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Dear Sully District Families and Community Members,
I hope everyone is getting settled into the second semester. Spring will be here before we know it!
At our February 8th Regular meeting, Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid proposed a budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 focused on competitive staff compensation and strengthening student academic supports. I welcome you all to attend the in-person Sully District Budget Town Hall on February 29th from 7-9 pm at Rocky Run Middle School, where Sully District Supervisor Kathy Smith and I will discuss this FY25 Budget and hear your comments. Please see town hall details below.
The Board also approved the FY2025-29 Capital Improvement program. In addition to the new Western high school, I have continued ongoing conversations with staff for possible solutions to alleviate overcrowding in our high schools and have made it clear to my colleagues and the Superintendent that the residents of the Sully District deserve better solutions.
Inside this newsletter:
I welcome your feedback, observations, suggestions, questions, and celebrations. I look forward to seeing you at our budget town hall and other school events in the upcoming weeks!
In partnership,
Seema Dixit
Sully District Budget Town Hall with Supervisor Kathy Smith
 Please join Sully District Supervisor Kathy Smith and me for a joint town hall as we present the proposed FY 2025 Budgets and take your comments. If you would like to ask a question regarding the FY25 Budget, please send an email to Sully@FairfaxCounty.gov with "Budget Town Hall" in the subject.
Detailed information about the FCPS FY25 Budget can be found on our website and also detailed below.
When: Thursday, February 29, 2024
Time: 7 - 9 pm EST
Where: Rocky Run Middle School Lecture Hall
Address: 4400 Stringfellow Road, Chantilly, VA 20151
Supervisor Smith and I look forward to your participation!
Fiscal Year 2025 Proposed Budget Focuses on Educational Excellence and Competitive Compensation
 At last week’s School Board meeting, Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid proposed a budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 that focuses on excellence and providing students an equitable education in an inclusive and respectful environment, where access, opportunity, and achievement are available to all.
The FY 2025 Proposed Budget totals $3.8 billion. Nearly 86% of the budget is focused on instruction. Key highlights include:
- Supporting students academically by maintaining existing class size formulas and providing necessary support to all students.
- Retaining and attracting world-class educators with a 6% market scale adjustment.
- Strengthening student well-being outside of the classroom with expanded athletics offerings, additional athletic trainers, and enhanced stipends for fine and performing arts.
- Continuing initiatives including expansion of inclusive preschool, adoption of green initiatives, and funding assistant director of student activities positions previously funded with ESSER III.
Special education daily contract extensions, funding for the safety and security screening program, and late buses to support academics and activities at middle schools are several of the priorities to be addressed at the end of FY 2024.
The School Board is scheduled to vote on adopting the Advertised Budget on Thursday, February 22. Read more about the proposed budget. Keep up with FCPS’ budget development process.
School Board Approves Capital Improvement Program
The Fairfax County School Board approved an annual update to the Capital Improvement Program (CIP) that includes new school construction and/or repurposing, capacity enhancements, and renovations.
These projects are detailed in the FY 2025-29 CIP, which also illustrates FCPS’ alignment with the Fairfax County Joint Environmental Task Force’s (JET) goals with the inclusion of more Net-Zero Energy (NZE) building practices.
Information about all capital projects will be posted on project webpages on the FCPS website. Read more about the approved CIP.
In summary, the CIP is a document filled with data and information regarding our county wide view of capital spending for the near term, primarily the next 5 years. Our Facilities staff is working hard to alleviate and find solutions for the schools that have the most acute capacity deficits given our fiscal constraints and the length of our renovation queue. The quality of school facilities impact student learning and our students deserve a high quality study environment. I will continue to advocate strongly to make progress on capacity enhancements, renovations, and especially site acquisition for the new Western High School in our district.
Student Opportunities
Disclaimer: Opportunities offered by organizations other than Fairfax County Public Schools are neither sponsored nor endorsed by the Fairfax County School Board, the Superintendent, or a specific school. These opportunities may utilize technology tools that have not been assessed by the Fairfax County Public Schools Department of Information Technology. Students should gain permission from their parent or guardian before engaging in any non-FCPS enrichment opportunity and families should review the Terms of Service, User Agreements, and Privacy Policy for any technology platform that the enrichment opportunity may use before participating.
Girls Who Code Free Virtual Summer Programs
Ready to shape your future and join an empowering sisterhood? Become a coder this summer with Girls Who Code @girlswhocode!
Girls Who Code’s free virtual Summer Programs empower you to build skills, community, and a professional network for your future, in the ways that work best for you. Choose your adventure with two free programs:
1. Curious to create your own computer games? In the two-week Summer Immersion Program (SIP), you’ll learn how to design your own games using p5.js, a JavaScript library for creative coding. Join classmates and a dedicated Teaching Teams in live virtual classrooms hosted by industry-leading companies like MetLife, Bank of America, Logitech, and Synchrony. There are three rounds to fit your schedule: June 14 to June 28, July 8 to July 19, and July 29 to August 9. SIP is for current 9th-11th grade girls and non-binary students with beginner or intermediate coding experience, including program alums. Eligible students can even apply for a $300 SIP Student Grant and laptop and hot spot access!
2. Excited to explore the biggest topics in tech at your own pace? The six-week Self-Paced Program offers tracks in Web Development, Cybersecurity, and – new for 2024 – Data Science + AI! From July 1 to August 9, you get to decide how and when to build your coding skills, and you can always ask questions in the Discord server or optional Student Hours.The Self-Paced Program is for current 9th-12th grade girls and non-binary students with beginner to advanced coding experience, including program alums.
Apply by March 22, 2024. Don't miss this incredible opportunity to level up your coding skills, kickstart your future, tap into lifelong career support, and have fun along the way! Need help? Learn more with the program flyer, webinars, or FAQs, or email at summer@girlswhocode.com. #coding #girlswhocode
NVSWCD College Scholarship
NVSWCD is offering a $1,000 scholarship to graduating high school seniors or college freshman pursuing a degree in natural resource conservation or a related field. NVSWCD’s Future Conservation Leaders Scholarship award winner will also be submitted to the VASWCD Educational Foundation committee for review and may be eligible to receive one of four $2,000 state-wide scholarships. The deadline to apply is Monday, April 1. Learn more and apply for the Future Conservation Leaders Scholarship.
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FentAlert: Empowering Youth for Safer Choices - SAMHSA Fentanyl Awareness Youth Challenge
How can young people be a part of the solution to increase awareness about the risks of fentanyl?
SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) wants you to pitch your idea that educates youth in your community about fentanyl and fake pills, and prevents overdose. Your idea could include any innovative ways to reach youth on this topic like social media posts, vlogs, podcasts, video journals, etc. In this Challenge, we are seeking the best ideas from U.S. youth, aged 14-18, on a community strategy to increase youth awareness, education, and prevention around the dangers of fentanyl, especially the hidden dangers of fake pills and other contaminants that can lead to drug overdose deaths. Learn more about the FentAlert Challenge here. Submissions are due February 26, 2024 6 p.m. ET.
Sorensen Institute's 2024 HS Leaders Program
The Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership is seeking civic-minded students from across Virginia to apply to the 2024 High School Leaders Program (HSLP). The HSLP curriculum covers the foundations of public policy and effective civic engagement, while connecting students with peers of different backgrounds and philosophies from around the state. Applications are due Monday, March 25, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. Click here to apply and learn more about the HSLP.
Volunteers Needed: Facilities Planning Advisory Council (FPAC)
Are you interested in serving as our Sully District representative on the FPAC committee? Please see details below. Thank you!
Facilities Planning Advisory Council (FPAC): FCPS encourages individuals with experience in construction, engineering, architecture, land use planning, development, demographics, government operations, and financing to apply. FPAC advises and informs FCPS staff and the School Board in the development of comprehensive, long-term plans for facilities needs, such as creative financing and construction strategies, scope of renovations, and school closures and new schools.
The link to the news article is here and the application link is here. The deadline to submit your application is February 26th, 2024.
To learn more about FPAC, please view their website.
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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 my Newsletter and follow me on Facebook.
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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