MANASSAS PARK, Va. – The Manassas Park High School Theatre Department is bringing a delightfully spooky classic to life this week with performances of The Addams Family Musical. The show runs from May 1 through May 4 and promises an evening filled with laughter, eerie tunes, and all the charm of the famously offbeat Addams clan.
In a post on social media, Manassas Park City Public Schools invited the community to enjoy “a spooktacular night of laughter, music, and macabre fun,” encouraging folks to snag tickets before they disappear. The musical, based on the iconic characters created by Charles Addams, follows the family’s hilarious antics as daughter Wednesday falls in love with someone “normal.”
The performances showcase the talents of MPHS student actors, singers, and crew members who’ve worked hard to transform their school stage into the Addamses’ gothic world.
Tickets can be purchased online at this link.
On Tuesday, Manassas Park City Schools presented the governing body with a $64.8 million operating budget for Fiscal Year 2026. The budget outlines key priorities to improve academic performance, boost teacher compensation, and expand student wellness and mental health services.
Superintendent Dr. Melissa Saunders and Finance Director Mr. Lyon led the presentation, which showcased the division’s efforts to balance rising costs with a continued decline in student enrollment.
“This budget reflects our commitment to reimagining the school experience, supporting our staff, and ensuring our students are safe and supported every day,” said Saunders.
Key Budget Priorities
The FY26 budget, approved by the School Board on March 3, is structured around four major priorities:
- Literacy and Math Improvement: Expansion of the Virginia Literacy Act compliance to middle school grades and the addition of 43 English Language Learner (ELL) teaching positions to meet updated state mandates. The school division’s ELL population now makes up 45% of the student body, compared to the state average of 12%.
- Staff Compensation and Benefits: Teachers and classified staff will receive an average 5.2% raise, including a 2% step and 3% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA). Managerial staff will receive a 4.2% average increase. The top pay scale staff will receive a $1,000 supplement. The budget also includes six weeks of paid parental leave after one year of employment and increases paid time off to 15 days annually.
- Student Support Services: The budget adds a school counselor, a Dean of Students at the high school, and front office staff to assist with increased call volume. It maintains three attendance specialists and extends the use of Care Solace, a 24/7 multilingual mental health care referral service for students, families, and staff. Free breakfast and lunch for all students will continue.
- Sustainability: The division will draw $872,078 from the City’s School Reserve Fund to help cover salary obligations. That fund, created in 2023, is intended to stabilize school funding as enrollment declines and staff costs rise.
Student Enrollment Declining, Needs Increasing
Enrollment is projected to dip slightly to 3,372 students next year, down from 3,624 in 2020. At the same time, student needs have increased significantly:
- 55% of students are economically disadvantaged
- 15% receive special education services
- 45% are English Language Learners
Saunders noted that while enrollment declines, the staffing demands grow due to state requirements for lower student-teacher ratios in high-need populations.
Long-Term Forecast Raises Concerns
A five-year budget forecast included in the presentation shows rising shortfalls beginning in FY27, with a projected $4.7 million gap by FY30. The FY30 projection also includes a placeholder $36 million investment in a potential Career and Technical Education (CTE) wing at the high school.
Despite the looming financial challenges, school leaders emphasized that the FY26 budget reflects careful planning and a “needs-based, zero-based” development process.
Capital Projects and Other Highlights
The FY26 capital budget includes $2.1 million in school infrastructure upgrades, including bus replacements, generator installations, lighting and flooring improvements, and front entrance safety upgrades.
The budget also maintains free meals for all students, funded through the division’s food services fund.
What’s Next
The School Board’s approved budget will now be incorporated into the City of Manassas Park’s overall FY26 budget. No formal action by the Governing Body was required during the March 18 meeting.
“We’re proud of the work being done in our schools and believe this budget reflects our community’s values,” said Saunders.
Editor’s note: View the full budget presentation.
The Manassas Park Governing Body has appointed Kevin Moreau to fill a vacant seat on the Governing Body (City Council) following the recent election of Alana Mensing as mayor. Moreau will serve as an interim council member until a special election fills the vacancy.
During a short meeting on February 13, 2025, council members voted in favor of Moreau’s appointment, with one abstention. Moreau was selected from a pool of applicants, including former council members and community leaders seeking to serve the city.
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Several schools in our region have announced closures and delays for Wednesday, January 8, 2025, due to inclement weather and hazardous road conditions. Here is the full list of updates:
Prince William County:
All Prince William County Public Schools will be closed under Code Green for students and teachers.
– 250-day employees and pay grade 13 and above report at 10 a.m.
– The closure will allow VDOT additional time to clear secondary and neighborhood roads to ensure bus safety.
Stafford County:
Stafford County Public Schools are closed on Wednesday, January 8, 2025, due to ongoing adverse weather conditions.
– All activities and events scheduled are canceled.
Manassas City:
Manassas City Schools and offices will be closed on Wednesday, January 8, 2025.
– Code BLUE for employees.
Manassas Park:
All Manassas Park schools are closed on Wednesday, January 8, 2025, due to remaining snow and ice.
Spotsylvania County:
Spotsylvania County Public Schools will be closed on Wednesday, January 8, 2025.
– Code 2: 12-month employees report two hours late as safety permits.
– Essential personnel should report at specified times.
– All school-sponsored activities, including student externships, are canceled.
Fredericksburg City:
Fredericksburg City Public Schools will be closed on Wednesday, January 8, 2025, due to road conditions and low temperatures.
– Temperatures are expected to remain below freezing until the afternoon.
Fairfax County:
All Fairfax County Public Schools are closed on Wednesday, January 8, 2025.
– School offices and central offices will open to the public at 11 a.m.
King George County:
King George County Schools will be closed on Wednesday, January 8, 2025, due to inclement weather conditions.
– Code 2: 12-month employees report at 10 a.m.
– Liberal leave will be in effect.
Colleges and Universities:
– Germanna Community College:
All Germanna locations will open at 12 p.m. on Wednesday, January 8, due to challenging road conditions.
– Northern Virginia Community College:
Normal operations under Code Green for Wednesday, January 8, 2025. All campuses and services are open.
Prince William County Public Schools
All schools and offices will be closed Code Red on Tuesday. Inclement Weather Employees are the exception and should follow their assigned schedule.
Stafford County Public Schools
Schools will be closed on Tuesday due to adverse weather and an extended winter storm warning. All activities and events scheduled for the day are canceled. Tuesday was originally a professional learning day, so students were not scheduled to attend.
Manassas City Public Schools
Schools and offices will be closed Tuesday. Code BLUE is in effect for employees.
Fredericksburg City Public Schools
Schools will be closed, and buildings will remain closed as crews work on clearing parking lots and sidewalks. Essential personnel will be contacted by their supervisors for report times.
Manassas Park City Schools Closure for Tuesday, January 7, 2025
All Manassas Park City Schools will be closed on Tuesday, January 7, 2025, due to snowy conditions. **Code RED** is in effect for employees.
King George County Schools
Schools will be closed Tuesday. Code 1 is in effect for 12-month employees.
Fairfax County Public Schools
All schools and central offices will be closed on Tuesday.
University of Mary Washington
All UMW campuses, including Fredericksburg, Stafford, and Dahlgren, will be closed all day Tuesday following the January 6 snowstorm.
Germanna Community College: Due to inclement weather, all Germanna locations will be closed on Tuesday, January 7.
Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA)
Code Purple for Tuesday, January 7, 2025. All NOVA campuses are operating virtually, with classes and services available online only.
Spotsylvania County Public Schools
All schools and offices will be closed on Tuesday, January 7, 2025. Code 1 is in effect—essential personnel should report to perform emergency services as necessary. All school-sponsored activities, including student externships, are canceled.
Manassas Park City Schools (MPCS) announced that all schools will be closed on Monday, citing snowy conditions as the reason for the closure.
The announcement on the division’s website stated, “All Manassas Park City Schools will be closed tomorrow, Monday, January 6th, due to snowy conditions. Code RED for employees.”
The closure affected more than 3,000 students enrolled in the city’s four schools, which include Cougar Elementary, Manassas Park Elementary, Manassas Park Middle School, and Manassas Park High School. MPCS serves the small, tight-knit community of Manassas Park and provides a range of academic and extracurricular programs designed to meet the needs of its students.
A Code RED designation means that all school employees, except those specifically designated for inclement weather duties, are not required to report to work.
The school division will continue to monitor weather conditions and communicate any updates regarding the resumption of regular operations through its website and social media platforms. Families are encouraged to stay tuned for further announcements.
Winter Break is almost here in the Potomac region, here are the dates for the schools in our area.
Stafford County Public Schools:Â
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The City of Manassas Park has two terms expiring. Manassas Park School Board term expires June 30, 2026.
? The City of Manassas Park has two terms expiring. Manassas Park School Board term expiring June 30, 2026. Interim appointment Manassas Park Governing Body due to Alanna Mensing winning seat as Mayor. Resumes accepted until 4pm on January 7, 2025. https://t.co/9Gfsk9Ubhz pic.twitter.com/jF9oDymMTL
— City of Manassas Park (@ManassasParkGov) December 12, 2024
Join us November 4 from 7-9 p.m. for the 14th Annual Band Together to Fight Hunger event. Support this initiative for the @FredFoodVA . Bring a non-perishable food item for admission or donate at https://t.co/nm79VLsJuE#BandTogetherToFightHunger #ElevateStafford pic.twitter.com/Hvjq164f1v
— Stafford Schools (@SCPSchools) November 1, 2024
The Virginia Department of Education is hosting Commonwealth Conversations to gather input from parents, educators, and community members on achieving cell phone-free education in Virginia, addressing youth mental health, and education performance. Following Governor Youngkin’s Executive Order 33, which mandates cell phone-free education, school boards will implement related policies by the end of the year, with the changes taking effect in January 2025.
The Virginia Department of Education is hosting a series of Commonwealth Conversations to give parents, educators, and community members the opportunity to share their thoughts on the best ways to achieve cell phone-free education in Virginia and address the increasing evidence of the impact cell phone and social media usage has on youth mental health and education performance.
On July 9, Governor Glenn Youngkin issued Executive Order 33 to establish cell phone-free education to promote the health and safety of Virginia’s K-12 students. Executive Order 33 directs the VDOE to provide guidance to school boards on cell phone-free education policies and procedures. School boards will establish local cell phone-free education policies and procedures before the end of this year.
Parents, educators, and interested community members are invited to attend a Commonwealth Conversation and discuss their expectations for the upcoming policy changes that will take effect in January 2025. Below is a list of the upcoming conversations being held throughout the Commonwealth:
Manassas – July 18, 2 – 3:30 p.m.
Osbourn High SchoolFredericksburg – July 30, 9 – 10:30 a.m.
James Monroe High School-Virginia Department of Education
