Superintendent's Weekly Reflections

Hello Team FCPS,

February is now almost half over, which I find so hard to believe. I am more convinced than ever that while the days are at times long, the years continue to feel shorter and shorter.  I continue to so appreciate each of you and your dedication to our mission driven work, it matters.    

I am very excited to announce that the School Board unanimously voted to name FCPS’ new school Skyview High School at its board meeting last Thursday! This marks a significant milestone as FCPS prepares to welcome students for the 2026-27 school year, and we are very grateful to everyone who shared their ideas and feedback throughout this process. 

The name “Skyview’” represents the limitless potential and opportunities we aspire to for our students as they engage in 22nd century learning and innovation and prepare for careers yet to be imagined. More information about Skyview High School is available on our website . We look forward to opening our doors next August and building a vibrant learning community that reflects the excellence and innovation of FCPS.

I am proud to highlight a historic moment from Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJHSST), which has become the first high school in Virginia to appoint women as head coaches of both its varsity baseball and varsity football programs — wow! 

This moment celebrates leadership, courage, and progress in our schools. Jennifer Hammond, who leads the baseball team, shared her excitement about the opportunity and the importance of representation. She said, “I’ve always been careful not to focus too heavily on the fact that I am one of only a very small number of women leading boys’ sports, but representation matters.”

Rachel Worsham, who will be on the football sidelines this fall, highlighted the broader impact of this achievement: “To me, being the first in the state comes with a lot of responsibility, of course. But it’s not that I’m the first that I really care about, what is more important to me is that I’m not the last.” Indeed!!

Jennifer and Rachel set an inspiring example for all of us in FCPS about what is possible when we support and elevate diverse voices in every field. You can read more about these trailblazing women on our website. They were also featured in this story by local TV station WUSA 9 . Go Colonials!!

I would like to share a note I received last week from Dr. Ellen Reilly, assistant superintendent of Instructional Services and the former principal of McLean High School. She wrote me a note about YOUth: The Young Person’s Guide to Starting a Nonprofit , pictured above: “I wanted to share with you a book one of our graduates has written and was just released yesterday. Olivia Zhang graduated from McLean in 2023 and is a sophomore at Harvard. When she was 14, she started a non-profit Cancer Kids First. It is the world’s largest cancer youth-led non-profit. Over the past year, Olivia held her first TED Talk, was selected as L’Oreal’s Woman of Worth, and Forbes 30 Under 30 for social impact. She is an amazing young woman who I have had the pleasure of knowing since she was a freshman at McLean. She continually impresses me with her drive and work ethic, plus she is a kind, caring person. I am quite proud of her.” Thanks for sharing this outstanding news, Ellen, and congratulations Olivia! I can’t wait to read and learn more about this important and timely topic.

I’d also like to share that student teams from FCPS won five of the top eight awards in the Northern Virginia Regional MATHCOUNTS competition, held recently at Robinson Secondary School! The regional competition combines Virginia’s Fairfax, George Washington, and Northern Virginia MATHCOUNTS chapters. More than 400 students in grades 6-8 from 41 elementary, middle, private, and home schools competed at the events as school teams and as individuals. A complete list of the winning teams can be found on our website . Congratulations to all of our winners and yay math! ;>)

Congratulations to Ishan Mohanty, a student at Mosaic Elementary School, and Spriha Mohanty, a student at Luther Jackson Middle School, who were the third place winners in the ages 9-11 and ages 12-14 divisions, respectively, in the National Park Service Frederick Douglass Oratorical Contest ! The goal of the contest is for students to experience the same transformative power of language that Frederick Douglass experienced as a young man, as they perform a part of a Douglass speech that they learn from memory before a panel of judges. This contest requires the utmost dedication and commitment on the part of the student to learn their speech and to perform it in the spirit of Frederick Douglass’s original words. Way to go, Ishan and Spriha! Go Mustangs!! Go Tigers!!   

On Monday evening, I attended the winter graduation for Mountain View High School. Celebrating this milestone is so important. Meeting the graduates and their families as well as connecting with the staff continues to remind me about the importance of our work. Congratulations to all of our graduates and go Timberwolves!!

Next, I went to Springfield Estates Elementary School to host a meeting of the Family Vision Group for Quad 4. As with other recent Family Group meetings, the topics of discussion were understanding report cards, the volunteer management system, and the budget development process. I’m always grateful to the parents and caregivers who take the time to attend and share feedback to help us make our schools even better! Learning happens best in community!!

Finally, I went to West Springfield High School for its girls’ basketball game against Fairfax High School. The athleticism and sportsmanship were inspiring. I continue to be impressed with the caliber of our student athletes and all the many staff and community members who support them. Go Spartans!! Go Lions!!

On Tuesday, we held a School Board work session and then later a public hearing on the Fiscal Year 2027 Proposed Budget, giving our community an opportunity to review priorities, ask questions, and provide input as we continue refining the plan. I thank everyone who took the time to share their feedback and engage in the process.

On Wednesday evening, I went to South Lakes High School where I watched the junior varsity and varsity girls’ basketball games against Westfield High School. It was a great game highlighting the talents and teamwork of our student athletes, as well as the dedication of our coaches and support staff. Go Seahawks!! Go Bulldogs!!

On Thursday morning, I had the opportunity to participate on a panel discussion at a meeting of the National Association for School-University Partnerships at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City Hotel. White Oaks Elementary School Principal, Josh Douds, is a leader in this important collaborative work. Never has it been more important for us to champion the vital connections between PK-12 schools and higher education, together all things are possible. 

In the Academic Matters portion of last Thursday’s School Board meeting, I discussed Back to Fairfax , which is a Grow Your Own initiative for FCPS students and alumni that aligns with career and technical education, work-based learning, job shadowing, and internship experiences that build early career awareness and prepare students for future FCPS employment. The program includes:

• Teachers for Tomorrow , which is an approved Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) program offered to high school juniors and seniors interested in pursuing a career in education. The program is designed to attract high school students to the field of education through exposure to a world-class curriculum and hands-on experience that focuses on teaching.
• Trades for Tomorrow , which offers current FCPS students opportunities to participate in apprenticeship, trade, and industrial education opportunities.
• Technology for Tomorrow, which is the Department of Instructional Technology's (IT) high school internship program and provides students with IT experience, on-the-job training, and exposure to work in cybersecurity and IT operations departments.
• Food and Nutrition Job Shadow Program, which is a full-day work-based learning experience where students can explore careers in nutrition services. Through this program, students gain hands-on experience, including recipe and menu development. It offers insights into nutrition planning, logistics, and culinary career paths.
• Department of Human Resources Summer Internship Program , which is a six-week, paid, in-person opportunity for FCPS high school students or FCPS alumni enrolled in post-secondary education. This program is designed to provide valuable hands-on work experience, professional development, and project-based learning across various FCPS departments.

You can learn more about these programs in this video , which I included in my presentation. 

In the Strategic Plan Update portion of the meeting, the topic was Pillar B: Vibrant Home, School, and Community Partnerships , in particular the FCPS Information Technology Office. To put things in perspective, some of the things the Department of Information Technology does includes:

• Manage: Build, maintain and operate over 100+ IT systems.
• Connect: Provide Internet access, phone service, and fire alarm/security alarm connectivity through FCPS-operated large internet infrastructure.
• Protect: Review for privacy and security almost 1,100+ education and technology tools.
• Support: Manage help desk calls; resolve 245,482 email tickets; support 180 technology support specialists (TSSpecs); operate a central laptop repair shop; and provide a camera and network management crew.

As part of my presentation, I shared this video , which highlights how the Department of Information Technology supports students, educators, and families through reliable systems, responsive support, and accessible digital tools — from on-site technology specialists to the FCPS mobile app, online registration, and multilingual family resources. Much of this work happens behind the scenes, but its impact is felt every day in classrooms and homes across the division.

And in the Superintendent Matters section of the School Board meeting,  I took a moment to express my deep gratitude to the more than 1,000 Winter Weather Warriors across FCPS who worked tirelessly during the recent unprecedented winter storms. From our Office of Facilities Management and equipment operators to supervisors, support staff, custodians, and transportation teams, so many individuals rose to the challenge to ensure our schools were safe and ready for students.

More than 1,400 custodians cleared snow and ice by hand across nearly 200 campuses — an extraordinary effort across over 400 square miles. Our transportation staff removed heavy ice and snow from buses, even when vehicles were packed up to the wheel wells, and teams worked extended hours to open parking lots, sidewalks, and building entrances. Thanks to additional treatment cycles and constant monitoring, we were able to safely welcome students and staff back to our buildings.

I also shared my appreciation for our chief leadership officers for their steady leadership, as well as our families for their patience and flexibility as we adjusted schedules. Interrupted learning is never easy, and I’m grateful to our educators and students for their resilience — even if some middle schoolers admitted their parents were more excited about the return than they were! We built 10 snow days into our calendar and have used four so far, along with several delayed openings. With warmer temperatures on the horizon, we’re ready to turn the page to spring — and once again, I thank our entire community for pulling together to support our students.

On Friday morning, we were treated to a performance of the Twain Middle School Advanced Theatre class at Gatehouse Administration Center. The group is led by Theatre Director Beth Becker, who shared, “Every fall at Twain Middle School, the Advanced Theatre class puts on a fall play. This school year, we did the one act show, EVERYONE GETS EATEN BY SHARKS . In this production, Adventure Dan walks his niece, sweet Bonnie, through four scenarios one should NOT put themselves in if they don’t want to be eaten by Sharks!” Thank you, Beth, for your leadership and for keeping us safe. ;>) Go Tigers!!

Early Friday evening, I went to Fairhill Elementary School for Cultural Heritage Night. What an inspiring evening as I met with so many students and community members celebrating our amazingly diverse cultures. Go Tigers!!

And I finished the night by heading to Robinson Secondary School to watch its production of Mean Girls . The middle school students performing and backstage were simply amazing. According to Director Katie Brunberg, “Mean Girls Jr. is a cautionary tale, one that reminds us that we don’t have to change who we are to belong, that just because someone is our friend doesn’t mean we can’t set new boundaries, and that friends don’t have to be forever if they are hurting you. It teaches young women to stand in their power. That we have the choice to change how the world works. That calling someone stupid won’t make you any smarter, and even the people you don’t like at all are still people.” So many great life lessons to learn. Go Rams!!

I started my day on Saturday at TJHSST for its Adaptive Baseball Camp for young players with special needs. As mentioned in this article on our website , the camp gives each participant a chance to interact one-on-one with a TJHSST varsity baseball player to practice base running, hitting a ball off a tee, and throwing and catching drills. It was great to get to know the student athletes as they led this camp. Our young people continue to model so many values we can celebrate. Go Colonials!!

Next, I visited Luther Jackson Middle School for the Chinese New Year celebration, also known as Lunar New Year, sponsored by the Asian Community Service Center. I had the pleasure of presenting the award certificates of the Essay and Art Contest! Learning happens best in community and our community continues to be amazing!!

I’m proud of all the students and community members who participated, and I’m inspired by all of their wonderful writing and art. This year is the year of the Fire Horse, which is a symbol of hard work, bravery, resilience, and forward momentum. These are important values that we can share together, along with gratitude, kindness, and care for others, as we build a bright future for our community, together, all things are possible…

As we look forward to the winter week ahead, even as we recognize the Presidents Day holiday today, I will end with a quote from one of my favorite presidents; "Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure... than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much, because they live in a gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat". -- Theodore Roosevelt.  

Take good care,

Michelle Reid, Ed.D. Superintendent