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Fairfax County school leaders are preparing for a series of consequential January decisions involving school boundaries, a new western high school and a five-year capital improvement plan.
At its 7 p.m. meeting Thursday, January 8, the School Board is expected to receive Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid’s proposed boundary changes, recommendations for naming the new high school and the proposed Fiscal Year 2027-31 Capital Improvement Program.
A public hearing on the recommended boundary adjustments is scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday, January 10, in the Jackson Middle School auditorium. The snow date is January 17, with an overflow hearing planned for 6 p.m. January 13 if needed.
A Boundary Explorer Tool is expected to help families determine how the recommendations could affect them. The board is scheduled to vote on the comprehensive boundary review and its implementation January 22.
The capital plan will receive a separate public hearing at 6 p.m. Tuesday, January 13, at Jackson Middle School. Registration to testify in person or by Zoom closes at 4:30 p.m. January 9. The board will also examine the proposal during a January 13 work session and is scheduled to take final action February 12.
Questions, written statements and copies of testimony may be sent to the School Board office.
Dual-language lottery opens January 12
The lottery for the 2026-27 Dual Language Immersion Program opens Monday, January 12. It gives kindergarten and first-grade students the opportunity to spend half of each instructional day learning in English and one of five other languages: French, German, Japanese, Korean or Spanish.
The countywide online lottery is available to Fairfax County residents with a SIS ParentVUE account. Children who are not already enrolled in the school division must first register at their base school.
First-grade applications are due February 12. The kindergarten deadline is 4 p.m. March 2. Informational meetings begin in January, and families with questions may contact Brigid Williams at 571-423-4600.
Students begin choosing next year’s courses
Students entering grades seven through 12 will soon meet with counselors to select classes for the next school year. Middle and high schools are also planning curriculum nights where families can learn about available courses and programs.
Families are encouraged to consider school-life balance, graduation requirements and long-term goals during the process. Divisionwide curriculum information is available online, while individual school websites provide campus-specific catalogs and selection details.
High school academies are also holding open houses, allowing prospective students to visit classrooms and laboratories and meet instructors and counselors. The academies offer advanced technical and specialized courses connected to more than a dozen career fields. Experiences may include job shadowing, mentoring and internships with local businesses.
Access to arts, STEAM, career and technical education, trades, technology and world-language classes is one measure under Strategic Plan Goal 4, which focuses on equitable access and opportunity.
Graduation data reveal a college enrollment gap
During the December 18 School Board meeting, Reid presented a report on Strategic Plan Goal 5: Leading for Tomorrow’s Innovation. The presentation covered on-time graduation, postsecondary skills and students’ plans and outcomes after high school.
Most respondents to the 2024-25 Student Experience Survey said they felt confident about their college or career plans and believed their high school coursework would prepare them.
A gap remained for the Class of 2024, however. Although 87% intended to attend college, 75% were enrolled by the fall.
The school division also reported that every school was Fully Accredited for the 2025-26 academic year under the first year of Virginia’s School Performance and Support Framework. Reid said continued funding would be needed to maintain those results.
Budget decisions approach
Residents will have several opportunities to follow or participate in the public education budget process.
The Fairfax County delegation to the General Assembly will hold a hearing on the upcoming 2026 legislative session at 9 a.m. Saturday, January 10, in the Board Auditorium at the Fairfax County Government Center.
Residents seeking to speak must register online or contact the Department of Clerk Services at 703-324-3151, TTY 711, by noon January 8.
Reid is scheduled to present her proposed school budget to the School Board on January 22.
Teachers and students receive recognition
Three Fairfax County students earned top honors after taking pivotal leadership roles on their team at the VA+DC FIRST LEGO League Challenge Division 2 Regional Competition.
At Haycock Elementary School, third-grade teacher Catie Bartczak was among October’s CARES of the Month honorees. Her nomination described weekly challenges that encourage students to find new ways to be kind, with parents reporting that children had begun picking up trash and clearing dishes without being asked.
Other honorees were Dani Khalife of the Gatehouse Administration Center; Meg Burnside, Maldonado Montecinos and Mattie Edmonston of Cunningham Park Elementary School; Veronda Grimes of Mount Vernon High School; Mindy Cucci of Union Mill Elementary School; Daud Ahmed of Wakefield Forest Elementary School; and Cass Hersh and Jennifer Cory of Annandale High School.
The CARES program allows families, employees and community members to recognize staff members who go beyond their regular duties to help others.
The division is also highlighting educators such as Sara Eichmeier, a fifth-grade teacher at Franklin Sherman Elementary School, and memorable moments from 2025. At Kings Park Elementary School, for example, first graders have been learning coding with Ozobot robots.
A virtual information session for prospective teachers will run from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, January 10. Participants will receive an overview of the school division and guidance about pursuing instructional jobs.
Families urged to verify weather-alert details
Parents and caregivers should confirm that their email addresses and cellphone numbers are current in SIS ParentVUE so they receive notices about weather delays and closures.
Anyone whose information is correct but who is not receiving messages may call the Parent Technology Help Desk at 833-921-3277 from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays.
The school division also offers information about how weather decisions are made and suggests educational winter activities that families can use when schools close.
January calendar and family events
Schools and offices will be closed Monday, January 19, for Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Volunteer Fairfax is organizing a free, family-friendly service-learning event that day for families with children ages 5 through 12. Registration is required. Participants will work with nonprofit organizations and neighbors across Northern Virginia while developing skills connected to ethical and global citizenship.
Two Family Café sessions will help parents and caregivers discuss internet safety with their children. “The Connected Family: Navigating the Digital World Together” will be held from 6:30 to 8 p.m. January 12 at Lake Braddock Secondary School and at the same time January 22 in the West Potomac High School library. Advance registration is required, and child care and interpretation will be available.
Hotline accepts reports of suspected wrongdoing
Employees and members of the public can report suspected fraud, waste or abuse involving school division resources and assets in person, by telephone, by email or online through the Office of the Auditor General.
Reports are reviewed under applicable laws, policies, codes and regulations. People submitting concerns are encouraged to provide enough detail to assist investigators.