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SpringfieldSpringfield Inside FranconiaFranconia ❖❖ KingstowneKingstowne NewingtonNewington Newcomers & Walkers crest the hill on Veterans Bridge over Community Guide tion Old Keene Mill Road at the Springfield BridgeWalk. c ne 2014-2015 n o e C h T les/ Whhileile hhisis family took a ride oonn thethe Lakeake Accccotinotink carouarousel, gg u Dennis McNeeil,il, of Alexlexanddria,ria, Springfield had a ggreatreat time playlaying a ée R round of miniature ggoolf.lf. en ❖ ❖ by R Franconia KingstowneKingstowne Newington Follow on Twitter: @SprConnection to ho P www.ConnectionNewspapers.comLocal Media NewcomersConnection LLC Springfield o Connectionnline at w❖ w Newconersw.connec & Communitytionnew sGuidepaper 2014-15s.com ❖ 1 Springfield Celebrates & Community Guide Annual BridgeWalk Classified, Page 10 News, Page 3 ❖ Sports, Page 6 ❖ Entertainment, Page 7 Former Delegate Gladys Keating Dies Lee High Welcomes New Principal, News, Page 5 West Springfield Holds ‘Spartan Spree’ News, Page 4 Photo by Tim Peterson/The Connection www.ConnectionNewspapers.comAugust 28 - September 3, 2014 online at www.connectionnewspapers.com Springfield Connection ❖ August 28 - September 3, 2014 ❖ 1 POTOMAC RIVER 3750 Jefferson Davis Hwy. Alexandria, VA 22305 ALEXANDRIA ALEXANDRIA 703-684-0710 TOYOTA TOYOTA www.alexandriatoyota.com Service Department Hours: Monday – Friday, 7:00am to 9:00pm Saturday, 8:00am to 5:00pm TOYOTA LIFETIME GUARANTEE Mufflers•Exhaust Pipes•Shocks•Struts Toyota mufflers, exhaust pipes, shocks, struts ServiceCenters and strut cartridges are guaranteed to the 27 YEARS OF original purchaser for the life of the vehicle Keep Your Toyota RECEIVING THIS when installed by an authorized Toyota dealer. Let’s Go Places a Toyota HONOR See us for full details. You Have Saturdays Off That’s Exactly Why We Don’t! 2 ❖ Springfield Connection ❖ August 28 - September 3, 2014 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com Springfield Connection Editor Kemal Kurspahic News 703-778-9414 or [email protected] Photos by Tim Peterson/The Connection Signing the Army Community Covenant are: (from left) Supervisor Hundreds of members of the Springfield community came out to support Herrity, Col. Michelle Mitchell, Maj. Gen. Mark Quantock, supervisor Jeff the renewing of the Army Community Covenant. McKay, Maj. Gen. Jeffrey Buchanan. Springfield Celebrates 13th Annual BridgeWalk Local leaders renew Army Community Covenant. Army sends you. But home is also where the heart is.” He went on to thank the By Tim Peterson Park Concert Band. Mark Quantock, Military Deputy, National Springfield and Fairfax County community The Connection “This evening’s bridge walk is especially Geospatial Intelligence Agency; and Maj. for being a supportive home to so many significant to all of us,” said Supervisor Jeff Gen. Jeffrey Buchanan, Military District of military personnel. n a minimally muggy, late McKay (D-Lee District), “because we are Washington. “Not many people know this,” said McKay, night on Aug. 22, hundreds honoring our good friends from Fort Belvoir Buchanan said, “I was an Army brat, and “but Fort Belvoir is the largest employer in O of Springfield community by renewing the Army Community Cov- we have a few sayings: Home is where the Fairfax County.” members walked south enant.” The covenant is a tangible, ex- Elected officials on hand included across Veterans Bridge and over Old Keene plicit marker of continued mutual sup- state Sen. George Barker (D-39), Del. Mill Road. port and respect between the military “Not many people know this, Vivian Watts (D-39) and Supervisor Pat On the other side of the 13th annual and greater Springfield communities. Herrity (R-Springfield). Watts kept her Springfield BridgeWalk, the celebrants were McKay emceed the formal program, but Fort Belvoir is the largest remarks the most brief, citing the cur- first met as they gathered in front of Ameri- which included addresses from military employer in Fairfax County.” rent international hostile climate and of- can Legion Post 176 by a medley of patri- personnel Col. Michelle Mitchell, Fort fering plain, sincere thanks to the ser- otic songs played by members of the Kings Belvoir Garrison Commander; Maj. Gen. — Supervisor Jeff McKay (D-Lee District) vice members present. VTEEA High School Teacher of the Year West Springfield Teacher Honored Josh Masley chal- lenges his technol- ing helped land him the Springfield. “It’s an awesome commu- ogy and engineer- Josh Masley, 13-year veteran, honor of High School nity,” Masley said. “When I walked in it ing students with Teacher of the Year from just sort of reinvigorated everything — open-ended prob- inspires students through the Virginia Technology my passion, my desire.” lem-based projects. and Engineering Educa- Teaching electives, Masley isn’t bound technology and engineering. tion Association (VTEEA) by the SOLs, but faces different chal- the eagerness, the will- at its annual awards ban- lenges. One is finding ways to engage and ingness to attack anything.” By Tim Peterson quet in mid-August. Other FCPS honorees motivate students of various ages and aca- Masley believes in the real-world value The Connection included Timothy Threlkeld of Hughes demic levels within the same classroom. of the projects his 150-odd students take Middle School and Emre Ege of Fairfax High Another is recruitment altogether. “So that’s part in. Whether it’s designing a dam to t wasn’t enough just to use the School. another thing I hope this award might po- solve a town’s flooding problem or fab- I classroom’s 3D printer to fabricate “It was a nice honor, and felt fantastic,” tentially impact,” said Masley. ricating an all-original gumball machine, Spartan helmets out of plastic. Then said Masley, who has “never really been “We’re constantly fighting for our jobs,” students are “getting to see and experi- students of West Springfield High School nominated for anything like this. There’s not he continued, “competing with other elec- ence the fruits of their labor, getting to Technology and Engineering teacher a ton of recognition within teaching, within tives. We feel that, in STEM, we’re the only understand the actual engineering design Josh Masley presented the helmets to the field. The main takeaway for me, from ones that can deliver the tech and the engi- process,” said Masley. teachers and faculty as gifts. this job, is seeing the kids learn, seeing the neering. And we feel that we’re delivering Which, if they stick with it, could help “He’s teaching his kids to appreciate light bulbs go off.” the science and math pretty well also.” land them a job at a time when STEM other people in the building,” said Masley is originally from Pittsburg, but According to Pope, Masley is meeting his employees are in demand. “We do some Johnny Pope, an assistant principal at the attended Virginia Tech and took the job at challenges head on. “You don’t micro man- career research as well in here,” said school. “They have some intrinsic moti- Westfield High School after graduating. He age the department,” he said. “You tell him Masley, “get them to think about the big vation about what they’re doing.” spent 11 years teaching technology and what the problem is. He figures it out. He picture, and how they can pursue a ca- Masley’s big-picture approach to teach- engineering there before moving to West makes it work. That’s what you want. I see reer that will positively impact society.” Photo by Tim Peterson/The Connection www.ConnectionNewspapers.com Springfield Connection ❖ August 28 - September 3, 2014 ❖ 3 News Photos by Marissa Beale/The Connection Rising junior, Brittany Branch, and WSHS teacher, Bill Gibson volunteer Kimmy Howard, a rising senior at West Springfield High School, has fun during Spartan Spree to help students and parents get all of the infor- while weeding the gardens in front of WSHS. Here, she models a “hat.” mation they need for a successful school year. Lee High Welcomes New Principal, West Springfield Holds ‘Spartan Spree’ versity, however students are required to Springfield high schools get ready for a new school year. pay the cost of tuition at these schools and must meet certain criteria for admission. By Marissa Beale Kimmy and her mother weeded the gar- The Connection den in front of West Springfield High School just in time for over 2,000 parents and stu- any believe that it is the job dents to arrive to the school for Spartan of the student to challenge Spree, the annual back-to-school event. Mand push themselves in the “Students come in to pick up schedules, get classroom, but for incoming gym uniforms, and turn in legal forms be- Robert E. Lee High School Principal, Deirdre fore the start of school,” said Johnny Pope, Lavery, success begins with the teachers. “A the twelfth grade assistant principal. Stu- real focus of mine is creating a community dents filled the gym on the Tuesday after- of learners, meaning both the students and noon of Aug. 26 to both drop off and col- the teachers. When students are challenged lect all the information they need before and can’t meet the expectation, we don’t starting school on Sept. 2. “I’m very excited lower the standards, we help the students for the new year,” said rising eleventh reach the goal,” said the principal on Mon- grader Demetrius Mitchell. “I am most ex- day, Aug. 25. This will be Lavery’s first year cited about meeting new people and for as principal at Lee High School, and her first taking guitar. Music is my thing,” he said. time working at the high school level. “I love Spartan Spree was held at West Springfield High School on Tuesday, Aug. Teachers, counselors, parents, administra- the challenge of learning something new. 26, from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. At the event students were also able to pur- tors and students all volunteer their time But I also think that means I have some- chase P.E.