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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!
 Wishing a wonderful holiday season and a relaxing winter break to all in the Oakton community! Looking forward to welcoming everyone back in 2024! The next prinicpal update will come out on January 1, 2024.
Important Dates
You can access the FCPS 2023-2024 school year calendar here.
December 18 - January 1 - No School, Winter Break
January 3 - Curriculum Night
January 15 - No School, Martin Luther King Jr. Day
January 19 - Religious and Cultural Observance Day, Orthodox Christmas
January 25 - Last day of second quarter; 2 Hr. Early Release
January 26 - Student Holiday, Teacher Workday
January 31 - Junior Family College Night (Virtual)
The Marching Cougars are Finalists! - Metallica Competition
The Oakton Band has been chosen as one of five finalists in the Metallica Marching Band Competition! Their show, Parade to Black, was picked by a team of professional marching band judges to be reviewed by the Metallica band members who will select the final winners! Voting remains open for the 'Fan Favorite' category and takes a matter of seconds. To vote text 'VOTE #HSOAKTON' to (833) 609-0330. If you would like to watch the video submission (which is fabulous), you may do so here. Voting closes December 31. This would be a huge honor for our program and allow for the purchase of some additional instruments for marching band. We appreciate your consideration!
General Information
Main Office Closed During Winter Break
During the winter break, the Oakton main office will be closed from December 18 - January 1. We have a limited number of staff members what are still on contract during that time. If you need assistance, please reach out via email. Should that staff member be working they will get back to you to assist. Any staff member who is on leave or not on contract will get back to you upon their return.
SIS ParentVUE and StudentVUE Downtime
ParentVUE and StudentVUE will experience downtime from Friday, December 15, at 5 p.m. through Wednesday, December 20, at 6 a.m.
Grade Book progress reports will not be emailed to parents/guardians during winter break. Emails will resume on Tuesday, January 2, 2024.
No-Cost Mental Health Teletherapy for All High School Students
Is your high schooler experiencing anxiety, behavior changes, or challenges with peer and family relationships? If so, parents/caregivers can refer their children for weekly therapy with a licensed therapist through Hazel Health. Visit the Teletherapy webpage for information on how to opt your child in to this service.
Course Registration 2024-25
After winter break, Oakton students will be registering for the courses for the 2024-25 school year! Below are different ways students and parents can learn about the course offerings and when each grade level will register.
Curriculum Night: January 3, 2024, from 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM. During this time, you will be able to learn more about all the courses offered at Oakton. More information about our curriculum night can be found on the website. You can also find information about our classes, explained by our teachers, through our course offerings website (this site will go live the week of December 11). Additional information can be found on our academic advising and course offerings page (all links will be updated by December 15). The target audience for this is both students and parents.
 Registration: All students will have presentations from the counselors and then an individual meeting to confirm the classes they wish to enroll in. The dates below may be adjusted as needed.
It is incredibly important that students sign up for the classes they want to take. We base our staffing decisions on these initial numbers. Deadlines to register for courses is March 6, 2024.
Rising Seniors - Class of 2025
- Classroom Presentations: January 4 & 5 through English classes
- 1:1 Registration with counselor: January 8 – 25 through Social Studies classes
Rising Juniors - Class of 2026
- Classroom Presentations: January 29 & 30 through English classes
- 1:1 Registration with counselor: January 31 – February 14 through Social Studies classes
Rising Sophomores - Class of 2027
- Classroom Presentations: February 15 & 16 through English classes
- 1:1 Registration with counselor: February 20 – March 1 through Social Studies classes
Rising Freshmen - Class of 2028
Counselor Presentations:
- January 9 – Carson Middle School
- January 11 – Franklin Middle School
- January 12 – Thoreau Middle School
Deadlines for course selection will be determined by the middle school; dates will vary by school.
Make-up/Retake Day School Pictures
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.
Assignment/Assessment Blackout Dates
To ensure that our students are able to take a break and fully enjoy their upcoming winter break, January 2 and January 3 have been designated as assignment and assessment blackout dates. This means that no assignments will be due, nor assessments given on those days. Please note that new material can be covered and assignments completed in class on these days can be graded. This policy helps us to ensure that students can have a break from school work during the days off.
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
Student Services Newsletter
Happy December Cougar Families! Take a look at the December newsletter because it has a lot of valuable information. Learn more about what counselors have been working on such as the Signs of Suicide Program, Freshmen Curriculum, and Academic Award Recognition. Review the opportunities in the College & Career Center such as the HOBY Program and scholarships. Learn more about the Course registration process for the 2024-2025 school year and testing updates. Finally, check out upcoming events including the Student SEL Results, Gap Year Fair, Coursera information, and family webinars through the county.
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.
Junior Family College Night – January 31, 2024 at 6pm (Virtual)
Junior families please mark your calendars for Junior Family College Night. This event is for both junior students and their families to hear directly from college admissions representatives in a panel format. There will be a 30-minute Q&A session at the end.
Topics include:
- Finding the Right Fit
- Components of the College Application
- Starting the College Search
The zoom link will be emailed to junior families the last week of January via eNotify "Oakton High School."
Save the Date: Academy Open Houses Begin in January!
FCPS high school academies will hold open houses for interested students beginning in mid-January.
An academy is a center within a high school that offers advanced technical and specialized courses that can prepare students for postsecondary education and/or career fields. Students enrolling in academy elective courses will be provided with opportunities to participate in a variety of career experiences including shadowing, mentoring, or internships with local businesses. More than a dozen career fields can be explored through FCPS academies.
Learn more and find the calendar of Academy Open Houses.
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.
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.
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:
- Winter Resources for Families
- Academy Open Houses
- Virtual Math Week Coming Soon!
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
Thank you to everyone who has signed up to provide a holiday gift. Donations should have already been dropped off. If you haven't done so yet, please bring to the front office ASAP.
Thank you to DECA and the winter sports teams for the incredible work they have done to collect food and toiletry donations for the Pantry. These donations are welcome throughout the year, but it is especially helpful before winter break because we will be providing over 80 families with extra groceries to last the 2 weeks we have off from school. Congratulations to the basketball program which brought in the most donations at their games!
Thank you all for your support. Happy Holidays!
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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