Fairfax County Public Schools

Morning Notes

Published March 23, 2022 at 7:30AM

Outside the City of Fairfax Regional Library (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

County Lands $10M to Address Homelessness — Fairfax County will get $10 million from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to support services for people experiencing homelessness. The money will fully fund 19 projects and represents a 9% increase from last year’s award, mostly for a domestic violence rapid rehousing program run by the nonprofit Shelter House. [Housing and Community Development]

FCPS to Provide Free Online Tutoring — “Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Scott Brabrand said unlimited tutoring in any subject for every grade level will be available through a new partnership with Tutor.com. The rollout will begin after spring break.” [WTOP]

Countywide

Dunn Loring Elementary School plans advance despite line-jumping worries

By Angela Woolsey

Published March 18, 2022 at 10:30AM

The Dunn Loring Administrative Center is slated for replacement with an elementary school (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Fairfax County Public Schools is moving forward with plans to convert the Dunn Loring Administration Center into an elementary school, despite questions from some school board and community members about the project’s urgency.

The Fairfax County School Board voted 10-0 with two abstentions on March 10 to let staff re-negotiate an existing architecture and engineering contract with the firm Samaha Associates, initiating a planning process that typically takes about two years, according to FCPS Executive Director for Facilities and Transportation Services Jessica Gillis.

Countywide

FCPS expands ban on restraints, set to fully end student seclusions

By Angela Woolsey

Published March 17, 2022 at 11:15AM

Fairfax County Public Schools will end the use of seclusion at Key Center School in Franconia and Kilmer Center in Dunn Loring with the 2022-2023 school year (via Google Maps)

Fairfax County Public Schools will officially end the use of seclusion as a tool for managing student behavior when the next school year begins on Aug. 22.

The practice of confining a student to a room is already prohibited in most schools, but the Fairfax County School Board approved an update on March 10 that expands the ban to include the Key Center School, Kilmer Center, and private day and residential schools, starting with the 2022-2023 school year.

Countywide

EPA leader touts electric school buses in visit to Vienna elementary school

By Angela Woolsey

Published March 15, 2022 at 3:00PM | Updated May 25, 2022 at 1:58PM

EPA Administrator Michael Regan tours an electric school bus on display at Flint Hill Elementary School in Fairfax County (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Flint Hill Elementary School students let their green flag fly during a visit yesterday (Monday) from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan.

Invited by the environmental advocacy groups Mothers Out Front and Moms Clean Air Force, Regan stopped by the Vienna school to discuss the federal government’s plans to expand the use of electric school buses over diesel ones, a transition that he said Fairfax County Public Schools is helping lead.

Countywide

Morning Notes

By FFXnow.com

Published March 15, 2022 at 7:30AM

Fair Oaks Mall on a March Sunday (staff photo by David Taube)

Trucker Convoy Leaves Capital Beltway — “After a week of ineffectual laps around the Beltway, the ‘People’s Convoy’ is now jamming up part of I-395 in Arlington. The convoy…is intended to protest the Covid-related government mandates. It received considerable media attention last week but didn’t do much to disrupt traffic.” [ARLnow]

School Board Appeals TJ Admissions Ruling — “The Fairfax County School Board is appealing a federal judge’s ruling that invalidated the recently revised admissions system for the prestigious Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology magnet school…Legal experts were divided over how the 4th Circuit is likely to rule.” [The Washington Post]

Countywide

FCPS finds funding for second year of expanded summer school programs

By David Taube

Published March 14, 2022 at 3:00PM | Updated December 9, 2022 at 2:32PM

Fairfax County Public Schools has found savings to provide a second year of expanded summer learning programming.

The $12.5 million needed for the enhanced summer school will come from reserve staffing funds that went unused due to FCPS’ decreased student enrollment, according to the district.

Countywide

Lake Braddock shuts down social media account targeting LGBTQ students

By Angela Woolsey

Published March 9, 2022 at 9:00AM

Lake Braddock Secondary School (via Google Maps)

An anonymous Instagram account that attacked LGBTQ students at Lake Braddock Secondary School in Burke has been shut down and the perpetrator identified, Principal Daniel W. Smith said in a message to the school community yesterday (Tuesday).

The now-deleted account surfaced Monday afternoon (March 7) with photos of students identified as members of the LGBTQ community and demeaning captions, screenshots show.

Countywide

Morning Notes

By Angela Woolsey

Published March 8, 2022 at 7:30AM

Deer by Vienna's Wildwood Park trail in winter (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Statewide Tornado Drill Today — As part of its annual Severe Weather Awareness Week, Virginia will hold a statewide tornado drill at 9:45 a.m. today (Tuesday). The signal will be broadcast on NOAA Weather Radio and the Emergency Alert System, but there won’t be an actual tornado warning, which would mean that a twister is imminent or already underway. [Herndon Police/Twitter]

“Coastal” Tex-Mex Restaurant Planned for Tysons — “Long Shot Hospitality, which operates seafood-centric Salt Line and New Orleans hotspot Dauphine’s, is gearing up for a new project. Chef Kyle Bailey and partners will open an 11,000-square-foot Tex-Mex restaurant at the new Capital One Center in Tysons, Virginia, next year.” [Washingtonian]

Countywide

JUST IN: FCPS seeks pause in TJ admissions changes, pending appeal

By Angela Woolsey

Published March 4, 2022 at 5:25PM

Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (via Google Maps)

Fairfax County Public Schools has asked a federal court to let its current Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology admissions process stay in place while a legal battle over the new system continues.

U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton issued an order last Friday (Feb. 25) invalidating the school system’s overhaul, calling the elimination of a standardized test and other changes intended to increase student diversity at the magnet school discriminatory against Asian Americans.

Countywide

Morning Notes

By Angela Woolsey

Published March 3, 2022 at 7:30AM | Updated July 5, 2022 at 6:35PM

Townhouses on Lake Audubon in Reston (photo by Marjorie Copson)

Man Charged With Assault on Police Officer — “Yesterday, Michael Vaughn, 34, was charged with five felonies and two misdemeanor charges stemming from the officer-involved shooting that occurred on Feb. 15 in 8300 block of Fitt Court in Lorton. He remains held at the Adult Detention Center without bond.” [FCPD/Twitter]

FCPS to End Virtual Learning This Year — With vaccines now available for school-age children, Fairfax County Public Schools will discontinue a limited virtual program for students with medical concerns due to the pandemic. At-home instruction will only be for students with significant health risks that prevent them from attending school in-person after this academic year. [FCPS]