Last week, we kicked off Langley’s Return to School events with well-attended virtual orientation sessions for freshman parents, freshman students, new and transfer families and sessions about the new learning platform, Schoology. Our class parent teams are up and running, planning meetings and activities for each class. Langley's booster organizations for academics, athletics, band, chorus, orchestra and theatre are gearing up to meet this year’s challenges.

I encourage you to take a look at communications from these and other groups on the PTSA forms link on the LHS website's Return to School page. We have additional ways to connect, with upcoming virtual PTSA meetings, virtual class meetings and virtual Back-To-School night. Be sure to check the Langley and PTSA calendars throughout the year for event dates and times.

Although we can’t be involved “as usual” in Langley activities and events right now, there is so much we all still can do to stay connected. Please consider joining the Langley PTSA to help us support and appreciate our teachers, fund materials and equipment to augment virtual learning, provide new and enhance existing programs for parents and students, and continue to help connect our vibrant Langley community.

Share your ideas with us! If you have thoughts on how we can work together to connect and support the Langley community in the current virtual environment, please let us know through this Google Form.

~ Kitty Gonzalez, PTSA President

Don't forget! Three forms are due tomorrow, Sept 11: Health Info form, Student Rights and Responsibilities, and updates if applicable to Emergency Care. Click here for the forms. Optional forms are available at the link as well.

If you haven't already, take a moment to browse the Return to School info posted on the LHS website.

Materials from several Langley organizations, class newsletters and the PTSA are all found at this page link. You'll find tech tips, info about Schoology, the Green/Gold schedule and more here.

Textbook pick-ups are next week at Langley. Click here to sign up for a 10-minute time slot.

The overall hours for pick-up are: Mon, Sept 14 and Mon, Sept 21 at 9:30 am- 3:30 pm and Tues, Wed, Thurs (Sept 15-17) at 3:30 pm-7:30 pm.

Once at Langley, students (no parents) enter the Gym through Door 12. Tables will be set up by department, and students will visit each department's table for which they need a book. Students exit the Gym through Door 13. Bring your schedule and a bag for the books!

Welcome back, Saxons! School may be virtual, but you still have chances to wear Langley spirit wear when out and around!

Shop for Saxon clothing and accessories for the whole family through the Store tab on the Langley Athletic Boosters website and check out our featured item, “The Survival Pack.” Order all your items now and we’ll deliver!

ice hockey: Calling all hockey players! Langley ice hockey is on! Langley’s JV and Varsity ice hockey squads are looking for skaters, particularly goalies. Practice starts on Mon, Sept 14 at 11:30 am at SkateQuest in Reston.

High school hockey is a club sport and is not governed by the state’s athletic commission, the Virginia High School League. Langley ice hockey is planning on having a regular season with COVID-19 precautions.

Follow the team for news and updates throughout the season on Twitter @LHS_Ice_Hockey, on Instagram @langley_ice_hockey and on Facebook at Langley Saxon Ice Hockey. Questions? Contact manager@langleyicehockey.com.

all-sport conditioning: Optional athletic conditioning days are open to all students who wish to participate. Before attending, students must complete VHSL physical and concussion education forms and file them with the Activities Office and turn in an Emergency Care card to the coach with whom they’re conditioning.

Click here for the forms. Scan and email the completed forms to Beth Longo at eelongo@fcps.edu or mail them to LHS, Attn: Activities Office, 6520 Georgetown Pike, McLean, VA 22101.

Before attending, students need to log into their FCPS email and choose a sport. Once at Langley, students check in outside Door 12 and wait while staff review the paperwork and perform covid checks before going to the Stadium.

Interested in taking a practice SAT or ACT? Mark your calendars for Sat, Sept 12 (practice SAT) and Sat, Oct 3 (practice ACT).

Langley is providing the opportunity to take these full-length practice tests in a simulated environment at home via computer, complete with a score report afterwards. The practice tests are open to all students but especially recommended for sophomores and juniors.

Click here for info and to register. To take the test, students will need access to an internet-connected computer on which they have installed Zoom.

The event is sponsored by the Langley Academic Boosters in conjunction with NovaStar Prep. Questions? Email langleyacademicboosters@gmail.com.

Start planning your entry! The annual PTSA Reflections contest is still on this year, and is all digital. This year's theme is, "I Matter Because ..."

Please consider sharing your artistic side with this contest! Categories are: dance, film production, music composition, literature, photography and visual arts.

Entries are due Oct 7. Click here for guidelines, category rules and to see some winning entries from last year. Sending in your entry has never been easier, as we'll do everything via DropBox and email. Interested? Email Sara Koenig at langleyreflections@gmail.com.

Note that students must be PTSA members to submit entries. Student membership is only $5! Click here to join.

Wheat’s Landscape has completed Phase 1 of our Main Courtyard project, which includes a beautiful variety of trees, shrubs and plants as well as seating areas and lush grass.

Many thanks to the hundreds of Langley families who already have donated leaves to the Langley Legacy Tree to support the project.

We have an empty Science Courtyard that we will landscape next so if you haven't yet donated, now is your chance!

To fund the landscaping, donate a leaf to the Langley Legacy Tree, the beautiful wall sculpture that is "growing" in the Langley Lobby, across from the Main Office.

The Legacy Tree is a permanent and prominent record of generous courtyard contributors. Choose your engraved message — leaves make wonderful tributes to students, teachers, family and friends!

Giving levels are copper leaf ($50), silver leaf ($100), gold leaf ($200) and acorn or bird ($500). To donate your tree leaves/acorns/birds, click on the Langley PTSA homepage and scroll down to the Legacy Tree article. Questions? Email chrissielavin1@gmail.com.

Read this section for class news and click the green class buttons to go to each class page for more details.

Senior pictures are Sept 14-18 from 3:30-9 pm in Langley Hall. Lifetouch/Prestige Portraits sent mailers to the homes of senior families with registration info. All appointments must be scheduled and confirmed online at least 48 hours prior to your session. (No walk-ins.)

Questions? Email answers@lifetouch.com. Schedule conflicts with the entire week? No worries — an additional week for senior portraits is in the process of being scheduled for later in the fall.

Also, check out the Welcome Back info on our class webpage.

Save the date! Assistant Principal Wayne Biernesser will join us for a junior class Back to School Q&A Discussion on Fri, Sept 25 at 9:30 am.

Stay current! Join our LHS Class of 2022 Parents Facebook page here, and join the email distribution list found on our class webpage. Updates and information are posted regularly on these sites.

Welcome back, sophomores! Join us online during the school year for our Sophomore Parent Forums, 9:30–11 am on these dates: Thurs, Oct 15; Tues, Nov 10; Thurs, Feb 18; and Tues, Apr 20. Check out our Class of 2023 webpage for more sophomore info!

Welcome to Langley! Freshman parents, make sure you’re connected to the Class of 2024 via our webpage and subscribe to our class email distro group. Stay tuned for the announcement of our first Freshman Class Forum, coming soon!

The Langley eNews is your source for news, events and activities at LHS. Please forward this edition to those who may want to sign up for the eNews. (If you're signed up but don't see the eNews on Thursdays, check your spam folder and save us in your email contacts.)

We welcome your news submissions! Send articles or announcements (up to about 150 words) along with any photos or links by noon on Tuesdays to enewslangley@gmail.com for publication on Thursdays.

PTSA volunteers edit submissions for style and length. All news should pertain to LHS, FCPS or PTSA. No business advertisements. Guidelines are here.

FCPS has a Parent Technology Help Desk to help with tech issues during distance learning. The phone number is 1-833-921-3277 (833-921-FCPS), and the desk is staffed 7 am to 11 pm, seven days a week. FCPS also has an online portal where students (and parents) can request technology help directly.

upcoming events

Sept 21: Virtual Back-to-School Night, All Grades, 7 pm