Members of the Potomac High School choir with Superintendent Dr. LaTanya D. McDade

Dear PWCS Families, Employees, and Community,

The winter holidays and end-of-year celebrations are a time of reflection, resolution, and rejoicing, and I would like to acknowledge our community members and business partners who give back to our students, teachers, and schools. On behalf of Dawn Davis, executive director of our SPARK education foundation, and the entire SPARK team, I would like to thank the following PWCS partners:

  1. Fraternal Order of Police Battlefield Lodge #43 and their officers for providing students with opportunities to participate in the Santa Cop Program.
  2. Volunteer Prince William for supporting students and their families during the holidays through “Un-Trim-A-Tree.”
  3. Boxes of Basics for supporting our students with essentials to keep warm this season and throughout the year.
  4. Prince William County Community Foundation for supporting students and families every year during our Back-to-School Fair, with weekend events, summer meals, and for its partnership in launching 10 new school food pantries in the Food Pantry Pilot Program.
  5. All PWCS business and community partners who support our community all year round by donating, gifting, supplying, and collaborating with us.
  6. And, our school staff, parents, and students who donate school supplies, toys, books, games, and make contributions to our schools’ food pantries and clothes closets.

When you contribute to SPARK, you are supporting Prince William County Public Schools with food assistance support and programs that boost STEM education and career exploration. If you are looking for a way to support your local community, I encourage you to donate to SPARK’s End-of-Year Giving Campaign: “Food Pantry Pilot Program."

I also want to thank our students, families, staff, and community for your continued dedication and partnership. I deeply appreciate your commitment to our vision: to see every student graduate on time with the knowledge, skills, and habits of mind necessary to create a thriving future for themselves and their community.

As we approach the end of the calendar year, I warmly wish everyone celebrating a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and joyful Kwanzaa, and I extend my best wishes for a successful New Year to all. I hope you will use the winter break to relax, recharge, and spend quality time with family and friends. I am excited to continue our collaboration in the new year and pursue new opportunities to make the future even brighter for all PWCS students.

We look forward to the return of our staff and students to school on Monday, January 5, 2026, and I hope you will tune in to the January 7, 2026, School Board meeting, where I will present the new four-year strategic plan for Prince William County Public Schools: Elevate 2030.

Sincerely,
Dr. McDade signature
LaTanya D. McDade, Ed.D.
Superintendent
Prince William County Public Schools