November 1, 2026

Thank you to everyone who helped make Trunk or Treat such a memorable event this past week! 🎃🍬 It was wonderful to see our students, families, staff, and community members come together for an evening of fun, laughter, and connection. A special thank you to everyone who volunteered a trunk, decorated their vehicles, donated treats, and helped create such a fun and welcoming experience for our students and families. Your time, creativity, and generosity helped make the event a success!

We had a wonderful time celebrating together and look forward to more opportunities to connect, strengthen relationships, and continue building our Unity Reed community.

Please also note that there will be no school for students on Monday, November 2, and Tuesday, November 3, as these are Teacher Workdays. Our building will be open to families on Monday, November 2, for Touchbase Conferences, providing parents and guardians an opportunity to connect with teachers. Please see the information below for additional details.

🎉 Unity Reed Students Make School History!

We are proud to celebrate Connor Pillars and Carlos “Daniel” Chavarria Contreras, who have been selected to serve as state officers for the JVG State Career Association. Connor will serve as Parliamentarian, and Daniel will serve as a Delegate.

Their selection marks an exciting moment in Unity Reed High School history. To our knowledge, Connor and Daniel are the first students from Unity Reed High School (formerly Stonewall Jackson High School) to be selected as JVG State Career Association officers. Their achievement reflects their leadership, dedication, and willingness to represent our school beyond the classroom.

As part of this leadership opportunity, Connor and Daniel will represent Unity Reed High School and our JVG program at the Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG) LEADS Conference in Washington, D.C., December 1–4. There, they will strengthen their leadership skills, connect with JAG students and leaders from across the country, and represent Virginia on a national stage.

Congratulations, Connor and Daniel, on making Unity Reed history! We are proud to have you represent our school and the state of Virginia!

Thank you for your continued partnership and support of our students and the URHS community.!

In This Week’s Newsletter

Please take a few moments to review this week’s newsletter for important updates, opportunities, and reminders for our students and families, including:

• Touchbase Conferences — November 2

• Picture Day Retakes
  
• French Week Celebrations
• Counseling Connection
  

• Class of 2027 Cap & Gown Orders and Final Senior Portrait Session

• Important Dates & Upcoming Events

• And much more!

• November 2: No School for Students - Touchbase conferences
  
• November 3: No School for Students - Teacher Workday
• November 11: No School - Veteran's Day
• November 25-27: No School - Thanksgiving Holiday

Our annual Touch-Base Conferences will take place on Monday, November 2, 2026, from 8:00–10:00 a.m.

Touch-Base provides parents and guardians with an opportunity to meet individually with any or all of their student’s teachers for a brief 3–5 minute conference. No appointments are necessary—families may visit teachers in their individual classrooms during the scheduled time.

During these brief conferences, teachers will provide an update on your student’s current grade and academic progress and can share strategies and resources to support continued success in the classroom. School counselors will also be available to meet with families. If additional time is needed, families may arrange a more in-depth parent-teacher conference for a future date.

We look forward to welcoming our families and continuing to work together to support the success of every student!

Did you miss getting your yearbook photo taken, or do you need a photo retake?

Yearbook photo retakes and make-up photos will be held on Monday, November 9. To participate, you must sign up for a time slot in advance.

Sign-Up Information:

• Deadline to sign up: Friday, November 6
• Location to sign up: Room 2033
• See Mr. Hyde to select your appointment time.

If you do not sign up by November 6, a photo appointment cannot be guaranteed.

Don't miss this opportunity to make sure you're included in this year's yearbook!

Questions? Stop by Room 2033.

Our French Honor Society is excited to celebrate French Week with a variety of fun and engaging activities designed for our students! Throughout the week, students will have opportunities to explore French language and francophone cultures through games, music, food, and special activities.

Student Activities Include:

• November 5: Movie Night after school

• November 6: WIN activities in the library featuring a scavenger hunt and 3D Eiffel Tower Challenge

• November 10: WIN activities featuring French trivia, Kahoot, and Bingo

• November 10: Crêpe fundraiser after school

Throughout French Week, our second-floor and World Language hallways will also be transformed into a Francophone Culture Gallery Walk. Students will be able to explore posters featuring interesting facts about French-speaking countries and cultures from around the world.

French music will also be featured throughout the week, giving students an opportunity to discover a variety of French-speaking artists and musical styles.

We look forward to a wonderful week of celebrating language, culture, and our students’ enthusiasm for learning! Please note: French Week activities are for students only.

High school counselors support students as they work toward graduation and prepare for life after high school. They partner with students, families, teachers, and staff to support academic success, social and emotional well-being, and college and career planning. For more information and links to school resources, including how to contact your child's school counselor, please visit our Unity Reed High School Counseling webpage.

Counseling Lesson and Insight Meeting Schedule for November

• Grade 9 Insight Meetings

• Grade 10 Insight Meetings

• Post-High School Pathways through US/VA History

Dual Enrollment

The College and Career Ready Virginia (CCRV) Program is a statewide initiative designed to expand access to dual enrollment for high school students at no tuition cost to students. The Spring 2027 declaration will open on October 15, 2026, and will close on December 15, 2026. There will be a registration help session for students on November 6, 9-10:30 AM. For more information on eligibility and the program, go to the CCRV webpage or contact your school counselor.

Unity Reed CCRV Courses

College and Career Planning

Virginia College Application Week is October 19-30. This is a great opportunity to submit applications to most Virginia colleges with no fee! There will also be college application assistance, workshops on financial aid/scholarships and essay writing, and on-site admissions opportunities. Students are encouraged to check their email and Canvas announcements for more details leading up to the event.

The following materials are neither sponsored nor endorsed by PWCS:

• Financial Aid Officers from Northern Virginia Community College’s Manassas Campus will be helping students and families submit their FAFSA forms for the 2027-2028 school year at the Manassas City Library (10104 Dumfries Road). The next session will be Saturday, November 14, 11 AM-2 PM. See the attached flyer for more details (in English and Spanish).

• Alfred Street Baptist Church presents its 24th Annual Historically Black College & University (HBCU) Festival, a hybrid (in-person and virtual) event being held November 13-14, 2026. The festival is dedicated to connecting high school students and their families to over 70 HBCUs, and scholarship opportunities. On-site admissions, music auditions, waived application fees, and scholarships will be offered, in addition to workshops on the college application process, financial aid, scholarships, and acclimating to campus life. Information and Registration

Fall weather is here you can never not have enough blankets! We’re selling ultra-soft, plush blankets for just $20, and every purchase helps support our Senior Class of 2027. Perfect for chilly days, movie nights, game nights, or gifting to someone special! Support our graduating Senior Class with their second fundraiser for the year! Blankets are $20.

Ways to grab yours:

• Purchasing online through GoFan at the following link: https://gofan.co/app/school/VA24954
  
• At lunch: Find us during all lunch periods at the 3rd-floor Admin Office.

Sales are live and items are available now! Don’t wait—secure yours today. Thank you for supporting our Seniors and helping make this fundraiser a warm success

Josten's URHS Store is Now Open!

Order your Cap and Gown early. Visit Josten's URHS Store today!

The students will not need to add a tassel because the unit already comes with the tassel needed for graduation. The cost until December 1st is $25.75. The items will be picked up from the school in Spring when the Representatives come to deliver.

Victor O'Neill Studios will be in the auditorium for Senior portraits:

Session C - November 12, 13. URHS Auditorium

Please follow the link below to choose your session type and appointment time:

www.vosphoto.com/unityreed

As a friendly reminder, appointments are needed for Senior Portraits.

If you have any questions, please email our Senior Portraits Team: seniors@vosphoto.com. Please kindly include your senior's First and Last Name and "Unity Reed HS Class of 2027" when emailing, for faster assistance.

The Virginia High School League AND Prince William County Schools set requirements and standards for students to be eligible to participate in high school athletics. It is important for student-athletes and their families to be familiar with these requirements. Below you will find information on 2026-27 tryouts, as well as details on the requirements that MUST be completed by ALL student-athletes that plan on participating in school athletics during the 2026-27 school year.

Show your Lion pride all year long by purchasing a Yearlong Athletic Pass! These passes provide discounted admission to regular season Unity Reed High School home athletic events, making it an affordable way to cheer on our student-athletes throughout the school year.

Whether you're a student, parent, family member, or community supporter, your presence in the stands makes a difference. Come out, support our teams, and help create an exciting home-field advantage for our Lions! Tickets can be purchased on GoFan (click the picture linked below for direct access).

Welcome to the new school year! Whether you are joining the Lions Activity Boosters Club for the first time or returning for another dynamic year, thank you for stepping up to support our students. Your time, energy, and dedication directly enrich the educational, athletic, and extracurricular experiences of every student at Unity Reed.

For more information, contact The Lions Activity Boosters Club Board

labcunityreed@gmail.com

https://www.instagram.com/labc_unityreedhs/

• Weekly LIONS’ ROAR: This will include the latest updates with pertinent information for the upcoming week and will be emailed to students and families every Sunday. This information will also be posted on our school website.

• URHS website: This will be updated more frequently so that we can share the most up to date information with you. In fact, click here to view our school website.

• School Status: This is our messaging system, and it allows staff to send text messages, emails, or make phone calls to families. When an email comes to your inbox with this system, the sender will be listed as School Status or Teacher name. A text message will include the staff member’s full name in the message but will be a random number. This system allows the recipient to respond directly to a message.

• The PRIDE Newsletter: This is a monthly newsletter where we celebrate and highlight the incredible accomplishments of our students, staff, and community at Unity Reed High School. Each month, we will showcase achievements, events, and milestones that make our school proud. Stay tuned for inspiring stories, academic successes, athletic triumphs, and much more. All this information will also be available on our school website for easy access and sharing.

I encourage you to continue to stay in touch with important updates by visiting our website. We are here to support you. Please reach out throughout the school year with any questions, concerns, or to share general feedback, and thank you for being part of our school community, as our STRENGTH is IN UNITY!

Sincerely,

Milagros Vélez
Principal, Unity Reed High School