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Fairfax County Public Schools marked a busy final week of April with national recognition for its music programs, major student awards, expanded access to Algebra 1 and community discussions about budgets, boundaries and school programs.
The National Association of Music Merchants Foundation named FCPS one of the Best Communities for Music Education in 2026. The designation recognizes school districts for factors including funding, student participation, instructional time, facilities and community support.
FCPS has earned the honor 13 times and was one of 1,008 districts recognized this year out of approximately 13,000 nationwide.
Music specialist Katrina Chaney credited the district’s teachers, families and students, saying their work gives children equitable access to high-quality music education, from their first elementary lessons through performances on major stages.
Nine FCPS students also received corporate-sponsored scholarships through the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. They were among more than 700 National Merit finalists selected for awards funded by corporations, company foundations and other business organizations.
Student scientists advance to international competition
Fifty-seven FCPS students recently participated in the Virginia Science and Engineering Fair in Charlottesville, where two projects from Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology won grand prizes.
Daniil Prokofev received recognition for “From SMILES to Synergy: Overcoming Drug Resistance in ER+ Breast Cancer.” Harshpreet Singh won for “Real-Time Magnetic Field Modeling using Physics Infused Neural Operators.”
Both projects qualified for the International Science and Engineering Festival in Phoenix, Arizona, scheduled for May 10-15.
Kristen Salonga, an environmental science teacher for multilingual learners at Justice High School, was selected as a 2026 Fulbright Teachers for Global Classrooms Fellow by the State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
Salonga is set to spend two weeks in Senegal this spring. She will work with local teachers in Dakar and Saint-Louis, learn about the country’s education system and present lessons to students. The fellowship is designed to help educators bring international perspectives and global collaboration into their schools.
Students in Lewis High School’s Advancement Via Individual Determination program attended the opening of the Shockoe Institute in Richmond and toured its main exhibit, “Enduring Freedom.”
AVID teacher Skyler Verloop said the visit allowed students to engage directly with history through exhibits, panel discussions and community conversations. Students also met leaders including Abigail Spanberger, Jennifer McClellan, Ghazala Hashmi and Tim Kaine.
Teacher recognized for expanding access to books
On Monday morning, Superintendent Michelle Reid visited Fairfax Villa Elementary School to honor Lisa Choi as the Winter FCPS CARES of the Quarter recipient.
Choi was recognized for her literacy work and support for students, families and colleagues. After securing Educate Fairfax grants for two consecutive years, she expanded reading opportunities beyond the classroom. Her current project creates literacy bags with high-quality books for students to use at home, strengthening connections between families and the school.
Reid held the first of two Community Conversations that evening at Westgate Elementary School. Participants discussed reducing screen time in schools, traffic safety, the budget and possible school-calendar changes.
A second session took place Wednesday at Crestwood Elementary School. That conversation covered equity and access to programs at Lewis High School and its feeder schools, budget pressures, potential cuts and early-release Wednesdays.
On Tuesday evening, Reid attended the EduTutorVA Gala at the Army Navy Country Club. Sen. Tim Kaine delivered the keynote address, speaking about connections, community enterprise and education. The event recognized current tutors, the program’s founders and those supporting its work with students.
The following morning, Reid joined an Award of Excellence ceremony for kindergartners and second graders at Gunston Elementary School. The awards recognize more than academic performance, highlighting life skills, citizenship, personal goal-setting, responsibility and resilience.
Reid later met with the Faith Alliance for Climate Solutions at the Gatehouse Administration Center.
Algebra 1 enrollment rises
During the Academic Matters segment of the previous week’s School Board meeting, Reid presented an update on the district’s Algebra 1 work under Goal 3 of the 2023-30 Strategic Plan.
FCPS aims for all students to complete Algebra 1 successfully by the end of eighth grade, providing a foundation for advanced mathematics and other STEM pathways.
The district has expanded its Middle School Algebra Access Network Improvement Community to include schools in every region. Through the network, schools are working to improve instruction, provide targeted support and make rigorous coursework available to more students.
Algebra 1 enrollment has risen 18% since the 2024-25 school year, including a 10.1% increase since last year. FCPS is pairing wider access with summer learning opportunities, stronger core instruction and other preparation intended to help students succeed in the course.
The presentation also included a video showing how teachers at Rolling Valley Elementary School encourage children to understand why a problem-solving method works instead of focusing solely on the answer. The approach is intended to build mathematical reasoning and persistence before students reach Algebra 1.
During Superintendent Matters, Reid recognized Volunteer Appreciation Week and thanked PTA members and volunteers supporting athletics, arts and other student activities.
She also highlighted 217 high school students selected for the 2026 Virginia Band, Chorus and Orchestra event, along with 56 middle school students chosen for the All-Virginia Middle School Chorus. Elementary music staff were recognized for their work on the sixth-grade Choral Festival.
Reid also recapped visits to schools, student theater performances, the Taste of FCPS and Great Falls Little League’s opening day, where she threw the ceremonial first pitch.
Boundary discussions and weekend events
On Friday evening, Reid attended a meeting at Edison High School about potential boundary changes affecting students at Bren Mar Park Elementary School. The district is continuing its study of possible future attendance boundaries.
She later went to South County High School for a student production of “Cinderella.”
Saturday began at Lake Braddock Secondary School, where Reid attended a Science Olympiad competition and STEM Expo. Activities included an egg-drop experiment.
At Hollin Meadows Elementary School, she participated in an Earth Day celebration and a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new mural made from bottle caps.
FCPS also released an Earth Day episode of “Our Voices, Our Future” featuring student advocates from Falls Church and McLean high schools. The students discussed their paths into environmental science and solar advocacy, including presentations they have made to the School Board and local PTSAs.
Reid then traveled to Vienna for a celebration of recipients of 2026 National Math and Science Competition awards. The Korean-American Scientists and Engineers Associations’ Washington Metro Chapter hosted the event, which emphasized the growing importance of STEM education in areas such as artificial intelligence, biotechnology, renewable energy and space exploration.
Her final Saturday stop was Katherine Johnson Middle School, where students staged “Moana Jr.” Reid highlighted the work of the stage crew in recreating an ocean setting onstage.
Fire response allows school to reopen
Reid ended the weekly update by thanking Fairfax County Fire and Rescue and FCPS employees who responded to a fire the previous Sunday on the roof of Bren Mar Park Elementary School’s new addition.
Thick black smoke from the fire was visible in the area. Facilities and custodial employees, safety and security staff, regional leaders and Principal Elizabeth Williams worked alongside first responders, allowing students and employees to return to the school Monday morning.