Policy Manualapproved
Status set at the School Board Regular Meeting on Apr 7, 2025
The City of Fairfax School Board Policy Manual is the governing document that codifies board and school policies, including rules for student representation, advisory teams, and related procedures.
Attorney Stacy Haney of Haney Phinyowattanachip PLLC presented on the policy manual (alongside FOIA and COIA) at the February 10, 2025 School Board Retreat. A March 2025 work session surfaced several areas where the manual's provisions — particularly around the student board representative role (term dates, project requirement, meetings with board chair and superintendent) and student advisory council selection — were discussed as potentially outdated or in need of revision. On April 7, 2025, the board unanimously approved an update to Section 1.34 of the policy manual.
At the September 26, 2026 Annual Fall Retreat, policy manual updates were reviewed again, though no formal action or vote was recorded. As of January 2026, a board leader noted the manual had not been substantively updated since 2022 and called on members to review it ahead of the retreat.
Still open
- Whether the student representative project requirement will be formally removed from the policy manual, as flagged in March 2025 discussion.
- Whether the student representative term will be changed from a July–June cycle to a January–January cycle, as discussed in March 2025.
- Whether any additional policy manual amendments were identified or will be brought forward following the September 26, 2026 retreat review.
What members have said
Hickman seconded the April 7, 2025 motion to approve the update to Section 1.34 of the policy manual, which passed unanimously.
At an unattributed March 17, 2025 session, a speaker — consistent with a board or staff member — noted that the student rep project requirement is in the policy manual and flagged that if the board decides not to continue with projects, 'we do have to take it out of the policy manual.' The speaker also noted that the policy manual requirement for the student rep to meet regularly with the board chair and superintendent was open for debate. Attribution of this commentary to a specific named member is not confirmed in the dated record.
Voted yes on the April 7, 2025 unanimous approval of the Section 1.34 update. A speaker at the January 26, 2026 session noted that the manual had not been updated since 2022 and asked board members to review it ahead of the retreat, flagging it as a priority agenda item; the dated record does not attribute this statement to a named member by name in the transcript.
Positions as recorded in meeting minutes; votes without recorded comment aren’t summarized.
Discussion time
councilcommissionMinutes of named discussion per transcribed meeting, Mar 17, 2025 onward.
History
Filled dots are actions on this topic; open dots are mentions.
- Feb 10, 2025School Board · item 4FOIA, COIA and Policy Manual
Attorney Stacy Haney presented on the policy manual at the retreat.
- Approval of Update to Section 1.34 of the School Board Policy Manual
[4.02] The update to section 1.34 of the School Board Policy Manual was approved unanimously at this meeting.
passedApprove the update to section 1.34 of the School Board Policy Manual as printed and distributed.✓ Pitches✓ Hickman✓ Kelsey✓ Bartelme✓ Cecere - Sep 26, 2026School Board · item 1.05Policy Manual Updates
[1.05] Policy Manual updates were reviewed at the Fall Retreat; no formal action or vote was recorded.