News You Choose

Monday, October 20th, 2025 is a holiday.

Main Offices will be closed on Monday, October 20th, 2025.

Attention Students, Parents & Caregivers -

This is an IMPORTANT update to our enforcement of the FCPS - and state of Virginia - Cellphone Policy:

In accordance with both the FCPS and Virginia state cell phone policy, all cell phones and accessories should be turned off and put away from 8:10am to 2:55pm, with the exception of your 30 minute lunch in the cafeteria and courtyard.

Due to a recent increase in students disregarding the policy in the hallways - both during the class transition and when students use passes for restrooms, etc. - we are moving into Phase 2 of our cell phone policy implementation.

Since the beginning of September, cell phones and accessories in the classroom have been confiscated, and this will still be enforced. For Phase 2, cell phones and accessories will be confiscated if students chose to use these devices in the hallways.

Starting on Thursday, October 16, 2025, if an adult sees a student with a cell phone, earphones, ear buds, or any other device in the hallway, they will be escorted to the Sub- school to surrender the device for the remainder of day (which is the intervention outlined in the SR&R regarding FCPS Cellphone policy).

• Administrators in the hall will take phones and other devices on the spot.

• All devices confiscated throughout the day can be picked up outside of the cafeteria at dismissal.

Please let us know if you have any questions about the enforcement of the FCPS Cellphone Policy.

Congratulations to all of our MVHS staff, who were just recognized by the Virginia Council on the Educational Opportunity for Military Children with our 3rd Purple Star Award for our work with military-connected students.

In the recognition email from the Virginia Council on the Educational Opportunity for Military Children, "earning the award for the third time is no easy accomplishment and that by achieving this award status the school has established an embedded culture of belonging and support. It also recognizes that the school holds dear the important role students play as evident in the description of your school’s active peer-to-peer programming your applicant provided our reviewers."

MVHS will be receiving Award Recognition Resolutions, along with the coveted 3rd Award Purple Star coin. This coin is our nod to the military community that is known for the practice of bestowing unit coins to those who have contributed to the mission.

More about the history of the challenge coin can be found at https://www.war.gov/News/Feature-Stories/Story/Article/2567302/the-challenge-coin-tradition-do-you-know-how-it-started/.

The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) offers the opportunity for 10th and 11th grade students to apply to attend summer residential Governor’s schools in Academics and Visual and Performing Arts (VPA). Students who are accepted into one of the programs will live in residence halls in one of the state colleges in VA for four weeks in the June - late July timeframe. To learn more about SRGS opportunities and the application process, visit the VDOE website.

Virginia’s Summer Residential Governor’s School offers motivated students an unforgettable chance to explore their passions through advanced study, hands-on experiences, and collaboration with peers and experts. Participants gain college-level learning, leadership skills, lifelong friendships, and a competitive edge for college and career success. MVHS encourages our Majors to apply for this prestigious program!

To be considered for an academic or VPA Governor’s school, students must complete the steps below.

1. Complete the interest form linked below for either Academics or VPA. The form is a required part of the application process and is due November 5th. No late entries will be accepted. When completing the form, enter a personal email address and do NOT use an fcpsschools.net email address. VDOE cannot send communications to the fcpsschools.net domain.

• Academic Interest form

• Visual and Performing Arts Interest form

2. Attend our school interest meeting which will take place on Thursday, October 23rd during all lunches, outside of the cafeteria. Attendance at the meeting is optional but strongly encouraged.

3. Complete the application for the specific program you wish to apply to and return to your school counselor who is supervising the Governor’s School application process.

• Academic applications are due to the school on December 12, 2025.

• VPA applications are due to the school on January 28, 2026.

Please email Sarah Freeland (scfreeland@fcps.edu) should you have any questions.

Mount Vernon HS was highlighted in a new FCPS Promotional Video that can be seen HERE (see the 28-second mark).

Our amazing Orchestra - and Orchestra teacher Mr. Rodriguez - were highlighted - and the video was captured during 2022, when FCPS did a documentary of a project at MVHS called “Free Fall,” where MVHS highlighted and a female composer of color, who wrote a piece specifically for our MVHS students. The same piece was performed last spring at the 50th Anniversary.

Also, at the 33-second mark, our awesome MCJROTC Program is captured from the 2025 Graduation Ceremony.

Congratulations to our Orchestra and MCJROTC Programs for being recognized for your amazing work!

October 20- 24, 2025 is Virginia College Application Week.

During this week, seniors expected to graduate in 2025 will be encouraged to apply for admission to at least one college or university (if they have not already done so).

The goal of the program is to increase the number of eligible Virginia high school students applying to colleges early in their senior year.

During this week, students who complete the VCAW survey (required by our partners at the state level) will receive application fee waivers to assist in the application process!

Congratulations to our MVHS Marching Majors, who placed 3rd in Class 3A at the US Marine Corps Invitational last Saturday at the Naval Academy.

Upcoming adjudications:

• 10/18: USBands Severna Park (Performance 1:50pm)
• 10/25: VBODA State Assessment @ Patriot HS (Performance 3:00pm)
• 11/1: USBands VA/MD Championships @ Towson University (Performance 5:30pm)

Dear Students,

Here is a great opportunity to support the PTSA by participating in the Matchomatics fundraiser.

It's simple, just complete the questionnaire at the link below. It's free for everyone to participate.

• The fun begins when the results are returned.

• Who will make your list of matches?

• Whose list will you be on?

The questionnaire will be available beginning on October 10 until October 24 when it will close.

• English version: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KJVF9G6

• Spanish version: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KWWDLKX

Match results will be available for purchase beginning October 30th for $5.00.

Stop by the PTSA table at the Booster Tailgate on October 30th to get your results!

Find a Friend. Make a Friend. Be a Friend.

Thanks for your support,

Your MVHS PTSA

The National Honor Society (NHS) is an acclaimed high school organization that recognizes and celebrates exceptional student achievement in the four pillars of scholarship, service, leadership, and character.

10th-12th grade Majors with a Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.5 or higher are eligible and invited to apply to MVHS’s National Honor Society Chapter!

If students have already been inducted and remain in good academic standing with a 3.5 GPA, no action is needed. 😊

• The application window is from August 22nd- October 31st, 2025.

• The link to apply can be found here. 😊

We look forward to receiving your application!

Sarah Freeland

Mount Vernon High School Advanced Academics

October is LGBTQIA+ History Month, "an annual month-long observance that provides role models, builds community, and represents a civil rights statement about the invaluable contributions of the LGBTQ community.

Founded in 1994 by Rodney Wilson, a gay history teacher from rural Missouri, LGBTQ History Month was declared a national history month by President Barack Obama in 2009.

This celebration coincides with National Coming Out Day (October 11) and commemorates the first and second marches on Washington for LGBTQ rights in 1979 and 1987 [GLAAD website]."

Virginia Celebrates Disability History and Awareness Month

"RICHMOND—Did you know that October is Disability History and Awareness Month in Virginia? The 2009 Virginia General Assembly responded to the call from young people with disabilities to pass a resolution designating the month and to encourage public schools and universities to engage in activities that promote awareness.

Youth with disabilities helped design a toolkit of information that teachers can use to celebrate with their students of all ages. These materials can be found at www.virginiaselfadvocacy.org. The Virginia Board for People with Disabilities and the Partnership for People with Disabilities at Virginia Commonwealth University worked together to create this resource bank of lesson plans, video links, and suggested projects for school personnel, parents, and students. The Virginia Department of Education has also been a strong supporter of the event, making sure that all school divisions received information about available resources.

One-fifth of all Americans have disabilities, including almost one million people in Virginia. During October, Disability History and Awareness activities provide an opportunity to create greater public awareness for individuals with disabilities, with the goal of full inclusion in their communities. “Increasing the awareness of students and teachers about people with disabilities can result in promoting positive attitudes in schools. Creating a culture of mutual respect and equal opportunities for all students is an important goal of Disability History and Awareness Month,” said Fred Orelove, executive director, Partnership for People with Disabilities at Virginia Commonwealth University [Virginia Board for People with Disabilities website]."

Dear MVHS Community,

Support our student-athletes by becoming a proud member of the MVHS Athletic Booster Club!

There are many ways you can support MVHS Athletics:

👉 Click here to become a member, make a donation, become a sponsor, and purchase your Athletic Season Passes

👉 Click here to purchase MVHS Spirit Wear

Season Passes – valid for all regular-season home games

• Student - SILVER passes are $30
• Adult - MAROON passes are $75

By purchasing a Season Pass, you’re making a direct impact on our athletic programs. Season passes are not only a convenient and cost-effective option for families and fans, but they also ensure that 100% of gate sales go directly to MVHS.

Game day ticket sales are split 50/50 with the visiting team — so your support goes further with a pass!

Let’s fill the stands and show our school spirit.

Go MAJORS!

Ensuring Student Safety: Register for Volunteer FCPS

At Mount Vernon High School, our volunteers are a vital part of our school community. We deeply value the time and care they give to our students.

This information segment is to share recent updates to our FPCS volunteer process, with a focus on one primary goal: keeping students safe.

These updates — such as checks against the sex offender registry and, in some cases, criminal background checks — are safety measures that will help us maintain a secure and supportive learning environment for every student in our care.

We encourage all our parents and community members interested in supporting our students by volunteering at MVHS to click HERE, then click “Learn More,” and then “Sign Up.”

• After you create a profile, you will view an orientation video and complete a volunteer application.

Volunteer FCPS ensures a safe, consistent, and welcoming environment at all of our schools. All volunteers must be registered in Volunteer FCPS. This includes individuals who volunteer to chaperone on field trips, work at book fairs, and help out regularly in classrooms, libraries, or cafeterias. Volunteers who work unsupervised with students will also be required to undergo a background check.

We understand these changes may seem disruptive, especially for long-time volunteers. Our intent is to ensure that our students feel safe and supported with each and every person they encounter at school.

As a reminder, all volunteers — and visitors to a school — are required to sign in by scanning their ID at our visitor kiosk. Visit the Volunteer FCPS Frequently Asked Questions page to learn more.

Volunteer Levels

Level 1: Infrequent volunteers (monthly or less frequent) who are always supervised do not need a criminal background check.

• However, they do need a sex offender registry check, which is performed by signing in at the school's visitor kiosk, usually in the front office.

Level 2: Frequent, ongoing, or regular volunteers (daily, weekly, bi-weekly) who are also always supervised are subject to the same requirements as Level 1 — no criminal background check, but a sex offender registry check via the kiosk is mandatory.

Level 3: Volunteers with direct, unsupervised interaction with students must complete a criminal background check, including fingerprinting and child abuse and neglect checks. This applies to roles like mentors, tutors, or field trip chaperones who are alone with students (not accompanied by an FCPS staff member) at any time during the activity.

Student Volunteers: FCPS students who volunteer under the supervision of an FCPS staff member or parent/caretaker. Student behavior while volunteering is governed by the FCPS Student Rights and Responsibilities. Students should not sign up through the Volunteer FCPS management system, nor should they check in via the visitor management system.

Just a reminder that MVHS is a closed campus. Students may not leave school unless a parent sends a written note to the school.

Lunches are also closed. Students are expected to eat lunch in our cafeteria.

MVHS also does not permit food deliveries. Any food delivered to the main office will be kept until dismiss at 2:55 pm.

MVHS Late Busses will only run on Thursdays this 2025-2026 SY.

Please plan with your teachers to arrange any after-school support on Thursdays.

The MVHS cafeteria will offer breakfast and lunch daily. If your student plans on purchasing food through the cafeteria, please be sure to load money on their meal account or bring cash.

Breakfast:

• Students, grades K-12—$1.75
• Reduced-price breakfast for qualifying students – no charge
• Adults or 2nd student meal—$3.00

Lunch:

• Secondary and high school —$3.50
• Reduced-price lunch for qualifying students – no charge
• Adults or 2nd student meal —$5.00

More information on FCPS Food Services (including payment options for meal accounts, daily menus, free and reduced meal programs, etc.) can be reviewed on the FCPS website.

Early Release Days

In the event of a 3-hour early release, lunch service will still be available between 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. FNS proposes to offer grab-and-go meals for students, allowing them to go through the serving lines, choose items, and put them in provided meal bags. Both cold and hot meal options will be available. Students are still required to pick up complete reimbursable meals; otherwise, à la carte charges will be applied. All meals provided by FNS must be consumed on-site.

School Nutrition Accounts, PINs, Prepayments, & MySchoolBucks

FNS will be emailing student PINs via e-Notify and in advance of the first day of school. MySchoolBucks should be promoted and is now available for account prepayments. State legislation and the FCPS Meal Charge Policy direct all school nutrition account negative balance communication to parents/caregivers. Additionally, students may not be denied a breakfast or lunch meal for any reason. FNS will work with school administrators to communicate low/negative account balances.

Menus

School menus offer a variety of entrees, fruits, and vegetables that meet or exceed USDA guidelines, including nutrient standards. Menus, allergens, and nutrition information are all available online at LINQ Connect. School menus will be published monthly, starting one week before the first day of school. FNS makes every effort to offer items as listed on the planned menu. Unanticipated substitutions are published on LINQ Connect whenever possible.

Our MVHS Student Activities Website will be full of important information for our students and families.

HERE is the link to the 25-26 MVHS Activities Calendar

HERE is the link to the MVHS Student Activities Website.

HERE is a link to the 2025-2026 Athletic Coaches List

[Click on Resources Below for Websites]

[Click on Resources Below for Websites]

[Click on Resources Below for Websites]

[Click on Resources Below for Websites]

The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) is a multiple-aptitude battery that measures developed abilities and helps predict future academic and occupational success in leadership careers. This test has been utilized for years by the military to help soldiers identify their leadership capabilities. It is administered annually to more than one million military applicants, high school, and post-secondary students.

We have confirmed the ASVAB Testing dates for MVHS for the 2025-2026 SY:

Fall Choices:

• January 28, 2026 (mass testing)

Spring Choices:

• April 7, 2026 (regular testing)

Army:

• 2nd Thursday each month
• Staff Sergeant Sessie & Staff Sergeant Sweeny

Air Force:

• TBD

Marines:

• 1st Thursday each month
• Sergeant Pennington

Navy:

• TBD

The Harry F. Byrd, Jr. Leadership Award

• Self-nominations for the Harry F. Byrd, Jr. Leadership Award are now open! Please read the following information and fill out the nomination form before the deadline October 15, 2025 at 11:59 PM.
• The Leadership Award seeks to reward applicants who consistently display excellence of character, qualities of leadership, devotion to duty, and academic accomplishment. While academic excellence is a consideration, the selection of award recipients emphasizes the importance of leadership and public service.
• Therefore, most recipients are leaders who go above and beyond their peers to improve themselves and to make a difference in the lives of others. Most recipients engage in endeavors that demonstrate their independence, initiative, courage, personal discipline, strong work ethic, commitment to community service, leadership qualities, ability to confront challenges, and pursuit of academic excellence. For example, prior award recipients:

• Served on school honor councils;

• Worked on political campaigns;

• Served in student government;

• Traveled overseas to serve others;

• Led a morning fitness program;

• Started charitable organizations;

• Learned multiple languages;

• Attended community college while in high school; and

• Participated as captains of sports teams and academic teams.

This award comes with a $30,000 scholarship.

2025-2026 Award Timetable:

• October 15, 2025 – Student Self Nominations close at 11:59 PM.
• MVHS Nominated student will be notified by November 1, 2025.
• December 1, 2025 – Each applicant must submit his/her electronic application by 5:00 p.m. on December 1, 2025.
• December 4-5, 2025 – The Award Screening Committee will review all applications and submit three finalists from each congressional district to the Award Selection Committee.
• January 23-24, 2026 – The Award Selection Committee will interview the 33 finalists in Richmond.
• Late January 2026 – Winners will be notified.
• February 18, 2026 – 2 p.m. Recipients will be presented awards at a ceremony in Richmond.

The self-nomination form can be found here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdaFtySbX1H4_TEVNQlZhY793kdgZB0jtfPPZ9JBRetKhpitg/viewform?usp=header

Inaccurate or incomplete submissions will not be accepted.

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The Pamplin Leadership Award (PLA) – Virginia Tech

• This year's Pamplin Leadership Award (PLA) season is now open!
• The PLA was established by Robert B. Pamplin, Sr. (VT Class of 1933) and Robert B. Pamplin, Jr. to acknowledge students who demonstrate superior intellectual promise, academic performance, dedication to their communities, interest and success in physical fitness and health, and unimpeachable integrity.
• The PLA is a one-year, merit-based $5,000 Virginia Tech scholarship presented to up to forty qualified students from Virginia's public high schools.
• Each school's one nominee must have a 3.8 or better GPA.

Mount Vernon High School can only nominate one student for this award.

Required steps to be considered for nomination:

1. Fill out this required nomination form by October 15, 2025 at 11:59 PM.

2. Email Ms. Whitehouse (mlwhitehouse@fcps.edu) your required essay by October 15, 2025 at 11:59 PM.

3. Apply to Virginia Tech and the Virginia Tech Honors College by the early action deadline of November 1, 2025. The Honors College is required for the winner of this award.

If you are selected as the MVHS nominee, you will complete the following steps:

1. Complete the online application through Virginia Tech's Scholarship Central site (only available to students who have submitted their undergraduate admissions application).

2. You will receive instructions to create a Guest Account 1-3 days after submitting the application.

3. The login credentials used to create a Guest Account also allow a student access to Scholarship Central.

4. You must complete the Virginia Tech general scholarship application (https://vt.academicworks.com).

5. Once the general scholarship application is complete, you may apply for the PLA (https://vt.academicworks.com/opportunities/60487)

Do not mail paper applications or supplemental materials! They will not be considered.

Also required in the PLA application:

1. Essay: In an essay of 500 words or fewer, discuss your understanding of effective leadership. [1] What are some qualities of effective leadership? [2] How do you measure effective leadership? [3] Describe the qualities of one effective leader you know, including evidence of how they exemplify these qualities. [4] Where, when, and how have you applied these qualities in your own leadership roles to date? [5] How, specifically, do you intend to continue your development as a leader at Virginia Tech?

2. In the application, verify the name and email address of a high school official (usually the your counselor) who will verify that the applicant is the high school's nominee. The official will then receive electronic notification with instructions to validate the student.

AS A REMINDER: A high school’s nominee is an applicant. Not all applicants will be selected as recipients, as there are more public high schools in Virginia than there are Pamplin Leadership Awards.

The Honors College, not the high school, notifies the student if they are selected as a Pamplin Leadership Award recipient.

Applications must be validated by the high school official listed in the application by January 7, 2026 to be considered. This means that the applicant must complete the application several days prior so that the system has time to generate the verification form to the school official. This deadline is firm - students must plan ahead and not procrastinate. Any request for an application extension will be denied.

Any problems accessing the PLA application must be referred to the Office of University Scholarships and Financial Aid at 540-231-5179; the Honors College cannot help with application troubleshooting.

The self nomination form can be found here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScpor2qdD9KTreRY_DhHG0gWQQbCLf4zWD0bemCJ05WSA7Dmg/viewform?usp=header

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Please check both the Student Services: Mount Vernon High School Schoology pages and the Scholarship tool in Naviance. You can also always visit Mrs. Whitehouse in the College and Career Center to learn more!

For more FCPS Scholarships, please visit: Scholarships for FCPS Students | Fairfax County Public Schools

Voice of Democracy Scholarship

• Amount: $35,000 Deadline: 10/31/2025

• See details HERE

Harris Goodall Squires Memorial Scholarship Amount:

• $5,000 Deadline: 4/1/2026

• Application in Naviance

SIS ParentVUE: Everything You Can Do Through SIS ParentVUE

Parents and care-givers -

SIS ParentVUE is the info-central for all the MVHS and FCPS information you will need.

Track your student's attendance, view grades, get information from the school, and much more!

Log in to your SIS ParentVUE account to find forms and make updates.

Please call the school at 703-619-3100 if you need your Activation Code for SIS ParentVUE.

Be among the first to know about weather closings, bus delays, and other critical communications from your school and FCPS by providing your cell phone number and email in SIS ParentVUE.

To update your contact information in SIS ParentVUE, click the “Online Packets” tab in the upper right of the screen, then click the “Online Verification/Update” icon.

Parents/caregivers who do not have a SIS ParentVUE account should print and complete the Emergency Care Information Form (PDF) and submit it to their child’s school.

Parents can submit daylong absences through SIS ParentVUE.

Log in and click “Report Absence.”

Note: Partial day absences and changes of transportation should still be reported directly to the school front office.

Parents/caregivers can also call the school at 703-619-3100 to report absences.

Families can now easily give permission for their children to access a variety of school resources through the Parent Digital Consent system.

This online tool can be accessed using your SIS ParentVUE account.

Parents can easily opt their child in or out of resources including online educational tools, school counseling services, and tutoring services. They can also change how student information is managed.

Visit the Parent Digital Consent webpage to access the system. Watch this video to see how to use the tool.

Thank you for your patience as we all get used to new routines this school year. We appreciate our families following Kiss and Ride procedures and being patient while waiting for your children’s buses.

• HERE is the bus route information for this school year.

If a student’s bus is delayed, parents may access the Bus Delay Notification System or use the Here Comes the Bus mobile app to receive the delayed bus report.

Email messages will be sent to announce significant bus delays.

Contact the Transportation Office at 703-446-2150 with any additional questions. For any concerns after 5:30 p.m., contact Safety and Security at 571-423-2000.

To make sure you receive email messages about bus delays, update your contact information in SIS ParentVUE.

Regrettably, we are seeing a rapidly growing increase in students illegally parking on campus during the school day. These student vehicles are being parking in reserved staff spaces & visitor parking.

This is a safety issue and needs to stop immediately.

Students - Please see the main office if you would like to purchase a parking pass.

REMINDER: All parking passes are for a semester only. Anyone wishing to have a semester 2 parking pass will need to purchase one at the end of January 2025.

Optional FREE Parking: Students may also park along (a) Old Mount Vernon Road, (b) Mount Vernon Memorial Highway, and (c) Maryland Street.

Students MAY NOT park at the Rec Center or in community areas that block private driveways.