Fairfax County Public Schools now predicts a $72 million budget deficit for Fiscal Year 2017, about 25 percent less than the gap it forecasted last April.

FCPS Superintendent Karen Garza said last spring that the school system — which has more than 180,000 students — could face a deficit of $100 million in the upcoming fiscal year. At a community meeting at South Lakes High School in September, she said the gap would be more like $80 million.

Garza said much of the cost drivers are out of the system’s control. Among them: Increasing enrollment; increasing need for special programs such as English as a Second Language; increased employee health care costs; raises for staff; and contributions to the state retirement fund.

The county has created a Budget Task Force, introduced a citizen online budget tool and has asked citizens for feedback on potential places to make cuts. Among the suggestions: cutting back on sports and activities, larger class sizes, cutting custodial positions, cutting Central Support positions and eliminating all-day Kindergarten, among others.

FCPS gets about 70 percent of its $2.6 billion (2016) budget from the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, which has said to expect about a 3-percent increase for 2017, said Garza.

The county budget staff says the reason for the updated forecast of $72 million still takes into account a 3-percent increase in the county transfer, but also takes into considers:

State Aid — Reflects a lower projected LCI (Local Composite Index) loss based on the Governor’s budget comments combined with the loss of one-time compensation funding included in FY2016 offset by projected enrollment increases

Health Insurance —  FCPS is finalizing the plan offerings for calendar year 2016, and rates are projected to increase.

Virginia Retirement System — The rate projection was updated based on the decrease in the rate for FY2016

Utilities — Assumes increases primarily in electricity, offset by cost avoidances from our contract with the energy conservation company, Cenegistic.

See the updated forecast in this document on the FCPS school board site.

A Reston family that is greatly concerned about the use of crumb rubber in artificial turf fields and the effects on children’s health was featured on NBC Nightly News on Thursday.

Reston’s Jon and Laura Damm, both environmental lawyers, have been lobbying Fairfax County officials for more than a year to take a second look at the use of crumb rubber, which is essentially ground-up tires, in the use of artificial turf fields.

See the NBC Nightly News story.

South Lakes and Herndon High Schools, as well as most FCPS high schools, have artificial turf fields.

Anecdotal evidence collected by University of Washington Soccer Coach Amy Griffin shows more than 60 young players, most of them goalies, have gotten cancer in the last few years.

However, the U.S. Environmental Agency has not taken a stand on the issue, and no major study has linked crumb rubber to cancer.

The Damms are not taking any chances, however. They started a local petition last year urging Fairfax officials to replace fields.

“Right now, what we are seeing is our kids are the guinea pigs, said Jon Damm. “We are not willing to let our kids be the guinea pigs.”

Fairfax County, which has more than 80 turf fields with crumb rubber infill, most of which have been installed in the last few years, say they have  contacted officials in the Seattle area, where the NBC investigation started more than a year ago.

But there is not yet official data, so Fairfax County has no plans to replace fields, county spokesman Tony Castrilli told The Washington Post. However, the county says it will continue to review local cancer rates and other studies.

Meanwhile, Montgomery County, Md., has recently begun using more natural products in its fields. That decision was spurred by parental feedback, a county spokesman told NBC.

In the District, an Artificial Turf Task Force is also examining the issue. The D.C. Government says no crumb rubber will likely be used in future projects.

The Safe Fields Alliance, which represents turf manufacturers, said the BCA report was “misleading and without context.”

“The NBC report cited several chemicals found in crumb rubber as points of concern,” the group said in a statement. “However, this information is misleading without context and without baselines, especially given that we all eat, drink, and breathe trace levels of chemicals in our daily lives. [The] Industry voluntarily ensures the levels of any chemicals in synthetic turf fields are lower than the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s lead and chemical standards for children’s toys and the Environmental Protection Agency’s safe standards for urban and rural soils.”

Brendan Menuey, principal at Reston’s Lake Anne Elementary for the last three years, is leaving the school to serve as Fairfax County Public Schools’ Executive Principal for School Improvement for Region 2, the school announced.

Lake Anne students sang their goodbyes to Menuey on Friday.

Menuey will supervise and support 44 schools in the Annandale, Falls Church, McLean, Marshall, and Stuart high school pyramids, as well as Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology.

Prior to leading Lake Anne, he was assistant principal ft the school for three years.

Karen Siple will take over as interim principal at the school.

Siple is a retired FCPS principal. She taught at Herndon’s McNair Elementary and served as principal at Floris Elementary and Coates Elementary, also in Herndon.

The start of the new school year is coming up fast. Come check out all the resources to make it a stress-free year — as well as have some fun — at the Back 2 School Bash.

The event, sponsored by Reston Community Center, is for students (and parents) from kindergarten through 12th grade.

The bash will be at South Lakes High School, 11400 South Lakes Dr., from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Aug. 22.

At the bash, you can:

• Receive important information about your child’s school.
• Meet 50+ exhibitors specializing in community and health services.
• Discover offerings from more than a dozen local recreation programs, clubs and social programs.
• Register onsite for SACC and other afterschool programs.
• Log on and learn about the new Student Information System (SIS).
• Enjoy games, contests and live music by a local DJ.

Volunteers are also needed. To help out, visit this Sign Up Genius page.

A report by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control backs up what some Fairfax County Public Schools parents and students have been saying for years: That high school and middle schools start too early.

The CDC looked at data from 40,000 schools in the 2011-12 school year. In a report issued last week, the CDC said it found that fewer than 1 in 5 middle and high schools in the U.S. began the school day at the recommended 8:30 AM start time.

Schools that have a start time of 8:30 AM or later allow adolescent students the opportunity to get the recommended amount of sleep on school nights: about 8.5 to 9.5 hours, says the CDC.

Insufficient sleep is common among high school students and is associated with several health risks such as being overweight, drinking alcohol, smoking tobacco, and using drugs – as well as poor academic performance. The proportion of high school students who fail to get sufficient sleep (2 out of 3) has remained steady since 2007, according to the 2013 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Report.

“Getting enough sleep is important for students’ health, safety, and academic performance,” said Anne Wheaton, Ph.D., lead author and epidemiologist in CDC’s Division of Population Health. “Early school start times, however, are preventing many adolescents from getting the sleep they need.”

Those statements pretty much echo what experts from Children’s National Medical Center told FCPS in a study two years ago, as well as an American Academy of Pediatrics study from 2014.

After several years of discussion and community meetings, FCPS’ board voted in fall 2014 to go forward with bell schedule changes, which will go into effect for the 2015-16 school year.

High schools, which used to start at 7:20 a.m., will now begin between 8 and 8:10 a.m. Middle schools, which used to begin after 8 a.m., will not start at 7:30 a.m. Elementary schools remain mostly unchanged.

The new bell schedule has met with a mix of feedback. Some residents say it is not really solving the problem as young teens in middle school still have to get up very early to catch a bus. FCPS board members have said since middle school is only two years, it was a more tenable plan.

Others have criticized the expense of the program, which will cost about $5 million to put in place, even as programs such as sports, arts and busing to Advanced Academic Programs are in danger of being cut as the school system faces a projected massive shortfall.

To read more details of the CDC study, visit the CDC website.

Wide Reaction To Proposed FCPS Cuts — The Fairfax County Public Schools budget task force suggestion to cut sports and arts programs ranges from “political posturing” to “school would be 100 percent less interesting.” [Washington Post]

Totally Trucks Today — Grab your preschooler and head to Reston Association’s Central Services facility on Sunset Hills Road (next to the YMCA) from 9:30 a.m. to noon for this annual event to climb on a fire truck, “drive” an ambulance and step aboard other rigs. [Reston Now]

Mystics Player Holding Camp In Reston — Washington Mystics guard Ivory Latta is holding a session of the Ivory Latta Academy, a basketball camp for girls ages 8 to 16,  at the Fairfax County YMCA Reston on Aug. 15. [IvoryLatta.com]

Shopping For School Supplies — The first day of school in Reston is nearly a month away, but if you want to take advantage of Virginia Tax Free shopping this weekend, here is a list of local elementary school’s supply lists. [Reston Patch]

The task force organized by Fairfax County Public Schools has released its first draft of cost-saving measures in an effort to slash $100 million from the school system budget for 2016-17.

FCPS Superintendent Karen Garza said in June that the school system — which serves more than 180,000 students — may face that large deficit if drastic action is not taken.

The school system often faces a deficit (this year’s was $7 million), but Garza said in June that many of FCPS’ cost drivers for 2016-17 are “items outside of FCPS’ control,” like retirement and enrollment increases, and providing competitive compensation for teachers.

The system has been asking for and receiving citizen feedback on potential cuts for months.

The school system is now outlining the dollars that could be saved if certain cuts are made. The task force is made up of three dozen members, including citizens, teachers, school board appointees, union reps and others.

Some of the suggestions, with savings forecasts in parentheses:

• Raising class sizes by one student for K-12 ($26.2 million).
• Reducing late buses by one day per week ($1.3 million)
• Eliminating some sports (freshman, junior varsity and varsity sports) and cutting high school athletic trainers ($10.9 million).
• Eliminating school extracurriculars such as yearbook, It’s Academic, newspaper, debate and student council, as well as cutting supplemental funding for music and drama programs ($12.3 million).
• Reducing number of high school assistant principals ($1.2 million).
• Reducing number of custodian positions ($2.4 million),
• Reducing Central Support positions (ie, Human Resources, Instructional Services, IT) ($1.7 million to $8.4 million).
• Cut extra staffing needed to manage International Baccalaureate programs ($1.2 million).
• Reducing number of days contracted teachers and other staffers work (various).

The school system has emphasized that this is just the first of many drafts and no decisions have been made.

There will be several public meetings on the subject this fall, including one at South Lakes High School in Reston on Sept. 9 at 7 p.m.

Cost-Savings Ideas from FCPS Task Force

FCPS Superintendent Karen Garza/file photo

Remembering FCPS’ Spillane — Fairfax County Public Schools board member Ryan McElveen bids farewell to former Superintendent Bud Spillane, who died on Saturday. McElveen says Spillane “cemented Fairfax’s reputation as a national model for educational excellence.” [Ryan for School Board]

Metro Adds a New Post — Metro has added a new position, fire-rescue liaison, to coordinate emergency response. The change is part of new systems put in place following the Jan. 12 fire in which a rider died and dozens were injured. [Metro]

Stay Cool — Fairfax County has assistance for senior citizens and other eligible residents who need help in extreme heat. The cooling assistance program offers help with repairs or equipment installation. The fan care program distributes window fans and air conditioners. [Fairfax County]

National Dance Day in Reston — Reston Sport & Health is celebrating National Dance Day Saturday at Reston Town Center with free Zumba and other classes in the pavilion from 10 a.m. to noon. [Sport & Health on Facebook]

Photo of RSTA swimmer  courtesy Leslie Sogandares

Fairfax County Public Schools is collecting school supplies in order to ensure every student is prepared for the upcoming school year.

Collect for Kids is a coordinated school supply drive to benefit needy FCPS students. The drive will provide school supplies for the 2015-16 school year for students who qualify for free and reduced-price meals. Approximately 52,000 FCPS students receive free and reduced-price meals, FCPS says.

The drive, which will concentrate on cash, backpacks and calculators, will run through Sept. 4.

Citizens can support the students in one of three ways:

Cash donations: By partnering with Office Depot, Kitz for Kids, and Walmart, Collect for Kids purchases school supplies in bulk, translating a $1 donation into $3 worth of school supplies. A $10 donation can fill a backpack with FCPS-approved supplies. Donations are accepted online.

Backpack donations: Donations of new backpacks can be brought to any Apple FCU or Northwest FCU branch, or to any affiliated organization. Visit Apple FCU or Northwest FCU for branch locations. There is always a need for additional large backpacks for high school students, says FCPS.

Calculator donations: Calculators, which will help support students in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) subjects, can be donated to Apple FCU or any partnered not-for-profit organization. The Collect for Kids website lists partners.

Preferred models are the TI 30Xa Solar School Edition or TI-84 Series calculators, but other models may be donated.

A couple of weeks ago, students at Reston’s Buzz Aldrin Elementary School dumped chocolate sauce, marshmallows, whipped cream and other ice cream sundae accoutrements on school principal Shane Wolfe.

The kids were not suspended. In fact, they were applauded.

Earlier in the 2014-15 school year, Wolfe told the kids that he would allow them to turn him into a human ice cream sundae if they they read 3,000 books in the month leading up to Read Across America Day in March.

Not only did the students meet the goal, they surpassed it by 3,878 books, said Wolfe.

On the last day of school, students brought all types of toppings to school to transform Wolfe into a sundae at an end-of-the-year assembly.

“Anything that gets the students excited about reading and learning is fine by me, even if it means I get to wear tons of sticky ice cream toppings”, Wolfe said.  “It was a great way to end the school year and it didn’t taste too bad either,” said Wolfe.

Dock Dogs — Miss the Chesapeake Dock Dogs exhibition at PetMAC at Lake Anne Plaza Saturday? Here’s an excellent action gallery. [Modern Reston]

South Lakes HS For Savvy Investors? — South Lakes High School was one of four Fairfax County High Schools named to the Working in Support of Education’s list of Top 100 best high schools in the nation for personal finance instruction. [FCPS]

Reston Company Helps Catch Hong Kong Offenders — Reston-based Parabon Nanolabs has created DNA tracking ability that Hong Kong officials are using to catch repeat litterbugs. [Fast Company]

‘Move Over’ Update — Fairfax County Police put in place a new “Move Over” initiative last week. The Virginia State Police project educates motorists about Virginia’s “Move Over” law (changing lanes if a police or emergency vehicle needs to get through). [FCPD]

Police are cleaning up and investigating an collision that took place at Colt’s Neck Road and South Lakes Drive about 3 p.m. on Tuesday.

A Fairfax County Public Schools bus, a Nissan Rogue and a Honda Civic collided, police said.

The cars sustained major damage and were towed from the scene. Police said the drivers of those cars received minor injuries.

The bus was finishing a South Lakes High School route at the time. No students were on board, police said.

The bus suffered minor damage.

As of 3:20 p.m. investigators and the vehicles were still at the scene and traffic in the area has slowed while the investigation continues.

Food Truck Thursday at RTC — The monthly Food Truck Thursdays returns to Reston Town Center today. Expect The Big Cheese, DC Empanadas, Doug the Food Dude, and That Cheesecake Truck at Town Square Park and PassionFish on their patio. The event will happen the first Thursday of the month through October.

Fewer FCPS Suspensions — Changes to Fairfax County Public Schools’ zero-tolerance policy have meant fewer suspensions this school year. [WTOP]

Local Bartenders Take It To ‘Shark Tank’ — Two Herndon bartenders with a gadget that can prevent drugs being slipped into cocktails, make it to ABC’s “Shark Tank”  audition round. [Fairfax Times]

Weekend Fun: ‘Shrek Jr.’ — Students from Langston Hughes Middle School (11401 Ridge Heights Rd.) will present this show Friday at 7 p.m. and Saturday at 3 and 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 at the door.

Brides Against Breast Cancer in Reston — The nonprofit Brides Against Breast Cancer will hold a wedding dress sale at the Sheraton Reston May 22-23. The group collects donated wedding dresses and resells them to benefit services for women battling breast cancer. [Brides Against Breast Cancer]

Memorial For Fire Marshal — Services for former Fairfax County Fire Marshal Glenn Gaines, who died suddenly at his Vienna home last weekend, will be today at 11 a.m. at McLean Bible Church in McLean. [Firehouse.com]

School Support System — Fairfax County Public Schools has instituted a new program to help support students in schools that failed to meet state accreditation this year. The school system says more than 30 schools (triple the amount of a few years ago) fell short after Standards of Learning tests were changed in 2013-14. [Fairfax Times]