December is typically a busy month, full of winter concerts and other student performances and events at LHS, as well as holiday plans and festivities with family and friends. Although we’re experiencing a very different year, there’s still a lot going on in the Langley community. I hope you’ll take a few moments to enjoy the orchestra’s virtual concert, featuring a selection of film scores beautifully performed and edited solely by the orchestra students.

In these next weeks before Winter Break, there are several meetings and events of interest, including the winter sports meeting tonight. On Monday, there’s a student town hall, an LHS boundary meeting and PTSA’s Together We Can Fight Hunger Food Drive with Share of McLean. On Tuesday, I hope you can make time to meet up with other Langley parents at our last Walk & Talk of the season, and also to attend the webinar on college admissions with NY Times best-selling author Jeff Selingo. Read on to find all the info you’ll need!

~ Kitty Gonzalez, PTSA President

The Langley orchestra debuted its first all-virtual performance last weekend, its Film Composers Concert, a virtual performance produced solely by the orchestra students and featuring a selection of famous movie scores. Click the image below to view the concert, and enjoy! For more info about the concert, click here to view the concert program.

The project was led by senior Riker Wilson and was edited by him along with several other orchestra members: Nabeel Elsanousi, Ellis Gibbons, Otto Janke, Daniel Kalish, Sarah Kim, Robert Kinkead, Nick Liu, Jessica Maebius, Aidan Mousavi, Nikki Razavi, Matvey Shakula, Victoria Wang and Rio Yamazaki. Congrats to the tech team and the whole orchestra!

Congratulations to Langley band members Melanie Chuh, Muriel Wallach and Amanda Yo for successfully auditioning into the Senior Regional Orchestra! 

These three students were selected in an audition process that included all of the finest band musicians from Fairfax, Arlington and Alexandria counties. They’ll move on to audition for the All-Virginia program this spring.

Parents and student athletes, don’t forget to attend the virtual winter sports town hall, led by Director of Student Activities Geoff Noto, tonight, Dec 3 at 6 pm. Check your email today for the link to the meeting, sent via News You Choose. Submit any questions you have via this form.

Principal Greer is hosting a student town hall question and answer session this Mon, Dec 7 at 2 pm. Log-in instructions will be sent out via Schoology that morning.

Questions for the town hall? Use this form to submit them. Deadline for the form is today, Dec 3 at 3 pm.

FCPS is continuing discussions and the process for boundary adjustments between LHS and McLean HS, following on meetings and community feedback from last December. Based on the feedback, FCPS expanded the boundary scope process to include Cooper MS and Longfellow MS. 

FCPS will hold a virtual meeting on the issue this Mon, Dec 7 at 6:30 pm. To join the meeting, click here. At the meeting, FCPS staff will present information and options, followed by virtual breakout rooms where meeting participants can discuss the options. The feedback will be collected and shared with the School Board.

Have you ever sipped fresh roasted coffee? It’s delicious, and also makes a great holiday gift! As a fundraiser, the Langley orchestra partnered with Beanetics, a local coffee roaster, to provide four unique flavors of freshly roasted coffee available in 1 pound bags. It’s perfect for yourself or for gifts.

The coffee is $14/bag and can be purchased as whole beans or ground to your preference. Click here for the order form. Act fast — the deadline is tomorrow, Dec 4! Delivery will be Dec 16-17, just in time for the holidays.

Don’t forget — bring your food drive items for Share of McLean’s fall food drive to the LHS parking lot this Mon, Dec 7, 10:30 am-2:30 pm. Let’s help Share and help our neighbors. Share is currently supporting over 50 local families twice a week with food supplies.

When dropping off items at LHS, look for your grade’s drop-off station in the parking lot (and wear a mask). The grade with the most participants and/or donated food items will be recognized!

Take a selfie in front of the Share banner/truck and submit it on x2vol for an hour of service learning. Want to help? Parent and student volunteers are needed! Click here to volunteer.

Come out for the last Walk & Talk of the season! Meet up with other Langley parents on Tues, Dec 8, 1:30-2:30 pm. 

Park in the back of the LHS parking lot and head to the track (masks required). Check the PTSA Twitter feed for any weather-related cancellations @LangleyHS_PTSA. See you there!

Don’t forget to register! This Tues, Dec 8 at 7 pm is the free, live webinar on college admissions with Jeff Selingo, a best-selling author, engaging speaker and former editor of The Chronicle of Higher Education.

Mr. Selingo’s presentation will be based on his latest book, a New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice, Who Gets In and Why: A Year Inside College Admissions. He’ll discuss insights he’s gleaned from admissions directors, discuss why families should broaden their notion of what is a “good college” and explain how the pandemic will impact admissions.

LHS College and Career Counselor Hannah Wolff will moderate the evening, including audience Q&As. Click here to submit questions in advance. The webinar is hosted by the LHS PTSA and is free and open to parents and students in all FCPS high schools. Click here to register.

Mark your calendars for Jan 11, 2021, when Ms. Wolff will host a discussion group for the Langley community on Mr. Selingo’s book and college admissions.

A leaf for the Langley Legacy Tree makes a great holiday gift! The Legacy Tree, located in the LHS 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 now, 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.

Are you purchasing items on Amazon over the holidays? Langley can benefit while you shop! Just visit smile.amazon.com, then sign in to your account and enter Langley High PTSA as the organization. AmazonSmile offers the same prices, selection and service as Amazon. Don’t forget to update your Amazon phone app. Happy shopping, and thanks for supporting Langley! 

Read below for class news. Click the green class buttons to go to each class's webpage.

caps and gowns: It’s time to order graduation caps and gowns! While many graduation details are yet to be determined, we still need to get the cap and gown orders in. Deadline for this (very short and easy) form is next Fri, Dec 11. Mark your calendars if you haven’t already — the graduation date is set for Wed, June 2, 2021.

yearbook photos: This week is the last chance to have your senior photo included in the yearbook! There’s no charge to sit for the yearbook pose, but you must have an appointment (no walk-ins). Appointment times are between 3:30-8:30 pm this week and are in Langley Hall (door 14). For the yearbook photos, girls, please wear a solid color, dark top and guys, please wear a dress shirt and tie (jacket optional).

To make an appointment if you haven’t already, go to Prestige Portraits or call Lifetouch at 410-644-7700.

upcoming events

Dec 3 & 4: Make-up Senior Portraits, 3:30-8:30 pm (LHS)

Join the LHS PTSA! Click Here.