FCPS This Week - January 7, 2026
First graders learn about coding using Ozobot Robots at Kings Park Elementary School.
π Celebrating the Best of 2025 in FCPS
Take a look at some of the highlights of 2025 from around the school division!
π Be Inspired! Follow Us and #FCPSTeacherTuesday
Learn why our teachers join the profession and be inspired by their stories, including this one featuring Sara Eichmeier . Sara is a fifth grade teacher at Franklin Sherman Elementary School. Follow FCPS on Facebook and Instagram .
Preparing Students to Lead Tomorrow’s Innovation
During the Strategic Plan Goal Report portion of the December 18 School Board meeting, Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid presented on Goal 5: Leading for Tomorrow’s Innovation. She discussed on-time graduation rates and postsecondary skills, plans, and outcomes. Access the Goal 5 presentation and report .
Based on data from the 2024-25 school year FCPS Student Experience Survey, most students feel confident about their college or career plans. They say the content they’re learning in high school will prepare them for their postsecondary plans.
Most students in the Class of 2024 planned to attend college and were enrolled in the fall. However, a gap remained between those who intended to attend (87%) and those who actually enrolled (75%). Read more about the Goal 5 Report in Weekly Reflections .
Apply for Your Child to Learn in Two Languages
The 2026-27 Dual Language Immersion (DLI) Program lottery opens on Monday, January 12 . The program offers students in kindergarten and first grade the opportunity to learn in English and another language — French, German, Japanese, Korean, or Spanish — for half of each instructional day.
The online, countywide lottery is open to Fairfax County residents. Families must have a SIS ParentVUE account . Students not currently enrolled in FCPS should register at their base school before applying for the immersion program .
Families applying for first grade must do so by Thursday, February 12 . Those applying for kindergarten must do so by Monday, March 2, at 4 p.m.
Informational meetings will begin in January. View dates and details on the FCPS calendar . If you have questions, please contact Brigid Williams at 571-423-4600.
Course Selection and Curriculum Nights for Middle and High School Students
Rising 7th to 12th grade students are meeting with their counselors soon to discuss course selection for the next school year. Check your middle or high school’s website for information on upcoming curriculum nights. These events provide families with the opportunity to learn more about course offerings and programs.
School-life balance is an important consideration for students as they strive for academic and personal success. Families are welcome to contact their student’s school counselor with questions about how to best set their student up for long-term success.
π Graduation Requirements and Planning
Planning which courses to take needs considerable thought. Students and families should review the Graduation Requirements and Course Planning webpage to make informed decisions while planning for success in high school and beyond.
The curriculum webpage may also be helpful. However, students and families should refer to their school’s website for their school-specific course catalog and course selection information.
ποΈ Mark Your Calendar: Academy Open Houses
FCPS high school academies are holding open houses for interested students. Open houses are a great opportunity to visit classrooms and labs, and meet instructors and academy counselors.
An academy is a center within a high school that offers advanced technical and specialized courses to prepare students for postsecondary education and/or career fields. Academy elective courses provide students with various career experiences, including shadowing, mentoring, or internships with local businesses.
Students can explore more than a dozen career fields through FCPS academies! Watch this video to learn more about academy programs .
View the calendar of Academy Open Houses .
β¨ Availability of, accessibility to, and student enrollment in coursework in the arts, STEAM, career and technical education, trades, technology, and world languages is one measure of the FCPS Strategic Plan Goal 4: Equitable Access and Opportunity.
π€ Students Build Success at FIRST LEGO League Competition
Three FCPS students played pivotal leadership roles and won top honors for their team at the VA+DC FIRST LEGO League (FLL) Challenge Division 2 Regional Competition. Read about their FIRST LEGO League achievement .
Third Grade Teacher Inspires ‘Exemplary Human Beings’
FCPS CARES gives parents and caregivers, staff, and community members the opportunity to recognize employees for going above and beyond to help others. Among October’s CARES of the Month recipients is Catie Bartczak, a teacher at Haycock Elementary School.
“Parents have been calling with praise, saying their children are picking up trash or their dishes without being asked,” her nomination read. “Every week, Ms. Bartczak challenges her students to find a new way to be kind. Not only does Ms. Bartczak teach her students academically, but she teaches them to be exemplary human beings.”
Other FCPS CARES of the Month recipients include:
- Dani Khalife, Gatehouse Administration Center.
- Meg Burnside, Maldonado Montecinos, and Mattie Edmonston; Cunningham Park Elementary School.
- Veronda Grimes, Mount Vernon High School.
- Mindy Cucci, Union Mill Elementary School.
- Daud Ahmed, Wakefield Forest Elementary School.
- Cass Hersh and Jennifer Cory, Annandale High School.
To recognize an employee with an FCPS CARES, please visit the submission page .
Learn About the School Division and How to Become a Teacher
FCPS will host a virtual information session on Saturday, January 10, from 10 a.m. to noon . Participants will get an overview of FCPS, along with guidance on pursuing instructional employment opportunities within the division. Register to attend .
βοΈ The Fastest Way to Hear About School Delays or Closings
Update your contact information in SIS ParentVUE to make sure you receive notifications of school delays or closings. Emails and text messages are sent to parents/caregivers based on the email addresses and cell phone numbers entered in ParentVUE.
If your information is correct but you are not receiving updates from FCPS, contact the Parent Technology Help Desk at 833-921-3277, Monday through Friday, between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Watch a video to see how FCPS makes weather delays or closing decisions . Learn more about how schedule changes are communicated .
Even When School Is Closed, Learning Can Continue!
FCPS encourages students to take advantage of fun learning opportunities during snow days. Consider these winter activities to blend education and play for your child in the event of weather-related school closures.
π― Academic Matters: Strong School Ratings
At the December 18 regular School Board meeting, Dr. Reid shared strong results from the first year of Virginia’s new School Performance and Support Framework (SPSF).
Dr. Reid shared that 100% of FCPS schools are Fully Accredited for the 2025-26 school year. In a previous issue of Weekly Reflections , she emphasized that FCPS requires funding to support and maintain this excellence.
π£ Follow Our Budget Process
Encourage your neighbors, friends, and community members to follow the budget process and look for opportunities to share your ideas about funding public education. Several key decision dates and engagement opportunities are coming up in the next few weeks:
- The Fairfax County delegation to the General Assembly will hold a public hearing regarding the upcoming 2026 session on
Saturday, January 10, at 9 a.m. in the Board Auditorium at the
Fairfax County Government Center
.
Fairfax County residents can sign up in advance to speak at the hearing online or contact the Department of Clerk Services at 703-324-3151, TTY 711, by Thursday, January 8, at noon . - Thursday, January 22, Dr. Reid will present the proposed budget to the School Board.
Visit our budget webpage for more information.
School Board Meeting to Include Boundaries, Capital Improvement Program, and New Western High School
The School Board will hold its next regular business meeting on
Thursday, January 8, at 7 p.m. Among the agenda items, Dr. Reid will
recommend proposed boundary changes
, present recommendations for the name of the new western high school, and propose the Fiscal Year 2027-31 Capital Improvement Program (CIP).
View the
complete agenda
. Find out how to
watch and participate in School Board meetings
.
Public Hearing on Recommended Changes to School Boundaries
The School Board will hear public comment on the superintendent’s recommended changes to school boundaries at a public hearing in the Jackson Middle School auditorium on Saturday, January 10, at 10 a.m. (snow date Saturday, January 17, at 10 a.m. ). If needed, an overflow public hearing will take place on Tuesday, January 13, at 6 p.m.
View the superintendent’s recommended boundary adjustments . By tomorrow, you should be able to explore how the proposed boundary changes may affect your family using our Boundary Explorer Tool .
The School Board is scheduled to vote on the comprehensive boundary review and implementation during its meeting on Thursday, January 22 .
Public Hearing on Proposed Fiscal Year 2027 CIP
The School Board welcomes public comment on the FY 2027-31 CIP at a public hearing in the Jackson Middle School auditorium on Tuesday, January 13, at 6 p.m.
Register to speak at the CIP public hearing (only live testimony via in-person or Zoom permitted) by Friday, January 9, at 4:30 p.m. View the Proposed FY 2027-31 Capital Improvement Program .
On Tuesday, January 13 , the School Board will hold a work session on the Proposed FY 2027-31 CIP. At the Thursday, February 12 , regular School Board meeting, the board is scheduled to take final action to adopt the FY 2027-31 CIP.
Read information on Speaking at School Board Meetings . Any questions, written statements, and copies of testimony may be submitted to [email protected] .
ποΈ Calendar Reminders: Martin Luther King Jr. Day Holiday
Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Holiday)
Schools and offices will be closed on Monday, January 19 , for the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday. See the complete school year calendar .
Martin Luther King Jr. Day Service Opportunity
Students and families can volunteer on Martin Luther King Jr. Day through Volunteer Fairfax’s family-friendly volunteer event.
This event is designed to engage families with children (ages 5 to 12) in service learning. Volunteer Fairfax invites families to work alongside local nonprofit partners and neighbors across Northern Virginia. This event is free and open to the public, but registration is required .
Volunteering during this holiday is one of the many ways FCPS students continue to serve their community while building Portrait of a Graduate skills, such as becoming an ethical and global citizen.
The Connected Family: Navigating the Digital World Together
At this Family Café event, parents and caregivers can learn effective strategies to engage their children in discussions regarding internet safety. Sessions will be held from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on:
- Monday, January 12 , at Lake Braddock Secondary School
- Thursday, January 22 , in the West Potomac High School library
Register in advance . Child care and interpretation are available.
βοΈ See Something, Say Something: Fraud, Waste, and Abuse Hotline
FCPS provides a way for employees and the general public to report any suspected wrongdoing related to FCPS’ assets and resources. Reporting will help ensure taxpayers’ money is spent appropriately — on our students’ education. It can also help improve employees’ work environment.
Reports can be made in person, by phone, by email, or online . All reports are taken seriously, and every effort will be made to investigate reports according to the applicable laws, codes, policies, or regulations. Community members can assist with investigations by providing as much information as possible. Please visit the Office of the Auditor General webpage to learn more.
