School Board Reacts Less Than Positively to Library-Relocation Proposal
by SCOTT McCAFFREY, Staff Writer
Friday, June 18, 2010 7:57 AM

They didn’t say so explicitly, but School Board members on June 17 left little doubt they are not happy with a proposal by county staff to relocate the Columbia Pike branch library from the Arlington Career Center west to Arlington Mill Community Center.

Board members’ comments on the subject came as the PTAs of Patrick Henry Elementary School and Thomas Jefferson Middle School began mobilizing against the proposal to move the library 1.3 miles west of its current location.

Since 1974, the school system has provided the county government with space on the Career Center campus for a library, and School Board members suggested they want the arrangement to continue.

“The county can stay there as long as they like,” School Board member Abby Raphael said.

Raphael said those opposed to the proposal should make themselves heard, and helpfully told the public whom they should lobby.

“Ultimately, it’s the County Board’s decision,” she said.

The discussion among School Board members came a day after a raucous public meeting, in which county officials found themselves under siege from adults and children alike for their proposal to relocate the library to the new Arlington Mill facility, which is expected to open in 2013.

After that meeting, county officials appeared to backtrack slightly, saying there was no urgency in reaching a decision on whether to move the library. Earlier, they had issued a timeline that suggested the matter would go before the County Board for a decision in September.

View article online here.

Green Party Nominates School Board Candidate
Tuesday, June 8, 2010

The Arlington Green Party has endorsed Miriam Gennari, a 10-year resident of Arlington, in her bid for the School Board. Gennari will face off against School Board Chairman Sally Baird, who has the backing of Democrats, and independent Joszet Hudson Johnson on Nov. 2.

“Miriam has been a long time school and community activist on environmental and science issues,” Green Party officials said.

Gennari owns and operates her own home-improvement business. She has been active in five different schools that her three daughters have attended, including Oakridge Elementary, Claremont Elementary, Gunston Middle School, H-B Woodlawn Secondary Program and Wakefield High School. She also was active in starting the Aurora Hill’s Children’s Playgroup Cooperative pre-school group.

For more information on the November 2010 ballot, visit the Arlington County Government Voter Registration page here.

Learn about Touch the Earth Day from Sally!

On April 25th the Arlington Children And Nature Network (CANN) held their official Touch the Earth kick off event at Potomac Overlook Regional Park.  The organization is dedicated to getting children outside while having fun along the way.  Our School Board Chair Sally Baird, joined by Arlingtonians for a Clean Environment (ACE), Potomac Overlook Regional Park, and WalkArlington, led students in touching the earth with their feet on a Walkabout of the Regional-National Park.  As part of CANN’s Touch the Earth Celebration, and marking the conclusion of Get Outside Week and the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, the kid-sized Walkabout took children of all ages on a short guided hike on the Park’s Heritage Trail.

Check out this video, posted on the Arlington Virginia Network, to hear Sally and the Executive Director of ACE talk about this exciting day and excellent program.  In the photo below Sally is joined by a group of kids to help read a proclamation declaring the official kickoff of CANN at the Touch the Earth event.

Former County Board Contender Mounts Run for School Board
by SCOTT McCAFFREY, Staff Writer
Thursday, June 3, 2010

Joszet Hudson Johnson, who in 1997 and 2000 ran as an independent for County Board, has filed petition signatures to run this year for School Board.

“A lot of things need improvement,” Johnson told the Sun Gazette. “We need to go out and innovate. We can become excellent by working together.”

Johnson will face incumbent School Board Chairman Sally Baird, who is seeking a second term. Baird has the backing of the Arlington County Democratic Committee, although, by state law, school board races across Virginia are officially non-partisan.

Baird said she welcomed the challenge.

“I look forward to the opportunity offered by a competitive race,” she said. “As we consider the future of our school system, there are many important conversations that we must have as a school community. A competitive race provides that opportunity for that community dialogue.”

Johnson in 1997 ran for County Board as a write-in candidate, having failed to file sufficient petition signatures to get on the ballot. She received just over 30 votes in that race, a special election called after Democrat James Hunter resigned due to ill health. Democrat Barbara Favola won that race.

In 2000, Johnson qualified as an independent candidate on the ballot. She receive 1,385 votes, or about 1.9 percent of the total, in a County Board race that saw Democrat Barbara Favola defeat Republican Scott Tate.
[Read more...]

Zimmerman and Baird Unopposed Within Democratic Ranks (excerpt)
by SCOTT McCAFFREY, Staff Writer
Saturday, April 10, 2010

Democrats are banking on County Board Vice Chairman Chris Zimmerman and School Board Chairman Sally Baird in the November election. Neither incumbent faces opposition within the party.

Arlington Democrats now have their political ticket set for the fall, as neither County Board Vice Chairman Chris Zimmerman nor School Board Chairman Sally Baird picked up opposition within the party ranks.

School Board: The Arlington County Democratic Committee on April 7 formally endorsed Sally Baird for School Board, essentially ensuring her re-election in November.

Baird, who was first elected in 2006, was the only contender to seek the Democratic endorsement for the single seat on the ballot this year.

The Democratic committee’s vote to back her was unanimous.

“She’s so terrific, nobody wanted to run against her,” Arlington County Democratic Committee chairman Mike Lieberman said.

Baird noted that the current School Board represents a generational shift from the past, with four of the five members – all Democrats – in their first terms. The school system also has a new superintendent.

[Read more...]

No Democratic Opposition for School Board’s Baird
by SCOTT McCAFFREY, Staff Writer
Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Sally Baird faced a Democratic caucus battle for School Board four years ago, but picked up no intra-party competition this time out.
The March 8 filing deadline came and went without any Democrats challenging School Board Chairman Sally Baird.

As a result, the party has cancelled its May School Board caucus, and will focus its efforts on a general-election victory for the single-term board member.

“I am now looking forward to the general election, and the opportunity it affords for discussion of the schools issues which are so critical to the ongoing vibrancy of our Arlington community,” Baird told the Sun Gazette.

What, exactly, the ballot will look like in November remains to be seen. No other candidates have formally announced plans to seek the at-large School Board seat in the general election, although the filing deadline remains months away.

Four years ago, Baird won a narrow victory in the Arlington County Democratic Committee caucus against Sharon Davis. In the general election that November, she won 61 percent of the vote against Cecelia Espenoza. [Read more...]

Baird Makes It Official, Announces Re-Election Bid
December 3, 2009
Sun Gazette
by Scott McCaffrey, Staff Writer

School Board Chairman Sally Baird made it official on Dec. 2, announcing plans to seek a second term.

“I’m really proud of the accomplishments the board has made – we are a board united in purpose,” Baird told members of the Arlington County Democratic Committee. She promised to “follow through on the work we set in motion.”

Baird becomes the first candidate to announce plans for the lone School Board seat on the 2010 ballot. If other Democrats opt to challenge her, the party will hold a caucus next May to select a candidate to endorse for the general election in November.

Read the full article at here.