the new year!
SIgn up to bring weekly Friday morning breakfast treats (January 14th and January 28th).
Sign up here for the week that best suits your schedule.
Thank you!
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Lunar New Year is February 1st
Lunar New Year is the beginning of a calendar year whose months are moon cycles, based on the lunar calendar or lunisolar calendar. Lunar New Year is particularly celebrated in East Asia, influenced by the Chinese New Year and the Chinese Calendar.
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Health & Wellness Therapy Dogs
Our therapy dog friends return next week, February 2nd, 11:00am-1:30pm. We are expecting five or six pups, some “old” familiar furry faces, and some “first timers” dog visitors to MHS! Our thanks to the PTSA Health & Wellness Committee for organizing!
Please contact health.wellness@mcleanptsa.org for more information.
Sophomore Parent Virtual Coffee
All parents and guardians of current sophomores are invited to join the PTSA for a virtual coffee on Wednesday, February 2nd at 9:00 am, to reconnect with old friends and meet some new ones.
Interested? Please sign-up here to get a Zoom link to participate in the meeting.
Monica Charles- Williams, MHS Assistant Principal and Class Administrator for the Sophomore Class will join us.
Please fill out this form to submit any questions you may have ahead of time.
If you have any questions about this program, please contact Sandra P. Buteau at president@mcleanptsa.org.
Hope to see you there!
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Recording for January 12th PTSA Membership Meeting
Click this link to hear the MHS PTSA membership meeting recording with school board updates and Q&A with Special Guest Elaine Tholen.
Elaine Tholen is the FCPS School Board Member representing Dranesville District in Virginia.
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Student Achievement
Scholastic Art Award Winners
Please join us in congratulating the students who participated in and won awards in the Regional Scholastics Art Contest.
The categories included Photography, Drawing and Illustration, Ceramics and Glass, Mixed Media, Sculpture, Painting, Digital Art, Painting, Comic Art, and Art Portfolio.
Click HERE for the full list of students.
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All-District Band Audition Results
Congratulations to all the MHS students that auditioned for the All-District Bands!
We are proud to report that a huge number of our students have made the bands this year.
Click HERE for the full list of our winners!
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Support Your McLean High School PTSA
PTSA Sponsored
Mock ACT/SAT Tests
EC Tutoring is offering mock ACT and SAT tests in January and February. These tests are available to students at area schools for $20.
*** Please remember to indicate your status as an MHS student on the registration form to ensure that the PTSA receives credit; the fees support our programs.
Mock SAT Test - February 5th, 9:00am-1:00pm Registration Form
Mock ACT Test - February 26nd, 9:00am-1:00pm Registration Form
These tests are available to students at area schools for $20.
*** Please remember to indicate your status as an MHS student on the registration form to ensure that the PTSA receives credit;
the fees support our programs.
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PTSA Funds Enhance Student Learning
Please consider making a tax-free donation to the PTSA.
Your contribution translates directly into academic enhancements, virtual programs, improved technology, and courtyard and facilities renovations.
Click here to donate.
Remember When Shopping to Activate the Rewards Programs
Earn rewards while you shop: Help Our Cause: Check out a one-stop-shop to earn rewards while shopping at 1000+ stores online or on your phone.
Simply register once and use it often to get shopping discounts, travel rebates, discounted textbook purchases, electronics, vehicle donations, and much more.
Details about the program are found here.
Harris Teeter Together in Education: Visit this link to register your card or register with the cashier next time you shop at Harris Teeter. MHS Code: 5560; Phone: (800) 432-6111.
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Office Depot – MHS Code: 70104184
MHS receives 5% of your purchases.
Details about the program are here.
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Earn Money for the PTSA When You Purchase through our Amazon Link
Simply bookmark: Amazon
And use the link to access Amazon BEFORE you add items to your cart and check out promptly.
Items that are left in your cart for 24 hours or more do not qualify. To save items to purchase later, please use your Wish List.
Every Purchase Counts! Thank you!
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Local Restaurant Fundraisers
Show Highlander Spirit and Support Your Community
While Dining In or Carrying Out
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Sweet Leaf Cafe is Tonight!
January 26th, 4:00pm - 8:00pm
1359 Chain Bridge Road, McLean, VA 22101
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Silver Diner - 1st Thursday
February 3rd, 5:00 - 8:00pm
8101 Fletcher Street, McLean, VA 22102
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Stay in the Know!
Everything You Need to Know About Marijuana in One Hour: A Webinar for Families
Friday, January 28, 2022, 10:00am - 11:00 am.
“Everyone’s doing it” is what most teenagers will say about marijuana, but truly only about 20% of teens have used marijuana in the last 30 days. During our session, we’ll talk about a myriad of topics relating to marijuana including: THC vs CBD, legalization vs decriminalization, the various ways marijuana can be consumed, and more.
Discussion Highlights:
- Legalization vs. decriminalization
- Drug use and the pandemic
- THC's various forms of use
- THC through the years
- THC vs. CBD
Join Tiffany J. Jones, FCPS Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist for this important webinar.
Register online for Everything You Need to Know About Marijuana in 1 hour: A Webinar for Families
National PTA Listening Sessions for Parents and Educators
Fairfax County Special Education PTA (SEPTA) is hosting virtual focus groups to discuss National PTA's Standards for Family-School Partnerships. Share your experiences and your perspectives on family-school partnerships.
- How do you want to engage with your child’s school?
- What are the most important parts of a parent-educator relationship?
Your feedback will be used to make family-school partnerships more inclusive and impactful in FCPS. National PTA will also use your feedback to inform a set of National Standards for family-school partnerships nationwide.
For more information click here.
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COVID-19 Diagnostic Testing Available for All Students
All FCPS students and staff will have access to COVID-19 diagnostic testing. Diagnostic testing for those who are symptomatic, or have been in close contact with an individual with COVID-19, is an additional layered prevention strategy to support safe in-person learning.
Effective testing is essential in helping slow the spread of COVID-19 by identifying those who have the virus so they can receive treatment and isolate. Testing is also a step in the return to school or work process following illness or exposure.
COVID-19 diagnostic testing will be available at six drive-through sites throughout Fairfax County. A full list of locations and schedules is available on our website.
Appointments are not needed, but parents or guardians will need to provide their child’s information and consent for testing through FCPS’ secure online portal.
Staff will also need to register through the secure online portal to receive testing services.
Students or staff receiving diagnostic testing will be given a rapid antigen test and wait 15 minutes for the results. If the test is positive, a PCR test will be administered to confirm the positive result.
Any FCPS student or staff member who is experiencing COVID-19 symptoms or is identified as a close contact of someone who is COVID-19 positive may use the six drive-through diagnostic testing sites.
More information about FCPS’ COVID-19 testing program, including diagnostic testing, is available online.
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Free Home
COVID-19 Tests Available
Every home in the U.S. is eligible to order four free at-home COVID-19 tests, completely free.
Visit covidtests.gov to order your free at-home tests and find free testing locations in your area.
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Free Student Bus Pass Program
Students can sign up for the Free Student Bus Pass Program at all FCPS high schools:
Visit the Fairfax Connector website for more information and to download the application.
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Online Campus & Self-Directed EPF Registration Opened on January 18th
Online Campus: Current grades 7-12
- Non-SOL courses: Tuesday, June 21-Wednesday, July 20
- SOL courses: Tuesday, June 21-Wednesday, July 21
- IFTA HPE 9: Tuesday, July 5-Tuesday, July 26
- HN Geometry: Tuesday, June 21 – Thursday, July 29
- Algebra 2 Head Start: Monday, July 18-Friday, July 22
Time: Synchronous lessons will be between 8 am – 2 pm and will last 60-90 minutes daily.
These courses provide opportunities for credit recovery and acceleration for eligible middle school and high school students.
Registration: Tuesday, January 18-Friday, June 10
Self-Directed Economics and Personal Finance: Current grades 9-12
- Session 1: Monday, April 18-Friday, June 17
- Session 2: Monday, June 27-Friday, July 29
Self-Directed Economics and Personal Finance requires students to complete work without direct teacher support. Students will access content for this course through FCPS Schoology. The course was updated in September 2020. The course features an updated curriculum, interactive modules, and exit tickets. Students will read through 14 modules, complete 140 exit tickets, 14 module tests, and a final exam. This is an online course and does not meet face-to-face. Students may only take this course as "Pass/Fail."
Registration:
Session 1: Tuesday, January 18-Friday, April 8
Session 2: Tuesday, January 18-Friday, June 3
Information about additional programs will be posted as it becomes available on the FCPS Summer Learning webpage.
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Student Contests, Programs,
Workshops, Selected Resources & Webinars
Vans High School Custom Culture was created to inspire and empower high school students to embrace their creativity through art and design and bring attention to diminishing arts education budgets. Vans believes everyone should be empowered to express themselves creatively and should be given the tools to do so.
Custom Culture High School is a national high school customization competition using blank Vans shoes to be customized around the specific themes, Hometown Pride and VanD(IY)oren Legacy.
In order to compete in our competition, an art teacher or school administrator needs to register the high school on vans.com/customculture between January 10, 2022-February 4, 2022.
See the contest rules for exact details.
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For 2021, Cooper Hewitt’s Design Challenge is: What Would You Design to Create a Healthier World?
Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum launched the National High School Design Competition in 2016. Every year, students around the country are challenged to design a solution to a unique scenario, inspired by Cooper Hewitt’s rich collection and stimulating exhibitions.
Awards: Membership to Cooper Hewitt and networking opportunities with designers / other experts in the field
Participants: Students ages 13 through 19 who are high school students in Grades 9 through 12, or who are homeschooled students working toward a high school degree anywhere in the United States.
You can enter as an individual or as a team of up to three people.
Registration opens: January 4, 2022
Deadline to submit: February 28, 2022
Registration Fee: FREE
Website: https://www.cooperhewitt.org/design-competition/
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Submit a design to Google for a chance to have your artwork appear on millions of computer screens as the Google Logo.
For more information visit here.
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2022 Student Creative Expressions Contest
Contest Extended to February 28, 2022
No matter who you are or what your background is,
you bring your own values and experiences to every situation.
High school students in Virginia are invited to honor outstanding African Americans by participating in Dominion Energy and the Library of Virginia’s Strong Men & Women in Virginia History student contest. This year’s contest is built around the inquiry process of project-based learning and is designed to hit grade-specific standards through a multidisciplinary approach. While analyzing historical and contemporary injustices, students will use and develop creative and critical thinking skills.
- Students are allowed to enter one submission during the contest period.
- Students should choose to compete in only one category.
- The performance or digital project entries must include a video piece with narration describing what your project is and how it addresses the prompt.
- The performance or documentary videos must run 5 minutes or under.
- Creative Writing entries are limited to 500 words and must include language that addresses the prompt.
Winners will receive an Apple MacBook Air and $1,000 for their schools. Four winning projects will be chosen, one project from each of four regions in the state.
The people honored as Strong Men and Women in Virginia History used their experiences to overcome obstacles and achieve their goals. Is there a past honoree who inspires you particularly? How do your values and experiences help you meet your goals and overcome obstacles in your personal life, at school or in your community?
For more information about the contest, please visit here.
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Applications Are Now Open for the
2022 AFSA National High School Essay Contest
Apply at https://afsascholarships.communityforce.com
The application deadline is 11:59 p.m. EDT on April 4, 2022
Envirothon Competition for
High School Students
As we determine best practices for reaching Zero Waste goals in Fairfax County, let's engage our high school students' voices! This year’s Envirothon Special Interest topic is “Waste to Resources” and the Oral Presentation question has just been announced! Visit the VA Soil and Water Conservation District’s Envirothon competition page to explore resources on waste and other competition topics and to learn how to participate in the Envirothon competition.
Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District (NVSWCD) provides training trunks on aquatics, forestry, soils, and wildlife available teachers to borrow. Each trunk is full of dozens of valuable resources like guides, hands-on tools and equipment, and specimen samples. NVSWCD will also be hosting local training and will be providing more details soon.
Contact Ashley Palmer to learn more.
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SPJ/JEA High School Essay Contest
The Sigma Delta Chi Foundation of the Society of Professional Journalists and the Journalism Education Association (SPJ/JEA) want to increase high school students' knowledge and understanding of the importance of independent media to our lives.
Upload/received by deadline: February 19, 2022, 11:59 p.m. Central time/9:59 p.m. Pacific time.
Essays will be accepted beginning November 1, 2021.
For more information click here.
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National Cyber Cup
A free, 100% online Jeopardy-style Capture the Flag competition for students in grades 4-12 to sharpen their problem-solving skills through cyber-based challenges.
For more information, please look here.
Registration opens on March 1, 2022.
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Scholarship Information
You can access here a comprehensive list of scholarships for high school students to help pay for school their freshman year of college and beyond.
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Competitions and Contests that Boost Your
Admission Prospects
A list of 70 academic competitions and contests selected by the College Transitions.
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Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is Open?
Parents of high school seniors are encouraged to work with their students to complete the FAFSA as early as possible, but before March 1st, as you prepare for your child to begin college in the fall of 2022.
Parents and students should start by creating an FSA ID and then begin the FAFSA.
College Access Fairfax, an FCPS partner, will be offering sveral webinars on completing the FAFSA and finding and applying for scholarships on January 8th. Information on these programs and how to access them can be found at the College Access Fairfax website.
In addition, College Access Fairfax staff are available for virtual one-on-one help sessions to complete the FAFSA. Interested families should email appointments@collegeaccessfairfax.org to request an appointment.
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Weather Cancellation Procedures
Be informed in the case of inclement weather or other emergency situations.
Visit this site for more information.
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Parents and Students, Did You Know?
School Safety & Threat Assessment
Parents and Students: View training modules on threat assessment and learn about FCPS' anonymous Tip Line
Fairfax County Public Schools has a well-established policy and protocol for responding to threats of violence in our schools. We have collaborated with the Youth Violence Project of the University of Virginia's Curry School of Education as part of our efforts to educate parents and students on how to help reduce threats and increase safety in our schools.
We invite parents and students (12 and older) to view the training modules on threat assessment here. These brief modules will help you understand the threat assessment process used in our schools and how it can help prevent violence.
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Universal Mask Wearing Remains a Critical Layered Prevention Strategy
FCPS continues to require universal mask wearing in alignment with CDC guidance. As they said "their layered prevention strategies have proven effective in keeping transmission rates low in our schools. We know our students are best served by in-person instruction. Adhering to our layered prevention strategies, especially universal masking, keeps our schools open and safe places for students to learn."
Read more on the FCPS website.
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Substance Abuse Prevention Support at McLean High School McLean High School has a Full-Time Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist
Kelly Rankin serves as a resource for students and parents interested in finding out more information on substance use or discussing concerns of use and addiction.
If you need more information, take a look at this flyer.
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Calendar Reminders |
Upcoming Important Dates |
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January 26 - Book Talk for Parents at MHS
January 26 - Sweet Leaf PTSA Fundraiser
February 1 - Lunar New Year
February 2 - Health & Wellness Program - Therapy Dogs at MHS
February 3 - Silver Diner Tysons Fundraiser
February 5 - Mock SAT Test - Registration Form
February 26 - Mock ACT Test - Registration Form
March 1 - Hidden In Plain Sight - Community Awareness Program
March 16 - PTSA General Meeting
June 1 - Graduation at 2:30pm at Constitution Hall
Helpful Links
Fairtest.org - Resource to find out which colleges will be test-optional next year.
FCPS Support for Parents & Families
FCPS Parent Resource Center Workshops
The FCPS Parent Resource Center is offering workshops, information and resources to support the success of all students, including those with learning challenges, special needs, and disabilities.
For a list of upcoming events click here.
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Guidelines for School Visitors, Volunteers and Guests
FCPS asks guests to follow a few guidelines to help keep our schools safe and healthy. If you are visiting, please review the health and safety guidelines for visitors in advance to prepare.
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Multilingual Parent Podcast
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 English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Services and the Office of Professional Learning and Family Engagement.
Listen and subscribe: https://www.fcps.edu/blog/multilingual-family-podcast-arabic-korean-spanish
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Get Your Child’s Online
Activity Report
FCPS has tools to help parents and guardians know more about their child’s activity on any FCPS device. These tools are provided by Lightspeed, their 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 details 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 the FCPS website.
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Thank you to our Business Sponsors
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