Friends of Sangley Elementary School

I would like to introduce you to Mrs. Monet Villanueva.  Monet is principal of the Sangley Elementary School, formerly the John Paul Jones School.  Mrs. Monet was installed as the Acting Principal in February of 2005 and has been working hard on behalf of her students and to provide them a quality education.  As of June 13th she was completely engaged in the start of the new school year.

Monet’s husband Roel contacted me a few months ago asking if I was interested in the status of the school today.  Roel and Monet sent me these amazing pictures.  I was particularly struck by the picture of one of the elementary school classes and its amazing resemblance to one of my class in my yearbook.  I think they were taken in the same room. 

Personally, I was stunned to see that the school was still active.  I am placing these pictures on this page for a few purposes.  First, I believe most of you will be interested in the pictures of our former school as it exists now.  I have looked at the pictures in my yearbook so many times they are almost second nature.  These new pictures bring back the scale and setting of the school in a way that old pictures, which have become so well known, cannot.

I am passing on an appeal.  Roel is a contractor working on projects unrelated to the school.  However, when his wife took over as acting principal, he got a look at the state of the buildings.  I am including some of the pictures he took.  It appears that in some cases, not much maintenance has been done to the building since we left about a million years ago.  It is Roel’s educated opinion that in some places the repair issues have created a danger to the students.  I have some pictures of the maintenance issues.  I would not want my child coping with these problems while trying to get an education.   I am joining an effort by Roel and his Rotary Club to solicit donations that will be passed directly to Mrs. Villanueva for the purpose of improving the school in any way she believes is appropriate.

 

If you are interested in this project and have an idea, or better yet, a check or money order I’ll be happy to forward them to the school.  100% of your donation will go directly to the Sangley Elementary School.

    Please send correspondence to:

            John Carpenter

            4107 Wynnwood Drive

            Annandale, VA 22003 

 

If you have questions feel free to e-mail me at

        John.Carpenter@msb.edu

 

If you are interested in this project and have an idea, or better yet, a check or money order I’ll be happy to forward them to the school.  100% of your donation will go directly to the Sangley Elementary School.

Below are pictures of some of the damage we intend to repair given sufficient resources.

Do you remember walking these halls?  They could use some sprucing up. 

The sunsets are just as nice as I remember.