Manassas City Schools: “The Academic Calendar for the 2023-2024 school year is available. Check them out below for the upcoming holidays, early release days, teacher workdays, and more.”
Calendars are available on the Manassas City Public Schools website, mcpsva.org
Sara Brescia, Member, Manassas City School Board: “While we await the past school year’s SOL test scores for grades 3-12, the PALS assessment results are in for grades K-2. PALS is a statewide early literacy assessment that is administered in both the fall and spring to track progress over the year.
“As seen below, our grades K-2 saw large improvements over the course of the year in the share of students meeting or exceeding benchmarks, catching up to the state average in many cases.”
“Each year, the VSBA invites school divisions to pass a resolution recognizing up to three businesses for the Business Honor Roll. This recognition program enables local school divisions to express gratitude towards companies that support schools and the community. Businesses offer valuable contributions to schools in various ways, such as providing financial or in-kind aid, donating to scholarship programs, supporting extracurricular activities, offering internships, volunteering, and sponsoring field trips.”
“During the Superintendent Announcements and Spotlights, Eric Godwin, the Work-based Learning Specialist for MCPS, presented the local recipients for this year’s honor roll.”
Manassas City School Board member Sara Brescia “Next year MCPS will be piloting a public preschool program for 3-year-olds out of Round Elementary (but open to students in all geographies), which is targeted towards students who otherwise would not have access to private preschool. The pilot program will not require any additional staff as there is already resource capacity available from our existing 4-year-old program.”
“Preschool is an important piece of the student achievement puzzle to get students introduced to academic concepts and behavioral expectations and can quicken the pace of English language acquisition for ESOL students. However, while there is a body of research showing the benefits of preschool, there is also some disturbing evidence that at least some public preschool programs are counter-productive.”
Manassas City School Board member Sara Brescia: “I have been working with the Superintendent and the administration to increase recess and playtime in our earlier grades to go beyond the current 20 minutes per day (the state minimum).”
“I am happy to report that next school year the minimum for unstructured playtime for each school will be expanded by an additional ten minutes to a total of 30 minutes. This is a move in the right direction, and I want to thank the administration for working with me on this change.”
On the nights of April 20, 21, and 22, 2023, Osbourn High School’s theater department performed their 2023 spring musical, “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.” They were originally published in 2005 by Rachel Sheinkin. The music and lyrics were written by William Finn.
The comedic show follows a group of young but determined middle schoolers, each eager to win the champion title. Though the show had no clear lead, Olive Ostrovsky and William Barfee were finalists and closest to the title.
Metz Middle School Principal Gary Morris provided the Manassas City Council with an update about students at its campus.
The first-year principal highlighted the school’s intellectual disabilities program, which allows students to volunteer in the community. Students in the program regularly volunteer at Grace Methodist Church in Manassas.
The City of Manassas School Board seeks rising juniors and seniors interested in becoming Student representatives for the School Board. Students must apply online before April 17, 2023.
The Board will select two students to serve a year-long term and be a voice for all Manassas City Public School students.
