All,
I forward to youall a note I received this AM concerning the Arlington Planetarium
Mark Antell
PS. County/School budget cycles are always difficult. This year's budget may be unusually so.

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Urgent Request to Civic Association Presidents:

Arlington’s new School Superintendent has proposed closing and dismantling Arlington’s David M. Brown Planetarium. The School Board plans to send his recommendation to the County Board on April 8th as part of his budget package.

I am part of a group of concerned citizens who are trying to save the planetarium so our children and others can be inspired and learn about the stars for years to come. We need immediate help from other groups and individuals willing to contact Arlington’s School Board and County Board as soon as possible (before April 8th) with a request to keep the Planetarium open.

The School Board’s contact information:

Email: schoolbd@arlington.k12.va.us

Postal mail:
Arlington Education Center, 1426 N. Quincy Street, Arlington, VA 22207

Phone: (703) 228-6015 Fax: (703) 228-7640

The County Board contact information:

Email: countyboard@arlingtonva.us or email individual Board Members

Postal mail:
Arlington County Board, 2100 Clarendon Blvd. Suite 300, Arlington, VA 22201

Phone: 703-228-3130 Fax: 703-228-7430


Petitions are also welcome!


The David M. Brown Planetarium has been an asset that has contributed to Arlington 's uniqueness for 40 years. It is the sole education-based Planetarium serving the metro area. Arlington is a community that values interest and enrichment in the sciences, as shown by NSF being a significant institution in the county. Arlington’s well-educated population serves only to benefit from the Planetarium's continued role in providing enrichment in Astronomy & Space Exploration to our children and to the general public.

The recent media (newspaper and TV) wrongly stated that very expensive repairs/upgrades are needed. The Planetarium is fully functional and is inspiring many hundreds of children and adults every week. The money that was supposedly needed came from a “wish list” that the Planetarium staff was asked to put together.

A number of concerned citizens have begun exploring alternate funding, including corporate donations to cover future upgrades. But once the space is converted into a Washington-Lee High School classroom, which the Superintendent is proposing, Arlington will lose its Planetarium.

Most Arlington residents don’t yet know about this proposal. It appeared on pages 237-238 of the Superintendent’s proposed budget, issued on February 23rd, without prior community discussion.

Several persons spoke eloquently at the Thursday School Board open session in support of the Planetarium. Douglas Brown, the brother of astronaut David Brown, was also there to lend his support. The Planetarium was named after David Brown (educated in the Arlington Schools) after he died in the 2003 Columbia disaster.

Please help get the word out to parents and students so together we can voice our support for the Planetarium and keep the stars shining.

If you need further information, please contact me. Your assistance is greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,

Pam Juhl
Arlington resident and science teacher
703-524-2347
pam.juhl@verizon.net