Superintendent's Weekly Reflections
Hello Team FCPS!
What a great time of the year!! Welcome back to this amazing New Year!! As we think about all of the possibilities ahead of us, I thought it timely to remember thoughts shared by one of our most respected and accomplished national leaders; “We must adjust to changing times and still hold to unchanging principles.” – President Jimmy Carter.
This reminds me of our bold strategic plan and our mission driven work to accomplish so much for so many. While we work to address the challenges ahead of us, we will stay resolutely student centered and continue focusing our work plans on excellence, equity, and opportunity; together all things are possible.
Tomorrow will be our first official snow day this school year. As a reminder, we plan traditional snow day excitement and do not plan virtual instruction. We do have a page on our website with activities that you can share with some ideas for ways to stay busy while we stay safe! It sounds like a great day to think about reading a good book!!
As we look towards a wonderful new year, I’d like to reflect on the incredible work we’ve highlighted in Advancing Literacy over the past several months. I’ve been so impressed by all of the creative ways I’ve seen our staff help make Benchmark Advance fun and engaging for young learners. From themed celebrations to fashion shows to tutoring with older students, our dedicated educators are working hard to help our learners stay on the write ;>) path toward strong literacy skills! And thank you to our families! From Literacy Nights to virtual bedtime stories (and as we saw last week with our Readers Theatre), strong family engagement is critical to cultivating a love for reading that extends beyond the classroom. I’m looking forward to continuing these important Advancing Literacy highlights in the coming months! Go Team FCPS!!
For this week, related to the new Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) 2024 Accountability System, I’d like to highlight an upcoming student assessment summary report for families and how it connects to the state’s work on revising the school accountability system.
In each presentation on accountability revisions to the state Board of Education, VDOE staff has included the following language: “The purpose of accountability is to build trust between schools, parents, and students through transparent, concrete, and easy to understand reporting.” In keeping with this stated purpose, the state superintendent of public instruction has requested all Virginia divisions to share a student assessment summary report with families by the end of January.
Families whose students took one or more SOL tests between school years 2015-16 and 2023-24 will receive a copy of this report. The report shows a student’s state percentile ranking for each test. This allows families to see how their student’s ranking compares to all other Virginia students who took the same test that same year. Families with a SIS ParentVUE account can access this report in the ParentVUE Documents section. For families without ParentVUE access, the report will be distributed from the student’s current school. The report is intended to help families reflect on how their student has performed across all their tested subjects over the years. At FCPS, our schools and staff remain committed to working with families to support each and every student to succeed at their highest potential.
Thank you to Lisa Barrow, principal at Cooper Middle School, for sharing wonderful news about one of her former students. Brendan, who started playing the trumpet at Cooper and is currently in Langley High School’s marching band, was recently featured in the Washington Post for his Eagle Scout service project. With the help of volunteers, Brendan collected and repaired more than 100 musical instruments for Hungry for Music, an organization which provides instruments to low-income students around the globe.
Brendan says the project enabled him to “bring the love of music that I have to kids’ lives who might need something like this, who don’t have the opportunities I have to have the nice instruments.” Incredible work, Brendan! Go Saxons!! And thank you to everyone on Team FCPS who helps nurture the passions of our students — Brendan’s story is a great reminder that this work has the power to impact the lives of many; together all things are possible.
If you weren’t able to attend one of our recent in-person Community Boundary Review meetings, registration remains open for the following virtual meetings:
- Friday, January 10, 2025, 6-7:30 p.m.
- Thursday, January 16, 2025, 1-2:30 p.m.
- Saturday, January 25, 2025, 9:30-11 a.m.
- Monday, January 27, 2025, 6:30-8 p.m.
- Tuesday, January 28, 2025, 6:30-8 p.m.
- Monday, February 10, 2025, 6:30-8 p.m.
Click one of the dates above to register and receive your unique Zoom link. Please note that each virtual meeting will be capped at 400 participants to help provide a meaningful experience for all. Language interpretation will be available.
The Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA) recently announced finalists for the 2025 Crown Awards. The Crown Awards are the highest recognition given by the CSPA to a student print or digital medium for overall excellence, and we have two of our schools included as finalists in the Yearbook category!
Congratulations to Cooper Middle School for their Pathfinder yearbook and to Marshall High School for their Columbian yearbook! This is Cooper’s first time as a finalist. Silver and Gold Crown winners will be awarded at the CSPA’s 101st Annual Spring Convention this March in New York City.
What a wonderful recognition of our talented students, and the staff and yearbook sponsors that help support them. Go Cougars and go Statesmen!!
Well, it is 2025 and I wish each of you a Happy and Joyful New Year!! We have bid 2024 adieu and are welcoming 2025 with all of its promise and opportunities. “For last year's words belong to last year's language. And next year's words await another voice. And to make an end is to make a beginning.” — T.S. Eliot.
There is so much that awaits us in the coming year; much of which we will have prepared for -- and much of which we cannot have prepared for. I continue to be thrilled to be on the journey with you ... this work matters, now more than ever. Here’s to new beginnings …
Take good care,
Michelle Reid, Ed.D.
Superintendent
