October 2nd, 2026 Edition
Important Dates
October 7th- SAT & PSAT School Day (*No report day for 9th graders; 2 hour early release schedule for 10th-12th)
October 5th - 10th - WSHS Homecoming Week
October 9th - Homecoming Parade, Tailgate and Football Game
October 10th - Homecoming Dance
October 12th - School Planning Day (Student holiday- no school)
News From WSHS
Dig Pink Volleyball Match
🎀🏐 COME OUT & SUPPORT SPARTAN GIRLS VOLLEYBALL! 🏐🎀
Join us for our Dig Pink Match on Thursday, October 8th, as we continue a very special tradition at West Springfield High School!
Dig Pink events are hosted by volleyball teams around the world to raise awareness, support breast cancer research, and stand with those affected by breast cancer.
What makes our event especially meaningful is that the very first Dig Pink event was hosted right here at West Springfield High School by our 2004 Volleyball Team! 💗
Now, more than 20 years later, high school teams, clubs, NCAA Division I–III programs, and even USA National Teams continue the tradition by supporting Dig Pink and raising funds for the Side-Out Foundation.
We are incredibly proud to be part of this history—and it is important to us to carry the legacy forward with Dig Pink 2026!
🎀 OUR THEME: CHAMPIONS 🎀
Come cheer on our Spartans, wear your pink, bring your friends and family, and help us celebrate this incredible tradition!
It started with us. And it continues with us. 💗🏐
📅 Thursday, October 8, 2026 🏐 5:00 PM — Freshman | Auxiliary Gym 🏐 5:00 PM — JV | Main Gym 🏐 6:30 PM — Varsity | Main Gym
Come out. Wear pink. Support Spartan Volleyball. Continue the tradition. 🎀🏐
📚 2027 Yearbooks – Lowest Price of the Year!
- 💰 Cost: $70.00 ( book only) | $76.00 (Includes custom nameplate)
- ⏰ Order Deadline: October 31st
- 🛒 How to Order: Click here to order and use school code 4150 for West Springfield.
College & Career Center News
Upcoming College Visits: Find a complete list of upcoming college visits & how to register in Naviance
October 3 (10:00AM-1:00PM): Military Academies & Colleges Expo at the National Museum of the United States Army in Fort Belvoir, Virginia. This event will bring together representatives from all U.S. Service Academies and Senior Military Colleges in one place.
October 7: SAT/PSAT Day at West Springfield
October 18: FCPS College Fair at GMU Eagle Bank Arena, 4-6PM. Register here.
October 19: FCPS Postsecondary Night (Virtual), 5-8PM. Register here.
December 2: ASVAB Administered at West Springfield - 10th -12th grade students can register here by November 19. Family info on ASVAB participation opt-out and ASVAB accommodation consent included in family notification letters on the ASVAB webpage.
FAFSA Opening
Federal Student Aid Form Open
Completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form allows you to be considered for federal student aid. In addition, states and colleges use FAFSA information to award their own grants, scholarships, and loans.
The 2027-28 FAFSA is now open.
Free Financial Aid and Scholarship Information Sessions
College Access Fairfax, in partnership with Fairfax County Public Schools, will present virtual information sessions on the financial aid process for post-secondary education and scholarship information.
Sessions include:
Click on a date to participate. Visit College Access Fairfax for more information.
Postsecondary Opportunities for High School Students
Preparing for Life After High School
To help Virginia students get ready for college, job training, or entry-level work, the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) and the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SHEV) have developed resources and gathered important information to share with Virginia families.
Middle and high school students and families can learn more about preparing for college or a career by visiting the following websites:
Each site contains information on preparing, applying, and paying for college, as well as information on degree options and labor market career projections.
World Language Credit by Exam (WLCBE):
Registration is now open for the Fall 2026 World Language Credit by Exam (WLCBE). The WLCBE assesses language proficiency in languages other than English and recognizes the strengths that our students bring as effective communicators in multiple languages.
This assessment may be used to award world language credits towards graduation, determine course placement for language courses offered in Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS), and fulfill the world languages requirements for the Virginia Seal of Biliteracy. Please review the FCPS WLCBE Page for important testing information including the registration process and languages offered.
Registration Window
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Opened: Tuesday, September 8, 2026 at 8:00 a.m.
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Deadline: Friday, October 16, 2026 at 4:00 p.m.
Questions about the WLCBE can be directed to your students' school counselor!
Family Literacy Program for Multilingual Learner Families
Introducing Our 2026–27 ML Family Literacy Sites
The Family Literacy Program supports multilingual learner families by building English language skills, strengthening family literacy, and connecting families with their children’s schools and communities. The program is free for eligible FCPS families.
This year’s sites include Glen Forest ES, Graham Road Community Building, Mission Center, West Potomac HS, Herndon HS, Falls Church HS, John R. Lewis HS, and Centre Ridge, which offers a virtual option.
Classes are offered during the fall and spring, both in person and virtually. Families attend classes during the day or evening, depending on the site, and must live in Fairfax County and have a child who attends—or will attend—FCPS.
To learn more or register, contact the Family Literacy Program at 571-423-4647 or visit the Family Literacy Program website.
Website for the Family Literacy Program: https://www.fcps.edu/academics/multilingual-learners/family-literacy-program
Attendance Corner
Attendance Matters: Your Presence Matters!
Regular attendance is crucial for the academic success of all students. Studies have repeatedly proven that students with better attendance records perform better in school and are more likely to graduate high school on time.
Did you know?
Starting in kindergarten, too many absences can cause children to fall behind in school.
Missing 10% (or about 2 days per month) can make it harder to learn to read.
Attending school even if your student arrives late is valuable for their academic success.
We understand that there may be obstacles preventing students from attending school regularly, such as illness or personal circumstances. That’s why it is so important for our school team to work together with our students and families to remove any barriers. We all belong here!
Please encourage your student to arrive on time every day and maintain regular attendance until the last day of school. Together, we can work toward increasing school attendance rates and improving academic outcomes for all our students.
How You Can Help:
Set a regular bedtime and morning routine.
Lay out clothes and pack backpacks the night before.
Don’t let your child stay home unless they are truly sick. Keep in mind that complaints of a stomach ache or headache can be a sign of anxiety and not a reason to stay home.
If your child seems anxious about going to school, talk to teachers, school counselors, or other parents for advice on how to make them feel comfortable and excited about learning.
Develop backup plans for getting to school if something comes up. Call on a family member, a neighbor, or another parent.
Avoid medical appointments and extended trips when school is in session
Reach out to Ms. Abott, Dean of Students, with any questions or concerns you may have about your child's attendance: fnabott@fcps.edu.
 See highights below for Homecoming and keep an eye out next week for another special edition of News You Choose with even more HoCo information!
WSHS Homecoming Ticket & Guest Information
West Springfield High School’s SGA Presents…Highway to HOCO: A week of Rock n’ Roll
Homecoming Dance Tickets are $25. Tickets MUST be purchased via MySchoolBucks BY THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8 at 11:59pm.
*Important Homecoming Dance Guest Information: Students may bring one non-WSHS guest. If bringing a non-WSHS guest, the student should purchase two dance tickets in MySchoolBucks, after which, submit a completed Homecoming Dance Guest Form. The guest form contains a section that MUST be completed by an administrator at the guest student's school BEFORE being submitted. Incomplete guest forms will not be accepted and guests arriving without completed forms will not be allowed to enter the dance.
Guest forms should be submitted to Room 2441 (Mr. Alukonis), Room 2114 (Mrs. Whitlock in the Leadership Classroom), or the Activities Office. All guests must enter the dance with a WSHS student and present photo ID upon entering. These forms must be turned in by 3PM FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9.
Homecoming Dress-Up Drive
Our Homecoming Dress-Up Drive is back! WSHS SGA/Leadership is looking for gently used or new clothing, shoes, and accessories for our Spartan community. Donations will be accepted outside of the leadership classroom and by the main office. Thanks for your contributions!
 Homecoming Parade
When: Friday, October 9 at 4:30pm
Where: The parade will begin by going left onto Carleigh Parkway from Kirkwood Presbyterian Church, then continue left onto Forrester Blvd, left onto Sherborn Lane, and right onto Grigsby Drive before crossing over Rolling Road and ending at West Springfield High School. Please join us along the parade route to see our marching band, class floats, homecoming court, fall sports, clubs, and more!
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Homecoming Tailgate
When: Friday, October 9 at 5:30pm
Where: WSHS Parking Lot
Free food and spirit items... while they last!
Homecoming Football Game vs. Yorktown
*It’s an Orange Out!**
When: Friday, October 9 at 7:00pm
Where: WSHS Stadium
Come cheer on the Spartans! Announcement of Homecoming Royalty at halftime!
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Homecoming Dance
When: Saturday, October 10, 7:00 - 10:00pm
Where: WSHS Main Gym
Dance tickets will be available for purchase via MySchoolBucks.
Dance ticket: $25
Doors open at 7:00pm. Enter at Door 5 / Sports Lobby entrance. Last entrance at 9:00 p.m.
ID needed at the door
See earlier details about guest forms!
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News from FCPS
Calendar Change: Eid al-Fitr
FCPS will mark the beginning of Eid al-Fitr with an evening-only observance day on Monday, March 8. There will be school on this day, but major school-sponsored events and activities (such as auditions or tryouts) will not take place.
Tuesday, March 9, will be a holiday for students and staff.
Wednesday, March 10, will be an observance day. There will be school on this day, but certain activities that cannot be made up (major tests, field trips, or mandatory events) will not take place on this day.
A new school year calendar has been published, which includes this change. Please note that holidays and observances on the calendar may shift due to anticipated lunar sightings.
Transportation Survey
Safe Routes to School Parent and Caregiver Survey
As part of the Fairfax County School Board’s Annual School-Based Traffic and Pedestrian Safety Assessment, the FCPS Office of Safety and Security and Safe Routes to School program are inviting parents and caregivers to share their experiences traveling to and from school.
The Traffic and Pedestrian Safety Survey asks about walking and biking routes, traffic near schools, kiss and ride experiences, accessibility, and other safety concerns.
Your feedback will help FCPS identify common issues. Your responses will be kept confidential and shared with school administrators and the Office of Safety and Security. The five-minute survey is open through Thursday, October 15.
Be sure to identify the school related to your feedback and include specific locations where you have observed a safety issue. If you have students at different schools in FCPS, please complete a different survey for each school.
If you have any questions about the survey, please contact SafeRoutestoSchool@fcps.edu.
Superintendent Community Conversations
Join us for a series of Community Conversations that will be held across the school division. Share your thoughts with Dr. Reid and ask her questions. Click on the date to register for the event closest to WSHS:
Registration is not required, but it helps with planning.
 New Senior Picture dates open, Senor yearbook ads, Yard Signs,
& All Night Grad Party Meeting
November Senior Photos - Last round at WSHS
New dates opened for November seniors pictures at WSHS! This will be the last session at the school; after this, students and families will need to go to the studio. Visit www.vosphoto.com/westspringfield to book now!
🎓Celebrate Your Senior: 2027 Senior Yearbook Ads Now On Sale!
Commemorate your student's achievements and milestones with a Senior Ad in the 2027 West Springfield High School Yearbook! These custom recognition ads allow you to share favorite photos, personal messages, and words of encouragement to celebrate your graduating senior.
Important Information:
- ⏰ Deadline to Design & Order: October 31st
- 🔑 School Code: 4150
- 💻 How to Order: Visit https://yearbookordercenter.com/, enter school code 4150, and follow the prompts to choose your ad size and complete your design.
Space in the yearbook is limited, and ads are sold on a first-come, first-served basis, so we encourage you to design and submit your ad early.
If you have any questions, please contact Stacie Holzgrefe at slholzgrefe@fcps.edu.
Senior Yard Signs
Want to celebrate your graduate in a special way? Personalized graduation yard signs are available to order now. (You can also celebrate their sports/band/theater participation) Click the link below to order yours!
https://springfield-va.fastsigns.com/fcps (create an account first and then you will find the order page)
 **NEW INFO** ANGP Meeting - In person or Virtual
All Night Grad Party (ANGP) General Meeting for all interested parents of Seniors: Tuesday, October 6th, 2026 6:30-7pm in Room 2407. Enter through Door 5. Or join virtually at https://meet.google.com/qfb-jkyo-mey
Interested in volunteering with ANGP (before, during, or after the party)? Fill out THIS FORM!
Thank you for supporting ANGP!
Have a great weekend!
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