Principal Updates - November 6

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

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

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Important Dates 

You can access the FCPS 2023-2024 school year calendar here.   

November 6 - Student Holiday, School Planning Day; Winter Sports Tryouts begin

November 7 - Student Holiday, Teacher Workday 

November 8 - First day of second quarter

November 12 - Religious and Cultural Observance Day (Diwali)

November 22-24 - No School, Thanksgiving Holiday 

Veterans Day

General Information

Winter Sports Tryouts 

Winter Sports Tryouts began today, Monday,  November 6th.  Details and times are outlined on our website www.oaktonsports.net.  Athletes cannot tryout without having a current physical on file and registering online.  

Vision & Hearing Screening - Volunteers Needed

Volunteers are needed for the 10th grade Vision and Hearing Screening on November 14 and 15, 2023. Volunteer shifts will be from 8:20 AM – 2:30 PM (2 – 6 hour shifts available). No training is needed.

Also, we welcome volunteers to help provide care for our students and assist with administrative duties throughout the school year. No prior medical experience is necessary.

If interested, please contact Christina Magnotti, Health Room Aide, 703-319-2710 or cmagnotti@fcps.edu

Second Quarter Parking Permit Applications

We still have some parking spaces remaining for junior or senior students who wish to apply for a parking permit. 

The application can be found here and hard copies are also available in the main office. If you download the document it is a fillable form. Note that you must complete:

  1. A completed FCPS Application for Use of a Private Automobile - School Session form
    1. Leave the gray boxes marked “School Use Only” blank
  2. A signed and dated Oakton High School Student Parking Regulations Form
  3. A legible photocopy of the student’s valid Virginia Driver’s License

All applications are due by 3:00pm on November 13 and must be submitted to the main office. We will only accept hard copies of the application.

If after reading through all of the documents thoroughly you have questions, please email Ms. Landis at mflandis@fcps.edu

Oakton High School Veteran's Day Celebration

To honor the tradition of military family connectedness at Oakton High School, United States history teachers are seeking veterans and active duty personnel interested in speaking to 11th grade students about their service experiences on Thursday, November 9th and/or Friday, November 10th. This celebration of Veterans Day is a wonderful opportunity for students to better understand the sacrifices made by veterans, active duty military personnel, and their families. Additionally, students benefit from learning about the military as a potential career option. Speakers will have approximately 15 – 20 minutes to speak followed by a 10 minute Q&A session. To aid in your planning, you can find the Oakton High School bell schedule here. School appropriate service artifacts are welcomed and encouraged. Zoom or Google Meet options can be available if currently out of the area. If you or someone you know might be interested, please complete THIS FORM and we will follow up with additional details.

Questions? Email James Oberndorf, Assistant Principal, at: jpoberndorf@fcps.edu.

Thank you for your service and consideration! 

Underclassmen Academic Awards Celebration

November 17 during Cougar Time

On Friday, November 17, Oakton will recognize over 800 students who have earned an Academic Award. Academic Awards are based on their 2022-2023 high school GPA (4.0 and higher). First time award recipients will receive an academic letter and a pin. Returning recipients will receive a pin to be placed on the academic letter they received in a previous year. Recipients received an invitation to this event on Wednesday, October 18 via email. This is a student only event.

Partners for Safe Teen Driving Presentation

All students enrolled in Classroom Driver Education during the 2023-2024 school year must attend an in-person Partners for Safe Teen Driving (PSTD). The presentation is connected to successful classroom instruction and must be completed to receive a DEC-District 8 card (pink card). The parent-teen traffic safety presentation (PSTD) will be offered multiple times during the school year at Oakton. Students and their parents/guardians should plan to attend the presentation at Oakton at your earliest convenience.  

All PSTDs begin promptly. Late admission will not be allowed. 

2023-2024 Dates:

  1. Tuesday, January 16, 6:30pm in the Auditorium
  2. Tuesday, March 19, 6:30pm in the Auditorium
  3. Wednesday, May 29, 6:30pm in the Auditorium

These sessions are intended for Sophomores. Juniors and Seniors can attend a session through Adult and Community Education.

PSTD nights are not available to freshmen.

Yearbooks and Senior Baby Ads

Yearbooks and senior baby ads for the 2023-2024 school year are now on sale! You can purchase yearbook packages and senior baby ads at www.yearbookordercenter.com using the code 4770. Standalone yearbooks are also available via MySchoolBucks. Prices start at $67 and will increase throughout the year, so buy early to save. Don’t wait – the last two years sold out. Questions? Email jsmorrison@fcps.edu

Student Services Updates 

Student Services Newsletter

Check out Student Services November newsletter to learn more about our recent events such as the visit with alpacas, Teen Youth Mental Health First Aid training, and National Merit Ceremony.  Take a look at our upcoming events including the Depression Screening for Freshmen and Juniors, Governor’s School, and the Academic Award Ceremony.  Also, meet one of our new counselors, Kellie Kirstein.   

Timeline for Schedule Changes

Please see the timeline below regarding schedule changes for the 2023-24 school year. 

  • November 6 - March 22: Any student requesting a schedule change will need to fill out the schedule change request form, with permission from parent, student, teacher, school counselor, and administrator. If approved by the administration, schedule changes will only be processed if there is space available.
  • After March 22: There will not be any schedule changes, regardless of space availability.  This date aligns with the last day of the 3rd Quarter.

To find out who your child's school counselor is, please visit our website.  

Service Learning Opportunities 

Service Learning Opportunity

Colvin Run Mill is more than a Historic Site. Help the natural resources of this site by removing non-native invasive plants and planting native plants to help wildlife and biodiversity thrive. They are looking for volunteers to help on Saturday, November 11th from 10am-3pm. Any FCPS student will have the opportunity to receive up to 4 hours of community service credit towards their high school graduation requirements. If you and your group are interested in participating in this event, please contact, Julie Gurnee (julie.gurnee@fairfaxcounty.gov).

Volunteer Fairfax

Volunteer Fairfax is a resource that can be used to find out about service-learning opportunities in the community. Service learning is a great way for students and families to engage with local nonprofits and volunteer. More information about Volunteer opportunities on this day can be found on Volunteer Fairfax’s website.

Disclaimer: Opportunities offered by organizations other than Fairfax County Public Schools are neither sponsored nor endorsed by the Fairfax County School Board, the Superintendent, or a specific school. These opportunities may utilize technology tools that have not been assessed by the Fairfax County Public Schools Department of Information Technology. Students should gain permission from their parent or guardian before engaging in any non-FCPS enrichment opportunity and families should review the Terms of Service, User Agreements, and Privacy Policy for any technology platform that the enrichment opportunity may use before participating.

Health and Wellness Updates

2023-2024 Health & Safety Guidance for Schools

Be sure to review FCPS Health and Safety Guidance for the best ways to prevent the spread of disease and to find out when students should stay home from school.

Emergency Resources

Crisis Link Regional Hotline            703-527-4077

Crisis Text                                       Text NEEDHELP to 85511

Dominion Hospital Emergency       703-536-2000

INOVA Emergency                         703-289-7560

Merrifield Center Emergency         703-573-5979  TTY dial 711

Life Threatening                             911

FCPS News

In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics:

  • Results from Fairfax County Youth Survey
  • Become a Tutor! 
  • End of First Quarter

Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving the weekly newsletter, sign up today

Safety and Security Updates

Safety Drills

Below is a list of safety drills that we will be practicing this school year. 

  • Fire Evacuation Drills - Two within the first twenty school days, then one per month
  • Lockdown Drills - Two per school year; one in the first twenty days of school 
  • Bus Evacuation Drills - Two per school year; to be held within the first thirty school days of each semester 
  • Tornado Drill - To be held in March 

Anonymous Tip Line Puts Safety First

If you or your child have concerns or information relating to feeling unsafe in any way at school, we encourage you to reach out to a member of the security or administrative team so that we may quickly address the issue.  Students and parents may also utilize the FCPS Office of Safety and Security safety tip line, that you can access anonymously online, by text (888-777; Keyword TIP FCPS), or by phone (571-423-2020).

If your tip is an emergency and immediate assistance is necessary, please dial 911.

Students, staff, and community members should report school safety issues such as threats, unsafe or dangerous situations, illegal drug activity, theft, gang activity, the existence of weapons, vandalism, and concerns about student wellness. Tip line users may identify themselves or remain anonymous.

Concerns that do not impact the safety of our schools—concerns or information about programs, regulations, or policies—can be sent to the FCPS ombudsman online, at 571-423-4014, or ombudsman@fcps.edu

PTSA News & Information 

PTSA Board and Committee Chair Volunteers Needed

The PTSA is looking to fill the following volunteer positions for the executive committee for the 2023-2024 school year.  Without a President and Vice-President, the Oakton PTSA cannot continue it's work.  

  • President
  • Vice President

In addition, the PTSA is searching for volunteers to be the Chair for the following committees to be a part of the Oakton PTSA team for the coming school year 2023-2024.

  • Membership

Those who are interested in the above positions should email Oaktonhsptsa@gmail.com with desired positions. 

 

Oakton Pantry

The Pantry will be coordinating donations of Thanksgiving meals for Oakton students in need and their families. Please visit our Sign Up Genius for all of the details. Thank you for your support and generosity!

Shout-out to the Oakton DECA rockstars for the incredible collection they organized for the Pantry. Over 500 donated items plus cash contributions! We are incredibly grateful for your generosity and all of the effort that you put into this drive!

The Oakton Pantry is available to any Oakton student or neighbor who is in need. We stock non-perishable food, personal hygiene items, and household supplies. 

For assistance: ohsfood@gmail.com 

Volunteer/Questions: oaktonpantry@gmail.com

Donate via PayPal

Most needed items: website

Amazon Wish List 

 

Pantry logo

Parent Resources

Parent Information Line 

Parents who speak Amharic, Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, Korean, Spanish, Urdu, or Vietnamese can call a telephone information line for general information about FCPS and to receive support if they are having difficulty communicating with their children's schools due to a language barrier.

Parent Resource Center 

The FCPS Parent Resource Center offers a wide variety of information and resources to support the success of all students.  This includes monthly workshops and webinars.  More information can be found on the FCPS website, including registration information.  

FCPS Cares

Do you know an Oakton High School or FCPS employee who does ordinary things in an extraordinary way or goes beyond what is expected?  If so, then click here to share with everyone.