The $2.4 Billion Question
FCPS Superintendent presents next year’s budget.
Fairfax County Public Schools’ Superintendent Dr. Karen Garza is proposing a $2.4 billion budget for the 2015-16 school year. The proposed Fairfax County Public Schools’ budget includes funds for full-day Mondays, teacher compensation and later high school start times while still finding room for $55.4 million in cuts.
Nysmith Students Meet Cyber Defense Challenge
Two teams of middle school students from The Nysmith School of Herndon recently finished second and 12th out of 200 U.S. and Canadian teams participating in the seventh Annual CyberPatriot National Youth Cyber Defense Competition.
New Shoes for Children at Hutchison Elementary
The Council for the Arts of Herndon joins with the Dranesville supervisor’s office every holiday season to gather new shoes for children at Hutchison Elementary School in Herndon. Hutchison is a Title I school serving many students with challenging social and economic issues.
‘Peter Pan’ Recreated
Herndon High produces “Peter Pan,” or the “Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up.”
What do fairy dust, a vengeful pirate, and a flying boy have in common? The answer would be Herndon High School’s production of “Peter Pan,” or the “Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up.” The show, debuting in London in 1904, was J.M. Barrie’s most famous work, along with his 1911 novel version of the same story.
Irresistible? How Karen Garza Creates Change in Fairfax County Schools
Karen Garza is a good listener. And once she’s listened, she is, admittedly, not very patient. “If there's a real issue, I don't think it has to be debated for 10 or 15 years,” Garza said in an interview. “Either we're going to do something about it or not.”
FCPS Chief Karen Garza and Her Previous Life in Texas
“When I hired Karen in 2005,” former Superintendent of Houston Independent School District (HISD) Dr. Abelardo Saavedra said, “the position of chief academic officer had been open several months. I went looking for her. I’d never met her but I’d heard about her. There is a big difference between a mid-sized district and a larger one; the dynamics are completely different. I was taking a risk because she came from a mid-sized one of about 40,000 in Corpus Christi, and ours was much bigger. She adjusted very quickly.”
Fairfax County Public Schools Needing Community’s Help
Superintendent Karen Garza begins and ends her Listening Tour meetings with a plea to those in the room — parents, teachers, employees, unions — to help her achieve what needs to be done for their school system. “I am going to need your help,” she says to audiences who voice concerns about class size, resources for special education, and teacher salaries.
Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Karen Garza Bio
Current Position: Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent
Timeline of Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Karen Garza’s career in education.
1986-1991: Elementary School Teacher, Yoakum, Texas (1,539 students, 38% white and 50% Latino and spends about $8,000 per pupil).
An Essay To Remember
Local educators offer advice on acing independent school admission essays and interviews.
While many are knee-deep in wrapping paper and eggnog, some students are holed up with computer keyboards and books of quotations. In addition to driving to the mall for holiday shopping, some parents are throwing rapid-fire questions at their children to make sure they are fast on their feet.
Senior Safety Summit Held at the Herndon Harbor House.
Area senior citizens got a lesson on safety from the professionals. The first of two Senior Safety Summits was held on Friday, Dec. 5 at the Herndon Harbor House to show the area’s oldest residents how to remain safe for the holidays and beyond.
Fairfax County Facing More Budget Strain
County Executive and FCPS Superintendent present adverse forecasts.
Days before the traditional loosening of belts for Thanksgiving, Fairfax County officials discussed the need for tightening theirs.
Herndon High Holds Fall Band Concert
Herndon band performs free concert at school before trip to Norfolk.
Herndon High School band welcomed the community to attend a free concert the evening of Nov. 12 at Herndon High School auditorium. The concert was held to thank the community for generous support during the annual Tag Day fundraiser.
Renovation Keeps Rolling at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Alexandria
New wing showcased at Nov. 14 ribbon-cutting.
Thomas Jefferson senior Thomas Rogers is big on the laser cutter. “You can cut anything you want,” said the McLean resident, “like exact designs on sheet metal.” Rogers was enthusiastic about the device, but wouldn’t fire it up during the Nov. 14 tour of the Science and Technology Governor’s School’s new two-story wing with 14 research spaces.
High Schools to Start Later Next Year
School Board approves later start times.
Phyllis Payne has been fighting for more sleep for a decade. On Oct. 23, it all paid off. The co-founder of Start Later for Excellence in Education Proposal - or SLEEP - saw the Fairfax County Public School Board approve to move high school start times ahead by 30 minutes, 11-1.