Annandale Community Insider - November 3

FCPS Outstanding Employee Awards - Now Accepting Nominations!

At Annandale High School, we believe our staff is truly exceptional, and the work they do for our students deserves to be celebrated outside of Atom Nation! Each year, FCPS recognizes staff members who demonstrate outstanding excellence in their roles, including Outstanding Teacher, New Teacher, Leader, Professional Employee, Operational Employee, and Principal. We invite you to join us in honoring the incredible contributions made every day by highlighting some of our amazing staff members. Let’s shine a spotlight on the excellence that makes Annandale special!

To nominate an Annandale staff member, please complete the AHS Outstanding Employee Nomination Form. If you are interested in learning more about the overall FCPS awards process, you can visit the FCPS Outstanding Employee Awards Website. Nominations are due on Tuesday, November 12. Contact Jae Lee with any questions.

Important Dates

November 4 - School Planning Day (No School)

November 5 - Teacher Work Day (No School)

November 6 - PTSA Pantry Distribution

November 7 & 8 - Senior Picture Retakes

November 8 - Veterans Day Celebration

November 10 - Fall Check-In Survey Due

November 11 - Veterans Day (No School)

November 11 - Winter Sport Tryouts Begin

November 12 - PTSA Meeting, 6:30pm

November 12 - FCPS Honors Nominations Due

November 15 & 16 - Fall Play

November 18 - PTSA Hidden in Plain Sight, 6pm

November 19 - PRIDE Time 2.0 Begins

November 21 - Thanksgiving Lunch

November 21 - FAFSA Completion Event, 6pm

November 25 - W4 Activities Day

November 27-29 - Thanksgiving Break (No School)

Tonight - NCAA Webinar for College Bound Student Athletes and Families, 6-7pm: Are you a student-athlete dreaming of playing your sport at the NCAA level? This webinar offered by the NCAA Eligibility center will help students and families gain an understanding the requirements and how to prepare for NCAA certification. Join NCAA Eligibility Center staff, who will walk you through what you need to do to compete at the NCAA Division I, II or III level. Staff will be answering questions live during the presentation, so come prepared to learn how to take your game to the next level! Click here to register.

November 4-5 - Student Holiday: Schools are closed for students on Monday, November 4, for a school planning day, and Tuesday, November 5, for a teacher workday. See the complete school year calendar.

November 6, 13 & 19 Signs of Suicide Prevention Program (Grade 11): The teen years are marked by a rollercoaster ride of emotions that may be difficult for teens, their parents, and educators. It is easy to misread depression as normal adolescent turmoil, however, depression (among the most common of mental illnesses) appears to be occurring at a much earlier age, and the past decade has seen teen suicide rates double. The FCPS Signs of Suicide Wellness Lessons and Screenings for students in grade 11 will take place on November 6, 13, and 19. Families of these grade levels received a targeted notification with lesson and screening goals, as well as opt out procedures. Please contact Erin Crowley with any questions.

November 8 - Veterans Day Celebration: In honor of Veterans Day, we will be honoring staff through a W4 presentation that includes photos and branch of service. Our Social Studies teachers will also be sharing information about Veterans Day in their classes to bring awareness to our students.

November 11 - Winter Sport Tryouts Begin: Winter sports include basketball, swim & dive, wrestling, gymnastics, sideline cheer, and indoor track. In order to participate, there are 2 items that need to be completed prior to the first day of tryouts: 1) Sports Physical - Completed and turned in to Athletic Trainers Ryan Hughes and 2) Activity Registration. This is an online submission that encompasses the Emergency Care Form and Concussion Education Training. Students interested in participating in a winter sport can submit their physicals and register for a sport on Monday, November 11 from 9:00am-12:00pm in the main gym lobby. The first official day for winter tryouts will be Tuesday, November 12. For more information about tryouts, check out www.annandaleatoms.net. 

November 12 - PTSA Meeting, 6:30pm: Our next PTSA meeting will be on Tuesday, November 12 at 6:30pm in the library. Spanish translation will be available. If you can't attend in person, consider joining us virtually on Zoom. The link will be active 15 minutes prior to the start of the meeting. Also, if you have not done so already, please consider joining the PTSA by filling out the online Membership Form. For more information about membership visit the Annandale PTSA website.

November 15 & 16 - Fall Play: The Annandale Theatre Company is proud to present “Peter Pan and Wendy.” Bold, budding scientist Wendy Darling dreams of earning a Nobel Prize. When Peter Pan arrives at her bedroom window, she takes a leap and leaves finishing school behind, chasing adventure among the stars. Facing down fairies, mermaids, and the dastardly Captain Hook, Wendy, Peter, Tiger Lily and their friends discover the power of standing up together for what’s right. J.M. Barrie’s classic Peter Pan is reimagined for a new generation of theatre goers as a bright, charming, feminist, anti-colonial, empowering play for all ages. Performances are on November 15 at 7:00pm and November 16 at 2:00pm and 7:00pm. Tickets are $5 for children under ten, $10 for students, and $15 general admission.

Exclusive Opportunity: $25 Dinner & Show Ticket (Friday, Nov 15 only) – Enjoy a delicious meal before the show prepared by our AHS Culinary Program. Purchase your tickets today!

November 18 - Hidden in Plain Sight: The Annandale HS PTSA invites you to “Hidden In Plain Sight” on Monday, November 18 at 6:30pm in Clausen Hall. The Hidden in Plain Sight (HIPS) program is an in-person interactive program for adults to be educated about the signs of risky behavior in teens and young adults. It touches on drug and alcohol use, vaping, mental health and behavioral concerns, risky sexual behaviors, trending "challenges” and more. Following the HIPS presentation, representatives from The Chris Atwood Foundation and Community Services Board (CSB) will provide additional information about resources available within our community. CSB will also be offering Narcan training to anyone who is interested.

Awesome Atoms

Chorus Fall Concert - A Lovely Day: The Annandale Choirs - Atom Chorale, Men’s Chorale, Chamber, and the Annandale Singers hosted their first concert of the year on Tuesday, October 22. The evening was filled with songs all about the day. Songs at the break of day, throughout our days, and songs of sleep and reflection. The powerful singing reminded us all of the impact music has in uplifting and uniting our community. The entire audience danced out of the auditorium singing Bill Withers, A Lovely Day. Thank you to everyone who joined us for this memorable night!

Annandale Celebrates Virginia College Application Week! Last week Annandale students took advantage of Virginia College Application Week and the waived college application fees for most Virginia colleges and universities. Students received assistance with completing their college applications during lunch and after school. 

W4 Activities Day Creates Connection to AHS! We held our first monthly W4 Activities Day this past Monday. It was so fun to see students connect with each other and staff through activities such as playing games and sports, making friendship bracelets, tinseling hair, scarf making, and coloring. Very few other schools the size of Annandale manage to organize an event like this, which we offer once a month. A huge thank you to our Activities Department for taking on this complex planning! Our next W4 Activities Day will be on Monday, November 25. We look forward to continuing to embed opportunities for our students to deepen their sense of connection and belonging at school.

Important Information

PTSA Pantry Thanksgiving Dinner Drive: We have much to be thankful for this season.  Please consider a $15 donation to purchase a chicken for an AHS family to roast and enjoy during their Thanksgiving break. Our goal is 100 chickens. Click here to donate towards our 100 chicken goal.

Fall Check-In Survey - Due November 10! With the school year well underway, we want to hear from our staff, students and families. Specifically, we would like to hear what is going well for you and your student, what is a challenge you would like to work together to problem-solve, who is someone who has helped you, and answer any questions. We would appreciate your feedback by Sunday, November 10. In the coming weeks, we will share survey trends as well as how we are responding to your feedback.

Impact Aid Survey - Due November 12: The Federal Impact Aid program provides money to districts that enroll federally connected students. Help FCPS secure funding from the Impact Aid Program by helping us identify military families. federally connected families. And families living on a military base. 

Please complete one form for each child in your household. Remember that only the enrolling parent can fill out the Impact Aid Survey form. For families without access to ParentVUE, a paper copy of the form will be sent home with your student starting November 12. Your information will be kept strictly confidential. Your support will ensure that we receive the resources for which we are eligible.

Step 1: Log into SIS ParentVue. If you don’t have a SIS ParentVUE account, contact the main office for an activation code. 

Step 2: After you’ve logged into your ParentVue Account, look for the ‘Online Packets’ link at the top of the page. Click ‘Online Packets’.

Step 3: Next, click the ‘Federal Impact Aid Survey’ button on the bottom of the page. This will take you to the Impact Aid Survey for you to complete.

Prayer Room/Reflection and Silent Space: The Annandale High School prayer room is available in the library for students who need to pray, meditate, or engage in silent reflection and is inclusive of all students’ religious and non-religious beliefs. Students may access the reflection and silent space before school, after school, and during lunch. Students who need to access this space during class time will need to have the Parent/Guardian Authorization for Reflection Space Access Form completed and submitted to the main office. Forms are available in the main office and the library as well. 

Academic Support & Tutoring Opportunities

Need Help in Your Class? Stay After School With Your Teacher: Stay With Your Teacher After School! Annandale High School offers late bus transportation three (3) days per week: Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday. All teachers stay after school at least one day a week to provide academic support for students. Please refer to this list to see which day your student’s teacher is available after school.

After School Tutoring Available on Wednesdays: Tutoring is available every Wednesday from 3:00-4:30 pm in Trailer 12. Students can receive help with any class from Honor Society members, IB Diploma students, and AVID students. No sign-up is required—just drop in for extra support!

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.

Retake Room is Up and Running! To support students in retaking assessments or making up missed assignments, the retake room is located in room 299 at the end of the Social Studies hall. Retakes are available on Late Bus Days after school, and every White Day during PRIDE Time. Students who would like to take advantage of the retake room must work with their teacher to sign up.

Opportunities

PTSA Pantry Needs You! The AHS PTSA Pantry provides both shelf stable and perishable items as well as household and personal hygiene items.  All are distributed through our pantry to our AHS students and their families who have need. We work hard to continue to stock our shelves for our school community and during the holiday season, we hold small targeted fundraisers to provide a little extra.  Here you will find ways to donate to the pantry to support ongoing efforts to keep our shelves stocked. Thank you for your consideration.

November 16 - Our Voices, Our Future: Multilingual Learners’ Day of Service: Our Voices, Our Future: Multilingual Learners’ Day of Service will be offered for FCPS secondary students on Saturday, November 16, 2024, from 9:00-11:30am at Edison High School. Dr. José Luis Zelaya, keynote speaker at the Multilingual Learners’ Summit this past summer, will be returning as the featured guest for this student workshop. Dr. Zelaya will engage and empower students with the strengths of multilingualism, as students explore leadership skills to plan for future success. Reflective service learning practices allow students to impact their communities through advocacy, engagement, and empowerment. All FCPS secondary students who attend will earn service learning credit for participating. Students planning to attend should register and bring their FCPS laptop to the event. Light refreshments and family resources will be available for parents/caregivers during the student workshop. 

Free Conversational English Sessions at AHS! Annandale High School is proud to announce that the AHS Family Resource Center will offer English sessions for parents on the first 3 Fridays of the month, from 10:30am to 12:30pm. We are partnering with county volunteers that teach at The English Empowerment Center (former Literacy Council of Northern Virginia) in our area. Stop by the Family Resource Center each Friday from 8am-3pm for support with SIS ParentVue, Health insurance forms, work skills, Parent coffees with the Principal, and more!

Annandale High School Launches Speech & Forensics Team: We are thrilled to announce the formation of Annandale High School's new Speech and Forensics team! This exciting new program offers students an incredible opportunity to develop essential communication, critical thinking, and leadership skills through a diverse array of competitive events. Whether your student enjoys public speaking, debate, acting, or interpretation, there’s a place for everyone on this team. Don’t miss out on this chance to be part of something special! For more information, contact Speech coach, Megan Mooney, Room 334.

News from Student Services

Earn High School Credit through Work Based Learning Internship: Students can earn 1 business class credit for working the job you’re already doing! Learn skills to get promoted and plan your future career goals! Participants must have employment throughout the school year and be currently enrolled in a CTE class. Interested students should complete this form. For more information, visit Mr. Howard Dwyer in room 214 or Ms. Consumano in 217.

Upcoming College Visits – Register Now! Our College & Career Center hosts visits from representatives for colleges and universities throughout the country. Find out which schools are visiting here. Juniors and Seniors who are interested in attending must log into Naviance to register. Click on "Colleges" at the top of the page and then click on "college visits." Click "register now" for the visits you would like to attend. Once you have signed up, you should receive a confirmation email. Please show the confirmation email to your teacher and get permission to attend. Passes will be delivered to your first class (R1/W2) the morning of the scheduled visit. If you do not have a first class you may pick up your pass from the Career Center (Room 103). Students who are not registered in Naviance for a college visit will be denied entry.

College Application Help: Annandale High School offers free college application support twice each week. Wednesdays during Lunch in the Career Center (Room 103) and Thursdays 3-4pm in Trailer 14. In addition, the Atoms Writing Center will be available to help students with their college essays and supplemental application questions during PRIDE Time and Wednesdays after school from 3-4pm in room 274.

Transcript Requests for College Applications & Scholarships: Seniors need to request official high school transcripts one month prior to application deadlines. For example, if a college application is due on November 20, the Transcript Request Form is due on October 20. We will be receiving a very high volume of requests in the coming months, and our Student Services staff needs adequate time to process them. Early Action and Early Decision application deadlines are quickly approaching. For step-by-step instructions and forms for submitting Transcript Requests, go to the AHS College & Career Google site.

College & Career Resources Schoology Site: Check out the Student Services: Annandale High School | Schoology (fcps.edu), which provides up-to-date information on the college application process; college representative visits; financial aid and FAFSA/VASA workshops; military options; information on apprenticeships; as well as resources for finding a job.

November 21 - Financial Aid Completion Event: On Thursday, November 21 at 6:00pm in the cafeteria, staff will be on-site to assist families and seniors with completing their Free Applications for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) applications.

News from the Activities Office

At Annandale, we foster belonging both inside and outside the classroom. Sports and activities are another way for students to deepen a sense of belonging at school. To learn more about Annandale's Spring sports programs, check out this week’s “Atoms Athletics and Activities Newsletter." In addition, learn more about Annandale High School Athletics and Activities by visiting their website, AHS Athletics Twitter or Instagram page.

November 19 - Winter Meet the Coaches Night: On Tuesday, November 19 parents will have the opportunity to learn more about supporting their winter sports student athlete at Meet the Coaches Night at 7:00pm in the cafeteria.

Purchase Your 'Atoms Pass' for 2024-2025! The Atoms Booster Club’s All-Season passes are back! The "Atoms Pass" provides you general admission access to all regular season home football, baseball, basketball, soccer, field hockey, lacrosse, volleyball, and wrestling events. With more than nine sports showcased, you can save BIG with the all-season pass! To purchase your Click here to purchase your 2024-25 Atoms Booster Pass! 

Add Your Name to the Atoms Legacy Wall: The Annandale High School history of success, community support, and strong alumni base stretches back to its creation in 1954. To help commemorate and preserve that legacy, students, alumni, and community members have the opportunity to purchase an acrylic block on the Legacy Wall as a graduation or birthday gift, or to simply share a legacy with the Annandale community. Each acrylic block can be purchased for $100 and will be displayed along the stadium field wall. To purchase a block, visit myschoolbucks.com. *Note orders will be made once the quantity reaches 50 purchased blocks* For more information, contact Brandon Sutphin or Bryan Harris. 

November 11 - Winter Sport Tryouts Begin: Winter sports include basketball, swim & dive, wrestling, gymnastics, sideline cheer, and indoor track. In order to participate, there are 2 items that need to be completed prior to the first day of tryouts: 1) Sports Physical - Completed and turned in to Athletic Trainers Ryan Hughes and 2) Activity Registration. This is an online submission that encompasses the Emergency Care Form and Concussion Education Training. Students interested in participating in a winter sport can submit their physicals and register for a sport on Monday, November 11 from 9:00am-12:00pm in the main gym lobby. The first official day for winter tryouts will be Tuesday, November 12. For more information about tryouts, check out www.annandaleatoms.net.

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.

November 12 - PTSA Meeting, 6:30pm: Our next PTSA meeting will be on Tuesday, November 12 at 6:30pm in the library. Spanish translation will be available. If you can't attend in person, consider joining us virtually on Zoom. The link will be active 15 minutes prior to the start of the meeting. Also, if you have not done so already, please consider joining the PTSA by filling out the online Membership Form. For more information about membership visit the Annandale PTSA website.

November 18 - Hidden in Plain Sight: The Annandale HS PTSA invites you to “Hidden In Plain Sight” on Monday, November 18 at 6:30pm in Clausen Hall. The Hidden in Plain Sight (HIPS) program is an in-person interactive program for adults to be educated about the signs of risky behavior in teens and young adults. It touches on drug and alcohol use, vaping, mental health and behavioral concerns, risky sexual behaviors, trending "challenges” and more.

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.