Superintendent's Weekly Reflections

Hello Team FCPS,

Well, it has certainly been a winter week for the ages!!  We continue to have staff working throughout the weekend and we will be meeting later this afternoon to review the current weather conditions and neighborhood safety as we determine when we can safely open schools again. Please look for communications later this afternoon.  

Further, it is finally Groundhog Day tomorrow. I have to say this is one of the more exciting holidays for me as it is filled with such anticipation and hope. I am looking forward to the final word on whether or not we will be having six more weeks of winter. Granted, any local groundhog would be challenged to see a shadow here in this icy terrain ;>) I am ever hopeful that the groundhog will not see their shadow; fingers crossed ;>)

A big thank you to everyone on Team FCPS who has worked tirelessly over the last several days on snow preparation and cleanup efforts in order to keep our schools and centers safe and accessible! This includes:

• Office of Facilities Management staff (equipment operators, supervisors, and support staff) and other division staff.
• Approximately 1,400 custodial staff.
• Hundreds of bus drivers and transportation staff.
• Our Food and Nutrition Services team, who helped prepare and distribute more than 4,000 snow day meal kits for students.

Our 199 schools and centers encompass more than 28 million square feet of building space. We also have more than 40,000 parking spaces and more than 400 acres of paved area that need to be treated, cleared, and maintained during snow events — this includes sidewalks, entrances, and internal road networks across our school and administrative sites. In short, this is no small effort to get our schools ready for students and the community. Staff continue to work throughout the weekend.  

The recent storm made cleanup especially difficult because of thick ice buildup from long periods of sleet combined with freezing temperatures. But members of Team FCPS — our Winter Weather Warriors — were up to the challenge! You can learn more about what goes into preparing for a big storm and see our Winter Weather Warriors in action in this news article . Go Team FCPS!!

I’m pleased to announce that FCPS has launched ARTiFAX, a new art recognition program created exclusively for FCPS teen artists in grades 7–12 enrolled in visual arts programs! Designed to honor artistic excellence, creative growth, and student voice, ARTiFAX highlights the depth and diversity of visual arts education across our school division. 

One of the winning entries, pictured above, was created by Thomas Chestnut from McLean High School, with the title, Pinning Hopes . Wow! The ARTiFAX Awards recognized exceptional achievement by granting awards to 299 student-submitted artworks. Submissions were reviewed and judged across a range of categories, including Artistry, Authentic Voice, Collaborative Artwork, Creative Process, Cultural Context, Emerging Artist, Reflective Voice, Senior Portfolios, and Thematic Concept, ensuring that both technical skill and meaningful artistic intent were celebrated. In addition to category awards, every participating school selected a “Best In School” honoree, further emphasizing the program’s commitment to recognizing excellence at the school level while elevating student artists countywide. A complete list of winners is available online . 

In addition, FCPS students received four awards in the National YoungArts Foundation Competition! These students are part of a group of more than 700 YoungArts award winners that were selected through a highly competitive application, which is reviewed by panels of esteemed, discipline-specific artists. 

The winners from FCPS and their categories are:

• Wonwoo Do, Photography, McLean High School.
• Heidi Hager, Voice/Music Creation, Oakton High School.
• Kobimtochi Odo, Writing/Poetry, Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology.
• Dev Rai, Writing/Nonfiction, Oakton High School.

Wonwoo and Dev were also selected as Winners of Distinction, which means that they are also eligible to be nominated as U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts, one of the highest honors for high school seniors. You can read more about the competition on our website . Congratulations to Wonwoo, Heidi, Kobimtochi, and Dev! 

I’d also like to share that five FCPS students have been named winners in the Local Letters for Global Change: A Pulitzer Center Writing Contest , which envisions news stories as a starting point for taking informed action! Students are invited to explore the Pulitzer Center-supported reporting of their choice and connect its content to their own communities, illuminating the global interconnections of local problems. Using the reporting and their own research, students identify solutions and present them in letters to decision makers with the power to implement them. This year, 1,500 entries were submitted to the contest, and 23 winners were chosen. I am so proud of our students and the many educators who work tirelessly to inspire our students and to shape our future for good, it matters.  
The winners (with links included to their letters) from FCPS and their categories are:

• Ria Goel, from Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, won First Place in the Information and Artificial Intelligence category. Read Ria’s letter on the environmental impacts of AI data centers .
• Armaan Sheoran, from Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, won Second Place in the Information and Artificial Intelligence category. Read Armaan’s letter on the use of AI technology for school security .
• Sunghun (Daniel) Chung, from Oakton High School, won Third Place in the Information and Artificial Intelligence category. Read Daniel’s letter on the mental health risks of AI chatbots .
• Yoonsub David Choi, from Oakton High School, won First Place in the Peace and Conflict category. Read Yoonsub’s letter on corporate accountability for gun violence .
• Eraj Wali, from Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, was a Finalist in the Human Rights category. Read Eraj’s letter on labor rights for gig workers . 

Congratulations to Ria, Armaan, Sunghun, Younsub, and Eraj! These letters are inspired, impactful, and chart a course to a better future for all of us. The ability to write and the communication synthesis skills we teach are so integral to a world class education. Our students will continue to lead us!! 

Congratulations are also in order to Carley Fisher-Maltese, a STEAM and computer science teacher at Willow Springs Elementary School, and Arina Pavlenko, a Willow Springs alumna and eighth grader at Katherine Johnson Middle School, who are the author and illustrator, respectively, for the book The Garden at School .

This new book is “a story about three diverse young children who discover the school garden and bluebird trail at their own elementary school and the loveable, quirky, and knowledgeable garden leader who opens their eyes to the wonders of the natural world.” 

The book is based on their experiences in the garden at Willow Springs Elementary School, which was highlighted in this video . Their collaboration beautifully showcases the creativity, talent, and sense of community that make Willow Springs such a special place for learning and inspiration. Together, anything is possible!!

February is Love the Bus Month, a time to recognize and thank the transportation professionals who safely support students across our division. I encourage staff to join us in showing appreciation by wearing yellow on Friday, February 20, in support of our drivers, attendants, dispatchers, supervisors, and support teams. Their commitment and professionalism make a difference for students and families every day! Thank you!!

On Thursday, I had the opportunity to visit a Mobile Data Tablet training session with our Transportation Services team and school bus drivers, as we continue implementing this new technology (called “Tyler Drive”) across the division. The tablets will enhance routing accuracy, real-time communication, and operational awareness, all of which help us provide safe, reliable, and welcoming transportation for students. Thank you to our Transportation Services team, Information Technology team, and Tyler Technologies for their strong collaboration in keeping our drivers feeling supported and prepared as we roll out new tools.

On Thursday alone, more than 1,100 drivers participated in training — incredible! It was motivating to see drivers engaged in hands-on learning and to hear directly from them about how this technology will support their daily work. Despite the challenging winter weather conditions, drivers and staff made the effort to come out, and I am especially grateful for their commitment and flexibility in doing so. Go Team FCPS!

Later on Thursday morning, I visited Dogwood Elementary School to help take part in snow day meal kit distribution for students. Despite school closures due to inclement weather, FCPS ensured that students and families continued to have access to nutritious meals through the meal kits provided by the Office of Food and Nutrition Services (FNS). Learning happens best in community and our staff and community continue to show up in so many ways that matter, thank you.

On Wednesday alone, FNS distributed 653 meal kits, followed by 1,412 meal kits on Thursday and 1,965 on Friday. In total, this effort provided 4,030 meals to FCPS families over the three days. Each kit included food for breakfast, lunch, supper, and healthy snacks, featuring the same nutritious items served on regular school menus. These meals were provided at no cost to all children under the age of 18, with no eligibility documentation required. I was proud to see that even in challenging weather, our students and families continue to receive the nourishment and care they deserve. Go Team FCPS!!

On Friday morning, despite a last-minute shift to a fully virtual format, the School Communicators Conference was a strong success, drawing 203 attendees from across the division. In response to the unexpected change, the Office of Communications quickly pivoted to an abbreviated agenda, ensuring participants still received valuable insights and opportunities for connection. The conference featured two engaging keynote speakers: Emily Lucht, director of digital communications for the U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association and Foundation; and Peter Stephan, general counsel for the District of Columbia’s Office of Disability Rights.

Both speakers emphasized the importance of meeting federal accessibility guidelines set to take effect in April 2026, while sharing timely perspectives on effective communication, inclusion, and public engagement. The event also celebrated excellence in school communications with awards recognizing outstanding websites, social media, and newsletters. The “Best in Show” honor was awarded to Westlawn Elementary School and Alanna Dushok for exemplary work across all three platforms.

Organized by the Office of Communications, the conference highlighted the dedication, creativity, and adaptability of FCPS school communicators and reinforced the importance of clear, accessible, and impactful communication — no matter the format. By engaging in strong communications, we can better engage our families in the work that we do, making them better partners in their child’s education. Thank you to our Office of Communications for supporting school communicators across FCPS! This work matters!!

On Saturday morning, I stopped by Robinson Secondary School to watch a girls basketball contest between Robinson and West Springfield.  What a great game!! I then stopped by C.G. Woodson High School to watch the Cavaliers take on the Fairfax Lions, another great game. 

Later Saturday afternoon, I attended the final rounds and award ceremony for girls wrestling zone qualifiers. This year, 195 student athletes participated and the level of athleticism and talent on the mats continues to grow each year.  

It was a great opportunity to visit with student athletes, families, and coaches. Among the many coaches I visited with was Westfield High School Girls’ Wrestling Coach, Harry Van Trees, a long time successful FCPS coach and mentor to so many student athletes. This proud Westfield Girls Wrestling Coach is featured in an article recently shared on our website and has been coaching FCPS wrestling teams for 42 years!! It is so inspiring to see our student athletes grow and demonstrate the grit and resilience that will support them through the rest of their life. 

I find it incredulous to realize that February has arrived. While winter is often thought of as a reflective season and one of anticipation given that spring will no doubt come sooner than we think; it is also a time that can be stressful for students, staff, and families. The end of the first semester and final exams, grades and other accountability events, certainly generate more anxiety than we might otherwise experience, even in more traditional weather years. I so appreciate the care and compassion each of you share with our students and one another during these winter days. Spring will come ...

Take good care,

Michelle Reid, Ed.D. Superintendent