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Fairfax County Public Schools is preparing to test a tablet-based school bus system designed to improve safety, navigation and student tracking as the division gets ready for the new academic year.
The technology will give drivers turn-by-turn directions and real-time route changes during detours, according to a demonstration by Bus Driver Supervisor Lei Shi. Its Radio Frequency Identification card system will verify students, record where they board and exit, and help ensure they are riding the correct route.
Information will reach dispatchers in real time, allowing a faster response during emergencies. FCPS eventually plans to let families monitor their children’s locations through the Here Comes the Bus app.
Superintendent Michelle Reid highlighted the pilot in her Aug. 11 reflections, which also detailed staff preparations, student programs and community events across the school division.
Reid said returning to school is a transition for children and adults alike. She encouraged families to begin adjusting sleep schedules and establishing routines before classes resume.
At McNair Upper Elementary School, a summer Bookmobile has been bringing reading materials to neighborhoods where students may live too far from a public library or otherwise have limited access to books. Students earn popsicles and prizes by reading and returning books each week.
Advanced academics resource teacher Mallory Janofsky led the project, which stocked nearly 1,000 diverse books with help from the Herndon-Reston Rotary Club, the RoSigle Foundation, small businesses and community donors. Principal Melissa Goddin, school employees and former students also volunteered.
Reid later attended a Fairfax Association of Elementary School Principals luncheon in Tysons Corner.
On Tuesday, more than 100 high school staff members gathered at the St. James athletic complex for the annual FCPS Work-Based Learning Conference. The event focused on career-connected experiences tied to Career and Technical Education programs.
Matthew Bechtel, the division’s work-based learning specialist, and the Office of Career and Technical Education led discussions about expanding access to internships, apprenticeships and other opportunities while strengthening relationships with employers and community organizations.
During a student panel, current students and alumni described experiences in programs including Trades for Tomorrow and the Summer Internship Program. Participants said those opportunities helped them develop skills, build confidence and refine their plans after high school.
That evening, the Superintendent’s Boundary Review Advisory Committee examined an analysis of FCPS programming. Subgroups presented their three leading priorities and identified themes shared across the committee. The group is scheduled to meet again in early September.
On Wednesday, FCPS welcomed more than 900 new, returning and transferring teachers to the Great Beginnings Summer Institute at Hayfield Secondary School. The four-day orientation includes grade-specific cohort sessions, a division kickoff and school-based preparation.
The institute began 31 years ago with 50 participants. This year, 86 coaches led 50 cohorts through professional development, networking and resource-sharing activities.
Reid also joined school social workers at Robinson Secondary School for human-trafficking training held during their start-of-year gathering. She emphasized the role social workers play in protecting students and supporting their well-being.
Later that day, Reid addressed military-connected families during an educational town hall at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall. About 13,500 military-connected students attend FCPS, and 96 division schools have earned Purple Star recognition for supporting those families.
FCPS aims to secure the designation for every school and become a Purple Star Division by September 2026. Reid, whose father served in the U.S. Army, noted that frequent relocations can create difficult transitions for military families.
The division also planned its first Back to School BBQ for military-connected students and families from 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 13, at Mount Vernon High School. The superintendent’s military-connected youth council inspired the event.
On Thursday, Reid visited Hybla Valley Elementary School, one of six FCPS sites operating the Summer Food Service Program. The program runs from the Monday after classes end through the Friday before students return, offering meals and a gathering place during the break.
FCPS also celebrated the final day of its inaugural group of 21 summer interns, made up of current students and recent graduates. The six-week program concluded with an event at the Gatehouse Administration Center.
Interns attended the Great Beginnings Summer Institute and worked on projects across the division. Their assignments included packing food for students through Educate Fairfax, helping with multimillion-dollar procurement contracts, interviewing families about summer programming and creating social media content.
Food and Nutrition Services employees gathered Friday at Luther Jackson Middle School for their school-year kickoff. The department served more than 5.5 million breakfasts and over 13.5 million lunches during the previous school year.
At Robinson Secondary School, the school psychology department welcomed 21 new psychologists and five psychology interns.
Reid ended the week at two community events. She attended a football scrimmage at Westfield High School on Saturday morning, where athletes, coaches, referees and concession volunteers prepared for the fall season.
That afternoon, she joined spectators at the Lake Anne Cardboard Boat Regatta, where participants tested homemade watercraft in a spirited community competition.