Superintendent's Weekly Reflections

Hello Team FCPS,

As we are enjoying this long holiday weekend, let's be mindful of the meaning behind Labor Day which honors the American labor movement and the contributions that workers have made to the strength, prosperity, laws and well-being of the country. Thank you for all that each of you do each and every day to support our students and families. I hope you are each finding a joyful way to make space for family and friends this weekend.

Last week I shared some highlights from the first day of school, and I’d like to share a few more from our Department of Information Technology:

• The Help Desk received 344 calls, with 104 resolved within 15 minutes.
• A total of 1,055 support tickets were submitted through the online portal.
• At 9:10 a.m., internet bandwidth usage was 23.74 Gbps out of 140 Gbps, 16.9% of total capacity (in simple terms, that’s really fast internet!).
• Schoology rosters and student password syncs experienced minor issues in the morning, but both were quickly resolved.

Thanks to our DIT team’s swift response and preparation, schools had the reliable technology support needed for a strong start to the year. Go Team FCPS!!

This year the Health and Physical Education team in the Instructional Services Department kicked off their fall in-service with a video which features interviews with FCPS students and teachers who speak to the value of, and the joy they experience from, health and physical education classes. Our health and physical education teachers are instilling essential life skills by building strong relationships, fostering a sense of community for all learners, and helping students understand the interconnectedness of the different aspects of health and wellness. This work matters!! 

Back to School Night season was in full swing last week! I attended events at Cedar Lane School (go Panthers!) and Rachel Carson Middle School (go Panthers!) on Monday, Forestville Elementary School (go Cardinals!) and Spring Hill Elementary School (go Panthers!) on Tuesday, and Cunningham Park Elementary School (go Cardinals!) and Stenwood Elementary School (go Stingers!) on Wednesday. FCPS has quite the pack of panthers and flock of cardinals ;>) At each of these school events, our families continue to share such positive affirmations about you and the work you are doing!!

At Spring Hill, Principal Amy Briggs is “leading in the light” this year and shared several murals that exemplify the positive climate established by the school’s students, staff, and community. You can see a few of the murals above. It was wonderful to connect with families, students, and staff at each school and to see the excitement and pride that make these communities so special as we begin a new year together. Together, all things are possible!!

Early on Wednesday morning, (very early ;>) I had the privilege of joining FCPS bus driver and proud Robinson SS alumnus Lucas Champion for a morning ride-along. I learned that by the third day of school, our transportation team had already achieved a 97% on-time arrival rate — a remarkable testament to their dedication and coordination. Lucas walked me through the district’s new tablet navigation system, which provides real-time bus routing support and student tracking to strengthen both safety and efficiency. I was especially impressed by the thoughtful rollout plan: operating the new system alongside the old to ensure a smooth transition for drivers and families alike. You can learn more about my ride-along with Lucas in this video .

As Lucas shared his journey from Peace Corps teacher to serving the same schools he once attended, I was reminded of the deep sense of pride and purpose that defines FCPS. Fairfax is truly a destination division — where so many of our staff choose to give back to the communities that shaped them. Go Team FCPS!!

Next I went to Holmes Middle School, which is led by Principal Serena Giron and where students are truly blooming ;>) thanks to the creativity of Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher Michelle Riegel-Cruz and the Green Hawks. 

The school’s outdoor garden has become a thriving oasis of life and learning. Students are already drawing inspiration from this space — Robert Hawkins’ art students used the garden as a spark for creativity, while seventh grade science classes observed monarch butterflies, caterpillars, and even chrysalises that Michelle shared with them. It’s a beautiful reminder of how authentic, hands-on experiences deepen learning. 

Holmes is also seeing growth in the classroom. Over the past three years, the school has celebrated a 7% increase in math proficiency. I had the opportunity to visit Algebra classrooms led by Eric Abbott and Janet Whitney, where students were actively engaged in building problem-solving skills and confidence. Together, these efforts — in the garden and in the classroom — showcase Holmes Middle School’s commitment to cultivating curiosity, resilience, and achievement in every student. Go Hawks!! 

I also had the chance to introduce our new FCPS mobile app to Robert, who not only inspires students in the art room but also serves as the school’s web curator. This exciting tool makes staying connected with FCPS easier than ever — bringing news, calendars, family resources, and even lunch menus right to your phone. Parents can favorite multiple schools, add events directly to their calendars, call attendance lines with one tap, and quickly access key platforms like ParentVUE, Schoology, and MySchoolBucks. It truly is a one-stop parent toolkit, designed to simplify busy school days and keep families connected to the learning and activities that matter most. We are currently in a soft launch period so please download and try it … More details to come … 

My next visit was to Glasgow Middle School, where I was greeted by Principal Lisa Barrow, Assistant Principal Jeremy Ferrara, and eighth grade ambassadors Owen and DeeAnnie. We began in the classroom of Laura Kearns, where sixth-grade students taking Algebra I were engaged in a flexible instructional block designed to introduce math standards and skills they had not yet been taught. The class was also having thoughtful discussions about how to identify bias in questions and why recognizing it is so important. Great life skills for sure!!

Next, we visited a seventh grade Panther Time class being taught by Julie Day and Thomas Leahy, where the students were discussing Student Rights and Responsibilities , also known as the SR&R. I recently met Julie at a job fair while visiting the Glasgow booth, so it was great to see her in action with her students! While we toured the school, Owen shared that he wrote me a letter when he was a student at Belvedere Elementary School for his exhibition project about gun violence. In his letter he wrote about installing metal detectors in schools to deter any violence. He was very ahead of his time with the weapons detection program now active in many of our schools — our students will continue to lead us!

Owen also talked about how he, along with a group of students, built a “Panther Pride” sign out of cups (pictured above) on a fence between the school and modular units to continue to build positive language and culture around Glasgow. He worked on this project with one of the school’s counselors, Emily Wasserman. Nice job, Owen!

DeeAnnie talked about playing the viola — the same instrument my daughter once played ;>) — and we discussed how important playing an instrument can be in having a well-rounded educational experience. Music develops discipline, patience, and creativity while also strengthening skills in collaboration and problem-solving. These lessons go far beyond the classroom or concert stage — students who engage in music (and all of the fine and performing arts) build confidence, resilience, and focus that will serve them throughout their lives, no matter what path they choose.

My visit to Glasgow highlighted the creativity, leadership, and pride that shine throughout the school. It was inspiring to see students and staff working together to build such a positive and caring community. Go Panthers!!  Learning happens best in community. 

On Thursday, I started my day with the Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce at their monthly Board meeting at the Reston Association Conference Center. It was wonderful to connect with local leaders in IT, finance, health care, education, realty, transportation, and tourism. We discussed how a strong public school system is the bedrock for strong economies and communities. I was excited to share metrics on progress towards our 2023-30 Strategic Plan , answer questions about career paths of the future and the next generation of the workforce, and educate the group on the upcoming Bond Referendum . I look forward to joining other chamber and rotary club meetings in the months ahead so that we can continue working in community to meet the needs of our young people!

In the  Academic Matters portion of last Thursday’s School Board meeting, we discussed the Algebra Power Up summer program, which is a three-week experience for students in grades 7-8 that provides a strong foundation for success in Algebra 1 by strengthening their understanding of fundamental math and algebraic concepts. As you may know, one measure of Goal 3 of the  2023-30 Strategic Plan is that all students will successfully complete Algebra 1 by eighth grade. One positive indicator that we are on our way to meeting our goal is that 74.5% of rising eighth graders are enrolled in Algebra 1 or higher, which is 4.5 percentage points higher than this year’s target of 70%! FCPS outperforms the state, overall, on the percent of eighth graders who pass a high school mathematics SOL. FCPS is also expanding access to Algebra 1 in sixth grade during the 2025-26 school year. This work matters!! As part of my presentation, I shared this video , in which students discuss what makes the Algebra Power Up program unique.

See an accessible version of this slide .

 In the Superintendent Matters portion of the meeting, I discussed how the school year has started off strong with successful kickoff events, Back to School Nights, and celebrations across the division. I also spoke about how all FCPS high schools will pilot girls’ flag football this fall in partnership with the Washington Commanders and how this sport has growing opportunities for scholarships and will make its Olympic debut in 2028. Additionally, the division recently hosted its first Military Family Welcome Barbecue at Mount Vernon High School, organized by the Military Family and Youth Advisory Councils and supported by Educate Fairfax, Principal Cary Dimmick, and local ROTC leaders, drawing a large and enthusiastic turnout. Learning happens best in community!!

Speaking of opportunity and academic excellence, the Virginia Department of Education released the 2025 results for the Standards of Learning (SOL) – and I am so proud to say that once again FCPS has shown year-over-year improvements for students and significantly outperformed the state average. The chart below shows how FCPS performed across the Math, Science, and Reading SOLs as compared to the state average. We made gains despite an update to the SOLs between 2024 and 2025 that made the tests much more rigorous. The results highlight how FCPS programs like the Algebra Power Up can make a real difference for our students, putting them on a path of academic success and a lifetime of achievements. We will share more details about the findings later this week – stay tuned!

As we turn the calendar from August to September and contemplate the changing of the seasons in many ways, I encourage each of us to reflect on all that we have to be grateful for -- even in the midst of challenges. “If you must look back, do so forgivingly. If you must look forward, do so prayerfully. However, the wisest thing you can do is be present in the present …Gratefully.”  — Maya Angelou. We will stay resolutely in the light …

Take good care,

Michelle Reid, Ed.D. Superintendent