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Edison High School Weekly    

To read this newsletter in other languages, please visit our website.

Para leer este mensaje en otros idiomas, podrán ver las traducciones automáticas en nuestro sitio web.

Important Dates

Edison School Wide Calendar

February 29: Presentation on Trends in the Drug Culture, 6 pm (Parents Only)

March 2: Athletic Booster Bingo Night, 5:00 - 9:00 PM

March 5: Primary Election Day, Student Holiday

March 25-29:  Spring Break

April 1-2: Student Holidays

May 18:  Senior Prom

May 27: Memorial Day Holiday

June 5:  Graduation, 7:30pm, EagleBank Arena at GMU

June 12:  Last Day of School

The complete FCPS 2023-2024 School Year Calendar

In this Issue:

1. Parent Information on Eating Disorders
2. West Potomac Academy Open House

3. For Parents Only - Parent Presentation on Trends in the Drug Culture; February 29, 2024 

4. Family Engagement Survey
5. Career and Tech Ed Classes Prepare Students for the Future
6. FAFSA Updates for Seniors and their Parents
7. Fairfax County Teen Job Fair
8. In Case You Missed It
9. Reminders: Attendance, Checkng Out Early, Food Delivery
10. February Celebrations
11. Athletic Boosters

1. Parent Information on Eating Disorders

The Code of Virginia, 22.1-273.2, requires Virginia Public Schools to provide, on an annual basis, parent educational information regarding eating disorders for students in grades five through twelve.

According to the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA 2023),

Eating disorders are serious but treatable mental and physical illnesses that can affect people of all genders, ages, races, religions, ethnicities, sexual orientations, body shapes, and weights. In the United States, 28.8 million Americans will suffer from an eating disorder at some point in their lives.

There is no single cause of an eating disorder. Rather, it is a complex combination of biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors that converge and set off an individual’s predisposed genetic vulnerability.

In collaboration with the Fairfax County Health Department, FCPS has developed a web page with detailed information and resources to be provided to parents and guardians of Fairfax County Public Schools. This information may be found at Eating Disorders. 

2. You are Invited to West Potomac Academy’s Open House

on Wednesday, February 28th from 6-8 PM. West Potomac Academy is a Governor’s Health and Medical Sciences Academy and offers outstanding opportunities and classes with career interests in health and medical sciences, communications and arts, social services, and industrial trades. These are advanced career elective choices that incorporate the latest industry technology and instructional techniques. Come tour our classrooms, meet our teachers and support staff, hear from current students, and learn about our specialized classes and programs! 

Please note: For classes in our Gunston Building, follow signs for the Kiss & Ride and Academy and enter in door 21. For classes in our Springbank Building, enter the main entrance and follow to the parking lot by door 5. Questions? Contact: Nora Covert, Academy Counselor 703-718-2752 [email protected] www.westpotomacacademy.fcps.edu

3. For Parents Only - Parent Presentation on Trends in the Drug Culture; February 29, 2024 

Many challenges and responsibilities come with being a parent, and having to address a difficult topic with your child, such as drug culture, trends and identifying signs of substance use, can be stressful. Drugs and drug paraphernalia is now being disguised as common everyday items out in plain sight, to go unrecognized by parents or other adults.  Substance Abuse Prevention Program want to provide you with information so you will be able to recognize drugs and drug paraphernalia and also the signs of drug use to equip you to have real and meaningful dialog with your child concerning these issues. 

Join us on February 29th, 2024 @ 6:00pm at Edison High School where we will be hosting a parent presentation to provide information on the trends in drug culture. After the presentation there will be time to ask questions or to receive more information. The trends in drug culture have created innovative ways to hook your child and we are here to arm you by providing information concerning these topics that will assist in effective communication with your child.  Also, a Narcan Training with be provided by a member of the Community Services Board.

Shawn Elliott, BS, QMHP-C Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist                 [email protected]

4. Family Engagement Survey to Open March 3

FCPS is partnering with independent research firm K12 Insight to administer a Family Engagement Survey, which will be open from Sunday, March 3, to Friday, March 22. Your feedback is critical in helping FCPS to better recognize, understand, respect, and address family strengths and needs throughout the district. Survey topics include:

• Welcoming environment
• Communication
• Student success
• Advocacy
• Family and school partnerships
• Community partnerships

The survey will be available in English, Amharic, Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, Korean, Pashto, Spanish, Urdu, and Vietnamese. 

Parents/caregivers will receive the survey link via email from K12 Insight. A public link will also be posted on FCPS’ website. Paper surveys will be available in our front office. Please stay tuned for more information.

5. 🩺 Career and Technical Education Courses Prepare Students for the Future

February is Career and Technical Education (CTE) Month. Hear from students how CTE courses and Academies are helping them explore and prepare for careers while still in high school. One student has earned more than 20 industry certifications in two years! 

Watch this video to learn more about opportunities in Fairfax County Public Schools’ CTE and Academy programs.

6. FAFSA Updates for Seniors and Their Parents/Guardians

There have been several technological challenges with the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) since its launch on December 31, 2023. The latest news is that colleges will not get FAFSA summaries from the U.S. Department of Education until mid-March at the earliest. As a result, colleges won’t be able to give students financial aid award letters based on their FAFSA information until late April to May, at best. Students who applied to a college that uses the CSS Profile may receive financial aid information sooner.

Different media outlets are reporting a growing list of colleges that will push back deadlines for students to accept offers of admission into May and even June. The American Council on Education has a database of colleges and universities that have extended their deadline to commit to enroll. We recommend that all information obtained by a secondary source be confirmed directly with the college or university.

If you are a caregiver or student with questions or persistent issues filling out the FAFSA, consider scheduling a free appointment with our partners at College Access Fairfax. Email [email protected]. All FAFSA help provided by your school or College Access Fairfax is free. 

7. 💼 Fairfax County Teen Job Fair

Fairfax County Teen Job Fairs and Career-Building Workshops will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 2, at Chantilly High School, and Saturday, March 9, at West Springfield High School.

Student registration is free and open to all teens in Fairfax County seeking employment, volunteer opportunities, or tips on building their resume. Business registration is also free and open to any organization providing positions for students.

8.  FCPS Cares - Recognize Edison Employees!

The FCPS CARES Program is an opportunity for families, staff, and community members to recognize FCPS employees for going above and beyond to help others and show they care. We invite you to submit your story, so we can all acknowledge the good work of FCPS employees at Edison HS School. We love our staff members; let's tell them how we feel!

9. Reminders: Attendance Procedures, Checking Out Early, and Outside Food Deliveries

Attendance is checked daily each period and for full-day absences. By State regulation, calls and emails are sent to parents in the morning and afternoon via an automated attendance system from FCPS. We cannot control the content of the message, or the time that they are delivered. 

If you receive a call indicating an individual class absence, please have your student verify with the teacher before calling the attendance office.

Students may not call or check themselves out.

For full details on attendance procedures, please visit Attendance Policies

Checking Out Early?

Please follow the guidelines for “day of” checkouts on our website. Plan for appointments and contact the office in advance. All early dismissals need to be submitted by 9:30 AM in order to be processed in time. 

For unplanned early check-outs, parents will need to come into the main office with their picture ID. It can take up to 30 minutes for a student to be released without prior notice. 

Please consider keeping your student home if they have an appointment and are leaving within the first hour of school. We try to get through the many daily messages we receive immediately on arriving at school, but our attendance office may not have heard or read your message for an early release before your arrival. This will ensure your student will be on time for the appointment. 

Outside Food Delivery 

By regulation, students are not allowed to order food for delivery during the school day. If a driver from Grub Hub, Uber Eats, Door Dash, etc., tries to deliver a meal, they are turned away. If by some chance food is delivered for a student by a meal service, we confiscate it and do not return it. 

Also, keep in mind that all high schools in Fairfax County are "closed campuses." This means that students are not allowed to leave Edison High School at any time during the day. Only a parent or guardian can sign a student out of the building.

10. FCPS News - In Case You Missed It

In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics:

• Upcoming Webinars and Events for Families
• How Students Benefit from CTE Courses
• Supreme Court Decision Regarding TJHSST

Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving the weekly newsletter, please sign up today. 

11. We Celebrate in February

• Black History Month
• Career and Technical Eduation Month
• Love the Bus Month
• School Board Appreciation Month
• February 15:  School Resource Officer Appreciation Day
• February 19:  President's Day Holiday
• February 27-March 3:  Public Schools Week

Edison Athletics Booster Club will offer six scholarships to graduating Edison High School seniors that have participated in varsity Edison Athletics as a player. Applicants will be judged on athletic accomplishments, community service, coach’s recommendation, and written essay. Financial need is not a determining factor. Each scholarship award will be in the amount of $500. Scholarships (checks) will be made payable and sent directly to the recipient’s college or technical/vocational school.

Useful Links

• Edison High School Website: https://edisonhs.fcps.edu/
• New to Edison? Start Here:  New Student to Edison | Thomas A. Edison High School (fcps.edu)
• Required Forms:  Yearly Forms
• For Parents:  Parent Checklist
• For Students:  Updates for Students
• Student Information System (SIS) and Parent Vue: Enables you to access information about student attendance, class performance, course materials, and more:  SIS/Parent Vue
• School Payments via My School Bucks:  My School Bucks
• Transcript Requests: This link connects you to the transcript request form for Edison High School and is for current students and recent graduates (2018 and after): EHS Transcript Request Form
• Former student records from more than five years ago can be requested via this site:  Verification of Graduation, Records, Transcripts

5801 Franconia Road, Alexandria, VA 22310 | Main Office: 703-924-8000
Attendance: 703-924-8080 or [email protected] | Web | Twitter

 

To read this newsletter in other languages, please visit our website.

Para leer este mensaje en otros idiomas, podrán ver las traducciones automáticas en nuestro sitio web.

Note:  Some users may experience difficulty clicking the embdded links. Please copy the link and paste it into your browser.

Athletic Booster Bingo Night

Booster’s Bingo Night is fast approaching and your Edison PTSA is donating a PTSA-themed basket for their event. We are excited to collaborate with and support the Boosters for their event. We are requesting your support to create this one of a kind bingo prize!! Your contributions will help us create an amazing basket to support our school community.

All items need to be donated by Friday, February 23, 2024; we know that’s a fast turn around, and we appreciate your help.

If you’d like to donate something that is not on the signup genius, or if  you have any questions or need further assistance, please don't hesitate to contact Dara at [email protected] or 540-539-5003 or Sharon at [email protected] or 703-772-5770. 

Thank you for your support!

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0844A9AA2BABF4C52-48085336-edison

Engagement Activity Needs Your Support

Edison PTSA student member Sarah Staresina is working on an engagement activity for her global politics class about the challenges faced by refugees in our community. As part of her project, she would like to bring attention to an online wishlist for the organization, Women for Afghan Women–the Virginia Community Center. This wishlist contains a variety of household items needed by recently arrived refugees as they begin their new life in the U.S.  

Please consider donating through their wish list here by copying and pasting the following address into your browser:  https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/252I4NUJZWR3V?ref_=abls_nvfly_yl  

Learn more about the Virginia Community Center of Women for Afghan Women here by copying and pasting this link into your browser: https://womenforafghanwomen.org/virginia-community-center/   

Great job Sarah, for bringing attention to this important subject! It’s great seeing student advocacy in action!

Two EHS Students have won in the National PTA Reflections Art Program

Two students who submitted works to the Reflections Art Program have won at the local level and have progressed to the district level for judging. Victoria B won Outstanding Interpretation for her High School photography entry. Her photograph will be moving on to compete at the Virginia state level. Aiden Riley won Award of Excellence for his Special Artist photography entry. Victoria B also won the Award for Merit for her literature entry. Congratulations to both Victoria and Aiden on a job well done.

Membership Drive Continues

The Edison PTSA membership drive has historically been our biggest fundraiser of the year.

Please consider adding a donation to the PTSA at the link below.  

Remember, the Edison PTSA is a registered non-profit and your donation is considered tax deductible. 

Please cut and paste into your browser: https://app.memberhub.gives/membership-drive/Campaign/Details

ANGP Updates We know that some have trouble logging onto our links. If this is happening to you, please copy and paste the links into your browser to ensure you are able to open them.

All Night Grad Party Planning Meeting TONIGHT at 7:00 p.m. 

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86137589106?pwd=MpRAUycp3a11YMdqsroRI7PLOC77Fh.1

Meeting ID: 861 3758 9106

Passcode: 324741

ANGP Fundraiser Mulch Sale now open! 

Pick up or delivery on Saturday April 6, 2024. Order now! Only $6 per bag!

See our website for more information - please copy and paste into your browser:  https://www.edisonangp.com/mulch-sale  

Class of 2024 Party Registration now Open! Tickets are $50 through March 10.

Buy tickets here - please copy and paste into your browser:    https://www.edisonangp.com/register-for-angp. Your student may also pick up paper applications outside of the Student Activities office. 

Note: All students eligible for free and reduced lunch can register online for a reduced fee.

La información sobre All Night Grad Party también está disponible en español en nuestro sitio web www.edisonangp.com (Copiar y pegar para abrir).

Questions? Email Lisa at [email protected]. 

Please follow us on Facebook @ Thomas Edison High School PTSA and Instagram @edisoneaglesptsa

Thank you for your support to the PTSA!

5801 Franconia Road, Alexandria, VA 22310 | Main Office: 703-924-8000
Attendance: 703-924-8080 or [email protected] | Web | Twitter

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

Edison High School Weekly    

To read this newsletter in other languages, please visit our website.

Para leer este mensaje en otros idiomas, podrán ver las traducciones automáticas en nuestro sitio web.

Important Dates

Edison School Wide Calendar

February 19: President's Birthday Holiday

February 20:  PTSA Monthly Meeting, In Person and via Zoom, 7:00 PM

February 29: Presentation on Trends in the Drug Culture, 6 pm (Parents Only)

March 2: Athletic Booster Bingo Night, 5:00 - 9:00 PM

March 5: Primary Election Day, Student Holiday

March 25-29:  Spring Break

April 1-2: Student Holidays

May 18:  Senior Prom

May 27: Memorial Day Holiday

June 5:  Graduation, 7:30pm, EagleBank Arena at GMU

June 12:  Last Day of School

The complete FCPS 2023-2024 School Year Calendar

In this Issue:

1. Thank you PTSA!
2. Reminders: Attendance, Checkng Out Early, Food Delivery

3. For Parents Only - Parent Presentation on Trends in the Drug Culture; February 29, 2024 

4. In Case You Missed It
5. February Celebrations
6. Athletic Boosters

Message From Mrs. Burke

🎉 Happy Friday, everyone! 🎉

As we welcome the weekend, I wish you all a fantastic and relaxing Presidents' Day weekend. Let's take this opportunity to reflect on the contributions of past leaders, celebrate our democracy, and appreciate the freedoms we enjoy. Whether you're planning a getaway, catching up on some rest, or simply enjoying the extra time off, make the most of this long weekend and recharge those batteries.

Congratulations to our Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) members for successfully hosting the Regional Spring Conference! Many of our members were awarded top three positions in their respective categories.

We have a big weekend ahead for our student-athletes. First off, a huge congratulations to our swim and wrestling teams who are competing today and tomorrow in the State Championships games. Your hard work, dedication, and perseverance have truly paid off. You've represented our community with pride, and we couldn't be prouder of your accomplishments.

But the excitement doesn't stop there! Our boys' and girls' teams have some thrilling district basketball games tonight at Edison High School. The girls' team plays at 5:30 pm, and the boys play at 8:00 pm. Let's rally behind them, show our support, and cheer them on as they strive for victory. So, let's fill the stands, bring the noise, and show our unwavering support for all our athletes this weekend!

On February 11th, we celebrated the birthday of one of the greatest inventors in history, Thomas Alva Edison! Edison's pioneering spirit, relentless curiosity, and groundbreaking inventions have left an indelible mark on the world, shaping the way we live, work, and communicate today. From the electric light bulb to the phonograph, his ingenuity and perseverance have illuminated our lives and inspired generations of innovators to dream big and think outside the box. On this special day, let's take a moment to honor his legacy and reflect on the power of innovation to change the world.

Here's to Thomas Edison, a true visionary whose brilliance continues to shine brightly! Happy birthday, Mr. Edison!

Go Eagles!

Amanda Burke
Principal 

Our heartfelt congratulations go to Ms. Deedy, the esteemed Counselor at Edison Academy, for being selected as Region 3's Outstanding Professional Employee. This is a well-deserved recognition for her tireless efforts in supporting our academy students and reaching out to schools to increase enrollment in our academy. Ms. Deedy will now advance to the overall FCPS Outstanding Professional Employee, which will be announced in a ceremony this spring. We wish her the very best of luck!

1.  Thank You PTSA 

Thank you for bringing in doughnuts and cupcakes to celebrate Edison's Birthday!  The students and staff enjoyed the sweet treat!

PTSA Monthly Meeting Coming Up

The Edison High School PTSA would like to invite you to a Hybrid General Membership Meeting on February 20, 2024 at 7pm via Zoom and in person at the Edison Library.

To jointsby Zoom: 

Meeting ID – 852 6836 9537

Passcode – 242140

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85268369537?pwd=jbSbCJJ8KhPvIRLPjfpOlVsSMEEYJh.1

Come out tonight and cheer on our boys' and girls' basketball teams as they compete for the district title.  2. Reminders: Attendance Procedures, Checking Out Early, and Outside Food Deliveries

Attendance is checked daily each period and for full-day absences. By State regulation, calls and emails are sent to parents in the morning and afternoon via an automated attendance system from FCPS. We cannot control the content of the message, or the time that they are delivered. 

If you receive a call indicating an individual class absence, please have your student verify with the teacher before calling the attendance office.

Students may not call or check themselves out.

For full details on attendance procedures, please visit Attendance Policies

Checking Out Early?

Please follow the guidelines for “day of” checkouts on our website. Plan for appointments and contact the office in advance. All early dismissals need to be submitted by 9:30 AM in order to be processed in time. 

For unplanned early check-outs, parents will need to come into the main office with their picture ID. It can take up to 30 minutes for a student to be released without prior notice. 

Please consider keeping your student home if they have an appointment and are leaving within the first hour of school. We try to get through the many daily messages we receive immediately on arriving at school, but our attendance office may not have heard or read your message for an early release before your arrival. This will ensure your student will be on time for the appointment. 

Outside Food Delivery 

By regulation, students are not allowed to order food for delivery during the school day. If a driver from Grub Hub, Uber Eats, Door Dash, etc., tries to deliver a meal, they are turned away. If by some chance food is delivered for a student by a meal service, we confiscate it and do not return it. 

Also, keep in mind that all high schools in Fairfax County are "closed campuses." This means that students are not allowed to leave Edison High School at any time during the day. Only a parent or guardian can sign a student out of the building.

Good luck to our swimmers and wrestlers at the State Tournaments!  Go Eagles! 3.  FCPS Cares - Recognize Edison Employees!

The FCPS CARES Program is an opportunity for families, staff, and community members to recognize FCPS employees for going above and beyond to help others and show they care. We invite you to submit your story, so we can all acknowledge the good work of FCPS employees at Edison HS School. We love our staff members; let's tell them how we feel!

4. For Parents Only - Parent Presentation on Trends in the Drug Culture; February 29, 2024 

Many challenges and responsibilities come with being a parent, and having to address a difficult topic with your child, such as drug culture, trends and identifying signs of substance use, can be stressful. Drugs and drug paraphernalia is now being disguised as common everyday items out in plain sight, to go unrecognized by parents or other adults.  Substance Abuse Prevention Program want to provide you with information so you will be able to recognize drugs and drug paraphernalia and also the signs of drug use to equip you to have real and meaningful dialog with your child concerning these issues. 

Join us on February 29th, 2024 @ 6:00pm at Edison High School where we will be hosting a parent presentation to provide information on the trends in drug culture. After the presentation there will be time to ask questions or to receive more information. The trends in drug culture have created innovative ways to hook your child and we are here to arm you by providing information concerning these topics that will assist in effective communication with your child.  Also, a Narcan Training with be provided by a member of the Community Services Board.

Shawn Elliott, BS, QMHP-C Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist                 [email protected]

5. FCPS News - In Case You Missed It

In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics:

• Fiscal Year 2025 Proposed Budget
• Register for Superintendent Community Conversations
• Kindergarten Registration

Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving the weekly newsletter, please sign up today. 

6. We Celebrate in February

• Black History Month
• Career and Technical Eduation Month
• Love the Bus Month
• School Board Appreciation Month
• February 15:  School Resource Officer Appreciation Day
• February 19:  President's Day Holiday
• February 27-March 3:  Public Schools Week

Edison Athletics Booster Club will offer six scholarships to graduating Edison High School seniors that have participated in varsity Edison Athletics as a player. Applicants will be judged on athletic accomplishments, community service, coach’s recommendation, and written essay. Financial need is not a determining factor. Each scholarship award will be in the amount of $500. Scholarships (checks) will be made payable and sent directly to the recipient’s college or technical/vocational school.

Useful Links

• Edison High School Website: https://edisonhs.fcps.edu/
• New to Edison? Start Here:  New Student to Edison | Thomas A. Edison High School (fcps.edu)
• Required Forms:  Yearly Forms
• For Parents:  Parent Checklist
• For Students:  Updates for Students
• Student Information System (SIS) and Parent Vue: Enables you to access information about student attendance, class performance, course materials, and more:  SIS/Parent Vue
• School Payments via My School Bucks:  My School Bucks
• Transcript Requests: This link connects you to the transcript request form for Edison High School and is for current students and recent graduates (2018 and after): EHS Transcript Request Form
• Former student records from more than five years ago can be requested via this site:  Verification of Graduation, Records, Transcripts

5801 Franconia Road, Alexandria, VA 22310 | Main Office: 703-924-8000
Attendance: 703-924-8080 or [email protected] | Web | Twitter

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

Edison High School Weekly    

To read this newsletter in other languages, please visit our website.

Para leer este mensaje en otros idiomas, podrán ver las traducciones automáticas en nuestro sitio web.

Congratulations to our Wrestling Team for becoming      Region Champions!
Thank you to all the coaches and parents who supported      our athletes.  Important Dates

Edison School Wide Calendar

February 12:  Athletic Booster Meeting, 7:00 PM

February 19: President's Birthday Holiday

February 29: Presentation on Trends in the Drug Culture, 6 pm (Parents Only)

March 2: Athletic Booster Bingo Night, 5:00 - 9:00 PM

March 5: Primary Election Day, Student Holiday

March 25-29:  Spring Break

April 1-2: Student Holidays

May 18:  Senior Prom

May 27: Memorial Day Holiday

June 5:  Graduation, 7:30pm, EagleBank Arena at GMU

June 12:  Last Day of School

The complete FCPS 2023-2024 School Year Calendar

In this Issue:

1. Second Quarter Report Cards
2. Science Fair Winners
3. Reminders: Attendance, Checkng Out Early, Food Delivery
4. FCPS Cares Winner - Mr. Cornwell
5. SRO Appreciation Day Feb 15th

6. For Parents Only - Parent Presentation on Trends in the Drug Culture; February 29, 2024 

7. In Case You Missed It
8. January Celebrations
9. Athletic Boosters

1. Second Quarter Report Cards

Report cards will be distributed in Advisory Class on Monday, February 12. 

2.  Congrats to our Science Fair Winners!

Can't wait to see them at the regional science fair in March!

1st  Aiden Lowery and Archer Sinclair Animal Sciences 2nd  Sofia Asiello and My Duong Animal Sciences

 

1st  Ryan Deitz and Elena Romero-Collette Biochemistry 2nd  Sarah Laderman and Lilia Shishak Biochemistry 3rd  Hanna Najia Biochemistry

 

1st  Mahsa Jawaid and Vivian Weszelovszky Biomedical and Health Sciences 2nd  Caitlin Zecca Biomedical and Health Sciences

 

1st  Maraky Alemu Chemistry 2nd  Laya Karunakaran Chemistry 2nd  Alison Cameron Chemistry 3rd  Ayaan Barque Chemistry

 

1st  Jordan Najia Computer Science and Mathematics

 

1st  Natalie Laclede Earth and Environmental Sciences 2nd  Keira Overmann Earth and Environmental Sciences 3rd  Nicole Pinto Earth and Environmental Sciences

 

1st  Isabella Bean Energy: Sustainable Materials and Design 2nd  Khang Nguyen Energy: Sustainable Materials and Design 3rd  Cassidy McCahill and Vika Truitt Energy: Sustainable Materials and Design

 

1st  Zachary Ng Engineering Technology 3rd Caden Von Elling Engineering Technology 2nd  Suri Shi Engineering Technology

 

1st  Agata Colon Microbiology 2nd  Berhaane Wobante and Aaron Alemayehu Microbiology 3rd  Christopher Lastrape and Krupa Amin Microbiology

 

1st Nebil Mohammed Materials Science 2nd  Sophia Shi and Khoi Duong Materials Science 3rd  Yuri Yu Materials Science

 

1st  Darren Nguyen Physics 1st  Samantha Cowen Physics 2nd  Kiara Frey Physics 2nd  Alexis Ripple and Samantha Asiello Physics 3rd  Kaitlin O'Connor Physics

 

1st  Sarah Staresina and Sky Campbell, Kadijah Mansaray Plant Sciences 2nd  Maggie Chen and Lydia Shegai Plant Sciences 3rd  Kare Araya-Porras Plant Sciences

 

3. Reminders: Attendance Procedures, Checking Out Early, and Outside Food Deliveries

Attendance is checked daily each period and for full-day absences. By State regulation, calls and emails are sent to parents in the morning and afternoon via an automated attendance system from FCPS. We cannot control the content of the message, or the time that they are delivered. 

If you receive a call indicating an individual class absence, please have your student verify with the teacher before calling the attendance office.

Students may not call or check themselves out.

For full details on attendance procedures, please visit Attendance Policies

Checking Out Early?

Please follow the guidelines for “day of” checkouts on our website. Plan for appointments and contact the office in advance. All early dismissals need to be submitted by 9:30 AM in order to be processed in time. 

For unplanned early check-outs, parents will need to come into the main office with their picture ID. It can take up to 30 minutes for a student to be released without prior notice. 

Please consider keeping your student home if they have an appointment and are leaving within the first hour of school. We try to get through the many daily messages we receive immediately on arriving at school, but our attendance office may not have heard or read your message for an early release before your arrival. This will ensure your student will be on time for the appointment. 

Outside Food Delivery 

By regulation, students are not allowed to order food for delivery during the school day. If a driver from Grub Hub, Uber Eats, Door Dash, etc., tries to deliver a meal, they are turned away. If by some chance food is delivered for a student by a meal service, we confiscate it and do not return it. 

Also, keep in mind that all high schools in Fairfax County are "closed campuses." This means that students are not allowed to leave Edison High School at any time during the day. Only a parent or guardian can sign a student out of the building.

4. FCPS Cares Winner

Mr. Charles Cornwell received an FCPS Cares Recognition from a parent and was selected by FCPS as the winner for the month of November.  See what the parent said about him below:  

"Mr. Cornwell went above and beyond just being a teacher! Mr. Cornwell taught his students how to take an old beat-up truck and turn it into my son’s dream truck and make it ready for he and his grandfather to show in Ocean City, this was a dream that my son and his grandfather had always talked of. Mr. Cornwell not only taught my son the skills to do this but also without my son knowing taught him valuable life skills. Mr. Cornwell stayed after school many days to help my son achieve his dream, this is not something that is required of a teacher. This proves how much a teacher cares and the passion they have for the subject they teach! This will be something my son will always carry with him and a memory that he and his grandfather will always cherish all due to Mr. Cornwell. I have before and after pictures of the amazing work that FCPS auto collision and Mr. Cornwell have done."

5.  FCPS Cares - Recognize Edison Employees!

The FCPS CARES Program is an opportunity for families, staff, and community members to recognize FCPS employees for going above and beyond to help others and show they care. We invite you to submit your story, so we can all acknowledge the good work of FCPS employees at Edison HS School. We love our staff members; let's tell them how we feel!

6.  SRO Appreciation Day

February 15th is School Resource Officer (SRO) Appreciation Day. Although Officer Ashraf is new to our school, he has already made a positive impact on our staff and students. He makes an effort to interact with students and support the staff by being visible in the hallways. He even showcased his dancing skills at our pep rally by participating in our faculty lip sync performance. We feel fortunate to have him as a part of our team!

Senior Night for Boy and Girls Basketball and Winter Cheer. 7. For Parents Only - Parent Presentation on Trends in the Drug Culture; February 29, 2024 

Many challenges and responsibilities come with being a parent, and having to address a difficult topic with your child, such as drug culture, trends and identifying signs of substance use, can be stressful. Drugs and drug paraphernalia is now being disguised as common everyday items out in plain sight, to go unrecognized by parents or other adults.  Substance Abuse Prevention Program want to provide you with information so you will be able to recognize drugs and drug paraphernalia and also the signs of drug use to equip you to have real and meaningful dialog with your child concerning these issues. 

Join us on February 29th, 2024 @ 6:00pm at Edison High School where we will be hosting a parent presentation to provide information on the trends in drug culture. After the presentation there will be time to ask questions or to receive more information. The trends in drug culture have created innovative ways to hook your child and we are here to arm you by providing information concerning these topics that will assist in effective communication with your child.  Also, a Narcan Training with be provided by a member of the Community Services Board.

Shawn Elliott, BS, QMHP-C Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist                 [email protected]

8. FCPS News - In Case You Missed It

In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics:

• Summer Camp and Learning Opportunities
• Science, Technology, and Arts Magnet Schools
• Check Schoology for Teacher-Referred Tutoring

Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving the weekly newsletter, please sign up today. 

9. We Celebrate in February

• Black History Month
• Career and Technical Eduation Month
• Love the Bus Month
• School Board Appreciation Month
• February 15:  School Resource Officer Appreciation Day
• February 19:  President's Day Holiday
• February 27-March 3:  Public Schools Week

Edison Athletics Booster Club will offer six scholarships to graduating Edison High School seniors that have participated in varsity Edison Athletics as a player. Applicants will be judged on athletic accomplishments, community service, coach’s recommendation, and written essay. Financial need is not a determining factor. Each scholarship award will be in the amount of $500. Scholarships (checks) will be made payable and sent directly to the recipient’s college or technical/vocational school.

Useful Links

• Edison High School Website: https://edisonhs.fcps.edu/
• New to Edison? Start Here:  New Student to Edison | Thomas A. Edison High School (fcps.edu)
• Required Forms:  Yearly Forms
• For Parents:  Parent Checklist
• For Students:  Updates for Students
• Student Information System (SIS) and Parent Vue: Enables you to access information about student attendance, class performance, course materials, and more:  SIS/Parent Vue
• School Payments via My School Bucks:  My School Bucks
• Transcript Requests: This link connects you to the transcript request form for Edison High School and is for current students and recent graduates (2018 and after): EHS Transcript Request Form
• Former student records from more than five years ago can be requested via this site:  Verification of Graduation, Records, Transcripts

5801 Franconia Road, Alexandria, VA 22310 | Main Office: 703-924-8000
Attendance: 703-924-8080 or [email protected] | Web | Twitter

 

To read this newsletter in other languages, please visit our website.

Para leer este mensaje en otros idiomas, podrán ver las traducciones automáticas en nuestro sitio web.

Note:  Some users may experience difficulty clicking the embdded links. Please copy the link and paste it into your browser.

Help Us Celebrate Thomas Alva Edison's 177th Birthday!

It's almost here!  On Friday, February 9th, the PTSA will be celebrating Thomas Edison's birthday with donated cupcakes or donuts for your student during their lunch period.

Edison PTSA is also seeking volunteers to donate cupcakes or donuts for the event and also to distribute donuts and cupcakes on February 9th during lunch. 

Can't make it and want to contribute? Monetary donations are accepted at the link below - and if you have trouble with the link, please copy and paste into your browser!

https://app.memberhub.gives/edison-birthday

Edison PTSA is also seeking volunteers to distribute donuts and cupcakes on February 9th during lunch. Signup genius link:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0844A9AA2BABF4C52-47582560-thomas

Volunteers Needed for Senior Scholarship Committee

We're looking for volunteers to serve on the PTSA Senior Scholarship Committee.  Please reach out to [email protected] if you are interested!

Digital Dozen Weekly Campaign Fundraising Challenge

It's not too late! Join Thomas A Edison PTSA for the Digital Dozens Weekly Campaign Kickoff Fundraising Challenge happening right now!  Help us soar to the top by ordering dozens of Krispy Kreme Original Glazed doughnuts. Copy and paste into your browser:

https://www.groupraise.com/oc/38299 Membership Drive Continues

The Edison PTSA membership drive has historically been our biggest fundraiser of the year.

Please consider adding a donation to the PTSA at the link below.  

Remember, the Edison PTSA is a registered non-profit and your donation is considered tax deductible. 

Please cut and paste into your browser: https://app.memberhub.gives/membership-drive/Campaign/Details

ANGP Updates We know that some have trouble logging onto our links. If this is happening to you, please copy and paste the links into your browser to ensure you are able to open them.

All Night Grad Party Planning Meeting TONIGHT at 7:00 p.m. 

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86137589106?pwd=MpRAUycp3a11YMdqsroRI7PLOC77Fh.1

Meeting ID: 861 3758 9106

Passcode: 324741

ANGP Fundraiser Mulch Sale now open! 

Pick up or delivery on Saturday April 6, 2024. Order now! Only $6 per bag!

See our website for more information - please copy and paste into your browser:  https://www.edisonangp.com/mulch-sale  

Class of 2024 Party Registration now Open! Tickets are $50 through March 10.

Buy tickets here - please copy and paste into your browser:    https://www.edisonangp.com/register-for-angp. Your student may also pick up paper applications outside of the Student Activities office. 

Note: All students eligible for free and reduced lunch can register online for a reduced fee.

La información sobre All Night Grad Party también está disponible en español en nuestro sitio web www.edisonangp.com (Copiar y pegar para abrir).

Questions? Email Lisa at [email protected]. 

Please follow us on Facebook @ Thomas Edison High School PTSA and Instagram @edisoneaglesptsa

Thank you for your support to the PTSA!

5801 Franconia Road, Alexandria, VA 22310 | Main Office: 703-924-8000
Attendance: 703-924-8080 or [email protected] | Web | Twitter

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

Edison High School Weekly    

To read this newsletter in other languages, please visit our website.

Para leer este mensaje en otros idiomas, podrán ver las traducciones automáticas en nuestro sitio web.

Important Dates

Edison School Wide Calendar

February 3:  Edison Academy Open House, 10:00 AM- 1:00 PM

February 12:  Athletic Booster Meeting, 7:00 PM

February 19: President's Birthday Holiday

February 29: Presentation on Trends in the Drug Culture, 6 pm (Parents Only)

March 2: Athletic Booster Bingo Night, 5:00 - 9:00 PM

March 5: Primary Election Day, Student Holiday

March 25-29:  Spring Break

April 1-2: Student Holidays

May 18:  Senior Prom

May 27: Memorial Day Holiday

June 5:  Graduation, 7:30pm, EagleBank Arena at GMU

June 12:  Last Day of School

The complete FCPS 2023-2024 School Year Calendar

In this Issue:

1. National School Counseling Week
2. Edison Academy Open House
3. Edison Pyramid Band Concert
4. Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA)

5. For Parents Only - Parent Presentation on Trends in the Drug Culture; February 29, 2024 

6. Tracking Your Child's Attendance
7. In Case You Missed It
8. PTSA Update
9. Athletic Boosters
10. January Celebrations

EDISON EAGLES!   Friday Feb 2nd, Edison will take on Hayfield Secondary in a Varsity Basketball Double Header-  Girls @ 5:45 and the Boys @ 7:30 pm at Hayfield! Come out and support our teams! Eagle PRIDE!

Congratulations to the Wrestling Team for being 1st Place in the Districts!  We are looking forward to watching them wrestle next week in regionals!

1. National School Counseling Week

February 5th-9th is National School Counseling Week, and highlights the tremendous impact school counselors have in helping students achieve academic success and planning for a career. School counselors work with students in a variety of different capacities, whether it is through classroom lessons, group sessions, or individual counseling. Learn more about the role of school counselors in FCPS.

We are so thankful for our Edison School Counselors: Mr. Schlemmer, Ms. Levy, Ms. Johnson, Ms. Tiernan, Ms. Neal, Ms. Frei-Harper, Ms. Quinia, Ms. Forget, Ms. Deedy and Ms. Guillen! Please consider reaching out to our counselors to thank and celebrate them!

2. Edison Academy Open House

You are cordially invited to attend our in-person Open House event on Saturday, February 3, 2024 from 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM (snow date is Saturday, February 10).  Please come to Edison HS and enter at Door 13 (the Van Dorn Street side of the building). You will have the opportunity to tour our state-of-the-art facilities, meet our instructors and current students, and learn more about our incredible courses!  Please feel free to contact Cassandra Deedy at (703) 924-8101 or [email protected] if you need any additional information.  We look forward to meeting you on Saturday, February 3rd. 

Other Academy Open Houses can be found here: calendar of Academy open houses.

3. First Ever Edison Pyramid Band Concert

EHS Band Director Charlie Mitchell, along with the band directors of 7 other schools, planned and hosted the first ever Edison Band Pyramid concert last week. The event was well attended by parents and students alike. 

Over 130 students from Bush Hill ES, Clermont ES, Rose Hill ES, Springfield Estates ES, Franconia ES, Holmes MS and Twain MS got together on one stage to perform music. Elementary students arrived early to rehearse with the older students, followed by dinner provided and served by the Edison Band Parents Organization. After the concert, it was agreed by all to make this a yearly event.

4. Future Business Leaders of America Competition

Last week, over 50 FBLA members participated in our annual competitions.  On Friday, January 26, 2024, Edison hosted the Regional Spring Conference, where several FBLA members placed in the top three in their category. Congratulations to the following EHS Students:

First Place Winners:

• John Dobson, Introduction to Financial Math
• Robin Bernatz, Journalism  
• Christopher LaStrape, Ana Maria Reyez, Taylor Erickson, & Charles Barrios Lazo, Parliamentary Procedure

Second Place Winners:

• Christopher Lastrape, Human Resource Management
• Elijah Danen, Insurance & Risk Management
• Maya McAfee, Journalism
• Angel Lemus, Networking Infrastructures

Third Place Winners:

• Jordan Somchanmavong & Tommaso Spigolon, Coding and Programming
• Joseph James, Nathaniel McLeod, & Owen Maciel, Computer Game & Simulation Programming
• Hasfah Butt, Introduction to Business Procedures
• Aden Chanthanphanij, Nebil Mohammed, & Randy Luong, Website Design

We look forward to some of these students representing us a the State Leadership Council in April.

Last Saturday with the girls win over Hayfield in overtime.

5. For Parents Only - Parent Presentation on Trends in the Drug Culture; February 29, 2024 

Many challenges and responsibilities come with being a parent, and having to address a difficult topic with your child, such as drug culture, trends and identifying signs of substance use, can be stressful. Drugs and drug paraphernalia is now being disguised as common everyday items out in plain sight, to go unrecognized by parents or other adults.  Substance Abuse Prevention Program want to provide you with information so you will be able to recognize drugs and drug paraphernalia and also the signs of drug use to equip you to have real and meaningful dialog with your child concerning these issues. 

Join us on February 29th, 2024 @ 6:00pm at Edison High School where we will be hosting a parent presentation to provide information on the trends in drug culture. After the presentation there will be time to ask questions or to receive more information. The trends in drug culture have created innovative ways to hook your child and we are here to arm you by providing information concerning these topics that will assist in effective communication with your child.  Also, a Narcan Training with be provided by a member of the Community Services Board.

Shawn Elliott, BS, QMHP-C Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist                 [email protected]

6. Tracking Your Child's Attendance

Edison High School is committed to providing our students with a high-quality education.  Academic success relies upon excellent school attendance.  Students who come to school on time every day are building critical life skills they will use the rest of their lives.  Like strengthening a muscle, building positive attendance habits early on makes a difference for our students today and for our adults of tomorrow.  Attending school regularly helps students feel better about school and themselves.   

To assist families with tracking their child’s attendance, we will be
sending out attendance report card emails starting at the end of 2nd quarter that allows you to see if your child is in good standing, at risk of being chronically absent, or is chronically absent.  These emails are meant to help you be more aware of where your student stands regarding their attendance.  While we don’t grade on attendance, it can have a direct correlation to how a student performs in class.

In their April 20, 2023 business meeting, the Virginia Board of Education decided to not suspend chronic absenteeism as part of school accreditation determinations for 2023-24, based on 2022-23 student outcomes. The Board’s rationale was a desire to send a strong message to schools, families, and students about the importance of regular attendance for student success. The Board decision means that schools with Level 3 (red) in any indicator—including chronic absenteeism—based on end-of-year data will receive “Accredited with Conditions” designation. 

Edison High School ended the last school year at 21% warning status for chronic absenteeism, just four percentage points from the chronic absence status level.  Chronic Absenteeism is defined as missing 10% or more of the school year, regardless of reason.  For a school, no more than 15% of their students can be absent (for any reason) for more than 10% of the school year.  Most school years have 180 days, 10% = 18 days. Not only is attendance important for student achievement, but the state of Virginia requires attendance at school.

Support is available: 

Edison High School staff is committed to supporting attendance.  Additional resources can be found online at http://www.fcps.edu/attendance.  We know that parents are the experts on their own child and our school team is here to partner and help solve attendance-related concerns.  The System of Support Advisor, School Counselors and School Social Workers and Psychologists are available to provide that support at 703-925-8000.  You can find all these support personnel on our website.  

Parents and students have asked how attendance is reported to colleges and who sees attendance data.  All colleges as well as some scholarships and summer programs request a transcript.  On the transcript the attendance data is reported. 

Also, please remember to call your school to report all absences.  Edison High School has a system for checking students in and out and for reporting absences.  Please visit our site to learn how to report accurate and timely attendance.

7. FCPS News - In Case You Missed It

In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics:

• Superintendent to Present Fiscal Year 2024-25 Budget
• Here Comes the Bus App
• Career Exploration Event for High School Students

Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving the weekly newsletter, please sign up today. 

8. PTSA Needs Your Help to Celebrate Thomas Alva Edison's 177th Birthday!

On Friday, February 9th, the PTSA will be celebrating Thomas Edison's birthday with donated cupcakes or donuts for your student during their lunch period. We need your help to provide 200 dozen cupcakes or donuts!!! We know that not everyone has time to bake a dozen cupcakes, or to go shopping for donuts, so to make your life easier, we created this option for you to monetarily donate instead. 

Please copy and paste the link below into your browser to donate funds:

https://app.memberhub.gives/edison-birthday

If you'd like to donate donuts and/or cupcakes, please copy and paste into your browser the following Sign-Up Genius Link:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0844A9AA2BABF4C52-47582560-thomas#/

Thank you for your support!

9. We Celebrate in February

• Black History Month
• Career and Technical Eduation Month
• Love the Bus Month
• School Board Appreciation Month
• February 8:  100th Day of School!
• February 5-9:  School Counseling Week
• February 15:  School Resource Office Appreciation Day
• February 19:  President's Day Holiday
• February 27-March 3:  Public Schools Week

Edison Athletics Booster Club will offer six scholarships to graduating Edison High School seniors that have participated in varsity Edison Athletics as a player. Applicants will be judged on athletic accomplishments, community service, coach’s recommendation, and written essay. Financial need is not a determining factor. Each scholarship award will be in the amount of $500. Scholarships (checks) will be made payable and sent directly to the recipient’s college or technical/vocational school.

Useful Links

• Edison High School Website: https://edisonhs.fcps.edu/
• New to Edison? Start Here:  New Student to Edison | Thomas A. Edison High School (fcps.edu)
• Required Forms:  Yearly Forms
• For Parents:  Parent Checklist
• For Students:  Updates for Students
• Student Information System (SIS) and Parent Vue: Enables you to access information about student attendance, class performance, course materials, and more:  SIS/Parent Vue
• School Payments via My School Bucks:  My School Bucks
• Transcript Requests: This link connects you to the transcript request form for Edison High School and is for current students and recent graduates (2018 and after): EHS Transcript Request Form
• Former student records from more than five years ago can be requested via this site:  Verification of Graduation, Records, Transcripts

5801 Franconia Road, Alexandria, VA 22310 | Main Office: 703-924-8000
Attendance: 703-924-8080 or [email protected] | Web | Twitter

 

To read this newsletter in other languages, please visit our website.

Para leer este mensaje en otros idiomas, podrán ver las traducciones automáticas en nuestro sitio web.

Note:  Some users may experience difficulty clicking the embdded links. Please copy the link and paste it into your browser.

Help Us Celebrate Thomas Alva Edison's 177th Birthday!

On Friday, February 9th, the PTSA will be celebrating Thomas Edison's birthday with donated cupcakes or donuts for your student during their lunch period. We need your help to provide 200 dozen cupcakes or donuts!!! We know that not everyone has time to bake a dozen cupcakes, or to go shopping for donuts, so to make your life easier, we created this option for you to monetarily donate instead.

Please copy and paste the link below into your browser:

https://app.memberhub.gives/edison-birthday

If you'd like to donate donuts and/or cupcakes, please cut and paste into your browser the following Sign-Up Genius Link:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0844A9AA2BABF4C52-47582560-thomas#/

Volunteer Chair Needed for Senior Yard Sign Project

Our senior yard signs are a big seller in the spring! We need a volunteer to help us out - the design has already been created, so the volunteer would create the order and then distribute the signs as they sell. The sale is active from March through May (graduation is June 5). Please reach out to [email protected] if you are interested!

Membership Drive Continues

The Edison PTSA membership drive has historically been our biggest fundraiser of the year.

Please consider adding a donation to the PTSA at the link below.  

Remember, the Edison PTSA is a registered non-profit and your donation is considered tax deductible. 

Please cut and paste into your browser: https://app.memberhub.gives/membership-drive/Campaign/Details

Register for All Night        Grad Party

• Register early to get the reduced rate of $50.  
• Doors open at the Franconia Rec Center at 11:00 p.m. on June 5, 2024!
• Games! Prizes! Food! Obstacle Course! Live entertainment! Swimming and more!

Register here: https://edisonangp.com/register-for-angp (copy and paste link to open)

Note: All students eligible for free and reduced lunch can register online for a reduced fee.

La información sobre All Night Grad Party también está disponible en español en nuestro sitio web www.edisonangp.com (Copiar y pegar para abrir).

Questions? Email Lisa at [email protected]. 

Please follow us on Facebook @ Thomas Edison High School PTSA and Instagram @edisoneaglesptsa

Thank you for your support to the PTSA!

5801 Franconia Road, Alexandria, VA 22310 | Main Office: 703-924-8000
Attendance: 703-924-8080 or [email protected] | Web | Twitter

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

Edison High School Weekly    

To read this newsletter in other languages, please visit our website.

Para leer este mensaje en otros idiomas, podrán ver las traducciones automáticas en nuestro sitio web.

Important Dates

Edison School Wide Calendar

January 26:  Student Holiday

January 30:  Pyramid Choir Concert 7pm in Main Gym

January 31: Global STEM Challenges Program Information Night for Rising 9th graders at 6:00 p.m

February 1:  Theatre Arts - Mandatory Parent Meeting, 6:30 PM

February 3:  Edison Academy Open House, 10:00 AM- 12:00 noon

February 29: Presentation on Trends in the Drug Culture 6 pm (Parents Only)

March 25-29:  Spring Break

June 5:  Graduation, 7:30pm, EagleBank Arena at GMU

June 12:  Last Day of School

The complete FCPS 2023-2024 School Year Calendar

In this Issue:

1. Global STEM Information Session for Rising 9th Grade

2. FAFSA Application Completion Workshop
3. Edison Academy Open House
4. Mandatory Meeting for Parents of Addams Family Cast

5. Parent Presentation on trends in the drug culture (For Guardians Only) 

6. Tracking Your Child's Attendance
7. In Case You Missed It
8. January Celebrations

A Message from Mrs. Burke

Dear Edison Families,

As we approach the start of the third quarter on Monday, we're eagerly anticipating what promises to be a fantastic quarter. A heartfelt thank you goes out to all the parents who joined us for the PTSA meeting on Tuesday evening. It was a truly insightful and productive discussion on the subject of school safety, and I am grateful for the questions and support that were shared. We were honored to have some very special guests in attendance, including Mr. Ray Lonnett, our new regional assistant superintendent, Mrs. Marcia St. John-Cunning from the Franconia District school board, Mr. Kyle McDaniel At-Large School Board Member, Mr. Tom Vaccarello Chief Safety and Security Officer FCPS, Mr. Justin Dellow EHS security specialist, Officer Ashraf our SRO, and Officer Wallace FCPD. Please keep an eye out for an e-notify with a form to gather additional questions, as we weren't able to address all of them during the meeting.

We're thrilled to announce the upcoming Battle of the Birds basketball doubleheader, taking place tomorrow. Please see below for all the details. With an expected large turnout, be sure to plan accordingly and arrive early! The event has sold out the past two years, so don't miss out on the action. After the game, head over to the Audrey Moore Rec Center and show your support for our swim and dive team.

Have a great weekend,

Amanda Burke
Principal
[email protected]

Follow us on instagram @edisonhseagles

EDISON EAGLES!   Saturday, January 27th, Edison will host Hayfield Secondary in a Varsity Basketball Double Header-  Girls @ 12:30 and the Boys @ 2:00 pm!

We are expecting a very large crowd, so please plan on coming early!!  For the past two years, we have sold out, so please make arrangements to arrive early!!

If you or your student plans to come, please take the time to discuss the relevant information below:

1. We are asking Edison fans to enter at door 13, and Hayfield fans will enter through door 6.
2. Please see the map below, Edison fans will sit across from the benches, and Hayfield fans will sit behind the benches.
3. No outside food or drinks are allowed. The concession stand will be open.
4. We cheer for Edison and not against our opponent. All cheers should be positive.
5. The Gymnasium will open at 11:30 a.m.
6. All students must pre-arrange for transportation and plan to leave immediately after the game. Students who are not picked up within 30 minutes of the end of the game may not be allowed to return for subsequent games.
7. Students are expected to be in the stands and not hanging out by the concession stand or bathrooms.
8. We welcome all members of the community to attend our games, but parents are needed to attend and monitor middle and elementary-aged students.  All attendees, regardless of age, are expected to behave responsibly. 
9. Whistles and similar noisemakers are prohibited.
10. Representatives from the Fairfax County Police Department, the Edison Administration, and the Edison Security Staff will monitor the activities of our patrons in the parking lot, at the ticket gate, and inside the Gym to promote a safe and secure environment for both Edison fans, our visitors, and guests.
11. Anyone caught trying to enter the game without paying will be removed and can be banned from attending future games.
12. Our goal is to create a positive community event.  Any behaviors that take away from this goal may result in being removed from the game and not being allowed to attend future games.

Eagle PRIDE! 1. Global STEM

Interested students and families are encouraged to attend an in-person information session. This session will occur on Wednesday, January 31, 2024, from 6:00 p.m. - 7:15 p.m. in the auditorium of Thomas A. Edison High School. Please enter through Door 17, located in the front of the building. In this session, students and families will learn about the program and how to request to enroll for the 2023-24 school year.

About the Global STEM Challenges Program

The Global STEM Challenges Program is a three-year program. It provides a student-centered, collaborative learning environment. This dynamic program prepares high school students to succeed in college and careers. Students engage in engineering design and use math and science to solve problems. They develop Portrait of a Graduate skills.

Teachers collaborate across Science, Math, and Engineering courses to integrate learning goals. Teachers adjust the sequence of course content to connect to a real-world problem. 

 

 

Students collaborate on teams to explore solutions to Grand Challenges in Engineering. They investigate topics like sustainable food production connected to UN Sustainable Development Goals. Student teams use their critical thinking, communication, and problem-solving skills to design solutions. Students develop prototypes and defend designs in front of teachers and community members. Collaboration and exploration of real-world problems are core to this program.

 

 

Students enrolled in the Global STEM Challenges Program learn that there is not a single “right” answer to real-world problems. They also learn that mistakes are often helpful steps in the learning process. 

Students have three class periods of integrated mathematics, science, and engineering every other school day.

In a three-year time span, students complete honors-level content requirements of Biology, Chemistry, Geometry, Algebra II, and three Engineering courses. They complete International Baccalaureate (IB) Physics and an IB Math Course. Students also have the opportunity to earn a tenth credit in Computer Science, which is embedded throughout the program. 

Watch this video to see the program in action.

 

 

Photo taken by Rachel Bouallegui, ESOL Teacher, during our snow days

2. FAFSA Application Completion Workshop Saturday, January 27, 10:00 AM - 12:00 Noon  EHS Lecture Hall

Parents and students who bring the required documents to the workshop receive one-on-one assistance completing and submitting the FAFSA online. Student’s must bring their computer and required documents found here: https://collegeaccessfairfax.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/What-to-Bring-to-Complete-2023-24-FAFSA-English.pdf

More information here: https://collegeaccessfairfax.org/

3. Edison Academy Open House

You are cordially invited to attend our in-person Open House event on Saturday, February 3, 2024 from 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM (snow date is Saturday, February 10).  Please come to Edison HS and enter at Door 13 (the Van Dorn Street side of the building). You will have the opportunity to tour our state-of-the-art facilities, meet our instructors and current students, and learn more about our incredible courses!  Please feel free to contact Cassandra Deedy at (703) 924-8101 or [email protected] if you need any additional information.  We look forward to meeting you on Saturday, February 3rd. 

Other Academy Open Houses can be found here: calendar of Academy open houses.

4. Mandatory Meeting for Parents of "The Addams Family" Cast

If you have a student who is part of The Addams Family, please come to our MANDATORY parent meeting on Thursday, February 1 at 6:3 PM  in the Black Box Theater (Mr. Walker's classroom). 

We will be discussing rehearsal schedules, expectations for the students and of course ways that you can help our spring production be successful.  If you have any questions, contact [email protected]

5. For Parents Only - Parent Presentation on Trends in the Drug Culture; February 29, 2024 

Many challenges and responsibilities come with being a parent, and having to address a difficult topic with your child, such as drug culture, trends and identifying signs of substance use, can be stressful. Drugs and drug paraphernalia is now being disguised as common everyday items out in plain sight, to go unrecognized by parents or other adults.  Substance Abuse Prevention Program want to provide you with information so you will be able to recognize drugs and drug paraphernalia and also the signs of drug use to equip you to have real and meaningful dialog with your child concerning these issues. 

Join us on February 29th, 2024 @ 6:00pm at Edison High School where we will be hosting a parent presentation to provide information on the trends in drug culture. After the presentation there will be time to ask questions or to receive more information. The trends in drug culture have created innovative ways to hook your child and we are here to arm you by providing information concerning these topics that will assist in effective communication with your child.  Also, a Narcan Training with be provided by a member of the Community Services Board.

Shawn Elliott, BS, QMHP-C Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist                 [email protected]

6. Tracking Your Child's Attendance

Edison High School is committed to providing our students with a high-quality education.  Academic success relies upon excellent school attendance.  Students who come to school on time every day are building critical life skills they will use the rest of their lives.  Like strengthening a muscle, building positive attendance habits early on makes a difference for our students today and for our adults of tomorrow.  Attending school regularly helps students feel better about school and themselves.   

To assist families with tracking their child’s attendance, we will be
sending out attendance report card emails starting at the end of 2nd quarter that allows you to see if your child is in good standing, at risk of being chronically absent, or is chronically absent.  These emails are meant to help you be more aware of where your student stands regarding their attendance.  While we don’t grade on attendance, it can have a direct correlation to how a student performs in class.

In their April 20, 2023 business meeting, the Virginia Board of Education decided to not suspend chronic absenteeism as part of school accreditation determinations for 2023-24, based on 2022-23 student outcomes. The Board’s rationale was a desire to send a strong message to schools, families, and students about the importance of regular attendance for student success. The Board decision means that schools with Level 3 (red) in any indicator—including chronic absenteeism—based on end-of-year data will receive “Accredited with Conditions” designation. 

Edison High School ended the last school year at 21% warning status for chronic absenteeism, just four percentage points from the chronic absence status level.  Chronic Absenteeism is defined as missing 10% or more of the school year, regardless of reason.  For a school, no more than 15% of their students can be absent (for any reason) for more than 10% of the school year.  Most school years have 180 days, 10% = 18 days. Not only is attendance important for student achievement, but the state of Virginia requires attendance at school.

Support is available: 

Edison High School staff is committed to supporting attendance.  Additional resources can be found online at http://www.fcps.edu/attendance.  We know that parents are the experts on their own child and our school team is here to partner and help solve attendance-related concerns.  The System of Support Advisor, School Counselors and School Social Workers and Psychologists are available to provide that support at 703-925-8000.  You can find all these support personnel on our website.  

Parents and students have asked how attendance is reported to colleges and who sees attendance data.  All colleges as well as some scholarships and summer programs request a transcript.  On the transcript the attendance data is reported. 

Also, please remember to call your school to report all absences.  Edison High School has a system for checking students in and out and for reporting absences.  Please visit our site to learn how to report accurate and timely attendance.

7. FCPS News - In Case You Missed It

In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics:

• FCPS Receives $16 Million to Buy More Electric Buses
• Science Fair Judges Needed
• How Families Can Help Fight Opioid Misuse

Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving the weekly newsletter, please sign up today. 

8. We Celebrate in January:

• New Year's Day
• Three Kings Day/Epiphany
• Orthodox Christmas
• Martin Luther King Day
• Orthodox Epiphany
• End of 2nd Quarter

Edison Athletics Booster Club will offer six scholarships to graduating Edison High School seniors that have participated in varsity Edison Athletics as a player. Applicants will be judged on athletic accomplishments, community service, coach’s recommendation, and written essay. Financial need is not a determining factor. Each scholarship award will be in the amount of $500. Scholarships (checks) will be made payable and sent directly to the recipient’s college or technical/vocational school.

Useful Links

• Edison High School Website: https://edisonhs.fcps.edu/
• New to Edison? Start Here:  New Student to Edison | Thomas A. Edison High School (fcps.edu)
• Required Forms:  Yearly Forms
• For Parents:  Parent Checklist
• For Students:  Updates for Students
• Student Information System (SIS) and Parent Vue: Enables you to access information about student attendance, class performance, course materials, and more:  SIS/Parent Vue
• School Payments via My School Bucks:  My School Bucks
• Transcript Requests: This link connects you to the transcript request form for Edison High School and is for current students and recent graduates (2018 and after): EHS Transcript Request Form
• Former student records from more than five years ago can be requested via this site:  Verification of Graduation, Records, Transcripts

5801 Franconia Road, Alexandria, VA 22310 | Main Office: 703-924-8000
Attendance: 703-924-8080 or [email protected] | Web | Twitter

 

To read this newsletter in other languages, please visit our website.

Para leer este mensaje en otros idiomas, podrán ver las traducciones automáticas en nuestro sitio web.

Note:  Some users may experience difficulty clicking the embdded links. Please copy the link and paste it into your browser.

Membership Drive Continues

The Edison PTSA membership drive has historically been our biggest fundraiser of the year.

Please consider adding a donation to the PTSA at the link below.  

Remember, the Edison PTSA is a registered non-profit and your donation is considered tax deductible. 

Please cut and paste into your browser: https://app.memberhub.gives/membership-drive/Campaign/Details

Register for All Night        Grad Party

• Register early to get the reduced rate of $50.  
• Doors open at the Franconia Rec Center at 11:00 p.m. on June 5, 2024!
• Games! Prizes! Food! Obstacle Course! Live entertainment! Swimming and more!

Register here: https://edisonangp.com/register-for-angp (copy and paste link to open)

Note: All students eligible for free and reduced lunch can register online for a reduced fee.

La información sobre All Night Grad Party también está disponible en español en nuestro sitio web www.edisonangp.com (Copiar y pegar para abrir).

Questions? Email Lisa at [email protected]. 

Please follow us on Facebook @ Thomas Edison High School PTSA and Instagram @edisoneaglesptsa

Thank you for your support to the PTSA!

5801 Franconia Road, Alexandria, VA 22310 | Main Office: 703-924-8000
Attendance: 703-924-8080 or [email protected] | Web | Twitter

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Edison High School Weekly    

To read this newsletter in other languages, please visit our website.

Para leer este mensaje en otros idiomas, podrán ver las traducciones automáticas en nuestro sitio web.

Important Dates

Edison School Wide Calendar

January 23:  Rescheduled Hybrid In-Person/on line PTSA Meeting, 7:00 pm

January 24:  Rising 9th Grade Orientation to Course Selection

January 25: End of second quarter; 2-hour early release

January 26:  Student Holiday

January 30:  Pyramid Choir Concert 7pm in Main Gym

January 31: Global STEM Challenges Program Information Night for Rising 9th graders at 6:00 p.m

February 1:  Theatre Arts - Mandatory Parent Meeting, 6:30 PM

February 3:  Edison Academy Open House, 10:00 AM- 12:00 noon

February 29:  Presentation on Trends in the Drug Culture (Parents Only)

March 25-29:  Spring Break

June 5:  Graduation, 7:30pm, EagleBank Arena at GMU

June 12:  Last Day of School

The complete FCPS 2023-2024 School Year Calendar

In this Issue:

1. Rising 9th Grade Orientation to Course Selection

2. Quarter End, Student Holiday
3. FAFSA Application Completion Workshop
4. Edison Academy Open House
5. Mandatory Meeting for Parents of Addams Family Cast

6. Parent Presentation on trends in the drug culture (For Guardians Only) 

7. National Mentoring Month

8. Tracking Your Child's Attendance
9. In Case You Missed It
10. January Celebrations
11. Athletic Boosters

A Message from Mrs. Burke

Dear Edison Families,

Happy Snow Day! I hope everyone enjoyed the snow by either going out or staying in with some hot chocolate. A reminder that we will resume regular classes on Monday, January 22, for our last week of the 2nd quarter. Please note that the quarter ends on Thursday, and we will have a 2-hour early release. Also, there will be no school on Friday as it is a teacher workday.

The PTSA meeting that was initially scheduled for last week has been rescheduled for Tuesday, January 23, at 7 pm. We are excited to welcome some special guests to the meeting, including Mr. Ray Lonnett our new regional assistant superintendent; Mrs. Marcia St. John-Cunning from the Franconia District school board; At-Large School Board Member Mr. Kyle McDaniel, a representative from FCPS's office of safety and security, Mr. Justin Dellow, our security specialist, and Officer Ashraf our SRO.  I look forward to seeing everyone.

We are currently in the middle of course selection for our rising 10th-12th grade students.  I urge parents to continue having conversations with their children about selecting a well-rounded schedule that allows them to explore advanced classes, courses they are passionate about, graduation requirements, and extracurricular activities. The courses chosen should provide them with a balanced educational experience while still being able to enjoy the high school experience.  If you have questions about course selection, please feel free to email your child’s school counselor. 

It's hard to believe we're already halfway through the school year; time is flying by. I'm looking forward to the second half of the year and all the exciting events to come.

As always, please reach out if you have any questions.

Amanda Burke
Principal
[email protected]

Follow us on instagram @edisonhseagles

Discussions continue at Edison's Eagle Council regarding inclusivity and support for all students.  The council is made up of 80 students who share their thoughts and suggestion for change with Mrs. Burke and each other. 

1.  Rising 9th Grade Orientation to Course Selection

Welcome Parents/Guardians of the Class of 2028!

We are pleased to welcome you to Thomas A. Edison High School.  We are excited to meet your students and to get them ready to start 9th grade in the fall.  Whether you are a first-time parent with a student in high school or an experienced high school parent, the staff in the Student Services Department is here to assist you with the transition from middle to high school. 

We hope that we get an opportunity to meet all of you.  On Wednesday, January 24, 2024, at 6:30 p.m., we will be hosting an Orientation to the Course selection process for our rising 9th grade students and parents (snow date January 31, 2024, 6:30 p.m.). We will begin the evening with a presentation in the auditorium.  Following the presentation, representatives from each department will be available to discuss their offerings and answer any questions you may have about their content area.

We are also hosting an information session on our Global STEM Challenges Program on Wednesday, January 31, 2024, at 6:00 p.m.

We hope to see you on January 24, 2024!

2. Quarter End, Early Release, and Student Holiday

Thursday, January 25, is the last day of the quarter and a two-hour early release for students. Also, schools are closed for students on Friday, January 26, for a teacher work day. See the complete school year calendar.

3. FAFSA Application Completion Workshop Saturday, January 27, 10:00 AM - 12:00 Noon  EHS Lecture Hall

Parents and students who bring the required FAFSA documents to the workshop receive one-on-one assistance completing and submitting the FAFSA online. Required Documents here: https://collegeaccessfairfax.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Revised_What-toBring-2024-25-FAFSA.pptx.pdf  More information here: https://collegeaccessfairfax.org/

4. Edison Academy Open House

You are cordially invited to attend our in-person Open House event on Saturday, February 3, 2024 from 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM (snow date is Saturday, February 10).  Please come to Edison HS and enter at Door 13 (the Van Dorn Street side of the building). You will have the opportunity to tour our state-of-the-art facilities, meet our instructors and current students, and learn more about our incredible courses!  Please feel free to contact Cassandra Deedy at (703) 924-8101 or [email protected] if you need any additional information.  We look forward to meeting you on Saturday, February 3rd. 

Other Academy Open Houses can be found here: calendar of Academy open houses.

It was great to see our wrestling team seniors on Wednesday night! 

Eagle Pride!

5. Mandatory Meeting for Parents of "The Addams Family" Cast

If you have a student who is part of The Addams Family, please come to our MANDATORY parent meeting on Thursday, February 1 at 6:3 PM  in the Black Box Theater (Mr. Walker's classroom). 

We will be discussing rehearsal schedules, expectations for the students and of course ways that you can help our spring production be successful.  If you have any questions, contact [email protected]

6. For Parents Only - Parent Presentation on Trends in the Drug Culture; February 29, 2024  Thank you to our families who attended Dr. Reid's town hall on January 10th.  

Many challenges and responsibilities come with being a parent, and having to address a difficult topic with your child, such as drug culture, trends and identifying signs of substance use, can be stressful. Drugs and drug paraphernalia is now being disguised as common everyday items out in plain sight, to go unrecognized by parents or other adults.  Substance Abuse Prevention Program want to provide you with information so you will be able to recognize drugs and drug paraphernalia and also the signs of drug use to equip you to have real and meaningful dialog with your child concerning these issues. 

Join us on February 29th, 2024 @ 6:00pm at Edison High School where we will be hosting a parent presentation to provide information on the trends in drug culture. After the presentation there will be time to ask questions or to receive more information. The trends in drug culture have created innovative ways to hook your child and we are here to arm you by providing information concerning these topics that will assist in effective communication with your child.  Also, a Narcan Training with be provided by a member of the Community Services Board.

Shawn Elliott, BS, QMHP-C Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist                 [email protected]

7. National Mentoring Month

Imagine a world where young people feel empowered, encouraged, and understood. Mentors can make that world a reality by helping young people find and follow their passions, excel in school, and thrive wherever they are.Learn more about Mentoring Month.

Research has shown that young people with at least one trusted mentor are less likely to skip school, less likely to use illegal drugs or drink alcohol, and more prepared to enter college or the workforce. Yet one in three children lack a mentor.

All it takes is one person to serve as a trusted adult to help change a young person’s path in life. Mentors provide attention, support, and enrichment, and help connect their mentees to resources that may help them on their journey in life.

FCPS’ MentorWorks program matches mentors with students in schools near where they live or work. They meet for at least 30 minutes a week. Learn more about how to become a mentor for an FCPS student. Please contact Martha Macdonald, mentoring specialist, for additional information at [email protected]. 

Got to catch the gymnastics team competing at TJ on Thursday night.

8. Tracking Your Child's Attendance

Edison High School is committed to providing our students with a high-quality education.  Academic success relies upon excellent school attendance.  Students who come to school on time every day are building critical life skills they will use the rest of their lives.  Like strengthening a muscle, building positive attendance habits early on makes a difference for our students today and for our adults of tomorrow.  Attending school regularly helps students feel better about school and themselves.   

To assist families with tracking their child’s attendance, we will be
sending out attendance report card emails starting at the end of 2nd quarter that allows you to see if your child is in good standing, at risk of being chronically absent, or is chronically absent.  These emails are meant to help you be more aware of where your student stands regarding their attendance.  While we don’t grade on attendance, it can have a direct correlation to how a student performs in class.

In their April 20, 2023 business meeting, the Virginia Board of Education decided to not suspend chronic absenteeism as part of school accreditation determinations for 2023-24, based on 2022-23 student outcomes. The Board’s rationale was a desire to send a strong message to schools, families, and students about the importance of regular attendance for student success. The Board decision means that schools with Level 3 (red) in any indicator—including chronic absenteeism—based on end-of-year data will receive “Accredited with Conditions” designation. 

Edison High School ended the last school year at 21% warning status for chronic absenteeism, just four percentage points from the chronic absence status level.  Chronic Absenteeism is defined as missing 10% or more of the school year, regardless of reason.  For a school, no more than 15% of their students can be absent (for any reason) for more than 10% of the school year.  Most school years have 180 days, 10% = 18 days. Not only is attendance important for student achievement, but the state of Virginia requires attendance at school.

Support is available: 

Edison High School staff is committed to supporting attendance.  Additional resources can be found online at http://www.fcps.edu/attendance.  We know that parents are the experts on their own child and our school team is here to partner and help solve attendance-related concerns.  The System of Support Advisor, School Counselors and School Social Workers and Psychologists are available to provide that support at 703-925-8000.  You can find all these support personnel on our website.  

Parents and students have asked how attendance is reported to colleges and who sees attendance data.  All colleges as well as some scholarships and summer programs request a transcript.  On the transcript the attendance data is reported. 

Also, please remember to call your school to report all absences.  Edison High School has a system for checking students in and out and for reporting absences.  Please visit our site to learn how to report accurate and timely attendance.

9. FCPS News - In Case You Missed It

In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics:

• FCPS Receives $16 Million to Buy More Electric Buses
• Science Fair Judges Needed
• How Families Can Help Fight Opioid Misuse

Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving the weekly newsletter, please sign up today. 

10. We Celebrate in January:

• New Year's Day
• Three Kings Day/Epiphany
• Orthodox Christmas
• Martin Luther King Day
• Orthodox Epiphany
• End of 2nd Quarter

Edison Athletics Booster Club will offer six scholarships to graduating Edison High School seniors that have participated in varsity Edison Athletics as a player. Applicants will be judged on athletic accomplishments, community service, coach’s recommendation, and written essay. Financial need is not a determining factor. Each scholarship award will be in the amount of $500. Scholarships (checks) will be made payable and sent directly to the recipient’s college or technical/vocational school.

Useful Links

• Edison High School Website: https://edisonhs.fcps.edu/
• New to Edison? Start Here:  New Student to Edison | Thomas A. Edison High School (fcps.edu)
• Required Forms:  Yearly Forms
• For Parents:  Parent Checklist
• For Students:  Updates for Students
• Student Information System (SIS) and Parent Vue: Enables you to access information about student attendance, class performance, course materials, and more:  SIS/Parent Vue
• School Payments via My School Bucks:  My School Bucks
• Transcript Requests: This link connects you to the transcript request form for Edison High School and is for current students and recent graduates (2018 and after): EHS Transcript Request Form
• Former student records from more than five years ago can be requested via this site:  Verification of Graduation, Records, Transcripts

5801 Franconia Road, Alexandria, VA 22310 | Main Office: 703-924-8000
Attendance: 703-924-8080 or [email protected] | Web | Twitter