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Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid received the Virginia Parent Teacher Association’s 2026 Power Partner Award after holding more than 100 community meetings during the 2025-26 school year.
Reid was recognized at the association’s Annual Meeting and Awards Ceremony on June 5 for strengthening family and community engagement throughout the school division.
The award honors a principal or division superintendent who promotes family-school partnerships as a key part of student success, works effectively with PTAs, and encourages parents and volunteers to support students’ academic achievement, health and well-being.
Virginia PTA President Ben Pearson-Nelson praised Reid’s leadership and engagement with parents, teachers and school communities, describing her as “a true friend to the PTA.”
Fairfax County Council PTA President Debbie Kilpatrick said the council and its 175 local PTAs were proud to nominate Reid. She said their partnership has advanced shared goals of maintaining and expanding family and community involvement in Fairfax County and across Virginia.
Reid’s outreach during the school year included the Family Vision Group, Community Conversations, Employee Conversations, Community Boundary Review Meetings, Skyview High School Community Meetings and the State of Our Schools presentation.
The honor also recognized Reid’s frequent presence at community activities on weekdays and weekends, including performing arts events, athletic contests, academic and club competitions, and exhibits.
Chair and Springfield District Representative Sandy Anderson wrote in the nomination letter that family engagement under Reid had grown from a traditional outreach function into a central part of the school system’s culture. Anderson said the work created a welcoming, inclusive and multilingual environment that places families at the center of public education.
Virginia PTA is Virginia’s largest and oldest nonpartisan volunteer child-advocacy association, with more than 175,000 members across over 950 schools.