January 17th, 2022

This information is important for the upcoming week.

Important Upcoming Dates:

January 17 - Schools Closed (MLK Day)
January 19th - Freeman Focus Engage with School Psychologist Lesson
January 26 - Student Half Day
January 26 - End of Q2
February 21 - Student Half Day
March 11 - Student Holiday (This is a change)
April 1 - Student Holiday (This is a change)
April 4 - 8 - Spring Break
April 15/16 - Project Maverick Showcase
April 18 - Student Holiday

June 16th - Graduation for the DSF Class of 2022 (3pm)

HCPS-School-Calendar-2021-22.pdf

This Week at DSF

Courses for 2022-23

Course Request Window for 22-23 Now Open

The course request window for the 22-23 school year is now open! All students currently in grades 9, 10, and 11, and their parents or guardians, should log into the PowerSchool Parent Portal to review teacher recommendations and select courses for the 2022-23 school year. Students have until January 23rd to select their courses for the 22-23 school year. Every student in grade 9, 10, and 11 will have an individual academic and career planning meeting with their school counselor to review/confirm course selections and discuss their postsecondary plans. Students and parents/guardians may access the HCPS planning guide by clicking here. The DSF course option sheet for rising 10th-12th grade students may be accessed here. You may view the classroom presentation that all 9th, 10th, and 11th grade students received by clicking here. Need additional help?

• See step-by-step instructions for completing a course request at https://tinyurl.com/requestingHCPScourses

• Go to “The Connection” for help with PowerSchool Parent Portal: https://henricoschools.us/online-services/

Covid Positive or Covid Exposure?

With COVID cases on the rise, we are attempting to streamline our efforts at contact tracing. If you find yourself in the unfortunate situation of a student with COVID positive case or as a close contact, you must inform the school by using this email address: DSFContactTracing@gmail.com

In that email, please include:

Your child's name
Is this a positive case or a close contact?
Date of Test (if a positive case) and first onset of symptoms
Date of Exposure (if an exposure)
Last date at school (if a positive case)

Of course, you can still call the school to report this, but using this email address will be the most efficient way and can get into the right hands in case you'd like to report when the building is closed.

Thanks for your partnership as we work to keep our schools open and our students safe.

Information about joining our Chorus Program!

RecruitmentFlyer.pdf

Wellness Wednesday This Week: School Psychologist Q&A

This week's virtual wellness lesson is a whole-school Q&A with our school psychologist, Mrs. Zalewski. Students should tune in during Freeman Focus on Wednesday. Ms. Z will give a brief presentation and then open things up to questions, which will be filtered and asked by our moderator. Look for the link on Schoology on Wednesday.

Coming Soon to DSF

Class of 2022 All Night Graduation Party!!

Graduation 2022 is on the horizon and planning for the All-Night Graduation Party (ANGP) is well underway!

This year’s ANGP will be held on June 16, 2022 at the Weinstein JCC. The party starts at 10pm and ends around 3:30am.

The Freeman high school ANGP is a tradition for the senior class. For over 30 years, parents, the Freeman PTSA, and the entire Freeman Community have been sponsoring this party, which takes place on graduation night in an alcohol and drug free environment. This long-standing tradition is something our graduates look forward to, and is the only party of its kind in Henrico County. This event provides the graduates with a fun opportunity to celebrate with their classmates and friends.

For those of you who are not familiar with ANGP, it is the 30+ year Freeman tradition on graduation night that provides a safe environment for the recent grads to celebrate together and enjoy one last event as the Class of 2022! ANGP is usually hosted at the Tuckahoe Y, but due to renovations this year, they cannot accommodate us. We are thrilled to announce that ANGP 2022 will be held at the Carole and Marcus Weinstein Jewish Community Center. We are so very thankful for this partnership!

This event is fully funded by donations from Freeman Families and corporate and community sponsors! There has not been a "true" ANGP since 2019 because of COVID and we are excited to bring the tradition back with gusto!!

We need YOU to make this happen for the Class of 2022! How can you be a part of this awesome tradition?

Donate to ANGP on the PTSA website - https://freemanptsa.myhalix.io/pages/getinvolved.donatetoangp
Join us at Hardywood (Ownby Lane location) on 2/18/2022 for Bands-n-Brews. All ticket proceeds got to ANGP - https://www.eventbrite.com/organizations/events
Support as a corporate sponsor with a monetary or prize donation (see attached form).
Participate in the Class Challenge! Classes of 23, 24, & 25 - Bring it on! The Challenge is for underclass families to donate at least $22 to ANGP. The Class that donates the most to this year's ANGP will get 10% of underclass donations deposited into their ANGP fund!
VOLUNTEER - We need underclass parents to shadow the chairs for this year in order to be prepared for next year. We also need volunteers to set up ANGP while senior families enjoy graduation. Being a part of ANGP is a great way to meet people and have fun. Reach out to dsfangp2022@gmail.com to learn more!

Thank you to the following families for donating to ANGP

Cavallo, Coriaty, Davis, Gabriela Georgiadis, Hagan, O’Neil, Hendricks, Holland, Jones, Keller, Kay Larkin, McBride, Melissa McPherson, Miller, Monette, Murphy, Sangiray, Sanne, Savoca, St. John, Thompson, Van Lenten, Winn, and Shaia!

Thank you to the following Community Partners, Corporate Sponsors & Donors

Weinstein JCC, Lewis Cattle Company, RAINRAPS, Bistro804, K2 Awards & Apparel, The Steele Group Realty, Virginia Green, & RVA Pediatrics

With gratitude, The Class of 2022 ANGP Committee

2022 Virginia School Survey of Climate and Working Conditions

Updated information:

--------------------------------------

Dear Parent or Guardian,

This spring our school, in cooperation with the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services and the Virginia Department of Education, is conducting the Virginia School Survey of Climate and Working Conditions of students, classroom instructors, and staff. The purpose of this survey is to measure student support, student engagement, school discipline, and safety conditions in each school. This information will be used to guide educational practices that produce a safe and supportive school environment.

This note is to provide additional information on the student survey. The survey will be completed online between . The survey does not ask for your child’s name and all answers are anonymous (no one will know how your child answered the survey). Parents and guardians will not have access to their child’s survey answers. You may review the student survey at this website: https://tinyurl.com/VaSchoolSurvey.

The survey will ask questions such as how students feel about their school, how students get along with one another and their teachers, how students feel about school rules, and their perceptions of their teachers’ willingness to help them. Students will also be asked what kinds of bullying they may have observed during school and whether they have been bullied themselves.

All students in your child’s grade level will be eligible to participate in the survey. Students participating in remote instruction and in-person instruction are both eligible to participate. The survey is voluntary and your child can decide not to participate. No action will be taken against you, your child, or the school if your child does not participate. If you do not wish for your child to participate, please notify the school by completing this form (opt out link below) by Friday 1/21.

Your child will not receive any immediate benefit from participating in the survey, but the survey will help us to maintain a safe, inviting, and supportive learning environment for your child.

Thank you for your cooperation in this important study of Virginia’s schools.

-Mr. Marshall

--------------------------------

Climate Survey Student Opt Out Link

School Counseling

Information from our School Counseling team, led by Janet Smith, DSF Director of School Counseling

ACE Center Applications

ACE Center Applications - deadline extended!

The ACE Center application is now live! 10th and 11th grade students interested in participating in one of the hands-on career and technical education programs at ACE at Highland Springs or ACE at Hermitage can apply online here. Applications are due by February 6th, 2022. Students should see their school counselor with any questions.

Curriculum Fair

Parents, guardians, and students are invited to attend the 2022-2023 curriculum fair. Please join us to hear all about the exciting courses, both academic and elective, that Freeman has to offer for the 2022-2023 school year. The DSF curriculum fair will be held in person on Thursday, January 20th from 5:00 pm - 6:30 pm. You may come anytime during this time as your schedule allows. You will be able to meet with teachers, hear from current students, and even watch performances by our award winning fine/performing arts programs.

Underclass Parent Night

Thank you to all who joined Ms. Meadowes for the Underclass Parent Night. The presentation from that event may be accessed here. A virtual version of this event may be accessed here.

Contact Information For School Counseling

Phone: 804-673-3709

Website: tinyurl.com/dsfcounseling

Liz Puckett, School Counselor, Last Names: A-Cr

ebpuckett@henrico.k12.va.us

Morgan Meadowes, School Counselor, Last Names: Cu-Hen

memeadowes@henrico.k12.va.us

Janet Smith, Director of School Counseling, Last Names: Her-K

jksmith@henrico.k12.va.us

Susie Good, School Counselor, Last Names: L-Ph

slgood@henrico.k12.va.us

Corey Hancock, School Counselor, Last Names: Pi-Sa

clhancock1@henrico.k12.va.us

Charlie Williams, School Counselor, Last Names: Sc-Z

cewilliams@henrico.k12.va.us

Graeme Byrne, Administrative Assistant

gjbyrne@henrico.k12.va.us

Sarah Terry, Registrar

sdterry@henrico.k12.va.us

Student Support and Wellness Resources

A new feature: a weekly resource from DSF school Psychologist, Emily Zalewski. This will be a place for optional resources for families looking to learn more about mental and emotional health.

HCPS - Student Support and Wellness Corner 1/9/2022

Class of 2022

Information for our Seniors and their families

Ordering Information for Senior Year Items from our partners at Jostens

Previously Posted (but still important)

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The Freeman Virtual Welcome Center for International Families and Students

Navigating High School can be challenging for any student and family, and that challenge is made more difficult when there is a language barrier. Please see the website below, developed through a collaboration between multi-lingual Freeman students and staff members. It is available through the All Things DSF to our students and community.

https://sites.google.com/henrico.k12.va.us/understandingdsf-welcometofree/home

2021-22 Bell Schedule:

With Expanded Freeman Focus

Student Dress Code

The Henrico County Code of Conduct mandates a dress code to ensure a proper learning environment. Students are expected to review that policy prior to choosing clothing and those not adhering to dress-code will be asked to change. Those who repeatedly violate this Code of Conduct policy will be subject to disciplinary action. Please help us avoid that situation by speaking with your student about the dress code.

Cell Phones in Class

The HCPS Code of Conduct stipulates that student cell phones must be off and away during instructional time. This year at DSF, students may be asked to place their phone in a designated location in most classes during class time. Students who do not and whose phone is out without permission during class time will have that device confiscated and turned into the main office. Phones will be retuned to parents and guardians. Students may use the main office landline to inform parents that their phone was confiscated.

Sign Up for Parent Accounts

Now more than ever, staying connected with the school and your child’s teachers is important to your child’s success in school. Henrico parents can create accounts to view grades and attendance information through PowerSchool, access assignment information through Schoology, and receive communications through the SchoolMessenger App. If you haven’t already, please take a moment to set up your access to these tools. If you need assistance, please reach out to our Innovative Learning Coach, Jessica Ciokan (jkciokan@henrico.k12.va.us).

PowerSchool Parent Portal - click here then choose “Create Account” tab
Schoology - click here for directions
SchoolMessenger App - click here to sign up to receive school and teacher communications in one place. (click here to learn more)

Athletics Boosters Membership Information

Each year, nearly 800 students at Douglas Freeman compete on multiple athletic teams. With your membership in the Booster Club, you support our programs and you save money on admission to home sporting events. See our website (www.dsfathleticboosters.org) for details about benefits associated with each membership level. Athletic passes and tickets may be used for all home Varsity and JV athletic events, excluding tournaments and Invitationals. Without a Booster Pass, costs per sporting event are $8 for football and $6 for all other sports. Preferred parking applies to all home football games except Homecoming. Tickets and passes from prior seasons are no longer valid.

DSF COVID SAFETY

Quarantine and Contact Tracing FAQs

Close Contacts:

With almost our entire student body returning to Freeman this year and our classrooms at full capacity, there becomes an increased likelihood that your student could be deemed a close contact if we have a positive case in the building. If that occurs, school administration or health professionals will call with a series of questions to determine if quarantine is necessary. Here's how we can help keep as many students at school as possible:

Encourage mask-wearing at all times as we enforce this every day at school.
If you feel comfortable, have your student get a COVID-19 vaccine. Students with a full vaccination status are better protected from COVID-19.
Please remain patient with our school officials and contact tracing team.
The school maintains and enforces carefully-documented seating charts to ensure that no unecessary students are quarantined.

Our division has amended its definition of a close contact, citing that students that are three-feet apart and fully masked would no longer be considered close contacts. Students should do their best ro remain 3 feet from others at all times that such distancing is possible.

Quarantine Decisions:

HCPS has published a chart to help families and staff understand the decisions being made by our contact tracing team. Only contact tracers and school officials can clear a student for a return in the case of a positive case or exposure.

DSF - School-specific Covid Safety Mitigation Plan

Click Here for the DSF COVID MITIGATION PLAN

PTSA

News from our Parent Teacher Student Associationon

All Night Graduation Party

Graduation 2022 may be months away, but planning for the All Night Graduation Party (ANGP) is well underway! Not sure what the All Night Graduation Party is? The Freeman high school ANGP is a tradition for the senior class. For over 30 years, parents, the Freeman PTSA, and the entire Freeman Community have been sponsoring this party, which takes place on graduation night in an alcohol and drug free environment. This long-standing tradition is something our graduates look forward to, and is the only party of its kind in Henrico County. This event provides the graduates with a fun opportunity to celebrate with their classmates and friends.

We don’t have a date yet, but will know when the graduation date is announced. We won’t know for sure the format of the party until closer to the date. We are definitely hoping for the best and that it will be held indoors as it was before Covid. No matter what, we will have some sort of celebration, we will adapt as we have to like the class of 2021 did and with a fabulous celebration at Deep Run this past summer.

There will be senior tabs and links on the PTSA website that you should keep an eye on to keep up with all the details and information regarding the party and fundraising for it. Remember, the ANGP is 100% planned and financially supported by senior parents and community donations. You can donate now on the PTSA website.

If you would like to volunteer to help with planning or the night of the party, please email Valerie Hendricks at DSFANGP2022@gmail.com.

Key Resources for 2021-22

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All Things DSF: www.atdsf.com

Please bookmark www.atdsf.com. This is a one-stop resource for all the links, refences, sign up forms and information you might need. We are constantly updating it and use it to house important school-wide virtual events as well.

Athletics/Activities

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Activities Newsletter

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