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Dear Fairfax County Community,
I hope you are enjoying the first snow day of 2026 and creating lots of memories with your children. I wanted to make you aware of resources for parents supporting students at home. In particular, the Virginia Department of Education has provided this website which provides a number of great literacy resources for families and communities. As a parent of a kindergartner, I've found this helpful for activities to do with my daughters during this weather.
Operating Status This Week
I also wanted to remind you that this is a short week at FCPS - Wednesday is a 2-hour early release day, and Thursday through Friday are Staff Development/Student Holidays. The complete 2025-2026 calendar is available here.
Stay tuned for an update about our status tomorrow. Families and staff can refer to the Weather Resources on the FCPS website for additional details about community resources during winter storms, where to get the latest snow information from Fairfax County and VDOT, emergency contact information for law enforcement, and how to track power outages in your area.
The safety of our students and staff is always the top priority when decisions must be made about weather-related school closures or delays. Below is a short video about how these decisions are made in FCPS:
 The FCPS website is the first place to check for emergency weather closings. Other communication channels will be used as quickly as possible, including email, text, social media, the new FCPS mobile app, and local news stations. You can learn more about how schedule changes are communicated on the FCPS weather webpage.
Last Week's Board Meeting Highlights:
Boundary Review
At last week's School Board meeting, I was proud to move the motion approving the Superintendent’s recommended boundary adjustments, marking the completion of FCPS’s first comprehensive boundary review in more than 40 years. The motion passed 8-3.
As I commented from the dais that evening, these adjustments represent a step forward in the overall process to slowly and methodically align boundaries across the division, to equalize enrollment, to deliver equitable access to programming, and to efficiently operate the eighth-largest school system in the country. From the start, my goal was to keep this process data-driven, transparent, and informed by community feedback, and I am confident we achieved that.
You can read the superintendent’s final boundary recommendations here. News coverage of this important moment is available here and here.
We will continue working with communities identified for further review, update planning data as populations change, and examine enrollment and program trends moving forward. Regular boundary reviews are a best practice, and I am proud to support this thoughtful process.
Budget
Last week, the Superintendent also presented the School Board with the FY 2027 Proposed Budget, a needs-based plan that prioritizes our students and staff while navigating ongoing fiscal challenges. The proposed operating budget totals approximately $4.1 billion, reflecting a 5% increase over the FY 2026 approved budget. This proposal reflects the real costs of operating one of the nation’s largest school divisions, including enrollment pressures, rising benefit costs, and our commitments to the collective bargaining agreement, which ensure fair compensation and working conditions for our educators and staff.
As we move through work sessions and public hearings, I look forward to continued community engagement as we work to align our budget with our values and advocate for the resources our schools need to succeed. Our next public hearing on the budget is February 10th at 6:30 p.m. - information about how to sign up to speak at this and other public hearings will be posted here.
You can see a summary of the proposed budget here or the full proposed budget book here.
Committee Corner: Applicants Still Needed
Last week, I put out a call for applicants for the five new community advisory positions on the Comprehensive Planning and Development Committee. If you are interested, click here for more information. This role plays a critical role in helping guide FCPS work on capital facilities and planning.
Additionally, I am still seeking applicants for the following committees (click on a committee name to learn more):
If you are interested in serving on any of these committees and meet the requirements, please reach out to my office with a resume and what committee you are interested in, and we will be in touch with more information.
Thank you for your continued engagement and partnership. Stay safe and enjoy the snow!
Sincerely,
Kyle McDaniel
Fairfax County School Board
Member, At-Large
Additional Winter Weather Resources
Latest Snow Information
Roads / VDOT
- VDOT owns the majority of roads in Fairfax County and is responsible for plowing.
- To report hazardous road conditions, call VDOT’s Customer Service at 1-800-367-7623 or click here.
Fairfax County Police
- For Emergencies, dial 911
- For Non-Emergencies 703-691-2131, TTY 703-204-2264
- FCPD Website
Power Outages
- Dominion: Report a power outage online or call 1-866-366-4357.
- NOVEC: Report a power outage online or call 703-335-0500.
Report Other Utility Problems
- Verizon: 800-837-4966, Online
- Cox: 703-378-8422, Text 54512, Online
- Comcast/Xfinity: 800-934-6489, Online, Check Service Outage
- Washington Gas Emergency: 844-927-4427 (Option 1), TTY 711, Online
- Columbia Gas: 800-544-5606, TTY 800-231-3238, Online
- Fairfax Water: 703-698-5600, After Hours 703-698-5613, Online
Hypothermia Shelters
If you see someone who is unsheltered and you think they are at risk of hypothermia, call the County’s non-emergency police phone number: 703-691-2131. Be sure your pet is warm and has adequate care and shelter.
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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