Tag: schools
FCPS seeks public input on options for later school start times
The Fairfax County School Board is seeing public input on the following four options to implement later school start times for high school students: Middle school late High school hours: 8:30 a.m.-3:20 p.m. Middle school: 9:30 a.m.-4:20 p.m. Elementary school: starts 7:50-9:15 a.m. and ends 2:25-3:50 p.m. Approximate cost: $7.6 million Buses added: 60 Middle … Continued
Morale, discipline at Poe Middle School plummet since principal’s arrest
Poe Middle School Since former Poe Middle School Principal Sonya Swansbrough was arrested for embezzlement in November, school staff and parents report morale at the school has plummeted, student behavior has gotten worse, and there’s been a lack of effective communication from Fairfax County Public Schools officials. “My son’s teachers have felt pummeled, demoralized, beaten, … Continued
Public urged to take part in ‘Invest in Fairfax Rally’ at BoS budget hearing
The Alliance for Fairfax Public Schools and advocates for for public libraries, affordable housing, and other services are urging people to come to an “Invest in Fairfax Rally” at the Fairfax County Government Center April 9, any time between 4:30 and 7 p.m., before a Board of Supervisors hearing on the county budget for FY … Continued
Man arrested for sex offenses involving Holmes Middle School student
Feliciano [Photo from NBC] Fairfax County police arrested a New Jersey man for allegedly targeting a student at Holmes Middle School, NBC News Washington reports. Rolando Feliciano met the 13-year-old girl online late last year, bought her an iPhone, and allegedly exchanged nude pictures with her, according to a search warrant obtained by the Channel … Continued
Local group motivates girls to pursue career success
Some of the girls who attended the GIRL conference. Eleven local teenage girls in middle and high school took part in a motivational workshop this month organized by GIRL (Girls Inspired and Ready to Lead) at the Fairfax Hilton Garden Inn. Danielle Blunt, the founder of GIRL, and the other panelists spoke about importance of … Continued
Bailey’s community selects a name for the new building
Demolition has started on the new Bailey’s school building. Students, parents, and community members have selected a name for the new annex of Bailey’s Elementary School in a former office building in Seven Corners: Bailey’s Upper Elementary School for the Arts and Sciences. The final voting took place at a community meeting at the school … Continued
School funding, taxes dominate Mason Budget Town Hall
Fairfax County Executive Edward Long and Mason Supervisor Penny Gross. Would the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors agree to raise the property tax rate to provide more money for the budget-strapped school system? That’s one of the key questions for the board to decide over the next few weeks. That issue was brought up by … Continued
Woodson students come together at Cav Strong rally tonight
The public is invited to join W.T. Woodson High School students and families at a Cav Strong Community Event this evening at 8:30 in the school’s stadium to “celebrate the Cavalier Spirit while coming together to support each other.” The school has been rocked by two student suicides in February—and possibly as many as six … Continued
High school teams face off in culinary competition
Chef KN Vinod of Indique contemplates the Chantilly culinary team’s entry. [Photo from Real Food for Kids.] Teams of students from the culinary arts programs at five high schools—Annandale, Falls Church, Chantilly, Edison, and Marshall—competed in the second annual Feeding Academic Success Culinary Challenge March 13 at Falls Church High School. The teams created vegetarian … Continued
FCPS leaders urge supervisors to avert school budget crisis
A fourth-grade class at Mason Crest Elementary School. Now that the Board of Supervisors has released an advertised budget for fiscal year 2015 that would only provide a 2 percent increase in the amount of funds to be transferred to Fairfax County Public Schools—rather than a 5.7 percent increase sought by Superintendent Karen Garza and … Continued
Q and A: New housing projects and the impact on school overcrowding
Construction has started on a multifamily housing complex in Seven Corners. With lots of new development under way or planned in the Annandale/Mason area, lots of people are wondering how that will affect the already overcrowded public schools. We asked Fairfax County Public Schools Chief Operating Officer Jeffrey Platenberg, who’s in charge of the Department … Continued
Woodson community comes together to focus on suicide prevention
A poster on a Woodson High School hallway has photos of Woodson alumni holding signs showing their support for the school and current students. Following the presumed suicide of two Woodson High School students in recent days, hundreds of parents, students, and educators packed the school’s auditorium last night to comfort one another and learn … Continued
Residents urged to clear sidewalks
Nice job, neighbor. With schools reopening Wednesday (two hours late), Fairfax County Public Schools urges residents to remove snow and ice from sidewalks to ensure safety for children who walk to school and bus stops. “Neither the Virginia Department of Transportation nor the county clears snow and ice from public walkways,” a message from FCPS … Continued
Woodson community mourns two students
The Woodson High School community is reeling after the death of two students this week. Jack Chen, a 10th-grader, was struck by a VRE train at about 5:30 a.m. on Feb. 26. On Feb. 28, it was revealed that Majid Albaiz, a junior, had died. It is generally believed that both students committed suicide. There … Continued
Police conduct drug search at Annandale High School
UPDATE: No drugs were found during the search, reports School Resource Officer J.W. Levan. A joint drug search and lockdown drill took place this morning at Annandale High School, with Fairfax County Police officers and drug-sniffing dogs, the online edition of the student newspaper, the A-Blast reports. “It was a school operation and was requested … Continued