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.يرجى زيارة موقعنا الألكتروني لقراءة هذه النشرة الإخبارية بلغات أخرى
Dear Fairfax Students, Staff and Families,
I hope you are staying warm and are excited for winter break! This is my last newsletter as an At-Large School Board member representing the entire county. Beginning January 1, 2024, I will be serving as the magisterial School Board member for the Braddock District. It has been an honor to serve as an At-Large member of the Fairfax County School Board. I have appreciated getting to know people and schools around the county and being able to take a whole-county perspective to my work.
My commitment to all of the county’s students, families, and staff remains as strong as ever, and I’m thrilled to return to the board to represent Braddock District, my home for over two decades. Please know I am here to represent all my constituents, regardless of who they voted for, so don’t hesitate to reach out if I can be of service or to share thoughts. I am honored to continue the work of strengthening our public schools so students can learn all the skills they need to become the leaders, creators, and innovators of tomorrow.
I am grateful to Megan McLaughlin, currently serving as the Braddock District School Board Member, for her 12 years of service. She deserves our deep gratitude for her incredible hard work and her dedication to the students and staff of Fairfax County Public Schools and to the residents of Braddock District. I wish her well in retirement and am glad to know she’s just a phone call away.
Beginning in January, my newsletter will only be sent to Braddock District residents. If you live outside the Braddock District and are interested in continuing to receive my newsletter, please add it to your subscriber preferences.
As a reminder, winter break will be held Monday, December 18 - Monday, January 1. I wish you the best for a wonderful holiday season and a happy and healthy new year! I thank all our teachers, staff, students, and families for their hard work this fall and I hope everyone has a joyful and restful winter break.
Warmest regards,
Rachna
Below you will find:
School Board Updates
McLean Area Elementary School Boundary Adjustment
At the December 4 Regular Meeting, the School Board approved a boundary adjustment for five elementary schools and two Advanced Academic Program Level IV Centers. The adjustment was made to provide capacity relief to Kent Gardens ES. This will reassign students from Kent Gardens ES to Franklin Sherman ES and Haycock ES; from Franklin Sherman ES to Chesterbrook ES; and from Franklin Sherman ES to Churchill Road ES. The AAP boundaries for Churchill Road ES and Haycock ES will also be adjusted to remain consistent with the feeder school boundaries. The boundary change will affect an estimated 380 students at the elementary school level. The approved boundary adjustment will not change the middle or high school boundaries. The adjustment includes a phasing plan. Learn more about the boundary adjustment.
2024 Fairfax County School Board State and Federal Legislative Program
The School Board annually adopts a legislative program and legislative priorities to inform local, state, and federal public officials and others of its positions on legislative policy and budget issues of potential importance to Fairfax County Public Schools students, teachers, staff, parents, and the broader Fairfax community. The program contains the School Board’s positions on state and federal issues of both current and ongoing significance and facilitates Board input to policymakers as they debate various policy options, sharing the possible programmatic and financial impacts of legislative and policy actions. At the December 4 Regular Meeting, the School Board voted to adopt the 2024 Fairfax County School Board State and Federal Legislative Program.
Reports on Employee Separation
The School Board voted to approve a direction to the Superintendent to revise the Monthly Report on Employee Separation and the associated attachment to present disaggregated data in context to include subgroup percentages. Additionally, on a quarterly basis, the Superintendent will provide operational impacts; impacts by FCPS schools and regions; trends and analyses; and potential strategies to address findings, if applicable.
Strategic Plan Goal 3 Report: Academic Growth and Excellence
The School Board held a Work Session on November 14 to review and discuss baseline data for Strategic Plan Goal 3 - Academic Growth and Excellence. At the December 4 Regular Meeting, the School Board voted to approve the Goal 3 Baseline Report as the division's baseline data that will serve as a starting point for the work toward achieving the goals in our Strategic Plan 2023-30. See the presentation and the report.
Results of the 2022-23 Fairfax County Youth Survey
At the December 4 School Board meeting, Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid presented findings of the Fairfax County Youth Survey during Academic Matters. The survey provides insight into the behaviors and attitudes that affect the health and well-being of Fairfax County youth.
The percentage of students who reported considering or attempting suicide were at their lowest rates since 2015, as were the reported rates of alcohol and substance use.
Dr. Reid stressed how the Youth Survey isn't just a snapshot of how students are doing, it also serves as a barometer for the efficacy of our programs and how well FCPS and the community are serving our youth.
Read more about the report’s findings, and view the full report on the county’s website.
Upcoming School Board Meetings
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Thursday, December 14, 7:30 pm - Regular Meeting: FY24 Midyear Budget Review; Strategic Plan Goal 1 Report Vote; Proclamations for Departing School Board Members
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Tuesday, January 9, 10:30 am - Work Session
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Thursday, January 11, 7:30 pm - Regular Meeting
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Thursday, January 18, 6 pm - Capital Improvement Program Public Hearing
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Thursday, January 25, 7:30 pm - Regular Meeting
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Tuesday, January 30, 10 am - Work Session
Please note that times and topics are subject to change.
The work sessions and regular meetings are broadcast live on Channel 99 (Verizon channel 11) and the FCPS website. Both are recorded for future viewing and posted to the FCPS School Board YouTube channel.
For Spanish speakers, to watch recorded School Board meetings, or live during regular meetings, visit the FCPS en Espanol YouTube channel.
Visit the community participation webpage to sign up to speak at a regular meeting. Visit BoardDocs for more meeting logistics, agendas, and handouts.
FCPS News
2024 Gap Year Fair
FCPS School Counseling Services and Go Overseas will co-host the annual FCPS Gap Year Fair on Tuesday, January 30, 6-8:30 p.m., at Marshall High School. This event is for high school students and their families, who are interested in learning about increasing opportunities for the year following high school graduation. Students should register at USA Gap Year Fairs.
Twilight Program
FCPS’ Twilight Program provides instruction outside of traditional school hours for students in need of rapid credit recovery and accrual in order to meet requirements for high school graduation or promotion. During the initial pilot program across six schools and centers in the 2022-23 school year, 78% of the 94 enrolled students met the requirements for graduation/promotion. Read more about the success of the Twilight Program.
Snow Days This Winter
For the current school year, FCPS will be returning to its previous procedure for snow days — there will be no virtual learning days when school is closed due to bad weather.
During snow days, students may still access Tutor.com, complete any supplemental learning opportunities recommended by their teachers, and view educational programming (available virtually and on public access television channels):
Eleven snow days are built into the existing FCPS calendar. Eliminating virtual learning days will allow us to maximize students’ in-person learning and provide equitable access to instruction and student services.
Keep Learning Over Winter Break with Tutor.com
Does your child need help getting up to speed in high school math, science, or English? Tutor.com offers diagnostic quizzes to help students test their knowledge and find areas where they may need help. Quizzes can be taken anytime, and students can connect immediately to a tutor.
Test prep is also available for students preparing for the PSAT, SAT, or ACT.
FCPS students have unlimited access, 24/7, to online tutoring support services through Tutor.com at no cost to families. Students can connect online any time, any place, and in most K-12 subjects for however long they need.
No-Cost Mental Health Teletherapy for All High School Students
Is your high schooler experiencing anxiety, behavior changes, or challenges with peer and family relationships? If so, parents/caregivers can refer their children for weekly therapy with a licensed therapist through Hazel Health. Visit the Teletherapy webpage for information on how to opt your child in to this service.
Community Resources
Cozy Up With Books Over Break
 Fairfax County Public Library’s (FCPL) winter reading adventure has begun and will continue through Wednesday, January 31, 2024. Visit your local FCPL library branch or visit their website to register and get a sneak peek at the prizes being offered.
Check out their Winter Reading Events webpage to learn about laser tag, movie nights, crafting sessions, book discussions, and more.
Get Outdoors for Winter Fun!
The Fairfax County Park Authority has rounded up their seasonal fun into a handy list of events happening across the county.
Learn more about the Winter Wonderland and the Holiday Train at Burke Lake Park, Holiday on the Farm at Frying Pan Farm Park, Candy Cane Lane at Oak Marr Mini Golf, and many more fun events.
Food Insecurity Resources for Families
Food insecurity impacts more than 60,000 Fairfax County residents. There are many resources available to support those who need food assistance. Find out how to receive or offer support on the Fairfax County website or view their Human Services Resource Guide to find organizations that offer help.
Good News - Student and Staff Successes
Librarian of the Year
Congratulations to Rachel Grover, librarian at Rocky Run Middle School for being named Librarian of the Year by the Virginia Association of School Librarians (VAASL). Read more about the great work she has done. Three other FCPS librarians were also honored at the VAASL conference: Katie Bruechert, Thoreau Middle School, Rutherford Memorial Award; Heather Baucum, Crossfield Elementary School, Ignite Award; and Maura Madigan, North Springfield Elementary School, AASL Presentation Award.
McLean HS Supports Student and Family
After the McLean HS PTA highlighted a family in need that was threatened with eviction from their home, McLean HS families donated enough funds to allow the family to stay in their home through June and allow the student to stop working two jobs in addition to attending school. See the story.
Congratulations to Our 2023 Fall Sports Champions
Congratulations to all the FCPS student-athletes who participated in the 2023 fall sports season! This year, three teams and four individuals won the Virginia High School League Class 6 championship in their respective sports, and three teams and one individual were the state runners-up. Read the full list of winners.
Quick Links
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.
© 2023 Fairfax County Public Schools, Fairfax County, Virginia
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