Superintendent's Weekly Reflections

Hello Team FCPS,

What an incredible holiday weekend!!  I trust that each of you had an opportunity to connect with loved ones and that you were able to find time to take a moment and pause to remember all those who Memorial Day commemorates and all that it means to so many families in this great country. As we traverse these last weeks of the school year, we cherish our many blessings and regardless of our challenges, we know that – together, anything is possible....

Last Monday morning, I stopped by the Special Olympics Unified Feet Meet at Madison High School. It was the first of its kind event hosted at Madison, with more than 125 students from Madison, Marshall Road and Forest Edge elementary schools, and Thoreau Middle School. My heart beats strongest in schools and I was heartened to see such a great turnout in support of these hardworking and spirited athletes; I do wish I had brought my running shoes! ;>)

The Special Olympics Unified Feet Meet builds school communities of acceptance and inclusion through the engagement of young people both with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities. Noah, a Madison student-athlete, joined Fairfax County Police officers to light the Olympic torch, which symbolizes the spirit of competition and fair play that burns in the heart of all who participate in the Special Olympics. It was a treat to hear our visiting athletes recite their Athlete Oath, and I hope you’ll find it as poignant as I do: “Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.”

I’m grateful that the beautiful weather held out this past week as we hosted six ribbon cutting ceremonies! Ribbon cutting ceremonies are always joyful occasions to mark the success of another project completed through our Capital Improvement Plan (CIP).  This week’s ceremonies included:

Madison High School, where improvements were made to accommodate increasing enrollment. The completed project adds approximately 64,000 square feet to the building, including science classrooms and a library. 

Oakton High School, where improvements were made to provide modern amenities, remove temporary classrooms, and add approximately 109,000 square feet to the building. 

Braddock Elementary School, where improvements were made to provide modern amenities, remove a modular, and add approximately 108,000 square footage to the building. 

West Potomac High School, where improvements were made to accommodate a substantial capacity deficit. The completed project added approximately 71,000 square feet to the building and includes science classrooms and a cafeteria. 

Hybla Valley Elementary School, where improvements were made to provide modern amenities and add approximately 31,000 square feet to the building. 

Washington Mill Elementary School, where improvements were made to provide modern amenities, remove a modular, and add approximately 35,000 square feet to the building.

On Tuesday (tomorrow) we will be at Fox Mill Elementary School, where improvements were made to provide modern amenities, including classrooms, administrative offices, a library, and site improvements. The project added approximately 91,000 SF to the building.

Through 2028, the CIP has plans for more than 30 projects, including breaking ground on three new schools and renovating 25 others. Through funding provided by taxpayer-approved bond referendums, the CIP enables FCPS to build, repurpose, and renovate school facilities in order to meet the changing learning and infrastructure needs of our schools and communities. Proposed CIP projects scheduled to be included in future school bond referendums include:

• Centre Ridge ES
• Cub Run ES
• Franklin MS
• Poplar Tree ES
• Sangster ES
• Saratoga ES
• Union Mill ES
• Virginia Run ES
• Waples Mill ES

This collective investment is part of building our future. Safe, healthy, and up-to-date schools are critical to student success. The projects in this bond package will ensure that each and every FCPS student has an opportunity to learn and grow in world-class facilities. The next school bond will be on the ballot Tuesday, November 7.

From renovations to graduations, I had the pleasure of attending the Early Identification Program (EIP) Senior Graduation and New Student Recognition Ceremony at George Mason University on Wednesday. The EIP’s year-round approach to cultivating success in college-bound, first-generation college students goes beyond academics with support for social development, civic engagement, and leadership skills, all critical in today’s global society. The EIP’s growth to 262 students across 13 of our schools speaks not only to the program’s popularity, but also to the ongoing challenges faced by first generation college students. In providing them with the tools and skills they need for the future, EIP narrows the opportunity gap and helps our students propel themselves to success in college and beyond. Thank you to our community partners at George Mason who continue to provide opportunities for both our students and staff. Learning happens best in community!

Another program that provides opportunities for students to consider future pathways is the Public Health Youth Ambassador Program, which plays a vital role in recruiting and training FCPS high school students from communities of color for careers in health care. The program, made possible by state and federal grants, includes eight weeks of classroom, field, community, and in-home educational work. Students experience different health careers and learn what it’s like to work in public health. Students also complete a community health project by selecting a health issue that is relevant to them, and then making an actionable plan on how to address it. Ambassadors receive a certificate of completion from Morehouse School of Medicine’s High School Community Health Worker Program, a scholarship, and a laptop. Thirty-seven Ambassadors have graduated from the program since it began in 2022. The program is currently offered at Annandale, Justice, Lewis, and Mount Vernon high schools.

I am excited to share that during Thursday night’s School Board meeting, we presented the Strategic Plan as New Business. This moment was a culmination of months of hard work from hundreds of staff and the collective input received from stakeholders throughout this process, including: 

• 117,089 survey responses submitted
• 4,519 student submissions from principal-led student focus groups
• 1,372 Let’s Talk feedback forms submitted
• 575+ Planning Team members (Core, Instructional, Family, Alignment, Faith, Student)
• 396 Community Forums participants
• 9 School Board retreats/work sessions
• Over 28,000 employees engaged in the process

The School Board will vote on the strategic plan on June 15. Please continue to stay up-to-date on this work by visiting the Strategic Planning website.

During the Academic Matters segment of the meeting, I shared the new report that parents will be receiving at home to see their student’s SOL testing history and how it compares to other students in Virginia who took the same test during the same school year. The report is called Virginia’s Visualization and Analytics Solution (VVAS).

The images above show a sample of what a parent/guardian will receive. This report will be provided to any student who has an SOL testing history in Virginia as of the Spring of 2022 and will date back to 2015. Reports will be provided (through SIS ParentVue or by mail). This report—along with a companion letter—will be available mid-June. FCPS will provide the 2023 SOL results separately. Learn more about what to expect regarding assessment reporting practices and timelines. 

And so, we close out May and saunter into a joy filled June, replete with warmth, new growth with all its fresh new colors, and celebrations.  I trust that each of you will find joyful moments this week, and return refreshed for our first full week of June fast approaching.  “I found I could say things with colors that I couldn’t say in any other way --- things that I had no words for.”  -- Georgia O’Keefe.

Warmest Regards,

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