Annandale Community Insider - March 1

Annandale Students, Parents, and Community,

Important Dates

March 2 - Student Experience Survey
March 2-6 - Inclusion Revolution Week
March 2-6 - National School Social Work Week
March 3 - Meet the Coaches Night
March 4 - Partners for Safe Teen Driving
March 6 - FanQuest Pep Rally
March 9 - ASAP 4.0 Begins
March 10 - PTSA Meeting
March 10 - Choir Concert, 7pm
March 11 - PTSA Pantry Distribution, 3:30pm
March 12 - ASVAB Testing
March 14 - Saturday Academic Coaching
March 16 - W4 Activities Day
March 18 - Junior Parent Night, 6pm
March 20 - Eid Al Fitr (No School)
March 25 - PTSA Pantry Distribution, 3:30pm
March 27 - Quarter 3 Ends
March 30-April 3 - Spring Break (No School)

March 2-6 - Inclusion Revolution Week: Staff and students are encouraged to celebrate belonging and school spirit by participating in each day’s themed activities throughout the week.

☀️Monday - Shine Bright Together: Wear bright colors to show that when we come together, we shine even brighter. Every person adds their own light to our school community.

🤝Tuesday - Team Up for Inclusion: Wear your favorite team jersey to show that inclusion means no one sits on the sidelines. We’re stronger when everyone is part of the team!

🕶️Wednesday – Generations Day: Dress from your favorite decade (90s, 2000s, 70s, etc.) to celebrate the different generations in our school and community. Inclusion means respecting and learning from people of all ages.

🌟Thursday - Proud to Be Me: Wear something that represents what makes you feel confident, proud, or special; a hobby, talent, culture, or passion. Inclusion starts with embracing who you are!

🖤Friday - United in Black: Wear black to show unity and solidarity. Even though we’re all different, we stand together as one school community.

March 2-6 - National School Social Work Week: This week, we honor and appreciate the incredible work of our school social workers, Ghada Khalaf and Jordan Payne, during National School Social Work Week! Our school social workers help to prevent social, emotional, and behavioral factors from affecting a student's ability to perform at their best. Whether providing one-on-one counseling, leading group sessions, or connecting families with valuable resources, Ms. Khalaf and Ms. Payne are always there with a compassionate heart and expert guidance. Learn more about the role of social workers in FCPS.

March 2 - Student Experience Survey: On Monday, March 2, Annandale students will have the opportunity to participate in the FCPS Student Experience Survey. This important initiative aims to provide valuable insights into students’ experiences within our schools. It will take approximately 30 minutes and offers a meaningful way for students to share their perspectives to help shape the future of FCPS. Students will take the survey in their W4 classes. If you would like to view the survey, please visit the Student Experience Survey webpage.

March 3 - Spring Meet the Coaches Night: Parents and guardians of spring athletes are invited to join us for Spring Meet the Coaches Night on Tuesday, March 3, at 6:30pm in the Annandale Cafeteria. This informative session will provide an opportunity to hear from the athletic office staff, athletic trainer, athletic boosters, and your student-athlete’s coach. The evening will begin with a general session in the cafeteria, followed by team-specific breakout meetings. We look forward to seeing you there and kicking off a great spring season!

March 4 - Partners for Safe Teen Driving: To get your driver’s license in Virginia, you must successfully pass the classroom portion of driver education. You must also attend a 90-minute parent-teen traffic safety program, Partners for Safe Teen Driving, or PSTD, with a parent/guardian. This program is free to students enrolled in Health & PE 10 and begins at 6:30pm in the auditorium. You must attend with a parent/guardian, arrive ON TIME, and remain for the duration of the presentation for your attendance to be verified. Register here. The final Partners for Safe Teen Driving session at Annandale High School is on April 29. If you have any questions, please contact Lizzie McManus.

March 6 - FanQuest Pep Rally: On Friday, March 6 during W4/ Pride Time, the Annandale Special Olympics Basketball team will be hosting “FanQuest” versus Centreville High School. FanQuest is an event that promotes inclusion and respect for students with disabilities. It will give our Special Olympics athletes an opportunity to showcase their basketball skills and experience a real game day atmosphere in front of their peers. Check out this video to see the energy and excitement that is shared every year at this event!

March 9-10 - PRIDE Time & ASAP 4.0 Begin: Students will begin their new PRIDE Time and ASAP assignments the week of March 9. This latest iteration of PRIDE Time and ASAP will focus on identifying students in need of preparation for the upcoming SOLs. Those who have been identified as needing additional academic support will begin new PRIDE Time intervention and possibly After School Academic Support (ASAP) assignments. ASAP 4.0 begins Monday, March 9 and PRIDE Time 3.0 begins Tuesday, March 10. On March 6, students will be able to view their new PRIDE Time assignment in SIS StudentVue as their period 11 class.

March 16 - W4 Activities Day: Our final W4 Activities Day is on Monday, March 16. W4 Activities Day is a time set aside for students to explore clubs and activities and connect with classmates and staff over shared interests. Students were given the opportunity to sign up for choice activities in W4 and Schoology and will receive an email with their assigned activity. If you have any questions, please contact Lizzy McManus.

April 6 - Annandale High School Golf Tournament Fundraiser: Get ready to hit the links in support of Annandale Athletics. Our annual Annandale High School Golf Tournament will take place on Monday, April 6 at 8:30am at Chantilly National Golf and Country Club. This event is a fantastic opportunity to enjoy a great day of golf while directly supporting our student athletes and athletic programs. Gather your friends, teammates, colleagues, or family members and register as a team, or sign up as an individual player. Individual and Team registration is now open. The cost is $150 for individuals or $560 per team. Sponsorship opportunities are also available for those who would like to further support Annandale Athletics. Email Brandon Sutphin for more information.

Annandale Celebrates Black History Month

February is Black History Month. This year’s theme is “A Century of Black History Commemorations.” Throughout the month, we will celebrate and honor the experiences, achievements, and contributions made by African Americans and their central role in US History.

In addition to lessons in advisory and social studies classes throughout the month, Annandale High School’s Black Student Union recently hosted its annual Black History Month Def Jam, bringing together families, students, and community members for an evening of culture and celebration. Guests enjoyed African American soul food, Jamaican and Ethiopian dishes, music, games, and prizes, with food served after sundown in observance of Ramadan and snacks available beforehand. The event highlighted the rich cultural heritage within the Annandale community and created a space for connection and celebration. Shout out to our our Black Student Union students and sponsors, along with the staff and community members who supported for organizing the event!

Awesome Atoms

Exploring HVAC Careers at NOVA Woodbridge: Annandale High School students recently visited the NOVA Woodbridge Campus to explore career pathways in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning. During the visit, students learned about program training requirements, industry demand, and salary potential in this high growth field. They also worked alongside current HVAC students to build a simple circuit, gaining hands on experience and a firsthand look at the technical skills used in the program. Provided by our Career Center, experiences like this help students connect classroom learning to real world career opportunities.

Important Information

Cell Phone Policy Reminder: All cell phones, headphones, and phone accessories must remain off and away all day, including during hallway transitions. Students may only use their devices in the cafeteria during lunch. Any devices seen in use outside of that time will be confiscated. We appreciate your partnership in reinforcing this expectation at home and helping all our Atoms stay focused on learning throughout the day.

Now through March 19 - Ramadan: This year Ramadan begins at sunset the evening of February 17 and ends at sunset the evening of March 19. During this time, many of our Muslim students may be fasting and it is important for those students to have a quiet, alternative location to go to during lunchtime. Therefore, the library will be open to students who would prefer to go there during lunch rather than the cafeteria. If you have questions, please contact Katie Padilla.

Now through March 19 - Student Fasting Meal Kits Available: FCPS is offering a new meal kit program for students who are fasting during the school day from now through March 19. These meal kits include balanced, nutritious meals—protein, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat milk—similar to those served at school. Meals will be kept cold for freshness and can be heated at home. To sign up, parents/guardians must complete a Fasting Meals Request Form each week for each student. Students can grab their meal kits at the end of the school day at any point in the school day in the cafeteria. Any student fasting during the school day can participate. If a student eats breakfast or lunch at school, they are not eligible for a meal kit that day. Meal kits will be charged to student meal accounts based on their usual eligibility status—free for students who qualify, and regular pricing for paid-status students. be sure to complete the Fasting Meals Request Form each week to ensure your student receives a meal kit. Find out more and submit requests on the FCPS FNS website. Registration Deadlines:
March 2 - Deadline to register for meal kits for the week of March 9.
March 9 - Deadline to register for meal kits for the week of March 16.

Upcoming Safety Drills: Keeping students and staff safe is a priority at Annandale High School. This past week we conducted our our monthly fire drill and our semi-annual lockdown drill. In the coming weeks we will hold and our annual tornado drill. Your student may share about their experience. We encourage you to talk with your student about the importance of being prepared for emergencies. Here are some helpful tips for families to use to support their students with conversations about lockdown drills. Working together, we create a safe, secure environment for students to learn and grow in our schools.

New Visitor Management System: Annandale is excited to announce that we are now using the new Raptor Visitor Management System (VMS). This upgrade is part of our school’s and FCPS’ ongoing commitment to enhancing school safety and streamlining the process for visitors at our school. The VMS ensures that no visitor is on the sex offender registry. For most visitors, the user experience will be the same when you check-in at the front office.

But now there is also an app, which can make check-in’s even faster at school. Visitors who choose to download the RaptorSafe App and create a Raptor Passport can pre-verify their information before they get to school. The app will give you a QR code you can use when you check-in at school. If you have questions or need assistance with the new system, please contact our front office. Thank you for your partnership in keeping our schools safe!

Spring SEL Screener: Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) believes in supporting social and emotional learning (SEL) for all students. The SEL Screener elevates the voices of our students by making sure their perspectives are considered in decision-making. Screener data is used to plan programming for the division, schools, and individual students. The SEL in FCPS webpage includes information about what the screener is, how it benefits our students, and how screener results are used to create a positive and inclusive learning environment. Our students will be taking the SEL Screener on March 10 during W4 Advisory. SEL screener notification and opt-out information can be found within the Annual Notice of Survey, Records, Curriculum, Privacy, and Related Rights and Opt-Out Forms booklets.

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.

Academic Support & Tutoring Opportunities

Kaplan PSAT & SAT Prep Access: All students in grades 9-11 now have access to Kaplan online PSAT and SAT preparation resources. Students should log in at https://tinyurl.com/FCPSKaplan using their FCPS username and password. Access will remain active through October 31, allowing students to prepare for multiple SAT administrations as well as the October PSAT.

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.

Need to Make Up a Test? Sign Up for the Retake Room! 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 March 14, April 18, May 2, 16, & 30, June 6, & 13. Reach out to Cass Hersh with questions.

Opportunities

Families Reunite Class: We invite families to join our Families Reunite Class, a three-session series focused on strategies to help bring families closer together and strengthen relationships at home. Sessions will be held on Wednesdays, February 25, March 4, and March 11, from 6:00 to 8:30pm at Annandale High School in the Family Resource Room (Door 1). Free snacks, childcare, and all materials will be provided. Participants will receive a certificate of completion. For more information, please contact Ms. Tunon at 571-363-0340 or Ms. Sanchez at 703-642-7403.

Rotary Unite for Good Speech Contest Win Up to $500! Annandale High School students in grades 9-12 are invited to participate in the Annandale Rotary Club Speech Contest, centered on the Rotary International theme Unite for Good. The school level contest will take place on March 9 at 3:30pm in Room C-59, with cash prizes of $500 for first place, $250 for second place, and $150 for third place. Students will have the opportunity to build public speaking skills, earn scholarship money, and advance to area and district level competitions. Winners will advance to the district competition, where they will compete for the top prize of $1,000. Register to participate in the school level competition here.

Rotary Music Contest Win Up to $500! Annandale High School students in grades 9-12 are invited to participate in the Annandale Rotary Club Music Contest, which features solo vocal, keyboard, or instrumental performances. The school level contest will take place on March 16 at 3:30pm in Room C-59, with cash prizes of $500 for first place, $250 for second place, and $150 for third place. Students will have the opportunity to showcase their musical talents, earn scholarship money, and advance to area and district level competitions. To enter, complete the Rotary Music Contest submission form by Sunday, March 15.

All Night Grad Tickets On Sale Now! Tickets are now on sale for this year’s All Night Grad Celebration, a long-standing Annandale High School tradition made possible by the Annandale High School PTSA and the parent community. This safe, fun, and adult-supervised event is entirely volunteer-run and provides seniors with a memorable way to celebrate together.

The All Night Grad Celebration will take place on June 9, beginning at 11:00 PM, with doors closing at midnight. Winter Sale tickets are available for $45. After that date, ticket prices will increase to $55. Students can look forward to great food, games, a DJ, top-notch entertainment, and exciting door prizes, including computers and televisions.

Discounted tickets are available for students in need, and interested students are encouraged to speak with their school counselor for more information. Parent volunteers are also essential to the success of this event, and families are encouraged to sign up to help if they are able. Email Annandale.angc@gmail.com with any questions.

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.

News from Students Services

Earn Credit Toward Graduation This Summer: Take advantage of the opportunity to earn a high school course credit via this summer’s Online Campus program. Registration is now open. Students must register by Friday, June 5. Mathematics, health and physical education, career and technical education, English, science, social studies, and world language courses are available to eligible middle and high school students. For more information, visit this Summer Learning page.

Summer is also an excellent time for high school students to fulfill the Economics and Personal Finance graduation requirement through the self-directed course option. In this format, students work independently to complete all course requirements while maintaining flexibility over the summer months. For additional details and registration information, please visit the Summer Learning information page.

Career and Technical Education and Institute for the Arts Camps: Career and Technical Education camps and Institute for the Arts camps will be held in July at Robinson Secondary School from 8:30am to 2:00pm. Bus transportation will be available from select FCPS middle and high schools. Tuition assistance is available to FCPS families eligible for free or reduced meals.

CTE Summer Academy (CSA) is a week-long enrichment program that allows students in grades 6-11 to dive deeper into CTE program areas, develop skills, and begin career exploration. Watch this video about CTE camps. Registration is open for these programs through Friday, June 5.

Institute for the Arts (IFTA) is a two-week camp for students currently in grades 6-11. Students select from nearly 60 classes in art, dance, music, and theater. Rising freshmen have the option to take Health and PE 9 through IFTA as well!

Production Camp is a four-week summer theatre intensive for students in grades 6-11. Students in performance or technical theatre tracks rehearse, design, and build a musical in a collaborative atmosphere. The show is presented to the public at the end of camp.

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.

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.

Save the Date! Athletic Physical Exams: On Monday, June 1, 2026, Annandale High School will host an opportunity for student-athletes to complete their Pre-Participation Physical Exam (PPE) for the 2026-27 academic year. This exam will ensure eligibility for all sports through June 30, 2027. The event also serves as the primary fundraiser for the Annandale Athletic Training Program, which relies entirely on donations to cover essential medical supplies and equipment. Your support makes a tremendous difference for our athletes and trainers!

Appointments will run from 5:30pm to 7:30pm, and slots are expected to fill quickly, so don’t wait. Walk-in exams are $60; however, if you pre-register, the cost is reduced to $50. To take advantage of the discounted rate and secure your appointment, email Mr. Ryan Hughes at rhughes@fcps.edu as soon as possible. Thank you for supporting our student-athletes and helping ensure a healthy, successful season ahead!

REDUCED PRICE! Purchase Your 'Atoms Pass': The Atoms Booster Club’s All-Season pass is now at a reduced price! The "Atoms Pass" provides you general admission access to all regular season home soccer, baseball, softball and lacrosse. You can save BIG with this pass! To purchase your Click here to purchase your 2025-26 Atoms Booster Pass!

Support Annandale Athletics: Donate to Atoms Sports: The Annandale Atoms Sports Fundraiser helps generate financial support for our athletic programs. Our student-athletes spend many long hours preparing to be the best they can be, and they are very deserving of our community’s support. Donations go directly toward helping our teams obtain the equipment and resources they need to get their seasons up and running. We appreciate any amount you are able to give and thank you in advance for your generosity. Go Atoms!

News from the PTSA

Are You a Food For Neighbors Red Bag Donor? Food For Neighbors is the primary means the AHS PTSA pantry uses to stock our student centered grab n go snack stations in school 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. If you can, please sign-up to become a FFN Red Bag Donor. The next FFN collection will be Saturday, March 7. The deadline to become a new donor before the March 7 collection is Wednesday, February 25. https://www.foodforneighbors.org/red-bag-program Questions? Email: ahspantry@gmail.com.

Items our pantry LOVES to receive in Red Bags are snacks and personal hygiene products like:  

• Juice boxes, chocolate milk, beef and turkey sticks, granola bars, peanut butter crackers, tuna snack packs, trail mix, cereal cups, protein bars, microwave complete meals
• Deodorant, bar soap, feminine hygiene pads, toothbrushes and toothpaste.

All-Night Graduation Celebration Auction Items Needed! The Annandale High School PTSA is seeking community donations to support the All-Night Graduation Celebration, a safe, alcohol and drug-free event for graduating seniors that is organized and staffed by parent volunteers. To help keep ticket prices affordable for all students, the PTSA hosts an annual online auction to raise funds for the event. This year’s auction will run from April 9 through April 17, 2026. Community members are invited to donate items, experiences, or services, with donors recognized through school and community promotions unless anonymity is requested. The PTSA is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and all donations are tax-deductible. Donations may be mailed to Annandale High School, Attention: PTSA All-Night Grad, or questions can be directed to annandaleptsa.donations@gmail.com.

Support Our Seniors! Donate Your Time or Items to Our Auction: We're gearing up for our All Night Grad Auction, and we need your help to make it unforgettable! We're seeking item donations to auction off, with all proceeds benefiting the All Night Grad Celebration, an amazing event for our graduating class. Items We’re Looking For: Gift cards, themed baskets, vacation or getaway donations, event tickets, services, or any creative contributions! Ready to donate? Visit http://bit.ly/40jc0AZ. Deadline to Donate: March 1. Thank you for your generosity!

Volunteers Needed for the All Night Grad Celebration: We also need volunteers to support the All Night Grad Celebration! Lets keep the legacy of this amazing event, providing a safe environment for our Seniors to celebrate their graduation. Sign up here to support the day of the event.

Annandale Summer Camps

Looking for fun activities for your child this summer? Annandale High School is offering a variety of summer camps this year for current elementary and middle school students led by our own Annandale coaches. Help spread the word to friends, family, and neighbors! More information can be found at AnnandaleAtoms.net. 

Campers can bring their lunch or purchase lunch at camp, and they should bring a snack, and a water bottle each day. Cash or checks are accepted. Checks should be made out to “Annandale Athletic Boosters”. Payment is due on the first day of camp or can be made online by clicking on the camps link below.

Olympics Camp - June 22-26: Campers will have fun playing a variety of sports including basketball, kickball, volleyball, soccer, and touch football. They will participate in fun contests and win medals! Campers can bring their lunch or purchase lunch at camp. To register for Olympics Camps, click HERE. For questions about Olympics Camp, please reach out to Christopher Bagot.

Wrestling Camp - July 6-10: Annandale is hosting a 5-day camp with Purler Wrestling Academy! Open to ALL Wrestlers age 7-18; THERE ARE ONLY 100 SLOTS! It is recommended that your child pack their lunch; however, the concession stand will be open during breaks to sell pizza and other items.

Participants will get 20 Hours of Drill time and 40 Matches worth of live competition. These small-group, drill-intensive camps have a proven track record! Camp includes FREE access to the Purler Wrestling Video Series for all those that complete camp ($200 value)! To register for wrestling camp, click HERE. For questions about the wrestling camp, reach out to Josh Damico.

Boys & Girls Basketball - July 20-24: Campers will spend each day focused on developing their basketball skills. They will also receive a t-shirt and a chance to win trophies. Campers can bring their lunch or purchase lunch at camp. Hours are 9am to 3pm. We accept early pickups at 8am and late pickups at 4PM. To register for basketball camp click HERE. For questions about Basketball Camp please reach out to Jerome McAvoy and Chelsea Harrison.

Baseball Skills Camp - August 10-14: This camp is designed for 3rd - 9th graders and will be held on the baseball field at Annandale High. Focus will be on preparation for fall season and overall skill development. Camp will be conducted by Annandale High School Coaches and current college baseball players. Camp will run from 5pm-7pm. To register for the Baseball Skills Camp, click HERE. Questions reach out to head baseball coach and camp director Kevin Rudd