By Olivia Henry: For many of us students, the gravity of the coronavirus situation has only just begun to sink in. Once school was canceled this past Friday, Mar. 13, many students assumed the worst was over. Little were they aware that, within days, Fairfax County Public Schools would close down all schools until April 10, at least. (See FCPS…
By Kathi R. Levin and Liz Walker There is a common saying that if you need something done, find a person who is already busy to do it. That can truly be said of long time Centreville resident and active Sully District Democrat, Stella Pekarsky, who is running in the Nov 5th election for the Fairfax County School Board. “Rest”…
By Trisha Rahman: As a student currently attending a Fairfax County Public high school, I am familiar with many of the issues high school students care about. Yes, we think about test scores, our football team stats, even Ariana Grande’s new song, but we also contemplate problems impacting our schools on a large scale. When public schools all over the…
By Karen Keys-Gamarra: No parent should ever have to fear that sending a child to school is risking immigration enforcement. In fact, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the federal agency better known as ICE, has no place in Fairfax County public schools. This view is reflected in the revised agreement between the Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) and the Fairfax County…
By Brad Swanson: The Fairfax County School Board endorsed a new policy Thursday that limits the role of police officers in schools and that restricts, but does not completely bar, cooperation with federal immigration authorities. The board heard moving pleas from Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) students and former students to prohibit immigration agents from entering school grounds or obtaining…
By Dalia Palchik: As a first-generation immigrant, I know first-hand how hard it can be for a working family to access critical preventive care. And as a Fairfax County School Board member, I know the importance of affordable healthcare to a child’s development. That is why I am so encouraged by the recent vote of our Virginia General Assembly to…
By Stephanie Witt Sedgwick: Public school teachers in Fairfax County will receive pay raises averaging 5% following the Board of Supervisors decision on Tuesday to narrow the gap between Fairfax County and neighboring school systems. The school pay hikes were part of a total county budget of $4.29 billion, rising $192 million, or 4.6%, over last year. The spending increases…