November 8, 2026

Welcome to a new week!

We have so much to celebrate in our school community! Congratulations to our senior cheerleaders and football players who were recognized during Senior Night this past Friday, as well as our marching band seniors, who were celebrated the previous week. We are incredibly proud of all of our seniors and grateful for the talent, leadership, dedication, and school spirit they have shared with our community throughout their time at Unity Reed.

As we closed out our final football game of the season on Friday, we also celebrated the growth, perseverance, and commitment demonstrated by our student-athletes throughout the season. We are proud of all they have accomplished and look forward to the continued positive momentum of our football program. Thank you to our families, staff, students, and entire school community for your continued support and encouragement throughout the season!

We are also looking forward to Positive Referral Day this Friday, when we will recognize students who are doing great things throughout our building and making positive contributions to our school community.

French Week is underway! We are excited for the celebrations, learning opportunities, and activities taking place through November 10 as we recognize and celebrate French language and culture.

Finally, as a reminder, there will be no school on Wednesday, November 11, in observance of Veterans Day. We extend our sincere gratitude to all veterans—especially those within our school community—who have served or continue to serve our nation. We honor and thank you for your service, dedication, and sacrifice.

Here’s to another positive and productive week!

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:

• Specialty Program Night Information

• Winter Sports Tryouts Information

• Impact Aid

• French Week Celebrations
• Counseling Connection
  

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

• Important Dates & Upcoming Events

• And much more!

• November 9: Underclass Picture Retakes
• November 11: No School - Veteran's Day
• November 25-27: No School - Thanksgiving Holiday
• December 21 – January 1: No School - Winter break

Unity Reed High School is home to six amazing specialty programs that provide students with opportunities to prepare for college and career:

• Air Force JROTC

• Aviation Maintenance

• Cosmetology

• Electricity

• IB Advanced Academic Program

• Public Safety (EMT & Firefighting)

  
  

Come join us at 6:30 pm on Thursday, November 12 for our Specialty Program Information Night. Teachers and current students will be available to share information about Air Force JROTC, Aviation Maintenance, Cosmetology, Electricity, the IB advanced academic program, and Public Safety (EMT and Firefighting).

Applications are open now through February 1st through Avela. Questions? Contact Katie Hodgson, Specialty Programs Coordinator, hodgsoka@pwcs.edu.

If you have not completed the Impact Aid survey, please do so by December 15, 2026. The following are a few key facts from the Impact Aid website to provide you further information about Impact Aid:

• School districts with military installations or other federal lands within their boundaries lose local revenue because of nontaxable federal activities. Impact Aid funding partially reimburses school districts for this loss of locally derived revenue.
• Examples of eligible federal properties include national parks, military installations, and federal office buildings but there are many more.
• Federally connected and military connected are not the same. Parents can be federally connected but are not military connected. This is why it is important for ALL parents to complete the Impact Aid survey.
• Parent information captured on the Impact Aid survey is used solely to submit the Impact Aid application.

• Since enrollment changes and students move from year to year, the U.S. Department of Education requires school districts to count students annually. With that said, parents should complete a new Impact Aid survey every school year.

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 is open through December 15, 2026. Interested students should watch the CCRV Spring 2027 Info Session Webinar (passcode is 6nC^8tAc). 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

November is National Scholarship Awareness Month. We encourage all students, especially those in grade 12, to set up a routine of checking for scholarships at least one-two times a month now through the end of the year. Remember, scholarships are available to attend public and private colleges, community college and four-year colleges/universities, trade and technical schools. For more information on scholarships and other forms of financial aid, go to the PWCS Financial Aid webpage, or contact your student's school counselor or the Pathways Adviser, Mr. Garcia (agarciacanaza@pwcs.edu).

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