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Fairfax County Public Schools entered a winter storm weekend after a consequential week that included a proposed $4.1 billion budget, approval of divisionwide boundary adjustments and major student achievements in science and aerospace research.
As crews prepared to clear snow and monitor roads, custodial, grounds, facilities and transportation employees readied school property and buses for the weather. Families were directed to online resources for storm updates, emergency contacts, power-outage tracking and information from Fairfax County and the Virginia Department of Transportation. Officials said schools were not shifting to remote learning and emphasized the value of traditional snow days.
TJ student advances in elite science competition
Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology student Aashritha Penumudi was selected as one of 40 finalists in the 2026 Regeneron Science Talent Search. The finalists were chosen from a pool of 300 scholars.
Penumudi’s project examines the structural basis of ribosome stalling by AMD1 and cellular arresting peptides. She will receive at least $25,000 and travel to Washington, D.C., in March for final judging, a public presentation and meetings with scientists. The competition’s top award is $250,000.
A Thomas Jefferson team was also among 60 selected for the NASA TechRise Student Challenge. Its G.A.L.A.C.T.I.C. project—Gravitational Acoustic Loading and Analysis of Catheter and Tubing In Circulation—is scheduled to fly aboard a suborbital spacecraft in May.
Students plan to test how microgravity affects resonance and energy dissipation in polyurethane, silicone and Ecoflex tubing that simulates materials used in aerospace medical systems. Measurements will include resonance frequency, vibration amplitude, quality factor and the phase shift between excitation and response.
Volunteers pack food kits before the snow
Nearly 800 volunteers participated in Volunteer Fairfax’s 2026 Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service, supporting nonprofits across Fairfax County.
Volunteers, including FCPS students, packed more than 300 food kits through Educate Fairfax for students facing food insecurity. The kits were delivered to schools ahead of possible snow days, when the loss of dependable school meals can place additional pressure on families.
Community engagement continued during the week with a meeting at Irving Middle School about proposed boundary changes affecting the West Springfield High School pyramid. A Family Vision Group gathering for Quad 2 was also held at Shrevewood Elementary School, where parents and caregivers discussed report cards, volunteer management and the budget-development process.
Proposed budget seeks another $138.4 million from county
The proposed fiscal 2027 FCPS budget totals $4.1 billion, an increase of $197 million, or 5%, over the approved fiscal 2026 budget.
The proposal requests an additional $138.4 million from the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, representing a 5.1% increase over the previous county transfer. That requested increase is 48% smaller than the increase sought a year earlier and closely tracks the fiscal forecast presented during a joint county and School Board meeting in fall 2025.
Competitive employee compensation is among the leading priorities. The plan would fund increases established through collective bargaining agreements with the Fairfax Education Unions and the Fairfax County Federation of Principals, Supervisors and Administrators.
Between fiscal years 2024 and 2026, the division’s starting salary for teachers on the master’s-degree lane rose from seventh to second among eight neighboring school systems. FCPS reported employee retention rates above 90% during the past two years.
The budget would also begin reversing reductions made during the previous fiscal year. It proposes fully restoring special education department chair and Advanced Academic Resource Teacher positions at non-Title I schools, while partially restoring class sizes across elementary, middle and high schools.
Multiyear initiatives would continue, including certified athletic trainers at every high school, family liaisons, fine and performing arts stipends, athletics and student activities, K-12 robotics programs and math certification or credentialing for educators.
A School Board budget work session is scheduled for Feb. 10.
Boundary overhaul will move about 1,700 students
The School Board approved recommended boundary adjustments following FCPS’ first divisionwide school-boundary review in more than 40 years.
The changes will affect approximately 1,700 students: 859 at the elementary level, 364 in middle schools and 475 in high schools. Implementation is planned for the 2026-27 school year.
The decision followed an 18-month process involving analysis, technical work, translation, facilitation and nearly 50 community meetings. Thousands of families and residents offered feedback, while the Superintendent’s Boundary Review Advisory Committee helped shape draft scenarios and the final recommendation.
FCPS also continued considering names for a new high school in western Fairfax County. Skyview High School was added to the recommended options following student advocacy and concerns about confusion with abbreviations already used by existing schools. The School Board is expected to review the revised choices.
Bus system covers nearly 17 million miles a year
A strategic-plan update highlighted the size and technology of the school division’s transportation operation.
FCPS has 1,850 drivers and support employees. Its 1,398 buses transport 131,931 students each day across more than 391 square miles, serving about 45,000 stops. The fleet travels 16,877,288 miles annually—roughly the equivalent of 450 trips around the world.
Buses use tablets, GPS technology and cameras. Families can track vehicles through the Here Comes the Bus app and receive updates through the Bus Delay Notification System. Driver training focuses in part on respectful relationships with students, while student safety patrols help connect riders and transportation employees.
Instructional assistant honored for years of service
Jae Lemeshewsky, known at Sandburg Middle School as “Ms. L,” received the quarterly FCPS CARES award.
The instructional assistant is known for welcoming new employees with a potted plant and a $2 bill, a tradition representing growth and good fortune. Beyond her work at Sandburg, she has taught gymnastics at the Mount Vernon Recreation Center for more than 12 years and donated each paycheck to the Fairfax County Park Foundation for youth programs and equipment.
The recognition was organized by the Human Resources Employee Recognition team with Educate Fairfax and NOVA Strong Personal Training and Fitness.
Students take the stage and the plunge
The week also featured several student performances and a Special Olympics fundraiser.
The South Lakes High School chorus presented Broadway Night, featuring songs from stage productions based on books. Herndon High School later hosted “Broadway Baddies,” an annual cabaret centered on Broadway villains and divas. Students in grades four through 12 from across the Herndon pyramid participated.
At a reception connected to the Special Olympics Polar Plunge, students and staff from Annandale High School and Bull Run Elementary School joined other community members. Annandale’s team raised more than $11,000 for its program and Special Olympics Virginia, making it the event’s top fundraising team.
Staff and students then braved the cold water together during the Polar Plunge, while supporters cheered from the sidelines.