English | Español | አማርኛ | 中文 | 한국어 | Tiếng Việt | العربية | فارسی | اردو

Dear Franconia Residents/Estimados Residentes de Franconia,

Fall is in the air, and we can feel the crispness and excitement as the school year unfolds. I want to thank teachers, administrators, and staff for creating a warm and welcoming environment for students. The year is off to a great start!

I have enjoyed greeting students and families during back-to-school nights, and I’ve been delighted to see students proudly escort their parents to their new classrooms.

Cell Phone Storage Pilot Three Franconia schools, Edison High School, Lewis High School, and Twain Middle, are participating in the cell phone pilot program the Board passed on May 9, 2024. I am already receiving helpful feedback from teachers, students, and parents. I will continue to engage the community as the program moves forward so we can develop best practices before the program is rolled out to the entire division. I welcome your continued feedback and comments.

Security and Safety

It pains me to have to address the senseless loss of life at Apalachee High School in Georgia, but I know it is on your minds. I want to assure you that my School Board colleagues and I take the safety and security of everyone in our schools very seriously. The FCPS security team works preemptively to address safety and security issues. If you see something, say something by reaching out directly to me or the anonymous FCPS security tip line.  The National Association for School Psychologists offers support to discuss this and other sensitive topics with your children. We are all working to provide a safe and secure learning environment for our students and staff.

Hispanic Heritage Month  As a Latina woman whose mother is an immigrant from Mexico and whose father’s Hispanic roots go back 17 generations in the American Southwest, I want to take a moment to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. Our schools benefit from a diverse staff and a 30% student population with a rich Hispanic/Latino cultural background. In my 26 years in FCPS schools as a Family Liaison, Spanish Language Interpreter, and Community School Coordinator, I’ve had the privilege to serve many of our Latino families and students and to see them thrive in our community.   Please join me in honoring the many contributions, diverse cultures, and extensive histories of the Hispanic and Latinx communities. This guide contains student engagement lessons, activities, and videos to celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month. Please visit the Smithsonian Latino Center for additional materials, virtual exhibits, and cultural programs! I’d like to acknowledge the work of the Hispanic Educators Association / Hispanic Leadership Alliance, which has been working for 27 years to support our Latino population through advocacy and programming. Last year, HEA/HLS proudly awarded 33 scholarships to FCPS graduating seniors.

School Board News Our first Work Session of the year focused on discussing the draft of the 2025 legislative positions. Of particular concern are the accountability changes the Virginia Board of Education (VBOE) Accreditation and Accountability has made and the profound impact it will have on FCPS and all the schools in Virginia. “I have seen many of our multilingual learners go on to become doctors, become teachers, become business owners in our community,” board member Marcia St. John-Cunning said. “But if we are going to measure them by the standard that this state is putting forward right now, they’re going to be perceived as failures, and the message that we’re sending to our students and to our families is that they are failures.” Full WTOP article.  I look forward to continued engagement with you and a successful school year.

Kind Regards/Bondadosamente,

Marcia St. John-Cunning

Franconia District School Board Member

Focus on Franconia

Mount Eagle Elementary School’s 75th Anniversary On Saturday, I joined the incredible Mount Eagle Elementary School family to celebrate the school’s rich history.  I was also thrilled to present a proclamation at the September 12, 2024, regular School Board Meeting honoring the milestone.

The Caravan for Disability Freedom and Justice Stopped at Lewis High School The Lewis Leadership Program hosted a magnificent event designed to build community and take action for disability and justice by raising student voices. Participants included people with disabilities, disability rights allies, youth, adults, Spanish speakers, and English speakers. The event attracted students, community members, local nonprofits, and a special guest, Seydy Ibrahima, from the Ministry of National Education of the Republic of Senegal. Congratulations to all!

Hayfield Football Investigation Update I joined the Hayfield community meeting, where Dr. Reid discussed the findings of the internal investigation and external evidence review. The investigation, which began in May, found no concrete evidence of student-athlete recruitment violations and confirmed that investigated student transfers meet residency requirements at this time. The students on the Master Eligibility List (MEL) roster have been deemed eligible. Here is a summary of the investigation and findings.

Key Center School’s Garden Thanks to a grant from the FCPS Get2Green program, Key Center School students transformed a patch of unused land into a thriving garden! It has flourished, producing a bountiful harvest of fresh herbs like basil, parsley, thyme, lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, and peas. As autumn approaches, the students eagerly anticipate the harvesting of pumpkins.

FCPS News You Need

🏛️ Middle School Students – Apply to Become Page for the 2025 Virginia General Assembly🏛️

Senate Page Program

The Senate Page Program is a dynamic, engaging, and educational experience that honors and preserves the tradition of service to the legislature. Senate Pages have served the upper chamber of the legislature since at least 1850. The experience today is designed to provide a foundation of knowledge for the next generation of administrators, managers, elected officials, and civic leaders.

Application Deadline 5:00 p.m. Friday, October 18th (EST)

House of Delegates Page Program

This popular program is for youth focusing on civics education, the lawmaking process, and leadership development. As a non-partisan staff member of the House Clerk’s Office, Pages are an integral part of an institution with a long-standing tradition of providing outstanding support and customer service to state legislators and those they represent.  Since 1847, this educational program has been helping youth become more engaged citizens and effective leaders.

Application Deadline 5:00 p.m. Friday, October 18th (EST)

📣 Upcoming Stakeholder Engagement Opportunity: Student Rights & Responsibilities Focus Groups 2024 📣

FCPS’ Student Rights and Responsibilities document (SR&R) explains expectations for student behavior and adult responses to enhance school safety and to create a fair, equitable, and supportive school environment. Read Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid’s letter to families regarding the SR&R. 

Parents/caregivers should talk to their child(ren) about expectations for this school year. Also, please log in to SIS ParentVUE and sign to acknowledge your review of the SR&R, or sign and return the signature sheet to your child’s school by Monday, September 30. Participate in Student Rights and Responsibilities (SR&R) Focus Groups Each year, FCPS reviews and updates the SR&R to ensure it reflects our commitment to equity and the goals outlined in our 2023-30 Strategic Plan. This year, we are partnering with K12 Insight to host focus groups.

Staff who work directly with students and parents/caregivers should have received an email from K12 Insight with information on how to participate in a focus group. Your voice is essential to delivering an SR&R that supports a caring and inclusive climate and culture in every school community. You can submit questions online regarding the SR&R or contact Kathleen Walts, executive director of Equity and Student Relations. 

📆 Community Conversations with Superintendent Dr. Reid 📆

Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid invites you to share your questions or concerns regarding Fairfax County Public Schools. Your voice matters! Community Conversations will be held this Fall 6:30-7:30 p.m. on:

• Monday, September 23, at Newington Forest Elementary
• Monday, September 30, at Mount Vernon Woods Elementary 
• Monday, October 14, at Fairhill Elementary 
• Monday, October 21, at Virginia Run Elementary 
• Wednesday, October 30, at Herndon Middle 

Click the date above to register. Registration is not required but helps with planning. Additional registration links will be shared in next week’s This Week at FCPS. Childcare and interpretation services will be provided. Events are open to all. Find out about other opportunities to connect with Dr. Reid. 

📕 📘 Secondary Grading Practices 📘 📕

Grading is an important aspect of the student experience. Effective assessment evaluates content knowledge and provides constructive feedback for continuous improvement. The impact of grading travels beyond FCPS classrooms to influence college admission and scholarship opportunities etc. It is with this gravity that I approach the School Board's work on the grading policy.  

The School Board’s Governance Committee will be working on revisions to Policy 2418. It is my hope that the final version will reflect research-based practices, increase clarity for staff to facilitate implementation and provide consistency for our students. Grading and assessment practices should be transparent, predictable and consistently applied across our schools. 

Please review the grading policy and share your feedback. You are also invited to observe the Governance Committee’s work on this topic during these times: 

• September 24 at 3 p.m.

• October 1 at 3 p.m.

• October 15 at 3 p.m.

• October 29 at 3 p.m.

The meetings will be held at the Gatehouse Administration Center and broadcast live on the FCPS School Board YouTube channel. The meetings are recorded for future viewing and posted to the FCPS School Board YouTube channel.

School Board Meetings

Helpful Links

• FCPS SY24-25 Calendar

• Newsletter Subscription Preferences

• Mental Health Resources and Emergency Services Information

• Safety Tip Line

• Report Fraud, Waste, and Abuse

• FCPS Jobs

• Multilingual Telephone Help Line

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.

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

E-mail: Marcia St. John-Cunning |  Phone: 571-423-1081

Staff Aide: Mara Kaiser Braunger | Phone: 571-279-1691