Fairfax Academy News 1/17/23: Early Release Schedule and MORE!
Fairfax County Public Schools sent this bulletin at 01/17/2023 05:27 PM EST
In this email...
- Schedule Reminders for Next Week
- From Your Academy Admin
- Legally Blonde: The Musical!
- Open House
- Rotary Club Youth Music Contest
- Program Highlights: Game Design / Arabic
- Staff Highlights: Mrs. Murphy / Mr. Ford
- Upcoming Events
A Reminder about Lanyards
A reminder that students traveling to Fairfax Academy from other schools are required to wear their lanyards when arriving to and leaving from Fairfax Academy. See Ms. Tarvid in E119 for a temporary pass or to obtain a replacement lanyard (cost: $5).
From Your Academy Admin
Fairfax Academy Community,
We hope everyone is staying safe and healthy and were able to find some time to reflect during our three day weekend. We are quickly ending the end of 1st semester and wanted to remind all our students that Academy gradebooks close earlier than base school grade books. We also wanted to remind all students that many of our courses are dependent upon the hands-on learning that can only happen in our labs. Attendance is an important part of ensuring all students find success in their coursework at the Academy. Please make sure you are reviewing our attendance reminders found in our welcome packet. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us and we will be happy to help.
We are gearing up for next year and all our classes are open for student visitors. Please encourage your friends who may be interested to talk to their counselor about visiting before March 1. A reminder that all current students will need to complete a registration with their counselor by March 7 to guarantee a seat for next year.
Check out information below about a music contest sponsored by the Rotary Club of Fairfax, information about the Game Design and Arabic programs, and our upcoming Open House and production of Legally Blonde. We have an early release on January 25. Only AM shuttles will be running. Student drivers can attend and FHS students should follow the FHS bell schedule.
Warmly,
Mrs. Cook
Program Highlight: Game Design & Development
The Game Design and Development course is brand new this year to Fairfax Academy. This course teaches all facets of game design and development. Students gain substantial knowledge of industry standard software, specifically the Unity 3D game engine. However, they explore more than just a game engine and how to program a game, although that is a big part of it.
Students learn game theory, history, and mechanics. They learn how to tell stories to create player engagement. They look at the many different roles in the game design industry, such as level designers, riggers, and game writers. Students learn about the different related career opportunities outside of the game industry, too. These include architecture, graphic design, and visualization, just to name a few. Students explore aspects of design such as modeling and layout.
Students complete the course with a capstone group project where they design a playable game from start to finish with their team. Through projects, critiques, and group assignments, students gain an in-depth understanding of the game industry.
New for the 2023-2024 school year, will be an Advanced Game Development and Design section.
Program Highlight: Arabic
Fairfax Academy offers Arabic 1 through 4. Mr. Ford’s passion is to help his students build strong literacy and communication skills. This quarter, students are working on several projects. Some are writing and presenting skits which incorporate high frequency phrases. While others are both writing paragraphs and capturing flipgrid videos in which they present information about themselves and their families. Upper-level students are drafting descriptions of their favorite cities in the Arab World. Mr. Ford truly enjoys working with his students and feels that he learns just as much from them as they do from him.
Staff Highlight: Suzette Murphy (Game Design)
Mrs. Murphy spent the majority of her younger years moving along the east coast for her father’s work. During that time, she attended five elementary schools, three middle schools, and two high schools. Mrs. Murphy graduated high school in Central Florida and spent most of her adult life there. She left briefly for College in Sarasota Florida where she received her BFA in Graphic and Interactive Communications from Ringling College of Art and Design.
Mrs. Murphy worked at several design firms as well as freelancing around the Central Florida area before moving to Fairfax, Virginia for the first time in 2013, where she continued to freelance. Mrs. Murphy and her family fell in love with Fairfax at that time, but when her father fell ill, they made the tough decision to move back to Central Florida to be close to family.
During that time Mrs. Murphy took a job in San Jose California as Design Patent Examiner. She would super commute between Northern California and Central Florida. Eventually the situation proved too difficult, and Mrs. Murphy resigned to take a position at a local boarding school, Montverde Academy, as a Media Arts teacher, where she taught game design, VFX, computer animation, and 3D Design for grades 9 through 12. There is where she fell in love with teaching. While at Montverde Academy she began grad school for Computer Animation at Savannah College of Art and Design.
In 2021 an opportunity to return to Fairfax presented itself and Mrs. Murphy and her family moved back to Fairfax so she may teach Game Design at Fairfax Academy while continuing to pursue her MFA. Mrs. Murphy, her husband, their daughter and their red husky, Charlie, are loving their new home. She is excited for the opportunity to bring her knowledge and experience to the young people of Fairfax and to grow with them through the unique experience that Fairfax Academy affords its students.
Mrs. Murphy comes to Fairfax, Virginia with her husband, two daughters, and their two-year-old red husky, Charlie. She is excited to experience all four seasons, and to have a break from the relentless hot weather of Florida.
Staff Highlight: Mitchell Ford (Arabic)
Mr. Ford grew up in Worcester, MA. Prior to joining the Academy in 2019, he spent six years supporting Arabic language instruction for the Middle East Studies M.A. program in the Elliott School of International Affairs. His journey began in 2007, when he enrolled, as an undergrad, at George Washington University. Here, he decided to major in the Arabic language.
Since that time, he has received several scholarships and fellowships that have afforded him opportunities to study abroad in the Arab World and be immersed in the language for extensive periods. In 2013, he completed a year-long fellowship program, known as Center for Arabic Study Abroad (CASA). This opportunity was funded by the US Department of Education.
Mr. Ford views his participation in this experience as instrumental in solidifying his passion for Arabic language and culture.
Musical Theatre & Actors' Studio Presents
Legally Blonde - The Musical
February 3, 4 | 7 p.m.
February 5 | 2 p.m.
February 9, 10 | 7 p.m.
February 11 | 2 p.m. & 7 p.m.
Tickets: https://mtasacademy.weebly.com or use the QR code above.
For questions, please contact MTAS Director Mr. DiCenzo (erdicenzo@fcps.edu).
Fairfax Academy Open House - February 7
February 7, 2023 | 6:30pm-7:30 pm
Meet our teachers, learn about our classes, ask questions!
For questions, please call the Academy office at 703-219-2226 or email starvid@fcps.edu.
Rotary Club of Fairfax Youth Music Contest
Object: To help promising musicians gain notice in their communities and beyond, and to introduce young people to the mission of Rotary and its youth-based equivalents, Interact and Rotaract.
Applicants: High school musicians who either attend Fairfax High School as their primary school, OR live in the City of Fairfax. If a student does not fall under these categories, please contact our POC below.
Categories: Composition and Solo performances of vocal, keyboard and instrumental, are invited.
District Level Contest Awards: (Note: Winners announced no later than April 15, 2023)
First place ($1000)
Second place ($500)
Third place ($250)
See the entire announcement here.
For questions, please contact Matt Edgar at 703-213-4168 or matthew.edgar@edwardjones.com
Upcoming Events
- Early Dismissal (January 25, 2023)
- Open House (February 7, 2023 6:30-7:30pm)
- Legally Blonde (February 3, 4, 5, 9, 10 and 11, 2023)
- On Time Registration (March 7, 2023): all new and current students must register through their base school counselor.
Check out our events page for more information.
FCPS Cares
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