School news roundup – back to school edition
Middle school AAP centers – The Fairfax County School Board approved a plan on Aug. 27 to establish Advanced Academic Program centers at all middle schools along with a timeline for implementation.
The plan calls for an AAP center to be in place at Holmes Middle School beginning with grade 6 in August 2027. Community meetings will be held this fall, and a school board hearing will occur in November.
An AAP center at Poe Middle School is already being implemented. The School Board approved an AAP center at Poe last December, starting with grade 6 this year, serving students within the Poe and Holmes boundaries. It will be fully implemented by the 2028-29 school year.
Fourteen middle schools already have AAP centers, including Glasgow, Jackson, and Frost.
Related story: AAP center proposed for Poe Middle School
New principals – Three schools that serve Mason District students have new principals:
- Jessica Tippins, the former director of student services at Holmes Middle School has been named principal at Holmes.
- Laena Lee, the former principal of an elementary school in D.C., is the new principal at Braddock Elementary School.
- Edison High School’s new principal, Justin Simmons, is the former principal at South County Middle School.
SRO updates – FCPS and the Fairfax County Police Department are developing a new Memorandum of Understanding for the School Resource Officer program. The current MOU, adopted in 2018, lays out the roles and responsibilities of police officers assigned to schools and principals’ authority for maintaining discipline.
The development of a new MOU will consider the Virginia Model MOU for SROs developed by the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services and input from students, families, staff, and community members. Comments can be submitted here.
Related story: School Board limits the use of technology in the classroom
Bus ID cards – Students who ride school buses will be given identification cards to tap when boarding and exiting. The new system is designed to improve transportation operations by allowing the FCPS Office of Transportation to know which students are on which buses.
A new app to launch this fall will give parents access to real-time information about when their child boards and exits the school bus.
Security at games – Weapons security screening will be in effect this fall for spectators at varsity football games.
Under a new clear bag policy, the only bags that can be brought to football games are clear plastic, vinyl, or PVC bags no larger than 12″ x 6″ x 12″ and small clutch bags no larger than 4.5″ x 6.5″.
Global leaders – Applications are open for rising seniors interested in becoming Fellows in the Global Leaders of Fairfax County program for the 2026–27 school year. Fellows develop projects that address the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in their own community and participate in leadership workshops.
2Twenty Club honored – The School Board approved a proclamation at its Aug. 25 meeting honoring the nonprofit 2Twenty Club for “its outstanding service, steadfast partnership, and nearly two decades of dedication to improving the lives of Fairfax County Public Schools students and families through compassion, volunteerism, and the spirit of community.”
Each month, about 50 2Twenty volunteers purchase and pack shelf-stable food packages to ensure that students have food for the weekend.
The group delivers the packages to 13 Title I schools, including Annandale Terrace, Bailey’s, Bailey’s Upper, Braddock, Bren Mar Park, and Woodburn elementary schools and Poe Middle School.
Related story: Proceeds from the Taste of Annandale help the 2Twenty Club provide meals for students
College readiness – Viri Acosta, the college and career specialist at Annandale High School, was named FCPS College and Career Specialist of the Year. Acosta has expanded college visits and field trips for underclassmen, while attendance at Junior Night doubled from the previous year.
“Viri consistently goes above and beyond to ensure our students and families have the information, support, and opportunities they need for college, career, and life readiness,” said Principal Shawn DeRose.
A new sport – FCPS is launching a volleyball program at middle schools this winter. The program builds on the success of the middle school track and cross country program. Other sports under consideration for future years include soccer and flag football.
Early release days – The number of early release Wednesdays for elementary schools has been reduced from eight to four this year.
Early release days are Oct. 21, Dec. 2, Feb. 10, and May 5 for schools in the Justice pyramid.
For schools in the Annandale, Edison, Falls Church, and Woodson pyramids, the early release days are Sept. 30, Nov. 18, Jan. 13, and April 7.
Related story: School news roundup – July 2026