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Welcome to the 24-25 School Year!
Jaguar Families,
Welcome to the Falls Church High School (FCHS) 2024-2025 school year! I hope that you have had a restful and enjoyable summer! The entire staff is busy preparing to welcome our 2,200 new and returning students on August 19, 2024. We know that students are excited to see their class schedules for the year. All students/parents in FCPS will be able to access class schedules using StudentVUE/ParentVUE on Thursday, August 15 at 6:00am.
There is much happening at FCHS and I encourage all families, including returning families, to take some time to review the important information below. We look forward to working with you toward a successful school year!
#WeAreFC
Ben Nowak, Principal
Sign Up for SIS ParentVUE
Access your student’s attendance records, grades, and assignments at any time with SIS ParentVUE. Parents/caregivers should receive an activation code when they register their child. Contact the school registrar, Ivannia Retana-Mora if you need a code.
Once you have activated a SIS ParentVUE account for an FCPS student, you will keep the same account until the student graduates. Information about students in the same family can be accessed through the same SIS ParentVUE account. Access SIS ParentVUE using an app on your iPhone, iPad, or Android devices.
Need help creating an account? This video walks through the steps. Find out more about SIS ParentVUE.
Update Your Contact Information
To be sure you receive important information from your schools, update your phone numbers and/or email addresses in the Parent/Guardian section of SIS ParentVUE.
Student Schedules
Student schedules will be live in SIS ParentVUE and StudentVUE on Thursday, August 15 at 6:00 am. If you have trouble accessing a schedule, we encourage you to attend the Open House in the afternoon (2:00 - 4:00 pm) or reach out to your child’s counselor or one of our Family Liaisons. For those new to FCPS, you’ll need a password which can be obtained at the open house or the first day of school.
Counselors will be working on resolving schedule conflicts and ensuring diploma requirements are being met while connecting with students/families who are impacted. Making sure all students have a full schedule is the priority.
Free Meals at FCHS
FCHS has qualified for the USDA Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) meal program for the 2024-2025 school year. CEP is a non-pricing meal service option for schools in low-income areas. CEP allows schools to serve breakfast and lunch at no cost to ALL students without collecting household applications for free and reduced-price meals.
CEP General Information
- CEP is a USDA program; eligibility is based on direct certification for free meals at individual FCPS schools.
- All students at CEP schools automatically receive no-cost breakfast and lunch every day of the school year (even if the student would not qualify for free meals).
- If a student purchases an additional breakfast or additional meal, it will be at cost to the family.
Free and Reduced-Price Meal Applications, Additional Benefits, and Related Information
- For families that may want to receive benefits (class fees) beyond meals that are income-based, the FCPS CEP Consent to Share Information for Other Programs will continue to be utilized and is included in the free and reduced-price meal application process. Parents are encouraged to complete and submit the CEP Consent to Share Form
Important Forms
Emergency Care and Health information can be updated as needed through the Online Verification Update in SIS ParentVue. Please remember that information must be updated for each individual child who is attending FCHS for the 2024-2025 school year. The OVU packet allows the enrolling parent to electronically verify and submit critical student emergency information to the school. The enrolling parent will be able to use this packet at the beginning and during the school year to keep their child’s information up to date.
Student Forms moved to Parental Digital Consent (PDC) - OPT-OUTs
Families can log in to the PDC using their ParentVUE credentials to complete consent forms assigned to their child.
Forms available in the PDC starting in the 2024-2025 school year include:
- School Counseling Opt-Out
- Digital Resources Consent
- SEL Screener Opt-Out
- Consent for Release of Student Records in Support of Postsecondary Applications
- Denial of Access to Military Recruiters
- Family Life Education Opt-Out
- SOL Retest Permission
- Hazel Health
- BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) Opt-Out
- SOS Screener Opt-Out
- Objection to Release of Information to Outside Organizations
- Objection to Release of Directory Information to the Public
Family Life Education opt-out continues to be a paper form. Please visit the FCPS website to learn more about it. The opt-out form is available on the website. It should be returned to the main office on the first day of school.
Parental Consent for Software/Applications
As part of our commitment to protect student data, FCPS is required to secure parental permission for student use of software/applications for which FCPS does not have a confidentiality agreement. For ease of access, an online process has been developed to collect this information digitally and provide school-based reporting.
To learn more about this process, please visit our website. The form to complete the parental consent process will go live the week of August 14th.
Update Immunizations and Records
Immunizations are required for all students to attend school in Virginia. This is an important part of protecting them from certain diseases and keeping them healthy. Please log in to SIS ParentVUE to see what immunizations your child has recorded.
Please check with your healthcare provider to make sure your child is up-to-date on the immunizations required by the state of Virginia as soon as possible. If your child needs a vaccine, please make an appointment with your healthcare provider, visit the Fairfax County Health Department website for a list of child immunization clinics, or access other local services.
Remember to request your child’s immunization record and bring that to the school’s front office or submit the record via SIS ParentVUE as soon as possible. Find more information on FCPS’ website.
Student Rights & Responsibilities
The Student Rights & Responsibilities (SR&R) handbook is located online in SISParentVUE. Parents and guardians are responsible for acknowledging they have received and reviewed the SR&R and should be prompted to do so when they log into their SIS Parent Account. Students will be reviewing the SR&R during Advisory (4th Period) the first week of school.
New Cell Phone Policy
Falls Church HS is one of eight high schools testing a new cell phone storage program. Students will have their cell phones silenced and stored in a cell phone storage unit located in the classroom while they are in classes. This will be a big change, but we are excited to create a better learning environment for our students and our teachers! Cell phones may be used on campus before the first bell, after the last bell, during passing periods, and during all lunch periods.
FCHS Open House
Please come by Falls Church High School on Thursday, August 15 anytime between 2-4 to meet staff, ask questions, get information on activities, walk schedules and visit classrooms.
Due to renovation, parking is limited. We encourage attendees to walk and carpool. Overflow parking is available at Providence Recreation Center.
Please enter at Door #9 (back of the school by the cafeteria).
Back to School Night
Our Back to School Night will be in-person the evening of Wednesday, August 28 from 5:00-8:35 pm. More information to follow.
School Calendar
Be sure to bookmark the FCPS school year calendar to keep track of school holidays, breaks, and observances:
- Days marked with a blue “H” are student holidays. Schools are closed on these days.
- Days marked with an orange “O” are religious and cultural observance days (or evenings if only half marked). There is school on these days, but certain events that cannot be made up may not be scheduled on these days.
- Days marked in pink are holidays for students, but working days for teachers and staff.
We begin school on Monday, August 19 and here are some other important dates near the start the school year:
- August 30 and September 2 - Labor Day - No School
Bell Schedules
Click here to view the 2024-2025 bell schedules.
Schoology
Students and teachers will continue to use Schoology as their learning management system. Students will login using their student ID and FCPS network password. Parents who have a ParentVue account will have read-only access to view their child’s Schoology courses and will use their ParentVue username and password to login to Schoology. If you wish to access Schoology, but do not have a ParentVue account, please visit this site to register for a ParentVue account. Students will be able to access their courses via Schoology by the first day of school.
Stay Connected
Make sure you are receiving the weekly FCHS News & Announcements email by signing up through News You Choose.
Join the Falls Church High School PTSA Facebook page and join the PTSA organization.
X: @FallsChurchHS
Instagram: @fallschurchhighschoolfcps
School Supplies
There is no standard school supply list. Each course designates their own supplies and students will find out what may be needed the first week of school. If a student has financial difficulties, they should contact their school counselor for supply assistance.
Laptop Distribution information
Students will receive their laptops through their Social Studies class the first four days of school.
Activities & Athletics
Follow us on X @fcjagsathletics & Instagram @fcjagsathletics. Please contact our Director of Student Activities, Greg Weisbecker, gpweisbecker@fcps.edu with any questions.
Interested in Athletics & Activities? Check out the FC Jaguars Athletics Website for schedules, dates, and updates. Required documents for athletics are located under the “Files and Links” tab.
- Fall Sports started August 5th, but we are looking for additional athletes in Field Hockey, Football, and Cross Country.
- New Sports to FCPS: Boys Volleyball & Girls Wrestling
- Returning Activities to FCHS: Speech/Forensics & Debate
Tickets: Effective with the start of the 2024-2025 school year, all FCPS schools will have consistent regular season, district tournament and region tournament entry fees for general admission. Adults (18 and over) will now be $7. FCPS students will be $5. Schools will continue to offer free admission to senior citizens and children under 6.
Membership: Falls Church High School Athletic Booster Club offers exclusive membership opportunities: https://fchsathleticboosters.org/membership/ All ticket sales and booster club memberships directly fund Falls Church Athletic programs.
Fall Save The Dates!
- Fall Sports Athletic Schedules: FC Jaguars Athletics Website
- Homecoming Game Football/Cheer/Marching Band - Friday September 20th 7:00 PM
- Homecoming Dance - Saturday September 21st
Spirit Wear: Stock up now on FC t-shirts (short-sleeves and long-sleeves), hats, sweatshirts, tropical shirts, lanyards, and more! Proceeds will benefit FCHS Athletics. 100% of Pop Up shops profits (at the FCHS Open House, Back to School Night, football games and select other events) support our athletic programs. Online Spirit Shops provide a portion of profits to our athletic programs. Visit FC Sharp Plant Online Store or FC Spirit Shop Online Store Questions? Contact spiritwear@fchsathleticboosters.org
Renovation
Construction has continued throughout the summer! Students and staff will return to a brand new Performing Arts wing and a few new classrooms near that wing. Work is currently ongoing in the following areas and we are hopeful to have them turned over to us before the end of the year:
- Auditorium
- Academy
- Special Education wing
- Main office
- Student services
- Security
- Clinic
- Career center
- Classrooms in the old science hallway
- East side bathrooms
Parking will look a little different and continue to be a challenge until the renovation is complete. Please see the graphic below for available parking areas and traffic flow.
We are very excited for the new school year here at Falls Church High School. If there is any way we can assist you, please contact the Student Services or Administrative staff.
Go Jags!
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