I am very saddened to hear that Ms. Lillian Orlich passed away recently. Known as Ms. O to thousands of students, Ms. Orlich is a true legend in Prince William County education. She retired in 2017 after serving public education students for nearly 70 years. She was a dedicated teacher and counselor who initially began working in Prince William County at the original Osbourn High School and transferred to the new Osbourn Park High School in 1975. Ms. Orlich's dedication is a testament to her love of the staff and students at Osbourn Park High School.

The Prince William County School Board honored Ms. Orlich by naming two rooms in PWCS for her. The Osbourn Park High School auditorium was dedicated to Ms. Orlich on April 26, 2003, and the Lillian M. Orlich Student Services Center at Gainesville High School was dedicated to her in 2021. During the dedication ceremony, Hal Parrish, former mayor of Manassas and a former student of Ms. O, said, “We should all be so lucky as to have teachers who challenge us, who express high expectations for us, who guide us to be better, not only during class and school but for creating a better life and setting us on the path for the future.”

I am thankful for Ms. O’s dedication to our students, schools, and community. Her legacy will live on through many of us. My thoughts are with her family and friends.

Per her wishes, a memorial service will be held in her auditorium at Osbourn Park High School on March 17 at 2 p.m. View memorial service

Dr. LaTanya D. McDade
Superintendent of Schools