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We are pleased to announce that Ms. Freda Woods has been appointed as one of the assistant principals of Whitman Middle School, effective Tuesday, October 10, 2023.
Ms. Woods brings a wealth of experience and knowledge in education, and we are confident that her continued contributions will greatly benefit our school community. Ms. Woods is currently the Dean of Students at Whitman Middle School where she has served for the past three years. She also served as the Assessment & Intervention Coach for two years and Math Teacher for five years at Whitman. Before that, she taught Geography and Math during her ten years at Lewis Frasier Middle School in Georgia.
Ms. Woods earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Middle Grades Education specializing in Mathematics and Social Science from Armstrong Atlantic State University. Followed by a Master of Education and Educational Specialist Degree in Leadership from Cambridge College. She holds her Virginia Postgraduate Professional License in Middle Grades Education 6-8 and her Administration and Supervision license PreK-12. In addition to her professional credentials, Ms. Woods has received the following distinctions: Outstanding Teacher (2011) Lewis Frasier MS, Mount Vernon Pyramid Outstanding Secondary Teacher (2018) and Whitman Outstanding Professional Employee (2022).
Please join me in welcoming Ms. Woods as one of the new assistant principals at Whitman Middle School! We are excited about the positive impact she will undoubtedly continue to have on our school, students, and staff.
Also, please don't forget that the PTSA is hosting the annual Whitman Fall Festival on Thursday, October 26th from 5pm-8pm. The drama department will be serving up a scary good time with their Haunted House, and staff members will be decorating their cars with fun themes for Trunk-or-Treating. Also, there will be Resource and Craft Fair, food, games, and a Silent Auction!
This week, we were delighted to host our monthly Whitman Family Market in collaboration with the Capital Area Food Bank. Our Family Market is a vital, monthly event designed to provide a no-cost, market-style grocery distribution, making it more convenient for families to access the nourishing, high-quality food they need to thrive. Students and staff volunteer their time to set-up and run the market after-school and all community members are welcome to participate. Learn more about the history of the Whitman Family Market by checking out this feature story on our school website.
Whitman Family Market
 
 
 
 
How to Prevent Substance Misuse
It’s true, teens are more likely to listen to peers rather than their parents, it is part of this stage in development. When a baby is born, the brain’s sole responsibility is focused on keeping them alive. As they grow into adolescence, finding their tribe becomes important. Think about your top three happiest memories up to this point in life. What were you doing? How did you feel? Who was there? Each of these memories was likely a shared experience with others. Likely you were laughing and smiling with loved ones, maybe food was involved. Now shift to think about your three worst memories. What was going on? How did you feel? Who was there? In each of these memories, you likely were alone or felt alone.
Substance use becomes a problem for some because they either are or feel alone. Connection is an important aspect in our everyday lives. Fairfax County’s “Three to Succeed” describes protective factors to help youth achieve their higher selves. If a child has at least three of these protective factors, they are more likely to succeed in life. The identified protective factors include: having high personal integrity, trusted adults to talk to, performing community service, participating in extracurricular activities, teacher recognition of effort and good work, and parents’ availability for help. You may notice five of the six protective factors involve connection with someone else, and the first protective factor describes connection with self. You can help foster connections by encouraging your student to engage in activities, clubs, or sports that interest them, being available to talk to your child about what is going on in their lives, offering help/guidance with school work, getting them involved in helping others, and encouraging them to connect with teacher or other adult with whom they feel comfortable.
Helpful Resources:
Knowing the Signs: Substance Abuse & Today’s Youth
Adverse Childhood Experiences
Substance Use Prevention & Encouraging Healthy Brain Development
REVIVE Training for Opioid Overdoses
FCPS Substance Abuse Prevention Program
For general questions about the FCPS Substance Abuse Prevention Program, please contact the Office of Student Safety & Wellness at: (571) 423-4270 and be sure to follow us on Twitter at @FCPSSAPS.
For further information & support:
Beth Mohaupt, MA, NCC, LPC
Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist for MV pyramid
ejmohaupt@fcps.edu
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