Bill Text: VA SJR225 | 2024 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Commending Bucknell Elementary School.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2024-03-07 - Bill text as passed Senate and House (SJ225ER) [SJR225 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2024-SJR225-Introduced.html
WHEREAS, Bucknell Elementary School, an outstanding public primary school in Fairfax County, celebrates its 70th anniversary in 2024; and
WHEREAS, Bucknell Elementary School is the smallest elementary school in Fairfax County, serving approximately 300 students; the school includes seven preschool classrooms and accommodates students with autism, students with disabilities, and students from low-income households; and
WHEREAS, 60 percent of the student body at Bucknell Elementary School is Hispanic, and many students speak Spanish at home; nearly the same percentage of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, meaning their family's income is very close to the federal poverty guidelines; and
WHEREAS, in 2015, state officials worked with a private donor, Cox Communications, and Christian Relief Services to deliver 120 new laptop computers for students to check out; this was one of the earliest one-to-one computer programs in Fairfax County, and was particularly notable because many of the other programs were at schools serving more affluent populations; and
WHEREAS, the schedule at Bucknell Elementaty School includes Bulldog Time, a 30-minute block of time that gives every student a chance to receive individual or small-group support and academic intervention in math or reading, as well as extension activities for students who are at or above grade level; and
WHEREAS, family involvement is a key part of the instructional program at Bucknell Elementary School; the school recently formed its first-ever parent-teacher association and plans many family activities, including field trips to the zoo and to a Washington Nationals baseball game; and
WHEREAS, the Bucknell Elementary School Parent Center is open daily and serves as a community and educational resource for parents, as well as a place where parents can sign up for volunteer opportunities; and
WHEREAS, building relationships across the grade levels is a benefit of Bucknell Elementary School's small size; sixth graders are paired with preschoolers for mentorship opportunities, and students can match with other peer mentors at West Potomac High School to receive homework help and school-success coaching; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend Bucknell Elementary School on the occasion of its 70th anniversary; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Bucknell Elementary School as an expression of the General Assembly's admiration for its service to generations of students in Fairfax County.
