falls church city focus 2-18-2010
DESCRIPTION
Falls Church City Focus 2-18-2010TRANSCRIPT
for the week of February 18-24, 2010
city
FEBRUARY 2010 Questions or Comments?City of Falls Church, Harry E. Wells Building300 Park Avenue, Falls Church, VA 22046703-248-5003 (TTY 711)The City of Falls Church is committed to the letter and spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act. This document will be made available in alternate format upon request. Call 703-248-5003 (TTY 711).
www.fallschurchva.gov - The official site for City of Falls Church news
18 Housing Commission, 6 p.m.
Budget Forum, 7 p.m.
E
nvironmental Services Council, 7:30 p.m.
20 Farmers’ M
arket, 9 a.m.-n
oon
22 Yard Waste, Bundled Brush
and Special Collections
L
ast Day for C
hristmas Tree Collection
C
ity Meals Tax Due
(Commissioner of th
e Revenue)
City Council, 7
:30 p.m.
23 Juvenile and Domestic Relations
C
ourt in Session
24 General Distric
t Court i
n Session
The City wants to know which general government and schools lines of services you value the most. Voice your opinion at tonight’s “Balancing Priorities” Budget Forum. It begins at 7 p.m. and will be held at the Community Center, 223 Little Falls St.
The meeting will begin with brief backgrounds from the City Manager and School Superintendent, followed by small-group discus-sion and “open mic” Q&A about budget priorities. (Presentations are available to view online at www.fallschurchva.gov.)
This is the second of two Budget Forums, which are part of a series of public meetings that will run through April 26, when the City Council adopts a tax rate and budget for next year. The information gathered from these meetings will help City officials develop the FY11 Budget (FY11 runs from July 1, 2010-June 30, 2011). The Budget Forums will be taped and broadcast on FCC-TV and online at www.fallschurchva.gov.
For information about the City’s budget, go to www.fallschurchva.gov. If you are unable to attend tonight’s Budget Forum send in your general government budget suggestions to [email protected] and school budget suggestions can be posted online at www.fccps.org/board/budget/fy11/.
“Balancing Priorities” City Budget Forum Tonight
Sign up for e-FOCUS The e-FOCUS is the City’s online newsletter that highlights
the City’s financial, environmental, transportation, economic devel-opment, public safety, and housing issues. Check it out or subscribe online at www.fallschurchva.gov.
Find Us on FacebookBecome a fan of the City of Falls
Church on Facebook and get up-to-date City government information. Get the link at www.fallschurchva.gov.
Sign Up for Falls Church AlertGet real-time updates and
instructions on what to do and where to go during an emer-gency in Falls Church City, by registering for Falls Church Alert. You will receive alerts from the City via portable electronic devices and e-mail, only in the event of an emergency. Sign up for this free service at alert.fallschurchva.gov.
Submit Your Nomination for Memorial Day Grand Marshal
The 2010 Falls Church City Memorial Day Parade & Festival Committee is seeking nomina-tions for the Grand Marshal of this year’s parade. Contact Jenny Elmore in the Recreation & Parks Division at 703-248-5077 (TTY 711) or [email protected] with nominations or questions.
Black History Celebration and Celebrity Basketball Game, Feb. 26
Enjoy an evening of laughter, family fun and basketball in celebration of Black History Month. The Falls Church City All-Star Team will play New York City’s finest – the Harlem MagicMasters! The MagicMasters barely beat the Falls Church All-Stars last year, so let’s show them what Falls Church is made of this year! The fun starts at 7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 26 at the Community Center (223 Little Falls St.).
Advance Tickets available at:
www.instantseats.com/events/tinnerhill
Children under 5 free
Advance purchase: youth $8, adults $10
At the door: youth $10, adults $12
Get your seats early! Seating is limited.For more information, e-mail [email protected], call 703-241-4109, or visit www.tinnerhill.org.
Register for Summer FunAfter the winter we’ve had, now’s a great time to think
ahead to the warmer months. What better way than to sign up for a fun summer camp? The Recreation & Parks Division’s annual summer camp program offers a variety of activities for youth of all ages. Programs are offered June through August, and range from sports to art and theatre. Registration is now open for area residents. View the 2010 Summer Camp brochure and register online at www.fallschurchva.gov.
If you have an unpaid parking ticket issued by the City, you have until Friday, Feb. 26 to pay the fine with-out paying overdue penalties. If you believe you have a delinquent parking ticket and did not get a notice letter, contact the Treasurer’s Office immediately.
The Treasurer’s Office receives and processes all payments for parking fines and penalties. For questions about payment, contact the Treasurer at 703-248-5046 (TTY 711) or e-mail [email protected]. The Treasurer will not be able to abate or change parking tick-ets. Questions about parking tickets should be addressed to the Falls Church Police Department at 703-241-5053 (non-emergency).
Unpaid Parking Penalty Amnesty Ends Next Week
2009 Memorial Day Parade Grand Marshal Jessie Thackrey.
Get Free Tax Preparation HelpIf your income was less than $49,000 in 2009, you may
qualify for free tax preparation. The Housing and Human Services Division is offering FREE tax preparation for eligible taxpayers who live or work in the City of Falls Church through April 13. Tax preparation will be by appointment only, Monday-Friday from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Call 703-248-5005 (TTY 711) to make an appointment or for more information.
Scho
ols
School content published in The Schools Focus is written and edited by the Falls Church City Public Schools. For more information, contact the Falls Church City Public Schools Communications Office. Phone: (703) 248-5699 Fax: (703) 248-5613.
BIE Partner of the WeekSunni Carver and Bridget FriedrichDoodlehopper 4 Kids
School involvement: Regularly donates prizes to school programs like Turn of TV Week and New Teacher Welcome Bags. Most recently donated student prizes for the Thomas Jefferson Elementary School “Get Fit” program.
Why Sunni & Bridget are BIE partners: “Every Falls Church school child loves to visit Doodlehopper. Now that we have two stores, we have even more toys, games, books, music and arts & crafts. We are pleased to be able to support the schools in many ways.”
For more information about sharing your expertise through the BIE Partnership, visit www.fccps.org or contact Marybeth Connelly at [email protected].
Calendar for February 18-27, 2010Testing24 8:00 a.m. National French Exam (GM)
27 8:00 a.m. Practice ACT Exam (GM)
February18 6:00 p.m. Symphonic Concert (GM)
19 10:00 a.m. Mason @ State Tournament in Salem (Wrestling)
20 9:00 a.m. It’s Academic Taping (NBC4) (Academic Team)
10:00 a.m. Mason @ State Tournament in Salem (Wrestling)
22 6:00 p.m. EIP/HEP Tutoring (GM)
23 8:15 a.m. Special Education Parent Meeting (GM)
6:30 p.m. Budget Work Session #4 (City Hall)
7:00 p.m. Gr8 Parent Registration & IB Info Night (GM)
8:00 p.m. Regular School Board Meeting &
Budget Public Hearing #3 (City Hall)
24 6:30 p.m. ESOL Advisory Committee (CO)
25 7:00 p.m. “The Music Man, Junior” (MEH)
7:30 p.m. Family Life Education Adv. Committee (MEH)
26 7:00 p.m. “The Music Man, Junior” (MEH)
27 7:00 p.m. “The Music Man, Junior” (MEH)
For more calendar information, visit www.fccps.org/calendar.
(MD) Mt. Daniel School (TJ) Thomas Jefferson Elementary
(MEH) Mary Ellen Henderson Middle
(GM) George Mason High (CO) Central Office
Foundation Footnotes5K Race to be part of Fall Festival The FCEF Annual Run for the Schools 5K Race and 1 Mile Fun Run/Walk will be held on Sunday, September 12th as part of the Falls Church City Fall Festival weekend. The foundation will promote the race through a generous grant from the Falls Church Economic Development Authority.
The Falls Church Education Foundation is a registered 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization. For more information, visit www.fcedf.org or call (703) 538-3381.
FCC-TV Spotlight: NASA CONNECTNASA CONNECT offers viewers a “connection” between the mathematics, science and technology concepts taught in the classroom and the mathemat-ics, science and technology used every day by NASA researchers. Catch the program on FCC-TV at the following time:
• Wednesdays at 7:30 a.m.
You can now see FCC-TV programming live at www.fcctv.net anywhere in the world! FCC-TV also airs in the greater Falls Church area on Cox Channel 12, Verizon Channel 35 and RCN Channel 2.
www.fccps.org - The official site for Falls Church City Public Schools news
2010 FCCPS Budget CalendarFebruary 23rd 6:30 p.m. Budget Work Session #4 (City Hall) 8:00 p.m. Public Hearing #3 & Regular School Board Meeting (City Hall)March 2nd 7:00 p.m. School Board Work Session & Adoption of Budget (City Hall)
For more FCCPS budget information, visit www.fccps.org/budget.
The date for the 22nd annual George Mason High School International Dinner has been set for March 3rd at 6:00 p.m. in the Mustang Café. The annual celebration of the city’s eth-nic diversity draws more than 200 attendees to enjoy a delicious array of ethnic foods and entertainment with an international flair.
The International Dinner is hosted by the GMHS International Club and co-sponsored by the PTSA and ESOL/Foreign Language staff. Those planning to attend are asked to bring an entrée, side dish or salad in a disposable con-tainer for 8-10 people.
International Dinner Set for March 3rd
Register for Kindergarten Info NightMount Daniel Elementary School will present Kindergarten Information
Night for parents of prospective kindergarten students on Tuesday, March 9, 2010 at 7:30 p.m. in the school’s multipurpose room. The presentation will include a brief video overview of the school day, curriculum, day care pro-gram and registration requirements. A panel discussion will follow.
Parents should request a packet of registration information by mail prior to that evening with instructions for on-line registration. To request a regis-tration packet, visit www.fccps.org/infonight.
To be eligible for kindergarten, students must be five years of age by September 30, 2010 and a resident of the City of Falls Church.
Colorful, cultural entertainment is always a crowd favorite at the annual GMHS International Dinner.
Does your child’s school bus driver go above and beyond the call of duty? Do you know a school custodian, maintenance worker, day care staff member, clerical staff member or parapro-fessional who provides exceptional service to the schools? Why not recognize that individual by nominating him or her to receive the 2010 FCCPS Support Staff Employee of the Year Award.
To qualify for the award, full or part-time employees must have at least five years of service with the Falls Church City Public Schools. Candidates may be nominated by FCCPS staff, students and community members. Former winners are not eligible to receive the award.
Nomination forms are available at www.fccps.org/ support or by contacting the school board office at (703) 248-5600. The deadline for nominations is Friday, February 26th. The winner will be recognized at a reception in May 2010 and will receive a cash award.
Support Employee of the Year Nominations Open