Correction
<bt>In the article two weeks ago regarding the Fairfax County School Board presenting its budget to the county Board of Supervisors and the ensuing public hearing, Birgit Retson, first vice president of Westfield High School's PTSA, was incorrectly identified.
In addition Retson's quote should have read, "I've never heard of anyone moving to Fairfax County because of our lack of traffic concerns or low cost of living. What I do hear is that people move into our county because of job opportunities and the nationally recognized school system we all have worked so hard to develop. … A strong local economy depends on the expertise of its workers. Our schools supply that expertise; without it, we endanger the very base of our economy. Please hold the tax rate where it is and support the schools where the state has failed."
<sh>"Gates of Fire" Saved
<bt>The Fairfax County School Board failed, Monday, April 22, to sustain a challenge of the book, "Gates of Fire," written by Steven Pressfield, which provides a fictional account of the Battle of Thermopylae in 480 B.C. A parent had challenged the book's availability in high school libraries and on summer recommended reading lists because of its language and violence. The School Board, while agreeing the descriptions of war were graphic and that the book contained profanity, nonetheless felt the book had historic value and should not be removed from the high school libraries.
<sh>Students Win Merit Scholarships
<bt>Ten Fairfax County Public Schools high-school students have been awarded corporate-sponsored Merit Scholarships for 2002. The awards are renewable for up to four years of college undergraduate study and range from $500 to $10,000 per year. There are also single payments ranging from $2,000 to $5,000 that are awarded.
The students, their schools and the Merit Scholarship donors are as follows: Jason Amirhadji, Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJHSST), May Department Stores Co.; Padam Bhatia, TJHSST, Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC); Nicholas Carr, TJHSST, Lockheed Martin; Chad Ellis, TJHSST, Dyncorp; Kathleen Freund, West Springfield, Boeing; Christopher Garay, TJHSST, Northrop Grumman; Tanya Mejia, TJHSST, Dyncorp; Benjamin Rankin, West Potomac, Knight-Ridder Inc.; Laura Shen, TJHSST, Lockheed Martin; and Scott Thompson, TJHSST, Northrop Grumman.
<sh>Book-Selection Meeting
<bt>The book-selection process for library materials and student supplementary reading in Fairfax County Public Schools will be discussed at a town meeting scheduled for 7-8:30 p.m., Thursday, May 2, in the auditorium at Jackson Middle School, 3020 Gallows Road in Falls Church.
School system representative will explain the regulations governing the selection of library materials, supplementary instructional materials and the challenges process. In addition, representatives of two community groups — Parents Against Bad Books in Schools (PABBIS) and Right to Read — will express their groups' views.
Members of the community will have an opportunity to speak for three minutes. The sign-in procedure will begin at 6:45 p.m. in the lobby of Jackson Middle School with a limit of 20 speakers. Speakers are encouraged to bring copies of their remarks.
<sh>All-County Choral Festival
<bt>More than 700 sixth-grade students will participate in the 26th Annual Sixth-Grade All-County Choral Festival Saturday, May 4, beginning at 3:30 p.m., at Fairfax High School, 3500 Old Lee Highway, in Fairfax.
The program will include traditional, folk and classical choral music selections. The public is welcome to attend the concert, which will take place in the field house. Admission and parking are free. The festival choir will be conducted by Sheri Neill, assistant professor of music at George Mason University, accompanied by Jim Miller of Alexandria.
<sh>Support Employees of the Year
<bt>Judy Davidson, instructional assistant at Forest Edge Elementary in Reston; Irvin Greene III, public health training assistant at South Lakes High in Reston; and Michael Horgan, manager, engineering and logistics in the Department of Information Technology, have been named Fairfax County Public Schools Support Employees of the Year.
Davidson has been at Forest Edge for 12 years, sponsors the school's Math Club and created the school's Math Olympics program, a monthly grade-level-based math problem-solving competition, which has been at the school for 10 years. She also coordinates the school's involvement in the Math Olympiad, which the Forest Edge sixth-graders won last year.
Greene works with special-education students at South Lakes and encourages their participation in Special Olympics. He is also the adviser for the Class of 2005 and sponsor of the Youth Council.
Horgan is responsible for managing the master control for the school system's six-channel cable network, audiovideo duplication, satellite-receive systems and fiber link that distribute the schools system's programming to schools throughout North America.
The trio will be awarded $2,000 each at a special reception.
<sh>FCPS Receives Financial Reporting Award
<bt>Fairfax County Public Schools has been given a Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting Award by the Association of School Business Officials (ASBO) International for its preparation and issuance of the FY ‘01 financial report. This is the second award from ASBO, which in January honored the school system with the Meritorious Budget Award.
<sh>Schools Events Calendar
<bt>Wednesday, April 24, 4:15-7:45 p.m.
Eleventh Annual Teacher-Researcher Conference. The conference, in collaboration with the Greater Washington Reading Council and the Northern Virginia Writing Project, provides a forum for more than 40 presenters, from Fairfax County Public Schools and Arlington County Schools, to discuss their research studies on teaching and learning. The keynote speaker is Marion McLean, co-author of “Teacher-Researchers at Work.” Tyson's Westpark Hotel.
Thursday, April 25, 8 a.m.
Professional Technical Studies Advisory Committee. Walnut Hill Center, 7423 Camp Alger Ave., Falls Church.
Thursday, April 25, 7:30 p.m.
Fairfax County School Board regular meeting. Jackson Middle School, 3020 Gallows Road, Falls Church.
Monday, April 29
Nurturing Parenting Program. Department of Family Services, Prevention, of Fairfax County is holding a Nurturing Parenting Program for Hispanic Families, for parents and their children up to age 4, to teach nurturing skills and to reinforce strengths, values and culture. No cost, but registration is required. For more information, call 703-324-7405 or 703-324-7723. St. Anthony's Catholic Church.
Wednesday, May 1, 7:30 p.m.
Spring musical. West Springfield High School's performing arts and theater students and technical theater students will present "Anything Goes," featuring music by Cole Porter. Admission is $10. For more information, call 703-913-3934. West Springfield High School, 6100 Rolling Road, Springfield.
Thursday, May 2, 7-8:30 p.m.
Fairfax County Public Schools is holding a town meeting to discuss the regulations governing the selection of library materials, supplementary instructional materials and the challenge process. Representatives of Parents Against Bad Books in Schools (PABBIS) and Right to Read will also speak.
Community members may sign up to speak, limit 20, beginning at 6:45 p.m. Speakers are encouraged to bring copies of their remarks. Jackson Middle School, 3020 Gallows Road, Falls Church.
Thursday, May 2, 7:30 p.m.
Spring musical. West Springfield High School's performing arts and theater students and technical theater students will present "Anything Goes," featuring music by Cole Porter. Admission is $10. For more information, call 703-913-3934. West Springfield High School, 6100 Rolling Road, Springfield.
Friday, May 3
Sixth-Grade All-County Chorus. Approximately 700 specially selected sixth-graders from all over Fairfax County will sing music they have prepared since December. The public is invited, and there is no admission fee. For more information, call 703-267-2800. Fairfax High School, 3500 Old Lee Highway, Fairfax.
Friday, May 3, 7:30 p.m.
Spring musical. West Springfield High School's performing arts and theater students and technical theater students will present "Anything Goes," featuring music by Cole Porter. Admission is $10. For more information, call 703-913-3934. West Springfield High School, 6100 Rolling Road, Springfield.
Saturday, May 4
Sixth-Grade All-County Chorus. Approximately 700 specially selected sixth-graders from all over Fairfax County will sing music they have prepared since December. The public is invited, and there is no admission fee. For more information, call 703-267-2800. Fairfax High School, 3500 Old Lee Highway, Fairfax.
Saturday, May 4, 7:30 p.m.
Spring musical. West Springfield High School's performing arts and theater students and technical theater students will present "Anything Goes," featuring music by Cole Porter. Admission is $10. For more information, call 703-913-3934. West Springfield High School, 6100 Rolling Road, Springfield.