Students at Terraset Elementary School are reducing their plastic use — one straw at a time.
Since the beginning of the year, students are no longing using single-use straws in the cafeteria. Fairfax County Public Schools announced on Tuesday (Jan. 15) that the straw initiative is saving up to 400 straws per day.
An estimated 80,000 straws will be eliminated over the period of one school year.
In addition to the single-use straw ban, Terraset is now encouraging students to trade disposable water bottles in for reusable ones and to use canvas totes instead of plastic bags.
The school’s initiative and recent urging are meant to help students make environmentally-friendly choices.
“Terraset’s students are helping to save the planet and oceans by individual actions that make a big difference,” according to an FCPS press release.
Image via Google Maps
With an inch of snow anticipated tonight and tomorrow, activities at Fairfax County public schools or on school grounds are canceled for this afternoon and evening.
FCPS wrote in a tweet today (Jan. 17) that the “expected wintry weather in our area tonight” prompted the decision.
The School Age Child Care Program will remain open until 6:15 p.m. tonight.
Due to the expected wintry weather in our area later today, all activities scheduled in Fairfax County public schools or on school grounds for this afternoon and evening, Jan. 17, are canceled (Cond 6) https://t.co/zNBBMkehnZ
SACC centers will remain open until 6:15 p.m.— Fairfax Schools 🌟 (@fcpsnews) January 17, 2019
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(Updated at 8:30 a.m.) Fairfax County public schools are set to open two hours late tomorrow (Wednesday).
FCPS tweeted that tomorrow’s scheduled delay is due to “unexpected refreeze of roads and sidewalks overnight.”
School offices and central offices will open on time tomorrow.
Morning preschool classes will be canceled while afternoon preschool classes are set to start on their regular schedule. Full-day preschool and Family and Early Childhood Education Program-Head Start classes will start two hours later than the regular schedule.
Adult and community education classes are set to start on time.
Due to the expected refreeze of roads and sidewalks overnight, all Fairfax County public schools will open 2 hours late Wed., 1/16/19. School offices and central offices will open on time. (Condition 3B) More at: https://t.co/GqzuZiNx8f.
— Fairfax Schools 🌟 (@fcpsnews) January 15, 2019
Photo via vantagehill/Flickr
As the longest government shutdown in U.S. history continues, Fairfax County Public Schools is offering resources to furloughed government workers after most missed their first paycheck of the shutdown last Friday (Jan. 11).
FCPS plans to hold a second hiring event for furloughed federal employees interested in substitute teaching positions.
The hiring event last week hit capacity. The event is set for tomorrow (Jan. 15) from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the FCPS Administration Center at 8115 Gatehouse Road in Falls Church, Va. Participants are encouraged beforehand to register, complete an application for employment and bring original documents required for the I-9 form I-9.
FCPS’s “No Student Will Go Hungry” program is supporting families affected by the federal government shutdown by providing breakfast and lunch to all students regardless of their ability to pay or temporary financial circumstances. FCPS will also allow unpaid balances to accrue during the shutdown.
Furloughed workers can also look at Fairfax County’s resources online, including a Human Services Guide to seek assistance from nonprofits and a list of free or low-cost events at county libraries and parks.
The county also plans to have a “Stuff the Bus” event on Saturday (Jan. 19) where locals can bring food and cash donations to support local nonprofit food pantries. One of the collection spots will be the Fox Mill Giant (2551 John Milton Drive) in Herndon from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Food, utility and rent assistance is available from the county’s Health and Human Services agencies.
https://twitter.com/MayaErgas/status/1083807022137647105
We are aware that the effects of a prolonged federal government shutdown may be having an impact on the lives of many families living in #FairfaxCounty. We are here to assist those families during this time: https://t.co/RWHzcDPgLV
— Fairfax County Government 🇺🇸 (@fairfaxcounty) January 10, 2019
FCPS offers support to families impacted by the partial federal government shutdown; will provide meals to all students regardless of ability to pay and plans hiring event for furloughed employees. https://t.co/Mb7d8Kaqmv
— Fairfax Schools 🌟 (@fcpsnews) January 8, 2019
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The Herndon High School is on track with its renovations as the school works to have new additions open by the time the 2019-2020 school year kicks off.
Assistant Principal Jim Hannon told Reston Now that the school plans on having the north addition ready for students and staff for the start of the new school year in the fall.
The 74,000-sqaure-foot addition will house the science and world languages departments, along with new classroom space for the mathematics, computer science, career and technical education and English as a second language (ESOL) programs.
Meanwhile the front addition will have the main office and Student Services Office on the main level with a new 18,000-square-foot library on the second floor, he said. That addition is also slated to be ready for the start of the 2019 school year.
“We are very excited about the pace of work, the progress and the coordination between Fairfax County Public Schools Design and Construction, Hughes Group Architects and the general contractor — Grunley Corp.,” Hannon wrote in an email.
The rest of the project includes renovating locker rooms, art rooms, the gym, music rooms, the cafeteria, the stadium press box and tennis courts.
This is the school’s first renovation since 1991.
By the 2022-2023 school year, more than 100,000 square feet of space will have been added to the school.
Photos via Jim Hannon
The Fairfax County Public School’s Capital Improvement Plan (CIP), scheduled for review later this month, still leaves a planned nearby high school unfunded as local crowding increases.
The new high school is planned for somewhere along the Dulles Suburban Corridor to take students coming up through McNair, Coates and Hutchison elementary schools.
The high school’s location has not been selected yet, and school officials at prior meetings said they are relying on proffers from developers and negotiations with applicants to see if land for a new high school can be provided.
While South Lakes High School sits at 92 percent capacity, the surrounding Herndon, Madison and Oakton high schools all exceed 100 percent capacity. The CIP’s school capacity chart for the 2018-2019 school year shows Oakton High School at 131 percent capacity. The school year 2023-24 projections show South Lakes High School’s capacity increasing from 92 percent to 97 percent.
The CIP also notes that capacity enhancement additions will be needed at Madison High School to accommodate for the forecasted capacity needs, though those additions remain unfunded.
The high school planned for the western party of the county to relieve schools around Oakton and Herndon is not the only new school lacking funds. A new elementary school along the Metro’s Silver Line also remains unfunded.
As plans move along for greater levels of residential density in Reston, local residents expressed concerns at meetings last year that FCPS is waiting until new development starts to overcrowd the schools before taking action to address capacity. School officials stated that the new developments are not anticipated to bring in high numbers of new students.
A public hearing for the CIP will be held next Tuesday (Jan. 8) before a final decision, which is scheduled for Jan. 24.
Photo via FCPS
Fairfax County’s Board of Supervisors Chairman Sharon Bulova announced today (Dec. 6) her plans to retire after her term ends Dec. 31, 2019. Her departure adds to the list of supervisors who have also decided to retire.
Supervisors Linda Smyth, for the Providence District, and John Cook, for the Braddock District, recently said that they won’t seek reelection.
Lee District Supervisor Jeff McKay plans to run for the top seat, as well as Springfield District Supervisor Pat Herrity, who faces a Democratic challenger for his district seat, The Washington Post reported. The upcoming election for the county’s Board of Supervisors will take place on Nov. 5, 2019.
Bulova, who hits the 10-year mark in February for leading the board, joined the board in 1988 as the Braddock District Supervisor.
The announcement arrived in her monthly newsletter. In one section, she wrote:
Local government is an awesome place to be. It’s the level of government closest to the people you represent. It’s the place where you can truly make a tangible difference, touch lives, and engage with the community in a personal, positive way. Deciding when to stop is just as hard as making the decision to start down the road of elective office. For me, however, that time has come.
When questioned by Tony Olivo of the Washington Post about my plans for running, I told him I was going to use the Thanksgiving holiday to think about it, and to talk to my family and friends. On Thanksgiving Day my son David arrived for dinner equipped with a large flip chart and colored stickies for voting. He titled the Chart “Family Decision Making Matrix” and separated it into “Pros” and “Cons.” It was a fun, light-hearted after dinner activity. Many of the items listed on the “Pro” side of the chart were some of the reasons that had already persuaded me to not seek another four-year term. More time with family and grandchildren, time for travel, to entertain, to smell the roses. It has been an honor to serve the Fairfax County community on the Board of Supervisors. During these past thirty years, I have been privileged to work alongside dedicated elected officials at every level of government, with talented, caring county staff and a county full of enthusiastic community volunteers. While I will not be running for re-election in 2019 I sure do have a lot to look back on with satisfaction.
Congress members representing Virginia have applauded Bulova’s leadership style and accomplishments.
“As former mayor to a city of 200,000 people, I have enormous respect for Sharon Bulova’s leadership of a county of 1.1 million,” Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) said in a statement. “Over the past 30 years, Fairfax County’s population has grown by nearly half, and Sharon’s service during that time has played a major role in ensuring the prosperity and quality of life accompanying that growth.”
U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.), who was the chairman before Bulova, said in a statement that Bulova “is a true community treasure,” whose time on the board will be remembered for decency and commitment to improving Fairfax County.
“Under her leadership, she turned the idea of the Virginia Railway Express into a reality,” Connolly said. “As Chairman, she guided the county through the worst of the Great Recession, while still maintaining the critical investments and services that Fairfax residents have come to expect.”
Reston Now reached out to Hunter Mill District Supervisor Cathy Hudgins for a comment and has not heard back.
Pat Hynes, the Hunter Mill District representative for Fairfax County Public Schools, board supervisors and Eileen Filler-Corn, a member of the Virginia House of Delegates representing Fairfax County, took to Twitter this afternoon:
https://twitter.com/VotePatHynes/status/1070702751565443073
Congratulations to Supervisor Linda Smyth (Providence District) on announcing her retirement at today’s Board meeting. Thank you for your years of dedication and service to Fairfax County.
— Supervisor Pat Herrity (@PatHerrity) December 4, 2018
.@SharonBulova is a great example of collaborative leadership. No one has been better at pulling together disparate views and finding consensus on difficult issues. 2/3
— John Cook (@JohnCookVA) December 6, 2018
We didn’t always agree, but @SharonBulova was a fair leader who gave everyone a fair shot. Can’t ask for more from a Board Chair. The people of @fairfaxcounty have been well served. 3/3
— John Cook (@JohnCookVA) December 6, 2018
Thank you Chairman @SharonBulova for your tireless work, first as Braddock Supervisor and then as Chairman of the @fairfaxcounty Board of Supervisors. You have been an incredible advocate for our county and an incredible mentor to me and so many women and men. (1/2) pic.twitter.com/etFn46MB54
— Eileen Filler-Corn (@EFillerCorn) December 6, 2018
Photo via Fairfax County. Second photo via Evan Michio Cantwell.
All Fairfax County Public Schools will open two hours late tomorrow (Friday), ushering in a second day of weather-related impacts on schools.
School offices and central offices will remain open. All county public schools were closed today due to snowy conditions.
Photo via Twitter user @MrErrett
(Updated at 8:10 a.m.)
Fairfax County Public Schools and school facilities will be closed today (Thursday) as a winter weather advisory has been put into effect for Fairfax County. Schools were originally only set for a two hour delay.
From 4 a.m. to 1 p.m. today (Thursday), the National Weather Service is warning residents throughout the Washington, D.C. area to expect up to one inch of sleet and snow, with ice accumulations of up to a tenth of an inch.
NWS says the icy conditions could mean slippery roads and sidewalk conditions in some areas. Here’s more from the NWS alert:
Be very careful if you venture outside tomorrow. Watch your first few steps in particular as your step or path may be coated with ice.
A Winter Weather Advisory means that periods of snow, sleet or freezing rain will cause travel difficulties. Expect slippery
roads and limited visibilities, and use caution while driving.
Fairfax County Government officials remind commuters and residents to take the following precautions as they head out today:
• Make sure your vehicle is ready for winter, checking that your lights, oil, antifreeze, brakes, tires and windshield wipers are in good shape.
• Ensure your headlights are on day or night during inclement weather.
• Leave a few minutes early when driving in inclement weather.
• Keep an eye out for black ice and be aware of potentially icy areas such as bridges.
• Create a safe stopping distance between your car and other vehicles.
• If it does snow, be sure to clear ice and snow from your car’s roof, hood and trunk – and especially from windows, mirrors and lights. Don’t try to drive before your car is defrosted!
Photo via National Weather Service
A new preschool preparation program is coming to Reston Community Center on Tuesday mornings from Oct. 2 to May 14. Children can attend the free program with a parent or guardian and learn more about the tools, skills, and confidence needed to transition from home to school.
The program is made possible through RCC’s partnership with Fairfax County Public Schools and Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters, a national program that partners with parents to help children transition to school. Adults will receive training and materials for reading, writing, language, math and motor development. Materials will be available in English and Spanish.
RCC’s executive director Leila Gordon said the program is a “vital resource” for area families. “The transition from home to kindergarten is a big leap into a brand new world. Preschool Prep will take the fear away and make sure that leap has a happy landing,” Gordon said.
During weekly meetings, adults and children will meet a HIPPY instructor to learn new skills and chart progress. Registration is open online.
Sessions will take place between 9:30-10:30 a.m. for three-year-olds. Two slots are offered for four-year-olds between 10:45 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. and between 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m.
File photo
Kids are first, aren’t they? — Kids R First is back for its 20th anniversary as the Reston-based organization helps public schools kid from Northern Virginia with its school supply distribution program. [The Connection]
The official version of events — “Reston Gateway will greet Silver Line riders with 4.8 million square feet of mixed-use development at the north entrance to the Reston Town Center Metro Station. The Board of Supervisors approved the aptly named new development on July 31 and it marks the first major new development on the north side of this station.” [Fairfax County Government]
Bookmobile is going places — As of yesterday, Herndon Elementary School’s summer bookmobile has distributed more than 3,500 books to children in Herndon. [Twitter]
Flickr pool photo by vantagehill
(Editor’s Note: This story was updated at 4:45 p.m. to remove unclear information about the number of total available seats in the South Lakes Pyramid.)
Local citizen representatives pressed county and school officials on how the school system will mitigate the impact of planned and future development on Reston’s public schools Tuesday night.
The meeting, the third in a series on the county’s proposal to increase the community’s population density, highlighted a major obstacle in managing increased school enrollment: limited and uncertain funding to meet future needs.
Kevin Sneed, who oversees design and construction services for the school system, said new development is not expected to generate many students because of the style of new multi-family units.
Two residential buildings recently built in Tysons generated only 21 students, Sneed said. Student enrollment from new residential development in Reston is expected to increase in the next 20-25 years, he said. Meanwhile, the school system must balance the need for renovations at several schools.
The site for a new high school in the area — especially along the Dulles Suburban Corridor where McNair, Coates and Hutchison Elementary Schools are served — is critical. However, the school system is constrained by lack of funding to purchase a new property. And current plans to mitigate the future impact of development on schools likely will not kick in until development actually takes place, Sneed said. Development may go live years after it is approved by the county, he said.
Stu Gibson, a former school board member of 16 years, said building capacity only once the students impact the system is a “disturbing” strategy. Gibson said he was concerned that the county is planning for additional residences before the infrastructure is in place to handle additional growth — a mode of operation that he said goes against Reston’s comprehensive plan.
Instead of purchasing land, the county and the school system are relying on proffers from developers and negotiating with applicants to see if land for a new high school can be provided, according to Leslie Johnson, the county’s zoning administrator. So far, those negotiations have been unsuccessful. But talks are underway on the county-level to change the formula used to determine how much developers pay based on the expected impact of the development on area schools.
Others worried that viable land for a new school may be limited, especially when parking lots and aging office parks that could be the site for a future school are redeveloped into mixed-use projects.
Johnson said the county is closely evaluating the impact of each development proposal on fire services, schools, parks and other public infrastructure.
“We are keeping track of the cumulative impact, but, at some point, there will be a trigger for some type of development,” Johnson said.
When and how that trigger comes forward remains unclear.
File photo
Conviction upheld for Reston woman — A federal appeals court upheld convictions and prison sentences of two women, including a Reston resident, for using an internet chat room to raise money for al-Shabab, a Somali militant group. [The Inquirer]
Nearby: Transparency concerns — “School resource officers have become a familiar sight in Fairfax County middle and high schools over the past two decades, but questions about how they should balance their dual role as school administrators and law enforcement officials.” [Fairfax County Times]
Nearby: Lip sync challenge — Local police participate in a lip sync challenge for Bebe Rexha’s song “Mean to Be.” Since it was released late last week, the video has more than 24,000+ views. [Fairfax County Police Department]
Photo submitted by Gail Crockett
The medical staff of Reston Hospital Center awarded seventeen area high school graduates with scholarships this year. The awards are given to students to recognize their academic excellence and desire to pursue a career in healthcare.
RHC offers $15,000 in scholarships annually. At an award ceremony hosted by RHC, John Deardorff, President and CEO of RHC and HCA’s Northern Virginia Market, said, “These students are well deserving of the medical staff scholarships as they begin their journeys of exploring careers in the healthcare field. We hope that one day they return to their roots as members of our local medical community.”
The scholarship winners for 2018 are as follows:
- Natalie Rothrock – Briar Woods High School
- Jakob Cohen – Broad Run High School
- Ria Grover – Centreville High School
- Amara Novotny – Chantilly High School
- Arman Daneshpayeh – Chantilly High School
- Agota Banks – Dominion High Schoo
- Pranavi Palliniti – Dominion High School
- Yousef Hassan Elgodamy – Herndon High School
- Minnie Suki Nguyen – Herndon High School
- Katherine Elizabeth Priester – James Madison High School
- Yusuf Masser Bade – Langley High School
- Shreya Dalal – Oakton High School
- Khanh Nguyen – Park View High School
- Ashlin Rain Murphy – Potomac Falls High School
- Tashfia Anaan Emdad – Potomac Falls High School
- Aishwarya Jadhav – South Lakes High School
- Ruma S. Jadhav – South Lakes High School
Photo via RHC
Chalk on the water — Unleash your creativity this weekend as Lake Anne Plaza’s ground becomes a canvas for amateur and professional artists alike. [Public Art Reston]
Stateside: June 12 — The primary elections in Virginia and Fairfax County are on Tuesday, June 12. All 243 precincts will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. [Fairfax County Government]
Happening nearby: motorized partitions — “Schools in Fairfax County, Virginia, will be allowed to use motorized panel doors again after a little boy died in a “tragic accident” at his elementary school. Wesley Lipicky was killed on May 18 after he was crushed between a motorized panel and a wall.” [NBC4]
Flickr pool photo by vantagehill
