MHS PTSA eNews, February 9, 2022

Class of 2022 Graduation
Yard Sign Sale

Begins February 16th

Celebrate your senior’s accomplishment with a graduation yard sign! Signs come with a metal stand to push into the ground. Optional adhesive is available for window or door mounting. Signs are $30 each and will be available for pick up at McLean High School in early April.

Our supply of signs will be limited. All proceeds benefit this year's PTSA sponsored Graduation Party.

Questions about your order? Contact mconners@mcleanptsa.org

February Friday Tea
Station Sign-Up

Thank you!

Celebrate Counselor Appreciation Week (Feb 7-11)

National School Counseling Week focuses public attention on the unique contribution of professional school counselors. Please join us in celebrating our exceptional School Counselors this week! 

For the full list of counselors click here!  Thank you to all the MHS Counselors! 

Your PTSA is organizing self-care gifts, complementary mindfulness class, and special breakfast treats to show our collective appreciation throughout this week to celebrate our awesome Counselors and Student Services staff.

Please encourage your students to write thank-you notes to their counselors.

Virginia School

Counselor of the Year 2021

McLean HS counselor, Kathleen Otal, attended the National School Counseling Association Awards Gala last week. She was honored for being named the Virginia School Counselor of the Year. 

Congratulations Kathleen! We are so proud and thankful for everything you do!

Substitute Teacher Job Fair

Want to help our McLean HS staff?  You can choose the school and work as little or as often as you like.

FCPS is hiring daily and long-term opportunities for substitute teachers and substitute instructional assistants! 

Join the Substitute Teaching Job Fair on Thursday, February 17, from 9:00am-11:00am 

Interested? Additional Details

Black History
Month Celebration

Black History Month, celebrated every February, serves as both a celebration and a powerful reminder of the struggles, progress and accomplishments of African American leaders across the United States. Fairfax County has several activities to celebrate the accomplishments and contributions of Black leaders.

• Black History Month Events in Fairfax County
• 20 ways to celebrate, visit and experience Black History Month across the D.C. region

Mclean HS Students -
Tell Us Your Story!

How Has the Pandemic
Impacted Your Life?

Complete the application by March 15th, using this link to participate.

NOVA District PTA is pleased to announce our 2022 NOVA District PTA Student Essay Program (previously called Citizenship Essay).

This year's District theme is, "Tell Us Your Story" - a look at how the past couple of years during the pandemic has had an impact on your life (i.e., education, family, community, after-school activities).

Sophomore Parent Coffee Recording - Now Available!

Here is the YouTube link for the February 2nd PTSA Parent Coffee.

Special Guests were:

• Monica Charles-Williams, MHS Assistant Principal and Class Administrator for the Sophomore Class.
• Greg Olcott, MHS School Counselor

Local Restaurant Fundraiser

Show Highlander Spirit and Support Your Community

While Dining In or Carrying Out

Pie-tanza is Tomorrow!

February 10th, 11:30am - 9:30pm

Lee Harrison Center
2503B N. Harrison Street
Arlington, VA 22207

Hidden in Plain Sight - Registration

Hidden in Plain Sight is a community awareness program to educate parents through a hands-on learning experience that covers current trends and signs of risky business.  The program will outline alcohol use, marijuana, prescription drugs, over-the-counter drugs, illicit drugs, mental disorders, sexual behavior, and other risky business.

This program is open to adult audiences only. 

The program is designed to educate parents on recent trends and to assist their child in finding the proper help if a risky behavior is detected. 

The program is presented by the Fairfax County Police Department’s Crime Prevention Unit.

The presentation will be held at McLean High School in the cafeteria starting at 7:00pm and ending at 8:30pm on March 1, 2022.

Please register by using this link.

Masks will be required to be worn while in the building.

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 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.

The United States Presidential Scholars Program Candidates

Four McLean High School students have been selected as candidates for the United States Presidential Scholars Program. The Scholars program  recognizes the accomplishments of some of our nation's most distinguished graduating seniors. 

Congratulations to Avery Barnett, Aleena Gul, Paul Kim and Jackson Chadwick!

Scholastic Bowl Regional Winners

The McLean High School Scholastic Bowl team is moving on to States after winning Regionals! Congratulations to the team and their sponsors Jeff Brocketti and Lindsay Benedict!

Virtual Art Show

The Art Department has a virtual Art show for you to view! This time, due to snow days and Covid, we decided to use a virtual format. The theme for this show was “Winter.” Many of the works were created during our snow week!

Click here for the virtual reality gallery link!

District Champion Wrestlers

Congratulations to Brigham DeVore and William Lewey for being District Champions!

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.

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!

TODAY  - Student Panel
February 9 at 7:00pm EDT 

How Teens Create Digital Spaces for Belonging. Sponsored by Discord. Best for: Teenagers ages 13-18 and their parents or caregivers

To register click here.

Speakers: Discord Teen Moderators; Liz Hegarty - Policy Manager for Teen Safety, Discord; Carrie Neil - PTA Connected Ambassador, National PTA

Discord’s teen moderators will share how they create space to share their authentic selves, support one another online, and protect their digital well-being. 

For parents, if you are interested in learning more about Discord (Connect Safely), review this guide.

Stop, Think, Decide, Act: Navigating Important Conversations About Online Safety

Sponsored by TikTok
Best for Parents and Caregivers of Teenagers 13-18

Thursday, February 10 at 8:00pm EDT

Panelists:

• Kristelle Lavallee - Senior Content Strategist, Digital Wellness Lab
• Carrie Neil - PTA Connected Ambassador, National PTA
• Billy Perry - TikTok Creator, (@billyvsco)
• Moderator: Tracy Elizabeth - Trust & Safety Outreach, TikTok

Parents will learn about strategies and resources to support them in having ongoing conversations about online safety and TikTok’s safety features.   

Webinar registration is available here. 

Tips for Talking to Your Kids: Getting Past the Silent Treatment

Monday, February 28 from 7 to 8 p.m. via Zoom We all want to keep current with our kids' lives, and it can be challenging to get kids to open up.  Whether it's little things like knowing how their day was or big things like raising concerns for their wellbeing, it can be hard to get the conversation flowing. 

Join local mental health professionals Mimi Weisberg and Heather Tedesco for a one-hour virtual program dedicated to family communication. 

The presenters use this article from the Washington Post as a jumping-off point to share concrete tips and strategies for connecting with your kids through conversation.

Please see the Safe Community Coalition website at http://mcleanscc.org/ for the Zoom link.

New "One Pill Can Kill" Initiative

Due to the increase in counterfeit pills and the overdose rate among our youth, the DEA started the One Pill Can Kill initiative.

Here is the link that provides information about the initiative and pictures of counterfeit pills. 

Social media plays a role in the distribution of pills. Here are the social media accounts used and the emojis used between the dealer and “customer.”

Connecting Students with Industry Professionals Through Panel Discussions, Career Planning Support, and
Much More!

Join us for our upcoming regional career exploration event and participate in live virtual sessions held every night Monday, February 14 through Thursday, February 17th, 2022. This event was developed in conjunction with six neighboring school divisions in the Northern Virginia region. 

High school students will learn about a wide variety of potential career paths and post-secondary options that will prepare them for the next chapter of their educational journey. This event will offer students a connection to more than 100 local industry professionals from in-demand career fields  across the Northern Virginia region. Employers and industry experts will be represented from highly sought-after career clusters. This event will include synchronous (live) and asynchronous (recorded) sessions.

High school students will be able to participate in the following ways:

• Connect to more than 100 local industry professionals from in-demand career fields across the region. 
• Learn about work-based learning (WBL) opportunities.
• Attend industry panel discussions.
• Attend information sessions and career planning support sessions.
• Learn about postsecondary education, training, and apprenticeship opportunities.

Details and registration information are available online. Students can email workbasedlearning@fcps.edu with questions.

Health Career Opportunity
Program (HCOP)

For all high school students interested in a health career, George Washington University is now accepting applications for its Health Career Opportunity Program (HCOP). This program offers scholarships/stipends, mentors, and education/advisement as students embark on the journey of becoming health professionals. HCOP is a federally funded program by HRSA and its mission is to develop and guide individuals with disadvantaged backgrounds through the educational pipeline of a health profession.

If you have questions, email Dr. Jessica To-Alemanji at kto1@email.gwu.edu or GWHCOP@gwu.edu.  

For more information about HCOP, visit http://smhs.gwu.edu/hcop.

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.

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. 

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.  

FCCPTA Scholarships

Each spring, FCCPTA awards (5) PTSA member students with $1,000 scholarships to assist in their pursuit of post-graduation learning.  Scholarship Criteria:

The Institute for the Arts Summer Program (IFTA)

IFTA is a popular arts enrichment program for students currently in grades 6-11. Students select 4 classes which they choose from art, dance, music, theatre, health, economics and personal finance courses.  

This program will be held from July 5-29, 2022 (four-week program) or from July 5-15, 2022.

Registration opens March 1, 

For information about FCPS' summer enrichment camps and learning programs visit here.

Doodle 4 Google Contest 

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.

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.

2022 Summer Internship Application is Open

We are excited to announce that the Society's 2022 summer internship application is officially open! This year, we are partnering with the Emerson Collective, George Washington University, and Smithsonian Institution to form the Emerson Collective Youth Collaborative (ECYC).

To learn more about the Society's internship program and the opportunities available through ECYC, students can visit our internship website.

The application deadline is February 28, 2022.

2022 Student Creative Expressions Contest

Contest Extended to February 28, 2022

No matter who you are or what your background is,
you bring your 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.

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. 

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.

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.

A list of 70 academic competitions and contests selected by the College Transitions.

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 several 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.

The 2022-2023 School Year Calendar

The School Board voted to adopt a calendar for the 2022-2023 school year that focuses on instruction, and student and operational needs. Additionally, the calendar is aligned with neighboring school districts and adds additional key observance days. 

The school will be closed to students on Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha, Diwali, Orthodox Good Friday, Lunar New Year, and Veteran’s Day.

The first day of the 2022-2023 school year is Monday, August 22, 2022. Thanksgiving break will be November 23-25, winter break will be December 19, 2022-January 2, 2023, and spring break will be April 3-7, 2023. 

For more information visit here.

Weather Cancellation Procedures

Be informed in the case of inclement weather or other emergency situations.          

Visit this site for more information.

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.

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.

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. 

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.

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

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.