Partnership Update - August 2022

NWFCU Foundation’s New Focus is College and Career Awareness

Longtime partner Northwest Federal Credit Union Foundation (NWFCU Foundation) will soon be focusing their volunteer efforts at Herndon Middle School. They will be supporting students involved in the school’s Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) and Young Scholars program.  

NWFCU Foundation will focus on developing relationships between students and mentors to promote students’ long-term academic, professional, and personal success. 

They intend to engage three ways:

• Assisting AVID teachers in weekly 90 minutes classroom mentoring sessions.
• Supporting four enrichment field trips including at least one visit to a Virginia college or university.
• Championing an end-of-year celebration with families that may include a “paying for college” workshop.  

As capacity allows, the NWFCU Foundation hopes to expand the partnership by forming similar ones with Dranesville Elementary School and Herndon High, who support the Young Scholars and AVID program respectively. Because Dranesville Elementary feeds Herndon Middle, which feeds Herndon High, they hope to create purposeful alignments on which the NWFCU Foundation can anchor their scholarship program.

Northwest Federal Credit Union supports the Northwest Federal Credit Union Foundation with volunteers and through financial support. Fairfax County Public Schools is appreciative of the thoughtfulness that has gone into developing this partnership with our school-based and central office AVID leaders.

STEAMOLOGY Is Our Newest Ignite Partner

Students at Weyanoke Elementary School, Whitman and South County middle schools, and Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology will soon have access to offerings from STEAMOLOGY (formerly Magic of Mothers), a local 501c3 not-for-profit organization whose mission is to promote Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts Integration, and Math (STEAM) education. 

The partnership will involve student support for the Science Olympiad and Math Counts programs, after-school STEAM workshops, volunteer support in school STEAM labs, and STEM FEST which is an annual hands-on learning festival.

In addition to STEAMOLOGY’s trained adult volunteers, the organization deploys student leaders participating in FCPS’ Service Learning program to support younger students in STEAM labs. Congratulations STEAMOLOGY on becoming an FCPS Ignite Partner.

FCPS Welcomes EduTutorVA’s 2022-23 Expansion

EduTutorVA is expanding. The homegrown, not-for-profit provides tutoring for FCPS students while helping prepare a new generation of teachers. Now, as EduTutorVA begins their third year of partnering with FCPS, they will expand to Hutchison Elementary School and Poe Middle School, while continuing to serve students at Westlawn and Mount Vernon Woods elementary schools and Whitman Middle School.

One of EduTutorVA’s original tutors who is now a second-year teacher at FCPS! She was recently featured in a news story regarding the national teacher shortage. 

Thanks to EduTutorVA, and their trained tutors from George Mason University and Northern Virginia Community College, for supporting students and considering the teaching profession.

Western Fairfax Christian Ministries Expands to Five Additional Schools

Our friends at Western Fairfax Christian Ministries (WFCM) are expanding their industrial refrigerator program for perishable foods to Brookfield, Bull Run, Deer Park, and Providence Elementary Schools, and Liberty Middle School.

In this partnership, WFCM loans schools industrial size refrigerators so fresh foods can be delivered by van and stored for distribution to students.

Thank you Western Fairfax Christian Ministries.

Event News From Our Foundation, Educate Fairfax

Educate Fairfax is announcing the return of their community event, Leaders & Learners: Education is Everybody's Business. The event will be held on Wednesday, November 9, from 8-10 a.m. 

At the morning event, you will hear from FCPS’ new superintendent, Dr. Michelle Reid, celebrate key business and community partners, and learn about Educate Fairfax's work to connect donors with vital educational opportunities for students.

Early bird tickets are available for a discounted price of $65 through this link. 

Table sponsorships are available as well!  Find out more about the event on the Educate Fairfax website. 

We hope to see you there!

Collection and Fundraising Continues for Collect for Kids

Apple Federal Credit Union and NBC4 Washington generously hosted and promoted a school supply and backpack collection drive recently to support our Collect for Kids program with Educate Fairfax. The event’s donations will be distributed to the students of Rose Hill Elementary in the Alexandria section of Fairfax County. 

Continued community support is welcome and encouraged!

With supply chain issues and rising prices continuing to impact many families, we are asking our community to consider supporting our students by donating money. Educate Fairfax is able to buy supplies in bulk and quickly distribute them. Donations are accepted through the month of September, and a $10 donation supports the purchase and distribution of one student’s school supplies.

Donating toward the purchase of school supplies may seem like a small gesture, but for a student and their teacher, they are essential. Being prepared for school is a necessary part of being successful in school. 

Make your donation today and help students start the new school year with necessary tools and a smile. Donate now!

Thank you for your support.

Volunteers Interested in Supporting Financial Literacy Needed

Junior Achievement of Greater Washington (JA) is excited to welcome students back to their JA Finance Park Fairfax County this fall

JA Finance Park is a public/private nonprofit collaboration between FCPS, educators, businesses, and volunteer mentors who come together to inspire, guide, and teach students how to be financially capable and ready to take on their futures.

From goal-setting to saving, budgeting, shopping, and bill paying, students experience what it takes to navigate today’s complex economy, coming face-to-face with how their decisions impact their future.

If you or your Corporate Social Responsibility team are interested in volunteering at our JA Finance Park location near Woodson High School, please contact Caitlin Hennessy, senior director of volunteer engagement at [email protected].

FCPS Trust Policy and Our Partners

In alignment with Fairfax County’s Trust and Confidentiality Policy, Fairfax County Public Schools’ new Trust Policy confirms the School Board’s commitment to providing a safe and welcoming space for all students and their families. The policy affirms that students and families can access FCPS benefits and services without fear that information will be disclosed, directly or indirectly, to federal immigration officials.

As our valued partners, we hope that you will understand and support the tenets of the Trust Policy, which is being added to all Ignite Partnership agreements. You may learn more about FCPS’ Trust Policy on our website.

We’re Open for Business and Community Partners

Contact us if you need partnering information or information about what FCPS Business and Community Partnerships is about beyond Ignite Partnerships. For instance, FCPS has an easy-to-use donations portal where you can donate durable goods like laptops, musical instruments, furniture, vehicles, and other items!