WPHS News You Choose - 9/23/23

Fairfax County Public Schools sent this bulletin at 09/23/2023 12:43 PM EDT

To read this newsletter in other languages, please visit our website.

Para leer este boletín en otros idiomas, visite nuestro sitio web.
School Seal

Table of Contents:

  • Important Dates
  • Principal's Message
  • Blue Star Welcome Week
  • September is Attendance Awareness Month
  • School News
  • PTSA News - Join Today
  • School Fundraisers
  • Class of 2024 - Senior News
  • WABC Passes

Important Dates

  • Ongoing – POWER UP West Potomac! PTSA Direct Donation Campaign
  • September 25: Holiday (Yom Kippur)
  • September 26-30: Homecoming Week
  • September 27: 9th and 10th Grade Activities Club Fair - During Advisory
  • September 26: National Honor Society Applications Due
  • September 30: Homecoming Dance, 8:00 PM 
  • October 11: PSAT Day - 10th/11th, SAT Day - 12th who signed up
  • October 12: 3rd Annual Swap-n-Shop Fundraiser to Benefit WP Class of 2024
  • October 14:Chips & Paint, Class of 2024 Fundraiser
  • October 15: College Fair,4-7 p.m. Eagle Bank Arena
  • October 16 & October 17: Postsecondary Virtual Event, 5-8 p.m.
  • October 17: Raffle Drawing, Win a Family Photo Session by Renée C. Gage
  • October 28: WP Dance Team Fundraiser, Clean Out Your Closets
  • November 8, 9, and 13:The 2023 World Languages Credit Exam 

Principal's Message

Happy weekend Wolverine Community,

I hope this email finds you getting some rest on this rainy Saturday.  As you may have seen from an email yesterday afternoon, due to the weather forecast, all FCPS Activities scheduled in FCPS schools or on school grounds are canceled for today. 

Its hard to believe we are five weeks into the school year.  As we highlight below, September is Attendance Awareness Month.  Now is a great time to reflect on the start of the school year and your child’s attendance.  If you are noticing any difficulties with regular attendance, please reach out to a member of our Student Services Team or Administration.

Next week is WPHS Homecoming Week – Tropical Hoco.  Our Student Government Association has planned several activities to celebrate all leading up to our Homecoming Pep Rally on Friday, Homecoming Tailgate Friday afternoon, Homecoming Football Game Friday Night and Homecoming Dance Saturday Night. You can find more information here.   Please know that our bell schedule on Friday will shift to 1, 7, 5, 3 so that we can end the school day at the football stadium for the Pep Rally last period. 

Finally, I just wanted to highlight that next week is Blue Star Welcome Week. This week is an opportunity for our community to welcome our military-connected families and show them our appreciation for their service and sacrifices.  To all our new military-connected families, welcome to our West Potomac family and thank you for your service.  Learn more about how we will be celebrating Blue Star Welcome Week below.

Take care,

Kevin McMahon

Interim Principal

Yom Kippur

School Closed Monday

All FCPS schools and offices will be closed on Monday, September 25, for Yom Kippur, the holiest day in Judaism. See the complete school year calendar. Learn more about Yom Kippur on Brittanica.com.

  

 

Blue Star Welcome Week - September 23 - October 1st 

  • Every year, approximately 600,000 military-connected families relocate. Most of these families move to new duty stations, while some transition out of the military and others transition in. Most of these moves take place over the summer, and Fairfax County Public Schools is committed to ensuring our military families feel welcomed and a sense of belonging to their local community.
  • Blue Star Welcome Week is an opportunity for our community to welcome our military-connected families and show them our appreciation for their service and sacrifices.
  • Throughout next week, information will be shared on our morning announcements that will highlight ways that we support the transition of newly enrolled military-connected students at West Potomac High School.
  • On Wednesday, September 27th, we encourage our 9th grade and newly enrolled military-connected students to attend the club fair at West Potomac High School during their advisory period. This is a great opportunity for military-connected students to become more involved in the West Potomac culture and community. 
  • On Friday, September 29th, military-connected students, faculty, and staff will be asked to stand and be recognized during our homecoming pep rally for their sacrifices and to show our gratefulness that they are a part of our school community. 

Attendance/Absenteeism – September is Attendance Awareness Month

We All Belong at School

  • Each one of us is unique, and every student matters. If your student is having a difficult time attending class, please speak with a trusted adult at West Potomac
  • There are solutions. Watch this video to see how everyone belongs at school. Visit our FCPS Attendance webpage for resources on attendance. Attend today, achieve tomorrow!
  • Attending school every day, even during the end of the school year, is critical to students reaching their fullest potential.
  • Regular attendance helps students engage in learning that builds proficiency in reading and math, which will help them to graduate from high school.
  • Daily attendance routines, created at home or in school, can reduce stress for students and families, and create a sense of safety and security, especially after chaotic transitions.
  • If your child is struggling with regular attendance please reach out to a member of our Student Services Team or Administration.

School News

AVID Tutors

  • Looking for a flexible and part-time position at West Potomac High School? FCPS is hiring AVID tutors for the 2023-2024 school year.  AVID tutors work with small groups of approximately 5-7 students during the school day in an academic elective class called Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID). These groups use questioning strategies to help students develop a variety of college preparatory skills such as critical thinking and problem solving. Tutors earn $18.97 per hour and should either be a college graduate or currently enrolled in college. If interested, please email your resume to Lisa Shields at lbshields@fcps.edu or AVID@fcps.edu

WPHS Homecoming News:  

  • Save the Date and Chaperones Needed– Saturday 9/30 at 8 pm – this year’s Homecoming Dance! The theme is tropical paradise, and we need your help chaperoning. Please sign up using this link. Stay tuned for more information about Homecoming Week and how to purchase tickets as we get closer.

National Honor Society

  • Juniors and Seniors who have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher are invited to apply to WPHS National Honor Society.
  • Application materials have been posted to the “All Students” Schoology. Students will submit their application via Google Form using their FCPS Schools account.  Applications are due by midnight on Tuesday, September 26th. No exceptions will be made.
  • Please feel free to reach out to the National Honor Society Advisors Ms. Jessica Landon (jllandon@fcps.edu) or Ms. Jean Marie Simpson (jsimpson1@fcps.edu) should you have any questions.

World Language Credit Exam - Registration now open!

  • The 2023 World Languages Credit Exam will be administered on November 8, 9, and 13, 2023. 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.
  • 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. The credits may fulfill the World Languages requirements for the Advanced Studies Diploma. The FCPS World Languages Credit Exam is also an approved assessment for awarding the Virginia Department of Education’s Seal of Biliteracy. The exam is offered one time per school year. A student may participate in the exam two times per language, once per year, between grades 7 through 12. In other words, students have two chances per language to earn credits by taking the exam.
  • Registration closes on Thursday, October 5, 2023, at 4:00 p.m. (late registrations will not be accepted). Please contact your school counselor to register for the exam before the deadline! See attached flyer for more information.

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.
  • Students are highly encouraged to register in advance for these events.

PTSA News 

  • PTSA Direct Donation Campaign:  POWER UP WEST POTOMAC!!  
    • GOAL #1  - $10,000 – SUPER GOAL #2 - $20,000
  • First  Week Update.  We hit. 2.4% of Goal 1.  Please Donate - let's hit 25% Goal by September 30th. 
    • DONATION CAMPAIGN – 9/15/23 THROUGH 11/4/22
  • WHY THIS MATTERS AND HOW YOU CAN HELP! 
    • As the Academic Booster Club for WP, our guiding principle is to support and fortify an academic foundation for our students. Our students are talented, bold, curious, and every high school year is a fundamental investment to their future successes.   As the WP PTSA, we want to be able to say yes to every teacher who wants to introduce an exciting new lesson but needs materials not covered under FCPS budget, we want to subsidize field trips, we want to celebrate our teachers and students achievements and be a strong resource for our Wolverine community.
  • CAN YOU HELP US GET THERE?  To donate, please visit this link. 

Win a Family Photo Session by Renée C. Gage:

  • The WP PTSA is excited to announce a raffle to win a Renée C. Gage Family Portrait Session valued at $450

Session includes:

  • Family Photo Session with Renée C. Gage Photography
  • 1- 8 x 10 Fine Linen Print
  • Additional Photos available for purchase
  • Winner can select a location in either Old Town, Alexandria or in the Fort Hunt Area *Must be redeemed within a year from winning.
  • Raffle will take place on Tues, October 17th, 2023  
  • Raffle ticket:  $10.00 for 1 entry. Or $25.00 for 3 Entries . To purchase  please visit this link. 

About Renée C. Gage, photography: Renée is a local Master Photographer who has specialized in capturing families, children, expectant mothers, and professionals with her camera for over twenty years. In 2020 and 2021. Two of Renée’s images won the prestigious “Best Portrait of a Child” award from the Virginia Professional Photographers Association and “Ascend” was named Top 50 Portraits of a Child in the United States - www.reneecgage.com                               

WEST POTOMAC HIGH SCHOOL PTSA MEMBERSHIP – EASY TO JOIN 

  • Your membership dues are used to directly benefit our Wolverine teachers and students.
  • At the site, you can purchase memberships, make tax-deductible donations, and purchase WPHS car magnets (new design). If you want to learn more or join our PTSA this year, please visit this link 

WPHS WOLVERINES' CAR MAGNETS HAVE ARRIVED - New 2023 Design. $10.00 

  • Add a touch of WPHS Wolverines spirit to your car, refrigerator, etc with this 5 X 5 Full Color magnet. Purchase at this link. 
Magnet

Student Volunteer Opportunities

Fairfax
  • The Office of Elections is offering you the opportunity to serve inside a Fairfax County polling place as an election page for the upcoming November election. Are you at least 16 years old, live in Virginia, and actively enrolled in high school? Would you like to learn more about the electoral process and earn service-learning hours that can be applied towards the Seal of Excellence in Civics Education?  
  • Please note the High School Page Program only applies to November elections.

School Fundraisers

BAND CAR WASH

  • Support the West Potomac Bands and Color Guard all the while getting your car or truck washed by enthusiastic band members.
    • Date: September 24
    • Time: 1:00pm - 5:00pm
    • Location: AldersgateChurch, 1301 Collingwood Road, Alexandria, VA
    • Contributions of any amount are welcome! All proceeds support the Bands and Color Guard

3rd ANNUAL SWAP-N-SHOP FUNDRAISER TO BENEFIT WP CLASS OF 2024

  • Date: Thursday, October 12    
  • Time:  5:00 - 11:00 PM      
  • Location: 8418 Stable Drive, Alexandria, VA 
  • Entry Fee / Suggested Donation: $35 
  • Looking for a reason to clean out your closets/repurpose any jewelry, handbags you do not use and also pick up something fabulous - best reason ever - 3rd Annual Swap-n-Shop fundraiser to benefit the WPHS Class of 2024.
  • Join us for a great night of shopping, friendship, and live music. Please drop off any new or like-new accessories (shoes, jewelry, handbags, scarves, reading glasses) and women's clothing (any season) on the front porch of 8418 Stable Drive, Alexandria, VA 22308 from September 6th - October 11th.  Spouses welcome - bring all your friends. Your Entry Fee includes shopping, snacks, drinks, live music, and a fun night with your WP Community and a chance to win a beautiful gift basket. Adults Only event. One tix purchase required for each guest. Proceeds from this event will be used for Senior celebrations. To purchase tickets please visit this link.    

Class of 2024 - Senior News:  

Senior Class of 2024 Yard Signs:  Celebrate your class of '24 Senior with a sign!  Calling all Class of 2024 families! Senior Dean McDonnell has designed this fabulous yard sign to celebrate the class of 2024. Display it in your yard or anywhere else you want to show your Wolverine Pride.  Price per sign is $24.00. Place your order now at the link below. You will be asked to give your cell phone number and you will be contacted about delivery or pick up once the signs are in.  All proceeds from the sale will benefit the class of 2024. Thank you for your support!

Class of 2024

Class of 2024 Fundraisers

  • The class of 2024 has scheduled a series of fundraisers until the end of January.  See the chart of fundraisers.  If you have any questions , please contact Ms Hackshaw (chackshaw@fcps.edu) or Ms. Simpson (jsimpson1@fcps.edu) 
  • Chips & Paint Class of 2024 Fundraiser
  • The Class of 2024 is having a Chips & Paint Event for parents, teachers, staff, and teens. Come and spend a relaxing morning painting a beautiful beach landscape with one of our exceptional arts teachers at West Potomac High School. We look forward to seeing you on October 14th.
    • Date: Saturday, October 14, 2023
    • Location: West Potomac High School, Springbank- Room 504
    • Time: 11am-1pm
    • Limit: 25 people
    • Cost: $25.00
  • Please email Ms. Hackshaw or Ms. Simpson for more information. chackshaw@fcps.edu jsimpson1@fcps.edu
  • This is event is open to the entire community. A link will be sent out next Tuesday, September 26th. Light refreshments will be served.
2024

Support the West Potomac Dance Team! 

  • Drop off soft goods (in trash bags, please) between 8:00 am-10:30am on Saturday, October 28th at West Potomac High School (6500 Quander Road).  The dance team earns a rebate on all donations in partnership with a local thrift store.  See flyer for more details.
Fund

Athletic News:

Wolverine Athletic Booster Club Game Passes for Sale!

Dear Wolverine Fans!  Join the Wolverine Athletic Booster Club (WABC) and cheer on your team all year. By joining the WABC you receive game passes for free entry to all regular season home events.  Visit this link for different purchase plans.  Go West Po!