BOLT REPORT
Go Lightning!
JANUARY NEWSLETTER
January Calendar
SENIORS PLEASE BE SURE YOU ARE FOLLOWING THE SENIOR TIMELINE FOR DEADLINES!
1 - HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
3 - Return to school
3 - Winter spirit week: Perfect Snow Day
4 - Winter spirit week: Anything But a Backpack
5 - Winter spirit week: Mathletes vs Athletes
5-6 - Drug and Alcohol presentations in HPE10
6 - Winter spirit week: First Letter Fit
7 - Winter spirit week: Class Color Day
7 - 2nd Quarter make up "B" day
7 - Basketball game vs Tusky: Flannel out for spirit week
5 - Class of 2024 BINGO night, 6pm
8 - Bolt Bash Dance, 8pm
10 - 2nd quarter make up "A" day
11 - Sophomore College/Career lesson in English
14 - Principal Coffee and Chat, 8:15am
14 - Sophomore College/Career lesson in English
14-15 - LR Theatre One Act Plays
19 - Curriculum Night, 6:30pm
20 - Percussion and Guitar concert
21- Elective fair during Activity block
21-22 - LR Theatre One Act Plays
28 - Principal Coffee and Chat, 8:15am
28 - End of Semester One
31 - Student Holiday
What's in this issue?
2) A Note from Dr. Hitchman
3) Lightridge Counseling
- 2022-2023 Course Registration Calendar
- Academies of Loudoun Winter Admissions
- ASVAB
6) Lightridge Testing
7) Lightridge Athletics
- January sports schedule
- Athletic Boosters
9) Listen Up Lightridge!!
- Learning Labs
A Note from Dr. Hitchman...
Good afternoon Lightridge community and Happy New Year. I hope you and your family had a wonderful holiday. While I am sure our students and staff enjoyed the opportunity to recharge and relax, I am looking forward to having students and staff returning to the building on Monday, January 3. It has been pretty quiet around here the last two weeks.
Historically, January is one of the busiest months and this year is no exception. Not only do we conclude the 2nd marking period and 1st semester at the end of the month, we also begin planning for classes we want to take during the 2022-2023 school year. Our seniors begin to receive acceptance letters from colleges while our athletic and academic teams move into the heart of the season. This year, there are four weeks of school during the month of January and there is still time for students to improve their grade for the 2nd marking period. Our academic support centers are open and available during every study hall block and we encourage students to reach out to their teachers if they have questions in class.
We also want to continue building strong connections with our parents and community. We hope parents and families are able to join us for our two Principal Coffee & Chat sessions which will occur during the month of January as well as Curriculum Night on Wednesday, January 19. We also invite families to attend a performing arts or sporting event during the month of January. Our students have spent a lot of time preparing for these opportunities and it is wonderful to see them participating in-person this year.
Finally, I would like to thank those parents and families who volunteered or donated to our Staff Appreciation Day on December 16. We were overwhelmed with the amount of support and donations. While we are in our second year as a high school, our school opening has been anything but normal. Lightridge has not followed the path of other school openings and I feel we are still learning about our community and connecting with families. While our students and staff are still required to wear masks indoors, this is way better than where we were in January 2020 with silence and empty hallways. While I still sometimes feel like “the new kid in town,” please know I will work tirelessly to earn your trust with your most precious resource…your children! Thank you again for being your child’s biggest advocate and I look forward to seeing our students grow and mature in the year 2022. Thank you for taking the time to read our newsletter and together we light the way.
Sincerely,
Dr. Ryan P. Hitchman
Please be sure to check out our weekly newsletter from Barrie Sheivert that focuses on all things college and career!
The course selection process for next school year begins at the end of January. This may seem early to select courses, but this information is very important in regards to staffing decisions and course options for next year.
During the month of January, teachers will be evaluating student performance and data to make recommendations for course levels for next year. Teacher recommendations will be populated automatically into StudentVUE. Please take these teacher recommendations seriously, and encourage your student to have a conversation with his/her teacher if the student does not agree with a teacher’s recommendation. The core classes will be locked in StudentVUE and can only be changed with the school counselor AFTER the individual academic advising session has been conducted. Students and parents can edit elective courses in StudentVUE between January 20th & March 25th. Counselors will meet with ALL students individually to review each student’s course selection and discuss them in depth with their Academic Career Plan and post-secondary options.
Please remember this is a process. Please take advantage of the presentations being offered below as we believe these will answer all of your questions regarding course sequencing, class options, and graduation requirements.
Below is a calendar of events being held virtually at Lightridge to help your student and you through this process. Please look at our website for extensive information to help with this process.
Rising 9th
- Jan 19: Curriculum Night
6:30pm 9th Grade Curriculum Overview in Auditorium
7:30pm Course Fair
- Feb 9 and 11: Lightridge counselors join resource with current 8th graders at Willard to present course information, answer general questions and assist with choosing electives in StudentVue
- Feb 11: 8:30am Coffee with the Counselors for Rising 9th Parents - Lightridge counselors will meet with parents to answer questions pertaining to course selection and rigor.
Rising 10th
- Jan 19: Curriculum Night
- Jan 20: Current 9th graders watch course selection video during Advisory
- Jan 21: Elective Fair during activity block
- Jan 24-25: Counselors join study hall to answer general questions and assist with choosing electives in StudentVue
- First week of March: Individual Academic Advising conducted with counselors for current freshman during study hall
6:30pm 10th Grade Curriculum Overview in Cafeteria
7:30pm Course Fair
8:15pm AP Panel in Auditorium
Rising 11th
- Jan 19: Curriculum Night
- Jan 20: Current 10th graders watch course selection video during Advisory
- Jan 21: Elective Fair during activity block
- Jan 24-25: Counselors join study hall to answer general questions and assist with choosing electives in StudentVue
- Mid February: Individual Academic Advising conducted with counselors for current sophomores during study hall
6:30pm Course Fair
7:30pm 11th Grade Curriculum Overview in Auditorium
8:15pm AP Panel in Auditorium
Rising 12th
- Jan 19: Curriculum Night
- Jan 20: Current 11th graders watch course selection video during Advisory
- Jan 21: Elective Fair during activity block
- Jan 24-25: Counselors join study hall to answer general questions and assist with choosing electives in StudentVue
- Beginning of February: Individual Academic Advising conducted with counselors for current juniors during study hall
6:30pm Course Fair
7:30pm 12th Grade Curriculum Overview in Cafeteria
8:15pm AP Panel in Auditorium
All Grade Levels
Jan 20: StudentVue course selection open, teacher course recommendations for 22-23 loaded for review by parents and student
Feb 15: Winter admissions cycle for MATA and Advanced AET closes at NOON
March 25: Course registration portal in StudentVue closes. Once the portal closes, all Lightridge students will need to request changes online OR current Willard students can see their counselor to request a change.
April 30: Paperwork deadline for Dual Enrollment, Early Release, and Non-Recommended Level Up paperwork due to counselor
April 30: 1st Course Change Deadline - no change requests will be processed from May 1 allowing faculty time to evaluate course requests and begin to build the master schedule.
June 1-June 15: Course request window will reopen for students to make any last minute changes. Lightridge students will need to request changes online OR current Willard students can see their counselor to request a change.
June 15: FINAL DEADLINE TO MAKE COURSE REQUEST CHANGES
2022 Winter Admissions Cycle - For enrollment in school year 2022-2023
2022 Winter Admissions Cycle - For enrollment in school year 2022-2023
Application Timeline & Requirements
- Window Opens | December 6, 2021 – For Academies of Loudoun Winter 2022 Admissions
- Window Closes | February 15, 2022 - Winter admissions window closes at 12:00 p.m. (noon)
- Winter Admissions Testing Session | Saturday, February 19, 2022 (For Advanced AET applicants only)
- March 2022 - admissions offers will be posted in admissions portal
- March-August 2022 - Students must accept or decline all admissions offers
MATA Admission Criteria – All applicants must submit an application in order to be considered for enrollment
- Resume required (upload in admissions portal)
The resume must include:
Full name and LCPS student ID
All experiences or interests relevant to pathway choices in application
- Career Goal Statement required (500 word max – upload in application portal)
- Enrolled in Algebra I or above at time of application
- PSAT score (NMSQT) required**
- Review of Academic Record by counselor and admissions office
- Verification of on-time graduation requirements by high school counselor
- Counselor recommendation required (automated process through application portal for LCPS students)
Advanced AET Admission Criteria - All applicants must submit an application in order to be considered for enrollment
- Currently enrolled in Math Analysis
- Successful completion of 2 science credits by the end of 10th grade (Research Earth Science and/or Research Biology and/or Research Chemistry are recommended)
- Final grade of C or above in each course in grade 9 and grade of C or above in each course for Semester I of grade 10
- PSAT scores (NMSQT)**
- Writing Assessment score required
**Applicants without a PSAT score report may submit an SAT or an ACT score report as a substitute. Results must be submitted to the Admissions Office prior to February 17, 2022
Monroe Advanced Technical Academy (MATA) – Pathway Options – 9th, 10th, and 11th grade applicants only
Advanced AET Pathways – 10th grade applicants only
ASVAB - Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery
Wednesday, January 19th, 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm, ASVAB Test at Lightridge High School
*Other dates available at multiple LCPS Schools. Check the form above for dates.
2021-2022 ASVAB Test Registration
The ASVAB test is open to all LCPS students, grades 10-12. Please arrive 15-20 minutes prior to the start time of the test for check-in. If you have any questions, contact the Career Center Assistant at the testing location.
The ASVAB Career Exploration Program can help young adults identify and explore potentially satisfying occupations and develop effective strategies to realize career goals.
The ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery) is one of the most widely used, multiple-aptitude tests in the world, developed and maintained by the Department of Defense. More than half of all high schools nationwide administer the ASVAB test to students in grades 10, 11 and 12 (sophomores cannot use their scores for enlistment eligibility).
The ASVAB consists of the following eight individual tests:
-General Science
-Arithmetic Reasoning
-Word Knowledge
-Paragraph Comprehension
-Mathematics Knowledge
-Electronics Information
-Auto and Shop Information
-Mechanical Comprehension
Students are provided with scores on each of these individual tests and three Career Exploration Score composites: Verbal Skills, Math Skills and Science and Technical Skills. The battery takes approximately three hours to complete, and test results are returned to schools in a few weeks.
The Military uses students’ ASVAB scores to identify the occupations that best suit their abilities. Junior, senior and post-secondary school students can use their ASVAB scores for enlistment for up to two years after taking the test.
More information on the ASVAB and test prep can be found here:
https://www.military.com/join-armed-forces/asvab
Lightridge High School encourages students to actively engage in volunteer service throughout high school. Students who demonstrate a strong commitment to service, as evidenced by completing 100 or more hours of service by April of their senior year, will earn a service cord to be worn at graduation. Loudoun County Public Schools does not require volunteer service hours for graduation.
In order to qualify for a service cord, students must submit their volunteer hours each year during the eligibility period for each school year. The Lightridge Volunteer Service Form can be completed as many times as needed throughout the academic year to document multiple volunteer activities and service hours. Students may only count volunteer service hours from the summer before 9th grade through April of senior year. Happy volunteering!
Dear Lightridge Community Member,
It’s the season of giving and the Class of 2023 needs your help! For many of us this is our first official year in an actual high school. As freshmen we attended Willard Intermediate School and as sophomores we spent the year attending school online. While we cannot change the past, we still have hope for the future. The Junior Class wants to guarantee that Lightridge students get the high school experience they deserve. Time and opportunities to fundraise have been limited as Lightridge opened up just last year in the middle of a pandemic, and due to COVID-19 regulations we have not been able to fundraise as we had hoped.
Our class is currently responsible for planning the 2022 Lightridge Prom, and we want to make this dance a night to remember. In order to do so, we need the generous help from people like you.
Please help us continue to make Lightridge our home and make our last two years of high school memorable. Any amount of donation will help, and we sincerely appreciate every dollar. If you own a business or know of a business who would like to perhaps sponsor us, please contact either of our faculty sponsors – Mrs. Buskey or Ms. Pfaff (their contact information is below). To donate, please scan the QR code on this letter or go directly to our donation website at https://bit.ly/lrhs23.
With gratitude,
Lightridge High School Class of 2023
Junior Class Council Members:
Tiffany Quagliata, Claire Hutchison, Jonathan Cedeño, Madison McGriff
Class of 2023 Faculty Co-Sponsors:
Mrs. Dawn Buskey (dawn.buskey@lcps.org) Ms. Sarah Pfaff (sarah.pfaff@lcps.org)
2021-2022 Assessment Windows
- Winter 2022 MAP Testing - January 3-28, 2022
- ACCESS for ELLs - January 18 - March 18, 2022
- VAAP - Late Winter (date TBD) - June 3, 2022
- Spring 2022 Writing SOL - March 8-18, 2022
- Spring 2022 MAP Testing - March 28 - April 29, 2022
- AP Testing - May 2-13, 2022
Spring 2022 Non-Writing SOL - May 9 - June 3, 2022
PSAT Scores posted in December.
If your child took the PSAT 8/9 or the PSAT/NSMQT in October score reports are available on the College Board website.
In order to access scores, your child will need to create a College Board account if they have not already done so. Directions for creating an account can be found here. If your child already has an account, please do not create another one.
For more information about your child’s PSAT scores, such as the score structure, what the score report includes, and how to understand the scores, please click here.
AP Testing
March 11th is the deadline for AP Payment, AP Cancellation and AP Late Registration
Students currently enrolled in an AP Course and planning on taking the corresponding AP Exam, must register for the test through their College Board account at https://apstudents.collegeboard.org. Any exams that are registered for from now until March 11th will be subject to a $40 late fee.
Also, as you may recall, LCPS has agreed to pay for the first 4 AP exams that your student takes, effective this school year. To clarify, if a student is taking 4 AP exams or less this school year, and registered before November 5th, they do not need to pay anything.
Students planning on taking more than 4 AP exams this year, will need to pay $87 per test, for the number of exams over 4 that they are taking. For example, if a student will be taking 6 AP exams, they will need to pay $174 ($87 x 2 tests).
Parents please note that you need to pay for the exams by March 11th. If you are certain that your student will be taking (and is registered for) more than 4 exams and you would like to make a payment at this time, please use the school's online payment portal. If your child attends Academies of Loudoun, and will be taking all of their exams there, you will need to make payment through the Academies of Loudoun payment portal. If they are taking exams at both Lightridge and the Academies, please make all your payments via the Lightridge online payment portal.
I will be sending periodic reminder emails to families who have students taking more than 4 exams and have not paid beginning in January. If you have questions about the number of tests your child may be registered for, reach out to Donna Draisey.
ACCESS for ELLs Testing
ACCESS for ELLs, or the Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State-to-State for English Language Learners test, is a state and federally mandated English language proficiency assessment administered to identified English Learner (EL) students in Kindergarten through grade 12. The assessment helps LCPS monitor the progress of ELs' English language development throughout the school year and from one year to the next.
ACCESS testing will take place for Lightridge students during the month of February. Click here for complete information on ACCESS for ELLs testing.
I will continue to do everything I can to create a stress-free testing atmosphere for all students and to communicate with students and parents regarding testing dates, times and locations. All communication to students comes through E-Hall Pass and their LCPS issued email account so encourage your student(s) to check both of these sources regularly.
Please do not hesitate to contact me via email if you have questions or concerns about any aspect of testing. You can also go to the Lightridge Testing Office website for the latest testing information.
Follow us on Twitter @LightridgeTest
Winter Sports
5-Jan LRHS vs Park View at Home 545/715
7-Jan LRHS vs Tuscarora at Home 545/715
10-Jan LRHS vs Loudoun Valley Away 545/715
12-Jan LRHS vs Rock Ridge Away 615/500/730
14-Jan LRHS vs Heritage at Home 615/500/730
18-Jan LRHS vs Dominion Away 545/715
21-Jan LRHS vs Park View at Home 545/715
25-Jan LRHS vs Loudoun County Away 545/715
28-Jan LRHS vs Broad Run Away 545/715
31-Jan LRHS vs Brentsville (JV/V Only) Away 545/715
GIRLS BASKETBALL
4-Jan LRHS vs Riverside Home 545/715
7-Jan LRHS vs Tuscarora Away 545/715
10-Jan LRHS vs Riverside (JV) Home 545
10-Jan LRHS vs Loudoun Valley (9th/V Only) Home 545/715
12-Jan LRHS vs Rock Ridge Away 500/730/615
14-Jan LRHS vs Heritage Home 500/730/615
18-Jan LRHS vs Dominion Home 545/715
21-Jan LRHS vs Freedom (9th Only) Away 530
21-Jan LRHS vs Park View (JV/V Only) Away 545/715
25-Jan LRHS vs Freedom (9th Only) Home 545
25-Jan LRHS vs Loudoun County Home 545/715
28-Jan LRHS vs Broad Run Home 545/715
VARSITY WRESTLING
5-Jan LRHS/Dominion/Rock Ridge at Dominion 6:00PM
8-Jan Warhawk Duals at Madison 9:00 AM
11-Jan LRHS/Broad Run/Tuscarora at Tuscarora 6:00 PM
15-Jan LRHS/PVI at PVI time TBD
19-Jan LRHS/Loudoun Co./Loudoun Valley at Loudoun Valley 6:00 PM
22-Jan LRHS/Spotsylvania at Spotsylvania 10:00 AM
26-Jan LRHS/Heritage/Park View (Sr Night) at Lightridge 6:00 PM
JV WRESTLING
5-Jan LRHS/Dominion/Rock Ridge at Dominion 6:00 PM
12-Jan LRHS/Broad Run/Tuscarora at Tuscarora 6:00 PM
19-Jan LRHS/Loudoun Co./Loudoun Valley at Loudoun Valley 6:00 PM
26-Jan LRHS/Heritage/Park View at Lightridge 6:00 PM
GYMNASTICS
6-Jan LR, BR, RR, PF, D, PV (Sr Night) at Lightridge 6:00 PM
10-Jan LR, I, T, PV, RV at Independence 6:00 PM
19-Jan LR,JC, SB, LC, F, T at John Champe 6:00 PM
24-Jan LR, H, D, BR, T, LV at Heritage 6:00 PM
SWIM
8-Jan LRHS vs Loudoun Valley @ SR 12:30 PM
14-Jan LRHS vs Stone Bridge @ Ida Lee 7:00 PM
22-Jan LRHS vs Park View @ SR 12:30 PM
28-Jan LRHS vs Broad Run @ Ida Lee 9:00 PM
WINTER TRACK
Jan 5 LR,BW, PV, T at Tuscarora 3:00 PM
Jan. 12 LR, PF, F, D at Dominion
Jan. 17 Pat Covas Invite at Boo Williams 9:00 AM
Jan 19 LR, BR, RR, JC at Champe
Jan 29 Bulldog Invite at Liberty University 9:30 AM
SCHOLASTIC BOWL
11-Jan LR, D, T at Tuscarora 5:30 PM
20-Jan Districts at Dominion 5:30 PM
Athletics Ticket Sales:
Season passes are on sale for this school year. These remain great savings for families who attend multiple games throughout the year. Information is available at events.ticketspicket.com/agency/059a311… or scan the QR code below to purchase through TicketSpicket.Com
ATHLETIC PAPERWORK:
In order to tryout for winter sports/spring sports and participate in out of season sessions, students must have submitted a current VHSL Physical AND have completed the online registration. Instructions for both are posted on Lightridgeathletics.org, under files and links. Only students who have both sets of paperwork completed will be permitted to participate in any off-season practice sessions, weight training, or in-season tryouts. All interested athletes, please complete the online registration now for the upcoming school year. Choose all sports in which you are interested in participating this year. Please scan and email the completed physical to Jason.Treon@LCPS.org and complete the online paperwork. Only physicals dated after May 1, 2021 are valid. Many have already sent in VHSL physicals, much appreciated! Please now complete the online registration to be eligible for athletics this year.
Important Dates:
Spring Sports Begin---February 21
STAY CONNECTED WITH LIGHTRIDGE ATHLETICS:
- Lightridgeathletics.org is the primary website/source of athletics information (schedules, department updates, team news and calendars, etc.)
- Sign up to receive "Email Alerts" on Lightridgeathletics.org and choose the sport/s to follow
- Follow us on twitter at @Lightridge_LCPS
- Follow us on Instagram at @Lightridge_LCPS
Welcome to the Lightridge Library! We strive to be the heart of our diverse community. We provide a place for students to learn and appreciate the power of print and digital information through universal access to knowledge. We encourage literacy, inquiry, and social-emotional health. We welcome all Lightridge community members to learn, discover, create, and connect in our vibrant, joyful space! Here's what's happening in the library!
- Mrs. Jennifer Sweeney will be Ms. Ivory's long-term substitute during Ms. Ivory's maternity leave. Welcome, Mrs. Sweeney!
- Our Art Teacher, Mr. Haller, and some of our Lightridge artists are lending us some of their creations to display in the library space. We currently have 9 pieces of student artwork on display and are hoping to receive more.
- Our Lightridge Library volunteers assembled several beautiful displays for us in November. We celebrated picture books from our Everybody section and showcased our new books. We also displayed stories written by and about Native Americans in honor of Native American Heritage Month. Special thanks to Mrs. Angela Cushing for loaning us Native American artifacts to enhance our display.
- We have some new puzzles and games for students in the Spark Collaboratory!
BOLT BASH SPIRIT WEEK
Lightning Learning Labs & PEER Tutors
WHO: Any student who needs additional support in an academic subject area.
WHAT: The LIGHTNING LEARNING LABS Program promotes academic success for all Lightridge students and provides additional academic support, when needed. The vision is that all LRHS students will be academically successful and prepared for post-secondary options upon graduation. Math, English, Science, and Social Studies will have licensed staff available for tutorial assistance throughout the school day for students to utilize.
Students may work in Lightning Learning Labs on class assignments or on materials of personal interest. If a student is behind in school work, in jeopardy of failing a class, or needs assistance with work completion they may be assigned by their teacher to mandatory attendance in a Lightning Learning Lab..
WHEN: All students may access the Lightning Learning Labs during lunch and during study hall.
WHERE:
- Humanities support is located in room 1603 and is staffed by English and Social Studies.
- STEM support is located in room 2423 and is staffed by Math and Science.
WHY:
STUDENT benefits:
- Consistent academic support throughout the academic day.
- Development of necessary study skills to academically succeed in the future.
- Assistance with completion of all assignments, with the goal of academic success.
- Access to additional academic resources, technology and extra time to complete work.
- Established high school and life survival skills of hope, resilience, and self-advocacy.
HOW:
Student Procedures:
- If planned at least 30 minutes prior, students should make an appointment pass to “Humanities Lab Block X” or to “STEM Lab Block X”.
- If a student is making a plan to go to a Lightning Learning Lab immediately, a proxy pass should be made.
- Teachers can make an appointment pass to “Humanities Lab Block X” or to “STEM Lab Block X”. Appointment passes should be made for students in the following scenarios.
- If a student needs to make up a test or quiz.
- If the student is missing several assignments.
- If the student needs additional help understanding a topic and the teacher.
- Students can seek the help of the Lightning Learning Labs during study hall OR during their assigned lunch. Students may bring a packed lunch to eat in the room but may NOT bring a lunch from the cafeteria.
Limitations:
- There will be a cap of 20 active passes at a time.
- A student may come to the Lightning Lab, get help needed, and return to study hall. This frees up time for another student to come in for additional support.
Lightridge High School
Email: christi.campbell@lcps.org
Website: https://www.lcps.org/lightridge
Location: 41025 Collaboration Drive Aldie, VA 20105
Phone: (571)367-4100
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LightridgeHighSchool/
Twitter: @LightridgeLCPS