Annandale Students, Parents and Community:
Student success at Annandale is rooted in collaboration—when our staff, families, students, and community work together, anything is possible. Research shows that one of the most impactful ways families can support student success is by staying engaged and having regular conversations with their children about school. I hope this newsletter serves as a helpful starting point for those conversations at home.
Another meaningful way to get involved is by joining and supporting the PTSA. The PTSA plays a vital role in strengthening our school community and enhancing the experiences of both students and staff. Their first event of the year, PTSA Welcome Back Breakfast, will take place on Thursday, August 14. This special event is your chance to show appreciation for our incredible staff who dedicate themselves to our students each day. Whether you can volunteer your time, donate breakfast items, or contribute financially, your support will make a lasting impact. Sign up here!
Tomorrow marks the beginning of fall sports, which include cheer, cross-country, football, field hockey, golf, and volleyball. No experience is necessary. All are welcome, so come try out! To participate, students need to complete a VHSL physical form and register online to play. See tryout information below.
Looking ahead, I am excited to welcome all of you on Thursday, August 14 to our Freshmen & New Student Orientation from 1:30-3:00pm, as well as our Open House for all students from 3:00-4:00pm. Additionally, on this day, students and families can access schedules in StudentVUE and ParentVUE starting at 6:00am.
Finally, below you will find a Parent To-Do List with important items that will ensure your student is ready to go on August 18. Enjoy your last days of summer break, Atom Nation. I look forward to seeing you all soon. As always, please reach out with any questions.
Shawn DeRose, Principal
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Important Dates
August 4 - Fall Sports Tryouts Begin
August 4-7 - New Teacher Orientation
August 11 - First Day for Teachers
August 11-15 - Baseball Skills Camp, 5-7pm
August 12 - Fall Meet the Coaches Night
August 14 - Student Schedules Available
August 14 - Parent Information Session
August 14 - New Student Orientation & Open House
August 18 - First Day of School for Students
August 29 and September 1 - Labor Day Holiday (No School)
September 18 - Back to School Night 2025
September 22-26 - Homecoming Week
September 27 - Homecoming Dance
Tomorrow - Fall Sports Begin: Fall sports, which include Cheer, Cross Country, Football, Field Hockey, and Volleyball will begin, Monday, August 4. No experience is necessary. All are welcome! To participate, students need to complete a VHSL physical form and register online to play. Here is the link to the physical form that must be completed by a doctor. To register online, click here. Once you have completed the physical form, turn in the form at the Activities Office. The office is open every day from 8:00am-2:00pm. See detailed tryout information below and if you have any questions, email Brandon Sutphin, Director of Student Activities.
August 12 - Meet the Coaches Night: We invite all parents and guardians of our fall athletes to join us for Meet the Coaches Night on Tuesday, August 12 at 6:30pm in the Annandale High School Auditorium. This event is a valuable opportunity to hear important information from our athletic office staff, athletic trainer, and Athletic Boosters, as well as to meet your student’s coach and learn more about the upcoming season. The evening will begin with a general session in the auditorium, followed by individual team breakout meetings. We look forward to seeing you there and working together for a successful fall season
August 14 - Student Schedules Available: Beginning Thursday, August 14 at 6:00am, all students and parents will have access to class schedules in SIS StudentVUE and ParentVUE. SIS (Student Information System) is the application to see attendance, class performance, and demographic data.
August 14 - PTA Staff Breakfast Event: Help us welcome the teachers back in style! The PTSA welcome back breakfast will be on Thursday, August 14. This special event is our way of showing appreciation for their hard work and commitment to our students. Whether you can volunteer your time, donate breakfast items, or make a financial contribution, your support will make a huge difference. Together, we can create a warm and welcoming start to the new school year for our amazing educators. Sign Up here!
August 14 - Freshmen (Grade 9) and New Student Orientation: Annandale High School is excited to welcome rising freshmen as well as new students to our school orientation on August 14 from 1:30-3:00pm. Students and parents will meet administrators, counselors, teachers, and other essential school personnel and have an opportunity to explore the school building and learn more about student life at Annandale. If you have any questions about this event, please contact Kara Franklin Taylor.
August 14 - Parent Information Session: We would like to also invite parents to a Family Coffee session that will be held during New Student Orientation from 1:30-3:00pm. During this information session, you will learn more about Annandale High School, our values, and what to expect as your student(s) matriculates through high school from course selections to extra-curricular activities. At the end of the session, you will have an opportunity to visit various stations to acquire additional information from counselors, sports activities, and clubs.
August 14 - Open House: All returning Annandale students and their families are invited to our Open House on August 14 from 3:00-4:00pm. Open House provides students an opportunity to walk through our halls and find their classes for next year. There is no formal program during this time, but rather an informal chance to get reacquainted with AHS. If you have any questions about this event, please contact Kara Franklin Taylor.
August 18 - First Day of School: Monday, August 18 is the first day of school for students for the 2025-26 school year. View the 2025-26 school year calendar.
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Parent To-Do Checklist
Sign Up for SIS ParentVUE: Access your student’s attendance records, grades, and assignments at any time with SIS ParentVUE. Parents should receive an activation code when they register their student. Once you have activated a ParentVUE account for an FCPS student, you will keep the same account until the student graduates. Information about students in the same family can be accessed through the same ParentVUE account. Access SIS ParentVUE by using an app on your iPhone, iPad, or Android devices. Need help creating a SIS ParentVUE account? This video walks through the steps. Find out more about SIS ParentVUE.
Update Your Students’ Information Online: FCPS is excited to announce that parents can now update student information online using the Online Verification Update Packet. Parents can conveniently update phone numbers, emergency contacts, health conditions, and immunization dates for students in grades K-12. Accessible through SIS ParentVUE, the online update feature streamlines registration for parents and staff.
Join the PTSA: 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 2025-2026 school year by filling out the online Membership Form.
Have a Rising Senior? Meningococcal Vaccine Reminder: The Code of Virginia requires all students to be immunized against certain communicable diseases prior to entrance into one of its schools. All students in grade 12 are required to have been immunized with one dose of the Meningococcal Vaccine given at the age of 16 or older. Please review the immunization requirements here. Proof of immunization must be submitted to the school. These documents need to be returned prior to the start of the 2025-26 school year. For more information on this requirement, visit this FCPS website.
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Awesome Atoms!
Annandale Hosts Wrestling Camp: Annandale High School recently hosted a wrestling camp for all ages, where attendees spent time developing skills in all three styles of wrestling, dedicating one style to each of the first three days. In addition to technique training and engaging in various games, the last two days of camp featured a takedown tournament and an individually bracketed tournament, providing campers with competitive and practical experience.
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Marching Atoms Band Camp Kicked Off the Season with Spirit! We were thrilled to welcome our talented students back as Marching Atoms Band Camp launched this past Tuesday. Under the leadership of our new Director of Bands, Zach Wadsworth, and with the support of a professional team of instructors—including alumni from GMU, JMU, FSU, Virginia Tech, and the Washington Commanders Marching Band—campers built skills, confidence, and community.
SOL Bootcamps Help Students Reach Graduation Goals! This summer, Annandale hosted SOL Bootcamps in Science, Algebra 1, and Reading, giving students a valuable opportunity to earn verified credits needed for graduation. Congrats to our participating students successfully who passed their SOLs, moving one step closer to achieving their academic goals. These successes reflect the hard work and perseverance of our students, along with the dedication of our incredible staff. Special thanks to our teachers and support team who made this possible through their time, expertise, and commitment.
Congrats, Annandale Summer School Graduates! We are proud to celebrate our Annandale students who graduated during the summer commencement at Fairfax High School on Wednesday, July 30. Their hard work, perseverance, and commitment have paid off—and we can’t wait to see what you do next. Way to go, Class of 2025!
Annandale & Falls Church Team Up for SOL Success! This summer, Annandale High School proudly hosted the Falls Church Science and Math SOL Bootcamp while running our own program on campus. With the Falls Church closed for renovations, we were glad to open our doors and offer a supportive space for their students and staff. Thanks to the leadership of Mary Birmingham (Annandale alum) and Tracy Sawyers from Falls Church—along with the collaboration of our Annandale team—it was a smooth, positive experience for all. We’re proud to be a school where partnership and student success go hand in hand.
Important Information
Cell Phone Policy Update for High Schools: Beginning in August, high school students can only use their cell phones and other personal devices (AirPods, smart watches, etc.) during lunch and before or after school. This is a change from FCPS’ current cell phone policy, which allows high schoolers to use devices during passing periods. Next school year, students must keep devices off and away during classroom time and during passing periods between classes. Read more about the Cell Phone Policy here.
PSAT and SAT School Day Testing Accommodations: FCPS high schools will give the PSAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (NMSQT) to 10th and 11th graders on Wednesday, October 8. That same day, 12th graders will participate in SAT School Day. Because the College Board operates these exams, students do not automatically receive testing accommodations or multilingual support. Families can view Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about College Board accommodations on the FCPS website.
If you have a rising 10th, 11th, or 12th grader with accommodation needs, please review the accommodations request process and return forms to their high school by Monday, August 4. If you have a multilingual learner (ML) in 10th, 11th, or 12th grade, please review the ML support request process and return forms by Thursday, August 28, to request ML support for the October 2025 PSAT/NMSQT or SAT School Day. Find out more about SAT and PSAT assessments offered at FCPS.
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Opportunities
Is Your Student Ready to Drive? If you have logged hours behind the wheel, have your Virginia Learner’s Permit, and have earned your pink card, then you may be ready to obtain your license! Consider enrolling in Behind the Wheel through ACE. Conveniently, you can meet instructor and the car at Annandale HS on various dates throughout the summer. Check out the many sessions offered and enroll here: Driver Education Behind the Wheel at Annandale HS. If you have any questions, email Lizzie McManus.
Student Bus Passes Offer Free Transportation All Year: Annandale High School students can get a Student Bus Pass SmarTrip card to ride the Fairfax Connector and Fairfax CUE buses for free! With the pass, fares are free from 5am to 10pm, seven days a week, all year. Learn more about the Student Pass. Complete the application and return it to our front office. Our students can ride Metrobus for free, in addition to the Fairfax Connector and City of Fairfax CUE. Visit the Fairfax County website for details and approved Metrobus routes. Complete the application and return it to Student Services.
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News from Student Services
Virtual Mental Wellness Consultations: This summer, the FCPS Office of Intervention and Prevention Services will offer virtual Mental Wellness Consultations through Friday, August 1. Any FCPS parent or secondary student can schedule a 45-minute consultation with a school psychologist or social worker by phone or videoconference. We encourage all families to take advantage of this service. Request a consultation or call and leave a message at 703-503-2520.
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Class of 2026 News
Check out the latest Class of 2026 Newsletter! Annandale High School is committed to partnering with students and families as they navigate the college application process. Check out our recent Class of 2026 Newsletter that includes valuable resources, events, and personalized assistance to help seniors and families plan for life after high school with confidence.
Class of 2026 Meningococcal Vaccine Reminder: The Code of Virginia requires all students to be immunized against certain communicable diseases prior to entrance into one of its schools. All students in grade 12 are required to have been immunized with one dose of the Meningococcal Vaccine given at the age of 16 or older. Please review the immunization requirements here. Proof of immunization must be submitted to the school. These documents need to be returned prior to the start of the 2025-26 school year. For more information on this requirement, visit this FCPS website.
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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. Check out their weekly newsletter to learn more about Annandale's activities, clubs and sports programs. You can also visit their website, AHS Athletics Twitter or Instagram page.
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.
Physicals Required for Fall Sports and Marching Band: To participate in marching band or any fall sport, students need to complete a VHSL physical form. Here is the link to the physical form that must be completed by a doctor. Once you have completed the physical form, turn in the form at the Activities Office. The office is open every day from 8:00am-2:00pm. See detailed tryout information below and if you have any questions, email Brandon Sutphin, Director of Student Activities.
For last minute physicals, visit local CVS minute clinics and urgent care facilities below.
CVS Minute Clinic Locations:
- 3921 Prosperity Ave, Fairfax, VA
- 7205 Little River Turnpike, Annandale, VA
Progressive Urgent and Primary Care:
- 7306 Maple Pl, Annandale, VA
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News from the PTSA
PTSA Membership for the 2025-26 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 2025-2026 school year by purchasing membership in our new store. Don't forget to sign your students up as well! For more information about the Annandale PTSA contact us at atoms.ahs.president@gmail.com.
Support the PTSA Welcome Back Breakfast! As we gear up for another exciting school year, we invite you to contribute to the PTSA Welcome Back Breakfast for our dedicated teachers and staff on Thursday, August 14. This special event is our way of showing appreciation for their hard work and commitment to our students. Whether you can volunteer your time or make a financial contribution, your support will make a huge difference. Together, we can create a warm and welcoming start to the new school year for our amazing educators. Sign Up here!
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Upcoming Summer Camp
Baseball Skills Camp- Aug 11-15, 5-7pm ($110, or $25 a session) This camp is designed for Grades 3-9 and will be held on the baseball field at Annandale High. Focus will be on preparation for fall season and overall skill development. Camp will be conducted by Annandale High School Coaches and current college baseball players. Camp will run from 5pm-7pm. Questions, reach out to head baseball coach and camp director Kevin Rudd.
Registration can be found here. More information can be found at AnnandaleAtoms.net. Cash or checks are accepted. Checks should be made out to “Annandale Athletic Boosters.” Payment is due on the first day of camp or can be made online.
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