the next level Colonial Beach alum Carey drafted to play in the NBA development league. Page 5
T he Volume 39, Number 1
coming to a town near you many positive changes are in store for our region in 2015. Page 8 POSTAL CUSTOMER
Colonial Beach • Westmoreland
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Wednesday, December 31, 2014 50 Cents
CB school rewarding good behavior Severed ’Net line hampers school Linda Farneth
Apparently, you can teach good behavior. The Colonial Beach Elementary School started a new program seven weeks ago, Drifter Pride, aimed at teaching, encouraging and reinforcing good behavior among its students. It began in the classroom on an individual basis. Students were taught how to be productive, responsible and respectful. As children exhibited these qualities, they were given positive office referrals. So far, the school has given out more than 500 office referrals. “The goal is to focus on the positive rather than the negative, to create a school culture where kids feel safe and encouraged to do the right thing.” said principal Michelle Coates. Each morning, students are recognized over the intercom for their good behavior. Each student is presented their referral in the morning by Coates and complimented for their good behavior. The second phase of the program moved out of the classroom and into the Linda Farneth halls, library, cafeteria, buses, etc. and is The winners of the “Door to the floor” competition in K-3 were Mrs. Goshey’s class, above, and in grades 4 -7, Mrs. Longbrake’s class, below. based on class-wide behavior. “While we are still focusing on individuals, we are also focusing on monthly incentives for kids to work as a team in the class.” Coates said. In December, a “Door to the Floor” contest was implemented. Every time the whole class was seen being productive, responsible and respectful, it received a link made of construction paper. The links were put together to form a paper chain with the winners being the first class to get its chain to hang from the top of the door to the floor. The winners for grades K-3 were Mrs. Goshey’s class and for grades 4 -7 Mrs. Longbrake’s class. The classroom that receives the most links at the end of the contest also will receive an award. The strategies being applied in the Drifter Pride program were evident at a recent school program. One of the strategies used by teachers, is holding up their hand and forming the shape of a zero to represent that the students voices should be at a level zero. During a recent program at which students were talking, Coates went to the front of the room, didn’t say a word, held up the zero symbol and the room immediately fell silent.
a washington christmas celebration The George Washington Birthplace National Monument hosted a demonstration Dec. 28 of a Washington Family Christmas. Festivities traditionally included extravagant feasting, drinking, games, fireworks, dancing and music. Hospitality included open houses and decorations, including candlelit windows and door wreaths and garlands. The event featured a variety of living history demonstrations, with volunteers and staff in period clothing recreating the crafts of the time -- cooking, blacksmithing, spinning and weaving, music and more. “Colonial Virginians vigorously celebrated Christmas for 12 days, stretching from Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day to Twelfth Night. The holiday season was widely celebrated in Virginia, unlike its northern neighbor colonies or New England,” said park ranger Dick Lahey. Photo courtesy of the George Washington Birthplace National Monument
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Problem still not resolved almost two months later Linda Farneth
The Colonial Beach School Board’s staff has been displaced since Nov. 3 after the office’s Internet connection was cut by contractors working on the Potomac Renaissance Condos on Taylor Street, according to school officials. In an e-mail dated Dec. 23 from School Superintendent Kevin Newman to Town Manager Val Foulds Newman said the cut line has forced the staff to relocate to offices at the First Street campus. Newman said it has affected payroll getting out on time, displaced special education staff and the school’s computer lab has not been set up since the school board office is utilizing that space. “This has caused a tremendous amount of stress on myself and the staff.” Newman wrote in the e-mail. Newman said the school board has received an estimate from TelNet of $20,000 to repair the line. When those repairs might be finished is unknown. “I know you said Mr. Murphy was working on a solution, and we have been patiently waiting for him to complete this task,” Newman wrote. “This is a situation that was not caused by the actions of the school system, but we have had to suffer for two months.” Foulds said the contractor working on the condominiums was obligated to disconnect and bury all lines that would impede the fire department from entering the parking lot in case of a fire or other emergency. While Metrocast and Verizon identified their lines, the line that supplied the school board office was not identified, which is why the contractor cut it, Foulds said. The town has been working to find a solution, however there are several issues that have slowed the process, Foulds said. “I can hear your frustration,” Foulds wrote Newman. “Please believe that it has been a frustrating process for us as well. As you know, when an affordable, viable solution was not iminent, we enlisted the help of Delegate (Margaret) Ransone’s office and reached out to Westmoreland County for suggestions on bringing about as fast and affordable a resolution as possible. What came out of the contact with Delegate Ransone’s office was a spirit of cooperation from MetroCast.” However , Colonial Beach Public Works Director Rob Murphy said in his e-mail to Newman he has met with MetroCast officials Dec 22, and they advised him on replacing the section of wire, but said corporate permission is needed to hang the needed repair lines. “Please be aware that (public works) is attempting to resolve this multijurisdictional dilemma in as expeditious, cost effective and legitimate manner as possible,” Murphy wrote Newman. “This is a situation that was not caused by the actions of the public works department, but we are now involved in scheduling the repair. Unfortunately, I cannot guarantee that your January 5th deadline can be met but we’ll certainly try.”