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Fairfax County Public Schools marked a busy January week with national recognition for a South Lakes High School teacher, new evidence of gains in phonics performance and continued debate over the division’s long-term facilities and boundary plans.
South Lakes math teacher Emily Burrell was one of six Virginia educators—and 336 nationwide—to receive either the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching or the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring.
The teaching award is the federal government’s highest honor for K-12 math and science educators. The mentoring award recognizes efforts to broaden participation in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Superintendent Michelle Reid began the week by working with Fairfax County government officials to film FCPS’ contribution to the 2025 State of the County video. She later attended the Hispanic Educators Association’s annual meeting and mixer at the Willow Oaks Administrative Office.
Reid also watched Westfield High School’s girls basketball team play Centreville and attended a boys game between Centreville and South Lakes later in the week.
Major construction plan moves toward a vote
The School Board held a work session and public hearing Tuesday at Luther Jackson Middle School on the proposed fiscal 2026-30 Capital Improvement Program.
Updated annually to account for changing facility needs and construction costs, the plan includes two new elementary schools, renovations at 18 elementary schools, two middle schools and two high schools, and the relocation of modular buildings.
FCPS, described as the nation’s ninth-largest school district, maintains roughly the same amount of building space as four Pentagons while serving more than 180,000 students.
Its facilities also support extensive community activity. About 500,000 events not directly affiliated with FCPS take place in school facilities each year. That usage includes an average of 91 weekly events held by local nonprofit religious and cultural organizations, Park Authority camps and programs at approximately 80 schools, School Age Child Care sites at 142 schools, and polling locations at 169 schools and centers during elections.
The board is scheduled to act on the proposed capital plan at its Feb. 6 meeting.
On Wednesday, Reid spoke at the Fairfax County Youth Leadership Program’s annual graduation ceremony at the county Government Center. The joint FCPS-county program introduces high school students to civic leadership through monthly learning sessions and a three-week paid internship in a county department. Participants also meet local officials and learn how government affects daily life.
That evening, families gathered at Shrevewood Elementary School for a Quad 2 Family Vision Group meeting. Chief of Facilities and Capital Programs Janice Szymanski led a discussion about the comprehensive school boundary review, while Ellen Mukai addressed reading intervention. Chief of Schools Ponce also participated.
Reid and FCPS regional assistant superintendents attended the Fairfax County NAACP’s 2025 Advocacy Agenda Rollout at the Gum Springs Community Center in Alexandria. The meeting covered the organization’s legislative priorities and efforts to expand students’ access to educational opportunities.
Poe Middle targets gaps in math learning
During a Thursday visit to Poe Middle School, student ambassadors welcomed Reid in English and Spanish. Students in teacher Rene Ruggle’s class also served coffee and tea from the school’s new coffee cart, with Rafael and Salma helping provide the welcome.
Principal Jason Pannutti then accompanied Reid through several sixth-grade math classrooms. Students worked together on problems posted around the rooms, including color-coded activities designed to let classmates work at different levels simultaneously.
Pannutti said Poe’s math teachers have been studying student data to identify learning gaps and offer focused assistance during Raven Time, the school’s advisory period. The work supports FCPS’ goal of preparing students to complete Algebra 1 successfully by eighth grade.
FCPS also continued its comprehensive boundary review with a second virtual community meeting Thursday. Additional online sessions were scheduled for Jan. 25 from 9:30 to 11 a.m.; Jan. 27 and Jan. 28 from 6:30 to 8 p.m.; and Feb. 10 from 6:30 to 8 p.m.
Each meeting was to follow the same format and present the same information as the recent in-person sessions. Attendance was capped at 400 participants, registration was required for an individual Zoom link, and language interpretation was available.
On Friday morning, the West Potomac High School Symphonic Orchestra performed at the Gatehouse Administration Center. Orchestra Director Alicia Day Javkhlan described the ensemble’s musicians as dedicated students who balance their artistic work with academics, sports and other activities.
Phonics scores rise across four grades
FCPS reported substantial improvement in phonics performance after expanding explicit instruction throughout the school system.
The division introduced the approach in 2021 through its Equitable Access to Literacy plan. During the past three years, FCPS committed to 15-minute daily phonics lessons in kindergarten through second grade and intervention groups for students in grades three through six. Benchmark Advance, the division’s new K-6 language arts curriculum, is now being used to implement the instruction more broadly.
The approach also aligns with the Virginia Literacy Act, which beginning in the 2024-25 school year required Virginia school divisions to provide evidence-based literacy instruction that includes explicit phonics.
Comparing fall 2024 with fall 2021, the share of students performing at or above grade level in the phonics portion of the i-Ready assessment increased by 18 percentage points in third grade, 21 points in fourth grade, 18 points in fifth grade and 12 points in sixth grade.
FCPS said it planned to provide additional information about how individual student groups progressed over time.
WIDA results gain weight in state accountability ratings
Annual WIDA testing for multilingual students in kindergarten through 12th grade was set to begin during the following week and continue for nearly two months.
The assessments help teachers measure English-language development and determine students’ instructional readiness. Beginning in 2025, the scores also carry greater weight under the Virginia Department of Education’s new School Performance and Support Framework.
Under the former accreditation system, multilingual learners’ progress was included only when students had failed the English reading Standards of Learning test. The new framework evaluates every multilingual learner who has two consecutive years of WIDA results. Each student’s target is based on grade level and the English proficiency level recorded during the previous year.
WIDA results previously affected only a school’s English indicator. Under the new framework, multilingual progress can account for 10 of a school’s 100 total points when at least 15 multilingual learners have two consecutive years of scores.
Those 10 points could affect whether a school is rated Distinguished, which requires 90 to 100 points; On Track, at 80 to 89 points; or Off Track, at 65 to 79 points.
FCPS’ 2023-30 Strategic Plan calls for every multilingual learner to meet annual progress targets and advance toward English proficiency.
Athletics, music and food assistance fill the weekend
On Friday evening, Reid attended girls and boys basketball games at Justice High School. The girls game between Justice and Falls Church remained close until the end, while the boys contest ended with a last-minute shot from half court.
Justice also celebrated the second season of its revived winter cheerleading program. The Winter Wolves grew to more than 40 participants under coaches Phillips, Weston and Sanchez. Multiple groups rotate between the stands and baseline so every cheerleader can take part, including during doubleheaders.
Saturday brought several simultaneous events to McLean High School after weather disrupted activities the previous weekend. Reid watched wrestlers compete in dual meets organized by Director of Student Athletics Greg Miller and his staff.
McLean also hosted auditions for the Virginia Band and Orchestra Directors Association’s District 12 Honor Bands. The district covers 31 schools representing half of FCPS and all of Arlington County. Two high school bands and one middle school band were expected to include 263 students, meaning slightly more than 20% of those auditioning would earn places.
About 1,200 students auditioned for all instruments on the same day. Associate Director of Bands Scott Weinhold said preparation began Friday, while Saturday’s auditions required 24 rooms and more than 14 hours. The event involved 150 student volunteers, 75 parent volunteers, 54 paid judges and band directors from most of the district’s 31 schools.
Robinson Secondary School separately hosted auditions for the District 11 Honor Bands that weekend.
Before Reid left McLean, Principal Ellen Reilly showed her a food-assistance project benefiting students experiencing food insecurity. Food For Neighbors works with schools to provide nutritious food through its Red Bag Program.
Community volunteers fill red bags with nonperishable items, which are collected, sorted and delivered to schools. The food is then distributed through in-school pantries or packed into bags for students to take home before weekends.
The week closed with reflections on the observance of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday. Reid had been invited to an MLK Day community worship and conversation at First Baptist Church of Vienna, weather permitting, and encouraged staff and community members to treat the observance as a day of service.