đŸ“±Update Your Phone Number in UConnect, 🎉Start the New Year With New Skills, Updates from Dr. Reid

Fairfax County Public Schools sent this bulletin at 12/09/2025 07:15 PM EST
Teacher smiling for a photo


Aiman Shaikh is the pharmacy technician teacher at West Potomac Academy.

Employee Conversation With Dr. Reid Rescheduled

The Employee Conversation scheduled for Wednesday, December 10, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., at Bailey’s Elementary School has been rescheduled. The event will now be held Wednesday, December 17, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., at Bailey’s Elementary School. Please register to attend the December 17 event. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Showcasing Success in Virginia’s School Performance and Support Framework

Fairfax County Public Schools is proud to share that the majority of FCPS schools have been rated “distinguished” or “on track” in the first year of Virginia’s new School Performance and Support Framework (SPSF). All FCPS schools remain fully accredited, even as the state shifts to this new model, which offers less flexibility for measuring student growth.

These strong results reflect the dedication of our excellent staff, the hard work of our students, and the ongoing support of our families, all of whom contribute to the success of our school communities.

Read the full news release on our schools’ performance.

Virginia’s Measures of Academic Performance and Success

In the Academic Matters portion of last Thursday’s School Board meeting, Dr. Reid discussed the impacts of the Standards of Learning (SOL) cut score and proposed school performance revisions. 

In November, the Virginia Board of Education decided that SOL cut score changes would begin in the 2026-27 school year (no changes for 2025-26) and phase in over four years, with an increased bar to pass the SOLs each year. 

Using spring 2025 SOL results as a baseline, the new standards would significantly lower pass rates. For example, math pass­ rate estimates could drop from 78% under current standards to 52% under full implementation; reading could drop from 79% to 51%.

Read Dr. Reid’s Weekly Reflections for more information.

đŸ“± Update Your Phone Number in UConnect to Receive Weather Closing Messages From FCPS

Be among the first to receive urgent divisionwide messages such as emergencies, internet outages, weather closings, and critical news updates by adding or updating your cell phone number in UConnect.

Not getting text messages from the division? That might be a good sign to check your number in UConnect! Learn more about UConnect.

Meet the Author: Live on Channel 21 and YouTube

Meet the Author

Tune in to the Fairfax Network (Channel 21) or YouTube on Friday, December 12, at 1 p.m., for Meet the Author with Gabriella Aldeman, local author of the bilingual children’s book “Squawk of Spanish.” 

Students can follow Max as he learns to communicate with his Spanish-speaking grandmother, and see how language can bring families closer together.

Lynbrook Elementary School students will ask questions about writing, reading, and what it’s like to speak more than one language.

Special Education Family Conference: Call for Presenters

The 2026 Special Education Family Conference — Stronger Together: Connecting Families and Schools — will take place on Saturday, March 21, 2026, at Marshall High School. 

The event features a keynote address from internationally renowned educator and advocate Dr. Shelley Moore, a resource fair, and breakout sessions. 

FCPS staff and community partners are invited to facilitate two breakout sessions on topics of interest to FCPS families. Each session will be one hour long. Presenters should plan to offer their presentation during both session times: 1:20 p.m. and 2:25 p.m. 

Those interested should complete the 2026 Special Education Family Conference Presentation Proposal Form by Wednesday, January 14, 2026. The conference presentation review committee will send confirmation of accepted proposals to the email provided in the proposal form. Visit the FCPS 2026 Special Education Family Conference webpage for more details.

🎉 Celebrating Fairfax City’s New Superintendent

Dr, Reid and Dustin Wright smile for a photo

In her latest Weekly Reflections, Dr. Reid shared how she had the privilege of attending the Oath of Office Ceremony for Dustin Wright, the new superintendent for the City of Fairfax Schools. 

Dustin is a former FCPS staff member who will now lead the four-school district, which operates with FCPS under a School Services Agreement (SSA). FCPS provides curriculum, staffing, and transportation, while the City of Fairfax retains ownership and oversight of its four school buildings, including capital improvements, renovations, and SSA management. 

Read more about Dr. Reid’s week in Weekly Reflections.

🎉 Start the New Year With New Skills

💎 Gemini Gem Jam Sessions: Build a Custom AI Assistant

Join FCPS Department of Information Technology (DIT) for a Google Gemini Gem Jam Session. Attend to learn how to create Google Gemini Gems and save hours of work.

This fast-paced session will cover the complete Gem lifecycle, show examples of Gems for operational and instructional employees, and provide steps to build your own custom AI assistant. Start with Gems premade by DIT or make a Gem tailored to your needs, like a Substitute Scheduler Gem. Sessions take place on: 

  • Wednesday, December 10, 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
  • Thursday, January 29, 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.

January 29 is a districtwide staff development day. View the full schedule of professional development opportunities and be sure to seek administrator approval to engage in this optional learning.

Register in MyPDE for credit.

📖 Spring 2026 Educator Academy Course Catalog Now Available 

Advance your career and hone your teaching practice this spring with the FCPS Educator Academy! 

Course topics range from supporting teachers with designing optimal learning environments for diverse learners to preparing teachers pursuing additional teaching endorsements. All courses are free and designed with flexible scheduling, allowing you to tailor your learning experience.

New courses this semester include:

  • Navigating the Storm: Strategies for Addressing Chronic and Challenging Behaviors 
  • Digital Playground: Computers in the Art Room
  • Praxis 5362 Prep - English for Speakers of Other Languages 
  • Praxis 5261 Prep - Algebra 1  

Registration opens in MyPDE on Tuesday, December 16, at 5 p.m. Successful completion earns salary credit and recertification points. Visit the Academy Atlas page to learn how to register or email Academy@fcps.edu with your questions.  

🎧 PD on the Go: Leadership Skills in 10 Minutes or Less!

The PD on the Go podcast, hosted by the Office of Professional Learning, delivers bite-sized learning on communication, collaboration, and facilitation skills for teacher leaders. Tune in while you’re in the car, on your lunch break, or making copies, and learn practical tips to immediately improve your team’s effectiveness and enhance your leadership skills. 

Recent episodes cover Analyzing Student Work, Building Collective Efficacy, and High Leverage Protocols. Episode resources are available on the Teacher Leadership Google site.  

New episodes come out every Thursday and include links to resources and materials to use back at your schools. Listen anywhere you access podcasts, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts, or watch on YouTube. 

Please contact Mary Beth Anderson with any questions and follow the podcast on Instagram.  

Obtain a Pre-K-12 License in Administration and Supervision in One Year

The Accelerated Certificate Cohort (ACC) is a partnership with the University of Virginia for FCPS instructional employees to obtain the Virginia Pre-K-12 license in Administration and Supervision in one year. 

Virtual information sessions for the 2026-27 ACC will take place:

  • Tuesday, December 16, 2025, from 5 to 6 p.m.
  • Tuesday, January 13, 2026, from 5 to 6 p.m. 

Register for the ACC info session. A zoom link will be sent to all registered participants prior to the session. 

Applications for the 2026-27 ACC will go live on Tuesday, January 13, 2026. Find more information on program requirements, eligibility, expectations, timelines, and the application process on the ACC Google site. Please contact Sofia Mora in the Office of Professional Learning with any questions. 

Web-Based Opportunities for AI Learning and Career Advancement 

The Virginia Has Jobs AI Career Launch Pad was developed by the state and Google. It offers a selection of free and low-cost courses and professional credentials in high-demand AI and technology fields.  

All FCPS staff can utilize this resource to upskill professionally and enhance AI literacy in our division. Visit VirginiaHasJobs.com/AI to enroll and apply for scholarships.

New Western High School Naming Update

We are halfway through the process of naming FCPS’ new high school in the western part of Fairfax County. 

During a one-month public comment period focusing on families in the five western pyramids (Centreville, Chantilly, Oakton, South Lakes, and Westfield), two community meetings and a public hearing were held. A survey for parents/caregivers, staff, and students in 7th through 12th grades was also used to seek suggestions for a name for the school.

FCPS staff compiled, reviewed, and submitted more than 6,000 suggestions to the School Board and Superintendent Reid. After reviewing those suggestions, Dr. Reid shared her naming recommendations with the board. She will review additional feedback from a second round of engagement activities for the western Fairfax community, then make final recommendations to the School Board. The board will vote on a name on Thursday, February 12, 2026.

Learn more about the new western high school.

🐞 Delivering the Tools to Educate Our Future

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At last week’s School Board meeting, the topic of Dr. Reid’s Strategic Plan Update was Pillar D: Culture of Equity, Excellence, and Accountability. Specifically, she talked about FCPS’ warehouse operations. 

The FCPS warehouse employs 50 staff and:

  • Serves more than 200 schools and offices. 
  • Picks up and delivers approximately 500 items per week and 24,000 per year. 
  • Operates 13 distribution trucks and nine pony mail trucks. 

As part of her presentation, she shared this video that explores how science kits reach students in schools. Thanks to the team at the FCPS warehouse, students across the division are able to get the same high-quality learning experience.

đŸ—“ïž Calendar Reminder: Winter Break

Winter break will be from Monday, December 22, 2025, to Friday, January 2, 2026.

Twelve-month employees are expected to work throughout the break except for Wednesday, December 24, 2025; Thursday, December 25, 2025; and Thursday, January 1, 2026. View the employee calendar.

To help make sure our families have a restful break, no homework should be assigned during this time. Teachers may assign long-range assignments in the weeks before the break, allowing students to practice time management skills, but no assignments will be due immediately after the break.

Classes will resume on Monday, January 5, 2026. See the complete school year calendar.

🎁 Last-Minute Gifts That Have Lifelong Value!

Are you still looking for that perfect gift that shows how much you care? Give experience, knowledge, and skill that have value long after the holidays are over with the Gift of Learning through FCPS Adult and Community Education (ACE)!

Some of the best gifts are an experience, rather than a material object: 

Wrap up your holiday shopping now on ACE's website or call 703-658-1201. Purchase a specific class or a gift card. And don’t forget to give yourself the gift of learning too! Happy Holidays, from FCPS ACE!

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