Joe Quintana, a field construction representative with the Office of Design and Construction, stands in the main hallway of the recently renovated Crossfield Elementary School.
🎤 Save the Date: Employee Conversations With Dr. Reid
Your voice matters, and Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid wants to hear from you! This spring, a series of Employee Conversations with Dr. Reid will be held across the school division. Events are planned for the following dates:
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Tuesday, March 18, 5:30-6:30 p.m., Haycock Elementary School
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Tuesday, April 29, 5:30-6:30 p.m., Providence Elementary School
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Thursday, May 1, 5:30-6:30 p.m., Burke School
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Wednesday, May 7, 5-6 p.m., Weyanoke Elementary School
Stay tuned for registration links.
These events are an opportunity for you to share your thoughts and ask questions. You may reach out to Dr. Reid anytime by submitting a question via the superintendent’s webpage or emailing Superintendent@fcps.edu.
🤝 Your Collective Bargaining Benefits
If you are a licensed instructional or operational employee, you are represented by the Fairfax Education Unions (FEU). As your exclusive representative, FEU can provide you with support on issues related to wages, benefits, and conditions of employment. FEU currently represents 94% of FCPS employees.
Employees seeking changes to wages or benefits should contact their union representative. Employees can also request union representation in meetings that may lead to disciplinary actions.
The FEU negotiated two agreements with FCPS: Collective Bargaining Agreement Licensed and Collective Bargaining Agreement Operational. These agreements provide all the employees they represent with specific conditions of employment starting July 1, 2025. A summary of these changes can be found in the Summary of CBAs webpage.
To determine which bargaining unit represents you, log in to UConnect. Click Employee Self-Service > Employment > Multiple Jobs/Position. Click on your job title to view the Detail section. In the first column, you will see your bargaining unit listed.
Visit the FCPS Collective Bargaining webpage for more information. For any questions regarding FEU, please contact either of the FEU co-presidents: Leslie Houston or David Walrod. You can also email FEU@fcps.edu.
✨ A diverse, adaptive, and supported workforce is Pillar C of the FCPS Strategic Plan.
🛑 Cameras Installed on Stop Arms of 50 School Buses
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.
💲 Get Up to Date on Your Pension Plan with ERFC Info Sessions
Explore the latest plan details with ERFC and their newly refreshed information sessions. Log in to MyPDE to watch the session for your ERFC plan:
Retirement Resources
Planning to retire soon? Say goodbye to FCPS and ERFC paper forms! ERFC’s retirement process is now fully online. A video in MyPDE shares quick tips to help guide you to retirement. Visit ERFC’s Ready to Retire webpage for more resources.
If you have questions about your ERFC pension, call 703-426-3900, weekdays, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., or email ERFCRetirement@fcps.edu.
🎁 Milestone Gifts for FCPS Years of Service
You spoke and we listened — years of service gifts are back!
On Monday, March 24, employees celebrating a Milestone Year of employment with FCPS (multiples of five years) will be emailed a unique redemption code from EmployeeAwards@fcps.edu to use in the FCPS Milestone Online Store. Milestone-eligible employees will be invited to select a gift of their choice within a two-week window.
The selected gifts will be delivered to principals and supervisors to present at end-of-year celebrations to honor their staff members’ dedication and contributions to the division. Thank you for your continued service!
🎭 3 FCPS Teachers Among Wolf Trap Grant Winners for Performing Arts
March is Music in Our Schools and Theater in Our Schools Month. Congratulations to three FCPS teachers who were awarded grants from Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts. Learn more about the teachers and projects the grants will support.
🍼 Expectant Parents Workshop
This virtual workshop will provide information on the leaves and disability benefits that FCPS offers following the birth of a child (maternity and paternity), adoption, or fostering of a child. The event will take place on Wednesday, March 19, 4-5 p.m.
Participants will learn about FCPS leave benefit programs (including paid parental leave), application procedures, and health and wellness resources; and they will review the enrollment process for health insurance and other optional benefits.
The workshop is open to all employees who want more information on the benefits and resources FCPS provides. Register for the Expectant Parents workshop in MyPDE.
Benefits Support for FCPS Employees
The Office of Benefit Services is open for walk-in assistance to help with any benefit-related questions on weekdays, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.
The Benefits team can assist you with any concerns you may have or updates you may need. While no appointment is necessary, scheduling an appointment in advance for more complex inquiries is recommended. You can reach the Benefits team through StaffConnect or by calling 571-423-3200.
Personalized Health Insurance Support
For personalized support with coverage or claims, employees can schedule one-on-one appointments with FCPS’ dedicated representatives:
The Office of Benefit Services is here to support you!
Competitive Compensation to Retain the Best Teachers
More than 85% of the budget is dedicated to instruction and reflects the needs of our community’s young people in response to the changing world around us. Budget priorities include providing competitive compensation for all employees, including a 7% salary increase for all staff. The majority of the budget increase is dedicated to that proposed 7% pay increase, which would greatly improve our recruitment efforts amidst an ongoing teacher shortage.
Our families want their children in high-quality schools with the best teachers who provide rigorous academic experiences. We must provide competitive compensation to attract and retain our outstanding educators, administrators, and other school-based and operational staff dedicated to the success of our students. Visit the Budget webpage for more information.
Next Steps in the Budget Process
The next steps in the FCPS Fiscal Year (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.
How to Practically Apply Universal Design for Learning
Our division is committed to creating truly inclusive classrooms, and universal design for learning (UDL) is a driving force behind this transformation. UDL in Action: Compass Courses offer a deeper dive into UDL’s practical application.
These sessions are designed for teachers, school-based technology specialists (SBTS), advanced academic resource teachers (AARTs), school-based leaders, administrators, and central office staff to enhance their UDL expertise and lead implementation in their schools.
The first course, Engagement – The "Why" of Learning, will explore strategies to foster motivation, persistence, and meaningful connections for students, while providing actionable tools to apply UDL. Courses on Representation and Action and Expression will be offered later this spring.
Session options on engagement include:
Click on your desired session to learn more and register in MyPDE. Don't miss this opportunity to strengthen your UDL leadership!
To stay up to date with FCPS’ UDL work, visit the FCPS UDL site.
✨Equitable access and opportunity is Goal 4 of the FCPS Strategic Plan.
📍 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.
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🚙 On the Road With Dr. Reid
Last week, Dr. Reid hit the road not only to visit several schools, but also to explore the warehouse at Forte Center, the transportation training center, and Food and Nutrition Services’ test kitchen. Learn more in Dr. Reid’s latest Weekly Reflections.
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School Board Meeting Thursday, March 13, at 7 p.m.
The School Board will hold its next regular business meeting on Thursday, March 13, at 7 p.m. Topics on the agenda include:
- Strategic Plan Goal 4 Report: Equitable Access and Opportunity
- Awarding of Contracts
View the complete agenda. Find out how to watch and participate in School Board meetings.
Staff Staples
Note: Some links in this email require a connection to the FCPS network. If you have any questions, please visit the FCPS Tech Support Portal to search for self help articles or submit a ticket.
Submit an Employee News request. Submissions are due by 4:30 p.m. on Tuesdays. Thank you!
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