The new name will be the Dr. Phyllis C. Pajardo Library, and the official renaming ceremony will happen sometime in June, prior to Pajardo’s retirement on June 30. During Pajardo’s tenure, she oversaw the school’s name change from Lanier Middle to Katherine Johnson Middle. 

She also spearheaded the expansion of the advanced academic programs at Fairfax City’s two elementary schools and middle school, plus the opening of partnerships with the four City schools and George Mason University. And she oversaw the establishment of the Superintendent Advisory Team and assisted the with hiring of four principals. 

Pajardo was named Educator of the Year by Leadership Fairfax in 2017, and she’s the author of “The Principal Influence: A Framework for Developing Leadership Capacity in Principals.”

“Dr. Pajardo has changed the face of City of Fairfax schools,” said School Board Chair Carolyn Pitches. “She was instrumental in guiding us through the Katherine Johnson Middle School name change, and through this [library] naming, we would like to recognize her work.”

After School Board member Toby Sorensen read the resolution about the renaming, Pajardo expressed her appreciation. “I would like to offer a heartfelt thank you to each of you for this honor,” she said. “Katherine Johnson is a woman who I have admired for many years. She was an active member of my sorority, and I am so honored by this. I was an active reader as a student, and this means so much to me.”