FCPS Superintendent Brabrand announces departure

Brabrand

Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Scott Brabrand announced July 15 that he will be leaving FCPS at the end of the 2021-22 school year when his contract expires.

Brabrand, a career changer who was inspired by doing volunteer work in the schools, began his career in FCPS as a social studies teacher in 1994. He also served as an assistant principal at Herndon High School and an associate principal at Lake Braddock Secondary School before becoming principal at Fairfax High School in 2005.

In 2009, he was promoted to cluster assistant superintendent, where he was responsible for 29 schools and more than 22,000 students. Before being named superintendent at FCPS in 2017, Brabrand spent five years as superintendent of Lynchburg City Schools.

Brabrand noted several accomplishments during his tenure, including securing fully funded budgets before the pandemic, embedding an equity focus throughout FCPS, broadening access to Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, and supporting a collaborative culture within the school system.

He also oversaw a rocky start to distance learning when school buildings closed at the start of the pandemic. Issues surrounding the reopening of schools during the pandemic and changing the admissions policy at TJ also led to conflict within the community.

In his nearly 30 years with FCPS, Brabrand says he has been dedicated to “serving every child by name and by need” and promoting a philosophy of putting people first – students, staff, families, and the broader Fairfax community.

Brabrand will continue to serve as superintendent through June 2022 and will work with the Fairfax County School Board to lay the groundwork for a smooth transition in leadership at the end of his term.

The school board will immediately begin the process of finding a new division superintendent. Community members will have opportunities to participate in the process.

Related story: FCPS to offer limited virtual instruction in the fall

During the next school year, Brabrand says, “I pledge to continue to serve with the same love and passion for FCPS that I had when I started. In the best of times and in the worst of times, I have always strived to lead with a steady hand and a full heart.”

“My colleagues and I are extremely grateful for Dr. Brabrand’s unwavering commitment to FCPS students, staff, and families,” said School Board Chair Ricardy Anderson (Mason). “We look forward to our continued collaboration toward the goal of returning all students to school safely for five days in the fall and providing every child the instructional and social-emotional services they need this coming school year.”