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Fairfax County Public Schools opened the new school year with a long list of reminders for families, from completing ParentVUE forms and tracking bus delays to managing school meals and monitoring internet use on student devices.
The school division also shared first-day highlights from Falls Church High School and other campuses through its #FirstDayFairfax video and photo gallery.
ParentVUE Tasks to Complete
Families should log in to SIS ParentVUE to review required forms, checklists and updates. Those without an account can contact their child’s school for an activation code.
Parents and caregivers can update their cellphone numbers and email addresses by opening the “Online Packets” tab and selecting “Online Verification/Update.” Current contact details allow families to receive notices about weather closures, attendance and bus delays.
Families unable to use ParentVUE may complete an Emergency Care Information Form and submit it to the school.
ParentVUE also allows parents to report full-day absences through the “Report Absence” option. Partial-day absences and transportation changes must still be reported directly to the school’s front office.
Immunization records can be reviewed and updated through the platform or delivered to the front office. Accepted alternatives include a health care provider’s statement documenting a temporary or permanent medical exemption or a notarized religious exemption form.
Bus Delays and Transportation Safety
Families are being asked to follow kiss-and-ride procedures and remain patient as students, drivers and schools adjust to new transportation routines.
Bus delays can be checked through the Bus Delay Notification System or the Here Comes the Bus mobile app. FCPS will also email families about significant delays, making updated ParentVUE contact information especially important.
Questions can be directed through Transportation Services. For after-hours emergencies, families may call the Office of Safety and Security at 571-423-2000.
Preparing Students for the Lunch Line
Students should learn their student ID numbers so they can receive meals more quickly. Families can use MySchoolBucks to add money for school meal purchases and review breakfast and lunch menus, nutrition details and allergen information.
A new application is required for free and reduced-price meals. Students approved during the previous school year remain eligible for the first 30 days of the current year or until a new application is processed. Families are encouraged to apply promptly to avoid an interruption in benefits.
Parents of children with food allergies can also request dietary accommodations.
Parents Can Review Internet Activity
Lightspeed, the internet filtering service used on FCPS devices, offers parents a weekly report listing the top websites their child visited.
Families may also enroll in the Internet Use Parent Portal, which allows parents to pause internet access on an FCPS device outside school hours.
Special Education Resources Updated
The Department of Special Services has updated and translated several resources for families of students with Individualized Education Programs or Section 504 plans.
The revised materials include the Section 504 Procedures Manual, the Special Education Handbook for Parents and the Special Education Glossary. They explain procedures, rights and processes for families and staff.
Girls Flag Football Arrives This Fall
Every FCPS high school will pilot girls flag football in fall 2025, Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid announced. The Washington Commanders will sponsor the new sport.
Military Families Welcomed at Mount Vernon
New and returning military-connected families gathered at Mount Vernon High School for an inaugural welcome barbecue.
The event gave families an opportunity to meet one another and connect with resources offered by the Office of Family and School Partnerships.
Strategic Plan Centers Student Success
The FCPS 2023-30 Strategic Plan sets five student-focused goals and describes how the division will measure progress. It also establishes equity commitments and four pillars intended to guide the school system’s work.
Priorities include strengthening reading and mathematics skills, expanding fair opportunities for students and keeping them on track to graduate and succeed after high school.
FCPS also highlighted efforts to help students feel known, valued and connected. School programs include mentoring and collaboration among different grade levels, with the goal of supporting students academically, socially and emotionally.
Employees Recognized for Exceptional Care
Chandrani Ohdedar of Churchill Road Elementary School was among the FCPS CARES of the Month recipients for May. A parent who nominated her described Ohdedar as one of the finest teachers their four children had encountered and said their daughter called her “the best teacher ever.”
Other honorees were Tim Roberson of Woodson IT; Kylee West of Bailey’s Upper Elementary School; Shannon Southard of Mount Eagle Elementary School; Jody Hull of Robinson Secondary School; Wafika Albani of Greenbriar East Elementary School; and Sadida Chaudhry and Natasha Triplett of Bren Mar Park Elementary School.
Labor Day Creates a Four-Day Break
Schools will be closed Friday, August 29, and Monday, September 1, for Labor Day. Virginia law requires schools that open before Labor Day to close on the Friday immediately preceding the holiday.
Crossing Guards Needed
The Fairfax County Police Department has enlisted All City Management Services to recruit adults to help students walk and bike safely near schools.
Crossing guards will earn $16.50 per hour. Those working 30 minutes before school and 30 minutes afterward will be paid $33 for the combined hour of daily work.