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Fairfax County Public Schools has eliminated more than 70,000 pounds of plastic waste since replacing plastic utensils with wooden alternatives in March 2024, Superintendent Michelle Reid reported in her weekly update dated February 10, 2025.
The Food and Nutrition Services team, led by Shawn Sawko, coordinated with vendors, adjusted supply chains and educated school communities to make the transition. The change is part of the division’s broader effort to improve environmental sustainability.
Students and Get2Green leaders also focused on waste reduction during a February 6 screening of “Just Eat It” at Woodson High School. After the film, representatives from Food and Nutrition Services, Food for Others and Hands on Harvests joined student leaders to discuss share tables, food-rescue programs and other local strategies for reducing food waste.
Reid also met during the week with leaders from Real Food for Kids, a nonprofit that promotes access to whole foods, nutrition education and policy changes intended to improve health outcomes for children and families in the Greater Washington region.
Boundary review and budget work continue
The Superintendent’s Boundary Review Advisory Committee met Monday at the Gatehouse Administration Center. The group includes parents, caregivers or community members from each of FCPS’ 24 high school pyramids, along with teachers, administrators, operational employees and other community representatives.
The committee is advising a boundary-review process intended to include substantial public participation and keep student needs at the center of decisions. A final virtual community meeting was scheduled for February 10 from 6:30 to 8 p.m., with attendance capped at 400 and language interpretation available.
The School Board examined the proposed fiscal 2026 budget during a Tuesday work session, discussing enrollment, services for students who need additional support, employee compensation compared with neighboring divisions and progress toward the Baldrige Award for Performance Excellence.
More than 85% of the proposed spending is directed toward teaching and learning at school sites. The proposal includes a 7% salary increase for all employees.
Fairfax County Executive Bryan Hill was scheduled to present his advertised budget on February 18, the same day as another School Board budget work session. The board planned to adopt its fiscal 2026 advertised budget on February 20, followed by a joint budget meeting with the Board of Supervisors on February 25.
The School Board also approved the proposed fiscal 2026-30 Capital Improvement Program, which outlines projected schedules and costs for school renovations, additions and construction. The plan is intended to modernize learning spaces, improve safety and energy efficiency, and add capacity in growing parts of the county.
FCPS cautions against local conclusions from national test
During Thursday’s School Board meeting, Reid addressed results from the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress, commonly called the Nation’s Report Card.
Only 466 FCPS students at eight elementary schools and 13 middle schools participated. That amounted to less than 2% of the division’s fourth- and eighth-graders and about 0.25% of its total K-12 enrollment. Because NAEP publishes results only at the state and national levels, FCPS does not receive scores for individual students, schools or the division.
Reid said Standards of Learning exams offer a larger base for assessing local performance. A total of 26,020 FCPS students took those exams, representing 14% of Virginia’s fourth- and eighth-grade SOL test takers. FCPS students exceeded statewide averages in reading and mathematics.
The board also received an update on the new Novice Teacher Instructional Coaching Program, which was launched this school year using existing positions. FCPS has supported 436 teachers through the program since August.
In surveys, 93% of participating teachers said their coach helped them reflect on teaching practices, 94% said they received data or feedback that helped them adjust instruction, and 97% said their coach was invested in their success.
The initiative responds to the difficulties facing early-career educators. Teaching can take three to seven years to master, while 44% of new teachers nationally leave the profession within their first five years. Research cited by the division also links frequent mentoring with improved teacher retention, stronger instruction and better student outcomes.
A presentation featured first-year Centreville Elementary School teacher Emma Patane working with instructional coach Sarah Phillips to build confidence, refine classroom practices and develop engaging lessons.
AI, federal policy and military families
Nearly 800 FCPS employees attended the Department of Information Technology’s second annual Mid-Year Virtual Conference, which examined the opportunities and challenges artificial intelligence presents in education.
A panel included Reid, Chief Equity Officer Nardos King and four FCPS high school students, with Chief Information Technology Officer Gautam Sethi serving as moderator. Recordings of the panel and other conference sessions were made available online.
Reid also met with U.S. Rep. Don Beyer and other superintendents from the congressional district to discuss proposed and newly adopted federal policies. Their conversation addressed the safety of students, employees and families, as well as the role of public education.
Earlier in the week, Reid held a quarterly meeting with Fort Belvoir Garrison Commander Col. David Stewart. FCPS operates two elementary schools on the base and enrolls more than 13,500 military-connected students across the division. Ninety-six county public schools have Purple Star designations recognizing their support for military families.
Reid also explained how military enlistment fits into Virginia’s “3E Ready for Life” accountability framework, which measures preparation for college enrollment, employment or enlistment.
Several FCPS high schools already use the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery as a career-exploration tool. The assessment measures strengths in verbal, mathematics, science and technical, and spatial fields, then connects those abilities with possible careers.
Students who take the ASVAB receive customized score reports. When the assessment is paired with a Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program, it can satisfy industry credentialing requirements for graduation.
Under Virginia’s School Performance and Support Framework, schools can receive between 0.5 and 1 point toward the 3E readiness measure for students who earn an Armed Forces Qualification Test composite score of at least 31. The scores do not affect a student’s grade-point average or other individual performance measures; they affect only the high school’s state accountability category.
Champions honored across athletics and music
Before Thursday’s board meeting, FCPS recognized Virginia High School League champions and selected musical ensembles from the fall 2024 season.
Langley High School won the Class 6 golf championship and repeated as the Class 6 girls volleyball champion. Robinson Secondary School captured Class 6 titles in girls cross-country and cheerleading.
Chantilly High School won the fall League of Legends esports tournament, while Woodson High School won the Rocket League tournament. Frost Middle School earned both the FCPS boys and girls cross-country championships.
Musical honorees selected by the Virginia Music Educators Association included the Falls Church High School Chamber Orchestra, Lake Braddock High School Symphony Orchestra, Thoreau Middle School Symphonic Band, West Springfield High School Wind Symphony, Glasgow Middle School Wind Ensemble and Woodson High School Wind Ensemble.
The Robinson Secondary School Symphonic Band was selected to perform at the 78th Midwest International Band Clinic.
Reid attended the National District girls wrestling competition at Annandale High School on Saturday while employees monitored the possibility of snow. Annandale activities director Brandon Sutphin and South County activities director Marvin Wooten had arranged to complete swimming finals the previous evening because of the uncertain weather.
At Annandale, Reid met government teacher Sandra Benitez, who primarily teaches multilingual learners, is pursuing a master’s degree and also works as a ticket-taker at some home athletic events.
Reid later watched West Potomac and South County play girls basketball. South County Principal Khoshaba reported that junior Leila scored her 1,000th career point on the opening tip. Reid also attended one of several choral concerts hosted by Hayfield Secondary School.
Students celebrated in classrooms and the community
Langston Hughes Middle School honored students who made the honor roll during a Friday celebration built around the school-year theme, “Striving for the Gold.” Reid encouraged students to do their best and make the right choice even when no one is watching. She thanked Principal Mizell, school employees and student musicians for supporting the event.
At Cunningham Park Elementary School, second-grade teachers Susan Haas, Elena Heyer and Kelly Krek turned a reading lesson about “Stone Soup” into a classroom activity. Each student contributed an ingredient, allowing the class to prepare and share soup while reinforcing lessons about cooperation and community.
Reid also attended the annual Mount Vernon District Town Meeting at Mount Vernon High School, where the school’s string quartet performed for residents, elected officials and community partners.
She concluded the week by participating in a parent summit panel about preventing and addressing antisemitism in schools. The annual event was sponsored by the Jewish Community Relations Council, the Anti-Defamation League and the American Jewish Committee.