Saxon Service returned to Langley with a bang last week. This PTSA-funded program provides community service opportunities for students through hands-on activities. Over 600 students attended the event during the second half of Langley Links and participated in a variety of projects.
Industrious students ripped old T-shirts into strips and braided over 100 new dog toys, while other creative students decorated enough ping pong balls to fill an entire bin with colorful cat toys. Deft participants folded over 200 tiny paper cranes. Artistic students decorated cards and wrote notes for hospitalized children and active-duty military, totaling nearly 150 cards. Some students carefully cut and knotted 13 polar fleece blankets for recipients at a homeless shelter while others finished the edges of five lighter blankets for Operation Smile. Participants worked to aid those with food insecurity by playing freerice.com and crafting more than 30 paper beads from cardboard boxes. Students even meticulously ironed 57 pillowcases for Pediatric ICU patients in their efforts to bring comfort to others.
As impressive as these numbers are, there is more to Saxon Service than what can be measured by tallying the completed projects. The goal of the program is to benefit not just the recipients of the cards, toys, blankets and other items, but also the students themselves. Focusing on addressing the needs of others can have positive mental health and stress reduction benefits, as does working with one’s hands. Enjoyable and productive Saxon Service experiences have the potential to inspire participants to become lifelong volunteers.
Thank you to the Family Network co-chairs, Julie Hohl, Chrissie Lavin and Kirsten Thompson, who, along with two dozen parent volunteers and the support of Student Services, coordinated and led this vital Saxon Service event.
Also, on this Veterans Day, I would like to recognize the veterans in our community. Thank you for your sacrifice, your courage, and your service to our country.
~ Clare Bradshaw, PTSA President
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ptsa general membership meeting & principal coffee |
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The next PTSA General Membership Meeting & Principal Coffee will be held on Wed, Nov 17 at 9:30 am in the LHS Lecture Hall and via Zoom. All are encouraged to attend. Guest speakers will be School Psychologist Anna Davis, School Social Worker Catherine Kennedy and Substance Abuse Specialist Kelly Rankin. Plan to attend to learn about emotional and mental health issues and available support, as well as how the new marijuana law could potentially impact our students. For those who would like to attend virtually, the Zoom link will be posted on the PTSA homepage prior to the start of the meeting.
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Today is Veterans Day, a day to honor veterans of our US military. We mark this day on Nov 11 every year because of its important symbolism: Commemorating the end of World War I in 1918 on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of the year. In fact, the holiday was originally called Armistice Day.
Our Langley community is grateful to the veterans of our Armed Services and their families for their service and sacrifices for our country. We who live in freedom will always be grateful to those who helped preserve it.
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relax with a furry friend |
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Looking for a furry way to reduce stress? Stop by the Amphitheater this Mon, Nov 15 during A & B lunches to pet a visiting therapy dog!
Therapy dogs will visit Langley once a month this school year through May 2022. Their next visit is Mon, Dec 6. Click here for the flyer and all the upcoming dates!
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Join us for Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express! Famous detective Hercule Poirot is called back to London from Istanbul on urgent business, and he manages to secure a spot in the first-class cabin on the Orient Express. While aboard, Poirot meets a host of peculiar characters, including the angry businessman, Samuel Ratchett, who corners Poirot and demands Poirot investigate a series of ominous letters that have been sent to Ratchett, threatening his life.
As a snowdrift halts the Orient Express in its tracks, Ratchett is found stabbed multiple times in his locked train compartment. Poirot is tasked to solve the murder, as the killer could still be in their midst. As Poirot investigates, conflicting clues and convoluted alibis lead him to dead ends. Over the course of 48 hours, will Poirot be able to solve the case of the Murder on the Orient Express?
This classic Agatha Christie mystery will keep you guessing! Performances run Wed, Nov 17 – Sat, Nov 20 at 7 pm, and Sun, Nov 21 at 2:30 pm in the Langley Auditorium. Purchase tickets here (Adults $15, Students $10).
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new family forum: Our second New Family Forum will he held on Nov 18 from 9:30-11 am in the LHS Lecture Hall. Director of Student Services Braden Peterson will be on hand to discuss the role of the counselor for your Langley student. In addition, Director of Student Activities Geoff Noto will present details about clubs, sports, and other ways for your student to get involved outside the classroom. We hope to see you there!
new family dinner: The LHS New Family Network is organizing a social dinner for new parents at The Italian Oven in McLean on Fri, Dec 3 at 7 pm. If you are new to the area and interested in socializing with other new parents over a delicious Italian meal (no host), please RSVP to lhsnewfamilynetwork@gmail.com by Wed, Nov 24.
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This month, Langley PTSA’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) committee will be taking a closer look at some common words and phrases that may seem harmless to some but painful to others in our community. We invite you to visit our webpage, where we’ve posted a variety of reflections to read/watch/listen to.
We hope after you’ve checked out this material, you’ll join us at our next meeting on Thurs, Nov 18 at 7 pm, where we will offer a safe space to discuss. This will be a virtual meeting.
Fill out this form if you’d like to attend. We’ll send out a meeting link on the afternoon of the 18th. We look forward to seeing you!
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special education resources |
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New! Special education resources, including links to upcoming events and parent support groups, can be found on the PTSA website under the "resources" tab or by clicking here.
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students wanted for the career fair committee |
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Students, learn about the LHS Career Fair Committee at a virtual interest meeting on Nov 15 at 7 pm. Students who serve on the committee will gain leadership experience, volunteer hours, and learn new skills planning, networking and organizing Career Fair 2022. Positions on the committee are open to sophomores, juniors, and seniors. Sign up here to receive an email and Zoom link.
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yard signs: Yard signs for winter sports are $40 and available now! Click link here to order and support your winter-season athlete and Langley Athletic Boosters.
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angp/wreaths across america: Please join the Class of 2022 ANGP and Wreaths Across America help express appreciation for veterans during the holidays. For $15, you can sponsor a wreath to be placed at Arlington National Cemetery or one of the other 2,500 locations worldwide during National Wreaths Across America Day on Dec 18. Every wreath purchased through the LHS ANGP sponsorship site raises money and honors veterans. Order online by Nov 29.
Do you have specific veterans and first responders, living or in memoriam, whom you would like to honor? Go to the LHS ANGP sponsorship site to:
- Sponsor a wreath in honor of a living veteran, spouse, or first responder
- Have wreaths placed on specific graves
- Sponsor wreaths at one of the locations in which Wreaths Across America holds wreath-laying ceremonies
- Post a message on WAA’s Remembrance Page
- Send wreaths as a gift
- Volunteer to place wreaths at Arlington National Cemetery or at one of the other participating locations as a service to the community
You can also print the LHS ANGP sponsorship form and turn in the form and check made out to Wreaths Across America to Langley’s front office c/o the ANGP. Checks and sponsorship forms are due by Wed, Nov 24. Questions? Email Annette Bellino at annette.bellino@verizon.net.
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The Saxon Scope – Langley’s award-winning, student-produced newsmagazine – just received it’s Virginia High School League (VHSL) rating for the 2020-2021 school year. Once again, we received a First Class rating!
If you would like to receive the latest news and information about the goings-on at Langley, head to MySchoolBucks and subscribe to The Saxon Scope! We produce five magazines a year, and your subscription ensures that you’ll receive not only all five regular issues, but also a copy of the coveted Senior Scope – a sixth issue related to all things Class of 2022.
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thank you hearing and vision screening volunteers |
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Thank you to PTSA Health Screening Coordinator Maryam Malik and the fourteen parent volunteers who assisted with the Vision and Hearing Screenings of over one thousand Langley students last Friday and yesterday. Your help was greatly needed and truly appreciated!
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Ecstatic fans mob the field following Langley’s win over McLean. |
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The varsity football season came to a close with the rollicking match against rival McLean HS. With 13 seconds left, Langley made the go-ahead touchdown and held off the Highlanders to win 24-21.
Congrats to the team and Go Saxons!
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… On July 1, 2021, Virginia became the first Southern State to legalize marijuana. The FCPS substance abuse prevention specialists teamed up to create a video explaining the law and what it means to our community. Langley’s substance abuse prevention specialist Kelly Rankin was part of that team.
Here is the link to the video is English and Here is the link to the video in Spanish.
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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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senior yearbook portraits: Prestige Portraits is at Langley today, Nov 11, and Nov 12, 15 and 16 from 2:30-9 pm. Parents, you should have received an email and/or postcard with your appointment code, but you can also search by state and city to find the LHS portrait sessions. Click here to schedule an appt. This is the last opportunity to take senior yearbook photos at Langley!
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Our Junior Class Parent Forum last week was very informative. Jan Dabroski went over upcoming testing and PSAT/SAT info and Hannah Wolff presented the time-line for our College Planning Year. If you were unable to attend, you can view the recording on Facebook or Google. Click here to view on Facebook and here for Google.
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Stay tuned: We are close to having a new date for our Sophomore Class Parent Forum! Access all sophomore info on our class webpage.
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Freshman parents, just a reminder to make sure you’re connected to the Class of 2025 via our webpage. Subscribe to our class email distro group here.
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shark tank tech challenge: Calling all high school students! The Fairfax Area 50+ Technology Committee has announced this year’s Shark Tank Technology Challenge, with a focus on new or improved existing technology that will have a positive impact in the lives of older adults, adults with disabilities, wounded warriors, or caregivers. Students are encouraged to consider projects that offer assistance in the following areas:
- Active free time activities
- Participation in the arts
- Caregiving
Students can submit a project as an individual or a team. The deadline to submit the initial proposal is Mon, Dec 6. Final proposals are due Feb 22, 2022. The Shark Tank event will be held in April 2022 and the winning projects will receive a cash prize.
More details are available by visiting the Fairfax Area Student “Shark Tank” Technology Challenge webpage.
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scholarship webinar: Learn what kind of college scholarships are offered, where to locate scholarship opportunities, and how to best complete scholarship applications. Click here on Wed, Nov 17 at 7 pm or here on Sat, Dec 11 at 10 am.
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fairfax county youth survey: LHS is administering the annual FCPS/Fairfax County Youth Survey to sophomores and seniors between Nov 15-30. It is an on-line anonymous survey asking questions about topics ranging from sleep and nutritional habits, to substance abuse behaviors, to symptoms of depression and suicidal thoughts. Click here to see the survey questions. To opt out, return this form to your student’s counselor by Nov 15.
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SHARE of McLean is a local food pantry which supports families in the Langley community. This has been an incredibly challenging few years for many, so the LHS Langley Cares committee would like to assist in collecting donations by hosting a toiletry drive from Nov 8 - 22.
View the flyer for suggested donations. Donation bins are outside the main office and in the student activities office.
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fcps vax leader: FCPS kicked off the national rollout of COVID-19 vaccination for children ages 5-11 on Monday at Franklin Sherman ES. Franklin Sherman, in the McLean CBC, is a split feeder to Langley and was the site of the first polio vaccine administered in 1954, which kicked off the Salk polio vaccine field trials. This past Monday, First Lady Jill Biden, FCPS Superintendent Scott Brabrand, and FCPS School Board members joined Principal Kathleen Quigley and Franklin Sherman students and families for the COVID-19 rollout. Read about the rollout here and more about the polio vaccine trial and Franklin Sherman’s place in history here.
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tysons vax clinic: The large-scale COVID-19 vaccination clinic has reopened at the former Lord & Taylor store at Tysons Corner Center and now offers booster shots and the COVID-19 vaccine for children 5-11 years old, in addition to initial vaccinations for all eligible groups. Read more about clinic here. To make an appointment click here or call 877-VAX-IN-VA. Walk-ins are also available.
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Nov 11: Veterans Day, 2-hour early release
Nov 11-12: Senior Portraits Make Up Days
Nov 15-16: Senior Portraits Make Up Days
Nov 17: PTSA General Membership Meeting & Principal Coffee, 9:30 am, Lecture Hall & via Zoom
Nov 17: Fall Play, 7 pm, Auditorium
Nov 18: New Family Forum, 9:30-11 am, LHS Lecture Hall
Nov 18-20: Fall Play, 7 pm, Auditorium
Nov 21: Fall Play, 2:30 pm, Auditorium
Nov 24-26: Thanksgiving holidays
Dec 2: Band Concert – Jazz Band, 7 pm, Auditorium
Dec 3-4: Renaissance Feaste, 7 pm, Auditorium
Dec 7: Orchestra Winter Concert, 7 pm, Auditorium
Dec 9: Band Winter Concert, 7 pm, Auditorium
Dec 14: Choral Concert, 7 pm, Auditorium
Dec 20-31: Winter Break – Holiday
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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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