Friday, April 19, 2013
Band, orchestra and chorus students traveled overnight to compete in music festival.
About 70 Wakefield High School students are safe at a hotel in the suburbs of Boston, where they will stay in light of the ongoing manhunt for a suspect in this week's tragic bombing. "They are safe. I've been in communication multiple times today with the band directors," Wakefield Principal Chris Willmore told Patch. "They are not heading into downtown Boston or anywhere near what's happening." The group, along with parent chaperones and school staff, traveled overnight to compete in a music festival. Wakefield High School Band Director Denny D'Alelio, Orchestra Director Gene Pohl and Choral Director Nadim Nader are with them. They are staying at a hotel in Danvers, Mass., which is northeast of Boston and about 30 to 40 minutes away from…
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
O'Donnell died recently, according to a message from school officials.
The Wakefield High School community is mourning the loss of English teacher Bob O'Donnell this week. Principal Chris Willmore sent the note below to parents, teachers, and students on Monday. Did you know Mr. O'Donnell? Share your memories in the comments. Dear Wakefield Community, It is with great sadness that I share with you the news that our recently retired and beloved English teacher, Bob O'Donnell, passed away following a battle with cancer. Mr. O'D was much loved and respected and will be missed by all who had the pleasure of knowing him. I met with the staff this morning to tell them about the news. I also asked teachers to share the information with their classes. We have counselors available all day today to meet with students…
Friday, February 22, 2013
The team has caught on to the craze.
Arlington's Wakefield High School basketball team uploaded a video of the Harlem Shake. The Harlem Shake is a dance craze, of sorts, (anyone want to explain the trend in the comments?) that has exploded on the internet in the last few weeks, but the dance itself been around since 1981, according to KnowYourMeme.com. A caption on the video, uploaded to YouTube Friday, states "What REALLY happens in the locker room after the Wakefield High School Warriors win a big game!" Read more: Mashable's take on the trend
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Del. Patrick Hope, D-Arlington, hosted the event Thursday at Wakefield High School
A statewide task force created in the wake of the Sandy Hook massacre is considering recommendations that would require additional training for school resource officers and require the state to help schools prevent bullying. Another recommendation would require Virginia schools to conduct an annual "active shooter exercise" that includes students or to incorporate parts of an active shooter plan into other drills. That's just three areas the Governor's School and Campus Safety Task Force could make recommendations on as early as this week. State Del. Patrick Hope, an Arlington Democrat who sits on the task force, said he wants the group to make recommendations that will have an actual effect and "not just things to make you feel good." …
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Recent grad, longtime Rosslyn business owner also honored.
Several Arlingtonians have been selected for the 13th Annual James B. Hunter Human Rights Award, county officials announced Tuesday. Wakefield High School’s Project Upstanders, Washington-Lee High School’s Best Buddies Club, Sara Heisey and John "Kip" Laramie are this year's winners. The James B. Hunter Human Rights Awards, named after a former Arlington County Board member, are given to those who dedicate themselves to human services, according to a news release from the county's Human Rights Commission. More on the winners from the Arlington Human Rights Commission: The winners include the group Project Upstanders, which is a club at Wakefield High that was organized for students to help combat bullying. Washington-Lee High School’s …
Friday, October 12, 2012
Warriors (0-6) face Jaguars (1-5) tonight.
The Wakefield High School Warriors are looking for their first win of the season tonight during their homecoming game against the Falls Church Jaguars. "Every week we've been getting a little better, though the scores aren't necessarily showing it," Wakefield Assistant Head Coach Mike Warden said. "We've got a pretty good feeling, I think we'll do pretty well." The Warriors are 0-6; the Jaguars, 1-5. In mid-September, the Jaguars scored their first win since 2010. Warden said his team has been watching video of the Falls Church team, looking for weaknesses that can be exploited and strengths that need to be prepared for. "We're looking for both," Warden said. "On offense, we're looking for things that have been done against them that work …
Friday, September 28, 2012
Generals (2-2) play the Warriors (0-4) tonight.
After four hard weeks, the Wakefield High School Warriors will play Washington-Lee on Friday at the Generals' homecoming game. Wakefield is 0-4 so far this season, but the team has been getting better each week, Assistant Head Coach Mike Warden said. "Those guys are really good. They're coached well. We've been watching them on film, and they're a very impressive team. It's going to be their homecoming, so it'll be an emotionally full night. It'll be tough," Warden said. "We've got to put all that stuff aside. We know they're coming ready to play. So we've got to come ready to play, too. And we've shown improvement each week. So, we play as hard as we can." Wakefield Quarterback Zain Khokhar "has been shaping up quite nicely," finding his …
Friday, June 22, 2012
Seven recent graduates of the school were arrested just after 5 a.m. Friday.
Seven recent graduates of Wakefield High School were arrested for trespassing on school grounds after they were discovered drinking alcohol on the rooftop of the school early Friday morning. Four of the teenagers who were 18 years or older have also been charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor. All of the former students were under the legal drinking age, Arlington County Police spokeman Dustin Sternbeck said. A maintenance employee or a school security official reported the group on the roof to Arlington County Police at approximately 5:15 a.m. When police approached, one of the former students attempted to flee. When police approached him, he attempted to instigate a physical altercation and resisted arrest. He was …
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Money designated to help fund construction of two schools, Long Bridge Park and the Arlington Mill Community Center, among other things.
The Arlington County Board on Tuesday unanimously approved the sale of $110 million of general obligation bonds to fund a variety of projects, from school construction to a park and community center. The bonds will be sold on the municipal market on June 5, according to a county news release. Interest rates are among the lowest they've ever been, said Arlington County Board member Chris Zimmerman. The bonds — portions of which have been approved by voters on even-numbered years between 2004 and 2010 — would be repaid over 20 years, according to a county staff report. The largest chunk of the bond proceeds, about $65.1 million, would go to Arlington Public Schools for the ongoing reconstruction of Yorktown High School, the design and …
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Wakefield and Washington-Lee high schools implement creative anti-bullying programs to fight teen harassment.
Muktaru Jalloh, a senior at Wakefield High School, distinctively remembers an incident in 10th grade that changed his life and made him the person he is today. He was playing basketball with a few classmates during open gym. He blocked the shot of a ninth-grader who was much smaller than him. The ninth-grader turned around and out of nowhere punched Jalloh right in the face. Jalloh had two choices: Punch the kid back and not look like a coward in front of his friends, or simply walk away. In that short moment, he thought about his future and decided not to react to the present. With that maturity, Jalloh was able to walk away from the situation and avoid months or years of possible punishment from the school and his parents. He is now …
