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 During this Principal Appreciation Month,I’d like to begin my message to you by recognizing and thanking the principals serving our Franconia community. Their leadership shapes the daily experience of students, families, and staff in every school.
Principals bring people together around a shared purpose. They support teachers and school staff, listen to families, celebrate student growth, and help create welcoming places where every student can learn and feel they belong. The care, judgment, and commitment they bring to this work make a lasting difference.
To our Franconia principals: thank you for all you do for your school communities. I’m grateful for your dedication and proud to work alongside you in support of our students.
I’d also like to share some takeaways from the School Board Work Session on October 20, 2026:
World Languages Expansion
A proposal to expand the FCPS World Languages Program was considered at Tuesday’s work session. The presentation looked at world language programming from Pre-K through 12th grade. The comprehensiveness of the report requires the Board to look carefully at the proposals and to be intentional about how we move forward. As a bilingual person whose children attended the Rose Hill Elementary Spanish Immersion Program, I value dual and multi language acquisition. I am interested in strengthening and enhancing existing programming in an effort to achieve true biliteracy. In addition, it is critical for the division to leverage the strength inherent in our multi-lingual communities when considering comprehensive world language programming. The Board will move to next steps and further discussion before moving forward.
You can watch the discussion here and see the presentation here.
Federal and State Legislative Positions
We continued our series of discussions on priorities for the School Board State and Federal Legislatives, which will be posted as New Business for the November 12th School Board meeting. I continued my advocacy for and support of all positions which protect the promise of public education.
You can watch the discussion here and see the priorities here.
Kind Regards,
Focus on Franconia
Special Event on Saturday, October 24th
Groveton Elementary School Celebrates 150 Years!
I hope you will come out and join us this Saturday, October 24th, as we celebrate the 150th anniversary of Franconia’s Groveton Elementary! This milestone will be marked by a ceremony at 10:00 a.m. followed by a PTA-hosted day of fun, including family soccer games, face painting, food stands, arts and crafts, and a play zone for children who are under five years old.
FCPS Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid and Senator Scott Surovell will deliver remarks at the ceremony, and Franconia Supervisor Rodney Lusk will read a Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Proclamation. Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chair Jeffrey McKay, whose mother was a teacher at Groveton, is also expected to attend.
Event information:
Date: Saturday, October 24, 2026
Time: 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.
Location: Groveton Elementary School
6900 Harrison Ln, Alexandria, VA 22306
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Franconia CARES of the Month Recipient and Nominees, September 2026
Won: Nathan Sorensen, Bush Hill ES
"For over a decade, Nate Sorensen dedicated himself to building the band program at Bush Hill Elementary. When he was reassigned to three other schools this year, Bush Hill was left with a vacant band teacher position. Despite managing his new multi-school workload, Nate has voluntarily returned to Bush Hill twice a week during his lunch break. Completely on his own initiative, he ensures instruments are ordered, student questions are answered, and administrative paperwork is filed. Thanks to his selflessness, Bush Hill’s student musicians won't miss a beat as soon as a new teacher is hired." -Jennifer D Lucius, Franconia ES
Franconia Nominees:
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Hayfield SS:
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Lewis HS:
- Kim Harrison & Katherine Kidd
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Edison HS:
- Melissa Green, Dave Carpenter (Edison Support Center)
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Mount Eagle ES:
- Ashley Christopher, Sara Spizzirri, Perla Guerrero, & Beth Reidy
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Rose Hill ES:
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Garfield ES:
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Fort Hunt ES:
- Tiffani Triplett, Danielle Rodriguez, Tanya Davis, Allison Verich, & William
- Hurd
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Whitman MS:
- Tiashia Roberts & Angela Perez
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West Springfield HS:
- Irving MS:
- Kevin Gentner, David Frenck, Katherine Richter, Jacqui Rhodes, Natalie Fortunato, Bridget Healey, Ashley Thompson, Pui Shield, Adam Brown, Cecelia Carmenates, Tamika Jarvis, Natalie Fortunato, Paul Lynch, Dorothy Graves, Melissa Steinhilber, Janelle Fontaine, E Beil, Christine Roeske, Daniel DeChagas, Sarah Padilla, Gregory Donovan, Marcella Talcott, Karlena Sakas, Melissa Steinhilber, Kathryn Krouse, Mary Ann Monk, Chad Brizek, & Natalie Duncan
- Quander Road School:
- Vanessa Denegri & Sulma Canizalez
📚FCPS Achieves 100% School Accreditation
All FCPS schools are fully accredited for SY 2026-27 based on compliance with operational requirements during SY 2025-26, which are no longer tied directly to academic outcomes.
A special shout out to Hybla Valley ES in their achievements:
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Reading SOL Growth: Grades 3–6 reading pass rates increased from 45% in 2025 to 48% in 2026.
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English Language Mastery: Our WIDA growth score rose dramatically from 53% in 2025 to 63% in 2026, showing remarkable progress as our multilingual learners master two or more languages.
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Improved Attendance: Thanks to strong home-school partnerships, we have successfully reduced chronic absenteeism!
Fairfax County School Board
Student Leadership Development Program
Applications are due on Friday, November 6, 2026 by 11:59 p.m. for the the SY 2026-2027 Fairfax County School Board Student Leadership Development Program (SBSLDP).
The SBSLDP strives to increase the students’ knowledge of the workings of the School Board while offering training in leadership and communication skills. Students will learn to work collaboratively and eventually hold their own mock forum and work session.
The SBSLDP includes students selected by each School Board Member through an application process in collaboration with the high schools and secondary schools. Once selected, the students participate in an orientation, a mock forum, and a mock work session, and they watch or attend a Board Regular Meeting and Work Session. The program culminates in a completion ceremony celebrating the hard work of the student leaders.
Below are dates to which students must commit to attend in order to participate:
January 12, 2027: Program Orientation
April 6, 2027: Mock Forum
May 6, 2027: Mock Work Session
May 25, 2027 Program Graduation
Students may apply here.
Please note that no late applications will be accepted. If you have any questions, please reach out to SBStudentLeadership@fcps.edu or call the School Board Office at 571-423-1075.
National School Lunch Week: Celebrating the Power of School Lunches
Multiple studies show that school lunches are important in supporting overall student health by improving students’ diets and combating food insecurity. Students who eat school lunches consume more fruit, vegetables, and fiber than their peers.
This National School Lunch Week, FCPS Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) reminds families that they are dedicated to providing delicious, healthy, sustainable, and student-focused meals. New menu items have been launched this year based on student feedback.
Want to know what’s for breakfast or lunch? View the Nutrition Services menus.
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🏗️Share Your Thoughts on Schools and Buildings in the Renovation Queue Survey
The Office of the Chief of Facilities Services and Capital Programs is seeking input from community members, families, and employees about school facility needs and how FCPS prioritizes facility improvements.
Whether you work in an FCPS school, have a child enrolled, or live near an FCPS school, please share your perspective. The survey asks about building conditions, how facilities affect teaching and learning, renovation priorities, and what information would help you better understand this process.
The survey was sent out on Friday, October 16. The survey takes approximately 15 minutes to complete. Participation is voluntary, and all responses will be kept confidential. The survey will remain open until Saturday, October 31.
Did You Know? Bond Referendums Fund Facility Renovations
FCPS does not pay for facility renovations out of its general operating budget. Instead, Fairfax County voters decide on how much money FCPS can spend on capital improvement projects through bond referendums. Bonds are issued by the county to the school division and allow FCPS to renovate buildings without increasing taxes.
Learn more about bond referendums and how they support our schools on the Bond Referendum webpage.
📝Please Return Your Federal Impact Aid Survey
FCPS is asking all families to fill out a Federal Impact Aid Survey. The form is available in SIS ParentVUE under Online Packets, which is in the upper right corner of the screen after logging in. Please complete it as soon as possible. Schools will provide paper forms to families who have not completed the survey in ParentVUE starting Wednesday, October 28.
Completing this form for each school-aged child in every household is how we ensure we receive all the resources available to us from the federal government. For more information, please visit the Federal Impact Aid Survey page.
Register for ParentVUE
Learn how to activate your SISParentVUE account so you can easily submit your survey and have access to other helpful information about your child.
Topics for Tonight’s Meeting Include:
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Superintendent’s Academic Matters Presentation: The Superintendent will share a brief presentation with updates on School accreditation for operational compliance and School Performance and Support Framework (SPSF) for Mastery, Growth, Graduation, and Readiness.
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Strategic Plan Goal 1 Report–Strong Start: Pre-K -12: The School Board will receive and then vote on the Superintendent’s Strategic Plan Goal 1 Report with updates on the Division’s progress towards meeting the 2030 Strategic Plan Goals.
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Issuance of School Bonds: The School Board will vote on the adoption of the Resolution approving the 2027 sale of school bonds.
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Awards of Contracts: The School Board will consider approval of awards of contracts that support the operations, facilities, technology, and student learning across our schools.
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Proclamations: There will also be School Board Proclamations for the following:
- Principals and Administrators Appreciation Month
- Honoring National Red Ribbon Week
- Honoring Student Athletics and Activities Month
- Recognizing National STEM Day
 Photo of all 12 FCPS school board members.
Meeting information and materials will be posted to BoardDocs. Please note that times are subject to change.
Work Sessions (Gatehouse Administration Center)
- Tuesday, November 10, 2026, at 11:30 a.m.
Regular Board Meetings (Luther Jackson Middle School)
- Thursday, November 12, 2026 at 7:00 p.m.
School Board Committee Meetings (Gatehouse Administration Center)
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Governance Committee: Tuesday, October 27, 2026 at 4:30 p.m.
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Administration Committee: Wednesday, November 4, 2026 at 4:30 p.m.
Watch and Participate:
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Live Broadcasts: Tune in on Channel 99 (Verizon 11) or the FCPS website.
Stay Informed:
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Agendas & Docs: Find meeting handouts and logistics via BoardDocs.
Support & Accessibility:
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Reuniones de la Junta Escolar de FCPS en Español
- Para ver las reuniones de la Junta Escolar grabadas o para ver en vivo durante las reuniones regulares en YouTube, por favor vaya al canal de YouTube de FCPS en Español
👩💻 Don't Forget to Follow On Social Media 👨💻
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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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