Will Nesbitt
The author of this blog, specializing in internet sales of Northern Virginia real estate, with a special interest in condo living.
Fairfax County Public Schools Named “Achievement District”
Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) is one of 388 school districts in the U.S. to be named an Advanced Placement (AP) Achievement District by the College Board. The list recognizes school districts that make AP courses available to a broader pool of students as well as maintain or increase the percentage of students who earn a score of 3 or higher on AP tests.
To be named an AP Achievement District, school districts must:
- Increase participation in or access to AP courses by at least four percent (for large school systems).
- Show a steady or increasing percentage of exams taken by minority students, including African American, Hispanic, and Native American students.
- Maintain or improve performance levels when comparing the percentage of exams scoring a 3 or higher in 2010 to those in 2008, or if a school already has 70 percent of AP students scoring a 3 or higher.
From 2008 to 2010, FCPS increased the number of students participating in AP from 14,220 in 2008 to 15,270 in 2010 while improving the percentage of students earning AP exam scores of 3 or higher, the score typically needed to earn college credit, from 72 percent in 2008 to 74 percent in 2010.
Projected enrollment for Fairfax County Public Schools for the current school year is 175,296. It is the largest school district in the state and the 11th largest in the U.S.
No. Virginia and Tourism – Perfect Together?
When was the last time you were a tourist in your own backyard?
Most residents of Fairfax County and the northern Virginia area think they live in the shadow of Washington DC tourism. Who can compete with attractions such as the White House, the Capitol, the historical monuments and the Smithsonian museums?
But a closer look at Northern Virginia makes one realize how much there is to see before trekking into DC.
Start with a trip to George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate and Gardens in Mount Vernon, VA. Open year round (including Christmas), Mount Vernon includes a restaurant, food court and shop, all recently renovated,
Fairfax County is home to Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts, the nation’s only national park dedicated to the performing arts. Wolf Trap, with indoor and outdoor concert venues, is in Vienna, just off the Dulles Toll Road about halfway between downtown Washington and Dulles Airport.
When the Smithsonian ran out of room at its DC based National Air and Space Museum, it built a beautiful extension in Chantilly, VA. The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center displays the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird, Boeing B-29 Superfortress Enola Gay and the Space Shuttle Enterprise among others. There is also an Airbus IMAC Theater.
Nature lovers can visit Great Falls National Park for its hiking trails and beautiful views. Like Wolf Trap, it, too, is run by the National Park Service.
History, adventure, the theater and a hike? Sounds like a great vacation is just around the corner.
McLean’s Spring Hill Rec Center gets indoor, outdoor facelift
Last summer it was the interior. Now, if you’ve passed by the growing mounds of dirt surrounding McLean’s Spring Hill Recreation Center, there’s no doubt it’s time for the exterior.
Changes started last August when the center closed for renovations to the air conditioning system, locker rooms, classrooms and fitness room. Those were completed in October. The center, managed by the Fairfax County Park Authority, includes a heated indoor 25-yard by 25-meter pool with ramp and two one-meter diving boards, a poolside spa, beach and wading areas.
This is the first renovation to the center since it opened in 1988.
Parking will double when 250 new spaces are completed in June. A new entrance, replacing the one on Art Nauman Lane, will take a little longer since it will include a new traffic light on Lewinsville Rd. in front of Spring Hill Elementary and the Rec Center.
Finally two new artificial turf fields for soccer will be built near the corner of Lewinsville Rd. and Spring Hill Rd. Those are in addition to the two turf fields that opened at the center in 2008.
For now it’s a bit of mess. (Wear your work boots when you visit Spring Hill Rec.) But soon its transition will benefit all in the McLean, Tysons Corner and Fairfax County communities.
Homes for sale in Mclean
Showing properties
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(all data current as of
5/27/2012)
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$662,500 : 7346 Lewinsville Square Pl, Mclean4 beds, 3 full, 1 part baths
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$1,219,000 : 8418 Holly Leaf Dr, Mclean4 beds, 4 full, 1 part baths
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$829,000 : 7504 Blaise Trl, Mclean4 beds, 3 full baths
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$944,250 : 1781 Chain Bridge Rd Se #304, Mclean2 beds, 2 full baths
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$1,495,000 : 1946 Macarthur Dr, Mclean5 beds, 5 full, 1 part baths
Listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Read full disclaimer.
Summer season at Wolf Trap a fun, eclectic lineup
If you like Broadway shows, but can’t afford the tickets; want a night at the symphony but can’t seem to make the time; or are ready to revisit those rock and roll songs from your youth, make a date with Wolf Trap this summer.
Located between the Dulles Toll Road and Leesburg Pike/Rte. 7 in Vienna, less than 4 miles from Tysons Corner Center, Wolf Trap’s Filene Center will host more than 90 performances this summer.
The concert season kicks off on Memorial Day weekend with an eclectic mix of comedy, concerts and symphonies.
Where else can you see The Monkees (yes, those Monkees) on a Sunday night and enjoy the Morman Tabernacle Choir the following Wednesday?
The amphitheater, nestled in the National Park for the Performing Arts, seats 7,028 including more than 3,000 lawn seats.
This year’s lineup includes perennial favorites Garrison Keillor (of Prairie Home Companion fame), Bill Cosby, The Beach Boys and Mary Chapin Carpenter.
Broadway visits Wolf Trap with performances of “Sweeney Todd,” “Mamma Mia” and “Fiddler on the Roof.”
Take a step back in time with concerts by The Go-Go’s, Peter Frampton, The Temptations, The Four Tops and Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons.
Symphony lovers will enjoy performances by the National Symphony Orchestra with “Tcheers to Tchaikovsky,” and “Three Broadway Divas.”
Tickets are on sale now for many shows. For a full list of the summer concert series and ticket availability, see wolftrap.org.
Make plans for a great night (or two) under the stars where, as Wolf Trap says, “the arts come out to play.”
Showing properties
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$809,900 : 1433 Towlston Rd, Vienna5 beds, 3 full, 1 part baths
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$710,000 : 1711 Jumper Ct, Vienna4 beds, 3 full baths
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$998,000 : 9816 Spring Ridge Ln, Vienna6 beds, 4 full, 1 part baths
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$675,000 : 9615 Cinnamon Creek Dr, Vienna4 beds, 3 full, 1 part baths
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$799,000 : 1338 Stokley Way, Vienna5 beds, 3 full, 1 part baths
Listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Read full disclaimer.
$269,900 :: 8798 Newington Commons Rd, Lorton VA, 22079
2 beds, 1 full, 1 part baths
Home size: 1,135 sq ft
Lot Size: 1,135 sq ft
Added: , Last Updated: 10/27/10
Property Type: Residential for Sale, Townhouse for Sale
MLS Number: FX7440984
Listed with RE/MAX Choice
Brought to you by Will Nesbitt, Condo Alexandria. Call me today at 703 765 0300, or visit my website at www.nesbittrealty.com!
Biking the Mount Vernon Trail
Julie and I rented bikes in Old Town last week. We then biked the Mount Vernon Trail to Mount Vernon and back. The trail here is pleasant with some ups and downs that can be a little challenging, but not too tough. The views along the river and through the forest are great. Along the way the trail passes through the Dyke Marsh. We stopped there to take some pictures and drink some water.
.jpg "Dyke Marsh along Mt Vernon Trail (1)")
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- Mount Vernon Trail crossing Little Hunting Creek
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- Banks of the Potomac near Mount Vernon
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- Nina’s Dandy plying the Potomac
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- Potomac River near Stratford Landing
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.jpg "Waterfront in Old Town Alexandria VA")
- at the Potomac River in Alexandria VA
Will Nesbitt is the principal broker of Condo Alexandria.
.JPG "Will Nesbitt at the canal")
Will Nesbitt is the principal broker of Condo Alexandria.
Julie in Spring of 2010
Julie Nesbitt is one of the hard-working real estate professionals at Condo Alexandria. As many people know, she’s a force behind much of what gets done here. We snapped a few publicity photos of her this Spring. Which one do you like best?
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- Julie Nesbitt
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- Julie Nesbitt
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- Julie Nesbitt
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- Julie Nesbitt
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- Julie Nesbitt
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- Julie Nesbitt
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- Julie Nesbitt
The day my neighborhood crushed me …
When I was a youngster baseball was impossible in our suburban neighborhood. Hardballs and windows are a bad combination. From time to time, we played wiffle ball (often with a paper and tape ball), but almost every day we played football. We played football in the front yard, in the back yard, in the street and in the school yard. We played football almost any where you could find a level patch of ground.
To look at my stomach now you might not guess it, but I was pretty dern quick in those days. Or as my brother once said at a football game in our twenties, “You were never as fast as you used to be.”
Although I was a Redskin fan, my favorite player was Fran Tarkenton the scrambling quarterback. Like Fran Tarkenton I used my fleet feet and threw the ball. Each time I scored a touchdown or made a gain, I got a little better in my mind. Eventually, I began to think of myself as the total package. No one could tackle me in the open field. No one
… or so I thought.
The pinnacle of my arrogance came one day when I challenged the entire neighborhood to a game of football.
“That’s right. On one side, it’s me. On the other team are all you losers.”
A couple of my Facebook buddies, including my brother Eric and Chuck S., were there that day, though perhaps they don’t remember the day as well as I do. They started by kicking the ball off to me. I caught the ball and started down field. A half-dozen redneck children and a black kid charged downfield at me. I gave a limp leg here and a stiff arm there, spin move and then a leap, but ended up under a pile of kids.
No worries, four downs to get that ball in there. I stood at the line of scrimmage and was already realizing a number of life’s most valuable lessons.
On one side of the line of scrimmage was me, all by myself. On the other side of the line of scrimmage were friends and neighbors and my younger brother—all of them grinning. I looked left and right. No blockers. No receivers. I barked out a snap count to … myself and took off.
They buried me.
A game of backyard football
Okay. Same play, but this time, I’ll run left.
They buried me.
A third time they buried me. “Well, I guess I’ll have to punt?” A couple of them dropped back to catch the punt.
I snapped the ball … to myself but it was a fake punt! “Take that losers! Open field here I come.”
They buried me again. After turning the ball over on downs, I had to face them on defense.
My friend Chuck wasn’t much a football strategist. He was more of an elbow in the gut when he tackled you kind of player rather than a finger in the dust tactician. But even Chuck spotted the small flaw in my defensive strategy. “Who are you going to cover?”
Life is a better teacher than any classroom. I learned a valuable lesson about arrogance, but more importantly I learned that it doesn’t matter how good you think you are … you still need a team.
 Will Nesbitt |
About the Author — Will Nesbitt is the principal broker of Condo Alexandria / Will Nesbitt Realty LLC. Will is a realtor who specializes in condos, townhouses and single family real estate in Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax County, Crystal City, and Kingstowne. Will resides in Belle Haven Estates just outside Alexandria VA in Fairfax County. |
