November 3, 2024

As we enter the second quarter, we would like to share some key information to help your student(s) stay strong through the colder months and on track to have a successful school year. Cold/Flu season is nearing - View the when to keep students home webpage for more information on when your student could be sent home from school or when you should keep the child home from school.

The second quarter contains many scheduled days off for students

• November 1 – Holiday (observance of Diwali)
• November 4 – Parent Conference/Teacher Workday
• November 5 – Parent Conference/Teacher Workday
• November 11 – Veterans Day Holiday
• November 27-29 – Thanksgiving Break
• December 23 – January 3 – Winter Break

We appreciate everyone’s efforts to avoid taking extra days off before and after scheduled days off for holidays. Just a few missed days here and there, even if they’re excused absences, can add up to too much lost learning time and leave your child behind in school. This is as true in kindergarten as it is in high school. Missing 2 days a month, or 4 ½ days in a marking period, adds up to 18 days a year (10% of the school year) which is considered chronically absent. Students who attend regularly are more likely to stay on track, and we are here to support you!

Remember to report your student’s absences

As a reminder, if your student is absent, please remember to contact us at 703-365-2900, submit the note via ParentVUE or have your student submit a written note to the main office. We want to express our gratitude to everyone who makes it possible for our students to come to school every day, on time, ready to learn.

Please see below for this week's updates regarding: Touch Base Parent/Teacher conferences, Specialty Program Information Night, Senior and Underclass Make Up Photo Days📷, Winter Sports Tryouts 🏀🏊🤼, Financial Aid Information Night, Principal's Advisory and PTSO meeting, and more!

• November 4: Touch Base Parent Conferences 8:00 - 10:00am; Financial Aid information Night (Zoom) 6-8pm

• November 6: Sandy Hook Promise Say Something Anonymous Reporting System Student Training

• November 7: Specialty Programs Information Night (6:30pm Auditorium)

• November 11: NO SCHOOL, Holiday; Winter Sports Tryouts begin

• November 13: NOVA Community College Information Session for Students

• November 15: Underclass Make Up Photos (Grades 9-11)

• November 18 & 19: Final Make-Up Senior Portraits (Grade 12)

• November 19: Principal's Advisory Council Meeting (6pm, Zoom)

This year’s Touch-base will happen on November 4th, 2024 from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. This event is an opportunity for parents/guardians to come to school to meet individually with any or all of their student's teachers for a brief 3–5-minute conference. No appointments are needed.

During the conference, parents/guardians can expect a current and accurate assessment of their student's grade and progress from each of his/her teachers. Additionally, teachers can discuss strategies for student success in the classroom.

There will be Financial Aid Information Night on Monday, Nov. 4th from 6-8PM over Zoom with a guest speaker from the University of Virginia (UVA). This event will cover different types of financial aid (FAFSA, VASA, VTAG, etc.), tips on receiving scholarships, Q&A sessions, and much more, so don’t miss out on this opportunity!

Please register through the link below or the QR code in the flyers around the school. Registration Link

The event will be recorded, and there will be a separate recording with Spanish voiceover. If you have any questions, please reach out to Ms. Jung (djung@pwcs.edu).

Each school year, PWCS requires re-engaging middle and high school tip teams, staff, and students with the Say Something Anonymous Reporting System provided by Sandy Hook Promise. On November 6th, during WIN 6, all students will be watching a training video on how they can help keep our school and community safe through this anonymous reporting system.

What is Say Something?

Say Something - Anonymous Reporting System (SS-ARS) is a program provided by Sandy Hook Promise (SHP) that teaches middle and high school students how to recognize warning signs, signals, and threats, especially in social media, from individuals who may want to hurt themselves or others. The program teaches students to Say Something to a trusted adult or use the Anonymous Reporting System (App, website, or 24/7 Crisis Telephone Line) to get them help.

Who can submit a tip through Say Something?

Anyone can submit a secure, and anonymous tip through Say Something! If a student, teacher, or community member has a safety concern that may help prevent violence and tragedy, the tip will be triaged by the Crisis Center managed by SHP who will involve the appropriate PWCS staff members and police as needed.

The applications for PWCS Specialty Programs open on November 1st and will close on February 1st. You can find out more information on the Specialty Program website or attend one of the Unity Reed HS Specialty Program Nights:

• Thursday, November 7th at 6:30 pm (URHS Auditorium)
• 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!

Underclassmen Makeup Information: Grades 9-11

• Underclass makeup pictures, grades 9-11, are scheduled to take place on November 15th. If you missed the original picture dates in September, or purchased a picture package you are not happy with, please stop by room 2033 to schedule your time before November 13th. If you purchased a packet and want a retake, please bring the original packet back with all of the pictures to return to the photography company on the 15th. Students cannot have makeup pictures taken if they simply want a new image for their ID cards.

Grade 12: Senior Final Chance Photo Shoot

• Final sessions Monday November 18, and Tuesday November 19, 2024. Don't miss this final opportunity to be in the yearbook. The required attire for the school’s yearbook pose are traditional Tuxedos and Drapes; provided by us! In addition to the free yearbook session, we also offer sessions that include casual/personality portraits and Cap and Gown portraits. 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 Class of 2025” when emailing, for faster assistance.

Students that wish to try out for a winter sport will need a tryout permission slip from the Activities Office. On Thursday, November 7th, permission slips may be picked up during lunches or after school. All students planning on trying out for a school sport MUST have a current sports physical and current concussion training on file with the URHS Activities Office before they will be permitted to participate in tryouts.

The full winter tryout schedule, as well as more information on the current athletic participation requirements can be found on our website at the link below:

URHS Athletics 2024-25 Participation Requirements

As always, feel free to stop by the URHS Activities Office with any questions. We are on the first floor right across from the cafeteria.

There will be a Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) Information Session for Students on Wednesday, Nov. 13th from 9-10:30AM in the 2nd Floor Group Room.

Please register through the link below or the QR code in the flyers around the school.

Registration Link

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

Our next Principal's Advisory Council (PAC) and Parent Teacher Student Organization (PTSO) meeting will be held via zoom on November 19th starting at 6:00pm. Please join me for our second Principal's Advisory Council meeting to provide feedback on school related topics, collaborate with our PTSO on school events and fundraising ideas to support and enrich our school community. Students, parents/guardians, staff and community stakeholders are welcome to join! Sign up here to join our PAC and PTSO! Be on the lookout for our zoom link to participate.

Literacy is the cornerstone for student success throughout all phases of their lives, impacting students in every subject in school. At Unity Reed High School, we are dedicated to fostering literacy through language-rich learning environments, to include reading, writing, and speaking daily in every class to prepare them for lifelong success.

Here are some ways families can partner with us in supporting literacy and learning at home:

• Family Literacy Webinars engages families and communities in fostering a love for literacy with a variety of informative sessions hosted by Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) specialists and coordinators as well as educators and community groups from across the Commonwealth.
• Literacy Resources for Families and Communities contains a few of the many general online resources that are free to teachers, parents, and students.

Literacy Engagement Activities at Home for Grades 9-12

• Look up lyrics to a song online and look for examples of literary devices in the lyrics. Analyze the message of the song and share your interpretation with someone else at home.
• Find an article in a magazine or newspaper. Cut out or black out different words in the article. See if you can use your context clues to determine the missing words.
• Choose a scene from a book you're reading or have read. Create a script for a newscast to deliver including the main ideas and highlights from the event. Record yourself delivering the breaking news.
• Create a Top 5 list for anything you're interested in. It could be a Top 5 favorite basketball players, book characters, songs, foods, etc. For each, write an explanation for why each choice is in each spot, being sure to provide some evidence. You can turn this into an opportunity to debate a family member or sibling after they create their own list.
• Read! Read! Read!

In our ongoing commitment to academic excellence and college and career readiness, we are thrilled to announce a fantastic resource available to all sophomores, juniors, and seniors. Starting now, students will have access to Khan Academy’s Official Digital SAT Prep through Clever.

We believe that this initiative will significantly contribute to our students’ success, not only in their SATs but also in their future academic and career endeavors. Thank you for your continued support and dedication to our students’ education.

All students are invited to take advantage of after-school academic support every Tuesday and Thursday. Whether you need extra help in a specific subject or just a quiet place to work on assignments, our dedicated teachers and peer tutors are here to assist you. Bus transportation is also provided on these days at 4:30 PM. Students can ride if they are staying after school for academic support, activities or athletics.

Additionally, all students have access to FREE one-on-one, chat-based online Academic Tutoring available 24/7 in all core subject areas in English and Spanish through VARSITY TUTORS. Students can access this tutoring platform through the Clever App on their student laptops 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

• November 8: Last football game (away) vs. Gainesville HS 7:00pm
  

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!

Unity Reed HS hosts various ongoing College & Career events which is updated in real time to include:

• College Representative Visits
• Monthly money for college workshops
• Monthly college application, financial aid and scholarship workshops

To stay informed about upcoming events specifically for the senior class, please frequently visit the Class of 2025 page and the school website. We have many more exciting events and opportunities planned, and we don’t want you to miss out!

Report your child’s absences: Parents should notify the school before, or at the start of, the school day when their child will be absent. Parents must send written or electronic communication citing the reason(s) for the absence to the school no more than five school days following the date of the absence.To report an absence at Unity Reed HS, please call the school at 703-365-2900, submit the note via ParentVUE or have your student submit a written note to the main office. For early dismissals, please call the main office at 703-365-2900.

How sick is too sick for school? For information about when your child should go to school or when they should stay home due to illness, visit the When to Keep Students home webpage. If you have additional questions, please contact our school nurse, Nurse Lawton, at lawtonst@pwcs.edu.

Planning a prearranged absence? We understand that some absences are unavoidable, however we encourage parents and guardians to schedule appointments and trips on scheduled days off for students throughout the school year. View the 2024-25 school calendar website to view days off for students.

We appreciated our families understanding that attending school every day helps our students build a solid foundation for their future in school and in life. Please contact our Attendance Officer, Ms. Gilliam at 571-598-3216 or gilliadb@pwcs.edu; or our School Social Worker, Mr. Jahanian at 571-598-3232 or jahanir@pwcs.edu; if your family or child are in need of resources to have a successful school year.

• 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