Annandale Community Insider - June 4

Annandale Students, Parents and Community:

As I reflect on this past year and how we have supported our students, I am so proud of the work we have done to collectively hold high standards and help them reach their goals. These last several weeks running up to SOLs, IB exams, and tomorrow, graduation, have highlighted the ways we work together as a school to support our students’ needs. This support doesn’t just come from students’ teachers, but all staff members at Annandale High School in partnership with families. Thank you for all you do to support us and to support your student.

On Monday, we will host graduation at 9:00am on our stadium field. I am excited to see all of our families and distinguished guests, and to celebrate our seniors on this momentous occasion. The ceremony will be livestreamed and available for viewing at this link: tinyurl.com/Annandale2023. In addition, copies of the recording are also available for purchase. 

For students in grades 9-11, this day will be asynchronous. Students should log on to Schoology to complete the school-wide lesson. They can use the remainder of this day to study for exams and catch up on missing assignments. There will be no in-person or synchronous virtual classes.

Next week is our last week of classes. The following week students will take their final exams. Final exams are worth 10% of a student’s final grade in the class and can only serve to improve the grade. That means students have nothing to lose, and everything to gain by preparing for, and taking their final exam.

Our Atoms Agreement of Determination means that we do our best and we try, even when things are hard. To that end, I encourage students to show determination by taking full advantage of their time this week to ask their teachers for help. If a student needs help, or doesn’t know where to start, I encourage them to work with their teacher. They can also get help from a live tutor online for free using Tutor.com. 

Have a great week, Atom Nation. As always, reach out with questions.

Shawn DeRose, Principal

Important Dates

June 5 - Class of 2023 Graduation, 9am

June 6 - All Night Grad Celebration, 11pm-5am

June 8 - Last Day of ASAP

June 9 - Last Day of PRIDE Time

June 12-15 - Underclass Exams (Dismissal at 11:25am)

June 13 - Class of 2025 Chipotle Fundraiser, 5-9pm

June 12-16 - Underclassmen Laptop Connection

June 16 - Last Day of School (Dismissal at 10:10am)

June 20 - Annandale High School Summer Camps Begin

June 5 - Class of 2023 Graduation Ceremony: The Class of 2023 Graduation Ceremony will be held on Monday, June 5, at 9:00am in our stadium. The ceremony will be livestreamed and available for viewing at this link: tinyurl.com/Annandale2023. In addition, copies of the recording are also available for purchase.

Parents and students of the Class of 2023, we have created a "Graduation 2023 Tutorial" video that includes important information to prepare for this special event. Check it out!

June 6 - All Night Grad Celebration: Annandale High School’s All Night Grad Celebration is June 6 from 11:00pm-5:00am at Audrey Moore Rec Center! Tickets are on sale now. Students can order tickets here, or pick up the ticket form in the office. If you would like, you can Sponsor a Senior and purchase their ticket! Questions? Please contact the ANGC Chair Rheanna Bernard if you have questions or concerns about the All Night Graduation Celebration.

June 8 - Last Day of ASAP: Thursday, June 8 will be the last day of our After School Academic Program (ASAP) for the year.

June 9 - Last Day of PRIDE Time: Friday, June 9 will be the last day of PRIDE Time this year. 

June 12-16 - Underclassmen Laptop Collection: All students are required to turn in their FCPS issued laptop before leaving for the summer. Students will have the opportunity to turn in their laptop from June 12-16. See below for dates and times.

• June 12-15 - Students can turn in their laptop in the cafeteria 9:20-11:25am after the last final for which it is needed
• June 16 - (2 hour day) Students can turn in their laptops in the cafeteria from 8:10-10:20am.

Students who are registered for FCPS summer school will be issued a laptop at their summer school location. 

June 13 – Class of 2025 Fundraiser at Chipotle, 5-9pm: Do good with Chipotle! The Class of 2025 will be hosting a fundraiser on Tuesday 6/13 from 5-9pm at Chipotle on Little River Tpke in Alexandria. Order online for pickup using code XBDNRWN or show the flyer posted in the hallways/mention the fundraiser when ordering in the restaurant. Chipotle will donate 33% of sales to the Class of 2025. Valid only at 6242 Little River Tpke, Alexandria VA.

Finish Strong!

End of Year Attendance Requirements: The last day of school for underclass students is Friday, June 16. While SOL testing is coming to an end, there is still much going on in our classrooms. Teachers and teams are continuing to plan high quality instruction that will prepare students to be successful not only on final exams, but in the coming years. In some cases, students are working on certifications or other requirements for graduation. All students are expected to attend school each day to complete these activities and finish the year strong. 

The week of June 12-16, school is held from 8:10am-11:25pm. During this time, students will complete their end of course exams. These culminating activities assess students’ mastery of the standards and skills they have been learning throughout the year. 

Purpose of Final Exams: According to FCPS policy, “a final examination or appropriate culminating activity, such as a presentation of learning (POL) will be given in all high school courses and must be based on the standards listed in the Program of Studies or other designated curriculum.” At Annandale, the purpose of final exams is to assess students’ mastery of the standards and skills they have been learning throughout the year. Some examples of final exams could be SOL-like progress monitoring assessments, culminating projects, reflective writing, or other demonstrations of learning. Our teachers work together in teams to develop a common final exam that students across the team will take.

Participation Expectations: According to FCPS policy, all students are expected to participate in a final exam for every course, regardless of SOL results. A student who is absent from the final examination or activity will receive a score of "missing" which is equivalent to a 50%.

Approach to Grading Final Exams: At Annandale, final exams are worth 10% of a students’ final grade. According to FCPS policy. Unlike other assessments, students will not have an opportunity to retake a final exam. This year, a student’s score on a final exam can only serve to improve the final grade. If the final exam grade does not improve the final grade in the course, it will be excluded in the gradebook.

Awesome Atoms!

CAT B Department Recognizes Outstanding Students: On Thursday, the CAT B department held our annual CAT B. Award ceremony! We recognized our awesome students, peer helpers, best buddies, orchestra, and Special Olympics athletes. Thank you to all staff, friends and families that joined us!

Future Atoms Tour Annandale: ESOL Students from Poe and Holmes Middle Schools visited AHS this past week. These future Atoms had an opportunity to tour the school with student leaders. Following the tours, the group visited the Bistro to meet new friends and future classmates and enjoy cookies baked by our culinary department. This was a great way to introduce the newest members of Atom Nation to our school. As one student shared, “One thing I loved from visiting Annandale is how positive and amazing the environment is and I felt very accepted. It’s very welcoming and homelike. Thank you for welcoming us to AHS and my tour guide, Fatima. I can’t wait for next year.”

Atoms Featured on Telemundo: From Paris for $50 to K-Pop Immersion in Seoul, 19 Annandale High School Students Go Abroad on Summer Scholarships! Barcelona. Berlin. Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. Ghana. Rome. These are some of the places where nineteen Annandale High School students will be spending their summer, aided by a collective $75,085 in scholarship funding they won after being encouraged to apply for the grants by their teachers. Check out the feature story here.

Opportunities

Yearbooks Are Here! Yearbooks can be purchased at www.yearbookforever.com or in cash for $85. See Ms. Hanneman in room 272 or 262 to pick up your copy!

Tutoring Grants Available for Families: The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) is now accepting applications from parents for tutoring microgrants for their children through the K-12 Learning Acceleration Grants program. The program was created to help Virginia families address the impact of the pandemic on student learning. It provides $1,500 grants to parents of school-age children for tutoring in specific subjects. Children from homes with family incomes at 300% or less of the federal poverty level may qualify for $3,000 grants. Available services include in-person, online, and hybrid tutoring provided one-on-one or in small group or large group settings. The first step in the process is to visit VDOE’s K-12 Learning Acceleration Grants page and create an application account.

June 6 - Poe Middle School Mural Reveal: Poe Middle School Artists have been working hard to complete our annual mural project. Please join us for the Opening Ceremony where the mural will be "unveiled" and "revealed" for the Poe Community. Refreshments will be served and ALL are welcome. Please come alone or with family and friends. The event starts at 6pm on Tuesday, June 6th. Formal remarks will be shared at 6:30pm where you will hear directly from artists. Hope to see you there!

June 8 and 9 - Class of 2024, Senior Portraits! Want to get a head start on senior year by taking your senior portraits? Rising seniors can sign-up for a time after school on June 8 or 9 to take their senior portraits in the Bistro using this link: https://seniors.legacystudios.com/annandale-hs-va/. 

June 11 - Observance Design Challenge Deadline: FCPS is looking for middle and high school students to submit artwork to represent the observances on the FCPS school year calendar for 2023-24. The goal of the Observance Design Challenge is to encourage students to tap into their creativity to create visuals that accurately and positively represent the many religious observances celebrated in the FCPS community. Selected entries will be featured on FCPS social media and in newsletters in the next school year! See all the submission guidelines and instructions on the FCPS website. Entries will be accepted through June 11.

Institute for the Arts - Enrollment Now Open: Students in all FCPS secondary schools can enroll in the Institute for the Arts (IFTA). IFTA is a two- or four-week summer arts enrichment program for students in rising 7th through 12th grades. Students create their own schedules in art, music, theatre, and dance from nearly 80 courses offered. Transportation is provided from around the county. Tuition is free for students who qualify for free or reduced lunch. Check out the website and register online here. For more information email ifta@fcps.edu.

Important Information

Medication Pickup: The school health room is reminding parents and guardians that all medication stored in the health room must be picked up no later than 12:00pm on Friday, June 16. Medication left in the health room after that time will be discarded. It is school policy that medications must be picked up by the parent or guardian, however, with parent or guardian written permission, a high school student may transport over-the-counter medications to and from the health room. If you have any questions, please contact the School Health Aide Larry Cooper at 703-642-4110 or the Public Health Nurse Katherine Estrada.

Free Student Bus Pass Program: Did you know that middle school students and high school students attending FCPS are eligible to participate in our Free Student Bus Pass Program. This allows students to ride the Connector, Metro (Falls Church HS, Justice HS, Annandale HS, Davis Ctr and Marshall HS), and Cue buses for free, seven days a week between the hours of 7:00am and 10:00pm. Click here for more information on the program. 

Free Live Tutoring Service Available to Annandale Students: Our Atoms Agreement of Determination means that we try, even when it is difficult; do our best; are present and engaged; show up on time; and create goals and strive to achieve them. To support students in demonstrating Determination, a recent W4 lesson shared detailed information about ways students can take control of their own learning, including preparing for retakes and accessing supports such as Tutor.com. We will continue to use W4 lessons to build students skills around self-advocacy and determination. Click here to learn more.

News from the Student Activities Office

At Annandale, we foster belonging both inside and outside the classroom. Sports and activities are another way for students to deepen a sense of belonging at school. To learn more about Annandale's Spring sports programs, check out this week’s “Atoms Athletics and Activities Newsletter." In addition, learn more about Annandale High School Athletics and Activities by visiting their website or the AHS Athletics Twitter page. Please email Brandon Sutphin if you have any questions.

Fall 2023 Sports Tryout Dates: Mark your calendars for Fall 2023 sports tryout dates. Golf tryouts begin on Thursday, July 27 and all other fall sports (football, cheer, field hockey, cross-country, volleyball) will begin on Monday, July 31.

News from Student Services

Check out the latest information from the Student Services Department in their weekly newsletter. The newsletter provides important information, important dates, news from the college & career center and class news.

June 9 - Online Campus Summer Registration Closes: Registration for taking a summer class with the Online Campus will close Friday, June 9. Email OnlineCampus@fcps.edu or call 703-503-7781 with any questions.

July 10-28 - Summer School Credit Recovery: In the coming weeks, counselors will be having conversations with students about possible summer learning opportunities. For students needing credit recovery, classes will be in person at Marshall High School from July 10-28. For students seeking to earn new credit for a course, the Summer Learning Online Campus will take place from June 26-July 26. 

No-Cost Mental Health Teletherapy for Students: FCPS has partnered with Hazel Health to offer virtual mental health services to high school students via live video sessions. Parents/caregivers can connect students virtually with a licensed therapist. Teletherapy services for students are short-term, evidence-based, and culturally-responsive. Teletherapy is available Monday through Friday from 7am-7pm. Hazel Health’s licensed therapists can help students who are experiencing: Mood/behavior changes, lack of motivation, academic stress, grief/loss, anxiety, worry, fears, bullying, sexual identity challenges, challenging peer and family relationships. Visit FCPS’ Teletherapy webpage for details.

News from the PTSA

Congrats Newly Elected 2023-2024 PTSA Officers! The PTSA is pleased to announce its officers for the 2023-2024 school year, elected at the May 2023 general membership meeting: President - Angela Torres, Vice President Programs - Thurraya Kent, Vice President, Membership - Tammy Murphy, Treasurer - Jose Mercado, Secretary - Andre McGinity.

All Night Grad Celebration - Tickets Now on Sale: The All Night Graduation Celebration (ANGC) provides a safe, chaperoned, alcohol-free and drug-free event for the Class of 2023 to celebrate together one last time. Buy your tickets now for this fun and memorable event. Please contact the ANGC Chair Rheanna Bernard if you have questions or concerns about the All Night Graduation Celebration.

In addition, we want all graduating seniors to have the opportunity to attend the ANGC. Click here to sponsor a senior. All students attending ANGC in the Class of 2023 MUST submit a parental consent form that can be found here. If you purchase your ticket online you do not need to submit a paper copy of the consent form - it is part of the online checkout process.

All Night Grad Party - Volunteers Needed! The success of the All Night Grad Party on June 2 depends on parents of all grades helping out! It is truly a memorable night that you won’t want to miss. There are time slots available to accommodate any schedule, but the true magic does happen overnight. Don’t miss out on supporting our Grads! Sign-up to volunteer today.  If you have questions please contact our ANGC Chair, Rheanna Bernard - annandale.angc@gmail.com. Don’t miss out on supporting our Grads!

Camp Information

Looking for fun activities for your child this summer? Annandale High School is offering a variety of summer camps this year for current elementary and middle school students led by our own Annandale coaches. Help spread the word to friends, family and neighbors!

Registration for all camps can be found HERE. See descriptions of the various camps below. More information can be found at AnnandaleAtoms.net. 

Multi-Sport Camp - Rising 2nd-9th Graders - June 20-23 8:30am-3pm ($120): Campers will have fun playing a variety of sports including basketball, kickball, volleyball, soccer, and touch football. They will participate in fun contests and win prizes! Campers can bring their lunch or purchase lunch at camp. Hours are 8:30am-3:00pm. For questions about Multi-Sport or Olympics Camps, please reach out to Christopher Bagot.

Olympics Camp - Rising 2nd-9th Graders - June 26-29 8:30am-3pm ($120): This exciting camp features team activities including soccer, volleyball, basketball, touch football, and relay races. Campers will also get a chance to compete and earn medals! Campers can bring their lunch or purchase lunch at camp. Hours are 8:30am-3:00pm. For questions about Multi-Sport or Olympics Camps, please reach out to Christopher Bagot.

Basketball - Rising 4th-9th Graders - July 10-14 9am-3pm ($250): Campers will spend each day focused on developing their basketball skills. They will also receive a report card on their basketball abilities, a t-shirt, and a chance to win trophies. Campers can bring their lunch or purchase lunch at camp. Hours are 9:00am to 3:00pm. For questions about Basketball Camp please reach out to Jerome McAvoy.

Girls Field Hockey/Lacrosse - Rising K-9th Grade - July 10-14, July 17-21, & July 24-28 8am-3pm ($120): For new athletes and those who have been playing for years, camp will be a fun-filled day of training, group competition, and surprise activities. Campers should bring their lunch each day except Friday when lunch will be provided. Hours are 8:00am-3:00pm. For questions about Girls Field Hockey/Lacrosse Camp please reach out to Janan Gokturk.