Promoting Financial Literacy
Student run credit unions at 26 NoVa High Schools compete to recruit the most members.
As the National College Athletic Association launches its annual national basketball tournament, students at more than two dozen Northern Virginia high schools kick off a March Madness of their own. Instead of scoring baskets, they are scrambling to sign up the most new members this month to their school’s student run federal credit union in a competition sponsored by Apple Federal Credit Union.
Helping Students Fully Recover
New concussion legislation goes before the Governor for signature.
Del. Eileen Filler-Corn’s bill, HB 1096, which places language for "Return to Learn" protocol into the Virginia Board of Education’s concussion guidelines passed the House of Delegates and Senate unanimously this General Assembly Session. It will now go before the Governor for signature. Current guidelines spell out protocol for student athletes returning to the playing field, but do not include information for the students returning to the classroom.
Children of Eden at the Burke Stage
Burke youth wow community audiences at the Burke Presbyterian Church.
Senior and junior high school youth from Burke Presbyterian Church presented the musical Children of Eden in four performances on March 13-16. The free events were open to the community. The Garden of Eden, Noah’s Ark, and other stories of the Old Testament were brought to life on the stage
Landfill Decision Deferred to April 3
Group to discuss a compromise is now underway.
On March 13, the Fairfax County Planning Commission was set to make a recommendation to the Board of Supervisors on whether EnviroSolutions should be permitted to continue dumping construction debris at their landfill in Lorton until 2040. However, at that meeting, the Planning Commission deferred the decision to April 3 in order for a group to be established to discuss the issues at stake between those on both sides of the debate.
Gartlan Center to Open March 27
CSB integrates primary and behavioral health care at Gartlan Center.
According to a 2006 study, people with a serious mental illness, on average, die 25 years earlier than the rest of the population. The study, conducted by the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors, found that about 60 percent of these deaths were due to conditions like cardiovascular and pulmonary disease.
‘Unsung Heroes of the School’
Robinson students create yearbooks year after year.
Although they’ve faced multiple snow days this year, staff members of Above and Beyond, Robinson Secondary School’s high school yearbook, are well on their way to completing the 2014 edition.
Community Welcomes Homeless Into New Homes
FACETS TRIUMPH II Housing is part of the 100,000 homes campaign.
As part of the 100,000 Homes Campaign, FACETS welcomed 18 previously chronically homeless individuals into housing on March 18 at a housewarming celebration.
Lake Braddock Baseball Looking for Missing Pieces
Bruins graduated five Division I players from last season.
The Lake Braddock baseball team reached the state semifinals in 2013 and won a state title in 2012.
Editorial: Income Gap Alive and Well
Statistics make life in the area sound idyllic, but many families are left out in the land of plenty.
Northern Virginia is a place of wonder and plenty. So says the New York Times this past week in, "Income Gap Meet the Longevity Gap," (March 15, 2014).
No Know. No Problem.
I felt a bit of a dope this week when, after reading last week’s column, "Whew!", multiple friends called to inquire specifically as to the "Tony-the-Tiger Great" news I wrote that I received from my oncologist, and I couldn’t answer them in any detail: shrinkage, less fluid, "partial stable remission"? Nothing. And though I tried to get my oncologist to explain to me exactly what was so encouraging about this most recent CT Scan – compared to the one I took three months ago (as opposed to the one I had nine months ago which was mistakenly compared to this most recent scan and resulted in the "Some better, some worse. I’ll explain more on Friday" e-mail I received from my doctor and talked about in "Whew!") – I was rebuffed. Rebuffed in the best possible way: being told instead how great I was doing, how great my lab results were (for this most recent pre-chemotherapy) and how I could live a long time like this (presumably continuing to be infused with Alimta) – it was almost disconcerting; especially when you consider the original e-mail assessment we received and our less-than-positive interpretation of it. Moreover, the oncologist’s exuberance and smiling countenance, along with his offer of a congratulatory handshake led me away from the missing facts and immediately into these new-found feelings.
How To Prepare for New SAT
Local experts say working hard in class is the best way to be successful.
Linda Mitchell and her 15-year-old daughter, Alexis, say they don’t really know what to expect when Alexis sits for the SAT college admissions exam in 2016, but they’re not too worried at this point. Two years is a long time.
Art Educators, Galleries Celebrate Youth Art Month
Experts say art can teach valuable life skills.
Brightly colored self-portraits, landscapes dotted with spring flowers and hand-carved sculptures fill a gallery at the McLean Project for the Arts in McLean. All of the art was created by local school children. Meanwhile, in Alexandria, parents and tots dip their fingers in glue, clay and paint to create collages, sculptures and paintings.
Classified Advertising March 19. 2014
Read the latest ads here!
‘Proud of Our Young People at Woodson’
It was standing room only last week in Woodson High’s auditorium when some 1,100 people, mainly parents, gathered for comfort and advice in the aftermath of two student deaths.
Help Offered in the Wake of Tragedy
Organizations provide information, guidance.
Woodson parent Karen Cogan called the March 5 meeting "a good first start. A lot of us were here to band together and let everyone know we’re there for each other." "It was a great community turnout, and I appreciated the school-system support services being here to give us some guidance," she said. "They told us what’s available to parents and kids and what [comprises] a crisis team." Parents also gave written answers to questions they’d received before the meeting. They shared their ideas to better support students, plus what resources could help. Students answered similar questions.
Del. Filler-Corn Passes Legislation for Military Spouses
House Bill 1247, aimed at reducing burdensome red tape for military spouses, has passed the House of Delegates and Senate with unanimous bipartisan support and now awaits signature from the Governor. Sponsored by Del. Eileen Filler-Corn (D-41) and supported by the Administration, HB 1247 would require the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation to expedite the review process for temporary licenses from 30 to 20 days for military spouses that already hold the equivalent license in another state.
Letter: Protecting the Arctic Wildlife
The influx of snowy owls this winter to the Lower 48 has everybody talking, and here in Northern Virginia it’s no different.
Letter: More on School Budget
This letter is in response to the letter published in the February 13-19 edition entitled: "School Budget: How to Pay?" submitted by Christopher Thompson of West Springfield. In this letter, Thompson suggests that the reason for rapidly increasing enrollment in the Fairfax County schools is the rapidly increasing number of children of illegal aliens in the system. Up to this point, I think he hit the nail right on the head... add to this the rapidly increasing number of English as a second language students- except that the number of children of illegal aliens in the system far exceeds the 6,000 number he quotes. Minus these children there would be no school budget crunch and I agree that those who are here or remain here must be educated.
Tips to Get Your Home Ready for Spring
Experts suggest a yearly spring maintenance check-up.
With warmer weather just around the corner, it’s time to focus on your home.
Getting Your Garden Ready for Spring
Local experts tell you what you should do now, in spite of the cold weather.
It doesn’t feel like spring. Last week’s snow made it seem like warm weather might never arrive, so planting a garden might be the last thing on your mind. However, local gardening experts say this is the ideal time to start preparing your landscape to yield colorful spring foliage. Bill Mann, of Behnke Nurseries in Potomac, Md., said spring garden preparation plans differ from year to year. "It depends on the landscape beds you have and whether or not you’re planning to put in a vegetable garden," he said.