Superintendent's Weekly Reflections

Hello Team FCPS!

What another great winter weekend!! Today has been an exhilarating day that I hope you got outside to enjoy.  We have so much to be so grateful for…

I recently joined Jeff McKay, Chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, as well as other county leaders, in the 2025 State of the County video that highlights Fairfax County’s recent accomplishments in education, safety, the environment, affordable housing, economic development, and equity, as well as our community’s goals for 2025 and beyond. I was honored to be able to share all the great things that have happened within FCPS this past year! The video is available online on the Fairfax County Government website. 

I am excited to share that Dr. Herman Mizell, principal of Hughes Middle School, has been recognized as a winner of the 2025 Northern Virginia Leadership Award, Educational category, from Leadership Fairfax, a local non-profit that works to develop, connect and inspire leaders of diverse backgrounds and experiences to engage in building a better community. These awards recognize talented and accomplished community leaders and organizations who have made a significant impact on Northern Virginia through volunteerism, service, and community engagement. According to Leadership Fairfax, “Herman Mizell is a dynamic and transformational leader who brought over 16 years of experience in school administration to Langston Hughes Middle School in 2023. Within just one year, he led a complete turnaround, revitalizing staff morale, improving student engagement, and addressing safety concerns that once plagued the school. His leadership has created a thriving, positive learning environment, easing the concerns of parents and fostering a renewed sense of pride in the school community.” Congratulations Herman! Go Team FCPS!!

All of us in Fairfax County — schools, families, our county partners, and other organizations — can make a difference when it comes to fentanyl and opioid education and prevention efforts. One way we can help is to equip our families with resources they can use to talk to their teens about, and protect them from, the dangers of substance use. This week, I want to highlight one such vital resource: our Become Unskippable video and campaign. Become Unskippable offers practical guidance for families on how to talk to their teens about difficult subjects, including the dangers of fentanyl. These conversations may not always be easy, but they’re critical when it comes to safeguarding our young people. I encourage you to view the video and share the resources at fcps.edu/becomeunskippable with your social circles. We will continue working together as a community on fentanyl and opioid education and prevention efforts so that our young people and our community can continue to thrive. This work matters!!

I started my day on Tuesday at Burke School, where I was greeted by Principal Thomas Sweet. Burke School is a non-traditional school that serves elementary and middle school students receiving special education services primarily relating to emotional and/or behavioral needs. I stopped by Essie Carter’s third grade classroom where the students were working on their Benchmark Advance literacy curriculum and studying long vowel sounds. I also stopped by Zoe Volz’ music class where fourth graders were studying music history. The students were exploring how music reflects its historical context, playing medieval songs, and analyzing melody. My last stop was the eighth grade civics class of Richard Guertin. 

While I was at Burke School, I met Angelia Peoples (pictured above), who is an instructional assistant. Angelia joined FCPS in 2001 as a school bus attendant. After six years in transportation, she worked as an instructional assistant at several FCPS elementary schools. Now at Burke School, Angelia says she has found her professional home, valuing the family-like atmosphere and the staff's dedication to students. Her own life experiences have helped her deeply connect with the student communities served at Burke School, and she says she feels particularly drawn to helping children and families facing difficult circumstances. Despite her long daily commute from Washington, D.C., Angelia remains committed to Burke School: "It's worth the drive and I relate to these kids. They need us," she says. Helping students feel safe, supported, included, and empowered is Goal 2 of the 2023-30 Strategic Plan. Thank you for all you do, Angelia! Go Team FCPS and go Bears!!

 Later Tuesday morning, I also visited Kings Park Elementary School, led by Principal Dotty Lin and Assistant Principals Maura Donahue and Anna Kaplan. Kings Park is the only school in FCPS serving students from preschool to grade 3! Students who graduate from Kings Park go on to grades 4-6 at nearby Kings Glen Elementary. My first stop was to see the second grade team participating in a planning session, where the group was discussing the next lesson for Benchmark Advance, our new K-6 Language Arts curriculum. Next, we went to the third grade classrooms of Olga Holliday, Jill Onorato, and Maricel Estrera, where all were working on mathematics lessons. My last stop was to the first grade classroom of Maureen Dougherty, who was leading a reading lesson. Go Lions!!

Wednesday afternoon, FCPS held a Job Information Fair at our Willow Oaks Administrative Center for federal workers and contractors who are interested in transitioning from government work into public education. Chief Human Resources Officer William Solomon and the Human Resources team shared information about applying for FCPS positions in teaching, finance, security, human resources, transportation, food service, and facilities. Thank you to our staff for putting together this important resource and thank you to the attendees — we hope to see you on Team FCPS! Together, all things are possible!! 

Later Wednesday evening, I also attended a meeting of the FCPS Family Vision Group for Quad 4 at Springfield Estates Elementary School. Like other recent Family Vision group meetings, 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 and strengthening literacy at the elementary school level, led by Noel Klimenko, our assistant superintendent of Instructional Services. Other topics included the effects of the federal government downsizing, recent executive orders, immigration, middle school start times, and FCPS’ instructional standards. I sincerely appreciate the parents and caregivers who participate and share valuable feedback to help us improve our schools. Learning happens best in community!

Wednesday evening, a Black History Month celebration was held at Carter G. Woodson High School. Woodson believed deeply in the power of education and is known as “the Father of Black History.” The event was a blend of history, reflection, and community storytelling. Throughout the evening, students read passages from Black Communities of Fairfax: A History, providing attendees with invaluable lessons about the often-overlooked Black history within Fairfax County. FCPS Chief Equity Officer Nardos King reflected on the significance of the event, stating, "The inaugural FCPS Black History Month Celebration was a powerful evening of reflection, recognition, and inspiration. As we honored the contributions of many in the Fairfax community, we celebrated the rich legacy of Black excellence and reaffirmed our commitment to equity and inclusion. This event was a testament to the strength of our shared history and the bright future we are building together." Read more about the celebration on our website.

I began Thursday morning at the All-County Principals Meeting at Willow Oaks. Our principals continue to work hard as we close in on the end of February and work hard to support the educational trajectory of each and every one of our students during the second half of this academic year. The major topic at the meeting was the continued work on universal design for learning and inclusive practices. I continue to be so proud of all of our efforts in this regard, it matters.  

Later Thursday, I stopped by Marshall High School to observe a student-led simulation on the international response to climate change in the World Geography class of Samantha Phelps. The students represented a case-study country that they have been studying all year and advocated for their nation's unique needs and policies as part of a real-time discussion. The goal of the discussion was to deepen their understanding of global perspectives and diplomatic negotiations in addressing environmental challenges. It was a wonderful demonstration of how we’re working towards our 2023-30 Strategic Plan’s Goal 3: Academic Growth and Excellence (more on that below), by giving students opportunities to acquire critical and creative thinking skills, meet/exceed high academic standards, and achieve their highest academic potential. Go Statesmen!!

At Thursday’s School Board meeting I provided a Strategic Plan update on Strategic Plan Goal 3: Academic Growth and Excellence. The specific measures I highlighted were having all students read on grade level by third grade; having all students complete Algebra 1 by eighth grade; and successful completion of advanced coursework in high school. FCPS is working hard to achieve these goals. Why is this important? By the end of third grade, students begin moving away from “learning to read” and towards “reading to learn,” where reading becomes a tool to gain and apply knowledge in a range of subjects. Without strong reading skills in place, it’s hard for students to absorb and apply what they’re learning in their other classes. Research has also linked reading on grade level to students moving on to advanced coursework, on-time graduation, and college enrollment. 

For Algebra 1 completion, students who take Algebra 1 by eighth grade have greater access to higher level math and science courses in high school, as well as higher test scores in both math and language arts and better attendance in middle school. And for advanced coursework, FCPS students can pursue a range of advanced courses while in high school, including college-level courses such as Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), Dual Enrollment (DE), advanced courses that carry a 1.0 weight, and Career and Technical Education (CTE) courses that lead to a completer status (more on this below). National research has also linked completion of advanced coursework to college enrollment and completion, as well as higher career earnings. And our hard work is getting results! You can see some key takeaways in the slide above, as well as the steps we are taking to continue improving. This work matters!! 

In the Academic Matters section of the School Board meeting, I discussed Career and Technical Education (CTE). Some of the CTE programs offered by FCPS include:

• Teachers for Tomorrow.
• Residential construction. 
• Student auto sales.
• Firefighting.
• Summer camps and enrichment programs. 
• Online courses.  

These programs allow our students to earn industry credentials that give them a leg up in their future careers. In the 2023-24 school year, students earned 14,323 credentials that are valued at over $740,000. Wow! During my presentation I shared this amazing video that provides more examples of our CTE classes, such as Business and Information Technology, Family and Consumer Sciences, Health and Medical Sciences, Marketing, Technology and Engineering Education, Trade and Industrial Education, and JROTC. 

Lastly, during the Superintendent Matters section of the School Board meeting, I thanked our custodians, bus drivers, bus attendants, food and nutrition services employees, and crossing guards as well as our FCPS weather team for their hard work over the past few weeks of challenging weather days. I also provided a recap of my recent school visits, meetings, and student performances as mentioned here and in previous issues of Weekly Reflections.

Friday evening, we held a meeting of the Superintendent’s Boundary Review Advisory Committee. We reviewed student membership projections and an overview of school programs, and discussed the feedback provided by the community in the recent in-person and virtual meetings. As you may recall, the Superintendent’s Boundary Review Advisory Committee includes parents, caregivers and/or community members from each of FCPS’ 24 high school pyramids, together with school-based and division administrators, teachers, operational staff, and other community representatives. This feedback is crucial as we work together to make sure this process is clear, involves the community's input, and always puts students first in every decision.

Saturday morning, I attended the Fairfax County NAACP Black History Month Celebration and Gospel Explosion Concert at the Harvest Assembly Baptist Church in Alexandria. The guest speaker was Leslie Houston, the President of the Fairfax Education Association. Ms. Houston spoke about the importance of education, advocacy, and community empowerment. I left this event hopeful for our future and inspired by the leaders present in our community; together all things are possible. 

Later Saturday afternoon I went to Falls Church High School for its Heritage Day Celebration. With delicious food and outstanding student performances, it was a vibrant celebration of the diversity of the Falls Church community. I so enjoyed having the opportunity to break bread with students, staff, and community members as well as enjoying the performances of students, staff and community members. Margaret, a student at Falls Church High School, was a great organizer and presenter. Go Jaguars!! 

Thank you to VaRonica Sloan, principal at Lees Corner Elementary School, for sharing this week’s Advancing Literacy segment about Benchmark implementation! VaRonica shared that “Lees Corner Elementary is celebrating extraordinary literacy gains this year! We are committed to ensuring all students reach reading proficiency by the end of third grade, a goal that resonates deeply with the FCPS Strategic Plan Goal 3. Our exceptional third-grade students, who have benefited from explicit, systematic phonics instruction since kindergarten, are a testament to this commitment. Our winter iReady data paints a remarkable picture: 86% of our third graders are performing on or above grade level, up from 62% in the fall! Schoolwide, we've seen a significant increase in the percentage of students who have already surpassed their annual typical growth goals compared to last winter. This impressive progress is the result of a sustained, multi-year focus on building a rock-solid foundation in literacy skills.”

“While the adoption of a new curriculum presented initial hurdles, our dedicated teams embraced the challenge with unwavering commitment. We encourage the integrity of implementation over fidelity, empowering teachers to adapt Benchmark Advance to meet the unique needs of their students while honoring the curriculum's core principles. Our staff's extensive preparation for this shift, coupled with their deep engagement with the Science of Reading, has been pivotal. We prioritized enriching professional development, providing access to invaluable sessions led by our reading specialist, a dual-trained expert in LETRS and Orton Gillingham. This year, our teachers are participating in focused planning sessions, meticulously analyzing the essential knowledge and skills students must acquire in each unit.

This is our second year incorporating a dedicated 30-minute literacy block, separate from the regular Language Arts instruction. This block provides targeted, skills-based instruction in phonics, vocabulary, and comprehension, while also offering tailored intervention and enrichment opportunities. Student groupings are strategically determined through collaborative data review sessions after each testing window, where teams analyze iReady, VALLSS, and Lexia data with our reading specialist. This data-driven approach ensures that every student receives precisely what they need to thrive. Witnessing such exceptional growth after just one semester is truly inspiring, and we eagerly anticipate the remarkable achievements our students will achieve by June!

This work is spearheaded and supported by our Reading Specialist, Ms. Brittany Poole. It is also supported by our Instructional Team, General and Special Education Teachers.” Go Team FCPS!!

As I close my remarks this evening, I remain grateful for the many opportunities we each have to make a difference. This is hard work we are engaged in, during a time of great challenge in our community and country. I want to thank each of you for all the passion, dedication and love you bring to this work; it matters. Here in Our House, We understand the importance of community and the strength we draw from one another; together all things are possible. 

As we approach this winter week ahead, I am both thoughtful and reflective as I re-read this passage from Amanda Gorman's poem, The Miracle of Morning, -- 

“While we might feel small, separate, and all alone,  
Our people have never been more closely tethered. 
The question isn’t if we will weather this unknown, 
But how we will weather this unknown together.” 

All the best and take good care as we weather these times together, 

Michelle Reid, Ed.D.
Superintendent