School news

Second-graders at Annandale Terrace Elementary School check a rain gauge and make notes about the weather as part of a unit on meteorology. [FCPS]

An occasional series highlighting information about Fairfax County Public Schools and programs and activities at schools in the Annandale/Mason District area. The information here is from FCPS and individual schools.

Bailey’s Upper Elementary School is participating in the Beyond School Walls Program in partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters of the National Capital Area and Capital One, enabling approximately 20 fourth-grader in the Young Scholars program to learn about the corporate world first-hand. They will visit the Capital One building once a month and learn what it’s like to work for a corporation, business etiquette, and the educational requirements needed to achieve professional goals.

The school board is scheduled to adopt an advertised budget for fiscal year 2018 on Feb. 9. Interim Superintendent Steve Lockard had submitted a $2.8 billion budget to the board on Jan. 12 calling for increased employee compensation and more funds for classroom resources.
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Poe Middle School teacher Jessica Ittayem was recognized by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors for helping raise awareness about human trafficking during January, which has been designated in the county as Human Trafficking Awareness Month.

Ittayem, founder of Poe’s Girls Group, helped students in the club set up a campaign to educate their classmates about human trafficking. They posted photos and information on Instagram and Facebook, handed out bracelets and buttons from the Just Ask human trafficking prevention project, sold items made by victims, and created a video.
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Feb. 11 is “Super Transition Saturday.” The FCPS Careers and Transition Services department, along with the FCPS Parent Resource Center and several adult service providers, is hosting a free event at Luther Jackson Middle School Feb. 11, 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., with information about helping students with disabilities progress through secondary school and beyond. Register online.
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Among other upcoming events, don’t miss the Harlem Wizards basketball game Feb. 9, 7 p.m., at Stuart High School. It’s a fundraiser for the Stuart Athletic Boosters. Also coming up: information nights for the magnet programs at Bailey’s Elementary School Feb. 15 at Bailey’s Upper and Feb. 16 at Bailey’s Lower.
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A total of 593 awards were presented to middle and school students in the 2017 Scholastic Art Awards Program. Artwork recognized with Gold Key and Silver Key awards will be displayed at Northern Virginia Community College’s Ernst Community Center in Annandale Feb. 10-March 5. An awards ceremony will be held Feb. 22.

The following students in Annandale/Mason District schools received awards.
Annandale High School—Gold Key, American Visions Nominee: Skylar Franzelas; Silver Key: William Cardozo, Skylar Franzelas, and Jacob Weber; Honorable Mention: Jessica Ferson, Vy Nguyen, and Jacob Weber.
Falls Church High School—Gold Key: Melvin Arevalo and Jenna Yow: Silver Key: Melvin Arevalo, Jenna Yow, Ororo Bryant, and Vy Phan: Honorable Mention: Catherine Le, Jenna Yow, and Arianna Valdez.
Stuart High School—Gold Key: Hannah Fisenne, Steven Saravia, Amina Salad, and Jeremiah Walker; Silver Key: Eden Cavish, Erin Hagarty, Joanna Matheson, Lauren Prestenbach, Rania Salah, and India Verardi. Honorable Mention: Olivia Beeman, Sarah Dunn, Rian Kuhns, Joanna Matheson, Amina Salad, Jessica Sharp, Yuki Shibuya, Eliza Snee, Seita Takanashi, Amina Trabelsi, and India Verardi.
Poe Middle School—Gold Key: Teagan O’Beirne; Silver Key: Jatin Uppala.
Jackson Middle School—Silver Key: Milena Paul; Honorable Mention: April Burgos-toledo, Vihini Gunasekera, and Isabella Murphy.
Glasgow Middle School—Honorable Mention: Amber Christensen and Olivia Findorff.
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The PTA for Bailey’s Elementary School is collecting costume jewelry donations for a Mother’s Day Shop in May. Students will have a chance to select an item for their mother, stepmother, grandmother, or other special woman in their lives. The PTA is seeking monetary donations, as well as bracelets, necklaces, pins, brooches, and earrings (no rings or watches, please). Items can be dropped off at either the main office in the primary or upper building. For more information, Contact Lisa DuBois at [email protected] or Tasha Tilock at [email protected].
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Registration is now open for 2017 FCPS summer camps, classes, and enrichment institutes, with discounts in effect through April 17. Available programs include the Institute for the Arts, Elementary Institute for the Arts, STEM Camp, and Tech Adventure Camp—all at Lake Braddock Secondary School—and Extended-Day Adult and Community Education Enrichment programs at locations all over the county,