July 2018

The official rededication ceremony for Justice High School will be held Friday, September 7 at 5 p.m. in the auditorium. The school will be celebrating the high school's new name that honors three outstanding individuals for their roles in championing equal rights, inclusivity, and justice for all: Barbara Rose Johns, Justice Thurgood Marshall, and Col. Louis G. Mendez, Jr. 

Update January 19, 2018

Students have selected the new mascot for Justice High School. Read the press release. 

Update December 15, 2017

The School Board authorized the Superintendent to access funds from the flexibility reserve for the implementation plan for Justice High School.  

Update October 30, 2017 

The School Board voted on October 26, 2017 to rename J.E.B. Stuart to Justice High School. Donations are now accepted toward the renaming via online portal or mail.  

Update October 25, 2017

The Fairfax County School Board will vote on the J.E.B. renaming during its regular business meeting on October 26, 2017. Additional details are available on the School Board BoardDocs website. 

Update September 21, 2017

After receiving community input from the J.E.B Stuart community, the Superintendent has chosen the top five names selected during the community vote on September 16, 2017, as a recommendation to the School Board. The Superintendent will present his recommendation to the School Board during its regular business meeting on September 28, 2017. The School Board will have a work session on October 16, 2017, and will take action on October 26, 2017. Additional details are available on the School Board BoardDocs website. 

Update September 16, 2017 

The results of the community voting for preferences for renaming J.E.B. Stuart High School are now available. The list of names was suggested at the community meeting on Saturday, September 9 as new names for J.E.B. Stuart High School, and community voting occurred on September 16, 2017. 

Update September 12, 2017

Saturday, September 16, 2017, J.E.B. Stuart High School Cafeteria – VOTING – 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Voting is limited to residents of the J.E.B. Stuart High School attendance area as per Regulation 8170.7. Voting is open between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Voters will need to check in and provide identification to verify they are current residents of the attendance area. Similar to what is accepted when registering a student for school, FCPS will accept Virginia driver’s license, utility bill, payroll stub, official correspondence, lease, or student ID for students as proof of residence for voting.

Only one person per household in the attendance area is permitted to vote. Voters will be allowed one vote for the first choice name, one vote for the second choice name, and one vote for the third choice name from the list solicited at the September 9 meeting. Detailed and translated directions will be provided to all voters.

A weighted point system will be used to determine the top three choices. First choice will be awarded three points, second choice two points, and third choice one point.

Results will not be communicated to the public on September 16, but will be made public prior to the Superintendent’s recommendation to the School Board. Dr. Brabrand will use the results of the voting to make a recommendation consisting of one or more of the most popular choices to the School Board for consideration and action.

Update - August 23, 2017

Superintendent Brabrand announced on July 28 there are two very important meetings coming up that are necessary next steps in following through with the Fairfax County School Board’s vote to change the name of J.E.B. Stuart High School, in accordance with FCPS Regulation 8170.7, Section IV, Part C – Renaming Existing School Facilities.

Saturday, September 9, 2017 – 10:00 a.m. J.E.B. Stuart High School Auditorium:

This meeting will be open to the public at large. The purpose of this meeting will be to solicit new name suggestions and allow time for anyone interested to share and orally present and/or discuss any name suggestions and any advocacy, reasoning, support, etc. for their suggestions. No decision on a new name for the high school will be made at this meeting.

The goal of this meeting is to ensure that anyone interested has an opportunity to be heard as it relates to new name suggestions and that a list of potential new names is created so that residents of the J.E.B. Stuart attendance area can vote on September 16.

The Agenda for September 9th is as follows:

Welcome – Dr. Scott Brabrand, Superintendent, FCPS

Agenda Review/Ground Rules/Questions – Dr. Steve Lockard, Deputy Superintendent, FCPS

Name Solicitation

• Anyone interested in providing a name for consideration will have an opportunity to submit a name on an index card when they enter the auditorium. Index cards will be collected and suggested names will be displayed on the screen in the auditorium. Multiple suggestions for the same name will be listed only once.
• FCPS staff will not permit any name suggestion that is lewd, vulgar or includes profanity, as per similar language found in the FCPS Student Rights and Responsibilities handbook.
• All names submitted will be listed on the ballot. No names will be eliminated by FCPS from consideration, unless not permitted as described above.

Discussion/Consideration

• Attendees will be provided a brief time to consider and discuss amongst themselves the generated list of new name considerations.

Presentation/Public Comment

• Interested attendees will have 3 minutes to orally present to those in attendance, their advocacy for a name from the list of names submitted. Each attendee will be permitted to speak once should they choose, but there will be no limit to the number of speakers who wish to participate.
• As with School Board Public Comment, personal attacks on any person are not permitted. Complaints regarding individual students or school-based employees should not be raised. Any such concerns should be directed to the appropriate school principal or other school official. Citizens are encouraged to write the School Board on any school-related topic.
• The meeting will conclude when all interested attendees have had a chance to speak.

Next Steps and Questions

All meeting attendees are expected to conduct themselves with the decorum and respect appropriate to the conduct of the public’s business. Please be respectful of the speakers and the staff and refrain from calling out from your seat in the audience and please stay seated during the meeting. Any signs you would like to show during the meeting are limited to 8.5 x 11 size, must be hand held and made of paper. 

Update - July 28, 2017

The Fairfax County School Board voted on July 27 that the name of J.E.B. Stuart High School be changed no later than the start of the 2019 School Year. The School Board further directed staff to start the renaming process this fall and that as part of that process -- in the spirit of compromise and in recognition of the need to minimize costs as well as the desire for continuity by alumni -- request that the Stuart community consider “Stuart High School” as the new name. The Board further directed staff to create a mechanism for private funding with the expectation that private funding will pay for a substantial portion of the costs.

An open public meeting will be held on Saturday, September 9, at 10 a.m., at J.E.B. Stuart High School, per Regulation 8170 - to gather names for consideration along with the opportunity for presentations, questions, and discussion.

As outlined in the regulation, voting for the school name will be limited to those participants residing in the school’s attendance area and a weighted point system will be used to determine the top three choices. Voting will take place on Saturday, September 16, at J.E.B. Stuart High School and will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

After review of the community’s recommendations, the Division Superintendent will formulate a recommendation consisting of one or more of the most popular choices according to community input. The Division Superintendent shall then transmit the recommendation to the School Board for consideration and action.

The deadline for the Division Superintendent to submit a formal recommendation to the School Board shall be three weeks prior to the date scheduled for School Board action.

Ad Hoc Committee

The School Board passed a motion in July 2016 establishing an Ad Hoc Committee to consider renaming J.E.B. Stuart High School. The committee consists of students, parents, Stuart community members, alumni, and business and community leaders chosen by the Superintendent in consultation with the School Board. 

The  Ad Hoc Committee was charged by the School Board to weigh the pros and cons of a name change; determine the extent of support for a change; explore public-private partnerships to finance any name change; ways to prevent added burdens on the school’s booster clubs, PTSA and Stuart school administration; the best method for transitioning from an old name to a new one; and the best timing for such a change, if such a change is approved by the Board. The Ad Hoc Committee submitted their reports to the Superintendent on May 24, 2017 and the reports were sent on to the School Board. 

Ad Hoc Committee Community Engagement Events

Community Tour - Sunday May 21 

A free community tour of Munson’s Hill and surrounding Civil War sites was conducted on May 21. Historical videos and refreshments available in the cafeteria. This community outreach event was organized by a subcommittee of the Ad Hoc Committee charged by the School Board with determining community support for a name change to J.E.B. Stuart High School. For more information contact: [email protected]

Community Discussion About the Name of J.E.B. Stuart High School - May 23

A Community meeting about the name of J.E.B. Stuart High School was held Tuesday, May 23. Members of the Ad Hoc Committee’s subcommittee tasked to determine the level of community support for keeping the name presented ways to develop a positive outcome to the current situation with J.E.B. Stuart H.S. stakeholders. All J.E.B. Stuart community members were welcome to participate in the discussions. For more information contact [email protected].

Community Meeting - May 18 at J.E.B. Stuart High School Auditorium 

A community meeting to consider renaming J.E.B. Stuart High School was held on Thursday, May 18. The event included presentations both for and against the renaming of the school, and opportunity for community input. The event was sponsored by Sub-Committee #2 of the Ad Hoc Working Group, which is charged by the School Board and Interim Superintendent with determining “the extent of support for a name change to J.E.B. Stuart High School.” For more information, contact subcommittee liaison, Dr. Rodney Green at [email protected].

The Superintendent will present the work of the Ad Hoc Committee to the School Board in May 2017.  

School Board Motion to Form Ad Hoc Committee 

During its July 28, regular meeting, the Fairfax County School Board passed a motion to establish an Ad Hoc Committee to consider renaming J.E.B. Stuart High School and to engage the community on this question in a public and transparent manner. The committee is to consist of students, parents, Stuart community members, alumni, and business and community leaders to be chosen by the Superintendent in consultation with the Board.  This Ad Hoc Committee will weigh the pros and cons of a name change; determine the extent of support for a change; explore public-private partnerships to finance any name change; ways to prevent added burdens on the school’s booster clubs, PTSA and Stuart school administration; the best method for transitioning from an old name to a new one; and the best timing for such a change, if such a change is approved by the Board.

All interested members of the J.E.B. Stuart community are encouraged to consider volunteering for this committee. The committee will be comprised of 12-20 individuals representing a wide range of stakeholder groups and various perspectives on the issues under consideration. The time commitment would extend until April, when the results of the committee’s work will be presented to the School Board for review and action.

If you are interested in serving on this committee, please contact Marty Smith at [email protected] with a copy to Tracey Skahen at [email protected]

Message from FCPS Superintendent October 2016 

The Fairfax County School Board voted July 28, 2016 to create a working group to further consider community concerns regarding renaming J.E.B. Stuart High School. The motion passed states that the Board, “recognize that renaming the school to one more reflective of the community it serves may be a laudable goal.” The motion further states: “The process for evaluating whether the name should be changed should engage the community in a public and transparent manner.”

Since that time, I have announced my resignation as Superintendent, and the Board has named Dr. Steve Lockard to serve as Interim Superintendent upon my departure. This has required a reevaluation of where we are with this working group. The School Board has made clear that its top priority now must be to find the most qualified superintendent to lead this great school system into the future. While we are still committed to addressing the concerns of the Stuart community, I believe that since I am leaving my position, it would only be fair to allow the Interim Superintendent to take over the necessary steps in forming this working group.

Therefore, in consultation with School Board Chair Sandy Evans and Vice Chair Janie Strauss, a decision has been made to extend the original timeline for the working group’s formation and work in order to transition the decisions to Dr. Lockard as well as to provide more clarity on the process, to carefully consider the makeup of the committee and to choose a facilitator.

We have received many gracious offers by members of the community to serve on this working group, and will be happy to hear from others. In order to ensure the working group was able to meet the demands of the Board, and to facilitate its work in a fair and unbiased manner, we had recommended an outside facilitator be hired to bring independence to the processes. A solicitation for the facilitator was conducted via standard FCPS procurement process, with the expectation that the cost would not exceed $20,000. A facilitator has not yet been hired, however, and this decision will be temporarily put on hold. 

As directed by the Board motion, the working group will weigh the pros and cons of a name change; continue to ensure public engagement and determine the extent of support for change; explore public-private partnerships to finance any name change; examine ways to prevent added burdens on the school’s booster clubs, PTSA, and Stuart school administration; decide the best method for transitioning from an old name to a new one; ensure proper record retention; and set the best timing for such a change, if approved by the Board. The working group will also provide ideas for ways to honor and preserve the school’s history, traditions, and past achievements, and to memorialize its decades as J.E.B. Stuart High School.

During this transition, Dr. Steve Lockard will assume oversight of this process, and re-evaluate with the School Board, the best manner to meet the needs of the Board and the Stuart community.  Further updates will be communicated in the weeks ahead as the working group process is refined. We appreciate your patience as we work through this important transition.

Finally, we must acknowledge the outstanding work that continues at Stuart High School. We are committed to minimizing distraction and supporting our administrators, teachers, and students in achieving the excellence we expect from this outstanding school.

Community Engagement Spring 2016

In February 2016, the School Board directed the Superintendent to initiate community engagement in the J.E.B. Stuart pyramid on whether or not there is sufficient support from the community to change the name of the school. The FCPS regulation states that the School Board may consider a change in the name of a school for a compelling need. A survey was sent to the community May 12-20. The results of the survey:

After the survey closed, a community meeting was held on May 23, 2016 at J.E.B. Stuart High School. The following information was presented at the meeting:

• Background information
• Survey results
• Overview of process
• Other related information, such as potential costs
• Small group discussion to gather general feedback
• Costs

Community members broke into small groups and provided feedback about the proposal to rename J.E.B. Stuart High School. Each group was asked to consider the following:

1. What are the benefits of changing the name?
2. What are the challenges of changing the name?
3. General feedback and/or additional information you would like provided.

Changing the name of a school may incur costs related to signage, uniforms, equipment, and other items; the exact cost will vary based on the scope of change, and timing of the normal replacement cycle for some items; additionally some costs may be offset by private donations. Booster raised funds will be used in a manner as normally occurs each school year. These costs do not include replacement of items that are typically paid for annually by students or parents (such as swimsuits).

Assuming the name change is implemented on these items within the first year of implementation, and based on preliminary estimates, the following may be costs involved in a name change:

• Front school marquee, baseball/stadium/softball scoreboards, stadium field logos, gym wall murals, gym wall padding, main gym scoreboard – approximately $270,000
• Athletic team uniforms – approximately $154,000
• Band uniforms and equipment - approximately $150,000
• Other miscellaneous items that carry the school logo (may vary depending on attrition or removal versus replacement) - approximately $104,000