Williamsburg Middle School | ARLnow.com

Morning Notes

Published April 24, 2014 at 10:05AM

Same-Sex Marriages Could Crowd Clerk’s Office — Clerk of the Circuit Court Paul Ferguson estimates that the approximately 3,750 annual marriage certificates his office issues annually could spike 30-40 percent if the U.S. Supreme Court allows same-sex marriage nationwide, ending Virginia’s prohibition. [InsideNoVa]

Zoobean Raises Another $400,000 — Fresh off of its appearance on ABC’s Shark Tank, Rosslyn-based kids’ book-and app-curation service Zoobean has raised another $400,000 from investors. [Washington Business Journal]

News

Students Break Ground on New Williamsburg Elementary School

By Ethan Rothstein

Published March 20, 2014 at 10:45AM | Updated March 20, 2014 at 11:05AM

(Updated at 11:05 a.m.) Dozens of students who will be attending the new elementary school at Williamsburg Middle School’s campus participated in the new school’s groundbreaking yesterday afternoon.

The approximately 97,000-square-foot elementary school is planned to open before the 2015 school year. The school is planned to be one of the few schools in the country to be energy neutral, meaning the energy it generates with solar panels and other sources will be enough to completely power the school.

Schools

School Board Approves $46.5 Million Williamsburg School

By Ethan Rothstein

Published January 10, 2014 at 2:00PM

The Arlington School Board approved the final design and budget for the $46.5 million elementary school adjacent to Williamsburg Middle School on Thursday.

The 28-classroom building, at the corner of N. Harrison Street and 36th Street, will have a 630-student capacity and is being built to help alleviate elementary school overcrowding in North Arlington.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published October 30, 2013 at 8:45AM

BBQ Competition to Film in Arlington? — A production company from New York is apparently scouting locations in Arlington for the filming of a BBQ competition show. The show would then air on network television. [Falls Church News-Press]

APS to Discuss Williamsburg Plans — Arlington Public Schools will be holding two meetings to discuss plans to build a new elementary school at the Williamsburg Middle School site. The meetings will be held on Nov. 13 and 14. The school is expected to open by September 2015. [Arlington Public Schools]

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published October 2, 2013 at 9:00AM

Library Sets Another Summer Reading Record — Arlington Public Library has set another summer youth reading record. This summer, 8,079 students participated and read more than 32,000 books, up from 7,415 participants and 30,000 books in 2012. [Arlington Public Library]

‘Arlington’s Got Talent’ Seeks Contestants — Leadership Arlington is seeking local acts for its annual “Arlington’s Got Talent” show. The event will take place on Nov. 18. Video submissions from performers are due by Oct. 28. [Leadership Arlington]

Schools

County Board Approves Williamsburg School, Delays Vote on Lighting

By Ethan Rothstein

Published September 25, 2013 at 1:05PM

In a separate vote, the board voted unanimously to delay a decision to install lighting until 2015, when it will form a working group of community members for a full discussion on the potential for lighting the synthetic turf fields.

The lighting on the turf fields was the sticking point for many of the two dozen speakers during Saturday’s board meeting. Several members of the Rock Spring Civic Association spoke against lighting the fields, and condemned the County Board for not following its own procedures in considering the lighting.

News

New Boundaries Approved as County Board Considers Ashlawn Addition

By ARLnow.com

Published May 17, 2013 at 4:05PM | Updated May 17, 2013 at 5:00PM

The School Board unanimously adopted “Variation B” of Superintendent Dr. Patrick Murphy’s recommended boundaries (left). The new boundaries will help distribute students to a new elementary school on the Williamsburg Middle School campus (see below) as well as to additions at Ashlawn and McKinley elementary schools.

The new schools and additions (there will also be a new choice elementary school near Kenmore Middle School and an addition to Arlington Traditional School) are being undertaken to provide an additional 1,875 seats of capacity by 2017 for Arlington burgeoning student population.

News

Soccer Parents vs. Neighbors in Latest Lighting Battle

By ARLnow.com

Published May 15, 2013 at 2:00PM | Updated June 11, 2015 at 11:20AM

The field and lighting proposal was floated as an optional part of the Arlington Public Schools plan to build a new elementary school on the Williamsburg Middle School campus. The design of the school was approved in February and construction is expected to begin next year.

The proposal involves the construction of two synthetic turf fields next to the school, with lighting installed for the field farthest from the surrounding neighborhood. Arlington Public Schools spokesman Frank Bellavia says the school system currently doesn’t have the money necessary for the synthetic fields and lighting — about $2 million — so supporters are hoping to convince Arlington County to pay for the project.

News

Parking Changes Approved for Schools, Recreational Facilities

By Katie Pyzyk

Published February 26, 2013 at 11:30AM

Changes have been approved for parking regulations at the county’s schools and recreational facilities.

At its meeting on Saturday (February 23), the County Board voted unanimously to amend the Zoning Ordinance, which was necessary in order to modify parking regulations for elementary and middle schools and noncommercial recreational facilities. The amendments allow the Board to change the number of required parking spaces at the facilities, which it previously was not permitted to do.

Schools

Design of New Williamsburg Elementary School Approved

By ARLnow.com

Published February 11, 2013 at 4:45PM

On Thursday, the Arlington School Board unanimously approved the conceptual design of the new elementary school to be built on the Williamsburg Middle School campus in north Arlington.

The 93,578 square foot school will include 28 classrooms, a gymnasium, library, art room, media center, innovation lab, dining room and green roofs. It has a projected capacity of 630 students, to help address the capacity crunch at Arlington Public Schools.

News

Morning Notes

By Katie Pyzyk

Published February 6, 2013 at 9:00AM

Additional Funding Request for New Elementary School Plan — On Thursday (Febraury 7), School Board members will be asked to approve additional funding for the architectural firm working on the new school on the Williamsburg Middle School campus. The project has gone over its expected three month time frame because of resident concerns voiced during the process of devising a concept design, so nearly $121,000 is being requested to compensate the firm for its additional two months of work. [Sun Gazette]

Move to Establish Virginia Currency — A measure advanced in the Virginia House of Delegates that could bring the state closer to adopting its own currency. Del. Robert G. Marshall proposed the idea three years ago of studying whether the state should adopt its own currency to protect it from what he believes is an out of control banking system. Although states do not have the constitutional authority to print money, Marshall suggested a loophole may exist allowing states to make silver and gold coins. [Washington Post]