Issue-4-2007-2008

GCM PTSA
Newsletter
E4
ISSU
008
AY 2
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—
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George C. Marshall High School
7731 Leesburg Pike
Falls Church, VA 22043
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT—MALOU RENNERT
Inside this issue:
Dear Marshall Families,
not have been able to provide this service to our
students. Recognizing the need for safety awareWe have completed three quarters of this school
ness, we sponsored a Teen Driving Presentation in
year. Our seniors can breathe a little easier after
conjunction with the Internet safety presentation by
grueling months of college preparation and applicaJennifer Sponheimer, our Marshall SPET 0nFebrution processing. Now, it’s white knuckle time for
ary 11.The Teen Driving presentation was given by
them waiting for the “envelope” to arrive in the
Mike McClanahan, Chairman of the Board and Exmail. Oral presentations and extended essays have
ecutive Director of SAFE –D. He is also an At-Large
been completed.
member of the Fairfax County Juvenile and DomesThe PTSA has also been busy during the past three tic Relations Court Citizen's Advisory Council. There
was a good turnout.
months. Here is a brief summary of what we have
accomplished. In January, the PTSA hospitality
The proposed 2009 FCPS budget caused great
committee provided drinks for the successful colconcern to GCM HS parents and the school. Spelege funding night. We financially supported Senior
cifically, the new budget proposed that IB exam
Ethics Day on January 29th. In appreciation of our
fees would no longer be paid for by FCPS but would
guidance department, the PTSA provided them with
be paid by the students instead. In addition, there
baskets of homemade desserts and fresh fruit. A
would be an increase in class size and a $50/activhealthy soup and salad lunch was also served on
ity fee would be assessed. PTSA representatives
February 4 in honor of counseling week. We had
met with Phil Niedzilski-Eichner, the school board
over 100 students take the SAT/ACT practice test
member for the Providence district, to express our
on February 9. Twenty-six percent of the students
concerns. Mr. Eichner has assured us that he did
took the ACT practice test. We thank Brooke Mock
not support the exam fee changes.
and all of the parent volunteers who helped proctor
and assist in one way or another in the administra- On March 5th, Kaplan Tests will return the results of
(Continued on page 9)
tion of these tests. Without their support, we would
Principal’s Message
2
Testing and Assessments
2
PTSA Blast
3
Rotary Club Honors
3
Debate Team News
3
Guidance/Career Ctr. News
4
Parent Liaison Corner
5
Band News
5
Landscaping Plan
5
Prom Dress Boutique
6
Hospitality Internships
6
Marketing Dept. News
6
Honor Your Senior w/ Books
6
DECA District Competitions
7
Boosters Mulch Sale
8
Natl Athletic Trainers Month
8
Boys Basketball
8
Girl’s Lacrosse
8
Spring Touching Bases on Wednesday, March 12, 2008.
Advice that Makes Cents
9
45th Anniversary Celebration
10
All conferences will be on a first come, first serve
basis. Teachers will be in the cafeteria, main gym
and the auxiliary gym.
Excellence in Civics Diploma
Seal
10
Graduation Information
11
Noteworthy Dates
12
The GCM PTSA newsletter is edited
by Liane Paulson, 703-698-7747,
[email protected]
Newsletter is printed by J & J
PRINTING, 5540 Port Royal Rd,
Springfield, VA 22151
(703) 764-0088
On Wednesday, March 12, 2008 Marshall High
School will open three hours late (10:10 a.m.) so
that parents may come to school to meet the
teachers. From 7:20 – 9:50 a.m., teachers will be
available to meet with parents, one-on-one, for a 5
minute mini-conference. This is a good opportunity
for teachers and parents to discuss students' progress.
Coffee will be available for staff and parents.
GCM PTSA NEWSLETTER (ISSUE 4 of 5)
Page 2
A Message from the Principal — Jay Pearson
Past, Present, and Future
Jay Pearson
George C. Marshall H.S. Principal
Planning for a complete
renovation of George C.
Marshall High School
will begin this May.
I encourage you to ask
your student every day,
“How did you use Lunch
and Learn today?”
As I have stated previously, I encourage you to ask
your student every day, “How did you use Lunch
Looking Back
and Learn today?” We know we have students
earning less than satisfactory grades who are not
This year marks the 45th Anniversary of George C.
maximizing their time during Lunch and Learn. We
Marshall High School. Marshall opened mid-year
are able to generate reports of your student’s
on December 6, 1962. While forty-five years may
Lunch and Learn use and visits to the library. Connot have the same significance as a 25th or 50th
tact your student’s administrator if you would like
anniversary, it’s important for us to recognize this
milestone as a school community. Our theme for a to see a copy of this report. Our ultimate goal is to
build individual responsibility in students for their
series of events in April is “Appreciate the Past,
Celebrate the Present, and Embrace the Future”. A academic success.
team of parents and staff is working with a MarBy now you will have noticed our new digital marshall graduate on a formal dinner event on April 12.
quee. It was a long journey since the Class of
The event will be held in a transformed cafeteria
2005 left much of the finding to support this sigand will feature Thomas Pickering as the keynote
nificant upgrade. Many thanks to our Activities
speaker. Mr. Pickering is the former Under SecreBoosters and Mr. Pepper for bringing this project to
tary of State for Political Affairs and United States
completion. We are fortunate to have this device as
Ambassador to the United Nations. In more than
a communication tool with our community. Now we
four decades of service, Mr. Pickering also served
are able to post easily school events and recognize
as United States Ambassador to India, Russia, Isour supporters. I appreciate your patience while
rael, Nigeria, El Salvador, and Jordan. He currently
we waited for this to come to fruition.
serves on the Board of Trustees for the Marshall
Foundation. On that evening, we will also anLooking Ahead
nounce our first Statesmen of the 21st Century
You may not believe it, but planning for a complete
awards, as well as induct new members to the Marrenovation of George C. Marshall High School will
shall Hall of Fame. You do not want to miss this
begin this May. I was contacted by the school sysevent catered by our own Chef Devlin and the Martem in early February with this long awaited news.
shall Academy. Seats will be limited. Stay tuned
Samaha Associates has been selected to be the
for more information.
architectural consultant for the project. One first
In the Present
step is to establish a design committee of staff
(faculty, support employees, administration), parI am pleased to provide an update of our work as a
ents, students, and community members. I am
professional learning community. Since the begintruly excited to see this process begin. The renovaning of school we have documented more than
tion is expected to be completed during the 201315,000 instances of student use of Lunch and
2014 school year.
Learn. Our curriculum teams have administered
close to 6000 common assessments and 797 ruAs always, I appreciate your continued support.
bric-based assessments. It’s exciting to report that
Jay Pearson
on February 6, JT Houk became the 20,000th stuPrincipal
dent to visit our library. We collect this data to inform our practice to support all students’ success.
From MTAC - Marshall Testing and Assessment Center
Marshall HS will be administering the English Writing SOL during the
first week of March. All students in English 11 or IB English 1
classes (mostly juniors) are required to take this SOL test. The English Writing SOL is divided into two parts - multiple choice and direct
writing - and both parts are taken with a paper test book, not
online. The multiple choice test is given on Monday and Tuesday,
March 3 and 4 and the direct writing is given on March 5.
Most students in an English 11 or IB English 1 class on blue days
will take the multiple choice test in their class on Monday, March
3. Most students in an English 11 or IB English 1 class on red days
will take the multiple choice part of the test in their class Tuesday,
March 4. ALL students in an English 11 or IB English 1 class will
take the direct writing part of the SOL on Wednesday, March 5 at
7:20am. Please try to avoid scheduling appointments for your
student during those days.
Since these tests are taken with paper books, the scores will not
be available until the end of the school year. Should you have
any questions, please call the testing office:
Tim Kane 703-714-5542
Mark Fredenburg 703-714-5543
Barbara Carlson 703-714-5462
GCM PTSA NEWSLETTER (ISSUE 4 of 5)
Page 3
PTSA Blast Information
Effective communication is the key to success. The
PTSA at Marshall HS has diligently worked to provide up-to-date information to the Marshall community. We have come a long way. However, there is
still room for improvement and we need your help.
How? Here are some suggestions:
•If you know any individual or group that
needs to be recognized, please let us know.
•Any group, club, team, or department who
would like to send an announcement through
the Blast must send the information at least
three days before the event. Of course, the earlier you send it, the better.
We can only disseminate information if we have
it. So, please help us.
•Do not send graphics or attachments.
•Since there is a marked increase in the volume of information sent out, we request that
the articles be short and concise.
•The article must be written by the individual or
group requesting it to be published. Final formatting and editing, if needed, will be done by
Blast committee.
•If a group has an important event for which
information must be disseminated, the group is
responsible for providing that information sufficiently ahead of time.
•The frequency with which an article is published in the Blast is solely at the discretion of
the committee.
Thank you very much for your support. We try our
best to send the most accurate information available. However, schedules (sports, music competitions, etc) do change. Please check the GCM website http://fcps.edu/marshallhs/ and the PTSA
website www.gcmptsa.org regularly. The Blast
should not be the primary source for urgent information. Sign up for the "Keep in Touch" system
operated by Fairfax County Public Schools. It will
keep you abreast of various events, notifications,
and emergency announcements. To sign up, go
to: https://fcps.medianext.com/fcps/signup.html.
Feel free to contact us at [email protected] if
you think that we have omitted an event, have
sent out incorrect information, or if you want to
be added to the Blast list.
Vienna Rotary Club Honors Marshall Staff and Students
Howard Svigals presented Alanna S. Graboyes,
Head Librarian, with a check in honor of the
GCM library program. The money will be used
for a "Read for Fun" program that the library is
starting. Additionally, the high school’s outreach program of popular books will be greatly
enhanced by the gift.
The Blast should not be
your primary source for
urgent information.
Sign up for the "Keep in
Touch" system operated
by Fairfax County Public Schools.
Matt Brennan presented Jeanene Sims,
Assistant Principal, with a check for Ethics
Day.
Marshall Debate
Team News
Six Marshall debaters competed in
the Lincoln-Douglas debate tournament at Walt Whitman HS in Bethesda on Saturday, February 9th.
Junior Paul Connet placed 2nd in
the novice division with 100
speaker points and Sophomore
Ipsita Salim, in her first tournament ever, placed 1st in the novice
division and won a spot in the Junior Varsity Metro-Finals tournament
on March 7th and 8th.
Congratulations!
Page 4
GCM PTSA NEWSLETTER (ISSUE 2 of 5)
GUIDANCE AND CAREER CENTER INFORMATION
Financial Planning for College: Mark your calendars
for next year. The date is December 10, 2008: Marshall HS will again, be hosting a series of miniworkshops for parents who want to gain information on financial planning for college. This year's
January 9th seminar series included a class on the
basics of financial aid, the FAFSA and a Financial
Aid Officer from GMU, a discussion of federal and
private student loan programs, and both long and
short term financial planning for parents of elementary, middle and high school students. The 529 and
Virginia Pre-Paid Tuition plans were discussed as
well as savings and investment vehicles.
Student Registration
for classes for next year
will take place now
through March 28th.
The Career Center will be working with students to
help familiarize them with the new FCPS Family
Connections college & career website in February
and March. If your student has not signed up,
please have him / her follow the following instructions to receive e-mails from Marshall HS: Go to the
student's "Blackboard Account". Click on "Personal
Information", Edit the e-mail account, scroll down
and click "submit". Go back to the Blackboard
screen page and Click on "Family Connection".
Done !
Juniors and seniors may sign up for attending college visits to the Career Center this spring by accessing their Family Connections Site and signing
up. Students should print the pass and send Mrs.
Malik an e-mail saying that they will be attending.
Next step for seniors? Here is the advice from the
mouth of your beloved Counselors:
Senioritis –
1. We're still your counselors 'till June 13th – it
doesn't matter whether you're going to a 4 year college, a community college like NOVA, a career
school or the great unknown.
it's contagious…don't
catch it.
2. If you need money to support your future plans,
we can help.. Don't delay with completing the
FAFSA form.
Stay active in school
and with activities.
3. Let us know as you become more clear on your
post high school plans. We understand it's a procprocess and you're continually making updated decisions.
4. Semester grades will be sent in February to all
the schools to which you've asked us to send a
transcript. A re-computed cumulative GPA will also
be sent with the grades. This information will be
available to the student the week of February 11th.
5. When you are accepted by a college, remember
that it's only conditional!
conditional In June we'll send your
final transcript to the college of your choice and
they'll expect you to be the same student you were
when they accepted you.
6. You can still apply to college! See your counselor.
7. Senioritis – it's contagious…don't catch it. Stay
active in school and with activities.
College Night for parents of sophomores and juniors, Monday, March 10, 2008 from 7:00 – 9:00
PM; GCM High School Cafeteria. There will be an
Admissions Representative presenting the topics of
how students should be looking at colleges and
how colleges look at students. That will be followed
by a counselor session with juniors and their parents.
Junior Focus Day, Tuesday, March 11, 2008: 7:20
AM – 10:45 AM for juniors during the school day;
topics include: University Admissions panel, essay
and resume writing, SAT / ACT discussion, Gap Year
and Volunteerism, Financial Aid and Scholarship
Information, Military Options, NOVA, Technical and
Vocational Schools, etc.
Senior Survey (On-line) April 12 – June 10, 2008.
Seniors will be asked to share their future plans
and / or their final college decision to enable counselors to send the final transcript to the college they
plan to attend.
Northern Virginia Regional College Fair: George Mason University, Patriot Center, Thursday, April 17th,
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM. For a list of colleges that will be
attending: http://admissions.gmu.edu/rsvp/nvrcf/
attending.asp
Important websites:
George C. Marshall High School: www.fcps.edu/
MarshallHS (check out Student Services for Guidance and Career Center information)
Fairfax County's Central Database for Scholarship
Information: http://www.fcps.edu/ssseapps/
scholarshipdb
Fairfax County's Central Database for Summer Opportunities: http://www.fcps.edu/news/summer/
sosalpha.htm
Begin Lifelong Career Planning: www.vaview.org or
http://va.kuder.com, School Access Code: 9448
GCM PTSA NEWSLETTER (ISSUE 4 of 5)
Page 5
Parent Liaison Corner
¿Escucha usted a su hijo?
Are You Listening to Your Child?
Es tan importante que usted simplemente escuche a su hijo. Los hijos que confían en que sus
padres les escuchen son más felices y son
menos propensos a caer en problemas. A continuación aparece una prueba para averiguar
cómo le va a usted.
It's so important to just listen to your child. Children who feel secure that their parents are paying
attention to them are happier and less likely to
get into trouble. Here's a quiz to see how you're
doing.
Anótese cinco puntos por lo que hace normalmente, cero puntos por lo que no hace nunca, o
bien la puntuación intermedia que a su juicio corresponda.
___1. A mi hijo le doy toda mi atención.
___2. Espero hasta que mi hijo termine de hablar, antes de hablar yo.
___3. A mi hijo le miro a los ojos cuando estamos
hablando.
___4. Muestro interés por lo que dice mi hijo.
___5. Si mi hijo comienza a hablar en un mal momento, fijo una hora para escucharlo en el futuro
próximo. Y cumplo.
¿Cómo le fue en la prueba?
Si obtuvo 20 puntos o más, usted sí escucha
bien a su hijo. Una calificación de entre 15 y 19
puntos es regular. ¿Menos de 15 puntos? Siga
los consejos de la prueba para escucharlo mejor.
Give yourself five points for things you usually do,
zero points for something you never do—or any
score in between that you think you deserve.
___1. I give my child my full attention.
___2. I wait until my child is finished talking before I speak.
___3. I make eye contact with my child when
we're talking.
___4. I show interest in what my child is saying.
___5. If my child picks a bad time to talk, I set a
time to listen in the near future. And I keep the
appointment.
Teresa Bennett is
Marshall’s Parent
Liaison.
703-714-5482
How did you score?
Above 20 points means you are truly listening to
your child. Fifteen to 19 is average. Below 15? Try
some of the ideas in the quiz to improve your listening skills.
Band News
Congratulations to Reina Andrade, Emma
Balek, Rumen Hutchinson and Andrew Robinson, our participants in the GMU Honors
Band.
Marshall had four students participate in the
All-District Band concert this year at Oakton
High School. Congratulations to Reina
Andrade, Emma Balek, Ginny Lee and Vincent
McLeese.
The trumpet section will perform the National
Anthem at the School Board meeting on
Thursday, Feb. 14.
Any student who wishes information with regard to auditioning to march with the Bands of
America National Honors Marching Band in
Pasadena's Rose Bowl Parade, should contact
Mr. Baldwin.
Above is a landscaping plan for the senior courtyard from Merrifield Garden Center.
Read more about it on page 9 in the President’s message.
Page 6
GCM PTSA NEWSLETTER (ISSUE 4 of 5)
Prom Dress Boutique!
Please start setting these items aside as the dates
Clean out your closets and save the environment
for the drop off are coming soon. Please see that
by donating all your unused or “gently used” formal
all dresses have been carefully dry cleaned and on
attire to our special “PROM
PROM DRESS BOUTIQUE”
hangers. We are also in need of fancy shopping
event.
bags, unused tissue paper and ribbons so the
items will go out in style. Anyone wishing to help
We are hoping to get a broad range of styles and
with the Prom Dress Event should email Cindy
sizes to suit our rising graduates, particularly the
Blakely at [email protected] or Hillary Vincent
very small and larger misses sizes. Elegant shoes, at [email protected].
and handbags, fancy jewelry, unused hair notions
and cosmetics samples or perfumes are welcomed.
LOVE YOUR SENIOR
Honor them with a book
Donate a book to the Marshall H.S. Library gift book program
and have it inscribed with your student’s name and class.
http://www.fcps.edu/MarshallHS/studentservices/library/
For more information on this program please contact
Alanna Graboyes, Head Librarian
(703)-714-5323
[email protected]
Hospitality Internships
On Wednesday, February 6th, eight Marshall Academy Hospitality Students attended an all-day orientation session at the Ritz-Carlton
Tysons Corner. These lucky students will begin their 12-week internship in hospitality with a focus on: loss prevention, culinary, guest
recognition, restaurant, and The Spa! The Ritz-Carlton presented a lovely program and a luncheon to the students who will be interning
there on Tuesdays and Wednesdays through the beginning of May. We are very proud that our students are professionals and that they
can can experience this "once in a lifetime" opportunity. Decisions are currently being made as to which excellent college/university they
will attend to continue their studies in Hospitality. Updates on their decisions to follow in the next issue of the PTSA newsletter. :)
Marketing Department News
DECA's State Leadership Conference will be held in Norfolk, VA on the weekend of March 6th-9th, 2008. We are very excited
to be taking 73 students from Marshall H.S. and Marshall Academy to participate in the conference. We look forward to telling you of your son/daughter's success in role-play competition and manual presentations. In addition to the Marketing Department, we are asking Cindy Blakeley, Director of Student Services, and Jeff McFarland, Academy Administrator, to chaperone and assist in prepping our students for competition. If your son/daughter is attending the conference, please send back
their permission forms as soon as possible. Parents, we post photos on Snapfish for your enjoyment. Thanks for your continued support of Marshall H.S. Marketing and DECA!
GCM PTSA NEWSLETTER (ISSUE 4 of 5)
Page 7
GCM DECA Rocks District Competition
On Friday, January 25, 2008, over 800 marketing students from
Fairfax County gathered to compete at the annual DECA leadership Conference at Lake Braddock Secondary School. Sixty Marshall Marketing Students were selected to represent our DECA
chapter at the competition. Marshall students compete in District
11 (including West Springfield, Edison, Lee, and Classroom-on-the
Mall & GCM). The Marketing Competition encompassed 13 ComCompetitive Role Play Events in total.
Marshall is proud to announce that we had EIGHT First Place
Overall Winners,and TEN Second Place Overall Winners.
The Third Place Winners Serve as alternates for DECA State
Competition: Cameron Holdaway, Samantha Marsengil,,
Tommy McCormick, Jason Merlino, and Harold Sweet
The students who won 1st and 2nd place will represent Fairfax
County at the DECA State Competition in Norfolk on March 68. Student winners at the State Leadership Conference earn
The Marshall Student First and Second Place Winners will adadvance to State Competition in March.
First Place Winners: Mike Beaman, John Carmichael, Diana
Fleeter, Matt Freeman, Caroline MacDonnell, Sarah Noll, Haley
Plotner and Josh Rennert.
Second Place Winners: Alex Bramet,, Tara Cappiello,, Scott Hoffman, Morgan MacDonnell, Sara Meoni, Alexandra Monge, Tori
Montano, Misha Smarzik, Martynas Verbusaitis, and Bryan Whittington.
the opportunity to represent Virginia at the DECA International Career Development Conference to be held in April in
Atlanta, Georgia. DECA is the International Association of
Marketing Students, with over 100,000 student members
nationwide.
Thirty six Marshall DECA Students were recognized as finalists in one of their three events.
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL DECA WINNERS AND FINALISTS!
Page 8
GCM PTSA NEWSLETTER (ISSUE 2 of 5)
GCM Activities Boosters Mulch Sale
It’s that time again–the Annual Spring Mulch
Sale. The Activities Boosters will be selling mulch
on Saturday, April 5, 2008. 3.0 cubic foot bags of
plain hardwood mulch are available for $4.50
per bag. Delivery to your home or business is free
for purchases of ten bags or more. We deliver
anywhere in the Falls Church/Vienna/Merrifield/
McLean area. We’ll even place them in the yard
for you! This is a great deal–save the multiple
trips to Home Depot, save the time spent cleaning the car, save the effort lugging those bags
around!! Talk to your neighbors–get together on
an order. Order your bags now on the Boosters
website at www.gcmhsboosters.org or you can
send a check to John Blakeley at 2506 Carol Pl.,
Falls Church, VA 22046. Sales close on Tuesday,
April 1st at 11:59PM. No foolin’!!
If you can help with delivery: We need all the help
we can get! In past years we have delivered as
many as 4500 bags of mulch to more than 200
houses. We use all Sports teams and many of our
clubs to deliver the mulch, but we need adults to
drive the trucks. So, if you can help, please contact John Blakeley or any other Boosters Board
member.
For more information call John at 703-992-6274,
or send an E-mail to [email protected].
“Who’s taking care of your kids?”
The National Athletic
Trainers’ Association is
working to draw attention to the healthcare
provided to our nation’s
youth and secondary
school age athletes.
March is National Athletic Training Month! The
theme for this year’s event is “Who’s taking care
of your kids?” Throughout March and the rest of
the year, the National Athletic Trainers’ Association is working to draw attention to the healthcare provided to our nation’s youth and secondary school age athletes.
The Fairfax County Public Schools Athletic Training Program (FCPS ATP) employs 50 Certified
Athletic Trainers, two at each county high school.
Certified Athletic Trainers are nationally certified,
state licensed medical professionals. Experts in
the evaluation, treatment and rehabilitation of
injuries and illnesses, the members of the FCPS
ATP strive to provide comprehensive, quality
healthcare for the 20,000+ students participating
in athletics each year.
Marshall’s two Certified Athletic Trainers are John
Reynolds MS, VATL, ATC and Dale Hotchkiss MS,
VATL, ATC. Mr. Reynolds is in his 11th year as an
Athletic Trainer at Marshall while Mr. Hotchkiss is
completing his second year at the school. Maintaining a constant presence at Marshall athletic
events throughout the year, Mr. Reynolds and Mr.
Hotchkiss greatly enjoy working with the students
at Marshall, their parents, and the greater Marshall community.
Boy’s Basketball Shoot-A-Thon
Thank you to all who donated or made pledges
for the Marshall Boys' Basketball Shoot-A-Thon
held on Saturday, January 26. The basketball
team enjoyed a morning of shooting free throws
with participants from the Best Buddies program. We are hoping to raise $4000 with 15% of
that money being donated to the Best Buddies
program at Marshall. A recent article on the Best
Buddies program was documented in the latest
Vienna Connection. The basketball program
hopes to continue its partnership with Best Buddies in the coming years.
Girl’s Lacrosse
GCM Girls' Lacrosse is happy to announce the
addition of 2003 GCM grad Nicholle Harris-Depaz
to the coaching staff. Nicholle brings four years
of NCAA Division I playing experience to the
team, having played three years for former US
National Coach Sue Stahl at Old Dominion University, & one at Virginia Tech. The 2008 season
begins with open try-outs on Monday, Feb. 25,
and the first game at Falls Church HS on March
13.
3/13 TH @ Falls Church
3/27 TH LANGLEY (home)
3/31 M @ Stone Bridge
4/4 F @ WT Woodson
4/8 T SOUTH LAKES (home)
4/10 TH @ Madison
4/11 F South County Invitational (2 games)
4/12 Sat South County Invitational (3 games)
4/14 M WASHINGTON-LEE (home)
4/17 TH MCLEAN (home)
4/24 TH @ Thomas Jefferson
Page 9
GCM PTSA NEWSLETTER (ISSUE 4 of 5)
(Continued from page 1)
the practice SAT/ACT tests conducted on Feb. 9th, 2008. They will
also hold a “giveback” seminar for the students and parents.
We have obtained a landscaping plan for the senior courtyard from
Merrifield Garden Center. The entire work will be done in phases.
Thanks to the Activities Boosters for their $2000 contribution toward this project. The plan can be viewed on the PTSA website,
www.gcmptsa.org. Our second beautification day is scheduled for
March 29th. We plan to implement Phase I which involves the cleanup of the entire courtyard getting rid of unwanted plant growth and
weeds. Everyone is invited to participate in this clean-up effort. A
little volunteering goes a long way. This event is also a great community service opportunity. "
We have been actively planning for George C Marshall High School’s
45th anniversary celebration in April. The weeklong celebration will
be on April 12-19th and will be kicked-off with an elegant dinner
gala catered by our very own 5-Star Café Chef Ciaran Devlin on Saturday April 12th. The cost will be at $25/ person. It will be from 6:309:30 PM. Our guest speaker is Thomas Pickering who is the former
US Ambassador to the United Nations (from 1989-1992). We invite
everyone to participate in this weeklong celebration as we appreci-
ate the past, celebrate the present, and embrace the future of Marshall HS. More detailed information about this weeklong celebration
will be outlined in a separate article in this newsletter.
In appreciation of our administrative professionals, the PTSA will
again sponsor Spa Day. It will be scheduled during the week of April
20th. Furthermore, the hospitality committee will host a teacher appreciation luncheon for faculty & staff during the week of May 5th.
The teachers and staff are in for a surprise this year.
May is going to be a tough month for our students. SOL tests and IB
exams are looming on the horizon. As parents, we should discourage procrastination and encourage them to prepare early. The
school and the parents need to work hand in hand to assure that
our students continue to work hard in the least stressful environment possible.
Our final beautification day for this school year is on Saturday, May
17th. Come one , come all!
As always, the PTSA strongly encourages you to take an active role
in your student’s education. Volunteer at the school and help all of
us make a difference. Attend as many of your child’s activities as
possible.
Advice That Makes Cents
Acacia Federal Savings Bank -- a proud business partner of Marshall High School -- contributes articles to many PTSA newsletters.
The article, Advice That Makes Cents, will focus on how you can help your Marshall student better handle their finances.
Credit Check
temptation to use them.
Many of you have already seen the credit card offers in your mailbox
for your students. You might be shocked that credit card companies
are extending offers to kids at such a young age, but current market
research shows that the average student secures his/her first credit
card at the age of 16.
•· Read the fine print carefully, and pay attention to anything
Used properly, credit cards can be an ideal way for young adults to
build a solid credit report before they complete their education and
move into the 'real world.' By exhibiting discipline with a credit card
and making payments on time and in-full, students will be in a good
position when it comes time to buy their first car or rent their first
apartment.
•· At the very least, make sure you pay at least the minimum
When talking with your student about securing their own credit card
-- especially if they are heading to college in the next year or two -emphasize the following points:
•· Don't carry more than two (2) credit cards. Choose one to use
regularly, and use the other only in an emergency (ie, if the first
one is lost/stolen).
•· Only apply for cards that you'll use. It certainly is enticing to
sign up for a card because you'll receive a free gift or receive a
discount on all future purchases at a particular store. But ask
yourself, "Am I really going to shop at this store often enough?"
Having extra cards in your purse or wallet only increases the
that mentions changes to the interest rates. That attractive
rate of 2% might change after 6 months to something in the
14% - 15% range. And make sure there is no annual fee just
to have the card!
monthly payment. However, try to pay the entire balance each
month. Regardless of how much you pay, make sure you submit it on time.
The most important point to get across to young adults with a
credit card is not to buy what they can't afford. A credit card does
not mean they can buy something that is out of their budget, as
they still have to come up with the money at some point.
A few final notes about credit cards and ID theft: If your student
has a card that is lost/stolen, be sure they report it to the credit
card provider immediately. And be sure they completely destroy
those credit card offers that come in that
they won't be needing. These simple
steps can help your student reduce the
risk of ID theft.
Page 10
GCM PTSA NEWSLETTER (ISSUE 4 of 5)
George C. Marshall High School
45th Anniversary Celebration
George C. Marshall
High School will
commemorate its
45th anniversary
with a week-long
celebration for students, families and the community - April 12th – April 19th, 2008.
The theme for this event will be “A
Appreciate the Past, Celebrate
the Present, and Embrace the Future”. Our intention is to honor
General George C. Marshall and to highlight the many accomplishments of our school and community.
We will kick off the festivities on Saturday, April 12th with an evening Gala. Honored guest, former United States Ambassador Thomas R. Pickering (Russia, India, Israel, El Salvador, Nigeria, Jordan
and the United Nations) will be our keynote speaker. The evening
will include a special dinner prepared by Chef Ciaran Devin of The
Five Star Café; a custom- designed cake highlighting our mascot,
the Griffin, created by Food Network’s Ace of Cakes; GCM Booster
Club’s Hall of Fame inductees; and entertainment provided by the
Marshall Strings Quartet and the Vienna Choral Society. It will be
an unforgettable evening and should not to be missed.
Throughout the week students from our school will participate in
activities focused on leadership and honoring General Marshall.
There will be essay and art contests, guest speakers, tour of Dodona Manor, and many other fun activities. We will wrap up the
week’s activities on Saturday, April 19th with a 5K Run. Look for
further details, as we get closer to the event.
We are looking for big-ticket items, e.g. airline tickets, hotel accommodations, vacation property, etc to raffle during the evening
gala. If you can help support this effort please let us know
Mark your calendars for the week of April 12th – April 19th, 2008!!
To ensure the success of this event, many volunteers are needed.
Please contact Tana Leasure ([email protected]) or Malou Rennert ([email protected]) if you are interested.
Thank you.
Tana Leasure
Malou Rennert
Diploma Seal for Excellence in Civics Education
Students who have earned a B or higher in their
U.S. History and Government courses (or their preIB and IB equivalents) and who have engaged in
service or community-oriented endeavors are eligible to be recognized with the Civics Diploma Seal
as an additional award on their high school diplomas.
Activities in the community as well as many here
at Marshall can qualify students for the award.
Many students will qualify based on activities that
they have already undertaken. Examples would
include:
•
volunteering for a charitable or religious
organization that provides services to the
poor, sick or less fortunate
•
Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts or similar youth
organizations
•
•
JROTC
•
•
Boys State, Girls State
school-sponsored extracurricular activities that have a civics focus (e.g., Earth
Force, Model UN)
enlistment in the United States military
prior to graduation
Full details of the qualifications are available on
the Marshall web page (see http://www.fcps.
edu/MarshallHS/studentservices/guidance/). A
brief application is necessary, which is available through Government and IB Topics teachers. Please take some time to look at the specific qualifications, and help us ensure that our
oustanding student citizens are recognized for
the great work they do in our school and our
community. If you have questions or need assistance with the application process, please contact Social Studies chair Wanlace Yates at
[email protected].
•
political campaigns or government internships
Printing of the GCM PTSA Newsletter has been generously donated by
Aca
Acacia Federal Savings Bank. For more information about Acacia, go to
www.afsbonline.com.
Page 11
GCM PTSA NEWSLETTER (ISSUE 4 of 5)
FAMILIES OF SENIORS!
WATCH YOUR MAIL!
Seniors and their families will be receiving an envelope containing
important graduation information during the month of February!
Class of 2008 Graduation News
All you need to know without interrogating your
senior!
GRADUATION SPEAKER: TBA
ORDER GRADUATION ANNOUNCEMENTS: If you
still need to order announcements and graduation
related items from National Quality Products - Contact Steve Wareham at 703-691-8783. There will
be an additional 10% fee charged to late orders.
Additional order forms can be picked up in the
Academy Office.
SENIOR CLASS DUES:
DUES The members of every
graduating class are assessed dues to cover the
costs associated with graduation. Those costs include, but are not limited to:
Caps & Gowns
Class Trip to Arlington Cemetery
Diplomas & Diploma Covers
Class Gift to the school
DAR Constitution Hall costs
Class Picnic or Activity
Senior Tee Shirts
Transportation for all senior activities and
graduation
•
Deadline for Senior Class Dues, $100 is May 30th!
All seniors are required to pay their dues in order
to participate in the graduation ceremony. Students that participate in the free and reduced
lunch program, please see your counselor. Checks
should be made to Marshall High School and
should be turned in or mailed to Mrs. Lopez or
Mrs. Oishi in the Main Office, at which time your
child will be issued a receipt. Please write the
name of your child on the memo line.
SENIOR DEBTS: Notices will be mailed home during the next following months regarding outstanding financial obligations; these should be
resolved by May 30th. If your student has financial
obligations for books, uniforms, fines, etc., the
items should be returned or the entire amount
must be paid to Marshall High School before your
student can graduate.
If Senior Class Dues are not paid by the deadline
of May 30th, it becomes a debt. All debts are
payable in cash, money orders or
or certified checks
only,
only, after May 30th.
Checks made payable to Marshall High School
will be accepted until May 30th and may be
turned in to Mrs. Smith in the Main Office. After
May 30th, only cash, money orders, or certified
checks will be accepted. Any “found” books or
uniforms, etc., should also be turned in to Mrs.
Smith, in the Main Office.
GRADUATION TICKETS: Each graduating student
will receive 6 tickets at graduation practice on
June 10. Extra tickets may become available once
the exact number of graduates is determined. If
you need to request extra tickets, please contact
Mrs. Murphy at 703-714-5582.
TRANSPORTATION TO DAR
DAR CONSTITUTION HALL:
Please be aware that on-street parking near DAR
Constitution Hall is extremely limited. Travel by
Metrorail is one option that negates the necessity
to find parking. The closest Metro stop is Farragut West (17th Street), approximately six blocks
from DAR Constitution Hall. The doors to DAR
Constitution Hall will open at 9:00
9:00 am. We will
also provide limited school bus transportation
from the high school to DAR Constitution Hall. The
cost of bus transportation is $10.00 per seat and
the bus will leave at 8:30 a.m. Bus passes will be
available on a first-come, first-serve basis starting
Tuesday, May 27th. Sales of bus passes will end
at the close of school on Friday, June 6th. Please
see Mrs. Murphy in the Academy Office to purchase bus passes. Students may leave the ceremony with their parents or guardians and are not
required to return to Marshall on the bus.
GRADUATION PICTURES:
PICTURES: Forgot to get your pictures taken? Call Lifetouch 1-800-445-1191 ext
115.
CAPS AND GOWNS: Students were measured earlier this school year. These will be distributed during graduation practice on June 10th to all students who have met their senior obligations including financial ones.
Class of 2008
Graduation at
DAR Constitution
Hall on June 13,
2008 at 10:00 a.m.
GRADUATION
QUESTIONS:
Contact Jeff
McFarland, Class of
2008 Administrator,
at 703 714-5583 or
Diane Murphy at
703 714-5582.
End of Year Events
May 28th – June 9th:
Senior Exam Window
June 7—Prom
June 11—Baccalaureate
Service
June 13—Graduation
June 13—All Night Grad
Celebration
DATED MATERIAL —
PLEASE EXPEDITE!
NonNon-Profit Organization
U.S. Postage PAID
Merrifield, VA
Permit No. 1398
George C. Marshall High School
7731 Leesburg Pike
Falls Church, VA 22043
Phone: 703-714-5400
Fax: 703-714-5497
Activities Hotline: 703-883-4740
TEAM — Together Everyone Achieves Miracles
GCM PTSA Newsletter Issue 4 of 5
March—May 2008
W E’ RE
ON THE
W EB!
HTTP://WWW.FCPS.EDU/MARSHALLHS/
Noteworthy Dates
March
3- PTSA Meeting- Principal’s Conference Room- 7:00PM
5- SAT/ACT test results and giveback seminar given by Kaplan Test &
Admissions- cafeteria- 7:00-8:00PM
7- Concert Band- VBODA State Festival – Madison HS
8-Wind Ensemble- VBODA State Festival - Madison HS
10- Sophomore/Junior College Night-7:00-9:00 PM- Cafeteria
11- Junior Focus Day-7:20-10:45 AM
12- Touching Bases- 7:20-9:50 AM, Cafeteria/main gym/auxiliary
gym. 3 Hour delayed opening
Teen Driving Presentation by S.A.F.E. for Juniors- Auditorium12:30 PM
17-21 SPRING BREAK
28- Regional Science Fair- Robinson HS-Registration- 5:00-9:00 PM
29- Beautification Day- 9:00 -12:00 PM
Regional Science Fair- Robinson HS-All Day judging – Awards
ceremony
April
4- Third Grading Period Ends
7- Teacher Work day- STUDENT HOLIDAY
10- “Secrets” Presentation by Kaiser Permanente- AIDS Awareness
Program
12- 19- Weeklong GCM 45th Anniversary Celebration
12- Solo and Ensemble Festival- Thoreau Middle School- TBA
Dinner Gala- GCM- TBA
13- Trip to Dodona Manor-TBA
14- PTSA Meeting- Principal’s conference room- 7:00 PM
17-19 Band Spring Trip, Myrtle Beach, SC-TBA
18-Deadline for the last Issue of the PTSA Newsletter
19- 5K fun run ( organized by the Track Team) 8:00 AM
20- 26 Administrative Professionals Appreciation Week
MAY
5-9 Teacher Appreciation Week
5- PTSA Meeting- Principal’s Conference Room- 7:00 PM
7- Kilmer Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble Concert- Auditorium7:00 PM
17 – Beautification Day#3 -9:00-12:00 Noon
18-22 Educational Bosses Week
22- Percussion Ensemble Concert-7:00 PM – Band Room
26- Memorial Day Holiday – NO SCHOOL
***For additional calendar information please
check the PTSA website, www.gcmptsa.org
The next GCM PTSA Newsletter will be distributed in early May with information about May through summer.
Deadline is April 18, 2008. Send completed articles to [email protected]