New Superintendent Dr. Scott Braband is inviting the community to meet him face-to-face. Brabrand is holding five “Community Conversations” to answer questions from students, parents, school employees and residents in a town hall style session. His goal of late has been “connecting and reconnecting,” with the concerns of FCPS, so each Conversation is located in one of the five regions.

About 70 community members came to hear Brabrand at Langston Hughes Middle School (Region 1) on Oct. 19, and about 85 people attended on Nov. 8 at Hayfield Secondary School (Region 3). Before the questions officially start, Brabrand makes a point to shake hands with or hug everyone he can talk to.

While on Nov. 8, many attendees from administrative teams, parents and some students came to ask questions, air their concerns, and hear Brabrand’s plans.

“I came to hear if he had a new vision for the county,” FCPS parent Anna M. (who did not want to be identified with her last name) said. “Will he work to change the status quo? What will he do about the achievement gap?”

On Nov. 8, Brabrand expanded upon the idea that has been his tagline; he wants to raise salaries for all FCPS school employees, but he will focus more monetary resources on the demographic groups from which the county is losing the most teachers instead of giving a blanket increase.

Another topic often brought up in concerns was the overcrowding of certain schools in the county. People asked whether school attendance boundaries could or would change. Brabrand said that he would rather focus on bettering each school.

“[Redistricting schools] hasn’t snap, crackle, popped, because it’s just not that easy,” Brabrand said. “We have a strong tradition of community schools. They feel there’s a lot behind pride, legacy and property values as well. We’ve got to build the excellence promise in every school and every classroom so that people don’t think there is a great difference between going to one school and another.”  

There are two more sessions on Nov. 28 at Chantilly High School and on Dec. 11 at Luther Jackson Middle School. Brabrand welcomes all to these sessions.