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Fairfax County Public Schools is celebrating 262 students from 19 high schools who were named 2026 National Merit semifinalists, a 40% increase from 2025.
The recognition leads a busy September update that also includes higher state testing pass rates, college-planning resources, community events and upcoming schedule changes.
State test scores rise
FCPS reported gains in writing, science and math on Standards of Learning tests during the School Board’s review of results for the 2024-25 academic year.
Division students continued to outperform Virginia averages on both SOL tests and the Virginia Alternate Assessment Program.
Beginning in October 2025, every second grader and selected students in grades three through seven will take the Naglieri General Ability Tests as a universal abilities screener.
The assessment measures verbal, nonverbal and quantitative reasoning. Unlike an achievement test, it is not something students are expected to study for. Schools use the results alongside other information to understand learning profiles, plan instruction and consider eligibility for advanced academic services. Participating families will receive notices from their schools.
Workshops expand support for families
An eight-week “Mind in the Making” workshop will introduce families to seven skills considered essential to children’s learning and development. The in-person sessions will run from 10 a.m. to noon Thursdays, September 25 through November 20, at the Annandale Community Center.
Other Family Academy offerings cover autism and applied behavior analysis, co-parenting in English and Spanish, early literacy, the Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters program, Loving Solutions, Parent Project, Sibshops and SibTeens. Family Resource Center webinars will address subjects including Section 504 and math strategies for students with cognitive disabilities.
College and post-graduation planning
Goal 5 of the FCPS 2023-30 Strategic Plan focuses on equipping every student with the skills needed after graduation.
As part of that effort, the Family Resource Center will present an online college-planning webinar for families of upper-middle and high school students. Scheduled for Friday, October 31, from 10 to 11:30 a.m., the session will outline what students can do during each year of high school to strengthen college applications.
The annual FCPS College Fair will bring approximately 200 colleges, universities and U.S. service academies to George Mason University’s EagleBank Arena from 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday, October 19. A virtual postsecondary event will follow from 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, October 21.
College Access Fairfax is also offering virtual financial-aid programs for families in the Class of 2026:
- Paying for College for Seniors at 10 a.m. Saturday, September 27.
- FAFSA Line-by-Line at 7 p.m. Wednesday, October 29, and 10 a.m. Saturday, November 8.
- Scholarships at 10 a.m. Saturday, November 15, and 7 p.m. Thursday, November 20.
- Paying for College for Military Families at 7 p.m. Wednesday, November 19, and 10 a.m. Saturday, December 6.
The U.S. Department of Education is seeking students to beta-test the 2026-27 Free Application for Federal Student Aid before its Wednesday, October 1, release. Participants can file early, begin the aid process sooner and provide feedback on the FAFSA experience.
Students with individual education plans and their families can meet adult-service providers at the Moving on to Life in the Community Resource Fair. The event will run from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, November 6, at Robinson Secondary School.
School meals reach 110,000 a day
FCPS Food and Nutrition Services employs 1,295 people across 198 locations and serves about 110,000 meals daily. That total includes 31,500 breakfasts, 77,500 lunches and 1,000 after-school meals.
The department has also distributed more than 7,000 meals during a snowstorm closure, added over 20 menu items and introduced new student-focused resources. Its work is part of the strategic plan’s focus on equity, excellence and accountability.
Bond referendum heads to voters
Fairfax County finances major construction and renovation projects by selling bonds and repaying them over time. Its triple-A bond rating allows the county to borrow at low rates and has saved taxpayers an estimated $1 billion or more in financing costs.
FCPS relies on bonds for capital improvements ranging from renovations to security vestibules. A school bond referendum will appear on the ballot Tuesday, November 4.
CPR training helps students save a life
Annual hands-on CPR lessons at Longfellow Middle School proved critical during a scouting trip when Laurent Lee collapsed.
His son, Davin, and fellow students Raphael and Avi used their training to perform CPR and help save his life.
Historical marker honors Louise Archer
Students, educators, residents and former students gathered at Louise Archer Elementary School on September 6 to dedicate a historical marker honoring Archer’s decades as a Fairfax County teacher and principal.
The marker is the final installation in the county’s Black/African American Historical Marker Project.
Louise Archer Elementary will return to the spotlight from 10 a.m. to noon Sunday, September 21, for Sun Day. The family event will celebrate FCPS’ solar initiative and 17 new electric school buses with live music, solar-themed story time, student sustainability demonstrations and other activities.
Boundary meetings continue
FCPS is holding community meetings in September and October as part of its comprehensive boundary review. The September sessions include an update on the review, discussion of school start times, an explanation of how public feedback is being used and an outline of the next steps.
The remaining listed meetings are:
- West Potomac and Mount Vernon pyramids from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, September 18, at West Potomac High School, with in-person and virtual attendance.
- Westfield and Chantilly pyramids from 12:30 to 2 p.m. Friday, September 19, at Sully Community Center, with in-person and virtual attendance.
- Madison and McLean pyramids from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Friday, September 19, at Madison High School, with in-person and virtual attendance.
- South Lakes and Herndon pyramids from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, September 24, at South Lakes High School, with in-person and virtual attendance.
The meetings are open to everyone, regardless of where they live within the school system.
Calendar changes and student leadership
Rosh Hashanah begins at sundown Monday, September 22. FCPS will treat that date as an evening-only observance day, with no important events scheduled after school.
Schools and offices will close Tuesday, September 23, for the holiday.
High school students may also apply through Friday, September 26, for the School Board’s Student Leadership Development Program, which offers participants a closer look at school-system governance and an opportunity to make their views heard.