Cougar Connection

Welcome to the January edition of our school newsletter! We hope you all had a restful and enjoyable holiday season especially with all the snow days. As we begin a new year, we are excited to continue working together in supporting our students' growth, success, and well-being. The end of January marks the halfway point of the school year, and it’s a great time to reflect on accomplishments, set new goals, and stay focused for the second semester.

In this issue, you’ll find important updates on upcoming events, resources, and key dates to keep you informed and engaged. Let’s kick off the year strong—together!

Throughout November and December, the mental health team (school counselor, school social worker, and school psychologist) provided the Signs of Suicide Lesson to freshmen and juniors. Students learned the tools to identify and help others who may be struggling with mental health concerns. Students also took a brief depression screener after the lesson.

The new year brings our favorite time of year - course registration. All ninth through eleventh grade students will meet in a large group setting and individually with their counselor. During the large group meeting, students will review course options and goal setting. In individual meetings, counselors will review each student's academic plans, goals, and graduation requirements. It is important that students make thoughtful decisions with their course selections as they drive staffing and schedule changes may not be possible in the future.

Oakton's Academic Advising site also will be updated with the 2025-2026 school year information.

Rising Seniors

January 10: Counselor Cougar Connect/Advisory Meeting

January 14 - January 28: Individual Counselor Meetings through US/VA History Classes

Rising Juniors

January 30: Counselor Cougar Connect/Advisory Meeting

January 31 - February 14: Individual Counselor Meetings through World History II/AP World Classes

Rising Sophomores

February 18: Counselor Cougar Connect/Advisory Meeting

February 19 – March 5: Individual Counselor Meetings through World History I Classes

Middle School Visits

January 13: Franklin Middle School

January 17: Thoreau Middle School

January 15: Carson Middle School

**Please note that these dates may be changed due to scheduling conflicts or weather-related days.

January 15, 2024, from 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM. During this time, you will be able to learn more about all the courses offered at Oakton. More information about our curriculum night can be found on the website. You can also find information about our classes, explained by our teachers, through our course offerings website . Additional information can be found on our academic advising and course offerings page. The target audience for this is both students and parents.

A high school academy is a center within an existing high school that offers advanced technical and specialized courses that successfully integrate career and academic preparation.

Enrollments in the Academy elective course offerings will provide students with career and academic preparation for postsecondary education and career fields. Students enrolling in Academy elective courses will be provided with opportunities to participate in a variety of career experiences including shadowing, mentoring, and internships with local businesses.

To learn more info, students are encouraged to check out an open house, schedule a tour, and visit the websites.

Chantilly Academy - January 14 from 6:30-8pm

Fairfax Fire Academy (Mandatory Student and Parent Interest Meeting): February 19 at 6:30pm

Falls Church Academy - January 13 from 6-8pm

Fairfax Academy - February 4 from 6:30-7:30pm

Marshall Academy - January 30 from 4:30-6pm

Deadline to register for on-time registration is March 6 (via Oakton counselor). Initial academy decisions will be released to students March 31.

Middle and high school students who meet the course prerequisites can take one online course. Students who have completed a high school math course may take an online campus math class. Middle school students who expunged a high school math or Spanish course or those wanting to recover a course credit may take the course again.

Registration is not open at this time. Please check the website for updated info.

Summer school info for the online campus is available here.

FCPS also offers enrichment summer options, please check out the FCPS Summer Learning Opportunities site here.

Questions regarding Online Campus, Economics/Personal Finance, and Summer Learning can be directed to the appropriate student's counselor.

Self-Directed Economics and Personal Finance requires students to complete work without direct teacher support. Students will

• Access content for this course through FCPS Schoology.
• Read through 14 modules, complete 140 exit tickets, 14 module tests, and a final exam.

This course does not meet face-to-face. Students may only take this course as "Pass/Fail".

Registration and Dates

At the time of this newsletter, registration information is not yet available.

Registration site

Please note that taking this course over the summer completely optional. Oakton offers Honors Economics/Personal Finance and AP Macro/Micro Economics which fulfill the required class for graduation.

Coming Soon Junior Family College Night! This event is for junior students and their families to hear directly from college admissions representatives in a panel format.

Topics include:

• Starting the College Search and Finding the Right Fit
• Preparing for the College Application Process
• Understanding Key Aspects of College Applications

The zoom link will be emailed to junior families via eNotify "Oakton High School."

2025 Gap Year Fair for Students and their Families

FCPS’ School Counseling Services and Go Overseas are co-hosting the annual FCPS Gap Year Fair on Tuesday, January 28, 2025, at George C. Marshall High School from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m. This event is for high school students and parents who are interested in learning more about the growing array of gap year opportunities. The evening will begin with a presentation in the auditorium from 6:00 to 6:45 p.m. Immediately following, the program fair will be held in the cafeteria from 6:45 to 8:30 p.m., with representatives from over 30 programs offering gap year opportunities. Students and their families are encouraged to meet the representatives and learn about the variety of experiences available.

Students are encouraged to pre-register for this event.

For more information, visit: USA Gap Year Fairs or FCPS Gap Year Fair, or contact Pamela White, Postsecondary Special Projects Liaison, at pcwhite@fcps.edu or 571-393-1102.

**In the event of inclement weather on Tuesday, January 28, 2025. The Gap Year Fair will be held on Wednesday, January 29, 2025, at the same time and location.

25-26 FAFSA is Now Open

Attention senior families, the '25-'26 FAFSA is now open. All students and families who plan on attending post-secondary education next year are encouraged to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.

Click here to begin the application: https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa

Who should file the FAFSA?

United States citizens and eligible noncitizens should complete this form to apply for federal, state and institutional financial aid.

25-26 VASA Coming Soon

Virginia Alternative State Application (VASA)

The 2025-26 VASA application, to be completed by students planning to attend college during Fall 2025 and/or Spring 2026, will be released in late December 2024/early January 2025.

For more information, click here: https://www.levelupvirginia.org/finance/financial-aid/vasa-application

Who should file the VASA Application?

• Virginians who have certain nonimmigrant visas, are undocumented, have Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status or are otherwise ineligible to file a FAFSA.

  The VASA application only provides access to state financial aid and possibly institutional aid.

College Access Fairfax Resources

The College Access Fairfax offers a number of resources for Fairfax County Students. There are several free FAFSA/VASA Completion Workshops being offered across county high schools.

Some upcoming locations include:

South Lakes HS - January 16, 2025 @ 5:30-7:30pm

Chantilly HS - January 21, 2025 @ 6:00-8:00pm

Falls Church HS - January 23, 2025 @7:00-9:00pm

Westfield HS - February 11, 2025 @ 6:00-8:00pm

For more information, please check out the website: collegeaccessfairfax.org.

Financial Aid 101 Webinars for Students and Parents

High school students, parents, and guardians who are interested in learning about financial aid options for college are invited to attend one of the Financial Aid 101 webinars hosted by Level Up Virginia and Virginia Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (VASFAA).

Topics covered include Federal Financial Aid, State Financial Aid, Application Tips, and Q & A.

Register today to attend a session December 5 or December 12, 2024, from 6 to 7:15 p.m. Both sessions are free and will cover the same information. Please see the Financial Aid 101 flyer for more information.

Contact: Brittany Everett, Postsecondary Access and Success Specialist, Brittany.Everett@doe.virginia.gov