School news
Social media threats – FCPS is partnering with the Fairfax County Police Department’s Threat Assessment Management Unit to investigate fake social media threats directed to schools.
“We will work quickly to identify those who make these threats,” FCPS states. “If identified, these individuals face serious consequences including the very real possibility of criminal charges. What may be regarded as a joke can damage a young person’s future.”
FCPS urges parents to have conversations with students about making good decisions around the use of social media. Parents should find out what social media accounts they have and what they are posting, especially on Snapchat, TikTok, and Instagram.
Anyone with information about a threat is urged to contact the FCPS Tipline at 571-423-2020 or send a text to 888-777 with the keywords Tip FCPS. The recipient will not be able to see your name or phone number.
Student leaders – Justice High School student Sergio Escalier is one of 12 outstanding students selected to participate in the School Board’s Student Leadership Development Program.
This program gives students an opportunity to learn about local government operations, develop leadership skills, and participate in advisory committees.
Parent education – Glasgow Middle School is hosting a program for parents in Spanish on the U.S. public education system presented by Edu-Futuro. There will be seven sessions on Thursday evenings starting Jan. 9. A free light dinner and childcare will be provided.
Grants for schools – Educate Fairfax awarded 107 grants totaling over $180,000 to 100 FCPS schools, including 13 in the Annandale/Mason District area.
The grants “celebrate the ingenuity and commitment of educators, recognizing their dedication to creating meaningful, equitable, and innovative learning experiences.”
Funded projects include the following:
- Beech Tree Elementary School – Ozobots for All – Students engaged in hands-on coding and robotics activities that foster creativity and collaboration.
- Columbia Elementary School – Building Bridges – Educators used Lego Education resources to enrich language learning.
- Holmes Middle School – Stories in Harmony – Students connected their personal history and cultural stories through music improvisation.
- Annandale High School – Launching Careers Through NOVA – Students visited several Northern Virginia Community College campuses to get hands-on experience in various technical fields.
Belvedere, Bren Mar Park, Glen Forest, Parklawn, Sleepy Hollow, Westlawn, and Woodburn elementary schools; Glasgow Middle School; and Falls Church High School also received Educate Fairfax grants.
Wee Play – Annandale Terrace Elementary School invites parents, caregivers, and their young children to enroll in a free weekly 90-minute playgroup beginning Jan. 9. The Wee Play program is for children – from birth to age 5 – who are not already enrolled in an early education program.
Activities include exploring toys and materials, singing songs, hearing stories, playing games, and parent discussions. Sessions are Thursday mornings through the end of May.
Winter baseball – Students in kindergarten through the eighth grade are invited to participate in an indoor baseball camp at Annandale High School on Sundays, 9:30-11 a.m.
The program runs from Jan. 12 to Feb. 16. Kids can sign up for one session or all five. The program is conducted by Atoms coaches and players. Register here.
Language lottery – Registration for the Dual Language Immersion Program opens on Jan. 13. The program offers French, German, Japanese, Korean, and Spanish.
Current pre-K students may apply for the kindergarten immersion program for the 2025-26 school year. Current kindergartners may apply for the first-grade immersion program.
Visit this page for more information, including application procedures, deadlines, and a list of upcoming parent meetings.
Go clubs – Four schools, including two in Annandale – Canterbury Woods Elementary School and Wakefield Forest Elementary School – are launching Go clubs in partnership with the American Go Association, School Board member Ilryong Moon (at large), an avid Go player, announced.
Go is a 4,000-year-old strategy game invented in China. The game helps players develop critical thinking, problem-solving, teamwork, and math skills.
Bake for Good – Seventh-graders taking Family and Consumer Sciences at Luther Jackson Middle School baked bread for the community.
The sponsor of the Bake for Good program, the King Arthur Baking Co., sent their teacher bread-making kits and a professional baker to explain the science behind baking. Students took the kits home to bake two loaves – one for their family and one for the school’s food pantry.
New boosters – Justice High School parents started a Publications Boosters Club to provide extra support to students working on the Verdict newspaper, the Justice yearbook, and the literary magazine. The group is accepting check donations dropped off in the main office, payable to JHS Publications Boosters.
Afterschool clubs – Belvedere Elementary School offers an extensive list of afterschool clubs. Spots are still available for the soccer, violin, running, basketball, tennis, archery, yoga, ceramics, and dance clubs. ISTEAM, chess, and drama have sold out.
The weekly sessions run from Jan. 13 to March 21. Scholarships are available to students eligible for free meals. Parents who volunteer will get a free class for the next session.
