January 5, 2025

Happy New Year!

I hope you all enjoyed a safe, wonderful (and now extended) winter break. We look forward to welcoming everyone back once this winter storm passes and classes resume.

Please see below regarding inclement weather codes, important upcoming events such as Financial Aid Workshops, Academic Advising Night, Specialty Program Night, athletic games and information on our new vape detectors that are now active in our restrooms!

• January 11: Financial Aid Assistance Workshop 10am - 1pm (FAFSA & VASA)

• January 16: Academic Advising Night & Specialty Program Information Session 6pm

• January 17: Last day of 2nd Marking Period & End of Semester 1

• Schools and offices are closed.
• Virtual Classes are canceled.
• All school activities (day and evening) are canceled including field trips, team practices, club meetings, interscholastic contests, and athletic contests.
• All non-school activities (day and evening) are canceled including Adult Education, evening school classes, and recreational programs scheduled in school buildings.
• Bell Schedule Shifts

• Schools are closed. Offices are closed to the public.
• Virtual classes are canceled.
• All school activities (day and evening) are canceled including field trips, team practices, club meetings, interscholastic contests, and athletic contests.
• All non-school activities (day and evening) are canceled including Adult Education, evening school classes, and recreational programs scheduled in school buildings.
• Bell Schedule Shifts

• All students will receive live virtual instruction in all their classes from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. (See Code Orange Bell Schedule Below)

• Students should check their Canvas courses for links to attend their online instruction.

• Counselors will have office hours from 10 AM - 11 AM. Links to their Zoom Office is on the Counseling Canvas Course.
• Students will have a one-hour break for lunch.
• Time will be provided for students to go to the restroom between online class sessions.




CODE ORANGE ATTENDANCE

• Students will need to turn their cameras on and participate in the class to be counted as present. Blurred or other backgrounds can be utilized by students.
• If a student has trouble logging in on a Code Orange Day, Families should contact the PWCS Help Desk at 703-791-8826.
• If a student forgets their school-issued device at school, they can use another device or phone to access most applications online, including Canvas, Office 365, and Zoom.

• A Lunch: 10:30 - 10:55
• B Lunch: 11:05 - 11:30
• C Lunch: 11:40 - 12:05
• D Lunch: 12:15 - 12:40

• A Lunch: 10:30 - 10:55
• B Lunch: 11:05 - 11:30
• C Lunch: 11:40 - 12:05
• D Lunch: 12:15 - 12:40

Vapes of any kind are strictly prohibited in Prince William County Schools. Research shows that vaping poses serious health risks, including nicotine addiction and potential harm to brain development, which continues until around age 25. Additionally, teens often vape to cope with stress, anxiety, or depression, not fully understanding the health implications. Peer influence is also a strong factor, with many teens obtaining vapes from friends.

To help support the safety and security of everyone at Unity Reed HS, I'm happy to announce that we now have vape detectors in our restrooms with the following capabilities:

• Those identified are subject to search in accordance with Prince William County Schools (PWCS) Regulation 737-1 (Searches & Seizures) and may be subject to consequences under our PWCS Code of Behavior.

I ask all parents/guardians to please help remind our children of the dangers of vaping and consequences of possession and/or use of any illegal and prohibited substances. Resources can be found using the link below. Thank you for your continued partnership and support in keeping our school safe!

The Unity Reed College & Career Center is hosting "FAFSA & VASA Assistance Day" on Saturday, January 11th from 10AM-1PM in the 1st Floor Cafeteria. This event will offer in-person assistance with FAFSA & VASA applications for students and families.

• Please sign-up using this link (sign-up link).
• For FAFSA & VASA Resources, visit our FAFSA & VASA Resources folder (link).

If you have any questions, please email Ms. Jung (djung@pwcs.edu).

You are invited to Unity Reed High School for an Academic Advising Information on January 16 at 6 PM in the auditorium. During the session, there will be an overview of graduation requirements, guidance on what to consider when selecting courses for next year, and a review of the academic advising timeline. There will be a Specialty Program Information session at 6:30 PM in the auditorium.

The applications for PWCS Specialty Programs opened on November 1st and will close on February 1st. You can find out more information on the Specialty Program website or attend Unity Reed's next Specialty Program Night on Thursday, January 16th at 6:30 pm (URHS Auditorium).

Students can apply for any of the following URHS Specialty Programs:

Air Force JROTC (Military Science)

Unity Reed High School's unit VA-20065 AFJROTC (Air Force Junior Recruit Officer Training Corp) strives for excellence and is based on U.S Air Force Core Values, "Integrity first, service before self, and excellence in all we do." Cadets have no obligation to the military after high school, nor is this program intended for recruiting purposes of any kind. Rather our main goal is to develop citizens of character and integrity. Students in grades 8-10 can apply and can take up to four years of AFJROTC. You can check out their video from the 2024 season here!

Aviation Maintenance

Interested in being a mechanic? Or have a love of planes? Come be a part of a class that prepares you for a lucrative career in aviation maintenance. The program begins in grades 9 & 10 with engineering or CTE courses and then has two years of double-blocked class: Aviation Maintenance I and Aviation Maintenance II. Students in grades 8-10 can apply. Check out this video about the program to learn more!

Cosmetology

Students in grade 10 can apply for this two-year program to become a Board-certified cosmetologist. If you have a passion for hair, nails, and make-up, apply for this hands-on course that teaches you the theory, practice, and technique of working in beauty industry. This video from our sister program at Woodbridge HS can help you learn more about what to expect!

Electricity

Interested in becoming an electrician and learning a trade? Apply for the electricity program! The program begins in grades 9 & 10 with engineering or CTE courses and then offer Electricity I (one block) and Electricity II (double-block). Students in grades 8-10 can apply.

Firefighting

If you are interested in a career in Fire & Rescue, this is the program for you. The Firefighting Program is taught by PWC Firefighters and seeks to offer employment to qualifying cadets directly upon graduation. This is a challenging program and interested students are encouraged to complete the self-assessment to assess their own readiness. Students in grades 10 or 11 may apply. Check out this video to see what your final exam for Firefighting will be!

International Baccalaureate (IB)

Students looking to attend university or prepare themselves for the workplace may apply for the IB program. The IB Programme is available to students in grades 9-12 and prepares students to be critical thinkers, effective communicators, and principled, internationally-minded human beings. IB courses carry weighted GPAs and the IBDP courses in grades 11 and 12 can help students earn college credits while still in high school. Research shows that IB students outperform any other group in preparedness for and persistence in university - check out the research!

• January 7, 2025 - JV Girls basketball vs Patriot at URHS - 6:00pm - TICKETS
• January 7, 2025 - JV Boys basketball at Patriot - 6:00pm - TICKETS
• January 7, 2025 - Varsity Boys basketball at Patriot - 7:30pm - TICKETS
• January 8, 2025 - Indoor Track at Osbourn Park - 2:00pm - TICKETS
• January 9, 2025 - JV wrestling at Osbourn Park - 6:00pm - TICKETS
• January 9, 2025 - Varsity wrestling at Osbourn Park - 6:00pm - TICKETS
• January 10, 2025 - JV Girls basketball vs Battlefield at URHS - 6:00pm - TICKETS
• January 10, 2025 - JV Boys basketball at Battlefield - 6:00pm - TICKETS
• January 10, 2025 - Varsity Boys basketball at Battlefield - 7:30pm - TICKETS

Unity Reed HS Students are eligible to purchase season passes or annual passes for discounted prices. Season passes are $20 and Annual passes are $50. These passes will get you into ALL HOME GAMES for either the season (if purchasing the season pass) or for the entire year (if purchasing the annual pass). The pass is not eligible for tournaments or post-season events. STUDENT ID WILL BE REQUIRED AT THE GATE IF PURCHASING A STUDENT PASS!

• 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 Polanco
Principal, Unity Reed High School