-Para ver el boletin en Espanol haga click en el cuadrado negro ubicado en la parte derecha donde dice "Translate Newsletter"

-Cuando llegue aqui haga clic en la flecha que apunta hacia abajo y escoja el idioma "Spanish"

-Principals Message

-Information about Special Permission

-PTSO

-General Heritage Information for your reference

It's been a busy week at Heritage! I thought I'd share some pictures so you can see some of the fun we've been having since the last Weekly Update:

• Over 50 members of the Heritage PRIDE community gathered in the morning of Saturday, December 14th to pack over 350 bagged lunches for the Leesburg Homeless Shelter. Each lunch contained a sandwich, fruit, chips, and a bottle of water. Alumni, students representing clubs and athletic teams, coaches, administrators, teachers, parents and guardians, and other community members participated and took care of the lunch assembly with lightning speed in under an hour. All of the food and supplies were donated during a donation drive during the previous two weeks of school. Beyond the bagged lunches, a sizable amount of food was also provided for the food pantry at the Shelter. The effort was spearheaded by Heritage Staff members Clark Carr and Elizabeth Madigan. I am grateful to work in such an incredible community!

• Our Jewish Student Union shared information about Hannukah and Jewish Culture at our second annual Latke-Palooza!

• The PTSO treated our Staff to the Annual Goodie Giveaway on Wednesday! Thank you to the amazing PTSO volunteers who helped with set-up and clean-up and to all of the families who brought in cookies and treats! The event is always a favorite of our staff! From the PTSO: Thank you to everyone who donated to this week’s Goodie Giveaway. We had an amazing amount of donations this year. The library smelled like a bakery and staff had a wonderful time selecting treats to share with their families. We also made 35 to-go boxes of cookies to make sure the bus drivers and attendants were included in this fun tradition.

Good afternoon, Heritage PRIDE,

I hope as you are reading this Update, you are preparing for something fun, and I want to encourage everyone to be sure that the next few weeks also includes some time for relaxing and recharging, whatever that may look like. My wish for you this season is for good health for you and those you care about. As I said before Thanksgiving, I am grateful every day to be the Principal of this incredible school community. Make no mistake, it is a special one, and it is my honor to serve it. For those of you who are celebrating over the upcoming break, we wish you a Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, Happy Kwanzaa, Happy New Year, and Happy Holidays!

I will not be sending a Weekly Update over the Break, but now is your chance to take a quick look ahead to the new year. Most notably, our Course Selection Process begins soon after the end of Winter Break, and we want you to be informed and involved.

Daily PARENTVUE Cut-off time

In an effort to help manage early dismissal requests, we are establishing a daily, permanent cut-off time for early dismissal requests that are entered through PARENTVUE. Much as we have done before holiday breaks in the past, we are asking that any dismissal that is requested through ParentVUE be submitted before 2 PM. These requests can be for any time during the school day, but we just require them to be in by 2 PM each day. Any early dismissal requests submitted after 2 PM each day will require a parent/guardian to come to the school and into the office to pick up their child. This practice will begin on Monday, December 16th.

LCPS Schools and Offices Closed during Winter Break

The Heritage Main Office, along with all other LCPS schools, will be closed during Winter Break.

Course Selection Night

For your Calendars:

• Course Selection Night for rising 9th-12th graders is happening on Thursday, January 30th at 6 PM. Come hear about our pathways, courses (including new ones), electives, and International Baccalaureate, among other things. Our expert teachers and School Counseling staff will be in attendance to answer questions.

PTSO Reminders:

TODAY = Last Chance to Register for the ANGP at Discounted Rate

Friday, December 20 is the early registration deadline for the All Night Grad Party. Sign up now to make sure you’re in on the fun and save $$$ on the registration rate! Check out the link for more details. https://www.ptsoheritagehs.com/all-night-grad-party-2025

Policy Review Reminder from LEAF

The following LCPS policies are currently under review. Information on the policy review process and feedback forms can be found on the LCSP website.

6140, Free and Reduced-Price Meal Services (Comments due December 19)

6460, Buildings and Grounds Management and Maintenance (Comments due January 10)

6340, Disposal of Surplus Personal Property (Comments due January 10)

Holiday Grocery Shopping at Harris Teeter? Link Your Card to Benefit the Heritage PTSO!

Each year shoppers must relink your Harris Teeter card for their school to benefit. Please visit the Harris Teeter Together in Education website and link your card to Heritage (code 7727). Each time you shop with your VIC card, a portion of your purchase will be donated to the PTSO to fund educational activities and resources. The Together in Education program is not limited to the Leesburg area, so share the code with family, friends, or coworkers who shop at Harris Teeter nationwide.

From the TESTING OFFICE:

ACCESS for ELs:

Beginning February 1, all English Learners will be taking the ACCESS test during their study hall. The ACCESS test measures what students know and can do in English in the domains of Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing. Students do not need to study for the test, but rather, focus on demonstrating their language abilities. EL Progress is included in state accountability calculations for Reading. Please encourage your child to be present and focused for the test February 3 - 14. If you have any questions, please contact Kelly Gresh.

Holiday Health Flyers

We know that holidays can bring a mix of emotions, both positive and negative. Joy and anticipation can be mixed with grief and sadness. Below you will find some flyers with some helpful information and supports on navigating the sometimes difficult nature of holidays.

WIN Time Schedule

If you or your student are curious what is happening that day during WIN ("What I Need") time, we have posted a schedule on the main webpage. You can also find it here.

From the Career Center:

• College and Career News – December 13, 2024

• College & Career News – DECEMBER (Freshman and Sophomores)

Please know that I will continue to work every day to ensure that the trust and support you give us is warranted. Please do not hesitate to contact us with questions, and we will do what we can to be of assistance.

Have a wonderful weekend and a great week next week!

ROAR PRIDE!

Jeff Adam

Principal

Heritage High School

"High Challenge, High Support"

#wearethepride

Don't forget to sign up!

We have many students at Heritage who attend through the Special Permission Process. I wanted to highlight the changes for the process beginning THIS year. Please also keep an eye on your email and this Update:

From December 11th email from LCPS:

"At the December 10, 2024, School Board meeting, the Loudoun County School Board approved changes to the Special Permission process in Policy 8155, School Assignment. Special Permission is when LCPS parents/guardians request permission for their student to attend a school outside their assigned attendance zone. Changes to the Special Permission process were made to ensure schools can plan earlier and more accurately for staffing and class sizes.

Some of the key changes to the Special Permission process are:

• The dates the Special Permission process opens and closes will occur earlier in the year.
• Special Permission applications to over-enrolled schools, including elementary schools, will not be accepted.
• Late applications will not be accepted after the deadline.
• Early Special Permission access will continue to be offered to school-based staff. Early access will also be extended to include non-school-based LCPS staff, with the exception of co-curricular employees, substitutes, or other staff who are not full-time LCPS employees.

Special Permission Period
Per the updates to Policy 8155, the Special Permission period will now open on the first business day in January for LCPS staff and the first business day in February for LCPS families. The 2025 Special Permission period will begin on Monday, Jan. 6 at 10 a.m. for LCPS staff and on Monday, Feb. 3 at 10 a.m. for LCPS families. The Special Permission period will end on April 30 at 11:59 p.m. for both LCPS families and staff. Please note that the Special Permission process has always opened one month early for LCPS school-based staff.

Official determinations for kindergarten students who apply for special permission by April 30 will be provided to the parent or legal guardian by July 1.

Parents of elementary students currently on special permission may submit a request to continue attending the Special Permission school on or before March 1.

Parents of middle or high school students may submit a request to renew Special Permission to attend the current school of attendance on or before March 1.

Special Permission Applications to Over-enrolled Schools Are No Longer Available
If a school’s projected enrollment is at 90% of the school’s capacity, this school is classified as over-enrolled. The schools projected to be over-enrolled can be found on the Special Permission website. Please be aware that this list is subject to change. Special Permission requests for these schools will not be available. In the application for Special Permission, schools that are over-enrolled will not be available to select, unless a previous Special Permission is being renewed. Previously, families who applied to over-enrolled schools were initially denied and given an option to appeal. Per the updated policy, these appeal requests to attend over-enrolled schools will no longer be available.

Outside the Special Permission Period Requests
Once the Special Permission period closes on April 30, requests for Special Permission will not be accepted. Previously, parents who made Special Permission requests outside the Special Permission period were permitted to appeal a Special Permission denial. This practice will no longer be permitted.

LCPS Staff Access to Special Permission
All LCPS staff who reside in Loudoun County and who are parents or legal guardians of school-age students, with the exception of co-curricular employees, substitutes, or other staff who are not full-time LCPS employees, now have access to request Special Permission on the first business day in January (Jan. 6, 2025). Previously, only LCPS school-based employees were permitted to access Special Permission early.

What Remains the Same About Special Permission

• To apply for Special Permission, parents/legal guardians must have a current LCPS address on file.
• Students must be registered at their zoned school of attendance within 30 days of applying for Special Permission.
• Special Permission may be approved only if there is capacity at the requested school.
• Except for kindergarten, LCPS will make an initial decision regarding Special Permission requests within 30 days of application submission. LCPS will determine kindergarten Special Permission placement decisions no later than July 1.
• If approved to attend a school on Special Permission, families must provide transportation to and from the school.
• All families who wish to apply and/or renew for Special Permission must do so annually.
• If Special Permission is granted to a middle or high school student, they may continue to attend that school for multiple years until the student completes the highest grade level of that school. However, parents are required to renew annually if they wish for their student to remain on Special Permission at the school. Renewal applications for middle and high school students must be submitted by March 1. Renewal applications received after March 1 will go through the regular special permission process.
• Special Permission may also impact a student’s eligibility to participate in Virginia High School League (VHSL) events. It is the parents’/guardians’ responsibility to review and understand VHSL eligibility rules and regulations before submitting a Special Permission application.

As we approach the start of the Special Permission period, LCPS staff and families will receive reminders about the change to the Special Permission process. Please visit the LCPS Special Permission website for more information. Once the Special Permission period opens, access to the Special Permission portal will be found on this webpage. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Office of Student Services at (571) 252-1021.

Parents of seniors,

Baby ads are available for purchase and are selling out quickly! Here are the steps to purchase. Email the yearbook sales and social media editor at 883175@lcps.org with any questions.

1. Visit yearbookordercenter.com and use our schools code- 40632.

2. To purchase an ad click “buy an ad” at the top of the screen

3. Choose the size and design for your ad and purchase!

IB Information Shared with English 10 Classes

As we begin our Course Selection process for 2025-2026 school year, Mr. Uribarri pushed into English 10 classrooms on December 9th and 10th to gauge initial interests for the IB Diploma Program. The IB Diploma Program begins in 11th grade. For more information you can visit www.lcps.org/HTHIB. If you feel your student might be interested in the IB Diploma Program have them express interest at these initial contact points. If they were absent on December 9th or 10th, please email Fernando.Uribarri@lcps.org with any questions. Please keep in mind that students can take IB Courses without committing to being a Diploma Candidate.

This flyer was created by one of our Senior Agenda Setters project groups to remind everyone who drives at Heritage of Parking Lot Safety.

What is the Lions Share Shop?

The Lions Share is a free thrift shop located in L504. Students, staff, and families may donate or take clothing.

How do students access the closet?

Students who need clothing make an appointment with the QR code on this flyer link,

posted around the school. When they fill out the survey, the EL Department and the

School Counseling Office are alerted that a student needs access to the closet, and a

teacher takes the student during his/her study hall block. This ensures that students

have privacy and access.

What items are accepted?

• Items accepted: Coats/jackets/hoodies, gloves/hats, socks, pants/shirts, dresses, and basic toiletries.
• Items not accepted: Underwear, bathing suits, clothing for kids/grownups/skimpy/ inappropriate logos
• *Items that aren’t appropriate for teens are donated to Blue Ridge Hospice; please be judicious with the items you bring in, as sorting through and transporting takes time after school hours.

How can students get involved?

Students can volunteer during WIN CLUB time by contacting Karen Slothouber (Lions Share Club). Other volunteer opportunities (service hours) can be arranged by contacting Theresa Barthel.

Holiday Grocery Shopping at Harris Teeter? Link Your Card to Benefit the Heritage PTSO!

Each year shoppers must relink your Harris Teeter card for their school to benefit. Please visit the Harris Teeter Together in Education website and link your card to Heritage (code 7727). Each time you shop with your VIC card, a portion of your purchase will be donated to the PTSO to fund educational activities and resources. The Together in Education program is not limited to the Leesburg area, so share the code with family, friends, or coworkers who shop at Harris Teeter nationwide.

ANGP Early Registration Deadline Less Than One Month Away!

Family and friends starting to ask what to get your graduating Senior for the holidays or as a graduation present? Tell them about the All Night Grad Party (ANGP)! It’s a great way for seniors to celebrate together with music, food, and games. Sign up by December 20 to take advantage of the $55 early registration rate! Check out the link for more details. https://www.ptsoheritagehs.com/all-night-grad-party-2025

• Pink Cocaine - https://www.poison.org/articles/pink-cocaine
• Galaxy Gas - Trending on Tik Tok - https://www.addictioncenter.com/community/galaxy-gas/

"Blinker hits"

Blinker hits have become a kind of urban challenge. @Blazintheasian on YouTube has popularized what he calls the “blinker challenge,” where he roams city streets encouraging people to try taking blinker hits, everyone from a McDonald’s employee to the CEO of Walmart are attempting the blinker challenge. His videos show just how intense these hits can be, often resulting in dramatic reactions that are both humorous and cautionary. They also have Tik Tok challenges.

“Blinker weed” is a bit of misnomer. The term blinker doesn’t refer to certain strain or type of cannabis but rather a method of consumption to receive higher intensity.

Will One Blinker Hit Get You High? The effect of a single blinker hit can vary based on your tolerance, the THC concentration in the cartridge, and individual metabolism. For many users, one blinker hit is quite potent and can induce a strong high, especially if the cartridge has a high THC content.

A "blinker" is essentially a vape device with its light (sometimes battery light) blinking, hence the name. A student may only need one long hit (8-10) seconds to get intense high that will last for a while.

What Is Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome?

Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS) is a condition that you might get if you've regularly smoked weed or used marijuana in some other form. Has caused increase in emergency room visits. CHS causes you to have repeated episodes of vomiting, severe nausea, stomach pain, and dehydration. You're more likely to get CHS if you use marijuana at least once a week and have been doing so since you were a teenager. "Cannabinoid" refers to cannabis (marijuana) and "hyperemesis" is a word meaning "prolonged vomiting." Because CHS is a fairly new medical condition, not all doctors know about it. Or they might think it’s something else, since repeated throwing up is a sign of many health problems. You may need to see a gastroenterologist, a doctor who specializes in the digestive tract, for a proper diagnosis.

Beatbox Drinks

It has been reported in some schools, including middle schools, that students are drinking Beatbox. It is 11% alcohol, and you wouldn’t know it was an alcoholic drink unless you look closely. It also comes in different juice flavors.

Parent Handbook

Here is a great link for a parent handbook to handle variety of challenges that come up with teens from behavioral, medical, mental health, substance use with a variety of resources.

• Playbook for Parents of Teens Protecting your teenager’s well-being and handling challenges they may face. Playbook-for-Parents-of-Teens-062821.pdf (drugfree.org)

What is a Student Assistance Specialist?

As many of you know, substance abuse, whether it be the dangers posed by counterfeit manufacturing of nacrocotics such as fentanyl and percocet or the use of THC or nicotine vapes, is major issue affecting our community and especially our young people. One of the most alarming trends is that even as the rates of substance abuse among teens has decreased, deaths from overdoses have increased sharply. Substance abuse, more than any time in our history, is a matter of life and death. At Heritage and in LCPS, we are committed to doing the best we can to ensure families, staff, and students have the information they need to protect our children. Our Student Assistance Specialist, Sherry Hoover (email: helen.hoover@lcps.org), is available full time at Heritage to help get information, connect people to resources, and to answer questions. Please do not hesitate to reach out.

MP2 Ends January 24

Marking Period 2 will end in less than three weeks after we return from break. Encourage your student to use this break to make sure they are caught up on work in their classes. This is a great time to do this at a pace that works for them while things are slower than normal without school. If they are behind, make a plan and a timeline for what they need to complete to get caught up. And missing assignments or not, make sure everyone gets rest!

At any point in the year, here are 5 KEY STEPS to ACADEMIC SUCCESS.

• Talk with Your Teacher
• Your student’s number one task if they are struggling at any point in the year is to be sure they communicate with their teacher. Encourage them to reach out by email if this is more manageable than finding a time to talk, but their teacher is the number one ally in taking steps to improving their progress.
• Attend Class
• You cannot learn if you are not present to hear the information.
• Get to school on-time. Get to class on-time.
• Look at StudentVUE
• Do this regularly. Check for: missing assignments, upcoming final tasks, and any other house-keeping items. If you don’t know what an assignment is, or why it is missing, ask your teacher.
• Use Your Agenda
• If you do not have one and you need one, ask your counselor.
• Don’t Give Up
• We are not giving up on you – don’t give up on yourself!

Course Selection for 2025-2026

Hard to believe that we are already planning for next year, but we are! Stay tuned for more information on Course Selection after break and mark your calendars for Course Information Night on January 30th @ 6pm at Heritage to hear more about classes and course progressions so you can make well-informed decisions to set your student up for a great next year.

Counselor Meetings (Class of 2025)

Your Heritage School Counselors have now met with their senior caseloads as a group twice during WIN time. Their most recent presentation on ‘Adulting 101’ can be found HERE. Feel free to quiz your seniors on which side they should put the stamp, they should now know!

ALL Seniors should sign up for a senior meeting with their counselor during the month of September. Please remind your students to email their counselor or use their Bookings link (found on the website) to schedule a time during school hours that works for them (and doesn’t have them missing classes)!

Don’t forget, you can see your UNOFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT under the Documents Tab of StudentVUE. As a reminder, this is not a live document, so look to see if you’ve had a course change that may not have been reflected at the time of uploading.

School Counseling Top Dogs!

Our Pride School Counseling department began a new tradition this year. To give you a little background, we have multiple team members who LOVE hot-dogs. We also LOVE working watching our colleagues go out of their way in being awesome. We decided to combine these loves and create The School Counseling Department Top Dog Award. Each month your School Counseling Department is honoring one faculty member for going above and beyond in their work with students as well as being fabulous to work with as colleagues. These lucky winners get presented this recognition in front of their class with an original Top Dog poem, receive two coupons for corndogs at Sonic, have their picture taken in a human-sized hot-dog cutout, and then get this picture displayed on the School Counseling Department wall for the remainder of the year. So far, it’s been a hit!

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR NOVEMBER SCHOOL COUNSELING TOP DOG: Mr. Bryan Newman, Science Department!

Mr. Newman is always student-focused. He goes the extra mile to help students not just understand, but enjoy learning. He leads the Science Department as Department Chair with common sense and a desire to support both teachers and students. He is always friendly to students and we’ve heard students share that they know who he is, not because he is their teacher, but because he always greets them in the halls and says Hello. Mr. Newman helps set the culture of the Pride and we love working with him!

October’s School Counseling Top Dog: Ms. Natalie Weatherholtz, Social Science and Global Studies Department

Ms. Weatherholtz is always working for her students’ best interests. She connects them with our department if she’s worried about them. She is kind and compassionate in her interactions with students. She communicates well with parents, and her instruction is fun and engaging. On top of all of that, she has led our PEER Organization into doing great things already and the year has just gotten started. We are fortunate to have her as a colleague and your students are fortunate to have her as a teacher. Congratulations, Ms. Weatherholtz, for being Top Dog!

Our first EVER (August/September) School Counseling Top Dog was: Ms. Elaine Polinski, Math Department

Ms. Polinski created a plan to support students who transferred into a new course later than the start of the year. She took time from her planning to re-teach material to be sure that these students were not starting off behind and she was gracious and welcoming as they joined her class. Ms. Polinski put students first and was a wonderful partner to work with during a stressful time of transition. Thanks, Ms. Polinski, for being our first EVER School Counseling Top Dog!

Sources of Strength

The mission of Sources of Strength is to prevent suicide by increasing help seeking behaviors and promoting connections between peers and caring adults. Sources of Strength moves beyond a singular focus on risk factors by utilizing an upstream approach for youth suicide prevention. This upstream model strengthens multiple sources of support (protective factors) around young individuals so that when times get hard they have strengths to rely on. School Counselors, Ms. Rachel Boyce and Ms. Deb Smith are the sponsors for this awesome group.

Check out the good work they’ve been doing and what is coming up next!

Unity Day Campaign- October 16

Students passed out orange ribbons, necklaces, bracelets, and tangerines to spread awareness about the importance of unity and bullying prevention.

Thankfulness Campaign- November 21, 22, 25

Sources of Strength set up a table during lunch shifts to collect Thank You cards from students to staff that will be delivered to staff members on Tuesday, November 26th.

Hot Cocoa Bar Campaign- December 20

Sources of Strength will be spreading cheer with our annual Hot Cocoa Bar complete with ugly sweaters, loud music and lots of sugar.

Keep your eyes out for our annual Candy Gram Campaign in February and a week in March of Sources of Strength/PEER collaboration to spread positivity and promote wellness as a whole person. Interested in joining this team? Reach out to Debra.Smith@lcps.org.

FAFSA Support (Class of 2025)

Applying to college? (Two or Four Year) You should absolutely complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

The 2025-2026 version of the FAFSA will be available by December 1, 2024. Take a look at this FAFSA support document from the Department of Education for FAQs and answers to many (if not all) of your questions. We also invite you to join us on Tuesday, January 21st @ 7pm in the Heritage Library for hands-on support completing your FAFSA. Bring your documents, your laptop, and your coffee and knowledgeable Financial Aid representatives from NOVA’s financial aid department will be there to assist you in making progress towards completion, or full completion before the end of the night. This is a community service that NOVA provides and it is extremely helpful if you would like help in getting this task checked off of your list. Set up your FSA ID (electronic signature) PRIOR to attending to get the most out of this evening.

Opportunity Scholars (Class of 2025 & 2026)

LCPS is partnering with Opportunity Scholars and we are happy to be one of the first schools to be able to access this resource to support our students toward success in their career goals. Read below to find out more.

Are you a junior or a senior, or a parent/guardian of a junior or senior. Are you a student who is undecided about your education plans after high school? Are you a parent or guardian looking for resources to help your child get a low-cost education leading to a high paying career? Do you need help understanding if you qualify for a no or low-cost education, how to finance and repay education cost? Opportunity Scholars can help.

Is this program right for you?

1. Would you like to live, learn, and get a job locally?

2. Are you legally authorized to work in the United States? (If not, we know another organization who may be able to help you.)

3. Are you interested in a Career and Technical, 2-year or 4-year education in a career like Plumbing and Electrical, Teaching, Accounting, Healthcare, or Computers?

4. Does your family of 4 make less than $120,000 per year?

If you answered yes to all these questions, call 540-931-1084 or email info@opportunityscholars.org or contact your student’s Heritage School Counselor. Opportunity Scholars program coaches are ready to help students. We have bilingual (Spanish and English) coaches available. We look forward to enrolling students in the Opportunity Scholars program where career happens!

Transcript Release Form – RT 10 (Class of 2025)

Seniors! Remember that if you need transcripts sent to colleges (or anywhere) your parent/guardian must complete the TRANSCRIPT RELEASE FORM RT-10. This may have been completed during the online verification process prior to viewing schedules, but if you’re not sure if it was completed, please go ahead and complete this TRANSCRIPT RELEASE FORM RT-10 Permission Click. Counselors will check both sources to see if you are set.

Class of 2027

We look forward to connecting with you again! Please make a pass to stop by the Counseling Office to say ‘Hi’ during your study hall or find us during our morning or lunchtime hall duties. Now is your chance to put to good use the study skills tips that we talked about during your freshmen year. Be sure you are using your own agenda to get you started on the right foot in your classes. If you do not have an agenda and would like to request one, please see your School Counselor.

Agendas and Schoology (Class of 2028)

Your School Counselors met with all of their Freshmen during Academic Rotations in the library last month. You can find their presentation linked HERE. They shared a little bit about themselves and our UMHT and encouraged them with tips and passed out agendas to help them have a successful start to their four years with us.

Congrats! You’ve made it through the first half of your first Marking Period of High School. Review StudentVUE; always check Schoology for classroom calendars and resources; and use your agenda to make a plan to accomplish what you need. A clear, organized schedule can help ease your stress and help you be efficient with your time so you can enjoy your non-school activities as well. We want you to thrive, not just survive! Reach out to your School Counselor if you’re finding this challenging or have any questions.

UMHT

Below is a reminder of who is in your Heritage School Counseling and Unified Mental Health Team to help all students have a successful 2024-2025 and beyond.

The Heritage School Counseling Department and Unified Mental Health Team would like to welcome you to the 2024-2025 School Year! If your student needs anything during their transition to high school or to this school year, please don’t hesitate to reach out to their School Counselor.

We are also fortunate to have a full Unified Mental Health Team which includes our School Counselors, School Social Worker, School Psychologist, Student Assistance Specialist, and School Nurse. Contact information is located on our Mental Health Team website.

CAREER PLANNING

At Heritage, we want to partner with you as a family to best support your student as they work toward their goals for high school and beyond. One of the best things you can do to stay in-the-know with opportunities and insight available for career planning (including college, military, employment, etc.) is to read the weekly College and Career Newsletter from our amazing Career Center Specialist, Ms. Carlina Chiru-Fekel. The link is always included in Mr. Adam’s weekly newsletter.

Please mark your calendars for the following 2024-2025 grading dates:

Marking Period 1:

Interim - 10/1/24

End of Marking Period - 10/29/24

Report Card - 11/7/24

Marking Period 2:

Interim – 12/6/24

End of Marking Period - 1/24/25

Report Card - 2/4/25

Marking Period 3:

Interim - 2/25/25

End of Marking Period - 4/3/25

Report Card - 4/11/25

Marking Period 4:

Interim - 5/6/25

End of Marking Period - 6/13/25

Report Card - 6/23/25

If you are interested in receiving updates on Athletics, please join on the BAND App at https://band.us/@hhspridesports.

Friday, December 20th, 2024

Varsity Wrestling @ Rock Ridge vs Multiple Schools 1:00 PM

Swim Boys and Girls vs Potomac Falls @ Ida Lee @ 7:00 PM

Saturday, December 21st, 2024

Varsity Wrestling @ Rock Ridge vs Multiple Schools 9:00 AM

Sunday, December 22nd, 2024

No Events

Monday, December 23rd-Holiday (Schools and Offices Closed)

No Events

Tuesday, December 24th-Holiday (Schools and Offices Closed (Christmas Eve))

No Events

Wednesday, December 25th-Holiday (Schools and Offices Closed (Christmas and First Night of Hannukah))

No Events

Thursday, December 26th-Holiday (Schools and Offices Closed (First Day of Kwanzaa))

Boys Basketball Varsity @ Lake Braddock 7:30pm

Friday, December 27th-Holiday (Schools and Offices Closed)

Boys Basketball Varsity @ Lake Braddock vs TBD Time TBD

Varsity Wrestling @ Woodbridge vs Various 9:00AM

Saturday, December 28th

Boys Basketball Varsity @ Lake Braddock vs TBD Time TBD

Varsity Wrestling @ Woodbridge vs Various 9:00AM

Girls Basketball Varsity @ Harrisonburg vs TBD Time TBD

Sunday, December 29th

No Events

Monday, December 30th-Holiday (Schools and Offices Closed)

Girls Basketball Varsity @ Harrisonburg vs TBD Time TBD

Tuesday, December 31st-Holiday (Schools and Offices Closed (New Year's Eve))

No Events

Wednesday, January 1st -Holiday (Schools and Offices Closed (New Years Day))

No Events

Thursday, January 2nd-Holiday (Schools and Offices Closed)

No Events

Friday, January 3rd-Holiday (Schools and Offices Closed)

No Events

Saturday, January 4th

Boys and Girls Swimming vs Woodgrove @ Ida Lee 8:00pm

Sunday, January 5th

No Events Scheduled

Monday, January 6th

First Day of Classes in 2025!!!

Tuesday, January 7th

Girls Basketball V/JV @ Stone Bridge 5:45/7:00

Girls Basketball Freshman @ Rock Ridge 5:45

Boys Basketball V/JV/9 vs Stone Bridge 5:45/5:45/7:00

Wednesday, January 8th

Winter Track Boys and Girls @ Woodgrove 2:30

Gymnastics @ Dominion 6:00

Thursday, January 9th

Boys Basketball V/JV/9 @ John Champe 5:45/5:45/7:00

Friday, January 10th

Boys Basketball V/JV/9 @ Riverside 5:45/5:45/7:00

Girls Basketball V/JV/9 vs Riverside 5:45/5:45/7:00

Saturday, January 11th

Boys and Girls Swimming vs Briar Woods @ Claude Moore 8:30am

Wrestling @ Freedom 9:00am

It’s REVERSE RAFFLE TIME!! The Heritage Athletic Boosters will be selling reverse raffle tickets online now through Jan. 16. Winter athletes will be sharing information to purchase tickets, or you can visit https://dailyraiser.com/69402404/38 and search for an athlete and buy a ticket. Tickets are $10 and the Prize Pool starts at $1000 and grows with everything ticket sold! In a reverse raffle you want to be one of the LAST tickets pulled, and we will find out the winners on January 16th at The Anchor Bar in Leesburg starting at 8pm. Tickets will start being eliminated until we are down to the final 10. This event will be able to be seen online so you do NOT need to be present to win. Come support the Boosters and good luck to all those who play!!

Here is a quick video to explain the process-

• Ways to gain information
  

1. BAND - Heritage Athletics will use BAND for updates - JOIN HERE
2. Facebook/Instagram - Athletics Heritage-Pride and @hhspridesports

• Online ticketing platform

1. GO FAN will be our new site for tickets - BUY SEASON PASSES HERE or download the GO FAN app.

• Courses for our coaches, athletes and parents - A Better Way

1. Parents - JOIN HERE - videos address a number of common themes in HS sports among coaches, parents and students
2. Students - JOIN HERE - hazing video required by us, other videos also available.

• Discount Cards - are on sale now! All digital sales, and athletes who sell 20 cards earn $100!

1. To purchase, or to share the link for others to purchase - CLICK HERE
2. Be sure to select the team and enter the athletes name to get credit for the sale.

• Join Boosters! - CLICK HERE

Registration for this year’s Step Up Loudoun Youth Competition (SULYC) has been open for about three weeks. Registration closes January 15, 2025, so now is the time to register to participate. We know there are some students who want to participate but are struggling with finding a topic, so we are continuing our virtual “Brainstorming Workshop”. It will take place on November 14th and December 12th at 7pm. Students do not need to be registered for the competition to attend, and only need to attend once. Both sessions will be the same. At this workshop we will be giving students brainstorming activities, strategies and tools to help develop an idea into a project. Please send the attached flyer to you students, parents and teachers.

Interested students can simply email their name, grade and school name to: StepUp@LoudounYouth.Org to receive the Zoom link for the workshop.

Some of the most effective projects we’ve seen have simply been a deeper dive into things students are already doing in school as part of Project Based Learning and Personalized Learning methods. These provide the perfect place for students to make their project work by explaining, displaying and presenting it to people beyond the classroom. This year, students will create a team video due March 5, 2025, and then the top 20 teams will present live to judges on March 26, 2025.

You can find more information about SULYC and the link for the application at: www.loudounyouth.org, under Programs: Step Up Loudoun Youth Competition.

If you have any questions about SULYC or Loudoun Youth, Inc., please reach out to swolfson@loudounyouth.org.

As Dr. Spence said in his communications regarding safety and security, we ask that you help remind your student(s) about the importance of notifying a trusted adult at school about any safety concerns they have or may hear about, including from online sources. As you know we have many security protocols and practices in place, but we depend on our community letting us know about these concerns to make sure every member of the PRIDE is safe.

We know that these are difficult topics and they come with a lot of emotion. Should you or your students need any support resources, we have mental health professionals available to help any students with questions they may have or difficulties they might experience. Students or parents may reach out to SMHSleadershipteam@lcps.org and provide the best phone number to contact you. One of the team members will be in touch within 24 hours.

I sent the following information to all of our Seniors and their families.

"Dear Families and Members of the Class of 2025:

Congratulations on your Senior Year at Heritage High School! I know this is going to be a very exciting and busy time for each of you. This email outlines important information. I hope that you will find it helpful as you plan the rest of your senior year. If you have any questions, please reach out to Ms. Knapp, your senior class sponsor, or myself.

At our Senior Class Meeting, we went over your fees and our upcoming events:

Senior Class Fees: All payments for trips, t-shirts, etc. (except Cap and Gown) will be paid through our Online Payment Portal, SchoolCash Online. Cap and Gown must be ordered through Jostens website before December 1st. All other deadlines listed below.

Cap and Gown

• $50: Deadline: December 1st. This includes cap, gown, and tassel. All orders are shipped directly to Heritage and Distributed in the Spring. Must order through Jostens (not SchoolCash Online)
• If you are free/reduced lunch or need help covering the cost of the cap/gown, see Mrs. Anderson in the main office for a waiver form.

Trips, etc.:

• Follow all Deadlines! Trips will close when full or on the deadline (whichever happens first)
• Log into your School Cash Online account to access student payment portals.
• If you don’t have a School Cash Online account please register now.
• Orders are not confirmed and spaces are not reserved until payment is received
• Senior T-Shirt - $15; Deadline: February 1st; Pay: SchoolCash Online. T-shirts are designed by the senior class officers and will be distributed at Heritage in April. These include names of all the seniors on the back of the t-shirt.
• Hershey Park Trip (Tuesday, June 3, 2025, 7 AM to 9 PM) - $125; Deadline: February 2nd; Pay: SchoolCash Online. Senior Trip includes coach bus transportation, park admission, and catered lunch. Limited to the first 245 students who purchase a space. This trip cannot be covered by fee waivers. All students must ride the bus to and from Heritage.
• Senior Barbecue (Wednesday, June 4, 2025, after Graduation Practice)-$10; Deadline: June 1; Pay: SchoolCash Online. Includes Food and Fun; at Hertiage immediately after Grad Rehearsal.
• Class rings, graduation announcements, and other items may be purchased separately from Jostens and are not included in the Senior Class Fees.

Senior portraits: In order for your senior picture to be in the yearbook, it must be taken at Heritage High School with our photographer-Victor O’Neal Studios. There is one more make-up session available on November 25th and 26th. Sign up for a session here.

Other Important Dates

• June 4th, 2025: Last Attendance Day for Seniors, Sr. Awards, Mandatory Graduation Practice, Senior Barbecue
• Graduation 2025: Friday, June 13th, 2 PM @ Eagle Bank Arena.

Sign up for the Senior Class Remind to get information and updates from the Senior Class Sponsors. Text @hhspride25 to 81010.

As seniors, please remember that your school attendance and grades are important to your continued success. Your commitment to your academic work is necessary from the very beginning of the year, even after you have submitted your college or trade school applications, signed enlisment papers, or worked out a post-graduation job, and although there may be many distractions, academics must be an area of focus for each of you.

I know that you are excited about your senior year, and I am excited for you. Enjoy the year, but maintain your vision of graduating in June. I am looking forward to handing you a diploma as you walk across the stage!

ROAR PRIDE!

Jeffrey R. Adam
Principal"

Varsity Tutors

As the new school year kicks off, students may find themselves needing extra help with their studies. LCPS students have access to Varsity Tutors, a valuable and FREE resource available 24/7. Whether it's tutoring or enrichment support, Varsity Tutors is here to help with any academic need. With a variety of dynamic classes, learning becomes both engaging and enjoyable. To get started, look for the Varsity Tutors button in LCPSGo!

• December 7-SAT @ Heritage

• December 23-January 3-Holidays (Winter Break)
• January 20-Holiday (Martin Luther King Jr. Day)
• January 20-January 25-Winter Spirit Week
• January 24-End of Second Quarter (First Semester)
• January 27-28-Student Holidays-Teacher Workday/Professional Learning Day
• January 29-Holiday (Lunar New Year)
• January 30-Course Selection Night, 6 PM
• February 17-Holiday (President's Day)
• March 12-Heritage Cultural Festival
• March 31-Holiday (Eid al Fitr)
  
• April 3-End of 3rd Quarter
• April 4-April 7-Student Holidays- Teacher Workday/Professional Learning Day
• April 14-18-Holidays-(Spring Break)
• April 28-May 2-Awareness Week
• May 3-Prom
• May 5 - 16-AP exams
• May 19 - 23-SOLs
• May 26-Holiday (Memorial Day)
• June 4-Last Day for Seniors
• June 13, 2:30 PM-GRADUATION 2025 @ Eagle Bank Arena
• June 13-Last day of school
• June 16-Professional Learning Day
• June 17-Teacher Workday
• June 18-Teacher Workday (Faculty Meeting @ 10:30 PM)

Please take a moment to review our Mission, Vision, and Commitments for Heritage. These documents are the driving force for us and undergird our work. As we prepare to get this new year started.

As part of our efforts to set our students up for success and to instill lifelong positive habits, Heritage centers our behavior system around the character traits described by the International Baccalaureate Learner Profile: Inquirers, Knowledgeable, Thinkers, Communicators, Principled, Open-Minded, Caring, Risk-Takers, Balanced, and Reflective, all of which are supported by the “Three R’s.” They are Readiness, Respect, and Responsibility. We view the IB Learner Profile and the Three R’s as a recipe for success and the foundation of a positive school culture.

Heritage Graduation 2025 will be on Friday, June 13th, 2025 @ 2:30 PM. We will be graduating at Eagle Bank Arena, which means we will not need to give out tickets and weather will not be an issue.

Eight years ago, we began a school Advisory initiative called PRIDE TIME which we will continue this year. For those of you who are returning or have already had students at Heritage, we are changing how we are delivering the PRIDE TIME lessons. PRIDE TIME will meet on Mondays during our daily WIN time. PRIDE TIME will be a 40-minute block of time focused on student goal setting, school engagement, the “Three R’s”, building strong relationships with peers and adults, and creating a sense of connectedness for each student. Students' PRIDE TIME teacher and meeting room can be found on their schedules under Block 9.

I send a Weekly Update each Friday covering events for that weekend and the upcoming week, in addition to news and information about Heritage and Loudoun County Public Schools. The Weekly Update is also available through the link on our website. Additionally, Heritage is on Facebook and Instagram.

Over the course of last Spring, staff and students at Heritage studied our bell schedule to find ways to increase flexibilty for students to get academic assistance, to include time for clubs and other activities that enhance the school experience, and to establish a consistent daily schedule. Here is the Bell Schedule that we will be using. Students and staff have had a chance to give their feedback, and the most recent survey indicated a large majority of support from both staff and students on the move towards this new schedule. I am looking forward to unlocking the possibilities that this offers us.

Please note: The Loudoun County School Board passed a new policy regarding Personal Device Use by students. The full policy can be found HERE.

The new policy matches the Heritage Cell Phone practices we introduced last year, so our returning students should be used to the expectation and the process.

From the Policy:

"2. Student personal technology devices may only be used in designated locations and at designated times, as further set forth in Section B below. Cell phones and earbuds must be silenced and put away during all instructional periods unless a special circumstance exists and there is a documented accommodation. Smartwatches are allowed but must not interfere with instruction. Students may be asked to remove their smartwatch for tests unless a specific, documented accommodation exists. If any device becomes a disruption during instruction, discipline practices will be enforced as outlined in the LCPS Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook (SR&R) and Student Code of Conduct. Except as noted above:

• High school students must place personal technology devices in a classroom storage location, not on their person or immediately accessible, and must ensure the devices are silenced during instructional time."

The transition to this pratice went surprisingly smoothly last year, and we are looking forward to continuing to encourage student interactions, build stronger relationships, and increase attention spans for all of us.

After experiencing record numbers of car riders the past few years, we settled on a winding path through the parking lot for both (picture below) for those driving on campus for arrival and dismisal.

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.
• If you are a visitor to campus, please do not park in numbered spaces during school hours, as those are reserved for students who have secured parking permits.

Based on our observations, we also have the following requests in the interest of safety:

• 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.

School begins at 9:30 AM this year and Dismissal occurs at 4:18 PM. Please note: Students are considered tardy to class if they are not in their first or fifth block class when the 9:30 bell rings. Our Main Office is open from 8:30 AM until 4:30 PM each day.

We want to encourage our students and community to attend our events and have a great time! For everyone's information, we shared the following expectations with our students:

"Remember, when attending events at Heritage:

• No outside food or drinks.

• No backpacks or large bags.

• Remember no backpacks, if you have one you will need to leave it along the fenceline before entering.

• All school rules apply.

• We stay on our side of the field, no venturing over to the away side.

• We don’t storm the field for any reason. People can get hurt and it can affect our ability to compete in the post season as well as your ability to attend future games. (No student section is a VHSL penalty that can come down).

• No fighting. It’s a game not a WWE event.

• Do not bring anything to a game that is not allowed at school (vapes, alcohol, tobacco, etc.)

• Watch your language and represent your school and yourself well.

• When dressing up for spirit days/events, faces should not be fully covered (i.e. masks, face paint, morphsuits, etc.)

• Come and be loud, but be positive and cheer FOR the PRIDE!

• Cheer for us, no offensive things aimed at opponents. Names, numbers, identifying features.

• We want you to have fun and support your teams, but negative behavior will get you removed from games."