August 10, 2011 

Following the recommendation of City Manager Wyatt Shields, the Falls Church City Council Monday evening deferred action on the Child Development Center (CDC) until September 12. 

The Council unanimously (6-0) passed a motion authorizing Mr. Shields to work with Easter Seals on a one year lease extension at fair market rent, with the possibility of an extension if the Council desires, and to work with the School Board on obtaining a clearer plan for use of the Center, with a cost break down for improvements to the facility versus the cost of trailers at Mt. Daniel School or other options.

Mr. Shields advised that the $2.2 million estimate to renovate the CDC was pro bono and that a second opinion is needed.  The School Board estimates the cost of a formal opinion at $20,000.   Councilman Ira Kaylin observed that a $2.2 million renovation would translate directly into a tax increase.

The present 25 year lease on the Center expires in November.   The resolution which the Council voted to defer on Monday would extend the term of the lease one year.  Currently the City receives $1 annually for use of the facility. 

Vice Mayor Dave Snyder abstained on the deferral vote.  He called the action a serious mistake as it would only further extend the uncertainty about the CDC without gaining any tax revenue.  “I’m frankly shocked that we’re doing it,” he said.  ”All we’ve done is extend the period for which taxpayers are not going to be compensated.” 

However, Mayor Nader Baroukh and the other members opted to defer.  The mayor said that he thought that the School Board first needs to come forward with a plan and clear options.  ”Our only option right now [i.e., Monday evening] is to do a one year renewable at a market rate, with some flexibility for the City,” he said. 

USA’s Downgrade Prompts Discussion of City’s Finances  -  Before approving a budget amendment, the Council discussed the possible ripple effect of Standard and Poors recent downgrading of the Untied States’ bond rating.  CFO Richard La Condré advised that the City is in discussions with its fiscal adviser regarding alternatives for future bonding and that it had held discussions with rating agencies over the past month.

Mr. Kaylin observed that if Virginia is downgraded the borrowing costs would be passed through to the City.  “We will be borrowing into an uncertian environment,” he said.  Mr. Kaylin added that Falls Church could see some serious impact on its pension funding if the stock market declines further.  Mr. Snyder countered that if there is a recovery the current decline doesn’t imply harm to the pension system.

The vice mayor was critical of recent actions of the federal and state governments, but confident that Falls Church would endure.  ”We will do what we have to do to preserve the quality of the City and carry it forward into the future”, said Mr. Snyder.  “This community and the Council will show a brand of leadership that I’d like to see come out of DC and Richmond, and so far i haven’t seen it.”

Cox Cable Changes Coming  -  The Council unanimously approved the second reading of an ordinance that allows Cox Communications to convert Channel 12 (FCC-TV) from analog to digital format in exchange for a one-time $50,000 capital technology equipment grant.  The channel number will change from 12 to 11.  Cox will provide subscribers with written notice of the change.  This process will begin in September. 

Cox has been Falls Church’s primary cable franchise since 1999.  The agreement expires in 2014.  Over the next two years staff will evaluate quality of service, assess the City’s cable needs, seek a variety of stakeholders’ input, and formulate a recommendation to the Council regarding executing a new franchise agreement.

Rules of Procedure Revised  -  With Mr. Snyder dissenting, the Council approved a resolution amending the rules of procedure adopted in 2010.  Proposed ordinances and resolutions must be discussed at work sessions prior to their introduction at public meetings.  Under the revised rules the public will only have three business days to review work session documents prior to their discussion, instead of the current five.  

The vice mayor criticized this change, but Mayor Baroukh said that the Council would have the option of discussing an item at consecutive work sessions, giving the public more time for review.  The mayor added that staff should aim for five days, with three the minimum allowable.  Mr. Shields advised that the City was preparing an informational flyer on the rules. 

Zoning Change on Drive-Throughs Approved  -  The Council approved second reading of an ordinance to amend the Zoning Code to move authority for the approval of special use permits for drive-throughs from the Board of Zoning Appeals to the City Council, after review and recommendation from the Planning Commission.

City Manager’s Report  -  Mr. Shields noted that eleven radar-activated speed limit signs are set to be installed.  The signs will be placed where speeding problems have been observed.  The signs will have concrete foundations to help insure they will remain in place. 

The city manager asked for the public’s help in combating an increase in graffiti.  Citizens should call 1-866-411-TIPS if they see anyone defacing buildings or other objects.  Mr. Shields commented that graffiti encourages more graffiti and that the City wants to work with property owners to insure its prompt removal. 

The Council and City staff held a mini-retreat last week to prepare work plans and the budget calendar. 

The Falls Church City library’s summer reading program set a record with over 1,000 students attending.

The city manager congratulated Falls Church’s court services team on receiving state certification last week.  Services are in 100% compliance with Commonwealth standards.  

Ms. Gardner Absent  -  Councilwoman Robin Gardner was again absent Monday evening.  Since her husband’s arrest on June 22 she has not attended any meetings, other than a work session on August 1. 

August Recess  -  The Council will not meet again until a work session scheduled for Tuesday, September 6.  The next public meeting will be held Monday, September 12.

Video  -  A tape of Monday’s meeting is available for viewing at the City website.

May 12, 2011

A crowd of more than 200 school supporters showed their support for the Falls Church City Public Schools through generous contributions at this year’s Gala on May 6^th.   A variety of events at the Gala engaged the crowd–from placing competing bids for exciting silent auction items, including an opportunity to be serenaded with an Italian opera  ballad sung  by GMHS student, Anne Briggs,  to an academic duel against the State Championship George Mason High School Scholastic Bowl team, to a Live Auction which raised funds for several new school initiatives.   In total, the Gala raised more than $90,000 and was the most successful fundraiser for the Foundation since its inception in 2003. 

David Chavern, former Falls Church City Council member and the foundation president, said “Money raised by the foundation pays for items not funded by the school budget, allocations like teacher travel and advanced classroom technology, and the explosive-proof freezer for a George Mason science lab.”  Mr. Chavern also announced that the Woman’s Club of Falls Church will transfer their sizable scholarship fund to the Foundation to continue stewardship of this award which provides two scholarships of $2,000 to two graduating seniors who have demonstrated exemplary achievement in community service and academics.

Proceeds from this year’s Gala will support teacher grants in all four schools, new technology to support student learning (link to video), classroom libraries at Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School, and the Pathway to the Baccalaureate program for junior and senior students at George Mason High School to facilitate their transition to state higher education colleges and universities. 

The FCEF is engaged in a campaign to build a $10 million permanent Endowment Fund to help ensure that our students are prepared to meet the challenges of the 21st century.  For more information on the Foundation and how you can help sustain our community’s commitment to strong support for public education, contact Executive Director Donna Englander at (703) 538-3381.

Falls Church City Schools students Charlie and Coulter Adams and Mena and Hermela Haimelarian are in the cast of "The Selfish Giant." The 2:00 pm matinee on Sunday, March 20 at ArtSpace Falls Church is a fundraiser for the Falls Church Elementary PTA.

The cast of Creative Cauldron’s production of “The Selfish Giant” includes four Falls Church City Schools students so it’s fitting that the Sunday, March 20 matinee performance is a fundraiser for the Falls Church Elementary PTA (FCEPTA).  For every ticket sold, Creative Cauldron will donate $5.00 to the FCEPTA.

Three of the City’s schools are represented in the cast:   brothers Charlie and Coulter Adams are Thomas Jefferson Elementary School students,  Mena Haimelarian is a Mt. Daniel student and her sister Hermela attends Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School.   Helen Hayes Award-winning actor, Stephen Gregory Smith, will play the giant alongside the four who are students  in Creative Cauldron’s Learning Theater program.

Creative Cauldron’s stage adaptation of  Oscar Wilde’s story “The Selfish Giant”  features music by composer Matt Conner and large scale puppets by scenic designer Margie Jervis.  At the center of the tale is a hard-hearted giant who finds children playing in his garden and decides to build a high wall to keep them out.  Soon, he learns that no children mean no spring.  A special boy shows the giant the true meaning of happiness and melts the selfish giant’s heart.

“The Selfish Giant” production runs through April 10.  Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm and Saturdays and Sundays at 2:00 pm.  Tickets are $12 for adults and $10 for students and seniors and can be purchased in advance at www.creativecauldron.org or by calling 571-239-5288. 

Creative Cauldron at ArtSpace Falls Church is located at 410 S. Maple Avenue in the Pearson Square building.  Free parking is available in the garages at 410 and 400 S. Maple Avenue.

Now in its 10^th year, Creative Cauldron is a non-profit organization that provides educational programs and affordable access to the performing and visual arts for children, teens and adults.  The “cauldron” serves as a symbol for collaboration, experimentation and community engagement.  A circle of professional teaching artists trained in theater, dance, music or visual arts lead Creative Cauldron programs.  These artists share a core belief that opportunities for arts learning, participation and enjoyment should be available to everyone.

Friday, June 4,  from 7 – 9 p.m. at Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School, nationally recognized parenting expert Kirk Martin will  present “10 Secrets to A Stress-Free Home: A Workshop for Moms, Dads (& Teachers, too).” The event is free.

Attendees will learn how to:

• Create a calm home—eliminate yelling and arguing.
• Improve focus, attention and behavior in school.
• Create stress-free mornings and homework time.
• Relieve anxiety, meltdowns and sensory issues.
• Eliminate defiance and disrespect.

What’s not to like? Mr. Martin has trained more than 100,000 parents and has a web site, www.CelebrateCALM.com, to learn more.

Although walk-ins are welcome, registration will help the PTA ensure adequate space and handouts. Please take a few seconds to sign up at:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/57CZL32

By STEPHANIE OPPENHEIMER

May 27, 2010

It was a gorgeous day on Sunday, May 16, providing the perfect setting for nearly 200 enthusiastic ticket holders to tour seven Falls Church City homes and two gardens during the 3^rd biannual Falls Church Elementary PTA Home & Garden Tour.

Thanks to generous donations from major sponsors Home Depot, Don Beyer Volvo, GreenBuilt Homes, Moore Architects, and Pie Tanza; private family donations; ticket sales; and countless volunteer hours donated by PTA members and docents, the event grossed approximately $16,000.

The hefty proceeds will help purchase more SmartBoards (interactive white boards) for classrooms, help fund teacher grants, and support the outdoor classrooms at both Mt. Daniel and Thomas Jefferson elementary schools.

“The Home & Garden Tour has become one of the PTA’s biggest fundraisers, and we could not have done it without the generosity of the homeowners, our sponsors, and the dedication of the Home and Garden Tour Committee,” observed Elementary PTA President Terri Tornell. “We are grateful for the support of so many in our community. The event was a huge success, and we are especially grateful to the eight homeowners who offered up their houses and gardens for this year’s tour and to the City of Falls Church for opening Cherry Hill Farmhouse. It was a great event, and it’s very rewarding to see such hard work and dedication result in thousands of dollars for our schools.”

Which of the below best describes you:

a) I frequently use an alias on Realtor sign-in sheets at Open Houses because I have no intention of buying a house; I just like to look.

b) I like to go trick or treating with my kids so that I can peek inside all the houses while they’re getting their candy.

c) I look up neighbors’ houses on Realtor.com the second they go on the market so that I can check out the interior photos.

d) Puh-leez. I’m not that tacky. I consider myself an aficionado of architecture, home décor, landscaping, and local history.

e) All of the above.

Whether you’re a hopeless voyeur (choice e) or just a lover of great design, mark your calendars for Sunday, May 16, noon to 4 p.m., because that will be the date of the 3rd biannual Falls Church Elementary PTA Home & Garden Tour! (Rain date is Sunday, May 23.)

The self-guided tour will take participants through six homes and two gardens in the City, with featured home styles including three varying Craftsmans, a Virginia Forest custom home, an Ellison Heights “green” Colonial and a contemporary farmhouse. The Cherry Hill Farmhouse will also be home from noon to 2 p.m.

Advance tickets cost $20 per person and can be purchased online at http://www.fallschurchpta.org/hgtour.html. Limited ticket sales will be held the day of the event at the Cherry Hill Farmhouse beginning at 10:30 a.m. for $25 each. (Every tour-goer must have a ticket, regardless of age.)

The tour is a major fundraiser for the Falls Church Elementary PTA, which this year will use proceeds to help purchase more SmartBoards (interactive white boards) for classrooms, help fund more teacher grants, and support the outdoor classrooms at both Mt. Daniel and Thomas Jefferson elementary schools.

“This has been an extremely tough year with the school budget,” said Falls Church Elementary PTA President Terri Tornell. “The PTA is acutely aware of the cuts and wants to be poised to help our teachers—and therefore our City’s children—through the upcoming school year.”

Premier sponsors for the volunteer-run event are Home Depot, Don Beyer Volvo, GreenBuilt Homes, Moore Architects and PieTanza.

April 28, 2010

Earth Day was a hit at our house. But that’s no surprise—my four-year old regularly holds up scraps of paper smaller than his little toe and asks, quite seriously, “Is this garbage or recycling?” And our seven-year old carefully marks every bird species we see at our feeder in a book about Virginia’s suburban birds. So we’re pretty excited about Mount Daniel Elementary’s “Family Discovery Series: Science in Nature” event, scheduled for Wednesday evening (April 28) from 6:30 to 8:00pm on the upper blacktop behind Mount Daniel (rain or shine).

There will be plenty of activities to help kids learn more about our world: From 6:35 to 7:30, families can circulate through several different activity centers, including Design & Fly, where participants can design their own butterfly species and learn everything they ever wanted to know about butterfly habitats; Magnify Your World, where kids can examine bugs, plants, feathers and rocks with a magnifying lens or microscope; Feathered Friends, which will feature a station for make-your-own pinecone bird feeders; and Nature Bingo, a new twist on an old favorite. Volunteers will also read favorite stories about nature throughout the hour.

At 7:30, guest speaker Mr. Alonso Abugattas, acting director at Long Branch Nature Center, will weave together the evening’s activities and discoveries with a presentation about our Natural Neighbors.

“I’m hoping to provide some ‘edutainment’ by bringing along some native critters for the kids to see and touch, and by telling stories about the animals to help kids understand them better,” said Abugattas. “I’ll bring some animals that the kids may see every day, as well as some that used to be common in our area but no longer are because we haven’t been very neighborly to them. In honor of Earth Day, my overall hope is that by giving people the opportunity to learn more about our natural neighbors, we’ll all do more to help protect them.”

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

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.