August 12, 2022
Dear PWCS Families, Employees, and Community,
Prince William County Public Schools is busy preparing for the return of our students on August 22. Last week, PWCS hosted our annual Excellence and Equity in Education Leadership Conference (EEE), bringing together school and division leaders from across the county to engage in learning and our focus for the year ahead. In addition to the extremely talented Gainesville High School band, Bull Run Middle School Chorus, and Woodbridge Senior High School Dance Company, our Fitzgerald Elementary School B.E.A.M. Steppers blew away our attendees with their phenomenal performance.
This week, PWCS welcomed more than 900 new staff at our New Educator Induction Ceremony at Forest Park High School. Our new educators will join our returning teachers on Monday, August 15, in preparation for our students' first day of school. We continue to work through staffing challenges to ensure every school is staffed for the first day, and hiring continues every day, with 39 teachers hired this week alone.
As a reminder, class schedules will be released in ParentVUE for elementary schools on August 16, and for middle and high schools on August 19. Bus schedules are also available in ParentVUE.
Please remember the Back to School Packet is available in ParentVUE and should be completed as soon as possible, but no later than September 16. In completing this packet, parents/guardians will review emergency cards, update contact information, and complete annual policy reviews and acknowledgments. The information you provide will allow school staff to ensure your students' safety this school year. Visit the Back to School webpage for more information and resources.
Be assured that safety remains our top priority, and we are continuously improving our security practices in collaboration with our law enforcement partners. In preparation for the start of school, every school building has an updated crisis plan in place. Additionally, we practice emergency readiness at each school multiple times throughout the year.
PWCS also uses the "Say Something" anonymous reporting system designed especially for students in grades 6-12 and staff to report concerns of potentially unsafe behavior. This is the best tool for our students to report anything, other than reporting an incident directly to a school administrator or security. This system is monitored 24/7.
I will conclude by acknowledging two outstanding Back to School community engagement events held this week at Loch Lomond Elementary School and Hampton Middle School. These wonderful events connected our families with local business partners and community services. I had the privilege of meeting our students, families, staff, and local leaders and distributing books and school supplies donated by our community partners.
I look forward to welcoming all PWCS educators next week as we prepare for an outstanding school year ahead.
Sincerely,
LaTanya D. McDade, Ed.D.
Superintendent
Prince William County Public Schools