Lauren Shernoff - Leesburg District - Loudoun County School Board (2025)

27/06/2025

Happy Friday Leesburg! This is my last recap for the summer as we are now officially in recess as a school board. It has been another incredible year of work and I am so looking forward to some time to recharge and spend time with my family and friends. I look forward to returning in August full of energy to tackle another school year in LCPS.

As another school year comes to a close, it's a natural time for reflection—for educators, students, families, and all of us who support them. In that spirit, I want to take a moment to thank you.

Your support has meant the world to me this year. Whether you’ve read these (admittedly too long!) weekly updates, shared your thoughts, or challenged me with a different perspective, you’ve played a vital role in my growth. I’ve learned so much from you, and I’m a better board member because of our conversations and shared commitment to LCPS.

I approach this work with seriousness because our kids deserve nothing less. Their success and well-being are the foundation of everything I do—and I know that work strengthens in partnership with you.

So thank you—for showing up, for asking questions, for caring deeply. Week after week, you remind me why this work matters. I’m grateful to be in it with you.
You are truly a gift.

This week recap includes:

🗓️Full Board Meeting Recap
Tuesday evening we had our last board meeting before the summer recess. Our next meeting is August 12th. The meeting kicked off with celebrating the VHSL State Champion Recognitions from across the division! Additionally we had an update on some topics the board will tackle this fall.

During our work session, we received a comprehensive presentation on the Title IX process. The presentation outlined how reports are made, the steps involved in investigations, and the roles of both the LCPS Title IX Office and independent third-party reviewers.

It was incredibly helpful to gain a clearer understanding of how the process works and to begin unpacking some of its complexities. This is a federally guided process with strict procedures that must be followed, and the presentation offered valuable insight into how those guidelines are implemented locally.

Board members asked many questions, and the discussion helped clarify key aspects of the process. I encourage you to view the presentation or review the slides on BoardDocs if you’d like to learn more—it was an informative and important conversation. I have some additional questions I am submitting that I did not have time to ask, if you have any you’d like to add please email them to me: [email protected]

We has 10 Action Items:

1. RFP for Pharmacy Benefit Administration: This item was pulled from the consent agenda after we heard feedback from educators that this change lacked transparency. We were able to ask clarifying questions about the change and ultimately unanimously supported it. I hope to continue to work on better ways to communicate changes with educators when it involves their health benefits.

2. FY26 Budget Final Alignment: This was to approve a supplemental increase of $8,700,000 to the FY25 School Operating Fund, recognizing state revenue to provide a retention bonus to all eligible full-time employees, as outlined in the staff presentation.Further, that the School Board align the FY26 School Operating Budget with the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors’ FY26 appropriation by increasing state revenues by $15,100,000, decreasing state revenues by $9,500,000, and increasing expenditures by $5,600,000 to fund the second installment of the employee retention bonus.

This passed unanimously, and I supported it because I believe our teachers deserve these bonuses. However, I raised a concern that a key group was left out: teachers who retired this year received only $600, not the full $1,000. The additional $400 is reserved for those returning after 8/22/25. Once again, there’s a gap in how we’re recognizing the service of all educators—and that doesn’t sit well with me. I’ll continue to elevate these concerns and rely on your feedback to push for more equitable solutions.

3. Policy 5430, Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence: This came from the Curriculum and Instruction Committee and I have given many updates on its evolution this past year. I am proud to say this was a policy I initiated with the support of the other committee members and is another promise kept as it passed unanimously with some stronger language added for committing to best practices.

4-5. Policy 5410- High-Performance Building Design, Construction, and Operations passed unanimously with no discussion, as did the Sustainability Framework.

6. School Calendar for SY 27-28: 2 options were presented and have been made public over the last month. They were similar in nature- one started a week earlier in august ending the first week in June, and the other was similar to what we have now- and ended mid June. The board voted for Option 1 which continues to model what we have now- getting out mid June. I did not support this option as I continue to hear from educators that time after state testing is less meaningful instructional time and I still hope that we can one day get to an earlier end date to better support front loaded instructional time.

7-10: The last items passed with no discussion and were unanimous: Consolidated Grant Application, Policy 8120 Compulsory Attendance, Head Start Training and Grant Continuation, and Primary Resources Recommendation.
We had one information item which was the Department of Support Services: School Board Meeting Calendar for Fiscal Year 2027 Capital Budget and Fall 2025 School Attendance Zone Change Process.

FY 2027–FY 2032 Capital Budget:
The Capital Budget outlines a multi-year plan for funding and building school facilities to support educational needs. The Superintendent’s Recommended Budget will be presented on October 28, 2025. A public hearing and work session will be held on November 10, followed by another work session on December 1. The School Board is scheduled to adopt the FY 2027 Capital Budget on December 16, 2025.

School Attendance Zone Changes:
A rezoning process for elementary schools in the Ashburn and Dulles North Planning Districts will address enrollment and capacity issues. Following Policy 6530, public meetings will be held from October through December 2025, including hearings and work sessions. Final attendance zone changes are expected to be adopted by the School Board on December 16, 2025.

Well Leesburg, that’s all for now! Enjoy your summer! I’ll be back with recaps in August! 😎

14/06/2025

Happy Friday Leesburg! Last Day of School Edition! As another school year comes to a close, we celebrate the incredible achievements of our students, the dedication of our teachers, and the unwavering support of our entire LCPS community.

To the Class of 2025—congratulations on reaching this milestone! Your hard work, resilience, and growth have truly inspired us all. To our educators and staff, thank you for your tireless commitment to shaping bright futures. Your impact is immeasurable. Wishing everyone a joyful, safe, and restful summer—you’ve earned it! 🌞📚🎓

This week’s recap includes:
🎓Heritage and Tuscarora Graduation
🍃Green Team Presentations
🗓️Full Board Meeting Recap

🎓I am always honored to attend the graduations here in Leesburg! Friday was a back to back marathon of celebration with Heritage Graduation in the afternoon and Tuscarora in the evening. All the best to all our graduates, well done!

🍃Tuesday evening was the full school board meeting. Before the meeting the hallway was buzzing with all the schools that have “Green Teams,” presenting their projects! LCPS Administration Building Lobby, was held on Tuesday, June 10, 2025. Green Team Leads from 25 schools across the division gathered together with members of the LCPS community to showcase and celebrate the fun, eco-minded projects that their students carried out this year. From school gardens and bluebird boxes to student-led recycling campaigns and revamped outdoor learning spaces, Green Teams across LCPS are leading the charge when it comes to environmental stewardship and sustainable practices.

🗓️At the start of the meeting we had a presentation from the Head Start and STEP Supervisor to highlight the amazing work happening in our preschool programs! Students and teachers from Newton Lee Elementary and Henrietta Lacks Elementary came as well. One of the first things we did as a new school board was expand STEP Preschool Programs to full day and it was amazing to see that work in action.

We also had a work session that outlined the Professional Development plan for the Fall as well as a presentation from GEAC- Gifted Education Advisory Committee. We had 135 speakers signed up again. The majority were there to discuss the Dulles rezoning, Title IX, Policy 8040, and boys volleyball. Due to the lengthy public comment time, as well as the need for 2 closed sessions we only got to one action and one information item. We voted on the Dulles Rezoning. The school board adopted the Staff Plan with two of my amendments:

Survey rising 10th graders when the plan takes effect to give them the option to remain at their current high schools—ensuring continuity for all affected students in grades 9–12.

Remove DS13.8 from the rezoning plan, allowing that small community to remain at their current schools.

Rezoning is always a challenging process, and I was grateful to meet with so many people and learn more about the process. I know it leaves some disappointed in the changes, but I am hopeful that this shift in overcrowding will be beneficial for all students. It meant a lot to me to offer continuity for all high school students and I am glad it passed.

For the information item we discussed new Primary Resources and Textbooks as well as digital print materials for various courses. These will now be put out for public feedback and then voted on at the end of June for adoption.

The meeting was recessed and the remaining agenda items will be covered at a meeting held on June 17th at 6:30pm. There will not be public comment as it is a continuation of the meeting held this past Tuesday. I will not be present as I will be on vacation.

Well that’s a wrap on the week and the school year! HAPPY SUMMER LCPS! ☀️😎

13/06/2025

Happy Last Day of School, LCPS!

This morning, I’m feeling overwhelmed with emotion. My youngest walked through the doors of our beloved elementary school for the very last time. I’m filled with joy for all she has experienced and how much she has grown—and also a bit of sadness as this chapter in our lives comes to a close.

School has shaped our daily rhythm, but it’s been so much more than just a routine. I’m incredibly grateful for our wonderful schools and for the dedicated educators who pour their hearts into our children every single day. What a priceless gift that is.

Congratulations to all our students on their many accomplishments! And to everyone who serves and supports our kids—thank you, from the bottom of my heart. Enjoy your well-earned summer break! ❤️🙌🏻👏🏻🥺😁❤️

06/06/2025

Happy Friday Leesburg! It’s hard to believe that next week is the last week of school. This year flew by, as did this week which was very busy for me!

This week’s recap includes:
🌪️Tolbert Counseling Spring Advisory Council
🤝Joint School Board and Board of Supervisors Committee meeting recap
🏠Dulles Rezoning Public Hearing
🌟Northstar Senior Celebration
🗓️Curriculum and Instruction Committee Meeting Recap
🏆SEAC (Special Education Advisory Committee) Awards
📚Frederick Douglass Preschool Author Visit

🌪️On Monday, I attended the Tolbert Counseling Spring Advisory Council. This group of stakeholders advises on the school counseling program's goals, outcomes, and resources. As both a parent and school board member, I’ve appreciated being part of this team. We had meaningful discussions about curriculum, challenges, successes, and the vital work of our United Mental Teams.

🤝The Joint Board of Supervisors and School Board Committee held its 4th quarter meeting, which included several key presentations.
First, the Loudoun County Advisory Commission on Youth (ACOY) presented its annual “State of Youth Report.” ACOY serves as a voice for Loudoun’s youth by assessing their needs, advising the Board of Supervisors on youth programs and priorities, fostering collaboration among stakeholders, and recommending policy changes to support positive youth development. This year’s 62-page report sparked a robust discussion about data and available resources for youth across the county.

We also received an overview of a new five-year plan to review all school attendance zones and boundaries. This effort aims to address overcrowding in some schools by shifting enrollment to buildings with available capacity.

Additionally, we got an update on the Dominion Power Lines, Golden to Mars project. Dominion power has put forward an amended option called, “3A” which now no longer crosses any school property. Public hearings will be forthcoming.

🏠On Monday evening, the School Board held its final Public Hearing on the Proposed Dulles Rezoning, with 75 speakers sharing their perspectives. The Board is scheduled to vote on June 10.This has been a challenging and complex process with no perfect solution. I’ve spent considerable time meeting with impacted families, reviewing data, and exploring numerous alternatives. After thoughtful deliberation, I plan to support the Staff Plan with two amendments:

1. Survey rising 10th graders when the plan takes effect to give them the option to remain at their current high schools—ensuring continuity for all affected students in grades 9–12.

2. Remove DS13.8 from the rezoning plan, allowing that small community to remain at their current schools.

🌟On Wednesday, I had the honor of attending the Northstar Senior Celebration. While these students will graduate with their home schools, we came together to recognize the completion of their academic journey at Northstar. This unique program allows students to benefit from personalized learning while still participating in home school activities like sports, theater, and clubs. A student speaker shared how Northstar’s small setting and alternative approach helped her find her path to success—it was a beautiful and inspiring celebration. Congratulations to all the seniors!

🏆That evening, I also attended the annual SEAC Awards, hosted by the Special Education Advisory Committee. SEAC includes representatives from every LCPS school and works year-round to ensure special education policies are inclusive and equitable. The awards ceremony honors students, educators, and community members for their outstanding commitment to inclusion. It was truly a heartwarming night, and I was proud to be part of it.

🗓️On Wednesday, the Curriculum and Instruction Committee met with a full agenda.

Field Trip Policy (Policy 5070):
We unanimously approved updates to move forward to the full board. Changes include clearer language on discipline, accountability, and added weather guidance—items I’ve mentioned in previous updates.

2025 Division Literacy Plan:
As part of the Virginia Literacy Act, divisions must submit updated literacy plans. LCPS’s K–5 plan has already been approved (June and December 2024). This update includes grades 6–8, with a new reading curriculum, assessments, and interventions. It’s due to the VDOE by June 30, 2025.

Literacy MTSS Online Module Revisions:
Teachers shared feedback on the administrative burden of Student Reading Plans. In response, the MTSS and Elementary Reading & Writing teams streamlined four key areas: Goals, Objectives, Parent Reporting, and the progress monitoring sync tool. These updates aim to reduce clerical work and give teachers more time to teach—an excellent example of feedback driving meaningful change!

Middle School Schedule Review:
The Middle School Office and principals are reviewing current schedules to better align with student needs. In the short term, schools can make budget-neutral changes. Long-term, a new district-level scheduling framework is being developed to support interventions, student choice, and academic/social growth. Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, and I’m excited about this work.

Fine Arts Fees:
In March, LCPS surveyed fine arts teachers on student fees. Consistent patterns emerged, prompting the Fine Arts Office to define allowable fees and work toward consistency across programs. As past budgets eliminated athletic and CTE fees, I hope this will lead to reduced financial barriers for students in fine arts courses. I’m very supportive of this initiative.

Grading & Assessment Updates:
We received an update on Regulation 5030-1, now revised to align with the recently adopted grading policy. We also previewed the new grading handbook. Schools are making progress on implementation, and I remain optimistic about its positive impact.

📚Friday morning I visited Frederick Douglass preschool programs who got a very special author visit from Vanessa Brantley Newton! This is part of the “Rally for Reading,” Event that will take place tomorrow at Douglass Community Center. Students got a special read aloud and then they can attend tomorrow to get free books signed by the authors! The event is from 10am-1pm! These kinds of literacy partnerships support the foundations of building lifelong readers!

Next Monday is the annual School Board Retreat from 10am-4pm at the Admin Building and Tuesday is a full board meeting. It is also the last week of school! I cannot believe it! Enjoy the weekend, Leesburg!

31/05/2025

Happy Friday Leesburg! The celebrations continue around the Division! I hope you are enjoying these last few weeks of school and all the fun end of year activities.

This week’s recap includes:
📊Performance Monitoring Committee(PMC) Meeting Recap
🎓Academies of Loudoun Graduation
🤩🍎Outstanding Educator Banquet

📊Thursday Evening the Performance Monitoring Committee (PMC) met. We had 2 information items. The first was an update on Data Dashboards. LCPS is currently working on a Data Dashboards Project to develop public facing interactive, user-friendly dashboards to provide key performance data tailored to the needs of various stakeholders, including parents, school board members, and the public. Dashboards will focus on student achievement as the initial priority and will feature tailored metrics, narratives, and visualizations to contextualize the data. Additional functionality will include school-specific metrics, customizable views for disaggregating data by student subgroups, and links to school improvement plans to connect data with actionable insights. The Performance Monitoring Committee will advise the leadership teams of the Department of Academics and the Department of Digital Innovation on the public dashboard metrics and stories to tell (achievement, college/career readiness, areas for growth, how public funding supports programs and opportunities, how MTSS, SEL and student behavior needs are being addressed and the resources it takes to deliver services).

I am very excited about this development. I believe it will help make data more user friendly, provide important background and context for assessments and scoring, as well as ensure transparency for how the Division is doing. We had a great conversation about what this might mean and I look forward to its rollout.

We also had an update on Student’s Sense of Belonging in school. Fostering a student’s sense of belonging can improve students’ academic outcomes. The research is very clear that student’s need to feel that they are safe and belong at school as a foundation for achievement. This research goes back to Maslow’s hierarchy and still holds true for student’s today. All schools conduct annual stakeholder surveys that include questions that ask about students’ sense of belonging. The overall data is very promising. The committee did ask to see more detailed data of schools and sub groups to get a more fulsome picture, but the overall numbers show that in LCPS (generally) student's have a strong sense of belonging.

The best part of the presentation was when students and staff from Simpson Middle, came to speak about the work they do around belonging. Principal Di Nicola talked about ways that Simpson has integrated student voice through advisory groups and clubs. They hold clubs during the school day so everyone has access. Students can initiate the start of new clubs they want, and told us that teachers will support their ideas and sponsor new clubs! These young students were impressive. They are involved in many activities and have a passion for ensuring everyone has a place at their school.

🎓 Tuesday I attended the graduation celebration ceremony for the Seniors at the Academies of Loudoun. There were 810 seniors honored. This is a unique celebration as it celebrates student's accomplishments in their various programs at the Academies. These students will still walk and receive their diplomas at their “home” school graduations. I particularly enjoyed this ceremony because each student wore their school graduation gown and colors and it was wonderful to see the diverse representation through that visual. This is a happy season for our graduates and their families. I feel so honored to be a part of it!

🍎🤩Tonight was one of my favorite events of the year — the Outstanding Educator Banquet sponsored by Loudoun Education Foundation.This special evening is dedicated to honoring the Teacher of the Year nominees and winners across Loudoun County Public Schools. It’s a powerful reminder of the heart, dedication, and passion our educators bring to their classrooms every single day.

Teaching is not just a profession; it’s a calling. Our teachers work tirelessly — often beyond the school day — giving their time, energy, and hearts to help students grow, learn, and thrive. They juggle countless responsibilities, overcome challenges with grace, and make countless personal sacrifices, all in the name of serving their students and communities.

Tonight’s banquet is just one small way we can show our deep appreciation — to recognize, celebrate, and spoil these incredible individuals who give so much of themselves.We are truly grateful to have such an exceptional community of educators here in Loudoun County. Thank you for all you do — today and every day.

28/05/2025

It’s that time of year again! Kicked off graduation season tonight with Academies of Loudoun! 810 handshakes! Well done to all the graduates! 🙌🏻🎓

23/05/2025

Happy Friday Leesburg! We are another week closer to summer vacation! Woohoo!

This week’s recap includes:

✍️Teacher Cadet Ceremony
🍎Visit to Kenneth Culbert Elementary
🇺🇸Together in Remembrance at Tolbert Elementary
🏆LCPS Awards Gala
🌮Food Truck Wars, Heritage HS
🗓️Full School Board Meeting Recap

✍️On Wednesday evening, I had the privilege of attending the countywide Teacher Cadet Ceremony. I’ve shared before how meaningful my involvement with the LCHS Teacher Cadets has been, and this event brought together students from across all our high schools to celebrate the completion of their program. The most inspiring moment was watching so many students sign their letters of intent—committing to return to LCPS as future educators if they pursue a degree in education. As a teacher myself, these moments are especially moving. Teaching is the profession that makes all others possible. Every lesson taught, every student encouraged, creates a ripple effect that reaches far beyond the classroom—shaping futures in ways we may never fully see. To all the Teacher Cadets- thank you for saying yes to this journey. We are proud of you. We are excited for you. And we can't wait to see how you will change the world—one classroom at a time.

🍎I had the pleasure of joining our Chief of Staff, Dr. Bergin for a learning walk at Kenneth Culbert Elementary and I got to read to a kindergarten class! I love the work on the school board but I also miss being in the classroom teaching everyday. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to step into that role, even if only for a moment! It was extra special reading to Ms. Colger’s Class. Ms. Colger and I worked together at Guilford and it was wonderful sharing a classroom space with her again!

🇺🇸I also got to be a part of a very special event at Tolbert to help honor our Veterans on Memorial Day. “Together in Remembrance,” which started last year where first graders, along with staff and community members from across Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) participated in the first-ever "Together in Remembrance" event. Students in grade one gathered together for a curriculum-focused K-5 Memorial Day event sponsored by industry and community partners like AFCOM Potomac Chapter. Students built wooden American flags from kits distributed by veteran-owned Flags of Valor. Fifth-graders, along with Veterans, active service members, community members and staff, helped first-graders assemble the flags that are displayed in the schools and given to Veterans through various organizations.

🏆Thursday evening was a beautiful night of celebration at the LCPS Annual Awards Gala, honoring our incredible Instructional and Operational Employees of the Year. I put on my party dress and high heels for an evening filled with joy, laughter, and deep appreciation. I left feeling truly inspired by the dedication, talent, and heart of our LCPS team. It’s an absolute honor to represent a school division filled with such passionate and committed professionals. I’m so grateful to each of you for the work you do every day—you are the heart of our schools, and we’re so lucky to have you as part of the LCPS family.

🌮 At Heritage High School, I once again was invited to judge the annual “Food Truck Wars,” hosted by the students in their Gourmet Foods Course. This final project is a culmination of all they have learned. Each team creates a food truck concept, estimates the financials, and prepares a three-course meal for judging! Our future chefs and entrepreneurs were quite impressive! The food was yummy and the event was so much fun!

🗓️Tuesday evening we had our full school board meeting. We had an update on the 5 Year (DRAFT) Career Technical Education (CTE) - Plan which outlined the pathways available and projected for the future. There are so many opportunities here in Loudoun, and with our amazing business and workforce partnerships I believe we will see great growth in these areas as students explore various career options long before college. Education is shifting in that direction, and LCPS is certainly blazing the trail, especially as they use a personality test driven model to help find the best fit for student’s and their pathways.

We also discussed the Select Committee for Retiree Benefits. The school board voted to establish this committee a few weeks ago as a result of all the proposed changes to retiree benefits, which due to feedback, the school board delayed. The committee could potentially review the history of retiree healthcare benefits in Loudoun County, examine national and state trends—including Medicare and supplemental insurance—and explore best practices from other school systems and public sector employers. Convening in Summer 2025 and concluding by early Fall 2025, the committee will produce a comprehensive report for the School Board ahead of FY27 budget discussions. Comprising School Board members, LCPS staff, retirees, and healthcare policy experts, the committee will host public meetings featuring presentations, data analysis, and public comment. While it will not have voting authority or propose new options, the committee’s report will provide context and insight to support informed decision-making. I voiced that I would like to be a part of it and supported the proposed scope and purpose.

There were over 130 public commenters signed up to speak and they each got 1 minute to address the board. There were several main topics including theatre storage and staffing concerns, Dulles Rezoning, interest in Boys Volleyball, and a large number of the speakers came out to discuss policy 8040. I am always grateful for those who come to speak and share their concerns with the board. I am working to follow up on these various concerns.

During this week’s meeting, we took action on Policy 6130, Unpaid Meal Debt, which passed unanimously. We also received an important update on the Potential Dulles Rezoning. The School Board has put forward five plans for public consideration. There is one final public hearing scheduled for June 2, and the Board is set to vote on June 10.

I’m continuing to carefully consider all options and listen to feedback, but I want to be transparent that I will not be supporting Plan 289. After hearing from many community members, it’s clear that this plan would cause the most disruption for students and families.

We also discussed a potential amendment that would survey all impacted high school students in grades 9–12 to determine if they wish to remain at their current school. Since high schools are not the ones over capacity—it’s the middle schools—this could be a thoughtful solution to minimize disruption.

Thank you to everyone who has spoken at public meetings or met with me directly. Your input is essential, and I encourage you to continue sharing your feedback as we move toward a final decision.

The remainder of the agenda was postponed to the June 10th meeting after the majority of the school board, recognizing the late hour, opted to reconvene at a later time. According to our policy 2420, when meetings extend to 10 p.m., the chair conducts a “temperature check” to determine whether members prefer to continue or defer the remaining items. I personally always opt to stay and keep working through the agenda. The work we do in these meetings is of the utmost importance to me. Each agenda is filled with key decisions that move our division forward, and I believe that keeping that momentum is essential.

Thanks for reading! I hope you all enjoy Memorial Day Weekend! ❤️🇺🇸❤️

Lauren Shernoff - Leesburg District - Loudoun County School Board

27/06/2025

14/06/2025

13/06/2025

06/06/2025

31/05/2025

28/05/2025

23/05/2025

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