Upcoming Community Meetings I’m Hosting:
Education Town Hall, Monday, November 17, 7:00-8:00pm at North County Governmental Center, Reston
Hunter Mill Supervisor Walter Alcorn and I are hosting a Hunter Mill Education Town Hall on Monday, November 17 at 7pm at the North County Governmental Center in Reston. It will be an open forum to discuss what’s on your mind regarding Fairfax County Public Schools, including but not limited to school funding, county and school budgets, and pedestrian safety improvements. The address is 1801 Cameron Glen Drive in Reston. I hope to see you there!
Community Boundary Conversation on Tuesday, November 18, 6:00-7:00pm at South Lakes High School for select areas of Hunter Mill
I am hosting a boundary review community conversation on Tuesday, November 18, from 6:00-7:00pm, in the South Lakes High School cafeteria. Please register here.
The focus will be on communities currently connected to Carson Middle Middle School and surrounding areas - this is the western part of the Hunter Mill district I represent. The goal is to convene residents to provide input about the Scenario 4 options. Generally, this includes residents currently boundaried to these schools:
- Fox Mill Elementary School
- Crossfield Elementary School
Note that boundaries for the new Western High School are not being considered as part of this county-wide review of boundaries. The Superintendent will return to developing boundaries for Western HS in the spring, after the School Board has voted publicly on comprehensive changes, scheduled for January 22, 2026.
I am eager to confirm my understanding of the advocacy I’ve heard, and hear further from residents. Your participation will help inform my decision-making. If interested in attending, please register at this link.
School Board Work on November 12 and 13
On November 12, the School Board deliberated publicly about priorities in our work:
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Budget development for the forthcoming fiscal year (FY) 2026. I spoke particularly about how the Superintendent must present the School Board with analysis and recommendations on the most effective instructional investments that are widely available to our students. Meeting materials are here.
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Legislative advocacy preparations for the upcoming Virginia General Assembly Legislative Session beginning in January, and on-going Federal advocacy. This includes discussing specific actions and materials the Board wants to have, including developing language for legislation and funding. Meeting materials are here.
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Boundary review process update including hearing from the Superintendent her proposed plans for opening Western High School. Meeting materials are here.
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Public Hearing to name the new Western High School. Information is here.
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Public School Board vote on the programming of Western High School. The recommendation to the Board is that the Board approve Western High School be a comprehensive high school with traditional boundaries, that includes a special programming pathway option. Information is here.
Empowering One Another at the Community Engagement Summit
The Community Engagement Summit I hosted on November 5 brought together residents from across Hunter Mill and even the whole county. I was thrilled to have a full room of constituents in the Louise Archer ES cafeteria! Residents learned about how decisions are made and by whom in state and local governments; heard updates about school funding and facilities, and learned about ways to get further involved.
I encourage our community to continue advocating to our state and local government to provide the funds and resources so students receive a world-class education, and Fairfax County tax payers receive the benefits of having an exemplary public school system. Here is the link to the slideshow presentation that summarizes who is involved in decision-making about school funding, and the status of funding for FCPS.
Now, I ask you to do just one thing: share this knowledge with your friends and neighbors!
Here are some ideas:
- Talk about school funding with people you know
- Ask your PTA/PTO/PTSA to schedule time at an upcoming meeting to share and discuss this information
- Help get this information into a newsletter or news source you’re affiliated with - PTA/PTO/PTSA; Home Owners Association; faith based institution; sports organization - school funding impacts everyone!
In January 2026, I’ll ask you to do a different “one thing”: advocate to state elected officials.
In early January, on a Saturday, the Fairfax County delegation of the General Assembly will hold a public hearing at the Fairfax County Government Center, before traveling to Richmond for the legislative session that continues into February. This is a convenient and impactful opportunity to speak to dozens of elected officials in the Virginia House of Delegates and Senate all at once, and join fellow residents in advocating! Even if you don’t speak publicly, showing up in the room to support others really matters!
I will send information to help you show up and speak up for public education! The session is likely on Saturday, January 10, and would begin in the morning (9am), and continue for several hours (until after 12pm). You don’t need to be there for the whole day, but stay tuned for more information about when to show up.
The best way we can support our schools is to get the $1 billion from Virginia that we need to fund education in Fairfax County and remove the burden from we local residents.
Thank you for Showing and and Speaking up during Vienna-area Boundary Meeting
Finally, I want to thank our community members who attended Monday's northeastern Vienna-area school boundary meeting at Wolftrap Elementary School. People showed respect and empathy throughout the event, and I appreciate their advocacy. I’m grateful for and proud of my community! I pledge to continue meeting with FCPS families and constituents to hear thoughts and understand concerns. These dialogues are very helpful to me as I seek to best represent the Hunter Mill community.
Contacting Me
I prioritize responses to Hunter Mill constituents, so please be sure to identify yourself as such if you contact me. If you are unsure of your county magisterial district, you can look that information up here.
To contact me, it is most helpful to please use the official School Board contact form via my website (click "Submit a Question"). This form prioritizes emails to me from constituents, and helps me track communication so I can be sure you receive a response. Thank you for your cooperation.
Best,
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The views contained within this newsletter reflect the views of the individual school board member who is the publisher of this newsletter and may not reflect the views of the Fairfax County School Board.
© Fairfax County Public Schools, Fairfax County, Virginia
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