According to the district's monthly incident reports, high schools in Stafford County experienced a surge in disciplinary issues in September 2024 compared to the same month in 2023. The data highlights significant increases in student non-compliance, tardiness, and communication device violations, indicating a need for enhanced behavior management strategies.
Key Findings
This article requires a paid Locals Only Membership to read. Please Sign In or Upgrade to a paid membership. Thank you.
Meet the Principal Series Continues: Manassas Local Editor Caitlyn Meisner launched this series at the beginning of the 2024-2025 school year to introduce nearly two dozen new principals in Prince William County Schools. Now, we’re shifting focus to highlight the new and existing principals in Manassas City Public Schools. Each principal has answered the same questions (in bold), and their responses will be shared below. Stay tuned as we continue to profile the educational leaders shaping our community’s schools.
Choir Call Answered: We called for Christmas choir performances, and you delivered! The Gainesville Community Choir (GCC) submitted a video and press release about their upcoming shows. Keep those choir videos coming—I’m excited to feature them during the holiday season!
The Gainesville Community Choir will perform a winter collaborative concert titled *“From Darkness to Light.” The program includes Dan Forrest’s LUX: The Dawn from On High and other seasonal selections performed with the Fairfax Choral Society. Catch these performances:
- Friday, December 6 at Grace United Methodist Church in Manassas
- Saturday, December 7 at Annandale United Methodist Church
Stafford Schools Go Silent: We recently reported on Stafford County Public Schools hiring a new superintendent. Interestingly, no press release about the hiring was sent to us, though it was shared with other news organizations. We obtained the press release after filing a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request.
This follows an incident where the district’s public information officer asked us to leave the premises after we questioned the school board chair about the ongoing bus crisis. Since then, communication from Stafford Schools has been sparse.
According to the PIO, we’re “not supposed to be asking questions of school board members.” While disappointing, this lack of transparency won’t deter us from bringing you the important stories affecting our community.
Since Taylor's departure, Chris R. Fulmer, the Acting Superintendent, will return to his role as Deputy Superintendent. Fulmer, a CPA and Certified Fraud Examiner, has served SCPS for 12 years and has been pivotal in overseeing operations and collaborating with community stakeholders.
This article is FREE to read. Please Sign In or Create a FREE Account. Thank you.
Stafford County Public Schools unveiled a streamlined enrollment and acceptance process for its specialty programs during the November 12, 2024, school board meeting. The updated system, designed to increase efficiency and accessibility, introduces a lottery system to manage high demand and shortens the acceptance response window from 16 days to just seven.
Application and Notification Process
The application period for specialty programs will open on December 3, 2024, coinciding with high school Discovery Nights across the county. These events allow students and parents to explore the programs available at each high school. The application window closes on January 24, 2025, with notifications of acceptance sent out on February 17, 2025.
This article requires a paid Locals Only Membership to read. Please Sign In or Upgrade to a paid membership. Thank you.
The Stafford County School Board has announced a special meeting scheduled for Monday, November 18, 2024, at 6:30 p.m. to discuss the potential appointment of a new division superintendent. The meeting will be held at the Alvin York Bandy Administrative Complex at 31 Stafford Avenue in Stafford.
If confirmed, the new superintendent will become the fifth to lead Stafford County Public Schools (SCPS) in the past 15 years.
The appointment follows Dr. Thomas W. Taylor’s departure as superintendent in June 2024. Shortly after Taylor’s resignation, the School Board convened a special meeting on June 18, at which it unanimously appointed Chris R. Fulmer as Acting Superintendent.
Fulmer, a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) has been with SCPS for 12 years and has served as Deputy Superintendent since 2019. During his tenure, he has played a pivotal role in overseeing school operations and collaborating with staff and community stakeholders to advance educational initiatives.
Before his time with SCPS, Fulmer gained extensive experience in public accounting, conducting financial audits for government entities, including school systems. This background in financial management and accountability has been instrumental in shaping his approach to leadership within Stafford County schools.
North Stafford High School students will perform "The Brothers Grimm Spectacularthon" on November 14 and 16, packing 209 dark fairy tales into one farcical show.
Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, known as the "Brothers Grimm," were German academics who collected and published folklore in the early 19th century. While many of their tales have become light and family-friendly through modern-day adaptations, like Disney movies, the original works were darker with moral lessons and often tragic or gruesome endings.
This article requires a paid Locals Only Membership to read. Please Sign In or Upgrade to a paid membership. Thank you.
In an unexpected email to his team, Johnson explained that family obligations were leading him back to South Carolina. This Friday, November 15, 2024, will be his final day. He was hired August 28, 2023.
Stafford County Public Schools’ transportation woes have been the source of significant disruption, frustration, and, frankly, a lot of unanswered questions. The division notified parents of the transportation breakdown hours before school resumed, leaving families scrambling. Despite an August meeting in which the school board addressed these issues, parents are still waiting to see what corrective actions have been implemented.
Johnson’s Departure and His Message to the Team
In his farewell letter, Johnson thanked his team, regretted not sharing the news in person, and affirmed his commitment to family responsibilities. He highlighted his pride in the department’s achievements but noted that sometimes, family must come first.
While Johnson’s departure may be due to personal reasons, it also comes at a time of intense scrutiny on Stafford County’s transportation department. Under his leadership, the department had ambitious goals: implementing new routing software, hiring and training new staff, and optimizing routes to better serve students. Unfortunately, a rocky rollout of new technology, compounded by staffing shortages, has led to significant setbacks that still impact students and families.
What Went Wrong?
The core of Stafford County’s transportation issues seems rooted in systemic problems within the planning and execution of new technology, along with staffing and operational inefficiencies. At the heart of the issue was a new routing software system, introduced with high hopes but ultimately underprepared for the realities of a bustling school district.
Stafford’s transition to this software was necessary; the previous system was outdated and unable to meet the district’s needs. However, this “solution” soon became a significant problem. On August 27, 2024, Interim Superintendent Chris Fulmer noted that the software lacked extensive testing for real-world scenarios. Rushed implementation and insufficient training compounded these issues, leaving bus drivers and coordinators struggling to manage routes and respond to sudden changes.
The crisis differed from two years ago when the school division failed to meet the district’s transportation needs due to a lack of bus drivers.
Calls for Accountability
The transportation failures have had real consequences. Students missed critical class time, families faced disrupted schedules, and many lost confidence in the system. Parents continue to voice safety concerns, citing early morning waits at bus stops and inconsistent route information.
The board has discussed various changes, from expanded walk zones to a crisis communication plan, to better manage parent expectations. They have also acknowledged the need for an independent transportation department review to ensure unbiased solutions. However, the review has not been mentioned since, and recent monthly school board agendas have been void of anything related to school bus transportation.
Board member Elizabeth Warner said on August 27, 2024: “We owe our families transparency and accountability. They deserve a system they can rely on, one that doesn’t leave them scrambling at the last minute.”
From the Stafford County Sherriff's Department:
ASSAULT:
Catherine Lane, 11/11, 5:46 a.m. Deputy M.N. Sayegh responded to an assault. The caller advised her boyfriend was just assaulted by his ex-girlfriend. It was discovered the ex-girlfriend responded to the residence and assaulted the victim over a cellphone. The ex-girlfriend was located and served on a warrant for assault and battery.AG Wright Middle School, 100 Wood Drive, 11/12, 10:30 a.m. Deputy S.C. Hall was conducting her SRO duties when she was informed of an assault. Two students were exchanging words and about to fight when a third student attempted to separate them and de-escalate the situation. Instead of fighting each other, the first two students began assaulting the third student. Criminal complaints for assault and battery were filed on the first two students.
This article is FREE to read. Please Sign In or Create a FREE Account. Thank you.
At its November 12 meeting, the Stafford County School Board approved the launch of a new Business and Information Technology Center at Colonial Forge High School.
This center is designed to prepare students for high-demand careers in fields like cybersecurity, business administration, and data analytics. This center marks the latest in Stafford’s growing network of specialty programs to give students a head start in career-focused education and advanced fields of study.
