The Virginia Department of Education is launching a pilot program to help support new and inexperienced principals at federally designated at-risk schools in an effort to address what officials call a “crucial need.”
“We are excited about it. Mentoring principals has been a long time coming to the commonwealth,” said Randy Barrack, CEO of the Virginia Association of Secondary School Principals, which along with the Virginia Association of Elementary School Principals is partnering with VDOE, in an email to the Mercury.
Nationally, 80% of all public school principals remained at the same school in 2020-21 where they had been the year prior, according to National Center for Education Statistics data. The remaining 20% moved to a different school or left the principal role altogether.
In Virginia, according to reporting by WTOP, Fairfax County has lost dozens of principals since the COVID-19 pandemic. Those who spoke with the news station cited pandemic-related burnout and growing pressures to overcome learning loss as reasons for leaving the profession. Some also said their departures were due to a disconnect with and lack of transparency from administrative offices.
Virginia’s principal vacancy rate is less than 2% for each of the three school levels — elementary, middle and secondary, according to VDOE data from 2021 to 2023.
Under state law, new principals serve a three-year probationary period before acquiring continuing contract status.
Krista Arnold, executive director of the Virginia Association of Elementary School Principals, said many principals accept leadership positions with limited years of experience because of the growing national shortage of educators. Mentors, she said, will be able to provide management and instructional tips.
“This is going to give new principals a highly skilled, experienced veteran who’s not within their division, who is a safe person for them to talk to, who could be a sounding board because the principalship is really lonely and can be isolating,” said Arnold, who spent 20 years as an elementary school principal.
Besides shaping instruction, Arnold said principals have a significant influence on student achievement, attendance, teacher retention and community involvement.
Virginia’s new mentorship program, she said, will hopefully end the outdated notion that principals should be left to “sink or swim” and instead offer essential aid and support, “providing a partner in what too often can often be an isolating role.”
The program’s focus on principals in at-risk schools, whose populations include students from low-income families with a higher than average probability of dropping out or failing school, will also help improve teacher performance and student learning, Barrack and Arnold said in a joint statement with the Department of Education.
The pilot program is expected to be rolled out before the start of the next school year.
“Principals are the leaders in their school buildings. They set the tone and are the ones looked to establish a vision for high standards and success,” said Superintendent of Public Instruction Lisa Coons in a statement. “For many new principals, it can be tough, on-the-job training. With this mentoring pilot project, we are focusing on supporting our new principals leading in some of our most challenged schools and equipping them with support that can help them and their schools be successful.”
Photo via Virginia Department of Education/Facebook. This article was reported and written by the Virginia Mercury, and has been reprinted with permission.
Fairfax Connector’s operator and workers remain far apart in their negotiations for a new labor contract, says the union representing drivers and other employees of Northern Virginia’s largest public bus system.
Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 689 accused contractor Transdev of “clearly not [being] serious about bargaining in good faith” in a strongly worded statement issued last Wednesday (Nov. 22), just before Thanksgiving.
Representing 546 employees of Fairfax Connector, which serves about 26,000 daily passengers across 93 different routes, the union confirmed that it got Transdev’s latest contract offer a day earlier. Exact details of the proposal weren’t shared, but the union says workers would still be paid “well below other transit workers” in the D.C. area.
“Transdev’s latest wage offer was a slap in the face since its insulting lowball offer is contingent on the Union withdrawing all of its other economic proposals which include better sick leave, reduced healthcare costs, and retirement security,” ATU Local 689 said in its statement.
The union also claimed that Transdev has “continuously dragged their feet” when responding to requests for meeting dates since the collective bargaining process began in October.
Transdev, a French company that took over Fairfax Connector’s operations and maintenance in 2019, disputed the union’s characterization of the ongoing contract talks, stating that it’s “committed to continuing negotiations in good faith.”
“We value our partnership with the ATU and remain hopeful that we can come to a mutually-agreeable resolution quickly,” a Transdev spokesperson said by email. “We have mutually agreed with ATU to schedule our next bargaining session on 12/1.”
The Dec. 1 bargaining session will come after the existing, five-year contract expires on Nov. 30 at 11:59 p.m.
According to Local 689 spokesperson Ben Lynn, both sides will continue to operate under the current contract even after it expires. Determining worker pay, benefits, working conditions and other issues, the contract was secured in early 2020 after a four-day strike upended bus service throughout the county.
The union could call for a strike authorization vote at any time, but Lynn says nothing has been scheduled so far.
Transdev says it doesn’t anticipate any service disruptions as a result of the agreement expiring.
In its statement, ATU Local 689 said it has “reached tentative agreements on a variety of issues,” but on several of its top concerns, which include wage increases, improved sick leave, retirement security and standardized schedules, the union has been met with “abysmally low numbers” or outright rejection.
“Local 689 members worked on the front line throughout the pandemic to move thousands of people every day across the region,” the union said. “Transdev’s employees deserve to have their dedication and hardwork respected by the company. They have refused to offer a realistic economic proposal that would account for the intense economic pressures impacting its employees over the past three years while continuing to profit off the backs of their workers.”
Fairfax Connector’s labor negotiations come at a challenging time for public transit in the D.C. area, as Metro faces a potential $750 million budget gap and declining fare revenue even as ridership starts to bounce back after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Without significant additional funding, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority said in October that it could be forced to drastically reduce rail and bus service starting July 2024, raise fares and lay off up to 4,700 workers.
ATU Local 689, which also represents Metro workers, warned WMATA against “balancing Metro’s budget on the backs of workers,” arguing that cutting service levels and worker compensation “simply will not solve the systemic funding issues plaguing” the transit agency.
According to Axios DC, Metro General Manager and CEO Randy Clarke will present an official budget proposal to the agency’s board of directors on Dec. 14.
The successor to Vienna’s popular Amphora Restaurant has arrived, bringing high-end cuisine and cocktails.
The Maple Room Restaurant and Lounge opened at 377 Maple Avenue on Sunday (Nov. 26), meeting its stated goal of a November launch. An employee confirmed the opening but declined to comment for now, as the restaurant is still getting settled in.
“Relax and unwind in our stylish lounge area, complete with cozy bar seating,” The Maple Room said in social media posts. “Pull up a chair at the bar and let our mixologists wow you with hand-crafted cocktails. Ready for the full experience? Book your reservations on Resy and join us for an unforgettable evening.”
For the time being, the restaurant is only operating during dinner hours, opening at 4 p.m. every day except for Mondays. It closes at 11 p.m. on Tuesday through Thursday, 1 a.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 10 p.m. on Sunday.
The Maple Room is encouraging diners to reserve a table online. The restaurant can seat 170 patrons inside and got the Town of Vienna’s approval last year for a 44-seat outdoor patio.
Coming from Mac St. Hospitality Group, a Sterling-based company that also runs the Greek eatery SouvlakiBar in Oakton, The Maple Room serves prime steak and other upscale American cuisine. A menu shared on Facebook features salads, charceuterie boards, lamb and pork chops, and seafood, including a grilled whole branzino and an $85 seafood tower with shrimp, oysters and lobster tail.
Mac St. Hospitality is affiliated with Sarantis Properties, a developer that bought the property from the families that owned Amphora in 2020. A 24-hour diner known for its extensive menu and all-day breakfast, Amphora closed in January 2021 after 44 years in Vienna.
The Amphora Diner Deluxe is still operating in Herndon (1151 Elden Street), along with a bakery and catering service.
Apple Store to Leave Fair Oaks Mall — “Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) is expected to relocate its Fair Oaks Mall store to nearby Fairfax Corner as soon as late 2024, joining upscale furniture retailer Arhaus in a new building currently under construction…The move represents another big win for the open-air Fairfax Corner, which recently debuted a 12-story, 228-unit multifamily building, The Vista, and landed” a small-format Ikea store. [Washington Business Journal]
FCPS Accused of Revealing Rape Victim’s Identity — “A former Fairfax County Public Schools student who accuses the Virginia district of ignoring allegations that she was repeatedly raped, tortured and threatened when she was in middle school is demanding to know how officials accidentally revealed her identity last month.” [The 74]
County Creates Workforce Readiness Task Force — “Seeking to boost the talent pool for Fairfax County’s economy, Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay (D) on Nov. 21 announced he was creating a Workforce Readiness Working Group…The group, which McKay hopes will be in place before the board’s first meeting next year, will provide its report to county supervisors by the end of 2024.” [Gazette Leader]
Violent Crime Down in Mount Vernon District — “Based on data provided by the Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD), the amount of violent crime in the Mount Vernon Police District fell across most categories from January to September 2023 over the same time period last year…FCPD also shared that year to date, the county as a whole has had 25 carjackings versus 26 during the same time period last year.” [On the MoVe]
New Dashboard Shows Health Data and Trends — The county’s “Healthy Communities” data dashboard will update annually with information about “physical and behavioral conditions,” health insurance coverage, food insecurity and other health-related topics. Initial findings include an overall increase in food insecurity, as of 2021, and more adults reporting mental health struggles. [Fairfax County Government]
Air and Space Museum to Celebrate 20 Years in Chantilly — The National Air and Space Museum opened its Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly on Dec. 15, 2003. The facility, which “showcases some of the world’s rarest and most historic air and space artifacts,” will celebrate its 20th anniversary from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 2. [Northern Virginia Magazine]
New Tourism Initiatives Boost South Fairfax County — “A year and a half after the unveiling of the Potomac Banks–Explore Fairfax South tourism brand for Southeast Fairfax County, Visit Fairfax has rolled out some new initiatives to promote attractions and hospitality-oriented businesses around the greater Richmond Highway Corridor.” [On the MoVe]
McLean Elementary School Encourages Students to Get Fit — “For 12 years, dozens of kids at Chesterbrook Elementary School in McLean, Virginia, have hit the gym an hour before class to get their energy up and learn lifelong fitness habits and skills…Principal Stacy Kirkpatrick said the ‘Fitness Warriors’ program is extremely popular with every grade, which get one morning a week in the gym.” [WTOP]
It’s Tuesday — Expect a mostly sunny day with temperatures reaching around 37 degrees. Wind gusts could reach up to 29 mph. As for Tuesday night, it should be primarily clear with lows near 22 degrees. [Weather.gov]
One of the passengers in last week’s SUV crash off of Shreve Road in Idylwood has died, Fairfax County police announced today (Monday).
Six people — all of them between 14 and 17 years old — were hospitalized with injuries seen as life-threatening after their 2003 Lincoln Aviator careened over a hill and crashed into a tree at the Pioneer Lane intersection on Nov. 20, according to police.
A preliminary investigation indicated that the impact sent the vehicle into a tailspin, ejecting five of its seven occupants, who police said were not wearing seatbelts.
Four passengers remain in the hospital, while one has been released, the Fairfax County Police Department said in today’s update.
“Detectives from our Crash Reconstruction Unit are continuing to investigate and working closely with the Office of the Fairfax Commonwealth’s Attorney to determine when charges will be placed,” the FCPD said.
Police have said they believe alcohol and excessive speed were factors in the crash, initially moving to charge the 17-year-old driver with driving under the influence. However, after consulting with prosecutors, the FCPD decided to wait to file charges.
On the day of the crash, a spokesperson for the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office declined to comment, since “it is an active and pending matter.”
Because they’re all juveniles, the crash victims haven’t been identified by police. According to the FCPD, the teen who died is the 17th person to be killed this year in a crash on Fairfax County roads that didn’t involve a pedestrian, nearly equaling the 19 such fatalities reported in 2022.
The 16th fatality for 2023 occurred yesterday (Sunday) in a single-vehicle crash near Cox Farms in Centreville.
From the FCPD press release:
At 4 a.m. yesterday, officers responded to a single-vehicle crash in the 15600 block of Braddock Road in Centreville. Officers and Fairfax County Fire and Rescue personnel found the 2017 Jaguar XF fully engulfed in flames and quickly worked to extinguish the flames. The driver and lone occupant, Emmanuel Alexander, 28, of Aldie was pronounced deceased at the scene.
Detectives are continuing to investigate to determine if speed and alcohol were factors in the crash.
Image via Google Maps
Electronic signs on display at eligible businesses, schools and other establishments can now shine brighter at night.
In planned, commercial and industrial zoning districts within Fairfax County, electronic display signs can now reach brightness levels of up to 300 nits at night, compared to 100 nits previously.
The Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the change to the county zoning ordinance after a public hearing at its Nov. 21 meeting.
“Nits” indicate an object’s brightness. Common cellphones, televisions and computer monitors have nit levels between 250 and 600, according to a county staff report. Under existing county rules, a lot has a designated amount of “freestanding sign area” and may have one electronic display sign that uses up to 50% of that area.
“During outreach on this amendment, we did receive feedback from industry that modern screens are getting brighter, including the widespread use of LED technology,” said Casey Judge with the county’s Department of Planning and Development.
Feedback and research led to county staff’s recommendation to increase the maximum brightness, Judge said.
In residential districts, the maximum nit level will remain 100 nits at night. The 100-nit limit will also apply to any electronic display signs visible to a single-family dwelling within 150 feet of the property with the sign.
Staff had recommended increasing the maximum nit level to 500 nits in planned, commercial and industrial areas in an Oct. 3 report. However, the Fairfax County Planning Commission recommended the ultimately approved 300-nit maximum and the 100-nit maximum for signs located near single-family homes, Judge said.
“I’m not sure 150 feet is the right number, but I think this is one of those things, over time, we’ll probably be getting feedback if it’s too short,” Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn said.
Three community members spoke during the public hearing. Kenny Peskin, a McLean resident who identified himself as an employee of the International Sign Association, said he was “generally in support of the motion,” in particular the version in the staff report with the higher nit limit.
Eileen Kragie, founder of an organization called Dark Sky Friends that advocates against light pollution, spoke against artificial light at night, but called the work “a credible first cut for the electronic signage ordinance.”
Jennifer Falcone called in on behalf of the Great Falls Citizens Association, reporting that the board of the association supported the motions adopted by the planning commission.
Changes to the zoning rules for outdoor signs have been in the works for over a year. Staff presented an initial proposal in May that underwent two public hearings with the planning commission.
Other approved changes include combining three sign application processes and permitting illuminated window signs of up to 4 square feet in non-residential locations.
County staff will provide a report on the implementation of the new guidelines within 18 months.
The wait for a dedicated Korean fried chicken option in Tysons is over.
The chain bb.q Chicken opened its newest location this morning (Monday) at 8603 Westwood Center Drive, a company spokesperson confirmed to FFXnow.
The restaurant is located in Suite 100, which has been vacant since Side Street and Sushi Bar by I-Thai closed in 2021. The space was initially expected to be filled by Bonchon, but that Korean fried chicken chain ultimately decided not to move forward with its plans.
Other eateries in the office complex include Paisano’s Pizza, Bombay Tandoor and Grill, and the Persian restaurant Shamshiry.
Ali Sheikh, who owns bb.q Chicken’s Tysons franchise, previously told FFXnow that he looked forward to showcasing “the essence of Korean fried chicken by delivering the perfect blend of crispy, flavorful chicken paired with our signature sauces and seasonings.”
“We are excited to contribute to Vienna’s diverse food scene and become a go-to destination for Korean fried chicken enthusiasts and anyone seeking a unique and satisfying dining experience,” he said in a statement this summer.
Based in Seoul, South Korea, bb.q Chicken has more than 3,500 locations worldwide, including two other Fairfax County franchises in Centreville and Idylwood.
At the Tysons location, the chicken is halal and comes in 14 different flavors with varying levels of spiciness, from the mild original golden to the four-flame wings of fire. Other dishes include kimchi fried rice and ddeok-bokki, a street food made out of fish cakes and rice cakes.
The restaurant also serves non-alcoholic mocktails and other beverages.
Bb.q Chicken opens at 11 a.m. daily, closing at 10 p.m. on Sunday through Wednesday and at 11 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
The opening gives Tysons its first standalone Korean fried chicken restaurant, though BengBeng Chicken and Grill in the Tysons Corner Center food court serves Korean chicken bites. The dish can also be found in Vienna at Chi Mc and the recently opened Oh My Dak.
A proposal to ease overcrowding at Kent Gardens Elementary School will require adjustments at four other elementary schools in McLean, but local middle and high schools have been spared.
The Fairfax County School Board will hold a public hearing at 6 p.m. this Thursday (Nov. 30) to get community feedback on the recommended boundary changes, which will affect an estimated 380 students, according to Fairfax County Public Schools.
A presentation on the proposal was expected on Nov. 20, but the school board’s meeting that day got canceled. Elaine Tholen, who represents the Dranesville District on the board, confirmed that the public hearing and a final vote on Dec. 4 will proceed as scheduled.
As of October, there were 1,006 students enrolled in Kent Gardens (1717 Melbourne Drive) — a decline from the 1,023 students enrolled during the 2022-2023 school year, according to FCPS. However, the school remains well above capacity in terms of both its design (896 students) and its programming (848 students).
After years of complaints about overstuffed schools from the McLean community, the school board designated a boundary adjustment for Kent Gardens as a priority in the fiscal year 2024-2028 capital improvement plan adopted earlier this year.
Chosen out of five options presented to the community in September, the change recommended by FCPS staff would reassign 190 students from Kent Gardens to Franklin Sherman Elementary School, which is currently utilizing just 77% of its program capacity. Another 38 students would move to Haycock Elementary.
The proposal would also shift 112 Franklin Sherman students to Chesterbrook Elementary School and 40 students to Churchill Road Elementary.
On its webpage for the boundary adjustment, FCPS says this scenario “balances student population and capacity of schools in the area,” while considering potential development in McLean that could have a future impact on local elementary schools.
According to FCPS, other benefits of this scenario include:
- Maintains walking areas within proximity to schools.
- Eliminates a split feeder at Franklin Sherman ES so students matriculate to middle school together.
- Was identified by the Transportation department as one of the easier scenarios for them to implement; however, buses may still have to be added.
- Maintains the popular French Immersion Program and Local Full-time Advanced Academic Program at Kent Gardens.
Students who aren’t assigned to Kent Gardens could still have access to its French immersion program through a lottery.
If the adjustments are approved, FCPS staff recommend immediately reassigning rising kindergarten and first-grade students for the 2024-25 school year, and giving other students the option to attend their new school or stay at their current one.
“The recommended phasing plan allows students/caregivers the option to remain at their current school or change schools now, addressing the different perspectives voiced in public feedback,” FCPS says. “It also considers the needs of older elementary school students who were in school during COVID, and another change may be stressful.”
FCPS projects that the new boundaries would bring Kent Gardens down to 788 students, or 93% capacity, in the 2027-2028 school year, though the projected enrollment changes don’t reflect the phasing plan.
While this adjustment won’t affect middle or high school boundaries, changes approved in 2021 for McLean High School shifted about 190 high school students and 78 middle school students to the Langley High School pyramid. Those adjustments are still being phased in through the 2024-2025 school year.
As McLean and the general Tysons area continue to develop, crowding in schools remains a concern. The McLean Citizens Association released a report last year questioning how FCPS estimates future enrollment.
The school board’s scheduled work session tomorrow (Tuesday) will include discussion of a plan for public engagement on capital projects, though FCPS currently doesn’t have any McLean schools in its renovation queue.
Officially, Fairfax County doesn’t have a Lee Highway or Lee-Jackson Memorial Highway anymore, but months after the names were dropped, they can still be seen on street signs throughout both corridors.
By the end of this month, that should no longer be the case — at least for smaller signs, the Fairfax County Department of Transportation says. A contractor is replacing the small blue signs at street corners with ones identifying the roadways as Route 29 and Route 50, respectively.
“This work is underway, and we anticipate this work to be complete by the end of November,” FCDOT Head of Communications Freddy Serrano told FFXnow.
The process of replacing larger, overhead directional signs, however, isn’t expected to begin until next year.
Getting those signs made and installed will be the Virginia Department of Transportation’s responsibility, though the county is covering all of the costs. A VDOT spokesperson says the department hopes to finalize an agreement with a contractor by the end of this year.
“It will involve 110 signs and it should take about two years to complete from the start of the contract that is anticipated to start in Jan. 2024,” VDOT said by email.
According to Serrano, a preliminary schedule from VDOT estimates that the overhead sign replacements will be finished by the end of 2025.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors voted on Sept. 13, 2022 to stop referring to routes 29 and 50 as Lee and Lee-Jackson Memorial, names adopted in the early 20th century as nods to Confederate generals Robert E. Lee and Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson.
Instead of giving the roadways entirely new names, as Arlington County did with its Route 29 segment in 2021, the board opted to use the route numbers to reduce confusion and the cost of new street signs. FCDOT staff previously said changing the signs would be more challenging for longer names.
At the time of the vote, county staff estimated that the sign updates would cost about $1.4 million. It cost about $46,000 for FCDOT’s contractor to fabricate and install the corner street signs, according to Serrano.
“Most of the costs of the sign replacement will be VDOT’s replacement of the larger overhead signs,” he said. “FCDOT will not have an updated cost estimate for that portion of the sign replacement until VDOT begins their preliminary design.”
County staff estimated it would take another $1.5 million to fund grants to help affected property owners cover expenses for updating business licenses, land records and other documents, as recommended by the Confederate Names Task Force that reviewed the proposed renamings.
On its website, FCDOT says the county “is developing” a financial assistance program, but Serrano confirmed to FFXnow that “the proposed grant program for businesses has not been approved at this time.”
The county updated addresses in its records to reflect the name changes, including for property taxes and voter registrations, on July 5.
“Free Palestine” Protest Disrupts Black Friday in Tysons — “Outside Tysons Corner Center in McLean, another group marched and chanted. A line of vehicles could be seen with Palestinian flags waving…Some posted on social media that they had been stuck in traffic for hours. One X user posted that they were stuck in the Tysons parking garage because of the protest.” [WUSA9]
Fairfax County Firefighter Dies Off-Duty — “With great sadness, the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department announces the death of Lieutenant Travis Traynham. Lt. Traynham passed away while off-duty on Thursday, November 23, 2023. Lt. Traynham has been a valued member of the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department since joining in 2004.” [FCFRD/Facebook]
Reston Station Foot Traffic Down Post-Pandemic — Comstock CEO Chris Clemente says Reston Station is seeing about 4,000 visitors a day compared to “something like 16,000 people a day” before the pandemic, a decline he partly attributes to low Metro ridership. He envisions Reston Station and Reston Town Center becoming “one large integrated employment center” with no visible difference between the two from an aerial perspective. [Washington Business Journal]
Prosecutors Share More Details in Brothel Investigation — “New evidence was revealed in court documents Wednesday in the case against two of the three people accused of trafficking women and running brothels in Massachusetts and Virginia. Investigators said ring leader Han Lee kept detailed records, which could be her undoing.” [CBS News]
Car Fire Put Out in Fair Lakes — “Just after 2:30pm [on Saturday, Nov. 25] units from Station 21, Fair Oaks, responded to the 13000 blk of Fair Lakes Shopping Center for an auto fire in a parking lot. Crews arrived with one vehicle on fire. Fire is out. No civilian or firefighters injuries reported.” [FCFRD/Facebook]
Vaping Customer Trespassed From Vienna Panera — Panera employees requested police assistance on Nov. 20 with a customer who “became verbally aggressive and began vaping again” when told that vaping wasn’t allowed in the restaurant. “An officer advised the customer he was trespassed from the premises and would be charged with trespassing if he returned.” [Vienna Police]
Annandale Gets New Thai Restaurant — “A new restaurant in the Bradlick Shopping Center in Annandale specializes in the cuisine of northeastern Thailand. Mae Ornnit opened Nov. 18 in the space previously occupied by Loopy’s at the intersection of Braddock and Backlick roads.” [Annandale Today]
Trail Planned in Gum Springs — “Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA) representatives joined community members and elected officials at Martin Luther King Jr. Park Nov. 18 for an update on the Gum Springs Trail Project, which will eventually connect Gum Springs residents with Little Hunting Creek.” [On the MoVe]
It’s Monday — Expect sunshine and a high of around 49 degrees, accompanied by a northwest wind of 8 to 17 mph, and gusts reaching up to 28 mph. For Monday night, the skies will be mostly clear, with temperatures dropping to approximately 27 degrees. [Weather.gov]
