Fall 20152 HomeLifeStyleHome015 LifeStyle Style Inside Life Mount Vernon’s Hometown Newspaper • A Connection Newspaper September 24, 2015 wLww oc.Caolnn Meecdtion ia CNoewsp nnaepcerts.c ioonm LLC onMloun inet aVtern wown wGaz .ceottne ❖ ne c Htoiom neLnifeewStysp lea pFearll s2.c0 15om ❖ 1 Home Once a Major, Always a Major Nardos King leaves MVHS after nine years as principal. Photo by Photo By Tim Peterson The Gazette n her last day, Mount Tim Peterson Tim OVernon High School principal Nardos King went into school trying to act like it wasn’t anything different. But as /The Gazette she walked through the halls, she Photo Contributed Photo couldn’t help but reminisce over the 20 years of different jobs and professional growth she experi- enced in the building. The week before the first day of From left: Candidates for Mount Vernon District supervisor Jane Gandee (R), Dan school, King announced via email Storck (D) and for Fairfax County School Board Mount Vernon representative Karen she would be taking on the role of Corbett Sanders and W. Anthony Stacy participated in a question-answer session assistant superintendent of high Nardos King hosted by the League of Women Voters. schools in Baltimore County and leaving the position she’s held for King’s last day was Sept. 11. the last nine years. In her new role, Esther Manns, Mount Vernon as- Crowd Fills Candidate Forum the Springfield resident will sup- sistant principal since 2004, is port other principals in 14 differ- serving as interim principal dur- Questioning candidates in Mount Vernon ent Baltimore schools. ing the search for a new adminis- Before becoming principal, King trator. District supervisor and School Board races. worked at Mount Vernon High At the end of her last school day School as a fi- as a Major, a pep By Tim Peterson ing statements, then each had about a minute to nance techni- rally was held The Gazette respond to questions submitted by the audience. cian, instruc- “With over 2,000 where King got Some questions were directed at specific candidates, tional assistant, to celebrate the ithout an incumbent running for not giving their opponent a chance to respond, while teacher and as- students and staff, return of full ac- Mount Vernon District supervisor, others elicited a response from both candidates. sistant principal. creditation from W the candidates meet and greet event On the supervisor side, Gandee touted her busi- “During my Nardos is a hands- the Virginia De- at the Sherwood Regional Library ness acumen as owner of a ServiceMaster National time as princi- partment of was understandably crowded. Republican Jane Capital Restoration franchise, as well as her com- pal, I have met on principal to her Education. The Gandee is running against Democratic primary win- munity leadership: serving on the Rising Hope Mis- some of the most school was pre- ner Dan Storck to replace longtime supervisor Gerry sion Church board and as vice president of the Mount amazing stu- students.” viously accred- Hyland (D-Mount Vernon), who announced he would Vernon-Lee Chamber of Commerce. dents, teachers, — Patricia A. Dutchie, ited with a not seek re-election last year. Storck has served several terms as Mount Vernon staff members, instructional coach warning after The League of Women Voters hosted the debate School Board representative, but also highlighted parents and test scores in- on Sept. 16; it’s one of numerous such events taking his own medical service business. community cluding math place across the Fairfax County leading up to the To replace Storck on the School Board, Karen members,” King said. “I have had Standards of Learning dropped November election. Corbett Sanders, a former vice president at Verizon the opportunity to work with ex- below the state standard. To help See Questioning, Page 6 Each candidate was given several minutes for open- cellent school administrators, and raise the scores, King had brought together we have all accomplished in an instructional math coach for many things to be proud of as a the school’s teachers and estab- Local Man Charged in Shooting Death school community. My heart is lished inter-department collabora- reddy A. Bonilla Rodriguez of Alexandria was Freddy A. Bonilla filled with gratitude and so many tive learning teams to share les charged with second-degree murder in a Rodriguez of Alexandria fond memories of my time with F you. I will never forget you.” See Nardos King, Page 6 Hybla Valley shooting that occurred Sept. 21. was charged with second- Fairfax County Police reported that officers re- degree murder in a Hybla sponded to an assault call around 1:30 a.m. that Valley shooting Sept. 21. Monday. At the home on the 3800 block of 9/25/15 Photo courtesy of Fairfax home in Requested Havenwood Place, police found a man with a upper- County Police Department material. body gunshot wound. Time-sensitive Postmaster: Police immediately located a man at the residence The name of the victim hasn’t been released but Attention they believed was responsible for the shooting, as police are notifying his next of kin. Bonilla Rodriguez, #482 Permit Alexandria, VA Alexandria, well as the gun that may have been involved. They 39, is being held without bond in the Fairfax County PAID U.S. Postage U.S. said the two men appeared to know each other and Adult Detention Center. STD PRSRT that there isn’t a larger threat to public safety. — Tim Peterson www.ConnectionNewspapers.com Mount Vernon Gazette ❖ September 24-30, 2015 ❖ 1 2 ❖ Mount Vernon Gazette ❖ September 24-30, 2015 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com Mount Vernon Gazette Editor Steven Mauren News 703-778-9415 or [email protected] Fairfax County NAACP hosts ‘Your Vote, Your Power’ 70th Freedom Fund Awards. By Tim Peterson The Gazette Photos by Photos .E.B. Stuart High School seniors Anna Rowan, Cassie Marcotty, Marley Finley, Abby Conde and J Peterson Tim Lidia Amanuel were bothered by the Confederate legacy of their school. In- spired by a history class with teacher Keith Bropst on the Massive Resistance anti-seg- regation policy, the girls set out to change /The Gazette Stuart’s name, mascot and colors. They sug- gested a name change to Thurgood Marshall, in honor of U.S. Supreme Court’s first African American justice. The Students for Change, as their group is known, were among several recipients of Fairfax County NAACP president Shirley Ginwright awards at the 70th Fairfax County NAACP Supervisor John Cook (R-Braddock) (left) and Fairfax (left) presents the community service award to Freedom Fund banquet, held Sept. 19 at the County NAACP president Shirley Ginwright (center) Valerie (center) and Rubin Cuffee (right), who ac- Waterford reception hall in Springfield. present (right) Del. Scott Surovell (D-44) with a cepted it on behalf of Celeste Peterson. Peterson and There were two president’s award winners, president’s award acknowledging his work to include her husband Grafton created the Erin Peterson schol- including the students, and two community Hybla Valley and Gum Springs communities in Fairfax arship Fund in honor of their daughter who died in service award winners. County revitalization. 2007 at Virginia Tech. “These are students who saw that a change needed to be made and made that change,” said Fairfax County NAACP presi- dent Shirley Ginwright. “They didn’t worry about the repercussions.” The students have gained support through a petition and are working to con- nect more with community members in the Falls Church neighborhoods that feed Stuart prior to a Fairfax County School Board vote Keynote speaker Eric Broyles, a scheduled for early 2016. Washington, D.C.-based attorney “It’s great to be recognized,” said Cassie Debbie Kilpatrick, president of the and co-author of the book “En- Fairfax County NAACP president Marcotty. “We’ve gotten mixed reactions, Fairfax County Council of PTAs, counters with Police: A Black Shirley Ginwright gives closing but overall there’s been a supportive, lovely speaks as she accepts the second Man’s Guide to Survival,” speaks remarks at the at the 70th Fairfax community.” Fairfax County NAACP community at the 70th Fairfax County NAACP County NAACP Freedom Fund Now, the girls are trying to raise aware- service award. Freedom Fund Awards Banquet. Awards Banquet. ness in their school, including sharing a new video they shot the same day as the awards. Evans, “but everyone is staying neutral un- process. said, “the NAACP.” Over the summer, they also met with mem- til after the election,” Marcotty said. In his acceptance speech, Surovell told the Surovell said his grandmother told him bers of the Fairfax County NAACP who of- Del. Scott Surovell (D-44) received the story of his grandparents moving to a stories about gaining the right to vote, the fered support and guidance. second president’s award in recognition of Fairfax County farmhouse from Brooklyn in poll tax and desegregating schools in Fairfax The students have reached out to School his work on the revitalization of the Route 1935. As politically active and progressive County. “It’s a sound base to guide my ac- Board members, including Mason District 1 corridor and keeping the Hybla Valley and Jewish people, “They joined the only orga- tions going forward,” he said. “We still have representative Sandy Evans. They met with Gum Springs communities involved in the nization who would take them,” Surovell See NAACP Hosts, Page 13 Fairfax NAACP to Host Rally committed any criminal offense. Seeking ‘Justice for “Anyone who watched the 48-minute video re- Photo by Photo leased last week of Natasha McKenna’s last conscious Natasha McKenna.’ moments cannot help but be horrified,” Ginwright By Tim Peterson said in a statement.