Superintendent's Weekly Reflections

Hello Team FCPS,

What a great weekend and I am looking forward to another amazing week ahead!! I love this fall season and all the abundant joy it brings!! 

And so, like you I have often looked up this past week as the geese are doing fly-overs in formation.  Over the years, I am pleased to be reminded that to all things there is a season.  There is a definite comfort to nature and the predictability as well as the gifts of so many creatures, great and small. The  story of the geese and their tight formation   is one that still inspires me in my work. I trust that you too will find inspiration in their natural team commitment. Together, all things are possible.

October is National Principals Month and so I would like to personally recognize our fantastic FCPS principals. I want to share how important our principals and assistant principals are to the achievement of our core work in the schools. I applaud their instructional leadership and would invite you to share your own personal thanks sometime during the month with your school principals.  Our collective work in this amazing field of education is so transformative; I firmly believe it is only through the power of public education that our communities and this amazing country will remain strong. Each of us plays a role and together, all things are possible ...

Congratulations to principals Shane Wolfe of Aldrin Elementary School, Kambar Khoshaba of South County High School, and Shawn DeRose of Annandale High School for being selected for the Virginia Department of Education’s Principal of Distinction Program! The program honors school leaders who demonstrate outstanding leadership, inspire excellence, and improve student outcomes. This recognition is offered in partnership with the Virginia Association of Elementary and Secondary School Principals. Shane, Kambar, and Shawn are part of a group of 31 principals across the state who were selected for the award. They recently participated in a professional development symposium in Richmond, which focused on learning and collaboration centered on leadership, professional growth, and school improvement. They will also complete a capstone project demonstrating school-level impact. Once finished, they will receive the Level II Principal of Distinction endorsement in administration and supervision preK-12. Go Team FCPS!!

As I’ve mentioned in previous  Weekly Reflections , FCPS has developed a Future-Ready Index tool designed to demonstrate how well FCPS supports students on their journey from early learning through graduation and beyond. The Index provides families, staff, and the community with a clear picture of how FCPS is performing in preparing students for future success in college, careers, and life, and is a clear and transparent way for families to understand how the division is doing beyond just SOL scores. 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, and real-world experiences, while helping us guide our work as we prepare our students for the 22 ^nd century! 

The  Future-Ready Index :

• Highlights where FCPS is excelling and where more work is needed.
• Provides a transparent and accessible way to understand student progress.
• Ensures that every student is supported.

The framework’s goals are research-based and can be compared to those of other school districts nationwide. The Index is organized into five easy-to-understand domains that reflect this national framework while also focusing on FCPS’ unique context and strategic priorities. Ratings for all five domains  can be seen on our website . This work matters!

As another reminder, I invite you to attend Meeting the Moment: FCPS Forward — AI and the Future of Learning, a conversation with division leadership, which will take place on Monday, November 3, from 6 to 8 p.m., at West Springfield High School . All are encouraged to attend to:

• Learn about the opportunities and challenges of AI in education.
• Explore how AI can support FCPS student achievement and workforce readiness.
• Engage in a thought-provoking panel and keynotes.
• Help shape the future of innovation at FCPS.

From 6 to 6:30 p.m., enjoy an interactive expo in the school lobby where you can explore partnerships with major AI innovators showcasing the power of generative intelligence and conversational AI. Teachers who attend will receive two recertification points.  Registration for employees is open . Agenda details will be shared with registered participants in the coming weeks. Community members can register here . I hope to see you there!

As you may remember me mentioning earlier this year, FCPS has a  new mobile app !! The app provides a custom, district-branded platform that keeps families connected and informed right from their smartphones. It consolidates essential content such as news, live updates, calendars, district and school-specific notices, cafeteria menus, and more, all in one place. Users can access updates and content without having to sign in, making it easy for everyone to stay informed. Additionally, schools can publish content and push notifications simultaneously to the app and to social media platforms like Facebook, X, and Instagram, ensuring all channels remain aligned. You can learn more about our  new mobile app in this video .

I also interviewed TeAndra Nelson and Roy Dykes, two FCPS parents, to get their feedback. TeAndra said she “loves the app itself” because of how convenient it is for her to “just go on my phone and get all the announcements that I need.” This is especially helpful because she has four students in two different schools! 

Roy found the app to be “easy to use” for keeping up with football games. He told me, “I can look for my Centerville High School and immediately know that the football team is at Chantilly tonight.” He then accessed Maps through the app to get directions to Chantilly, so he certainly won’t be missing a game anytime soon! You can see our full conversations in these two videos:  TeAndra Nelson |  Roy Dykes . To download the FCPS mobile app, go to the  Apple App Store or  Google Play Store .

This week we held more Community Boundary Review meetings at Hayfield Secondary and Annandale, Lewis, and Mount Vernon high schools. Similar to last week’s meetings, we discussed the priorities of the boundary review; the role of the Boundary Review Advisory Committee; the Boundary Explorer Tool and how to provide feedback on Scenario 4; past community engagement; next steps in the process; and the changes by school that are specific to each pyramid. There are still four Boundary Review meetings (each available in person or virtual) taking place this week for you to provide your feedback! The schedule is as follows:

• Monday, October 27 , 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., at Irving Middle School , (Lake Braddock and West Springfield Pyramids) in person or virtual .
• Tuesday, October 28,  6:00 to 6:30 p.m. at Fairfax High School, Library (Chantilly and Westfield Pyramids)  in person or  virtual .
• Tuesday, October 28 , 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., at Fairfax High School , Library (Woodson and Fairfax Pyramids) in person or virtual .
• Wednesday, October 29 , 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., at McLean High School , (Madison and McLean Pyramids) in person or virtual .
• Thursday, October 30 , 7 to 8:30 p.m., at Chantilly High School , (Westfield and Chantilly Pyramids) in person or virtual .

Each high school pyramid is represented on the Superintendent's Boundary Review Advisory Committee . In addition to leaving feedback on the Boundary Explorer Tool , you can find your pyramid representative’s email address here to share feedback or ask questions. You can find more information about the Boundary Review on our website .

On Tuesday morning after the long weekend, I paid a visit to Crestwood Elementary School, which is led by Principal Francoise Casablanca. It was a great opportunity to visit and see the amazing literacy work our educators are engaged in with our young learners. My visit was a hoot! ;>) Go Owls!!

Next, I had the pleasure of visiting Cardinal Forest Elementary School, where I was warmly welcomed by Principal Ashleigh Long, Family Liaison Mariel Otero, and two poised and confident student ambassadors, Charles and Veera. Their enthusiasm set the tone for the morning as they guided me to their classroom led by their teacher Melanie Ano, a Participate Learning ambassador teacher from the Philippines. Melanie was leading a Benchmark Literacy lesson comparing “The Dog and the Bone” and “The Ant and the Dove.” I was impressed by the thoughtful connections that these Mighty Red Birds made between the two fables as they built their critical thinking skills!

I also had the opportunity to see Cardinal Forest’s participation in the Virtual Algebra 1 pilot, where sixth grade students were engaged in online instruction under the supervision of AART Karen Mitchell. Their learning space, Assistant Principal Cindy Agner’s office, was intentionally designed with anchor charts, vocabulary supports, and visuals that grounded the virtual experience in meaningful, hands-on learning in order to provide a supportive, challenging, and accessible learning experience. Principal Ashleigh Long says that Cardinal Forest is a “school community that truly continues to ‘remain in the light’ where joyful learning, inclusion, and intentional teaching shine brightly” and ”a place where students and staff feel seen, supported, and inspired to grow, connect, and lead with purpose.” Well said! Go Mighty Red Birds!! 

Later Tuesday afternoon, several senior staff joined me in meeting with leadership members from our Vietnamese American community.  It was a reminder that this year is the fifty-year anniversary of the fall of Saigon, marking the end of the Vietnam war formally this past spring, on April 30, 2025. One of the requests they have is that when we display our nation's flags, we display the Vietnamese heritage flag. I absolutely agree and support this request as we honor and recognize the many in our community who remember, and all those who lost so much, as well as those who served our country throughout this combat. Learning happens best in community and our community continues to be strong!!

Early on Wednesday morning, I attended the Northern Virginia Technology Council’s Board of Directors meeting. It continues to be so important to develop and maintain community partnerships as we navigate the changing community conditions and plan for our collective future needs. 

On Wednesday afternoon, I held a meeting of the new Student Youth Environmental Council at Gatehouse Administration Center. I’m so proud of the incredible work our students and staff are doing to make FCPS a leader in sustainability! Through our collective efforts, we’re taking real steps toward a cleaner, greener future. As a division, we’ve committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2040, halving greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, and transitioning our entire school bus fleet to electric by 2035.

Our  Get2Green program continues to be the heart of this work. It supports nearly every school in our system, helping students and staff reduce waste, care for wildlife habitats, and grow edible gardens. Many of our schools have even earned  the national Green Flag Award (FCPS has around half of all Green Flag schools in the U.S.!) for their outstanding environmental stewardship — a reflection of how deeply our community cares about sustainability. I’m also proud that FCPS has been recognized nationally for our clean energy leadership. We’ve earned the ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year Award for Sustained Excellence and the International Award for Institutional Energy Management, saving more than $110 million since 2013. With more solar installations, net zero building practices, and a growing fleet of electric buses, we’re showing what’s possible when we lead with purpose.

Most inspiring of all, our students are driving so much of this change! They’ve led efforts to eliminate plastic straws, expand solar power in our schools, and reduce food waste. Their passion and advocacy continue to shape not only our schools but the future of our planet, and I couldn’t be more hopeful or more grateful.  Highlights of the meeting are available online . Our students will continue to lead us!!

In the  Academic Matters portion of last Thursday’s School Board meeting, I discussed  the 2024-25 Fairfax County Youth Survey , which is a comprehensive, anonymous, and voluntary annual survey that asks students in grades 6, 8, 10, and 12 questions about behaviors, experiences, and risk and protective factors. The questions, which are based on the Monitoring the Future Survey and the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System Survey, cover topics such as substance abuse, mental health, physical health, and bullying. 

See an accessible version of the slide above . 

Based on the survey results, student alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use continued to decrease in 2024. This year’s rates were the lowest since 2018 — wow! The percentage of students reporting mental health concerns are down, and the percentage of students reporting healthy habits has increased, other than the percentage of students watching TV three or more hours a day. The percentage of students reporting bullying concerns is also down. The survey also found that when children and youth have three or more positive protective factors in their lives – known as Three to Succeed – they are more likely to successfully manage stress, make better choices, and develop healthy habits. The protective factors in FCPS include: 

• Building student connectedness and belonging.
• Positive communication to caregivers.
• Access to activities.
• Parent education.

As part of my presentation,  I shared this video , in which staff describe how they use the Youth Survey data to support our students. This work matters!!

And in the  Superintendent Matters portion of the School Board meeting, I shared several highlights from the past few weeks, some of which have been mentioned in previous  Weekly Reflections . We held our first Environmental Council meeting (mentioned above), and it was inspiring to see students’ passion for sustainability and the environment! I was also proud to announce that  49 FCPS schools were newly recognized as Purple Star Schools and 40 renewed their designation, bringing us to 145 schools, or nearly 75% of our division! Our goal remains 100% by next year, and I’m so proud of how we continue to honor and support our military-connected families. This work matters!! 

On Saturday, I had the privilege of joining more than (what we estimate) 1,000 families, students, and community members at the open house for our  new western high school in the western part of the county. The new school, located at the former King Abdullah Academy, offers a modern campus designed for collaboration, innovation, and connection. With its theater, labs, gyms, heated pool, and outdoor spaces, the building provides a strong foundation for learning experiences that prepare students for a rapidly changing world and 22nd century careers. A big thank you to all the staff who worked so hard to make this event a thoughtful community event, it matters. 

The turnout at the open house reflected the deep interest and excitement across our community as we plan for the next chapter of learning in this growing region of Fairfax County. Families toured classrooms, labs, and gathering spaces, and shared thoughtful feedback on what kind of school would best meet students’ needs — whether a comprehensive high school or a magnet model. We provided a few different initial draft boundary map scenarios for families to review, should the school become a comprehensive high school. These maps will be available online soon. So many families asked thoughtful questions from what an athletics program could look like to the type of advanced learning opportunities we could offer. Working together, I am confident that we can shape this school into a learning community we can all be proud of and excited about! I am grateful to everyone who came out to share their perspectives and to our staff who are thoughtfully guiding this process. I want to give a special shout out to our student volunteers, who gave up part of their Saturday to help guide families and community members around the new western high school! Together, we are shaping a school that will serve our students and families for generations to come.

On Saturday evening, I attended the Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology’s 40th Anniversary Celebration and evening gala at the Hilton in Tysons Corner. It was great to have an opportunity to visit with so many of the alumni who have graduated and shared experiences over these many years. 

As we did some research, we determined that close to 16,000 graduates have attended TJHSST over their forty-year history. It was instructive to look back and think about what one of my many predecessors (prior superintendents) shared at the dedication of TJHSST.  Then FCPS Superintendent, Robert R. Spillane, shared, … ”high tech must be balanced with high touch… that students can intelligently understand the great events and ideas of the past and appreciate the cultural significance of the expressive arts.”  Clearly the definition of high tech continues to evolve, but the belief in a well-rounded world-class education is an ideal that has endured.  We continue to believe in the values of equity, excellence, and opportunity for each and every one of our students, it matters. 

Take good care,

Michelle Reid, Ed.D. Superintendent