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703-491-3888 …also at Occoquan
TEX-MEX Chile Parlor
13275 Gordon Blvd, Woodbridge, VA
Tel : (703) 491-3271
Monthly Meadowood Nature Walks Begin
Enjoy a Meadowood Spring with a series of guided nature walks designed to let you experience the unfolding of this special season. Woodland trails reveal early ephemeral wildflowers, the subtle colors of redbud and dogwood, hillsides of blooming laurel, and the changing color and texture of a mature deciduous forest echoing with the calls of wood thrushes, ovenbirds, tanagers, orioles and other returning migrants. You should not be surprised to encounter, at any turn, wild turkeys, red foxes and deer.
Each of Meadowood’s habitats gives a different view of seasonal succession. Ponds are where you will find the greatest amphibian and dragonfly activity. Meadows feature calling meadowlarks and bluebirds, while milkweeds and other plants are magnets for swallowtails, sulphurs and many other butterflies.
There is no better way to learn about local wildlife than to follow it through the seasons. If you would like to see spring beauties, painted turtles, bull frogs, palm warblers, great-spangled fritillaries, widow skimmers, and much more, come for one or more of these unique looks at this glorious time of the year. Walks Co-hosted by the Bureau of Land Management-Eastern States, Lower Potomac Field Station and The Audubon Society of Northern Virginia
Field Trip Schedule All Saturdays, 8:30 a.m. – Noon (later field trip dates to be announced)
Summer Walks: August 18, September 15
Call Jinx Fox, BLM Natural Resource Specialist, Meadowood Recreation Area, Lorton, (703) 339-3465, for meeting locations.
Northern Virginia Community College
Publishes 2007-2008 Speakers Directory
Area organizations looking for speakers for their meetings or special events can now request the latest edition of Northern Virginia Community College’s Speakers Directory. The 2007-2008 edition is “hot off the press” and contains dozens of topics presented by more than 50 faculty and staff members who are willing to share their knowledge and expertise with local community groups through the College’s Speakers Bureau.
NOVA’s Speakers Bureau is a valuable educational resource available to members of such groups as civic associations, business and professional societies, schools and clubs, government organizations, religious congregations and other community gatherings. The dedicated and experienced individuals who participate in the Speakers Bureau serve as roving ambassadors, providing informative and entertaining talks to members of the community. Organizations have a wide variety of topics from which to choose. Examples of some of the programs include art appreciation, retirement planning, preparing for the job interview, stress management, spiritual development and much, much more. Most programs are free of charge.
Those interested in a copy this free, handy guide should call 703-323-3196 or send an e-mail to public information publications@nvcc.edu. Groups interested in booking a speaker may call the same number. The directory is also available online at www.nvcc.edu/about/speakers07-08.pdf.
Two New Members Appointed to Planning Commission
At its regular meeting on Dec. 4, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors appointed two new members to the 12-member Fairfax County Planning Commission and reappointed two others.
Mount Vernon District Supervisor Gerry Hyland nominated and the Board of Supervisors appointed Earl Layton Flanagan to complete the term of John Byers, who resigned after serving 21 years as the Mount Vernon Commissioner.
A 26-year resident of Fairfax County, Flanagan currently serves as president of the Riverside Estates Civic Association, member of the Mount Vernon/Lee Richmond Highway Revitalization Task Force, the Woodrow Wilson Bridge Stakeholder Panel, and is an elder in the Mount Vernon Presbyterian Church. Flanagan was previously a principal architect in the firm of E. Layton Flanagan & Associates in Harvey, Ill., and is currently retired.
Board of Supervisors Chairman Gerald E. Connolly nominated and the Board of Supervisors appointed Timothy Sargeant to the at-large seat vacated by Laurie Frost Wilson, who chose not to seek reappointment.
Sargeant currently serves on the board of directors of Celebrate Fairfax!, the Virginia 2007 Committee and was recently elected as co-chair of the Mount Vernon Council of Citizens’ Associations. He also has served as the chairman of the Laurel Hill Master Planning Project since 2003. Sargeant is employed by Washington Gas, with responsibility for business continuity and crisis management planning.
Also reappointed to additional terms on the commission were Peter F. Murphy Jr., Springfield District, and Janet Hall, Mason District. Murphy has served on the commission since 1983 and as chairman since 1989; Hall has represented Mason District since 1995.
Each of these members will be sworn in by Clerk of the Court John Frey at the Planning Commission’s next meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 10, at 8:15 p.m. in the Board Auditorium of the Government Center, 12000 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax. For more information, call 703-324-2865, TTY 703-324-7951, or visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/planning.
Scholarships for Child Care Providers
Child care providers can receive tuition assistance at Northern Virginia Community College through a scholarship program sponsored by the Virginia Department of Social Services. The program helps child care providers develop skills for improved job satisfaction or career advancement.
Current workers and those who can certify that they want to become employed in the child care field are eligible.
The scholarship pays tuition for approved courses up to a lifetime maximum of $1,707. Students may take two courses each semester for a total of eight courses or until the maximum award is reached, whichever comes first. You must first be accepted to the college.
The list of approved courses is on the application, and includes the departments of education, English, Health, Psychology, Information Technology, Math, Sociology, Business, CHD classes and additonal courses for students in the PAVE program.
The application is available at http://www.dss.virginia.gov/family/cc/scholarship.html which provides additional information. People who want to take classes during the spring semester must apply for the scholarship by Dec. 15. Spring classes begin Jan. 15 at NOVA.
Call 866-636-1608 (toll-free) for more information about the scholarship.
Training on Automated External Defibrillators in Fairfax
Dear Editor,
Now that Fairfax County has purchased 623 Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) for placement in county buildings as well as schools around the county, it is perfect timing for everyone to become familiar with how AEDs work. The local Red Cross chapter offers training in the use of both AEDs and CPR.
The beauty of these machines is that, once activated, a voice talks the rescuer through the process and, after the machine obtains a reading on the injured person, the machine will not administer a shock unless a shock is needed. So anyone can use one. Still, Red Cross training helps a person identify a problem and act quickly to render aid.
Swift action saves lives. In the five years I served as an army MEDEVAC helicopter pilot, my crew flew every mission with the knowledge that a “Golden Hour” exists where patients receiving a high-level of care within 60 minutes of a traumatic injury stood the best change for survival. The goal of our missions was to shave valuable minutes off the response time. The AED mission is similar. I recently learned from a Red Cross instructor that for each minute that defibrillation is delayed, survival is reduced by 10 percent.
The sudden death reversal rate is two percent or less if only CPR is administered. The actions of emergency room staff or EMS crew in an ambulance or helicopter may improve the rate to a five or 15 percent chance of reversing sudden death. But if a bystander uses both CPR and an AED, the chances of reversing sudden death rise to between 30 percent and 75 percent. Once the situation is determined to be a cardiac event, you should begin CPR and simultaneously send someone to call 911 and send another to find the AED.
Cardiac failure can happen to anyone at any age. That is why, as a Health and Physical Education Community Advisory Committee Member for Fairfax County schools, I urge that parents, students as well as faculty and staff become skilled and confident in CPR and AED use. Contact your local Red Cross for a class nearest you or tell the Red Cross you’d like to host a class in your workplace, church or community center. Private vocational schools like APM Vocational Institute offer worksite instruction as well. Invest in it. Your co-worker may save your life some day.
Sincerely, Greg J Galligan
Woodside Road
Gain Valuable Job Skills Fast In One Credit Courses
Registration is taking place now for a series of one-credit courses designed to quickly improve job skills. The classes cover word processing, Excel spreadsheets and PowerPoint presentations, valuable knowledge for many occupations. Each course will meet from 9 a.m. to 12:50 p.m. on Fridays for just four sessions at the Woodbridge Campus of Northern Virginia Community College.
The first course, “Typing for Speed and Accuracy,” will help students increase keyboarding speed and decrease errors. “Typing for Speed and Accuracy” starts Aug. 25 and ends Sept. 15.
The series continues with “Introduction to Word Processing,” beginning Sept. 22 and ending Oct. 13. This course will focus on creating word documents, including headers and footers, numbered lists, graphics, tables, columns, and hyperlinks.
“Introduction to Excel Spreadsheets” begins Oct. 20 and runs through Nov. 10. Students will learn to make spreadsheets using Microsoft Excel, becoming proficient in formulas, worksheets, what if analysis, and alignment.
The final course, “Introduction to PowerPoint,” from Nov. 17 to Dec. 8, will teach students to produce dazzling, memorable presentations. The course covers templates, placeholders, bullets, numbering, color schemes, and animation.
Each course costs less than $82 for in-state students, and students can register online at www.nvcc.edu. To learn more, call 703-878-5712.
Military Dependents Pay In-State Tuition
Northern Virginia Community College is pleased to offer in-state tuition to dependents of active military personnel permanently stationed in Virginia who reside in Virginia. The savings are significant. In-state tuition is $81.98 per credit hour versus out-of-state tuition at $247.03 per credit hour.
Military dependents can call NOVA’s Woodbridge Campus at 703-878-5734 to learn more about the new law. Each semester the Woodbridge Campus schedules classes at Fort Belvoir and Marine Corps Base Quantico, making it easy for military personnel and their dependents to continue their educations.
Dan Lewis Named Dean at Woodbridge
Dr. Daniel C. Lewis has been appointed Dean for the Communications and Humanities Division at the Woodbridge Campus of Northern Virginia Community College.
“I am looking forward to working with the faculty and administrators at NOVA to develop programs that advance the College’s mission to provide education to a diverse student population. Community colleges enact into reality the foundation of our democracy: equality for all, opportunities for all,” Lewis said.
Lewis comes to NOVA from Tidewater Community College in Norfolk where he taught United States history. He also served as director of the Teaching American History Grant Program, which provided professional development for social studies teachers in Portsmouth City Public Schools and Norfolk Public Schools. Funded by a $975,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Education, the three-year program emphasized teaching history “through a local lens” and incorporating technology into lessons.
Lewis has served as a consultant for the Exhibition on U.S. Historical Prints at the American Antiquarian Society and the Huntington Library, with a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. He is the author of several published articles on historical figures and events, and has presented papers at numerous conferences.
Lewis holds a doctoral degree in American Studies from the University of Iowa, where he also earned master’s and bachelor’s degrees. His studies focused on 19th century United States with special interdisciplinary emphases in visual arts, history and literature, in addition to the Civil War and Reconstruction periods.
Lewis recently moved to Woodbridge with his wife, Monica, and their two children, Cora, 4, and Muriel, 1.
The Dean for the Communications and Humanities Division is responsible for administering the division’s instructional programs, for creating and sustaining an environment of academic excellence, and for developing and implementing programs of study which meet student needs. Courses in this division include art, English, English as a second language, languages, music, philosophy, photography, religion, and speech and theater.
For more information, contact Lewis at (703) 878-5716.
NVCC Students Guaranteed William & Mary Admission
The College of William and Mary is the latest state college or university to guarantee admission to qualified graduates from Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) who have
grade-point-averages of at least 3.6 and who complete a transfer-oriented associate’s degree. This guaranteed admission agreement is one of several statewide agreements adopted this year by the Virginia Community College System (VCCS) with various public and private senior institutions, including Virginia Commonwealth University, Longwood University, Sweet Briar College, the School of Engineering and the School of Agriculture and Life Science at Virginia Tech and the University of Virginia. These agreements join dozens of others that NOVA already has in place with four-year colleges and universities around the region.
“Graduates of the Commonwealth’s community colleges have made many contributions to William and Mary over the years, and we look forward to welcoming more of them to the campus,” said Dr. Gene R. Nichol, president of William and Mary. “This agreement will extend our educational benefits to women and men from across the state.”
To qualify for guaranteed admission, students must also complete a “letter of intent” to transfer to William and Mary at least one year before transferring, but after completion of 15 credit hours at NOVA. In addition, a minimum of 45 credit hours of the transferable credits must have been earned at NOVA or a VCCS institution after graduation from high school. Once the letter of intent is signed, the students should remain enrolled at NOVA each semester (except for summers) until graduation. The full agreement is available on the Web at http://www.vccs.edu/vccsasr/agreements.htm.
NOVA students are eligible to apply for the college’s Gateway financial aid package, which features caps on need-based loans, loan-free packages for low-income students, and a commitment to meet 100 percent of every student’s need. In addition, any NOVA student who transfers under the guaranteed admission agreement will have the same opportunities as other William and Mary students for housing, registration, or any other college activities or services.
Walters Appointed to NVCC Board
The Northern Virginia Community College Board is responsible for ensuring that the College is responsive to the needs of its service region and serves as a channel of communication between the State Board for Community Colleges and the governing bodies of local political subdivisions. The Board meets monthly in the Brault Building on the Annandale Campus.
Northern Virginia Community College President Robert G. Templin, Jr. has announced the appointment of H. Patrick Walters to the College’s Board of Trustees, representing Fairfax County. Walters replaces Carmin “Chuck” Caputo, who recently stepped down from the post. His appointment is effective immediately and runs through June 2009.
Walters has been with the Inova Health System since 1997 and currently serves as the executive vice president for the west region, with supervision of the organization’s facilities in the western areas of Northern Virginia. He is also responsible for leading Inova’s efforts to expand the system through merger, acquisition and partnership development. With executive oversight for system-wide strategic planning and planning activities at all Inova facilities, Walters also leads Inova’s “All Hazards” disaster preparedness program and supports the system’s major project development activities.
Prior to joining Inova, Walters was the president and chief executive officer of the Alexandria Health Services Corporation and the administrator of Alexandria Hospital. His primary background is in the area of finance and system development. Throughout his career he has held leadership positions in regional healthcare organizations. Walters was part of the development team that organized the first network model health maintenance organization in Northern Virginia.
Receiving his bachelor of science and master of business administration degrees in finance and accounting from George Mason University, Walters also has an A.S. degree in business administration from Northern Virginia Community College.
Cell Carrier Review
Best and Worst: by the Old Grouse
Cell phone providers vary both technically and in customer service. In my opinion from personal expereince Sprint is the worst and T-Mobile is best.
I experienced more dropped calls with Sprint even when standing still. The Sprint system seemed to be more critical of signal quality and dropped calls as soon as audio was broken.
However, a larger problem was the delay time in delivery of voice mails to my inbox. I experienced delays as long as six to eight hours.
When I called to complain, it took fifteen to twenty minutes to reach customer service.
Another reason I disliked Sprint is my perception that the company was careless regarding customer service. They were more difficult about payment arrangements with extra charges. They were abrupt to turn off if a payment didn’t arrive in time. Finally, When my phone died, they tried incessantly to collect another month even though the contract was finished. I had even taken the phone to their store.
I was already considering what new carrier I would contract with because Sprint would not allow adjustment of my service without a new contract or a service fee. I turned my back on them and ordered T-Mobile online.
Now I don’t have unexplainable dropped calls. If I do get into a bad signal area, the audio can falter before the connection drops completely. The warning is nice and often I can correct and save the call.
More importantly, T-Mobile does not delay my voice mails.
Customer service wise they are more accessible, friendlier, more flexible and their web site works better with my browser.
Information On Selecting Cable Services
Significant technological advances in the communications industry have resulted in more choices for consumers. Consumers can now get cable TV, telephone and high-speed Internet from more than one provider. But how do they choose?
Fairfax County has produced a brochure available at county government centers and libraries or by contacting the Department of Cable Communications and Consumer Protection at 703-324-5930, TTY 711. Also produced, a television show on Channel 16 detailing the offerings of the three major competing providers in the county – Comcast, Cox and Verizon. The program also will be available on video-on-demand at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/cable. Additional information also will be posted to the county’s Web site at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/cable and www.fairfaxcounty.gov/consumer.
Novak Directs Storm Drain Marking Project
Thirteen scouts, their family friends and volunteers installed storm drain markers in the Beechwood, Newington Station and Southern Oaks communities.
The scouts distributed educational flyers to each of the 300 households in the tree communities urging the residents not to dump trash or pollutants into the storm drains. Durable plastic markers were also installed on all of the 60 storm drains in these communities. The markers message: DON’T DUMP” - “DRAINS TO POHICK CREEK”
Many citizens are not aware that what goes into a storm drain goes directly to the nearest river or stream!
Eagle Scout candidate Kyle Novak demonstrated his leadership skills by obtaining the required permits and approvals from VDOT; organizing teams of volunteers; and obtaining the necessary materials to complete the project.
Scout Novak is a member of Troop 1347 sponsored by Burke United Methodist Church. The troop has participated in a number of community service project including tree plantings, graffiti removal, and storm drain marking in several communities in the Mt. Vernon District.
Volunteers who participated in the project: Brian Terrill, Brad Terrill, Mariane Rowland, Jim Rowland, Schuyler Wong, Chris Brown, Mike Novak, Brad Bell, Beth Bell, Larry Brown, Rosemary Brown, Grant Fennessy and Kyle Novak. Kyle’s scout advisors are Mr. and Mrs. Rowland.
The Storm Drain Marking Program is fully funded by Fairfax County and supported by the Northern Virginia Soil and a Water Conservation District. The Mason Neck Liuons Club is a proud sponsor of these community/cultural projects and provides refreshments and certificates of appreciation to all participating volunteers.
If you would like to have a storm drain marking project in your community you may call Christin Jolicouer at Northern Virginia Soil & Water Conservation District - (703) 324-1423 to get started.
NVCC Registration Begins Early
Currently enrolled students at Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) who are interested in getting prime slots in popular courses may register for fall semester classes immediately. For the first time ever, NOVA begins its registration process earlier than in previous years. Any student who has been enrolled in classes at NOVA during the previous nine semesters (three years) may take advantage of “Priority Registration,” which continues through May 23, at which time registration opens for all students, regardless of status.
Fall semester classes begin August 21 with one 16-week session and two eight-week sessions offered. Printed copies of the fall Schedule of Classes were sent to all homes in Northern Virginia. Those with access to the Internet can view available classes at www.nvcc.edu/schedule.
Summer semester registration continues simultaneously, with a second six-week session beginning June 27.
Tuition for summer and fall is $81.98 per credit for in-state students and $247.03 per credit for out-of-state students.
More information is available online at www.nvcc.edu or by calling 703-323-3000.
NVCC’s 40th Annual Commencement Ceremony
The Value of an Education: Thousands
Embarrasing the College President: Priceless
Dr. Thomas R. Morris, secretary of education for the Commonwealth of Virginia, ended his keynote address to Northern Virginia Community College’s graduating class of 2006 with a demonstration of his juggling skills. Morris, who was appointed to his post by Governor Timothy M. Kaine in January, provided a light-hearted, motivational speech to approximately 1,200 students who applauded wildly at his entertaining finale. NOVA President Robert G. Templin, Jr. (right) looks on. Photo: Sue Davis, Northern Virginia Community College
Northern Virginia Community College Offers Unique Scholarship
Northern Virginia Community College (NVCC), in cooperation with the Virginia Foundation for Community College Education, announces the launch of the Commonwealth Legacy Scholarship Program. This program, offered as part of the celebration marking the 40th anniversary of the creation of the Virginia Community College System (VCCS), will offer up to $3,000 for a full year of tuition, books and fees to 40 first-year students in the 23 community colleges in the VCCS.
To be eligible for this scholarship opportunity, students must be enrolled full-time in an associate’s degree program and attending college for the first time. The scholars must have plans to graduate from NVCC and agree to be part of a program that will promote community college education and become mentors to future Legacy scholars. Final selection of the merit-based scholarships will be determined by academic excellence and leadership during high school.
The Commonwealth Legacy Scholarship program has been established through the generosity of a number of private donors, with the goal of increasing access to higher education. “This program will create a continuous stream of scholarship recipients who in each successive year become mentors to a new class of scholars – providing a legacy for years to come of community college graduates extending opportunity to future students,” says Dr. Jennifer L. Sager, vice chancellor for institutional advancement for the VCCS.
The application deadline is April 3. For more information, contact Carol Mowbray in the NVCC financial aid office at 703-323-3014 or by e-mail at cmowbray@nvcc.edu.
Environmental Heros Of Lorton
Potomac Disposal Services, Inc. is a great supporter of environmental initiatives in the Lorton / Mason Neck community. This firm is a corporate sponsor of our annual Mason Neck Shoreline Cleanup in conjunction with the Alice Ferguson Potomac River Watershed Cleanup. Each year, PDS contributes roll-off trash container services for our clean-up sites and has hauled tons of collected trash to the landfill.
Conrad Mehan is Vice President of PDS has also expressed interest in helping Gunston Elementary School with a recycling project this Spring with boxes and by sorting and packaging recyclable materials. Kimberly Kearns is the school PTA organizer for that project.
Joseph Chudzik, of the environmental action committee of Mason Neck Lions Club, knows about all of the environmental effort in Lorton. He is in contact with the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality and the Watershed Clean-up Foundation. He is critical adjuvant of our community bringing diverse groups and organizations together in accomplishing many effective positive projects. He mobilizes neighborhoods to organize in shoreline clean-ups. Joe regularly brings Lions Club support to Scouts earning their Eagle rank in tree plantings and Storm Drain Marking projects. He also helps to muster man-power and support for roadside clean-ups and he participates in the Lorton Citizen’s Advisory Team.
Call Conrad: 571-436-5955 (Cell) email: <cmehan@pds.esiwaste.com>,
Joe Chudzik (703) 541-3123 e-mail: <forservice@verizon.net>,
Souder Appointed as Director of Department of Public Safety Communications
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors today appointed Stephen H. Souder as the director of the Fairfax County Department of Public Safety Communications. Selected after a nationwide search, Souder will begin his duties on Nov. 2.
A nationally recognized leader in the field of 9-1-1 and public safety communications, Souder has served as director of the Montgomery County, Md. Department of Police, 9-1-1 Emergency Communications Center – one of the 50 largest such centers in the country – since November 2001. Previously, he was administrator of the Arlington County, Va. 9-1-1 Public Safety-Emergency Communications Center for over 16 years, including leading that agency during the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack on the Pentagon.
A former member of the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve and the District of Columbia Fire Department, Souder was involved in placing into operation the first Computer Aided Dispatch system in the United States, and the second 9-1-1 system to serve a major city in the United States during his tenure in Washington.
Active in the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials International, Souder was awarded life member status in APCO in 2000. He currently serves as chair of APCO’s Project RETAINS, which addresses the staffing and retention of personnel in 9-1-1 public safety communication centers. He also is active in the National Emergency Number (9-1-1) Association, the 9-1-1 Institute of the Congressional Caucus and represents the National Capital Region Council of Government’s Police Chiefs on the NCR Executive Interoperability Committee. In 2004, Souder also was recognized as the 9-1-1 Public Safety Communications Center Director of the Year for the state of Maryland.
Souder’s salary will be $118,000 a year.
Math and Science Professionals Become Teachers
Professionals in the critically needed subject areas of math and the sciences can obtain a license and become teachers quickly through the Northern Virginia Community College Career Switcher Program.
Designed for working adults with bachelor’s degrees, the Career Switcher Program allows the future teachers to keep their current jobs while completing the course. The program’s instructional portion takes just 16 weeks with much of the work done online. During this time, the budding educators gain teaching experience by spending a minimum of 30 hours working with students in a classroom.
Graduates are issued a one-year license, making them eligible for employment with any Virginia school district. In the first year, the new teachers receive support from trained mentors, as well as further instruction through professional development seminars. After the first year, the teacher is eligible for a regular five-year license.
Applications for the fall session will be accepted until Aug. 8. Additional information and entrance requirements are available online at www.vccs.edu/workforce/switchers/ or by contacting regional advisor Kathleen Ludlow at 703-257-6586.
Hidden Hazards in
Household Trash
Threaten Health
Summer is a great time to work around the house and to clean out the garage. Cleaning often involves getting rid of household chemicals such as paints and varnishes, bug killers and plant food, and pool chemicals. These materials, when thrown away, are known as household hazardous waste. Fairfax County residents are reminded that county code prohibits them from throwing away household hazardous waste in the trash.
When household hazardous waste is thrown in the trash, chemicals can mix together and become very dangerous–even lethal–and can threaten your life, your pet’s life and the life of the refuse collection person. By disposing of household hazardous waste separately, it will be properly handled and packaged to minimize exposure to potentially harmful chemicals, and also will decrease the likelihood that these chemicals will enter the environment. For residents in Fairfax County Sanitary Districts, customer service guidelines specifically state that household hazardous waste cannot be placed at the curb for collection.
Residents can dispose of household hazardous waste at one of two household hazardous waste management facilities: the I-66 Transfer Station at 4817 West Ox Road in Fairfax, or the I-95 Solid Waste Complex at 9780 Furnace Road in Lorton. Both facilities are open for all county residents according to the following schedule:
I-66 Transfer Station (4618 West Ox Road, Fairfax)
Thursday: 1-5 p.m.
Friday: 8 a.m.-noon
Saturday: 8 a.m.-4 p.m.
Sunday: 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
I-95 Solid Waste Complex (9850 Furnace Road, Lorton)
Thursday: 8 a.m.-noon
Friday: 1-5 p.m.
Saturday: 8 a.m.-4 p.m.
For details about disposing household hazardous waste in Fairfax County, including how to dispose of specific items, visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dpwes/trash/disphhw.htm, or call 703-324-5230, TTY 711.
Local Educators Receiving Cultural Training
Prince William County educators and students will benefit from cultural and language training, thanks to a new project spearheaded by the Woodbridge Campus of Northern Virginia Community College (NVCC). Known as CASE for Cultural Awareness in Student Engagement, the project aims to increase cultural awareness among instructional personnel, help teachers create instructional units that celebrate diversity and multiculturalism, and embed multicultural activities that engage students and increase participation in classroom learning.
The program is funded by a $154,463 grant awarded by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV). The multi-step training program for K-12 educators will serve all public and private schools in Prince William County, including school systems in the cities of Manassas and Manassas Park.
“Our school districts are seeing growing numbers of students who are not literate in English, which creates barriers to communication. In addition, educators who haven’t been trained in cultural awareness are at a disadvantage when working with a diverse population,” said Project Director Suzanne Hintz. “The CASE Project addresses both issues by providing development opportunities in foreign language learning, teaching English as a second language, diversity training, career training and speech communications in a multicultural environment.”
CASE courses qualify for professional development points for teacher recertification with the Virginia Department of Education. Several courses are offered during July, with the project continuing throughout the fall and spring. In addition to the NVCC courses, George Mason University and Prince William County Public Schools are also presenting relevant workshops and seminars.
During July, courses include “Communication Diversity in the Classroom: Verbal, Nonverbal and Interpersonal Components,” “Communication Diversity in the Classroom: Learning Styles and Student Expectations,” “Descriptive Linguistics,” “Literacy, Metacognition, and Generation 1.5 ESOL Students,” “Reading Strategies for Supporting ESOL Students,” “Multiculturalism and Career Choices,” “Tips on Helping ESOL Improve Oral Communication in the Classroom,” “Tips on Helping ESOL Students Improve Writing Skills,” “Multiculturalism and Diversity,” and “Classroom Gang Management.”
In the fall and spring, Spanish, Middle Eastern and Asian language courses will be introduced and several of the cultural diversity courses will be repeated.
Area educators who would like more information about the courses may call Rita Haynes at 703-878-5677.
A large number of Woodbridge Campus faculty and staff are committing time and resources to ensure the project successfully fulfills its goals. To learn more about CASE, contact Dr. Hintz at 703-878-5716.