Arlene Pripeton reminded the School Board that W.T. Woodson High School was built in 1961 and hasn't been fully renovated since. "We essentially have an early 1960s building," said Pripeton, PTSA president at Woodson.
Pripeton and E.J. "Nell" Hurley were two of the dozens of parents to testify before the Fairfax County School Board on Thursday, Jan. 15 about the school system's Capital Improvement Program. Little Run Elementary School student Kagan Jenkins testified about Woodson, too.
Woodson High School is promised in the CIP the estimated $68,900,000 it will take to complete renovations to the school, beginning in 2006. But the renovation schedule is now projected to take more than four years. "I assume that means that the freshman in 2006 will live through four years of renovation," Pripeton said.
Pripeton and Hurley told the Board they were concerned that the completion date for Woodson's renovation had slipped two years behind South Lakes High School, in Reston, when they thought both schools were on similar renovation schedules. "We do want to remain where it was promised we would be," Pripeton said.
Woodson High School, which currently has 1827 students, is scheduled to receive $151,200 in FY 2005, nothing in FY06, $13,456,800 in FY07, $19,624,500 in FY08, $17,381,700 in FY09 and $17,285,800 in FY2010.
Both Pripeton and Hurley worry that renovations scheduled for Woodson won't be large enough for the student body. "The increasing populations at our feeder elementary schools indicate even more classroom space should be added with this renewal," Hurley said.
The addition to Mosby Woods Elementary School has been moved ahead in the CIP from FY2006 to FY 2005 and the completion of Greenbriar West Elementary School has now been moved ahead from FY2007 to FY2006.
The School Board is scheduled to hold its Regular Meeting No. 12 on the Capital Improvement Program this Thursday, Jan. 22 at Jackson Middle School, 3020 Gallows Road, Falls Church, at 7:30 p.m.
The School Board is scheduled to adopt its final budget on May 27.
— Ken Moore