Upcoming Events   January 20: FHS Curriculum & Community Night, 6-8pm January 25: End of 2nd Quarter, 2HR Early Release January 26-27: Student Holidays February 3: Principal's Coffee, 7:30-8:30am, Library

Included in this issue:

Fairfax Lions Need to Know:

• Outstanding Secondary Teacher winner announced 
• Tonight! Curriculum & Community Night
• Calendar Reminder: Early Release Day Jan 25
• How to Find Weather Closings and Delays
• How to Talk with your Child about Alcohol Safety

Fairfax Lions Nice to Know:

• FHS Scholastic Award Winners
• Fairfax Academy Course Selections and Open House Feb 7
• Hispanic Leadership Alliance Scholarship Program 2023
• Rotary Club Youth Music Contest
• Tutor.com for Test Prep
• Connect - Contact - Reach Us

Fairfax HS PTSA

• ANG Silent Auction Coming Soon
• FCPS Strategic Planning
• Fairfax County FREE Teen Program

Acceso de News You Choose en Español:  Haga clic aquí.

On January 18^th and 19^th, Kate Tiffany’s advanced Latin students shared their knowledge of the culture of Ancient Rome with Natalie Hanson’s World History 1 classes through a gallery walk and small-group presentations in the Library.

January 20, 2023

This week at Fairfax High School the word of the week was collaboration, and this pairs perfectly with our portrait of a graduate focus. The collaborative opportunities are endless here at FHS and it was delightful to see our Advanced Latin students share their knowledge of the culture of Ancient Rome with our World History classes. Students shared ideas through a gallery walk and small-group presentations in the library.

The showcasing didn’t stop there as we celebrated the Lunar New Year with a variety of games, snacks, and origami; students enjoyed learning about each other’s cultural traditions. Lion Time Ambassadors collaborated on bringing student voice to advisory and creating meaningful lessons, fun contests, and relevant experiences to each week. Collaboration is always key on our Learning Lounge days (Wednesday and Thursday) as students and teachers work together to ensure mastery and skill success.

The FHS Instructional Council had a cross-content collaborative meeting that focused on Tier 1 best practices in each content area and ensuring our community shares ideas to create a literacy rich and responsive environment for ALL students.

Our curriculum fair went on the road as our FHS students headed to Katherine Johnson to highlight amazing courses and electives at FHS and we hope to see you all tonight at the FHS Curriculum and Culture Fair where you can collaborate with our staff to choose courses that are the “right fit” for your LIONS! 

Every Student, Every Strength, Every Day here at Fairfax High.

Yours in partnership,

Students gathered in the cafeteria to celebrate the Lunar New Year, the Year of the Rabbit!

Fairfax HS students and teachers recently visited Katherine Johnson MS for their Electives Fair to showcase various course offerings that will be available to them as high school students.  

Fairfax Lions Need to Know:

FHS English Teacher Daniel Miller wins Outstanding Secondary Teacher for the Fairfax Pyramid!

Congratulations to English Teacher, Daniel Miller, who has won the award for Outstanding Secondary Teacher for the Fairfax Pyramid! Mr. Miller won the school award in December, and now the Pyramid award this month. 

Nominees must be teachers who:

• Instill in students a desire to learn and achieve
• Understand the individual needs of students, encourage their talents and foster their self-esteem
• Demonstrate a thorough knowledge of subject matter and the ability to share it effectively with students.
• Foster cooperative relationships and engage with their colleagues and the community.
• Demonstrate outstanding leadership.
• Foster an environment where diversity in all of its forms is valued and appreciated and demonstrate keeping equity at the center of their work.

Mr. Miller does that and a lot more! He now moves on to compete at the Region level. Those winners will be announced next month. Congratulations, Mr. Miller, and thank you for all you do for our school and community! 

TONIGHT! Curriculum & Community Night

ALL FHS families, rising 9th grade families, and students are invited!

What: Curriculum & Community Night 2023

When: Friday, January 20, 2023, 6:00 - 8:00PM

Where: Fairfax HS commons, auditorium, library

Meet teachers and counselors, learn about electives, hear about college and career prep, and more. Join us!

Calendar Reminder: 2nd Quarter ends

As a reminder, Wednesday, January 25, is the last day of the quarter and a two-hour early release for students. Also, schools are closed for students on Thursday, January 26, for a staff development day and Friday, January 27, for a teacher workday. See the complete 2022-23 School Year Calendar. 

How to Find Weather Closings/Delays

With winter weather on the horizon, please take a moment to watch this video detailing how weather-related closing decisions are made. 

FCPS’ website is generally the first mode of communication during emergency weather closings. Other communication channels will be used as quickly as possible including email, text, social media, and news stations. Learn more about how schedule changes are communicated. 

Be sure to plan ahead for the winter season. Parents/caregivers should confirm their contact information is up-to-date in weCare@school (or, if you are an Employee, UConnect), in order to receive emails and text messages from FCPS. Bookmark the FCPS website, plan for childcare, if appropriate, and know what items your child may need to take home before a weather event.

How to talk to your Child about Alcohol Safety

Stores have been packed with holiday savings, credit cards have been charged, and food has been consumed. The holidays are often a time for family and friends to come together and create lasting memories with one another. The matching holiday pajamas leave a lasting impression on social media, but what impression does your relationship with alcohol leave on your child. Although difficult, conversations about alcohol safety are necessary. When consuming alcoholic beverages around young people, consider the message you would like for them to receive. Have you caught yourself saying any of the following: “I need a drink,” “a drink would help me relax,” or “wine helps me sleep better at night”. These statements could inadvertently cause your child to believe that alcohol is a suitable replacement for healthy coping strategies. 

It’s never too early to have age-appropriate conversations with your child about alcohol. About 10% of children say they have tried alcohol and that number increases to 50% by the time they are 15 (SAMHSA). Early and frequent conversations about alcohol and other drugs tend to be more effective than having “the talk” once. If you choose to not have the conversation with your child as a parent, they will still have the conversion with their peers. Silence communicates as loudly as a verbal conversation, so it’s up to you to decide what message is explicitly shared. 

For general questions about the FCPS Substance Abuse Prevention Program, please contact the Office of Student Safety & Wellness at: (571) 423-4270.

Sources & Resources

Why You Should Talk With Your Child About Alcohol and Other Drugs

Talk, They Hear You 

FCPS SAPS Program

For further information & support:

De’Ja Ruffin (McNeil)
Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist
dsmcneil@fcps.edu

Fairfax Lions Nice to Know: 

Scholastic Award Winners! 

Left, Self-portrait, Kaid Jones, Digital Art, Silver Key;

Right, Messily Organized, Lydia Ritchey, Digital Art, Silver Key

Left, Paper Crown, Ryan Lin, Digital Art, Gold Key

Right, Frankie, Lucas Gardner, Digital Art, Gold Key

Scholastic Art and Writing Competition is a National Competition open to all students, 7^th-12^th,in the categories of art and writing. Students may submit a variety of works including: fashion, jewelry, photography, sculpture, digital art, animation, painting and drawing, comic art, 3D printing (to name a few). They are judged on craftsmanship, individuality and societal relevance. 

Student work is judged at the Regional level amongst their county peers by local professionals and experts in the field and if awarded a Gold Key, student works will then move to the National Level with the hopes of winning a National level award and having their works presented at the National Award Ceremony at Carnegie Hall. Past famous winners have included: Amanda Gorman, Andy Warhol, Thane Rosenbaum, Stephen King, Alan Arkin, Sylvia Plath and Lena Dunham.

This year Fairfax High School won 31 awards: 11 Honorable Mentions, 11 Silver Keys and 9 Gold Keys. The Regional Scholastic Art Show, where visitors may see the Silver and Gold key winning works, will be held at Ernst Cultural Center Gallery at the Northern Virginia Community College, Annandale Campus, from February 9 through March 23, 2023. Congratulations and well done to all our winners and participants! 

Fairfax Academy Open House Feb. 7

Hey, Fairfax! Check out the new Fairfax Academy Promo Video to learn about all the programs we offer! Now is the time to think about course selections for next year. 

And while you're at it, visit our Open House on Feb. 7th! For more details, visit our website, call the Academy Office at 703-219-2226 or email Administrative Asst. Sarah Tarvid, starvid@fcps.edu. Come see what we're all about!

Hispanic Leadership Alliance Scholarship Application Form

The Hispanic Leadership Alliance (HLA) scholarship is for a first-generation Latinx student from Fairfax County Public Schools. A first-generation Latinx student is one born abroad or to immigrant parents in the United States. The student must be the first one in his or her family to attend a post-secondary educational institution. HLA is a non-profit organization of Fairfax County Public Schools employees, retirees, former students, and residents. Among the goals of HLA are to develop partnership relationships with school-based Latinx clubs; provide leadership training opportunities to club members; encourage student participation in advanced academic programs, leadership activities, and school completion; and support Latinx graduating seniors with scholarship opportunities.

In 2005 HLA established a scholarship program for first-generation Latinx students* of Fairfax County Public Schools who plan to attend a post-secondary educational institution. HLA will award twenty-six $1,000 scholarships at the Eighteenth Annual HLA Scholarship Celebration and Banquet in May. 

The Scholarship Application is due by Monday, February 27, 2023. For more information, contact Scholarship Chair, Jane Cruz, at jane.ellen.cruz@gmail.com, 202-207-5839.

Rotary Club 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:
First place ($1000)
Second place ($500)
Third place ($250)

Deadline: March 3, 2023
(Note: Winners announced no later than April 15, 2023)

Please see this flyer for a list of rules and more information:  
Rotary Club Music Contest 2023.pdf

Questions, contact Matt Edgar at Matthew.Edgar@edwardjones.com

Tutor.com for Test Prep

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 FCPS' Tutor.com webpage.

with us throughout the year by:

• visit the Fairfax High School Website
• sign up/modify your membership to our message -  News You Choose
• visiting the Fairfax PTSA Website

Fairfax HS PTSA

Table of Contents:

• ANG Silent Auction Coming Soon
• FCPS Strategic Planning
• Fairfax County FREE Teen Program

Silent Auction Coming Soon!

All Night Grad is holding a silent auction and virtual 50/50 raffle in February and is looking for donations. If you have items to donate or are willing to solicit items from local businesses, please contact Susan Malkus at smalkus86@gmail.com or email ANG@fairfaxptsa.org. Items that have sold well in the past include:

• Local sports/concert/theater tickets (if you are a season ticket holder)
• Sports memorabilia (signed jerseys, baseballs, etc.)
• Photography sessions (for senior pictures)
• Vacation property weekends
• Activity passes (like escape rooms, ropes courses, iFly, etc.)
• Theme baskets (like coffee, chocolate, dog owners, Mother's Day, etc.)
• Gift cards from restaurants, nail salons, etc. 
• Student crafted items
• Donations from local jewelers, artisans, etc. 

Donating businesses/families will be acknowledged on the silent auction site and we will provide business information (website URL, photos, etc.) as they are provided.

FCPS Strategic Planning in 20223-23

What is a Strategic Plan?

Similar to a roadmap, a strategic plan clearly defines the best route for us to take in the years ahead to reach our goals. 

Why do we need a Strategic Plan?

Our students are preparing for careers that don’t exist today. In order to keep pace with these needs, we need to rethink our plans for the future - and how we will best serve our students for this new era. Read more on why a Strategic Plan is important.

Why should you participate?

Our new strategic plan can only be successful with participation from diverse voices within the Fairfax County community. Planning teams, forums, a feedback form and an upcoming survey are some of the ways families, employees, and community members can help define FCPS’ direction and purpose. Together, we can determine the goals and priorities that will help ensure a thriving future for every FCPS student.

How can I participate now? Community Forums 

Parents and Community members are invited to attend one of the15 virtual and in-person meetings in various locations throughout the County. View the dates/locations, and register to attend on the Community Forums page of our Strategic Planning Process for 2022-23 website.

Questions? Email us at strategicplan@fcps.edu.

Free Teen After School Program through Fairfax County

The Fairfax County Neighborhood and Community Services is offering free recreation and leisure programming for teens at the Mott Community Center. The new year kicked off our bi-weekly Game Nights for teens, quarterly field trips, and weekly cooking club. In addition to the leisure activities, we provide academic coaching, guided SAT preparation sessions, and STEAM enrichment programming (including our new computerized telescope)! Of course, we know that teens just want to hang out, and decompress from the day and we have dedicated time each day for teens to take care of their mental wellbeing.

There is a bus from Fairfax High School that drops off at the Mott center each school day and families would be responsible for picking up their teen by 6pm. Pinn Community Center on Zion Road also offers teen programming, but students must arrange their own transportation. We offer a nutritious snack and supper to every participant and have special family meals planned throughout the year. 

We are happy to welcome individuals of all abilities and backgrounds. There is also no commitment to a minimum number of days, or even time that teens stay each day. Any of the staff at the Center can answer questions that families may have. Families may register for their teen to attend by creating an account at FairfaxNCS - Registration System (usedirect.com)

Do you want to celebrate a Fairfax employee who does ordinary things in an extraordinary way, or goes beyond what is expected? If so, then click here to share with everyone.

3501 Lion Run Fairfax, VA 22030  | Main Office: 703-219-2200

Attendance: 703-219-2211| Web