Dear Sully District Families,
We have made it to December and there are lots of exciting things happening in our schools over the next two weeks before winter break!
The past month has been a busy one on the School Board. One of the most important jobs of the School Board is the development of our $3.4 billion budget. As Budget Committee Vice-Chair, I was happy to second the motion to kick off our budget planning season for the 2023-24 school year. The motion highlights the budget priorities that we want Dr. Reid to work on as she plans the budget she will present to the Board in January 2023. With this year’s strategic plan process underway, we are in a unique transition situation where we are developing our budget and strategic plan in parallel. At our Nov 15th Work Session, we discussed the Special Education Enhancement Plan to help inform our work to increase positive outcomes for students with disabilities. Details of this are in the newsletter below.
On November 19, I attended the World Day of Remembrance at Oakton HS to remember the 22 Fairfax County pedestrians who lost their lives in traffic events this year. Several of these victims were FCPS students we lost in these tragic and preventable events. The Board of Supervisors and the School Board are working together on safety precautions. In addition, we have reached out to our Richmond delegation to make sure we have the local authority to reduce speed limits near our schools during times of arrival and dismissal so that we can take a close look at improving everyone’s safety.
In the Sully District, I enjoyed visiting schools, many theater/athletic events and talking with families, principals, and staff about the issues that matter to them and the successes and challenges of this school year to help inform and guide my ongoing policy and budget work on the School Board.
Inside this month’s newsletter:
I also had the opportunity to attend the Virginia School Board Association meeting in November. As we work hard across Virginia to move forward from the pandemic, it is important to meet with other leaders in education to discuss best practices, proven, researched techniques and ideas.
Finally, it is National Computer Science Education week! Computer science is very important to the success of our students in a digital, inter-connected world and I am excited about expanding access and participation in CS for all our students to support their career and creative aspirations. More #CSEDWeek resources are provided below in this newsletter.
I look forward to seeing you and your students as I am out in the community. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if I can be helpful to your family in any way. Please see my December Office hours in the newsletter below if you would like to schedule time to meet with me.
Thank you for your support in keeping our students at the center of all that we do in FCPS!
In partnership,
Stella Pekarsky
"Take Your Legislator to School" with Delegate Irene Shin!
 Sully District School Visits with Delegate Irene Shin! Westfield High School & Oak Hill Elementary School.
November was Virginia School Board Association's (VSBA) "Take Your Legislator to School Month". It was my pleasure to take Delegate Irene Shin to Westfield High School (Virginia) and Oak Hill Elementary School. It was a joy to observe first hand how students are learning and engaging with the world in authentic ways! Thank you Principal DiBari and Principal DeVore for taking the time to showcase the amazing efforts of our teachers and staff in SPED, AART, Leadership, early literacy etc. and for sharing your insights into the many challenges that schools face especially with providing mental health resources for students and staffing shortages.
School Visits to Lees Corner, Union Mill and Deer Park Elementary Schools
 The 2nd quarter was off to a great start at Lees CornerElementary! I had the wonderful opportunity to observe how students are learning and engaging with the world around them in authentic ways. I am so appreciative of the efforts of our teachers, librarians, food, custodial and support staff who are all truly inspiring in their dedication to our students. Thank you Principal Sloan for taking the time to showcase all their work in SPED, AART, music, early literacy etc. and for your vision and leadership, and the countless hats you wear!
I was honored to participate in the Veterans Day celebrations at Deer Park Elementary where our students honored the service of the veterans who visited. Thank you to our military service men and women and the families who support them!
I enjoyed my visit to Union MillElementary and welcomed the opportunity to engage directly with students in the classroom! All of their projects and artwork are amazing! Thank you Principal Hawk for welcoming me into your school and giving me invaluable feedback to help inform my ongoing policy and budget work on the School Board.
Sully District Happenings
Outstanding Volunteer Awards for Sully District Students!
On Nov 14th, I was so pleased to present outstanding volunteer awards to our Sully District students from Centreville High School, Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology and surrounding schools for their amazing efforts on behalf of nonprofit PURE Youth Fairfax that empowers students in local communities to make meaningful contributions and experience the joy of giving. I loved listening to them speak about the causes they are passionate about and the drives they organized to support the community locally as well as internationally. So proud of our students! #thefutureisbright
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Rocky Run MS - Play is crucial for Middle Schoolers!
Shout out to Rocky Run Middle students featured in this news article! Last April, the school board voted to make the break mandatory for all the district’s middle schools, starting in 2022-23, after piloting a middle school recess break for the 2021-22 school year. I was so happy to have introduced this as a Forum topic along with my School Board colleague Dr. Anderson. I had been working alongside dedicated moms who believe unstructured time is crucial to academic success for years and it is rewarding to see it finally come to fruition! #unstructuredplay #outdoorrecess
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TJHSST Student-built, Coded and Designed Satellite headed to Space!
So proud of our students and their amazing accomplishments! Thomas Jefferson HS is heading into space! A TJHSST student-built, coded and designed satellite is scheduled to launch this week enroute to the International Space Station. This historic and impressive launch is the culmination of seven years of hard work for TJ Space, led by Robotics lab director Kristen Kucko. Read full article here.
#TJSpace #SpaceTech #exploration
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Constituent Meeting Hours in December
I have office hours set up to meet with Sully District constituents to discuss any questions or concerns you may have. Please use this Constituent sign-up sheet to register for slots and meeting info will be sent to you. I look forward to talking with you!
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Computer Science Education Week is Dec 5-11
 The week of December 5-11, 2022 is recognized as National Computer Science Education Week and it recognizes the transformative role of computing and the need to bolster computer science at all educational levels. Schools across the nation participate in numerous activities to promote computer science in the PreK-12 learning environment.
Latest numbers from US Bureau of Labor Statistics state that Computer and Information Technology Occupations are the fastest growing occupations and are projected to grow 15 percent from 2021 to 2031, much faster than the average for all occupations; this increase is expected to result in about 682,800 new jobs over the decade. The median annual wage for this group is also the highest median annual wage of all occupations.
In Fairfax County Public Schools, students participate in computer science learning experiences like the Hour of Code to inspire interest and excitement for continued computer science learning. Resources for CS Ed Week can be found below:
Dr. Reid's Academic Matters’ Updates
At the November 3 School Board meeting, a new feature was introduced called Academic Matters. During this portion of the Board meeting, updates will be provided on important academic topics.
November 3: National Assessment of Educational Progress Assessment
During the Academic Matters portion of the November 3 School Board meeting, Superintendent Reid talked about some common misconceptions concerning the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) assessment. The bottom line is that those results are not broken down within a state so we do not know how FCPS students performed and, more significantly, only 476 FCPS (1.8%) took the NAEP test. The Virginia NAEP results don’t give us much information about how our FCPS students are doing. Dr. Reid’s slides show that FCPS students continued to outperform the Virginia rates for SOLs, and outperform state, national, and global (where administered) in PISA, SAT and ACT exams. FCPS still has challenges and work to do and our amazing teachers are doing that work to serve our students. Watch the presentation on YouTube.
November 14: FCPS Innovative Assessment Practices
During the Academic Matters portion of the November 14 School Board meeting, Superintendent Reid discussed the innovative assessment practices happening in FCPS as part of our School Division of Innovation designation from the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE).
This recognition means that VDOE has approved a plan to improve student learning, educational performance, and college, career, and citizenship readiness skills. It positions FCPS as a state leader in innovative practices with the opportunity to impact statewide policy decisions. Watch Dr. Reid’s November 14 presentation.
An Elementary Perspective on Strategic Planning
 The success of our strategic planning process depends on our entire community being engaged. Watch as some of our amazing elementary students share their hopes and ideas for the future of schools. Also, stay tuned for information on upcoming opportunities to participate in the development of FCPS’ Strategic Plan.
For a more detailed overview, visit FCPS’ Strategic Planning webpage.
Proposed Process for Special Education Enhancement Plan
FCPS will be developing a Special Education Enhancement Plan to help inform our work to increase outcomes for students with disabilities. On November 15, FCPS staff shared their proposed process for developing the plan at a School Board work session. This process includes many opportunities for community feedback and collaboration from a diverse group of internal and external stakeholders such as FCPS parents/caregivers, students, employees, and content experts. View the presentation on YouTube. Get more information on BoardDocs.
Student Opportunities
One Water Art Contest
Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG) is joining regional water utilities to host its second annual art contest with the theme of protecting our source water. Local student artists in grades 9-12 can submit their art which captures the importance of protecting our local water sources. The submission deadline is Sunday, January 22, 2023. Learn more about the One Water Art Contest for high school students and submit your entry.
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Young American Creative Patriotic Arts Scholarship Competition
The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Auxiliary is sponsoring its annual Young American Creative Patriotic Art Contest. Students in grades 9-12 have the opportunity to participate in two competitions: a 2-dimensional competition and a 3-dimensional competition. More information may be found on the VFW Auxiliary website. The deadline to submit artwork is March 31, 2023.
Anyone interested in participating should contact the VFW organizers at bettinalawton@gmail.com or pattybortz@gmail.com no later than March 1, 2023.
NWF EcoLeaders Environmental Justice Badge
Fairfax Area Student “Shark Tank” Technology Challenge
The Fairfax Area 50+ Technology Committee is proud to announce the 7th Annual Fairfax Area Student “Shark Tank” Technology Challenge. The competition is open to all high school students in Fairfax County, Fairfax City and City of Falls Church. Students are challenged to develop an innovative device or app that will have a positive impact on the lives of older adults, adults with disabilities, or caregivers. Students are encouraged to be innovative and creative. Potential projects may be either a mobile app, web service, robotic, assistive device or any combination. Cash prizes will be awarded to the student winners by IntegrityOne Partners, the event sponsor. The deadline to complete and submit the Initial Project Proposal Form* is Monday, Dec. 12, 2022. Additional details here.
Mental Health Resources for Students and Parents
This month's theme: Do Good December
This month, we're encouraging you to carry out small acts of kindness.
Go to Action for Happiness for ideas to help you take action for a happier and kinder world.
Healthy Minds Podcast
Hear about how we are all handling uncertainty; get new ideas to help your child, friends and families feel better; and learn to help yourself feel stronger and more energized
Student Wellness: Tips and Strategies
Feeling super stressed? Worried about a friend's mental health—or your own? Get tips to help manage your emotions and see what to do if you are in crisis.
Mental Health and Resiliency
Helping students to manage stress, make better choices, and develop healthy habits.
FCPS Parent Resource Center
Staff is available by phone 703-204-3941 or email prc@fcps.edu to help! Offers free workshops, consultations, a lending library, and more to help adults support the success of all students, including those with learning challenges, special needs and disabilities.
Multicultural and Language Resources for Families
The Office of Family and School Partnerships would like to remind families of some of the resources available to them:
- Bilingual community liaisons support student registrars by providing families with information about school and community services offered in Fairfax County. Liaisons are available to help families speaking Spanish, Korean, and Arabic. Once registered at a school, families can contact their family liaison for assistance.
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Early literacy programs are available to Fairfax County residents for parents of children up to 5 years old. These programs help prepare children for school and build confidence in parents as their child’s first teacher. They also help parents become active partners in their child’s education. Programs are available in African-Heritage, Arabic, Spanish, and Korean.
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Parent Information Phone Lines are available in eight languages for parents who speak languages other than English.
- A Multilingual Family Podcast is produced by the offices of English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), Family and School Partnerships, and Professional Learning and Equity. It covers important information for parents in English, Spanish, Arabic, and Korean.
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ESOL services are available in Fairfax County for students as well as adults. Information on spring classes will be posted in March 2023.
Additional resources are available on the Family Engagement webpage.
Upcoming School Board Meetings
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Tuesday, December 13 at 11am - Work Session
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Thursday, December 15 at 6:00 p.m. - Recognitions: Virginia High School League Fall Championship Winners
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Thursday, December 15 at 7pm - Regular Meeting
Please note, times and topics are subject to change.
Visit the community participation webpage to sign up to speak at a regular meeting. Visit BoardDocs for more meeting logistics, agendas, and handouts.
Interested in School Board action items? Sign up to get an update on School Board votes the morning after the School Board meeting.
The work sessions and regular meetings will be broadcast live on Channel 99 (Verizon channel 11) and the FCPS website. Both will be recorded for future viewing and posted to the FCPS School Board YouTube channel.
New! For Spanish speakers, watch recorded School Board meetings or to watch live during the Regular Meetings on YouTube, you may visit the FCPS en Espanol YouTube channel or scan the QR code. |
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Contacting Me
To contact me, it is most helpful if you can please use the official School Board contact form. This form prioritizes emails to me from constituents, and helps me track communication so I can be sure you receive a response. If you are unsure of your county magisterial district, you can look that information up here.
Use this link to sign up for our Newsletters.
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.
© Fairfax County Public Schools, Fairfax County, Virginia
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