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Dear Fairfax County Community,
As budget season moves along and we get ready to open our new high school next year, I wanted to provide some additional information on where everything stands.
🌅 Skyview Spotlight
This August, FCPS is opening its first new high school in over 20 years, and it's pretty exciting.
Skyview High School sits on a 32.7-acre campus near Dulles Airport, right down the road from the Udvar-Hazy Center. The building alone is already amazing: three gyms, an indoor heated pool, a 653-seat theater, a robotics lab, outdoor classrooms. But, the building isn't even the most interesting part.
Skyview is built around three specialized pathways: Aerospace Sciences, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, and Robotics and Engineering.
Students in the aerospace track can earn drone pilot licenses and log actual flight hours. One of the program's goals is for students to build a real airplane. The AI and Machine Learning track will focus on coding, machine learning fundamentals, and ethical AI, with an emphasis on building a project-based portfolio that students can actually take with them to college or into a career. The Robotics and Engineering track will cover digital fabrication and data science, and will include internships with industry partners and capstone projects with real professional mentors.
However, Skyview is also a comprehensive high school, so students who want a more traditional experience will have access to all the excellent standard programming they'd find anywhere else in FCPS.
For 2026-27, the school will open on an opt-in basis for rising 9th and 10th graders in the Centreville, Chantilly, Oakton, South Lakes, and Westfield pyramids. Kids who enroll now get to be founding members, picking the school colors, choosing the mascot, and building a unique school community.
The Skyview boundary process is now under way, and the School Board expects to adopt a boundary by June 2026. Because of a phased in approach for enrollment, boundary lines will be set in June, but families will be able to choose whether to attend Skyview, or their original base school for SY26-27.
If you're weighing your options, the FAQ page at https://fcps.edu/skyview walks through transportation, enrollment commitments, and the year-by-year rollout. In the coming weeks, we will have more information about how families who may be affected can provide their input into the boundary process. I would anticipate a first round of maps shortly after Spring Break.
📵 Cell Phone Ban Update
The Virginia General Assembly has passed SB108, which updates the bell-to-bell cellphone ban. If Governor Spanberger signs the law, all students at all grade levels will be prohibited from any cell phone usage during the school day (except for some medical, IEP, and 540 exceptions).
While FCPS currently has this policy in place for all elementary and middle schools, high schoolers are currently able to use their phones only during lunch in specific areas. Under the new law, FCPS would no longer be allowed to permit this for the 2026-2027 School Year.
In 2024, I led the effort on the School Board to crack down on rampant cell phone usage in schools, expand the restrictions on its usage in school buildings, pilot storage programs, and close loopholes that allowed them to be used during the class period. However, I still believe that giving high schoolers access to a phone for lunch is reasonable, and recognizes the need to teach responsible device usage.
That being said, should the Governor sign the bill into law, FCPS will follow the new law and eliminate access to cell phones for high school students during the lunch period.
💵 Budget Update
Budget season is in full swing, and I want to give you another update on where things stand:
FCPS and Fairfax County have a strong track record of working together on school funding, both for day-to-day operations and long-term construction and renovation bonds. The School Board has no revenue generation athourity, and relies on a direct transfer from the Board of Supervisors for most of its funding. The county also holds a Triple-A bond rating, the highest possible grade from credit agencies, which means we can borrow money for school construction at the lowest available interest rates. That saves taxpayers real money. It's a reflection of how well this county has managed its finances over the years.
But here's the frustrating reality: even as we responsibly manage what we have locally, a UVA Weldon-Cooper Center analysis found that for every dollar Fairfax County sends to the state, we only get about 50 cents back. Fairfax County generated more than $5.7 billion in state General Fund revenue in FY 2024, over 20% of the entire state's total, yet received back just 11% of statewide spending.
This imbalance has consequences. Last year, FCPS had to close a $121 million shortfall driven by years of chronic underfunding. To do it, we had to raise class sizes by cutting roughly 275 classroom positions, reduce funding for Advanced Academic Resource Teachers, delay new curriculum materials, eliminate classroom monitors, and cut funding for electric buses.
For FY 2027, we have worked together to lower the funding gap for FCPS to rougly $43 million. That means more tough choices are coming unless we get more money back from Richmond.
As the General Assembly works to finalize the state budget, I'm asking you to make your voice heard. Reach out to your Delegates and Senators and tell them Fairfax County schools deserve a fair return on what we send to Richmond. You can find your legislators at https://whosmy.virginiageneralassembly.gov.
Thank you for your continued engagement and partnership.
Sincerely,
Kyle McDaniel
Fairfax County School Board
Member, At-Large
Other Updates
📋 Family Engagement Survey Open
FCPS is administering our Family Engagement Survey, which will be open from Monday, March 9, to Monday, March 23. Your feedback is critical in helping us to better recognize, understand, respect, and address family strengths and needs in our schools.
Survey topics include:
- Welcoming environment.
- Communication.
- Student success.
- Advocacy.
- Family and school partnerships.
- Community partnerships.
The survey will be available in English, Amharic, Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, Korean, Pashto, Spanish, Urdu, and Vietnamese.
Learn more here: https://bit.ly/FESURVEY2026. Paper surveys are also available at each school.
💉 Fairfax County Health Department Measles Update
Measles is a highly contagious virus that infects 9 out of 10 people who are exposed, if unvaccinated or not immune. It has been in the news lately due to cases in Northern Virginia and among people who have traveled through local airports.
If your spring break or summer plans include traveling abroad or to an area in the United States with high measles activity, the Fairfax County Health Department encourages you to ensure your family is protected. Children 12 months and older should have 1 or 2 doses before traveling. Depending on your specific travel plans, your health care provider may also advise you to vaccinate infants 6 to 11 months old. Read more about these recommendations.
🛌 Sleep Awareness Week
The National Sleep Foundation’s Sleep Awareness Week is March 8 to 14. The observance highlights the critical link between sleep and health, both physical and mental. Read more about sleep health and sleep strategies you can try at home.
🎙️ Community Conversations: Share Your Thoughts With Dr. Reid
As a listening leader, connecting with community members across our school division is critical to FCPS Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid. Her Community Conversations are opportunities for you to share your thoughts and ask questions. Events will be held from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. (unless otherwise noted) on:
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Tuesday, March 17, from 6:45 to 7:45 p.m., at Glen Forest Elementary School.
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Monday, March 23, at Ravensworth Elementary School.
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Monday, April 13, at Belle View Elementary School.
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Monday, April 20, at Westgate Elementary School.
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Wednesday, April 22, at Crestwood Elementary School.
Click on a date to register to attend that event. Registration is not required, but helps with planning, especially for child care and interpretation services. Events are open to all. Visit the superintendent’s engagement page for the most up-to-date information.
🧑🧑🧒🧒 2026 Special Education Family Conference: Rescheduled
FCPS’ 2026 Special Education Family Conference has been rescheduled to Saturday, April 18, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Marshall High School. Updated conference details are now available on the Special Education Family Conference webpage. Please register for the event. If you registered before, please re-register for the new date. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this date change may cause and appreciate your understanding.
⏰ Countdown to Kindergarten: Supporting a Smooth Transition
Is your child heading to kindergarten this fall? Join FCPS staff for Countdown to Kindergarten, a virtual event designed to help families prepare for this exciting transition! The webinar will take place on Friday, March 27, from 10 to 11:30 a.m.
During this webinar, families will learn practical tips and essential information to support their child's smooth and successful start to kindergarten in Fairfax County Public Schools. Register to receive the event link.
Kindergarten Registration
There’s an easy five-step process for parents wanting to register their child for kindergarten:
- Determine eligibility.
- Identify your local school.
- Gather documents.
- Fill out forms.
- Schedule an appointment (the student and one caregiver must be present).
Read more about the registration process.
📰 FCPS News
In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics:
- School Board Adopts Budget
- New Date for Special Education Conference
- Celebrating Our Schools
Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today.
Calendar Reminder
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🌙 /🪻Eid al-Fitr and Nowruz (evening only observance day, holiday) Thursday, March 19: An evening only observance day for Eid al-Fitr, which begins at sundown.
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🌙 /🪻Eid al-Fitr and Nowruz (evening only observance day, holiday) Friday, March 20: A holiday and all schools and offices are closed for Eid and Nowruz.
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📆 Quarter End/Early Release - Friday, March 27, is the last day of the third quarter and early release for students.
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See the complete school year calendar.
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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