Annandale Students, Parents, and Community,
As we watch the world’s best athletes compete on the Olympic stage this winter, we are reminded that excellence is never accidental. Behind every medal are early mornings, long practices, setbacks, and an unwavering commitment to improvement. That same spirit of discipline, preparation, and perseverance lives right here at Annandale.
This winter season, we proudly celebrate our National District Champions who have risen to the top of their sport and represented Annandale with pride.
James Chilton - Swim & Dive, National District Champion in the 50 Free and 100 Fly
CC Corbett - Swim & Dive, National District Champion in the 100 Fly and 200 Free
Melanie Decareau - Swim & Dive, National District Champion in the 50 Free
Samantha Decareau - Swim & Dive, National District Champion in the 100 Free and 100 Backstroke
CC Corbett, Melanie Decareau, Samantha Decareau, and Delaney Spenser- Swim & Dive, National District Champions in the 200 Medley Relay and 200 Free Relay
Jeremiah Nelson - Indoor Track, National District Champion in High Jump
Jose Vera Puna - Wrestling, National District Champion
Anna Jenson - Girls Wrestling, National District Champion
These accomplishments reflect more than victories. They represent commitment, teamwork, resilience, and the pursuit of excellence. We are incredibly proud of these student athletes, their coaches, and their families for the dedication required to achieve at this level. Please join me in congratulating our National District Champions. They truly embody the Olympic spirit here at Annandale.
Looking ahead, our spring sports season begins tomorrow, February 24. We encourage all students to get involved. Research consistently shows that student athletes perform better academically, develop strong time management skills, and build meaningful connections within their school community. No previous experience is necessary. Bring your effort and enthusiasm. See below for this week’s tryout schedule.
As always, have a great week Atom Nation and reach out with any questions.
Shawn DeRose, Principal
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Lynn Eckerman Named Region 6 Outstanding Teacher
We are proud to share that Lynn Eckerman has been named the Outstanding Secondary Teacher for Region 6. She was surprised with the award last Friday during a visit from Region leadership and School Board members. Dr. Boyd described Lynn as a master teacher who builds strong, authentic relationships with students while maintaining high expectations for their learning and growth. Her classroom reflects both rigor and care, and her impact is felt well beyond her own students. Lynn is now a finalist for Fairfax County Outstanding Secondary Teacher, with the division level honoree to be announced in June. Congratulations to Lynn on this well earned recognition and for representing Annandale with excellence.
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Annandale Celebrates Black History Month
February is Black History Month. This year’s theme is “A Century of Black History Commemorations.” Throughout the month, we will celebrate and honor the experiences, achievements, and contributions made by African Americans and their central role in US History.
Our Social Studies teams are offering students opportunities to make their own connections to curriculum content and providing resources to further their learning. Recently, our US/VA History classes finished their Reconstruction unit, studying the African American experience during the Reconstruction era and the empowerment of Black elected officials into government office. In their next unit on Urbanization and Progressivism, students will be looking at the contributions of Black workers, progressivists, and the rise of Black Wall Street. In their Great Migration PBA, students will analyze factors that influenced the migration of African Americans from Southern states and the social and economic impacts the Great Migration had on the United States.
In World History, students are beginning their Imperialism unit, learning about how African nations were impacted by imperialism. Students will soon learn about WWI and the role African Americans played in the war effort. In Government, students are learning about the Executive Branch, specifically how a president can extend his power through executive orders to address racial equality.
Over the past few years, students have created school-wide lessons to highlight the contributions African Americans have made in shaping our country’s history. These lessons will be used again during W4 this year, as a wonderful opportunity for all of us to learn from and with each other.
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Follow Us on Social Media
Stay connected with Annandale High School by following us on social media! It's the best way to keep up with our latest news, celebrate student achievements, and keep up with everything going on in #AtomNation.
Links: Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
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Important Dates
February 23 - Spring Sports Tryouts Begin
February 24 - Virtual Gap Year Fair 6-7pm
February 24 & 25 - WIDA Testing
February 25 - CPP Application Due
February 25 - PTSA Pantry Distribution, 3:30pm
February 28 - Saturday Academic Coaching
March 2 - Student Experience Survey
March 2-6 - National School Social Work Week
March 4 - Partners for Safe Teen Driving
March 6 - FanQuest Pep Rally
March 9 - ASAP 4.0 Begins
March 10 - PTSA Meeting
March 10 - Choir Concert, 7pm
March 11 - PTSA Pantry Distribution, 3:30pm
March 12 - ASVAB Testing
March 14 - Saturday Academic Coaching
March 16 - W4 Activities Day
March 18 - Junior Parent Night, 6pm
March 20 - Eid Al Fitr (No School)
Tomorrow - Spring Sports Tryouts Begin! Spring sports tryouts begin tomorrow, February 23. This season includes lacrosse, soccer, baseball, softball, tennis, and outdoor track. To participate, all athletes must complete two requirements: submit a completed sports physical to Athletic Trainer Ryan Hughes and complete the online activity registration, which includes the Emergency Care Form and Concussion Education Training. For more information and updates, visit www.annandaleatoms.net. Don’t miss your chance to be part of the action - get ready to represent Atom Nation this spring!
Tomorrow - Application for the 2026 Student Representative to the School Board Due: The School Board student representative represents the interests of Fairfax County Public Schools students. The student representative is not a member of the School Board but serves in a nonvoting, advisory capacity. Students currently in grades 9, 10, and 11 are eligible. To learn more and apply, check out the FCPS Website. Applications are due tomorrow, February 23.
February 24 - Virtual Gap Year Fair 6-7pm: FCPS is co-hosting a Virtual Gap Year Fair with Go Overseas, whose mission is to empower human connection through perspective-changing travel. At the Virtual Gap Year Fair, students and their families can connect with gap year program providers, counselors, and alumni to learn everything needed about taking a gap year. See the Gap Year Fair Flyer for more information! Students are encouraged to pre-register for this event.
February 24-25 - WIDA Testing: Annandale High School will administer the WIDA ACCESS for ELLs assessment to students identified as Multilingual Learners on February 24 and 25. This annual assessment measures progress in academic English across listening, speaking, reading, and writing, and helps us monitor growth, determine appropriate instructional supports, and meet state and federal requirements. Testing will take place during the school day in small group settings. Please ensure your child arrives on time, is well rested, and eats a healthy breakfast. Students who are not testing will participate in a teacher led career planning lesson and choice activities. For questions, please contact Meg Anderson, Assessment Coach.
February 25 - CPP Application Due: Students in grades 8-10 whole fit into one or more of the following categories are encouraged to apply: 1) first in your family to attend college in the US, 2) need financial support to attend college, 3) current GPA 2.5 or above, 4) determined to go to college, 5) willing to take some advanced coursework, 6) have a good attendance record, or 7) not currently enrolled in an FCPS College Success Program. This program is designed to support students interested in exploring, applying to, and enrolling in college. Apply at https://tinyurl.com/CPPAPP2026.
February 25 - FCPS’ Second Annual Black History Month Celebration: Families and community members are invited to reflect on the past, celebrate the present, and uplift the voices shaping our future at FCPS’ Second Annual Black History Month Celebration. Rooted in Resilience: Echoes of Excellence will take place on Wednesday, February 25, at 6 p.m., at Carter G. Woodson High School. The event will honor the rich history, strength, and contributions of the Black community through inspiring student performances and a powerful keynote address by Rev. Vernon C. Walton, pastor of First Baptist Church of Vienna. Light refreshments will be available.
February 26 - Black History Month Def Jam: Annandale High School’s Black Student Union invites families and community members to the Black History Month Def Jam on Thursday, February 26 from 3:30pm-6:30pm in the school cafeteria. This year’s theme, “A Century of Black History Commemorations,” honors the achievements, contributions, and cultural heritage of the African Diaspora, with a focus on the impact of Black workers, entrepreneurs, and leaders. Guests will enjoy African American soul food, Jamaican and Ethiopian dishes, music, games, and gift card prizes, with food served after sundown in observance of Ramadan and snacks available beforehand. Community members are welcome to bring a dish to share and are encouraged to attend in support of this meaningful celebration.
February 28 - Saturday Academic Coaching: Annandale teachers will be this Saturday from 8:30am to 11:00am to support students in prioritizing their work, completing outstanding assignments, and facilitating assessment retakes. This is a focused, distraction-free window to get individualized help, improve grades, and stay on track. Additional Academic Coaching sessions will be offered on March 14, April 18, May 2, 16, & 30, June 6, & 13. Reach out to Cass Hersh with questions.
March 2 - Student Experience Survey: On Monday, March 2, Annandale students will have the opportunity to participate in the FCPS Student Experience Survey. This important initiative aims to provide valuable insights into students’ experiences within our schools. It will take approximately 30 minutes and offers a meaningful way for students to share their perspectives to help shape the future of FCPS. Students will take the survey in their W4 classes. If you would like to view the survey, please visit the Student Experience Survey webpage.
March 4 - Partners for Safe Teen Driving: To get your driver’s license in Virginia, you must successfully pass the classroom portion of driver education. You must also attend a 90-minute parent-teen traffic safety program, Partners for Safe Teen Driving, or PSTD, with a parent/guardian. This program is free to students enrolled in Health & PE 10 and begins at 6:30pm in the auditorium. You must attend with a parent/guardian, arrive ON TIME, and remain for the duration of the presentation for your attendance to be verified. Register here. The final Partners for Safe Teen Driving session at Annandale High School is on April 29. If you have any questions, please contact Lizzie McManus.
March 6 - FanQuest Pep Rally: On Friday, March 6 during W4/ Pride Time, the Annandale Special Olympics Basketball team will be hosting “FanQuest” versus Centreville High School. FanQuest is an event that promotes inclusion and respect for students with disabilities. It will give our Special Olympics athletes an opportunity to showcase their basketball skills and experience a real game day atmosphere in front of their peers. Check out this video to see the energy and excitement that is shared every year at this event!
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Awesome Atoms
Annandale Theatre Company VHSL Honors: The Annandale Theatre Company earned first place at the VHSL District One-Act Competition and advanced to the VHSL Regional One-Act Competition, where they earned second place. Cecilia Marigliano, Lucy Baboyian, and Ryan Tran were recognized for their strong acting, and Pascual Aguilar Rodriguez received an Outstanding Actor award. The cast and crew presented “Three,” a powerful drama about a family working to remain united in the face of social pressures that challenge their stability. Congratulations to the Annandale Theatre Company on an impressive competitive season and continued excellence on the regional stage.
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Karen Olarinde Serves on FCPS Grading Summit Panel: Annandale’s Academic Support Coordinator, Karen Olarinde, served as a panelist at the FCPS Grading Summit, where she shared examples from the school’s work with math teachers to ensure assessments are closely connected to standards and student performance. Her selection as a panelist reflects Annandale’s leadership in advancing grading practices that prioritize clarity, alignment, and accurate measures of student learning. Through this work, Annandale continues to help lead division wide conversations about meaningful, standards aligned assessment.
Annandale AI Challenge Team Presents Smart Cart: Annandale’s first place team from the FCPS AI Challenge recently presented their app, Smart Cart, at the division’s student AI innovation showcase. Smart Cart compares nearby grocery prices, identifies the most affordable high quality options, and provides budget friendly meal and recipe support tailored to individual needs. During the showcase, students presented their work to leaders in the field from Amazon and Playlab, demonstrating innovation, technical skill, and thoughtful application of artificial intelligence to address real world challenges.
Important Information
Now through March 19 - Ramadan: This year Ramadan begins at sunset the evening of February 17 and ends at sunset the evening of March 19. During this time, many of our Muslim students may be fasting and it is important for those students to have a quiet, alternative location to go to during lunchtime. Therefore, the library will be open to students who would prefer to go there during lunch rather than the cafeteria. If you have questions, please contact Katie Padilla.
February 18 - March 19 - Student Fasting Meal Kits Available: FCPS is offering a new meal kit program for students who are fasting during the school day from February 18 to March 19, 2026. These meal kits include balanced, nutritious meals—protein, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat milk—similar to those served at school. Meals will be kept cold for freshness and can be heated at home. To sign up, parents/guardians must complete a Fasting Meals Request Form each week for each student. Students can grab their meal kits at the end of the school day at any point in the school day in the cafeteria. Any student fasting during the school day can participate. If a student eats breakfast or lunch at school, they are not eligible for a meal kit that day. Meal kits will be charged to student meal accounts based on their usual eligibility status—free for students who qualify, and regular pricing for paid-status students. be sure to complete the Fasting Meals Request Form each week to ensure your student receives a meal kit. Find out more and submit requests on the FCPS FNS website. Registration Deadlines:
February 23 - Deadline to register for meal kits for the week of March 2.
March 2 - Deadline to register for meal kits for the week of March 9.
March 9 - Deadline to register for meal kits for the week of March 16.
Upcoming Safety Drills: Keeping students and staff safe is a priority at Annandale High School. Over the next few weeks, we will conduct our monthly fire drill, our semi-annual lockdown drill and our annual tornado drill. Your student may share at home about their experience. We encourage you to talk with your student about the importance of being prepared for emergencies. Here are some helpful tips for families to use to support their students before and after school lockdown drills. Working together, we create a safe, secure environment for students to learn and grow in our schools.
Spring SEL Screener: Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) believes in supporting social and emotional learning (SEL) for all students. The SEL Screener elevates the voices of our students by making sure their perspectives are considered in decision-making. Screener data is used to plan programming for the division, schools, and individual students. The SEL in FCPS webpage includes information about what the screener is, how it benefits our students, and how screener results are used to create a positive and inclusive learning environment. Our students will be taking the SEL Screener on March 10 during W4 Advisory. SEL screener notification and opt-out information can be found within the Annual Notice of Survey, Records, Curriculum, Privacy, and Related Rights and Opt-Out Forms booklets.
Lightspeed Parent Portal Allows Parents to Manage Student Screen Time: FCPS has introduced new parent controls in the Lightspeed Parent Portal to help families manage screen time on FCPS-issued devices. Through the portal, parents can control their child's access to YouTube and pause web browsing during designated After-School Hours while students are off the FCPS network. These controls are active Monday - Friday from 3:30pm to 6:00am (even on student holidays) and all day Saturday and Sunday. They do not affect district filtering policies during the instructional day. Parents can register for the Lightspeed Parent Portal using the link provided in their weekly Lightspeed Online Student Activity Report email. For more information about the Parent Portal, please visit the Lightspeed Parent Portal page on the FCPS website.
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Academic Support & Tutoring Opportunities
Kaplan PSAT & SAT Prep Access: All students in grades 9-11 now have access to Kaplan online PSAT and SAT preparation resources. Students should log in at https://tinyurl.com/FCPSKaplan using their FCPS username and password. Access will remain active through October 31, allowing students to prepare for multiple SAT administrations as well as the October PSAT.
Need Help in Your Class? Stay After School With Your Teacher: Stay With Your Teacher After School! Annandale High School offers late bus transportation three (3) days per week: Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday. All teachers stay after school at least one day a week to provide academic support for students. Please refer to this list to see which day your student’s teacher is available after school.
Retake Room is Up and Running! To support students in retaking assessments or making up missed assignments, the retake room is located in room 299 at the end of the Social Studies hall. Retakes are available on Late Bus Days after school, and every White Day during PRIDE Time. Students who would like to take advantage of the retake room must work with their teacher to sign up.
Varsity Tutors Provides On-Demand Support at No Cost: FCPS is partnering with Varsity Tutors to provide students and families with extra resources for learning. Every student can take advantage of Varsity Tutors’ services at no cost, including weekly live online classes; on-demand 24/7 chat tutoring; essay editing; and study resources such as recorded content, practice problems, and diagnostic tests. Learn more about online tutoring with Varsity Tutors.
Saturday Academic Coaching: Annandale teachers will be available on select Saturdays from 8:30am to 11:00am to support students in prioritizing their work, completing outstanding assignments, and facilitating assessment retakes. This is a focused, distraction-free window to get individualized help, improve grades, and stay on track. Academic Coaching sessions will be offered on February 28, March 14, April 18, May 2, 16, & 30, June 6, & 13. Reach out to Cass Hersh with questions.
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Opportunities
Rotary Unite for Good Speech Contest Win Up to $500! Annandale High School students in grades 9-12 are invited to participate in the Annandale Rotary Club Speech Contest, centered on the Rotary International theme Unite for Good. The school level contest will take place on March 9 at 3:30pm in Room C-59, with cash prizes of $500 for first place, $250 for second place, and $150 for third place. Students will have the opportunity to build public speaking skills, earn scholarship money, and advance to area and district level competitions. Winners will advance to the district competition, where they will compete for the top prize of $1,000. Register to participate in the school level competition here.
Rotary Music Contest Win Up to $500! Annandale High School students in grades 9-12 are invited to participate in the Annandale Rotary Club Music Contest, which features solo vocal, keyboard, or instrumental performances. The school level contest will take place on March 16 at 3:30pm in Room C-59, with cash prizes of $500 for first place, $250 for second place, and $150 for third place. Students will have the opportunity to showcase their musical talents, earn scholarship money, and advance to area and district level competitions. To enter, complete the Rotary Music Contest submission form by Sunday, March 15.
Emerging Leaders Program Opportunity: Edu-Futuro is inviting Annandale High School students in grades 9 through 12 to apply for the Emerging Leaders Program, a free five-week online leadership and college readiness program offered this winter. The interactive program provides a supportive space for students and families to explore college options, career pathways, and leadership skills together. Participants will build confidence, receive guidance on college preparation and applications, and learn about career opportunities, scholarships, and college tours. Edu-Futuro serves students from all backgrounds and offers programming in both English and Spanish to ensure access for families across the community. Students who are interested can apply here.
Winter Sale: All Night Grad Tickets On Sale Now! Tickets are now on sale for this year’s All Night Grad Celebration, a long-standing Annandale High School tradition made possible by the Annandale High School PTSA and the parent community. This safe, fun, and adult-supervised event is entirely volunteer-run and provides seniors with a memorable way to celebrate together.
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