FCPS This Week - May 31, 2023

Students from Braddock Elementary School celebrate their school's renovations at a ribbon cutting ceremony.

School Board Adopts FY 2024 Budget with Focus on Student Achievement

The Fairfax County School Board unanimously voted to adopt the FCPS Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Approved Budget at their regularly scheduled Board meeting last Thursday. The budget focuses on closing the achievement gap for all students, and maintaining a world-class public school division by recruiting and retaining outstanding educators.

The FY 2024 Approved Budget totals $3.5 billion—a net increase of $221.7 million or 6.7% over the FY 2023 Approved Budget. Nearly 86% of the Approved Budget is targeted at instruction, including: 

• $15 million to support the implementation of the Equitable Access to Literacy Plan, with evidence-based language arts basal resources for students. 
• $2 million to increase access to Pre-K programs by providing resources to accommodate 10 additional Pre-K classrooms.
• $1.6 million for implementation of the final implementation of recommendations from the advanced academic external review to support students in Advanced Academic Programs.
• $65.2 million and 679.2 positions to address changing student needs, including increased numbers of students requiring English as a Second Language Services and special education services, and enrollment growth.

• Increase in student and family supports including additional family liaisons and access to middle school athletic opportunities that support student well-being. 

Increased security measures and the continuation of green investments are also acknowledged in the FY 2024 Approved Budget. Read more about the FY 2024 Approved Budget. 

🥗 Don’t Forget to Check Your Student’s Lunch Balance! 

It’s a busy time of year, and we know there are many priorities on families’ plates. As we approach the end of the school year, it is important for families to remember to check their students’ MySchoolBucks account and pay any remaining school meal balance. 

Families who earn less than 185% of poverty level qualify for free and reduced-price meals. However, an application must be completed and submitted each school year to receive that benefit. The application for the 2023-24 school year will be available near the end of August. 

If families have a current balance and think they may be eligible for free and reduced-price meals, fill out the FRM application for the 2022-23 school year. Get more information about free and reduced-price lunch.

If you are interested in helping to relieve lunch debt for families currently going through the FRM application process, donate to Educate Fairfax.

🌍 Summer Scholarships Send Annandale Students Abroad 

Barcelona. Berlin. Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. Ghana. Rome. These are some of the places where 19 Annandale High School students will be spending their summer, aided by a collective $75,085 in scholarship funding they won after being encouraged to apply for the grants by their teachers. Learn more about Annandale High School’s partnership with the Council on International Exchange. 

📈 Academic Matters: State Student Assessment Summary Reports

At the May 25 Thursday’s School Board meeting, Dr. Reid presented information on a new Virginia Department of Education report called Virginia’s Visualization and Analytics Solution (VVAAS) Student Assessment Summary. 

Virginia school divisions will be distributing a report to parents showing their student’s past Standards of Learning (SOL) testing data. Reports will be provided, through SIS ParentVUE or by mail, for any student who has an SOL testing history in the state of Virginia as of Spring 2022. 

In addition to showing a student’s performance on SOL tests over time, it also shows how that performance compares to other Virginia students who took the same test. This report, along with a companion letter, will be available mid-June. 

FCPS uses various data sources to determine student growth and success. The  Student Assessment Summary Report is just one piece of information in the larger picture of student assessment in FCPS. Learn more about what to expect regarding assessment reporting practices and timelines. 

Online Campus Summer Registration Closing Soon! 

Registration for taking a summer class with the Online Campus will close Friday, June 9. Email [email protected] or call 703-503-7781 with any questions. 

Registration for Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology’s Middle School Technology Institute (MSTI) also closes on Friday, June 9.

Other Summer Learning Opportunities

Registration is still available for Institute for the Arts (IFTA) and Elementary-IFTA (E-IFTA) arts camps, Credit Recovery Academy, and  CyberPatriot Summer Cyber Camp.

☎️ Parent Information Phone Line Available in Eight Languages

Parents who speak Amharic, Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, Korean, Spanish, Urdu, or Vietnamese can call a telephone information line for general information about FCPS. They can also get support with communicating with their child's school.

🏗️ School Board Approves 2023 Bond Referendum 

The School Board approved a resolution requesting that the Board of Supervisors (BOS) approve a School Bond Referendum, supporting the division and county’s commitment to providing safe and welcoming learning environments for all students. 

The School Bond Referendum will be on the November 2023 general election ballot in the principal amount of $435 million, pending the approval of the BOS. The BOS will vote on the School Bond Referendum in June.

The funding provided by voter-approved bonds will provide construction funds for seven elementary schools; planning and design funds for eight elementary school renovations and one middle school renovation; and funds for three modular relocations, security vestibules, and inflation adjustments for prior bond projects. These projects are identified in the FY 2024-28 Capital Improvement Program which was approved by the School Board in February. 

The building and renovation of our schools is not funded through the division’s operating budget. Voter-approved bonds allow payment for these projects over time. Read more about the 2023 Bond Referendum. 

🎓 Share Your Graduation or Promotion Ceremony Photos on Social Media

Graduation season is almost here! FCPS parents, students, and staff members are invited to share their favorite pictures from this year's graduation or promotion ceremonies on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram by tagging FCPS and using the hashtag #FCPSgrad23. We will retweet and share some of the photos.

View the FCPS high school graduation schedule, including dates, times, and locations.

New Strategic Plan Presented at School Board Meeting

Superintendent Reid presented FCPS’ new Strategic Plan to the School Board during last Thursday’s Board meeting. The new plan was developed after months of dedication and hard work from our entire FCPS community. It will be our North Star in charting our course through 2030. The research-based and community-driven plan will be guided by five goals and four supporting pillars. Watch the Strategic Plan presentation. The School Board will vote on the plan at their meeting on Thursday, June 15. Find out how to view the Board meeting.

🎨 Calling All FCPS Student Artists and Designers! 

FCPS is looking for student-designed graphics or artwork to represent the observances that are recognized on the FCPS School Year Calendar for 2023-24 (PDF). 

Middle and high school students are encouraged to tap into their creativity to design visuals that accurately and positively represent the many religious observances recognized in the FCPS community. Visit the Design Challenge webpage for more information on eligibility and design guidelines. Submissions are due Sunday, June 11.

Gun Violence Awareness Day and Wear Orange Weekend

Friday, June 2, is National Gun Violence Awareness Day, and June 2-4 is Wear Orange Weekend. Parents/caregivers, students, and employees are encouraged to wear orange on those days to honor survivors of gun violence. Please visit our website for gun violence prevention resources. 

Last Day of School/First Day of School

As a reminder, the last day of the 2022-23 school year is Friday, June 16. Students will be dismissed early. Check with your child's school for its dismissal time.

The last scheduled issue of FCPS This Week will be sent Wednesday, June 21. 

The first day of the 2023-24 school year is Monday, August 21. See the complete school year calendar