Last year, Loudoun County High School students attended some of their classes in trailers. With the help of a six classroom additions added to the school this year, the students no longer have to leave the building for their lessons.
There are 1,347 students enrolled in Loudoun County High School, Principal Bill Oblas said. The school’s capacity is 1,350 students.
"We’re almost there," he said.
Even though the school just received six new classrooms from a renovation project, it is almost full again.
WHEN RESIDENTS go to the polls Tuesday, Nov. 7, they will be asked to vote on the method of funding the cost to design, construct and equip a new $74,770,000 high school in the Leesburg area, HS-5.
Sam Adamo, director of Planning and Legislative Services, said the third question on the ballot is a necessary one.
HS-5 would relieve Heritage High School on Evergreen Mill Road in Leesburg and Loudoun County High School in Dry Mill Road in Leesburg. Currently, Heritage High School is at capacity. Loudoun County High School is three students shy of capacity.
"They will likely be overcapacity by the time we open that school," Adamo said.
If the bond question passes, HS-5 will open in fall 2009.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER Priscilla Godfrey (Blue Ridge) said all five bond questions are crucial ones.
"Loudoun County [High School] is approaching capacity and Heritage [High School] is there already," she said. "We need all the projects passed."
And her biggest concern is that they're passed on time, this year.
"The students are here," she said. "They're here and we need to make room for them."
A new high school would mean a few things for Oblas’ team at Loudoun County High School.
"We wouldn’t have teachers sharing classrooms," he said.
About 10 teachers share academic classrooms. When one teacher is planning, another is teaching in his or her classroom.
"We need the room," he said.
ON VOTING DAY, polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Information on voting and polling places is available at the Loudoun County Voter Registration and Electoral Board, 26-C Fairfax Street, S.E. in Leesburg. Fore more information, call 703-777-0380.