Hello, Springfield District!

I hope your Summer is going well and you are getting some downtime from the craziness of this year. I wanted to send a mini-newsletter to provide an opportunity to congratulate our Springfield District students and their families on so many amazing accomplishments this year. From sports, marketing, science Olympiad, FBLA, STEM, band and orchestra, rifle team, world languages, academic honors, art, and even historical markers, Springfield District students did AMAZING things this year! I am so proud to see all of these incredible accomplishments, especially in the midst of such a difficult year.

I’ve gotten several calls and emails from families who feel very let down by the ESY program this Summer. While I understand that even nationally we are experiencing extreme teacher shortages, I have reached out to Dr. Brabrand and team to share your experiences and my disappointment by the lack of clear and consistent communication and support. I have expressed the need to offer 3rd party solutions in the face of staffing issues. Please continue to reach out to me with any questions or concerns. To that end, I also look forward to the presentation at our July 13th work session of the interim report of the comprehensive audit of our Special Education programs.

I will also share that I have received numerous emails and calls expressing frustration, anger, disappointment, and sadness over recent comments made by my colleague, Ms. Omeish. I’m grateful to be able to have an opportunity to hear your concerns and thoughts. I understand that this has been hurtful to so many and allowed a space for hatred and antisemitism in our community, both in-person and online.

Many of you have reached out regarding the letters from the KKK and the death threat I recently received. I so appreciate your kindness and support. As you can imagine, my family has been shaken, but we are undeterred in doing the work that lies ahead.

I hope you get to make wonderful Summer memories in the coming weeks and come back ready and rested for the 2021-2022 school year on August 23rd!

All my very best, as always-

Laura Jane

This newsletter includes information on the following issues:

• Upcoming School Board Meetings
• Students and Staff Recognitions

Upcoming School Board Meetings

• July 13 at 11 am - Work Session: Student Rights & Responsibilities, FY 22 Office of the Auditor General (OAG) Risk Assessment and Audit Plan, and Audit: Comprehensive Special Education Review
• July 15 at 7 pm - Regular Meeting: School Board Organizational Meeting/New Chair, Advisory Committee Charges, FY22 OAG Risk Assessment and Annual Audit Plan, Joint Environmental Task Force (JET) Goals, ESSER III Funds Spending Plan, etc.

Regular meetings will be broadcast live on Channel 99 (Verizon channel 11) and the FCPS website. The meeting will be recorded for future viewing and posted to the FCPS School Board YouTube page.

Visit the citizen participation webpage to sign up to speak at a regular meeting. Visit BoardDocs for more meeting logistics, agendas, and handouts.

Take a bow Class of 2021!

It was such a pleasure to get to watch so many of our Springfield District students begin their journey beyond FCPS! We had an amazing time gathering and celebrating the incredible accomplishments of our students. I was honored to attend the Firefighter Academy, Key Center, Pulley Center, Early Identification Program, West Springfield HS, Chantilly HS, Lake Braddock SS, Robinson SS, South County HS, and Centreville HS, graduation ceremonies. Congratulations to all our 2021 graduates and their families! Please don’t be strangers! We love to hear from all of our alumni. 

Congratulations 2021 graduates!

Well Done FCPS' 2020-21 State Sports Champions and Runners-up!   Thousands of FCPS student-athletes who overcame obstacles, stops and starts, and closely adhered to many health and safety strategies throughout this year's fall sports season. In a year like no other, athletes faced a set of complex challenges. I am proud to recognize the following state champions and runners-up Team state champions: Centreville High School - Class 6 Boys Basketball Fairfax High School - Class 6 Girls Gymnastics Robinson Secondary School - Class 6 Wrestling South County High School - Class 5 Girls Soccer TJHSST - Class 5 Boys Swim/Dive Individual state champions: Centreville High School - Mac Cafure, Class 6 Wrestling, 120 pounds Centreville High School - Jake Crowder, Class 6 Wrestling, 138 pounds Chantilly High School - Matthew Bray - Class 6 Boys Swim/Dive, Diving Lake Braddock Secondary School - Varsity Men’s Crew 2nd 4 Robinson Secondary School - Tristan Corbin, Class 6 Wrestling, 126 pounds Robinson Secondary School - Joshua Pence, Class 6 Wrestling, 132 pounds South County High School - Katherine Helms, Class 6 Girls Swim/Dive, 200 Yard Freestyle West Springfield High School - Class 6 Boys Indoor Track, 4x800 Meter Relay West Springfield High School - Class 6 Girls Indoor Track, 4x800 Meter Relay West Springfield High School - Sean Coughlin, Class 6 Wrestling, 152 pounds Team state runners-up: Chantilly High School - Class 6 Cheer Lewis High School - Class 5 Boys Soccer West Springfield High School - Class 6 Boys Cross Country West Springfield High School - Class 6 Girls Cross Country South County High School - Class 6 Football and Class 6 Softball Individual runners-up: Fairfax High School - JV Men’s Crew 4 Lake Braddock Secondary School - Dustin Ha, Class 6 Boy’s Singles Tennis; Varsity Women’s Crew 1st 4 Robinson Secondary School - Womens’ Crew JR8, Mens’ Crew N-4 South County High School - Varsity Men’s Crew 1st 4 Woodson High School - Mens’ Crew 3-8, Women’s Crew 1-8

Wells Fargo Cup for Academics Winners Announced

First awarded in 1990, the Wells Fargo Cup represents 32 academic seasons of excellence, with six Cups awarded for academic activities and athletics in each of the Virginia High School Sports League’s (VHSL) six enrollment classifications.

A point system, based on overall performance in VHSL state championship competitions, determines the winners. In addition, schools earn academic activity points for outstanding participation in magazine, newsmagazine, newspaper, online news, yearbook, broadcasting, theatre, scholastic bowl, forensics, debate, creative writing, and film festival. Complete standings are attached.

For the five activities involving team champions — scholastic bowl, creative writing, debate, theatre, and forensics — points are awarded on the following basis: first place, 50; second place, 45; third place, 40; fourth place, 35; fifth place, 30; sixth place, 25; seventh place, 20; and eighth place, 15.

Scoring for publications is based on the ranking earned in the League’s evaluation service: Trophy Class, 35; First Place, 20; Second Place, 5.

TJHSST won their fifth Class 5 Wells Fargo Cup race since 2013 and Robinson Secondary School won their second-straight Class 6 Cup!  I commend these outstanding students and athletes!

Career and Technical Education (CTE) Students Receive Awards

Students enrolled in CTE courses participate in leadership training, community service activities, and competitive events each year to enhance their learning and build their skills. The Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) organization is connected to the business and information technology courses. Over 200 students were recognized at the Northern Regional Conference. Over 250 FCPS students were recognized at the regional Technology Student Association (TSA) conference, and over 160 students were recognized at the state conference. Over 80 students were recognized at the VA Health Occupation Student Association (HOSA) conference for students in Health and Medical Sciences courses. Lastly,  Springfield District students won medals at the Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) state competition.  

Many of the students recognized at the regional and state-level events earned a place at the next-level competition. From April through July, students will participate in state, national, and international virtual competitions and work with business and industry partners to continue their learning and demonstrate their skills. Students and teachers have faced unprecedented challenges, but have been learning, practicing their skills, and finding success in their CTE courses and connected co-curricular organizations.

Congratulations to the following FBLA Northern Regional Conference winners!

Centreville High School:

• Carson Siekierka - second place, Business Calculations

Fairfax High School:

• Angelina Tran - third place, Introduction to Business Communication

Lake Braddock Secondary School:

• Jenna Chanchu - first place, Publication Design

• Anwesha Chowdhury - first place, Computer Game & Simulation Programming
• Brooke Goodwin - second place, Introduction to Business

• Trisha Manohar - second place, Political Science and third-place, Public Service Announcement

• Ariana Marticio - second place, Introduction to Business Presentation

• Matthew Park - second place, Introduction to Business Presentation

• Maryam Rehmatulla - third place, Public Service Announcement

• Brianna Trouin - first place, Social Media Strategies

• Kyubin Oh - first place, Publication Design

• Michelle Wang - first place, Graphic Design

Robinson Secondary School:

• Spencer Bohn - first place, Business Ethics

• Sam Fisher - third place, Agribusiness

• Erin Jones - first place, Accounting I

• Caleb Novotny - second place, Business Law

South County High School:

• Tyler Boyer - third place, Coding & Programming

• Kelly Stockman - third place, Organizational Leadership

Congratulations to the following regional TSA conference winners!

Chantilly High School:

• Kara Barnes - sixth place, B-04 Board Game Design

• Yasmeen Elgayli - tenth place, B-09 Engineering CAD

• Rithwik Erabelly - second place, B-38 Transportation Modeling

• William Murphy - sixth place, B-04 Board Game Design

• Olivia Newsom - sixth place, B-04 Board Game Design

• Alex Pyo - first place, B-10 Computer Integrated Manufacturing

• Akhil Rachakonda - sixth place, B-04 Board Game Design

• Andrew Reynolds - sixth place, B-04 Board Game Design

• Shrinithi Sundararaman Velvizhi - sixth place, B-13 Debating Technological Issues

• Meghana Vasireddy - fourth place, B-09 Engineering CAD

TJHSST:

• Akshaya Chakravarty - second place, B-09 Engineering CAD; fifth place, B-10 Computer Integrated Manufacturing; seventh place, B-08 Architectural CAD 

Congratulations to the following state TSA conference winners!

Chantilly High School:

• Yasmeen Elgayli - tenth place, B-34 Structural Engineering and Design

• Rithwik Erabelly - first place, B-31 SciVis; third place, B-38 Transportation Modeling; eighth place, B-14 Digital Video Production; 

• Alex Pyo - first place, B-10 Computer Integrated Manufacturing; first place, B-31 SciVis; fourth place, B-36 Technology Bowl; eighth place, B-14 Digital Video Production; 

• Shrinithi Sundararaman Velvizhi - tenth place, B-34 Structural Engineering and Design

• Meghana Vasireddy - third place, B-21 Forensic Science and eighth place, B-18 Extemporaneous Presentation

TJHSST:

• Akshaya Chakravarty - second place, B-31 SciVis and seventh place, B-09 Engineering CAD

Congratulations to the following regional TJHSST HOSA conference winners!

Health Science Events:

• Neha Asuri - fourth place, Medical Spelling
• Vani Gupta - first place, Pharmacology and third place, Nutrition
• Amruta Rajeev - second place, Pathophysiology

Health Professions Events:

• Shahzad Sohail - first place, Clinical Nursing

Emergency Preparedness Events:

• Neha Asuri - second place, CERT Skills

• Katherine Kosolapova - third place, Public Health

• Ryan Park - fifth place, EMT

Teamwork Events:

• Katherine Kosolapova - first place, Forensic Science

Congratulations to the following state FCCLA conference winners!

Event Management Level 1:

• South County Middle School, Alanna Jones - gold medal and first place, Family and Consumer Sciences 2

Sports Nutrition Level 1:

• South County Middle School, Megan Jones - gold medal and first place, Family and Consumer Sciences 2

Power of One Completers:

• South County Middle School, Alanna and Megan Jones - gold medal and first place, Family and Consumer Sciences 2

South County Middle School was also recognized for the Chapter Public Relations Award, Families First National Program Award, StandUp National Program Award, and Advisor Mentor Award.  Good job Family and Consumer Sciences teacher Heather Jones!

Fairfax High School was recognized for Chapter Service Project Display, Level 2.

DECA Members Earned High Honors at Virtual International Career Development Conference (ICDC)

During the DECA International Career Development Conference in April, DECA members presented case study solutions and presentations through recorded videos, with the top 20 competitors earning the opportunity to deliver a final presentation in a virtual meeting with a business professional.

Nearly 13,000 DECA members competed during the virtual conference, representing the best-of-the-best from association conferences that qualified them to attend this elite group of competitors. These DECA members above are part of 15% of competitors who earned an international medallion for their excellence on an exam or presentation or as an overall finalist.

Way to go DECA members receiving recognition at the international level!

Chantilly High School:

•  Samarra Pack  - Top 11, Role Play 1, Automotive Services Marketing

Fairfax High School:

• Disha Kiran - Top 15, Role Play 1, Business Services Marketing

Lake Braddock Secondary School:

• Rachel Pritz - Top 13, Test, Personal Finance Literacy

• Marisa Lewis - 5th Place Overall, Marketing Management Team Decision Making

South County High School: 

• Max Borenstein - finalist, Role Play 1, Sports and Entertainment Marketing

West Springfield High School:

• Lauren Dalrymple - Top 13, Test, Apparel and Accessories Marketing

• Anna Pester - Top 12, Role Play 1, Food Marketing Series

Students Receive Scholarships from FCPS Hispanic Leadership Alliance The Hispanic Leadership Alliance—a certified employee group of Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) employees—presented scholarships to 21 students in May. Scholarship recipients were recognized for leadership and mentoring skills in their educational and social activities. Candidates are committed to furthering their education while improving their communities. Each of the applicants will be the first in their families to attend a postsecondary institution. Commendations to the following Springfield District students: Lake Braddock Secondary School - Henry Ruano, Keith Buchanan Memorial Scholarship West Springfield High School - Shamarelly Sánchez, West Springfield High School Hispanic Student Association-Hispanic Leadership Alliance Scholarship

Students Selected for 2021 All-Virginia Band, Chorus, and Orchestra One hundred eighty-five students from Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) high schools were named to the 2021 All-Virginia Band, Chorus, and Orchestra. Students from throughout Virginia went through a rigorous audition process to compete for spots in the band, chorus, and orchestra. Students selected for these ensembles rehearsed virtually with nationally recognized expert conductors and held a combined virtual performance in May. Nicely done Springfield District music stars! Band  Centreville High School - Matthew Yang Chantilly High School - David Kang TJHSST -  Katie-May Kretzer West Springfield High School - Rachel Burkhalther, Andrew Egerstrom, Nash English, Isaac Ermarth, Krista Gregg, and Jenna Hoffman  Chorus Fairfax High School - Abril Tello Cornejo  Lake Braddock Secondary School - Ally Harbourt and Savannah Raeder West Springfield High School - Holden Brown, Jonathan Peterson, and Joseph Triolo Orchestra Fairfax High School - Elizabeth Choi and Ian Lee West Springfield High School - Jaelyn Do

Cheers to Chantilly Academy AFJROTC Cadet Andrew Park of Centreville High School who earned 2nd-place in Element Unarmed Regulation during the virtual Randolph-Macon Academy’s Yellow Jacket Drill Competition. The event included over 40 schools from around the country & the world!

Congratulations to the Chantilly High School student media program for being recognized by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. Odyssey, The Knightly News, The Purple Tide, and Andromeda received the Journalism Education Association First Amendment Press Freedom Award for the seventh consecutive year. The Chantilly High School Debate team who won the state championship! Way to go!  Compliments to Chantilly High School’s Model United Nations for receiving the Best Small Delegation Award at the TECHMUN XXVIII (Thomas Jefferson). In addition, individual awards went to Mahikia Sharma who won the Social Humanitarian and Cultural award (Indonesia) & Alexander Doresey who won the Special Political and Decolonization award (Indonesia). Chantilly High School’s Lindsey Lim who completed a year participating in The Global Leaders of Fairfax County program.  The program aims to prepare fellows to be global citizens and change agents in their local community and the world. Fellows have opportunities to engage with leaders from various fields to advance their understanding of international affairs and global issues. Way to go Lindsey! Shout out to Chantilly High School Band’s Javier Ralat de Hoyos, who was 1 of 22 students selected nationwide as Lift Award Recipients.  Lift Awards are sponsored by the Lift Music Foundation, a non-profit organization that recognizes and celebrates the potential, hard work, and passion of Black, Indigenous, and/or People of Color (BIPOC) students ages 11-22 across the United States.  The grant won by Javier will provide funds for him to purchase new musical equipment and further his musical endeavors!

Huge congrats to Lidya Demilew, of Lake Braddock Secondary School, who has been named a Coca-Cola Scholar. She is one of 150 incredible young people who are creating positive change in their communities and around the world and will receive a $20,000 college scholarship.  Lidya found her passion for science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) through her work with the STEM Impressionists Program starting in 8th grade. Next year, she will be attending Yale University to study computer science and continue her work shaping the role of women of color in technology. You are a rock star Lidya! Lake Braddock Bruin Rifle team member Clara Tranchemontagne will compete in air rifle in USA Shooting's Junior Olympics.  Amazing job Clara! Kudos to the members of Lake Braddock Middle School’s Odyssey of the Mind teams for their winnings at the Virginia State Tournament and World Finals The combined Lake Braddock/TJHSST/Homeschool 7th/8th/9th/10th-grade team was one of only two Virginia schools in their division to compete at Odyssey of the Mind's 2021 Virtual World Finals, after already taking second place overall in their division at the Virginia state tournament and tying for the 3rd highest raw score for spontaneous problem solving out of every team in every problem and division competing.  The team's Lake Braddock members included Springfield District’s Evan Adams and Ella Ridgway. The combined Lake Braddock/West Springfield/TJHSST's 9th-grade team was also one of only two Virginia schools in their division to compete at Odyssey of the Mind's 2021 Virtual World Finals, after taking third place overall and first place in spontaneous problem-solving in their division at the Virginia state tournament.  The team's Lake Braddock members were Jonathan Barnard, Casey Chen, and Tyler Huang. Lake Braddock's 7th/8th-grade team was again one of only two Virginia schools in their division to compete at Odyssey of the Mind's 2021 Virtual World Finals, after already taking second place overall and first place in spontaneous problem-solving in their division at the Virginia state tournament (and this was an entirely new team with both new coaches and members).  The team's members included Grace Sanchez and Jenna Nelson.

Mount Vernon High School’s Film Festival Team made it to the state finals for the first time in its brief 4 year history (3 years because COVID canceled everything last year)! Filmmakers from across the Commonwealth submitted 73 films from 28 schools to the VHSL State Film Festival, and 39 have been designated Official Selections and were honored with an online screening and awards presentation on June 5.  Contact Sabra Devers (sddevers@fcps.edu) for more information. Follow them on Instagram @FILM_MVHS and Twitter @MVHS_Film for updates and reminders. Cheers to the Mount Vernon High School Drill and Color Guard Teams for their outstanding performance and 3rd place finish in the South Lakes HS JROTC Drill Meet in May!

Thirteen Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) students were awarded 2021 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. I applaud Kristen Heller of TJHSST for winning the National Merit Leidos, Inc. Scholarship for computer science. Five Fairfax County Public Schools students have earned the title of National Cyber Scholar after winning a rigorous 48-hour competition designed to evaluate aptitude in combating cyber threats and showcase the best of what Commonwealth of Virginia schools have to offer. An additional student was named as a finalist. Shout out to Springfield District’s Lauren Delwiche of TJHSST who was named a scholar! The National Cyber Scholars each won a $2,500 scholarship and an invitation to participate in the Cyber Foundations Academy, a multi-week training and certification course. Shout out to the TJHSST Varsity History Bowl team for capturing the runner-up trophy at the National History Bee & Bowl Championship! The team upset the #3 seed to reach the semifinals and earned another dramatic win against the #2 seed to reach the finals. The TJHSST Ocean Bowl team competed virtually in the National Finals of the National Ocean Sciences Bowl, where they placed in the top 12 out of over 100 teams nationwide. Additionally, the team won the Science Experts Briefing competition by making recommendations on a proposed bill to organize an international Arctic Seaway Effort. Way to go! The TJHSST Chess team competed in the 2021 virtual Virginia Scholastic Chess Championships (states) and the 2021 K-12 National Online Scholastic Championships (nationals).   States this year occurred in four phases: three Grade State Qualifying Tournaments (GSQTs), which was vir­tual, and one State Scholastic Invitational Tournament (SSIT), which was in person. Only the GSQTs counted towards team placements.  TJ placed first, continuing their winning streak as the top team in Virginia for over 20 straight years. Congratulations! The Nationals qualification tournament was held virtually in April. It was an 8-game event with rapid time control, which meant players had less time than usual to make each move. TJ finished 2nd overall with 22.5 team points, only half a point behind the first-place team.

Way to go to the Woodson Precisionettes Dance Team who placed 11th in the Nation at the UDA National Dance Team Championship for Large Varsity Game Day routine! This team achieved amazing success in a challenging year with limited practice time.

Raghav Karthikeyan and the Rocky Run Middle School (RRMS) Science Bowl team performed very well in the National Science Bowl competition, placing 6th amongst 569 teams!  As a result of their work, RRMS has received $2750 from the Department of Energy in recognition. Way to go!

Kings Glen Elementary School Students and Staff Making History, One Marker at a Time During a meeting of the Kings Glen Elementary School History Hunters and History Makers Club, young members shared their disbelief as they uncovered the lives of remarkable Virginians whose stories, they felt, deserved much greater recognition. Step forward Maura Keaney, Kings Glen’s school-based technology specialist, resident history buff and founder of the after-school club for fourth, fifth and sixth graders. Ms. Keaney, who has been with FCPS for ten years, is on a mission to shine a light on the lives of those extraordinary characters in our state’s past that have been either overlooked or misrepresented. In April, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam paid tribute to the FCPS school’s time-traveling detective work, resulting in the announcement of new historical roadside markers across our state. Out of five markers up for grabs in the Black History Month Historical Marker Contest in 2021, the Kings Glen students’ suggestions were chosen for three of them. Valia Anderson was one of the students that nominated the Newbys, writing separate marker nominations for Dangerfield Newby and his wife Harriet Newby.   Read the news release and be sure to read The Washington Post article highlighting our Kings Glen students!

Historic Roadside Marker Named By Laurel Ridge Elementary School Students Unveiled on Juneteenth Drive by the Mount Vernon Estate these days and you will spot a new historic roadside marker dedicated to the life of Ona Judge, a woman enslaved at both the Virginia and Philadelphia homes of George Washington. Thanks to the historical detective work of a group of fourth-graders at Laurel Ridge Elementary School, the woman who eventually ran away from the president and his wife, Martha, is now recognized outside the plantation where she was held. On Juneteenth, a crowd of over 200 gathered to see the official unveiling.  Maura Keaney, nearby Kings Glen Elementary’s school-based technology specialist, collaborated with 4th-grade teachers Stacy Gernatt, Megan Toland, Lesliean Luna, Carolina Bermudez, and Lindsay Wheeler on blended learning strategies to infuse more student voice and choice into Virginia Studies, including running a year-long History Hunters scavenger hunt, for which students studied Virginia historical Highway markers.  Students examined historical events in Virginia history, noticing whose perspectives were told and whose might be missing Read the full news release.

Hats off to Newington Forest Student who Offered Help to Peers Experiencing Anxiety After experiencing significant anxiety and getting needed support, one Newington Forest Elementary School student (who has wished to remain anonymous) decided that she did not want anyone else to go through the same struggles. So...she decided to find a way to help her peers. This student raised money and created 20 wellness baskets to foster positive mental and physical health. The baskets contained items that helped this student deal with anxiety and included a personal letter sharing her story with tips she has learned to cope with worrying thoughts. The baskets were provided to some students at Newington Forest having difficulties with anxiety. They provided comfort to these students while creating excitement for learning ways to get through tough times.  Read this student’s inspirational letter to her peers.

A round of applause to Katherine Johnson Middle School renaming essay winners from Willow Springs Elementary School who read part of their speeches at the ceremony. Great job kindergartener Natalie Smart, 3rd-grader Charlotte Smart, and 6th-grader Vedanti Dilawri!

Congratulations to Penny Gros, new Region 4 Assistant Superintendent! I am pleased to share that the Fairfax County School Board has approved the appointment of Penny Gros, who most recently served as executive principal in Region 2, as the new Assistant Superintendent for Region 4, effective July 1. Ms. Gros replaces Mr. Jay Pearson, who recently retired. Penny has more than 20 years of experience as an educator at the elementary, middle, and high school levels,” said Dr. Brabrand.  “She is also a military spouse who understands the challenges presented for the many military-connected youth and families who live in Region 4. She expresses a strong belief that every student deserves the access and opportunity to attain the highest quality education possible.” As Assistant Superintendent for Region 4, Ms. Gros will be responsible for student achievement, assessment, and the hiring of principals in the Centreville, Lake Braddock, Robinson, South County, and West Springfield pyramids. Read the full news release.

Dr. Amy Goodloe and Mr. Howard Brewer Named 2021 Washington Post Principal and Teacher of the Year Finalists!

Shout out to Dr. Amy Goodloe, principal of Rocky Run Middle School, and Mr. Howard Brewer, teacher at Alexandria’s Transition Support Resource Center for being named finalists for The Washington Post Principal and Teacher of the Year! Each of the finalists was chosen by the respective local school system, the D.C. Public Charter School Board, or a panel of educators and community leaders with expertise in the private school community.

Dr. Goodloe represents the administrative qualities that we esteem in Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS).  By inspiring and working collaboratively with staff, developing positive relationships with students, maintaining open communication with parents and guardians, and providing innovative and creative ideas she instills a caring culture and a sense of community and purpose.  I am so pleased with the work Dr. Goodloe is doing at Rocky Run, and recognize the powerful impact she is having on her community. 

By demonstrating a devotion to his families and students, Mr. Brewer acts as a supportive, engaged, and attentive leader. Serving as a mentor and role model to at-risk students, developing strong relationships with them, providing a wealth of information for programs benefiting students currently and beyond, having a pulse on the community, and maintaining open communication with parents, guardians, and social workers, he to instills a caring culture, a sense that everyone has value, and the belief that it’s never too late to start anew.  Mr. Brewer believes in these youth when they may not believe in themselves.  I am so pleased with the work he is doing at TSRC Alexandria, and recognize the powerful impact he is having on students.

The positive effect Dr. Goodloe and Mr. Brewer have on students are invaluable, and I am proud of their roles in ensuring that all students possess an opportunity for success.

Read The Washington Post article.

FCPS Honors Ceremony Recognizes 2021 Outstanding Employees

On June 9, FCPS honored its 2021 Outstanding Employees at an event held at Jiffy Lube Live.

The awards, sponsored by the Department of Human Resources, recognized more than 700 employees in both instructional and operational roles. This year, 74 finalists, representing twelve categories, were recognized in the exciting awards ceremony. Learn more about what makes these winners special. View All 74 Nominees.

Congratulations to the winners of this year's awards:

• Outstanding Elementary School Teacher: David Worst, physical education teacher, Rose Hill Elementary School
• Outstanding Secondary School Teacher: Jenny Hay, English teacher, Irving Middle School
• Outstanding New Elementary School Teacher, Amelia Kirsten Carr, kindergarten teacher, Bucknell Elementary School
• Outstanding New Secondary School Teacher, Melissa Duluc, Spanish teacher, McLean High School
• Outstanding Principal, Lindsay Trout, principal, Terraset Elementary School
• Outstanding New Principal, Alfonso Smith, principal, Lewis High School
• Outstanding Operational Employee, Wanda Talford, instructional assistant, Burke School
• Outstanding Non-School-Based Operational Employee, Maria Miller, multilingual registrar, Dunn Loring Center
• Outstanding Professional Employee, Margaret Sisler, school-based technology specialist, Westfield High School
• Outstanding Non-School-Based Professional Employee, Christopher Daniels, transportation operations manager, Lorton Center
• Outstanding School-Based Leader, Kathryn Crump Teague, Director, Student Services, Katherine Johnson Middle School
• Outstanding Non-School-Based Leaders (Two winners), Tracey Jewell, director, Information Technology Support Services, Sprague Technology Center; and Maria Perrone, director III, Food and Nutrition Services, Energy Zone Food Services Center, Financial Services.

Twenty-One Teachers Achieve or Renew National Board Certification

Twenty-one Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) teachers achieved or renewed certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) in 2020. 

Eleven teachers are newly certified by NBPTS: Julianne Braden, (Laurel Hill Elementary School), Megan Rutanen (Olde Creek Elementary School), Allison Cormier (Laurel Hill Elementary School), Jennifer Forney (Woodson High School), Corey Haynes (Justice High School), Krista Gallagher (Lake Braddock Secondary School), Lauren Kinne (Woodson High School), Alaina Taylor (Hayfield Elementary School), Megan Stanley (Cooper Middle School), and Marissa Troiano-Yang (Lemon Road Elementary School).

The following board-certified teachers have renewed their board certification for an additional ten years: Faiza Alam (Lanier Middle School), Whitney Bailey (West Potomac High School), Megan Balduf (Frost Middle School), Mark Bolt (Carson Middle School), Barbara Caley (Robinson Secondary School), Kimberly Belknap (Herndon High School), Meaghan Dobson (Bryant High School), Mark Erich Holzshu (Jackson Middle School), Tara Sanz (Glasgow Middle School), and Andrew Scudder (Longfellow Middle School).  

Read more about the certification process.

FCPS Foundation Announces Grant Award Winners

Seventy-three educators were selected to receive grant funding for their innovative, creative proposals for the next school year. The Foundation’s Grant program launched in spring 2018 to support work-based learning and career exploration for all students in K-12. This year’s grants focused on a strong “Return to School” following the pandemic. Funded projects will enhance learning around literacy or math skill recovery, continuity of curriculum, or social-emotional learning for all students. Grant awards range from $400 to $1,500, and the amount distributed totals over $96,000. Projects will be implemented throughout the 2021-22 school year.  Find out more about the grant awards on the Foundation's website. 

Recognitions to the following schools!

Alternative Schools: 

• Burke School

Elementary Schools: 

• Powell

• Fairfax Villa

• Greenbriar East

• Newington Forest 

• Orange Hunt

• Ravensworth

• Rolling Valley

• Sangster

• Saratoga

• Union Mill

Middle Schools:

• Key

• Liberty

• Rocky Run

• South County

Secondary Schools:

• Lake Braddock

• Robinson

High Schools:

• Centreville

• Lewis

• Mount Vernon

Six School Counseling Programs Awarded 2021 RAMP Designation

Six Fairfax County Public Schools school counseling programs have been recognized by the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) as model programs and were awarded the Recognized ASCA Model Program (RAMP) designation for 2021 for successfully demonstrating how their comprehensive school counseling programs benefit all students. 

Springfield District school counseling programs that received the RAMP designation are Fairfax High School, the middle school program at Lake Braddock Secondary School, and Rocky Run Middle School.

Learn more about the RAMP designation.

Kudos to Fairfax High School English teacher Daniel Miller was named an Edthena 2021 Teacher Leader Impact Award winner. The Teacher Leader Impact Awards recognize the outstanding achievements of teacher leaders nationwide. All nine of the honored educators were nominated by an administrator in their district to make a measurable impact on others and create positive lasting change.   “Daniel is a lead teacher by nature and creates a learning ecosystem that is second to none. I have never seen anybody who creates community while at the same time topping the charts on test scores,” noted a Fairfax County Public School System administrator in the nomination of Daniel Miller. “There is no doubt he leads with inclusion, equity, and opportunity at the core and that is transformational.”

Jordan Black, Special Education teacher and Equity Lead at Woodson High School, spoke with Dr. Selma Bartholomew, President of Partner with LegacyEd, about the pandemic’s impact on special education learners and equity.  Legacy Pathways partners with districts, schools, and organizations to create equitable and socially just learning communities where each and every child thrives.  The conversation centered around how to support our diverse learners and their families during this unprecedented time and specific ways to support and foster culturally proficient and equitable learning environments.

Congratulations to 2021 the FCPS Cox Education Hero!

Tara Purdham, learning disabilities teacher at Key Middle School, has been selected as 2021 Cox Education Heroes. They were nominated by the community and Cox employees selected them for going above and beyond this year to support their students. Purdham and Bennett were awarded $1,000 classroom makeovers. Cheers, Ms. Purdham!

Rocky Run MS Recognized as a Common Sense School  Common Sense, the national nonprofit organization dedicated to helping kids and families thrive in a world of media and technology, has recognized Rocky Run Middle School as a Common Sense School. Read more here.

The views contained within this newsletter reflect the views of the individual school board member who is the publisher of this newsletter and may not reflect the views of the Fairfax County School Board.

© 2020 Fairfax County Public Schools, Fairfax County, Virginia

E-mail: Laura Jane Cohen  |  Phone: 571-423-1080

Stephanie Sheridan, Executive Admin Assistant,
571-423-1065, srsheridan@fcps.edu