Future Educators Win Awards at Conference
Mount Vernon High School students Shai West and Khortney Hamlin won first place awards in individual events at the Virginia Future Educators Association (FEA) Conference, held recently in Virginia Beach. Mount Vernon’s FEA chapter won more awards than any other school in the competition.
West Potomac Academy Students Produce Fashion Show
In the Springbank auditorium on Friday, May 4, West Potomac High School students were practicing their steps on the runway, lights and sound were checked, back in wardrobe, dressers were waiting for the models and changes, make-up was being applied in the band room as the preparations for the spring fashion show were near complete. This year’s show, Runway Ready “Catwalk to Concept,” featured student designs: Pink Paradise, Street Intentions, My Bougie Baby, Vintage Appeal and Masked Elegance. Guest designers included Nam Nguyen and the Ugglee Collection.
Responding to Natural Disasters
West Potomac High School students from Frances Coffey’s Advanced Placement Human Geography class were treated to a visit from Cathi Hoefler and Steven Keating from the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency recently. Hoefler and Keating discussed the importance of using data to better predict and respond to natural disasters such as Hurricane Katrina and the 2011 earthquake off the coast of Japan and tsunami. Students asked questions about how relief efforts are influenced by geography. The speakers also discussed how understanding cultural values and norms is important in military efforts worldwide.
Academic Excellence Award for Waynewood
On Monday, April 30, Acting Assistant Superintendent Deborah Tyler and Mount Vernon School Board Representative Dan Storck presented Waynewood Elementary School and Principal James Meier with the Academic Excellence Award for the fourth year in a row. Retiring teacher Eileen Deaver accepted for the staff.
Pennies For Patients
The Stratford Landing Elementary School K-Kids Club (sponsored by Mount Vernon Kiwanis) collected a total of $4,144.37 last month for a project called Pennies For Patients. This is about $1,400 more than last year’s collection. The collection is a Leukemia and Lymphoma Society community service project where students and their friends donate their spare change to fund blood cancer research and patient aid programs. Above, the K-Kids present a symbolic check to the representative from the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Joann Hatch (shown on right).
Carl Sandburg Competes in Science Olympiad
The Carl Sandburg Science Olympiad Team ranked 12th out of 29 schools at the Virginia State Science Olympiad Tournament on Saturday, April 14, at Westfield High School in Chantilly.
From Theatre Workshop to Stage
Fifty-one fifth graders from Mt. Vernon Wood, Woodley Hills and Woodlawn Elementary Schools have spent the past 12 weeks in a theatre workshop hosted by the Mount Vernon Community Children’s Theatre. The students created original plays based on themes from their life at school. The plays have been in rehearsal since February. On Tuesday evening, May 1, the students brought their work to the stage at Woodlawn Elementary.
On Their Way to Iowa
Stratford Landing Elementary School’s 5th grade Odyssey of the Mind team, coached by Terri Bell, has qualified to go to the World Finals in Ames, Iowa. Odyssey of the Mind is a creative problem-solving competition for students ages Kindergarten through college. The team worked on their problem in the category of Weird Science. They came in first in their division at the regional competition, which was held at West Potomac High School, and also came in first at the state finals in Newport News on April 14. The team was also the only team, out of 108 competing at the state level, that was given the Ranatra Fusca award, which is presented to a team that demonstrates exceptional creativity at the competition.
Addressing ‘College Drinking Culture’
The Perils of the College Drinking Culture" forums continue through May.
It’s college decision time for Fairfax County seniors, and college-bound students and their parents are encouraged to attend an upcoming program that deals with binge drinking on college campuses. "The Perils of the College Drinking Culture" will be presented by the Unified Prevention Coalition of Fairfax County, in collaboration with the Fairfax County Police Department, in April and May at locations across the county.
West Potomac Prepares ‘Seussical the Musical’
The West Potomac Theatre Department, headed by Philip Lee Clark, will present “Seussical the Musical” in the school’s Springbank Auditorium with performances for the public beginning April 25.
At Engineering Fair
Megan McKinney, a junior at Mount Vernon High School, stands next to her finished project board in the Robinson Secondary School field house just before the start of the 57th Fairfax County Regional Science and Engineering Fair on March 16.
Mount Vernon School Notes March 21
Send announcements to the Mount Vernon Gazette, by e-mail to gazette@connectionnewspapers.com. Deadline is Thursday at noon for the following week’s paper. Photos are encouraged. Call Steve Hibbard at 703-778-9412 with questions.
Risky Behavior by the Numbers
Youth Survey highlights risks, assets for students.
Periodically, Fairfax County conducts a youth survey which polls thousands of students to get a glimpse into issues of substance abuse, antisocial behaviors as well as factors such as mental health and civic engagements.
Local Governments Enjoy Record Spending
Bucking national trend, local governments here expand while others are contracting.
As local governments across America are laying off firefighters and teachers, governments in Northern Virginia are experiencing record levels of spending and an all-time-high number of employees.
State Senate Committee Kills Effort to Overturn King's Dominion Law
School boards were encouraged by support from governor, but couldn't win over Senate committee.
The Senate Committee on Education and Health voted today to kill an effort overturning the King's Dominion Law, which mandates that school divisions across Virginia begin classes after Labor Day.