Fairfax County Public Schools’ superintendent said he is committed to tackling racism in the public school system during a town hall last night.
The Fairfax County NAACP met with FCPS Superintendent Scott Brabrand to talk about how to address systemic racism going into the 2020-2021 school year.
The discussion between Sujatha Hampton, the Fairfax County NAACP’s education chair, and Brabrand, along with several other guests, focused on a list of priorities from Fairfax County NAACP to address equity.
Brabrand repeated throughout the town hall that he was ready to be held accountable for making change. “We need to be more comfortable feeling uncomfortable,” Brabrand said at the end of the meeting.
The town hall began with a discussion on COVID-19 and the status of reopening schools. On July 21, Brabrand announced that schools would be opening virtually on Sept. 8. Hampton made it clear that it will be essential to address the inequities that online learning presents in minority communities.
What would an anti-racist school system look like and how can FCPS strive for that? Hampton had several proposals.
One would address the scope of the chief equity officer position within the county, with Hampton noting the importance of hiring someone with “anti-racist” policies versus a traditional hire for the position.
Hampton’s proposed job description included conveying “transformational leadership” and having “successful experience as a change agent.”
“Anti-racism is a fairly new thing for systems to be considering,” said Hampton when emphasizing the importance of radical change with leadership.
Another priority is creating an anti-racist curriculum. FCPS Social Studies Coordinator Colleen Eddy said that they are already in the process of auditing the existing curriculum.
A major topic of discussion was the disproportionate discipline statistics in the county’s schools. Hampton presented a series of data points showcasing the high number of Black students receiving referrals for “disruptive behavior” versus their peers. FCPS Deputy Superintendent Frances Ivey agreed that it’s time to reinforce positive behavior rather than disciplining students.
Hampton also discussed the lack of Black teachers and principles within the school system and emphasized the importance of creating a data-driven plan to hire more Black teachers in a transparent way. She said the culture of a school stems from a principal, and it is “criminal” to give kids a racist principal.
“I want everyone to remember that these are actual children’s lives,” Hampton said.
Photo via Sam Balye/Unsplash
A group of eight kids came together this summer to spread love in the Vienna community via wooden signs with painted hearts.
The group, which calls itself Rustic Love Vienna, created and sold the signs to benefit the Vienna VA Foodies Facebook group, which supports local restaurants, frontline workers and food-insecure families.
The idea came together after seeing Signs of Hope Delaware, a family business selling signs for profit after losing their jobs. Michelle Davila, the adult organizer of the group, decided to try and recreate the signature heart sign with wood in her own basement. She then involved her children, and Rustic Love Vienna took off.
“It’s just been really, really, really positive,” Davila told Tysons Reporter.
They wrapped up their orders on Friday, July 31, with a total of $6,220 raised, according to Davila. The children produced about 250 signs for the community, which can be spotted in yards when driving around Vienna.
“Driving around town and seeing them, I don’t know where they all go,” said Davila. She said seeing the signs when out and about reinforces the experience’s positivity and productivity.
While Davila was the adult in the group, her son and two neighbors were the people running the project. Kids would rotate between sawing, drilling and painting to make the signs.
Not only did kids from the neighborhood join the group, but also kids whose parents heard about the initiative and had an interest in joining. A neighbor even provided wood leftover from a previous project, according to Davila.
“It’s been super, super rewarding,” said Davila. “The amount of money we’ve raised for this group… has been a great thing for my kids to be able to experience.”
Photo courtesy of Michelle Davila
Tysons Corner Center is welcoming Doughnuttery to its mall this weekend.
Known for its mini doughnuts, the New York-based chain is opening its doors to the public on Saturday, Aug. 8, at 3 p.m.
“We really like this mall. It’s convenient. It’s close by. It’s well-known. It’s a tourist attraction,” said Leyla Khater and Katherine Ronckovitz, the owners of the new Doughnuttery. “We knew we wanted to be here.”
Khater and Ronckivitz had been thinking of partnering to start a business for a long time when they found out Doughnuttery was franchising and decided that opening the Tysons location would be a good fit for their entrepreneurial spirit, according to Ronckivitz.
The store was initially supposed to open in March but was delayed due to the pandemic. They put opening procedures on hold when the shutdown began, but once the government began loosening restrictions, they were able to move forward again.
For their grand opening this weekend, they will have social distancing markers on the floor and masks to hand out, in addition to wearing masks themselves, according to Khater.
Doughnuttery was founded in 2012 in New York City. The store currently has three locations in New York and other locations across the country. They offer dozens of different doughnut flavors and several dipping sauces, according to Ronckivitz.
The owners are also excited to bring catering with custom glazes and patterns for any event to Virginia.
“We are two women entrepreneurs, and we didn’t give up despite the challenges we faced through COVID,” said Ronckivitz. “We have daughters and we want to be their example in showing them that we didn’t give up.”
Photo courtesy of Leyla Khater
McLean local Dr. John Kim dedicated his life to his work as an electrical engineer. Now, he hopes to connect aspiring engineers to the field through a newly published memoir.
“In Pursuit of Science and Technology” explores topics ranging from Kim’s work in physics and engineering to his journey of faith and illness to his life traveling through four different global capitals — Tokyo, Pyongyang, Seoul and D.C.
Kim said there were two main inspirations behind the book — the first being his six grandchildren. He wanted them to tangibly have his stories and studies. The other was sharing his studies.
“I want to leave something behind me of all the things that I have done in science and technology,” said Kim.
He noted his target audience is young people going into the science and technology field, saying his message is to show them what it’s like to pursue this field. He elaborated on the differences between education and real-world experience and how important it is for young people to get both.
“If you go to engineering school today… that’s something where they teach you how to do it. But that’s not everything in a private corporation,” Kim said.
Kim focuses much of the memoir on his work as an electrical engineer towards furthering science and technology while discussing different topics as well. For example, he shares the time he spent working on military advancement and how he advised people to cultivate business opportunities on the engineer career ladder, according to his synopsis.
He also includes stories about the time he spent working with Howard Aiken, the “father of the digital electromagnetic computer,” according to his synopsis.
Kim also addresses personal adversity. He lived in Tokyo during World War II, Pyongyang while trapped by the Iron Curtain and South Korea during the Korean War. Additionally, he surmounted a battle with cancer about 15 years ago.
The process of creating his memoir was long. He didn’t plan it, but after he made the decision after he retired in 2013, he collected letters, reports, technical and scientific writings from journals and 144 pictures of his family and colleagues. The editing process took four years, said Kim.
This book is available for purchase online and in-stores.
Photo courtesy John Kim
LEON, a natural-based fast food restaurant, is finally arriving in the Mosaic District. The restaurant plans to open its doors on Thursday, Aug 6.
Originally, the restaurant was aiming to open in the winter at 2905 District Avenue, Suite 160. It’s unclear what caused the delay.
To celebrate their opening, LEON is holding a giveaway contest, according to a post on their Facebook page. The winner will receive free LEON through the end of the year. To enter, participants must download the app and create an account.
The restaurant aims to provide a natural take on fast food, offering many options to accommodate people with dietary restrictions, including vegetarians, pescatarians and vegans. Their goal is to “make it easier for everyone to live and eat well,” according to their website.
The online menu includes breakfast items like shakshuka and avocado toast, along with all-day dishes ranging from salads to the “LOVe burger” made with a beetroot-soy patty.
LEON was founded in 2004 and has more than 60 locations across the world, including Norway, the U.K. and the Netherlands.
Photo via LEON/Facebook
“Relay,” a new autonomous electric shuttle, made its first test run throughout Merrifield’s Mosaic District yesterday.
Relay is a free, driverless transportation option that will take people from the Dunn Loring-Merrifield Metro Station to the Mosaic District.
Yesterday’s testing was the beginning of a mapping process to teach the vehicle its route. In the learning process, the shuttle needs to stay on its route down to the millimeter, according to Dominion Energy’s Innovation Strategist Julie Manzari.
Testing and mapping usually take a few weeks or more with autonomous shuttles depending on the complicated nature of the route, according to Manzari. The route Relay will be taking is especially interesting due to busy roads.
The project was launched by Fairfax County and Dominion Energy in partnership with EDENS, Virginia’s Department of Rail and Public Transportation and Department of Transportation, the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute and George Mason University.
Transdev will be in charge of the management and maintenance of the vehicle, which was made by EasyMile, according to the county’s website.
In a YouTube video, EasyMile engineer Nathan Ramsey said that the shuttle has several different braking systems, uses GPS and has a LiDAR system, which observes the environment with infrared lasers.
“Using LiDAR, the vehicle can’t miss objects. It will see everything around it, and it will respond accordingly,” Ramsey said. “So if it needs to slow down or stop because somebody runs out in front of it — even if they dart out in front of it just a couple, mere feet — the vehicle will have no trouble stopping or slowing.”
Ramsey said that he believes the shuttle is safer than human drivers, noting that the technology can respond safely to human error.
The shuttle will be enforcing mask requirements and separation as much as possible to ensure COVID-19 safety. They plan on keeping a seat between each passenger and requiring passengers to wear their seatbelts, according to Manzari.
“We have a lot of enthusiasm around the project,” said Manzari. “People are very curious about autonomous vehicles.”
Photo courtesy Peggy Fox/Dominion Energy
Fairfax County confirmed it is still mandatory for all students enrolling in Fairfax County Public Schools to receive their required immunizations, despite the school year starting virtually.
The county’s health department is providing nine additional community childhood vaccination clinics and encouraging families to take advantage of free vaccination opportunities before the start of the school year, according to the Fairfax County Emergency Information website.
Required vaccinations protect against life-threatening illnesses such as polio, measles, whooping cough and chickenpox, according to the website. Additionally, incoming seventh-graders need a booster dose of the Tdap vaccine, and preteens need vaccines to protect against diseases such as HPV.
Only a select number of appointments will be available at community vaccination clinics to ensure safety during the COVID-19 pandemic.
To schedule an appointment, call 703-246-6010, TTY 711. Clinics encourage families to send a picture of their child’s vaccination records to decrease face-to-face time at the clinic.
Photo by Charles Deluvio on Unsplash
Jewelry store Alex and Ani seems to have left the Mosaic District.
The Merrifield location has an empty storefront and has been removed from the company’s website in addition to the Mosaic District’s directory.
No social media posts have been made regarding the closure, and attempts to reach the company have been unsuccessful. However, their Facebook page indicates that their location is permanently closed.
Meanwhile, the Alex and Ani location in Tysons Corner Center is still listed on the company’s website and mall’s directory. While both sites say the store is “closed,” a mall employee said that the store is open.
Photo courtesy Patrick Raffaele
A local Turkish catering company recently opened up a new bakery and gourmet market in Falls Church.
BorekG officially opened its bakery and market around June 1 at 315 S Maple Ave., but the catering company appeared at the Falls Church Farmers Market prior to the creation of the market.
“We initially wanted to open a full cafe, but unfortunately seating nor funding was available to us,” Dilek Kaygusuz, the owner of BorekG, told Tysons Reporter.
The catering business has been serving the community for 10 years.
Kaygusuz said plans to open the store started seven years ago. Finally, at the beginning of June, the team was able to move forward with opening plans under COVID-19 safety protocols and through the Falls Church Food Safety Workshop.
She said they are disappointed that they didn’t get any financial help from Falls Church or Fairfax County. “I hope in the future they value us more,” Kaygusuz said.
Business at BorekG has been stable, but they hope things get better, Kaygusuz said. Many businesses have struggled due to the pandemic, and BorekG is no exception.
The BorekG Bakery and Gourmet Market offers Turkish breakfast, brunch, appetizers, and lunch. Some of the items included in their store include flatbreads, pastries, baklava and more. The market also sells grocery items such as eggs, cheese, butter, milk and oils.
“You can also sign up for our future cooking classes, make reservations for outdoor seating and find out about our host dinners,” BorekG’s website says.
Outside of the store, people can find BorekG at the Falls Church Farmers Market each Saturday.
Photo via Borek-G/Facebook
Dara Global Arts Gallery is reopening to the public this Sunday, July 27. The gallery will be open each Sunday by appointment only from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m.
The gallery is located at 2169 Chain Bridge Road, Lower Level in Vienna.
All visitors are required to wear a mask, and the gallery will be following social distancing guidelines, according to a Facebook post on their page. Additionally, each appointment slot is limited to two people who know each other.
“We feel that the artists’ emotion, the medium used, and the way you feel when you look at a piece of art is not often adequately conveyed digitally, “said Nawara Elliott, the Owner and Managing Director of Dara Global Arts Gallery.
Dara Global Arts Gallery is an art gallery with a mission to celebrate women’s empowerment and freedom of expression. Their goal is to bring peace and harmony through art, according to their website.
The gallery donates a percentage of its sales to different organizations to help children of war-torn countries, homeless women and children and impoverished artists. Some of these organizations include INRA, BRAWS, and Samra Nice Arts.
Those interested in making an appointment to visit the gallery can email [email protected].
Photo via Dara Global Arts Gallery/Facebook
