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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.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Wednesday, 12/6: Chipotle Night Fundraiser for ANGP, 5-9 pm
Saturday, 12/9: Breakfast with Santa, WSHS, 10-12pm
Monday, 12/18- Monday, 1/1: Winter Break (No school)
NEWS AND NOTES
❄️ Preparing for Winter Weather
 Winter weather will be here before you know it! Watch this video to see how weather-related closing decisions are made.
FCPS’ website is generally the first place where we will announce an emergency weather closing. Other communication channels will be used as quickly as possible including email, text, social media, and news stations. Learn more about how schedule changes are communicated.
Be sure to plan for the winter season. Update your contact information in SIS ParentVUE, bookmark the FCPS website, and plan for childcare if needed.
📅 Calendar Reminder: Chanukah and Bodhi Day
Chanukah, an eight-day Festival of Lights, is a Jewish holiday commemorating the rededication of the Holy Temple and the miracle of a small quantity of oil that lit the Temple’s menorah for eight days.
This year, Chanukah begins at sundown on Thursday, December 7. That day will be an evening-only observation day, and major events cannot be scheduled that evening. Learn more about Chanukah in National Geographic Kids
Bodhi Day, Friday, December 8, is the Buddhist holiday that commemorates the day that the historical Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama (Shakyamuni), experienced enlightenment, also known as "bodhi" in Sanskrit and Pali. Learn more about Bodhi Day in this video from the Miami Children’s Museum.
The school calendar recognizes Bodhi Day 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.
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National Special Education Day
National Special Education Day is recognized each year on December 2 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.
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STUDENT SERVICES INFORMATION
Academic Advising for Students/Families of 10th and 11th Graders
To better serve you during Academic Advising we are asking that students share their student NOVA ID, aka Empl ID, so that we can ensure a smooth Dual Enrollment process.
Students who have not yet created a Nova ID (Empl ID) and know that they will be signing up for a NOVA Dual Enrollment class for 2024-2025 School year please go to: this website to create the ID.
Share the ID HERE once one is created.
Curriculum Night: January 4th
Mark your Calendars. The opportunity for students to select classes for school year 24-25 will soon be upon us. Students and parents will have the opportunity to meet with Departments and Academies on January 4th from 6:30-8:00pm. This event will be held in our Cafeteria. We look forward to seeing you there.
STUDENT CORNER
🎓Seniors: Graduation Gear and Class Rings Sale🎓
December 1 is the LAST DAY for senior specials on graduation gear!
- FREE Deluxe Grad Frame w/ SPARTANS Package Purchase (no promo code needed)
- $75 OFF Class Ring Purchase 11/27 - 12-1 (Classic Metals)- Promo Code: CYB75
- $100 OFF Class Ring Purchase 11/27 - 12-1 (Deluxe Metals)- Promo Code: CYB100
- $125 OFF Class Ring Purchase 11/27 - 12-1 (Luxury Metals)- Promo Code: CYB125
- 60% OFF Select Grad Gear 11/27 - 12-1
Order HERE
Need help or want to order by phone? Please call 1-800-567-8367
Class of 2024: Sign up for Senior Formal Yearbook Portraits
On Thursday, January 4, 2023, Victor O'Neill Studios will be taking Senior Formal Yearbook Portraits Session E
*There is no charge to have photos taken for the yearbook*
The attire is Tuxedos and Drapes (provided) or you can bring your own formal attire (coat and tie, all black or black and white clothing).
In addition, casual/personality portraits and cap and gown portrait sessions will be provided.
Click HERE to choose our session type and appointment time
Questions, email and mention school name
How to Access Free Resources from Tutor.com
All FCPS students continue to have unlimited access to live, 24/7, one-on-one online tutoring services through Tutor.com at no cost to families. Get more information on the Tutor.com Online Tutoring Services webpage.
Students can access Tutor.com via a link in Schoology. Additional information about how to log in and access a tutor is provided to families via the following: Elementary - How It Works and Middle & High - How It Works.
SPORTS AND ACTIVITIES
Spartan Sports Calendar, Week of December 1-9
Click the image above for access to the Spartan Sports Calendar.
Athletic Boosters
📣Spirit Wear
Shop online for spirit wear. Two options:
Option #1: HERE
Orders after 12/1 are not guaranteed for holiday delivery.
Use the code SPIRIT for 25% off your order. (Exclusions apply to the brands: The North Face, Acrux, and TravisMathew).
Spartans Athletic Boosters Meeting
***The December meeting is cancelled***
Our January meeting is Wednesday, 1/10 at 7pm at WSHS Room 2223. Enter Door 5 and make the immediate left. If you go through the double doors you have gone too far! All are welcomed.
Need additional information? Check out our website and social media pages at:
Email: wshs.spartans.athletic.boosters@gmail.com
Website: https://spartan-booster-club.square.site/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/wshsspartartansathleticboosters/
Instagram: @wshsspartansathleticboosters
X (Formerly Twitter): @SpartanWshs
Student Activities Highlights
🧥 WSHS Interact Club Winter Coat and Food Drive 🧥
Wondering how you can help give back this holiday season? Give Back with Interact!
The WSHS Interact Club is collecting winter coats for a nearby elementary school for students in need. If you have any coats (new or used) that you no longer need, please consider donating them to this worthwhile cause. Donation bins are located inside Door #1 near the main office.
The WSHS Interact Club is also hosting a food drive to restock our school food pantry to help students in need. Please consider sending in these items. Donations bins are located inside Door #1 near the main office. Thank you for your generosity!
- Peanut Butter
- Jelly
- Spaghetti
- Pasta Sauce
- Granola bars
- Crackers
- Cereal
- Canned Beans (black beans, kidney beans)
- Deodorant
- Laundry Detergent
- Shampoo / Conditioner
🍬 SGA Candy Grams 🍬
The Student Government Association is selling Candy Grams during ALL lunches next week (December 4-8th).
These candy grams will be delivered by SGA students during the following LS4 on Wednesday, December 13th.
- Candy Canes: $1
- Other Candy: $2
🍬Cash only🍬
🎅 The Choral Department Presents: Breakfast with Santa🎅🏼
When: Saturday, December 9; 10-12 pm
Where: WSHS, Enter at Door 5
What:
- Enjoy 2 hours of holiday songs and sing-a-longs
- Take a photo with Santa
- Make ornaments, write letters to Santa, and more!
- Meet your favorite costumed character
- Dine on bagels, muffins, fruit, and coffee
Tickets:
- $10 in advance or $12 at the door
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- Children under 2 years old are free
**This event sells out fast**
Order online HERE
Contact HERE
 Crew Leaf Raking Fundraiser
Nov 4 -Dec 17 (Sat and Sundays only)
Fee: $15.00/hour per raker
Contact: leafraking@spartancrew.org
Stay in Touch with Spartan Sports!
You can follow WSHS Spartan Sports on social media:
X: @wshssports
YouTube Channels: LINK
Sign Up For the Sports and Activities News You Choose
 We're using a new Activities Calendar this year. Clubs and school organizations are just beginning to post many of their meeting and event dates. Check it out.
Yearbooks and Senior Ads Now On Sale
 Yearbooks and Senior Ads are now on sale! Orders can be placed online at https://www.yearbookordercenter.com/ using school code 4150 and will be sold on a first come, first served basis. We sold out of yearbooks for the past two years, so order yours today! We cannot guarantee books will be available for in-person sales at the end of the year. For questions, please email Ms. Melissa Morgan, Yearbook Adviser, at mmorgan2@fcps.edu.
FCPS INFORMATION
School Board Meeting Scheduled for December 4 at 7:30 p.m.
The School Board will hold its next business meeting on Monday, December 4, at 7:30 p.m.
Check Boarddocs later this week to view the complete agenda. Find out how to watch and participate in School Board meetings.
Social and Emotional Learning Screener Results Coming Soon
One of the ways FCPS supports the mental wellness of all students is through the Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener. In October, students in grades 3-12 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 also helps students evaluate their school community’s efforts to make them feel valued, included, and supported. Screener data is used to create lessons, 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.
Learn more about the screener on the Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener webpage. For help understanding your student’s results or ideas to support them at home, review this Family Guide or contact your child’s school.
Free Webinars and Events for Families This Winter
The Family Resource Center offers free webinars for adults to support the success of all students, including those with learning challenges, special needs, and disabilities. The following events are currently scheduled.
For more information and to register for the webinars, click on the linked titles.
✈️ 2024 Gap Year Fair
FCPS School Counseling Services and Go Overseas will co-host the annual FCPS Gap Year Fair on Tuesday, January 30, 6-8:30 p.m., at Marshall High School. This event is for high school students and their families who are interested in learning about increasing opportunities for the year following high school graduation. Students should register at USA Gap Year Fairs.
📜 Professional Certificates for High School Students
The FCPS Student Pilot Program with Coursera allows high school students to access the contents of the Coursera Career Academy, including more than 29 professional certificates from the world’s leading companies. A limited number of seats are still available.
Students can explore popular digital jobs and career paths such as marketing and data science, and learn from experts at leading companies including Google. Interested students should complete the Coursera Student Interest Form. Once it is submitted, their parent/guardian will be contacted for consent.
Please note that Coursera courses are not recognized by the Virginia Department of Education as industry credentials and do not count toward high school graduation requirements.
Contact Program Manager Scott Simmons with any questions at sfsimmons@fcps.edu.
Quick Links
NEWS FOR THE COMMUNITY
🙋 Student Attendance and Engagement
During the Academic Matters segment of last Thursday’s School Board meeting, Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid discussed student attendance and engagement. Attendance and absenteeism rates are one measure of Goal 2 for our 2023-30 Strategic Plan.
Chronic absenteeism — which is defined as a student missing 10% or more of school for any reason — is a concern across Virginia school districts. Although FCPS continues to outperform the state average in attendance rates, we are tracking chronic absenteeism closely.
Data shows that:
- Missing just 10% of school — just two days a month — negatively affects a student’s academic performance.
- Only 17% of students who were chronically absent in both kindergarten and first grade were reading proficiently in third grade, compared to 64% of those with good attendance.
- Students who fail to read at grade level by the end of third grade are four times more likely than students who achieve proficiency to drop out of high school.
- By sixth grade, chronic absenteeism becomes a leading indicator that a student will drop out of high school.
Attendance is critical for academic success.
Missing School Over the Holidays
Looking ahead to the holiday season, if missing school is unavoidable, please speak with your child’s teachers in advance to create a plan for making up missed work. But remember, a homework packet cannot make up for the interaction and learning that happens in the classroom.
Visit our website for more attendance resources.
Nominate a Military Child of the Year
This annual award recognizes outstanding young people ages 13 to 18. Recipients will represent a branch of the armed forces for their “scholarship, volunteerism, leadership, extracurricular involvement, and other criteria while facing the challenges of military family life.” As a recipient of this prestigious award, winners will be invited to attend a gala to receive their award and some very generous gifts.
Nominations for the 2024 Military Child of the Year® Award can be submitted now until December 3, 2023, at 11:59PM Central.
For more information regarding the submission process and eligibility requirements, please visit Operation HomeFront or contact militaryfamilies@fcps.edu
Alcohol & the Holidays
Holidays may involve family time, games, movies, food, and possibly drinks. Although loneliness is a cause for alcohol or drug consumption, being around others does not necessarily mean a decrease in unhealthy habits. Alcohol consumption increased during the pandemic and has not decreased after we have returned to a semblance of normalcy. Many people are still trying to figure out how to navigate our “new normal”. We encourage the consideration of a few things as we move towards the end of the year, have time off, and look forward to social interactions.
Questions to consider when drinking with your family:
- What message am I sending if I drink in excess around my underage child?
- Have I had conversations about responsible drinking with my child(ren)?
- Are the conversations I have about alcohol consumption realistic?
- Are the conversations I have with others reinforcing alcohol use as a coping skill during stressful times?
- What messages am I sending my underage child(ren) if I allow them to drink with me or another adult in the house?
Information to consider:
“One-third of Fairfax County students (33.7%) reported drinking alcohol at least once in their lifetime, ranging from 18.8% of eighth-grade students to half of twelfth-grade students (49.4%). One in seven students (15.2%) reported drinking alcohol in the past month, ranging from 4.5% of eighth-grade students to 27.7% of twelfth-grade students.” (FCPS Youth Survey 2020)
“Female students reported higher rates of alcohol use in their lifetime (36.1% compared to 31.2% of male students), in the past month (17.1% and 13.1%, respectively), and binge drinking in the past two weeks (7.3% and 6.5%, respectively)” (FCPS Youth Survey 2020).
Resources:
Holiday Stress
Helpful Info to Quit Vaping
FCPS video on Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs
Substance Abuse Prevention (Spanish)
For general questions about the FCPS Substance Abuse Prevention Program, please contact the Office of Student Safety & Wellness at: (571) 423-4270 and be sure to follow us on Twitter at @FCPSSAPS.
For further information & support contact Mr. Ken Johnson WSHS SAPS.
ALL NIGHT GRAD PARTY - 2024!!
WSHS All Night Grad Party Class of 2024 (WSHS ANGP 2024)
General information HERE
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SAVE THE DATE - CHIPOTLE NIGHT - DECEMBER 6TH!
Where: Chipotle, 6230 Rolling Road
When: Wednesday, December 6, 5-9 pm
What: ANGP (33% of event sales will be donated)
Order online for pickup using code JW2CBWH or show the flyer
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YARD SIGNS FOR SALE
Have you purchased your Class of 2024 Yard Sign yet? Options to personalize! Show your Spartan spirit all year long with a Spartan Class of 2024 or Home of a Spartan yard sign. Yard signs aren’t just for seniors! All proceeds benefit the ANGP for the Class of 2024! Order yours at https://wshs-angp.square.site/signs
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WSHS Social Media
Find WSHS Spartans on:
Need Help? Contact our Family Liaison
If you have questions about navigating the school, learning about FCPS resources, or getting your student setup for success, our Family Liaison can help. Email, or call (703) 913-3830, to set up an appointment.
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