Important Upcoming Dates
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09/14/24- Tag Day
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09/30/24- 6:30-8:30pm Hidden In Plain Sight (Silver Box)
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10/09/24- 12th Graders SAT School Day
Message from Dr. Khoshaba
Happy September, SoCo!
As we roll past the third week of school, I still find it amazing that we’re already into the month of September. This month stirs up warm feelings of past Fall seasons. Football games, marshmallows toasted over a fireplace, and spending time with family and friends are some of my favorite memories of years that have passed. Speaking of memories, let’s review some of the best from this past week.
Student and Staff Belonging
As one of our three focal points for this year, “creating a sense of belonging” takes time but is well worth it! This week, I had the chance to spend time with our new Dean of Students, Mr. Gildea, and two students who had completed all their work from English class. In a program known as “Walk and Talk,” we spent time with students India and JoJo, learning about their perspective of SoCo. What’s going well, what can we improve, and what else do you want me to know are just a few of the questions we used as sentence starters. I want to thank both students for the time they spent with us. We appreciate the honesty and reflections, India and JoJo!
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Our Core Values at SoCo were student-developed three years ago and maintaining that spotlight on them is important for growth purposes. The values of Honesty, Trust, Hope, and Curiosity are meaningful traits for all Stallions to aspire to reach. When students demonstrate any one of these traits, we enjoy celebrating them with pictures and Core Values t-shirts. This year, we decided to add staff to the pool of recipients to thank them for embodying those qualities at school as well. Here are pictures of the first Stallions to receive this distinguished recognition.
High Quality Instruction
As a second pillar of focus this year, high quality instruction shows up in many ways. Based on the research from John Hattie, we are focusing on these strategies in particular at SoCo. We are currently in the second of three years of implementing these strategies consistently in our classes. Why is high quality instruction important? Glad you asked! High-quality instruction is like a stallion in full stride—strong, focused, and unstoppable. It leads the way with power and precision, guiding students toward success with confidence and purpose.
As part of this roll-out, this year our Instructional Coach, Dr. Omohundro, is providing teachers with quarterly newsletters.
School Culture:
School culture play such a critical role in the way that stakeholders feel about school. Our culture is impacted by numerous events and celebrations, and here are a few that either you or your students can enjoy.
1. We have our first Breakfast Breakdown for students meeting on September 24 at 7:30am in the main office. If your student is interested in learning a behind-the-scenes approach to the leadership of our school, or if they want to express their opinions about experiences that happen at SoCo, please encourage them to join me at this meeting. They can sign up throughout the building on flyers that look like this:
2. Congratulations to our varsity football team, who beat Robinson last week 22-8. Our Stallions really stampeded to victory last week—what a win! Our community wishes them the best as we travel to Quince Orchard this weekend, with a Saturday start time of 5:00pm.
3. Another new recognition we have started this year is the new Athletes of the Month awards. While we have always recognized students with this title, new this year is the actual award itself: a picture with a championship belt! Congratulations to our first recipients of the 2024-25 school year, Jasmine Morales in Volleyball and Tyler Orth in football. I want to give a shout-out to Mr. Marvin Wooten for his creativity in designing this unique way of celebrating our student-athletes.
4. I had FANTASTIC meetings this week with students from the International-night Executive Board, as well as with leaders for the Asian American Pacific Islander Month night in May. Both groups truly brought joy to my heart as we listened to and brainstormed ideas from each other. Have I mentioned lately how great the students at SoCo are?
5. This year, we will once again host the Hidden in Plain Sight (HIPS) event. HIPS is a drug prevention event where police or experts create a mock teen bedroom to show parents hidden signs of substance abuse. Everyday objects are used to conceal drugs or paraphernalia, teaching parents how to recognize warning signs and trends. The event aims to help adults spot potential issues early and encourage open discussions with teens. We are only accepting the first 25 parents who sign up, so join sooner than later to guarantee your spot at this free event: https://bit.ly/schships24.
6. We are hosting our first Parent Advisory Council meeting on Wednesday, September 18 at 7:30am. We will host four of these this year, alternating between morning and evening time slots. I will share sign up information next week, but please save this date if you are interested in attending.
Staff Spotlight:
Sean Miller is a once-in-a-lifetime personality and educator! As the current Social Studies Department Chair, Mr. Miller is one of our most passionate and talented teachers. As one student recently stated, “Mr. Miller made AP African American studies enjoyable and informative. We created projects, including sculptures. Because of his teaching style, most students in our class scored very high on the AP exam.” We appreciate all that Mr. Miller (pictured below in the center with a green t-shirt) brings to the table at SoCo!
Club Corner:
The organization that is spotlighted this week is the Tree House Club. Their objective is to explore and discover family histories and engage in community service activities. Each month, they meet to focus on utilizing internet tools to investigate and expand their understanding of their families and help others do the same. To learn more about them, you can find them on Schoology (ZJZQ-2ZJV-N45TB) or with their sponsor, Mrs. Hill (slhill@fcps.edu).
Did You Know?
Next Friday, September 13, 2024, is our first home football game of the season. We’re expecting a large number of people to attend, so arrive early to get the best seats. In the spirt of “clear is kind,” I want to be clear about our expectations for student behavior and attendance.
- We expect our students to cheer for our Stallions but refrain from jeering or booing the opposing team.
- Students must remain in the stands to allow patrons to walk on clear pathways to and from the bleachers.
- All students who are in elementary or middle schools must have parents accompanying them to the game and remaining with them. Parents should not simply drop off students and leave them unattended. These younger students who are not accompanied by their specific parent will not be permitted to return in future games.
As we move forward together, let’s continue to Stand Strong, supporting one another and embracing every opportunity to grow and thrive.
Have a restful weekend,
Kambar
#StandStrong
SEL Screener
Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) believes in supporting social and emotional learning (SEL) for all students. In FCPS, students use a tool called the SEL Screener to think about their own SEL skills and experiences at school. All South County High School students will be participating in the Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener in the Fall and Spring.
After each screening, results are available in the Documents tab of SIS ParentVUE and mailed to families without a ParentVUE account.
For more information about the SEL Screener including information on opting out please see the attached Parent Notification. You can also learn more on the Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener webpage.
Opt Out Form English
Opt Out Form Arabic.
Opt Out Form Chinese
Opt Out Form Korean
Opt Out Form Spanish
Opt Out Form Urdu
Opt Out Form Vietnamese
Hidden in Plain Sight (HIPS)
Hidden in Plain Sight (HIPS) is a community awareness program designed to enlighten parents through a unique learning experience encompassing insights into trends and indicators of potentially risky behavior.
We guide you through a presentation that opens your eyes to what is right in front of you. This program begins with a “show and tell” of “red flags” that can indicate risky behavior in teens. An educational portion follows that includes a PowerPoint presentation that touches on drug and alcohol use, vaping, mental health and behavioral concerns, risky sexual behaviors, trending "challenges," and more.
We include up-to-date statistics and local trends, and law enforcement officers will share their experiences they have had in our community identifying risky behaviors and helping to put kids on the right path to a healthy life.
Finally, we discuss how to open the door to communicating with your teens about risky behaviors and how to address issues that arise.
Registration is required, and seats are limited for this free event.
You must be 18 or older to attend. No children are allowed at this presentation.
Please email MPO Meg Hawkins (FCPDHIPS@fairfaxcounty.gov) if you have any questions or if you want to set up a presentation for your organization, club, or group.
Date- 09/30/2024 (Mon.)
SAT School Day Intent to Participate
On Wednesday, October 9, South County High School twelfth graders will have the opportunity to participate in the SAT School Day. FCPS will cover the cost for any twelfth grade student to take this test. The essay option and subject area tests are not available during SAT School Day.
To reserve a seat for your twelfth grader to take this exam and ensure appropriate test materials are available for your student, families are asked to complete the form below by Wednesday, September 4.
South County High School: 2024 SAT School Day Intent to Participate Form https://forms.gle/22qb7SXb3GR97u9Y7
Your student will need to use a @fcpsschools.net email account to access and complete this form. A translated version of the form content may be found on the SAT School Day Intent Form webpage (https://www.fcps.edu/node/43896). FCPS sites cannot accept walk-ins on the day of the exam.
For more information, please see the SCHS SAT School Day webpage. If you have questions about the SAT School Day administration at South County High School, please contact Chris Bird at cwbird@fcps.edu or at 703-446-1643.
World Languages Credit by Exam
This year's World Languages Credit by Exam will be administered at each FCPS middle, high, and secondary school.
The World Languages Credit by Exam is an optional test for students in grades 7-12 who can speak and write (type) proficiently in a language other than English. Based on the results of the exam, they can earn 1, 2, and/or 3 passing world language credits. If that language is one of the languages listed below, consider registering your student for the World Languages Credit by Exam!
The 2024 World Languages Credit by Exam will be administered at Soputh County High School between November 6 and 22.
Registration opens on Wednesday, September 4, at 8 a.m., and closes on Friday, October 4, at 4 p.m. Late registrations will not be accepted.
Please contact your student’s school counselor to register for the exam.
More information, including the list of languages offered on the exam, and how to register is available online.
GET YOUR GOLD ON FOR CHILDHOOD CANCER AWARENESS!
Gold Outs in support of the Emma Jordon Kidz Fighting Cancer Foundation are this week!
Girls Volleyball- Tuesday, September 10th at 5/ 6:30
(Students wearing a gold shirt get in FREE!)
Field Hockey- Thursday, September 12th at 6:15/7:30 Football- Friday, September 13th at 7pm
Boys Volleyball-Tuesday, September 17th at 7:15
T-Shirts will be on sale at all lunches this week! $10 (S-XL); $15 (2XL- 3XL)
Cash/ Venmo/ Cash App accepted
We are so grateful to the SoCo community for continuing to raise awareness for Childhood Cancer and the Emma Jordon Kidz Fighting Cancer Foundation!
September 14th is Tag Day!!
Tag Day is the biggest fundraiser of the year for the South County Performing Arts Department. It takes thousands of dollars more than the fees that are charged for each group to run a complete band, orchestra, choir, or theater program. To keep our fees low and keep the performing arts in our schools, we depend on contributions from our incredible community.
Student teams will be coming to your door next Saturday asking for tax-deductible contributions to “Support the Arts.” Thank you in advance to everyone who donates to our Performing Arts department! We look forward to seeing you at all of our performing arts productions here at SCHS.
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AWARENESS
Attend Today, Achieve Tomorrow!
The beginning of the school year is the best time to develop strong attendance habits! Students who attend school regularly are more likely to perform well in reading and math, develop strong social and emotional skills, and graduate from high school on time. Help prepare your child for future success. Visit FCPS’ Attendance web page for tips and strategies.
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September 11 National Day of Service
With the upcoming 23rd anniversary of September 11, FCPS acknowledges the loss of life, the heroism of our first responders, and the resilience of our country. The September 11 National Day of Service and Remembrance, also called Patriot Day, is a chance to reflect and act in service to others to honor those who were injured or killed in the terrorist attacks.
All FCPS students are encouraged to participate in service learning as it supports Portrait of a Graduate (POG) attributes and social and emotional learning (SEL) skills. Middle and high school students can learn more about service learning by logging into their Naviance account to access x2VOL.
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PTSO
South County High School PTSO is partnering with Seasonal Roots, a local online farmers market, to bring healthy, delicious food to our community, to support local farmers and artisans, and to raise money to support the All Night Grad Party for our seniors!
Seasonal Roots is an online farmers market that delivers “dirt to doorstep” to families in Maryland and Virginia. Each week the market offers more than 150 items that are all grown and produced locally, sustainably, and ethically. Market items include fruit, vegetables, meat, dairy, baked goods, prepared foods, vegan specialties and more.
As part of this fundraiser for ANGP - new customers can join Seasonal Roots for 50% off the membership fee (a $25 savings!)
PLUS for every new customer who signs up (and places their first order), a $20 donation will be made to South County PTSO! WIN-WIN for everyone! Be sure to use promotional code SOCOANGP at https://www.seasonalroots.com/socoangp.
ALL ANGP LINKS
We are excited to announce that parents are now able to enter ONLY full day absences through ParentVue.
Please be sure to specify in the notes the reason for the absence. If you have to report a late arrival, early release or an absence longer than 2 days, please call or email the attendance office at 703-446-1625 or southcountyhigh.attendance@fcps.edu. Thank you!
Phone: 703-446-1625
OPTION 1- ALL DAY ABSENCE
OPTION 2- LATE ARRIVAL
OPTION 3- EARLY RELEASE
(CALL OR EMAIL FIRST THING IN THE MORNING TO REPORT EARLY RELEASE)
- Handwritten notes are acceptable*
- Call/email/note must come from parent/guardian, NOT the student*
- Please always leave a message, they are checked constantly*
South County ATHLETICS
Important SoCo and FCPS Resources
How to Stay In Touch
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