Middle School is Topic A, B and C at FCPS Meeting

While the meeting began with Mount Vernon District School Board member Dan Storck, Springfield District board member Elizabeth Bradshear and Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) Superintendent Jack Dale ready to talk about the , or , it was clear the primary item on the minds of the three dozen or so residents in attendance was the new middle school.

The construction of the middle school is on track to be complete the winter of next year, well ahead of its planned .

But many boxes must be checked before that happens. The school still needs a name, programs, students, personnel and a principal.

Regarding the last of these, a teacher at South County, speaking on behalf of many other teachers at the school, supported Marsha Manning as a candidate for the position. Assistant Superintendent Betsy Fenske indicated that in the past only building principals were eligible to lead a brand new building such as the middle school, but that was not an official policy, suggesting some flexibility on the matter.

Two other citizens asked for consideration for academic programs and then the conversation turned to the issue of boundaries.

Of note was the consensus commitment among Dale, Storck and Bradshear that all 7th and 8th grade students enrolled at South County would be guaranteed enrollment at the new middle school once it opened.

While there was no firm commitment from any of the FCPS officials, it also appears that the transfer of Lorton Valley area students from Hayfield Secondary School to South County is a mere formality. Many residents in Lorton Valley have been pushing for the move since the last boundary change, which forced their children to attend Hayfield, which is more than eight miles away, instead of South County, which is less than two.

The transfer will be done administratively according to Bradshear and a formal boundary study will take place in 2014.

Officials admitted that enrollment figures were uncertain due to the effects of BRAC, but placing the Lorton Valley students in South County and the new middle school was a priority. What implications that could have on other schools in the area is still an open question.

The official posting for building principal of the middle school is expected to occur in the fall. Discussions about programs of study are expected to commence at that time also.