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Health & Fitness

Unicorn Watch Report #1

Tonight is a big night in our sleepy little hamlet of McLean.  The Kent Gardens Elementary School cafeteria will be all a buzz with the first meeting with parents to help formulate the “characteristics” wanted in a new Principal.  The meeting starts at 7 p.m. tonight (Wednesday, August 21st) in the cafeteria.  Cluster Director Anita Taylor will review the plan to hire a new Principal and take your suggestions into consideration.

Moreover, Cluster 1 Assistant Superintendent Marty Smith is looking for a parent committee to make up a selection panel for the new Principal.  The meeting will be held on Thursday September 12, 2013 from 7:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m. at the Gatehouse Administrative Center in Falls Church.  Parent representatives should be available all day and no formal agenda has been set. 

If you are interested in participating in this process the deadline for submissions is 5 p.m. on Wednesday August 21st. Please include the following information and send it to president@kentgardenspta.com and you will receive a reply indicating your information has been received.  Six names will be forwarded to Cluster 1 leadership and four names will be chosen by Cluster 1 leadership - three parents and one alternate:

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  • Name
  • Home Address (with city & zip code)
  • Home Phone
  • Mobile Phone
  • Email address
  • Age of Children and Programs in which they are involved
  • Additional information

Okay, now the facts are out of the way I’d like to comment on the veracity of the process.  Seriously folks – Fairfax County is one of the largest and most respected school districts in the nation.  Having parental involvement is a nice to have but in this case is it really more about making people feel they are a part of the process or are parents a key part of the decision making? At this point in the game it is hard to say.  I’ll have my ear to the ground and let you know what I discover regarding tonight’s meeting.  Or, better yet – you might consider attending the meeting yourself.

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