Cougar Connection
Oakton HS Student Services Newsletter: October 2020
The virtual learning environment impacts us all in different ways and it can be hard to navigate the many emails, links, and deadlines. School staff, as well, are being inundated with an increased volume of emails. We appreciate your patience and grace as we work to the best our ability to address each message in a timely manner.
Student Services Highlights
New Student Events
On November 5, during lunch, all new students will be contacted to join counselors for a check-in. It will be a great opportunity for students to connect with each other and counselors. Updates on clubs and academics will be provided. Please reach out to your student's counselor with any questions.
Academic and Career Plan Lessons
Both students and parents have access to Naviance at www.fcps.edu/Naviance.
November Counselor Advisory Lessons
November 5: Freshmen - First Quarter Reflection: Enhancing your Study Skills with Focused Note-Taking
November 10: Seniors - Six Word Stories
November 17: Juniors - The Power of Positivity
November 24: Sophomores - Building Vision in a Pandemic
College & Career Center Updates
College Application Labs
To help with the crush of early college deadlines, the College and Career Center hosted two college applications labs. Students were able to join a virtual session to get their questions answered. Future work sessions will be advertised via email and counselors' google classrooms.
The FAFSA is open!
Seniors are encouraged to complete the FAFSA as soon as possible. Be aware that colleges often set their own priority deadlines. College Access Fairfax is a great resources for families as they explore options to pay for college. They offer a number of free workshops including Scholarships 101.
In addition, Northern Virginia Community College is offering additional Financial Aid Workshops in English and Spanish on a variety of topics such as Financial Aid Essentials, Filing the FAFSA, and Completing Verification. The attachments below include the descriptions and registration information for November - January.
Parent Resources
The FCPS Parent Resource Center hosts many workshops and webinars on topics such as Mental Health, Executive Functioning, COVID Supports, Special Education/504 Plans, and Digital Citizenship. The workshops are available on the YouTube Channel here. One particular workshop may be helpful for students who are struggling with virtual learning at home: Supporting Executive Functions at Home. Future webinars are listed here.
Well Beings and PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs hosted a panel conversation featuring psychologist, Dr. Lisa Damour, alongside teens and educators. Check out the video and resources for Teens, COVID and Coping. This panel provides insight into how teens are handling this pandemic and the school year.
Parentology: How to Support a Child's Mental Health During the Pandemic
School Psychologist Spotlight
Ms. Marquita Lashley
Hello fellow Cougars! I am a Michigander born and raised. However, I have been lured to Virginia for a new adventure and warmer weather! I graduated from Andrews University with my EdS in School Psychology. I have previously worked in Michigan and Spotsylvania County. This is my first year at FCPS and Oakton High School. I am very excited to be working here! Most of my educational career has been as a school psychologist but I have also worked in family preservation programs as a wraparound worker.
What I love about being a school psychologist is having the opportunity to support students in a variety of ways. One of the ways that school psychologists support students is through consultation. This involves collaborating with families, teachers, counselors, social workers, administrators and community agencies in order to support the academic, behavioral and social-emotional needs of students. Another way that school psychologists support students is through assessment. This includes, but is not limited to, psychological evaluations, interventions, and suicide risk assessments. Finally, school psychologists can also support students with significant emotional needs through counseling.
My professional interests center around Mental Health/Wellness, Growth Mindset, Effective Communication Skills and Problem-Solving. My personal interests center around traveling, visiting historical museums, reading and watching dramas, sci-fi and comedy. I am greatly looking forward to working with the staff and students at Oakton High School!
Upcoming Events
November 4 - Governor's School Interest Meeting
November 5 - New Student Meeting with Counselors
November 5 - Freshman Advisory Lesson
November 10 - Senior Adviory Lesson
November 11 - Veteran's Day: 2-hour early release
November 13- World Kindness Day
November 17 - Junior Advisory Lesson
November 24 - Sophomore Advisory Lesson
November 25 - 27 - Thanksgiving Holiday, no school
World Kindness Day
For more info on World Kindness Day, check out Inspire Kindness and Random Acts of Kindness.