News You Choose

Beginning this coming Wednesday, January 21st, we will be making adjustments to our Major Time calendar to allow students more time to meet with teachers.

After the Advisory Lessons are presented (approximately 45 minutes into the block), students will be permitted to utilize Major Time passes to see teacher.

Students MUST get a Major Time pass from their teachers to be able to be released from your Advisory class. Students will NOT be permitted to leave Advisory without a Major Time pass.

We will still have designated “focus days” for the 4 core academic areas. IF a student is needed for remediation in any of the 4 core academic areas (on those specific designated days), they must attend that remediation – and Major Time passes should not be given to those students for other academic areas. All other students NOT needed for remediation in this focal area, they may secure MT passes for teachers.

Mount Vernon High School sent 7 Public Health Youth Ambassadors from our fall cohort to present their Community Health Projects on Georgetown University’s Medical Campus this past Monday, 1/12/26.

Congratulations to all participants and finalists who competing against fellow PHYA students at Justice HS in the competition!

Notably, Jaelin Smith earned 1st place speaking to her advocacy to Reduce Stigma for those with Autism and Jacob VonHarten who earned 2nd place speaking to his passion for Improving Nutrition and Physical Fitness in Elderly communities.

The top three competition winners from the Georgetown Community Health Competition will receive full sponsorship to attend the YADAPP Summer Conference in July. YADAPP (Youth Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Program) is a peer-led, statewide conference held at Christopher Newport University, where students stay on campus, build leadership and prevention planning skills, and further develop their community health projects for implementation in the coming school year.

They also have announced these opportunities for all PHYAP Alumni:

• PHYAP Alumni Liaison Program – Alumni support outreach & events, advise current cohorts, and provide program feedback. Students who complete 25 service hours become eligible for YADAPP sponsorship, creating an additional pathway to attend the summer conference. This program meets bi-weekly in the afternoon.
• CSB 8-Week Immersive Experience (High School Seniors) – A virtual program beginning in February where students learn from behavioral health professionals, build evidence-based skills (including motivational interviewing and trauma-informed care), and receive priority consideration for CSB internships.

Current students and families who want to learn more about this program can visit their website to learn more about this program and apply.

Northern VA TJSM #6:

• Sha'Royal Wright took 2nd overall and ran a personal best in the Boys 55m Hurdles(9.73). He also ran a personal best in the Boys 55m Dash(7.60)
• Nathan Mushalalusa ran a personal best in the Boys 55m Dash(7.20) and the Boys 300m Dash (40.65)
• Ian Kirchoff ran a personal best in the Boys 55m Dash(7.83)
• Luis Montoya Hilario ran a personal best in the Boys 300m Dash(42.56)
• Nathaniel Pearson ran a personal best in the Boys 300m Dash(43.57) and in the Boys 55m Hurldes(10.57)
• Cory Burks ran a personal best in the Boys 500m Dash (1:37.0)
• Adrian Morales-Urrutia finished 2nd overall in the Boys 1000m Run and ran a personal best.(3:05.45)
• Gerardo Lopez-Hernandez ran a personal best in the Boys 1000m Run(3:26.79)
• Riley Peterson ran a personal best in the Boys 1000m Run(3:44.03)
• Matthew Brown took 4th place overall in the Boys 1600m Run(5:04.39)
• Matthew Britton ran a personal best in the Boys 1600m Run (5:47.34)
• Henry Raak also ran a personal best in the Boys 1600m Run(6:50.51)
• Yousaf Jilani also ran a personal best in the Boys 1600m Run(7:17.65)
• We had the top 2 finishers in Boys High Jump. Arion Cole (5’6) and Miles Ward (5’6)
• Zane Dova threw a personal best in Boys Shot Put(31’11)
• All our girls who ran in the Girls 1000m Run all ran personal bests. Audrey Ortiz-Peterson(3:59.40), Bethany Bromley(4:04.75), Lillian McDonald(4:09.69), Afton Hogan (4:30.45)
• In the Girls 1600m Run, Layla Roberts(7:52.81) and Kaitlyn Wheeler(8:13.25) both ran person best times.
• Frannie Miller jumped a personal best in Girls Triple Jump(29’9.5) and Girls Long Jump(14’9)
• In Girls Shot Put Lila Hall(16’7) and Keirsten Gordon(14’1.75) threw personal bests.

Montgomery Invitational Highlights:

• Madison Burks ran a personal best time in the Girls 55m Dash(7.90) qualifying her for National District Championship meet. She also ran a personal best in the Girls 500m(1:25.30)
• Precious Lloyd also ran a personal best in the Girls 55m Dash(8.28)
• Abdoulaye Boiro ran a personal best in the Boys 300m Dash(39.28)
• Kaila Barnes ran a personal best in the Girls 300m Dash(46.45)
• Christian Deal ran a personal best in the Boys 55m Hurdles(9.19) and the Boys 500m(1:13.35)
• Rachel Vann took 2nd place overall in the Girls 1600m Run, running a personal best(5:19.92) qualifying her for the Occoquan Regional Championship meet.
• Kaila Barnes jumped a season best in Girls High Jump(5’0)
• Briannah Brayboy jumped a personal best in Girls Long Jump (14’11) and Girls Triple Jump (31’8)
• In Boys Triple Jump, all our jumpers jumped a personal best. Micheal Bates(43’5) Demontrez Bannister(43’2) and Dawit Volcy(39’7)
• Boys 4x200m Relay auto qualified for Regionals running 1:34.91.

Do you have a student between grades 8 through grade 11 - and enrolled after January 1, 2025?

If so, they should consider applying to the College Partnership Program (CPP), which offers support from exploration to application!

• The deadline to apply is February 20, 2026.

CPP offers programming to help prepare students and families from 9th grade all the way through applying to and enrolling in college, including:

• Academic counseling
• College visits
• Help with completing college and scholarship applications
• Monthly meetings
• Experiences on college campuses
• News and information related to colleges and careers via Schoology

All students are eligible and encouraged to apply to this program, and are expected to meet the following requirements:

• Maintain a GPA of 2.5 or higher
• Attend monthly CPP meetings
• Are willing to pursue advanced coursework
• Demonstrate leadership in school or community activities

T

he goal of the program is to systematically mitigate the impact of barriers to access and opportunity, and support students who are from populations that are historically underrepresented on college campuses.

This includes students who are the first in their family to attend college in the U.S., Multilingual learners, students who are economically disadvantaged, and students with disabilities.

• Application Here: https://tinyurl.com/CPPAPP2026

• The application is only open 1/16-2/20 2026 for students using their FCPS Google account.

• All applications will be submitted ONLINE ONLY.

The MVHS Pen & Palette is back again, and the Creative Writing class is more than excited to bring you more excellent student writing and art.

The Pen & Palette is a Literary Magazine dedicated to showcasing student writing from both the Creative Writing class and the MVHS student population. Any creative written work is accepted as well as songs, photography, digital/physical art, animation, and more.

• Students are able to submit writing using THIS LINK.

We have some seriously talented writers at MVHS, so parents & caregivers, please encourage your child to submit their writing and artwork!

• Our first issue of the MVHS Pen & Palette will be published Monday, January 26th at 1:30PM.

• HERE is the link to the website.

Thank you so much for supporting creative writing and arts here at Mount Vernon High School!

Carmen Pulupa

MVHS English 10 & Creative Writing Teacher

FCPS’ School Counseling Services and Go Overseas are co-hosting the annual FCPS Gap Year Fair on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, at George C. Marshall High School from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. This event is for high school students and parents who are interested in learning more about the growing array of gap year opportunities.

The evening will begin with a presentation in the auditorium from 6:00 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. Immediately following, the program fair will be held in the cafeteria from 6:45 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., with representatives from over 30 programs offering gap year opportunities. Students and their families are encouraged to meet the representatives and learn about the variety of experiences available.

Students are encouraged to pre-register for this event. For more information, visit: USA Gap Year Fairs.

**In the event of inclement weather on Wednesday, January 28, 2026. The Gap Year Fair will be held on Thursday, January 29, 2026, at the same time and location.

Contact: Ms. Pamela White (pcwhite@fcps.edu or 571-393-1102)

Dual Enrollment (DE) courses allow high school students to earn credit toward their high school diploma and college credit at the same time. The number of credits that a student may earn in a high school course varies from course to course.

MV students courses are completed through Northern Virginia Community College.

Please see the DE course options at MV below:

The MVHS Department of Student Services is proud to once again partner with Edu-Futuro for our 2nd Annual MVHS Engaged Parent Workshop series.

Our MV family liaisons will be leading sessions for our Spanish-speaking families to help them build their knowledge and confidence around supporting children throughout the educational process – including effective communication with the school, knowing your educational rights, supporting social-emotional development, and connecting with other parents and caregivers.

The workshop series will be every Tuesday evening from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm, beginning on February 10th and running through March 24th. The first session will be in G100 (enter through the main entrance – door #1).

See the informational flyer below:

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

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!

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.

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

Harris Goodall Squires Memorial Scholarship Amount:

• $5,000 Deadline: 4/1/2026

• Application in Naviance

[Click on Resources Below for Websites]

[Click on Resources Below for Websites]

[Click on Resources Below for Websites]

[Click on Resources Below for Websites]

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.

Is your high schooler experiencing anxiety, behavior changes, or challenges with peer and family relationships?

If so, parents/caregivers can refer their children for weekly therapy with a licensed therapist through Hazel Health.

Visit the Teletherapy webpage for more information on how to access this service.

FCPS is partnering with Varsity Tutors to provide students and families with extra resources for learning.

Every student can take advantage of Varsity Tutors’ services at no cost, including weekly live online classes, on-demand 24/7 chat tutoring, essay editing, and study resources such as recorded content, practice problems, and diagnostic tests.

Learn more about online tutoring with Varsity Tutors.

The Library of Virginia has archived the old Mount Vernon High yearbooks— starting with 1940!

• See the link HERE.

In addition, the Fairfax County Collection can be found in within the Fairfax County Public Library archives. They are all stored on the Internet Archive.

• See the link HERE.

Mount Vernon High School is a vibrant educational environment characterized by commitment to excellence. Located less than a mile from George Washington's home, Mount Vernon High School is steeped in tradition. Founded in 1939, its long history of excellence is evident in its current students, faculty, and staff. Mount Vernon High School has a world-class curriculum. Students choose from a wide range of course offerings, including International Baccalaureate (IB) courses. The International Baccalaureate Program is a rigorous advanced-level program that is an option for students in their final two years of high school. Individual needs are accommodated through three special education programs, an English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) program, and advanced or accelerated courses in all disciplines. At Mount Vernon High School, technology enhances and adds dimension to instruction in all curricular areas.

In addition to outstanding academic programs, Mount Vernon High School offers students a broad range of extra-curricular and co-curricular activities designed to meet and extend the broad range of student interests. Fine and performing arts students and athletic teams have received numerous awards and recognition. Contributing to Mount Vernon High School's unique character and strength is its diversity. More than 50 countries and 30 languages are represented in its student population. This diversity is enjoyed and celebrated daily, as well as through a series of cultural events that bring students, parents, and faculty together and demonstrate cooperative living in a multicultural world. Mount Vernon High School is further enriched by the support of an active community.

At Mount Vernon High School, we value and believe members within our community should be:

• Supportive,
• Passionate,
• Responsible,
• Looking for Continuous Growth, &
• Culturally Responsive

We know that our Majors achieve and thrive together with purpose and pride.

Please click HERE for more School Profile Information

As we begin a new school year, Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid reminds us of the goals of FCPS’ 2023-30 Strategic Plan, , which guides us in delivering excellence, equity, and opportunity for each and every one of our students.

• Watch Dr. Reid’s message.

Please visit the FCPS Webpage for all FCPS-related Information

A special THANK YOU to Howard "Chip" Hall, a 30-year Marine Corps Veteran - and MV Community Member - who is generously volunteering his time to capture our Majors in action.

Please visit Chip's website HERE for more amazing pics!

Links to the Family Newsletters for this 2025-2026 SY

January 2026

HERE is the link for January 18, 2026

HERE is the link for January 11, 2026

HERE is the link for January 4, 2026

December 2025

HERE is the link for December 14, 2025

HERE is the link for December 7, 2025

November 2025

HERE is the link for November 39, 2025

HERE is the link for November 23, 2025

HERE is the link for November 16, 2025

HERE is the link for November 9, 2025

HERE is the link for November 2, 2025

October 2025

HERE is the link for October 26th, 2025

HERE is the link for October 19th, 2025

HERE is the link for October 12, 2025

HERE is the link for October 5, 2025

September 2025

HERE is the link for September 28, 2025

HERE is the link for September 21, 2025

HERE is the link for September 14, 2025

HERE is the link for September 7, 2025

August 2025

HERE is the link for August 31, 2025

HERE is the link for August 24, 2025

HERE is the link for August 17, 2025