Members of the Science Fair team — (from left) Brian Schwenk, Leigh Kelly, Liz Keyes, Michelle Gilligan, Lauren Keninitz, and Ann Wong — pose for a photo during registration at Robinson Secondary School. The 70th Annual Regional Science and Engineering Fair was held March 21-23.
⏰ Coming Soon: School Start Times Survey for All Staff and Families
Last year, FCPS held community forums and surveyed middle school families regarding middle school start times
Now, we would like to hear from all staff and families on the possibility of adjusting school start times across the division! The goal remains to begin middle school at 8 a.m. or later at the start of the 2026-27 school year.
On April 1, a survey link will be sent by email to staff, parents/caregivers and students in grades 5-12. The confidential survey will be open for two weeks and will be available in multiple languages.
☎️ Add Your Emergency Contacts in UConnect
Emergency contacts are often kept on file at local worksites, but we encourage staff to add their emergency contacts in UConnect as a way to centrally access this information in an emergency.
Simply log in, then in the sidebar click Personal Information > Emergency Contact > Add. Complete the form with required fields, then click update. Visit the FCPS UConnect info page for help logging in.
Voluntary Transfer Window for Instructional Staff Closes April 4
The voluntary transfer window opened on February 10 and will close on Friday, April 4. Instructional staff may continue to schedule interviews with other FCPS schools and accept transfer offers to a different work location until that date.
Find additional details about the Instructional Employees’ Voluntary Transfer Window on the Hub.
🌞 Summer Learning Employment Opportunities
Instructional Services is excited to announce the 2025 Summer Learning programs. Employees are invited to apply for positions of interest. Opportunities are available for both special education and general education teachers at all levels.
Updated employment opportunities are being posted this week on the Summer Learning Employment Opportunities page.
☀️ Save the Date for the FCPS Summer Extravaganza
Discover summer learning and activities available in Fairfax County!
Attend the FCPS Summer Extravaganza on Saturday, May 10, 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m., at Woodson High School and get a jump on summer learning. At this free event, participants can engage in educational and enrichment activities designed to inspire curiosity and growth.
Activities will include student performances, story time, a moon bounce, and face painting. An FCPS Student Program Marketplace will feature student-made goods for sale. Proceeds will support the students’ programs.
For more information, visit the Summer Extravaganza webpage.
Family Services Specialist Gives Voice to Children and Families
Alyce Pope has been involved with FCPS’ Head Start program for more than 40 years. At first she was a parent of a student in the Higher Horizons Head Start program. Then she worked as a classroom assistant and administrative assistant. Now she works with families to encourage them to enroll in the program.
As a result of her dedication to her job, Alyce was named a finalist for the National Education Association (NEA) Education Support Professional (ESP) of the Year award. The award honors an NEA member who demonstrates outstanding accomplishments and whose achievements reflect the vital role ESPs play in public education.
Read more about Alyce and how advocating for public education runs in her DNA.
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🌍 Justice Teacher Named Global Educator of the Year
Kirsten Salonga was named the 2025 AFS-USA Global Educator of the Year. Kirsten is a biology and environmental science for multilingual learners teacher and science department chair at Justice High School.
The Global Educator Award recognizes educators who have demonstrated excellence in integrating cultural diversity, global competence, and internationalized concepts into their instruction with the aim of cultivating active global citizens. Read more about Kirsten's award.
Virginia Finalists for Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching
Kirsten Salonga and John Mika (pictured), a mathematics teacher at Hayfield Secondary School, have been named Virginia’s finalists for the 2025 Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. The award — regarded as the nation’s top honor for K-12 science, technology, engineering, and mathematics teachers — recognizes educators who have both deep content knowledge of the subjects they teach and the ability to motivate and enable students to be successful in those areas.
🏆 Twain Teacher Awarded FCPS CARES of the Quarter
In her Weekly Reflections, Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid shared her experience bestowing the latest FCPS CARES of the Quarter award at Twain Middle School. This recognition, which highlights the contributions of an especially impactful FCPS CARES recipient, is made possible by a partnership between Educate Fairfax and our employee recognition team.
Vivian Beck, crisis resource teacher for Twain Middle School and its Comprehensive Services Site program, was nominated for FCPS CARES for “caring for all students and the extra love and care for those who have not yet experienced success.”
Vivian directs Twain’s student mentoring program and instructs a life skills class she created that’s tailored to students with emotional disabilities. She also created the Hype Cafe, a student-run business that sells hot beverages and baked goods to staff and faculty twice weekly, in order to help teach students management and service skills.
Read more about Dr. Reid’s activities across the division in her Weekly Reflections.
Celebrating our Athletic Trainers
March is National Athletic Training Month. FCPS athletic trainers are nationally certified and state licensed medical professionals. They dedicate themselves to promoting the health and safety of our athletes before, during, and after practices and competitions.
In the 2023-24 school year, FCPS athletic trainers:
- documented 22,648 injuries (includes sprains, strains, fractures, cuts/scrapes, bumps, and bruises).
- had 88,756 encounters with 9,808 individual students.
- provided 197,229 therapeutic treatments (e.g. strengthening/conditioning, range of motion, therapeutic modalities, and wound care).
Read more about some of our athletic trainers who were recognized at the local and national level this year, including Heather Murphy from Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, featured in this video.
📚 Learn About Tech Tools for Reading
Learn more about the connection between universal design for learning (UDL), inclusive practices, technology, and accessibility in Part 2 of a lunch and learn series called Easy Tech, Big Impact. Three sessions are being offered on Friday, April 4, and Monday, April 7.
Join one of these virtual sessions while you enjoy your lunch for a bite-sized learning experience. Explore simple yet powerful tech tools educators can use to build customized supports to enhance inclusive reading opportunities for all learners.
Featured tools include Gemini AI and TextHelp Read&Write. Educators can add the Read&Write extension and get a free educator account prior to the session using their FCPS Google account.
Register now in MyPDE. Rachel Connelly, assistive technology coach, and Mollie Kropp, educational specialist, accessibility, will present the session.
Learn How to Become a Fully Licensed Special Education Teacher during an FCPS/GMU Virtual Info Session
Whether you’re a teacher trainee working toward your special education provisional license or a recently provisionally licensed teacher, FCPS has an exciting opportunity for you!
Join a virtual information session on Tuesday, April 1, at 1 p.m., to learn about the Special Education Cohorts offered in partnership with George Mason University. Mason has special education programs available for those looking to become fully licensed in the following areas:
- Students Accessing the General Curriculum
- Adapted Curriculum
- Special Education Early Childhood
Also, learn about cost saving options such as the Grow Your Own program, which provides a supportive and affordable path to completing a master’s degree and special education licensure.
Register to receive the session link and discover how the FCPS Grow Your Own Pathway can help you achieve your professional goals. Contact the FCPS Teacher Pathways Program with any questions at TeacherPathways.OPL@fcps.edu.
Great Beginnings Quarterly Learning Series Registration Open
The Great Beginnings Quarterly Learning Series for quarters 3 and 4 will be offered Monday, March 24, to Thursday, April 10. While it is designed for new educators, it is open to any interested educator.
Session topics include:
- FCPS AI Tools: Your Thought Partner for Efficiency and Instructional Planning
- Navigating Special Education Resources on the Employee Hub
- Performance Matters: The Critical Guide to Ensuring Your Test Will Work
- Tackling Time Management
- UDL: Utilizing Traditional Schoology Tools to Support Action and Expression
All sessions will be presented on Zoom from 5:15 to 6:45 p.m.
View the session catalogue, which includes session titles, intended audiences, Zoom links, and registration links. Participants can register for one session each day. Contact Jenna Reeder, educational specialist, with any questions.
FCPS Retirement Ceremony Scheduled for April 30
After years of hard work and dedication, FCPS celebrates our retirees’ careers, legacies, and accomplishments at our annual retirement ceremony, We Honor You — Celebrating Your Service to FCPS. This year’s event will be held on Wednesday, April 30, at 5:30 p.m., at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology.
Those planning to retire should submit their Notification of Resignation-Retirement form (HR-2) as soon as possible. Invitations are being sent to those retiring before December 31, 2025. The deadline to RSVP for the ceremony is April 7. Please email questions to WeHonorYou@fcps.edu.
🗓️ Calendar Reminders: Quarter End, Eid al-Fitr, and Teacher Workday
Friday, March 28, is the last day of the third quarter. It is a full day of school.
All FCPS schools and offices are closed on Monday, March 31, for Eid al-Fitr. Tuesday, April 1, is a student holiday and teacher workday.
Remaining Professional Workdays
As a reminder, Tuesday, April 1, is a designated teacher workday. Please note that this is not a work-from-alternate-location day. All scheduled staff who work that day are expected to report to their assigned work locations.
We encourage everyone to review the employee calendar for the designations of all remaining professional workdays. Here's a quick overview:
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Thursday, June 12: Staff Development Day
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Friday, June 13: School Planning Day
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Monday, June 16, and Tuesday, June 17*: teacher workdays (option to work from an alternate location.)
*195-day teacher-scale personnel had the option to work from an alternate location on August 9, 2024, in lieu of working on Tuesday, June 17. For those teachers who exercised that option and worked on August 9, 2024, their final contract day would be Monday, June 16. For those that did not work on August 9, 2024, they will work on Tuesday, June 17.
🌷 Spring Break
Monday, April 14, to Friday, April 18, is spring break. Schools and school offices will be closed.
See the complete school year calendar or the employee calendar.
School Board Meeting Thursday, March 27, at 7 p.m.
The School Board will hold its next regular business meeting on Thursday, March 27, at 7 p.m., at Jackson Middle School. Topics on the agenda include:
- Updated Policy 2625, Physical Restraint and Seclusion
- Security Vestibules Project – Phase 2
- Awarding of Contracts
View the complete agenda. Find out how to watch and participate in School Board meetings.
Nominate a Colleague for the County’s Highest Honor
Nominate an FCPS employee or a Fairfax County employee for the A. Heath Onthank Award. Nominations are due Friday, April 4. Visit the A. Heath Onthank Award webpage for the nomination form and more information.
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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