Superintendent's Weekly Reflections

Hello Team FCPS,

I am looking forward to an exciting week to start this October month off... We continue to have exciting classroom projects, as well as co and extra-curricular events. I repeatedly hear from parents and community members about the amazing work going on all across FCPS. I want you to know how much each of these interactions, both large and small, are appreciated by our students and families. This positive energy and dedication is what transforms our schools and community.  “When there is teamwork and collaboration, wonderful things can be achieved.” — Mattie Stepanek. Thank you for all the wonderful moments each of you achieve every day, it matters.

Congratulations to Spring Hill Elementary School for being named a 2024 Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education! Under the leadership of Principal Amy Briggs, Spring Hill is one of eight schools in Virginia and 356 schools in the country receiving the honor this year. The Blue Ribbon Schools Program recognizes high-performing schools and schools making exemplary progress toward closing achievement gaps. Spring Hill was commended as an Exemplary High Performing School based on high achievements in reading and mathematics during the 2022-23 school year. This award shows the extraordinary impact that can be achieved when we work in community! Go Panthers!!

Congratulations are also in order for the FCPS Office of Budget Services, led by Executive Director Alice Wigington. The team was recently recognized by the Association of School Business Officials International (ASBO) for excellence in budget presentation with the Meritorious Budget Award (MBA) for fiscal year 2024-25!  ASBO International’s MBA program promotes and recognizes excellence in school budget presentations.

Program participation enhances school business officials’ skills in developing, analyzing, and presenting the budget. FCPS submitted our FY 2025 Approved Budget to a panel of school financial professionals who reviewed the materials for compliance with the MBA Criteria Checklist and other requirements. They also provided expert feedback to improve our budget document. Go Team FCPS!! This work matters!

On Monday I met with Fairfax County School Board Student School Board Representative Megan Sawant. Megan is a senior at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJHSST). She has three main focus areas as student representative: increasing student engagement with the School Board, identifying and tackling academic recovery, and addressing student alcohol and drug abuse.

As I mentioned previously, last week was Blue Star Welcome Week, a time to focus our attention on the approximately 13,500 military-connected students enrolled in FCPS. Blue Star Welcome Week was launched in 2020 by Blue Star Families, an organization founded in 2009 to help support military families through connection. On Monday, I stopped by West Springfield High School, which has one of the highest enrollments of military-connected students in our division.

The school’s Blue Star Welcome Breakfast was a great opportunity for new military families to connect, meet key staff members — including FCPS, Fort Belvoir, and community representatives — and learn about resources available to them. I was also able to share my experiences growing up as a military child and spoke with the officers of the Military Ambassador’s Club (pictured above). Go Spartans!!

On Monday, I hosted a Community Conversation at Newington Forest Elementary School. I so enjoyed engaging with our FCPS community and hearing from parents on various topics. I look forward to more of these conversations in October. By the way, my next Employee Conversation will be held Tuesday, October 1, 5:45-6:45 p.m., at Saratoga Elementary School. You can register, but it’s not required. Hope to see you there!  

Tuesday was the Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council (SAC) kickoff at Woodson High School. The SAC delegates were brimming with great ideas! We discussed their recommendations from last school year including ideas on improving student attendance, workload, grading standards, inclusion, and college and career readiness for all FCPS students.

I am eager to highlight the efforts of a SAC delegate named Miranda, who wanted to bring the Advancement Via Individual Determined (AVID) program to Woodson. Miranda had two goals: increase the AVID presence at Woodson and create a more welcoming environment for students that are new to the school. With AVID note taking and other strategies being incorporated into advisory lessons, Woodson is taking steps to combine initiatives and expand upon them in some very exciting ways!

Apart from AVID, Miranda and another student, Valerie, formed a group called Embajadores. The group engages the Woodson community by providing information in multiple languages from a student perspective. For example, during Back to School Night, they gave a presentation in English and Spanish about Woodson’s clubs and how to join. I’m told that the presentation was very well received. Woodson Principal Kevin Greata said he’s looking forward to expanding this multilingual model at future events! Our students will continue to lead us!!

On Tuesday, I visited Vienna Elementary School. I had the opportunity to see School-Based Technology Specialist David Reynolds Jr. engage kindergarten students in a lesson about artificial intelligence (AI) using the Book Creator app. The lesson began with a Google Draw game, where a challenge was set to draw various objects in just 20 seconds! 

The items captivated the students and sparked their interest in how AI can analyze data to generate images and ideas. The combination of hands-on learning and playful challenges grabbed students’ attention and helped them connect technology with creativity. As we prepare students for jobs that don't yet exist, we are shaping the world's next innovators! Let's continue to inspire them to explore the world of AI and develop their creative and critical thinking skills. Go Vikings!!

My next visit on Tuesday was to Colvin Run Elementary School, where I was immersed in the school's vibrant and diverse community. I had the opportunity to observe a STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) lesson where students were fascinated by the life cycle of monarch butterflies and challenged to code Lego robots.

I also spoke with Susan Blackwell, the STEAM teacher about Hour of Code. This global initiative introduces students to the exciting world of coding. It's a way to foster critical thinking and logical reasoning skills. Finally, I had the opportunity to see Physical Education Teacher Patrick Noel use basketball trick shots to teach students about resilience and creativity! It was a truly inspiring experience to see these students engaged in such a meaningful way. Go Dragons!!

Later on Tuesday I watched an exciting boys volleyball game between Justice and Hayfield at Falls Church High School. What a great evening of volleyball action! Go Hawks and Wolves!! It is so exciting to be a part of new sports with student athletes that have not previously participated.

On Wednesday I attended an event at the Student Registration Welcome Center at Dunn Loring, along with the Mahan Hope Foundation and Educate Fairfax. Together, we were able to provide 2,000 school supply kits to students in need — multilingual learners, and students facing family and housing challenges — to help them set a strong foundation for the school year. I look forward to sharing more about this philanthropic effort as well as others in the coming weeks and months. 

This partnership supports Goal 1 of FCPS’ 2023-30 Strategic Plan, Strong Start: PreK-12. The school supply kits provided students not only with necessary school supplies, but also a warm welcome and a real sense of belonging here at FCPS. This is also a perfect example of strategic plan Goal 2 in action, which focuses on students feeling Safe, Supported, included, and Empowered! Thank you to our partners; this work matters!!  

On Wednesday evening I attended the 2024 Alumni Hall of Fame ceremony hosted by Educate Fairfax. This year, our inductees included:

• Amanda Andere, Herndon High School Class of 1998
• Michael Batt, Marshall High School Class of 1982
• Callie Brownson, Mount Vernon High School Class of 2007
• General James R. Clapper, Annandale High School Class of 1959
• Gavin Myers, Madison High School Class of 1993
• Tony Perkins, Mount Vernon High School Class of 1977
• Sumeet Shrivastava, Robinson Secondary Class of 1984
• Todd Stottlemyer, West Springfield Class of 1984

Each inductee has demonstrated their deep commitment to our students, our community, or our country. Congratulations!!

At last Thursday’s School Board meeting, during the Academic Matters segment I provided an update on literacy in elementary school. My presentation included updates on Benchmark Advance Training, the Virginia Literacy Act (VLA) Implementation Playbook, topics of Benchmark units, home-school connections of the program, and supports for students (including multilingual learners, special education students, and advanced learners).  I also want to provide a heartfelt note of gratitude and thanks to all the educators working so hard to implement new curriculum materials and strategies; it matters. 

I’m thrilled about our new curriculum and how it provides a cohesive learning experience for our students by linking reading, writing, and word study lessons. As you can see below, each of the curriculum’s nine units have topics across a variety of subject matters which align through sixth grade. 

Benchmark also provides resources for our families to reinforce learning at home with home-school connection magazines and activity calendars.

During the presentation I also showed a video of the Benchmark implementation at Chesterbrook Elementary School. See how this implementation has been a big (and positive!) shift for teachers. Moving forward with Benchmark and VLA, our school division will be bolstering the implementation by:

• Providing teachers with professional development, coaching, and support.
• Deepening teacher experience through VDOE training.
• Partnering with families for students with additional needs.

Lastly in School Board meeting news, I also shared our annual Opening of Schools Report. It was a wonderful look back at our very successful first day of school and everyone who helped make it possible. We also looked ahead at what the 2024-25 school year will hold for our students, families, and staff. Go Team FCPS!!

On Friday morning I visited Crossfield Elementary School to celebrate their recent Captain Planet Foundation grant. Thank you to our partners at the Captain Planet Foundation and all of the Crossfield students, staff, families, and community members who helped volunteer and construct garden beds. Go Rockets!!

Friday evening, I attended one of our FCPS football games as Hayfield SS hosted South County HS under the Friday night lights.  The weather held and we did not get wet as we enjoyed an evening of competition.  I so appreciate all the staff who support these events. 

Saturday morning, I dropped by the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics Competition at Hayfield Secondary School. Twenty-nine teams were competing, including five from FCPS (Hayfield, Madison, Westfield, Marshall, and Oakton high schools). A big thank you to our partners and to all of the Hayfield students, parents, alumni, and dedicated volunteers from across our region who helped make this possible! Go Hawks!! I will be sharing more about this in future notes. 

Excitement — and innovation! — was in the air as the teams competed against each other using robots they had built with the guidance of mentors from engineering and other fields. This was a meaningful opportunity for our students to work alongside their mentors as colleagues, getting an early workforce experience by collaborating to solve problems quickly. I was so impressed with the caliber of ingenuity at the competition! These students were really going toe to toe — or should I say circuit to circuit? ;>) 

Later Saturday afternoon, I was thrilled to watch girls’ volleyball at Langley High School. Coach Shifflett organized the event to also be a fund raiser for the battle to cure breast cancer. I so appreciate all the student athletes, coaches, and families who support this annual event; it matters. It is important to be a part of something bigger than ourselves and model for our young people what service above self really means.

A big thank you to the Oakton, Robinson, and Langley high school teams for a great day of competitive volleyball. We all had a great time watching and enjoyed the athleticism and sportsmanship. 

Sunday afternoon, I had the chance to attend the South Lakes High School’s PTSA Food Pantry's Annual Do It Your Way 0.5k FUNdraiser at Lake Anne Plaza. There are so many in our community that are experiencing food insecurity, it has never been more important to do our part. I appreciate the school leader turnout and commitment, it matters. Go Seahawks!!

Sunday was also the Stand with Our Youth and Families Behavioral Health Assembly at Fairfax High School. It was a community-led event focused on mental health awareness, resources, and support. Thank you to all of the students, families, faith leaders, healthcare professionals, law enforcement officers, educators, and other community members who came out to support this important topic and share their perspectives! We are making progress in this area. Team FCPS!!

As we head into this fall week ahead, please enjoy the colors of the changing season and the warmth of friends and family. And so, "Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things." — Robert Brault.

Take good care,

Michelle Reid, Ed.D.

Superintendent

Fairfax County Public Schools