As the new school year approaches, Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) is preparing to welcome students back into classrooms. School officials are encouraging families who are new to FCPS and have not yet registered their children to do so as soon as possible, noting that schools are planning events such as playdates, screenings, teacher visits, and back-to-school nights.
Parents and caregivers are reminded to sign up for SIS ParentVUE in order to access student attendance records, grades, and assignments. It is also important for families to update their contact information in ParentVUE to ensure they receive all necessary communications from their schools.
Immunizations remain a requirement for all students attending school in Virginia. Parents should provide updated immunization records either at the school’s front office or through SIS ParentVUE. Additional information about immunization requirements can be found on the FCPS website.
School meal options continue this year with parents needing to either fund student meal accounts, send packed lunches, or apply for free and reduced-price meals if eligible. The list of new menu items for the 2025-26 school year is available on the Food and Nutrition webpage.
The official FCPS school calendar has been released online so families can keep track of holidays, breaks, and observances throughout the academic year. Some dates may change due to shifting holidays such as Eid al-Fitr.
Back-to-school night schedules by region are now posted online. Families unsure of their region can find this information on their school’s website under “About” then “School Profile.”
Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid recently visited with Food and Nutrition Services’ executive chef Tim Jones to discuss his approach toward providing high-quality meals for all students: “Chef Jones shared how his experiences in both professional kitchens and community food programs have shaped his belief that every student deserves access to high-quality meals.” More about Dr. Reid’s work is available through her Weekly Reflections updates.
A special election will take place on Tuesday, September 9, resulting in a closure of all FCPS schools that day since more than half serve as polling locations. Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid commented: “Read Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid’s message about this change to the 2025-26 school year calendar.”
Three FCPS students have been named winners of 2025 Merit Scholarship awards by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation; they join other college-sponsored award recipients announced earlier this summer.
To promote engagement between families and educators, FCPS has introduced its Family Academy offering resources such as webinars and workshops aimed at supporting student success.
Volunteer opportunities within schools will now be managed through Volunteer FCPS—a system requiring registration, orientation completion, visitor kiosk sign-in, and background checks where necessary.
Online safety remains a priority with continued use of Lightspeed Filter technology across all devices connected to the FCPS network or issued by FCPS—even when used off-campus—to comply with federal regulations like CIPA (Children’s Internet Protection Act). Information about content filtering policies is provided on the division’s dedicated page.
This November’s general election ballot will include a $460 million School Bond Referendum intended for facility renovations identified in the FY 2026-30 Capital Improvement Program adopted by the School Board earlier this year. These projects rely on voter-approved bonds rather than operating budget funds; without bond funding many needed repairs would be delayed (https://www.fcps.edu/about-fcps/facilities-planning-construction/capital-improvement-program).
Families using applications like Schoology will notice an updated login experience designed for greater consistency and security while maintaining existing usernames and passwords associated with ParentVUE accounts.
Students have continued access at no cost to Varsity Tutors services including live classes, chat tutoring around-the-clock, essay editing support, recorded lessons, practice problems and diagnostic tests (https://www.fcps.edu/academics/academic-supports/online-tutoring-services-students). High schoolers may also schedule virtual therapy sessions via Hazel Health Monday through Friday during extended hours (https://www.fcps.edu/resources/student-safety-wellness/school-health-services/hazel-health).
The first day of classes for students is set for Monday August 18; proposed early release dates specific to elementary schools can be reviewed on the division’s website.
