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Principal's Message

It's wonderful to be back on campus after a refreshing spring break. I hope you all had a chance to relax and recharge. As we settle back into our routines, please be aware that the testing season begins next week. We know our students have been working hard, and we encourage them to continue putting in their best effort.

Incredibly, we also find ourselves just six short weeks away from graduation for our seniors! The end of the school year is approaching quickly, and there will be many important events and activities in the coming weeks. Please keep an eye on our school calendar and communications for details.

As always, thank you for your continued support of our students and our school community. We look forward to a productive and successful remainder of the school year.

Lindsey Kearns

In this Issue

What's Happening at Bruin Nation
Upcoming Events

New Information and Important Reminders
Social and Emotional Learning Screener
Spring Testing
AP Exams
AP Test Monitoring
Yearbook Information
SGA News
LB Theatre
Parent Tech Talk

Class of 2025 News
NEW: Prom Tickets
Class of 2025 ANGP Tickets

Family Liaison News

Athletics and Activities News

What's Happening at Bruin Nation

Upcoming Events
April 28-May 2 - Stress Less Week (see flyer for schedule)
April 29 - First SOL Test (see below for schedule)

SOL and AP Testing Schedule

New Information and Important Reminders

Social and Emotional Learning Screener: Parent Reports

Students in grades 3-12 took the SEL Screener during the month of March, providing information on their SEL skills such as achieving goals, understanding and managing emotions, establishing and maintaining relationships, and making responsible decisions. The screener also asks students how well their school community makes them feel valued, included, and supported.

Individual student SEL Screener results are available to families in the Documents section of SIS ParentVUE. For families who do not have an active ParentVUE account, results will be sent via postal mail.

For support in understanding your individual student’s results or for ideas on how to support them at home, please review the SEL Screener Results Family Guide or reach out to our school staff with any questions.

Spring Testing

The Spring Testing begins NEXT WEEK! All-important testing information and the testing calendar can be found on the Lake Braddock Testing Website. Please note important dates your student may be testing and make every attempt to avoid testing interruptions.  Please note…being ON TIME is extremely important.  Please plan accordingly for testing days, to include make ups and retakes.

High School students do not take every SOL therefore emails have been sent to students and parents providing non testing students with their study hall locations for April 29, May 1 and May 5.  Please be on the lookout for those emails.

If you have specific questions about testing, please reach out to your student’s counselor or subject specific teacher.

AP Exams

Please find IMPORTANT information your student will need to know regarding AP Exam Administration this May on the LB AP Exam page:  https://lakebraddockss.fcps.edu/advanced-placement

Please contact the AP Testing Team below with questions and/or concerns. 

Lynn Carrera:  LNCarrera@fcps.edu
Deb Brown:  DSBrown1@fcps.edu
Gary Ranallo:  GWRanallo@fcps.edu
Maggie Spingler: MMSpingler@fcps.edu

AP Test Monitoring

Teacher Appreciation Week is quickly approaching!  Are you looking for a way to show teachers that you appreciate them?  Give them the gift of time by volunteering to monitor AP testing.  Every parent or volunteer who signs up for a time slot is giving a teacher their planning time back. 

Who can volunteer?  Any adult.  The only restriction is that you cannot monitor the same test your student is taking.

When to volunteer? May 5th-16th.  Four time slots are available each day.  You can sign up for as many days and as many time slots as you able to cover.

How to volunteer? Use the sign up: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0944A8AD2CA1FB6-50172851-lake#/.  Shout out a Lake Braddock teacher in the comments that you want to dedicate your time to, and we will make sure they know how appreciated they are. 

What do I need to do?  A counselor will proctor each test, all you need to do is monitor students while they are testing and help collect any materials.  All you need to bring is yourself and comfortable shoes! 

Questions?  Reach out to Maggie Spingler at mmspingler@fcps.edu

The 2025 Middle School Yearbook goes ABOVE & BEYOND! The Ursa, Lake Braddock’s middle school yearbook is now at the printers! Here’s your last opportunity to buy one before they sell out. They are now available ONLY on Myschoolbucks.com for $40, and will be distributed in the final weeks of school. If you have questions, please send an email to the yearbook adviser, Kelli Gary at kmgary@fcps.edu.

HS Yearbooks HS Yearbooks are now available on My School Bucks for $75. They can still be purchased on the www.yearbookordercenter.com site as well for $75. Questions? Please contact the HS Yearbook Advisor, Ms. Poquis at tbpoquis@fcps.edu.

SGA News Stress Less Week We are so excited to celebrate mental health and our students prioritizing their mental health and happiness for a week!  Monday: PJ and stuffed animal day! Wear your comfy clothes and bring a stuffed animal support friend! Tuesday: BBQ Master vs Sideline Parent! Dress like a grilling boss or a cheerleading parent! Wednesday: Meme Day! Dress as a popular online trend or meme. (Here is some inspiration: Link) Thursday: Oh the places you’ll go! This is decision day for our seniors, wear your college gear to support and celebrate their futures! Friday: Human Yearbook! Wear a LB shirt or white t-shirt for students and staff to sign as a memento of this year! Fun Run LB SGA and Morgan’s Message is hosting a Fun Run on Saturday May 3 at 9:00 am on the blacktop! No sign up is necessary! Bring your family, friends, and anyone in the community! The fun run is to support those struggling with mental health, come show your love and support while having fun! We will be selling t-shirts that are first come first serve to raise money for more events hosted by the SGA Mental Health Campaign.

The Lake Braddock Theatre invites you to attend our final production of our 2024-2025 Season at the Lake Braddock Theatre – Euripides’ The Trojan Women, in a powerful new adaptation by Jessie Holder. The story itself follows Hecuba, the wife of the late King Priam and the former Queen of Troy, and her daughter in law, Andromache, the wife of the late Prince Hector, and the surviving women of Troy in the days following the siege of their city. All the women are trapped in an encampment just outside their city’s fallen walls, and await their fates at the hands of the Greeks; all the while, a young soldier grapples with his actions once he is faced with the suffering of people he has now met, and makes a connection that shatters his worldview. This world premiere adaptation expands upon Euripides’ original work – adding characters that are only mentioned in the original text, expanding the conflict between characters and deepening the humanity of the tragedy.  Euripides’ original text is a beautiful poetic lament; but this adaptation is truly a play – and one that preserves, protects and does not apologize for the heightened nature of Greek Theatre performance style, while also molding and shaping the story into a more dynamic structure that modern audiences can easily access and be pulled into the world of. Featuring original music, choreography, student musical accompaniment, and highly sophisticated performance and technical theatre work, this is a production that we as an educational theatre company could not be prouder of, and we would love to see you at the show! Tickets can be found at: https://www.lbtheatre.com/box-office

Parent Tech Talk Talking to Your Child About Online Gaming: Conversation Starters Open communication is key to keeping your child safe in the online gaming world. Here are some conversation starters you can use to initiate a dialogue with your child about their gaming habits: "What are your favorite games right now? Would you show me how they're played? Could I play with you?" This shows your interest in their world and opens the door to a fun learning experience together. "Have you ever been cyberbullied while gaming? What did you do?" This opens a safe space for your child to share any negative experiences and allows you to discuss coping mechanisms and reporting procedures. "Do you know what information is OK to share about yourself while gaming?" This prompts a conversation about online privacy and helps your child understand the importance of protecting personal information. "Who do you play online games with? What are their usernames?" Knowing who your child interacts with online can help you assess potential risks and ensure they're playing with appropriate people. "Has anyone talked about sex while you were gaming or asked you to send pictures of yourself?" This is a crucial conversation to have, even if it feels uncomfortable. It empowers your child to recognize inappropriate behavior and teaches them how to seek help. "Other than at home, where else do you play online games? Do you play on your phone? At friends' homes?" Understanding where your child games can help you establish ground rules for different environments, like using parental controls on mobile devices. Here are some tips for parents on how to use these conversation starters: Find a relaxed and appropriate time to talk to your child about online gaming. Show genuine interest in the games your child enjoys. Listen actively and avoid being judgmental. Use these conversation starters as a springboard for open and honest discussions. Be prepared to offer guidance and support based on your child's responses. Together, establish clear rules and expectations for online gaming. By having open conversations and working together, you can help your child enjoy the benefits of online gaming while staying safe. Source: Netsmartz

Class of 2025 News

Important Information

Senior Fees
$70 due no later than May 30, 2025. Please see email dated January 8 for payment options.

Bridging Bruins
March 3- Application Begins
March 21- Application Ends
April 11- Notification of Acceptance
April 30- Final Approval
May 14- May 29- Internship
May 29- Presentation

PROM-Falls Church Marriott Fairview Park
May 9

Senior Breakfast
May 30

Graduation
June 4

All Night Grad Party- St James
June 4 at 11pm

Prom Bruin community, the Class of 2025 is excited to host and invite all Bruin Class of 2025 members to “A Night Under the Northern Lights."  Tickets can be purchased using the ETix link below until May 2 and at school on Monday, May 1 and Tuesday, May 2. The prom will feature music and décor from A2Z Music Factory, and a delicious variety of appetizers and drinks for attendees.

LBSS Class of '25 ANGP Tickets

June 4 at the St. James Springfield 11 PM - 5 AM

https://lbssptsa.regfox.com/-lake-braddock-class-of-2025-angp

Class of 2025, you are invited to come together, have fun and celebrate your accomplishments at this years All Night Grad Party!  The All Night Grad Party is organized by the LBSS PTSA in partnership with the ANGP Committee, chaperoned by parents and members of the community, and staffed by the St James. Activities include a casino night, fun inflatables, and raffles with sought after prizes.  In addition, we use the amazing facilities at The St. James which include the field house, volleyball, pickleball and basketball courts, Super Awesome and Amazing, and an Olympic sized swimming pool and the arcade! We will have caricature artists and tons of photo ops!  There will also be plenty of food and drinks all night long! The evening is an alcohol-free and drug-free event that takes place in a safe and supervised environment. 

Family Liaison News

Please stay up-to-date with our Family Liaisons on our web site. There you will find our weekly newsletters.

https://lakebraddockss.fcps.edu/student-services/information-our-family-liaisons

FCPS News

The Family Resource Center will be hosting a virtual session presented by the Office of Intervention and Prevention Services, titled "Summertime and an Idle Mind: Keeping Children Drug-Free While Home This Summer," on May 16th from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m.

Share Feedback With County Health Department on School Health Services

The Fairfax County Health Department and Fairfax County Public Schools School Health Services invite parents/caregivers of FCPS students to participate in a survey on satisfaction with school health room services. The survey takes about five minutes to complete and will be open until Monday, May 5.

School health rooms (clinics) are managed by public health nurses and school health aides. Those staff provide care for students who become sick or injured during the school day, who require medications during the school day, and/or who have a chronic health condition that requires management during the school day.

Additionally, the school health room staff:

• Provide health education, communicable disease prevention, and health screenings.
• Work with schools to help address the root causes of population health disparities so that all students have equitable access to educational and health opportunities.
• Ensure that students have care for minor injuries and illnesses, and chronic health conditions, thus helping to minimize health barriers to learning. 

Survey results will provide a basis for quality improvement of school health room services as well as inform future planning for schools. 

We’ve got an engaging summer planned for your students!

The Career and Technical Education (CTE) office will offer two enrichment camps this summer - Tech Adventure Camp and CTE Summer Academy. For details on the activities we have planned, please read below.

All information can be found on our webpages! For Tech Adventure Camp go to bit.ly/FCPS_TAC. For CTE Summer Academy go to bit.ly/FCPS_CSA.

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN FOR ALL OUR ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS! Click here to register!

Save the Date for the FCPS Summer Extravaganza

Discover summer learning and activities available in Fairfax County! 

Attend the FCPS Summer Extravaganza on Saturday, May 10, 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m., at Woodson High School and get a jump on summer learning. At this free event, participants can engage in educational and enrichment activities designed to inspire curiosity and growth. 

Activities will include student performances, story time, a moon bounce, and face painting. For more information, visit the