
Fairfax County Facing More Budget Strain
County Executive and FCPS Superintendent present adverse forecasts.
Days before the traditional loosening of belts for Thanksgiving, Fairfax County officials discussed the need for tightening theirs.
Chantilly: Taking the Plunge for ALS
Students of LearningRx Chantilly accepted the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge to raise money and awareness for ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease. The challenge entails people getting drenched by buckets of ice water on video and nominating others to do the same, in an effort to raise awareness of ALS.

Chantilly: Standing Together
Poplar Tree Elementary School teachers and staff gather together to take a stand against bullying during the school’s recent Bullying Awareness Day.

Centreville: Four Helpings of Comedy and Drama
Centreville High’s One-Act Play Festival.
Comedy, drama and four plays for the price of one are all on the bill at Centreville High. Its One-Act Play Festival is set for this Friday-Saturday, Nov. 21-22, at 7:30 p.m. in the school theater. Tickets are $5 at the door.

Renovation Keeps Rolling at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Alexandria
New wing showcased at Nov. 14 ribbon-cutting.
Thomas Jefferson senior Thomas Rogers is big on the laser cutter. “You can cut anything you want,” said the McLean resident, “like exact designs on sheet metal.” Rogers was enthusiastic about the device, but wouldn’t fire it up during the Nov. 14 tour of the Science and Technology Governor’s School’s new two-story wing with 14 research spaces.

Chantilly's Westfield High Homecoming
Bean bags and busting moves at Chantilly's Westfield HIgh Homecoming

‘Love, Hope and Commitment’ in Chantilly
During the reflections portion of The Chantilly Pyramid Minority Student Achievement Committee’s (CPMSAC) 30th-anniversary celebration, people explained from various perspectives what the organization has meant to them.

Centreville Forum Recognizes Volunteers, Leaders
Every week, more than a dozen volunteers plan, teach, organize, and support programs at Centreville Labor Resource Center (CLRC). Over the year, more than 100 volunteers contribute to the life of Centreville Immigration Forum (CIF). At its annual meeting last Tuesday, Oct. 28, CIF recognized these leaders.

Chantilly: ‘Only Excellence Is Good Enough’
CPMSAC celebrates its 30th anniversary.
The Chantilly Pyramid Minority Student Achievement Committee (CPMSAC) has come a long way in 30 years — and there’s more work to be done. But Sunday night, it took time out to celebrate three decades of dedication to area youth.

Chantilly: ‘And Then There Were None’
Westfield High presents Agatha Christie mystery.
Something is definitely amiss after 10 people are invited to a party on an isolated island in Maine and are killed off, one by one. That’s the premise of the classic mystery by Agatha Christie, and it’s Westfield High’s upcoming play.

Haunted House and Carnival in Chantilly
Screams and laughter were both part of Westfield High’s Haunted House and Carnival
Screams and laughter were both part of Westfield High’s Haunted House and Carnival, Oct. 29-30.

Up Where the Air Is Rare
Chantilly yearbook adviser is in Virginia High School Hall of Fame.
Mary Kay Downes has won her share of awards over the years; but now, she’s seemingly reached the pinnacle. On Oct. 15 in Charlottesville, she was inducted into the Virginia High School Hall of Fame.

High Schools to Start Later Next Year
School Board approves later start times.
Phyllis Payne has been fighting for more sleep for a decade. On Oct. 23, it all paid off. The co-founder of Start Later for Excellence in Education Proposal - or SLEEP - saw the Fairfax County Public School Board approve to move high school start times ahead by 30 minutes, 11-1.
Fairfax County Calendar
Your guide to entertainment in Fairfax County.
For those looking to fill their calendar with some home-brewed, Fairfax County fun stuff (read: entertainment and diversion), The Connection's Fairfax County Entertainment Calendar has many options: weekend jaunts and larks; date night inspiration; winter-to-spring fun; day-long festivals and events; art-outings; family fun-and-learning fusions; plays and shows; beyond-Small Business Saturday local shopping and bazaars; markets of handcrafted wares; music; 1Ks to marathons... the list goes on. If you know of an event not listed in our entertainment calendar, email it to south@connectionnewspapers.com for happenings in south Fairfax County or north@connectionnewspapers.com for entertainment in the northern parts of the county.

Stage Presence
Cappies recognized among arts leaders at Arts Council awards.
After Bill Strauss first approached Judy Bowns about creating a student-driven arts awards and journalism organization 16 years ago, the ensuing creative partnership resembled a pair of cartoon characters.