Important Upcoming Dates
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Feb 1 - Feb 28: 99 Pledges Online Fundraiser Band
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Feb 6 - 10: National School Counseling Week
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Feb 7 at 6:30pm-Cafeteria: SCHS Community Forums
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Feb 7 5:00-9:00pm: SCHS Band Boosters Chipotle Fundraiser
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Feb 8: Crossing Guard Appreciation Day
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Feb 16- May 4- 3:00pm-4:15pm: Mastering the Algebra 1 SOL
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Feb 20: Presidents' Day/Student /Teacher Holiday-Schools closed
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March : 2-Hour Early Release
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March 3: Student Holiday/School Planning Day
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April 3-April 7: Spring Break
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April 13: End of 3rd Quarter-2 Hour Early Release
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April 14: Teacher Workday/Student Holiday/Orthodox Good Friday
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April 21: Eid al Fitr/Student/Teacher Holiday-Schools closed
Message from Dr. Khoshaba
Greetings, SoCo family!
Welcome to February! It’s hard to believe that we’ve already spent one month in 2023. It seems like only yesterday that I found the thought of a new millennium as “too far in the future,” and now we’re almost a quarter century into it. Amazing!
We’ve had a great week of school. First, I want to spotlight our students who participated in the Science Fair. We haven’t had an in-person event since 2019, so this year’s fair was a return to more normalcy. What wasn’t normal was the high quality of content and presentations that our students exhibited at the fair. We have a dozen pictures that are being featured on our website and cafeteria tv’s, but here is a small sample of them. Way to go, Stallions!
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I also had the chance to meet with our Student Advisory Council this past Wednesday. We had 36 students attend, representing all four grade levels. In summary, they identified several strengths of SCHS that they enjoy, including the diverse offerings of clubs, the positive teachers who support them, and the diversity of our student body. Areas that our students want to see our school improve is with the participation of students and staff in Spirit Weeks and at after-school events, as well as increasing awareness of and improvement in their stress levels. Finally, when asked what they wished parents knew about high school and high school students, they replied with these themes:
- Please don’t compare us to our older siblings. We’re different people.
- We have a lot of stress when we go to school and participate in sports afterward.
- High school today is different than when our parents attended. Ninety-minute classes are hard to stay engaged with, and AP classes are especially challenging.
Overall, this was a positive session, and I was thrilled to learn so much about their thoughts and what was on their hearts.
By pure coincidence, the Social Studies department had already scheduled their own Pajama Day, and I was tickled to see them having such a great time with it! Cheers to Theme Days!
We also had a great Parent Advisory Council meeting this past Thursday. Our parents showed great appreciation for the South County teachers who support our students every day. They also appreciated the way all voices are encouraged and welcomed to be heard. Areas for improvement included establishing a standard expectation for how often grades are updated, creating one calendar that lists all activities at our school, and establishing an Advocacy Week (to empower students to ask for help).
As we continue to celebrate successes, we continually self-reflect to see how we can be better tomorrow than we were today. One of the most recent topics has been the need to revisit our traffic patterns. There are two main issues. First, we need to decrease traffic near door 1 (the main entrance) for pedestrian safety. Second, we need to reduce congestion at both entrances by having a smoother traffic flow. Note that we only have two entrances. The entrance for the buses off Laurel Crest is for buses only, so cars should not enter our campus via that area. In the coming weeks, I will share a new plan to address both of these issues. The plan will be sensitive to students who have special needs.
Stay warm!
Kambar
#OneStallion
EARLY RELEASE PROCEDURES
- Report early dismissal by contacting our attendance line at 703-446-1625 OPTION 3 or email us at southcountyhigh.attendance@fcps.edu. By doing this allows our attendance personnel to ensure your child is ready for pickup when you pull up to the curb. Your student will meet you outside.
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Prior to 8:10 AM, the student must present a note from the parent or guardian to the Attendance Office to obtain a check-out pass. The note must include the reason for leaving school and a contact number for the person writing the note. This procedure allows your child to be ready and waiting for you at the designated time and minimizes interruptions during instructional time.
- If the student does not have a note, then the parent or guardian must call the attendance office prior to 8:10 AM. Please give as much notice as possible. Unscheduled early releases may take up to 15 minutes to have the student dismissed.
- Only a parent/guardian is authorized to sign a student out during the school day. An adult listed on the Emergency Contact List may check a student out as long as we have a note or phone call from the parent/guardian authorizing that person to sign out the student in that particular instance. In all cases the authorized adult must appear in person to sign out the student and present a photo ID.
- Students must check out at the Attendance Office when leaving school and must check back in at the Attendance Office upon their return.
- Students who leave school without checking out properly will be marked unexcused and may face disciplinary action.
- Students must contact all teachers for any classes to be missed.
Register Now to Attend a Community Forum!
Check out the schedule of Community Forums and register for the one that is most convenient for you. The one here at SCHS is on Tuesday, Feb. 7 at 6:30pm. Community Forums will provide every resident an opportunity to participate in and influence the direction of FCPS’ Strategic Plan, prior to its completion and formal adoption by the School Board.
February 6-10 is National School
Counseling Week, and highlights the tremendous impact school counselors have in helping students achieve academic success and planning for a career.School counselors work with students in a variety of different capacities, whether it is through classroom lessons, group sessions, or individual counseling. Learn more about the role of school counselors in FCPS.
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Crossing Guard Appreciation Day- Feb 8
Crossing Guard Appreciation Day (CGAD) is a statewide event devoted to saying thank you to those who help students cross the street safely on their way to and from school. Learn more from VDOT.
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99 Pledges Fundraiser
South County High School Band Program is hosting a fundraiser 100% online-there are no products to buy, so every dollar you give is put right back into our program. Please consider donating and sharing this to support your favorite band!
To donate, click this link https://app.99pledges.com/fund/southcount8
Donors can either search for an individual band student in the search box or click on the “donate to main fundraiser page” link just under it.
Don’t feel like cooking? Great!
Plan on Chipotle in Lorton on Tuesday, Feb 7th. Show this flyer when ordering or enter the promo code G3ERP8M when ordering pickup. Orders must be placed from 5-9PM.
Class of 2024 Information
The class of 2024 is selling carnations for Valentine’s Day.
The flowers are $2 a piece or 3 for $5. Orders can be placed February 6-10 during all lunches and will be delivered on February 14.
The South County High School Math in Action Team will be hosting: Mastering the Algebra 1 SOL: Thursday After School Program from 3:00 to 4:15. All Algebra 1 Students will be taking their End of Course SOL Exam on May 10, 2023. Teachers will work with small groups of students reviewing skills and concepts to help prepare students for the SOL Exam. This is a great opportunity for Students to reinforce their Algebra 1 Skills. Late busses are available on Thursdays and leave the school at 4:30.
Dates: Thursday, February 16, 2023 - Thursday, May 4, 2023.
Please note, there will not be classes on Thursday, March 2 (early release day), Thursday, April 6 (spring break), and Thursday, April 13 (early release day).
Registration Dates: Friday, January 20 to Friday, February 2
Questions: Please contact Tracy Birrell, tabirrell@fcps.edu, or 703-446-1853 for questions.
Registration Link: Mastering the Algebra 1 SOL
See attached flyer
The SCHS Theatre Arts Department is proud to announce that auditions for The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical are coming up soon! Go to schstheatre.com and click “auditions” to learn more!
FAFSA Help
2023-24 College Financial Aid Forms Are Available; College Access Fairfax Is Here to Help
It’s time for high school seniors and their families to complete college financial aid forms. Most colleges require that the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) be completed by Wednesday, March 1, to receive the maximum financial aid possible in fall 2023. Some schools have even earlier priority deadlines, so check the individual college’s financial aid office website for deadlines and specific forms to complete. To begin the FAFSA, you will need to create a FSA ID.
A funding opportunity is available for students who are unable to complete the FAFSA; the Virginia Alternative State Aid (VASA) program. Visit the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia website for help in determining which aid option is right for you.
There are several College Access Fairfax recordings, virtual workshops, and resources available for viewing College Access Fairfax website. College Access Fairfax’s Financial Aid Champions also provide help completing the financial aid forms. To request a one-on-one appointment, please email appointments@collegeaccessfairfax.org.
Families can also contact their high school's college and career specialist or school counselor if they need additional help.
How to Talk 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 responsible alcohol consumption and safety are necessary. When consuming alcoholic beverages around young people, consider the message(s) you would like for them to receive. Without noticing you may find 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 other healthy coping strategies.
It’s never too early to have age-appropriate conversations with your child about alcohol. According to SAMHSA, about 10% of children have indicated they have tried alcohol before and that number increases to 50% by the time they are 15 years old. Early and frequent conversations about alcohol and other drugs tend are more effective than having “the talk” once. Avoiding the conversation with your child as a parent decreases the opportunity to ensure your position is understood. Our youth will still have the conversion with their peers. Silence communicates just as loudly as a verbal conversation. 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:
Catric Marshall, MSMHC., LRIC., CCC
Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist
cwhaleymarsh@fcps.edu
Does Your Child Refuse to Go to School?
Each year, nearly 5% of youth experience school refusal. This refers to a child refusing to go to school on a regular basis or remain in school throughout the day due to significant emotional distress. School refusal includes kindergarten students with relatively mild separation anxiety and more severe cases where a student misses weeks or months of school because of debilitating anxiety or depression. Read how to get your child back to school in the Healthy Minds Blog or learn more about attendance policies.
SAVE THE DATE
The Junior/Senior Prom will be held on May 20 from 8-11 pm at Westwood Country Club.
There will be more information coming shortly!
PTSO
Achievement Based Scholarships
The South County High School PTSO is pleased to offer achievement-based scholarships to well-rounded graduating seniors pursuing full-time higher education at a two- or four-year college or university or technical/vocational institute. Award amounts will be $500 each.
All applications are reviewed anonymously by an impartial selection committee and are evaluated on the following criteria: academic and other achievement, extra-curricular activities, letter of recommendation, essay submission, community involvement, leadership, and overall quality of application.
To apply and see eligibility requirements:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/13PXBilYuk-_fmKHSLgu5rcRi-c3D5TQ0/edit?usp=share_link&ouid=114760438917808724109&rtpof=true&sd=true
Any questions, please reach out to Simmy Yau at scholarship@southcountyptso.org.
Congratulate your South County Class of 2023 Grad with a LAWN SIGN!!!
All proceeds benefit the Class of 2023 All Night Grad Party AKA The Final Stampede.
Order must be placed (ONLINE ONLY) by May 1, 2023.
Signs will be available for pickup at South County High School the week of May 15, 2023 (info will be sent out to those who purchased in May)
Graduation Date!
Class of 2023, please save the date for graduation! We are excited to celebrate our senior class on Friday, June 9, 9:30am at Eagle Bank Arena. At various times throughout the year, we will send out senior newsletters with a great deal of information. The first one will come out in October.
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Athletic All-Access Pass
Important SoCo and FCPS Resources
How to Stay In Touch
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