A County of 186,785 Students
Welcome to the 2014-15 school year. The start of a new school year is always an exciting time for students, parents, and educators. Our dedicated staff has been working hard to prepare for another school year that builds on our tradition of excellence at Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS).
Removing Barriers to College
Local services help students complete college paperwork, remove barriers.
LaQuita King relocated across the state from Chesapeake, Va., to Alexandria in the summer of 2013, moving into an apartment with her aunt and three cousins. King had just graduated from high school and was looking forward to taking classes at Northern Virginia Community College. So far, that hasn’t happened.
Hosting Safetypalooza
Boy Scouts, professionals teach children how to avoid trouble.
Thanks to 15-year-old Boy Scout Alex Battani, several local children know more about bike, bus and fire safety, as well as avoiding strangers. A rising junior at Westfield High, he put on a Safetypalooza at the Sully District Police Station. Also participating was police Crime Prevention Specialist Tara Gerhard, with that station, plus firefighters from the Springfield District Station and members of the Blue Suit Pacers Cycling Team.
Behind the Scenes at ‘Shrek the Musical.’
When audiences enjoy The Alliance Theatre’s Summer Stars show, “Shrek the Musical,” it won’t just be because of the acting and storyline, but also because of all the work that goes on behind the scenes.
RRMS Science Team Wins Grant
A team of four seventh graders from Rocky Run Middle School in Chantilly — Ravi Dudhagra, Diego Gutierrez, Rishabh Krishnan, and Adityasai Koneru — won a STEM-in-Action grant worth up to $5,000 in the U.S. Army Educational Outreach Program’s eCYBERMISSION
‘Thank You to Everyone Who Believed in Me’
Mountain View High holds spring graduation
At the start of Mountain View High’s June 17 graduation ceremony at Centreville High, Principal Dave Jagels told his students how honored and privileged he felt “to be the principal of one of the best schools in Fairfax County.”
Starting A Tradition
On Tuesday, June 24, Union Mill Elementary held its first Outdoor Opening to the school day.
Jagels: ‘Go Lead a Life of Inspiration’
Principal offers words of wisdom to the graduates.
When students first come to Mountain View, they often tell Principal Dave Jagels that they “hope” to graduate. But hoping, alone, won’t make it happen. Hope, he told his school’s almost-graduates, is a function of struggle.
Full-Day Mondays Start in September
Teachers promised planning time.
Full-day Mondays for all. After 40 years, Fairfax County Public Schools will give all elementary students "full Mondays" for more learning time — and more recess. During a School Board meeting Thursday, June 26, Superintendent Karen Garza said Mondays were cut in half for elementary students since 1972. "While not everyone tonight will embrace the change, we will engage the stakeholders," she told the board.
‘Greatest Generation’ Visits Rocky Run Middle School
Students hear first-hand accounts from WWII veterans on D-Day festival.
Students at Rocky Run Middle School received the greatest history lesson on D-Day: first-hand accounts from the men and women who served in World War II. The “greatest generation” officers visited the school for an all-day festival where seventh graders got to hear eyewitness accounts of what happened during the war from the men and women who served there. First-hand accounts included recollections from being enemy prisoners, successful missions, air raids, and special operations. Students had the opportunity to sit down with the veterans and interview them individually. Interviews were conducted all day in the cafeteria as well as the media room.
Third Place in World Finals
The seventh grade Nysmith Odyssey of the Mind team traveled to the Odyssey of the Mind World Finals in Ames, Iowa, recently and took home the trophy for third place in the world.
Trophies and Cookies
CHS wins its eighth economic state championship
Sure, a school might win the state championship in economics one or two times — but Chantilly High recently won it for the eighth time.
Letter: Later Start Times Can Benefit Community
To the Editor: To set the record straight, there is nothing worse for traffic than a car crash, and sleepy teen drivers are like drunk drivers in terms of performance behind the wheel. Later high school start times are safer for teens and also for the rest of us as they have been shown to significantly decrease car crashes in young drivers.
Why Education Needs Its Foundation
More than 100 business leaders attend luncheon.
Approximately 33 percent of Fairfax County Public Schools kindergartners are living in poverty.