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Mason District Community,
Happy New Year!
Our students are nearing the end of the 2nd quarter which will officially close on January 28, 2025. Please be sure to check ParentVue and Schoology to ensure your student has submitted their assignments. Instructions can be located here. Please take this opportunity to reach out to your student’s teachers - yes even for the high schoolers - to inquire about their work habits and progress. ParentVue access will close on January 28th to allow time for teachers to complete end-of-quarter grading work.
On Monday, January 20th, we honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and invite the community to participate in activities to commemorate Dr. King's contributions to this nation. Please see a list of events scheduled in Fairfax County.
"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly."
-Martin Luther King, Jr.
I value the input I receive from the Mason Community and am happy to address questions or concerns via email or phone. You can reach me by email at [email protected]. If you are interested in scheduling a phone call, please reach out to my assistant, Cristy Coffey, at [email protected] to arrange a time.
In this issue:
Mason Moments
FCPS News
•
All-Virginia Music Honors
•
ParentVue Updated Closure Dates
•
National Merit Commended Scholars
•
New Chief of Safety & Security
Mason News
Opportunities
•
Baskets for Babies
•
Boundary Review Virtual Meetings
•
Holmes Band Director and Commanders
•
Dual Language Immersion Lottery
•
Mason Crest Tiger Team
•
SR&R and Cell Phone Policy Survey
•
School Anniversary Proclamations
•
Hispanic Leadership Alliance Scholarship
•
Falls Church HS Renovation
•
Dream Project Scholarships
•
Bren Mar Park ES Renovation
•
Gap Year Fair
•
New Mason District Principals
•
Chinese New Year Festival
•
Stuff the Bus
School Board Work Updates
•
Upcoming School Board Meetings
•
Middle School Start Times
•
Capital Improvement Program (CIP)
•
Collective Bargaining Agreements
Mason Moments
2024 All-Virginia Jazz Band, VMEA Senior Honors Choir, and All-Virginia Elementary Orff Ensemble
Forty-eight students representing 17 Fairfax County high schools and one elementary school have been selected for the 2024 All-Virginia Orff Ensemble, the 2024 All-Virginia Jazz Band and Jazz Ensemble, and the 2024 Virginia Music Educators Association (VMEA) Senior Honors Choir.
Congratulations to Colt Armstrong from Falls Church High School who was selected to participate in the Senior Honors Choir.
Review the full list of selected musicians.
National Merit Commended Scholars
Six hundred ninety-three FCPS students have been identified as National Merit Commended Scholars by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) in recognition of their outstanding ability and potential for academic success in college.
Congratulations to the National Merit Commended Scholars from the Mason District:
Annandale High School - Joshua Stein, Safa Touri
Edison High School - Victoria Bujoreanu
Falls Church High School - Christopher Haase, Minh-Vien Nguyen, Isabella Phillips
Justice High School - Sofia Hemmens, Grace Rutherford, Katherine Bille, Tucker Trissell
Thomas Jefferson HSST - Jarin Earle, Tona Otoro, Malati Pandey, Michael Rodriguez, Elizabeth Thakuri, Chloe Toda, Ryan Wells
Woodson High School - Rylan Cave
Review the full list of National Merit Commended Scholars from FCPS.
Mason News
Baskets for Babies
Kids Give Back joined Good Morning Washington to talk about their annual "Baskets for Babies" event. (7News)
Annandale High School student Tyson Perkins and Mason Crest Elementary School student Michael Hall were recently featured on Good Morning Washington with Kids Give Back. They presented their work with a local non-profit to promote their "Baskets for Babies" initiative. This program encourages children to assemble and distribute essential items for families with infants, teaching the importance of giving back. Tyson and Michael shared their experiences and discussed the Atoms Games, an Annandale event that builds school community and gives back to Annandale families. Watch the WJLA segment.
Holmes Band Director and the Commanders
Luis Perez, band director at Holmes Middle School (pictured above at left), has been involved with the Washington football team for nearly as long as he’s worked at Holmes. He’s in his 29th year with Holmes and 28th as a trumpeter for the Washington Commanders Marching Band. Pictured with him are two former students who are also members of the marching band. Read more about Mr. Perez's experience as a teacher and band member.
Mason Crest Tiger Team
Being the new kid in school is not always easy. At Mason Crest Elementary School, the Tiger Team is trying to make it easier.
Mason Crest ES sees a lot of changes in their student population every year. During the 2023-24 school year, Mason Crest ES experienced a 21.7% mobility rate (a measure of the number of students moving in and out of a school during the school year), which is almost double the average mobility rate of 13.25% across FCPS.
A year ago, Monica Buckhorn, Ellyn Pearson, and Kimberley Mathews, three Mason Crest teachers, initiated the student-led welcome committee to boost community, assist new students in adapting to the school, and hopefully improve attendance rates. Read about the Tiger Team.
School Anniversary Proclamations
The School Board recently recognized three Mason District schools with proclamations in celebration of their anniversaries:
Annandale High School’s 70th Anniversary proclamation was presented at the October 24, 2024 School Board Meeting.
Justice High School’s 65th Anniversary proclamation was presented at the December 5, 2024 School Board Meeting.
Annandale Terrace Elementary School’s 60th Anniversary proclamation was presented at the December 19, 2024 School Board Meeting.
Falls Church High School Renovation
A community meeting was held last fall at Falls Church High School to present an update on the school renovation and additions. Questions from the community were tracked and answers are now posted on the capital project website. All updates as well as historical information related to the renovation can be found on the Falls Church High Capital Project webpage.
Bren Mar Park ES Renovation
Bren Mar Park Elementary School will soon enter the construction phase and the community is invited to attend an in-person meeting to learn about what to expect as this phase of the project begins.
The January 8th meeting which has been cancelled due to inclement weather is rescheduled for February 12, 2025 at 6:30 p.m. in the school cafeteria.
The dedicated capital project webpage will be updated throughout the process. Updates are also available through the FCPS News You Choose subscription for this project. Once signed up or logged in, choose the Capital Projects (School Construction) and the school's construction topic.
Welcome, New Principals!
Woodburn Elementary
Ms. Kanchana Iyer: new principal of Woodburn Elementary, effective November 18, 2024.
Ms. Iyer has held several teaching and leadership positions within Fairfax County Public Schools for over 28 years.
Welcome to Woodburn, Ms. Iyer!
Glasgow Middle School
Ms. Lisa Barrow: new principal of Glasgow Middle School, effective January 21, 2025.
Ms. Barrow has served in various roles in Fairfax County Public Schools for over 25 years, including principal of Sleepy Hollow Elementary School from 2011 to 2016. She returns to the Justice Pyramid after most recently serving as the principal of Cooper Middle School.
Welcome to Glasgow, Ms. Barrow!
TJHSST
Mr. Michael Mukai: new principal of Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJHSST), effective January 21, 2025.
Mr. Mukai is a TJHSST alumnus and has worked in Fairfax County Public Schools since 1995, most recently as the principal of West Springfield High School for over 10 years.
Welcome back to TJHSST, Mr. Mukai!
School Board Work Updates
Middle School Start Times
On December 3, 2024, the Board received a presentation on the Middle School Start Times study during which several options were offered. Please see a summary of the options below.
The Board engaged in a robust discussion at the December 3, 2024 work session about the timing of the implementation of the changes in start times for middle schools. It’s important to note this initiative is the second part to the Healthy Start Time focus that resulted in the high school start time changes from 7:20 a.m. to between 8:00 and 8:10 a.m. in the 2015-2016 school year.
My position, which is also supported by Dr. Prieto, the consultant procured to produce this study, remains that the Comprehensive Boundary Review and the Middle School Start Times should not be coupled, nor do I believe the Middle School Start Times changes should be implemented after the completion of the Boundary Work given the number of unknown factors associated with the Boundary Review. Furthermore, the timeline presented to the public on February 22, 2024 indicating a potential Middle School start time change implementation for the Fall of 2025 should continue to be the target.
This matter continues to be an important initiative for the Mason District community, especially given that approximately 3,500 of students in our middle schools are subject to a 7:10 am start time for three years instead of two years compared to middle schools in other parts of Fairfax County.
Capital Improvement Program (CIP)
The School Board discussed the proposed FY 2026-30 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) at the January 14th work session. View the presentation slides here. The primary concerns for the Mason District community center on the trailers and modular classrooms at Parklawn ES (pages 51, 93 and 104 of the CIP), the overcrowding at Glasgow MS (page 60 - Table 7 and page 63 of the CIP) and pending capacity concerns at Bailey’s ES and Weyanoke ES (page 52 - Table 3, pages 57 and 104 of the CIP).
This year’s CIP proposal, scheduled for a School Board vote on February 6, 2025 will confirm the following actions:
- Renovation queue (page 44 - Table 16 of the CIP)
- The elimination of Tables 3-12, given the revisions to the Policy 8130.
Visit the CIP webpage for more information.
Collective Bargaining Agreements
At the January 9th School Board meeting, the Board unanimously ratified two Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) with the Fairfax Education Union (FEU). This marked a significant step in the collaborative relationship between the school division and its employees.
Key terms of the CBAs are:
- 7% Market Scale Adjustment (MSA) to salary scales in FY 2026
- 3% MSA and step increase in FY 2027 and FY 2028
- Additional step at top of all salary scales added in FY 2027 and FY 2028
- 30-minute minimum block for teacher planning time
- Continuation of extended-day contract for special education teachers
- Three days of bereavement leave separate from sick leave
- Creation of Health Care Advisory Committee to consider affordable healthcare plans
View the full announcement.
FCPS News
ParentVUE and StudentVUE App – Updated Closure Dates
Based on feedback received from the school community during the first quarter, FCPS has revisited the scheduled dates for closing Gradebook and Report Card modules in ParentVUE and StudentVUE.
Moving forward, the closing of ParentVue and StudentVue will align with the actual quarter-end dates. This change will allow students and families to view their assignments and grades until the last day of the quarter. The gradebook windows for teachers have not changed.
Parents and caregivers are encouraged to set up regular alerts to automatically receive grade updates for their students
New Chief of Safety & Security
Mr. Brian Lambert: new Chief of Safety and Security.
Mr. Lambert comes to Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) as a 25-year veteran of the United States Secret Service. He most recently served as the Assistant Director of the Office of Investigations.
Welcome to Fairfax County Public Schools, Mr. Lambert!
Opportunities
Boundary Review Community Meetings - Virtual
Six Virtual Comprehensive Boundary Review Community Meetings are scheduled over the next month. Language interpretation is available. Each meeting is limited to 400 participants, so early registration is recommended. Register for any of the four remaining meetings by clicking on the meeting date(s) below.
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Saturday, January 25, 2025, 9:30-11 a.m.
- Monday, January 27, 2025, 6:30-8 p.m.
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Tuesday, January 28, 2025, 6:30-8 p.m.
- Monday, February 10, 2025, 6:30-8 p.m.
Learn more about the boundary review process on the Comprehensive Boundary Review webpage.
Dual Language Immersion Lottery Registration
Registration for the countywide lottery for Dual Language Immersion (DLI) program is open through Thursday, March 6, at 4 p.m. Current pre-K students may apply for the kindergarten immersion program, and current kindergarten students may apply for the first grade immersion program for the 2025-26 school year.
Dual Language Immersion is available in French, German, Japanese, Korean, and Spanish. Interested parents/caregivers are encouraged to attend an informational meeting at the school site. The in-person meetings for French, German, Korean, and some Spanish programs occurred earlier in January. For families interested in these programs, there is still a virtual meeting opportunity on February 4th at 6 p.m. The remaining in-person meetings are listed below.
Language
School
Date/Time
Snow Date
Japanese
Fox Mill ES
Jan 30, 7:00 p.m.
Jan 31
Japanese
Great Falls ES
Jan 23, 5:00 p.m.
Jan 30
Spanish
Bailey's ES
Jan 22, 7:00 p.m.
Jan 23
Spanish
Fort Hunt ES
Jan 27, 6:30 p.m.
Jan 29
Spanish
London Towne ES
Jan 21, 7:00 p.m.
Jan 30
Spanish
Rose Hill ES
Jan 27, 6:00 p.m.
Jan 28
.
Visit the Dual Language Immersion Program registration page for a complete list of meeting dates listed by language.
A virtual meeting will be hosted by the world languages office on February 4, 2025 at 6 p.m. and will include all general program information. Registration for the virtual meeting will be available on the DLI Registration webpage soon.
SR&R and Cell Phone Policy Survey
On Tuesday, January 21, middle and high school students, parents/caregivers, and FCPS Staff will receive invitations via email to participate in a survey seeking to assess community support for proposed options relating to FCPS’ Student Rights and Responsibilities (SR&R), cell phone policy, and cell phone storage.
The survey will be available from Tuesday, January 21, until Monday, February 3, 2025.
Hispanic Leadership Alliance Scholarships
The Hispanic Leadership Alliance (HLA) scholarship is for a first-generation Latino/Hispanic student from Fairfax County Public Schools. HLA is a non-profit organization of Fairfax County Public Schools employees, retirees, former students, and residents. This year marks HLA’s 20th anniversary of offering scholarships to FCPS students.
Application Deadline: February 25, 2025 (early submissions encouraged!)
Eligibility: FCPS graduating seniors who are first-generation college students
Application Submission: Complete the Word-based application, include required documents (Word or PDF format), and send to Jane Cruz at [email protected].
For questions or additional information, please contact Jane Cruz at [email protected] or (202)207-5839.
Dream Project Scholarships
Scholarship opportunity available for students born outside the United States and whose immigration status creates barriers to success in college. Details and application materials can be found on the Dream Project website. Application deadline is February 1, 2025.
Gap Year Fair
FCPS School Counseling Services and Go Overseas will co-host the annual FCPS Gap Year Fair on Tuesday, January 28, 6-8:30 p.m., at Marshall High School.
This event is for high school students and families interested in learning about opportunities for the year following high school graduation. Students should register at USA Gap Year Fairs.
Chinese New Year Festival
The 2025 Chinese New Year Festival at Luther Jackson Middle School is scheduled for Saturday, January 25th from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
More information and discounted tickets are available on the Chinese New Year Festival website.
Stuff the Bus
Stuff the Bus is a partnership between Fairfax County Government and local nonprofits. Now in its 14th year, Stuff the Bus continues to support food assistance efforts for families and households. You can help stuff the bus at select locations beginning Saturday, January 18.
Opportunities in the Mason District include:
- January 25, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Falls Church Giant (7235 Arlington Blvd)
- March 1, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Annandale Giant (7137 Columbia Pike)
Visit the Stuff the Bus webpage for all locations and a list of requested items.
Upcoming School Board Meetings
Regular School Board Meetings (Luther Jackson Middle School)
- January 23, 2025 at 7:00 p.m.
- February 6, 2025 at 7:00 p.m.
Public Hearings (Luther Jackson Middle School)
- February 4, 2025 at 6:00 p.m. (FY26 Budget)
- February 5, 2025 at 6:00 p.m. (2nd day for FY26 Budget, if needed)
Work Sessions (Gatehouse Administration Center)
- February 4, 2025 at 10:30 a.m.
- February 18, 2025 at 5:00 p.m.
All meetings will be broadcast live on Channel 99 (Verizon channel 11) and on the FCPS website. The meetings are recorded for future viewing and posted to the FCPS School Board YouTube channel.
Would you like to share your ideas and concerns with the School Board and staff? Register HERE to speak at a regular meeting or public hearing.
Reuniones de la Junta Escolar de FCPS en Español
Para ver las reuniones de la Junta Escolar grabadas o para ver en vivo durante las reuniones regulares en YouTube, por favor vaya al canal de YouTube de FCPS en Español o escanee el código QR.
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@masondistrictsb
@MasonDistrictSB
The views contained within this newsletter reflect the views of the individual school board member who is the publisher of this newsletter and may not reflect the views of the Fairfax County School Board.
© Fairfax County Public Schools, Fairfax County, Virginia
E-mail: Ricardy Anderson | Phone: 571-423-1083 | Twitter
Cristy Coffey, Executive Admin Assistant, 571-423-1064, [email protected]
