Candis King would have turned a year older this month.
The Colgan High School 10th-grader died Oct. 4, 2025, of complications of sickle cell disease. Prince William County Public Schools confirmed her death the next day. Principal Tim Healey told Colgan families in a letter that counseling would be available that week. Potomac Local reported the death Oct. 5, 2025.
Prince William County Schools cut the ribbon Wednesday evening on the new Woodbridge Elementary School, a three-story K–5 on Prince William Parkway that opened Aug. 24 for the 2026–27 year.
The school sits at 1550 Prince William Parkway in Woodbridge, next to Fred Lynn Middle School near Route 1. Coverage of the project has put the cost at about $60 million, with a design capacity of about 775 students and roughly 129,900 square feet. Staff expected about 570 students when doors opened Aug. 24, according to a PWCS-provided preview published before the first day.
Patriot High School Principal David Van Gelder told families and staff Saturday that one of the Nokesville school’s students was killed Friday night in the shooting at First Friday in Old Town Manassas.
“It is with profound sadness that I share that one of our students lost her life during the tragic shooting that occurred Friday evening at the First Friday event in Old Town Manassas,” Van Gelder wrote. “We are working with her family to provide any needed support, and my thoughts and deepest condolences are with all those who knew and cared for her.”
“Prince William County Public Schools students earned impressive honors at the 2026 Virginia Future Business Leaders of America State Leadership Conference, with several advancing to the national competition in San Antonio,” PWCS reported. Top state finishes included first places for Drake Ludin of Charles J. Colgan Sr. High School in Hospitality and Event Management and Ameera Noor of Gainesville Middle School in Parliamentary Procedures, along with multiple second- through sixth-place awards across middle and high schools in events ranging from data analysis and marketing to entrepreneurship and public speaking.
At the national level, Eliza Ijaz of Freedom High School secured second place in Entrepreneurship—the first such finish for her school—while Autumn Cordell of Gainesville Middle School also took second place nationwide in Career Exploration, highlighting the strength of PWCS Career and Technical Education programs in preparing students for future business and leadership opportunities.
Prince William County has lost a quiet trailblazer. Zella Salley Brown, the last surviving member of the “Courageous Four,” passed away on June 30, 2026, at age 90.
In 1964, Brown and three other Black educators—Fannie W. Fitzgerald, Mary G. Porter, and Maxine Coleman—were selected to integrate previously all-White Prince William County Public Schools (PWCS). With little notice and no public fanfare, they reported to their new assignments the following day. Brown transferred from Antioch-McCrae Elementary to Loch Lomond Elementary, where she taught for much of her 30-year career in PWCS.
Prince William County Public Schools News reported that the Battlefield High School baseball team won its first Virginia High School League Class 6 Championship with a 6-3 victory over Independence High School on June 18, 2026. Junior Luke Raflo hit a grand slam in the seventh inning to help secure the title, while strong pitching from Alex Kamprowski and Josh Gunning limited Independence’s offense.
The win marks the second consecutive year a Prince William County Public Schools team has claimed the state title, following Gainesville High School’s victory last year. Head coach Jay Burkhart praised his team’s resilience after an early-season slump, with players highlighting the achievement as a long-awaited milestone for the program and its coach of 16 years.
“📸🎓 More grad walk photos for your Sunday morning viewing pleasure,” Prince William County Public Schools announced.
The Class of 2026 recently wrapped up high school graduations across the district’s 13 high schools, with many seniors also taking part in heartfelt “grad walks” through their former elementary and middle schools.
Lisa Zargarpur, member of the Prince William County School Board, announced her candidacy for Coles District Supervisor on the Prince William County Board of Supervisors.
In a Facebook post, Zargarpur said she is shifting her focus after serving on the school board. “After serving two terms on the Prince William County School Board, I am now turning my attention to a different office. I can still support our schools while working for the greater community,” she wrote.
