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Upcoming Events
March 15: City of Fairfax Band Concert (Tickets required), 7:30pm, FHS auditorium
March 18: PTSA Meeting 7-8 pm, ANG Meeting
8-9 pm, Library
March 22: Mock SAT/ACT at FHS
March 28: End of Third Quarter
March 29: Fairfax Academy MCT Fest, 7pm, Auditorium (Tickets required)
March 31: Holiday (Eid al Fitr) - No School
April 1: Teacher Workday - No School
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Lions Take the Lead Recognition
March 14, 2025
Happy Friday, Fairfax Families,
As we wrap up another busy week at Fairfax High School, I am thrilled to share some of the PAWSome highlights from the past few days. This week was filled with a wonderful blend of celebration, learning, and community spirit. From enjoying Pi Day with pizza pies and fun activities, to recognizing over 100 students for their hard work and dedication during our Lions Taking the Lead awards ceremony, there was no shortage of memorable moments. We also had the privilege of coming together with our MSA community for a heartwarming Iftar. Our PTSA hosted an informative Sophomore College Night, offering valuable admissions and planning insights for our students and families.
This is a reminder that there are only two weeks left in the third quarter. Please log in to Parentvue and make a plan with your students for completing all missing assignments and scheduling their retakes. We have many opportunities for students to take advantage of receiving support. Every Wednesday and Thursday we offer the Learning Lounge and Coach Classes. We have teachers and tutors available at Saturday School each week. Let’s finish the quarter strong!
May your MARCH ROAR, we welcomed this month coming in like a LION!
Have a great weekend,
Included in this issue:
Student Spotlight
- FHS Student Receives 2025 Student Peace Award
- National Merit Finalists
- Fairfax Academy Fashion Careers Student
Calendar Reminders
- Happy St. Patrick's Day
- Nowruz, March 20
- Saturday School Dates
Fairfax Lions Need to Know:
- FCPS Budget
- Boundary Review
- Bus Stop Arm Cameras
- Fairfax City Schools - Tell Us What You Think!
Fairfax Lions Nice to Know:
- Student Services Updates
- Prom Dress Shop
- Virginia Opera Presents: A Loving Community
- Spotlight on the Art Contest
- Community Conversations with Dr. Reid
- Golf Tournament Fundraiser
- District News - In Case You Missed It
- Quick Links
Fairfax HS PTSA
- Volunteers Needed!
- ANG Silent Auction - ends on March 17!
- Join the PTSA!
2025 Student Peace Award
Kiran Ashok learned the basics of engineering, programming, problem-solving, and teamwork as a competitor in events organized by FIRST Robotics. Kiran taught online coding classes and began to think about robotics as more of an opportunity to reach out and teach new students rather than just to compete for herself.
She co-founded FIRST For Youth in 2021, a non-profit that deploys high school volunteers weekly to some of Fairfax County’s low-income Title 1 schools to introduce FIRST robotics programs. So far, 58 volunteers have tallied 625 volunteer hours, started 15 tech teams, and raised a total of $22,445, with a combined impact on 23,50 students and families across northern Virginia.
National Merit Finalists - Congratulations!
Shubha Udipi
Kai Stone
Ellie Russell
Fairfax Academy Student presents for Women's History Month
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Fairfax Academy Fashion Careers student, Annaliese Gonzalez, presented her design at the recent Women's History Month reception at Fairfax City Hall. Her design was inspired by Audrey Hepburn, and she repurposed materials from curtains and tablecloths. Annaliese is a Senior from Robinson Secondary.
Congrats, Annaliese, and well done!!
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🗓️Calendar Reminders
Happy Saint Patrick's Day
St. Patrick’s Day observes of the death of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. The holiday has evolved into a celebration of Irish culture with lots of celebration, and a whole lot of green. ☘️
Learn more at History.com
🪻Nowruz, March 20
Nowruz Mobarak to all who celebrate! Nowruz, the Persian New Year, marks the arrival of spring and a fresh start. Families welcome the new season with festive meals, gift-giving, and the beautiful tradition of the Haft-Seen table, filled with symbols of new life and renewal.
Learn more at NationalGeographic.com.
See the complete FCPS school year calendar.
Saturday School This Weekend!
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Saturday School is held 9am-12pm in the Library. No sign up needed! Snacks provided; transportation is on your own.
Upcoming Dates: March 15, 22, 29; April 5, 26.
Keep an eye on this space for changes/updates.
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FCPS Budget - Our Students Deserve the Best
More than $240 million of FCPS’ Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Advertised Budget is dedicated to increasing compensation for our teachers and staff to stay competitive and reduce turnover. Currently, FCPS ranks fifth out of eight neighboring districts in regards to starting salary for teachers with a master’s degree.
Our families expect — and our students deserve — the best teachers.
Next Steps in the Budget Process
The next steps in the FCPS FY 2026 Budget process include the School Board presenting the budget to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, April 22, and then the Board of Supervisors will conduct public hearings Tuesday, April 22, through Thursday, April 24. Community members can submit testimony or sign up to speak.
Visit the county government website to view the Fairfax County FY 2026 Advertised Budget. The community is also invited to complete an online survey to provide feedback on the county’s FY 2026 Advertised Budget.
Learn more about the FCPS FY 2026 Budget process.
📍Boundary Review
The Comprehensive School Boundary Review Process Explained
Want to learn more about the ongoing Comprehensive School Boundary Review process? Watch this video for explanations of terms such as attendance zones, attendance islands, split feeders, and other factors that affect school boundaries. The video will also be available in other languages soon.
Visit FCPS’ Comprehensive Boundary Review webpage for more information and sign up for our School Boundary Review newsletter.
Spanish: Explicamos el Proceso Integral de Revisión de los Límites Escolares
¿Quiere saber más acerca del actual Proceso Integral de Revisión de los Límites Escolares? Mire este video con la explicación de los términos usados (en inglés), como por ejemplo zonas, islas de asistencia, afluentes divididos y otros factores que afectan los límites geográficos entre las escuelas. Este video pronto estará disponible también en otros idiomas.
Visite la página de FCPS sobre el Proceso Integral de Revisión de Límites (en inglés, puede traducir la página arriba a la derecha) para que encuentre más información y para suscribirse al boletín Revisión de los Límites Escolares (en inglés).
🛑Bus Stop Arm Cameras
Cameras have been installed on the stop arms of 50 FCPS school buses. These cameras will be used to identify drivers who pass stopped school buses while children are entering and exiting the bus (called a “stop arm violation”).
Warnings for drivers will begin on Wednesday, April 9. After a 30-day warning period, citations will begin to be issued on Monday, May 12.
According to Virginia law, drivers must stop for stopped school buses with flashing red lights on and their stop signs extended. Motorists should stop when approaching from any direction (unless there is a barrier or median separating their lane from where the bus is stopped). They should remain stopped until everyone is clear and the bus is moving.
We appreciate our law enforcement partners for working with us to improve road safety and reduce accidents. Read more information about the stop arm cameras and all of the ways that we work with our county partners to keep students safe on their way to and from school.
Spanish: 🛑 Se Instalaron Cámaras en las Barras de Stop de 50 Autobuses
Se han instalado cámaras en las barras de stop de 50 autobuses de FCPS. Estas cámaras se usarán para identificar a los conductores que no se detengan cuando los niños estén entrando o bajándose los autobuses (lo que se conoce como “stop arm violation” o infracción a la barra de stop).
Las advertencias a estos conductores comenzarán a darse el miércoles 9 de abril. Luego del período de advertencia de 30 días, las citaciones comenzarán a emitirse el lunes 12 de mayo.
De acuerdo a las leyes de Virginia (en inglés), los conductores deben detenerse cuando un autobús escolar esté detenido, tenga encendidas sus luces de advertencia rojas y tenga extendida su barra con la señal de “stop”. Los conductores deben parar cuando se aproximen desde cualquier dirección (a menos que exista una barrera o isla que les separe del canal donde está detenido el autobús). Los conductores deben permanecer detenidos hasta que todos estén a salvo, y el bus ya esté en movimiento.
Agradecemos el trabajo de las entidades de ejecución de ley ayudándonos a mejorar la seguridad en las calles y a reducir el número de accidentes. Lea más información acerca de las cámaras en las barras de stop y sobre todas las formas en que trabajamos junto a otras entidades locales para mantener seguros a los estudiantes cuando van camino hacia y desde la escuela (en inglés, puede traducir la página arriba a la derecha).
School Start Times - Tell Us What You Think!
The City of Fairfax School Board wants to hear from you about school start times. FCPS is considering changing middle school start times, which could impact schools at all levels. Please go to the City of Fairfax Schools website to provide your input. https://www.cityoffairfaxschools.org/apps/form/schoolstarttimes.
Fairfax Lions Nice to Know:
Student Services Updates
No course request changes between March 24 and May 9. After May 9, all course changes will be based on space available in courses. If classes are full, students will be placed on waitlists.
June 6, 2025 – Last day to make changes to 2025-2026 course request.
Reminder to check the school website for all the latest info:
FHS Academic Advising School Information
👗Prom Dress Shop
Prom Dress Shop Opens With Hundreds of Dresses
The annual Prom Dress Shop opens for the season on Friday, March 7, at Centreville High School. Any area student — not just those from Fairfax County Public Schools — who do not have the funds to purchase a prom dress may choose from hundreds of new dresses donated by Macy’s.
Learn more and see shop hours.
Spanish:👗 La tienda de vestidos para el baile de graduación se abre con cientos de vestidos
La tienda anual de vestidos para el baile de graduación se abre el viernes 7 de marzo en la Escuela Secundaria de Centreville. Es para cualquier estudiante del área - no solo para los estudiantes de las Escuelas Públicas del Condado de Fairfax, que cuentan con pocos recursos económicos para comprar un vestido de graduación: pueden elegir entre cientos de vestidos nuevos donados por Macy's. Para más información y para ver el horario de la tienda.
Fairfax City Free Event: Virginia Opera Touring Program Presents: A Loving Community
FREE event! Monday, March 17, 2025, 3-4pm, Sherwood Center
Targeted toward Junior High - Adults (15+)
"A Loving Community" is a play with music commissioned by Virginia Opera as its educational touring program for the 2024-2025 season. The production will feature music and history relevant to the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s. This roughly 60-minute program will also include excerpts from the new opera “Loving v. Virginia” premiering April 2025. The program will be performed by the Opera’s four Herndon Foundation Emerging Artists with piano accompaniment.
The performance will be followed by a brief Q&A with the performers and interested audience members. See here for the study guide and resource list. Accompanying the production will be a set of traveling display panels, created and curated by the Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia, to further enhance the understanding of the historical context that led to this significant decision and its impact on the larger 20th and 21st century American civil rights landscape.
Fairfax City Spotlight on the Arts Contest
Fairfax Spotlight on the Arts is seeking to support local artists in the Northern Virginia region, enhance awareness of the visual arts, and encourage emerging artists in our community by hosting an annual Art Contest open to any artist in the Northern Virginia region.
Participating artists will enter original works of art and be eligible for prize money awarded at the annual Spotlight on the Arts Festival Opening Reception on Friday, April 25, 2025. The contest is open to everyone with no age limitation.
The Capital One Hall Art Contest is accepting submissions and the deadline is Saturday, March 15. Prize awards have increased this year! There will be 3 awards and a special Student Award for high schools students (high school students’ entries will also be eligible for the other three cash awards, too!).
- Grand Prize: $1500
- Second Prize: $1000
- Third Prize: $500
More information on the Festival, Contest and Art Contest Rules can be found here: https://www.fairfaxspotlight.org/
🎤Community Conversations with Dr. Reid
Your voice matters, and Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid wants to hear from you! Share your thoughts and ask questions regarding FCPS on [Insert date and location] from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Childcare and interpretation services will be provided. Events are open to all. Find out about other opportunities to connect with Dr. Reid.
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Thursday, March 20, Cunningham Park Elementary School
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Monday, March 24, Kings Park Elementary School
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Tuesday, April 1, Lorton Station Elementary School
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Monday, April 7, Greenbriar West Elementary School
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Monday, April 21, Mount Eagle Elementary School
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Wednesday, April 23, Freedom Hill Elementary School
Spanish: 🎤 Reserve el Día: Conversaciones con la Comunidad de la Superintendente Dra. Reid
¡Su opinión es importante y la Superintendente Dra. Michell Reid quiere escucharle! Comparta sus ideas y haga preguntas sobre FCPS el [Insert date and location] entre las 6:30 y las 7:30 pm.
Servicios de cuidado de niño y de interpretación en otros idiomas estarán disponibles. Estos eventos son para todo el público en general. Encuentre otras oportunidades para conectarse con la Dra. Reid.
Golf Tournament Fundraiser
 Honor your athlete at the 12th Annual FHS Athletic Boosters Fundraiser Golf Tournament with a custom-designed LIONS LEGEND sign. For a $100 donation that supports ALL Fairfax High Athletic Teams, you’ll receive:
- A 12 x 18 sign displayed on the tournament course on May 19, 2025.
- A FREE Game Day Shout Out for any home game during the 2025/2026 season. ($30 value; Promo code provided post-purchase)
- Option to keep the sign for personal use after the May 19th event.
- Receive a $75 discount if you refer a corporate sponsor who signs on for 2025!
Visit the Lions Legend section of the Athletic Boosters Website for more info!
District News - In Case You Missed it
- In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics and others:
- Second Annual Food Show
- Cameras on School Bus Stop Arms
- Comprehensive Boundary Review Process Explained
Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today.
Quick Links
District News - In Case You Missed It
throughout the year:
Fairfax HS PTSA
Volunteers Needed for Plastic Modelers Show!
Adult and student help is needed to support the Plastic Modelers event at FHS on April 12th!
All Night Grad is running concessions at this fun show and we need help with set up Friday after school, and all day Saturday- it’s the first Saturday of spring break. If you are in town and available please sign up to volunteer! Students can earn service hours and adults will earn the satisfaction of supporting the Class of 2025 and keeping our grads safe the night of graduation!
Volunteer Signup Thank you for your support!
ANG Silent Auction - Only a few days left! ✨
Feeling Lucky? 🍀
The Fairfax High School All Night Grad Celebration Silent Auction and 50/50 Raffle is now LIVE until St. Patrick’s Day at: https://app.galabid.com/fhsangsa2025/items
Don’t be green with envy that you missed your chance to bid on some of the 70+ items so that ALL our seniors can celebrate safely the night of graduation! Since ANG was created more than 35 years ago, no FHS student has been involved in a drug or alcohol related traffic incident the night of graduation.
This Year's Silent Auction includes:
- Restaurant gift cards, BBQ Dinner, Coffee and other foodie delights
- Items for sports, fitness, movie and gardening enthusiasts
- Career coaching, handmade crafts and other feel-good buys
- Tickets to the Nationals, Professional Portrait Certificate and a Klipsch Subwoofer
Several items are still available at 1/3 value and others can only be found here!! Please share the links with friends, family and neighbors and bid to support the Class of 2025 before the auction closes at 9pm on March 17! 🍀
It's Never Too Late to JOIN PTSA
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JOIN the PTSA to support our FHS teachers, students and community! Your member dues and donations work to fund ALL of our activities and programs, help keep you engaged and informed about what is happening in our school community, and provide opportunities to get involved and have fun with other families. Join us! |
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Do you want to celebrate a Fairfax employee who does ordinary things in an extraordinary way? Or goes beyond what is expected? If so, then click here to share with everyone. |
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