Fairfax County Public Schools special education department chairs spent Saturday, Aug. 1 training together at Herndon High School, preparing for the work of supporting students with IEPs and 504 plans when classes resume later this month.

FCPS Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid attended the Special Education Department Chair Academy and wrote about it in her Aug. 2 Weekly Reflections column. The session brought together new and returning department chairs alongside administrators and staff from the FCPS Offices of Special Education Procedural Support and Instruction.

Reid said the session gave chairs time to share ideas and prepare for the year ahead.

One staff member Reid encountered during the week put the value of summer preparation simply: "It is a great opportunity to just focus on ourselves as a human being rather than a human doing."

The Academy drew department chairs from across the district. For Vienna-area families whose children receive services at James Madison High School, Oakton High School, or Thoreau Middle School, the JMHS PTSA special education page lists resources from the FCPS Family Resource Center and the district's Special Education and Section 504 newsletter to help parents navigate the process heading into the new year.

CTE educators honored at VAME conference

Reid's column also highlighted two FCPS Career and Technical Education staff recognized by the Virginia Association of Marketing Educators. Amy Granahan, senior manager for Marketing Education at FCPS, received the VAME Lifetime Membership Award. Kay Walters, a marketing teacher at Fairfax High School, was named VAME Teacher of the Year.

Arts showcase caps summer programs

On the same Saturday, Reid attended the Institute for the Arts and Production Camp Final Showcase at Robinson Secondary School, where students presented artwork and performed Disney's High School Musical 2 Jr. Reid wrote that students told her the summer gave them space to engage with the arts in ways the busy school year does not always allow.

The district is also partnering with Hands On Harvests, a nonprofit founded by former FCPS teacher Stacey Evers, on food-security programs including hydroponics at Braddock Elementary School and a functioning FarmBot at Annandale High School. FCPS has not published a finalized 2026-27 calendar confirming the first day of school; families can check fcps.edu/calendars for the official start date.