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In this Issue
PTSA President Letter
Principal Letter
Student Services Update
PTSA Meeting
School Directory
March Virtual Parent Program
Staff Appreciation
Food Pantry & Outreach
International Night
Spring Dance
Senior Yard Signs
All Night Grad information
Mad Drama
Mad Choir
Band and Winter Guard
Athletic Boosters
Yearbook sales
Parent Information Relating to Special Education for March
Information on Renovation Plans
FCPS Calendar for 2022-23
Class of 2022 information
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Upcoming Events
March
3 2 hour early release
4 Student Holiday, Staff development day
8 PTSA Meeting, 7pm
25 International Night
31 End of 3rd quarter, 2 hour early release for students
April
1 Student Holiday, Teacher Work day
4-8 Spring Break
12 PTSA Meeting, 7pm
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Letter from PTSA President - Beth Eachus
Dear Madison community-
Our next PTSA meeting will be held (in person!) on Tuesday, March 8th at 7:00 pm in the school library and we hope that you can join us!
Thank you to all that joined us for February's Parent Program "Get It Done! Executive Function Hacks for Boosting Your Teen’s Productivity" This month, please join us for a Pyramid-wide Zoom webinar about Digital Safety, Empathy, and Mindfulness presented by Richard Guerry, the founder of IROC2 (Institute for Responsible Online and Cellphone Communication). Attendees will gain knowledge to promote responsible use of digital tools while also obtaining the wisdom to prevent negative, irresponsible, and malicious digital behaviors and trends. All parents and students aged 13 and up are encouraged to join us and further information is available in this edition of Mad Memos. Thank you to our PTSA Vice President Gayle Schlueter for organizing this event!
And for our Parents of Seniors: Please purchase a Class of 2022 Senior Sign! The design has been created and finalized by the Class of 2022 and can be ordered NOW! Personalized signs are also available for order until Friday, March 4th (Extended deadline!). All proceeds go towards our 2022 All Night Grad Party. And All Night Grad Tickets are available now as well - purchase early to qualify for early bird prizes! (and parent volunteers are still needed!)
Madison High School and the PTSA are proud to partner in supporting our students and families who are food insecure. The Madison Pantry and Outreach team distributes food weekly to these students and their families. Additionally, on Saturday, March 26th, we will be hosting Giving Day and providing cleaning and hygiene items in addition to food. Donations can be dropped off at Madison and items are available through our Amazon wishlist as well. You can also make a cash donation towards this effort at the following link: https://jmhsptsa.org/product/food-bank-donation-any-amount/ Further information regarding Giving Day is included in this edition of Mad Memos.
Thank you to Shelly Koshuta and and new chair Elizabeth Terry-Humen for creating our monthly Mad Memos and please check out our PTSA website (thanks to Jennifer O'Beirne) for how to join the PTSA. If you have any questions or ideas, you are always welcome to contact me directly.
Beth Eachus
Madison PTSA President
president@jmhsptsa.org
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Letter from Principal - Greg Hood
Greetings, Madison Community,
It’s hard to believe this month marks two years since our world - and school - changed because of a global pandemic. I’ve shared many times since then how grateful I am to be a part of the Madison community during such unprecedented times, and two years later, I am still just as grateful. This month I will continue to highlight the FCPS Portrait of a Graduate skills. Portrait of a Graduate skills are skills for ALL, interdisciplinary, and key to life-long learning - and they are the skills that have gotten us all through the past two years.
The Goal-Directed and Resilient Individual pillar of the FCPS PoG has been an important skill for both our students and our staff, especially over the past two years. FCPS describes a Goal-Directed and Resilient Individual as someone who:
- Engages in healthy and positive practices and relationships to promote overall physical and mental well-being.
- Persists to accomplish difficult tasks and to overcome academic and personal barriers to meet goals.
- Uses time and financial resources wisely to set goals, complete tasks, and manage projects.
- Shows strong understanding and belief of self to engage in reflection for individual improvement and accuracy.
We are sure you see daily expressions of these skills from your children as well as yourself. Many of our students have shared reflections about their own experiences in and out of school regarding how much they have persisted to accomplish personal and academic goals.
Last spring, English 12 students created portfolios to reflect on their growth in the Portrait of the Graduate skills during high school. A number of students reflected on their growth in the Goal-Directed and Resilient Individual attribute. Some reflections from the students were:
- A lot happened that was hard for me to deal with, along with everyone else when the pandemic hit. I hope to move on believing I am capable of a lot more than anyone knows and to continue to trust my intuition for the next few years as I become an adult and take the next steps of maturing ..
- During my four years at Madison, my classes have always emphasized the Portrait of a Graduate skills…. I noticed improvement in my POG skills both in and out of school. The three POG Skills that I found most improved were Creative and Critical Thinker, Goal-Directed and Resilient Individual, and Communicator.
- ... Another skill I noticed improvement on was Goal-Directed and Resilient Individual. Coming into High School and during my first few years at Madison, I was a chronic procrastinator. And while I still am a procrastinator, it is not as bad. The projects I had to do during my time here have helped me realize that pacing, scheduling, and planning are very important for academic success.
This month, all advisory classes will spend time exploring the pillars of the FCPS Portrait of a Graduate. As always, I invite you to spend time sharing how these skills are relevant to your own daily life, career path, or even how they might have played a role in your own high school experience.
This spring, we will be offering seniors the opportunity to reflect on their growth in the FCPS Portrait of a Graduate attributes throughout high school and share their reflections with their peers and teachers. We know that students have grown and developed significantly as Warhawks and we look forward to sharing in their reflections as we celebrate their next steps as Goal-directed and Resilient Individuals!
Sincerely,
Gregory S. Hood, Principal
James Madison High School
2500 James Madison Drive
Vienna, Virginia 22181
Phone: 703-319-2311
Email: gshood@fcps.edu
Website: http://www.fcps.edu/MadisonHS/
One School – One Community – One World |
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Student Services Update
Academic Advising:
February has been a busy month for the school counselors as they have been diligently meeting with individual students all month long for academic advising. Please ask your student if they have entered their course selections in StudentVue. By now every student should have entered their selections which will be finalized once they meet with their counselor. Students will have the opportunity to change selections up until March 18. After that date, students may be placed on a waitlist for classes which are at capacity. Please review your student’s course selections with them to ensure they are correctly placed in the classes of their choice.
Upcoming Events:
- March 14 – College 101 Presentations for Sophomores – 6:30pm
- March 21 – College Planning for Juniors, Part 2 – 6:00pm – virtual format
Fairfax County Teen Job Fairs
- March 12 from 1-3pm @ West Springfield HS
- March 19 from 11am-1pm @ Chantilly HS
- Information and student registration here
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The next PTSA meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 8 at 7:00 pm. Please click here to review the draft February meeting minutes in advance so they can be voted on at the start of the meeting. |
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The School Directory
The 2021-22 Madison High School directory is online and accessible for Madison parents, teachers and staff. For more details, click here.
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March Virtual Parent Program for the Madison Pyramid
Please join us next Tuesday, March 8th, at 7pm for a Zoom webinar about Digital Safety, Empathy, and Mindfulness presented by Richard Guerry, the founder of IROC2 (Institute for Responsible Online and Cellphone Communication). Attendees will gain knowledge to promote responsible use of digital tools while also obtaining the wisdom to prevent negative, irresponsible, and malicious digital behaviors and trends. Topics that will be covered include:
· Preventing Cyber Cruelty
· Safe Communication in Gaming
· Public Databases & Digital Transparency
· Preventing Abuse of Current & Future Apps
· Poor Social Media & Oversharing Behaviors
All parents and students aged 13 and up are encouraged to join us.
Please click the link below to join the webinar:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87884942770?pwd=UHJPVzVNK1oxbXlZdGZiR0pTcVJyUT09
Passcode: 224303
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Staff Appreciation Committee
In February, we showed our teachers and staff some love with Valentine's Day surprise treats in their mailboxes.
 
We are so grateful for our wonderful Madison teachers and staff and look forward to continuing to show them our appreciation with monthly events until the end of the school year. Thank you to our wonderful chairs Angie Gutenson and Dara Dirth who organized these events and all other Staff Appreciation activities!
In addition, the PTSA Teacher and Staff Appreciation Committee have continued "Thankful Thursday", a weekly raffle organized by committee member Karla Mihalik. Every Thursday, staff names are randomly selected to receive (parent donated) gift cards from various restaurants and stores. If you would like to donate, learn more about this effort, or get involved, please send a message to Angie, Dara and Karla at hospitality@jmhsptsa.org.
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JMHS Food Pantry and Outreach
The PTSA is proud to partner with Madison High School in supporting our students who are food insecure. The Madison Pantry and Outreach team distributes food weekly to students and their families.
- Cereal
- Rice
- Pasta
- Canned vegetables
- Granola Bars
- Tomato sauce (please no glass)
- Juice
- Beans (dry or canned)
- Fruit (canned or in plastic)
- Milk (shelf stable)
Additionally, on Saturday, March 26th, we will be hosting Giving Day and providing cleaning and hygiene items in addition to food. Specific items needed are:
Shampoo
Conditioner
Bodywash
Bar soap
Hand soap
Toothpaste
Toothbrushes
Deodorant
Dish soap
Laundry detergent
Kitchen sponges
Donations can be dropped off at Madison at Door 1 during school hours. These items are available through our Amazon wishlist as well. You can also make a cash donation towards this effort at the following link: https://jmhsptsa.org/product/food-bank-donation-any-amount/
Thank you for your incredible support and generosity!
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International Night is Friday, March 25th! The show takes place in the auditorium and a potluck of diverse foods will follow in the cafeteria.
* More information on Schoology
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See @jamesmadisonsga for details
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Class of 2022 Senior Signs
Personalized signs are available through March 4th and there are limited supplies of non-personalized senior signs.
For those who have already ordered, the yard signs will be distributed by the end of March. You should have received further instructions when your order was placed.
These signs are GREAT for grad parties!
Proceeds from the yard sign sales will go towards the All Night Grad party, which takes place the night of graduation.
Click on the link below, to place your order today!
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JMHS Class of 2022
All Night Graduation Celebration
SENIORS: Discount Deadline 5/15
Sign up early to SAVE click here > JMHSPTSA.org
(NOT part of Senior Dues)
$90 until 5/15/22, and $100 up to event
What: A safe environment of non-stop entertainment, BIG prizes and tons of fun celebrating the Class of 2022! The All Night Grad celebration is an alcohol/drug free event, sponsored by the JMHS PTSA, and partially funded by community and business donations.
When: Wed. June 1st, 2022 – Thursday, June 2, 2022 from 11:00 pm- 5:00 am
Where: Vienna Community Center, 120 Cherry St SE, Vienna, VA 22180
BEST NIGHT EVER!
Want to volunteer? We need you! Join the fun! email Sarah Espanol at allnightgrad@jmhsptsa.org ¿Quieres ser voluntario? ¡Te necesitamos ¡Únete a la diversión! email Sarah Espanol at allnightgrad@jmhsptsa.org.
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MAD DRAMA
Congratulations to the cast and crew of the Student Directed One Acts Plays that were performed on February 17, 18 and 19. We had a great turnout – thank you for your support!
Rehearsals will soon be starting for our Spring Musical, “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.” This delightful musical centers on a fictional spelling bee set in a geographically ambiguous Putnam Valley Middle School. A large group of quirky adolescents compete in the Bee, run by equally quirky grown-ups. In addition, we will have up to 16 Madison teachers and administrators compete LIVE in our fictional Bee onstage with the performers. Come see your favorite Madison teacher have a go at the microphone at the Spelling Bee!” Save the Date: the show will be performed on April 28, 29 and 30, 2022. Ticket information coming soon at www.madisondrama.com
Facebook groups are the primary means of communication in MAD Drama. Interested students can join the Thespian Troupe #2541 Facebook page and interested parents can join the MAD Drama Parents’ Association Facebook page. There is also a MAD Drama Facebook page you can follow. Parents can also be added to the MAD Drama email list through the MAD Drama website: http://madisondrama.com/.
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MAD CHOIR
It is a busy time of year for MadChoir! We are in the midst of Assessment rehearsals. The pre-assessment concert will be held on Tuesday, March 15th at 7 pm in the JMHS Auditorium. Everyone is welcome to attend. On Thursday, March 17th all choir groups will sing in our State Assessment at Langley HS.
Choir and Orchestra students will be heading down to Williamsburg and Virginia Beach on March 24-26th for the departments’ spring trip.
The choir & orchestra Dining for Dollars fundraiser at Chipotle that we held in February was a great success. Thank you for your support!
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BAND & WINTER GUARD NEWS
The JMHS Marching Ensemble will be recognized for winning the Virginia State Championship by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on Monday, March 21st at the JMHS Auditorium during Warhawk time and by the Town of Vienna on Tuesday, March 29th at 6:30pm at the Vienna Community Center.
March is busy with numerous performances. The concert bands will perform on the 10th at 7:00 pm in the JMHS Auditorium to prepare for the upcoming VBODA state concert assessments on the 18th and 19th at South Lakes High School. The Jazz Band will have a special performance with invited guests The Dave Detwiler Combo on Thursday, March 24th at 7pm, in the JMHS Auditorium. Finally, the Winter Guard continues its AIA competitive season on March 12th at Mount Vernon High School and March 26th at South County High School.
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ATHLETIC BOOSTER NEWS
Important Upcoming Dates and Information
Spring Sports:
3/1 - Spring Meet the Coach Night
3/7 - Spring sports picture day
3/28 - Boys Lacrosse Senior Night
3/31 - Girls Lacrosse Senior Night
4/12 - Boys Soccer Senior Night
4/13 - Outdoor Track Senior Night
4/14 - Girls Soccer Senior Night
4/19 - Boys Tennis Senior Night
4/26 - Girls Tennis Senior Night
5/4- Softball Senior Night
Baseball Senior Night is TBD
All Sports:
5/2 – Madison Physical Night for 2022/2023 school year
Fall Sports:
7/28-Golf begins
8/1-Remainder of fall sports begin
Be sure to follow the Warhawk Boosters on Facebook for all the latest news:
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Yearbook
Buy your 21-22 Yearbook NOW!
Go to www.yearbookordercenter.com and enter the code 5307.
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Special Education Parent Newsletter for March
The Department of Special Services (DSS) publishes a regular electronic newsletter for parents of special education students to provide updated DSS information, and tips and ideas to support you and your family.
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Madison High School's addition to the building is progressing on schedule. The plan is for completion at the start of the 2022-23 school year. For more information on the renovation, visit the Renovation page.
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Fairfax County Public Schools Standard Calendar
The 2022-23 School Calendar has been released,
To print this year and next year calendars, click here
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Graduation date for the Class of 2022 is
June 1, 2022 at DAR Constitution Hall at 10:00 a.m.
Visit the Class of 2022 page for information regarding graduation gown measurements and graduation products ordering information
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