Falls Church City Public Schools

Falls Church School Board Regular Meeting - May 12, 2026

A big night in Falls Church City — the School Board's May meeting packed more than four hours of consequential decisions, honest conversation, and community celebration into one session. It opened the way the best meetings should: honoring the people who make FCCPS work every day. Four staff members were recognized as Employees of the Year, with tributes that were equal parts heartfelt and hilarious. Brannon McLaughlin of Jessie Thackrey Preschool — dubbed the school's "sticker queen" and "resident life coach" — was named Academic Support Staff of the Year. Roberto Fuentes, the quietly dependable custodian who "was trying to hide out in the back," took Operations Support Staff of the Year. Josh Singer, the IB Diploma Coordinator who keeps Meridian's "IB world spinning on its axis," was named Professional Specialist of the Year. And Kieran Shakeshaft, the Henderson history teacher known for showing up to class in full Black Death regalia, earned the Teacher of the Year award — with one board member's son summing it up simply: "Obviously he won. He's the GOAT." From there, the board dug into its full agenda. Dr. Jennifer Santiago delivered the district's equity and belonging report, including a candid discussion of achievement gaps, the new racial accountability framework, and the power of school-based equity teams. Chief Operating Officer Alicia Prince walked the board through the results of a long-overdue transportation audit — and fielded sharp questions about walk zones, bus safety, propane versus electric buses, and what it actually means to enforce a one-mile standard in a 2.2-square-mile city. Then came the main event: the adoption of the FY2027 budget. After months of community input and a new collaborative process with City Council, the board voted to approve the operating, food services, and community services budgets — with Chair Tysse calling it a budget they could all be proud of. The meeting closed with forward-looking work on AI: a data-rich presentation on where FCCPS teachers actually stand on AI readiness, followed by Dr. Dade sharing what students themselves said in their own research and town halls. Spoiler: they think Turnitin is broken, they see AI as an equity issue, and they unanimously agree that using it on summatives is cheating. Falls Church City Public Schools | fccps.org

Falls Church City Public Schools | School Board Special Meeting | May 5, 2025

The FCCPS School Board convened a special meeting on May 5, 2025 to discuss the FY27 budget in light of new information from the Falls Church City Council's budget markup the previous evening. Board Chair Kathleen Tysse opened the meeting with positive news: the city's transfer to FCCPS is expected to increase by approximately $350,000, and the longstanding revenue-sharing agreement between the school district and city government appears likely to hold for this budget cycle. Superintendent Terry Dade and Chief Financial Officer Alicia Prince presented staff recommendations for allocating the additional funds across two categories: $180,000 — Maintenance of Effort: Addressing rising costs including health insurance (budgeted at 10%, came in at 13%), escalating fuel costs for school buses, and contractual increases. $174,000 — Facilities Improvement Contingency Fund: Originally designated for the Capital Improvement Plan, this funding will be held in reserve to respond to findings from an upcoming Facilities Condition Assessment (FCA). The assessment is currently out to bid, with building evaluations planned for this summer and results expected by approximately October 1. Board members also received an update on the Meridian High School concession stand renovation, which is under contract and set to be completed by November 1. The Board will hold a public comment period before a final budget vote, currently scheduled for Tuesday, May 12, following the City Council's formal transfer vote on May 11.

FCCPS School Board Work Session | April 28, 2026

Note: Audio distortion affects the first five minutes of this episode. The remainder of the session is clear. Artificial intelligence took center stage at Tuesday's FCCPS School Board work session — and the community showed up ready for the conversation. The FCCPS AI Advisory Committee, led by Chair John Black, delivered a months-in-the-making framework for how the district should approach AI governance: not a blanket ban, not uncritical adoption, but a thoughtful policy architecture that governs how AI is used — not just which tools are permitted. The board then heard from five advisory committees, each bringing a distinct community lens. The Special Education Advisory Committee drew a clear line: AI must never be used to generate IEPs or 504 plans or influence eligibility decisions — while affirming its real potential as an assistive and instructional tool for neurodivergent learners. The Advanced Academics committee raised concerns about cognitive offloading, AI hallucinations, and automated grading. The Business and Education, Health and Wellness, and ESOL committees each weighed in with perspectives that, despite coming from very different places, landed in remarkably similar territory: human-centered learning, AI as supplement not substitute, and teachers who are genuinely prepared to lead the way. The second half of the session turned to cell phone policy implementation at Meridian High School, with Principal Peter Laub presenting two options for next school year and sharing ground-level observations that suggest the cultural shift is already taking hold.

Falls Church School Board Regular Meeting - April 14, 2026

Key topics from the meeting included the Fiscal Year 2027 budget, the city's revenue-sharing agreement, and the adoption of new policies on student electronic devices and staff evaluations. Meeting Highlights: * FY27 Budget Update: The Board discussed concerns regarding the city's potential shift away from the long-standing revenue-sharing agreement and the impact on funding for specialized student needs, such as special education and mental health services. * Policy Adoptions: The Board officially adopted Policy JTEC, which imposes a bell-to-bell ban on student use of personal electronic devices (effective July 1, 2026), in line with new state law, and Policy GCQA, which addresses non-school employment for staff. * Math Acceleration Discussion: Board members engaged in a detailed conversation about math pathways, algebra readiness, and ensuring equitable access to advanced coursework for middle and high school students. * Superintendent’s Report: Dr. Terry Dade shared updates on new state legislation benefiting IB transfer students, ongoing discussions regarding campus parking, and the upcoming AI Town Hall this Saturday at 1:30 p.m. at the Falls Church Community Center.

Falls Church City School Board Special Meeting — March 24, 2026

First reading of an amended cell phone policy to comply with Virginia's new bell-to-bell ban (SB 108), effective July 1, 2026. Implementation details coming at the April 28 work session. The Board also adopted the 2026 VSBA Business Honor Roll resolution and previewed spring priorities, including Wellness Equity and Belonging survey results, the equity report, and AI policy development.