FCPS This Week - April 3, 2024
The Scott family gathers to take photos in recognition of Month of the Military Child. Both parents serve in the Air Force, and their children attend school in the Robinson Pyramid.
🎖️ Military Kids Club Helps Students Bond Over Shared Experiences
Creating connections between students from military families is one of the goals of the Clermont Elementary School Military Kids Club, which boasts 50 members and is in its second year of operation. Read about the club.
April Is Month of the Military Child
The Month of the Military Child is a time to recognize military-connected youth for their service and contribution to our community. Fairfax County Public Schools is proud to have more than 14,000 military-connected youth as a part of our student body. We appreciate the varied life experiences they bring to our school community and recognize their strength and resilience.
Purple Up! Day
To show our support for all our military-connected families, we invite students, families, school employees, and community members to “Purple Up!” for military children. Wear purple on Wednesday, April 17.
Purple symbolizes all branches of the military as a combination of Army green; Marine Corps red; and Coast Guard, Navy, Air Force, and Space Force blue.
Register Today for the Magnet School Lottery
Three FCPS elementary magnet schools — Hunters Woods, Bailey’s Primary, and Bailey’s Upper — provide enhanced learning programs in science, technology, and performing arts. Registration for the 2024-25 elementary magnet lottery is open through Friday, April 12. Learn more about the schools and their programs.
🙋 How Schools Are Prioritizing Student Attendance
Watch this video to learn about the collaborative efforts between schools, families, and the community to support every student’s success. Discover how our schools are connecting families with essential resources such as childcare, medical services, and transportation.
Through personalized communication, we’re prioritizing student attendance. Making sure every student feels safe, supported, included, and empowered is Goal 2 of FCPS’ 2023-30 Strategic Plan.
📖 Lexia Parent Night: Helping Children Learn to Read
Lexia is a computer-based program that supplements classroom instruction to help students develop literacy skills. It also provides teachers with data to identify students who need additional support and the ability to know which specific concepts and skills to prioritize.
Attend a virtual information night to learn about Lexia on Tuesday, April 9, at 6:30 p.m. Integrating Lexia into the literacy curriculum aligns with the Virginia Literacy Act, FCPS’ Equitable Access to Literacy, and FCPS’ 2023-30 Strategic Plan Goal 3, which aims to have all students reading on grade level by the end of third grade.
📐 Applying Math to Real World Concepts
During the Academic Matters segment of the March 21 School Board meeting, Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid shared how FCPS is strengthening numeracy — the ability to apply math concepts in the real world — in primary grades.
FCPS has been investing in professional development through Add+Vantage Math Recovery © (AVMR).
See students demonstrating their numeracy. Watch Dr. Reid’s presentation or view her slides.
🍳 Edison Culinary Students Invite You to Be Their Guest
Bistro 1093 is named for the number of patents held by Thomas Edison. It welcomes guests as a pop-up restaurant inside Edison Academy. On most Thursdays between January and May, about 20 diners enjoy Bistro 1093’s three-course lunch. Learn more about what is described as one of the best-kept culinary secrets in Fairfax County.
👗 Prom Dress Shop Opens With Hundreds of Dresses
Marketing students from Centreville High School and the Fair Oaks Classroom on the Mall program will open their annual Prom Dress Shop for the prom season on Friday, April 5, at Centreville High School. Any area student — not just those from Fairfax County Public Schools — who do not have the funds to purchase a prom dress may choose from hundreds of new dresses donated by Macy’s. Learn more and see shop hours.
Register Today for the FCPS Family Summit
Registration is open for the FCPS Family Summit, which will take place on Saturday, April 20, 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m., at Marshall High School. The conference will cover topics that are helpful for all families, such as social-emotional resources, along with a specially curated online component to provide supports for students with disabilities and their families.
Some of the topics include raising resilient, independent children; forming meaningful connections with children; addressing big emotions; and the dangers of opioids and fentanyl. The theme — Safe, Supported, and Included — aligns with Goal 2 of FCPS’ 2023-30 Strategic Plan.
👏 Thank You, Assistant Principals!
April 1-5 is National Assistant Principals Week, honoring assistant principals' enormous impact on student success. Last year, while serving as assistant principal at Bryant High School, Karen Hertel (above) was named Outstanding School-Based Leader at FCPS Honors, the annual celebration of outstanding employees. Read about her leadership and support of students and staff — attributes that may have contributed to her now serving as Bryant principal!
🗳️ Nominations Open for the Bussey Memorial Equity Award
The Minority Student Achievement Oversight Committee (MSAOC) sponsors the Dr. Lawrence Bussey Memorial Equity Award to honor Dr. Bussey’s legacy as a founding member of the MSAOC and a longtime advocate for students and families.
This award recognizes staff or community members who have demonstrated significant and impactful efforts to improve the educational experiences and outcomes of students from groups who are marginalized or underserved.
Any FCPS employee, student, or community member can nominate an individual or group for the award. All nomination materials must be submitted by Wednesday, May 1. The winner will be recognized at the FCPS Equity Symposium on Tuesday, June 18.
Full details and the nomination information form are available on the Dr. Lawrence Bussey Memorial Equity Award webpage.
⏰ Community Forums on Middle School Start Times
FCPS is exploring options for adjusting middle school start times and invites the public to be part of the process. All forums will deliver the same presentation and provide the same feedback opportunities. Please attend the event that works best for your schedule:
- Monday, April 29, 6-8 p.m., at Glasgow Middle School.
- Monday, May 6, 6-8 p.m., at Whitman Middle School.
- Monday, May 20, 6-8 p.m., at Hughes Middle School.
- Wednesday, May 22, 6-8 p.m., at Frost Middle School.
Click the date of the event to register. Registration is not required but does help with planning. Language interpretation and childcare will be provided. Learn more about the project exploring middle school start times.
🏫 Advertised Budget Focuses on Schools and Instruction
Investing in excellence means putting our dollars where it matters most — schools and instruction. Nearly 93% of FCPS full-time staff work directly in our schools. And approximately 86% of our Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Advertised Budget is dedicated to instructional programs across all grade levels, including special education.
Only 5% of the advertised budget is for general support and central administration. Central office administrators represent just 0.8% of total full-time positions.
View FCPS budget documents for details on our advertised budget, including the FY 2025 Budget Book.
We are in the middle of the annual budget process, which includes opportunities for community feedback. See the Budget Calendar for important dates and details.
🗓️ Calendar Reminders: Eid al-Fitr (Evening Observance Day, Holiday)
In Islam, Eid-al-Fitr is a three-day festival to mark the end of Ramadan. Tuesday, April 9, is an evening observance day. There is school on this day, but important events will not be held after school. Wednesday, April 10, is an FCPS holiday; all schools and offices will be closed. See the school year calendar.
Note: Next week, FCPS This Week will be published on Thursday, April 11 due to the holiday.
National Arab American Heritage Month
FCPS is proud to celebrate National Arab American Heritage Month in April. This special month provides an opportunity to recognize the history and valuable contributions of Arab Americans.
Arab Americans have ancestry in one of the world’s 22 Arab nations, which are located from northern Africa through western Asia. The people of these nations are ethnically, politically, and religiously diverse but share a common cultural and linguistic heritage.
Learn more about the heritage months, celebrations, and traditions celebrated in FCPS.
National Muslim American Heritage Month
Muslim American Heritage Month is a time for celebrating the history, contributions, culture, and an enhanced understanding of the diverse population of Muslim Americans. View the Fairfax County School Board resolution honoring Muslim American Heritage Month.
School Board Meeting Scheduled for April 11 at 7 p.m.
The School Board will hold its next regular business meeting on Thursday, April 11, at 7 p.m. The agenda will be posted in BoardDocs closer to the date of the meeting. Find out how to watch and participate in School Board meetings.
