School news roundup – March 2026

The following news items highlight student achievements and issues affecting Annandale/Mason District area schools.

Deepfake crackdown – The Fairfax County School Board is considering updates to its Student Rights and Responsibilities document that would set clear consequences for students who create or share intimate images of their peers and staff, including digitally altered “deepfakes” and images generated by AI.

The proposed discipline policy responds to the trend of online bullying involving fake images of nude students shared on social media.   

Violators would face suspension of up to five days, referral to the superintendent, parent notification, a Title IX review, and an intervention lesson.

Star athletes – Annandale High School student Jeremiah Nelson was the first-place winner in the high jump at the Virginia High School League’s Indoor Track Championship with a jump of 6’6″ at Virginia Beach on March 2.

AHS wrestler Darling Saravia earned a second consecutive regional title in the 145-pound weight class and finished state runner-up at the VHSL state wrestling championships on Feb. 25.

A young orator – Spriha Mohanty, a student at Luther Jackson Middle School, is the third-place winner in the age 12-14 division in the National Park Service Frederick Douglass Oratorical Contest. The competition requires students to perform part of a Douglass speech learned from memory.

A new AAP Center – The School Board will hold a public hearing on March 19 on a proposal to establish a new Advanced Academic Program center at North Springfield Elementary School. The School Board will vote on the proposal on March 26.

The recommendation identifies the following elementary schools from which eligible AAP students will be routed to North Springfield: 

• Annandale Terrace, Braddock, and North Springfield. This will eliminate routing eligible students to Canterbury Woods which is outside the Annandale pyramid and does not align with the grade 6-8 configuration at Poe Middle School.  
• Columbia, Mason Crest, and Weyanoke. This would foster more intact student cohorts. General education and AAP center-based students from these schools are assigned to Poe or Holmes middle schools. 

The center would serve grade 3 in the 2026-27 school year, grades 3-4 in 2027-28, and grades 3-5 in 2028-29.  

Ambulance simulator – Claude Moore Scholars has donated an ambulance simulator to the EMT class at the Falls Church Academy. The device, developed by Simulator Solutions, has lights, suction and airway hook-ups, cameras for observation of skills, and hydraulic action to simulate the movement of an ambulance in transit.

Fine arts recognition – Both the Virginia Senate and House of Delegates have passed legislation (HB 478) directing the Board of Education to establish a diploma seal for excellence in the fine arts. Students could earn the diploma seal for completing a sequence of courses with a specified cumulative grade point average.

It also requires the board to add the diploma seal to its list of industry-recognized workforce credentials.

The bill was proposed by Annandale High School music teacher Annie Ray and was introduced by Del. Vivian Watts (D-Annandale).

Magnet school applications – Three FCPS elementary schools, including Bailey’s Primary and Bailey’s Upper are Magnet Schools for Science, Technology, and the Arts. Registration for the magnet school lottery is open through March 27, 4 p.m. Learn more here.

Summer sports camps – Annandale High School coaches are leading the following sports camps this summer for elementary and middle school students:

• Olympics Camp – June 22-26.
• Wrestling Camp – July 6-10.
• Boys and Girls Basketball Camp – July 20-24.
• Baseball Skills camp – Aug. 10-14.

Learn more here.

Related story: School board approves buses for students affected by boundary changes

A winning communications strategy – Westlawn Elementary School received the Best in Show award at the FCPS Office of Communications’ annual conference.

Westlawn’s Technology Specialist Alanna Dushok was honored for creating excellent websites, newsletters, and social media content that inform and engage readers. The school’s Instagram account shares stories about students’ daily experiences, and its Facebook page acts as a central hub of information for parents.

Peacemakers – Recipients of the FCPS 2026 Peace Awards include the following students and projects from schools in the Annandale/Mason District area.

Gabriella Henriquez, Falls Church High School, co-founded the Hispanic Youth Initiative a student-led organization that enlists volunteers from high schools across the county to promote STEM education for underrepresented communities. The club launched a STEM club at Mason Crest Elementary School, sponsored a science tutoring program for fifth graders at Westlawn Elementary School, and collaborated with other organizations to sponsor a computer science/STEAM Fair at Braddock Elementary.

The Verdict, Justice High School’s newspaper, was honored for providing a platform for student voices. Students in Mark Gaffen’s journalism class and the after-school Verdict Club contributed stories about sports betting, teen pregnancy, and students’ traumatic interactions with ICE.

Lily Rumpf, president of the National Business Honor Society at Annandale High School, introduced a service component to the club, created presentations covering the basics of finance for high school students, and tutored students in the Atoms Writing Center.

Culinary creativity – A team from Luther Jackson Middle School won third place in the lunch category at the Real Food for Kids Culinary Challenge. Their winning entry was Zesty, Zingy, Zen Bites over Rice, Crunchy Cukes, and Pearls of Sunshine.

Mulch Madness – The Annandale High School PTSA’s annual mulch sale is underway. Orders are due April 4. Cedar Valley Premium Double Shredded Hardwood Mulch is available for $5.50 a bag if picked up or $6.50 a bag if delivered. Mulch can be picked up at the school on April 11, 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m. The mulch sale supports the All-Night Grad Party.

Young Person of the Year – Annandale High School student Anthony Nguyen was named Young Person of the Year at the Best of Braddock Awards hosted by Braddock Supervisor Rachna Sizemore Heizer and the Braddock District Council.

“Anthony is not only a model student leader at Annandale High School, but also a talented photographer, entrepreneur, and athlete,” said Sizemore Heizer.

He uses his creative skill as a photographer to document special moments at school events, and is a dedicated member of the AHS news show. His Student Leadership teacher calls him “reliable, kind, dedicated, and committed to supporting the success of Annandale High School.”

Plant sale – The Sleepy Hollow Elementary School PTA is holding a plant sale fundraiser. They’ve got petunias, marigolds, geraniums, begonias, other annual flowers, herbs, and tomatoes. Order here by April 5. Pick up the plants at the school on April 25 or have them delivered for $12.