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August 18, 20, 21 - Health Room Summer Collection Dates
August 20 (9:00 AM - 12:00 PM) - Freshman & New Student Orientation
August 20 (6:00 PM - 7:00 PM) - New Student Parent Information Night
August 24 - First Day of School
August 26 (5:00 PM - 8:00 PM) - Back to School Night
August 26 (5:00 PM - 6:00 PM) - Senior Parent Meeting
September 10 (3:30 PM - 6:00 PM) - Celebrate McLean
September 10 (7:00 PM) - First Home Football Game
Upcoming Events
August 18, 20, 21 - Health Room Summer Collection Dates
The Health Room will be open to accept health forms and medications on the following dates:
- Tuesday, August 18th (1 PM - 5 PM)
- Thursday, August 20th (10 AM - 2 PM)
- Friday, August 21st (7:30 AM - 12:00 PM)
See the Weekly Reminders section below for more details.
August 20 (9:00 AM - 12:00 PM) - Freshman & New Student Orientation
Our annual new student orientation will be held on Thursday, August 20th, 2026 from 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM. Orientation is for 9th grade students and transfer students. Transportation will be provided for all students with stops at Longfellow Middle School and base elementary schools. Students may also be dropped off and picked up at McLean High School at Door 1. During the program, students will hear from administrators, counselors, and McLean student leaders. Student Chromebooks will be distributed. We are looking forward to welcoming our Class of 2030 and our transfer students to the McLean community!
In order for new students to check out their McLean HS Chromebook and charger, all devices/chargers belonging to another school must be returned to that designated location prior to New Student Orientation. If students still have a device and/or charger not returned to another FCPS school, they will not receive their McLean device until that has been returned and checked in.
August 20 (6:00 PM - 7:00 PM) - New Student Parent Information Night
We will hold an information night for parents of 9th grade students and transfer students to McLean on Thursday, August 20th from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM. We will review topics such as schedules, communications, extra-curricular activities, and high school credits. More detailed information will be shared closer to the event date.
August 24 - First Day of School
School begins on August 24th at 8:10 am. Plan to arrive at least 5 minutes early to navigate Open Gate and be in your first class on time. See the complete school year calendar.
August 26 (5:00 PM - 8:00 PM) - Back to School Night
All students and families are invited to our Back to School Night. From 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM, you may buy McLean gear, buy Booster PTSA passes, sign-up to become a member of the PTSA, learn about Family Life Education (FLE) in grades 9-12, and meet our different school support personnel (our Librarian, Technology Specialist, and our Assessment Coach).
Parents will have an opportunity to go through their child’s schedule class by class and hear a presentation about the class from teachers. Parking will be limited and we encourage parents to carpool or walk if within walking distance. More detailed information will be shared closer to the event date.
August 26 (5:00 PM - 6:00 PM) - Senior Parent Meeting
Parents of Seniors! Please join us at our annual Senior Parent Night from 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM on August 26th in the Auditorium. In this meeting we will share upcoming events and information to be aware of related to post-secondary planning, with an emphasis on how best to support your student as they engage in the college application process. Parents can then transition to our Back-to-School-Night schedule following this presentation.
September 10 (3:30 PM - 6:00 PM) - Celebrate McLean
All students and families are invited to stop by to learn about club and extra-curricular offerings, enjoy some food trucks, and games. This is a great time for us to come together and celebrate the school year ahead! All students from our school pyramid are welcome to attend!
September 10 (7:00 PM) - First Home Football Game
After Celebrate McLean, join us for the first home football game of the season on September 10th at 7:00 PM where our Highlanders face off against the Falls Church Jaguars.
Student Achievement
Do you know a student, club, or team that has done something amazing? We want to hear about it! We're looking for accomplishments big or small to feature on the school website and in our weekly newsletter. Whether it's an academic achievement, an athletic victory, a creative project, or an act of community service, we want to shine a spotlight on the incredible things happening at McLean. Please fill out our Google Form to submit an accomplishment. To see a full list of student accomplishments, check out the Student Recognitions page on the McLean website.
Principal's Corner
Dear McLean High School Community,
I hope you and your families are having a wonderful, relaxing summer filled with joyful moments and time to recharge.
As we approach the end of summer break, it is my pleasure to welcome you to the 2026–2027 school year! The start of a new school year always brings a sense of energy, excitement, and fresh possibilities, and our faculty and staff have been hard at work preparing to make this year extraordinary for all of our Highlanders.
Please mark your calendars: the first day of school is Monday, August 24, 2026.
To help you and your student prepare for a smooth transition back to the building, we have attached our comprehensive Back to School Kit to this letter. In it, you will find essential information regarding schedules, logistics, key dates, policies, and resources for the upcoming year. Please take some time to review these materials together over the coming days. Student schedules will be able to be viewed on August 20th at 9:00 AM through ParentVue/StudentVue. Please remember, schedules discovered through any platforms other than SIS should be considered unofficial and subject to change.
I sincerely hope you each enjoy these final weeks of summer break. On behalf of the entire leadership team and staff, I want to emphasize just how eager and excited we are to welcome our students back to McLean High School. We cannot wait to see their faces in our halls once again!
Warmest regards,
Raven N. Jones
Principal, McLean High School
Go Highlanders!
Back-to-School Information
Class Schedules
Schedules will be available for viewing on August 20th at 9:00 AM through ParentVue and StudentVue. Schedules discovered through any platforms other than SIS should be considered unofficial and subject to change.
Updated Building Hours
Our building will open for students at 7:40 AM Monday through Friday, and close to students without an escort or pre-arranged reason for being in the building at 3:10 PM each day.
Administration Updates
We want to congratulate Emily Bradshaw on her appointment as the new Assistant Principal at Cooper Middle School! While we will deeply miss her at McLean, we are grateful for her invaluable contributions and wish her the very best in her new endeavor.
Please welcome Corey Bowerman as he fills in for our Assistant Principal vacancy. Corey comes with a diverse background in administration. He was a Director of Student Activities at Langley High School for six years before serving two years as an Assistant Principal. Mr. Bowerman will be working with students whose last names are from Enn-Le.
Weapons Screening System
As part of the ongoing commitment to strengthening layered safety and security programs, Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) will continue to phase in a weapons detection system at all secondary schools this fall. Please see Dr. Reid’s introductory video here.
FCPS is implementing additional safety and security measures at all varsity football games.
Beginning this season, all spectators will participate in security screening using the same weapons detection technology introduced in our high schools last school year. A standardized bag policy will also be in place to help ensure a safe, efficient entry process for everyone attending our games. The following items are prohibited:
- Backpacks
- Purse
- Fanny pack
- Tote bags
- Outside food and beverage
- Sporting equipment (balls, bats, sticks, etc.)
- Any item prohibited by FCPS policy, or determined by event staff to present safety concerns
Approved bags are limited to:
- Clear plastic, vinyl, or pvc bags no larger than 12”x6”x12”
- Small clutch bag no larger than 4.5” x 6.5”
- Medical and diaper bags permitted but subject to inspection
As a reminder, middle school students and younger, must be accompanied by a responsible adult who remains with the student(s) at the event.
These enhancements are designed to support a safe and welcoming environment while allowing families, students, and community members to enjoy Friday night football. We encourage attendees to arrive a little earlier than usual to allow time for screening.
Updated FCPS Policies and Procedures
Cell Phones
As we prepare for the start of a strong school year, we want to share an important update regarding our cell phone policy designed to minimize distractions and maximize instructional time for all students.
SB108 is a new Virginia law that went into effect on July 1, 2026 and states that all schools in the state must follow a "bell-to-bell" phone-free policy. FCPS’ current cellphone policy is now bell to bell for elementary, middle, and high school students.
On May 7, 2026, as part of its annual review of FCPS’ Student Rights and Responsibilities (SR&R) document, the Fairfax County School Board approved changes to FCPS’ cellphone policy in order to align with SB108. FCPS’ updated cellphone policy is “bell to bell,” which means that students at all grade levels can only use cellphones, cellphone accessories, and smart devices before and after school. This does not apply to school-issued devices.
As of July 1, 2026, high school students can no longer use phones, cellphone accessories and smart devices (airpods, earbuds, headsets, smart glasses, other items connected to the internet) during lunch time.
Across all grade levels, FCPS new cellphone policy is that cellphones, phone accessories, and all smart devices (including watches that serve a dual purpose, such as smart watches, as well as airpods, earbuds, headsets, smart glasses, and other other items connected to the internet) must be off and personally stored (i.e., backpacks) for the duration of the school day: bell to bell.
While this is not a change from last year, students and families are also reminded that students are prohibited from using phones, tablets, and other mobile devices in restrooms and locker rooms, unless there is a medical necessity or emergency, and that cellphones are not permitted to be used as an instructional tool.
Medical or IEP/504 Plan Accommodations: If your student needs access to their phone for medical accommodations, it is important to note that the current cellphone policy and guidelines have not changed. Therefore, students who currently require access to a cellphone or another personally owned device for medical reasons, or an accommodation to access the curriculum and make progress to their individualized goals, will continue to have such access.
We are committed to helping our students make responsible choices. If a student uses their phone during class, it will be collected by a member of the administrative or security team. The student will receive a receipt, and the phone will be stored in a locked cart until the end of the school day. Students may retrieve their phone at the end of the school day.
Our goal is to ensure that every student has the opportunity to learn in a distraction-free environment. We appreciate your support in helping us reinforce these expectations at home. If you have any questions about this policy, please reach out to your student’s administrator.
Personal Communication & Computing Devices
Starting this school year, students must use FCPS-issued devices for school-related digital activities during the instructional day. This is in accordance with a new School Board requirement, approved on July 16, which states that students may not use personal electronic communication or computing devices, including personal laptops, tablets, smartwatches, smartphones, and similar devices.
Students may only use their personal device if it is required as part of a necessary accommodation in the students’ Individualized Education Program (IEP) or Section 504 Plan. A principal or the principal’s designee may approve a limited, course-specific exception for students enrolled in a specialized class when the curriculum requires a technology tool or software that isn’t available on a standard FCPS-issued device.
Families can help support this requirement by reminding students to bring their FCPS-issued device each day and use it for all school-related digital activities unless an approved exception applies.
New Student ID Cards Coming for Bus Riders This Fall
As part of the ongoing commitment to strengthening layered safety and security programs, FCPS will implement a new student ID system for students who ride our school buses.
The implementation of the student IDs is designed as an additional safety measure for our 130,000 FCPS students who ride the bus each day, ensuring they are on the right bus and that they get on and off at the correct bus stop, as well as making sure only authorized students are on our buses.
The IDs will be provided to students who ride the bus. Those students will be expected to tap on and tap off the bus. The student IDs do not track student movement. The only information available is when a student taps on or off a bus. Much like our Here Comes the Bus app, our new app will allow parents/guardians to track the progress of the school bus.
It is possible that the ID program will expand in the future to include uses such as library cards and meal payment. Learn more about the new transportation system and student ID cards.
Student Services
Student Services Office & Administration
McLean’s school counselors work directly with students, teachers, and parents to provide students a supportive and caring school experience. Students and parents are encouraged to reach out to their counselor with academic concerns, questions about college and career information, or mental health concerns.
The McLean administrative team is here to support all students!
The Assistant Principals work along with the counselors to support students. The duties for each assistant principal for the 2026-2027 school year are outlined on our website. Please do not hesitate to reach out when you have a question or concern.
Back-to-School Checklist
We’re Eager to Welcome You Back to School! As summer winds down, we are looking forward to welcoming students back to our classrooms. Use the following list to help make sure your child is ready!
☑️ Sign Up for SIS ParentVUE
Access your student’s attendance records, grades, and assignments at any time with SIS ParentVUE. Contact our SIA at MSPayne@fcps.edu if you need an activation code. Find out more about SIS ParentVUE. Also, download the new ParentVUE mobile app so you can access your child’s records easily from anywhere!
Update Your Contact Information
Be sure you receive important information! Update your phone number(s) and/or email address(es) by clicking “My Account” and reviewing the “Online Verification/Update.” On that form, you can also update immunization records, health information, and emergency contacts.
☑️ Update Immunizations and Records
Immunizations are required for all students to attend school in Virginia. This is an important part of protecting them from certain diseases and keeping them healthy.
When your child is immunized, remember to request a copy of their immunization record and bring that to our front office or submit the record via SIS ParentVUE as soon as possible. Find more information on FCPS’ website.
Weekly Reminders
McLean HS Tech Support for Students | 