Article Text
Fairfax County Public Schools marked a packed spring week with national recognition for a Holmes Middle School teacher, a statewide artificial intelligence victory, athletic honors and a series of student, staff and community events.
The school system also highlighted its early-learning programs, support for military-connected students and upcoming budget hearings that could affect classroom resources and extracurricular opportunities.
Cursive Club heads to national television
Sherisse Kenerson, a multilingual learner specialist who advises Holmes Middle School’s after-school Cursive Club, is scheduled to appear on “The Kelly Clarkson Show” on Tuesday, April 14, at 1 p.m. on NBC.
The club has attracted attention from national media, including The Washington Post and NPR. Students are learning cursive handwriting, and many have begun using it to take notes in class.
FCPS also recognized the Week of the Young Child and the educators serving more than 7,100 early-learning students. Its programs emphasize language, social-emotional development and cognitive skills, with many participants facing economic or educational risk factors.
April is also the Month of the Military Child. FCPS serves more than 14,000 military-connected students and encouraged the community to wear purple for Purple Up Day on Wednesday, April 15.
Student teams and athletes earn major honors
A team from Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology was selected as a Virginia winner in the 2026 Presidential Artificial Intelligence Challenge.
Students Alexander Cordova, Andrea Oraze and Audrey Na developed “Discern,” an AI application designed to help users determine whether online content is real or fake. The national challenge asks K-12 students, educators, mentors and community teams to address real-world problems with AI-powered tools. The team will advance to the Southeast regional competition.
Westfield High School’s Jemon Price was named the Virginia High School League Class 6 Boys Basketball State Player of the Year, while Kevin Harris earned Coach of the Year honors.
Nate McComb of Lake Braddock Secondary School and Isaiah Brown of Westfield made the boys’ All-State First Team. Johnny Anderson of South County and Jake Bell of McLean were selected for the Second Team.
On the girls’ side, Sophie Toole of Oakton and South County’s Laila Tull and Natalia Wooten earned First Team recognition. Dawn Houston of West Potomac, Mariah Armah of Langley and Malia Siriwardene of Centreville made the Second Team.
FCPS athletics were also discussed in an interview with Executive Director of Activities and Athletics Tom Horn on the “All Hitches NoVA Football Podcast.” The program is produced by Woodson High School teachers Daniel Mesa and Ramine Dash.
Budget hearings approach
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, which supplies approximately 70% of FCPS funding, is scheduled to finalize the fiscal year 2027 budget on May 5. Public hearings at the Government Center Board Auditorium are planned for April 14 at 4 p.m., April 15 at 3 p.m. and April 16 at 3 p.m.
As the budget process continues, FCPS cited several measures of student achievement. Nearly half of students in grades five through nine passed an above-grade-level Math Standards of Learning test, almost twice the statewide percentage.
In the 2024-25 school year, 32% of FCPS high school students enrolled in Advanced Placement courses, compared with 26% statewide. The division has 88 candidates for the 2026 U.S. Presidential Scholars program, representing 43% of Virginia’s candidates. It also reported 37% more National Merit Semifinalists in the Class of 2026 than in the Class of 2025.
The annual Special Education Family Conference is set for Saturday, April 18, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Marshall High School. Educator and inclusion advocate Dr. Shelley Moore will deliver the keynote address. The program will also include a student showcase, breakout sessions and an exhibitor hall. FCPS employees can earn continuing professional-development hours.
Bus drivers put safety skills to the test
Transportation employees competed in the 2026 FCPS Transportation Roadeo, completing driving and safety exercises involving parallel parking, backing, student-loading procedures and pre-trip inspections.
Sandy O’Grady placed first in the Standard Type C big-bus division, followed by Gauge Campbell and Min Kang. Natasha Watford-Sturgis won the lift-equipped Type C small-bus division, with Il Seon Kim finishing second and Lucia Valentino third.
O’Grady and Watford-Sturgis will represent FCPS at the Region IV School Bus Roadeo in Dumfries on April 18 and at the Virginia State Bus Roadeo in May. Jessica Carroll, Peter Gado and Lisa Ellis received special recognition for coordinating the local competition.
Spring Break lessons continue at Title I schools
The Spring Sprouts program provided four days of small-group math and literacy instruction at selected Title I schools, including Lynbrook, Annandale Terrace, Sleepy Hollow and Pine Spring elementary schools.
At Sleepy Hollow, students combined a lesson on plant life cycles with guided movement from the Yoga 4 Classrooms curriculum. They imagined growing from seeds into plants while discussing metamorphosis and change.
Lynbrook third graders explored the roles of buyers and sellers through a farmers-market exercise. Kindergarten students estimated and calculated sums using dice, while first graders searched the school building for real-world examples of geometric shapes. Spring Sprouts supports the Strong Start: Pre-K-12 goal in the division’s 2023-30 Strategic Plan.
Employees and families weigh in
During an Employee Conversation at Newington Forest Elementary School, staff discussed the math pilot, alignment with Virginia standards and the need for more effective instructional materials.
The conversation also covered foundations in reading and math, expectations for students, reassessment practices, readiness, budget pressures, shortened instructional weeks and inconsistent use of time among schools. One employee emphasized that teacher happiness helps create a strong school.
A Family Vision Group meeting at Oak View Elementary School focused on artificial intelligence and the development of a related resource for families.
Regional education leaders also met through the Public School Leadership Network at Mason Square, bringing together Northern Virginia school board representatives and new state-level education leadership.
English-language instruction takes focus
A School Board update examined FCPS services for multilingual learners. Federal law requires school divisions to accelerate English-language development while removing language barriers that prevent students from accessing grade-level coursework.
At the elementary level, FCPS uses Benchmark Express alongside the Benchmark Advance language-arts curriculum. Its secondary model combines targeted English Language Development courses with co-teaching support in core classes.
The division identified Benchmark Express as its K-6 resource, HMH English 3D as the middle-school program emphasizing academic discourse, and Cengage National Geographic Learning’s LIFT and Pathways as high-school resources, including materials for advanced learners.
FCPS said standardized foundational materials help provide consistent instruction across schools, address reading, writing, speaking and listening, and allow teachers to spend more time adapting lessons to students’ needs.
Technology, meals and international connections
At the Shark Tank Technology Challenge at the Fairfax County Government Center, students presented ideas for devices and applications intended to benefit older adults, people with disabilities and caregivers. The competition supports the county’s Economic Success Plan, including its goals related to innovation, social equity and expanded STEM education.
The Taste of FCPS event highlighted school menu development, student wellness and scratch cooking. Executive chef Tim Jones prepared samples of dishes served in schools during the year.
At Washington’s Tidal Basin, Fox Mill Elementary School’s Japanese Immersion students participated in an event marking America’s 250th birthday and Japan’s gift of 250 additional cherry trees to the United States. The students delivered a speech and performed a Japanese song accompanied by sign language.
Arts take center stage across Fairfax
Student work from elementary through high school was displayed at the Herndon Pyramid Art Show at Herndon United Methodist Church.
Langley High School’s Saxon Stage performed “Grease” following rehearsals that began in February. Theatre Director Brian Kaufman said students’ ideas and talents contributed to a joyful rehearsal process shared by the cast, crew and pit musicians.
Justice High School’s Wolfpack Theatre presented “The Sound of Music,” showcasing student vocals and production work.
Superintendent Michelle Reid also attended a Lake Braddock girls’ soccer game against McLean and visited several weekend community events.
She threw the ceremonial first pitch at Great Falls Little League’s Opening Day, attended the FCPS Instructional Job Fair at Lake Braddock Secondary School and joined Langley High School’s 60th-anniversary celebration. Langley opened in 1965 during a period of enrollment growth and desegregation in the school system. The anniversary featured tours, a time capsule and memories from different generations.
At Terra Centre Elementary School’s Fun Fair, families participated in games and activities while learning about the school’s environmental programs. Get2Green leader Laure Grove was recognized for recently receiving a national award for her work in sustainability and hands-on education.
The week’s reflections also noted the safe Pacific Ocean splashdown of the Integrity capsule after its roughly 695,000-mile Artemis II journey to the moon and back, presenting the mission as an example of the scientific curiosity, cooperation and perseverance schools seek to foster.