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December Newsletter
Message from Ilryong Moon
I hope you all had a wonderful and restful Thanksgiving break. As we move into the winter season, I want to wish everyone a happy and safe holiday ahead.
As we approach the end of the year, we have critical discussion on the horizon regarding the divisionwide boundary review and the future of our school facilities.
 Upcoming Decision: December 18
On Thursday, December 18, the School Board is scheduled to review and act on the recommended transportation aspect for phasing plans associated with the division-wide boundary review. During the regular School Board meeting, Superintendent Dr. Reid will also present the findings and community input gathered through Phase 2, Part 2 of the Community Boundary Review Meetings. The board is also scheduled to hold a public hearing on the naming of the Western High School.
What is Phasing?
“Phasing” means that adjustments would roll out gradually so that students may complete key transition years at their current schools while the division moves toward more balanced enrollment and improved facility use. Please see our Policy 8130.9 for the language.
Key Considerations: Stability and Transportation
As part of the review, the Board will focus primarily on transportation, as phasing itself is already established in policy.
Transportation is a major component of the phasing plan, making sure to align with operational needs, including bus route adjustments and driver staffing. We will be working to ensure that any changes to transportation are efficient and sustainable.
A decision that the School Board may make is whether to provide the transportation to the students who opt to stay at their current schools.
As the school system may not have enough buses and drivers and other resources to provide transportation to those staying at their current schools, I believe that the School Board members and the superintendent will benefit hearing from the public.
Your Voice Matters
Community feedback from the Boundary Explorer, community meetings, advisory committee discussions, and written comments remains a central part of this process. I sincerely appreciate everyone who has taken the time to share their perspectives.
I would love to hear your feedback specifically regarding these phasing and transportation options before the December 18th meeting.
Your engagement helps ensure that decisions reflect the experiences and needs of our diverse communities. Please continue to follow the Board agenda and stay involved as we take these next steps together.
Best,
Ilryong Moon
What’s happened in November
Thanksgiving Community Dinner
 Shaun Sawko, Executive Director, Food & Nutrition Services and his team
I had the pleasure of attending the Thanksgiving Community Dinner at Annandale High School, one of several special events hosted by the Office of Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) in partnership with Educate Fairfax, the 501(c)(3) foundation dedicated to supporting and enriching student opportunities across Fairfax County Public Schools.
Caring for our community and ensuring every student and family feels safe, supported, and included remains a top priority for FCPS. These Thanksgiving dinners not only provide access to nutritious meals but also help strengthen the essential partnerships among home, school, and community that lie at the heart of the FCPS Strategic Plan.
This year’s dinners were hosted at:
Monday, November 24 — Herndon High School and Justice High School
Tuesday, November 25 — Annandale High School and Mount Vernon High School
These locations were selected based on eligibility under the federal Child and Adult Food Care Program (CACFP).
At Annandale High School, it was truly heartwarming to see students, families, and staff gather to share a festive Thanksgiving meal. The menu offered something for everyone—turkey with dinner rolls, nugget bites with dinner rolls, or a PB&J Power Pack, served alongside mashed potatoes and gravy, garlic green beans, fresh fruits and vegetables, apple crisp, and assorted milk.
It was a beautiful evening of connection, gratitude, and community spirit.
Purple Star Schools Recognition
 During our November 13 School Board meeting, we were proud to celebrate this year’s Purple Star Schools Recognition. It was wonderful to see so many of our schools striving to support military-connected students and families. I enjoyed meeting Langley High School Principal Lawrence Stroud and Kenneth Junge, Principal at Colvin Run Elementary School which was recognized as a 2025 Purple Star School for the first time, as well as West Springfield High School Assistant Principal Amy Tasaka, Director of Student Services John Basta, and Office Assistant Samantha Wolf, whose school earned the designation for a second time.
This year, 49 schools earned the Purple Star designation for the first time, and 40 schools renewed their designation. The Purple Star Award—issued by the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) and the Virginia Council on the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children—honors schools that have shown exceptional commitment to supporting military-connected students.
With these additions, 145 FCPS schools, nearly 75% of the division, now hold the Purple Star designation.
Last year, Dr. Reid set a goal for FCPS to become a division wide Purple Star District by the 2026–27 school year, meaning all schools would be Purple Star designated. As she shared, “The Purple Star Designation supports an inclusive and welcoming school culture for all students and families. It is beneficial for ALL schools to have the designation, no matter what percentage of their student body is military-connected. At FCPS, one of our strengths is our wonderful diversity. We celebrate the unique qualities that each and every student brings to our community.”
A full list of newly designated, renewed, and third-time Purple Star Schools is included in the following link for your reference.
2025 VSBA Annual Convention
 I attended the 2025 VSBA Annual Convention in Williamsburg, where more than a thousand education leaders from across Virginia gathered to share ideas, best practices, and challenges. It was a valuable opportunity to learn from other divisions and bring back insights that will strengthen our work in FCPS.
 At the VSBA Conference, I attended a session led by the new VHSL Executive Director, who emphasized on the importance of sportsmanship. VHSL reported 520 varsity player ejections and 35 coach ejections last year, with the highest numbers in football and boys’ soccer.
Importantly, most ejections were caused by verbal misconduct, not physical actions. The leading reasons included foul/abusive language and racial or hate-based speech, totaling 130 incidents across sports this fiscal year.
VHSL emphasized the need for continued sportsmanship education, clear expectations, and support for coaches in managing behavior on the field, including modeling behaviors by adults.
Sports and Theatre
 Football Game: Langley Saxons vs Madison Warhawks
I had an exciting evening at Langley High School watching their football game against Madison High School. The matchup was full of energy—momentum swings, key defensive plays, and impressive teamwork on both sides. Madison ultimately secured a 42–32 win, but it was a fantastic game to witness.
Great game to remember Centreville vs Madison
 Madison High School continued their postseason momentum with a narrow 35–34 victory over Centreville High School in overtime. The win marks Madison’s fifth straight, keeping them in familiar winning territory.
Centreville put up a strong, well-balanced offensive effort but ultimately came up just short by attempting a two-point, instead of a usual one-point, conversion after the touchdown in overtime.
It was one of the most exciting games that I have ever watched. Great job to both teams! By the way, my watching of two Madison games in two weeks was just a coincidence and had nothing to do with the fact that one of my staff members was a Madison parent. 🙂
VHSL 6C Region Championship
 Several local high school football teams competed in their VHSL regional championship games during the final weekend of November. The winners advanced to the state semifinals.
West Springfield High School claimed the 6C title by defeating Lake Braddock Secondary School, marking their second win against the Bruins this season. I was rooting for both teams, but Mr. Red Benbatoul from West Springfield was cheering for his school. (Please see the top left photo.)
Madison High School secured its sixth consecutive championship in the 6D region by winning over Westfield High School.
Congratulations to Madison High School and West Springfield High School for advancing to the state semifinals. James Madison will play at home against the defending Class 6 champion Oscar Smith, and West Springfield travels to North Stafford in the other semifinal game.
Well done to all the football teams in our division, and good luck to our teams this Saturday!
Wrestling Scrimmage at Annandale High School
 Boys’ Wrestling
Annandale High School hosted a wrestling scrimmage featuring boys’ teams from Annandale, Edison, Madison, South County, and Woodson.
Students delivered an intense and energetic performance on the mat, showcasing their strong technique, determination, and teamwork.
Their resilience and competitive spirit were evident in every match, making for an exciting and memorable event.
 Girls’ Wrestling
Girls’ wrestling is still a new and growing varsity sport in FCPS, having launched its first official season last winter. The program continues to build on that momentum this year, as evidenced by the scrimmage, which showcased how quickly it is expanding countywide. The students demonstrated impressive strength, focus, and determination, showing just how far the sport has come in a short time.
 Musical: Annie at the Centreville High School
I also had the pleasure of attending Centreville High School’s production of Annie, directed by Patrick McGee. This performance brought together students from across the Centreville Pyramid and showcased their incredible talent. Director McGee chose Annie for its themes of optimism, resilience, and community—messages that resonate strongly given the challenges our school system is navigating, including budget pressures, the recent shutdown, and ongoing boundary reviews. It was inspiring to see students bring such meaningful themes to life on stage.
Matilda at Fairfax High School
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From the lively choreography to the powerful performances, Fairfax High School theatre students beautifully showcased themes of courage and curiosity. It’s always inspiring to see our students thrive in what they love and do best!
Their production of Matilda highlighted not only their talent, but also their dedication and teamwork, both onstage and behind the scenes.
Go FX Players!
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High Fidelity at McLean High School
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The stage burst with colorful lighting and playful details, vinyl records dangling from the set and music notes scattered across the scene, perfectly capturing the world of Rob, a record store owner reeling from a breakup. After being dumped by his girlfriend, Rob dives back into his “top five” heartbreaks, trying to understand why his relationships keep falling apart.
It was a fantastic production with a great stage design and an incredibly talented cast.
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I’m truly grateful for the opportunity to experience our high school musicals throughout the year!
Search for your opportunity
CTE Pathway & Specialty Program Fair
 Learn more about Career & Technical Education Programs including Academy and other Specialty programs. Meet school counselors, support staff and central office leaders to learn more about the registration process.
Target Audience: Rising 8th to 11th graders and families
Date: Wednesday, December 10, 2025
Time: 6 to 7:30 p.m.
Location: Robinson Secondary School
5035 Sideburn Rd, Fairfax, VA 22032
Upcoming School Board Business & Meetings
Broadcast & open to the public:
- Monday, December 1, 2025, 7:30 p.m. AAP Annandale Public Hearing
- Tuesday, December 2, 2025, 10:30 a.m. All Day Work Session; 3:00 p.m. Joint Budget Policy Committee Meeting with Board of Supervisors
- Thursday, December 4, 2025, 7:00 p.m. Regular Meeting
- Tuesday, December 9, 2025, 3:00 p.m. Governance Committee
- Wednesday, December 10, 2025, 4:30 p.m. Administration Committee
- Thursday, December 11, 2025, 4:30 p.m. Comprehensive Planning and Development Committee
- Monday, December 15, 2025, 4:00 p.m. Public Engagement Committee
- Tuesday, December 16, 2025, 6:00 p.m. Joint Work Session with the City of Fairfax School Board
- Thursday, December 18, 2025, 6:45 p.m. Public Hearing, New Western High School Naming; 7:00 p.m. Regular Meeting
Individuals should check BoardDocs for the agenda for School Board meetings since there are closed meetings that often occur before the public portion of the meeting begins.
School Board Regular Meetings and Work Sessions are broadcast live and available to the public on several platforms:
If you miss the live broadcast of any School Board Meeting or Work Session, you can also watch archived broadcasts:
** Dates & times are subject to change. Please check the 2025 School Board Annual Work Calendar for the latest information.
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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