 |
|
Upcoming Events
November 15 & 16: Holiday Craft Show
November 18: PTSA Meeting, 7pm; ANG Meeting, 8pm - both in the Library
November 20, 21 & 22: FX Players Presents: Matilda, the Musical
November 26, 27 & 28: Thanksgiving Break; FCPS buildings and offices closed.
December 8: Religious/Cultural Observance: Bodhi Day
December 22 - January 2: Winter Break, No School
January 5: School resumes, FHS Blue Day
|
English | Español | አማርኛ | 中文 | 한국어 | Tiếng Việt | العربية | فارسی | اردو
November 14, 2025
Greetings Fairfax Families,
We are excited to share the amazing energy of our students and staff as we head into Quarter 2. Students are enthusiastically diving into instructional activities that involve investigative science practices and labs, detailed independent research reviews, and collaborative language immersion tasks that practice dialogue, creativity, and vocabulary. Students have also been attending Quarter 1 feedback sessions to provide insights and reflections on the start of the school year. Our students are truly committed to embracing new academic challenges and also ensuring FHS is the best place to thrive.
This week, the halls of FHS were filled with thankfulness! Our students are actively expressing gratitude by spreading JOY with thank you cards and gratitude pumpkins for our staff members. We are grateful for over 200 thoughtful nominations of our staff excellence awards.
Is that the hallway or a pumpkin patch? Our AVID students each researched a college or university and then painted pumpkins that represent that school to promote a college going culture. These creative pumpkins now line our halls, offices, and class spaces, serving as constant reminders of future possibilities. We are so proud of the growth in our AVID program.
Our DECA students are leading the way with service, as we rally our community around the "FEED THE DEN" initiative. This impactful service project ensures we can help all families in need, as every can donated helps stock our on-site food pantry.
Tonight's Playoff Game: Don't forget, all of our students who bring four cans of food to the game can gain free entry into our playoff event as the FHS Lions host Alexandria City! Come support our team and our community!
Next week, we are excited to welcome all of our Lion Cubs (our younger pyramid friends) to the den for matinee showings of the musical Matilda. Sharing the arts with our future Lions is a truly special tradition. Our community can watch Matilda November 20-22.
In this season of thankfulness, we remember the powerful words of William Ward: "Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it."
Thank you for continuing to be an expressive and giving community.
Included in this issue:
Student Spotlight
Staff Spotlight
- W!SE Gold Star Teacher Award
Calendar Reminders
- American Education Week, Nov. 17-21
- Saturday School, November 15
- PTSA and ANG Meetings, November 18
Fairfax Lions Need to Know:
- Please Return Your Federal Impact Aid Survey
- Immunization Events for FCPS Students
- Brand New FCPS App
- Feed the Den Food Drive
Fairfax Lions Nice to Know:
- Matilda Tickets On Sale Now!
- Tutoring Resources for Families
- Apply Anytime for Free & Reduced-Price Meals
- PSAT/SAT School Day Scores
- Quick Links
DECA
Fairfax DECA chapter meetings were held recently, and were centered around the theme of gratitude and giving, as we approached Thanksgiving.
During these meetings, members had the opportunity to engage with three community service initiatives that are led by DECA students: 1. First for Youth, 2. Feed the Den food drive, and 3. MollyK.
Each project highlighted the true meaning of service and showcased the impact our chapter continues to make within the Fairfax community. Through networking stations, DECA members gained insight on important causes like The Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation, showcased their knowledge of STEAM, and learned more about the importance of food banks in the community. This DECA chapter meeting was a great success!
Pari Patel
President of Fairfax DECA.
WAT Students Deliver Happiness!
Earlier this school year, we asked our hard-working staff to let us know what their favorite treats are so we could surprise them when they least expect it! Our amazing Work Awareness and Transition students took on this project, and are having so much fun both preparing and delivering these treats to our staff! This supports their organization skills, communication skills, and job readiness. Thank you, Lions, and well done!!!
W!SE Gold Star Teacher Award
Fairfax High School is extremely happy to recognize History & Social Studies Teacher Jack Budd, who has earned the W!se 2024-25 Gold Star Teacher Award!
To earn the Gold Star Award, a teacher must achieve a 93% passing rate on the W!se Financial Literacy Certification Test in at least one of their classes during the school year. Thirteen teachers from FCPS were recognized with this outstanding achievement! We are very proud of our teacher and our students! Well done, Lions!!
🗓️Calendar Reminders
American Education Week, Nov. 17-21
For American Education Week we celebrate ALL who work in our Fairfax HS community: our bus drivers, cafeteria workers, counselors, support staff, teachers, leadership and more! Learn more from the National Education Association. Want to recognize someone from our school who goes above and beyond? Submit a nomination to FCPS Cares.
Saturday School, November 15th
 |
|
Saturday School will be open November 15, from 9am-12pm. Students should enter the building at Door 1 and report to the Library. No signup required! Snacks provided. Transportation is on your own.
A reminder that the CRAFT FAIR will be running, so please use the Kiss & Ride area to drop off and pick up your students. Staff will meet students at the door for entry.
|
PTSA and ANG Meetings, Nov. 18th
 |
|
The next PTSA meeting is Tuesday, November 18 at 7pm, followed immediately by the ANG (All Night Grad) meeting at 8pm. Both are in the LIBRARY - please join us! |
✅Please Return Your Federal Impact Aid Survey
FCPS is asking all families to complete a Federal Impact Aid Survey. The form is available in SIS ParentVUE under Online Packets, which is in the upper right corner of the screen after logging in. Please complete the survey as soon as possible.
Our school will provide paper forms to families who have not completed the survey in ParentVUE. For more information, please visit the Federal Impact Aid Survey page or watch this video about why Impact Aid matters.
Register for ParentVUELearn how to activate your SIS ParentVUE account, so you can easily submit your survey and have access to other helpful information about your child’s education at FCPS.
🩹 Immunization Events for FCPS Students
FCPS, in partnership with Inspire Health Alliance, will provide school-required immunizations and optional flu shots to all FCPS students at no cost. Additional dates will be made available throughout the school year.
Immunization clinics will take place on:
-
Saturday, November 15, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Frost Middle School.
-
Tuesday, November 18, from 3 to 6:30 p.m., at Willow Oaks Administrative Center.
Participation is voluntary. Additional Immunization Resources are available online. Parents or guardians may schedule an appointment for their student.️
📱Brand New FCPS App!
 The FCPS mobile app offers a customized platform to help keep families connected and informed, directly from their smartphones. You can download the Fairfax County Public Schools mobile app by going to the Apple App Store or Google Play Store and searching for “FCPS.”
With the app you can:
-
Stay up-to-date: Get the latest news from our school and FCPS.
-
View school calendars: See events, activities, holidays, and early dismissals.
-
Check school menus: See what’s for lunch and breakfast today, tomorrow, or next week.
-
Tap to contact: Quickly call attendance lines or email school staff.
-
Access key links: Jump to ParentVUE, Schoology, and the FCPS website in one tap.
Users can access updates and content without having to sign in, making it easy for everyone to stay informed.
Learn more about the new mobile app, including feedback from parents TeAndra Nelson and Roy Dykes.
Feed the Den Food Drive, Nov 5 - 26
FHS is holding a Feed the Den Food Drive from November 5 - 26.
All proceeds get donated to Fairfax Food Pantry. Families, check in with your students - it's a grade-level competition! Items should be dropped off in the front office, and labeled with your student's GRADE. Canned Products Only, please! Thank you for your support 🙏💙
Fairfax Lions Nice to Know:
FX Players Presents: Matilda the Musical
Fairfax High School's theatre department, The FX Players, presents: Matilda the Musical. Performances are November 20, 21, and 22 at 7:00 PM and November 22 at 2:00 PM. Tickets are $10 for students, and $15 for adults. They can be purchased at www.fxplayers.org starting November 1.
Inspired by the novel by writer Roald Dahl, the Tony Award-winning Matilda The Musical revels in the anarchy of childhood, the power of imagination, and the inspiring story of a girl who dreams of a better life. Matilda is a little girl from England with astonishing wit, intelligence, and psychokinetic powers. She's unloved by her cruel parents, but impresses her schoolteacher, Miss Honey. During her first term at school, the two forge a bond as Miss Honey begins to recognize and appreciate Matilda's extraordinary personality. Matilda's school life isn't completely smooth sailing. The school's mean headmistress, Miss Trunchbull, hates children and just loves to punish those who don't abide by her rules. But Matilda has courage and cleverness in equal amounts and could be the school heroine! Packed with high-energy dance numbers and catchy songs, children and adults alike will be touched by the heartfelt story of the special little girl with an extraordinary imagination.
Tutoring Resources for Families
Some families may be looking for additional resources to help support their child’s academic success. The FCPS Family Resource Center (FRC) maintains a list of FCPS employees who hold a valid Virginia teaching credential and who are available to hire as tutors. This list is a resource offered by the FRC, but families are responsible for contacting and working directly with the tutors. This list is not approved by FCPS and is only meant to be a resource to families.
FCPS also partners 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.
Apply Anytime for Free & Reduced-Price Meals
Families are encouraged to apply for free and reduced-price meals at any time during the school year.
If your income changes — for example, due to a furlough, layoff, or job loss — you may become newly eligible. Once approved, your benefits stay active for the rest of the school year and for the first 30 days of the next school year.
Students who qualify for free and reduced-price meals or attend a Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) school receive free breakfast and lunch every school day. It’s a great way to make your food budget go further and save time from packing meals. Learn more about FCPS Food and Nutrition.
Impact of Federal Shutdown on Local CommunityFairfax County is home to around 80,000 federal employees and thousands of federal contractors. Its Federal Workforce Resource Hub is intended to help navigate current and future issues for residents, government employees, active military/veterans, contractors, nonprofits, and businesses who may be affected by actions, changes, or disruptions to federal services or employment.
Find more community resources available to families.
PSAT/SAT School Day Scores
PSAT/SAT School Day Scores Available
Students who participated in the School Day SAT/PSAT on October 8 are now able to access scores via the College Board BigFuture School App or their College Board accounts. Students who participated in a make-up test will have access to scores on Thursday, November 6. Video tutorials for accessing and understanding PSAT and SAT scores are available on the College Board website.
National Merit Scholarship Information
Eleventh grade students who participated in the PSAT may qualify for the National Merit Scholarship Program. Find information on the National Merit Scholarship Corporation website. Families can reach out to their student’s school PSAT coordinator if they have questions regarding PSAT score reporting or the National Merit Scholarship Program.
Quick Links
 |
|
Do you want to celebrate a Fairfax employee who does ordinary things in an extraordinary way? Or goes beyond what is expected? If so, then click here to share with everyone. |
throughout the year:
|
