Annandale Students, Families, and Community:
One of our greatest strengths as a staff is our commitment to building strong relationships with our students. We have been more intentional than ever about providing opportunities for students to deepen their sense of connection and belonging to school every day: through building community in our classrooms, being present and engaged with students in hallways, and providing both formal and informal opportunities for students to connect with each other.
To that end, we have several events scheduled over the next two weeks. On December 11, we will hold our monthly W4 Activities Day, a time set aside for students to explore clubs and activities and connect with classmates and staff over shared interests. That week, students are encouraged to dress up each day for our Holiday Spirit Week. We also have two fun contests this month to both build community among our W4 classes and support our AHS Pantry. W4 classes will compete to collect non-perishable goods for the pantry, as well as decorate their classroom doors. Winners for both contests will be announced before we leave for break. Keep up with all the fun by searching #AtomNation.
Finally, our winter performance season is in full swing. This week, the Annandale Band and Orchestra will hold their winter concerts on Monday, December 4, and Thursday, December 7, respectively. In addition to showcasing the talents of our students, the show will feature guest performances from our Parent Orchestra’s Advanced Ensemble, and Crescendo (CAT B) Orchestra’s debut! Guests are encouraged to wear a festive hat or ugly sweater. But, the music doesn’t stop there! Our Annandale Choirs will be performing at various community events. See below for more details about the shows. I encourage all to join in the festivities!
As always, please reach out with any questions, and Go Atoms!
Shawn DeRose, Principal
|
Important Dates
December 4 - Winter Band Concert, 7pm
December 5 & 7 - Course Selection Presentations
December 5 - 15 - Annual Deck the Doors W4 Contest
December 7 - Orchestra Winter Concert, 7pm
December 7, 12 and 13 - Annandale Choirs in Concert and Community Caroling
December 9 - Federal Student Aid (FSA) ID Workshop
December 11 - W4 Activities Day
December 11 - 15 - Holiday Spirit Week
December 14 - IB Middle Years Programme Certificate Celebration
December 18 - 29 - Winter Break
January 1 - New Year’s Day (No School)
January 15 - Martin Luther King Jr.'s Birthday (No School)
January 17 - Rising 9th Grade Open House, 6pm
January 25 - 2 Hour Early Release (End of the 2nd Quarter)
January 26 - Student Holiday
December 5 & 7 - Course Selection Presentations: Counselors will continue presenting the 2024-2025 course selection process to students in W4 Advisory on December 5 & 7. The presentations cover important information including course options for next school year and the process for how to select their courses. The presentation will be recorded and posted on the Student Services Webpage for students who do not have a W4 class. Students should reach out to their counselor if they have any questions.
December 4 - Winter Band Concert, 7pm: The Annandale High School Bands will present Winter Winds, their annual winter concert on Monday December 4 at 7:00pm in the AHS auditorium. The concert will feature all of the AHS band students in a collaborative presentation of Holiday favorites, including our traditional “Sleigh Ride.” Doors open at 6:45pm; admission is free.
December 5-15 - Annual Deck the Doors W4 Contest: Annandale’s Leadership Class is excited to lead our annual Deck the Doors holiday contest. Each W4 class will decorate their door in the theme of Winter/Holidays. Three classes will be chosen as winners in the categories of Best Overall, Runner-Up, and Most Creative. Prizes will be awarded to the winning W4 classrooms.
December 7 - Orchestra Winter Concert, 7pm: Orchestra will hold their Winter Concert on Thursday, December 7 at 7:00 pm with Crescendo (CAT B) Orchestra’s debut! The challenging program has pushed students to the next level and spotlights sections in several of the ensembles. Support the program by purchasing baked goods (including our famous giant chocolate chip cookies!) after school by the auditorium and by coming to hear the student’s hard work in the evening. We encourage you to come wearing an ugly holiday sweater or festive hat!
December 7, 12 and 13 - Annandale Choirs in Concert and Community Caroling: The choirs at Annandale have been busy preparing for a wonderful season of concerts during the month of December.
December 7, 12pm - Caroling for the Shepherds Center Luncheon: The Annandale Singers and Chamber Ensemble will be providing a program for the Shepherds Center Luncheon in Wright Hall of the Annandale United Methodist Church (6935 Columbia Pike, Annandale, VA) at noon.
December 12, 7pm - Winter Concert: Glow: Our Winter Concert with the Annandale Singers, Atom Chorale, Men's Chorale, and the Chamber Ensemble at 7:00pm in the Auditorium.
December 13, 12pm: Noonday Noël: Annandale Singers and Chamber Ensemble sing for the Noonday Noël at the Old Presbyterian Meeting House at 12:05pm (323 South Fairfax St., Alexandria, VA)
December 9 - Federal Student Aid (FSA) ID Workshop: Annandale High School will be hosting a financial aid workshop on Saturday, December 9 at 10am in Clausen Hall. This workshop will be led by College Access Fairfax (CAF). CAF will be discussing the changes to this year's financial aid application, along with assisting families with creating their FSA ID. Creating an FSA ID is the first step that students and parents/guardians need to complete before the FAFSA application opens up on January 1, 2024. Please bring an FCPS-issued laptop as well as your social security number. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Brian Yeagley, College & Career Specialist.
December 11 - W4 Activities Day: On Monday, December 11, we will hold our monthly W4 Activities Day. There will be no PRIDE Time on this day. There will be a short W4 lesson for students. Following the lesson, students will be dismissed to their assigned activity. If you have questions, please reach out to Bryan Harris.
December 11-15 - Holiday Spirit Week: With just a few days left before Winter Break, let’s bring the Holiday spirit early to Annandale.
Monday - Holiday Colors: Dress up in any festive holiday colors. This may be red, green, yellow, light blue, etc.
Tuesday - Flannel/ Plaid: Bring on the winter vibes by dressing up in your favorite flannel/plaid.
Wednesday - Elves vs. Santas: Who will win this little competition, our little elves or Santas? Dress in green or wear an elf hat. Maybe you have elf ears you’d like to show off! Wear them! Not feeling the elf vibes? That’s okay, dress like Santa if you’d like! Don’t have a Santa suit just laying around, that’s okay too! Wear red, white, and/or a Santa hat! This competition is sure to make the North Pole smile.
Thursday - Blizzard Out: Forget doing the snow dance, dress in white and feel the snow! It will be like walking in a Winter Wonderland! Maybe we’ll get lucky this winter and have some big snow storms!
Friday - Ugly Holiday Sweaters: Time to dust off your favorite sweaters of the year. Wear your ugliest, weirdest, not so fashionable Holiday sweaters.
December 14 - IB Middle Years Programme Certificate Celebration: We are excited to celebrate over 50 AHS students who earned the FCPS MYP Certificate! Students qualify for this honor by earning an 8 or above on their personal project (completed through their English 10 classes), successfully completing two or more years of language classes, and providing volunteer service hours and reflecting on their experiences. Our celebration, held Thursday evening from 6:00-7:00pm, will feature a special guest speaker and distribution of certificates. Please reach out with questions to our MYP Coordinator, Jeniva Miller.
January 17 - Rising 9th Grade Open House, 6pm: On January 17 from 6-8pm Annandale HS will host an Open House for our rising 9th grade students and families to learn more about what high school at Annandale is all about! We will offer short optional sessions on our various programs, and teachers will be in their classrooms throughout the evening to share all about our core and elective courses for 9th graders. The goal is for students and parents to leave this event excited about all the opportunities students will have as an Annandale Atom and prepared to complete the course request form when students meet with their middle school counselors!
Breakout Sessions on the following topics will be offered throughout the evening: Welcome to Annandale, Course Request 101; IB/MYP Program; Activities and Athletics; English for Speakers of Other Languages Program; Special Education Office, and Student Life.
|
Donate Gift Cards for AHS Staff
At events throughout the year, we recognize staff who go above and beyond with gift cards donated by community members at the beginning of the year. It has been a huge hit and I am requesting your help again since we are not permitted to use any kind of FCPS funds, local or otherwise, for this purpose. It is amazing how much a $5 or $10 gift card is appreciated. If you are so inclined, please feel free to drop them off at the main office or place them in the mail. Attention: Jen Buchanan. It can be for any business you want to support, in any amount. Nothing is too small.
|
Awesome Atoms
Atom Nation Mural Comes to Student Services: At Annandale, we continue to invest in upgrading our campus. We recently painted our 'Atom Nation' logo in Student Services to showcases our school spirit! Special thanks to Capitol Murals for their great work!
|
Great turn out for our Financial Aid Information Session! This past Thursday staff from College Access Fairfax and Annandale High School shared information about the FAFSA, VASA, scholarships, grants, and loans, and assist students and families in understanding financial aid packages from colleges. Missed it? Annandale High School will be hosting another financial aid workshop this Saturday, December 9 at 10:00am in Clausen Hall.
|
NPR’s Morning Edition Host, Michel Martin, Visits AHS Students: This week, students had an opportunity to work with Journalists Michel Martin and Al Hunt in Ms. Crowley’s class. They workshopped story ideas for publication in print, podcast, and video. Special thanks to Ms. Crowley, English Teacher, for all of her hard work coordinating the visit.
District Honor Orchestra: On Tuesday, Annandale Orchestra students auditioned for District X Junior and Senior Honor Orchestra. We are so proud of all those who auditioned for their hard work and going through the process. Congratulations to Leyla Yilma, Melanie Lam, Abem Alemu, Jazlyn Tang, Thien Phan, Ollie Allen, Marc Akl, Erica Lee, Ryan Phan, Andrea Rivera Perez, and Lyana Vo for their placement in the Orchestras! Catch their performance at Hayfield Secondary School on Saturday, January 13!
Academic Support
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.
Sign Up for a Writing Conference with the Atoms Writing Center: The trained peer tutors of the Atoms Writing Center will continue to provide support for students with writing in any class. Use this link to sign up for a writing conference during 2nd quarter. If you haven’t already, you should also join our Schoology group to get important updates and announcements from the AWC all year by going to “Groups” > ”My Groups” > ”Join Group” then putting in this code: 9MSF-KSDM-B7HCP. You can also follow us on Twitter and Instagram @AtomsWC. Contact Mrs. Hanson with any questions.
|
Important Information
Social and Emotional Learning Screener Results Coming Soon: One of the ways Annandale supports the mental wellness of all students is through the Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener. In October, students took this screener, which gives information about their skills such as achieving goals, handling emotions, building relationships with adults and peers, and making good choices. The screener will review these skills, as well as students’ relationships, feelings of belonging, feelings about their school environment, and mood. Screener data is used to create learning, experiences, and environments for students to succeed.
In early December, families will be able to view student SEL Screener results in SIS ParentVUE. For families who do not have an active ParentVUE account, results will be sent by mail.
For more information about the screener please visit the Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener webpage. For help understanding your child’s results or ideas to support them at home, review the Family Guide or contact your student’s counselor.
|
Opportunities
Now through December 7 - Orchestra Merchandise Available:The Orchestra Merchandise store is LIVE and can be found at tinyurl.com/AHSOrchMerch. The store is ongoing, but order by Thursday, December 7 to get items by the holidays!
December 4 - ASVAB Testing, 9am – 12pm: The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) test measures a young adult’s strengths and weaknesses and provides feedback on potential for future career success. Students are encouraged to take the test because it is a valuable career assessment tool which can help identify which career is best for each student. Though the test is developed by the Department of Defense, it is not just for those going into the military. It’s a great start to finding the perfect career for students by highlighting those skills which students naturally have. To sign up for the ASVAB test you may email your school counselor or Mr. Yeagley to register.
Winter Olympics Camp for Students Grades 2-8 - December 18-20: Annandale High School will be sponsoring a 3-day Winter Olympics Camp at Poe Middle School for students in 2nd through 8th grade during Winter Break. Camp will be held Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday from 8:30am-3:00pm. Cost is $100. Payment will be accepted during drop off on the first day. Register at https://bit.ly/Olympics23Poe.
|
NOVA Early Online College – Spring 2024 Semester: NOVA Early Online College (EOC) allows current high school juniors and seniors the opportunity to take up to 2 tuition free college courses. EOC courses for the Spring semester begin on January 30, 2024, and end on April 22, 2024. The deadline to register is January 8, 2024 at 5pm. Courses are asynchronous, online, and for college credit only. 13 different courses are offered along with courses that fulfill the IT Technical Support Career Studies Certificate. EOC courses are selected because they meet the requirements for most of NOVA’s associate degrees as well as being highly transferable as general education requirements for most colleges and universities.
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.
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.
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.
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 January 10, the Transcript Request Form is due on December 10. 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 College & Career Planning Google site.
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.
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 to 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!
2024 FCPS 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 6:00 to 8:30 p.m. This event is for high school students and parents who are interested in learning more about the growing array of gap year opportunities. The evening will begin with a presentation in the auditorium from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. Immediately following, the program fair will be held in the cafeteria from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m., with representatives from over 30 programs offering gap year opportunities. Students and their families are encouraged to meet the representatives and learn about the variety of experiences available.
Students are encouraged to pre-register for this event. Registration is open to students and families up to and including the day of the fair. For more information, visit: USA Gap Year Fairs.
**In the event of inclement weather on Tuesday, January 30, 2024. The Gap Year Fair will be held on Thursday, February 1, 2024, at the same time and location.
|
News from the Activities Office
We wrap up an exciting week one with several program getting underway with their winter seasons. We have plenty of action happening at Annandale before the Winter Break so make sure to get your Atoms Booster Pass and check out the action!
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, AHS Athletics Twitter or Instagram page. Please email Brandon Sutphin if you have any questions.
December 4 - Atoms Booster Club Meeting, 6pm: Join us on Monday, December 4 in-person at Annandale High School in the Driver’s Education Room or online . The meeting will begin at 6pm. All members of the Atoms Booster Club are invited to attend to hear the latest updates on our Winter sports activities and support plans.
Baseball Winter Skills Camp - Sundays in January & February: Annandale Baseball is hosting their Sunday Skills camps starting in January. Each camp will be held in the main and auxiliary gyms at Annandale High School. Information and sign up for the Sunday Baseball Camps here. Cost is $115 for all, or $25 each.
This week...
Monday, December 4
Winter Band Concert - 7:00pm (Auditorium)
Varsity Boys Basketball vs Osbourn - 6:30pm
Wednesday, December 6
Girls Basketball vs Centreville - 4:30/5:45/7:30pm
Boys Basketball @ Centreville - 4:30/5:45/7:30pm
JV Wrestling @ Alexandria City - 6:00pm
Thursday, December 7
Winter Orchestra Concert - 7:00pm (Auditorium)
Saturday, December 9
Wrestling @ Loudoun County - 9:00am
Indoor Track @ TJ Middle School - 5:30pm
Swim/Dive vs Justice @ Audrey Moore - 8:30pm
|
|
