Annandale Community Insider - January 4

Annandale Students, Families, and Community:

Happy New Year, Atom Nation! The start of a new year offers a fresh opportunity to reset and focus on achieving our goals. As we step into 2026, I encourage all students to make the most of this moment to grow, improve, and achieve their goals.

At Annandale, PRIDE Time is a great resource for students to catch up on assignments, prepare for assessments, or get extra support from teachers. For additional help, teachers are also available after school on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays - check this schedule to see when your teachers are available. In addition, we offer Academic Coaching on select Saturdays in the Library from 8:30am-11:30am. Annandale teachers will be available to support students in prioritizing their work, completing outstanding assignments, and facilitating assessment retakes. See below for more information and opportunities.

Students, whether it’s improving academically, building better attendance habits, or getting more involved in school activities, every step forward brings you closer to reaching your goal. These efforts not only benefit you but also strengthen the sense of community and achievement that defines Annandale High School.

Parents, your involvement is vital to your student’s success. Talk with your student about their progress, and use SIS ParentVue and Schoology to monitor assignments and grades. If you have any questions, reach out to your student’s teachers or counselor to ensure they are staying on track and receiving the support they need.

Know that the staff at Annandale is here to support you every step of the way. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if we can assist you. Thank you for your continued partnership as we work together toward success in the year ahead.

Shawn DeRose, Principal

Year In Review: Celebrating a Year of Awesome Atoms

Check out the special edition of the Annandale Insider sent out last week that celebrates the incredible 2025 "Awesome Atoms" moments that have defined the year. We are incredibly proud of the accomplishments of our staff, students, and community this year. From academic and athletic achievements to remarkable acts of school spirit and community engagement, Atom Nation has consistently showcased its talent, teamwork, and dedication.

Of course, none of this would be possible without each and every one of you. On behalf of the entire Annandale High School staff, thank you for your support throughout the year. Whether volunteering your time, cheering on our teams, or simply believing in our students, your contributions make all the difference.

To revisit more “Awesome Atoms” moments, check out our past year-end editions: 2024, 2023, and 2022. Here is to an exciting and successful 2026!

Important Dates

January 7 - PTSA Pantry Distribution, 3:30pm
January 8 - IB Diploma Recognition Ceremony
January 10 - Saturday Academic Coaching
January 12 - W4 Activities Day
January 12 - Love Like Adam Assembly
January 13 - PTSA Meeting, 7pm
January 14 - Course & Electives Fair
January 14 - Rising 9th Grade Open House, 6pm
January 15 - Financial Aid Completion Workshop, 5:30pm
January 16 - Course Selection Day
January 19 - Martin Luther King, Jr Holiday (No School)
January 20-23 - Winter Spirit Week
January 20 - February 28 - Individual Academic Advising Meetings
January 21 - Winter Guitar Concert, 7pm
January 21 - Virginia Climate and Working Conditions Survey
January 23 - Winter Pep Rally
January 24 - Saturday Academic Coaching
January 28 - End of Second Quarter
January 28 - FCPS Gap Year Fair
January 29 - Staff Development Day (No School)
January 30 - Teacher Workday (No School)

January 8 - IB Diploma Recognition Ceremony, W4/Pride Time: Our 73 IB Graduates of 2025 will be returning on Thursday, January 8 during W4/Pride Time to share their post high school/college experiences as well as receive their IB certificates in the auditorium. Current IB diploma juniors and seniors as well as selected sophomores will be invited to attend. Light refreshments will be served following the ceremony in the IB office. Please be welcoming as graduates may visit teachers in the afternoon.

January 12 - W4 Activities Day: January 12 is our next W4 Activities Day, a time set aside for students to explore clubs and activities and connect with classmates and staff over shared interests. The schedule for the period will remain unchanged. Students were given access to the preview slideshow and registration form through their W4 and Schoology prior to winter break and a reminder email will be sent to each student’s FCPS account today. The final date for registration will be this Monday. If you have any questions, please contact Jared Sronce.

January 12 - Love Like Adam Assembly during W4 Activities Day: We are excited to announce that on Monday, January 12 during W4 Activities Day, Annandale High School will be hosting the Love Like Adam program for the Class of 2026. Love Like Adam is a non-profit foundation established with the goal to “support, educate, and equip graduating seniors and their families with the transition from high school to higher education,” particularly around the dangers of hazing and alcohol intoxication. It was established in honor of Adam Oakes, a recent hazing victim, who died in a hazing incident while attending VCU during his freshman year of college.

The program will consist of a presentation on hazing prevention, a video about Adam Oakes’ story and a panel question and answer session with Adam’s family and two of the boys involved in the hazing. You can read more about Adam’s story in an article on the LoudounNow and the VCU website. If you have any questions about this special event, please contact Jared Sronce.

January 14 - Course & Electives Fair: Students will visit information sessions on three courses of their choosing during our Course & Elective Fair. Our electives and IB teachers will provide a 15 minute overview of the course to help students make informed decisions about their course selections for next year. 

January 14 - Rising 9th Grade Open House, 6pm: On January 14 from 6:00–8:00pm, Annandale High School will welcome rising 9th grade students and their families for an Open House designed to showcase what high school at Annandale is all about. Throughout the evening, teachers will be in their classrooms to share information about our core and elective courses, and we will offer several short, optional sessions highlighting key programs and opportunities available to our students.

The goal is for students and parents to leave feeling excited about becoming Annandale Atoms and ready to complete the course request form when they meet with their middle school counselors. Breakout sessions will be offered on the following topics: Welcome to Annandale; Course Request 101; IB/MYP Program; Activities and Athletics; English for Speakers of Other Languages Program; Special Education Office; and Student Life.

January 16 - Course Selection Day: Students in grades 9-11 will select their courses for the 2025-2026 school year during W4 using a Google Form. This will help prepare students for their individual academic advising conversations with their counselors. Students will only be able to submit the form once and a copy will be emailed to their student email account. All students must have selected courses by February 28. 

January 21 - Virginia Climate and Working Conditions Survey: On Wednesday January 21, during W4, students will participate in the Virginia School Climate Survey. The purpose of the survey is to provide schools with information on school climate, safety, and working conditions in order to maintain a safe and orderly school environment conducive to learning. The survey measures student perceptions of school rules and discipline, teacher-student relationships, student engagement in school, and the extent of bullying and teasing at school. The survey is a component of the annual school safety audit which school divisions are required to submit to the Virginia Center for School and Campus Safety (VCSCS). You may preview the questions asked in the student survey at this website. If you do not wish for your child to participate, please complete and return the opt out form to the main office by January 12.

Important Information

2025-26 School Improvement Plan Now Available: The 2025-2026 School Improvement and Innovation Plan (SIIP) for Annandale is now available on our website. The plan was developed in alignment with the FCPS Strategic Plan goals, and remains focused on supporting our students’ academic and social achievement. Measurable outcomes are focused on the following: Growth and Performance in Coursework, Successful Completion of Advanced Coursework, and Safe, Supported, Included, and Empowered Students.

Prepare for Winter Weather: Winter weather is here! Watch this video to see how weather closing decisions are made at FCPS. FCPS’ website is generally the first place to find out about emergency weather closings. Other communication channels will be used as quickly as possible, including email, text, social media, the new FCPS mobile app, and news stations. Learn more about how schedule changes are communicated. Be sure to plan for the winter season. Update your contact information in SIS ParentVUE, bookmark the FCPS website, and arrange emergency child care if needed.

Lightspeed Parent Portal Allows Parents to Manage Student Screen Time: FCPS has introduced new parent controls in the Lightspeed Parent Portal to help families manage screen time on FCPS-issued devices. Through the portal, parents can control their child's access to YouTube and pause web browsing during designated After-School Hours while students are off the FCPS network. These controls are active Monday - Friday from 3:30pm to 6:00am (even on student holidays) and all day Saturday and Sunday. They do not affect district filtering policies during the instructional day. Parents can register for the Lightspeed Parent Portal using the link provided in their weekly Lightspeed Online Student Activity Report email. For more information about the Parent Portal, please visit the Lightspeed Parent Portal page on the FCPS website.

Awesome Atoms

Congrats Winning4Giving Winners! Congratulations to our top W4 classes in this year’s Winning4Giving competition! Leading the way was Ms. Lauderdale’s class with an impressive 345 items, followed by Mr. Girma’s class with 123 items, Ms. Kyle’s class with 83 items, Ms. Mullins’ class with 44 items, and Ms. Neild’s class with 42 items. These classes also earned points for their Nation as part of the Atoms Games. A huge thank you to Mr. Henceroth’s marketing students for organizing this annual school-wide food drive to benefit the AHS PTSA Pantry. Shoutout to all the students who brought in donations and the W4 teachers who tracked contributions. This year, we set a new record, collecting more than 750 items to support families in need. What an amazing achievement!

Congrats to our Deck the Doors Winners! Congratulations to our top W4 classes in this year’s Deck the Doors competition! First place goes to Duran-Russell's class with the narwhal scene from Elf. In second place is Lucas's class for their Christmas Vacation door featuring Principal DeRose. In 3rd place is Ms. Souther’s Festive Holiday Scene. The Overall Nation Winner is Nation 9, with the Holiday Music Theme, featuring each class door decorated as a different holiday song. Congratulations to all the winners, and thank you to everyone who contributed their time and talent to make this competition a success!

Nation 9 emerged as the overall Atoms Games champion! Congratulations to the W4 classes of Benitez Diaz, Caldere Mejias, Converse, Hardy, Ionita, Kelly, Layaly, Lisle, Meijer, Morris, Mullins, Paz Soldan, Rivadeneira, Romasco, Shumaker, Smith, and Zuniga. Thank you to everyone who participated and made this year's Atoms Games a success!

Annandale Hosts Winter Olympics Camp for Elementary and Middle School Students: Over winter break, elementary and middle school students from around the community brought their energy and enthusiasm to the Winter Break Olympics Camp! Held at Poe Middle School (Dec 22–23) and Annandale High School (Dec 29–30), campers enjoyed fun-filled days of games, teamwork, and Olympic-themed challenges. It was the perfect way to stay active and engaged during the break. Special thanks to Chris Bagot for leading this fun camp. Check out the fun photos below.

Opportunities

Learner's Permit Testing at Annandale: Are you 15 and a half years old (or older) and ready to start your driving journey? Annandale High School is offering the Virginia Learner’s Permit Test after school in Room 43 throughout the school year. Find out more here or reach out to Driver’s Ed Teachers, Lizzie McManus or Morgan Neild with questions.

Academic Support & Tutoring Opportunities

Need Help in Your Class? Stay After School With Your Teacher: Stay With Your Teacher After School! Annandale High School offers late bus transportation three (3) days per week: Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday. All teachers stay after school at least one day a week to provide academic support for students. Please refer to this list to see which day your student’s teacher is available after school.

Retake Room is Up and Running! To support students in retaking assessments or making up missed assignments, the retake room is located in room 299 at the end of the Social Studies hall. Retakes are available on Late Bus Days after school, and every White Day during PRIDE Time. Students who would like to take advantage of the retake room must work with their teacher to sign up.

Varsity Tutors Provides On-Demand Support at No Cost: 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.

Saturday Academic Coaching: Annandale teachers will be available on select Saturdays from 8:30am to 11:00am to support students in prioritizing their work, completing outstanding assignments, and facilitating assessment retakes. This is a focused, distraction-free window to get individualized help, improve grades, and stay on track. Academic Coaching sessions will be offered on January 10, January 24, February 28, March 14, April 18, May 2, 16, & 30, June 6, & 13. Reach out to Cass Hersh with questions.

Academic Advising for the 2026-2027 School Year

At Annandale, we want to ensure students and families know where to access all the information needed for course selection. Our Academic Advising page has the grade level information presented by counselors and the course selection Google forms that students must complete. We encourage you to visit this site with your student to discuss courses for next year. Here are some questions you can use to engage with your student about course selection:

• Which classes most excite you about next year?
• When looking at your classes, what are your electives and why did you select those?
• What type of diploma are you going for?
• Where would you like to be challenged?
• Where do you think you might need support?

Please reach out to our counselors if any questions or concerns arise. Their emails and phone numbers can be found on our Student Services page. We are here to help and look forward to supporting our students through this process! In addition, below is an overview of how we are supporting students with the course selection process.

January 14 - Course & Electives Fair: Students will visit information sessions on three courses of their choosing during our Course & Elective Fair. Our electives and IB teachers will provide a 15 minute overview of the course to help students make informed decisions about their course selections for next year. 

January 16 - Course Selection Day: Students in grades 9-11 will select their courses for the 2025-2026 school year during W4 using a Google Form. This will help prepare students for their individual academic advising conversations with their counselors. Students will only be able to submit the form once and a copy will be emailed to their student email account. All students must have selected courses by February 28. 

January 20 - February 28 - Individual Academic Advising Meetings: Students will meet one-on-one with their counselors to finalize their course selections for next year. Students will be given specific appointment times through their English classes. Students will receive their appointment times via email. We will begin with current juniors on January 20 and will conclude with current freshmen in February. 

High School Academy Open Houses: FCPS high school academies will hold open houses for interested students beginning in mid-January. A high school academy is a center within a high school that offers advanced technical and specialized courses that can prepare students for postsecondary education and/or career fields. Students enrolling in Academy elective courses will be provided with opportunities to participate in a variety of career experiences including shadowing, mentoring, and/or internships with local businesses. Click here to learn more and find the calendar of Academy Open Houses.

News from Students Services

January 28 - FCPS Gap Year Fair: FCPS’ School Counseling Services and Go Overseas are co-hosting the annual FCPS Gap Year Fair on Wednesday, January 28 at George C. Marshall High School from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m. This event is for high school students and parents who are interested in learning more about the growing array of gap year opportunities. The evening will begin with a presentation in the auditorium from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. Immediately following, the program fair will be held in the cafeteria from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m., with representatives from over 30 programs offering gap year opportunities. Students and their families are encouraged to meet the representatives and learn about the variety of experiences available. Students are encouraged to pre-register for this event. Registration is open to students and families up to and including the day of the fair. For more information, visit: USA Gap Year Fairs.

2026-27 FAFSA Form Now Open! Federal Student Aid has released the 2026-27 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Any college-bound high school senior — regardless of income — who wants to be considered for federal, state, and school financial aid programs should complete a FAFSA form. Parents and caregivers are encouraged to work with their students to complete the FAFSA as early as possible. Check each college’s financial aid office website for deadlines and financial aid forms. Then, create an account if you have not already done so, and fill out the FAFSA.

The Virginia Alternative State Aid (VASA) application has not yet opened, but should be available in late January for students who are unable to complete the FAFSA. To help determine which aid option is right for you, visit the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia website. 

Get Help Filling Out the FAFSA: Over the next few months, College Access Fairfax will offer several programs on completing the FAFSA/VASA and finding and applying for scholarships. Get information on these programs and how to access them on the College Access Fairfax website. College Access Fairfax staff are available for virtual one-on-one help sessions to help complete the FAFSA/VASA. To request an appointment, families should email appointments@CollegeAccessFairfax.org.

Transcript Requests for College Applications & Scholarships: Seniors need to request official high school transcripts one month prior to application deadlines. For example, if a college application is due on January 15, the Transcript Request Form is due on December 15. We will be receiving a very high volume of requests in the coming months, and our Student Services staff needs adequate time to process them. Early Action and Early Decision application deadlines are quickly approaching. For step-by-step instructions and forms for submitting Transcript Requests, go to the AHS Student Services Website .

Thursday College Application Workshops: Every Thursday from 3:00-4:00pm in Trailer 14, Counselors and AVID students will be assisting students with various topics: Making a College List; Transcript Request Form; Common App; Recommendation Requests. Students are welcome to drop in with questions about any aspect of the process.

College & Career Planning Site: Check out Student Services: Annandale High School | Schoology (fcps.edu), which offers a variety of postsecondary planning resources including the college application process, community college, military and trade pathways, financial aid and scholarship opportunities. The Student Services Team also uses this platform to share updates on new college and career opportunities, so be sure to check it regularly for the latest information. Parents should use SIS ParentVUE account to login.

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.

Purchase Your 'Atoms Pass' for 2025-2026! The Atoms Booster Club’s All-Season passes are back! The "Atoms Pass" provides you general admission access to all regular season home football, baseball, basketball, soccer, field hockey, lacrosse, volleyball, and wrestling events. With more than nine sports showcased, you can save BIG with the all-season pass! Click here to purchase your 2025-26 Atoms Booster Pass!

Annandale Baseball Winter Camp - Sign Up Today! Join us for the Annandale Baseball Winter Camp at Annandale High School, designed for players in grades K–8. These skill-focused sessions are led by the Atoms coaching staff and players and will take place in our main and auxiliary gyms. The camp covers key areas like throwing, defense, and hitting, with all necessary equipment provided if your player needs a glove, bat, or helmet. Just wear tennis shoes and come ready to play!

Each session runs from 9:30 to 11:00am, with a cost of $25 per session or $110 for all five sessions. The camp will be held on the following dates: January 18 and 25 for throwing and defense, and February 1, February 8 and February 15 for hitting. Don’t miss this exciting opportunity to improve your skills and have fun with the Atoms! Click here to register for the Annandale Baseball Winter Camp.

There is an online payment option here: Pay for Baseball Camp Online. You can also pay at the door, cash or checks to "Atoms Boosters".

News from the PTSA

Stock Our Shelves: Help Us Reach $20,000! This fall marks seven years of the AHS PTSA Pantry supporting Annandale families—and it’s all thanks to our generous community. What began as a small initiative has grown into a vital resource for students facing food insecurity.

Through our Stock Our Shelves (SOS) Fundraising Campaign we’ve already met our first $10,000 milestone—but we’re not stopping there. Let’s double our impact and raise $20,000 to keep shelves stocked and students nourished through the end of the school year. 100% of donations go directly to the pantry. Help us continue this essential work! 👉 bit.ly/AhsPtsaPantrySOS

In addition, there are many ways you can make a difference:

• Become a Red Bag donor through our partnership with Food for Neighbors. Annandale is a proud recipient of these generous collections five times a year.
• Volunteer your time as a driver to help with pick-ups from Food for Others or lend a hand at our distribution events.
• Donate items through our Amazon Wishlist, where you can easily provide our most needed supplies.
• Give financially—every contribution, no matter the size, directly supports students and families who are food insecure.

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.