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National Hispanic Heritage Month
From September 15 to October 15, FCPS recognizes and celebrates the histories and cultures of the members of our community who trace their heritage to Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. Learn more about the heritage months, celebrations, and traditions celebrated in FCPS. Learn more about National Hispanic Heritage Month.
September 21 & 22: School portraits for 9-11th graders
September 21: HHS PTSA Meeting, 7:00 pm, Virtual
September 23: HHS Choir Car Wash, 10:00 am, Reston Sunoco
September 26: Freshman Transition Program, 4th period, Various Locations
September 25: Holiday | Yom Kippur
September 28: Freshman Transition Program, 4th period, Various Locations
September 28: NJROTC is Hosting an American Red Cross Blood Drive, 10:00 am - 4:00 pm, NJROTC Room
October 09: Student Holiday | Indigenous Peoples’ Day (Staff Development Day for Staff)
October 11: PSAT Day (10th/11th Grade); SAT Day (12th Grade - Registration was required); Unscheduled Day (9th Grade; non-testers)
October 14: Homecoming
October 15: The 2023 College Fair, 4:00 - 7:00 pm, George Mason University’s Eagle Bank Arena
FCPS Calendar | HHS Red and Black Calendar
Schedule Change Process
- After September 15, 2023 - No elective changes. Up or down requests only. Schedule Change Request Forms are required to be completed with student, parent, teacher, school counselor and administrator feedback.
- After March 22, 2024 - No schedule changes.
Information Session for Substitute Teachers and Instructional Assistants
Learn more about becoming a substitute teacher or instructional assistant at a virtual information session on Wednesday, September 20, from 2 to 3 p.m. Register for this session.
Visit the Recruitment Events calendar for a list of all FCPS job fairs.
HHS PTSA Meeting
Join us for the first PTSA meeting of the school year on September 21st at 7:00 pm. Join the Zoom meeting here: https://zoom.us/j/96047784161.
HHS Needs You!
The PTSA puts on programs and events, invests in our teachers and staff, and enhances each family's experience at HHS. We can only do this with your financial support!
The PTSA is run through your donations - 100% of your tax-deductible donation goes directly to HHS PTSA, supporting our school’s needs, and ultimately our student’s.
Please donate here!
Yearbook News
Grades 9-11 Picture Day is Coming Up! Students in grades 9-11 will be taking their school portraits on Thursday, September 21 and Friday, September 22. Order forms will be sent home with students sometime next week. All orders will go through Victor O'Neill Photography Studios. Images will be available to view and purchase approximately two weeks following our school's picture day. Save time and Pre-order online here: https://vando.imagequix.com/g1001028684#login. For questions about ordering school pictures please email underclass@vosphoto.com
Yearbooks for sale! Yearbooks are now available for purchase via MySchoolBucks or by going to yearbookordercenter.com and using school code 8967. Books start at $65. Students on free/reduced lunch should go to the main office to pick up an order form.
Senior ads for sale! Families of seniors can now purchase senior ads in the yearbook! Please go to yearbookordercenter.com and use school code 8967 to feature your child in this year’s book!
HHS Car Wash
From the Library
The library is a busy place! We welcome students before school, after school, and during the school day with a pass. Students looking for a lunch option other than the cafeteria can often get a pass to spend their lunch block in the library. We provide instruction to students in all disciplines, help students come up with creative ways to share information they’ve learned, and help students find their next favorite book! More details about Herndon High School’s library can be found on your student’s Library course in Schoology. If we can answer any questions for you, please contact us at hhs_library@fcps.edu.
Does your student still have library books from prior schools? We are happy to get them back to the FCPS school they came from. FCPS does not charge overdue fines for library books, but the schools would love to get these materials back.
Freshman Transition Program
On Tuesday, September 26th and Thursday, September 28th the school counselors will be meeting with their freshmen during 4th period. This is program designed to help freshmen learn about the resources available to them and to help them navigate through some of the challenges that may arise in high school.
Students should report to the following locations:
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Tuesday, September 26th - TA
- Dr. Kinan (A-BR) – Cafeteria
- Ms. Anderson (BU-DJ, AVID) – Lecture Hall
- Mrs. Kamenick (DO-HEN) – Auditorium
- Mrs. Fortier (HER-L) – Library
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Thursday, September 28th – Stinger 6
- Mrs. Azzara (M-PE) – Lecture Hall
- Mrs. Ginieczki(PH-SE) – Library
- Mr. Dell’Orso (SH-Z) – Cafeteria
- Ms. Sotirchos (ELL 1&2, A-K) & Mrs. Labenow (ELL 1&2, L-Z) – Auditorium
NJROTC is Hosting an American Red Cross Blood Drive
In the Herndon HS NJROTC Unit (in the back of the school) on
September 28 from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
https://www.redcrossblood.org/give.html/drive-results?zipSponsor=HerndonNJROTC
Each pint of blood we collect can help save up to three lives and will touch the lives of so many more. What a great way to pay it forward and make an impact on people in our community and across the country. We are very excited about the drive and I hope you are too. Anyone 17 & Up can Sign up (with parental permission for 17 year olds). Tell your family. You can make a difference!
2023 World Languages Credit Exam
The 2023 World Languages Credit Exam will be administered on November 8, 9, and 13, 2023. The exam assesses reading and writing language proficiency in languages other than English. Students who take the exam may earn up to three World Languages credits for levels one, two, and three for the language of the exam. Thirty languages will be included: American Sign Language (ASL), Amharic, Arabic, Bengali, Chinese (Mandarin), Farsi, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Nepali, Pashto, Portuguese, Punjabi, Russian, Sanskrit, Somali, Spanish, Tagalog, Tamil, Telugu, Tigrinya, Turkish, Twi, Urdu, and Vietnamese.
Credit exam information can be accessed at: https://www.fcps.edu/academics/high-school-academics-9-12/world-languages/credit-exam-world-languages
Please have your student see their school counselor to register for these exams. You must inform your school counselor by Wednesday, October 4, 2023, at 3 p.m. Late registrations will not be accepted.
🎓 College Fair and Postsecondary Virtual Events
High school students and their families are invited to attend the annual FCPS College Fair and the Postsecondary Virtual events. The College Fair will feature admissions representatives from more than 250 colleges and universities from across the United States and abroad. The fair will be held at George Mason University’s Eagle Bank Arena on Sunday, October 15, 4-7 p.m.
The Postsecondary Virtual Event will be held on Monday, October 16, and Tuesday, October 17, 5-8 p.m. The virtual event will feature workshops related to the college admissions process, financial aid, and other postsecondary educational opportunities. Flyer is available here (English, Spanish).
Students are highly encouraged to register in advance for these events.
SEL Screener Parent Notification and Updates
FCPS is committed to supporting the mental wellness of all students. The Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener helps our students share their perspectives on how their schools and communities support them and help them develop the skills they need to succeed.
The screener is offered to all students in grades 3 through 12 in the fall and spring. It addresses skills like achieving goals, understanding and managing emotions, establishing and maintaining relationships with adults and peers, and making responsible decisions. Students also share how successful their school and community are at making them feel valued, included, and supported. Screener data is used to plan programming for the division, schools, and individual students.
Key updates to the screener this year include:
- Different versions for students in grades 3-5 and 6-12.
- Fewer topics with more questions to provide schools and families with more data to support planning.
- Additional questions aligned with FCPS’ commitment to educational equity.
Results are mailed home to families after each screening. Families who wish to opt their child out may do so by completing the opt-out form in the Annual Notice packet or SIS ParentVue.
For more information, please visit the Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener webpage or contact us at 703.810.2200.
Please note that the SEL Screener differs from the anonymous Fairfax County Youth Survey. For more information about the Youth Survey, see the Fairfax County Youth Survey site.
🤒 When a Student Should Stay Home From School
Whether students miss school because of illness or any other reason, missing school leads to learning loss.
Help your student succeed by encouraging them to attend as many days as possible, but do make sure your student stays home if they are sick. Visit FCPS’ website for information on when you should keep your child at home.
If your child has a chronic illness, make sure to notify their teacher, so that assistance can be provided if needed. Please contact us as soon as you know your child will be absent.
Read more about how families can help form good attendance habits.
🤧 Tips to Stay Healthy
Flu season is quickly approaching and communicable diseases continue to be present in our schools. Families and staff are encouraged to follow the health practices below to prevent the spread of illnesses and help keep our schools safe:
- Make an appointment to get a flu vaccine as soon as possible. Everyone six months and older should get a flu vaccine (with rare exceptions). Flu vaccines are widely available at doctors’ and pediatricians’ offices, grocery stores, and pharmacies.
- Get vaccinated against COVID-19 if you have not done so already. As of Tuesday, September 12, updated COVID-19 vaccines are approved for use among those aged 6 months or older for the 2023-24 season. Find out where you can get a COVID-19 vaccine or booster in your community by visiting Vaccinate Virginia, or calling 877-VAX-IN-VA or 877-829-4682. Note: Flu vaccines and COVID vaccines can be provided in the same appointment.
- Check with your student’s healthcare provider to make sure they are up to date on their required school entrance immunizations. Immunization records can now be updated in SIS ParentVUE through the Online Verification Update form.
- Check for mild, cold-like symptoms each day, such as fever, runny nose, cough, or shortness of breath. If a child is sick, please keep them home and get them tested for COVID-19 to stop further spread from occurring. Additional guidance on when to keep your child home due to symptoms and illness is available on the FCPS Attendance webpage. FCPS employees are also advised to stay home and get tested when feeling sick.
- Don’t forget to wash hands regularly, avoid touching the face with unwashed hands, cover the mouth when coughing or sneezing, and limit the time children spend in large group settings with contagious individuals whenever possible.
The most up-to-date information regarding COVID-19 school health practices is available on the Health and Safety Guidance webpage.
Thank you for your continued partnership in keeping our schools safe and healthy.
🏗️ School Bonds Benefit Students
A bond referendum to benefit Fairfax County Public Schools will be on the ballot this election season. The building and renovation of schools are not financed through the school system’s operating funds, but through bonds.
Similar to an individual or a family obtaining a mortgage on a residence to spread the cost of home buying over several years, bonds spread the cost of major capital improvements over a number of years. This ensures that current and future residents and users share in the payment. The county’s bonded debt is not likely to be a contributing factor to any increase in local taxes.
Hear from teachers how FCPS prioritizes safety with bond funding.
Read more about the FCPS 2023 Bond Referendum. Learn about registering to vote. Vote on Tuesday, November 7.
✨ 2023-30 Strategic Plan — Goal 4: Equitable Access and Opportunity
The 2023-30 strategic plan sets five main goals to create positive change in FCPS. These five goals show where we should focus our attention and will help us align our efforts. Our equity commitment and a set of measures in each goal will monitor our progress toward these goals.
Under Goal 4, high-quality academics will be available to all students. They will have access to excellent resources that support their success. Visit the Strategic Plan webpage to learn more about how we will measure the success of Goal 4.
Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist (SAPS) Introduction
Each school pyramid has a Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist (SAPS) to provide substance abuse prevention, education, and intervention services. Substance Abuse Prevention Specialists are part of the FCPS Office of Student Safety and Wellness. Like other members of the mental health team (school social workers, school psychologists, and school counselors), SAPS do not provide treatment services, but we support students while they are in the buildings.
Key roles of a Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist:
- Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drug education for students, parents, staff, and Fairfax County community stakeholders.
- Intervention services upon violation of the Student Rights and Responsibilities handbook or referral for suspected substance use involvement.
- Assessment of a student’s level of substance use and, if appropriate, subsequent referrals to the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board for additional services or other community resources as appropriate.
- Individual and group interventions for students. Prevention services for students, staff, parents, and Fairfax County community stakeholders.
- Most importantly, building and maintaining positive relationships with students to provide support and encouragement.
Resources:
For general questions about the FCPS Substance Abuse Prevention Program, please contact the Office of Student Safety & Wellness at: (571) 423-4270.
For further Information & support: Diana Vera, MSW | Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist | dpvera@fcps.edu
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