Wilbert Tucker Woodson High School

Wilbert Tucker Woodson High School
Established 1962
School Type Public high school
Principal Carlyn Floyd
Location Fairfax
Homepage [1]

Wilbert Tucker Woodson High School is a public high school in Fairfax.

The school is named in honor of Wilbert T. Woodson, who was the superintendent of Fairfax County Public Schools from 1929 to 1961.

Funding for what was then called the Fairfax-Wakefield High School was part of the hotly-contested $26 million school construction bond referendum approved by county voters on May 31, 1960.[1]

Despite having a rule prohibiting the naming of schools after living persons, the Fairfax County School Board named the still-unbuilt school for Superintendent Woodson at their meeting of December 20, 1960.[2]

Emory W. Chesley was the first principal of Woodson, serving until 1965.

On August 18, 2014, principal Jeff Yost announced that he would be retiring from the school in September.[3] Dan Meier took over as interim principal following Yost's retirement.

Lanier Middle School principal Scott F. Poole took over as principal of Woodson on April 13, 2015.[4] In August 2017, Poole was named principal of Chantilly High School.

Dr. Carlyn Floyd became principal on October 2, 2017.[5]

Suicides

Over the three years from 2011 to 2014, six Woodson students committed suicide.[6][7]

On January 20, 2011, 15-year-old Nick Stuban, who had been suspended for purchasing a capsule of the then-legal cannabinoid JWH-18 and was facing expulsion, killed himself.[8]

Cameron Kilby killed himself on August 4, 2012.[6]

17-year-old Bryan Glenn hanged himself in Mantua Park on October 1, 2012. His corpse was not discovered until a week later, on October 8.[9][10]

Following Glenn's death, public discussion of whether there was a problem at Woodson began circulating.

On April 23, 2013, 16-year-old Ethan Griffith jumped off a parking garage at the Annandale campus of Northern Virginia Community College.[6]

15-year-old Jack Chen committed suicide early on the morning of February 26, 2014 when he allowed a Virginia Railway Express train to strike him in Fairfax Station.[11]

Shortly after Chen's death, a sixth Woodson student, junior Majid Albaiz, died on February 28.[12][13]

References

  1. ↑ "Arlington School Bond Advocates Spurred by Vote in Fairfax County." The Washington Post, Times Herald (1959-1973): 1. Jun 02 1960. ProQuest. Web. 11 Dec. 2017.
  2. ↑ "High School Named for Woodson." The Washington Post, Times Herald (1959-1973): 1. Dec 21 1960. ProQuest. Web. 13 Dec. 2017.
  3. ↑ Shapiro, T. Rees. "Woodson Principal Announces Retirement." Washington Post. The Washington Post, 18 Aug. 2014. Web. 25 Aug. 2014.
  4. ↑ Shapiro, T. Rees. "New Principal to Take the Helm at Woodson High." Washington Post. The Washington Post, 30 Mar. 2015. Web. 28 Feb. 2016.
  5. ↑ Ivey, Frances W. "Welcome Dr. Floyd as WT Woodson Principal."W.T. Woodson High School. Fairfax County Public Schools, 28 Sept. 2017. Web. 13 Dec. 2017.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Jouvenal, Justin, and T. Rees Shapiro. "After Six Woodson High Suicides, Fairfax County School Community Searches for Solace and Answers." The Washington Post. WP Company, 11 Apr. 2014. Web. 26 Feb. 2017.
  7. ↑ Coker, Hillary Crosley. "Why Have 6 Students Committed Suicide in 3 Years at Woodson High?" Jezebel. Jezebel.com, 14 Apr. 2014. Web. 26 Feb. 2017.
  8. ↑ St. George, Donna. "Suicide Turns Attention to Fairfax Discipline Procedures." The Washington Post. WP Company, 20 Feb. 2011. Web. 26 Feb. 2017.
  9. ↑ Shapiro, T. Rees. "Body Found during Search for Missing Teen in Fairfax." The Washington Post. WP Company, 08 Oct. 2012. Web. 26 Feb. 2017.
  10. ↑ Jackman, Tom. "Missing Fairfax Student Committed Suicide, Medical Examiner Rules." The Washington Post. WP Company, 25 Feb. 2013. Web. 26 Feb. 2017.
  11. ↑ Hedgpeth, Dana. "Fairfax Teen Fatally Struck by VRE Train; Some Service Canceled." The Washington Post. WP Company, 26 Feb. 2014. Web. 23 Feb. 2017.
  12. ↑ Hambrick, Greg. "Second Student Death This Week for Woodson High Community." Fairfax City, VA Patch. Patch, 28 Feb. 2014. Web. 26 Feb. 2017.
  13. ↑ Ashford, Ellie. "Woodson Community Mourns Two Students." The Annandale Blog. Ellie Ashford, 01 Mar. 2014. Web. 26 Feb. 2017.

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