 |
|
Woodson Weekly -
December 1st |
Woodson Weekly is published every Friday to provide the community with important information about school life at Woodson High School.
Mission Statement
Woodson High School’s mission is to empower our community to reach their individual potential by creating a healthy environment of mutual respect, responsibility, equity, and inclusion.
 |
|
To read this newsletter in other languages, please visit our website.
Para leer este mensaje en otros idiomas, podrán ver las traducciones automáticas en nuestro sitio web.
|
Important Upcoming Dates
Saturday, December 2ns 10am-2pm - Winter Wonderland, Cav Hall
Saturday, December 2nd 6:30pm & 8pm - The Elephant Man, One-Act
Tuesday, December 5th, 7pm - Orchestra Winter Concert
Wednesday, December 6th, 7pm - Band Winter Concert
Thursday, December 14th 7:15am-8am - Community Coffee with Mr. Greata
Thursday, December 14th, 7pm - Music Showcase
Monday, December 18th - Monday, January 1st - Winter Break
Woodson's Events & Activities Calendar
The complete FCPS 2023-2024 School Year Calendar
In this Issue
NEW News
1. Message from Mr. Greata
2. Last Call, Help Us Thank Woodson Teachers and Staff
3. Winter Wonderland
4. Upcoming Performing Arts Concerts
5. Calendar Reminders
6. Community Coffee
7. College and Career Center
8. Counselor Corner
9. Administrative Offices Over Winter Break
10. Senior Portraits - Last Chance
PAST News but Still Important
11. Laptop Tech Support Hours
12. Attendance
13. Class of 2024
14. Order Your Woodson Yearbook
15. Woodson's PTSO
16. Resources For Mental Wellness
NEW News
1. Message from Mr. Greata
Good Afternoon Woodson Community,
After the break, we hit the ground running, with the start of winter sports, Junior Information Night, hosting our annual Tunes for Tots, and, of course, continued academic excellence!
Our School Board proclaimed November to be the celebration of School Counselors, Social Workers, Nurses and Psychologists Month. These staff members are crucial to our mission and they ensure the physical and mental health needs of our students are safely met. With this, I want to remind our community that the contact numbers for mental health resources and 24/7 emergency numbers can be found at the bottom of our school’s web page as well as at the bottom of every Woodson Weekly.
We had several great community events this week and we appreciate the large turnouts! This past Wednesday, our Student Services department held a Junior Information Night where school counselors and college admission representatives provided information about post secondary planning. Counselors also presented similar information directly to Juniors this past Tuesday during returns.
On Wednesday and Thursday, our band presented our annual Tunes for Tots (AKA Tiny Tots) to our community and local schools. The show is a longstanding tradition and our students’ talent, creativity, and showmanship were on full display. Check out the pictures within this Woodson Weekly!
Our staff and students work so hard to put these events together and it always feels good when our community shows up. Speaking of our generous community, we have been so fortunate to receive donations for both our new food pantry and gift cards for our faculty holiday party. You can still donate and help families in need and celebrate our world class staff. Please drop off donations for the food pantry to the Main Office with Mrs. D’Angelo or Mrs. O’Brien, and any gift cards for our faculty party can also be dropped off to the Main Office to Mrs. Pugnetti’s attention.
Friday and Saturday are going to be busy at Woodson with the Red Jenkins Tip-off Tournament and our theater department's presentation of the one act play The Elephant Man. The schedule for all of these exciting events can be seen below or on Calendarwiz.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Mr. Greata
Acting Principal
WoodsonConnect@fcps.edu
2. Last Call, Help Us Thank Woodson Teachers and Staff
Each year, the Woodson PTSO collects gift cards to raffle at the Annual Holiday Party for the Teachers and Staff. Parents, families, and students are invited to send in donated gift cards to the main office labeled with "Faculty Holiday Party".
We kindly ask that we receive all donations by Friday, December 8th. Please contact the Woodson Main Office for more information. Thank you!
 Woodson Band Director, Mr. Aaron Morgan, poses with his wife and their child. The tiniest tot, and future Cavalier, to attend the annual Tunes for Tots performance this past week!
3. Winter Wonderland
Come join us for a Winter Wonderland on December 2nd, from 10am-2pm in Cav Hall! The entry fee is $10 per child and the parent comes in free. Each child gets a slice of pizza, chips and a drink. All the activities inside are also included in the entry fee. There will be hot chocolate, crafts, face painting, and so much more!
4. Upcoming Performing Arts Concerts
Mark your calendars for the upcoming Performing Arts Winter Concerts. All take place at 7:00pm in the Auditorium.
Orchestra - Tuesday, December 5th
Band - Wednesday, December 6th
Music Showcase - Thursday, December 14th
5. Calendar Reminders
|
National Special Education Day is December 2nd and commemorates President Gerald Ford’s signing of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 1975. We celebrate our teachers and staff who serve and support our students with special needs, as well as our families who are partners in the education and support of those students!
Learn more about the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
|
|
 |
|
The school calendar recognizes Bodhi Day, Friday, December 8th as a religious observation day. There is school on this day, however, the School Board has directed that certain events will not be held on these observance days.
See the complete school year calendar.
|
|
 |
6. Community Coffee With Mr. Greata
At our Community Coffee event this past Tuesday, we were able to discuss school communication and we had a wonderful brainstorming session. Please look for some changes in the near future as we work to make our information more accessible to our community.
Our next Community Coffee is December 14th at 7:15 am in our library. Come join Mr. Greata and administration to discuss different topics and to provide us with feedback. Hope to see you there! Coffee will be provided.
7. College & Career Center
Resources for College & Career planning and Newsletters can be found on the Woodson College & Career Padlets. All upcoming events with registration links are listed in the Woodson Wide School Calendar. Please see Highlights below.
- December 12 | Virtual Financial Aid Night for Juniors & Seniors
- January 30 | FCPS Gap Year Fair @ Marshall HS
- February 13 | US Service Academy & ROTC Program Info Night @ Madison HS
- March 13 | Sophomore College Night
- April 3 | Junior Focus Day for the Class of 2025
- April 10 | Northern Virginia Regional College Fair @ GMU
- May 23 | Work-Based Learning Session (Internships, Jobs, Resume Help)
2024 Gap Year Fair
FCPS School Counseling Services and Go Overseas are co-hosting the annual FCPS Gap Year Fair on Tuesday, January 30, 2024, at George C. Marshall High School from 6 to 8:30 p.m. This event is for high school students and their families who are interested in learning more about the growing array of gap year opportunities. Student registration is now open on USA Gap Year Fairs.
 Retired Teacher, Mr. Tim Evans, stops to appreciate the clear blue sky and sun beaming through the front trees of the school while coming in to substitute this week. Thank you for your continued support of Woodson HS!
8. Counselor Corner
Counselors have been busy delivering classroom lessons to tenth and eleventh graders. Our curriculum helps us support students’ progress toward reaching their post-secondary plans while offering specific resources and next steps for planning to make the most of this school year. Our lessons are posted on the respective grade-level padlets on our Student Services padlet. Ever mindful of the importance of wellness, we welcomed our Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist, Sean McMahon to speak with students about prevention and support resources. He is available Thursdays at Woodson. Wellness tip: students can access brain breaks and reduce stress by accessing our Woodson Wellness site and locate other wellness resources on our Social/Emotional Wellness & Support padlet.
Seniors: be mindful of upcoming January deadlines. Transcript requests for Jan. 15 application deadlines are due next week, Dec. 6!
Executive Functioning tip: Students can learn SEL strategies at home to practice mindfulness. These skills will last a lifetime, helping students to navigate various scenarios and levels of stress they may face.
We often encourage students to initiate conversations with teachers and peers to share their needs as learners and school citizens. This is a critical skill for learning to collaborate with others. Families can help students practice and learn self-advocacy skills.
9. Administrative Offices Over Winter Break
The Woodson Administrative Offices will be available by appointment only from Monday, December18th through Monday, January 1st. Please contact your students administrator should something arise for which you need school staff over the Winter Break.
All FCPS Administrative Offices and Buildings will be completely closed on December 25th, December 26th, and January 1st.
Students and Staff will resume normal school hours on Tuesday, January 2nd, which will be an Odd Day.
If there is an emergency or security concern over the winter break, please contact FCPS School Security at 571-423-2000.
 Band students preparing for their annual Tunes for Tots performance.
10. Senior Portraits - Last Chance
This is the last chance for your senior to take their senior portraits and make it in the yearbook! The last open and available portrait session is Friday, December 15th in Cav Hall. You must register for a time. Walk-ins are not allowed. To sign up visit: https://pickatime.com/vosphoto/Woodson2024
If you have any questions, please email seniors@vosphoto.com.
PAST News but Still Important
11. Laptop Tech Support Hours
If students need FCPS laptop technical support at Woodson HS, please submit a ticket using the FCPS Parent/Student Tech Support Portal.
Our walk-in hours in Room A112/A114 are:
- Odd Days during Learning Seminar
- Monday - 7:45am - 8:10am
Any other time you should try to make an appointment using a ticket from the Support Portal.
Thank you,
Woodson HS Tech Support Team
WoodsonTechTeam@fcps.edu
 |
|
Tonight at 7pm and tomorrow, Saturday at 6:30pm and 8:00pm Woodson Drama will be performing a One-Act version of the classic play The Elephant Man. Based on Joseph Merrick, this real life story has been adapted into a famous movie and play, while inspiring many artists.
This production features 25 Woodson students as actors or crew members and only runs about 35 minutes. This will be the production they take to the regional competition in January.
There is no cost associated with the show.
|
12. Attendance
Attendance is critical to student success in the classroom.
Parents/guardians must contact the Woodson attendance office (703-503-4800) to report all attendance matters.
Emails and online forms will no longer be accepted to notify our school of your student’s absence, late arrivals or early dismissals. Woodson is not monitoring or accepting any absences submitted via email, due to an excessive number of forgeries.
For more information on attendance procedures, please visit the Woodson Attendance wepage.
703-503-4800 Attendance Office Message Line
E107 Attendance Office location
13. Class of 2024
The Senior Class has a ton of information to share with parents and families! Baby Ads for the yearbook, Senior Portraits, Cap and Gown Sizing and so much more. Visit the Class of 2024 webpage.
14. Order Your Woodson Yearbook
Reserve your copy now at the early-bird price of $70. Go to www.yearbookordercenter.com and enter Woodson’s code, 5278.
15. Woodson's PTSO
Our mission is to make every child’s potential a reality by engaging and empowering families and communities to advocate for all children.
PTSO meetings take place the 2nd Tuesday of the month at 7pm online. The link to join will be sent out in the PTSO WeMail on Tuesday afternoons.
Whether you are a new or returning WTW parent, please get involved in any way that works for you. Here are some quick links to get you started:
Join our PTSO
Make a Donation
Sign up for one of our Volunteer Opportunities
Ask a local business to become a Business or Community Sponsor
Find WT Woodson on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter
Go shopping! Amazon, Office Depot, groceries, etc. Link your accounts and a portion of your sales will go to our school!
Minnie and Mickey Mouse are just two of the many characters that appear at the annual Tunes for Tots.
16. Resources for Mental Wellness
All FCPS high school students can access virtual therapy sessions with licensed counselors from Hazel Health at no cost.
Hazel’s therapists — who specialize in working with teens — can help students address mood/behavior changes, motivation, grief/loss, anxiety, peer and family relationships, and academic stress.
For high schoolers to participate in teletherapy services, caregivers must:
Students must be referred to therapy by a caregiver or designated school staff member.
Visit the FCPS Teletherapy webpage for more information.
Mental Health Resources | 24/7 Emergency Numbers
If you are in crisis, text NEEDHELP to 85511, call 1-800-273-TALK, or dial 911; TTY dial 711
CrisisLink Regional Hotline: 703-527-4077 (CrisisLink is a hotline for individuals in crisis or family/friends seeking guidance for how to help a loved one)
Dominion Hospital Assessment and Referral Line: 703-536-2000
Inova Emergency Services: 703-289-7560
Mobile Crisis Unit: 1-844-627-4747
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK or 1-800-SUICIDE
Merrifield Center Emergency Services: 703-573-5679; TTY dial 711 (The Merrifield Center of the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board, offers a range of clinical programming. Emergency Services, staffed 24 hours per day, seven days per week, works with people in psychiatric crisis who need immediate attention.)
Plan D Nova https://www.plandnova.org/ (a website for Northern Virginia teens who suffer from depression: #breakthestigma)
|
