Countywide

State legislators representing Fairfax County are taking the lead on major issues in the Virginia General Assembly’s 2025 session, filing proposals addressing reproductive rights, same-sex marriage, gun control and election reforms.

Originally slated to begin yesterday (Jan. 8), the legislative session has been delayed by water service issues in Richmond stemming from the snowstorm on Monday (Jan. 6). Lawmakers will now convene on Monday, Jan. 13 and remain in session through Feb. 22.


Countywide

A proposed casino in Tysons and calls for the state to provide more money for education and social services dominated a 3.5-hour public hearing hosted Saturday (Jan. 4) by Fairfax County’s delegation to the Virginia General Assembly.

About 70 people, speaking for themselves or on behalf of organizations, each had three minutes to make their case for priorities in the 2025 legislative session, which convenes tomorrow (Wednesday).


Countywide

At its final meeting of 2024, the Fairfax County School Board unanimously approved a policy revision that it hopes will lead to more consistent grading policies countywide.

The measure represents “a huge improvement from what was there before,” according to Mason District School Board Representative Ricardy Anderson.


News

George Mason University has ushered a new class of graduates out into a world that they were told yesterday (Thursday) is filled with both opportunities and challenges.

“Believe it or not, your learning journey is just beginning,” George Schindler, former president and CEO of the technology firm CGI, said during winter commencement ceremonies held at EagleBank Arena in Fairfax.


Countywide

By the Fairfax County government’s math, local residents are being shortchanged nearly $570 million annually in education funding by the state government.

Facing a $292.7 million gap between expected revenues and expenses projected for the coming fiscal year, county leaders would like their state lawmakers to leave from Richmond next year with some of that funding in hand.


News

Fairfax City is launching a new program to provide free training and certifications for fast-growing industries like information technology, health care and cybersecurity.

The Upskill Fairfax City program, a partnership between Fairfax City Economic Development and Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA), offers no-cost certifications and technical training through specialized courses at the college.


Countywide

Facing growing concerns over inconsistent grading practices, the Fairfax County School Board is moving forward with plans for a comprehensive update of its grading policy for the first time in more than a decade.

The policy revamp comes after years of complaints from teachers, parents, and students that the current system lacks clarity and consistency.


Around Town

Preschool students and staff gathered last week at The Gardner School of Herndon to celebrate the school’s 10th anniversary with a snapshot in time.

At the Oct. 16 celebration, students created a time capsule with objects memorializing their time at the school with friends and teachers. The capsule contains gold coins symbolizing a memory or milestone each student gained during the school year so far.


News

By MORIAH BALINGIT AP Education Writer

ANNANDALE, Va. (AP) — As lawmakers voted on a budget deal at the U.S. Capitol, a different kind of balloting was taking place a dozen miles away in a sun-filled Virginia preschool classroom. At stake: which animated dog was the best character on the cartoon “PAW Patrol.”


News

A historical marker now stands in McLean’s Clemyjontri Park as a monument to the site’s past as a center of social and spiritual activity for the local Black community.

Fairfax County officials, historians, students and present-day community leaders unveiled the marker commemorating Gunnell’s Chapel and its founder, Robert Gunnell, at a dedication ceremony last Saturday (Sept. 21).


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