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Fairfax County Public Schools is offering student meal kits during two school closure days while families also face major updates involving school boundaries, the proposed fiscal 2027 budget and the delayed end of the second quarter.
Meal kits will be available from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, January 29, and Friday, January 30, at designated schools. Each kit includes a meal and a healthy snack.
Children do not need to accompany an adult picking up a kit, and no identification or proof of eligibility is required. Food and Nutrition Services is providing the kits to support students who may experience food insecurity during planned student holidays.
Nearly 1,700 students affected by boundary changes
The School Board approved recommended changes developed through the school division’s comprehensive boundary review. The adjustments affect nearly 1,700 students across 46 schools and are scheduled to take effect during the 2026-27 school year.
Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid also presented the proposed fiscal 2027 budget at the board’s January meeting.
The proposal would begin reversing reductions made in the previous year by fully restoring staff positions and reducing some class sizes. It also continues multiyear initiatives involving certified athletic trainers at every high school, family liaisons, fine and performing arts stipends, student athletics and activities, K-12 robotics, and math certification and credentialing for educators.
Competitive compensation for all employees is another priority. The School Board is scheduled to hold a budget work session Tuesday, February 10.
During a strategic plan update, Reid also focused on transportation safety and technology under the division’s goal of ensuring students feel safe, supported, included and empowered. The presentation highlighted how employees and technology help protect students and keep them connected while riding school buses.
Quarter extended after lost instructional days
Students will not attend school Thursday, January 29, because of a staff development day or Friday, January 30, because of a teacher workday.
Following the recent loss of instructional time, the final day of the second quarter has been moved to Tuesday, February 3. Teachers may continue conducting second-quarter assessments through that date and will notify families and students of specific changes through Schoology.
Students enrolled in semester courses will remain in their first-semester classes through February 3.
SIS ParentVUE will be unavailable to students and parents while end-of-quarter updates are completed. The shutdown begins at 4 p.m. Tuesday, February 3, and continues until 6 a.m. Monday, February 9.
Investigation finds athletics violations
An independent investigation into student-athlete transfers and eligibility practices at Fairfax High School and Hayfield Secondary School found violations of Virginia High School League rules in 2024.
The law firm Baker McKenzie LLP conducted the investigation and delivered its findings and recommendations to the School Board and superintendent. School officials implemented multiple corrective measures in 2025 to address weaknesses in division systems and procedures and improve future compliance with league standards.
Girls wrestling surges at Westfield
Varsity girls wrestling, now in its second season as an official school division sport, has become one of the system’s fastest-growing athletic programs.
Westfield’s team expanded from eight wrestlers during its first season to 22 athletes in its second. The program emphasizes the character and life skills participants develop through competition.
Chantilly Academy veterinary science students also recently received a different kind of hands-on experience. Using veterinary ultrasound simulators supplied with help from a Chantilly High School alumnus, students practiced procedures on stuffed animals rather than live patients.
Kindergarten registration gets underway
Families with children entering kindergarten are encouraged to begin registration early so schools can plan staffing and resources before the first day of classes.
Schools typically hold registration and orientation events during the spring, although eligible students may continue registering throughout the summer. Families should first determine which school their child will attend, then collect the required documents and complete the registration forms.
Registration assistance and transition resources are available for families, including support in multiple languages.
The Family Academy is also offering in-person and virtual programs for parents and guardians. February sessions include a bilingual English and Spanish workshop on co-parenting across two homes, an introduction to student career pathways and a Lexia information night for families.
Additional Family Resource Center webinars will address Early Childhood Identification Services, helping children develop flexibility, the social lives of twice-exceptional students, questions to ask when a school calls and self-care for caregivers.
Student representative applications open
Students currently in grades 9, 10 and 11 may apply to become the School Board’s student representative. The representative advocates for students but serves in a nonvoting, advisory role rather than as a board member.
Applicants must submit a written component by Monday, February 23. They must also provide a 30-second candidate video by Monday, March 16. Candidates will receive a recording link by email Monday, March 2.
Both components are required for a student to be considered in the election.
Teacher hiring fair scheduled
An in-person instructional job fair will run from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, February 7, at Lake Braddock Secondary School.
The event is aimed at recruiting teachers with strong student-engagement skills who want to contribute to school communities. Attendees will have opportunities to network and interview with representatives from individual schools.
Confidential help available through ombuds office
The Office of the Ombuds provides an independent, confidential resource for employees, families and students seeking answers, raising complaints or trying to resolve concerns involving school matters.
Ombuds staff can assist with disagreements between families and schools, but they do not change policies or decisions, take sides or give legal advice. The office can be reached at 571-423-4014 or by email at [email protected].
Schools reiterate Title IX protections
The school division says it does not tolerate sex- or gender-based misconduct in its learning or working environments.
Students who believe they or another student have experienced such misconduct, as well as parents of affected students, are encouraged to report it to a school principal. Administrators who suspect a student is experiencing misconduct are required to notify the principal.
Reports are subject to prompt, impartial investigations. Interim measures may include separating students while an investigation is pending, counseling and educational resources.
When an investigation determines that sexual misconduct created a hostile environment, the division says it will act to stop the behavior, prevent it from happening again and address its effects. Disciplinary consequences may include suspension or expulsion.
The Title IX coordinator’s office is located within the Chief Equity Office at 8115 Gatehouse Road in Falls Church. It can be reached at 571-423-3070 or [email protected].