The hallways of Herndon Middle School had the gates pulled closed last Friday, in part, said principal Frank Jenkins, to keep the teachers from sneaking into their rooms early. Teachers aren't supposed to report until later this month. Students on the other hand, have a couple more weeks before returning to see old friends and what's new at their schools.
Those entering Rachel Carson on Sept. 2, will see a familiar face in August Fratalli, the school’s first assistant principal, but he now has a new title, principal.
At Herndon, the teachers are getting new computers to do attendance and keep grades and the entire school is having a rules and regulations upgrade as well, in the form of a new program that will scrutinize the handbook for needed changes.
"WE HAVE A NEW THEME, 'Keeping the dream alive,'" said Frattali. "We're revising the core values we created five years ago and making sure they still make sense and are appropriate."
Carson, built to hold 1,250 students, is expecting 1,100 next month. The school, Frattali said, is growing in diversity, much like the surrounding community.
"We value that diversity," he said. "It's something we celebrate."
The focus this year will be on making sure the staff is meeting every child's educational needs and developing a plan to ensure the school meets the requirements of No Child Left Behind, which phases in a 100 percent pass rate in core subjects. Frattali said the school has to make sure every child is successful, because no parent wants their child to be the "sacrificial lamb" and is the one who fails.
As for the students preparing for the start of school, Frattali said, "We are certainly looking forward to greeting them and starting off a new academic year. They are welcome as part of our Rachel Carson family."
There will be an orientation for rising seventh graders and new eighth graders Aug. 29, from 9-11 a.m. Back to school night for seventh graders is Wednesday, Sept. 24, at 7 p.m. The back to school night for eighth grade is Thursday, Oct. 2, at 7 p.m. The PTA will be meeting Sept. 10 at 7 p.m.
AT HERNDON MIDDLE, there will be about 12 to 13 new staff members and the honors program is expanding to the eighth grade.
Jenkins expects enrollment to be about 1,230 student, just below the 1,250 capacity. Even so, there will be five trailers, two of which will be assigned as classrooms, while the remainder will be used for the classroom-portions of the health and physical education courses, when the students aren't outside or in the gymnasium taking part in activities.
In addition, the school will be looking at new ways of teaching, said Jenkins.
"Leave no child behind means every child should succeed," he said. "We're changing our philosophy. When you get a mandate, that changes everything. You have to retest, reteach, re-evaluate. No Child Left Behind is going to be a process we as a staff will have to embrace."
The ethnically diverse school has seen the Hispanic population grow to be the largest minority group. Just seven years ago, Jenkins said, it was the Asian population that had the highest minority numbers.
Herndon Middle is also home of the Herndon Free clinic, which has helped ensure students are ready for the start of the school year. That has meant the students considered most in need are included in the school's early enrollment figures, which determines the support resources it will receive throughout the year.
"One of the reasons for our success is consistent and constant communication with the community," Jenkins said. "Our kids can compete against any other group out there."
There will be an orientation for seventh and new eighth graders Aug. 29, from 9-11:20 a.m., with an open house for the same students and their parents later that afternoon, from 4-6 p.m. The PTA is having a meeting Sept. 3, beginning at 7 p.m. Back to school night for seventh grade is Thursday, Sept. 25, at 7 p.m.; and eighth grade is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 9, at 7 p.m.