Author: Caitlyn Meisner

According to a presentation given at the Dec. 4 PWCS School Board meeting, 15.4% of students are considered chronically absent as of Oct. 31, which marked the end of the first quarter. In the 2023-24 school year at the same time, only 14.7% of students were considered chronically absent.

Chronic absenteeism is defined as missing 10% or more or 18 days of school for an enrolled student by the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE). Excused and unexcused absences count toward the chronic absenteeism rate.

“This is a game-changer for MWES! It allows us to enhance our security system, which will make our school a safer place for everyone,” Danna Johnson, the MWES principal, said. “This investment will give our entire school community peace of mind and continue to demonstrate our ongoing commitment to providing not only a nurturing environment for our students, but a safe and secure one as well.” 

This grant is part of a statewide initiative from the VDOE to increase school safety. The VDOE has allocated $12 million in grant funding to 472 schools across the Commonwealth. In late November, two Manassas City Public Schools (Round and Haydon Elementary) received $250,000 — the highest amount of grant money possible for one school district, according to a VDOE release. 

Bollino has been in music education for more than 20 years, the majority of which has been with Stafford County Public Schools. According to her LinkedIn page, she joined PWCS in February.

“I am honored to be recognized for my leadership. Music and the arts are intricately woven into the very fabric of who I am and how I lead; they have profoundly shaped my identity, and I draw on these deep-rooted passions to ensure that our PWCS students have access to the same enriching opportunities and transformative experiences that have molded me into the person I am today,” she said.