Poplar Tree Elementary School
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Poplar Tree Elementary School | |
 |
|
|
What we believe, is what we achieve.... so soar!
|
|
| Location | |
|---|---|
| 13440 Melville Lane Chantilly, VA 20151 USA |
|
| Information | |
| School district | Fairfax County Public Schools |
| Principal | Sharon S. Williams |
| Type | public |
| Grades | K-6 |
| Established | 1990 |
| Information | (703) 633-7400 |
| Homepage | Link |
Poplar Tree Elementary School (PTES) is an elementary school in the Chantilly section of unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. As of 1996, the school had 830 students.[1]
The school was opened in 1990. During its construction, parts of the school building were struck by boulders ejected from blasting works 70 feet away. The boulders damaged part of the building's air conditioning system and a wall of the school's boiler room. The cost of the damage was $200,000. [2][3][4]
When it was first built, the school did not have a playground. The school's Parent-Teacher Association set up a playground fund and fundraising events included a fashion show. [5] They eventually raised $40,000, and the playground was built in 1993. However, it was destroyed in a fire on the morning of 27 February 1996.[1]
In 1993, the school was also the location of a controversy when a prayer box was placed in its teachers' lounge by members of a group affiliated to Moms in Touch International. Teachers were invited to place anonymous prayer requests into the box. According to Sandra Culmer, the school's principal at the time, no teachers or parents objected to the box, but several "concerned citizens" questioned its presence. The prayer group did not wish anyone to be offended by the box and they removed it upon these complaints.[6]
Mass murderer Seung-Hui Cho, who executed the Virginia Tech massacre, studied in the school from 1995 to 1997. He was one of only three Korean students enrolled at the time, and was good in English and mathematics. [7]
[edit] References
- ^ a b "Playground fire may have been set", The Washington Times, 27 February 1996, p. 2, C6.
- ^ Patricia Davis. "Construction Blasting Damages Fairfax School; Incident May Delay September Opening", The Washington Post, 10 July 1990, p. b04.
- ^ "Blasting damages new school (UPI)", Richmond Times-Dispatch, 10 July 1990, p. b-8.
- ^ "Blast mishap may delay opening of school", The Washington Times, 10 July 1990, p. 2, B2.
- ^ Maria DiGiulian. "Today", The Washington Times, 13 November 1990, p. 2, F2.
- ^ Tamara Jones. "Prayer Group Removes Box From School", The Washington Post, 9 December 1993, p. v04.
- ^ Lee Hyeon-gu. "Childhood friend recalls a different side of Cho", Joong Ang Ilbo, 20 April 2007.
