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Marcia’s Message
Dear Franconia Neighbors and Friends,
Before I do a recap of last week's Fairfax County School Board regular meeting. I’d like to put the next School Board meeting on your radar, Thursday, October 8, 2026, and invite you to join us in celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month. I am particularly looking forward to the Crestwood student performance of the beloved children’s song De Colores.
Come Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with the School Board on October 8th!
Board News
Agenda | Video
This past Thursday, September 24 we discussed and advanced several key priorities that reflect our continued commitment to academic excellence, equity, and innovation across the school division.
Most notably, the Board approved a quantum computing system for Skyview High School, making FCPS the first K-12 school division in the world to put a working quantum computer in front of its students, with hands-on learning beginning in spring 2027.
I was proud to introduce, and gain Board approval for, a key follow-on motion in collaboration with Springfield Board Member Sandy Anderson which specifically directs the Superintendent to expand this cutting-edge technology directly into John R. Lewis High School when the division is ready. This action will help ensure that Lewis students continue to lead in STEM, workforce readiness, and soon, emerging technology.
Follow-on motion (3:50:41 Video)
"I move that the School Board direct the Division Superintendent, when expansion of the Specialized Computer Hardware and Related Support Services program to additional schools is deemed viable and consistent with potential program assignments, to utilize Lewis High School as the first school for expansion."
Here are some of the highlights:
Approving World’s First K-12 Quantum Computer
As you may have recently heard, FCPS is making history by hosting the world’s first K-12 Quantum Computer at Skyview High School. This incredible partnership will give our students unprecedented access to next-generation quantum technology, opening doors to careers and fields that were once unimaginable at the high school level. As my colleague Sandy Anderson (Springfield) stated, “Workplace innovation like this is vital, but so is ensuring that every single one of our student communities shares that progress.”
Banning Flock Cameras from FCPS Properties
The Board adopted a motion directing the Superintendent to prohibit installing, procuring, or leasing Automatic License Plate Reader (ALPR) systems, including Flock cameras, on FCPS property. The motion does not prohibit or restrict the installation, operation, or continued use of speed cameras in school zones or school bus stop-arm cameras.
I was proud to support this motion, and some of my remarks were captured in this Fairfax Now article, School board bans Flock-style license plate readers on FCPS property:
“We have some of the mechanisms within our schools that will provide the necessary security without going into some of this technology that, to this point, does not have guardrails, so I’m very happy to support this,” said Marcia St. John-Cunning, Franconia district representative.
St. John-Cunning continued, “Because it is a preemptive move, we know that this is just something that we’re not even going to look at. We can only control what we can control; we can’t control buildings that are on the other side of the street. But I think this will give some level of security to our families and to the constituents that wrote [to] me that we value their right to privacy.”
Proclamation: National Literacy Month
As an avid reader and proponent of the magic of reading it was an honor to once again stand with my colleagues in support of the School Board Proclamation that September 2026 is National Literacy Month. Strong reading and writing skills are the most important indicators to students’ academic success and future opportunities. The proclamation highlights FCPS’ Equitable Access to Literacy Plan, progress in student reading achievement, and ongoing efforts to provide educators with evidence-based literacy training.
Strategic Plan Update: Spotlighting Our Custodians
Finally, in all the years I’ve worked in FCPS, at each and every school, some of the most dedicated staff members I’ve met are our custodians. The impact they have on our students and staff cannot be overstated enough. I am grateful that our custodians were featured in the Strategic Plan update Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid provided the Board with an on Pillar C: Diverse, Adaptive and Supported Workforce of FCPS’s 2023–30 Strategic Plan, highlighting the important role our custodial staff play in maintaining safe, clean, and welcoming schools.
Did you know that FCPS employs approximately 1,400 custodians? These dedicated staff serve more than 230 FCPS schools and offices, maintaining more than 29 million square feet and cleaning over 14,000 classrooms and 1,200 restrooms each day! Their work helps ensure school buildings are ready for teaching and learning, supports building safety, and protects FCPS facilities through daily maintenance and care. Thank you to all our FCPS custodians–we see your work positively impacting our students, families, and staff every day. As part of the presentation, the Superintendent shared a video highlighting the contributions of our custodial staff.
I would love to hear from you. Please keep sending me your thoughts on which School Board topics, FCPS programs, or community issues you would like to see me focus on. Thank you to everyone who continues to contact my office and participate in the School Board’s work. Your questions, concerns, and perspectives help inform my decisions and strengthen my advocacy for the Franconia District.
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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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