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Alexandria School Notes

Throughout Volunteer Appreciation Week, Alexandria public schools recognized their outstanding volunteers.

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Sacred Threads: Quilt Exhibit with Meaning

Besides being beautiful to look at, handmade quilts can convey powerful messages. Such are the quilts that will be on display during Sacred Threads 2013.

Steiding Named Officer of Month

PFC Adrian Steiding is the Sully District Police Station’s Officer of the Month for May. He was honored during his evening roll call. Lt. Rich Morvillo, assistant station commander, presented an example of Steiding’s work illustrating why he was selected.

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Postcards for Wounded Veterans

During May, for Military Appreciation Month, students at Oak View Elementary School wrote over 1,300 postcards to wounded veterans at Ft. Belvoir.

Meier: ‘A Supporter, Leader and Listener’

Although Danny Meier’s now retired as Robinson’s principal, he left his mark on the school and his colleagues say he led it well. “He’s a great leader because he’s quick at evaluating situations and has the background to make logical decisions,” said school administrative assistant Sue Henderson. “It’s also a great loss because I’ll miss him as a friend.”

‘A Way to Say That His Life Mattered’

Westfield teacher, students raise money to honor Matt Peterson.

Matt Peterson was just 16 when his father inexplicably killed him, his mother and younger brother in their Herndon home before taking his own life.

10 Years Incarceration For Former Teacher

Robert C. Fenn convicted of child-porn offenses.

Little more than a year ago, Oak Hill resident Robert C. Fenn was about to finish his first year of teaching at Poplar Tree Elementary, where he taught special-ed students in kindergarten through third grade.

‘Mountain View Dramatically Changed My Life’

Students overcome adversity and persevere to graduate.

Student Ana-Lycia Pena was just about to sing the last word of the National Anthem during Mountain View High’s graduation last Friday at Oakton High, when the auditorium went dark.

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Lobbying for Children’s Cancer Treatment

Centreville’s Crossett lobbies Congress to improve children’s cancer treatments.

It’s too late to save her own child. Meg Crossett’s daughter Rachel died of a cancer called neuroblastoma on July 3, 2001, at age 6. But she’s doing her best to improve the quality of care for other children battling the same disease that took Rachel’s life.

Clifton Holding Outdoor Weekend Painting Festival

The Art Guild of Clifton is hosting the first annual Clifton Plein Air (outdoor) Painting Festival, rain or shine, Saturday-Sunday, June 22-23. That Saturday, concurrent with the Clifton Wine Festival, artists may set up anywhere in the corporate town limits, except for the Town Park, where the wine festival is being held.

Student Wins Contest for Literature Letter

Local eighth grader Christine Wang has won first place (for grades six through eight) in the Letters about Literature contest sponsored by the Library of Congress. She wrote her award-winning letter about the book, “American Born Chinese” by Gene Luen Yang. Christine, 13, even got to read her letter recently at the Virginia Festival of the Book in Charlottesville. The book’s a graphic novel in hardcover, comic-book form. It contains three connected stories that become one at the end, and they appealed to her on a personal level.

Real Estate Fraud: Two Years Prison

Chantilly woman is sentenced.

A Chantilly woman has been sentenced to two years in prison and ordered to pay more than half a million dollars in restitution for her part in a real-estate fraud. She is Melissa McWilliams, 35. She was among four people who pleaded guilty Feb. 19, in federal court in Alexandria to conspiring to fraudulently take over the titles of homes in Washington, D.C., without the real property owners’ knowledge, selling those homes and keeping the profit.

Seeking To Preserve Local Agricultural Heritage

Fundraiser supports Brickyard Educational Farm.

Gov. Martin O’Malley’s words greeted supporters at the Brickyard Educational Farm event at Glenview Mansion in Rockville on Friday, June 14.

Alexandria School Notes

New student registration for T.C. Williams High School will take place 8:30 a.m.- 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, June 24 through 28. Schedule registration appointments for students entering grades nine and 10 by calling the T.C. Williams Minnie Howard Campus, 3801 W. Braddock Road, at 703-824-6755. Schedule appointments for students entering grades 11 and 12 by calling the main campus, 3330 King St., at 703-824-6800. Children born outside the U.S. or who speak another language at home should register from 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m., no appointments necessary, at the English Language Learners Office, 4701 Seminary Road.

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Chantilly, Westfield Win Cappie Awards

Regional recognition for student performances.

Chantilly and Westfield high schools each won two awards at the 14th annual Cappies Gala, Sunday night, June 9, at The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.

‘This Doesn’t Work for Us’

Pleasant Valley/Braddock roundabout: To be or not to be?

As far as the folks at VDOT are concerned, a roundabout at the intersection of Pleasant Valley and Braddock roads in Centreville is a swell idea.

Alliance Offers Summer Workshops

The Alliance Theatre has a 10-year tradition of working with young people in the arts, and it’s continuing this summer.

Alexandria Business Notes

John McManus, senior vice president, Community Banking for Virginia Commerce Bank, was named Committee Chairman of the Year for 2012 from the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce.

Braddock/Pleasant Valley Project Details and Background

The Braddock/Pleasant Valley roads intersection is near the Fairfax/Loudoun border and regularly backs up at rush hour. Surrounding it are Cox Farms and Fairfax County Park Authority land containing wetlands. There’s poor drainage, rare plant life and utility poles that would cost about $80,000 each to relocate. And Cox Farms is in an agricultural/forestall district, which has its own restrictions.

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Danger on the Roadways

Inspection team places nearly one-third of big-rig trucks out of service.

It wasn’t rush hour, but I-66 east was backed up as far as the eye could see, as big-rig truckers warned their buddies about a commercial-truck inspection happening on Route 28 in Centreville.