New Beginnings
Donna Cote
Stafford High School Opens new site
Library Director retires
By A.E. Bayne Colonial Forge and Mountain View transition a smooth one. She says, High Schools, but with input from “Our children will learn in a safe, students and staff. With shorter updated, new facility. I am proud wings and a third floor, the new that my children will all experience Stafford High School is a truly the new Stafford High School.” modern complex. Career and Rising freshman, Morgan Technical Education classes reside A., is excited for the new school on the first floor with easy access year. She says, “I do not know much to the streets around the building. about the old high school, but as a Students will climb the expansive new hockey player who has been stairs to the second floor for conditioning on our beautiful turf academic classes like English and field all summer, I am thrilled that social studies. A world class media the high school also be updated, center with student opted Cyber fresh and new. Also, it makes a Café is also on this level. Traveling freshman feel little less Architectural elements in ceilings to the third floor, students will find overwhelmed knowing everyone else science classrooms with close access will be lost the first week of school, Brothers Mitch and Matthew A., to safely ventilated labs. The too.” both juniors, are looking forward to the cafeteria is open and tech wired; Parent, Amy Jo Steele, and her spaciousness of the new high school. there is even a charging station for daughter, Amberly, note the importance Mitch says, “I am really looking forward to cell phones and electronics along of the light enhancements to the new the new band room. We hear there is some the wall. Outside seating is structure. Steele says, “I’m most excited great new technology involved, including available for lunch at tables in the about the windows. That may sound silly practice rooms with a variety of ‘venues’ courtyard. The building boasts an to some, but I have been very concerned for acoustics. Also, the ceiling is higher for updated theater with tiered seating about the negative health impacts of the better sound quality.” Matthew adds, “I Evolution of Stafford High School brought over from the old site and old, nearly windowless school. Studies have am looking forward to the natural light of It comes down to windows – excellent light and sound systems. The shown that people who work in windowless the new building. It often felt like a closet windows and light. According to students band room has precision acoustics and environments score lower on tests and or, as the story goes, a prison due to the who will enjoy the newest high school in sound proof practice rooms, much like you have sleep issues. The very idea of lack of windows in the old building. I think southern Stafford County this fall, these find on a university campus. To windowless classrooms to "eliminate it will feel more energizing and promote a are the details that most excite them accommodate the large machinery, the distractions" is absurd and quite frankly better feeling overall being in the new about their new scholastic home. Of automotive tech program gets a has the opposite effect. Three cheers for building.” windows, there are plenty, and light is technology enhanced building of its own windows!” Rising sophomore, Phillip M., is abundant; however, Stafford High School across parking lot from the school. Amberly concurs, “It's going to glad parts of the old site will stay intact, students have many sweet surprises in Students, parents and teachers feel a lot better being in a classroom with “As an NJROTC cadet, I am glad the Amee store as they start school year 2015-16 in have positive hopes for the new facility. some natural light instead of feeling Building is staying because the ROTC a state of the art building designed for Longtime dramatic arts teacher, Michael cramped in the windowless rooms of the students presented a good case to the 21st Century learning. D’Addario looks forward to the scene shop old school. I'm very much looking forward Board of Supervisors to keep the building. Stafford High School has gone and dedicated storage space for scenery, to a larger, technologically and As a lacrosse player, I am looking forward through many incarnations over the props and costumes. to eventually having our own practice years. Decades ago, it was in the building He says the lighting field." where Drew Middle School is today. The system will Michael D’Addario adds, “I think most recent site on Indian Lane was built incorporate some that the new building demonstrates that in the mid-1970s and housed both amazing technology Stafford County understands the Stafford and North Stafford High Schools, that they’ve not had importance of education and the which attended using a split-day schedule. access to in the past, environment in which it takes place. My Assistant Principal Harry Johnston says it including LED and great hope for the new building is that had a uniquely west coast inspired design, moving lights. He students will understand the gift they are explaining, “When it was built, it was open muses, “Like most, I being given. I hope they understand how classroom. Most of the areas, with have some sentimental much effort and resource has been exception of some of the science classes, attachment to the old invested in their education and that their didn’t have rooms, and that’s why the theater. I have some mindset will reflect its importance.” building has so few windows. The style great memories in Valerie Cottongim, Stafford probably started at the elementary level that space and taught County Public School’s Public Information Bleachers in New Gym to create a more open and engaging some incredible Officer, notes the challenges that early atmosphere. I think they found that students who had a big impact on my life architecturally improved band room. I feel changes to the design and inclement between the noise pollution and the there. Every time I looked around that like a new environment for the band will weather throughout the winter have students interacting between classes, it theater room and stage, it was full of lighten the already jaunty mood shared caused for meeting the deadlines for the was a very short lived experiment, memories of great people and the things across the group and hopefully bring more new high school. She also says there will particularly here at the high school level.” we accomplished there.” interested students in! I'm honestly really be period of adjustment as students and Johnston goes on to say that the building Parent, Lisa A., feels the new site excited to attend school in the new teachers learn new patterns of time and has been through a couple of remodels “to will be a positive and welcoming building. I feel like the energy will be so space management in their new academic try to make it more contemporary and environment for the community. She much lighter, and everyone's going to be home; however, she is optimistic. more useable with varying degrees of thinks that even though there has been at least a little happier. It's so much easier “It’s going to be a fantastic success.” anxiety over the school year starting on to learn and engage in a pleasant environment to work in,” Cottongim says, The new facility was designed time, she believe county administrators environment.” beaming, “I see kids in here having an using architectural elements of both will do everything possible to make the amazing time.”
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September 2015
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By caroline parr Donna Cote has announced her retirement on September 11, 2015, after thirty-four years as the Central Director of the Rappahannock Regional Library (CRRL). She previously held positions at the CRRL as the Library Secretary, Reference Librarian and Assistant Director. During the course of her tenure, Cote spearheaded many initiatives and cemented vital community partnerships that have seen the CRRL firmly established as a core component of the educational and cultural infrastructure of the region. Building projects across the system have included the renovation of the Headquarters; the building of the Porter, Salem Church, England Run, Montross and Newton libraries; and the establishment of the Cooper and Snow Libraries in renovated and expanded spaces. The CRRL moved from a card catalog to the dynamic web-based catalog that library customers use today. The CRRL was among the very first libraries in Virginia to establish a website back in 1997, and it is now a heavily used virtual portal to the library’s collections. Under Cote’s leadership, the library has been positioned as a resource for lifelong learning, a destination for artistic enrichment, and a welcoming community meeting center. Meanwhile, books and reading remain a core mission, even as the library has added new formats - eAudio, eBooks, eMagazines and more - over the last forty years in response to public demand. Cote said, “My biggest thrill over the past decades has been seeing the public embrace and use public library services in record numbers. I’m grateful for the support of the Library Board, elected officials, Friends of the Library, and community members. I am proud of the talented and dedicated library staff who believe strongly in public service.”
Library Board Chair Sam Smart said, “Thanks to Donna’s leadership, the Fredericksburg area benefits from an award-winning library system that is heavily used and beloved by our community. She has been a passionate and tireless advocate for the library, and we are grateful for her years of dedicated service and inspired leadership. She has made an extraordinary contribution not only to the library but to the entire Fredericksburg region.”
Caroline Parr is the Deputy Director, of the Centeral Rappahannock Regional Library. She can be reached at cparr@crrl.org, 540-372-1160, ext. 261
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September 2015
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