langley eNews
April 8, 2021
from the president
Welcome back! I hope you had a great spring break and are ready for action as we enter the final quarter of the school year. While our students and teachers get back into their routines, PTSA is doing the same. We have a lot going on in the weeks ahead, with programming and events for parents and students alike. Mon, April 12 is particularly event-filled, as we kick off Career Connections, our first-ever virtual student career fair, a revival of weekly Saxon Parents Walk & Talk on the Langley track, and an evening DEI committee virtual meeting for interested parents. On Tues, April 13 at noon, tune in to A Brighter 2021: Ending the School Year Strong, a virtual presentation by author and consultant Ana Homayoun and sponsored by Safe Community Coalition. With so much going on, we’re sure to end the school year strong! Read on for the details on all this and more.

~ Kitty Gonzalez, PTSA President
langley career fair
Langley’s newly revamped and all-virtual Career Connections is excited to announce a line-up that includes over 35 remarkable professionals! The event is this Mon, Apr 12 from 10 am-1 pm via Blackboard Collaborate and is open to all grades. Students should sign up via Schoology using access code: VF6S-QMJ3-QCK53. Just by signing up, they will be automatically registered for a chance to win a gift card!

At the event, students will have a front row seat to presenters including a medical epidemiologist, a local NBC news reporter, a fashion expert, a cloud engineer and a vice-president from the Washington Football Team. Don’t miss out on this wonderful Career Connections event!
saxon parents walk & talk
Saxon Parents Walk & Talk is back! Stroll around the LHS track and connect with others in the Langley parent community on Mondays at 1:30 pm starting Apr 12. Park in the rear of the Langley parking lot, and we'll meet up on the track. Masks are required. 

Plan to join us on Apr 12, Apr 19, Apr 26, May 3, May 10, May 17 and May 24. Check the PTSA Twitter feed for any weather-related cancellations @LangleyHS_PTSA.
dei committee meeting
Please join the LHS PTSA Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee for a virtual meeting on Mon, Apr 12 at 7:30 pm. We’ll be setting goals for the end of this year and moving into 2021-22, and we’re eager to include all voices in this conversation. Fill out this form to RSVP, and on Apr 12 we'll send out a meeting link.
music noteables
all-virginia band, chorus, and orchestra: Spring is the time of year when music students compete for spots in All-Virginia Band, Chorus, and Orchestra. This year, students had to have previously placed at the district or region level and then completed a highly competitive video audition process. Students will participate in virtual concerts later this year. Congrats to Langley's delegates!
All-Virginia Band
Justin Bahr, Trumpet; Melanie Chuh, Flute; Beth Johnston, Trumpet;
Muriel Wallach, Tuba; Amanda Yo, Flute; Austin Zhang, Clarinet

All-Virginia Chorus
Delegates: Brandon Edgerly, Bass 2; Maggie Worden, Alto 2
1st Alternates: Leland Hao, Tenor 2; Shriya Iyer, Alto 2; and Ryan Jones, Tenor 1

All-Virginia Orchestra
Otto Janke, Viola section; Alyssa Kim, 1st Violin section

In addition, Alyssa Kim was selected to lead the orchestra as Concertmaster, which means she was the top-rated violinist in the entire state of Virginia!
rotary club music competition: Langley students took the top spots in the Great Falls Rotary Club Music Competition!

Alyssa Kim – 1st Place, Violin
Sankrith Ramani – 2nd Place, Piano
Lily Chopus – 3rd Place, Vocal

Alyssa will now compete at the District Level. Congrats to all students who participated!
schoology input
Students, tell FCPS what you think about Schoology in a confidential 20-30 minute focus group on Apr 19 at 3 pm. Parents, please fill out this consent form in advance.

Thank you to those who already gave input to help improve Schoology! Your comments were shared anonymously with the FCPS technology implementation team that is working to prepare for the system-wide rollout for next year. The more feedback that is received, the better Schoology will be next year.
webinars
safe community coalition: The SCC is hosting A Brighter 2021: Ending the School Year Strong, a virtual presentation by author and consultant Ana Homayoun on Apr 13 at noon. Ms. Homayoun will offer practical strategies to support students socially, emotionally and academically in the midst of remote and hybrid schooling. Click here for more info and to register. 
substance abuse prevention: Kelly Rankin, Langley's Substance Abuse Specialist, will present “Drug Trends: Identifying Common Household Items and Drug Culture” on Apr 22 at 12 pm and 7 pm. This is the last of a three-part series to build awareness and arm parents with knowledge and tools to identify early signs of substance use, as well as discuss parents’ role in prevention and how to have effective conversations with teens about addiction. Click here to join either session. Questions? Contact Ms. Rankin at krankin@fcps.edu or 703-287-2744.
tracking service hours
Saxons, are your service hours up to date and approved? Log on to your x2VOL account through Naviance to make sure. Students earning 40 or more hours of service during their four years in high school receive the Service Learning Cord, to be worn at graduation. Visit the LHS website for instructions on tracking hours. All service hours must be verified by an adult (parents can verify during COVID) before they can be approved. Questions? Contact Mrs. Shomaker at enshomaker@fcps.edu.
saxons, did you know ...
use for the Saxons did you know blurb. stays small on the mobile view.
… Alex Pattakos Ph.D. from Psychology Today writes, “The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has put life into perspective, to be sure, and, importantly, has challenged us to identify and focus on what really matters. The basic prescriptions for better health and a more meaningful life have not changed much over time. We just need to follow the path the ancient Greeks have laid out for us!" Read the full article here.
class notes
Read below for class news. Click the green class buttons to go to each class's webpage.
senior prom: Save the date for Senior Prom! Langley will host an outdoor “Evening Under the Stars” Senior Prom on Sat, May 1 at the school. To ensure compliance with Virginia’s health and safety guidelines, masks must be worn and students will register for a time slot to attend the event. More details about tickets and signups will be shared soon! Questions? Contact class sponsors Jay O’Rourke at jdorourke2@fcps.edu or Michelle Huang at mihuang@fcps.edu.

fccpta scholarships: The Fairfax County Council PTA (FCCPTA) is awarding five-$500 scholarships to graduating FCPS high school students planning to attend an accredited vocational school or college this fall. Applications are due by Apr 25. Click here for the application and more info. Questions? Contact scholarship@fccpta.org.

betty greer scholarship: Seniors are invited to apply for the Greater McLean Republican Women’s Club Betty Greer Scholarship. This $1,000 scholarship is awarded to a senior residing in the Dranesville District and based on their involvement in Republican activities and academic and other achievements. Deadline is May 1. Click here for the application.
psat 10 exam: Sophomores, the PSAT 10 exam is in-person at LHS on Mon, Apr 19 and begins at 8:20 am. Confirmations were emailed to sophomores parents and students before spring break. Questions? Contact Janice Dabroski at jldabroski@fcps.edu.

class forum: Note that the Sophomore Class Parent Forum scheduled for Tues, Apr 20 at 9:30 am has been cancelled.
fcps career fair
FCPS, along with Arlington Public Schools, invites students to participate in the 2021 Virtual Career Exploration Fair through
synchronous (live) and asynchronous (recorded) sessions and workshops from Mon, Apr 19 through Fri, Apr 30. The event will offer a connection to more than 100 local industry professionals from in-demand career fields.

Students will be able to learn about work-based learning (WBL) opportunities; attend industry panel discussions; take part in mock interviews; attend resumé workshops; and learn about postsecondary education, training, and apprenticeship opportunities. Students also will be able to attend college- and career-ready workshops and information sessions.

For more info and to register, click here. Questions? Email workbasedlearning@fcps.edu.
vote for mcc board student rep
Voting is underway for the McLean Community Center Board, through Sat, May 15. Good luck to the three Langley students running for the LHS slot!

Ivy Chen, Rowan Johns and Charlotte Loving each have written very thoughtful application statements. Click here to read their statements and for details about voting.
math curriculum changes
There are three more info sessions on the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) plan to equitably redefine mathematics course options to make them relevant to students' postsecondary plans. Click here for an infographic on the initiative.

Sessions will be live-streamed on Youtube here at 6:30 pm on these dates:

  • Apr 13 - How Does VMPI Affect VA Children’s Futures?
  • Apr 27 - Essential Concepts in Grades 8-10
  • May 25 - Advanced Pathways in Grades 11-12

All session recordings will be posted on this VDOE webpage. Submit questions or comments using this form or via email to vdoe.mathematics@doe.virginia.gov.
award opps
art: The Congressional Institute invites high school students to submit art entries to its annual contest. Winning works are displayed for one year at the US Capitol. Entries are due Apr 30. Click here for the rules and more info.

In another art competition, the 60th Anniversary National Student Art Competition, sponsored by the White House Historical Association, invites student submissions on the theme The White House: An American Story. Entries are due May 21 (new date) and will be judged in three grade level categories: K-3, 4-8 and 9-12. Click here for more info.
community service: Innerview, a national platform that facilitates and promotes student service, offers national community service awards. There are awards at different levels of service -- 20, 40 and 100 hours. Students can create an Innerview account, provide details and photos from volunteer, philanthropic and leadership activities, and earn recognition. Recommendation letters are not required. The deadline is Apr 15 at midnight.
upcoming events
Apr 12: Langley Career Connections (virtual), 10 am-1pm
Apr 12: Saxon Parents Walk & Talk, 1:30 pm (LHS track)
Apr 12: DEI Planning Meeting (virtual), 7:30 pm
Apr 19: Sophomore Class PSAT (LHS), 8:20 am
Apr 19: Saxon Parents Walk & Talk, 1:30 pm (LHS track)
Apr 22: Substance Abuse Prevention Series Part 3 (virtual), 12 pm or 7 pm
Apr 26: Saxon Parents Walk & Talk, 1:30 pm (LHS track)
May 1: Senior Prom
Join the LHS PTSA! Click Here.
LHS PTSA eNews Editors
Michelle Francis, Stephanie Maxwell, Helen Miller and Amy Prewett
Amy P
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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.