July 22, 2026
Covering Annandale, Bailey's Crossroads, Lincolnia, and Seven Corners in Fairfax County, Virginia

Tag: education

Fairfax County school officials provide more details on return-to-school alternatives

#Annandale, #Brabrand, #coronavirus, #education, #health, #school board
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An FCPS town hall with (from the left) Manager of School Health Services Lorraine Trouton, Superindent Scott Brabrand, and Assistant Superintendent Jeffrey Platenburg.  Fairfax County Public School officials have provided more information on options for the 2020-21 school year.    The following information is from two recent virtual town halls – a session on June 17 … Continued

A call to action from the TJ principal

#education, #schools
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The principal of Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, Ann Bonitatibus, acknowledges there are significant issues that need to be addressed. The following excerpt is from an email Bonitatibus sent to TJ families. It was published in the Connection on June 9.  “I would like to simultaneously call the TJ community to action in three … Continued

School news: Celebrating achievement

#Anderson, #Annandale, #education, #Mason District, #schools

Students and teachers in Mason District have been accomplishing great things. The following news briefs are from Fairfax County School Board member Ricardy Anderson’s (Mason) newsletter to the community.  Environmentally conscious schools – Belvedere Elementary School and Beech Tree Elementary School have received Eco-Schools Awards. The Eco-Schools program improves student academic achievement, contributes to financial savings through … Continued

FCPS outlines plan for summer programs

#Annandale, #coronavirus, #education, #health, #schools

A message from Camelot Elementary School in Annandale. Schools will continue distance learning for students during the summer along with targeted intervention services, according to an update from Fairfax County Public Schools. School buildings will remain closed in July.  No decisions have been made about the 2020-21 school year, although several scenarios are being considered. Special … Continued

FCPS weighs options for fall and for graduation

#Annandale, #coronavirus, #education, #health, #school board, #schools

Signs like these are cropping up all over.  The Fairfax County School Board reviewed three possible scenarios for the 2020-21 school year at a May 11 work session.  Meanwhile, a state-level COVID-19 Education Task Force plans to issue policy guidance in June on the conditions for reopening schools.   The three possibilities considered for fall 2020 … Continued

Fairfax County superintendent considers plan for reopening schools in the fall

#Annandale, #Brabrand, #coronavirus, #education, #health, #schools
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Glasgow Middle School teachers reach out to students. Fairfax County Public Schools is looking at what to do about the fall semester – whether schools reopen but maintain social distancing, what to do if the coronavirus pandemic continues or there is a second wave, and how to provide options for families not ready to have … Continued

When it comes to distance learning, this Annandale private school gets it right

#Annandale, #children, #coronavirus, #education, #health, #schools
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A Pinecrest student participates in a Zoom session. By Nick Wakeman The headlines about distance learning have not been encouraging with Fairfax County Public Schools online classes shut down for a variety of reasons – problems logging in to security lapses to inappropriate student behavior. But there are bright spots in the county, including right … Continued

A school board member answers questions about the Blackboard failure

#Annandale, #education, #school board, #schools, #technology
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Kindergarten teachers have a message for their students. [FCPS] The failure of Blackboard Learn 24-7 as a key piece of Fairfax County Public Schools’ distance learning program has raised many questions about how it happened and what the school system is doing to move forward. School board member Rachna Sizemore Heizer (at large), who has … Continued

FCPS IT chief steps down

#Annandale, #education, #schools, #technology
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Luftglass Maribeth Luftglass has stepped down from her job as head of IT at Fairfax County Public Schools, following the school system’s disastrous experience with distance learning, several news outlets report. Luftglass had been assistant superintendent of information and technology since 1999. Chief Operating Officer Marty Smith will take over the IT department on an … Continued

FCPS to drop Blackboard Learn 24-7

#Annandale, #Brabrand, #education, #schools
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Following continued problems with distance learning technology, Fairfax County Public School Superintendent Scott Brabrand announced Monday night: “We are going to move away from Blackboard Learn 24-7 as a tool for face-to-face instruction.” After suspending distance learning last week due to problems with logging in and security, Brabrand assured the community on April 16 that … Continued

Schools and students continue to have problems with distance learning

#Annandale, #education, #schools, #technology

The login page for distance learning. Despite assurances from Fairfax County school leaders that the problems with distance learning would be fixed when students log on today, there were still glitches. “We are continuing with distance learning today despite the continuing problems we are experiencing with Blackboard Learn (FCPS 24-7),” the school system announced this … Continued