April Update


Dear Fairfax County Students, Families and Staff,

As we turn the corner from winter to spring, and as vaccinations continue to be more widely available, I hope we are turning the corner towards the end of the pandemic and towards a new normal. My hope is that our new normal will be much closer to our “old” normal but incorporating the lessons we have learned from this last year. I hope, as we continue to phase in students for four days a week of  in-person learning as health guidance and capacity allows, and as we build towards in-person five days a week next year, we can reflect back on how much we have learned and grown. 

Life as we knew it will be forever altered but I hope we can take the good from what we have learned this year going forward. I know my son, the kid with a disability and limited language, who has difficulty connecting over virtual platforms, wrote letters to his friends as a way to stay connected when things first shut down. He continues to write his letters even though he is back in-person at school and has reconnected with some of his friends. He’s switched to writing birthday letters, get-well letters, and just “thinking of you “ letters when he knows a friend had a bad day. He’s written hundreds of these letters in this last year. This simple way of bringing unexpected joy to others is something he learned because of the pandemic and something I hope he never loses. Perhaps that is something we all can take away from this; never taking for granted the opportunities for simple and unexpected joy.

It’s been a tough year with much angst, anger, and concern. In the midst of it all, I have been most impressed with our students.  I have read about students tutoring others, making masks, checking on friends, creating virtual concerts for senior citizens isolating in nursing homes, running errands for those at greater risk, and taking this in stride in a way I don’t think I would have at their age. I have had conversations with students who have reminded me of how grateful they are for what they had even when I focused on what they have lost. In a year of much uncertainty, the one thing I know is our future is in bright hands.

The one thing I know is that, as we plan for 5 days a week in- person learning for the fall and address learning loss, we also need to be mindful of the ways our students have grown and of keeping the joy in learning. As always, I am very grateful for our principals, our teachers and staff, leadership team, parents, and caregivers for their hard work for our students.

Click on my picture below to see my remarks from the April 8 school board meeting regarding the importance of keeping the joy in our schools and our communities, about Autism Awareness Month, Month of the Military Child, and why I am so impressed with our students, especially during these times.

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Office Hours

I will be holding office hours in April.  If you have a question or concern you would like to bring to me, please sign up for a 15 minute slot to meet with me by phone or Zoom.

I thank you for your emails, calls, and advocacy. I may not always be able to respond given the sheer volume of emails from across the county but I do read each one, try to help as much as I can and take all your statements into consideration as we move forward.

Please stay safe and I hope you, like me, can see the light at the end of a very dark tunnel.

Rachna


Below you will find information on:

  • Resolution to Condemn Anti-Asian Racism and my thoughts
  • Reports of Recent Incidents of Racial Slurs and my thoughts
  • Opportunity for People with Disabilities to Practice Police Interactions 
  • Return to School, Spring and Fall, and Summer Recovery Services
  • Graduation and My Words to the Class of 2021
  • School Board News
    • Budget, including Use of Pandemic Related Funding
    • Calendar
    • Special Education
    • Public Comment
    • Audit Committee Seeks Applicants
    • Upcoming Meetings
  • Other FCPS News 
  • Student Kudos
  • Community Events, Resources, Scholarship
  • April Recognitions
  • Quick Links

Resolution to Condemn Anti-Asian Racism

Over the past year hate crimes against the Asian American and the Asian Pacific Islander (AA/API) community have increased by over 150% across the country.  Women, children and senior citizens have been targeted the most.  The School Board adopted a resolution condemning Anti-Asian racism and committing the school system to support our students who may experience anti-Asian racism in school or the broader community. 

My Thoughts on Anti-Asian Hate Incidents:

I spoke to this briefly during the April 8th school board meeting but, as the first Indian American and the first Asian American woman on the Fairfax County School Board, these are the remarks I plan to share at our upcoming meeting:

As an Asian American child of immigrants with a name that is different than many are used to, I have encountered “othering” in many ways, from being told to “go home,” to the glazed over looks and dismissals lined in automatic assumption of “different” I get when stating my name, to being told if I wanted a job at a certain law firm I should change my name because no one wants a lawyer with a “funny name”, to constantly being asked “where are you from,” the puzzled looks I get when I say, “California,” which is so often followed by the “but where are you *really* from,” as if somehow there is no way I can be *from* California, and much more. I am proud of my Indian heritage but always wondered growing up why I can’t be both American and Indian? Why don’t my friends named “Stephanie, John, or Karen” get asked where they are from? How come it seems no one is interested in the “origin” of their names? After all, at the end of the day, aren’t most non-Native Americans from somewhere? This is what always goes through my mind in these encounters.

These often well intentioned questions, when constantly asked over the course of a lifetime, in the aggregate, have the effect of “othering,” of “separating,” of making foreign people who call America their home. I am proud of being both Indian AND American and I want my country to recognize those two identities are not separate but intertwined in a way that is uniquely American. 

Most of the time, any individual person asking some of these questions has good intent and is just "curious." I respect people's curiosity but it is exhausting and othering to constantly be the subject of curiosity. I feel like an animal in a zoo just about every time I meet someone. 

This type of automatic, often well meaning but at times unthinking “othering” can lead to a slippery slope to not seeing or even being okay to hate without even realizing it. After all, it's hard to hate those we consider our own.

I condemn with the strongest words any sort of hate, and I am glad my colleagues and FCPS have also strongly condemned the hate faced by Asian Americans. But I also challenge us all to think about the ways we can stop the othering of people, to be inclusive in all we do and say. I challenge us as a school system to make sure our curriculum, materials, and lessons accurately and respectfully reflect the history, culture, and experience of Asian Americans, work I am glad to be part of. And I challenge us as a society to stand in solidarity with those who have been the subject of hate and “othering”. After all, we are all human and we all belong here.

On a side note, I keep waiting for my husband to get asked a similar question about his German sounding last name but somehow he never does get asked, not once, where he is from nor has anyone ever been curious about his culture or his name’s origins. People have asked him where his wife is from, though. So there is that.

When talking about AAPI hate, please also talk about the minimizing, the uncomfortable implicit othering, the nullifying of Asian Americans.

We all belong here. We are all from here and from somewhere else. That is what makes us American.

Words matter. Mindset matters.


Reports of Incidents at Recent Sporting Events

Recently, there have been reports of the use of racial slurs at some of our FCPS sporting events. Any time hateful language like this is used, it does not just impact the recipients but is harmful to our community and all our students, staff and families. I condemn in the strongest terms any use of racial slurs. Hate does not belong in our schools and we must do all we can to ensure a welcoming culture of respect and inclusivity.

The School Board and the Superintendent take the reports of these incidents seriously and are investigating and will take appropriate action, which include but are not limited to additional professional development of coaching and officials, town halls with the teams and their parents and reminders provided to teams in advance of play as well as addressing the individual incidents.  This behavior is not acceptable, period.  Please talk to your students about the impact of hateful language on individuals in our community. More on this can be found in the FCPS Letter on Respect and Inclusivity.


Practice Traffic Stops for People with Disabilities - April 24, 2021 

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I wanted to share my work with the great people at The Arc of Northern Virginia, Supervisor Rodney Lusk’s Office and the Fairfax County Police Department, Franconia Station, to offer practice traffic stops for people with disabilities.  Driving is a key factor for youth and adults with disabilities to access work experiences and live independent lives.  However, traffic stops and other routine police interactions can be difficult and potentially dangerous due to communication and anxiety.  People with disabilities can benefit from explicit practice and instruction to help them learn how to interact with police and police officers can sometimes mistake the behaviors of people with developmental disabilities as dangerous or suspicious.  Both groups can benefit from practice interactions.  We have had one successful practice traffic stop already and have another one scheduled on Saturday, April 24th from 10am -1pm at Key Middle School.  

Interested? Watch this video to Learn more. 

Know someone who could benefit? Register here. You don’t have to be able to drive - the practice stop can be done in a parked car. The individual and officer can still practice the steps that occur after an individual is pulled over.


Return to School - Spring 2021

FCPS has announced plans to bring students back for more in-person instruction. Students who are experiencing the greatest learning challenges, as identified by school personnel using the Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS), have already been offered four days of in-person instruction beginning the weeks of April 6 and April 13.  Some other students who have already been attending two days of in-person instruction were contacted during the week of April 13 to offer four days.  This transition will look different at each school because:

  • In-person attendance already varies widely from school to school, ranging from 20% to 80%.
  • Schools have different numbers of students identified through MTSS.
  • Space challenges vary, including current occupancy, size of classrooms, furniture, and lunchroom space.
  • Schools need sufficient space for all students to eat lunch without a mask, 6 feet apart, and all facing the same direction. 
  • Implementation may impact some school schedules.
  • Possibility that some bus routes will increase capacity from one student per seat to two students per seat. 
  • Strained staffing levels, including challenges when staff are under quarantine.

Our next return to school Work Session will be held on Tuesday, April 20 and I look forward to hearing more details at that time.  You can view the presentation from staff.


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Return to School - Fall 2021

We are looking forward to in-person instruction as the primary mode of learning for all FCPS students during the 2021-22 school year. 

  • The Commonwealth of Virginia has made it a legal requirement for all school divisions to offer five days of in-person instruction for all students in the fall via Senate Bill 1303
  • The CDC expects all schools to offer in-person instruction in the fall.
  • FCPS believes that in-person learning is best for all students and is working towards that goal in fall.
  • FCPS anticipates more changes in guidance before school resumes in August, which we anticipate should help align our goal to see all students return 5 days in-person with health guidelines.
  • FCPS is planning now for a successful transition in the fall: addressing transportation and lunch; ordering tents; conducting screening and diagnostic testing pilots; creating master schedules; minimizing concurrent learning opportunities.
  • Virtual learning options will be very limited and will be the exception.

April 7 Town Hall Return to School Recap

Did you miss the superintendent’s Town Hall? Dr. Brabrand, along with Dr. Michael Martin, from the American Academy of Pediatrics, and Dr. Michelle Boyd, assistant superintendent for Special Services, answered questions from the community regarding the CDC’s guidance allowing schools to transition from 6 feet to 3 feet social distancing in some circumstances, and within certain community transmission rates. They also discussed the social-emotional impact the pandemic has had on children and the importance of returning all students to in-person learning. Watch the video


Spanish Town Hall to Be Held April 21

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Join Superintendent Brabrand and two school officials for a virtual Spanish-Language Town Hall on Wednesday, April 21, 5-6 p.m. They will provide information on opportunities for four days of in-person instruction, summer learning plans, and vaccine updates. They will answer your questions, too. The Town Hall will be streamed live on FCPS Facebook en Español. Please email your questions in advance to ReturntoSchool@fcps.edu. You may also send a message on our Facebook page or leave it in the “Comment” section during the Town Hall. We hope you will join us!

Una Asamblea Pública Virtual en Español

Acompañen al superintendente Brabrand y a dos autoridades escolares a una Asamblea Pública virtual en español el miércoles 21 de abril, de 5-6 p.m. Ellos hablarán sobre la oportunidad de que los alumnos asistan a cuatro días de instrucción presencial, los planes para el aprendizaje durante el verano, y proporcionarán información actualizada sobre las vacunas. Ellos también contestarán sus preguntas. La Asamblea Pública será transmitida en vivo en la página de FCPS Facebook en Español https://www.facebook.com/FCPSES/. Envíen sus preguntas por correo electrónico a ReturntoSchool@fcps.edu.  También pueden enviarnos un mensaje por nuestra página de Facebook o dejarlo en la sección de «Comentarios» durante la Asamblea Pública. ¡Esperamos que ustedes puedan acompañarnos!


Questions About FCPS COVID-19 Vaccinations for Students

FCPS wants to provide a safe and healthy learning environment for all students, and we know vaccinations are an important tool in doing so.

  • The Code of Virginia requires all students to be immunized against certain communicable diseases prior to entrance into FCPS. The Code of Virginia is updated accordingly, and FCPS responds to those updates by implementing the new requirements by the deadline provided. 
  • At this time, and in compliance with the existing requirements, students are not required to have the COVID-19 vaccine. Currently, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued emergency authorization only for the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for use by individuals 16 years and older. 
  • In Virginia, individuals aged 16-18 years will have open access to the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine beginning April 18, 2021. While research is ongoing, as of the writing of this update, the FDA has not authorized any COVID-19 vaccinations for use by those younger than 16. 

Summer Recovery Services

FCPS will be providing expanded options this summer to address some of the difficulties that students have had.  We will learn more about these options at our next Return to School Work Session on April 20th. 

In the meantime, I know there is some confusion so I wanted to highlight one recovery option for some of our students with disabilities, the Summer Recovery Academy.  Recovery Services are available to students with disabilities whose teams determined there remains a significant educational impact due to the COVID-19 school closure and the virtual learning this school year. Recovery Services are designed to address learning gaps and are determined by IEP teams.  These services are separate from Extended School Year Services and from our programming for general education students. A child can receive recovery services during the summer or even during the school year.

You may reach out to your child’s principal or counselor if you think your child might need recovery services.

For more information on summer programming, please see the Return to School Presentation


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Update on Graduation Ceremonies

The Class of 2021 will be celebrated during in-person graduation ceremonies this year. High schools will be hosting graduation ceremonies at outdoor venues. 

The venues were identified based on the class size, renovation schedules, and previous dates selected. They include Jiffy Lube Live, individual school stadiums, and three central high school stadium sites (Fairfax, Woodson and Hayfield High Schools). 

All the graduation ceremonies will follow the Governor’s orders for graduation capacity, and health and safety protocols. Graduations will take place between May 27 and June 12.

Principals will be sharing their graduation plans with students and parents soon. View Dr. Brabrand message for the Class of 2021.

My message to the Class of 2021

I am sorry that your last year and half of high school, and all the things you wanted to do, should have done, and experiences you deserved, have been curtailed or non-existent. I am sorry for all the “lasts” you didn’t get, the shortened seasons, missed chances to sing or create or perform together, even while you gained many tech skills in creating amazing virtual concerts. I know for the last year and half, for many, your world has narrowed to a few friends, and a few experiences while you deserved so much more. While I am SO excited that you will be getting an in-person graduation and I know news of other in-person senior celebrations will be coming from your school, I am sorry you do not get to celebrate the end of your high school days in the way we all want you to celebrate. I know these are experiences, connections, days, and moments you cannot get back. And my heart breaks for what you have lost, even though the uniqueness of what you have gained will be with you for the rest of your life.

I know that the resilience and perspective you are gaining is small consolation for what you are losing. But I believe that when we get to the other side of this, you will be one of the strongest and most capable generations in a long time. In fact, and I’ve said this for a long time, and I said it to the Class of 2020, I believe you will be the next greatest generation. Watching you this last year has only strengthened my belief that our future is in excellent hands with you. 

Thank you for the hundreds of small and big ways you have taught me about grace and strength in the face of adversity. May you find success and a smoother path going forward.

I look forward to celebrating you at your graduation ceremonies. In the meantime, Dr. Brabrand and I “enjoyed” some pie in honor of you, the Class of 2021. Check Out Our Pi Day Message to the Class of 2021 


School Board News

FY 2022 Budget

As is the tradition, the Fairfax County School Board Chair was the first speaker at the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors first public hearing on the county executive’s Proposed FY 2022 Advertised Budget Plan on April 13. Some of the key points from Dr. Anderson’s presentation include:

  • FCPS’ FY 2022 Advertised Budget is fiscally responsible and based on the most pressing needs of our system.
  • Fully funding the budget is critical to providing students with the increased academic and social-emotional support brought on by the pandemic.
  • A 3% requested compensation increase will recognize the extraordinary dedication of FCPS staff, who have gone above and beyond in supporting students and families this past year. 

Here is a video of Dr. Anderson's, our School Board chair, speech to the Board of Supervisors regarding the budget. It sums up our budget needs/ask for 2021-22!


Update About Use of Post-Pandemic Funding

Curious about post pandemic funding? Detailed information will be provided at the May 4, 2021 School Board budget work session. April CARES ESSER CRF Updates.


Calendar

The School Board approved a new calendar for the 2021-2022 school year.  It includes 15 Religious and Cultural Observance Days based on major religions where staff and/or student absences were above average at least once over the past five years. The 15 observance dates are not Student Holidays but staff are not permitted to schedule graded assignments, tests or quizzes on those dates so that students who do observe those days do not have to choose between school work and participating in a religious or cultural observance day.  

The School Board adopted a motion that clearly sets forth a path for devising future calendars, including factors that should be considered and the process for approval. 

You can click on my picture to hear my comments on the calendar:

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Special Education Services

On April 8, the Department of Special Services presented the required Local Special Education Annual Plan to the School Board. In the FY 2021-22 budget, FCPS has bookmarked $594.8 million for special education, representing 18.8% of the total budget.

During FY 2019-20, FCPS special education costs totaled $607,270,678. It is important to note that 85% of the FCPS special education budget is contributed locally, with 8.2% coming from the state and 6.4% from the federal government.

During the 2019-20 school year, FCPS services increased by 2%, and funding was used to support two major goals for students with disabilities:

  • Providing appropriate identification, evaluation, therapeutic and instructional services.
  • Providing Child Find, screening, and evaluation services for students ages 2-5.

Public Comment Process

The School Board held a Work Session on April 6, 2021 to discuss changes to the public comment process at Regular School Board Meetings.  We know that many members of the public are interested in sharing their perspective with the School Board and the community and I, as Chair of the School Board Public Engagement Committee, and the rest of the School Board are working to make changes to broaden these opportunities.


Fairfax County School Board Seeks Audit Committee Applicants

The Fairfax County School Board invites applications from community members interested in serving on the School Board Audit Committee.  Applications will be accepted from April 19 to 30.  Applicants must reside within the boundaries of Fairfax County or Fairfax City.  The Board will be appointing one committee member for a term ending June 30, 2023.  

Click here to get more information and submit an application.


Upcoming Meetings

  • April 20 at 11 am - Virtual Work Session: FLECAC and Return to School Update
  • April 22 at 7 pm - *Hybrid Regular Meeting
  • May 4th at 10 am - Virtual Forum:  Program Audit and School Trust Policy
  • May 4th at 11 am -  Virtual Work Session:  Budget and SR&R

*Effective November 5, 2020, the School Board returned to in-person Regular Meetings at Luther Jackson Middle School.


Accessing Board Meetings and Materials


Other FCPS News

FCPS Earns WELL Health-Safety Rating™

FCPS recently earned the WELL Health-Safety Rating for its schools and offices, proof of its commitment to good health for anyone entering its buildings. With this accomplishment, FCPS joins a community of organizations pushing the boundaries of what health and safety look like in a post-coronavirus environment.

The WELL Health-Safety Rating measures five categories: cleaning and sanitization procedures; emergency preparedness programs; health service resources; air and water quality management; and stakeholder engagement and communications. Some of the measures the school division has taken to support health and safety include contactless temperature monitoring and door fixtures, regular fumigation, color-coded seating, community support both offline and online, touchless hand sanitizers, and policies to normalize social distancing.

The strategies within the WELL Health-Safety Rating include contributions from nearly 600 virologists, government officials, academics, business leaders, architects, designers, building scientists, and real estate professionals, as well as the WELL Building Standard.

Launched in June, the WELL Health-Safety Rating is an evidence-based, third-party verified rating for all new and existing building and space types and is focused on operational policies, maintenance protocols, emergency plans and stakeholder engagement strategies to help organizations get back to business during these pandemic times.


Updated FCPS Equity Profiles

The Equity profile/dashboard has been updated to reflect data from the 2019-2020 school year in relationship to the FCPS strategic plan. This dashboard was part of FCPS work with the Fairfax County Government and the collaborative One Fairfax Policy. Each section of the dashboard is updated by the respective goal champion. Additionally, given the uniqueness of the 2019-2020 school year due to the pandemic, some data sets took additional time to get complete. Access the Equity Profile.


FCPS Music Education Program Receives National Recognition

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Fairfax County Public Schools has been named a Best Community for Music Education by the NAMM (National Association for Music Merchants) Foundation. FCPS was recognized for its outstanding commitment to and support of music education, and for its efforts to provide music access and education to all students. Learn more about FCPS’ award. 

I am so proud of our music educators and their creativity this year and their amazing efforts to keep the music flowing! I know for many students, the arts is how they find their group, their place in their school, and the “fun” in it all! I’ve loved seeing the pep bands back at football games, plays in our theaters, small group music concerts, as well as the amazing virtual concerts this year. I wish we could have more but I applaud our arts teachers for all they did this year! I know those virtual performances were a lot of work for students and teachers alike. Having a son in multiple music classes made it feel like he was recording something or the other almost every week, so I’ve seen the hard work firsthand. I am and will continue to be a strong supporter of our arts programs for the enrichment they give our students, the chance to find a place to belong, and the portrait of a graduate skills they teach in addition to the arts skills.


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Tune in to FCPS’ New Multilingual Podcast Series! 

In case you missed it, FCPS recently launched multilingual podcasts for families in Arabic, Korean, and Spanish. These podcasts provide timely and important information related to school news. Listen to the most recent podcast featuring Dr. Brabrand, who shares a message of hope, appreciation, and readiness.


Employment Opportunities in FCPS

FCPS schools and centers are hiring classroom monitors to provide in-person classroom assistance for students when some staff members continue to work virtually. If you would like more information about the position, review the job description online and apply if interested. Please share information about this opportunity with anyone you think may be interested. 

FCPS is seeking individuals to serve as Substitute Teachers. Are you or somebody you know interested in substitute teaching with FCPS? Apply online or attend one of our Friday information sessions to learn more. To sign up for a session, visit the FCPS substitute teacher information page


career fair

 

Virtual Career Exploration Fair

Fairfax County Public Schools high school students are invited to participate in the 2021 Virtual Career Exploration Fair, scheduled to take place from Monday, April 19, through Friday, April 30. This completely virtual event will include synchronous (live) and asynchronous (recorded) sessions and workshops. The event will offer a connection to more than 100 local industry professionals from in-demand career fields. Students will also be able to attend college- and career-ready workshops and information sessions.

Details, including information on how to register, are available here. Students can also email workbasedlearning@fcps.edu with questions.

Get more information including the schedule at a glance.


FCPS Student Kudos

Regional Science and Engineering Fair

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The 66th annual Fairfax County Regional Science and Engineering Fair virtually showcased over 200 high school science projects via recorded videos. Over 290 students presented their research projects in a wide variety of science and engineering fields. Projects were judged by over 300 professionals and 50 professional organizations and businesses. All the amazing projects these students presented can be found here.


Students Earn Recognition in 2021 Scholastic Art and Writing Awards

Original works of art and writing by students from Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) earned 27 national medals in the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards program. The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, presented by the Alliance for Young Artists and Writers, is the largest, longest-running recognition program of its kind in the United States.  Eleven Gold Medalists and fifteen Silver Medalists from our region will be celebrated in a virtual award ceremony in June.  Learn more and see the names of our FCPS winners!


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A Student-Athlete Success Story

We love to see great news about FCPS’ amazing student athletes! Congratulations to WJLA's Athlete of the Week, South Lakes' Brianna Scott. Briana is heading to Georgetown University to study law in the fall. Share her story.


Virginia Lottery Thank-a-Teacher Art Contest Winner

Sarah Saravanan, a 1st grader at McNair Lowe Elementary School, was named as a winner of the Virginia Lottery’s annual Thank-a-Teacher Contest.  Not only did she win a prize for herself, but she won $1,000 for her school and a $1,000 credit for the McNair art department.  You can read more about the contest and see Sarah’s art work here


Community News and Resources

Fairfax Run for the Children

The 11th annual Fairfax Run for the Children benefitting Fairfax Court Appointed Special Advocates will be held virtually throughout the month of April. This nonprofit program advocates for the best interests of every single abused and neglected child in our Fairfax County. Each year they hold this flagship awareness and fundraising event to celebrate the heroic dedication of our volunteer advocates and the heroic resilience of the abused and neglected children they serve.  They have a 5K and 3K option, and all race participants can opt in to a race t-shirt mailed to them. They are also hosting a raffle for our race participants with great prizes such as Google products, gift cards, and much more! You can learn more about the event at www.fairfaxrunforthechildren.com and can learn more about their program at www.fairfaxcasa.org.


COVID-19 Vaccines and the Vaccination Process in Fairfax County: A Webinar for Families

Join the Fairfax County Health Department and the Fairfax County Public Schools Parent Resource Center for important updates about COVID-19 and the vaccines that have been developed to help prevent disease.

Topics will include:

  • COVID-19 impacts (health, economic, education)
  • The vaccine
    • Community immunity: What is it and How do we get there?
    • Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson vaccines— how they work and their effectiveness 
    • Safety of vaccines
  • Vaccination process: Eligibility and How to register
  1. Tuesday April 13:     Session in Spanish – Register here
  2. Tuesday April 20:     Session in English – Register here
  3. Tuesday May 4:       Session in Vietnamese – Register here
  4. Tuesday May 11:     Session in Korean – Register here
  5. Tuesday May 18:     Session in Arabic – Register here
  •  Sessions are subject to change or cancellation based on number of registrations

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Autism Awareness Month: "Being Au-some" Virtual Mini-Conference on April 20

In recognition of Autism Awareness Month, here is a chance to participate in the Autism Society of Northern Virginia’s free "Being Au-some" Virtual Mini-Conference. The conference will be held virtually on Tuesday, April 20, from 7-9 p.m. Participants will celebrate the #autism journey together with short and engaging sessions. Featured speakers include self-advocates, family members, and educators. Register in advance for this virtual event.


Scholarship Opportunities for Students Interested in the Performing Arts

Reston Community Players offer two scholarships for high school seniors who intend to study performing arts in college.  More information.


Recognitions

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 Autism Awareness Month

“In a world where you can be anything, be kind” is a statement associated with exhibiting kindness to people of all circumstances and abilities.

During Autism Awareness Month, which is recognized in April, the Autism Society of America promotes its “Celebrate Differences” Campaign.  This year, the Autism Society is formally shifting references of Autism Awareness Month to Autism Acceptance Month. They are doing so to promote change, have a greater understanding and acceptance of people with autism and encourage a kinder, more inclusive community.

“Autism, or autism spectrum disorder (ASD), refers to a broad range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech and nonverbal communication. According to the Centers for Disease Control, autism affects an estimated 1 in 54 children in the United States today.” AutismSpeaks.org

During Autism Acceptance Month, join in the Autism Society’s #CelebrateDifferences Campaign with kindness.  Read more about it here  


April Is Month of the Military Child; Purple Up Day Is April 21

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Military-connected youth face unique circumstances living the military lifestyle. By understanding the lifestyle of military-connected youth we can better meet their needs as they transition with their family members who serve our nation. Currently over 14,000 military-connected youth call FCPS home. Each year, our nation designates April as the Month of the Military Child to recognize and thank children from military families for the sacrifices they make living the military lifestyle. April 21 is Purple Up! day. All are encouraged to wear purple in recognition of the strength and sacrifices of military-connected youth.


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Arab American Heritage Month

National Arab American Heritage Month (NAAHM) is a time for celebrating the history, contributions, and culture of the diverse population of Arab Americans. For over a century, Arab Americans have been making valuable contributions to every aspect of American society—in medicine, law, business, technology, civic engagement, government, and culture. In the arts, Arab-American poet Kahlil Gibran’s masterpiece, “The Prophet”, was a transformative piece of literature, with over 100 translations, making it one of the most translated books in history and discusses topics of the human condition in the most eloquent of ways by highlighting inclusion and understanding of all peoples. Please see Governor Northam’s proclamation.


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