FCPS announces leadership updates at two area schools

Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) today announced a new principal at West Potomac High School and confirmed to On the MoVe that an interim principal will be stepping in to provide support at Belle View Elementary School.

Regarding the situation at Belle View, an FCPS spokesperson only could share that Thomas Kuntz, the longtime top administrator at the school, is on leave. Christopher Larrick, the recently retired principal from Bryant High School, will serve as interim.

At West Potomac, Jessica Statz has been selected as the next principal, effective Nov. 20. She will be a familiar face at the school as she previously served there as assistant principal and acting principal between 2016 and 2020. During her tenure, she supervised the social studies and fine and performing arts departments, as well as the safety and security team.

In 2020, Statz moved to Hayfield Secondary School where she has since served as assistant principal and acting associate principal, playing a critical role in helping create structures to return students to in-person learning. She also helped expand the honors and dual enrollment programs, facilitated internships and fostered the growth of clubs and organizations.

Earlier in her career, she was an assistant principal at Langley High School and an English teacher and special projects administrator at Lewis High School. She holds a bachelor of arts degree in English and a secondary education degree from the University of North Carolina in Charlotte, and a master of educational leadership degree from the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

According to a message from FCPS Region 3 to West Potomac staff, parents and community members, Statz’s work centers on the cultivation of a safe and positive school climate. “She prioritizes building a positive school culture and has spearheaded Restorative Justice processes and student service projects,” noted the email. “Her commitment to placing students first and creating a sense of belonging addresses critical issues such as chronic absenteeism, discipline disproportionality, and on-time graduation requirements.”