South Lakes High School is among 11 Fairfax County High Schools that made gains in all three SAT areas this year.
FCPS released SAT results for the class of 2015 last week. South Lakes had average scores of 561 (reading), 565 (math) and 543 (writing). That is up from 550, 554 and 530 for the class of 2014.
Herndon High’s averages were 543 (reading), 553 (math) and 532 (writing). Those numbers were down in all three subject areas as the class of 2014 averages were 557 (R), 565 (M), and 542 (W).
Overall, students in the FCPS’ class of 2015 continued to post SAT scores above state and national averages, according to results released by the Virginia Department of Education.
FCPS scores are 41 points above the state’s average in Critical Reading, 58 points above the state’s average in Mathematics, and 47 points above the state’s average in Writing.
SAT results compiled by the College Board show that FCPS students posted average scores of 556 in Critical Reading, 571 in Mathematics, and 542 in Writing. That equals an overall composite score of 1669, up one point from last year’s overall composite score of 1668, FCPS said in a release.
National SAT averages are 492 (R), 503 (M) and 480 (W).
FCPS average scores increased 1 point in Mathematics and remained the same in Critical Reading and Writing when compared to 2014 results. See how the schools compare in this FCPS chart.
Among the other schools showing gains in all three areas: Annandale, Centreville, Chantilly, Edison, Fairfax, McLean, Stuart, West Springfield, and Woodson High Schools and Robinson Secondary School.
Of the 25 high schools in FCPS, 13 saw an increase in their Critical Reading average, 15 saw an increase in their Mathematics average, and 13 saw an increase in their Writing average over last year, FCPS says.
FCPS has broken down results in various categories. See more on the FCPS website.
The SAT test will undergo major changes in 2016, says The College Board. The test wil revert back from a total possible score of 2400 to a total of 1600. The format of some questions will change, and the essay portion, added in 2005, will become optional.
There will be a celebration of life Sunday for longtime Herndon High Latin teacher Christine Sleeper, who died earlier this year in New Hampsire at age 98.
Sleeper would have turned 99 on on Sunday (Sept. 20). The celebration will be held at Herndon High School, 700 Bennett Street, at 1 p.m. Sleeper taught at Herndon High from 1970 to 2000.
A native of New Hampshire, Sleeper was a graduate of the University of New Hampshire and Radcliffe College. According to an obituary, she also earned her pilot license at age 25 in 1941.
Sleeper was an air traffic controller at Boston’s Logan Airport in 1944 and volunteered for the Red Cross and served in Europe during the end of World War II. She married Col. Raymond S. Sleeper of Laconia, NH, in 1946 and raised six children while moving every few years to a new Air Force base.
Sleeper taught at several places before settling in Herndon.
“Christine never stopped learning while she travelled the world-she took her Latin students and herself, alone, to dozens of countries across the entire planet,” said the death notice written by her family. “Her children, her students, and her teaching colleagues remember Christine as creative, energetic, willing to help anyone learn, and always prepared to Carpe Diem!”
Sleeper had this to say about teaching, according to a book her family organized on her long life:
“Mine has been a lifelong love affair with Latin. It is a vibrant, multifaceted subject. When you teach Latin, you teach about life — about philosophy, mythology, language and derivatives. You learn about ancient times and ancient thought. If you know how things were before, you know what’s good about today. If you’ve had Latin, you’re a better writer; a better speaker, and a better person.”
Sleeper was a founder of the National Latin Exam in 1976. She also was Virginia’s Distinguished Foreign Language Teacher of the Year in 1980.
Christine Sleeper/Family photo
There are several upcoming funeral and memorial services for the three former Herndon High School students who were killed in a Texas car crash last Friday.
Holly Novak, 18, Kyle Mathers, 19, and Dale Neibaur, 19, were killed when a wrong-way driver slammed into them near Dallas as they headed to a video game convention last week. The driver, Kenneth Frazier, 78, also died in the crash.
Two other teens in the SUV, Kevin DiCicco and Hannah Galbraith, both students at University of Mary Washington, were injured in the crash. They are continuing to recover in a hospital.
Novak, Mathers, Neibaur and DiCicco were all members of the Pride of Herndon Marching Band. They graduated in 2014.
Kyle Mathers
Mathers’ funeral will be today at 11 a.m. at Trinity Presbyterian Church, 651 Dranesville Rd. in Herndon.
In lieu of flowers, donations of remembrance can be made to the Herndon Band Relief Fund, which will help the families with funeral expenses.
Holly Novak
A funeral for Holly Novak, who lived in Reston, will be Saturday in Calumet, Mich.
There will also be a local memorial service on Monday, Aug. 17 at 3 p.m. at Reston Bible Church, 45650 Oakbrook Ct, Sterling. A reception will follow the service for friends and family.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to either of Holly’s favorite charities:
The Herndon Relay for Life event for the American Cancer Society (you can donate in Holly’s name via this link on the Relay for Life site) or to the Herndon Band.
Dale Neibaur
A Memorial Service for Dale Neibaur will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday at Trinity Presbyterian Church, 651 Dranesville Rd, Herndon. A reception will follow the service in the Fellowship Hall.
Neibaur’s family also requests memorial donations to the Herndon Band Relief Fund.
On Sunday, hundreds of current and former Herndon High School band members, along with friends and family, attended an emotional joint vigil at Trinity Presbyterian.
Community members are also organizing meals and restaurant gift cards for the families for the coming weeks. Follow this Sign Up Genius link if you wish to contribute.
Hundreds of Herndon High School friends, families, students and former students gathered at Trinity Presbyterian Church on Sunday to remember the three Class of 2014 graduates killed in a Texas car crash on Friday and offer prayers for the two teens still recovering in a Dallas hospital.
Holly Novak, 18, of Reston, and Dale Neibaur and Kyle Mathers, both 19, died in the crash near Greenville, Texas, after a wrong way driver hit their SUV about 2 a.m. on Friday. The 78-year-old driver, Kenneth Frazier, also died in the accident.
Two others, Kevin DiCicco, 19, of Herndon, and Hannah Galbraith, 18, of Virginia Beach, were injured in the accident.
The five were heading to a video game convention in Austin when the accident occurred.
Four of the teens were former Pride of Herndon band members: Novak (drum major), Mathers (pep band manager), Neibaur (trombone section leader) and DiCicco (pit section leader).
Mathers was a member of Trinity Presbyterian, where Assistant Pastor Rebecca Messman spoke fondly of him.
“These were the best of friends,” she said. “Kyle was the leader of our youth group. We were so proud of who they were. The outpouring of support for our community has been unbelievable.”
“We are facing unspeakable grief,” she said. “But we will get through this together.”
Herndon Mayor Lisa Merkel said she has been touched by the community support.
“It is a just a tragedy for these families,” she said. “The community is coming together to support them the best we can. It says a lot of about Herndon.”
The prayer service and gathering was closed to media, but many current and former band members brought instruments to honor their friends with music. Memorial ribbons in red and black — Herndon High’s colors — were distributed to all attendees.
There has been a fund set up to help the families of Mathers, Novak and Neibaur with funeral expenses. To donate, send a check to Trinity Presbyterian Church, 651 Dranesville Road, Herndon, VA 20170-3308. Attention: Herndon Band Relief Fund. (If you want a tax-deduction receipt, attach to your check the note saying, “please send tax deduction form.”)
Friends of Galbraith have set up a Go Fund Me page to aid with medical expenses for DiCicco and Galbraith, who are both students at University of Mary Washington.
There will be grief counselors available at Herndon High on Monday, school principal William Bates said.
Photos: Top – Memorial rock at Herndon High painted Saturday; Bottom – Kyle Mathers, Holly Novak and Dale Neibaur/Courtesy Pride of Herndon Band via Facebook
The two teenagers who survived a car crash that killed three recent graduates of Herndon High School remain hospitalized in Dallas, Texas Department of Public Safety officials said.
Hannah Galbraith, 18, of Virginia Beach, and Kevin DiCicco, 19, of Herndon, both rising sophomores at University of Mary Washington, are being treated at Parkland Hospital in Dallas.
Their friends Kyle Mathers, Dale Neibaur and Holly Novak — all members of the Herndon High School Class of 2014 — were killed in the accident early Friday morning.
Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper Kyle Bradford said the accident occurred about 2 a.m., when an elderly wrong-way driver hit the teens’ SUV head-on as they drove down Interstate 30 heading to a weekend video game conference in Austin.
The wrong-way driver and the SUV were then hit by an 18-wheeler. The truck driver was not injured. The wrong-way driver, Kenneth Frazier, 78, was also killed, as was his dog, Bradford said.
Bradford told Reston Now there appears to be no evidence of alcohol or drugs for Frazier, but toxicology results will take several weeks.
“There is nothing that stood out,” he said. “No beer cans or anything. Most often investigations like this lead to alcohol or drugs, but sometimes it can lead to an elderly driver with impairments.”
Herndon Principal William Bates sent an email to families late Friday.
“Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families and friends of these young people,” he said. “We think of Herndon High School as one big family, and we mourn the loss of these three young people who had such promising futures.”
Bates said counselors will be at Herndon High School next week in the event that anyone needs to talk to them.
Four of the teens were former Hornet marching band members: Novak (drum major), Mathers (pep band manager), Neibaur (trombone section leader) and DiCicco (pit section leader; also a 2014 graduate), the Pride of Herndon Band Facebook page confirmed.
Herndon High Band Director Kathleen Jacoby said the four former Herndon students really helped set the tone for today’s marching band.
“They were known for taking underclassmen under their wing,” she said. “They really shaped the way our band is now.”
Jacoby said the band community is “full of grief and in a state of shock right now.” Students and former students gathered late into the night Friday sharing stories and making a poster board of memories of their friends.
There will be a vigil for the five Sunday at 6 p.m. at Trinity Presbyterian Church, 651 Dranesville Rd., in Herndon. Read More
Three teenagers who graduated from Herndon High in 2014 were killed early this morning after a driver going the wrong way slammed into their car on a Texas highway.
Texas Department of Public Safety officials confirmed Kyle Mathers, 19, Holly Novak, 18, and Dale Neibaur, 19, died in the crash near Greenville, Tex.
Two others, Kevin DiCicco, 19, and Hannah Galbraith, 18, were injured in the crash and are at Parkland Hospital in Dallas.
Four of the students were former Hornet band members: Novak (drum major), Mathers (pep band manager), Neibaur (trombone section leader) and DiCicco (pit section leader), the Pride of Herndon Band Facebook page confirmed.
Novak lived with her mother in Reston and “was the sweetest and kindest girl ever,” a neighbor said. Novak was a student at Northern Virginia Community College.
Authorities said the teens were heading to a music festival when the fiery crash occurred on Interstate 30.
The teenagers’ SUV was struck head-on by a wrong-way driver at 1:50 a.m., Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper Kyle Bradford said.
An 18-wheeler driving behind the accident could not stop in time and slammed into both the SUV and the wrong-way driver’s car. Both vehicles caught fire.
The wrong-way driver, identified as Kenneth G. Frazier, 78, of Royce City, Tex. was also killed in the crash, as was his dog.
Photos: Kyle Mathers, left; Holly Novak, right/Credit: Herndon High Yearbook
Fairfax County Police have charged two adults and two youths in connection with back-to-back vandalism cases at South Lakes and Herndon High Schools in early June.
Ryan Jeffrey Wait, 18, Reston and a 17-year-old male from the Reston area have been charged with one count of defacing public property, a misdemeanor, for the vandalism at Herndon High School.
Two males are charged in the South Lakes High School vandalism, Crimesolvers said. A warrant is outstanding for an 18-year-old Reston-area man who is out of the area for the summer. A 17-year-old male from the Herndon area was also charged with one count of defacing public property.
The first incident occurred at Herndon High School early on June 1. The incident at SLHS occurred between 11 p.m. on Saturday, June 6, and 1:50 p.m. on Sunday, June 7, police said.
In both cases, athletic turf fields and other outdoor property were defaced with racial, sexual and other epithets and images. Police said more than $6,000 in damage was caused to both fields.
Hunter Mill officials issued a statement that racist graffiti is “intolerable in our community.”
Crimesolvers had offered a reward for information leading to an arrest. Crimesolvers said Tuesday that the charges did not come from Crimesolvers tips, however.
Photo: Vandalism at Herndon High
Fairfax County Crime Solvers are seeking the public’s help in identifying the suspects who recently vandalized football fields at Herndon High School and South Lakes High School.
The first incident occurred at Herndon High School between early on June 1. The second incident, at SLHS occurred 11 p.m. on Saturday, June 6, and 1:50 p.m. on Sunday, June 7, police said.
The suspects spray-painted derogatory, racist language and profane images on the football fields of both schools, causing more than $6,000 in damage to both turf fields.
Hunter Mill and Dranesville Supervisors and School Board members called the graffiti “intolerable.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Solvers by phone at 1-866-411-TIPS(8477), e-mail at www.fairfaxcrimesolvers.org or text “TIP187” plus your message to CRIMES(274637)**.
A $100 to $1,000 cash reward will be paid for information that leads to an arrest. As always, callers never have to give their names or appear in court.
Photo: Graffiti on Herndon High’s football field
As Jeff Spicoli said to teacher Mr. Hand when his pizza was delivered in Fast Times at Ridgemont High, “What’s wrong with a little snack on our time?”
Apparently, enough to ask Herndon High School students to cut it out.
The end of the school year has seen a rise in the number of students and teachers ordering food to be delivered to the school. It is causing front-office stress to the administration, which has asked everyone to stop.
In an email to families, Herndon High administrators reminded parents that food delivery is against Fairfax County Public Schools rules — and that students could get detention.
“Food deliveries are problematic for the main office staff – regarding time and money,” the e-mail reads. “Students may not place orders for delivery during the school day. This is against FCPS School Board regulation, and the food, tips, and payments take up time of our staff. If we receive student orders, our main office staff will deny the order. If students receive orders at any door in the building, they will be assigned after school detention.”
HHS reminded teachers that they may order for themselves and other staff but have to receive the food themselves — no sending students down to the door with dollars, even for the class pizza party.
Finally, HHS says it has seen too many parents dropping off food for their kids during the school day.
“Parents, please do not bring food to your students during the school day if at all possible,” HHS administrators said. “Food often stays in the main office all day and the student doesn’t pick it up. This also becomes difficult for staff to manage and the smell in the main office is often potent. We do not have the staffing to deliver all the food to students that are coming to our office.”
Fairfax County supervisors and school board members are speaking up in response to racist, profane and anti-semitic graffiti at Herndon High School last week.
There has since been similar incident at South Lakes High School, but a joint statement by Hunter Mill Supervisor Cathy Hudgins and school board rep Pat Hynes and Dranesville Supervisor John Foust and school board member Jane Strauss was issued prior to Sunday’s SLHS vandalism.
No suspects have been charged.
The representatives say the behavior is “intolerable in our community.”
“It does not represent the inclusive community that we strive to make possible in Fairfax County,” the reps said.
Here’s the statement:
Last weekend, vile hate speech and derogatory symbols were found defacing property at Herndon High School. We stand together, all saying that this behavior is intolerable in our community. This action represents some of the worst intolerance that we have seen, and does not represent the inclusive community that we strive to make possible in Fairfax County.
This action is intended to demean and diminish members of our community. The symbols depicted at Herndon High School represent hate and inhumanity. We will not stand for this behavior in our school system, or in the greater Fairfax County community.
We will not allow our schools to become a platform for hatred and intolerance of any group or individual. Moreover, we must use this occasion in a positive way, to teach respect and tolerance and to demonstrate how the diversity of our county enriches all our lives.
This is a horrific example, but we must take it as an opportunity to further build an inclusive community for all.
Photo: Graffiti at Herndon High School
Herndon High School’s Class of 2015 will move on to 73 college and universities in the fall.
While the students will be spread out from New England to California, a majority will be staying here in Virginia.
Among the colleges that will see the highest number of Hornets:
- George Mason University, 25
- James Madison University, 23
- Northern Virginia Community College, 131
- Virginia Commonwealth University, 28
- Virginia Tech, 27
- University of Virginia, 20
- William and Mary, 8
South Lakes High School’s list was published in a previous Reston Now story.
See the entire list below.
Herndon High School was hit with several incidents of graffiti, school officials and students discovered on Monday.
The school’s football field and nearby outdoor areas were defaced, including using anti-semitic and racial slurs and offensive sexual images.
Fairfax County Police said a morning incident in which the police helicopter was nearby the school on Bennett Street was unrelated to the graffiti incident. In the helicopter search, police were looking for a man who was involved in illegal activity, possibly drug-related, at Dranesville Road and Route 7.
Police did not catch the suspect, Officer Don Gotthardt said.
Herndon Principal William Bates says the school is working with police to catch the vandals.
“We have taken steps to begin the process to clean the surfaces that were vandalized,” he said. “This is a criminal act and we will be working closely with law enforcement to hold the perpetrator(s) accountable. “
Anyone with information is asked to contact Fairfax County Police at 703-691-2131.
Herndon High School’s spring musical Children of Eden opens Friday.
The play is a twist on the biblical book of Genesis, including the journey from Eden to Noah and his Ark.
The musical, which first premiered in the 1980s, was created by Stephen Schwartz (Wicked, Pippin and Godspell)
The show also features art work by Herndon High studio art students.
Shows are Friday, Saturday (7:30 p.m.) and Sunday (2 p.m.) at Herndon High, 700 Bennett St. See the cast list and purchase tickets on the Herndon Drama website.
Photo: Children of Eden/Courtesy Herndon High
Herndon High Principal William Bates has been been named the 2015 Fairfax County Public Schools’ Principal of the Year.
Bates, who has served as principal at Herndon High School since 2009 and has worked for Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) for 15 years, was also selected as a recipient of the Washington Post Distinguished Educational Leadership Award. Bates is one of 21 principals representing the public school systems in the Washington, D.C., area and private schools selected by the Washington Post for the award.
Bates’ philosophy: “We are educators because we are Hopeologists. Our world needs more Hopeologists, because children without hope become children without a future.”
At Herndon High, Bates has put that into practice. His mission for the school is”All Hornets are capable of Success…No Exceptions!”
“He believes in shared leadership and values the benefit of collaboration from multiple stakeholders, she said, adding that his administrative style offers many leadership opportunities for staff members while challenging them to seek strategies supporting the school’s mission,” said Herndon High teacher Claire Silva, one of the staff members who nominated Bates.
FCPS says that Bates’ mission “drives everything at Herndon, from the development of a professional learning community focused on student achievement via professional development for teachers, to the establishment of a curriculum support specialist who works with the instructional and assessment coaches to manage the school-wide data monitoring system used for academic intervention purposes. “
“With his backing, Herndon High and the Herndon Pyramid have adopted the Kids at Hope program, a national program that inspires organizations serving youth to create an environment where all children experience success.”
Bates has also improved school spirit and unity by implementing the PRIDE (participation, respect, integrity, diligence, and empathy) matrix that is followed by students and staff. The word pride can be found throughout the school.
Bates engages Herndon students at a monthly pizza lunch, with wide-ranging topics.
“It is with each child in mind that he has artfully created an environment conducive to learning, fostering creativity, and personal development,” says teacher and nominator Stephanie Stewart said in a statement. “With each initiative, Herndon High School has experienced much success in creating the desired portrait of a graduate paralleling the FCPS initiative of developing the whole child. Our students are well-rounded, creative, and compassionate individuals who are challenged and excelling while making a difference.”
Bates earned a bachelor of science degree in therapeutic recreation from Slippery Rock University, a master’s in special education from California University of Pennsylvania, and an administrative endorsement in educational leadership from George Mason University.
He joined FCPS in 1999 as a special education teacher at South Lakes High School, served as a LEAD administrative intern at Fairfax High School, and was an assistant principal at Centreville High School and Herndon High School before being named principal at HHS. Bates currently serves as president of the FCPS High School Principals Association.
Photo: Herndon Principal William Bates/Courtesy FCPS
Opening tonight in Reston and Herndon: annual musical revues from the schools’ choral departments.
South Lakes High School will present its 10th annual Broadway Night, where more than 200 students and feature selected numbers from the last 10 years of shows. SLHS Choral students also assume leadership roles, running every aspect of the show: performing, directing, production, technical theatre, publicity, costuming, and choreography.
Show dates are Friday at 7 p.m and Saturday at 3 and 7 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online or at the door. Tickets start at $8.
Over at Herndon High, choir students will present their annual Broadway Cabaret. This year’s theme is “The Streets of New York,” and students will present numbers from shows such as Annie, Newsies, Anything Goes and 42nd Street, among others.
Performances are Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $5 and can be purchased at the door.
Photo: Herndon students in dress rehearsal for this weekend’s Cabaret/Courtesy of HHS
