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Woodson Weekly -
February 17th |
Woodson Weekly is published every Friday to provide the community with important information about school life at Woodson High School.
Mission Statement
Woodson High School’s mission is to empower our community to reach their individual potential by creating a healthy environment of mutual respect, responsibility, equity, and inclusion.
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To read this newsletter in other languages, please visit our website.
Para leer este mensaje en otros idiomas, podrán ver las traducciones automáticas en nuestro sitio web.
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 Making DNA molecules out of candy and evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of models in Ms. Barry's biology class.
Important Upcoming Dates
Monday, February 20th - Presidents' Day Holiday - No School
Monday, February 20th - Spring Sports Tryouts Begin
Friday, February 24th - International Night, Auditorium (see story #7)
Thursday, March 2nd - Early Release
Friday, March 3rd - No School for Students; School Planning Day
Saturday, March 11th - Fairfax County Teen Job Fair, 11am-1pm at West Springfield HS (see story #8)
The complete FCPS 2022-2023 School Year Calendar
Woodson's Events & Activities Calendar
Message from Dr. Floyd
Hello Woodson Families:
This is the first three day weekend in a month and I have to tell you, we are all jazzed and ready for a day off! The weather looks like it may be warmer than average and I hope everyone enjoys the time off together.
Over the last couple weeks and through mid – March students in grades 9-11 will be choosing classes for next year. Please note that March 31st is the last day to make changes to course requests. This deadline is necessary because our staffing (the teachers hired for next year) is determined on how many students take which classes. This means the careful consideration of course recommendations by this years' teachers along with discussions with families and the school counselors are essential at this time. Do not delay, there is no time like the present to discuss what level of class and what type of electives your son/daughter may wish to take in 2023-2024.
In case you missed it, the calendars for next three school years have been published. Please see story #3 for more details.
Please reach out with any questions, comments or concerns you may have, we are here to support our families.
Enjoy the long weekend,
Dr. Floyd
Principal
AP World History students learned about the impact of revolutions by putting Maximilien Robespierre on trial to determine whether he was civilized. Dr. Floyd presided as the judge and Mr. Wright served as the bailiff.
In this Issue
NEW News
1. Mental Health First Aid Training for Parents and Students
2. Academic Advising for 2023-2024
3. FCPS Approved Calendar for SY23-24
4. Mulch Sale
5. Model Judiciary Club earns a bid to the State Championship
6. WTW Drama - One Act Play
7. International Night Potluck Contributors Needed
8. 2023 Fairfax County Teen Job Fairs
9. Apply for Student Representative to the School Board
10. College & Career Center News
PAST News, but still important
11. Attendance Procedures
12. It's College Partnership Recruitment Season!
13. Strategic Plan Engagement Sessions for Students and the Community
14. Summer Enrichment Opportunities
15. 2023-24 College Financial Aid Forms Are Available; College Access Fairfax Is Here to Help
16. Professional Resume & College Resume Writing Workshop
17. Tutor.com for Exam Prep
18. Order Your Cavalier Yearbook
19. Class of 2023 News
20. Laptop Tech Support Hours
21. Woodson's PTSO
NEW News
1. Mental Health First Aid Training for Parents and Students
Woodson is excited to announce the opportunity for parents and students to receive free Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Training.
This course is designed to teach parents, family members, caregivers and students how to help an adolescent (age 12-18) who is experiencing a mental health or addictions challenge, or is in crisis.
The class is limited to 30 members. There will be a waitlist for any registrations over the limit.
Woodson Training Dates and Registration Links:
Parents: Tuesday, April 11th from 8am-4pm in Cav Hall
Click here to register for the parent training. (only 5 spots left)
Students: must be able to attend all 3 sessions during Return periods: Wednesday, March 8th (1/3), Friday, March 10th (7/5), Thursday, March 16th (3/3)
Click here to register for the student training. (20 spots left)
2. Academic Advising for 2023-2024
Academic Advising for next school year has begun! It is important that students are thinking about school/life balance when selecting classes for next year, along with focusing on classes geared towards their interests and aligned with their personal goals. To help with this, students and parents can view the Curriculum Night presentations and information regarding courses being offered at Woodson next year on our Advising & Curriculum website.
For additional information on the overall academic advising process, please visit the Student Services Academic Advising Padlet.
Academic Advising schedule:
- Rising Seniors (current 11th graders): February 6-February 16 (through US History classes)
- Rising Juniors (current 10th graders): February 17-February 24 (through PE10 classes)
- Rising Sophomores (current 9th graders): February 27-March 9 (through PE9 classes)
3. FCPS Approved School Calendar for SY23-24
The Fairfax County School Board approved a calendar for the 2023-24, 2024-25, and 2025-26 school years at their February 9 meeting. Learn more about the approved calendar.
The first day of the 2023-24 school year will be Monday, August 21, and the last day will be Wednesday, June 12.
 Students taking Sports Medicine practicing splinting and wrapping in lab this week.
4. Mulch Sale
The annual Woodson Mulch Sale has arrived. Freshen up your flower beds and support the Woodson High School Leadership and Sports Leadership Classes at the same time. The Leadership Classes are once again offering high quality shredded hardwood mulch for purchase.
Orders for 3-cubic foot bags of mulch must be received by Thursday, March 9th, for pick-up at Woodson or delivery to your home on Sunday, March 19th. When placing an order for 10 or more bags, delivery is an option. All mulch will be delivered on Sunday, March 19th, beginning at 8:30am. The proceeds benefit the Woodson Leadership and Sports Leadership Classes and support their activities. For more details or for an order form, please check out our web link.
This year you can also order and pay on-line at MySchoolBucks. Browse all items and select the Mulch Sale Fundraiser.
Need more info? Send an email to DJSchaefer@fcps.edu
 Thank you to Ms. Bensalem's son and Amazon for the yarn donations to the crochet club!
5. Model Judiciary Club earns a bid to the State Championship
Woodson’s Model Judiciary Club’s competitive Mock Trial Team competed in a Regional competition last weekend against several schools. The mock trials were judged by attorneys, judges, or experienced national mock trial competitors.
Based on the scoring of the judges, the Woodson Mock Trial Team was ranked in the top 6 in the Region and earned a bid to the State Championship in Richmond that will be conducted March 18-19.
Congratulations on an outstanding competition! Special kudos to Josie Owens who tied for the top attorney in the Region and Meredith Phipps who tied for the third best witness in the Region.
6. WTW Drama - One Act Play
Last month WTW Drama participated in the regional One Act competition – with an original play written for our Advanced Theatre Students called, The Yassification of Jesse James by the Coward Samantha Clementine. The students absolutely crushed it.
In a competitive region we placed fifth with only a few points separating the top five choices. Two of our actors performances were highlighted - Ian Conner was listed as an honorable mention and Farooq Khan won an award for one of the best performers in the region.
If you’re looking for a fun short performance we will be performing our play tonight, Friday, February 17th at 7pm in the auditorium! The show is free and open to the community and only runs about 40 minutes in length.
7. International Night Potluck Contributors Needed
Woodson's International Night is looking for potluck contributors! This year, International Night will be held on Friday, February 24th. The event consists of a potluck in the cafeteria and a fashion show and performances in the auditorium. Organizers of the event would love teachers, families, and community members to help in contributing food for the event.
As a potluck contributor you are not required to attend rehearsals but please arrive at 4:30pm on February 24th to either drop off your food or prepare it for serving. Please aim to bring 30 or more servings to feed a crowd and fill out this form.
If you have any questions, please email wtwfortheculture@gmail.com.
 Cav Kudos! These students were recognized for helping Woodson build a great school culture one interaction at a time.
8. 2023 Fairfax County Teen Job Fairs
Saturday, March 11 from 11am - 1pm at West Springfield HS! Register below to attend!
The 2023 Fairfax County Teen Job Fairs, hosted by Pat Herrity, Springfield District Supervisor, Connection Newspapers, Fairfax County Public Schools, as well as local chambers and organizations, have been announced. There will be three Fairfax County Teen Job Fairs and Career-Building Workshops. The fairs will run on three Saturdays in March.
The fairs are open to all teens in Fairfax County looking for employment, volunteer opportunities, or tips on building their resume. Free table space will be provided to registered businesses and organizations to advertise their available positions. They will also host resume and career building sessions with Chamber of Commerce partners. Beginning January 24, students and employers may register to attend here:
Student Registration Business/Employer Registration
Please see the event webpage for dates, times, locations, and all event related details.
 February 15th was School Resource Officer Appreciation Day. Thank you to Officer Issa for working hard to keep Woodson safe every day!
9. Apply for Student Representative to the School Board
Each year, in accordance with FCPS Policy 1802, FCPS students have the opportunity to apply for the position of the student representative to the School Board. The student representative is not a member of the School Board but serves in a nonvoting, advisory capacity, representing the interests of the students of Fairfax County Public Schools.
Students who are currently in grades 9, 10, and 11 are eligible to apply, and they do not need to be current members of the Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council (SAC).
The application involves 2 components. Both are required to be considered for the Election.
- Written Applications are due March 17, 2023. 2023 Student Representative to the School Board
- A thirty second candidate statement via Flip Video is due March 31, 2023. Candidates will be emailed a link to record their video on March 20, 2023.
The 2023 election will consist of two parts:
- The first part of the Election is a virtual Primary Election held on April 17, 2023, using FCPS zoom. Candidates have the option to attend the Primary Election. Candidates will be notified by email regarding the Primary Election results.
- The second part of the Election is a General Election held in person on April 19, 2023, at Thomas Jefferson High School. Candidates who advanced from the Primary Election are required to attend the General Election on April 19, 2023.
Additional information and details regarding both the Primary and General Elections will be shared with candidates.
10. College & Career Center News
Please mark your calendar for the upcoming events below. Newsletters, Scholarship & Enrichment Opportunities, Military Resources & more can be found in the Woodson College & Career Padlets.
- Fire & Rescue/EMT Career Presentation on Feb 21
- Resume Workshop on Feb 27
- ASVAB Test at Robinson SS on March 7
- Virtual Paying for College Presentations for 9 – 11 graders by College Access Fairfax on March 14 & 18
- FCPS Virtual Military Night on March 20
- Northern Virginia Regional College Fair at George Mason University on April 4
Please access the live Calendar for event information & registration links.
 Woodson Buddies celebrated Valentine's Day with a party after school this week.
PAST News, but still important
11. Attendance Procedures
Please review Woodson's attendance procedures to ensure accurate reporting for your student.
If your student will be absent from school, a parent/guardian must notify the attendance office. Below is a quick guide for reporting all-day absences, late arrivals, and early check-outs from school.
12. It is College Partnership Recruitment Season!
The College Partnership Program is designed to systematically mitigate the impact of barriers to access, opportunity, and attainment and supports students who are from populations that are historically underrepresented on college campuses including:
- Due to illness, FCPS ACE/Career & Technical Education Info Session cancelled their visit on Monday, February 6th. We will reschedule and send out the new date.
- Students who are the first in family to attend college in the U.S
- Black or African American
- Hispanic, of one or more race
- Students with disabilities
- English language learners
- Economically disadvantaged students
Students Meet Monthly to gain access to different college and career resources, speakers and tours. To apply please fill out this application by Friday, March 10th.
If you have additional questions, please reach out to Jamie Korpacz (jlkorpacz@fcps.edu), Alaina Proffitt (aproffitt1@fcps.edu), and Lizzi Walter (ehwalter@fcps.edu) school counselors & CPP advocates.
13. Strategic Plan Engagement Sessions for Students and the Community
Strategic Plan: Make Your Students’ Voice Count! FCPS is currently seeking secondary students in grades 7-12 who are interested in participating in a Strategic Plan focus group. This focus group provides an opportunity to share feedback in a small group with other FCPS students and a trained facilitator. FCPS is hosting virtual focus groups for secondary students in March:
Thursday, March 16th, 3:30-5 p.m. or 5:30-7 p.m.
Interested students should check their email for a form to sign up for the focus groups. Students will be asked to provide their student ID, so their parents/caregivers can be identified and contacted to ask for consent to participate.
If you have any questions about the student focus groups or you would like to learn more about this opportunity, please contact strategicplan@fcps.edu.
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. 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. Learn more about our strategic planning process.
14. Summer Enrichment Opportunities
15. 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 Saturday, March 1st, to receive the maximum financial aid possible in fall 2023. Some schools have 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.
College Access Fairfax's website offers recordings, virtual workshops, and other resources. Their 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.
16. Professional Resume & College Resume Writing Workshop
Please join us on Monday, February 27th from 10:15–11:15am in Cav Hall to learn how to write a winning resume. Please complete this Google Form to register. Registration closes on Friday, February 24th. All grade levels are encouraged to participate.
You will learn
- How to build up your resume
- The sections of a resume
- Resumes for Summer jobs, internships, scholarships, etc.
- How to draft your College Resume
This workshop is presented by Ann McFadyen. Ann is a professional career coach and resume writer, trained and certified in Federal Resume writing. She has worked internationally as an employment advisor and resume writer and for college and graduate school counselors as an essay and personal statement editor. With an MFA in creative writing, Ann loves to help clients and students to discover and tell their own stories to advance their personal and professional development.
17. Tutor.com for Exam 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 the FCPS Tutor.com website.
 18. Order Your Cavalier Yearbook
Purchasing a Yearbook:
Don't miss out - reserve your student's copy of the yearbook today! We print a limited quantity of yearbooks every year and we WILL sell out. Preordering is the only way to guarantee a copy of the yearbook. Go to www.yearbookordercenter.com and type in Woodson's code - 5278.
Thank you for your support of the Woodson Yearbook! For any questions, please email Staci Vega at slvega@fcps.edu.
19. Class of 2023 News
Want to know all the important news and upcoming events for the Class of 2023? Visit the Senior Class News website for everything you need to know.
20. Laptop Tech Support Hours
If students need FCPS laptop technical support at Woodson HS, please submit a ticket using the FCPS Parent/Student Tech Support Portal.
Our walk-in hours in Room A114 are:
- Odd Days during Learning Seminar
- Monday - 7:45am - 8:10am
- Wednesday - 2:55pm - 4:00pm (when late buses start)
Any other time you should try to make an appointment using a ticket from the Support Portal.
Thank you, Woodson HS Tech Support Team
21. Woodson's PTSO
Our mission is to make every child’s potential a reality by engaging and empowering families and communities to advocate for all children. Whether you are a new or returning WTW parent, please get involved in any way that works for you.
2022-23 PTSO Board -
Miklos Kiss - President
Lena McGinn - VP Membership
Diane Raffaele - Secretary
Kyle Durbin - Treasurer
Jill Battaglia - Communications
PTSO website https://wtwoodsonptso.ptboard.com/annlist
We look forward to a great school year!
Mental Health Resources | 24/7 Emergency Numbers
If you are in crisis, text NEEDHELP to 85511, call 1-800-273-TALK, or dial 911; TTY dial 711
CrisisLink Regional Hotline: 703-527-4077 (CrisisLink is a hotline for individuals in crisis or family/friends seeking guidance for how to help a loved one)
Dominion Hospital Assessment and Referral Line: 703-536-2000
Inova Emergency Services: 703-289-7560
Mobile Crisis Unit: 1-844-627-4747
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK or 1-800-SUICIDE
Merrifield Center Emergency Services: 703-573-5679; TTY dial 711 (The Merrifield Center of the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board, offers a range of clinical programming. Emergency Services, staffed 24 hours per day, seven days per week, works with people in psychiatric crisis who need immediate attention.)
Plan D Nova https://www.plandnova.org/ (a website for Northern Virginia teens who suffer from depression: #breakthestigma)
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