Dr. C. Bruce McDade; Superintendent

SEAC Meetings

The Superintendent's Employee Advisory Committee met on May 9, 2019. The official meeting minutes can be found here.

If you have an issue that you would like to be addressed at the next SEAC meeting, please see your building representative.

McDade's Download

Vol. 1 Issue 3

MPCS has a reputation for excellence.

This was apparent at the recent Prince William Chamber of Commerce Education and Innovation Summit where two MPCS Seniors received awards and many well-wishers in our community offered praise and congratulations not only to our student winners but also to our staff in attendance.

It was apparent when one of the vice chairs of the Prince William Chamber of Commerce Education and Innovation Committee visited the high school and told us that we had something special here.

It was apparent in the ‘Thank You’ notes received by our offices after area professionals visited Cougar Elementary as part of Leadership Prince William. All were complementary of our staff, facilities, and programs.

It was apparent in our community reception at the first BELL Community Expo where there was genuine excitement in the air from our business partners and attendees.

It is apparent when our representatives are out recruiting and are approached by candidates who seek us out because they heard something about us. Our people accentuate our unique culture, one which promotes personalization and the importance of relationships. As a result of making our potential hires feel valued and treated “as a person, and not a number” (as many have said), we have a significant number of candidates who are anxious to join our team. The word is out that Manassas Park is a preferred destination.

And it is always apparent at MPCS after-school functions where families and staff come together to support our students.

But that “special something” flourishes because MPCS sets a high standard in our profession.

For example, did you know that because of its success, the creators of our Project U.P. program have been invited to the Virginia Technology and Engineering Education Association Conference to present on how to incorporate Profile of a Virginia Graduate requirements into elementary-level curriculum?

Did you know that because of our effective use of the Innovative High School Grant, the work we have done implementing the Virginia Profile of a Graduate, and our focus on using technology to enhance teaching and learning, MPCS was selected as one of 31 divisions in the state to share ideas on how to accelerate innovation and promote deeper learning in Virginia’s public schools?

Did you know that our Finance team was asked to present at the Association of School Business Officials International Annual Conference because of its work in non-traditional pay structures? (Plus, our Executive Director of Finance was recently acknowledged by her peers as the top school business official in the state!)

And did you know that our staff regularly takes time to educate each other – even throughout the summer – to ensure complete knowledge sharing throughout the division? Specific highlights include DigiCamp and the MPCS Professional Learning Academy. Our home-grown conferences allow our teachers to learn from nationally recognized education leaders, educate other educators, and develop as professionals. We truly never stop learning.

This only scratches the surface of all the wonderful things that makes MPCS the thriving community that it is.

Because we know we are a part of a something special, our team is going to spend the remainder of the year highlighting why we love MPCS and invite our community to participate.

Watch Facebook and Twitter for ways you can share what makes MPCS special to you!

2019 Closing Ceremonies

June brought us closing ceremonies for the 2018-19 school year from around the division.

We said “Congratulations!” and “Good Luck!” to the Class of 2019 – the largest in MPCS history with 271 graduates. Of those graduates, 45 students have been with us since their kindergarten year.

The traditional Senior Walk took place with a twist this year. Now you can experience what a graduate thinks when they walk through their old elementary schools: https://youtu.be/ySxxQqmCDmU

Graduating Cougars will be attending universities around the country: University of Virginia, University of North Caroline – Charlotte, University of California – San Diego, Virginia Tech, Virginia Commonwealth University, Christopher Newport University, James Madison University, Mary Baldwin University, Marymount University, NOVA, University of Alabama, Duke University, Syracuse, Orange County Community College, and North Carolina A&T. Several others are joining the military and serving in the Army, Marine Corps, and Air Force.

It was a pleasure to award this year’s Superintendent’s Micron STEM Scholarships. The MPCS Class of 2019 was awarded more than $1.3 million in scholarships this year!

Our community also enjoyed a noteworthy performance from the Class of 2031. The rising Kindergarten class is full of talent.

Senior Night 2019 was full of great memories.

And Camp Invention kicked off a summer FULL of learning for Manassas Park!