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The Dunne Dispatch (Homecoming & the Arts Special Edition) - 10/23/2024
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
Fall is a wonderful time to get together with friends and support our schools!
- Three local football teams are celebrating homecoming on Friday, October 25. Why overpay for the NFL when you can watch exciting football games close to home?
- Our students at West Potomac HS, Edison HS, South County HS, Twain MS, Hayfield MS, and South County MS are producing theater productions of Puffs (One Acts for Young Wizards); Peter Pan & Wendy; The 39 Steps; The Internet is Distract—Oh, Look! A Kitten! and 9 Reasons Not to Be in a Play; SpongeBob the Musical; and Beauty and the Beast, Jr. Why pay for Broadway in New York when you can watch the same productions locally?
Please join me to celebrate the daily excellence of our public schools and support our local athletics and theater programs!
Very respectfully,
Mateo Dunne, Mount Vernon District Representative
Celebrate Homecoming with Mount Vernon District Schools
Hayfield SS Homecoming, October 25
- Friday October 25, 4pm, Hayfield Homecoming Parade. The annual Homecoming parade will leave Hayfield at 4pm and roll through Hayfield Farms before returning to Hayfield by 5pm. Come cheer on our athletic teams, marching band, JROTC, class officers, DramaHawks, and Homecoming Royalty Court in the parade!
- Friday, October 25, 5-7 p.m., Hawktoberfest. Join Hayfield SS for its 6th Annual Hawktoberfest! Come grab some food from the food trucks, play games, win prizes, get your face painted, and more!
- Friday, October 25, 7 p.m., Homecoming Football Game vs. Riverdale Baptist Crusaders.
- Saturday, October 26, 7-10 p.m., Homecoming Dance.The Miami Nights Homecoming dance will be at Hayfield on Saturday night. All 9-12th graders are invited to the dance and tickets are being sold exclusively on MySchoolBucks. Tickets will be sold until Friday 10/25. No tickets will be sold on the day of the dance or at the door. Students who are attending the dance must enter by 9pm.
Mount Vernon HS Homecoming, October 25
- Friday October 25, 5:30 -7PM,Homecoming TailGate.Activities will include Games, Hot Dogs, Face Painting, Trunk or Treat, and Hot Chocolate. There will also be a Chili Cookoff.
- Friday, October 25, 7 p.m., Homecoming Football Game vs. Annandale.
- Saturday, October 26, 7-11 p.m., Homecoming Dance.The Homecoming dance will be in the Field Houseon Saturday night.All 9-12th graders are invited to the dance and tickets are being sold during lunch. Tickets will be sold until Friday 10/25. No tickets will be sold on the day of the dance or at the door. Students who are attending the dance must enter by 9pm.
South County HS Homecoming, October 25
- Thursday October 24, 4pm,Homecoming Parade.The annual Homecoming parade will leave the Flagpole in the front of the school at 4pm and roll through Laurel Hill Elementary before returning to the Flagpole by 5pm. Come cheer on our athletic teams, marching band, JROTC, class officers, and Homecoming Royalty Court in the parade!
- Friday, October 25, 5-7 p.m.,Pre-Game Tailgate.Join South County HS for pre-game festivities! Prepare your favorite pre-game snack and play games! We will also have a live DJ.
- Friday, October 25, 7 p.m., Homecoming Football Game vs.CG Woodson HS.
- Saturday, October 26, 8-11 p.m., Homecoming Dance.The Homecoming dance will be in the South County HS Bubbleon Saturday night.All 9-12th graders are invited to the dance and tickets are being sold during all lunch periods throughout the week. Tickets will be sold until Friday 10/25. No tickets will be sold on the day of the dance or at the door.
John R. Lewis HS Homecoming, October 25
- Wednesday, October 23, 4-6 p.m., Chili and Cheese Cookoff. Come see which group makes the best chili and mac-n-cheese!
- Wednesday, October 23, 6:30 p.m., Power Puff Game. Join the Lewis HS community on the Stadium Field to support the players.
- Thursday, October 24, Pep Rally.Lewis HS Gymnasium.
- Friday, October 25, 7 p.m., Football Game Falls Church HS.Come join the fun as the Lancers take on Falls Church.
- Saturday, October 26, 7-10 p.m., Homecoming Dance. Lewis HS Gymnasium.
Recent Mount Vernon District Schools Homecomings: West Potomac HS and Edison HS
Congratulations to the remaining Mount Vernon District schools (and schools where Mount Vernon District students attend) that recently completed 2024 homecoming activities:
- West Potomac HS, September 30. From students shining in spirit to the intense game-day action, West Potomac HS captured the best moments of Homecoming Celebrations 2024. View this slideshow to relive the energy of the hype squad cheering on the team and the elegance of students in their finest formal wear at the dance.
- Edison HS, October 18. Edison HS students enjoyed a week of spirit dress-up days and held a pep rally on Friday before facing Annandale HS. The Edison HS community enjoyed a variety of homecoming festivities, including the Eagle Bowl, Follies, and, of course, the homecoming dance.
Celebrate the Arts with Mount Vernon District Schools
West Potomac HS Theatre Presents: Puffs (One Acts for Young Wizards)
West Potomac HS Kolgelman Theatre
- Thursday, October 31. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Show at 7 p.m.
- Saturday, November 2. Doors open at 12:30 p.m. Show at 1 p.m.
- Saturday, November 2. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Show at 7 p.m.
- Thursday, November 7. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Show at 7 p.m.
- Saturday, November 9. Doors open at 12:30 p.m. Show at 1 p.m.
- Saturday, November 9. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Show at 7 p.m.
Note: When purchasing tickets, please check DATE, TIME, and PERFORMERS to assure that you are buying for intended show.
Edison HS Theatre Presents: Peter Pan & Wendy
James M. Barrie's classic tale comes to the stage in a new adaptation by Edison Theatre director Jeffrey Walker. Come join Peter and Tinkerbell as they whisk the Darling children off to Neverland to meet the Lost Boys and fight Capt. Hook and the pirates.
- Wednesday, November 13. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Show at 7 p.m.
- Thursday, November 14. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Show at 7 p.m.
- Friday, November 15. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Show at 7 p.m.
- Saturday, November 16. Doors open at 1:30 p.m. Show at 2 p.m.
South County HS Theatre Presents: The 39 Steps, November 14-16
Patrick Barlow’s comedic adaptation ofThe 39 Steps, Alfred Hitchcock’s famous film noir thriller bursts onto the stage with fast-paced action and nonstop laughs. The story centers around Richard Hannay, a man in a mid-life lull who is suddenly thrown in the middle of a dangerous spy ring and mistakenly accused of murder. As he rushes to save Britian from a horrible fate and clear his name, we sit on the edge of our seats urging him on and laughing at the absurd situations in which he finds himself.
- Thursday, November 14. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Show at 7 p.m.
- Friday, November 15. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Show at 7 p.m.
- Saturday, November 16. Doors open at 1:30 p.m. Show at 2 p.m.
- Saturday, November 16. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Show at 7 p.m.
Twain MS Theatre Presents: The Internet is Distract—Oh, Look! A Kitten! and 9 Reasons Not to Be in a Play, November 21-23
- Thursday, November 21. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Show at 7 p.m.
- Friday, November 22. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Show at 7 p.m.
- Saturday, November 23. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Show at 7 p.m.
Hayfield MS Theatre Presents: The SpongeBob Musical, November 21 - 23, 2024
Who lives in a pineapple under the sea and became the hottest star on Broadway? Why, it's SpongeBob SquarePants! Join Hayfield MS Theatre for a youth-friendly edition of the hit Broadway musical. Tickets will go on sale in November. Kudos also to Hayfield SS Theatre for its fall production of Hadestown Teen Edition. This show ran October 17-19. Photos will be posted soon.
South County MS Theatre Presents: Beauty and the Beast, Jr., January 31 and February 1
Join South County MS for the classic tale of Belle, a young woman in a provincial town, and the Beast, who is really a young prince trapped under the spell of an enchantress. If the Beast can learn to love and be loved, the curse will end, and he will be transformed into his former self. But time is running out!
- Friday, January 31. Show at 7 p.m.
- Saturday, February 1. Show at 1 p.m.
- Saturday, February 1. Show at 7 p.m.
Local Events and Attractions
Visit George Washington's Mount Vernon
- Visit Mount Vernon This Fall Save 30% on Daytime Admission. School is out for Fairfax County students from Nov. 1-5! Bring the family to Mount Vernon to experience limited-time activities, including free tractor trail rides and Archaeology Family Days. Save 30% on daytime admission tickets using the promo code STUDENT. Promo code is valid through Dec. 31 on up to 6 tickets. Plan your visit.
- Tractor Trail Rides: Nov 1-5 Included in General Admission; Tickets Required. Experience a behind-the-scenes tractor ride guided by Mount Vernon's Director of Livestock & Horticulture, Dean Norton. During the tour, you’ll go behind the scenes on Mount Vernon’s trails and see where 18th-century roads once wove through the forest. Learn more.
- Archaeology Family Day: Nov 2 & 3 Included in General Admission. Through hands-on activities, explore how archaeology has shaped what we know about the Washingtons, the lives of the enslaved people who lived at Mount Vernon, and the 18th century. Learn more.
- Getting Washington's Horses Ready to Ride: Nov. 4 & 5 Included in General Admission. Help get George Washington’s horses ready to ride! Join interpreter Al Underwood to gather and organize the supplies needed for Washington’s upcoming journey in this hands-on activity. Learn more.
Visit George Mason's Gunston Hall
- Revolutionary War Day, Saturday, November 2, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. The Revolutionary War touched everyone in the American colonies, not just soldiers and politicians. Visit Gunston Hall to explore life at home and learn how Colonel Mason and his fellow Virginians supported the war effort. Families and participants of all ages are invited to engage with activities and demonstrations throughout the day. Join us for: Militia Artillery Demonstrations, 18th-century Recipe Tasting, A Soldier's March Obstacle Course and more! Don't miss out and get your tickets now: Adults: $15 Kids: $8 Members: 50% discount. Learn more and purchase tickets online.
- History in the Kitchen (Online), Saturday, November 9, 10:30 - 11:15 a.m. This free online series illuminates what kinds of food were eaten by different people in colonial Virginia. Every 45-minute class spotlights a dish eaten by one of the following groups: the Mason family; people enslaved at Gunston Hall; the white laborers, shopkeepers, and tenant farmers; and the peoples native to this land. Participants will learn how social class and wealth affected what food people had access to. On November 9th, we will focus on Native American Foodways. Kids and adults alike will have a great time learning history while cooking! This program is designed for families with kids 10-18, but is open to participants of all ages. Learn more and register online.
The views contained within this newsletter reflect the views of the individual school board member who is the publisher of this newsletter and may not reflect the views of the Fairfax County School Board.
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