Mullenix Says Goodbye to School She Helped Start

Written by Joyce Sohyun Lee, Northwestern University student.

Come September, students at will walk in through the turquoise double doors to a new principal.

Kathy Mullenix will step down as principal on July 31 after 12 years, during which she oversaw the establishment of Daniel’s Run and its development. Daniel’s Run was formed in 2001 when Layton Hall and Green Acre Elementary School were consolidated into one newly renovated, technology-focused school. 

Mullenix initially began as the principal of Layton Hall, the school that had stood on the site of Daniel’s Run, in 1998. The next two years were interesting, Mullenix said. Teachers and students alike had to adjust to learning in a school under construction. Problems arose regularly and construction was delayed six months because there was trouble laying proper foundation in the soil near the back wing of the building. And in November of 2000, Dogwood Elementary School suffered a devastating fire and Layton Hall ended up housing the upper grade students from Dogwood. Despite the challenges, Daniel’s Run opened its doors to the students of Layton Hall and Green Acre in March, a success Mullenix attributes to the support of Fairfax County.

“You feel very supported, you feel connected in both communities,” Mullenix said. “I think it’s also true for Providence when they consolidated, there is such a strong sense of community and that’s what makes working here, and just to me, it’s been the best place to be.”

When the school was opened in 2001, it was equipped with state of the art technology, as the school board had envisioned for the school, and was enhanced by the creative energy of the teachers. After that, Mullenix said all she had to do was ensure that a stable foundation was laid for the school.

“For me the goal is, ‘how do you take the best from each environment, the best from that larger county experience, as well as the best from the small town.’” Mullenix said. “And once I kind of figured that out, a lot of the decisions came very easily.”

But the most fun Mullenix said she had during those early years was choosing the school mascot. Mullenix used the opportunity get to know the children and introduce the new school to them by having them pick out the mascot. The children choose a star-breathing dragon, signifying strength, fantasy and imagination.

“I remember [a principal] called me from another county, ‘Oh, do you mind if we use your mascot,’ and I was flattered because the mascot meant the same thing to her and she’s a total stranger,” Mullenix said. “And then a part of me was like ‘No, no. That’s Daniel’s Run’s mascot. It’s so special.’”

Mullenix did not only seek to create a school that became a home for the children but the teachers as well. Over the course of the school’s first years, Mullenix encouraged teachers to create their own programs. Now the school boasts the Latin program, a Spanish program, a music program, the living classroom and many other successful ventures established by the teachers.

Jon Buttram, a member of the City of Fairfax School Board, said Mullenix’s success is indicative of her talent as an administrator for raising funds to support her classroom and resource teachers, and choosing good teachers. 

“She’s got a very loyal group of teachers there that have grown with her tutorage,” Buttram said. “I think she has a very good eye for talent.”

One of Mullenix’s last acts will be to install a bell in the entrance of the school.  Though the architect had built in a bell tower, plans to install a bell had been forgotten, and the striking circle just above the entrance of the school stood empty since 2001. With the help of Buttram and a group of fathers, an aluminum bell was found, and though it will not ring, Mullenix said it is symbolic of the school’s early history.

“For me its just kind of closure,” Mullenix said. “I had some great experiences being a principal initially of a small school and getting to know the Layton Hall community, and then expanding and getting to know the Green Acres community, and also the city of Fairfax.”

As for the future of Daniel’s Run, Mullenix said the school simply needs a facelift.  “It’s nothing in terms of renovation or major changes, it’s just making sure the paint stays fresh, and also that the people in the building stay fresh, that they stay current, and that they have the opportunities to use their creative energies and do more good things.” , will be taking over.

For now, Mullenix says she is ready to enjoy a stress-free summer vacation.

“I’m looking forward to just quiet time, listening to birds, bugs, breezes, smelling flowers and enjoying the summer in a way I haven’t done in a long time,” Mullenix said.