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Mason District Community,
We’ve had a terrific start to the school year in the Mason District! The energy and excitement our students bring inspires my work for this community.
Starting on September 8, the School Board begins planning next year’s budget (Fiscal Year 2028). Board Members will have the opportunity to identify their priorities. Please feel free to reach out to me to share important priorities you seek to be elevated. The Board will also discuss traffic and pedestrian safety, school facilities naming rights, and legislative priorities.
Information is provided below about required digital consent forms and the opportunity for parents/guardians to opt-out of having students in grades 1-6 bring their laptops home each day. Also listed are new technology resources regarding AI guidelines for students and digital curriculum information for parents/guardians.
On a more personal note, it is with a heavy heart that I share the sudden passing of Mrs. Kanchana Iyer, who served as the principal at Woodburn Elementary School since October 2024. The unexpected loss of Principal Iyer has been profoundly shocking to us all and leaves an immeasurable void in her family and in the Woodburn community.
Principal Iyer was a compassionate, visionary leader who poured her heart into her work every single day. She led with an extraordinary blend of grace, warmth, and unwavering dedication to her students, staff, and families – all while studying to complete a doctoral degree. Whether greeting children at the front doors each morning with a bright smile, empowering teachers to excel, or listening attentively to parent voices, Ms. Iyer made every individual feel seen, valued, and loved. She didn't just manage a school, she cultivated a family, making this loss that much more difficult.
I extend my deepest condolences and heartfelt sympathies to Principal Iyer’s family, loved ones, and the entire Woodburn Elementary community. We will honor her legacy by holding tightly to the values she championed - leading with kindness, lifting up every child, and caring deeply for one another. She will be dearly missed, but her impact on our children and schools will not be forgotten.
I value input from the Mason District community and will address questions or concerns via email at rjanderson@fcps.edu or by scheduling a phone call with Ms. Coffey at cmcoffey@fcps.edu.
In this issue:
Feedback Needed
Executive Limitation #8
While the Strategic Plan Goals are the primary factors used by the School Board to evaluate progress and achievement in Fairfax County Public Schools, the Board is also responsible for monitoring the ways in which the system operates.
The thirteen (13) Executive Limitations reflect the School Board's operational guardrails for how the Superintendent is to achieve division goals. Executive Limitations serve as a measure of accountability for the Superintendent and are reviewed annually through monitoring reports to ensure compliance and progress.
At the September 10, 2026 Regular School Board Meeting, the Board will receive the report and vote to approve Executive Limitation (EL) - 8: Superintendent’s Relationship with the Board.
EL-8 defines standard expectations for a transparent, professional, and collaborative working relationship between the Superintendent and the School Board. It requires the Superintendent to respect the Board's oversight role by providing timely information, expert guidance, and comprehensive reporting to support effective governance and strategic goals.
I invite you to share your thoughts and feedback prior to next week’s vote.
School Resource Officer (SRO) Memorandum of Understanding
FCPS and the Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD) are developing a new School Resource Officer (SRO) Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to replace the 2018 agreement.
SROs are full-time Fairfax County police officers assigned to most middle and high schools. The MOU establishes a framework for FCPS and FCPD to work together to help provide a safe learning environment for the entire school community.
Please review the current MOU and the Virginia Model MOU, and submit public comments through Monday, September 7.
Visit the SRO MOU webpage for more detailed information.
Community Meetings
Bren Mar Park Boundary Meetings
Reminder: September 3rd at 6:00 p.m. at Bren Mar Park ES.
Be sure to attend the meeting to share your feedback on the middle and high school attendance plans for Bren Mar Park. This meeting is a critical discussion about the path forward and will help shape the scenarios to be presented later in the month.
Thank you to the members of the community who have sent emails, signed petitions, and spoken at meetings. I hear you and am in support of your position to not change your boundary to the Lewis pyramid.
Register to attend September 3rd: in person or virtually.
On September 23rd at 6:00 p.m. at Edison HS, staff will present revised scenarios for community review and feedback to help inform the Superintendent's recommendations for the Board's approval.
Register to attend September 23rd: in person or virtually.
Language interpretation and childcare are available and should be requested using the registration forms.
Additional information about the Bren Mar Park Feeder Schools Study can be found on the website.
Beech Tree / Belvedere / Glasgow Boundaries
Please find a correction to previously published details regarding the meeting date for Expedited Boundary Study #4 (covering Beech Tree, Belvedere, and Glasgow). The date for the refined scenarios for this group is yet to be determined, but staff are targeting late September and carefully factoring in any scheduled school events to avoid conflicts.
More details will be shared as soon as they are finalized.
Additional information about Study #4 can be found on the website.
Virginia Naturally Recognized Schools
The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR), through the Virginia Naturally School Recognition Program, honors exemplary efforts undertaken to increase environmental awareness and stewardship among K-12 students.
Nine FCPS schools were recognized for 2025-2026. Congratulations to the two schools from the Mason District who have earned this honor:
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Belvedere Elementary (11th year)
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Westlawn Elementary (4th year)
Mason District 2027 Graduation Schedule
Upcoming Work Session Topics
The School Board is scheduled to discuss four topics at the Work Session scheduled for September 8, 2026:
School Board Decision Alert
Middle School AAP Centers
At the School Board Meeting on August 27, 2026, the Board voted to approve the Superintendent’s public engagement plan for the expansion of Middle School AAP Centers to every FCPS middle school by a vote of 10:1. I am supportive of this next step to bring equitable opportunity for advanced academics to all middle schools
The plan is proposed in four phases, with Holmes Middle School currently listed in the first phase to be expanded in the 2027-28 school year. Watch for community engagement opportunities to be scheduled for this fall.
VIDEO: August 27, 2026 School Board Meeting [1:27:50].
Executive Limitation #1
The School Board voted to find the Superintendent in compliance with Executive Limitation #1 (EL-1): Global Executive Limitations by a vote of 8:2:1. The Superintendent’s Monitoring Report for EL-1 is available for review. I shared many of the concerns I received from Mason residents during the meeting, including those centered around the following topics:
- Controls for conflict of interest for firms conducting independent reviews
- OAG annual risk report showed findings not addressed in the report
- Process effectiveness and outcome measurement
- Selection process for policies and regulations presented as ongoing evidence
- Background check process for contract employees
Ultimately, I was unable to find the Superintendent in compliance of EL-1 based on the report presented.
VIDEO: August 27, 2026 School Board Meeting [2:46:00].
Digital Consent Forms
Parents/Guardians are able to opt their child in or out of a variety of school resources, including online educational tools and school counseling services, through the Parent Digital Consent system.
NEW Opt Out Option for Student Devices Sent Home - Grades 1-6
This year, parents/guardians will have choice in whether their children in grades 1-6 bring their laptops home each day. Students whose families opt out of the school sending devices home will continue to have access to an FCPS-issued device during the school day.
Please reach out to your student’s teacher to understand expectations for homework and any learning activities that may require access to technology outside of the school day.
Visit the Parent Digital Consent webpage to access the system. Watch this video, available in six languages, to see how to use the tool.
NEW FCPS Technology Resources
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Guide for Students
To assist parents/guardians better understand the expectations regarding AI, FCPS has published Artificial Intelligence (AI) Guidelines for Students. Please review these guidelines and feel free to share your questions and concerns HERE.
Digital Literacy Curriculum
Information about Digital Literacy in FCPS, including digital literacy curriculum by grade, can be found on the newly published Digital Literacy in FCPS webpage. Grade-level lesson plans and teaching materials can also be previewed by parents/guardians through Schoology or Parent View.
Student Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
I have received many questions from Mason constituents about the use of AI in FCPS classrooms. Please review the information below which outlines current practice in FCPS.
- FCPS does not give students access to generative AI tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini, or Claude.
- FCPS discourages elementary students from using generative AI tools on personal devices because most of these AI tools have age guidelines.
- FCPS recognizes that some middle and high school students may currently be accessing AI tools on personal devices.
- Students are not required to use AI for schoolwork.
- Teachers decide if and how students may use AI on personal devices for a specific assignment and, if allowed, explain the expectations with students.
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