Superintendent's Weekly Reflections

Hello Team FCPS,

What a beautiful September weekend we have enjoyed and what interesting and exciting times we are experiencing in our many and varied schools and departments. So many amazing and well attended Back to School Night events and related activities. We are truly well connected and making a difference for tens of thousands!! As we are now headed into fall, and on a more personal note, I have decided to experiment with all things pumpkin. I will however hasten to add that I am not a pumpkin yogurt fan. It sounded great, but I think I'll stick to a berry or vanilla flavor ;>)  

On Monday evening, I stopped by Crossfield and Greenbriar East elementary schools for their Back to School Night events. It was wonderful to connect with families and staff as they kicked off the new school year. The strong sense of partnership and support was evident throughout the evening, with parents, teachers, and administrators all coming together to celebrate their students. Both schools have built welcoming communities that truly embody the spirit of collaboration, and it’s clear that students will benefit from this shared commitment to their success. Together, all things are possible – especially for our students. Go Rockets!! Go Roadrunners!!

On Tuesday morning, I had the opportunity to participate in a meeting of the Northern Virginia Technology Council’s Board of Directors at the Virginia Tech academic building in Alexandria. I appreciated the chance to connect with leaders from across the region to discuss innovation, workforce development, and how we can work together to prepare students for careers yet to be imagined. Partnerships like these are essential as we align education with the evolving needs of our community and economy, and provide students with responsive opportunities that align with current and future opportunities after high school and college. 

Tuesday night was busy with sports of all kinds, as I attended the junior varsity girls volleyball game at Woodson against West Springfield, the boys varsity volleyball game at Robinson against South County, and the field hockey game at Centreville against Oakton. It was such a joy to watch our student-athletes give their all and support one another throughout the evening. As I’ve shared before, athletics programs at FCPS teach students important lessons about collaboration, perseverance, and working towards a common goal. Nights like this remind me how fortunate we are to have such dedicated coaches, talented players, and caring communities cheering them on. Go Cavaliers!! Go Spartans!! Go Rams!! Go Stallions!! Go Wildcats!! Go Cougars!! 

Wednesday morning I was back at the Virginia Tech academic building for the Educate Fairfax Board retreat. Educate Fairfax is the advocacy nonprofit that specifically supports FCPS students, teachers, and staff by building strong partnerships with the Fairfax County community. The goal of last week’s retreat was to focus on long-term strategy, governance, development and fundraising. We discussed FCPS’ current status and strategic priorities, and set the stage for alignment so Educate Fairfax’s goals — specifically student access and opportunity, teacher and staff support, and alumni and community engagement — can better reinforce our work.

On Wednesday evening, we held a meeting of the Family Vision Group for quads 1 and 2 at Oakton High School. These are great opportunities for parents and families to speak with FCPS about the education of their child. We had a great discussion about the budget, safety and security, and the Future-Ready Index. The index is a clear and transparent way for families to understand how the division is doing beyond just SOL scores. While there are many places to look at school division data for FCPS, I find and have been told these sources have opaque methods or focus on a narrow set of student outcomes that make them hard to understand. We want our families to be able to access the bigger picture when it comes to student success — one that goes beyond test scores to reflect learning, belonging, real-world experiences, and will help us guide our work as we prepare our students for the 22 ^nd century! Thanks so much to everyone who came out and shared their thoughts, questions, and concerns. Parents play such an important role in FCPS, and I’m grateful for the teamwork as we all work together to help our students thrive in school and beyond. 

Thursday afternoon provided time for a meeting with the Dongjak District Council of the Seoul Metropolitan Government. It is so important to stay connected with our global partners as we contemplate the best educational opportunities for each and every one of our students. As we continue engaging with leaders from around the world, it is interesting to note that we are all challenged with similar topics. We discussed digital literacy, capital project planning, student discipline, and organizational leadership structures to name a few topics. It remains so important for us to be thoughtful members of a global educational community.  

In the Academic Mattersportion of last Thursday’s School Board meeting, the topic was the Standards of Learning (SOL) scores for the 2024-25 school year. As noted in a previous issue of Weekly Reflections , our numbers are up across the board in writing, science, and math! And as you can see from the graphic above, Fairfax County Public Schools students continue to outperform the state average on SOL and Virginia Alternate Assessment Program (VAAP) tests.

• Reading:FCPS maintained strong results with pass rates of 78% in 2023 and 2024, rising to 79% in 2025. These scores consistently outpaced the Virginia average (73% in 2023-2024 and 74% in 2025).
• Mathematics:Pass rates increased steadily from 75% in 2023 to 76% in 2024 and 78% in 2025, remaining several points higher than the Virginia averages (69%, 71%, and 73%, respectively).
• Science:FCPS pass rates improved from 72% in 2023 to 73% in 2024 and 75% in 2025. In each year, FCPS exceeded the state average (67%, 68%, and 71%).

I would like to point out that this past year there was a new reading and math curriculum, as well as more difficult tests, and our students still raised their scores! This is a testament to the hard work of our students and staff! Our Algebra 1 pass rates are also very good, with a 100% pass rate for students taking the course in sixth and seventh grade, and a 95% percent pass rate for students taking the course in eighth grade. There is still much work to do, but these results show that our collective efforts are making a real difference! With continued focus on instructional excellence and strong partnerships with families, we will keep building on this progress to ensure every student has the opportunity to succeed.

Speaking of student success and achievement, I am incredibly proud to share that 262 students from 19 FCPS high schools have been named National Merit Semifinalists for 2026 . This is an outstanding 40% increase over last year’s 191 semifinalists!! This recognition follows their performance on the PSAT/NMSQT and reflects not only academic excellence but also remarkable effort and commitment from students, families, and teachers alike. Congratulations to all semifinalists — this achievement is a wonderful example of the promise and potential that shines throughout our school division.

In the Strategic Plan Updateportion of the School Board meeting, the topic was our Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) team. FNS has 1,295 staff members and serves 110,000 meals across 198 sites every day! That incredible statistic includes 31,500 breakfasts, 77,500 lunches, and 1,000 after-school meals. FNS is committed to ensuring that every student has access to healthy, culturally diverse meals because when students are nourished, they’re ready to learn and succeed! From providing more than 7,000 meals during a snowstorm closure and 161,000 meals over the summer, to introducing over 20 new menu items and launching new student-focused resources, FNS continues to innovate and lead with equity, excellence, and accountability. As part of my presentation, I shared this video that shows how FNS is building stronger family, school, and community connections through food , which is part of Pillar Dof our 2023-30 Strategic Plan : Culture of Equity, Excellence, and Accountability. Go Team FCPS!!

And in the Superintendent Mattersportion of the School Board meeting, I discussed my many recent Back to School Night events and school visits, Timber Lane Elementary School's 70th anniversary celebration, and Wakefield Forest Elementary School’s ribbon cutting event. I also reminded everyone that we have several upcoming Boundary meetings where members of the community will be able to provide feedback on the proposed boundary maps that will help re-balance the capacity of our schools across the division.

On Friday morning, I stopped by the Hunters Woods at Trails Edge Senior Living facility to listen to a concert by the Langston Hughes Panther Chorale, led by Choral Director Steve McBride. They were performing for the Memory Care Unit and Assisted Living residents. It has been shown that even when memories fade for residents of the memory care unit, the memory of music is somehow still there – at least for a little while. In addition to the concert, the students had a chance to share conversations and activities over a meal and learn about the environment at the facility. This was also a chance for these senior members of our community to learn about the great things happening at the school and in FCPS. Opportunities like this help our students connect with every member in our community, and provide them with powerful experiences that will help shape them into global citizens of tomorrow.  I also had an opportunity to meet and visit with former school board member, Ruth Turner. Go Panthers!!

Friday afternoon, I paid a visit to Rolling Valley Elementary School for its Chalk the Walk event and family picnic, which gives students, staff, and families the opportunity to showcase their school spirit by decorating a sidewalk behind the school with chalk and afterwards enjoying a picnic dinner. It was a colorful way to “draw” the community together! ;>) The event was a true celebration of school spirit and community pride. Go Rockin’ Robins!! 

My last stop on Friday was to Oakton High School for its Homecoming football game against Woodson High School. Homecoming is a special time for high school students, giving them the chance to celebrate school pride, reconnect with alumni, and create lasting memories with friends and family. The game itself was an exciting matchup, with both teams showing determination and spirit on the field, while the crowd cheered enthusiastically from the stands. The energy and excitement truly highlighted the importance of this event in the life of both school communities. Go Cougars!! Go Cavaliers!! 

On Saturday morning, I stopped by Langley High School to watch girls volleyball games that included Robinson Secondary School. This was the weekend for the Dig Pink Volleyball Tourney.  It continues to be so inspiring to watch our student athletes support causes larger than athletics.  I enjoyed connecting with the student athletes and their coaches as this work matters. Go Saxons and Rams!!

Wow, what another beautiful and bountiful week ahead that we will be traversing. So many opportunities abounding to connect, learn and grow … It is always a treat to be a part of our FCPS student and staff activities with our trademark energy and passion .  As the U.S. Open recently concluded, I am reminded of the thoughts "Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can." –  Arthur Ashe. I am looking forward to seeing you as I am out and about in the schools and community in the coming weeks. Let’s continue to be present for one another and continue to do what we can, together all things are possible.  

Take good care,
Michelle Reid, Ed.D.
Superintendent