Annandale Students, Parents and Community:
I hope you are enjoying your summer! I spent last week in Ohio with my family on the shores of Lake Erie -- boating, tubing, skiing and riding roller coasters at Cedar Point. We also spent day in Cleveland visiting the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame and West Side Market. We ended our vacation by driving up to Niagara Falls and visiting Canada's Wonderland outside Toronto.
The start of our fall sports season begins in two weeks, and I want to encourage students to participate in after school activities, especially sports, this upcoming school year. The benefits of participating in athletics, arts and other activities in high school is well documented. Students who participate in athletics in high school, for example, perform better academically than their peers. In fact, the National Association of State High School Associations recently stated that students who participate high school athletics 1) have a stronger sense of self-confidence in building relationships with others and having an expanded capacity for empathy; 2) develop a better understanding of self and in so doing understanding how their actions affect others; and 3) build foundations for lifelong fitness habit.
Fall sports, which include cheer, cross-country, football, golf, field hockey, and volleyball will begin on Monday, August 1. No experience is necessary. All are welcome! To participate, students need to complete a VHSL physical form and register online to play. Here is the link to the physical form that must be completed by a doctor. To register online, click here. Directions can be found here - English and Spanish. Once you have completed the physical form, turn in the form at the Activities Office. The office is open every day from 9:00am-2:00pm. See more information in the Activities Office section of this newsletter below. If you have any questions, email Bryan Harris at bcharris@fcps.edu.
Band camp for the Marching Atoms also begins on August 1. Camp begins at 9:00am and students should enter through Door 2. The Marching Atoms are recruiting students to join the color guard and front ensemble. The color guard is choreographed dance and spinning of flags, sabers and rifles. Front ensemble includes mallet instruments such as the marimba chimes, xylophone. Guitar and bass players are also welcome! For more information, visit the Annandale Bands website or email our Band Director, Tyron Barnes at tcbarnes@fcps.edu.
Throughout the coming weeks and once school has started, I will continue to share the many opportunities we offer to students to help them deepen their connections with our Annandale High School community.
As always, please reach out with questions and Go Atoms!
Shawn DeRose, Principal
|
Important Dates
August 1 - Fall Sports Begin
August 1 - Band Camp Begins
August 5-7 - Virginia’s Sales Tax Holiday
August 12 - First Day Back for Teachers
August 18 - Student Schedules Available in SIS StudentVue and ParentVue
August 18 - New Student Orientation/Open House
August 22 - First Day of School for Students
September 2 and 5 - No School (Labor Day Holiday)
September 26 - Teacher Workday
September 29 - Back to School Night 2022
October 5 - No School (Yom Kippur)
October 10 - Staff Development Day
October 17-21 - Homecoming Week
October 22 - Homecoming Dance
Fall Sports Begin - August 1: Fall sports, which include Cheer, Cross-country, Football, Golf, Field Hockey, Volleyball will begin on Monday, August 1. No experience is necessary. All are welcome! All students need to complete a VHSL physical form and register online to play. Here is the link to the physical form that must be completed by a doctor. To register online, click here. Directions can be found here - English and Spanish. Once you have completed the Physical Form, turn in the form at the Activities Office inside Door 10. The office is open every day from 9:00am-2:00pm. See more information in the Activities Office section of this newsletter. Questions, email Bryan Harris at bcharris@fcps.edu.
Band Camp - August 1: The Marching Atoms band camp begins on August 1 from 9:00am to 6:00pm. We will be greeting all students at Door 2 on the first day of band camp. For more information, visit the Annandale Bands website or email our Director of Bands, Tyron Barnes, at tcbarnes@fcps.edu.
The Marching Atoms are looking to add members from other fine arts departments to join the color guard and front ensemble. The color guard is choreographed dance and spinning of flags, sabers, and rifles. The front ensemble includes marimbas, mallets, xylophones, and other auxiliary percussion instruments. Guitar and bass players are also welcome!
Virginia’s Sales Tax Holiday - August 5-7: Virginia’s three-day sales tax holiday is Friday, August 5- Sunday, August 7. During the sales tax holiday, you can buy qualifying school supplies, clothing, footwear, hurricane and emergency preparedness items, and Energy Star and WaterSense products without paying sales tax. For more information on eligible items, visit Virginia’s Sales Tax Holiday webpage.
Student Schedules Available - August 18: Beginning Thursday, August 18 at 6:00am, all students and parents will have access to class schedules in SIS StudentVUE and ParentVUE. SIS (Student Information System) is the application to see attendance, class performance, and demographic data.
Freshmen (Grade 9) and New Student Orientation - August 18: Annandale High School is excited to welcome rising freshmen as well as new students to our school orientation on August 18 from 1:30-3:30pm. Students and parents will meet administrators, counselors, teachers, and other essential school personnel and have an opportunity to explore the school building and learn more about student life at Annandale. If you have any questions about this event, please contact Sarah Eqab at seqab@fcps.edu.
Open House - August 18: We would like to invite all Annandale students and their families to our Open House on August 18 from 3:30-4:30. The Open House provides students an opportunity to walk through our halls and find their classes for next year. There is no formal program during this time, but rather an informal chance to get reacquainted with AHS. If you have any questions about this event, please contact Sarah Eqab at seqab@fcps.edu.
|
Awesome Atoms!
Class of 1971 Celebrates 50 Year Reunion: Recently, the Annandale High School Class of 1971 gathered locally for their COVID-delayed 50th Reunion celebration. On June 25, over sixty classmates and guests were provided a tour of AHS by followed by a picnic lunch in the cafeteria. The campus event ended with a class picture on the football stadium bleachers; a recreation of their class graduation photo back in June of 1971.
The AHS class of 1971 raised $1,275 as a donation to the AHS Choral Department in honor of their recently lost classmate, Paul Peters. Paul for many years maintained the class website and communications among the AHS 1971 alums and was an active member of the choir. Paul Rowson, Maureen Hackert, and Mike Gassman of the reunion committee expressed their deepest appreciation to AHS for hosting the class picnic and their classmates' trip down memory lane. Their parting words were, “Go Atoms!”
|
  Metrobus Pilot Program Comes to Annandale High School! Annandale High School students will soon be getting passes to the Metrobus. The Metrobus pass pilot program, launched in 2018 is being expanded to four additional schools this fall: Annandale High School, Falls Church High School, Marshall High School, and Davis Center. The expanded student bus pass adds Metrobus access to the Fairfax Connector and City of Fairfax CUE access already offered to Annandale students. The pass will be valid for specific routes in Northern Virginia between 5am and 10pm and will be available to students at no charge. Check out the article in InsideNOVA.com and stay tuned for more information.
Annandale Grad Moves from Local Stage to Columbia University’s Theater Program: Kyle Dalsimer of the Class of 2019, stars as Spongebob in Spongebob the Musical at Toby’s Dinner Theater. The show was featured in the Independence Day edition of the Falls Church News Press & the Severna Park Voice. After the show’s run ends this summer, Kyle is headed to New York’s Columbia University to study theatre.
|
Annandale Teacher Featured for Humanitarian Work: Annandale teacher, Meredith Hedrick, was featured by Fox 5, WUSA9, NBC4, and Tysons Reporter-Morning Notes for the journey she and her husband, also a teacher, took to the border of Ukraine. There, the couple volunteered for World Central Kitchen helping to feed those seeking refuge from the war. Here at Annandale, Meredith coaches our ESOL department, leading the work with our Newcomers program, as well as supporting teachers in providing high-level instruction to all students.
|
Building Improvements Continue This Summer! Special shoutout to our custodians, who are working hard to prepare for the return of staff and students. In addition to cleaning classrooms and waxing floors, we continue to make improvements throughout the building. Padding was recently added to the doors in the upper gym and many of the hallways and stairwells have been repainted, some of which include new red accent walls. See photos below.
Girls Basketball Camp Next Week
Annandale High School hosting a Girls Basketball camp next week, July 18-22 for rising 2nd graders through rising 9th graders led by Annandale coaches. Run by Annandale’s Girls Varsity Basketball program, this camp will focus on the fundamentals, skill development and game play. Help spread the word to friends, family and neighbors!
The camp run each day from 8:30am to 3:00pm. The cost of the five-day camps is only $125. Credit cards or checks are accepted. Checks should be made out to “Annandale Athletic Boosters”. Payment is due on the first day of camp. Campers can bring their lunch or purchase lunch at camp, and they should bring a snack and a water bottle each day.
Click HERE to register. More information can be found at AnnandaleAtoms.net. If you have any questions, please email Bryan Harris, Assistant Director of Student Activities, at bcharris@fcps.edu.
|
Important Information
Summer Office Hours: Annandale High School will be open from 8:00am-2:00pm in the summer. Registrations are by appointment only. Please contact Nicole Salgado Lopez at nasalgadolop@fcps.edu to schedule an appointment.
IB Scores Released: Information on how to obtain IB scores were mailed to students in May. Results were posted on July 6 and can be found at https://candidates.ibo.org. Please reach out to Linda Bradshaw, IB Diploma coordinator, at lmbradshaw@fcps.edu if you need login information or have questions.
IB Transcript Requests: Annandale graduates that filled out the Senior Survey in May will have an IB transcript sent to the college that was listed in the survey. IB will send out transcripts within the next month. If you have questions, please contact Linda Bradshaw at lmbradshaw@fcps.edu.
Summer Resources: Looking for ways for students stay active and learning this summer, or for health and safety resources when school is closed? Visit FCPS' Summer Resources page, which will be updated throughout the summer months, including Summer Learning, Enrichment, and Camps, click here.
Summer Meal Service: Summer meal kits will be offered on Tuesdays at several sites through August 9. Meal kits contain seven days of breakfast and lunch items packed in bulk. All meals are available at no-cost to FCPS students and children, 18 years of age and under. Pick up locations and times have recently been updated. Visit our Meals for Students website for more details.
Mental Wellness Consultations: This summer, the FCPS Office of Intervention and Prevention Services will offer virtual Mental Wellness Consultations now through August 5, 2022. Parents and students have an opportunity to schedule a 45-minute consultation with a school psychologist or school social worker by phone or videoconference. Consultations will be offered in two ways:
- Directly to parents of students in any grade level. This consultation provides an opportunity for parents to receive guidance on how to support their child’s social, emotional, behavioral, and academic success. Information about community resources will also be provided.
- Directly to students in middle or high school. This consultation provides an opportunity for middle and high school students to receive guidance and support for concerns related to anxiety, mood, behavior, peer or family interactions, or school transitions and changes. Strategies and tools can also be provided to address academic challenges such as organization and time-management.
All parents and secondary students are encouraged to take advantage of this service by clicking here to request a consultation. You may also leave us a message at 703-503-2520.
Free and Reduced-Price Meal Applications: For the 2022-23 school year, families will need to submit an application and be approved to be eligible for Free and Reduced-Price Meals. Interested families are encouraged to submit the Free and Reduced-Price Meal application ten days prior to the first day of the 2022-23 school year. The online application will be available later this summer and accessible via the FCPS homepage.
Students approved for Free and Reduced-Price Meals may qualify for additional benefits such as waived or reduced fees for instruments, uniforms, field trips, FCPS class fees, and Parktakes classes. Schools also benefit from funding opportunities based on Free and Reduced Price Meal application numbers. Watch your email and our website for more information. Learn more about the Free and Reduced-Price Meal program online.
Class of 2023 Meningococcal Vaccine Reminder: The Code of Virginia requires all students to be immunized against certain communicable diseases prior to entrance into one of its schools. All students in grade 12 are required to have been immunized with one dose of the Meningococcal Vaccine given at the age of 16 or older. Please review the immunization requirements here. Proof of immunization must be submitted to the school. These documents need to be returned prior to the start of the 2022-23 school year. For more information on this requirement, visit this FCPS website.
Tutor.com Available All Summer: FCPS students will continue to have unlimited access to 24/7, on-demand, online tutoring support services through Tutor.com during the summer of 2022. Students are able to use Tutor.com during the summer to review and/or practice in subject areas of interest or need. Students may also choose to access other tools/services such as practice quizzes in a variety of subject areas, as well as self-paced study courses for SAT/ACT preparation. Check out the Tutor.com Online Tutoring Services website for more information. Additional information about how to log in and access a tutor is provided to families via the following secondary instructional video.
|
News from the Activities Office
Check out important information from the Activities Office in their latest newsletter. In addition, you can visit the Annandale High School Athletics and Activities website and the AHS Athletics Twitter page. Please email Brandon Sutphin, our new DSA at basutphin@fcps.edu if you have any questions.
Welcome Brandon Sutphin, Director of Student Activities, and Bryan Harris, Assistant Director of Student Activities: We are excited to announce that Brandon Sutphin, Director of Student Activities, and Bryan Harris, Assistant Director of Student Activities, are joining us at Annandale High School. Click here to read more information about each of them and join me in welcoming them to Atom Nation!
Fall Sports Physicals and Registration: To participate in a fall sport, students need to complete a VHSL physical form and register online. Here is the link to the physical form that must be completed by a doctor. To register online, click here. Directions can be found here - English and Spanish. Once you have completed the Physical Form, turn in the form at the Activities Office. The office is open every day from 9:00am-2:00pm. See more information in the Activities Office section of this newsletter. Questions, email Bryan Harris at bcharris@fcps.edu.
For last minute physicals, visit local CVS minute clinics and urgent care facilities below.
CVS Minute Clinic Locations
- 3921 Prosperity Ave, Fairfax, VA
- 7205 Little River Turnpike, Annandale, VA
Progressive Urgent and Primary Care
- 7306 Maple Pl, Annandale, VA
Annandale's Fall Sports Programs Begin on August 1: Below is contact information and the first week of fall sports schedule. If you have any questions, please reach out directly to the coach of that sport.
Band: Tyron Barnes - tcbarnes@fcps.edu
Cheer: Victoria Douglas - vcdouglas@fcps.edu
Cross Country (boys): Carl Klein - ctklein@fcps.edu
Cross Country (girls): Phil Harris - pcharris@fcps.edu
Golf: Keely Norris - kcnorris@fcps.edu
Field Hockey: Corin Inderbitzen Uviedo - cuviedo@fcps.edu
Varsity/JV Football: Mike Scott - msscott@fcps.edu
Freshmen Football: Bill Maglisceau - wrmaglisceau@fcps.edu
Varsity/JV/Freshmen Volleyball: AJ Witkofsky - ajwitkofsky@fcps.edu
|
News from the PTSA
Pantry Summer Distribution Hours: The PTSA sponsored AHS Pantry distributes food to AHS students and families in need. In the past 6 months (December through May) we have served 516 families which equates to 2410 individuals.
We are trying something new this summer. In addition to three standard distributions, we are holding pop up farmers markets on Sunday afternoons throughout the summer in the parking lot near the pantry. Fresh produce that is gleaned from the Mosaic Farmers Market in Partnership with Food Rescue. Email questions about the pantry to pantry@annandalehsptsa.org.
|
|
