Residents of The Little City typically agree that it has a “secret sauce” — something behind its charm that makes such a quaint urban anomaly possible. Though the source of this “secret sauce” is a topic of frequent speculation, the general consensus is that its root is a deeply engaged and interconnected community.

“Our ‘secret sauce,’first and foremost, is the way we work together as a community,” said former Mayor David Tarter in his final address before retiring from office last year, adding that “our schools bring families together with shared purpose.”

The strength of a community can often be judged by the state of its public schools. With Falls Church City Public Schools (FCCPS) being the highest rated school district in Virginia — and one of only two (Arlington County schools being the other) to receive an A+ rating by Niche — a strong FCCPS is at minimum a central component to the “secret sauce” that fuels community cohesion in The Little City.
But public school budgets are tight — even in Falls Church — so how does FCCPS continue to expand upon its excellent reputation?

This year marks two decades since a group of FCCPS stakeholders, powered by startup funds from City Council members, launched the Falls Church Education Foundation (FCEF), a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing the educational experience for FCCPS students.

Since 2004, FCEF has distributed more than $1 million in grants to FCCPS staff and students, awarded hundreds of scholarships to Meridian graduates, supported families facing financial hardships, and clocked over 100 kilometers for its annual Run for the Schools — which has grown to nearly 1,000 participants. Chief among various fundraising endeavors is the FCEF Annual Gala & Auction, being held Friday, May 17, which this year will include a special celebration of the organization’s two decades of service.

Along with a troupe of dedicated volunteers, FCEF is run by three part-time staff — all parents of current FCCPS students — who work out of the FCEF headquarter office, conveniently housed within the FCCPS Central Office.

FCEF channels resources towards initiatives that align with FCCPS’s core pillars: equity of access, staff readiness, and preparing students for success in the 21st century. For the 2023-2024 school year alone, FCEF awarded more than $100,000 in Super Grants across all five FCCPS schools, and will open 2024-2025 applications in the late summer.

Teachers may apply for Super Grant funding for supplemental supplies, training ideas, or other initiatives that align with FCEF priorities.

The News-Press spoke with FCEF executive director Suzanne Hladky and board member Mary Asel ahead of the anniversary celebration to discuss the organization’s two decades of work.

Asel says she joined the board in 2013, when her four boys were all enrolled at FCCPS — her youngest at Jessie Thackery Preschool, her oldest at Meridian (then George Mason) High School, and an elementary and middle schooler in between: four different schools. “I figured it was better than having to join four different PTAs,” she joked. Her youngest will soon begin his final year at Meridian.

Asel highlighted the emergency funds that FCEF provides, usually in response to urgent requests from school social workers. She says social workers are typically best-equipped to guide how funds are used — FCEF simply provides the support. Her message to social workers: “Please come to us. You do your job, and we’ll try to help.”

Hladky, who has worked for the organization since 2020 and assumed the executive director role last fall, also stressed FCEF’s supportive role. “This really is a close collaboration [between FCCPS and FCEF],” she said, adding that school faculty and educators are the ones who identify challenges and explore response options before requesting assistance from FCEF. “We’re not the policymakers; FCCPS sets the agenda.” She noted FCEF stepping in to assist with Narcan training last year, after a spike in overdose cases across Northern Virginia schools resulted in the reversal of a long-standing ban of the life-saving drug.

The state of a community’s public schools are “fundamental to who we are as a community,” Hladky said, adding that the goal of providing supplemental funding and support is simple: “Keep good teachers here. And we [at FCCPS] have the best teachers — they’re amazing.”

FCCPS superintendent Dr. Peter Noonan, who regularly references the strength of FCCPS as part of our community’s “secret sauce,” calls FCEF the school district’s “secret weapon,” adding that he regularly mentions the foundation’s active support when interviewing candidates for FCCPS positions.

Noonan said that, in his nearly decade with the district, FCEF has allowed them “to do amazing and innovative projects that we could only imagine [otherwise], given the tight resources we have” as a public school district reliant on public funds.

“In short, the FCEF lets us dream big… and then funds it!” Noonan added.