September 2010 PTSA Newsletter

FAMILY GRAM BACK TO SCHOOL 2010

Familygram is a newsletter for Fairfax County Public Schools parents that is published by the Department of Communications and Community Outreach.

A new issue has been posted to http://www.fcps.edu/mediapub/publicat/familygram/backtoschool2010/index.html

Highlights include:

* Direct From the Superintendent: Welcome to a New School Year

* Keeping Emergency Contact and Health Information Up-to-Date Using weCare@school

* New Fees to Be Charged for High School Sports Participation and Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate Tests

* Three Ways to Purchase School Meals: Online Payment, Check, or Cash

* Opt-Out Forms Now Online Only

* Parent-Teen Driving Programs to Be Held at All FCPS High Schools

* FCPS Family Life Education Instructional Program for 2010-11

* Make the College Connection at the 35th Annual College Fair and College Night Programs

* ESOL Parent Meetings to Be Held This Fall

* Parents Invited to Education Summit on October 16

* Telephone Parent Information Line Available in Korean and Spanish

* Three Easy Ways for Fairfax County Students to Earn Service Learning Hours

* FCPS Is on Facebook and Twitter

* Service Animals in FCPS Buildings

* FCPS Directives Available Online

2010-2011 Student Directory and Handbook

NEW THIS YEAR-UPDATE YOUR DIRECTORY INFORMATION ONLINE

This year all of your LHS Student Directory information will be managed online through School Directorease.  By now you should have received an email requesting an update of your household information.  IF YOU HAVE NOT RECEIVED THIS E-MAIL, please e-mail Diane Diner immediately at langleydirectory@gmail.com so that your information may be included correctly.

The 2010-2011 LHS Directory will be FREE* and have a new look!  School Directorease will print the LHS Directory at no cost by selling advertising space.   Please note that the PTSA’s policy of printing the directory solely for the use of Langley families and not for solicitation is still being followed.  The advertisers will not receive a copy of the directory.
* One copy per family.  Additional copies will be available for sale.

Questions? Contact Diane Diner (langleydirectory@gmail.com  / 703-790-8558).
Due to privacy issues, it is Langley PTSA policy not to include student cell phones and/or emails in the Student Directory.

PLEASE UPDATE YOUR INFO ONLINE BY - FRIDAY, SEPT. 10TH

A new law concerning driver’s education will begin this September, 2010.  As part of the classroom driver education instruction, students and their parent/guardian are required to attend a 90 minute traffic safety program.  This requirement must be met before the student will receive a Driver Education Certificate of Completion (commonly referred to as the “green card”). THIS IS MANDATORY.

The first opportunity to attend this program will be September 13 in the Langley HS auditorium at 7 PM.  The doors will close at 7 PM and no one will be admitted once the doors have closed.  Be prepared to stay for the entire 90 minutes.  If you leave early, your presence will not be counted and you will need to repeat the session.   There will be three more sessions throughout the school year, each occurring the first week of each quarter.  You are encouraged to attend the session during the quarter the student is enrolled in Driver’s Education.

Please be aware of the following procedures that have been established to fulfill the requirements of the new law:

• Student must attend with their parent/ guardian
• Parent/guardian is required to show valid driver’s license or state issued identification number
• Attendance for FULL 90 minutes is required
• Proper completion of the registration form required (received at the session)
• Program must be completed during the year student is enrolled in Grade 10 HPE
• No fees are charged to FCPS students.  Fees are only assessed if taken during ACE
Questions?  Please contact Cheryl Buffo cbuffo@fcps.edu or Susan Shifflett sshifflett@fcps.edu

Athletic Administration Fee (AAF) Statement

On May 20, 2010 the Fairfax County School Board finalized the FY 2011 budget.  This budget will impact athletics and activities in several ways: 

• A $100 per sport, per student Athletic Administration Fee (AAF) will be charged for participation in all VHSL athletics.
• The funds collected from the AAF will directly support the Student Activities and Athletics Program (SAAP) budget which exceeds $21 million system wide.
• The drill team supplement has been eliminated.  Many schools use this supplement to support a dance team sponsor.
• Winter cheer has been eliminated (fall sideline and competitive cheer will continue)
• Swim practices using Fairfax County Park Authority pools have been reduced by one day (from 4 days per week to 3). 
• Significant modifications will be made to the current athletic transportation protocols.  Transportation will continue to be provided.
• The AAF will be waived for students who are eligible for free and reduced-price meals.
• There is no relationship between the AAF and a guarantee of student playing time.  Playing time is at the sole decision of the Head Coach and his/her staff.

AAF billing and collection details will be provided over the next few weeks.  No payments should be made at this time.  It is expected that an online payment system will be available by the 2011 spring season.

For further information please refer to the approved budget available here: http://www.fcps.edu/news/fy2011.htm

Saxon Sports Information