Annandale Community Insider - February 25

Annandale Students, Families, and Community:

At Annandale, we often say that, “When you’re surrounded by people who share a passionate commitment around a common purpose, anything is possible.” Building this community begins with hiring, and this weekend, I, along with Assistant Principals Aaron Schneider and Hanna Langstein, attended the FCPS Job Fair at Lake Braddock. 

Our approach to hiring is to focus on ensuring candidates’ are aligned in our values, have strong instructional skills, and an ability to build strong relationships. To that end, over the last several years, we have been purposeful in recruiting prospective candidates who share our priorities of relationships and support, high quality instruction, and strong collaboration.

When we hire, we don’t just interview candidates. Instead, we invite them to come see Annandale High School, walk our halls, visit our classrooms and speak with students and staff members. As a result, candidates know exactly what it will mean to be a part of Atom Nation. Our new hires choose Annandale over other schools because we are clear about who we are and how we work together. Check out the Atom Nation At A Glance Packet that we share with all of our prospective staff members. 

In addition to, or perhaps because of our shared commitment to our priorities, we also have a lot of fun as a community. On Saturday, Annandale hosted our annual Monopoly Tournament sponsored by the PTSA. Congratulations to Juli Valentine who was crowned this year’s Annandale Monopoly Tournament Champion! Annandale student, Haaniah Beg, finished second and former Annandale administrator Brian Valentine was third, followed by former champion and Annandale math teacher Toby Dienstfrey. Huge shoutout to Rai Kent and the PTSA for organizing this fun event.

Have a great week, Atom Nation! As always, reach out with any questions.

Shawn DeRose, Principal

Important Dates

Now through March 8 - Heritage Night Tickets on Sale

February 28 - PTSA Pantry Distribution

February 28 - Spring Meet the Coaches Night, 6:30pm

March 4-8 - Inclusion Revolution Week

March 4 - W4 Activities Day

March 4 - Atoms Booster Club Meeting, 6pm

March 5 - School Planning Day (No School)

March 6 - FanQuest Pep Rally

March 6 & 8 - IB Junior Extended Essay Library Day

March 8 - Just World Festival & Heritage Night

March 12 - SEL Screener

March 12 - PRIDE TIme 4.0 Begins

March 13 - Partners for Safe Teen Driving

March 20-22 - Performing Arts Spring Trip

March 22 - End of Quarter 3

March 25-29 - Spring Break

April 1 - Teacher Work Day (No School)

April 2 - School Planning Day (No School)

Now through March 8 - Heritage Night Tickets on Sale: The Heritage Night performance will take place at 7:00pm and is another opportunity for Annandale students to showcase their culture through music, dance, fashion, and more. Tickets are now on sale! Cost is $10. No tickets will be available for purchase at the door! This event has been incredibly popular in the past, so we highly recommend purchasing your tickets now to ensure a spot at this incredible performance!

February 28 - Spring Meet the Coaches Night: On Wednesday, February 28, parents will have an opportunity to hear from the activities office, our athletic trainer and spring sports coaches to learn more about supporting their spring student-athlete. Meet the Coaches Night will start at 6:30pm in the cafeteria.

March 4 - W4 Activities Day: Our next W4 Activities Day is on Monday, March 4. W4 Activities Day is a time set aside for students to explore clubs and activities and connect with classmates and staff over shared interests. If you have any questions, please contact Bryan Harris.

March 5 - Presidential Primary (No School): The Fairfax Board of Elections has requested that schools be closed on Tuesday, March 5, to accommodate the safe and efficient administration of the 2024 presidential primary election. Therefore, March 5 will be a school holiday for students and a virtual School Planning Day for staff.

March 6 & 8 - IB Junior Extended Essay Library Day: This year we have 99 juniors that have started their IB diploma journey. To support these students on one of their requirements, the Extended Essay, they will participate in an in-school field trip to the AHS library. IB juniors with last names A-L will meet on Wednesday, March 6 and those with last names M-Z will meet on Friday, March. Students will spend the day crafting their research question, finding sources, and developing an outline. Mary Johnson, Extended Essay coordinator, and our librarians will provide guidance. Attendance is mandatory. Students should notify their teachers in advance and make plans if they miss an assessment. Please reach out to Linda Bradshaw, IB coordinator or Mary Johnson if you have any questions.

March 6 - FanQuest Pep Rally: FanQuest is an event that promotes inclusion and provides our special education students the opportunity to showcase their basketball skills in front of the entire student body. This year our amazing Special Olympics Basketball team will take on the Justice Wolves in a riveting basketball match. Check out this video from last year’s FanQuest event. FanQuest is just one event during “Inclusion Revolution Week” at Annandale High School that highlights the diversity of our school. 

March 8 - Just World Festival & Heritage Night: Annandale High School leadership students are excited to join the Just World Interact Club for the 18th annual Just World Festival and Heritage Night on March 8. The theme for this year’s Just World festival is "Solidarity in Community." The festival aims to inspire youth that they are not only a part of their local community but a global one as well. We want to educate the community about global and environmental issues, fair trade, human rights, equality, and most importantly, social action.

Doors for Heritage Night will open at 6:30pm and the performance will take place at 7:00pm. The doors will close at 7:20pm and will not re-open for the remainder of the evening. Heritage Night is another opportunity for Annandale students to showcase their culture through music, dance, fashion, and more. Tickets are on sale now!. Cost is $10. No tickets will be available for purchase at the door! This event has been incredibly popular in the past, so we highly recommend purchasing you tickets now to ensure a spot at this incredible performance! Seating is first come, first serve!

Annandale Celebrates Black History Month

February is Black History Month. This year’s theme, “African Americans and the Arts,” explores the key influence African Americans have had in the fields of “visual and performing arts, literature, fashion, folklore, language, film, music, architecture, culinary and other forms of cultural expression.” Throughout the month, we will celebrate and honor the experiences, achievements, and contributions made by African Americans and their central role in US History.

This week, Government classes are researching the Executive Branch and practicing source analysis skills through the study of presidential executive orders which advanced racial equality beginning with the Emancipation Proclamation. In World History, students are focusing their learning on the lasting impact the Haitian Revolution had on the fight for independence throughout Latin America, and how African nations exhibited agency during the Age of Imperialism.

School-Family Partnership

Research shows that the single most impactful thing parents can do to support their student’s education is to talk with them about school. We encourage you to talk with your student about their school experience. Here is a question to help get the conversation started...

“I heard there were different W4 lessons for Black History Month last week. Which one did your class do?"

Thank you for everything you do to support us and your student - we truly work together to support our students’ needs!

Academic Support

Sign up for a writing conference with the AWC: 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. 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. Contact Mrs. Crowley with any questions.

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 3:00-4:00pm. Tutors will be available to help in math, science and social studies. Contact Ms. Michelle Lukacs, AVID and History teacher, with questions.

Work with Live Tutors for Free! Does your student need help getting up to speed in math, science, or English? Tutor.com offers diagnostic quizzes to help students test their knowledge and find areas where they may need help. Quizzes can be taken anytime, and students can connect immediately to a tutor. Find out more here.

Awesome Atoms

Annandale Students Visit NOVA Medical Campus: Forty-five (45) Annandale students recently visited the NOVA Medical Education Campus in Springfield to learn about NOVA’s nursing and health science programs, such as phlebotomy, respiratory therapy, and radiography. Students learned about financial aid opportunities and toured the various labs on campus.

AHS Equity Team for ELs Volunteer at DC Central Kitchen: Last Wednesday, 35 students from the AHS Equity Team for ELs, Alumni of the Center for International Education and Exchange (CIEE), and Just World volunteered at DC Central Kitchen. This experience allowed students a hands-on opportunity in public service to develop their interest in being changemakers around the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The students made a valuable contribution in their DMV community by way of peeling, chopping, mixing, weighing, and packaging food for those in need. The students heard from (and were complimented by!) the DC Central Kitchen CEO, who thanked them for their efforts and encouraged them to continue to be global citizens. This trip was made possible by the Educate Fairfax grant awarded to AHS earlier this school year.

AHS Celebrates Students of the Month: Congratulations to Colton D’ambrogi, Angelina Gutierrez Acosta, Mohammad Omari, Rodshi Taiyabah, Kevin Tieu, Karen Aguilar Cruz, Tea Akl, Valeria Castellanos Reyes, Noelia Conchambay Zhune, Abiezer Corea-Ochoa for being selected as our February Students of the Month. Each month, Annandale teachers nominate one student who exemplifies one of our Atoms Agreements of Empathy, Determination, and Safety. In February, our focus was on Determination. Congratulations to all for being selected as our Student of the Month winners! Our next round of Students of the Month for March will focus on students that exemplify the Atoms Agreement of Safety.

Important Information

March 3 - Family Engagement Survey Opens: FCPS is partnering with independent research firm K12 Insight to administer a Family Engagement Survey, which will be open from Sunday, March 3, to Friday, March 22. Your feedback is critical in helping FCPS to better recognize, understand, respect, and address family strengths and needs throughout the district. Parents will receive the survey link via email from K12 Insight. A public link will also be posted on FCPS’ website. Paper surveys will be available in our front office. Please stay tuned for more information.

Opportunities

Now Open! Summer Camps Pre-Registration: Annandale Summer Camps are now accepting pre-registration. Summer Youth Sports Camps are held at Annandale High School and run 8:30am-3pm. The cost is $120. Sign up before March 1 and receive the $100 early bird rate. Multi Sport Camp: June 17,18, 20,21 (No camp on June 19), Olympics Camp: June 24-27 (No camp Friday). Pre-Register Here!

March 2 - Family Bootcamp Fundraiser, 9am - Elevate Your Family's Health Together! Join Our Exclusive Family Bootcamp Fundraiser for the Annandale Atoms! Unleash the power of family fun and fitness at our high-energy Family Bootcamp Fundraiser sponsored by the Annandale High Football Team. This boot camp will have engaging activities cater to all fitness levels, creating a memorable and enjoyable experience for the whole family. Kids will separated appropriately by age range and given a trainer to run the fun activities for them! Recommended kids age 6-12. Sign up here! 

March 2 & 9 - Fairfax County Teen Job Fair: Fairfax County Teen Job Fairs and Career-Building Workshops will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 2, at Chantilly High School, and Saturday, March 9, at West Springfield High School. Student registration is free and open to all teens in Fairfax County seeking employment, volunteer opportunities, or tips on building their resume. Business registration is also free and open to any organization providing positions for students.

Now through March 4 - High School Academy Open Houses: FCPS high school academies will hold open houses for interested students through March 4. A high school 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, and/or internships with local businesses. Click here to learn more and find the calendar of Academy Open Houses.

College Admission & Financial Aid

March 19 - NOVA Virtual Sessions for Seniors and Their Families: Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) is offering virtual information and application sessions. Information sessions will provide an overview of NOVA and the opportunities, services, and resources designed to connect high school seniors to the NOVA Nighthawk Community. An information session will be held Tuesday, March 19, at 4:30pm and a virtual application workshop will be held Tuesday, April 30, at 7pm. Sessions are open to all FCPS seniors and their families. For questions, email admissions@nvcc.edu or call 703-323-3000.

FAFSA Info for Class of 2024: The Federal Student Aid FAFSA form is now available (soft launch is working out glitches, so be patient with the website). The application is free and is the largest source of aid to help pay for college or career/trade school. Even if you don't think your family would qualify for financial assistance, you would still want to complete the application because some states and colleges use information from the FAFSA form to determine student eligibility for their grants, scholarships, and loans. If you need assistance, please contact Mr. Yeagley in our College and Career Center or your student’s counselor.

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 March 10, the Transcript Request Form is due on February 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!

News from the Activities Office

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.

February 28 - Meet the Coaches Night, 6:30pm: As our coaches and teams complete week one of tryouts/practices, we want to invite all parents/guardians of our spring athletes to join us for an informational session. You will have the opportunity to hear from the athletic office staff, athletic trainers, athletic boosters and your student athletes specific coach. We will meet in the cafeteria then teams will breakout into classrooms.

March 4 - Atoms Booster Club Meeting, 6pm: Join us on Monday, March 4 in-person at Annandale High School in the Driver’s Education Room. 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.

Booster Membership Fee Reduced! The cost of Booster Memberships is now 50% less! The new low price will be Adults $30 and Students $15 (including Elementary, Middle, and High School Students). The Booster pass allows Free Admission to all regular season Freshman, JV, and Varsity games. This price drop will include the last 3 games of the basketball season and include ALL Spring season sports: Baseball, Soccer, and Lacrosse. Check Atoms Athletics schedules and buy your Booster Pass here.

News from the PTSA

Upcoming Events - Mark your calendars! 
April 6 - Annual Mulch Sale
April 14-21 - Silent Auction 
May 4 - Flea Market
June 4 - All Night Grad

PTSA Nominating Committee: Each year the PTSA forms a committee to identify people interested in serving as PTSA officers. The Nominating Committee advertises the opportunities available and explains how to
apply, receives nominations and identifies potential candidates, and presents a slate of nominees at the April PTSA general membership meeting. Contact Angela Torres at atoms.ahs.president@gmail.com for more information or to sign up.

Volunteers Wanted - AHS Pantry: The AHS Pantry needs your help! Each month, the Annandale Pantry distributes bags of food to Annandale families in need. Distribution dates are primarily on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month from 3:30-5:00pm. Please consider volunteering to assist in a distribution. Volunteers can sign up here.

AHS Pantry Distribution Every Second Wednesday: We offer bi-monthly family distributions as well as twice weekly student distributions and emergency needs and gift cards for emergency situations that are tracked and distributed with our AHS clinical staff. We have partnerships with Food for Others and Fairfax Diaper as well as other Community businesses, neighborhoods, girl scout troops and churches.