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News<br />
Schools Celebrate<br />
New Beginning<br />
From Page 3<br />
on the rock that sits in front of Irving.<br />
Donors are free to give as much as they like,<br />
and all funds go toward supporting the<br />
school.<br />
While there are no major staff changes at<br />
Irving, Braddock Secondary School was<br />
busy hiring teachers for the upcoming<br />
school year, focusing on teachers for the<br />
seventh and eighth grade course offerings.<br />
“It comes down to putting the best teachers<br />
in front of kids,” said Thomas, who has<br />
been the principal of Braddock for the past<br />
eight years. With 1,380 middle school students<br />
filling the halls on Tuesday, Sept. 2,<br />
they are working to ensure that class sizes<br />
do not exceed 30 students. “It’s just nice to<br />
have the kids back. It’s neat to watch the<br />
seventh graders because there’s, all of a<br />
sudden, this newfound freedom. I love to<br />
watch our seventh graders grow over the<br />
course of the year because they grow the<br />
most,” said Principal Thomas. Like all<br />
schools in the County, Braddock is focusing<br />
on meeting the needs of students.<br />
SANGSTER ELEMENTARY, a GT Center<br />
School that feeds into Braddock, welcomes<br />
a new principal this year. Lisa Reddel, who<br />
is actually a graduate of Braddock Secondary,<br />
has taught in the Fairfax County Public<br />
School (FCPS) system for several years.<br />
She started out teaching first, third, and<br />
fifth grades and has worked as both a principal<br />
and assistant principal at schools in<br />
Vienna. Most recently, though, she was the<br />
director of health, wellness, and facility<br />
support services in Denver, Colo., Cherry<br />
Creek School District. In this role she supported<br />
the entire school district, but is excited<br />
to return to Fairfax County. The rigor,<br />
resources, and dedication to excellence are<br />
all things that, she says, set the County<br />
apart. “I am really looking forward to a<br />
principalship where I can impact teachers,”<br />
said Principal Reddel. Her personal philosophy<br />
is that the kids come first because every<br />
decision made centers around them.<br />
For more information, visit the school’s<br />
website at http://www.fcps.edu/<br />
SangsterES/.<br />
www.ConnectionNewspapers.com<br />
<strong>Springfield</strong> Connection ❖ September 4-10, 2014 ❖ 5
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