FCPS This Week - March 6, 2024
A student at Haycock Elementary School enjoys a school breakfast. It’s National School Breakfast Week — a time to celebrate the importance of a nutritious school breakfast in fueling students for success.
✅ Family Engagement Survey Now Open!
We encourage all parents/caregivers to participate in FCPS’ Family Engagement Survey. Our survey partner, K12 Insight, emailed a link to families on Sunday, March 3. Your feedback is critical in helping to inform and improve FCPS practices to best support our students.
Taking this survey will also help strengthen the partnership between your family and your child’s school. When that partnership is strong, students can experience a range of benefits including improved school readiness, higher student achievement, and better social skills and behavior.
The survey is available in 10 languages. Parents/caregivers may stop by a school to fill out a paper survey or for support with completing the survey online. Please check your email for the survey invitation or access the link on the Family Engagement Survey webpage.
New Regulation on Meditation and Reflection Spaces
FCPS has developed a regulation to ensure all students and staff have reasonable accommodation and access to meditation and silent reflection spaces within the school division. Regulation 1502 provides guidance for schools on how to manage requests for silent reflection during instructional and non-instructional time, and for students to leave school for religious activities.
These spaces are designated areas within a school or on school premises for individuals to engage in prayer, meditation, or silent reflection, inclusive of their religious or non-religious beliefs. Parents/caregivers must provide written permission for students requesting to miss instructional time on a regular basis. Families are encouraged to contact their student’s school regarding accommodations.
Bipartisan Study Finds Virginia Public School Divisions Receive Less Funding per Student Than Other States
The School Board recently adopted FCPS’ FY 2025 Advertised Budget. Meeting our budget needs becomes more of a challenge with underfunding by the state, using staffing formulas that continue to result in school districts not receiving the actual support needed for excellent public education. A staffing formula is the method for calculating the number of positions that need to be assigned to meet program needs.
Did You Know?
In July 2023, the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) released a study of Virginia’s K-12 funding formulas. The report found that Virginia school divisions receive less funding per student than the 50-state average, the regional average, and many of Virginia’s neighboring states including West Virginia, Maryland, and Kentucky. Learn more about the JLARC study. Visit our website to view FCPS’ budget development timeline.
Contact your state officials to provide feedback on funding for K-12 education.
🎤 Help Minimize the Impact of Fentanyl and Other Drugs
A community conversation addressing the opioid crisis within Northern Virginia and Fairfax County public schools will be held Monday, March 18, 6:30-8 p.m., in the auditorium at Lake Braddock Secondary School. Please enter through Door #14.
All attendees will receive free REVIVE! Narcan training and learn about support services available within FCPS and Fairfax County.
The material discussed is suitable for students in grades 6 to 12. Language interpretation services are available as well as American Sign Language accommodation. Childcare and transportation will also be provided, as needed. Learn more about the event and register online.
🥁 Browse Summer Camps and Learning Programs
Have you made summer plans for your child yet? Are you looking for a camp for your child with special needs?
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.
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 and registration links and deadlines on the FCPS summer programs webpage.
🔬 Fairfax County Regional Science and Engineering Fair
Members of the general public are invited to attend the Fairfax County Regional Science and Engineering Fair open house at Robinson Secondary School on Sunday, March 17, 1-3 p.m.
🙌 “Not Like Any Other Class” — Peer Mentor Program Builds Relationships
Each day, students from Westfield High School’s Peer Mentor class travel to a different feeder elementary school — Deer Park, London Towne, Virginia Run, Cub Run, and Bull Run — to bond with young mentees. The highly sought-after class at Westfield encourages connections that help build confidence, improve communication and interpersonal skills, and promote positive decision-making. Read about how Westfield students are making an impact on their younger peers.
☀️ Safely View the Total Solar Eclipse on April 8
A total solar eclipse will occur on Monday, April 8, and will be viewable, depending on weather, in Fairfax County. The eclipse will begin in our area around 2:04 p.m. and end around 4:32 p.m., with the maximum eclipse occurring around 3:20 p.m.
Because the timing overlaps with some school dismissals, it is crucial that students understand the importance of safe viewing practices. We encourage families to review these Solar Eclipse Resources, especially the eye safety information. We hope everyone takes the opportunity to learn more about this extraordinary natural phenomenon while prioritizing safe solar viewing.
💚 Thank You, Social Workers, for Helping our Students Succeed
It’s National School Social Work Week. Social workers in FCPS help students succeed by working to improve their social, emotional, and behavioral wellness. Social workers are assigned to every school and center in the division. Read about Elizabeth Romeo, school social worker at Lorton Station Elementary School.
National Women’s History Month
Every year, March is designated as Women’s History Month by presidential proclamation. The month is set aside to honor women’s contributions to American history. Learn more about the heritage months, celebrations, and traditions celebrated in FCPS. Read more about Women’s History Month in National Geographic Kids.
📅 Calendar Reminder: Daylight Saving Time Begins
Don’t forget to move your clocks ahead one hour on Sunday, March 10, at 2 a.m., when daylight saving time begins!
First Full Day of Ramadan
The first full day of Ramadan is Monday, March 11. In Islam, Ramadan is the most sacred month of the year. During Ramadan, Muslims abstain from food and drink from dawn to sunset each day, while striving to increase their spirituality through prayers, charity, and good deeds. Read more about Ramadan in National Geographic Kids.
March 11 is a religious and cultural observance day. The school calendar recognizes many religious and cultural observances during the school year. There is school on observance days, however, tests, quizzes, field trips, or FCPS-scheduled athletic events will not be scheduled. See the school year calendar.
Attend Today, Achieve Tomorrow!
This year, spring break is March 25-29. We will be eager to welcome your children back to school on Wednesday, April 3, after two teacher work days. Student attendance is very important. Every day, our teachers will be teaching, and students will be learning.
Studies have shown that just two absences per month can cause students to fall behind. Let’s finish this school year strong. Visit FCPS’ website for attendance resources.
⏰ Correction: Middle School Start Times
In last week’s FCPS This Week, we shared that Prismatic Services, Inc. presented an analysis of middle school start times to the School Board. We also wrote that Prismatic was awarded a contract in September 2023 to explore adjusting start times for middle schools to 8 a.m. or later, beginning in the fall of 2025.
We incorrectly stated that “the change must be budget-neutral and not affect other school start times.” We should have stated that any change to middle school start times should continue to have high schools start after 8 a.m. We apologize for the error.
School Board Meeting Scheduled for March 7 at 7 p.m.
The School Board will hold its next business meeting on Thursday, March 7, at 7 p.m.
Topics on the agenda include:
- Fiscal Year 2024 Third Quarter Budget Review
- Elementary Language Arts Basal Resources
Find out how to watch and participate in School Board meetings.
