Early January Updates
Dear Providence District Families,
The School Board is back to work on a number of important topics. Just five business days into the new year and we have already held nearly twenty hours of public meetings and hearings on topics ranging from Return to School and capacity concerns to the new budget and Capital Improvement Program. This newsletter includes important updates on the following issues:
- Return to School
- Proposed Dunn Loring Elementary School
- Vaccinating of School Personnel
- Blake Lane/Hibbard Street Safety Improvement Meeting
- McLean Roof/Turf Field Replacements
- New Communications and Community Relations Leadership
- Open Enrollment for Dual Language Immersion Programs
- Countywide Collaborative Choir Concert
- Marshall Virtual Financial Literacy Night
- Upcoming School Board Meetings
In addition to updating you on these important issues, I would like to welcome my new staff aide, Jaclyn Marmol, to the team! A longtime Providence District resident and graduate of Fairfax County Public Schools, Jaclyn’s background in advocacy and cultural engagement will be a major benefit to the community we serve.
Thank you for your continued emails and calls. Hearing your comments, questions and concerns has been invaluable to my work on the School Board, especially during this unprecedented time. I encourage you to share this email with friends and neighbors who may find it informative.
 Karl Frisch
Providence District Representative
Fairfax County School Board
Return to School Update
At this week’s School Board work session, Superintendent Scott Brabrand presented a Return to School update (VIDEO / PRESENTATION) and heard concerns from board members, principals, and teachers about his current plan to bring students and staff back into school buildings as alarming public health indicators persist. Dr. Brabrand indicated the school division will continue to pause the plan to bring students and staff back for in-person instruction, schools will continue to follow current bell schedules, and he and the leadership team will provide another update on the plan to Return to School at the School Board’s February 2 work session – or sooner if circumstances allow.
Board Approves Proposal for Dunn Loring Elementary School
This week, the School Board approved my proposal to repurpose Dunn Loring Administration Center as a new elementary school, complete with a $36.8 million renovation. Paid for with existing bond funds, the endeavor will provide capacity relief for Shrevewood Elementary School and the broader Dunn Loring, Falls Church, and Tysons communities – areas where overcrowding has been a persistent challenge. I am grateful to the many parents and school staff who have shared their capacity concerns with me over the past year. If not for their persistent advocacy and willingness to think outside of the box, this would not have been possible. [ADDITIONAL DETAILS]
Prioritizing Vaccinations for School Personnel
At Monday’s work session, I encouraged my colleagues to expedite the consideration of Karen Corbett Sanders’ resolution calling on the Governor to prioritize COVID-19 vaccinations for school personnel, which was initially scheduled for a vote near week’s end. The Board took up the issue, seconded by Melanie Meren, and approved it unanimously. Later in the week, the Governor announced that school staff, among others, will be included in group 1B for vaccinations. [ADDITIONAL DETAILS]
Blake Lane / Hibbard Street Intersection Safety Meeting
On January 12 at 7pm ET, Providence District Supervisor Dalia Palchik is hosting a public meeting with Fairfax County Department of Transportation staff, Virginia Department of Transportation staff, and the Fair Oaks District Police Station to discuss safety improvements for the Blake Lane and Hibbard Street intersection. Attendees can join using Facebook Live or on Zoom. Questions can be submitted by email to Providence@fairfaxcounty.gov. [ADDITIONAL DETAILS]
New Communications and Community Relations Leadership
Superintendent Brabrand has named Helen Lloyd, who currently serves as the Executive Director of Communications for Alexandria City Public Schools, as the school division’s new executive director of the Office of Communication and Community Relations (OCCR), effective February 1. [ADDITIONAL DETAILS]
Open Enrollment for Dual Language Immersion Programs
Online registration for the countywide lottery for FCPS dual language immersion (DLI) programs will open on Monday, January 25. In the DLI program, students spend approximately half of each day learning in English and a partner language. Mathematics, science, and health, as well as a portion of language arts, are taught in the partner language, while social studies, English language arts, and the family life education portion of health are taught in English.
Applications must be submitted by 4 p.m. on Thursday, February 18, for the first grade DLI program and Thursday, March 11, for the kindergarten DLI program. Families will be notified of lottery outcomes by email on March 3 for the first-grade immersion programs and on March 22, for the kindergarten program. [ADDITIONAL DETAILS]
Nearly $1 Million Approved for McLean Roof and Turf Field Replacements
Yesterday, the School Board approved nearly $1 million in contracts for roof and turf field replacements at McLean High School. These critical improvements will help McLean continue offering world-class educational and athletic opportunities for our students as the school division and community work to address ongoing capacity needs. The existing synthetic turf stadium field was installed in 2012 while the most recent roof replacement was completed in 1997. [ADDITIONAL DETAILS]
FCPS Collaborative Choral Concert
Choral teachers have put together a virtual choral concert and presentation involving 350 middle and high school students from 37 schools across Fairfax County. The concert and presentation of student work will air at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, January 27 on the following cable channels: Red Apple 21, Channel 25, and Channel 99 (Cox, Verizon, and Comcast). It will also be streamed live online.
Marshall High School Hosts Virtual Financial Literacy Night
Marshall High School’s National Business Honor Society (NBHS) hosted a virtual Financial Literacy Night for students facilitated by Apple Federal Credit Union (AFCU). The presentation focused on the capstones to financial freedom: budgeting, saving, and leveraging credit. Students learned tips on how to take control of their finances and the differences between credit unions and banks, not-for-profits, cooperatives, and stockholders. They also learned the importance of the comparing credit card interest rates, building credit history, and maintaining credit scores. [ADDITIONAL DETAILS]
Upcoming School Board Meetings
- Tuesday, January 12, 4:00 - 7:00 p.m. EST - Work Session
- Tuesday, January 19, 11:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. EST - Work Session
- Thursday, January 21, 7:00 p.m. EST - Regular Meeting
- Tuesday, January 26, 6:00 p.m. EST - Public Budget Hearing
- Wednesday, January 27, 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. - Budget Work Session
Meeting agendas, handouts, and video streaming access can be found on BoardDocs. Meetings are broadcast on Channel 99 (Cox, Comcast) or 11 (Verizon), and streamed live online. Recordings of meetings are archived on the FCPS YouTube channel.
The views contained within this newsletter reflect the views of the individual school board member who is the publisher of this newsletter and may not reflect the views of the Fairfax County School Board.
© 2020 Fairfax County Public Schools, Fairfax County, Virginia
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