Falls Church PTAs Seek Combined Federal Campaign Dollars

The Falls Church PTAs — Mount Daniel/Thomas Jefferson Elementary Schools, Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School, and George Mason High School — are reminding parents who are federal employees that they can designate part or all of their Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) contributions for their local PTA/PTSA chapters.  All three organizations are charities associated with the campaign, and federal employees have until December 15 to sign up to contribute through the CFC.   Designation codes for the three PTAs are:

• Falls Church Elementary PTA: 14598
• Mary Ellen Henderson PTA: 40097
• George Mason PTSA: 79191

School Superintendent Recommends Trailer to Ease Mount Daniel Overcrowding

At a school board work session last night, Dr. Lois Berlin recommended that the school system purchase a “relocatable” or trailer to house the increasing school population at Mount Daniel next year. Even though an addition was completed in 2006, Mount Daniel is currently unable to house a necessary seventh first grade class for the 2009-2010 school year. Preliminary counts of eligible kindergarten-aged students indicate there may also be a need for a seventh kindergarten class and having a relocatable will allow Mount Daniel to welcome that additional class as well. In order to plan and hire a seventh kindergarten teacher, however, at least 135 children need to be registered for kindergarten by June. Kindergarten registration begins May 6.

The Elementary PTA and Mount Daniel parents had strongly supported the addition of a relocatable over other options being considered. But in previous meetings, the addition of a relocatable was considered to be the most lengthy and costly solution due to the Fairfax County permitting process. Since Mount Daniel is one of three Falls Church City schools located outside the city limits, school officials must work with the Fairfax County government in order to place the trailer on the school grounds. Fairfax County residents and public officials were less than pleased when the recent addition was planned on the side of the school with the least amount of buffer for the neighborhood residents, and over the years, Falls Church City has gotten a reputation for not being particularly sensitive to its Fairfax county neighbors when it comes to school expansion.

The need for additional space at Mount Daniel came sooner than expected. Even though the FY 2009 CIP report anticipated the growth of the schools:

…the addition of Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School has alleviated immediate needs for additional capacity at any of the existing four school facilities. However, steadily increasing enrollment and new residential construction in the City of Falls Church has resulted in revised projections that indicate capacity could be reached within the next five years. New construction may be necessary to accommodate the growing number of students. In addition, three of these buildings are aging facilities where major renovation or replacement may be needed as buildings and major systems may be nearing the end of useful life.

Mount Daniel was not expected to reach capacity until 2014.  The school system is currently conducting a new facilities study to identify the greatest needs for the city schools, and one can expect that adequate classroom space is being considered.  To read more about the facilities study, click here.

No More Room at Mt. Daniel Elementary – No Money Either

 

Mount Daniel Elementary School has a problem: more kindergarten and 1^st-graders anticipated in 2010 than classrooms to put them in. 

In past years as enrollment grew, administrators freed up space at Mount Daniel by moving entire grades over to Thomas Jefferson Elementary, until the oldest children at Mount Daniel were 1^st-graders. 

Currently Mount Daniel has 15 classes – three pre-school, six kindergarten, and six 1^st grade. Two more classes – one kindergarten and one 1^st grade – will be needed in little more than a year, according to projections. 

Over at Thomas Jefferson Elementary, the 2^nd, 3^rd, and 4^th grades already each have seven classrooms. Space was made available by moving the entire 5^th grade to Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School. 

Several options for Mount Daniel have been considered, most of them unpalatable to parents: 

• Create six oversize 1^st grades and hire a seventh teacher to “float” between classes; or
• Move one 1^st-grade class to Thomas Jefferson, and create a combined K-1^st grade class in the freed-up space at Mount Daniel; or
• Move the preschool program to another location, such as Thomas Jefferson, or even a local church; or
• Buy trailers (the only solution acceptable to parents). Unfortunately, this is the only option that the City school administration initially ruled out, due to cost. 

Mount Daniel Principal Kathy Halayko agrees with parents (who made their feelings known at a March 9 PTA meeting) that adding classroom trailers is the best option.

But so far, School Superintendent Lois Berlin refuses to commit any funds for trailers. 

And in addition to the cost, there’s the question of obtaining a permit from Fairfax County. (Mount Daniel is located just outside the Falls Church City limit.) This could be a lengthy and costly process, especially considering the “bad blood” between the City and Fairfax County over water issues (each entity has sued the other). 

Ironically, as one parent pointed out at the PTA meeting, the City had extra trailers but donated them for use by Katrina victims. Can we get them back, she asked? 

At a March 7 Parents Forum, School Board liaison Kieran Sharpe suggested using federal stimulus funds to buy trailers. He said the School Board would work with City Council this month on what to do at Mount Daniel. 

Mount Daniel Educator Named Outstanding Teacher

Ms. Amy Harding-Wright is this year’s Falls Church recipient of the Washington Post’s Agnes Meyer Outstanding Teacher Award.

“We are extremely fortunate to have someone with Amy’s credentials teaching our youngest students,” Falls Church City Public Schools Superintendent Lois Berlin said.  “Preschool is often a child’s first experience with formal education, and as an early childhood specialist, Amy helps provide a firm foundation for students enrolled in our special needs preschool program.”

The annual award is presented by the Washington Post to one teacher from each of the 19 metro area public school divisions and one private school.  The award’s namesake, Agnes Meyer, was a staunch supporter and defender of public education and the wife of Eugene Meyer, who purchased the Washington Post in 1933.  The goals of the award are to recognize excellence in teaching and to encourage creative and quality instruction.

Parents and colleagues submitted letters of support for Harding-Wright’s nomination for the award.

“When entering Mrs. Harding-Wright’s classroom, I am always struck by the nurturing and caring atmosphere that she provides for the very young children in her care,” Principal Kathy Halayko wrote.  Her smile is warm and welcoming as she shares her sincere joy, excitement and love for learning in her preschool classroom.”

“Through grouping, varying activities and creatively engaging students, she finds alternative routes to meet each child’s needs,” teacher Danielle Clark wrote, and one child’s parents wrote, “Her ability to nurture and coax (our son) into learning and interacting constructively with his teachers and peers had a profoundly positive effect on his life at a very difficult and critical time in his development.”

A 16 year veteran educator from Mount Daniel Elementary, Ms. Harding-Wright is credited with starting the school’s special education preschool program in 2000.  Her tenure began in 1996 as the school division’s inclusion teacher.  She also has served as the child find coordinator, identifying preschool students with special needs; and as an early childhood specialist.

Ms. Harding-Wright earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Clarkson University in Potsdam, New York and a master’s in education from The College of St. Rose in Albany.  She also has completed postgraduate coursework in special education and school administration and supervision at the University of Virginia.

Ms. Harding-Wright was among five City public school teachers nominated for the award.  All will be recognized by the school board at a reception later this spring.  Harding-Wright also will be recognized with other winners from the region at a Washington Post reception in May.

Economic Times Hit Falls Church City School Budget

Not surprising in the current economic environment, next year’s school budget reflects a 1% cut from this year.  The school board is scheduled to discuss Dr. Berlin’s budget request during six public venues – three work sessions and three public hearings.  All are open to the public.

You may also watch Dr. Berlin’s budget presentation on FCC-TV or online at http://www.fccps.org/budget. For complete details, click here.