Thursday, Jan. 30=-Falls Church City Public Schools chief Dr. Peter Noonan sent the following message to the News-Press this afternoon in response to an inquiry: “To my knowledge, there was no one from Falls Church or the schools on the plane.”
The comment came following a report from Dr. Michelle Reid, the Superintendent of Schools in neighboring Fairfax County, in which she reported that both students and parents were aboard the plane that crashed into the Potomac last night. Here are Superintendent Reid’s remarks:
“We are devastated by the tragic news as we learn members of our Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) have lost their lives in the accident last night at Reagan National Airport. Many are reaching out to share their sorrow and emotions at this difficult time. We are hearing from students, staff members and others in the community who are expressing their care and concern for those who have lost loved ones. I invite you to join me in keeping all those affected by this deep community loss in our prayers.
“We have more details that we can now share. Many on the flight were returning from a figure skating event in Wichita, Kansas. What we know at thie time is that three of our FCPS students and six of our FCPS parents were lost, affecting multiple schools and departments here at FCPS. Two of the parents were current or former FCPS staff members. Multiplying the grief are the siblings, spouses, relatives, friends and colleagues who have lost loved ones.
“We must remain sensitive to the privacy needs and concerns for those who are directly involved. Therefore, we are not releasing specific information such as names out of care for those who are directly involved at this time. We know many in our FCPS community are now learning this tragic news and understanding the enormity of our loss. We have resources available to support students, staff and families. I want to specifically recognize our principals, teachers, counselors and other crisis teams who are responding to the needs of our students, families, and staff during this most difficult time. We also continue to be thankful for our first responders and community partners. Our team is standing by and ready to provide necessary support for everyone in our FCPS community. In addition, this resource may assist you in having difficult conversations with your children. We will continue to keep you updated as we are able. I speak for all of us at FCPS as we offer our condolences to everyone involved in this heartbreaking tragedy. It is a time to hold one another closer. Dr. Michelle C. Reid, Superintendent.
Also, Fairfax County school system graduate Ilya Malinin, who won his third national men’s figure skating championship in Wichita last week, issued a statement on his social media account today expressing deep sorrow and sympathy for all who were involved in the tragic plane crash last night.
According to Fairfax Supervisor James Walkinshaw, “First responders from Fairfax County mobilized extensive public safety resources to support emergency response and recovery following the crash. Working closely with regional partners, the Fairfax County Police Department’s Fairfax One helicopter, Marine Patrol Unit, Dive Team, and Fire and Rescue Department, dispatched 22 units and 68 personnel who provided critical resources and support. The Department of Emergency Management and Security also played a key role in supporting the regional Incident Management Team to ensure a coordinated and effective response. Fairfax County leadership remains in close contact with regional partners and will continue to provide any assistance necessary as recovery efforts continue, Walkinshaw reported.
