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Fairfax County Public Schools marked a packed week of student achievements, community celebrations and school visits as the division prepared for Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week.
Superintendent Michelle Reid thanked employees across FCPS for their commitment to public education and encouraged families and colleagues to recognize educators who have made a difference in their lives.
The week also brought two financial-reporting honors for the FCPS Office of Comptroller. The office received the Government Finance Officers Association’s Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting and the Association of School Business Officials International’s Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting. The awards recognize financial accountability, transparency and clear communication about public funds.
Volunteer’s legacy honored at Crestwood
On Monday afternoon, Crestwood Elementary School held a memorial dedication for longtime volunteer Irene Rosenbaum. Community members shared stories about her decades of service, and her memory was permanently recognized in the school’s multipurpose room.
Her legacy will also continue through the Irene Rosenbaum Memorial Scholarship. The award provides $5,000 annually, renewable for as many as four years, to a Lewis High School student pursuing postsecondary education. Selection considers academic performance as well as resilience, kindness and service to others.
That evening, fifth- and sixth-grade students at Marshall Road Elementary School performed “Alice in Wonderland” under Stacey Claytor’s direction. Students participated as actors and members of the art and stage crews, with staff and parents helping produce the show.
Innovation and immersion on display
Tuesday began at Stone Middle School, where students in Kelly Mosgrove’s civics class were developing museum exhibits connecting current events with the Constitution, citizenship and the branches of government.
The projects are part of FCPS’ work as a School Division of Innovation. In social studies, the division has replaced traditional end-of-year tests with student-centered assessments that use research, writing, design and multiple ways of demonstrating knowledge.
Stone students in eighth-grade Algebra 1 and Geometry were also solving equations and preparing for Standards of Learning assessments. Another stop brought Reid to Kathy Powell’s Spanish class, where she offered a greeting in German before students continued their Spanish instruction.
At London Towne Elementary School, second graders in Mayra Olmeda’s Spanish Immersion class read their daily message in English and Spanish. First graders in Devon Arbuckle’s classroom participated in a fast-moving phonics lesson using Enhanced Core Reading Instruction, a program offered in kindergarten through second grade at only a few Fairfax schools.
Students on London Towne’s “Roar n’ Pour” team are operating a mock business with support from multilingual teacher Jackie Kakar and an Educate Fairfax grant. The activity is designed to strengthen teamwork and organizational skills.
Sixth graders in the school’s Get2Green Caring for Our Watershed group also presented an original game created to teach others about ecosystems. The group, led by Advanced Academic Resource Teacher Maddie Sirota and librarian Megan Carnahan, made London Towne the division’s only elementary-school finalist for Watershed Warriors.
Willow Springs students win national STEM prize
At Willow Springs Elementary School, fifth graders Aanya Roy and Keya Pawar were recognized as national first-place winners in the ExploraVision competition.
Their project, “Bug Botics: Technology Meets Sustainable Farming,” earned each student a $10,000 U.S. Series EE savings bond at maturity. They will also receive an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C., for the ExploraVision Awards Gala and national recognition for their STEM work.
Principal Dylan Taylor led a tour that included third graders helping fifth graders prepare for science SOL assessments through interactive games, a lesson about sharks in Mary Mejasic’s classroom and sixth graders creating prints of their favorite places in Milena Heslep’s art room.
At Bonnie Brae Elementary School, Principal Morgan Birge showed visitors a handprint collage created during the school’s Heritage Night and classrooms where third graders were preparing for SOL tests.
Students practiced eliminating clearly incorrect multiple-choice answers and learned how to navigate the assessments on their laptops. The tour also highlighted progress on the school’s renovation, including a bright interior and a secure entrance vestibule leading to the main office.
In an art class, students decorated tiles with pictures representing what they learn and do at Bonnie Brae. The finished pieces will become part of a school hallway.
Mosaic Elementary School, which recently completed its own renovation, showcased its fine arts and STEAM programs. Principal Mahri Aste highlighted opportunities that allow students to begin strings in third grade and band in fourth grade, earlier than at most schools.
Fourth graders studied Virginia’s topography and landforms, while art students connected their social studies lessons to paintings of the commonwealth’s Piedmont, mountain and valley regions. The visit concluded in Mosaic’s renovated, light-filled library.
Rocky Run Middle School’s after-school program was the final school stop Tuesday afternoon. It offers nearly 50 activities during the year and draws participation from almost every student.
Among the offerings is an Aerospace Engineering Club founded by a student and supported by a community partner. Members demonstrated walk-along gliders, explained aerodynamic principles and displayed rubber-powered free-flight models.
Tuesday evening, a community meeting at Falls Church High School addressed possible boundary changes affecting Greenway Downs, Jefferson Village, City Park Homes and Kingsley Commons. The discussion also covered potential Glasgow Middle School changes involving Beech Tree and Belvedere elementary schools.
FCPS recognizes 160 retirees
The 2026 FCPS Retirement Ceremony took place Wednesday at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, where 160 retirees were personally congratulated.
The ceremony recognized their contributions to students, colleagues and the wider community. Retirees were encouraged to remain connected with FCPS by working as substitutes, volunteering, joining the alumni network or supporting Educate Fairfax.
On Thursday morning, more than 500 students from 16 Fairfax County elementary, middle and high schools attended the Special Olympics Feet Meet at Madison High School.
The field day brought together young people with and without disabilities to promote inclusion and acceptance. Madison’s Special Olympics Unified Team led the Athlete’s Oath and joined a Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics Virginia. The school’s women’s choir performed the national anthem, its drumline opened the event and more than 100 Madison students volunteered as station leaders and ambassadors.
Bush Hill Elementary School then unveiled a Special Olympics National Unified Champion School banner, marking the second time it has earned the designation.
Special Olympics International Chairman Timothy Shriver and ESPN senior writer Heather Dinich attended the ceremony and watched Bush Hill’s Unified Basketball Team demonstrate its skills. The team holds a tournament each January.
Bush Hill also participates in programs including Little Feet Meet and has operated a peer-mentoring program for a decade. About 10% of its students receive support through special education programs.
Student journalists question FCPS leaders about AI
On Thursday afternoon, student journalists representing every FCPS high school joined Reid and Chief Information Technology Officer Gautam Sethi for the division’s second annual roundtable at the Gatehouse Administration Center.
The discussion focused on artificial intelligence in schools. During the session, which lasted more than an hour, students posed questions about the complicated educational and technological issues surrounding AI.
Later, the Military Family Advisory Council met at Gatehouse. FCPS serves approximately 13,000 military-connected students, placing attention on support for children and families navigating transitions associated with military service. The division is also pursuing Purple Star designation goals.
That evening, Greenspring Senior Retirement Community in Springfield held a scholarship ceremony for high school students who work there. Greenspring awarded more than $800,000 to members of the Class of 2026 from 17 high schools, including 12 FCPS schools.
The awards, which can support trade school, community college or university study, represented a record scholarship year for Greenspring. The community has distributed more than $3 million to students over the past 25 years.
Performances and public-school advocacy fill Friday
Friday began at Annandale High School with a School Lunch Hero Day celebration recognizing food-service professionals and their role in supporting students.
Later that morning, Reid attended the Public School Leaders Network Summit at George Mason University. Northern Virginia education leaders gathered to coordinate advocacy around issues affecting the region’s students, employees and families.
The West Springfield High School Chamber Orchestra also performed selections from its 2025-26 season under Director Alexandra Blaine. The program included classical, lyrical and contemporary pieces intended to demonstrate the ensemble’s range and the role of music education in developing discipline, creativity, collaboration and confidence.
Friday evening brought the Matsuri-Japanese Festival at Fox Mill Elementary School. First- and fourth-grade students had spent the school year reading Japanese books, singing Japanese songs and taking part in cultural activities that culminated in a festival performance.
Herndon High School presented “Cinderella” later that night. Theatre Director Scott Pafumi worked with the school’s broader performing-arts faculty, including vocal director Jane Waldrop, band teacher Brian Fisher, orchestra teacher Allison Devereux and guitar teacher Chris Cunningham. Students and adults collaborated in the pit orchestra, bringing multiple performing-arts programs together for the production.
Track, international connections and weekend awards
Saturday started with a middle school track meet at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology. Student-athletes competed with support from coaches, administrators, volunteers and other staff, with many recording personal-best results.
Reid then attended a reception and presentation at the Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C., hosted by Ambassador Xie Feng. The program, “Discovering Shaanxi: Where the Silk Road Starts, Wonders Await,” provided an opportunity to connect with members of the Chinese American community, meet embassy education leaders and discuss international partnerships.
At South Lakes High School, students performed “9 to 5: The Musical.” Theatre Director Michael Viola said the show’s humor accompanies themes of resilience, cooperation, finding one’s voice and celebrating women. The production emphasized the continuing relevance of women’s leadership.
The week concluded at Fairfax Church of Christ with the ninth annual Special Education PTA Excellence Awards. A capacity crowd celebrated the accomplishments of students and staff, along with the partnerships among schools, families and the community.