Numerous changes are in store for the six elementary schools in the McLean area. New additions to the staff and programming are intended to enrich learning opportunities within the schools and the community. Some are using milestones as a springboard for learning while others have brought in a host of new teachers.
Franklin Sherman Elementary School in the heart of McLean turns 90 years old this year. According to principal Marty Smith, the historical nature of the school poses unique learning opportunities for the student body. “One of the things we’re going to focus on is our 90th anniversary. We’re going to look at how the school has changed over time, and the different faces over the years,” said Smith.
Franklin Sherman was the first elementary school in Fairfax County. The original building has since been destroyed but administrators will be working with Dranesville School Board Representative Janie Strauss on exploring and defining the history of the school. “Janie Strauss has compiled a lot of information. She was the PTA president here at one time,” said Smith.
Parents dropping off or picking up their children at Franklin Sherman have a new light at the corner of Chain Bridge Road and Brawner Street that will enable them to enter and exit the subdivision where the school is located more easily.
SPRINGHILL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL on Lewinsville Road will be introducing several new teachers this year when school starts in September. Assistant Principal Shirley Long said they will have 11 new instructors on staff. “That’s quite a few new teachers,” said Long.
Additionally, Springhill will have a designated science teacher and second lab this year. “And we’ve got an extra enrichment teacher for fifth and sixth grades for math,” said Long.
New teachers are the norm for this area, according to Haycock Elementary School principal Jay McClain. “Because of the mobility in the area there’s almost always a few new teachers at the school that are new,” said McClain. Haycock will have six new teachers this school year.
Kent Garden Elementary School is getting a new administrator. Melanie McClure will become the new assistant principal and will be introduced to the students when school resumes on Sept. 7.
Chesterbrook Elementary School on Kirby Road has several new things in store for returning students. “We’re going to welcome a new full-time PE teacher this year. He’s been here in a part-time position but will be joining us full-time this year,” said Chesterbrook Principal Jane Rice. Chesterbrook’s longtime physical education (PE) teacher retired last year amid much fanfare from teachers, students and administrators who credited her with enriching the lives of hundreds of students over the years.
Chesterbrook Elementary students will have new opportunities to use the natural world as a platform for learning, according to Rice. “We are going to continue to develop our outdoor learning environment. We’ve been working primarily on our courtyard. We’ve now built a handicapped accessible walkway using the mosaics the children made last year. As you can imagine, we’ve got a lot of Cicadas in those mosaics,” said Rice. “We’re going to continue working on that and building some planting beds that the kids can use to expand upon what they’re learning in the classroom.”
Chesterbrook Elementary students will be given more time to interact with the elderly residents at nearby Vinson Hall, a local retirement community. “We’re looking forward to participating in more activities this year with the residents of the Silvestry and at Arlie Burke. That’s been very satisfying to us in the past so we will continue it this year,” said Rice.
Churchill Road Elementary school officials did not return calls concerning information on new programs for the upcomming school year.
<sh>Elementary Schools at a Glance
<ro>Haycock
<lst>Staff
Administrators - 2
Specialists and teachers - 44.9
Guidance counselors - 1.5
Instructional assistants/attendants - 5.5
Office support staff - 3
Custodians - 4.5
Enrollment
General education - 348
Gifted center - 257
Special education self-contained - 22
Total enrollment - 627
Supplemental Programs
English for Speakers of Other Languages - 24
Gifted and Talented school-based - 23
Special education resource assistance* -91
*Students receiving multiple services are counted more than once.
Enrollment distribution by percent each race/ethnicity
White - 73.5
Black - n/a
Hispanic - 3.8
Asian/Pacific Islander - 16.2
Enrollment distribution by percent each gender
Female - 45.2
Male - 54.8
Enrollment distribution by student characteristic
Economically disadvantaged - 3.4 percent
Limited English proficient - 5.6 percent
Students with disabilities - 11.6 percent
<ro>Churchill
<lst>Staff
Administrators - 2
Specialists and teachers - 45
Guidance counselors - 1.5
Instructional assistants/attendants - 6
Office support staff - 4
Custodians - 4.5
Enrollment
General education - 524
Gifted center - 196
Special education self-contained - 7
Total enrollment - 727
Supplemental Programs
English for Speakers of Other Languages - 51
Gifted and Talented school-based - 85
Special education resource assistance* -104
*Students receiving multiple services are counted more than once.
Enrollment distribution by percent each race/ethnicity
White - 74.6
Black - 5.9
Hispanic - 2.6
Asian/Pacific Islander - 15
Enrollment distribution by percent each gender
Female - 44.9
Male - 55.1
Enrollment distribution by student characteristic
Economically disadvantaged - 1.4 percent
Limited English proficient - 6.2 percent
Students with disabilities - 8 percent
<ro>Chesterbrook
<lst>Staff
Administrators - 2
Specialists and teachers - 40.9
Guidance counselors - 1.5
Instructional assistants/attendants - 11
Office support staff -3.5
Custodians - 4.5
Enrollment
General education - 500
Gifted center - 0
Special education self-contained - 37
Total enrollment - 537
Supplemental Programs
English for Speakers of Other Languages - 31
Gifted and Talented school-based - 132
Special education resource assistance* -114
*Students receiving multiple services are counted more than once.
Enrollment distribution by percent each race/ethnicity
White - 79.2
Black - 3.6
Hispanic - 4.3
Asian/Pacific Islander - 6.8
Enrollment distribution by percent each gender
Female - 49.8
Male - 50.2
Enrollment distribution by student characteristic
Economically disadvantaged - 1.8 percent
Limited English proficient - 6.6 percent
Students with disabilities - 12.7 percent
<ro>Spring Hill
<lst>Staff
Administrators - 2
Specialists and teachers - 53.6
Guidance counselors - 2
Instructional assistants/attendants - 9
Office support staff -5
Custodians - 5.5
Enrollment
General education - 830
Gifted center - 0
Special education self-contained - 9
Total enrollment - 839
Supplemental Programs
English for Speakers of Other Languages - 105
Gifted and Talented school-based - 145
Special education resource assistance* -79
*Students receiving multiple services are counted more than once.
Enrollment distribution by percent each race/ethnicity
White - 76.2
Black - 2.4
Hispanic - 2.8
Asian/Pacific Islander - 16.1
Enrollment distribution by percent each gender
Female - 50.7
Male - 49.3
Enrollment distribution by student characteristic
Economically disadvantaged - 1.6 percent
Limited English proficient - 13 percent
Students with disabilities - 8.2 percent
<ro>Kent Gardens
<lst>Staff
Administrators - 2
Specialists and teachers - 56.1
Guidance counselors - 2
Instructional assistants/attendants - 9.2
Office support staff -4
Custodians - 5.5
Enrollment
General education - 878
Gifted center - 0
Special education self-contained - 19
Total enrollment - 897
Supplemental Programs
English for Speakers of Other Languages - 89
Gifted and Talented school-based - 76
Special education resource assistance* -106
*Students receiving multiple services are counted more than once.
Enrollment distribution by percent each race/ethnicity
White - 70.8
Black - 3.0
Hispanic - 4.7
Asian/Pacific Islander - 16.2
Enrollment distribution by percent each gender
Female - 48.1
Male - 51.9
Enrollment distribution by student characteristic
Economically disadvantaged - 2.3 percent
Limited English proficient - 8.9 percent
Students with disabilities - 8.3 percent
<ro>Franklin Sherman
<lst>Staff
Administrators - 2
Specialists and teachers - 37.6
Guidance counselors - 1
Instructional assistants/attendants - 14.9
Office support staff -3
Custodians - 3.5
Enrollment
General education - 366
Gifted center - 0
Special education self-contained - 37
Total enrollment - 403
Supplemental Programs
English for Speakers of Other Languages - 62
Gifted and Talented school-based - 68
Special education resource assistance* -110
*Students receiving multiple services are counted more than once.
Enrollment distribution by percent each race/ethnicity
White - 72.2
Black - 4.5
Hispanic - 4.8
Asian/Pacific Islander - 13.8
Enrollment distribution by percent each gender
Female - 46.9
Male - 53.1
Enrollment distribution by student characteristic
Economically disadvantaged - 5.5 percent
Limited English proficient - 15.8 percent
Students with disabilities - 19 percent