City Of Fairfax Schools Tap Georgina Aye As The New Principal At Fairfax High School

FAIRFAX CITY, VA — After interviewing about 20 candidates, the City of Fairfax Schools recently named Georgiana Aye as Fairfax High School's new principal.

An educator with 17 years of experience, Aye is the principal at Mergenthaler Vocational-Technical High School, which is the largest high school in Baltimore City. In addition to her current role, she has been a central office leader and assistant principal in Baltimore County and Baltimore City Public Schools over the last 10 years.

Aye launched the first Early College Magnet program with a curriculum that focused on course sequencing, logistics, and professional development. She also created a reunification and transition program to support English Language Learners and launched the “We All Belong Here” initiative, which promoted unity, equity, and cultural inclusivity, according to a CFS release.

Aye received a bachelor of science in journalism from West Virginia University and a master of arts in eduction policy from Johns Hopkins University. She is also pursuing a doctoral degree in curriculum and instruction.

CFS began interviewing candidates after former principal Dr. Erin Lenart announced her departure in May to take on a similar role at Lake Forest Community High School in Illinois.

Related: Lenart Leaves Fairfax HS; Fill-In At Providence ES

"I loved and appreciated her enthusiasm, her positivity, and her love for students and the work," said CFS Superintendent Phyllis Pajardo, on what impressed her most about Aye. "It was just exuding and she presented herself over multiple interviews and her references confirmed that this was just not what she does in an interview, but this is how she lives her life as a school leader."

Another thing that impressed Pajardo is Aye's habit of using a standing desk with rollers, which she moves throughout the building during the day to interact with students and staff.

"It was critical to me and critical to the stakeholders, who provided input, that we had a candidate and a person that would really connect and build strong relationships with kids, staff and parents," she said. "Through her exuding the positivity and the enthusiasm, it was very clear that she would be a collaborator and an excellent communicator."

Finding someone who had experience taking a school through a renovation was another consideration when choosing the next principal, according to Pajardo. However, she was quick to point out that any renovation at the city's high school was years away and hadn't even been approved by taxpayers.

"Georgina has in her past principal role led a $40 million renovation," she said. "That is certainly something that was of interest to me, because you don't find folks that in principalship who have overseen such a large scale renovation and so I was particularly interested in that."

Another plus in Pajardo's eyes was that Aye had experience in programs already at Fairfax High, including Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID), which focuses on career and tech education. She also has experience as a literacy specialist at the high school level.

Maureen Keck, who has been serving as the interim principal at Fairfax High, will continue in that role through the end of the school year.

Aye wanted to finish out the current year and give graduating students their diplomas before tackling her new role in Fairfax City.

Pajardo said Aye would be coming by the school and meeting with students and parents in the spring, but she won't officially be assuming her new role until late June.