Town Meetings for Budget
<bt>Fairfax County Public Schools will be holding two concurrent town meetings Wednesday, April 3, to allow the public to provide input on how to address deficits in the proposed fiscal year 2003 schools budget.
One meeting is scheduled at Lanier Middle School, 3710 Bevan Drive in Fairfax, and the other will be held at Edison High School, 5801 Franconia Road in Alexandria. Both meetings begin at 7:30 p.m. Residents are not required to preregister for the meetings. The results of the meetings will be posted at each site that evening and will be posted on the school system's Web site, www.fcps.edu, the week following the meetings.
<sh>Student CD on Sale
<bt>Arts & Education In Concert (AEIC), a nonprofit organization that provides creative outlets to students in Northern Virginia, has released "Project X," a compact disc compilation of songs composed and performed by students involved in the AEIC programs.
The CD, funded by the Northern Virginia Community Foundation, splices student compositions with clips of a discussion between AEIC staff and students at South Lakes High School in Reston. In between songs, the students talk about their experiences and thoughts on drugs, alcohol, violence, stress, depression and relations with peers and parents.
The music, ranging from jazz to rap, was written by students from South Lakes, Lake Braddock Secondary in Burke, Wakefield High School in Arlington, Loudoun Valley High School in Loudoun County and Fields High School in Washington D.C.
The CD can be purchased on the AEIC Web site at www.aeconcert.org or at Foxes Music in Falls Church and Sam Goody in the Fairfax Mall.
<sh>"Don't Drink the Water"
<bt>The students at the Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology will perform the comedy, "Don't Drink the Water," written by Woody Allen, on April 19, 20, 26 and 27, beginning at 7:30 p.m., at the school.
The play centers around an American family, the Hollanders, who are on tour in a Communist country when they become the focus of an international spy incident. Tickets are $5 if purchased in advanced and $7 at the door. To reserve tickets, call 703-750-8300. The school is located at 6560 Braddock Road, Alexandria.
<sh>Alumni Web Site Upgraded
<bt>Fairfax County Public Schools improved its alumni Web site to allow users to search by school, graduation year and name.
The alumni site is linked from the school system's home page, www.fcps.edu, or it can be accessed directly at www.fcps.edu/alumnis/alumnidir.htm.
All school system alumi can register their names, e-mail addresses and graduation information on the site. The site also lists events of interest including reunions and there are links to alumni sites for individual high schools.
<sh>Mid-Atlantic Guitar Ensemble Festival
<bt>Musicians from the region will convene at Lake Braddock Secondary School in Burke Saturday, April 6, beginning at 9:30 a.m., for the Mid-Atlantic Guitar Ensemble Festival. Fourteen groups from Fairfax County Public Schools will be attending, including students from Lake Braddock, Robinson Secondary in Fairfax, Falls Church High, West Springfield High and Centreville High schools. Students from other high schools in Virginia, music schools and colleges will attend and perform at the festival as well.
Flamenco guitarist Richard Marlow will perform at noon. Performances and coaching sessions will be scheduled for the student ensembles and exhibits will be set up for student learning. Clinicians will be Manley Mallard and Leo Welch.
Lake Braddock is located at 9200 Burke Lake Road in Burke.
<sh>Meeting Interrupted
<bt>A power outage halted the broadcast of the March 21 Fairfax County School Board meeting. The meeting continued after being moved into the cafeteria at Jackson Middle School where emergency lighting was available. As of Monday, March 25, residents could view a summary of the meeting on the school system's Web site, www.fcps.edu. Minutes of the meeting will be available on the Web site after the School Board approves them. Contact Linda Sabo in the School Board office at 703-246-3646 for additional information.
<sh>Art-Filled Summer Program
<bt>Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) will offer the Institute for the Arts summer program July 8-August 1 at Fairfax High School, located at 3500 Old Lee Highway. This summer enrichment program, which runs from 8 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, offers more than 100 fine arts courses in dance, visual arts, music, and theater arts. A student may participate in one or more disciplines by taking four classes daily in his or her areas of interest. The program is open to rising 7th through rising 12th graders and includes study in a variety of disciplines.
FCPS students who are currently enrolled in grades 6 through 11, county residents enrolled in private schools, and nonresidents are eligible to enroll. Brochures can be found at all Fairfax County public libraries and school registration centers, as well as online at www.fcps.edu/DIS/OACE/summer/IFTA-2002.pdf.
Registrations must be received at the summer school office, 5775 Spindle Court, Centreville, Virginia 20121 on or before April 26. Tuition and transportation costs are $570 for Fairfax County residents and $770 for nonresidents. Students will be expected to participate in all activities during the institute.
<sh>Youth Leadership Program
<bt>A total of 24 juniors are participating in the 2002 class of the Youth Leadership Program, which takes students into county offices and work sites to experience the work of local government. Each month the students attend three-hour sessions sponsored by different county agencies.
During the year-long program, which includes a July internship, students learn about the issues surrounding housing and homelessness, human services challenges and solutions, budgeting during an uncertain economy, meeting the recreational and cultural needs of citizens, public safety in today's world and land use planning and development.
The 2002 class includes the following students: Shion Chang, Lake Braddock Secondary in Burke; Natasha J. Clay, Hayfield Secondary in Alexandria; Benjamin Click, West Springfield High; Eduoard Coakley, Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Annandale; Elena Coyle, James Madison High in Vienna; Neha Dandawate, Fairfax High; Puja Deverakonda, South Lakes High in Reston; Richael Faithful, Westfield High in Chantilly; Cosmo Fujiyama, McLean High; Emily Ann Halonen, Herndon High; Andrew Howlett, Chantilly High; Sarah Jugo, Robert E. Lee High in Springfield; Albert Lawrence, Mount Vernon High; Emily Metzger, George C. Marshall High in Falls Church; Jamie Miranda, Robinson Secondary in Fairfax; Joshua Stafman, W. T. Woodson High in Fairfax; Nancy Ngo, Stuart High in Falls Church; Jamie Segal, Langley High in McLean; Lauren Shea, Edison High in Alexandria; Michael Sorrell, Centreville High; Claiborne Tompkins, West Potomac High in Alexandria; Natalie Wallace, Annandale High; Michael Wan, Oakton High and Eun-Mee Yang, Falls Church High.
<sh>Schools Events Calendar
<bt>Monday, April 1
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 4-years-old, 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, April 3, 7:30 p.m.
Budget Town Meeting. Two concurrent meetings are being held in different parts of the county to allow residents to provide input on the proposed FY 2003 school system budget. Lanier Middle School, 3710 Bevan Drive, Fairfax. Edison High School, 5801 Franconia Road, Alexandria.
Monday, April 8, 8 a.m.
Fairfax County School Board work session, technology/instruction; facilities; human resources. Burkholder Center, 10700 Page Ave., Fairfax.
Monday, April 8, 1 p.m.
Fairfax County School Board work session, finance and budget; student services. Burkholder Center, 10700 Page Ave., Fairfax.
Monday, April 8
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 4-years-old, 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.
Tuesday, April 9, 6:30 p.m.
Fairfax County Public Schools' budget presentation to the county board of supervisors. Government Center, 12000 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax.