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Be sure to follow us on X (@OaktonHS), and Instagram oaktonhs ! Be sure to check out our Oakton Accolades section on our website as we celebrate student achievement!
Important Dates
You can access the FCPS 2024-2025 school year calendar here.
December 9-11 - Signs of Suicide Screening Continues (11th Grade)
December 9 - Senior Portraits (Added Session)
December 11 - Senior Portraits (Updated Final Session)
December 16 - Parent Coffee (Virtual)
December 17 - Signs of Suicide Screening Concludes (11th Grade)
December 23 - January 3 - Winter Break (No School)
January 6 - Assessment Blackout Date; Religious and Cultural Observation Day (Three Kings Day/Epiphany)
January 7 - Assessment Blackout Date; Religious and Cultural Observation Day (Orthodox Christmas); Rising Senior registration begins
January 9 - Curriculum Night (4:30-6:30pm) - Save the Date
January 28 - Rising Senior registration ends; Second Quarter Ends
January 29 - Student Holiday, Teacher Workday, Lunar New Year
January 31 - Rising Junior registration begins
Arrival and Dismissal Reminders
Just a few friendly reminders regarding arrival and dismissal for students. As always, we appreciate the understanding of all so we may ensure a safe environment for all and ensure we are not unnecessarily impacting our surrounding neighborhoods.
- Please follow the established kiss-and-ride traffic pattern, as well as traffic laws. Dropping students off in the middle of the street and making illegal U-turns creates concern for the safety of all. In addition, please refrain from using nearby neighborhoods for drop-off and pick-up locations.
- Please follow the directions of our crossing guard. Her primary role is to ensure the safe passage of students walking to school. In addition, she works closely with the school to resolve traffic back-ups to keep the lines moving.
- Student walkers should be sure to pay full attention to their surroundings. We encourage a family conversation around what this looks like for students. Including: looking both ways when crossing the road; removing earbuds; not being on the phone when crossing the street; etc.
- Student walkers should also be mindful of private property and avoid taking shortcuts that impact private property.
- Drivers are encouraged to pay attention to staff and crossing guard direction. We also encourage all to avoid high rates of speed when entering and leaving the campus to ensure a safe environment.
- All students are encouraged to ensure they are getting to school on-time. We have seen a dramatic increase in student tardiness in the past few weeks.
General Information
Return Your Federal Impact Aid Survey
FCPS is asking all families to fill out a Federal Impact Aid Survey. The form is available in SIS ParentVUE under Online Packets (in the upper right corner after logging in). Please complete it as soon as possible. The form pops up automatically for you to complete when you log in using a computer, not the phone application.
For any families who have not completed the survey in ParentVUE, schools will provide paper forms starting Wednesday, November 13. Paper forms should be returned by Wednesday, December 4.
Completing this form for each school-aged child in every household is important. Information from this survey resulted in more than $4 million in funding last year from the U.S. Department of Education. These funds are used to support all Fairfax County public schools and centers.
For more information, please watch this video on Impact Aid and visit the Federal Impact Aid Survey page.
Need to Register for ParentVUE?
Learn how to activate your SIS ParentVUE account, so you can easily submit your survey.
Technical support for using ParentVUE or completing the survey online is available by submitting a Parent Support Request ticket. Select SISParent in the Application dropdown menu and type Federal Impact Aid Survey under Issue Description. Or, call the Parent Technology Help Desk at 833-921-3277 (833-921-FCPS).
Student Experience Survey
Students received this survey via their fcpsschools.net email account on Monday, December 2. Students were provided time during Cougar Connect on Thursday, December 5 to complete the survey. If you opted your child out of the survey, they did not receive the email with the survey.
Students may still take the survey at home, if preferred. The survey will remain open until December 13, 2024.
We believe it's important to hear from our students about what we're doing well and where we can improve. This work also aligns with the five equity commitments in FCPS’ 2023-30 Strategic Plan, which focus on amplifying student voice and experiences as we work toward meeting plan goals.
Student Attendance
The holiday season is almost upon us! With that, we recognize that many families may have travel plans that could impact school attendance. The FCPS and Oakton 2024-2025 calendar can be found here for your reference.
We ask that, if possible, please let us know of any planned absences as soon as you can. That will help our attendance office staff manage the increase in calls that we typically see around this time. Please see our Attendance Procedures and Forms page for reporting absences via ParentVue, the attendance line, and our prearranged absence form (found at the bottom of the page).
For future travel planning, the 2025-2026 school year calendars have already been released and can be found on the FCPS website under calendars. We strongly encourage families to schedule travel plans within the established school breaks to minimize student absences.
If you have any questions, please reach out to your child’s administrator.
December Parent Coffee
All families are invited to attend our virtual parent coffee on December 16, 2024 at 10:00am. This session will focus on the registration process for the 2025-2026 school year. We will present some information and then allow for questions.
The link will be sent out the morning of the parent coffee. The presentation along with the recording will be posted on the Parent Schoology account for those who are unable to attend.
Don’t Miss Out, Order Your Yearbook Today!
The time to purchase a yearbook is now. The 300-page book cost $67 until December 31, at which time prices increase. To reserve your copy, go to yearbookordercenter.com and use the code 4770. Each year, there are a limited number of copies available so don’t miss out.
Yearbook - Senior Ads
The yearbook is now accepting purchases of senior ads. You can get a space to write a congratulatory message to your graduating senior in varying sizes. You can design and order online at yearbookordercenter.com with order number 4770. Payment is available by credit, debit, or Paypal and orders are due by December 13th, however space is limited so make sure to order now.
Class of 2025 - Senior Portraits
Unlike grades 9-11, seniors sign up for a picture session with Victor O’Neill at a time that works for them. We have added two additional days to accommodate our remaining seniors who need to sit for their portraits. These are the final opportunities for senior portraits for the Class of 2025.
- June 20-21; 24 (Session 1)
- August 26-28 (Session 2)
- October 15-17 (Session 3)
- November 20 (Session 4)
- December 9 (Session 5)
- December 11 (Session 6)
If you have questions about senior portraits in general, please email Victor O'Neill studios at seniors@vosphoto.com. Please kindly include your Senior’s First and Last Name and “Oakton Class of 2025” when emailing, for faster assistance. If you have other senior portrait or scheduling questions you can email Martha Rodeheaver, Assistant Principal, at myrodeheaver@fcps.edu.
All seniors are highly encouraged to sit for photos. These photos will be used for their yearbook photo. Sitting for the photos does not obligate a family to purchase the photos once you review the proofs.
Partners for Safe Teen Driving Presentation
All students enrolled in Classroom Driver Education during the 2024-2025 school year must attend an in-person Partners for Safe Teen Driving (PSTD). The presentation is connected to successful classroom instruction and must be completed to receive a DEC-District 8 card (pink card). The parent-teen traffic safety presentation (PSTD) will be offered multiple times during the school year at Oakton. Students and their parents/guardians should plan to attend the
presentation at Oakton at your earliest convenience.
All PSTDs begin promptly. Late admission will not be allowed.
2024-2025 Dates:
- October 28, 2024 6:30-8:00pm
- January 21, 2025 6:30-8:00pm
- March 19, 2025 6:30-8:00pm
- May 19, 2025 6:30-8:00pm
These sessions are intended for Sophomores. Juniors and Seniors can attend a session through Adult and Community Education. PSTD nights are not available to freshmen.
Student Services Updates
SAVE THE DATE - 2025 Gap Year Fair
FCPS’ School Counseling Services and Go Overseas are co-hosting the annual FCPS Gap Year Fair on Tuesday, January 28, 2025, at George C. Marshall High School from 6:00-8:30 p.m. This event is for high school students and parents who are interested in learning more about the growing array of gap year opportunities. The evening will begin with a presentation in the auditorium from 6:00-6:45 p.m. Immediately following, the program fair will be held in the cafeteria from 6:45-8:30 p.m., with representatives from over 30 programs offering gap year opportunities. Students and their families are encouraged to meet the representatives and learn about the variety of experiences available.
Students are encouraged to pre-register for this event. For more information, visit: USA Gap Year Fairs.
In the event of inclement weather on Tuesday, January 28, 2025: The Gap Year Fair will be held on Wednesday, January 29, 2025, at the same time and location.
Financial Aid 101 Webinars for Students and Parents
High school students, parents, and guardians who are interested in learning about financial aid options for college are invited to attend one of the Financial Aid 101 webinars hosted by Level Up Virginia and Virginia Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (VASFAA).
Topics covered include Federal Financial Aid, State Financial Aid, Application Tips, and Q & A.
Register today to attend on December 12, 2024, from 6 to 7:15 p.m. Sessions are free and will cover the same information. Please see the Financial Aid 101 flyer for more information.
Schedule Changes
Please see the timeline below regarding schedule changes for the 2024-2025 school year.
- August 8 – September 6: School counselors will make requested schedule changes based on space availability.
- September 9 – November 8 (end of 1st quarter grading window): No schedule changes
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After November 12: Any student requesting a schedule change will need to fill out the schedule change request form, with permission from parent, student, teacher, school counselor, and administrator. If approved by the administration, schedule changes will only be processed if there is space available.
- After March 28: There will not be any schedule changes, regardless of space availability. This date aligns with the last day of the 3rd Quarter.
Health and Wellness Updates
Emergency Resources
Crisis Link Regional Hotline 703-527-4077
Crisis Text Text NEEDHELP to 85511
Dominion Hospital Emergency 703-536-2000
INOVA Emergency 703-289-7560
Merrifield Center Emergency 703-573-5979 TTY dial 711
Life Threatening 911
No-Cost Virtual Therapy for High School Students
Virtual therapy sessions are available to FCPS high school students at no cost to provide them with 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 contact information for Oakton staff on this webpage.
Visit the FCPS Teletherapy webpage for more information.
FCPS News
In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics and others:
- Family Academy Orientation
- Literacy Resources
- Winter Programs and Activities
Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today.
⏰ Update on Potential Changes to Middle School Start Times
At Tuesday’s School Board work session, staff from Prismatic Services, Inc., presented options for adjusting start times at FCPS middle schools. As a reminder, Prismatic is charged with developing an action plan to help the School Board reach its goal of starting middle school at or after 8 a.m.
The presentation includes five options for adjusting middle school start times based on the consultant’s analysis from community forums, surveys, and interviews with staff, parents, associations, and other groups. The School Board will provide next steps to the superintendent.
Please note that several options include recommendations to change start times of all three levels (elementary, middle, and high).
Watch a video of the work session. Visit the Middle School Start Times webpage for more information on the project.
📍 Boundary Review Community Meetings
As a reminder, FCPS has started the process of reviewing school boundaries across the division. This important work will help the district better support student population growth, changes in school capacity, and evolving community needs. Community input is vital to this process.
With that in mind, FCPS, in partnership with Thru Consulting, will be hosting a series of community meetings. Participants are encouraged to share their thoughts, ask questions, and learn more about the boundary review process.
You are encouraged to attend the meeting in our region (Region 1), which will take place on Wednesday, December 18, 6:30-8 p.m., at Madison High School Cafeteria.
Please visit FCPS’ website for meeting dates, locations, and other information. Sign up for the School Boundary Review newsletter for updates.
PTSA Updates
Fundraiser
This fundraiser allows 100% of your donations to be used in supporting the PTSA and its activities. Your donations are tax deductible as well! Please note that we depend on donations. Without your donations, the PTSA will be unable to financially support such programs and events as mentioned above. We only ask that you be as generous as your budget allows, no amount is too small. Together we can make a difference! Please join the PTSA & show support. Many companies participate in matching gift programs. You can double or even triple your generous donations! Donations are always kept confidential. You can also send us checks addressed to Oakton High School PTSA. It’s even easy to join and/or pay via credit card by clicking on this link and ‘Thank you’ in advance for your support and generosity. If you have any questions about the PTSA please email us at oaktonhsptsa@gmail.com
Stay Connected
Follow ' oaktonhs_ptsa' on Instagram to keep abreast of what's happening at the PTSA. Become a member, Join the mailing list and/or donate to the PTSA at PTBoard - Oakton High School PTSA.
Join the PTSA
Want to be part of PTSA? We are looking for an ANGP Chair (All Night Grad Party), Webmaster, Business Chair, Hospitality Chair and Treasurer. Email us at oaktonhsptsa@gmail.com.
Parent Resources
Parent Information Line
Parents who speak Amharic, Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, Korean, Spanish, Urdu, or Vietnamese can call a telephone information line for general information about FCPS and to receive support if they are having difficulty communicating with their children's schools due to a language barrier.
Parent Resource Center
The FCPS Parent Resource Center offers a wide variety of information and resources to support the success of all students. This includes monthly workshops and webinars. More information can be found on the FCPS website, including registration information.
FCPS Cares
Do you know an Oakton High School 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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