Welcome (or welcome back) to a new Potomac Local News series, “Meet the Principal.” With nearly two dozen new principals in Prince William County this school year, it’s important to get to know the folks in their new roles. Potomac Local has asked each principal the same questions in bold, and their respective answers will be found below.
Today, get to know Abigail Martinez, the new principal of Lake Ridge Elementary in Woodbridge. Martinez has been an educator for nearly 20 years and recently served as The Nokesville School's assistant principal for two years.
Why Prince William County, and why Lake Ridge Elementary?Â
How will you bring your experience as [specific experiences here] to your new role as principal in PWCS?ÂPrince William County Public Schools has an excellent Strategic Plan, and the mission, vision, and core values resonate with me and motivate me as an educator. I am proud to be joining the wonderful community of Lake Ridge Elementary with amazing students, a dedicated staff and engaged families. We believe in each other and cheer each other on at Lake Ridge Elementary. Everyone I have met has been so welcoming, not just to me, but to all the new staff members joining us this year.
I have proudly served as a school administrator for 11 years, including time in another division, and most recently as an assistant principal at The Nokesville School in PWCS. I am also a speech-language pathologist who has served students with disabilities, while collaborating with their classroom teachers. I believe every child deserves a champion, and I love leading and working with a team of educators who feel the same way. We are all here to help kids reach their thriving futures!Are there any initiatives you hope to implement in your first year?
My leadership vision for Lake Ridge Elementary this year is: We will serve children, faculty, staff, families and the community by leading a safe and high-achieving school. We will bring a passion for serving in education, strong positive leadership, vision, strong relationships, work ethic, clear communication, humor and compassion. We will foster a strong sense of team and belonging in our school, and we won’t forget to have fun together!
Early voting is open in Virginia! Starting on Sept. 20, Virginians can begin voting in the Nov. 5 general election and local election. Potomac Local News is dedicated to informing the community about candidates vying for one of three open seats on the Manassas City Council and the mayor’s seat.
To help voters make an informed decision, we are continuing a new feature series, “One-Question Manassas City Council Candidate Survey.” This series will run throughout the campaign season, offering insights into each candidate’s stand on key issues affecting our city. Our sixth one, which ran on Sept. 9, focused on parking.
The candidates are given 10 days to respond to a Google Form, and their answers will be compiled into a single post on PotomacLocalNews.com. This format lets voters quickly compare the candidates’ views on critical issues, helping them make an informed choice come election day.
Today’s topic: Power outages and the electrical grid.
The candidates were asked: How do you plan to address the ongoing power outages in Manassas, and what measures would you support to improve the city’s electrical grid reliability??
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The nonprofits were chosen based on the "unwavering commitment" to address community health needs as identified in the UVA Health Community Health Needs Assessment Study. The study focused on mental and behavioral health, substance use and chronic diseases.
The 24 nonprofits Prince William that were awarded include:
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Welcome (or welcome back) to a new Potomac Local News series, “Meet the Principal.” With nearly two dozen new principals in Prince William County this school year, it’s important to get to know the folks in their new roles. Potomac Local has asked each principal the same questions in bold, and their respective answers will be found below.
Today, get to know Erin Sikes-Thurston, Ed.D., the new principal of Unity Braxton Middle in Manassas. Sikes-Thurston has been an educator for nearly 20 years and has spent the majority of her career in Northern Virginia.
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Happy Friday, Manassas!
Welcome to another City Council preview, this time for the Sept. 23 regular meeting. This week’s meeting will be held at the City Hall Council Chambers at 9027 Center St.
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At the ceremony, held at Grace Life Community Church in Bristow, Police Chief Peter Newsham recognized the staff in front of department leadership, peers and loved ones. Congratulate the following PWCPD staff members on their promotions:
Promoted to Major: Jacques Poirier
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Welcome (or welcome back) to a new Potomac Local News series, “Meet the Principal.” With nearly two dozen new principals in Prince William County this school year, it’s important to get to know the folks in their new roles. Potomac Local has asked each principal the same questions in bold, and their respective answers will be found below.
Today, get to know Amanda Johnson, the new principal of The Nokesville School. Johnson has been a Prince William County Schools educator since the start of her career.
Why Prince William County, and why The Nokesville School?
How will you bring your experience as [specific experiences here] to your new role as principal in PWCS?I originally came to PWCS when I graduated college at Clarion University of Pennsylvania with a degree in elementary education. At that time, teaching jobs in Pennsylvania were hard to come by. I grew up visiting family in Remington and had always thought Virginia was beautiful. So, when I found a position at Nokesville Elementary School, I knew I had to take it and move down here. It felt so much like home 20 years ago, and it still does today as I return to Nokesville to begin my first year as principal of The Nokesville School.
I spent the first 11 years of my educational career in four schools across the division, first as a teacher and then as an assistant principal. Each school was unique and contained its own lessons that I learned as I moved through the experiences. I then served for seven years as the principal of Pennington Traditional School, giving me the opportunity to lead across two levels in a small, stable community. All of the roles I held in these schools have given me the foundation needed to lead a school that contains nine grade levels, 1,100+ students and an ever-growing community. Each school taught me the value of caring for the community you serve, which is exactly what I plan to do as the principal of The Nokesville School.
Are there any initiatives you hope to implement in your first year?Although we will not necessarily be implementing any new initiatives this school year beyond those being implemented divisionwide, we have recommitted ourselves to the foundation of The Nokesville School - Vision, Community, Excellence. This year, we are focusing on our vision, ensuring we take the time to notice our people and our community, and outlining our vision for the future that will connect us with our community and build on our excellence.
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This year's ballot will include candidates for United States president, the House of Representatives and Senate.
Starting Friday, the Office of Elections (9250 Lee Ave. Suite 1, Manassas) will be open for early voters. Early voting ends Nov. 2. And starting on Oct. 13, the following locations will be open for early voting:
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In a report released last month by the Virginia Department of Education, the average pass rates have declined in history, math and reading; improved in science and stayed the same in writing. The most significant decrease was in history, which decreased from 62% in the 2022-2023 school year to 58% in 2023-24. The most significant increase was in science, which increased to 48% in 2023-24.
And, MCPS significantly lags behind Virginia state averages. In almost every subject, MCPS is behind more than 20% in comparison to state averages.
