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Mount Vernon High School’s own Elijah Wilson was recognized as part of the 2026 Congressional Award Gold Medal Class and attended this year’s Gold Medal Summit in Washington, D.C. last week.

Reflecting on what it means to earn the Congressional Award Gold Medal, Elijah shared:

“I gained the ability to reflect. I learned how to look at my accomplishments and study what worked and what didn't work. By keeping track of logs (hours and activities completed), I now have a better understanding of how to manage myself and keep an agenda to monitor myself in the future. With the knowledge and experience I have gained through developing different areas of my life and who I am as a person, I can give back to my community and the world better than before.”

The Congressional Award Recognizes 877 Gold Medalists During 2026 Gold Medal Summit

Hundreds of Gold Medalists traveled to Washington, D.C. for congressional meetings, leadership programming, and celebration at the U.S. Capitol.

The Congressional Award recognized 877 young Americans as part of the 2026 Gold Medal Class, honoring their extraordinary commitment to voluntary public service, personal development, physical fitness, and expedition or exploration.

From June 8–10, these medalists traveled to Washington, D.C. for the 2026 Gold Medal Summit, where they received their medals from members of The Congressional Award Foundation’s Board of Directors on stage at the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center, met fellow honorees from across the country, participated in leadership and career-focused programming, and engaged with their elected officials on Capitol Hill.

Over the span of the Summit, 193 members of the House and Senate met with their constituents, allowing medalists to share their Congressional Award journeys and discuss the service, goal-setting, perseverance, and personal growth required to earn Congress’ highest honor for youth civilians.

The 2026 Gold Medalists were also recognized in the Congressional Record. A full list of honorees can be found HERE.

“This year’s Gold Medalists represent the very best of what young people can accomplish when they set meaningful goals and commit themselves to service, growth, and exploration,” said Erica Heyse, National Director of The Congressional Award. “For many of these students and families, traveling to Washington, D.C. and meeting with their elected officials is the culmination of years of hard work. The Summit gives us the opportunity not only to celebrate what they have achieved, but also to remind them that this medal is a foundation for a lifetime of leadership, civic engagement, and impact.”

See the official website here: www.congressionalaward.org

We want to send our congratulations to long-standing MVHS assistant principal Ms. Karen Boyd on her retirement from Fairfax County Public Schools on July 31, 2026.

Ms. Boyd's dedication, leadership and support of our students and community will be greatly missed at Mount Vernon!

We want to congratulation MVHS Director of Student Activities (DSA) Mr. Brian Murphy, who was named the new Director of Student Activities at Carter G. Woodson HS in the Fairfax County Public Schools.

Mr. Murphy's support and leadership of our athletics and extracurriculars will be greatly missed at Mount Vernon!

The MVHS main office will have limited summer hours beginning on Monday, June 22nd, 2026 through Friday, August 14, 2026.

• The summer hours will be 9:00 am to 1:00 pm - Monday through Friday.

Due to different summer contract hours, IF you wanted to speak to a specific MVHS staff member, we recommend calling ahead to ensure that particular person is in the building.

Our main office phone line is 703-619-3100.

You can also use the MVHS Staff Directory to email a staff member about their availability.

We are currently in a 2 week VHSL "Red Period" for Athletics where there can be no contact with players or coaches until July 6, 2026.

• Sports will then have the opportunity to practice, do Green Days, and workouts until July 25, 2026.

• At that point, the week of July 27 will be a "Yellow Week" whereas only strength and conditioning workouts can occur.

• The first day of fall sports will then be on August 3, 2026.

• All students need to make sure they have a current physical on file with our ATCs.

If you would like to purchase pictures from the past athletic season, the Legacy link is provided below.

You must use the number code below to access MVHS pictures.

MVHS has hired a second ATC to help out Mr. Ponton.

Ms. Mackenzie Tillman, who worked with our office last year as a ATC floater in the county, will be starting this fall as a full-time ATC at Mount Vernon HS.

We are so excited to have her on board at Mount Vernon!

MVHS has hired our new head wrestling coaches!

Anthony McDuffie is going to return to Mount Vernon HS as the head wrestling coach. We are excited to have Coach McDuffie back to lead our Majors wrestlers now that he has retired from teaching in Prince William County.

Devin Purifoy will return to the program as well as our Head Girls Wrestling coach. He took the program on an interim basis last year and did a wonderful job. We can’t wait to see the direction our wrestling programs go this year under new leadership.

At our Athletics Spring Awards Night, we unveiled our Academic All-Mount Vernon and All-Mount Vernon Teams.

• Those teams are pictured below.

The Academic All-Mount Vernon was based upon a scoring rubric that took into account GPA, sports played, and activities participated with points awarded for individual accolades received in sports and activities.

The All-Mount Vernon team was done based upon the most accomplished athletes at Mount Vernon during the school year.

Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) is pleased to announce plans to offer the SAT School Day to students in grade 12 on October 7, 2026. A SAT School Day Testing Notification letter is posted online.

Digital Format: The SAT School Day is delivered digitally. Some testing accommodations are administered differently on digital tests than they are on paper/pencil tests. Please reference the Using Accommodations on Digital Tests chart to review how each accommodation is delivered digitally.

Students with disabilities and multilingual learners (MLs) may be eligible for testing accommodations and/or supports for the SAT School Day; however, the College Board requires schools to submit formal requests in advance.

• To request new or amended College Board accommodations for the October SAT School Day, return the input and consent forms to the school by August 3, 2026.

• To request College Board ML supports for the 2026 SAT School Day, return the input and consent forms to the school by August 27, 2026.

When returning forms to request College Board testing accommodations or ML supports, deliver to:

ATTN: Ms. Pam Ihle

℅ Mount Vernon High School

8515 Old Mount Vernon Road,

Alexandria, VA 22309

OR scan the accommodations or ML supports and email to Ms. Ihle at paihle@fcps.edu

If you have questions about College Board testing accommodations or ML supports for the SAT, contact Ms. Ihle at 703-619-3116. Please note that Ms. Ihle is NOT on contract during the summer months so please be patient if you do not receive an immediate response.

We will share more specifics about the October SAT testing opportunity at the beginning of the school year.

Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) is pleased to announce plans to offer the Preliminary SAT (PSAT)/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (NMSQT) to students in grades 10-11 on October 7, 2026.

• A PSAT/NMSQT Testing Notification letter is posted online.

Digital Format: The PSAT/NMSQT is delivered digitally. Some testing accommodations are administered differently on digital tests than they are on paper/pencil tests.

• Please reference the Using Accommodations on Digital Tests chart to review how each accommodation is delivered digitally.

Students with disabilities and multilingual learners (MLs) may be eligible for testing accommodations and/or supports for the PSAT/NMSQT; however, the College Board requires schools to submit formal requests in advance.

Testing Accommodations: Students with disabilities who have testing accommodations documented in a 504 Plan or an individualized education program (IEP) may be eligible for testing accommodations on the PSAT/NMSQT. The College Board must approve a formal request for each student. If the student already has College Board accommodations approved from a previous PSAT/NMSQT, PSAT 10, SAT, or AP test, there is no need to resubmit accommodation requests. Once instated, accommodations remain in place for all College Board testing. The Accommodations Process for College Board Testing webpage provides instructions for requesting College Board testing accommodations, including the required input and consent forms (Enclosures 2-3).

• To request new or amended College Board accommodations for the October PSAT/NMSQT, return the input and consent forms to the school by August 3, 2026.

​​​​​​​

ML Supports: Multilingual learners, defined as English learners under federal and state policy, are eligible for testing supports on the PSAT/NMSQT. ML supports are temporary and must be requested each school year. The ML Supports Process for College Board Testing webpage provides instructions for requesting ML testing supports, including the required input and consent forms (Enclosures 5-6).

• To request College Board ML supports for the 2026 PSAT/NMSQT, return the input and consent forms to the school by August 27, 2026.

When returning forms to request College Board testing accommodations or ML supports, deliver to:

ATTN: Ms. Pam Ihle

℅ Mount Vernon High School

8515 Old Mount Vernon Road,

Alexandria, VA 22309

OR scan the accommodations or ML supports and email to Ms. Ihle at paihle@fcps.edu

If you have questions about College Board testing accommodations or ML supports for the PSAT/NMSQT, contact Ms. Ihle at 703-619-3116.

• Please note that Ms. Ihle is NOT on contract during the summer months so please be patient if you do not receive an immediate response.

We will share more specifics about the October PSAT/NMSQT testing opportunity at the beginning of the school year.

Summer Learning Resources for Families

Instructional Services is supporting student learning over the summer.

Digital and print resources are being curated on the Summer Learning Resources webpage for students and families to review and practice previously taught content throughout the summer months.

Resources are organized by grade level and aligned to the learning students experienced during the school year.

Families can access the materials at any time to review concepts, practice skills, or explore new ideas at home.

Additional resources will continue to be added throughout June.

Please see the VERY IMPORTANT new Cellphone policy in FCPS for NEXT school year. We will continue to educate our students on this new expectation:

New Cellphone Policy Starts July 1st, 2026

On Thursday, May 7, the Fairfax County School Board approved changes to the FCPS Student Rights and Responsibilities (SR&R). The approved changes include updated guidance for cellphone possession and use, to align the FCPS cell phone policy with Senate Bill 108. This new Virginia law goes into effect on July 1 and states that all schools in the Commonwealth must follow a “bell-to-bell” phone-free policy.

This means that starting July 1, 2026, across all grade levels at FCPS, student cellphones, phone accessories, and all smart devices (including watches that serve a dual purpose, such as smart watches, as well as earbuds, headsets, smart glasses, and other other items connected to the internet) must be off and personally stored (i.e., put away in backpacks) for the duration of the school day — thus, no cellphones from bell to bell (8:10 am to 2:55 pm).

High school students will no longer be able to use cellphones and personal devices during lunchtime.

More details are available on the FCPS Cell Phone Policy webpage.

NOTE: As outlined in the new SR&R regulations, ALL students are expected to follow the established policy and the Student Rights and Responsibilities (SR&R). Students who do not comply will face consequences outlined in the SR&R.

[Click on Resources Below for Websites]

[Click on Resources Below for Websites]

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[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.

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

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

Links to the Family Newsletters for this 2025-2026 SY

June 2026

HERE is the link for June 14, 2026

HERE is the link for June 7, 2026

May 2026

HERE is the link for May 31, 2026

HERE is the link for May 24, 2026

HERE is the link for May 17, 2026

HERE is the link for May 10, 2026

HERE is the link for May 3, 2026

April 2026

HERE is the link for April 26, 2026

HERE is the link for April 29, 2026

HERE is the link for April 12, 2026

HERE is the link for April 5, 2026

March 2026

HERE is the link for March 29, 2026

HERE is the link for March 22, 2026

HERE is link for March 15, 2026

HERE is the link for March 8, 2026

HERE is the link for March 1, 2026

February 2026

HERE is the link for February 22, 2026

HERE is the link for February 15, 2026

HERE is the link for February 8, 2026

HERE is the link for February 1, 2026

January 2026

HERE is the link for January 25, 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