With the FY27 budget adoption just two weeks away, the FCCPS School Board gathered for its fourth and final budget work session — and the conversation was both candid and consequential.

In this session, you'll hear Chief Financial Officer Alicia Prince walk through the latest City of Falls Church tax revenue projections and explain what a potential city tax rate reduction could mean for school funding.

The board also digs into its first annual review of the FCCPS Cell Phone Policy, with real classroom data showing how students and teachers have adapted over the past year — and what pending Virginia legislation could mean for any future changes to the policy.

The FY27 budget comes up for adoption at the March 10th School Board meeting. AI Town Halls are scheduled for March 2nd and April 18th.

Full budget documents are available at fccps.org.

Meet Lisa Mueller and Lauren Lauer — Oak Street Elementary's dynamic Advanced Academics team and, as it turns out, two people who have worked side-by-side for 20 years only to discover they have far more in common than they ever realized (including, most recently, the same doctor).

In this episode of the Oak Street Spotlight series, Lisa and Lauren sit down for an honest, parent-friendly conversation about everything advanced academics at Oak Street. They explain why Falls Church City Public Schools uses the term "advanced academics" rather than "gifted," walk through exactly how students are identified in math and language arts, and describe what enrichment actually looks like week to week — from Word Masters vocabulary contests to algebraic thinking in third grade, Shakespeare performances in fourth, and critical thinking deep dives in fifth.

They also tackle the questions families ask most often: What if my child says they're bored? What if their scores are inconsistent? What if they're strong in one area but not the other? Lisa and Lauren bring clarity, candor, and no small amount of humor to each one.

You'll also hear how Math Olympiad, Continental Math League, and Odyssey of the Mind extend learning beyond the classroom — and why, at the end of the day, your child's classroom teacher remains the most important person in their advanced academic journey.

Closing thought from the team: Be curious, not judgmental. (Yes, that's Ted Lasso. Yes, it belongs in an education podcast.)

Episode Summary:

This week's School Board meeting opened with powerful student voices as we celebrated Black History Month. Meridian High School junior Xavier Smith, president of the Black Student Union, along with Vice President Aimee Harris, shared thoughtful reflections on the challenges Black students face in our community and offered concrete suggestions for expanding support beyond the high school level. Xavier's honest testimony about his experiences throughout his FCCPS education—and his vision for creating affirming spaces for younger Black students—provided an important perspective for our board and community.

The meeting also recognized School Board Appreciation Month, with Superintendent Dr. Terry Dade highlighting how our board embodies the collaborative excellence that defines FCCPS, emphasizing that "the combined wisdom of our community is greater than any individual perspective."

The heart of this meeting was Budget Work Session #3, where the board and administration continued their collaborative approach to developing the FY 2027 budget. This new process brings board priorities into the conversation early, creating a truly shared budget rather than the traditional model of presenting a superintendent's budget for revision.

Board members shared updates from recent community engagement activities, including office hours at local restaurants, visits with scout troops, and the joint PTA budget meeting. Chair Tysse also expressed gratitude to staff for their exceptional work in safely reopening schools following recent winter weather challenges.

The meeting concluded with a closed session to address personnel matters and the superintendent's performance evaluation.

Featured Speakers: Xavier Smith and Aimee Harris (Meridian High School), Superintendent Dr. Terry Dade, School Board Chair Kathleen Tysse, and all School Board members

Topics Covered: Black History Month, Student Support Initiatives, Budget Development, Community Engagement, School Operations

Falls Church City Public Schools is a small IB World School division serving 2,700 students across five schools in Northern Virginia. Our Morning Announcements newsletter reaches readers in 34 countries daily. Learn more at fccps.org

Advanced Academic Specialist Beth Green explains Mount Daniel's enrichment program for K-2 students.

Learn how classroom differentiation works beyond what you see in homework folders, what happens during whole-class Encore enrichment lessons, and how non-curricular tasks build thinking skills before content knowledge.

Beth walks second-grade families through the advanced academic identification process and shares why learning requires frustration—featuring insights from Dr. Becky on building resilience.

Whether your child participates in Think Lab groups or receives enrichment through regular classroom instruction, this episode demystifies how Mount Daniel develops critical thinking skills in every student.

The School Board met virtually during the major winter storm to discuss budget priorities for the 2026-27 school year.

Superintendent Dr. Terry Dade provided snow removal updates and outlined the path to reopening schools. The Board then engaged in a detailed conversation about proposed budget priorities, with strong consensus around supporting teachers and staff through competitive compensation and working conditions.

Key discussion areas included staff recruitment and retention, AI implementation support, transportation staffing challenges, student support positions, and operational needs. Board members emphasized the importance of meeting every student "by name and by need" while supporting the educators who make that possible.

Next steps: Dr. Dade will present a proposed budget on February 10, with continued refinement through additional work sessions. The Board will also revisit the cell phone policy in late February.

Listen to the Falls Church City School Board's January 13, 2026 meeting, featuring the annual Organizational Meeting and the first FY2027 budget presentation.

In this episode, the board elects its leadership for the coming year and receives a comprehensive budget presentation from Superintendent Dr. Terry Dade and Chief Operating Officer Alicia Prince. Topics include the 5.02% maintenance of effort request, revenue projections from the City, eight priority staffing positions, and the new collaborative budget development process.

Also covered: recognition of FCCPS principals during Virginia School Principal Appreciation Week, public comment on energy efficiency at Meridian High School, policy adoptions, and updates on the AI Policy Committee selection.

Note: This audio has been edited to remove silence during the closed meeting portion of the meeting.

School counselors Jed Jackson and Michelle Goldberg walk you through Mount Daniel's approach to Social-Emotional Learning. They explain what school counselors do, why students have such strong emotions, and how families can support their children at home.You'll learn about the Kimochis curriculum, classroom counseling lessons for kindergarten through second grade, and small group support. Jackson and Goldberg break down the volcano analogy they use to help kids understand emotions, explain why "calm down" doesn't work in heated moments, and share practical strategies for parents.The presentation includes a powerful clip from Dr. Becky Kennedy about parenting with sturdy leadership.What's covered:- The role of school counselors at Mount Daniel- Weekly classroom counseling lessons and the Kimochis curriculum- Executive functioning skills for second graders- Why big feelings are developmentally normal- The volcano analogy for understanding emotions- What to do when your child is dysregulated- Role-playing and concrete strategies for home

How does Oak Street Elementary ensure every student gets the support they need to succeed? In this School Spotlight episode, learn about our Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) and meet the team working together to support students academically, socially, emotionally, and behaviorally.

In This Episode:

MTSS is a general education framework—not a special education program—designed to provide timely, data-driven support for all students. Our Student Support Team includes counselors, a school social worker, school psychologist, behavior specialist, and special education administrator, all working collaboratively to help students thrive.

You'll hear about:

• The three-tier system of support and what each level provides
• How we use data to identify and respond to student needs
• The specific role each team member plays in supporting students
• How parents can partner with us and when to reach out
• Common questions about MTSS and its relationship to special education

Key Message:

No one works in isolation at Oak Street Elementary. When concerns arise, we look at the whole child—academics, behavior, social skills, emotional wellbeing, and environmental factors—rather than focusing on just one piece. Parents are always welcome partners in this work.

If you have concerns about your child, contact your child's general education teacher as a first step. We value your partnership and look forward to working together.

A candid conversation between Meridian High School students and teachers about the reality of artificial intelligence in today's educational environment. Recorded at a December 2025 Parent Coffee, this discussion provides authentic insights into how AI tools are being used, the challenges they present, and the opportunities they create.

Principal Peter Laub and IB Diploma Programme Coordinator Josh Singer facilitate a panel featuring four students and three teachers sharing their real-world experiences with AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini. From academic integrity questions to accessibility concerns, this conversation covers the practical realities of teaching and learning in an AI-integrated world.

Key topics include the evolution from Google's educational impact to today's AI revolution, current classroom practices, and how Falls Church City Public Schools is preparing students for an AI-influenced future.

This session was recorded as part of FCCPS's ongoing AI policy development process, providing community input as the School Board works to establish comprehensive guidelines for AI use in our schools.

A Falls Church City Public Schools production, bringing you transparent conversations about education in our community.

Listen to this emotionally rich School Board meeting featuring significant transitions and heartfelt celebrations in our FCCPS community.

Hear the official swearing-in ceremony for newly elected board member Mary Kate Hughes and returning members Lori Silverman and Kathleen Tysse as they begin their 2026-2029 terms. Experience the moving tribute to retiring band director Mary Jo West, with touching speeches from current and former students, parents, and colleagues celebrating her 29-year legacy. The high school band room has been named in her honor.

Chairman Tate Gould delivers his farewell address as he concludes his board service, offering reflections on collaborative leadership and expressing confidence in the district's bright future. The board also approves their 2025 legislative agenda, including support for the inspiring outdoor education funding proposal developed initially by our Oak Street Elementary students.

Audio-only version of the full December 9, 2025 School Board meeting. For video, visit our YouTube channel. www.youtube.com/@fccpsorg

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