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Fairfax County school leaders are preparing for a series of major January decisions involving attendance boundaries, a new western high school and the division’s five-year construction plan.
At its regular business meeting Thursday, January 8, at 7 p.m., the School Board will receive Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid’s recommended boundary changes, proposed names for the new western high school and the proposed Fiscal Year 2027-31 Capital Improvement Program.
A public hearing on the recommended boundary adjustments is scheduled for Saturday, January 10, at 10 a.m. in the Jackson Middle School auditorium. The snow date is January 17, with an overflow hearing planned for January 13 at 6 p.m. if necessary.
Families will also be able to use the division’s Boundary Explorer Tool beginning January 8 to examine how the recommendations could affect them. The board is scheduled to vote on the comprehensive boundary review and its implementation on January 22.
The proposed capital program will receive a separate public hearing at Jackson Middle School on January 13 at 6 p.m. Anyone wishing to testify in person or by Zoom must register by January 9 at 4:30 p.m. The board will hold a CIP work session earlier on January 13 and is scheduled to take final action on February 12.
College Plans Show an Enrollment Gap
During the December 18 School Board meeting, Reid presented a report on the strategic plan goal titled “Leading for Tomorrow’s Innovation.” The presentation covered on-time graduation, postsecondary preparation and students’ plans after high school.
Most students responding 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.
However, the Class of 2024 data revealed a gap between intentions and outcomes. While 87% planned to attend college, 75% were enrolled the following fall.
Reid also reported that every FCPS school was fully accredited for the 2025-26 school year under Virginia’s new School Performance and Support Framework. She said continued funding would be needed to maintain those results.
Dual-Language Lottery Opens January 12
The lottery for the 2026-27 Dual Language Immersion Program opens January 12. The program allows kindergarten and first-grade students to spend half of each instructional day learning in English and another language: French, German, Japanese, Korean or Spanish.
The countywide online lottery is open to Fairfax County residents who have a SIS ParentVUE account. Children who are not currently enrolled must first register at their base school.
First-grade applications are due February 12. The kindergarten deadline is March 2 at 4 p.m. Informational meetings begin in January, and questions may be directed to Brigid Williams at 571-423-4600.
Course Planning Begins for Older Students
Students entering grades seven through 12 will soon meet with counselors to select courses for the next school year. Families can consult their school’s website for curriculum-night schedules, course catalogs and selection procedures.
School officials are encouraging families to consider workload and school-life balance alongside graduation requirements and long-term academic goals. Counselors can help students choose an appropriate schedule.
High school academies are also holding open houses. These programs offer advanced technical and specialized classes connected to more than a dozen career fields. Depending on the course, students may receive experience through internships, mentoring or job shadowing with local businesses.
Students and Employees Earn Recognition
Three FCPS students recently held key leadership roles on a team that won top honors at the Virginia and District of Columbia FIRST LEGO League Challenge Division 2 Regional Competition.
Haycock Elementary School third-grade teacher Catie Bartczak was among the October FCPS CARES honorees. Her nomination described weekly kindness challenges that inspired children to help at home and pick up trash without being asked.
Other honorees included 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 division is also highlighting educators such as Sara Eichmeier, a fifth-grade teacher at Franklin Sherman Elementary School, through its teacher-profile series. At Kings Park Elementary School, first graders have been learning coding with Ozobot robots.
A virtual information session for people interested in instructional jobs will be held January 10 from 10 a.m. to noon.
Budget Hearings and Winter Notifications Approach
The Fairfax County delegation to the General Assembly will hold a public hearing on the 2026 legislative session January 10 at 9 a.m. in the Board Auditorium at the Fairfax County Government Center.
Residents who want to speak must register online or contact the Department of Clerk Services at 703-324-3151, TTY 711, by January 8 at noon. Reid is scheduled to present her proposed school budget to the board on January 22.
With winter weather underway, families should verify their email addresses and cellphone numbers in SIS ParentVUE so they receive delay and closure alerts. Anyone whose information is correct but who is not receiving notices can call the Parent Technology Help Desk at 833-921-3277 from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Schools and offices will be closed January 19 for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Volunteer Fairfax is offering a free, family-friendly service event for households with children ages 5 to 12, though advance registration is required.
Parents and caregivers can also attend internet-safety discussions from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on January 12 at Lake Braddock Secondary School or January 22 in the West Potomac High School library. Child care and interpretation will be available to registered participants.
Employees and members of the public may report suspected fraud, waste or abuse involving school assets and resources in person, by phone, by email or online through the Office of the Auditor General. Reports will be reviewed under applicable laws, policies and regulations.