Annandale Community Insider - October 15

Annandale Students, Parents and Community:

I hope you had a great weekend. Mine was spent driving 430+ miles back to Ohio with two of my kids (Regan and Jack) to meet up with my sister for what has become an annual trip to “Halloweekends” at Cedar Point. Halloween is one of my favorite times of year and we always have a great time celebrating as a family. 

Though it is hard to believe, we are nearing the end of the first quarter, which is Friday, November 3. As a reminder, November 3 will be a two-hour early release for students, and November 6 and November 7 are teacher workdays, with no school for students. We encourage all students and families to check SIS and Schoology regularly to ensure all assignments have been turned in and any assessment retakes have been completed. 

On Friday, we emailed all families their students’ grades as well as their PRIDE Time intervention or study hall placement. In that email, we provided ways you can support your student, including sitting with them to check on and discuss their progress, as well as some talking points you can use to ask them about school. I appreciate the many responses we received from our families, including questions and helpful information about your student. I will be sure to forward any relevant information families may have shared to teachers, counselors, and administrators. Thank you for everything you do to support us - we truly work together to support our students’ needs!

To that end, I want to congratulate two of our staff members who were recently recognized for the many ways they build relationships and support our students. Annie Ray and Erik Healey. Dr. Erik Healy, our Director of Student Services, received the FCPS Team Excellence Award this past week for his role in developing the On-Time Graduation Dashboard. In addition, Annie Ray, Orchestra teacher was nominated as a semifinalist for the Music Educator Award. You can read more about both of their accomplishments below. As I often say, I am so proud to work with such a talented and dedicated staff. I'm glad to see their hard work being recognized beyond Atom Nation.

As always, please reach out with any questions. Have a great week.

Shawn DeRose, Principal

Awesome Atoms

Erik Healey Receives Team Excellence Award: As a member of the On-Time Graduation Dashboard Team, Annandale's Director of Student Services, Erik Healey, has earned the 2023 FCPS Team Excellence Award! This honor recognizes and celebrates the team’s commitment to serve FCPS with the highest degree of dedication and professionalism. We commend Erik’s personal efforts and achievements that led the team to produce exceptional results while supporting our school system’s mission and vision. Erik and the rest of the team were recognized in a ceremony on Wednesday evening.

Congratulations, Annie Ray - GRAMMY Award Nominee: Annandale Orchestra Teacher, Annie Ray is one of twenty-five music teachers nation-wide to be nominated as a semifinalist for the Music Educator Award, an annual award, presented by the Recording Academy and GRAMMY Museum. The award supports and celebrates music education and music educators across the U.S. The 25 semifinalists, who hail from 25 cities across 17 states, were selected from a pool of more than 2,000 initial nominations from across all 50 U.S. states. Finalists will be announced in December, and the ultimate recipient of the 2024 Music Educator Award will be recognized during GRAMMY Week 2024, days ahead of the 2024 GRAMMYs. Congratulations, Annie, and good luck!

Welcome Nashita Zaman, New Main Office Administrative Assistant! Congratulations to Nashita Zaman, who will be joining our main office staff as an Administrative Assistant as well as supporting the Special Education office located in the Learning Center. Nashita has a background in Biology and has been a part of our Annandale community since 2021. She has supported Atom Nation in a number of ways to include: working in the attendance office, substituting for teachers, and supporting the main office, when needed. She has also supported other schools in FCPS over the years in various capacities. Nashita is married and is the proud mother of 2 daughters, one of which is an Annandale 2023 grad! We are excited to welcome Nashita into her new position.

Important Dates

October 15 - FCPS College Fair

October 16 - Fall Band Concert

October 16 & 17 - Virtual Postsecondary Night

October 18 - Fall Principal Check-In, 6pm

October 18, 19, 20 & November 3 - Senior Picture Retakes

October 19 - IB Senior Diploma Library Day

October 19 - Fall Orchestra Concert, 7pm

October 24 - Fall Chorus Concert, 7pm

October 25 - Social and Emotional Learning Screener

October 28 - Annandale Parade

October 31 - Underclass Picture Retakes

November 3 - End of 1st Quarter (2 Hour Early Release)

November 6 - Winter Sports Tryouts Begin

November 6 - School Planning Day (No School for Students)

November 7 - Teacher Work Day (No School for Students)

November 8 - W4 Activities Day

Today - FCPS College Fair: High school students and their families are invited to attend the FCPS College Fair at George Mason University’s Eagle Bank Arena on Sunday, October 15, 4-7pm. The fair will feature admissions representatives from more than 250 colleges and universities from across the United States and abroad. Register here!

This Week - W4 Check-Ins Begin: Over the next several weeks W4 teachers will be conducting one-on-one check-ins with each W4 student. These W4 check-ins are an opportunity to build a caring and trusting environment for all students, cultivate positive relationships with students, and identify student needs.

October 16 - Fall Band Concert: The Annandale High School Bands will present an informal Fall concert on Monday, October 16 at 7pm in the auditorium. The program is called "Patterns" and features the Beginning Percussion Ensemble, the Symphonic Band, and the Wind Ensemble. “Patterns” refers to the ways we learn musical concepts, whether they are scales, rhythmic combinations, melodic sequences, or musical rounds. As an informal concert, we look forward to sharing with our friends and family what we are learning in band class … perhaps with a bit of audience participation! Admission is free. Doors open at 6:45pm.

October 16 & 17 - Virtual Postsecondary Night: FCPS will offer two virtual events on Monday and Tuesday, October 16 and 17 from 5-8pm. The events will feature workshops related to the college admissions process, financial aid, and other postsecondary educational opportunities. 

October 17 - PTSA Meeting: We rescheduled last week’s PTSa meeting to this Tuesday, October 18 at 7:00pm in the library. Spanish translation will be available. 

October 18 - Fall Principal Check-In, 6:00pm: Join us on Tuesday at 6:00pm for a Virtual Fall Principal Check-In, where we will share information about our practices as well as how we are supporting students with a focus on our priorities. Check your email on Tuesday for a link to join.

October 18, 19, 20 & November 3: Senior Picture Retakes: Seniors can schedule retakes after school from 3:00pm to 8:00pm. Visit this link to schedule.

October 19 - IB Senior Diploma Library Day: On Thursday, October 19, IB Seniors spend the day in the library working on their Extended Essays with support from our librarians, our IB Coordinator, and essay supervisors. The extended essay is an independent, self-directed piece of research, finishing with a 4,000-word paper and provides students with practical preparation for undergraduate research through an opportunity to investigate a topic of personal interest to them.

October 19 - Fall Orchestra Concert: Come enjoy AHS Orchestra’s Fall Concert on Thursday, October 19 at 7:00pm. Admission is free to all so come out and enjoy the music created by our orchestra students.

October 25 & 26 - Vision and Hearing Screening: Vision and Hearing screening will be held on October 25 and 26. We will be screening 10th grade students during their PE classes. If your student wears glasses, please be sure they have them at school on screening days. The purpose of screening is to identify students who need further evaluation because they have difficulty seeing the screening chart or hearing the screening tones.

Parents will be notified by letter if screening results indicate that further testing is needed. Vision and hearing difficulties can interfere with learning. Prompt follow-up is recommended if you receive a referral letter suggesting further testing. If you have any questions regarding hearing and vision screening, please contact the school health room at 703-642-4110.

October 31 - Underclassmen Picture Retakes: Picture Retakes will be held in Clausen Hall throughout the school day on Tuesday, October 31. Students and staff can go during their free time to get their picture taken and receive an ID.

November 3 - End of the 1st Quarter: Friday marks the end of the first quarter and is a two hour early release for students. Students and families are encouraged to check StudentVue and Schoology for the latest grading information and are encouraged to contact teachers directly if they have any questions.

November 6 & 7 - Teacher Workday: No school for students.

Important Information

Federal Impact Aid Survey: FCPS is asking all families to fill out a Student-Parent Survey for Federal Impact Aid. Returning this form is important because information from this survey results in an additional $3 million in grants each year. The grants from these programs will become part of FCPS' general operating budget and are critical to ensuring that all children in FCPS receive an excellent education. This year, families will have access to the Federal Impact Aid Survey in electronic format via ParentVUE. All parents with a ParentVUE account will be able to complete the survey online using their computer at home. Step by step directions for filling out the online form can be found here. For families unable to complete the survey on-line, a paper form will be available. Also, families who do not complete the online application by the requisite deadline will be provided with a printed survey form. Important dates:

• October 16: Federal Impact Aid Survey electronic data collection in ParentVUE opens.
• October 31: Federal Impact Aid Survey paper forms are available.

Digital Citizenship Week is October 16-20! Over 10 years ago, Digital Citizenship Week started to highlight the importance of helping kids, families, and teachers navigate our 24/7 digital world. During this time, media and technology have changed dramatically. There have also been big shifts in the ways we teach and learn in today's classrooms.

Digital Citizenship Week is a great time for school communities to start, renew, or double down on their commitment to engage students in learning important digital citizenship concepts and skills so they become safe, ethical and responsible citizens. FCPS has materials to support families on their Digital Citizenship webpage, including a course to help guide a conversation between parents and teens. Annandale High School invites you to join us as we explore a new topic each day.

2023-24 AP/IB Test Opt-Out Timeline and Fees: As part of the FCPS budget, FCPS is continuing to pay for the first six IB/AP tests a student wishes to take. Students will be assessed Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) test fees for any tests beyond the first six funded by FCPS. Students that have free/reduced lunch status and have completed the consent to share form, will not be charged these fees. 

FCPS and Annandale High School encourage all students to take IB tests for courses in which they are enrolled. This is an excellent opportunity to practice taking a college level exam. The IB exam calendar can be found here. When IB scores are released in July 2024, students have the ability to share their scores with their colleges. However, if students wish to not test they will have the opportunity to opt-out.

To obtain the opt-out form, students must see Mrs. Bradshaw, IB Diploma Coordinator, in the library. Opt-Out forms are due by October 20. Parents will be billed in December through MySchoolBucks for any test fees beyond the six FCPS funded tests. These fees are non-refundable and there is no spring cancellation option.

October 25 - Social and Emotional Learning Screener: One of the ways FCPS supports the mental wellness of all students is the SEL Screener. The screener is offered to all students in grades 3-12 in October and again in February or March. It addresses skills like achieving goals, understanding and managing emotions, establishing and maintaining relationships with adults and peers, and making responsible decisions. The SEL Screener also helps students evaluate their school community’s efforts to make them feel valued, included, and supported. Screener data is used to create the learning, experiences, and environments students need to be successful. SEL Screener results are sent to families via postal mail. Families who wish to opt their child out should complete the opt-out form in the Annual Notice packet or in SIS ParentVUE. For more information, please visit the Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener webpage. Please note that the SEL Screener differs from the anonymous Fairfax County Youth Survey.

Opportunities

Need Help in Your Class? Stay With Your Teacher After School! Annandale High School offers three (3) late bus transportation days per week: Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday. All teachers stay after school at least one day a week to provide academic support for students. Please refer to this list to see which day your student’s teacher is available after school.

Annandale Tutoring Center Open Mondays: Students can now get tutoring from AVID and honor society members, every Monday in Room 287 from 3:00-400pm. Tutors will be available to help in math, science and social studies. Contact Ms. Lukacs with questions.

The A-Blast Subscriptions Available: The A-Blast will publish usually the last week of each month, and you can always pick up a copy in the newsstand in the main lobby or subscribe for home delivery. It’s a great way to keep up with the news of AHS through the perspective of student journalists. The newspaper is published monthly and it is often ranked in the Top 10 of all high school newspapers nationwide. AHS is the only school to have a printing partnership with The Washington Post, which prints the newspaper for free. Donate any amount, and email your home mailing address to Alan Weintraut to subscribe.

October 16 - College Essay Workshop: ATTENTION SENIORS! The Atoms Writing Center will be holding a College Essay Workshop after school TOMORROW, Monday, October 16 from 3-4pm in Room 274. Tutors will provide tips for the college essay. Come with a draft or just to brainstorm ideas for your college essay with a writing center tutor. This will be the last time the AWC will be offering the College Essay Workshop before the November 1 deadline! So, be sure to attend.

October 23-27 - Virginia College Application Week (VCAW): During the week of October 23–27, students can get college application fee waivers for most Virginia colleges and universities, as well as assistance with completing your college applications. Help will be available in Clausen Hall during Pride Time on Monday and Friday, lunch on Tuesday and Thursday, and after school on Wednesday and Thursday from 3-4pm. If you would like help during your lunch period you must reach out to Ms. Wells or Mr. Yeagley to get permission to attend. Please note that college application fee waivers are only valid if you submit your application during that week

October 28 - The Annandale Parade: Join the Annandale Marching Atoms at the annual Annandale Parade along Columbia Pike this Saturday, October 23 at 10:00am. This event has been a favorite tradition since 1950. It promotes community involvement and neighborhood camaraderie while celebrating the rich diversity of Annandale. Mark your calendar, participate or bring the family to view this Annandale Tradition. Children are invited to wear their Halloween Costumes, to cheer the participants, and to marvel at the exhibits.

November 8 - Writing WorkKeys Workshop: ATTENTION JUNIORS! The Atoms Writing Center will be holding a workshop on the Writing WorkKeys during the next W4 Activities Day on November 8. All juniors will be required to pass the Writing WorkKeys in order to graduate. This workshop will give you the opportunity to review tips before the exam, practice responding to an extra prompt, and get one-on-one feedback from an Atoms Writing Center tutor. All juniors should consider signing up for the Atoms Writing Center’s WorkKeys Workshop for the November W4 Activities Day.

No Cost Therapy for High Schoolers: High school students can access virtual mental health services at no cost through an FCPS program with Hazel Health. Hazel Health therapists are licensed and also trained in teen-specific challenges. Students can be referred by a guardian or designated staff member and participate in weekly video therapy sessions. The therapists will work with students until they achieve their therapy goals, or they can help connect the family with long-term mental health services in the community if needed. Learn how to opt your students into this service.

Honor Societies

Students at Annandale High School have the opportunity to join many different honor societies. Below you will find the eligibility criteria and application information, including deadlines.

Due October 16 - Computer Science Honor Society: All students who are interested in learning and sharing information related to computer science topics and who will participate in community service to teach others in the community about CS. Meetings will be held one or two times per month where students can learn about Computer Science topics and also receive support if they are currently enrolled in a Computer Science course. Apply here!

Due October 31 - National Honor Society: Applications for Annandale National Honor Society will begin in October. In order to make ensure every student who us interested in applying recieves application information, students can sign up early using this Google Form that will put them on an email list used to share the application when it is available. Eligible students who wish to apply will receive an acceptance invitation in November via their school emails with further information.

Students in grades 10-12 who currently have an overall unweighted GPA of 3.5 are eligible to apply. The application will also consider students’ previous service, leadership and character examples/experiences. Current members do not need to reapply this year and will receive information about our first members meeting for this school year by the end of September. If students have any questions, they can email Michelle Luka.

Due November 10 - National Art Honor Society: Students in grades 10-12 who maintain a B or better in an upper level art course are taking an art class are eligible to join this society of artists who hold each other accountable, lift up our members, give back to our community, and stand out as artistic leaders. We take on cool service projects and collaborate across different mediums of art to make Annandale a better place. Applications open up toward the end of the first quarter and are due by November 10. Questions? See Ms. Lucas in Rm 148 or Ms. Mahoney in Rm 146.

Coming in March - Société Honoraire de Français: Members of the National French Honor Society excel in the areas of scholarship, character, and leadership. The goals of the organization are to promote and reward high standards of scholarship, stimulate interest in the study of French, and create enthusiasm for and an understanding of francophone culture and civilization.

FHS is invitation only. Personal letters of invitation sent in March to students in grades 10, 11, or 12 who are enrolled in or have completed French III or higher, maintain an “A” in French coursework, maintain an exemplary discipline record. Upon acceptance, new members will participate in the induction ceremony in the Spring and attend FHS meetings through the end of the year. Current members will receive updated information in September via email and Schoology regarding future meetings, activities and opportunities.

News from Student Services

College & Career Planning Google Site: Check out the College & Career Planning Google site, which provides up-to-date information on the college application process; college representative visits; financial aid and FAFSA/VASA workshops; military options; information on apprenticeships; as well as resources for finding a job. The website also provides contact information for our School Counselors, as well as our College and Career Specialist.

Thursday College Application Workshops: Every Thursday from 3:00-4:00pm in Room 90 (near the Cafeteria), Counselors and AVID students will be assisting students with various topics: Making a College List; Transcript Request Form; Common App; Recommendation Requests. Students are welcome to drop in with questions about any aspect of the process. 

Transcript Requests for College Applications & Scholarships: Seniors need to request official high school transcripts one month prior to application deadlines. For example, if a college application is due on November 20, the Transcript Request Form is due on October 20. We will be receiving a very high volume of requests in the coming months, and our Student Services staff needs adequate time to process them. Early Action and Early Decision application deadlines are quickly approaching. For step-by-step instructions and forms for submitting Transcript Requests, go to the AHS College & Career Google site.

Register For College Rep Visits: Are you interested in hearing from college admissions representatives from colleges you are interested in applying to? Please follow the directions below to register. (Juniors and Seniors ONLY). Log into Naviance and click "Student Naviance Login." Click on "Colleges" at the top of the page and then click on "college visits." You will then see a list of all the colleges that are visiting, along with the dates and times. Click "register now" for the visits you would like to attend. Students must show the email to their teacher and get permission at attend. Students who are not registered in Naviance for a college visit will be denied entry. Please note that students are limited to registering for up to six college visits!

October 23-27 - Virginia College Application Week (VCAW): During the week of October 23–27, students can get college application fee waivers for most Virginia colleges and universities, as well as assistance with completing your college applications. Help will be available in Clausen Hall during Pride Time on Monday and Friday, lunch on Tuesday and Thursday, and after school on Wednesday and Thursday from 3-4pm. If you would like help during your lunch period you must reach out to Ms. Wells or Mr. Yeagley to get permission to attend. Please note that college application fee waivers are only valid if you submit your application during that week!

News from the Activities Office

Check out the latest information from the Activities Office in their weekly newsletter. In addition, learn more about Annandale High School Athletics and Activities by visiting their website, Twitter or Instagram page. Please email Brandon Sutphin if you have any questions.

Wrestling Spirit Wear Now Available: Wrestling fans! The 2023-2024 Atoms Wrestling Team Spirit Wear store is now open! This year the Grappling Atoms are partnering with Cheers Sports to help bring you awesome gear to wear during the season (and beyond)! Orders are due by Friday, November 10! Click here for the team store! If you have any questions, feel free to email Coach Damico.

November 6 - Winter Sport Tryouts Begin: Winter sports include basketball, swim & dive, wrestling, gymnastics, and indoor track. In order to participate, there are 2 items that need to be completed prior to the first day of tryouts: 1) Sports Physical - Completed and turned in to Athletic Trainers Ryan Hughes and 2) Activity Registration. This is an online submission that encompasses the Emergency Care Form and Concussion Education Training. 

Any athlete without a physical and registration on file by Friday, November 3 will not be allowed to tryout on Monday, November 6. Athletes submitting physicals and registration post November 3 will be eligible to tryout the day after the physical and registration have been submitted. For more information about tryouts, check out www.annandaleatoms.net. 

This Week’s Schedule: 

Monday, October 16

National District Field Hockey Quarterfinals vs Lewis - 6:30pm

Tuesday, October 17

F/JV/V Volleyball vs Edison- 5:00/6:00/7:15pm

Wednesday, October 18

F/JV/V Volleyball vs Mount Vernon - 5:00/6:00/7:15pm (SENIOR NIGHT)

National District Field Hockey Semifinals vs TBD - 6:30pm (Must win Monday)

Thursday, October 19

National District Cheer Competition @ Hayfield SS - 6:30pm

National District Field Hockey Finals vs TBD - 6:30pm (Must win Wednesday)

F/JV Football @ Mount Vernon- 5:30/7:30

Friday, October 20

V Football vs Mount Vernon - 7:00pm (SENIOR NIGHT)

Saturday, October 21

Marching Atoms @ Charlottesville