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Fairfax County’s newest high school will be called Skyview High School following a unanimous School Board vote, clearing another milestone before the school welcomes students for the 2026-27 academic year.
The name is intended to reflect the potential and opportunities available to students as they prepare for emerging careers through advanced learning and innovation. The school is scheduled to open in August.
The naming decision led a busy week across Fairfax County Public Schools that also included historic coaching appointments, a winter graduation, student competitions, budget discussions and community celebrations.
Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology became the first Virginia high school to appoint women to lead both its varsity baseball and varsity football programs.
Jennifer Hammond, the school’s baseball coach, emphasized the importance of representation for women leading boys’ sports. Rachel Worsham, who will take charge of the football team this fall, said the distinction carries responsibility and that she hopes she will not be the last woman to hold such a position.
Another FCPS graduate reached a milestone with the publication of YOUth: The Young Person’s Guide to Starting a Nonprofit. Olivia Zhang, a 2023 McLean High School graduate and Harvard sophomore, founded Cancer Kids First when she was 14. The organization has grown into what was described as the world’s largest youth-led cancer nonprofit. Zhang has also delivered a TED Talk and received recognition through L’Oréal’s Women of Worth and Forbes’ 30 Under 30 for social impact.
FCPS students also posted strong results in recent academic contests. Student teams captured five of the top eight awards at the Northern Virginia Regional MATHCOUNTS competition at Robinson Secondary School. More than 400 students in grades six through eight, representing 41 public, private and home schools, competed individually and in teams.
Ishan Mohanty of Mosaic Elementary School and Spriha Mohanty of Luther Jackson Middle School each earned third place in the National Park Service’s Frederick Douglass Oratorical Contest. Ishan competed in the ages 9-11 division, while Spriha competed among students ages 12-14. Participants memorized and performed portions of Douglass speeches before a panel of judges.
The week’s school visits began Monday with Mountain View High School’s winter graduation, where graduates celebrated with their families and school staff.
A Family Vision Group meeting for Quad 4 followed at Springfield Estates Elementary School. Parents and caregivers discussed report cards, the volunteer management system and the school division’s budget-development process.
Monday concluded with the West Springfield High School girls’ basketball game against Fairfax High School. On Wednesday, South Lakes High School hosted Westfield High School for junior varsity and varsity girls’ basketball games.
Tuesday’s School Board schedule included a work session and a public hearing on the proposed fiscal year 2027 budget. Community members had an opportunity to examine spending priorities, ask questions and offer feedback as the plan continued to be refined.
On Thursday morning, FCPS participated in a National Association for School-University Partnerships panel at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City Hotel. White Oaks Elementary School Principal Josh Douds is among the local leaders involved in efforts to strengthen connections between prekindergarten-through-12th-grade schools and higher education.
Programs Build Paths Back to FCPS
During Thursday’s School Board meeting, officials highlighted Back to Fairfax, an initiative designed to help current students and alumni explore careers within the school division. It connects career and technical education with job shadowing, internships and other work-based learning.
Teachers for Tomorrow, a Virginia Department of Education-approved program, introduces interested high school juniors and seniors to education careers through coursework and hands-on teaching experience.
Trades for Tomorrow provides apprenticeship, trade and industrial-education opportunities. Technology for Tomorrow offers high school internships that give students practical experience in cybersecurity and information-technology operations.
A Food and Nutrition Job Shadow Program allows students to spend a full day exploring nutrition-service careers, including recipe and menu development, logistics and nutrition planning.
FCPS also offers a six-week, paid and in-person summer internship through its Department of Human Resources. The program is open to FCPS high school students and alumni enrolled in postsecondary education and includes professional development, project-based learning and work across several departments.
The meeting’s strategic-plan update focused on home, school and community partnerships, including the extensive work handled by the FCPS information-technology operation.
The department builds, maintains and operates more than 100 systems. It supplies internet and telephone service, along with connectivity for fire and security alarms, through infrastructure operated by FCPS. Staff members review nearly 1,100 educational and technology tools for privacy and security.
The operation also manages help-desk requests, has resolved 245,482 email tickets, supports 180 technology support specialists and runs a central laptop-repair shop, as well as camera and network-management teams. Those services support classroom technology, the FCPS mobile application, online registration and multilingual resources for families.
Crews Battle Snow Across Nearly 200 Campuses
School officials also recognized more than 1,000 FCPS employees who worked through the recent severe winter storms to prepare buildings for reopening.
More than 1,400 custodians manually cleared ice and snow from nearly 200 campuses spread across more than 400 square miles. Transportation employees removed heavy accumulation from buses, including vehicles surrounded by snow and ice up to their wheel wells.
Facilities crews, equipment operators, supervisors, custodians, transportation teams and other support employees worked extended hours to clear parking lots, entrances and sidewalks. Additional treatment cycles and continued monitoring helped the division bring students and employees back safely.
FCPS built 10 snow days into its calendar and had used four by the end of the week, in addition to several delayed openings.
Theater, Baseball and Lunar New Year Celebrations
On Friday morning, the Twain Middle School Advanced Theatre class performed at the Gatehouse Administration Center. Led by Theatre Director Beth Becker, the students presented Everyone Gets Eaten by Sharks, a one-act production in which Adventure Dan teaches his niece Bonnie how to avoid four scenarios that could end with a shark attack.
Friday evening brought Cultural Heritage Night at Fairhill Elementary School, with students and community members celebrating a wide range of cultures.
The night ended at Robinson Secondary School with a middle school production of Mean Girls Jr. Director Katie Brunberg described the show as a cautionary story about belonging, setting boundaries, leaving harmful friendships and recognizing the humanity of others. Students contributed both onstage and behind the scenes.
Saturday began at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, where varsity baseball players hosted an Adaptive Baseball Camp for young athletes with special needs. Each participant worked individually with a varsity player on base running, hitting from a tee, throwing and catching.
The week concluded at Luther Jackson Middle School with a Chinese New Year, or Lunar New Year, celebration sponsored by the Asian Community Service Center. Students received certificates for their entries in an essay and art contest.
The celebration welcomed the Year of the Fire Horse, associated with hard work, bravery, resilience and forward momentum, while also emphasizing gratitude, kindness and care for others.