langley eNews
January 23, 2020
from the ptsa president
Another long weekend next week — woo-hoo!  There are so many ways to enjoy a four-day weekend: a family trip, a college tour with your junior or senior or just time at home to relax or catch up on work. Our students are in the midst of selecting courses for next year , and the extended weekend offers a great opportunity to review and discuss some helpful information provided by Langley staff and FCPS.  

Over the next month, each student will have a one-on-one meeting with their LHS counselor to register for classes . I'd like to highlight two resources  that may be helpful as your student prepares for the counselor meeting. First, FCPS has detailed information on high school class sequencing here. It lists requirements for standard and advanced diplomas and shows potential class sequencing in all required subject areas: math, science, English and social studies. I hope you find this a useful tool when making a master plan for the high school years.

In addition, if you weren’t able to attend Curriculum Night , click here on the LHS website to view the teachers’ Curriculum Night presentations . Take a moment to peruse the link. You’ll find descriptions of class expectations, homework load and project requirements for general, honors, dual enrollment and AP courses in all the major subject areas.

I hope you find these resources helpful, and note that you may always contact your student’s counselor if you have additional questions.

~ Laura Skeen, PTSA President
youth basketball night
Come out to the gym tomorrow , Fri, Jan 24 for some Saxons hoops action! Families, friends and neighbors with boys who play basketball are especially encouraged to attend. All boys wearing basketball jerseys get in free  and the night includes prizes, giveaways and halftime fun! Click here for the flyer. 

The Saxons take on Yorktown HS starting at 4:30 pm (JV) and continuing at 5:45 pm (freshmen) and 7:30 pm (varsity). Go Saxons!
step up for angp
Save the date and plan on attending The Capitol Steps! This show is the largest fundraiser for the All Night Grad Party (ANGP). Get your tickets to help the ANGP and enjoy a great show at the same time. The Capitol Steps is the metro area’s long-time bi-partisan political satire group and they'll keep you laughing all night long! 

The group will perform at Langley on Sun, Feb 23, 7 pm . Tickets are $37 . Order  online , or print the  form   and mail in your order. Tickets will be held and available at the will-call table on the night of the performance. For more info, check the ANGP  website  or email annette.bellino@verizon.net .
dancing shoes
Congratulations to Langley’s varsity dance team!  At the East Coast Regional Dance Championship at West Springfield HS last weekend, the team took home third place in Varsity Pom and received a specialty award for Best Crowd Appeal .

The team also hosted a Langley Dance Team Youth Clinic earlier this month, and the clinic participants joined the varsity dancers last Friday for a terrific half-time performance at the Langley girls’ varsity basketball game. Congrats and thanks to all who participated!
saxons, did you know …
…  according to the FCPS Youth Survey results for 2018-19, almost one-third of surveyed students at Langley reported having vaped in the past month , compared to 20 percent of high schoolers across Fairfax County and nationwide. 

Students in our area are vaping more than in the rest of the county and country . Come to the Safe Community Coalition’s presentation on vaping tonight and learn more.
vaping presentation tonight
Do you wonder if your kids or their friends are vaping? If you find evidence of vaping, do you know how to help your student quit? What happens if FCPS students are caught vaping at school? 
 
Come tonight, Thurs, Jan 23, 7 pm to A Parent’s Journey: Keys to Successful Vaping Intervention , a presentation at the McLean Community Center sponsored by the Safe Community Coalition . A local mom, Gail Embt, will share her family’s story of when vaping hit close to home.

The event will include presentations from clinicians, substance abuse prevention specialists and local law enforcement. Find about about what to do if you find vaping products, how to talk to kids about vaping and what the treatment options are for kids addicted to nicotine. Click here for more details or email info@breakthevape.com .
saxon service
Saxon Service is coming up! Students, plan to come next Wed, Jan 29 during Saxon Time. There’ll be 15 activities set up to support various service organizations where you can, for example, make sandwiches, fold origami, sort crayons, write thank you notes, make blankets, braid, knit and iron items. There’s something for everyone!

Why should students participate in Saxon Service? Hands-on activities and service to others can reduce stress! The repetitive actions of the activities can be meditative, and service activities encourage thinking beyond oneself and caring for others . Saxon Service also fosters a sense of community and relationships outside one’s usual friend groups. 

Students with at least 40 hours of service during high school can earn a Service Cord, worn at graduation. It’s the only graduation cord not dependent on grades, skills, or ability — just a commitment to service.
class notes
Check here for important updates by class . Click on the green class buttons to go directly to each class page for more details.
You won’t want to miss our next  Senior Parent Forum on Tue, Feb 4, 9:30-11 am  in the Lecture Hall . Park in the back of LHS and enter via door 9 or join remotely via this Blackboard link .  

Hannah Wolff will join us for the last time to provide tips about college selection and wait lists , and to answer your questions about seniors heading off to college. We’ll also discuss what to do now to prepare your family for life after high school graduation from financial, legal and logistical perspectives.

Finally, we’ll walk through the senior calendar , including senior events such as the senior video, graduation day logistics and ANGP. Please send any additional topics or questions you’d like to have covered to  elizabeth.trumbull@gmail.com .
Save the date for the Junior Class Dinner and College Search Prep Night on Thurs Feb 13, 6 pm in the Cafeteria . College admissions counselors will discuss the college search and application process. Parents and students must register via MySchoolBucks .
Parents and students, plan on attending the Sophomore Class Dinner on Feb 12, 6 pm in the Cafeteria

The dinner will be followed with a Mock College Admissions Case Studies program, where you can participate in small group discussion sessions with admissions counselors from over 30 universities from across the country. Register on My School Bucks by Fri, Feb 7 .  
The next Freshmen Parent Forum is Thurs, Feb 6, 9:30-11 am in the Lecture Hall . See you there!


rise against hunger
There are only two more days to donate to the  Rise Against Hunger  campaign, and volunteers can only make the number of meals that we “pay” for! The Langley pyramid is aiming to raise $34,000 by this Sat, Jan 24 in order to then package 100,000 meals at the event on Sat, Feb 8 at Colvin Run ES. The pyramid is at 20 percent of the goal , so click  here  today to make a tax-deductible donation and here for more info about the campaign.
farewell to cooper's principal randall
Langley parents are invited to join Cooper MS on Wed, Feb 12, 11 am-1 pm for an open house retirement party in the Cooper MS Library honoring its long-time principal, Arlene Randall, who is retiring after 22 years of service to Cooper MS. Come say thank you and farewell to Principal Randall and enjoy a small program celebrating her roots in our community. 
award opportunities
Are you involved in the performing arts? The deadline is tomorrow, Fri, Jan 24 for applying for the James C. Macdonald Performing Arts Scholarships. The competition is open to high schoolers who reside or attend school in Dranesville Small Tax District 1A.

A $1,200 scholarship prize goes to first-place winners in each of the following categories:  Dance, Theater, Vocal Music and Instrumental Music ; second-place winners receive $800; third-place winners receive $400. Finalists must be present and prepared to perform in the  preliminary round of the competition the week of Feb 3 , and at the final competition on Wed, Mar 18 , to be eligible to receive an award.

More info and the applications are  online . Questions? Contact Alden Youth Theatre Programs Director Danielle Van Hook at danielle.vanhook@fairfaxcounty.gov or 703-790-0123.
What does it take to be a good citizen? Have a try at the topic in the Virginia PTA Citizen Essay contest . Submissions must be at least 750 words and are due Feb 1 . District winners proceed to the state level, where winners receive cash prizes and are featured in Virginia PTA publications. Click here for the rules and entry form. 
Are you a foodie?  The Virginia PTA Power Plates Program recipe contest promotes healthy eating. It has five categories (breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert, snack) and you can enter in multiple categories. Entries consist of your recipe, photo of the dish and a short (less than 100 words) statement. Click here for the rules and entry form and here to view the flyer. The deadline in Feb 3
Seniors, have you been involved in service activities? The Virginia PTA honors seniors who’ve demonstrated a commitment to community service and academic achievement, with the winner receiving $1,000. Applications must be mailed (no electronic submissions) by March 2 . Click  here  for the application and here for more info. 
upcoming events
Jan 24: End of 2nd Quarter
Jan 27: Teacher Workday - Student Holiday
Jan 28: Staff Development - Student Holiday
Jan 29: Saxon Service
Feb 4: Senior Class Parent Forum, 9:30 am
Feb 5: Rising Freshman Orientation, 6:30 pm
Feb 6: Freshman Class Parent Forum, 9:30 am
Feb 12: Sophomore Class Dinner and Presentation, 6 pm
Feb 12: Retirement Party for Cooper Principal Randall, 11 am-1 pm, Cooper MS
Feb 13: Junior Class Dinner and Presentation, 6 pm
Feb 17: President's Day Holiday - No School
Feb 26: Saxon Service
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.