 March 20 - Nowruz (Persian New Year)
March 28 - 3rd Quarter Ends
March 31 - Eid al-Fitr (Holiday)
April - Month of the Military Child
April 3 - Spring College Panel
April 4 - School Librarian Day
FCCLA Makes Blankets for Project Linus
McLean FCCLA students enjoyed creating blankets to donate to Project Linus knowing they would bring joy to the recipients.
The Fairfax County Chapter of Project Linus is currently providing support to Ronald McDonald House, D.C. TAPS (Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors), Covenant House, Healthworks Clinics D.C. Diaper Bank, INOVA Mt Vernon Pediatric Emergency Room, and local school counselors who request blankets for students in distress.
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McLean Students Excel in North American Computational Linguistics Open Competition
Congratulations to sophomores Sarah Li and Allegra O'Grady for their performance in this year’s North American Computational Linguistics Open Competition. They ranked first and second place in Virginia in the open round and advanced to the invitational round. Special thanks to Ms. Minutello, the sponsor of the computational linguistics club McLing, for her support. Anyone interested in linguistics, logic, or puzzles is welcome to join McLing to learn together!
USAMO Qualifiers
Congratulations to Kalan Warusa and Jeffrey Yin for qualifying for the USAMO competition. Their passion for mathematics and hard work has resulted in this outstanding achievement. Both Kalan and Jeffrey excelled in the competitions leading to the USAMO, such as the AMC 12 and AIME tests. Only approximately 250 students nationwide qualify to take this proof-based, 9-hour assessment based on their AMC 12 and AIME test scores. So please join us in congratulating them on this very prestigious accomplishment and wish them luck!
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 Reminder to Sign Up Weekly for Student Fasting Meal Kits
Students who are fasting during the school day between now and March 28 can take school meal kits home at the end of the day. Families must fill out a separate request form for each week and for each student in order to receive school meal kits. To receive meal kits for the week of March 24, please fill out this form by March 17.
Please remind your child to pick up their meals each day at our school’s designated location. Visit the Food and Nutrition Services webpage for more information, including weekly request forms and deadlines.
Saturday Support
We are excited to share that we are expanding our Saturday Support to a second site for the second semester. Students can now attend Saturday Support sessions at McLean High School or Timberlane Elementary School between 9:00 and 11:00 AM.
Our upcoming Saturday Support sessions will be on March 22, April 5, & April 26.
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📑 Varsity Tutors Provides On-Demand Support at No Cost
FCPS is partnering with Varsity Tutors to provide students and families with extra learning resources. 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.
 Volunteers Needed for Proctoring
McLean HS is giving over 4,400 AP exams between May 5-May 23. We are asking for parents/guardians to volunteer their time to help proctor so AP testing can run effectively and smoothly. Parents/ Volunteers are not allowed to assist with an exam for an AP class their student(s) is currently taking. Sign up here to volunteer your time. Proctoring assistance days and times will be confirmed by March 28th. If you have any questions, please contact the Assessment Coach Elly Donlen (ekdonlen@fcps.edu).
AP Testing Early Release & Late Arrival Pre-Arranged Absence
The main testing window for AP exams is below. With parent/guardian permission, McLean HS students are allowed to be released early following an AP exam and arrive late before their scheduled AP exam. All pre-arranged absence notes (no phone calls or handwritten notes please) are due to Ms. Yates in the attendance office by April 25th. Please keep in mind that all classes will continue with instruction during AP testing, and that students are responsible for all assignments from each class. Here are the links to the early release permission slip, late arrival permission slip, and printed out copies will be available in the main office.
McLean HS SOL Schedule
The main SOL testing dates are below. It is important that your student attend school on these days and get a good night’s rest and eat breakfast before testing. If your student has an unavoidable conflict that could result in missing a testing day, they will be moved to a makeup date. The Virginia Department of Education requires high school students enrolled in an SOL course to take the EOC test if the student needs a verified credit for graduation or if the student has not yet met federal testing requirements (1 Math, 1 Reading, and 1 Biology SOL attempt taken during grades 9-12). Students who have met the testing requirements for graduation and federal accountability do not test. If you have questions about SOL testing, please contact your student’s school counselor.
April 25: Reading
May 19: Algebra 1, Algebra 2, Chemistry, and Earth Science
May 20: Biology
May 21: Geometry
May 22: Social Studies
May 28-30: SOL Retakes
 Course Registration 2025-2026
As we wrap up course registration for the 2025-2026 school year, please note the following deadlines:
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March 19 – Dual Enrollment Registration session (for students taking a DE class in 25-26) in Lecture Hall during FLEX
- Note: While the steps for registration for DE classes are required to be completed prior to the March 24 registration deadline, this session is optional. Students can choose to complete these steps on their own, if desired.
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March 24 – Dual Enrollment Class Registration deadline (Note: This is a hard deadline; students will be removed from a DE course if they do not complete the registrations steps by this date.)
We encourage you to review next year’s course requests with your student, visible in SIS on the “Course Request” tab. Upon review, if your student would like to request a different course than what is listed in SIS, please have them reach out to their counselor prior to March 12th to make any changes. Any changes to course requests made after March 12, 2025 will only be made if space is available in the requested courses. After March 12th, waitlists will be created for classes at or above capacity.
Spring College Panel
Save the date! April 3rd is our Spring College Panel opened to all. Admissions reps from James Madison University, George Mason University, Mary Baldwin University, University of Tennessee, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities and Universities of California, Riverside will share their insights on the college application process. Come learn what to look for in a college, what makes a good essay, when to apply and more. You can “meet & greet” the panelists starting at 6:00 PM followed by the panel at 6:30 PM in the auditorium.
Save the Date! Class of 2026 College Application Workshop - 7/30-8/1
Attention Juniors! The Student Services Department will be holding our annual College Application Workshop on Wednesday, July 30th and Friday, August 1st. Information covered through this workshop includes: How to get organized, paying for college, The Common App, The SRAR, and kick starting your essay (including an essay book). This is a two-day workshop. Students select either the morning session (8:30am-12:00pm) or the afternoon session (12:30pm-4:00pm). The cost for the workshop is $75. Registration and payment will be completed through MySchoolBucks starting in early April. For now, put this date on your calendar! Students who need financial assistance for this workshop should contact their school counselor.
🎓 Graduation Requirements and Planning
Planning which courses to take next year — and in future years — must be given considerable thought. Students and families should review the Graduation Requirements and Course Planning webpage to make informed decisions while planning for success in high school and beyond.
School-life balance is an important consideration for students as they strive for academic and personal success. Resources to support course selection for next year include our Academic Advising website (which includes our course catalog and course selection sheets), your student’s current teachers, and your student’s school counselor. This FCPS Curriculum webpage may also be helpful.
National Women’s History Month
Every year, March is designated Women’s History Month by presidential proclamation. The month is set aside to honor women’s contributions in American history. Learn more about the heritage months, celebrations, and traditions celebrated in FCPS.
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Celebrating Arts in Our Schools
The Council for Art Education (CFAE) administers Youth Art Month. Youth Art Month encourages support for quality school art programs, and promotes art material safety. The program provides a medium for recognizing skills developed through visual arts experiences unlike any other curriculum subjects, including problem solving, creativity, observation, and communication.
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 McLean High School PTSA Information
Here are some quick links:
 In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics and others:
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- Second Annual Food Show
- Cameras on School Bus Stop Arms
- Comprehensive Boundary Review Process Explained
Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today.
🛑 Cameras Installed on School Bus Stop Arms
Cameras have been installed on the stop arms of 50 FCPS school buses. These cameras will be used to identify drivers who pass stopped school buses while children are entering and exiting the bus (called a “stop arm violation”).
Warnings for drivers will begin on Wednesday, April 9. After a 30-day warning period, citations will begin to be issued on Monday, May 12.
According to Virginia law, drivers must stop for stopped school buses with flashing red lights on and their stop signs extended. Motorists should stop when approaching from any direction (unless there is a barrier or median separating their lane from where the bus is stopped). They should remain stopped until everyone is clear and the bus is moving.
We appreciate our law enforcement partners for working with us to improve road safety and reduce accidents. Read more information about the stop arm cameras and all of the ways that we work with our county partners to keep students safe on their way to and from school.
 McLean HS Tech Support for Students 🖥️
If you are experiencing issues with your FCPS issued laptop, please use the Tech Support Request Form to enter your information. The tech support team will then get back to you as soon as possible.
Partners in Safe Teen Driving Seminar
As part of the FCPS Health and PE curriculum, all 10th grade students enrolled in Health & PE 10 complete one quarter of classroom Driver Education. As part of the Driver Education curriculum, students are required to attend the Partners in Safe Teen Driving Presentation, in person, with at least one parent or guardian. Successful completion of classroom Driver Education AND attendance by the student and parent/guardian enables the student to obtain the DEC-District 8 completion card needed to pursue obtaining a Virginia driver’s license. While it is recommended that the PSTD seminar requirement be satisfied during the quarter in which the student is taking classroom driver education, students are welcome to attend any quarter within their 10th grade year. All seminars will be held in-person from 6:30-8:00 PM in the auditorium. Please arrive early. Doors will close promptly at 6:30. Attendees who arrive late will not be allowed entry and will not earn credit for attending.
The 90-minute PSTD presentation will be offered once per quarter throughout the school year. McLean High School’s dates for the 2024-2025 calendar year are below.
Important: Students who successfully complete their classroom driver education quarter but have not satisfied the PSTD requirement will have earned an incomplete for the class grade until the requirement is met.
This program is available to FCPS students enrolled in grade 10 health and physical education at no charge. Students who are completing classroom instruction through a commercial driving school, are home schooled, are enrolled in another school division, or are FCPS students in grade 11 or 12 must register to attend the 90-minute PSTD seminar. A $30 fee applies, and registration is available through FCPS Adult and Community Education (aceclasses.fcps.edu). Please reach out to Marissa Gaines (MAGaines@fcps.edu) with any questions.
 Mental Health and Wellness Support Services and Resources
McLean’s Clinical Staff are available to consult with parents and students regarding mental health related concerns and behaviors. They are also able to provide community resources as needed. Please see their contact information below:
Carol Ann Forrest, School Psychologist, CMForrest@fcps.edu
Beverly Parker-Lewis, School Psychologist, baparkerlewi@fcps.edu
Marly Jerome-Featherson, School Social Worker, mjeromefeath@fcps.edu
For more Mental Health and Wellness Information, please check out these Student Wellness Resources, FCPS’s Healthy Minds Blog and the FCPS’s Parent Resource Center.
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
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