|
English | Español | አማርኛ | 中文 | 한국어 | Tiếng Việt | العربية | فارسی | اردو
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.
Hello Braddock Families,
Summer break has begun for the School Board! Last Thursday, we met for the last time before the board went on our one month recess. I was grateful at this meeting to be able to address a concern I have heard from some community members. As many of you know, the staff has been working on a comprehensive review of school boundaries. While this boundary work is ongoing and no changes are planned for the upcoming school year, the Board took steps to ensure phasing of students to minimize the impact on current students who may experience changes once the new boundaries are approved and put into place. The Board approved revisions to Policy 8130 Regarding Phasing, which will allow students in the last two years of elementary school, in 8th grade, or 10th-12th grades to be able to choose to remain in their school or attend the school in the new boundary. This will provide some stability for current students for when the boundary changes may take place.
In addition, I worked with the drafters of the revisions to ensure that this phasing language included secondary schools to ensure students in grades 8 - 12 have the choice of remaining at the secondary school they currently attend. We also passed an amendment that I proposed to ensure administrators communicate that special education student placement decisions shall continue to be determined by the IEP teams as allowed by Federal provisions, which require IEP teams to make the placement decisions for students with disabilities.
These steps are proactive, no boundary changes have been approved for this year. The Superintendent’s Boundary Policy Advisory Committee is meeting over the break, and new proposed maps are expected in the early fall followed by a new series of community meetings. I will be posting updates and notices about meetings in our district as the information becomes available.
As summer speeds by, your principals have been busy planning many events to welcome the kids back! Please check your school’s newsletters for announcements of playground get-togethers, welcome activities, open houses, back to school nights, fall sports tryouts and more. I hope to see you at many of these events. Check out your local school’s newsletters for information about these events - if you’re not already subscribed to your school’s newsletter, sign up here.
Over the next month, though the Board will not be meeting, my staff and I are still working and available to answer any questions you might have or address any concerns. As always, please feel free to reach out to my office at braddockconstituent@fcps.edu.
All my best,
 In this issue
The School Board met last week. Below are some of the highlights. The full meeting can be viewed on YouTube and the complete agenda can be found on Board Docs.
- Proclamations:
- Revisions were made to Policy 8130 Regarding Phasing, see above for my discussion of the changes.
- School Board SY 2025 -2026 Liaison and Committee Assignments were approved.
- SY 2025 - 2026 Community Advisory appointments were confirmed.
The next School Board meeting after the recess will be August 28, 2025 at Jackson Middle School. Find out how to watch and participate in School Board meetings.
Braddock Nights summer concert series are free concert held Saturdays at 7:30 PM throughout the Summer at Royal Lake Park and Lake Accotink Park. Upcoming events include the following:
- At Royal Lake Park, 5344 Gainsborough Dr, Fairfax, VA 22032
- At Lake Accotink Park, 7500 Accotink Park Rd, Springfield, VA
Arts in the Parks are a free Children's entertainment series, every Saturday from 10-10:45am at Wakefield Park in front of the Audrey Moore Rec Center, 8100 Braddock Road, Annandale.
 A full musical in only 3 weeks. This is FCPS Production Camp!
This summer, our brand-new theatre Production Camp is giving students a fast-paced, pre-professional experience in the performing arts. In just days, they'll bring SIX: TEEN EDITION to life with hours of daily rehearsals and total dedication. The new offering is part of the IFTA - Summer Institute for the Arts FCPS enrichment program for students in grades 6-11.
See the show at Lake Braddock Secondary THIS Friday, July 25 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, July 26 at noon. Free and open to all!
Summer time is in full swing and some of our great students may find their mental health lacking as they lack social time to connect with their friends and peers from school. The FCPS Office of Intervention and Prevention Services will offer free virtual Mental Wellness Consultations from June 23, 2025 through August 1, 2025. Consultations will be directly to parents of students in any grade level, or directly to middle and high school students. You can find more information here.
My office is seeking applications from Braddock District residents interested in serving a one-year appointment to the Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) School Board Facilities Planning Advisory Committee.
Some residents may not know that the School Board has volunteer citizen advisory committees that focus on specific issues affecting FCPS students. These committees make annual recommendations to the School Board. Most of the committee terms run one year, from July-June, and most boards meet once a month, usually in the evenings.
Before I was elected to the school board, I served on one of these committees for eight years. I found it an invaluable experience both in learning more about FCPS from a systemic perspective and sharing my own experiences and expertise.
So far my office has received and filled all of the Advisory Committees except one - Facilities Planning Advisory Council (FPAC). This special advisory committee is especially hard to fill as it requires someone with experience in the engineering or architecture fields. If you have expertise or experience that matches these qualifications, please fill out this form.
I look forward to hearing from those interested and in developing strong working relationships with you.
2025 ExploraVision Winners Present on Capitol Hill to Bill Nye
 I am happy to share an update on two young inventors from Willow Springs Elementary School – Luciana and Scarlett — who were named national winners in the 2025 ExploraVision competition a few months ago — one of only eight teams selected from across the country! Luciana and Scarlett shared what they presented to members of the House and Senate while they were on Capitol Hill to receive their award, as well as executives from Toshiba.
They also met with staff from Senator Mark Warner’s office. One of the most unforgettable moments for them was meeting Bill Nye, who not only took time to speak with Luciana and Scarlett but asked them thoughtful questions about their project, Electro-Buzz, which uses AI-powered drones to mimic the behavior of bees and pollinate crops. What an incredible experience! Go Foxes!!
 Canterbury Woods Elementary School grad Kristen King spent much of her sixth grade year ensuring the buses ran on time.
Kristen, a captain on her school’s safety patrol, oversaw the travel patterns of all 18 buses at her school, including those used by deaf and hard of hearing students. Those buses are used to transport riders from all over the county to Canterbury Woods, which is home to Fairfax County Public School’s (FCPS) elementary program for students who are deaf or hard of hearing.
She walked the parking lot with clipboards containing names of students who weren’t at school that day, were staying after school, or opting not to take the bus for one reason or another; communicating with bus drivers on a walkie-talkie about who to expect on any given day. It was her job to ensure that buses didn’t waste time waiting for students who weren’t using the bus that afternoon, or, alternatively, leave a student behind in the building.
“Kids get bussed in from very far away, even an hour in some cases, and if a student misses their bus, it’s a big deal, their parents have to drive all the way in to pick them up,” Kristen said. Kristen, who was one of two FCPS students honored by the American Automobile Association (AAA) as a Safety Patroller of the Year, soon realized her job may be a little easier if she picked up some basic sign language skills to better communicate with the students she was supporting.
Student Online Verification/Update (OVU) opens July 25, 2025
The 2025-26 Online Verification/Update (OVU) packet will be available in ParentVUE starting this Friday, July 25th. The OVU packet allows parents to electronically update phone numbers, emergency contacts, health conditions, and upload immunization records for their students via ParentVUE. Electronic capture of this information improves data quality and reduces staff workload. Please encourage all families to sign up for a ParentVUE account so they can have direct access to student information.
ParentVUE Online Verification/Update (OVU) Packet | Fairfax County Public Schools
VHSL Physical Updated Information for 2025-2026
Legislation introduced in the Virginia General Assembly and recently signed into law will result in two significant changes to the athletic pre-participation examination (physical) requirements for FCPS student-athletes:
- Beginning July 1, 2025, athletic physicals will be considered valid for a period of 14 months from the date the form is signed by the medical provider completing the exam. This is the date on page 3 of the VHSL Athletic Participation/Parent Consent/Physical Examination Form (revised January 2021).
- Beginning May 1, 2025, FCPS student-athletes are EXPECTED to have athletic physicals completed on the new VHSL Athletic Participation/Parental Consent/Evaluation Form (revised April 2025).
🏫 Calendar Reminders: 2025 First Day of School
Monday, August 18, is the first day of school for the 2025-26 school year. View the 2025-26 school year calendar for additional important dates.
Tax-Free Weekend
Friday, August 1, through Sunday, August 3, will be a sales tax holiday in the state of Virginia. Visit Virginia’s Sales Tax Holiday webpage for details on eligible items, which include school supplies and clothing.
Important Updates to the Student Rights and Responsibilities (SR&R)
There are several SR&R updates for the 2025-26 school year, including changes to the cell phone policy. Other updates include better clarity or new procedures around topics such as discipline data, parent notifications, hate speech, and integrated discipline training. The full list of changes is available on BoardDocs.
📵 Cell Phone Policy Update for High Schools
Beginning in August, high school students can only use their cell phones and other personal devices (AirPods, smart watches, etc.) during lunch and before or after school. This is a change from FCPS’ previous cell phone policy, which allowed high schoolers to use devices during passing periods. Students must keep devices off and away during classroom time and during passing periods between classes beginning this fall.
Read more about the updated Cell Phone Policy.
🍎 Join Team FCPS!
 FCPS will host an in-person job fair for educators on Wednesday, July 23, from 9 a.m. to noon, at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology.
The event will feature networking and interviewing opportunities with representatives from FCPS schools. Employment offers may be extended during the fair. Learn more and register to attend.
🚌 Join the Driving Force in Education!
Join us for one of our school bus driver job fairs this summer and be part of our team! Events take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the following dates:
Learn more about driving for FCPS and the $2,000 signing bonus!
Find Your Career Here
Whether you are just starting a career or are an experienced professional, Fairfax County Public Schools offers a wide range of rewarding careers and the support to help you grow with us! We’re proud of our supportive work environment that enables you to feel and do your best.
View current job openings.
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.
© 2023 Fairfax County Public Schools, Fairfax County, Virginia
|
