DeMary Reappointed as Superintendent
<bt>Jo Lynne DeMary, a former elementary-school teacher in Fairfax and Henrico counties, was reappointed as Virginia’s Superintendent of Public Instruction by Gov. Mark Warner (D). She was named acting superintendent in December 1999 and officially named to the post June 2000.
<sh>Students Win National Scholarships
<bt>Jenifer Thomas of Edison High School in Franconia and Michelle Allison, Nii Armar and Etan Eitches, all from Thomas Jefferson School for Science and Technology, will receive achievement scholarship awards for college undergraduate study from the National Achievement Scholarship program.
Thomas, who will study economics, will receive a $2,500 scholarship sponsored by State Farm Companies Foundation. Allison, who is interested in psychiatry, and Eitches, who also plans to study economics, will each receive $2,500 from the National Merit Scholarship Corp. Armar, who is interested in engineering, is an honorary achievement scholar and is being recognized for outstanding performance in the competition.
The National Achievement Scholarship program is a privately funded competition created specifically to honor outstanding black American youth.
<sh>Juliano Named Teacher of the Year
<bt>George Juliano, an art and ceramics teacher at Robinson Secondary in Fairfax, has been named Fairfax County Public School’s Teacher of the Year and will represent the school system in the state competition, which will announce a winner in the fall.
Juliano also received the Washington Post Agnes Meyer Outstanding Teacher Award for education excellence, which is presented to a teacher in the Washington-metropolitan area.
<sh>ACE, Inova Recognized
<bt>Fairfax County Public School’s Office of Adult Education (ACE) Workplace Training and Inova Learning Center at Inova Health System will receive this year’s Outstanding Workplace Education Partnership Award on April 14. The award is given by the Virginia Association for Adult and Continuing Education and recognizes an employer’s commitment to the education advancement of its employees within a collaborative relationship with a public adult education agency.
ACE’s Workplace Training group worked with Inova to produce a literacy program that includes English for speakers of other languages and basic skills classes.
<sh>Veterans Affairs Approves Program
<bt>Fairfax County Public Schools’ Office of Adult and Continuing Education (ACE) has received approval from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for four additional career training programs: Professional Activity Director; Principles of Real Estate; CISCO Certified Network Associate Preparation; and Oracle Database Administration. The approval allows veterans to use their GI Bill benefits to pay for the classes and brings the ACE-approved courses to 34.
For more information about ACE is available at www.fcps.edu/adult.htm.
<sh>Whitaker Wins Lifesaver Award
<bt>Sixth-grader Greg Whitaker, of Fairhill Elementary in Fairfax, has been awarded the American Automobile Association’s National School Safety Patrol Lifesaver Award, the highest award given to a safety patrol. Whitaker will be honored May 3 in Washington D.C.
The patrol captain saved a fellow Fairhill student from a possible kidnapping. He was walking the student home when a van pulled up and blocked their way. Whitaker got a description of the van and of the suspect and memorized the license plate number. Then contacted the school’s principal after taking the student home and gave a statement to the police. The police reported there was a warrant out for the man’s arrest.
<sh>West Springfield Teacher Wins Award
<bt>Deborah Roudebush, a physics teacher at West Springfield High School, has been named a recipient of the 2001 Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching by President George W. Bush. The award is administered by the National Science Foundation. Roudebush was selected from a pool of more than 600 finalists representing all 50 states, Puerto Rico, Washington D.C., U.S. territories and the U.S. Department of Defense schools. Each award winner receives a $7,500 grant to his or her school.
<sh>Art-Filled Summer Program
<bt>Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) will offer the Institute for the Arts summer program July 8-Aug. 1 at Fairfax High School, located at 3500 Old Lee Highway. This summer enrichment program, which runs from 8 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, offers more than 100 fine-arts courses in dance, visual arts, music and theater arts. A student may participate in one or more disciplines by taking four classes daily in his areas of interest.
The program is open to rising seventh- through rising 12th-graders and includes study in a variety of disciplines.
FCPS students who are currently enrolled in grades six through 11, county residents enrolled in private schools, and nonresidents are eligible to enroll. Brochures can be found at all Fairfax County public libraries and school registration centers, as well as online at www.fcps.edu/DIS/OACE/summer/IFTA-2002.pdf.
Registrations must be received at the summer school office, 5775 Spindle Court, Centreville, VA 20121, on or before April 26. Tuition and transportation costs are $570 for Fairfax County residents and $770 for nonresidents. Students will be expected to participate in all activities during the institute.
<sh>Schools Events Calendar
<cal1>Wednesday, April 10, 7:30 p.m.
<cal2>Minority Student Achievement Oversight Committee meeting. Walnut Hill Center, 7423 Camp Alger Ave., Falls Church.
<cal1>Wednesday, April 10, 7:30 p.m.
<cal2>Advisory Committee for Students with Disabilities. Belle Willard Center, 10310 Layton Hall Drive, Fairfax.
<cal1>Thursday, April 11, 7:30 p.m.
<cal2>Fairfax County School Board regular meeting. Jackson Middle School, 3020 Gallows Road, Falls Church.
<cal1>Friday, April 12
<cal2>Student Holiday. Student holiday for all students except modified-calendar elementary schools.
<cal1>Monday, April 15
<cal2>Nurturing Parenting Program. Department of Family Services, Prevention, of Fairfax County is holding a Nurturing Parenting Program for Hispanic Families, for parents and their children up to 4-years-old, to teach nurturing skills and to reinforce strengths, values and culture. No cost, but registration is required. For more information, call 703-324-7405 or 703-324-7723. St. Anthony's Catholic Church.
<cal1>Monday, April 15, 7-8:30 p.m.
<cal2>ArtSpeak. Stephen Schwartz, a Broadway and Hollywood composer, is the featured speaker. Schwartz has composed scores for the animated films, "Pocahontas," "The Hunchback of Notre Dame," and "The Prince of Egypt." He has also won three Oscars, three Grammy Awards and three Drama Desk Awards. The free event is open to the public. For more information, call 703-813-3800.
<cal1>Tuesday, April 16, 7:30 p.m.
<cal2>Advisory Committee for the Gifted and Talented. Walnut Hill Center, 7423 Camp Alger Ave., Falls Church.
<cal1>Wednesday, April 17, 7 p.m.
<cal2>School Health Advisory Committee. Devonshire center, 2831 Graham Road, Falls Church.
<cal1>Thursday, April 18 - Saturday, April 20, 7:30 p.m.
<cal2>"Bye Bye Birdie." More than 40 students at Kilmer Middle School will be taking part in the musical, "Bye Bye Birdie." Tickets are $4. For more information, call 703-846-8800. Kilmer Middle School, 8100 Wolftrap Road, Vienna.
<cal1>Thursday, April 18, 7:30 p.m.
<cal2>Adult and Community Education Committee. Pimmit Adult Center, 7510 Lisle Ave., Falls Church.
<cal1>Thursday, April 18 - Friday, April 19, 8 p.m.
<cal2>"Quilters." The two performances of the musical, "Quilters," about a pioneer family life as told by women quilters, will feature two separate casts of Musical Theatre Performance students from the Fairfax Academy. Tickets are $6 for adults and $3 for students and children under 18. For more information, call 703-219-2226. Fairfax High School auditorium, 3500 Old Lee Highway, Fairfax.
<cal1>Friday, April 19, 7-10 p.m.
<cal2>Luther Jackson Sports Night. Fairfax County students and their families are invited to participate in a fund-raising activity for the Physical Education Department at Jackson Middle School. There will be exhibition sports events with teachers against students, performances by dance and other groups, plus food and music. Tickets are $1 per person. Luther Jackson Middle School, 3020 Gallows Road, Falls Church.