What's New

Monday, November 26, 2007

Update on FCPS Boundary Town Hall Meetings

The Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) process for the December 3 and 19 town hall meetings to discuss recommendations for school boundary changes is designed to provide the largest number of people with opportunity to speak and have their opinions heard in a public forum. The next town hall meeting is scheduled for Monday, December 3, at Westfield High School, where potential boundary change scenarios to the Chantilly, Herndon, Madison, Oakton, South Lakes, and Westfield High School attendance areas will be discussed.

FCPS is using technology to provide the greatest opportunity for residents to provide input. Prior to the meeting, boundary change scenarios will be posted on the boundary web page, http://www.fcps.edu/news/boundary.htm. Once the scenarios are posted, community members will be able to read about them and will be able to send questions and comments electronically to FCPS at the web link listed above.

In response to comments from the first town meeting on November 12, 2007, changes have been made to the town meeting process. In order to gather feedback from members of the community in the most efficient and effective way, participants at the town hall meeting will be directed to one of several small group sessions. If the total number of participants exceeds the space in the small group session rooms, participants will be able to go to one of several larger rooms. At the beginning of the meeting, there will be brief opening comments and a presentation of scenarios that will be video- and audiostreamed into each small and large meeting area. The presentation will also address the most frequently asked questions about the scenarios that were submitted electronically and will provide answers to those questions.

Once the presentation is complete, participants will be able to share their opinions. In the small meeting rooms, facilitators will be available to record comments. In the large rooms, attendees will be able to record their comments in writing. All comments will then be posted in the gallery walk area where they can be viewed and read by all attendees.

All public comments will be carefully read and considered by staff members prior to the final boundary town meeting on December 19, 2007. 

The changes will be in place for the remaining town hall meetings in this boundary study.

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Note: For more information, contact Denise James at 703-246-6920.

 

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FCPS 24-7 Learning

Your child’s teachers use FCPS 24-7 Learning*, an Internet-based learning system, to post homework, assignments and other communications with your child.  Each student is given their own FCPS 24-7 Learning account.

Parents also have the opportunity to create an FCPS 24-7 Learning account of their own.  The parent’s access into FCPS 24-7 Learning is called Parent View. The Parent View account gives parents the opportunity to view all of their childrens’ homework and other assignments online.  Parent accounts will also give parents access to other important features like weCare@schools.  weCare@schools is the online system that allows parents to submit emergency care information for their children online.

The following is a brief summary of the features and benefits of FCPS 24-7 Learning Parent View:

FEATURES	BENEFITS
Single log-in	Parents will be able to access all their children’s courses using this single login. Parents need only register once and add all of their children to their account, even if their children are in different FCPS schools.
Exclusive parent user account	Parents no longer need to share their student’s login and ID.
Security	To keep information secure, the Parent View registration process has two separate checkpoints: Online Registration and an Onsite Verification process.
Parent-specific content	Coming Soon: Using their Parent View account, parents can enter and update your child(ren)’s emergency care and parent contact information online.

To get your own FCPS 24-7 Learning Parent View account, please follow these steps:
1. Online Registration

• Using your Internet browser, go to http://fcps.blackboard.com
• Log on using username: parentreg  and password: newuser
• Under the Parent Portal Registration heading, click on Click here.
• Fill out the online form and follow the prompts.
• At the end of the process, print or write down your unique registration key.

2. Onsite Verification

• Bring a photo ID and the unique registration key to the front office your child’s school. Do not send this with your child. You must do this in person.
• The school will give you your FCPS 24-7 Learning Parent View username and your password
  will be emailed to you.

3. Log in to the FCPS 24-7 Learning Parent View (Blackboard) Portal

• Using your new username and password, you can log in to the FCPS 24-7 Learning Parent View and have access to all of your children’s Blackboard accounts. If you need assistance contact the FCPS 24-7 Help Desk at 1-866-434-8880.
  

Thank you for participating. We hope you will make use of this new opportunity to be involved in your child(ren)’s academic life in Fairfax County Public Schools.

*FCPS 24-7 Learning is also referred to as Blackboard.

On site verification will be available to our parents at Panther Prep Night, Wednesday, August 29, 2007, 4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.