Annandale Students, Families, and Community:
At Annandale, we support student academic success not only in the classroom, but through our PRIDE Time Intervention and our After School Academic Program (ASAP). Last week, we once again reviewed student data and adjusted assignments for PRIDE Time and ASAP. These adjustments ensure that our interventions remain responsive and effective, fostering an environment where every student can thrive.
Looking forward, now that academic advising is nearly done, we are hard at work on our master schedule for next year with input from administrators, instructional coaches, and department chairs. In addition, we have started hiring for the upcoming school year and have found some incredible candidates who will enrich our work as a school in the years to come.
Our Instructional Council and CT Leads recently came together to examine our instructional focus and the progress we have made as a building towards our priorities of relationships and support, high quality instruction, and strong collaboration. It is always exciting to reflect on how we have grown and discuss how we can continue to get better as a school. More importantly, this work will shape our instructional focus for next year, which we will share with students, staff and the community in the coming months.
As Spring Break approaches, we will continue our tradition of allowing everyone to relax and refresh over the spring holiday. Teachers should not be assigning work over spring break with the exception of long term assignments that happen to span over the break. Furthermore, to ease the transition back into academic routines, there will be no assessments the first two days back after break.
Finally, tomorrow, Annandale parents/guardians will receive an email containing a link to complete the online FCPS Principal Evaluation Feedback Form. This questionnaire is part of the VDOE-mandated Performance Evaluation Program for principals and offers parents/guardians an opportunity to provide anonymous input about various topics related to our school. These topics include how the principal demonstrates/impacts instructional leadership, school climate, management, communication and community relations, culturally responsive and equitable leadership, and professionalism within the school. Please take a few minutes to complete the questionnaire. I value your feedback!
Have a great week and a safe Spring Break, Atom Nation! As always, reach out with any questions.
Shawn DeRose, Principal
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Mulch Madness Is Here!
Mulch Madness is the PTSA's biggest and most critical fundraiser of the year. Proceeds from the mulch sale go directly to support the PTSA's All Night Graduation Celebration and Senior Scholarships. All Night Graduation Celebration provides a fun, safe, alcohol and drug-free parent-chaperoned celebration for our seniors. Order now through March 27! Mulch will be available for pick-up at AHS on Saturday, April 6 from 8am-12pm or delivered to your location. Each mulch bag covers 3 cubic feet and weighs about 50 lbs. $6.50 per bag delivered (10 bag minimum and within a five mile radius of AHS). $5.50 per bag self pick-up. For more information, email ptsaprograms@gmail.com.
In addition, there are big and small volunteer opportunities but they all make a difference with our biggest and most critical fundraiser of the year. Sign up here to volunteer and help make this event a success!
Important Dates
March 18 - Lockdown Drill
March 20 - Student of the Month Celebration
March 21-22 - 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)
April 8 - W4 Activities Day
April 9 - PTSA Meeting, 7pm
April 10 - Eid Al Fitr Holiday (No School)
April 15 - Senior Breakfast
April 13 - Special Olympics Inclusion Track Meet
April 17 - Partners for Safe Teen Driving, 6:30pm
March 18 - Lockdown Drill: On Monday, we will conduct our second required lockdown drill of the school year. Your student may come home and talk about their experience during the drill. We encourage you to talk with your student about the importance of being prepared for emergencies. Here are some helpful tips for families to use to support their students before and after school lockdown drills.
March 21-22 - Performing Arts Spring Trip: Annandale’s Performing Arts students will be taking a trip to New York City! During the trip, students will be touring Lincoln Center, seeing a Broadway show, attending a workshop, and seeing a performance at Juilliard. The afternoon before leaving for the trip, students will enjoy a clinic with members of The United States Army Band and members of the National Symphony Orchestra on “Setting the Tone.”
March 25-29 - Spring Break: Schools and school offices will be closed. See the complete 2023-24 school year calendar.
April 9 - PTSA Meeting, 7pm: Our next PTSA meeting will be on Tuesday, April 9 at 7:00pm in the library. Spanish translation will be available. If you can't attend in person, consider joining us virtually on Zoom. The link will be active 15 minutes prior to the start of the meeting. Also, if you have not done so already, please consider joining the PTSA by filling out the online Membership Form. For more information about membership visit the Annandale PTSA website.
April 13 - Special Olympics Inclusion Track Meet: Annandale’s 2nd Annual Inclusion Track Meet will be held on April 13 from 9am to 2pm on the track field. Come out to support your Annandale Special Olympics team and enjoy a fun filled day of Inclusion. Clubs, sports teams, and vendors will be on sight with music, face painting, yard games, and food. Fun for the whole family!
April 17 - Partners for Safe Teen Driving (PTSD), 6:30pm: Annandale High School will be hosting Partners for Safe Teen Driving on April 17 at 6:30pm. The state of Virginia requires students and their parents to attend one session of Partners for Safe Teen Driving in order to receive their Pink Card (DEC-8). If the parent and student are not in the auditorium at 6:30pm then they will be asked to attend another session. If you have any questions, please email Lizzie McManus.
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Awesome Atoms
Cafecito Con El Director Monthly Meeting: Annandale Family Liaisons host a monthly event, "Cafecito con el Director" that invites our Spanish-speaking families to meet with school staff members and learn about important events and programs while building a network of community support. This month, they reviewed ways to support students in finishing the third quarter strong and preparing for SOLs.
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WIDA Testing Complete! WIDA testing has officially ended. We administered over 2,800 tests! Over the course of the testing window, we were able to test 98.5% of our ELs. Huge shoutout to our ESOL department for their support proctoring WIDA and to our Admin, Coaches, Counselors, Librarians, and other staff who helped in getting our students to testing.
Future Atoms Visit AHS: Students from Frost, Glasgow, and Lake Braddock Middle Schools visited Annandale High Schools to tour our campus and learn about student life from our Atoms Ambassadors. Staff and students had a great time getting to know our future Atoms and welcoming them to Atom Nation!
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AVID Students Visit University of Mary Washington: More than 40 AVID Students visited the University of Mary Washington this week for a campus tour and lunch. Students were also able to meet with AHS alumni attending UMW and learn about the college experience.
Students Visit the United Nations: The Center for International Education and Exchange (CIEE) Global Ambassadors traveled to NYC to leverage their study-abroad experience and explore post-secondary options in the field of international studies. Students visited the United Nations, toured New York University, and connected with alumni at CIEE partner school, Stuyvesant High School. It's not a trip to NYC without a visit to Times Square and walking the Brooklyn Bridge! Keep an eye on these five changemakers as they seek to make the world a better place for all.
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Music In Our Schools Month
March is Music in our Schools Month. We recognize the importance of music education for all students and the important role of music education in schools. To celebrate, we wanted to share some updates from our Band, Orchestra, Chorus, and Guitar programs.
Annandale Music Students Audition for All-Virginia Band & Orchestra: On February 24, several hundred select band and orchestra students from throughout Virginia traveled to JMU to audition for the All-Virginia band and orchestra. Our very own Tyler Perez competed against 32 other euphonium players to win a coveted spot in the All-Virginia concert band, ranking #7 in the state. Tyler will participate in rehearsals and performances in Richmond, April 18-20. Congratulations Tyler!
Annandale Choirs Earn High Marks at State Choral Assessments: Annandale High School proudly announces exceptional results from the State Choral Assessments at Annandale UMC. Our talented choral groups have excelled, with ten Superior and two Excellent ratings in concert performances, showcasing their outstanding musical abilities. In the challenging sight-reading component, our ensembles continued to impress, achieving three Superior and one Excellent ratings. These achievements highlight the dedication, hard work, and musical excellence of our students and educators. We commend their efforts and celebrate the vibrant musical spirit within our school community.
AHS Students Form Interdisciplinary Jazz Ensemble: The Annandale Bands have much to celebrate this Spring. As you may have seen in the A-Blast, several band students have come together on their own to form an interdisciplinary Jazz ensemble led by senior trombonist Anthony Rodriguez. Members of the band, orchestra, chorus, and IB Music class rehearse every Tuesday and Thursday after school as they prepare for their debut performance on May 14 as part of the Band spring concert. Anthony has written custom warm-ups and arrangements for the Jazz ensemble, and leads rehearsals like a veteran teacher!
Annandale Band Students Earn High Ratings in District Assessment: Since our return from winter break the Annandale Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble have been diligently rehearsing and preparing for District Ten concert assessment. This process is a summative experience of preparing the most challenging concert repertoire against state standards that are evaluated by three professional judges. Both the Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble earned “Excellent” ratings in all categories of performance. The Symphonic Band, composed mostly of freshman and sophomores (including 6 beginners), even earned a “Superior” rating in sight-reading. After a successful assessment experience, the bands now turn their attention to preparing the Spring concert, marching band mini-camp, and playing for graduation.
Orchestra Assessment Success! Congratulations to Symphony and Philharmonic Orchestras on their outstanding professionalism and performances at Assessment! Both ensembles walked away with Superior ratings from all judges with A’s (highest marks) in every category. We are so proud of their hard work and the growth all of the groups have shown over this concert cycle! Thank you to the staff for their support and sharing their spaces with us to make this event happen for District X.
Guitar Concert a Success! The AHS Guitar Ensemble celebrated the first guitar concert at AHS in a decade. The guitar students are now busy preparing for a spring concert and Assessment this May. Six students from the AHS Guitar program were selected to perform with the VGDA North Region Honors Guitar Ensemble. Congratulations to Parikshit, Gabriel Olivares-Tapia, Keegan Cano, Emily Camacho, Sibyl Dauer and Marina Bonilla-Gomez.
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Important Information
Assignments Over Spring Break: We will continue our tradition of allowing everyone to relax and refresh over spring break. Teachers should not be assigning work over spring break with the exception of long term assignments that happen to span over the break. In addition, there will be no assessments the first two days back after break.
Principal Evaluation Survey Coming Soon! On Monday, March 18, Annandale HS parents/guardians will be sent an email containing a link to complete the online FCPS Principal Evaluation Parent/Guardian Feedback Form. This questionnaire is part of the VDOE-mandated Performance Evaluation Program for principals and offers parents/guardians an opportunity to provide anonymous input about various topics related to our school. These topics include how the principal demonstrates/impacts instructional leadership, school climate, management, communication and community relations, culturally responsive and equitable leadership, and professionalism within the school.
The questionnaire will be administered between March 18 and April 5. Please take a few minutes to complete the questionnaire. Your feedback matters!
Safety Drills in March: Keeping students and staff safe is a priority at Annandale High School. Last week, we conducted our annual tornado drill. This week we will conduct our second required lockdown drill of the school year and our monthly fire drill. Your student may come home and talk about their experience during the drill. We encourage you to talk with your student about the importance of being prepared for emergencies. Here are some helpful tips for families to use to support their students before and after school lockdown drills. Working together, we create a safe, secure environment for students to learn and grow in our schools.
Now Open! Family Engagement Survey: FCPS is partnering with independent research firm K12 Insight to administer a Family Engagement Survey, which will be open now through 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.
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Opportunities
March 18 - Community Conversation on Fentanyl and Other Drugs, 6:30pm: A community conversation on the opioid crisis in Northern Virginia will be held Monday, March 18, 6:30-8 p.m., in the auditorium at Lake Braddock Secondary School. (Please enter through Door #14). Attendees will receive free REVIVE! Narcan training during the event and learn about support services within FCPS and Fairfax County. This discussion will provide families, staff, and students with valuable knowledge about the dangers of drugs and deadly fentanyl. The material discussed will be suitable for students in grade 6 and higher. Language interpretation will be available as well as American Sign Language accommodation. Childcare and transportation will also be provided, as needed. Learn more about the event and register online.
March 20 - FCPS Virtual Military Night: FCPS School Counseling Services is hosting a Virtual Military Night on Wednesday, March 20, 6-8 p.m. This event is designed for high school students and their families who are interested in learning more about the military pathways and opportunities. Enlistment, service academies, and ROTC pathways will be represented.
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Now through March 21 - Yearbook Ads for Sale: Celebrate your Class of 2024 Senior or underclassman with a Personal Ad in the 2024 Yearbook! Design a Personal Ad and purchase the 2024 Yearbook here!
March 22 - Nominations for the First Class Award for Inclusion Due: The Advisory Committee for Students with Disabilities (ACSD) is seeking nominations for the First Class Awards. The awards are presented annually to educators, administrators, and students who support, design, and/or implement inclusion activities that result in positive outcomes for students. The ACSD will recognize award winners at the Family Summit on Saturday, April 20. Nominate an individual who has made an exceptional contribution to inclusive practices in Fairfax County Public Schools by Friday, March 22. Email SpecialEdConf@fcps.edu with questions.
March 22 - Applications for Student Representative to the School Board Due: Each year, FCPS students have the opportunity to apply for the position of the student representative to the School Board. The student representative is not a member of the School Board but serves in a nonvoting, advisory capacity, representing the interests of the students of Fairfax County Public Schools. Students who are currently in grades 9, 10, and 11 are eligible to apply, and they do not need to be current members of the Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council (SAC). Find out more and apply here.
Institute for the Arts: Students in all FCPS secondary schools can enroll in the Institute for the Arts. IFTA is a two- or three-week summer Arts enrichment program for students in rising grades 7-12. Students create their own schedules in Art, Music, Theatre, and Dance from nearly 60 courses offered. Transportation is provided from around the county. Tuition assistance is available for students who qualify. Check out the Institute for the Arts website for more information or email ifta@fcps.edu.
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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.
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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 7:00pm. Sessions are open to all FCPS seniors and their families. For questions, email admissions@nvcc.edu or call 703-323-3000.
FAFSA Updates for Seniors and Families: There have been several technological challenges with the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) since its launch on December 31, 2023. The latest news is that colleges will not get FAFSA summaries from the U.S. Department of Education until mid-March at the earliest. As a result, colleges won’t be able to give students financial aid award letters based on their FAFSA information until late April to May, at best. Students who applied to a college that uses the CSS Profile may receive financial aid information sooner.
Different media outlets are reporting a growing list of colleges that will push back deadlines for students to accept offers of admission into May and even June. The American Council on Education has a database of colleges and universities that have extended their deadline to commit to enroll. We recommend that all information obtained by a secondary source be confirmed directly with the college or university. 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.
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.
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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.
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.
This Week:
Monday, March 18
Boys Lacrosse vs Wakefield - 5:45/7:15pm
Boys Tennis vs Justice - 4:00pm
Girls JV Lacrosse @ Herndon - 6:00pm
Girls Tennis @ Justice @ Mason District Park - 4:00pm
Tuesday, March 19
Boys Tennis vs Lewis - 4:00pm
Girls Soccer vs Westfield - 5:45/7:30pm
Varsity Baseball/Softball vs Hayfield - 6:30pm
Girls Tennis @ Lewis - 4:00pm
Boys Soccer @ Westfield - 5:00/6:30pm
JV Baseball/Softball @ Hayfield - 6:00pm
Varsity Boys Lacrosse @ Mt. Vernon - 6:30pm
Wednesday, March 20
Girls Soccer vs Woodbridge - 5:45/7:30pm
Varsity Boys Lacrosse @ Osbourn - 6:00pm
Outdoor Track @ Justice - 5:00pm
Thursday, March 21
Boys Tennis vs TJ - 4:00pm
JV Baseball vs Justice - 6:30pm
Varsity Boys Soccer vs Osbourn Park - 6:30pm
Girls Tennis @ TJ - 4:00pm
Varsity Baseball/Softball @ Justice - 6:00pm
JV Softball @ Marshall - 6:30pm
Friday, March 22
Boys Lacrosse vs South Lakes - 5:45/7:15pm
Girls Lacrosse @ South Lakes - 6:00/7:30pm
Saturday, March 23
Varsity Baseball vs TJ @ Potomac HS (Woodbridge) - 11:00am
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News from the PTSA
Upcoming Events - Mark your calendars!
April 6 - Annual Mulch Sale
April 9 - PTSA Meeting, 7pm
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.
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