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To read this newsletter in other languages, please visit our website.
Para leer este boletín en otros idiomas, visite nuestro sitio web.
如果您想以其他语言阅读此新闻时讯，请访问我们的网站。
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Be sure to follow us on Twitter (@OaktonHS), and Instagram @oaktonhs ! Be sure to check out our Oakton Accolades section on our website as we celebrate student achievement!
Important Dates
You can access the FCPS 2023-2024 school year calendar here.
November 27-28 - Assignment/Assessment Blackout Dates
November 28 - Parent Coffee (Virtual)
November 29-December 1 - Senior Portraits - Final Opportunity
November 30 - December 6 - SOS, 9th Grade
December 4 - Youth Survey (10th/12th Grade)
December 7 - Chanukah begins (Evening Religious and Cultural Observance Day)
December 8 - Bodhi Day (Religious and Cultural Observance Day)
December 18-January 1 - No School, Winter Break
January 3 - Curriculum Night, Save the Date
General Information
Fairfax County Youth Survey
The Fairfax County Youth Survey will be administered to 10th and 12th graders on Monday, December 4th in Cougar Connect with a make-up date of Friday, December 8th. Opt-out forms were emailed out last month. If you have opted out your student, you will receive a confirmation email by Wednesday, November 27th. If you do not receive an opt-out confirmation by COB on Wednesday and believe you should please email Sal Olivo, Assistant Principal, at sdolivo@fcps.edu.Mr. Olivo also serves as the point of contact for any general questions on the Fairfax County Youth Survey.
More information on the youth survey can be found here.
Make-up/Retake Day Images - Now Viewable
To see any make-up/retake day images, please visit the Victor O'Neill Studios webpage. When prompted for the online code, use your child's student ID. For questions regarding school pictures, please email: underclass@vosphoto.com.
Oakton Accolades
Please be sure to check out our updated Oakton Accolades page to read about some amazing student achievements!
November Parent Coffee
On November 28 at 9:30am we will host a virtual parent coffee to discuss our Strategic Improvement and Innovation Plan goals. There will be a brief presentation and then we will open it up for questions. The information shared will be posted on schoology for all families following the meeting. A zoom link will be sent out the morning of the coffee to all families.
In December we will have a parent coffee around school supports for students.
Attendance Reminders
The holiday season is almost upon us! With that, we recognize that many families may have travel plans that could impact school attendance. The FCPS 2023-2024 calendar can be found here for your reference.
We ask that, if possible, please let us know of any planned absences as soon as you can. That will help our attendance office staff manage the increase in calls that we typically see around this time. Please see our Attendance Procedures and Forms page for our online attendance form, attendance line, and our prearranged absence form (found at the bottom of the page).
For future travel planning, the 2024-2025 school year and the 2025-2026 school year calendars have already been released and can be found here.
If you have any questions, please reach out to your child’s administrator.
Assignment/Assessment Blackout Dates
To ensure that our students are able to take a break and fully enjoy their upcoming Thanksgiving break, November 27 - November 28 have been designated as assignment and assessment blackout dates. This means that no assignments will be due, nor assessments given on those days. New material can be covered and assignments completed in class can be graded. This policy helps us to ensure that students can have a break from school work during the days off. The same is true for the two days we return from Winter Break and Spring Break.
Fall Cougar Commendations
It’s time for Fall 2023 Cougar Commendations. Teachers are in the process of nominating students to be recognized for their achievements in one of the five Fairfax County Portrait of a Graduate attributes. Nominated students will be recognized at a ceremony at 10 am on Thursday 14 December.
In addition, we also have Faculty/Staff Cougar Commendations to recognize OHS faculty/staff for their hard work, passion, and innovation. Parents and guardians can use this nomination form to recognize a faculty/staff member. All nominations are due by the end of the day on Monday, November 27th. Faculty recipients will be recognized at our end-of-year faculty meeting. Knowing that you notice their efforts means so much to our faculty and staff.
Please get in touch with Ms. Kambic (Mkkambic@fcps.edu) or Ms. Kuhn (Emkuhn1@fcps.edu) with any questions.
Senior Portraits - Final Opportunity
December 1, 2023 has been added for Senior Formal Yearbook Portraits Session D. Session D will now be held on November 29, 30, and December 1.
**Don’t miss this opportunity to be photographed for the yearbook**
There is no charge to have the photos taken for the yearbook.
The attire for the school’s yearbook pose will be in the traditional Tuxedos and Drapes, or you can provide your own formal attire in black. We will provide the Tuxedo and Drapes. In addition to the yearbook session we also offer sessions that include casual/personality portraits and cap and gown portraits. Please follow the link below to choose your session type and appointment time.
https://pickatime.com/vosphoto/Oakton2024
If you have any questions please email seniors@vosphoto.com
(please reference school name when emailing)
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:
- Tuesday, January 16, 6:30pm in the Auditorium
- Tuesday, March 19, 6:30pm in the Auditorium
- 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
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 will open on November 20, 2023, on USA Gap Year Fairs.
SOS Information
During November and December, Oakton’s school counselors, social workers, and school psychologist will be presenting an optional depression awareness program and screening for ninth grade and eleventh grade students. The evidence-based prevention program is called Signs of Suicide (SOS) and it teaches students how to identify warning signs of suicide and depression and how students can reach out if they are worried about themselves or a friend.
For more information, please visit www.mindwise.org/parents/
Eleventh grade presentation and screening: November 13 – November 16
Ninth grade presentation and screening: November 30 – December 6
All ninth and eleventh grade parents and guardians received an email about the program and parents and guardians may opt out their child(ren) from the presentation.
Questions? Please reach out to your child’s counselor.
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.
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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.
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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.
Testing Updates
College Board - SAT Fee Waiver
In late October, College Board rolled out a new online system for students to directly apply for Fee Reduction Waivers for SAT testing. All students who meet College Board’s SAT fee waiver–eligibility criteria can receive SAT fee waiver benefits from College Board by completing a fee waiver request form. Learn more about the fee waiver–eligibility criteria here. Students will need to have a College Board account.
SAT School Score Reports Available to Students
Students who participated in the School Day SAT will have access to SAT score reports on Wednesday, November 1. Students who participated in the SAT on October 26 will have access to scores on November 16. Students can access scores via their College Board accounts. A video tutorial for accessing and understanding SAT scores is available on the College Board website.
If you experience issues accessing your SAT score report, contact the College Board Student SAT help line at 866-756-7346.
Digital PSAT Scores and National Merit Scholarship Information
Students who participated in the Digital PSAT on Wednesday, October 11, can access their scores via the College Board BigFuture School App or their College Board accounts. A video tutorial for accessing and understanding Digital PSAT scores is available on the College Board website.
Eleventh grade students who participate in the PSAT may qualify for the National Merit Scholarship Program and can find information on the National Merit Scholarship Corporation website. Families may reach out to their student’s school PSAT coordinator if they have questions regarding digital PSAT score reporting or the National Merit Scholarship Program.
College Board Testing Accommodations
Students who have an IEP or 504 do not automatically have College Board accommodations. If you are scheduled to take an AP exam, SAT, or PSAT this year (or anticipate doing so next year) you need to apply for College Board Accommodations. Students who have been approved in previous years do not need to apply again. All of the paperwork is to be given to Shelley Wiederhold, special education department chair, at swiederhold@fcps.edu. You must complete the following form to allow us to communicate on your behalf with the College Board:
Paperwork should be delivered to Oakton High School to the attention of Shelley Wiederhold at swiederhold@fcps.edu.
If applying for AP Exam accommodations, please submit your request for us to apply no later than December 7, 2023 for the May 2024 administration.
Please note that having an IEP or 504 does not automatically guarantee approval for College Board Accommodations.
 Vote for the Marching Cougars - Metallica Competition
The Oakton HS Marching Cougars have entered their fall marching band show into the Metallica Marching Band Competition! To see the video submission check out the QR code above. We would love your support of the program. To vote for Oakton HS, text #HSOAKTON to 833-609-0330! If Oakton wins the Fan Favorite high school category, the program would receive $10,000 in prizes. Voting closes December 31!
Service Learning
Service Learning During the Holiday Season
As the holiday season gets underway, we want to remind and encourage all students to log any service-learning hours into the X2VOL system for proper verification and approval. As students give of their time to serve the community, we want to ensure that they remember to log these hours into X2VOL. Directions and information on how to log hours into X2VOL can be found HERE. If students and families are looking for opportunities and ways to give back this holiday season please visit the Volunteer Fairfax website or click HERE for more FCPS opportunities. If you have any questions regarding the definition of service learning for students in FCPS please see more information HERE.
We want to remind our students that while we truly appreciate and need donations for important causes throughout our community, donations do not count as service hours. Students must help organize, sort, deliver, collect, or prepare donations to receive service hours.
Fairfax County Park Authority Opportunity
On December 9 the Fairfax County Park Authority, Invasive Management Area is looking for volunteers! This is part of a habitat restoration project that would involve helping with the removal of invasive plants. More information and sign-up information can be found here for those interested.
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:
- Student Food Show
- Veterans Day Celebrations
- State Music Honors
Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving the weekly newsletter, please 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.
Oakton Pantry
The Pantry has so many people to be thankful for! First, our 7th Annual Thanksgiving Meal Distribution was a huge success. Thanks to our wonderful donors and volunteers, we were able to provide 83 Oakton students and their families with Thanksgiving groceries and a $50 gift card to buy their protein of choice. In addition, members of the Oakton Church of the Brethren and the Oakton Ward of the LDS Church provided homemade baked goods for every family.
We are so grateful for the school and larger, extended Oakton community that so generously supports the Pantry and our students. We are fortunate to be the recipients of food and toiletry drives held by the Oakton Football Team, Oakton Cheerleaders, Mimi Tyler and RK&K, Vienna Presbyterian Church, and Providence Supervisor Dalia Palchik's office.
The Holiday Wish List Sign Up Genius will be available soon! Thank you all!
General Information
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
 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.
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