We’re over 600 days into the COVID-19 pandemic, but Fairfax County Public Schools is still lagging behind for coronavirus testing. FCPS recently announced new COVID-19 testing procedures, including optional opt-in parental consent forms that must be signed for any student to be tested as a plan to test 10% ofContinue Reading
Solely because I am not pursuing the IB Diploma, the exclusive Theory of Knowledge (TOK) class is closed off to me. TOK should be made available to all juniors and seniors, regardless of what diploma program they chose. Despite the shortage of teachers who can lead the class, opening upContinue Reading
One of the themes I have observed in the coverage of other publications across our county, and rightfully so, is the spotlight that mental health has taken. Early December can be a time of stress for high school students, especially after a year and a half of virtual instruction. InContinue Reading
The month of October said quite a bit about the current dynamics between students, staff and school. In times when controversy becomes a focal point of school discussion, we want to reaffirm our commitment to impartial, but also complete, coverage. Our intent will always be to inform our readership andContinue Reading
Between conflicting spirit week schedules and an uproar over changed traditions, Homecoming Week escalated into controversy that disrupted our community. The poor discourse between administrative groups and students is all the more frustrating because every person involved has the same goal in mind: bring together the community and increase schoolContinue Reading
When Ⅰ left newspaper production after school on March 12, 2020, Ⅰ fully expected our staff to deliver new issues to Marshall classes the following week. After that fateful turning point in all our lives, 20 months have now passed since Rank&File last distributed a physical issue to our studentContinue Reading
Measles, mumps, chickenpox, Hepatitis, HPV: these are all viruses and diseases FCPS students are required to be immunized against. We should add to this list COVID-19. Last month, Los Angeles Unified School District, the second largest school district in the nation, became one of the first school divisions to announceContinue Reading
It was two days before the presentation, and I knew tomorrow I had work until the evening, Yvon had football practice, and Abby was embroiled in the logistics of a school-wide food drive. We decided to plan ahead and agreed to meet for Wednesday off hours. No warning given, noContinue Reading
There is no better feeling in the world than waking up to a Ryan McElveen alert that school has been canceled due to snow. But be careful – your snow days are under assault. The advent of online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic has brought rise to a new movementContinue Reading
Everyone in the stands knows why the penalty flag is on the field. Even those who could not see the play unfold could hear the loud crack of two helmets smacking into each other. Those who could see the play know the defender’s decision to hit the ball carrier inContinue Reading