Lightridge High School
Go Lightning!
MAY 2020
What's in this issue?
- Google Classroom join codes
- A Note from Dr. Hitchman
- Lightridge Athletics
- Mental Health and Wellness Resources for Students and Families
- 2020-2021 Student Course Selection
- Virtual Loudoun
- Lightning Bugs Preschool
- All Things Assessment
- Need Something to do During COVID
- Summer Enrichment Opportunities
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A NOTE FROM DR. HITCHMAN:
I hope you and your family are healthy and doing well. While the educational focus is currently centered on finishing the 2019-2020 school year, the Lightridge staff are making plans to welcome 9th, 10th, and 11th grade students in August. The Lightridge administrative team is cognizant that when we open our doors to students, parents, and staff, they will not have been in a brick and mortar building in approximately five months. While some may believe we need to get students “caught up” academically immediately, I believe our primary goal should be on the social, emotional, and mental well being of our students. I echo our state superintendent’s message of focusing on the wellness of students and establishing school communities and culture. There are several great resources contained in our newsletter which provide guidance and support for our students' mental health during these unprecedented times. When Lightridge opens, we will spend time building and fostering positive relationships with our students, parents, and community; creating a learning environment where all want to be.
I would like to thank those of you who voted for whether Lightridge will organize a PTSA or PTSO. The results indicated the majority of parents preferred a Parent Teacher Student Organization (PTSO). Over the next few weeks we will hold PTSO interest meetings, create bylaws, and elect a PTSO executive committee. If you are interested in participating in building the foundation for the Lightridge PTSO, please share your interest with me. I can be reached at ryan.hitchman@lcps.org.
One of the many things I miss the most is meeting and communicating with students and parents. I appreciate everyone who attended Coffee & Chat sessions at Brewbirds or Harris Teeter or joined us for a Saturday Morning Jog in the fall. In an effort to reconnect, I invite you to participate in the first Virtual Lightridge Principal Coffee & Chat on Friday, May 8 from 8:00-9:00 am. The link to access the Coffee & Chat is listed below.
The faculty and staff of Lightridge High School is here to serve you and answer any questions you may have regarding the opening of school. We will continue to provide you with updates regarding construction, athletics, clubs, and other activities. Stay safe and we look forward to meeting everyone and celebrating the opening of Lightridge. Thank you for taking the time to read our newsletter.
Sincerely,
Ryan Hitchman, Principal Lightridge High School
Coffee and Chat
Principal Coffee & Chat on Friday, May 8:
https://meet.google.com/jsb-hqan-nbp
Or dial: +1 620-288-2411 PIN: 762 604 928#
Friday, May 8, 2020, 08:00 AM
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RSVPs are enabled for this event.
May 1, 2020: VHSL Physicals valid after this date for next school year.
June 28-July 5th: Summer No Athletic Activities Duration
June 11th: Sports Online Registration Portal Opens
August 3rd: Fall Sports Tryouts
Please sign up for email/sms alerts at our athletics website. As we move forward, this will be a great resource of information.
Athletic Trainer
Assistant Athletic Director
Fall Sports
Football
Field Hockey
Cheer
Golf
Cross Country
Vball
Winter Sports
Swim
Wrestling
Boys Bball
Spring sports - coming soon!
Mental Health and Wellness Resources for Students and Families
2020-2021 Student Course Selection
A few reminders:
- If you would like to make an elective change to a course request, please complete the Course Selection Change Form.
- If you wish to make a level change in a core class that was not recommended by the your current teacher, please follow the Level Up Process for Willard Intermediate.
- ALL COURSE REQUEST CHANGES MUST BE SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL COUNSELING OFFICE BY JUNE 1, 2020.
- Rising 11th grade students who have requested early release periods must turn in their Waiver of Full Day Request Form into the School Counseling Office by June 1.
- Students who have registered for one of the NOVA Dual Enrollment courses offered must turn in their NOVA Intent to Enroll form ASAP. If this form is not returned by May 1st, the student will not be able to take the DE course requested.
Virtual Loudoun
Virtual Loudoun Change in Fees
Given the current COVID-19 crisis and recognizing the financial burden of some of our families, LCPS is reducing the cost of all Virtual Loudoun Term 3 one credit courses to $375. A full list of course fees can be found on our website here. Virtual Loudoun staff are working to communicate the change with schools and families as well as process refunds for those that have already made payment. Budget pending, LCPS plans to maintain this new fee structure in the future. Questions can be directed to Laura Hicks, Supervisor of Virtual Loudoun.
The Virtual Loudoun 10-week Term 3 session is set to proceed as planned, and registration opened on April 20. Some things to keep in mind:
- Students are limited to a maximum of 2 credits of virtual coursework for acceleration in summer throughout middle and high school as specified on page 5 of the Operations Guide (under the green header, Student Enrollment per School). This applies to ALL virtual coursework, not just Virtual Loudoun. Repeating a course in Term 3 that the student is taking in their current schedule is not acceleration and will not count towards the 2 credit limit.
- Registration fees apply for Term 3 as specified on the Payment webpage of the VL website. Full payments may be made using the LCPS Online School Payments portal or mailed to LCPS admin as specified on the Payment webpage.
- Students taking virtual HPE classes are welcome and encouraged to use their own fitness tracker if desired (for example, a FitBit or Apple Watch). If students need to borrow a MovBand, they should complete the Activity Band Request. We will provide the link to them in their approved registration email confirmation. This link can also found on the HPE Activity Tracking webpage. We will determine a MovBand distribution plan and communicate those details to you as well as students/parents just before Term 3 begins.
- Students taking HPE 10 w/ Driver Education must turn 15 BEFORE August 27th to be eligible for virtual Driver Education. Students must also have access to a Windows PC or Mac computer to be able to successfully access the VADETS Driver Education workbooks. Chromebooks do not work with the VADETS workbooks.
Term 3: Spring /Summer 2020 - 10 week term
- Registration begins on April 20, 2020 and closes on May 15, 2020.
- Classes begin on June 1, 2020 and end on August 07, 2020.
- The last day in Term 3 to drop a Virtual Loudoun course is June 26, 2020--no indication of course on student's transcript.
- Students may withdraw from a virtual course between June 27 and July 17 with a Withdraw Pass (WP) if the current grade, determined by progress measured by the course pacing guide, is 60 or higher, or a Withdraw Fail (WF) if the current grade is below 60. These withdrawals will have no impact on GPA.
- For all students, June 26, 2020 is the last day to pay for a Virtual Loudoun course, or request a refund.
Term 1: Fall/Winter 2020-2021 - 15 week term
- Registration begins on Monday, May 18, 2020 and closes on Friday, August 14, 2020.
- Classes begin on Monday, August 31, 2020 and end on Friday, December 11, 2020.
- The last day in Term 1 to drop a Virtual Loudoun course is September 25, 2020--no indication of course on student's transcript.
- Students may withdraw from a virtual course between September 26 and November 13 with a Withdraw Pass (WP) if the current grade, determined by progress measured by the course pacing guide, is 60 or higher, or a Withdraw Fail (WF) if the current grade is below 60. These withdrawals will have no impact on GPA.
- For students who do not attend LCPS, September 25, 2020 is the last day to pay for a Virtual Loudoun course or request a refund.
LIGHTNING BUGS PRESCHOOL
The Lightridge Early Childhood Education program is now accepting applications for preschool. If anyone is interested in enrolling their child in the Lightning Bugs Preschool program, please fill-out the attached form and return to Kaitlin.Murray@lcps.org in a separate email. There is a $100 deposit as well, which you can pay for on the online portal (instructions are on the form).
If you know of any local neighbors who would also be interested in having their child enroll in the preschool program, please pass this form along to them.
ALL THINGS ASSESSMENT
ACT Resources for Students and Parents:
- April 15 Press Release about summer and fall testing
- ACT Prep Class - April 18
- ACT Boot Camp - April 29
- ACT Academy
- American College Application Campaign’s College Research Worksheet
- ACT Voice-Based Assistant (Beta Version)
- More Student and Parent Resources
College Board SAT Updates:
June 6 SAT Is Canceled; New 2020 Testing Opportunities
Right now, public health officials have made clear it is not safe to gather students in one place. As such, we will not be able to administer the SAT and SAT Subject Tests as planned in June. Please see our plans to ensure that students will have opportunities to take the SAT to make up for the lost administrations this spring.
NAVIANCE
Loudoun County Public Schools has put together a Naviance Student resource website for students and parents. The purpose of the site is to show students/parents how to access Naviance Curriculum (available through June 30), and how to navigate some basic things on the site.
Lightridge counselors will explore Naviance in the 20-21 school year with all grade levels as we prepare students for post-secondary options after graduation.
KHAN ACADEMY
AVIGATE 2020 VIRTUAL CONFERENCE AND COLLEGE FAIR
This event will host three days of live-stream expert presentations for students and families and a concurrent virtual college fair with fully interactive booths. Students can chat live with college admissions representatives, helping to find fit.
Students and families have lost opportunities in their college search due to COVID-19. This event is free-of-charge to attendees and is designed to help students and colleges connect safely during the COVID-19 crisis. The event will be live for three days, packed with informative sessions about the college decision process. During those three days, students can also browse interactive college fair booths, chatting live with admissions representatives.
After three days of live interactions, this event will remain posted at the event site until the COVID-19 crisis is over. Students need access to information and this site will remain a robust tool for exploring their options. We hope you can join us in this important event! Register soon, space is limited. Learn More or Register Now
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SUMMER ENRICHMENT OPPORTUNITIES
W&M LAW SCHOOL 2020 SUMMER COURSES FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS - NOW Online
This summer, William & Mary Law School offers an exceptional opportunity for high school students (14+) to experience law-related courses in the comfort of their homes using an interactive videoconferencing platform. Courses will be offered online, and students may join us for one, two, or all three courses.
Registration is available on our website.
This unique program consists of interactive and dynamic modules designed to stimulate students' conceptual learning and problem-solving skills. The courses are:
- Introduction to Law & the U.S. Legal System (June 15-18, 2020) 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM, EST
(June 15, 9:00 AM – 12:30 PM, EST) - Introduction to Artificial Intelligence (June 22-24, 2020) 2:00 PM – 4:30 PM, EST
- Introduction to Negotiations (June 24-26, 2020) 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM, EST
The courses are taught by Professors Fred Lederer and Iria Giuffrida, members of the faculty at William & Mary Law School and respectively Center for Legal & Court Technology’s Director and Deputy Director.
For more information, please don't hesitate to contact lakuderka@wm.edu or 757-221-2494
2020 HISPANIC COLLEGE INSTITUTE AT VT (rising juniors)
The 2020 HCI at Virginia Tech
The Virginia Latino Higher Education Network's 2020 Hispanic College Institute (HCI) will now be a virtual, free, 3-day program that gives you the opportunity to learn about the college admissions process while meeting Latinx professional and engaging with Latinx college students from all over our Commonwealth.
The Hispanic College Institute will be on July 9 through July 11, 2020 in the afternoons.
Benefits of attending HCI:
- Gain peer mentorship from college students attending various universities nationally
- Learn about the college life experience of residential living, campus dining, and engagement with Virginia Tech and other universities
- Daily workshops on navigating and completing the college application process, applying for scholarships and financial aid
- Learn about local resources available to Latinx Virginia high school students
- Networking with professionals and building community
Requirements to apply:
- 2.5 GPA or above
- Rising junior or senior
- Enrolled full-time in a Virginia high school
Apply TODAY! Deadline APRIL 19
For more information about the Hispanic College Institute, visithttps://www.valhen.org/programs or email hci@valhen.org.
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY SUMMER HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCE
Columbia University Summer Programs for High School Students has decided to transition to online learning for summer 2020. Columbia has been engaged in online learning for many years, and is uniquely positioned to deliver a rigorous academic program with engaging co-curricular activities.
Information about the Columbia University 3-Week and 1-Week Online Immersion Programs can be found by visiting their website. You can also have your application fee waived by using this code: HSIM220.
WAKE FOREST SUMMER PRE-COLLEGE PROGRAMS
Summer Immersion Program for High School Students:
The Summer Immersion Program - Online Experience is a unique opportunity for rising high school sophomores through incoming college freshmen to dive into a career or college major that they find interesting. The program offers exciting topics, covered in depth, through online coursework led by Wake Forest University professors and staff. The Summer Immersion Program - Online Experience students will have the unique opportunity to build relationships with Wake Forest University students who will serve as mentors throughout the week.
The following Institutes are the proposed online offerings, based on survey feedback and contingent on enrollment of at least 10 or more participants.
Biosciences and Engineering
Business
Debate and Public Advocacy
Health and Exercise Science
Health and Wellbeing
Law
Leadership
Medicine*
Neuroscience
Policy and Politics
Psychology
Sports Marketing
Technology
Summer Exploration Program for Middle School Students:
The Summer Exploration Program – Online Experience is a four-day online STEM-based learning opportunity for rising 7th through rising 9th grade students. Our program offers a variety of learning experiences led by Wake Forest faculty and staff. Students will engage in STEM topics such as genetics, chemistry, energy and coding technologies. Instructors will guide students through virtual investigations about the STEM topic of the day and support students through an at-home activity. The at-home activities range from a digital escape room, design challenges and at-home experiments.
The College LAUNCH for Leadership Program:
The College LAUNCH for Leadership Program is a free, nine-month college prep program for underrepresented high school juniors that focuses on leadership development and social justice awareness and advocacy. Current Scholars will complete their final Saturday Summits online. If you know of a rising high school junior that might be interested in the The College LAUNCH for Leadership Program, please encourage them to apply as we are now accepting applications for the 2020-2021 year.
Spread the love Lightridge!
Lightridge High School Counseling
Email: christi.campbell@lcps.org
Website: https://sites.google.com/lcps.org/lrhsschoolcounseling/home
Location: 41025 Collaboration Drive Aldie, VA 20105
Phone: (571)367-4107
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LightridgeHighSchool/
Twitter: @LightridgeCouns