7 Ways to Stay in Touch With Your School

Fairfax schools recently opened their doors for the 2011-2012 school year.

To help you keep informed during the new season, Fairfax City Patch will run a series of articles with need-to-know school information.

This week: 7 ways to keep in touch with your school. These tips include info on staying up to date with city and county school issues.

1. Keep in Touch (KIT)

FCPS has an electronic mass notification system called Keep in Touch (KIT). KIT comes in two forms: KIT Basic (automatic enrollment) and KIT Plus (subscription).

If you have a child enrolled in FCPS, you are automatically signed up for KIT Basic. FCPS central offices and schools use KIT Basic to provide families and employees with three types of messages — attendance (an automated calling system that calls and emails parents the same day an absence occurs), emergency (school closings and delays), and outreach, via emails and phone calls. 

KIT Plus is a service — provided via email — is for anyone interested in news, events, and updates from FCPS, including adult and community education classes, magnet school programs, PTA information and current budget issues.

2. Social Media

Fairfax County Public Schools posts news and information, emergency messages and information about current issues on Facebook. To become a fan on Facebook, visit www.facebook.com/fcpsva and select ‘Like’ at the top of the page.

FCPS is also on Twitter; to follow FCPS on Twitter, visit www.twitter.com/fcpsnews and click 'Follow'.

In addition, parents, students, employees and others can view videos featured on Channel 21 on YouTube. The FCPS Flickr account holds a current photo stream of events and activities that feature students.

3. Parent Liaisons

Parent liaisons are available in most FCPS schools to help parents better understand the school system. Parent liaisons often represent different cultures and speak more than one language. They are there to help increase family involvement and support student achievement. Parents may call the school that their child attends to obtain contact information for the liaison(s).

4. Television

Fairfax County Public Schools operates three open cable TV channels — 21, 25, and 99. These channels provide residents news and information about the schools, emergency messages, curriculum programming and more. Flagship channel Red Apple 21 offers a block of shows all about FCPS — including SchoolScene, Insight and In Other Words — that begins every day at  5:30 p.m.

5. Newsletters

Fairfax City's school board sends out its "Close Up" newsletter every two months. The newsletter offers information tailored to parents of students attending the city's four schools. Click here to read back issues.

Familygram is the county equivalent, an online newsletter for parents and families, that highlights current issues, school calendar updates and parent resources.

6. School Administration

Fairfax City Superintendent Ann Monday oversees schools within the city limits. Linda Burke serves as Fairfax County's Cluster VII supervisor. Cluster VII includes Fairfax schools.

Contact information:

• Ann Monday: 703-293-7132, ann.monday@fairfaxva.gov
• Mary Ann Ryan (assistant to the superintendent): maryann.ryan@fairfaxva.gov
• Linda Burke: cluster7admin@fcps.edu

7. School Board

The Fairfax City School Board oversees the city's schools service contract with Fairfax County. They also manage city-owned school buildings. The School Board consists of five elected members. They meet twice a month. Click here for a full schedule of meetings.

Contact information:

• Fairfax City School Board office: Sisson House (behind City Hall)
  10455 Armstrong Street, 703-385-7911. 
• Chairman Janice Miller: 703-691-1748, janice.miller@fairfaxva.gov
• Click here for a full list of board members.