Annandale Community Insider - May 1

Annandale Students, Parents and Community:

Last week marked the beginning of SOL and IB testing. Thanks to our many community volunteers, and the hard work and organization of our testing coordinator, Kristin Reagan, we have been able to host both SOL and IB testing without asking teachers to assist with proctoring. Rather, our teachers’ focus remains on providing high quality instruction and targeted support for students who qualify to retake their SOLs through PRIDE Time. Testing will continue through May 20, if you would like to volunteer to help proctor, please sign up here.

There is much to celebrate at Annandale this week. The Annandale Theatre Company’s Spring musical, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, opened on Thursday and ran through the weekend, keeping audiences roaring with laughter and on the edge of their seats to see who would win the final round. The final show is today at 2:30pm, so if you haven’t had a chance to see it, reserve your ticket now. 

In addition, the incoming superintendent, Dr. Michelle Reid will be hosting a town hall here at Annandale High School on Tuesday, May 3. Registration is required to attend. Find out more or register online on the FCPS website. She will be answering questions from the community and sharing her vision for the future of FCPS.

Finally, this week is Teacher Appreciation Week! We will be celebrating the hard work and dedication of our teacher throughout the week. Our PTSA, administrators and student leadership have many fun events planned to show our teachers how much we appreciate everything they do. It's not too late to help recognize our amazing staff. We are seeking $5 gift cards, to any establishment of your choice, from now until May 4. If you are able to donate, please drop off gift cards to the Main Office or purchase gift cards via Amazon and have them shipped to Annandale High School. We also encourage you to reach out directly to your student’s teachers with a note of appreciation. Knowing they are making a difference is a priceless gift.

There are many ways to get involved at Annandale High School. See the section below, Community/Parent Assistance Needed for information and opportunities. Have a great week. As always, please reach out with any questions.

Shawn DeRose, Principal

Important Dates

May 2-3 - Senior Survey

May 4 - IB Testing: History

May 4 - Annandale HS to Host Dr. Michelle Reid

May 4-5 - SOL Testing: Algebra 1

May 5 - IB Testing: History HL, Env. Systems, Comp Science

May 6 - Senior Decision Day

May 6 - IB Testing: Env. Systems, Math SL, Math HL

May 7 - Super Saturday (Biology, Geosystems) 

May 9-10 - SOL Testing: Biology

May 13 - SOL Testing: Geosystems, Chemistry

May 16 - Band Concert

May 17 - PTSA Meeting

May 2-3 - Senior Survey: Each year, every senior is required to complete the Senior Survey. This is how Student Services celebrates the decisions of our graduates and ensures we have information on where to send final transcripts. 

Counselors will be coming to every senior English class on May 2 & 3 to help students complete the Senior Survey. If you are absent on the day of your English class, you will receive an email notification about make-up days and times for filling out the survey. Note: It is required that all seniors complete the survey by May 20. Seniors who have not completed the survey will be unable to pick up their cap and gown for graduation. If you have questions or concerns, please email Brian Yeagley, College and Career Specialist at byeagley@fcps.edu. 

May 4 - Annandale HS to Host Dr. Michelle Reid: Annandale High School is excited to host our incoming superintendent on Tuesday, May 3 from 7:00-8:30pm. Please register to attend, as seating capacity will be limited. Language interpretation will be available. 

May 6 - Senior Decision Day: May 1 is National Decision Day! At Annandale, we are excited to start a new tradition here by celebrating our Seniors whether they have decided to attend a 4-year college, community college, join the military, workforce, or take a gap year. The celebration will be held on Friday, May 6 during each student’s scheduled lunch time in the Senior Courtyard and Clausen Hall.

Teacher Appreciation Week: May 2-6

This week marks Teacher Appreciation Week. With the support of the Annandale PTSA, we have organized daily events to show our appreciation for teachers and staff members.

Monday, May 2 – Coffee, Donuts, & Shout Outs

Tuesday, May 3 – Raffle Tickets

Wednesday, May 4 – PTSA Sponsored Breakfast

Thursday, May 5 – Snack Bar

Friday, May 6 – Ice Cream and Cake

Shout Out Selfie Contest - Throughout the week we will be hosting a Shout Out Selfie Contest. Just take a selfie of you and a teacher you would like to recognize, then upload it to this form. You AND your teacher will be entered into a contest to win a prize. The more teachers you recognize, the more chances you have to win!

Help Recognize our Amazing Teachers! Seeking $5 Gift Card Donations: It's not too late to help recognize our amazing staff. We are seeking $5 gift cards, to any establishment of your choice, from now until May 4. If you are able to donate, please drop off gift cards to the Main Office or purchase gift cards via Amazon and have them shipped to Annandale High School.

Community/Parent Assistance Needed. Get Involved Today!

As we approach the end of the year, we need your continued support. Specifically, we need volunteers to assist with upcoming AHS events. See below for detailed information.  

Proctors for IB Exams Needed! The IB exams are administered now through May 20 and we are in need of assistance to proctor the exams. Volunteers are needed to walk around the testing room and monitor students. No special training is needed. Each testing room will have at least one experienced proctor that will be in charge of administering the test. We just need additional adult supervision. Dress casually with comfortable shoes! Check out this Sign Up Genius to volunteer. Questions? Please email Linda Bradshaw, IB DP Coordinator at lmbradshaw@fcps.edu.

Chaperone Prom: The Class of 2022 is seeking parent volunteers to chaperone Prom. Annandale’s Prom is on Friday, May 20 from 8pm - 11pm at the Torpedo Factory, 105 N Union St, Alexandria, VA. This is a great time to celebrate the Class of 2022 in a fun location! Please use this link to sign up to be a chaperone at the funnest event of the year! Email Nicole Ferree at tnferree1@fcps.edu with questions.

All Night Grad Party - Volunteers Needed! The success of the All Night Grad Party on June 2 depends on parents of all grades helping out! It is truly a memorable night that you won’t want to miss. There are time slots available to accommodate any schedule, but the true magic does happen overnight. Don’t miss out on supporting our Grads! Sign-up to volunteer today. Don’t miss out on supporting our Grads! 

Important Information

No Morning Attendance Calls: In order to accommodate the expanded student testing windows for SOLs and IB exams, morning attendance calls, texts, and e-mails will be suspended for all middle and high schools from April 25 through the last day of school, June 10. Evening attendance notification will continue as normally scheduled. If you have any questions regarding your students' attendance, please contact the AHS Attendance Office at 703-642-4151 or via email at AnnandaleHigh.Attendance@fcps.edu. 

IB Exam Early Release/Late Arrival Study Forms: IB Exams run from April 28-May 20. Students that are testing can request early release or late arrival on the days they take IB exams. The early release/late arrival form can be picked up outside the IB office or at the attendance office. The testing schedule with room locations and start times can be found on the AHS website, student portal, posted in the library and outside student services. If you have any questions, please email Linda Bradshaw, IB DP Coordinator at lmbradshaw@fcps.edu.

Class of 2022 News: We are a month and a half away from graduation and we wanted to share important information and dates that will assist seniors, parents and community members in preparing and planning for the end of the school year. Check out the latest information on the Senior Page of the Student Portal (must be logged in to your FCPS Google account) or the Annandale Class of 2022 web page.

Academic Support

Tutor.com Now Available For All Students: We are pleased to announce that students now have unlimited access to online tutoring support services through Tutor.com at no cost to families. Tutor.com is available 24/7, through online voice or text chat, and in your student’s preferred language. Student participation is optional and parents/guardians can opt their students out of accessing the service. You can learn more about Tutor.com on the Tutor.com Online Tutoring Services website.

Students will be able to access Tutor.com via a link in Schoology and will help many FCPS students complete assignments, better understand classroom lessons, and be successful. Additional information about how to log in and access a tutor is provided to families via the following  secondary instructional video. Questions not answered in the posted resources may be sent to onlinetutoring@fcps.edu. 

Every Thursday - College Help Workshops: These workshops are open to Juniors and Seniors, who would like 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. If you have any questions, please contact Brian Yeagley, College and Career Center Specialist at byeagley@fcps.edu. 

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. 

Super Saturday SOL Preparation: Annandale will continue the tradition of success that was established prior to, and even during COVID, by supporting students with Super Saturday SOL prep on Saturday May 7 (Science). Science teachers will work with students from 8:00-11:00am. Students will receive breakfast and lunch, and transportation will be provided. Teachers have begun sending invitations to students and families to participate in Super Saturday. If you have any questions, please reach out to your student’s teacher(s).

Awesome Atoms!

Over 130 Students Attend Algebra 1 Super Saturday: On Saturday, we hosted our second of three Super Saturdays, when over 130 students scheduled to take the Algebra 1 SOL this week received additional support. Thank you to students who were able to attend on a Saturday, to our Math teachers for supporting students, and to our admin, coaches, and other staff for coordinating breakfast, lunch, transportation, and other logistics.

Administrative Professionals Week: This week we celebrated our amazing Administrative Professionals. These dedicated individuals keep Annandale running smoothly, and are often the first to greet our visitors and students. As we shared on Twitter, they juggle many responsibilities, and as pictured, do it all with a smile. We are so lucky to have such a great team!

Government for ELs Field Trip to Washington, DC: On Wednesday, approximately 100 Level 1-2 ESL Government students toured the National Mall, visiting our national landmarks from Washington Monument to the Lincoln Memorial. The students had been preparing for the trip for the previous two weeks, learning the stories and people behind Washington’s most famous sites. 

Over 100 Students Attend Career RoundTable Event at AHS: In an effort to help students prepare for their futures we hosted an event called “A Career RoundTable: Plan Your Future The Right Way”. The event consisted of four meetings with professionals during the school day. The roundtable gave students an opportunity to speak directly to workers in their fields. This opportunity for students to connect with someone in a career field they are interested in could be a moment they look back on in the future as the moment they realized what path they wanted to pursue! AHS hosted guest speakers from various fields - culinary, cosmetology, auto tech, real estate, finance, medical, health and fitness, veterinarian, law enforcement and military. 

Anna Peters, 11th Grade Student, Selected for VA Governor’s School French Program: Congratulations to Anna Peters for being selected as an alternate for the Virginia Governor’s School French Program. Anna is an IB Diploma candidate and has a dream of becoming fluent in French.

Page Turners Program A Huge Success! We had another successful Page Turners program this year! Starting in January, National English Honor Society (NEHS) and ESOL students meet almost weekly to read together. Around 21 NEHS students tutored over 50 of our ELs during Pride Time. They read poetry, songs, fictional stories, the AHS newspaper, and Nat Geo magazines. The attached pictures are from our end-of-the-year celebration, and they show the student-student collaboration and how much fun they had in this program. Thank you to teachers Allison Crolla, Sasha Duran, and McClain Herman for sponsoring this program.

Opportunities

Applications Open for Student Equity Ambassador Leader: Annandale High School is excited to select three students (one Senior, one Junior, and one Sophomore) to participate in the Student Equity Ambassador Leader (SEALS) Program for the 2022-2023 School Year. The Student Equity Ambassador Leaders (SEAL) is a leadership program that amplifies student voice and provides an increased understanding of diversity, equity and inclusion through leadership development, projects and relevant experiences.

Ideal candidates for this role possess passion for the work, strong leadership qualities, and the ability to think outside the box. SEALS will work with staff and students to inform the vision of our equity work going forward as we strive to foster a school culture of inclusiveness and a welcoming and culturally responsive environment for students, families, and staff. If you are interested in becoming a part of the AHS Student Equity Ambassador Leadership (SEAL) Program please submit your AHS SEAL Interest Form by Friday, May 6. Reach out to our Equity Leads, Brent Roberson or L@uren Husman with questions.

Annandale Step Team Tryouts - May 16-26: Do you love to dance? Want to represent Annandale High School through the arts while making lifetime bonds with other team members? Try out for the 2022-23 AHS Step Team! No experience necessary! Come out to our Pre-Tryout Interest Meetings for more information on Wednesday, May 4, or Wednesday, May 11 at 3:15 pm, in Room 326. Contact Mr. Roberson with questions. 

All Night Grad Celebration - Purchase Tickets Today!  Annandale High School’s All Night Grad Celebration is June 2 from 11:00pm-5:00am at Audrey Moore Rec Center!  Tickets are on sale now through May 30. You can order tickets here, or pick up the ticket form in the main office. Questions? Contact Alyssa Getsey at 703.256.8069 or via email at getsey@verizon.net. 

Allison Castellanos Rodas - Marymount University: Senior AVID student, Allison Castellanos Rodas has been awarded the Dream National scholarship. This prestigious award provides up to $37,000 a year to undocumented students to earn their bachelor's degrees because other means of financial aid are not available to them. Allison will be attending Marymount University in the fall to study psychology and hopes to one day become a mental health provider to the Latino community. Congrats Allison!

News from the Activities Office

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.

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 6:00pm 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.

Fall 2022 Sports Tryout Dates: Mark your calendars for Fall 2022 sports tryout dates. Golf tryouts begin on Thursday, July 28 and all other fall sports (football, cheer, field hockey, cross-country, volleyball) will begin on Monday, August 1.

This Week's Events:

Monday, May 2

Color Guard Clinic - 3:10-4:15pm - Room 333

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

Key Club - 3:00-4:00pm - Room 283

Tuesday, May 3

Girls' Tennis vs. Falls Church at Jefferson District Park - 4:00pm

Boys' Tennis vs. Falls Church - 4:00pm

Girls' Lacrosse at Edison - 6:00/7:30pm

Boys' Lacrosse vs. Edison - 5:45/7:15pm (Senior Night)

Varsity Baseball at Park View - 6:00pm

Wednesday, May 4

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

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

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

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

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

National Honor Society - Bake Sale - Gym Lobby - 3:25-4:30pm

Boys' Tennis vs. Jefferson - 4:00pm

Girls' Tennis at Jefferson - 4:00pm

Outdoor Track and Field at Mt. Vernon - 5:15pm

JV Baseball at Jefferson - 6:30pm

Varsity Baseball vs. Jefferson - 6:30pm (Senior Night)

Varsity Softball vs. Jefferson - 6:30pm (Senior Night)

Thursday, May 5

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

Girls' Tennis vs. Mt. Vernon - 4:00pm

Boys' Tennis at Mt. Vernon - 4:00pm

Girls' Soccer vs. Jefferson - 5:45/7:15pm (Senior Night)

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

JV Baseball vs. Mt. Vernon - 6:30pm

Varsity Baseball at Mt. Vernon - 6:30pm

Varsity Softball at Mt. Vernon - 6:30pm

Friday, May 6

Boys' Lacrosse - District Tournament at TBD - 6:00pm

Girls' Lacrosse - District Tournament vs. TBD - 6:00pm

Saturday, May 7

No Events

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 3:00-4:00pm 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.

Purchase a ‘Congratulations! Graduate’ Yard Sign: The Annandale PTSA is selling ‘Congratulations! Graduate yard signs once again this year! Yard signs are $15 for pickup or $20 delivered to your yard. All proceeds help to fund the four (4) Annandale High School PTSA Scholarships. Stay tuned for more information on how to order online! Click here to order!