Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a restful and restorative Winter Break. After a busy fall season, I’m looking forward to continuing to work with our exceptional teachers, staff, students and volunteers on the events and initiatives that our PTSA can do to build and engage our Langley community in 2021.

Next week, we have two upcoming PTSA events that I hope you’ll attend. On Jan 11 at 12 pm, LHS College and Career Specialist Hannah Wolff will host a book discussion group on Who Gets In and Why: A Year Inside College Admissions, a bestseller by Jeff Selingo. See below for more info and the link.

On Jan 13, join us at 9:30 am for the next virtual PTSA General Membership Meeting. Principal Greer and Dr. Lindsey Fisher will provide an update on Langley’s Statement of Inclusion and the work that teachers, staff and students are doing on this important subject, and parent volunteer Heather Murphy Capps will discuss the launch of the PTSA’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee. Click here for the meeting link. Links also are posted on the calendar section on the PTSA homepage.

FCPS presented four options to adjust the Langley HS/McLean HS boundary at a virtual community meeting last month. Click here to view the slide deck and community comments, obtained during the meeting and from emails afterwards.

Please email your comments or questions to mcleanboundary@fcps.edu. A FAQs document will be posted on the FCPS website soon and will be updated as more questions come in. FCPS will publish a timeline of the next steps, including when to expect the staff recommendation presentation, next public hearing, and date of voting on the final option.

Langley's ice hockey team has been busy both on and off the ice! In December, the team held a food drive that culminated in its donation and delivery of over 300 pounds of food and personal care items to Share of McLean. Pictured below is the team with just a portion of its items for Share. Way to go, Saxons!

Congrats to Leland Hao and Maggie Worden for being named to the Virginia Music Educators Association Senior Honors Choir! Students went through a rigorous audition process to earn a spot in the choir. A virtual concert is slated for March.

Seniors, would you like to win a $1,000 scholarship? The Virginia PTA honors seniors who have demonstrated a commitment to community service and academic achievement. Click here for the application and info. Applications must be mailed (no electronic submissions) by Mar 1.

All students are invited to submit an entry to the Virginia PTA citizenship essay contest. This year's theme is How can we stand together when we are so far apart? Submissions must be 750 words or more and winners are featured in VAPTA publications. Click here for the rules and entry form. Deadline is Feb 1.

Students must be PTSA members to enter the contests. Click here to join. Student membership is $5.

Don’t forget to register for the virtual mock SAT or ACT by midnight tonight, Jan 7 Once registered, the test will be available to take online for six weeks starting on Sat, Jan 9 at 9 am. Before the test, Princeton Review will email more info and a link to the online classroom. Afterwards, it will send you a comprehensive score report. The practice test is $25 and benefits the Langley PTSA. Register here.

Do you have a Saxon playing a winter sport? Buy a yard sign and support your student-athlete and the Athletic Boosters at the same time! These signs are durable and look great both indoors and out. Don’t wait — the deadline is Tues, Jan 12. Click here to order!

Last chance for underclass photos is Mon, Jan 11, 8:30 am–4 pm. Click here to sign up for a time slot.

Photo packages can be ordered online at mylifetouch. Use ID code EVT9F8SVT. Students will get a photo ID on site and the picture packages will be mailed to their homes. Questions? Contact Kelly Mulligan at kjmulligan@fcps.edu.

Don’t forget! On Mon, Jan 11 at 12 pm, LHS College and Career Specialist Hannah Wolff will host a virtual discussion about college admissions, based on Who Gets in and Why, a bestseller by Jeff Selingo that’s filled with insights gleaned from his year in the trenches with college admissions directors.

Join us for a discussion on topics such as the test-optional choice, applying early decision and creating a balanced list for college apps. All LHS families and staff are welcome — click this Zoom link to join the discussion.

The Model Judiciary Club needs attorney volunteers to help prepare for a criminal case in its upcoming Mock Trial Conference on Feb 13. Ideally, volunteers meet virtually with the club on Wed at 3-4 pm for the next five weeks prior to the conference. Activities include judging practice trials, providing feedback and helping students construct their case.To volunteer, fill out this form and email it to langleymocktrial@gmail.com and Ms. McCommas at csmccommas@fcps.edu.

Students are also needed to join the club and serve as witnesses at the conference on Feb 13. The club meets each week on Wed at 3-4 pm in Schoology, with club code R26Q-J3R3-ZVPRC. Join us — it's fun!

Questions? Contact langleymocktrial@gmail.com.

The PTSA's Summer Opportunities Committee needs your help! This new committee is working to develop resources to help Saxons find internships, jobs or other summer enrichment experiences, especially following students' sophomore and junior years. Working with our College and Career Services Office, the committee aims to contribute to a database of opportunities and launch skills-building sessions for students.

Click here for a survey and share your ideas and any contacts or resources you may have, as well as your student's level of interest in this initiative. Thanks for helping us help our students!

ice hockey: Closing out the calendar year, the Saxons varsity ice hockey team hammered Oakton HS in a resounding 5-1 win on Dec 18. Kudos to Daniel Veretenov, who topped the scoreboard with two goals, and to Callie Cahill, Charlie Tourbaf and Max Veretenov, who each got a puck in the net. The varsity team plays its first game of the new year against Madison HS on Fri, Jan 8. Go team!

The JV players lost a hard fought battle, 4 to 6, to the combined Herndon HS/South Lakes HS team on Dec 12. Lucas Abousleiman led the Saxons with two goals and Jamison Huang and Maxim Starukhin each put one in the net. The JV team returns to the ice on Fri, Jan 15 facing off against the combined Madison HS/Riverside HS team. Good luck, Saxons!

track & field: Langley had a great outing at the opening of the indoor season at the Herndon HS triangular last Saturday. The Saxons won the girls' 200 m relay, swept the boys' 200, 400 and 800 m relays and dominated the boys' 3200 m run and several boys and girls field events. Among the individual highlights, Jack Pino bolted to first place in the boys' 55 m and 300 m dashes and Jackson Ellinger won the 1000 m run. Olivia Walke, Arielle Moore and Elena Pesavento crossed the line first in the girls' 55 m, 500 m and 1000 m runs, respectively. Hail Saxons!

The Legacy Tree, located in the Langley Lobby and across from the Main Office, is a permanent and prominent record of generous courtyard contributors. Choose your engraved message — leaves make wonderful tributes to students, teachers, family and friends.

Buy your leaves, acorns or birds here, and print this tribute note to present to the recipient honored on your leaf. Giving levels are copper leaf ($50), silver leaf ($100), gold leaf ($200) and acorn or bird ($500). Leaves will be placed on the tree as soon as covid-19 restrictions allow.

Your leaf donation will help fund the beautification of the third and final LHS courtyard to be renovated. Many thanks to the hundreds of Langley families who already have donated leaves to the Langley Legacy Tree!

Visit the new Courtyard Legacy Tree page on the PTSA website for more details and a history of the project. Questions? Email chrissielavin1@gmail.com.

Students, did you miss a special teacher over Winter Break? Realize how much you’ve learned this semester? Send a shoutout! Use this form to write a note and the PTSA will transfer it onto a beautiful Super Saxon Shoutout template and deliver it to the recipient within a week of your submission. Send our Langley teachers some love!

The PTSA Langley Cares Fund helps LHS students and families who have acute financial needs. Langley's social worker distributes gift cards for groceries and basic care items with utmost confidentiality, including keeping names of recipients anonymous to the PTSA.

Click here to make a tax-deductible donation. Through your generosity, we hope to aid everyone in the Langley community who needs assistance during this time of economic uncertainty. 

… there are tips to help you stick with your New Year’s resolutions? Harvard Health Publishing posted seven tips to help you create new habits that will stick around. A new behavior won't become automatic overnight, but you'll enjoy some of its benefits pretty quickly. Click here for the tips and more.

FCPS is hosting webinars this month on strategies for students to stay motivated and on college and career planning. Click here for more info and to register for the webinars.

Check out Langley’s Service Learning webpage for a list of virtual service learning opportunities, including many new activities. There are opportunities for all interests, including online, writing, creative and active projects. Questions? Email Mrs. Shomaker at enshomaker@fcps.edu.

upcoming events

Join the LHS PTSA! Click Here.