Schools

Stafford County Parents Push for Responsive, Long-Term Superintendent

By Uriah Kiser
Stafford County School Board Chair Maureen Siegmund

The Stafford County School Board has provided a detailed timeline for its search for a new school division superintendent. During a recent board meeting, the consulting firm JG Consulting, hired to assist with the search, presented the timeline and key milestones.

The search is currently in the community engagement phase. JG Consulting has conducted meetings with various groups within Stafford County, both internally and externally, to gather input on the leadership qualities desired in the next superintendent.

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Last-Minute Bus Route Delays Leave Stafford Parents Scrambling as School Year Begins

By Uriah Kiser

With some students returning to class tomorrow, parents in Stafford County are expressing frustration and concern as some students have yet to be assigned bus routes for the upcoming school year. In a letter sent to families, Karim Johnson, the Executive Director of Transportation Services, acknowledged the delay and apologized for the oversight, assuring parents that his team was working diligently to resolve the issue.

The first day of school for kindergarten, 6th, and 9th grade students is tomorrow, Monday, August 12, 2024. All other students will return to school on Tuesday, August 13, 2024. Johnson emphasized that the transportation team works around the clock to ensure all students receive their bus assignments by Monday evening.

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Teachers Return to Prince William County Schools on August 12, 2024

By Uriah Kiser

Teachers will return to Prince William County Public Schools (PWCS) on Monday, August 12, 2024. The second-largest school division in Virginia is gearing up for the return of its 92,000 students on August 19, 2024.

Superintendent Dr. LaTanya McDade shared her excitement for the upcoming school year in a recent message to the community.

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Governor Youngkin Announces Historic Virginia Lottery Profits

By Kelly Sienkowski
Shevan Collier of Stafford County won in May 2024 (Photo: VA Lottery)

Governor Glenn Youngkin announced today that the Virginia Lottery’s fiscal year 2024 profits exceeded $934 million, the highest in its 36-year history. All profits from the Lottery go towards supporting K-12 public education in the Commonwealth.

Since 1999, Virginia Lottery profits have generated over $12 billion for Virginia’s K-12 public schools. 10% of the Virginia K-12 education budget comes from the Lottery. The record profits in FY24 were driven by over $5.5 billion in sales, the highest ever. Tickets were purchased at over 5,300 businesses and online, and retailers earned $142 million in commissions and bonuses. Of that $5.5 billion, players received $4.2 billion in prizes, with 77 cents returned for every dollar spent. The Lottery also recorded a low administrative cost rate of 3.8%, which will be finalized after a standard audit by the Auditor of Public Accounts.

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Osbourn High School Unveils New ‘Phone Home’ Initiative at Meet-the-Principals Night

By Uriah Kiser
Photo: Sara Brescia, Manassas City School Board

At the Meet-the-Principals Night on Monday, August 5, 2024, Osbourn High School in Manassas introduced a new initiative to enhance the learning environment: the “Phone Home.”

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Volunteers Provide Backpacks to Students in Stafford and Prince William Counties

By Uriah Kiser
A back-to-school festival held at Unity Reed High School near Manassas. [Photo: Prince William County Community Foundation]

Stafford County teachers returned to school today, August 5, 2024, to prepare for the new school year. The morning began with volunteers from Mount Church providing backpacks to students. They donated over 300 backpacks filled with supplies and sorted through all donations from the recent Collect for Kids event.

A representative from Stafford Public Schools expressed appreciation for the volunteers’ efforts, saying, “Thank you to the Mount Church Volunteers for starting the morning with a heart of service for our students coming BackToExcellence. None of this is possible without the continued support of the Stafford community.” Stafford Public Schools students will return to class on Tuesday, August 13.

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Manassas Young Marine Named Top 2024 Graduate

By Caitlyn Meisner

The school, at Naval Station Newport in Newport, R.I., focuses on developing leaders through education and service. It’s also the highest level of leadership training offered by the Young Marines, who gathered from around the country in Rhode Island for the academy from July 13 to July 20.

Young Marines has been a national youth organization for boys and girls ages 8 through high school graduation since 1959. According to its website, the programs aims to promote the mental, moral and physical development of its members.

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Evolving Grading Policies in Manassas: A Deep Dive with Sara Brescia

By Uriah Kiser

In this episode, I talk with Manassas City School Board member Sara Brescia about the evolving grading policies in the school district. Listeners will learn about the significant post-pandemic changes, including the controversial 50-100 grading scale and removing the 55 minimum grade provision. Sara Brescia provides a deep dive into the rationale behind these changes, the challenges faced, and the pushback from the community.

The conversation also touches on the broader implications of grading policies on student behavior and engagement, the importance of setting deadlines, and the balance between flexibility and accountability in education. Sara shares her vision for the future, emphasizing the need for productive dialogue and the importance of preparing students for the real world.

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