Annandale Community Insider - First Day of School

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Annandale Students, Families, and Community:

The 2024-25 school year is off to a great start! The joy of having all of our students back in the building was evident on the faces of our staff and students! Annandale staff members, along with our cheerleaders and marching band, enthusiastically welcomed our students into the building. Seeing teachers lead activities throughout the day to help students start to build relationships and feel connected as well as get them excited about course content was energizing.

You can check out the amazing things happening throughout the campus via Twitter by searching the hashtag #AtomNation.

Building relationships is one of our priorities. One of the ways we do this is through our W4 advisory period. The purpose of W4 is to build relationships, create community, clarify expectations, and support students’ social and emotional needs. Through W4 this morning, we distributed laptops and ensured students were able to log in. Throughout the week, we will be taking time to help students learn new technology and troubleshoot issues. We will also share our expectations and our schoolwide Atoms Agreements of Empathy, Determination and Safety. Students and teachers will discuss how these ideas help us create a community in which we work and learn together. 

Transportation went smoothly this morning and we worked through a number of issues this afternoon. For parents who drop off their student in the morning (aka Kiss and Ride), we ask that you do so no later than 8:00am. This will alleviate congestion and ensure your student is able to get to their first block class on time - by 8:10am. 

If you have any questions, concerns, compliments, or observations, please let me know. You can also contact your student’s teacher, counselor, or administrator. Our contact information is on the school website.

We hope everyone has a great school year!

Shawn DeRose, Principal


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2024-25 Bell Schedule

Tomorrow we will be following our normal bell schedule for the 2024-25 school year. See below for the detailed schedule. You can also click here for the red/white day calendar and a complete list of alternative bell schedules at Annandale High School.

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Important Information

Schedule Change Requests: Our Student Services team is working hard to make sure our students have accurate schedules. We recognize that some students will want to request changes to their schedule. At this time, we are only making schedule changes for the following reasons:

  • A student does not have a complete schedule or is missing a core class required for graduation.
  • A student was registered for a course that they have already successfully passed. The schedule does not reflect a grade change or summer school course that was successfully passed.

If your student has one of the reasons listed above, they should go to Student Services during the class period in which the error occurs. Requests to change schedules based on preference will be considered at a later date. Details on this process will be provided in the coming weeks. Please reach out to Erin Crowley, or your student’s counselor, if you have any questions.

 

Student Attendance: In order for our students to get the most out of their education, they must be in school and on time to class every day. Absenteeism in the first month of school can predict poor attendance throughout the school year. Half of the students who miss 2-4 days in September go on to miss nearly a month of school. If your student must be absent from school, please inform the school. The attendance phone number is 703-642-4151.

In addition, parents will have the option to submit full-day absences through ParentVUE. Parent instructions are available on the Attendance page. The Parent Support Request page now includes under Application “SIS Parent” | Inquiry “Report Absences” option.

 

Cell Phone Policy: Phones and accessories must be silenced and put away during all instructional periods. Watches that serve a dual purpose (e.g., smart watch) may be worn; however, phone features (e.g., texting, Internet, calls, etc.) are to be off when phone use is prohibited. Students are prohibited from using phones, tablets, and other mobile devices in restrooms and locker rooms, unless there is a medical necessity or emergency. Teachers may allow usage of cell phone for instructional activities where they are the most appropriate tool, however one-to-one FCPS devices should meet most needs.

If you have an emergency and need to be in touch with your student, please contact the front office. Complete information can be found in the Student Rights & Responsibilities document.

 

Free Breakfast and Lunch for Every Student! We're excited to announce that all Annandale students will receive free breakfast and lunch every day of the school year, thanks to the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) program. This USDA program ensures that every student, regardless of their family's income level, can enjoy nutritious meals at no cost. The meal service will remain the same as other schools, with a la carte items available for purchase.

Note: Even though all students receive free meals, families who may qualify for additional benefits, such as fee waivers for lab fees, summer school tuition, and more, should still complete the Consent to Share form. Visit FCPS Free and Reduced Priced Meals website for more information.


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News from the PTSA

PTSA Membership for the 2024-25 School Year: The Annandale High School PTSA is committed to helping our students and community. Together, we sponsor many programs and activities for our students, parents, and staff, including teacher grants, community outreach events, AHS Food Pantry, All Night Grad Celebration, Senior Scholarships, and more! Please consider joining for the 2024-2025 school year by filling out the online Membership Form. For more information about membership visit the Annandale PTSA website.

 

PTSA Pantry Is Always Restocking and Needs Your Help! The AHS PTSA Pantry supports current AHS students who experience food insecurity. We are gearing up for the new school year and need your help to restock our shelves! In addition, the pantry distribution schedule for the school year can be found here. All donations to the AHS PTSA Pantry are tax deductible. Contact the pantry with questions. 

Shop Locally

Please see our list of most frequently needed items here, you can shop in your local store. Items may be brought to the front office during school hours.

Amazon

Items can be shipped directly from our Amazon Wishlist

Funding

Make a monetary donation through PayPal by clicking the Donate button below or by check made payable AHS PTSA (Please write AHS Pantry in the memo line and mail it to AHS PTSA, 4700 Medford Drive, Annandale, VA  22003)

Sign up to be a Food For Neighbors Red Bag Donor

It is as easy as 1, 2, 3!

  1. Sign up to be a red bag donor.
  2. Fill the red bag with the list provided
  3. Put the red bag outside your door by 8:30am on the donation days.
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