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MAY 26, 2017 | NORTHERN VIRGINIA MEDIA SERVICES
Couple faces charges in boy’s death
SENIOR PROM
TRACY BELL
tbell@insidenova.com
A Stafford Sheriff ’s Office recruit and his girlfriend have been indicted after a 4-year-old boy shot and killed himself in their home in Orange County on May 15, according to Sarah Altman of the Orange County Sheriff ’s Office. An Orange County grand jury issued indictments against Nicholas Stoia and NICHOLAS JOSEPH STOIA Heather Massey of Cecelia Lane in the Mine Run Area of Orange County, Altman said. Massey, 27, was indicted on one felony count of child abuse/ neglect, four felony counts of child abuse/ neglect and four misde- HEATHER CHRISTINE MASSEY meanor counts of reckless handling/leave loaded firearm endangering child under the age of 14. Stoia, 25, was indicted on one felony count of child abuse/neglect and four misdemeanor counts of reckless handling/ leave loaded firearm endangering child under the age of 14. The additional charges were filed because other children were in the home at the time of incident, Altman said. Cole James Clark died after he got a gun at a daycare in the couple’s home and shot himself. The gun was not a service weapon and Stoia was not at the location during the incident. Massey and Stoia were arrested on the evening of May 22 and are currently being held in the Central Virginia Regional Jail under no bond.
The 19th annual Senior Prom brought out familiar dance partners and some new faces to North Stafford High School on Saturday afternoon. With help from the school’s Renaissance Leadership and Air Force JROTC, guests won prizes and had refreshments. Dance music was provided by the high school’s North Stafford Jazz Ensemble. For more photos from the prom, visit InsideNoVa.com/Stafford.
Survey on school start date draws debate Board discusses Labor Day, controversy over questionnaire TRACY BELL
tbell@insidenova.com
recent survey that queried parents about the 2018-2019 school year was recently criticized for skewing its language toward one of the choices. On Tuesday, the Stafford County School Board set the topic for its June 13 agenda, agreeing to obtain a staff report from its calendar committee. In hindsight, the survey should have asked direct questions about parent preferences regarding either a pre-Labor Day or post-Labor Day start to the school year, according to the school board. However, it’s recently been criticized for indirect
language that leads participants toward a pre-Labor Day start to school. Garrisonville District school board member Christopher Connelly brought up the topic. “I’ve heard a lot about the survey that went out a while back,” Connelly said. “I do not think there was any nefarious intent, or underhanded play.” But, said Connelly, “I believe it came across as slanted, too.” Connelly said he thinks that changing the status quo now and rushing a decision would be a mistake. He didn’t want to make a decision about the calendar on the heels of the survey, which he said was tainted, and suggested pumping the brakes. Connelly recommended that the school system’s staff put out a “thought-out, methodical plan”
toward a decision on the following 2019-2020 calendar instead. He added that transparency is important for SCPS, especially on the heels of recent redistricting issues. He said that there was no context provided in the survey’s wording so that people answering could understand what they’d be benefitting and what they’d be giving up. Stafford County Public Schools currently starts school after Labor Day. One question on the survey asked parents about the completion of exams and if it was important to finish them before the winter break. Without any explanation that if they answer yes it could imply support for the opening of DATE school in August, so PAGE 3 the question leads
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