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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.
January 25 - Last day of second quarter; 2 Hr. Early Release
January 26 - Student Holiday, Teacher Workday
January 31 - Junior Family College Night (Virtual); PSTD Presentation (2nd Offering)
February 19 - No School; Spring Sports Tryouts begin
General Information
Attendance Report Cards
All students and parents should have received an attendance report card last week.
This attendance report card contains information related to each student's current chronic absenteeism standing and includes the percentage of the school year missed (total days of school/days missed) and the number of full-day absences.
Students are categorized into three levels.
- Chronically absent (Missing more than 10% of the school year)
- At Risk (Currently missing 8-10%)
- Not At Risk (Less than 8%)
Reducing chronic absenteeism is a tenet of our current School Improvement and Innovation Plan (SIIP). Our goal this year is to reduce our chronic absenteeism rate by 5% to 15% or less. We are currently at a 15% rate. While absenteeism does not directly affect a student’s ability to graduate, it can limit learning, create social anxiety, and hinder achievement. We also understand that there are good reasons for missing school (Illness).
Students and families will receive an attendance report card at the end of each quarter.
Additional Resources
Course Registration 2024-25
Course registration for the 2024-2025 school year has begun! Below are different ways students and parents can learn about the course offerings and when each grade level will register.
Students and parents can find information about many of our classes, explained by our teachers, through our course offerings website . Additional information can be found on our academic advising and course offerings page.
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 1, 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
- January 22 - Jackson Middle School
Deadlines for course selection will be determined by the middle school; dates will vary by school.
Spring Sports Tryout Information
Tryouts for spring sports will start on Monday, February 19th (note: this is a school holiday) and will run for 3 days. Athletes must attend 3 days of tryouts to be considered.
BEFORE students can tryout they must have a current VHSL physical on file dated after May 1, 2023 as well as the online registration filled out.
Athletes should check back for timing of individual tryout times for each sport on our Oakton Athletics site.
Monday, February 26th there will be a parent meeting/ “meet the teams” pep rally followed by individual break out sessions with Coaches.
Wednesday, February 28th will be team photos after school (schedule TBA)
Please email individual coaches with questions.
Learner Permit Testing Dates
If you would like to sign your student up for their learner's permit driving test, please see this document for dates and registration information. This also includes resources to help students prepare.
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:
- Wednesday, January 31, 6:30pm in the Auditorium (Rescheduled from January 16 Snow Day)
- 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
Testing Updates
WIDA Testing
WIDA testing will begin on Monday, January 29- February with more than 180 students at Oakton scheduled to complete the four-part WIDA. Federal law requires that all Level 1-5 English Learners (ELs) participate annually in an English Language proficiency assessment. WIDA Access for ELLs consists of the following parts: Reading, Listening, Writing, and Speaking. Students will take the four parts of WIDA over 3 test sessions. This assessment determines a student’s English language proficiency level, eligibility for ESOL services and testing accommodations. It also provides teachers with information they can use to plan for and support students’ learning. Students and parents/guardians will be notified of testing schedules via email.
National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)
Oakton High will participate in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) on Tuesday, February 13, 2024. NAEP is the largest nationally representative and continuing assessment of what students know and can do in various subjects. NAEP is administered by the National Center for Education Statistics, within the U.S. Department of Education. NAEP is different from our state assessments because it is a common measure of achievement across the country. The results are released as The Nation's Report Card, which provides information about student achievement to educators, parents/guardians, policymakers, and the public. Families of students selected to participate will be notified via email.
Student Services Updates
Student Services Newsletter
Happy New Year Cougars! Take a look at January’s Student Services’ newsletter that highlights our December activities including Cookies and Coloring Brain Break and Oakton Resources Parent Coffee. Learn more about the Course Registration Process for the 2024-2025 School Year such as the schedule and FCPS academy information. Upcoming events are also included such as summer school information, Junior Family College Night, the ASVAB Test, NOVA’s Early Online College Program, and Coursera Information.
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
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:
- Tutor.com Helps with More Than Homework
- Gap Year Fair
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service
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 so much to all of the generous donors, including the Donaldson Family Charitable Foundation, who have supported the Pantry with financial grants this winter. We are so appreciative of your support. We'd also like to give special recognition to a new grant that we have received in memory of Happy Cohen. This grant will be used to provide snack packs to students.
Shout out to the OHS Field Hockey Team who organized a second amazing donation drive for us. They are champions on and off the field! Thank you so much to everyone involved in coordinating and donating.
We are so grateful to the Down Syndrome Association of Northern Virginia (DSANV). For the second year in a row, they held a collection for the Pantry at their holiday party. Representatives of DSANV delivered 2 carloads of donations last week. Thank you so much for your generosity!
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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