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A Chantilly High School student’s roadside act of kindness is showing how classroom skills can make an immediate difference in the community.

Om Desai stopped to help Elizabeth Mulenga after her car broke down near the school. Using skills learned through Chantilly’s Auto Technology program, he diagnosed the problem, purchased the faulty part and replaced it on the spot.

Mulenga said Desai spent about three hours repairing the vehicle and lifting her spirits during a difficult personal period. She was surprised to discover that the knowledgeable mechanic helping her was still in high school and later praised the program for equipping students to improve lives beyond the classroom.

The story comes as Fairfax County Public Schools prepares for a consequential budget debate. On Tuesday, the School Board is scheduled to present its fiscal year 2026 budget to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors.

The county’s advertised budget leaves FCPS $150 million short of its requested funding. Supervisors are expected to finalize the county budget May 6. Residents have until April 24 to respond to the county budget survey or register to speak at a public hearing.

Students earn major honors

Lake Braddock Secondary School senior Kellie Ratliff won first place in the team competition at the Calculus Olympiad 2025, held April 5 at George Mason University.

Her mother, Haiyun Ratliff, credited FCPS teachers Joseph Ruchlewicz and Yoosun Han with helping Kellie build her calculus skills and encouraging her to enter the competition.

Woodson High School senior Rida Karim also received national recognition. Karim, who served as the 2023-24 student representative to the School Board, was named a 2025 National Center for Women and Information Technology Aspirations in Computing Award winner.

The honor recognizes high school women in the top 1% nationally in technology. Winners are selected based on their computing achievements, leadership, academic performance and plans for education after high school.

Spring-break programs tackle missed learning

Pine Spring Elementary School opened its Spring Sprouts attendance initiative and Blooming Readers program during spring break.

Spring Sprouts, offered at Pine Spring and other Title I elementary schools, gives students an opportunity to recover learning time lost through absences. The program also seeks to strengthen relationships among students, families and schools.

A related middle-school program called Spring Forward supports students who are at risk of chronic absenteeism or want additional preparation before the Standards of Learning exams.

Blooming Readers provides extra literacy help to students in third grade and above. Altogether, 31 schools offered spring-break programs designed to help students catch up academically.

The initiatives support the school division’s 2023-30 strategic plan goal of ensuring that students develop foundational skills, curiosity and enthusiasm for learning.

Truck drivers refresh critical safety skills

Sixty-five FCPS employees completed safety training organized by the Office of Safety and Security and the Fairfax County Police Department’s Motor Carrier Safety Unit.

Participants came from Food and Nutrition Services, the Office of Facilities Management’s Grounds Section and the Forte Center Warehouse. The training covered required pre-trip truck inspections, seat-belt and speed-limit compliance, and distracted-driving prevention.

FCPS truck drivers regularly maneuver large vehicles through congested roads and tight school facilities, sometimes in hazardous weather. Their work helps deliver food and supplies while supporting maintenance of school parking lots and playgrounds.

Chief Safety and Security Officer Brian Lambert thanked the Police Department for helping keep fleet safety a priority during spring break.

Greenhouse program cultivates career skills

Seven Pulley Career Center students are gaining work experience in the school’s commercial-grade greenhouse under Get2Green leader Heather Finch, with support from Principal Peter Kelly.

Students work in the greenhouse from 9 to 10 a.m. and again from 12:30 to 2 p.m. Their responsibilities help them learn horticulture, teamwork and workplace accountability while preparing for possible careers in environmentally focused industries.

They also practice their skills at the Franconia Rec Center and the Arcadia Center for Sustainable Food and Agriculture. Plants grown through the program, including vegetables and pollinator-friendly varieties, are distributed to the broader community.

The work supports FCPS’s goal of preparing graduates to adapt, innovate and contribute to a sustainable future.

Literacy efforts expand beyond the classroom

Franklin Sherman Elementary School recently held a Literacy Night featuring reading activities for students and a session helping parents understand changing literacy practices and reinforce learning at home.

Principal Farris Thomas said the school is also emphasizing collaboration, shared expertise and feedback informed by student data. Planned “Pineapple” visits will allow teachers to observe colleagues in their classrooms and learn from one another’s instructional approaches.

Schools across the division are now bringing the final Benchmark Advance literacy units of the academic year into their classrooms as FCPS approaches the closing months of school.