Annandale Community Insider - October 29

Annandale Students, Families, and Community:

I hope you had a great weekend and were able to enjoy the unseasonably warm fall weather! I joined the Marching Atoms at the Annandale Parade. It was awesome watching the community come together and celebrate the rich diversity of Annandale.

Over the past few weeks, we have hosted several visitors from throughout FCPS. Specifically, a team of central office leaders came to learn about all the ways we support our students’ academics, behavior, and wellness needs; and a team from another FCPS high school came to learn how we structure our ESOL programming to ensure our newcomer and developing English Learners access equitable learning opportunities. 

With both teams, we shared our priorities of relationships and support, high quality instruction, and strong collaboration, as well as all of the systems and structures we have in place to ensure we can fulfill our priorities. In addition, team members walked our hallways, observed second-chance breakfast, and visited several classes and collaborative team meetings. When we returned to debrief what they noticed, their feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Members of both teams shared how clearly our priorities were reflected throughout the building and remarked on:

• The positive presence adults have in our hallways: “It was clear adults were not there to ‘catch kids’ acting inappropriately; instead, they were there to foster relationships!”
• How students across every level access the same high level academic task: “We visited a self-contained special education English class, a team-taught ESOL English class, and an Honors English class, and students in all of those classes were reading and analyzing super relevant books they got to choose!”
• The intentionality behind our systems to support all students: “It is incredible that your teachers check in one-on-one with every student during advisory - what a great opportunity to help students feel seen and gather student voice!”
• The ways we support students with significant academic, behavior, and wellness needs: “Can you share your tiered-support system so we can share your approach with other schools?”
• The positive climate evident throughout our school: “The feeling we got today watching kids and staff - it just felt so good to be here, and this is clearly something you all built together - that doesn’t just happen by accident!”

The challenges schools are working to address in meeting students’ needs are tremendous. At Annandale, we have maintained a laser-like focus on ensuring we do everything we can to be a good school - a great school - for every student regardless of the challenges. Opportunities like these visits allow us to reflect on and gather feedback around where we are and how we can continue to improve. I couldn’t be prouder of our staff, students, and community for the ways we work together to ensure our students thrive. 

To that end, we believe that our staff is truly unparalleled and that the work we do for our students deserves celebration and recognition beyond Atom Nation. Each year, FCPS looks to honor several staff members for outstanding excellence in their roles, including Outstanding Teacher, New Teacher, Leader, Professional Employee, Operational Employee, and Principal. We hope you will help us celebrate the amazing work done every day at Annandale High School by highlighting some of our amazing staff members!

To nominate an Annandale staff member, please complete the AHS Outstanding Employee Nomination Form. If you are interested in learning more about the overall FCPS awards process, you can visit the FCPS Outstanding Employee Awards Website. Nominations are due on Friday, November 17. Contact Jae Lee with any questions.

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

Shawn DeRose, Principal

Awesome Atoms

Annandale Celebrates Virginia College Application Week! Last week Annandale students took advantage of Virginia College Application Week and the waived college application fees for most Virginia colleges and universities.  Students received assistance with completing their college applications during Pride Time, lunch, and after school. 

Current & Former Atoms Attend Conference for Global Navigator Schools: ESOL Coach Meredith Hedrick represented Atom Nation at the Center for International Education and Exchange (CIEE) Conference as part of our partnership as a Global Navigator School. Schools from all over the country sent representatives to learn about place-based learning and authentic resources in the classroom. CIEE program leaders came to present and lead sessions on how they implement place-based learning in their countries. Topics included urban renewal and development in Denmark, Botswana’s biodiversity protection, and Shanghai's innovative technology.  Meredith learned alongside AHS Alumni Brian Bernhards (Class of 2005), who is now a French teacher in California. His first study abroad experience was when he traveled with the Annandale chorus to Germany. Now he supports global programming for his students. Stay tuned for more updates on the Summer 2024 CIEE application process.

Marching Atoms Lead the Annandale Parade: The Marching Atoms led the Annandale Parade this past weekend along Columbia Pike. The Annual Parade has been a favorite tradition since 1950. It promotes community involvement and neighborhood camaraderie while celebrating the rich diversity of Annandale. 

Important Dates

October 31 - Underclass Picture Retakes

October 30 - November 3 - Hispanic Heritage Spirit Week

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

November 5 - Daylight Saving Time Ends

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

November 14 - PTSA Meeting, 7pm

November 16-18 - Fall Play "Radium Girls"

November 22-24 - Thanksgiving Break

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 30 - November 3 - Hispanic Heritage Spirit Week: The Hispanic Student Union Hosts Spirit Week for Hispanic Heritage Month Finale: HSU is hosting its first ever Spirit Week to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month from October 30 – November 3. Dress for each day’s theme to show your support! Monday, October 30 through Friday, November 3. Monday: Traditional Dress, Tuesday: Halloween Hispanic Characters, Wednesday: Day of the Dead, Thursday: Lotería, Friday: Jersey Day. Check out the calendar in English or Spanish! Anyone can participate!

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 regularly and contact teachers directly if they have any questions.

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. 

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

November 8 - W4 Activities Day: On Wednesday, November 8, Annandale will host W4 Activities Day. Students will have an opportunity to attend club meetings or join in on a variety of other activities. Prior to this day, students will select their preferred session in a W4 lesson, or by completing the form on the Annandale Students Schoology page. We are excited to offer this experience for our students and look forward to offering more ways to help our students feel connected to school.

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.

November 3-14 - SIS Grade Book Unavailable: SIS ParentVUE, and StudentVUE will be unavailable for all users from Friday, November 3 at 4pm through Tuesday, November 14 as teachers prepare grades. Weekly progress reports will not be emailed to parents/guardians during this time; they will resume Tuesday, November 14.

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.

2023 Virginia Summer Residential Governor's School: The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) offers the opportunity for students in Grade 10 & 11 to apply to attend summer residential Governor’s schools in academics and Visual and Performing Arts. Students who are accepted into one of the programs will live in residence halls in one of the state colleges in Virginia for four weeks in the June - late July timeframe. To learn more about these opportunities, visit the Virginia Department of Education website and view the promotional video. All applications must be returned to Mr. Zubieta in Student Services. Late applications will not be accepted. Interested students should complete either the interest forms for the Academic Program or the Visual and Performing Arts Program. Questions? Please reach out to Mr. Zubieta.

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!

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Opening in December: The FAFSA is needed to determine a student's eligibility for financial aid. Families of current seniors should be thinking about completing financial aid applications in order for students to be eligible to receive financial help to cover the costs of post-secondary education. With the late opening of the FAFSA, there are some things families can do now (English only). A funding opportunity is available for students who are unable to complete the FAFSA — the Virginia Alternative State Aid (VASA) program. Find out which aid option is right for your family on the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia website.

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.

This Week’s Schedule: 

Monday, October 30

Freshman Football vs Rock Ridge - 5:30pm

JV Football vs Hayfield - 7:15pm

Friday, October 27

V Football @ Rock Ridge - 7:00pm