Federal Impact Aid Survey: Now Online
FCPS is asking all families to fill out a Federal Impact Aid Survey. To make it easier, the form is now available online in SIS ParentVUE.
Completing this form for each school-aged child in every household is important because information from this survey results in an additional $3 million in grants each year from the U.S. Department of Education. These funds are used to support all Fairfax County public schools and centers.
Once logged in to SIS ParentVUE, click “Online Packets” in the top right corner. Then, select “Federal Impact Aid Survey.” Get more information.
Need to Register for ParentVUE?
Learn how to activate your SISParentVUE account, so you can easily submit your survey. Find out how to get technical support for ParentVUE.
🎤 Our Schools, Our Future: Community Conversations

Join Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid for Our Schools, Our Future: A Community Conversation. Share your thoughts about FCPS and bring your questions to:
Pre-registration for a Community Conversation is not required but will help with planning. Childcare and interpretation services will be provided for all events based on staff availability.
Events are open to all. Find out about other opportunities to connect with Dr. Reid. Your voice matters!
Coursera Career Academy Student Pilot Program
The FCPS Student Pilot Program with Coursera is open for registration. The program is sponsored by our Department of Information Technology. It allows up to 1,000 FCPS high school students to access the full contents of the Coursera Career Academy, which offers more than 29 professional certificates from the world’s leading companies.
Through the program, students can explore popular digital jobs and career paths from marketing to data science, and learn from experts at leading companies, including Google.
Interested students should complete the Coursera Student Interest Form. Once it is submitted, their parent/guardian will be contacted for consent.
Please Note: Coursera courses are not recognized by the Virginia Department of Education as industry credentials and do not count toward high school graduation requirements. The pilot program has a limited number of licenses which are available on a first-come, first-serve basis.
If you have any questions, please contact Program Manager Scott Simmons at sfsimmons@fcps.edu.
💲 Virginia’s Sales Tax Holiday
Virginia’s three-day sales tax holiday starts Friday, October 20, and ends Sunday, October 22. During the sales tax holiday, you can buy qualifying school supplies, clothing, footwear, emergency preparedness items, and Energy Star™ and WaterSense™ products without paying sales tax. View the Sales Tax Holiday Guidelines for more information.
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🗳️ Calendar Update for March 5 Presidential Primary
The Fairfax Board of Elections has requested that schools be closed on Tuesday, March 5, to accommodate the administration of the 2024 presidential primary election.
March 5 will be a school holiday for students and a virtual School Planning Day. Central offices and school offices will remain open. SACC will remain open, as it does on other professional work days.
The Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Saves Lives: Call or Text 988
Information was recently posted to the Healthy Minds Blog on the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline and other resources for suicide prevention.
The Healthy Minds Blog shares information related to youth mental health and wellness. Articles include tips and strategies for increasing wellness and resiliency, as well as fostering success at home, at school, and in the community.
The Healthy Minds Blog is a collaborative project between Fairfax County Public Schools and the Prevention Unit of the Fairfax County Department of Neighborhood and Community Services. Subscribe to Healthy Minds and receive a quarterly digest of articles.
November Events Hosted by the Family Resource Center
The Family Resource Center (FRC) offers free webinars, confidential consultations, a lending library, and resources to help adults support the success of all students, including those with learning challenges, special needs, and disabilities. The FRC is hosting the following events in November:
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Sibshops: An Exciting, In-Person Workshop for Brothers and Sisters of Children with Special Needs, Monday, November 6, 9 a.m.-12 p.m., at Providence Community Center.
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SibTeen: An Exciting, In-Person Workshop for Brothers and Sisters of Children with Special Needs, Monday, November 6, 1-4 p.m., at Providence Community Center.
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Moving on to Life in the Community Resource Fair, Thursday, November 9, 6:30-8:30 p.m., at Annandale High School (Cafeteria).
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Coping Strategies for Anxiety, Depression, and Stress: Part Two (virtual), Friday, November 10, 10-11:30 a.m.
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Funcionamiento Ejecutivo - Ayudando a tus hijos con la organización, la regulación emocional , y la flexibilidad (presentado en español), Friday, November 17, 10-11:30 a.m.
Click the links above to register for the events. For more information, visit the Family Resource Center webpage.
News from our SAPS (Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist)
How to Prevent Substance Misuse
It’s true, teens are more likely to listen to peers rather than their parents, it is part of this stage in development. When a baby is born, the brain’s sole responsibility is focused on keeping them alive. As they grow into adolescence, finding their tribe becomes important. Think about your top three happiest memories up to this point in life. What were you doing? How did you feel? Who was there? Each of these memories was likely a shared experience with others. Likely you were laughing and smiling with loved ones, maybe food was involved. Now shift to think about your three worst memories. What was going on? How did you feel? Who was there? In each of these memories, you likely were alone or felt alone.
Substance use becomes a problem for some because they either are or feel alone. Connection is an important aspect in our everyday lives. Fairfax County’s “Three to Succeed” describes protective factors to help youth achieve their higher selves. If a child has at least three of these protective factors, they are more likely to succeed in life. They include: having high personal integrity, trusted adults to talk to, performing community service, participating in extracurricular activities, teacher recognition of effort and good work, and parents availability for help. What is noticed is that five of the six protective factors involve connection with someone else, and the first protective factor describes connection with self.
Helpful Resources:
Knowing the Signs: Substance Abuse & Today’s Youth
Adverse Childhood Experiences
Substance Use Prevention & Encouraging Healthy Brain Development
REVIVE Training for Opioid Overdoses
FCPS Substance Abuse Prevention Program
For general questions about the FCPS Substance Abuse Prevention Program, please contact the Office of Student Safety & Wellness at: (571) 423-4270 and be sure to follow us on Twitter at @FCPSSAPS.
For further information & support:
Ken Johnson
Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist
Kwjohnson@fcps.edu
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