As the spring weather continues to warm, the verdant landscaping in the Main Courtyard completed last fall makes Langley an even more inviting place to be. I hope the cicadas don’t get in the way of our students and staff enjoying the outdoor spaces!

Thanks to the generous donations of Langley families and local organizations, more improvements are in the works for our Langley courtyards, and we hope to have umbrellas installed around courtyard tables to provide some shade in the weeks ahead.

Speaking of our courtyards, please consider purchasing a leaf or two to adorn the beautiful Langley Legacy Tree in Langley’s Main Hall! Your purchases support the Langley courtyard landscaping projects and make wonderful and lasting gifts for your graduate and for a special teacher, coach or mentor. Read below for the details on how to gift a leaf, acorn or bird.

Covid-19 vaccinations are available at LHS for students ages 12-18 on Wed, May 26 from 9:30 am-1:30 pm. The event is coordinated by FCPS and the Fairfax County Department of Health. Parents can register students here. The registration deadline is tonight, Thurs, May 20 at 8 pm.

Click here to view or print the class period schedule for grades 9-11 for the last two weeks of school and final exams. Note that June 2 is a virtual asynchronous day at LHS, due to graduation ceremonies, and June 8 is a virtual synchronous day, due to FCPS buildings being used for primary elections.

All students will need to return textbooks, FCPS laptops/chargers and any other school-issued items and settle financial obligations by the end of the school year. 

Click here to view the drop-off schedule for each grade and for the sign-up links. This info also is posted on Schoology.

Laptop questions? Contact John Santosuosso at jmsantosuoss@fcps.edu Financial questions? Contact Lisa Kimsey at lakimsey@fcps.edu.

new families: Is this your first year in the Langley pyramid? Come to the new family social in the LHS Courtyard on Fri, May 21 at 6:30-8pm. The event is for all parents/caregivers of new or transferred students in grades 8-12. Click here to RSVP, and see you there!

saxon parents walk & talk: Join us for the last Saxon Parents Walk & Talk this Mon, May 24 at 1:30 pm! Meet at Door 14. Masks required. Check @LangleyHS_PTSA for any weather-related cancellations.

Have a night off from cooking and support the Class of 2021, which is holding a fundraiser with Domino’s Pizza on Tues, May 25, 11 am – 10 pm. 

Order from Domino's and use code DN3 online, on the Domino’s app, over the phone or in a local store. Dominos will donate 20 percent of sales to the Senior GradFest. Click here for the flyer. See instructions here for easy ordering through the app or website.

Senior families, it's time to buy your tickets for the limo ride and grad day care package raffle! With ceremonies at far-away Jiffy Lube Live, it's the perfect year to buy limo raffle tickets. The package includes four-hour, door-to-door limo service (including gratuity) from Chariots for Hire and a care package of drinks, snacks and party favors to enjoy on the ride to the graduation ceremony.

The package is a $550 value, and two winners will be drawn. Click here for tickets — raffle tickets are purchased in sets of one or three, but purchase as many times as you like!

thurs, may 27, 9-11 am, LHS Stadium: Rehearsal # 1. Graduation tickets are distributed — grads receive 6 tickets for guests (rather than the original 5). Attendance and masks required. Rain date is May 28, 9 am.

tues, june 1, 9-11 am, LHS Stadium: Rehearsal # 2. Caps, gowns, honor cords and medals are distributed. Saxon Scope staff will distribute the "Senior Scope” issue after the rehearsal. Attendance and masks required. Stay afterwards for the Senior Picnic from 11 am-12 pm!

wed, june 2, 2:30-3 pm, Jiffy Lube Live: Seniors arrive at the venue’s staging area. Seniors' phones and bags are not allowed. Make sure to allow for travel time (and for walking from parking lots if not being dropped off). Click here for a photo of the venue’s parking areas.

wed, june 2, 4 pm, Jiffy Lube Live: Graduation! Click here for the venue’s info page for directions. Visit the LHS graduation webpage for important details such as the grads’ dress code, parking, guests' bag and photography restrictions and rendezvous points after the ceremony. New this year, graduation will be live streamed here. A professional photographer and videographer will photograph each grad receiving their diploma and will record the ceremony. In mid-June, grads and their families will receive emails with links to view or order photos and DVDs.

thurs, june 3, morning: Senior Car Parade! Route details coming soon, but plan to start in McLean and loop through Great Falls in time to make the Senior GradFest!

thurs, june 3, 11 am-2 pm, Langley Swim & Tennis Club: Senior GradFest! Come enjoy food, music, the Senior Raffle as well as cornhole, swimming, tennis, basketball and volleyball! Buy your tickets here! Tickets are $50 through May 26 and $60 from May 27-31. Parking at the venue is tight, so try to carpool with friends! Questions? Email margaretbrown2345@gmail.com.

marching saxons: In their only performance of the year, the Marching Saxons performed live in the Langley Stadium last Sunday to a crowd of family and friends. With just four mornings of rehearsals, the Saxons impressed the crowd. 

The mini season was the first marching band experience for freshmen and an important step to get ready for next year's full marching band season.

Seniors were honored after the show. Congrats, seniors!

orchestra at wolf trap: The Langley orchestra held its first in-person concert in 14 months in a performance at Wolf Trap's Meadow Pavilion Stage last Saturday, amid picture-perfect weather. The "Sounds of Hope" concert was comprised of pieces that embody the intertwining feelings of loss and hope after the pandemic. Click here for the program, which also honors the orchestra seniors. 

Congrats to sophomores Christina Dimitropoulos and Caroline Fox, who received National Community Service Awards this year from the United Nations Association. Christina was honored for her work toward the Zero Hunger UN initiative and Caroline was honored for her work toward the Good Health and Well-Being UN initiative.  

Kudos also to Ivy Chen, who recently was voted in as the LHS student representative on the McLean Community Center Governing Board.

Need a graduation gift? A teacher gift? A thank you to a great coach or mentor? Give a gift that lasts – a leaf on the Legacy Tree! You choose the perfect engraving!

The Legacy Tree is growing in Langley's front entrance (across from the office) for all to enjoy for years to come. Donating a leaf (copper $50, silver $100, gold $200) or bird or acorn ($500), is a great way to pay tribute to your favorite people.

Funds raised will be used to landscape the third (and final!) Langley courtyard. The more metallic leaves on the Legacy Tree, the more actual leaves there will be in the courtyards. To order your leaves, visit the PTSA Legacy Tree page. Questions? Email chrissielavin1@gmail.com.

The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) is mandated to periodically review and update the math curriculum and the Virginia Mathematics Pathway Initiative (VMPI) is proposed under the current review. VMPI would revamp K-12 math education to "modernize" it and to "align instruction with the essential knowledge and skills students need to succeed in the 21st century economy." Previous VMPI information sessions indicate that it would place all students in the same math class in each of grades K-10, rearrange the content of grades 8-10 math, and allow Honors and AP options only in grades 11-12. 

Parents and community members have raised questions about the plan, including the difficulty of differentiating instruction to students in heterogeneous classes through grade 10, whether it would allow for acceleration or for additional assistance, and how the pathway would prepare students interested in AP and post-AP classes. In response to public feedback, the VDOE webpage was modified and its representatives state that advanced math options will be available. Click here to read the most recent Washington Post article on VMPI.

In April, the Grades 8-10 "Essential Concepts" info session was held.The Grades 11-12 "Advanced Pathways" session is next Tues, May 25 at 6:30 pm. The session livestreams and recordings are posted on the VDOE Youtube channel. Search “VMPI” to locate them. General information on the plan is posted on this VDOE webpage. 

To submit comments to VDOE, email vdoe.mathematics@doe.virginia.gov or use this form. To submit comments to state representatives, click here for their contact info. To send comments to the FCPS School Board, click here for their contact info.

fall sports: A regular sports season is anticipated next year! Fill out this form to get on the email list for your desired sport. Golf starts on July 29 and all other fall sports start on Aug 2. 

sports physicals: Langley is hosting a sports physical night at LHS on Wed, June 9. You can sign up for events at other schools if your schedule conflicts. Click here to register and choose your preferred location, date and time. Make your $50 payment at MySchoolBucks — click on the Athletic Exams-PPE and select your student. 

VHSL requires all student athletes to have this form completed after May 1 to be valid for the next school year. Bring the form to your appointment with pages 1, 2 and 4 completed (physicians complete page 3 during the appointment).

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

senior videos: Tonight, Thurs, May 20, is the deadline for post-grad plans videos! Make sure your phone/video is horizontal, and include your name and your plan for next year. For college announcements, include the college name. College gear is encouraged!

Upload your video using this form (sign in with your FCPS student email). The form also is posted on Schoology and Instagram. Saxon Broadcast will post the compilation on its Youtube page on May 27. Thanks for sending your video!

grad info: All graduation info is posted on the LHS graduation page.

senior gradfest info: All GradFest info, including tickets and graduation day limo raffle tickets, are posted on the PTSA GradFest page. 

gradfest sponsorships: Business, families and individuals can donate a prize, underwrite an expense or become a GradFest sponsor! Help provide a safe and fun activity for seniors the day after graduation. Click here to sponsor, and go the the GradFest webpage for more info.

grad announcements: To order announcements, go to Balfour and enter Langley High School to access our “shop my school" page. Questions? Contact Balfour at balfournova@yahoo.com or 703-941-1436.

voter registration: Seniors, you if were born on or before Nov 2, 2003, and are a US citizen, you can register to vote now. Go here, click on Langley High School, and follow the links to register!

new immunization req: FCPS has a new vaccine requirement for rising seniors. Effective July 1, all twelfth-graders are required to have one dose of a meningococcal vaccine, given at age 16 or older.

Send documentation before the '21-'22 school year to LHS Registrar Mary Gratz at mjgratz@fcps.edu or mail to Langley High School, attn: Mary Gratz, 6520 Georgetown Pike, McLean, VA 22101. Click here for more info and the documentation requirements.

fcps epf course: Many Langley students take the FCPS Economics and Personal Finance course online and over the summer. The online course is self-paced and must be completed between June 28-July 30. Click here for more info and here to register.  

FCPS will be back to five days of in-person instruction for all students this fall. There will be an opportunity for virtual learning, but it will be very limited. For more information, click here.

conflict resolution youth summit: Applications are now open for rising 10th-12th graders for the 2021 Conflict Resolution Youth Summit, held at George Mason University on July 26-29, 4:00 - 8:30 pm. The Youth Summit explores today's toughest problems through the lens of peace and conflict resolution. Participants connect with other students from varied backgrounds with common interests and goals, delve into important conflicts, learn new skills, and practice the process of promoting peace and engaging with tough issues to make a difference.

The priority deadline for applications was in mid-May, but apps are still being accepted on a rolling basis. For more info, see the GMU website.

stem camps: Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) is hosting a series of virtual STEM camps. The curriculum includes some hands-on projects coding with micro:bit and scratch, VEX robotics, fabrication and cybersecurity tools. Camps are offered for rising 4th-12th graders. Click here for more info.

water mine lifeguards: The Water Mine is hiring over 150 lifeguards for the summer and is holding a series of drive-through open hires throughout May. Lifeguards must be 15 years of age or older. Certain swimming skills are needed, but prior life guard experience or certifications are not required. Click here for more info.

upcoming events

June 8: Virtual Learning, Synchronous, due to Primary Election Day

Join the LHS PTSA! Click Here.