INSIDE TRACK
FALLS CHURCH CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Resilience in the Face of Adversity
Lois Berlin, Superintendent
“Whatever One buzzword we often
hear in the education
you are, be a world is resiliency. In the
face of adversity, it is
good one.” especially important that
we stay focused on our
core mission: to provide
an excellent education to
– Abraham our students. How we do
that in the coming year
Lincoln depends on how we choose to react to our
circumstances.
Now that the FY11 school budget has been
adopted, we know we will have to do more
with less in the months ahead. We also
know the circumstances brought on by a
strained economy are less severe in our
IN THIS ISSUE school division than they are in some of our
neighboring school divisions. For this, we
2 are fortunate.
Apartments Available We know that this era of high-stakes ac-
countability in an ever-changing world
Kudos means greater demands on our educa-
FCCPS Travelogue
3 The Busy Month of May
This month, there are events almost every
Baby News day in Falls Church. Check out page 4 for
FCEF Annual Dinner a complete community calendar. Several
events are specifically to recognize
FCCPS staff, and all are invited.
4 May 3rd - May 14th Staff Apprecia-
Community Calendar tion Weeks Each school will hold special
events for employees, courtesy of stu-
Pop Quiz
dents, adminstrators, families, PTA and
PTSA. Local businesses are providing
“FCCPS Staff Appreciation Specials” for all
staff during this two-week span. Click here
for a list of specials and coupons, or call
703-248-5691.
May 18th Agnes Meyer/Support Staff
of the Year Reception MEHMS Cafe-
torium 5:30 p.m. Recognize Support Staff
May 2010
tional system. We also know we have unpar-
alleled support from our parent and business
community. For this, we can be grateful.
We know in this 60th anniversary school year
that our school division rose from its humble
roots to one of the finest small school divi-
sions in the nation. We also know that the
foundation was built on sheer determination
at a time when our high school students
reported to class at a house at Seven Cor-
ners until funding became available to build a
proper school. With this, we have an exam-
ple of resiliency.
Winston Churchill once said, “The farther
backward you can look, the farther forward
you are likely to see.” As we look back, we
see our courageous founders focused not on
what they couldn’t do, but what they could do
with the resources that were available. They
addressed their situation with a can-do spirit
that prevails today. With that attitude, with
all that has been accomplished to date, we
know we are destined for brighter tomorrows.
of the Year LaBryan Thomas and Agnes
Meyer Outstanding Teacher Maryel Barry,
along with all award nominees: LV Ben-
dolph, GMHS; Robert Jones, GMHS; Mim
McFarland, MEHMS; Tammy Chincheck,
GMHS; Nathan Greiner, TJ; Marc Robarge,
GMHS; Jeanne Seabridge, MEHMS; Maria
Shields, GMHS; Alissa Stein, GMHS
May 27th FCCPS Retirement Celebra-
tion MEHMS Cafetorium, 5:30 p.m. Six
FCCPS employees will be honored for their
years of service. Our esteemed retirees are
Helen Albader, GMHS; Shelley Feuerstein,
Systemwide; Janet Kremer, Mount Daniel;
Jean Lewis, TJ; Kathy Poff, TJ;
Dottie Salvatierra, TJ.
Apartments Available
Looking for a new place to live? A
unique FCCPS benefit is Teacher
Workforce Units (TWU) - desig-
nated apartments just for FCCPS
staff in the Read Building at 402 W.
Broad St. Several TWU apartments
will become available this summer.
A one-bedroom apartment will be
available as of June 1st. The rent
is $1,103 per month plus a $16
water & sewer surcharge.
If you are interested in this unit or
others that will become available,
contact Marina Boyer at Jefferson
One, 703-356-8800.
FCCPS Travelogue
Destination: A world tour!
Who: The TJ Tiger and friends
Purpose of Trip: As part of the
Primary Years Programme, Thom-
as Jefferson students and staff
were invited to take a cardboard TJ
Tiger along on their spring break
trips.
South America: TJ teacher Lisa
Allan took him to Colombia, where
they visited former FCCPS teacher
Alison McNeill. Lisa and Alison
spent part of Semana Santa (Holy
Week) touring the capital city, Bo-
gota, and nearby sites.
Lisa Allan took him to the top of
Monserrat in Bogota, Colombia.
INSIDE TRACK
Kudos
Congratulations to: • TJ teachers Ashley DeSesso
• TJ teacher Heidi Lang and and Juls Rathje who will
GMHS teacher Jamie Scharff, receive certificates of participa-
who received the Northern tion from the Kennedy Center’s
Virginia Gifted and Talented Changing Education through
Teacher of the Year award. the Arts program.
They were recognized by the • LaBryan Thomas, who re-
Northern Virginia Council for ceived his second consecutive
Gifted and Talented Educators. Bull Run District Coach of the
• The GMHS Music Department Year Award, and was also rec-
composed of Mary Jo Webster ognized by
(instrumental ensembles), Lau- the Wash-
ren Glass (vocal ensemble), ington Post
Larry Allen (part-time band as Subur-
aide), who received the Blue ban All-Met
Ribbon Award from the Coach for
Virginia Music Educators As- his leader-
sociation in recognition of the ship of the
school’s superior performing GMHS girls
ensembles. basketball
team.
Ciao Meow: Falls Church Educa-
tion Foundation executive director
Donna Englander took the tiger
to Lake Como in Italy for a trip with
her daughters.
At Debbie Spring’s house, he enjoyed
the toy mouse, and worked on math
remediation.
Kylie, Donna and Casey Englander
with the TJ Tiger at Lake Como, Italy.
Closer to home: Math specialist
Debbie Spring kept him busy with
math games at her home.
Feline Friends: CIA secretary
Molly Narburgh and RTI specialist
Summer Manos took the tiger to
visit some of his own kind at Kitty
Country in Lovettsville, Virginia.
At Kitty Country, Summer Manos and
Molly Narburgh introduced him to the
glories of catnip!
PAGE 2
Baby News
Quinn Alexandra Harris
GMHS teacher Bryan Harris and
his wife, Meredith, are enjoying
their bundle of joy: Quinn Alexan-
dra Harris. She arrived March 28th
at 5:08 am. She weighed seven
pounds, and she is a sweetie!
Falls Church Education Foundation Annual Dinner
FCCPS staff attnended the Falls
Church Education Foundation
Annual Dinner April 23rd at the
Arlington Westin Gateway. Sev-
eral enjoyed the evening thanks to
complimentary tickets from friendly
corporate donors.
The dinner raised money for all
Molly Narburgh and Gloria Guba
Janae Rittenhouse, Vincent Baxter and Ann McCarty
PAGE 3
Ella McAdam, with her baby brother,
Luke Porter McAdam.
There’s a new family member Alice Jane Block snuggles into her car
at the home of GMHS counselor seat.
Brad McAdam. Brad and his wife,
Heather, welcomed a son, Luke Mt. Daniel physical therapist Vicky
Porter McAdam, on April 9th. He Block and her husband, Victor
weighed 7 pounds, 13 ounces. have the newest FCCPS baby. Al-
Luke’s big sister, Ella, who is al- ice Jane Block was born April 14th.
most three years old, is a devoted She weighed 6 pounds, 12 ounces,
helper. and had a head of dark hair. So
cute!
FCCPS schools and the
FCEF. Special funds
raised include $700 for
the GMHS robotics team;
$7,300 for MEHMS
Challenge Day; and
$7,400 for Smart Boards
at Mt. Daniel & Thomas Mercy Bloomgarden and her
Jefferson. husband, David
Marie Harbison
Ty Byrd
(right) greets
GMHS alum-
nus Barry
Buschow.
Maria Shields and Juls Rathje
Ericka Ovette (left) performs with
the GMHS Jazz Band, directed by Peggy Monahan and Maryel
Mary Jo Webster. Barry
INSIDE TRACK
Community Calendar
VPIS Attic Treasures Sale
May 1st Falls Church
Community Center Discover
treasures from attics, garages
and basements. Furniture, ac-
cessories, housewares, toys,
even a special Mother’s Day gift
shop for children. Click here
or call 703-241-7015 for more
information.
Election Day May 4th
Residents of Virginia towns and
cities (e.g. Falls Church, Clifton,
Herndon, Vienna and Fairfax
City) can vote in local elections
for City Council and School
Board.
FCCPS Benefits Fair
May 5th MEHMS Cafetorium
2:45 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Meet
representatives from FCCPS
employee beneift providers: Kai-
ser Permanente, United Health-
care, DentaQuest, EBS, VALIC
Retirement, Apple Federal Credit
Union and more. Click here
or call 703-248-5614 for more
information.
FIRSTFriday May 7th Dining
and retail discounts, art, music
and ArtALot - an outdoor des-
tination with artists, craftsmak-
ers and musicians. Even a car
show! Click here or call 703-
534-4202 for more information.
Relay for Life Yard Sale
May 8th 803 W. Broad St.
parking lot (former home of
Central Office) 8:00 a.m. -
noon Great deals on everything
from sports equipment to house-
hold items, books, and clothes.
All proceeds go to Relay for Life,
and teams are invited to set up
a table. Call 703-248-5600 for
more information.
FCCPS Benefits Enrollment
Deadline May 14th Sign those
official papers, and submit them
to Rhonda Wilhelm in the Cen-
Got news for Inside Track?
Send it to Marybeth Connelly or call 703-248-5691.
Reading a printed version of Inside Track? To see the links, visit
http://www.fccps.org/news/it/may10.htm.
PAGE 4
(Wow! A whole page of things to do! )
tral Office by 5:00 p.m. Click
here or call 703-248-5614 for
more information.
Civil War Day May 15th
Cherry Hill Park; 10:00 a.m.
- 3:00 p.m. Experience civil-
ian and soldier reenactors, with
a special focus on the African
American experience during the
Civil War.
Other activities include musket
firing and drilling exercises, a
medical tent, bus tour, live music
and children’s games. Free Ad-
mission. Click here or call 703-
248-5171 for more information.
EPTA Home & Garden Tour
May 16th Six unique Falls
Church homes and gardens will
be open for viewing. Advance
tickets are $20.00 each ($25.00
on the day of the tour.) Proceeds
will support SmartBoards and
Outdoor Classroom activities.
Click here for more information.
FCEF Auction Night at
Quinn’s Auction House May
17th 413 N. Maple Ave.,
Falls Church. 7:00 p.m.
Join the Falls Church Educa-
tion Foundation for a community
auction. Furnishings, treasures,
unique items will be auctioned,
and all proceeds go to FCEF.
Perfect for girls night out!
Agnes Meyer/Support Staff
Awards Reception May 18th
MEHMS Cafetorium 5:30
p.m. See Page 1 for details.
Relay for Life May 22nd -
23rd Moore Cadillac Field
There’s still time to join a Relay
for Life team or donate to a
team. Click here for more infor-
mation.
FCCPS Retirement Celebra-
tion May 27th MEHMS Cafe-
torium 5:50 p.m. See page 1
for details.
Memorial Day May 31st
Fun Run - 9:00 a.m.
Booths and performances
10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Parade 2:00 p.m.
If you do one thing in Falls
Church this year, make it Memo-
rial Day. Run or walk through
the Little City with thousands of
others. Visit the booths for food
and crafts. Cheer as the pa-
rade makes its way down Park
Avenue. Click here or call 703-
248-5077 for more information.
Pop Quiz
Show off your Falls Church
knowledge and win a prize! The
April winner was GMHS teacher
Joel Block who knew that the
Oak Street School (renamed
Thomas Jefferson Elementary in
1956 ) opened on time in 1948
because community members
volunteered to help finish the con-
struction of the new school.
Try this one:
The annual Falls Church Civil
War Day includes a hot air bal-
loon ascension. Why?
a. To keep the kids interested.
b. To commemorate the May
1862 event when Thaddeus Lowe
launched the first military hot-air
balloon reconaissance mission,
right here in Falls Church.
c. To memorialize the way North-
ern Virginia regiments shared
information among encampments:
Hot-air balloon smoke signals.
d. To remember the hot air bal-
loon piloted by Robert Woodside
that raced a stallion to bring news
of the Battle of Bull Run.
Learn more at Falls Church Civil
War Day. See Community Cald-
near.
To enter, click here or call 703-
248-5691 by May 10th. The first
staff member to submit the
correct answer will receive a
prize, and the winner will be an-
nounced in June Inside Track.
INSIDE TRACK