Annandale Community Insider - November 17

Dear Annandale Students, Parents, and Community,

This weekend, the Annandale Theater Company wowed audiences with their performance of Peter Pan and Wendy! Over 50 talented students dedicated months to preparing this show, and their hard work and determination were on full display. To make the performances even more special, several Annandale staff members joined the cast for surprise guest appearances. A huge congratulations to everyone who brought this timeless story to life so beautifully!

Last week, our Instructional Council, CT Leads, Administrators, and Instructional Coaches came together for our biannual progress monitoring meeting. During this important session, we reviewed our School Improvement & Innovation Plan (SIIP) and highlighted evidence of our strategies in action. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Teams from across the school demonstrated a commitment to using evidence of student learning to make instructional shifts that support students by name and need. Our area of focus continues to be finding ways to improve how we can partner with families in order to continue to support our students. As a first step, we will be sending progress reports home to families. These reports will include the student’s updated PRIDE Time assignment, as well as some helpful conversation starters to support discussions at home.

Adding to this week’s excitement, Annandale High School was featured on NBC4 Washington for being named a National Unified Champion School! This honor reflects the incredible efforts of our students, staff, and families in building a community where everyone truly belongs. Watch the NBC4 feature here and join us in celebrating this exciting achievement!

Have a great week, Atom Nation and as always, reach out with any questions.

Shawn DeRose, Principal

Important Dates

November 18 - PTSA Hidden in Plain Sight, 6:30pm

November 19 - PRIDE Time 2.0 Begins

November 19 - Meet the Coaches Night, 6:30pm

November 21 - Thanksgiving Lunch

November 21 - Financial Aid Workshop, 6pm

November 25 - W4 Activities Day

November 27-29 - Thanksgiving Break (No School)

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 a unique 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. For more information and to register for this free event please visit https://bit.ly/hipsahs11182024.

November 18 - Boundary Review Community Meeting: FCPS invites all community members to participate in upcoming Boundary Review Community Meetings held across each of the six regions. Open to the entire FCPS community, these meetings will follow the same format at each location. While registration isn’t required, it helps us plan for childcare and language interpretation services. The first meeting will take place on Monday, November 18 from 6:30 to 8:00pm at Glasgow Middle School. Register here.

November 18 - FCPS Honors Nominations Closes: 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. 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 November 18. Contact Jae Lee with any questions.

November 19 - Winter Meet the Coaches Night: Parents of student-athletes on a winter team, join us Tuesday, November 19 at 6:30pm in the auditorium for Meet the Coaches Night. We will hold a general session prior to breakout groups for each program. Come hear about the program, expectations, and more from each winter season coach.

November 19 - PRIDE Time 2.0 Begins: Students will begin their new PRIDE Time assignments on Monday, November 19. Those who have been identified as needing additional academic support will begin new PRIDE Time intervention and possibly After School Academic Support (ASAP) assignments.

November 21 - AWC Interest Meeting: On Thursday, November 21, the Atoms Writing Center will be holding a new tutor interest meeting in room 274 at 3:10pm. We welcome students from all grade levels who are confident in their writing and communication skills, and enjoy helping their peers, to attend the interest meeting and apply to join our tutor team. The link to the application and light refreshments will be provided at the meeting. 

November 21 - Thanksgiving Lunch: Students will be able to purchase a Thanksgiving Lunch in the cafeteria on Thursday, November 21! The menu will consist of turkey with stuffing and gravy, mashed potatoes, green beans, and fresh apples or chilled peaches. Check out the FCPS School Lunch page for more information about lunches!

November 21 - Financial Aid Workshop for Seniors and Parents: On Thursday, November 21 at 6:00pm in the cafeteria. This program is designed to help current seniors and their families understand the financial aid process (FAFSA, VASA, CCS). Included is a step-by-step guide on how to apply for financial aid (which forms are required, how to access them, what student/parental information is needed).

November 25 - W4 Activities Day: On Monday, November 25, Annandale will host W4 Activities Day. Students will have an opportunity to attend club meetings or join in on a variety of other activities. Students selected their preferred activity via a Google form shared through their W4 lessons and on Schoology. Students will recieve an email with their assigned activity. We are excited to offer this experience for our students and look forward to offering more ways to help our students feel connected to school.

Awesome Atoms

Annandale Choirs Place 35 Singers in District Chorus: On Saturday, November 9, 55 talented Annandale singers auditioned for the highly competitive District Chorus at Mt. Vernon High School, standing out among 650 students from District X. We are incredibly proud to announce that 35 of our students earned places in one of the two auditioned choirs! Congratulations to Treble Choir members: Lucy Baboyian, Sylvie Bankester, Alice Banks, Alyvia Banks, Kaira Campos Chanez (1st alternate), Deena Elfaki, Estefani Guzman Moza, Frieda Lamar (2nd alternate), Sophie Le, Josie McElveen, Ella McKenna, Nelli Mejia Castro, Elizabeth Porter, Gee Riester, and Elvicha Joy Strobel.

In the Mixed Choir, Lina Abuelhawa, Marcello Canniff, Harper Chapman (2nd alternate), Ashley Cruz-Rivera, Nathaniel Dosen, Louise Fitzgerald, Gabbi Fuentes-Quinteros, Colin Hoyt (1st alternate), Christine Mahoney, Jakob McElveen, Drew McKenna, Tyler Miller (1st Chair, Bass 2), Quinn Mongold, Megan Murray, Noah Plank, Finn Sample, Ryan Tran, Josh Vaughn (1st Chair, Bass 1), Sean Visperas, and Basilio Zetino, all earned places. Congratulations to all of our singers for a successful season!

Annandale High School Athletics Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony! Annandale High School proudly hosted its first Athletics Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and dinner since 2019, celebrating the outstanding achievements and dedication of our athletes and coaches. The evening included a social hour, dinner, and inspiring remarks from Director of Student Activities Brandon Sutphin and many inductees. Hall of Fame 2019 inductee Cindy Hook, who has coached at Annandale for 45 years, reflected, “I enjoy being around students at Annandale and their families. I’ve always wanted to share what I learned with students.” In a memorable moment, the Class of 1974, celebrating their 50th reunion, presented the Atoms Booster Club with a generous gift of $10,074. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who made this celebration unforgettable!

Callia Uviedo: Occoquan Region Field Hockey Player of the Year! Congratulations to Callia Uviedo, junior and field hockey star, named Player of the Year for the Occoquan Region! This marks her third consecutive year making First Team All-District and All-Region—an incredible achievement. Way to go, Callia! We are so proud of you!

Take Your Legislator to School Day at Annandale! We were thrilled to host School Board Member Ricardy Anderson and Delegate Vivian Watts at AHS for Take Your Legislator to School Day! Our students enjoyed the chance to connect with local leaders, ask questions, and learn more about civic engagement and the impact of public service. Thank you to Dr. Anderson and Delegate Watts for inspiring #AtomNation with your dedication and insights!

AHS Student Leaders Shine at Ken Tilley Conference! This weekend, our Annandale student leaders had a fantastic time connecting and learning at the Ken Tilley Conference! They spent time developing leadership skills, making new friends, and representing #AtomNation with pride. Huge thanks to West Potomac High for hosting such a memorable event—our students came back inspired and ready to make a difference!

Important Information

PSAT / SAT School Score Reports Available to Students: Students who participated in the PSAT / SAT School Day received a lesson for how to access and interpret their scores this past week during Advisory. The following videos to support students and families with this information has been shared by the College Board. 

• Understanding your Digital PSAT Scores - Video
• Understanding your Digital SAT Scores - Video

Supporting Military-Connected Students and Families: Is your student military-connected or has your military-connected status changed? We are working to update our records surrounding Military Connected Families. If one or more parents or guardians in your household are military connected, defined as Active duty, Reserve, National Guard Active Service, and National Guard Reserve, please fill out this form and return it to the school. Our goal with this information is to better serve our military-connected students and families by offering specialized information and support. Thank you for your service!

First Quarter Attendance Report Mailed Home: Annandale recently mailed a First Quarter Attendance report with specific attendance data to families for each student, including total number of days and classes they were reported late or having missed completely. In addition, the report provides statistics on the long-term negative impacts of poor attendance, and ways families can encourage and support students to be in school. Included with the mailing we include a small magnet that families can use to quickly access ways to notify us about your student’s absence. If you have any questions about your student’s attendance and would like to speak with someone, please call Cass Hersh in the Attendance Office at 703-642-4363. If you would like to report an absence, please call 703-642-4151 and leave a voice message including your student’s ID number.

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.

December 4 - Federal Impact Aid Survey Due: On Friday, Federal Impact Aid Survey forms were distributed during W4 to students who have not completed the form electronically. Federal funding for our school is tied to this form so it is important that it is returned as soon as possible. Please complete the form, sign it, and return it to school with your child by Wednesday, December 4. We appreciate your efforts in this task.

Deadline Extended! FCPS Outstanding Employee Awards 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 Monday, November 18. Contact Jae Lee with any questions.

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.

Take the ASVAB Exam: Attention Seniors and Juniors interested in joining the military! The first step is to take the ASVAB Exam, which helps determine what branch and careers students can be eligible for. The ASVAB will be offered twice at Annandale HS. The fall date is Monday, December 9 and the deadline to register is Wednesday, December 4, 2024. To register visit https://tinyurl.com/ASVABforMilitary

Support the Orchestra: Shop Merchandise Now! The Annandale High School Orchestra Merchandise Store is LIVE! Visit tinyurl.com/AHSOrchMerch to explore a variety of items and show your support for our talented orchestra students. Order by Thursday, December 1 to ensure delivery in time for the holidays. The store will remain open year-round, but don’t miss this chance to get your items for the festive season!

News from Student Services

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.

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.

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. 

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.