Manassas City Public Schools Set Welcome 7,700 Students Back for the New Academic Year

On Monday, August 12, Manassas City Public Schools will open its doors for the first day of the 2024-2025 school year, welcoming back 7,700 students. The students will return to five elementary schools, four middle and intermediate schools, and one high school.

Free School Meals for All Students

All students in Manassas City Public Schools will be eligible to receive free breakfast and lunch each day. This is part of the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs under the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) for the 2024-2025 school year. Parents and guardians are not required to submit a meal application or pay any fees for their children to participate in these meal programs. For further assistance or questions, the school division can be contacted at 571-377-6056.

Cell Phones Banned in Classrooms

A new policy at Osbourn High School will ban cell phones inside classrooms. The school has introduced the “Phone Home” initiative, which involves a designated storage area for students’ phones in every classroom. Students must place their phones in the “Phone Home” at the start of each class and leave them there throughout the instructional period. This measure will enhance the learning environment by minimizing distractions during class time.

Grading policy changes 

Also, this summer, the Manassas School Board modified its grading policy, emphasizing mastery of subject matter rather than average grades. The policy allows students to retake assessments and provides more opportunities to demonstrate understanding. The changes aim to improve student learning outcomes by focusing on knowledge and skills rather than penalizing students for initial mistakes. Opponents of the system continue to say the city’s grading policy is too lightweight and does not adequately prepare students for the workplace.