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Academic Year
PTA Officers Elected for 2007-2008 Congratulations to the following PTA Officers who were elected at the May 16th PTA General Membership Meeting:
Webmaster and Newsletter Editor Needed! The PTA needs a webmaster and newsletter editor, effective immediately. The newsletter has been combined with the website for the last year or so, providing faster turnaround on important information to PTA members. The current webmaster has "graduated" from Longfellow, so the need is urgent. Please contact Wilma Bowers if you are interested. Safety With Strangers For the third time this school year, a Longfellow student walking home from school has reported an unusual contact with a stranger. A man in a car asked directions to Westmoreland street (less than a block away) then made a comment about giving the child a reward for helping him. Police and school officials are aware of this incident, which occurred on Boxwood Street near Haycock school. Please ask your children to tell you and/or school officials about any contact that seems odd or doesn't "feel right." Discuss with your children the importance of safety when walking in the community, including on the way to and from school or a bus stop. Remind them not to talk to strangers (just say "I don't know" if someone asks for directions), to stay on sidewalks, to not move close to any car and to walk in groups when possible. Any incidents should be reported to the school or the police, as appropriate. Band Camp Info & Registration The Vienna Band Camp will be held this year at Longfellow, June 25-July 19. This is a GREAT opportunity for kids to get a year's worth of band experience in a few short weeks. The cost is only $180 for all four weeks of the program. McLean High School's acclaimed maestro Jim Kirchenbauer will be teaching the top-level band this year, for the first time in many years. Many Longfellow students will qualify for this band--this is a great opportunity for kids to work with Mr. K, who will be at McLean for only the next two school years, when he plans to retire from the school system. Click here for details and click here for a registration form. Changes to GT Programs Are you curious about recent and future changes in the elementary, middle and high school programs for gifted students in Fairfax County? If you are, come meet with Dr. Dale on Monday, June 18th, in the McLean HS lecture hall, at 7:30 PM. For more information, contact Louise Epstein at 703-917-7960. McLean PTSA Needs Parent Volunteers If your child is attending McLean High School next year, please consider volunteering for their PTA (at McLean they call it the Parent Teacher Student Association, or PTSA). They need help parents to help with:
PTSA meetings are the second Monday of each month at 7:30 p.m. in the Library. If you can help one of these committees, please email Betty Ende, Wafika Albani or Janet Gonzalez. 8th Grade Dance Tickets -- Advance Purchase ONLY Ride the Wave! Longfellow's Annual 8th Grade Celebration Dance, Coast into Summer, is Sat. June 16 7:30-10:00 PM at Longfellow Middle School. Enjoy games, door prizes, dancing, refreshments, a DJ and much more. Advance ticket sales only -- tickets will be sold during lunch periods May 29-31, June 5-7, and June 12-15 in the cafeteria. Tickets purchased in June will be $10. Tickets will not be sold at the door. Dress: Summer wear -- No bathing suits and no bare midriffs. 8th Grade Party Needs Adult Surfers June 16 The 8th Grade Party is Saturday, June 16th in the Longfellow cafeteria, 7:30-10:00 p.m. The theme is Surfing, and we need adult volunteers. Traditionally, 7th grade parents chaperone the 8th Grade Party, but any volunteers are welcome! If you can help, please contact Mary Hankins (703-790-9115). McLean High Sports Physicals June 12
The McLean High School web site is here. Click on "Parents" link at left for links to the PTSA, band, choral and athletic web sites maintained by the volunteer parent associations. McLean High Sports Physicals June 12 If you are playing any high school sport during the next school year, get your physical done early and be all set to go. This one-time physical qualifies students for all Fall, Winter, and Spring sports. The physical includes a neuropsychological screening for concussion, body fat, flexibility assessment, posture assessment, General Practice physician evaluation, AND an orthopedic evaluation. Download the VHSL Athletic Participation/Parental Consent/Physical Examination Form. Cost is $40. Appointments available 5:30-8:00 pm, e-mail David Lee with a preferred time. PTA Still Needs Volunteers for 2007-08 The PTA is still recruiting for the following positions:
The Directory co-chairs are critical positions to fill before the end of this school year in order for the Student Directory to be published in a timely manner in the fall. The Reflections chair has been vacant for two years. Without a parent volunteer for this position, our many talented Longfellow students will not be able to enter the PTA Reflections contest in the fall. If you can volunteer, or know any rising 7th grade parents who might be willing, please contact members of the Nominating Committee: Lisa Haas, Meena Krishnan or Susan Perla. Spring Hill Retirement Party June 4 Monday, June 4, 1:30 - 3:30, is a retirement party for Nancy Stansberry (Kindergarten teacher), Judy DuHaime (3rd, 4th, 5th grade teacher), Karen McMichael (Instructional Aid and Computer Specialist) and Shirley Long (Assistant Principal) in the Spring Hill Elementary Cafeteria. Please come say "good-bye" and "thank you" to these wonderful women and sign the memory books for them. McLean Community Dialogue May 31 The McLean Community Connections' 6th Community Dialogue, "We Are Many. Can We Be One?" will be Thurs. May 31, 6:30-9:30 p.m. at the McLean Community Center. Space is limited, reservation recommended, call 703.324.3453 or schish@fairfaxcounty.gov . For ADA accommodations call the number above or TTY 703.803.7914. Longfellow Renovation Presentation At the PTA Board meeting on May 16, Betty Ende made a presentation about the planned renovation. Click here for her presentation. Spring 2007 Testing: May 7th – June 1
McLean Freshman Orientation: Enroll by June 1 McLean High School is offering a summer institute to help rising ninth graders transition into high school. The program will be August 20-23 5:30-9 pm, with dinner provided each evening. McLean teachers will give sessions on note-taking, time management, study skills and "introduction to high school life." Activities include "ice-breaker" socials. Cost is $30, financial assistance is available. You must enroll by June 1. Click here for details and an enrollment form. Longfellow Theatre Presents “Guys and Dolls, Jr.” – May 31 and June 2 A part of The Broadway Junior Collection TM. Based on the book by Abe Burrows and Joe Swerling; music and lyrics by Frank Loesser; produced by special arrangement with Music Theatre International. Performances will be held on May 31 at 7:00 pm, and on June 2 at 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm. Tickets are $3.00 for students and $5.00 for adults. Survey: ACT Explore or PSAT for McLean Freshmen? McLean High School would like parents to complete a one-question online survey to see if they would like Freshmen to take the ACT Explore test instead of the PSAT. Sophomores and Juniors would still take the PSAT. You can provide your opinion with a one-question survey here until Friday, May 25th. ACT is a college-admissions test that is an alternative/addition to the SAT. The ACT Explore Test includes four 30-minute sections on English, mathematics, reading, and science. It is normed for 9th grade students and includes a component that helps assess strengths and career options. More information on the ACT Explore test and program can be found at http://www.act.org/explore/ The PSAT measures critical reading, math problem-solving, and writing skills. Students receive feedback on strengths and weaknesses and can see how their scores compare with other students gaining entrance to college. For more information on the PSAT, click here. For information comparing ACT to SAT, visit www.princetonreview.com, or Kimberly Carney, McLean Assistant Principal. Dedication for Will Lash at Haycock Thursday, May 24 A moving wind sculpture will be installed near the front entrance of Haycock school in memory of Will Lash, who attended Haycock and died last July. Will would have been a 7th grader at Longfellow this year. Everyone is welcome to attend the brief ceremony, 4:15 Thurs. May 24 at the front entrance of the school. Warning Signs of Youth Depression and Suicide, Thurs. May 24 Sponsored by the Safe Community Coalition, this program will feature specialist Mary Livingston Azoy, LPC, CPT, Director of Community Education & Crisis Response for CrisisLink, who will discuss:
The workshop will include a brief presentation, video and Q & A session. It will be May 24 7:30-9 pm at Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, Fellowship Hall, 1545 Chain Bridge Road, McLean, VA 22101. FREE, but please RSVP by clicking here. HELP WANTED -- Part Time With Longfellow/McLean Parent Wanted--someone very organized to help me with my at-home business, doing computer work, bookkeeping, and general girl Friday work at my home near Lemon Road school. The work is varied and interesting. Hours would be during during school, summer and school holidays off, flexible two to three days a week depending on the work load. I prefer a school Mom, as I am one myself. Please contact Toni Hunter (703) 893-3313. If you would like to see more help wanted items on this website, please contact the webmaster. Teens Tell Parents About Drugs, Booze & Depression, Tues. May 22 A panel of 12 McLean seniors will discuss drinking, drugs, sex, internet risks, stress and depression, moderated by MHS Principal Paul Wardinski, Tues May 22, 7:30 - 9:00 pm, in the McLean High School Cafeteria. "Saturday Night in the Suburbs," sponsored by the McLean High School PTSA, is a program held only every two years. Rising 9th grade parents are welcome to attend this candid and eye-opening panel discussion. PTA General Membership Meeting – May 16, 7:30 pm at Longfellow All Longfellow parents are invited to the PTA General Membership meeting to be held on Wednesday, May 16, at Longfellow library. We will have a brief business meeting at 7:30 pm, which will include electing PTA officers for 2007-08 and amending the current PTA Budget. The proposed officers are: President -- Wilma Bowers Life Lessons in Sports - Tues. May 15, 7:00 -9:00 pm The Positive Coaching Alliance, in partnership with the Safe Community Coalition and McLean Youth Athletics, is pleased to offer a Sport Parent Workshop. Parents will learn about how to focus not just on winning, but teaching kids life lessons through sports and help your child get the most out of their youth sports experience. This event will be held at McLean High School Lecture Hall, Tues. May 15, 7-9 pm. FREE but please RSVP by clicking here. Yagattowannas Parents Social - May 12 Parents of 7th grade Yagattowannas team students (whose teachers are Mrs. Miller, Mr. Van BenSchoten, Mrs. Bergstrom) are invited to an informal get-together hosted by Meena and Shiv Krishnan at their home: 7700 Carlton Place, McLean, VA 22102, Saturday May 12, 3-5 p.m. There will be hors d'oeuvres, coffee, tea and beverages. The team's teachers are planning to attend depending on their availability. Please RSVP to Meena Krishnan (703) 442-3322 by May 10 May 9 District Dialog at Colvin Run Janie Strauss, Dranesville District School Board Member, invites
you to a Dranesville District Dialogue, Wednesday, May 9th 7:30–9 p.m. in the
Colvin Run Elementary School Cafeteria. The Cluster office will be represented
by Audra Sydnor, Assistant Superintendent. For more information contact Joann Kinney, School Board Office, 571-423-1065. PTA Seeks Speakers The PTA would like to have ideas about guest speakers for upcoming PTA meetings. If you have an idea for a guest speaker, please email edsaperstein@cox.net. Diabetes Walk A Diabetes Walk fundraiser was postponed from Thursday April 12th and now will take place Thursday May 3rd. We still need lots of parents to help make this event a success! If you can help, please contact Joan Packer. McLean Summer Program for Freshmen McLean High School is introducing a Summer Institute to acclimate freshman and those taking advanced studies. The classes will be held 5:30-9:00 p.m. August 20th - 23rd. Registration is only $30. Details and registration forms are here Thanks!! Many Thanks to Our Arm-Chair Fundraising Donors! The PTA thanks the families who have generously donated to our arm-chair fundraiser this year, totaling to date $24,822 (on March 30, 2007). Click here for details. Automatic E-mail With Longfellow News We now offer "changenotes," a service that sends you an e-mail when the Longfellow PTA home page changes. When we change the web site, you will receive an e-mail that shows what was changed. Just scroll to the bottom and click on "Receive e-mail when this page changes" and sign up. It's a great way to keep informed of Longfellow news without checking the web site! This system does not seem to generate spam for people who have signed up. Try it today! Longfellow Kids Win Virginia Science Bowl! A team of five Longfellow students took top honors at the Virginia Science Bowl, a competition sponsored by the U. S. Department of Energy at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility in Newport News last weekend for middle school students. The team, coached by teacher Scott Van Benschoten, moves on to the national competition in Denver next June. The fast-paced question-and-answer contest includes questions about earth science, physical science, life science, math, and general science. The DOE web site is here. Team members and their project were described in an article in the Hampton Roads "Daily Press." Click here to read the article. Did You Play in the Band at McLean High School? Play It Again for Mr. K! If you played in the McLean High School band, you are invited to play again as part of an Alumni performance May 26 at 2 p.m., at McLean High School. This performance will honor James Kirchenbauer's 25th year as McLean's band director, where he has built one of the best school music programs in the nation. Please consider performing with your fellow alumni, even if you are not actively using your musical talents. No chair tests, no sight reading -- a few rehearsals will be scheduled. After the concert the Band Parents Association is hosting a dinner at the Tower Club including musical entertainment, a dinner buffet, coffee, presentations, cash bar. For details, click here. Eat at Boston Market Thursday May 3 To Help Longfellow Science Olympiad Longfellow Science Olympiad won the Virginia State Championship last weekend! There is only a month before the team goes to the Nationals, in Wichita, Kansas , it needs to raise a significant amount of money. We have scheduled a "Fundraising Feast" at Boston Market in McLean on Thursday evening, May 3rd from 4pm until closing. For everyone who mentions "Longfellow Science Olympiad" at the cash register, Boston Market gives the team up to 40% of the sale! Team members will be at the register all night making sure that everyone who orders food says the magic words and the team gets credit for the sale. We really need community support for this to be a success! Come, have a wonderful dinner, and support this great Longfellow program. Congratulations to the Olympiad kids! Friday is Langley Activity Fair Rising 9th graders from Longfellow can go to Langley High School for an activities fair this Friday, April 27. Kids can talk to teachers and students; sign up for activities, clubs and academic and sports teams, tour much of the school and win door prizes! We encourage all Langley-area students to attend, including any students accepted to TJ. The bus leaves Longfellow at 9:20 and returns the kids to school at about 11:30 a.m. Students must have a permission slip signed by parents. For more information contact Debbie Wright. Langley Chaperones Needed We need eight chaperones for the Langley High School Orientation/Activities Fair on Friday, April 27, 2007 from 8:45 a.m.-11:20 a.m. If you can help out for this field trip, please contact Debbie Wright. PTA Executive Committee Nominations The PTA Board has nominated the following people to serve as PTA Executive Committee officers for the school year 2007-2008. This slate of officers will be voted on at the May 16th PTA General Membership Meeting.
As of April 12, we also need parent volunteers for:
If you can help next year, or know rising 7th grade parents who might be willing to volunteer, please contact any member of the Nominating Committee: Lisa Haas, Meena Krishnan or Susan Perla.
Volunteers Needed for 8th Grade Party If you help, please contact lnelson@visa.com. The party will be on a Saturday evening in June. Parenting Workshop Begins April 12 Longfellow area parents of rising 7th, 8th, and 9th graders are invited to a six-session "Parenting the Adolescent" workshop starting Thursday, April 12, 7-9 pm at Longfellow Middle School. Other sessions will be the evenings of April 19, 26 and May 3, 10 and 17. The program will be facilitated by Joan Packer, Longfellow School Counselor, Estelle Brauer, former Longfellow School Counselor, and Marge Bleiweis, Conflict Resolution Specialist, Office of Safe and Drug-Free Youth, FCPS. A $20 covers course materials; please make check payable to Longfellow MS. To register, contact Joan Packer 703-533-2639. Public Meetings about Old Firehouse Teen Center The McLean Community Center Governing Board will present its proposal for expansion of the Old Firehouse on Chain Bridge Road and the main building on Ingleside Avenue at two public meetings, to get feedback from the community on the plans. The meetings are:
For more information, call the McLean Community Center at 703-790-0123. Thriving With Teens Class Classes such as "Becoming a More Encouraging Parent," and "Thriving With Teens" are offered by PEP, Inc. a non-profit educational organization devoted to helping families become stronger and more encouraging. For a listing of spring classes and to learn more about PEP, click here . Sat. April 14 Techstravaganza for Girls Techstravaganza is a science, technology, math, and engineering exploration day for elementary and middle school girls and their parents, although everyone is welcome. Students will have the opportunity to conduct hands-on science experiments as well as witness demonstrations and speak to scientists. The scientists are a valuable source of information on future careers, opportunities in their field, and how they arrived at their positions. For more information click here. Cinderella Ballet and Princess Ball April 13-15 The Cinderella Ballet, April 13-15, and the Princess Ball on April 13 are offered by the not-for-profit Classical Ballet Theatre, at the Ernst Community Cultural Center, at the NVCC Annandale Campus. The ballet is performed by local students (some of whom attend Longfellow). For information and to buy tickets, click here. The Classical Ballet Theatre is a not-for-profit organization. Ticket revenue helps cover costs of the performances, which also are supported by donations. This performance is being offered free to troops posted at Fort Belvoir, to honor and thank our local military. Longfellow PTA Board Positions The Longfellow PTA Nominating Committee is recruiting volunteers for next year's PTA board (2007-2008). If you would like to get involved on the PTA or know any rising 7th grade parents who would like to be on the PTA board, please contact a member of the Nominating Committee: Lisa Haas, Meena Krishnan or Susan Perla. The slate of officers will be presented to the PTA Board at the April 11 meeting. Order Giant Gift Cards by April 8 It’s that time of the month…if you’re ordering Giant Gift Cards this month I will place the order on the morning of Tuesday, April 10th. You can mail your check (payable to Longfellow PTA) to Anne Krieg, 7111 Xavier Ct., McLean, VA 22101. Thank you for supporting Longfellow! Summer Enrichment Camp Fair - Meeting Tuesday March 27
Learn more about all types of summer camps (academic, performing arts,
nature, science, sports or traditional summer camp) at the Fairfax County
Association for the Gifted Summer Enrichment Camp Fair on Tuesday, March
27th, 7:30-9:00 p. m. at Oakton High School, 2900 Sutton Road, Vienna 22181. Band Fundraiser Raffle -- Top Prize $3,000 Travel! The Band Raffle is underway ... supporting the McLean High School Band! Tickets are $5 each or five for $20. The prizes are:
But of course, the best reason to buy tickets is to support the school's wonderful band program. Contact Nancy Johnson, if you'd like tickets (or talk to any other McLean Band parent--we all have tickets to sell). Winners will be drawn at the March 29 concert at McLean High School. Parent Networking--hosts needed Parents!! As we gear up for the second half of the year, please consider hosting a networking event for your Longfellow Team parents to get to know each other. You pick a date and invite parents from your team - it can be potluck or just snacks and drinks. Hosts also usually invite the team teachers (Science, English and History/Civics teachers, one each per team) to help parents get to know the teachers, and share ideas about the school year. We already have hosts for the Jaguars and the Gnomes! If you can host a parent networking event--at any time, at your convenience, please contact Lisa Nelson at 703-533-0376. Thank you! Safety Rules When Going To/From School Last Tuesday after school let out early due to the snow, a man approached several students walking home on Westmoreland Street. If you did not receive the e-mail about this, please go to the Longfellow school web site and sign up for "keep in touch" e-mails. Remind your children, whether they walk or ride a bus, of some basic safety rules:
Semi-Formal Dance March 16: Holiday lights and refreshments needed
Friday, March 16, 7-9:30 pm is Longfellow's first evening school dance in
many years. This semi-formal is sponsored by the Student Government
Association, dress code ranges from "nice" to dressy. Ticket are $6. Kids
can play board games, refreshments will be served, and a DJ will provide
entertainment. Premiere Jazz -- FREE Concert at McLean High School
Thursday (March 15) is Jazz Night at McLean High School, featuring McLean's
own terrific Jazz Band and the Commodores, the Navy's premier jazz ensemble.
The Commodores is a specialty unit of the United States Navy Band in
Washington, D.C., featuring 18 of the Navy's top jazz and "big band"
musicians. BOOK FAIR March 12-15 - Book List and Teachers' Wish Lists now available NEW! Parents are MORE than welcome to visit the Longfellow Book Fair, Mon-Thurs during school hours until 2:30, and Wed until 5:30. It is in the Longfellow Library (turn left through the main doors, go left down the main hallway, library is at the end). Your child will be visiting the Book Fair to make a wish list. Teacher wish lists will be available at the Book Fair if you'd like to buy gifts for the classrooms of your favorite teachers! You can send in checks for books with your kids, to pay for books for teachers. Be sure they are made out to the school. Profits benefit the Longfellow library. Thursday afternoon is the LAST opportunity to visit the book fair and purchase books. Click here to see a list of books that will be for sale. Click here for Teachers' Wish Lists. For questions about the Wish Lists, call Marie in the library at 703-533-2645. Order Giant Grocery Cards by March 14 Longfellow PTA will order Giant grocery cards Wednesday, March 14. You pay face value and use them to buy groceries, the PTA earns 4 percent! To order mail a check to Anne Krieg, 7111 Xavier Court, McLean, VA 22101, made out to Longfellow PTA. Thank you! Nominating Committee Elected, Budget Amended, & Marshall High School Programs Explained at PTA General Membership Meeting Rescheduled to March 14 The Longfellow PTA is holding a General Membership meeting on Wednesday March 14, at 7:30 PM at Longfellow library. All Longfellow families are welcome to attend. We plan to vote on a revised PTA budget for this school year and to elect a nominating committee for next school year's PTA Board. At about 8:30 PM Jay Pearson, Principal of Marshall HS, will discuss the IB and Academy programs including answering your questions. The meeting should finish by 9 PM. We are pleased to announce that Lisa Haas (PTA Directory Co-chair), Meena Krishnan (PTA 2nd VP) and Susan Perla (PTA 1st VP) have agreed to serve on the nominating committee, if elected at the meeting. Thank you Lisa, Meena and Susan! Capitol Steps to Perform at McLean High School The Capitol Steps will be performing at Mclean High School on Sunday, March 11 at 4 PM. Tickets are $30 and proceeds go to benefit the All Night Graduation Party. For tickets call 703-790-0947 or mail a check made out to the All Night Graduation Party to Ilene Robeck, 1718 Chesterbrook Vale Court, Mclean, VA 22101. The high school auditorium is small, so if you are interested you may want to order your tickets soon. Mulch Delivered by McLean Crew Team Need mulch? The McLean High School Crew Team is raising funds (this sport receives no funding from the county) by selling bags of top-quality, shredded, hardwood mulch. Best of all, the mulch will be DELIVERED to your home by the student rowers March 10-11, 2007. Quantity discount is available. To place an order, please visit the club's website or call 703-314-5076. BOOK FAIR March 12-15 Snacks Needed for Friday (Mar 9) Teacher Reception The PTA is hosting a teacher’s reception Friday, March 9th, 2:30-3:30 for teachers to fill out Book Fair wish lists. If you can donate non-sweet foods, or drinks, please contact Natalie Malone 703-801-2196 or 703-827-5907. Bring items to the front office or library at any time Friday. Langley Bands - Rising 8th graders going to Langley Attention all current 8th grade students: Placement auditions are coming for all eligible 8th grade students to the LHS Bands! Please check out the 8th grade page, why join band, FAQ's and Mr. G's video introduction on the band web site (www.langleybands.com) for more info and requirements. Even if you've never played a band instrument, or have taken a few years off, we have a place for YOU!! All policies are right there on the web site. We look forward to another GREAT class coming to the Langley Band Program! Longfellow Middle School Teams We have added a “Team” section to the PTA website so parents can find information about their child’s team, including team teachers and counselors (also found in the Longfellow Student Directory). Teachers and parents involved with a team activity are welcome to post announcements on this web site. Please send the information to Nancy Johnson, PTA newsletter/website editor. Math/Technology Workshop for Girls--Register by March 7 The registration deadline is March 7 for the 15th Annual Technology: Futures Unlimited math and science workshop for 7th and 8th grade girls, Sat., which takes place March 24, 2007, 8:30 am-noon, at James Madison High School, 2500 James Madison Drive, Vienna, VA. There will be three 45-minute workshop sessions (For registration form click here). The registration form must be received by March 7--you will not receive a confirmation. The workshop is presented by the American Association of University Women (AAUW), Fairfax City Branch, and Fairfax County Public Schools. AAUW promotes lifelong education for all women and girls, …and has been doing so since 1881. The web site http://www.aauwofva.org/education.htm has more information on education issues and resources available from AAUW. The AAUW Fairfax City branch web site is here. For more information about the workshop contact Olga Burns & 703-239-2876 & Rubato12@aol.com. Langley High School – Capitol Steps Performance - Rescheduled to March 4 The Capitol Steps are coming again this year. The Class of 2007 presents the Capitol Steps on March 4, 2007 at 7:30 pm in the LHS Auditorium. Proceeds from the sale of the tickets will support the 2007 All Night Grad Party. Tickets are $30 and can be purchased by contacting Rudi Dyster (703-759-3606). Support the safe, alcohol and drug free graduation night of fun for the Class of 2007. Band Festival March 2 & 3 - Parent Helpers Needed Each of Longfellow's bands have after-school rehearsals this week, and will perform at the District Band Festival Friday night March 2 (Concert Band) and Saturday March 3 (Beginner/Wind Ensemble and Symphonic). These performances are the most important of the year and are required for every student. The schedule for each band is available on the PTA "Band" page (see link at left). Be sure your student has a good meal before you arrive - kids cannot eat or drink for several hours until after they have performed. Parents can watch the performances, and we need a few parents from each band to help before the band plays. If you can help, please e-mail Mr. Sanger. McLean Scholarship Funds Raised At Renaissance Banquet ! The Renaissance comes to life at the 55th Annual Boar’s Head Feast on March 2 & 3 (Fri. & Sat., 7 p.m.) at McLean Baptist Church, featuring live performances by the McLean Madrigals--the high school's advanced level choral group, recently ranked 11th in the nation by the Society for Historical Performance. The banquet features food and entertainment that invoke the spirit of 17th century Europe. Costumed Madrigals perform period skits and serenades in French and Latin throughout the evening, as well as renditions of more modern selections. Dinner selections include Pecan-crusted chicken w/Honey au Jus, Cider marinated seared pork chops, and a vegetarian entree catered by Doug Cook, former head chef at the renowned Sage restaurant. Tickets are going fast! $40 for adults, $25 for children 12 and under. Proceeds benefit scholarships for choral students. For information and reservations, please contact Patrice Comey, p.comey@mcleanchoral.org, Carla Johnston at (703) 628-8827, or go to the McLean Choral Parents Association Website. Band Web Site: Feb/March Concert Schedules District Festival, the first weekend in March, is the most important band performance of the school year! Pre-festival concerts for parents are Feb. 22 (Symphonic Band) and Feb. 23 (Concert Band and Wind Ensemble/Beginner Band, which will play together). Students in Concert Band, Wind Ensemble and Beginner band must attend several after-school practices. Practice times and concert schedules for those bands are posted on the Longfellow Band page. The Symphonic band schedule will be posted soon. Percussion students will be assigned to specific band performances. Parents need to sign and return the agreement that your child will bring home from school--a copy is on the band page at the above link. We also need a few parents to help chaperone the kids at the Festival. Please contact Mr. Sanger if you can help out.
The Longfellow Band link (click
here) also has basic information (the parent handbook) about grades and
requirements that you can read at any time. Any parent involved in band
activities is welcome to send news Jaguar Team Field Trip The Jaguar Team is currently planning a team field trip to the Udvar-Hazy Air and Space Museum in Chantilly, Virginia. The trip will be from 9:15am, when they leave Longfellow, to 2:00pm, the scheduled return to school, on Wednesday, February 14th. Click here for details. Math Education on Television -- Parents Can Attend the Show!
Teachers, students, parents and staff from Fairfax High Schools are invited
to the U.S. Department of Education’s Tuesday, February 20, 2007 pre-show
evening reception and live public television broadcast of Education News
Parents Can Use. School Closings and Delays During these winter days, Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) wants you to have the latest information about school closings and delays. FCPS announces delays and closures on cable Channel 21, on the public hot line 800-839-FCPS (3277), and on our web site at www.fcps.edu; FCPS also notifies local television and radio stations. FCPS sends Keep in Touch (KIT) e-mails about closings and delays to subscribers who sign up to receive these messages. Click here to sign up. Because of the large numbers of people who receive emergency messages, it may take up to an hour to receive a KIT emergency message. For insight into the decision-making process, please click here. For a more in-depth explanation, click here.
All Fairfax County Public Schools are closed Feb. 14 and Feb 15, 2007NEW! All Fairfax County public schools and offices will be closed Wednesday February 14 and Thursday February 15, 2007. Essential personnel are to report to work. Extracurricular activities, middle school after-school programs, interscholastic contests, team practices, field trips, adult and community education classes, and recreation programs in schools and on school grounds are canceled. High School Course Selections Begin Soon Rising ninth graders will meet with school counselors from Langley, Marshall and McLean on February 5th. With help from Longfellow counselors, students will select Freshman year courses. Longfellow counselors will record teacher recommendations on the course selection sheet, which will go home to parents in late February. Parents must review and sign the course selections. Math placement recommendations will not be made by Longfellow math teachers until April—parents also will receive that information. We urge parents and students to attend an upcoming high school orientation--even if your child has applied to Thomas Jefferson high school. The orientation meetings take place at the schools. Dates are:
Winter Weather Cancellations In the event of an early school closing or school cancellation, all after-school activities and clubs are cancelled at Longfellow (and all other FCPS schools). If school closes early, students will be sent home on their regular bus. To receive e-mails or text messages of school closings and delays, sign up for the Keep in Touch e-mail system (click Keep In Touch on the left). Radio, television and radio/TV news websites also carry up-to-date school closing information, as does the Fairfax County Public Schools website. We recommend you develop a plan with your child to cover emergency situations--how your child can access spare keys, neighbors they could stay with, how to contact you, the importance of contacting you when they arrive home, etc. In the event of an early closing, students can call parents from school telephones in the office and classrooms (with teacher approval). Proper planning for emergencies will help to make both you and your child feel safe and prepared to handle these situations. Who’s Who Among Longfellow Guidance Counselors Parents can contact their child’s school counselor with any academic, social, or emotional development questions or concerns. For information about Longfellow’s school counselor program and to learn the name of your child’s counselor, click here. Longfellow Middle School's dedicated and professional school counselors help students, parents, and teachers with school-wide programs including standardized testing, career guidance, elementary tutoring, minority achievement, middle school transition, course selection, parenting classes, College Partnership Program, Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology Admissions, Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth, and honor roll recognition. To become a school counselor, individuals must earn a Master’s Degree in school counseling and be endorsed in school counseling by the State of Virginia. February 5-9 is National School Counseling Week. Take a moment to thank your Longfellow school counselor—at any time! Rising Freshman Orientation at McLean High School An orientation for parents of 8th graders who may attend McLean High School will be Monday, Feb. 5, 7:00 pm, in the auditorium just inside the front entrance. Parents will learn about the school’s curriculum, can meet some of the teachers, and will have time to ask questions. We suggest all families attend, even if your child has applied for admission to Thomas Jefferson high school. Directions: To McLean High School (click for map): Turn on Davidson from Chain Bridge Road or enter from Westmoreland Street, keep going past the “rock,” all the way around the school to get to the front entrance. Rising Freshman Orientation at Langley & McLean An orientation for parents of 8th graders who may attend Langley High School will be Wednesday, Jan. 31, 7:30-9:00 PM, in the Langley HS auditorium. The McLean High School orientation will be Monday, Feb. 5, 7:00 pm, in the auditorium just inside the front entrance. Parents will learn about the school’s curriculum, can meet some of the teachers, and will have time to ask questions. We suggest all families attend, even if your child has applied for admission to Thomas Jefferson high school. Directions: To McLean High School (click for map): Turn on Davidson from Chain Bridge Road or enter from Westmoreland Street, keep going past the “rock,” all the way around the school to get to the front entrance. Langley High School (click for map) is on Georgetown Pike, which can be reached from Dolly Madison Blvd. In 11th and 12th grade, students also can choose to go to, or take classes at, Marshall Academy--transportation is provided during the school day to/from Langley and McLean high schools. The PTA held an information night on this program in November, click here for information. Longfellow Spelling Bee Feb. 1 -- Winner Goes to County Competition Longfellow will hold a Spelling Bee February 1. The winner will compete at Oakton High School March 25, and the winner of that competition will advance to the Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee in Washington, D. C. The County bee is sponsored by the Fairfax County Times, in partnership with SCORE! and the Fairfax County Council of PTAs. A big thanks to Longfellow staff (Greg Hood, Vince Lynch, Sally MacLean and Mary Taube) and parent Jessy Jang , who stepped up to coach and run the Longfellow event. Giant Gift Cards January 31 is the deadline for this month’s order for Giant Gift Cards. Support Longfellow by purchasing Giant Gift Cards and using them for all your purchases at Giant. Click here for information and to order and we’ll get your cards to you! Kids Using the Internet: Parent Info Presentation Jan 30 The Safe Community Coalition and McLean Presbyterian Church present Jennifer Krell, Fairfax County Public Schools Technology Specialist, Jan 30 at McLean Presbyterian Church, 1020 Balls Hill Road, McLean, 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm. Krell who will share information on ways our kids use the internet via instant messaging, chat rooms, blogs, webcams, cell phones, MySpace, Facebook and more. This program is only for parents. It is free, but to allow for enough seating, please pre-register by clicking here. Niños usando el internet: Una presentacion para los padres el 30 de enero. El Grupo Para una Communidad Segura y la Iglesia Presbiteriana de Mclean presentan a Jennifer Krell, especialista de technologia en las escuelas publicas de Fairfax. La presentacion es en la Iglesia Presbiteriana de Mclean (1020 Balls Hill RD) de las 7:30 a las 9:00 de la noche. Krell hablara sobre como los niños usan el internet a traves de mensajeria instantanea (instant messaging), cuartos de charlar (chat rooms), blogs, webcams, telefonos celulares, myspace, facebook y mas. Este programa es solo para adultos. Es gratis pero hay que pre-registrarse usando el link http://www.safecommunitycoalition.net/upevents.html . Join the PTA e-mail list! Longfellow PTA’s newsletter is now fully electronic and is updated usually several times a week. Simply visit this website to see the latest news, or click on the links for more information about PTA programs. The PTA web site is simple—all new items are posted at the top of the home page. Important news on the web site includes community service opportunities for 8th graders, fundraiser information, informal meetings for parents, PTA meetings, and more. Keep in mind that the school and the PTA web sites are different. The school’s web site has everything you need to know about absences, contacting teachers and staff, and school policies. All you need to do to receive the PTA’s electronic news is to check the web site regularly (tip--set a reminder in your Outlook or other calendar program to check for PTA news once a week!). Spanish Translations of Community Service Opportunities The Community Service page now contains Spanish translations. Click here and page down. PE Teachers Ask for Help The PE teachers would greatly appreciate donates of used tennis balls for activities, and boxes of tissues and feminine products to have on-hand for students. Please send them to school with your child if you would like to help out! Longfellow Hosts Harlem Globetrotter Performer Jan. 24 The Longfellow Middle School PTA Cultural Arts Committee is hosting famous basketball performer, Spencer "Spinny" Johnson on January, 24, in two performances at 7:30 AM for 7th grade, and 8:30 AM for 8th graders. Spinny's upbeat, dynamic program features fun and amazing basketball skills while teaching the importance of education, respect, goal setting, determination and perseverance. The show will be held in the gym. Spinny performs unique tricks such as balancing a basketball on a key held tightly between his teeth. His message: "With the proper discipline and hard work, you can accomplish anything!" A variety of hands-on activities directly involve large numbers of students to persuade his audience to believe in themselves and embrace positive thinking. Mr. Johnson has worked with the world-famous Harlem Globetrotters and has performed with such greats as Wilt Chamberlain, Curly Neal, Meadowlark Lemon, and Marques Haynes. He received a degree in psychology from Geneva College in Pennsylvania, where he became a two-time College All American and other basketball honors. Along with performing for students throughout the country, Mr. Johnson has served as a substitute teacher in Montgomery County, and has had extensive national exposure with Nancy Reagan's Drug Awareness Program. His message has reached millions of young people. For more information, contact Janet Gonzalez. Second Semester Electives Second semester schedules will be distributed to students on January 23, 2007. Elective courses reflect the selections students/parents made in last year. The school made every effort to give students their first choice of electives, but in some cases students will have courses that may not have been their top choice. Students cannot change their selections. Teachers were hired based on course selections made by students/parents last spring. The only changes being made at this time are to correct processing errors. If you would like to request a change due to exceptional circumstances, please submit your request in writing to your child’s counselor. Join the Longfellow PTA! Thank you to all the families and faculty members that have already joined the Longfellow PTA. Right now, approximately 300 families have joined, putting our participation at 30%. Our goal is to have 100% participation. If you have not yet joined the PTA, please do so as soon as possible. There were envelopes distributed in your child’s back-to-school folder—or just use any envelope, marked PTA membership. Your child can simply return this to their homeroom teacher, or you may join at Back-to-School Night. We will have a table with extra envelopes set up near the cafeteria, so bring your checkbook!! PTA dues are $10/person and Booster contributions are an additional $25/person. Checks should be made out to Longfellow PTA. Be sure to include your name, address, phone number, e-mail and child's name. Membership in the PTA supports our children, their teachers and the Longfellow community. Money raised by the PTA supports Back-to-School Night, school directories, field trips, cultural arts programs, International Night, Teacher Appreciation events and much more. For more information contact Rosie Oakley or Beth Ann Newton, PTA Membership Co-Chairs. Softball/Baseball Registration Jan. 6, 11 & 20 Little League registration will be held at the McLean Little League Fields, 1836 Westmoreland Street, (upper level of the Clubhouse) on Saturday, January 6, 2007 from 8:00am to 2:00pm; Thursday, January 11th from 5:30pm to 8:00pm; and Saturday, January 20th from 8:00am to 2:00pm. For more than 50 years McLean Little League has offered baseball and softball programs for boys 5-12 years old, and girls 5-16 years old. League playing age is your child's age as of April 30 2007 for Tee-Ball/Baseball; December 31 2006 for Softball. Click here for more information. Fundraiser update as of October 20, 2006 We have reached $21,166. Thank you! For a list of these generous donor, please check at Fundraising, where you can also find the donation form. There is still time to help us meet our goal and help the school. FCPS Superintendent Jack Dale in McLean, Jan 18th at 7:30 PM Jack Dale, Superintendent of Fairfax County Public Schools, will be the featured speaker at the McLean Citizens Association (MCA) general meeting on January 18, 2007 (Thursday), 7:30 p.m. at the McLean Community Center, 1234 Ingleside Avenue in McLean. The public is invited. Dr. Dale will give a brief presentation on the proposed 2007-2008 school budget, Thomas Jefferson High School, and the goals of the school board, followed by an open question and answer session on any issues concerning students in our area. For more information contact Ed Saperstein. Old Firehouse Survey The McLean Community Center (MCC) is considering expansion or relocation of the Old Firehouse teen center at 1440 Chain Bridge Road. MCC asks parents of 7th and 8th graders to take a short online survey about the Teen Center, satisfaction with location and services, and ideas for improvements. To help out, please click here and enter the password oldfirehouse. McLean High School Info Meeting Feb. 5 Parents of 8th graders can attend a McLean High School information meeting Monday, February 5, 7:00 pm, in the auditorium at McLean High School, just inside the front entrance. Parents will learn about the school’s curriculum, can meet some of the teachers, and will have plenty of time to ask questions. Get to the school from the back entrance on Westmoreland street, or the front entrance, which is a left on Davidson from Chain Bridge Road. If you enter from Westmoreland Street, keep going past the “rock,” all the way around the school, to get to the front entrance. For more information call (703) 714-5740 or click here. McLean Orchestras Performing Tuesday Jan 9 McLean High School Orchestra groups will perform Tuesday, January 9, at 7:30 pm in the school auditorium. The concert will include a special performance by the Orchestra’s “Rockin’ Cellos”! This concert was postponed from Dec. 21 -- this is a terrific opportunity to see our high school orchestra groups perform! 2007 Spelling Bee The Fairfax County Times, in partnership with SCORE! and the Fairfax County Council of PTAs is sponsoring a county-wide spelling bee, March 25, at Oakton High School. The winner will advance to the Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C. Longfellow plans to hold a school-wide bee, and the first-place winner is eligible to participate in the county bee. We have a group of volunteers to organize and direct the Longfellow spelling bee effort. We expect to post more details on this on our web site once they are known. Chess Club Starts December 18 The Chess Club will meet after school on Mondays in the Library. The first meeting will be December 18. The club will be led by a chess master who plans to play a simul with the kids at the first meeting. Come and try to beat the master! Help Kids with Serious Illnesses The Longfellow Explorer team will be participating in a charitable event to help kids with serious illnesses. Donations will go to the Child Life Services program of Fairfax Hospital. Child Life Services focuses on the psychological, developmental, and educational needs of children, easing their anxieties about illness, hospitalization and surgery. When donations are designated for Child Life, hospitalized children with varied illnesses and injuries will benefit from the gift. All donations can be brought to Mr. Philippon's room (211). Click here for details. Reminder - Check the Calendar Please remember to check the calendar (click at left) frequently. It is updated often, anytime a new event is added or a time is changed. Giant Gift Cards for the Holidays We thank Longfellow families who have supported the school through their purchase of Giant Gift Cards. Longfellow receives 4% of each gift card purchased so this is a great way to let your grocery shopping help the school raise funds. This month, you can purchase $25 gift cards (as well as $50 and $100) which make excellent holiday gifts for the special people in your lives. Click here to place an order or you can send your request to Anne Krieg. The deadline for December’s order is the 11th. Help Homeless Teens and Battered Spouses The Longfellow Jaguars team is collecting food, gift cards, household items and metro passes for two charities this holiday season. Please send your donations to the school by Dec. 15. All Longfellow families can donate -- your child does not need to be on the Jaguars team! The charities are Alternative House, an emergency shelter and counseling program for abused and homeless teens, and Bethany House of Northern Virginia, which provides shelter and help for battered and abused spouses and their children. For details about the charities, and to see the complete list of items you can donate (just about anything), click here. Please send your donations to the school by Friday, Dec. 15. Visit the Longfellow SCA Team at Tyson's Monday Night! (Dec 11) Stop by the Barnes & Noble in Tyson's Corner Mall Monday night (Dec 11) and Longfellow 7th and 8th grade Student Council Association (SCA) students will wrap gift books that you buy! The Longfellow team will be at Barnes & Noble from 5-9 pm inside the book store, on the first floor by the escalators, along with Longfellow teachers and SCA advisors Pam Haber and Richard Culp. The gift wrapping is free, sponsored as a "Good Will" holiday event to raise awareness of Longfellow's exemplary school and community spirit. The SCA's goal is to "improve the school and its activities." Our kids would love to see other Longfellow students and families there, so please stop by. Reflections Chair Needed The PTA has filled all of its board positions except one -- we need someone to run the Reflections program. Reflections recognizes students in the arts areas of literature, musical composition, photography, visual arts, dance choreography, and film/video. The theme for this year's program is "My Favorite Place." The chairperson will need to promote the program to students, obtain judges, collect entries from the students, and plan a recognition ceremony. Please help us with this excellent program for our kids! Contact PTA President Ed Saperstein to volunteer. Band Info & Schedules The band “handbook” sent home to families of band kids now is available on the PTA web site, including concert and after-school practice schedules. The documents includes information on instruments rented from the school, required concert attire, and how band students are graded. The PTA would be happy to post similar information about Orchestra and Chorus. We need a parent volunteer to obtain the documents from the instructors and format them. For guidance, look at the band documents posted on the PTA web site or contact Nancy Johnson. Healthy Body Image Program Nov. 28 Donna J Schwartz, LICSW, will talk about "Nourishing a Healthy Body Image," Nov. 28, 7- 9:00 pm, at the McLean Community Center, 1234 Ingleside Avenue, McLean, VA. The presentation is primarily designed for parents of elementary students, but all are welcome. There is no charge to attend, but to allow for enough seating, please pre-register at http://www.safecommunitycoalition.net/upevents.html . For more information, please contact Michelle Sandler, SCC Director, or visit www.safecommunitycoalition.net . Fruit Sale & Bazaar Fundraiser McLean High School Place your order until Nov. 22 for boxes (or half boxes) of oranges, grapefruit, decorative fruit gift baskets and pecans at excellent prices. You can submit your order online (click here): you'll get an e-mail reminder to pick up Dec. 9 at McLean High School (pay when you pick up). The fruit sale is a fundraiser for McLean High School band. When you pick up, you can also shop at the school "bazaar," where various school groups will be selling fundraiser items. It's a great time to shop for holiday gifts! Jaguars Fall Team Activity Our first Jaguar team festivities are coming soon! All four 8th grade teams are planning a Team Olympiad! But we need help to make it a success. It will be held the morning of the 17th of November from 7:45 to 10:05am. Click here for details. Johns Hopkins Talent Search Deadline Nov. 20 The Center for Talented Youth (CTY) at Johns Hopkins University provides academic challenges for top academic students, identified through CTY’s yearly Talent Search. This year there are new developments for eligibility requirements—students must have scored at the 95th percentile, or above, on an approved standardized tests--the program now accepts “Advanced Levels” SOL scores. You must send the test scores with your applications to CTY by November 20. Applications are available in the guidance office or online, at http://www.cty.jhu.edu/. ESOL Parent Meetings The Office of English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Services, Instructional Services Department, and the Office of Student Services, Department of Special Services, will host an ESOL parent meeting, “Strengthening Family-School Connections,” at Falls Church High School on November 13, 2006. All meetings are 6-9 p.m. and feature a general session, breakout sessions, and informational displays. A light dinner will be served and childcare will be available. ESOL parent meetings are part of an ongoing effort to enhance family-school connections with families whose primary language is not English. They include information about county school resources and instructional services, and resources available from community organizations. Parents will can ask questions and make comments. For more information, contact the Office of ESOL Services at 703-846-8632. McLean High Open House Nov. 14 Longfellow 8th graders and their parents are invited to the McLean High School open house Nov. 14, 7:30 p.m. in the McLean High School school cafeteria—refreshments provided. McLean students and staff will speak and be available for questions. The open house is sponsored by the McLean PTA Parent Network Committee. For more information contact Karen Bush Inman. Last GT Boundary Meetings The last town meeting as part of the boundary study process for GT programs affecting McLean area schools is Monday, November 13, Haycock Elementary School cafeteria, 7:30 p.m. regarding Haycock and Churchill Road school GT boundaries. More Than 400 Families Join PTA To date, more than 400 of Longfellow's families have joined the PTA! That's excellent, but we're still aiming for 100%. To join the PTA, send a check to school with your child (give to first period teacher). PTA dues are $10/person and Booster contributions are an additional $25/person. Checks should be made out to Longfellow PTA. Be sure to include your name, address, phone number, e-mail and child's name. Funds raised by the PTA benefits every child in the school. For more information contact Rosie Oakley or Beth Ann Newton, PTA Membership Co-Chairs. PTA Fundraiser – Keep the Momentum! You can send in a check at any time (your child can give it to the first period teacher) to donate to the PTA Armchair Fundraiser – the PTA’s only major fundraiser of the year. We don’t ask you to buy anything – just make a 100% tax-deductible donation to the PTA. One example of how we spend our funds--the PTA buys extra books for classrooms so kids don’t have to carry as many books to and from school (and they’ll always have the book they need for homework!). Just send a check made out to Longfellow PTA with your child to school (turn in to first period teacher). Please consider making a donation! Marshall Academy Information Night Thursday Nov. 9 High school students attending Langley and McLean high schools can take courses in specialized fields at Marshall Academy (part of Marshall High School in Falls Church), which has a number of industry partners that offer lucrative internships. These fields include Computer Systems Networking or Engineering, Advanced Business Management and Marketing, Auto Technology, Cosmetology, Culinary Arts, Business Management and Marketing (at the IB level), Auto Technology, Criminal Justice, Hospitality Management, and Chinese. Students can earn industry certifications and join the work force immediately or credit the courses to further education, and bus transportation is provided from Langley and McLean high schools during the school day. For more information join us at Longfellow in the library at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, November 9. A Career Specialist from the Academy will present an overview and answer your questions. You can also arrange a tour of the Academy labs, studios, workshops, etc. For more information contact Cecilia Op de Beke. Musical Show Sat & Sunday @ Marshall High School "Parade", a Tony Award Winning Musical, is being performed at Marshall HS Saturday November 4 at 7:30 and Sunday November 5 at 3:00 pm. Tickets at the door are $5 for students and $10 for adults. GT Boundary Meetings: Haycock, Churchill, Kilmer The county will hold several town meetings as part of the boundary study process for GT programs affecting McLean area schools. Anyone may attend these meetings to offer input on the boundary process. They begin at 7:30 p.m. The schedule is:
Reminder - Noted Author Speaks on Raising Teens, Nov. 1 The Safe Community Coalition will host a program featuring renowned psychologist Brad Sachs, speaking about the challenges of parenting children and adolescents Nov. 1, 7:30–9:30 pm, Temple Rodef Shalom, 2100 Westmoreland Street, Falls Church. Author of "The Good Enough Child: How to Have an Imperfect Family and Be Perfectly Satisfied," Sachs was named an Editor's Choice by Amazon. com, and his book became Amazon’s best-selling parenting title that year. The book also was featured on NBC's The Today Show, and excerpted in Family Circle Magazine. Sachs also wrote "The Good Enough Teen: How to Raise Adolescents With Love and Acceptance (Despite How Impossible They Can Be)." Tickets are $5.00 in advance, or at the door if still available. Pre-register at www.safecommunitycoalition.net/events.html . Robotics Club Come learn about the Robotics Club! An introductory meeting will be held in the cafeteria on Wednesday, November 1 at 2:30. Keith Sullivan, a PhD candidate at George Mason who will mentor the program, will be there to describe the activities and answer your questions. Find out about the fun activities, the competitions, and the commitment. Parents are welcome. Town Meeting on Teen Sleep/High School Start Times with SLEEP – October 29 The Fairfax County Council of PTAs (FCCPTA) will host a county-wide meeting on Sunday, October 29, from 4:00 pm - 6:30 pm at the Falls Church High School auditorium. The event will include a panel discussion by experts on adolescent sleep needs and on later high school start time efforts, as well as comments and questions from members of the audience. This will be the first of several town meetings the FCCPTA plans to hold on topics of importance to Fairfax parents, teachers and students. While sleep experts say that teens need to sleep about 9 hours a night for their physical, mental and academic health, few teens do. Teenagers’ natural sleep cycles tend to be later than those of adults or younger children, making it difficult for them get to sleep and wake up on the schedule required by an early start time. Currently, most Fairfax high schools begin at 7:20 am, with bus pickups starting before 6 am. SLEEP, a grassroots group of parents, teachers and students, was formed in 2004 to advocate for later middle and high school start times to better coincide with teen biology. The Fairfax County School Board has hired a transportation consultant to recommend the best way to rearrange bell schedules to achieve later start times. Their report is due out in this fall. At its September 18 meeting, the FCCPTA also reaffirmed its position in support of later middle and high school start times. To see the full position paper, go to: http://www.fccpta.org/positions/sleep.htm . Directories Distributed Longfellow Directories were given to some Longfellow kids on October 25 and other kids on October 26 to take home. We hope you find the Directories helpful. Directories We expect children will bring home the Longfellow school directory either this Wednesday October 25 or Thursday October 26. Each Longfellow family receives one directory free of charge, courtesy of Longfellow PTA. Extra copies will be available in the front office for $5 each. Sexual Harassment Lessons School counselors are conducting lessons on sexual harassment during September and October with all seventh and eighth grade students. Seventh-grade lessons focus on the definition of sexual harassment, examples of sexual harassment, and the three forms (nonverbal, verbal, and physical) of sexual harassment. Seventh graders also learn about federal law, FCPS regulations, and the myths surrounding sexual harassment. These lessons include opportunities for discussion, as well as practice for responding assertively. Eighth graders will watch two videos entitled “Flirting or Hurting” and “Stopping Sexual Harassment,” interrupted for discussion and clarification. Students learn the differences between flirting and sexual harassment and are taught how to stop this type of harassment. Longfellow counselors suggest that parents discuss sexual harassment with your children, asking them what they learned at school. It is important for your child to hear from you the seriousness of this issue. Contact you child’s counselor if you have any questions or comments about the lessons. TJ Applications Due Oct. 26 Applications for Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology are due by October 26. Application materials, instructions, and a brochure explaining the application process are available from Mrs. Wright in the Student Services Office. All application materials must be turned in to Mrs. Wright, Debbie.Wright@fcps.edu, no later than October 26, 2006. There are no exceptions to the October 26, 2006 deadline. Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJHSST) is a unique Fairfax County public high school offering a comprehensive college preparatory program emphasizing the sciences, mathematics, and technology. The admissions process is competitive; students are selected on the basis of aptitude and interest in the biological, physical, mathematical, and computer sciences. TJHSST has an eight-period school day that begins at 8:30 a.m. and ends at 3:50 p.m. The eighth period is designated for student activities, including club meetings, tutoring, speakers, guidance, and programs in the performing arts. Transportation to the school is provided by each participating public school jurisdiction. Find more information on the school at www.tjhsst.edu , and on the admissions process, http://information.tjhsst.edu/admissions. Longfellow Math Teacher Appointed to National Advisory Panel On Monday, October 23rd, at 7:30 PM at McLean High School, Longfellow math teacher Vern Williams will discuss trends in math education for gifted students and his views on how schools should teach math to gifted elementary, middle and high school students. The program will be held in the cafeteria at McLean HS. Mr. Williams, a Longfellow math teacher for more than 20 years, is one of 17 experts appointed last May to the National Mathematics Advisory Panel. This panel will publish an interim report by January 31, 2007 to advise President Bush and Education Secretary Spellings on how to improve math achievement. Mr. Williams has taught Algebra I, Geometry, and his unique GT version of Honors Math 7, and also teaches summer math enrichment programs for highly gifted and motivated math students. These programs, along with his views on how mathematics should be taught to gifted students and the pitfalls of fuzzy math and other recent developments in math education, are described at www.mathreasoning.com. Mr. Williams' math instruction has generated impressive results. Longfellow’s math team usually ranks first in Virginia on middle school math competitions. Longfellow consistently has an extraordinary number of recognized high-scoring students on the American Mathematics Competition (AMC) 8, with well over twice the number found at other Virginia middle schools. In addition, Longfellow’s teams regularly score higher than most high school teams on high-school math competitions, such as the AMC 10 and AMC 12. This program, sponsored by the Fairfax County Association for the Gifted (FCAG), is free and open to the general public. For more information, call Louise Epstein at 703-917-7960 or check the FCAG web site at www.fcag.org. Teacher Appreciation -- Please Donate Food, Help Set Up! Thursday, Oct. 19 we need families to bring "Taco Bar" fixings to Longfellow, by 10 a.m., to treat the teachers to lunch. The PTA sponsors Teacher Appreciation Lunches four times during the school year, in the library. Lunch periods begin at 10:30. We also need volunteers to help set up and clean up. Please contact Katherine Key, 703-536-3937, if you can bring shredded cheese (four cheese blend), salsa, tortilla chips, a home-made dessert and/or can come help out! Teens Need to Read More To encourage children to read for fun (instead of watching TV or spending free time on the computer), Longfellow is taking part in the 9th annual Teen Read Week, Oct. 16-20. Teens do not read for fun as much as they should, and reading scores have not been improving for this age group over the last few decades. Longfellow teachers have brought in their favorite books to be photographed and displayed on a bulletin board in front of the cafeteria. Encourage your student to look at the books on the bulletin board and go to the school library (or any other library) before or after school to check out a book or two! Please don't hang up McLean Community Center Conducting Telephone Survey Starting Thursday, Oct. 12, the McLean Community Center (MCC) will begin to call random McLean tax district residents to conduct a telephone survey. The Center's Governing Board asks residents of Dranesville Small District 1A to take a few minutes to participate in the survey. "The purpose of the survey is to .explore the possibilities of expanding to meet resident needs," said Jan Auerbach, chairman of the MCC Governing Board Capital Facilities Committee. The survey is completely confidential and is being conducted through George Mason University's Center for Social Science Research. It will consist of questions related to tax district residents' use of the Center and their opinions on MCC programs and services. For more information, contact the Center at 703-790-0123, TTY: 703-827-8255, or mail@mcleancenter.org . Fundraiser -- More Than 170 Donations So Far More than 170 Longfellow families have contributed to the armchair fundraiser, including several whose employers matched their donations. Thank you! For a list of these generous donors please click on Fundraising, where you can also find the donation form. It's never too late to send in a donation to support our school and our kids! Early Release Day Canceled for October 24 As you may be aware, October 24th was intended to be a 3 hour early dismissal so that our teachers could attend an important staff development session at Cooper Middle School. THE EARLY DISMISSAL HAS BEEN CANCELED! October 24 will be a regular school day at Longfellow Middle School. High School Options: AP, IB or TJ? On Tuesday, Oct. 24th, the Longfellow PTA is sponsoring “High School Options: AP, IB or TJ?” night in the Longfellow cafeteria at 7:30 PM. The purpose of the program is to provide families of academically advanced seventh and eighth grade students with information about similarities and differences among their three public school options: (1) McLean HS or Langley HS, which both offer AP classes; (2) Marshall HS, which offers the International Baccalaureate (IB) Program; and (2) Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, which offers AP classes in all academic areas and many post-AP classes in math, science and computers. Robyn Lady will be speaking and answering questions from the audience. She has worked as a guidance counselor at Marshall HS and TJ, and is currently working as a guidance counselor at McLean HS. Ms. Lady is very familiar with the differences in advanced academic options and co-curricular activities at these schools, after working for many years with students, parents, school administrators and faculty at all of them. Longfellow parents and their students are encouraged to come prepared not only to listen, but to ask questions. Foreign Language Credit Program Exam This program is designed to assess students' native language proficiency so that they earn credit toward fulfilling the foreign language requirement for the Advanced Studies Diploma. The exam is for students in grades 7-12 who have experience outside of school with a language other than English. For the 2006-07 school year there are 14 languages included in the program: Amharic, Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, Farsi, Hindi, Korean, Punjabi, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog/Pilipino, Twi, Urdu, and Vietnamese. For additional information, or to register via the internet, students should go to www.fcps.edu/DIS/OHSICS/forlang/creditexam. Registration must be completed by midnight on Sunday, October 22, 2006. Noted Author Speaks on Raising Teens, Nov. 1 The Safe Community Coalition will host a program featuring renowned psychologist Brad Sachs, speaking about the challenges of parenting children and adolescents Nov. 1, 7:30–9:30 pm, Temple Rodef Shalom, 2100 Westmoreland Street, Falls Church. Author of "The Good Enough Child: How to Have an Imperfect Family and Be Perfectly Satisfied," Sachs was named an Editor's Choice by Amazon. com, and his book became Amazon’s best-selling parenting title that year. The book also was featured on NBC's The Today Show, and excerpted in Family Circle Magazine. Sachs also wrote "The Good Enough Teen: How to Raise Adolescents With Love and Acceptance (Despite How Impossible They Can Be)." Tickets are $5.00 in advance, or at the door if still available. Pre-register at www.safecommunitycoalition.net/events.html . Send News for PTA web site To post information on this PTA web site, teachers, parent volunteers and community organizers can send news to PTA editor Nancy Johnson. Appropriate news generally will be posted to the PTA web site within a day or two. Keep in mind that the school and PTA web sites are different. The school’s web site covers areas such as contacting teachers and staff, and school policies about absences. Please send us news of
Please put “Longfellow News” in the subject line to ensure I give it immediate attention! Back-to-School for Parents Come spend a "day at school" at Longfellow's Back-To-School Nights--Wed., Sept 27 for 7th grade; Wed., Oct 4 for 8th grade. Families new to Longfellow can arrive at 6:15 to hear Longfellow Principal Vince Lynch give a very interesting presentation about issues affecting children in this age group, and Longfellow's standardized test results. You'll also hear FCPS School Board members speak. At 7:00 the PTA briefs parents. Then parents will go through their child's schedule, spending about 10 minutes in each class. You will learn about your child's daily routine, schedules, class goals, homework, discipline measures, how to contact teachers and how grades are determined. Please carpool if you can--parking is very limited! TJ Parent/Student Meeting Sept. 26 The admissions director from Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology will meet with interested students and parents on September 26, 2006 from 2:30-3:30 in the Longfellow cafeteria. Following the presentation on the admissions process there will be a question and answer session. For more information, please contact Mrs. Wright in the School Counseling Office at Debbie.Wright@fcps.edu. Parent volunteers needed for 2 committees We are in need of a handful of parent volunteers to serve on two committees. Both committees meet during the regular school day. If you would like to volunteer for either of these committees, please email Mr. Lynch. School Supplemental Instructional Materials Review Committee: Meet 3-6 times per year to review materials teachers want to use in their classes that are not already on FCPS approved lists. We usually have a lot of fun working together on this committee. Parents are sometimes asked to review some reading material at home and report back to the committee. Meetings generally last less than 90 minutes. Challenged Materials Review Committee: This committee rarely meets...only once in the last six years. However, when a community member challenges material used by a teacher, this committee goes into action to review the material. Join the Longfellow PTA! It's time for another school year--and another year of supporting your Parent Teacher Association! For the 2006-2007 school year, we are hoping for 100% participation in the PTA from Longfellow families. Please become a member of the Longfellow PTA. Membership in the PTA supports our children, their teachers and the Longfellow community. Money raised by the PTA supports Back-to-School Night, school directories, field trips, cultural arts programs, International Night, Teacher Appreciation events and much more. PTA dues are $10 per person and Booster contributions are an additional $25 per person. Your child's back-to-school folder will include a PTA flyer and envelope. Return the envelope with a check made out to Longfellow PTA, simply have your child give it to his/her first period teacher. Questions? Contact Membership Chair Rosie Oakley. PTA Board Vacancies - Volunteers Needed The PTA needs volunteers to fill the following vacancies: Legislative Action, Minority Advisory Representative, Parliamentarian, and Reflections. If you can help, please contact PTA president Ed Saperstein. Summer Reading at the Library After school’s out, share the joys of stories old and new with your kids. Visit a local library branch to sign-up for “Once Upon a Time,” the Fairfax County Public Library’s Summer Reading Program. The library invites kids from preschool to high school to enjoy the magic of reading this summer. The library's reading program, held in cooperation with the Fairfax County Public School system, encourages students to read for pleasure during summer vacation. The program runs from June 20 to Sept. 2. Preschoolers through sixth graders read 15 books. (Children can have books read to them.) Students in grades 7-12 read eight books. Kids who finish the required number of books win coupons for free and discounted prizes donated by area businesses. Kids also can enjoy free library events and activities all summer long from magicians and puppeteers to musicians, animal wranglers and more. Pick up a calendar of events at the nearest library branch or visit the library's Web page at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/library . Reading Reports for Fall Term Longfellow students (rising seventh and eighth graders) are required to read and report on two books over the summer. Complete the “Summer Reading Report” for each book and turn in both reports to your English teacher during the first week of school. These reports will be used by each teacher differently; please wait for further instructions from your teacher in September. You can download a copy of the reading report here (Word) and here (Acrobat). To review the Summer Reading Lists, please see: http://www.fcps.edu/DIS/readlist/index.htm. Summer Reading Every student who will be entering grades six through 12 in the fall must read at least one book over the summer. The follow-up in the fall is determined by each school. The Summer Reading Lists contain suggestions for reading. Students may read any other book that is approved by their parents. To review the Summer Reading Lists, please see: http://www.fcps.edu/DIS/readlist/index.htm. McLean Band Newsletter Available via E-Mail All current Longfellow band families received a copy of the McLean High School band newsletter recently. You can receive this newsletter by e-mail (convenient for you, and a savings to the band association). Simply send an e-mail to Dean Cretsinger. High school band involves some expenses for families. You can start saving for that now at the Schoolpop web site. Schoolpop offers programs to let you accumulate funds to pay your child's future high school band expenses, and help fund the general band program at McLean! Special Education E-mail Support Group Fairfax County parents of children who are in or being considered for school special-ed programs are welcome to join a parent-run e-mail discussion group to share experiences and discuss educational issues. For more than five years, dozens of parents and guardians from across the county have been having lively, confidential discussions about school issues. Our children are in all grades and levels of service. We can be a tremendous resource for you and hope you will share your experiences with us. To join, click here or write to Margaret Fisher. PTA 2006-2007 Officers Elected At the May 24th PTA meeting, the following individuals were elected as officers for the 2006-2007 school year:
The PTA board still has openings for the following committee chairs: Legislative Action; Marshall High School Liaison; Minority Advisory Representative; Parent Network; Parliamentarian; Reflections; and SCA Liaison. Please contact Susan Perla, (703-534-8509).
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