Education

Fairfax County: Lockard Named Interim Superintendent

Dr. Steven Lockard will take over for Dr. Karen Garza as Fairfax County Schools superintendent for the interim period while the School Board searches for her replacement.

Alexandria: School Redistricting Forums Begin

Reading between the lines.

After 17 years of static school lines, Alexandria City Public Schools is making motions to begin the process of redistricting. By the start of the 2018 school year, new school lines that incorporate two new schools and other expansion projects will cause shifts in school populations across the city.

Fairfax County: Meals Tax Statement Debated During Joint Budget Meeting

Text prepared by Board of Supervisors and FCPS board chairs.

There continues to be division, at least among several members of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors and School Board, on whether voters should approve a referendum allowing the government to levy up to a four percent additional tax on prepared foods and beverages at restaurants, as well as ready-to-eat foods from grocery and convenience stores.

Fairfax County Public Schools Beat Virginia On-Time Graduation Rate

The Virginia Department of Education has released graduation rates for school systems around the Commonwealth. Fairfax County Public Schools had 92.3 percent of its 2016 class graduate on time, compared with the state average 91.3 percent.

Fairfax High Holds Homecoming Parade

Fairfax High's Homecoming Parade was held Friday, Sept. 30.

See more Fairfax High homecoming parade photos on Facebook.

Potomac: Local Residents Support ‘Living Classrooms’

“Night at the Yards” to benefit foundation.

“This past year, ‘Living Classrooms’ touched the lives of 35,000 children and young adults who are struggling to succeed against terrible odds,” said Potomac native Thara Taylor, vice president of development for the Living Classrooms Foundation.

Maya Callahan Wins Award in Lonely Planet Kids Poetry Competition

Maya Callahan, 11, a home schooled Reston resident, was selected by Lonely Planet’s Kids Poetry Competition for a runner-up award for her poem “Camping.” The poem was written after a camping trip with her Girl Scout troop last year.

Mount Vernon: Quander Road School provides flexible, family-like special education experience

Within the first week of the 2016-2017 school year, teachers at the Quander Road School in Mount Vernon had already finished their jobs for five students. For that select group, they were ready to return to their base high school and transition back to a less restrictive educational experience.

Springfield: Metro School of the Arts Welcomes Students to New Kingstowne Academy

Students of the Metropolitan School of the Arts (MSA) Performing Arts Academy of Alexandria will see a lot of new changes at the newly, expanded MSA Academy headquarters in Kingstowne.

Fairfax County: Call for Civility in Schools’ LGBTQ Discussion

School board Board also receives Opening of Schools report, votes on challenged materials review committee.

Robert Rigby stood before the Fairfax County School Board on Sept. 22 wearing a red polo shirt, typically a sign of unity at board meetings among parents and community members who have opposed recent policy updates in the school system surrounding students who identify as transgender.

Snapshot: Chantilly Homecoming Court

Members of the Chantilly Homecoming Court gather at the Chantilly-Herndon football game on Friday, Sept. 23: (From left) Lindsay Barnes, Siobhan Reardon, Jill Cymerman, Alexis Weeren, Caroline Barnes, TJ Walter, Zach Cummins, Karim Shoorbajee, and Ken Roberts.

Centreville’s Jesse Kraft Leads Coates Elementary

With 21 years in education, former Providence Elementary principal moves into new role.

With 21 years in education, Jesse Kraft, age 42, of Centreville was named the new principal of Lutie Lewis Coates Elementary School on River Birch Road in Herndon, on July 7. He is replacing former principal Toni Rose who moved into administration with Fairfax County Public Schools. He will be overseeing 740 students with a staff of about 95, including five full-time ESOL teachers. Coates is a part of the Westfield Pyramid.

Arlington: Modifying Toy Cars for Children with Special Needs

Marymount University’s Department of Physical Therapy launched its Go Baby Go! Garage on Saturday, Sept. 17, an event that drew more than 200 people to the school’s Fairfax Drive facility and provided 12 special needs children with modified toy cars that will make them more mobile.

Homework Overload

Some educators say less can be more, stress balance when it comes to homework.

Paula DeMarco dreads one time of day the most: weekday evenings at 5:30. It’s the time she has set aside for her children begin their homework. That means no screen time, music or other distractions.

Transition At Herndon High

Diversity and change at Herndon HS.

The school year at Herndon High School began with change, as Dan Meier has taken the position of Interim Principal. Former principal Dr. William Bates left Herndon HS in July for a position with the Baltimore County Public Schools. “We are in a transition phase, but we anticipate a new principal in about a month,” said Meier.

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