Fairfax County Public Schools

Published January 5, 2025 at 3:55PM | Updated January 5, 2025 at 4:54PM

A Fairfax County Public School bus in snow (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Fairfax County Public Schools has called off classes for tomorrow (Monday), giving students an extra day of winter break as the D.C. region braces for what could be its biggest snowstorm in years.

Joining Arlington and other local school districts, FCPS will close its school buildings and offices tomorrow. All activities on school grounds have been canceled, including extracurricular activities, athletic practices and adult education classes, and School Age Child Care centers will also be closed.

News

FCPS teacher arrested, fired for allegedly selling vape cartridges to students

By Jared Serre

Published January 4, 2025 at 9:15AM

Falls Church High School entrance (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

A teacher at Falls Church High School was arrested this week after she allegedly sold vape cartridges to numerous students.

Kaitlyn Cresent was taken into custody on Monday (Dec. 30) after investigators determined she had sold the vape cartridges — which contained nicotine and THC — to four different students, the Fairfax County Police Department announced yesterday (Friday).

Countywide

School board approves policy to standardize grading across FCPS

By Scott McCaffrey

Published December 26, 2024 at 9:00AM

Fairfax County Public Schools (file photo)

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.

Countywide

FCPS wins funds to replace more school buses with electric models

By Angela Woolsey

Published December 17, 2024 at 9:00AM

Fairfax County Public Schools electric school buses parked at charging stations (via FCPS/YouTube)

A new federal grant will enable Fairfax County Public Schools to upgrade more than three dozen school buses to more environmentally friendly models.

Virginia’s largest public school system will receive $12.9 million from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles Grant Program — enough to replace 43 buses with electric or zero-emission vehicles, Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine announced last week.

Countywide

FCPS students seek consistency and flexibility in cell phone policy revisions

By James Jarvis

Published December 13, 2024 at 9:45AM

Fairfax County School Board student representative Megan Sawant speaks during a board meeting on Dec. 5, 2024 (via FCPS)

As Fairfax County Public Schools considers revising its cell phone storage policy, students are calling for a more consistent approach across classrooms, citing concerns about uneven enforcement.

The school system is currently testing a phone-free pilot program at select middle and high schools to evaluate the impact of stricter limits on student cell phone use. Once the pilot concludes, the school board plans to use the collected data to develop an updated policy aligned with new Virginia Department of Education guidelines, which must be adopted by school boards statewide by Jan. 1, 2025.

News

Design for Herndon Elementary School expansion wins key town approval

By Angela Woolsey

Published December 11, 2024 at 11:15AM

Herndon Elementary School renovation renderings (via Town of Herndon)

A plan to renovate and expand Herndon Elementary School got an enthusiastic vote of confidence from the town’s Architectural Review Board (ARB) last month.

At its meeting on Nov. 20, the Town of Herndon ARB unanimously approved Fairfax County Public Schools’ site design application for the project, which will update the existing building at 630 Dranesville Road and add another 25,000 square feet of space to better accommodate the growing student body.

Countywide

Fairfax County Public Schools seeks to expand security with $3.4M budget boost

By James Jarvis

Published December 10, 2024 at 3:45PM

FCPS Chief Financial Officer Leigh Burden speaks to school board (via FCPS/YouTube)

Fairfax County Public Schools is set to allocate an additional $3.4 million to safety and security upgrades, drawing from surplus revenue identified in its mid-year budget review.

The funding includes $1.5 million from a class-action settlement with Juul, as well as higher-than-expected sales tax revenue and tuition payments from the City of Fairfax.

Countywide

Judge lets lawsuit challenging FCPS policies on gender identity proceed

By Angela Woolsey

Published December 10, 2024 at 1:15PM

A LGBTQ pride flag sticks in a woman's hair at a 2023 rally in support of transgender students outside Luther Jackson Middle School (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

A right-wing group’s lawsuit challenging Fairfax County Public Schools policies designed to be inclusive of transgender and other gender non-conforming students will be allowed to move forward.

Fairfax County Circuit Court Judge Brett A. Kassabian issued an order last Friday (Dec. 6) mostly overruling an attempt by the Fairfax County School Board to dismiss the civil suit, which argues that policies requiring students to be identified and treated based on their gender identity violate the rights of students who don’t want to follow those policies.

Countywide

Fairfax County School Board declines to review rights of student journalists

By Scott McCaffrey

Published December 10, 2024 at 11:15AM

The Fairfax County School Board discusses a proposed review of Fairfax County Public School policies protecting student journalist rights at its meeting on Dec. 5, 2024 (via FCPS/YouTube)

A Fairfax County School Board member’s desire to affirm the defined rights of student journalists in the wake of the Hayfield Secondary School athlete-transfer uproar died on a 9-3 vote at the Dec. 5 board meeting.

At-large board member Ryan McElveen introduced the measure as part of a broader discussion of the Hayfield athletics matter. He said it was in reaction to allegations, which have not been independently confirmed, of student journalists at Hayfield having their work on the issue censored.

Countywide

‘I am sorry’: Superintendent works to make amends following uproar over Hayfield football

By Scott McCaffrey

Published December 9, 2024 at 1:15PM

Superintendent Michelle Reid (staff file photo by James Jarvis)

Fairfax County School Board members and Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid took formal steps last week to address the alleged athletic recruiting irregularities at Hayfield Secondary School that have roiled the entire community.

At the school board meeting on Thursday (Dec. 5), Reid offered her first public mea culpa for the crisis of confidence in Fairfax County Public Schools leadership sparked by its handling of the controversy around Hayfield’s football program.