March 23, 2025

This past week, we celebrated Positive Referral Day! Each teacher had the opportunity to nominate two students for positive referrals. Those students got to spin the wheel for exciting prizes and snacks, including URHS spirit t-shirts, posters, custom Croc jibbitz, Chick-fil-A cards, and more!

Our IB Middle Years Program (MYP) English 9 classes held their annual Poetry Café. Students showcased their original, highly creative poetry projects, demonstrating poetry in various forms beyond just books. Our S.A.V.E. club also did a phenomenal job presenting at the PWCS S.A.V.E. summit, where clubs from across Prince William County participated in a student-led conference to highlight efforts in creating safe and supportive learning environments.

We welcomed around 40 business and nonprofit leaders from the community who are members of Leadership Prince William. They visited our school, listened to a student panel discussing their learning experiences in our Career & Technical Education (CTE) programs, including our IB Career Pathway, and toured our CTE classes. We look forward to future community partnerships, as our strength lies in unity!

We now have a new county-approved URHS Instagram page that highlights all the wonderful things happening at Unity Reed on a regular basis. Follow us @unityreedhs on Instagram!

This week, we're celebrating Women's History Month with a spirit week and an after-school showcase on Thursday, March 27th. The themes for the week are:

• Monday: "Dress as your future career"
• Tuesday: "You can do it Day"
• Wednesday: "PINK OUT"
• Thursday: "Purple, Green, or White" in support of women

Important reminders:

• Thursday, March 27th is the last day of Marking Period 3.
• Friday, March 28th is a Teacher Workday (no school for students).
• Monday, March 31st is NO SCHOOL, Holiday

Below, you'll find information about our academic supports throughout the week, SAT School Day on April 2nd, PWCS Summer Job Fair for students this Wednesday, detailed information about our Class of 2025 trip on April 26th, 12th-grade graduation walks at local elementary schools, and more!

• March 25: Career Information Night 5-7:30pm at Kelly Leadership Center

• March 26: PWCS Summer Job Fair for HS Students at Osbourn Park HS, 6-7pm

• March 27: Last day of 3rd Marking Period, Lions Activity Boosters Club Meeting, 6:00pm Room 1002

• March 28: No School - Teacher Work Day

• March 31: No School - Holiday

• April 2: School-wide SAT Day for 11th graders, Asynchronous Day for 12th grade

Save the date for this year's International Night on Tuesday, April 8 at 6pm! All families are invited. We'd love for as many countries and cultures as possible to be represented. Students should see Ms. Miller or Ms. Kim in SALC for more information on how to participate. More details are forthcoming.

Prom season is in full swing and we are looking for prom dresses and suits for our prom shop. We are hosting our first ever Unified Prom on April 10th and our Junior/Senior Prom will be held on May 16th. All donations can be brought to the main office. Thank you in advance for your support in helping to make many of our students' prom dreams a reality!

Activity buses now run Monday through Thursday at 4:30 PM to ensure students can take advantage of our daily academic support opportunities. We are dedicated to supporting the success of ALL students. Check out our daily support sessions below, and remember to check with individual teachers for any additional class-specific help after school.

Are you a high school student looking for summer employment or a high school senior who plans to enter the workforce, military, or postsecondary training programs after graduation?The employment and summer job fair gives students the opportunity to learn more about a variety of career pathways and summer employment opportunities. During this event, participating businesses will highlight available opportunities, provide employment information, and screen potential candidates.

• Date: Wednesday, March 26, 2025
• Time: 5–7 p.m.
• Location: Osbourn Park High School

Click here for more information and all the participating employers on our PWCS Website.

All PWCS high schools will administer the school day SAT to all 11th graders (juniors) on Wednesday, April 2nd at no charge to families. Students must arrive to school on time to have enough time to test, and they should bring their school-issued laptop and charger. Late arrival may result in students not being permitted to test that day. Test locations will be shared this week and posted by the third-floor office the morning of the test. Students who have not completed their digital readiness test and exam setup will receive a pass on Tuesday and/or Thursday during WIN to complete it. Setup must be completed before the day of the test.

• For 11th Graders: This day is dedicated to taking the SAT, a crucial step in their college application process. The SAT is not only important for college admissions but also for eligibility for various merit scholarships. By taking and submitting their scores to schools, they can open doors to financial aid opportunities that can significantly reduce the cost of their post-secondary education. Please help in encouraging your 11th grader to attend and take their SAT.

• For 12th Graders: They will be excused absent this day, as they have an asynchronous day, allowing them to work on assignments from home. 12th graders playing athletics/activities who have a game this day will be considered eligible to play based on their attendance on 4/1. As a reminder, students must be present for at least half of the school day (excused or unexcused) based on their scheduled classes in order to be eligible to play in the game.

• For 9th and 10th Graders: They will follow a regular school day with an adjusted bell schedule. Please note that there will be no WIN blocks on this day. This adjustment ensures that we can best accommodate the logistics for hosting SAT testing for 11th graders while maintaining a productive day for all students.

Adjusted Bell Schedule (Maroon Day)

• Block 2: 7:30 AM - 10:30 AM (SAT time for 11th grade, extended class period for 9th and 10th grade)
• Block 4: 10:30 AM - 12:40 PM (classes assigned specific Lunch blocks will slightly shift)
• Block 6: 12:45 PM - 2:10 PM

• PWCS is please to offer students access to Khan Academy’s Official Digital SAT Prep through Clever

• Varsity Tutors, PWCS' free online tutoring for all K-12 students, offers students ACT, PSAT, and SAT practice tests and test preparation resources. Students can access Varsity Tutors through Clever

• Login to Bluebook App on school-issued laptop using test ticket from exam setup to take practice tests

TRIP COST: $50 NONREFUNDABLE per student – Cash or Electronic Payment.

• Permission slips are due no later than April 11,2025
• Tickets will be sold during WIN blocks and lunches between March 24th and April 11th in the 12th grade office on the 3rd floor.
• Tickets will be available for purchase electronically through April 4th via the Hometown Ticketing App. There is an additional service fee to pay electronically. Those who wish to pay electronically must set up a Hometown Ticketing account first.
• All students and their parents/guardians must review the rules and expectations outlined in the Senior Trip Policy Form in their entirety prior to purchasing a ticket.
• Students must present this form with signatures, student and parent/guardian, AND the permission sheet to buy a ticket.
• Forms can be picked up in the 12th grade office with Ms. Pryce & Ms. Nash.

**STIPULATIONS** Students MUST be in good standing from April 1st – April 25th with academics, attendance, and discipline to be considered eligible to attend the trip as follows:

• ACADEMIC ELIGIBILITY: If you are currently at risk of not graduating due to grades, you will need to attend at least 3 study hall sessions to improve your grades. If you still need to pass an SOL, you will need to attend at least 3 SOL remediation sessions after school to be prepared for the next SOL opportunity. Families of any student who is at risk of not graduating will receive SchoolStatus messages from Mrs. Nash weekly starting this week.
• ATTENDANCE ELIGIBILITY: Students may not have more than 3 unexcused absences between 4/1 - 4/25. If a student is absent, please ensure they provide a note to Mrs. Nash’s office within 5 days of the absence. If you are absent during the week of the trip, notes need to be submitted before you go on the trip.
• DISCIPLINARY INELIGIBILITY: As the Class of 2025, we expect you to conduct yourself accordingly as you are the role models for the younger students at the school. During the month of April, if you have any egregious behavior that results in a suspension, you will not be able to attend the trip.

Jostens will be at school on April 4th during lunches for cap and gown distribution. The caps and gowns are $45. This will be the last distribution at school. All cap and gowns that are not delivered to the school on April 4th will be shipped to the home with an additional shipping fee. . Order your cap, gown and tassel package here

We have less than 41 school days left, and we need your help to ensure your student is on track to graduate.

Administrators, Graduation Coach and Counselors in our "Cap Patrol" are meeting weekly with any 12th who is currently failing a class for the year. Until your 12th grader has improve their grade, they will be require attend at least two of the following Study Hall options per week:

• Monday and Wednesday: Class of 2025 Study Hall (Think Tank), 2:15 PM - 4:15 PM
• Tuesday and Thursday: Lions Den (1st floor cafeteria) or Study Hall (Library), 2:15 PM - 4:15 PM
• Saturday: Saturday School (1st floor computer lab), 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM.

• The current marking period ends on Thursday, March 27th.

Any parent/guardian who has a 12th grader failing a class for the year will receive a School Status messages weekly. Parents/Guardians:

• Please check your student's grades on ParentVUE daily

• Make sure your student attends every class and is on time.

• Encourage them to communicate with their teachers about any missing assignments, retake summatives,

• Ensure your student attends our various study halls to get caught up and stay on track with their classes.

Scheduled graduation walks for elementary schools:

• Piney Branch - May 27 at 3:00
• Cedar Point - May 22 at 2:15
• Victory - May 23 at 2:15
• Glenkirk - May 23 at 2:45
• T. Clay Woods - May 22 at 2:15

View the recent scholarship opportunities shared with URHS! Students should also use the Scholarship Search feature in Naviance for a complete list of local and other scholarships.

• Scholarship lists are also posted outside of Mrs. Nash’s office on the 3rd floor.

• If you need assistance applying, make an appointment with Ms. Jung, Mr. Lawrence, or your guidance counselor.
• Keep checking the wall for updates!
• Find more financial Aid resources for FAFSA & VASA here

Please review this NOVA Resources Folder, which has information that goes beyond just making a NOVA account. NOVA requires additional things to be done in order to fully become a NOVA student (e.g., meeting with an Advisor and enroll in classes), and all of them are included in this folder. For more information or assistance with applying to NOVA, please contact Diane Jung.

Diane Jung

College Adviser, Unity Reed High School (URHS)

VCAC (Virginia College Advising Corps)

djung@pwcs.edu | dj7qd@virginia.edu | 571-598-3071 (Work)

Come out to support all of the Spring sports teams this season. You can monitor all of your favorite teams’ schedules at this link.

The cheapest way to get into all of the Spring games is to buy the “students only” season pass. Be on the lookout for this pass to become available this week. Buying one season pass will get you into every HOME games for $20 - that’s the price of paying for 3.5 games at regular price. It's a great deal and great way to support URHS athletics. Tickets will be loaded onto our ticket website this week - click here to purchase.

We are dedicated to supporting, promoting, and raising funds for all athletic teams and activity groups. By joining the Lions Activities Booster Club, you are helping us contribute to both our athletics and activities.

With support from Lion's parents/guardians like yourselves, we can help the school enhance the athletics and activities programs for our students. The funds raised through membership, fundraising, donations, school spirit wear and concessions are used to support the school with purchasing things like senior gifts, additional equipment, uniforms, and more for our teams.

We are looking for families who can help us with concessions, fundraising, and building LIONS PRIDE! Let's build our community together. Come share in our teams' accomplishments and meet families in the Unity community. Have fun while helping your students have a great experience at Unity Reed High School!

For more information, please contact Saundra Green at slgreen23@hotmail.com, or attend our next meeting on Thursday, March 27th at 6 pm, Unity Reed High School, Room 1002 - just inside the main entrance.

The quickest ways to update your child's attendance to report an excused absence is by entering the absence in ParentVUE or emailing the respective grade-level Administrative Assistant below:

• 9th grade: Ms. Hammad-Khaleel, Hammadrh1@pwcs.edu
• 10th grade: Ms. Juarez, Juarezn@pwcs.edu
• 11th grade: Ms. Clancy, Clancycc@pwcs.edu
• 12th grade: Ms. Pryce, Prycead@pwcs.edu

You may also call the main school phone line (703-365-2900), however, please allow 24-48 hours for a response if the phone lines are backed-up. If you do not hear back or see your child's attendance has been updated within 48 hours, please email the grade-level Administrator below:

• 9th Grade last names A-L: Dr. Brooks, BrooksDR@pwcs.edu
• 9th Grade last names M-Z: Ms. Drouin, DrouinKA@pwcs.edu
• 10th Grade last names A-L: Mr. Gillespie, GillesRG@pwcs.edu
• 10th Grade last names M-Z: Ms. Mathison, MathisCC@pwcs.edu
• 11th Grade: Mr. Hintosh, HintosCR@pwcs.edu
• 12th Grade: Ms. Nash, NashSJ@pwcs.edu

Parents/Guardians should notify the school before, or at the start of, the school day when their child will be absent. Parents/Guardians must send written or electronic communication citing the reason(s) for the absence to the school no more than five school days following the date of the absence. Student attendance while participating in school-sponsored activities will be updated by the school.

Please see more information regarding PWCS Attendance Regulations here.

• Weekly LIONS’ ROAR: This will include the latest updates with pertinent information for the upcoming week and will be emailed to students and families every Sunday. This information will also be posted on our school website.

• URHS website: This will be updated more frequently so that we can share the most up to date information with you. In fact, click here to view our school website.

• School Status: This is our messaging system, and it allows staff to send text messages, emails, or make phone calls to families. When an email comes to your inbox with this system, the sender will be listed as School Status or Teacher name. A text message will include the staff member’s full name in the message but will be a random number. This system allows the recipient to respond directly to a message.

• The PRIDE Newsletter: This is a monthly newsletter where we celebrate and highlight the incredible accomplishments of our students, staff, and community at Unity Reed High School. Each month, we will showcase achievements, events, and milestones that make our school proud. Stay tuned for inspiring stories, academic successes, athletic triumphs, and much more. All this information will also be available on our school website for easy access and sharing.

I encourage you to continue to stay in touch with important updates by visiting our website. We are here to support you. Please reach out throughout the school year with any questions, concerns, or to share general feedback, and thank you for being part of our school community, as our STRENGTH is IN UNITY!

Sincerely,

Milagros Polanco
Principal, Unity Reed High School