PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Head Start
New staff members include teacher Adrienne Tate and paraprofessionals Bet Gonzalez, Megan Kirkpatrick and Janet Rogers.
A bus-evacuation drill for students will be conducted today during early morning arrivals. At 9 a.m. parents are invited to "Creating a More Beautiful You, Beauty Make-overs."
A parent workshop will be held Wednesday at 9 a.m., "Teaching Social Skills Your Child Needs."
Parents considering volunteering at Head Start should attend volunteer training Thursday at 10 a.m. Brooke Point Head Start VPI volunteer training is Friday at 10 a.m. at Brooke Point High School. For more information on volunteering contact Jenny Errico, 540/ 368-2559.
The Transportation Department will conduct a children's presentation on bus and pedestrian safety Sept. 28 at 10 a.m. At 11:30 a.m. that day, the Brooke Point Head Start VPI class will hear the presentation.
Lead poisoning and the importance of calcium will be discussed at the Foods and Skills meeting Sept. 29 at 9 a.m.
--Alice Thompson
Kate Waller Barrett Elementary
Principal Kim Austin is coming to neighborhoods to share a free ice cream with students and their parents. Today, the ice cream truck will be at Highpointe and Stonegate, at the corner of Highpointe and Knollwood. On Oct. 5, the ice cream truck will be at Devon Green and Brentwood Estates, at the cul de sac at the end of Whitestone Drive. The truck will be there 4:45-6 p.m. Students and parents will receive a free ice cream, compliments of the principal and PTO. Children must be accompanied by a parent.
Kindergarten parent orientation is Friday, at 9:30 a.m.
The Scholastic Book Fair is in the library Sept. 28-Oct.2. The Book Fair will be open during school hours and at the Night of the Arts on Sept. 29.
--Carmen Healy
Margaret Brent Elementary
The annual PTO-sponsored Ice Cream Social is held Sept. 29. Families will enjoy math activities as they socialize and enjoy frozen treats.
More than 100 students have signed up for First In Math online club. This is an opportunity to build basic fact skills and play games online that build problem-solving and algebraic-thinking skills. Students can still sign up. The forms will be available at the open houses scheduled throughout September. There will be tutorial classes in the computer lab, 8-8:30 a.m. during October, and then students can play First In Math online all year.
--Leslie Martin
Falmouth Elementary
The Falmouth Falcons welcome new assistant principal Terri Rivero. She was introduced to students and parents at the August ice cream social.
The PTO treated the staff to a buffet breakfast week before the start of classes.
The PTO is participating in the Market Day food cooperative fundraiser, and the product ordering guides will be coming home with students on Thursday.
--Mary Garrett
Ferry Farm Elementary
On Friday the PTA will host Donuts With Dad in the cafeteria, 8-8:30 a.m. Fathers, grandfathers, uncles or any other significant male can attend. Donuts, juice, and coffee will be served, with a few words from the principal.
--Janet Smoot
Garrisonville Elementary
Pick up Market Day orders tomorrow in the cafeteria between 6:30 and 7:30 p.m.
A brief PTO meeting will be held Thursday at 6:45 p.m., followed by Back-to-School Night.
Sam's Pizzas and Subs is joining Spirit Night providers this year. The school will receive 10 percent of all sales on Sept. 28 between 5 and 8 p.m.
--Amy English
Hartwood Elementary
Thirty-four fourth- and fifth-graders who scored a perfect 600 on one or more spring 2009 SOL tests attended the first field trip of the year to Carl's ice cream. The students honored this year were:
Fifth grade--Jake Bates, Morgan Bates, Paul Bennett, Annie Fitzgerald, James Howe, Myles Huntington, Nina McAfee, Andrew McDaniel, Allison Morris, Caeli O'Reilly, Mazzen Shalaby, Sarah Shelton, Savannah Thompson, Lauren Willsey
Fourth grade--Ebrima Bah, Tony Blount, Leah Bodie, Thomas Burch, Elyssa Cartagena, Daniel Durham, Michael Goffus, Sounmy Gottipati, Cole Hensen, Aidan Kowasic, Grace Mamon, Courtney Moulton, Andrew Ortiz, Ciarra Ott, Mackenzie Payne, Wednesday Shifflet, Lian Staker, Mary Toal, Madison Turner, Jacob Wilhelm.
There are four new classroom teachers and two new specialists at Hartwood. Andrea Balarazo, Kathryn Shortman, Trisha Hundzienski, Nicole Tourot, Joe Curtin and Stephanie Proffitt.
The first WHES announcers for the school year are Lauren Willsey, Abby Saether, Shane Strand and Casey McCann. Gracie Bechtel is providing the TV bus announcements in the afternoon.
--Marilyn Thompson
Moncure Elementary
Students are doing their part to make the school a greener place by recycling foil drink pouches through "Drink Pouch Brigade." The program gives 2 cents to the school for every pouch collected.
Tammy Torino and the reading department were fully adopted for $250 by the Aquia Evening Lions Club through the Adopt-A-Classroom program.
Yankee Candle orders are due Friday.
--Diane Morris
Rockhill Elementary
Oct. 2 is School Picture Day.
The PTO Skate Night at Cavalier Skating Center will be held Oct. 3, 5:15-7:30 p.m.
All parents and grandparents are invited to join their child for lunch one day in October, except Oct. 9, which is an early dismissal day and Oct. 30.
A schedule will be sent home with all students. Call the school office for more information.
The School Spirit Store, coordinated by parent Kim O'Grady, is open each Friday during October. Students may shop at the end of their lunch period.
--Marilyn Butters
Rocky Run Elementary
The kindergarten staff welcomes Kathleen Catalano to their team. Catalano was a fourth-grade teacher at Rocky Run last year.
Kindergarten teacher Megan Steber rallied a group of Rocky Run staff to walk in the annual 5-k Race for Grace recently. The race benefits children with neuroblastoma. The staff walked in honor of Owen Lea, a student who recently lost his battle with the cancer.
First-graders have been busy reading books to help them establish expectations, talk about feelings and describe themselves. The children also created graphs and glyphs to help them learn about their new friends.
Students can't wait to get their hands dirty in the art room. Kindergarten starts the year off learning how artists use lines to make pictures. Then they move on to shapes with a shape train collage.
First grade is learning about "America the Beautiful." Then using symbols, they will visually interpret the words of the song. Second grade is beginning the year with a unit on American Indians including the Pueblo of the Southwest and the Sioux of the plain. Their first project is making Indian corn, that includes a lesson on texture and color.
Third grade is being introduced to perspective with tree drawings that will be painted using watercolors, after leaning about the color wheel. Fourth grade is kicking the year off with a ceramic project, making fall picture frames. They will go outside as the leaves change, taking pictures to put in the frames. Fifth grade is making a collage of the Grand Canyon using paper on which they already experimented with several painting techniques. In this lesson, they will discuss desert life and sedimentary layers.
The Fall Book Fair will be held through Friday, 8:30 a.m-4 p.m. There will be two Family Nights during the Back-to-School Nights, tonight and tomorrow. The Book Fair will be open those nights, 4-8 p.m.
--Kathy Mimm
Stafford Elementary
Open House for first and third grade is tonight, 6-7:30 p.m. Second and fifth will meet tomorrow, 6-7:30 p.m. and kindergarten and fourth will meet Thursday, 6-7:30 p.m. The PTA will hold their general meeting Thursday at 5:45 p.m. in the Dolphin Dining Room. Dolphin Spirit wear will be on sale during Back-to-School Nights. Additional information can be found at stafford.elemen tary.schoolfusion.us.
Second-graders have begun work on a unit in reading called "Being Me." The classes have had discussions about how differences make each one of us special.
The second-grade hallway has come alive with artwork that coincides with the story of the week, "The Mixed up Cham-eleon," by Eric Carle.
Every year fifth-graders have the opportunity to serve the school as safety patrol leaders. Each student is given the chance to write an essay explaining why he or she should be a Safety Patrol. The essays are reviewed by Mary Foreman and the group's supervisors, Mary Ellen McCabe and Suzie Ludwig.
Shawn Addo has chosen flag raisers from the fourth and fifth grade. Students were recommended by their homeroom teachers. The students will rotate throughout the school year making sure the flags are properly flown, taken down, and folded each evening.
Green Garden begins today with Charma Carr at the helm. The club meets after school the second and fourth Tuesday, 3:45-5 p.m. The club takes care of the school gardens, learns about issues that affect the environment inside and out, discusses and implements ways the school can go green.
The Scholastic Book Fair will be open to the public Oct. 15 to coincide with that Reading/Math/Technology night. Students will be able to visit the library to preview or purchase books Oct. 13-16.
--Suzie Ludwig
Widewater Elementary
The PTO board is: Kelly Posey, president; Kristina Chambers, vice president; Amy Valle, secretary; and Lisa Hensley, treasurer. The PTO will be selling popcorn on Fridays beginning this Friday. Popcorn is $6.50 for the whole school year or students may bring a quarter on Fridays. The PTO is looking for volunteers for lots of different activities and events. Send e-mail to widewaterpto@ya hoo.com.
The PTO meets Sept. 30 at 6:30 p.m. in the library. PTO meetings will be on the last Wednesday of every month.
Students celebrate spirit day on Wednesdays. Students and staff are encouraged to wear their spirit wear or the school colors--gold, black and white. The PTO kicked off spirit wear sales Sept. 14. The last day for spirit wear orders to be turned in is Sept. 30.
Picture day is Sept. 28. School dismisses at 1 p.m. Sept. 30 for teacher in-service.
The Widewater Brown Bag Chess Club held its first meeting for fourth- and fifth-graders this week. The student group meets during lunch on Mondays, and all are welcome.
--Bonnie Cox
Winding Creek Elementary
Brandy Carter, Tiffany Ha-med, Thease Spells and Diane Williams are Service Employees of the Month. Deborah Novalski is Teacher of the Month.
--Martha Ross
A. G. Wright Middle
Open House is tonight, 6-7 p.m. Parents will report to their child's homeroom; then follow their child's daily schedule.
Football and field hockey seasons have begun. The Tiger field hockey players are Ashton Banglesdorf, Millie Biddle, Jackie Blackadar, Catheryn Castelli, Elizabeth Cirelli, Rachel Freeborn, Kelly Hebert, Sarah Houk, Megan Jensen, Katie Jones, Jordan Hagen, Lauren Kahle, Logan Luzier, Ginny Melville, Abby Poff, Samantha Quaye, Sarah Rippetoe, Aerial Robinson, Anja Whiteacre and Emily Wood. The team is coached by Elizabeth Cohen and Marie Ventura.
The following students are on the football team: Tyler Bailey, Junior Beltran, Dontey Branch, Lucas Brown, Jacob Butterfield, Matthew Chavira, Joey Cline, Gordon Collins, Nahum Dawit, Drew DeRamus, Austin Farr, Jerel Fayorsey, Elijah Fisher, Nick Gooden, Quinton Gray, Jason Greenwell, Jalen Hill, Greg Hoffman, Aaron Jackson, Aaron Leatherland, Peter Lima, Hunter Manthey, Álvaro Mendoza, Sean Morgan, Dorian Peele, Josh Ramsey, Darren Robinson, Tyler Roehl, Robert Santmyer, Jahanzib Shabaz, Clay Shaw, Adam Sims, Kirron Sleydin, Scott Sparry, Trevor Sulton, Jared Swan, Tyrone Thomas, Chandler Vercher and Alex Windsor. Team managers are Candace Wolchak and Amberly Marghella. The coaches are Josh Glessner, Brannan Glessner, Jeff Utegg and John Bryant.
--Bridgett Roos
Colonial Forge High
The school will be hosting a "Shot Doctor Shooting Camp" Oct. 3, 9 a.m.-4:30 a.m. The clinic is open to boys and girls in grades six through 12. The cost is $59. Contact Phil Villiott at Colonial Forge for details.
--Julie Bates
Mountain View High
Thirty students have earned AP Scholar Awards in recognition of their exceptional achievement on AP Exams.
Eight students qualified for the AP Scholar with Distinction Award by earning an average grade of at least 3.5 on all AP Exams taken, and grades of three or higher on five or more of these exams. These students are Reilly Belton, Evan Dombrosky, Carly Guinn, Hanna Herdegen, Travis Ortiz, Thomas Porter, Brett Stones and Timothy Wisniewski.
Six students qualified for the AP Scholar with Honor Award by earning an average grade of at least 3.25 on all AP Exams taken, and grades of three or higher on four or more of these exams. These students are William Astrab, Nicholas Carullo, Matthew Ellis, Melissa Garza, Andrew Gilliam and Danielle Nelson
Sixteen students qualified for the AP Scholar Award by completing three or more AP Exams with grades of three (of five) or higher. They are Chelsea Brown, Jenna Dodson, Derek Fabricius, Jacob Gilbert, Michael Habersetzer, Christopher Holm, Isaiah Lee, Matthew Mccarron, Mercedes Mcwaters, Chase Messinger, Timothy Milner, Ethel Moore, Megan Rock, Alexander Skavdahl, Troy Woznick and Yiran Zhang.
Of this year's award recipients at Mountain View High School, 13 are sophomores or juniors: Chelsea Brown, Jenna Dodson, Jacob Gilbert, Christopher Holm, Matthew Mccarron, Mercedes Mcwaters, Chase Messinger, Ethel Moore, Alexander Skavdahl, Yiran Zhang, Matthew Ellis, Danielle Nelson and Hanna Herdegen.
--Nikki Eshelman
PRIVATE SCHOOLS
Blake Farm Dayschool
Upper dayschool classes have been learning about mountains around the world as they explore mountain climbing and mountain formation in stories, art and science.
The middle school science class learned how to tell the difference between salt and sugar grains under a microscope.
Laurence Smith's three-day preschool class will focus on the topic, "Getting to Know Me."
Chanthon Swart's five-day preschool class is studying early explorers, focusing on the Spaniards, Vikings and Marco Polo.
The school is collecting donations of gently used children's clothing, toys, books, furniture and movies for the first major fundraiser. Bring your donations in by Oct. 1.
Back-to-School Night is to-night, 6-8 p.m.
Chuck E. Cheese Night is tomorrow, 3-9 p.m. in Central Park.
There is no school Sept. 28.
--Susie Hawk
Fredericksburg Christian Schools
The school's first Eagle Golf Classic Tournament was a huge success. The tournament was played at the Fredericksburg Country Club, and 116 golfers participated. Look for the tournament again next year.
Capt. John Smith and Pocahontas have come to life at the Stafford Campus in Rebecca Hamilton's third-grade class. Students have been taking turns reading and acting out the parts in "Pocahontas and the Strangers" by Clyde Robert Bulla.
The field hockey team recently had their first home game. This is only the second season for the team, so continue to come out and show your support.
Cross Country is off and running, with 276 runners participating in the first meet at Christ Chapel. Jared Dix finished 82nd and Chris Jones finished 113th.
--Jill Shigley
St. Michael the Archangel High
The school recently added three new faculty members, boosting its foreign language, art and journalism departments. Patricia Moeller will lead the Spanish program, joining French instructor Ruth Dale, who also is new to the foreign language department this year. Marci Malinowski, a veteran artist, art director and designer, is leading the art program, while Emily Nash is teaching journalism and spearheading the newspaper and yearbook efforts.
Yearbook editors, along with Nash, attended a workshop in Charlottesville about yearbook production. The workshop taught the students about design, photography, copy writing and the use of technology for yearbook production.
On Thursday at 9:30 a.m., Saint Michael's welcomes Dr. Theresa Deisher, founder and CEO of AVM Biotechnology, for the first lecture in its Culture of Life Speaker Series. The school also will host Debi Vinnedge, founder and director of Children of God for Life, on Oct. 15. RSVP required, 540/548.8748.
The PTO will host its first Calendar Dinner Dance Oct. 16. Three-course, themed meals from January through December, including Cinco de Mayo fiesta and football tailgate for the months of May and September, will be served, and includes all beverages. Tickets are $45 per person, or $80 per couple, and reservations are being accepted through Oct. 9. Contact Carol Schelke at 540/419-2858, or
Email: clsjpspms@comcast.net.
--Theresa M. Vivona