Ringing in the new year, Herndon High and Herndon Middle will host a concert with a nationally recognized guest ensemble.
The Dallas Brass musical ensemble will visit with the bands from the two Herndon schools and hold workshops before joining the school bands for the last part of their Jan. 4 concert.
Since its founding in 1983 in Dallas, the ensemble has blended traditional brass instruments with a full complement of drums and percussion. In addition to solo performances, the ensemble has performed with symphony orchestras nationwide, including the Cincinnati Pops conducted by Erich Kunzel, New York Pops conducted by Skitch Henderson and the Philly Pops conducted by Peter Nero.
The partnership blossomed partly because of familiarity between band director Kathleen Jacoby and the ensemble. Jacoby and the Herndon HS Band Parent Association also sought to provide this experience to the students after a virtual school year.
“I sought out a performance with Dallas Brass because one of my former students, Buddy Deshler, is a trumpet player in the group,” Jacoby wrote. “Buddy tours with the group when he is not teaching at the Crane School of Music as the trumpet professor. We have kept in close touch over the years and been fortunate to have him solo with Herndon on three separate occasions. Getting the full Dallas Brass experience will be like Buddy times six!”
Tickets are available for purchase online for $10 to the general public and are non-refundable. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. in the school’s auditorium.
Per Fairfax County Public Schools COVID-19 policy, masks will be required indoors.
The concert is a portion of Dallas Brass’ “American Musical Journey” program which incorporates a full complement of brass and percussion for a musical travelogue through American history.
Musical selections come from a variety of traditionally recognized composers: Aaron Copland, Leonard Bernstein, George Gershwin, Irving Berlin, John Williams, John Philip Sousa. Selections also include from bands such as Tijuana Brass and Chicago, as well as styles that include Dixieland, swing, Broadway, folk, patriotic, pop and hip-hop.
In addition to its work with school bands, Dallas Brass has also performed at Carnegie Hall, the John F. Kennedy Center, and toured in Europe and parts of Asia. Past performances include playing for Presidents Gerald Ford and George H.W. Bush, appearing on the CBS “Early Show,” and their music has also been used numerous times on the television show, “The Young and the Restless.”
Image via Dulles Brass
Monday, October 11
- Muscle Up Your Mondays with Crunch Fitness (6:30 p.m.) — Check out a complimentary workout at Reston Town Center.
Tuesday, October 12
- Nutrition & Stress Management for Anyone (noon) — Learn more about how to better manage your body and respond to negative stressors.
Wednesday, October 13
- Tea and Art Club (10:30 a.m.) — Explore different forms of painting in this social environment at Monroe Street Studio. Cost is $45.
Thursday, October 14
- Herndon Farmers Market (8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.) — Stop by for some fresh produce from local vendors. Recurs weekly.
Friday, October 15
- South Lakes High School Homecoming Parade (5-6:30 p.m.) — The Seahawks will have their homecoming parade starting at Hunters Woods Plaza, which will arrive at the high school before the big game that night against Chantilly.
- “The Musical of Musicals (The Musical!)” (8 p.m.) — A satirical performance reminiscent of musical theater greats ranging from Andrew Lloyd Webber to Rodgers and Hammerstein kicks off at Reston Community Center’s CenterStage. Performances run through Nov. 6. Tickets cost $20 for adults but discounts are available.
- “A Familiar Melody” (8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday as well as 2 p.m. on Sunday) — A NextStop Theatre Company show brings together a selection of Broadway hits. Tickets are $30.
Saturday, October 16
- Herndon Homecoming Parade (9:30 a.m. to noon) — A school tradition resumes, running along a portion of Elden Street. This year’s theme is Herndon Goes Hollywood.
- Reston Home Tour (10 a.m. to 5 p.m.) — A self-guided tour features four homes and an assisted living facility, The Kensington. Tickets are $35.
- Frying Pan Farm Park’s 60th Anniversary Day (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.) — Visit this popular park for a special, free event featuring food trucks, a tractor parade and more
- Howl-o-ween Party (2:30-6:30 p.m.) — Enjoy music, food, drinks and more at Brown’s Chapel Recreation Area, and put your dog into a costume contest for $10 with advanced registration.
- Unbridled Passion (4 p.m.) — From Mendelssohn to Chopin, hear classics through the Reston Community Orchestra in a performance featuring piano soloist Faith Zuñiga at Reston Community Center Hunters Woods. Tickets for adults are $25. Kids 17 and younger are free.
Sunday, October 17
- All Ages Nature Workshops (2-3 p.m.) — Participate in activities at the Walker Nature Center. Cost is $7 for Reston Association members.
Fall activities for area schools are back.
Compared to last year when the pandemic disrupted sports, dances and parades, lineups are returning at Herndon and South Lakes schools and others.
Students are wearing masks as they attend school and make traditional homecoming decorations in school hallways; vaccine mandates for athletes have brought high school football back with as much normalcy as possible.
There will still be some differences as COVID-19 precautions persist: James Madison High School’s dance will be held Saturday night in two large tents at the school’s rear parking lot. The theme is “Highway to Homecoming.”
Last year, football and other fall sports were canceled as students largely studied remotely. Herndon canceled its homecoming parade, too, which can involve over 1,500 participants, and the school held a live virtual event for homecoming.
“Homecoming is a longstanding tradition in the Herndon community. It is very much a full-community effort,” Principal Liz Noto said in a statement, noting that many alumni return for the afternoon football game.
The Herndon Homecoming Parade will require all participants to wear a mask. It starts at 9:30 a.m. Oct. 16 at Herndon Middle School and runs along Elden Street from Locust Street/Sterling Road to Lynn Street. The game against Washington-Liberty High School is at 1 p.m.
@SLHS2022 is ready for Homecoming Week! #lockerpoddecorations #spiritweekbegins @FCPSRegion1 pic.twitter.com/n0Z3p3Qnsa
— South Lakes High School (@southlakeshs) October 7, 2021
The South Lakes Seahawks will have their homecoming parade from 5-6:30 p.m. Oct. 15 starting at Hunters Wood Plaza and ending at the high school.
The school will have its homecoming parade start at Hunters Wood Plaza and arrive at the high school before the big game that night at 7 against Chantilly.
Photo via twitter.com/southlakeshs
Multiple Vehicles Broken Into in Town of Herndon — On Saturday, someone broke into at least eleven vehicles and took items. All vehicles were unlocked. [Herndon Police Department]
County Executive and Health Director Honored by Park Board — The Fairfax County Park Authority Board honored Fairfax County Executive Bryan Hill and the health department’s director Dr. Gloria Addo-Ayensu with the Chairman’s Choice Awards. [Fairfax County Government]
Statewide Showcase of Bands Comes to Herndon HS — Herndon High School will host the kick-off of the annual marching band competition season at a special event n Saturday. Over 25 bands from the region will perform throughout the day. [The Pride of Herndon]
Former Herndon HS Teacher Sentenced for Child Pornography — Former Herndon High School drama teacher Raphael Schklowsky was sentenced on Friday (Sept. 3) to four years and two months of jail time after pleading guilty to unlawful filming and possessing child pornography. Police said he had used dozens of hidden cameras to record at least 8,000 videos of students undressing, including one woman who testified in court. [NBC4]
Reston Man Faces Weapons and Marijuana Charges — A 30-year-old Reston man faces multiple charges, including carrying a concealed weapon and distribution of marijuana, after police found him trespassing a private property in the 2000 block of Sanibel Drive on Aug. 31. Officers reportedly found that he was unlawfully carrying a concealed weapon as well as multiple rounds of ammunition and “a large amount” of marijuana. [FCPD]
RA Seeks Volunteers for Pickleball Tournament — Reston Association is looking for volunteers who are 16 and older to serve as court monitors or runners for its inaugural Pickleball Paddle Battle Tournament, which will take place at Lake Newport and Autumnwood Tennis Courts on Sept. 18 and 19. Volunteer nurses or CPR-trained professionals are also needed to work the event’s first aid tent. Anyone who’s interested can contact Ha Brock, at [email protected] or 703-435-7986. [RA News]
Photo via vantagehill/Flickr
Renovations at Herndon High School that have been in the works for half a decade are nearing completion.
A project to update the 54-year-old building at 700 Bennett Street is in its final stages, Fairfax County Public Spokesperson Jennifer Sellers tells Reston Now.
Most recently, construction workers completed phase three renovations that began about seven months ago. That includes work on areas for gymnastics, wrestling, the auxiliary gym, auditorium, music wing, and an extended main corridor.
The project’s third phase was finished in time to welcome students when they return to school for the new academic year on Aug. 23.
“Overall, Herndon High School will be returning to a much different space than previous,” writes Sellers.
There’s still some work to be done, though, including finishing the concessions building, an additional parking lot, tennis courts, and several instructional rooms. That should all be finished this fall, leaving a few other small items to be completed by the end of the calendar year.
In the meantime, students and staff affected by the ongoing work will be temporarily relocated into interior spaces that have already been renovated until winter break. There will still be one temporary classroom in a trailer until then as well.
Most of the work is also happening towards the back of the building, further limiting the impact on in-person learning.
The last time Herndon High School underwent renovations was 1991.
With the school remaining mostly virtual all of last year, it has allowed construction to happen without interfering with day-to-day operations. The main gym closed for renovations right after a community goodbye and right before the COVID-19 pandemic mostly shut down Fairfax County Public School buildings for more than a year.
Construction on Herndon High School started in early 2018, adding more than 138,000 square feet to the building. In total, nearly 416,000 square feet is being renovated or added, and the school will now have a capacity for about 2,500 students.
Funding for the projects came from bonds approved by county voters.
Nearly three-quarters of county voters supported a $250 million bond referendum in 2013 that partially helped fund the planning of Herndon High School’s renovations. A significant portion of the 2015 $310 million school bond went towards the high school’s renovations and additions.
Courtesy FCPS
Fairfax County to Host COVID-19 Remembrance Ceremony — The Northern Virginia Regional Commission will hold a virtual ceremony next Wednesday (June 9) at the Fairfax County Government Center to honor the more than 2,350 people in the region who have died from COVID-19. Local officials will discuss the pandemic’s impact, and the event will conclude with a “last alarm” bell service courtesy of the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department. [Fairfax County Government]
Reston’s First Homocide Remains a Mystery — 49 years after her death, the family of Gwen Ames is still hoping for answers, as Fairfax County police have yet to identify a suspect in the first murder recorded in Reston. A 17-year-old student at Herndon High School, Ames was killed on June 4, 1972 while walking home from a dance at Lake Anne Plaza. [Patch]
Democratic Governor Candidates Spar in Final Debate — The Democratic candidates to become Virginia’s next governor faced off in the last debate before the Democratic primary on Tuesday (June 8). Former Gov. Terry McAuliffe, who has been leading in polls, focused on attacking Republican nominee Glenn Youngkin, an approach that drew criticisms from his opponents. [WTOP]
Leidos Subsidary Lands NASA Contract — “Dynetics Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Reston-based Fortune 500 government contractor Leidos Holdings Inc., has received a potential $90 million contract from NASA to produce a laser air monitoring system (LAMS) for the agency’s Orion spacecraft, beginning with the Artemis III mission, which plans to return astronauts to the lunar surface for the first time since 1972’s Apollo 17 mission.” [Virginia Business]
Herndon High School Holds Graduation Ceremony — Herndon High School seniors got to graduate in person yesterday (Wednesday). Attendees included Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn, who congratulated the Class of 2021 on overcoming the challenges of the last year and said that “we can’t wait to see what your future holds.” [Walter Alcorn/Twitter]
Photo via vantagehill/Flickr
Former Herndon Teacher Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography — “A former Herndon High School teacher accused of taking inappropriate photos of dozens of students and possessing thousands of images of child pornography and other lewd material pleaded guilty to multiple charges in Fairfax County Circuit Court on Monday. Raphael Schklowsky, 38, of Reston admitted his guilt on nine counts as part of a deal with Fairfax County prosecutors.” [The Washington Post]
Police Still Looking for Fatal Hit-and-Run Suspect — Fairfax County police have determined that a car that left the scene of a crash that killed a pedestrian in Great Falls last week was a 2017 black Ford Fusion. Detectives believe the car model is a SE, Titanium, Platinum or V6 Sport package. [FCPD]
Electrify America Announces Agreement With Hyundai — The Reston-based electric vehicle charging network operator announced yesterday (Monday) that it will “provide all-electric Hyundai IONIQ 5 drivers with two years of unlimited 30-minute complimentary charging sessions from the date of purchase at Electrify America charging stations.” [Electrify America]
Kids’ Hair Salon Opens in Sterling — The children’s hair salon company Sharkey’s Cuts for Kids has opened a franchise in the Town Center at Sterling shopping mall. Franchise owners Viral & Ami Doshi say the salon features kiddie cars, Xbox stations, and a glamour station, and each haircut includes washing, cutting, and styling as well as a balloon, lollipop, tattoo, and donation to a charity of the customer’s choice. [Sharkey’s Cuts for Kids]
Photo via vantagehill/Flickr
The Herndon High School marching band is reaching out to the community as it renews its annual fundraising effort.
The band, dubbed the “Pride of Herndon,” has launched its Tag Day campaign to help fund music instruction, uniforms, sheet music, instruments and instrument repair.
The fundraising effort is typically done in-person as band students go door-to-door handing out flyers about the band and tags for the concert schedule while asking for donations. Tag Day is the largest fundraising event for the band.
Due to the pandemic, the band is hosting its fundraising effort virtually through the end of February. The band’s target is to raise $25,000.
As of Friday morning, the fundraising site shows the Pride of Herndon has raised just over a quarter of its goal.
Contributions to the band may be made directly on the band’s site via PayPal, on the fundraising site for this year’s Tag Day, or checks may be mailed to PO Box 1293, Herndon, VA 20172-1293.
“With all the learning being virtual this year due to COVID, we are trying creative ways to keep our students engaged and excited to continue making music together,” Kathleen Jacoby, Director of Herndon High School bands, said in a video promoting the fundraiser.
“To perform at the high level we do, we need instruments and other equipment, plus instrument specialist to come help out, and that costs money. Instead of knocking at your doors this year, we have created this online Tag Day site. Your contributions mean a lot to us, for the band means a lot to our students.”
Image courtesy Herndon High School
Herndon Graduate Continues Cancer Treatment — “Chelsea Proctor, the Herndon resident diagnosed last year with a rare and painful form of cancer, is continuing chemotherapy treatment.” [Reston Patch]Â
Local Company Pivots to New Target — “Parabon NanoLabs, the small Reston company helping law enforcement crack cold cases across the country, has big priorities for 2021: Cancer therapeutics, VR software, diagnostics and more. [Washington Business Journal]
Herndon Tech Company to Buy Reston Contractor — “Herndon-based tech company Serco Inc. (a subsidiary of United Kingdom-based Serco Group plc) announced Tuesday it will acquire Reston-based H.I.G. Capital affiliate Whitney, Bradley & Brown for $295 million.” [Virginia Business]
Photo by Marjorie Copson
With Herndon High School’s phase two renovations now completed, the school has moved to phase three. This includes renovations to the auditorium, music, performing, and fine arts rooms, auxiliary gym, and wrestling and gymnastics room.
All of the work should be completed this summer and be ready for students when they are back in the building full-time next school year, assistant principal Jim Hannon tells Reston Now.
The main gym was part of phase two renovations and that was finished late last year, complete with new bleachers. December, when a limited crowd was allowed to attend a basketball game, was the first time they were used.
Work has moved at a decent clip with students and full staff not in the building due to COVID-19 restrictions.
However, Hannon says it’s been “a little bit of a wash” in terms of construction moving any faster. He says that many of the areas being renovated are in isolated areas anyway and the number of construction workers are more limited to social distancing requirements.
After phase three, renovations will begin on the tennis courts, adding additional parking, stadium press box and concession stand, and the food prep area of the cafeteria. That’s the final phase of renovations that first began more than two years ago.
In all, the renovation project is adding more than 138,000 square feet to the more than five-decade old high school building, expanding it by about a third. It will have a capacity of 2,500 students.
Hannon says that all of that work should be done by summer 2022.
Photo courtesy of Jim Hannon
The Fairfax County School Board’s proposed Capital Improvement Program (CIP) for Fairfax County Public Schools will not include any major adjustments or immediate big-ticket spending.
Released on Dec. 17, the proposed CIP – which sets short-term priorities for school renovations, capacity enhancements, and other infrastructure projects – remains largely the same as last year’s plan, as the uncertainty resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic made FCPS officials wary of making any significant new commitments.
A virtual public hearing is planned for 7 p.m. today.
FCPS Assistant Superintendent for Facilities and Transportation Services Jeff Platenberg said described the current times as “daunting.”
“We don’t want to do anything that’ll impact our facilities or our staffing, especially with the inoculation coming, the vaccines, and then, next year, [we want to] put ourselves in a position to get back to whatever the new normal might be.”
The ongoing renovation at Langstone Hughes Middle School, which was fully funded by voter-approved bonds in 2015 and 2017, is expected to be completed in $FY2022. Once completed, the school, which first opened in 1980, will include modern amenities and an addition of 53,900 square feet. The project is expected to cost roughly $52 million.
The CIP includes $39 million for a school to manage additional growth expected to be brought on by phase two of the Silver Line. A location has not yet been determined, but the project is fully funded for planning-related costs.
Roughly $42 million is proposed for Herndon Elementary School, 52 million for Hughes Elementary School, and 106 million for the ongoing renovation of and Herndon High School, which will be completed this year.
Because students have mostly been learning virtually, FCPS staff were unable to include data on the capacity utilization of individual facilities for this school year in the CIP. Fluctuating attendance also precluded staff from making five-year projections for future student enrollment.
According to a presentation that Platenberg gave to the school board on Tuesday (Jan. 5), FCPS shed 8,338 students between the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 school years. The losses predominately came at the elementary school level, which saw a drop in membership of 7,729 students.
Because FCPS is not adding any new projects with the proposed CIP, the school system will be able to focus on the many needs that it has already identified, Platenberg says.
Overall, the proposed CIP carries a five-year requirement of $1.1 billion. While only $314.8 million of that is currently covered, Platenberg says the unfunded commitment should be addressed by future bond referendums.
The school board is scheduled to vote on the CIP on Feb. 4.
Images via FCPS
Virtual Job Fair Set for Job-seekers Age 50+ — The county is hosting a free virtual employment expo. On Friday (Dec. 4) between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Registration is open online. [Fairfax County Government]
Herndon High School’s NJROTC Donates Holiday Meals — “In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the growing need for food in the area, the Herndon High School NJROTC donated 11 family meals for Thanksgiving and pledged another ten meals for Christmas, for a total of 21 in honor of the Class of 2021, to families in need via Food for Neighbors.” [Fairfax County Public Schools]
70,000 Doses of COVID-19 Vaccine Expected in Virginia — “Gov. Ralph Northam said in a Wednesday news conference in Richmond that an estimated 70,000 doses would be in the first wave of Pfizer vaccines sent to Virginia. Should the FDA give approval to Pfizer’s vaccine, doses would go to states immediately, which Northam expected would happen as early as mid-December.” [Reston Patch]
Photo via vantagehill/Flickr
Following months of opposition from local residents, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the addition of a cell tower at Herndon High School on Tuesday.
In response to concerns about the location and size of the facility, Milestone reduced the monopole’s height from 124 to 114 feet and the facility’s size from 2,590 to 1,175 square feet. The latest plan also shifts most of the ground equipment under the visitor’s bleachers and away from a more central location on the football field.
Still, residents said concerns about the use of the field for the facility remained unaddressed.
““We have consistently opposed the monopole because it is taking valuable land from our schools. It is a hazard to our children and is inconsistent with the school,” said Heather Metz, a Herndon High School parent who helped launched an online petition to oppose the facility.
Others said they were concerned the pole and facility was placed between in the middle of the football field.
Dranesville District Supervisor John Foust said it was misleading to suggest the facility was located in the middle of the field.
“The reality is, that’s not where the pole and the compound are,” Foust said, adding that the revised proposal addresses many of the community’s concerns.
“I think everybody has done their best to minimize the impact of this proposal.”
Other board supervisors expressed dismay that a representative from Fairfax County Public Schools was not present at the meeting to allay concerns.
Vernon Miles contributed reporting to this story.
Photo via Milestone
As Fairfax County Public Schools students are learning virtually during the 2020-2021 academic year, renovations are moving forward at Herndon High School.
The renovation’s second phase was mostly completed during the summer, according to Herndon High School assistant principal Jim Hannon. The school’s main gym was expanded by roughly a third, while the renovation of the auxiliary gym was completed alongside the construction of new locker rooms, a weight room and art rooms.
“To start this school year, if we weren’t in the virtual world we are in right now, we’d have students in the new areas that were completed in phase two,” Hannon said. “Those areas include both upstairs and downstairs, first floor and second floor, the completion of the wings that were for math, ESOL, social studies and English.”
Very few outstanding items remain from phase two of the renovation before its final completion. Among these is the installation of the main gym’s new bleachers, due to supply line issues caused by some vendors temporarily shutting down as a result of COVID-19.
Despite a few hang-ups in the supply chain, the renovation process has progressed into phase three. This includes an opportunity to begin work early on the student’s dining portion of the cafeteria that otherwise would have been relegated to weekend and evening work during phase four due to the presence of students in the halls. The renovation of the kitchens for the cafeteria, however, will be included in phase four of the renovation process.
The completion of the second phase follows the introduction of a new wing to the back and front of the building, as well as a new library, main office, and administrative and counseling office. The first phase, which was completed in the fall of 2019, also included a new entrance, 65 classrooms, a gourmet foods room, science labs and additional classroom spaces.
The progress of the renovation has also allowed the school to move approximately 60-65 school personnel from outdoor trailers into the freshly renovated or constructed spaces, according to Hannon.
Following the removal of the trailers, the renovation process will begin on the parking lots as well as the school’s tennis courts as a part of phase three.
Other plans during this phase include a new wrestling and gymnastics room and renovating the school’s performing arts area, which includes the auditorium, and rooms for the orchestra, band and chorus.
Phase three will take place during the majority of this school year, Hannon said. The exact completion date of the project has not yet been determined.
The final phase of the project will include renovating the existing cafeteria to feature a food court design, as well as updates to the tennis courts, the stadium press box and concession stands.
As part of the project, the school will undergo a complete renovation with new plumbing, HVAC, fire alarm and protection systems. Also, the campus will include a new bus loop, more parking, bike racks and improved stormwater management. The renovation project in total includes 138,558 square feet of additions and modifications to expand the school to 431,000 square feet, according to the webpage for Grunley Construction Company, Inc.
“Hopefully when we move back in the building, we’ll have very few classes still outside in the trailers. And the majority of those are going to start being removed in September and October,” Hannon said.
Photo via Jim Hannon
