Langley High School (Fairfax County, Virginia)

Langley High School is a high school within the Fairfax County Public Schools system in Northern Virginia. It is located in McLean, a census-designated place (CDP) in northern Fairfax County.[4] The campus is located less than a mile west of the Central Intelligence Agency headquarters.

Langley High School
Address
6520 Georgetown Pike

McLean
,
Virginia
,
22101
Information
TypePublic
Established1965
PrincipalKimberly Greer [1]
Faculty172[2]
Grades9–12
Enrollment2,008 (2020-21)[3]
CampusSuburban
Color(s)Green & Gold      
MascotOtto the Saxon
NicknameSaxons
RivalMcLean High School
SAT average1851 (2016)
AffiliationFairfax County Public Schools
Feeder schoolsCooper Middle School
Athletic conferencesLiberty District
Class 6A Region D
Coordinates38°57′N 77°10′W
Websitefcps.edu/LangleyHS

History

"Langley High School" was established in 1965. The name 'Langley' came from Thomas Lee in honor of Langley Manor, which was part of the home estate in Shropshire, England. Langley means 'long open meadow'. 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 (including the Anglo Saxon background) 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]"

Demographics

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.[6] 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.[7]

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.[8]

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.[9] When Buzz Aldrin Elementary School was preparing to open, Langley High School was then under-enrolled, and some residents from the Forestville attendance area requested reassignment of their neighborhoods from the Herndon High to the Langley High School pyramid.[10] As a result, school officials shifted Langley’s boundary line west from Springvale Road to the Loudoun County border.[10]

During the Fairfax County School Board elections in 2011, then School Board Chairman, 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".[11]

Academics
Lockers in a Langley High School hallway

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] Significant courses include the school's Multivariable Calculus and Linear Algebra classes, as well as the only Russian courses offered in a Fairfax County Public High School outside of Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology. Langley also used to contain a unique humanities department for the high school level. Students would enroll in paired English and History classes, where the curriculum paralleled one another. The humanities department was split for the 2012–2013 school year in favor of optional tied classes.

Langley High School is ranked as one of the top high schools in the United States and in the state of Virginia. In 2019, U.S. News and World Report listed LHS as the second best high school in Virginia, with Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology ranked as the first.[13] Langley was ranked 98 in the United States in 2015.[14]

Extracurricular activities

Relay For Life of Langley-McLean

Since 2013, Langley High School has been host to the American Cancer Society's Relay For Life of Langley-McLean,[15] an overnight fundraising event that has raised over $170,000 for the ACS since its 2013 Inaugural Event held on Saturday, April 27, 2013. The event is one of only two student-led Relay For Life fundraisers held in Virginia and received the American Cancer Society's "Youth Event of the Year" Award in the South Atlantic Region for their 2013 event. In 2014 & 2015, Relay For Life of Langley-McLean partnered with McLean High School, in hopes of expanding and increasing the event's reach in the local community.

The 2014 Relay For Life of Langley-McLean was held on Saturday, April 26 at 6:00 PM to Sunday, April 27 at 6:00 AM and succeeded in raising $110,366.78 for the American Cancer Society.[16] The 2015 event was held on May 16, 2015, and raised over $112,000.

Model United Nations

The team from Langley High School's Model United Nations (MUN) was nationally ranked as a Top-15 high school MUN team by the Model UN consulting organization Best Delegate in the 2013–2014 school year.

Since then, Langley High School has won Best Large at national conferences hosted across the East Coast. In 2017 Langley's MUN team won Best Large Delegation at the circuit's conference, ILMUNC XXXIII.

In 2014, the club hosted its own inaugural high school Model UN conference, the Virginia Invitational Model United Nations Conference I (VIMUNC), attracting over 700 delegates.[17][18]

School Year Best Large Delegation (First place) at: Outstanding Large Delegation (Second Place) at:
2019-2020 VAMUN, WMHSMUN, ILMUNC, ODUMUNC, GFMUNC, TAEMUN, CHMUN McMUN
2017-2018 TechMUN, VAMUN, GFMUNC, ILMUNC DUMUNC, CHMUN, McMUNC
2016-2017 McMUN, VAMUN, TAEMUN, CHMUN, GFMUNC, ILMUNC, DUMUNC --
2015-2016 VAMUN, TAEMUN, CHMUN, ILMUNC, DUMUNC*, TechMUN --
2014-2016 WMHSMUN, TechMUN, CHMUN, PWMUN VAMUN, ILMUNC
2013-2014 WMHSMUN, TechMUN, DUMUNC, CHMUN, PWMUN VAMUN, OPMUN

South Asian Student Association

The school has an active South Asian Student Association (SASA), which holds an annual "International Night".[19] In 2014, Langley SASA hosted its first District-Wide charity event "Bollywood Bash".[20][21] CHORD, the organization the association is raising money for, promotes literacy and strengthens local government in rural India.[22]

Student publications

Langley's award-winning student newsmagazine, The Saxon Scope, is released once a month. Student journalists write, edit and revise all articles. The newspaper reporting, typesetting, layout, photography and computer graphics designs are also done by the journalism classes at Langley, headed by the Editor-in-Chief.[23] Additionally, The Saxon Scope publishes a catalogue of student produced literature and artwork in an annual magazine titled “Kaleidoscope.”

Music Department

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

The band program consists of 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, as well as 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 in the prestigious Music For All National Festival. In 2018, they 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 five orchestras: Freshman, Sophomore, Symphonic, Sinfonietta, and Philharmonic.

Science Fair

Langley High School actively 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 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) affiliated fair, sending around 10 projects each year to the international fair.[24] Notable winners from the past have included:

  • (2009) Jun Sup Lee – 4th Place Grand Prize in Mathematics at the competition in Reno, Nevada.[25]
  • (2010) Jong Hyuck Won – Grand Prize Winner and Best of Category in Medicine and Health Sciences at the competition in San Jose, California.[26]
  • (2011) Kelly Martins – 3rd Place Grand Prize in Environmental Management at the competition in Los Angeles.[27]
  • (2012) Jason Cui – 4th Place Grand Prize in Medicine and Health Sciences at the competition in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.[28]

Other activities

Langley's fashion department sponsors an annual fashion show that is held in Langley's auditorium.

Langley's Science Olympiad team consistently receives accolades at the state and national level. In 2015, they beat out their rival the Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology at the Virginia state tournament to secure a spot at the national tournament.

Athletics
Langley's mascot is named "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" and their primary sports rival is McLean High School.

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

The boys' wrestling team won the Liberty District Tournament the last 11 years straight (2001–2011). In addition, they were Northern Region champions 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 history.

The Girls' Tennis won the Northern Region title in 2011, then going undefeated in 2012 to sweep the district, regional, and state titles.

Langley High School Boys' Soccer team won its first Virginia State Championship. 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 the Saxon, in honor of McLean, VA's predominantly Scottish heritage.

State championships

Langley has won 41 AAA state championships, which are:

  • Girls Volleyball 2013, 2017
  • Boys Lacrosse 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012
  • Girls Tennis 1979, 1980, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1991, 1992, 2012
  • Girls Swim and Dive 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2011, 2015
  • Boys Golf 1983, 1984, 2001, 2011, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
  • Girls Gymnastics 2004
  • Boys Tennis 1986, 1987, 1988, 1991, 1992, 1994
  • Softball 1992
  • Girls Cross-Country 1983, 1984
  • Boys Cross-Country 1979
  • Scholastic Bowl 2014, 2015, 2016
  • Boys Soccer 2015, 2017
  • Boys Swim and Dive 2018
  • Girls Lacrosse, 2019
  • Field Hockey, 2019

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 the Congressional Baseball Game was forced to play the annual game on Langley High School's baseball field due to two previous rain outs on Memorial Stadium.[29]

Saxon Stage

Saxon Stage is the theatre department for Langley High School in McLean, Virginia, chaired by Theatre Arts instructor, Valerie Karasek. Currently, the department produces two mainstage productions per year, including one play and one musical.

Saxon Studio

With the announcement of the 2019–2020 season, Karasek also announced the creation of Saxon Studio, a theatre company that stages completely student-produced performances in the winter. Saxon Studio productions are produced through Langley's combined Theatre Arts 3 and Theatre Arts 4 class. On February 14, 2020, Saxon Studio put on its first production, Almost, Maine, directed by Mary Kurbanov. On February 21 of the same year, Saxon Studio performed Love/Sick, directed by Hannah Cameron-Cadenazzi.

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 went on to win third place in the Region 6A North Competition, making it the highest-ranked student-directed production of the competition.

In March 2019, Langley High School won first placed 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.

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.

List of Productions
Season Fall Production VHSL One-Act Play Saxon Studio Productions Spring Production
2019-2020 Romeo and Juliet* A Jury of Her Peers Almost, Maine Guys and Dolls⁺
Love/Sick
2018-2019 Biloxi Blues* Pillowtalk - Mamma Mia!
2017-2018 The Dining Room The Insanity of Mary Girard - Evita*
2016-2017 Harvey - - Gypsy*
2015-2016 Almost, Maine Meet the Roommates - Chicago*
2014-2015 The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee 13 Ways to Screw Up Your College Interview - Book of Days*
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

⁺Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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."[30]

Below is a list of all Cappie Awards and nominations received by Saxon Stage since 2012.

List of Cappie Awards and Nominations
Year Nominated Work Category Nominee Result
2019 Biloxi Blues[31] Best Play Biloxi Blues Won
Lead Actor in a Play Cole Sitilides Won
Supporting Actor in a Play Mark Bosset Won
Featured Actor Samuel Buroker Nominated
Ensemble in a Play The Big Six Won
Marketing and Publicity Emma Connolly and Deena Daneshvaziri Nominated
Props Alyssa Medici, Maddy Rubin, Elisa Eiras, and Dian Wang Nominated
2018 Evita Best Musical Evita Nominated
Song "A New Argentina" Nominated
Lead Actress in a Musical Jessica Peros Nominated
Male Vocalist Mark Bosset Nominated
Marketing and Publicity Anneka Noë, Emma Connolly, Reem Alathari, and Deena Daneshvaziri Nominated
Lighting Leo Mahdessian, Jacqueline Delmar, Jungyeon Nam, and Ellie Smedberg Nominated
Stage Management and Stage Crew Maddy Rubin, Madison Deyo, Fabian Bruns, and Natalie Cubbage Nominated
2017 Gypsy Best Musical Gypsy Nominated
Song "Rose's Turn" Nominated
Lead Actress in a Musical Jamie Goodson Won
Supporting Actress in a Musical Jessica Peros Nominated
Male Dancer Cuinn Casey Won
Stage Management and Stage Crew Caitlin Cunningham, Madison Deyo, and the Gypsy Stage Crew Nominated
2016 Chicago Best Musical Chicago Nominated
Song "We Both Reached For The Gun" Nominated
Lead Actress in a Musical Jamie Goodson Won
Supporting Actress in a Musical Camila Maric Nominated
Ensemble in a Musical The Cell Block Girls Nominated
Male Dancer Cuinn Casey Won
Marketing and Publicity Andal Paul, Cuinn Casey, and the Chicago Publicity Team Nominated
2015 Book of Days Best Play Book of Days Nominated
Lead Actress in a Play Jamie Goodson Nominated
Supporting Actress in a Play Lily Brock Nominated
Comic Actress in a Play Vivian Vaeth Won
Creativity Tyler Cunningham Nominated
2014 The Children's Hour Best Play The Children's Hour Won
Lead Actress in a Play Madeleine Chalk Nominated
Supporting Actress in a Play Lily Brock Nominated
Featured Actress Bridget Fitzgerald Nominated
Marketing and Publicity Andal Paul, Jamie Joeyen-Waldorf, and Madeleine Chalk Nominated
Stage Management and Stage Crew Katie Studebaker and Hayley Wenk Nominated
Critic Team Langley High School Critic Team Nominated
Graduating Critic Jamie Joeyen-Waldorf Won
Rising Critic Tyler Larkworthy Nominated
2013 The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby Supporting Actor in a Play Charlie Weir Nominated
Ensemble in a Play The Crummles Theatrical Troupe Won
Critic Team Langley High School Critic Team Nominated
Returning Critic Jamie Joeyen-Waldorf Won
2012 The Crucible Best Play The Crucible Nominated
Lead Actor in a Play Brian Patterson Nominated
Lead Actress in a Play Taylor Goodson Nominated
Supporting Actress in a Play Lauren Hernandez Nominated
Featured Actress Kaity Hinojosa Won
Critic Team Langley High School Critic Team Nominated
Returning Critic Victoria Tovig Nominated
Rising Critic Jamie Joeyen-Waldorf Nominated

Notable alumni

References
  1. "FCPS – Administration – Langley HS". Archived from the original on July 16, 2018. Retrieved July 16, 2018.
  2. "Langley High School". Fairfax County Public Schools. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
  3. "Langley High School". Fairfax County Public Schools. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
  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. FCPS – School Profiles – Langley HS – Demographics
  7. "FCPS – School Profiles – Langley HS – Demographics". Fairfax County Public Schools. Retrieved March 30, 2013.
  8. "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.
  9. "Last Andrew Chapel Boundary Falls Short". The Connection. February 5, 2003. Retrieved April 22, 2013.
  10. "Andrew Chapel School Boundary Meetings Begin Oct. 9". The Connection. September 30, 2002. Retrieved April 22, 2013.
  11. "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.
  12. "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. "All-night Long Relay for Life".
  17. "Final 2012–2013 High School Rankings". Best Delegate.
  18. "About Langley MUN". Virginia Invitational
    Model United Nations
    Conference    .
  19. "The Saxon Scope".
  20. "Bollywood Bash!".
  21. http://connectionarchives.com/PDF/2014/061114/McLean.pdf
  22. "Home". Chord India.
  23. "The Saxon Scope : About". www.saxonscope.com. Retrieved February 23, 2017.
  24. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on May 30, 2012. Retrieved August 12, 2012.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) Fairfax County Science and Engineering Fair
  25. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on February 2, 2010. Retrieved August 13, 2012.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) Intel ISEF 2009 Grand Awards Ceremony.
  26. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on July 6, 2010. Retrieved August 13, 2012.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) Intel ISEF 2010 Grand Awards Ceremony.
  27. Intel ISEF 2011 Grand Awards Ceremony.
  28. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on June 11, 2012. Retrieved August 13, 2012.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) Intel ISEF 2012 Grand Awards Ceremony.
  29. Office of the Clerk; U.S. House of Representatives. "Office of the Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives – 404".
  30. "FAQ". www.cappies.com. Retrieved February 16, 2020.
  31. Castagna, Cara. "Langley Triumphs at Annual Cappies". The Saxon Scope. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
Preceded by
Memorial Stadium		 Home of the
United States Congressional Baseball Game
1977		 Succeeded by
Four Mile Run Park
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