Principal Updates - February 2

Fairfax County Public Schools sent this bulletin at 02/02/2026 05:30 PM EST

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Important Dates

February 3 - 2 Hr. Delay

February 4 - Last day of 2nd Quarter (updated)

February 10 - Insights from College Admissions Reps (Virtual Webinar)

February 11 - Parent Pie Night for New/Transfer Families

February 16 - No School, Presidents' Day

February 17 - Student Holiday, Teacher Workday, Lunar New Year

February 18 - Religious & Cultural Observance Day; First day of Ramadan; Ash Wednesday

Save the Date:

April 17 - Junior/Senior Prom, Westwood Country Club

June 3 - Class of 2026 Graduation

June 17 - Last day of school

The FCPS School Year Calendars are available below by school year for your planning purposes.

General Information

Student Fasting Meal Kits

From February 18 to March 19, 2026, a Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) waiver allows students fasting during the school day to request take-home meal kits. These kits include a complete school breakfast and lunch to be eaten after the school day ends.

Important Meal Kit Information:

Kits are charged based on a student’s meal status (Free, Reduced, or Paid).
Students may claim one breakfast and one lunch kit per day.
Students who eat a meal at school during the day are not eligible for a take-home kit on the same day.
Kits are distributed at the end of the school day. Students must pick up their own kits; adults are not permitted to collect them.

Parents or guardians must submit a weekly request form via the FCPS FNS website by the deadlines:

February 11, 2026 for week of February 18, 2026
February 16, 2026 for the week of February 23, 2026
February 23, 2026 for the week of March 2, 2026
March 2, 2026 for the week of March 9, 2026
March 9, 2026 for the week of March 16, 2026

Forms must be submitted on time to receive meal kits for the following week.

End of Year Calendars

With the end of the first semester approaching, we have posted our end of year calendars on the Oakton website. This includes our final exam schedule. Please note there is one calendar for underclassmen and a second calendar for the Class of 2026.

Updated Class of 2026 Senior Letter

Friday, January 23 we sent out an updated senior letter. It can also be found here on the Oakton HS website.

Upcoming Student Experience Survey at Oakton High School

Our school will participate in the FCPS Student Experience Survey. This survey will gather important feedback from students about their school experiences to help FCPS make meaningful improvements.

All students in grades 6-12, except those who have opted out, will receive a link to the survey in their FCPS email on February 23. We will administer the survey during the school day between Monday, February 23, and Friday, March 6. Any student may take the survey at home, if they are unable to take the survey during the school day. You will receive a communication with details on how to preview the survey and opt your child out, if you choose. The electronic opt-out form can also be accessed at this link.

We believe it's important to hear from our students about what we're doing well and where we can improve. This work also aligns with the equity commitments in FCPS’ 2023-30 Strategic Plan, which include a focus on amplifying student voice and experiences as we work toward meeting plan goals.

Parent Pie Night for New/Transfer Families

Wednesday, February 11th from 7:00-8:00PM

This event is designed for parents/guardians of transfer students new to Oakton this school year. Join the Oakton Student Ambassadors for a slice of pie as we share with you ESSENTIAL information about Oakton such as extracurricular activities, tutoring opportunities, and Parent Vue. Light refreshments will be served, and we’ll meet in the Cafeteria.

Please RSVP using the following link so we have enough pie for everyone: https://forms.gle/dDFBjWo26qxZs7Uc8.

Course Selection for 2026-2027 School Year

When students return in January we will begin the course selection process for next school year. To help students and families in their decision making, we have compiled all of our course registration materials in one easy location.

On the Oakton HS website you will find:

Course Selection Dates by grade level
Curriculum Night Date and Information
Course Catalog and Course Selection Sheets
General Academic Advising Information
Graduation Requirements
Oakton Course Maps and Information
Virtual Course Offerings Fair
Oakton Courses with Applications
Academies and Specialized Programs

If you have any questions or need any assistance related to academic advising during this time you are welcome to contact your school counselor or the appropriate department chair/teacher/content area administrator.

Senior Deadline for X2VOL Service-Learning Hours

All Service-Learning Hours for Seniors must be submitted no later than April 24^th 2026 to be approved and considered for graduation recognition and awards. FCPS does not have a Service- Learning graduation requirement. Seniors can earn special recognition and distinguishments for their approved hours of Service-Learning. Please see the OHS Service Learning website for more information.

Partners for Safe Teen Driving Presentation

All students enrolled in Classroom Driver Education during the 2025-2026 school year must attend an in-person Partners for Safe Teen Driving (PSTD). The presentation is connected to successful classroom instruction and must be completed to receive a DEC-District 8 card (pink card). The parent-teen traffic safety presentation (PSTD) will be offered multiple times during the school year at Oakton. Students and their parents/guardians should plan to attend the presentation at Oakton at your earliest convenience.

All PSTDs begin promptly. Late admission will not be allowed.

2025-2026 Remaining Dates:

March 16, 2026 6:30-8:00pm
May 18, 2026 6:30-8:00pm

These sessions are intended for Sophomores. Juniors and Seniors can attend a session through Adult and Community Education.

PSTD nights are not available to freshmen.

Please find more information about driver education for parents by accessing this flyer.

Testing Information

World Language Credit By Exam (WLCBE) Fall 2025 Score Reporting

During the week of February 2, score reports for the World Languages Credit by Exam results will be placed in students’ SIS “Documents” tabs and will be available to parents using SIS ParentVue. The report includes passing status and earned credits. Students’ transcripts reflecting any earned credits will be updated in February as pass (P) credits. These credits will not impact Grade Point Averages (GPA).

National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)

Oakton High will participate in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) on Thursday, March 5, 2026. NAEP is the largest nationally representative and continuing assessment of what students know and can do in various subjects. NAEP is administered by the National Center for Education Statistics, within the U.S. Department of Education. NAEP is different from our state assessments because it is a common measure of achievement across the country. The results are released as The Nation's Report Card, which provides information about student achievement to educators, parents/guardians, policymakers, and the public. Families of students selected to participate will be notified via email.

WIDA Assessment Testing (February 9^th-20^th)

Beginning February 9^th, all students identified as multilingual learners (MLs) will be assessed to monitor their progress and proficiency in English as required by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). WIDA ACCESS consists of the following parts (domains): Reading, Listening, Writing, and Speaking. Each domain is a separate test, and students must complete all four domains to meet the testing requirement. This assessment is used to determine a student’s English Language proficiency level, eligibility for ESOL services and testing accommodations. It also provides teachers with information they can use to plan for and support their students’ learning. Participation in this assessment is a critical part of how we measure our students’ growth and progress as well as plan for their continued success. The majority of WIDA testing will take place over 2-days, February 19^th, and 20^th. Students and parents/guardians of those participating will be notified of testing schedules via email.

Student Services

Insights from College Admissions Reps – February 10, 2026: 6:00 – 7:30pm (Virtual)

Oakton families, please mark your calendars. Insights from College Admissions Reps is a Zoom webinar for both students and their families. You will hear directly from college admissions representatives in a panel format.

Topics include:

Finding the Right Fit
Components of the College Application
Starting the College Search

The Zoom link will be emailed to families on Monday, February 9 via eNotify "Oakton High School."

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.

Class Schedule Change Requests

Timeline for Schedule Changes

November 10 - March 27: Any student requesting a schedule change will need to fill out the schedule change request form, with permission from parent, student, teacher, school counselor, and administrator. If approved by the administration, schedule changes will only be processed if there is space available.
April 7 - June 17: There will not be any schedule changes, regardless of space availability. This date aligns with the last day of the 3rd Quarter.

For any questions you may have, contact your child’s school counselor.

Health and Wellness Updates

💻 No-Cost Mental Online Therapy for All High School Students

Is your student experiencing anxiety, behavior changes, or challenges with peer and family relationships? Do they seem withdrawn or uninterested in their usual hobbies?

Parents/caregivers can refer their children for free weekly therapy with a licensed therapist through Hazel Health. Visit the FCPS’ Teletherapy webpage for information about this service.

Emergency Resources

Crisis Link Regional Hotline 703-527-4077

Crisis Text Text NEEDHELP to 85511

Dominion Hospital Emergency 703-536-2000

INOVA Emergency 703-289-7560

Merrifield Center Emergency 703-573-5979 TTY dial 711

Life Threatening 911

FCPS News

FCPS This Week

In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics:

Proposed Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 Budget Presented to School Board
School Board Approves Proposed Boundary Changes
It’s Kindergarten Registration Time!

Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today.

FCPS Ombuds Office Provides Confidential Guidance

The Office of the Ombuds engages with families, students, and staff to offer resources and improve the experience of each and every member of the FCPS community. They work as an independent confidential resource to help answer questions, offer options to resolve concerns, and hear complaints regarding FCPS matters. Anyone seeking assistance from the Office of the Ombuds may call 571-423-4014, text 571-496-8284, email ombuds@fcps.edu, or visit the ombuds webpage, where you may submit a question. Ombuds staff do not change or make decisions, policies, or regulations; take sides; or provide legal advice.

PTSA News

All Night Grad Party (ANGP)

The ANGP is hosted by the PTSA each year to celebrate our Oakton High School graduating seniors. For the ANGP to run annually, parent volunteers are needed to work with the PTSA Board and ANGP Committee Chair to plan the event. If you are interested in being a part of the ANGP Committee, please contact the Oakton High School PTSA at: oaktonhsptsa@gmail.com. For details on how you can support the ANGP and to purchase Cougar mugs and Senior Yard Signs, visit https://oaktonhsptsa.ptboard.com/formvw/store?store=6899.

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