The Fairfax County School Board announced on May 6 that it will hold a public hearing regarding the Fiscal Year 2027 Budget on Tuesday, May 12, at 6 p.m. The board is scheduled to vote on the budget Thursday, May 21. Community members who wish to speak must register by Friday, May 8, at 4:30 p.m., with an overflow session planned for Wednesday, May 13 if needed.
The announcement of the public hearing gives families and staff an opportunity to participate in shaping school funding priorities for the upcoming year. Budget decisions impact programs and services available to students across Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS).
In other updates shared this week, FCPS Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid and Chief Information Technology Officer Gautam Sethi recently met with student journalists from every high school for a discussion about artificial intelligence in K-12 education. The event was part of an ongoing series of roundtables between division leadership and students.
Bush Hill Elementary School received national recognition as a Special Olympics National Unified Champion School for the second time this year and was named to the ESPN Honor Roll for its inclusive programming. The school hosted an unveiling ceremony attended by representatives from ESPN and Special Olympics.
May is also recognized as Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week within FCPS. Dr. Reid invited community members to view her video message thanking teachers and staff for their work supporting students: “Thank you for tailoring support to every student.” Stories highlighted included educators like Jason Ericson at Dogwood Elementary using partnerships to expand opportunities for students, Emmeline Mejia building clinic partnerships at Justice High School so more students could try out sports, Andrea Edmonson being honored as an outstanding teacher last year, Pam Lieber’s decades-long service as an instructional assistant at Kings Park Elementary School, Wayne Wyatt teaching real-world social skills at Falls Church High School after his corporate career, and Tracey Wynne’s communications work earning her recognition among nonschool-based employees.
Additional announcements covered required immunizations for rising seventh- and twelfth-grade students ahead of next fall; free immunization events offered through partnerships with Inspire Health Alliance; landscaping innovations such as using lambs instead of lawn mowers at Rolling Valley Elementary; arts opportunities including high school theater reviews published through Cappies; financial reporting awards received by FCPS from national organizations; open nominations for the Dr. Lawrence Bussey Memorial Equity Award recognizing efforts toward educational equity; calendar reminders about early release days in several elementary pyramids; information about upcoming school board meetings; details about $700 scholarships available through Adult & Community Education’s veterinary assistant program starting June 13 in Springfield.
Looking forward, FCPS encourages families to stay engaged with budget discussions and district events throughout spring.
