10/20/16

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KEY DATES (complete calendar at ptsa.westfieldhs.org):

10/20 – Cyberbullying Presentation at PTSA Meeting, 7 pm

10/20-10/21 – Moe’s Battle of the Burrito (WHS vs Centreville!)

10/21 and 10/22 – WHS Theatre’s Haunted House and Carnival

10/21 – Senior Night at Football game vs Centreville – Channel 7’s Game of the Week!

10/22 – First BITS tutoring session

10/22 – Chorus Breakfast Fundraiser at Applebee’s

10/22 - Volunteerfest

10/27 – Orchestra Fall Concert, 7 pm

10/29 – Practice SAT or ACT test

11/1 – Turbo-Tutoring SAT Prep Class

11/4 – End of 1^st Quarter/2 hour early dismissal

 Here are several updates from around the school:

1. Cyberbullying and Social Media Presentation – TONIGHT (Thursday, 10/20) at 7 pm:  Following a very brief business meeting, the PTSA is pleased to host a presentation on cyberbullying and social media. Please join us as FCPS staff member Ms. Anna Schoenberg discusses these ever-present issues in today’s world. The presentation will take place in the Library.
2. PTSA Membership:  Have you joined the PTSA this year?  Please do! It takes many people joining and helping in the mission of success for all students at Westfield.  Please be one of those people – your participation matters. Click here!  Thank you!
3. Practice SAT or ACT test:  The PTSA and Kaplan are hosting a practice SAT or ACT test on Saturday, 10/29, starting at 8 am. Students will take choose whether to take the full length SAT or ACT practice test upon registration. The scores are not reported to the actual testing company and are for the student’s use only.  The fee is $20. Click here to register
4. Congratulations to Scott Wultors who won a beautiful potted mum at the staff meeting this week! The PTSA appreciates you and all the 116 staff members who have joined the PTSA this year!  If you aren’t sure if you’ve joined, please email Becky Anderson at membership@westfieldhs.org !  Members have black PTSA ribbons outside their doors. If you joined and do not yet have a ribbon, please contact Becky. 
5. Applebee’s Fundraiser for Chorus: On Saturday, 10/22, the WHS Chorus is hosting a breakfast fundraiser at Applebee’s at Westone Plaza from 8-10 am!  Please support the chorus and enjoy a delicious breakfast at the same time!
6. Library Volunteers Needed:  The WHS library seeks volunteers!  Please email Mrs. Lesser at jtlesser@fcps.edu and/or Mrs. Koenig at amkoenig@fcps.edu with questions and to volunteer! Please include your availability when you send your message. Thanks!
7. BITS Tutoring is returning!  BITS tutoring will being its 2016-2017 tutoring on Saturday, 10/22!  BITS runs up to 3 Saturday mornings per month. Student tutors are needed and earn service hours for their time! To be eligible for tutoring, students must attend Westfield or any of the schools that feed to Westfield (elementary and middle). For information and to see the required forms, click here   Everyone must arrive on time. No late arrivals will be admitted.
8. Theatre’s Haunted House and Carnival:  The annual event will take place Friday, 10/21 and Saturday, 10/22 from 5 pm – 8 pm. Fun for all! Admission is $6 for all attractions and $3 for the carnival only. Enter through Door 13!
9. Drug Take Back Day, Saturday, October 22nd from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.: The Sully District Station and the Drug Enforcement Administration will give the public its 12th opportunity in six years to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs. Bring your pills for disposal to the Sully District Station at 4900 Stonecroft Blvd. The DEA cannot accept liquids or needles or sharps, ONLY pills or patches. The service is free and anonymous. No questions asked.
10. Turbo-Tutoring:  The next SAT Prep class is at Briar Woods High School on Tuesday, November 1^st from 6:30-9:15 pm.  For information or to register, visit here 
11. Congratulations to Bobby Monroe who was selected for the All-State Jazz Band! 
12. The FCPSMental Health and Wellness Conference will be held on Saturday, October 29, 2016, from 8:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Fairfax High School.  The keynote speaker will be  Dena Simmons, Director of Implementation at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, and the featured speaker will be Dr. Gloria Addo-Ayensu, Fairfax County Director of Health.  A wide variety of resource tables will be available to participants, as will be more than 50 breakout session options, including a special showing of the new documentary, Resilience: The Biology of Stress and the Science of Hope  (http://kpjrfilms.co/resilience/).  This documentary, directed by James Redford and premiered at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival, explores how adverse childhood experiences (ACE) can alter brain development and be predictive of future health issues.  The documentary also features the work of pediatricians, therapists, educators, and community leaders engaged in a national movement to educate others on the importance of preventing childhood trauma and treating toxic stress as ways to improve the health of future generations.  The conference event page can be accessed at: https://www.fcps.edu/event/mental-health-and-wellness-conference. Included on the event page is a link to register for the conference, and a link where visitors will find detailed information about sessions offered, as well as presenter information.  This information will be updated regularly with additional information for participants.
13. News You Can Use: If you haven’t already done so, please consider registering to receive PTSA updates through the FCPS News You Can Use program. It’s a bit cumbersome to register but this is the main way the PTSA will be able to send messages (other than the eblasts and Facebook).  To register: Go to FCPS.edu; Scroll to the bottom then click on the mustard yellow banner “Stay Updated with What’s Happening at FCPS with News You Can Choose; Click the “Sign Up Now box; Enter your email address and click “submit”; Find the button for “High Schools” and select “Westfield”; Choose first line “News and Announcements” then choose second line “PTSA” and click submit. You will see a green banner with a check mark and “Subscriptions Updated”.  While in the system, you can opt for other areas of interest as well.
14. Volunteer Fairfax: Volunteerfest is Saturday, 10/22! This local celebration of National Make a Difference Day seeks volunteers to help tackle projects at local nonprofits. Volunteers are needed for various shifts spread throughout the day. Register at volunteerfairfax.org
15. After School Concessions Volunteers Still Needed:  Are you looking for a regular (every-other week) volunteer spot? There are several openings for the after school concessions stand which runs from September through May! Please contact Amanda Bremer with questions or to volunteer.
16. Athletic Teams Calendar:  To see the games/matches/meets for all WHS athletic teams, click here!  
17. Amazon.com Ordering:  If you order from Amazon.com, please access the website through the link on the right side of the PTSA webpage   Every order placed earns the PTSA much needed funds, at NO cost to you! Thank you!
18. Silent Fundraisers:  We participate in several store school support programs, such as Giant’s A+ School Rewards and Harris Teeter’s Together in Education program. You DO have to relink your Harris Teeter card each year but you do not have to relink your Giant card (but please check to ensure that you’ve designated Westfield!)  Please check out this link for more information!

GOOD LUCK TO ALL FALL SPORTS TEAMS IN THE PLAYOFFS!

The Field Hockey team plays for the Conference Championship TONIGHT at 7 pm at the WHS stadium!

(No passes accepted since this is a playoff game. Tickets are $7)  Good luck!

GOOD LUCK TO THE MARCHING BAND AT UPCOMING COMPETITIONS: at

 JMU (10/22) and at the University of Maryland (11/5)!