Wakefield High School

Wakefield High Educator Named N. Va. Teacher of the Year

By ARLnow.com

Colette Fraley, a social studies teacher at Wakefield High School, has been named 2011 Teacher of the Year for Northern Virginia. The honor, bestowed by the Virginia Department of Education, comes five months after she was named Arlington Public Schools 2010 Teacher of the Year.

Fraley learned of the honor today when APS superintendent Dr. Pat Murphy and Wakefield principal Dr. Christian Willmore made a surprise visit during her fourth period U.S. Government class. She was presented with flowers, a letter from Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell and a congratulatory certificate from the Department of Education.

Fraley, who has been with Arlington Public Schools for 10 years, will now be considered for the title of Virginia Teacher of the Year, which will be awarded at a banquet on Oct. 15 in Glen Allen, Va.

Previous Arlington teachers to be named Teacher of the Year for Northern Virginia include Laurie Sullivan (2004) and Robin Liten-Tejada (2002).

Fastpitch Softball Tourney Returns to Arlington This Weekend

By ARLnow.com

Girls’ fast pitch softball teams from around the region will converge on Arlington this weekend for the ninth annual First Responders’ Cup tournament. The tournament is held to “celebrate the heroism of the Arlington Fire and Police who were the first at the Pentagon” on 9/11.

More than three dozen teams, in age divisions from 12 and under to 18 and under, will begin competing tomorrow night. Tournament play will continue through Sunday.

Games will be held at the Barcroft Sports Complex, Jennie Dean Fields (near Shirlington) and the Wakefield High School softball fields.

At 7:30 Saturday morning, an opening ceremony will be held at Barcroft. It will feature the Army Old Guard Ceremonial Fife and Drum Brigade, along with WJLA sports reporter Britt McHenry, Arlington County Manager Michael Brown, Police Chief Douglas Scott, and Fire Chief James Schwartz.

Photo courtesy First Responders Cup.

Students, Teachers Return to School

By ARLnow.com

At 6:30 this morning, school buses were streaming out of a county facility near Shirlington, on their way to pick up students for the first day of school. It’s the start of a ritual that will continue every school day until the start of next summer.

In all, about 120 buses will pick up about 10,000 students county-wide this morning. Another 11,000 will walk or be driven to one of Arlington’s 34 public schools.

Arlington Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Patrick Murphy started his own first day ritual at the bus yard, doing a live shot on the Fox 5 Morning News, greeting bus drivers, and talking to a video crew with the school system’s TV station.

Asked about emotions and expectations on the first day of school, Dr. Murphy emphasized the importance of maintaining student engagement after the new-ness wears off.

“It’s exciting, it’s starting new, but the first day should be just like every other day,” Dr. Murphy said. “Everybody can be great on day one — it’s about being great every day.”

More photos after the jump.

(more…)

East Falls Church Plan, New Rosslyn Metro Station on Saturday’s Board Agenda

By ARLnow.com

In addition to voting on outdoor seating proposals for American Flatbread and Screwtop Wine Bar, the County Board will considering some proposals with far-reaching consequences.

The board will vote on an initial framework for the East Falls Church development plan, which has attracted quite a bit of controversy. The plan could pave the way for the construction of apartment buildings, retail spaces and other dense, pedestrian-friendly development in what is now a much more single-family-home-oriented area.

Another item under consideration would result in the construction of a new entrance to the Rosslyn Metro station . The $32-35 million dollar project was originally meant to take place concurrent to the construction of the Rosslyn Central Place development, but the development has stalled due to financial complications.

A $159 million bond referendum is also under consideration. The board will decide whether to put the bond issue on the ballot in November. The bonds would fund construction of a new Wakefield High School as well as various Metro, transportation, park and infrastructure projects.

Other items of interest include votes on $249,077 in arts grants, more than $750,000 in equipment for the new Artisphere, and whether to schedule a hearing on a proposal to protect six trees from removal on private property.

To Do This Weekend: Columbia Pike Blues Fest and Relay for Life

By ARLnow.com

Be sure to check out the annual Columbia Pike Blues Festival this weekend, featuring acclaimed blues guitarist Debbie Davies, 16-year-old jazz prodigy Matt Wigler and plenty of other great performers.

While you’re there, you won’t want to miss the barbecue being provided by Pike resident “Big Daddy” Isaac Brown, who has been grilling mouthwatering Texas-style BBQ for more than 50 years.

The festival is taking place from 1:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Saturday, at the intersection of South Walter Reed Drive and Columbia Pike.

Another big weekend event is the Arlington Relay for Life, which is being held Saturday and Sunday at Wakefield High School. Nearly 400 people on 45 teams will participate in the annual fundraiser.

So far, the event has raised more than $73,000 for the American Cancer Society.

For more weekend events, see our events calendar.

Board Approves 1900 Wilson Development, Adopts CIP

By ARLnow.com

In a flurry of activity last night, the Arlington County Board approved a major development plan, adopted a $1.2 billion Capital Improvement Plan, and heard plenty of citizen input on the controversial East Falls Church redevelopment plan.

The board approved a developer’s plan to build a nearly 25,000 square foot, 200-unit residential complex at 1900 Wilson Boulevard, the current site of a Hollywood Video store and a small office building. The complex will include a number of street-level retail bays that officials hope will help foster more street life on the stretch of Wilson and Clarendon Boulevards between Rosslyn and Courthouse.

“This building fits into our vision of transforming the Courthouse-Rosslyn area into another great Arlington urban village,” Board Chairman Jay Fisette said in a statement. “1900 Wilson Boulevard is a well-designed building that will enliven that block with its combination of homes with street-level stores and great places to eat.”

Last night the board also adopted a $1.2 billion, six-year Capital Improvement Plan. The plan will fund:

  • Construction of the new Wakefield High School
  • Columbia Pike redevelopment and streetcar line
  • Planning costs for the Long Bridge aquatics and fitness center
  • Street redevelopment and transportation initiatives in Crystal City
  • A “strong commitment to Metro” with $85.8 million in new funding for a total of $121.6 million over six years
  • Maintenance for roads, parks, county facilities and technology

In addition, the board heard public comments on the proposed, controversial East Falls Church redevelopment plan.

Arlington High Schools Get Top Marks from Newsweek

By ARLnow.com

H-B Woodlawn received the highest ranking of all Washington-area high schools on Newsweek’s latest list of the top high schools in the country.

H-B Woodlawn placed 27th on the annual list, which ranks high schools by dividing the number of Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate tests taken by students by the number of graduating seniors.

Washington-Lee and Yorktown both cracked the top 100, ranking 62nd and 82nd in the nation respectively. Wakefield High School ranked number 375. Wakefield is in the process of having its current facility replaced with a new, $105 million building.

“We have improved dramatically over the years and we are continuing our work to find other ways to improve and enhance the instructional program for students,” said Superintendent Dr. Pat Murphy in a statement.

See the Newsweek list here.

New Wakefield High School Principal Named

By ARLnow.com

Dr. Christian Willmore has been appointed as Wakefield High School’s new principal.

Willmore is a recent graduate of University of Virginia’s Doctor of Education program. He began his career with Arlington Public Schools in 1995 and has served as assistant principal at Wakefield since 2002.

Willmore is fluent in Spanish and has taught abroad.

“Chris has been a fixture in the Wakefield community for eight years, and during the interview process, Wakefield students noted that Chris knows them, cares for them and wants them to succeed in the classroom,” superintendent Dr. Pat Murphy said in a statement.

The school system’s press release, which includes three additional leadership announcements, after the jump.

(more…)

Plan For New Wakefield High School Moves Forward

By ARLnow.com

The Arlington County Board has given the go-ahead to include the proposed new Wakefield High School as part of its bond referendum this fall.

The $104.6 million project was fast-tracked by the school system and the county board in order to take advantage of more favorable bids from construction companies hurt by the recession. Originally, the county’s 2008 Capital Improvement Plan called for the school’s bond referendum to take place in 2012.

“By moving the project forward we will realize significant savings through reduced construction costs,” board Chairman Jay Fisette said in a statement.

“The new Wakefield High School will be a great civic building that will be both a first-class educational facility and an asset to the broader community,” said board vice-chairman Christopher Zimmerman.

In April, Acting County Manager Barbara Donnellan raised questions about whether the school’s financing could cause issues with the county’s debt limits and put Arlington’s excellent AAA bond rating in jeopardy. Apparently those fears were allayed.

Residents will vote in November on whether to approve the bonds necessary to build the school.

Afternoon Notes: New $104 Million School To Be Put To Voters?

By ARLnow.com

Voters May Be Asked to Approve New High School — The fate of a proposed new $104.6 million building for Wakefield High School may be put to voters. Assuming debt limit concerns can be addressed, Arlington Superintendent Dr. Pat Murphy would like to fund the project through a bond issue that would need to be approved by voters in November. More from the Sun Gazette.

Nordstrom Rack Sets Pentagon City Opening Date — A Nordstrom Rack clearance store is coming to the Pentagon Centre shopping center (which houses Costco, Best Buy and others, across from Pentagon City mall). The store will open on August 26, according to the company’s web site.

Arlington Firefighters Respond to Falls Church Crash — Arlington firefighters responded to the scene of a scary-looking car wreck involving a flipped-over SUV and a car that crashed into a telephone pole. The wreck happened near the Broadale Village Shopping Center on Broad Street in Falls Church last night. One person was taken to the hospital. The Falls Church Times has photos.

Afternoon Notes: Capital Improvement Plan, New High School

By ARLnow.com

Donnellan Proposes Capital Improvement Plan — Outgoing Acting County Manager Barbara Donnellan has proposed a six-year, nearly $1 billion Capital Improvement Projects plan. The plan would fund county projects, including critical maintenance at parks and aging county facilities, but it does not include funding for the new Wakefield High School (below). More from the Arlington County website.

New Wakefield High Moving Forward — The county board approved a use permit for the proposed new Wakefield High School. While the move theoretically clears the way for construction to begin, the county is still trying to figure out how to fund the project. More from the Sun Gazette.

Leukemia & Lymphoma Fundraiser Tomorrow — Restaurant 3 (2950 Clarendon Boulevard) is hosting a fundraiser for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society tomorrow from 6:00 to 10:00 p.m. Attendance is free but the purchase of a $10 raffle ticket is suggested.

View More Stories