RSSSchool briefs
Swine flu update
So far, the full effects of the swine flu epidemic have not caused significant absences by students attending Fairfax County Public Schools.
According to school absentee records, the school system's absences are a little below those of last year around the same time. On Thursday, the rate of absences was 3.2 percent of the 172,881 students enrolling in the public school system. On this same day last year, absences were at 4.03 percent.
An increase in absences was seen Oct. 26, when about 7 percent of the student population -- or 12,537 students, were absent from school, said FCPS spokeswoman Lori Knickerbocker. She said the school system does not record reasons for absences, so it is unknown how many students were home sick with swine flu, also known as H1N1.
Daily absentee tallies can be viewed at the Fairfax County Public School system's Web site at www.fcps.edu/news/swineflu.htm.
Hutchinson's Gwynn named assistant principal of the year
Hutchinson Elementary School's Ann Gwynn has been named the 2009 Assistant Principal of the Year by the Virginia Association of Elementary School Principals.
"Ann has worked diligently with the Fairfax County Police, the Gang Prevention Unit, the [FCPS] Homeless Liaison office and other community organizations to keep students safe in the school environment," said the school's Principal Judy Baldwin. Gwynn has served as Hutchinson's assistant principal since 2006.
At Hutchinson, Gwynn works with staff members to help them "understand and analyze multiple sources of data to improve instructional practices and outcomes for student achievement," Baldwin said.
"Ann empowers staff members to believe in themselves and to take risks that will not only enhance their effectiveness, but also increase student achievement," Baldwin said.
Gwynn began her career in 1988 as a classroom teacher at Dranesville Elementary School, where she worked for 11 years before moving to Bull Run Elementary in 1999.
Parklawn Elementary receives national recognition for Title I work
Parklawn Elementary School has been nominated for recognition under the National Title I Distinguished Schools program by the Virginia Board of Education. Parklawn was selected by a peer review panel at the school to represent Virginia in the category of Closing the Achievement Gap Among Student Groups for two or more consecutive years.
The awards recognize schools that have raised academic achievement for economically disadvantaged students and have a poverty rate higher than 35 percent.
Title I of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 provides funding to school divisions and schools for programs to raise the achievement of students identified as being at risk of academic failure.
Federal law requires schools and school divisions to meet annual objectives for increasing student achievement on statewide assessments in reading, language arts and math.