Annandale Community Insider - September 5

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Annandale Student, Families, and Community:

Happy Labor Day! I hope you are enjoying the holiday weekend. I spent the weekend in Columbus, Ohio hanging out with long-time friends and attending the Ohio State/Notre Dame game with my father. 

Since teachers returned in mid-August, we have talked a lot about taking advantage of the small moments throughout the school day to connect with students both inside and outside of the classroom. There is no doubt that our smooth opening these first two weeks of school is a result of our staff’s dedication to building relationships and clarifying expectations in every class and hallway transition throughout the school day. 

When we return on Tuesday, we will begin our Start on Time program. We have shared with students that our Atoms Agreement of “Determination” means that we show up on time. This building-wide initiative will support students with arriving to class in a timely manner. Teachers, counselors, administrators, coaches and other staff members will all be working together to escort students to class who remain in the halls past the late bell. 

Academically, teachers have been collaborating in their teams to design and implement baseline assessments to get a better understanding of what students know. These assessments, which will be administered over the next several weeks, will inform instructional planning and allow both teachers and students to measure progress throughout the year.

Finally, we hope you will all come out and support #Atom Nation in our first home football game against Lewis this Friday! Gates open at 6:00pm. As always, please let me know if you have any questions and Go Atoms!

Sincerely,

Shawn DeRose, Principal


Important Dates

September 6 & 9 - Senior Pictures

September 7 - SAT School Day Intent Form Due

September 10 & 11 - Annandale Bands Tag Day

September 12 - Activities Fair (During W4)

September 12 - FCPD Open House for Public Safety Cadets

September 13-14 - Underclassmen Pictures

September 20 - PTSA Meeting

September 26 - Teacher Workday (No school for students)

September 29 - Back to School Night

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)

 

September 6 and 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: September 6 and 9. Pictures will be during school hours in Clausen Hall. If you have any questions, please email Julia Hanneman at jehanneman@fcps.edu

 

Due September 7 - SAT School Day Intent Form: 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

 

September 10 & 11 - Annandale Bands Tag Day: Tag day is a major band fundraiser where members of the Annandale Bands go door to door within the community to ask for donations. The donations assist in the funding for band and color guard uniforms, instruments, scholarships and clinicians, music, supplies, and registration for competitions. Your continued support enables us to proudly represent our school and community throughout the year

 

September 12 - Club & Activities Fair: 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. For an up-to-date list of clubs currently offered at Annandale, visit this website. More information on the schedule and location will be provided in next Sunday's Insider.

 

September 12 - Annual Open House for the Public Safety Cadets: Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD) is hosting their annual Open House for the Public Safety Cadets Unit 505 on Monday, September 12, 2022 beginning at 6:00pm. The event will be held in the AHS rear parking lot with various FCPD assets on display including the mobile crime scene unit, mobile bomb squad unit and robot, mobile command bus, and our helicopter which will land in the parking lot. Displays will conclude around 6:30-6:45pm, at which point we will move into the cafeteria for an informational meeting about the Public Safety Cadets program and how young people can join. Find more information on our Unit website.

 

September 13 & 14 - Underclassmen Pictures: Underclassmen pictures will be taken through English classes on September 13 and 14 in the auditorium. If you would like to purchase photos, go to shop.legacystudios.com. On the page titled: View and Purchase Your Portraits, click on the image of the student on the left that says Underclass. You'll be asked if you have your online code. Enter the code 4542F23 and make your selections. After you make your selections, you'll find options for retouching, teeth whitening, etc. as well as your portrait background choices. Finally, enter your student's information and proceed to checkout by clicking the blue Next button. All pictures will be sent to the home or mailing address provided. For assistance, please contact Legacy Studios Customer Care team directly at customercare@legacystudios.com or 716-512-6336.


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Important Information

New Protocol for Students Arriving Late to School: Beginning Tuesday, September 6, students who arrive late to school between 8:20-10:00am will check in near the main entrance. If students are arriving late without an excuse, they will be prompted to sign in and will be given an unexcused tardy pass to class. Students who arrive late and have a note excusing their tardiness will be sent to the Attendance Office for check in. If your student must be absent, parents should always inform the school. The phone number for the attendance office is 703-642-4151.

 

Course Change Process: Our counselors have been working on schedule changes involving course errors and requests to take more challenging courses. This week, we will open the opportunity for students to request additional course changes. The AHS Course Change Request Form is used to process requests in a consistent and equitable manner while ensuring we are organized in our responses. The form will be available to students from September 7-14. 

Given the complexity of scheduling, schedule changes may not be accommodated if the requested course is full. Our counselors will consider course changes based on the following priority:

  1. Course Errors
  2. Academic Course Changes
  3. Elective Course Changes 

If the requested course change involves changing a student’s diploma type or dropping an Honors/IB course, parental permission is required. Counselors will begin communicating with students about schedule changes on Monday, September 12. If you have any questions about the course change process, please contact your counselor.

 

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

 

Lunch Options For Students: This year, we are offering several different eating locations for students including the cafeteria, the senior courtyard and the outdoor seating area adjacent to the cafeteria. In addition, students who would like to visit the Library during their lunch period can get a pass from the cafeteria. 

 

Student Parking Passes: Parking applications may be picked up in the main office or room 114. Both the “Parking Agreement” and “Parking Application” forms must be turned into the main office by Wednesday, September 7. Parking permits will be issued and money will be collected during all 4 lunches in the cafeteria on Thursday September 8. The parking fee of $200.00 will be collected when the parking permits are distributed. Students must have a parking pass to park in AHS student parking spaces beginning Monday, September 12. If you have any questions, please email Phillip Taylor. **REMINDER: ALL financial obligations need to be cleared before you may receive a parking permit.

 

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. 

 

Safety Drills During the School Year: Keeping students and staff safe is a priority at Annandale High School. This week we will conduct our first lockdown drill of the school year. Your student may come home and talk about their experience during the drill. We encourage you to talk with your student 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. 

 

World Languages Credit Exam: The 2022 World Languages Credit Exam will be administered on November 3, 9, and 10, 2022. Thirty languages will be included:  American Sign Language (ASL), Amharic, Arabic, Bengali, Chinese (Mandarin), Farsi, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Nepali, Pashto, Portuguese, Punjabi, Russian, Sanskrit, Somali, Spanish, Tagalog, Tamil, Telugu, Tigrinya, Turkish, Twi, Urdu, and Vietnamese. Registration opens on Tuesday, September 6, at 8:00am and closes on Thursday, October 6, at 4:00pm. Late registrations will not be accepted. Annandale school counselors will support students with registration. Credit exam information can be accessed at on the FCPS website.

 

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.


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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 Student Services

Check out the latest information from the Student Services Department in their weekly newsletter. The newsletter provides important information, important dates, news from the college & career center and class news.

 

New College & Career Planning Google Site: We are pleased to announce the new and improved AHS College & Career Planning Google site! The website provides up-to-date information on the college application process; college representative visits; financial aid and FAFSA/VASA workshops; military options; information on apprenticeships; as well as resources for finding a job. The website also provides contact information for our School Counselors, as well as our College and Career Specialist: https://tinyurl.com/AHS-CollegeCareer


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.

 

This Week’s Schedule: 

Monday, September 5

No Events

Tuesday, September 6

5/6/7:30pm - Fr/JV/V Volleyball vs John Lewis HS

6:30pm - V Field Hockey vs Woodbridge HS

Wednesday, September 7

6/7:30pm - JV/V Field Hockey @ Herndon

Thursday, September 8

4:00pm - Golf vs Mt. Vernon HS @ Mt. Vernon Country Club

5/6/7:15pm - Fr/JV/V Volleyball @ Hayfield HS

6:00pm - JV Football vs Osbourn HS

Friday, September 9

7:00pm - V Football vs John Lewis HS (Gates open at 6:00pm)

Saturday, September 10

No Events


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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 2022-23 school year will be on Tuesday, September 20 at 7:00pm. Join us in the AHS Library or virtually! PTSA meetings are bilingual and Spanish translation is provided. Las reuniones de PTSA son bilingües y se proporciona traducción al español. 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.

Pantry Distribution Schedule

 

Donate to the Annandale PTSA Pantry: Donations are always welcome and tax deductible. To make a monetary donation, please click 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. See below for our wishlist. Contact Norma Foti, Pantry Coordinator at pantry@annandalehsptsa.org  with questions.

Pantry Wish List