My family moved to Falls Church City from rural Oregon in the fall of 2001 and chose to live there because of the schools. We had a Kindergartener and Preschooler at the time. My son was immediately enrolled in Kindergarten, and my daughter was a typical peer in the preschool program, held in the trailers behind Mt. Daniel. I was an at-home mom and found my place volunteering at the school through the PTA and in the classrooms as a Room Parent volunteer.

With my kids just entering their school years and my experience limited to Falls Church City, it took me quite a while to realize that not all school districts have parents lining up to spend time in the classroom. I also didn’t realize that not all school districts have a full-time paraprofessional in each Kindergarten classroom and a half-time paraprofessional in each 1st-grade classroom. This was my “normal.” This is when I began to see that FCCPS parents “show up” and make a difference.

FCCPS parents also show up and try to make a difference for everyone. I mentioned that my daughter attended the preschool program as a typical peer. Parents could arrange to come and have lunch with their preschool students, and there were also defined days when invitations were extended to all the preschool parents to join the class for lunch. I remember one such lunch. We were sitting in a circle, and one of my daughter’s classmates was physically active and unable to sit quietly for lunch. I was heartened to hear my 4-year-old daughter introduce me to her classmate and dismiss his behavior as “bouncy” and that this was perfectly normal to her. All of the children were just there to learn and have fun. Each behaved in a way typical for them, and the teachers met them where they were. As parent volunteers, much thought was given to how each student could be included. Parents showed up for everyone.

Our youngest child joined the family in 2004, so we had children enrolled in FCCPS from 2001 through 2022. That’s 21 years of parental involvement in FCCPS. In addition to that, I became an employee of the district in 2014. I’ve been invested in FCCPS in some capacity for 24 years! Over that time, I have seen the Falls Church community’s and FCCPS staff’s commitment to making a difference in our schools, community, region, and nation. 

So, what makes Falls Church City Public Schools (FCCPS) different? Why is it so great? It has been said that we are great because we are a small school district, and we know the students by name and by need. There are plenty of other school districts that are small but not “great” by objective measures. It’s been said that we are great because we come from an affluent community and our teaching staff are well-resourced. Again, plenty of districts are well funded and don’t achieve at the same level as FCCPS. It is said that the International Baccalaureate Programme makes FCCPS so great. This list could continue with several more traits describing FCCPS. In essence, FCCPS is a PreK-12 IB Continuum school division in a small, affluent community of highly educated, highly involved adults who value education. I feel that the synergy of all these descriptors creates the environment for FCCPS to excel. 

The environment is not enough, however. There needs to be a catalyst. The catalyst in Falls Church City is the conviction that we can make a difference. There is a strong belief among the citizens of Falls Church that our opinions matter and these opinions can affect change in our schools, community, state, and nation. This conviction is communicated to our children by culture, parents, school & community leaders, and school staff.

Some of these convictions naturally occur because Falls Church City is 7 miles from Washington DC, and many community members hold high-level positions in the US federal government and related organizations. These professionals are welcomed into our schools as parents and volunteers. Our students also see their parents and the parents of their peers making a difference in our Federal Government, so they see themselves as capable of achieving that same level of influence. Proximity to the Capitol can also create a general sense of comfort and familiarity with the workings of our government as these national institutions are integrated into our curriculum, including field trips and projects.

Additionally, this conviction is nurtured through the International Baccalaureate programme. The IB learner profile traits permeate the culture and curriculum in FCCPS. We intentionally encourage our students to be inquirers, risk-takers, communicators, open-minded, and critical thinkers. When these traits are coupled with professionally successful and involved parents and community members, kids truly believe that they can change the world.