Tag: schools

New principal named for Sleepy Hollow Elementary School
Fallen [FCPS] Mattie Fallen, the assistant principal at Braddock Elementary School in Annandale, has been named the new principal of Sleepy Hollow Elementary School, Region 2 of Fairfax County Public Schools announced on Twitter July 2. Fallen will succeed Sleepy Hollow Interim Principal Maureen Lopez. “Fallen’s wealth of experiences, knowledge, and skills make her a great … Continued

Families face July 10 deadline for deciding whether to send children back to school
School board member Rachna Sizemore Heizer (left) Assistant Superintendent Frances Ivey speak at a virtual town hall. No one seems to be happy about the Fairfax County return to school plan. During a virtual town hall session co-hosted by school board members Rachna Sizemore Heizer (at-large) and Ricardy Anderson (Mason) June 29, there were many … Continued

Teacher unions want FCPS to continue virtual instruction
A proposed classroom layout showing how social distancing could work. [FCPS] Teacher unions are urging Fairfax County Public Schools to continue with online learning when the 2020-21 school year starts in August. The school board on June 23 agreed to give families a choice among two options on how they return to school: Full-time online … Continued

Bailey’s Elementary School wins PTA grant
The National PTA has awarded Bailey’s Elementary School for the Arts and Sciences in Bailey’s Crossroads a $5,000 grant to assist families who need internet access and devices to support students’ summer learning. The funds are part of a $1.25 million regional PTA package of COVID relief funds that are being distributed to more than … Continued

Fairfax County Schools to add four religious holidays
The Fairfax County School Board is considering adopting a calendar for the 2021-22 school year with four new religious holidays: Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur, Diwali, and Eid al Fitr. Two options were presented to the school board June 18. The only difference is that one version has an additional student holiday and ends the school … Continued

Fairfax County School Board to consider three ‘return to school’ scenarios
Families celebrate Annandale High School graduates. [FCPS] Fairfax County Schools Superintendent Scott Brabrand presented three potential scenarios for reopening schools – virtual education only, opening buildings with health guidelines, and a hybrid model – at a school board work session June 15. The school board is holding a virtual public hearing on the “return to … Continued

During pandemic, Annandale preschool reaches out to children at home
Sleepy Hollow Preschool teachers say goodbye to the children at a drive-by end-of-year celebration. Sleepy Hollow Preschool has been continuously operating in Annandale for 70 years – and when the coronavirus pandemic struck, it found an innovative way to keep going. The school, located in rented space at John Calvin Presbyterian Church on … Continued

A call to action from the TJ principal
The principal of Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, Ann Bonitatibus, acknowledges there are significant issues that need to be addressed. The following excerpt is from an email Bonitatibus sent to TJ families. It was published in the Connection on June 9. “I would like to simultaneously call the TJ community to action in three … Continued

Very few black students accepted to TJ
Thomas Jefferson High School is on Braddock Road in Mason District. Updated June 15. Of the 486 students accepted to the Class 2024 at the elite Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJ), very few of them are African American and only 16 are Hispanic, Fairfax County Public Schools reports. [Clarification: School officials … Continued

Northam reveals guidelines for opening schools
Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam issued guidelines June 9 for reopening preK-12 schools for the 2020-21 school year. Whether school buildings will open or not, all schools must offer new instruction. Fairfax County school buildings have been closed since the coronavirus pandemic took hold in mid-March, and all instruction has been virtual since then. State guidelines call … Continued

School news: Celebrating achievement
Students and teachers in Mason District have been accomplishing great things. The following news briefs are from Fairfax County School Board member Ricardy Anderson’s (Mason) newsletter to the community. Environmentally conscious schools – Belvedere Elementary School and Beech Tree Elementary School have received Eco-Schools Awards. The Eco-Schools program improves student academic achievement, contributes to financial savings through … Continued

School principals: Racism and hate have no place in the Falls Church Pyramid
The principals of the schools in the Falls Church High School Pyramid issued a message expressing “sadness and outrage about the instances of racism and hate that have occurred in our country during the last few weeks, and over the course of time.” [UPDATE: Principals in the Annandale and Justice pyramids subsequently issued similar messages.] … Continued

Congressional school offers online summer courses
The Congressional School is on Sleepy Hollow Road. Congressional School, a private-independent school in the Falls Church area of Mason District, launched a Summer Academy, offering two-week virtual enrichment courses. The classes, for students entering grades 3-9 in fall 2002, are designed to keep students’ academic skills sharp and give them a boost when returning … Continued

FCPS outlines plan for summer programs
A message from Camelot Elementary School in Annandale. Schools will continue distance learning for students during the summer along with targeted intervention services, according to an update from Fairfax County Public Schools. School buildings will remain closed in July. No decisions have been made about the 2020-21 school year, although several scenarios are being considered. Special … Continued

FCPS weighs options for fall and for graduation
Signs like these are cropping up all over. The Fairfax County School Board reviewed three possible scenarios for the 2020-21 school year at a May 11 work session. Meanwhile, a state-level COVID-19 Education Task Force plans to issue policy guidance in June on the conditions for reopening schools. The three possibilities considered for fall 2020 … Continued