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Fairfax County Public Schools families face several important May dates, including a hearing on the proposed Fiscal Year 2027 budget, student immunization requirements and an early-release day affecting elementary schools across 12 pyramids.
The budget hearing will begin at 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 12. Anyone wishing to speak must register by 4:30 p.m. Friday, May 8. If additional time is needed, some participants will be assigned to an overflow hearing Wednesday, May 13.
A vote on the budget is scheduled for Thursday, May 21. A regular business meeting will also take place at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 7, with motions concerning the annual school calendar and Student Rights and Responsibilities, along with a budget presentation, on the agenda.
Students press FCPS leaders on artificial intelligence
Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid and Chief Information Technology Officer Gautam Sethi met with student journalists from every FCPS high school for an hour-long conversation about artificial intelligence in K-12 education.
The question-and-answer session was the second in an ongoing series of roundtables connecting student reporters with school division leaders.
Bush Hill wins national recognition
Bush Hill Elementary School was named a Special Olympics National Unified Champion School for the second time and earned a place on the 2025 ESPN Honor Roll.
The honors made Bush Hill one of three schools selected this year to hold an unveiling ceremony for a new National Unified Champion Schools banner. Representatives from ESPN and Special Olympics joined students and staff for the April 30 celebration.
Teachers and staff expand student opportunities
National Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week brought attention to employees whose work helps students participate, develop confidence and prepare for life after school.
At Dogwood Elementary School, Jason Ericson uses fundraising and community partnerships to support activities such as the Young Male Leadership Club, the annual Glowwalk and the Color Fun Run.
Emmeline Mejia established a partnership with local clinics after noticing that some students encountered obstacles while trying out for sports. The project enabled Justice High School to register many students who previously could not participate.
Ericson and Mejia, along with Little Run Elementary School third-grade teacher Andrea Edmonson, were honored as outstanding educators during the prior year’s FCPS Honors event.
Reid also shared a video thanking teachers and staff for adapting their support to individual students.
Pam Lieber has worked for 26 years as an instructional assistant at Kings Park Elementary School. She can record as many as 13,000 steps in a workday while giving students opportunities for practice, feedback and encouragement.
At Falls Church High School, Wayne Wyatt applies lessons from a corporate career spanning decades to help students prepare for their first job interviews. His classroom instruction includes practical social skills such as making eye contact, smiling and offering a firm handshake.
Tracey Wynne, a senior communications manager who joined the division’s communications office nearly 12 years ago, was featured for her efforts to inform and engage staff members, families and the wider community. She was a finalist for the previous year’s Outstanding Nonschool-Based Professional Employee award.
Food-allergy accommodations require medical documentation
During Food Allergy Awareness Month, the Office of Food and Nutrition Services is reminding families that meal accommodations are available for students whose medical needs restrict what they can safely eat.
An estimated one in 13 children in the United States has a food allergy. To request an accommodation, families must submit documentation from a U.S.-licensed healthcare provider so nutrition employees can create an appropriate menu for the student.
Immunization deadlines approach for seventh and 12th graders
Students entering seventh grade must receive Tdap, meningococcal MenACWY and HPV vaccines before the school year begins. A qualifying Tdap dose must be administered at age 7 or older, while the required MenACWY dose must be given at age 10 or older.
The HPV vaccine is generally recommended at ages 11 or 12, although it may be administered beginning at age 9. Parents and guardians may choose not to have their child receive the HPV vaccine, and the school does not require documentation of that decision.
Students entering 12th grade should have two MenACWY doses before classes begin. At least one of those doses must have been administered at age 16 or older.
Families are encouraged to arrange vaccinations early to avoid the usual summer rush. Through a partnership with Inspire Health Alliance, students can receive school-required vaccines and optional flu shots at designated locations without out-of-pocket costs. Participation is voluntary, and multiple events are planned throughout the school year.
Theater, awards and four-legged groundskeepers
Edison High School presented “Chicago: Teen Edition,” with Westfield High School student Grace Costanzo reviewing the production through the Washington-area Critics and Awards Program for High School Theatre, commonly called the Cappies.
The program trains high school theater and journalism students to serve as critics, attend productions at other schools and write reviews for publication. Families can find additional middle and high school performances on the Fine and Performing Arts calendar and subscribe to receive event notices.
The school division also earned two honors for its reporting for the fiscal year that ended in June 2025. The Association of School Business Officials International issued a Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting, and the Government Finance Officers Association of the U.S. and Canada awarded a Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting.
Nominations for the Dr. Lawrence Bussey Memorial Equity Award must be submitted by Monday, May 18. Students, employees and community members may nominate someone whose work has meaningfully improved educational experiences and outcomes for underserved or marginalized students.
Rolling Valley Elementary School recently turned lawn maintenance into an unusual learning opportunity. Instead of using mowers, the school brought in a flock of lambs that grazed on the grass for breakfast and lunch.
Early dismissal set for May 13
Elementary schools in the Annandale, Edison, Falls Church, Herndon, Lake Braddock, Langley, Madison, Marshall, McLean, South Lakes, West Springfield and Woodson pyramids will dismiss three hours early Wednesday, May 13.
$700 veterinary assistant scholarships offered
Adult and Community Education is offering a limited number of $700 scholarships for a 16-week veterinary assistant course beginning June 13 at the Plum Center in Springfield.
Students interested in a scholarship should contact the program before registering. Space in the course is limited.