FCPS superintendent holds community conversation with district's Muslim families

FALLS CHURCH, Va. (7News) — As Fairfax County Public Schools leaders tout the district's diversity as a strength, Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid is hoping to further improve their ability to accommodate students with different cultural customs by holding community conversations.

Since August, she has held 28 such events, with her final one of the year being Wednesday night.

She held this community conversation at the Dar Al-Hijrah Islamic Center in Falls Church.

Fairfax County School Board member Abrar Omeish helped move the discussion along, and said it was important for district leaders to learn what more they can do for the community.

"We know the Muslim community has been underserved for so long, so Dr. Reid is coming here - the whole team, actually, a lot of leadership team members have come - to hear the community, staff, parents, students, families, and see how we can better serve the needs of Muslim students and staff," Omeish said.

WATCH: One-on-one with Dr. Michelle Reid, Fairfax Co Public Schools' new superintendent

Fahd Obeid, a parent in the district, said he thought it was useful for district leaders to be able to answer any questions in person.

“I think this is excellent because this is a way to bridge the gaps between communities, to always have communication with the school system, and address any parents’ concerns,” Obeid said.

Included in Wednesday's discussions were increasing school lunch options to meet dietary needs for their culture, having spaces for prayer, and observing certain Islamic holidays other nearby counties observe.

Omeish said she hopes this leads to more training for teachers and staff on how to better accommodate students.

READ ALSO: FCPS superintendent reveals 'corrective action' plan after Glasgow Middle counselor case

“When we talk about access to food, spaces, curriculum that’s reflective of the identities people bring by to the table - prayer accommodations, spaces, times throughout the day when kids want to pray - the professional development and training needed to make sure our staff understand how to best serve our students,” Omeish said. "It ultimately impacts the academic progress of students and the mental health as they perform in class."

Reid has held these conversations in a variety of locations, including a Korean community center.

Omeish said more events like this series of community conversations will only improve relationships between the district and families.

"We live in a county that speaks over 180 languages, people from all walks of life representing almost every country around the world," Omeish said. "We shouldn't be waiting for folks to come out and speak. We need to meet them where they're at."