Annandale Community Insider - August 28

Annandale Students, Families, and Community:

We had a wonderful start to the 2022-23 school year! It was fun to welcome students back into the building and watch them get acclimated to their new schedule and routines with the help of returning students and staff.

This week during W4, students spent time getting to know each other and their teachers. In our W4 lessons, we also introduced our Atoms Community Agreements of Empathy, Determination, and Safety. These agreements were developed based on feedback we collected over the past several months from staff, students and our community. As we said in one lesson, “Being an Annandale Atom means we are each an important part of a school community.” The important role we all play in making Atom Nation a great place to work and learn was evident in the engagement I saw as I walked the halls during W4.

Next week, we will spend time in W4 learning more about our Atoms Agreements. Here is a link to our Atoms Agreements Matrix, with all of our behavior expectations. We will continue to explain and discuss these with our students to support their success at Annandale and beyond.

Finally, throughout the week when I visited classrooms, I saw teachers sending a consistent message that who they teach is just as important as what they teach (if not more). I observed students’ excitement for both the content they will learn and the variety of community-building activities in which they participated during class. These relationships are the foundation for the learning our students will do this year and are an important part of our strong, positive school culture at Annandale. We are off to a great start!

As always, please let me know if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Shawn DeRose, Principal

Important Dates

August 29-September 9 - Senior Pictures

September 2 & 5 - No School (Labor Day Holiday)

September 7 - SAT School Day Intent Form Due

September 12 - Activities Fair (During W4)

September 13-14 - Underclassmen Pictures

September 20 - PTSA Meeting

September 26 - Teacher Workday

September 29 - Back to School Night 2022

October 5 - No School (Yom Kippur)

October 10 - Staff Development Day (Indigenous Peoples' Day)

October 11-14 - Homecoming Week

October 12 - PSAT/SAT Day

October 15 - Homecoming Dance

October 24 - No School (Diwali)

August 29-September 9 - Senior Pictures: It’s almost time for senior pictures for the Class of 2023! Students should have received an email from our photography company, Legacy Studios, with instructions to schedule their appointment on one of the following days: August 29, September 2, 6 & 9. Pictures will be during school hours in Clausen Hall. If you have any questions, please email Julia Hanneman at jehanneman@fcps.edu. 

Labor Day Holiday - September 2-5: Virginia legislation requires that schools opening prior to Labor Day must be closed the Friday immediately preceding Labor Day. As a result, Friday, September 2, is a holiday for students and staff members in addition to the Labor Day holiday, Monday, September 5. See the complete 2022-23 school year calendar.

SAT School Day Intent Form - Due September 7: On Wednesday, October 12, Annandale High School students in grade 12 will have the opportunity to take the SAT School Day. FCPS will cover the cost for any twelfth grade student to take this test. The essay option and subject area tests are not available during SAT School Day. 

To reserve a seat for your twelfth grader to take this exam and ensure appropriate test materials are available for your student, families are asked to complete the form below by Wednesday, September 7. Your student will need to use an @fcpsschools.net email account to access and complete this form. A translated version of the form content may be found on the SAT School Day Intent Form webpage (https://www.fcps.edu/node/43896).

Click this link: Annandale High School: 2022 SAT School Day Intent to Participate Form

General information about the SAT School Day test format is available on the College Board webpage. We will share exam day schedules and additional details in the coming weeks. If you have questions about the SAT School Day administration at Annandale High School, please contact our College and Career Specialist/SAT School Day Coordinator, Brian Yeagley, Byeagley@fcps.edu. 

Club & Activities Fair - September 12: On Monday, September 12 we will be hosting our annual Clubs & Activities Fair during W4. One of our main focuses this year as an activities department is increasing involvement and participation by our students in extracurricular offerings and the fair is a wonderful opportunity for students to learn about everything that Annandale has to offer. More information on the schedule and location to come.

Awesome Atoms!

Field Hockey and Volleyball Start Season with Wins! This week varsity field Hockey and volleyball started their season off in exciting fashion. Field hockey earned an overtime win against Meridian while volleyball took down Park View in five sets.

Important Information

Student Attendance: In order for our students to get the most out of their education, students must be in school and on time to class every day. Absenteeism in the first month of school can predict poor attendance throughout the school year. Half the students who miss 2-4 days in September go on to miss nearly a month of school. If your student must be absent from school, you should always inform the school. The attendance line is 703-642-4151.

Course Change Process: Our counselors will continue to make modifications to student schedules that have errors. Starting this week, if your student would like to make a request to change to a more difficult course (Honors or IB), please have them contact their counselor. Schedule changes may not be accommodated if the requested class is full. Starting the week of September 6th, requests to change schedules based on preference of course will be considered. Students will need to complete a form to make a formal schedule request change. The form will be available from September 7-14 in Student Services.

Student Lockers: Students locker will be available by request only beginning on Tuesday, September 6. Students will receive information about how to request a locker during W4.

Safety Drills During the School Year: Keeping students and staff safe is a priority at Annandale High School. Every Virginia school has an emergency preparedness plan to respond to incidents such as fires and tornadoes. Schools are required by state law to practice emergency drills, including lockdown drills, each year. Schools are required to notify parents and guardians at least 24 hours before a school conducts a lockdown drill. However, schools are not required to give the specific date and time of the drill in advance. 

During the first weeks of September, we will conduct one of two required lockdown drills for the year. We encourage you to talk with your child about the importance of being prepared for emergencies. Here are some helpful tips for families to use to support their students before and after school lockdown drills. Working together, we create a safe, secure environment for students to learn and grow in our schools.

Academy Students Travel Period Locations: When returning from their Travel Period, students taking Academy courses should report to the Auditorium during the lunch block (R5/W6) where they will eat D Lunch. During all other periods, Academy Students returning to school should report to T-11. Students should be in their designated location during their Travel Periods. If students have a class after returning from the Academy, they should report to the Attendance Office for a pass to class. 

Student Parking Information: This year, students will have the opportunity to purchase parking permits to park on the Annandale campus. Information about how to purchase a parking permit for the 2022-23 school year will be shared in next week’s Insider. In the meantime, students can park in any designated student parking space until permits are issued. If you have any questions, please email Phillip Taylor, Safety and Security Specialist.

Tutoring Services Update: FCPS students continue to have unlimited access to live, 24/7, 1-to-1, online tutoring services through Tutor.com at no cost to families during the 22-23 SY. Student participation is optional and parents/guardians can opt their student(s) out of accessing the services. Detailed information and FAQs are available on the Tutor.com Online Tutoring Services website.

Students will continue to access Tutor.com via a link in Schoology.  Information about how to log in and access a tutor is provided in the following instructional videos: Tutor.com: How it Works Middle and High School.

Digital Resources Consent Form: At Annandale 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 students may use this year will require parental consent before they can be used. You can find our school’s list of the resources that require parental consent here: https://annandalehs.fcps.edu/adopteddigitalresources. 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 resources listed. This page also provides more information about how FCPS carefully reviews digital resources for approval. Please reach out to your child’s teacher or Jennifer Cory at jmcory@fcps.edu if you have questions or concerns about the digital resources we’ve chosen to use this year.

Students who do not have a Digital Resource Consent Form on file will no longer have access to YouTube videos when logged in to their FCPS Google accounts. Many of our courses use YouTube videos for instructional purposes. To ensure uninterrupted access to classroom resources we ask that parents and guardians complete the Digital Resources Consent Form as soon as possible.

Free and Reduced-Price Meal Applications Now Available: Free and Reduced-Price Meal Applications are now available. 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. To take advantage of those benefits, complete this form. Schools also benefit from funding opportunities based on Free and Reduced Price Meal application numbers. Visit the FCPS Free and Reduced-Price Meals website for more information.

Support Annandale Booster Organizations!

Purchase a Red Card! Each fall, our sports programs sell a discount “Red Card” to raise money for their teams. The red cards include various discounts at local businesses including: Community Car Care, Firehouse Subs, Jersey Mike’s, Jukebox Diner, Kilroy’s, Papa Johns, Popeye’s, Supreme BBQ and Valentino’s. Red Cards are only $20 and can be used at any of the businesses through August 2023. If you would like to purchase a Red Card, please reach out to a fall athlete or email Brandon Sutphin, Director of Student Activities.

Join the Annandale PTSA! On behalf of the Annandale High School Parent, Teacher, Student Association (PTSA), we would like to welcome you to the 2022–2023 school year. The key ingredient to our success is YOU. Please dare to make a difference, be better informed and join the PTSA today by filling out the online 2022–2023 Membership Form. For more information about membership, visit our Membership page.

Join the Atoms Athletic Boosters! Purchase an Athletic Pass! We need you as an Atoms fan in the stands cheering on our athletes, as well as behind the scenes as an athletics supporter. 100% of your Booster contributions support the many athletic programs, facilities, and athletes at AHS. 

Cost: Student Pass - $30; Adult Pass - $60; Parking Pass - $30; Fan Pass - $25. For more information, visit the Boosters sight at www.atomsboosters.org.

The BENEFITS of purchasing an AHS Athletic Booster Membership/athletic passes include:

• SAVE MONEY! — Admission for free admission for Freshmen, Junior Varsity, and Varsity regular-season home athletic events (not valid for away games or postseason play).
• Ease and Convenience — Avoid the ticket line, just show your pass at the admissions gate; no need to carry cash.
• Support the Atoms — 100% of the money goes to AHS athletics. Normal gate fees are split between AHS and the opponent.

News from the Activities Office

Check out the latest information from the Activities Office in their weekly newsletter. In addition, learn more about Annandale High School Athletics and Activities by visiting their website or the AHS Athletics Twitter page. Please email Brandon Sutphin if you have any questions.

Fall Sports Pictures Available: If you’re interested in ordering pictures, go online to Legacy Studios Events and enter the school code, 4542E23. Here you may view and order team and individual pictures of your athlete. Please allow 5 days after picture day before trying to access your images. If the images have not been uploaded to the site yet, when entering that code you'll receive a 'Gallery not found' notification. 

This Week’s Schedule: 

Monday, August 29

4:30/6:00pm - JV/V Volleyball @ John Paul the Great

6:15/7:30pm - JV/V Field Hockey vs John Paul the Great

Tuesday, August 30

3:30pm - Golf vs Thomas Jefferson @ Pinecrest Golf Course

6:15pm - JV Field Hockey @ Alexandria City

Wednesday, August 31

4:00pm- Golf vs John R Lewis @ Pinecrest Golf Course

5:30/7:15pm - Freshman/JV Football vs Robinson

Thursday, September 1

5:00/5:30pm - Boys/Girls Cross Country vs Mt. Vernon @ Franconia Park

7:00pm - V Football @ Robinson

Friday, September 2

9:00pm - V Field Hockey @ South County

12:00pm - V Field Hockey vs West Potomac @ South County

Saturday, September 3

12:30pm - V Field Hockey vs South Lakes @ South County

3:00pm - V Field Hockey vs Robinson @ South County

News from the PTSA

Join the PTSA! On behalf of the Annandale High School Parent, Teacher, Student Association (PTSA), we would like to welcome you to the 2022–2023 school year. The key ingredient to our success is YOU. Please dare to make a positive difference, be better informed and join your PTSA today by filling out the online Membership Form. For more information about membership visit the Annandale PTSA website.

PTSA Meeting - September 20, 7:00pm: The first PTSA of the 2021-22 school year will be on Tuesday, September 21 at 7:00pm. PTSA meetings are bilingual and Spanish translation is provided. Las reuniones de PTSA son bilingües y se proporciona traducción al español. Join us in Clausen Hall or virtually! Visit the Annandale PTSA website for more information.

Annandale PTSA Pantry Distribution - Volunteers Needed! The PTSA sponsored AHS Pantry distributes food to AHS students and families in need. This year, we will be distributing on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month. See the schedule below. But, we need your help! Please consider volunteering to help on the distribution dates. Sign up here. 

Pantry Distributions are in Trailer 8 behind school – schedule changes are in bold. Email Norma Foti, AHS PTSA Pantry Coordinator, at pantry@annandalehsptsa.org with questions.