October 9th, 2026 Edition
Important Dates
October 9th - Homecoming Parade, Tailgate & Football Game
October 10th - Homecoming Dance
October 12th - School Planning Day (Student holiday- no school)
News From WSHS
October is Principal’s Appreciation Month!
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October is Principal’s Appreciation Month. This is a wonderful opportunity to recognize and celebrate the leadership, and support our principal provides to our school community.
Thank you, Dr. Patrick, for all you do!
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Great News About WSHS
West Springfield High School has been recognized as “Distinguished” under Virginia’s School Performance and Support Framework (SPSF). This rating, based on data from last school year, shows that our school is exceeding expectations set by the state for student performance.
The state system provides information about our school’s performance on academic and readiness measures. The framework places emphasis on standardized test results, alongside student growth, graduation, and readiness measures that vary by school level.
West Springfield High School has an overall framework score of 98.91, which falls into the “Distinguished” state performance category.
I want to be clear in saying that our students are much more than the results of standardized tests and point systems. Every day in our classrooms, our amazing educators are leading moments of joy in learning. This recognition reflects the strength of our entire school community. Our strong performance stands out and is something to celebrate.
We will continue building on this success. Our team is committed to keeping high expectations for learning, supporting each student’s unique strengths, and creating a school environment where every child feels welcomed, challenged, and cared for. We are also grateful for the support we receive from families. Your involvement makes a difference, and it plays an important role in helping our students succeed.
Thank you for being such an important part of our community. Together, we will continue helping every student at West Springfield High School thrive.
Warmly,
Jim Patrick
Principal
West Springfield High School
Student Holiday
Monday, October 12, is a student holiday and school planning day for Indigenous Peoples' Day. See the complete school year calendar.
2027 National Merit Scholarship Program - Semifinalists & Commended Students
We are proud to recognize our students named Semifinalists and our students named a Commended Student in the 2027 National Merit Scholarship Program. The program recognizes students across the country for outstanding performance on the PSAT/NMSQT. Semifinalists may continue in the competition for scholarships, while Commended Students are honored for their academic promise.
Congratulations to all of our students on this national recognition! We wish our Semifinalists the best as they complete the next stage of the scholarship application process.
Underclass Makeup Portraits and Retakes
Date: Friday, November 6th
Time: 8:00 am-2:30 pm
Location: Spartan Hall
You will need to coordinate with one of your teachers that day to go take your makeup photo or retake. Please talk to them in advance concerning assignments and assessments.
Please note:
- If you had your photo taken at the first photo day in September and are retaking your photo, you will not be issued a new student id.
- If you are taking your photo for the first time (makeup photo), you will be issued a student id card.
- If you are retaking your photo, that photo is the one that will be included in the yearbook.
2027 Virginia Summer Residential Governor's School (SRGS)
The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) offers the opportunity for 10th and 11th grade students to apply to attend summer residential Governor's schools in Academics and Visual & Performing Arts (VPA). Students who are accepted into one of the programs will live in residence halls in one of the state colleges in VA for four weeks in the June - late July timeframe. To learn more about SRGS opportunities and the application process, visit the VDOE website.
To be considered for an academic or VPA Governor's school, students must complete the steps below:
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Complete the interest form linked below for either Academics or VPA. The form is a required part of the application process and is due October 30th. No late entries will be accepted. When completing the form, enter a personal email address and do NOT use an fcpsschools.net email address. VDOE cannot send communications to the fcpsschools.net domain.
Academic Interest Form
Visual & Performing Arts Interest Form
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Attend our school interest meeting for academic applications which will take place on 10/26/2026. Attendance at the meeting is optional but strongly encouraged.
Date: 10/26/2026
Location: Library, College and Career Center/Room 2000B
Time: 4th Period Advisory - 9:47AM - 10:30AM
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Complete the application for the specific program you wish to apply to and return to your school counselor who is supervising the Governor’s School application process by the due date on the FCPS website.
Please contact Ms. Fleming or Mr. Montero with any questions!
Ms. Fleming - msfleming@fcps.edu Mr. Montero - lfmontero@fcps.edu
📚 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.
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!
 Homecoming Parade- West Springfield’s Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame!
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!
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
When: Friday, October 9 at 7:00pm
Where: Stadium
Come cheer on the Spartans! Announcement of Homecoming Royalty at halftime!
*It’s an Orange Out!**
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Homecoming Dance
When: Saturday, October 10, 7:00 - 10:00pm
Where: WSHS Main Gym
Entrance: Doors open at 7:00pm. Enter at Door 5 / Sports Lobby entrance. Last entrance at 9:00 p.m.
ID needed at the door
Non-WSHS guests: Only guests who have completed and submitted a form (they were due Friday, October 9th) will be allowed to enter the dance. All guests must enter the dance with a WSHS student and present a photo ID upon entering.
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Family Literacy Program for Multilingual Learner Families
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 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.
Reach out to Ms. Abott, Dean of Students, with any questions or concerns you may have about your child's attendance: fnabott@fcps.edu.
News from FCPS
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.
Share Your Feedback on Traveling to and From School
The FCPS Office of Safety and Security and Safe Routes to School program are asking families to share their experiences traveling to and from their child’s school. The feedback will help inform the Fairfax County School Board’s annual assessment of traffic and pedestrian safety near schools.
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.
Senior Pictures - November Sessions (Last ones at WSHS!)
 Visit https://www.vosphoto.com/westspringfield to reserve your senior yearbook and photo session
2027 Senior Yearbook Ads 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 .
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The All Night Grad Party is booked for June 8th, 2027 at The St. James! Stay tuned—ticket sales will be open in November!
Interested in volunteering with ANGP (before, during, or after the party)? Fill out THIS FORM!
Thank you for supporting ANGP!
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Personalized Graduation 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 this link to create an account and order yours!
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