Falls Church High School Lost and Found Policy

The Lost and Found Policy and procedures are intended to ensure that items reported lost or found on Falls Church High School (FCHS) campus are properly accounted for and, in the case of items found, returned to their rightful owner or disposed of by FCHS. “Lost property” means any unattended, abandoned, misplaced, or forgotten item including but not limited to equipment, cash, jewelry, phones, books, keys, documents, or personal identification papers (driver’s license, credit cards, etc.) which are found within the boundaries of FCHS, pending the identification of the rightful owner or appropriate disposal thereof.

Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) and FCHS assume no responsibility whatsoever for the care and/or protection of any personal belongings left unattended on FCHS property and for loss, under any circumstances, including theft, vandalism, or malicious mischief of such belonging. In addition, FCPS and FCHS do not provide insurance coverage for student property. 

Students and parents are responsible for personal property students bring to school, on school grounds, on a school-sponsored activity, such as a field trip, or on a school bus. Careful consideration to the types and value of property should be given to what students bring to school, whether to share with a class or simply carry. Parents and students should consider the value of the property relative to the limited storage and security available in schools. As a general rule, items of value, whether monetary or sentimental, should not be brought to school. Large sums of money, radios, cell phones, cameras, CD/MP3 players and other valuable objects are targets of theft and should not be left in locker rooms or on lockers. In addition, unattended purses, backpacks, or other clothing should not be left unsecured.

The FCHS Office of Safety & Security has been designated as the central repository and controlling agency responsible for lost and found property for FCHS. All found items should be turned into the Office of Safety & Security for identification of the rightful owner, if possible. Students may check the lost and found for missing items. Parents may also request to check for missing items in the lost and found area with prior appointment. Stolen items may be reported to FCHS School Resource Officer (SRO), however, such assumed stolen items are subject to laws as defined as “stolen” property

Disposition of Lost and Found Items

Most unclaimed items will be held for a minimum of one (1) school year with the exception of the below items for example. After such time, the items will be assigned a final disposition designated by the FCHS Administration.

Clothing – After thirty (30) days they will be donated to a local charitable organization or FCHS parent/student/school organization designated by FCHS Administration. 

Credit/Bank Cards – Every effort will be made to contact the owner of the cards. After thirty (30) days they will be destroyed.

Cash – Will be held by either the Office of Safety & Security or the School Resource Officer. After thirty (30) days the cash will be donated to a local charitable organization, FCHS parent/student/school organization designated by FCHS Administration or submitted as lost evidence to the Fairfax County Police Department. 

Textbooks – If the owner cannot be identified, the textbooks will be returned to the issuing Department. Non-issued FCHS books will be transferred to the Library or donated to a local charitable organization or FCHS parent/student organization designated by FCHS Administration. 

FCHS ID Cards – If the owner cannot be contacted, the cards will be returned to the appropriate FCHS department of issuance or Administrator. 

Driver’s License – If the owner cannot be contacted within thirty (30) days, the cards will be delivered to the DMV.

School-issued laptops/electronic devices – These items will be given to the FCHS IT department. 

All Other Items – Items may be held for up to one (1) school year and then depending on the type of item, will either be destroyed, discarded, or donated to a local charitable organization or FCHS parent/student/school organization designated by FCHS Administration.

Retrieval of Items to the Rightful Owner

Any individual making a request for a lost item must provide a description of the item before it will be returned. If the item has no identification on it, but the individual can describe it or open it (i.e. phone, earbuds, tablet), the item will be returned. 

Students may submit a lost property report for record with the Office of Safety & Security. If the item is located and turned in, the Office of Safety & Security will contact the student for identification and retrieval.