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AUGUST 28, 2014
OBITUARIES 59
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LETTERS PAGE 60
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NUMBER 35
Educa t io n
VOLUME 26
Sports
Back-To-School
Educators Prep For 73,233 Students, Three New Schools
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new and old. In March, members of town staff proposed to the Town Council changing the ordinance from the current law—under which any sound that can be clearly heard and disturbs the peace of others is subject to violation—to a measureable, decibel-based system. The issue drew dozens of residents, business owners and musicians to Town Council meetings, with some seeing a change in the code as a chance to encourage live music and others seeing any change as a slippery slope that will erode residents’ quality of life. It’s a branding issue, downtown resident Gail Groy told the Town Council in March. “It’s what do you want Leesburg to be about… Unfortunately, we have gone a little bit more to the bar scene than we have gone to the historic
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here’s a subtle cultural tug of war taking place in downtown Leesburg this summer, between the town’s historic roots and its role as the epicenter of one of the nation’s fastest growing counties. A new energy has emerged just in the past couple of years, with live music and trendy restaurants spawning a nightlife in a downtown once better known for its antique shops and law offices. But with the change have come growing pains, as some longtime residents are speaking up to preserve the quaint, small-town feel. The recent debate over whether to change the town’s noise ordinance is what shone a spotlight on downtown’s fray between
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Laura Tucker, reading specialist at the new Trailside Middle School, has worked to create a library feel in her classroom. Trailside, Rock Ridge High School and Cardinal Ridge Elementary School open to students for the first time Tuesday.
family entertainment scene.” The council delayed its vote on the matter until after the summer—the season of live music—and will bring up the issue again during a Sept. 22 work session.
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Living With A Lively Downtown
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pening new schools could appear routine for a county that has added 26 new schools to its roster in the last decade. But for the principals, school staff and students who will call the three new schools that open Tuesday home, it’s been anything but routine. Years of planning went into bringing the school buildings to fruition, and another several months have been dedicated to hiring teachers and seeking input from the students who will shape the cultures of Rock Ridge High School and Trailside Middle School, both in Ashburn, and Cardinal Ridge Elementary School in South Riding. “The goal throughout the year has been to get all stakeholders excited, and the most important stakeholders are the students,” Trailside Middle School Principal Bridget
Beichler said. “That’s why we’re here.” Principals for the schools were named months before construction wrapped up. Working from cubicles in the school administration office, their first job was to thumb through applications to select assistant principals, teachers and support staff. Rock Ridge Principal John Duellman said he looked for teachers who are “all about the kids.” When he sat down with prospective Rock Ridge teachers, he wanted to hear about their passion for students. “I want to know how are they going to connect and click with students.” Beichler hired a staff of 130 to serve the 1,150 students who will attend Trailside. She held a meet-and-greet last December to present her vision for the new middle school, and in return got hundreds of applications from educators eager to be a part of it. She wanted to hire teachers who would help create a school that students, parents
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his summer, visitors to downtown have had more opportunity than ever to take in live music, thanks to bars, restaurants, breweries and even shops making space for bands and musicians to play. Any night of the week, music can be heard in some corner of the Old and Historic District. Kings Court Tavern brings in musicians six nights a week with a mix of genres, from reggae to rock ‘n’ roll. Döner Bistro, Continued on Page 21
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