City School Board Nominates Falls Church Independent for Statewide ‘Media Honor Roll’ Award

Imagine our surprise, joy, and gratitude when, over our transom, we received this message….

“The School Board unanimously approved [on June 10] a resolution to nominate you for the Virginia School Boards Association (VSBA) Media Honor Roll in recognition of your reporting on our school district,” wrote Director of Communications for Falls Church City Public Schools (FCCPS), John Brett. “This honor acknowledges your balanced, accurate, and responsible approach to covering both the challenges and successes of FCCPS.”

“The resolution specifically commends your work for helping our community stay informed and focused on providing the best possible education for our students,” Brett continued. 

“The resolution will now be submitted to the Virginia School Boards Association for formal approval. Once approved, we would like to present you with the official certificate and recognition during a School Board meeting this fall…. Thank you for your dedication to quality journalism and for being such an important partner in keeping our community informed about public education.”

In part, FCCPS’s June 10 "Resolution 10-25" reads: “Whereas, much of the community’s knowledge and opinions about the public schools rely on responsible reporting by local media representatives who decide which news to share with the community, how much attention will be focused on various issues, and what the tone of the reporting will be....” 

“NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that by a unanimous vote, the School Board of the Falls Church City Public Schools place the name of Christopher Jones, Editor of the Falls Church Independent, on the statewide VSBA Media Honor Roll, calling attention to the ongoing responsible and exemplary nature of reporting on this community’s public schools. We express our appreciation for your balanced and accurate approach to sharing with this community both the challenges facing our schools and the successes achieved by the teachers and students. Your work has aided this community in focusing on the goal of providing the best public schools we can for the children who attend them.”

Publisher of The Falls Church Independent, Christopher Jones (this writer), expressed “sincere and heartfelt gratitude” at the news. “I was truly gobsmacked, as they say, when I read Mr. Brett’s gracious letter,” Jones said. “Having taught history and journalism for nearly three decades, it’s such a tremendous honor to be recognized so thoughtfully by the FCCPS School Board. We’ve been doing our best to provide “fresh news, insights and analysis – with an independent streak – in and around Falls Church, Virginia,” since February, 2024, when we were founded.”

“I just want the members of the F.C.C. School Board to know how sincerely thankful we are and how very much it means to us to receive such recognition in our community. I hope we can continue to provide our local school district(s) and our readers the sort of education reporting everyone deserves. Educating young people – and supporting all those who help do so – is perhaps the most sacred obligation a community can have.”

According to VSBA, the criteria for nomination by a Virginia district school board to the VSBA Media Honor Roll include: 

1. Makes the effort to get to know the superintendent and board chair. 

2. Understands the division’s mission and goals. 

3. Reports school news in a manner that is fair, accurate, and balanced. 

4. Gives a high-profile position to good news about schools. 

5. Regularly visits the schools, attends board meetings, etc. 

6. Maintains a policy of “no surprises” by sharing information with school representatives.

By Christopher Jones