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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.
Dear Sully District Families and Community Members,
Fall is in the air! The nights are getting longer, the days are getting shorter, and it's getting much cooler. I hope you have each found time to get outdoors to enjoy this beautiful time of the year. With fall sports and homecomings plus musicals, plays and concerts coming up, enjoy the season while supporting your favorite students and schools.
We are well into our first quarter and our teachers and staff have done a stellar job settling our students into their schedules. It has been a busy but fun time on the School Board with many meetings and back-to-school nights, homecoming parades and school events!
Much was accomplished this past month. At the September 12th meeting, (agenda | video), the School Board discussed and considered several important items, including our efforts to achieve a diverse, adaptive, and supportive workforce and the approval of a contract for new high school stadium bathrooms.
At the September 26th Regular Meeting (agenda | video), the School Board voted to adopt the 2025 Fairfax County School Board State and Federal Legislative Program as amended. This year’s program emphasizes the importance of fully funding public education at the state level by adopting JLARC’s recommendations, which would mean an additional $568 million in annual funding for FCPS. It also prioritizes accountability standards that fairly assess school performance based on balanced measures of student achievement, student academic progress, engagement, and outcomes toward college and workforce readiness goals and that adequately account for the diverse learning needs of all Virginia students.
The board also approved nearly $1.4 million in new investments to retrofit schools with outdoor classrooms. Among schools attended by Sully District District students, Westfield, Oakton, and Madison high schools are included in this project package.
Inside this newsletter:
LGBTQIA+ History Month is in October as well, and we will be celebrating the history and achievements of the LGBTQIA+ community. Please join me in building a culture of inclusivity and equity, not only during LGBTQIA+ History Month but throughout the entire year.
Finally, please continue to share your concerns and experiences with me. My October Office hours are in the newsletter below if you would like to schedule time to meet with me.
As always, I remain so grateful to serve our amazing community.
In partnership,
Seema Dixit
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Back-to-School Nights at Bull Run and Cub Run Elementary Schools
Back-to-school Nights at Sully District Schools!
It was wonderful to see so many parents and caregivers at Bull Run Elementary and Cub Run Elementary, supporting their student's learning and growth. It brought back so many fond memories of my own children's Back-to-school nights at Bull Run!!
I was also excited to meet Principal James Marotta who has demonstrated a strong commitment to fostering academic excellence and supporting the social-emotional growth of students over the course of his outstanding career at FCPS. We are so incredibly lucky to have him! I look forward to supporting him in continuing to build a positive and enriching learning environment at Bull Run Elementary School. #chargerSTRONG #BRESFAMILY
Thank you to Principal Miller for being so welcoming and for everything you and your staff do to support our students' learning and to help foster strong school-family partnerships! I look forward to working together with you in the new year to help shape an environment for Cub Run Elementary educators and students to thrive. Go Cubbies!! #togetherwebelong
Sully District Happenings
Indigenous Peoples’ Day Habitat Restoration - October 14
 Indigenous Peoples’ Day is celebrated on October 14, 2024. The Fairfax County Park Authority welcomes students to join them on Indigenous Peoples' Day for a habitat restoration event. To learn more and register visit their website.
5K Run/Walk with Chantilly based nonprofit Asha-Jyothi!
 It was so fun to be part of Asha- Jyothi's 16th Annual 5K Run/Walk benefiting our community and FCPS schools on Sept 15th, 2024. I was joined by Superintendent Reid, Sully District Principals Bob Damato (Deer Park Elementary School), VaRonica Sloan (Lees Corner Elementary School), Melissa Miller (Cub Run Elementary School), KJ An (Eagle View Elementary School), and many Fairfax County Public Schools staff and community to support our students! Sully District VA Senator Stella Pekarsky was also present to honor Asha Jyothi with a VA state resolution for their strong support of FCPS schools and the community. Congratulations to all the runners! I am thankful to Asha Jyothi for their Educate-Innovate USA Campaign that has funded Innovation Labs, Maker Space facilities and Technology Enhancements in partnership with our FCPS schools. #technologyeducation #CommunityParnerships #ajforacause #aj5k
Chantilly High School Homecoming Parade 2024!
Chantilly High School Homecoming Parade
Friday, September 13, 2024 was a beautiful day to celebrate the Chantilly High School homecoming parade with so many students, families, staff and community members! I was joined by my colleagues Sandy Anderson from Springfield District, Ryan McElveen Member At-Large and Ilryong Moon, At-Large Member. What a blast!! #GoChargers #ChantillyPride
191 FCPS Students Recognized as National Merit Semifinalists
Congratulations to the many Sully District students who are among the one hundred ninety-one students from 19 Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) that have been named Semifinalists by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation for 2025. See the full list of student awardees.
All semifinalists are eligible to compete for 6,870 National Merit Scholarship awards worth nearly $26 million, to be awarded in spring 2025. Semifinalists advance to finalist standing in the competition by meeting high academic standards and other requirements including a recommendation from a high school official.
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Sully District Students Earn 2023-24 AP Capstone Diploma and AP Seminar and Research Certificates
There were many Sully District students amongst the sixty-nine FCPS students earned the Advanced Placement (AP) ® Capstone Diploma and nineteen students earned the AP Seminar and Research Certificate™ during the 2023-24 school year.
AP Capstone™ is a diploma program from the College Board based on two year-long AP courses: AP Seminar and AP Research. Both courses prepare students for college and career success through the development of critical thinking, academic research, collaboration, presentation, and time management skills. Throughout the AP Capstone program, students study a variety of topics across multiple disciplines and have the flexibility to choose topics of personal interest to show mastery of critical thinking, research, and presentation skills. Official AP Seminar and AP Research assessments include academic papers, multimedia presentations, and defense of findings. Full list of students available here. Congratulations to all our students on this well-earned achievement!
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Amazing Sully District constituent and TJHSST grad is one of Glamour Magazine's "College Women of the Year"
Big congrats to TJHSST graduate Pratika Katiyar (Class of 2021) and Sully District constituent for being named one of Glamour Magazine's College Women of the Year! She is currently a senior at Northeastern in Boston and the magazine called her "the future of STEM with a side of soul!" She wants to make STEM more accessible for the next generation.
At 21, Pratika is already making waves in the tech world, blending her passions for AI, policy, and human rights to ensure technology is both innovative and ethical—while inspiring more women to step into STEM.
"Technologies like AI and changes in social media algorithms and content moderation are becoming incredibly advanced, which is both exciting and terrifying. The future of the internet and AI worries me, and I want to help ethically govern and regulate it to ensure it’s used responsibly and that marginalized voices, particularly women, and women of color, are considered." she said.
So proud of our incredible FCPS students! #TechforGood #STEMEducation #CSForAll. Photo credit: Devansh Kukreja.
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Constituent Hours for October
I have office hours set up to meet with Sully District constituents to discuss any questions or concerns you may have. Please use this Constituent sign-up sheet to register for slots and meeting info will be sent to you. I look forward to talking with you!
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Superintendent Reid's Academic Matters
How FCPS teaches Reading and Writing
During Academic Matters at the September 26th School Board Meeting, Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid provided an update on elementary literacy. Find out how FCPS is teaching reading and writing.
Dr. Reid’s presentation included updates on Benchmark Advance Training, the Virginia Literacy Act (VLA) Implementation Playbook, topics of Benchmark units, home-school connections of the program, and supports for students — including multilingual learners, special education students, and advanced learners. Watch the presentation.
✨ Strategic Plan Connection
FCPS’ Strategic Plan Goal 3: Academic Growth and Excellence focuses on helping students meet or exceed academic standards and reach their highest academic potential. This includes helping students show growth on reading assessments and read on level by the end of third grade.
2024-25 Opening of Schools Report
Superintendent Reid also shared the annual Superintendent’s Opening of Schools report – we are now the ninth-largest school system in the U.S. and one of Virginia’s largest employers. It was a wonderful look back at our very successful first day of school and everyone who helped make it possible. We also looked ahead at what the 2024-25 school year will hold for our students, families, and staff.
More Outdoor Classrooms in FCPS schools!
Outdoor classrooms are coming to more FCPS schools! Following a School Board vote on September 26, 10 middle schools and 12 high schools (22 total) will soon have new outdoor learning spaces, thanks to one-time state funding!! (The approval happened in three Board agenda items: 5.05, 9.05, and 9.06.)
This includes the following middle schools: Herndon, Kilmer, Thoreau and these high schools: Madison, Marshall, Oakton, South Lakes, Westfield. The Board’s recent vote awarded construction contracts for installing 22 outdoor classrooms; 15 remain to be contracted and installed.
Learning outdoors is research-proven to positively affect an array of student learning experiences and outcomes, as well as health! The intention with these additions is to bring consistent, equitable access to outdoor learning in our schools. Educators are already learning how to maximize these outdoor opportunities, and implementing these as possible. Outdoor classrooms will be accessible for students with disabilities and physical challenges, and include seating, rain barrels, accessible garden beds, and other features. Expansion to elementary schools will depend on future funding.
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All Fairfax County Public Schools Accredited!
We are proud to have all Fairfax County public schools accredited by the Virginia Department of Education.
We have seen marked improvement with 191 of our schools improving chronic absenteeism rates. FCPS has a high number of students taking rigorous courses — far higher than the national average. The division also continues to see other state indicators improving, including SOL pass rates and graduation rates. Read more about all our schools receiving accreditation.
🏆 FCPS Continues to Surpass State and Global SAT Average
Fairfax County seniors in the class of 2024 continued to perform well above state and global averages on the SAT, according to results released by the College Board.
The Fairfax County average score for the class of 2024 (1178) was higher than the state average (1101) and the global average (1024). Read more about the latest SAT results.
New FCPS Scholarship Website
FCPS is excited to announce the launch of a brand new website dedicated to scholarships for FCPS students! This website will be a one-stop shop for all things scholarships, making it easier than ever for you to find and apply for opportunities that fit your academic goals.
While Naviance remains the primary database for scholarship applications, this new public webpage provides a clear overview of scholarships available to all FCPS students.
Prepare for Your Student’s Future at College Fair and Postsecondary Nights
The annual FCPS College Fair will be held on Sunday, October 20, at George Mason University’s Eagle Bank Arena, from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Approximately 220 colleges and universities will be represented, including two- and four-year schools and U.S. Service Academies.
Following the fair, a two-night postsecondary virtual event will be held on Monday, October 21, and Tuesday, October 22, from 5 to 8 p.m. Both events will help students prepare for the next chapter of their educational journey. Learn more about the College Fair and postsecondary virtual event.
Superintendent’s Community Conversations
Superintendent Reid invites you to share your questions or concerns with her. Community Conversations will be held from 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. on the following days:
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Monday, October 14, at Fairhill Elementary - Register
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Monday, October 21, at Virginia Run Elementary - Register
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Wednesday, October 30, at Herndon Middle - Register
Registration is not required but helps with planning. Childcare and interpretation services are provided. Events are open to all. Find out about other opportunities to connect with Dr. Reid
School Board Student Leadership Program: Applications Open!
Are you a high school freshman, sophomore, or junior interested in a future in law, government, or public policy? The Fairfax County School Board is now accepting applications for its Student Development Program.
Twelve students will be chosen to work closely with the School Board to how FCPS is governed and will give the students opportunities to participate on various advisory committees to the School Board, and even to seek election as the student representative on the School Board.
Applications are available on the FCPS website under the School Board. Submit the application, program requirements form, and a one-page statement of interest to your principal. Principals will submit applications to the School Board Office by October 15, 2024.
Each district school board member will select one student from his/her magisterial district. At-large members will select one student each from all applications received. Selected student leaders and remaining applicants will be notified by email by November 15, 2024.
For questions, please contact Kevin Jackson in the School Board Office at 571-423-1075. Don't miss this opportunity to develop your leadership skills and make a positive impact on your community!
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Family Resource Center - October Events
 The Family Resource Center offers free webinars, confidential consultations, a lending library, and resources to help adults support the success of all students, including those with learning challenges, special needs, and disabilities. The FRC is hosting the following events in October:
Math is Everywhere! Talking to Your Children about Mathematics
Join the FCPS Elementary Math Team to discuss ways to engage your children in mathematics.
October 18, 2024, 10-11:30 a.m. Register Online
Transitioning with confidence - Collaborating with the Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS)
DARS’ Division of Rehabilitative Services(DRS) works together with students, youth, families, schools and community agencies and organizations to provide services that promote successful transitions from school to work and adult life.
DRS offers two sets of services to help students with disabilities move from school to post-school life: pre-employment transition services (Pre-ETS) and vocational rehabilitation (VR) transition services.
October 25, 2024 10-11:30 a.m. Register Online
For more information, visit the Family Resource Center webpage. You may also sign up to receive the FRC newsletter for updates on webinars, resources, and other information. If you have questions, please contact the FRC via email at frc@fcps.edu or call 703-204-3941.
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.
2024 Congressional App Challenge
The Congressional App Challenge offers middle and high school students who are interested in coding a chance to develop and demonstrate their skills and interests in computer science and STEM. Students may register as individuals or in teams of up to four.
The deadline to enter the Congressional App Competition is October 24, 2024.
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Virginia Space Grant Consortium Opportunity
Virginia Earth System Science Scholars (VESSS) focuses on the challenges of the next generation of scientists and engineers to become part of the solution to the societal issues faced by the impacts of climate change. This program engages 11th and 12th grade students in real-world investigations of the Earth and its systems using the latest research and data from NASA. Applications are open until October 24.
LearnServe Fall Fellows Program for High School Students!
Overview: This is our first-year, introductory in-person entrepreneurship program that takes young changemakers through the entire process of researching, brainstorming, creating, and pitching their own social action project to solve an issue in their community!
Time Commitment: The program runs from October-April, where students will meet in-person or virtually every Thursday at School Without Walls.
Program Cost: Sliding scale tuition of $50-$1250/student, depending on the student's financial ability to pay. Families will complete the Sliding Scale survey during the application process to determine their individual tuition.
Application: Rolling admission - Click here to apply!
LearnServe is a Washington DC based nonprofit that offers leadership and social entrepreneurship training for high school students from across the Washington, DC region. Programmatically we bring students together from diverse backgrounds, and guide them through the process of designing and launching social ventures -- action projects to serve their schools and communities. In the process they learn the skill-set and mindset of being a changemaker, a blend of social and emotional skills, global competencies, and business and professional skills that will set them up for success in their college and careers.
Virginia State House Page Program
The Virginia House of Delegates Page Program invites you to explore and learn more about this popular program 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. Each year, the Speaker of the House of Delegates appoints 13- and 14-year-olds from across the Commonwealth. The application is due by 5 p.m. Friday, October 18, 2024.
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TJ Science Fair Interest Meeting
We are TJ Investigative Science Outreach, a student-led organization at Thomas Jefferson HSST. We will be hosting our 12th annual invitational science fair on April 5, 2025.
Registered participants will complete a research project of their choice and present at the fair in-person on April 5, 2025. TJ students help ES and MS students prepare for this fair by holding multiple sessions to teach them important skills in STEM.
Join us for our first interest/brainstorming session on October 18, 2024, at 6 p.m. We will be holding this session virtually. During this session we will go over the goals and guidelines of this fair and introduce students to a multitude of project ideas.
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NWF Garden For Wildlife Photo Contest
Wherever you’ve found inspiration, NWF wants to see the birds, butterflies, bees, native plants, and people (yes, that includes YOU!) that bring your garden to life.
Submit images in any of these five categories:
- People in the Wildlife Garden
- Certified Wildlife Habitat® Landscapes
- Wildlife Observations Where People Live, Work, Play, Learn, and Worship
- Close-up Native Plants and their Wildlife Visitors
- Young Habitat Photographers: For photographers age 13-17
One Grand Prize winner will receive $1,000 and a Runner-Up will receive $500. In each of the five categories, category winners will receive gift certificates to Wild Birds Unlimited®. Winners will be announced in a press release, highlighted through our social media channels, and published in print and/or online. There is an entry waiver fee for EcoSchools students. Use the code: ECOSCHOOLSUSA to submit your entries without payment.
Entrants have the option to donate images if they wish, which help support our mission to protect wildlife and habitats. No matter what, you still retain ownership of all your photos. Thanks for entering and good luck!
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Mental Health Resources for Families
This month's theme: Optimistic October
Actions to help you focus on what really matters.
Go to Action for Happiness for ideas to help you take action for a happier and kinder world.
 Student Wellness: Tips and Strategies
Feeling super stressed? Worried about a friend's mental health—or your own? Get tips to help manage your emotions and see what to do if you are in crisis.
Mental Health and Resiliency
Helping students to manage stress, make better choices, and develop healthy habits.
FCPS Family Resource Center
Staff is available by phone 703-204-3941 or email frc@fcps.edu to help! Offers free workshops, consultations, a lending library, and more to help adults support the success of all students, including those with learning challenges, special needs and disabilities.
No Cost Therapy for High Schoolers
You can refer your high school child to therapy, at no cost to you. Get the process started by filling out an e-consent and then clicking 'Request Teletherapy' at hazel.co/get-hazel, by calling 571-749-2940, or by contacting an FCPS school counselor, social worker, or psychologist.
Find out more about the Hazel Health mental health services available for all FCPS high school students: https://bit.ly/3UAQyVe.
George Mason’s Center for Community Health
George Mason University’s new Center for Community Mental Health (9900 Main Street, Fairfax) provides evidence-based, accessible, affordable, and culturally sensitive therapy and testing services to those in need, regardless of income. The Center sees children as young as age 5, and works with community members of various ages, including addressing the mental health needs of veterans.
The center’s Emotional Help Line provides free, anonymous, confidential support in both English (703-215-1898) and Spanish (703-914-3878). The line is open daily from 8:30 a.m. - 8:30 p.m. Learn more on the Center's website.
Upcoming School Board Meetings
- Thursday, October 10, 2024 7:00 p.m. - Regular School Board Meeting
- Thursday, October 24, 2024 7:00 p.m. - Regular School Board Meeting
Please note, times and topics are subject to change.
Visit the community participation webpage to sign up to speak at a regular meeting. Visit BoardDocs for more meeting logistics, agendas, and handouts.
Interested in School Board action items? Sign up to get an update on School Board votes the morning after the School Board meeting.
The work sessions and regular meetings will be broadcast live on Channel 99 (Verizon channel 11) and the FCPS website. Both will be recorded for future viewing and posted to the FCPS School Board YouTube channel.
Reuniones de la Junta Escolar de FCPS en Español
Para ver las reuniones de la Junta Escolar grabadas o para ver en vivo durante las reuniones regulares en YouTube, por favor vaya al canal de YouTube de FCPS en Español o escanee el código QR.
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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.
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.
© Fairfax County Public Schools, Fairfax County, Virginia
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