A group of educators from Falls Church City Public Schools (FCCPS) attended the Kids at Hope Masters Institute Conference in Phoenix, Arizona, to present their approach to student success. The team included Oak Street Elementary School teachers Miriam Schimmoller and Avery Ferreiro, School Social Worker and Homeless and Foster Care Liaison Robin Borum, and Director of Curriculum and Instruction Eric Underhill.
At the conference, the FCCPS delegation shared strategies developed at Oak Street Elementary that focus on building strong connections with students. These efforts are part of a broader division-wide initiative based on the Kids at Hope philosophy, which maintains that all children are capable of success without exception.
“The Kids at Hope philosophy aligns perfectly with our core belief that the needs of students come first,” said Underhill. “This conference gave us the opportunity to share how we’re creating a culture where caring adults intentionally connect with and support our students through belief, guidance, and opportunities.”
Kids at Hope is described as both a belief system and a framework designed to help children envision positive futures by fostering hope and relationships with supportive adults. The FCCPS presentation emphasized collaboration among staff members in applying these principles daily so every student feels valued and supported.
Dr. William Bates, Chief Academic Officer for FCCPS, highlighted the importance of teamwork in this work: “What makes our approach special is the collaborative excellence our team brings to this work,” he said. “No one person can reach every child alone—it takes our combined wisdom and unwavering commitment to make this philosophy come alive in our classrooms and throughout our schools.”
FCCPS’s participation in the national conference underscores its role as an innovator in student-centered education practices. By presenting their experiences, the team engaged with educators nationwide about ways schools can create environments where all students have hope for their future.
