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.
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Steve Burke, the director of public works, said implementing EV charging stations has been a tactic to get more visitors to downtown Manassas.
"We've received, over the past year, over 5,500 individual uses of our charging stations," Burke said. "That level of use comes with some expense to the city. Last year, we spent a little over $18,000 in electric charges we had. There's also costs for the software that people need to use to connect to it, as well as just the use of those charging stations, things break, and we wind up having to pay for them."
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Murder Investigation *COLD CASE | ARREST – On March 24, 2010, officers responded to a residence located in the 14000 block of Aden Rd in Nokesville (20181) to investigate a missing person. The investigation revealed family members had not heard from the victim, identified as Shane Ryan DONAHUE, age 23, after he was last seen leaving his parent’s residence on March 22, 2010. Over the course of the more than 14-year-long investigation, several investigative leads were developed and explored based on information brought to the attention of police.
In spring 2024, detectives reactivated the investigation, reexamining every detail of the case from scratch, including revisiting interviewed parties and digital evidence in greater detail due to advances in analytical technology and modern police investigative practices. The victim and an acquaintance, identified as the accused, were last seen leaving the victim’s parent’s home together reportedly returning to the victim’s nearby residence in the 12000 block of Aden Road. The victim was not seen or heard from again. Although the victim’s remains have not been located, he is presumed deceased. During the investigation, the accused was connected to a burglary that occurred at the victim’s residence just days prior to his disappearance.
In September 2024, following the investigation, Prince William County detectives obtained arrest warrants for the accused, identified as Timothy Sean HICKERSON, who would have been 28 years old at the time of the victim’s disappearance. With the assistance of the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office, the accused was arrested in Palm Coast, Florida where he will remain incarcerated until extradited to Virginia.
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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 Jason Pensler, the new principal of Bel Air Elementary in Woodbridge. Pensler is a Northern Virginia native with more than 25 years of experience in education.
Why Prince William County, and why Bel Air Elementary?
As a lifelong Northern Virginia resident and having many colleagues residing in Prince William County, I was drawn to Prince William County Schools by LaTanya D. McDade's, Ed.D. inspiring leadership. Her commitment to innovation and equitable education aligns perfectly with my own values. Throughout the interview process, I felt a strong connection with the Bel Air Elementary school community and PWCS' leadership team making Bel Air Elementary the perfect fit for me. One of the key factors that attracted me to PWCS and Bel Air Elementary is the diverse student population. Having experience in Title 1 schools and language immersion programs, I immediately felt a connection to the vibrant Bel Air community. I'm excited to champion for our students and staff and create a welcoming, safe learning environment where they can thrive.
How will you bring your experience as [specific experiences here] to your new role as principal in PWCS?
As a seasoned educator with 26 years of experience in the classroom, gifted and talented programs, and administration, I'm thrilled to bring my expertise to my new role as principal in PWCS.
My diverse background, including experience with dual language immersion programs, has equipped me with a deep understanding of effective teaching practices and the importance of creating a supportive learning environment for all students and empowering our staff as teacher leaders.
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Candidates for the United States House of Representatives will be speaking at Metz Middle School in Manassas on Tuesday night.
Candidates for the Virginia 7th and 10th Congressional districts will engage in a forum, which the Prince William NAACP, Coalition for Action and Prince William Chamber for Commerce are hosting.
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NOVEC is partnering with the Virginia, Maryland & Delaware Association of Electric Cooperatives (VMDAEC) to host these expos. The event, entitled "Girl Power," will occur twice in October: Oct. 3 in Salisbury, Md.; and Oct. 30 in Palmyra, Va.
Women and girls will learn about job safety and how to climb a utility pole, operate a bucket truck and fly a drone. Attendees will also meet with industry professionals to discuss their career goals and prepare for interviews.
