Schools

VEA Hearing to Decide Fate of Prince William Teachers Union Raises Questions Over Witnesses, Transparency

By Uriah Kiser

MANASSAS, Va. – The Virginia Education Association (VEA) will convene a hearing on Saturday, August 23, 2025, to determine the future of the Prince William Education Association (PWEA), the largest local teachers union in Virginia, which was placed under emergency trusteeship last month. But as the date approaches, controversy is mounting over whether the individuals who voted to impose the takeover will testify.

In an email exchange obtained by Potomac Local News, the hearing officer confirmed he does not have the authority to compel testimony from any individual, including members of the VEA Board and staff who voted to remove PWEA’s elected leadership. As a result, those decision makers may not appear and would not be subject to cross-examination during the proceedings.

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Manassas City Schools to Provide Day Therapy for Students

By Caitlyn Meisner
The Manassas City Public School Board. [Courtesy of MCPS]

Manassas City Public Schools (MCPS) will provide therapeutic day treatment for students through the National Counseling Group beginning this school year.

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That New PWCS Bus App? Still Down—And Might Be for Days

By Uriah Kiser

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, Va. – Prince William County Public Schools’ brand-new bus tracking app still isn’t working—and now it looks like it may stay down for a few days.

The folks at PWCS just shared with Potomac Local News that the EZ A2B app is still offline and won’t be up in time for this afternoon’s school bus routes. The vendor says it may take “multiple days” to restore service.

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PWCS Students Head Back to School Tomorrow—Here’s What to Know

By Uriah Kiser
[Photo: Prince William County Public Schools]

A major update this year: all schools are going cell phone-free. Elementary and K-8 students must keep phones off and put away all day, including field trips. Middle and high schoolers must store devices from bell to bell—even during instructional periods. Parents who need to reach their child can still call the school office.

PWCS buses will be rolling bright and early, covering up to 11 million miles this year. Families are encouraged to check ParentVUE or the new EZ A2B app tonight to confirm updated bus stops and times.

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Prince William School Board Splits as Wall, Tredinnick Oppose Majority in Defiance of Federal Order

By Uriah Kiser
The Prince William County School Board 2024 to 2027. Top left to right: Erica Tredinnick, Justin Wilk, Dr. Babur Lateef, Lisa Zarapur, Tracy Blake. Bottom row: Jennifer Wall, Richard Jessie, Loree Williams. [Photo: Prince William County Public Schools]

Reactions from Prince William’s eight-member school board show a deep divide—not just over federal law, but over whose rights the policy protects and how the board should have responded.

Two members—Jennifer Wall of the Gainesville District and Erica Tredinnick of the Brentsville District, both Republican-endorsed—spoke out against the board’s overall position to defy the U.S. Department of Education. While the majority of the board supported rejecting the federal resolution, Wall and Tredinnick each argued the board should have taken a different course.

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PWCS Rolls Out New Bus Routing, Tracking System for 2025–26 School Year

By Uriah Kiser

Prince William County Public Schools will begin the new academic year Monday, August 18, 2025, with a redesigned bus routing system and a new tracking app, promising families more reliability, efficiency, and real-time information about their child’s ride to and from school.

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Prince William Schools Defy Feds in Bathroom Policy Fight

By Uriah Kiser
Photo by Sung Jin Cho on Unsplash

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, Va. — Prince William William County Public Schools joins other public school divisions in Northern Virginia, and is rejecting the U.S. Department of Education’s directive to reverse policies that allow transgender students to use restrooms and locker rooms matching their chosen gender identity.

On Friday, August 15, 2025, Prince William County Public Schools (PWCS) formally rejected the federal agency’s proposed Voluntary Resolution Agreement (VRA), calling it legally flawed and out of step with binding case law in Virginia.

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Stafford Schools Partner with George Mason’s Direct Admissions Program

By Caitlyn Meisner
George Mason University has partnered with local school divisions for its Direct Admissions program. [Photo/Courtesy of Visit Prince William]

Eligible Stafford County Public Schools (SCPS) high schoolers will now receive admission offers directly from George Mason University (GMU), a step in the institution’s expansion into the region through the Direct Admissions program.

The program, which began in the fall of 2023, was piloted to try to reach students who may experience challenges in pursuing higher education. The release from 2023 stated that if eligible, students would not have to submit an application fee, teacher recommendations or essays.

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Public Rallies Behind Removed Osbourn Football Coach

By Uriah Kiser
Osbourn High School. [Courtesy of Homes.com]

MANASSAS, Va. — Community members packed the Aug. 12 Manassas City School Board meeting to demand the reinstatement of longtime Osbourn High School football coach Mike Johnson, whose employment with the division ended Aug. 8.

The school division confirmed this week that Johnson worked for Manassas City Public Schools from 2007 to 2022, and again from 2023 until last week. His roles included assistant indoor track coach, assistant football coach, and head football coach. He has been replaced by Mel Morgan.

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Stafford Schools Report Smooth First Day for Buses

By Uriah Kiser

STAFFORD COUNTY, Va. – Stafford County Public Schools says its bus system ran smoothly on the first regular day of the 2025–26 school year, Tuesday, August 12, 2025, with only minor delays typical of the first week back.

“Overall things are going very well — we are hearing from our principals and our community that they are happy with transportation this year,” said school spokeswoman Sandra Osborn.

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