The AAA Northern Region was one of the four AAA regions in the Virginia High School League . It was made up of four districts: the AAA Concorde District , the AAA Liberty District , the AAA National District , and the AAA Patriot District . Group AAA is the largest enrollment class for VHSL schools, and typically AAA is the most competitive level. In 2013, the three classification format was eliminated in favor of a six classification system. Accordingly, the Northern Region was eliminated, while the districts were retained for regular season competition.
106-587: The Northern Region comprises most of the public schools in Northern Virginia , including all the public high schools in Fairfax County , Arlington County , Alexandria City , and one high school in Loudoun County . The region is also the smallest geographically of all the A, AA, and AAA VHSL regions, where boundaries have remained within the outer limits of Fairfax County for most of its history. In 1965,
212-431: A $ 2.75 million portion of his proposed $ 395 million 1982 school budget by instituting textbook rental fees for students. Although permitted by Virginia law, the plan, which included charging textbook fees from $ 22 for elementary school students up to $ 30 per year for high school students, was scrapped in the face of strong criticism. Controversy over Deck's handling of an investigation of recruiting violations by
318-616: A $ 5,000 per year pay cut. After Davis resigned, the Fairfax County School Board appointed Associate School Superintendent William J. Burkholder interim superintendent. In November 1979, the school board named Orange County, Florida superintendent Lucius Linton Deck, Junior as superintendent following a four-month search. Deck had been a divisive figure during his 6 + 1 ⁄ 2 years in Orange County, with some residents glad to see him go, while others praised him as
424-671: A 2001 VHSL provision was passed which would allow schools to play down a class due to transportation hardships, which both the Loudoun schools and the Northern Region used as a reason to keep its geography within Fairfax County, but this plan failed because the VHSL did not believe either school's location warranted such a request. Thus, Loudoun Valley and Stone Bridge were forced to join the Northern Region, with Valley receiving an exemption to become
530-490: A B, 86–80% a C, and 70–79% a D, with any score below 70% an F. The county school board adopted a $ 279 million budget in February 1979, which included a 5.15% cost of living raise for the system's teachers and other employees. However, this increase was only slightly more than half of the inflation rate, which was at an annual rate of 9.9% that month, and far short of the 9.4% increase FCPS employees had sought. In April 1979,
636-448: A civic group called "Virginia Citizens' Committee for Better Schools". After the Brown v. Board of Education decision, Daniel Duke, author of Education Empire , wrote: "Whether local school systems such as Fairfax County, left to their own, would have moved forward to implement desegregation in the late fifties will never be known. Richmond removed any possibility of local option..." It
742-453: A few weeks after the surrender of British Army troops under General Cornwallis at Yorktown , Fairfax died at his home at Greenway Court on December 9, 1781, at the age of 90. He was entombed on the east side of Christ Church in Winchester . While his plans for a large house at Greenway Court never materialized, and his stone lodge is now gone, a small limestone structure he built remains on
848-624: A few years. The Northern Region had these districts until 1976, when a fourth district, the Great Falls, was added. These districts served the region until the 1993–1994 school year. There are currently 17 teams playing in the Northern Region (6D) as of the 2018–2019 school year. The Concorde District includes Centreville, Chantilly, Madison, Oakton, Westfield. The Cedar Run District includes Battlefield, Osbourn, Osbourn Park, Patriot, Stonewall Jackson. The Liberty District includes Herndon, Langley, McLean, South Lakes, Washington-Liberty, Yorktown. Marshall
954-635: A fleet of over 1520 school buses, which transport 110,000 students daily. They operate on an operating budget of $ 2.5 billion through numerous funding sources. FCPS is currently the largest school system in Virginia and the tenth-largest in the United States. It also boasts an average on-time graduation rate of 91.5% and an average SAT score of 1213. The school district uses an electronic visitor management system to control visitors' access at its schools. Prior to May 2009, Fairfax County Public Schools used
1060-555: A high of 145,385 in the 1974–75 school year to an eventual low of 122,646 in 1982–83. Additionally, families migrated from established eastern and central parts of the county to newer developments in the west and south, leading to the unenviable task of Davis having to request the closings of some schools while needing to build entirely new ones elsewhere. In a 6–5 vote, the school board voted in May 1976 to re-institute textbook rental fees, hoping to raise an additional $ 1.3 million to close
1166-669: A hunting lodge named "Greenway Court", which was located near White Post in Clarke County near the Blue Ridge Mountains , and moved there. Around 1748, he George Washington , who was then 16-years-old. Impressed with Washington's energy and talents, he employed him to survey his lands west of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Lord Fairfax maintained neutrality as the American Revolutionary War began in 1775. Just
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#17328689188371272-604: A large Vietnamese American community, and the region is home to a small Tibetan American community. There is a sizable Hispanic population, primarily consisting of Salvadorans , Peruvians , Puerto Ricans , Cubans , Bolivians , Mexicans , and Colombians . Arlington is the center of the largest Bolivian community in North America (mostly immigrants from Cochabamba ). Many of these immigrants work in transportation-related fields, small businesses, hospitality, vending, gardening, construction, and cleaning. Of those born in
1378-399: A mechanism for regional coordination regarding the environment, transportation, affordable housing, community planning, military, and human services. Programs and projects address a wide array of local government interests. According to Virginia's Regional Cooperation Act, NVRC is a political subdivision. The region is technically referred to as Virginia's planning district #8. The commission
1484-407: A mental age above 7) children at Groveton, Lincolnia, Oakton, and Luther Jackson schools, and a class for "trainable" (those with a mental age of less than 6 + 1 ⁄ 2 ) children at Groveton. In recent years lawsuits have been brought by parents of students with IEPs and 504 plan against FCPS over reports that FCPS repeatedly violated and failed to provide the necessary resources provided by
1590-405: A new version of the grading scale by March 2009. The board also approved changing the weighting for Honors to 0.5 effective with the 2009–2010 school year and for AP and IB courses to 1.0 retroactively. After investigation, the Fairfax County School Board approved a modified ten-point scale with pluses and minuses. The new scale went into effect at the beginning of the 2009–10 school year. 93–100%
1696-733: A playoff only member of the National District and Stone Bridge joining the Liberty in all sports. However, Loudoun Valley's time in the region was short lived, as they were moved to the AAA Cedar Run District of the AAA Northwest Region for the 2007-2009 cycle. In 2007, Stone Bridge was provisionally placed to move to the Cedar Run District for the 2009-2011 cycle with Loudoun Valley along with Heritage of Leesburg , because
1802-460: A projected budget shortfall. The plan was scrapped two months later, in July, when the board was able to find a $ 1.4 million surplus. In 1978, Fairfax County began countywide enforcement of its 15-year-old standardized six-point letter grading scale, with a ten-point spread at the bottom of the grading range. The grading scale, initially set in 1963, provided that a score of 100–94% was an A, 93–87%
1908-621: A result, several battles were fought in the area . Northern Virginia was the operating area of John Singleton Mosby , a Confederate partisan, and several small skirmishes were fought throughout the region between his Rangers and Federal forces occupying Northern Virginia. Following the end of the Civil War, the conflict remained popular among the region's residents, and many area schools, roads, and parks were named for Confederate generals and statesmen, including Jefferson Davis Highway , Washington-Lee High School , and others. Virginia split during
2014-481: A six-point grading scale where 94–100% was an A, 90–93% was a B+, 84–89% was a B, and so on. In 2008, however, a parent group raised concerns about whether the FCPS method of computing grades and applying weights for advanced courses adversely affected FCPS applicants for college admissions, honors program placements, and merit-based scholarship awards. On January 2, 2009, Superintendent Jack D. Dale announced his decision on
2120-482: A strong and professional leader. Deck inherited the problem of needing to close underused schools that had first plagued Superintendent Davis. 29 elementary schools, mostly in the eastern part of the county, were studied for possible closure, but Deck's recommendation in April 1980 was for eight schools to be closed, five more than the review panel had suggested. The following month, the school board voted to close seven of
2226-459: A total population of 1,973,513 is highly educated, with 55.5 percent of its population 25 years or older holding a bachelor's degree or higher. This is comparable to Seattle , the most educated large city in the U.S., with 53.4 percent of residents having at least a bachelor's degree. The number of graduate/professional degree holders in Arlington is relatively high at 34.3 percent, nearly quadruple
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#17328689188372332-597: Is a school division in the U.S. commonwealth of Virginia . It is a branch of the Fairfax County government, which administers public schools in Fairfax County and the City of Fairfax . FCPS's headquarters is located near Falls Church . With 188,887 students enrolled as of 2019, FCPS is the largest public school system in Virginia and the 11th-largest school district in the nation. The school division has been led by Division Superintendent Michelle Reid since July 2022. The public school system in Fairfax County, Virginia ,
2438-542: Is a place name rather than a direction or general area. The name "Northern Virginia" does not seem to have been used in the early history of the area. According to Johnston, some early documents and land grants refer to the "Northern Neck of Virginia", a reference to the Northern Neck and describing an area that began at the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay and includes a territory that extended west, including all
2544-602: Is a regional government that represents a regional council of thirteen member Northern Virginia local governments. These local governments include the counties of Arlington , Fairfax , Loudoun , and Prince William . The local governments include the incorporated cities of Alexandria , Fairfax , Falls Church , Manassas , and Manassas Park . The local governments also include the incorporated towns of Dumfries , Herndon , Leesburg , and Vienna . NVRC's chief roles and functions are providing information, performing professional and technical services for its members, and serving as
2650-582: Is given to the top school in AAA (as well as AA and A) to schools who consistently win championships in a wide variety of activities. Points are awarded to schools who win state championships, runners-up, etc., and are tallied up at the end of the year. Frank W. Cox High School of Virginia Beach and the AAA Eastern Region won the Wachovia Cup for athletics for Group AAA in the 2006–2007 school year. Here are
2756-521: Is home to people from diverse backgrounds, with significant numbers of Korean Americans , Vietnamese Americans , Bangladeshi Americans , Chinese Americans , Filipino Americans , Russian Americans , Arab Americans , Palestinian Americans , Uzbek Americans , Afghan Americans , Ethiopian Americans , Indian Americans , Iranian Americans , Thai Americans , and Pakistani Americans . Annandale , Centreville , Chantilly , and Fairfax City have very large Korean American communities. Falls Church has
2862-498: Is in the National District but the other members of that district play in region 6C. The four current district names (Concorde, Cedar Run, Liberty, National) were adopted in the 1993-1994 school based on which division (5 or 6) of football they played in. The Concorde and Patriot Districts held Division 6 schools which are larger AAA schools; the Liberty and National Districts held only Division 5 schools which are smaller AAA schools. In 2003, Loudoun Valley and Stone Bridge, members of
2968-533: The AA Dulles District , were moved to the AAA Northern Region for the 2005-2007 playing cycle due to enrollment increases in the schools. The Northern Region originally tried to keep both schools away from the region, but the VHSL forced them to accept the two Loudoun County schools anyway. Loudoun schools Broad Run, Park View, and Potomac Falls were Northern Region members before, but they joined before
3074-698: The Cold War was influential in launching the modern Northern Virginia economy and spurred urban development throughout the region. After end of the Cold War in 1991, prosperity continued in the region as it positioned itself as the " Silicon Valley " of the Eastern United States . The Internet was first commercialized in Northern Virginia, which served as the headquarters of many of the first Internet service providers . The first major interconnection point of
3180-583: The Internet bubble burst , however, Northern Virginia office vacancy rates increased from two percent in 2000 to 20 percent in 2002. After 2002, vacancy rates improved, falling below 10 percent as defense spending increased following the September 11 attacks . The subsequent Afghanistan and Iraq wars also contributed to the region's growth, as the federal government increased its contracting with private defense firms. The Northern Virginia Regional Commission (NVRC)
3286-749: The Mount Vernon High School athletic department, his censure by the Fairfax Education Association for a mishandled school closing, unhappiness with his leadership style, which was characterized as "aggressive" and "abrasive", and pressure from the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors angry at Deck's proposed budget led to the school board forcing Deck to resign on June 24, 1982, only 1 + 1 ⁄ 2 years into his four-year contract. The board appointed William J. Burkholder as acting superintendent. At its April 25, 1991 meeting,
AAA Northern Region - Misplaced Pages Continue
3392-534: The Potomac River below the fall line , not far from his plantation at Mount Vernon in Fairfax County . During much of the colonial era and from 1790 to 1800, the nation's capital was in Philadelphia . In 1800, however, with Washington's guidance and support, the new federal city of present-day Washington, D.C. was laid out and established for the purpose of serving as the national capital. The region straddled
3498-655: The U.S. federal government . Tourist attractions in Northern Virginia include various memorials, museums, and Colonial and Civil War –era sites, including Arlington National Cemetery , Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park , Manassas National Battlefield Park , Mount Vernon , the National Museum of the Marine Corps , the National Museum of the United States Army , the Udvar-Hazy Center of
3604-943: The "Northern Neck". In 1746, a back line was surveyed and established between the headwaters of the Potomac and Rappahannock rivers, defining the west end of the grants. According to documents held by the Handley Regional Library of the Winchester-Frederick County Historical Society, the grant of 5,282,000 acres (21,380 km ) included 22 modern counties, including Northumberland, Lancaster, Westmoreland, Stafford, King George, Prince William, Fairfax, Loudoun, Fauquier, Rappahannock, Culpeper, Madison, Clarke, Warren, Page, Shenandoah, and Frederick counties in Virginia, and Hardy, Hampshire, Morgan, Berkeley, and Jefferson counties in West Virginia . Lord Fairfax
3710-587: The 2019 American Community Survey . Northern Virginia's transportation infrastructure includes two major airports, Ronald Reagan Washington National and Dulles International Airport , several lines of the Washington Metro subway system, the Virginia Railway Express suburban commuter rail system, transit bus services, bicycle sharing and bicycle lanes and trails, and an extensive network of Interstate highways and expressways. The Pentagon ,
3816-643: The 3,159,639 people in Northern Virginia in the 2019 estimates, 2,776,960 lived in "central" counties, or those counties and equivalent entities as delineated by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget as forming part of the urban core of the Washington Metropolitan Statistical Area. These counties include Arlington , Fairfax , Fauquier , Loudoun , Prince William , Stafford and the independent cities of Alexandria , Fairfax , Falls Church , Manassas , Manassas Park and Fredericksburg . An additional 390,679 people lived in counties of
3922-576: The American Civil War, as was foreshadowed by the April 17, 1861, Virginia Secession Convention . Fifty counties in the western, mountainous portion of the state were largely opposed to secession in 1861. This region broke away from the Confederacy in 1863 and entered the Union as a new state, West Virginia . Unlike the eastern part of the state, West Virginia did not have fertile lands tilled by slaves and
4028-683: The Fairfax Education Association, the professional association representing teachers in the county, adopted a work-to-the-rule action, which meant that teachers would not do any work outside of the 7.5 hours per day they were contracted for. Additionally, the FEA gave a vote of no confidence to Superintendent Davis. The vote of no confidence was considered the main factor in Davis' decision to resign from Fairfax County Public Schools on May 18, 1979, and accept an appointment as Virginia Superintendent of Public Education from Governor John N. Dalton , despite having to take
4134-528: The Fairfax grade-a-year plan was discriminatory and dilatory. Fifteen black children had been refused admission to white schools because they did not fall within the prescribed grades of the School Board's assignment plan. The plaintiffs contended successfully that the speed of desegregation was too slow under the school board's plan. District Judge Albert V. Bryan did not categorically rule out such plans in accepting
4240-521: The Internet, MAE-East , was established in the 1990s in Ashburn after Virginia-area network provider operators decided to connect their networks. This infrastructure legacy is ongoing, as data center operators continue to expand near these facilities. In early 2001, local Internet company AOL bought Time Warner , the world's largest traditional media company, near the end of the dot-com bubble era. After
4346-848: The Luther Jackson School. The opening coincided with the Brown decision passed in 1954. In 1954, FCPS had 42 elementary schools and 6 high schools. That year, the Luther Jackson High School , the first high school for black students, opened in Falls Church. In 1954, the Supreme Court ruling in Brown v. Board of Education ordered an end to racial segregation . In response, the Commonwealth of Virginia immediately enacted legislation to stop
AAA Northern Region - Misplaced Pages Continue
4452-649: The National Air and Space Museum , and the United States Marine Corps War Memorial . Other attractions include portions of the Appalachian Trail , Great Falls Park , Old Town Alexandria , Prince William Forest Park , and portions of Shenandoah National Park . The region is sometimes spelled "northern Virginia", but the U.S. Geological Survey 's Correspondence Handbook states that the 'n' in Northern Virginia should be capitalized since it
4558-503: The Northern Region as a full member for football and as a playoff only member for other sports in the National District. The school's distance caused travel concerns among Loudoun Valley and other district members. Loudoun Valley moved to the AAA Cedar Run District of the Northwest Region after its two-year stint. Fall '21 Sports Champions Winter '20-21 Sports Champions Spring '21 Sports Champions The Wachovia Cup
4664-647: The Northern Region in the Liberty District. Potomac Falls High School of Sterling opened in 1997 and was also a member of the Northern Region as a member of the Concorde District from 1997 until 1999. In 1999, all three schools dropped back to Group AA and returned to the Northwestern District because their enrollment numbers dropped significantly due to Potomac Falls' opening. From 2005 to 2007, Loudoun Valley High School of Purcellville, entered
4770-620: The Northern Region members that finished in the top 10 in the 2006–2007 school year for athletics: The Wachovia Cup for Academics is given based on the same criteria as the Athletics Cup, except that points are based on academic activities sponsored by the VHSL. In the 2006–2007, Westfield won the AAA Academic Cup. The Northern Region dominated the Academic Cup standings, with two of the top five schools being Northern Region members, six of
4876-474: The Northern Region. Francis C. Hammond High School and George Washington High School were members of the Northern Region until 1971, when they consolidated into the newer T. C. Williams High School , as was portrayed in the 2000 movie Remember the Titans . The city of Alexandria has had just one senior high school for its students ever since. After the consolidation, Hammond and GW were reconfigured to hold
4982-488: The Potomac River and was located on a square of territory ceded to the federal government by Maryland and Virginia. Alexandria, a port city at the time, was on the eastern edge south of the river. On the outskirts on the northern side of the river, was Georgetown , another port city. As the federal city grew, land in the portion contributed by Maryland proved best suited and adequate for early development. Not really part of
5088-534: The School Boards. Boatwright said his bill affected all Virginia communities but admitted Northern Virginia was most affected. The reason for the bill was that they felt that Federal Employees were in support of the Federal government's position on integration. The seven-member Fairfax County School Board included four Federal employees. In Blackwell v. Fairfax County School Board in 1960, black plaintiffs charged that
5194-844: The U.S. and living in Northern Virginia's four largest counties, their place of birth by census region is 60.5 percent from the South , 21.0 percent from the Northeast , 11.5 percent from the Midwest , and 7.0 percent from the West . 33.7 percent were born in Virginia, which is categorized as part of the Southern United States along with neighboring Maryland and Washington, D.C., by the Census Bureau. The core Northern Virginia jurisdictions of Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, and Prince William comprising
5300-408: The United States. The region radiates westward and southward from Washington, D.C. , the nation's capital, and has a population of 3,257,133 people as of 2023 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, representing over a third of the state's total population. It is the most populous region in both Virginia and the regional Washington metropolitan area . Communities in the region form the Virginia portion of
5406-799: The Washington Metropolitan Statistical Area or the Baltimore-Washington Combined Statistical Area not considered "central." These counties, largely considered exurban or undergoing suburban change, include Clarke , Culpeper , Frederick , Madison , Rappahannock , Spotsylvania , Warren , and the independent city of Winchester . In addition, there are counties outside of the Washington Metropolitan Area that under more broad definitions are referred to as being part of Northern Virginia. The University of Virginia Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service categorizes King George County as part of Northern Virginia, though
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#17328689188375512-511: The Washington metropolitan area and the larger Washington–Baltimore metropolitan area . Northern Virginia has a significantly larger job base than either Washington, D.C. or the Maryland portion of its suburbs, and is the highest-income region of Virginia, with several of the highest-income counties in the nation, including three of the ten highest counties for median household income, according to
5618-447: The city's 9th and 10th graders, with the 11th and 12th graders attending T.C. In the 1980s Hammond and GW were reassigned as middle schools. Fort Hunt High School and Groveton High School were both members of the Northern Region in the 1970s and the 1980s until they consolidated to form West Potomac High School in 1985. West Potomac uses the former Groveton High's facilities. Fort Hunt High School's facilities are now being used as
5724-559: The colony forced Culpeper to return. By the time he arrived, however, the riots were already quelled. After apparently misappropriating £9,500 from the treasury of the colony, he returned to England and the King was forced to dismiss him. During this tumultuous time, Culpeper's erratic behavior meant that he had to rely increasingly on his cousin and Virginia agent, Col. Nicholas Spencer . Spencer succeeded Culpeper as acting Governor following Culpeper's departure. Culpeper's descendants allowed Robert "King" Carter and other Virginians to manage
5830-530: The county school system was headquartered at 10700 Page Avenue in an unincorporated area of the county surrounded by the City of Fairfax . In 2006, FCPS moved all of its operations from the Burkholder Center and several other school-owned and leased offices to the office building on Gatehouse Road. The school system has expanded to include over 196 schools and centers, including 22 high schools, three secondary schools, 23 middle schools, and 141 elementary schools. Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) also operates
5936-406: The county was removed from the Washington Metropolitan Area in 2003. King George County and Orange County also include areas, such as Lake of the Woods , where the cross-commuting interchange with the Washington Metropolitan Area is high enough to merit inclusion in the Metropolitan Area, although more far-flung parts of these counties still cause the county-wide commuter interchange to fall below
6042-446: The creation of what were then called intermediate schools for students in grades 7 and 8. By the time the first eight intermediate schools opened in the Fall of 1960, they were already over their 1000 student capacities. In the fall of 1960, the first black students were admitted to newly desegregated public schools. Jerald R. Betz and Raynard Wheeler were enrolled at the Belvedere Elementary School in Falls Church, and Gwendolyn Brooks
6148-435: The desegregation process, took control of all the schools in Virginia, and resorted to closing school systems attempting to desegregate. When Arlington County announced an early attempt at a desegregation plan, its school board was fired by the State Board of Education. In 1955, the Fairfax County School Board renamed a "Committee on Desegregation" as the "Committee on Segregation" after a petition and threat of litigation from
6254-427: The district would lose three members due to a decline in enrollment, as well as to keep the balance of regions as equal as possible. However, all three Loudoun schools appealed the redistricting, with Loudoun Valley and Heritage requesting to move into the Northern Region, and Stone Bridge requesting to remain in it. The VHSL decided to reject Loudoun Valley's and Heritage's appeals, but allowed Stone Bridge to remain in
6360-438: The eight schools at its May 22, 1980 meeting, a move which was met with angry hisses and boos from parents in attendance. Fairfax County teachers' work to the rule action, which had begun in April 1979, was finally ended in May 1980. Superintendent Linton Deck accepted a new four-year contract as Superintendent of Fairfax County Public Schools in January 1981. Shortly before accepting his new contract, Deck proposed making up
6466-452: The environment, transportation, public safety, homeland security, affordable housing, community planning, and economic development. The National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board, a component of MWCOG, is the federally designated metropolitan planning organization for the metropolitan Washington area, including Northern Virginia. As of April 2020 there were 3,197,076 people in Northern Virginia; approximately 37 percent of
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#17328689188376572-409: The first black high school principal since FCPS had desegregated, placing him in charge of James Madison High School in Vienna . Watts' appointment of Williams would be one of his final official acts. After less than a year as superintendent, Watts died, aged 44, of a heart attack at his home in Oakton in June 1970. Assistant Superintendent S. Barry Morris was named interim superintendent while
6678-402: The first in the State to reach compliance with the mandate in the School Segregation Cases." Ultimately, Fairfax County was one of the first school systems in the country to be awarded funds to aid with desegregation because of their efforts to implement a desegregated system. The Fairfax County School Board voted to switch from a 7–5 to a 6–2–4 grade level configuration in 1958, necessitating
6784-420: The following year, Funderburk resigned, telling the school board he did not want a third term as superintendent. The school board selected Lawrence M. Watts from the Greece School District in Greece, New York to take the reins of the Fairfax County Public Schools system, which had grown during Funderburk's tenure from 65,000 to 122,000 students, in May 1969. In May 1970, Watts appointed Taylor M. Williams as
6890-470: The functioning federal city, citizens in Alexandria, who lacked voting input, were frustrated by the laws of the District's government. Slavery also arose as a contentious issue. In 1846, to mitigate these issues and as part of abolishing slave trading in the District, the U.S. Congress passed a bill retroceding to Virginia the area south of the Potomac River, which was then Alexandria County . That area now forms all of present-day Arlington County , which
6996-518: The headquarters of the U.S. Department of Defense and the world's second-largest office , is located in Arlington County in Northern Virginia. Northern Virginia also houses the George Bush Center for Intelligence , the headquarters for the Central Intelligence Agency in Langley , the United States Patent and Trademark Office in Alexandria , and several large companies, including several major aerospace manufacturing , consulting firms , and defense industry , which serve it and other components of
7102-410: The high school for black students. The school was centrally located between the counties in Manassas. Others attended high schools in Washington, D.C., where many had relatives. Those schools were Armstrong High School, Cardozo High School, Dunbar High School, and Phelps Vocational Center in Washington, D.C. In 1951, Fairfax County, at the request of residents for a black high school, began construction of
7208-547: The independent cities and counties on the Virginia side of the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA Combined Statistical Area as defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget within the Executive Office of the President of the United States . Northern Virginia includes six counties, Arlington , Fairfax , Loudoun , Prince William , Spotsylvania and Stafford counties, and six independent cities, Alexandria , Fairfax , Falls Church , Fredericksburg , Manassas , and Manassas Park . The Colony of Virginia
7314-432: The issue, recommending changing the weights of advanced courses but maintaining the six-point grading scale. Dale stated there was no conclusive evidence the six-point grading scale is disadvantageous for the students of FCPS. Fairfax County Public Schools worked with the parent group to conduct a joint investigation into the issue. On January 22, 2009, the FCPS School Board directed Superintendent Dale to report to it with
7420-402: The land between the Potomac and Rappahannock rivers, with a western boundary called the Fairfax line. The Fairfax line, surveyed in 1746, ran from the first spring of the Potomac River , which remains marked today by the Fairfax Stone , to the first spring of the Rappahannock River , at the head of the Conway River . The Northern Neck was composed of 5,282,000 acres (21,380 km ), and
7526-419: The newly formed Confederate States of America , whose capital was established at Richmond . The U.S. Supreme Court has never issued a firm opinion on whether the retrocession of the Virginia portion of the District of Columbia was constitutional. In the 1875 case of Phillips v. Payne , the Supreme Court held that Virginia had de facto jurisdiction over the area returned by Congress in 1847, and dismissed
7632-437: The plaintiff's argument. Instead, he emphasized that they must be judged according to the community's character. Since the black school population of Fairfax County was less than four percent, Bryan considered the fear of racial friction an unacceptable justification for such a cautious desegregation plan. The Civil Rights Commission report of 1962 found that "Every sign indicates that the communities in northern Virginia will be
7738-519: The population and number of jurisdictions that comprise the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG). Founded in 1957, MWCOG is a regional organization of 22 Washington-area local governments, as well as area members of the Maryland and Virginia state legislatures, the U.S. Senate , and the U.S. House of Representatives . MWCOG provides a forum for discussion and the development of regional responses to issues regarding
7844-474: The properties. In 1736, legal claim to the land was finally established by Culpeper's grandson, Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron , who became known in the colony as "Lord Fairfax", following a survey authorized by Governor William Gooch . The lands of Lord Fairfax and Northern Virginia were geographically defined as the land between the Rappahannock and Potomac rivers, and were officially called
7950-481: The rate of the U.S. population as a whole. The region is known in Virginia and the Washington metropolitan area for its relative affluence. Stafford County in Northern Virginia is one of the seven counties in the nation where black households make more than white households. Among large cities or counties in the nation with median household incomes in excess of $ 100,000, the top two cities, which comprise over half
8056-500: The region's population, are in Northern Virginia. Northern Virginia also has one of the highest costs of living in the nation, making the actual purchasing power of these households considerably less than in other less affluent areas. According to Nielsen Claritas, Loudoun County and Arlington County have the highest concentration of 25- to 34-year-olds with incomes of $ 100,000+ in the nation. Carl Sandburg Middle School The Fairfax County Public Schools system ( FCPS )
8162-408: The school board approved a plan where several intermediate schools in areas of the county with declining enrollments that had for the previous 31 years only served seventh and eighth grades would add sixth graders and become middle schools. Three intermediate schools, Glasgow, Holmes, and Poe, added sixth-grade classes. In 1993, the four-year-old teacher merit pay was suspended due to budget cuts, and
8268-442: The school board had endorsed Funderburk's plan, they also hired the consulting firm of Cresap, McCormick & Paget to conduct an audit of the system's management organization and operations. In 1968, based on their consultant's recommendations, the school board put a significantly modified version of the decentralization plan into effect, dividing FCPS into four areas which were, in effect, miniature school systems. In January of
8374-453: The school board sought a replacement to lead the 130,000 student school system. The board did not have to look far for its new superintendent. In September 1970, Area Superintendent S. John Davis was chosen following a nationwide search to serve the remaining 33 months of Watts' four-year term. During the mid-1970s, Davis had difficulties dealing with the start of a demographic crash and a population shift. The student population dropped from
8480-511: The school board voted to phase the program out completely over the next four years at its March 11 meeting. FCPS took over the education of students with mental disabilities from a parent-organized cooperative in 1953. The parents had begun the program in 1950, using whatever space could be found to educate their children, but eventually asked FCPS to take control of the program. Special education classes for mentally disabled students were expanded in 1955 to four classes for "educable" (those with
8586-418: The schools in the City of Fairfax . As early as 1965, Superintendent Funderburk was discussing plans to decentralize FCPS. By 1967, Funderburk had put together a plan for five area offices, each serving a portion of the county and had appointed Woodson High School Principal Robert E. Phipps and West Springfield High School Principal S. John Davis as his first two administrators that December. Although
8692-621: The site in his honor. Following the American Revolutionary War, the Thirteen Colonies formed the United States of America, and Continental Army commander and Virginian George Washington became the new nation's first president. Prior to the Revolutionary War, Washington was a surveyor and developer of canals that were used for transportation. He was also a proponent of the bustling port city of Alexandria , located on
8798-675: The site of Carl Sandburg Middle School . Thomas Jefferson High School of Alexandria was also a longtime member of the Northern Region until 1985 when it phased in the Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology program. Though TJHSST and TJHS used the same building and had the same mascot (Colonials), they were still considered to be separate schools. Students at Thomas Jefferson High School were also eventually moved to nearby Annandale High School in 1987. From 1996 to 1999, Broad Run High School of Ashburn and Park View High School of Sterling were admitted to
8904-549: The state Board until the 1961–62 school year, at which time placement responsibilities were reinvested in the local School Board." Fairfax County began their desegregation efforts shortly thereafter. As early as 1955, it was noted that in the Virginia General Assembly: Delegates from Northern Virginia openly opposed the Stanley Plans and called for even more radical legislation. Virginia's 10th district
9010-654: The state's population. These population counts include all counties within Virginia that are part of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area or the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA Combined Statistical Area as defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget within the Executive Office of the President of the United States . Of
9116-528: The state. As a result of West Virginia's formation, part of Lord Fairfax's colonial land grant, which defined Northern Virginia, was ceded in the establishment of that state in 1863. Now known as the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia , the area includes Berkeley County and Jefferson County in West Virginia. The Department of Defense 's increasing reliance on information technology companies during
9222-408: The student's special education plan provided to students under federal anti discrimination laws ADA and IDEA act. The number of lawsuits and complaints filed FCPS leading to multiple investigations by The United States Department of Education, the resulting reports from the investigations detailing how many times and how much FCPS has failed students who had IEPs and 504 plans. From 1965 to 2006,
9328-495: The tax case brought by the plaintiff. The court, however, did not rule on the core constitutional matter of the retrocession. Writing the majority opinion, Justice Noah Swayne stated only that: The plaintiff in error is estopped from raising the point which he seeks to have decided. He cannot, under the circumstances, vicariously raise a question, nor force upon the parties to the compact an issue which neither of them desires to make. With barely 100 mi (160 km) separating
9434-533: The term was no longer used. By some definitions, King George County is also included in the Northern Neck, which is now considered a separate region from Northern Virginia. One of the most prominent early mentions of "Northern Virginia" as a title was the naming of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia during the American Civil War (1861–1865). The most common definition of Northern Virginia includes
9540-661: The then nineteen schools in the Northern Region which competed at the AAA varsity level were first organized into three districts based primarily on geographic location. The Northern Region was originally made up of three districts. They were the AAA Northern District , the AAA Alexandria District , and the AAA Potomac District . The Alexandria District had its name changed to the Gunston District within
9646-430: The threshold for inclusion in the Washington Metropolitan Area or Washington-Baltimore Combined Statistical Area. The demographic figures above do not include population counts for these two counties. The 2020 U.S. Census resulted in the following racial and ethnic composition for Northern Virginia: Northern Virginia as a whole is 51.2% White, 17.4% Hispanic, 16.3% Asian, 14.1% Black, and 2.4% Other. Northern Virginia
9752-456: The top 10 finishers being members, and fourteen of the top 25 being Northern Region members. Here are the Northern Region members that finished in the top 10 in the 2006–2007 school year for academic activities: Northern Virginia Northern Virginia , locally referred to as NOVA or NoVA , comprises several counties and independent cities in the Commonwealth of Virginia in
9858-459: The two capital cities, Northern Virginia found itself in the center of much of the conflict, which inflicted destruction and bloodshed. The Army of Northern Virginia was the primary army for the Confederate States of America in the east. Owing to the region's proximity to Washington, D.C., and the Potomac River, the armies of both sides frequently occupied and traversed Northern Virginia. As
9964-415: The western dividing line between Maryland and West Virginia . Early development of the northern portion of Virginia was in the easternmost area of that early land grant, which encompasses the modern counties of Lancaster , Northumberland , Richmond , and Westmoreland . At some point, these eastern counties came to be called separately simply "the Northern Neck", and, for the remaining area west of them,
10070-455: Was a lifelong bachelor, and became one of the more well-known persons of the late colonial era. In 1742, the new county formed from Prince William County was named Fairfax County in his honor, one of several locations in Northern Virginia and West Virginia's Eastern Panhandle named after him. Lord Fairfax established his residence at his brother's home at "Belvoir" on the grounds of present-day Fort Belvoir in Fairfax County. He later built
10176-459: Was appointed superintendent, and he served for 44 years until his retirement in 1929. Fairfax County Schools, like most school systems in the south, schools practiced de jure segregation . There were local elementary schools for black students but no high schools. Although Fairfax was a densely populated area, there were proportionately few black high school students. Fairfax, Prince William , Loudoun , Arlington and Fauquier Counties shared
10282-677: Was created following the end of the Civil War with the adoption by Virginia of the Reconstruction -era state constitution in 1870, which provided for the first time that free public education was a constitutional right. The first superintendent of schools for Fairfax County was Thomas M. Moore, who was sworn in on September 26, 1870. At the time of its creation, the Fairfax County Public Schools system consisted of 41 schools, 28 white, and 13 colored schools. In 1886, Milton D. Hall
10388-500: Was enrolled at Cedar Lane Elementary School in Vienna. The changeover to the 6–2–4 plan was the last major initiative of Superintendent W. T. Woodson, who retired in 1961, having served 32 years, the second-longest tenure as head of the Fairfax County Public Schools system. In April 1961, Wilmington, North Carolina Superintendent Earl C. Funderburk was appointed superintendent to replace Woodson. In 1961, FCPS also began administering
10494-600: Was established pursuant to Articles 1 and 2, Chapter 34, of the Acts of the Virginia General Assembly of 1968, subsequently revised and reenacted as the Regional Cooperation Act. Any incorporated county, city, or town in Northern Virginia with a population exceeding 3,500 that adopts NVRC's charter agreement is eligible to become a member of the commission. Northern Virginia constitutes a considerable portion of
10600-575: Was geographically separated from the state government in Richmond by the Appalachian Mountains . During this process, a provisional government of Virginia was headquartered in Alexandria, which was under Union control during the war. Arlington, Clarke, Fairfax, Frederick, Loudoun, Shenandoah, and Warren Counties voted in favor of Virginia remaining in the Union in 1861, but eventually broke away from
10706-413: Was larger in area than five of the modern U.S. states: This monument, at the headspring of the Potomac River, marks one of the historic spots of America. Its name is derived from Thomas Lord Fairfax who owned all the land lying between the Potomac and Rappahannock Rivers. The first Fairfax Stone, marked "FX", was set in 1746 by Thomas Lewis, a surveyor employed by Lord Fairfax . This is the base point for
10812-548: Was named the Royal Governor of Virginia from 1677 to 1683. Culpeper County was later named for him when it was formed in 1749; however, history does not seem to record him as one of the better of Virginia's colonial governors. Although he became governor of Virginia in July 1677, he did not come to Virginia until 1679, and even then seemed more interested in maintaining his land in the "Northern Neck of Virginia" than governing. He soon returned to England. In 1682, rioting in
10918-462: Was recognized in court cases that it was the state who was running the show, not the county. The ruling in a 1964 decision stated, "Prior to the Brown decision Fairfax County maintained a dual school system: one for Negro students; one for all other races. Shortly thereafter the placement of all children in the Fairfax County schools was taken from the local School Board and vested in the state Pupil Placement Board. The assignment of students remained with
11024-536: Was renamed from Alexandria County in 1922, and a portion of the independent city of Alexandria . Slavery, states' rights , and economic issues increasingly divided the northern and southern states during the first half of the 19th century, eventually leading to the American Civil War , which lasted from 1861 to 1865. Although Maryland was a slave state , it remained with the Union , while Virginia seceded and joined
11130-567: Was settled at Jamestown in 1607. The area now generally regarded as "Northern Virginia" was within a larger area defined by a land grant from King Charles II of England on September 18, 1649, while the monarch was in exile in France during the English Civil War . Eight of his loyal supporters were named, among them Thomas Culpeper. On February 25, 1673, a new charter was given to Thomas Lord Culpeper and Henry Earl of Arlington . Lord Culpeper
11236-478: Was the only congressional district to vote against the Gray Plan. Delegate Boatwright also introduced another bill aimed at correcting the unorthodox views of the northern Virginians. Boatwright's legislation would have prohibited certain federal employees from serving on school boards or holding other local offices. The point of this bill, called the "Boatwright Bill", was without a doubt aimed at Northern Virginia and
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