Report (M.S.)--Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1994. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 52-53). Also available via the Internet.

Thesis (Ed. D.)--Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1995. / Vita. Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 116-122). Also available via the Internet.

Contaminant fate and transport are two of the most important issues project officers have to deal with when developing a sound remediation strategy for a subsurface contamination site. To accurately assess these issues, knowledge of possible pathways, travel times and groundwater receptors are required. A groundwater flow model of a site facilitates the assessment process by determining flow paths, discharge areas and travel time from a contaminant source to a potential receptor. The resulting model can also be used to show potential impacts on drinking water sources and surface habitats. This project is Phase II of the proposed three phase project, Groundwater Flow Modeling of the Aquifer System at Ft. Belvoir (Widdowson, 1998). Phase I consisted of developing a conceptual model of the aquifer system, recommending a modeling strategy and developing a data collection strategy. The objectives of this phase are to design and construct a computer simulation of the groundwater flow system in the aquifers below Ft. Belvoir and to develop a strategy for improved data collection using the results of the model. Steps in this phase included creation of the numerical model, calibration to known water surface elevations, and a sensitivity analysis of the boundary conditions. The numerical model was created in the Department of Defense Groundwater Modeling System environment using MODFLOW. The model was calibrated to pre-1970 wells for the deep aquifer and recent site characterization wells for the upper aquifer. The head distribution was influenced the greatest by topography and the major creeks. Accuracy of the well surface elevations played a major role in the calibration process, as well as tidal influences. A sensitivity analysis showed that adjusting the recharge and the seepage face parameters affected the model results (head and groundwater flow rates) the greatest. While adjusting the constant head and general head boundaries affected the model results the least. / Master of Science

Current research and national studies reflect concerns about the quality of differentiated education that is offered to gifted and talented students. Fairfax County Public Schools, in Virginia, has made a commitment to providing differentiated education to gifted and talented students, as mandated by the Virginia Legislature in the Virginia Standards of Quality. This study investigated differences in selected curriculum and student characteristics in Area I English classes in Fairfax County Public Schools, with a focus on four research questions, as follows: 1. Is there a difference in the instructional objectives of regular and gifted classes? 2. Is there a difference in teacher expectations in regular and gifted classes? 3. Is there a difference in parent expectations in regular and gifted classes? 4. Is there a difference in selected student characteristics and expectations in regular and gifted classes? Classroom observations, using four measures, and surveys of students, teachers, and parents were conducted. In addition, the six subtests of the Biographical Inventory for Creativity, seven subtests of the Scientific Research Associates (SRA) test, two subtests of the Differential Aptitude (DAT) test, and grade point averages (GPA) were used to assess differences. An analysis of twenty-three variables using chi-square, t-tests (one sample and pooled), multivariate tests of significance, and analyses of variance revealed that some differences do exist between regular and gifted English curriculum characteristics and students. Results of classroom observations indicated that there is a difference in two measures of curriculum (content and quality of time spent on content) in gifted and regular English classes. There was no statistical significance in the other two measures, teacher expectation and response to content. Surveys of students, teachers, and parents reflected significant differences in perceptions of the curriculum in regular and gifted classes. Results of the Biographical Inventory indicated that there were differences in five of the six measures: academic performance, creativity, leadership, educational orientation, and vocational maturity. There was no significant difference in the sixth measure, artistic potential. There were statistically significant differences in all seven subtests of the SRA (reading, math, language, reference materials, social studies, science, and ability) and both subtests of the DAT (spatial relations and mechanical reasoning). There were also differences found in GPA. / Ed. D.

Prior to 1954, blacks in Fairfax County who wanted to receive an education beyond the seventh grade were bussed by the county to Manassas Regional High School in Prince William County or independently attended Dunbar High School, Phelps Vocational Center, Cardoza High School or Armstrong High School in Washington, D.C. The purpose of this dissertation was to describe, record and analyze the events and actions that led to the establishment, operation, desegregation and eventual demise of Luther P. Jackson High School, the first and on1y high school for blacks in Fairfax County, Virginia. This study provides useful information to the Fairfax County School System. The population for the study consisted of representatives from community and civil rights leaders, school administrators, students, teachers and secretaries who were involved with Luther P. Jackson at various stages of its existence. / Ed. D.

The three professions of planning, architecture, and urban design, tend to work separately, but in fact, they are related. The disciplines are combined in this project to illustrate a comprehensive approach to land development. The project presented here integrates planning, architecture, and urban design, and provides a variety of housing types atypical in suburban development. It also illustrates several housing types on a specific site, utilizing the planning, zoning and subdivision regulations of the two jurisdictions. / Master of Architecture

The purpose of this study is to document how much time teachers in a large suburban school district expend on their professional responsibilities at home and at school. The study also documents the time usage and allocation through the relationships of teaching experience and teaching grade level assignment. Fairfax County Public Schools and all school systems are facing increasing demands for educational reform. Teacher responsibilities have continued to increase with many current reform initiatives. Consequently the associated time for reform implementation, with increased demands is not limitless. Current time usage documentation is important data needed in future educational reform decisions. Two hundred and thirty-one randomly selected teachers completed a questionnaire regarding the time spent working in an average week for Fairfax County Public Schools. The results of this study are reported in total time spent on tasks associated with their professional responsibility both at home and school; and time spent specifically on; individual planning, group/team planning, assessment, instructional contact, career and staff development and parent communication. The mean hours per week reported in this survey was fifty-nine hours per week. T-Tests comparisons revealed Significant differences in three categories at the .10 level of confidence; first year teachers spend less time in staff development, middle school teachers spend more time in team planning and elementary teachers spend less time in team planning. There were no significant findings in any other areas of data analysis. T-Tests were utilized to examine Significant differences in time distribution between means in the following demographic areas; years of teaching experience and grade level assignment. Reviews of literature reveal a few studies of teacher time documentation exist in England and West Germany. This study is one of the first in the United States documenting teacher time usage in a large suburban school district. The interpretive results from this study provide data for strategic planning for educational reform and suggest areas for further research in teacher time usage. / Ed. D.

This study was an investigation of the beliefs, values, and attitudes of black students which guide their behavior. The cultural factors investigated included: student occupational and educational aspirations; student academic strategies; and people and.forces impacting upon student beliefs. The purpose was to determine if the characteristics of a caste minority, as defined by Ogbu, were exhibited by the black students in a relatively affluent school district. Ethnographic methods were selected for data collection and analysis. Participants in the study were 46 black students attending a small, intermediate school and their teachers, counselors, parents, peers, and significant others. Findings indicate that the black students seem to be part of a modified caste system. They had high occupational aspirations but perceived a "secondary job ceiling", requiring them to be better qualified than whites competing for the same job. Few students who aspired to professional or celebrity careers were aware of the training, discipline, and good fortune needed to achieve their goals, and few of them selected school strategies to promote academic success. Parents spoke of their belief in education but were frequently unable to translate their belief into active support for students. Teachers exhibited a lack of knowledge of the black student culture and attributed black underachievement to cultural deprivation and lack of parental concern. Educational planners must be aware of the difficulties faced by black students in selecting goals and strategies and need to develop and reorient programs to assist black students in crossing cultural barriers. / Ed. D.

No description available.

The Fairfax County Public Schools and neighboring business/industry have perhaps one of the oldest and most satisfactory school/business partnerships in Virginia. A case study was made of the Fairfax County Public Schools School/Business Partnership to identify factors that make a partnership work and to provide information to assist a school system or business/industry interested in the establishment of a partnership. The population for this case study research was made up of school system and business/industry persons who had first-hand knowledge of the partnership. To begin the study a document search of the files and program was made. This document search resulted in a set of interview schedules which were then administered to the stakeholders. Data resulting from these schedules were coded and reported in narrative form. Results indicated that commitment from top level management from both the school system and business/industry to the partnership, a project of major proportion, and a program designed in a way to permit mutual pursuit of the goals of the partners are important if the partnership is to work. / Ed. D.