Fairfax County School Board Minutes

September 14, 1960: The School Board in its meeting on September 9 adopted the following proposal for school construction and improvement and requests the sale of authorized school bonds for: Elementary Schools: Herndon # 1, 20 rooms, 600 pupil capacity, $398,899 for the building, $30,000 for equipment, total bond fund needed $428,899.

September 20, 1960: The Board authorized the purchase of a ten-acre elementary school site in the Town of Herndon, first of four proposed, at a cost of $2,750 per acre.

February 7, 1961: The Board awarded the contract for the construction of Herndon Elementary School to M. L. Whitlow, Inc., in the amount of $440,000.

February 21, 1961: The elementary school under construction in Herndon was named Herndon Elementary School.

April 9, 1964: The closure of Oak Grove Elementary School at the end of the current term would place 21 African-American students at Herndon Elementary School the following year.

1964-65 FCPS Internal Memo - Desegregation Report: Herndon Elementary School had admitted three students during the 1963-64 school year, 21 more students were admitted in 1964-65 due to the closure of Oak Grove Elementary School, giving a total of 24 students in attendance at Herndon ES during the 1964-65 school year.

March 7, 1968: Herndon Elementary was overcrowded. With the introduction of kindergarten the coming fall, the Board tentatively decided to move the 6^th grade classes from Herndon Elementary to Herndon Intermediate School during the 1968-69 school year.

June 17, 1968: The architecture firm of Pickett, Siess and Hook was assigned develop plans for the modernization of Herndon Elementary School. “Modernization” consisted of an open classroom area, a gymnasium, music room, and science room.

September 5, 1968: The Board approved the preliminary plans for the addition to Herndon Elementary School. The addition would add a net of ten classrooms and bring the present plant up to a pupil capacity of 900. The proposed addition would follow the Oak View Elementary School concept school design.

December 5, 1968: The Board awarded the contract for the addition and modernization of Herndon Elementary School to E. H. Glover, Inc., in the amount of $568,800.

February 6, 1969: The coming opening of Hunters Woods Elementary School was anticipated to pull some students away from Herndon Elementary School. The Dulles Access Road became the boundary dividing line between Herndon and Floris Elementary Schools.

August 11, 1969: Mr. Woodridge gave a report on school construction projects anticipated for completion by September 1969: Elementary School Additions and Modernizations – Herndon Elementary School.

February 9, 1972: Mr. Richard Downer and Mr. Thomas Rust presented information on development prospects and elementary school population figures for the Town of Herndon, asking for the addition of an elementary school in Herndon. Herndon Elementary School is within 50 pupils of capacity; more than 784 more elementary-age children are expected in town by September 1973. Present staff plans call for busing elementary pupils up to 16 miles.

July 13, 1972: Mr. Bergoffen noted the Herndon Elementary School program capacity is now 849.

July 17, 1972: The Superintendent stated that is was anticipated that additional space for at least 700 students would be needed in the Herndon Elementary School attendance areas for the 1973-74 school term. Out of 18 housing projects listed, eight have been confirmed and show evidence of moving within the last three months.

July 27, 1972: The Board approved the sum of $433,500 in the 1973 School Bond Referendum to air condition Herndon, Lake Anne, Navy, and Great Falls Elementary Schools required for implementation of year round school feasibility study in the Herndon High School attendance area. The feasibility study was to see if a year round school program could be implemented in June 1974. (The Board later decided to stop considering the year round school program, deeming it unfeasible because there was no community support for the program).

October 26, 1972: Mr. Hodgson reported on the previous evening he had met with the Herndon Town Council at which time he learned there had been an increase of 40 students in Herndon Elementary School since the beginning of the school year. Continued growth was anticipated in the area.

September 19, 1974: The Board approved the use of $70,000 unprogrammed construction funds to procure portable partitions for Dogwood, Orange Hunt, Herndon, Floris, Franklin Sherman, Freedom Hill, Woodburn, and Sleepy Hollow Elementary Schools.

January 25, 1979: Some adjustment in boundaries was needed to relieve the overcrowding at Herndon Elementary School. The recommended boundary changes would move 319 students from Herndon Elementary and 271 students from Hutchison Elementary to the new Clearview School.

February 13, 1986: Mrs. Collier observed, for the record, that Herndon area parents had hoped the new Armstrong school would relieve overcrowded conditions at Herndon Elementary, but seeing, the prospect of overcrowding at Armstrong within three years, the community supported keeping their students at Herndon, despite crowding, until the Hiddenbrook (Dranesville Elementary) School could be completed so students would have to move only once. Mrs. Collier announced that she had asked staff for extra efforts and assistance to meet needs at the overcrowded school.

April 17, 1986: The School Bond Referendum proposal included funding for a 6-classroom addition to Herndon Elementary School. The school was to be expanded to a pupil capacity of 1,000. Mrs. Collier noted that the community felt that the original 1970 (?) cafeteria and library were inadequate to support that size student population. She asked staff to review the space needs in the core facilities at Herndon in comparison to state specifications and the specifications in other large Fairfax County schools.

June 26, 1986: Information Items – Recommendation to approve award of contract for re-roofing / repairs at Herndon Elementary School. Mrs. Michener asked how old the Herndon roof was. Mr. Hlavin replied that is was an original roof dating from 1961. Mrs. Korologos suggested checking what contractor had been responsible for that durable roof.

July 10, 1986: The Board awarded the contract for the re-roofing / repairs at Herndon Elementary School to Rayco Roof Service, Inc., in the amount of $141,000.

October 15, 1987: The Board awarded the contract for the construction of a 6-room addition to Herndon Elementary School to Bilden, Inc., in the amount of $742,177.

March 31, 1988: Mrs. Collier noted that Clearview and Herndon Elementary Schools’ PTAs had donated funds for the new Hiddenbrook (Dranesville) School PTA.

April 14, 1988: A bond referendum was to go before the electorate in November 1988. The bond was for $179,960,000 to fund various construction projects, among which were renewals at Garfield, Louise Archer, Mount Eagle, Keene Mill, Ravensworth, Bren Mar Park, Waynewood, North Springfield, Annandale Terrace, Haycock, Herndon ES, Mosby Woods, Jackson MS, Frost MS, Herndon HS, and Oakton HS.

March 9, 1989: Approved the implementation of the Partial-Immersion Foreign Language Pilot Program in French, Japanese, and Spanish at eight schools beginning in the 1989-90 school year. Pilot sites were: Spanish at Fort Hunt, Bailey’s, Rose Hill, and Ravensworth; French at Herndon; Japanese at Floris, Fox Mill, and Great Falls.

April 5, 1990: The Board awarded the contract for the renewal of Herndon Elementary School to Keystone Builders, Inc., in the amount of $2,798,051.

June 25, 1992: Resolution Naming the Herndon Elementary School Library. Mrs. Field offered the resolution to allow the school to honor a respected teacher who had recently died. Resolution Naming the Library at Herndon Elementary School - The John Kalen Memorial Library. Whereas, John Kalen was a teacher at Herndon Elementary School from 1980 to 1991, who touched the lives of his students with zest for learning and his love of knowledge; and Whereas, he was always available to stop, listen, and offer advice and guidance to Herndon Elementary School children, and was willing to take on any task, no matter how large or how small; and Whereas, he constantly encourage our students, his teacher counterparts, and our parents to explore, challenge, and expand their minds and to strive to do better; and Whereas, his contributions to the Herndon Elementary community will greatly benefit not only our children but children to follow; and Whereas, his infectious love of life and affection for his students will live in so many memories forever, and his love and caring, which was shown to all, will be so deeply missed; Now, Therefore, Be It Resolved that the Herndon Elementary School library be dedicated to the loving memory of John Kalen and named the John Kalen Memorial Library.

March 14, 1996: Mrs. Strauss said that she had participated in the Herndon Elementary School Walk-a-Thon earlier that day, to help raise funds for Herndon’s playground equipment.

October 10, 1996: The Board awarded the contract for the technology cabling project (phase 3B) at 11 elementary schools (Bonnie Brae, Centre Ridge, Churchill Road, Clearview, Clifton, Fox Mill, Freedom Hill, Herndon, Lake Anne, Oak Hill, and Willow Springs) to M. C. Dean, Inc., in the amount of $817,000.

December 19, 1996: Mrs. Strauss said that the Herndon Elementary School PTA had worked very hard to open and dedicate a new playground at the school.

December 8, 1997: Herndon Elementary School runs a Saturday school with volunteers.

March 12, 1998: Award the contracts for boiler replacement at Annandale Terrace Elementary School to American Combustion Industries, Inc., in the amount of $106,787; at Herndon Elementary School to M&M Welding and Fabricators, Inc., in the amount of $121,000; at Little Run Elementary School to American Combustion Industries, Inc., in the amount of $107,933; and at Ravensworth Elementary School to American Combustion Industries, Inc., in the amount of $98,767.

November 17, 1998: Mrs. Strauss stated that tomorrow night they would be at Herndon Elementary School where the parents were feeling very frustrated about the overcrowding and use of trailers.

April 15, 1999: Mrs. Strauss stated that Herndon was struggling to keep up with the population growth; would have preferred that McNair Farms be included in the 1997 bond but now would be in the 1999 bond; that she had assured the people in Herndon that it was now the number one construction item, but the Town Council, herself, and others were involved in how to help Herndon Elementary School while waiting for the new school; that on the night of the work session she would be with the Herndon Town Council trying to find a good solution; that she appreciated the time and effort staff had put in working on the Herndon issue but more time would be needed.

February 10, 2000: Mrs. Strauss spoke about a recent visit to Herndon Elementary School to meet with a parent group about various building concerns; that she had been impressed with the amount of maintenance and repair going on at the school.

March 23, 2000: Mrs. Strauss thanked Dr. Domenech for attending the Saturday School at Herndon Elementary; that there were 90 elementary students enrolled in the program, and 80 high school students tutored them; that there were two classes of ESL parents, and the program was run by volunteers, with the participation of many teachers; that Dr. Domenech’s visit meant a lot to everyone involved.

January 25, 2001: Mrs. Wilson said that the five elementary schools using the largest number of trailers were Hutchison with 23, Baileys with 15, Annandale Terrace with 15, Herndon with 15, and Glen Forest with 14; that four of the schools would get some relief through the CIP; that overcrowding at Hutchison and Herndon elementary schools would be reduced by the opening of the school at the McNair Farms site.

September 6, 2001: Assistant Superintendent of Facilities Services Tom Brady reported that McNair Elementary School had opened its doors for the first time with a capacity of 920 students, which provided relief from overcrowding to Hutchison, Herndon, and Floris Elementary Schools.

November 20, 2003: Mrs. Strauss commendations to Jennifer Lesinksi of the Connection Newspaper for her article recognizing the Excel Program at Herndon Elementary School; to the school for having conducted a Saturday school program for the past nine years that was routinely attended by more than 70 high school and elementary school students; to the high school students who acted as tutors to the elementary school children; to the teachers who prepared individual packets for each child; and to Herndon High School foreign language teacher Gary Gepford who had coordinated the recruitment of tutors for many years.

April 14, 2005: School Bond Referendum - Discussion included the following: that Herndon Elementary School would require additional classrooms as a result of the implementation of a full-day kindergarten program, and the question how the bond would provide for that need (Strauss); the response that the bond did not designate funds for Herndon Elementary School, but a modular unit could be situated there pending a permanent resolution (Chevalier).

July 12, 2005: Jane Strauss announced that the Herndon Planning Commission had voted to support FCPS’s application to situate additional trailers at Herndon Elementary School to implement a full day kindergarten program.

March 2007: The Board approved the award of contract for electrical site work for the ten-classroom modular building at Herndon Elementary School.

April 14, 2011: The Board awarded a contract for the Herndon Elementary School reroofing project to R. D. Bean, Inc., in the amount of $628,760.

Newspaper Articles

The Washington Post

August 27, 1961, Page B-4: New School Building in Area Summarized. Opening next month will be Mantua ES, Herndon ES, Marshall Road ES, Lewinsville ES, Whitman INT: Herndon ES, $447,380, 20 rooms.

June 14, 1963, Page A-9: Suit Is Aimed At Fairfax’s Dual Schools. A NAACP attorney yesterday asked the Federal District Court in Alexandria to order total desegregation of Fairfax County public schools. The suit seeks an injunction barring the School Board from assigning Negro pupils to all-Negro schools. Under present local assignment regulations, Fairfax initially puts Negroes in Negro schools but permits them to transfer to desegregated schools if these schools are closer to their homes… Tucker asked the immediate transfer of five children to the predominantly white Stratford Landing, Pine Spring, and Herndon elementary schools.

June 19, 1968, Page B-3: Fairfax Airs School Spending Priorities. Fairfax County school officials announced yesterday a priority list of 11 elementary schools that will be enlarged or renovated by Sept. 1969. Most of the schools named were built during the crowded classroom crisis of the 1950s. They lack many of the facilities – such as music and physical education rooms – built into later schools. Several schools also face the threat of overcrowding, caused particularly by the provision of kindergartens for the first time in September. About 7,000 youngsters are expected to enroll in the program. Selected were: Woodlawn ES (opened 1937); Timber Lane ES (1955); Wakefield Forest ES (1955); Bren Mar Park ES (1957); Lynbrook ES (1957); North Springfield ES (1957); Glen Forest ES (1957); Waynewood ES (1959); Herndon ES (1961); Marshall Road ES (1961), and Mantua ES (1961).

The Evening/Sunday Star

September 3, 1961, Page A-13: Schools. Special Programs to Be Affected Despite Classroom Additions. Most areas will hold their first classes on Tuesday, the day after tomorrow. Those opening Tuesday and their expected enrollments are: Fairfax – 65,500, an increase of 5,100. Fairfax this week will open four new elementary schools and one new intermediate, Walt Whitman, near Gum Springs. The elementary schools are Mantua in the City of Fairfax, Herndon in Herndon, Marshall Road in Vienna and Lewinsville near McLean.

June 28, 1963, Page B-1: Fairfax Changes Policy, Grants Negro Transfers. The FCSB has reversed a decision of last May and plans to admit 5 Negro students to integrated schools further from their homes than the all-colored schools they had been assigned to. FCSB members voted for the switch at a secret meeting Monday night, the same day they learned that a Negro attorney had filed suit seeking to force complete integration of the county’s schools. The suit was filed in Federal Court, Alexandria, by Otto L. Tucker, attorney for the NAACP. It also seeks an injunction to stop the assignment of Negroes to all-Negro schools. Several straw votes in March and early April showed that the board was tied 3-3 on the transfer requests. The 7^th member, Kenneth N. Clark, returned from an extended business trip to South America just in time to take part in a full-board vote before the May 21 deadline set by State law. The outcome surprised everyone when Chairman Eugene L. Newman switched his vote, making it a 4-3 decision to deny the transfers. At that time Newman suggested a citizens’ committee be formed to study the broader problem of eliminating the county’s dual school system. The Negro children seek admission to the Pine Spring, Stratford Landing, and Herndon elementary schools.

Books

Mauro, Charles V. Herndon: A History in Images. The History Press, 2005.

Mauro, Charles V. Herndon: A Town and its History. The History Press, 2005.

Peck, Margaret C. Around Herndon. Arcadia Publishing, 2004.

Land Records, Fairfax County Circuit Court

October 31, 1960: Fairfax County Deed Book 1949, Page 233: This Deed made and entered into this 31st day of October, 1960, by and between William F. Enderle and Susan R. Enderle, his wife, parties of the first parts, and The County School Board of Fairfax County, Virginia, a body corporate, party of the second part. Witnesseth: that for and in consideration of the sum of $5.00 cash in hand paid, and other good and valuable considerations, the receipt of all of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties of the first part to hereby grant, bargain, sell and convey, with General Warranty of title, unto the party of the second part, all that certain tract or parcel of land located in the Town of Herndon, Fairfax County, Virginia, with all rights, ways, easements, improvements and appurtenances thereunto belonging... containing 10.00 acres of land. It being the same land conveyed to the parties of the first part by deed dated August 26, 1960, from Harold C. Sentel and Clara B. Sentel, his wife, recorded in Deed Book 1925, at page 638, of the land records of Fairfax County, Virginia.