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July 2024
TOGETHER WE LIGHT THE WAY
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FUNDRAISERS
@ClayontheMay has designed polymar clay earrings for Lightridge High School. Abby Doyle, owner and creator of Clay on the May is a graduate of Freedom High School, a current senior at USC-Beaufort and an entrepreneur who began this business out of her dorm and is now in many boutiques in South Carolina, and is always hustling at craft shows and vendor events. Her earrings are handmade, lightweight, and 100% original
Get your Lightridge earrings today to support your favorite team and support LHS. $2 from every pair of earrings sold will be donated to LHS for student activities.
Orders must be made by July 26. Earrings will be available for pickup at Lightridge High School the week of August 5.
Christi.Campbell@lcps.org is the contact for this fundraiser.
LABC Let's Get Loud Campaign
Join the Lightridge Athletics community and be a part of an electrifying way to make an impact for years to come! Introducing our Bolts “Get Loud” Campaign – where every contribution (large or small) counts towards our goal of raising $20K to offset the LHS Athletic Booster Club cost for a new Daktronics Speaker Investment at our Lightridge stadium. The successful campaign will ensure we have necessary funds going into the next fiscal year for athletic expenses.
Get ready to ignite the spirit of the Bolts as we gear up for an unforgettable Fall, Winter and Spring in 2024-2025 and beyond!
🔊 All Get Loud Contributors will be part of something special, with surprises in store if we exceed our goal! Plus, also hear your family name loud and proud at Friday night home football games throughout the season!
Join the charge with our exclusive tiers:
💛 Yellow Level: $10-25 - Your family name on the LHS Athletics website all year!
💙 Blue Level: $50 - See your family name on Get Loud Banners in the athletic wing and stadium, plus on the website!
💎 Silver Level: $125 - Secure your Stadium Bolt Family Acrylic Sign, along with banner and website recognition!
🥇 Gold Level: $500 - Score a VIP Couch End Zone Football Experience for one home game, served concessions, plus all the Silver perks!
💿 Platinum Level: $1000 - Lock in a designated VIP parking spot in front of stadium for the season, a Friday night home football game VIP Couch experience, and all the Silver Perks too!
Don't miss your chance to be a part of a new era in Bolts Athletics as we Get Loud! Scan the QR code on the flyer for full details and to make your contribution today! Let’s make some noise, Bolts! ⚡ Please see tiered menu option list in the flyer as all donations are tax-deductible! For any questions, please contact Mike Ryan at 703-629-1546.
#GetLoud2024 #GoBolts!
Class of 2028
Our Freshmen and New Student Orientation will take place on Tuesday August 20th. Please see the attached flyer and register for either the AM or PM session. Pre-registration is strongly encouraged as students will be participating in a building tour, meeting new friends, walking their schedules, and receiving advice and tips for high school success.
Here are some other pro tips as you head into high school…
- Join the Lightridge Instagram Page (@Lightridge_LCPS) and the Lightridge School Counseling (@LightridgeCounseling) Instagram Page
- No School Supplies are required for day 1 other than your Chromebook, pen/pencil and some paper
- Specific school supply needs will be provided by individual teachers after the first A day and B day of the school year
- Student clubs will be advertised and chosen within the first couple weeks of school
- There are no PE uniforms. Students must provide their own change of clothes and appropriate footwear for their HPE class
- If you intend on driving your student to school, please be mindful of traffic (arrive early), traffic patterns and the expectation of showing up on time
- We strongly encourage taking the bus to reduce traffic and ensure getting your child to school on time
- It is important to make attendance a priority in high school. Attendance is important and impacts our school's accreditation rating. Try to plan vacations, appointments, etc. when school is not in session
- Expect homework in multiple subjects nightly; be prepared, organized and scheduled for success (we recommend a planner or organizational strategy)
- GPA’s are recalculated at the end of semester 1 and again at the end of the school year of each year of high school
- Utilize resources like Parentvue, Schoolinks, emails and newsletters to access information and attend scheduled parent nights if possible
- Try not to worry. High school is a time for students to gain independence and autonomy. Please rest assured that our faculty will be there to support and provide guidance along the way
Tips for Success in High School
Your high school years should be filled with learning and growth. Increasingly, students are finding that high school is also a time of stress and anxiety. It seems that students are feeling more pressure than ever before when it comes to performing well.
There are some things you can do to make sure your high school experience is enjoyable and successful.
Embrace a Healthy Life Balance
Don't stress about your grades so much that you forget to have fun. This is supposed to be an exciting time in your life. On the other hand, don't let too much fun get in the way of your study time. Establish a healthy balance, and don't let yourself go overboard either way.
Understand What Time Management Really Means
Sometimes, students assume there's some magical trick or shortcut to time management. Time management means being aware and taking action. Be aware of the things that waste time and reduce them. You don't have to stop them, just reduce them. Take action to replace time-wasters with active and responsible study habits.
Eliminate Those Time-Wasters
There's a fine line between helpful unwinding between periods of intensive studying and wasting precious hours and attention in ways that are not recharging your batteries. Pay attention to how much time you're spending on social media, on video games, bingeing on shows, or whatever your guilty pleasures might be. Staying connected to friends is vital, but make it quality time that leaves you clear-headed and rested. One helpful tactic is to set aside specific times of day to check your phone and adhering strictly to that schedule when studying.
Find Tools That Work for You
There are many time management tools and tactics, but you'll find that you are more likely to stick with a few. Different people find different methods that work for them. Use a big wall calendar, use color-coded supplies, use a planner, or find your own methods of managing your time.
Choose Extracurricular Activities Wisely
You may feel pressured to select several extracurricular activities that might look good on a college application. This can cause you to overextend yourself and get swamped in commitments that you don't enjoy. Instead, select clubs and activities that match your passions and your personality.
Appreciate the Importance of Sleep
We all joke around a lot about the poor sleep habits of teens. But the reality is that you have to find a way to get enough sleep. Lack of sleep leads to poor concentration, and poor concentration leads to bad grades. You're the one who pays the price if you don't sleep enough. Force yourself to turn off the gadgets and go to bed early enough to get a good night's sleep.
Do Things for Yourself
Are you the child of a helicopter parent? If so, your parent is not doing you any favors by protecting you from failures. Helicopter parents are those who monitor every bit of a child's life, from waking them in the morning to monitoring homework and test days, to hiring professionals to help with college preparations. Such parents are setting students up for failure in college. Learn to do things for yourself and ask your parents to give you space to succeed or fail on your own.
Communicate With Your Teachers
You don't have to be best friends with your teacher, but you should ask questions, accept feedback, and give feedback when your teacher asks for it. Teachers appreciate it when they see that students try.
Practice Active Study Methods
Studies show that you learn more when you study the same material two or three ways with a time delay between study methods. Rewrite your notes, test yourself and your friends, write practice essay answers: Be creative and be active when you study!
Give Yourself Plenty of Time to Do Assignments
There are so many reasons you should get an early start on assignments. Too many things can go wrong if you procrastinate. You could come down with a bad cold on the night before your due date; you might find out too late that you're missing some needed research or supplies—there are dozens of possibilities.
Use Smart Test Prep
Studies show that the best way to prepare for a test is to create and use practice tests. For best results, use a study group to create test questions and practice quizzing each other.
Eat Well to Feel Better
Nutrition makes a world of difference when it comes to brain function. If you feel groggy, tired, or sleepy because of the way you eat, your ability to retain and recall information will be impaired.
Improve Reading Habits
In order to remember what you read, you will need to practice active reading techniques. Stop every few pages to attempt to summarize what you've read. Mark and research any words that you can't define. Read all critical texts at least twice.
Reward Yourself
Be sure to find ways to reward yourself for every good result. Make time to watch a marathon of your favorite shows on the weekends, or take time to have fun with friends and let off a little steam.
Make Smart College Planning Choices
The goal of most high school students is to gain acceptance into a college of choice. One common mistake is to "follow the pack" and select colleges for the wrong reasons. Big football colleges and Ivy League schools might be great choices for you, but then again, you might be better off at a small private college or a middle-sized state college. Think about how the college you pursue really matches your personality and your goals.
Write Down Your Goals
There's no magical power to writing down your goals, except that it helps you identify and prioritize the things you want to accomplish. Turn your ambitions from vague thoughts to specific goals by making a list.
Don't Let Friends Bring You Down
Are your friends seeking the same goals as you? Are you picking up any bad habits from your friends? You don't have to change your friends because of your ambitions, but you should be aware of the influences that might affect you. Be sure to make choices based on your own ambitions and goals. Don't make choices just to make your friends happy.
Choose Your Challenges Wisely
You may be tempted to take honors classes or AP courses because they'll make you look good. Be aware that taking too many challenging courses can backfire. Determine your strengths and be selective about them. Excelling in a few challenging courses is much better than performing poorly in several.
Take Advantage of Tutoring
If you have the opportunity to receive free help, be sure to take advantage. The extra time you take to review lessons, solve problems, and talk over the information from class lectures, will pay off in your report cards.
Learn to Accept Criticism
It can be disheartening to find lots of red teacher's marks and comments on a paper you spent hours crafting. Take the time to read the comments carefully and consider what the teacher has to say. It's sometimes painful to read about your weaknesses and mistakes, but this is the only way to really avoid repeating the same mistakes over and over. Also, notice any patterns when it comes to grammar mistakes or wrong word choices.
Cited from ThoughCo.
Class of 2027
Class of 2027- what should you be doing to plan for college?
- CHAT WITH COLLEGE STUDENTS HOME FOR THE SUMMER: Get current students' take on college, especially if they attend a school you're considering.
CONSIDER YOUR INTERESTS AND GOALS:
- What fields am I most interested in, and what am I good at?
- What are my academic and professional goals?
- What career path do I wish to pursue?
- Do I want to attend college away from home?
- Could an alternative to a traditional four-year university, such as an online college, community college or trade school, work for me and my goals?
Class of 2026
Class of 2026 - what should you be doing to plan for college?
- RESEARCH DIFFERENT TYPES OF INSTITUTIONS: public, private, in state, or out of state. There are a lot of options out there. Spend sometime in SchooLinks and see what interests you. Remember to favorite schools of interest.
- UNDERSTAND THE TRUE COST OF EDUCATION:Tuition is by far the biggest college expense. Other costs, however, such as housing, meal plans, and textbooks, can add up quickly.Many students pay out of pocket for things like extracurricular activities and clubs, study aborad programs, and car insurance. Altogether, these expenses make researching and applying for financial aid a necessity for most degree-seekers. Talk to your parents about a budget and what you should plan for versus what they will cover.
Class of 2025
Class of 2025 - what should you be doing to plan for college?
- All seniors have been added to a new Schoology course entitled "Post-Secondary Scavenger Hunt: 2025". This course is designed to walk you through everything you need to do to get ready for senior year and the college application process or post-secondary plan.
- Questions to ask yourself?
- Should I prepare for the October PSAT in hopes of becoming a National Merit Semifinalist?
- Do I need to take an SAT or ACT for my college/university?
- How many colleges do I plan to apply to?
- Am I considering a service academy and proprerly pre-planned?
- How will I ask to write me a letter of recommendation?
- BIG TIP: Finish as much of the college application process as you can this summer. There is alot to do once you come back to school in the Fall. Your focus then should be on your grades and success.
Schoology Post-Secondary Scavenger Hunt
Welcome to Senior Year!
You have worked long and hard and are finally in sight of the finish line, but there are still a few more tasks to complete. Wherever you go and whatever you do after graduation is up to you and we are here to help you reach those goals.
- Are you planning on apply to a 4-year college?
- Are you starting out at NOVA?
- Are you going into an apprenticeship?
- Are you taking a gap year?
- Are you doing somthing else fun and exciting?
This classroom is theresource to make your life easier (and also make your parents very happy).
So what do you do first?
- Click ALL of the links.
- Get to know what is in the classroom. More will be added when the time is right so check in periodically, even when you think you have finished everything.
Why do I have to do this?
- This will smooth out the process of planning for life after high school.
- It gives you and your parents a place to quickly get most questions answered
- It helps your school counselor know what you have and have not completed in the college application process.
- It puts all of your resources and reminders in a location that you already visit everyday
When is all of this due?
- There will be due dates posted in the calendar throughout the school year.
- For college applicants, many dates are based on your application deadline. That is very individual to each student.
- Pay close attention to meet the deadlines because teachers and school counselors depend on your follow-through to write letters of rec, submit transcripts, and other important information.
Login and get started today.
Common Application
The Common Application opens on August 1. Don't wait until school starts, get started on your essays and applications now.
Below is the full set of essay prompts for 2024–2025.
- Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.
- The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?
- Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?
- Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?
- Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.
- Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?
- Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you've already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.
College Admissions Focus Group
Hello! The Lightridge Counseling Department will be offering College Admissions Focus Groups for all rising Seniors! These groups are designed to offer you a more personalized experience in applying to certain types of colleges and universities that may have different application requirements than most schools. Please fill this out ASAP so we can start planning for next year!
- Ivy League schools
- College athletics (NCAA, JUCO, NAIA)
- UVA
- Out of State Universities (and how to make the money work)
- Community College
- Service Academies
- Fine Arts Focused Universities (art, Music, Theater, Dance, etc.)
- Liberal Arts Schools (Swarthmore, Barnard, Williams, W&L, etc.)
- HBCUs (Spelman, Howard, Hampton, etc.)
- Career Exploration (what should I even major in)
Immunization Reminder for Rising Seniors
While the 2024-2025 school year is still 5 weeks away, now is a good time to schedule immunizations for your rising 12th grader student. Students in grade 12 are required to receive the following vaccines prior to the start of school.
Required Vaccinations for All 12th-Grade Students
- One dose of Meningococcal Vaccine, MenACWY (MenQuadfi, Menveo), given at age 16 or older
Once your student is vaccinated, please provide their school with the appropriate documentation. For more information, please see LCPS' Immunization Requirements webpage. For more general information about back-to-school immunizations for students of all ages, see this Virginia Department of Health website.
Mrs. Campbell, Director of School Counseling
Ms. Schrader, last names A-Bap
Mr. Rauguth, last names Bar-Coo
Mrs. Zawistowski, last names Cap-Ge
Mrs. Kenworthy, last names Gh-J
Mr. Choi, last names K-Lu
Ms. Calderone, last names Ly-Ng
Mrs. Garcia-Selvaraj, last names Nh-Ri
Mrs. Perinis, last names Ro-S
Mr. Olcott, last names T-Z
Mrs. Pascale, Career Center Assistant
Mrs. Koplets, Registrar
Mrs. Patel, Counseling Admin Asst
WELCOME MR.CHOI
Lightridge is growing and with growth comes new staff. Our staff will be moving from 8 counselors to 9 therefore there will be a shift in the alphabet.
We are pleased to welcome Daniel Choi to the Lightridge Counseling Team. Daniel graduated from Liberty University in May 2024 with his Masters in School Counseling and was an intern and long-term sub this past spring at John Champe High School.
We look forward to welcoming him to our team when counselors return on August 1.
Schedules
Student schedules will be available in StudentVue on August 12.
- SCHEDULES and CHANGES: When it comes to course request changes, please remember, our Bolts had an opportunity to make course request changes from February 1, 2024 - June 13, 2024. During the spring, we asked that ample time be given to the scheduling process and consideration be given to all courses being selected by students and parents. This deadline was advertised in our weekly counseling newsletter, our monthly school newsletter, coffee and chat sessions, and during our weekly Conenct Ed messages. Teachers were hired and courses were scheduled based on course requests. This year our classes are extremely full and we do not have the flexibility in accommodating schedule changes. Given such, we are NOT accepting any changes to student schedules unless there is an error in the schedule. An error is considered:
- Student has been scheduled into a course previously passed
- Student has been scheduled into a course out of sequence (i.e., Spanish 3 before Spanish 1)
- Student did not pass a class that was a prerequisite for another
- Student has an incomplete schedule
- Senior is missing a requirement for graduation
- Student has a schedule conflict and we have to choose a new class to make the schedule work.
- TEACHER REQUESTS: Lightridge High School takes pride in our faculty. All of our teachers work collaboratively together within CLT’s to deliver content material by subject area in line with each other. This assures that no matter the teacher, students can be assured they are all receiving the same material, instruction and content. We believe this helps ensure a streamlined approach by class and by department. With that being said, requests for teacher changes will not be considered.
- EARLY RELEASE & LATE ARRIVAL: Across LCPS, early release is a privilege. For many high schools in Loudoun County, early release is not granted until the end of Q1. Lightridge administration has decided we will allow students to leave starting the first week of September. Prior to being fully approved, administration must go over rules, rights, and responsibilities with all students, in addition to getting all paperwork for the 24-25 school year taken care of. Additionally, all counselors will be making sure seniors understand the college application process and take care of learning the new system and getting them setup for success during senior year. Students are being informed of this decision well in advance and should plan accordingly. LCPS school day is 9:30am-4:18pm
Lightridge Institute for Theatre Enrichment
There is one week remaining until our Theatre Enrichment Institute. Join Lightridge High School for an exciting week of summer theatre workshops with local and regional guest artists from 9:00 am-1:00 pm, July 22 - 26! We will be exploring stage combat, musical theatre, dance, voice, Greek Theatre, lighting design, stage and gore make-up. This event is open to grades 5th - 12th! Registration is currently open. Space is limited so please visit www.lightridgetheatre.org/ to register until spots are full!
Jason Treon & Brian Schmidt
Athletic Paperwork
Rising 9th graders may begin attending out of season practices, conditionings, and weight training sessions at this time. In order to be eligible to participate, the VHSL physical needs to be on file with the athletics office, along with the online registration (Now Open!).
All students must have submitted a current VHSL Physical AND have completed the online registration. Instructions for both are posted on Boltathletics.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 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, 2024 are valid. Many have already sent in VHSL physicals, much appreciated! Please now complete the online registration to be eligible for athletics this year.
- VHSL Physical
- Online Registration **MUST USE SAME USERNAME FROM WHEN ACCOUNT WAS CREATED** If you create another account, it will not work. For any questions pertaining to login credentials, feel free to reach out to Mr. Treon or Brian.Schmidt@lcps.org
Important Dates
Fall Sports Begin—August 5th (tryout times will be released soon via Boltathletics.org and on X (formerly twitter) as summer progresses). All athletes must attend all tryouts/practices beginning on August 5th. Vacations are not excused absences for tryouts/practices.
- Fall Sports Parent Meeting—August 12th, 6PM (Main Gym)
- Winter Sports Begin—November 11th
- Spring Sports Begin—February 24th
Fall Coaches Contacts
Football: Robert.Eavenson@lcps.org
Volleyball: Raven.Jordan@lcps.org
Cross Country: Wilfredo.Clemente@lcps.org
Cheer: Jessica.Houck@lcps.org
Golf: Eric.Fritz@lcps.org
Field Hockey: Ketki.Parekh@lcps.org
Summer Green Day/Conditioning Calendars
Stay Connected with Lightridge Athletics
- Boltathletics.org is the primary website/source of athletics information (schedules, department updates, team news and calendars, etc.)
- Follow us on twitter at @Lightridge_LCPS
- Follow us on Instagram at @Lightridge_LCPS
Lightridge Administrative Team
We are here for you. Please feel free to reach out and let us know how we can support.
Mr. Jeremy Cortash
Assistant Principal A-Dh
Dr. Felecia Lewis
Assistant Principal Di-Kun
Dr. Kimberly Jackson
Assistant Principal Kur-Ra
Mr. Sundar Thirukkurungudi
Assistant Principal Re-Z
Mrs. Christi Campbell
Director of School Counseling
Mr. Jason Treon
Athletic Director
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