|
Español | አማርኛ | 中文 | 한국어 | Tiếng Việt | اردو | العربية | हिंदी भाषा
Note: This newsletter contains links to translated versions of the content for your convenience. These translations are generated by Google Translate and are not intended to be a substitute for professional translation services.
Hello, Springfield District,
Legislative Briefing and First Task Force Meeting Recap
I hope you are all having a wonderful week! I want to take a moment to share a few important updates from our recent School Board meetings and collaborative work across the County.
The School Board recently hosted a Legislative Briefing, bringing together our local state legislators to discuss upcoming priorities ahead of the Virginia General Assembly session. This gathering gave us a valuable opportunity to hear directly from lawmakers and explore how the School Board can support state-level efforts that benefit our schools.
A major focus of our discussion was the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (often referred to as JLARC) study on K-12 school funding. This 2023 study offers critical recommendations to update Virginia’s funding formulas so they more accurately reflect the true costs of educating students, especially competitive staff compensation, specialized student supports, and essential operational needs. Lawmakers have taken up many of the recommendations outlined in this report, and we are eager to continue to work alongside our General Assembly delegation to advocate for equitable state investment in our public education system.
I also officially attended the first meeting of the Chairman’s Task Force for Pedestrian Safety! Bringing this task force to life has been a top priority for the Chairman, and I was thrilled by the collaborative energy in the room. Our first meeting brought together leadership and experts from across the region, including the Virginia Department of Transportation, the Fairfax County Police Department, the Fairfax County Department of Transportation, County government officials, School Board members, and key community stakeholders.
We had a wonderful discussion about some of the areas that both FCPD and FCPS staff have identified as hot spots near our school zones. This meeting was a tremendous start to our ongoing commitment to identify high-need areas, improve roadway infrastructure, and deliver real safety solutions for our students and families every single day.
Whether advocating for full state funding in Richmond or building safer walking routes right here in our neighborhoods, my focus remains on supporting the health, safety, and academic success of every child in FCPS.
Exciting things lie ahead for our students. Please stay tuned for further updates as these important initiatives move forward.
I will be in touch soon,
Sandy
This newsletter includes information on the following issues:
School Board Work
Strategic Plan Goal 1 Report: Strong Start: Pre-K - 12
During our last School Board Regular Meeting, the Superintendent shared encouraging updates on our Strategic Goal 1 Report. I am thrilled to share that more of our youngest learners are entering school with foundational academic and social-emotional skill sets.
Here are a few takeaways from the latest report;
- More children are entering ready for school
- Pre-K is working and making a remarkable impact on our students
- FCPS is invested in expanding Pre-K capacity
- FCPS is committed to inclusive classrooms
- Strong growth in English Language Development
- More students reaching full proficiency
- We are equipping teachers across all grade levels with Project GLAD strategies.
While we celebrate these strong gains, we remain focused on continuous improvements.
Meeting Materials | Video
Award of Contract - Synthetic Turf Field Replacements at South County Middle School!
At our recent meeting, the School Board approved contracts for necessary synthetic turf field replacements at Annandale High School and South County Middle School. Because our turf fields are maintained on a 10-year replacement cycle to ensure student safety and peak field performance, both of these fields have reached the end of their service life and are due for an update.
These two fields are part of a joint initiative with the Fairfax County Park Authority where the cost is shared between the two entities. Providing our student athletes with safe, high-quality facilities remains a top priority, and I’m glad we can keep these vital community spaces in top shape! I look forward to continuing to work with the Park Authority to ensure that we are utilizing the safest materials possible for our students.
Meeting Materials | Video
Issuance of School Bonds
At our last meeting, the School Board voted to adopt the resolution requesting that the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors include school bonds in their upcoming County general obligation bond sale scheduled for January 2027.
How do School Bonds Work?
So, voter-approved general obligation school bonds are one of the primary mechanisms Fairfax County uses to finance major, long-term, capital projects. Rather than paying for large-scale construction out of our annual operating budget, which directly funds classroom instruction, teacher salaries, and daily school operations, bonds allow the county to borrow capital funds at low interest rates.
How do Bonds Help Our Schools?
- They fund new school construction, major building additions, and comprehensive renovations across the division.
- They ensure our students learn in safe, modern, and modernizing environments equipped for 21st-century learning.
- They spread the cost of long-term facilities over time, ensuring that our operating budget remains focused on direct student support and classroom resources.
This approved resolution authorizes the next steps in our planned fiscal strategy, ensuring that previously voter-approved bond funds are officially issued to keep our school building and modernization projects moving forward smoothly.
Meeting Materials | Video
At Our Last Work Session:
At our last Work Session, the School Board tackled two important topics focused on our World Language programs and our 2027 Legislative Program.
World Language Programming:
During our recent Work Session, staff presented an in-depth update on our World Language Programming across elementary, middle, and high school. As a district, we recognize that early language and biliteracy not only boost academic achievement but also equip our students with essential global competencies for the future workforce.
The focal point was reviewing current Dual Language Immersion models and looking at equitable access to world language options across all pyramids. By reviewing enrollment trends, staff were able to evaluate ways to maintain program continuity from Elementary to Secondary levels. We want to ensure that language pathways, including high-demand language options, are accessible across all regions of the County.
FCPS Staff will synthesize Board feedback to refine recommendations on program expansion and scheduling flexibility. There will be a public engagement and surveying period before bringing forward the formal recommendations. So stay tuned and be on the lookout for the follow-on recommendations!
2027 Fairfax County Legislative Program:
We also held a brief discussion of our 2027 Legislative program ahead of the upcoming VA General Assembly session. This annual legislative blueprint outlines our division’s policy priorities and legislative requests for state lawmakers in Richmond.
Because local school boards operate under state guidelines, strong legislative advocacy is critical to ensuring our schools receive the state funding, flexibility, and support they deserve.
Here are a few things the board is advocating for;
- K-12 Funding Formula, advocating that the state update its funding formula to better reflect the actual costs of educating students, especially regarding specialized support services and competitive teacher compensation.
- Continued state investments in student mental health support, school safety infrastructure, and behavioral health resources.
Meeting Materials | Video
Information from the Superintendent
Recent Presentations:
Academic Matters: Accountability Outcomes
The Superintendent shared key highlights from her recent presentation that outlines annual school accountability ratings and student academic growth across our division.
All 195 FCPS schools earned full operational accreditation for the 2026-2027 school year. Under Virginia’s School Performance Support Framework (SPSF), 75% of FCPS schools earned distinguished or meets expectations ratings, outperforming the statewide average of 70%! I continue to be impressed with the hard work our schools are doing to meet these evolving standards.
Across our division, we also had some incredible academic gains from the 2025-2026 school year; our reading overall pass rates increased from 70% to 80% with improvements across most student groups. In mathematics, our pass rates rose from 78% to 80%, and in Science our pass rates improved from 75% to 76%.
While these gains celebrate the hard work of our students and educators, we remain dedicated to providing targeted resources and instruction to support every school and every child.
Meeting Materials | Video
🗣️ Community Conversations With Superintendent Reid
Your voice matters, and Dr. Reid wants to hear from you! At FCPS, parents are partners, working with us to set our students up for long-term success at school and in life.
Join us for a series of Community Conversations that will be held across the school division. Share your thoughts with Dr. Reid and ask her questions. Click on the date to register for any of the following events:
Registration is not required, but it helps with planning. Childcare and interpretation services will be provided. Events are one hour long and open to all. Find out about other opportunities to connect with Dr. Reid.
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.
Upcoming School Board Meetings
Meeting information and materials will be posted to BoardDocs. Please note that times may shift slightly depending on the needs of the agenda. Once done, you may view the 2026-2027 School Board Annual Work Plan in the Library on BoardDocs.
-
November 10 - Work Session @ 11 a.m.
-
November 10 - Middle School AAP Phase 2 Public Hearing @ 6 p.m.
-
November 12 - Regular Meeting @ 7 p.m.
-
December 1 - Work Session @ 11:30 a.m.
-
December 1 - Joint School Board and Board of Supervisors Meeting
-
December 3 - Regular Meeting @ 7 p.m.
Watch and Participate:
Stay Informed:
Support & Accessibility:
-
Interpretation: Contact the Board Clerk if you require language or ASL support.
Quick Links
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
|
