Annandale Community Insider - January 15

Annandale Students, Families, and Community:

Tomorrow, we honor the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and his dedication to equity, equality, and service. I encourage everyone to use this day as an opportunity to reflect as well as serve. Please see below for opportunities for community members of all ages and abilities to volunteer!

This past week, Annandale faculty and staff came together to recognize the nominees for the FCPS Outstanding Awards, as well as announce our school level winners in the following categories: Outstanding Teacher, Outstanding New Teacher, Outstanding Operational Employee, Outstanding Professional Employee and Outstanding Leader. Thank you to those of you who nominated a staff member back in November/early December and congratulations to the school level award winners:

• Outstanding Operational Employee - Elizabeth Soteriou, Student Information Assistant
• Outstanding New Teacher - Allison Pak, Math Teacher
• Outstanding Teacher - Annie Ray, Orchestra Teacher
• Outstanding Professional Employee, Jeniva Miller, Instructional Coach
• Outstanding Leader - Sarah Eqab, Assistant Principal

And a huge congratulations to Annie Ray, who was selected to represent the Annandale Pyramid as Outstanding Teacher! We have highlighted Ms. Ray’s incredible impact many times, especially her work with our students with severe disabilities. If you have not seen her Ted Talk, The Sound of Success, or read this Washington Post article, I encourage you to take a few minutes to check them out. She truly is an inspiration, and we are so proud of her.

On Wednesday, we hosted our Rising 9th Grade Open House. It is one of my favorite nights of the year as we get a chance to meet our new students and families. This night also gives us an opportunity to show off our amazing staff and the many ways that we support our students not only in their academic growth, but in their socio-emotional development as well. As I mentioned at the event, I have recently gone through this transition as a parent for the first time, so I recognize how daunting it may be for our new families. I have included links to all the presentations below. If you continue to have questions about the transition, please feel free to reach out.

Looking ahead, the second quarter ends on Wednesday, January 25, which is also a two-hour early release. I encourage you to talk with your student about their grades and any assignments or summatives they may need to turn in or retake. Our teachers are available for any questions you may have.

Have a great week, Atom Nation. Please reach out with questions.

Shawn DeRose, Principal

Important Dates

January 16 - Martin Luther King Jr.'s Birthday (No School)

January 17 - PTSA Meeting

January 20-21 - Winter Musical, Firebringer 

January 25 - 2 Hour Early Release (End of the 2nd Quarter)

January 25 - Music Leadership Symposium

January 26 - Virginia Girls State 2023 Interest Form Due

January 26-27 - Student Holiday

February 1 - FCPS Gap Year Fair

January 17-20 - Winter Spirit Week: Show your #AtomPride, get creative, and have fun dressing up with the following daily themes. Annandale Leadership students will be taking photos of participants to be featured on their Instagram! 

Tuesday: Zoom Outfit - Dress as you would for a Zoom meeting. Likely a nice business shirt and pajamas bottoms. 

Wednesday: Dress As Your Type - Dress as the type of person you are drawn to.

Thursday: Senior Citizen Day - Dress like your grandparent or an older person you know.

Friday: Class Colors - Freshmen: Black, Sophomores: Gray, Juniors: Blue, Seniors: White

Now thru February 1 - W4 Check-ins: The social and emotional wellness of our students continues to be a priority at Annandale. Similar to last year, teachers will be conducting one-on-one check-ins with students in their advisory (W4) class now through February 1. These conversations are another opportunity to build a caring and trusting environment for all students, cultivate positive relationships, and identify student needs. The W4 lesson on January 5 asked students to reflect in order to prepare them for their check-in.

January 17 - PTSA Meeting: Our next PTSA meeting will be on Tuesday, January 17 at 7:00pm in the library. Spanish translation will be available. We encourage everyone to attend in person. The meeting will also be available virtually through WebEx. The link will be active 15 minutes prior to the start of the meeting. Also, if you have not done so already, please consider joining the PTSA by filling out the online Membership Form. For more information about membership visit the Annandale PTSA website.

January 20-21 - Winter Musical, Firebringer: Tickets are now on sale! Click here! Description of the musical: At the dawn of humanity, one tribe of cave-people survived the many trials of prehistoric life, but one member of the tribe doesn't seem to fit in. Join us on a comedic musical journey of love, discovery, acceptance, and some… out of this world surprises. Rated PG-13 for mature content.

Celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday weekend is a great opportunity for students to connect with impactful service opportunities while also teaching students about the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. Volunteer Fairfax is proud to present the 2023 MLK, Jr. Weekend of Service and are very excited to host two popular community events, Give Together, our volunteering event for families with kids ages 5-12, and the Valentine’s Challenge – both taking place on tomorrow, January 16.

Awesome Atoms!

Annandale Singers Perform National Anthem at FCPS School Board Meeting: Members of the Annandale Singers performed an amazing rendition of the National Anthem before the School Board Meeting on Thursday night. Huge shout out to Pat Vaughn and the members of the Annandale Singers for a job well done.

Annie Ray Selected Annandale Pyramid Outstanding Teacher: Congratulations to Annie Ray for being selected to represent the Annandale Pyramid as Outstanding Teacher! Here is just some of what was included in Annie’s Nomination: “Annie Ray is everything you look for in describing an outstanding teacher! She provides quality instruction that enhances student learning while providing a safe and positive culture within her classroom. She values her student's voice and provides them with constructive feedback that allows for opportunities to grow as students and individuals. She is a caring teacher that continuously has a smile on her face which brightens the day of every student and colleague she interacts with. Recently, Annie performed a TED talk on the Sound of Success that featured her work with CAT B students and the success they've had learning to play instruments and the joy that it brings to them as well as herself. She started the Parent Orchestra at Annandale, which provides parents the opportunity to come and learn how to play the same instruments their student may play. Annie has a love for music, but most of all she has a love for her students and their success.”

Annual Electives Fair Offers Glimpse at AHS Course Offerings: On Wednesday, January 11 during W4, students had the opportunity to visit three electives of their choice. Elective teachers are provided brief presentations or demonstrations on the components of their elective courses to give students a feel for what each course is like. In the coming weeks, students will be working one-on-one with their counselors to select their courses for next year.

January is Mentoring Month! At Annandale, our mentoring program focuses on pairing staff and students with like interests to build and cultivate life-long relationships. We want to shout out Ms. Selvana Ayoub and her mentee, Joseva. Ms. Ayoub says that Joseva, “recently shared with me what he wants to do after school and has been taking steps towards that. He designs different clothing and wants a sewing machine so we can continue to design different fashion styles and I think it is so awesome of him to take steps towards his goals.” Thank you to Ms. Ayoub and all of the Mentors here at Annandale High School for taking the time to cultivate strong relationships with our students!

W4 Activities Day Creates Connection to AHS! Last Monday, we held our monthly W4 Activities day. Students had an opportunity to connect with each other and staff through activities such as making slime, playing games and sports, learning Japanese, creating watercolor paintings, or just relaxing. Very few other schools the size of Annandale manage to organize an event like this, which we offer once a month. A huge thank you to our Activities Department for taking on this complex planning!

Five Annandale Students Perform at District X Senior Regional Orchestra: On Friday and Saturday, Melanie Lam (violin 1), Jazlyn Tang (Viola), Thien Phan (Viola), Shalini Vlcan (Viola), and Jenna Saykhamphone (Bass) represented Annandale HS at the District X Senior Regional Orchestra event hosted by South County HS. We are incredibly proud of these students' accomplishments and the hard work of all that auditioned!

AVID Alumni Day: Over 30 alumni representing 10 colleges, 15 majors, and 5 graduating classes of the AHS AVID program, gathered on Friday to share their advice with current AVID seniors. Our seniors learned a lot and it was also a great opportunity for the alumni to network with each other.

Donate Gift Cards for AHS Staff

At events throughout the year, we recognize staff who go above and beyond with gift cards donated by community members at the beginning of the year. It has been a huge hit and I am requesting your help again since we are not permitted to use any kind of FCPS funds, local or otherwise, for this purpose. It is amazing how much a $5 or $10 gift card is appreciated. If you are so inclined, please feel free to drop them off at the main office or place them in the mail. Attention: Jen Buchanan. It can be for any business you want to support, in any amount. Nothing is too small.

Important Information

Rising 9th Grade Open House Presentations: Last week, Annandale High School hosted our annual Rising 9th Grade Open House. We were so excited to meet all our future Atoms and their families! If you were unable to attend, we have a copy of all the presentations from the evening available for you below. If you have any questions about the information provided, please feel free to contact our presenters directly. 

Welcome to Annandale! - Presenter: Shawn DeRose

Course Requests 101 - Presenter: Eric Healey 

IB/MYP Program - Presenters: Jeniva Miller, Linda Bradshaw

Activities and Athletics - Presenters: Brandon Sutphin

Special Education Office - Presenters: Donna Higgins, Kristin Lillis

English for Speakers of Other Languages Program - Presenters: Sarah Eqab, Meredith Hedrick

High School Academy Open Houses: FCPS high school academies will hold open houses for interested students beginning in mid-January. A high school academy is a center within a high school that offers advanced technical and specialized courses that can prepare students for postsecondary education and/or career fields. Students enrolling in Academy elective courses will be provided with opportunities to participate in a variety of career experiences including shadowing, mentoring, and/or internships with local businesses. Click here to learn more and find the calendar of Academy Open Houses.

Free Live Tutoring Service Available to all Annandale Students: Our Atoms Agreement of Determination means that we try, even when it is difficult; do our best; are present and engaged; show up on time; and create goals and strive to achieve them. 

To support students in demonstrating Determination, a recent W4 lesson shared detailed information about ways students can take control of their own learning, including preparing for retakes and accessing supports such as Tutor.com. We will continue to use W4 lessons to build students skills around self-advocacy and determination. Click here to learn more.

Opportunities

SAT & ACT Test Prep Support: Did you know Tutor.com can help with more than just homework? This free, on-demand tutoring service also offers a comprehensive range of resources that include exam prep for AP, SAT, and ACT tests. Students can take practice quizzes at any time, and if they struggle in particular areas, they can immediately connect to a live tutor through voice or chat options for help. Learn more on the FCPS Tutor.com website.

January 25 - Free Music Leadership Symposium: On Wednesday, January 25 at Lake Braddock Secondary School, Dr. Scott Lang will be hosting a student leadership symposium open to all FCPS high school music students from 2:30-5:00pm. This is the first time FCPS has hosted an event of this nature and it is FREE to students! Students should RSVP by filling out the Music Student Leadership Symposium form by January 20.

January 26 - Virginia Girls State 2023 Interest Form Due: Virginia Girls State is a week-long study of government and the operation, laws and procedures of the Commonwealth of Virginia. AHS Student Services is currently identifying Juniors, who are interested in submitting applications for this summer enrichment opportunity. Participants represent AHS at the 2023 Girls State convention. To participate students must be United States citizens or legal residents of the United States. Candidates are evaluated on their leadership abilities, interest in government, service to others, and academics. For more details, go to the Virginia Girls State website. Girls State will be held at Longwood University from Sunday June 18 to Saturday June 24, 2023. If you are a Junior and interested in applying, please complete the Girls State 2023 Interest Form. Information regarding Virginia Boys State coming soon!

February 1 - 2023 Gap Year Fair for Students and Families: FCPS School Counseling Services and Go Overseas are co-hosting the annual FCPS Gap Year Fair on Wednesday, February 1, at West Springfield High School from 6:30 to 9:00pm. This event is for high school students and parents who are interested in learning more about the growing array of gap year opportunities. Students are encouraged to pre-register for this event. For more information, visit USA Gap Year Fairs or FCPS Gap Year Fair, or contact Pamela White, Special Projects Liaison, at pcwhite@fcps.edu or 571-423-4431.

March 6 - Preparing for Difficult Conversations about Drugs Presentation, 6-8pm: FCPS is dedicated to providing parents and community members with the most accurate and up-to-date information on youth substance use, prevention, addiction, interventions and available supports. Please join us and our partners from the Fairfax County Police Department and Community Services Board on Monday, March 6 from 6-8pm in the Annandale High School Library as we share knowledge and information that will help parents and caregivers engage in meaningful conversations with their students about drugs.

News from the Student 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.

Highlights from the Activities Office: Boys basketball lost a heartbreaking double OT game to Thomas Jefferson Tuesday evening but bounced back in a big way with a convincing win over Mount Vernon last night. Girls basketball played hard but fell in their games vs TJ and Mount Vernon. Wrestling hosted Wednesday evening and came away with a 1-1 record on the night, beating Falls Church in their first match but fell to Hayfield in their second match. Gymnastics hit the mat again with many girls continuing their growth and improvement for the program. Swim/Dive came up short against TJ in their meet Friday evening but got back in the pool last night for Senior Night at Audrey Moore.

This Week:

Monday, January 16

Martin Luther King Day - Student Holiday

Wednesday, January 18

F/JV/Varsity Girls Basketball vs Edison - 4:30/5:45/7:30pm

F/JV/Varsity Basketball Boys @ Edison - 4:30/5:45/7:30pm

Varsity Wrestling @ Lewis - 6:00pm

Gymnastics @ Lake Braddock - 6:00pm

Friday, January 13

F/JV/Varsity Boys Basketball vs Lewis - 4:30/5:45/7:30pm (SENIOR NIGHT)

F/JV/Varsity Girls Basketball @ Lewis - 4:30/5:45/7:30pm

Swim/Dive @ Mount Vernon - 6:00pm

Saturday, January 14

Varsity Wrestling Tournament @ Annandale - 9:00am

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.

Now thru February 24 - Academic Advising: Our counselors began meeting one-on-one with students through their English classes. We began with our rising seniors and then will work through the other grade levels over the next several weeks. Students will be sent an email with their appointment time the weekend before they are scheduled to meet with their counselor. As always, students and families can get more information about course selection on our Academic Advising website. Below is the academic advising timeline:

• January 9-19: Juniors meet with Counselors
• January 10-February 3: Sophomores meet with Counselors
• February 3-17: Freshmen meet with Counselors
• February 24: Final deadline to change course requests

Last Minute College Help Sessions: Students, are you still working on completing college applications before the final deadline to apply and need help? Complete this Google form to be requested during Pride Time on January 18, 24, or 30 for extra help with your college application(s).

Transcript Requests for College Applications & Scholarships: Seniors need to request official high school transcripts one month prior to application deadlines. We will be receiving a very high volume of requests in the coming months, and our Student Services staff needs adequate time to process them. Early Action and Early Decision application deadlines are quickly approaching. For step-by-step instructions and forms for submitting Transcript Requests, go to the AHS College & Career Google site.

Early Online College at NOVA - Spring Session: Early Online College (EOC) allows current high school juniors or seniors the opportunity to take up to two tuition free college courses. EOC courses for the spring semester begin on January 31 and end on April 24. Courses are for college credit only and designed to jumpstart students' college experience. These courses were selected because they meet the requirements for most of NOVA’s associate degrees as well as being highly transferable as general education requirements for most colleges and universities. For more information, contact NOVA’s Office of Dual Enrollment at dualenrollment@nvcc.edu.

News from the PTSA

January 17 - PTSA Meeting: Our next PTSA meeting will be on Tuesday, January 17 at 7:00pm in the library. Spanish translation will be available. We encourage everyone to attend in person. The meeting will also be available virtually through WebEx. The link will be active 15 minutes prior to the start of the meeting. Also, if you have not done so already, please consider joining the PTSA by filling out the online Membership Form. For more information about membership visit the Annandale PTSA website.

Annandale PTSA Pantry Needs Help Restocking! We need help restocking regularly. Please consider donating, every donation helps. Visit the pantry website here to learn more and about ways to donate.