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Fairfax County Public Schools entered its first official week of summer amid intense heat, with Superintendent Michelle Reid urging employees and families to take precautions while reflecting on the 2024-25 school year.
Reid said thousands of families attended more than 65 community meetings during the year. She also made 122 school visits, observing classroom instruction, student-led projects and efforts to improve the community.
Beyond the classroom, Reid attended more than 100 fine arts performances and athletic events. About 27,000 FCPS students participated in athletics, including students who played multiple sports, while roughly 14,000 took part in theater or other performing arts. More than 65,000 middle and high school students enrolled in Career and Technical Education courses.
Family engagement also remained high. More than 118,000 parents logged in to ParentVUE during the school year to follow students’ progress.
Reid attended the Summer Equity Symposium at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology on Monday. Led by Chief Equity Officer Dr. Nardos King and her team, the event centered on professional growth and ways to create learning environments where every student can succeed.
The symposium used Universal Design for Learning principles to explore flexible instructional practices that account for differences among learners and remove barriers in the classroom.
The Herndon High School Step team performed at the event. Blanca Carbajal received the Dr. Lawrence Bussey Memorial Equity Award, which honors an FCPS employee, student or community member whose work has improved educational experiences and outcomes for marginalized or underserved students.
On Wednesday, the Superintendent’s Advisory Committee for Twice-Exceptional Programming held its final meeting of the 2024-25 school year at Gatehouse. Members reviewed and revised a draft multiyear plan for students who are twice-exceptional. The effort is tied to the academic inclusion and engagement work within Goal 2 of the FCPS 2023-30 Strategic Plan: Safe, Supported, Included, and Empowered.
Reid also served as a mentor at the Aspiring Superintendents Academy for Women Leaders at AASA headquarters in Alexandria. The academy helps women educators build the skills, confidence and professional connections needed to pursue superintendent positions.
During the week, Reid participated in the annual HEROES, Inc. fundraiser. The organization supports the spouses and children of police officers and firefighters who died in the line of duty, including assistance for children pursuing their education.
FCPS is directing families to its Summer Resources Guide for activities and health and safety information from the school division, Fairfax County and community partners. Its Summer Learning Resources page also offers academic materials across multiple grades and subjects.
The Office of Food and Nutrition Services is operating the 2025 Summer Meal Service at schools across Fairfax County. Breakfast and lunch are available at no cost to all children ages 18 and younger at participating locations.
Reid said she will continue publishing her weekly reflections periodically during the summer as FCPS prepares for the next school year and completes the second year of its strategic plan’s implementation. The messages will remain available on the school division’s website for employees who cannot—or prefer not to—check work email during the break.