School Board · Feb 9, 2026

School Board Regular Meeting

▶ Watch recording Agenda Minutes Read the transcript36m · 14 agenda items · 4 votes, all unanimous · 8 tracked topics

What was decided

1.04
Agenda Adoption
The agenda was adopted unanimously.
Passed, unanimous
not chaptered
4.01
Approval of Minutes – January 5, 2026
The minutes of the January 5, 2026 regular School Board meeting were approved unanimously.
Passed, unanimous
not chaptered
4.02
Five Year Capital Improvement Program Modification
The amended Capital Improvement Program was approved unanimously, including the addition of the HVAC project and updates to other project timelines and cost estimates, replacing corresponding sections of the CIP approved on November 3, 2025.
Passed, unanimous
Capital Improvement Programproposed
not chaptered
4.03
Approval of FY2027 School Board Budget
The FY2027 proposed School Board budget was approved unanimously.
Passed, unanimous
FY2027 Superintendent's Proposed Budget
not chaptered

Presented

1.01
Call to Order/Pledge of Allegiance · Mrs. Pitches called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. and led the Pledge of Allegiance.
1.02
Announcement of Change in the Agenda · There were no changes to the agenda.
1.03
Other Announcements · Mrs. Pitches announced February 16–20 is School Board Clerk appreciation week and recognized Mrs. King with a certificate of appreciation.
2.01
Citizen Participation · There was no citizen participation.
2.02
Student Representative Report · Miss Abbey Lucas presented the student representative report covering highlights from January 2026 across City of Fairfax schools.
- Fairfax High Schoolin progress[2.02] Fairfax High School winter sports (basketball, wrestling, swim & dive, gymnastics, indoor track) were highlighted, along with the MTAS Musical performance of 'How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying' on January 30. Dr. Wright attended the Saturday School program, community and curriculum night, a boosters meeting, a girls basketball game, the FHS Athletic Hall of Fame Induction, and the Academy's musical performance at Fairfax High School. Mrs. Pitches noted that FCPS announced the completion of the external investigation into the Hayfield Secondary School and Fairfax High School football programs and called for public release of the report in the interest of transparency and accountability.
- Katherine Johnson Middle School[2.02] Rising 9th-grade families attended Curriculum Night at Fairfax High School on January 12, and students participated in MAP Winter Testing January 8–13. Dr. Wright attended the rising 7th grade curriculum night and served as a judge at the debate competition at Katherine Johnson Middle School.
- Daniels Run ES[2.02] The Daniels Run Singers performed at the VOKE Children's Choral Festival in Manassas, and the City of Fairfax School Board held a Work Session at Daniels Run ES on January 26. Dr. Wright met with elementary principals at Daniels Run ES for spring planning and attended the Daniels Run PTA meeting.
2.03
Amended Five-Year Capital Improvement Program · Dr. Wright presented updates to the Five-Year Capital Improvement Program, including the addition of an HVAC project and updates to other project timelines and cost estimates.
- Capital Improvement Programapproved[2.03] Dr. Wright presented amendments to the Five-Year CIP including the addition of an HVAC project and updates to other project timelines and cost estimates; formal approval was taken under item 4.02. [4.02] The Board approved the amended Five-Year CIP as presented by the Superintendent on February 9, 2026, including the HVAC project addition and updated timelines and cost estimates; these amendments replace corresponding sections of the CIP approved November 3, 2025.
2.04
Renovation Updates · Dr. Wright presented an overview of ongoing renovation projects including contract awards, initial design team work, and next steps such as community engagement meetings and an updated website.
- School renovation projects[2.04] Dr. Wright provided an update on renovation projects covering contract awards, initial design team work, and next steps including community engagement meetings, site visits to renovated schools, concept design reviews, and a website launch.
3.01
FY2027 Superintendent's Proposed Budget · The public hearing was continued; no one signed up to speak. The public hearing on this topic is now closed.
- FY2027 Superintendent's Proposed Budget[3.01] The public hearing on the FY2027 Proposed Budget was held and closed with no public speakers; the budget was approved under item 4.03. [4.03] The Board unanimously approved the FY2027 proposed School Board budget as printed and distributed.
5
Superintendent Matters · Dr. Wright reported on safe school openings, his entry plan progress, community meetings, and school visits across Fairfax City Schools in January 2026.
Daniels Run ES Katherine Johnson Middle School Fairfax High Schoolin progress
6
Board Matters · Board members made comments including congratulating students, expressing support for the Sherwood Community Center, and raising concerns about the FCPS external investigation report release regarding Hayfield Secondary School and Fairfax High School football programs.
- Sherwood Community CenterapprovedMs. Hickman expressed the School Board's support for the Sherwood Community Center, noting it represents a strong partnership with the county and provides a community hub for children; Ms. Cecere seconded that support.
- FCPS External Investigation Hayfield Secondary School and Fairfax High School Football ProgramsMrs. Pitches reported the investigation has been completed and urged FCPS to release the report publicly to ensure transparency and that lessons learned inform future practices.
Fairfax High Schoolin progress

Named in discussion

Tracked topics the transcript names that no agenda item is filed under. Their own pages and wikis do not yet record this meeting; the passages below are the only trace.

Willard Sherwoodin progressonce
“…for myself and also on behalf of the school board to express our support for the Willard Sherwood Center this project represents a strong partnership with the county and provides an important opportunity to create a central hub for community engagement…”
watch 33:07 every passage

Recording · 36m

▶ Watch from the start

Topics touched · 8

Fairfax High Schoolin progress
Fairfax High School (FHS) is a City of Fairfax public high school at 3501 Lion Run that serves as a central hub for academic programming, community events, and ongoing capital improvements. Over the 2024–2026 period, the school has been the subject of multiple facility actions: in April 2025, the City Council unanimously approved (6-0) an 8-year Special Use Permit for temporary modular classrooms to address enrollment capacity, with a condition requiring removal of sheds from required parking spaces.
- The School Board is to make its recommendation to City Council on the Blenheim Boulevard Multimodal Improvements project — specifically the amphitheater/outdoor classroom seating options on FHS…
- The roof replacement project is in the concept design phase; phasing and timing of the replacement (and associated HVAC replacements) remain to be determined.
Katherine Johnson Middle School
Katherine Johnson Middle School (KJMS) is a public middle school in the City of Fairfax serving grades 6–8, operating as one of four schools in the city's school division. It has been an active hub of academic, extracurricular, and community programming throughout the record period.
- Whether and when the City Council will vote on the proposed CIP items for KJMS (turf field, auditorium upgrades, HVAC units), with a vote anticipated in November 2026 per the October 2026 transcript…
- Confirmation of which department/jurisdiction (Parks and Recreation vs. school division) has formal responsibility for the Katherine Johnson turf field project, which was an open question as of…
Daniels Run ES
Daniels Run Elementary School is a City of Fairfax public school currently undergoing the design phase of a planned renovation. The school was identified as one of the schools included in the November 2024 bond referendum for renovations, with the design phase initially funded through $3 million in returned CIP funds.
- Contract award vote outcome (expected the week following the September 2, 2025 Work Session) has not been recorded in the available material — status of that award is unconfirmed.
- Full scope, timeline, and cost of the renovation project have not been detailed in the available material.
Capital Improvement Programapproved
The Capital Improvement Program (CIP) is a multi-year planning and budgeting tool used by both the School Board and City Council to schedule and fund capital projects. On the school side, the process has cycled through successive five-year plans: a public hearing was deferred from October 7, 2024, to November 12, 2024, when Superintendent Jeff Platenberg was scheduled to present the Proposed Five-Year CIP; a vote was scheduled for December 2, 2024.
- The School Board has not yet voted to approve the FY2028–2032 Capital Improvement Program; an approval vote is a pending next step following the October 5, 2026 presentation and scheduled public…
- Staff were directed by City Council consensus on March 24, 2026 to prepare a budget memo on the potential use of a referendum for capital improvement projects; no outcome of that memo has been…
School renovation projects
The school renovation projects are a multi-building initiative that began taking shape in late 2025, when Acting Superintendent Phillips noted that architects, engineers, and technicians had begun surveying buildings (November 2025). By February 2026, Superintendent Dr.
- Whether the 1% revenue measure will pass, and whether it will fully offset the projected 20–21 cent real estate tax rate increase needed to fund bond payments for the renovations.
- Status and outcomes of the community engagement/listening sessions that were anticipated as of November 2025 and February 2026.
FY2027 Superintendent's Proposed Budget
Sherwood Community Centerapproved
The Sherwood Community Center (formally the Willard Sherwood Health & Community Center / WSHCC) is a joint City of Fairfax and Fairfax County redevelopment project, with costs split 42% City and 58% County. As of the November 2024 PRAB update, the project was between the zoning and permit steps, with construction slated to begin Q1 2026 and wrap up Q4 2028.
- Whether the Performing Arts addition to the existing Sherwood Center will receive the additional $4 million needed in the CIP to be funded.
- Whether the HVAC replacement at the existing Sherwood Center will be funded, including the potential use of Parks Foundation Legacy for Fairfax funds earmarked for Sherwood maintenance.
FCPS External Investigation Hayfield Secondary School and Fairfax High School Football Programs

Documents · 8

Filed in agenda order; the agenda names the item each belongs to.