Annandale Community Insider - October 22

Annandale Students, Families, and Community:

Thank you to families who were able to join last week’s virtual Fall Principal Check-In, where I shared information about our practices as well as how we are supporting students with a focus on our priorities. I especially appreciated the opportunity to hear questions, kudos, and concerns, and I hope I was able to provide some helpful perspective around key issues.

As you know, this Friday, November 3, marks the end of the first quarter. Students and families are encouraged to check SIS and Schoology to ensure all assignments have been turned in and any assessment retakes have been completed. Once again this year, we are using a rolling gradebook. This means that quarter grades provide a snapshot of the student’s progress and are not used to determine final grades. Rather, a student’s final grade is an average of all assignments completed throughout the year. 

Students who need additional support are assigned an intervention PRIDE Time. PRIDE Time is a 50-minute intervention block students attend every-other day. Students who are not assigned a PRIDE Time Intervention have a PRIDE Time Study Hall where they can complete missing work, seek additional assistance from Study Hall teachers, or retake an assessment for full credit utilizing our Retake Room. 

In addition, Annandale High School offers late bus transportation three (3) 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. New this year, students can also 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. 

As always, please let me know if you have any questions, and Go Atoms!

Shawn DeRose, Principal

Awesome Atoms

Roberto Obando & Stephanie Hanson Nobel Educators of Distinction: Congratulations to Math teacher, Mr. Obando and English teacher, Ms. Hanson, for being nominated and selected by the National Society of High School Scholars as Clase Nobel Educators of Distinction for the difference they make as teachers, learners, role models, and leaders in their profession. This award is given to educators who make a significant contribution to the academic career of their students.

Students Attend Belgian Embassy’s International Day of the Girl: Last week, Meredith Hedrick, ESOL Coach, accompanied Alison Coria Tarazona, Meilhi Leon Terceros and Sarah Mai to the Belgian Embassy to recognize International Day of the Girl. During their visit, they explained how they aim to make a difference as female leaders at school, in their communities, and in their future endeavors. The students also shared their intercultural experiences this summer as part of an exchange program abroad.

Annandale High Hosts Ribbon Cutting for New Salad Bar Program: Annandale High School hosted the FCPS Food and Nutrition Services salad bar launch and ribbon-cutting ceremony. The event was featured on WJLA. Check out the story here!

Seniors Find Success on WorkKeys: This past week 22 of our 50 Seniors who took the WorkKeys substitute test passed and earned reading verified credit. Earning this particular verified credit is often one of our students’ greatest hurdles to graduation. We’re proud of their hard work and perseverance. Congratulations to these students as well as Jeff Smith, Coach Bagot, and the remediation team including Tricia Kapuscinski, Beth Nank, and Megan Pacileo who have been working hard to prep these students. 

IB Lang & Lit students Travel to D.C. to visit the Planet Word Museum: Students had the opportunity to explore the power and beauty of language. They did a fantastic job representing Annandale High School as they explored the interactive exhibits. Classes examined advertising techniques, created their own advertisements, acted out SAT vocabulary words, sang karaoke to appreciate the art of songwriting, and much, much more! One student reflected that the experience helped them “appreciate the power of words in a whole new way.” Be sure to ask your students about their experience!

AHS Celebrates Students of the Month: Congratulations to Omid Ahadi, Jaszmin Alvarado Perez, Masooma Amarkhail, Bresly Barrios de Leon, Sandra Belloso Esquit, Jimmy Cardenas Monterroso, Milagros Castellanos Castillo, Beverly Castro Leon, Ethan Hush, and Cecilia Marigliano for being selected as our October Students of the Month. Each month we ask a different department to recognize students who exemplify our Atoms Agreements of Empathy, Determination, and Safety. In the month of October, the ESOL and CTE departments nominated students who exemplify our Atoms Agreement of Empathy. Congratulations to all for being selected as our Student of the Month winners!

Important Dates

October 23-27 - Virginia College Application Week

October 24 - Fall Chorus Concert, 7pm

October 25 - Social and Emotional Learning Screener

October 25 & 26 - Vision and Hearing Screening

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

This Week - W4 Check-Ins Continue: 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 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 24 - Fall Chorus Concert: Come and enjoy the choirs from AHS on Tuesday, October 14 at 7:00pm as they present It’s a Wonderful Life! This first concert of the year will feature all four of our choirs here at Annandale. Atom Chorale, Men’s Chorale, Chamber and the Annandale Singers will present songs of encouragement, positivity, hope and joy to remind us all how music can impact our lives.

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.

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 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.

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.

Opportunities

Need Help in Your Class? Stay With Your Teacher After School! Annandale High School offers late bus transportation three (3) 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.

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 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!

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 23

Volleyball National District Quarterfinals @ TJ - 6:30pm

Tuesday, October 24

National District Volleyball Semifinals @ TBD - 6:30pm (Must win Monday)

Fall Choral Concert - 7:00pm

Thursday, October 26

Cross Country National District - Boys @ 2:30pm; Girls @ 3:30pm - @ Burke Lake

National District Volleyball Final @ TBD - 6:30pm (Must win Tuesday)

F Football vs Lewis; JV Football vs Osbourn - 5:30/7:30

Friday, October 27

V Football @ Lewis - 7:00pm 

Field Hockey Occoquan Region Quarterfinal vs TBD - 6:30pm 

Saturday, October 28

Marching Atoms @ Annandale Parade