RSSSchool notes
Modified calendar
rejected
School board members voted 8-3 Thursday against approving a year-round school year calendar for 2010-2011, which would have applied to seven elementary schools in the Fairfax County Public School system. The vote came shortly after board members approved a proposed budget for fiscal 2011, which would see the elimination of the year-round calendar in these schools. Facing a nearly $200 million shortfall, elimination would cut $600,000 and seven positions from the school system's proposed $2.3 billion budget. Schools currently operating under the year-round (modified) calendar may opt for an August jumpstart, kicking off their school year a month earlier than schools using the regular calendar.
Snow day make up
Schools will be open on Monday, Presidents Day, to make up for a snow day used on Feb. 3. The school system had built three snows days in the academic calendar, which were used in December. A makeup date for Monday's snow day had not been announced by print deadline. However, the school calendar shows April 12, which was to be a student holiday, as a possible makeup date. For more information on snow day make ups and how the decisions to close schools are made, visit www.FCPS.edu.
Pimmit Hills principal
a hall of famer
Bud Mayo, assistant principal at Pimmit Hills Alternative High School, was inducted into the Hall of Fame of the Potomac Chapter of U.S. Lacrosse on Saturday.
Mayo, who has taught in Fairfax County for 40 years, was instrumental in the introduction of lacrosse in Fairfax County Public Schools while serving as a history teacher at Lake Braddock Secondary School, school officials said. "Bud was one of the early pioneers and founders of youth lacrosse in Fairfax County," said Potomac Chapter President Homer Schwartz. "His club team was the beginning of lacrosse in Fairfax County, which is now huge."
Students win regional awards for scholastic art
Fairfax County middle and high school students took home 351 regional awards in the Scholastic Art Awards competition sponsored by the Alliance for Young Artists and Writers. The students' work will be on display at Northern Virginia Community College's Ernst Community Cultural Center in Annandale Friday through Feb. 26. An awards ceremony for Gold and Silver Key winners is planned for 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 23.
More than 250,000 students participate in the program on a regional basis, and more than 50,000 students receive regional awards and exhibition opportunities.
The Scholastic Art Awards program -- started in 1923 -- is the largest, longest-running recognition program of its kind in the country. Students previously recognized include Richard Avedon, Robert Indiana, Phillip Pearlstein and Andy Warhol. Each year, more than 250,000 entries are submitted in art and writing. Visual arts categories include animation, art portfolio, ceramics and glass, computer graphics, design, digital imagery, drawing, mixed media, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture, video and film.
High school academies open house
Fairfax County Public Schools high school career academies host evening academy information nights and open houses for prospective high school students who are interested in academy courses for the 2010-2011 school year. The open houses are designed for students entering grades 10, 11 and 12 in 2010-2011.
The meetings -- open to parents and students -- include meeting faculty, touring classrooms and learning about industry certifications, college credit, internships, apprenticeships and other opportunities available to students who take academy courses.
Information about each academy's information night and open house can be found below.
Edison Academy -- Engineering and Scientific Technology; today, 7 to 8:30 p.m., www.fcps.edu/EdisonAcademy, 703-924-1800
Fairfax Academy -- Communications and the Arts; March 4, 7:30 to 9 p.m., www.fcps.edu/FairfaxAcademy, 703-219-2226
Falls Church Academy -- Health and Human Services; individual visits are welcome, www.fcps.edu/FallsChurchHS/academy, 703-207-4011
Marshall Academy -- International Studies and Business, Engineering and Scientific Technology, today, 7 to 8:30 p.m., www.fcps.edu/MarshallAcademy, 703-714-5582
West Potomac Academy -- Communications and the Arts, Health and Human Services; individual visits are welcome, www.fcps.edu/WestPotomacAcademy, 703-718-2500