Langley High School (Fairfax County, Virginia)

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Langley High School
Langleyhs.png
Langley High School main entrance McLean VA 2023-12-22 08-27-31.jpg
Langley High School in December 2023
Location
Langley High School (Fairfax County, Virginia)
6520 Georgetown Pike

, ,
22101

United States
Coordinates 38°57′N77°10′W / 38.950°N 77.167°W / 38.950; -77.167
Information
Type Public secondary
Established1965 (1965)
School district Fairfax County Public Schools
NCES District ID 5101260 [1]
Educational authority Virginia Department of Education
School codeVA-029-0291460
CEEB code 471393
NCES School ID 510126000517 [2]
PrincipalLawrence Stroud [3]
Teaching staff115.70 (on an FTE basis) [2]
Grades 9–12
Enrollment2,049 [2]  (2021-2022)
   Grade 9 533
   Grade 10 505
   Grade 11 521
   Grade 12 490
Student to teacher ratio17.71:1 [2]
Campus type Suburban
ColorsGreen and Gold   
Athletics conference Liberty District
Class 6A Region D
Mascot Otto the Saxon
Nickname Saxons
USNWR ranking136
SAT average1851
Feeder schools Cooper Middle School
Website langleyhs.fcps.edu

Langley High School is a public high school within the Fairfax County Public Schools in McLean, Virginia, United States. [4]

Contents

History

Established in 1965, Langley High School was named for Thomas Lee's British estate "Langley Manor". Thomas Lee was one of the first to envision the Thirteen Colonies as a separate nation whose capital should be on the Potomac between Great Falls and Little Falls. Keeping these things in mind, the school steering committee chose the nickname 'Saxons' and the school's colors of forest green and old gold with white as a trim color in keeping with the traditional theme. [5] "

Admissions

Langley's boundaries extend west of State Route 123 (Dolley Madison Boulevard) and north of both State Route 7 (Leesburg Pike) and State Route 267 (Dulles Toll Road) from McLean to Great Falls, ending at the Loudoun County line. Small parts of Vienna, Reston, and Herndon along the south side of Route 7 are also within the school's attendance area. [6]

Until 1994, areas west of Springvale Road in Great Falls were within the Herndon High School boundaries. After leaving Forestville Elementary School, students attended Herndon Middle and Herndon High School. [7] When Buzz Aldrin Elementary School was preparing to open, Langley High School was then under-enrolled; some residents from the Forestville attendance area requested reassignment of their neighborhoods from the Herndon High to the Langley High School pyramid. [8] As a result, school officials shifted Langley's boundary line west from Springvale Road to the Loudoun County border. [8]

During the 2011 Fairfax County School Board elections, then School Board Chair, Jane Strauss, took credit for having "prevented changes to the Langley High School boundaries" for 18 years and for having "fought off" attempts to redistrict "current neighborhoods out of Langley". [9]

Demographics

Enrollment by Race/Ethnicity 2021–2022 [2]
WhiteAsianTwo or More RacesHispanicBlackAmerican Indian/Alaska NativeNative Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
1,1515611531463251

The student body was 69.50% White, 20.87% Asian, 4.59% Hispanic, 1.18% Black, and 3.86% Other during the 2012–13 academic school year. [10] In the 2011–12 school year, Langley High School's student body was 71.15% White, 19.20% Asian, 4.60% Hispanic, 1.70% Black and 3.35% Other. [11]

Curriculum

Entrance to the Langley Stadium. Saxsons Stadium entrance Langley High School VA 2023-12-22 08-34-22.jpg
Entrance to the Langley Stadium.

The LHS academic program follows standard Virginia guidelines, requiring 24 credits for graduation. [12] Additionally provided at Langley is the Advanced Placement (AP) program. [12] Langley offers one of the most comprehensive AP programs available, featuring more than 20 AP-level classes in every discipline. [12] The school offers Multivariable Calculus and Linear Algebra classes. Along with Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, it is one of only two high schools in the Fairfax County Public High School to offer courses in Russian.

In 2021, U.S. News & World Report ranked Langley High School the second-best high school in Virginia, behind Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology [13] and 156th nationally. [14]

Extracurricular activities

Relay For Life of Langley-McLean

Since 2013, Langley High School has hosted the American Cancer Society's Relay For Life of Langley-McLean, [15] an overnight fundraising event and one of only two student-led Relay For Life fundraisers held in Virginia.

Model United Nations

Langley High School has a nationally competitive Model United Nations team. [16] [17]

South Asian Student Association

The school had an active South Asian Student Association (SASA), which holds an annual "International Night". [18] In 2014, Langley SASA hosted its first District-Wide charity event "Bollywood Bash". [19] [20] CHORD, the organization the association is raising money for, promotes literacy and strengthens local government in rural India. [21]

Student publications

Langley's award-winning student news magazine is The Saxon Scope. [22] Langley's yearbook is The Shire. [23]

Music Department

Langley's music department consists of award-winning band, choral, and orchestral programs.

The band program comprises six bands: Percussion Ensemble, Symphonic Band, Wind Ensemble, Wind Symphony, Marching Band, and Jazz Band. Langley also has a marching band that performs at home football games and state marching band competitions, which is accompanied by the award-winning Color Guard team. The Langley Band performed in Spain in 2014, Chicago in 2015, and Los Angeles in 2016. The Wind Symphony performed in Indianapolis in 2017 at the prestigious Music For All National Festival. In 2018, it traveled to Italy, performing in cathedrals in Rome and Florence.

The choral program consists of five choirs: Treble, Women's Select, Concert, Chamber, and Madrigals. Langley Choirs have competed in competitions in Prague, Salzburg, and domestically in Orlando and San Diego.

The orchestral program consists of three orchestras: Symphonic, Sinfonietta, and Philharmonic.

Science Fair

Langley High School participates in science fair events. Each year, first and second-place winners from the school-hosted science fair are selected to attend the Fairfax County Science and Engineering Fair. The Fairfax County Science and Engineering Fair is an International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF)-affiliated fair, sending around ten projects each year to the international fair. [24] Notable winners from the past have included:

Other activities

Langley's fashion department sponsors an annual fashion show in Langley's auditorium. Langley High School's Science Olympiad team has received accolades at the state and national levels.

Athletics

Langley's mascot is "Otto the Saxon." Langley Saxon Pride.png
Langley's mascot is "Otto the Saxon."

Langley plays in the AAA Liberty District of the Northern Region. The Langley sports teams are all referred to as the "Saxons.".

The football team won the Northern Region and went to the state finals in 1993.

Langley's varsity Ice Hockey team has won 4 NVSHL Virginia State Championships, 2019, 2022, 2023 and 2024. In addition, they have appeared in the NVSHL Playoff 14 Consecutive time 2009 - 2024. [29] The team has also advanced on to the National Champions after there State wins for the past 3 years.

The boys' wrestling team won the Liberty District Tournament for 11 years straight (2001–2011). In addition, it was the Northern Region champion in 2007.

In 2009, 2010, and 2011, Langley's AAA boys' lacrosse team won the state championship.

The boys' swim and dive team won the VHSL State Championships in 2017–2018, their first State Victory in Langley's history.

The girls' tennis won the Northern Region title in 2011, then went undefeated in 2012 to sweep the district, regional, and state titles.

Langley High School Boys' soccer team won its first Virginia State Championship in 2015, second in 2017, and third in 2022.[ when? ] At the end of the 2014–2015 soccer year, Langley's boys' varsity team held the rank of No. 4 in the country by soccer publication TopDrawerSoccer.com.

Langley High School's mascot is Otto the Saxon.

State championships

Langley has won 56 championships, which are:

Langley has received two sportsmanship awards, one in AAA girls soccer in 2001 and one in AAA girls volleyball in 2007. In addition, Langley won first place in the Wachovia Cup standings in 1991–1992 for athletics.

United States Congressional Baseball Game

In 1977, rain forced the Congressional Baseball Game to play the annual game on Langley High School's baseball field after two previous rainouts on Memorial Stadium. [30]

Saxon Stage

Saxon Stage is the theatre department for Langley High School. The department produces three mainstage productions annually, a full-length play, a one-act play, and a musical. In addition, many student-written or student-directed works are performed throughout the year. Many Saxon Stage students are part of Troupe 3526 of the International Thespian Society.

List of productions

SeasonFall ProductionVHSL One-Act PlayStudent Directed ProductionsSpring Production
2024-2025 **Beauty and the Beast Final Dress Rehearsalnone The Mousetrap
2023-2024* Alice in Wonderland Thank You For Flushing My Head in the ToiletPostmortem**Guys and Dolls
2022-2023* The Man Who Came to Dinner FortressGravediggers**Urinetown
2021-2022 Murder on the Orient Express 26 Pebbles The Lightning Thief [31] *Freaky Friday
Your Carving Footprint
2020-2021*Hey Stranger [32] Never Swim AloneThe Party Hop-
2019-2020* Romeo and Juliet [33] A Jury of Her Peers Almost, Maine Guys and Dolls (Canceled due to COVID-19 pandemic)
Love/Sick
2018-2019*Biloxi Blues [34] Pillowtalk [35] - Mamma Mia! [36]
2017-2018 The Dining Room The Insanity of Mary Girard-*Evita [37]
2016-2017 Harvey --*Gypsy [38]
2015-2016 Almost, Maine Meet the Roommates-*Chicago
2014-2015*The Book of Days13 Ways to Screw Up Your College Interview- The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
2013-2014 Little Women Fearful Symmetry-*The Children's Hour
2012-2013 Romeo and Juliet --*The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby
2011-2012 Grease --*The Crucible

*Indicates Cappies Program entry

**Indicates Brandon Victor Dixon Awards entry

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020–2021 season was mostly online, both Hey Stranger and The Party Hop were performed virtually.

VHSL One-Act Play Competition

Saxon Stage is a regular Class 6 competitor in the Virginia High School League (VHSL) One-Act Play Competition.

For the first time in Saxon Stage's history, Langley High School became the VHSL Liberty Conference 6A one-act competition champions in January 2014 when they won first place with its production of Fearful Symmetry. The production later won third place in the Region 6A North Competition, making it the highest-ranked student-directed production of the competition.[ citation needed ]

In March 2019, Langley High School won first place at the VHSL Class 6 State Competition with its production of Peter Tolan's comedic Pillowtalk. The two actors received Outstanding Actor commendations at the state level. [39]

In February 2020, A Jury of Her Peers placed third in the Region 6 North Competition after winning first place at the sectional competition one month prior.

In 2021, Never Swim Alone placed first in the district, regional, and state VHSL competition.

In 2022, 26 Pebbles did not place past the district competition.

In 2023, Fortress placed second in the district and regional VHSL competition.

In 2024, Thank You For Flushing My Head in the Toilet did not place past the district competition.

Virginia Thespian Festival

Each year in January, members of Langley's International Thespian Honor Society Troupe attend the Virginia Thespian Festival, a statewide festival celebrating student achievements in theatre.

Students can participate in "Thespys", a national competition where students present either acting pieces or presentations of their technical work. Additionally, Saxon Stage performs their VHSL One-Act at VTF for adjudication.

Langley High School performed its fall mainstage production of Murder on the Orient Express as the mainstage production for VTF 2022. Saxon Stage also presented their VHSL One-Act 26 Pebbles for adjudication.

The Cappies

Langley High School participates in the National Capital Area division of the Cappies Critics and Awards Program for High School Theatre, "a year-long program for theatre and journalism students through which students attend and discuss each other's shows, write reviews for publication, and at the end of the season decide who of their colleague student performers and technicians should be honored for awards." [40] The Langley High School Cappies Critic Team of youth journalists and theatre critics have had over 20 publications in local papers.

Notable alumni

References

  1. "Search for Public School Districts – District Detail for Fairfax County Public Schools". National Center for Education Statistics . Institute of Education Sciences . Retrieved February 14, 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Search for Public Schools - Langley High (510126000517)". National Center for Education Statistics . Institute of Education Sciences . Retrieved February 14, 2023.
  3. "FCPS – Administration – Langley HS". Archived from the original on July 16, 2018. Retrieved July 16, 2018.
  4. "McLean CDP, Virginia Archived April 30, 2011, at the Wayback Machine ." U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on September 1, 2009.
  5. "Langley High School – FCPS". Archived from the original on May 22, 2008. Retrieved June 29, 2008.
  6. "Langley H.S. 2012–2013 School Boundary" (PDF). Fairfax County Public Schools. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 24, 2012. Retrieved March 30, 2013.
  7. "Last Andrew Chapel Boundary Falls Short". The Connection. February 5, 2003. Retrieved April 22, 2013.
  8. 1 2 "Andrew Chapel School Boundary Meetings Begin Oct. 9". The Connection. September 30, 2002. Retrieved April 22, 2013.
  9. "PRESS RELEASE: Strauss Wins Great Falls Debate | Jane Strauss". Janiestrauss.com. October 26, 2011. Archived from the original on June 16, 2016. Retrieved November 8, 2012.
  10. FCPS – School Profiles – Langley HS – Demographics
  11. "FCPS – School Profiles – Langley HS – Demographics". Fairfax County Public Schools. Retrieved March 30, 2013.
  12. 1 2 3 "Langley High School – FCPS". Archived from the original on July 26, 2009. Retrieved July 16, 2009.
  13. "Virginia High Schools – US News Best High Schools".
  14. "Best High Schools in America – Best High Schools Rankings – US News".
  15. "Relay For Life of Langley McLean".
  16. "Final 2012–2013 High School Rankings". Best Delegate. May 30, 2013.
  17. "About Langley MUN". Virginia Invitational Model United Nations Conference. Archived from the original on February 20, 2015.
  18. "The Saxon Scope".
  19. "Bollywood Bash!".
  20. "Cappies Awarded for High School Theater" (PDF). p. 10. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 6, 2014.
  21. "Home". Chord India.
  22. "The Saxon Scope : About". www.saxonscope.com. Retrieved February 23, 2017.
  23. "Yearbook | Langley High School". langleyhs.fcps.edu. Retrieved September 27, 2021.
  24. "FCPS: Science Fair". Archived from the original on May 30, 2012. Retrieved August 12, 2012. Fairfax County Science and Engineering Fair
  25. "Intel ISEF 2009 Grand Awards Ceremony". Archived from the original on February 2, 2010. Retrieved August 13, 2012. Intel ISEF 2009 Grand Awards Ceremony.
  26. "Intel ISEF 2010 Grand Awards Ceremony". Archived from the original on June 1, 2010. Retrieved August 13, 2012. Intel ISEF 2010 Grand Awards Ceremony.
  27. Intel ISEF 2011 Grand Awards Ceremony.
  28. "Winner Announcement - Intel ISEF 2012 Grand Awards Ceremony". Archived from the original on June 11, 2012. Retrieved August 13, 2012. Intel ISEF 2012 Grand Awards Ceremony.
  29. "High School Ice Hockey Team". Langley Hockey. Retrieved October 31, 2023.
  30. Office of the Clerk; U.S. House of Representatives. "Office of the Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives – 404".
  31. "HOME". Lightning Thief. Retrieved October 31, 2023.
  32. "Best written reviews for "Hey, Stranger" performed at Langley High School in McLean, Virginia. Reviewed on February 19, 2021". National Capital Area. Retrieved March 12, 2021.
  33. "'Romeo & Juliet' at Langley High". www.connectionnewspapers.com. Retrieved March 12, 2021.
  34. "Saxon Stage to Present 'Biloxi Blues'". www.connectionnewspapers.com. Retrieved March 12, 2021.
  35. Fennell, Jane. "Big steps for Saxon Stage". The Saxon Scope. Retrieved March 12, 2021.
  36. "'Mamma Mia!' at Langley High". www.mcleanconnection.com. Retrieved March 12, 2021.
  37. "'Evita' at Langley High's Saxon Stage". www.connectionnewspapers.com. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
  38. Times, Trevor Flynn Fairfax County (April 14, 2017). "There's no business like show business!". Fairfax County Times. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
  39. Fennell, Jane. "Big steps for Saxon Stage". The Saxon Scope. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
  40. "FAQ". www.cappies.com. Retrieved February 16, 2020.
  41. Johnson, Dave (February 10, 2017). "W&M's Daniel Dixon no longer 'just a shooter'". Daily Press . Archived from the original on August 27, 2018. Retrieved August 26, 2018.
  42. "Jacob Labovitz – 2018 – Men's Soccer". Fairleigh Dickinson University Athletics.
  43. "No-Hitter for Saxons' Sborz". The Washington Post. May 24, 2003. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
Preceded by Home of the
United States Congressional Baseball Game

1977
Succeeded by