New Superintendent Announced by School Board

FALLS CHURCH CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS COMMUNICATIONS
Special to the Falls Church Times

March 31, 2011

Falls Church Selects Nationally Recognized Education Leader as Next FCCPS Superintendent

“I can promise the community of Falls Church that I will always be focused on what is best for our children!” – Dr. Toni Jones

After an extensive, nationwide search, the Falls Church City School Board today announced the selection of Dr. Toni Jones, currently the Chief Academic Officer for Deer Creek Public Schools in Oklahoma, as the new Superintendent of Schools for Falls Church City Public Schools. 

“The School Board is honored and delighted that Dr. Toni Jones will assume the helm of our school division, continuing our commitment to provide all students in the City with a world-class education,” School Board Chairman Joan Wodiska said. “Dr. Jones is a proven, effective, and innovative leader in public education.  She has the talent and vision to help ensure the quality, collaboration, and results our community expects from our public schools.” 

Honoring and building on Falls Church’s strong tradition of community and staff engagement, Jones will begin to meet FCCPS staff and community members as she transitions into her new position.  Jones will be introduced to staff and community members through a series of meetings scheduled for April 11 and 12.  After officially signing her contract at the April 12 School Board meeting, Jones will be introduced to staff and community members through a video message and letter. 

Dr. Jones will officially start on June 13 and commence her duties as Superintendent on July 1, succeeding Dr. Lois Berlin, who announced her retirement earlier this year.  

“The School Board is deeply grateful for the tremendous input from the community and staff on this important decision.  Such input directly informed and drove the School Board’s decision to hire Jones,” Wodiska said.   

As part of the Superintendent search process, the School Board conducted six public hearings, an online survey for staff, and an online survey for the community.  The Board also created a website to gather additional community and staff feedback and sought community input on the development of the criteria to evaluate Superintendent candidates.  In total, more than 550 individuals, including Falls Church parents, school employees, and community members, responded to the School Board’s detailed and thorough survey.  As the search moved forward earlier this year, the School Board convened a Community Panel to assist in the interviews of potential candidates. 

Recognized by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards as a leader who “Promotes Accomplished Teaching,” Dr. Jones currently serves as the Chief Academic Officer for Deer Creek (OK) Public Schools where she has served in a variety of senior leadership positions for the past 13 years.  Under Jones’ leadership, Deer Creek – recognized by many as the top school district in Oklahoma – has grown from 1,200 students to almost 4,000.

She brings a vast array of experience that spans more than two decades, having served as an elementary teacher, special education teacher, elementary principal, secondary school principal, and district K-12 curriculum and instructional technology administrator.  She has worked on various aspects of more than eight large-scale school construction projects, and she has been a district leader on multi-million-dollar strategic planning.  

Prior to joining Deer Creek, Jones worked in Sydney, Australia as a teacher and administrator at SCECGS Redlands, a diverse and dynamic international school community.  Her career began in Reno, Nevada, as a multi-age teacher serving primarily an economically disadvantaged student population. 

“Jones has served in virtually every position available in a K-12 school division, and those experiences should help her acclimate quickly to Falls Church City Public Schools,” Wodiska said.  “She has spent the past 13 years helping lead a high-performing, small school district like Falls Church.  And with her experiences in everything from e-learning to special education to school construction, she brings both experience and knowledge in all of the major school issues currently facing our City.”

 “I am energized and humbled by this opportunity, and I can’t wait to embrace the community of Falls Church as we work collaboratively to make sure that our schools continue to build on a tradition of excellence that is highly regarded in Virginia, across the nation, and around the world,” Jones said. “Falls Church is the only school district I can see leaving my home of Oklahoma for.  I absolutely love what I do on a daily basis, and I can promise the community of Falls Church that I will always be focused on what is best for our children!”   

Dr. Jones brings with her a deep understanding of curriculum and instruction.  Her accomplishments include national recognition for technology integration K-12, implementing e-learning options, and seamlessly infusing a district wide data system for monitoring student learning.  She has a specific strength for developing programs to target and assist struggling learners, while maintaining an environment that is rich in content and opportunity for all students, including a focus on gifted education.

She holds a dual bachelor’s degree in Special Education and Elementary Education from the University of Nevada, and a master’s degree as a Reading Specialist from Charles Sturt University in Australia.  Dr. Jones obtained administrative credentials from the University of Oklahoma, and a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership from Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, OK.

Art is All Around April 1 — No Fooling

The April Fool’s weekend starts off with several visual art exhibits on FIRSTfriday, April 1, at various venues throughout the City including: Art and Frame of Falls Church (111 Park Avenue), Stifel & Capra (260 West Broad Street), Curves (240 W. Broad Street), and Stacy’s Coffee Parlor (709 West Broad Street).  See www.FIRSTfridayofFallsChurch.com for more information.

Letters is Falls Church Arts’ latest exhibit in the gallery at ArtSpace Falls Church (410 S. Maple Avenue).  See the works juried into this show that asked artists to create and interpret LETTERS. The result is a wide variety of art in media ranging from paint to paper to fiber and photos. Gallery hours Friday, 5 to 7 pm and Saturday, 4 to 7 pm. See www.FallsChurchArts.org for details.

Make your own art at Clay Café Studios (101 N. Maple Avenue).  During the FIRSTfriday reception from 6 to 9 pm, decorate a free ceramic egg and you’ll have it in time for Easter.

Creative Cauldron continues performances of “The Selfish Giant” on Friday and Saturday nights at 7:30 pm and Saturday and Sunday at 2 pm at ArtSpace Falls Church (410 S. Maple Avenue). The play is an adaptation of an Oscar Wilde story that he wrote for his sons.  It features original music and a large-scale puppet.  The cast includes Helen Hayes Award-winning actor, Stephen Gregory Smith and student performers from Creative Cauldron’s Learning Theater program.  See www.CreativeCauldron.org for tickets.

Music lovers have choices all weekend with Irish music at Ireland’s Four Provinces Restaurant (105 W. Broad Street) and dance music at Dogwood Tavern (132 West Broad Street) both Friday and Saturday nights.  The State Theatre (220 North Washington Street) features rock/goth music by Peter Murphy on Friday night and The Clarks on Saturday night.

Blues lovers can hear – or play – all weekend at Bangkok Blues (926 West Broad Street) with bands performing Friday and  Saturday nights and an open Blues Jam Sunday evening starting at 6:00 pm.

Art is everywhere this weekend in The Little City of Falls Church.  No fooling.

FRIDAY 4/1: The Selfish Giant Continues at ArtSpace

Creative Cauldron’s Learning Theater production of “The Selfish Giant” continues this weekend at ArtSpace Falls Church (410 S. Maple Avenue) with performances Friday and Saturday at 7:30 pm and Saturday and Sunday matinees 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.  The production is suitable for ages 4 and above.

Marcy Gessel at www.our-kids.com reviewed this production and wrote “Creative Cauldron gives Oscar Wilde’s 1888 short story, The Selfish Giant, a faithful retelling, with added music and gorgeous puppets. The performance is part entertainment and part theater workshop for both the children in the show and the audience.”

Oscar Wilde originally penned “The Selfish Giant” fairy tale for his two sons. Creative Cauldron’s stage adaptation features original music by Matt Conner and large-scale puppets by Margie Jervis.  The cast includes Helen Hayes Award-winning actor Stephen Gregory Smith and nine talented students from Creative Cauldron’s Learning Theater program.

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.

Council Approves 1st Read of Budget, Water Rate Increase

By GEORGE BROMLEY
Falls Church Times Staff

March 29, 2011

Monday evening the Falls Church City Council approved the first readings of ordinances that would raise both taxes and water rates.  The Council also approved first reading of an ordinance adopting a FY 12 budget of $64.5 million.  All three measures passed unanimously (6-0), with Vice Mayor Snyder absent.

The tax rate ordinance advertises the real estate rate at $1.28 for every $100 of assessed value.  The projected budget currently assumes a tax rate of $1.25, allowing the Council some flexibility during the development process.  The ordinance also includes a 5 cent tax overlay for each $100 of commercial property, designated for transportation improvements, and a 28 cent increase in the personal property tax (PPT).

The current PPT rate is $4.71 for each $100 of value.  City Manager Wyatt Shields stated that each one cent increase in the rate equals $11,400 in revenue.  In addition to vehicles, the tax covers such business tangible items as office computers and dental equipment.

Mr. Shields continued to stress the need to restore the fund balance to an adequate level.  ”There is really no room for error when you don’t have a healthy fund balance,” he said.  “Projections will take us up to the 12% target level by 2014.”

Councilwoman Robin Gardner commented that she did not see 12% as a “magic number” and suggested 11% as a possible target.  She stated she would like to see City employees receive more than the proposed $1,300 across the board pay raise. 

Councilman Ira Kaylin concurred with Mr. Shields view on restoring the fund balance, calling it “smart policy” to be prudent, whether times are good or bad.  He said he had “different views” on the level of salary increases the City’s budget could bear.

Most of the citizens who spoke at the session called on the Council to approve the School Board’s entire transfer request. 

Public hearings on the tax rate and the budget will be held on April 11 and April 25.  Final adoption is scheduled for the later date.  Mayor Nader Baroukh said he expected “robust discussion” on budget issues during the coming weeks and encouraged public comment.

Water Rates Rising  -  The city manager stated that water rates have not been raised since 2005.  Since then Falls Church has devoted $34 million to improving the water system’s infrastructure.  The current rate is $3.03 per 1,000 gallons.

The ordinance calls for gradual increases over the next three years: $3.27 per 1,000 gallons in FY12, to $3.53 in FY 13, and to $3.82 in FY14.  Quarterly service charges and peak charges also would be increased annually over the three year period.  A typical quarterly bill, with no peak usage, would rise $2.04 in FY12.

Mr. Shields noted that the City’s Public Service Commission met on March 23 and recommended Council authorize the increase.  If approved at second reading, the new rate structure will take effect on July 1. Earlier this year the Council approved an increase in sewer rates. 

Miscellaneous Measures  -  The Council unanimously approved first reading of an ordinance authorizing a new fire prevention code and two resolutions concerning the sale of the Pendleton House (114 E. Columbia St.).  One measure requests the Planning Commission’s recommendation on the sale of the property for $772,680.  The second resolution requests the Commission to amend the City’s Comprehensive Plan and Land Use Map to reclassify the lot from park and open space to  low density residential.  A public hearing on the sale is set for May 9.

The Council also approved a resolution that dissolves the Senior Commission (SC) and assigns its responsibilities to the Human Services Advisory Commission.  In recent years the SC had seldom met, due either to lack of agenda items or the absence of a quorum.  There are no current members. 

City Staff Reorganization  -  Councilwoman Johannah Barry of the Government Operations Committee (herself and Councilman Ron Peppe) asked Mr. Shields to furnish additional data supporting the cost savings realized through his planned staff reorganization. 

Mr. Kaylin said he was perplexed that the report that the GOC had received on Monday was issued only 2.5 hours before the Council meeting, given it had been requested March 2.  He asked at what point would the reorganization, scheduled to take effect May 1, become irreversible.  Mr. Shields said he was not sure what was meant by this term and he and Mr. Kaylin subsequently agreed to discuss the issue “off line.”  A consultant’s report earlier concluded that $300,000 in savings would be achieved through the reorganization.      

That Light’s Too Bright  -  Two Winter Hill residents expressed concern about the lighting system associated with the traffic monitoring camera at the corner of W. Broad St. and Annandale Road.  One described the light as “bright enough to light up a football field” and asked the Council to move it from a residential to a commercial area. 

The mayor said he understood that the City had been working on some type of shading for the mechanism but that it had evidently not worked.  He asked the city manager to provide a status report at the next Council meeting. 

City Manager’s Report  -  Mr. Shields announced that Kathy Allan has been named Employee of the Year.  Ms. Allan was cited for her leading role in outsourcing the City’s solid waste system from a service performed by Falls Church employees to a private contractor, saving the City approximately $150,000  per year, and for spearheading the effort to bring trash and recycling carts to City customers.

Howard Herman Honored  -  In honor of his 40 years of service the Council began the process of renaming the Hamlett Reese tract after retiring City Recreation and Parks director Howard Herman.  The four acre parcel runs between W. Broad St. and Thomas Jefferson School.  The Council resolution requests boards such as the Planning Commission and the Historical Commission for their recommendations on the proposal. 

At the beginning of the meeting the mayor read a proclamation declaring April 10 as Howard E. Herman day in Falls Church City.  In response Mr. Herman said he had been blessed to work with some really wonderful people and that he would cherish the honor the rest of his life.

Appointments  -  Mary Ann Ralls was appointed to the Community Energy Plan Task Force.  Her term will run through June 2012.  Glenn Stephens was appointed to an unexpired term on the City Employee Review Board.  His term will extend until through October 2013.

David Rogers and Craig Cheney were reappointed to the Human Services Advisory Council.  Their terms will run through February 2014. 

The mayor informally appointed Mr. Peppe to the Northern Virginia Transit Authority’s Planning Coordination Advisory Committee (PCAC).

Video  -  A recording of the meeting is available at the City’s website.

Crime Report for March 22 – 28

By FALLS CHURCH POLICE DEPARTMENT

March 29, 2011

Driving Under the Influence, Possession of Marijuana, 800 block E. Broad St., Mar. 22, 1:17 a.m.  A 31 year old Annandale man was arrested for Driving Under the Influence, Refusal and Possession of Marijuana.

Urinating in Public, 6795 Wilson Blvd. (Eden Center), Mar. 24, 12:16 a.m.  A 27 year old Falls Church man was arrested for Urinating in Public. 

Driving Under the Influence, 6300 block Arlington Blvd., Mar. 24, 1:03 a.m.  A 31 year old Vienna man was arrested for Driving Under the Influence. 

Possession of a Controlled Substance, 134 W. Broad St., Mar. 24, 6:55 a.m.  Responding to a lookout for a vehicle stolen from Fairfax County and assisted by Lo-Jack, officers conducted a felony traffic stop and detained two individuals who were turned over to Fairfax.  Incident to the traffic stop, a 24 year old Oakton man was arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance.

Larceny – Other, 900 block N. Quesada St., Mar. 24, 6:53 p.m.  A bicycle was stolen from a back patio area by an unknown suspect.

Driving Under the Influence, 6700 block Wilson Blvd., Mar. 25, 1:17 a.m.  A 28 year old Lanham, MD man was arrested for Driving Under the Influence (2nd within 10 years). 

Driving Under the Influence, Possession of Marijuana, 917 W. Broad St. (El Zunzal), Mar. 26, 1:12 a.m.  A 39 year old Herndon man was arrested for Driving Under the Influence and Possession of Marijuana.

Driving Under the Influence, 300 block S. Washington St., Mar. 26, 8:43 p.m.  A 28 year old Woodbridge man was arrested for Driving Under the Influence.

Smoking in a Non-Designated Area, 6795 Wilson Blvd, #21 (Hai Lua Restaurant), Mar. 26, 10:30 p.m.  A 42 year old Falls Church woman was arrested for Smoking in a Non-Designated Area and the Manager, a 37 year old Montgomery Village, MD man was arrested for permitting smoking in the restaurant.

Driving Under the Influence and Refusal, 1000 block W. Broad St., Mar. 27, 2:16 a.m.  A 45 year old McLean man was arrested for Driving Under the Influence and Refusal.

Larceny – Theft of Vehicle Parts, 100 block Haycock Rd., Mar. 28, 1:10 p.m.  Unknown suspect(s) removed both fog lights from a recently purchased vehicle.

FRIDAY 4/1: Military History Forum

Falls Church City resident Roger Neighborgall will speak on “The Chinese – Here They Come.”  No charge. 10:00 am – noon, Falls Church Community Center, 221 Little Falls Street. 703-248-5020.  The Forum meets every other Friday, same time, same place.

Apr. 8  Field Trip to Manassas Museum.  Jeff Toalson: Author of Send Me an Old Pair of Boots and Kiss My Little Girls

May 6  Captain Paul Jacobs, USN (ret.): A Secret Navy Mission of Mercy

May 13  Fred Brems: Presentation of His Father’s World War II Photo Collection

May 20  TBA

May 27  George Kralovek: April 1865, The Month That Saved America

The forum will break for the summer and begin a new season of lectures on September 9.

City Plans Rerouting of West and W&OD Intersection for Safety

By STEPHEN SIEGEL
Falls Church Times Staff

March 28, 2011

The dangerous and difficult intersection where the Washington & Old Dominion Trail meets West Street would be improved under a plan proposed by city officials.

The plan, which hasn’t yet been funded, was proposed by the planning department as part of the Safe Routes to School Program, which is designed to make it easier for kids to walk or bike to the city’s four schools.

That would allow it to be funded by a state grant that derives from federal funds. But even if the the state declined to fund the program, other funds could still be made available, said Wendy Block Sanford, the city’s transportation planner.

Wherever funding eventually is secured from, the proposed change should improve a situation that’s proven difficult for pedestrians and drivers alike.

The intersection has been the scene of a car-pedestrian accident, when a woman walking her dogs was hit in the crosswalk in January 2010, and it is a busy crossing with poor sight lines — the crossing occurs just north of what amounts to two near 90 degree turns for northbound drivers — leading to some close calls.

The proposal isn’t revolutionary. But it uses the existing trail right-of-way, making the costs low and the engineering fairly simple. And it follows a similar plan already approved by the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority, which oversees the trail, for the dangerous Maple Avenue crossing in Purcellville, at the far west end of the 45 mile long trail.

The plan would curve the path around slightly to the north on the west side of the intersection and to the south on the east side, making it so the trail would meet each side of West Street in a perpendicular fashion.

“This type of improvement has a huge visibility improvement,” Ms. Block Sanford said. “We’re trying to get as close to 90 degrees as possible with gentle curves.”

If the change is ultimately implemented, it will be the second change made in recent months in an effort to improve safety on the popular trail. Last summer, the city added signs warning drivers they are required by law to yield to pedestrians.

The Safe Routes to School program is part of the city’s comprehensive pedestrian improvement plan. The W&OD is considered a route to Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School and George Mason High School, which is why the trail improvement proposal was able to be included in it.

Students are not currently permitted to walk to Henderson Middle because of the traffic situation in the school’s driveway, Ms. Block Sanford said.

But she said school officials have been receptive to changing the configuration there to improve traffic flow and pedestrian safety, with the eventual goal of permitting kids to walk to and from their homes. Currently, 10 to 15 percent of kids walk to or from George Mason.

Overnight Snow Didn’t Stop the Falls Church Youth Lacrosse Club

By STEPHEN HISCOTT
Falls Church Times Staff

March 29, 2011

The Falls Church Youth Lacrosse Club kicked off the Spring Season with games Sunday following several weeks of practice and scrimmage games. Given growing interest in the sport and increasing numbers of 5th and 6th grade girls playing, two 5/6 teams kicked off their season today. The 5th/6th grade girls (Red and Black Teams) met for a season opener and showed fantastic teamwork across the field. While many of the girls were returning after years of lacrosse experience, several were playing lacrosse for the first time. Given the hustle and excellent play, it is clear the season will be fun (and successful) for both teams. The first few games of the season are posted on the Falls Church Youth Lacrosse Club website, but the next two will be hosted at George Mason High School — 12:30 Falls Church 5/6 Girls Black Team v. Fairfax Police-G56B; 1:45 Falls Church 5/6 Girls Red Team v. Great Falls-G56B. Go Mustangs!!!

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