Dear Providence Residents,
As COVID-19 vaccinations continue in our community, the Fairfax Health Department has launched a series of new technology solutions to help residents further understand their vaccine registration status and vaccine data. These new tools include:
The new Data Dashboard highlights key indicators of progress and status in the Fairfax Health District including:
- Current registration date now being scheduled for vaccines administered by the Health Department.
- The number of people remaining on the waitlist and total number of people registered.
- Weekly vaccine doses received from the Virginia Department of Heath and number vaccinated by Fairfax County.
- Total number of doses received from the Virginia Department of Health since distribution began.
- Total number of doses administered (first and second doses) by Fairfax County.
More than 110,000 people have been vaccinated in Fairfax (administered by both the Health Department and their vaccination partners). Because only a small percentage of people have received the vaccine, we must continue to be diligent and follow the same protocols that have proven to slow the spread of COVID-19.
You can find the following Providence District updates in this week's edition of the newsletter:
- COVID-19 Vaccine Updates
- Providence District Celebrates Black History Month
- Healthcare.gov Special Enrollment Period
- Mosby Woods Elementary to be Renamed to Mosaic Elementary
- Transportation Update
- Invitation for Public Input on the Fairfax Circle Re-Design
- Seeking Members for the Board of Zoning Appeals
- Fairfax Water Assistance
- COVID-19 Vaccine Conversation
- Climate Planning Public Meetings
- Featured Events
I hope this newsletter finds you and your family safe and well.
With Gratitude,
Supervisor Dalia Palchik
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Before and After Receiving the COVID-19 Vaccine
For the residents that are still waiting to receive their vaccine, there may be some questions about what happens during and after your appointment. Here are some tips to help you understand what to expect when you get vaccinated, what information you will receive and the resources you can use after vaccination to monitor your health.
At the time of Vaccination:
When you scheduled your appointment, you received an electronic version of a fact sheet that tells you more about the specific COVID-19 vaccine you are being offered (Pfizer fact sheet; Moderna fact sheet). Each authorized COVID-19 vaccine has its own fact sheet that contains information to help you understand the risks and benefits of receiving that specific vaccine.
You will receive a vaccination card that tells you which COVID-19 vaccine you received, the date you received it, and where you received it and, if your first vaccine, it will list the recommended date for your next dose. Keep your vaccine card. You will need it for your second dose and to show your doctor.
All people who get a COVID-19 vaccine are monitored on-site for 15 to 30 minutes to watch for any allergic reactions.
After Vaccination:
Following vaccination, you may experience pain or swelling in the arm where you got the shot. You may also get a fever, have chills, feel tired or get a headache. These are normal symptoms. If they don’t resolve in a few days, contact your healthcare provider. With both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, you will need two shots to be fully vaccinated.
If you got your shot with Fairfax County Health Department, you will get an invite to schedule your second dose 4 to 7 days before it is due. Get the second shot, even if you had mild or moderate side effects after the first dose. IF you had a more severe reaction, talk with your doctor about getting the second dose.
If you get your shot at with Fairfax County Health Department, you may get your first shot at one clinic location while your second shot is offered at another of the health department’s clinic locations. This occurs because the Health Department is now using both Pfizer and Moderna vaccine and typically only provides one of these vaccines per clinic site.
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The Providence District Celebrates Black History Month |
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The Founding of Luther Jackson High School
In March 1948, a delegation of African-American residents of Fairfax County addressed the School Board and presented a resolution which expressed in detail the community’s desire that a high school for African-American children be constructed in Fairfax County. In October 1948, FCPS Superintendent W. T. Woodson presented the School Board with a list of new schools he felt would need to be constructed in Fairfax County in the near future. Superintendent Woodson’s list included the construction of a new high school for African-American children within five to ten years at an estimated cost of $700,000.
In June 1945 there were 8,235 children enrolled in Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) at 42 schools. By June 1949 enrollment had increased to 12,118 children, but there were still only 42 schools in operation. A school bond referendum was held on May 30, 1950, and Fairfax County voters, by a margin of 2-1, approved $10.5 million in emergency school construction. However, the sale of the bonds was held up for one year due to a lawsuit contesting the validity of the bond issue. The lawsuit delayed the desperately-needed construction of 18 new schools and additions to 20 schools.
The search for a location for the new high school began in November 1949. Sites along Shreve Road near Falls Church, Route 236 at Woodburn Road, and in Fairfax near present day George Mason University were considered, but ultimately a site in Merrifield on Gallows Road was chosen. In August 1951, with the assistance of the Tinner family of Falls Church, the School Board entered into an agreement to purchase 14.4 acres of land from Ottomarius Enid Stone Faison. An additional 6.5 acres of land was acquired from the Seoane family in February 1952.
The naming process for the high school at Merrifield began in July 1953. Two names were suggested early in the process: William A. West (a former FCPS teacher and resident of Vienna, Virginia who helped found the Fairfax County chapter of the N.A.A.C.P.) and Dr. Luther Porter Jackson. The majority of the community favored the name Luther P. Jackson, and the School Board officially named the school for him on December 1, 1953. Luther Jackson High School opened on September 1, 1954. The school’s dedication ceremony was held on Sunday, April 17, 1955.
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Healthcare.gov Special Enrollment Period |
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As a result of the COVID-19 crisis, millions of Americans have lost their employer-provided health insurance.
The Biden administration’s decision to open a Special Enrollment Period will ensure that all Virginians have the opportunity to get covered once again if they lost their benefits during the pandemic. This Special Enrollment Period is open now through May 15th, so visit HealthCare.gov to determine your eligibility and find a plan that works for you. You can also call 1-800-318-2596 to speak to someone about your options. You may be eligible for tax credits or other assistance to help lower your insurance costs.
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Mosby Woods Elementary to be Renamed to Mosaic |
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Last night, the School Board voted to rename Mosby Woods Elementary School to Mosaic Elementary School by the start of the 2021-22 school year. The motion was made by our Providence District School Board Representative, Karl Frisch. We've included a part of his comments to the School Board below:
"In a letter last year, many of Mosby’s descendants – his great-great and great-great-great grandchildren -- endorsed this Board’s effort to change the school’s name, writing:
'In the interest of furthering the mission you are already engaged in of maintaining an inclusive environment for all students, we hope that your institution will follow the precedent set by Justice High and change the name of your school to something that does not include the name of our ancestor.'
In the FCPS strategic plan, we commit to fostering a responsive, caring, and inclusive culture. We cannot live up to that standard when students attend schools named in honor of the confederacy. And so, this Board voted to change the Mosby Woods name." -Karl Frisch, Providence District School Board Representative
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Winter Driving and Riding
Sign up for Fairfax County Emergency Alerts here. To report hazardous road conditions, call VDOT’s Customer Service Center at 1-800-367-7623 or visit online
The latest road conditions, closures, and snow plowing information may be found at:
Sign up for Fairfax Connector alerts at:
When snow and/or ice are predicted, drivers are asked to be alert to brine tankers and to give them room, as they move slowly to spray salt water solution on the pavement. Pretreatment will help prevent ice from bonding and assist crews with snow and ice removal at a storm’s onset. Crews have about 2,000 lane miles of interstates and primary routes in Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun and Prince William counties to pre-treat. Learn more.
Where possible, park in driveways or on a single side of the street to allow a wider path for plows.
Metro Annual Budget
The public is invited to participate in the Metro annual budget process which gets underway Feb. 20, 2021 when the Public Comment period opens and closes on March 16, 2021, and from March 8 through 10, 2021 at five public hearings. The Metro Board will adopt a final budget in April. (This link to submit comments does not go live until Saturday, Feb. 20, 2021.)
Metro faces a significant budget shortfall due to a decrease in ridership caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Federal funding legislation passed by Congress in 2020 allowed Metro to avoid layoffs, continue providing essential service and prepare for transit ridership to return. However, even with the additional funding, there’s not enough money to fill the entire budget gap for the Fiscal Year 2022 budget that begins July 1, 2021.
Metro is working with the local Congressional delegation to secure additional funding to continue providing service as the region comes back to work. But service cuts remain a looming threat, and Metro must plan accordingly.
The proposed FY22 budget maintains current rail service levels and increases bus service throughout the region in a staggered approach through the end of 2021. If additional financial resources are not secured, the proposed budget considers service cuts and workforce reductions beginning in January 2022 in order to fill the budget shortfall.
More information about Metro’s proposed budget may be found here.
I-66 Construction
Drivers exiting I-66 West to Nutley Street North and South will find a new, temporary ramp for both directions of traffic. Drivers heading to southbound Nutley will use a temporary traffic signal to turn left onto Nutley, and drivers heading to northbound Nutley will stay to the right. These changes are needed for reconstruction of the Nutley Street Interchange as part of the Transform 66 Outside the Beltway Project and will remain in place for approximately 18 months. When construction is complete, the interchange will feature two roundabouts, which will provide safer, more efficient travel for vehicles entering and exiting I-66, and improve safety for vehicles and pedestrians traveling on Nutley.
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Invitation for Public Input on the Fairfax Circle Re-Design |
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Do you walk, bike, drive, or ride the bus through this intersection? Do you visit nearby businesses? Do you find this intersection difficult or easy to use? No matter how you use the intersection, the City of Fairfax wants your input. The vision developed this spring will set the stage for a longer process to select and implement a preferred design and alternatives for Fairfax Circle (the “hamburger” shaped intersection of Route 50, Route 29, and Old Lee Highway).
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Biking With a New Young Rider |
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The Washington Area Bicyclist Association is holding a free virtual 45-minute webinar on biking with a new rider on Feb. 23, 2021 at 6:30 p.m. Topics like deciding where to ride, how to help your new rider go further and faster, and challenges will be covered. Questions may be submitted in advance by emailing [email protected]. Register in advance for the webinar at this link.
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Seeking Members for the Board of Zoning Appeals |
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Fairfax County is looking for two members for the Board of Zoning Appeals. Members meet weekly and their duties include making decisions on zoning cases, special permit applications and more. One position will be effective until April 15, 2023, and the other position will be effective for a full five-year term. Applications must be submitted by Monday, March 1, 2021. For more details on the duties of the Board of Zoning Appeals and how to apply, please visit: https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/publicaffairs/fairfax-county-seeks-two-members-board-zoning-appeals-apply-march-1
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Fairfax Water Assistance: Apply today! |
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Need help paying your Fairfax Water bill? Eligible residents can apply for assistance through the COVID-19 Municipal Utility Relief Program. Apply today! Funds are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Drinking water and wastewater utilities provide a critical service to the community, especially during a pandemic. To provide financial relief for customers in need, Fairfax Water is working with Fairfax County, the City of Falls Church, and the City of Fairfax to administer funds received from the Commonwealth of Virginia’s COVID-19 Municipal Utility Relief Program. An application is available on Fairfax Water’s website at bit.ly/FWoptions. To qualify, you must meet certain eligibility requirements, attest that you are experiencing financial hardship due to the coronavirus public health emergency, and submit an application to Fairfax Water. Funds are available on a first-come, first-served basis, so please apply soon.
For additional assistance, call Fairfax Water’s customer service department to discuss payment options. The call center is available weekdays, 8:00am - 6:00pm at 703.698.5800 (TTY 711).
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COVID-19 Vaccine Conversations |
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The Department of Family Services, Fairfax Area Agency on Aging in partnership with the Fairfax Health Department will be hosting a community conversation in Spanish to share information on the COVID-19 vaccine. Join us for this informational session on Friday, February 26, 12-1:00p.m. Our guest speaker, Dr. René Nájera, epidemiologist from the Fairfax Health Department will provide information and answer questions about the COVID-19 vaccine. |
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Climate Planning Public Meetings |
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Black History Month Events |
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Teen Open Mic Night Tuesday, February 23, 2021 from 4-6pm. Celebrate black history and experience with Fairfax's talented teens at our Teen Open Mic Night, live on Zoom! All Ages are welcome to view. Registration is required (R).
A Zoom link to this event will be emailed to registrants. Teens in grades 7-12 are invited to perform a piece inspired by a black leader of any kind. Performances can include reciting poetry, reading excerpts, singing, dancing, describing artwork, acting, and more! https://librarycalendar.fairfaxcounty.gov/event/7431586
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We want to hear from you! Please reach out to us with questions, comments or just to say hello.
Office Phone: (703) 560-6946
Email us HERE if you would like events included in our newsletter or you would like a member of our team to join your HOA meeting.
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