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History and Traditions
Welcome to Sanders Corner Elementary School! We hope that this section of our website will allow you to see what makes Sanders Corner such a special community where we are making a difference for our school, our community, and our world.
Sanders Corner opened its doors for the first time on September 5, 1995. The principal during that first year, Dr. Ronald Dyer, led a building that opened with 30 classrooms and a total of over 700 students.
Over the years, 400 to 950 students have come through the doors of Sanders Corner to "Make a Difference in Our School, Our Community, and Our World."
Today, Sanders Corner continues to serve the children of Ashburn Farm with the highest levels of professionalism and performance. Our school is fully accredited by the State of Virginia in all academic areas. High levels of diverse populations provide all of our students with various cultural experiences where children can learn a great deal from each other.
It has been an honor and privilege to provide the foundational instruction necessary for our students to make meaningful contributions to the world over the past 25 plus years. We are proud to be a part of the Ashburn Farm Community.
Traditions and Things That Make Us Special
We will be developing this page to outline all of the things that make Sanders Corner a special place to go to school. Just a few of these items include the following:
- Our Buddy Bench
- Read to the Principal
- Mr. J's Summer Readers
Keep checking this page for updates to this and other traditions at Sanders Corner!
The Rock
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The rock was donated as a gift to Sanders Corner in 2013 as part of the memorial to honor former Sanders Corner Principal Mrs. Kathleen Hwang. The rock was painted with the slogan "Making a Difference," with a plaque to also commemorate the placement. The rock sits at the entrance to the school where everyone can see it as they enter the property.
Due to the deterioration of the paint, the rock received a refresh as a gift to Sanders Corner from the Class of 2024. The slogan was changed to "Making a Splash".
The Starfish Memorial
The Starfish Memorial was part of a dedication ceremony to honor former Principal Mrs. Kathleen Hwang. One of her favorite stories that she liked to tell was that of the starfish that would get thrown back into the ocean by a child. When a passerby questioned how tossing one starfish into the ocean out of the hundreds that were on the beach, the child replied "It makes a difference to that one starfish." Thus, the Making a Difference slogan was born. Mrs. Hwang promoted science-based reading practices at the school, and enjoyed hearing students read. With the help of many parent volunteers and businesses, the memorial was constructed in the shape of a starfish, with stone reading benches for children and the community to enjoy while reading. This memorial was dedicated as part of the Making a Difference 5 K event on November 17, 2013.
The Little Free Library
The Little Free Library was set up to allow children in the community to have access to books for free, as well as provide opportunities for book donations. You can frequently find children and adults bringing books to this library, exchanging their old books for newer titles, or to donate books that they don't read any more. The Little Free Library is conveniently located near the Starfish Memorial. The Little Free Library was given a new coat of paint and design in the spring of 2022.