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In the month of May "we take time to reflect and celebrate the important role that Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AANHPIs) have played in our shared history. Explore Smithsonian events happening online and in-person and find resources, podcasts, and collection items to learn more about AANHPI contributions" (Asian Pacific Heritage website)

Each May, hundreds of organizations and Americans of all backgrounds join together to discover, explore, and celebrate the vibrant and varied American Jewish experience from the dawn of our nation to the present day. For more information on Jewish American Heritage Month, visit the JAHM website.

Mental Health Awareness Month "provides a chance to stand with your community and show that no one struggles alone. NAMI’s 2026 Mental Health Awareness Month theme invites everyone to join National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) speaking up against mental health stigma (NAMI website)."

Virtual therapy sessions are available to FCPS high school students at no cost to provide a safe space to address concerns such as:

• Mood/behavior changes, motivation, grief/loss.
• Anxiety, worry, fears.
• Social skills, bullying, peer and family relationships.
• Academic stress.

Students can be referred by a guardian or designated school staff member. You may refer your child by calling 571-749-2940 or by contacting an FCPS school counselor, social worker, psychologist, or director of Student Services. Visit the FCPS Teletherapy webpage for more information.

Your Child's Mental Wellness Matters: Access Comprehensive Services

Reach out to the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board (CSB) for specialized youth mental health services designed to help your child succeed. The CSB has individual and family counseling, psychiatric diagnostic evaluations, medication management, parenting groups, peer support, crisis response, recovery supports that include medication-assisted treatment (MAT), and intensive and other services.

Contact CSB Entry and Referral to get started by calling 703-383-8500 or emailing csb@fairfaxcounty.gov.

Additional Mental Health Resources

FCPS has resources available to support your child’s mental health. During after-school hours, parents and students who need additional assistance can use the 988 Lifeline to get free, confidential guidance from trained crisis counselors on how to best help someone experiencing a mental health challenge or crisis. You can call or text the number.

Recent reports have shared an 11% drop in suicides among young people since the rollout of 988. Please note, the hotline is not only for those experiencing suicidal ideation (or thoughts), it is also available for any mental health or substance abuse-related crisis and those with a loved one experiencing those crises or suicidal thoughts.

And as always, if your concern is an emergency, you should call 911.

MVHS parents and caregivers of 10th grade students –

The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) requires 8th-grade and 10th-grade students to complete their Academic and Career Plan and have it signed by the student, the student’s parent/guardian, and a school representative.

By completing tasks and assessments in Naviance, students and school staff members verify that they are completing the students’ plans.

Parent/guardian signature is required for this process and may be collected through a Google form.

HERE is the link to the official MVHS Academic and Career Plan Verification Letters, which has more information.

If you have any questions, please reach out to your child’s counselor.

Sincerely,

Mr. Cary Dimmick

Principal

Mount Vernon High School parents and caregivers -

Next week, MVHS will be implementing our annual Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL) End of the Course (EOC) assessments for our students.

Courses that will be having the SOL assessments include:

NOTE: Students that are assessing in these courses will be receiving a separate email with the testing information.

Test dates are as follows:

• Monday, May 11th: EOC Reading Assessments (see above chart for specific courses)

• Wednesday, May 13th: EOC Math Assessments (see above chart for specific courses)

• Friday, May 15th: EOC Science Assessments (see above chart for specific courses)

The Even Day schedule for our above testing dates will be as follows (also attached):

• Testing Block: 8:10 am to 11:15 am

• Period 6 Class: 11:23 am to 1:23 pm

• Period 2 Class: 1:28 pm to 2:08 pm

• Period 8 Class: 2:13 pm to 2:55 pm

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** IMPORTANT for ALL students NOT TESTING **

Any student that is NOT testing has the following options:

(1) Come to school at the normal time of 8:00 am and go to their Major Time class from 8:10 am to 11:15 am and participate in Wellness Activities during this time.

OR

(2) Arrive to MVHS at 11:15 am to go to their period 6, period 2, and period 8 classes.

Please feel free to email Ms. Pam Ihle, MVHS Assessment Coach at paihle@fcps.edu with any SOL-related questions.

FCPS Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid and Chief Information Technology Officer Gautam Sethi met with student journalists from every high school last week for a discussion about the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in K-12 education.

The hour-long question-and-answer session was the second in an ongoing series of student journalist roundtables with division leadership. Watch a video about the panel. Read about the panel and the students’ thoughtful questions.

• Check out the 22:04 minute mark to see Claire's questioning of our Superintendent.

Thank you for representing MVHS so well!!

The Cappies is a year-long program for theatre and journalism students through which students attend and discuss each other's shows, write reviews for publication, and at the end of the season decide who of their colleague student performers and technicians should be honored for awards.

This spring, our spring musical production of Once Upon a Mattress has received 1 Cappies Nomination!

• Congrats to Juliet Pascoe on being nominated for Best Vocalist in a Female Role!

(Special Note: New this year, you can only select one of our productions as a "Cappies Show" for review)

Congratulations to MVHS Senior Audrey Ortiz-Peterson on being highlighted in the Washington Parent magazine!

See the link to the article HERE.

We are pleased to announce that MVHS Orchestra Teacher Mr. Al Rodriguez has been selected as one of the 2027 Quarterfinalists for the 2027 GRAMMY Music Educator Award.

This award is presented by the Recording Academy and the GRAMMY Museum and there were over 2,100 applications nationwide by teachers ranging from kindergarten to college-level and private schools.

• You can learn more about the award at the link above.

Mr. Rodriguez shared that this is his 2nd time being selected as a Quarterfinalist (2024, 2027), and his 3rd time overall (Legacy Applicant in 2025).

Mr. Rodriguez also shared the following "I wanted to take a moment to thank our school and community for what you do to not only support me, but all of the students in my program and across the performing arts at Mount Vernon. Talent is universal, but resources and opportunities are not. Your commitment to helping us uplift our students means everything, and I am immensely grateful."

We are SO proud to have Mr. Rodriguez at MVHS!

Please click HERE for the 2026 IB Exam Schedule.

Please see Ms. Freeland with any questions about the IB Exams.

Beginning the week of April 19th, we will be celebrating our Seniors in their various spring sports.

Below is the schedule for the remainder of the spring:

• May 11th: Baseball
• May 11th: Softball

Special thanks to all of our Seniors and their families for all they have done for Mount Vernon HS during their tenure as Majors!

Dear Car Club President and Members,

On behalf of the Mount Vernon High School Class of 2028, we are excited to officially invite your club to participate in our Annual Car Show on Saturday, May 16, 2026.

This community event brings together car enthusiasts, families, students, and local businesses from across the region for a day dedicated to automotive appreciation, community engagement, and youth support. Proceeds from the event will benefit Class of 2028 student initiatives, activities, and educational programs.

We would be honored to have your club showcase your vehicles and represent your organization at this year’s event. The show will feature awards in several categories, including:

• Best Paint
• Best Interior
• Most Original
• Best Engine Compartment
• Best In Show
• Principal’s Choice

In addition to the vehicle showcase, attendees will enjoy food, music, raffles, and family-friendly activities throughout the event.

Registration & Vehicle Check-In: 8:00 AM – 9:00 AM

Vehicle Entry Fee: $20 per vehicle

Registration & Payment Options:
• Register Online👉: https://forms.gle/PxKJqRruPMVFZUYk7
• Day-of Event Registration Available

Please include your name, club name, and “Car Show Registration” in the payment notes when submitting payment electronically.

We encourage your club to join us as a participating group and help make this event one of the premier community car shows in the Northern Virginia area. Your presence and support will help create a memorable experience while directly benefiting local students.

We kindly ask that you share this invitation with your members and encourage group participation. Early registration is appreciated to assist with event planning and vehicle placement.

For questions, sponsorship opportunities, or additional event information, please contact us at 808-372-1497 or kaw4589@gmail.com.

Thank you for your continued support of the automotive community and local youth programs. We look forward to welcoming your club to the show.

Sincerely,

Mount Vernon High School Class of 2028

MVHS juniors and seniors:

Get ready for Prom on May 22, 2026!

Tickets are available for purchase during lunches only via cash or check. Students may buy a maximum of two tickets.

Pricing Schedule:

• Early Bird Sale - May 11 and May 12 - $60 single, $115 for couples (cash or check)
• May 13- May 19 - $70 (cash or check)
• May 20- May 21 - $85 (cash or check)
• May 22 - $85 (* cash only *)

Important Deadlines

• Ticket Cutoff: All sales end at 1:30 PM on Friday, May 22

• Guest Forms: Pick up in sub-schools; due by Wednesday, May 20

Forms needed to attend prom are HERE.

You can pick up a hard-copy of these in your sub-school.

The Financial Obligation Form in your sub-schools.

The MVHS Boosters have secured a new date for the Michael M. Skinner Mount Vernon Golf Tournament: Monday, June 1

This will be our final attempt to hold the event this year. If we fail to reach our player goal, the tournament will be canceled, marking the first time since 2011 that we have not held this community tradition.

This event is more than a round of golf. It is a primary fundraiser for Mount Vernon High School Athletics, supporting equipment, uniforms, and essential resources for our student-athletes across all sports.

We need your help to make this happen. We are currently short of our target field and are asking:

• If you’ve been considering playing, please register now
• If you know someone who might be interested, please forward this along
• If your business can sponsor a foursome, it makes a meaningful impact

Learn more here! https://mvhsathleticboosters.com/golf-tournament

Register directly here! https://mvhsathleticboosters.com/ols/products/playerregistration

Event Details
Date: Monday, June 1
Location: Fort Belvoir Golf Club
Format: Team Scramble
Check-In: 7:00 AM | Shotgun Start: 8:00 AM

Important: To ensure seamless entry onto Fort Belvoir, all golfers must register by May 15 to be pre-vetted. After you register, we will request each golfer’s name as it appears on their ID and one of the following for base access: driver’s license (number and state), state ID (number and state), or passport (number, country, and date of birth).

Every registration gets us closer to ensuring this event, and the funding it provides, continues.

Thank you for supporting our Majors and helping us keep this tradition alive.

Class of 2026 Yard/Window Sign

Show your pride and celebrate your senior with a custom sign.

Pickup will be available at various times and dates (details to follow after order is placed). All proceeds go directly towards the PTSA Senior Celebration for the Class of 2026.

Have questions? Email us at ptsamountvernon@gmail.com

• Price: $15.00

• Order HERE

Mount Vernon High School will be holding our 2026 Graduation Ceremony at EagleBank Arena on the campus of George Mason University (4500 Patriot Circle, Fairfax VA, 22030).

• The 2026 Graduation Ceremony will begin promptly at 9:00 am.

• Seniors must arrive to EagleBank Arena by 8:00 am – and be seated on the arena floor by 8:30 am.

HERE is a link to very important information from the EagleBank Arena policies for all visitors and Seniors.

Dear Fort Hunt Families,

A message from the Fort Hunt Summer Flag Football Program:

We’re excited to announce our Summer Flag Football program, kicking off on June 3rd and running through July 22nd!

Our spring season emphasized fun, fundamentals, and introducing the game. As we transition into the summer program, we’ll continue to build on that foundation, but with a stronger focus on competition and teamwork. Players will have more opportunities to apply what they’ve learned in game situations while continuing to develop their skills in a structured and supportive environment.

While competition will be elevated, development remains our top priority. Our coaching staff is committed to helping each athlete improve their football IQ, technique, and confidence as we prepare them for the next level, including tackle football.

This is a great opportunity for players to stay active, grow as teammates, and continue building their love for the game all while having fun along the way.

More details regarding registration is below. We look forward to seeing your athletes out on the field this summer!

Our goal is to form at least four teams of eight to ten kids at each age group. Please register early so we can conduct evaluations and structuring teams. We're trying to start practices and games on time.

Here's more about the Fort Hunt House League Flag Program:

· Summer Flag begins at Quander Road School 6:00 - 8:00 PM (June 3rd - July 22nd)

Our House League Flag football program is designed to offer a safe, dynamic, and competitive environment for young athletes to both discover and develop the skills and techniques necessary to succeed on both sides of the ball. The slate of practices and games ensures that all flag football participants receive comprehensive instruction and gain a keen understanding of the sport.

(Boys & girls ages 5-14) Flag Football will play two games a week. We will have two practices the first week of the season and after that the kids will play games on (Monday and Wednesday). This will be a house league so travel is restricted to the local Fort Hunt community.

Practice and game times are set by age group, please see below.

Quander School Address: 6400 Quander Rd, Alexandria, VA 22307

• K-2nd grade: 6:00 - 7:00 PM
• 3rd-4th grade: 6:00 - 7:00 PM
• 5th-6th grade: 7:00 - 8:00 PM
• 7th-8th grade: 7:00 - 8:00 PM

*Please note that scholarships are available, if you need financial assistance please contact the Commissioner at Forthuntcommissioner_hairston@hotmail.com

Flag Registration Link:

http://fhfootball.leagueapps.com/leagues/flag-football/4979387-2026-house-league-summer-flag-football-registration-june

Thank you for your continued support of Fort Hunt Football.

V/r

Ricky Hairston, Commissioner

Fort Hunt Football and Cheer

443-871-8656

Registration is open for FCPS summer camps and learning opportunities.

Career and Technical Education camps, and Fine and Performing Arts camps, will be held in July at Robinson Secondary School from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Bus transportation will be available from select FCPS schools.

Tuition assistance is available to FCPS families eligible for free or reduced-price meals. Registration is open for these programs through Friday, June 5.

• Tech Adventure Camp (TAC) is a week-long exploratory camp that allows current K-5 students to explore STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math), culinary arts, health, trades, and business and marketing.

• CTE Summer Academy (CSA) is a week-long enrichment program that allows students in grades 6-11 to dive deeper into CTE program areas, develop skills, and begin career exploration. Watch this video about CTE camps.

• Elementary Institute for the Arts (E-IFTA) is a weekly fine and performing arts camp for students in grades K-5 who love to sing, dance, act, perform, make, and create. Students attend four daily classes in dance, music, theatre, and visual arts, and work with experienced educators who create engaging, fun classes.

• Institute for the Arts (IFTA) is a camp for students currently in grades 6-11. Students select from nearly 60 classes in art, dance, music, and theatre. Rising freshmen have the option to take Health and PE 9 through IFTA as well.

• Production Camp is a four-week summer theatre intensive camp for students in grades 6-11. Students in performance or technical theatre tracks rehearse, design, and build a musical in a collaborative atmosphere. The show is presented to the public at the end of camp. Read about last year’s camp.
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New this year: Students in the above camps can also register for aftercare, which is available from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm.

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 Mondays & Thursdays this spring of the 2025-2026 SY.

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

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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.