FREDERICKSBURG, Va. — Community leaders, educators, and descendants of historical figures gathered Wednesday for the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the newly built Walker–Grant Middle School, celebrating what many called the start of a new era in Fredericksburg education.
The former middle school at 1 Learning Lane, just off Route 1, will be repurposed as Gladys West Elementary School.
MANASSAS PARK, Va. – The folks at Manassas Park City Schools just told Potomac Local News they were the target of a ransomware attack back in June—and some personal information might’ve been exposed.
The school division says it first learned of the incident on June 13, 2025, and quickly brought in IT staff and outside cybersecurity experts to investigate and secure its network. Hackers had reportedly accessed the system a day earlier and encrypted parts of it. While there’s no confirmation that anyone’s personal data was taken or misused, officials are alerting those who might be affected—just in case.
The event, held in the parking lot of Target at Stafford Marketplace, featured music, giveaways, children’s book readings, and the collection of filled Empower Packs—backpacks stocked with school supplies for students in need.
SCOUT, which stands for Strengthening Community through Outreach, Understanding, and Trust, was unveiled at 9 a.m. to applause and chants of “Roll out SCOUT!” led by School Board Chair Maureen Siegmund. The vehicle is designed to bring educational resources, enrollment help, wellness information, and support services directly into neighborhoods across Stafford County.
New images obtained by Potomac Local News show school supplies and personal items—once housed inside the union office—discarded in a dumpster outside the building. According to a PWEA member who shared the photos, union employees have been unable to retrieve their belongings.
The latest development adds to the turmoil surrounding the VEA’s July 21 decision to take control of PWEA, the largest local teachers union in Virginia, citing what it described as “gross financial mismanagement” and falsified board records. The VEA has not publicly commented on why the office is locked or why staff and members are being denied access to their property.
Prince William County Public Schools (PWCS) will break ground on a new elementary school in the Potomac Shores area this fall, aiming to alleviate severe overcrowding in the Dumfries area.
The groundbreaking ceremony for the new Potomac Shores Elementary School is scheduled for Monday, September 8 at 10 a.m., and will take place at 1720 Thoroughgood Drive. School Board members have been invited to attend.
As Manassas City Public Schools (MCPS) prepare for the first day of school on August 12, Superintendent Dr. Kevin Newman introduced a group of new administrators who will be stepping into key leadership roles across the division. The announcements, made during the July School Board meeting, reflect a mix of fresh talent and internal advancement designed to strengthen support for students and staff in the year ahead.
New Principal at Round Elementary
PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, Va. – Governor Glenn Youngkin announced today that the U.S. Department of Education has determined that Prince William County Public Schools (PWCS) is among five Northern Virginia school divisions found to be in violation of Title IX, a federal civil rights law, due to policies allowing students to access restrooms and participate in sports based on gender identity.
In a press release, Youngkin said the school divisions—Fairfax, Loudoun, Arlington, Prince William, and the City of Alexandria—“have been violating federal law, deliberately neglecting their responsibility to protect students’ safety, privacy and dignity, and ignoring parents’ rights.”
The chamber is one of several signatories to a public letter released July 23 by the Northern Virginia Technology Council (NVTC), urging business groups across the state to rally behind Mason and recognize its essential role in the region’s economic future. The statement calls on the university’s Board of Visitors to reaffirm its support for Dr. Washington’s leadership.
“Mason is a cornerstone of Northern Virginia’s economic strength, and its students are the future of our workforce,” said NVTC President and CEO Jennifer Taylor. “We support Dr. Washington because his vision aligns with the needs of our business community.”
SPOTSYLVANIA, Va. – A new bill from Senator Tim Kaine and Congressman Eugene Vindman aims to restore federal funding cut earlier this year from a program that supported high school students with disabilities in Spotsylvania County and across the country.
The “Charting My Path for Future Success” program—launched in 2019—was canceled by the U.S. Department of Education in February 2025, halting services like tutoring and mentoring for more than 1,600 students nationwide. Spotsylvania schools say the funding loss put them in a $2 million bind, threatening over a dozen staff positions and programs for students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs).
