Breakdown 9/11 - 9/17

Good Evening Bulldog Families–

I hope that you are all doing well and have been enjoying your weekend!

Today is the anniversary of September 11.  On this date in 2001, a grave tragedy occurred in our nation. We recognize that this anniversary may be difficult for some of our families, and we support any in our community who still mourn the loss of loved ones on that tragic day. We also acknowledge the sacrifice of our first responders and those who serve to protect our nation. 

There are a lot of events going on this week, so please check the calendar. I encourage you and your family to routinely check both Schoology, as well as out activities website, www.westfieldathletics.org. A new event that we are hosting this year is a “Fall Kickoff.” This event, geared towards all families, will be hosted this before the football game on Friday night. Come out and take a shot at dunking me in the dunk tank!

Another quick reminder to check out the section below regarding our town hall with Dr. Reid, our new Superintendent, to be help on Tuesday, September 20th. Make sure to register using that link to ensure your space. As always, please feel free to reach out to me with observations, suggestions, questions and celebrations. You can do that through e-mail, call, or  through the form located here: https://forms.gle/4eW9rgPRVBF2a5gd8. Please remember that if you do not include your information on the form, I will not be able to follow-up. 

Go Bulldogs!

Tony DiBari 

Proud Principal

Westfield High School

Attendance E-Mails

As a reminder, parents/guardians must contact their student’s sub school office to excuse an absence; email is not the acceptable process to use when notifying our school of your student’s absence.    We are aware of the FCPS online portal; however, Westfield High School is not monitoring or accepting any absences submitted via email. 

If your student has been marked absent for a specific class, please contact that teacher to determine if the absence was marked in error.  The teacher will notify the appropriate sub school to make the correction.

Students cannot excuse their own absence by emailing the sub school office, teacher, or counselor; the parent/guardian must contact the sub school office by phone to report the absence.

We request parents continue to submit their excused student absences via our attendance line 703-488-6316 or contact your student’s sub school office directly.   

Please refer to our website for additional information regarding the reporting of your student’s attendance: https://westfieldhs.fcps.edu/about/attendance

Senior Class News and Updates

Thank you to the parents who have e-mailed to volunteer this year. Here are some upcoming events:

9/14/2022  - Senior Post Secondary Options Night - 6:00-8:00pm 

• 6-6:30pm NOVA Info Session (Spanish translation available) Cafeteria

• 6:30-8pm  Post-Secondary Options / College Application Process 

Learn about the college application process and options to pursue after high school. Presentations will be with your individual counselor (see below for location).

• Spanish-Speaking Family Session - Career Center

• Subschool 1 (Last names: A-Dam) – Lecture Hall

• Subschool 2 (Last names: Dan-Jac) - Library

• Subschool 3 (Last names: Jad-Mol) – Chorus Room

• Subschool 4 (Last names: Mom-Sam) – Orchestra Room

• Subschool 5 (Last names: San-Z) - Cafeteria

9/19/2022 - Senior Panoramic Photo - through 3rd period class - Stadium (Rain Location- Gym)

10/31-11/1, 2022 - Senior Photos - Lecture Hall - More information to come. 

• Senior T-shirts, magnets, and stickers are available for sale next week at the Fall Kickoff.
• Information is updated on the Class of 2023 Schoology page, Instagram and Twitter. 

Superintendent’s Community Conversations

Please join us, along with Dr. Michelle Reid, FCPS superintendent, who will host a Community Conversation at Westfield High School on September 20th, 6:30-7:30 p.m. This event will be a unique opportunity to help Dr. Reid get to know our school community and learn more about her vision for our district. 

Language interpretation will be provided, as available, as well as child care and light refreshments. Please register to attend using this link: 

https://forms.gle/okc7pMEvqVcPyUnXA

Senior Families 

Please join us for the Senior Post-Secondary Options Night on Wednesday, September 14 from 6:00 – 8:00 pm (in person, various locations). You will learn about options to pursue after high school, the college application process, Northern Virginia Community College, and more! There will be time to ask questions with both the counselors and the NOVA representative.

Spanish translation available for the NOVA Info Session; Spanish-Speaking Family Session at 6:30 pm.

Northern Virginia Community College Information Session – 6:00 – 6:30 pm - cafeteria

Post-Secondary Options Session with Counselors – 6:30 – 7:30 pm – locations to be announced

Laura Q. Cudahy

College & Career Specialist

Westfield High School

Families in Need of Support

Westfield High School has partnered with Western Fairfax Christian Ministries to provide students in need healthy meals for the weekends. Westfield is delivering approximately 50 meals to students every Friday afternoon. If you have a student who could benefit from a Friday meal at anytime this school year, please reach out to Sara Genetin at sjgenetinpil@fcps.edu or 703-488-6382. 

Staff Recognition

FCPS Cares is an opportunity for parents, staff, and community members to recognize FCPS employees for going above and beyond to help others and show they care. Please visit the following link to recognize staff members who have done impactful things: FCPS Cares

Volunteer Call-out

We are still looking for your help! We value you as community partners and want to invite you to become more involved at Westfield. One way to do this is to volunteer and substitute teach. If you’re interested, the first step is following the links below. Thank you for your willingness to help!

FCPS Volunteers:  https://www.fcps.edu/get-involved/volunteer-fcps 

Substitute Teachers:   https://www.fcps.edu/careers/career-opportunities/substitute-teaching-opportunities/new-applicants

Westfield Volunteer Interest Form:  https://forms.gle/go7B58zdT1cz5Km9A

Tech Updates

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Calendar

A comprehensive schedule of events can also be found at www.westfieldathletics.org

From FCPS

Attendance Awareness Month Importance of Strong Attendance Habits

September is Attendance Awareness Month. Some of the ways parents can help their children create healthy routines and a habit of getting to school on time every day include: 

• Set a regular bedtime and morning routine. (Need help? Download this checklist in English or Spanish.)
• Lay out clothes and pack backpacks the night before.
• If your child seems anxious about going to school, talk to teachers, school counselors, or other parents for advice on how to make them feel comfortable and excited about learning.
• Develop back-up plans for getting to school if something comes up. Call on a family member, a neighbor, or another parent.
• When possible, avoid medical appointments or extended trips when school is in session.

Visit our website for more attendance resources. Attend today, achieve tomorrow!

4700 Stonecroft Blvd, Chantilly, VA 20151  | Main Office: 703-488-6300
Attendance: 703-488-6316 | Web | Twitter