Happy Spring! We hope this combined March and April newsletter finds you well and enjoying the beauty of the spring season. It's hard to believe that May is upon us and the school year will wrap up on June 12th. While we're busy preparing students for the Standards of Learning, we're excited to highlight some special events that have taken place at Bryant over the past two months.
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Women's History Month, celebrated every March, is a time dedicated to recognizing and honoring the contributions and achievements of women throughout history. Women's History Month celebrates the resilience, strength, and accomplishments of women from all walks of life. During this month, we also took the opportunity to acknowledge the hardworking educators in our building, who serve as role models and mentors, inspiring future generations of women to go after their dreams and make a difference in the world.
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The Birds of Prey (owls and hawks) came visiting to Bryant and always provide such delight. These birds are from Secret Garden Birds and Bees which is an organization working with wildlife rehabilitators that share the love of nature and wildlife with the community. The Forest Service paid for the cost of the birds to come to Ms. LaPorta's Science Classes. Our students love it when the owls and hawks come to visit.. |
New Hope Church generously provided Spring Baskets to the children of our parenting students, demonstrating their ongoing support and care for our young parents. Additionally, they contributed to our Ramen Noodles Bar just before spring break, improving our school community even more.
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In Ms. Leonard's Life Planning class, students learned how to hand sew a running stitch, backstitch, sew on a button, and make a pillow. Students were proud of their pillows and enjoyed showing them off.
Ms. Bowser, Ms. McCreery, and Mr. Virts took a group of students to the Capitol Building on Tuesday, March 19th. Students visited this grand, beautiful building and saw lots of statues remembering important people and events from American history. This field trip gave them a firsthand experience of how the government works and taught them about our nation's past and what people need to do as citizens.
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Our outstanding Government teacher, Ms. McCreery, organized a simulation voting booth. Students participated by casting their votes, experiencing firsthand the democratic process in action. The teacher led students through the voting process using simulation booths, discussing both political parties. Students learned about voting in a pretend election. They learned about different party ideas and why it's important to vote with knowledge. |
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University of Maryland's Department of Entomology, in partnership with USDA Forestry Service, brought the BUGS to Bryant. Our students showed no fear as they held them, allowed them to creep up on their arms, and were in awe of them. It was truly a very cool experience and our Ms. LaPorta has some awesome connections that make science come alive! |
On Friday, April 12th, students in English 12 and Journalism classes enjoyed a visit to Planet Word, a new and exciting interactive museum in Washington, D.C. that celebrates words and language. Students watched books come to life in “The Library” gallery. They told jokes, practiced giving famous speeches, and learned about the origins of words and sayings. They even created their own advertisements. After visiting Planet Word, students and chaperones enjoyed their lunch outside in Franklin Park. It was a breezy but beautiful day for a field trip!
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Mr. Cruz, our Social Studies teacher, attended the 2024 Family Summit. This Saturday event was focused on enhancing the safety, support, and inclusion of our school community. Some of the topics covered include raising resilient, independent children; forming meaningful connections with children; addressing big emotions; and the dangers of opioids and fentanyl. Mr. Cruz is sporting our Bryant logo, the Bear! |
Bryant High School hosted a Career Fair on April 17th. Antonio Rice, President of Jobs for Virginia Graduates, delivered an inspiring keynote address, sharing his journey of perseverance, determination, and resilience. Students had the chance to interact with representatives from 25 businesses and organizations spanning various sectors such as IT, healthcare, government (including FCPS and Fairfax County Government), trades, training programs, sales and services, and the military.
Throughout the fair, students actively explored potential career paths, engaged in networking opportunities with professionals, and gathered valuable information about educational and employment prospects. Employers were impressed by the mature, respectful, and engaging behavior shown by Bryant students.
In preparation for the event, school counselors, the Career Development Coordinator, and JVG Specialist conducted workshops covering topics such as dressing for success, mock interview skills, and the importance of effective engagement and connection. Our goal for next year is to broaden the reach of the Career Fair to include not only our students but also their families who may be seeking meaningful employment opportunities.
In April, we also took the time to recognize the hard work, dedication, and kindness of our Assistant Principals, Librarian, and Administrative Assistants. Bryant simply couldn't function without these exceptional individuals, and we're profoundly grateful for all they do. |
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In April, we also held the 3rd Quarter Awards Assembly. In addition to recognizing Academic Achievement, the Equity Team introduced additional recognitions to celebrate various characteristics and attributes within our student population. It was wonderful to celebrate the diverse qualities of our Bryant students like leadership, kindness, GRIT, and creativity.
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Our JVG Specialist hosted a luncheon during which a NICU Nurse shared insights about her career in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and the journey she undertook to reach this profession. Several of our students are taking Medical Assistant 1 and 2 at West Potomac Academy and are interested in pursuing this helping career.
Students from College Partnership, Safe Space & Project Opportunity visited Virginia State University (VSU) the last Friday of April. Bryant students were able to explore VSU and take part in a campus tour of one of Virginia's historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs).
The field trip to Virginia State University provided students with valuable experiences, inspiring them to pursue higher education and explore various academic and career pathways. Thanks Ms. Leonard, Ms. Lisenby and Ms. Veenstra for taking our students to VSU.
May is shaping up to be very busy with our Standards of Learning Testing. Please emphasize to your students the importance of attending school every day. With less than six weeks remaining, we want to see our students finish the school year strong. Please reach out to your school counselor about summer school options at Bryant. The alpacas come visiting us in May for Wellness Day and we celebrate our AMAZING teachers for Teacher Appreciation Week!
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