Community Corner

šŸŒ± Patch AM: Inside Herndonā€™s new high school built for robots and rocket science

Happening soon: The International Gem & Jewelry Show - Dulles, VA (August 2026) on the Herndon Patch calendar

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Thursday August 20th Patch AM
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Hi Herndon! We have the latest buzz right here. Let's keep you in the loop and get this morning started right! ☕️️

In today's newsletter:

  • Inside Herndon's new high school built for robots and rocket science
  • Could Herndon Middle's free after-school program start asking for money?
  • How a Herndon guard is earning a bigger role at Indiana

Also on today's calendar: The International Gem & Jewelry Show - Dulles, VA (August 2026) and 9 more events.

Today's riddle: Why do fish live in salt water? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

  • Thursday: Showers and a heavier t-storm, with a high of 81 and low of 67 degrees.
  • Friday: A shower and thunderstorm, temps: high: 79, low: 69.
  • Saturday: A shower and t-storm; humid, with a high of 83 and low of 65 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. Robots, rocket science and moon dirt: Take a look inside Fairfax's newest high school (wusa9.com) — Herndon-area families will soon have a brand-new option when Skyview High School opens Aug. 24 with a focus on aerospace, robotics, and advanced technology programs. Housed in a renovated former private school near Dulles, Skyview will start with about 1,000 students, offer hands-on projects from drones to lunar soil experiments, and help ease overcrowding at nearby high schools.
   

2. FCPS leaders seek compromise to keep middle school after-school program alive (ffxnow.com) — Families with students at Herndon Middle School could see changes to the free after-school program as Fairfax County leaders debate how to cover an $11 million annual cost. A proposed $300 fee was widely rejected, and officials are now exploring a voluntary, pay-what-you-can donation model and partnerships to keep access high without pricing kids out.
   

3. IU basketball summer in review: Darren Harris (insidethehall.com) — Herndon basketball standout Darren Harris is gearing up for a bigger role after transferring from Duke to Indiana, where coaches praise his quick-release shooting and growing versatility. Over summer exhibitions, he boosted his scoring and rebounding while showcasing more off-the-dribble offense, and both he and IU's staff see him as a key perimeter threat this season.
   

4. Alexandria's Flock page now lists the 161 Virginia agencies that can search its cameras (alexandriabrief.com) — Herndon appears on a newly public list of 161 Virginia law enforcement agencies that can search Alexandria's Flock license plate cameras, highlighting how widely this surveillance network now reaches across the region. The update, pushed by Alexandria's mayor and new Flock tools, details in-state sharing rules, privacy limits, and how neighboring departments like Fairfax and Herndon tap into each other's data.
   

📸 Around Herndon

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • Need Handyman !!!!!
    TEXT me the quote for 1. Replacing 5 bathroom faucets ( new faucets will be supplied by me) . and 2. Replace Moen shower cartridges in two bathrooms… (Nextdoor Franklin Oaks)
  • LanceSoft posted a job opening for Assistant Director, K-12 Delivery Specialist in Reston. Apply here.
  • ICF posted a job opening for Pricing Associate in Reston. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Herndon here.

Ok Herndon! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: Pepper makes them sneeze (Thank you Karla H. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!

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