Save The Date: Meet the Incoming Superintendent

Dr. Michelle Reid, our incoming superintendent, is visiting FCPS next week to learn more about our schools and community. During her visit, there will be a special, in-person event for staff, families, and students on Tuesday, May 3, starting at 7 p.m. More details, including how to register and submit questions, will be shared with you directly via email in the coming days. Other language interpreters will be available upon request during the registration process. A sign-language interpreter will also be supporting the event.

On Tuesday, May 17, Dr. Reid will join staff, families, and students for a multilingual virtual town hall, starting at 7 p.m. We will share details about this event in next week’s FCPS This Week and directly via email.

Dr. Reid will be hosting additional engagement sessions throughout the county after her official start date this summer.

Learn more about Dr. Reid. 

FCPS High Schools Ranked Among the Best in Virginia and the Nation by U.S. News and World Report

Fairfax County Public Schools high schools have been ranked as some of the best high schools in Virginia and the nation according to U.S. News and World Report. The rankings evaluate more than 17,800 schools at the national, state, and local level and are based on six factors, including college readiness, reading and math proficiency, reading and math performance, underserved student performance, college curriculum breadth, and graduation rates. 

Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJHSST) was named the number one high school in Virginia and the United States for the fourth consecutive year, and several other FCPS high schools were ranked among the nation’s best.

Nine Students Receive 2022 National Merit Corporate-Sponsored Scholarships

Nine Fairfax County Public Schools students have been awarded 2022 corporate-sponsored scholarships from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. The students are part of a group of more than 1,000 National Merit finalists chosen to receive scholarships financed by corporations, company foundations, and other business organizations.

See who received National Merit scholarships. 

FCPS Students Selected for 2022 All-Virginia Band, Orchestra, and Chorus

One hundred ninety students from Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) high schools have been named to the 2022 All-Virginia Band, Chorus, and Orchestra. The students performed with other premier musicians from across the state April 20-23. 

Celebrating FCPS’ Commitment to Environmental Stewardship

Fairfax County Public Schools commitment to environmental stewardship has earned praise from national leaders. Superintendent Scott Brabrand was invited to attend a special event with Vice President Kamala Harris on April 4 to highlight investments in clean and efficient school infrastructure and transportation. In addition to Dr. Brabrand attending Vice President Harris’ event, EPA Administrator Michael Regan visited Flint Hill Elementary to discuss the investment in clean school buses nationwide. 

Both events are a reflection of FCPS’ commitment to providing carbon-neutral student transportation by 2035. FCPS officially launched its first fleet of electric school buses in October 2021. The fleet is one of the largest in the U.S., transporting more than 141,000 students on more than 1,600 buses each day. 

Learn more about FCPS’ commitment to environmental stewardship. 

Bike to School or Bike in Your Neighborhood on May 4

Bike Month has been celebrated since 1956 to showcase the many benefits of bicycling and encourage more people to give biking a try. Fairfax County has an extensive network of both paved and natural surface bike trails. You can access a map to all the trails in Fairfax county online. 

Wednesday, May 4, is the official Bike to School Day. You can register as a school, family, or neighborhood. Plan your ride whether you ride to school, to a park, or just within your neighborhood. Register for Bike to School Day.

Student Ambassador Programs Help Welcome New Students to FCPS

Student Ambassador Programs bring together military and civilian peers to support all students' transition to school, helping create an accepting school culture and welcoming environment. In addition to programs that support all new students, students at several schools have initiated Military Ambassadors Clubs to support their school’s military-connected students, families, and active duty members and veterans of the Armed Forces. 

Colleges and Universities Still Accepting Applications

Do you know a high school senior who is still looking for the right college fit for the fall? The National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) has released their annual list of colleges and universities that are still accepting applications from prospective freshmen or transfer students for the fall of 2022. 

Students and families are encouraged to use this tool to search colleges that still have space available. Users may narrow down the list of schools by state and also view whether a school still has financial aid, as well as unfilled housing. 

Additionally, NACAC has created an enrollment deposit fee waiver request form for students experiencing significant financial hardship. Families can learn more about the enrollment deposit fee waiver and the eligibility criteria on the NACAC website. Students should check with the colleges and universities they are considering to see if the enrollment deposit fee waiver will be considered by the institution. It is recommended that students and families contact their school counselor and college and career specialist with any questions.

Important Immunization Requirement: Do You Have a Student Entering Seventh Grade or Twelfth Grade This Fall?

While the COVID-19 vaccination is NOT required by schools for the 2022-23 school year, many other vaccinations are.

Seventh-grade students need:

• One dose of Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis) given at age 7 or older.
• One dose of Meningococcal Vaccine (MenACWY, Menactra, or Menveo) given at age 10 or older.

Twelfth-grade students need:

• One dose of Meningococcal Vaccine (MenACWY, Menactra, or Menveo) given at age 16 or older.

More information on immunization requirements is available online. 

2023 Eid al Fitr Date Determination 

When religious observances, such as Eid, begin at sundown, FCPS designates that evening and the following day as religious and cultural observance time. 

When the school year calendar for 2022-23 was developed, Eid was projected to begin on the evening of Friday, April 21, 2023, alleviating the need for a student holiday (the first full day would be on a Saturday). After the calendar was approved by the School Board, the Adams Center adjusted Eid to begin at sunset on Thursday, April 20, 2023. This requires Friday, April 21, 2023, to be a student holiday under our new calendar structure. 

The Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar, and the start of each month coincides with the birth of a new moon. These dates are regionally decided, which can lead to unexpected date changes.  

2022-23 School Calendar 

In an effort to avoid drastically changing student and employee calendars, Friday, April 21, 2023, will be designated a student holiday. This will reduce the student calendar from 180 days to 179 days. April 21, 2023, will be a professional work day for all less than 12-month employees (including bus drivers, food service workers, school-based office support staff, and instructional assistants) and a regular work day for 12-month employees. Regulation 2234 will be in effect for professional development guidelines; Regulation 4817 will be in effect for employees requesting religious leave. 

The School Board has already committed to recognizing Eid as a student holiday so this administerial calendar change will not require a vote. 

A 179-day student calendar with five scheduled early release days, 15-minute required recess at the middle school, and no changes to the elementary bell schedule provides up to 12 built-in snow days for the year; therefore, this change will still meet VDOE requirements based on instructional hours instead of days. 

Future Eid Observances

If the date of Eid changes before the school year begins, the school year calendar will be revised as follows:

• A student holiday will be observed
• Less-than-12-month employees will report for a professional work day
• 12-month employees will report for a regular work day

If the day for Eid changes after the school year begins, Eid will be designed as a Religious and Cultural Observance Day (“O” day) for students and all staff.

FCPS Holding Instructional Job Fair on April 30 

FCPS wants you to be a part of our team! We are searching for educators with a strong academic background and a passion to make a difference. To meet hiring needs in instructional areas, we are hosting a job fair on Saturday, April 30, during which networking and interviewing opportunities with representatives from various FCPS schools will be available. This job fair is open to external candidates, internal transfers, and recruitment hires. It will be held both in-person (9 a.m.to 2 p.m.) and virtually (11 a.m. to 2 p.m.). 

More information is available online. 

Deadline for Historical Marker Project Is April 30

Fairfax County Public Schools and the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors are holding a joint Historical Marker Project. The purpose of the optional project is to bring attention to untold or lesser known histories from Fairfax County communities. The rich history, culture, and accomplishments of these communities is often underrepresented in history books and school curriculum. The first focus of the project is Fairfax County’s Black and African American communities. 

As part of the Historical Marker Project, students in grades 4-12 will focus on Portrait of a Graduate skills, such as communication and collaboration, by engaging in inquiry to recognize the voices, experiences, and achievements of Black/African Americans from Fairfax County. Students can submit suggested topics featuring a person, place, or event until April 30. 

More information on the Historical Marker Project.

Tutor.com Offers Live Tutors and AP Test Prep

Writing help, practice quizzes, and AP test prep are available to all FCPS students at no cost through Tutor.com. Find out how your child can get these services in addition to 24/7 live tutoring through their Schoology account: Elementary School | Middle and High School.

Tip Sheet for Parents: Offer Schoolwork Support, Not Answers

Assignments can be a link between home and school. Teachers give them to help children strengthen skills and review class work. At the same time, families can find out what their children are learning by being involved in homework.

Being involved does not mean doing schoolwork for your child. That will give the teacher a false reading of your student's progress. Plus, you'll prevent your child from feeling capable of doing the work alone. Instead, offer support as your child does the work.

Try these tips to support your child’s success with homework.

Copyright 2022, The Parent Institute, a Division of PaperClip Media Inc. All rights reserved. Get more tips for parents and other family engagement resources. 

Reminder: School Board Meeting on April 28 at 7 p.m.

The School Board will hold a regular business meeting on Thursday, April 28, at 7 p.m. See the complete regular meeting agenda. The meeting can be viewed on FCPS Cable TV Channel 99 (Verizon Channel 11), the FCPS YouTube Channel, and on the FCPS website. Agenda highlights include:

• Introduction of Dr. Sherry Wilson, assistant superintendent of Human Resources.
• Approval of the Trust Policy.
• Approval of 2022-23 Local Special Education Annual Plan and Report.
• Approval of Elementary School Language Arts Basal Instructional Materials. 

If you need language interpretation or American Sign Language support for any School Board meeting, please contact the board clerk.

Interested in School Board action items? Sign up to get an update on any School Board votes the morning after the School Board meeting.

Find your School Board member and how to contact them on the School Board Members webpage.