Last weekend, on Super Bowl Sunday, the Langley administration and the PTSA teamed up to host the 8th Grade Open House. Hundreds of middle school students and their parents attended this event to learn more about the academic and extracurricular opportunities that exist at Langley High School.
Principal Kim Greer and Assistant Principal Jim Robertson conducted an information session in the auditorium, where they highlighted the rigor available as well as the need for a balanced schedule. The rising ninth graders were encouraged to get involved with clubs and sports as a way to become engaged within their new community.
Following the presentation, our knowledgeable student tour guides led the visitors throughout the building, pointing out the expanded library, remodeled cafeteria, career center, weight room and classrooms recently improved by the school renovation. The tours also highlighted the PTSA-funded, beautifully landscaped courtyard and common areas filled with inviting furniture.
The afternoon concluded with a casual reception in Langley Hall. Eighth grade parents and students were invited to mingle and ask questions of high school parent volunteers who were happy to share their knowledge, insights and experiences with them. These “veteran” parents deftly answered a variety of questions and soothed anxieties related to transitioning to high school.
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The collaboration among the administration, parent and student volunteers, and the PTSA, created an informative and enjoyable 8th Grade Open House. Although no one was hoisting the Lombardi trophy at the conclusion of this event, it was a win for the entire Langley High School community.
~ Clare Bradshaw, PTSA President
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Saxon Stage presents performances in both the main theatre and the black box next week on Thurs, Feb 24 and Fri, Feb 25. In the main theatre is the After-Hours club student-written play, Your Carving Footprint. The one-act play, 26 Pebbles, which was our Saxon Stage VHSL competition piece, will be performed in the black box.
your carving footprint synopsis: Your Carving Footprint is an immersive one-act conservationist comedy about acting against the inevitable. Teenage couple, Bobbi and Simon, have one hour left at their spot until Bobbi's parents’ construction company tears down Zone B of the South Valley Parkland Forest. Before sunrise dawns, Bobbi and Simon must discover if it's best to sit and wait for fate to take over or try and control the uncontrollable. This interactive play of petition signing, tree stabbing, and paper airplane projectiles brings a natural disaster to the Saxon Stage!
26 pebbles synopsis: On December 14, 2012, a gunman walked into Sandy Hook Elementary School and killed 26 innocent souls before taking his own life. These 26 innocent deaths, like pebbles thrown into a pond, created ripples and vibrations that were felt far beyond the initial rings. This is the story of those vibrations. Similar in style to The Laramie Project, 26 Pebbles is a heartbreaking and riveting docudrama. Playwright Eric Ulloa conducted interviews with members of the community in Newtown and crafted them into an exploration of gun violence and a small town shaken by a horrific event.
Your Carving Footprint will be in the black box at 7 pm and 26 Pebbles in the main theatre at 7:45 pm both days. Purchase tickets at the door: Your Carving Footprint ($5 for students, $10 for adults) and 26 Pebbles (pay what you can).
Come to both or go to one, that's up to you!
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new year, new opportunity: Join our Langley PTSA team! The PTSA Nominating Committee is hard at work finding wonderful volunteers to fill various chair positions for our committees for next school year. Click here to read more about each opportunity and/or receive more info from the Nominating Committee. Questions? Contact Kristen Simko at kristen.simko@gmail.com.
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got your printed directory? All PTSA members should have received a printed directory at this time. If your student did not bring one home for you, and you have confirmed that it is not hiding at the bottom of his/her backpack, contact Clare Bradshaw at crbradshaw@verizon.net to obtain one.
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counselor appreciation: The PTSA served up gratitude to Langley's student services staff last week for Counselor Appreciation Week. They feasted on BBQ and enjoyed sweet treats to commemorate their Olympic-sized heroism this year.
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Congrats to these Langley Winter Sports Athletes who were designated for All-District honors!
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Girls Indoor track (first team)
Katie Finkelman
Lila Waters
Hala Gilbert
Elena Pesavento
Lili Pesavento
Corrine Jaggard
Gymnastics (first team)
Julia Stout
Sofia Bacha
Ella Smith
Arwen Jones
Wrestling (first team)
Josh Mun
Jalmari Viitasalo
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Swim and Dive
Claire Vroom (1st)
Matteo Vasiliadis (1st)
Jacob Lee (2nd)
Dan Coughlin (2nd)
Alyssa Webb (2nd)
Girls basketball
AB Holsinger - District POY
Caitlyn Shumadine (1st)
Olivia Walke (2nd)
Anya Rahman (2nd)
Boys basketball
Amr Areikat - District POY
Ryan Bradshaw - HM
Brendan Mansinne - HM
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Abbreviations: 1st = first team, etc., POY = Player of the Year, HM = Honorable Mention.
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saxon service is tomorrow: Would your student enjoy taking a break from the classroom to work on a fun community service project? Encourage your student to participate in Saxon Service tomorrow, Feb 18, in the Cafeteria during Langley Links. To register, students just need to scan the Saxon Service QR codes posted on signs around the school.
Students who participate in Saxon Service earn one hour of service time. Projects include crafting origami cranes for hospitalized patients, making dog and cat toys for animals in shelters, coloring/writing cards to active-duty military and creating polar fleece blankets for the homeless. These enjoyable, hands-on activities facilitate stress-reduction as the students focus their energies on helping others.
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empty cereal boxes needed: Langley's Community Service Club is collecting empty cereal boxes, which will be used to make necklaces for a Haitian charity. Cereal boxes should be completely empty. Feel free to break the boxes down and fold flat for easy transport.
Boxes can be dropped off in the bin in the College and Career Center. The next Saxon Service event will be during Langley links tomorrow!
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Students, is there something you’d like to ask FCPS Superintendent Scott Brabrand? Mark your calendars for Mar 9 at 7 pm, when the McLean Citizens Association Education Committee will host a night to meet with Dr. Brabrand. This event is currently scheduled to be in-person at the McLean Community Center and registration is not required. This is a unique opportunity to ask questions of education policy. Come with your questions!
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Each summer, many Langley students take the required FCPS Economics and Personal Finance course in a self-directed, pass/fail, online format in order to free up an elective period at LHS. The course is accessed through Schoology and includes 14 interactive modules, 140 exit tickets and a final exam.
Registration is open for the two sessions, which run from Apr 18-June 17 and from June 27-July 29. Click here to register and for more info.
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28 days project: Join the DEI committee via Zoom next week, on Thurs, Feb 24 at 7 pm for our final speaker in the 28 Days of Equity series. Dani Butler of Equality VA will be talking about her own life story and experiences with the hope of starting meaningful conversations and fostering deeper understanding of the LGBTQ + landscape. We welcome Langley parents and students to this event. To register, fill out this form. We will send the link on Feb 24.
Have you checked out our themed list of short readings, videos, and podcasts from the 28 Days of Equity Awareness project? You can find info on all DEI events and the 28 Days list on the PTSA website.
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art exhibit: Langley students are invited to get creative for an upcoming art exhibit: DIVERSEartLANGLEY, sponsored by the Langley DEI committee.
You don’t have to be taking an art class to enter: We’re accepting art submissions from anyone with an idea to express. Submissions can be in any of the seven art forms: painting/drawing, sculpture, literature (short stories) music, dance, theater/cinema, architecture, and should answer any (or all) of these questions:
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Diversity: What does diversity look like in my community?
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Equity: What does equity mean to me?
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Inclusion: Are you able to be your authentic self and still be safe and accepted? (Do you feel like you have to code switch?)
Exhibit will be held Thurs, Mar 24, beginning at 6 pm. Prizes will be awarded to the top three submissions. Questions? See the PTSA website.
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Bring your treasures to sell and benefit the Class of 2022 All-Night Grad Party (ANGP)! Rent a space and become a vendor at the Langley Spring Community Yard Sale & Craft Fair on Sun, Mar 27 from 8 am - 2 pm at LHS. The standard selling space (2 parking spaces) is $30. Larger spaces are available. Vendors must provide their own tables, display racks, and tents/covering. Pre-register online here!
This community event provides local businesses, community artists, and those with yard sale items a venue to display and sell their items. Langley clubs, organizations, and teams are encouraged to use this event to fundraise for themselves. Vendor fees and individual donations go towards helping the Langley Class of 2022 ANGP, while participating vendors keep all profits they earn.
Many volunteers will be needed on the day of the event. Community service hours will be offered. More on this soon!
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join in langley's book talk! |
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Looking for your next great read? In anticipation of best-selling author Julie Lythcott-Haims' visit to McLean in April to present the talk Throw out the Checklisted Childhood: Tips and Strategies for Raising Successful Kids, Langley's School Psychologist Anna Davis and School Social Worker Catherine Kennedy will host a Langley parent book club on Julie's most-acclaimed book, How to Raise an Adult, on Mar 23, 11 am, in the Lecture Hall. They'll share their thoughts on the aspects of the book that are especially relevant to Langley families. Click here to purchase the book from Amazon.
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Andrew Scronce, or Scronce Sensei as he prefers, has been a World Language teacher at LHS for 15 years where he specializes in Japanese. A native of Hallowell, Maine, Scronce Sensei got his undergraduate degree at Gettysburg College, studied at Kansai Gaidai in Japan and received his master’s in Japanese Literature from UMASS. He has a wife, Erin, who works at the World Bank, and two children, Evie and Arthur.
Scronce Sensei currently teaches Japanese 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and AP Japanese. He decided to become a teacher because he had so many great teachers in his life; he wanted to see if he could affect kids in the same way. He also likes a challenge - and being a high school teacher was one of the most challenging things he could imagine.
Scronce Sensei has led 3 trips from Langley to Japan and is waiting for a chance to lead the next one. He also coached the National Japan Bowl team that placed in the top 3 last year and previously won as the best school in the nation. Langley is known to have one on the best Japanese programs in the country.
~ Saxon Scope Reporter
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spring sports tryouts: Spring tryouts begin Mon, Feb 21. If your student is planning on participating in a spring sport, complete these steps prior to trying out for a team:
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Register at the new FCPS Athlete Registration Website. Registration must be done each year. Click here to register your child.
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Complete a physical after May 1, 2021. The physical must be done on the official VHSL form found here. Send the completed VHSL form to langleyathletics@fcps.edu.
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Check each respective team's site on the Langley Sports website for tryout information.
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covid protocols for student athletes: FCPS highly encourages all student athletes to be vaccinated for the spring athletic season, where all sports are held outside. During the spring athletic season, unvaccinated student athletes will not be required to participate in weekly surveillance testing but will be required to follow all CDC protocols pertaining to isolation and quarantine for COVID positive persons and close contacts.
Students who are unvaccinated and exposed to the virus as close contacts or become positive will miss both their sporting activities and valuable learning time in the classroom as they will need to follow the protocols for quarantine and isolation as outlined by the CDC.
Questions? Contact the FCPS Office of Student Activities and Athletics at FCPSSAAP@fcps.edu.
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hockey: Playing in front of a packed and boisterous crowd, Langley hockey shut out Mclean 3-0 last Friday night. Junior Kameron Khazai, assisted by sophomore Noah Scheinerman, scored the first Saxon goal just 5 minutes into the game. With 3 minutes left in the 1st period, senior Max Moser put in a second Saxon goal, with an assist by sophomore Andrew Abouslieman. Neither Langley nor McLean was able to score in the 2nd period despite both teams playing a high-tempo, aggressive game. Within minutes of the start of the 3rd period, senior Eric Bellino scored after grabbing a rebound that freshman Alex Oehm had bounced off the McLean goalie's pads. The referees, however, waived the goal off, much to the disappointment of Langley's fans.
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Unwilling to give up a third goal, senior Mike Kuligowski, assisted by sophomore Pete Kuligowski, scored on the next play. Langley freshman goalie Harrison Smith achieved his first high school shut out, blocking all 19 Highlander shots on goal. Both teams played well, but Langley was able to come out on top. What a great end to the regular season!
Saxon hockey doesn't have much time to celebrate as the team faces Flint Hill in the first round of post season play this Fri, Feb 18, at 6:10 pm. Come out to SkateQuest and cheer on the team!
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… Diana Hill, Ph.D., from Psychology Today writes, what happens when your “I just need to get through today” lasts longer than “today.” Here are four ways to help shift from “getting through it” to “getting into it.”
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Read below for class news. Click the green class buttons to go to each class's webpage.
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grad fee: The graduation fee of $50 has been set by the school. This is a mandatory fee for families. If this fee is not paid, it will be listed as an obligation towards the end of the year. Students will not receive their cap, gown, or graduation tickets until the fee has been paid off. To pay the fee, pleas log onto MySchoolBucks and filter by student fees.
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donations wanted: Please consider making a Junior Class donation. This can be done by selecting the Class Donation icon on MySchoolBucks.com. Due to Covid restrictions, our class is behind in meeting its fundraising goals. These funds are used for Treat Days and to offset Senior Year expenses and ANGP.
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college case studies: Save the date! College Case Studies Night will be held Thurs, Apr 14 at 7 pm. Our hope is to host this in person!
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tips for talking to your kids: We all want to keep current with our kids' lives, and it can be challenging to get kids to open up. Whether it's little things like knowing how their day was or big things like raising concerns for their well-being, it can be hard to get the conversation flowing.
On Mon, Feb 28 from 7-8 pm, McLean's Safe Community Coalition (SCC) will host a one-hour virtual program dedicated to family communication with local mental health professionals Mimi Weisberg and Heather Tedesco. They’ll use this article from The Washington Post as a jumping off point to share concrete tips and strategies for connecting with your kids through conversation.
The free program is open to all and the link can be found on the SCC website.
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raising successful kids: SCC is helping to bring best-selling author Julie Lythcott-Haims to town to present the talk Throw out the Checklisted Childhood: Tips and Strategies for Raising Successful Kids on Apr 26, 7 pm at Temple Rodef Shalom in McLean. Ms. Lythcott-Haims is a renowned speaker, former corporate lawyer and Stanford Dean, and author of the best-seller How to Raise an Adult.
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mcc call for youth candidates: Want to be a leader? Want to earn valuable community service and outreach experience? Run for a seat on the McLean Community Center governing board! MCC is looking for high school students who wish to serve the community by playing a leading role in helping to carry out MCC's goals.
The board includes two youth seats, one each from LHS and McLean HS, and youth members serve a one-year term. Completed petition packets are due to MCC by Fri, Mar 11 at 5 pm. Requirements and info are on the MCC website.
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paying for college virtual workshops: Parents of 9th, 10th and 11th graders tare invited to tune in on Thurs, Feb 24 at 7 pm to learn about the cost of attendance, financial aid, financial need and more. Click here for information. Questions? Contact questions@collegeaccessfairfax.org.
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instruction 2 industry: Today from 4-8 pm is the last session in the virtual career webinar series hosted by FCPS. This series highlights career clusters, including Arts, Audio/Video Technology and Communications; Government and Public Administration; Health Science; Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics and more.
This regional event connects students to more than 100 local industry professionals to learn about work-based learning opportunities, career planning support sessions, postsecondary education and training and more. Click here for more info and to register. Questions? Email workbasedlearning@fcps.edu.
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cte summer academy: Are you interested in coding, marketing, robotics or animal care? FCPS has an opportunity for students to explore these areas and many more through the Career and Technical Education (CTE) Summer Academy. Students in grades 7-11 can dive deeper into CTE program areas, develop new skills and explore future careers.
Space is limited! Registration is on a first-come basis until seats are filled. Click here for more info and to register.
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health and safety guidance: With so much new and updated information available for schools and families due to the current COVID-19 surge and recent CDC changes, the FCPS Health and Safety Guidance Document is your source for the most up-to-date information.
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vaccines: Teens ages 12-17 years old are eligible to get a Pfizer booster shot. Click here for further guidance on booster shots.
To make an appointment, click here or call 877-VAX-IN-VA. Walk-ins may also be available depending on the site.
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testing: Drive-through COVID-19 diagnostic testing is available for all FCPS students and staff who are experiencing symptoms or have been in close contact with someone diagnosed with COVID-19. Testing is also a step in the return to school process following illness or exposure. Click here for locations and schedules. Appointments are not required, but families must register here before testing. Click here for more info.
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Feb 21: President’s Day Holiday – No School
Feb 21: Spring Sports Tryouts Begin
Feb 24: DEI Virtual Pyramid-wide Event, LGBTQ+ community speaker, 7 pm
Feb 24-25: Saxon Studio, 7 pm
Feb 28: SCC webinar “Tips for Talking to Your Kids,” 7 pm
Mar 3: Pre-Assessment Wind Symphony Concert, 7 pm, Auditorium
Mar 3: Two-Hour Early Release
Mar 4: Student Holiday
Mar 9: PTSA General Membership Meeting & Principal Coffee Q&A, 9 am
Mar 10: Pre-Assessment Band Concert, 7 pm, Auditorium
Mar 15: Pre-Assessment Choral Concert, 7 pm, Auditorium
Mar 21: College Admissions Discussion with Jeff Selingo, 7 pm
Mar 23: Family Network Book Club, 11 am
Mar 27: ANGP Yard Sale & Craft Fair, 8 am - 2 pm
Mar 31: End of Third Quarter – Two Hour Early Release
Apr 26: SCC Discussion with Julie Lythcott-Haims, 7 pm, Temple Rodef Shalom
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Join the LHS PTSA! Click Here.
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LHS PTSA eNews Editors
Gary Coetzee, Ghida Damirji, Michelle Francis, Helen Miller and Amy Prewett
Stephanie Maxwell (Technical Advisor)
Amy P
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.
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