Spring is in the air! The temperatures are rising, flowers are blooming and the PTSA is busy with its spring programming. Join us next Mon, Mar 18 at 9 am in the Lecture Hall for the PTSA General Membership Meeting. The Nominating Committee will present the slate of New Executive Officers for the 2024-2025 school year. In addition, a panel of Langley parents will discuss what steps your student should take to prepare for sophomore, junior and senior years, as well as what parents should know as their student goes off to college.

We still need volunteers for Senior Ethics Day! We are desperate for table leaders to facilitate and guide small group discussions! 40 table leaders are still needed, if we are to hold the event. Sign up here to volunteer. Senior parents, sign up for any position, including table leaders! Some employers support community service hours; please bring your team if possible. The PTSA will acknowledge your company’s support. A big thank you to all the parents who have signed up so far! Questions? Contact Margaret Brown at margaretbrown2345@gmail.com or Danica Alink at danica.alink@hotmail.com.

The PTSA is proud to have sponsored the Langley Chess team at the recent VA State Scholastic Chess Tournament. Congratulations to Lang Xiong, Adithya Pillai and Ameya Haldankar for representing our school and winning individual awards! See kudos below for more on the tournament.

Have a great week!

~ Joy Hohenthaner, PTSA President

math olympiad: Langley students are headed to the Math Olympiad! The Math Department is thrilled to announce that two of our outstanding students have qualified for the Math Olympiad Competition. These students have demonstrated exceptional mathematical talent and dedication, and we are incredibly proud of their accomplishments.

The Math Olympiad is a prestigious competition that challenges students with complex and thought-provoking problems. This is a fantastic opportunity for our students to showcase their skills, learn from their peers in preparation and be inspired by the world of mathematics. 

Join us in congratulating Edward Guo and Patrick Ying. We wish them the best of luck!

it’s academic: Langley HS won the game show It’s Academic on Sat, Mar 2! They were up against Potomac HS in Dumfries and Justice HS in Falls Church. They are now off to the playoffs. The show aired on WETA and can be watched by clicking here.

Congratulations to captain Ian Hoffman, Amy Key and Ryan Minton, and best of luck in the playoffs!

chess tournament: Three students represented Langley in the VA State Scholastic Chess Tournament, held Mar 9-10 in Roanoke, VA. Ameya Haldankar, Aditya Pillai and Lang Xiong participated in the K-12 Championship section, which is the toughest section of the tournament. If a player's rating is above 2000, the player is considered to be an 'expert' level player. In this year's K-12 Championship section, there were more than 20 experts (out of 40 players) and many players with national and FIDE titles. 

The Langley team won the Third Place K-12 Championship trophy! In addition, sophomore Lang Xiong won the Individual 10th place trophy with a score of 3.5. Both sophomore Adithya Pillai and freshman Ameya Haldankar (pictured in photo) received individual medals with scores of 3 and 2.5 respectively. Congrats to the chess team on an outstanding tournament!

Experience the magic of musical theater with Langley's Saxon Stage! Join us for an unforgettable evening with the timeless classic Guys and Dolls.

Immerse yourself in the vibrant world of New York City, filled with love, laughter, and catchy tunes. Our talented cast and crew are ready to transport you to the golden age of Broadway!

Follow the intertwining tales of high-rolling gamblers, and captivating and unlikely love stories. Will the charismatic Sky Masterson win the heart of straight-laced missionary Sarah Brown? Can Nathan Detroit organize the perfect craps game while dealing with his own romantic troubles?

Tickets are now on sale: $16 for Adults, $10 for Students and $5 for Senior Citizens.

Performances are Apr 12, Apr 13 and Apr 15 at 7 pm, and Apr 14 at 2:30 pm.

Don't miss out on this spectacular production! Grab your tickets here and join us for a night of entertainment that will leave you tapping your feet and humming the tunes long after the final curtain falls. #SaxonStage #GuysAndDolls #MusicalMagic

Ethics Day is a wonderful tradition that gives Langley students the opportunity to wrestle with big ethical issues before they leave for college or careers. Help us continue this tradition for the Class of 2024! 

This year’s Ethics Day is next Wed, Mar 20! We need your help to make this day a success - no experience necessary! The greatest need is table leaders. This position is open to any adult in the community and does not have to be a Langley parent. Invite friends and neighbors to join us! 

Underclass parents, pay it forward! You will want parents to volunteer when your child is a senior. Senior parents, please sign up for any position, including table leaders! Click here to volunteer.

Thank you to the many parents who have already volunteered for this important day! Students, thank you to all who have volunteered to help with set up and cleanup! That signup is now full and we are grateful for your help. 

This is an all-hands-on-deck situation given the recent change of venue, so we appreciate everyone's help! Questions? Contact Margaret Brown at margaretbrown2345@gmail.com or Danica Alink at danica.alink@hotmail.com.

Student Services needs parent volunteers to help in administering AP testing from May 6-17. You will be paired with a knowledgeable member of the Student Services team and only be tasked with assisting in handing out and collecting materials and supervising the test. Test proctoring runs about 4 hours per test, and the exams generally begin at 8 am and 12 pm.

You can see how AP tests are administered and get to know some of our student services staff better. The only rule is that you can’t proctor a test your student is taking. Sign up here! 

Because of the vast amount of testing done in the building, every proctor is greatly appreciated!

service hour deadline: Class of 2024, all service hours must be entered and verified in X2Vol no later than Wed, Apr 24. Service hours are not required for graduation but are needed to apply for the Service Cord and specific seals. Hours that will be considered must have been entered between Jul 1, 2020 – Apr 24, 2024. Hours submitted prior to Jul 1, 2020 will not count towards the service cord or seals. 

When entering hours into X2Vol, make sure to review the Service Learning Guidelines. 

If you need help entering hours into X2Vol, watch this video tutorial.

Hours that have been entered into X2Vol but are not verified will not be reviewed or considered.

seal & service cord apps: Seal & Service Cord Applications are due Wed, May 1 at 12 pm (noon).

Seal & Service Cord Applications are required if you would like to be considered for any of the following:

Service Cord Application: Click here for the application

Civics Seal Application: Click here for the application

Science & Environmental Seal Application: Click here for the application

Seniors, the Fairfax County Council PTA has a Scholarship Program with multiple awards of $500 available for students enrolled in a 4-year academic degree program, students enrolled in a 2 or 3 year tech, vocational or associate degree program, students enrolled in a school of design or fine arts, and special education students. More info can be found here. Applications are due Mon, Apr 1.

A student must be a member of the PTSA to apply for scholarships. Join the PTSA by clicking here.

Are you starting to wish it was summer? Be sure to click here to see the Service and Job Opportunities page on the PTSA website. This page includes info on upcoming teen jobs fairs as well as the Summer Opportunities Spreadsheet. Additional summer jobs, volunteer opps and scholarships are added continually. Take a look!

Join a community conversation addressing the opioid crisis within Northern Virginia and FCPS on Mon, Mar 18, 6:30-8 pm, in the auditorium at Lake Braddock SS (9200 Burke Lake Rd, Burke, VA 22015). Enter through Door #14. 

All attendees will receive free REVIVE! Narcan training during the event and learn about support services currently available within FCPS and Fairfax County.  

This discussion will provide families, staff, and students with valuable knowledge about the dangers of drugs and deadly fentanyl. The material discussed is suitable for students in grades 6 to 12. Together as a community, we aim to explore collaborative strategies to minimize the impact of these harmful and too often fatal substances. Click here to learn more about the event and to register.

FCPS encourages everyone to provide feedback through the Family Engagement Survey. Survey topics include: A welcoming environment, communication, student success, advocacy, family and school partnerships, and community partnerships. The survey is available in 10 languages and is open through Fri, Mar 22. 

Each year, FCPS students can apply for the position of the student representative to the School Board. The student rep is not a member of the School Board but serves in a nonvoting, advisory capacity, representing the interests of FCPS students.

Students currently in grades 9-11 are eligible to apply. Applicants do not need to be current members of the Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council. Applications are due by Fri, Mar 22. Click here for more info.

What Is It Like to Serve on the Fairfax County School Board? Rida Karim, the current student rep to the School Board, describes the demands, expectations and rewards of the position in this short video.

Mark your calendars for these end-of-year exam dates! 

Senior Exam Day 1: May 22 (Gold) 2/4

Senior Exam Day 2: May 23 (Green) 1/3

Senior Exam Day 3: May 24 (Gold) 6/8

Senior Exam Day 4: May 28 (Green) 5/7

Underclass Exam Day 1: June 6 (Gold) 4/2 (note class switch!)

Underclass Exam Day 2: June 7 (Green) 1/3

Underclass Exam Day 3: June 10 (Gold) 6/8

Underclass Exam Day 4: June 11 (Green) 5/7

Stress-Less Admissions: Navigating the College Journey with Your Sanity Intact

The Safe Community Coalition, in partnership with the McLean Community Center (MCC), is excited to host The New York Times best-selling author and journalist Jeff Selingo on Mon, Apr 29, at 7pm in the MCC’s Alden Theatre (1234 Ingleside Ave., McLean). Well known for his years of experience monitoring and researching the higher-education industry, Jeff will share his insights on current trends in college admissions and offer advice to optimize the journey.

Joining Jeff are co-moderators, Dr. Heather Tedesco, McLean Psychologist and co-author of Raising a Kid Who Can, and Hannah Wolff, Associate Director of College Counseling at Georgetown Preparatory School. With Mr. Selingo’s insight on college admissions, Ms. Wolff’s experience working with students and their families throughout the application process and Dr. Tedesco’s understanding of family relationships and the mental health challenges facing our teens – this is a program you won’t want to miss!

Advance ticket price is $15 online. Click here to register. Tickets can be purchased at the door for $20. Space is limited and tickets will likely sell out, so don’t delay! A Q&A session will immediately follow the program.

Langley has welcomed many new teachers this 2023-2024 school year, adding to the crew of hard working and dedicated teachers. One of those teachers is the newest member of the math department, Michael Stebbins, who teaches Algebra 2 and Geometry. The introduction to a brand new environment and team of people may be a tough transition for some. However, Mr. Stebbins says that due to Langley’s warm hospitality, this adjustment has been easy for him.

“It’s one of the most welcoming places I think I’ve been … It's been a very quick transition because the departments are so strong, and people are so friendly. It's so helpful, I don’t have to drop breadcrumbs anymore to find my way around. It feels like home again,” Mr. Stebbins said.

Mr. Stebbins has been teaching high school for over 40 years with Langley being only the second school that he has taught at. He spent all of his years teaching at Whitman HS and believes that Langley and Whitman share lots of similarities.

“I left with gas in the tank and my wife kept telling me why did [he] leave where [he] was 'cus I was very comfortable, I enjoyed it, and I just had a good thing with great kids. It’s very similar to this school. Whitman really is the Langley of Fairfax and vice versa. The kids are great, you have something really special here,” Mr. Stebbins said.

As similar as he thinks Langley is to Whitman, there have been some differences between the two that he has noticed and had to adjust to. Most notably, for better or worse, is just how Langley schedules their days.

“One thing I’ve never had to do before is block schedule. I’ve never taught in a block schedule. So that's been one of the bigger adjustments … I don’t prefer the block schedule. For math, I think it's something you should do every day. I don’t think it’s something you should do every other day. I think you don’t teach as much and I don’t think the kids retain as much if you don’t have math for a few days. There are some nice parts to it. On odd days, once I finish teaching that lesson I don't really have to plan for the next day because I'm teaching the same thing. I have an algebra on both days and I have a geometry on both days. Those days are sort of planned out, so I don’t have to over plan out, so planning is easier. There are definitely some pluses to a block schedule,” Mr. Stebbins said.

Block schedule or not, his passion for math doesn’t change. He continues teaching and loving math every day, even or odd. He’ll even go as far as saying that it is better than any other subject.

“Math is the best of all time. It was invented 3,000 years ago for geometry, in particular. What course can you say has been around for that long besides history? Math has been around forever and ever and ever and it's very important in everyday life,” Mr. Stebbins said.

Teaching for 40 years may reveal changes in the course and how it’s taught. However, one of the biggest plus sides of math to Mr. Stebbins is just how consistent math feels regardless of the use or lack of technology.

“I think math has come around more recently with more collaborative work and technology. But math really, I could easily teach the same material, just turn off the projector and go old school. Whereas a lot of courses you can’t go old school. You still find x no matter which way you go. Everything keeps changing over the years, but you still find x no matter what you do. I like to find x,” Mr. Stebbins said.

No matter how long he teaches for or what department he's in, one thing has remained constant: he is always learning from the students. Although they might not be directly teaching and improving upon his own academics, they consistently grow him as a person.

“I hope I’ve learned as much from [the students] as they have from me. You really do pick up things. It's not the math, I've got the math down. That's how you grow as a person, by getting people's views and hearing what they’re saying. It really does help you as a person,” Mr. Stebbins said.

~ By Caden Joe, Saxon Scope Reporter

Spring sports games begin this week! Come out and support your Saxons! Check the schedules for all sports on the Langley Athletics website.

… The DEA reports that with the growth of social media and the proliferation of smartphones, a dangerous and deadly new drug threat has emerged: criminal drug networks are abusing social media to expand their reach, create new markets and target new clientele. Click here for more info from the DEA.

senior graduation dues: Senior graduation dues are required of all seniors. The funds will be used to pay for your student's cap and gown, and to offset the cost of graduation and related expenses. Click here to submit payment.

slideshow photos: Be a part of the Class of 2024's 'farewell tribute' to LHS!

Deadline for submission of photos for the Class of 2024 Slideshow is May 1! Submit your photos to elizabethmburke@me.com or aamartinuk@yahoo.com as soon as possible!

Some tips and guidelines:

● submit in JPG/JPEG format

● no large groups please! small groups are best (2-4 people)

● lhs seniors only - no outside friends/siblings/family members

● casual photos are best - portraits are great but we are looking for fun!

● recent pictures please - no baby pics

The slide show will be aired during senior week activities.

pave scholarship: Partners for Automated Vehicle Education (PAVE) co-sponsors a STEM scholarship opportunity available only to students in Maryland, Virginia and Washington, DC.

The 2nd Annual PAVE Essay Contest and Scholarship Program encourages high school students to imagine the future with automated vehicles and write a well-crafted essay about what that could mean for their communities. Submissions are due tomorrow, Mar 15 and winners will be notified in late spring 2024. The top three awardees will win $2500, $1500, and $1000, respectively. Click here for the flier and more info.

Contest sponsors are PAVE, which is a 501c3 education nonprofit, as well as STEER Tech, an autonomous vehicle technology company, the Maryland Department of Transportation and the District Department of Transportation.

Questions? Reach out to PAVE Membership Manager Marsha Camp at marsha.camp@pavecampaign.org.

art competition: Looking for a chance to showcase your artistic skills? The 2024 Congressional Art Competition is now open to all high school students. Students are invited to enter the competition by submitting their best paintings, drawings, collages, computer designs and other types of artwork. Winners have the chance to have their art featured in the U.S. Capitol building alongside winning pieces from around the country.

Artwork must follow the Congressional Art Competition rules and regulations and all artwork must be submitted through your local Congressional representative. Here is the link for Don Beyer of the 8th District and here is the link for Gerald Connolly of the 11th District. Artwork and required forms must be submitted by Fri, Apr 26 at 11:59 pm for the 8th District and close of business Mon Apr 29 for the 11th District. Refer to each Representative's website for more details for their office.

Mar 18: PTSA General Membership Meeting, 9 am, Lecture Hall 

Mar 20: Senior Ethics Day

Mar 22: End of 3rd Quarter

Mar 25-29: Spring Break

Apr 1: No School

Apr 2: No School

Apr 10: No School

Apr 12-13: Spring Musical, Guys and Dolls, 7 pm, Auditorium

Apr 14: Spring Musical, Guys and Dolls, 2:30 pm, Auditorium

Apr 15: Spring Musical, Guys and Dolls, 7 pm, Auditorium

Apr 21: Bands on the Run 5K, 8 am, Langley Parking Lot

Apr 29: Stress-Less Admissions, 7 pm, Alden Theatre at MCC