Superintendent's Weekly Reflections
Hello Team FCPS!
Well, what another incredible week here in FCPS. I must say that the weather in 2025 has certainly been on the cold side ;>)!!
I trust that each of you have been staying warm and safe as we navigate this beautiful, albeit cold winter season. As we grapple with the challenges ahead of us, I remain inspired by the words of Coretta Scott King; “The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.” I trust that our collective compassion will lift up all those in our care, and one another, as we resolutely stay in the light – together, all things are possible,
Congratulations to South Lakes High School Math Teacher Emily Burrell, who is one of only six teachers in Virginia (and 336 around the nation) recently awarded the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST) and the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring (PAESMEM)!
The PAEMST is the highest award K-12 math and science teachers can receive from the U.S. government. PAESMEM honors mentors' hard work and dedication in broadening participation in STEM pathways. These awards acknowledge the essential role that our teachers and mentors play in shaping the next generation of technical leaders — including scientists, engineers, explorers, and innovators. You can learn more about Emily and the award on our website. Helping every student graduate ready to thrive in life after high school and with the skills to navigate, adapt, and innovate for a sustainable future is Goal 5 of FCPS’ 2023-30 Strategic Plan. Go Team FCPS!!
Monday morning, I worked with our partners in the Fairfax County Government to film FCPS’ portion of the 2025 State of the County video. I am always happy for the opportunity to share our successes and the ways in which we continue to be a premier school division that prepares all students for success in an ever-changing world. I look forward to sharing the video with you, stay tuned!
On Monday evening I attended the Hispanic Educators Association Annual Meeting and Mixer at our Willow Oaks Administrative Office. We have so many great affinity and advocacy groups active and thoughtfully informing our mission driven work. Such a great reminder that together, all things are possible.
On Monday night I attended a girls basketball game at Westfield High School, where the Bulldogs were playing the Centreville Wildcats. I caught the Wildcats again for a boys basketball game on Thursday night, when they played against the South Lakes Seahawks. It is great to see our FCPS student athletes competing!!
Last Tuesday, the School Board held a work session and a public hearing for the proposed FY 2026-30 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) at Luther Jackson Middle School. The CIP is updated annually to reflect changes in infrastructure needs and construction costs. Projects include construction of two new elementary schools; renovations at 18 elementary schools, two middle schools and two high schools; and relocation of modular buildings. As the ninth largest school district in the nation, FCPS maintains the square footage of about four Pentagons worth of infrastructure to support more than 180,000 students!
FCPS’ buildings and grounds are also open for community use. Did you know that each year approximately 500,000 non-FCPS-affiliated events take place within FCPS facilities? They include:
- 91 local nonprofit religious and cultural organization events per week.
- Fairfax County Park Authority camps, classes, and Rec-Pac at approximately 80 schools.
- Childcare facilities at 142 schools which serve as sites for Fairfax County’s School Age Child Care (SACC) program.
- Polling stations at 169 schools and centers each election.
The School Board will take action on the proposed CIP at its Thursday, February 6 meeting.
Wednesday afternoon, I had the honor of speaking at the annual Youth Leadership Graduation ceremony at the Fairfax County Government Center. The Fairfax County Youth Leadership Program (FCYLP) was created through a partnership between FCPS and the Fairfax County Government. Designed to educate and motivate high school students to become engaged leaders in their community, the graduates have participated in monthly learning sessions and completed a three-week paid internship in a Fairfax County department. These student leaders have learned about local government’s role in their everyday lives and were also given an opportunity to interact with County leaders and policymakers. As I told these young leaders, Fairfax County is considered by many measures to be a model community and a great place in which to live, learn, and work. I can’t wait to see how our students will innovate to help make our community even stronger! Learn more about the FCYLP.
Later Wednesday evening, we had a meeting of the Family Vision Group for Quad 2 at Shrevewood Elementary School. We had a great discussion about the comprehensive school boundary review, which was led by Janice Syzmanksi, our Chief of Facilities and Capital Programs, and reading intervention, led by Ellen Mukai from ISD. I greatly appreciate the parents and caregivers who attend and provide feedback on ways we can improve our schools. Thank you also to Dr. Ponce, our Chief of Schools, for attending and helping to lead this work. Learning happens best in community.
This past week, I also attended the Fairfax County NAACP 2025 Advocacy Agenda Rollout meeting at Gum Springs Community Center in Alexandria, along with all of our regional assistant superintendents. We were there to hear about the group’s legislative agenda for the year and to work as partners on ways to improve access to educational opportunities for all students in FCPS. I’m looking forward to our continued community-centered collaboration.
On Thursday I visited Poe Middle School. I was welcomed to Poe by cheerful student ambassadors, who greeted me in English and Spanish. Teacher Rene Ruggle’s students offered me coffee or tea from the school’s new coffee cart — what a lovely surprise on such a cold day! Thank you to Rafael and Salma for the warm (and delicious!) welcome!
Energized by my delicious tea, Principal Jason Pannutti and I flew to several math classrooms, where sixth grade Ravens were participating in math “around the room” — tackling problems with their peers that were posted on the walls around the classroom. In one room, the problems were even color coded so that students could simultaneously work at different levels. As we walked from class to class, Jason explained how his math teachers work together as a team. They have been analyzing student data to see how they can provide additional help to students during “Raven Time” (their advisory period). Jason said the math team is working to “drill down” to identify the gaps in student learning and be very intentional with their support.
In every sixth grade math classroom I visited at Poe, it was clearly evident that the team of teachers are taking Goal 3 of our 2023-30 Strategic Plan to heart as they work to make sure their students are prepared for successful completion of Algebra 1 by eighth grade. My heart beats strongest in our schools. Math classrooms, though, hold an even more special place in my heart! What I love about math is that there’s always an answer. Working directly with students and being able to emphasize the importance of math — this work matters. Keep up the great work, Ravens!
I appreciate everyone who’s been engaging with our Boundary Review process, and I’m looking forward to continuing with our virtual Community Boundary Review meetings. We held the second of these meetings last Thursday and have several more coming up in the next few weeks:
- Saturday, January 25, 9:30-11 a.m.
- Monday, January 27, 6:30-8 p.m.
- Tuesday, January 28, 6:30-8 p.m.
- Monday, February 10, 6:30-8 p.m.
I encourage you to register and receive your unique Zoom link by clicking one of the dates above. All virtual meetings will follow the same format as the recent in-person meetings, and the same information will be shared. 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. You can also sign up for the School Boundary Review newsletter for updates.
On Friday morning, we were treated to a performance of the West Potomac High School Symphonic Orchestra in the cafe at Gatehouse Administration Center. Alicia Day Javkhlan, Orchestra Director, shared the following about the group, “The West Potomac Symphonic Orchestra is a vibrant ensemble of talented and dedicated musicians who excel in music, academics, and a wide range of extracurricular activities, including sports. Our members demonstrate a remarkable commitment to both artistic and personal growth, striving for excellence in all their endeavors.” Thank you for the amazing performance! Participation in ensembles like this plays a crucial role in the growth and development of our students. Go Wolverines!!
For this week’s Advancing Literacy segment, I’d like to look at the impact of explicit phonics instruction. Starting this school year, the Virginia Literacy Act required all Virginia school districts to provide evidence-based literacy instruction (which includes explicit phonics instruction) to improve the reading and writing skills of young learners. We introduced this type of literacy instruction at FCPS in 2021 with our Equitable Access to Literacy plan, and we are now implementing it throughout our division with Benchmark Advance, our new K-6 Language Arts curriculum.
Through our Equitable Access to Literacy plan, over the past three years we committed to teaching phonics skills explicitly with 15-minute daily lessons in K-2 and in intervention groups in grades 3-6. It has made a big difference in phonics performance, based on our iReady scores! When comparing the percentage of students on or above grade level on the phonics domain of iReady, below are the results for fall 2024 as compared to fall 2021:
- Grade 3: 18 percentage point increase
- Grade 4: 21 percentage point increase
- Grade 5: 18 percentage point increase
- Grade 6: 12 percentage point increase
As you can see, explicit phonics instruction has made a huge impact! Results are even more impressive when we look at how cohorts of students have responded to this instruction over time. I’ll cover this in next week’s Advancing Literacy segment — stay tuned! Thank you one and all for your hard work and dedication; it matters.
I also have an update to share on the new Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) 2024 Accountability System. This coming week marks the start of a nearly two-month window of annual English language proficiency WIDA testing for our multilingual learners in kindergarten through twelfth grade. In addition to the important information annual WIDA tests give teachers about students’ English language development and instructional readiness, WIDA scores will also play an elevated role in the VDOE’s new School Performance and Support Framework (SPSF) beginning this year.
The first big change relates to the scope of students evaluated for multilingual progress. The former standards of accreditation system incorporated a measure of multilingual learner progress only for students who failed their SOL English: Reading test. Under the new SPSF system, every multilingual learner with two consecutive years of WIDA test results is evaluated to determine whether they met their individual targets for English language development. These individual targets are based on the multilingual learner’s current grade level and the English language proficiency level from their previous year’s WIDA test.
The second big change relates to the scope of the potential impact on school accountability reporting. Under the former standards of accreditation system, WIDA scores only impacted a school’s English indicator calculations. Within the new SPSF system, the multilingual progress measure will account for 10% of a school’s total SPSF points (out of 100), so long as there are at least 15 multilingual learners with two consecutive years of WIDA scores. This new approach means that a school’s outcomes for its multilingual learners has the potential for significant impact on the school’s final SPSF performance category. For example, the 10 points available for multilingual progress could make the difference between Distinguished (90-100) and On Track (80-89) or between On Track and Off Track (65-79).
In FCPS, we have always recognized the importance of ongoing English language development progress for every multilingual learner. Our 2023-30 Strategic Plan’s Goal 1 -- Strong Start: PreK-12, places an emphasis on every multilingual learner meeting their annual progress targets and advancing toward English proficiency. As our division continues to prioritize resources and instructional practices toward this strategic goal, we can expect to see added benefits within our schools’ state accountability reporting in the coming years. I am proud of the work our students and staff are making in this area; it matters.
Friday evening, I attended a couple of basketball games at Justice High School. First, the girls game between Justice High School and Falls Church High School was a great game that came down to the wire. The boys game was also a great game with the game coming down to a last minute shot from half court, how exciting. I so appreciate all the staff, including our principals and school based administrative staff, who support each of these events; it matters.
The Justice High School Winter Cheer Team ("The Winter Wolves") is proud to celebrate its second season after bringing winter cheerleading back last year for the first time in many years. According to Principal, Sean Rolon, “This team has grown to over 40 members, a testament to the program’s emphasis on building community, fun, and inclusivity. With a team this large, coaches (Coach Phillips, Coach Weston, and Coach Sanchez) have worked hard to ensure every member has the opportunity to contribute.
The team rotates multiple groups from the stands to the baseline, creating a dynamic and engaging presence. Whether on the sidelines or in the stands, every cheerleader stays engaged and enthusiastic throughout the entire game, even during doubleheaders! Justice is so proud to have a program that brings our school together and creates a supportive, welcoming environment where everyone feels like they belong and can succeed now and in the future.” Go Wolves!
Saturday morning found me at McLean High School for a busy day to be sure. Due to the weather challenges from the prior weekend, there were a number of activities and events simultaneously taking place. I so enjoyed watching the wrestlers compete in the dual meet options ongoing throughout the morning. Director of Student Athletics, Greg Miller, and his team, made sure this event was both well attended and well organized. So many student athletes benefit from the work of our staff. Well done!!
Among all the action packed activities at McLean High School on Saturday morning, McLean High School also hosted the auditions of the VBODA District 12 Honor Bands, which includes 31 schools from half of FCPS and all of Arlington County. District 12 will have two High School bands and one Middle school band, which will be 263 students. This means that just over 20% of students auditioning will be placed in an ensemble. This weekend, Robinson Secondary School also hosted auditions for the VBODA District 11 Honor Bands.
According to Scott Weinhold, the Associate Director of Bands at McLean High School, “Auditions for the All-District bands all take place on the same day for all instruments. Organizing these auditions takes months of planning and coordination in order to facilitate the approximately 1200 students who audition. Audition preparation begins on Friday and takes 24 separate rooms and over 14 hours on Saturday to complete. The audition event uses a lot of resources including 150 student volunteers, 75 parent volunteers, 54 hired judges, and band directors from most of the 31 schools in the district.”
McLean High School Band Director Chris Weise shared the excitement of this qualifying event and how it supports the world class education experience our student musicians have here in FCPS. Wow, this is a heavy lift and matters to so many of our student musicians. Well done!
As I was leaving Saturday morning, McLean Principal Ellen Reilly, walked me through the area where students and staff had been working on a food insecurity humanitarian project. The project, “Food For Neighbors (FFN) is dedicated to combating childhood hunger in our communities. They work closely with schools to ensure that students have access to nutritious food, helping them thrive academically and personally.
Specifically, Principal Reilly shared; “the Red Bag Program: FFN organizes community food collections through their signature Red Bag Program. Volunteers fill Red Bags with non-perishable food items, which are then collected, sorted, and delivered to schools. The Sorted Food Bins project takes place after each collection event, and FFN provides sorted bins of food, which schools can distribute to students via an in-school pantry or packed bags to be sent home prior to weekends.” Well done!!
As the coming week unfolds, I am honored to be invited to the MLK Day Community Worship and Conversation event at First Baptist Church of Vienna in celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday and I look forward to attending in the morning, weather permitting. So many reasons to be reflective at this time in our history…
A reminder that tomorrow is the observance and celebration of the birth, the life, and the dream of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Many in our FCPS staff and community are planning to observe the day as “A day on NOT a day off.” Dr. King once said, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: ‘What are you doing for others?’” No doubt we continue to be inspired by the epic I Have a Dream speech delivered over fifty years ago. I so appreciate that each of you continue to work tirelessly to support the tenets of this cherished dream. It matters to so many. Thank you.
Take good care,
Michelle Reid, Ed.D.
Superintendent
