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It’s the first day of school for students in Manassas, Stafford

Students at Rodney Thompson Middle School in Stafford County [Photo: Stafford County Public Schools]
Students at public schools across our region today, including Stafford County and Manassas City, are headed back to class. Manassas will welcome back 7,600 students at five elementary schools, two intermediate schools, one middle school, and one high school. It's the first time in two years that students will return to schools without facemask or social distancing requirements due to the coronavirus pandemic. Meanwhile, in Stafford County, teachers are welcoming back students from all grade levels for the division's first official day of school. Yesterday, kindergarten, sixth, and ninth-grade students were welcomed to their respective schools to learn the layout, meet up with friends, and attend a pep rally during the division's first "transition day." It's the first time Schools Superintendent Dr. Thomas Taylor welcomed the division's more than 31,000 children to class on the first day of school since he took the job in December 2021. Taylor also enrolled his two children in the school division after moving to the area from Chesterfield County. During a Stafford County School Board meeting on Tuesday, August 9, members remarked that it had been years since a sitting superintendent had children enrolled in the system. Schools in Spotsylvania County also reopened today, welcoming back about 24,000 students, while Fredericksburg City Public Schools reopened to more than 3,500 students. School divisions across the region are facing shortages of teachers and bus drivers. Prince William County Public Schools, the state's second-largest division, hired 900 new teachers for the new school year. The division is short 300 teachers, states Superintendent Dr. LaTanya McDade. Prince William County Public Schools reopen on August 22, welcoming back more than 90,000 students.

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The ArtsFairfax Events Calendar is your destination for all arts and culture activities in Northern Virginia. Find a concert, play, poetry reading, or exhibition in your neighborhood—many events are free and family-friendly!

Are you part of a performing arts group, school, or cultural organization? You can add your events and classes, too. The ArtsFairfax Events Calendar is free and easy to use.

Your attendance at local arts events supports small businesses in our community and the art makers who help make Fairfax and its surrounding region so vibrant. With the ArtsFairfax Events Calendar, you can stay curious and stay local to plan your next arts adventure!

Submit your own Community Post here.

Go Ape, America’s leading aerial adventure park provider, is proud to unveil a revitalized experience across its iconic Zipline & Adventure Parks. This refresh goes beyond physical upgrades; it reflects a renewed mission to foster meaningful connections between people, nature, and self.

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As access to public outdoor spaces becomes more limited, Go Ape steps in to bridge the gap with immersive, inclusive, and wellness-focused adventures for individuals, families, and groups.

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Submit your own Community Post here.

Van Metre 5K Run

Participate in the 33rd Annual Van Metre 5K Run—a race that goes further than 3.1 miles, where every stride you take supports Children’s National Hospital. The Van Metre 5K Run donates 100% of proceeds to Children’s National Hospital and has

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