Vienna Rotary Gifts Marshall Road ES

Vienna Rotary Gifts Marshall Road ES
Photo by Donna Manz/The Connection


The Vienna Rotary Club donated funding for new projector and speakers at Marshall Road Elementary School. Front row: Jim Marshall of Vienna Rotary, administrative assistant Heather Hazard, Daniella Schutzengel of Rotary, MRES principal Jennifer Heiges and assistant principal Gary Hinson. Back row: Howard Svigals of Rotary, third-grade teacher Phyllis Zukas, and art teacher Ginny Kinsey.

On April 13, a Marshall Road Elementary School third-grade class hosted a multi-media presentation on pre-earthquake Haiti. Under the direction of the school’s art teacher, Ginny Kinsey, the children in Phyllis Zukas’ class composed a poem describing what Haiti is like. The event included photographs, music accompanying the slides and narration by the students. Zukas’ class gathered around the screen as the short presentation played. The Vienna Rotary Club paid for the projector and speakers, making the movie possible, and three members of the club were present at the premiere...

COMMENTARY: County Mixes Up Stone Soup - Vienna/Oakton Connection

COMMENTARY: County Mixes Up Stone Soup - Vienna/Oakton Connection

Study of teen cellphone use reinforces impression that they're always using them

Study of teen cellphone use reinforces impression that they're always using them: "The cellphone -- that be-all of teen life -- is ever more indispensable to the youngest generation, embraced not just for calling friends and sending a barrage of text messages but also increasingly for playing games, snapping photos, sharing videos, listening to music and going online.

Green Expo Returns

Green Expo Returns: "

Exhibitors showcase means to conserve energy, natural resources. Last yeara s Green Expo, Viennaa s first-ever, drew hundreds of visitors and filled up the community centera s auditorium.

How writing improves reading skills--study

How writing improves reading skills--study: "Reading has long been recognized as a way to improve a student’s writing. A new study says the reverse -- that writing can improve reading skills as well as content learning -- is equally true, and identifies three ways that teachers and even parents can help students make the connection. The study, published by the Alliance for Excellent Education, comes at a time when many students are not reading and writing well enough to meet grade-level expectations. Recent results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress, the national standardized test sometimes called “the nation’s report card,” showed that nearly 70 percent of the nation’s eighth graders do not read at the proficient, or highest level."

Fairfax budget has small tax hike, avoids major school cuts

Fairfax budget has small tax hike, avoids major school cuts: "Fairfax County homeowners' property tax rate will rise, but not as much as initially thought, and its public schools will have to make do with slightly less under a budget agreement to be unveiled Friday that relies on better-than-expected state aid and the reinstatement of a local car registrati..."

Crime Solvers Joins Facebook and Launches Deadbeat Parents Page

Crime Solvers Joins Facebook and Launches Deadbeat Parents Page

Washington area's top education bloggers

Washington area's top education bloggers: "[This is my Local Living section column for April 15, 2010.] Several weeks ago, my blogging colleague Valerie Strauss (The Answer Sheet) and I announced our picks for best education blogs of this year. Our favorites were a diverse bunch, with many witty teachers, incisive journalists and droll experts of other kinds providing unusual perspectives. But Washington area education bloggers were severely under(represented. I found only two, one in Fairfax County and one in the District, who had the acidity and depth I craved. Since then, the more I read those two blogs, www.assortedstuff.com by Tim Stahmer and GFBrandenburg's Blog by Guy Brandenburg, the more impressed I am by their erudition, energy and skill at undermining my most cherished ideas. So I feel obliged to introduce them to readers who see my stuff only here in the newspaper, not online. At the same time, I beg Web surfers to...

Fairfax FLAGS

Fairfax FLAGS
Foreign Language Advocacy for Grade Schools

A Scream Free Coach

During his commentary of Super Bowl XLI, Phil Simms made several references to Colts' coach Tony Dungy and his very calm style of coaching.
"Coach Dungy is such a contrast from so many others, coaches who try to lead with fear, making themselves the common enemy of the players." Simms said once. At another time, Simms imitated Dungy's annual pre-season preamble to his players. In a relatively soft, yet strong voice, Dungy always starts the year off with: "Men, I want you to listen to me very carefully, because this is as loud as I will speak at any time throughout the year..." After completing the imitation, Simms concluded by stating that there is no coach in the NFL who garners more respect and love and admiration from his players than Coach Tony Dungy.
Turns out, he can win as well.
Congratulations to Tony Dungy and the Colts. I'm especially excited about their victory because it represents a victory of sorts for the ScreamFree way of leadership. Too often, parents rely on fear and intimidation-based efforts to control their kids, not realizing how such efforts actually compromise their intended goals. And the reasons we rely on those efforts are far from pure: 1) we are largely unaware of our own emotional reactivity; and 2) it's easier in the short term to just yell our kids into obedience.
Coaches who constantly rant and rave sometimes do get results. Bill Parcells has won two Super Bowls. Bobby Knight has won three NCAA championships. Jon Gruden even won a SuperBowl in Tampa the year after Dungy was fired there. Yes, they can get results. But what Coach Dungy realizes is that people cannot be motivated in a way that leaves them even and ever more dependent on someone besides themselves. They will only perform as long as they are scared of the leader. And the leader is the one who suffers. What they do not get is any sort of peace during the process. These are the coaches who boast about sleeping in the office througout the season, who sometimes repeatedly retire in order to gain some sanity (in the case of Parcells). Peter King noted in his article on SI.com that Dungy, in contrast, spent significant time during Super Bowl week with his family:
"There is no better lesson in the sport of coaching-office-couch-sleepers than for Dungy to win a Super Bowl with a brilliant defensive gameplan while spending time with his family Thursday night, Friday afternoon and night, and Saturday afternoon."
One of the greatest benefits of coaching, or parenting, in a non-reactive ("screamfree") way is that the leader does not have to sacrifice self or family in order to lead effectively.
 

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ScreamFree Parenting - Parenting that Creates Calm Connections in your Family:

ScreamFree Parenting - Parenting that Creates Calm Connections in your Family:
Join the MR PTA on May 11 from 7:30-9 at Marshall Road ES for a workshop presented by Neil McNerney -- learn how to maintain a peaceful home. Articles of interest on the Scream Free Parenting Workshop:

Ask the Expert: My Pre-Teen's Level of Privacy Friday, April 16, 2010 The power of space to tweens and teens.

Am I Really a Proud Parent? Friday, April 16, 2010 Can being "proud" of our kids cause more harm than good?

Ask the Expert: Kids and Money Troubles Friday, April 16, 2010 How to talk to kids when money is tight and stress is high

Citizens Sounds Off on Schools, Parks and Taxes - Vienna/Oakton Connection

Citizens Sounds Off on Schools, Parks and Taxes - Vienna/Oakton Connection