Governance committee votes to sunset Policy 44.50, directs superintendent to draft communication policy for non‑represented staff

The Fairfax County School Board Governance Committee voted to sunset Policy 44.50, "Communication between the school board and its employees," and directed the superintendent to draft language addressing communication with employees who are not covered by the division's collective bargaining agreement.

Mister Frisch moved to sunset Policy 44.50 and to "direct the superintendent to work with staff on a potential policy for communicating with staff who are not part of collective bargaining," and Miss Saint John Cunning seconded the motion. Chair Miss Marin announced the motion passed unanimously for those at the table.

Committee discussion focused on the interaction between the policy text and the recently completed collective bargaining agreement (CBA). Staff noted that many provisions in the policy overlap with CBA terms and recommended sunsetting when the CBA governs employee‑board interaction. Doctor Anderson and others pressed for clarity about which employees are covered by the CBA and which are not, pointing out that some part‑time and hourly employees remain outside the agreement and may therefore need a separate communication pathway.

Mister Frisch said the policy's provisions are largely dictated by the CBA and "there are even parts of this policy that might contradict the collective bargaining agreement that we have." The committee directed staff to return draft language for board consideration that focuses on communication protocols for non‑represented employees.

The committee's action instructs the superintendent and staff to prepare a draft policy for future committee review and full‑board consideration.