Global Classroom Projects

Welcome to the FCPS Global Classroom Project

The Global Classroom Project (GCP) is a premier initiative within Fairfax County Public Schools that transforms traditional learning into a boundless, interconnected experience. For the 2025-2026 school year, our network includes over 110 dedicated K-12 teachers representing schools at the ES, MS and HS levels. This program is open to educators in any content area, inviting them to move beyond the four walls of the classroom to prepare students for success in an increasingly globalized world.

By leveraging modern technology and innovative pedagogy, our students currently connect with peers in close to 40 countries across five continents. This vast reach allows for authentic, real-world collaboration that bridges cultural divides and builds lasting international partnerships.

Strategic Framework: Pedagogy and Purpose

The Global Classroom Project is built upon the critical integration of three academic pillars: Course Content, Portrait of a Graduate (POG) attributes, and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Rather than an auxiliary activity, global engagement serves as a vehicle for students to master their curriculum through the lens of real-world application and global responsibility.

Advancing the FCPS Strategic Plan

The GCP serves as a primary driver for the FCPS 2023-30 Strategic Plan. By embedding Portrait of a Graduate skills into every international exchange, we directly advance the following strategic goals:

• Goal 2: Safe, Supported, and Included – Students cultivate empathy and a sense of belonging within a diverse global community through sustained intercultural dialogue.

• Goal 3: Academic Growth and Excellence – The project challenges students to apply rigorous academic knowledge to complex global scenarios, fostering higher-order thinking and measurable growth in POG attributes.

• Goal 4: Equitable Access and Opportunity – The GCP ensures that K-12 students from every background and across all zip codes have the opportunity to participate in high-impact international collaborations.

• Goal 5: Leading for Tomorrow's World – We equip students with the essential competencies—Communicator, Collaborator, Ethical and Global Citizen, Creative and Critical Thinker, and Goal-Directed and Resilient Individual—requisite for leadership in a complex, shifting global landscape.

Pathways for Global Collaboration

To ensure curriculum alignment and focused inquiry, the project offers seven distinct pathways for teacher and student engagement:

1. Academic Content (General Subject Area Integration)

2. Career and Technical Education (CTE)

3. Cultural Proficiency

4. Environmental Stewardship

5. International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program (IBMYP)

6. Language Acquisition and Intercultural Competence

7. Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM)

Whether investigating environmental sustainability with partners in Romania or developing language proficiency with peers in Colombia, the Global Classroom Project ensures every FCPS student is prepared to emerge as an ethical, globally-minded leader.