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Upcoming Events
Sep. 16-19: Underclass Yearbook Pictures
September 22: Cultural Observance Day: Rosh Hashanah (begins at sundown)
September 23: No School - Rosh Hashanah
Sept. 27 - Oct. 5: Blue Star Welcome Week
October 8: SAT School Day and PSAT/NMSQT
October 17: Homecoming Game
October 18: Homecoming Dance
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September 12, 2025
Happy Friday Fairfax Families,
What a joy it is to see our school community thriving. We are so excited to celebrate the "Future of Fairfax" as we invite all of our elementary and middle school friends to FHS tonight for fun, games, animals, clubs, and of course, our Friday night football game!
This week, I had the pleasure of meeting with various student groups to reflect on our first few weeks of school. Their feedback was incredibly positive and insightful! Many students shared how much they're enjoying their classes, with a number of them highlighting their first-time experiences in AP or DE courses. They also love the club tailgates, the new three-lunch schedule that allows more time with friends, and how their teachers are getting to know them personally and asking the right questions about their learning styles. They also appreciate the minimal wait times at the morning Open Gate and the earlier start to Lion Time sessions, which gives them more opportunities for extra help.
We want to remind all our families that we have several supports available to ensure student success. Please take advantage of Lion Time, our Learning Lounge (after school on Wednesdays), Varsity Tutors, SAT Prep Classes, and Saturday School. Our teachers are also always available to support students; simply connect with them to make a plan.
Thank you for a wonderful start to the year. Go Lions! 🦁
Boys Volleyball
 Boys Volleyball beats Robinson 3-0!
Musical Theatre & Actor's Studio Kickoff
 MTAS - vertical articulation at its BEST!!
Girls Field Hockey
 Field Hockey clinches the win in overtime!! WTG, LIONS!
Included in this issue:
Student Spotlight
- National Merit Semifinalists
- Golf Senior Night
Calendar Reminders
- September is National Hispanic Heritage Month
- Constitution Day, Citizenship Day, National Voter Registration Day, Sep. 17
- Sun Day, September 21
- Rosh Hashanah, September 22-23
Fairfax Lions Need to Know:
- FHS Sub School Info
- Cell Phones Off, Learning On
- Safety Drills during the School Year
- Checklist of Important Back to School Forms
Fairfax Lions Nice to Know:
- Student Services Updates
- Underclass Picture Dates
- Crew, PTSA, and ANG Meetings
- Mock SAT or Mock ACT
- SAT School Day
- FCPS Resources
- Quick Links
🏌️Golf Senior Night
Congrats to our Golf Seniors who celebrated Senior Night this week!
Left to Right: Sean Nguyen, Andrew Gibbs, Sam Verwys, Ellen Kim, Jimmy Stombres, Syd Pant, Grayson White, Anton Recio. Well done, Lions!! 🦁
National Merit Semifinalists
 Congratulations, Elias Falke!
 Congratulations, Henry Mann!
 Congratulations, Michael Stechl and Nathan Yoon!
 Congratulations, Rohan Desai!
🗓️Calendar Reminders
National Hispanic Heritage Month
From September 15 to October 15, FCPS recognizes and celebrates the histories and cultures of the members of our community who trace their heritage to Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. Learn more about the heritage months, celebrations, and traditions celebrated in FCPS. Learn more about National Hispanic Heritage Month.
Mes Nacional de la Herencia HispanaDel 15 de Septiembre al 15 de Octubre, FCPS reconoce y celebra las historias y culturas de los miembros de nuestra comunidad que tienen herencia de México, el Caribe, Centro y Sur América. Aprenda más sobre los meses de herencia, celebraciones y tradiciones que se celebran en FCPS. Aprenda más sobre el Mes Nacional de la Herencia Hispana.
Constitution Day, Citizenship Day, and National Voter Registration Day, September 17
On September 17 each year, schools honor Constitution Day and Citizenship Day. Constitution Day commemorates the signing of the Constitution on September 17, 1787, and recognizes “all who, by coming of age or by naturalization, have become citizens.”
🗳️ National Voter Registration Day
Wednesday, September 17, is National Voter Registration Day. Learn more about registering to vote. In-person early voting is available in Fairfax County from Friday, September 19, through Saturday, November 1.
🌞 Celebrate Sun Day on September 21
Celebrate the launch of FCPS’ solar initiative and the arrival of 17 new electric school buses at Louise Archer Elementary School on Sunday, September 21, from 10 a.m. to noon. Come learn more about the great work FCPS is doing to reduce its carbon footprint and meet sustainability goals.
Bring the family for live music, solar story time, student-led sustainability demos, and other activities. Register for Sun Day today.
Rosh Hashanah begins Sundown, Sep. 22; Schools and Offices closed Sep. 23
Rosh Hashanah begins at sundown on Monday, September 22. That day is an evening-only observance day. Important events will not be held after school.
Tuesday, September 23, is a holiday for all FCPS students and staff. Schools and offices will be closed.
See the complete school year calendar.
FHS Sub School Info
What is a Subschool? A subschool is an office within our school building that works with students and staff from a specific grade or department. These offices help students with check-in and check-out notes, field trip forms, CUE bus passes and the like.
NEW this year, our subschools are by GRADE, not alpha.
Subschool 1 & 2 - Grades 10 and 12 - Room A114
Grade 10 (class of 2028): Asst. Principal Berneatta Barnes
Grade 12 (class of 2026:) Asst. Brian Plancich
Office Assistant: Teri Waters, twaters@fcps.edu; 703-219-2395
Subschool 3 & 4 - Grades 9 and 11 - Room D127
Grade 9 (class of 2029): Asst. Principal Dana Walker
Grade 11 (class of 2027): Asst. Principal Troy Ketch
Admin. Assistant: Blanca Sanchez, bhsanchez@fcps.edu; 703-219-4988
📝 Need to pick up your student early? Please follow our Check-Out Procedures
If you need to pick up your child early from school, please have them drop off a check-out note to their subschool. They will be issued a pink pass allowing them to leave school early. Forms can be found on the school website, or students can pick them up in the subschools.
Please see the attendance info on our school website for all the details.
Please note that we cannot accommodate last-minute check-outs after 2:30pm. Questions, please call the subschools listed above. Thank you for your cooperation!
📵 Cell Phones Off, Learning On
Thank you for helping to support the FCPS cell phone policy by waiting until the school day is over to call or text your child about non-urgent matters. In case of an emergency, it is always best to contact the school’s front office to reach your child during class time.
Visit the FCPS Cell Phone Policy webpage to read more about usage policies by grade level.
Safety Drills during the School Year
Keeping students and staff safe is a priority for FCPS. Each school has an emergency preparedness plan to respond to incidents such as fires and tornadoes. Schools are required by state law to practice emergency drills, including lockdown drills, each year. Schools are also required to notify parents and guardians at least 24 hours before a school conducts a lockdown drill. However, schools are not required to give the specific date and time of the drill in advance.
The first lockdown drill of the school year must take place within the first 20 days of school. Preschool and kindergarten students are exempt from practicing the first lockdown drill.
Your child may come home and talk about their experience during the drill. We encourage you to talk with your child about the importance of being prepared for emergencies. Please review these frequently asked questions to support your students before and after school lockdown drills.
⚠️ Know Our Security Terms
FCPS uses specific terminology to describe the actions school staff and students should take to ensure safety in a variety of situations. It is important for staff, families, and students to understand what the different terms mean and how they impact school operations.
Watch this video to learn about safety terms including lockdown; secure the building; and stay put, stay tuned.
If students, staff, or families have a safety concern at school (that is not an immediate emergency), they should submit a tip to the FCPS Safety Tipline. In an emergency, please call 9-1-1.
✔️Checklist of Important BTS Forms
📝The multiple school forms parents and caregivers receive during the first weeks of school can feel overwhelming, but each one helps set your child up for a successful school year.
If you do not have a SIS ParentVUE account, please contact our front office for an activation code and follow the directions on the SIS ParentVUE Account webpage.
🩹 Immunization Requirements
Please check with your health care provider as soon as possible to make sure that your child is up to date on the immunizations required by the state of Virginia. Starting Tuesday, November 18, students who have not provided proof of immunization will not be allowed to attend school.
You may check your child’s immunization compliance and submit their immunization record in SIS ParentVUE. Records may also be delivered to our front office. Find more information on immunizations.
📋 Permission Forms
Families can easily grant permission for their children to access a variety of school resources through the Parent Digital Consent system. Parents can opt their child in or out of resources, including online educational tools, school counseling services, and tutoring services. They can also change how student information is managed.Visit the Parent Digital Consent webpage to access the system. Watch a video to see how to use the tool.
Student Rights and Responsibilities (SR&R)
The SR&R document explains expectations for student behavior and adult responses. Parents using SIS ParentVUE will be prompted to sign the document when logging in to that platform. A printable version of the document with a signature sheet is available on the SR&R webpage. This form should be signed and returned to our front office by Tuesday, September 30.
✅ 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.
Please visit the Parent Digital Consent webpage today to access the system. Watch this video to see how to use the tool
Fairfax Lions Nice to Know:
Student Services Updates
Pass/Fail Deadline
With parent/guardian approval, middle and high school students are given the option of taking one high school elective credit per school year on a pass-fail basis. For high school students, this may be applied to required health and physical education credits, world language credits, economics and personal finance requirements, and credits other than those required for English, social studies, mathematics, and laboratory science. Students should discuss this option with their teacher and school counselor.
Please submit a Request for Pass-Fail Status form to the school counselor by Friday, September 19.
Expunge Deadline
In accordance with the Virginia Board of Education regulations, FCPS Regulation 2408 permits parents of students who take a high school credit-bearing course in middle school to request that the grade be omitted from the student's high school transcript and the student not earn high school credit for the course. Parents must make this request in writing no later than the end of the first nine weeks of the school year following completion of the course. The form to make this request, along with the process for making the request, is available at: Request to Expunge High School Courses Taken in Middle School or through your student’s school counselor. Parents are strongly advised to discuss this decision with their student’s school counselor and the impact of expunging a course on desired high school diploma type and standard and verified credit requirements.
ALL Grade Levels
The Early College Scholars program allows eligible public high school students to earn a minimum of 15 transferable college credits while fulfilling the requirements for an Advanced Studies Diploma. For the first time this form is now available in the Parent Digital Consent portal which you can access with the same username and password as ParentVue. Please take a moment to login and opt in for this program.
To qualify for this program, you'll need to meet these criteria:
- Maintain a "B" average or better in your high school courses; and
- Be pursuing an Advanced Studies Diploma; and
- Successfully complete college-level coursework, such as AP, International Baccalaureate, Cambridge, or dual enrollment, to earn at least 15 transferable* college credits. * the actual number of transferable college credits awarded depends on the criteria of the admitting college or university.
To formalize your participation, you'll sign an Governor's Early College Scholars Agreement, which will also be signed by your parents or guardians, principal, and school counselor. Parents can complete the form in the Parent Digital Consent portal or a hard copy of the form can be returned to your student's school counselor in Student Services.
Senior Parents
FCPS Consent for Release of Student Records
For all records requests that require a counselor or staff member to send the document on behalf of the student as an official record, the following request forms and consent are needed: FCPS CONSENT REQUIRED
The student and their parent/guardian must sign and complete the FCPS Consent for Release of Student Records and deliver this form to Student Services before any records request can be fulfilled. The form needs to be signed in ink and be legible. This form can now be collected for all grades and is in effect until your student turns 18. The Consent form can be accessed in multiple translations here: IS-111 Consent Form
Underclass Pictures, Sep. 16-19
Fairfax Parents and Students!
Next week is picture day for all students in grades 9-11. Each student will be escorted to the auditorium during one of their English classes next week to have their portrait taken between Tuesday and Friday. Students can confirm which day their English class is scheduled by speaking to their teacher.
Students will receive their Student ID after their portrait is taken. These cards will be distributed at the end of class by their English teacher.
Join us for these Upcoming Meetings!
CREW BOOSTERS
Fairfax Crew has a Parent Interest Meeting on Tuesday, 9/16 at 7:30pm, in the FHS Library. Questions? president@fairfaxcrew.org
PTSA
The PTSA has their first meeting of the year on Tuesday, 9/16 at 7:00pm, in the Career Center, L106. We will be voting on the budget, voting in our new treasurer, and discussing the year ahead.
ALL NIGHT GRAD
The All Night Grad (ANG) committee will be meeting right after PTSA, at 8pm. Please join us as we plan for a great event for this year's graduating class!
Join the PTSA and Donate today!
Mock SAT (digital) or Mock ACT (paper)
FHS Academic Boosters is partnering with Applerouth Tutoring to offer the Mock SAT (digital format) and the Mock ACT (paper format) exams twice this school year: Saturday, November 1st and Saturday, March 7th.
This is a perfect opportunity for students who haven’t started their testing to become familiar with the format in a stress-free environment at FHS for only $25. Students will receive detailed score reports to help them determine which areas they need to study.
Students taking the Mock SAT must bring a fully charged computer.
November 1 tests:
Mock (digital) SAT registration (limited to 75): Cost $25
Test Time: Saturday, November 1st, 8:15am – 10:50am
www.applerouth.com/events/group-classes Event Code: PSS4555FE
Mock (paper) ACT registration (limited to 50): Cost $25
Test Time: Saturday, November 1st, 8:00am – 11:15am
www.applerouth.com/events/group-classes Event Code: PAS4555600
March 7 tests:
Mock (digital) SAT registration (limited to 75): Cost $25
Test Time: Saturday, November 1st, 8:15am – 10:50am
www.applerouth.com/events/group-classes Event Code: PSS4555FF
Mock (paper) ACT registration (limited to 50): Cost $25
Test Time: Saturday, November 1st, 8:00am – 11:15am
www.applerouth.com/events/group-classes Event Code: PAS455601
Questions: Academicboosters@fairfaxptsa.org.
SAT School Day, October 8
SAT School Day and PSAT/NMSQT Testing Day
SAT School Day and PSAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (NMSQT) exams will be held at each high school on Wednesday, October 8, at no cost to families. The digital SAT School Day exam is offered to 12th grade students, and the digital PSAT/NMSQT exam is provided to 10th and 11th grade students.
Unscheduled Day for Ninth Grade Students Because of the testing, most ninth grade students will not have school on October 8. Students are encouraged to complete any missing work or assignments that need to be completed prior to the end of the first quarter.
Ninth grade students with disabilities who receive low incidence special education services will still receive in-person instruction with a two-hour early release on October 8.
Contact the Student Services team at your child’s school with any questions. Learn more about SAT and PSAT assessments in FCPS.
Get to Know FCPS and the Resources Available to Families
We know that as a parent or caregiver, you play a critical role in your child’s education. The FCPS Family Academy compiles classes, webinars, workshops, and programs offered by the school division to help you support your child’s needs and learning at home.
The Family Academy also includes information about resources to help ensure your child has what they need to succeed. Check out some of the upcoming Family Academy sessions:
- Co-Parenting: Two Parents, Two Homes (available in English and Spanish)
- Loving Solutions
- Military-Connected Youth Family Advisory Council
- Parent Project
- Family Resource Center Webinars on topics including: How to Prepare for School; Building Collaborative Relationships Between Caregivers and Educators; Worried Parents, Anxious Kids; and What Families Need to Know About Drugs for Their Students with Disabilities.
Visit the Family Academy catalog for more information on these sessions and to register to attend.
Quick Links
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