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Fairfax County Public Schools announced that 693 students have been named National Merit Commended Scholars, a 10% increase from 2023.
The recognition led a wide-ranging Jan. 9 update that also covered grading access, course planning, school meals during snow closures, boundary-review meetings and student cellphone rules.
Gradebook access extended through quarter’s end
Following community feedback, FCPS will keep the Gradebook available in SIS ParentVUE and StudentVUE through the final day of each quarter.
For the end of the second quarter, the Gradebook will close at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 28, and reopen at 6 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 4. Families can use ParentVUE to review grades and other information about their children.
Course planning begins for older students
Students entering grades 7 through 12 will soon meet with counselors to select courses for the next school year. Families should check individual school websites for curriculum-night schedules, course catalogs and selection details.
FCPS encouraged students to consider school-life balance and review graduation requirements before making decisions. School counselors can answer questions about academic plans.
High school academies are also holding open houses for prospective students. The academies offer advanced technical and specialized classes designed to prepare students for college and careers. Opportunities can include job shadowing, mentoring and internships with local businesses across more than a dozen career fields.
FCPS tracks access to and enrollment in arts, STEAM, career and technical education, trades, technology and world-language courses as part of its strategic goal for equitable access and opportunity.
Snow closures don’t halt meal distribution
Food and Nutrition Services employees distributed more than 3,000 meals and 1,000 snacks on Tuesday and Wednesday while winter weather disrupted school schedules.
Meal and snack kits were made available for student pickup across the division. FCPS also compiled winter resources for families seeking academic or mental-health support, food, clothing, housing assistance and other services.
Boundary-review meetings continue online
FCPS scheduled several virtual meetings for residents who could not attend the first phase of in-person sessions in its comprehensive boundary review.
The Jan. 10 session reached capacity, while additional meetings were scheduled for:
- Thursday, Jan. 16, from 1 to 2:30 p.m.
- Saturday, Jan. 25, from 9:30 to 11 a.m.
- Monday, Jan. 27, from 6:30 to 8 p.m.
- Tuesday, Jan. 28, from 6:30 to 8 p.m.
- Monday, Feb. 10, from 6:30 to 8 p.m.
Each meeting will be limited to 400 participants. Registrants will receive unique Zoom links, and language interpretation will be available.
FCPS divers compete on world stage
Woodson High School senior Nathaniel Grannis and Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology senior Rem Turatbekov competed at the Junior World Diving Championships in Rio de Janeiro.
Grannis represented the United States, while Turatbekov competed for Kyrgyzstan, his country of birth.
Families reminded about cellphone rules
FCPS asked families to avoid calling or texting students about non-urgent matters during the school day as part of its cellphone policy.
In an emergency, parents and guardians should contact the school’s front office to reach a student during class. The division is also accepting feedback on its current rules, which vary by grade level.
Free tutoring available around the clock
Through an FCPS partnership with Varsity Tutors, every student can use several academic-support services at no cost.
Resources include weekly live online classes, 24-hour on-demand chat tutoring, essay editing, recorded lessons, practice problems and diagnostic tests.
Algebra enrollment rises at 18 schools
During the Dec. 19 School Board meeting, Superintendent Michelle Reid reported progress toward FCPS’s goal of increasing successful completion of Algebra 1 by eighth grade.
At 18 schools, the share of eighth graders enrolled in Algebra 1 or a more advanced math course increased from 56% in the 2021-22 school year to 70% in the 2024-25 school year.
Reid also presented an update on the strategic-plan goal of ensuring students feel safe, supported, included and empowered. Her presentation addressed chronic absenteeism, disparities in discipline and academic inclusion.
Closures, service projects and board business
Schools and offices will be closed Monday, Jan. 20, for Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Inauguration Day.
FCPS and Volunteer Fairfax will hold a family service event Saturday, Jan. 25, at the James Lee Community Center. Planned activities include packing food, assembling care packages, environmental projects and supporting animal welfare. The free event requires registration.
Financial-literacy workshops will also be offered for students in grades 3 through 12, with enrollment available during event check-in.
The School Board’s Jan. 9 business meeting was scheduled to include possible ratification of tentative collective-bargaining agreements between FCPS and the Fairfax Education Unions for licensed instructional and operational bargaining units, along with contract awards.
A public hearing on the proposed fiscal 2026 Capital Improvement Program was scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 14.
FCPS also reminded employees and residents that suspected fraud, waste or abuse involving school-system assets and resources can be reported in person, by phone, by email or online through the Office of Auditor General.