School Board · Jan 5, 2026

School Board Regular Meeting

▶ Watch recording Agenda Minutes Read the transcript1h 06m · 8 agenda items · 2 votes, all unanimous · 10 tracked topics

What was decided

4.01
Approval of Minutes – December 1, 2025
The minutes of the December 1, 2025 regular School Board meeting were approved unanimously.
Passed, unanimous
not chaptered
✓4.02
Approval of the City of Fairfax School Board 2026 State and Federal Legislative Program
The City of Fairfax School Board 2026 State and Federal Legislative Program was approved unanimously.
Passed, unanimous
- Legislative Programapproved[4.02] The City of Fairfax School Board 2026 State and Federal Legislative Program was approved unanimously by the Board.
not chaptered

Presented

1.05
Student Recognition · The School Board recognized students achieving at the state or national level in the category of Scholastics.
- Student Recognition[1.05] The School Board recognized students achieving at the state or national level in the Scholastics category.
2.02
Student Representative Report · Miss Abbey Lucas delivered the student representative report covering December highlights across City of Fairfax schools.
- Fairfax High Schoolin progress[2.02] Highlighted December activities included the Theatre Department's 'CollaBRRret' winter cabaret on December 12, winter sports competition, and the Baseball Christmas Tree Sale. A Community Curriculum Night at Fairfax HS was announced for January 12. Board Chair Pitches acknowledged and congratulated Fairfax High School on achieving Distinguished Status.
- Katherine Johnson Middle School[2.02] Highlighted December activities included the City of Fairfax Theatre Company's performances of 'A Backstage Christmas' from December 12–21 and PTA fundraising initiatives. A rising 7th grade curriculum night at KJMS was announced for January 14.
- City of Fairfax Theatre Company[2.02] The City of Fairfax Theatre Company performed 'A Backstage Christmas' at Katherine Johnson Middle School from December 12–21, as reported in the student representative report.
- Daniels Run Elementary Schoolapproved[2.02] Highlighted December activities included a PTA-organized Canned Food Drive through mid-December and community-building activities.
- Providence Elementary Schoolapproved[2.02] Highlighted December activities included hands-on STEAM lab learning and Title I program engagement, with reflection on Eco-Schools achievements. An Orchestra concert at Providence ES was announced for January 15.
2.03
Superintendent's Proposed FY2027 Budget Presentation · Superintendent Wright presented the proposed FY2027 budget, covering the school services agreement, school membership and ADM, tuition history, factors impacting the tuition bill, and ADM and FCPS operational cost histories.
- Superintendent's Proposed FY2027 Budgetin progress[2.03] Superintendent Wright presented the proposed FY2027 budget to the School Board, including an overview of the school services agreement, ADM, tuition history, and FCPS operational cost histories. [3.01] The public hearing on the FY2027 Proposed Budget was opened with no speakers; the hearing will continue at the February 2, 2026 regular School Board meeting.
- School Services Agreementin progress[2.03] The School Services Agreement was discussed as part of the FY2027 budget presentation, covering its relationship to tuition billing and ADM.
3.01
Public Hearing – Superintendent's Proposed FY2027 Budget · The public hearing was opened but no one signed up to speak. The public hearing will continue at the February 2, 2026 regular School Board meeting.
Superintendent's Proposed FY2027 Budgetin progress
5
Superintendent Matters · Superintendent Wright reported on his entry plan listening phase, attendance at student exhibitions, upcoming community listening sessions in February, upcoming renovation updates, and welcomed the new City Manager.
Fairfax High Schoolin progress Katherine Johnson Middle School Providence Elementary Schoolapproved
6
Board Matters · Board members offered comments including appreciation for Superintendent Wright, encouragement to attend the FCPS boundary review meeting on January 8 and public hearing on January 10, congratulations to Fairfax High School on achieving Distinguished Status, and other remarks.
- School Board NormsSchool Board Norms were printed in the agenda as a reference for board conduct.
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.

Budget Processin progress4 passages, 3m
“…we've been operating on. Again, if we need to make those adjustments throughout the budget process this spring, we will do so. You can see a graphic representation of the operating costs for FCPS. And so through last fiscal year, FY 2025, you can see the…”
watch 28:27 every passage

Recording · 1h 06m

▶ Watch from the start

Topics touched · 10

Student Recognition
Student Recognition is a recurring agenda item at City of Fairfax School Board regular meetings in which the Board formally acknowledges city school students who have achieved distinction at the state or national level. The practice is well-established: on 2026-01-05 the Board recognized students for state/national-level Scholastics achievements; on 2026-05-04 it recognized students for state-level achievements in academics and athletics; and on 2026-06-01 it recognized students for state-level achievements in academics, athletics, performing arts, and community service — the broadest set of categories recorded to date.
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…
City of Fairfax Theatre Company
The City of Fairfax Theatre Company is a local performing arts organization founded in 2009 that has operated in the City of Fairfax for over a decade. It provides theatrical performances and arts education programs to the community.
- The outcome of the FY26 budget process — specifically whether the City of Fairfax Theatre Company received continued funding — is not recorded in the available material.
Daniels Run Elementary Schoolapproved
Daniels Run Elementary School is undergoing a major renovation project in the City of Fairfax. In April 2025, the School Board approved a reallocation of Capital Improvement Program (CIP) funds to complete a vestibule project at the school, contingent on FCPS approval for the City to reimburse FCPS for executing the work.
- What design concept will be selected as the direction for the Daniels Run Elementary School renovation?
- What are the outcomes and next steps following the April 15, 2026 community meeting on renovations?
Providence Elementary Schoolapproved
Providence Elementary School (3616 Jermantown Road, Tax Map Parcel 47-3-01-040) is a City of Fairfax public elementary school serving over 900 students, including both City of Fairfax and Fairfax County students. The school has been the subject of significant capital improvement activity.
- The full school renovation remains in schematic design phase (as of September 2026); the construction delivery method was under reconsideration as of May 2026, with design-bid-build noted as the…
- Schematic design work by Architecture, Incorporated and Moseley Designs was ongoing through summer 2026 and into fall 2026; the completed design and timeline for construction have not yet been…
Superintendent's Proposed FY2027 Budgetin progress
School Services Agreementin progress
The School Services Agreement (SSA) is a longstanding contract between the City of Fairfax Schools (COF) and Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) that governs the provision of school services to City students attending Daniels Run, Providence, Catherine Johnson, and Fairfax High School. The agreement was originally established in 1962, revised in 1978, and has remained in place since then.
- Whether a formal request will be made to open the SSA for a board-to-board amendment to update outdated language, and if so, what the timeline and process would be.
- Whether any other agreements or contracts between the City and County (beyond the SSA) have been identified following the question raised at the September 14, 2026 meeting about agreements lacking…
Legislative Programapproved
The City of Fairfax Legislative Program is an annual process by which the City Council adopts a set of legislative priorities to guide the city's advocacy before the Virginia General Assembly and to inform its state delegation. A parallel but distinct process occurs at Fairfax City Public Schools (FCPS), where the School Board adopts its own State and Federal Legislative Program.
- A public hearing on the draft 2027 City of Fairfax Legislative Program is scheduled for the November 10, 2026 City Council meeting.
- A further discussion of the 2027 Legislative Program is scheduled for the December 1, 2026 City Council work session.
School Board Norms
The City of Fairfax School Board Norms are a set of standing behavioral guidelines governing how board members conduct themselves at meetings and in their public roles. The norms — formally articulated as "Be Cohesive, Be Respectful, Be Visible, Be Forward Thinking, and Be Transparent" — serve as a reference for board conduct and are regularly published in meeting agendas.

Documents · 5

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