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Important Dates
- 8/26 - Senior Parent/Student College Night (7:00 pm, Lecture Hall, see announcement below)
- 8/28 - Back to School Night (5:00 pm, see announcement below)
- 8/30 - Holiday
- 9/2 - Holiday
- 9/3 - Phones Down, Engagement Up: FCPS Cell Phone Policy and Storage Pilot Begins
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Useful Links/Information
FCHS Bell Schedule
Schoology
SIS ParentVUE
FCPS School Year Calendar
Attendance Matters!
When a student is absent for a full day or one period, SIS generates an automated message to notify parents of the absence. It will tell the parent if the absence is for one period or a full day.
If you receive a message and you know that your child came to school, two things might have happened:
- The student was late to class, and when the teacher took attendance, was marked UNV.
- The student did not show up for that particular class (skipped class).
Starting next week, you will also be notified if your student is late to class. If you have any questions, feel free to call us at 703-207-4044.
Back to School Night
Falls Church High School is excited to invite you to our annual Back to School Night (BTSN) on Wednesday, August 28th, 2024 from 5:00 pm - 8:35 pm. Parents/Guardians will have the opportunity to explore resources, follow their student’s schedule, and meet teachers for the 2024 - 2025 school year. Please see below for a detailed schedule for the evening.
5:00 pm - Arrival & Explore Resources- Door #9 (Cafeteria)
- 5:00 - 5:45 pm - Parent account assistance, parent resources, PTSA, Family Literacy Program, Northern VA Family Service and the FCHS String Quartet (Cafeteria)
- 5:00 pm - 5:45 pm - Optional: FLE Materials Review (Library)
- 5:00 pm - 6:30 pm - Spirit Wear and Memberships for sale (Cafeteria), counselors will be available to provide parents with a snapshot of their students schedule.
- 5:15 - 5:45 pm - Parent information session: Optional session for parents to learn more about WIDA, Attendance and other important information that will support students in being successful at Falls Church. (Lecture Hall in Spanish)
- 5:45 pm - 8:35 pm - Leadership/NHS/SHS students will be available to help you find your way.
6:00 pm - Meet the Teachers (see schedule below)
*Ask your student(s) to complete the schedule below and bring it with you or take a screenshot of their schedule!*
 Overflow Parking: Providence Recreation Center or Round Trip Bus transportation to Falls Church High School for parents from Mason Crest Elementary School at 4:45 returning around 8:45.
Phones Down, Engagement Up: FCPS Cell Phone Policy and Storage Pilot
Keeping cell phones off during the school day helps students focus and learn. It also boosts positive social behavior. Review FCPS’ cell phone expectations by grade level with your child and help keep our classrooms free of distractions! If you need to reach your child during the school day, please call 703-207-4000.
At the May 9, 2024 School Board meeting, the School Board directed the superintendent to develop a pilot program for cell phone storage at FCPS. Starting with the 2024-25 school year, select high schools will be cell phone-free during all instructional times by using cell phone storage units in each classroom. Students at these schools will begin using the storage units on Tuesday, September 3.
Schools in a control group will not be asking students to centrally store their phones during instruction times, but will be following the policy closely and recording violations.
Our school is participating in this pilot as a storage school and we will be following the guidelines above closely. We appreciate you reinforcing with your child why you support the FCPS Cell Phone Policy. Find more information and additional resources on our cell phone storage webpage.
From the College & Career Center
Monday, August 26, 7:00-9:00 pm FCHS Lecture Hall- Senior Parent/Student College Night- FCHS College & Career Specialist, Terri Markwart, will walk parents/guardians through the college application process. Parents and students in grades 9-11 are welcome as well!
August 26-29- Student Counselors and FCHS College & Career Specialist will meet with students during government classes to discuss post-secondary (after high school) options which may include: four-year college, two-year college, vocational training, and military careers. Please encourage your students to attend this important meeting and to register for more specific follow-up sessions.
Representatives from Colleges all over the U.S. will begin visits to FCHS the Week of August 28. Juniors and Seniors must sign up in Naviance to meet with college representatives
Wednesday, October 9 FCPS SAT & PSAT Test Day- ALL FCPS sophomores and juniors will have the opportunity to take the PSAT. ALL Seniors are eligible to take the SAT, but they MUST REGISTER BY SEPTEMBER 4! There is no cost associated with either test on October 9. All students are encouraged to participate.
Sunday, October 20- George Mason University College Fair- 4:00–6: 30 pm Eagle Bank Arena. Students will have the opportunity to meet with representatives from over 250 colleges and universities.
Thursday, October 24, 7:00-9:00 pm, FCHS Lecture Hall- College Financial Aid Night. College Access Fairfax and Ms. Markwart will provide information on how to pay for college; scholarships, aid, grants, and loans. Basic FAFSA information will also be provided.
Tuesday, January 23, 7:00-9:00 pm, FCHS Cafeteria- FAFSA Completion Event. College Access Fairfax, Ms. Markwart, and FCHS staff will assist students and families with completing their FAFSA or VASA.
Please contact Terri S Markwart, College & Career Specialist, tmarkwart@fcps.edu with any questions.
Everything You Can Do Through SIS ParentVUE
Want to easily access back-to-school forms and checklists? Log in to your SIS ParentVUE account to find forms and make updates.
Update Contact Information
Be among the first to know about weather closings, bus delays, and other critical communications from your school and FCPS by providing your cell phone number and email in SIS ParentVUE. To update your contact information in SIS ParentVUE, click the “Online Packets” tab in the upper right of the screen, then click the “Online Verification/Update” icon.
Parents/caregivers who do not have a SIS ParentVUE account should print and complete the Emergency Care Information Form (PDF) and submit it to their child’s school.
Complete Permission Forms
Families can now easily give permission for their children to access a variety of school resources through the Parent Digital Consent system. This online tool can be accessed using your SIS ParentVUE account. Parents can easily opt their child in or out of resources including online educational tools, school counseling services, and tutoring services. They can also change how student information is managed.
Visit the Parent Digital Consent webpage to access the system. Watch this video to see how to use the tool.
Submit Absences
Parents can submit daylong absences through SIS ParentVUE. Log in and click “Report Absence.” Note: Partial day absences and changes of transportation should still be reported directly to the school front office.
Don’t Have a SIS ParentVUE Account Yet?Contact your school for an activation code and follow the directions on the SIS ParentVUE Account webpage.
Transportation Patience and Safety
Thank you for your patience as we all get used to new routines this school year. We appreciate our families following Kiss and Ride procedures and being patient while waiting for your children’s buses.
If a student’s bus is delayed, parents may access the Bus Delay Notification System or use the Here Comes the Bus mobile app to receive the delayed bus report. Email messages will be sent to announce significant bus delays. Contact the Transportation Office with any additional questions. For any concerns after 5:30 p.m., contact Safety and Security at 571-423-2000.
To make sure you receive email messages about bus delays, update your contact information in SIS ParentVUE.
Lightspeed Parent Report on Child’s Device Activity
FCPS has tools to help parents know more about their child’s activity on any FCPS device. These tools are provided at no cost to families by Lightspeed, the school division’s internet content filtering service.
Parents may sign up for a weekly Parent Report, which will provide a list of the top sites your child visited. The report also offers parents the ability to sign up for free access to the Internet Use Parent Portal. Through the portal, parents may pause their child’s access to the internet on their FCPS device during non-school hours.
Learn more about Lightspeed Parent Reports.
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
Update Your Child’s Immunizations and Records
Please check with your healthcare provider as soon as possible to make sure your child is up-to-date on the immunizations required by the state of Virginia. Starting Monday, September 30, students who have not provided proof of immunization will not be allowed to attend school.
You can check your child’s immunization compliance and submit their immunization record in SIS ParentVUE. Records may also be delivered to a school’s front office.
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. If needed, families may also provide other immunization documentation including a healthcare provider’s written statement of a permanent or temporary medical exemption or a notarized Religious Exemption Form.
Find more information on immunizations on the FCPS website.
Varsity Tutors Provides On-Demand Support at No Cost
FCPS is partnering with Varsity Tutors to provide students and families with extra resources for learning. Every student can take advantage of Varsity Tutors’ services at no cost, including weekly live online classes, on-demand 24/7 chat tutoring, essay editing, and study resources such as recorded content, practice problems, and diagnostic tests. Learn more about online tutoring with Varsity Tutors.
No-Cost Virtual Therapy for High School Students
Virtual therapy sessions are available to FCPS high school students at no cost to provide a safe space to address concerns such as:
- Mood/behavior changes, motivation, grief/loss
- Anxiety, worry, fears
- Social skills, bullying, peer and family relationships
- Academic stress
You may refer your child by calling 571-749-2940 or by contacting our school counselor, social worker, psychologist, or director of Student Services. Find our contact information on this webpage.
Visit the FCPS Teletherapy webpage for more information.
What Is a School Board?
The Fairfax County School Board is responsible for running the public schools in Fairfax County. Twelve School Board members are elected by county voters every four years.
A student representative serves on the board as a non-voting member. They are chosen by their peers each year.
The School Board makes general rules and sets guidelines to ensure Fairfax County Public Schools runs properly. They follow the laws of Virginia and the rules set by the Virginia Board of Education.
Learning about your local School Board is important. Understanding their policies and initiatives can help you advocate for positive changes and ensure that the educational needs of all students are met. There are many ways to get involved.
Learn more about the School Board, how to participate in their meetings, and where to watch their meetings.
Back to School Message Videos:
Ricardy Anderson
Karl Frisch
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
Falls Church 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 https://www.sharpplant.com/pages/fchs or https://www.spiritshop.com/school/virginia/falls-church/falls-church-high-school Questions? Contact spiritwear@fchsathleticboosters.org
#WeAreFC
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FCPS Cares
Do you know a Falls Church HS or FCPS employee who does ordinary things in an extraordinary way or goes beyond what is expected? If so, then click here to share with everyone.
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