The new school year is now upon us! Unlike even the more recent past when the year always began right after Labor Day, now it is commencing on Monday, August 18.
That earlier start date pushed up the annual event of the week prior when the convocation of the Falls Church City Public Schools (FCCPS) brings all teachers and staff to gather, and that happened this Monday and Tuesday, led by the system’s new superintendent. Dr. Terry J. Dade.
Dade delivered keynote remarks on Monday, and they centered on two main points: “Be curious, not judgmental, and love what you do, and love kids.” He spoke of his background, being born in Washington, D.C. and raised in Northern Virginia, his dad being the current girls basketball coach at Robinson Secondary High.
The system’s Community Outreach Director and also elected Falls Church City Council member Marybeth Connelly supplemented the first day of the convocation with an introduction to the new Marian Costner Selby Peace Garden on the fifth floor of the new Meridian High School building, named in honor of the first black person to integrate the Falls Church schools in 1961. Ms. Selby graduated in 1964, and in recent years has come to the City schools on a number of occasions to meet students and tell her story.
The FCCPS, it was noted on the second day of the convocation, has been ranked the Number One school division in the entire state of Virginia for six years in a row, as well as the Number One in the wider Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.
It now offers the International Baccalaureate curriculum from pre-school through 12th grade, one of an estimated less than 75 systems worldwide that provide that. Meridian is a Niche website “Best School,” a Purple Star school for its work with military-connected students, a National Gold Ribbon school and a “No Place for Hate” school designated by the Anti-Defamation League.
Remarks were delivered by Tate Gould, chair of the F.C. School Board, by Pam Mahony, president of the Falls Church Education Association, now the body handling collective bargaining with the system, and Suzanne Hladky, executive director of the Falls Church Education Foundation, which has contributed $246,000 raised mostly from F.C. residents to the system and is now planning its annual Run for the Schools on Sept. 14.
Jamie Sample, Meridian’s choral director, led a student acapella chorus in a number of songs.
A major feature of the annual convocation events was the recognition given to teachers and staff as they reached milestones in their careers with the FCCPS. This year was no exception.
From Mt. Daniel Elementary, recognized for 15 years of service were Scott Daugherty and Beth Green, for 20 years were Shane Levock-Spindle, Nora Pishner and Dave Slikora, and 30 years Nan Hof.
From Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School for 15 years of service was Kelly Schuman, for 20 years were Ruth Barry and Henry Gonzales and 25 years was Mark Coffren.
From the transportation team for 15 years was Liqin Zhang.
From Meridian High for 15 years was Shawn Northrip, for 20 years were Kent Foster, Christina Leigh, Mo Smith and Edna Baldo.
From maintenance services for 20 years was Jose Rodriguez.
From Oak Street Elementary for 20 years was Layton McCann, and for 25 years was Yoki Smith-Jeffers.
From the Central Office for 20 years was Marybeth Connelly and for 25 years was Dang Nguyen.
The system’s Teacher of the Year recipient honored by the Falls Church Education Foundation for the last year was Marian Schimmoller of Oak Street Elementary. She delivered remarks, noting that “sparks” require oxygen and fanning to become blazing, that one not be perfect but present, and the rewards to a teacher represented by a student who never raised her hand until last week. She cited the value of perseverance, of building identity, taking risks and loving learning.
It is noted about Marian Costner Selby that she told students her favorite song in high school was about the Little Rock Nine, the first black students to integrate Little Rock High School in 1957 following the Supreme Court decision to integrate in 1954.
Ms. Shelby was first interviewed about her experience for a lengthy two-part series in the Falls Church News-Press written by Darien Bates in 2005.
