herndon high school march/april 2013 ptsa...

Herndon High School March/April 2013

PTSA Newsletter

PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE

Herndon Community,

Spring is almost here!

Spring is a magnificent time of the year and Herndon High School is full of excitement. Our spring activities are well underway. Daily, our track, and our baseball, softball, soccer, and lacrosse fields are buzzing with young Hornets who are preparing for the upcoming season.

Our students and teachers who participate in our Fine and Performing Arts programs are equally as

busy. Just today I had an opportunity to stop by our auditorium to see our choir get in one last rehearsal before boarding their buses to head out to New York City for their spring trip. After leaving the auditorium I visited an Art 3 classroom and viewed some amazing pieces of art that some of the students will enter in an upcoming art show.

We are proud of our Concord district champion men’s basketball team. Senior Will Ferguson was named as the Northern Region Player of the Year. Additionally, we had state qualifiers in swim and dive and indoor track. Two of our students, Cierra Artis and Rebekah Soliday were selected to the Governor’s School for visual arts. And Molly Nuss and Jessica Homet were selected to the Virginia All State Choir. Additional All State selections included Dasha Bradfield, Tiberui Baicoianu, and Adrian Ahn for their performances in band. Naturally, there are too many events occurring in March and April to list but some additional school events will include the Most Improved Breakfast, the College Stinger series, ASVAB testing, and an important drug and alcohol seminar for our parents.

Our students, teachers and counselors have been working very hard and we are witnessing great results. Even though colleges and universities just recently received student’s 7 semester grades, many of our seniors are already receiving acceptances from the colleges of their choice. Just like in years past, many of our students plan to attend UVA, Virginia Tech, William and Mary, James Madison, Yale, Cornell, Penn State, Georgetown, Cornell, and various other fine educational institutions.

Spring also brings the season of testing to FCPS schools. Over the next two months we will administer thousands of SOL and AP exams. Although we strive to promote creativity and student engagement in the classroom and not have teachers “teach to the test” one cannot help but feel some level of anxiety when it comes to the SOL’s and AP’s. As you are aware our students need to earn a minimum of 6 verified credits, including 1 in English and math in order to graduate with a standard diploma and score a 3 on their AP exam for most colleges to accept the course as a college credit. We are confident that our students will be prepared for these upcoming exams and will perform well on them.

On a final note, I would like to solicit every Herndon community member to continue providing their support and encouragement to the students and faculty at Herndon High School. A great deal needs to be accomplished between now and June and our students are bound to experience times of stress. If we work together we can overcome any hurdles and achieve much success as we wind down the 2012-2013 school year.

Contents Principal’s Message - - - - - - - - 1 President’s Message - - - - - - - -2 Computer Science—- - - - - - - - -3 College Partnership Program- - -3 TJ Application—- - - - - - - - - - - 3 Mandatory Driver’s Ed Pres.- - -3 Amazon School Rewards- - - - - 3 Students Attend Inauguration - 4 Band Notes—- - - - - - - - - - - - - 4 Notes from the Clinic - - - - - - - 5 Library News- - - - - - - - - - - - - 5 Political Science Internships - - 6 Solutions Alcohol & Drug Use - 7 Theatre News - - - - - - - - - - - - -7 Join PTSA email list- - - - - - - - -7 Science Fair Awards- - - - - - - - -8 Herndon Idol- - - - - - - - - - - - - -9 HHS Baccalaureate- - - - - - - - - 9 Class of 2013 News - - - - - - - - - 8 Class of 2014 News- - - - - - - - -10 After Prom- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -10 Class of 2015 News- - - - - - - - - 11 Hornets Have a Salad Bar- - - - 11 Boys’ Basketball Camp- - - - - - 12 Grocery Store Bonus Program-13 PTSA Membership - - - - - - - - -14 Calendar - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - 15 Northwest Fed. Credit Union - 15

Submissions for the HHS

PTSA Newsletter may be

emailed to:[email protected]

Sincerely,

William L. Bates Jr. Principal

Herndon High School


PTSA Newsletter

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Spring break is just around the corner and most students have chosen their classes for next year already. The school year is flying by! Parents, please remember that our HHS guidance counselors are great resources to help us and our students navigate high school and the many choices to be made during this journey. Our PTSA continues to work hard for all the students, staff and families of HHS. The After Prom and All Night Grad committees are busy working on their respective events, and are seeking parent volunteers to make these events a success. Both After Prom (AP) and All-Night Grad (ANG) provide our students with safe, alcohol- and drug-free activities after the HHS Prom (June 8) and Graduation (June 18). Contact the PTSA at [email protected] to help with these important events. Congratulations to Tracey Durette, Carol Keesling, Kathy Blystone, Martha Marino, Diana Fields, Stan and Marcia Stewart, Don and Gail Weber, and Tracy Glazier and the entire ANG committee for a very successful Parents’ Casino Night in February! Everybody had a great time and the committee raised more than $5,000 that night! Thanks go to Moira Cranley for touching up the lettering on our HHS campus sign by the rock and for tending the flowers and mulch.

The cafeteria now has a new and tasty looking salad bar, offering healthy and fresh lunch choices to our students. Please see the information about it on page 11 of the newsletter. Our next PTSA meeting will be March 13th, and will feature a presentation by Joan Ozdogan of the Chantilly Academy about STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) Educational opportunities available to HHS students who attend the academy. We will begin at 7 p.m. in the cafeteria. Everyone is welcome to attend. Our April PTSA meeting will be on Tuesday, April 23 (note the change in date) and our guest speakers will be School Board members Pat Hynes and Janie Strauss, who will give us an update on the ‘state of the schools’. Please join us and bring your questions. It’s time to start working on our PTSA organization for 2013-14, and I invite ALL PARENTS to get involved. Most of the officers’ terms expire at the end of the school year and we will need new parents to step in. We’ll lose a bunch of long-time volunteers when their youngest children graduate in June, so a number of committee chairs will become vacant. Please help us continue to build on the strong PTSA that we have had for so long by filling one of those spots! Contact me if you are interested in serving on the PTSA Board next year: [email protected] or 703-437-5340. Thanks for all your support. We truly have an amazing Herndon High School Community.

Go Hornets! Sincerely,

Stephanie McClellan HHS PTSA President

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REGIONAL SCHOLASTIC ART AWARD WINNERS!

Please join us in congratulating our 2013 Regional Scholastic Art Award Winners! Cierra Artis Gold Key, Digital Art Briana Bui Silver Key, Digital Art Martha Goughnour Certificate of Merit, Mixed Media Maggie Middleton Gold Key, Design Gold Key, Fashion Silver Key, Mixed Media Certificate of Merit, Film & Animation Certificate of Merit, Drawing Wray Sinclair Silver Key, Photography Silver Key, Photography Portfolio Jessica Wharton Certificate of Merit, Digital Art Gold and Silver award winners will have their works on display at NOVA Annandale’s Ernst Cultural Center. Gold Medal winners move to compete at the national level.


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AMAZON SCHOOL REWARDS PROGRAM

Let’s see,… how many of you shop online!?

If you make purchases at Amazon.com, a portion of each purchase price can be donated automatically to Herndon PTSA, at no cost to you! This is a FREE way to support Herndon High School! IT IS EASY! Click http://www.amazon.com/?tag=hept-20 to log on to Amazon then shop away! Herndon PTSA will receive a portion of every purchase that you make. Thanks so much for taking advantage of this great opportunity!

Laurie Dodd [email protected]

COMPUTER SCIENCE

As part of the Computer Science curriculum, we will be instructing the students how to make Android applications. Although these applications can be tested on the computer, it would be ideal to test on a phone. If anyone has any old Android phones they are no longer using, please consider donating to the school.

Thanks,

Ginny Listman Computer Science Teacher

MANDATORY DRIVERS EDUCATION PRESENTATION The State of Virginia requires all 10th grade students and their parent/guardian to attend a 90 minute traffic safety program as part of the classroom driver education instruction. This requirement must be met before a student can receive a Driver Education Certificate of Completion (DEC-1 card). This is a law in the State of Virginia and is currently in effect. The program will be offered at Herndon High School on May 1 and June 12.

COLLEGE PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM We are accepting applications for the College Partnership Program from now until March 15. This group is organized through Student Services and the Career Center, and offers education, advising, and enrichment opportunities for students to learn about applying to college. Paper applications are available in Student Services or in the Career Center. The following students are encouraged to apply:

• Students who are the first in their family to attend college

• Rising 9-12 graders

• Students with cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher

TJ APPLICATIONS Applications are now available for current HHS students wishing to apply to Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology. Rising 10th and 11th graders may apply. Information and applications are available on-line at www.tjadmissions.org. The deadline is May 31, 2013. See Ms. Sotirchos in Student Services for more information.


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HHS STUDENTS ATTEND INAUGURATION

Mr. Graney brought students to President Obama’s second Inauguration. In addition to the political events students saw James Taylor, Carrie Underwood and Beyonce. The students also attended receptions in Rep. Jose Serrano’s (D-NY) office and Rep. Don Young’s (R-Ak) office.

Douglas Graney Herndon High School US/Va Government US/Va and Honors American History Philosophy

BAND NOTES

Here are the band’s the upcoming events:

• On March 5th at 7:00 p.m. we invite everyone to come out and enjoy our Pre-assessment concert in the auditorium.

• Our current fundraiser is selling the chocolate bars from World's Finest Chocolate!! (Almond, Caramel, Milk Chocolate and Crispy).

• We have many students preparing for the District XII Solo and Ensemble Festival at Longfellow Middle School on April 19-20.

• Our upcoming Drumline/Colorguard competitions will be at Freedom on March 9th and at Hayfield on March 23rd.

• On April 24th at 7:00 p.m., we invite everyone to come out and enjoy our Pyramid concert in the auditorium. Several participating elementary school participants and our symphonic band will perform.

• Our Spring Trip to Florida for a competition and fun in Universal Studios and Busch Gardens will be April 12th--15th. Our winter season is busy with district and state assessment, competitions and upcoming concerts! Herndon Middle and High students participated in the District XII Honor Band at Kenmore Middle School in Arlington, VA (see picture). Several HHS students have attended various colleges honor bands throughout January and February. HHS is hosting the Pyramid band rehearsals and concert. Several elementary schools have students participating and it is a great collaboration effort with various directors and student volunteers from our local area. The Pyramid concert is April 24th in the auditorium. The Indoor Drumline and Indoor Guard units have several competitions in the next two months. There are a few competitions that are fairly close--come out and support the Color Guard and Drumline!! Congratulations to the Drumline for taking 1st place in their class on their first 2013 competition!

2nd Inauguration of President Barack Obama January 21, 2013

We thanked Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska) for providing inauguration tickets.

We thanked Rep. Jose Serrano (D-New York) for providing

inauguration tickets at his post-inauguration reception.


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NOTES FROM THE CLINIC

Dear Parents,

Greetings from the Clinic!

We would like to ask your help in controlling the spread of illness through Herndon HS. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to be the “enforcers”. We have had way too many students coming to school sick to take a test, because they have a game or practice, or just because they don’t want to miss school. By the time they get to us, they have spread their germs to their busmates, classmates and the teachers and staff here at HHS. You need to keep your student in bed when they have a fever or are sick. I know you wouldn’t want someone to spread their germs to your well student. Remember that they will never do as well on a test or in a game if they are concentrating on being sick. We also want you to know that we are tracking attendance daily to keep abreast of the level of illness and absences at HHS. To that end we are asking the following:

+ Please keep your student home if he/she is sick. It’s difficult to learn when you have to concentrate on being sick.

A student who is sick shares germs with everyone around him/her.

+ When you call your student in sick, please tell us if your student has a fever and/or if they are experiencing a

cough or sore throat (signs of influenza-like illness) or vomiting or diarrhea. This will help if we need to investigate an alert for a high number of absences (and save you a phone call in the bargain).

+ Students should be fever free (without meds) and not have been vomiting or had diarrhea for 24 hours before

returning to school.

+ If your student will need medications you may check the HHS web page under Student services and “Clinic” for

links to the FCPS med regulation and forms to download. Or you may call Robin Weinstein in the clinic at 703-810-2210.

Healthy students learn better!

Virginia Wilkinson, MSN, RN, NCSN Robin Weinstein School Public Health Nurse School Health Aide

LIBRARY NEWS As spring approaches, the library will be a very busy place. We will continue to support all research efforts and we encourage students to use the library independently before school (we open at 7:00 a.m.), during Stinger and lunches, and after school (we are open until 3:45 p.m. on Mondays and 4:00 p.m. on Thursdays).

We have been very busy at lunch this school year! Lunchtime visits have increased by more than 60% over last year at this time. One reason for this is that students may eat in the library. Taking our cue from local college libraries, we have changed our policy on food and drink – and students are rising to the occasion. They have been responsible and have continued to maintain a clean and inviting space.

Spring break is coming up. Do you and your child have plans to read a good book over the break? Have your child talk to us or go to the public library for a recommendation. Books & Authors, one of our Gale databases, can help you find books (http://bna.galegroup.com/bna); the password is available on our Blackboard course). Encourage your child to read something fun over the break! Better yet, read something together and discuss it.

On March 21, a representative from the Reston branch of the Fairfax County Public Library system will come to our library to show participants how to access ebooks. We look forward to continued collaborative efforts in the future!

Two other exciting events are quickly approaching. We will celebrate National Library Week April 14-20, 2013 and we will host a Poetry Café at the end of April for National Poetry Month. Please stay tuned to our Blackboard course for information about these events!

On a final note, we want to thank and recognize our wonderful volunteers: Anne Barbaro, Irene Carew, Kathy Fries, Mary Lambert, Vicki Morse, and Kimberly Sensley. These friends of the library have been instrumental in maintaining an orderly collection and helping out in so many other ways. If you would like to volunteer, please contact Ms. Wolfe at [email protected].

Thank you,

Mary Wolfe and Kristen Zemba Librarians

2013 POLITICAL SCIENCE INTERNSHIPS Interns in Lawrence Stroud’s Classes Alina Arana Town of Herndon Municipal Government Deusama Gonzales Representative Jose Serrano Zhilakhan Barzani Kurdish Regional Government Shelby Brennan Representative Richard Neal Ismael Elhelbawey Representative Ami Bera Gabriel Elmisurati Representative Ron Kind Claire Hirschhorn Senator John McCain Curtis Indyke Representative Lee Terry Samuel Jens Representative Tim Bishop Patrick Keating Representative Frank Wolf Cynthia Kim Representative David Loebsack Yasmine Maggio Representative Donna Christensen Breauna Marshall Representative Bobby Scott Elizabeth McCauley Senator Tom Harkin Deridre McDonough Representative Ron Barber Laura Medina Representative Tony Cardenas Katy Moran Nuns on a Bus Nayana Nair Representative Pete Sessions Tien Nguyen Representative Bruce Braley Margaret Purnhagen Fairfax County Democratic Committee Katherine Ramirez Representative Jared Polis Aminta Reyes Representative Raul Grijalva Cody Riggs Fairfax County Democratic Committee Maggie Sagan Representative Justin Amash Olivia Savage Town of Herndon Municipal Government Jonathan Seng Representative Alan Lowenthal Nathan Wycoff Representative Don Young Selim Zemni Senator Max Baucus Interns in Meghann Jones’ Classes Asha Khanzada Peace Corps Cameron Taylor Representative Steve Stockman (R-TX) Amanda Huelskamp Representative Tim Huelskamp (R-KS) Sharon Johana Zuniga-Navarro Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) Lisa Sheffer Senator Max Baucus (D-MT) Kelsey Blystone Representative Joseph Pitts (R-PA) Jacqueline Lahoz Representative David Price (D-NC) Kathryn Lopes Representative Ed Perlmutter (D-CO) Ranya Nureddin Representative Thomas Petri (R-WI) Lloyd Berg Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT) Fletcher Phillips Representative Steve Southerland (R-FL) Robert Powers Peace Corps Erin Altschuler Representative Gwen Moore (D-WI) Elisabeth Shumpert Representative John Conyers Jr. (D-MI) Lauren Gabriel Representative Mike Kelly (R-PA) Jonathan Martin Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) Kelly Galloway Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) Ketkanok Kathleen Ratana Representative Diana Degette (D-CO) Arol Yanez Banos TBD Kiana Snekcim Representative Charles Rangel (D-NY) Rina Lidder Representative Jared Polis (D-CO) Britney Phekoo Representative Gary Peters (D-MI) Kiana Simpkins Representative Reid Ribble (R-WI) Julia Diaz-Perez Representative Frank Wolf (R-VA) Breana McPherson Planned Parenthood


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Herndon Community,

On March 12, 2013 at 7:00 p.m.

Herndon High School will host a

presentation, Signs, Symptoms, and

Solutions for Alcohol and Drug Use,

which will be held in the Lecture Hall.

The presentation will be conducted by

Cynthia Turner, LCSW, LSATP and Craig James, LCSW

developers of Finding Solutions Counseling Centers The Dual

Diagnosis Recovery Program© which is a specialized program for

individuals and their families dealing with both mental health and

addictive behaviors including alcohol, drugs, gambling, sex,

internet, etc. This presentation will also include a discussion about

why people use, current trends, signs and symptoms for marijuana,

alcohol, and prescription drugs and how parents can intervene and

respond. We encourage you to participate in this event. As this is a

sensitive topic, this presentation will be for parents only.

William L. BatesWilliam L. BatesWilliam L. BatesWilliam L. Bates

Principal, Herndon High School


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MARCH 13 PTSA MEETING GUEST SPEAKERS The March 13th PTSA meeting which starts at 7 p.m. will feature Ms. Joan Ozdogan. She will speak about the new Chantilly STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) Academy, which is available for HHS students to attend as part of their school day. The Academy specializes in career-oriented electives in Engineering & Scientific Technology, Health and Human Services, and Trade & Industry. Top-notch programs may lead directly to careers or part-time employment while attending post-secondary education. Over 80% of their graduates attend college or other post-secondary education. The deadline for application to the Academy is March 30, so this is an excellent opportunity to learn more about how the program works. Everyone is welcome to attend. See you there!

Upcoming holidays reminder:

Spring Break is March 25 - 29

April 15 is a Teacher Work Day

No school

THEATRE NEWS

“2012-13: A Season of Reflection”

Cheaper By The Dozen April 18-20, 7:30 p.m. All tickets are $10. The Tempest Shakespeare’s final masterpiece, presented by Advanced Theatre Production Students. May 31st and June 1st, 7:30 p.m. All tickets are $10. All HHS Theatre productions are presented in the Herndon High School Auditorium, 700 Bennett Street, Herndon, Virginia 20170. Tickets are available at the door one hour prior to each performance. For further information, go to the Theatre website (http://www.herndondrama.org/) or call Zoe Dillard, HHS Theatre Director, 703-810-2341.

JOIN OUR PTSA EMAIL LISTS! Join our PTSA email lists! Just send an email to the list you want to join:

General PTSA emails – [email protected] Seniors – [email protected] Juniors – [email protected] Sophomores – [email protected] Freshman – [email protected]

Please pass this message along to parents who may not be receiving our emails.

SCIENCE FAIR 2012-2013 AWARDS

Physics and Astronomy First Place: Jefferson Talbot, Charlie Shen, Joshua Ya, John Lin, Blake Morgan, Ellen Cranley and Rachel Delmontagne Second Place: Matt White, Margaret Schaaf, Jenna Krynucki Third Place: James Morgan, Charlie Knoll, James Wu, Tiberius Baicoianu, John Charles, Brandon Timberbrook, Matthew Culpepper Honorable Mention: Tommy Duggleby, Andrew Goldman, Jessie Horting, Drew Lytle, Sam Kenis, Christina Sneed, Cory Spohn Environmental Science Awards First Place: Alastair Young, Nicholas Lewis, Molly McKnight, Emma Dodd Second Place: Rishav Kanal, Sayeed Khan, Samee Khan, Sarah Betti Honorable Mention: Hannan, Schofield, Katherine Kashinsky, Alex Monos, Patrick Broussard, Michael Malito Medicine and Health Sciences Awards Second Place: Nancy Lee Third Place: Nashwaan Farooque Environmental Management Awards Second Place: Gershman Abigail, Beltran Kendall, Jeon Jean**Office of Naval Research Special Certificate** Biochemistry Awards First Place: Syed Hossain Second Place: Srivalli Srivangiouram Honorable Mention: Jack Morris, Amy Spohn, Katie Carlson Cellular and Molecular Biology Awards First Place: Ummey Hossain Second Place: Isaac Yampolsky Engineering: Materials and Bioengineering Awards Second Place: Luke Patelunas, Valerie Beachman, Marie Bernard Brind’Amour, John Filipowicz Third Place: Alison Coley, Zach Knox, Jack Fleisher Honorable Mention: K. Ernnstmann, Caitlin Mahoney Engineering: Electrical and Mechanical Awards First Place: Marshall Wilkins, Maeve Aucella Honorable Mention: Logan Burns, Jake Bentley, Jonathan Yang, Andrew Castilla, Sophie Bengon, Julie Wycoff, CC Nur

Plant Sciences Awards First Place: Faiza Sohail, Jennifer Bagby, Amna Nawaz Second Place: Andrew Fox, Nina Kappel Third Place: Olivia Leshock, Hannah Moore Computer Science Awards First Place: David Pearson, and Jared Nielsen Mathematical Sciences Awards Third Place: Taylor Sitterson, Wilber Menjivan Honorable Mention: Nathan Wycoff Engineering: Materials and Bioengineering Awards Second Place: Luke Patelunas, Valerie Beachman, Marie Bernard Brind’Amour, John Filipowicz Third Place: Alison Coley, Zach Knox, Jack Fleisher Honorable Mention: K. Ernnstmann, Caitlin Mahoney Animal Science Awards First Place: Amelia Johnson Second Place: Ian Paxton Behavioral and Social Science Awards First Place: Hannah Wolfe, Seara Mainor, Eric Johns, Amiee Toner, Victoria Shraag, Alexander Shaal Third Place: Deirdre McDonough, Stephanie Cors, Gillian Linden Honorable Mention: Cameron Copeland, Rob Williams, Devon Woycke Chemistry Awards First Place: Daniel Lacher, Emily Schaal Second Place: Lijia Zhang, Miguel Locsin, Ayub Khan, Mario Caballero, Sam Milligan, Kent Morrison, Graham Seitz, Jamie Fico, Noelle Muha, Jessie Serrano Third Place: Jessica Ya, Ryan Withers, Tae Jung Yang, Bryce Hodsdon, Luc Descour, Meron Yohannes, Joshua Glazier, Stephanie Brininstool, Karsten Highberg Honorable Mention: Mariam Ashraf, Christine Horting, Lizzie Pater Microbiology Awards Second Place: Katie Surana, Jade Little, Samuel Chanesman Third Place: Talei Moore, Ana Hidalgo Honorable Mention: Denisha Portea, Andy Najarro, Jasmine Morejon


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SCIENCE FAIR A HUGE SUCCESS! The science department thanks the following people for supporting the science fair: Booz Allen Hamilton and the community supplied over 75 judges to judge our school level fair; the Office of Naval Research supplied an association level judge and gave out certificates and medals (HHS is the only local school level fair that they participate in. It was an honor and privilege to receive the gift of everyone’s time); Paul Muirhead, a professional photographer, documented the fair (Paul Muirhead Photography did an amazing job. Click through the photographs here http://www.paulmuirhead.com/hhs131. He generously set up the website so viewers may download and print the photos without cost! This is the second year that he has done this and it truly adds an element of poise to this event!); the custodial staff also was very supportive helping us to maintain 2 rooms, one for the judges and one for the fair (Your time and efforts were invaluable); and lastly, the Science Department worked hard as a team to get this whole event off of the ground and though the work was hard, we had a lot of laughs and feel a sense of accomplishment in seeing it to completion. Next we will meet with all the winning teams and put them through “Sikes Science Fair Boot camp.” The student’s presentations and their boards will be analyzed and any necessary improvements will be made. The goal is to have our Hornets stand out at the regional fair and provide access and exposure for every student for every possible opportunity. We will be running the same event the same time next year in the same place so be on the lookout for another fabulous science fair from Herndon High School!


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CLASS OF 2013 NEWS

REMINDERS: Senior dues are due to Mrs. Crawford in the Black Office. The cost is $90 in cash or check made payable to “HHS.” Seniors also are responsible for any other unpaid obligations such as library fines, text book fines, parking fines, etc. Students – Time to buy your All Night Grad ticket. Check out the list posted on the ANG page of students that have bought their tickets already (http://www.herndonang.org/). The ticket price is $50. We have lots of fun events planned for the evening and great casino prizes.

FUNDRAISERS: Thanks to everyone for helping and attending the Parent Casino Night. We truly appreciated your support. We made over $5000 during the evening. It was a fun event and we look forward to supporting the event next year. Pampered Chef Fundraiser-All proceeds will go to HHS All Night Grad 2013. Party Products may be previewed and purchased online at www.pamperedchef.biz/susanbayliss (From the Pampered Chef webpage, click Shop Online at the top right, search for HHS as the host organization). Order must be made by Wednesday, February 27. Questions? Contact Susan Bayliss at [email protected] or 703-939-0016. A LIVE Cooking Show Demo will be held on March 9 at 7 p.m. at Kathy Blystone's House, 1536 Kingstream Circle, Herndon. Bring your friends along for an evening of food and fun! RSVP to Kathy Blystone at [email protected] by Friday, March 8th. The Glory Days Fundraiser will start up again from March 1st to May 1st. Please give receipts to Kathy Blystone either by dropping them off at HHS marked ANG or mail to 1536 Kingstream Circle. Or, Kelsey attends Wing Night on Wednesdays so you may also give them to her then. Thanks for those that gave receipts for the last three month fundraiser period. We made a few hundred dollars from this. Personalized Yard Signs for your graduate are $20. The next order will be placed on April 1. All forms are located on the ANG website (http://www.herndonang.org/). Script – You may purchase gift cards are all year long. Feel free to order online and send a check for the payment. This fundraiser benefits both the card purchaser and ANG (http://www.herndonang.org/). The next GIFT Dinner is Wednesday, May 1st, at HUMC. The theme will be Cinco de Mayo and will feature Mexican dishes. We made $400 from the January GIFT dinner. Thanks to all who helped with that.

Kathy Blystone Class of 2013 PTSA Liaison/ANG Co-Chair

VOLUNTEERS SOUGHT FOR 2013 HHS BACCALAUREATE The Baccalaureate is an inter-faith ceremony organized by the Herndon High School PTSA to honor the Class of 2013 in a spiritual way. The ceremony will be held in May this year (date TBD) so not to conflict with the busy weeks before the HHS graduation itself. Volunteers are needed to help secure speakers, space, and refreshments. Additional volunteers will be needed to help during the ceremony. If you are interested in making sure this special ceremony is once again part of the HHS graduation celebration, please contact Laura Hellstern at [email protected] by April 15.

HERNDON IDOL EVENT

♦♦♦♦ Herndon Idol interest meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 5th, in the cafeteria at 2:15-3 p.m.

♦♦♦♦ Herndon Idol tryouts will be held Wednesday, March 13th, in the Lecture Hall at 2:15-5 p.m.

♦♦♦♦ Herndon Idol Event is Thursday, March 21st, at 7 p.m. Come out and see some amazing student talent as

we find the new Herndon Idol!


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AFTER PROM. Dear Junior and Senior Parents,

Spring is a busy and exciting time for our Upperclassmen. SATs, exams, Prom and, finally, Graduation are all part of this season for our young people. During this time, we want our students to both have fun and be safe. To help them do both, the Junior Parents will sponsor a supervised, drug- and alcohol-free party called After Prom. We would love to see 100% participation in this fantastic event. If the kids are with us, having fun and winning prizes, they will not be out finding themselves in potentially dangerous situations.

Here is some information about the party:

• The party will be after Prom, at the Reston Community Center, from 11:30 p.m. - 4 a.m.

• After Prom is free to anyone who has a ticket to Prom and $5 for any Junior or Senior that does not attend Prom.

• While the objective is to keep our students safe after Prom, we want them to have a lot of fun and continue the festivities.

• Chaperones and security will be provided - parents will be notified if their student leaves before 3 a.m.

• Food, drinks, games and prizes will be provided all night.

• Prizes will include such items such as: iPads, TVs, Chipotle and Starbucks gift cards, etc.

Please encourage your children to attend and let them know that most kids do. Keeping our children safe is a community effort. The more students we can have at this party, the fewer students will be attending ‘unofficial’ parties. If every parent says ‘no’ to unsanctioned parties and ‘yes’ to the After Prom, our children will show up and have fun.

Every year, parties are broken up by the police and children’s lives are forever changed (try searching ‘after prom parties & problems’ and you will see many examples). Let’s not have that be part of the Herndon High School Prom experience.

After Prom is a great way to keep our students safe and out of trouble and provide them with a fun and exciting party!

If you would like to be added to the email list to receive information about the party, please send your email to: [email protected].

Look for our Facebook page (Herndon Hornets After Prom 2013) and find us on Twitter(Hornetafterprom2013).

CLASS OF 2014

The Prom will be held at the Dulles Airport Hilton on Saturday, June 8th. The Prom theme is “Masquerade” at the Washington. Junior parents are needed to help with decorations. Please contact Nancy Butterfield, the Class of 2014 sponsor ([email protected]).


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CLASS OF 2015 Course Registration Schedule February 28 -- Rising junior registration meeting during Seminar March 1 – 8 -- Rising junior course selection appointments with counselors (all day) Partner’s For Safe Teen Driving - Parent/Teen Driving Assembly (Mandatory for all 10th grade students in Driver’s Education) The Commonwealth of Virginia requires all 10th grade students and their parent/guardian to attend a 90 minute traffic safety program as part of classroom driver education instruction. This requirement must be met before a student can receive a Driver Education Certificate of completion (DEC-1 card). This is a law in the Commonwealth of Virginia and is currently in effect. Herndon will be offering this program on the following nights: May 1, and June 12. The start time is 7:00 p.m. in the cafeteria and no one will be admitted late after the doors are shut. Students must sit with their parent/guardian and not with their friends. Students are allowed to attend any meeting offered at Herndon, and/or any other Fairfax County Public High School. Students should let their Driver’s Education teacher know if they plan to attend another school’s session. Each student will only need to attend one session during the school year. Jerri Ricks Class of 2015 Class Sponsor [email protected]

HORNETS HAVE A SALAD BAR

HHS students and staff now have a salad bar available for lunch in the cafeteria. The mini salad bar lunch features fresh fruits, greens, veggie toppings and a protein plus a soft pretzel and milk, all for the student price of $2.75. Bon apetit!


PTSA Newsletter

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PTSA Newsletter

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PTSA Newsletter

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HAVE YOU JOINED THE PTSA YET????

Please Help Us Reach Our Goal of 400 Parent Members

and 100 Staff Members

Thank you to the parents and staff who have joined the HHS PTSA to date.

We would love to have more of you join the PTSA and take advantage

of the opportunities available to members.

Reasons to join are: ♦ Obtain materials and practical information on a variety of topics of

interest to parents and families.

♦ Learn about important issues affecting the children and schools in you community.

♦ Share concerns, ideas, and experiences with other parents and educators

in the community.

♦ Be a voice for your children – and all children – by communicating and

partnering with school and community leaders on important issues.

♦ Support school activities and enhance your child’s academic environment.

♦ Learn about local and state legislation affecting education and health programs.

♦ Take advantage of opportunities and programs offered by our State PTA

and National PTA.

You can now join the PTSA online using Pay Pal or by submitting the form with check or cash to the HHS main office. All the information you need for either

option is located at: http://herndonptsa.org/membership/.

If you prefer to mail in your membership, please complete this form: http://herndonptsa.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/HHSPTSA2012-13MembershipandVolunteerpages1.pdf.

Thank you for supporting the HHS PTSA! If you have any questions regarding

membership, please contact Sue Altschuler, [email protected].


PTSA Newsletter

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HERNDON HIGH SCHOOL CALENDAR

(Events subject to change, please consult HHS PTSA website for latest updates.)

March 2013 5 Herndon Idol Interest Mtg. 2:15 p.m. 9 SAT 12 Chorus Concert 7:30 p.m. 13 Herndon Idol Tryouts 2:15 p.m. 13 PTSA Mtg. 7:00 p.m. 14 ASVAB test 21 Herndon Idol 7:00 p.m. 25-29 Spring Break April 3 Guitar Boosters dinner HUMC 6:00 p.m. 4 Buzzworthy Breakfast 7:45 a.m. 12 Grading Periord Ends 13 ACT 15 Teacher Work Day, No school 18 “Cheaper by the Dozen” Theater Production 7:30 p.m. 19 “Cheaper by the Dozen” Theater Production 7:30 p.m. 20 “Cheaper by the Dozen” Theater Production 7:30 p.m. 23 PTSA Mtg. 7:00 p.m. 24 Pyramid Band Concert 7:00 p.m.

NORTHWEST FEDERAL CREDIT UNION

BUSINESS PARTNER

PTSA Member Benefit

Northwest Federal Credit Union, a Herndon High School business partner since 2008, offers student services such as certified education loans, free First Checking, FirstCard Visa Platinum, 33,000+ free ATMs and 4,500+ locations nationwide. Members of the Herndon High School PTSA and their families may join Northwest Federal by opening a savings account with $5 or more. Join online at www.nwfcu.org and select “Herndon High School PTSA” as your qualifying organization. Call 703-709-8901 with questions or visit Northwest Federal’s Herndon Branch at 200 Spring Street.

Northwest Federal Credit Union Foundation

NWFCU and the NWFCU Foundation are proud to partner with HHS. The NWFCU Foundation supports the teachers, staff and students at HHS with an annual grant to fund staff professional development and technological upgrades. Since the partnership was formed, the NWFCU Foundation has given $25,000 in grants to HHS. The NWFCU Foundation also provides volunteers for test proctoring and supports numerous other events throughout the school year. At the end of the school year, the NWFCU Foundation and NWFCU volunteers work with the senior class on a budgetary simulation exercise, the Reality Store. Upon completion of the exercise, seniors have the opportunity to enter an essay contest to win a $500 book scholarship.

Scholarships

The NWFCU Foundation awards scholarships to deserving students who demonstrate leadership, dedication and commitment in school, at home and in the community. Since 2006, 9 HHS graduates have received NWFCU Foundation’s Ben DeFelice Scholarships. For scholarship information, please visit www.nwfcufoundation.org.

Shannon Tackett [email protected] Communications Officer NWFCU Foundation 200 Spring Street

Suite 410 Herndon, VA 20170

703-925-5094

Editor’s Note: Articles from all members of the Herndon High School community are welcomed. Submissions for the HHS PTSA Newsletter may be emailed to: [email protected].

Article Due Dates are:

May/Jun Issue = due Apr. 24; published May 1

herndon high school march/april 2013 ptsa...

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