FCHS News & Announcements - 9/2/25


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Useful Links/Information

FCHS Bell Schedule

Schoology

SIS ParentVUE

FCPS School Year Calendar


Important Dates

  • 9/9 - Election Day (Schools Closed)
  • 9/18 - PTSA Meeting (7:00 pm)
  • 9/23 - Holiday

We Are a Phone-Free School!

Please remind your student that cell phones and personal devices (airpods, earbuds, headsets, other items connected to the internet) can no longer be used during passing periods. Phones and personal devices must be off and away for the entire school day (bell to bell) with the exception of lunch time in designated lunch spaces. Cell phones are also not permitted to be used as an instructional tool.

If you need to contact your student during the school day, please call our front office at 703-207-4000. Learn more about FCPS’ cell phone policy, which helps students stay focused, safe, and engaged at school.


FCHS Early Release and Late Arrival Procedures

Checking Out Early?

📝 Send note for student to take to the attendance office (room 1052)

📞Call: 703-207-4044 (attendance office) or 703-207-4000 (main office)

 No note? The student should go to the Main Office to check-out ⚠️ Unexpected early checkouts may take up to 30 minutes

🚫 No early check-outs after 2:30 pm. 

**Due to the time it takes to locate and retrieve students from class  (up to 30 minutes) and the arrival of buses for dismissal, students will no longer be permitted to checkout after 2:30 pm. This will begin after Labor Day, starting on 9/3/25.

🕒 Arriving Late?

📨 Call: 703-207-4044 (attendance) or 703-207-4000 (main office)

📍 Student must check in at the main office before going to class.


How to Support Our Food Insecure Students

FCHS and Luther Jackson MS are partnered with Food For Neighbors to stock our school's pantry with donations from the community five times each school year. You sign-up, receive reminders to set out a bag of food, shop for food items to include in your bag and leave it outside on the appointed Saturday morning. This food is available to our students who need to take food home overnight or for weekends. If you can, please sign-up to become a FFN Red Bag Donor.

The next FFN collection will be Saturday, September 13th. The deadline to become a new donor before the Sept. 13th collection is Wednesday, September 3rd, but please sign-up anytime to be included in future collections. And please tell your neighbors. Thanks!

Links:

https://foodforneighbors.org/

https://www.foodforneighbors.org/red-bag-program


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FCHS Spirit Wear Store

We are excited to launch our new FCHS Spirit Wear store for our community, staff, and students. Please see the flyer below and direct link here: https://tinyurl.com/SpiritWearFCHSJaguars 

Spirit Wear - FCHS Jaguars School Apparel

  • 20% Off Grand Opening Sale until September 25th. Code: SPIRIT20
  • Online Order - Direct Shipping to your Home
  • Every item is customizable, with hundreds of products and designs available
  • Shop By Design/Logos or Shop by Product Brands
  • Choose Any Product, Browse Product Color Offerings, &/or Change Designs by "Other Designs Available"
gear

No-Cost Meals Available for Students on September 9

As a reminder, all FCPS schools will be closed for students and school staff on September 9 due to a special election in Virginia’s 11th Congressional District. FCPS will provide student meals at a select number of schools at no cost. Please keep in mind that:

  • Lunch and a snack will be served together from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
  • Meals must be eaten on site at participating schools.
  • Enrichment activities will be available for children. Participation is encouraged but not required.
  • Only children 18 and under may receive meals.
  • Each child may receive one lunch and one snack.

View a list of school sites that will be providing meals for children on September 9. If you have questions, please contact the Office of Food and Nutrition Services at 703-813-4800.


Upcoming Changes to FCPS High School Transcripts

To provide a more comprehensive and accurate record of a student's educational journey, FCPS students’ transcripts will now specify the location where certain courses are taken. This change, which the School Board approved in December 2024, will affect courses taken at the following FCPS locations:

  • FCPS High School Academies
  • FCPS Interagency Alternative Schools
  • FCPS Online Campus
  • Classes taken concurrently at other FCPS schools

Starting Friday, September 26, students’ transcripts will list these courses under a separate heading for the corresponding program. Transcripts and report cards printed before this date will still show all courses listed under the student's base school. 

This update will provide a clearer picture of the diverse academic opportunities our students are pursuing across the district.  

If you have any questions, please reach out to our Student Services office.


Remember to Complete Permission Forms for School Resources

Families can easily grant permission for their children to access a variety of school resources through the Parent Digital Consent system. Opt your child in or out of a variety of online educational tools and choose how student information is managed. Parents/caregivers of elementary students should opt in/out of after-school care on early release Wednesdays. 

Please visit the Parent Digital Consent webpage today to access the system. Watch this video to see how to use the tool


SEL Screener Parent Notification and Updates

The Fall Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener will be administered to students in grades 3 through 12 in October. 

Students use the SEL Screener twice a year to share their perspectives on how well their school and community help them develop skills they need to succeed. The screener works by asking questions or presenting statements that students can think about and respond to. This gives students a way to share how well their school community makes them feel valued, included, and supported.

After each screening, results are available in the Documents tab of SIS ParentVUE and mailed to families without a ParentVUE account. For more information including SEL Screener questions and opt-out information, please visit FCPS’ Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener webpage.


Weather Happens, FCPS is Ready

Virginia is no stranger to inclement weather. From severe thunderstorms to high winds to flooding, there are many different types of weather events that can (and sometimes do) impact our schools. But FCPS has a plan for each of these scenarios that prioritizes the safety of all our students and staff. What does FCPS do during a flood? What about a severe thunderstorm?

Answers to those questions along with resources you can use to prepare for different weather events are now available on the new FCPS weather safety webpage.


Make Sure Your Children Are Up-to-Date on Immunizations

Please make sure your child has all of their necessary immunizations. Remember, all students are required to be immunized against certain diseases to attend school in Virginia. This is an important part of keeping children healthy!

Starting Tuesday, November 18, students who have not provided proof of immunization may not be allowed to attend school. Visit the How To Submit Immunization Documents webpage for step-by-step guidance on how to check your child’s immunization status and submit updated immunization information 

Please check with your health care provider to make sure your child is up to date on required immunizations for the 2025-26 school year. If your child needs an immunization, make an appointment with your healthcare provider, visit the Fairfax County Health Department website for a list of child immunization clinics, or view other Immunization Resources. Be wise and immunize!


Ensuring Student Safety: Register for Volunteer FCPS

At Falls Church HS, our volunteers are a vital part of our school community. We deeply value the time and care they give to our students. 

Recent updates to our volunteer process focus on one primary goal: keeping students safe.

These updates — such as checks against the sex offender registry and, in some cases, criminal background checks — are safety measures that will help us maintain a secure and supportive learning environment for every student in our care. 

We encourage all our parents and community members interested in supporting our students by volunteering at school to visit Volunteer FCPS, click “Learn More,” and then “Sign Up.” After you create a profile, you will view an orientation video and complete a volunteer application. 

Volunteer FCPS ensures a safe, consistent, and welcoming environment at all of our schools. All volunteers must be registered in Volunteer FCPS. This includes individuals who volunteer to chaperone on field trips, work at book fairs, and help out regularly in classrooms, libraries, or cafeterias. Volunteers who work unsupervised with students will also be required to undergo a background check.

We understand these changes may seem disruptive, especially for long-time volunteers. Our intent is to ensure that our students feel safe and supported with each and every person they encounter at school.

As a reminder, all volunteers — and visitors to a school — are required to sign in by scanning their ID at our visitor kiosk. Visit the Volunteer FCPS Frequently Asked Questions page to learn more.


See Where Your Child Goes Online With Lightspeed

Parents can access their child’s activity on FCPS devices through Lightspeed, the school division’s internet content filtering service. Parents may sign up for a weekly Parent Report, which will provide a list of the top sites their child visited. 

The report also offers parents the ability to sign up for the Internet Use Parent Portal. Through the portal, parents may pause their child’s access to the internet on their FCPS device during non-school hours.

Learn more about Lightspeed Parent Reports.


Varsity Tutors Provides On-Demand Support at No Cost

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 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

You may refer your child by calling 571-749-2940 or by contacting our school counselor, social worker, psychologist, or director of Student Services. Visit the FCPS Teletherapy webpage for more information.


Apply Today for Free and Reduced Price Meals!

According to the Centers for Disease Control, eating breakfast at school is associated with better attendance rates, fewer missed school days, and better test scores. Students who qualify for free and reduced-price meals receive breakfast and lunch at school at no cost. 

Families must complete the Free and Reduced-Price Meal application before the start of each school year. Approved applications may also qualify students for additional benefits. Access the application and view criteria on the Free and Reduced-Price Meals webpage

Students who were approved for free and reduced-price meals last year are eligible for the first 30 days of school this year (or until a new application is processed). Families should re-apply as soon as possible so eligible students continue to receive meals at no cost.


Student Bus Passes Offer Free Transportation

All Fairfax County middle and 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 5 a.m. to 10 p.m., 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 our front office. 

Children 12 and younger ride for free on Fairfax Connector with a paying adult. 


PTSA Particulars

The Falls Church HS PTSA supports the entire FCHS community and encourages everyone to be involved. Visit our website to learn more.

  1. Become a member today
  2. Join our active private Facebook group
  3. Read the weekly JagMail emails we send using FCPS News You Choose
  4. Become a Red Bag Donor to support our food pantry work

Questions or ideas? Please reach out.


FCPS Cares

FCPS Cares

Do you know a Falls Church HS 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.


Falls Church Pyramid