Countywide

During the new school year, which kicks off Monday (Aug. 19), students at select Fairfax County middle and high schools will be required to hand in their phones in order to turn up their focus.

Starting Sept. 3, Fairfax County Public Schools will begin rolling out a new phone-free pilot program, requiring middle and high school students to secure their cell phones in magnetically sealed pouches or lockers during class to reduce distractions.


News

The head football coach at Langley High School in McLean has been suspended after he was charged in Maryland with soliciting sex from a teen girl.

David Clay Murray, 48, was arrested in Fairfax County and charged by the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office last Friday (Aug. 9) with five counts of sexual solicitation of a minor, the sheriff’s office said in a press release issued yesterday (Monday).


Countywide

Boys’ volleyball has staged a comeback and girls’ wrestling will soon take to the mats in Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS).

Thanks to new funding, Fairfax County Public Schools will offer both sports at the varsity level for the first time during the upcoming 2024-2025 school year, which starts classes next Monday (Aug. 19). Boys’ volleyball will start this fall, followed by girls’ wrestling in the winter.


Countywide

Fairfax County Public Schools Adult and Community Education is launching more than 250 new courses for the trades, construction, IT and health care.

The new courses include in-person, hybrid and asynchronous offerings in line with the program’s focus on “new collar” workforce development, according to a school system news release. New collar defines high-paying professions that combine technical skills with specialized education rather than a four-year degree. Those roles are found in industries with high demand for workers in Northern Virginia — especially the trades, health care and technology — according to Paul Steiner, head administrator of FCPS Adult and Community Education, also known as ACE.


Countywide

Prepare for more hot, humid weather tomorrow (Friday) as the D.C. area endures its fifth heat wave of 2024.

The National Weather Service has already issued a new Heat Advisory for tomorrow that’s scheduled to take effect from noon to 8 p.m. across the region, including Fairfax County. A similar advisory is now in effect for today (Thursday), prompting the county to activate its heat plan.


Countywide

After Fairfax County Public Schools got much less funding than it wanted for teacher pay raises and other investments, new budget chair Kyle McDaniel suggests it’s time for a change in strategy.

McDaniel, who was elected to the school board as an at-large member last year, worries growing divisions in the budget process between the school board and Fairfax County Board of Supervisors could strain relationships as the county tackles its own financial challenges.


Countywide

Fairfax County officials are exploring privatizing the police department’s school crossing guard program as a potential solution to address staffing challenges and reduce the burden on officers.

The Fairfax County Police Department has struggled to meet the demand for crossing guards in recent years, leading sworn police officers to step in and provide additional support, Assistant Police Chief Bob Blakley told the Board of Supervisors at a Safety and Security Committee meeting yesterday (Tuesday).


Countywide

Fairfax County Public Schools has adopted a new boundary adjustment policy to help manage transportation issues and overcrowding.

The Fairfax County School Board approved the policy 9-2 at a meeting last Thursday (July 18) that drew a raucous crowd. The board also directed the superintendent to implement boundary changes for Lincolnia’s Glasgow Middle School that were put on hold while the countywide policy was reviewed.


Countywide

Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s recent executive order to limit phone use in Virginia schools may align with a new pilot program being considered by Fairfax County Public Schools.

Signed Wednesday (July 10), the executive order directs the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) to gather feedback from parents, teachers, and administrators to create guidelines for enforcing “cell-phone-free” classrooms in public schools.


News

Fairfax County Public Schools can move ahead with a renovation of Armstrong Elementary School in Reston.

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved the project without discussion after a public hearing on June 25, setting the stage for an expansion that will give the school additional space and updated amenities.


View More Stories