FCCPS: New School Superintendent Dade Discusses Leadership, Priorities as School Year Begins Aug. 18
On a sweltering July 29 afternoon, we sat down with Dr. Terry J. Dade, the City’s new Schools Superintendent as of July 1, in the air conditioned 4th floor offices of the Falls Church City Public Schools (FCCPS) system along S. Washington Street.
When the City’s School Board unanimously appointed Dade to become the City’s 10th Schools Superintendent on May 4 – succeeding Dr. Peter Noonan who served eight successful years in the position overseeing the completion of a new high school and navigating the City schools through the pandemic – Dade was just days away from earning his Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Manhattanville University.
So, now he’s Dr. Dade, a fitting moniker for the head of one of the most successful school districts in the nation.
With the 2025/2026 school year starting up only three weeks hence, The Falls Church Independent wanted to interview Dr. Dade to learn about his educational philosophy and leadership approach and to find out what sorts of plans and priorities he might be formulating in his new position.
"We are thrilled to welcome Terry Dade as our new superintendent. His exceptional leadership experience across diverse school settings, combined with his proven track record of academic excellence and innovation, makes him the ideal leader to guide our district forward," said School Board Chair Dr. Tate Gould, per an FCCPS press release.
“Mr. Dade brings over 25 years of progressive experience in education to Falls Church City, including significant leadership roles in both rural and urban settings. He currently serves as Superintendent of Cornwall Central School District in New York, where he oversees five schools serving approximately 3,200 students and over 500 employees, a district similar in size to FCCPS,” the press release continues.
“His extensive experience includes serving as Superintendent of Rochester City School District in New York and as Assistant Superintendent of Region 3 in Fairfax County Public Schools. During his tenure in Fairfax County, Mr. Dade successfully reduced the number of schools accredited with warning or FOCUS status from 12 to just 1. Notably, he previously held the position of Principal at Graham Road Elementary School in Falls Church, where he achieved the highest FARM vs. Reading and Math SOL pass rates in FCPS while significantly improving teacher retention.”
“Throughout his career, Mr. Dade has demonstrated a commitment to cultivating student-centered cultures where all students achieve their fullest potential. His leadership philosophy emphasizes inspiring shared vision, modeling professionalism, and implementing innovative instructional strategies.” Prior to his EdD work, Dade earned a BA in Psychology and a MA in Teaching in Elementary Education from the University of Virginia, and a MA in School Administration from Trinity University.
Themes Not Yet Covered in the News
Asked if he'd like to say anything not yet covered in the news, Dade said, “I’ve really tried to focus on 'The Return Home.' I had a leadership retreat where I just shared that I moved to Reston in kindergarten and I stayed in the Reston/Herndon area all the way through. And I have close ties with the greater Falls Church area, having been a principal in this area and then working for Fairfax County Public Schools just down the road at Gatehouse.”
City Growth & School Budgets
Since Dr. Dade was here last, however the City of Falls Church “looks very different than when I left the area in 2019," he said. "In those six years, from Jiffy Lube on down to this area [at 150 S. Washington St.] has completely changed."
Asked how such growth and development might impact the City’s public schools, Dade said, “One of the things I think is a huge asset to our school division is that this growth is not coming as a surprise. There has been a lot of conversation and forecasting around shifting demographics and enrollment. And this hasn’t been a surprise for the Falls Church City school district or the City Council. So, I think everyone has done a great job of being part of the conversation early on and what development might mean in all aspects of the City. And I think we are well-equipped to handle the anticipated, continued growth.”
And Dade's been impressed with how the City has budgeted constructively for the school system “through good times and bad times."
"We’re all kind of holding our breath to see what the future entails with respect to our fiscal sovereignty, from the greater federal level, to state and local levels,” he said. “But, right now I feel that we’re in a really good spot.”
Primary Goals
So, what are Dade’s primary goals as he takes on the superintendency?
“One is, when you’re a part of a stellar school system like Falls Church City, to make sure we don’t do anything that’s going to take us backward. So, I want to maintain that tradition of excellence,” he said.
“But, I’ve also been really transparent that the educational landscape can change in the blink of an eye. So, we’ll be thinking about how to equip our students with the right tools that are going to set our students up for success. And, in an environment where college and university is not necessarily the go-to for [every family]. That careers and community college and trades are really important.”
Artificial Intelligence
Dade added they’ll “also be looking at the impact of [Artificial Intelligence] AI and what that might look like for education and our future. And, making sure we’re staying well-read, well-researched, and trying to not ‘stay ahead of it’ – because I think that’s impossible – but to really equip our students for their future success.”
Asked whether FCCPS might be crafting policies around the use of AI in the schools, Dade said, “I think there’s been a lot of curiosity and questioning leading up to today and I think the year ahead will be one in which we’ll delve into serious conversations of the development of policies and standards and things of that nature.”
“In my former district, we really focused on the high school level first because those are the students most adept at accessing AI, where you have the most questions from teachers and staff regarding what is plagiarism and what is a student’s true ability versus the use of AI. And, conversely, we’re going to have some really tough conversations about what does instruction look like, what does homework look like, and what do tasks and projects and AI look like in an AI world?”
“So, I think we’re going to have some really good conversations over the next year to make sure that we really do a thoughtful job of crafting that policy that’s going to serve our students and staff best.”
Dade emphasizes there’s no need to panic over the advent of AI, however. “You’ll remember this from our past experiences. When Google hit the classroom, we all freaked out. ‘What are we going to do now that students can access, ‘What’s the date the American Revolution started?,’ and, ‘What are we going to do now that, at their fingertips, they can answer questions that we would typically ask on a test or quiz?’”
“Well, we adapted then and we adapted well in changing our teaching practices. How do you assess proficiency of learning? I see this as AI is the next Google hitting the education world. I don’t want to make light of it, but the rise of Google was a significant, significant impact on the educational landscape. AI is going to be that next phase of ‘How do we change our pedagogy to match what tools and resources are at our students fingertips?’
Asked if he's confident the school system can handle AI, Dade responded, “Absolutely.”
Cellphones in the Classroom
Asked if FCCPS has adopted new classroom cellphone use policies since Va. Governor Youngkin’s stated policies last year to make Commonwealth classrooms “cell phone free,” Dade suggested a measured approach. “Right now I’m following the School Board’s direction and they had a meeting this past June where – unless they heard further clarification, further details from Governor Youngkin, and [Virginia Department of Education] VDOE, that we were going to maintain the policy that was in place last year.”
The Falls Church Independent reported on those policies here:
Christopher Jones
“From an outside perspective and now being a part of FCCPS, I also heard some concerns about consistency. I think that’s where I come in, to just make sure I’m working with our students and staff to make sure that if there’s a policy in place that we’re being consistent in that enforcement. So, I think that will be my first look – just seeing if there’s consistency in how it’s being implemented across our campuses.”
School Security
Asked about parents/guardians who might have increased security concerns if their children are not reachable during a school day emergency on campus such as a school shooting, Dade emphasized the importance of listening to the experts.
“Something I really want the Falls Church City community to know about me is that I’m the son of a law enforcement officer,” he said. “My dad is a retired police officer, detective (under cover) in Washington, D.C. So I defer to the expertise of those who are charged with keeping us safe.”
“I will say that some of the prevailing research from law enforcement concerns what is getting in the way of their doing their job," he said. "And cell phones are one of the things they talk about frequently, with regard to who’s controlling the message of reaching out to parents and things of that nature,” during an incident.
“How do we keep our students safe and secure in an unfortunate situation like that?,” Dade asked. “One of the anecdotes I’ll take from our law enforcement team back in New York is when you’re in that environment, you want [those in the building] as quiet and out-of-the-way as possible. Cell phone use could, if they’re on them, indicate where students, staff, and others are."
"But, I would just suggest we follow the expertise of law enforcement and things of that nature when we’re thinking of how we keep our students as safe as possible. Because they’re the ones who are going to be in the school. Parents aren’t going to be. Even with my son, who’s in high school in Fairfax, reaching out to me in that situation – there’s nothing I can do to keep him safe at that point. I want to know if he’s okay, of course. But, my first priority is hoping that law enforcement is there to get my son home safely that evening.”
On the flip side, however, hasn’t there been a lot of pushback over having too much armed security personnel in schools in the wake of the Black Lives Matter protests over police profiling?, I asked.
“I think all of that is really community-specific,” Dade said. “I can say with all confidence that going from Fairfax County with my sense being a parent there, that we welcome with open arms [Security Resource Officers] SROs in our middle and high schools. I didn’t hear much [against it] when I was a Principal and an Assistant Superintendent there.”
“But, then when I went to Rochester, New York, it was the complete opposite. The concerns that were raised were exactly as you’ve said. It was a very different community,” Dade continued. “So, I truly believe it’s very community-specific. I’m coming from Cornwall, New York, where, again, we were probably a little bit more on the law enforcement side because we had an armed deputy at all of our elementary schools, our middle school and our high school.”
“But I’m still learning about Falls Church City," Dade said. "I believe that every community has a rationale for why they have a certain perspective. So, I’ll be curious to learn more here. But, my past experience has been, we want to keep our kids safe."
"There are examples of folks not doing what we would expect them to do in all sectors, from doctors, to lawyers, to teachers, to law enforcement. And my focus is always on making sure we provide the very best for our students no matter what profession they’re in. And I would say the same for law enforcement. I would expect the very best of anyone providing security and safety to our students in the building.”
Family Life
With the mention of his son, I was curious to know more about Dade’s family and their return to the area from New York. “We tried with all our might to find a lovely home here in Falls Church City, but we were not able to do so – a lot of that had to do with timing [because] it’s really tough to turn around so quickly. So, we settled in Vienna.”
“….My kids will go to Marshall High School, where we’re excited to have the IB education. So, they’re going through that feeder pattern… My two oldest are in Fairfax High School and then we have a four year-old who’ll be in pre-school in Vienna, and then I have a kindergartner who will be attending Wolf Trap. And then my stepdaughter is going to be an 8th-grader at Kilmer…. I’m divorced, so my oldest kids are with their mom in Fairfax High School.”
The International Baccalaureate IB Programme
Asked why he embraces the IB Programme in the City of Falls Church as well as for his own kids, Dade said, “Thinking of what I wanted for my kids when I was looking for places to reside here and then my experience in Fairfax County, leading an elementary school that was a [Primary Years Programme] PYP Program, a Middle Years Programme at our Middle School, and then a variety [IB and Advanced Placement] in the high schools, my viewpoint on the benefits of the IB come from our students.”
“I’ve really taken to heart when we ask our graduates who come back [after graduating] to take their IB diplomas, ‘What does your first semester look like? And, what can you say about you versus your fellow peers at X,Y, or Z college or university?’ And, almost to a person, they say that they were just better equipped for: one, the rich diversity of the community they were in, and, the depth of their research and application across disciplines they absolutely enjoyed. And, two: the ability to kind of take a worldview of all aspects."
"I love researching how FCCPS emphasizes taking ownership of your community, without losing sight of the greater community at large," Dade said. "I just think those are invaluable lessons that extend beyond the classroom that I love about the IB experience.”
The IB Programme’s requirement that students complete a seminar in The Philosophy of Mind helps students think deeply about “themselves as learners,” Dade said. Though the IB Programme’s a major challenge for students, the hard work certainly pays off after they graduate.
Views of the School Board
Having met with the School Board multiple times during the exhausting application process, what are Dade's thoughts on the elected body?
“I told them that’s one of the things that Superintendents research extensively and I’ve just been really impressed with the way they operate as a board,” he said. “And as I stated in my announcement, when I had the pleasure of coming here having been named the Superintendent, I wasn’t looking for a Board that agreed all the time. I was really looking for the way they disagreed. ‘Can we disagree in a civil, professional, respectful manner?,’ is the ultimate test of what I was looking for.”
“So, all I did was kind of go back to the most recent controversial topic, which was cell phone use. And I studied those Board meetings just to see how they operated,” Dade said. “And there was clearly not unanimity of thought, but in perspective – their own children’s perspective, past educator’s perspectives, you name it, lawyer's perspective, etc. – they were able to bring all of those varied perspectives and all of that information to a civil discussion. And even those who said they were in disagreement with the way they were moving forward agreed with going with the will of the group and saying, ‘Let’s go forward with what we have and then just agree that we’re going to come back and reassess at numerous points of the year.’ And they did just that. They came back to have another conversation.”
“So, I’m thrilled. I think it’s one of the most professional [groups]. Their backgrounds are impressive,” Dade said. “I’m just really excited to partner with them.”
Dade agreed that the School Board’s ability to move forward constructively and respectfully amidst disagreement was “absolutely” a “major criterion” for deciding to take the Superintendent position in Falls Church City.
Supporting Teachers, Students, and Parents
As a former teacher, I was particularly interested in knowing how Dade planned to support teachers, students, and parents to create healthy learning communities.
“One of our top priorities, particularly as a Superintendent within his or her team, is to be in service to those who are closest to our kids. So, those are our teachers, that’s our support staff, and to really be working with them to make sure they have everything that they need to be their best selves for our students,” Dade said.
“Making sure we have a climate and a culture that's open and welcoming, but not just to our students, but to our staff as well. That they’re in an environment where they feel safe raising concerns about what they need, and that my team and myself in particular, don't take it as anything other than, 'This is a valuable staff member bringing forth a concern that we need to address. And if we can’t address it, being able to provide the rationale for why.' That, in turn, helps set up an environment where our students feel valued and cared for.”
“And, I’m looking forward to really being able to spend some time with students to hear directly from them,” Dade continued. “When you think about conversations like on AI, and what success looks like to them, it’s easy for me to come up with my ideas and to wax philosophically about what they need to be successful, but they’re the ones who know it best. They know what their high school experience is like. I’m very much looking forward to hearing from them.”
“Some anecdotes from New York: We’re getting secondary education wrong across the country,” Dade added. “That our traditional school system is just not set up for future success.... Our students are saying that loud and clear. So, how do we make sure we’re providing an environment where they can collaborate and they can have practical use of the knowledge they’re receiving? That’s ultimately going to set them up for success later on?”
Asked how he will approach supporting parents, Dade immediately emphasized his own wide-ranging experiences as a dad with kids in school. “I hope everyone knows that as a father of five, no one’s going to understand more – What I tell parents all the time is they are their children’s most important advocate. So when they’re reaching my office they’ve exhausted everything they can and they’re coming to me for additional guidance or support,” he said.
“So, a lot of times that comes with emotion or with the way something might have been handled. And my job is to listen intently and to make sure I’m providing support where I can or guiding them to other resources where they can get their children’s needs met the most. So, just know that I’m coming to them not only as their Superintendent, but as a proud father of five kids [all of whom] couldn’t be more different in their needs for education and life and I’ll always have their perspectives in mind. I have a four year-old and for the next fourteen years I’m going to have that shared lived experience.”
Student Accommodations
Often a point of contention between parents and administrators, the question of school accommodations to special needs students naturally came up. Are there any plans to implement new policies on accommodations?
“I think that’s too high-level up, too many levels removed from the classroom and beyond,” Dade said. He hasn't heard anything on the issue yet from the School Board.
“It’s that delicate balance.... We would love to provide every single child exactly what they need to be successful while I have the added layer that I’m responsible for the overall budget, fiscal solvency, and equity across our school district. So, how do you balance those two?”
“So, for example, a parent might say, ‘My child works best with X program,’ but, I can’t have X program individualized for 500 kids at an elementary school, but there may be aspects of a program that this child needs to be successful with reading or math, so how do we incorporate those skills, those resources, that might not be program-specific but may be a mechanism or an accommodation that’s going to help them be successful?”
“So, we’ll try to have that honest conversation with parents, giving them examples of, ‘I just met with someone two weeks ago who asked for a different program, so just understand from my seat where the dissonance might occur….”
DEI and Censorship
With the discussion turning to possibly disgruntled parents, we turned toward more contentious topics such as Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and parent calls in other Virginia counties for removing particular materials from libraries and classrooms.
“This is probably one of the most complex topics we could engage in,” Dade said. “One of the things I’ve really kind of focused on is that at the end of the day there is a curriculum that has been established by the Commonwealth of Virginia. Those are our Standards of Learning and those trickle down to our classrooms. How you actually approach those standards is where we actually get into those interesting conversations about what can and can’t be taught.”
“So, first, trying to address issues as they come up to try to get to why a parent or a group of parents believe this is inappropriate for a child, and also looking at the age and the development of a child,” Dade continued. “I think I have the most issue when we get to our older students. Again, you heard me saying ‘preparing for success in college, career and life.’ At some point, there has to be an education with as many different perspectives and topics as you can think of to prepare them for success beyond our school district.”
“So, how do we strike that balance of preparing them for life beyond what might be occurring in a household or in a community for the greater community at large? Right now, I don’t want to speak to any issue that hasn’t really gotten here. I’m not saying it really doesn’t ever occur here. But I’m hoping we can continue what I researched of Falls Church City Public Schools and that’s truly being a community that values and cherishes diversity, equity, and inclusion without having to label it as that. It’s not a program here or a buzzword. It’s the way we approach how we support our students, family, and staff, and I just pray that that continues into the foreseeable future.”
A Dream Come True
Finally, we asked if Dr. Dade wished to add anything that he might not have been able to say earlier. “No,” he said. “I’m just thrilled to be here. I said in my announcement that moving from Washington, D.C. to Reston and knowing all of the challenges that my parents had to deal with to make that happen, I never would have dreamed I would become Superintendent of an exemplary school system like Falls Church City Public Schools. So, I’m just thrilled to get to know the community better and I’m looking forward to a fantastic school year ahead.”
By Christopher Jones
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