Fairfax County School Board Chooses Chair, Vice Chair For Rest Of School Year

FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA — The new Fairfax County School Board that took office in 2024 chose a new chair and vice chair to serve for the remainder of the school year.

The School Board typically selects its chair and vice chair for the year after the school year ends, but the governing body of Fairfax County Public Schools has a new makeup after the Nov. 7, 2023 elections. Providence District representative Karl Frisch has been serving as acting chair after previous chair Elaine Tholen did not seek re-election in the Dranesville District.

On Thursday, the School Board confirmed Frisch as chair and Hunter Mill District representative Melanie Meren as vice chair for the rest of the 2023-2024 school year.

"I am grateful for the opportunity to serve as chair of the School Board, working together with parents and staff as we advance the student-centered focus of our strategic plan," said Frisch in a statement. "I remain, as always, committed to collaborating with my board colleagues to help our world-class educators deliver on the promise of excellence, equity, and opportunity – to help every student achieve their full, unique, and limitless potential."

Frisch was one of the School Board members who was sworn in using books that are commonly banned in other school districts. Two of those were "Lawn Boy" and "Gender Queer," which were pulled from Fairfax County high school libraries due to complaints about potential pedophilia and sexually explicit material. The books were reinstated after a review found no merit for the complaints.

Frisch was first elected in 2019 and took office as the School Board's first openly LGBTQIA+ member. The all-Democratic board now has three LGBTQ+ members, one Black member, one Hispanic member, two Indian American members and one Korean American member. Three of the members are immigrants, and women represent seven of the members.

Other members of the School Board are at-large members Kyle McDaniel, Ryan McElveenand Ilyrong Moon, Braddock District member Rachna Sizemore Heizer, Dranesville District member Robyn Lady, Franconia District member Marcia St. John-Cunning, Mason Distirct member Ricardy Anderson, Mount Vernon District member Mateo Dunne, Springfield District member Sandy Anderson and Sully District member Seema Dixit.

Frisch previously served executive director of Allied Progress, a consumer financial watchdog helping victims of predatory lenders and financial scammers, and was part of the staff for the Committee on Rules in the U.S. House of Representatives. He lives with his partner, a public school teacher, near George C. Marshall High School.

Meren has been on the School Board since her election in 2019. An education policy professional and FCPS parent, Meren has worked at the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Office of Management and Budget and is a member of the Virginia Association of Environmental Education.

Along with choosing a chair and vice chair, the School Board made appointments of members to committees and liaison positions and received the proposed update to the 10-year Capital Improvement Program at Thursday's meeting. A public hearing on the Capital Improvement Program is planned on Jan. 18.