Fairfax County Schools start later, risk commuter woes

By Andrew Mollenbeck
September 6, 2015 | 11:44 AM

WASHINGTON – The region’s largest school district returns to class Tuesday morning with a schedule change that could impact traffic.

Most Fairfax County Public High Schools will start the day at 8:10 a.m. this school year, almost an hour later than last year.

FCPS decided to shift the schedule in response to research from the American Academy of Pediatrics.

It found improved outcomes when bell schedules more closely correspond with biological sleep rhythms of adolescents.

The outworking of the schedule change remains a question.

Buses and parents will be chauffeuring students to class when many commuters are heading to work.

District wide, FCPS uses more than 1,600 buses. Enrollment is estimated at 188,545.

Fairfax Co. seeks to exempt Potomac River to protect water if Va. declares drought emergency

By Neal Augenstein
June 26, 2026 | 4:37 PM

Northern Virginia remains under a drought watch, and Fairfax County leaders want to make sure there’s enough drinking water to go around if Virginia declares a drought emergency. The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors authorized Chairman Jeff McKay to write to Governor Abigail Spanberger, to request that the Potomac River be excluded from a Virginia drought-specific declaration, since Fairfax Water is dependent on the Potomac as its drinking water supply.

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