Annandale Community Insider - May 28
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Annandale Students, Families, and Community:
Happy Memorial Day. I hope you enjoyed the long weekend and found time to reflect, remember, and pay tribute to the selfless heroes who have defended our freedoms.
This past week was filled with awesome events for our graduating seniors and the entire school community. Senior exams concluded on Friday. Immediately following their last exam, seniors gathered at Ossian Hall Park, where they enjoyed a light breakfast, reminisced with their classmates and signed yearbooks. On Friday and Saturday, at Broadway Desserts, all five of the AHS Choirs performed songs from the stage. The students’ talents were on full display as they prepared the music, picked their costumes and coordinated their choreography for a fantastic evening of entertainment.
Our athletics department was busy as well. Annandale hosted a number of regional tournament games this past week. Softball hosted West Potomac. Although the team fell short on the scoreboard, there was much to be celebrated. Teagan Scott-Daniels and Shalini Vlcan earned second team All-District and Teagan finished her year off with over 100 strikeouts! Baseball hosted Alexandria City and lost 11-0 but just like their season, they battled until the very end. Boys Soccer earned an exciting victory over Falls Church on Tuesday, winning in overtime to advance to the region quarterfinals, but fell to Lewis on Thursday. Girls Soccer dominated West Potomac on Tuesday, winning 3-0 before falling to TJ in overtime in the region quarterfinals. We are proud of the dedication and effort of all of our student athletes.
This coming week we have many events to celebrate and prepare for graduation on Monday, June 5. Seniors can find more information about the schedule this week on the Senior Page of the Student Portal (you must be logged in to your FCPS Google account). As a reminder, underclass students will not come to school on June 5 and instead will access an asynchronous lesson in Schoology. With only two more weeks of class before exams, we encourage underclassmen to continue to show their determination and finish the year strong!
Have a great week, Atom Nation. As always, reach out with questions.
Shawn DeRose, Principal
Class of 2023 InformationGraduation is one week away! We have created this Graduation 2023 Tutorial video for both seniors and parents that includes information about tickets, parking, expectations and dress code, photos, and how to watch the ceremony online. In addition, below we have included tasks that need to be completed as soon as possible, important dates with descriptions of each event, additional opportunities related to the end of the year activities and a senior calendar.
Last week we sent out important information in our latest Class of 2023 Newsletter - May 25. In addition, information is also posted on the Senior Page of the Student Portal (must be logged in to your FCPS Google account).
Important DatesMay 29 - School Holiday (Memorial Day)
May 30 - Senior Sunset
May 30 - Annandale Athletics Next Level Ceremony
May 30 - Annandale Athletics End of Year Celebration
May 31 - Senior Awards Ceremony
May 31 - Sports and Band Physicals for the 2023-24 School Year
June 1 - Senior Obligations & Cap and Gown Distribution
June 2 - Graduation Rehearsal
June 5 - Class of 2023 Graduation
June 6 - All Night Grad Celebration
June 16 - Last Day of School (Early Release)
May 30 - Senior Sunset: Senior Sunset will take place on May 30 from 7:00-9:00pm. Students are encouraged to come watch the sunset on the football field with music, drinks, and food to celebrate the end of their senior year. If you have any questions, please contact our senior class sponsors, Mr. Jonathan Carbutt and Ms. Chrystal Wood, or our senior class administrator, Ms. Kara Franklin-Taylor.
May 30 - Next Level Ceremony: All student-athletes who have committed to play athletics in college will be recognized at our Next Level Ceremony on May 30 at 6:00pm. Please email Brandon Sutphin with questions.
May 30 - Annandale Athletics End of Year Celebration: All of our student-athletes and families are invited to the first annual Annandale All Athletes End of Year Celebration on May 30 at 6:30pm. At this event we will reflect, recognize, and celebrate all programs, as well as our student-athletes' accomplishments. If you have questions, please reach out to Brandon Sutphin.
May 31 - Senior Awards Ceremony: Our annual Senior Awards Ceremony will be held on May 31 from 10:00-11:00am at Annandale High School. This ceremony provides us an opportunity to recognize seniors who have demonstrated outstanding achievements in each content area, as well as celebrate those seniors who have been selected for community-based awards and scholarships. We have communicated directly with the students and families of our award recipients. If you have questions or concerns, please email Brian Yeagley, College and Career Specialist.
May 31 - Sports and Band Physicals for the 2023-24 School Year: Students who would like to participate in sports or band next year will need a valid VHSL physical dated after May 1, 2023. On May 31 at 5:30pm we will be hosting Sport and Activity Health Screenings. This physical will be good for all of next school year. The cost at Annandale is $40 pre-registration and $50 dollars walk-in. This is a donation to the Athletic Training Program so that we can continue to provide state of the art care for our athletes and band members. Click HERE to sign up. You may pay by credit card on myschoolbucks or cash/check at the door. For information about financial assistance for this event, please contact Ryan Hughes and Kathy Ayers.
June 1 - Senior Obligations & Cap and Gown Distribution: Seniors must pay all outstanding obligations, including Senior Dues, prior to receiving their cap and gown. Financial obligations can be paid online via myschoolbucks.com, by using the myschoolbucks mobile app, or in person on June 1. Here are instructions for students on how to access MySchoolBucks.com. All senior obligations must be paid before picking up their cap and gown. If you have any questions, please email Jeremy DeBoe, Finance Technician.
Students can pick up their cap and gown and senior gift on June 1 during their assigned times listed below.
- 10:00-11:00am - Last names A-L
- 11:30-12:30pm - Last names M-Z
Students should enter through Door 11, at the front of the building, to the upper gym where they will turn in all equipment and supplies and pay any obligations in order to become eligible to graduate.
June 2 - Graduation Rehearsal, 10:00-11:00am or 11:30-12:30pm: Graduation rehearsal will be held on the Annandale High School stadium field. Seniors who choose to participate in the Graduation Ceremony must attend graduation rehearsal during their assigned times below.
- 10:00-11:00am - Last names A-L
- 11:30-12:30pm - Last names M-Z
Students should meet on the home side stadium bleachers where they will receive information about the ceremony. After rehearsal, students will receive their tickets to graduation.
This video shares important information about the graduation ceremony.
June 5 - Class of 2023 Graduation Ceremony: The Class of 2023 Graduation Ceremony will be held on Monday, June 5, at 9:00am in our stadium. The rain date will be Tuesday, June 6.
June 6 - All Night Grad Celebration: Annandale High School’s All Night Grad Celebration is June 6 from 11:00pm-5:00am at Audrey Moore Rec Center! Tickets are on sale now. Students can order tickets here, or pick up the ticket form in the office. If you would like, you can Sponsor a Senior and purchase their ticket! Questions? Please contact the ANGC Chair Rheanna Bernard if you have questions or concerns about the All Night Graduation Celebration.
End of the Year Calendar 2023 Finish Strong!End of Year Attendance Requirements: The last day of school for underclass students is Friday, June 16. While SOL testing is coming to an end, there is still much going on in our classrooms. Teachers and teams are continuing to plan high quality instruction that will prepare students to be successful not only on final exams, but in the coming years. In some cases, students are working on certifications or other requirements for graduation. All students are expected to attend school each day to complete these activities and finish the year strong.
The week of June 12-16, school is held from 8:10am-11:25pm. During this time, students will complete their end of course exams. These culminating activities assess students’ mastery of the standards and skills they have been learning throughout the year.
Purpose of Final Exams: According to FCPS policy, “a final examination or appropriate culminating activity, such as a presentation of learning (POL) will be given in all high school courses and must be based on the standards listed in the Program of Studies or other designated curriculum.” At Annandale, the purpose of final exams is to assess students’ mastery of the standards and skills they have been learning throughout the year. Some examples of final exams could be SOL-like progress monitoring assessments, culminating projects, reflective writing, or other demonstrations of learning. Our teachers work together in teams to develop a common final exam that students across the team will take.
Participation Expectations: According to FCPS policy, all students are expected to participate in a final exam for every course, regardless of SOL results. A student who is absent from the final examination or activity will receive a score of "missing" which is equivalent to a 50%.
Approach to Grading Final Exams: At Annandale, final exams are worth 10% of a students’ final grade. According to FCPS policy. Unlike other assessments, students will not have an opportunity to retake a final exam. This year, a student’s score on a final exam can only serve to improve the final grade. If the final exam grade does not improve the final grade in the course, it will be excluded in the gradebook.
Awesome Atoms!Annandale Staff Member Selected for Advisory Committee: Former Annandale teacher and current long term substitute Lenoard Bumbaca was selected to serve on the Human Resources Advisory Committee (HRAC). The purpose of the HRAC is to advise the Fairfax County School Board (FCSB) on achieving and maintaining a premier workforce within a caring culture. Leonard Bumbaca retired from teaching at Annandale High School but has returned as a long term substitute for math and science classes. He has previously served as President of the Fairfax Education Association (FEA) and Chair of the Fairfax Teacher's Retirement Fund (ERFC). Leonard has served on the HRAC since 2017.
IB Middle Years Programme Personal Project Spotlight: As part of our work as an IB school, each year our 10th graders complete a personal project through their English classes. For their Personal Project, students select a topic they are interested in learning how to do, make, create, develop, or otherwise pursue, journal about this experience, and write a report. Our current 10th graders have completed their projects and presented them to their classes, and over 40 students were selected by their classmates and teachers to showcase their projects to our 9th graders. This is an opportunity for our 10th grade students to celebrate and showcase their success. Additionally, this opportunity will give 9th graders a preview of the personal project and get more information about MYP at Annandale. Each week we will feature some of our students’ projects through the Insider.
This week's personal project feature is a student from Ms. Mathis’s English 10 class, Leyla. Leyla decided that she wanted to compose a string quartet inspired by the composer, Antonin Dvorak. About her piece, Leyla shares: “This piece is set in the key of D major and is played in allegro (fast) at a tempo of quarter note = 136. Inspired by Dvorak's structure of his piece in “The American Op.96 No.12” I decided to write my piece in sonata form as well which is in a three- part(a-b-a) structure exploring two main themes throughout the piece. My composition mimics the classical music of the romantic era of the late 19th century, opening with a dramatic cello solo expressly introducing the first theme. Within the piece there are also examples of musicality such as musical dynamics (loudness) like ff(very loud), f(loud), pp(very soft),and p(soft) and articulation such as slurs and phrases to accentuate the flow of the tone of the piece.”
Congrats Teagan Scott-Daniels - 100+ Strikeouts This Season: Congrats to Teagan Scott-Daniels who finished the year with over 100 strikeouts. Teagan and Shalini Vlcan earned second team All-District Softball and lead the Atoms to host a Regional game for the first time in many years!
Annandale Study Abroad Scholarships Featured in Northern Virginia Magazine! From Paris for $50 to K-Pop Immersion in Seoul, 19 Annandale High School Students Go Abroad on Summer Scholarships! Barcelona. Berlin. Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. Ghana. Rome. These are some of the places where nineteen Annandale High School students will be spending their summer, aided by a collective $75,085 in scholarship funding they won after being encouraged to apply for the grants by their teachers. Check out the feature story here.
OpportunitiesYearbooks Are Here! Yearbooks can be purchased at www.yearbookforever.com or in cash for $85. See Ms. Hanneman in room 272 or 262 to pick up your copy!
Tutoring Grants Available for Families: The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) is now accepting applications from parents for tutoring microgrants for their children through the K-12 Learning Acceleration Grants program. The program was created to help Virginia families address the impact of the pandemic on student learning. It provides $1,500 grants to parents of school-age children for tutoring in specific subjects. Children from homes with family incomes at 300% or less of the federal poverty level may qualify for $3,000 grants. Available services include in-person, online, and hybrid tutoring provided one-on-one or in small group or large group settings. The first step in the process is to visit VDOE’s K-12 Learning Acceleration Grants page and create an application account.
June 6 - Poe Middle School Mural Reveal: Poe Middle School Artists have been working hard to complete our annual mural project. Please join us for the Opening Ceremony where the mural will be "unveiled" and "revealed" for the Poe Community. Refreshments will be served and ALL are welcome. Please come alone or with family and friends. The event starts at 6pm on Tuesday, June 6th. Formal remarks will be shared at 6:30pm where you will hear directly from artists. Hope to see you there!
June 8 and 9 - Class of 2024, Senior Portraits! Want to get a head start on senior year by taking your senior portraits? Rising seniors can sign-up for a time after school on June 8 or 9 to take their senior portraits in the Bistro using this link: https://seniors.legacystudios.com/annandale-hs-va/.
June 11 - Observance Design Challenge Deadline: FCPS is looking for middle and high school students to submit artwork to represent the observances on the FCPS school year calendar for 2023-24. The goal of the Observance Design Challenge is to encourage students to tap into their creativity to create visuals that accurately and positively represent the many religious observances celebrated in the FCPS community. Selected entries will be featured on FCPS social media and in newsletters in the next school year! See all the submission guidelines and instructions on the FCPS website. Entries will be accepted through June 11.
Institute for the Arts - Enrollment Now Open: Students in all FCPS secondary schools can enroll in the Institute for the Arts (IFTA). IFTA is a two- or four-week summer arts enrichment program for students in rising 7th through 12th grades. Students create their own schedules in art, music, theatre, and dance from nearly 80 courses offered. Transportation is provided from around the county. Tuition is free for students who qualify for free or reduced lunch. Check out the website and register online here. For more information email [email protected].
Important InformationNow through June 2 - Suspension of Attendance Notifications: Morning attendance calls, texts, and e-mails will be suspended during the AP and SOL testing windows. Evening attendance notification will continue as normally scheduled. Additionally, all attendance notifications will be suspended for elementary, middle, and high schools on the last day of school. If you have any questions regarding your students' attendance, please contact the AHS Attendance Office at 703-642-4151 or via email at [email protected].
Medication Pickup: The school health room is reminding parents and guardians that all medication stored in the health room must be picked up no later than 12:00pm on Friday, June 16. Medication left in the health room after that time will be discarded. It is school policy that medications must be picked up by the parent or guardian, however, with parent or guardian written permission, a high school student may transport over-the-counter medications to and from the health room. If you have any questions, please contact the School Health Aide Larry Cooper at 703-642-4110 or the Public Health Nurse Katherine Estrada.
SOL Retake Support: At Annandale, we are proud that we have many systems in place to support our students. To that end, when students do not pass their first-attempt SOLs, we double down on our academic support during class time and through PRIDE Time and ASAP to ensure students are successful with additional testing opportunities. Students who qualify for a retake (and their families) will receive an email with information about the retake date as well as the additional support we will provide. Please reach out to your student’s teachers with any questions you may have.
Free Student Bus Pass Program: Did you know that middle school students and high school students attending FCPS are eligible to participate in our Free Student Bus Pass Program. This allows students to ride the Connector, Metro (Falls Church HS, Justice HS, Annandale HS, Davis Ctr and Marshall HS), and Cue buses for free, seven days a week between the hours of 7:00am and 10:00pm. Click here for more information on the program.
Free Live Tutoring Service Available to Annandale Students: Our Atoms Agreement of Determination means that we try, even when it is difficult; do our best; are present and engaged; show up on time; and create goals and strive to achieve them. To support students in demonstrating Determination, a recent W4 lesson shared detailed information about ways students can take control of their own learning, including preparing for retakes and accessing supports such as Tutor.com. We will continue to use W4 lessons to build students skills around self-advocacy and determination. Click here to learn more.
Senior Decision SpotlightSenior Decision Spotlights Wanted: Attention seniors – have you committed to a college or university and would like to be featured in the senior spotlight of the insider? Let us know where you’re headed after high school on this form.
News from the Student Activities OfficeAt 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. To learn more about Annandale's Spring sports programs, check out this week’s “Atoms Athletics and Activities Newsletter." In addition, learn more about Annandale High School Athletics and Activities by visiting their website or the AHS Athletics Twitter page. Please email Brandon Sutphin if you have any questions.
Fall 2023 Sports Tryout Dates: Mark your calendars for Fall 2023 sports tryout dates. Golf tryouts begin on Thursday, July 27 and all other fall sports (football, cheer, field hockey, cross-country, volleyball) will begin on Monday, July 31.
News from Student ServicesCheck out the latest information from the Student Services Department in their weekly newsletter. The newsletter provides important information, important dates, news from the college & career center and class news.
July 10-28 - Summer School Credit Recovery: In the coming weeks, counselors will be having conversations with students about possible summer learning opportunities. For students needing credit recovery, classes will be in person at Marshall High School from July 10-28. For students seeking to earn new credit for a course, the Summer Learning Online Campus will take place from June 26-July 26.
No-Cost Mental Health Teletherapy for Students: FCPS has partnered with Hazel Health to offer virtual mental health services to high school students via live video sessions. Parents/caregivers can connect students virtually with a licensed therapist. Teletherapy services for students are short-term, evidence-based, and culturally-responsive. Teletherapy is available Monday through Friday from 7am-7pm. Hazel Health’s licensed therapists can help students who are experiencing: Mood/behavior changes, lack of motivation, academic stress, grief/loss, anxiety, worry, fears, bullying, sexual identity challenges, challenging peer and family relationships. Visit FCPS’ Teletherapy webpage for details.
News from the PTSACongrats Newly Elected 2023-2024 PTSA Officers! The PTSA is pleased to announce its officers for the 2023-2024 school year, elected at the May 2023 general membership meeting: President - Angela Torres, Vice President Programs - Thurraya Kent, Vice President, Membership - Tammy Murphy, Treasurer - Jose Mercado, Secretary - Andre McGinity.
All Night Grad Celebration - Tickets Now on Sale: The All Night Graduation Celebration (ANGC) provides a safe, chaperoned, alcohol-free and drug-free event for the Class of 2023 to celebrate together one last time. Buy your tickets now for this fun and memorable event. Please contact the ANGC Chair Rheanna Bernard if you have questions or concerns about the All Night Graduation Celebration.
In addition, we want all graduating seniors to have the opportunity to attend the ANGC. Click here to sponsor a senior. All students attending ANGC in the Class of 2023 MUST submit a parental consent form that can be found here. If you purchase your ticket online you do not need to submit a paper copy of the consent form - it is part of the online checkout process.
All Night Grad Party - Volunteers Needed! The success of the All Night Grad Party on June 2 depends on parents of all grades helping out! It is truly a memorable night that you won’t want to miss. There are time slots available to accommodate any schedule, but the true magic does happen overnight. Don’t miss out on supporting our Grads! Sign-up to volunteer today. If you have questions please contact our ANGC Chair, Rheanna Bernard - [email protected]. Don’t miss out on supporting our Grads!
Camp InformationLooking 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!
Registration for all camps can be found HERE. See descriptions of the various camps below. More information can be found at AnnandaleAtoms.net.
Multi-Sport Camp - Rising 2nd-9th Graders - June 20-23 8:30am-3pm ($120): 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 prizes! Campers can bring their lunch or purchase lunch at camp. Hours are 8:30am-3:00pm. For questions about Multi-Sport or Olympics Camps, please reach out to Christopher Bagot.
Olympics Camp - Rising 2nd-9th Graders - June 26-29 8:30am-3pm ($120): This exciting camp features team activities including soccer, volleyball, basketball, touch football, and relay races. Campers will also get a chance to compete and earn medals! Campers can bring their lunch or purchase lunch at camp. Hours are 8:30am-3:00pm. For questions about Multi-Sport or Olympics Camps, please reach out to Christopher Bagot.
Basketball - Rising 4th-9th Graders - July 10-14 9am-3pm ($250): Campers will spend each day focused on developing their basketball skills. They will also receive a report card on their basketball abilities, a t-shirt, and a chance to win trophies. Campers can bring their lunch or purchase lunch at camp. Hours are 9:00am to 3:00pm. For questions about Basketball Camp please reach out to Jerome McAvoy.
Girls Field Hockey/Lacrosse - Rising K-9th Grade - July 10-14, July 17-21, & July 24-28 8am-3pm ($120): For new athletes and those who have been playing for years, camp will be a fun-filled day of training, group competition, and surprise activities. Campers should bring their lunch each day except Friday when lunch will be provided. Hours are 8:00am-3:00pm. For questions about Girls Field Hockey/Lacrosse Camp please reach out to Janan Gokturk.
4700 Medford Drive Annandale, VA 22003 | Main Office: 703.642.4100
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