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Back-to-School Newsletter 2025-26
Dear Sully District Families and Community Members,
With the start of a new school year just around the corner, now is the perfect time to prepare your students for the exciting months ahead. Please take the time to attend open houses and back-to-school nights, connect with your child's teachers and classmates and explore the activities your school offers. A sincere thank you to our teachers and support staff, whose efforts are setting the stage for another successful year.
Please click on the image below to view my back-to-school video message for the new school year.
 2025 Back to School Message YouTube Video
I am honored to represent the Sully district where I have lived for over twenty years. Please remember, I am here to advocate for you, your families, and your children—feel free to reach out to me anytime. To keep up with weekly news between newsletters, be sure to follow me on Facebook.
In partnership,
Seema Dixit
Sully District School Board Member
Reminders
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.
📚 Algebra 1 in 6th Grade Pilot Launching
I am happy to announce that FCPS is launching a pilot program offering Algebra 1 Honors to qualified sixth-grade students who demonstrate readiness for advanced math. Selection is based on rigorous criteria, including an advanced Math 6 SOL score and an 1125Q quantile on the iReady assessment. The program will expand access from about 25–30 students districtwide to roughly 500 students across 30–35 schools, with both in-person and virtual instruction options. Families at pilot schools will be notified soon, and eligible students will be automatically enrolled unless parents opt out.
🛡️ FCPS Weapons Detection Continues
FCPS piloted a weapons detection system in randomly selected high schools during spring 2025 and plans to expand the weapons detection systems to all high schools and middle schools in the fall of 2025. The Office of Safety and Security deploys OpenGate scanners at randomly selected schools. These advanced scanners are more sensitive than traditional metal detectors, accurately identifying potential threats. Families and staff with concerns can contact school counselors or the Employee Assistance Program.
🕛 Early Release Wednesdays Coming to Elementary Schools
Starting in the 2025-26 school year, FCPS elementary schools will shift to eight three-hour early release Wednesdays to provide teachers with essential planning and collaboration time. This change follows a successful pilot of early release Mondays and offers a more consistent schedule. Free afterschool supervision will be available for families who need it, and all students will be dismissed early unless parents opt for extended care. Dates vary by school pyramid—see FCPS' webpage on Early Release Wednesdays for dates and other details.
📴 Cell Phone Policy Update for High Schools
Beginning in August, high school students can only use their cell phones and other personal devices during lunch and before or after school. This is a change from Fairfax County Public Schools’ 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.
📒Secondary Schools Grading
Starting with the 2025-26 school year, there will be several updates to FCPS’ secondary grading and reporting practices to increase consistency and align with new School Board Policy 2418. Key changes include: preparation for rolling gradebooks in high schools by 2026-27, continued 70/30 weighting for summative/formative assessments, homework capped at 10% of grades, reassessments capped at 90%, and the removal of the D- grade. These updates aim to ensure grades accurately reflect student learning. Read more about the updates to the Middle and High School Grading and Reporting Handbook on the FCPS website.
Contacting Me
To contact me, it is most helpful if you can please use the official School Board Contact Form. This form prioritizes emails to me from constituents and helps me track communication so I can be sure you receive a response. If you are unsure of your county magisterial district, you can look up that information in My Neighborhood.
Quick Links
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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