Prince William County Public Schools
Severe weather prompts widespread school adjustments across Northern Virginia and Fredericksburg on Monday, March 16, as a strong cold front brings risks of damaging winds over 70 mph and possible tornadoes.
Prince William County Public Schools will dismiss two hours early, Manassas Park City Schools will dismiss two hours early with specific times by level, Manassas City Public Schools will operate on early release with no PreK, while Stafford County, Spotsylvania County, and Fredericksburg City Public Schools will close fully or shift to remote learning.
In a decision that underscores the protections afforded to union leaders under Virginia’s collective bargaining laws, a neutral arbitrator has ruled that Prince William County Public Schools (PWCS) committed unfair labor practices by refusing to rehire former Prince William Education Association (PWEA) President Mary “Maggie” Hansford in August 2025. Hansford, who led the union through historic wage negotiations, described the ruling as a moment of “relief and gratitude” in an exclusive statement to Potomac Local News.
The case centers on PWCS’s denial of Hansford’s applications for a speech-language pathologist position and a substitute teacher role. The school division cited media reports of a Virginia Education Association (VEA) audit alleging mismanagement during Hansford’s PWEA presidency, which led to an emergency trusteeship imposed on July 21, 2025. The trusteeship, which suspended Hansford and the PWEA board, was upheld following a contentious 14-hour hearing in August 2025.
A Brentsville District High School senior has become the first high school student in the nation to serve as chair of a county Farm Bureau committee, according to Prince William County Public Schools.
Hunter Ringer, president of the school’s Future Farmers of America (FFA) chapter, was selected to lead the Prince William-Fairfax Farm Bureau Young Farmers Committee after the position was left vacant for the year. Farm Bureau President Stephanie Cornnell proposed Ringer for the role after noticing his leadership and dedication to agricultural education.
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Prince William County officials defended new permitting rules for school theater stages after teachers and students raised concerns at a School Board meeting on February 18.
The controversy stems from a January 13, 2026, memorandum issued by Prince William County Risk Management, enforced through the county permitting office. It mandates county permits, structural reviews by licensed engineers or contractors, and a four- to six-month approval timeline for any temporary theatrical stage or platform exceeding 16½ inches in height or 120 square feet in area, particularly when supporting 10 or more people.
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Prince William County Public Schools has issued three-day suspensions to Woodbridge Senior High School students who left campus during a Feb. 13 student walkout protesting federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement policies.
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Students at at least two Prince William County high schools walked out of class Friday morning as part of a broader protest tied to federal immigration enforcement policies, according to school officials.
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