The following open letter by Aaron Gordon of the Reston Merchants Association is offered in response to the open letter penned by Boston Properties that appeared on Reston Now on March 3.
Dear Fellow Community Members,
Reston is a unique place. Besides living, working and playing here, we are a close-knit group, brought together by the desire to know each other and to be part of a distinct community. Boston Properties’ implementation of a paid parking system is tearing the fabric of who we are, how we choose to live and what we do within Reston.
For 26 years, we have enjoyed the ability to park in Reston Town Center, meet friends or be alone, go to work, walk around, shop (or not), dine and take advantage of the entertainment opportunities. The Town Center has been a formal and informal gathering place, a place that often costs nothing to use, but provides much enjoyment.
Sadly, Boston Properties’ decision to install paid parking has turned a once vibrant community into just another mall.
Boston Properties has given many excuses over the past year for its decision to institute paid parking. Excuses like parking convenience and combatting Metro commuters. Don’t let them fool you … the truth is there is only one reason to charge for parking — profit.
Ray Ritchie, Executive Vice President of Boston Properties, set out his case back in 2011, when in a shareholders call, he laid out just how much money the company would make by charging us for parking. Ritchie outlined that the paid parking plan would make Boston Properties $8 million per year and would be worth $130 million of additional value to the company.
On March 3, 2017, Boston Properties, in an open letter to the community published in Reston Now, stated that their three primary goals for activating paid parking include protecting parking rights for the RTC tenants and visitors, enhancing the parking experience of tenants, visitors and patron and augmenting revenues dedicated to reinvestment in the Reston community.
In the same letter, Boston Properties listed a series of reasons attempting to validate their paid parking program. We find many of these justifications to be inaccurate and offensive and underscores Boston Properties’ overreach.
Paid parking will help manage unwarranted commuter parking.
Commuter parking was never the issue. It is easily solvable by instituting 3-4 hours free parking and charging commuters. Also, Boston Properties lumps overnight and out-of-town parking into this category. This is different from commuter parking. Boston Properties’ paid parking plan is an overreach designed to add revenue for the company.
Boston Properties is committed to assisting retailers during this period.
There is not “regular communication” and “open and honest dialogue.” Rather, Boston Properties gives the same automated answer to everyone, which is to say that it will take months to analyze the situation and right now it is too early to formulate any conclusions.
Paid parking is not having the adverse impact that has been reported.
Why would merchants be so upset if their numbers were not down dramatically?
Boston Properties’ statement is not accurate. Of course paid parking and the onerous parking system has had, and is having, an adverse effect. Most of the retailers have indicated that paid parking has been a disaster for business and projected sales are down dramatically. We are losing long-time customers who may never return. If this continues, many merchants have indicated that they will not be in business long.
Each retailer chooses whether or where to validate parking.
We find it galling that Boston Properties is actually attempting to muddy the waters and place the parking fiasco on the merchants of Town Center!
Boston Properties, which already charges some of the highest rent in the area, now wants its merchants to pay them for validation as well. Validation is extremely costly for every merchant and not workable for stores whose standard items are low value like coffee, baked goods or ice cream. Many merchants simply don’t make enough revenue to pay additional fees for parking. Additionally, it is absurd to expect guests and shoppers to have to figure out which retailer participates in the validation program and where, if the store participates, they may park.
No retailers have closed as a result of paid parking.
Two stores, Origins and BGR Burger, have recently closed and one said that the new paid parking was the “nail in the coffin.” At least one other store has indicated that it will leave when its lease is up in a year. And, new merchants are already shying away from RTC due to the disastrous impact of paid parking.
Boston Properties has already made a number of changes based on customer feedback, including offering: free parking in garages on weekends, holidays and special event days; doubling the number of parking ambassadors, primarily at night to assist retail shoppers; installing additional onsite educational signage; adding a list of validating retailers to the ParkRTC app; regularly updating FAQs on the website.
There is much confusion about this. As it turns out, free parking does not include street parking. It was also not free on MLK Day. And “special event” means any day that Boston Properties deems special, usually an event they are running to benefit their brand.
The “parking ambassadors” are unfriendly and not helpful, and seem to be on hand mostly to warn you that you must pay. They are not knowledgeable about the system and generally can’t help guests figure it out.
Educational signage? The signage is not succinct and/or user-friendly. One customer — an astronaut! — was having trouble figuring it all out in a timely fashion, and complained to the proprietor of the store she was in.
Stop adding things to the app. Treat all retailers the same. Give everyone the same advantage in attracting shoppers. We want everyone to succeed.
As for updating the app, you can update it every day and people still won’t care. People want free and safe parking.
The ParkRTC app is secure to use, and most daily parkers are paying using the app.
The app gets a terrible 1 1/2 stars out of 5 on its reviews from the app store. Users say they don’t trust it, and many wonder why Boston Properties needs all this information about RTC patrons.
Boston Properties remains dedicated to nonprofit fundraising.
Yes, Boston Properties scheduled its last nonprofit fundraiser to coincide with the rally residents and merchants organized against paid parking at the same time on the same day. They did everything they could to limit the protest, including restricting the group from rallying on Reston Town Center property.
Boston Properties remains committed to this paid parking model which they believe meets the objective above.
The longer this situation goes on, and with no negotiating with Boston Properties, the more people will go elsewhere, the harder it will be to bring them back and the community as a whole will become less desirable.
Boston Properties will continue to support our community’s strategic plan.
If the plan is to destroy Reston Town Center, this is the path to take. If the plan is beyond making more revenue, providing conveniences, services, and a gathering place for people to live, work and play, Boston Properties must reconsider the parking program they have implemented.
Aaron Gordon
Reston Merchants Association
[email protected]
www.gofundme.com/reston-merchants-for-free-parking
www.facebook.com/restonunited/
www.facebook.com/RTCparkingfee/
twitter.com/hashtag/ParkFreeRTC?src=hash
On Fridays, we take a moment to thank our advertisers and sponsors:
Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce, the business community for the vibrant region.
BLVD, Comstock’s apartments at Reston Station.
AKG Design Studio, boutique design firm specializing in kitchen, bathroom designs and cabinetry sales.
Berry & Berry, PLLC, Reston law firm specializing in federal employment, retirement, labor union, and security clearance matters.
Reston Real Estate, Eve Thompson of Long & Foster Real Estate specializes in Reston homes.
Reston Carpet Cleaning, local cleaning service.
Becky’s Pet Care, offering friendly pet services in Northern Virginia.
Reston Community Center, serving Reston’s recreational and cultural needs.
MakeOffices, shared work spaces with five area locations, including Reston.
Boofie O’Gorman, Top Producer Realtor at Long & Foster Reston.
Goldfish Swim School, specializing in children’s swim lessons year-round.
Small Change Consignment, serving Reston’s kids for more than 30 years.
A Cleaning Service, professional residential and commercial cleaning.
Reston Montessori, private co-educational school for children ages 3 months to sixth grade.
Kalypso’s Sports Tavern, providing great food and drink at Lake Anne Plaza.
All Spice Cafe & Catering, bringing flavor to your events.
Bright Horizons at Commerce Metro Center, new child care facility in Reston.
Susannah Palik, residential Sales Agent with Long & Foster Real Estate.
Inform Fitness, personal training studio that offers results with 20-minute workout.
Fusion Academy, accredited private middle and high school for grades 6-12.
Reston Children’s Center, providing care, preschool and private education and summer camp enrichment.
Ryan Homes — Westmoore, Loudoun County’s hottest new Metro community in the heart of Ashburn.
Knutson Brambleton, Loudoun County urban townhomes with yards in the sky.
Knutson Crescent Place, urban townhomes in Leesburg — Loudoun’s authentic town center since 1758.
Eric Carr, John Mooney and Victoria White, candidates for the Reston Association Board of Directors.
Reston Hospital Center recently became the first hospital in the region to perform a total knee replacement surgery with the help of robotic arm-assisted technology.
According to a press release, orthopedic surgeon Bradley Boyd performed the procedure using the hospital’s new Mako Technology.
“The advantages of the Mako Technology allow me to combine a preoperative 3D model CT scan with intra‐operative robotic templating,” Boyd said in the release. “This enables an extremely accurate alignment of the knee components and leg length, fitting each patient’s unique anatomy.”
The hospital acquired the technology in 2015 for total hip and partial knee replacements, but it has now been expanded to total knee replacement surgeries.
“The addition of the Mako Total Knee Application to our current system is a direct reflection of our commitment to providing the best outcomes for our patients,” said John Deardorff, president and CEO of Reston Hospital Center, in the release. “It is our goal to remain at the forefront of technological advances in surgery so that we can continue to give our patients and medical staff access to the latest in surgical care.”
For more information about Reston Hospital Center, visit its website.
South Lakes High School is buzzing as it prepares for the Seahawk Student Showcase event, set for Friday at 7 p.m. at the school.
Representatives of the SLHS Student Government Association say the student body is excited for the show.
“I went to the showcase last year and was blown away by all of the amazing acts,” said student Isabel Edgerton. “I’m excited to see all the talent that South Lakes has to offer.”
Performances including singing, dancing, guitar-playing, acting and more are lined up to be part of the show. A panel of judges including Fairfax County Public Schools board member Ryan McElveen will rate the acts and award prizes for the top performances.
The show is open to the public, with tickets at the door costing $5. Advance tickets are currently being sold to students for $3.
For more information, visit South Lakes High School online.
Image courtesy South Lakes High School SGA
(This post was edited at 8:45 a.m. Wednesday to correct the date of the incident. Due to an error in the Herndon Police Department report, these arrests were originally reported to have happened Feb. 3.)
A 19-year-old from Reston was jailed after Herndon Police Department officers say he ran from a traffic stop.
According to police, Tyquan Quantae Johnson was pulled over on March 2 in the 800 block of Alabama Drive. As soon as the vehicle stopped, according to the report, Johnson got out and fled on foot.
The Fairfax County Police Department helicopter was involved in the search for Johnson, police say, and he was located in the 400 block of Pickett Lane.
From the report:
“[Johnson] was arrested for driving while suspended, possession of marijuana, eluding on foot and displaying a fictitious license plate. He was transported to Fairfax County Adult Detention Center, where he was held on bond.”
Police say four occupants of the vehicle were also cited for possession of marijuana.
Engineers, artists, scientists and more will bring their latest creations to Reston later this month.
The fourth annual Maker Faire NoVa event will take place Sunday, March 19 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at South Lakes High School and Langston Hughes Middle School.
Featured “makers” at this year’s event will include HackRVA with their giant spirograph, miniature racing quadcopters and more; and DorkPod with their experimental personal-mobility device, among others. More than 100 makers in total are expected to share their knowledge through hands-on projects, demonstrations, workshops and more. Robotics, drones and 3D printers are just some of the many types of technology expected to be on display.
From a press release:
“Maker Faire is a gathering of fascinating, curious people who enjoy learning and who love sharing what they can do. From engineers to artists to scientists to crafters, the Maker Faire provides an opportunity for ‘makers’ to show hobbies, experiments and projects. Tagged ‘The Greatest Show (& Tell) on Earth,’ this glimpse of the future and inspiration is a family-friendly showcase of invention, creativity and resourcefulness.”
The event was known as the Mini Maker Faire in previous years. The “mini” has been dropped from the name this year as the event’s scale and scope have expanded, according to the press release.
In 2016, nearly 200 Maker Faire events were held worldwide.
Advance tickets are $2 for children ages 2-18 and $13 for adults ($10 for seniors) and can be purchased online. Ticket prices increase by $2 at the door. A family ticket package is also available.
Photo from 2015 Mini Maker Faire event by Jennifer van der Kleut
A home in Reston was victim of a nighttime burglary after police say the suspect took a garage door opener from an unlocked vehicle.
Police say the incident took place sometime between 3 and 3:20 a.m. Friday at a residence in the 12100 block of Tryton Way. A purse and wallet were reported missing from the home.
A second burglary was also reported over the weekend on the 1700 block of Beaver Circle. The Fairfax County Police Department says the thief entered the home through a door sometime between 11 p.m. Friday and 7 a.m. Saturday. Small electronic items were reported missing.
Other incidents reported by the FCPD’s Reston District Station in the past week include:
LARCENIES:
9700 block of Locust Hill Drive, sunglasses from vehicle
1600 block of Reston Parkway, merchandise from business
2100 block of Wilkes Court, cellphone from vehicle
1800 block of Cameron Glen Drive, wallet from business
13100 block of Parcher Avenue, merchandise from business
11900 block of Fallen Holly Court, cellphone from school
2500 block of James Madison Circle, wallet from residence
1600 block of Oak Spring Way, pressure washer from residence
2200 block of Wheelwright Court, license plates from vehicle
STOLEN VEHICLES:
None reported
Anyone with information about any of these incidents should call 703-691-2131 or 1-866-411-TIPS(8477), or text “TIP187” plus the message to CRIMES(274637).
Reston Community Players’ performance of “Gypsy” took home five honors Sunday night at the annual Washington Area Community Theatre Honors (WATCH) awards ceremony.
In addition to the awards won by “Gypsy,” the Community Players were also recognized with an award for their performance of “Mary Poppins” to bring their total number of wins for the 2016 season to six.
The full list of awards won Sunday night by Reston Community Players:
- Outstanding Lead Actress in a Musical: Jennifer Lambert (as Rose) in “Gypsy”
- Outstanding Lighting Design in a Musical: Ken and Patti Crowley, “Gypsy”
- Outstanding Sound Design in a Musical: Joshua Redford, “Gypsy”
- Outstanding Costume Design in a Musical: Kathy Dunlap, “Gypsy”
- Outstanding Hair Design in a Musical: Chris Dore, “Gypsy”
- Outstanding Special Effects: Greg Steele, Sara Birkhead and Rich Bird, “Mary Poppins”
The troupe was nominated 23 times, second-most among the 27 participating theater companies.
The next production by the Reston Community Players, “Rock of Ages,” will open Friday night at CenterStage (2310 Colts Neck Road).
Voting in the 2017 Reston Association Board of Directors election begins today and will run through April 3. We will be posting profiles on each of the candidates. Today, we feature David Bobzien, who is unopposed in the race for Apartment Owners’ representative. Profiles of candidates in the three contested races will run following those races’ candidate forums, which are scheduled for later this week.
The profiles are in a Q-and-A format so each candidate has an opportunity to answer the same questions in their own words.
How long have you lived in Reston? What brought you here?
I moved to Reston on March 1, 1975, upon finishing active duty as an Army JAG officer. I had accepted an offer from a Fairfax law firm and needed close-by housing for me, my wife Cathy, and our 3-year-old son. Reston was very new, and it offered a variety of housing that would enable our family to make Reston our “forever” home. Being the son of an Army officer and having attended eight schools in 12 years, we wanted to put down roots, and Reston was perfect for fulfilling that desire. We purchased a townhouse in Pinecrest Cluster and moved to our current house in early 1980.
What inspired you to run for the board?
Since my early days in Reston, I have been active in the community, and in 1989, the Board of Supervisors, at the request of Martha Pennino, appointed me to the Planning Commission to represent what is now the Hunter Mill District. I served on the Planning Commission until I was appointed County Attorney in January 1993. My retirement in July has given me the opportunity to get back to my involvement in Reston. While County Attorney, I represented the Board of Supervisors and the Redevelopment and Housing Authority, which between them own 16 percent of the apartment units in Reston. I now seek to represent them, the other apartment owners and their tenants in a new capacity, that of apartment owners’ representative on the RA Board.
What are the three biggest concerns you have for Reston?
My three biggest concerns are:
1. Maintaining and refurbishing RA’s pools, tennis courts, trails, lakes, and open space and “right sizing” only if community needs can continue to be met;
2. Ensuring that development protects Reston’s open space and is largely confined to transit-oriented locations; and
3. Providing additional recreational facilities only when they are supported by a strong business case that takes into account the existing financial burden on RA members.
What do you hope to accomplish by being on the board?
I hope to give voice to the needs of the apartment owners and their tenants and to do so in a respectful, civil manner. I also hope to use my experience as a long-time Reston resident and a land use practitioner in navigating the many land use matters in which the RA has become increasingly involved.
How will your personal or professional experience help you in your role with RA?
During my four years as Reston’s planning commissioner and over 23 years as County Attorney, I have been intimately involved in Reston’s development. (My office took the lead in thwarting the recent effort to develop the Reston National Golf Course.) I will bring that experience and expertise to the position.
Read more about Bobzien and the other candidates in the 2017 Reston Association election on RA’s website.
Looking for something to do this weekend? Here is a sampling of what’s available in Reston:
- As previously reported, there will be a protest of Reston Town Center paid parking from 1-4 p.m. Saturday. The group plans to march on the perimeter of the Town Center. For more information, visit the event’s Facebook page.
- Reston Town Center will host “Family Fun Saturdays” throughout March to benefit Opportunity Neighborhood: Reston. This week, there will be carousel rides from noon to 5 p.m., free s’mores and hot chocolate, a performance by the Fairfax Jubil-Aires and free ice skating from 1-4 p.m.
- Also at Reston Town Center this weekend are kids’ cooking classes at Il Fornaio and Williams-Sonoma, South Moon Under’s spring launch party, Girl Scout cookie sales and more.
- Youth Art Month at the Greater Reston Arts Center (12001 Market St.) officially kicks off Saturday with an opening reception and Family Day from noon-4 p.m.
- The Reston 10-Miler race is Sunday, beginning at 8 a.m. at South Lakes High School (11400 South Lakes Drive).
- Walker Nature Center (11450 Glade Road) will host an all-ages nature program on raptor exploration Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to noon.
- This will be the final weekend “For the Love of Color” will be on display at the Reston Community Center’s Jo Ann Rose Gallery (1609A Washington Plaza N.).
- Reston Regional Library (11925 Bowman Towne Drive) will host events for kids including a computer coding workshop (Saturday, 11 a.m.) and a visit from the South Lakes High School robotics club (Saturday, 1 p.m.). For adults, the lecture series on World War I continues Sunday at 2 p.m.
- Kalypso’s (1617 Washington Plaza N.) will have music from the Josh Allen Band tonight.
- Jeff From Accounting will play a concert Saturday at 10 p.m. at World of Beer (1888 Explorer St.)
- New Love Animal Rescue plans an animal-adoption event Saturday from noon to 2 p.m. at Pet Valu (1422 North Point Village Center).
The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office arrested a 40-year-old Herndon man on Thursday after they say he stabbed three people in Sterling.
Police say Nelson Urbina-Zalaya is charged with three counts of malicious wounding and is being held without bond at the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center. The charges stem from an altercation shortly after 2 a.m. Wednesday in the 46900 block of Community Plaza.
According to the report, two adult male victims were stabbed during the parking-lot altercation, while a third was hurt when he intervened. All three were taken to the hospital with what police described as non-life-threatening injuries.
The circumstances that led to the assault remain under investigation, police say.
The Fairfax County Department of Transportation has scheduled a community meeting later this month to discuss proposed safety improvements.
According to FCDOT, “road diets” — converting an existing four-lane undivided roadway segment to a three-lane segment consisting of two through-lanes and a center two-way left-turn lane — are being proposed near Tall Oaks Village Center and on Colts Neck Road between Glade Drive and Sunrise Valley Drive.
In addition, bicycle infrastructure improvements are proposed for North Shore Drive, from Ring Road to Wiehle Avenue. Two options are under review:
- Keep existing parking but narrow travel lanes to add bike lanes or shared-lane markings
- Restrict on-street parking to one-side of the street from Ivy Oak Square to Wiehle Avenue, add bike lanes in both directions for this segment; keep existing parking from Ivy Oak Square to Ring Road, and narrow travel lanes to add bike lanes and shared-lane markings.
The narrowing of travel lanes, in the effort to reduce speeding and add bike lanes, is also being proposed on Twin Branches Road between Lawyers Road and South Lakes Drive, as well as on Colts Neck Road between Reston Parkway and Glade Drive. The addition of crosswalks to improve pedestrian safety on Colts Neck Road is also in the proposal.
According to FCDOT, the proposed improvements are limited to changes that can be made with roadway striping as part of the repaving process.
The meeting will be held Thursday, March 16 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. in the cafeteria of Dogwood Elementary School (12300 Glade Drive).
On Fridays, we take a moment to thank our advertisers and sponsors:
Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce, the business community for the vibrant region.
BLVD, Comstock’s apartments at Reston Station.
AKG Design Studio, boutique design firm specializing in kitchen, bathroom designs and cabinetry sales.
Berry & Berry, PLLC, Reston law firm specializing in federal employment, retirement, labor union, and security clearance matters.
Reston Real Estate, Eve Thompson of Long & Foster Real Estate specializes in Reston homes.
Reston Carpet Cleaning, local cleaning service.
Becky’s Pet Care, offering friendly pet services in Northern Virginia.
Reston Community Center, serving Reston’s recreational and cultural needs.
MakeOffices, shared work spaces with five area locations, including Reston.
Boofie O’Gorman, Top Producer Realtor at Long & Foster Reston.
Goldfish Swim School, specializing in children’s swim lessons year-round.
Small Change Consignment, serving Reston’s kids for more than 30 years.
A Cleaning Service, professional residential and commercial cleaning.
Reston Montessori, private co-educational school for children ages 3 months to sixth grade.
Kalypso’s Sports Tavern, providing great food and drink at Lake Anne Plaza.
All Spice Cafe & Catering, bringing flavor to your events.
Bright Horizons at Commerce Metro Center, new child care facility in Reston.
Susannah Palik, residential Sales Agent with Long & Foster Real Estate.
Inform Fitness, personal training studio that offers results with 20-minute workout.
Fusion Academy, accredited private middle and high school for grades 6-12.
Reston Children’s Center, providing care, preschool and private education and summer camp enrichment.
Ryan Homes — Westmoore, Loudoun County’s hottest new Metro community in the heart of Ashburn.
Knutson Brambleton, Loudoun County urban townhomes with yards in the sky.
Knutson Crescent Place, urban townhomes in Leesburg — Loudoun’s authentic town center since 1758.
Eric Carr, John Mooney and Victoria White, candidates for the Reston Association Board of Directors.
This is an open letter submitted by residents of the North Point area, addressed to the Reston Planning & Zoning Committee, Reston Design Review Board, Fairfax County Department of Planning and Zoning, Fairfax County Supervisors, and all affected community members. It does not reflect the opinions of Reston Now.
The undersigned residents of the North Point area of Reston seek your attention and assistance regarding anticipated changes to plans for redevelopment of the St. Johns Wood apartment complex.
The property is located at the intersection of Reston Parkway and Center Harbor Road. Please assure that Bozzuto Development Company Inc. (Bozzuto) provides all affected reviewing authorities and the public-at-large sufficient time and information to review the revised plans that the developer has indicated will be made.
The numerous submissions by Bozzuto for redevelopment of the property, seeking to convert 250 multi-family garden apartments in nine three-story buildings to 467 new apartments and 44 townhomes, have undergone many changes over several years. County Supervisor Cathy Hudgins currently advises on her website, “Bozzuto is in the process of revising their plan; therefore, the public hearing was deferred until May 25, 2017.” This postponement by County Planning follows deferral of review by the Reston Design Review Board in October 2016 and a statement of non-support for the Bozzuto application by the Reston Association in September 2016.
More recently, the Reston Planning & Zoning Committee calendared the review of a yet-to-be publically released revision of the developer’s redevelopment plans for St. Johns Wood. That meeting is scheduled for March 27.
Despite the rapidly approaching dates for Reston Planning & Zoning Committee review and the County Planning public hearing, to date Bozzuto has not provided the public with any information about changes to its application.
If the changes are not significant, it is unconscionable to withhold public scrutiny of this potentially neighborhood-altering project. If, as is suspected, the changes to the application are significant, it is even more imperative that the public be provided meaningful opportunity to examine and comment. This is particularly important given the troubling deficiencies cited by the Reston Design Review Board and the Reston Association.
The St. Johns Wood project will so greatly affect the quality of life, environment, safety and property values of the North Point area of Reston that the project must be reviewed in the most transparent manner possible. Please help!
Susan Barse
Stephen Canner
Mark Clyman
Patricia Lentz
John Mooney
Dabney Narvaez
Linda Platt
Jeanne Vasterling
Parents worried about how to handle situations in which their teens may be involved are invited to participate in an informational event next week at South Lakes High School.
The Unified Prevention Coalition of Fairfax County will present “Saturday Night in the Suburbs” on Wednesday, March 8 at 7 p.m. in the school’s lecture hall. The event will feature a panel of high school seniors talking about drug and alcohol use, teen parties, parent supervision, social media, and teen-parent communication and resiliency.
Jennifer Lewis-Cooper of the Unified Prevention Coalition will facilitate.
“Parents find this to be somewhat eye-opening,” Lewis-Cooper has said about the event. “We will not ask the panel specific names, dates, places of events or put them on the spot — their job is not to ‘snitch’ on others, but to educate parents to understand what teens are dealing with and help parents to set better limits.”
Parents of middle school and high school students are encouraged to attend, and only adults will be admitted. Exhibit tables with information and local resource materials will be available.
For more information about the event, call 703-938-8723 or email [email protected].
