n LOUDOUN
Pg. 4 | n LEESBURG
VOL. 7, NO. 48
Pg. 8 | n EDUCATION
Pg. 12 | n OBITUARIES
Pg. 32 | n PUBLIC NOTICES
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Pg. 34
OCTOBER 20, 2022
Student Tests Approaching Pre-pandemic Levels BY ALEXIS GUSTIN
agustin@loudounnow.com
Standards of Learning scores, graduation rates and Measures of Academic Progress show Loudoun students’ scores from last school year are still below pre-pandemic achievement but improving. According to school district staff’s presentation, the figures show the division is high performing and has an above average achievement overall, but areas of improvement included achievement levels and growth for students with disabilities and English learners and as well as on time graduation rates for some student groups. Loudoun County Public Schools Director of Research Assessment Ryan Tyler pointed out that SOL participation rates are returning to pre-pandemic levels. He said pass rates in 2020-21 may have been impacted by low participation. He noted participation numbers for that year were in the high 60s to SCHOOL PARTICIPATION continues on page 46
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Loudoun Youth Advisory Council members Cindana Saibaba and Nikhita Kuninti tie-dye t-shirts at Tie Dye 4 Democracy Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022.
Tie-Dye 4 Democracy Gets Gen Z Involved BY RENSS GREENE
rgreene@loudounnow.com
Over the weekend, a passionate young voting advocate gathered educators, businesses, elected officials and young people for a party at Algonkian Regional Park to tie-dye T-shirts and get Gen Z involved in their democracy. Tie Dye 4 Democracy on Oct. 15
featured food, music, volunteer organizations, tie-dying and voter registration, along with sponsors Grow Landscapes and George Washington University’s College of Professional Studies. It also featured an organizer with a lifelong passion for voting. Trinity Kimberly has been going to the polls—in themed costume—with her parents since long before she could vote herself. She credited her
parents and teachers for her passion today. “I had all of these little costume-y type outfits that I would wear to Election Day—it was always a very big important thing to me. I started being involved at a very young age,” she said. Her parents would take her to rallies, too—she TIE-DYE DEMOCRACY continues on page 47
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