Yeti footprints found as Loudoun County Public Schools head back to class

LOUDOUN COUNTY, Va. - BREAKING NEWS! FOX 5 DC found yeti footprints! The white markings of the mystical/mythical creature pointed parents dropping students off in the right direction at Watson Mountain Middle School – one of two brand-new school buildings this 2024-2025 school year and now home to the Watson Mountain Yeti mascot! 

That mascot, a marching band and more joined in to great hundreds making their way back to class as over 80,000 students across Loudoun County Public School celebrated their first day of school in the 2024-2025 school year. 

In his second year, LCPS Superintendent Dr. Aaron Spence joined FOX 5 on air, discussing what’s ahead for this school year. 

"I am just so excited to welcome back 83,000 students and their families and all the amazing educators and I think the thing I’m looking forward to most is just the experience we hope to provide every kid every day to make sure that they come to school, that they feel like they are going to learn something, that they’re going to have adults around them who care deeply about them and that they’re going to be able to do everything they need to do be successful," said Dr. Spence. 

READ MORE: Back to class for Fairfax, Prince William County Public Schools

The biggest news this school year are the new cell phone policies in place, following Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin’s recent executive order calling for a cell phone free education. LCPS, however, had already been piloting a program that is now extended to all schools across the district this school year. 

We’re told this means elementary students will not be allowed to bring personal devices to school. Middle schoolers will have to leave their cell phones in their locker and high schoolers will have to have the phones off either in a bag pack or central classroom location. 

Chief Academic Officer, Dr. Asley Ellis, told FOX 5 there was a bit of a learning curve in last year’s pilot program, but says the feedback they received at the end of the year was positive – involving more students enjoying actually looking at and engaging one another! 

READ MORE: Fairfax County to restrict student cellphone access at several schools as part of pilot program

LCPS added over 600 new teachers this year with school leaders saying around 52% of those new teachers have master’s Degrees. Dr. Spence says the school system is looking at around 20 bus driver vacancies but was not concerned this would disrupt student pick-up and drop-off. 

What are students looking forward to in 2024?  A Loudoun Valley High School senior told FOX 5, "Just the new opportunities senior year. You have so many decisions, so many choices to make – just excited what the year’s going to bring me." 

READ MORE: VA governor issues executive order to crack down on cell phone use in schools

Not that long ago, Loudoun County Public Schools was the epicenter of an investigation and court case that made national headlines after the same student was found to have sexually assaulted two different students at two different schools. Dr. Spence came in after this but did speak about student safety and parent communication in serious incidents and what can be expected this school year. 

"Safety has always been a top priority for me and I think it’s a top priority in LCPS. We did a Blue-Ribbon Panel on Safety and Security earlier this year. We had a number of recommendations that came out of that. We’re working with our school board to implement those recommendations. But by and large, what that panel said is we have a world-class safety and security program. The key for us is to continue to make sure we’re communicating – that when things are happening, we’re open about that," said Dr. Spence. 

The schools' leader said LCPS is opening a recovery school and alternative program this year. In other areas of student safety, FOX  5 is also told LCPS will be expanding the vape detector pilot program this school year and taking actions like making sure all staff are trained on visitor management. 

School Board meetings are already underway! There’s a Student Services Committee meeting planned for 5:30 p.m. Thursday.