To submit community notes for any Connection paper, call 703-821-5050.
Fairfax County Public Schools is introducing the Elementary Institute for the Arts, or E-IFTA, a sister program of Institute for the Arts, for students who were enrolled in grades K-5 during the 2006-2007 school year. Each day, students attend two 90 minute courses chosen from the various arts disciplines. The course runs July 9 to Aug. 3, weekdays only, at Forest Edge Elementary School in Reston. Tuition is $450 for Fairfax County residents; $650 for non-Fairfax County residents. There will be an information night at Forest Edge, 1501 Becontree Lane, Reston, 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 22. Visit www.fcps.edu/DIS/OACE/prek12/eifta.htm or call the E-IFTA office at 703-227-8449.
The Fairfax County Police Department in partnership with the Fairfax County Criminal Justice Academy will be hosting an open house and career fair at the academy, located at 14601 Lee Road in Chantilly, on Saturday, March 24, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Interested candidates will be able to test for the position of police officer and police cadet for Fairfax county at 1 p.m. The test is a video based exam consisting of mainly scenarios that law enforcement officers encounter every day.
Guests will have the opportunity to tour the Criminal Justice Academy, view displays from specialty units and interact with officers from Fairfax County Police, Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office, Vienna Police Department, Herndon Police Department, Fairfax County Animal Control and personnel from the Department of Public Safety Communications.
There will be on-site translators in Spanish, Korean and Vietnamese. Recruiting detectives will discuss immediate career opportunities from all participating agencies and conduct a panel discussion on women’s public safety careers. Call 703-246-7563.
The semi-annual Northern Virginia Parents of Multiples consignment sale will be held 9 a.m.-1 p.m. on Saturday, March 24. More than 100 families from the Northern Virginia area with twins or higher-order multiples sell their items at this event. The sale will be held at Marshall High School, 7731 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church. Proceeds go to support the membership activities of the NVPOM club and to provide charitable contributions to select community groups. Visit www.nvpom.com or e-mail the club at futuresales@nvpom.com.
Members of the Virginia congressional delegation, will sponsor the 20th annual "Academy Day" on Saturday, March 24, for students interested in attending one of the nation's service academies.
The program runs 8:45 a.m.-noon at the Smithsonian's Air and Space Museum off Route 28 in Chantilly. Registration begins at 8 a.m. Participants should enter the parking area through Lane 5.
Representatives from the Naval Academy, the United States Military Academy, the Air Force Academy, the Merchant Marine Academy and the Coast Guard Academy will explain the admission process and answer questions. Information on ROTC programs will also be available.
Contact Suzanne Grimsley at 703-709-5800 or 1-800-945-9653.
Women in Media — Making Strides, a free event sponsored by the Fairfax County Commission For Women, the Fairfax County Office for Women, and George Mason University, will take place Sunday, March 25, 2-4 p.m. at the Fairfax County Government Center, 12000 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax.
Participants will have an opportunity to hear from local area women in the news media: Maureen Bunyan, News Anchor, ABC 7; Peggy Fox, Reporter W*USA - Channel 9 News; George Mason University professors Dr. Janette Kenner Muir and Dr. Cindy Lont; and Colleen M. Hahn, president, Equal Footing Foundation.
The event is open to the public, free of charge, and light refreshments will be provided. Pre-registration is required. For information and reservations, call the Fairfax County Office For Women at 703-324-5730; or visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/ofw/events/womeninmedia_event.htm.
Gold Star Wives of America, Inc. will meet on Sunday, March 25, at the Fort Belvior Officers Club at Fort Belvoir. Enjoy the camaraderie of other military widows during brunch beginning at 11 a.m. with the Potomac Chapter meeting to follow at noon. Gold Star Wives of America, Inc. is a national, non-profit, military widows' service organization, chartered by the U.S. Congress. Widows of U.S. servicemen killed while on active duty or who die from service-related disabilities are eligible for GSW membership. Call 703-758-7625 or 703-255-9447.
Reading Recovery is a short-term early intervention of one-on-one tutoring for low-achieving first grade students. Training is available for teachers with successful literacy experience at the primary level who can devote two and one-half hours each day to individual instruction. A principal's recommendation is required.
Interested applicants and/or administrators may want to attend a Reading Recovery Awareness session on Monday, March 26, 3-4 p.m. in the library at Annandale Terrace Elementary. The application deadline is Friday, April 20. For information or to obtain an application, call 703-846-8635.
FCAG Summer Enrichment Camp Fair on Tuesday, March 27, 7:30-9 p.m. at Oakton High School, 2900 Sutton Road, Vienna. The fair is free and open to the general public. It will include representatives from the Johns Hopkins University-Center for Talented Youth, Nysmith, TIC (Technology is Cool) Camp, Creative Cauldron, Joy of Motion, Exploring Engineering, Fairfax Collegiate, Math Enrichment Services, Mathtree, Shenandoah Performs, Science Camp Watonka, Congressional School, Camp Rim Rock and many other summer programs. For information, call 703-917-7960.
Virginia Tech in the National Capital Region will hold a graduate school information fair, Tuesday, March 27, 6-9 p.m., at the Northern Virginia Center, 7054 Haycock Road, Falls Church, for prospective students to explore opportunities in certificate, master’s, and doctorate programs. Classes are held at Virginia Tech’s campuses in West Falls Church and in Old Town Alexandria. Some online courses are also offered.
Contact the Graduate Student Services Office at 703-538-8327 or e-mail gsso@nvc.vt.edu.
The Parent Resource Center has rescheduled a workshop that was canceled due to snow days. Special Siblings: Typical Children who have Siblings with Special Needs presented by Sondra Wolff will take place Wednesday, March 28, 7:30-8:30 p.m. at the Dunn Loring Center Assembly Room, 2334 Gallows Road, Dunn Loring. Visit www.fcps.edu/ss/prc and choose "Workshops." To reserve a space, e-mail jane.thatcher@fcps.edu or call Jane at 703-204-3941.
Fairfax County Public Schools will have a school day on Friday, March 30, to make up for the fourth snow day.
Seven Fairfax County sites have been registered by the Fairfax County Park Authority for the 19th annual Potomac River Watershed Cleanup, to be held 9-11:30 a.m., Saturday, March 31. Some sites are also looking for volunteers on other dates, from March 24 to April 14. To reserve a section of the watershed at a park authority site, contact the site directly. Advanced registration is required. Park authority sites are Frying Pan Park, 703-437-9101; Hidden Oaks Nature Center, 703-941-1065; Hidden Pond Nature Center, 703-451-9588; Huntley Meadows Park, 703-768-2525; Riverbend Visitor Center, 703-759-9018; Sully Historic Site, 703-437-1794; Walney Visitor Center in Ellanor C. Lawrence Park, 703-631-0013. Over 100 sites are registered overall; for a complete listing of the locations, visit www.potomaccleanup.org/trash_initiative/rc_sites.html.
The Alice Ferguson Foundation announces the 19th Annual Potomac River Watershed Cleanup for March 31 and April 1, 9 a.m.-noon. Site leaders and volunteers are needed at hundreds of sites throughout Northern Virginia. To learn more about the sites call 301-292-5665 or visit www.trashfreepotomac.org.
The Northern Virginia chapter of Trout Unlimited invites members of the community to attend its monthly meeting at the Vienna Volunteer Fire Hall, 400 Center St. S, Vienna, Thursday, April 5, at 7:30 p.m. Topic is, “So you think you know feathers: whiting hackle comes to town,” presented by Steve Schweitzer. Contact John Hadley at 703-933-6629 or jhadley@alionscience.com, or visit www.navatu.org.
An introductory course in commercial investment real estate will be offered on a scholarship basis to minority real estate professionals in the greater Washington, D.C. metro area April 10-11 through CCIM Institute, an affiliate of the National Association of Realtors and a leader in commercial investment real estate education. The course, Introduction to Commercial Investment Real Estate, is part of the organization's Cultural Diversity Education Program. Candidates accepted will be admitted to the course free of charge, but will be required to pay a $30 application fee. Those who pass the course can apply for 8 hours of continuing education credit toward the Virginia broker/sales license renewal. Applications will be accepted up to April 3.
The course will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days at the Northern Virginia Association of Realtors, Herndon Center, 520 Huntmar Park Drive, Herndon, 703-207-3228. It will be taught by Byron Smith, CCIM, president of Metropolitan Realty Group of Vienna.
Individuals interested in the Cultural Diversity Education Program can contact Colleen Loeffler, CCIM Institute Director of Special Programs, for an application at 312-321-4537 or by e-mail at cloeffler@cciminstitute.com. Or visit www.ccim.com/education/cultural_diveristy/cdep.html.
The Alumni Association of George Mason University is seeking nominations for Alumnus of the Year, Alumni Service Award, Faculty Member of the Year and Senior of the Year for their annual Celebration of Distinction dinner and awards ceremony. These awards are designed to recognize alumni, faculty and students that are making a difference at Mason and in their community.
More than 60 percent of George Mason University alumni live in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area and without a doubt are making a difference in the local community.
The next Celebration of Distinction will be held Wednesday, April 18. Award criteria and nomination forms can be found online at www.gmu.edu/alumni/awards. Contact Katie Thomasson at kthomass@gmu.edu.
The Fairfax County Park Authority Rec-PAC program, running weekdays July 2-Aug. 9, will hold open hires in Suite 1050 of the Pennino Building, 12011 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax, 12:30-5:30 p.m. Thursday, May 10; and Thursday, May 17. Applicants must bring their original Social Security card and a DMV photo ID, and must be at least 18 years old. Contact the Rec-PAC office at 703-324-5514.
Leadership Fairfax Inc. announced that Verizon Communications is the tournament sponsor for its annual LFI/ELI golf tournament on May 21. Proceeds from the tournament benefit Leadership Fairfax’s scholarship fund.
This year’s tournament will be held on May 21 at Hidden Creek Golf Course in Reston. Other available sponsorships include Reception Sponsor (exclusive), Lunch Sponsor (exclusive), Individual Hole Sponsors (exclusive), Gold Sponsors and Contest Sponsors. If you are interested in sponsoring the event, contact Kelly Knolan at 703-752-7553 or knolan@leadershipfairfax.org.
The American Diabetes Association will be hosting its annual Tour de Cure on Sunday, June 10, at Reston Town Center. The fund-raiser brings together 800 cyclists and volunteers in the greater Washington D.C. area. Riders travel on the W&OD trail across Fairfax and Loudoun Counties on 100-, 63-, 32- or 12-mile routes to raise money for diabetes advocacy, medical research, and awareness. Visit http://diabetes.org or call 1-800-DIABETES (800-342-2383).
Fairfax County Public Schools offers two-week foreign language camps for elementary school students at several area schools this summer, from July 9 to 20, 1-4 p.m., Monday through Friday. The school locations are: Centre Ridge, Colin Powell, Colvin Run, Great Falls, Mount Eagle, Ravensworth, Springfield Estates, Vienna, White Oaks, and Woodley Hills. Language offerings vary from school to school. For details, call 703-658-1293 or -1291. Visit www.fcps.edu/aceclasses in March for registration information.