Students at Centreville High School are happy to represent their school community.
🎤 Save the Date: Community Conversations with Superintendent Dr. Reid
Your voice matters, and Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid wants to hear from you! This spring, a series of Community Conversations will be held across the school division. These events are an opportunity for you to share your thoughts and ask questions regarding FCPS. Events are planned for the following dates from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.:
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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
Events are open to all. Childcare and interpretation services will be provided. Click on the date to register for that event. Additional registration links will be shared in the near future and will be posted to our webpage along with other opportunities to connect with Dr. Reid.
🛑 Cameras Installed on School Bus Stop Arms
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.
đź“Ť 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.
Upcoming Family Academy Offerings
The Family Academy offers in-person and virtual classes, workshops, webinars, and programs for families. Upcoming sessions include:
- Co-Parenting: Two Parents, Two Homes (available in English and Spanish)
- Understanding Executive Function Milestones, Challenges, and Implementing Effective Strategies at Home for Children in Middle School
- Understanding Executive Function Milestones, Challenges, and Implementing Effective Strategies at Home for Adolescents in High School
- Getting to Know FCPS: A Family Orientation (available in Arabic, Korean, and Spanish)
- Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Family Training: Teaching Self-Help and Independent Skills
- ABA Family Training: Toilet Training
Visit the Family Academy catalog for more information on these sessions and to register to attend.
✨ Building vibrant home, school, and community partnerships is Pillar B of the FCPS Strategic Plan.
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 will present the budget to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, April 22.
- The Board of Supervisors will conduct public hearings Tuesday, April 22-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.
🤝 Collective Bargaining in FCPS Benefits the Entire Community
Fairfax County Public Schools has engaged with employees in collective bargaining in pursuit of balance and fairness, which has always been a core driver of success at FCPS.
Collective bargaining benefits the entire Fairfax community by reducing teacher turnover, improving the quality of education, and fostering strong school communities. High teacher turnover is expensive for school districts due to the costs of recruitment, hiring, and training new staff.
While fair compensation is a priority, unions also advocate for smaller class sizes, better resources, and policies that directly benefit students and families.
Collective bargaining will not result in the inability to address employee performance or to enact appropriate disciplinary action. Also, under state law, FCPS employees are not permitted to strike.
Learn more about FCPS unions and collective bargaining.
🍔 Testing Their Taste Buds: FCPS Hosts Second Annual Food Show
FCPS hosted its second annual Future of FCPS Student Food Show in February. Students from eight high schools, eight middle schools, and 12 elementary schools were invited to sample 24 food items. Students rated the food on its taste, nutrition, and appeal. The Office of Food and Nutrition Services will use this student feedback to help decide what changes to make to their district-wide breakfast and lunch menus for the 2025-26 school year.
Read about the event in this blog by Megan Sawant, a senior at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology and student representative to the Fairfax County School Board.
✨ Fostering a sense of belonging and centering student voice are part of Goal 2 of the FCPS Strategic Plan.
🧩 Twisting Toward His Goals: Student Finds Academic Success Pursuing World Record
Solving just one puzzle cube is an accomplishment, but one cube isn’t enough for Irving Middle School student Sai Charan Kintali. The America Book of Records has recognized the eighth grader for solving 50 puzzle cubes in record time — 6 minutes and 50 seconds.
The accomplishment comes with another win: Sai says practicing for the record also helped him academically. Read more about Sai’s impressive puzzling and watch him teach Dr. Reid how to solve a cube.
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đźš™ On the Road with Dr. Reid
In Weekly Reflections, Dr. Reid hit the road and not only visited several schools, but also learned more about the warehouse at Forte Center, the transportation training center, and Food and Nutrition Services’ test kitchen. Check out Dr. Reid’s latest Weekly Reflections.
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🎼 FCPS Teachers Awarded Wolf Trap Grants 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 about the winning teachers and projects from Luther Jackson Middle School, Falls Church High School, and West Potomac Academy.
🎠Fairfax High School’s “Much Ado About Nothing” Delivers Wit, Romance, and Modern Flair
The Cappies is a program through which high school theater and journalism students are trained as critics, attend shows at other schools, write reviews, and publish those reviews in local newspapers.
This review of Fairfax High School's production of “Much Ado About Nothing” was written by Preet Manukonda of Westfield High School.
Plan for the Future Today for Students in Special Education
Join Career and Transition Services (CTS) on Wednesday, March 12, 6:30-8:30 p.m., at Jackson Middle School to learn about planning and supports for your student’s life in and after high school.
Meet and ask questions of representatives from CTS programs and services for students with disabilities. Learn about short- and long-term postsecondary supports, and employment and postsecondary education considerations. This event also includes speakers discussing individualized education program (IEP) transition planning, special education services, and postsecondary options for younger students as they navigate FCPS. Register in advance.
✨ Preparing students for a wide range of postsecondary options and successfully navigating their future path is part of FCPS Strategic Plan Goal 5: Leading for Tomorrow’s Innovation.
đź“° Spring Special Education and 504 Newsletter
The latest issue of the Special Education and 504 Newsletter is now available.
Topics in this issue include:
- 2025 Family Summit
- Be a Special Education Teacher
- Self, Health, and Relationship Education (SHaRE)
- Special Education and Section 504 Timelines At-a-Glance
- Benefits of Social-Emotional Learning
- Learn about Assistive Technology Services
Subscribe to the Special Education and 504 Newsletter.
🗓️ Calendar Reminder: Limited Early Release Monday
Elementary schools in the following pyramids will release three hours early on Monday, March 17:
- Herndon, Langley, Madison, Marshall, McLean, South Lakes, Centreville, Chantilly, Fairfax, Oakton, Robinson, and Westfield.
View Upcoming Events on your school’s homepage to find early release dates that will impact your child. Find out more about Limited Early Release Mondays.
School Board Meeting Thursday, March 13, at 7 p.m.
The School Board will hold its next regular business meeting at Jackson Middle School 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.
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