Randolph Elementary

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Security at Saturday's 9/11 Memorial 5K race

Thousands Apply to Live in New Affordable Building — Since it started accepting applications on Aug. 27, the new 122-unit Arlington Mill Residences affordable apartment complex has received applications from more than 3,600 people. Nonprofit developer Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing is expected to hold a lottery later this week to determine which of the qualified applicants will get an apartment. [Washington Post]

New Randolph Elementary Track — A dedication ceremony was held on Friday for a new track at Randolph Elementary School. The track was built with $40,436 raised by the Randolph PTA and Randolph Principal Renee Bostick. As part of Friday’s event, the Wakefield High School marching band led students, school staff and parents on a inaugural lap around the track. [Arlington Public Schools]

Lawmakers Laud Progress on Solitary Confinement — Local Democratic state lawmakers Patrick Hope and Adam Ebbin say Virginia has been making progress in reducing the number of prisoners held in solitary confinement. While the state is “off to a good start,” Hope and Ebbin say more work must be done to provide mental health services to prisoners to ensure they don’t wind up back in solitary. [Washington Post]

Weekend High School Football — Wakefield High School opened its football season with a win against Marshall. The team was winless last year. Meanwhile, Washington-Lee defeated McLean and Bishop O’Connell defeated Bishop Ireton. Yorktown snapped its 28-game regular season winning streak with a loss to Langley. [Sun Gazette]

Flickr pool photo by J Sonder

Caps Players Visit Randolph Elementary

By ARLnow.com

Two Washington Capitals players, a coach and the team’s mascot visited Randolph Elementary School last week.

Defensemen Mike Green and Karl Alzner joined assistant coach Jim Johnson and mascot SlapShot at the school for “Capitals Hockey School.” The players answered questions from students in the school’s gymnasium before conducting a floor hockey clinic for 175 third through sixth graders.

“Alzner and Green instructed the students on basic hockey skills such as stick-handling, passing and shooting,” the Capitals noted in a press release. “The students were then called on to try out the skills in front of their peers.”

A boys versus girls shootout competition was held, resulting in a 1-0 win for the boys. A subsequent scrimmage resulted in a 0-0 tie between Alzner and the boys and Green and the girls. Three school staff members then scrimmaged against Alzner, Green and Johnson — and won by a score of 2-1.

Following the hour-long event — the eighth Capitals Hockey School in the D.C. area this season — Randolph Elementary was presented with donated street hockey equipment and all participating students were given autographed photos, squishy pucks and Hockey 101 booklets.

Green is expected to undergo surgery this afternoon to repair a sports hernia suffered earlier in the season. Alzner, meanwhile, was involved in his first NHL fight on Friday.

Photos courtesy Washington Capitals

Arlington Teacher Attends NBC Education Summit

By ARLnow.com

Randolph Elementary third grade teacher Matt Tosiello, Arlington’s Teacher of the Year, was in New York City yesterday for the NBC News Education Nation summit.

While there, Tosiello participated in a two-hour Teacher Town Hall with NBC’s Brian Williams. The event focused on the struggles teachers face in the classroom and on future opportunities for improving the country’s educational system. (Tosiello can be seen briefly, holding an iPhone in this NBC Nightly News clip.)

Before the summit, Tosiello talked to NBC4’s Aaron Gilchrist.

Secretary of Education Visits Randolph Elementary

By ARLnow.com

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan made a surprise visit to Randolph Elementary on Tuesday to help celebrate national Teacher Appreciation Week.

Duncan, an Arlington resident, greeted teachers and staff at the Douglas Park-area school during their PTA teacher appreciation breakfast. He congratulated Arlington Teacher of the Year Matt Tosiello — a third grade teacher at Randolph — as well as Gifted Teacher of the Year Pamela Clark and American Association of University Women Educator of the Year Jeanette Anderson.

“Children are lucky to have adults like you in their lives, working for them every single day,” Duncan told the teachers. “Thanks for the hard work and the difference you’re making in their lives.”

“We are honored to have had Secretary Duncan visit with us this morning,” Randolph Elementary Principal Reneé Bostick said on Tuesday. “It was a nice way to thank our teachers for their hard work and dedication.”

After visiting teachers in Arlington, Duncan headed to the White House to join President Obama in a ceremony honoring the 2011 National Teacher of the Year.

Photo courtesy Frank Bellavia/APS