Principal Updates - March 24

Fairfax County Public Schools sent this bulletin at 03/24/2025 05:30 PM EDT

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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.

March 28 - End of 3rd Quarter

March 31 - No School, Eid-al-Fitr

April 1 - Student Holiday, Teacher Workday

April 3 - Class of 2025 Parent Coffee (virtual)

April 14-18 - Spring Break

May 1 - 3 - Spring Musical (Into the Woods)

May 1 - 20 - SOL Exams

May 5-16 - AP Exams

May 8 - Spring Musical (Into the Woods)

May 9 - Junior/Senior Prom (Westwood Country Club) - SAVE THE DATE!

May 10 - Spring Musical (Into the Woods)

General Information

Student Parking Reminder

This is a reminder that only student’s who have purchased parking permits are allowed to park on campus during the school day. Any car without a valid permit parked on campus for the day will receive a parking ticket. Students are not permitted to park in visitor parking at any time.

Parking tickets do come with a fee that will be added to a student's obligation list..

We have currently sold all available parking permits for the 2024-2025 school year.

Parking permit applications for next school year will become available in June 2025.

Quarter End, Eid al-Fitr, and Student Holiday

Friday, March 28, is the last day of the third quarter. It is a full day of school for students.

All FCPS schools and offices are closed on Monday, March 31, for Eid al-Fitr. Tuesday, April 1, is a student holiday and teacher workday. See the complete school year calendar.

The Gradebook in SIS ParentVUE and StudentVUE will be closed for the end of the quarter from Friday, March 28, at 4 p.m. to Monday, April 7, at 6 a.m.

Learn how to activate your ParentVUE account to easily access grade reports and other helpful information about your child.

Class of 2025 Parent Coffee

On Thursday, April 3 at 9:00am we will offer a virtual parent coffee for the Class of 2025. We will take that time to review senior activities for the end of the school year, including the senior internship program and graduation. We will also allow time for questions.

We will send out a zoom link the morning of the parent coffee. The presentation portion will be recorded and posted for families on Schoology for all to access.

📑 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.

Hidden in Plain Sight (HIPS) Presentation - New Date

Please note we have moved the date to May 21 due to inclement weather on February 11.

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. This allows parents the opportunity to interact with police officers and various props.

If you are interested in attending on May 21, please register for the event using this link (https://bit.ly/hipsohs021125).

The presentation will be run by Fairfax County Police Department and our Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist for the Oakton and Madison Pyramids, Mr. Michael McNulty.

Senior Deadline for X2VOL Hours

All Senior Service-Learning hours for Seniors must be submitted no later than April 25^th at 3pm to guarantee they are approved for graduation accomplishments. Hours posted past the deadline will not be guaranteed to be counted toward awards and recognition for Seniors. Please submit all hours into X2VOL for approval no later than April 25^th at 3pm.

To learn more about Senior awards and recognition for graduation click HERE. This includes all Service-Learning Recognitions for graduation and their requirements. Any questions regarding this information can be forwarded to Mrs. Kimberly Stewart, the Service Learning Liaison, at OHS at kastewart@fcps.edu

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.

Testing Information

Throughout the month of May we have AP and SOL testing.

SOL testing for 12th graders will begin the week of April 22. SOL testing for 9th-11th graders will run from May 1-20.
AP Testing will run from May 5-May 16.

More information on SOL and AP testing can be found here on the Oakton HS website.

Student Services Updates

Junior College and Post-Secondary Planning Presentations

This year, school counselors will offer two optional presentations for juniors to attend that are focused on post-secondary planning.

The first presentation will be offered on April 3 during Cougar Time and will focus on college planning and applying to four-year institutions.

The second optional presentation will be offered on April 9 during Cougar Time and will focus on post-secondary options other than attending four-year institutions such as attending a community college, enlisting in the military, receiving training at a vocational or trade school, and taking a gap year.

Juniors will have the option to attend one or both presentations.

Junior College Planning - Parent Night (Virtual)

Junior parents and guardians, please join us on Wednesday, April 9th from 6:00-7:30pm for Junior College Planning - Parent Night. Counselors will share information about the college planning and search process. This will be a virtual webinar, and a link will be emailed to all junior families a day before the webinar. We hope you can join us, but if not, the session will be recorded and posted on the OHS website.

Virtual FAFSA Workshops

uAspire is hosting free FAFSA Walkthrough for students and families. This session will give them an overview of the new FAFSA and walk them through the steps required to receive federal financial aid at colleges nationwide.

Thursday April 3 - 5:00PM

Summer 2025 Online Campus Courses

Registration for the Summer 2025 Online Campus courses started Friday, February 14, 2025, and ends Friday, June 6, 2025. Courses are open to middle and high school students who meet prerequisites.

Courses may be cancelled if they are under-enrolled. If a course is cancelled, students will be notified using the registration contact information and a full refund will be given.

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 1^st quarter grading window): No schedule changes
November 12 - March 28: 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 3^rd 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

💻 Hazel Health: Virtual Therapy for High School Students

Teletherapy services are available for all FCPS high school students at no cost. Sessions can be scheduled Monday through Friday, 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Hazel Health’s highly qualified therapists specialize in working with teens. Learn more on FCPS’ teletherapy webpage.

Teen Afterschool Program

Please see the flyer below for the Jim Scott Community Center's Teen Afterschool Program. The Jim Scott Community Center is located one mile from Oakton High School.

Oakton Pantry Update

The Oakton Pantry continues to provide support for families in our community with food insecurities. On a weekly basis our student shopping and curb side delivery serve approximately 50 families. We appreciate all who donate food, money and time to keep the pantry up and running! If you would like to donate food items please consider something from the list below. These are items that are in greatest demand and shortest supply. Thank you.

Beans- 1 pound bag
Rice- 1 pound bag
Canned Tuna
Canned Chicken
Mac and Cheese- boxes, preferably not easy mac
Instant Oatmeal- individual packages or cups
Crackers- individual packs
Jelly- jars
Ramen
Cup of Noodles

FCPS News

In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics and others:

- Student Achievements
- Art in Our Schools Month
- Celebrating Students Setting Positive Examples

Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today.

Next Steps in the Budget Process

The next steps in the FCPS FY 2026 Budget process include the School Board presenting the budget to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, April 22. The Board of Supervisors will then conduct public hearings Tuesday, April 22, through Thursday, April 24. Community members can submit testimony or sign up to speak.

Visit the county government website to view the Fairfax County FY 2026 Advertised Budget. The community is also invited to complete an online survey to provide feedback on the county’s FY 2026 Advertised Budget.

Learn more about the FCPS FY 2026 Budget process.

Become Unskippable: Share the Facts

Talking with teens about the facts of fentanyl is a conversation you can’t skip. Learning about fentanyl gives teens a better understanding of the risks and effects of the drug.

Share these important facts with your child:

Even half a fentanyl-laced pill can be fatal. Just a few salt-sized grains of fentanyl are enough to cause an overdose.
More than half of local street pills contain a deadly dose of fentanyl. As of 2023, seven in 10 counterfeit pills in the U.S. contain enough fentanyl to cause a fatal overdose.
Fentanyl is usually taken accidentally. Many people have no idea they’ve taken it until they overdose because you can’t see, smell, or taste it in pills and powders.
Overdose can happen in an instant. In as little as four minutes, the lack of oxygen can lead to brain damage and even death.

Learn more about how to have conversations with your child in a way that will make you Become Unskippable.

🎤 Save the Date: Community Conversations with Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid

Your voice matters, and Superintendent Reid wants to hear from you! Share your thoughts and ask questions regarding FCPS on the dates/locations listed below from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Click on a date to register. Registration is not required but is encouraged for planning purposes.

Childcare and interpretation services will be provided. Events are open to all. Find out about other opportunities to connect with Dr. Reid.

PTSA Updates

Senior Student Families

The PTSA is seeking a dedicated volunteer to chair the All-Night Grad Party (ANGP) Chair position. Without someone stepping up, this cherished event will be canceled. If you’re organized and passionate about giving our graduates the celebration they deserve, please consider taking on this rewarding role. Training and support will be provided.

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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