February has disappeared in a flurry of school holidays and, well, flurries of another sort! I hope that March brings us an
early spring, and, please, no more snow days or late starts ... after tomorrow?
Looking ahead, there are two great opportunities to gather information about our FCPS schools. Plan to attend the
March 12 PTSA meeting for a presentation on the
FCPS Capital Improvement Plan, which outlines
projected population growth, long-term planning for facilities, and
potential boundary changes. This meeting will include a discussion of
Langley’s under-enrollment and the potential impact on our school’s staffing, programming and boundaries. Guest speaker
Janie Strauss, the Dranesville District School Board representative, along with
Principal Greer, will address issues of growth and management of resources in county schools. Join us on
Tues, March 12 in the
Langley Lecture Hall at 9:30 am.
On
Tues, March 5, at 7 pm, FCPS Superintendent
Scott Brabrand, EdD, and
Rep Strauss will speak at the
Mclean Community Center. The event will focus on
mental health, academic pressure and the
vision for schools in McLean and Great Falls.
Bring your students, as they will be given priority to ask questions.
~ Patty Burgess, PTSA President
|
|
dangers of impaired driving
|
|
Langley and the PTSA is partnering with Fairfax County Police to present the
Dangers of Impaired Driving program for all juniors and seniors. Kids will learn about the dangers of
underage drinking as well as those posed by
driving while impaired by alcohol or distraction. They will wear goggles that mimic the effects of impairment as they try to conduct simple and complex tasks, including
"driving" a wheelchair with a passenger and participating in a
mock sobriety check with Fairfax County police officers.
Dangers of Impaired Driving was formerly known as
Spring Alcohol Awareness Program but it has been expanded to include the
dangers of texting while driving.
The program is next
Wed, March 20 and
Thurs, March 21 during the school day. Since we have 1000 students participating in this important program,
we need a lot of adult help. We would appreciate at least 10 volunteers from approximately
7:45-11:15 am and from
11 am-2:55 pm each of the two days; you are welcome to volunteer all day or just half a day. Sign up to volunteer
here. If you have questions, feel free to contact
Betsy Shomaker at
enshomaker@fcps.edu,
Julie Hohl at
jzbhohl@verizon.net, or
Kelly Rankin at
krankin@fcps.edu.
|
|
Students from 22 schools have been named recipients of the 2019 Student Peace Awards of Fairfax County, designed to recognize young people who work as peacemakers. Langley’s winner is
Sumaiya Haque, who organized a team to conduct a
Snapshot Project in Bangladesh. In her project, cameras were provided to children who could then
tell their own stories through visual images, while building self-confidence. Recipients will be recognized at a reception on
March 10 at the
Sherwood Community Center in Fairfax. (
You can find more info on the project in the next article.)
|
|
The Langley community is invited to the 100Cameras Snapshot Dhaka Gallery Event on
Wed, March 20 from
6-9 pm, hosted by the
Langley National Art Honor Society and the
Photography Club.
100Cameras Snapshot Dhaka is an arts initiative in which two students from Langley,
Sumaiya Haque and
Ananya Amirthalingam, together with two kids from TJHSST, traveled to Bangladesh in the summer of 2018 to share their love for photography with local children. Working with the nonprofit organization
Teach for Bangladesh, they conducted a two-week workshop for 25 children aged 8-15, teaching them
photography composition and techniques, as well as storytelling. Over the course of the project, the Bangladeshi students took many beautiful photos, which will be
displayed at LHS.
Part of
Youth Art Month, this gallery event will also function as a
silent auction for prints of the photography.
Proceeds raised from the event will be directed back to our Bangladeshi students, ideally in the form of
higher-education scholarships. Light refreshments will be served.
If you want to learn more about the project, the team and the journey, visit the project
website. And, if you’d like a sneak peak of some student photos, visit the online
gallery. Feel free to contact faculty liaison
Ryan Jackson at
rnjackson@fcps.edu with any questions.
|
|
saxons skate for the title!
|
|
The Langley Ice Hockey Team has knocked off the #2 and #1 seeds in succession and will
skate for the NVSHL championship this
Fri, March 1 at
8 pm at the
Ashburn Ice House. After beating the Oakton Cougars 6-1 last Fri, the Saxon skaters
upset #2 seeded Stonebridge 3-1 to advance to the
NVSHL Final Four on Wed night, where the Saxons
held off #1 seed Chantilly 3-2. Paint your face, put on your Saxon horns and come support your
seniors Max Campbell, Christian Tschampel, and
Stan Kolodin in their quest for another upset.
#wewanthecup
|
|
langley band performs at carnegie hall
|
|
The Langley Bands had a fun-filled and event-packed three-day trip to New York City last week, highlighted by an outstanding performance in
Carnegie Hall on Feb 18. Langley’s concert performance was part of the
Distinguished Concert International Series, which invites accomplished band, orchestral and choral groups to perform at Carnegie Hall. It goes without saying that the Langley band did not disappoint, and they
played magnificently to a nearly sold-out house!
Congratulations to the band, Director
Doug Martin and Assistant Director
Kyle Harrington!
|
|
angst screening & discussion - tonight!
|
|
Come to
LHS tonight at 7 pm for a viewing of the IndieFlix original film
Angst: Raising Awareness Around Anxiety in the
Auditorium. Featured in the documentary are students affected by anxiety, mental health professionals and mental health advocate
Olympian Michael Phelps, who share their stories and provide insight into a topic that challenges many students.
Following the movie, a
panel discussion will feature
Jennifer Weaver, founder of the McLean-based psychotherapy practice Weaver and Associates, and
Adrian Brown, a psychiatrist in McLean and professor at Georgetown U Medical Center. Rounding out the panel will be
Donna Barnsley, clinical social worker, and
Deb Lane, school psychologist, both in Langley’s Student Services Dept. The event is
free and recommended for adults and students
6th grade and up.
|
|
Anxiety can be a very persistent master!
When it moves into families, it can take over daily routines, schoolwork, bedtime/sleep and even recreation.
Langley
and the
Safe Community Coalition
invite you to attend these two events, which highlight an acclaimed book, its authors, and
concrete strategies to prevent and control anxiety
.
discuss the book:
Join
Principal Greer
on
Mon, March 18 at 12 pm
in
Langley's Lecture Room
for a discussion on
Anxious Kids, Anxious Parents: 7 Ways to Stop the Worry Cycle and Raise Courageous and Independent Children
,
by
Reid Wilson
and
Lynn Lyons
. With anxiety at epidemic levels among youth, the book provides practical strategies that parents and educators can use to
break the cycle of anxious worrying
.
Click
here
to purchase the book through Amazon. Bring a brown bag lunch. Drinks and dessert are provided.
meet the author:
Lynn Lyons is a nationally recognized licensed clinical social worker, psychotherapist and speaker as well as co-author of
Anxious Kids, Anxious Parents
.
As part of the Safe Community Coalition’s year-long focus on anxiety in youth, come hear Lyons on
Mon, Apr 1 at 7 pm
at the
McLean Community Center’s Alden Theater
.
Lyons will discuss
strategies
that parents and educators can use with youth to handle anxiety now, and also to
help prevent anxiety and depression from developing
later in life. Tickets are $25 and are available
here
. Books and DVDs will be available for purchase at the event.
|
|
Those who can support Langley's courtyard fundraising at the highest level -- $1,000 and up -- are called
Courtyard Benefactors. Becoming a Courtyard Benefactor means your family name (or business name) will be included on a
wall plaque listing premium donors, adjacent to the Langley Legacy Tree. As a bonus, we'll
engrave up to six complimentary Legacy Tree leaves for our Courtyard Benefactors -- enough to pay tribute to your student and also a favorite friend, sport, activity, teacher, and coach! (Note: the PTSA is a 501(c)(3) organization and can receive
tax-deductible donations.)
If that's not the donation level you're looking for, there are
many options
to consider.
Langley Legacy Tree
giving levels
are copper leaf ($50), silver leaf ( $100), gold leaf ($200), or an acorn ($500).
You choose the engraved message!
Donations of all amounts are greatly appreciated and will be used to
transform our courtyards into beautiful outdoor classrooms
.
With enough donations, the completed project will include
trees, a pond, a sensory garden, a rock garden,
and dozens of ways to incorporate hands-on, experiential learning into the school day
To order your leaf
— or leaves! — visit the
PTSA website
. Questions? Email
chrissielavin1@gmail.com
.
|
|
 |
Calling all runners and walkers! The
Bands on the Run 5K Fun Run and Family Fun Walk is coming to
LHS on Sun, March 31, 8 am.
Proceeds of the 5K will benefit the
300-plus students who participate in the
bands at both LHS
and
Cooper MS, including the
curricular bands, various performing concert ensembles, Marching Band, Jazz Band and
United Sound.
The 5K course begins and ends at Langley, and the morning will include door prizes and music!
This event is open to the entire community -- the more the merrier. The
Langley Bands
website has all the details or register
here.
Come run with the bands!
|
|
|
|
THANK YOU to our Inital Sponsors!
Conductor
McLean Artisans – Fine Cabinetry
and Millwork
Drum Major
Tracy Williams, TTR Sotheby’s
International Realty
First Chair
Care of Trees
Case Design/FRED Home Improvement
Monica Gibson, Keller Williams Realty
Joy Custom Design
Skill Builders
Ensemble Player
Bowa
Chain Bridge Bank
LiftMeUp! Therapeutic Riding
Susan Tull O'Reilly, McEarney Associates
Other Donations
Adagio Ballet
The Artisans
Ballet Nova
McLean Giant
Potomac River Running
Reston Limo
Study Pro
TTR Sotheby's
|
|
|
|
…
The New York Times
recently published an
article entitled
“Addicted to Vaped Nicotine, Teenagers Have No Clear Path to Quitting.” Included are stats from the annual
Monitoring the Future survey, noting that
the rise in nicotine vaping was the
largest spike
for any substance recorded by the study
in 44 years. The survey also found that many students believe they are vaping “just flavoring.”
This couldn’t be farther from the truth! Have the conversation as a family about the
dangers of vaping and nicotine addiction. If your teen needs help quitting, consult your pediatrician.
Also, here’s an informative
video featuring
FCPS students talking about their experiences with vaping.
|
|
Real Food for Kids Culinary Challenge
Fri, March 1 and Sat, March 2
It’s the 6
th
annual
Real Food for Kids
challenge!
Adult and student
volunteers
are needed this weekend to assist with this
student culinary competition and showcase
. See individual assignments for description, hours and type of volunteer needed – you can sign up and find more info
here
.
It’s fun for families to attend as well!
Twenty-seven teams from across the metro area will compete. There’s no charge, but you need to register to attend
here
.
|
|
Spring Hill ES Funfair
Sat, March 23
Help is needed with games and activities
, like the frog whomp, cake walk, hair styling, face painting, zoo dip, and so much more! Click
here
to sign up. Make it even more fun by volunteering with your friends! Direct questions to:
springhillptostudentvolunteers@gmail.com
.
|
|
Saxon Time -- Saxon Service
For your calendars, note that the
schedule for the
remaining Saxon Service opportunities has
changed:
March 28 instead of March 21
April 25 instead of April 11
|
|
The LHS
It’s Academic team, led by veterans
Matt Rubin and
Selena Bao, joined by newcomer
Ari Tretiak, spent the morning of
Feb 16 at NBC4 Studios for another exciting taping of the longest-running game show in the US.
Tune in to NBC4 at 10:30 am on April 20 to see Matt, Selena, and Ari represent Langley against
Wootton and
Northwest and find out how our Saxons did.
|
|
Mark your calendars for our last
Senior Parent Coffee on
March 27, 9:30 am in the
Lecture Hall to hear about graduation details and more.
If you still haven’t completed the
FAFSA financial aid form, there will be one more
FCPS workshop to help, on
March 23, from
9 am til noon, at
Justice HS. Register to attend the College Access Fairfax workshops on the
College Access Fairfax
website.
|
|
If you have photos of your freshman with other freshman (not with family or students in other grades), send your photos to our
Dropbox! Have your student send us photos, too. It’s never too early to
contribute to the senior year slideshow.
|
|
award opportunity
Seniors, would you like $1000?
The Virginia PTA is offering $1000 scholarships to high school seniors in Virginia. The criteria include a demonstrated commitment to and engagement in
community service, academic achievement
and
financial need
. Awards look good on applications and resumes, and every little bit of funding helps! The
application deadline
is
tomorrow, March 1
. Click
here
for the application and more info.
|
|
local meetings with county reps
|
|
what’s the budget? Take advantage of this chance to meet and talk with Dranesville District Supervisor
John Foust and County CFO
Joe Mondoro regarding the
county’s
2020 budget. The meeting is at the
Mclean Community Center (1234 Ingleside Ave) tonight:
Thur, Feb 28 at
7 pm.
|
|
meet the super: Come meet and talk with FCPS Superintendent
Scott Brabrand, EdD, and
Janie Strauss. The event will focus on
mental health, academic pressure and the
vision for schools in McLean and Great Falls. Bring the entire family, as students will be given priority to ask questions. The meeting is at the
McLean Community Center on
Tue, Mar 5 at
7 pm.
|
|
Feb 28:
Angst
documentary and panel discussion, 7 pm
Mar 4: Meet the Coach night
Mar 5: Student/Parent Driver's Ed program,
7 pm
doors close
Mar 5: Supt Braband and Rep Strauss at MCC, 7 pm
Mar 11: 3-Hour Early Release
Mar 12: Principal's Coffee/PTSA Meeting, 9:30 am
Mar 12: Band Concert, 7 pm
Mar 13: Choral Concert, 7 pm
Mar 18: Book Discussion, 12 pm
Mar 20: 100Cameras Snapshot Dhaka Gallery Event, 6 pm
Mar 20-21: Alcohol Awareness program
Mar 22: Langley Leap Applications due
Mar 26: Senior Ethics Day
Mar 27: Senior Parents Coffee, 9:30 am
Mar 28: Saxon Service during Saxon Time
Mar 31: Bands on the Run 5K event, 8 am
April 1: Meet the Author event, McLean Community Center, 7 pm
|
|
Langley PTSA Communications Committee:
Stephanie Maxwell, Helen Miller, Jane Riddle, Anne Whipple
The Langley eNews is published by volunteers who present only news that pertains to FCPS, LHS and PTSA. Any opinions expressed therein are those of the submitter and not necessarily those of FCPS, LHS or PTSA.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
