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Note: This newsletter contains links to translated versions of the content for your convenience. These translations are generated by Google Translate and are not intended to be a substitute for professional translation services.
Our Monthly School Board News
Message from Ilryong Moon
I can’t believe August is already here and we’re only days away from the start of another exciting school year. For me, this year is quite a milestone having arrived this month 50 years ago as a 17-year- old immigrant from a poverty-stricken family in Korea with only my hopes and dreams in my suitcase! What an incredible journey it’s been for me and how grateful I am to have had the good fortune to pursue education and make public service a core part of my life’s work.
We have an exciting new year awaiting all of us. Our students will soon be here. Our teachers are starting in just a few short weeks…and classrooms will be bustling with activities and energy to kick off another year.
One amazing thing about being a teacher or a student in public school is that no two years are ever exactly the same. Teachers begin their year with a whole new group of students with all different expectations and capabilities for great outcomes. Students bring with them a whole new set of expectations and openness to a wealth of new knowledge to take in. And it’s an exciting time to be part of the School Board where we have the luxury of seeing the best of what our schools have to offer in so many ways, whether it’s STEM courses or students attending academies for courses in Career and Technical Education (CTE) – or composing beautiful artwork or poetry to inspire love and admiration for nature and all things in nature that surround us. It’s a chance for everyone at new beginnings and how exciting it is to be part of that year after year.
I would like to welcome to the team my new Staff Aide, Sarah Park. Sarah is a product of the Fairfax County Public Schools and brings to the position a lively spirit and a wealth of knowledge having worked in our Office of Communications and Community Relations along with the Office of the Chief Experience and Engagement over the past couple of years.
I would like to extend my gratitude to Chris Lewis, who has served as my Staff Aide for SY 23-24. He has been an invaluable colleague and has provided excellent support to constituents in the FCPS Community. Let us celebrate his retirement! Thank you for your thirty years of service in FCPS, Chris.
And finally – for those of you who also might want to continue to be part of the process for improving our schools, there are still a couple of Community Advisory Committees to which I have not yet appointed anyone from our community. Please read on for more information.
Here’s to a fantastic 2024-2025 school year!
Best,
Ilryong Moon
A Big Win: A Young Go Prodigy at Stenwood ES
A round of applause for Louis Yang! Louis is a fifth grader at Stenwood Elementary School who recently won the National Championship in the Elementary Division of a Go competition held in Korea!
Go is a game played by more than 20 million people around the world. Despite its relatively simple rules, it is extremely complex. Compared to chess, Go has a larger board (19x19) with more scope for play and, on average, many more alternatives to consider per move. Go is a Japanese terminology, and the game is known as Baduk in Korea and Weichi in China.
Some key benefits of playing include improved memory and concentration, problem-solving skills, spatial awareness, critical thinking, discipline, and adaptability. It also teaches humility, even when winning.
I personally grew up playing this game from an early age, and it is a game that people of all ages and skill levels can enjoy together.
I hope that Go becomes more widespread and that more people, including our students, are able to enjoy this amazing game.
The American Go Association is excited to help bring this incredible game to our schools as extracurricular activities. They're willing to provide faculty stipends, find teachers, and even supply game sets!
Louis Yang, left, playing with Richard Duan of Cooper Middle School a few months ago in Fairfax. Richard founded a Go club at his school.
Facilities Planning Advisory Council (FPAC)
Do you have an interest in or a passion for facilities planning? If so, you might be a perfect fit on the Facilities Planning Advisory Council (FPAC) which advises the School Board on the development of strategic, comprehensive, and long-term plans for school division facilities.
We are now accepting applications for my At-Large seat on FPAC. Be sure to submit your application before the deadline on Tuesday, August 13, 2024.
QUALIFICATIONS
Interested candidates should have experience in one or more of the following areas: construction; engineering; architecture; land use planning and development; demographics; government operations; financing.
RESPONSIBILITIES
FPAC advises and informs the School Board and Fairfax County Public School staff in the development of strategic, comprehensive, and long-term plans for school division facilities. Topics of consideration by FPAC include the following:
- School enrollment and projections
- Transportation and operating efficiencies
- School program capacity and support
- Setting priorities for the Capital Improvement Program
- Creative financing and construction strategies
- Scope of renovations
- School closures and new schools
- Student accommodation planning
ADDITIONAL DETAILS
There are 13 members on FPAC, one representing each of the nine magisterial district School Board Members, three representing at-large School Board Members, and one representing the City of Fairfax School Board. FPAC members serve three-year terms and meet twice monthly in the evening during the school year. The appointment for my At-Large vacant FPAC seat will end on June 30, 2026, with the opportunity to be re-appointed for a full three-year term. For more information about the FPAC, click here.
The deadline to submit your application is Tuesday, August 13, 2024.
I hope you will consider applying for this important position as it provides valuable assistance to our school division and our community.
AGAIN -- APPLICATIONS ARE DUE BY AUGUST 13, 2024
Challenged Materials Interdepartmental Review Committee (Seeking Appointee)
The Challenged Materials Interdepartmental Review Committee consists of members representing School Board members, the student representative, and school division staff appointed by the respective Regional Assistant Superintendent. The committee meets twice a year to review challenged instructional materials. The committee will meet at the Willow Oaks Administration Center. For more information, individuals may call Noel Klimenko, the staff liaison, at 571-423-4510.
If you are interested in serving on this very important committee, please contact me and include a resume and brief summary of why you're interested in serving on this committee.
For a little more context on this committee, see the notes in BoardDocs from the most recent Regular Meeting
Upcoming School Board Business & Meetings
Broadcast & open to the public:
- August 27, 10:30am - School Board All-day Work Session
- August 29, 7:00pm - School Board Regular Meeting
- September 10, 10:30am - School Board All-day Work Session
- September 12, 7:00pm - School Board Regular Meeting
School Board Regular Meetings and Work Sessions are broadcast live and available to the public on several platforms:
If you miss the live broadcast of any School Board Meeting or Work Session, you can also watch archived broadcasts:
** Dates & times are subject to change. Please check the 2024 School Board Annual Work Calendar for the latest information **
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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