Monday, May 6, 2013
Police say most Falls Church area high school students students caught in possession of marijuana are users, not sellers.
Arrests for possession of marijuana at the four Falls Church-area high schools have gone down this academic year. During the 2011-2012 academic year, Falls Church, JEB Stuart, George Marshall and George Mason high schools had a combined total of 10 student arrests for possession of marijuana. Through the end of April this academic year, the schools only accounted for eight such arrests. “Teens get marijuana from numerous people,” said Lt. Jimmy Cox with the Fairfax County Police Office of Organized Crime and Narcotics. “Parents, friends of parents, older brothers or sisters, suppliers of older brothers and sisters, suppliers in the school, and people who drive to Washington, DC and purchase it on the street.” Here are the number of …
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
FCCPS superintendent: ‘We are extremely, extremely, extremely thankful for the city council.’
Falls Church City Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Toni Jones was optimistic City Council would approve the budget option that would fund the 14.3 percent city transfer. With a 5-2 vote (council members Ira Kaylin and Johanna Barry voted against the option), the City Council approved the second scenario that will see the FCCPS request fully funded and a tax rate of $1.305. Jones said the money is needed to help fund the explosion in enrollment in the school system. “I’m always an optimist and I know what we requested is what we needed to take care of our students,” Jones said in a television interview following the meeting. Over the last two years, the FCCPS enrollment has exploded reaching an all-time high this year, topping 2,300 …
Friday, April 12, 2013
Three schools have more than 500 students each.
Enrollment for Falls Church City Public Schools has hit an all-time high with 2,300 students between the four schools. A new first-grader who enrolled at Mount Daniel Elementary School set the new mark. Since the end of last school year, the school district has enrolled 144 more students. "We take great pride in being the school system of choice for these wonderful, new families to our system," Superintendent Toni Jones said in a press release Thursday. The school system started out with 2,156 students in September and had 2,265 in December. At the beginning of the 2011-2012 school year, the district saw a 4.5-percent increase in enrollment. Kathy Halayko, principal at Mount Daniel, said she knows of at least five more students in the …
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Joel Block was one of eight FCCPS teachers nominated for the annual Washington Post award.
Joel Block, a math and finance teacher at George Mason High School, is this year’s Washington Post Agnes Meyer Outstanding Teacher Award from Falls Church City Public Schools. According to the FCCPS website, Block has 19 years on the job as a teacher. Block is one of eight FCCPS teachers nominated for the award that he will receive in May at an event hosted by the Washington Post, according to the school system website. Block also will be honored at a school board reception May 15. “Joel Block is a teacher our students will always remember and appreciate,” FCCPS Superintendent Dr. Toni Jones said on the school system’s website. “We are so happy to celebrate this award with him. Joel is a consummate professional; a leader in the classroom, …
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Budget is $5 million more than the approved FY13 budget.
Minutes after Falls Church City Manager Wyatt Shields proposed his $74.9 million fiscal year 2014, School Board Chair Susan Kearney told council how much of a transfer the schools would need. Falls Church City Public Schools will need $33.6 million of their $43.6 million from the city, she said. For FY 2013, FCCPS received $29.9 million from the city. Kearney said the school system’s budget is driven by increases in student enrollment. The proposed FCCPS budget also includes a step increase for system employees. “We have a lot more kids than we had years ago,” Kearney said. “This is a dramatic increase for us. The proposed budget, up more than $5 million from FY13’s adopted $69.3 million budget, devotes 45 percent to the schools and $33.8 …
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Snow accumulation predictions increased overnight.
Falls Church could see 6 - 12 inches of snow before this storm is over late Wednesday, forecasters predict (an increase from earlier forecasts of 3 - 8 inches). The entire metropolitan area is under a winter storm warning through 3 a.m. Thursday morning. The storm system moved into the area later than initially forecast Tuesday; snow to started after midnight Wednesday. Winds of up to 25 miles per hour, with gusts up to 35 miles per hour, are also possible. For updated information throughout today, see: Falls Church Snow Storm Information, Traffic, Closings, Important Numbers Operating Status: Schools, Government The following applies to the City of Falls Church: The following applies to Fairfax County: Also see:
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
More than 40 girls attend first day of Mustang softball tryouts.
First year Head Coach Brian Fowler had no idea 45 girls would come out the first day of tryouts for the George Mason High School softball team. Just before 3 p.m., cars started arriving at the softball field with returning and potential players. Fowler, who was head coach of the program’s junior varsity team last season, said it was exciting to see so many players on the field Monday. “I’m very impressed,” Fowler said. “This is more than I expected.” Mason’s varsity softball team kicks off their season March 12 at home under the lights for the first time against JEB Stuart High. Last season, the Mustangs finished with a 10-8-1 record. Fowler said he’s looking forward to the 2013 season and hopes to surpass last year’s mark. “I just want to…
Thursday, January 31, 2013
City is the first municipality in Virginia to pass an ordinance to install video cameras on school buses to catch motorists speeding by ones that are picking up or dropping off kids.
City Council unanimously passed an ordinance Monday night to install video cameras on school buses to catch motorist blowing by illuminated stop signs. The city is the first municipality in Virginia to institute such a program. Already, the Falls Church Police Department is evaluating two vendors but there is no time frame to select a vendor, said Susan Finarelli, spokeswoman for the city. Because there is no contract, there isn’t a cost attached to the project but Finarelli believes the program will pay for itself through fines collected. “We expect the cost will end up being a wash,” Finarelli said. “Revenue from the tickets will cover the administrative costs of the police officer evaluating each violation, to make sure there wasn't a …
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
School buses in the City of Falls Church will be equipped with video cameras to catch people speeding by them while picking up children.
City of Falls Church school buses will be equipped with video cameras designed to catch motorists who blow past stop signs that appear when buses stop to pick up or drop off children. City Council voted 6-0 on an ordinance Monday to equip school buses with video equipment. Mayor Nader Baroukh and council members Ron Peppe, Ira Kaylin, Phil Duncan, Johannah Barry and Dave Tarter supported the ordinance that would see violators fined $250. The ordinance came about after Falls Church City Public Schools bus drivers reported over a three-day period in November, 60 motorists sped by buses that were stopped while picking up or dropping off students. Vice-Mayor Dave Snyder was absent from Monday’s meeting. “The $250 is a deterrent,” Kaylin said …
Monday, January 28, 2013
Snow hits the area and a local hardware store was prepared with necessities.
Patch covered the 57th Presidential Inauguration Monday with stories and photo galleries. Police news and school news mostly grabbed the headlines in Falls Church last week. A house fire in Falls Church killed a mother and daughter early Wednesday morning. Fairfax County Fire and Rescue are investigating the blaze that destroyed the ranch-style home but the cause of the fire has not been determined. A pit bull that attacked an adult after school hours on the playground at Thomas Jefferson Elementary School is in quarantine in the City of Falls Church. Police say the dog’s owner is facing charges. City of Falls Church Police are still looking for a man who reportedly stole more than $2,000 from a business in broad daylight and fled on foot…
John Strother
1:40 pm on Thursday, January 31, 2013
I find this action to be acceptable. The passing of stopped school buses have become a real problem. How dare these drivers endanger the students. I don't believe the fine is high enough. I really believe it should be closer to $1,000.00. That way it will really make an impression on the drivers. We do live in one of the richest neighborhoods of the good old USA and those that drive pass a school… more ›