[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 14]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 20021]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




     TO RECOGNIZE THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF MANTUA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

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                        HON. GERALD E. CONNOLLY

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 13, 2011

  Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 
50th Anniversary of Mantua Elementary School. For half a century, 
Mantua Elementary has provided its students with a superior education 
and a solid foundation for lifelong learning and becoming productive 
and responsible citizens.
  The school and community have a shared vision for elementary 
education based on Ernest Boyer's ``Basic School'' philosophy paired 
with tenets from DuFour's Professional Learning Communities. As part of 
the Basic School Network, Mantua focuses on proven elementary best 
practices; the school as a community, a curriculum with coherence, a 
climate for learning, and a commitment to character. Teachers and 
specialists at each grade level work in professional learning teams to 
assess their students' needs and design integrated curricula using the 
Basic School's eight commonalities: life cycle, use of symbols, group 
membership, time and space, the aesthetic, nature, producing and 
consuming, and living with purpose.
  In addition, Mantua Elementary School offers programs in English for 
Speakers of Other Languages, Special Education for students who need 
additional assistance, Advanced Academics for exceptionally gifted and 
talented students, and Total Communication for students who are deaf or 
hearing impaired. These specialized programs when combined with the 
school's core educational philosophy ensure that every student is given 
access to a quality education. The result has been an award winning 
school and a vibrant, academically charged atmosphere that has enabled 
the children of our community to excel.
  Mantua Elementary School has greatly benefitted under the leadership 
of its principal, Ms. Jan-Marie Fernandez, who has held this position 
since 2000. Ms. Fernandez is credited with applying brain-based 
research to instruction methods in order to improve literacy 
development for students with learning disabilities, and focus and 
attention issues. This innovative approach was one factor in Ms. 
Fernandez being named the 2010 Distinguished Principal by the Virginia 
Association of Elementary School Principals. As the parent of a child 
who attended Mantua Elementary School, I have personally witnessed her 
effectiveness as an administrator and an educator. She has led this 
large, very diverse school to great success and I thank her for her 
dedication and commitment to the students and to the community as a 
whole.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in recognizing Mantua 
Elementary School on the occasion of its 50th Anniversary and in 
congratulating the students, educators, administrators, and parents on 
working together as a team for the benefit of all.

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