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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.
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Table of Contents:
- Important Dates
- Principal’s Message
- Rising 9th Grade Family Night / Curriculum Night / Academic Advising 2024
- School News
- PTSA News
- Class of 2024 Information & Fundraisers
- Class of 2025 Information
Important Dates
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January 12: 24-25 Electives Fair and Class of 2024 Town Hall Meeting – Class picture will be taken (During 3rd Period – 1, 7, 5, 3 Bell Schedule)
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January 9: Curriculum Night/Rising 9th Grade Family Night/Electives Open House
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January 12: Boys and Girls State Interest Meeting during all 4 lunches – College & Career Center
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January 13: Class of 2024 Five Guys Restaurant Night
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January 13: District 10 Honors Orchestra Concert at 3:00 pm – Hayfield Secondary School
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January 15: School Holiday – Martin Luther King Jr. Day
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January 22: Senior Celebrations Committee Meeting at 7:00 pm in the WPHS Library
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January 23: FAFSA/VASA completion workshop at West Potomac High School 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
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January 27: Mock SAT No Essay
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January 30: Gap Year Fair, George C Marshall High School, 6:00-8:00 pm
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February 1: Class of 2024 e-deadline to pay senior dues
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February 2: Leadership Applications Due
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February 17: Mock SAT No Essay and ACT Mock
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February 19: School Holiday – President’s Day
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February 21: Class of 2024 Chipotle Restaurant Night
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February 22: Class of 2024 100 Day Celebration
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April 12: Class of 2024 Senior Breakfast
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June 6: Class of 2024 Senior Bash
Principal’s Message
Happy Friday Wolverines,
I hope everyone was able to get back into school mode successfully. As we move closer to the semester, I want to reiterate a few points that need addressing. First, we cannot allow students to order Door Dash, Uber Eats or any of the delivery food companies. If a student forgets their lunch, a parent can drop lunch off in the main office. We cannot have adults that we do not know come in and out of our building; it is a safety issue. Other schools in FCPS have been throwing the delivered food away and while I am not a fan of waste, if the deliveries continue, we will have to do so as well.
As a school community, I want to remind families that it is imperative for students to be present all day and in class. There is a direct correlation with absences and lower grades. We want all our Wolverines to graduate and follow whatever path they choose as adults. The first step is to be in school and in all classes each day.
Beginning next Monday (1/8), students who are parking without a permit on campus will be ticketed. If you receive a ticket and wish to dispute it, please contact Mr. Walls in the security office located next to the main office.
Lastly, FCPS is hosting an Opioid Awareness and Community Conversation. Please see the information below. I have attended as a parent, and it has valuable information for ALL parents.
I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.
Fondly,
Jessica Statz, Principal
Opioid Awareness and Community Conversation
Event Webpage
Event Flyers: English I Spanish I Arabic I Chinese I Korean I Urdu Vietnamese
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Conversation to Raise Awareness of Fentanyl and Other Drugs In this video, Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid interviews the Fosters, a family who tragically lost their son Cayden to a half pill of fentanyl mistaken for Percocet. This heart-wrenching yet eye-opening video of their experience is essential to raise awareness among parents/caregivers and students about the dangers of fake painkillers.
- Please join Dr. Reid on Wednesday, January 10, at 6:30 p.m., at Edison High School for a community conversation about opioid awareness. You may register to attend. However, registration is not required; it is simply for space considerations.
- The evening’s program is appropriate for parents/caregivers and students in grades 6-12. All attendees will receive free REVIVE! Narcan training during the event and learn about support services currently available within FCPS and Fairfax County.
- FCPS’ website also has resources to help you to start the conversation and additional support for families struggling with substance misuse.
 
Rising 9th Grade Family Night / Curriculum Night /
Electives Open House / Academic Advising 2024-25
10th-12th Curriculum Night / Rising 9th Grade Family Night / Electives Open House
- On January 9 (snow dates 11th and 17th) we will have Curriculum Night / Rising 9th Grade Family Night / Electives Open House.
- 6-6:50pm
- Rising 9th Grade Presentation – Springbank Auditorium
- Rising 10th-12th Grade Presentation – Kogelman Theatre
- 7-8:15pm
- Break out sessions by department
- Electives Open House in Cafeteria
- This is a great opportunity to learn about courses and plan for 24-25 Course Selection.
- We will start academic advising in January so that we are prepared for FCPS Staffing meetings the end of March. Below are the dates school counselors will be meeting with students.
- Rising 9th graders – January 16-19 - @Sandburg Middle School
- Rising 12th graders – January 29- Feb 9 – through English 11 classes
- Rising 11th graders – February 12-23 – through PE 10
- Rising 10th graders – Feb 20 – March 1 – through PE 9
- Our Academic Advising / Course Selection website will go live January 8 – stay tuned for more information!
- In addition, West Potomac 9th-11th graders will receive information after winter break about the January 12th in person electives fair. Students will be able to choose three electives they’d like to learn more about. They’ll receive a schedule to visit those classes during advisory and on January 12 our period schedule will be 1, 7, 5, 3 and we’ll finish the day visiting elective sessions. There will also be quiet studying sessions if students already know what electives they want to select. Then on January 17 during advisory students will review a video from Mr. McMahon going over the course selection process. More information to come in 2024!
School News
Congratulations to 7 members of the Wolverine Orchestra who will represent WP at District 10 Honors Orchestra! These students successfully auditioned and were accepted into this prestigious group.
Sean Collins
Zorig Javkhlan
Hana Keenan
Jonathan Larkin
Glenn Lobo
Luis Nestares
Miguel Tsang
The concert will be held January 13, 2024, 3pm at Hayfield Secondary School.
Way to go Students!
11th Grade Students – Girls and Boys State
There will be an interest meeting for Girls and Boys State on Friday, January 12th during all four lunches in the college and career center. Virginia Girls and Boys State are week-long summer programs that focus on governmental affairs held at a university. Candidates must be currently in their junior year and applicants will be evaluated based on their leadership abilities, interest in government, service to others, and academics. Please plan to attend the interest meeting to learn more about Girls and Boys State programs.
Boys State is held at Radford University from June 16-22, 2024. More information is available at http://www.vaboysstate.org
Girls State will be held at Longwood University from June 16-22, 2024. More information is available at http://www.vagirlsstate.org
The Applications for Girls and Boys State are available at the Post 24 Website: https://valegionpost24.com/youth-programs
Please note that the Girls State application is due on January 31, 2024!
Delegates who attend Girls and Boys State who meet eligibility criteria may also be considered for special university scholarships for undergraduate studies.
WPHS Leadership Training: The focus of this course is to complete and put forth projects throughout WP and the community, to improve and expand leadership skills on an individual level. Along with planning events such as Homecoming, students will participate in collaborative class discussions and group activities, team builders, and individual exercises and much more.
For rising Freshman: if you are interested in taking Leadership Training, there is a mandatory application that can be found at http://tinyurl.com/WPLshipRising9 that is due by Friday February 2nd at 11:59 PM.
For rising 10th-12th graders: if you are interested in taking Leadership, check out the all student Schoology for more information and a link to the application. The application can also be found here: http://tinyurl.com/WPLeadership2024 and is due Friday February 2nd at 11:59 PM.
If you have questions please contact Nicole Borghard at nmborghard@fcps.edu or Joe Petrucelli at jrpetrucelli@fcps.edu.
SAT and ACT Test Prep News!
CLASSES OFFERED:
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SAT Winter Group Class starts 12/2/23 and preps for 3/9/24 official SAT test (digital version). Register NOW! You can always take the 12/2 mock test online “on-demand” over winter break if you have a schedule conflict on 12/2. Laptops required for classes and mocks.
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SAT Spring Group Class starts 3/9/24 and preps for the 6/1/24 official SAT test (digital version). Laptops required for classes and mocks.ACT
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Spring Group Class starts 3/9/24 and preps for the 6/8/24 official ACT test.
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MOCK TESTS OFFERED: SAT and ACT mock tests are offered starting 12/2/23 through 5/18/24. Full schedule HERE
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Scholarships for Classes and Mock Tests WPHS student need-based scholarships for mocks and classes are available through the College and Career Center Specialist, Karen B, Young, kbyoung1@fcps.edu.
Test optional does not mean test blind! Many students still provide test scores with their college applications. Test scores are used for admissions, scholarships, and class placement. Take a mock test to see if you’re in the scholarship range or just a prep class away from that range. Test optional means YOU CHOOSE whether or not to send your scores. A good test score can only strengthen your application
Mock Tests – Find out how you’d score! Mock Tests ($23.00): Practice your skills under realistic testing conditions. Take mocks of both ACT and Digital SAT relatively close together to determine your test strength/preference. Focus your test prep on your strength!
Students from other schools’ welcome – invite your friends!
More details on the PTSA TEST PREP web page.
PTSA Test Prep Chair – Marilyn Aboff, marilynaboff@yahoo.com
AVID TUTORS
- Looking for a flexible and part-time position at West Potomac High School? FCPS is hiring AVID tutors for the 2023-2024 school year. AVID tutors work with small groups of approximately 5-7 students during the school day in an academic elective class called Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID). These groups use questioning strategies to help students develop a variety of college preparatory skills such as critical thinking and problem solving. Tutors earn $18.97 per hour and should either be a college graduate or currently enrolled in college. If interested, please email your resume to Lisa Shields at lbshields@fcps.edu or AVID@fcps.edu
College and Career Center
Happy New Year wishes from the College & Career Center!
2024 Gap Year Fair:
FCPS School Counseling Services and Go Overseas are co-hosting the annual FCPS Gap Year Fair for high school students and families 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 invited to meet the representatives and learn about the variety of experiences available.
Students are encouraged to pre-register for this event. For more information, visit: USA Gap Year Fairs or contact Pamela White, Postsecondary Special Projects Liaison, at pcwhite@fcps.edu or 571-393-1102.
**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
Class of 2024:
Senior Dues:
Activities:
- Fund raiser at Bob and Edith’s 5918 N Kings Hwy, Alexandria, VA 22303. On January 27th from 8:30 am – 11:30 am
Bowling trip is coming in February!
Contact:
Senior Sponsors; Ms. Simpson at jsimpson1@fcps.edu or Ms. Hackshaw at chackshaw@fcps.edu
Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) Application Sessions:
Are you considering or have you already decided to attend Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) next year? Beginning in January, the NOVA rep will be in the College & Career Center each month for a series of workshops that will focus on a different topic. Seniors will need to register under College Visits in Naviance to attend the sessions.
January sessions will focus on completing the NOVA application. Seniors can register for one of the following date/time: 1/11 - 3:00 pm, 1/19 - 10:00 am or 1/30 - 10:00 am.
FAFSA/VASA Completion Session:
In partnership with College Access Fairfax, West Potomac will hold a FAFSA/VASA Completion Night on Tuesday, January 23 from 6:00- 8:00 p.m. in the WPHS Library. Please go to https://www.collegeaccessfairfax.org to register and to see a complete list of completion events at neighboring FCPS high schools. Families are welcome to attend whichever event fits your family’s schedule.
PTSA News
WEST POTOMAC HIGH SCHOOL PTSA MEMBERSHIP – EASY TO JOIN
- Your membership dues are used to directly benefit our Wolverine teachers and students.
- At the site, you can purchase memberships, make tax-deductible donations, and purchase WPHS car magnets (new design). If you want to learn more or join our PTSA this year, please visit this link
School Fundraisers
Class of 2024
Important Dates:
January 13: Class of 2024 Five Guys Restaurant Night
January 22: Senior Celebration Committee Meeting
Time: 7:00pm
Where: WPHS Library
February 21: Class of 2024 Chipotle Restaurant Night
February 22: Class of 2024 100 Day Celebration
April 12: Class of 2024 Senior Breakfast
June 6: Class of 2024 Senior Bash
Senior Parents: Please check out & join the WPHS Class of 2024 Facebook & Instagram group. It’s a great way to keep updated on all the upcoming events, information & opportunities that pertain to this year. We will have several volunteer opportunities throughout the school year for our Senior events & activities. We want to make this the BEST year for our 2024 seniors!!
https://www.facebook.com/share/iTgiFSSv1zgKUvjd/?mibextid=K35XfP
westpo24_seniorcelebrations
https://instagram.com/westpo24_seniorcelebrations?igshid=M2RkZGJiMzhjOQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
Our Direct Donations link is up and running for the Class of 2024. All donations will be used to offset the costs of the events planned throughout the school year for the Class of 2024. No donation is too big or too small! Thank you for supporting the Class of 2024! Please scan the QR code below.
Class of 2025 News
- JOIN our Facebook page! “West Potomac HS-Class of 2025”
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1097261814782770/?mibextid=uJjRxr
This is a private group for parents and students. Please answer the questions to be allowed to join
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SAVE the Date! Juniors & Seniors are invited to PROM on 4/20/24 at the Torpedo Factory!
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