langley eNews

September 5, 2019

from the ptsa president

Welcome, Saxon families! I hope everyone had a wonderful first week of school and a relaxing and rejuvenating Labor Day weekend! September is here and with that comes a flurry of activities. Our first PTSA General Membership Meeting and Principal Coffee is next Wed, Sept 11 at 9:30 am in the Lecture Hall . This is a great opportunity to hear first-hand from Principal Greer about her plans for the year and what the PTSA has planned, including a review of the PTSA budget and spending priorities. If you have not already joined the PTSA, please do so  here .  Membership is just $25 and includes a printed student directory and online app, which comes in handy when trying to connect with your student's friends and their families. We also ask for donations to help support the wonderful programs and events that benefit all Langley students and staff . Through student programs and guest speakers, staff appreciation and professional development and curriculum support and classroom equipment, your donation helps make our great school even better! Don't forget to check your class website for important information specific to your child's grade and pay your class dues ASAP, to ensure your child receives a class t-shirt, which the entire school will be wearing on Fri, Sept 27 during Homecoming week.  Links to class pages are listed below under Class Notes. Please come to the first home football game this Friday at 7 pm . Encourage your child to grab a friend and come cheer on the Saxons! I hope to see you there as well and look forward to serving as your PTSA President this year. ~ Laura Skeen, PTSA President

principal coffee and PTSA meeting

Our first PTSA general membership meeting of the year is next Wed, Sept 11 at 9:30 am in the Lecture Hall . Connect with friends and neighbors you haven't seen all summer and hear from Principal Greer and the PTSA about their plans for the school year.  Annual budget and board minutes are posted on the PTSA website, click  here to review. Park behind the building in the bus loop area for easy access through Door 9. Can't make it? No worries!  Remote access will be available through this link .

saxon shades fundraiser

Get your Saxon Shades at the first home football game this Fri, Sept 6! Juniors will be selling Saxon sunglasses for $5 as a fundraiser for the Class of 2021. Stop by for your pair and show your Saxon spirit this football season!

saxon service

Langley's first Saxon Service of the year is Wed, Sept 25 . Saxon Service is a unique program offered at LHS that allows students to earn service hours during the school day. Saxon Service occurs on the last Wednesday of each month during Saxon Time, which is after first period classes.   Questions? Contact Betsy Shomaker in Student Services at enshomaker@fcps.edu or 703-287-2723. The rest of this year's Saxon Service dates are: Oct 30, Nov 20, Dec 18, Jan 29, Feb 26, March 25 and April 29.

Parents are needed to support Saxon Service! We have student leaders assigned to each activity, so you are there really as another set of hands. Our activities include several fun activities that provide meaningful support to others, such as: • Making and delivering sandwiches for area individuals who are homeless • Making dog and cat toys • Folding origami cranes for people with cancer • Making cards for active duty military or children in hospitals • Playing freerice.com to help impact world hunger • Knitting blankets for young mothers • Weaving scarves for people who are homeless • Sorting crayons for the Crayon Initiative • Making reusable feminine products for girls living in Third World countries • Creating beads from recycled cereal boxes for children in Haiti Volunteer hours are from 8:30 am-10:30 am on Saxon Service days. To volunteer, contact Betsy Shomaker in Student Services at enshomaker@fcps.edu or call 703-287-2723.

reflections contest

The theme of this year's national PTSA Reflections is "Look Within."  This competition  encourages students to explore the arts and express themselves by providing positive recognition for their artistic efforts .  This is a great way for creative kids to use their talents and earn recognition. Winners go on to regional, state and national level competitions. Entries are due Nov 1 to the Langley front office, but it’s not too soon to start thinking about a project! The categories are: photography, film production, visual art, music composition, literature, dance choreograph y and special arts . Students must be PTSA members to enter the contest. Membership is $5 and they can join here . Additional rules and info are here . Send questions to Sara Koenig at langleyreflections@gmail.com .

ACT and SAT practice

Sophomores and juniors! Before the school year gets too hectic, make time for a practice ACT and SAT . Click the links to register -- the Langley Academic Boosters is hosting a mock ACT on Sat, Sept 21 and a mock SAT on Sat, Sept 28 in a real-test environment and with score reports available afterwards for each test. The event is sponsored by Langley’s Academic Boosters in conjunction with Educational Connections, Inc. Space is limited, so click the registration links above to register now ! Questions? Email langleyacademicboosters@gmail.com .

sports notes

crew : The Langley Crew Booster Club will host its annual Open House on Sept 7, 10 am-1 pm at our boathouse at Sandy Run Park, 10450 Van Thompson Rd, Fairfax Station, VA 22039 .  Come and tour the boathouse , meet the coaches and chat with varsity athletes and their parents. Refreshments will be served. Questions? The Open House flyer has more info or email langleyrowing@gmail.com . See you there!

girls' softball :   Softball Green Days begin Sept 16 at 3:30 pm-5 pm . Please note the eligibility requirements here .  The Langley Softball interest meeting is Thur, Oct 10, 3 pm in Room 2339 . All those interested should attend. Questions? Contact Coach Sharkey at  gfsharks@gmail.com .

swim and dive : The swim and dive interest meeting is Tues, Sept 17 . Come to either session, at 3:30 pm-4 pm or 5:30 pm-6 pm . Both sessions are in the LHS Cafeteria .

girls' field hockey :  Save the date! Field Hockey Youth Night is Sept 25 ! Here are links for the varsity and JV schedules.

news by class

The deadline is Fri, Sept 6 at noon to select your student’s preferred size of Homecoming t-shirt and pay senior class dues . Seniors will wear shirts on Fri, Sept 27 for their Senior Class Photo . Class of 2020 t-shirts will be ordered for and distributed to all seniors. We would like to order every senior their preferred size, but can only order sizes as you indicate by the deadline! The Senior Class Dinner and College Night is Wed, Sept 11 at 6 pm. The College Night program begins at 6:45 pm and is mandatory for all seniors and highly recommended for at least one parent. More details are in the Senior Letter. Class Dinner begins in the Cafeteria at 6 pm. Sandwiches and Salads from Potbelly will be served. Cost is $10/person.   One-stop shopping! Go to  MySchoolBucks to pay Senior Class Dues, order your Homecoming t-Shirt size and pay for the Senior Class Dinner. The Senior Letter summarizes key events and deadlines. The Senior Events Listing puts all key dates for senior year on one page. See the class webpage for information and easy access links.

Junior parents , mark your calendars! Our first Junior Class Parent Forum is Thur, Sept 19, 9:30 am-11 am in the Lecture Hall . Bookmark the class webpage for more information.

Sophomores , o ur first Sophomore Class Parent Forum is coming up on Oct 3, 9:30 am-11:30 am in the Lecture Hall . See you there! Bookmark the class webpage for more information.

Freshmen , s ave the date! Each class holds a class dinner each year, and the Freshman Class Dinner is Tues, Sept 24 , 6:30 pm-8:30 pm in the Cafeteria .  Tickets can be purchased on MySchoolBucks . Bookmark the class webpage for more information.

there's an app for that!

FCPS is introducing a new, free school bus tracking app called Here Comes the Bus .   The app provides timely school bus arrival info through a graphical interface as well as messaging to indicate the bus’s distance from your child’s bus stop for both morning and afternoon bus stops. Learn more and sign up  online .

saxons, did you know …

… Michigan this week became the first state to ban flavored e-cigarettes . The governor took action after health officials declared youth vaping a public health emergency in the state. Read the Washington Post article   here .

school boundary meeting

The FCPS School Board meeting on Sept 12 is expected to include the topic of the McLean HS/Langley HS boundary. Dranesville School Board Member Janie Strauss plans to propose an amendment to the current Capital Improvement Program.  The amendment will instruct school board staff to begin studying a boundary adjustment between McLean HS, and LHS , which are at 116% and 82% respectively. The amendment would need full school board approval on Sept 26 to be implemented.  All are invited to speak at the meeting . The sign-up for the public comment period for the Sept 12 meeting opens on Sept 9 and is posted  here .

local election candidate forums

This November marks the largest local election in Fairfax County in recent years. The PTSA does not take political stances or endorse candidates, but we will occasionally provide notice of important meetings and candidate forums. The following offices are up for the vote this fall: All Members of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors (9) Chair of the Board of Supervisors for Fairfax County FCPS District School Board Members (9) and At-Large Members (3) Fairfax County Soil and Water Conservation District Directors (3) Commonwealth’s Attorney for Fairfax County and Fairfax City Fairfax County Sheriff Virginia General Assembly State Senators (9) and House of Delegates Members (17)  Candidate forums are being sponsored by several non-partisan organizations and will include formal question periods followed by informal meet-and-greets afterwards. Three meetings relevant to our district are:  Candidate Forum for At-Large School Board and Chair of the Board of Supervisors Mon, Sept 23, 7 pm-9:30 pm Fairfax County Government Center  At-Large and Dranesville District Candidate Forum Wed, Sept 25, 7:30 pm Forestville ES Dranesville District Candidate Forum Thur, Oct 17, 7 pm-9 pm McLean Community Center Click here for the complete list of forums.

upcoming events

Sept 7: Tag Day - Band Annual Fundraiser Sept 7: Crew "Learn to Row" Open House, 10 am Sept 11: PTSA Principal's Coffee and PTSA Meeting, 9:30 am Sept 11: Senior Class Dinner and College Night, 6 pm Sept 16: Driver's Ed Meeting, 6:30 pm. Doors close promptly! Sept 17: Swim and Dive Interest Meeting, 3:30 pm or 5:30 pm Sept 19: Junior Class Parent Forum, 9:30 am Sept 21: Practice ACT Sept 24: Freshman Class Dinner, 6:30 pm Sept 25: Field Hockey Youth Night Sept 23-27: Spirit Week Sept 28: Homecoming Sept 28: Practice SAT Oct 3: Sophomore Parent Forum, 9:30 am Oct 10: Softball Interest Meeting, 3 pm

Full calendar LHS website PTSA website PTSA resources eNews info

Langley PTSA eNews Editors Stephanie Maxwell, Helen Miller, Amy Prewett, Jane Riddle Amy P S ubmit items by Tuesday noon for publication on Thursdays to enewslangley@gmail.com      The Langley eNews is published by PTSA volunteers and includes news that pertains to LHS, PTSA and FCPS. Any opinions expressed herein are those of the submitter and not necessarily those of LHS, PTSA or FCPS.