October 16th, 2026 Edition

Important Dates

Friday, October 30th - 2 hour early release for students (end of the 1st quarter)

Monday, November 2nd - No school (School planning day)

Tuesday, November 3rd - No school (Teacher workday)

See the complete school year calendar

News from WSHS

Vision and Hearing Screening for 10th Graders

The school clinic will be conducting the annual vision and hearing screenings from October 21–22 in accordance with Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) requirements. Screenings will take place during students’ Health and Physical Education classes and will take approximately 2–3 minutes per student.

Students who wear glasses or contact lenses are reminded to bring or wear them on the day of their scheduled screening. Thank you for your cooperation!

Trunk or Treat!

Join Spartan clubs, teams, and organizations at our Trunk-or-Treat event on October 24th from 5:00-8:00PM! We will have candy and crafts for little kids. After 7PM we will have a short Halloween short movie for all ages ending at 8PM. We hope to see you there!

Hallway of Honor: Help Us Honor Our Veterans

As part of our annual tradition, our school will be creating a Hallway of Honor to celebrate the veterans in our community. Posters featuring photos and service details of local veterans will be displayed throughout the school.

If you have a family member you would like us to honor, please complete our Google Form and upload any photos you would like displayed. Thank you for helping us recognize those who have served!

✨FCPS Outstanding Employee Nominations✨

Nominations are now open for the FCPS Outstanding Employee Awards! To submit a nomination for a West Springfield HS Outstanding Employee, please complete the nomination through this Google form link: 

West Springfield HS Outstanding Employee Award Nominations Form

All that is required is a paragraph or two about how this employee demonstrates exceptional work. You may nominate up to one employee per category:

• Outstanding Teacher
• Outstanding New Teacher
• Outstanding Principal
• Outstanding New Principal
• Outstanding School Professional Staff Leader
• Outstanding Educational Services Employee
• Outstanding Operational Services Employee  

DEADLINE: The deadline to submit a nomination is Tuesday, November 3, 2026.

If you have any questions, please contact Laura Cespedes

WSHS Saturday Academy

Learners Permit Testing at WSHS

Learners Permit testing will be offered at West Springfield HS this year. The testing is only available for current WSHS students. Any student wishing to test at school will need to register and pay for the opportunity at FCPS ACE . Students must be at least 15 years and 6 months old on the test date. If a student has already failed the Learners Permit test twice, they cannot take the 3rd attempt at WSHS- it must be done at the DMV.

Testing is currently offered once per month though additional dates could be added based on need and available space.

All tests begin at 3:15pm in Room 2224 on the following dates: November 12, December 10, January 7, February 11, March 11, April 8, May 13, and June 10.

Please make sure to complete all steps of the registration process- additional information is posted on the FCPS ACE site when registering for the test.

Please contact Casey Grubbs, clgrubbs@fcps.edu, if you have any questions.

Join us at SpartanFest! November 7th, 10:00AM - 1:00PM This is an event for all ages- we will have food, games, crafts, performances, and more! SpartanFest will be held rain or shine. Come support clubs, activities, and WSHS teams. We hope to see you there! (some activities will be free while others will have a fee ; cash and card accepted)

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.

Governor’s School- Academic

To be considered for an academic Governor's school, students must complete the steps below:

1. Complete the interest form linked below for either Academics. 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

2. 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

3. 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 Academic 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

Governor’s School- Visual & Performing Arts (VPA)

Radford University, June 20 - July 10, 2027

The VPA program at Radford University offers intensive artistic development in five areas: Visual Art, Dance, Instrumental Music, Vocal Music, and Theatre. Students engage in classes, workshops, individual and group activities, and interdisciplinary courses that integrate the arts with other disciplines. The program emphasizes the process of artistic creation, encouraging students to explore and expand their artistic skills.

To be considered for an VPA Governor's school, students must complete the steps below: 

WSHS Governor's School Process for Visual and Performing Arts

Step 1- Check your eligibility by filling out the WSHS VPA Governor's School Eligibility Form

Step 2- If confirmed eligible , Review the WSHS Visual and Performing Arts Governor's School Navigation Guide.

Step 3- Click on the link in the guide to fill out the VPA Governor's School student interest form BEFORE October 30.

If you have any questions, please contact Tiff Duncan at tcduncan@fcps.edu .

📚 2027 Yearbooks – Lowest Price of the Year! 💰 Cost: $70.00 ( book only) | $76.00 (Includes custom nameplate) ⏰ Order Deadline: October 31st (price increases after this date) 🛒 How to Order: Click here to order and use school code 4150 for West Springfield.

Please note that if you receive free or reduced lunch benefits, email slholzgrefe@fcps.edu and ask for further instructions on how to pay.
Include your full name and student ID number in your email.

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.

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.

College & Career Center Updates

October 17: FAFSA Line by Line Completion Workshop (Virtual), 10AM-12PM. Register here.

October 18: FCPS College Fair at GMU Eagle Bank Arena, 4-6PM. Register here.

October 19: FCPS Postsecondary Night (Virtual), 5-8PM. Register here.

October 21: Scholarships 101 by College Access Fairfax (Virtual), 7-9PM. Register here.

October 23: Virginia State University Onsite Admissions. An admission rep will be here to admit students on the spot. Contact Mr. Stansbery if interested (pwstansbery@fcps.edu)

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.

Upcoming College Visits to West Springfield

All college visits can all be found in Naviance. In order to register to be in attendance for the visit, students must log into Naviance, select “Colleges” from the menu at the top of the screen, select “College Visits” from the drop-down menu, scroll down until you find the school you are interested in and select the “Register” button to the right of the college name. Students will receive an automated confirmation email two days prior to the visit that will serve as a pass to attend. 

Scholarship & Enrichment Programs

(All FCPS Scholarship Postings can be found at https://fcps.edu/scholarships-fcps-students)

UVA Jefferson Scholarship – WSHS can nominate 1-2 seniors for this opportunity which covers the entire cost of attendance at UVA. Seniors must complete this Google Application Form (accessible only from student FCPS email) by November 1, 2026.

UVA Walentas Scholarship – WSHS can nominate 1-2 seniors for this opportunity for first-generation college students which covers the entire cost of attendance at UVA. Seniors must complete this Google Application Form (accessible only from student FCPS email) by November 1, 2026.

Harry Byrd Leadership Award – WSHS can nominate 1 senior for this $40,000 scholarship. While academic excellence is a consideration, the selection of award recipients emphasizes the importance of citizenship and public service. Seniors must complete this Google Application Form (accessible only from student FCPS email) by November 1, 2026. A letter of recommendation is required, so please ask a WSHS staff member quickly!

Scholarships & Enrichment Programs offered by organizations other than FCPS are neither sponsored nor endorsed by the Fairfax County School Board, the superintendent, or any Fairfax County public school.

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:

• Thursday, October 29, at 6:30 p.m., at North Springfield Elementary School

Registration is not required, but it helps with planning.

Senior Pictures - November Sessions (Last ones at WSHS!) Visit www.vosphoto.com/westspringfield to book your senior portraits appointment at WSHS!

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.

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!

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!

Have a great weekend!

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