 |
|
Upcoming Events
August 22: First Day of 22-23 School Year
August 30: "Return to the Pride" Back to School Night 6:30-9pm
September 2 - 5: Labor Day Break
September 17: Mock SAT/ACT
September 20: First PTSA meeting, 7pm, Library
|
Included in this issue:
Fairfax Lions Need to Know:
- Calendar Reminder - First Day of School!
- UPDATE to Student Rights & Responsibilities (SR&R)
- Digital Resources
- Testing Accommodations
- Preparing Your Student for Meals at School
Fairfax Lions Nice to Know:
- Freshman Parent Support Circle
- Student Parking Permit Information
- Purchase your Athletics Lions Pass
- Job Opportunities @ FHS
- Connect - Contact - Reach Us
Fairfax HS PTSA
- Get Involved!
- Mock SAT/ACT
- Tips for New Families
Acceso de News You Choose en Español: Haga clic aquí.
August 19, 2022
Greetings Fairfax Family and Friends,
The most exciting day of the year is now here! We are kicking off our 2022-2023 school year this Monday at 8:10 am. We are so excited to celebrate Every Student, Every Strength, Every Day! We look forward to working together with our families to ensure each Lion meets their goals and has a high school home that embodies a culture of community. We are also committed to ensuring a safe and secure learning environment for all learners within the FHS community. Please see an outline of our first day back to school and FCPS policies that will assist us in maintaining success and safety of all students.
Day 1 of FAIRFAX FUN:
AM Arrival- FHS staff and police will be in the lots and bus loop to support smooth AM “Kiss and Ride” drop off and car- pooling transitions. Please look out for staff and follow the flow of traffic.
AM ENTRY NOTE- ALL Students should ONLY enter through doors 1, 10, 14, 21. These will be the only unlocked arrival doors to control monitoring of doors in the AM. At 8:10 am these doors (10, 14, 21) will be locked and all students will be directed through Door 1.
- 7:30 am Welcome Back Pep Rally Outside
- 7:30 am Doors to the school will open for students. Students will transition to the cafeteria for breakfast
- 8:05 AM Welcome Bell rings for PD 1 class
- 8:10 PD 1 begins
Lunch Periods - ALL Students will be dining in the cafeteria this year. Students must obtain a teacher pass for lunch visits prior to entering the cafeteria or they will not be allowed to leave. The Senior Cafe and Senior Courtyard will be available. An outdoor area will open after the lunch routine is established.
Lunch Schedule
- A lunch 11:21-11:51 (11:51 bell to begin class)
- B lunch 12:05-12:35 (12:05 bell to release for lunch/12:35 bell to resume class)
- C lunch 12:51-1:21 (12:51 bell to release for lunch)
2:55 School Dismisses
Last period teachers and school staff will support students with bus pick up locations and doors to ensure smooth departure.
NOTE:
Passes- Students must use official FHS passes to travel throughout FHS. Only one student should be leaving the classroom at a time to use the restroom. Teachers will maintain a pass log to track student movement.
Exiting the Building and Leaving Campus
Students are prohibited from leaving campus during the school day, if a student is seen leaving the building or opening unauthorized doors they will be held accountable as defined in the SRR. This is to ensure student and staff safety.
Food Deliveries
ALL outside food deliveries are prohibited. If a parent brings lunch for their student, it will be held in the office until their scheduled lunch period.
Families, we appreciate your cooperation and understanding as we strive to keep our school community safe.
It was great seeing everyone at our Open House Jam, and we loved seeing our students back in the building. We look forward to an exciting year!
Calendar Reminder: First Day of School
As a reminder, the first day of the 2022-23 school year is Monday, Aug. 22. FCPS parents, students, and staff members are invited to share their favorite pictures or videos from the first day of school on social media using the hashtag #FirstDayFairfax. We will share some of the photos on the FCPS Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram pages. View the 2022-23 school year calendar.
2022 Student Rights & Responsibilities (SR&R) Includes Cell Phone Usage Update
The Student Rights and Responsibilities document (SR&R) explains expectations for student behavior and adult responses to enhance school safety and to create a fair, equitable, and supportive school environment. Read the Letter from the Superintendent on the 2022-23 Student Rights and Responsibilities: A Guide for Families.
Key changes to the document for the 2022-23 school year include:
- Detailed information about orientation or training stakeholders including school-based administrators and staff, transportation staff, and coaching staff; students; and families.
- Adding rights to protect citizenship and immigration status from unauthorized sharing.
- Changes to FCPS’ Acceptable Use Policy Regulation for Technology.
- A new section on cell phones.
- A clarification on the response to substance misuse violations.
- A clarification on the purpose of individualized education program (IEP) meetings when students with disabilities are reassigned for disciplinary reasons following referral to the superintendent.
The new section on cell phones prohibits cell phone use in classrooms. We recognize that this new policy will be a shift for many students and families this year, but research shows that managing phone use during class time will support students’ attention and ability to fully engage in their learning. Schools are partnering with parents to have students understand the importance of putting their phones away to minimize distractions during class.
- Students in K-8 must keep phones silenced and in backpacks for the duration of the school day unless there is a medical need or emergency, or teachers have allowed the usage of cell phones for instructional activities where they are the most appropriate tool. Cell phones may only be used on campus before and after school. (Except in secondary schools where students in grades 7 and 8 may use phones during passing periods)
- Students in grades 9-12 must keep phones silenced and put away during all instructional periods unless there is a medical need or emergency, or teachers have allowed the usage of cell phones for instructional activities where they are the most appropriate tool. Cell phones may be used on campus before the first bell, after the last bell, during passing periods, and lunches.
If a parent or guardian believes their child requires access to a personally owned device(s) as an accommodation, they should contact child’s school team—i.e., 504 Committee, Individualized Education Program (IEP) Team, English Language Committee, Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) Team—to schedule a meeting to have their request considered.
Parents should talk to their child(ren) before the start of the school year about these expectations for this upcoming school year. Families may also review the parental controls available for all iPhone and Android users. More information about the SR&R is available online.
Digital Resources @ School require Consent
At Fairfax High School, our teachers will use a variety of digital resources to support student learning and promote communication and collaboration with students and families. Some of the digital resources your child may use this year will require your consent before they can be used. You can find our school’s list of the resources that require parental consent here:
https://fairfaxhs.fcps.edu/adopteddigitalresources
Additionally, you can find more information about approved digital resources in FCPS here: https://www.fcps.edu/resources/technology/digital-resources.
Included on this page is also a link to a form where the enrolling parent or guardian will need to indicate whether or not their student is allowed to use the list of digital resources this year. This page also provides more information about how FCPS carefully reviews digital resources for approval and why we must request your consent before using certain tools. We encourage you to complete the parental consent for digital resources form as soon as possible, as your child will not be able to use the digital resources until we have received your permission. Please reach out to our Technology Specialist, Tim Brown, at twbrown@fcps.edu, if you have questions or concerns about the digital resources we’ve chosen to use this year.
Important Info about Testing Accommodations
Information for students planning to take PSAT, SAT, or AP exam with accommodations
Students planning to take the PSAT/NMSQT, PSAT10, SAT, or Advanced Placement exams with accommodations (students with IEP or 504 plan) must have accommodations approved by College Board’s Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD). The approval process can take up to 7-weeks. Please check the college board website for more information (www.collegeboard.org). The accommodation request can be submitted on the website or with the school SSD coordinator. The school SSD coordinator is Milan Sikand (msikand@fcps.edu). It is important to follow the registration and accommodation request deadlines provided on the college board website. Please email Ms. Sikand following documents to start the request for accommodation-
Preparing Your Student for Meals at School
Students will need to purchase meals this school year
As of July 1, the US Department of Agriculture pandemic program to provide no-cost meals to all public school students has ended. This school year, parents will either need to provide their students with money to purchase meals at school, send them with a packed lunch, or apply (and be approved) for free and reduced-price meals benefits.
Prices for meals are the same as they were before the pandemic in 2020. School breakfast for students costs $1.75. Lunch is $3.25 for elementary students and $3.50 for middle, secondary, and high school students.
The best way to purchase meals (and additional food items) is to use MySchoolBucks. Set up your student’s MySchoolBucks account online. If you have questions about MySchoolBucks, your school’s front office staff can help. Purchases made with MySchoolBucks keep cafeteria lines moving more quickly. Be ready on day one by setting up your child’s MySchoolBucks account, looking over the menus, and helping them learn their pin. You will receive an email from Food & Nutrition Services that includes your child’s pin.
How to apply for Free & Reduced
For the past two years, the federal government has provided no-cost meals to all public school students without the need to complete the annual Free and Reduced-Price Meal application. The extension of the no-cost meals benefit to all students expired at the end of last school year, meaning families must submit an application and be approved to be eligible for free and reduced price meals for the 2022-23 school year.
Interested families are encouraged to submit the Free and Reduced-Price Meal application before 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
Fairfax Lions Nice to Know:
Freshman Parent Support Circle
Want to talk about your rising 9th grader's transition to FHS? Feel like you don't know other new FHS parents and want to connect around your 9th grade kiddo's needs? Please join Dara Markenson, FHS 8-9th grade Transition School Counselor, and Ashley Curl, School Social Worker, for a three session support circle to prepare for the first week of school, discuss how the first week is going, and troubleshoot or celebrate anything that comes up!
Our next Parent Support Circles will be on 9/1 and 9/15 from 8:15-9:00 AM. This is a drop-in group (you may attend one or both sessions!) and RSVP is required. Please RSVP or send questions to Ashley Curl (amcurl@fcps.edu or 703.400.5611) or Dara Markenson (dmmarkenson@fcps.edu). Space is limited to 20 participants. Should there be a need, we will open up a virtual option at an alternate time.
Student Parking Permit Information
Parking Permits will be sold for ALL eligible drivers next Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, Aug. 22-24 during school lunches. There will be a table set up in the cafeteria. Students may drive and park at school on the first day as long as a permit is purchased within the first week of school.
Please visit the Student Parking area of the school website and follow the instructions:
Students must complete an application to be assigned a parking space.
All student vehicles must be parked in assigned spots and display the parking permit hangtag.
First, complete the Student Parking Permit Application.
Second, pay for your parking pass in My School Bucks (see attached instructions).
Third, bring the following items to the designated table at the Open House, or in the cafeteria once school starts:
- A printed email confirmation.
- A printed receipt from My School Bucks.
- A printed copy of your Drivers License.
Please note: Permits will not be sold unless ALL information from steps 1, 2 & 3 is provided. Thank you for your cooperation!
Purchase your Lions Pass!
 The Lions Pass is an electronic ticket that will admit you to every HOME regular season athletic event for the 2022-23 school year! This $50 pass helps you skip the line at any regular season home game and helps fund the equipment, uniforms and overall field and court maintenance at FHS! Parents and students can support our athletic programs and come cheer our Lions on to victory! LIONS PASS LINK
Job Opportunities @ FHS!
Fairfax HS has two job openings that would be perfect for our community members. If you are looking for part-time hours, or thinking about stepping back into the working world, please consider joining our Lion family!
COVID CASE MANAGER - The COVID Case Manager monitors and manages COVID case data in schools in concert with the local health department by:
- working closely with students, staff, administration, FCPS central office and the County Health Department
- accesses and uses student information system data to assist health department staff with contact tracing
- identifying close contacts and reporting to the health department
- using applicable technology to collect, maintain, analyze and report data related to management of potential exposures
- may assist with collection and/or coordination of COVID testing.
Qualifications - Any combination of education and experience equivalent to a bachelor’s degree. Two years of public health or other relevant experience preferred. Proficiency in the use of technology. Ability to maintain confidentiality and compliance with established procedures; to establish and maintain positive relationships with school staff and students; and to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
This is an hourly position. If you are interested, please email your resume to Assistant Principal Berneatta Barnes, at blbarnes@fcps.edu.
TESTING COORDINATOR - We are looking for an hourly testing coordinator to help in the Assessment Office.
- The testing coordinator assists the assessment coach with planning, organizing, and coordinating test administration within the school.
- This includes managing logistics, maintaining security of testing materials, ensuring that students receive the appropriate testing accommodations, administering and proctoring exams and communicating with families and staff.
- The testing coordinator is detail-oriented, teachable, highly organized, flexible in dealing with unexpected issues, comfortable working with students with accommodations, comfortable with technology, and recognizes legal and ethical responsibility in adhering to testing regulations.
If interested please send resume to Leslie Trieu at latrieu@fcps.edu.
with us throughout the year by:
Fairfax HS PTSA
Table of Contents:
- Thank you for a great breakfast!
- Mock SAT/ACT
- FAQ for New Families
Thank you for your donations!
Thanks to everyone who donated to the staff breakfast on our teachers first day! Thanks also to Jen Seifert and Shenika Bailey for organizing the event. If you’d like to donate to the PTSA and support our teachers with events like this throughout the year, please click here: https://fairfaxhs.memberhub.com/store
Mock SAT/ACT
On Saturday, September 17, 2022 at 9am the Fairfax High School Academic Boosters will again be partnering with Applerouth Tutoring to offer Mock SAT and ACT exams.
This is a perfect opportunity for students who haven’t started their testing to become familiar with the format in a stress-free environment at FHS for only $25. We will also offer the Mock ACT for students who have already taken the SAT and wish to see if the ACT might be right for them.
Students are encouraged to take a practice test before attempting the actual exam. They may select either the SAT or the ACT practice test. Students will receive detailed score reports to help them determine which areas they need to study.
To register, go to:
http://www.applerouth.com/schools/8801/
SAT code: M515725
ACT code:M515736
Can’t make this date? Future test date @ Fairfax on Saturday, March 18, 2023
SAT code: M515738
ACT code: M515740
Questions: Academicboosters@fairfaxptsa.org
FAQ for New Families
Questions? Check out our website at fairfaxptsa.org and contact us! We will help get you connected. For more Frequently Asked Questions click here: Fairfax High School PTSA - FAQ (fairfaxptsa.org)
 |
|
Do you want to celebrate a Fairfax employee who does ordinary things in an extraordinary way, or goes beyond what is expected? If so, then click here to share with everyone. |
|
