Just one more week to go before winter break! I hope you came to our third General Membership meeting yesterday. I want to thank our speakers Alex Mantel and Michael Johnson, Counselors in Langley’s Student Services Department, for a very detailed and informative discussion on academic advising resources, course selection and keys to academic success. As they discussed, be on the lookout for more information on the upcoming Curriculum Night on Tues, Jan 9.

Student Directories are in! Every year the PTSA provides complementary directories to current members. Don’t miss out and pick up a directory at the next PTSA sponsored event! I want to thank Directory Committee Chair Tonia Powell, who single-handedly worked hard to produce this year’s directory.

A reminder that next Wed, Dec 13 at 9:30 am, School Psychologist Anna Brown and School Social Worker Jordan Payne will hold a parenting discussion on the book Raising a Kid Who Can.

Finally, a reminder that the rescheduled Homecoming Dance is this Sat, Dec 9, 8-10 pm in the school Courtyard.

Have a great weekend!

~ Joy Hohenthaner, PTSA President

Students, don’t miss this Rodeo! Langley’s rescheduled 2023 Homecoming Dance is this Sat, Dec 9 from 8-10 pm in the school Courtyard! Tickets are $20 per student and are on sale during lunch periods this week in the Cafeteria for any students now wishing to attend, cash only. Tickets will not be sold at the door. 

Come join LHS School Psychologist Anna Brown and LHS Social Worker Jordan Payne for an engaging parenting conversation.

They will review the book, Raising a Kid Who Can – Simple Strategies to Build a Lifetime of Adaptability and Emotional Strength, written by local clinical professionals. The book talk will be in the Lecture Hall on Wed, Dec 13 at 9:30 am. 

RSVP to [email protected] if you can attend.

New Family Network (NFN) Winter Social: Families new to the Langley pyramid are invited to join us at the 3rd annual NFN Winter Social at The Union restaurant in downtown McLean (1379 Beverly Rd) on Sun, Dec 10 from 5-7 pm. Food and drinks are available for purchase. Come for an appetizer, dinner and/or drinks, but mainly to socialize with other Langley parents. RSVP here.

New family forum: Save the date! Is your family new to LHS? Did you relocate from another country, state, county or FCPS pyramid? Or from a private school/homeschool program?

Join Director of Student Services Dr. Braden Peterson and the LHS counselors to learn more about next year's course selection prior to Curriculum Night on Jan 9. This New Family Forum will be held Mon, Jan 8 from 9:30–10:30 am in the Lecture Hall. Come early for a coffee social starting at 9 am.

RSVP to LHS Family Liaison Julie Zimmerman Hohl at [email protected].

Welcome rising 9th graders! Langley HS will host an Open House for rising 9th graders (current 8th graders) on Sun, Jan 7 from 2-4 pm. The program will start with a brief welcome and overview of the school in the auditorium. Then there will be a guided tour of the building led by one of our students.

Forward this to any 8th grade families you know! They should RSVP for the Open House here by Jan 1.

Save the date! Our 5th Annual Bands on the Run 5K is on Sun, Apr 21 at 8 am!

This event is open to the entire community and benefits the Langley HS and Cooper MS bands. Friends and family of Langley, Cooper and the elementary schools of the Langley pyramid are especially invited. All ages are welcome. Run the course like a pro or walk the course with a friend! Stay afterwards and enjoy live DJ music, refreshments and sponsors’ tables. 

Race registration is $30 for students 6-18 years old and $35 for adults through Feb 2. All participants will receive an official race t-shirt and children 5 and under are free! Sign up here today! 

Attend the 2024 Gap Year Fair to learn about the growing array of gap year opportunities. The fair will provide students with broad exposure to gap year programs that emphasize experiential education and personal growth through travel, language immersion, directed study, outdoor adventure, community service and internships.

The fair is scheduled for Tues, Jan 30, 6-8:30 pm at Marshall HS (7731 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church). The evening begins with “Gap Fair 101” from 6-7 pm and then the Gap Year Fair is 7-8:30 pm.

View the flyer here and follow this link for more info. Click here to register.

Financial Aid Night was held last week at McLean HS. If you weren’t able to attend, presenter Jimmy Mauger of NOVA has provided the slides from his presentation.

Click here to view the slides.

FCPS announced that the school district will be reverting to its former snow days policy for the 2023-24 school year. This decision means there will be no virtual learning days when school is closed due to inclement weather.

Read more on the FCPS website.

High school students are invited to showcase their artistic achievements in the 2024 James C. Macdonald Performing Arts Scholarship Competition. The competition is open to 9th-12th-grade students who reside or attend school in Dranesville Small Tax District 1A. The deadline to apply is Fri, Jan 26.

A $1,200 scholarship prize will be given to first-place winners in each of the following categories: Dance, Theater, Vocal Music and Instrumental Music; second-place winners in all four categories will receive $800; third-place winners will each receive $400. There are no restrictions on the use of the award money. Applicants must be present and prepared to perform in the preliminary round of the competition the week of Feb 5, and at the final competition on Wed, Apr 17 at 8 pm to be eligible to receive an award. 

Info and applications can be found online. A non-refundable, $20 fee is required for each application form submitted. Questions? Contact Alden Youth Theatre Programs Director Danielle Van Hook at [email protected].

Missing a jacket, sweatshirt, lunchbox and/or water bottle? It may be in Langley’s very large lost & found collection.

Please stop by the lost and found box located in the cafeteria.

Langley crew virtual info session: Langley Crew is hosting a virtual info session for families interested in joining crew. Hear from the coaches, the board and the captains about what crew is all about. Here is the Google Meet Link to participate on Wed, Dec 13, 7:30-8:30 pm.

Kathleen R. Bogart Ph.D from Psychology Today writes “Do you have ADHD and feel like you are constantly losing track of time? If so, you might be experiencing “time blindness,” or a warped perception of the passing of time.” Here are ways to better manage time.

senior graduation dues: Senior graduation dues are required of all seniors. The funds will be used to pay for your student's cap and gown, and to offset the cost of graduation and related expenses. Click here to submit payment.

sophomore parents, mark your calendars! Our next Class of 2026 Parent Forum is Jan 17 at 9:30 am, location TBD.

freshman parents, save the date! Our next Freshman Class Forum is Jan 12 at 9:30 am in the Lecture Hall.

girls’ state program: Is your daughter in 11th grade and interested in learning more about politics, specifically how our government functions? Do you think that she has the potential of being a leader? If so, the Girls' State Program may be a great fit for her! 

If your child would like to apply for this program, please have them contact Kashima Morrison at [email protected].

Parents and student drivers! With traffic picking up in the area during this busy holiday season, take a few moments to review school bus safety.

Drivers must stop in both directions when a stopped school bus is loading or unloading children, unless separated from the bus by a median. When there is a median, all lanes of traffic following the bus must stop (see configuration 4 in the diagram). It is considered reckless driving - a criminal offense - if you pass a stopped school bus unloading children.

See more about school bus safety on the FCPS website. Help students arrive at school and back home safely each day.

Dec 9: Homecoming Dance, 8 pm

Dec 10: New Family Network Winter Social, 5-7 pm, The Union Restaurant

Dec 12: Choir Concert with Cooper MS, 7 pm

Dec 13: Book Talk Raising a Kid Who Can, 9:30 am, Lecture Hall

Dec 13: Langley Crew Virtual Info Session, 7:30-8:30 pm

Dec 14: Band Concert, 7 pm

Dec 18 - Jan 1: Winter Break

Jan 7: Open House for Rising 9th Graders, 2-4 pm, Auditorium 

Jan 8: New Family Forum, 9:30 am, Lecture Hall

Jan 9: Curriculum Night, 6:30 pm, Auditorium

Jan 11: Saxon Service 

Jan 12: Freshman Class Forum, 9:30 am, Lecture Hall 

Jan 15: Holiday - No School

Jan 17: Class of 2026 Parent Forum, 9:30 am 

Jan 25: End of 2nd Quarter – 2hr early release

Jan 30: Gap Year Fair, 6-8:30 pm, Marshall HS