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Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology has made Virginia athletics history by appointing women to lead both its varsity baseball and football programs. The appointments mark the first time female head coaches have led high school varsity teams in those sports in the state.
The achievement gives TJHSST, widely recognized for its academics, a new distinction in athletics.
Tropical spirit day aims to thaw winter moods
Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid is encouraging students, teachers, and staff to wear bright colors or tropical clothing for the division-wide #FCPSThaw spirit day on Thursday, February 19.
Reid promoted the event with a photograph of FCPS leaders dressed in summer attire, presenting the day as a way to bring positive energy to the school community.
FCPS alumni compete at Winter Olympics
Two FCPS alumni are representing Team USA at the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. The school division is highlighting their paths from local classrooms to international competition as the Games continue.
Families and students asked to weigh in on discipline rules
FCPS has opened a voluntary, confidential survey about proposed revisions to the Student Rights and Responsibilities document for the next school year.
Parents and caregivers, along with middle and high school students, received the survey by email Monday. Anyone who did not see the message is advised to check their spam folder. Responses will be accepted through Friday, February 20.
The proposals include charts intended to provide consistent consequences and support for students in the same grade, standards governing in-school suspensions for students with an Individualized Education Program or 504 Plan, and translation accommodations when multilingual learners give statements about disciplinary incidents.
Black History Month celebration set for February 25
FCPS will hold its second annual Black History Month celebration, “Rooted in Resilience: Echoes of Excellence,” at 6 p.m. Wednesday, February 25, at Carter G. Woodson High School.
The gathering will feature student performances and a keynote address from the Rev. Vernon C. Walton, pastor of First Baptist Church of Vienna. Light refreshments will be served as families and community members gather to recognize the history, strength, and contributions of the Black community.
Student Summit will bring ideas directly to superintendent
The first FCPS Student Summit is scheduled for Monday, March 23, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the new western high school.
High school students will discuss their ideas and recommendations directly with the superintendent. Planned topics include access to programs and resources, skill development, micro-credentials, artificial intelligence literacy, and priorities identified by students.
Applications for the summit’s planning committee remain open through Monday, February 16. Two students from each high school will be chosen to collaborate with peers, contribute ideas, and earn community service hours.
Four students earn national YoungArts honors
Four FCPS students received awards in the 2026 National YoungArts Foundation Competition.
They are among more than 700 winners chosen through a competitive application and adjudication process involving panels of artists with expertise in specific disciplines.
Sandburg instructional assistant honored for everyday kindness
Sandburg Middle School instructional assistant Jae Lemeshewsky, known as Ms. L, has been named the FCPS CARES of the Quarter recipient by FCPS and Educate Fairfax.
Lemeshewsky is recognized for warmly welcoming students and colleagues. Her tradition of giving new employees a potted plant and a $2 bill has become part of the school’s culture, representing growth, good fortune, and the effect of small acts of kindness.
Adopted school boundaries added to online tool
Families can now use the updated Boundary Explorer Tool to check school assignments for the 2026-27 academic year following the School Board’s approval of changes from the comprehensive boundary review.
The changes will begin taking effect in 2026-27, with phase-ins governed by Policy 8130. FCPS plans to contact families receiving a new assignment within the next several days. Families may also consult street-address lists organized by elementary, middle, and high school levels.
A separate boundary review for the new high school in western Fairfax County is expected to begin soon. The School Board plans to make a final boundary decision by June, although the new assignments will not take effect until the 2027-28 school year.
At its Thursday, February 12, meeting, the board is scheduled to vote on a name for the new western high school. It will also consider the division’s proposed Capital Improvement Program covering planned projects from 2027 through 2031.
Holiday closures and schedule changes ahead
All FCPS schools and offices will be closed Monday, February 16, for Presidents Day.
Tuesday, February 17, will be a teacher workday, with no classes for students. Students will return Wednesday, February 18, which is designated as a religious and cultural observance day. School will be held, but specific events that cannot be rescheduled will not take place.
Also on February 18, 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.
Adult education classes discounted for one day
FCPS Adult and Community Education will offer a 10% discount on all classes purchased Monday, February 16.
The one-day Presidents Day promotion applies across the catalog, including student driver’s education and SAT preparation courses, professional training, career programs, and recreational classes.
Police step up enforcement around schools
Fairfax County police are conducting targeted traffic enforcement near schools, crosswalks, and bus routes during School Zone Enforcement Month in February.
Officers will focus on speeding in school zones, pedestrian-safety violations, and drivers illegally passing stopped school buses. Motorists must stop when a school bus displays flashing red lights.