Excel in Mind, Body and Character

George Mason High School Newsletter

Tyrone Q. Byrd, Principal August 2010

Dear Mustang Parents and Guardians,

American novelist and poet Don Williams Jr. said The road of life twists and turns and no two directions are
ever the same. Yet our lessons come from the journey, not the destination. As we prepare for the upcoming school
year I ask that each of you commit to celebrating our collective journey through the ebbs and flows that are guaranteed
to meet us along the path. Together we will conquer challenges and embrace opportunities for the betterment of our
entire community.

The 2010 – 11 school year promises to be like no other at George Mason. We have made significant changes
to the schedule and enhanced our methods of communication. Each amendment has been carefully considered by a
variety of stakeholders who worked diligently to ensure that we build upon our long-standing and well-deserved
tradition of academic, social, artistic and athletic success.

Many years ago George Mason implemented the Teacher Advisory block. This innovative program was
created to encourage the development and maintenance of close teacher/counselor-student relationships outside of
traditional environments. Although we valued the development of these important relationships, we felt that we could
make better use of this time while simultaneously fostering close interpersonal relationships throughout our
community. Our new schedule will now provide students with a 31-minute block each day to receive enrichment and
remediation in the course of their choice. During the Mustang Block students will be given the autonomy to establish
academic priorities and will be supported by teachers, counselors, administrators, coaches, and sponsors as they
implement plans to address their goals. We have developed safeguards and committed resources to ensure that
students make effective use of this valuable time.

The Mustang Block will also serve as an opportunity for students to get a snack from the cafeteria, meet with
an administrator or counselor, or collaborate with peers. Our campus will be closed during this time; therefore, seniors
will not have off-campus privileges during the Mustang Block. We also plan to use this time to conduct class
conversations, and we encourage you to make efforts to plan doctor and dentist appointments during the Mustang
Block (9:40 AM – 10:11 AM) whenever possible.

During our extensive discussion regarding this exciting initiative, we determined that members of the eighth
grade class would need additional support and guidance. This support and guidance will be provided during the
Starting Gate which is the first five minutes of the Mustang Block. Eighth grade students will report to their Starting
Gate at 9:40 AM each day to touch base with their coordinator. Starting Gate coordinators will keep in touch with the
teachers of the children under their charge and help them make appropriate choices for the Mustang Block.

We recognize that TA was traditionally used as an opportunity for students to be given important documents
and provided with information regarding clubs, team meetings, and the general news of the day. This year your
children will receive this information in 3rd block, which will meet for 50 minutes each day. This class will meet more
frequently than any other class your child takes. Our teachers are confident that they will be able to develop and
maintain strong relationships, similar to those created in TA, with the children in their third block class.

Last year George Mason teachers took the bold step of opening their grade books to student and
parents/guardians. Access GM, the name of our on-line grade book, provided each of you with real-time information
regarding the academic standing of your children. We will continue to provide this invaluable resource to you and
your children. Please develop a routine to regularly check-in so that you can continue to support your children. It is
our expectation that you will be provided with accurate and timely information regarding your child’s academic
 GEORGE MASON HIGH SCHOOL NEWSLETTER PAGE 2

standing. This information does not supplant email, telephone conversations, or conferences. It should help make any
conversation more substantive.

Soon you will receive two very important pieces of correspondence from Mason. One will contain a wide
variety of informative documents and requests for funds (yearbook, 9 Muses, Physical Education uniforms, etc.) or
information (residency verification, free and reduced price meal applications, etc.). The second will contain your
Access GM code and a reminder (with instructions) to update your information on Infosnap, which is our registration
engine, and must be completed each year. Please complete no later than September 3.

You and your children will be able to view their class schedule for the 2010 – 11 school as of 6:00 PM on the
evening of Friday, September 3 on Access GM. Students will receive a hard copy of their schedule, along with the
name of their counselor in their 3rd block (Homeroom) on Tuesday, September 7. Homerooms will also be posted
along the windows of the main office.

We eagerly anticipate the beginning of our journey. Your children will be encouraged to actively engage in
the learning process by a collection of professionals committed to their continued academic, social, artistic, and
athletic success. We endeavor to Excel in Mind, Body, and Character and look forward to the opportunities of a new
school year filled with promise.

Sincerely,

Tyrone Q. Byrd
Principal

Excel in Mind, Body and Character

BUS SCHEDULES
Bus routes are included in your August packet and will be posted online by
August 27th at www.fccps.org/bus/.

IMPORTANT
Attendance Policy Regarding
Excessive Absences for Any Reason

“In courses for which high school credit is earned, a student who is absent for any
reason twelve times from a class that meets daily or six times from a blocked class
during a quarter will receive a grade of “F” for the quarter. Long term illnesses
supported by a medical doctor’s written requirement of medical confinement will be
considered for an exception to be decided by the principal after consultation with the
class teacher and guidance counselor. Students who are being provided homebound
instruction are considered present for attendance purposes.”

Reference School Board Policy 9.22

 GEORGE MASON HIGH SCHOOL PAGE 3

Important Information Regarding Infosnap

Online Registration Process
In June with report cards, instructions for updating student information via Infosnap were mailed to
parents of returning students. As you may remember, the online process was implemented to reduce paper
use and to make more efficient the registration process for both parents and staff. The more lead time we
have in obtaining the information, the greater opportunity we have to ensure each student has the best
possible start to the school year. If you have not already updated your information, please do so as soon as
possible. Snapcodes and instructions will be mailed home again the week of August 16th. It is imperative
that this information be completed no later than September 3. If you have questions, please contact our
counseling office at 703-248-5525.

Fee Cards— An
explanation of the
various fees...
Physical Education Shorts and Physical
Education Shirt— GR8s (8th graders), freshmen
and sophomores are required to take physical
education at George Mason High School (GMHS).
Students taking these classes must have and dress
out in a standard uniform. The shorts and shirt
required this year are the same as those required in
previous years. The shorts (boys’ and girls’
styles) are black or red with a white George
Mason logo on the front. The shirt is gray with
“George Mason” in large red letters across the
front. If you already have these items, you do not
need to purchase them again. (If you have a
physical education shirt and/or shorts that your
family no longer needs, please bring them to the
GMHS office marked “PTSA uniform donation.”
The PTSA will make every effort to get uniforms
to those who cannot afford them.)
The Mustang—High School Yearbook—Each
year GMHS students produce a hard cover
yearbook that is over 200 pages in length. The
yearbook is usually distributed in June.
9 Muses— Literary Arts Magazine—This is a
single issue art and literary magazine produced
entirely by students and distributed at the end of
the school year. It contains prose, poetry, art and
photography and is about 50 pages in length.
Both of the above publications must be
purchased in advance to ensure availability.

Food Services
The Food Services Department will be offering three lunch entrees with a choice of vegetables and fruit each
school day. Also available will be pre-packaged salads and cold sandwiches. George Mason participates in
the National School Lunch Program. School lunch menus are posted on the George Mason web site
(www.fccps.org/gm) and this year student lunch account balances can be viewed and paid by setting up an
account at www.pay4lunch.com. The website accepts the following credit cards: Visa, Master Card,
American Express and Discover Card. A small fee is charged. Applications for free or reduced-price lunches
are included in this packet and will also be posted on the www.fccps.org website. Please return your
free/reduced-price lunch application or send payment directly to food services in the enclosed business
envelope addressed to FCCPS c/o GMHS before September 7, 2010.
 GEORGE MASON HIGH SCHOOL NEWSLETTER PAGE 4

Special Information Items

· Fall Sports practices are
underway. Any student in
grades 8-12 who has not joined
a team but would like to do so
is urged to call our Athletic
Director, Mr. Tom Horn, at
248-5598.
will be informative and it will
feature activities and lunch.
· Back-to-School Night will
be on Thursday, September 16,
from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
(For parents of ALL grades.)

· Senior Make-up Pictures · Yearbook pictures for

will be taken Monday,
September 20, from 9:00 a.m.
until 3:00 p.m. in the TLC.
· The New Student/Parent
Brunches will be held on
Wednesday, September 1 from
9:30 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. The
brunch is for 9th – 12th graders
and their parents who are new
to our district. The Student
Council sponsors the new
student brunch and the PTSA
sponsors the parent brunch.
The student brunch is a way
for new students to meet other
students and to hear about the
many activities and programs
available at GMHS. It will be
held in the Mustang Café. The
parent brunch will be held in
the TLC and will have a
similar program.
grades 8-11 will be taken on
Friday, September 24, and
make-up pictures are
scheduled for Thursday,
November 4.
· GR8, Freshman,
Sophomore and Junior
Parent Night will be held on
Thursday, September 23, at
7:00 p.m. in the Mustang Café.
(For parents of 8th, 9th, 10th and
11th graders.)
· Senior Parent Night will
be held on Thursday,
September 30, at 7:00 p.m. in
the Mustang Café.
PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

· GR8 Orientation for Thursday, September 16 – Back to School Night

students only will be held on
Wednesday, September 1, Friday, October 15 – Parent/Teacher Mini Conferences
beginning at 12:00 at the
Mustang Café entrance. This Friday, March 11 – Parent/Teacher Mini Conferences
program will introduce all 8th
graders to their teachers,
administrators, counselors,
activities leaders and Mustang
Ambassadors. The program
 GEORGE MASON HIGH SCHOOL NEWSLETTER PAGE 5

Notes from the Counseling Office

Homeroom-Block 3 (formerly called TA) Assignments and Student
Schedules
Homeroom Assignments will be posted throughout the high school the first morning of school, September
7. All students will go first to their 3rd Block class (their Homeroom).
Student Schedules will be distributed during Homeroom on the first day of school and students will follow
the schedule assigned to them. If there are errors in a schedule, the student should schedule an appointment
in the Counseling Office as quickly as possible. After errors are corrected, the counselors will consider other
requests for scheduling changes. Changes that involve adding a new class must be completed by the 10th
day of school! Students may not begin a new class after 10 school days have passed. Adding or
dropping a class after school begins requires a special form signed by the student’s parent/guardian, the
current teacher, the new teacher, the student’s Homeroom teacher, and the student's Case Manager/IB
Coordinator/Athletic Director if applicable. These forms are available in the Counseling Office.

Notes from the Math Department

All high school math credit classes require a graphing calculator.

Calculus AB/BC -- TI-89 as recommended by the College Board

8th Grade Pre-Algebra -- A scientific calculator will be provided by the school for all students.

All other math classes -- Graphing calculator (TI-83 or TI-84 recommended) The Mathematics Department
lends TI 83/83+ graphing calculators to all students who do not have their own. Students are required to
supply 4 AAA batteries.

Students who did not return graphing calculators lent to them from past school years will not be eligible to
borrow another calculator until the fine is paid or the calculator is returned in working order. Used
calculators are sometimes procured from sources such as eBay. Please be certain that these calculators are in
complete working order before purchase.

Notes from the Clinic

The Health Department requires that the clinic strictly adhere to all policies regarding the administering of
medication. In the FCCPS School Board Policies and Legal Information Packet (which your student will
receive on the first day of school) you will find the School Board Regulation on Administration of
Medication (R 9.38). Every medication requires an Authorization for Medication/Inhaler (Form HE 24-B or
HE 24-D). If medication is to be kept in the clinic, please deliver the necessary forms (downloaded from the
FCCPS website at www.fccps.org/forms/index.html) and medication directly to the clinic.
 GEORGE MASON HIGH SCHOOL NEWSLETTER PAGE 6

Athletic Boosters Membership

The Athletic Boosters exist to encourage participation of parents, teachers, and

other adults in active support of all of GMHS’s athletic programs. Through
membership dues and fundraising activities, the Athletic Boosters are able to
Go Mustangs! provide funds to sponsor scholarships, hold special events, and contribute to the
purchase of athletic equipment. The Boosters Club also produces the Student
Directory each year and members receive a copy as part of their membership
benefits, which also include discount game passes and a newsletter. The directory is
distributed to Boosters members in October. Boosters Club meetings are held on
the first Monday of each month in the Mustang Café at 7:30 p.m. Due to the Labor
Day holiday, the first meeting of the month will be Monday, September 13. Please
look for membership materials in this mailing.

PTSA Membership
The largest membership organization for parents (and teachers and students) at GMHS is the PTSA. Please
look for PTSA membership materials in this mailing. PTSA meetings are held on the first Wednesday of
each month in the Media Center at 7:30 p.m. The first meeting of the year will be Wednesday,
September 8. We look forward to seeing you there.

Band Booster Membership

Also in this packet you will find Band Booster membership materials. Support the Band program by
becoming a Band Booster member.

Graduation
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
5:00 p.m.
DAR/Constitution Hall
Washington, DC