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Annandale Students, Parents, and Community:
Thank you to everyone who has reached out with kind words after I was recognized by the Virginia Department of Education as a Virginia Principal of Distinction. I am truly honored and humbled by this recognition. While my name may be on the award, it is really a reflection of the outstanding students, staff, families, and community that make Annandale such a special place.
Leadership is never about one person. It is about an entire community working together with a shared commitment to our students. Every accomplishment we celebrate at Annandale is possible because of our dedicated educators, students, families, and community partners. Together, we have built a school community where every student has the opportunity to thrive. I am grateful to serve alongside such an incredible team.
That team has been on full display throughout the summer.
Congratulations to Jae Lee, whose leadership has helped expand Special Olympics Unified Sports throughout Fairfax County Public Schools. Through his partnership with Special Olympics Virginia, he has helped grow the number of Unified Champion Schools across the division, creating more opportunities for students of all abilities to compete, lead, build friendships, and experience a true sense of belonging.
Congratulations as well to Jen Cory, who received the A. Heath Onthank Award for Merit from the Fairfax County Civil Service Commission. Although Jen serves as our School Based Technology Specialist, her impact extends far beyond her job title. Through initiatives such as Saturday Academic Coaching and the Summer Credit Continuation Pilot, she helped hundreds of students stay on track for graduation while creating opportunities that are now benefiting schools across FCPS.
Our commitment to high quality instruction also received national recognition this summer when Education Week featured Annandale High School for our work supporting multilingual learners in mathematics. The article highlighted Anna Kyle and our Algebra I Plus program, showcasing how strong relationships, small group instruction, academic discussion, visuals, and language supports help students succeed in rigorous mathematics while building confidence and English proficiency. Congratulations to Anna and our entire math team for demonstrating what high quality instruction looks like every day.
Another inspiring story came from NBC4 Washington, which featured Annandale's Sara Kugler and Oak View Elementary's Amanda Dey. Recognizing their students' passion for soccer, they helped recently arrived students join a community team, creating opportunities that quickly grew into multiple teams supported by families, educators, and community partners. Their efforts strengthened students' attendance, confidence, sense of belonging, and engagement in school. It is a powerful reminder that relationships are at the heart of student success and that our educators are always willing to think creatively to meet the needs of every student.
Finally, congratulations to Annie Ray, whose advocacy continues to shape music education across Virginia. Annie played a leading role in helping secure the Virginia Diploma Seal for Excellence in Fine Arts, and her work contributed to the Virginia Music Educators Association receiving the National Association for Music Education's Excellence in Advocacy Award. Her leadership will benefit students across the Commonwealth for years to come, and we are incredibly proud to celebrate her outstanding contributions.
These are just a few examples of what makes Annandale such a special place, and I cannot wait to welcome everyone back for another outstanding school year.
Shawn
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