Stafford School Buzz October 2016 by Stafford County Public Schools

Stafford School Buzz october 2016

In This Issue 2

Upcoming Events

Department News

United Way Campaign

Memorial for Vikki Johnson

Classroom Resources

3rd Annual Golf Classic SHS Selected as Virginia Living Top High School

tee time

Golf Tournament Supports Our Schools

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News & Events

upcoming events S

Gifted & Accelerated Programs presents Fall Parent Workshop Margaret Brent Elementary, Session 1: 6:00 p.m. - 6:45 p.m., Session 2: 6:50 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. Offering four topics you may find interesting and helpful: Characteristics and Identification of Gifted Learners; Elementary Services; Social/Emotional Needs of Gifted Students; and Introduction to Destination Imagination. All presentations are offered twice. Presented by SCPS Focus (or GAP) Resource Teachers. For questions, please call (540) 658-6689.

Legislative Committee Meeting Alvin York Bandy Administrative Complex, 12:00 p.m.

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10 A Day for You: Middle School CTE Professional Development

Edward E. Drew Middle School, 8:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Redefining project based learning in CTE, creating a powerful culture, and developing authentic assessments.

11 School Board Meeting

Alvin York Bandy Administrative Complex, 6:45 p.m.

12 Literacy Specialist and Initial Licensure Information Session

Alvin York Bandy Administrative Complex, Professional Development Center Lab 2, 4:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. Join the University of Mary Washington in an information session on their Literacy Cohort and Initial Licensure Programs. Anyone with questions on any of their graduate programs is encouraged to attend.

13 School Board Office Student Art Exhibition Opening Reception

Alvin York Bandy Administrative Complex, 4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. The Stafford County Fine Arts Department cordially invites you to attend the 16th annual School Board Office Student Art Exhibition. View student artwork from each of our elementary, middle, and high schools.

19 Finance and Budget Committee Meeting

Alvin York Bandy Administrative Complex, 6:00 p.m.

24 Joint School Working Committee Meeting

George L. Gordon Jr. Government Center, 6:00 p.m. Know What Your Kids Know About Technology Mountain View High School, 7:00 p.m. MVHS partners with Stafford County Sheriff’s Office Detective Daryl Wells to present a workshop for parents. Learn about the apps and technology that teens use today, and how using these apps inappropriately can lead to criminal, legal or school issues.

25 Central Office Flu Shot Clinic

Alvin York Bandy Administrative Complex, Executive Session Room, 9:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Flu shots are available only to the staff of Stafford County Public Schools. It is covered under SCPS sponsored health insurance, with no out-of-pocket cost for employees. To sign up, contact Olena Primus at primuso@staffordschools.net or (540) 658-6551. Additional clinics take place at individual schools, Fleet/Transportation, Melcher’s Complex, and School Nutrition/Maintenance. Please see the message from Financial Services in Department News for more information. Orlando: 2016-2017 Festival Competition Play Stafford High School, 7:00 p.m. The age was Elizabethan… their morals were not ours. And a boy - for there could be no doubt of his sex - was about to embark on a journey that would take him five centuries to complete. Sitting under a large oak tree, Orlando began by writing a poem; and when all was said and done, he would go on to live out the longest love letter in the history of English letters. Free admission.

October 2016 • Stafford School Buzz

News & events

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upcoming events 26 School Board Meeting

Alvin York Bandy Administrative Complex, 7:00 p.m. Signature Program Information Night Brooke Point High School, 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. This annual information session provides students, parents/guardians, and division staff an opportunity to understand and explore the various programs and academic support services at the high school level. The Signature Programs highlighted at the event are as follows: Advanced Placement Programs of Excellence (APPX), Career and Technical Education (CTE), Commonwealth Governor’s School (CGS), International Baccalaureate Programme (IB), Junior Reserve Officer Training Corp (JROTC), and Stafford Academy for Technology (STAT). The college-fair styled event will include information tables on many additional programs, as well as informative, recurring mini-sessions on APPX, CGS, IB, and STAT. SPIN is open to everyone, and is specifically encouraged for students and families in their final year of middle school. SPIN an amazing way for everyone to learn more in order to do more and make the most of their high school experience.

27 Mark Wood presents: Electrify Your Strings Mountain View High School, 7:30 p.m. Electrify Your Strings is a ‘Rock Orchestra’ featuring SCPS high school strings students and Mark Wood, original member of the TransSiberian Orchestra. The performance is for students, families and community members to attend and is not an experience to miss! Tickets are $10 per adult, $5 per child ages 5-18. Free entry for children ages 4 and under. All ticket proceeds go toward the cost of guest artist Mark Wood. Tickets are available beginning October 1. Click here and select High Schools from the menu on the left. Select Mountain View High School and you will find the event there to make the purchase. Once tickets are purchased, please print the confirmation and plan to pick up your tickets at will call prior to Thursday evening’s performance. Will Call will open at 6:45 p.m. This event will SELL OUT! Order your tickets now!

29 SCPS 5k Fun Run/Walk Colonial Forge High School, 8:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. This event benefits the Stafford Education Foundation in support of Stafford County Public Schools. Registration is sold out, but you can still stop by and support your fellow employees! Runners will compete in a C5W Costume Contest for a chance to win three top prizes. Annual Artisan Bazaar Colonial Forge High School, 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. CFHS Athletic Boosters holds its Annual Artisan Bazaar in the school’s gym and cafeteria. Previous vendors will return, along with a variety of newcomers, to sell their wares. Items include furniture, craft pieces, jewelry, cosmetics, stained glass pieces, pies and cakes, holiday crafts, candles, dog accessories and treats, and more. Enjoy treats from a food truck, available for brunch and lunch. Entrance fee is $2 per person 12 and older. Free entry for SCPS employees.

Save the Date - November Events 5

Middle School County Band Concert Stafford High School, 3:00 p.m. Featuring students from our eight middle school band programs. Free admission.

Band Together to Fight Hunger Mountain View High School, Gates Open 5:30 p.m., Performances Begin 7:00 p.m. Stafford County Public Schools Band Parents Association presents the 6th annual Band Together to Fight Hunger. Stafford’s five high school marching bands will perform their shows and collect canned food for local families. The event will conclude when the students at all five schools “band together” for a grand finale. Bring your canned food donation for entry.

Stafford School Buzz • October 2016

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NEWS & EVENTS

department news Financial Services

Payroll & Benefits Auto-Escalation of Your Contribution Amount: What It Means for You Beginning January 1, 2017, the VRS Hybrid Retirement Plan’s autoescalation feature goes into effect. What is auto-escalation? This plan feature is designed to help you save more for your retirement by slightly increasing the amount that you contribute from each paycheck to your retirement savings. Who is affected? Members reported by their employer to VRS prior to September 15, 2016 with a hire date on or before September 1, 2016, who are not contributing 4 percent in voluntary contributions. How much more will I start to make in contributions? If you do not opt out this fall, your voluntary contributions will increase by 0.5 percent, even if you’re not currently making contributions to the Hybrid 457 plan. Your voluntary contribution amount will increase by 0.5 percent every three years until you reach the maximum 4 percent. You may also choose to increase your voluntary contributions more rapidly. Why is it beneficial? Auto-escalation offers you a convenient way to save more for your retirement! • • •

The more you save in voluntary contributions — the more you receive in matching employer contributions. When you contribute 4 percent, your employer contributes 2.5 percent! It’s easy — no action required! You only need to take action if you choose to opt out. Incremental increases help you make sure that you’re saving more as you get closer to retirement age, when you’re likely to start withdrawing from your savings.

Members can opt out of auto-escalation from October 1 through December 15, 2016. To opt out, log into Account Access at www. varetire.org/hybrid. Click View Account for your Hybrid 457 Deferred Comp Plan, #307059, then select Contributions and click on Change My Contribution Amount; or call Investor Services at 1-VRS-DC-PLAN1 (1-877-327-5261); select option 1. Save more now! Contribute 4 percent to receive your employer matching contribution of 2.5 percent. Retirement Begins with You Your 2016 Member Benefit Profile (MBP) helps you design your future. • • • •

VRS member account balance Insurance benefits Projected retirement date Deferred compensation balances

The 2016 Member Benefit Profiles for Plan 1 and Plan 2 members are now available in myVRS. Log in or create a secure online account at www.varetire.org/myVRS.

Flu Shot Clinics for SCPS Employees We are pleased to inform you that SCPS has arranged an opportunity for employees to receive a flu shot and/or Tdap booster at your location. This is an optional service; you are not required to receive either shot. Representatives from Giant Pharmacy will administer the vaccinations at our schools and other offices. The flu shot and Tdap booster have no out of pocket cost and are covered through SCPS sponsored Anthem health care plans (Giant will bill Anthem directly). Some of the companies such as Tricare and BCBS Federal now will cover Tdap and flu shot for zero copay as well. Please be sure to bring your insurance ID card or front and back copy. The cash cost is $12 for trivalent influenza vaccine, $19 for quadrivalent influenza vaccine, and $40 for Tdap booster. For a specific time and date, please see the contact person at your location. • • • • •

Schools: School Nurses Central Office: Olena Primus Fleet/Transportation: Becky Croom Melcher’s Complex: Robin Brown, RN School Nutrition/Maintenance: Tara DeMarre

Employees receiving vaccinations are required to complete the Vaccine Informed Consent Form and return it to the representative from Giant at the time of vaccination. Only one form is needed for both flu shot and Tdap. Pregnant women should consult their physicians. Individuals allergic to eggs and anyone who has had a problem with previous flu vaccination should not receive a flu shot through this program. If you are unsure about receiving the Tdap booster or type of flu shot you need, consult the Giant Pharmacist or your physician. If you are interested in receiving the flu shot or the Tdap booster, please see your contact person to sign up. The flu shots are available only to the staff of Stafford County Public Schools. Thank you and have a healthy year! Olena Primus Finance Analyst/Employee Benefits

October 2016 • Stafford School Buzz

News & events

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department news Human Resources

Tuition Reimbursement Tuition reimbursement is available for licensed staff (up to $1200) per year. Reimbursement requests are approved on a first-come-first served basis with priority given to individuals teaching in or seeking additional endorsement in a critical needs area. Individuals may request tuition reimbursement via their mylearningplan.com account. Non-licensed staff are also eligible for tuition reimbursement in the amount of $400 per year for each service employee enrolled in a degree program, recertification or continuing program which relates to their trade area or job responsibilities. Virtually all service positions now require effective use of technology and interactive communication tools to complete required tasks with ease and efficiency, and many service worker positions require add-on certifications to operate electronic systems. Interested Service Personnel should submit the Tuition Reimbursement Request for Service Employees. License Renewal All information regarding individual license renewal points and dates, etc. is available via the teacher/administrator mylearningplan. com account under your portfolio/licensure view. Please review your account to be sure that you have listed all coursework and PDS options and completion dates so that we may more accurately track license renewal. SCPS pays for the renewal of licenses issued by the Virginia Department of Education only. Fees for changes to endorsements or type of license (e.g., adding a Master’s) are paid by the teacher/administrator.

Learning & Organizational Development

Career & Technical Education New Hero Care Network Mobile App The American Red Cross has unveiled the new Hero Care Network mobile app. This app is designed to help members of the military, veterans and their families identify and connect to emergency and non-emergency Red Cross and other community services from anywhere in the world. Last year, more than 350,000 veterans and military families called the American Red Cross for assistance. “When 80% of today’s military are millennials and their preferred means of communication are using smartphones or tablets to access the internet to get information, purchase items and access services - it just made sense to put Red Cross Services to Armed Forces (SAF) services at the fingertips of the military and veteran communities. Today mobile enabled technology combined with the best in class case-work and case management practices that allow our military families to reach us in person in 2000 communities worldwide, over the phone 24/7/365 or on the web or your iPhone.” Some of the important features include: •

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Instructional Technology and Information Services

Assistive Technology (AT) Your assistive technology team would like to remind you that we are here to provide support for students who receive special education or 504 services and need: • • • • •

Communication supports Access to instruction To increase participation with peers To increase their independence To produce written work

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Allowing members of the military and veterans communities to initiate a request for Red Cross emergency services – which includes the ability to generate an emergency message, request assistance with emergency travel or emergency financial aid. Gives military families capability to securely store and easily access information regarding their Service member in the case of an emergency, and have their Service member update the information as they move or change duty assignments. Provides access to non-emergency Red Cross behavioral health assistance – financial assistance and free local Behavioral Health support workshops for military kids and spouses. Helps locate resources and information provided by trusted community partners. Identifies key government resources such as MilitaryOneSource, VA Benefits and Services, Department of Labor VETS, the VA Caregiver Support Program, and SAMSHA Veteran and Military Family Community Providers.

Referral forms can be found here. Remember to include information about how your students use and benefit from AT in the PLAAFP section of the IEP. It helps everyone better understand the role and implementation of those supports. Please contact us at viningkj@staffordschools.net or andersonse@ staffordschools.net with any questions you may have. We look forward to working with you this year! Kathy Vining Assistive Technology Coordinator Susan Anderson Assistive Technology Paraprofessional

Stafford School Buzz • October 2016

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NEWS & EVENTS

department news •

The content in the app is also available in Spanish, and the companion call center is staffed 24/7 with multi-lingual translation services.

Text GETHEROCARE to 90999 to receive a link to download the app. Technology Tours Students from Stafford High School will participate in the Fredericksburg Chamber of Commerce FredTech STEM16 Tech Tour on October 12 to explore career opportunities available in the area of STEM. The tour will begin at Germanna Community College and visit locations in Stafford, Spotsylvania and Fredericksburg. Gifted & Accelerated Programs SAT School Day 2016 October is an exciting month of opportunities for students and families. On Wednesday, October 19, 2016, all Stafford County Public School Students in grades eight through twelve will participate in the College Board’s Suite of Assessments. Students in grades eight and nine will take the PSAT 8/9, and students in grades ten and eleven will take the PSAT/NMSQT. Students in grade twelve will participate in the College Board’s Digital Pilot of the SAT; students will either test digitally or via the traditional paper test format. Testing for all students will be at no cost to families, and results and scores will be available to students for submission to colleges and programs. This opportunity provides open access to all learners, and contributes to the district’s mission to inspire and empower all learners to thrive.

Safety, Security & Risk Management

Safe Schools Back-to-school does not have to mean back-to-worrying about school violence. Although safety inside school is ultimately the responsibility of the principal and school staff, everyone must work together to keep everyone safe. 1. Learn the school’s emergency procedures, emergency plans and emergency phone numbers. 2. Know your primary and alternate emergency exit routes and always have a backup plan. 3. Know and follow school security and safety measures. Have visitors sign in and escort them through the building; ensure everyone, including employees, wear their employee and visitor badges. Following these simple procedures sets a great example for your kids and parents. 4. Talk with your students about safety and discuss procedures as you go through your annual fire and lock-down drills. 5. Talk to your students about reporting suspicious/bullying activity in school or on social media. 6. Get involved. Talk with the principal and staff about how to increase school safety. Participate in the monthly Crisis Management meeting. 7. Know your surroundings and always report suspicious activity immediately to the Sheriff’s Office…call 911. Greg Martin Safety, Security & Risk Management Specialist

the students that are only there for part of the day. Everyone needs to practice these drills and become familiar with all escape routes. Annette Hall Safety and Worker’s Comp Loss Control Manager October 20, 2016 at 10:20 a.m. is the Great SouthEast Shake Out. Please visit the website http://www.shakeout.org/southeast and make sure you know what to do in the event of another earthquake. To borrow a sentence from the website, “Have Peace of Mind that you, your family, coworkers and/or students will be prepared to survive and recover quickly from the next big earthquake.” You may download information from that site to answer your questions and be better prepared. Who would have thought that we in good old Virginia would have suffered the damage we did on August 23, 2011 at 1:51 p.m.? Linda Powell Administrative Assistant Please make sure all exterior doors are shut when you exit the building. All doors that are not physically monitored must stay closed and locked; standard operating procedures indicate that all exterior doors are shut and locked during the school day. If you see something unusual, say something. Rodney Redmon Risk Management Technician

Strategic Communication & Community Engagement

Operation Warm: Coats for Kids With winter just around the corner the Stafford Fire and Rescue Department, Stafford Professional Firefighters Association Local 4012, Stafford County Public Schools, Apple Federal Credit Union, Walmart and many others are partnering to provide coats for Stafford County children in need. You can contribute to this cause in two ways: • •

Donate a new coat at Central Office through October 28 Provide a monetary donation by clicking here

Volunteers are needed at the end of October to help tag coats. A volunteer from each school is requested. If you are interested in volunteering, contact Tiffany Twine at twinetn@staffordschools.net. United Way Day of Action Thank you to those who participated in Rappahannock United Way’s Day of Action on Friday, September 23. Ten volunteers from Central Office split their time between engaging with kids at the Children’s Museum and painting chairs at George Washington’s Ferry Farm. View our photos here. Join Us for Weekly Web Training Weekly training sessions for the new website are being offered in the Professional Development Center (PDC). For information on upcoming sessions, contact Sharina Mendoza at mendozaso@staffordschools.net.

While reviewing and practicing all of the Safety Drills, keep in mind

October 2016 • Stafford School Buzz

SCPS United Way Campaign Central Office Activities Thursday, October 6 - Campaign Kick-Off Help us kick off the United Way Campaign with breakfast!

Tuesday, October 11 - Bake Sale Pick up a sweet treat in the main hallway.

Wednesday, October 26 - Bake Sale Another chance to snag something sweet!

Monday, October 31 - Soup Competition & Costume Contest Think you have the best costume in Central Office? Register for the Costume Contest by contacting Kimberly Washington at ext. 205 or washingtonkj@staffordschools.net. Donate $1/vote to vote for your favorite costume. Winners announced at the Soup Competition. Let the best soup win! Winners will be selected for the best dishes. To register, contact Rodney Redmon at ext. 317 or redmonrk@staffordschools.net.

Friday, November 18 - Grand Finale Carnival End the United Way Campaign with an afternoon of fun at the carnival! Visit Parks and Recreation Room A from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. for popcorn, games, and more!

The Biggest Turkey Pay $1 to place a feather on a staff memberâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s photo until November 1. The person with the most feathers will wear a festive turkey hat for an entire day! Contact Kay Woodson at ext. 300 or woodsonkr@staffordschools.net for more information.

Denim Days Pay $5 to wear jeans. Denim Deal: Pay $25 and wear jeans all 6 Wednesdays! (Please check with your supervisor/principal regarding attire expectations.)

Memorial for Vikki Johnson

Rodney Thompson Middle School is in the process of collecting funds to construct a memorial for longtime, beloved coach and office manager, Vikki Johnson. While Vikki may no longer be with us, she remains in our hearts. In honor of Vikki’s favorite color pink, the school wants to plant pink flowering trees around the softball field and to install a plaque honoring Vikki and her service to RTMS.

“To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die.” ― Thomas Campbell

To donate, call RTMS @ (540) 658-6420 or drop/mail your donations to 75 Walpole Street Stafford, VA 22554 (540) 658-6420

classroom resources Free Tours for Fourth Grade Classes at Washington Heritage Museums The Hugh Mercer Apothecary Shop, Rising Sun Tavern, Mary Washington House, all part of the Washington Heritage Museums, offer complimentary admission to fourth grade classes in Stafford County during the months of January and February. One adult for every eight students also receives free admission.

welcome students as though they have just stepped off a stagecoach into 18th century life to stay at our tavern. Students will learn about 18th century meals, sleeping accommodations, and the aspects of social classes.

Hugh Mercer Apothecary Shop - Captivating visitors of all ages, the doctor’s apprentices use herbal remedies, crab claws, lancets and live leeches to tell the stories of colonial medicine. Vivid descriptions of surgical practices are also provided.

Mary Washington House - George Washington purchased this home for his mother and she spent her last 17 years here. It is here that George came to receive her blessing before leaving for his Presidential inauguration. While visiting, students learn about the social customs of the day as well as the games played by children.

Rising Sun Tavern - Built as his residence around 1760 by George Washington’s youngest brother, Charles, this frame building became a tavern in 1792. Today, “tavern wenches” and male “indentured servants”

Contact Lura Hill at lhill@fredericksburgva.gov or (540) 372-1216 to schedule a date and arrange an itinerary. To learn more about the museums, please visit www.WashingtonHeritageMuseums.org.

National Bullying Prevention Month Activities These free activities and resources, provided by PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center, are designed for younger students. The goal is to start conversation and creatively engage students to build their understanding of how to prevent bullying. If your school is planning any activities for Bullying Prevention Month, please provide that information to your School Liaison to share with the Office of Strategic Communication & Community Engagement. With enough participation, we hope to create a page on our website sharing all of the bullying prevention activities from the month. Take the Pledge - Learn how you can take the “Kids Against Bullying” pledge. Students promising to speak up, reach out, and be a friend when they see bullying can download the official certificate and sign their name. Kids Coloring Book - Color the Crew! The Kids Against Bullying cast is captured in a coloring book which gives teachers and students a great opportunity to talk about bullying while they have fun. Each page includes an important message about respecting others, valuing differences, and being a friend. Download these pages and discover how kids and crayons can help prevent bullying. Kids Against Bullying Classroom Activity Book - Free, downloadable activity book designed with engaging activities that incorporate the KidsAgainstBullying.org website. Available in both full color and black/ white versions. Kids Against Bullying Newsletter - Download and share in classrooms and libraries. Involve your friends, teachers, coaches, and parents, and unite for kindness, acceptance, and inclusion! Create a Poster - Send us your story, poem, artwork or video on the topic expressing your ideas on bullying prevention. It can be about what happened to you or someone else, how you feel about bullying, how you think it affects students and schools, what you have done to

Stafford School Buzz • October 2016

prevent bullying, or what others can do to prevent bullying. We want to hear from everyone—teens, parents, teachers, and others with great ideas who want to improve the world. Stick Puppet Role Plays - Bring the Kids Against Bullying “Club Crew” from the web to the “stage” with the three downloadable scripts and printable images of each character. Puppetry is a wonderful way to start discussion and each script include a creative classroom activity. Unity Dance - Students across the nation can come together in song and dance to raise awareness for bullying prevention by holding a Unity Dance. Get your school or organization together and use PACER’s online toolkit to organize a Unity Dance where you live. The toolkit includes the designated song for the dance, choreographed dance moves, and much more. Where’s Pip? - Pip, the hamster mascot of the Kids Against Bullying, loves to travel. He has been known to visit schools, homes, and other locations all over the globe. Where will Pip show up next? Unity Banner - Create a huge banner with the word UNITY as the central theme. Ask everyone to make a voluntary contribution to sign the banner, define what unity means to them, or make a suggestion about ways to unite as a school or organization. This can be done on Unity Day or anytime during the year. A Wrinkled Heart - Designed for younger students, “A Wrinkled Heart” activity provides students with a powerful visual that shows the effects hurtful words or behaviors have on someone. The activity is simple and a great reminder to be kind to others.

stafford school buzz

october 2016

We Value Your Input Let us know what’s happening in your department or school. Share your events, recognitions, and suggestions with us at SCPScommunications@staffordschools.net.

Stay Connected Stafford County Public Schools

November’s deadline is October 24.

3rd Annual Golf Classic Over 100 golfers showed their support for Stafford County Public Schools by attending Stafford Education Foundation’s 3rd annual Golf Classic on Tuesday, September 20. With the help of players and sponsors, over $25,000 was raised for the Foundation. These funds help support teacher grants in Stafford County. Photos by Jacqui Mejeur.

Virginia Living Selects Stafford High School for “Top High Schools and Colleges” Stafford High School was selected for Virginia Living magazine’s 2016 “Top High Schools and Colleges” in the category of Capital Improvement. From the magazine: “The new Stafford High School, which serves as a base site for Commonwealth Governor’s School, opened in fall 2015. The $66 million school provides 281,600 square feet of space and capacity for 2,150 students. The building has Wi-Fi throughout, an enhanced security entrance, state of the art labs and a black box theater. A building dashboard allows staff and students to monitor energy usage.”