Superintendent's Weekly Reflections
Hello Team FCPS!
Wow, what another amazing summer week here in this great school division. I enjoyed spending time at the kick off meetings for several different staff groups this week. We have so many hard working professionals in FCPS who form the pillars of support that enable success in the classroom for our students. Such great energy and excitement!
As we think about going back to school, I want to take a moment and recognize that it is a transition we need to thoughtfully support. "Going back to school is a transition for everyone," says Lynn Bufka, a practicing psychologist who also works at the American Psychological Association. "No matter the age of the child, or if they've been to school before." In thinking about how to have the best start of school ever, I want to share some tips for back to school topics for students and families compiled by pediatricians from around the country.
On Monday, I met with the Fairfax Association of Elementary School Principals (FAESP). We discussed a number of different topics and celebrated leaders in new positions for the coming school year. Meeting with them helps me understand their concerns and unique challenges, while building a stronger sense of community and supporting student achievement.
Tuesday afternoon, I stopped by Robinson Secondary School to film my Back to School video (look for it later this week ;>) with the Office of Communications. While I was there, I had a chance to check out a tryout for the school’s new boys volleyball team.
As you may have heard, boys volleyball is now a varsity sport in FCPS, in addition to girls wrestling, which will debut in the winter. Adding these high school sports to our roster is a great example of our 2023-30 Strategic Plan, Goal 2: Safe, Supported, Included, and Empowered in action. Participating in sports supports students’ health and well-being and can build self-confidence. I am so happy we’re able to offer these athletic opportunities for our students! Read more about these new teams.
Wednesday morning, I had the pleasure of attending the Great Beginnings Summer Institute (GBSI) at Hayfield Secondary School. Wow – what an audience! GBSI is a four-day professional development, orientation-style opportunity that includes two days in a grade-level specific cohort, a division kickoff event, and school-based orientation.
On its 30th anniversary, GBSI has grown from 50 participants in its first year to more than 1,500 new, returning, and transferring teachers. The 40 cohorts led by 78 coaches had a week filled with professional development, resource sharing, networking, and so much more. Thank you to all the new teachers who attended last week – we are so happy to welcome you to FCPS. Thank you as well to all the offices, departments, and employees that helped make GBSI possible. We are the leaders that other divisions across the nation look to for inspiration. Keep up the great work!
Afterwards, I participated in the in-service for secondary school counseling professionals, including middle and high school counselors, directors of student services, and college and career specialists, at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology. This is an annual tradition for school counseling professionals to connect with colleagues and participate in timely professional development while also ensuring they are available at their schools for students and families during the last week of summer before school begins. It was a pleasure to engage with the school counseling professionals as they took a deep dive on graduation requirements and multi-tiered systems of support. I enjoyed the chance to connect with the Langley school counseling team that is ready to go for this school year. Thank you to all our school counseling professionals who are working diligently and with care to welcome our students to this new school year!
Wednesday afternoon I visited Poe Middle School to check out their annual Get to Know Poe Jump Start Program. Over two days, rising sixth grade students had the opportunity to meet the administrative staff, participate in information sessions with the counseling and technology staff, and attend a Q & A session with Poe staff and several rising seventh and eighth grade students, who also served as volunteer student ambassadors.
Students engaged in activities that emphasized team building, critical and creative thinking skills, and opportunities to “get to know Poe” through an International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program Learner Profile Exploration Quest and a building scavenger hunt. All students went home with book bags, two new books, a goody bag, and a newfound confidence as they begin their middle school journey. Go Ravens!! This work matters!!
Thursday marked the end of the tenure of Fort Belvoir’s Garrison Commander Colonel Joseph Messina, who will be moving on to an assignment at the Pentagon. I attended his farewell luncheon and change of command ceremony to show my appreciation for all he’s done for FCPS, including our two elementary schools on the base. The new garrison commander is Colonel David Stewart. Thank you, Colonel Messina, and I look forward to working with Colonel Stewart! Together all things are possible!
Thursday afternoon, I attended the Comprehensive Services Sites (CSS) Institute. CSS programs are designed to help students in grades K-12 who have various disabilities and may face social, emotional, and behavioral challenges that affect their progress in regular classes. These programs use specific teaching methods and proven practices to help students control their emotions and behaviors, so they can succeed in a general education setting. CSS programs are available at seven elementary schools, four middle schools, and five high schools in FCPS.
At the institute, I spoke about meeting the needs of our twice-exceptional (2e) learners, who are students that are working above their grade level, but who have a learning challenge or disability. These students can access advanced classes, which helps them develop their unique talents and skills by focusing on their strengths. More challenging coursework keeps 2e learners more engaged and motivated, allowing them to dive deeper into subjects, explore their passions, and learn at their pace. This is important work and a continuing focus for us as we work to meet the unique needs of each and every one of our students.
Thursday evening, I attended the Our Voices, Our Future Multilingual Learners Summit at Annandale High School. The summit was developed to foster an environment of empowerment where multilingual students and their families can establish meaningful connections, engage in active listening, and openly share their experiences, cultivating mutual support and a deeper understanding of educational pathways within FCPS. Such an informative and inspiring event.
The keynote speaker was Dr. Jose Luis Zelaya, who shared his story about growing up homeless in Honduras, his journey to the United States, and eventually earning a doctorate degree in urban education from Texas A&M University. There was also a student panel, and attendees were able to learn about the many opportunities available within FCPS and the wider community that support paths to graduation and future careers for students. Thank you to all our staff and community partners who organized the summit! Together, all things are possible.
Friday morning, I stopped by the Beginning of the Year Manager’s Kick-Off Meeting for the Office of Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) at our Willow Oaks administrative building. I learned that FNS served a total of 17,987,021 meals in the 2023-24 school year, with 5,711,567 breakfast meals (a 21 percent year over year increase) and 13,846,734 lunch meals (a four percent year over year increase). That’s a lot of food! I also learned that last school year FCPS started with 171 food service worker vacancies, and as of Friday we only have 54. Last year we had 19 food service manager vacancies, compared to 13 this year. This is good news as we are well on our way to filling all these vacancies before the first day of school! Healthy food and nutrition contribute to stronger attendance and as we have made great strides in attendance this past year, we thank Team FNS for their role in supporting healthy and engaged students across the division, it matters.
We wanted to share with you some exciting news about our FCPS Latin language students. 31 FCPS Latin language students from Hayfield Secondary School, McLean High School, Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, and Thomas A Edison High School represented Virginia at the 2024 National Junior Classical League Latin Convention at the University of Tennessee from July 22-27th, 2024. There were over 1000 participants from 44 states in attendance. The students participated in a variety of academic and creative contests and activities. They won 90 national awards. Our FCPS students love Latin! Please join us in congratulating all the students! Pictured are the FCPS Virginia delegates at the convention. Well done [bene factum]!!
Thank you to Jeremy White, the summer learning site director at Navy Elementary, who shared his gratitude to Team FCPS saying, “I just wanted to give a shout out to the Transportation Department – specifically Carolina Roca Del Valle and the rest of the Area 3 team of drivers and supervisors. For Summer Learning they are doing a lot of heavy lifting and are trying to manage challenging routes and last minute changes – all the while being short staffed. It’s literally an impossible task and they have gotten some bad criticism and negative press lately. I think they are deserving of praise. I don’t think the community and the school district realize how hard their job is. Carolina has been awesome and always has such a positive and congenial attitude.” Thanks for sharing, Jeremy, and great job Carolina and the Area 3 transportation team! Together, all things are possible.
New this year, the Department of Human Resources, in collaboration with the Department of Information Technology (DIT), has launched an InternED - DIT Internship Program. The primary objective is to inspire the younger generation to engage in public service work and foster a deep understanding and appreciation of education and IT beyond the allure of big tech companies. The program focuses on building a talent pipeline, attracting skilled individuals, and promoting diversity. The vision is to hire college graduates as interns and then transition them into junior, mid, or senior-level IT roles based on their skill set, performance, and experience. The program emphasizes a positive organizational culture for long-term employee relationships. As a pilot program, the initial focus will be on hiring interns for the fall semester, with plans to continue in the spring and summer. I can’t wait to see these talented young people working in FCPS!
During the last week of our Institute for the Arts Summer Camp (IFTA), I was invited to meet the students (pictured above) who participated in the inaugural FCPS and Nearwest Study Tour.
Dr. Yubo Zhang from the Instructional Services Department successfully led and supported the launch of this landmark initiative in which we welcomed 11 international students and their teacher to enrich the camp with their diverse stories and perspectives. Their presence fostered meaningful interactions between our local FCPS students and their global peers. This achievement was made possible through the outstanding collaboration of the Chief Academic Office, Chief of Schools Office, and the Chief of Operating Office. A special thank you to Dr. Zhang and the ISD Fine Arts Team for making this visit a success.
In last week’s issue, I mentioned my incredible visit to Braddock Elementary School’s STEAM Fair. The young students were enthusiastic and engaged, and the older student volunteers had amazing energy too! The students pictured above are with the Hispanic Youth Initiative and were among the more than 40 students from several of our high schools who took time to support their younger peers during this great event. It was a fantastic example of our students working together to foster a sense of community and shared learning. I must say that Shrek made an appearance and even survived a bit of a tumble from his popsicle bridge perch ;>)
One of the first areas of our Strategic Plan that we have put tremendous energy behind is Goal 1 - Strong Start: Pre-K-12. I wanted to share a recent article that puts this critical work into greater focus. Virginia is currently 28th in the nation in providing early childhood education. Here in FCPS, we have strong preschool programs but what we don’t yet have - and it is an ambitious goal - is access and opportunity for all. We will continue this work, as we build upon a program where each and every student learns and grows together. We know a strong start is important and look forward to making gains in this area. Thank you to our dedicated preschool team who works tirelessly to ensure that every child, whether in general education or special education, gets a chance to shine and learn new skills. Visit our classrooms in this strategic plan video that showcases the power of inclusion.
In closing, I would like to share that as we are approaching the start of school, I will again be regularly sharing my weekly reflections in the coming weeks and months. If there is something you would like to have me feature, an event you would like me to attend, or an idea/question you have, please reach out and let me know. And so, I will end with a thought from Desmond Tutu, “Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.” Let's flood our division and community with acts of kindness in the coming days and weeks...
Take good care,
Michelle Reid, Ed.D.
Superintendent
Fairfax County Public Schools
