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Note: This newsletter contains links to translated versions of the content for your convenience. These translations are generated by Google Translate and are not intended to be a substitute for professional translation services.

Dear Sully District Families and Community Members,

Happy Summer! I hope everyone is taking the time to enjoy the break, visiting our parks and historic sites and outdoor events in the Sully District. I am staying busy with School Board work while balancing various summer time activities with my family.

June has been a very busy but enjoyable month with graduations, end of school activities and many, many meetings. The School Board discussed the updated boundary policy (Policy 8130) at the June 25 work session. The meeting was an important step towards a holistic boundary review designed to address many of our community's concerns including overcrowding in many of our high schools in Sully District, under-utilization in some of our middle schools, attendance islands, temporary classrooms (trailers), instructional program locations, and transportation. Please note that there are no specific boundary changes under consideration as part of this policy work. Comprehensive community engagement will take place before any potential future boundary changes. As our budget dollars get tighter and tighter, this work also ensures FCPS is effectively utilizing its resources and being fiscally responsible. The approval of the policy was on the agenda for new business at our June 27 meeting and is scheduled for a vote at the July 18 meeting. For additional information, please visit the Boundary Policy Review webpage.

My colleagues and I also voted to adopt Family Life Education Curriculum Advisory Committee (FLECAC) recommendations at our June 27 meeting. Finally, we reviewed several Citizen Advisory Committee reports as we continue to wrap up school year 23-24 and turn our focus on 2024-25. Thank you Sully District Citizen Advisory Committee Members for your invaluable service on these committees!

Inside this newsletter:

• Sully District Happenings - Volunteers needed!

• Middle School and High School Grading Updates

• Early Release Mondays - Elementary School Professional Development Plan

• June 2024 Audit Buzz Newsletter

• Free Summer Meal Service Program

• Virginia Run Elementary School PE Teacher Really Goes the Extra Mile!

• Student Bus Passes Offer Free Transportation All Year

• Student Opportunities
• Mental Health Resources for Families (Free Summer Virtual Wellness Consultations Available!)
• Upcoming School Board Meetings

I want to draw your attention to the Superintendent's plan for "early release Mondays" starting next school year (SY 2024-2025). The Superintendent is planning for a limited number of Mondays where elementary school students will be released 3 hours early. The purpose of the “early release Mondays” is to enable all elementary school teachers to be trained in “Science of Reading” literacy instruction. K-6 Classroom Teachers will receive 27 hours of training and K-6 Reading Specialists will receive 54 hours of training by June 2025.

While the training is necessary to provide evidence-based literacy instruction to all children, I understand that many families in Sully District and across the county will be impacted by the early release of their children from school. Please note that while these are designated as early release days — where necessary — FCPS will ensure that every student has supervised enrichment activities at the school and returns home at the regular time if that is what works best for your family.  More details can be found below in this newsletter. You may also submit your questions or feedback to [email protected] or share your thoughts with me online.

Presenting at the Cappies Awards Gala at the Kennedy Center on June 11, 2024!

It was an honor to attend and present at the Cappies Awards Gala with my fellow School Board members. I presented the Cappie award for "Choreography" at this event where our amazing high school theatre and journalism students shine, thanks to this exceptional program that started in FCPS. The Cappies are like the TONYs for local high school theatre, with all nominees and award winners chosen by their fellow students. Congratulations to all the talented participants! 

A new school year offers a fresh slate and the chance to implement new programs and initiatives that support a more inclusive and positive school environment. There was much to celebrate last school year. Our School Board was able to accomplish a number of things these past six months, serving as good fiscal stewards and initiating policies to create successful outcomes for all our students. There is always more to do, and I recognize that our students, families, and staff still face some challenges. I look forward to building on our progress in the new school year.

As always, I appreciate hearing from you, please do not hesitate to reach out to me for any help you may need.

Have a lovely rest of the summer. See you in August!

In partnership,

Seema Dixit Sully District Happenings Thank you to Sully District Citizen Advisory Committee Volunteers!

Every year, the School Board appoints members to numerous Citizen Advisory Committees to increase community input on specific issues. I want to extend a huge thank you to those that served on these committees for SY 2023-24, and volunteered their time for the school district.

I recognize the vital importance of having diverse perspectives that reflect our community, and I am grateful to be able to utilize the considerable talents and expertise of parents & community members on our advisory committees to advise the School Board on important matters. I deeply appreciate our Sully District committee member's (listed below) contributions, hard work, and strong advocacy on behalf of some of the most vulnerable and marginalized students and families within FCPS. Thank you for your service!

Thank You Sully District Advisory Committee Members!

While several Sully District appointees will continue their service on School Board Citizen Advisory Committees for another year, three committees have openings for the 2024-25 school year. These committees increase community input to our Board on a host of important issues. If you are interested in serving for Sully District on this committee or other future committees, please forward a paragraph of your interest and qualifications to my staff at [email protected] by July 12th, 2024. Please consider being my Sully District representative!

School Health Advisory Committee (SHAC): Assists with the development of health policy and the evaluation of the status of school health, health education, the school environment, and health services. Meets monthly, 1-Year Term. To learn more about SHAC, please view their website.

Human Resources Advisory Committee (HRAC):The purpose of the HRAC is to advise the Fairfax County School Board (FCSB) on achieving and maintaining a premier workforce within a caring culture. HRAC will make recommendations to improve practices used by FCPS leadership personnel at school and district levels to promote a rewarding workplace environment. Meets monthly, 1-Year Term. To learn more about HRAC, please view their website.

Adult and Community Education Advisory Committee (ACEAC): Brings to the School Board’s attention resource and programmatic issues associated with adult education. You will collaborate with staff to maximize FCPS, Fairfax County, and external resources and support structures to ensure ACE, Adult ESOL, and Fairfax County Adult High School (FCAHS) programs increase accessibility and best meet the needs of county residents. Meets monthly, 1-Year Term. To learn more about ACEAC, please view their website.

Congratulations to Chantilly HS Forensics and Centreville HS ESports Teams for being VHSL State Champions!

This year, six teams and 11 individuals won the Virginia High School League (VHSL) academic championship and six teams and eight individuals were the state runners-up. There were also 22 publications recognized in the Trophy class category of the VHSL Media Championships. Congratulations to the Chantilly High School Team and Centreville High School, Esports Team for winning the state championships this year! Sully District individuals winning the championship were:

• Camila Canelas Sota, Chantilly High School, Forensics, Extemporaneous Speaking
• Selamawit Demeke, Westfield High School, Forensics, Prose Interpretation.
• Sam Wolf and Zack Topscher, Chantilly High School, Forensics, Humorous Duo Interpretation. 
• Camille Dausch and Anya Saffari, Chantilly High School, Forensics, Serious Duo Interpretation. 
• Abeni Smith, Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJHSST), Creative Writing, Creative Nonfiction.

Congratulations to all of our 2023-24 academic and activity state champions and runners-up! Read full details here.

FCPS Students Named 2024 National Merit Scholarship Winners

Thirteen Fairfax County Public Schools students from six high schools have been named winners of 2024 Merit Scholarship awards by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC). The students are part of a group of more than 2,900 National Merit® Finalists chosen to receive scholarships financed by higher education institutions. See the list of students.

Congratulation to all the students and especially to the four Sully District students Andrew Zanotti from Westfield High School and Anusha Das, Austin Thomas and Sanjay Ranjith from TJHSST who were among them!

Virginia Music Educators Blue Ribbon Award

The Virginia Music Educators (VMEA) Blue Ribbon Award is the highest award given to school music programs in the Commonwealth of Virginia and recognizes achieved excellence in Band, Orchestra, and Choral Performance. All top eligible performing groups must receive a final Superior rating at the VMEA District Concert Performance Assessment to qualify for this award. Congratulations to Sully District schools Centreville High School, Chantilly High School, Westfield High School, Fairfax High School, Katherine Johnson Middle School and Rachel Carson Middle School on this significant achievement!

FCPS Students Earn 30 National Scholastic Art and Writing Awards

Many Sully students were among the FCPS students that  received 30 national awards through the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards. They were recognized for original art and writing with one American Visions Medal, eight Gold Medals, 20 Silver Medals, and two portfolio Honorable Mentions. Congratulations to all of the creative students! See the full list of awardees here.

Summer Fun - FCPS and Park Authority Puzzle Hunt!

FCPS’ Safe Routes to School has worked with the Fairfax County Park Authority to create an engaging activity to help get families outside this summer. The Fairfax County Puzzle Hunt offers online puzzles that lead to a park in Fairfax County and additional clues toward the final puzzle. 

Participants who submit the final answer will be entered into a chance to win a prize. Puzzles are filled with creative thinking, logic, and wordplay. They are designed to be challenging and accessible for all skill levels.

Early Release Mondays - Elementary School Professional Development Plan

Providing an excellent education to all students and meeting individual student needs requires appropriate planning time for teachers. This means teachers need a dedicated block of time to prepare lessons, participate in professional development and training, and collaborate with peers.

With that in mind, FCPS has developed a division-wide plan for seven three-hour early release days (Mondays) for elementary students in the 2024-25 school year. 

Reasons for Early Release Mondays

Demands on teacher time have increased dramatically since the pandemic. With the adoption of new textbooks, differentiated support plans for students, required professional development for the new Virginia Literacy Act, new reading and math SOLs from the state, and other initiatives—teachers have a lot to do in addition to actually teaching! These demands require blocks of uninterrupted, in-person, and collaborative time to plan. 

A well-supported and continuously improving teaching staff will lead to better educational outcomes for students.

Early release Mondays will also reduce our need for substitute teachers, which are very difficult to find.

Community Conversation with Dr. Reid

A Community Conversation with Dr. Reid is scheduled to take place at Woodlawn Elementary School on Tuesday, July 2 at 6:00-7:00 PM. This will be a hybrid event with language interpretation and childcare available as needed. Please register online

Start Date

Early release Mondays will start in mid-September of this year. Each elementary school will have a total of seven early release days throughout the school year, which is about one per month.

How It Works

We encourage all parents/caregivers to have their student take their normal route home (bus, walk, kiss and ride) on early dismissal days. While these are designated as early release days — where necessary — we will ensure that every student has supervised enrichment activities at the school and returns home at the regular time if that is what works best for your family. Licensed educators from central office will support schools as well. High-impact tutoring will be available for identified students.

Instructional Hours

The three-hour early release will not impact the state-mandated number of instructional hours but will reduce the amount of built-in snow days. 

Steering Committee

A steering committee of school leaders, teachers, and families is being created to make sure this work is both supported and implemented consistently across all of our elementary schools. We believe strongly in the power of in-person, collaborative professional development.

Dates for Early Release

Each elementary school will have seven early release days, which works out to roughly one per month. Those days will depend upon the pyramid under which a school falls. Check FCPS' Region and Pyramid Map for a breakdown. 

Early release Mondays for elementary schools in the following pyramids are planned for the dates below: Herndon, Langley, Madison, Marshall, McLean, South Lakes, Centreville, Chantilly, Fairfax, Oakton, Robinson, and Westfield.

• September 23
• October 28
• November 25
• February 24
• March 17
• April 28
• May 19

Questions?

If you have questions about early release Mondays, please email [email protected]. See website for full details.

Middle School and High School Grading Updates

FCPS has been reviewing our secondary grading and reporting policies. Beginning in the 2024-25 school year, there will be some new policies in place for all middle and high school classes aimed at improving consistency and clarity of grading practices across the division.

Visit the FCPS website for additional information about these secondary grading policy updates.

June 2024 Audit Buzz Newsletter

In this issue of the Audit Buzz,  we provide an update on the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Risk Assessment and Proposed Audit Plan along with current engagements, explain the 5C's of an audit finding in the Knowledge Hive, offer a training opportunity to Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) employees, and advertise for a School Board Audit Committee community member position. Prior editions of Audit Buzz are archived here on Office of Auditor General's (OAG) website.

Free Summer Meal Service Program

As part of its efforts to ensure children have access to healthy meals during the summer months, Fairfax County Public Schools is pleased to announce it will be participating in the Summer Food Service Program.  

Starting on June 13, all children and teens 18 and under can receive meals free of charge at the sites and times listed below. Find a meal site near you.

Virginia Run Elementary School PE Teacher Really Goes the Extra Mile!

FCPS CARES is an opportunity for parents, staff, and community members to recognize employees for going above and beyond to help others and show they care. Joshua Antoncic, a physical education (PE) teacher at Virginia Run Elementary School (in white shirt above), is one of the April CARES of the Month recipients. 

Antoncic hosts an annual basketball challenge between 5th and 6th graders and an annual volleyball game against Cub Run Elementary School for students and staff. He has hosted sports camps and supported the Viking Dash school fundraiser. 

“Additionally, he rewards students with a pizza party for their successes throughout the year in physical education,” the parent who nominated him said. “My kids are always trying to meet whatever goal he has set, so they can get an invite to that party.”

Congratulations to Antoncic! So proud of our amazing Sully District FCPS staff! Read about all the recipients.

Student Bus Passes Offer Free Transportation All Year

All Fairfax County middle and high school students can get a Student Bus Pass SmarTrip card to ride the Fairfax Connector and Fairfax CUE buses for free! With the pass, fares are free from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week, all year. Complete the application and return it to your school's front office. Children 12 and younger ride for free on Fairfax Connector with a paying adult.

Student Opportunities

Disclaimer: Opportunities offered by organizations other than Fairfax County Public Schools are neither sponsored nor endorsed by the Fairfax County School Board, the Superintendent, or a specific school. These opportunities may utilize technology tools that have not been assessed by the Fairfax County Public Schools Department of Information Technology. Students should gain permission from their parent or guardian before engaging in any non-FCPS enrichment opportunity and families should review the Terms of Service, User Agreements, and Privacy Policy for any technology platform that the enrichment opportunity may use before participating.

Register to Take Two Tuition-free College Courses With NOVA

NOVA Early Online College (EOC) allows rising high school juniors and seniors the opportunity to take up to two tuition-free college courses. EOC courses for the fall semester take place Monday, September 23, through Tuesday, December 17. Students should register by Friday, July 26, at 5 p.m.

Courses are asynchronous, online, and for college credit only. Thirteen courses are offered along with courses that fulfill the IT Technical Support Career Studies Certificate. EOC courses meet the requirements for most of NOVA’s associate degrees as well as being highly transferable as general education requirements for most colleges and universities. 

Students must meet eligibility requirements to take EOC courses. Check out the EOC flyer (PDF) for more information on what classes are offered, required qualifications, and how to register.

AI Bootcamp for High School Students 

The Mark Cuban AI Foundation and Booz Allen are offering the AI Bootcamp again. The boot camp will be hosted at the Booz Allen McLean office this year at 8283 Greensboro Dr., McLean Virginia. 

Application deadline is September 30, 2024. High School students apply here.

LearnServe Fall Fellows Program for High School Students! 

Overview: This is our first-year, introductory in-person entrepreneurship program that takes young changemakers through the entire process of researching, brainstorming, creating, and pitching their own social action project to solve an issue in their community!

Time Commitment: The program runs from October-April (exact dates TBA), where students will meet in-person or virtually every Thursday at a location in central DC (location TBA).

Program Cost: Sliding scale tuition of $50-$1250/student, depending on the student's financial ability to pay. Families will complete the Sliding Scale survey during the application process to determine their individual tuition. 

Application: Rolling admission - Click here to apply!

LearnServe is a Washington DC based nonprofit that offers leadership and social entrepreneurship training for high school students from across the Washington, DC region.  Programmatically we bring students together from diverse backgrounds, and guide them through the process of designing and launching social ventures -- action projects to serve their schools and communities. In the process they learn the skill-set and mindset of being a changemaker, a blend of social and emotional skills, global competencies, and business and professional skills that will set them up for success in their college and careers.

FREE Summer STEM Camps in Chantilly and Arlington!

Virginia Tech Applied Research Corporation is offering FREE summer STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) Camps! Rising 6th – 12th grade students can explore, create, and innovate in a fun and engaging environment at their facilities in Arlington and Chantilly, Virginia.

Their STEM camps are designed to inspire curiosity and foster a love for learning. Through hands-on activities, experiments, and projects, students will have the opportunity to develop critical thinking skills, problem-solving abilities, and teamwork dynamics.

Here are the camps being offered this year:

1. StellarXplorers – A space system design camp where students focus on team problem-solving associated with sending objects to space.

2. Robotics Camp – Students will engage in coding and programming VEX Robots.

3. Drone Camp – A hands-on, technical application camp where students learn the basics of coding, programming, and flying drones.

4. Coding Camp – Students will engage in hands-on coding activities using block coding and Python programming languages.

Register your student for these STEM camps - spaces are limited!

Summer 2024 Emerging technologies Camps & Courses

Get ready to level up your tech skills this summer...registration for the Summer of Emerging Tech is officially OPEN! 

Whether you want to explore machine learning algorithms or spearhead your own data science research project, we have virtual programs of all kinds for students grades 6-13 (+ educators too)!

Head to the link to our Summer Catalog to learn more about the different offerings and register. *Limited need-based scholarships are available. Programs will fill up fast, so secure your spot ASAP! This summer don’t just learn how to code… become a future leader in emerging tech.

The Coding School (TCS) is a 501(c)(3) international nonprofit organization focused on preparing the next generation for the future of work through computer science training and workforce development.

Technology Youth Empowerment (TYE) Opportunity

TYE, a student-led nonprofit in FCPS, aims to bridge the gap between students and STEM fields. They are currently seeking more volunteers and representatives at high schools. If you are passionate about teaching and promoting STEM, consider applying to their organization:

For more information, email them at [email protected] or explore the TYE Representative presentation.

FCPS Job Certification Student Program with Coursera Career Academy

High school students now have the opportunity to access the full contents of the Coursera Career Academy. This program is designed to open doors to digital career pathways and provide invaluable learning experiences directly from industry giants like Google, Microsoft, and IBM.

Program Benefits:

• Explore a variety of popular digital careers from marketing to data science.
• Learn from experts at leading global companies.
• Earn valuable micro-credentials that can enhance your resume.
• Access over 27 professional certificates, expanding your skill set in multiple fields.

Interested? Here's how to get involved: Complete the Coursera Student Interest Form. 

FCPS Summer Camp Offerings

Registration is now open for many summer camps and learning opportunities offered by FCPS for all students.

Career and Technical Education (CTE) camps and Institute for the Arts (IFTA) camps will be held in July at Lake Braddock Secondary School from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Free bus transportation will be available from select FCPS middle and high schools. Visit these sites for more information:

• Tech Adventures (elementary) 
• CTE Summer Academy (middle and high school)
• E-IFTA (elementary)
• IFTA (middle and high school)
• Economics and Personal Finance course (high school)
• Online Campus Program (middle and high school)
• Credit Recovery Academy (middle and high school)
• English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) (middle and high school)

Find session dates, registration links, and deadlines on the FCPS summer programs webpage.

The Family Resource Center has compiled information on summer camps including local options, camps for students with special needs (sorted by need), and camps for students experiencing grief or who have parents in the military.

Free Teens in Action Summer Camps

The Fairfax County Department of Neighborhood and Community Services offers affordable, engaging, and healthy recreation programs for students aged 12-18 when schools are closed. Teens in Action youth participate in team sports, games, arts and crafts, STEM (science, engineering, and math) programming, service projects, field trips, and more. Admission for camp is free. The Summer Camp takes place Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m., and is separated by age group. Rising 9-12 graders attend camp from June 17- August 16, 2024, and rising 7th and 8th graders attend June 17-28, 2024, and August 2-16, 2024. Find more information and register on the Teens in Action web page.

Mental Health Resources for Families This month's theme: Jump Back Up July 

Let's find ways to bounce back!

Go to Action for Happiness for ideas to help you take action for a happier and kinder world.

Summer Mental Wellness Resources

Virtual Mental Wellness Consultations

This summer, the FCPS Office of Intervention and Prevention Services will offer virtual Mental Wellness Consultations from Monday, June 24, through Friday, August 2. Forty-five-minute phone or videoconference consultations are available with a school psychologist or school social worker.

• Parents of students in any grade level can request a consultation to receive guidance on how to support their child’s social, emotional, and academic success. Information about community resources will also be provided.
• Students in middle or high school can request a consultation to receive guidance and support for concerns related to anxiety, mood, behavior, peer or family interactions, or school transitions and changes. Strategies and tools can also be provided to address academic challenges such as organization and time management.

We encourage all families to take advantage of this service. Request a consultation or call and leave a message at 703-503-2520.

Student Wellness: Tips and Strategies

Feeling super stressed? Worried about a friend's mental health—or your own? Get tips to help manage your emotions and see what to do if you are in crisis. 

Mental Health and Resiliency

Helping students to manage stress, make better choices, and develop healthy habits.

FCPS Family Resource Center

Staff is available by phone 703-204-3941 or email [email protected] to help! Offers free workshops, consultations, a lending library, and more to help adults support the success of all students, including those with learning challenges, special needs and disabilities.

No Cost Therapy for High Schoolers

School's out, but mental health support is still available! High school students can access free teletherapy services over the summer. Schedule your sessions Monday through Friday, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Families must opt-in before requesting service. Their therapists are licensed and also trained in teen-specific challenges. They will work with students until they achieve their therapy goals, or they can help connect the family with long-term mental health services in the community if needed. 

Learn how to opt your students in to this service.

George Mason’s Center for Community Health

George Mason University’s new Center for Community Mental Health (9900 Main Street, Fairfax) provides evidence-based, accessible, affordable, and culturally sensitive therapy and testing services to those in need, regardless of income. The Center sees children as young as age 5, and works with community members of various ages, including addressing the mental health needs of veterans.

The center’s Emotional Help Line provides free, anonymous, confidential support in both English (703-215-1898) and Spanish (703-914-3878). The line is open daily from 8:30 a.m. - 8:30 p.m. Learn more on the Center's website.

Upcoming School Board Meetings

• July 11 at 7 p.m. - Regular Meeting: School Board Organization, School Board School Year 2024-25 Annual Work Calendar, FY25 Fiscal Assessment and Audit Topics, etc.
• July 18 at 7 p.m. - Regular Meeting: School Board Standing and Advisory Committee Assignments, School Board Advisory Committee Representative Assignments and Charges, Election Results Certification and Exclusive Bargaining Agent Recognition, etc.
•  July 19 to August 16, 2024 - Board Recess

Please note, times and topics are subject to change. 

Visit the community participation webpage to sign up to speak at a regular meeting. Visit BoardDocs for more meeting logistics, agendas, and handouts.

Interested in School Board action items? Sign up to get an update on School Board votes the morning after the School Board meeting.

The work sessions and regular meetings will be broadcast live on Channel 99 (Verizon channel 11) and the FCPS website. Both will be recorded for future viewing and posted to the FCPS School Board YouTube channel.

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.

Contacting Me

To contact me, it is most helpful if you can please use the official School Board contact form. This form prioritizes emails to me from constituents, and helps me track communication so I can be sure you receive a response. If you are unsure of your county magisterial district, you can look that information up here.

Use this link to sign up for my Newsletter and follow me on Facebook.

Quick Links

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2024-2025 | 2025-2026

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

Email: Seema Dixit | Phone: 571-423-1085  

Staff Aide: Shaheen Khurana | Phone: 571-423-1072

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English | Español | አማርኛ | 中文 | 한국어 | Tiếng Việt | العربية | فارسی | اردو

Note: This newsletter contains links to translated versions of the content for your convenience. These translations are generated by Google Translate and are not intended to be a substitute for professional translation services.

Our Monthly School Board News Message from Ilryong Moon

Greetings to all of you and congratulations to our 2024 graduates! I was honored to attend many of your graduations and am always amazed when I hear about the accomplishments so many of our students are achieving and their plans for their futures, whether that be attending a university, pursuing a passion in technology or trade, serving our Country in one of the branches of the military, or volunteering with an organization that helps others throughout the Country or globally. And let's remember to thank our parents for all the hard work they put in raising such great kids and to the teachers who facilitated their successes!! Fairfax has AMAZING students! There is no doubt and I wish all our graduates continuing success in whatever professional endeavors they pursue.

This is also the time of year that our School Board benefits from hearing our annual reports of our citizen advisory committees and receiving recommendations on ways that we and our Superintendent can continue making progress in a variety of aspects of the school system.

This newsletter will be a little longer than my traditional communication. In this edition, I want to highlight the incredible work one of our citizen advisory committees, the School Health Advisory Committee, accomplished this past school year and the recommendations recently presented to the School Board. Below I will provide more detailed links to the report and School Board presentation but I want to share with you a high level summary.

First, our students today are coping with school in ways that were inconceivable 20 or more years go by their parents. The ubiquity of cell phones and social media has transformed the way our children interact with each other and not always in ways that are good for the child because of the “disconnect” when kids are deprived of face to face interactions and connections.

One way our advisory committee recommended coping with this is to broadly make more extracurricular activities available – to give all students more extracurricular or volunteer activities to strengthen connections with other students while also giving them more face to face interactions with other students to build relationships and learn skills in communicating and collaborating such as with team play, etc. This is only one aspect of the report recommendations but one that is very meaningful and potentially impactful in improving the mental health of our kids.

If you research this issue, you’ll find a number of ways that parents can also build good mental health habits for children. Some of those ways include:

* Advocating for balanced technology use and modeling responsible use

* Staying in regular contact with teachers so that you understand the workload and stressors your child is facing (encourage a balanced approach to homework and projects that consider students' overall well-being and promotes effective time management)

* Continue advocating for our anti-bullying programs and teach your child to report bullying incidents to school authorities and provide them with the support needed to do so

* Demonstrate that you value inclusivity and that all voices matter regardless of their differences, especially with regard to gender identity or sexual orientation

* Promote mental health resources such as increasing access to counseling and raising awareness about mental health issues to reduce the stigma associated with seeking help

* Encourage a healthy school-life balance that includes time for students’ extracurricular activities that they enjoy and that can provide a break from academic stress

* Creating that loving, supportive home environment that all children needs throughout their development (remember to listen and validate -- providing a supportive and non-judgmental space for them to share their concerns is the best way to stay connected and involved in their world)

I hope you’ll take something away from this short essay. And I hope all of you and your families can take the summer to enjoy some time relaxing with family and friends while we do the hard work preparing for our next outstanding school year!

All the best,

Ilryong Moon

Check out the work of our Citizen Advisory Committees and Consider Volunteering

The work of our citizen advisory committees is incredibly valuable to not only us School Board Members but to our Superintendent and her staff. It's the way that we complete the feedback loop and get input from our communities, parents, staff and teachers.

I hope you'll take an opportunity to review the great work that our committees performed this year:

• Adult and Community Education Advisory Committee
  • Report | Presentation
• Advanced Academic Programs Advisory Committee
  • Report | Presentation
• Advisory Committee for Students with Disabilities
  • Report | Presentation
• Career and Technical Education Advisory Committee
  • Report | Presentation
• Facilities Planning Advisory Council
  • Report | Presentation
• Family Life Education Curriculum Advisory Committee
  • Report | Presentation
• Human Resources Advisory Committee
  • Report | Presentation
• Minority Student Achievement Oversight Committee
  • Report | Presentation
• School Health Advisory Committee
  • Report | Presentation
• Title I Parent Advisory Committee
  • Report | Presentation

Citizen Advisory Committee Appointments

I am currently seeking individuals interested in serving on one of the following citizen advisory committees for next school year. If you're interested, please send me a communication with your resume and statement of interest detailing why you're passionate about serving the school system community:

• Advisory Committee for Students with Disabilities
• Facilities Planning Advisory Council
• Family Life Education Curriculum Advisory Committee
• Minority Student Achievement Oversight Committee
• School Health Advisory Committee

For all of the full descriptions of these committees, please visit the Citizen Advisory Committee section of the FCPS Webpage.

Fairfax County School Board Seeks Audit Committee Applicants

Fairfax County Public Schools invites applications from persons interested in serving on the School Board Audit Committee. Applications will be accepted from June 24, 2024, until July 9, 2024; applicants must reside within the boundaries of Fairfax County or Fairfax City. The Board will be appointing one committee member for a term ending June 30, 2026. Get more information and submit an application.

I want to thank award winning Claire Kim from Centreville High School for a humbling artistic drawing she provided to me recently. Congratulations to all of the FCPS award winning artists!!

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

Contact: Ilryong Moon | 571-423-1089

Staff Aide: Chris Lewis | 571-536-9296

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Dear Franconia Residents/Estimados Residentes de Franconia,

FCPS is planning a calendar change for elementary school students next year so teachers can be trained in the new “Science of Reading” elementary literacy curriculum. The recommendation is to create seven “early release Mondays."

You have two opportunities to provide input:

• A Community Conversation with Dr. Reid is scheduled to take place at Woodlawn Elementary School on Tuesday, July 2 at 6:00-7:00 PM. This will be a hybrid event with language interpretation and childcare available as needed. Please register online.

• You may wish to apply to participate on the Steering Committee for this initiative, which is open to administrators, educators, and families. If you want to apply, please complete this form for consideration by Friday, June 28.

For elementary schools in the Edison HS, Hayfield SS, Lewis HS, Mount Vernon HS, South County HS, and West Potomac HS pyramids, the planned dates for “early release Mondays” are: September 16, October 21, November 18, February 10, March 10, April 21, and May 12.

You may submit your questions or feedback to [email protected] or to me directly.

Kind Regards/Bondadosamente,.

Marcia St. John-Cunning

Franconia District School Board Member

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: Marcia St. John-Cunning |  Phone: 571-423-1081

Staff Aide: Mara Kaiser Braunger | Phone: 571-279-1691

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Note: This newsletter contains links to translated versions of the content for your convenience. These translations are generated by Google Translate and are not intended to be a substitute for professional translation services.

Dear Dranesville Families:

I want to update you on the status of Boundary Policy 8130 work.

Since February, the Governance Committee has been reviewing potential changes to the policy, and on June 18, 2024, the Governance Committee voted to send their draft to the full School Board. On June 25, 2024, the School Board held a Work Session to consider the Governance Committee draft policy and advanced the draft policy It was placed on New Business last night, June 27, 2024. Formal School Board Action on this policy amendment is scheduled for July 18, 2024.

The next steps are:

• The Governance Committee will meet on July 1, 2024, to consider any additional updates to the draft policy.
• If the Governance Committee makes any changes to the draft policy,
  • the new version of the draft policy will be noticed as New Business and attached to the July 11, 2024, Regular Meeting agenda.

• Formal School Board Action on this policy amendment is scheduled for July 18, 2024.

Regards,

Robyn

Upcoming School Board Meetings

• Monday, July 1, 1- 3:30 pm: Governance Committee
• Thursday, July 11, 7 pm: Regular Meeting
• Thursday, July 18, 7 pm: Regular Meeting

All times and topics subject to change.

How to watch meetings and sign up to speak

• Regular Meetings and Work Sessions are live-streamed on the FCPS website and televised on FCPS Cable Channel 99.

• Recordings of Meetings: Work Sessions and Regular Meetings are recorded and available here after the meeting. 

• To watch School Board meetings dubbed in Spanish, you can visit the FCPS en Español YouTube channel.

• For information about signing up to speak at a regular meeting or at Public Hearings, click here.

• Latest schedule of School Board Meetings

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 deYouTube de FCPS en Español o escanee el código QR.

Volunteer Opportunities School Board Seeking Applicants for Audit Committee Citizen Member

FCPS is looking for community members interested in serving on the School Board Audit Committee. To apply, you must reside within the boundaries of Fairfax County or Fairfax City.  The School Board will be appointing one committee member for a term ending June 30, 2026. Click here for more information and the application.

Applicants cannot be a current FCPS employee and must be able to understand general government processes as well as technical and complex financial reporting issues. Applicants should be knowledgeable about internal controls, financial statement audits, management and operational audits, and risk. The deadline to submit an application is Tuesday, July 9, 2024.

June 2024 Audit Buzz

In the Audit Buzz – June 2024, we provide an update on the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Risk Assessment and Proposed Audit Plan along with current engagements, explain the 5C's of an audit finding in the Knowledge Hive, offer a training opportunity to Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) employees, and advertise for a School Board Audit Committee community member position. 

Prior editions of Audit Buzz are archived here on Office of Auditor General's (OAG) website.

Career and Technical Education Advisory Committee Position (CTEAC)

This committee provides recommendations to the local educational agency (or board) on current job needs and the relevancy of career and technical education programs offered and to assist in the development, implementation, and evaluation of the local plan and application. The Dranesville representative will serve from August 2024- July 2025. See the CTEAC website for more information.

Please fill out this form by Friday, July 12 to share why you would like to be a representative and why you would be a great fit for this committee. Please email my Staff Aide at [email protected] if you have any questions.

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.

© 2024 Fairfax County Public Schools, Fairfax County, Virginia

E-mail: Robyn Lady  |  Phone: 571-423-1087

Staff Aide: Wendy Biliter | Phone: 571-423-1068

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Note: This newsletter contains links to translated versions of the content for your convenience. These translations are generated by Google Translate and are not intended to be a substitute for professional translation services.

Dear Providence District Families,

The Fairfax County School Board is currently seeking applications from Providence District residents for the Facilities Planning Advisory Council (FPAC) and from anywhere in Fairfax County for the Audit Committee.

Facilities Planning Advisory Council (FPAC)
Providence District

The School Board encourages Providence District residents with experience in construction, engineering, architecture, land use planning, development, demographics, government operations, and financing to apply for the committee appointment.

FPAC advises and informs Fairfax County Public Schools staff and the School Board in the development of comprehensive, long-term plans for facilities needs, such as creative financing and construction strategies, scope of renovations, school closures, and new school openings.

Learn more about FPAC here. The deadline to submit your application is Friday, July 5, 2024.

Audit Committee (Community Member)

The School Board also invites interested Fairfax County community members with business and/or auditing expertise to apply for an upcoming community member vacancy on the School Board Audit Committee.

The Audit Committee serves as the School Board’s liaison with the Office of the Auditor General. It helps unearth potential fraud, waste, and abuse by reviewing the annual audit plan, submitting recommendations to the Board, reviewing audit reports, and more.

Learn more about the Audit Committee here. The deadline to submit your application is Tuesday, July 9, 2024.

In service,

Karl Frisch
Chair and Providence Representative
Fairfax County School Board

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: Karl Frisch  |  Phone: 571-423-1084 

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Note: This newsletter contains links to translated versions of the content for your convenience. These translations are generated by Google Translate and are not intended to be a substitute for professional translation services.

Hello, Springfield District

I hope you’re enjoying your summer! Please find below an update on the Board’s boundary policy review and an opportunity to serve on the School Board’s Audit Committee.

I will be back in touch soon! 

Sandy Anderson

Boundary Policy Update

The School Board discussed the updated boundary policy (Policy 8130) at the June 25 work session. This review is part of the standard policy review process the Board tries hard to uphold. This work started in 2018 and has been stalled several times along the way, mainly due to the pandemic. Tuesday’s meeting was an important step toward ensuring students are able to attend schools that aren’t significantly over or under capacity and aren’t on extended busing routes. As our budget dollars get tighter and tighter, this work also ensures our Division is effectively utilizing its resources which is a win for every taxpayer in Fairfax County. 

The approval of the policy was on the agenda for new business at last night’s regular meeting and is scheduled for a vote at the July 18 meeting. Regular meetings are open to the public and take place at Luther Jackson Middle School, 3020 Gallows Road, Falls Church, VA at 7 p.m. Community members are welcome to speak. Regular meetings may also be viewed live from the FCPS website or the School Board YouTube Channel

After the School Board votes on the policy, the Superintendent’s work will then commence. She will use the updated policy to review and propose any future changes to school boundaries, and robust community engagement will occur before any potential boundary changes are proposed. The School Board will vote on any recommended, permanent boundary changes, and there will eventually be an implementation date for the changes. This is a very long way to say, there is no set date for potential boundary changes. Whatever the timeline or the path forward, I know that all the School Board members feel strongly about keeping the public informed.

I will continue to keep you updated on the Board’s work regarding the Policy 8130 review in my monthly newsletters.

For now, please see and continue to check the FCPS website for current information. You may also find more information about School Board meetings on our website. You may follow our work on the 2023-24 School Board Annual Work Calendar. (Note that the 2024-25 School Board Annual Work Calendar will be posted after the July 11 regular meeting.) The calendar is continually updated as our Chair and Committee Chairs set the schedule for our work.  

If you have any further questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me.

FCPS News School Board Seeking Audit Committee Member

Fairfax County Public Schools invites applications from community members interested in serving on the School Board Audit Committee. Applicants must reside within the boundaries of Fairfax County or Fairfax City.  The Board will be appointing one committee member for a term ending June 30, 2026.

  

Applicants cannot be a current FCPS employees and must be able to understand general government processes as well as technical and complex financial reporting issues. Applicants should be knowledgeable about internal controls, financial statement audits, management and operational audits, and risk. The deadline to apply is Tuesday, July 9, 2024.

Get more information and submit an application.

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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

Contact: Sandy Anderson  |  571-423-1080

Executive Administrative Assistant: Stephanie Sheridan | 571-423-1065 

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The Dunne Dispatch (Early Release Mondays Special Edition) - 06/28/2024

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Next year (SY 2024-2025), the Superintendent is planning for a limited number of “early release Mondays” where elementary school students will be released 3 hours early. You have two opportunities to provide input on this plan:

• I advocated for the Superintendent to host a community forum in the Mount Vernon District, so she scheduled a Community Conversation at Woodlawn ES on Tuesday, July 2 at 6:00-7:00 PM. This will be a hybrid event with language interpretation and childcare available as needed. If you wish to attend online, please register online. (Please note registration will be available soon, but is not available yet.)

• You may wish to apply to participate on the Steering Committee for this initiative, which is open to administrators, educators, and families. If you want to apply, please complete this form for consideration by Friday, June 28.

For elementary schools in the Edison HS, Hayfield SS, Lewis HS, Mount Vernon HS, South County HS, and West Potomac HS pyramids, the planned dates for “early release Mondays” are: September 16, October 21, November 18, February 10, March 10, April 21, and May 12.

The purpose of the “early release Mondays” is to enable all elementary school teachers to be trained in “Science of Reading” literacy instruction. K-6 Classroom Teachers will receive 27 hours of training and K-6 Reading Specialists will receive 54 hours of training by June 2025.

The School Board has not considered or approved the plan for “early release Mondays.” The training is necessary to provide evidence-based literacy instruction to all children. However, many families in the Mount Vernon District and across the county will be impacted by the early release of their children from school. 

You may submit your questions or feedback to [email protected].  You can also share your thoughts and input with me online.

Very Respectfully,

Mateo Dunne, Mount Vernon District Representative

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: Mateo Dunne  |  Phone: 571-423-1086

Staff Aide: Nelda Brown, 571-423-1049

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The Family Resource Center is Open All Summer!

We offer free webinars, confidential consultations, a lending library, and resources to help adults support the success of all students, including those with learning challenges, special needs, and disabilities.

Our office hours are from 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. Monday - Friday. We encourage families and staff to make an appointment for consultations, especially when requiring an interpreter.

FCPS Family Resource Center
2334 Gallows Road, Room 105 (Door 1)
Dunn Loring, VA 22027

Contact Us

Call:    703-204-3941
Text:    571-496-8210
Email:  [email protected]

Books

• Co-parenting 101 : helping your kids thrive in two households after divorce by Philyaw, Deesha.

• Congrats -- you're having a teen! : strengthen your family and raise a good person by Ginsburg, Kenneth.
• Eight setbacks that can make a child a success : what to do and what to say to turn "failures" into character-building moments by Icard, Michelle.
• The frazzled parent : learning 19 essential skills to teach yourself and your pre-teen ADHD child to successfully navigate today's short attention span world by Hogan, Elaine.
• It's not fair! : growing up with a sibling with PDA by Myszak, Jessica.
  
  

Webinars

• Meet the Author Series: The Breakthrough Years with Ellen Galinsky
• Meet the Author Series: Gifted and Distractible with Julie Skolnick

• Navigating Teen Turbulence: Practical Strategies for Parenting Adolescents

• Understanding HS Mathematics Course Offerings
• 고등학교 수학 과목 제공 이해하기
• Comprender la oferta de cursos de matemáticas de la escuela secundaria

Digital Resources

• Grief and Loss Padlet 
• Support Groups Padlet
• Twice Exceptional 2e Learner Resources
• Early Childhood Resources
• Alcohol, Vaping and Opioid Resources

FCPS Family Resource Center
Web | Email: [email protected] | Phone: 703-204-3941

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• To read this newsletter in other languages, please visit our website.
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.يرجى زيارة موقعنا الألكتروني لقراءة هذه النشرة الإخبارية بلغات أخرى

اس نیوزلیٹر کو دوسری زبانوں میں پڑھنے کیلئے ، براہ مہربانی ہماری ویب سائیٹ ملاحظہ کیجیئے۔

Note: This newsletter contains links to translated versions of the content for your convenience. These translations are generated by Google Translate and are not intended to be a substitute for professional translation services.

Mason District Community,

The school year has come to an end and students are off to their summer activities. However, I'd like to extend a final congratulations to the class of 2024! I had the opportunity to attend several graduation ceremonies and have been impressed by the speakers and energized by the enthusiasm and excitement our graduates exude. Good luck graduates on your next adventures.

It’s also important to recognize the staff who spent considerable time in service of our students and invested their energy into the growth and successes of our most precious commodities.

While the school year has come to a close, the work of the School Board continues. Until the annual recess in mid-July, the Board continues its engagement in revising the boundary policy among other priorities.  

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.

Included in this issue:

Mason Moments:

Opportunities:

•VMEA Blue Ribbon Award (corrected) •Summer Reading Adventure •2024 Cappies •NOVA Early Online College •FCPS Honors •Summer Meal Program •Hispanic Leadership Alliance •Upcoming School Board Meetings    

Mason News:

Goal Reports:

•New Justice HS Principal •Goal 1 Report •Glasgow Masterclasses •Goal 2 Report •Belvedere PYPX •Goal 3 Report •College Bound •Goal 4 Report •Boundary Policy Work •Goal 5 Report •Early Release Mondays   Mason Moments 2024 VMEA Blue Ribbon Award (Corrected*)

The VMEA Blue Ribbon Award is the highest award given to school music programs in the Commonwealth of Virginia and recognizes achieved excellence in Band, Orchestra, and Choral Performance. All top eligible performing groups must receive a final Superior rating at VMEA District Concert Performance Assessment to qualify for this award. Two Mason District schools earned this prestigious award this year! Congratulations to Poe Middle School, Glasgow Middle School and Justice High School on this significant achievement! 

*Poe Middle School was inadvertently left out of the story published earlier this month.

2024 Cappies

The Cappies of the National Capital area held its annual awards gala honoring excellence in high school theater on June 10 at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Congratulations are extended to the Justice High School Wolfpack Theatre with a total of eight nominations and two wins!

Sofia Hemmens, Supporting Actor in a Male Role in a Play, The Picture of Dorian Gray

Elijah Kassa, Lead Actor in a Male Role in a Play, The Picture of Dorian Gray

FCPS Honors 

Each year, the FCPS Department of Human Resources sponsors the recognition of outstanding employees who demonstrate the best instructional and support practices.

Congratulations to Columbia Elementary School teacher Ms. Shea Hestmark, recognized as the FCPS Outstanding Elementary Teacher of the Year!

Congratulations to Principal Raven Jones from Luther Jackson Middle School, for her recognition as the Outstanding New Principal of the Year!

Additional Mason District finalists:

• Ms. Katie Shaw, Annandale HS - Outstanding Secondary School New Teacher finalist
• Ms. Ingrid Badia, Annandale Terrace ES - Outstanding New Principal finalist
• Ms. Ellen Rogers, Belvedere ES - Outstanding School-Based Professional Employee finalist
• Ms. Christy Hanlon, Justice HS - Outstanding School-Based Leader finalist
• Ms. Amanda Castellucci, Woodburn ES - Outstanding Elementary School Teacher finalist
• Ms. Rebecca Forgy, Parklawn ES - Outstanding Principal finalist
• Mr. Shawn DeRose, Annandale HS - Outstanding Principal finalist

Congratulations to all of the 2024 winners, finalists, and school recipients from each category.

Hispanic Leadership Alliance Scholarships

The Hispanic Leadership Alliance presented scholarships to 33 students on May 29, 2024 in recognition of demonstrated leadership and mentoring in their educational and social activities. Each applicant will be the first in their families to attend a postsecondary institution.

Congratulations to the scholarship recipients from the Mason District:

Annandale High School - Navarrete Amaya

Falls Church High School - Gerson Barrera Najarro, Victoria Machado

Justice High School - Laina Huynh Amaya, Arlet Almaraz Pérez, Jorge Carrasco, Katerin Quispe Coronel, Nayla Bonilla-Mendez, Marilyn Aguilon Gómez, Yoselin Martínez, Michael Barrera, Genesis Rivera, Victor Hirmas

Lake Braddock Secondary - Alexandra Castro-Velez

Mason News Justice High School Principal

Dr. Sean Rolon has been named the new principal of Justice High School, effective June 20, 2024. 

Dr. Rolon has served as a classroom teacher, assessment coach, and most recently as an assistant principal at Falls Church High School.

Welcome to Justice High School, Dr. Rolon!

Glasgow Masterclasses

On Wednesday, June 5th, Glasgow Middle School hosted their annual Spring Trip Masterclass - an event where Band, Orchestra and Chorus students work with a guest clinician to put together a performance before heading on their Spring Trip the following day. The masterclass is a wonderful opportunity for students to work towards a common goal with inspiring clinicians. 

Glasgow Chorus had the honor of having Philip Keirstead lead the 2024 masterclass. Our choirs thrived under his engaging and inclusive teaching style which helped them to successfully perform the song Peace on Earth and Lots of Little Crickets.

The Glasgow Orchestra was led by Gerald Fowkes, Orchestra Director at Fairfax High School whom the students found to be hilarious and inspiring. The Orchestra of 70 students performed Golden Grove by Brian Balmages. 

Lastly, the Glasgow Band was conducted by Abby Izzo, the band director at Parkside MS in Prince William County. The band put great work into preparing their piece and ended that night's concert with a bang!

Enjoy the performances:

Chorus Masterclass

Orchestra Masterclass

Band Masterclass

Belvedere PYPX

I recently attended the Belvedere Elementary School Primary Years Program (PYP) Exhibition which was a culmination of student learning about the world around them throughout the year. Through the PYP, students develop into globally-minded thinkers, inquirers, and problem solvers.

Students presented the ways in which they applied their knowledge to develop plans to make a difference in their community.

These 5th grade students wrestled with big ideas in ways they found actionable. From Title IX to making Columbia Pike safer for pedestrians, the timely and thoughtful topics and presentations were exceptional!

College Bound!

Many of the 2024 Justice High School AVID and IB graduates plan to attend college this fall at the schools identified below. We are very proud of our students for whom despite many challenges did not allow current circumstances to dictate their future. Congratulations and best wishes to our graduates!

Boundary Policy Work

As previously shared, the Board’s Governance Committee has been working on the revisions to the Division’s Boundary Policy and the full Board will discuss the committee’s proposed draft during the Work Session on Tuesday, June 25, 2024.

The meeting will be livestreamed and the community is welcomed to attend in person to view the proceedings at Gatehouse Administration Center - 8115 Gatehouse Road, Falls Church. Note that the Boundary Policy session is scheduled from 1:00 to 4:30 p.m.

The proposed draft Boundary policy, to be voted on by the Board in the near future, directs the Division Superintendent to review the boundaries of the entire division every five years. The draft changes also include a plan for community engagement and clearly outline the division’s response in cases of emergency. 

Opportunities Early Release Mondays

In an effort to provide elementary teachers with significant blocks of uninterrupted, in-person, and collaborative planning time, FCPS has developed a plan that includes seven 3-hour early release Mondays for elementary students in the 2024-25 school year. 

A steering committee of school leaders, teachers, and families is being created to ensure this work is supported and implemented consistently across all elementary schools. If you are interested in being a part of the steering committee, please complete this form for consideration by Friday, June 28. 

FCPS staff will be hosting two Community Conversations about the elementary early release Mondays at Gatehouse Administration Center on:

• Tuesday, June 25, 5:30-6:30 p.m. 
• Wednesday, June 26, 5:30-6:30 p.m.

Your questions and ideas are welcome.  Please register by clicking on one of the dates above. Language interpretation and childcare will be available as needed. Please visit our website for more information and email questions to [email protected]. 

Summer Reading Adventure

Join the Fairfax County Library Summer Reading Adventure to earn virtual badges and receive prizes! Youth and adults can participate.

Register Today! 

NOVA Early Online College Fall 2024

NOVA Early Online College (EOC) allows rising high school juniors and seniors the opportunity to take up to two tuition-free college courses. EOC courses for the fall semester take place Monday, September 23, through Tuesday, December 17, 2024. Students should register by Friday, July 26, at 5 p.m.

Courses are asynchronous, online, and for college credit only. Thirteen courses are offered along with courses that fulfill the IT Technical Support Career Studies Certificate. EOC courses meet the requirements for most of NOVA’s associate degrees as well as being highly transferable as general education requirements for most colleges and universities. 

Summer Meal Program

To support access to healthy meals during the summer months, Fairfax County Public Schools will be participating in the Summer Food Service Program to provide meals free of charge to children and teens 18 and under at the sites and times listed below. 

Meal service will not be provided on July 4th and 5th, 2024.   

Several schools in the Mason District will be offering breakfast and/or lunch:

Annandale Elementary, Bailey's Primary, Beech Tree Elementary, Braddock Elementary, Bren Mar Park Elementary, Camelot Elementary, Columbia Elementary, Holmes Middle, Luther Jackson Middle, Mason Crest Elementary, North Springfield Elementary, Parklawn Elementary, Sleepy Hollow Elementary, Timber Lane Elementary, Westlawn Elementary, Woodburn Elementary.

Meals will be provided, on a first-come, first-served basis.

Summer 2024 Cold Breakfast Menu

Summer 2024 Cold Lunch Menu

Please check the full schedule for dates and times meals will be offered at each location.

Goal Reports

Over the past several months, the Division Superintendent presented reports to the School Board in the five areas identified in the Strategic Plan.

The full presentations and the metrics developed for the 2023-2024 school year are shown below. It is hoped that progress to these measures will be provided in the near term to the School Board and community.

Goal 1: Strong Start: Pre-K - 12

(presented 12/12/2023)

Full Report / PowerPoint Presentation

Goal 1 Report Highlights:

• Students with Pre-K experiences are linked to higher rates of literacy, mathematics and executive functioning skills at Kindergarten;
• Pre-school attendance is linked to higher rates of high school graduation and higher rates of college attendance.

Measurable Progress:

By the end of the 2023-2024 school year, FCPS seeks to: 

• Increase percentage of all students with Pre-K experience from 75% to 80%. All subgroups* are expected to increase Pre-K at least 5 percentage points, except for Students with Disabilities who are expected to maintain the current percentage of 90% and White students for whom the goal is from 88% to 90% or more; (Measure A of Goal 1 – page 15 of full report)
• Increase percentage of students meeting grade level expectations for reading, mathematics and executive functioning in the fall from 71% to 76% and by 5 percentage points for 8 of the 9 reported subgroups; (Measure B of Goal 1 – page 17 of full report)
• Increase percentage of English Learners who meet the state criteria for growth from 45% to 50%. (Measure D of Goal 1 – page 49 of full report)

*Subgroups: 1) Economically Disadvantaged, 2) Multilingual Learners/English Learners, 3) Students With Disabilities, 4) Students With 504 Plan, 5) Asian, 6) Black, 7) Hispanic, 8) Multi-Racial/Two or More, 9) White

Notable Data:

• 75% of FCPS students entered with Pre-K experiences: 20% of students are served in FCPS programs, 55% are served by programs outside of FCPS (private, County offerings) and 25% do not participate in any Pre-K experience at all;
• Of the 75% of FCPS students with Pre-K experience, English Learners have the lowest rates of participation at 55%, Hispanic students at 57% and Economically Disadvantaged students at 62%; (page 15 of full report)
• Of the students entering FCPS without Pre-K experience, the data per pyramid show Mason District schools as follows: AHS pyramid - 37%, FCHS pyramid - 33% and JHS pyramid - 41%; (page 13 of full report)
• 71% of FCPS Kindergarten students met grade level expectations at the beginning of K for reading, mathematics and executive functioning; (48% of K without Pre-K and 78% with Pre-K experience); (page 18 of full report)
• 62% of kindergartners met grade level expectations in reading, mathematics and executive functioning in the spring, with 35% of English Learners, 39% of Economically Disadvantaged students, 40% of Hispanic students, and 40% of Students With Disabilities meeting these expectations; (page 19 of full report)
• 55% of students in 1st through 3rd grade met grade level expectations on the mathematics screener by the spring, with 24% of English Learners, 27% of Economically Disadvantaged students, and 27% of Hispanic students meeting this expectation; (page 21 of full report)
• 69% of 3rd grade students read on grade level, with 34% of English Learners, 41% of Economically Disadvantaged students, and 41% of Hispanic students reading at grade level; (page 21 of full report)
• 45% of English Learners made the expected growth as defined by the state. (page 48 of full report)

Goal 2: Safe, Supported, Included, and Empowered

(presented 4/2/2024)

Full Report / PowerPoint Presentation

Goal 2 Report Highlights:

• Chronic absenteeism is defined as being absent from school for any reason (excused and unexcused) for at least 10% of the school year which is 18 days of the 180-day school calendar. 
• Nationally and within FCPS, chronic absenteeism increased during and after the pandemic. National data show a 13.5 percentage point increase and FCPS data show 7.8 percentage point increase.
• Chronic absenteeism is associated with lower test scores and grade performance, decreased likelihood of on-time graduation, increased dropout risk, and lower likelihood of college enrollment.
• Middle school chronic absenteeism is associated with an increased risk of not graduating from high school.
• Discipline disproportionately refers to instances when students who belong to specific demographic groups are subjected to disciplinary actions at greater rates than students who belong to other demographic groups.  

Measurable Progress:

By the end of the 2023-2024 school year, FCPS seeks to:

• Increase student attendance rates from 87% to at least 90% for all students. All subgroups are expected to increase attendance at least 5 percentage points, i.e., For Economically Disadvantaged students from 79% to 84%, Hispanic students from 80% to 85% ML and SWD from 81% to 86; (Measure D of Goal 2 – page 12 of full report)
• Reduce discipline disproportionality, discipline referral risk from 2.1 to 2.0 for students who are Economically Disadvantaged and from 1.8 to 1.7  for Black students, Multilingual Learners and Students With Disabilities; (Measure F of Goal 2 – page 27 of full report)
• Reduce discipline disproportionality of suspensions from 3.0 to 2.9 for Students With Disabilities and from 2.9 to 2.8 for students who are Economically Disadvantaged and from 2.3 to 2.2 for Black students;  (Measure F of Goal 2 – page 29 of full report)
• Increase the percentage of schools with at least 85% of students who are absent for less than 10% of the school from 64% of schools to 69% of schools. (Measure D of Goal 2 – page 14 of full report)

Notable Data: 

• 87% of all students were absent for less than 10% of the school year to include 79% of Economically Disadvantaged students, 80% of Hispanic students, and 81% of Multilingual Learners and Students With Disabilities were absent less than 10%. (page 12 of full report)
• 66% of students were absent less than 5% of the school year. (page 13 of full report)
• 81% of VDOE designated current and former Multilingual Learners were absent less than 10% of the school year to include 70% of ELP level 9 (kindergarten) students, 73% of ELP level 1 students, 77% of ELP level 2 students, 82% of ELP level 3 students, 87% of ELP level 4 students, and 89% of ELP level 6a-6d students were absent less than 10% of the year. (page 16 of full report)
• Discipline referral risk is 2.1 for students who are Economically Disadvantaged and 1.8 for Black students, Multilingual Learners and Students With Disabilities. (page 27 of full report)
• Boys were over 2 times more likely to receive discipline referrals and suspensions.  
• 1% of all students received a suspension consequence. The percentage is 3% for each of the following groups: Economically Disadvantaged students, Multilingual Learners, Students With Disabilities, and Black students. (page 29 of full report)
• Students With Disabilities discipline involvement rates are highest for Black students at 7% and Economically Disadvantaged and Multilingual Learners at 5%. (page 32 of full report)

Goal 3: Academic Growth and Excellence

(presented 11/14/2023)

Full Report / PowerPoint Presentation / Supplemental Information

Goal 3 Report Highlights:

• Students with 504 plans, Asian, Two or More Races, and White racial/ethnic groups have fairly high rates of performance with approximately 80 percent of students in these groups reading on grade level by 3rd grade.
• Economically Disadvantaged, English Learners, Students With Disabilities, Hispanic, and Black student groups have low rates of performance on reading on grade level by 3rd grade. 
• Gaps exist in kindergarten for the same student groups that have lower rates of passing the 3rd grade reading SOL exam. This means that gaps start early and persist through higher grade levels.
• FCPS needs to improve its efforts to develop students’ foundational skills and content knowledge aligned to Algebra 1, beginning in early elementary school to ensure students are prepared for Algebra 1 success by 8th grade.

Measurable Progress:

By the end of the 2023-2024 school year, FCPS seeks to:

• Increase Pass Rates of the Grade 3 SOL/VAAP reading exam from 69% to 74% and by 5 percentage points for each of the 9 reported subgroups; (Measure B of Goal 3 - page 13 of full report) 
• Increase the percentage of students who receive a verified credit in Algebra 1 by the end of 8th grade from 51% to 56% and by 5 percentage points for each of the 9 reported subgroups; (Measure C of Goal 3 - page 24 of full report)  
• Increase the percentage of schools that increase the percentage of students successfully completing Algebra 1 by the end of 8th grade from 31% to 36%; (Measure C of Goal 3 - page 25 of full report)
• Increase the percent of students in the senior cohort who earned a C- or higher in at least one AP/IB/DE or other 1.0 weighted course and/or earned CTE finisher status before graduating from 85% to 90% and by 5 percentage points for 5 of the 9 reported subgroups (Economically Disadvantaged, English Learners, Students With Disabilities, Black students, and Hispanic students), and by 1-2 percentage points for 2 of the 9 reported subgroups (Two or More and White students) and to maintain 90% for 2 of the 9 reported subgroups (504 Plan and Asian students); (Measure D of Goal 3 - page 40 of full report)
• Increase the percentage of English Learner students who meet the benchmark of reading on grade level by 3rd grade from 34% to 39%; (Measure F of Goal 3 - page 50 of full report)
• Increase of English Learner students meeting the benchmark of succeeding in Algebra 1 by 8th grade from 7% to 12%; (Measure C of Goal 3 - page 53 of full report)
• Increase the percentage of English Learners meeting the benchmark of succeeding in Advanced or CTE coursework by the end of high school from 42% to 47%. (Measure D of Goal 3 - page 59 of full report)

Goal 4: Equitable Access and Opportunity

(presented 5/7/2024)

Full Report / PowerPoint Presentation

Goal 4 Report Highlights:

• The FLES program provides opportunities to explore cultural aspects of the target language so that students grow in their ability to interact with other cultures. The program is designed to provide all students in a FLES elementary school site, grades K through 6th the opportunity to communicate in a target language. FCPS offers FLES programs in Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Korean, and Spanish.

There were no progress measures for the 2023-2024 school year.

Notable Data:

• 16 of 42 title 1 schools (38%) offer a foreign language in Elementary Schools which includes Bailey's Primary, Belvedere, Beech Tree, Braddock, Parklawn, Sleepy Hollow, and Woodburn. 
• 16 of 25 middle schools offer 3 or more World Language Offerings which includes Glasgow and Luther Jackson.

Goal 5: Leading for Tomorrow's Innovation

(presented 3/19/2024)

Full Report / PowerPoint Presentation

Goal 5 Report Highlights:

• Students who recently became English proficient (ELP levels 6a-6d) had a 98% on-time graduation rate and a 2% dropout rate.
• Students With Disabilities in FCPS had a 95% on-time graduation rate which was similar to the Division average.
• Students With Disabilities had a 4% dropout rate, which is lower than Virginia standards for accreditation of at or below 6%.
• 25% of Students With Disabilities who received level 2 services received an Applied Studies Diploma.
• Students who were Economically Disadvantaged had a 91% on-time graduation rate which was similar to the Division average.
• Students who were Economically Disadvantaged were almost 2 times more likely to drop out compared to students who were not Economically Disadvantaged.

Measurable Progress:

By the end of the 2023-2024 school year, FCPS seeks to:

• Increase on-time graduation rates for English Learners/Multilingual Learners from 73% to 78% and for Hispanic students from 82% to 87% and to maintain the 7 of the 9 reported subgroups; (Measure C of Goal 5 - page 15 of the full report)
• Reduce dropout rates for English Learners/Multilingual Learners from 25% to 20%, for Hispanic students from 16% to 11% and for Economically Disadvantaged students from 7% to less than 6%. (Measure C of Goal 5 - page 18 of the full report) 

Upcoming School Board Meetings

Regular School Board Meetings (Luther Jackson Middle School)

• June 27, 2024 at 7:00 p.m.
• July 11, 2024 at 7:00 p.m.
• July 18, 2024 at 7:00 p.m.

Work Sessions (Gatehouse Administration Center)

• June 24, 2024 at 5:00 p.m. (Committee Reports)
• June 25, 2024 at 10:30 a.m. (Forums and Work Session)

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.

@masonfcps

@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]

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Note: This newsletter contains links to translated versions of the content for your convenience. These translations are generated by Google Translate and are not intended to be a substitute for professional translation services.

Hello, Springfield District

It has been a very busy month of celebrating our students and staff, and I wanted to start by sharing a huge congratulations to the class of 2024! I enjoyed attending the graduation and transition ceremonies for twelve different schools. Seeing the pride beaming from our staff, families, and graduates as they walked across the stage was such a special experience.

I was also honored to participate in two very special awards ceremonies. First, was this year’s Cappies Gala where students from around the DC Capital area were nominated for their strong work in theatre performances and journalism. It was a thrill to present the Hair and Makeup category to Brianna Turner, Anabelle Volpe, Alina Yang, and The Sweeney Hair & Makeup Team from the Springfield District’s own West Springfield High School. A huge congratulations to Lake Braddock for winning the Best Play for Romeo & Juliet (for the 2nd year in a row!) and West Springfield for winning Best Musical for Sweeney Todd School Edition.

Finally, on the last day of school, I attended the FCPS Honors Award ceremony. Congratulations to all the finalists and nominees. It was a lovely evening! As a former teacher, I know that sometimes it can feel that people only notice what you are doing when someone has a concern or there is a problem. I love events like this one that highlight all the amazing things our teachers and staff do every day to ensure our students and families thrive. To all the nominees, you should be incredibly proud. And, to everyone else who dedicates themselves every day in your classroom or office, please know that so many of us see you and appreciate your dedication to our students. 

I hope all of you and your families have an amazing and safe summer. 

I will be in touch soon! 

Sandy Anderson

This newsletter includes information on the following issues:

• Upcoming School Board Meetings
• School Board Work
• FCPS News
• Superintendent Updates
• Springfield District Scene
• Student Opportunities
• Community News
• Family and Student Resources
• Quick Links

Upcoming School Board Meetings

• June 24 at 5 p.m. - Work Session: Advisory Committee for Students with Disabilities, Advanced Academics Programming Advisory Committee, Student Health Advisory Committee, and PreK and Early Head Start Parent Policy Committee Reports
• June 25 at 11:30 a.m. - Work Session: Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) Fiscal Assessment and Audit Topics
• June 25 at 1 p.m. - Work Session: Policy 8130, Local School Boundaries, Program Assignments and School Closings
• June 27 at 7 p.m. - Regular Meeting: To be Determined
• July 11 at 7 p.m. - Regular Meeting: School Board Organization, School Board School Year 2024-25 Annual Work Calendar, FY25 Fiscal Assessment and Audit Topics, etc.
• July 18 at 7 p.m. - Regular Meeting: School Board Standing and Advisory Committee Assignments, School Board Advisory Committee Representative Assignments and Charges, Election Results Certification and Exclusive Bargaining Agent Recognition, etc.

Please note that times and topics are subject to change.

The work sessions and regular meetings will be broadcast live on Channel 99 (Verizon channel 11) and the FCPS website. Both will be recorded for future viewing and posted to the FCPS School Board YouTube channel.

For Spanish speakers, to watch recorded School Board meetings, or live during regular meetings, visit the FCPS en Espanol YouTube channel or scan the QR code below.

Visit the Community Participation webpage to sign up to speak at a regular meeting. Visit BoardDocs for more meeting logistics, agendas, and handouts.

Are you interested in School Board action items? Sign up to get an update on School Board votes the morning after the School Board meeting.

If you need language interpretation or American Sign Language support for any School Board meeting, please contact the board clerk. Find your School Board member and how to contact them on the School Board Members webpage.

Reuniones de la Junta Escolar de FCPS en Español

Para ver las reuniones de Junta Escolar grabadas o para ver en vivo durante las Reuniones Ordinarias en YouTube, por favor vaya al canal de YouTube de FCPS en Español o escanee el código QR.

School Board Work School Board Votes to Adopt Fiscal Year 2025 Approved Budget

At the May 23 regular meeting, the Fairfax County School Board adopted Fairfax County Public Schools’ (FCPS) Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Approved Budget at their board meeting last night. The FY 2025 Approved Budget totals $3.7 billion — a net increase of $233.2 million or 6.6% over the previous year. 

The FY 2025 Approved Budget focuses on providing educational excellence for all students and ensuring that employees’ hard work and dedication are acknowledged through competitive compensation. Both of these efforts fully align with the FCPS 2023-30 Strategic Plan.

Nearly 86% of the Approved Budget is targeted at instruction. Key budget highlights include funding for a 4% compensation increase for all employees; maintaining existing class size formulas and providing necessary support to all students; and expanding athletics offerings, additional athletic trainers, and enhanced stipends for fine and performing arts.

I know so many of us were disappointed that we were unable to fund the full 6% raise that had been proposed by the Superintendent and supported by the School Board. I am grateful that once the state released its funding, the Superintendent was able to find additional funding to fund a 4% raise. I would like to thank both the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors for supporting us to the extent they felt was possible and and our Virginia legislators for starting the work that needs to be done to fix an outdated funding model in our state that unfortunately has put our average funding per student below where it should be and where many of our neighboring states are. Moving forward, fully funding our schools is going to continue to be a task that takes dedicated groups of people working together to ensure we have the strongest schools possible. I am dedicated to this task. In a related action, the School Board approved these follow-on motions to the FY 2025 Adopted Budget:

• The School Board directed the Superintendent to present to the School Board, as part of the School Year 2024-25 Executive Limitation 11 (EL-11) monitoring report, a benefit-cost analysis and legal framework for using public-private partnerships to design, build, finance, and maintain FCPS school buildings and infrastructure. Public-private partnerships shall not be used to reduce or replace FCPS employees or outsource functions performed by FCPS employees.
• The School Board directed the Superintendent to present to the School Board, as part of the School Year 2024-25 Executive Limitation 11 (EL-11) monitoring report, a plan for exploring the reduction of annual leasing expenses.
• The School Board directed the Superintendent to present to the School Board, as part of the School Year 2024-25 Executive Limitation 11 (EL-11) monitoring report, a benefit-cost analysis for achieving the Board’s Joint Environmental Taskforce directive of replacing the school division’s diesel school bus fleet with electric alternatives and building any additional charging infrastructure required.

Watch the School Board’s budget discussion. Visit FCPS’ Budget webpage.

  Strategic Plan 2023-30 Goal 4 Baseline Report: Equitable Access and Opportunity

At the May 23 regular meeting, the School Board approved the Strategic Plan Goal 4 Baseline Report as the Division's starting point for the work toward achieving the goals in our Strategic Plan 2023-30. 

Watch the full meeting on the FCPS YouTube channel.

 

🏅 State Activity and Athletics Recognitions

At the June 13 regular meeting, the School Board recognized the winter and spring teams that won state championships. Congratulations to the Chantilly High School Forensics Team, the Lake Braddock Secondary School Gymnastics Team, the Robinson Boys Lacrosse Team, the West Springfield High School Boys Outdoor Track Team, and the West Springfield Womens and Mens Crew Teams!

 

Proclamations

I was pleased to support the following proclamations at the Board’s and May 23 and June 13 regular meetings.

• Caribbean American Heritage Month
• Immigrant Heritage Month
• Juneteenth
• LGBTQIA+ Pride Month
• Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
• Rachel Carson Middle School Naming
• Honoring Charles Fanshaw
• Honoring Sherry Agnew-Scott
• Honoring Grace Taylor
• Honoring Mark Greenfelder

FCPS News 🚌 Become a Bus Driver, Get up to $2,000 Signing Bonus!

FCPS is providing a signing bonus of up to $2,000 for new school bus drivers who meet eligibility requirements and complete the new driver employment criteria. Learn more by attending a job fair this summer. The job fairs will be held 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at the dates and locations below. No pre-event registration is needed to attend:

• Tuesday, June 25, at Oakton High School
• Friday, June 28, at Lorton Center

Apply today! Contact 571-423-3000 or [email protected] with questions.

 

🧩 Get Clued in to the FCPS and Park Authority Puzzle Hunt!

FCPS’ Safe Routes to School has worked with the Fairfax County Park Authority to create an engaging activity to help get families outside this summer. The Fairfax County Puzzle Hunt offers online puzzles that lead to a park in Fairfax County and additional clues toward the final puzzle. 

Participants who submit the final answer will be entered into a chance to win a prize. Puzzles are filled with creative thinking, logic, and wordplay. They are designed to be challenging and accessible for all skill levels.

 

🗺️ Open Your Home to an International Student and Enjoy a Free Week of IFTA

FCPS is partnering with Near West to pilot a summer program inviting international students to experience IFTA (Institute for the Arts), enjoy Northern Virginia, and share their culture with our community. 

Warm and welcoming FCPS families with students 13-15 years old are needed to help make the pilot a success! Enjoy one free week of IFTA at Lake Braddock Secondary School for hosting an international student from Saturday, July 20, to Tuesday, July 30. 

Please contact Kara Drinkwater if you are interested in being a host family. 

 

Website Redesign Update

As mentioned last fall, FCPS is redesigning our central website, fcps.edu, and preparing for the redesign of school websites. Our primary purpose for this work is to improve user experience — helping families quickly find the tools, information, and resources they need. 

We plan to launch the redesigned central site in July. School sites will be rolled out in phases at a later date. Details on how to provide feedback on the new site design will be coming soon. 

Learn more about FCPS’ web redesign project.

 

🌞Summer Activities ⚾ Enjoy Our School Grounds This Summer

School blacktops, playgrounds, outdoor basketball and tennis courts, and tracks are available for use by individuals (not organized groups) without being scheduled.

Please keep the following in mind when using these facilities:

• Use is allowed from dawn to dusk, except during school hours or when being used for school activities or other scheduled programs.
• Facilities must be shared with anyone else who wishes to use them.
• Please leave the facilities as you found them. Remove waste or debris from the property.

Visit our Availability, Fees, and Hours webpage for details on using school grounds and facilities. See our Community Use webpage for information on reserving facilities and to see a list of items prohibited in school buildings, on playgrounds, and on fields such as pets, alcohol, and fires. Groups interested in formally reserving school facilities should email [email protected] or call 571-423-2340. 

 

🏆 FCPS Financial Report Recognized

FCPS has received a Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for its comprehensive annual financial report from the Government Finance Officers Association of the U.S. and Canada. FCPS was recognized for its financial reporting work for the fiscal year ending in June 2023. 

The division also received a Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting award from the Association of School Business Officials International.

 

Office of Auditor Current Engagement Updates

At the May 13 Audit Committee meeting, we presented the following agenda items:

• Status of FY24 internal inquiries - From July 2023 to April 2024, OAG received 70 inquiries of fraud, waste, and abuse potential concerns.
• FY24 Business Process Audit (BPA) Summary and BPA Reports for Bull Run Elementary, Marshall High, and Poe Middle - These three audits identified six low-risk findings and two moderate-risk findings. These findings related to bank reconciliation, non-bank reconciliation, payment of personnel, the purchasing process, sufficient documentation, and timely payment.
• FY25 Risk Assessment and Proposed Audit Plan Presentation and Document - OAG presented the results of the risk assessment and proposed audit topics for FY25. 

Read more in the May 2024 edition of Audit Buzz.

 

🤠 FCPS Rounds Up Bus Drivers and Attendants for Road-eo Competition

The Office of Transportation Services recently hosted its annual Bus Road-eo competition. Competitors included drivers of big and small buses and attendants. Participants took a written test, and then a driving challenge that included maneuvering through nine difficult stations. 

Read more about the event and see a list of the winners of the Road-eo. 

 

 

FCPS Business and Community Partnerships Leading for Tomorrow’s Innovation Event Yields Engagement Data

Business executives from C-suites across Fairfax County gathered in late May at Leading for Tomorrow’s Innovation. The goal of the event was for business leaders to learn about and explore ways that their businesses can positively impact education — their talent pipeline. 

Impactful educational innovation begins with a plan. This event was framed to encourage business leaders to help Fairfax County Public Schools and our partners Educate Fairfax and the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority to re-imagine K-12 education and their roles in it. 

A panel discussion including Superintendent Michelle C. Reid and several business and community leaders who are already partnered with Fairfax County Public Schools helped attendees envision their future engagement by learning about effective activities already in place.

Rounding out the morning was a facilitated exercise where collaborators put pen to paper and helped design education's next iteration. 

Reviews of the data collected indicate that business leaders welcome engagement with students. Participant suggestions for innovation included:

• Increased sharing of emerging business trends
• Ensuring that every high school student has a professional mentor
• Making it possible for every student to participate in a work-based opportunity
• Coursework on appropriately using artificial intelligence or AI 

An additional theme during the table discussions centered around engagement confusion. Our own AI analysis of the notes listed the most common phrases used by participating leaders as “There needs to be a better…,” “How do we…,” and “We don’t know how to…” all referring to the need for more guidance on how to engage Fairfax County Public Schools.

The event was hosted at Apple Federal Credit Union’s headquarters. The conveners were Fairfax County Public Schools; Educate Fairfax, our 501c3 not-for-profit; and the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority who have already met to discuss next steps.

Thank you to the business community for your involvement, ideas, and suggestions. If we do this properly, the return on investment is that you’ll continue to help direct the bold innovation needed for FCPS to stay one of the nation’s preeminent school divisions, with alignment to the jobs of the future and your talent pipelines.

Superintendent Updates Dual Language Immersion and World Languages Job Fair

Fairfax County Public Schools wants you to be a part of our team!  We are seeking educator talent with strong student engagement skills and a passion for having a positive influence on our school communities. We are hosting a Virtual Dual Language Immersion and World Languages Job Fair on Tuesday, June 25, 2024, from 1 to  3 p.m.

Find more information on our website.

 

Middle School and High School Grading Updates

FCPS has been reviewing our secondary grading and reporting policies. Beginning in the 2024-25 school year, there will be some new policies in place for all middle and high school classes aimed at improving consistency and clarity of grading practices across the division.

Visit the FCPS website for additional information about these secondary grading policy updates.

 

Register to Take Two Tuition-free College Courses With NOVA

NOVA Early Online College (EOC) allows rising high school juniors and seniors the opportunity to take up to two tuition-free college courses. EOC courses for the fall semester take place Monday, September 23, through Tuesday, December 17. Students should register by Friday, July 26, at 5 p.m.

Courses are asynchronous, online, and for college credit only. Thirteen courses are offered along with courses that fulfill the IT Technical Support Career Studies Certificate. EOC courses meet the requirements for most of NOVA’s associate degrees as well as being highly transferable as general education requirements for most colleges and universities. 

Students must meet eligibility requirements to take EOC courses. Check out the EOC flyer (PDF) for more information on what classes are offered, required qualifications, and how to register.

 

Elementary School Professional Development Plan

Providing an excellent education to all students and meeting individual student needs requires appropriate planning time for teachers. This means teachers need a dedicated block of time to prepare lessons, participate in professional development and training, and collaborate with peers.

With that in mind, FCPS has developed a divisionwide plan for seven three-hour early release days (Mondays) for elementary students in the 2024-25 school year. 

Reasons for Early Release Mondays

Demands on teacher time have increased dramatically since the pandemic. With the adoption of new textbooks, differentiated support plans for students, required professional development for the new Virginia Literacy Act, new reading and math SOLs from the state, and other initiatives—teachers have a lot to do in addition to actually teaching! These demands require blocks of uninterrupted, in-person, and collaborative time to plan. 

A well-supported and continuously improving teaching staff will lead to better educational outcomes for students.

Early release Mondays will also reduce our need for substitute teachers, which are very difficult to find.

Start Date

Early release Mondays will start in mid-September of this year. Each elementary school will have a total of seven early release days throughout the school year, which is about one per month.

How It Works

We encourage all parents/caregivers to have their student take their normal route home (bus, walk, kiss and ride) on early dismissal days. While these are designated as early release days — where necessary — we will ensure that every student has supervised enrichment activities at the school and returns home at the regular time if that is what works best for your family. Licensed educators from central office will support schools as well. High-impact tutoring will be available for identified students.

Instructional Hours

The three-hour early release will not impact the state-mandated number of instructional hours but will reduce the amount of built-in snow days. 

Steering Committee

A steering committee of school leaders, teachers, and families is being created to make sure this work is both supported and implemented consistently across all of our elementary schools. We believe strongly in the power of in-person, collaborative professional development. If you are interested in being a part of the steering committee, please complete this form for consideration by Friday, June 28. 

Community Conversations

Superintendent Reid will host two Community Conversations about early release Mondays at Gatehouse Administration Center on:

• Tuesday, June 25, 5:30-6:30 p.m. 
• Wednesday, June 26, 5:30-6:30 p.m.

Click on one of the dates above to register. Language interpretation and childcare will be available as needed.

Dates for Early Release

Each elementary school will have seven early release days, which works out to roughly one per month. Those days will depend upon the pyramid under which a school falls. Check FCPS' Region and Pyramid Map for a breakdown. 

Early release Mondays for elementary schools in the following pyramids are planned for the dates below: Edison, Hayfield, Lewis, Mount Vernon, South County, West Potomac, Annandale, Falls Church, Justice, Lake Braddock, West Springfield, and Woodson.

• September 16
• October 21
• November 18
• February 10
• March 10
• April 21
• May 12

Early release Mondays for elementary schools in the following pyramids are planned for the dates below: Herndon, Langley, Madison, Marshall, McLean, South Lakes, Centreville, Chantilly, Fairfax, Oakton, Robinson, and Westfield.

• September 23
• October 28
• November 25
• February 24
• March 17
• April 28
• May 19

Questions?

If you have questions about early release Mondays, please email [email protected].

 

📊 Academic Matters: New SOL Growth Reports

In the Academic Matters segment of the May 23 School Board meeting, Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid presented information on the Virginia Department of Education’s new Standards of Learning (SOL) Growth Reports for families of students in grades 3-8.

These new reports are designed to give a yearlong look at student performance by combining information from earlier Virginia Growth Assessment (VGA) results with SOL results. Dr. Reid also discussed how FCPS’ reporting plan for spring assessment results was created with accessibility in mind. Watch the video of the Academic Matters presentation or view the slide presentation. 

Learn how to understand your student’s grade 3-8 SOL results.

📈 SOL Scores Posted in SIS ParentVUE

Families can find Standards of Learning (SOL) reports for spring testing in the SIS ParentVUE Documents section. Log in to your ParentVUE account to access the following:

• For all students, the official SOL Score Report with overall and reporting category performance for all spring tests.
• For students in grades 3-8, the SOL Growth Parent Report shows performance over time for state reading and math tests completed this school year. 

Visit the FCPS website for additional information about spring assessment reporting practices and timelines.

 

🏫 Prepare Your Child for Kindergarten!

Families play an important role in helping children prepare for kindergarten and to have a successful year. The following resources provide families with strategies to support their kindergartener:

• Success in Kindergarten Parent Strategies: See how families can support their children to help ensure a successful transition to kindergarten. Tips are available in nine languages.
• Kindergarten Year at a Glance: Get a general overview of the skills kindergarten students will learn throughout the year.

It’s not too late! If your child has not been registered for kindergarten yet, follow this easy process.

 

Ms. Vivi’s Principal Steps in on a Sick Day

In the sixth episode of the My First Year video series, Ms. Vivi takes a sick day. Watch how her principal steps in to support her and builds community at Shrevewood Elementary School. Read more about her sick day and Principal Josh DeSmyter.

 

Digital SAT Replaces Paper in 2024-25

This October, the SAT School Day will be administered in a digital format nationwide. Some testing accommodations are administered differently for digital tests than for paper/pencil tests. See information about accommodations for students with disabilities.

SAT School Day and PSAT/NMSQT

SAT School Day and PSAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (NMSQT) exams will be held at each high school on Wednesday, October 9, at no cost to families. The digital SAT School Day exam is offered to 12th-grade students, and the digital PSAT/NMSQT exam is provided to 10th and 11th-grade students.

Accommodations for Students with Disabilities and Multilingual Learner Supports

Because these exams are operated by the College Board, students do not automatically receive testing accommodations or supports. If you have a student with disabilities entering 10th, 11th, or 12th grade; or have a multilingual student entering 12th grade; please review the accommodations request process and/or EL support request process and return forms to your high school by Monday, August 5.

Find out more about SAT and PSAT assessments in FCPS.

Springfield District Scene

 

Congratulations to Chantilly High School Boys Lacrosse Coach Kevin Broderick for his selection as the Boys Lacrosse Region Coach of the Year!

Shout out to Chantilly Boys Outdoor Track and Field for being crowned the Northern Region Champions!

Chantilly congrats continue with Antonio Godoy taking first place in High School System Control Technology at the Virginia Technology Student Association Technosphere 2024!

Shout out to Chantilly’s Angie Rollet, who was named the Mount Vernon History Teacher of the Year. Click here for more information.

 

Kudos to Springfield District’s Sebastian Nowicki and Tara Magill for their dedication and hard work on the below-featured project!

With days to go before graduation, seniors at Chantilly Academy scrambled to finish an important final project. Engineering, and Physical and Occupational Therapy students have been collaborating for a year on a mobile, adjustable, and customizable medical bed. Last year, they finally met the student who will be using the bed. 

Liam is an eighth grader at Rocky Run Middle School who has Nemaline myopathy, a type of muscular dystrophy that leaves him nearly paralyzed. Liam has previously been able to attend school with the help of a nurse, but her retirement meant that this year he received homebound instruction. 

Next year, Liam plans to attend Chantilly High School with a personally designed bed to allow him to stay in a lying position for classes. Learn more about this special project.

Read more in WTOP News.

 

Congratulations to Fairfax High School’s Alejandro Cahoon who was awarded the 2024 Overtures Scholarship at Signature Theater! The scholarship allows recipients to train with professional theatre artists in an internationally competitive pre-professional musical theatre intensive at Signature. What a great opportunity! 

Congratulations to Fairfax High School’s (L-R below) Yousif Al Atbi, David Nam, Nathan Kim, and Advik Atyam for being recognized by the Fairfax Area Agency on Aging as their 2024 Shark Tank Challenge first-place winners! This student team created “Scam Cops,” a program to support senior citizens in combatting scams. Way to go! Read more in Community News.

 

Congratulations to Lake Braddock Secondary School’s Womens Crew Second Four members Madeline Huott, Sarah Piel, and Agenline Montilla and coaches Augene Lee and Lilya Fenjiro for taking first place at the Stotesbury Cup Regatta, the largest high school regatta in the world! Taking place on the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 181 Schools, 4,774 Athletes, and 936 boats competed in the regatta.

The winning continues at Lake Braddock with Nelson Lattimer and Timo Asady-Kany taking first place in the VHSL Boys Outdoor Track 4 x 800 meter relay! Way to go!

Kudos also go to Lake Braddock’s Dr. Susanne Cook, speech and language pathologist, for winning the very prestigious 2024 Deso Weiss Award in the field of cluttering.

 

Congratulations to Lewis High School’s Boys Soccer Team for winning the 6C Occoquan Region Championship!

 

Bravo Oakton High School Performing Arts for winning Best Musical at the Brandon Victor Dixon Awards, also known as The Jimmy Awards, for Pippin!

Oakton accolades continue with Junior Allen winning the VHSL Boys Outdoor Track 1600-meter and placing second in the 3200 meter! Way to go!

 

Congratulations to Robinson Secondary School middle school counselor Valerie Peters for being chosen by the Virginia School Counselor Association as the 2024 Secondary School Counselor of the Year!  

The winning continues with Robinson’s Girls and Boys Lacrosse Teams winning the Occoquan Region Championships! The Boys Lacrosse Team went on to win the VHSL state championship! Awesome!

Kudos to Robinson’s Cayden Nunn for receiving a college scholarship in Criminal Justice from Sheriff Stacey Kincaid and the Virginia Sheriffs’ Institute College Scholarship Program!

 

Shout out to Rocky Run Middle School’s Ani Nishanian and Ashlyn Saji for taking first place in Middle School Children’s Stories at the Virginia Technology Student Association Technosphere 2024!

 

Way to go South County High School Girls Outdoor Track for winning the VHSL 4 x 100-meter and 4 x 400-meter relay!

Congrats to South County’s Duncan Cummings and Teague Keyser for taking first place in High School VEX Robotics at the Virginia Technology Student Association Technosphere 2024!

Shout out to South County’s Maya Martinos and her Bring Change to Mind Club for the mural addition, which brings hope to students who need encouragement!

Congratulations to Thomas Jefferson HSST’s Raghav Kamineni for taking first place in High School Forensic Science at the Virginia Technology Student Association Technosphere 2024!

Shout out to West Springfield High School’s Boys Outdoor Track for winning the VHSL 4 x 100-meter and 4 x 400-meter relay!

West Springfield’s Paris Johnson took first in the Boys Outdoor Track high jump and Brady Echols won in the shot put! Way to go!

West Springfield winning continues with the Boys Outdoor Track and Mens and Womens Crew taking home their state championships!  Fantastic!

 

Congratulations to Woodson Boys Tennis’ Jake White and Rodrigo Lopez and team for winning the Occoquan Region Championship!

More than sixty Woodson High School Law in Action students from Mr. Viccora's class and twelve chaperones went to the Fairfax County Courthouse for a field trip where they had the opportunity to see criminal and civil cases and talk with experienced attorneys and judges, and even a Virginia Supreme Court Justice. Wow!

  🎨 Students Earn National Scholastic Art and Writing Awards

FCPS students received 30 national awards through the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards. FCPS students were recognized for original art and writing with one American Visions Medal, eight Gold Medals, 20 Silver Medals, and two portfolio Honorable Mentions.

Fairfax County Public Schools is an Affiliate partner of the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers. Established in 1923, the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, presented by the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, is the largest, longest-running recognition program of its kind in the United States. More than 250,000 students participated in the program across the country this year. A complete list of National Scholastic Awards is available at medals.artandwriting.org.

Congratulations to Lake Braddock Secondary School’s Ellis Chang and Oakton High School’s Kelly Zhou for winning silver medals!

See the full list of winners.

 

🎭 FCPS Students Honored for Outstanding Achievements in High School Theater at 2024 Cappies Gala

The Cappies of the National Capital Area held its annual awards gala honoring excellence in high school theater on June 10 at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Awards brought home by FCPS students included the following Springfield District students. Congratulations!

Lake Braddock Secondary School

Riley Kozal and the Props Crew for Props, Romeo and Juliet

Lake Braddock Secondary School also won Best Play for Romeo and Juliet.

Thomas Jefferson HSST

Best Critic Team

West Springfield High School

Zachary Kearney, Rakeb Yihunie, and The Sweeney Lighting Team for Lighting, Sweeney Todd School Edition

Christopher Seeger for Special Effects and or Technology and Leader Actor in a Male Role in a Musical, Sweeney Todd School Edition

Alina Yang and the Sweeney Hairi & Make-up Team for Hair and Make-up, Sweeney Todd School Edition

The Ballad of Sweeney Todd (Act 1) for Song, Sweeney Todd School Edition

Small Ensemble for Ensemble in a Musical, Sweeney Todd School Edition

The Sweeney Pit for Orchestra, Sweeney Todd School Edition

West Springfield High School also won Best Musical for Sweeney Todd School Edition.

See the full list of winners.

 

📜 Students Receive Scholarships from FCPS Hispanic Leadership Alliance

The Hispanic Leadership Alliance (HLA) — a certified employee group of Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) employees — presented scholarships to 33 students on Tuesday, May 28.

Scholarship recipients were recognized for leadership and mentoring skills in their educational and social activities. Candidates are committed to furthering their education while improving their communities. Each of the applicants will be the first in their families to attend a postsecondary institution.

Congratulations to the following Springfield District student scholarship recipients!

Fairfax High School

Louis Mendieta, Scholarship for Engineering

Lake Braddock Secondary School

Gracia Sánchez Moreira, Lake Braddock Hispanic Student Association

West Springfield High School

Paula de Megret-Murray, West Springfield Hispanic Student Association

María Escobar Justiniano, West Springfield Hispanic Student Association

See the full list of recipients.

 

🎖 First-Class Awards: Celebrating Champions of Inclusion

The First-Class Awards are presented each year to recognize and celebrate the efforts of educators, administrators, support staff, and students who demonstrate excellence in all facets of education related to disability. I'm very proud to share the following awardees who serve students from the Springfield District!

Davis Center

Chad Clayton - Specialty Program Staff

Hunters Woods Elementary School

Emily Cope - Elementary School Administrator

Silverbrook Elementary School

Annisa Chesnut - Elementary School Teacher

West Springfield High School

John Basta, Amy Brown, Betsy Fawsett, and Shannon Matheny - Middle/High School Administrators

See the full list of winners.

 

🧪 Students Compete and Win at International Science and Engineering Fair

Thirteen students from Fairfax County Public Schools won awards at the International Science and Engineering Fair in Los Angeles. More than 1,700 students represented 67 countries, regions, and territories across the world and competed for approximately $9 million in awards and scholarships.

Congrats to Springfield District’s Ryan Singh and Surbhi Singla of Thomas Jefferson HSST for winning the fourth award in Materials Science for their project Utilizing the Chirality Induced Spin Selectivity Effect Through Chiral Carbon Nanotubes to Polarize Current for Spin-Transfer Torque in Spintronic Devices.

See the list of FCPS students who won awards.

 

🏆 Special Education Parent Teacher Association Awards

The Special Education Parent Teacher Association (SETPA) was pleased to host its seventh annual Awards Ceremony on Saturday, May 11, 2024. Nearly 300 attendees gathered to celebrate the over 200 nominees for SEPTA’s awards. Dr. Michelle Reid, FCPS Superintendent, gave welcoming remarks, thanking teachers and staff for their incredible work this year. SEPTA President Amanda Campbell and Vice President Lauren McCaughey co-presented.

The night was filled with laughter and tears as the friends, family, and colleagues of our nominees cheered, and the awardees were overcome with emotion. Award winners ran the gamut from special education teachers, aides, and staff, to bus drivers, to community champions who all support students with disabilities in and out of school. 

Two student awards were given this year: to the Student who most Supports Inclusion and to the Outstanding Student (a student with an IEP or 504 plan making positive contributions to the special education community in their actions or as a role model or leader).

Twenty-three awards were presented in total.

Congratulations to the following staff members who support students residing in the Springfield District!

Central Office

Jennifer Smetek - Outstanding Central Office Staff

Carson Middle School

Maria Irby - Outstanding Administrator

Chantilly High School

Tanner DeCrapio - Outstanding General Education Teacher, Secondary

Jessica Patterson - Outstanding Special Education Teacher

Greenbriar West Elementary School

Liz Dodd - Special Educator of the Year, Elementary

Lake Braddock Secondary School

Meagan Flint - Special Educator of the Year, Secondary

Denise Steene - Outstanding Instructional Support Staff

Robinson Secondary School

Sadie Lowe - Abbie Bachmore Memorial Award

Rolling Valley Elementary School

Carol Ray and Laura Summitt - Mark Steward Memorial Award: Outstanding Special Education Teacher, Elementary

Terra Centre Elementary School

Paula Williams - Outstanding General Education Teacher, Elementary

Teresa Winkowski - Outstanding Related Services

Read the full list of winners.

 

🌐 Global Leaders of Fairfax County

The Global Leaders of Fairfax County program seeks to prepare its fellows to be global citizens and change agents in their communities and the world.

The program provides fellows with opportunities during their senior year of high school to take part in a project to address one of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within the Fairfax County community, engage with national and global leaders, and participate in field trips to enhance their understanding of international affairs and global issues.

Congratulations to the Springfield District students in the Global Leaders Fellows Class of 2024!

Centreville High School

Loor Elbedour

Ethan Filgueira

Chantilly High School

Thea Brown Hargrove

Gaby Gutierrez

Grace Hong

Minnah Khan

Fairfax High School

Amira Bouhsane

Christine Han

Shivani Kanjerla

Aashma KC

Inam Osmani

William Park

Lake Braddock Secondary School

Ruth Bekele

Oakton High School

Nicole Deng

Robinson Secondary School

Michael Know

Kedar Krishnan

Eleanor Sardinas

Gelila Solomon

Thomas Jefferson HSST

Om Gole

South County High School

Ethan Larimore

Maya Martinos

Woodson High School

Caelan Hagopian

See the full list of winners.

 

🎖FCPS Honors Recognizes 2024 Outstanding Employees

Exceptional employees from across Fairfax County Public Schools were recognized at the FCPS Honors event held on Wednesday, June 12. Sponsored by Educate Fairfax, the 2024 celebration was hosted at George Mason University’s Center for the Arts. 

Annually, more than 700 employees in both instructional and operational roles are recognized through the Outstanding Employee Awards Program. This year, 71 finalists representing 12 categories were recognized during the special award ceremony. 

Congratulations to this year’s Springfield District winners and finalists!

Outstanding Elementary School New Teacher

• Mary Anne Cassell (winner), Multiple Disabilities Teacher, Lorton Station Elementary School, Region 6
• Gunjan Agrawal Sapkota (finalist), Multiple Disabilities Teacher, Willow Springs Elementary School, Region 5
• Angela Ah Ryoung Sung (finalist), Art Teacher, Sangster Elementary School, Region 4

Outstanding Secondary School New Teacher

• Olivia Adams (finalist), English Teacher, Carson Middle School, Region 1

• Michael Higgenbotham (finalist), Biology Teacher, Irving Middle School, Region 4

• Nicole Matthews (finalist), Family & Consumer Science Teacher, Katherine Johnson Middle School, Region 5

Outstanding New Principal

• Veronica Del Bagno (finalist), Rolling Valley Elementary School, Region 5

Outstanding School-Based Operational Employee

• Mika Okada Fryer (finalist), Public Health Training Assistant, Kings Park Elementary School, Region 4

Oustanding School-Based Professional Employee

• Daryl Byrom (winner), Special Education Department Chair, Lewis High School, Region 6

• Rachel Sweeney (finalist), Dean of Students, Rocky Run Middle School, Region 5

• Allison Warren (finalist), School Counselor, Centreville High School, Region 4

Outstanding School-Based Leader

• Danielle Hornbecker (winner), Director of Student Services, Frost Middle School, Region 5

• Rachel Forte (finalist), Assistant Principal, Centreville Elementary School, Region 4

• Chris Powell (finalist), Assistant Principal, Carson Middle School, Region 1

Outstanding Secondary Teacher

• Madison McKenna (winner), Severe Disabilities Teacher, West Springfield High School, Region 4

• Amber Ucekay (finalist), Learning Disabilities Teacher, Lewis High School, Region 6

Outstanding Principal

• Tracey Phillips (finalist), Robinson Secondary School, Region 4

Read the full list of recipients. Visit this webpage to learn more about this recognition program and the nominees in all categories.

  🎼 Virginia Music Educators Blue Ribbon Award

The Virginia Music Educators (VMEA) Blue Ribbon Award is the highest award given to school music programs in the Commonwealth of Virginia and recognizes achieved excellence in Band, Orchestra, and Choral Performance. All top eligible performing groups must receive a final Superior rating at the VMEA District Concert Performance Assessment to qualify for this award. Congratulations to Centreville High School, Chantilly High School, Fairfax High School, Frost Middle School, Robinson Secondary School (high school), Katherine Johnson Middle School, Lake Braddock Secondary School (middle and high school), Rachel Carson Middle School, and Woodson High School on this significant achievement!

Student Opportunities

Disclaimer: Opportunities offered by organizations other than Fairfax County Public Schools are neither sponsored nor endorsed by the Fairfax County School Board, the Superintendent, or a specific school. These opportunities may utilize technology tools not assessed by the Fairfax County Public Schools Department of Information Technology. Students should gain permission from their parents or guardians before engaging in any non-FCPS enrichment opportunity. Families should review the Terms of Service, User Agreements, and Privacy Policy for any technology platform the enrichment opportunity may use before participating.

 

📖 Adventure Begins at the Library This Summer!

The Fairfax County Public Library (FCPL) understands the importance of summer reading. Reading and participating in engaging reading activities throughout the summer are two effective ways to help students retain skills they learned in school this year. 

The Summer Reading Adventure kicked off on Wednesday, June 12. Join the adventure and register today! 

Children’s Summer Reading Festival

Fairfax Library Foundation will celebrate FCPL’s annual summer reading program with a free Children's Summer Reading Festival event at Chantilly Regional Library on Sunday, August 18, from noon to 3 p.m.

Families can enjoy games, crafts, face painting, bounce houses, snacks, a DJ, and other activities.

Family Fun, All Summer Long! 

Fairfax County Public Library also offers free family fun all summer long. Activities include animal presentations/petting zoos, Dinoman Dinosaurs, ArtSplash, Rocknosceros, Kaydee Puppets, and other fun events. View a full calendar of events.

 

💦Sensory Friendly Time at Our Special Harbor

The sensory-friendly time at Our Special Harbor welcomes individuals and families who need spaces with reduced sensory input.

Our Special Harbor is a fully accessible Chesapeake-Bay-themed spray ground with fun features including a spraying osprey nest, Chessie the sea serpent, misting sunflowers, and a lighthouse. Designed for children of all abilities, the spray ground includes wheelchair-accessible features such as water tables and gentle bubblers. Water wheelchairs are available. 

The designated sensory-friendly time allows attendees to experience limited capacity and reduced sounds. Staff trained to respond to children with special needs will be on hand.

Admission is free for families. Sensory-friendly times are scheduled from 10 to 11 a.m. every Wednesday through the end of August.

 Learn more.

 

👨‍🍳 Teen Chopped Contest

Create your unique recipe for the Fairfax County Public Library's Teen Chopped Challenge through August 16! This competition is for ages 12-18. Use their three mystery ingredients to make something fun and delicious. A limited quantity of ingredient kits will be available at select library branches. These are first come, first served. Register at their Teen Chopped event page to receive updates and reminders. 

 

🏀 Fairfax High School Summer Camps

Fairfax High School is holding summer sports camps including Girls Basketball, Girls Lacrosse, Girls Volleyball, Boys Basketball, and Cross Country. Find more information on their website or email the coach directly.

• Girls Basketball Camp: June 24-28 - contact Coach Lucas, [email protected]
• Girls Lacrosse Camp: June 24-27 - contact Coach Conklin, [email protected]
• Girls Volleyball Camp: July 8-12 - contact Coach Lee, [email protected] 
• Boys Basketball Camp: July 15-18 and July 22-25 - Contact Coach Barbee, [email protected]
• Cross Country Camp: July 17, 19, 22, 24, and 26 - Contact Coach Garcia, [email protected] 

 

📖 Pride-Themed Storytime

Join the Fairfax County Public Library for a Pride-themed story time on Monday, June 24, 2024, from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. at Fairfax Old Town Hall, 3999 University Drive, Fairfax. This event is free and open to the public.

 

📝 Short Story Contest

The Fairfax County Public Library and the Fairfax Library Foundation invite school-age youth (grades 3-6), teens (grades 7-12), and adults (18+) to participate in our second annual "The World We Write" short story writing contest. Use one of the prompts to write a 250-word story. The contest goes from July 1 to July 31. Learn more about the contest.

 

📺 Fairfax Public Access 2024 Summer Camps for Teens

This summer Fairfax Public Access will hold TV Studio Production and TV Post-Production Video Edit Camps for teens aged 12 to 18.

The camps will take place as follows.

• TV 101 Studio Production Camp A: July 8 - 19, 2024, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. ($500)
• TV 101 Post-Production Video Edit Camp A: July 15 - July 19, 2024, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. ($350)
• TV 101 Studio Production Camp B: July 29 - August 9, 2024, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. ($500)
• TV 101 Post-Production Video Edit Camp B: August 12 - August 16, 2024, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. ($350)

Visit their website for details and to register.

For more information contact Fairfax Public Access at 571-749-1132 or [email protected]. 

 

🚓 Fairfax County Police Department High School Student Summer Programs

The Fairfax County Police Department is now accepting applications for the following summer programs:

• Teen Police Academy: July 15 - 19, 2024, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Future Women Leaders in Law Enforcement: July 29 - August 2, 2024, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

Read more about each program on this flyer.

For an application, please see their website and search for the program below that you are interested in, or contact them at 703-246-4315 or [email protected]. 

Applications are due as follows.

• Teen Police Academy: The deadline to apply is June 28, 2024.
• Future Women Leaders in Law Enforcement: The deadline to apply is June 28, 2024.

Applications may be emailed or mailed to the address below.

Community Police Academy

Fairfax County Police Department

Office of the Chief/Community Engagement & Equity

12099 Government Center Parkway

Fairfax, VA 22035

Community News ScamCops - "Your Anti-Scam Force"

Scams have become an ever-present threat in our increasingly digital world, making awareness of them more crucial than ever. In today's society, the internet has become a double-edged sword, offering convenience and opportunity on one side while posing the risk of fraud and deception on the other. By understanding how scams operate and recognizing their warning signs, we can not only safeguard ourselves but also play an active role in educating and protecting our communities.

The ScamCops initiative, founded by Fairfax High School student Advik Atyam, has evolved significantly since its inception. Advik's leadership and vision have been instrumental in driving the project forward, and his friends have supported him and contributed to the success of ScamCops.

Recently, ScamCops achieved a major milestone by developing an AI-based tool designed to identify and prevent scams. This innovative addition has enhanced the initiative's capabilities, making it even more effective in protecting our community. The AI tool analyzes scams and offers personalized advice on avoiding scams, making it a powerful resource in the fight against fraud.

In recognition of their outstanding work, ScamCops won first place in the 2024 Fairfax County Shark Tank Challenge. This prestigious award highlights the initiative's impact and the dedication of Advik and his team. The Shark Tank victory has brought increased visibility to ScamCops, allowing them to reach more people and expand their efforts.

Through these intergenerational connections, students bring their tech-savvy knowledge and a desire to protect the more vulnerable members of our community. By sharing knowledge about common scams and how to recognize and avoid them, students are not only empowering seniors with practical skills but are also fostering meaningful relationships and bridging the generation gap.

Together, they are building a network of support that serves to safeguard the elderly against the ever-evolving landscape of scams, all while nurturing friendships that offer a sense of belonging and a shared sense of purpose.

If you have any questions or need assistance, their team is here to help. You may register as a cop at www.ScamCops.org. If you need more personalized assistance, feel free to contact their support team at [email protected]. They're committed to making your experience as smooth as possible.

 

Before- and After-School Care Registration for the 2025-26 School Year

Do you have a child entering kindergarten in the 2025-26 school year? Are you looking for a before or after school program for them? 

Fairfax County government’s School Aged Child Care (SACC) Program registration begins Tuesday, July 9. Visit the SACC website to see when registration opens for your school and for more information. 

 

June recognizes… LGBTQIA+ Pride Month

In June, we recognize the resilience and determination of the many individuals who are fighting to live freely and authentically. We stand with those facing an ongoing struggle against discrimination and injustice. This Pride Month, we affirm our obligation to uphold the dignity of all people. Each individual in our school community should feel valued for who they are. Learn more about the heritage months, celebrations, and traditions celebrated in FCPS.

Caribbean American Heritage Month

FCPS celebrates the rich diversity and honors the many contributions of immigrants of Caribbean heritage to our nation during the month of June. Caribbean individuals are some of the most ethnically diverse in the world. There are more than 8.5 million individuals in the United States born in the Caribbean or of Caribbean ancestry. Learn more about Caribbean American Heritage Month. 

 

Early July recognizes… Independence Day

School buildings and all FCPS offices are closed on Thursday, July 4, and Friday, July 5, for Independence Day. See the complete school year calendar. Learn more at National Geographic Kids.

Family and Student Resources Support Still Available for Seniors Applying for College Financial Aid

College Access Fairfax will hold free clinics throughout the summer at various locations in the county to help parents and students complete or correct the FAFSA or VASA financial aid forms. Clinics are currently scheduled on:

• Tuesday, June 25, 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Apple Federal Credit Union in Fairfax Corner.
• Wednesday, June 26, 6-8 p.m. at Sully District Government Center.
• Wednesday, July 10, 6-8 p.m. at Mason District Government Center.

Both the student and a parent/guardian must attend the clinic. Applicants should bring a laptop to all clinics except Fairfax High School. Spanish translation will be available.

For more information, to register for a clinic, or to request a one-on-one appointment, please visit College Access Fairfax’s website. These services are free of charge.

 

INOA Back to School Pediatric Health Fairs

Inova Cares Clinic (ICC) will provide children 5 years old and older with free school entrance physicals and immunizations at summer health fairs for children who are on Medicaid or are uninsured. The clinics will take place 9 a.m.-1 p.m. on the following dates:

• Saturday, June 29, at ICC-Children - Manassas
• Saturday, July 20, at ICC-Children - Herndon
• Saturday, August 17, at ICC-Children - Falls Church

Appointments are required; no walk-ins will be allowed. Please call 703-698-2550 for an appointment.

 

🏈 Free Sports Physicals and Immunizations

The Mason and Partners (MAP) Clinic is hosting two clinics at the George Mason University (GMU) Fairfax Campus, providing free sports physicals, school physicals, and immunizations. These clinics are open to students who do not have health insurance.

Students interested in these services can email Mary Righi, MAPS Clinical Operations Coordinator, at [email protected] for assistance and scheduling.  An appointment will be required, and spots are limited. 

These services will be available on Friday, June 21, and Friday, July 19, at the Population Health Center at GMU, located at 4410 Patriot Circle, Fairfax, VA 22030.

Flyer in translation: Chinese, Spanish, Vietnamese, Korean, Urdu, Arabic

 

Summer Mental Wellness Resources Virtual Mental Wellness Consultations

This summer, the FCPS Office of Intervention and Prevention Services will offer virtual Mental Wellness Consultations from Monday, June 24, through Friday, August 2. Forty-five-minute phone or videoconference consultations are available with a school psychologist or school social worker.

• Parents of students in any grade level can request a consultation to receive guidance on how to support their child’s social, emotional, and academic success. Information about community resources will also be provided.
• Students in middle or high school can request a consultation to receive guidance and support for concerns related to anxiety, mood, behavior, peer or family interactions, or school transitions and changes. Strategies and tools can also be provided to address academic challenges such as organization and time management.

We encourage all families to take advantage of this service. Request a consultation or call and leave a message at 703-503-2520.

No-Cost Virtual Therapy for High School Students

Virtual therapy sessions are available to FCPS high school students at no cost to talk about and work through concerns such as:

• Mood/behavior changes, motivation, grief/loss.
• Anxiety, worry, fears.
• Social skills, bullying, peer and family relationships.
• Academic stress.

In order for students to participate, caregivers must give permission for FCPS to share basic demographic information with Hazel Health in ParentVUE, and they must provide consent for their student to access therapy services. 

Students can then be referred by a guardian or designated school staff member. You may refer your child by calling 571-749-2940 or contacting an FCPS school counselor, social worker, psychologist, or director of Student Services.

Visit the FCPS Teletherapy webpage for more information.

 

Summer Fun for All: Summer Camps and Adapted Recreation

The Family Resource Center (FRC) has a list of dozens of summer camps including general camps, camps for students with a variety of needs, and camps for children of military personnel. 

They’ve also prepared a list of adapted resources, sorted by activity, that are inclusive for children and adults of various physical abilities. 

Learn more by calling 703-204-3941, emailing [email protected], or visiting the FRC's webpage.

 

Register for Free Webinars from the Family Resource Center

The FCPS Family Resource Center offers free workshops and webinars, consultations, a lending library, and resources to help adults support the success of all students, including those with learning challenges, special needs, and disabilities.

June webinars and workshops include

• June 28, 9 a.m. - noon, in-person at Leis Center: SIBSHOPS: An Exciting, In-person Workshop for Brothers and Sisters of Children with Special Needs

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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: Sandy Anderson  |  Phone: 571-423-1080

Stephanie Sheridan, Executive Admin Assistant,
571-423-1065, [email protected]

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Dear Dranesville Families:

I want to update you on the current status of Boundary Policy 8130. This policy work is happening as the result of a February Forum. The Governance Committee finalized their draft of the Boundary Policy 8130 at their 6/18/24 meeting.

The next step is a School Board Work Session on Tuesday, June 25: 1pm - 4:30pm. Unfortunately, I will  miss this meeting due to prior commitments. At the work session, the School Board will review the Governance Committee's finalized draft of the Boundary Policy 8130. Depending on the outcome of the work session, the draft Policy 8130 could be sent back to the Governance Committee for further review or the finalized draft of the policy could be brought for a vote by the School Board at a Regular Meeting. If a revision of Policy 8130 is approved by the School Board, Superintendent Reid would then begin her work to operationalize that policy. 

We are moving forward on this policy work after the passage of a February Forum topic. By reviewing the policy, we can look at factors like capacity issues, both over and under; long commutes; aim for fewer buses; achieve more sleep for students; and find ways to save taxpayer money. FCPS has developed a webpage (Boundary Policy Review- Spring 2024) where you can find the latest  information on why the boundary policy review may be linked to better student achievement through instructional quality, budget optimization, and enhanced student well-being. 

I met with community members on 6/14/2024 and 6/17/2024. I am building a FAQ sheet that addresses some points raised in both community meetings. I will be sharing updates on this work and community/parent/caregiver input opportunities as they become available in my newsletter. My next newsletter will be after the 6/25/24 Work Session to share the next steps with our community.

Regards,

Robyn

Community Conversations on SY24-25 Early Release Mondays

During the Academic Matters segment of the June 13, 2024, School Board meeting, Superintendent Dr. Reid discussed limited early release Mondays for elementary schools for the 2024-25 school year.

Providing an excellent education to all students and meeting individual student needs requires appropriate planning time for teachers. This means teachers need a dedicated block of time to prepare lessons, participate in professional development and training, and collaborate with peers. With that in mind, FCPS has developed a division wide plan for seven three-hour early release days (Mondays) for elementary students in the 2024-25 school year. 

Click here to learn why this is needed, how it will work, and the planned dates for the following high school pyramids: Herndon, Langley, Madison, Marshall, McLean, South Lakes, Centreville, Chantilly, Fairfax, Oakton, Robinson, and Westfield.

Please email [email protected], if you have questions about early release Mondays.

Community Conversations

Superintendent Reid will host two Community Conversations about early release Mondays at Gatehouse Administration Center on:

• Tuesday, June 25, 5:30-6:30 p.m. 
• Wednesday, June 26, 5:30-6:30 p.m.

Click on one of the dates above to register. Language interpretation and childcare will be available as needed.

Steering Committee

A steering committee of school leaders, teachers, and families is being created to make sure this work is both supported and implemented consistently across all of our elementary schools. We believe strongly in the power of in-person, collaborative professional development. If you are interested in being a part of the steering committee, please complete this form for consideration by Friday, June 28. 

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.

© 2024 Fairfax County Public Schools, Fairfax County, Virginia

E-mail: Robyn Lady  |  Phone: 571-423-1087

Staff Aide: Wendy Biliter | Phone: 571-423-1068

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Shea Hestmark (center), a second grade teacher at Columbia Elementary School, walks across the stage at FCPS Honors to receive her award for Outstanding Elementary Teacher. Also pictured are category finalists Hadley Harrison, fourth grade teacher at Union Mill Elementary (right) and Meg Brinkhuis, librarian at Cunningham Park Elementary (left).

🏆 Recognizing Outstanding Employees

Fairfax County Public Schools is all about excellence in teaching students, leading schools, and providing support. Each year, the Department of Human Resources sponsors the FCPS Honors ceremony to recognize outstanding employees who seek to create and demonstrate the best instructional and support practices.

From a pool of 76 finalists, 12 employees were honored for being outstanding, including Photographer Karen Bolt, pictured above, who was this year’s Outstanding Nonschool-Based Professional Employee. See the FCPS Honors webpage for a full list of winners and to read about the finalists.

Academic Matters: Limited Early Release Mondays

During the Academic Matters segment of last week’s School Board meeting, Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid discussed limited early release Mondays for elementary schools for the 2024-25 school year. This initiative will provide elementary teachers with additional time on site to meet new professional development requirements for the Virginia Literacy Act and other demands on their time.

A steering committee of school leaders, teachers, and families is being created to ensure that this work is both supported and implemented with fidelity across all of our elementary schools. If you are interested in being a part of the steering committee, please complete this form by Friday, June 28. 

An Employee Conversation about early release Mondays will be held Thursday, June 20, 10-11 a.m., at Gatehouse Administration Center. Register here. Language interpretation and childcare will be available as needed. If you have immediate questions, please email [email protected]. Visit the Early Release Mondays webpage.

🔄 Results of Cyclical Review of 17 School-Based Jobs

FCPS has completed its first cyclical review, analyzing the job descriptions and salary levels of 17 school-based job titles representing approximately 4,900 individuals. 

Updated job descriptions with competitive and equitable salaries will take effect on Monday, July 1, in combination with the market rate adjustment in the adopted FY 2025 budget. Impacted employees should have received an email today, Tuesday, June 18, from Human Resources’ Classification and Compensation Office regarding their updated job descriptions. 

For more information about the review, please visit the Employee Hub.

🍎 Former Student Now Works in Classroom with Pre-K Teacher

Aisha Farooq is a pre-K helper in Janelle Ali’s classroom at Dogwood Elementary School. This isn’t Aisha’s first time in Janelle's class, however. Janelle was also Aisha’s special education preschool teacher in 2005 at Clearview Elementary School. Fast-forward nearly two decades, and the duo now collaborate daily as colleagues. Read more about Aisha’s experience from the Secondary Transition to Employment Program (STEP) to full-time employee on the Employee Blog.

Change to Employment Verification Process for Loans

Need to verify your employment or income for a loan? A new method for these verifications using the Verifent platform is currently being piloted. Visit the employment verification page to learn more. 

If you are filing for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) on the Federal Student Aid website, please use [email protected] for your employment verification contact.

Professional Development Opportunities

Find more information on these opportunities and others on the Employee Blog.

Supporting the Mission Application Window Opening

Gain a better understanding of how offices, departments, and schools within FCPS work together to support the mission of our division. Apply for the 2024-25 cohort of Supporting the Mission. This program is for teacher leaders, school-based administrators, and Schedule B and C staff. 

Both the interest and recommendation forms are due by Wednesday, August 21. For more information, visit the Supporting the Mission site.

Leadership Skills for Middle Managers

The Middle Managers Roundtable (MMRT) is a seven-month collaborative leadership development program for both operational and school leaders. Apply by Friday, September 20.

Get more information on the MMRT Google site. Please email Tu Phillips with any questions.

Family and School Partnerships Training for Educators

The following Academy classes are available for teachers this summer:

• Engaging Families for Student Success
• Culturally Responsive Family Engagement
• Supporting Military-Connected Youth

Click the links above to view the schedules and register in MyPDE.

CodeVA Professional Learning Opportunities

CodeVA offers computer science professional learning at no cost for Virginia public school teachers. Registration is now open for summer. Learn more on the CodeVA website.

Communications, Connections, and Creativity: A Senior Internship Experience

Anna Claire Sheehan, a recent graduate from Oakton High School, interned with the Office of Communications the last few weeks of her senior year. One of her assignments was to write about the office, what it does, and what she experienced. Learn more about Anna Claire’s time as an OC intern and what the office staff does on a day-to-day basis. Hear her talk about her experience once she was back at Oakton.

🗳️ Support Services Employees’ Advisory Council (SSEAC) Election Results

Congratulations to the unopposed candidates in the following job groups. Please join us in welcoming the new Support Services Employees’ Advisory Council (SSEAC) representatives from July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2026:

• Group 3 – Food and Nutrition Services: Andrea O’Shea, kitchen manager, Edison High School
• Group 7 – Management and Administration: Aron Sterling, senior manager, Educational Technology, Willow Oaks

Group 4 – Custodial and Plant Operations, Group 5 – Trades/Maintenance/Security, Group 8 – Educational Support, and Group 9 – School-Based Clerical did not receive petitions and will remain vacant until an interim representative is placed.

Visit the Employee Hub for more information on all of the Superintendent’s Support Employee Advisory Councils.

🗓️ Juneteenth Holiday, Offices Closed

Tomorrow, Wednesday, June 19, is a holiday. All schools and offices will be closed.

Independence Day

All schools and offices will be closed Thursday, July 4, and Friday, July 5, for Independence Day.

See the 2023-24 employee calendar and school year calendar. The 2024-25 employee calendar and school year calendar are also available.

2026-27 School Year Calendar Posted

In accordance with the School Board’s preference for publishing a school year calendar three years in advance, a draft of the 2026-27 school year calendar is now available.

Remaining School Board Meetings for 2023-24

The School Board will hold regular business meetings on Thursday, June 27, and Thursday, July 11, at 7 p.m. Visit BoardDocs the week of each meeting to view their respective agendas. Find out how to watch and participate in School Board meetings.

📰 Last Issue of Employee News for the 2023-24 School Year

This is the last regularly scheduled weekly issue of Employee News. Enjoy your summer!

Staff Staples

• Calendars
• Classifieds
• Employee Wellness Program
• FCPS CARES
• Human Resources
• Job Openings
• People on the Move
• Savings for Staff
• Superintendent's Weekly Reflections

Note: Some links in this email require a connection to the FCPS network.  If you have any questions, please visit the FCPS Tech Support Portal to search for self help articles or submit a ticket.

Submit an Employee News request. Submissions are due by 4:30 p.m. on Thursdays. Thank you! 

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The Dunne Dispatch (Principal Edition) - 06/18/2024

 

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

It is my pleasure to welcome two new principals to the Mount Vernon Magisterial District:

• Ms. Jasibi Crews, Hollin Meadows ES
• Ms. Jean Consolla, Fort Hunt ES

I worked assiduously with FCPS leadership to ensure effective and experienced administrators were selected to lead these schools. I want to ensure the administrators who lead our schools understand how to build and maintain a positive learning environment for students and staff. I also want to ensure that our administrators have the requisite experience in strengthening student outcomes and addressing critical issues such as absenteeism.

I enthusiastically supported the selection of Ms. Crews and Ms. Consolla. Both bring extensive experience and proven leadership as school administrators. Ms. Crews was recently named as the 2023-2024 Alexandria City Public Schools Principal of the Year. For 11 years, Ms. Consolla served as principal of Mount Eagle ES where she established the Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) process and chronic absenteeism was significantly reduced under her leadership. I am excited to work with them to ensure all of our students receive a world-class education. 

As these schools prepare for leadership transition, I also want to thank our outgoing and interim principals for their service. Many thanks to Hollin Meadows ES Principal Jon Gates who is retiring after 22 years of service as principal at this school. Special thanks also to Interim Principal Dr. Mattie Fallen who temporarily returned from retirement to provide seasoned leadership for Fort Hunt during this critical time.

Left - Fort Hunt ES Principal Announcement. Right - Hollin Meadows HS Principal Announcement

I encourage Mount Vernon District families and residents to get to know our new principals. Strong communities require strong schools, and vice versa. Attending Back to School community events, open houses, and programs are an excellent way to meet and greet our staff and learn more about your local schools. 

Very respectfully,

Mount Vernon District Representative Mateo Dunne

Welcome Hollin Meadows ES Incoming Principal Jasibi Crews

Ms. Jasibi Crews, currently the principal at Cora Kelly School for Math, Science, and Technology, in Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) has been selected as the new principal of Hollin Meadows Elementary School. 

With 23 years of dedicated service in public education within the Los Angeles Unified School District and ACPS, Ms. Crews brings a wealth of expertise and leadership to her new role. As a veteran administrator with seven years of principalship under her belt, Ms. Crews has demonstrated the ability to drive positive change and foster a culture of growth and collaboration. Prior to her current role, she served as the assistant principal at John Adams Elementary School for two years and taught as a Dual Language (Spanish & English) teacher for 14 years at Mount Vernon Community School, ACPS, and Walgrove Elementary School in Los Angeles.

Ms. Crews has a distinguished record of instructional leadership. As a GLAD-certified trainer, she has made significant contributions to the professional development of ESOL teachers, leading to notable improvements in academic performance and SOL test scores. Her experience in gifted education and International Baccalaureate training will further enrich advanced coursework offerings.

Known for her exceptional communication skills, Ms. Crews actively engages with students, teachers, and families. Her proficiency in Spanish fosters stronger connections and inclusivity within our diverse community. Through innovative incentives and enhanced family communication, she has effectively reduced chronic absenteeism, achieving the lowest absenteeism rate in ACPS at Cora Kelly School. Ms. Crews is also well-versed in Positive Behavior Interventions & Supports (PBIS) and is trained in Responsive Classroom techniques.

Ms. Crews holds a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Pepperdine University and a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education with a concentration in Spanish from California State University, Long Beach. She has been recognized as the Alexandria City Public School Principal of the Year and received the Northern Virginia PTA Principal Partner Award in 2018.

Please join us in welcoming Ms. Jasibi Crews as the new principal at Hollin Meadows Elementary School family. She looks forward to engaging staff, students, and families in the life of the school.

Welcome Fort Hunt ES Incoming Principal Jean Consolla

Ms. Jean Consolla has been appointed as the new principal of Fort Hunt Elementary School. Ms. Consolla has extensive experience in education and leadership and a proven track record of driving academic improvements and fostering strong partnerships with families. Her effective start date will be August 1, 2024.

Ms. Consolla has dedicated 26 years to serving Fairfax County Public Schools. For the past 11 years, Ms. Consolla has successfully served as the principal of Mount Eagle Elementary School in Region 3. Prior to this role, she was the assistant principal at Hollin Meadows Elementary School from 2004 to 2012. Her rich background in school administration has provided her with a deep understanding of effective school leadership. 

Before stepping into administrative roles, Ms. Consolla was a dedicated teacher at Rose Hill Elementary School where she taught multilingual learners and students with special needs and was involved in the Spanish Immersion Program. Prior to her time at Rose Hill, she taught grades 3-6 in Prince George’s County Public Schools.

As principal of Mount Eagle Elementary, Ms. Consolla made significant strides in leading a school with a diverse population. She spearheaded professional learning and instructional programs and established the Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) process.  Under her leadership, chronic absenteeism was significantly reduced, fostering a positive school culture. She implemented weekly All-School Meetings building school-wide culture, modeled Responsive Classroom Practices, and established after-school clubs. She has been instrumental in creating a supportive environment for staff, recognizing their achievements monthly, while maintaining an impressive staff retention rate.

Ms. Consolla has also worked to engage parents in various school activities, fostered collaboration with PTO board members to organize events, and hosted Principal’s Pride, a weekly student recognition program attended by families ensuring communications and activities are accessible to all stakeholders.

Ms. Consolla holds a Master of Education in Elementary Education and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Studio Art from Smith College, Northampton, Massachusetts. She holds an Administration & Supervision certification from the University of Virginia.

Please join us in welcoming Ms. Consolla as the new principal of Fort Hunt Elementary School.

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: Mateo Dunne  |  Phone: 571-423-1086

Staff Aide: Nelda Brown, 571-423-1049

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Dear Community Members, 

 

 

Here we are, on the other side of the 23-24 School Year! Whether child or adult, no matter one’s role in the community or related to schools, the summer break from school impacts us all.

As a parent, I know I’ll need to continuously nudge my kids to keep up their reading (I now have a High School Freshman!!!). As a community member, I know it may be a bit harder to connect with friends, as we may have different schedules that involve work, childcare, camp, and travel. As a School Board Member, I have a month remaining of work before the Board recesses from July 19 to August 16. While there are no public Board meetings during recess, I will be catching up on research and learning I’ve put aside for this time, planning and strategizing to stop the chronic underfunding of Virginia’s public schools; and enjoying time outdoors walking, swimming, biking, and paddleboarding.

Also, I recognize that summer brings mixed emotions for parents and families. For some, it’s a time to rest, travel, and have fun. For others, it’s a constant juggle of obtaining childcare and continuing to work. Perhaps it’s a mix of both for many. I most frequently hear on-going concern about that “summer slide” – when students regress from what they learned at the conclusion of the grade level in June, and then need remediation and re-teaching in the new school year. As a result, I hear interest in a year-round school schedule that would prevent learning loss yet still provide ample time away from school for the other parts of life. I think it’s time for the community to seriously consider the pros and cons of a year-round school schedule. Models exist where this is being done, so there are roadmaps and approaches to pilot. Nothing is officially in the works, I just welcome your thoughts and dialogue on this.

Finally, there was so much to celebrate at the culmination of this school year! It was truly my privilege to participate and join the celebrations – including graduations, awards events for students and staff, sporting events, and announcements of new principals. I’ve tried to share a glimpse of these events below, but you can also find more on my social media pages (Facebook and Instagram).

In the remaining weeks of the Board’s meeting calendar, through July 19, the Board will be publicly working on updating the boundary policy (although no specific boundary changes are being proposed at this time; see below for more information), receiving reports from our public advisory committees, and tending to other governance and management matters of the Board. We will also welcome our new Student Representative onto the Board for the one-year term. See below about how to view upcoming meetings and the Board’s work.

In this middle of June, I wish a meaningful Eid al-Adha holiday to those observing, and time for us all to reflect on freedom and equality on Juneteenth.

Share Your FCPS Graduation Memories

As we celebrate the class of 2024, FCPS invites you to look back at your high school graduation or middle school promotion.

Did you graduate from a Fairfax County school? What year did you graduate from high school? What was the highlight of the day for you? Share your memories in the Employee Blog, or email photos and stories to [email protected].

Calling All Alumni and Friends!

Educate Fairfax is proud to introduce FCPS Alumni & Friends, an online network of alumni, teachers, parents/caregivers, and community members with ties to Fairfax County Public Schools. This network will celebrate our alumni and friends of FCPS through stories, news and events, reunions, homecoming, and other activities. Join FCPS Alumni & Friends today!

School Board Updates and Recent Work Holistic Review of FCPS Boundary Policy

For the first time in decades, the Fairfax County School Board is conducting a comprehensive review of the Fairfax County Public Schools Boundary Policy (Policy 8130) to consider possible updates that will provide a clear roadmap for any potential future boundary changes. There are no specific boundary changes under consideration as part of this policy work. 

This holistic policy review is designed to address the community’s concerns about a host of issues, including temporary classrooms (trailers), instructional program locations, overcrowding, facility renovations, and transportation. Comprehensive community engagement will take place before any potential future changes. For additional information, please visit the Boundary Policy Review webpage.

Grading Practices

I’ve advocated repeatedly that the Board review grading policy and practices publicly and fully. A consistent and clear grading policy and practices are needed in our secondary grades (grades 7-12). You can see in December 2023, here, information I shared about limited Board action made at that time.

I’m aware that there is heightened interest now in grading, as all educators prepare to use the 100-point scale that has been known to come into effect in the forthcoming school year (again, please see my December 2023 newsletter).

I can share at this time that I have worked with the School Board Chair and Superintendent to schedule the School Board to have a public work session about grading, early in the school year. Please stay tuned for more information. I welcome your input about grading.

Coming Soon: Maternity and Paternity Leave Policy

You may have seen recently on the news that FCPS employees will have access to maternity and paternity leave benefits starting July 1.

The Office of Benefits is currently reviewing district policy to determine how this benefit will be defined and how it will interact with other leave policies including FMLA (Family and Medical Leave Act) leave, short-term disability, and sick leave. More information will be shared once details are finalized.

Spring Sports Spotlight

During the June 13 Regular Meeting, the School Board recognized FCPS students and teams for winning Virginia High School League (VHSL) State Championships in the winter and spring seasons!

I was ecstatic to celebrate the state championship wins by students on two South Lakes High School teams. The Boys Basketball team won its first-ever state basketball championship! I attended that final game in Richmond in March – amazing! Athletes on the Girls Indoor Track & Field team won their first state title since 1988 – including beating by 11 seconds a previous record for the 4 X 800 relay.

A special shout out to the South Lakes High School Baseball team, who mustered incredible dedication over just two days, to play in the semi- and then final state tournament, with graduation sandwiched in between for the 11 Senior ball players! The team came so close to that win, but the community remains impressed with this incredible effort.

Congratulations to all the athletes and teams who finished their seasons strong – so many finals and semi-finals happened in the waning days of the school year!

FCPS' Grow Your Own Employee Pathways

The School Board recently heard an update on FCPS' Grown Your Own Program, which offers three pathways for current employees to become licensed special education teachers. 

Since its 2022 pilot, the program has seen significant success, with a 92.3% success rate. 130 participants have been accepted, and the first cohort of 41 participants has graduated this school year!

Grow Your Own aligns with FCPS' Strategic Plan by providing 50% of tuition, personalized coaching, and collaboration within supportive cohorts. Watch this short video to hear participants explain how the program is helping them achieve success.

  School Board Proclamations Of Note

I was glad to bring forward a Proclamation to recognize our students, staff, and community members of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage, during the June 13, School Board meeting. I also helped recognize the renaming of the theater at Rachel Carson Middle School, to honor teacher, Josh Bickford, who has taught at Carson since the school’s opening in 1998 and now is retiring.

New Tennis Courts Coming to Madison High School

During the May 23 Regular Meeting, the School Board awarded the contract for the needed tennis court refurbishment at Madison High School!

Academic Matters New SOL Growth Reports

In the Academic Matters segment of the May 23 School Board meeting, Superintendent Reid presented information on the Virginia Department of Education’s new Standards of Learning (SOL) Growth Reports for families of students in grades 3-8.

These new reports are designed to give a yearlong look at student performance by combining information from earlier Virginia Growth Assessment (VGA) results with SOL results. Dr. Reid also discussed how FCPS’ reporting plan for spring assessment results was created with accessibility in mind.

Learn how to understand your student’s grade 3-8 SOL results.

June Is... Caribbean American Heritage Month

During June, FCPS celebrates the rich diversity of immigrants of Caribbean heritage and honors the many contributions they have made to our nation. More than 8.5 million individuals in the United States were born in the Caribbean or are of Caribbean ancestry. Learn more about Caribbean American Heritage Month.

Pride Month

In the month of June, we recognize the resilience and determination of the many individuals fighting to live freely and authentically. This Pride Month, we affirm our obligation to uphold the dignity of all people. Each individual in our school community should feel valued for who they are.

Gun Violence Awareness Day

The first Friday in June is recognized as National Gun Violence Awareness Day. In 2024, it falls on June 7. Also known as Wear Orange Day, it was first organized by students in 2013. Information about gun violence prevention is available on the FCPS website.

Eid al-Adha

Eid Mubarak to all who observe! Eid al-Adha, or the “Feast of Sacrifice,” is the second of two main holidays celebrated in Islam. Muslims believe that Eid al-Adha signifies the willingness of the Prophet Ibrahim, known as Abraham in Christianity and Judaism, to sacrifice his son, Ismail, as ordered by Allah. It focuses on sacrifice, the pilgrimage to Mecca and giving to those less fortunate. Learn more in this video from PBS Kids. 

Juneteenth

Wednesday, June 19 commemorates the day in 1865 that word of the Emancipation Proclamation and the end of the Civil War finally reached enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, effectively marking the end of slavery in the United States. Learn more about Juneteenth.

Upcoming School Board Meetings

• Thursday, June 20, 4pm: Committee Report Work Session
  • Adult and Community Education Advisory Committee (ACE)
  • Minority Student Achievement Oversight Committee (MSAOC)
  • Facilities Planning Advisory Council (FPAC)
  • Human Resources Advisory Committee (HRAC)
• Monday, June 24, 5pm: Committee Report Work Session
  • Advisory Committee for Students with Disabilities (ACSD)
  • Advanced Academic Programs Advisory Committee (AAPAC)
  • School Health Advisory Committee (SHAC)
• Tuesday, June 25, 10:30am: Forum
• Tuesday, June 25, 11:30am: Work Session
• Thursday, June 27, 7pm: Regular Meeting

Accessing Board Meetings

The work sessions and regular meetings will be broadcast live on Channel 99 (Verizon channel 11) and the FCPS website. Both will be recorded for future viewing and posted to the FCPS School Board YouTube channel.

Visit the community participation webpage to sign up to speak at a regular meeting. Visit BoardDocs for more meeting logistics, agendas, and handouts.

Interested in School Board action items? Sign up to get an update on School Board votes the morning after the School Board meeting.

For Spanish speakers, watch recorded School Board meetings or to watch live during the Regular Meetings on YouTube, you may visit the FCPS en Espanol YouTube channel or scan the QR code.

 

Hunter Mill Happenings Celebrating High School Theatre at the Cappies 

The Cappies is an award experience that can be likened to the Tony Awards of high school theater. It’s my third year attending, but continues to thrill each time!

Congratulations from students and teams from South Lakes, Madison, Herndon, and Jefferson High Schools for winning awards! And to Westfield and Oakton for being in the runnings. FCPS students earned many wins though, and Sweeney Todd by West Springfield HS took home many awards, including Best Musical! Truly outstanding performances and efforts.

When it was my turn to present an award, for Vocalist in a Male Role - won by Herndon HS student, Ethan Hardy! - I thanked students for sharing their joy and passion, and asked that we all thank our educators and staff who provide so much to our students.

  South Lakes STEAM Team Sculpture Coming to Lake Thoreau

The South Lakes High School's STEAM Team's 10th sculpture, Arboris, is coming to the Lake Thoreau spillway soon!

I was so glad to stop by the opening celebration, where the students gave a wonderful presentation on their process and challenges making the sculpture. Their teacher, Mr. Rando spoke to the contributions and strengths of each student team member. 

Read more about Arboris and the students' experiences.

  Viva Vienna Art Contest Winner Gives Back

Congratulations to Madison High School student, Tony S., for winning the Viva Vienna Art Contest! The student winner receives $750, as well as $750 to donate to a charity of their choice. Tony is choosing to donate the money to the Madison PTSA's Food Pantry to benefit the Madison community!

  Carson Student S-H-I-N-E-S at National Spelling Bee

Ankita Balaji, a Hunter Mill District constituent and seventh grader at Carson Middle School, represented FCPS on stage at the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Ankita was inspired by her big sister, who competed in the Scripps National Spelling Bee in 2019 and 2021. 

This year's contest was held at the National Harbor, during the last week of May. Ankita ended up tying for 60th place with many other participants on the second day of the three day competition. Read more about Ankita in this Carson Chronicle article. 

 2024 Caring for Our Watersheds Winners

Several FCPS student teams were winners of this year’s Caring for Our Watersheds contest with their ideas to improve the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The teams were awarded prize money to help turn their ideas into actions. Congratulations to Rachel Carson Middle School for winning 2nd place for their proposal “Energy Vampires”, to Hunters Woods Elementary School for winning 3rd place for their proposal “Actions from Above”, and to Langston Hughes Middle School for winning 5th place for their proposal “Watershed Watchers.”  Terra Centre ES won the Honorable Mention Award. Hunters Woods Elementary School and Rachel Carson Middle School also submitted additional proposals that earned special recognition awards. Explore the students’ winning ideas to improve our watershed.

  Virtual Victory at the Junior Japan Bowl 

The annual National Junior Japan Bowl — a quiz-bowl-style Japanese language and culture competition — is organized by FCPS teachers and a parent who are members of J-LEARN (Japanese Language Education Advocacy and Resource Network). At the Eighth National Junior Japan Bowl, FCPS had a strong showing with 225 students. The virtual event drew 517 elementary and middle school students from 26 schools in 10 states! Read more and see a list of the winners. Pictured below are winning students from Fox Mill Elementary School.

  Global Leaders of Fairfax County Student Program

The Global Leaders of Fairfax County program seeks to prepare its fellows to be global citizens and change agents in their community and the world. These students successfully completed the program which saw them take part in year-long projects focused on applying each of the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals to the Fairfax County community. Congratulations to the Hunter Mill District students who participated in this fantastic experience!

Thank You, Hunter Mill Appointees!

The School Board appoints members to several advisory committees to increase community input on specific issues. Each Board Member has the ability to appoint an individual to each of the committees. As the Hunter Mill District Representative, I appoint individuals that reside in the Hunter Mill District. The advisory committees meet throughout the year and submit an annual report to the Board. 

I am thrilled to share that I have submitted the following committee members for reappointment, to be voted on at an upcoming Board Meeting:

• Helen Cole, Adult and Community Education Advisory Committee
• Mel Keppel, Advanced Academic Programs Advisory Committee
• Lauren McCaughey, Advisory Committee for Students with Disabilities
• Gillian Backus, Career and Technical Education Advisory Committee
• Kripa Patwardhan, Family Life Education Curriculum Advisory Committee
• Stephanie Paduano, Human Resources Advisory Committee
• Renee Small, Minority Student Achievement Oversight Committee
• Mary Rogers Kirby, School Health Advisory Committee

I appreciate all the work that they have done so far in their previous terms and I look forward to their continued service!

  Summer Library Closure at Reston Branch

Just as the summer heats up and the library is a “cool” place to be in all senses of the word when school is out, the Reston branch is temporarily closing for renovation. While a renovation is welcome news, the timing is quite unfortunate for our students and families. Other library branches in and nearest to the Hunter Mill District include: Patrick Henry in Vienna, Herndon Fortnightly Library, and Tysons-Pimmit. There are also many resources online for reading, literacy, and fun, so do look around the library’s website.

Upcoming Events and Opportunities to Engage Fairfax Park Authority Hosts 1st Puzzle Hunt

The Solving Fun Puzzle Pals have been hard at work, creating an exhilarating adventure for puzzle solvers. We are thrilled to announce the Fairfax County Puzzle Hunt, a unique community event that will take you on a journey to the wonderful parks in Fairfax County. Starting June 15, solve one puzzle or do them all. Puzzles are filled with creative thinking, logic, and wordplay. They are designed to be challenging and accessible for all skill levels. Solve the puzzles and then find clues at the parks for a final meta-puzzle. Walk, bike, and roll at our wonderful local parks with friends and family.

Summer Reading Adventure Has Begun

Depending on your age, earn ten or fifteen virtual badges by reading or listening to books, reading for 20 or 30 minutes, completing activities or a combination of all three. Once you have met the reading goals for your age/grade, visit your local library branch and receive prizes for finishing the program! Visit Beanstack to register for summer reading, and you will be entered into a drawing to receive a $25 e-gift card from Scrawl Books! Find out more about the FCPL Summer Reading Adventure here! 

Additional Information of Interest Summer Mental Wellness Resources

This summer, the FCPS Office of Intervention and Prevention Services will offer virtual Mental Wellness Consultations from Monday, June 24, through Friday, August 2. Forty-five-minute phone or videoconference consultations are available with a school psychologist or school social worker.

• Parents of students in any grade level can request a consultation to receive guidance on how to support their child’s social, emotional, and academic success. Information about community resources will also be provided.
• Students in middle or high school can request a consultation to receive guidance and support for concerns related to anxiety, mood, behavior, peer or family interactions, or school transitions and changes. Strategies and tools can also be provided to address academic challenges such as organization and time management.

Request a consultation or call and leave a message at 703-503-2520.

NOVA Early Online College 

NOVA Early Online College (EOC) allows rising high school juniors and seniors the opportunity to take up to two tuition-free college courses. EOC courses for the fall semester take place Monday, September 23, through Tuesday, December 17. Students should register by Friday, July 26, at 5 p.m.

Courses are asynchronous, online, and for college credit only. Thirteen courses are offered along with courses that fulfill the IT Technical Support Career Studies Certificate. EOC courses meet the requirements for most of NOVA’s associate degrees as well as being highly transferable as general education requirements for most colleges and universities. 

Students must meet eligibility requirements to take EOC courses. Check out the EOC flyer (PDF) for more information on what classes are offered, required qualifications, and how to register.

FCPS Financial Report Recognized

FCPS has received a Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for its comprehensive annual financial report from the Government Finance Officers Association of the U.S. and Canada. FCPS was recognized for its financial reporting work for the fiscal year ending in June 2023. 

The division also received a Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting award from the Association of School Business Officials International.

Summer Camps and Learning Programs K12 Summer Enrichment Classes 

FCPS' Adult and Community Education (ACE) is offering a variety of K12 classes over the summer, providing students with valuable opportunities to enhance their learning and skills during the break. These summer programs are designed to cater to different interests and academic needs, ranging from Digital Music Creation to Young Business Builders! The goal is to keep students engaged and intellectually stimulated, while also having fun.

One of the highlights of the summer offerings is the robust selection of STEM courses, which include coding, animation, and more. These courses not only aim to foster a love for science and technology but also prepare students for future academic and career endeavors in these fields. 

Check out all of the options and enroll today. 

Teen TV Camp Programs at Fairfax Public Access

Nothing is more powerful than your creativity and vision, and Fairfax Public Access (FPA) offers you the opportunity to unlock this creativity and vision by offering instruction in the media arts – including television production, radio production, on-camera talent, video & audio post-production editing, and much more.  

You will have access to all the tools needed to produce your television or radio programs, including studio cameras, field cameras, radio studios, post-production editing equipment, and additional equipment and tools.  FPA is the best-equipped community media center in the DC – Baltimore region (and among the best in the country).  We invite you to work on the production of actual television or radio programs, which we will present over one of our channels.  

For more information and to learn more about FPA, please click here.  

Job Opportunities Come Work With Me and the Fairfax County School Board! 

The School Board Office is looking for a full-time Support Technician I. This position will provide wide-ranging meeting support, including setting up and breaking down meetings, assisting with proclamations, preparing minutes, handling exhibit files, and other duties as assigned. The position may require flexible hours. Please note that while the position says “One Year Only,” the intention is for this position to be a permanent position in the office. 

Contacting Me

I prioritize responses to Hunter Mill constituents, so please be sure to identify yourself as such if you contact me. If you are unsure of your county magisterial district, you can look that information up here.

To contact me, it is most helpful to please use the official School Board contact form via my website (click "Submit a Question"). This form prioritizes emails to me from constituents, and helps me track communication so I can be sure you receive a response. Thank you for your cooperation.

Best,

 

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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: Melanie K. Meren |  Phone: 571-423-1082 | Facebook | Twitter

Emma Heisey, Staff Aide, 571-423-1070, [email protected]

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Juneteenth  June 19, 2024

Juneteenth is June 19th. It is a national holiday that celebrates the end of slavery in the United States.

The first official Juneteenth celebration took place in Galveston, Texas in 1866.  On June 17, 2021, the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act was signed, establishing June 19th–Juneteenth, as a federal holiday.  In October 2020, legislation was passed unanimously to officially declare it a permanent statewide holiday in Virginia. 

For more information, please review the following resources:

• What is Juneteenth? (History.com)
• Slavery Didn’t End on Juneteenth. What You Should Know About this Important Day (NPR)
• Celebrating Juneteenth (Library of Congress)

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June Webinars SIBSHOPS: An Exciting, In-person Workshop for Brothers and Sisters of Children with Special Needs!

The Sibshop workshops are for children in grades 2-6 enrolled in Fairfax County Public Schools who have siblings with special needs to:

• Meet other siblings in a relaxed setting.
• Celebrate the many contributions made by brothers and sisters of children with special needs.
• Share sibling experiences and receive peer support.
• Play games and have fun!

June 28, 2024, 9 a.m.- noon 

Leis Center (map)
7423 Camp Alger Ave 
Falls Church, VA 22042

Presented by FCPS School Social Work Services

Register for this event

FCPS Family Resource Center
Web | Email: [email protected] | Phone: 703-204-3941

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First Grade Teacher Laura Klak helps a student work on a laptop.

💲 Your Voice Matters! Pay Survey Updates

As part of the MyPath project discovery phase, the Offices of Payroll Management and Employee Services and Operations distributed two surveys regarding future pay options. 

One survey was sent to all monthly paid employees and another to all biweekly hourly contracted transportation employees, food service workers, and family liaisons.

Survey results show that:

• Teachers overwhelmingly opted for year-round pay, with 76% of them selecting that option in the poll. As a result, all current monthly-paid employees will be paid monthly over 12 months regardless of contract length. As a part of this change, their hourly rate will be the same regardless of the number of contracted days in a given month. For example, if an employee takes leave without pay in December or June, the hourly rate will be the same as in other months.
• Biweekly hourly contracted transportation employees, food service workers, and family liaisons expressed a preference for leveled paychecks spread across 22  pay periods, with 94% of them selecting this option. This means all regular wages will be the same amount, regardless of how many contracted work days are in a particular biweekly period.

These changes will be implemented in July 2026.

Thank you to all who participated in these surveys. It is important that the new MyPath system provides the best possible experience for our employees.

 

December Paycheck Survey Results

December paychecks for monthly-paid staff have traditionally been issued earlier than other months, typically on the last school day before winter break (e.g., December 15 in 2023). After distributing a survey to monthly-paid employees, the Office of Payroll Management plans to shift to a later pay date, aligning with most staff preferences and the practice of paying on the last business day for other months. 

This change will be implemented with the new human capital management (HCM) solution. There will be no change for the 2024-25 school year, with the pay date remaining December 20.

🎓 Grads Come Back to FCPS

Crystal Cunje and Meagan Morrison-Grabill, FCPS elementary school teachers, share in the Employee Blog what it’s like to teach at a school they attended and what they remember most from their high school graduation. 

Read the latest Employee Blog. 

Shady Grove Fertility Remains In-Network with Cigna

Cigna and Shady Grove have reached an agreement to continue their contract. Shady Grove will remain in-network, and patient care should not be interrupted. 

For questions about your Cigna benefits, one-on-one virtual appointments are available noon-4 p.m. on most Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays through September. Please use the Cigna Pick-A-Time Online Scheduler. You can schedule 30-minute appointments as little as one day in advance.  

If you need immediate help, please call Cigna’s FCPS-dedicated Service Team at 877-501-7992, 24/7.

🌹 ‘Mr. Rose Hill’ Has Been Helping Students Bloom for Decades

Danny Adams was in Mrs. Walter’s sixth grade class at Cameron Elementary School when he first considered becoming a teacher. Danny accomplished his goal in 1987 when he started teaching at Rose Hill Elementary School, the school where he continues to teach to this day! Read about what has inspired Danny to remain dedicated to his school and profession in the Employee Blog.

Survey for Instructional Staff who Use Performance Matters

The Instructional Services Department is conducting a voluntary, anonymous survey on Performance Matters for all school-based professionals and leadership. The survey was delivered via email at the beginning of the month and will close Friday, June 14.

🏃 FCPS CARES: PE Teacher Really Goes the Extra Mile

FCPS CARES is an opportunity for parents, staff, and community members to recognize employees for going above and beyond to help others and show they care. Joshua Antoncic, PE teacher at Virginia Run Elementary School (in white shirt above), is one of the April CARES of the Month recipients. 

In addition to teaching PE classes, Joshua hosts an annual basketball challenge between 5th and 6th graders and an annual volleyball game against Cub Run Elementary School for students and staff. He has hosted sports camps and supported the Viking Dash school fundraiser. 

“Additionally, he rewards students with a pizza party for their successes throughout the year in physical education,” the parent who nominated him said. “My kids are always trying to meet whatever goal he has set, so they can get an invite to that party.”

Congratulations to Joshua and other April FCPS CARES of the Month recipients:

• Daniel Gray, Forte Center
• Christina Hunel, Great Falls Elementary School
• Joel Harrop, Falls Church High School
• Christopher Roeseler, Robert Tucker, and Juliana Abouraad; Bucknell Elementary School
• Laura Monahan, Terra Centre Elementary School
• Kyoko Vaughan, Hayfield Secondary School

Read about all the recipients.

Pride Month

In the month of June, we recognize the resilience and determination of the many individuals who are fighting to live freely and authentically. We stand with those facing an ongoing struggle against discrimination and injustice. This Pride Month, we reaffirm and uphold the dignity of every member of the LGBTQIA+ community. Each individual in our school community should feel valued for who they are. Visit our LGBTQIA+ Student Resources and Supports webpage. Learn more about the heritage months, celebrations, and traditions celebrated in FCPS.

📅 Looking Ahead: Last Day of School June 12

Tomorrow, Wednesday, June 12, is the last day of the school year. Students will be dismissed early. Thursday, June 13, is a school planning day. Friday, June 14, and Tuesday, June 18, are teacher workdays.

📰 Last Issue of Employee News for the 2023-24 School Year

The last scheduled weekly issue of Employee News will be Tuesday, June 18.

Eid-al-Adha

Monday, June 17, is a holiday and all schools and offices will be closed.

Juneteenth

Wednesday, June 19, is a holiday and all schools and offices will be closed. 

See the 2023-24 employee calendar and school year calendar. The 2024-25 employee calendar and school year calendar are also available.

School Board Meeting Scheduled for June 13 at 7 p.m.

The School Board will hold its next regular business meeting on Thursday, June 13, at 7 p.m. 

Topics on the agenda include:

• VHSL Recognitions
• FY 2025 Risk Assessment and Audit Plan Presentation
• Awarding of Contracts

View the complete agenda. Find out how to watch and participate in School Board meetings.

Staff Staples

• Calendars
• Classifieds
• Employee Wellness Program
• FCPS CARES
• Human Resources
• Job Openings
• People on the Move
• Savings for Staff
• Superintendent's Weekly Reflections

Note: Some links in this email require a connection to the FCPS network.  If you have any questions, please visit the FCPS Tech Support Portal to search for self help articles or submit a ticket.

Submit an Employee News request. Submissions are due by 4:30 p.m. on Thursdays. Thank you! 

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Note: This newsletter contains links to translated versions of the content for your convenience. These translations are generated by Google Translate and are not intended to be a substitute for professional translation services.

Happy End of School Year, Braddock families - 

What a week it’s been for FCPS families! With elementary and middle school promotions and high school graduation ceremonies happening almost every day across Fairfax County since the end of May, there is so much to celebrate!

Robinson Secondary School 2024 Graduation.

To the Class of 2024 - it has been an honor to watch your journey these last few years! You have shown strength and resilience, humor, grace, and empathy in your high school years and are ready to enter a world that is rapidly changing. As one of your student speakers said, the only constant in life is change. You’ve already shown an incredible ability to adapt to change so I am sure you will thrive as you leave FCPS to pursue your dreams and passions! And as another of your student speakers said in comparing you to his favorite donuts (Krispy Kreme, of course!) you’ve been given incredible ingredients for success and it's now time to create your own flavors and sprinkles and shine on your chosen path. I hope you keep your energy, empathy, passion for making your world a better place, and your resilience as you go forth. Our future is in good hands with you.

It was my great joy and privilege to join graduates at commencements held recently at the Pulley Center, Annandale High School, Robinson Secondary School, Lake Braddock Secondary School, West Springfield High School, and Woodson High School.

I could go on and on about the festive caps and gowns, the many inspiring speakers, thousands of smiles, hugs and high fives, and countless brilliant futures ahead. Instead, let’s see some pictures!

Have a wonderful summer!

All my best,

Rachna Sizemore Heizer

Braddock District School Board Member

Have something nice to say about an FCPS teacher or other staff? Share it with FCPS Cares.

Lake Braddock Secondary School graduation with fellow School Board Members Sandy Anderson (Springfield District) and Kyle McDaniel (at-large).

Annandale High School graduation.

Pulley Career Center graduation.

Robinson Secondary School graduation.

Woodson High School graduation with Board Chair Karl Frisch (Providence District) and Board Member Ryan McElveen (at-large).

West Springfield High School graduation.

IN THIS ISSUE …

• Boundary Policy Update
• Focus on Braddock
• Neurodiversity News
• Music & Arts
• More from the School Board
• FCPS News
• Out & About
• Coming Up
• More Stuff Parents Should Know

Boundary Policy Update

As a reminder, the School Board Governance Committee, of which I am chair, will meet next week to discuss revisions to Policy 8130 (latest draft) regarding School Boundaries.

I am aware that this matter has been a topic of concern and speculation in the community, based in part on misinformation circulating throughout the county. As I have said before, this is a discussion of the boundary policy only, and no boundary changes have been proposed. This important policy has not been updated in more than four decades, and we owe it to the community to make sure all policies are regularly reviewed and updated to reflect current realities.

The meeting will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, June 18, at the Gatehouse Administration Center, 8115 Gatehouse Rd building suite 1600, Falls Church, and will be open to the public.

My previous full statement about this can be found here, and I will send an update on this subject again after the upcoming Governance Committee meeting. If you have questions about this matter, please reach out to me at [email protected].

Focus on Braddock The Power of Our Words: Combating Hate Speech & Racial Slurs

Kudos and thank you to the Woodson High School Pyramid community for hosting an event about combating hate speech that included courageous conversations about racism, antisemitism, xenophobia, ableism, sexism, LGBTQ+IA bias, and other forms of bias. It’s sometimes hard to believe in 2024 being confronted with words and symbols that dehumanize individuals and whole groups of people based on their identities. The grim reality is bias and racism still exist in all of its forms, even sometimes in our schools and institutions even in light of FCPS’ strong policies against racism and hate speech.

I appreciate the students at Woodson who were seminal in leading this work and sharing about how these words impact them and ideas of how to create a more inclusive and welcoming environment. I also appreciate that the Woodson pyramid principals all shared their efforts to have these courageous conversations and the work they are doing at their schools to combat the use of hate speech and slurs. There is still much work to be done and I know our students will lead the way. I stand ready to do my part to combat bias and racism in all its forms and welcome our multicultural and diverse community.

Neurodiversity News

Looking for a great post-graduate path for the student with neurodiversity in your life? Experts say no one should overlook our high-quality, open access community colleges.

“Far too many neurodivergent people are falling through the cracks,” Maureen Dunne, CEO of a neurodiversity consulting organization and a neurodivergence researcher, wrote in a recent article in MIT’s Sloan Management Review and highlighted in Inside HigherEd. “The paucity of successful and authentic neurodiversity-inclusive pathways in higher education, our workplaces, and our communities has tangible implications and hampers the success of organizations everywhere.”

Another expert, Brett Ranon Nachman, director of research for the College Autism Network, and who is autistic, said, "Ultimately, community colleges are focused on propelling students in their respective areas of interest that often translate to careers,” said Nachman, who is autistic. “I see community colleges as really well situated to address labor shortages and also to be able to propel a number of nontraditional learners.

Learn more. For more on Virginia’s Community Colleges, go here.

Music & the Arts NPR: Graduates can always come home to their orchestra family and FCPS' Annie Ray

How does Annandale High School Orchestra Conductor Annie Ray do it?

Find out in this recent profile from NPR: “The end of the school year often means year-end concerts for student orchestras and choirs. For high school music educator Annie Ray, it’s time to look back on a busy year that included a Grammy award and look ahead at her vision of what education should be. Ali Rogin sits down with Ray for the latest installment of our “Weekend Spotlight” series.”

I’ve so enjoyed visiting with her, including participating in Parent Orchestra rehearsals, and hope to continue conversations about how to replicate this amazing program across Fairfax County. Congrats on yet another well-deserved recognition!

More from the School Board Job Openings

The FCPS School Board is seeking to hire a full-time Support Technician I. This position will provide wide-ranging meeting support, including setting up and breaking down meetings, assisting with proclamations, preparing minutes, handling exhibit files, and other duties as assigned. The position may require flexible hours. Please note that while the listing says “One Year Only,” it is intended to be permanent.

Upcoming Board & Committee Meetings

• Thursday, June 13
• 5 p.m. - Closed session
• 7 p.m. - Regular session
• Recognitions: VHSL Winter/Spring Recognitions
• Performance Review: Asset Protection (EL-7) Report
• Policy Review: Asset Protection (EL-7) Policy
• Presentation:
• Academic Matters
• FY25 Risk Assessment and Audit Topics
• Consent
• Dranesville ES Renovation Project
• Award of Contract – Hazardous Materials Contract
• Sale of House
• Sublease - 619 South Pickett Warehouse
• Food Services Warehouse - Emergency Generator
• Installation at Woodson Support Center
• Fairview ES - Automatic Temperature Control System Placement
• Sole Source Contract Amendment 2-year renewal - Cardinal Basketball Officials Association, Inc.
• Sole Source Contract Amendment 1-year renewal - Sonova USA
• New Business:
• Strategic Governance Manual Calendar Alignment
• FY25 Risk Assessment and Audit Topics
• Reappoint/Appoint Board of Trustees for ERFC
• Appoint Individual Trustee to ERFC
• Solar Power Purchase Agreement for 9 Elementary Schools
• Synthetic Practice Turf Field Replacements at 4 High Schools (Woodson, Edison, Mount Vernon, and West Potomac)
• Replacement Fairfax HS Press Box
• Tuesday, June 18
• 10:30 a.m.-1 p.m. - Governance Committee
• Discussion of Policy 8130 regarding school boundaries
• 2-4 p.m. - Public Engagement Committee
• 4:30-6:30 p.m. - Audit Committee
• 7-9 p.m. - Comprehensive Planning Development Committee (CPDC)
• Thursday, June 20
• 4-8 p.m. - School Board Committee Report Work Session
• Adult and Community Education Advisory Committee (ACE)
• Minority Student Achievement Oversight Committee (MSAOC)
• Facilities Planning Advisory Council (FPAC)
• Human Resources Advisory Committee (HRAC)
• Monday, June 24
• 5-9 p.m. - School Board Committee Report Work Session
• Advisory Committee for Students w/Disabilities (ACSD)
• Advanced Academic Programs Advisory Committee (AAPAC)
• School Health Advisory Committee (SHAC)
• Early Childhood (ECPPC)
• Tuesday, June 25
• 10:30 a.m.-11:30 a..m. - School Board Forum
• Reviving the School Board Student Leadership Development Program
• Standing Committee Assignment Numbers
• 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. - Work Session
• FY25 Risk Assessment and Audit Topics
• 1-4:30 p.m. - Work Session Continued

Watch Meetings Live | Meeting Video Archive

FCPS News Virtual Mental Wellness Consultations

This summer, the FCPS Office of Intervention and Prevention Services will offer virtual Mental Wellness Consultations from Monday, June 24, through Friday, August 2. Forty-five-minute phone or videoconference consultations are available with a school psychologist or school social worker.

• Parents of students in any grade level can request a consultation to receive guidance on how to support their child’s social, emotional, and academic success. Information about community resources will also be provided.

• Students in middle or high school can request a consultation to receive guidance and support for concerns related to anxiety, mood, behavior, peer or family interactions, or school transitions and changes. Strategies and tools can also be provided to address academic challenges such as organization and time management.

We encourage all families to take advantage of this service. Request a consultation or call and leave a message at 703-503-2520.

Summer Fun for All: Summer Camps and Adapted Recreation

The Family Resource Center (FRC) has a list of dozens of summer camps including general camps, camps for students with a variety of needs, and camps for children of military personnel. 

They’ve also prepared a list of adapted resources, sorted by activity, that are inclusive for children and adults of various physical abilities. 

Learn more by calling 703-204-3941, emailing [email protected], or visiting the FRC's webpage.

Out & About Cappies Awards

I was thrilled to attend the annual Cappies Awards Gala at the Kennedy Center. The Cappies are like the Oscars for local high school theater, with all nominees and award winners chosen by their fellow students. Each year, participating high schools choose one musical or play to be their showcase “Cappies” entry. Theater and journalism students, serving as Cappies critics, attend and review these plays and musicals, with some of the reviews published in local newspapers.

And a HUGE congratulations to West Springfield High School for winning best musical for Sweeney Todd and to The Lake Braddock Theatre for winning best play for Romeo and Juliet! Very well deserved for two truly professional level and unique productions.

I loved the hilarious Pride and Prejudice at Robinson (congrats to Rambunctious Theatre Company). the for your many nominations) and 1776 is one of my favorite musicals and Woodson High School did it justice - congratulations on your nominations!

The complete list of winners from FCPS is here.

2024 Cappie Awards.

2024 Cappie Awards.

The student critics choose nominees for Cappies awards in a variety of categories, culminating in a formal awards show, with live performances of a scene from each of the Cappies nominated plays and musicals, and from student performers! It is a wonderful celebration of the amazing high school theater in Northern Virginia! If you didn’t have a chance to catch a production this year, I hope you catch one next year! Here is a list all of FCPS’ middle and high school theater productions.

Bravo to the amazing student thespians, musicians, directors, stage managers and crew, lighting, costume, set, and sound designers, and all the students involved in these fabulous productions!

Fun at Fairfax Pride

I confess I never tire of the fun and festivity at our area’s Pride Month events! On June 1, I spent some time catching up with old friends and meeting new people at the City of Fairfax Pride Festival.

In the month of June, FCPS recognizes the resilience and determination of the many individuals fighting to live freely and authentically. This Pride Month, we affirm our obligation to uphold the dignity of all people. Each individual in our school community should feel valued for who they are. I stand ready to do my part to ensure all students and staff are welcomed in FCPS as their authentic selves. Learn more about the heritage months, celebrations, and traditions celebrated in FCPS.

Coming Up Open Your Home & Heart: Enjoy 1 week of Institute for the Fine Arts FREE by hosting an International Student!

FCPS is partnering with an International Organization called Near West to pilot a summer program inviting international students to experience IFTA and life in Northern Virginia and to share their culture with our community.  The students in the program will be high-achieving students with an interest in the fine and performing arts, and there will be around 10-15 students in this pilot.  The international students will join for the last week of IFTA, and the students of participating host families will be invited to join a culminating weekend outing at the conclusion of the program.  We’re looking for a few of our warm and welcoming FCPS families with students of 13 to 15 years old to help make the pilot a success. 

When: July 20-30

Where: Lake Braddock Secondary School

Host Family’s Benefits:

• 1 FREE week of IFTA: from July 22 (Monday) to July 26 (Friday), five days of self-selected art, dance, music and theatre classes or receive a stipend of $265.
• Weekend Fun: Bond with your international student and other families during a fun-filled weekend outing on July 27-28 (horseback riding, farm visit, country music, rural town activities, etc.).
• Authentic Connections: create lasting memories through genuine interactions and cultural exchange with a student from a different country.

Host Family’s Responsibilities:

• Provide airport pickup on July 20 and drop-off on July 30 at Dulles Airport.
• Offer comfortable lodging and daily meals during the stay.
• Assist with daily transportation to and from IFTA at Lake Braddock Secondary School and to other program activities. Students may take the bus with your child.

Fill out this form if you are interested in hosting. Please contact Yubo Zhang [email protected] or Kara Drinkwater [email protected] with any questions. Thanks so much for considering this wonderful opportunity! 

More Stuff Parents Should Know SOL Scores Posted in SIS ParentVUE

Families can find Standards of Learning (SOL) reports for spring testing in the SIS ParentVUE Documents section on or before the last day of school. Log in to your ParentVUE account to access the following:

• For all students – the official SOL Score Report with overall and reporting category performance for all spring tests.
• For grade 3-8 students – the SOL Growth Parent Report shows performance over time for state reading and math tests completed this school year.

Visit the FCPS website for additional information about spring assessment reporting practices and timelines.

Need help creating a SIS ParentVUE account? This video walks through the steps. Find out more about SIS ParentVUE.

Accommodations for Students with Disabilities and Multilingual Learner Supports

Because these exams are operated by the College Board, students do not automatically receive testing accommodations or supports. If you have a student with disabilities entering 10th, 11th, or 12th grade, or have a multilingual student entering 12th grade, please review the accommodations request process and/or EL support request process and return forms to the high school by Monday, August 5.

Find out more about SAT and PSAT assessments in FCPS.

Summer Fun for All! Summer Camps and Adapted Recreation

The Family Resource Center (FRC) has a list of dozens of summer camps including general camps, camps for students with a variety of needs, and camps for children of military personnel. 

They’ve also prepared a list of adapted resources, sorted by activity, that are inclusive for children and adults of various physical abilities. 

Learn more by calling 703-204-3941, emailing [email protected], or visiting the FRC webpage.

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.

© 2024 Fairfax County Public Schools, Fairfax County, Virginia

E-mail: Rachna Sizemore Heizer  |  Phone: 571-423-1088

Staff Aide: Bill Farrar, 571-423-1076

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Note: This newsletter contains links to translated versions of the content for your convenience. These translations are generated by Google Translate and are not intended to be a substitute for professional translation services.

Our Monthly School Board News Message from Ilryong Moon

As we enter the exciting graduation season, it’s a time of celebration and accomplishment for our students across Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS). This year, we are thrilled to recognize the achievements of over 13,000 graduating seniors. Did you know that FCPS boasts a graduation rate of nearly 92%? This remarkable milestone reflects the hard work and dedication of our students, educators, and families.

As I look at our graduating seniors, I feel an immense sense of pride and joy. These young individuals have not only excelled academically but have also demonstrated resilience, creativity, and a commitment to their communities. Many of our graduates have balanced rigorous coursework with extracurricular activities, part-time jobs, volunteer work, or learning English as a second language. Among them are future scientists, artists, engineers, and leaders who are ready to make their mark on the world. 

I am continually inspired by the stories of our students overcoming challenges and achieving their goals. Whether it’s the student who started a community garden, the athlete who led their team to victory, or the artist whose work moved us all, each graduate has a unique and powerful story. Their journeys remind us of the incredible potential within every young person.

Let's join together in celebrating the Class of 2024. As they move on to the next chapter of their lives—whether that is a potential first generation college attendee, a professional career, military service or another path—I am confident that all our students will continue to shine brightly. Let’s celebrate with pride, joy, and excitement as we wish them all the best in their future endeavors!

All the best,

Ilryong Moon

Summer Learning and Enrichment Opportunities

While the school year may be ending, the learning and fun don’t have to stop! FCPS offers a variety of summer learning programs designed to keep students engaged, curious, and prepared for the next academic year. Here are some exciting opportunities:

• Elementary Institute for the Arts (E-IFTA)
• Institute for the Arts (IFTA)
• Tech Adventure Camp
• Career and Technical Education (CTE) Summer Academy
• Trailblazers 

...and more! Explore the full range of educational enrichment options available this summer by visiting our Summer Learning Programs page

Have you considered serving Fairfax County Public Schools on one of our Citizens Advisory Committees?

Are you passionate about our Fairfax County schools and want to contribute to our improvement and success? If so, I invite you to consider applying to join one of our Citizens Advisory Committees and become an active participant in shaping the future of education in our community!

We recognize the invaluable input and perspectives that community members like you can provide. That's why we established Citizens Advisory Committees covering a wide range of topics, from career and technical education to students with disabilities and every thread in between. These committees serve as essential channels for community engagement, allowing residents to offer feedback, insights, and recommendations directly to the FCPS administration and the School Board.

Your involvement can make a real difference in the lives of students and families in Fairfax County. Together, let's work towards a brighter future for education in our community!

A description of all of the Citizens Advisory Committees is available on our Website. If you are interested in serving on one of the committees, please indicate your interest by connecting with me via Lets Talk. Be sure to include your reason for wanting to serve and include a resume, if possible.

I look forward to connecting and welcome your involvement to ensure great outcomes for our students! 

And finally...I am hiring! Join Our Team: Help Shape the Future as a School Board Staff Aide

After a long career with Fairfax County Public Schools, my Staff Aide, Chris Lewis, is retiring soon and I am actively looking for a suitable candidate to provide a full range of professional responsibilities to support projects, initiatives, communications related to the School Board, and research and preparation for upcoming Board meetings. My Staff Aide will be the liaison on my behalf in communicating with constituents, community organizations, Division leadership and staff, and varied elected officials.

If this sounds like something you will excel at, the links below allow you to review the full job description and if you're so inclined, apply for the position:

• School Board Staff Aide Job Description
• Job Announcement for Applicants to Apply

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

Contact: Ilryong Moon | 571-423-1089

Staff Aide: Chris Lewis | 571-536-9296

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Dear Sully District Families and Community Members,

Graduation is here. Congratulations to all our 2024 Seniors!

It was a big moment for our family with my son Neil among the graduating students at Centreville High School. I was thrilled to share in the excitement of graduation day with all the other parents and guardians celebrating this important milestone in their child's life. I am so incredibly proud of all they’ve accomplished and can’t wait to see what amazing things they do next. The world needs their spark, their ideas, and their kindness! 

CONGRATULATIONS also, to our sixth graders and eighth graders as they transition into a new school year and new opportunities next year. 

One of the most important jobs of the School Board is the development of our $3.7 billion budget. On May 23rd, I voted to approve the Superintendent’s FY 2025 Budget. Despite an exceptionally challenging fiscal environment, we averted cuts to services, while giving our hard-working employees a 4% raise. The approved budget also maintains the mid-year 2% compensation increase for all employees approved by the School Board in January. See full FY 2025 budget details below. Meeting our budget needs has been more of a challenge with historic underfunding by the State of Virginia, that continue to result in school districts not receiving the true support needed. Virginia provides less funding per student than many of our neighboring states including Maryland, Kentucky, and West Virginia. 

My colleagues and I also voted to adopt 2024-2025 Student Rights and Responsibilities (SR&R) regulation and amendments on May 9, 2024.

Inside this newsletter:

• School Visit to Liberty Middle School

• Sully District Happenings and Community News

• Superintendent Reid's Academic Matters

• Family Life Education Materials Available for Review

• School Board Votes to Adopt Fiscal Year 2025 Approved Budget

• Holistic Review of FCPS Boundary Policy

• May 2024 Audit Buzz Newsletter

• Open Your Home to an International Student and Enjoy a Free Week of IFTA

• Student Bus Passes Offer Free Transportation All Year

• Student Opportunities
• Mental Health Resources for Families (Free Summer Virtual Wellness Consultations Available!)

• Caribbean American Heritage Month

• Upcoming School Board Meetings

June is LGBTQIA+ Pride month and a time where people across the globe come together to raise awareness, celebrate identity, and highlight the achievements of the LGBTQIA+ community. Please join me in honoring our diverse community, and in building a culture of inclusivity and equity at FCPS and around the world. Happy Pride Month!

I also want to remind all of our parents and caregivers to provide feedback about the revisions to the Family Life Education Curriculum. The feedback survey will close on June 10th. 

THANK YOU for your ongoing support. As always, I value the input I receive from the Sully community and am happy to address questions or concerns via email or phone. 

As we approach the close of this school year, I am looking ahead to a summer of rest and renewal and a strong new 2024-25 school year! 

In partnership,

Seema Dixit School Visit to Liberty Middle School!

It was great to see the students in action at Liberty Middle School on May 10, 2024! Thank you Principal Erbrecht for inviting me to visit and for sharing the successes and challenges of this school year. It was a real pleasure seeing first hand all the hard work the teachers and staff have been putting in translate into wonderful programs that help our students succeed and thrive! Lift the Lions!

Sully District Happenings 13 FCPS students claim awards at 2024 International Science and Engineering Fair in Los Angeles!

Let’s hear it for the 13 FCPS students who won awards at the 2024 International Science and Engineering Fair in Los Angeles! Students from TJHSST, James Madison High School, Chantilly High School, and Hayfield SS placed in multiple categories. Read more about their amazing projects.

Congratulations to all these incredible students and their "solution mindset" using innovative and forward-thinking approaches to solve social, environmental, and economic challenges through technology!! #TechforGood #AIInnovation #STEM

Westfield High School Students Volunteer at Local Food Pantry!

Photo courtesy of Western Fairfax Christian Ministries!

So proud of our Sully District students! These four amazing Westfield High School seniors spent two weeks volunteering at local Sully District food pantry Western Fairfax Christian Ministries that is working to address food insecurity in our community, as part of their Westfield Finish Strong program. The students worked in the warehouse and food pantries, as well as helped with office work and photography/video work at the golf tournament fundraiser. We wish the graduates well as they complete their senior year and start the next chapter in their lives! #GoBulldogs #StudentsDoingGood 

Chantilly Academy Seniors Help Student With Disabilities Return to Class

With days to go before graduation, seniors at Chantilly Academy scrambled to finish an important final project. Engineering, and Physical and Occupational Therapy students have been collaborating for a year on a mobile, adjustable, and customizable medical bed. Last year, they finally met the student who will be using the bed. 

Liam is an eighth grader at Rocky Run Middle School who has Nemaline myopathy, a type of muscular dystrophy that leaves him nearly paralyzed. Liam has previously been able to attend school with the help of a nurse, but her retirement meant that this year he received homebound instruction. 

Next year, Liam plans to attend Chantilly High School with a personally designed bed to allow him to stay in a lying position for classes. Learn more about this special project. So proud of our amazing Sully District students! #StudentsDoingGood 

Celebrate Juneteenth in Sully District on June 19th!

Join us in commemorating #Juneteenth at Sully Historic Site and Frying Pan Farm Park! Immerse yourself in specially curated programs that celebrate African American history and culture. Let's honor the past and strive for continuous self-development together!

Learn more and sign up online for these FREE events.

Family Life Education Materials Available for Review

On May 21, 2024, staff presented recommended changes to the Family Life Education curriculum during a School Board Work Session. The community review period for the recommended changes opened on May 10 and will continue until Monday, June 10, at 4:30 p.m. Please take the time to provide feedback after reviewing the materials. All comments will be shared with the School Board prior to the vote to approve the recommendations on June 27, 2024.

School Board Votes to Adopt Fiscal Year 2025 Approved Budget

The Fairfax County School Board voted last week to adopt Fairfax County Public Schools’ (FCPS) Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Approved Budget. The FY 2025 Approved Budget totals $3.7 billion — a net increase of $233.2 million or 6.6% over the previous year. 

The FY 2025 Approved Budget focuses on providing educational excellence for all students and ensuring that employees’ hard work and dedication are acknowledged through competitive compensation. Both of these efforts fully align with the FCPS 2023-30 Strategic Plan.

Nearly 86% of the Approved Budget is targeted at instruction. The approved budget includes a 4% compensation increase for all staff. The approved budget also maintains the mid-year 2% compensation increase for all employees approved by the School Board in January.

Key budget details also include:

• Supporting students academically by maintaining existing class size formulas and providing necessary support to all students. This covers an increase of 1,749 students compared to the FY 2024 projection and additional support for students as indicated by free or reduced-price meal eligibility, special education services, or English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) services.
• Strengthening student well-being outside of the classroom with expanded athletics offerings, additional athletic trainers, and enhanced stipends for fine and performing arts.
• Continuing key multiyear initiatives including expansion of inclusive preschool, adoption of green initiatives by the Joint Environmental Task Force, implementation of a modernized HR system to support core operations, and funding assistant director of student activities positions previously funded with ESSER III.

Items that will be prioritized in the FY 2024 Year End Budget include:

• 30 additional minutes for extended day contracts for special education teachers.
• Funding for the ERFC Deferred Retirement Option Program (DROP).

• One-time funding for an expansion of athletics including boys volleyball and girls wrestling.

Read the approved budget news release.

Superintendent Reid's Academic Matters New SOL Growth Reports

In the Academic Matters segment of the May 23rd School Board meeting, Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid presented information on the Virginia Department of Education’s new Standards of Learning (SOL) Growth Reports for families of students in grades 3-8.

These new reports are designed to give a yearlong look at student performance by combining information from earlier Virginia Growth Assessment (VGA) results with SOL results. Dr. Reid also discussed how FCPS’ reporting plan for spring assessment results was created with accessibility in mind. Watch the video of the Academic Matters presentation or view the slide presentation. 

It’s important to remember that any assessment score is just one data point reflecting a student's performance on a particular day. Taken alongside other information, including report cards, other assessments, and teacher observations, we’re able to get a clearer picture of how we can best support our students — whether that’s additional academic support or accelerating their coursework. 

FCPS’ reporting plan for spring assessment results was created with accessibility in mind, using multiple formats and translatable report texts and samples. Our families are our partners in helping students succeed, and we’ve created a new SOL Grade 3-8 Results webpage with resources to help them understand assessment results and plan for continued learning during the summer time!

Student Testing Results Coming Soon

Later this month, you will begin receiving your child’s spring assessment results. If you aren’t sure what assessments your child took this year, view this list of tests by grade level on FCPS’ website. 

How the results are delivered depends on the test. Scores will be posted in SIS ParentVUE, or sent by mail or from the school or testing organization. Learn what to expect regarding assessment reporting practices and timelines. 

Visit FCPS’ website for additional information about student assessments, including what each assessment is testing for and how to interpret the test results. Caregivers should contact their children’s teacher with any testing questions.

Holistic Review of FCPS Boundary Policy

For the first time in decades, the Fairfax County School Board is conducting a comprehensive review of the Fairfax County Public Schools Boundary Policy (Policy 8130) to consider possible updates that will provide a clear roadmap for any potential future boundary changes. There are no current plans to implement boundary changes. 

This holistic policy review is designed to address the community's concerns about a host of issues, including temporary classrooms (trailers), instructional program locations, overcrowding, facility renovations, and transportation. Comprehensive community engagement will take place before any potential future changes. For additional information, please visit this Boundary Policy Review webpage.

May 2024 Audit Buzz Newsletter

In this issue of the Audit Buzz, we provide an update on current engagements, celebrate Internal Audit Awareness Month and offer a training opportunity to Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) employees. Prior editions of Audit Buzz are archived here on Office of Auditor General's (OAG) website.

Open Your Home to an International Student and Enjoy a Free Week of IFTA

FCPS is partnering with Near West to pilot a summer program inviting international students to experience IFTA (Institute for the Arts), enjoy Northern Virginia, and share their culture with our community. 

Warm and welcoming FCPS families with students 13-15 years old are needed to help make the pilot a success! Enjoy one free week of IFTA at Lake Braddock Secondary School for hosting an international student from Saturday, July 20, to Tuesday, July 30. 

Please contact Kara Drinkwater if you are interested in being a host family.

Student Bus Passes Offer Free Transportation All Year

All Fairfax County middle and high school students can get a Student Bus Pass SmarTrip card to ride the Fairfax Connector and Fairfax CUE buses for free! With the pass, fares are free from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week, all year. Complete the application and return it to your school's front office. Children 12 and younger ride for free on Fairfax Connector with a paying adult.

Student Opportunities

Disclaimer: Opportunities offered by organizations other than Fairfax County Public Schools are neither sponsored nor endorsed by the Fairfax County School Board, the Superintendent, or a specific school. These opportunities may utilize technology tools that have not been assessed by the Fairfax County Public Schools Department of Information Technology. Students should gain permission from their parent or guardian before engaging in any non-FCPS enrichment opportunity and families should review the Terms of Service, User Agreements, and Privacy Policy for any technology platform that the enrichment opportunity may use before participating.

LearnServe Fall Fellows Program for High School Students! 

Overview: This is our first-year, introductory in-person entrepreneurship program that takes young changemakers through the entire process of researching, brainstorming, creating, and pitching their own social action project to solve an issue in their community!

Time Commitment: The program runs from October-April (exact dates TBA), where students will meet in-person or virtually every Thursday at a location in central DC (location TBA).

Program Cost: Sliding scale tuition of $50-$1250/student, depending on the student's financial ability to pay. Families will complete the Sliding Scale survey during the application process to determine their individual tuition. 

Application: Rolling admission - Priority will be given to applications submitted by Monday, June 17. Click here to apply!

LearnServe is a Washington DC based nonprofit that offers leadership and social entrepreneurship training for high school students from across the Washington, DC region.  Programmatically we bring students together from diverse backgrounds, and guide them through the process of designing and launching social ventures -- action projects to serve their schools and communities. In the process they learn the skill-set and mindset of being a changemaker, a blend of social and emotional skills, global competencies, and business and professional skills that will set them up for success in their college and careers.

NOAA Young Changemakers Fellowship

NOAA is pleased to announce the launch of the NOAA Young Changemakers Fellowship application for the 2024-2025 school year. This program is designed for current HS students who are passionate about the environment, climate, ocean, Great Lakes, and/or coasts. Program participants receive mentorship, skill-building opportunities, and financial resources to design and lead an action project in their own community. Full participation comes with an $800 stipend and paid travel to Washington, D.C., for a kick-off summit in July 2024. Applications are due on June 10, 2024. Please reach out to [email protected] with questions.

Student Ambassador for Virginia's Environment

Would you like to be a Student Ambassador for Virginia's Environment (SAVE)? Applications for 2024-25 Student Ambassadors are due by June 15th, and selected ambassadors will be announced in August. The SAVE program is for high school juniors and seniors who are passionate about the mission of having a shared responsibility to end littering, improve recycling, and beautify communities. Student Ambassadors are expected to organize and implement two litter cleanups and host a school-wide or community educational project or event.

CyberPatriot Camp at Chantilly Academy

Chantilly Academy (4201 Stringfellow Rd, Chantilly) is hosting a cybersecurity camp for rising 5th-8th graders. The June 24-28 camp welcomes students of all skill levels. This is an opportunity to learn the importance of cybersecurity and gain the skills to protect from cyber threats on various operating systems. Visit the camp website for more information.

FREE Summer STEM Camps in Chantilly and Arlington!

Virginia Tech Applied Research Corporation is offering FREE summer STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) Camps! Rising 6th – 12th grade students can explore, create, and innovate in a fun and engaging environment at their facilities in Arlington and Chantilly, Virginia.

Their STEM camps are designed to inspire curiosity and foster a love for learning. Through hands-on activities, experiments, and projects, students will have the opportunity to develop critical thinking skills, problem-solving abilities, and teamwork dynamics.

Here are the camps being offered this year:

1. StellarXplorers – A space system design camp where students focus on team problem-solving associated with sending objects to space.

2. Robotics Camp – Students will engage in coding and programming VEX Robots.

3. Drone Camp – A hands-on, technical application camp where students learn the basics of coding, programming, and flying drones.

4. Coding Camp – Students will engage in hands-on coding activities using block coding and Python programming languages.

Register your student for these STEM camps - spaces are limited!

Summer 2024 Emerging technologies Camps & Courses

Get ready to level up your tech skills this summer...registration for the Summer of Emerging Tech is officially OPEN! 

Whether you want to explore machine learning algorithms or spearhead your own data science research project, we have virtual programs of all kinds for students grades 6-13 (+ educators too)!

Head to the link to our Summer Catalog to learn more about the different offerings and register. *Limited need-based scholarships are available. Programs will fill up fast, so secure your spot ASAP! This summer don’t just learn how to code… become a future leader in emerging tech.

The Coding School (TCS) is a 501(c)(3) international nonprofit organization focused on preparing the next generation for the future of work through computer science training and workforce development.

Technology Youth Empowerment (TYE) Opportunity

TYE, a student-led nonprofit in FCPS, aims to bridge the gap between students and STEM fields. They are currently seeking more volunteers and representatives at high schools. If you are passionate about teaching and promoting STEM, consider applying to their organization:

For more information, email them at [email protected] or explore the TYE Representative presentation.

FCPS Job Certification Student Program with Coursera Career Academy

High school students now have the opportunity to access the full contents of the Coursera Career Academy. This program is designed to open doors to digital career pathways and provide invaluable learning experiences directly from industry giants like Google, Microsoft, and IBM.

Program Benefits:

• Explore a variety of popular digital careers from marketing to data science.
• Learn from experts at leading global companies.
• Earn valuable micro-credentials that can enhance your resume.
• Access over 27 professional certificates, expanding your skill set in multiple fields.

Interested? Here's how to get involved: Complete the Coursera Student Interest Form. 

FCPS Summer Camp Offerings

Registration is now open for many summer camps and learning opportunities offered by FCPS for all students.

Career and Technical Education (CTE) camps and Institute for the Arts (IFTA) camps will be held in July at Lake Braddock Secondary School from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Free bus transportation will be available from select FCPS middle and high schools. Visit these sites for more information:

• Tech Adventures (elementary) 
• CTE Summer Academy (middle and high school)
• E-IFTA (elementary)
• IFTA (middle and high school)
• Economics and Personal Finance course (high school)
• Online Campus Program (middle and high school)
• Credit Recovery Academy (middle and high school)
• English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) (middle and high school)

Find session dates, registration links, and deadlines on the FCPS summer programs webpage.

The Family Resource Center has compiled information on summer camps including local options, camps for students with special needs (sorted by need), and camps for students experiencing grief or who have parents in the military.

Free Teens in Action Summer Camps

The Fairfax County Department of Neighborhood and Community Services offers affordable, engaging, and healthy recreation programs for students aged 12-18 when schools are closed. Teens in Action youth participate in team sports, games, arts and crafts, STEM (science, engineering, and math) programming, service projects, field trips, and more. Admission for camp is free. The Summer Camp takes place Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m., and is separated by age group. Rising 9-12 graders attend camp from June 17- August 16, 2024, and rising 7th and 8th graders attend June 17-28, 2024, and August 2-16, 2024. Find more information and register on the Teens in Action web page.

Mental Health Resources for Families This month's theme: Joyful June

Let's look for what's good.

Go to Action for Happiness for ideas to help you take action for a happier and kinder world.

Summer Mental Wellness Resources

Virtual Mental Wellness Consultations

This summer, the FCPS Office of Intervention and Prevention Services will offer virtual Mental Wellness Consultations from Monday, June 24, through Friday, August 2. Forty-five-minute phone or videoconference consultations are available with a school psychologist or school social worker.

• Parents of students in any grade level can request a consultation to receive guidance on how to support their child’s social, emotional, and academic success. Information about community resources will also be provided.
• Students in middle or high school can request a consultation to receive guidance and support for concerns related to anxiety, mood, behavior, peer or family interactions, or school transitions and changes. Strategies and tools can also be provided to address academic challenges such as organization and time management.

We encourage all families to take advantage of this service. Request a consultation or call and leave a message at 703-503-2520.

Student Wellness: Tips and Strategies

Feeling super stressed? Worried about a friend's mental health—or your own? Get tips to help manage your emotions and see what to do if you are in crisis. 

Mental Health and Resiliency

Helping students to manage stress, make better choices, and develop healthy habits.

FCPS Family Resource Center

Staff is available by phone 703-204-3941 or email [email protected] to help! Offers free workshops, consultations, a lending library, and more to help adults support the success of all students, including those with learning challenges, special needs and disabilities.

No Cost Therapy for High Schoolers

High school students can access virtual mental health services at no cost through an FCPS program with Hazel Health. Their therapists are licensed and also trained in teen-specific challenges.

Students may be referred by a guardian or designated staff member and participate in weekly video therapy sessions. The therapists will work with students until they achieve their therapy goals, or they can help connect the family with long-term mental health services in the community if needed. 

Learn how to opt your students in to this service.

George Mason’s Center for Community Health

George Mason University’s new Center for Community Mental Health (9900 Main Street, Fairfax) provides evidence-based, accessible, affordable, and culturally sensitive therapy and testing services to those in need, regardless of income. The Center sees children as young as age 5, and works with community members of various ages, including addressing the mental health needs of veterans.

The center’s Emotional Help Line provides free, anonymous, confidential support in both English (703-215-1898) and Spanish (703-914-3878). The line is open daily from 8:30 a.m. - 8:30 p.m. Learn more on the Center's website.

Caribbean American Heritage Month

During June, FCPS celebrates the rich diversity of immigrants of Caribbean heritage and honors the many contributions they have made to our nation. More than 8.5 million individuals in the United States were born in the Caribbean or are of Caribbean ancestry. Learn more about Caribbean American Heritage Month.

Upcoming School Board Meetings

• Tuesday, June 13, 7 p.m. - Regular Meeting
• Thursday, June 20, 4 p.m. - Committee Report Work Session (ACE, MSAOC, FPAC, HRAC)
• Monday, June 24, 5 p.m. - Committee Report Work Session (ACSD, AAPAC, SHAC, ECPPC)
• Tuesday, June 25, 10:30 a.m. - Work Session
• Thursday, June 27, 7 p.m. - Regular Meeting

Please note, times and topics are subject to change. 

Visit the community participation webpage to sign up to speak at a regular meeting. Visit BoardDocs for more meeting logistics, agendas, and handouts.

Interested in School Board action items? Sign up to get an update on School Board votes the morning after the School Board meeting.

The work sessions and regular meetings will be broadcast live on Channel 99 (Verizon channel 11) and the FCPS website. Both will be recorded for future viewing and posted to the FCPS School Board YouTube channel.

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.

Contacting Me

To contact me, it is most helpful if you can please use the official School Board contact form. This form prioritizes emails to me from constituents, and helps me track communication so I can be sure you receive a response. If you are unsure of your county magisterial district, you can look that information up here.

Use this link to sign up for my Newsletter and follow me on Facebook.

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

Email: Seema Dixit | Phone: 571-423-1085  

Staff Aide: Shaheen Khurana | Phone: 571-423-1072