Weekly News From South County High School

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Important Upcoming Dates

  • Apr 1-5: National Assistant Principals Week
  • April 3-April 7: Spring Break
  • April 13: End of 3rd Quarter-2 Hour Early Release 
  • April 14: Teacher Workday/Student Holiday/Orthodox Good Friday
  • April 21: Eid al Fitr/Student/Teacher Holiday-Schools closed
  • May 29-Holiday/Memorial Day-Schools closed
  • June 9th  9:30AM: Graduation Eagle Bank Arena
  • June 16-Last Day of School (Early Release)


Message from Dr. Khoshaba


Happy Spring, SoCo family!

Although the weather doesn’t currently indicate so, this week saw us enter the Spring season of the year. I often like taking walks in my neighborhood, and this week I was pleasantly surprised to see beautiful flowers blooming. Gardening is one of my favorite hobbies, so this time of the year is especially enjoyable to me. However, flowers aren’t the only things that are popping up this week. Just take a look at what’s new at SoCo!

First, we have come to a conclusion on one aspect of our new traffic pattern. All of you should have received an eNotify message from me this weekend, so rather than repeat it here, I’ll provide you with a brief summary.

Recently, we’ve seen an increase in the number of students who are leaving school property without parent permission. This trend is happening most often on Advisory days and during lunches. To remedy this issue, beginning on the day we return from Spring Break (April 10), we will shut the gate on the Silverbrook entrance to the parking lot, leaving only the Laurel Crest entrance near the softball field and football stadium open for vehicles.

We will post security personnel near the entrance point to stop all vehicles that are leaving to ensure they have permission to do so, as well as check all vehicles that are entering our campus to determine their intent. The Silverbrook gate will re-open at 2:00pm each day to allow traffic to continue exiting as it has in the past.

Our faculty have been informed of these changes this weekend. Students will be informed via our morning announcements this Wednesday, March 29.

There are other matters with traffic that we will address, but these matters will be finalized during the summer. I appreciate everyone’s understanding and support as we roll this plan into effect upon our return from Spring Break. If you haven’t already done so, please speak with your student about the importance of remaining on campus unless you have given them permission to leave in writing.

Lastly, congratulations go out to all of the following students who placed at the Regional Science Fair:

2nd Place, Earth and Environmental Sciences

Natalie Billeb, Takari Gray – Effective Methods to Clean up Oil Spills

3rd Place, Animal Sciences

Jocelyn Tran – Effect of Melatonin on Planaria

3rd Place, Biomedical and Health Sciences and Engineering

Hope Baxter, Alexia Zakaryan – Testing and Measuring Concussions in Different Sports

Krishna Kuppam, Leila Slye – Effects of Natural vs. Synthetic Antibiotics on E.coli

3rd Place, Chemistry

Asher Embry – Effect of Fuel Types on Fire Starters

Honorable Mention, Animal Sciences

Isa Grois, Jessica Wiriadinata, Jordan Plumb – How Vibrations Affect Ants’ Ability to Find Food

Our entire SoCo community celebrates these accomplished Stallions!

I hope you all enjoy the rest of your weekend.

 

Kambar

#OneStallion



senior corner


Senior Dues:

  • $100 – pays for graduation, cap and gown, diploma cover, etc.
  • Can be paid through My School Bucks or cash or check to Ms. Straughn (C240) and Ms. Storer (C231)
  • Checks will not be accepted after May 1st

Prom:

  • May 20th 8pm-11pm at Westwood Country Club, Vienna
  • $60 – ticket sales begin May 8th during lunches
  • If you your student has overdue fees on their account, they will need to resolve those first before buying a prom ticket

Senior Class Trip:

  • Wednesday, June 7th Kings Dominion
  • More info to come

 Graduation:

  • Friday, June 9th at 9:30AM Eagle Bank Arena
  • Students must arrive to Eagle Bank by 8:30 AM with only a car key in hand (no phones, no wallets, etc.)
  • No tickets required for graduation – unlimited seating
  • Required Graduation Rehearsals: Tuesday, June 6th 10AM and Thursday, June 8th 10AM in the bubble

Caps and Gowns:

  • Make sure your senior completes the Senior Caps and Gowns form to have the correct size ordered ASAP. Students will need to be logged into their FCPS google account to complete this form.
  • Caps and gowns will be distributed during graduation rehearsals.
  • If your student owes fees (textbooks, senior dues, missing chargers/laptops, etc.) they will not be able to collect their cap and gown until their fees are resolved.

Graduation Pictures:

  • Graduation will be photographed by Victor O’Neill Studios
  • You can create an account before graduation in order to view pictures after graduation.
event photo


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!    

prom


yearbook

 

Don't wait!

 

Order your copy of 2022-2023 Yearbook here



 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.

 



lorton spring fling


  Tickets for All Night Grad Party (ANGP) 



The night is meant to celebrate your student and their fellow classmates in a fun and positive environment.  We can’t wait to celebrate the Class of 2023 at the All Night Grad Party!

Theme: Final Stampede

Date: Friday, 9 June

Location: St. James Sports Complex (Springfield)

Price: $60.  Get your ticket now!

Follow the link to purchase a ticket, sign the waiver, and emergency contact form:  https://southcountyptso.membershiptoolkit.com/packet/24432443

The following registration information MUST be completed and agreed to by a parent/guardian.  This waiver and the purchase of a ticket allows entrance into the South County All Night Grad Party.



************   BE PART OF THE FUN *******

*********HELP is needed for the 2023 ANGP ****(Sign-Up Here)

Class of 2023: Class of 2023: ANGP Sign-Up (signupgenius.com)



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)

 

class 2023


mental health

No-Cost Mental Health Teletherapy for Students Starting April 10 

FCPS has partnered with Hazel Health to begin offering virtual mental health services to high school students via live video sessions. Starting Monday, April 10, parents/caregivers who have been struggling to find a therapist for their child or who notice changes in their child’s behavior will be able to connect them virtually with a licensed therapist. 

Teletherapy services for students are short-term, evidence-based, and culturally-responsive. Teletherapy is available on any device, Monday through Friday from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Therapists will be locally-licensed clinicians; 50% of whom identify as Black, Indigenous, or people of color (BIPOC); and 40% of whom are bilingual. More than 15 languages are available.

Hazel Health’s licensed therapists can help students who are experiencing:

  • Mood/behavior changes, lack of motivation, grief/loss.
  • Anxiety, worry, fears.
  • Bullying, sexual identity challenges, challenging peer and family relationships.
  • Academic stress.

The first step for parents is to provide information through an opt-in form. Visit FCPS’ Teletherapy webpage for details.



Proposed Updates to the 2023-24 Student Rights and Responsibilities (SR&R), and Feedback Opportunities 



Last week, we shared information about the Department of Special Services’ virtual meetings regarding proposed updates to the Student Rights and Responsibilities (SR&R) Regulation for the 2023-24 school year. The meeting scheduled for Monday, March 27, 6:30-7:30 p.m. is currently on hold. Please check the event webpage for updates. Please stay tuned for details. Visit FCPS’ website.   



Parent Information Line Available in Eight Languages



Parents who speak Amharic, Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, Korean, Spanish, Urdu, or Vietnamese can call a telephone information line for general information about FCPS and to receive support if they are having difficulty communicating with their children's schools due to a language barrier.



DECA

🏆 Students from 15 FCPS High Schools win DECA Awards


Two-hundred-three students from 15 Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) high schools were recognized as competitive event winners at the Virginia DECA State Leadership Conference. These students earned the right to compete at the DECA International Career Development Conference April 22-25. A complete list of winners is available on the FCPS website.



South County ATHLETICS



 

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For the latest news, scores, and schedules

please visit our website.

Athletics & Activities Website: 

https://stallionnation.org/



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