FY 2023 Budget Adopted

Throughout June, graduates from 27 FCPS high schools celebrated their academic success by walking proudly across stages and receiving their diplomas. Their hard work-and that of their teachers, other faculty, central staff members, and the entire community-make the accomplishments and graduation smiles possible. The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, our School Board, and FCPS leadership deserve equal credit for targeting our community’s tax dollars to emphasize student achievement, and recognition of world-class educators and operational support staff.

The Fairfax County School Board adopted the Fiscal Year 2023 budget on May 26, which includes adjustments to support ongoing recruitment and retention efforts for a premier workforce and to ensure market competitive compensation. “We continue to get tremendous support from the County Board of Supervisors and County Executive Bryan Hill for our unique needs and to allow us to fully realize all of our key priorities,” says Superintendent Scott Brabrand. Read the news release.

NOVA Students Learning and Supporting FCPS Students

Fairfax County Public Schools has expanded its partnership with Northern Virginia Community College’s Health Sciences and Nursing program to six schools: Braddock, Crestwood, Lynbrook, Mount Vernon Woods, and Woodburn elementary schools, as well as Sandburg Middle School. This partnership allows children to receive access to vital oral health services during their school day, while also providing the opportunity for NOVA students to deliver care to young clients, a requirement to earning their degree.  

Services are provided at NOVA’s Medical Education Campus in Springfield and include:

• Oral health education and demonstrations
• Dental screenings
• Sealants
• Fluoride treatments
• Take home dental kits for each child
• Referral to local dental home for additional services

Funding support for the partnership comes from the not-for-profit Medical Care for Children Partnership (MCCP) who also helps coordinate the efforts.

The agreement, signed by Provost Shelly Powers, is win/win for NOVA students and ours.

Westfield High School Seniors Finish Strong 

The Dulles Regional Chamber of Commerce, led by President and CEO John Boylan (left), has hired two Westfield High School student interns. Dylan Norman and Ben Varner (left to right), are participating in the Westfield Senior Transition Enrichment Program or WeSTEP.  

WeSTEP is a two to three week, year-end, work-based learning program that takes place the weeks immediately after a student has completed their final exams. The goal of WeSTEP is to put the FCPS Portrait of Graduate features into action by helping students deploy them in real world work situations. 

According to Boylan,“This year, they learned Customer Relationship Management software to populate business information, which they turned into invitations for a luncheon on the Future of Finance. We had almost 100 business leaders at the luncheon, and the interns joined us to hear from bank presidents. They will arrive at college with real world experience about finance to study finance.”

This Fall, Dylan will be attending Virginia Tech and Ben will attend the University of Virginia. Both will study finance. 

Thank you Dulles Regional Chamber of Commerce and all of the roughly 130 businesses and community groups who are supporting WeSTEP interns this spring.

Education Heroes

In recognition of Teacher Appreciation Week, Cox Communications and Cox Business selected four FCPS Cox Education Heroes and presented them with $1,000 for a classroom makeover. 

The award honors teachers because, according to Cox, teaching is a work of heart. From early mornings and late nights to parent teacher meetings and testing, it is fitting to call our teachers heroes. 

Read their individual stories of student encouragement, engagement, and collaboration: 

• Kevin Deans, a Math Teacher at Katherine Johnson Middle School.
• Charlotte Frazier, a Multiple Disabilities Teacher at Island Creek Elementary School.
• Kathleen Mehari, a First Grade Teacher at Wolftrap Elementary School.
• Anne Nolan, Head Librarian at Fairfax High School.

Thank you Cox Communications and Cox Business for being partners in education.

Collect for Kids Stretches Your Donations Dollars

The FCPS Business and Community Partnerships team, and the district’s 501c3 foundation Educate Fairfax, are proud to work alongside many local non-profits, businesses, and faith-based organizations, who provide and support the distribution of school supplies and backpacks to students in need i.n FCPS. 

Educate Fairfax purchases school supply kits to be delivered to schools. Your $10 donation will provide a kit with essential items in it for a student in need. 

Make your donation today and help students start the new school year with necessary tools and a smile. Donate now!

How the Vegejita Wrapadilla Won First and Second Place

Through an Ignite Partnership with Real Food For Kids and their culinary challenge, students from across the Washington, D.C., region competed to design and prepare the best school lunch menu offering. 

Ellie Whiteman, a seventh-grader at Franklin Middle School in Chantilly, had a goal in mind since third grade: Enter the challenge and win! Franklin seventh-graders Hannah Lee, Anvita Gandi, and Janya Patel joined Ellie to create the Vegejita Wrapadilla and took home first and second place awards. Their tasty creation will be served on FCPS lunch menus in the coming school year.

Converting 275 Caps Goals into Partnership Dollars

Burke & Herbert Bank’s President and CEO David Boyle presented a check for $27,500 to Dorothy Keenan, executive director of GrandInvolve, an FCPS Ignite Partner. GrandInvolve places active seniors in Fairfax County Title One schools as classroom volunteers.

Through a sponsorship with NBC Sports Washington, the Bank awards $100 per goal scored by the Washington Capitals during their regular season to a local not-for-profit. This season, the Caps scored 275 goals. The bank selected GrandInvolve to be this year’s recipient. GrandInvolve will use the funds to increase its pool of volunteers and to expand their partnerships with additional schools.

New Savings for Staff App Makes Discounts to FCPS Employees Easier to Secure

The Savings for Staff discount program has launched a new mobile app, making it easier for FCPS employees to shop and save. The app is downloadable on the Apple or Google Play stores. 

As a reminder, our partner PerkSpot provides Savings for Staff as a way for merchants to attract new customers by offering discounts to FCPS employees and retirees. PerkSpot currently reaches 41,620 FCPS employees and retirees. Area merchants looking to serve this audience are invited to review PerkSpot’s Monthly Participation Report. When you are ready to get started, please contact them Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central Time, at [email protected].