Annandale Community Insider - March 13

Annandale Students, Parents and Community:

At Annandale, we have long held a shared belief that our diversity is our greatest strength as a school, and Friday was a huge celebration of the many cultures, perspectives, and experiences our students represent. From our FanQuest basketball game, where students being serviced through our Cat-B program were cheered on by our entire school, to our Just World festival and our Heritage Night, Friday reminded me yet again of how special Atom Nation is. The excitement and energy was palpable. I was so proud of the way our students and staff overwhelmingly supported each other. A huge thank you to the many staff members and students who organized these events in support of our students and community, and a huge thank you to our community, including Supervisor Penny Gross and School Board Member Ricardy Anderson, who came out and packed our school to celebrate with us.  

Spring is one of my favorite times of the school year. Now that academic advising is nearly done, we are hard at work on our master schedule for next year with input from administrators, instructional coaches, and department chairs. We have started hiring for the upcoming school year and have found some incredible candidates who will enrich our work as a school. In a few weeks, our Instructional Council and Teacher Leaders will come together to reflect on the results from opportunities our staff members have had over the past several weeks to observe instruction and experience the school day from a student’s perspective. It is always exciting for me to reflect on how we have grown and how we can continue to get better as a school. But perhaps more importantly, this work will shape our instructional focus for next year.

At the same time, we are maintaining focus on ensuring we are supporting our students’ success as we look to the end of the school year. We continue to refine PRIDE Time and ASAP (After-School Academic Support Program). These structures have not only set us up to be able to support students in preparation for Spring SOLs and other graduation requirements, but will allow us to start strong next year as we continue to support students by name and need. Thank you to all of our families for partnering with us to help our students get the support they need and to the many staff members who are working so hard to ensure all students have what they need to be successful.

As always, please reach out with any other questions.

Shawn DeRose, Principal

Important Dates

March 13 - Family Engagement Survey Opens

March 15 - IB Visual / Senior Exhibit

March 15 - PTSA Meeting

March 31 - 2 Hour Early Release; End of 3rd Quarter

April 1 - Teacher Workday (No School for Students)

April 4-8 - Spring Break 

March 13 - Family Engagement Survey Opens: Today, March 13, you will receive an email from Fairfax County Public Schools via K12 Insight regarding FCPS’ Family Engagement Survey. Your feedback is critical in helping to inform and improve our practices to best support our students. Taking this survey will also help strengthen the partnership between your family and your school. When that partnership is strong, students can experience a range of benefits including improved school readiness, higher student achievement, and better social skills and behavior. FCPS is partnering with independent firm K12 Insight to administer the survey. It will be available in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Korean, Arabic, Chinese, Urdu, Farsi, and Amharic. Please visit our Family Engagement Survey webpage for more information and look for the survey in your inbox today.

March 15 - IB Visual / Senior Exhibit: This event is a practical culmination of the IB Visual and the general art courses. IB students and seniors of the art program will exhibit the best artworks of their high school art career. Audience will be able to see the journey of the artists through their artwork, the ability to communicate intent, their technical competence and the narrative behind the displayed pieces. They will read a statement by the artist in which an explanation of the selection and presentation of artwork is explained. We invite you to visit the exhibit and honor these students with your presence on March 15 from 6:00-8:00pm in Clausen Hall. Viewer discretion is advised.

March 15, 7pm - PTSA Meeting: The Next Annandale PTSA meeting will be on Tuesday, March 15 at 7:00 p.m. PTSA meetings are bilingual and Spanish translation is provided. Las reuniones de PTSA son bilingües y se proporciona traducción al español. Here is a link to the meeting. In addition, meeting notes from previous meetings are also on the PTSA website.

Important Information

Late Buses Now Available on Thursdays! We have expanded the number of days late buses are available for Annandale students staying after school. Late bus days are now Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Buses will pick up students in the back 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.

IB Middle Years Program Certificate: As an IB school, Annandale students in Grade 10 have the opportunity to pursue the FCPS IB Middle Years Program (IBMYP) certificate. IBMYP Certificates will be awarded in the fall of 2022. Students interested in pursuing the FCPS MYP Certificate must:

• Earn a qualifying score (8 or above) on their Personal Project 
• Have completed two or more years of language acquisition by the end of 10th grade
• Submit six reflections on volunteer service hours they have completed no later than September 30, 2022 (extended date allows students to complete service hours throughout the summer after 10th grade). Students should submit their reflections here.

Currently, all students in Grade 10 are currently developing their Personal Project through their English 10 classes. For their Personal Project, students select a topic they are interested in learning how to do, make, create, develop, or otherwise pursue, journal about this experience, and write a report. They will present their personal projects in their English classes as well as do peer evaluation, where they will select the best personal projects to be showcased for our 9th graders. Personal Projects are due to their English teachers on March 30 or 31, and our showcase will be held virtually during the school day in mid-April. IF you have any questions about the IBMYP Programme at Annandale HIgh School, please contact Jeniva Miller at jmiller@fcps.edu.

Academic Support

March 17 During PRIDE Time - AWC Offers Advanced Analysis Workshop: On Thursday, March 17, during PRIDE Time in Clausen Hall, the Atoms Writing Center will be offering an Advanced Analysis Workshop. This workshop is geared towards English 9 and 10 Honors students and IB students looking to improve their writing. IB juniors and seniors will share the things they wished they knew before starting IB English and review tips that the honors and IB English teachers would like to see more of their students doing in their writing. To attend this workshop during PRIDE Time, you must fill out this google form by midnight on March 15th to request a PRIDE Time pass. On the day of the event, report to your study hall teacher for attendance and to obtain your pass.

Every Monday and Wednesday - Math Honor Society Tutoring: Students who need support in their math class are encouraged to attend after school tutoring sessions hosted by the Math Honor Society. Students should fill out this form with their name, course, email, and date requested to meet. A MHS tutor will fill out the form and contact the tutee.

In addition, Math Honor Society is also running tutoring sessions for Standardized Testing (SAT and ACT) every Monday and Wednesday from 3:00-4:30pm in Room 231. Students should fill out this form to receive extra support. Students in need of transportation can take the late bus on these days at 4:45pm.

Every Thursday - College Help Workshops: These workshops are open to Juniors and Seniors, who want information on applying to college. Students who need individual assistance with college applications can ask questions about the Common Application, Transcript Request Forms, Scholarships, SAT/ACT exam registration, or anything else related to college.

Mid-April - Super Saturdays Begin: Annandale will continue the tradition of success that was established prior to, and even during COVID, by supporting students with Super Saturday SOL prep prior to testing. Invitations will be going out to students to attend these events beginning in late March/early April. Stay tuned for more information.

Awesome Atoms!

Fanquest Pep Rally: On Friday, March 11, the Annandale Special Olympics Basketball team hosted “FanQuest.” FanQuest is an event that promotes inclusion and respect for students with disabilities. Our CAT B students played a Red team vs. White team, with the support of general education peers involved with the Special Olympics and Best Buddies programs. These are programs in which Annandale students have the opportunity to work with their Cat-B peers.

The event was MC’d by Derrick Vo and Semir Ali. It was an incredible experience to watch our Special Olympics athletes showcase their basketball skills in the stadium packed with student fans. The crowd went wild when the first basket was made, and the cheering didn’t stop. The support and appreciation our students had for their fellow Atoms was overwhelming. Special thanks to Jae Lee and Annie Ray for coordinating this incredible event. Any student that would like to get involved with Special Olympics or Best buddies can reach out to Mr. Lee.

Just World Festival: Friday afternoon Annandale hosted the Annual Just World Festival. The theme this year was "Reconnecting." Local community groups and clubs came together to inspire others to take action and be active in their local and global communities. The festival featured exhibits from clubs and local organizations, food, and workshops and concluded with a presentation from keynote speaker, Sarah Erdman. Huge thanks to Meredith Hedrick and Laura Wells, sponsors of the Just World Interact Club for coordinating this event.

Heritage Night: Friday night, Annandale hosted our Annual Heritage Night Performance. Students had an opportunity to showcase their culture through music, dance, fashion, and more. Audience members had the opportunity to enjoy an incredible array of performances by students in which the appreciation of our diversity shined. Special thanks to all of our performers who worked so hard to practice their showpieces, our fantastic MCs Hana Wasuge, Fatima Sayed Eltayeb, and Lauryn Mills, and to leadership and theater teachers, Annie Ray, Jae Lee, and Katie Brunberg for their hard work in making the show a success!

Opportunities

Now through March 23 - Become a Member of the Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council (SAC): Each year, FCPS students have the opportunity to apply for the position of the student representative to the School Board. The student representative is not a member of the School Board but serves in a nonvoting, advisory capacity, representing the interests of the students of Fairfax County Public Schools. Students who are currently in grades 9, 10, and 11 are eligible to apply. Applications are due March 23, 2022. The application and related details can be found on the FCPS Website. 

Now Open - Summer Institute for the Arts Program Registration: Does your student have plans for this summer? If they love the arts, then the Institute for the Arts is for them! Check out this video for more information. More information can be found on their website. 

Now through March 23 - Become a Member of the Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council (SAC): Each year, FCPS students have the opportunity to apply for the position of the student representative to the School Board. The student representative is not a member of the School Board but serves in a nonvoting, advisory capacity, representing the interests of the students of Fairfax County Public Schools. Students who are currently in grades 9, 10, and 11 are eligible to apply. Applications are due March 23. The application and related details can be found on the FCPS Website. 

One Water Art Contest: Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG) is joining regional water utilities to hold an art contest with the theme of protecting our source water.  They are looking for local student artists grade 9-12 to create visual media which captures the importance of our local water sources. To enter, complete this form by March 18 and submit your artwork by April 8. Visit: https://bit.ly/FFXwaterart to learn more about the contest and to submit your artwork. 

Save the Date! June 6 - Sports and Band Physicals for the 2022-23 School Year: Students who would like to participate in sports or band next year will need a valid VHSL physical dated after May 1 2022. On June 6 at 6pm we will be hosting Sport and Activity Health Screenings. This physical will be good for all of next school year. There will be a sign-up genius available soon. The cost is $30 pre-registration and $40 dollars walk-in. This is a donation to the Athletic Training Program so that we can continue to provide state of the art care for our athletes and band members. For information about financial assistance for this event, please contact Kathy Ayers.

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.

Watch Annandale Sports Online! Annandale sports fans can watch FCPS high school sporting events online. This service is free for the rest of this school year. You do not need to purchase anything if you are watching FCPS hosted events. Here’s how:

1. Go to www.NFHSnetwork.com.
2. Search for (school name) and go to its page.
3. Subscribe and follow.

This Week’s Athletics and Activities Schedule

Monday, March 14

Girls' Who Code - 3:00-4:00pm - Room 223

Varsity Girls' Lacrosse vs. Park View - 6:00pm

Varsity Softball at Park View - 6:00pm

Varsity Boys' Lacrosse vs. Park View - 7:30pm

Tuesday, March 15

Varsity Baseball at Mt. Vernon - 6:30pm

Wednesday, March 16

AA LEAD - 3:00 - 4:00pm - Bistro

Atoms Scholar Program - 3:00-4:00pm - Library

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

FBLA -  3:00-4:00pm - Room 217

National Art Honor Society - 3:00-4:30pm - Room 148

Boys' Soccer at Herndon - 5:45/7:15pm

Girls' Soccer vs. Herndon - 5:45/7:15pm

Thursday, March 17

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

Varsity Girls' Lacrosse at Trinity Christian - 4:45pm

Boys' Soccer at Gar-Field - 5:30/7:00pm

Girls' Soccer vs. Gar-Field - 5:30/7:00pm

Friday, March 18

Orchestra Assessment - Philharmonic - 4:15pm

Chorus State Assessment at Alexandria City - Festival Choir - 1:40pm, Men's Chorale - 4:00pm, Combined Women's - 5:00pm, Annandale Singers - 6:00pm

Girls' Tennis vs. Lewis - 4:00pm

Boys' Tennis at Lewis - 4:00pm

Boys' Lacrosse at Alexandria City - 5:45/7:15pm

JV Baseball vs. Lewis - 6:30pm

Varsity Softball at Lewis - 6:30pm

Saturday, March 19

Atomic Girls' Lacrosse Tournament vs. South Lakes - 9:00am

Orchestra Assessment - Symphony - 12:55pm

Baseball Ice Breaker Tournament vs. Rock Ridge - 2:30pm

News from the PTSA

Next PTSA Meeting - March 15, 7pm: The Next Annandale PTSA meeting will be on Tuesday, March 15 at 7:00 p.m. PTSA meetings are bilingual and Spanish translation is provided. Las reuniones de PTSA son bilingües y se proporciona traducción al español. Here is a link to the meeting. In addition, meeting notes from previous meetings are also on the PTSA website.  

PTSA Membership - Join Today! On behalf of the Annandale High School Parent, Teacher, Student Association (PTSA), we hope that the 2021–2022 school year is going well. The key ingredient to our success as a school is YOU. Please dare to make a difference, be better informed and join the PTSA today by filling out the online 2021–2022 Membership Form. For more information about membership, visit our Membership page.

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 3:00-4:00pm in Trailer 8 at the rear of the school. The pantry distribution schedule for the school year can be found here. 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 make a donation to the Pantry here. To ease the distribution process, we always need donations of both paper grocery bags (preferably with handles) and reusable grocery bags (for families and students who walk home).  Grocery 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 Is Always Restocking and Needs Your Help! The following items are always needed to restock. Items can be dropped off in the main office. All donations to the AHS PTSA Pantry are tax deductible.