Sept 16-20

• B-Day
• Softball Interest Mtg @ 4:30p T1

• A-Day
• Flu Shot Clinic @ 7:45a lib
• Homework Club @ 4:30p lib
• Exchange Trip Interest Mtg @ 6p rm105

• B-Day
• NTHS Interest & Member Mtg @ 8:45a rm152
• Black Student Union Mtg @ 4:30p rm225
• Homework Club @ 4:30p lib

• A-Day
• Homework Club @ 4:30p lib
• Guitar Club @ 4:30p rm405
• ELL Information Night @ 6p
• PTSO General Mtg @ 7p (virtual)

• B-Day
• Creative Writing Club Mtg @ 8a lib

Dear Parents, Teachers, and Staff members,

Hope you had a great Labor Day Holiday. As we get into the swing of things, just want to give a gentle reminder to sign-up for PTSO membership.

Your membership supports the endeavors listed below:

1. Staff Breakfast and Luncheons.
2. Coffee carts.
3. Teacher Appreciation Week.
4. Grants for Teachers.
5. Scholarship for Seniors.
6. Supporting various PFHS activities such as SCA, Parent Liaisons, and Panthers Helping Panthers.

Joining is just one click away, so don’t forget to sign-up today at https://potomac-falls-ptso.square.site!!

Upcoming meeting:

The PTSO will be having our first General Body meeting on Thu, Sep 19th at 7 PM.

Link to meeting details

Papa Johns Pizza Cards:

You can also support the PTSO by purchasing Papa Johns Pizza Cards for $15. This is a great way to show your support and avail of buy-one and get one free Pizza!!

We look forward to your participation.

Sincerely,

2024 - 2025 PFHS PTSO Board

Anna Chris - Treasurer

Lisa Earnest – VP Membership

Melissa Govoruhk – Secretary

Chris James – President

Twitter @PFHS_PTSO

Instagram @pfhs.ptso

Facebook @Potomac Falls High School PTSO

Email us at pfhs.ptso.president@gmail.com

Welcome back, PFHS Families!

I hope you all had a wonderful summer and a great start to the school year. This is my second year as the LEAF Representative for Potomac Falls and I'll be reaching out to you throughout the year to inform you of upcoming LCPS policy reviews and related issues. The monthly LEAF committee meetings are public and all are welcome to attend. LEAF members do not come to a committee consensus on policy recommendations, but individually we provide feedback from our communities and help you stay connected. Please feel free to reach out to me throughout the year with any questions, concerns or ideas!

Below is a graphic for the LCPS Policy Review Process. When I request feedback for policies, it will go to the appropriate committee in which that policy is being reviewed. Please know that when an item goes to the entire LCPS School Board for a vote, it has already been in process for several months. If you have feedback for the board to consider, it's most helpful to share this at the beginning of the process as opposed to waiting for the night of a full board meeting during which they are voting. Of course, your voice and thoughts are always welcome and encouraged and emailing school board members, meeting them during office hours and speaking during public comment periods are other options available to you throughout the year.

Policy Review

Below are the LCPS Policies currently under review and entering the feedback stage. Please review and provide any feedback by September 9, 2024. All feedback received will be reviewed by the Student Services Committee on September 19, 2024.

• Policy 5365 - Home-Based Instructions
• Policy 5360 - Medical Homebound Instruction
• Policy 8420 - Student Medication

Note: The form is to provide feedback only and does not represent a guarantee that feedback will be included in the final policy.

All policies up for community review can be found at https://www.lcps.org/policyreview. All feedback will be reviewed by School Board Committees as they develop policies for submission to the entire School Board. The authority for final approval of any policy lies solely with the Loudoun County School Board.

Thanks so much for your time and your investment in our students, staff and schools! I look forward to working with you this year.

Have a wonderful weekend,

Kerry Kidwell

PFHS LEAF Representative

Do you have a student in French 3 or above (or are you a student in French 3 or above)? If you respond yes to the question, I am inviting you to attend an interest meeting on September 17th at 6pm room 105 to learn more about an amazing opportunity to practice what your student learned (you learned) in Nîmes, a city in France in April 2024.

If you would like to hear more about this amazing opportunity, but can’t meet at school, please contact Laurence Bertholet at Laurence.bertholet@lcps.org so I can send you a Google meet link the day of the meeting.

CONGRATULATIONS to the following seniors who have been named Semifinalists in the 2025 National Merit Scholarship Competition: Sarah Chung, Nawwaf Hannan, & Grant Rippey. Please join me in wishing these students all the best for success as they move forward in the competition.

The PFHS Athletic Boosters Fall Fundraiser is in full swing!! This year's fundraiser is SUPER simple and FUN! Do you know a fall athlete? Want to support their team AND Boosters?! Simply find their name, pick a date on their calendar, submit payment in that amount and feel great about yourself!! What does boosters do with the money? Easy! Spend it on Panther Athletes! In just the past 2 years, the Athletic Booster Club has funded:

• $20,000 in field improvements/facility updates
• $27,338 in new athlete uniforms
• $22,653 for PFHS athletic hallway improvements
• $18,188 in scholarships
• …and much more

Help out all Panther Athletes AND your favorite fall athletes today by clicking HERE! GO PANTHERS!

All enrolled PFHS students in grades 9-11 are registered to take the PSAT on Friday, October 11 (9:30 AM - 12:30 PM). All 9th graders take the PSAT 8/9, while all 10th and 11th graders take the PSAT/NMSQT. Seniors are not testing but will do special activities here at school.

All PSAT tests are DIGITAL (online). Students are required to bring their fully charged school Chromebook for the PSAT. There are no “loaner” Chromebooks available on testing day for unprepared students.

Students will complete an online PSAT pre-administration check and receive their testing room assignments during Advisory on Friday, September 27. Students must bring their school Chromebook to Advisory on that day.

There is no charge for the PSAT. The cost is covered by LCPS. Please note there is no make-up test for late or absent students. Friday, October 11 is the only day the PSAT is being offered at Potomac Falls HS.

Student Guides developed by College Board for the PSAT 8/9 and PSAT/NMSQT are posted at https://www.lcps.org/o/lcps/page/psat

Homeschool students living within our boundaries can take the PSAT free of charge by submitting the PSAT Homeschool form at https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PMKpvRRReC1MlKjyhYDkSCQgULxWFUTc/view by September 13.

Please contact Mr. Vogl, Testing Coordinator, at Matthew.Vogl@lcps.org if you have any questions about PSAT.

Advanced Placement (AP) testing will be offered May 5-16, 2025. AP teachers are guiding their students through AP test registration during their classes right now through the month of September. Please go to tinyurl.com/PFH-AP2025 for detailed instructions on how to register for AP tests, along with the AP testing calendar. The deadline to register without incurring a $40 late fee per test is November 15, 2024. No AP tests can be ordered for any reason after March 14, 2025.

Homeschool students who live within our boundaries may register to take AP tests at PFH. Please fill out the AP Homeschool form posted at https://core-docs.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/4461/doss/4702281/AP_Test_Registration_Form_-HI_23-25.pdf and return it to Mr. Vogl.

Please contact Mr. Vogl, Testing Coordinator, at Matthew.Vogl@lcps.org if you have any questions about AP testing.