Superintendent's Weekly Reflections

Hello Team FCPS,

What an incredibly active October week!! There is a comfort in the rhythm of our changing seasons and the bold new colors unfolding new each day. So many opportunities await…

This week, I attended the annual FCPS Excellence Awards at Fairfax High School. The pre-ceremony reception gave recipients a chance to come together with their friends and families, colleagues, and supervisors. 

During the recognition ceremony, awards were given in four categories: growth, impact on others, innovation, and student achievement. I had the honor of congratulating each recipient as we learned about their dedication and commitment to our students and community. Their efforts help keep FCPS a great place to learn and work! During this year’s awards we had:

• 227 nominees across 25 schools and nine central office departments
• 29 individual recipients
• 12 team recipients, comprised of 70 employees

I also want to thank all those behind the scenes who made this such a special night. I know our Human Resources team worked hard to plan and prepare the content for the celebration and many staff were part of the nomination and selection process that so thoughtfully honored our exemplary staff.  I also want to thank our facility and custodial staff who work tirelessly to support event such as these in addition to their regular duties.  The Fairfax HS team below really made the evening special for all of us. Thank you.

It was an evening to remember — not just for the efforts and achievements of our recipients, but also for the spirit with which Team FCPS came together to celebrate. Part of what makes the Excellence Awards so special is that only FCPS employees can submit a nomination … recognition from our peers, who know exactly how much work and time we’ve put into our craft, is especially impactful! Go Team FCPS!

During the Academic Matters segment of Thursday’s School Board meeting, I shared SAT outcomes and opportunities for Fairfax County students. As in years past, the Fairfax County class of 2023 average score of 1181 was higher than the state average (1113) and the global average (1028).

The percentage of seniors taking the SAT has also remained consistent, despite the sharp decrease in participation statewide. Nearly 66% of Fairfax County’s class of 2023 took the SAT, compared to 50% across the state. We recognize the importance of standardized testing in the college admissions process and have continued to offer the SAT at no charge to our seniors on our annual SAT School Day. Our SAT/ACT School Day is just one of the ways in which FCPS supports the rigorous academic programming and resources that prepare students to pursue postsecondary opportunities. Among other initiatives such as Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID), International Baccalaureate (IB), and college and career specialists, we offer Advanced Placement (AP) programs at 17 secondary and high schools.

I’m thrilled to share that all 17 of these schools were recognized on the 2023 AP School Honor Roll. This recognition, new in 2023, is meant to highlight schools who have increased their college-going culture, provided opportunities for students to earn college credit, and maximized college readiness. The AP School Honor Roll offers four levels of distinction: Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. Each criteria is scored as a percentage of the school’s graduating cohort. From all FCPS schools which qualified for the AP School Honor Roll, almost 50% of them received the Gold or Platinum distinction!

Bronze Distinction Schools

• Falls Church High School
• Herndon High School

Silver Distinction Schools

• Centreville High School
• Fairfax High School
• Hayfield Secondary School
• South County High School
• West Potomac High School
• West Springfield High School
• Westfield High School

Gold Distinction Schools

• Chantilly High School
• Lake Braddock Secondary School 
• James Madison High School

Platinum Distinction Schools

• Langley High School
• McLean High School
• Oakton High School
• Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology
• Woodson High School

Congratulations to these schools! Access to postsecondary programs and resources aligns with FCPS’ division-wide goals and measures in our 2023-30 strategic plan, including Goal 3 (Academic Growth and Excellence) Goal 4 (Equitable Access and Opportunity) and Goal 5 (Leading for Tomorrow’s Innovation). This work matters!

Monday evening I hosted an Employee Conversation at Twain Middle School. Your feedback and questions — from the day to day challenges of your job to the wide-reaching mission of our division — are so important to me. And they’re critical in keeping FCPS, as one educator at the event so succinctly told us, the “absolute best school system in the world.”

Over the course of this fall’s Employee Conversations, we’ve had many educators in attendance with a wealth of knowledge and decades of experience. Your questions and comments were important and timely — and your dedication was apparent! One educator described how he’s realized after decades of teaching that “FCPS is the great love of my life.” While I know we have improvements to make, I am grateful for the strength and amazing traditions we share in this division; it matters. 

We have two more Employee Conversations scheduled for this fall (Monday, October 16, 6:30-8 p.m. at Hughes Middle School and Thursday, October 19, 4:30-6 p.m. at Langley High School) — I hope to see you there! Remember, we will gather again for conversations in the spring with four more opportunities and different locations. If you have a private question or concern, our Ombuds office works as an independent confidential resource to help get answers to questions, resolve concerns, and hear complaints regarding FCPS matters. Our Ombuds staff — Dawn Clements, Kathy Murphy, and Deanna Johnson — recently received a proclamation from the Governor of Virginia in recognition of Ombuds Day on October 12. Thank you to our Ombuds team for their work each and every day; it matters! 

Next, I have a scheduling note regarding the presidential primary in Virginia on March 5, 2024. Although our current school year calendar reflects a regular school day on that date, the Fairfax Board of Elections has requested that schools be closed to accommodate the safe and efficient administration of the 2024 presidential primary election. Therefore, Tuesday, March 5, will be a school holiday for students and a virtual School Planning Day. As outlined in Regulation 4421, School Planning Days are directed by school-based administrators in order to devote time to school improvement efforts, including collaboration around data, common assessments, responsive instruction, etc. I know many of our schools will be taking this time to assess progress and strategies for their individual School Innovation and Improvement Plan (SIIP) plans, and I trust that each of us can use this day to our best advantage! Central offices and school offices will remain open. SACC will remain open, as on other professional work days. The secondary master calendar will not change; for master schedule purposes, this will be treated like an inclement weather day. I appreciate everyone’s flexibility and our collective commitment to civic engagement. I also appreciate that we won’t be struggling to find enough parking to accommodate all our teachers, school staff, buses, voters, election officers, and poll watchers! ;>)  Thank you for your understanding. 

On Tuesday, I had the pleasure of visiting Twain Middle School, where Principal Matthew Mough graciously gave me a tour. Our first stop was Kimberly Gadson’s robotics class, where students were conducting bumper tests on their robots.

It was fascinating to chat with Christen, a student who was coding the robot to mimic the motion of his initials. Next, we dropped by Paige Ruddy’s pre-algebra class, where students were actively engaged in stations, reviewing the coordinate plane. Lastly, we visited Colin Murphy’s AP Civics class, where students were deeply engrossed in analyzing the positive and negative effects of social media in politics. It was enlightening to hear their perspectives on how social media can be harnessed to better connect with students. Our students will lead us!

On Wednesday, I reconnected with students from Twain as girls from their cross country team and stem program as well as Principal Matthew Mough joined me at the White House. This was a great opportunity for our students and an inspiring event to attend. 

The First Lady's office had invited us for the Girls Leading Change convening, in recognition of the International Day of the Girl and to honor 15 young women who are “leading change in their local communities across the country.” This includes initiatives such as food insecurity, civic engagement, period poverty, disability rights, and more. I wasn’t the only one moved by the impact of these honorees — our Twain students also shared how inspirational and significant they found the experience. Go Tigers!!

On Wednesday, I met with former and current School Board members and members of the Korean Embassy. For more than a decade, FCPS has received grants to help support our Korean language programs from the government of Korea.

This initiative enhances our rich language programming and promotes cultural understanding among our wonderful students and staff. These global partnerships continue to be an important and distinguishing characteristic of our FCPS educational experience. 

Last week, I mentioned in Weekly Reflections that I’d have more news for you about FCPS’ lunch program. Well, on Wednesday we had a special visit from USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack at Annandale Terrace Elementary School!

We spent the morning with Principal Ingrid Badia, Cafeteria Manager Rama Gundapaneni, and Nutrition Services Executive Director Shaun Sawko. They showed us some of the work underway to improve school lunch menus at the school. It was a beautiful day to spend time outside and with our students. After gathering in the school’s learning garden we enjoyed delicious locally grown apples from a Virginia farmer and said farewell to heat-and-eat corn dog nuggets — some of us were sadder than others to bid them adieu! ;>) Thank you Annandale Terrace for being a shining example of the premiere quality of our schools! Our students were so excited and open about their enthusiasm for our school nutrition initiatives, which didn’t go unnoticed by Secretary Vilsack. Go Cougars!

Thursday was a ribbon cutting ceremony for the salad bar at Annandale High School with Principal Shawn DeRose. The nutrition services staff were excited to share the salad bar menu options and shared that students and staff appreciate the salad bars. The salad bar initiative has been a priority for our school board. 

Staff and students alike were buzzing about the healthy, diverse offerings of fruits and vegetables. This continues to be a work in progress as we strive to provide the healthiest food possible.  Another body of work you will soon hear more about is our commitment to scratch cooking and providing fewer processed foods as entrees. Farm to table is so much healthier. We thank our community partners and our staff for this effective collaboration; together all things are possible. Go Atoms!

Afterwards, I visited Lake Braddock Secondary School for their 50th anniversary celebration. Spirits were high and the weather was beautiful as I joined students, staff, elected officials, and Principal Lindsey Kearns for a ribbon cutting ceremony. The students helped make for a touching celebration, from their JROTC’s Presentation of Colors to the wonderful rendition of the National Anthem sung by their high school chorus. I can’t wait to see their impact in the next forty years !!  The talented marching band and drum line performed admirably for the event. Go Bruins!

I closed out the school week with an anniversary celebration for the Davis Career Center (DCC). For 40 years, DCC has been pursuing brighter tomorrows for our exceptional learners through a deep partnership between students, staff, families, and local business and community partners. With individualized educational and vocational experiences, students are enabled to not only overcome obstacles, but to bring their indispensable talents, voices, and skills to our wider community as they pursue their hopes and dreams. 

As I shared during the anniversary celebration, I still remember the warm welcome I was given by Davis students when I first became superintendent of our wonderful school division. Just a few weeks into my very first school year at FCPS, four Davis Culinary Arts students and their teacher Lauren delivered handmade cookies to my office. (pictured above) The cookies were wonderful — and I was so touched by the obvious care with which they’d been specially decorated. That little bit of joy and magic (and sugar!) helped me feel so welcome! I was so proud of our budding bakers, and so proud to be part of Team FCPS … a team that empowers and enriches our young people. Though those cookies have long been eaten (along with another delicious batch of cookies that I received from Davis students just last Wednesday!), I still have another DCC memento from early in my time with FCPS. It’s a welcome card, still hanging on my office door. It serves as a reminder that here at FCPS, we welcome each student, we honor each story, and we walk alongside each other … This work matters!

Saturday morning brought an opportunity to attend the Herndon Homecoming Parade. There were so many community members participating in the event and enjoying a power mist (Seattle weather for sure ;>)  During the course of the parade I ran across our Herndon ES staff who were dressed as Care Bears. In a unique twist of fate, many of the children present had no idea who they were ;>) but we in the adult crowd did :>) !! 

Many thanks to all who participated and especially to the Herndon HS leadership team who supported my participation and improved candy tossing disciplined regimen — thanks Phil! ;>)

I was excited later on Saturday to attend the 25th annual Fall for the Book festival in Fairfax. Among the esteemed authors was former teacher Hanh Bui, who wrote “The Yellow Ao Dai.” Her debut picture book is “a warm story of family, identity, and remembering those who came before.” It was also a way to keep her daughter and mother connected as stories often keep our generations and traditions connected. 

This book and the event are beautiful reminders of how wonderfully diverse our experiences are and how important it is to celebrate that which makes us special! In speaking with Hanh, I am inspired by her story and look forward to sharing her story with our community. I also have a deeper appreciation for the color yellow!!

Later on Saturday, I stopped by the 2023 STEAMOLOGY STEM Fest at South County High School. From robotics demonstrations to coding experiments, it was a valuable opportunity for students in kindergarten through eighth grade to get hands-on STEM experience. By making STEM accessible to our youngest learners, we’re preparing them to lead us into futures yet to be imagined and careers that don’t yet exist. Kudos to our high schoolers who attended as volunteers! I know our younger students were inspired by how engaged and interested in STEM “the big kids” were!

As I shared with those in attendance, this is a very exciting time in STEM. From our upcoming return to the Moon to plastic-eating bacteria and bioprinting new organs … the future is here!. And it’s our young people of today, with their diverse thoughts, interests, and talents, who will be creating the new technologies of tomorrow. Once they find their dreams, they’ll use them to change the way we live, work, learn, and play. I want to especially thank TJHSST student Akul who coordinated this event; it matters. 

I capped off my weekend with the sixth annual South Lakes High School PTSA Pantry FUNdraiser earlier today. This event was a partial marathon, though I use the word “marathon” loosely — it was only half a kilometer, or 650 steps! It was thrilling to be a part of the 0.5 K Run ;>) !!  There were so many abundantly joyful moments this afternoon including but not limited to the dog Dolce winning the spirit award for her heat in her Supergirl outfit. You had to be there….

This annual event was a wonderful opportunity to come together to support local families in need. I’m told that since 2017, thanks to generous community contributions, the South Lakes’ food pantry has donated more than 1.2 million pounds of food and toiletries! More than 350 students and families are served through this important initiative each week. Team FCPS is proof of the extraordinary impact that can be achieved when we work in community! I appreciate the vision of so many in this endeavor, especially Principal Kim Retzer, as the community continues to benefit from this dedicated work. Go Seahawks!

According to Jen Glaser, our amazing Director of Counseling and College and Career Readiness, the College Fair was held this evening at George Mason University's Eagle Bank Arena. It is one of the largest College Fairs in the region and featured approximately 200 colleges and universities from around the nation as well as representatives from the U.S. Service Academies.

Thousands of students and their families visited the event, and the energy was incredible. Thank you to Pamela White, Postsecondary Special Projects Liaison, and her colleagues in the Office of Counseling and College and Career Readiness as well as the dozens of volunteers from across schools and offices who made this event a huge success! The focus on postsecondary planning will continue on Monday and Tuesday evenings with the Look to the Future Virtual Postsecondary sessions. For more information and registration, visit the following website: https://www.fcps.edu/family-resources/college-and-career-planning/college-fair-and-college-night

Finally, I know this has been a difficult week for so many in our community. I appreciate the patient grace we have held for one another as we each process tragedy and grief differently. I also want to remind us of a universal reflection that might help us as we traverse the upcoming week together -- “Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.”  --  Martin Luther King Jr. 

Take good care,

Warmest regards,

Michelle Reid, Ed.D.
Superintendent
Fairfax County Public Schools