Weekly Update
August 25, 2023
WELCOME BACK!
Hello Loudoun Valley Vikings!
We are excited to welcome our students to the new school year on Thursday, August 24, 2023. Below is information to help with preparations.. We look forward to welcoming our community to a new school year!
There is much information here. Please review it over time and carefully.
Click Here for our 23-24 Bell Schedule
Reminders for Opening Day, Thursday, August 24, 2023:
Student Drop Off is in the FRONT of the school. Pull into the main entrance in front of the main office. Personnel and signs will direct you to a drop off in front of door A5. You are not permitted in the bus loop at any time.
Student Pick Up during the day for an early dismissal: pull into and PARK in the visitors parking lot. You are not permitted to wait or park in the bus loop at any time.
Guidance on Early Dismissal Process
Student Pick Up at the end of the day: Pull into the main entrance in front of the main office and turn right immediately and follow signs and personnel. Pick up will be at door D5 on the west side of the school. You will then be directed to follow the drive around the rear of the school and exit out the lot on the east (stadium) side of the school. Please follow this process as it is in the interest of safety for all students.
Student Breakfast and Lunch
Breakfast and lunch are available for purchase each day in the cafeteria. Students may bring cash or check directly to the lunch line for payment. Parents may also add funds to student accounts online. Please click here for more information regarding the online payment system and for the monthly menus:
https://lcpshealthycafe.org/index.php?page=menus&sid=2407151445268563
For the 23-24 school year, breakfast is $2.10 and lunch is $3.15 for students.
To learn more about the process to apply for free/reduced lunch, please click here:
https://lcpshealthycafe.org/index.php?page=lunchapps&sid=2407151445268563
Student Lunch Expectations
- As a reminder, Loudoun Valley High School is a closed campus. Students are not permitted to leave campus for lunch for any reason. For safety reasons, students may not sign out for lunch or place delivery orders. Deliveries from places such as GrubHub and DoorDash are not permitted at any time. Parents may drop off lunch for their specific student(s) using the parent drop off cart and a name card. Lunch is available every day for purchase in the cafeteria.
- Students typically move through the line in the cafeteria within 5-7 minutes, with the whole school completing the line by 15 minutes into the 35 minute lunch period.
Student Immunization Information
Please drop off or email your student’s updated immunization information prior to the first day of school on August 24, 2023. For additional information, please click the link below:
https://www.lcps.org/Page/249023
12th Grade Students: One dose of Meningococcal Vaccine (MenACWY, Menactra, or Menveo) given at age 16 or older. Effective July 1, 2021, these immunizations are required for all students entering seventh and twelfth grades. Parents or guardians should ask their private healthcare provider, or the health department, to review their student’s immunization record to ensure that their student has received these required immunizations.
For specific questions, please contact our school nurse, Mary Ellen Foulkes in the health office. Her email address to ask questions or send updated records is maryellen.foulkes@lcps.org
Student Medications Process
- If your student needs to have their medications while on campus, please follow this process:
- Parents must complete a form and bring the medications to the school nurse. As a reminder, LVHS does not have medications such as Tylenol to administer to students. Parents must complete the form and provide all medications to the health office. Students may not bring in the medications.
- Please click here to access and complete the LCPS Authorization Medication Administration Form.
- https://www.lcps.org/Page/226129
- Scroll to the “Health forms of Medical Needs” to access the authorization form.
The health office is open for parents to drop off forms and medications Monday-Friday from 9 am- 4 pm.
For specific questions, please contact our school nurse, Mary Ellen Foulkes in the health office. Her email address to ask questions is maryellen.foulkes@lcps.org
Class Meetings and Student Handbook
- Student class meetings and review of the LVHS student handbook will take place during homeroom/advisory the first two days of school: August 24 and August 25. Students and families should review the LCPS Student Rights and Responsibilities available online by clicking on the link here:
Additional Instructional Resources:
- Teacher One Pagers can be found on our LVHS website. These were also shared during Open House on August 19. Please click on the link to view the One Pagers:
- LCPS Special Education Department has provided a slide deck with information on Virginia IEP on the Parent Portal Overview. Please click on the link to view the slide deck:
- The LVHS team is here to partner with parents to support your student in their transition to the new school year. Please reach out to your child’s teachers and school counselor to collaborate with you in identifying and improving time-management and prioritizing skills as your student adjusts to the new school year.
What to Expect on Thursday, August 24 and Friday, August 25:
- Any student who wants a locker can sign up for one using the QR code request form at school. Posters with the form are displayed throughout the building for students to access.
- During the first few days of school we will address the following with students in homeroom/advisory time as we transition to a new school year:
- Building connections and community as we begin a new year
- Review lunch expectations
- Review purpose and attend VikingFest to explore club options
- 9th grade tours of the building led by teachers
- 9th grade and students new to LCPS distribution of LCPS provided Chromebook and charger
- Students are permitted to carry their backpacks throughout the school day every day
What to Expect in Homeroom/Advisory for the First Full Week of School
- Review LVHS Student Handbook
- Review Q and A for first week of school
Student Opportunities
LVHS is pleased to offer a variety of opportunities for students to get involved in their school community. We offer a wide variety of clubs for students to participate in on a rotational basis on Fridays. We provide the schedule of offerings during homeroom/advisory ahead of time for students to view and encourage students to keep exploring opportunities each week. We also have additional activities including music, athletics, theater, and academics. Please check our website and weekly newsletters for frequent updates and events.
Questions regarding bus transportation:
Please review your student’s transportation information in ParentVue. If you have further questions or additional transportation requests, please call the LCPS Transportation Line: 571-252-1700. Transportation requests are routed through LCPS, not directly through the school.
Student Parking Information
- For the 2023-2024 school year parking for all seniors will be in the East lot of the school closest to the Football stadium. We ask that those who are parking in the Senior lot remain respectful and do not park in the Band’s practice space. The Band’s space will be marked with yellow caution tape and/or cones.
- For the 2023-2024 school year parking for all juniors will be in the West lot of the school closest to the practice field nearest the water tower. We ask that those who park in the junior lot leave the closer spots vacant for school faculty to use. Juniors are asked to park along the grass adjacent to Maple Ave and the spots closest to the practice field.
- We want to thank you for your cooperation and understanding. Please contact Safety and Security with any further questions.
Parking Passes
Student parking passes are free this year but there are several steps to receive your parking pass.
- One of our safety and security officers will review the form and meet with the student. The student should have their driver’s license with them for this meeting.
- Once the form is filled out, students should come to the main office with their driver's license and one of our safety and security officers will review the information and discuss next steps.
- Students will receive their parking pass directly from the safety and security office.
Attendance Information:
Consistent attendance in school is critical for meaningful learning. We understand that a variety of factors can disrupt student attendance. We will work with you to support your student’s success. The key to this support is clear communication. Please assist us in letting us know about your student’s absences. Many of these absences are excused with proper notification (illness, death in the family, medical or dental appointments, court appearances, religious holidays, etc.). School staff will reach out when absences begin to accumulate, but it is important that you are proactive and communicate your student’s needs to the school. Our goal is to support student engagement.
Please navigate the sections below for further directions about how to communicate student attendance. The most important step is to make sure that you have your ParentVue account activated. Please refer to the “ParentVue and StudentVue” tab on the main page for details about activation. You can also explore the link below.
Grade Level Remind Groups:
- We highly encourage both students and parents to sign up for their respective grade level Remind group. We use Remind to send passes for student early dismissals. We also use it to send quick updates on schedule changes, inclement weather, spirit week information, and more! The school counseling department also uses it to share opportunities and resources for college, career, and scholarships for students across all grade levels.
- Here are the join codes for each grade level. You will text the code to 81010 or if you are in the Remind app, use the join existing class feature:
10th grade: @f8ee7e
11th grade: @24fg33f
12th grade: @824fg7
We look forward to welcoming our entire community back to school on August 24, 2023! Enjoy the last days of summer and we will see you soon!
-The Loudoun Valley Admin Team
PARENT INFORMATION SESSION SLIDE DECK
PARENT INFORMATION SESSION FAQ
TESTING COORDINATOR
Ms. Stecura is Loudoun Valley’s School Testing Coordinator. Her office is located in the main office. The best way to contact Ms. Stecura is through email at melissa.stecura@lcps.org.
The LVHS Testing Website has more information about testing.
PSAT - SAVE THE DATE!
LVHS will administer the PSAT to 9th, 10th, and 11th graders on Wednesday, October 18th.
At Loudoun Valley High School, we value teaching and learning and we reflect often on ways to improve and grow as a school community. Our Valley teachers, staff, and students have indicated a common theme that must be addressed as we prepare for this upcoming school year: student cell phone and earbud use in class. This year teachers have expressed concerns with students’ use of cell phones and the impacts it has had on engagement in instruction, opportunities to build collaborative relationships with peers, and building and utilizing critical thinking skills.
For the 23-24 school year, our school wide expectation is that students place their cell phones and earbuds in the designated space in each classroom. Phones will not be accessible during instructional time or Viking Time. Students may use their phones and earbuds during class changes, study hall, and lunch.
Students are not permitted to bring cell phones to the bathroom. Students should use all LCPS provided apps on their LCPS provided Chromebooks such as e-hallpass and Remind.
If students need to communicate with parents, coaches, employers, etc., they should do so during passing periods or lunch. If it is an immediate concern, students may go to the main office. Likewise, if you need to reach your student for an emergency, please contact the main office.
We ask that you begin having this conversation with your students now so they can start to understand these new changes in our Valley practices at the beginning of the 2023-24 school year.
For additional information and resources to support your student in this transition, please see below from the LVHS United Mental Health Team. This is a rich resource with helpful information and we invite you to take a moment to look through it.
https://www.hhs.gov/surgeongeneral/priorities/youth-mental-health/social-media/index.html
This initiative for the 23-24 school year is a collective and collaborative effort with the LVHS leadership team, teachers, students, administrators, and counselors. Together, we can work to strengthen learning engagement for students and improve their opportunities to go deeper in developing important life and learning skills.
FOLLOW OUR COUNSELING DEPARTMENT ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Instagram: @valleyschoolcounseling
STUDY SKILLS & ACADEMIC MOTIVATION PRESENTATIONS
LCPS MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS
This website offers comprehensive mental health services, support and resources provided by our Unified Mental Health Teams (counselors, psychologists, social workers, school nurses, and student assistance specialists) who can assist and direct families to the right level of services or interventions.
Available information includes:
- How to contact your school’s Unified Mental Health Team
- Resources for parents
- Suicide prevention resources
- LCPS mental and behavioral health services
- Substance use prevention and intervention services
- Resources for families of LGBTQ+ students and families
- Community resources
To access the mental health website created by the Department of Student Services, please visit: www.lcps.org/MentalHealthServices
MEET YOUR UNIFIED MENTAL HEALTH TEAM
MEET YOUR UNIFIED MENTAL HEALTH TEAM
As we approach Mental Health Awareness Month, Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) and the Unified Mental Health Team (UMHT) at Loudoun Valley want to remind you of the opportunities and resources available to students and families. The Loudoun Valley Unified Mental Health Team supports the mental health of all Loudoun Valley students.
SUBSTANCE USE RESOURCES FOR PARENTS
Trends Presentation: Current drug trends among adolescents
Summer Resources: Substance use Inpatient/Outpatient resources
FENTANYL AWARENESS
RECOVERY FROM VAPING
HEALTH ADVISORY ON SOCIAL MEDIA USE
RE-LINKYOUR HARRIS TEETER ACCOUNT BY OCTOBER 1
Please help Loudoun Valley High School earn cash awards when shopping at Harris Teeter. And it’s easy! At Harris Teeter, our Together in Education (TIE) code is 1800. You do have to update this information every year, so please designate Loudoun Valley High School by October 1st. Thanks so much for helping us get the money we need for resources to support staff and students at Valley!
To recap, by October 1st please designate Loudoun Valley with this code:
Harris Teeter = 1800
THEATRE INTEREST MEETINGS
Fall Play Design & Construction
August 30th during lunch in Blackbox (517)
Cappies
Theatre Criticism & Journalism Team
August 30th, 4:30 - 5:30 in Blackbox (517)
Thespians
Performance & Design Competition Team
August 31st during lunch in Blackbox (517)
THEATRE - NEW STUDENT MEETING
August 27th, 3:00 - 5:00 @ Fireman’s Field
FALL PLAY - 'OUR TOWN' AUDITIONS AND CALL BACKS
Auditions September 5th, 4:30 - 6:30 in Blackbox (517)
Prepare a 1-2 minute monologue
Callbacks September 7th & 8th, 4:30 - 6:30 in Blackbox (517)
COMEDY CULT AUDITIONS
Valley’s Improv Comedy Team
September 6t, 4:30 - 6:30 in Blackbox (517)
STUDENT PICTURE DAYS
Student picture days for grades 9, 10, 11 are Monday, Aug. 28 and Tuesday, Aug. 29. Students in will go with their English classes to have their photos taken and receive their student ID cards. Students should have received purchase information to take home so they have the option to order prints from Lifetouch. Parents may also order online and pay in advance. Please contact Mrs. Adwers at sadwers@lcps.org for information.
SENIORS receive their ID cards when they have their senior portraits taken. Senior yearbook portraits are free! Seniors who have not yet had a photo taken will receive an appointment card and email notification from Prestige/Lifetouch. Prestige will be at Valley Sept. 11-14 for senior portraits. Use the online scheduling program via www.schedule.prestigeportraits.com to reserve an appointment. If you don’t have your 8-digit code, you can search by city and state. Be sure to use Purcellville, Virginia (not Loudoun Valley) when you search. If you have any questions or need help scheduling, please call Prestige Scheduling at 1-800-736-4753. Chat help is also available online at the above site.
Seniors who previously had a photo taken will not be in the fall scheduling system. If a senior needs a retake, call the help number to schedule and avoid sitting fees. If you have any questions or need assistance, reach out to Mrs. Adwers for help: sadwers@lcps.org.
PRE-ORDER PICTURES ONLINE
WHAT TO DO IF LCPS GO IS DOWN
Direct Links for Students to Instructional Tools
TOOL: Google
LINK: https://drive.google.com
HOW TO SIGN IN: Google: student email address IDnumber@lcps.org, i.e. 000000@lcps.org
TOOL: Schoology
LINK: https://learn.lcps.org
HOW TO SIGN IN: Google
TOOL: Google Meet
LINK: https://meet.google.com/ OR the link you created for your class
HOW TO SIGN IN: Google
TOOL: Clever (for app integrations)
LINK: https://clever.com/
HOW TO SIGN IN: Student ID and Password
TOOL: StudentVue
LINK: https://portal.lcps.org/
HOW TO SIGN IN: Student ID and Password
FAQs
I've used the links and received sign-in errors. Is my password wrong?
Sometimes an LCPS Go outage is limited to LCPS Go, and other times it may be a network problem affecting multiple sites. In this instance, a password or other sign-in error may or may not reflect the actual problem. Wait and try later, refresh your browser window, and clear the cache if needed.
HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT
Contact Information
Website: https://www.lcps.org/lvhs
Location: 340 North Maple Avenue, Purcellville, VA, USA
Phone: (540) 751-2400
Twitter: @LVHS_official
2023 All Rights Reserved – Loudoun County Public Schools
