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Mason District Community,

Happy October! As we officially pass the halfway point of the first quarter, the Mason District is full of momentum and activity. This month, we proudly celebrate National School Principals Month by recognizing the dedicated leaders who guide our schools every day. Congratulations are also extended to our outstanding band and orchestra programs - several of which recently earned prestigious Program of Honor recognitions for their excellence in music education. 

In this issue, I invite your feedback on topics on which the School Board will vote next week including the Board’s legislative priorities and a proposal to roll back the device restrictions previously adopted for Pre-K and Kindergarten.

Families are urged to reach out to their child’s teachers to review your student’s academic progress and to discuss any needed support. 

There are many upcoming community meetings during which your voice can be heard, including a second session on Glasgow boundary recommendations and a presentation on the proposed Advanced Academic Program (AAP) expansion at Holmes Middle School. 

I value input from the Mason District community and will address questions or concerns via email at rjanderson@fcps.edu or by scheduling a phone call with Ms. Coffey at cmcoffey@fcps.edu.

In this issue:

Feedback Needed

2027 School Board Legislative Priorities

The School Board will vote to adopt its State and Federal Legislative Priorities which are a part of the Board’s full legislative program. The revisions address emerging issues and reflect the Board’s current policy positions.

Please share your feedback on the revised 2027 priority positions ahead of the Board’s adoption scheduled for October 8, 2026.

• State Priority Positions
• Federal Priority Positions

Pre-K / Kindergarten Tech Device Use

In July 2026, the Board voted to limit the use of devices for Pre-K and Kindergarten students. At this time, the Superintendent is requesting a rollback of those restrictions to allow limited use of Lexia for a select group of Kindergarten students requiring additional reading support for 15 minutes each day and a maximum of 75 minutes per week. This allowance would be in addition to existing Board approved exceptions for Kindergarten students who require access to and use of technology devices for Individualized Education Programs, 504 plans, translation purposes, or multilingual education support. The Superintendent’s recommendation will also provide families of Kindergarten students with an option to opt-out of Lexia use.

Please review the Superintendent's Presentation to the Board and provide your feedback prior to the Board's vote scheduled for October 8, 2026.

• Superintendent's Recommendation for Pre-K / K Tech Device Use Presentation

• VIDEO: 9/24/26 School Board Meeting [presentation and discussion begins at 52:57]

Executive Limitation #5: Financial Planning

The Strategic Plan Goals are the primary factors used by the School Board to evaluate progress and achievement in Fairfax County Public Schools, however, the Board is also responsible for monitoring the operations of the school system.

The thirteen (13) Executive Limitations reflect the School Board's guardrails for how the Superintendent is to achieve division goals. Executive Limitations serve as a measure of accountability for the Superintendent and are reviewed annually through monitoring reports to ensure compliance and progress.  

At the October 8, 2026 Regular School Board Meeting, the Board will receive the report and vote whether to approve Executive Limitation 5 (EL-5): Financial Planning.

EL-5 requires the Superintendent to establish a transparent, sustainable, and data-driven multi-year financial planning process aligned with the Strategic Plan. It ensures long-term fiscal responsibility and stakeholder engagement by mandating accurate and realistic annual budgets, five-year financial projections, timely updates on budget variances, and proactive action in securing financial resources.

I invite you to review the EL-5 Monitoring Report and share your thoughts and feedback prior to next week’s vote.

Community Meetings

Holmes Middle School AAP Expansion  In August, the Board voted to approve a public engagement plan for the expansion of Middle School AAP Centers to every FCPS middle school. The plan proposes four phases, with Holmes Middle School included in the first phase to be considered for programming in the 2027-28 school year. A community meeting is scheduled at Holmes Middle School to share information about the program. This will be an opportunity for families to learn more and have their questions answered. Interpretation services are available. Date: October 15, 2026 Time: 6:00 p.m. Location: Hybrid - Holmes Middle School or Zoom Registration: Register to attend in-person or virtually The Board is scheduled to vote on the first phase of the proposal in December 2026.

Superintendent Community Conversations

The Community Conversations with the Superintendent provide an opportunity for parents/guardians and community to share feedback and ask questions regarding activities in FCPS schools.

All of the meetings are open - however, two meetings are scheduled this month in or near the Mason District (click date to register):

• Monday, October 26, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., at Beech Tree Elementary School
• Thursday, October 29, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., at North Springfield Elementary School

Child care and interpretation services will be provided. Additional locations and registration links can be found on the Superintendent Engagement page.

October is National School Principals Month

Please join me in celebrating the incredible work of our Mason District school leaders! We are grateful for their vision, dedication, and focus in promoting the success of our students. Feel free to share a kind note with your child’s principal in recognition of this month.

Program of Honor The Virginia Band and Orchestra Directors Association (VBODA) presents the Program of Honor award to secondary music programs that demonstrate consistent excellence.  Congratulations to the following schools who received the Program of Honor recognition for the 2025-26 school year: Band Glasgow MS, Andrew Sharrock and Tamara Freeman, directors Justice HS, Brian Thomas, director Thomas Jefferson HSST, Steve Ballard, director Woodson HS, Aaron Morgan and Helen Landers, directors Orchestra Annandale HS, Annie Ray, director Edison HS, Nathi Jeerakul, director Falls Church HS, Andrew Lisowski, director Glasgow MS, Amanda Mossey and Khoa Nguyen, directors Jackson MS, Mike Klucker, director Justice HS, Cassandra Haynes, director Thomas Jefferson HSST, Allison Bailey, director Woodson HS, Devyn Wilcox, director

The Annandale HS student and parent orchestras recently performed at the School Board's meetings. Thank you to Ms. Ray and to the students and parents who shared their talents with us.

Glasgow Boundary Update

It was great to see so many community members in attendance on Monday evening at the meeting for Boundary Study #4.

Staff presented four options. SPA 5002 is the only area in the Mason District affected by any of the scenarios. You can find your SPA here - click on the second magnifying glass near the top right corner of the page and enter your address. Proposed changes include:

• Option 4A: No change to boundaries in the Mason District;
• Option 4B: Reassigns a portion of SPA 5002 from Beech Tree ES to Timber Lane ES, Glasgow MS to Jackson MS, and Justice HS to Falls Church HS;
• Option 4C: Reassigns a portion of SPA 5002 from Beech Tree ES to Graham Road ES, Glasgow MS to Jackson MS, and Justice HS to Falls Church HS;
• Option 4D: Reassigns a portion of SPA 5002 from Beech Tree ES to Timber Lane ES, Glasgow MS to Jackson MS, and Justice HS to Falls Church HS;

Elementary School Proposed Changes

This map shows the existing elementary school boundaries for the study. The portion of SPA 5002 proposed to be reassigned in scenarios 4B, 4C, and 4D is outlined and marked with a red star. 

Middle School Proposed Changes

This map shows the proposed middle school boundaries and includes a hashed area that identifies the portion of Glasgow MS (section of SPA 5002) that is west of Annandale Road that is proposed to be reassigned to Jackson MS in scenarios 4B, 4C, and 4D. 

High School Proposed Changes

This map shows the proposed high school boundaries and includes a hashed area that identifies the portion of Justice HS (section of SPA 5002) that is west of Annandale Road that is proposed to be reassigned to Falls Church HS in scenarios 4B, 4C, and 4D. 

Additional Community Meeting

A second meeting has been planned to focus specifically on the Glasgow, Beech Tree, and Belvedere portion of the larger Study #4. 

Reminder: October 5, 2026 - 6:00 p.m. - Glasgow Middle School

Register to attend October 5th: in person or virtually

The presentation to be shared at this meeting will be the same as the one presented earlier this week at Falls Church HS.

Feedback Opportunity  Presentation slides are available for review. Please pro