 |
As we move into the final full week of the academic year, I want to express my deep pride in our collective commitment to high standards and student achievement. The recent weeks leading up to SOLs, IB exams, and our approaching graduation next week have highlighted our collaborative efforts to address our students' needs. This crucial support comes from every corner of South Lakes High School – our dedicated teachers, our entire staff, and importantly, our involved families and community members. Thank you all for your unwavering support of our school and your students.
It is so vital to finish the school year strong! The last day for underclass students is Wednesday, June 11, 2025. Our teachers and teams are continuing their excellent work to deliver high-quality instruction that will set students up for success, not just in their current classes but in the years ahead. For some, this includes working towards valuable certifications or graduation prerequisites. To fully benefit from these efforts and conclude the year successfully, all students are expected to be present each day.
With Gratitude,
Carlos Seward
We value your feedback. Share your observations, suggestions, questions and celebrations with me here.
|
 Important Dates
- May 30 - June 4, 2025: SENIOR Finals (See below for Schedule)
- June 3, 2025: Spring Orchestra Concert 7:00 PM
- June 5 - June 10, 2025: UNDERCLASSMEN Finals (See below for Schedule)
-
June 10, 2025:
Class of 2025 Graduation - 2:00 PM Eagle Bank Arena
Dismissal for all students 10:30 AM
Main Office closes at 1:00 PM
- June 11, 2025: Last Day for Underclassmen; Dismissal at 10:00 AM
Congratulations To South Lakes Senior
Kian Linam
 Congratulations to South Lakes High School senior Kian Linam for being honored by both houses of the Virginia General Assembly (the Virginia House of Delegates and the Virginia State) for receiving the YoungArts award in the category of jazz piano from the National Foundation for the Advancement of Artists in both 2024 and 2025. YoungArts (previously National YoungArts Foundation and National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts) is an American charity established in 1981 by Lin and Ted Arison to help nurture emerging high-school artists.
Kian’s accomplishments are the result of his hard work and dedication, the leadership and guidance of his teachers, and the unwavering support of his family and the entire South Lakes High School community. He has already played alongside a number of distinguished acts, including Ashlin Parker & the Trumpet Mafia, Alison Crockett, Will “Mobetta” Ledbetter, Romeir Mendez, and Shawn Purcell. His talents have earned him the opportunity to perform at several prominent venues and events in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, including Blues Alley, the Mid-Atlantic Jazz Fest, the Hamilton, the Carlyle Room, the National Press Club, and Reston Town Center's Summer Concert Festival. Since 2020, Kian has served as one of the pianists for the Blues Alley Youth Orchestra led by Michael Bowie, an elite ensemble of young musicians dedicated to preserving big band jazz.
The Virginia General Assembly ratified the joint resolution earlier this year. Principal Carlos Seward read and presented Kian and her family with the joint resolution at South Lakes on Wednesday, May 28, 2025.
Kian will graduate with the class of 2025 on Tuesday, June 10, 2025. Come this fall, he will be studying at the Peabody Institute of The John Hopkins University.
Congratulations, Kian!
Congratulations To South Lakes
Art Teacher Marco Rando
 We are proud to celebrate visual arts teacher Marco Rando for receiving the 2025 ArtsFairfax Education Award! This award recognizes artists and arts organizations that provide exceptional arts education opportunities and experiences, and Mr. Rando is truly deserving.
Mr. Rando’s teaching reflects his artistic values of exploration, collaboration, and community engagement. His work has not only shaped young artists but also strengthened ties between the school and the broader Reston community.
The 2025 ArtsFairfax Awards will honor Mr. Rando and supporters of Fairfax County’s artistic community on Oct. 24, 2025 at the Hyatt Regency Reston!
Tickets and sponsorships for the 2025 ArtsFairfax Awards are now available online! To read more about the awards, go to this article from Fairfax Now and to ArtsFairfax's website.
 |
|
2025 South Lakes High School Final Exam Schedule |
Seniors (Grade 12) Exam Schedule
Senior exams are part of a regular school day.
Underclassmen (Grades 9 - 11) Exam Schedule
Exams/Culminating Activities Schedule. Dismissal will be at 11:55 each day after a Grab and Go lunch.
Graduation Updates & Reminders
-
Clear ALL Senior Dues & Fees -
Check MySchoolBucks, outside sub-school 255 or inside sub-school 255 with Ms. Mo for fees, dues and other obligations owed. You must have resolved all obligations before receiving your cap and gown and participating in Graduaton on June 10. Only CASH and MySchoolBucks are accepted at this time.
-
Save the Dates:
-
June 3, 7:30PM - Senior Sunset in the Stadium. Bring a blanket and a picnic dinner
-
June 4 - Grad Walk at South Lakes High School. Wear your Class of 2025 t-shirt.
-
June 6 and June 9 - MANDATORY graduation practice. MUST ATTEND, NO exceptions to this policy.
-
Link to All Things SLHS Class of 2025...
Class of 2025 Graduation and End of Year Activities
Downloading your Student Google Drive
If your student is preparing to graduate or leave FCPS for any reason, it’s important to know that their Google Workspace account will be automatically deactivated once they are no longer actively enrolled in FCPS. This process happens during the summer, shortly after the end of the school year. Once a student account is deactivated, there will no longer be access to FCPS Google Drive or access to FCPS Gmail.
If any student will no longer be an FCPS student after this school year, they must download or export any files they wish to keep before the end of the school year. The download process of files can take several days, so please make sure to check in with your students. They should be starting that process now.
Students will have the option to use Google Takeout to export their files. Visit Google’s directions here: How to download your Google data using Takeout. It’s important to know that you will only be able to export files for which you are the owner.
If students would prefer to manually select files from your Drive to download, follow the Downloading Your Data instructions on the Google Workspace Information for Students and Parents page of the FCPS website.
2025 Yearbooks For Sale
All Night Grad Party - Volunteers Needed
The All Night Grad Party is June 10th, and we’re looking for underclassmen parents (21+) to help make it amazing! ✨
✅ Help keep seniors safe + smiling
✅ Sneak peek at what YOUR student will enjoy on the night of graduation
✅ Join a fun, lively volunteer crew!
👉 Sign up today to donate or volunteer!
Donate:
https://m.signupgenius.com/#!/showSignUp/8050A45A9A9292-56035311-2025
Volunteer:
https://m.signupgenius.com/#!/showSignUp/8050A45A9A9292-55899459-2025
From the SLHS Health Room:
Medication Pickup
The school health room is reminding parents and guardians that all medication stored in the health room must be picked up no later than the student dismissal time (10:00 AM) on the last day of school (Wednesday, June 11, 2025).
Medication left in the health room after that time will be destroyed.
It is school policy that medications must be picked up by the parent or guardian. Medication cannot be sent home with your student. However, with parent or guardian permission, a high school student may transport over-the-counter medications to and from the school health room.
If your student will be enrolled in a summer program sponsored by Fairfax County Public Schools, the existing medication authorization form(s) may be used for the summer program, but you will need to pick up the medication on the last day of school and deliver the medication and completed forms to the summer learning site on the first day of the summer program.
If you have any questions, please contact the School Health Aide, Ashley Haas, at abhaas@fcps.edu, or the Public Health Nurse MaryEllen Wolf at mwolf@fcps.edu.
No-Cost Virtual Therapy for High School Students
Although the school year is winding down, virtual therapy sessions are still available to FCPS high school students at no cost to provide 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.
Students can be referred by a guardian or designated school staff member. You may refer your child by calling 571-749-2940 or by contacting an FCPS school counselor, social worker, psychologist, or director of Student Services. Visit the FCPS Teletherapy webpage for more information.
|
Your Child's Mental Wellness Matters: Access Comprehensive Services
Reach out to the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board (CSB) for specialized youth mental health services designed to help your child succeed. The CSB has individual and family counseling, psychiatric diagnostic evaluations, medication management, parenting groups, peer support, crisis response, recovery supports that include medication-assisted treatment (MAT), intensive services, and other options.
Contact CSB Entry and Referral by calling 703-383-8500 or emailing csb@fairfaxcounty.gov.
|
Girls Flag Football
 As FCPS explores the viability of Girls Flag Football and considers including it in our athletic offerings at the high school level, we are pleased to partner with the Washington Commanders to bring a FREE Girls Flag Football clinic to Woodson High School, on June 7, 2025. The clinic will provide students with an opportunity to experience the game under the excellent direction of experienced flag coaches. Interested FCPS students can register for the event now! We also invite anyone interested in coaching to attend, observe, and ask questions!!!
HS Girls FREE Flag Football Clinic
Saturday, June 7, 2025
9:30-11:30am
Check in starts at 9AM
Woodson HS
Scan or Click the QR Code to register
|
Message from the FCPS Ombuds Office
FCPS Ombuds Office Provides Confidential Guidance
The Office of the Ombuds engages with families, students, and staff to offer resources and improve the experience of each and every member of the FCPS community. They work as an independent confidential resource to help answer questions, offer options to resolve concerns, and hear complaints regarding FCPS matters. Anyone seeking assistance from the Office of the Ombuds may call 571-423-4014, text 571-496-8284, email ombuds@fcps.edu, or visit their webpage, where you may Submit a Question. Ombuds staff do not change or make decisions, policies, or regulations; take sides; or provide legal advice.
Information Phone Lines
Parent Information Line Available in Eight Languages
Parents/caregivers who speak Amharic, Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, Korean, Spanish, Urdu, or Vietnamese may call a telephone information line for general information about FCPS. View the list of phone numbers.
SY2026 Required Immunizations for Rising Seniors
All students entering 12th grade are to receive one dose of Meningococcal vaccine (MenACWY) prior to the beginning of school.
To meet the MenACWY 12th grade requirement, the vaccination must be administered at age 16 or older.
Please consider getting your child’s immunizations early so that they can attend school in the fall. Summer is a busy time for families and health care providers. As long as your child meets the age requirements listed above, they can be immunized at any time. Additional resources are available on the FCPS Immunization Resources webpage and the Fairfax County Health Department.
|
Online Driving Permit Test Prep
Online Driving Permit Test Prep Offered by ACE Nearly 35,000 students have been educated by FCPS ACE’s Driver Education program in the last decade, preparing them to be safe, responsible drivers.
In Virginia alone, 17% of all accidents are caused by distracted driving, amounting to over 21,000 accidents that could have been avoided. The Virginia DMV reports that driver education plays a significant role in safer driving by young drivers, with some studies showing that it can reduce accident rates by up to 20%.
ACE now offers one of the only online permit test prep courses authorized by the state of Virginia. Learn more about driver education and FCPS ACE Driver Education courses.
|
School Board Unanimously Adopts the FCPS 2025-26 Budget
 The Fairfax County School Board unanimously adopted the FCPS Fiscal Year 2025-26 Approved Budget. Facing years of chronic underfunding, the final budget required $121 million in reductions to the needs-based budget that was carefully developed with the FCPS community’s high expectations in mind. While these cuts and reductions will impact our classes, the school division will continue to do what is necessary to provide a world-class education for every student. Read the budget news release.
Phase 2 Community Boundary Review Meetings
 You are invited to participate in a community meeting to review and reflect on the initial draft boundary scenarios before the start of summer break:
Click the date to register. Each meeting will be hybrid, meaning that you may attend in person or via Zoom. Child care for in-person participants and language interpretation/translation for all participants will be available as needed. Another round of community meetings will be held in the fall.
Visit FCPS’ Comprehensive Boundary Review page for more information.
 |
|
FCPS Cares
Do you know of a South Lakes 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.
|
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.
Varsity Tutors
- 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.
No Cost Virtual Therapy for High School Students
- Virtual therapy sessions are available at no cost to FCPS high school students to provide 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.
- In order for students to participate, caregivers must give permission for FCPS to share basic demographic information with Hazel Health in ParentVUE. They must also provide consent for their student to access therapy services.
- Students may then be referred by a guardian or designated school staff member. Refer your child by calling 571-749-2940 or contacting an FCPS school counselor, social worker, psychologist, or director of Student Services.
- Visit the FCPS Teletherapy webpage for more information.
Upcoming Family Academy Events
You are an important part of your child's education! The FCPS Family Academy compiles classes, webinars, workshops, and programs offered by FCPS to help you support your child's needs and learning at home. Browse Family Academy offering.
Helpful Links
South Lakes High School Website
Follow The Lakes on Social Media!
|
Be sure to follow us on Instagram (@south_lakeshs) and X (@southlakeshs)!!
Follow South Lakes HS on Social Media: Stay connected with South Lakes High School by following us on social media! It's the best way to keep up with our latest news, celebrate student achievements, and keep up with everything going on at The Lakes! Links: Instagram and X (formerly Twitter).
|
|
 |
JOIN THE PTSA TODAY!
For more information please visit the South Lakes PTSA website.
|
