Break in the rain

We got out of this house in between showers.

Pretty fast moving creek!

and look what all the rain did to the path

Alexandria Beautification Commission Announces the 2013 Alexandria Beautification Award Winners

The Alexandria Beautification Commission announced the 2013 Alexandria Beautification Award winners in a ceremony held on September 30, 2013 at the Little Theatre of Alexandria. The Commission, Mayor William Euille, and Councilman Tim Lovain presented 37 Awards. Photographs of the 2013 Award winners are available by visitingwww.alexandriava.gov/Recreation.  

•  Recycling 
  The Fountains at Washington House
  MOM’s Organic Market
•  East Alexandria
  139 South Fairfax Street
  413 Franklin Street
  504-540 John Carlyle Street
  Hopkins-Court/ I Can Shine Garden
  821,923,825 Oronoco Street
  700 South Pitt Street
  Founders Park Dog Exercise Area
  Old Town Volunteer Cleanup-John Wilbor
•  Central Alexandria
  425 Argyle Drive
  802 Beverley Drive
  1501 Crestwood Drive
  8 West Del Ray Avenue
  2501 Hayes Street
  258 Lynhaven Drive
  2100 Mount Vernon Avenue
  305 Park Road
  310 Summers Drive
  2406 Taylor Avenue
  812 Vassar Road
  1007 Vassar Road
  605 Upland Place
•  West Alexandria 2007 Braddock Court
  3917 Colonel Ellis Avenue
  4109 Duke Street
  5990 Duke Street
  124 North Early Street
  1102 Finley Lane
  5524 Forrestal Avenue
  2202 Fort Ward Place
  5107 & 5109 Heritage Lane
  913 North Kemper Street
  510 North Pegram Street
  Stonegate Mews/Manors at Stonegate Common Area
  Sibley Street Community Path- Debra Vogel

The Commission sponsors the Alexandria Beautification Awards each year recognizing community member’s special efforts to contribute to the beautification of their neighborhoods and public vistas with landscaping and overall aesthetic design. Nominations are made by members of the Commission and the community and are judged by members on the use of plants, texture, and color, neighborhood context, marked improvements, and overall appearance. Winners are limited to properties visible from the public right of way.

The Alexandria Beautification Commission is a 12-member volunteer board approved by the City Council for two-year terms. The Beautification Commission represents citizens' values in City beautification matters and coordinates projects to encourage and achieve beautification.

For more information about the Awards program, contact Ruth McKenty, Commission Co-chairperson via email at AlexandriaBeautification@gmail.com.  

Alexandria Walk to Fight Breast Cancer 10/26

The Walk to Fight Breast Cancer Set for October 26

Lace up your tennis shoes and get ready to participate in the 20th Annual Walk to Fight Breast Cancer on Saturday, October 26, at 8 a.m. The Walk is jointly sponsored by the City of Alexandria and the Inova Alexandria Hospital Foundation.  Walkers can choose from a 1.5K/3.5K/5K walk or run, and the Walk route is accessible to wheelchairs and strollers. The Walk will begin and end at the Patent and Trademark Office, located at 600 Dulany Street in Alexandria.  

Registration fee is $30 for adults and $15 for children if registered by October 18. On-site registration will cost $40. Registration can be completed online using electronic check payment or credit card at www.alexcancerwalk.com. All proceeds from the Walk support the Alexandria Breast Cancer Walk Fund, which has helped over 8,000 uninsured Alexandria women receive free mammograms and other diagnostic screenings since its inception in 1994.

All information, including registration and location details about The Walk to Fight Breast Cancer is available at www.alexcancerwalk.com or contact Latoshia Love at703.746.3123 or by email at Latoshia.Love@alexandriava.gov.

The City of Alexandria is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, as amended. To request a reasonable accommodation, e-mail Maurice Tomdio atmaurice.tomdio@alexandriava.gov or call 571.384.5244.
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Colors!

 RED

ORANGE

YELLOW

City of Alexandria Announces Schedule of Services for Columbus Day, October 14

City of Alexandria Announces Schedule of Services for Columbus Day, October 14

For Immediate Release: October 9, 2013
All City of Alexandria government offices will be closed on Monday, October 14, in observance of the Columbus Day holiday.

Health Facilities: The Alexandria Health Department, 4480 King St.; the Flora Krause Casey Health Center, 1200 N. Howard St.; and the Teen Wellness Center at T. C. Williams High School, 3330 King St., will be closed on October 14.

Hotlines: All emergency hotlines operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, including the child protective services hotline at 703.746.5800; the domestic violence hotline,703.746.4911; the emergency services for mental health or substance abuse crisis hotline, 703.746.3401; and the sexual assault hotline, 703.683.7273.

Libraries: All Alexandria Library branches will be closed October 14.

Parking: The Alexandria Police Department will suspend enforcement of parking restrictions at metered spaces, residential permit parking districts and other areas with signed parking time limits.

Recreation Centers: The Charles Houston Recreation Center will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.  All other City recreation centers will be closed.

Refuse Collection: Residential refuse and recycling will not be collected on October 14. Collection services will be delayed by one day during the week of October 14. The Household Hazardous Waste and Electronics Collections Drop-off Center will be closed on October 14.

Schools: Alexandria City Public Schools will be closed for students at traditional calendar schools on October 14.

State Offices: The following Commonwealth of Virginia offices located in Alexandria will be closed on October 14: the Circuit, General District, and Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Courts, and the DMV Office at 2681 Mill Rd.

Transit: Alexandria Transit Company’s DASH bus service will operate on a Saturdayschedule.  The King Street Trolley will operate every 15 minutes between the King Street Metro Station and the Potomac River waterfront from 11:30 a.m. to 10:15 p.m.

For more information, contact Melissa Riddy, Public Information Specialist, atMelissa.riddy@alexandriava.gov, or 703.746.5415.

Here Comes Halloween

Halloween Party

FROM THE ARCHIVES:

Looking for something to do with your child's class?  or just want to do play a few games with your kids....here are a few ideas

• play hot pumpkin
• pass the fake/rubber eyeball on the spoon
• touch feel gross things -- 
• carrot = finger
• jello = liver
• cooked pasta = intestines
• peeled grapes =  eye balls
• popcorn kernels = teeth
• apricot = tongue
• soft tomato = heart
• wrap someone in toilet paper to make a mummy
• make a scarecrow (you can use newspaper and fill newspaper bags for ams & legs) 
• guess the # of candy corn in a container
• make popcorn hands 
• use plastic/clear gloves (the kind used in kitchens/bakeries) 
• fill with candy corn for finger nails
• fill with popcorn
• undo a spider web - have each child get an end of yarn and follow it to undo a "web" 

Alexandria City School Board Announces Interim Superintendent

Alexandria City School Board Announces Interim Superintendent

Dr. Alvin L. Crawley Recommended as Interim Superintendent 

 

Alexandria, Va. — The Alexandria City School Board will approve a contract on Oct. 10 confirming Alvin L. Crawley as interim superintendent for Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS). Dr. Crawley will begin his appointment on Oct. 14 and serve until a superintendent search is conducted and a new superintendent is selected.

 

“Our school board sought an interim superintendent who could lead our efforts to increase the achievement of all students and analyze our gap issues,” said Chair Karen Graf. “Dr. Crawley showed strong communication skills, professionalism and various educational experiences that we believe will serve Alexandria during the time he is here. He impressed us during a conversation on the importance of sound leadership during this interim phase when he said, ‘The students cannot wait for us; we need to serve them now.’”

 

Dr. Crawley received a bachelor’s degree in communication disorders and education from Hampton University in Hampton, Va., and earned a master’s degree in speech and language pathology from Northeastern University in Boston, Mass. He also has a doctorate in education, focusing on instructional leadership and administration, from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

 

“I have spent the last 33 years dedicated to children in many different communities, and I'm honored to be able to bring that same dedication to this community,” Dr. Crawley said. “I feel it is essential for an interim superintendent to engage in a collaborative fashion with the school board, community, administrators and the staff to ensure a productive and successful school year. I am very grateful for the opportunity to be a part of the leadership team in Alexandria City Public Schools this year.”

 

Most recently, Dr. Crawley served as the interim superintendent of Prince George’s County Public Schools. He spent the majority of his career in education in Arlington Public Schools, where he held top roles including assistant superintendent of student services and director of special education. He has also worked in Boston Public Schools, Chicago Public Schools and District of Columbia Public Schools. His broad experience and credentials include special education, student services, instructional leadership development, talented and gifted and cultural competency roles. Dr. Crawley is a co-author of “Gaining on the Gap: Changing Hearts, Minds and Practice” and is the recipient of numerous awards and recognitions.

 

Since the departure of former ACPS Superintendent Morton Sherman at the end of August, the School Board has worked diligently to appoint an interim superintendent. Acting Superintendent Margaret May (Margee) Walsh led the division through the first month of the new school year and will remain in this role until Dr. Crawley’s arrival. 

 

“Dr. Walsh has been a calm and steady presence in the schools and to her peers during this transition,” Graf commented. “We hope to continue to expand her contribution, seeing that it served our community so powerfully to have her institutional knowledge.”

 

The School Board plans to select a superintendent search firm by Oct. 17 and then immediately begin to develop a schedule for community and staff involvement in the search. Check the ACPS website for continued updates at:http://www.acps.k12.va.us/superintendent-search/.

 

For more information or interview requests, please contact Kelly Alexander at 703-824-6635.

Puffs

have you tried these?  my kids love 'em!

Ghosting

Here is the little poem that goes along with the ghost and treat for "ghosting" your neighbors.

The phantom ghost has come to town. 

to leave you some goodies, I see you've found. 

If you do not wish a curse to fall 

Continue this greeting.... This Phantom call. 

First, post this phantom in a place where it can be seen. 

And leave it there til Halloween. 

This will scare other phantoms that may come. 

Be sure to participate, don't be a bum! 

Second, make two treats, two ghosts and two notes like this 

Deliver them to two neighbors who may have been missed. 

You must be quick, you have only one day.

Go to a house with no ghosts on display. 

Don't let them see you, be sneaky, no doubt.

Deliver at dark, when there's not any light. 

Ring the doorbell, run quickly, stay out of sight. 

Last but no least, come join in the season

Be happy, be silly, you need no good reason

One last thought, remember, don't be seen. 

And share the spirit of a spooky Halloween. 

Pumpkin Bread

Our first pumpkin chocolate chip bread of the season