Heritage Weekly Update-May 13
The news you need from the Home of the PRIDE!
May 13, 2022
Traduccion en Espanol
-Cuando llegue aqui haga clic en la flecha que apunta hacia abajo y escoja el idioma "Spanish"
Principal's Message
I hope this Update finds you and those you care about safe and well. There are not a lot of Updates this week, but we have a lot of student recognitions to celebrate...
#hhspridestrong
-Shout out to Heritage PRIDE Productions for their 7 CAPPIES Nominations!!!- Best Orchestra-HHS Pit Orchestra
- Best Ensemble
- Female Dancer-Kayla Crockett
- Female Vocalist-Mia Sirinsky
- Male Vocalist-Tyler Kaplan
- Lead Actor in a Musical-Jonathan Kirkpatrick
- Best Song-Land of Yesterday
- Brooke Crouch
- Paige Lampl
- Sarah Maclean
- Shannon Mihelic
- Hailey Mowery
- Layla Qadir
- Veronica Swartz
Safety at Heritage
Over the past few weeks, Heritage has seen some incidents of fighting and other unsafe behaviors that are not in line with our values as a school and are against the expectations outlined in the Student Rights and Responsibilities document that we all acknowledged at the beginning of the year. Our Administrative and Security teams and school staff are constantly watchful for anything that could pose a threat to the safety of our school, and we adjust our practices to increase supervision when necessary, to provide more structure and guidance to students, and to be proactive to prevent incidents when possible. We ask that all parents remind their children of “See Something, Say Something” and to report inappropriate behavior or any concerns involving our school community to school administrators in a timely fashion.
NHS Blood Drive
Our Annual NHS Blood Drive is coming up on June 1st. More information is below!
Immunization Requirements for Rising Seniors (Class of 2023)
Attention Parents of 11th graders
- It is a requirement of the Commonwealth of Virginia that all students entering the 12th grade receive the final dose of the Meningococcal conjugate(MCV4) vaccine.
- Your child’s primary care office can give these vaccines. Appointments can also be made at the LCHD-703-777-0236-free of charge.
- Please do not wait until last minute to schedule an appointment. Students will not be able to start school on August 25, 2022 unless proof of vaccination is provided to Nurse Stephan
- Documentation may be emailed to: Alison.Stephan@lcps.org
Club Council (ATTENTION STUDENTS)-
Students are you looking for leadership experience? Heritage High School is organizing a Club Council. The purpose of the Heritage Club Council will be to provide a forum to disseminate information to all clubs from the school, community and other clubs. Give club representatives a forum to express their ideas, concerns, needs and to advertise their events. Monitor club activities in the school and the community. Assist all clubs and organizations with their needs. Recognize clubs for outstanding service to the school and community. Establish and implement projects for all clubs to participate in. Students must be in their LCPS account to access the file. If you are interested in serving on the Executive Board of the Council, please fill out this application. If you have questions you can send them to Mr. Uribarri or Mr. Hummer. Please note: Students must be logged into their LCPS Google Account to access the application.
LCPS School Board Updates
- The School Board is also going through the Reconciliation process to trim its FY23 budget based on the allotment from the Loudoun Board of Supervisors. I encourage you to write your School Board members to let them know what you feel are priorities. Possible cuts from the budget include cost of living adjustments and raises for school staff, the planned International Baccalaureate program, and other program changes. Possible cuts to the School Board's budget will be finalized at Tuesday's School Board Meeting. Update: Tuesday night, Dr. Ziegler presented a suggested list of possible reductions. The budget reconciliation process timeline was also defined. There will be a public comment section specifically on budget reconciliation on May 19th, and the fully reconciled budget is expected to be adopted on May 24th at the Fourth School Board Meeting of May.
Senior Announcements, etc.
If you still are in need of graduation announcements, Balfour has them available. Order soon to have them by graduation. https://balfourvirginia.shop/collections/heritage-high-school
Special Permission Windows for 22-23 School Year
We have quite a few students here on Special Permission, so I wanted to include the information about the Special Permission windows for the upcoming school year. Just a reminder, students do have to apply for Special Permission each year.
From the LCPS Special Permission site: "The special permission request window for the 22-23 school year opens to the public on April 1 (at 10:00 am) and closes on June 30. Employees may apply beginning March 1 (at 10:00 am) if applying to bring their child to their own school or an elementary school in their employment cluster. You will receive a decision on your special permission request within 30 days."
College and Career News
Here’s this week’s newsletter: College and Career Center News – May 13 - 21
SAT Help/PTSO Fundraiser
Is your child taking the SAT in the spring? Did they struggle with the PSAT? Come check out one of our PTSO partners, the SAT prep company recently voted "Best Tutoring Company in Ashburn" by Ashburn Magazine - Turbo Tutoring. Every student from our school that registers for a Turbo Tutoring prep class, gets a portion of their admission price sent back to our PTSO!
Check out their upcoming classes here: https://turbo-tutoring. com/act-sat-class- registration/ or feel free to contact them at: turbotutoringinfo@gmail.com
Seniors, All Night Grad Party Sign-up Open!
Registration is open again for the All Night Grad Party! The ANGP is a fun "lock-in" event for senior students to celebrate graduation with their classmates. They will have Ida Lee all to themselves to enjoy swimming, games, & food!! At the end of the event there will be an auction, where students can enter to win a variety of prizes and gift cards; like smart tv's, headphones, dorm essentials, a wireless speaker, and so much more!!
Ticket price is $60. After registration, you will receive an email to fill out a waiver and medical form.
Link to register: https://ptsoheritage.wufoo.com/forms/p1qj5k1j1ir2b9f/
For any questions, please email ptsoheritage.pride@gmail.com
Thank you for your continued trust and support.
ROAR PRIDE!
Jeff Adam
Principal
Heritage High School
#wearethepride
#hhspridestrong
Important Dates
May 14-Prom
May 16-PTSO Meeting
May 17-Band Concert
May 16, 18, 19, 20-SOL testing
May 25-HHS Physical Night
May 26-Choir Concert
May 26-27-Heritage Cluster Art Show
June 1-Heritage Blood Drive
June 3-Underclass End of Year Awards Ceremony; Last Day for Seniors
June 7-Athletic Boosters Golf Outing
June 15-Senior Academic Excellence Awards, 8:45 AM
June 16-Heritage Graduation 2022, 7:30 PM
Heritage Blood Drive
As we did prior to the COVID shutdowns, the Heritage National Honor Society is going to be able to host an INOVA blood drive here at Heritage on Wednesday, June 1st, 2022. This event has been very successful in the past. As you may know, blood supplies have dwindled and drives like this can be very beneficial to the community. Here is what you need to know:
-The drive will take place in the main gym on Wednesday, June 1st from 9:30am until 3:30pm.
-Students who are aged 16 and up are encouraged to donate and will need to register for an appointment. All students who donate will receive a shirt from INOVA and a red cord provided by the NHS. There is a flyer with this information.
-INOVA requires all students, regardless of age, to return a signed parent permission form. These forms are being distributed to students in their 10th, 11th, and 12th grade English classes. Students will return these forms to NHS volunteers outside the cafeteria during lunch shifts the weeks of May 9th - 20. If a student loses the form or needs to return a form outside of lunch time, they can see Ms. Herndon in L212.
-When a student returns a form, they will be assigned a time slot for the blood drive. All efforts will be made to assign students slots during a study hall if possible. Students will receive an appointment card to use as a pass on the day of the blood drive.
-If you have any questions, please reach out to Ms. Herndon, our NHS Sponsor.
We are looking forward to being able to host this event to benefit our community! Thank you for your support!
May Testing Schedule (AP and SOL)
AP Morning Exams begin at 8:00 a.m.
AP Afternoon Exams begin at 12 noon
Week 3 (AP & SOL Testing)
Monday, May 16
9:15 A.M. - Reading SOL
Tuesday, May 17
Morning: AP Environmental Science
Afternoon: AP Psychology
Wednesday, May 18
9:15 A.M. - Math SOLs
Thursday, May 19
9:15 A.M. - Social Science SOLs
Friday, May 20
9:15 A.M. - Science SOLs
12:00 P.M.- AP US Government & Politics; AP World History: Modern
A message from the Student Assistance Specialist
Student Assistance Specialists are members of the Unified Mental Health Team who provide support for students and families experiencing substance use and abuse, though working directly with students and through providing prevention services to students, families, and the community. Our Student Assistance Specialist, Megan Marshall, will choose a resource to highlight each month that may support families.
It is never too early or too late to start talking to your student about the dangers or alcohol and drug use. Start talking now provides tips for having those difficult conversations with your teen. Parents | Start Talking Now
Below is the link to the March 2022 Student Assistance Specialist newsletter
Ms. Marshall is also available if you have questions or concerns.
Senior End of Year Information
Dear Families and Members of the Class of 2022:
Whew! Where has this year gone? I know from personal experience how fast it can seem to your families, Seniors.
As mentioned in the Weekly Update, there is an important change that affects the end of the year plans that we had. I mistakenly identified June 9th as the Last Day for Seniors; however, LCPS identified Friday, June 3rd as the last attendance day for seniors, Division-wide. That means everything we planned for the 9th has had to be moved to the 3rd, instead. So the new end of year calendar for Seniors looks like this now:
● May 31st:Hershey Park Field Trip
○ 7:00 AM - 9:00 PM (includes transportation, ticket, and lunch)
○ For seniors who have registered and paid to attend (trip is now full)
○ For seniors not participating, they should attend their classes
● June 3rd: Last attendance day for Seniors, 2022
○ 9:30 AM Grad Information Session and Senior Class Photo
■ Mandatory for all Seniors
■ Wear Cap and Gown to School for the Panoramic Photo
■ Note: This is also the date of the Underclass Awards Ceremony.
○ 10:30 PM Busses Depart for Senior Pool Party at Ida Lee
■ Students attending the Pool Party should plan to ride the bus.
■ Seniors who don’t attend the Pool Party should attend their classes, unless an Early Dismissal is submitted.
○ 10:45-1:45 PM Senior Pool Party at Ida Lee
■ For seniors who registered and paid to attend
■ Once we arrive back from the Pool Party, Seniors should attend their classes, unless an Early Dismissal is submitted.
■ If you have not registered and paid the $25, go to
https://balfourvirginia.shop/collections/heritage-high-school
■ Sign up ends April 8th
● June 10th: PTSO All Night Grad Party
○ Ticket price is $60. After registration, you will receive an email to fill out a waiver and medical form.
○ Link to register: https://ptsoheritage.wufoo.com/forms/p1qj5k1j1ir2b9f/ ○ For any questions, please email ptsoheritage.pride@gmail.com
● June 15th: Senior Academic Excellence Ceremony and Graduation Practice ○ 8:45am AM Senior Academic Excellence Ceremony
■ Seniors who are receiving recognition will receive an invitation to the
program. All are welcome to attend.
○ 11:00 AM Mandatory Grad Practice (Main Gym)
■ Mandatory for all Seniors
■ Should last approximately an hour and a half
● June 16th, 2022: Graduation, 2022 @ Heritage Stadium
○ 5:00 PM Seniors must be at Heritage in Main Gym
○ 6:30 PM Gates open for visitors
○ 7:30 PM Ceremony begins
■ Rain or Shine, we are planning for outside
● Outside Graduation: No limit on number of guests
○ Please note: In the case of extreme inclement weather (where
safety is a concern), we would enact an inside plan. To that end,
we will distribute 4 tickets per Graduate at Practice on the 15th,
just in case. These tickets would ONLY be used if we were
inside.
● Sign up for the Senior Class Remind to get information and updates from the Senior Class Sponsors. Text @hhspride22 to 81010.
● If you still are in need of graduation announcements, Balfour has them available. Order soon to have them by graduation. https://balfourvirginia.shop/collections/heritage-high-school
I am looking forward to handing you a diploma as you walk across the stage!
Sincerely,
Jeffrey R. Adam
Principal
Tech Resources
Our Instructional Facilitator for Technology, Jason Robey, put together a few tech resources you can use to talk to your students about how they are interacting online and using social media.
- High School Activities to Promote SEL in Digital Life https://www.commonsense.org/education/articles/high-school-activities-to-promote-sel-in-digital-life
- Media Balance & Well-Being English | Spanish
- Cyberbullying, Digital Drama, & Hate Speech English | Spanish
Course Information Resources
Attention current 9th-11th grade parents and students! Did you miss our Course Information Night on the 24th of January?
Course selection resources can be found in your Course Information Newsletter for the 2022-2023 School Year which highlights the many course selection resources available on our NEWLY UPDATED Course Information Page on the Heritage School Counseling webpage (Heritage School CounselingàAcademicsàCourse Information). We encourage you to check out the exciting academic opportunities and guidance available at Heritage!
Heritage Athletics Update
Competitions
Friday, May 13
TBD District Team Tennis Postseason Begins
6/7:30 PM Lacrosse v. Loudoun County HS (Boys-Away, Girls-Home)
6 PM Baseball v. Tuscarora HS (JV-Away; Varsity-Home)
Saturday, May 14
9 AM Away Track @ Millbrook HS
Monday, May 16
6 PM Baseball/Softball v. Dominion HS (Varsity-Away; JV-Home)
6/7:30 PM Soccer v. Loudoun County HS (Girls-Home, Boys-Away)
Wednesday, May 18
2 PM Track District Meet @ Rock Ridge HS
2 PM Tennis-District Tournament @ Rock Ridge HS
6 PM Softball/Baseball v. Loudoun County HS (JV-Away; Varsity-Home)
Thursday, May 19
2 PM Tennis-District Tournament @ Rock Ridge HS
If you have any questions, please reach out to Mr. Totaro, Heritage Athletic Director, or Mr. Siano, Heritage Assistant Athletic Director.
From the Heritage High School Athletic Boosters:
Support our Athletes and Join Heritage Athletic Booster Club. The Heritage HS Athletic Booster Club recently raised money for:
- New Team Uniforms
- Updates in the Weightroom
- Video Boards in both the main and auxiliary gyms
Memberships start at $30. We are also offering Coaches, Staff and Alumni memberships for $10/year.
Just use this link to sign up!
THANK YOU for supporting Heritage HS Athletics!
COVID-19 Reminders
I wanted to share a couple of reminders with you:
- If your child tests positive for COVID-19 or they are identified as a close contact of someone who does, please let us know. You can send an email or call our absentee line (hthabsentee@lcps.org, 571-252-2802). Please be sure you are clear about whether your child has tested positive for COVID or if they are a close contact. If they fall into either of those categories, it will also be helpful for us to know the date their symptoms started or the date of their exposure, as well as the date of their positive test.
- Whether your student is sick or not, we will always accept information about vaccinations and boosters. To submit that documentation, please email it to Alison Stephan, our wonderful new nurse!
From Our Theatre Boosters
Looking to join the HHS Pride Productions Booster Association ? Join here
- We have $10 student memberships and family membership levels ranging from $25 - $500.
Early Dismissals
We need your assistance by decreasing the number of visitors coming into the building.
If you know that your student needs to leave school early, please send them in with a note, send an email to HTHAbsentee@lcps.org, or use the Report Attendance feature in ParentVue. You can find detailed procedure instructions on the Heritage High School website by clicking here. Please also note that in-person early dismissal requests cannot be processed after 3:45 p.m.
PTSO 2021-2022 Membership Registration Form
$25/Family $10/Staff
This has been a strange couple of years. We all understand that. But PTSO still exists and wants to be here for students, parents and staff.
We do this is by awarding a senior scholarship each spring, as well as assisting our Pride community in a variety of other ways.
We award teacher grants and show our teachers and staff they’re appreciated.
Please consider joining the PTSO to help us support our students and staff however we’re able.
Thank you!
Activity Buses
Heritage has begun to offer Activity Buses on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 5:15 PM. This bus will allow students to stay after for activities and will drop students at various places throughout the Heritage Attendance Zone. You can find a list of the Activity Bus stops on our webpage or by following this link.
Mental Health Resources for Students
The Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) Mental Health Resources website offers comprehensive mental health services, support and resources provided by our Unified Mental Health Teams (counselors, psychologists, social workers, school nurses, and student assistance specialists) who can assist and direct families to the right level of services or interventions.
Available information includes:
How to contact your school’s United Mental Health Team
Resources for parents
Suicide prevention resources
LCPS mental and behavioral health services
Resources for families of LGBTQ+ students and families
Community resources
To access the mental health website created by the Department of Student Services, please visit: www.lcps.org/MentalHealthServices
School Pictures
To order pictures for Grades 9-12, just go to www.vosphoto.com, click order portraits and use your students' ID number as the access code or choose "Seniors" under "Order Portraits."
Arrival/Dismissal
As you know, I have sent multiple communications regarding the changes in our arrival and dismissal procedures. We have settled on the new winding path through the parking lot for both (picture below). When driving on campus, please keep in mind the following:
- Follow directions of school staff that are present in the parking lot.
- Remind your student to wait at the front of the school for you to pick them up.
- Keep your speed slow and watch for pedestrians.
- Be kind to other drivers, student and adult.
- Pull up to the front of the pick-up/drop-off zone and within the white striped area.
- Do not cut through parking spaces and rows.
- Do not encourage your student to come to you in the middle of the parking lot or at another location.
- Do not move cones or signs.
- Do not block cross intersections in parking lot
- Do not switch drivers/passengers while in the pick-up line.
- Do not use your cellular phone while in the Parking Lot.
- Do not cut through parking spaces.
Facebook and Instagram
Heritage has an official Facebook page (https://business.facebook.com/Heritage-High-School-VA-108558541340022/) and a new connected "official" Instagram account (HeritageLCPS). The PTSO is still running their "Heritage Parents" page, but we will use these new Heritage accounts to spread the word about the awesome things going on at Heritage.
Bell Schedule
The Bell Schedule has been posted to the website. You can find it here.
Doors open at 8:30
Unless they are involved in an activity, students will not be allowed to enter the building until 8:30 AM, as we cannot provide adequate supervision until that time.
Behind the Wheel
Need "Behind the Wheel"? If interested, contact Mr. Soroush by email: ebi.soroush@lcps.org.
Heritage Mission Statement: The Heritage Community works together to foster continuous personal and academic growth of the whole student in a caring and engaging environment
Heritage Vision: Heritage High School readies all students for future success. Graduates are respectful of others, invested in their communities, and prepared for a changing world.