While Fairfax County School Board members cry poverty and claim they’re underfunded by $150 million for 2026, those same board members were secretly meeting behind closed doors to create cushy $121,535 jobs for themselves and their political allies.
In a stunning display of hypocrisy, the Democrat-controlled board voted in secret session to establish 12 new “director” positions – each paying more than teachers with master’s degrees earn – then filled them with campaign workers, party operatives, and political consultants.
They’re asking taxpayers for an additional $268 million while secretly spending $1.5 million on political patronage jobs.
Five board members have already hired these political cronies using your tax dollars, while teachers continue to leave Fairfax for better-paying districts.
This isn’t just government waste – it’s a betrayal of every parent who believed the “underfunded schools” narrative, only to watch their money get diverted to partisan political jobs that do nothing to help children learn.
What You Need To Know:
This is exactly why conservatives fight against wasteful government spending and educational bureaucracy. Your tax dollars should go to students and teachers – not political patronage jobs that benefit board members’ careers.
Take action in 2025: Remember these names when school board elections come around. Demand transparency. Question every budget increase. Your children’s education depends on it.
By Asra Q. Nomani / Fairfax County Times
As local teachers advocated for better pay, Fairfax County school board leaders introduced a surprise motion in a secret, closed session earlier this year. Following heated debate, a majority of the board voted in a split decision to create new, high-paying “director” staff positions for each of the board’s 12 members, doling out about $121,535 for roles that require only a bachelor’s degree.
The newly created positions, classified as “office personnel/clerical” in a LinkedIn posting, are for 260-day full-year contracts and exceed the average salaries of teachers with master’s degrees in Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS). In total, if all of the board members added the new role to their staffs, the payroll expenses would be $1.5 million.
In addition, sources say, the school board has voted to renovate and expand its offices at school district headquarters off Gatehouse Road in Falls Church.
Eleven of the 12 school board members didn’t respond to requests for comment.
The board’s expensive decision raises questions about transparency, oversight, and political partisanship in a school district that has been plagued with allegations of coverups on issues from a local high school football recruiting scandal to redistricting. As of May 1, at least five school board members had filled the director roles, with some appointing individuals involved in political election campaign work.
In several cases, the directors were promoted from existing staff aide roles, resulting in significant pay increases. For instance, public records show that one staffer’s salary increased from $72,323 to $121,535—a jump of roughly 68%.
There are five confirmed appointments of directors and one confirmed advertisement:
Board chair Karl Frisch promoted his staff aide, Ellen Gipko, to director. According to her LinkedIn profile, Gipko joined Frisch’s office in February 2024 after working as an operations manager in Tysons. Her duties included social media management, bookkeeping, and executive assistance.
Robyn Lady promoted Wendy Biliter, her staff aide, as her new district director. Biliter was previously a staff aide for former board member Elaine Tholen. She described her as a “trained pediatrician” who had worked at Churchill Road Elementary School and in “various roles” in the school board office. According to public records, she earned $72,323 as a staff aide in 2023.
Seema Dixit posted a job listing on LinkedIn around April 7 for a director who “performs the full range of professional duties and oversees administrative functions.” The job listing was only open for about two weeks until April 23, and by May 1, job applicants saw this message: “No longer accepting job applications.”
Kyle McDaniel, a board member currently facing a civil lawsuit in Loudoun County for alleged embezzlement, hired Laura Stokes, a Democratic campaign strategist, as his district director. Stokes previously managed the campaigns of Fairfax Mayor Catherine Read and Virginia State Senator Saddam Salim. Her LinkedIn profile emphasizes experience in “political consulting & government.” McDaniel also employs Liam Fischer as a staff assistant. In the 2025 election cycle, Stokes has donated $4,504 to all Democratic politicians and organizations, according to state election records, including $1,100 to school board member Dixit and a symbolic $13 to Frisch.
Ilryong Moon elevated Sarah Park, a former journalist, to director of district board operations in April. He lists Tamara Azar as a staff assistant.
Rachna Sizemore Heizer appointed Stephanie Sedgwick, vice chair of the Fairfax County Democratic Committee and former chief of staff to Delegate Dan Helmer, as her district director. Sedgwick announced her hiring on LinkedIn in mid-April and still lists active duties with the Fairfax County Democratic Committee, including “branding, messaging, weekly communication, short and long-term planning.” Before that, she was assistant finance director and district director for the “Helmer for Virginia” campaign. For many years, Sedgwick published recipes as a food editor and writer at the Washington Post. Sedgwick has donated $4,391 to all Democratic politicians, according to state election records, including $250 to Frisch, the school board chair.
It’s unclear what the remaining six school board members, Sandy Anderson, Ricardy Anderson, Ryan McElveen, Melanie Meren and Marcia St. John-Cunning are doing with the new position.
One school board member told the Fairfax County Times that he will not hire a director.
Mateo Dunne said, “I do not plan to hire a director.” Dunne said he hired a staff aide in January 2024 and a staff assistant in April 2024. “My team enables my office to meet the needs of my constituents and to advocate effectively for necessary changes to the FCPS budget and operations, so every child receives a world-class education with talented teachers and support staff in modern classrooms and facilities,” he said.
Dunne noted he has “advocated consistently for higher teacher pay.” Last month, he noted that he issued a joint statement with McElveen and Ricardy Anderson, “advocating for FCPS to limit the proposed 7% pay raise to teachers and support staff, who are paid below market.” Superintendent Michelle Reid has proposed that she and her C-suite executives, who make more than $200,000, also get the pay raises.
“Great teachers make great schools, so FCPS should focus on attracting and retaining talented educators and support staff,” said Dunne. “We are losing talented educators and support staff to surrounding jurisdictions, so our highest priorities should be (1) safety and security and (2) teacher pay.”
Job listing in early March
Though the new director positions were not widely publicized, Sizemore Heizer posted a job listing to BrassRing.com on March 4 at 3:14 p.m., accompanied by a LinkedIn post describing the role as “Chief of Staff” for the Braddock District.
“
“This is a great opportunity for someone with experience working in federal, state, or local government agencies, or with experience as a legislative aide or chief of staff for local, state, or federal elected officials, or with experience working in communications, public administration, and other similar jobs,” she continued.
She added: “The job requires only ‘any combination of education and experience equivalent to a bachelor’s degree in political science, journalism, communications, public administration, or relevant field.”
Even teachers have to earn a teacher’s certificate for making far less.
The job listing required three years of experience in “high level strategic, analytical, and/or supervisorial functions to support research and policy analysis, constituent services, legislative support, communications and community relations, or other similar projects, and initiatives.”
An advanced degree wasn’t required.
The job required essentially promoting the board member on social media, requiring “knowledge of how to maintain and optimize social media vehicles, to include technical skills and ability to determine appropriate content to share.” The job includes “using GovDelivery or similar newsletter or email subscription management system” and “analyzing associated outreach data.”
As of May 1 at 11 a.m., the BrassRing.com link went to an automated message that said, “The job posting you are looking for has expired or the position has already been filled.”
Rachna Sizemore Heizer, Fairfax County School Board Member Braddock
March 4, 2025, 3:14 PM
This position serves as Chief of Staff for the Braddock School Board District.
This is a great opportunity for someone with experience working in federal, state, or local government agencies, or with experience as a legislative aide or chief of staff for local, state, or federal elected officials, or with experience working in communications, public administration, and other similar jobs.
Salary: $121,535
Hybrid
Here is the link to apply: https://sjobs.brassring.com/…/home/HomeWithPreLoad…
Interested or know anyone who might be interested?
The Director, District Board Operations will perform the full range of professional duties and oversee administrative functions required to support activities, projects, and initiatives related to the School Board. In addition, the Director, District Board Operations will serve as a liaison on behalf of individual Board members in communications between constituents, community organizations, Division leadership and staff, and varied elected officials.
The Director, District Board Operations will report directly to the School Board Member. This position is at will and subject to annual renewal.
Qualifications:
Any combination of education and experience equivalent to a bachelor’s degree in political science, journalism, communications, public administration, or relevant field.
Three (3) years of experience in high level strategic, analytical, and/or supervisorial functions to support research and policy analysis, constituent services, legislative support, communications and community relations, or other similar projects, and initiatives.
Advanced degree(s) beyond the minimum degree requirement in a relevant field may be considered for some experience.
Knowledge of the principles, and practices of administrative, business, or legislative office management.
Knowledge of how to maintain and optimize social media vehicles, to include technical skills and ability to determine appropriate content to share.
Familiarity with the functions and activities of county, state, and federal agencies.
Proficiency in the use of office technology, including spreadsheet, presentation, and desktop publishing software.
Proficiency with data compilation, analysis, and reporting.
Ability to handle sensitive information and maintain a high level of confidentiality.
Ability to deal tactfully and respectfully at all levels.
Ability to work under pressure to meet time constraints and deadlines.
Ability to communicate in a manner that is clear, informative, and accessible – both verbally and in writing – to multiple audiences and stakeholders, using correct grammar, punctuation, and content structure.
Bachelor’s degree.
Some professional or substantive volunteer experience in public education or government relations environment.
Knowledge of public education mission, organization, instructional goals, and curriculum practices.
Skill in working with BoardDocs.
Proficiency in using GovDelivery or similar newsletter or email subscription management system and analyzing associated outreach data.
Seema Dixit LinkedIn posting:
About the job
Description: Performs the full range of professional duties and oversees administrative functions required to support activities, projects, and initiatives related to the School Board; serves as a liaison on behalf of individual Board members in communications between constituents, community organizations, Division leadership and staff, and varied elected officials. At-will position and may be terminated at any time subject to needs of the School Board member.
Qualifications
Required:
Preferred:
Salary Range: $47,999 – $121,535
Salary Grade: [Salary Information] Off Scale
Office: School Board Office
Contract Length: 260-Day Contract
Percent Full-Time: Full Time
Closing Date: 23-Apr-2025
Job Type: Office Personnel/Clerical
Open Until Filled: No
Re-Adv. Position: No
