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Mason District Community,
The third quarter is set to close in a little over two weeks on March 28, 2025. Please take a moment to connect with your student’s teacher(s) to discuss their progress. There is still some time to ensure that all assignments have been submitted.
I will be joining Supervisor Andres Jimenez for a Mason District Budget Town Hall on March 26th at 6:00 p.m. The meeting is virtual and details regarding registration are below. Please feel free to submit your questions ahead of time to mason@fairfaxcounty.gov.
There have been many inquiries regarding the potential of various reductions in the County budget and their impact on schools. Please find below the programs which will directly affect FCPS included in the County reduction package.
I value the input I receive from the Mason Community and am happy to address questions or concerns via email or phone. You can reach me by email at rjanderson@fcps.edu. If you are interested in scheduling a phone call, please reach out to my assistant, Cristy Coffey, at cmcoffey@fcps.edu to arrange a time.
In this Issue:
Budget Matters
County Reductions
Below is a table of County reductions that impact Fairfax County Public Schools as outlined in the FY26 County Executive’s Advertised Budget. Also find the full list of reductions proposed by the County here.
**26 Middle School Afterschool Program Coordinators
FCPS FY 2026 Budget
The Superintendent’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Proposed Budget, discussed during the February 4th Work Session, totals $4.0 billion. This is a net increase of $297.1 million, or 7.9%, over the FY 2025 Approved Budget. Priorities in the proposed budget include:
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Compensation: a 7.0% salary increase for all staff: $240.8 million
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Recurring baseline adjustments: substitute teacher incentive, middle school late buses, esports stipends, legal services, online campus, AP/IB test fees, workers compensation, and grant adjustments: $23.6 million
- Enrollment and Student Need: $20.0 million
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Transfers to Other Funds: Funding for major infrastructure maintenance, continue support for enhanced summer school, and debt service: $12.9 million
- Cost escalations, contracts, renewals, and leases: $8.6 million
- Inclusive Preschool Expansion: $2.0 million
- Human Capital Management (HCM) Project Year 4: $0.7 million
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Fine and Performing Arts Stipends Year 3: fine and performing arts stipends for middle school theatre and musicals, high school one act plays, indoor drumline, and indoor color guard: $0.7 million
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Certified Athletic Trainers Year 3: to provide one additional certified athletic trainer at each of the 25 high schools: $0.7 million
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Safety and Security: Enhance safety and security in schools to include additional security cameras, Rap Back program, panic alert system, and security vestibules: $9.3 million
- Differentiated Learning Credentials: $4.9 million
Budget Development Calendar
View the complete FY 2026 Budget Development Calendar.
Mason District Budget Town Hall
Join Supervisor Jimenez and me for a virtual Mason District Town Hall.
Register to attend the town hall scheduled for Wednesday, March 26th at 6:00 p.m.
Submit questions ahead of time to mason@fairfaxcounty.gov or ask questions live on Facebook. The meeting will also be livestreamed on Fairfax County’s Channel 16.
Opportunities
FCPS Family Summit
FCPS is pleased to announce the 2025 FCPS Family Summit - Beyond Labels: Nurturing a Culture of Belonging, an in-person event hosted by Fairfax County Public Schools in collaboration with a host of internal and external community partners.
Date: Saturday, March 15, 2025
Time: 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m
Location: South Lakes High School
Learn more and register for the Family Summit.
Review Potential K-12 Mathematics Instructional Resources
FCPS will begin using new mathematics instructional resources in the 2025-26 (secondary) and 2026-27 (elementary) school years. The community is invited to review the materials and provide comments. Resources may be reviewed on the FCPS Mathematics webpage.
Physical copies of the materials are available for viewing on weekdays from 9:00 am - 5:00 pm until Friday, March 21, at 8270 Willow Oaks Corporate Dr., Suite 100.
All community feedback will be shared with the review committee and with the School Board before the board votes in spring 2025.
Kindergarten Registration
There’s an easy five-step process for parents wanting to register their child for kindergarten:
- Determine eligibility.
- Identify your local school.
- Gather documents.
- Fill out forms.
- Schedule an appointment.
After the appointment at the school (the student and one caregiver must be present), the student will be ready for orientation and any other introductory events each school may host. Read more about the registration process.
💻 Try Online Registration
Online registration for the 2025-26 school year is open for parents/caregivers who would like to enroll their child in FCPS for kindergarten through 12th grade. Learn how to begin the online registration process.
When registering, parents/caregivers will create (or log in to an existing) SIS ParentVUE account.
American Youth Climate Summit
The American Youth Climate Summit will be held on Saturday, March 29, at American University. This event is designed to empower students to tackle climate challenges and build a sustainable future through inspiring keynote talks, interactive workshops, and networking with leaders in the field.
Event Highlights:
- Keynote speakers, including Congressmen, Senators, and other national climate leaders
- Workshops tailored for students at all levels of climate action experience
- Opportunities to connect with peers and professionals from across the country
Details:
- Date: Saturday, March 29
- Time: 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM (light breakfast included)
- Location: American University, Washington, DC (Free Parking Available)
- Admission Fee: $30
This summit is an opportunity for students to deepen their understanding of climate issues, develop leadership skills, and take meaningful steps toward a more sustainable future.
Registration closes March 13.
2025 National Wildlife Photo Contest
The 2025 National Wildlife Photo Contest is open for submissions through March 23, 2025. Choose from nine categories, including the Young Nature Photographers category - open to ages 13-17!
Learn more and submit your photos.
Dream Project CTE Scholarship
The Dream Project CTE Scholarship is an annual renewable scholarship awarded to immigrant students whose career goals align with post-secondary education focused on the applied skills needed for a specific craft/profession. Application deadline is March 31, 2025.
Fairfax County Scholarship
Fairfax County scholarship opportunity for students who live in affordable housing. Apply before March 31 at 4:30 p.m. Learn more and apply today!
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
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