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Upcoming Events
August 17: FHS New Student/Parent Orientation, 9-11am; Fairfax Academy Orientation, 9am-12noon
August 17: Fear the Roar Open House Jam, Fairfax HS and Fairfax Academy, 2:00-6:00pm; Meet & Greet Teachers, 2:00-3:00pm.
August 18: Chromebook Distribution, 9:00am-3:00pm; no appointment needed.
August 21: First Day of School, all FCPS
September 12: Back to School Night, 6:30-9:00pm, special sessions at 5:30pm
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See You at the Open House JAM!!
August 11, 2023
Greetings Fairfax High School Students, Family, and Friends,
At Fairfax High School, we are champions of an inclusive and innovative community that focuses on equity, excellence, and accountability. We have used your feedback and our school performance data to guide our focus into this new school year. I am excited and ready to “ROAR” as we plan to kick off an amazing new year. We will focus on “Connecting~Educating~Transforming” as we serve the Fairfax High School Community. In collaboration with you, we will guarantee success for ALL students.
The Fairfax High Administrative Team, Teaching Team and our Support Staff are working diligently to launch an exciting, engaging, and belonging culture for Back to School. We can’t wait to see you at our Fear the ROAR Open House, August 17, 2:00pm-6:00 pm. Our Back to School Night will be September 12, 2023 from 5:30pm-9:00pm.
We look forward to high-quality learning experiences that will allow students’ voices to elevate in strengthening their school community and allowing them to dream big and meet their college and career goals. We also look forward to seeing students engage in the social clubs, sports, activities, and programs we have here at the school.
We want students to be transformative throughout their high school career. We plan to elevate POG skills, PAWSome Behaviors, and Academic Excellence. We will support all scholars as we challenge each student to take 1 Honors, 1 Dual Enrollment, or 1 AP course in an area of passion and interest.
This year we will work together as one community, knowing we are #ForeverFairfax and we desire everyone #FeeltheRoar of the mighty Fairfax High School Lions.
See you soon!
Yours in Partnership,
 Twitter X: @Ayeprincipal
IG: @Fairfaxhighschoolroars
🎉 New School Year, New Strategic Plan
August not only marks the start of a new school year for FCPS, but our division is now officially being guided by our new 2023-30 strategic plan. This student-centered plan serves as our North Star for how teachers and staff will continue to ensure excellence, equity, and opportunity for each and every student.
Our students are preparing for careers that don’t exist today! In order to keep pace with their needs, we have reimagined our plans for the future and how to best serve our students in this new era.
Need a refresher on the strategic plan pillars, goals, and measures before school begins? View the Strategic Plan webpage.
Family Resource Center
Free Resources for Families
Did you know that caregivers can access free webinars, confidential consultations, a lending library, and resources to help adults support the success of all students, including those with learning challenges, special needs, and disabilities?
Learn more about FCPS’ Family Resource Center (FRC).
Workshops for Families
The Family Resource Center is already scheduling a helpful series of webinars for the 2023-24 school year. Save the date for the following discussions in September. See the full list of workshops. Click on the title to register for each event:
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New School Year, New Strategies: How to Plan, Persist, and Achieve Academic Success This Year, on Friday, September 8, 10-11:30 a.m.
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Meet the Author Series: The Self-Driven Child by Dr. William Stixrud, Friday, September 15, 10-11:15 a.m.
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Characteristics and Needs of Twice-Exceptional (2e) Learners, on Tuesday, September 19, 10-11:30 a.m.
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Who's the Boss? 5 Ways for Families to Help Kids with Big Emotions, Friday September 29, 10-11:30 a.m.
Be the first to learn about new workshops by signing up for the FRC newsletter.
FHS New Student Orientation
We are excited to welcome our rising 9th graders and new students to Fairfax High School along with their families for the New Student Orientation on August 17th from 9-11am. We will be providing an information session and tours for our new students and a separate session for our families to introduce important members of our staff, helpful information on supporting your students as they transition to FHS, and how to get involved in our FHS community.
For those students who need transportation for the event, we will be providing buses at our feeder elementary schools to get them to and from FHS. The bus schedule can be found below. We look forward to meeting you on August 17th!
- Providence (8:45 pick up)
- Willow Springs (8:45 pick up)
- Eagle View (8:45 pick up)
- Greenbriar East (8:45 pick up)
- Daniels Run (8:55 pick up)
*Students will be picked up from door 1 at each location
Students will be picked up from FHS at 11:15pm to be returned to their elementary school
A Message from Student Services
Dear Fairfax High School Community,
I am excited to welcome all of our new and returning families for the 2023-2024 school year. I have been proud to be able to serve the FHS community for the past 15 years and look forward to another amazing school year ahead.
I am happy to welcome some new members of the Student Services team to FHS. We are excited to have Ms. Markenson, our former 9th grade Transition Counselor, joining our team full-time to serve students with last names Le-Nas. Ms. Kaniewski will be joining us in the 9th grade Transition Counselor position, and we will be sharing her with Katherine Johnson Middle School this year. We are also welcoming back Ms. Bush who was our long-term sub at the end of the year and she will be overseeing Ms. Headen’s alphabet. This year we have created an ESOL Counselor position who will be overseeing our ESOL students in levels 1-3. Ms. Squif will be joining us in this role, and we are looking forward to her collaborative work with the ESOL department this school year. We are also adding a 504 Plan School Based Coordinator to our team, Ms. Harrison, who will be supporting our students with 504 Plans.
Due to some of the changes in our department, the alphabet range our School Counselors serve has changed in order to meet the needs of all our students. The School Counselors will continue to collaborate to help support a smooth transition for those students moving counselors, especially our rising seniors.
Students’ schedules will be live in SIS StudentVUE and ParentVUE on August 17th. As a reminder, all schedule changes had to be requested by the last day of school on June 17th. There will be no schedule changes made unless one of the following issues has occurred:
- Too few or too many classes
- Absence of a required course for graduation
- Completion of a summer school course
- Inaccurate placement by grade or course level
- The student has “see counselor” on their schedule
Our hope is for students to find success in the courses they selected with the support of their teachers and counseling staff. We understand that it often takes time for students to adjust and feel comfortable with all of their classes and we want to make sure that we provide that opportunity to all students.
Please see the link below for a list of our Student Services Team and contact information.
https://fairfaxhs.fcps.edu/index.php/student-services/staff
I hope you are having a wonderful summer and I look forward to welcoming you all back later this month.
Jennifer Payne
Director of Student Services
Fairfax High School
Important Back to School Information
ALL families, including returning families, should read the important information below. We are looking forward to working with you toward a successful school year!
Important Forms Information
Emergency Care and Health information can be updated as needed through SIS ParentVue. Instructions to update this information can be found here. Please remember information must be updated for each individual child who is attending FHS for the 2023-24 school year.
Some of the digital resources (apps) that your child will use in the classroom require annual parental consent. The Digital Resource Parent Consent form will be available on August 10 and can be found here.
Student Schedules
Student schedules will be live in SIS ParentVUE and StudentVUE on Thursday, August 17, 2023. If you have trouble accessing a schedule, reach out to a School Counselor or our Family Liaisons. While we will have student schedules available for students at the Fear the Roar Open House Jam on August 19, 2022, we will not be printing and mailing schedules home.
New Student Orientation
We welcome all our rising 9th graders and new students and families to FHS to attend the New Student Orientation on Thursday, August 17th from 9-11 am. Students will have an opportunity to learn more about FHS and have time to visit their classrooms, while parents will have a session to learn about available resources and ways to best support their child’s transition to FHS.
Fear the Roar Open House Jam
FHS will be hosting Fear the Roar Open House Jam on Thursday, August 17th from 2:00-6:00pm. This event is open to all students/families.
- There will be an opportunity to touch base with the administrative team.
- Students will have the opportunity to walk their schedules and explore the school building.
- Representatives from student activities, various clubs, booster organizations, and PTSA will be available to share information and answer questions.
- The FHS Athletic Boosters will be present with FHS merchandise for sale.
- Parking Passes will be available for purchase.
Back to School Night
Our Back to School Night will be Tuesday, September 12th.
- 5:30pm: Sessions for SPED, ESOL, Seniors
- 6:30-9:00pm: Visit classrooms and meet teachers
Stay Connected
School Supplies
There is no standard school supply list. Each course designates its own supplies and students will find out what may be needed during the first week of school. If a student has financial difficulties, they should contact their school counselor. All students will receive a school-issued Chromebook.
Chromebook Distribution information
- Thursday, August 17, 2:00-6:00pm during the Open House Jam
- Friday, August 18, 9:00am – 3:00pm
Student Life & Activities
FHS offers over 100 different clubs and activities throughout the year. Visit Student Life & Activities to learn more and visit information tables at the Open House Jam on 8/19. Important athletic information can be found at https://fairfaxhighsports.org/. Please contact our Director of Student Activities, Nancy Melnick (NAMelnick@fcps.edu), with any questions.
We are very excited to welcome our Lions back for a new school year here at Fairfax High School. If there is any way we can assist you, please contact the Administrative or Student Services staff.
Meet our Amazing Counselors for the 23-24 school year!
Calendar Updates for Back to School!
August 17:
Fairfax HS New Student/Parent Orientation, 9:00-11:00am
August 17:
Fear the Roar Open House Jam, Fairfax HS and Fairfax Academy, 2:00-6:00pm
2-3pm: Visit classrooms and meet teachers
2-6pm: Tour the building, buy swag, sign up for clubs, buy parking passes, and more!
September 12:
Back to School Night
5:30: Sessions for SPED, ESOL, Seniors
6:30-9:00pm: Visit classrooms and meet teachers
Download the FLYER
School Meals
Preparing for and Paying for Meals at School
Parents/caregivers need to provide their students with money to purchase meals at school, send them with a packed lunch, or apply (and be approved) for free and reduced-price meals benefits. School breakfast for students costs $1.75. Lunch is $3.25 for elementary students and $3.50 for middle, secondary, and high school students.
Free and Reduced-Price Meals
The application for free and reduced-priced meals is now available for the 2023-24 school year. Students who were approved for free and reduced-price lunch last year are eligible for the first 30 days of school this year (or until a new application is processed). Families should re-apply as soon as possible for the 2023-24 school year, so eligible students continue to receive meals at no cost.
Paying With MySchoolBucks
The best way to purchase meals (and keep food lines moving!) is to use MySchoolBucks. Set up your student’s MySchoolBucks account today. Our front office staff can help with any questions.
MySchoolBucks accounts can be set up to add money to the account automatically, as needed. Families with multiple children can use the same MySchoolBucks account. Visit FCPS’ Food and Nutrition webpage for more information.
School Year Calendar
Be sure to bookmark the FCPS school year calendar to keep track of school holidays, breaks, and observances.
- Days marked with blue Hs are student holidays.
- Days marked with orange Os are religious and cultural observance days (or evenings if only half marked).
- Days marked in pink are holidays for students, but working days for teachers and staff.
The Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar, and the start of each month coincides with the birth of a new moon. The date of Eid a-Fitr is regionally decided, which can lead to unexpected date changes. Eid al-Fitr is currently slated to begin at sunset on Tuesday, April 9, 2024, and last through sundown Wednesday, April 10, 2024. Tuesday is designated a half-O day, and Wednesday is a holiday, with all schools and offices being closed. If the day for Eid changes after the school year begins, the calendar may be adjusted.
Testing Accommodations
Information for students planning to take PSAT, SAT, or AP exam with accommodations:
Students planning to take the PSAT/NMSQT, PSAT10, SAT, or Advanced Placement exams with accommodations (students with IEP or 504 plan) must have accommodations approved by College Board Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD). The approval process can take up to 7 weeks. Please check the college board website for more information about accommodations at www.collegeboard.org. Also, check the upcoming changes to SAT exam digital formatting. Please contact the CollegeBoard representative for more information.
The accommodation request can be submitted on the website or with the school SSD coordinator, Milan Sikand. It is important to follow the registration and accommodation request deadlines provided on the college board website. To start the request for accommodations, please email the following documents to Ms. Sikand at msikand@fcps.edu:
1) Parental Consent Form
2) Copy of the IEP or 504 plan
The deadline to send to Ms. Sikand is August 9, 2023, so please make sure to get the information submitted by then. Thank you for your cooperation!
2023-2024 Student Parking Information
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Students will be able to pick up parking tags for the 2023-2024 school year during the open house on August 17. Seniors will receive priority spots in designated senior lots. Students will need to review the Fairfax High School Parking Rules and Policies, complete the Fairfax High School Parking Application (online form), pay the parking fee using MySchoolBucks, and present a valid driver’s license to pick up their parking pass. Students must log in to MSB with their FCPSschools.net account.
All parking information is now available on the FHS website.
NOTE: Students should COMPLETE the parking form AND payment before Wednesday, August 16, to ensure they can pick up their parking tag on Thursday, August 17.
Questions? Please email Assistant Principal Troy Ketch at tketch@fcps.edu
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💻 Chromebooks for High School Students
FCPS is changing its high school and secondary student devices to Chromebooks. This device will continue to enable students to use web-based tools like Schoology, Google, and online textbooks. Students will receive a device within the first weeks of school.
If you would prefer that your student bring their own device (BYOD), they need to make sure it meets FCPS’ minimum requirements. Students who use their own device will not receive an FCPS device. Our school tech team will make sure that students have access to an FCPS device for important tests, such as SOLs. FCPS strives to be financially and environmentally responsible. Students who do not use their FCPS device regularly will be asked to return it.
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Fairfax High School will distribute Chromebooks:
- Thursday, August 17, 2:00-6:00pm during the Fear the Roar Open House Jam
- Friday, August 18, 9:00am – 3:00pm
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Connect with us throughout the year:
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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. |
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