Back to class for Fairfax, Prince William County Public Schools

ALEXANDRIA, Va. - It’s a big day for northern Virginia, where close to 300,000 students went back to class on Monday. August 19th is the first day of school for both Prince William County and Fairfax County’s public school systems! FOX 5 spent the morning with the West Potomac High School Wolverines, speaking with students and FCPS leadership on all the exciting plans for this 2024-2025 school year.

Back to class for Fairfax, Prince William County Public Schools

It’s a big day for Virginia, where close to 300,000 students went back to class on Monday. August 19th is the first day of school for both Prince William County and Fairfax County’s public school systems! FOX 5 spent the morning with the West Potomac High School Wolverines, speaking with students and FCPS leadership on all the exciting plans for this 2024-2025 school year.

"Having the kids in the hallways, filled with excitement," is what West Potomac High School Principal Jessica Statz said she’s looking forward to the most, "It is so weird in the summer when there’s no one around. It just doesn’t feel right. We’re a school. This is what we aim at every day."

This year includes several changes, starting with the cell phone policy. FCPS is running a pilot program where students at selected middle schools will get pouches for students to put their phones in. Select high schools will have their students place their phones in central storage units, located in each classroom.

The Virginia Governor recently issued an executive order requiring the state school board develop a phone-free education policy. However, FCPS had already been working on their pilot program.

West Potomac HS is not participating in the pilot. What will their school’s cell phone use look like?

Virginia students returning to school under Gov. Youngkin's new 'cellphone free education' order

The first day of school is tomorrow for thousands of students in northern Virginia. As school leaders get ready to welcome children, they also have another task — to implement "no cell phone" policies in line with Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s executive order that bans phone usage during class.

"It will be back to our normally cell phone policy until the changes occur, which is basically off and away during instructional time. And that’s very consistent." Principal Statz explained. She clarified that high schoolers will be able to have their phone at lunches and in the hallway as they travel to the next class.

Asked if that policy actually works, Principal Statz said, "I think so, for most students. Not all though. It is – I will say cell phones have been a big distraction and a large problem. We’ve had incidents with testing irregularities because kids’ phones go off during formalized testing. So it’ll be nice to get the distraction away."

There are also changes to security. Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid told FOX 5 FCPS is still working with pilot programs that use technology to detect weapons – and that use vape detectors to pick-up illegal student vape use.

Fairfax County Public Schools bus

She also said more security cameras have been added to the elementary schools and other buildings like West Potomac High School are getting security vestibules. She also told FOX 5 door locks are being changed so that teachers do not need to lock classroom doors from the outside – they can be locked from within.

The menu is also changing! Executive Director for FCPS Food and Nutrition Services Shaun Sawko spoke with FOX 5 about changing the food menu this year to reflect the diversity of the student body, while also incorporating healthier food options.

Some of the 12 new food offerings this fall include black bean burgers, chicken Parmesan sandwiches, chicken fajitas and meatball marinara subs!

Sawko also said FCPS has switched to wooden utensils, eliminating thousands upon thousands of pounds in plastic waste from the school system.

Some other big changes include new sports. This year, FCPS will include Varsity Boys Volleyball and Girls Wrestling.

School Board Member Mateo Dunne told FOX 5 this will be a consequential school year with all the changes. He also told FOX 5 FCPS will be conducting a boundary review to see how they can make school bus trips shorter. It’s an effort to use fewer school buses due to the region still facing a school bus driver shortage.

A school spokesperson made clear, this school boundary review is entirely different and NOT the same as school redistricting. Dunne told FOX 5 they’re hoping these changes will be implemented by Fall 2026.

Students tell FOX 5 they’re excited and looking forward to the year. We wish them the best of luck!

DC and Maryland’s public school systems start in the coming weeks.