Mentors Needed, 🔌 FCPS to Receive $16 Million to Buy More Electric Buses; Proposed Construction, Renovation, and Enhancements

Fairfax County Public Schools sent this bulletin at 01/17/2024 06:40 PM EST
Snow Plow Driver


Thank you to our emergency employees — including Ever Menjivar-Diaz, above — who worked this week to keep our school grounds clear of snow and safe to access. Ever reported to Jackson Middle School at 3 a.m. on Tuesday. Thank you for all you do!

đź‘Ź Thank You, Principals!

A principal dances with students


It's Virginia School Principals Week! We truly appreciate all of FCPS’ incredible principals for their leadership, dedication, and passion. In the latest Employee Blog, read about two of FCPS' outstanding principals: April Cage from Garfield Elementary School (pictured above) and KJ An from Eagle View Elementary.

🎤 Save the Date: Employee Conversations With Dr. Reid

Dr. Reid


Your voice matters, and Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid wants to hear from you. A series of Employee Conversations with Dr. Reid will be held this spring across the school division. Events are planned for the following dates:

These events are an opportunity for you to share your thoughts and ask questions. Reach out to Dr. Reid at any time by submitting a question via the superintendent’s webpage or emailing Superintendent@fcps.edu.

🔌 FCPS to Receive $16 Million to Buy More Electric Buses

electric school bus

 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the selection of two applicants in Virginia to receive more than $17.1 million through EPA’s first Clean School Bus Program’s Grants Competition. Fairfax County Public Schools was selected to receive $16.5 Million to purchase 42 electric school buses. 

FCPS was the first school division to acquire electric buses in 2019. With the help of this EPA grant, our electric bus fleet will more than double.  

FCPS has one of the largest bus fleets in the United States, transporting more than 141,000 students on over 1,600 buses each day.

đź’» Quarterly Required MyPDE Trainings

Specific MyPDE trainings are required on a quarterly basis for several reasons: 

  • Some topics are more relevant at different times of the year. 
  • Assigning training at the end of every quarter allows employees to focus on a few topics at a time, helping them feel less overwhelmed and potentially increasing information retention.
  • Feedback on training throughout the year allows the development team to make improvements that impact the next cycle of assignments. 

Second-quarter assignments will be available on Monday, January 22. Employees have 60 days to complete training assignments. Be sure to check your email or the Assigned Training page in MyPDE to see your customized list. 

Most instructional staff will be assigned FCPS Dyslexia Training, and all staff will be assigned Cybersecurity Awareness training. 

Make an Impact! Mentors Needed for FCPS Students

a mentor high fives a student


If you are enthusiastic about making a difference and believe in the power of mentorship, please consider mentoring a student in FCPS! 

FCPS MentorWorks helps eliminate gaps in opportunity, access, and achievement through mentoring. Every student in FCPS should be able to name an adult in their community they can talk to. A mentor is a caring, responsible person, interested in spending time with a student, and encouraging them to develop their strengths and capabilities. A mentor does not provide academic support. 

MentorWorks is looking for non-school-based staff to offer at least 30 minutes of their time a week to students. 

Learn more about mentoring in a Zoom chat with an experienced mentor. See the schedule of upcoming sessions. Sign up to mentor by completing the Mentor Registration Form. Learn more about mentoring in the FAQ for FCPS Central Office Mentors or email Mentoring Specialist Martha Macdonald.

35 Teachers Earn or Renew Certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards

National Board graphic


Congratulations to the 14 newly certified National Board teachers and the 21 teachers who renewed their certification! See who was certified. 

The National Board Certification program in FCPS began over 20 years ago. More than 500 FCPS teachers have achieved this prestigious certification. The school division is ranked in the top five in the state of Virginia for both new National Board certified teachers and current National Board certification candidates.

Leave of Absence Application Due March 1

Employees who intend to request or extend a Leave of Absence (LOA) for the upcoming 2024-25 school year must indicate their intentions by Friday, March 1. An LOA is an approved, unpaid, extended absence from work that exceeds 30 calendar days. Find additional information about leaves of absence and the application process. 

Employees currently on an approved LOA will be sent reminder communications from the Disability and Leaves Office in late January, asking them to indicate their leave intentions by the March 1 deadline. 

If you have any questions or concerns, please email DisabilityandLeaves@fcps.edu or call 571-423-3200, Option 2. 

Please Note: If you are expecting a baby or planning to adopt a child, the March 1 due date does not apply to you. 

Proposed Construction, Renovation, and Enhancements Support Students and Sustainability

School construction

 

Fairfax County Public Schools outlined plans for new school construction, capacity enhancements, and renovations during the School Board meeting on January 11. Read about the presentation. 

These projects — presented as part of FCPS’ proposed FY 2025-29 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) — represent a commitment to providing equitable access to high-quality public school environments for all students. View the proposed CIP.

A public hearing will be held Thursday, January 18, at Luther Jackson Middle School. Members of the public may sign up to speak at the hearing. The School Board will take action on the proposed CIP at the February 8 meeting.

Spring 2024 Teacher Leadership Cohorts

The contributions of teacher leaders impact data-driven continuous improvement and innovation across FCPS. This spring, two teacher leadership cohorts will explore how to create professional learning environments that cultivate collaboration, continuous learning, and transparency: 

  • Facilitation Skills for Leading in a Collaborative Culture – Participants will develop skills and strategies to support adult learners and explore strategies for managing common challenges and conflict.
  • Becoming a Transformational Leader – Participants will utilize transformational leadership principles to reflect their values, vision, theories, and beliefs about their leadership, and to inform and direct the actions they take in their work environments. 

These cohorts complement each other and can be taken in any order. Visit the Teacher Leadership website for more information. Register in MyPDE.

🎓 Review of Graduation and Dropout Rates

The back of a graduate wearing a mortarboard


During the Academic Matters segment of last Thursday’s School Board meeting, Dr. Reid presented five-year trends of graduation and dropout rates from 2019 (pre-pandemic) until 2023. Our five-year on-time graduation trends are consistently above state outcomes. Our rates have also improved more than 2 percentage points since 2019, compared to Virginia’s improvement of less than .5 percentage point. 

Dropout rates look at students who did not successfully earn a diploma, GED, certificate of completion, or did not remain enrolled. We have significantly reduced our dropout rates over the five-year trend from 7.3 to 5.5, and now we are closely aligned with statewide rates. “Our goal is always zero, and we will continue to work on this measure,” Dr. Reid said. 

đź“… Calendar Reminder: Orthodox Epiphany (Observance Day)

In the Orthodox church, Epiphany is celebrated on January 19 and commemorates the baptism of Jesus.

The school calendar recognizes many religious and cultural observances. There is school on these days, however, the School Board has directed that tests, quizzes, field trips, graduation, homecoming, or FCPS-scheduled athletic events will not be held on these observance days.

Quarter End and Early Release; Student Holiday/Teacher Workday

Thursday, January 25, is the last day of the quarter and a two-hour early release for students. Also, schools will be closed for students on Friday, January 26, for a teacher workday. 

See the complete school year calendar. See the employee calendar. 

School Board Leadership Confirmed

cropped school board gavel image

The Fairfax County School Board’s leadership has been confirmed for the remainder of the 2023-24 school year. Karl Frisch (Providence District), the board's current vice chair who has been acting as chair since January 1, was elected chair.

The board elected Melanie Meren (Hunter Mill District) as its new vice chair at its January 11 regular meeting. Additionally, recently elected board members were confirmed for various committee assignments. Read more about board leadership.

Staff Staples

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