King Abdullah Academy Closing: FCPS Buy for HS?

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:The price tag for KAA will skyrocket by the time they reopen it as a 2100-student public high school. Wait and see. It’s absurd how poorly FCPS is managed. They can’t take care of the basics when it comes to managing their current facilities but when they saw a shiny toy was up for sale they had to have it.

Nonsense. Its practically turnkey. They even sold the furnishings. NOT buying this property would have been the most financially foolish thing FCPS has done in a long time.

KAA had like 850 kids. The ultimate price for FCPS will be much higher than the initial purchase price.

Mateo Dunne just wants to play hero ball. Doesn’t matter if it’s a good or a bad deal as long as he gets attention.

KAA had an 8:1 student-to-teacher ratio. The facilities and classrooms aren’t overly large but they can easily accommodate twice the number kids enrolled at KAA. KAA won’t be a 2,000+ student high school without some significant renovations. However, it could easily take 1,500 students tomorrow.

It might upset a lot of parents, and the local community, but why not just make it a small 1,500 student school. Neighboring schools in Loudoun County are at that size.

It’s basically a turnkey facility.

Why would it upset anyone if FCPS has another small HS like Lewis or even smaller? They can be Class 4 or Class 5 and play against smaller schools in Loudoun like Broad Run and Dominion.

That sounds good to me. Most families are drawn to the large 3,000 student high schools with all their offerings. But if FCPS can offer the variety of courses, including high level AP subjects, and the same number of sports offerings at this smaller school, then it may just work out. Like you said, this new high school could join a sports conference with the Loudoun schools. FCPS would just need to think a little outside the box. Not every high school needs to be a 2,500 to 3,000 student school even if that’s the popular or expected baseline.

The need is for more than 1500. Chantilly and Westfield relief plus elimination of bus to Oakton.

If that’s the case, could FCPS not add modulars and/or convert the adjacent buildings (mentioned previously upthread) into classroom space?

They could, and may in the future. They could also add walls to the kindergarten rooms and do the other renovations necessary for this school to host more than 1500. The main building has the same square footage as Centreville HS (enrollment 2,623), so I'm sure it can handle 2,000.

This is being pitched as a turnkey project so they should not be spending much to modify the building beyond what’s absolutely necessary for it to function as a HS.

And Centreville doesn’t have an enrollment of 2623. Its enrollment last year was 2281 and the main building has a design capacity of 1968.

Agree. Also, though, Centreville has had more kids over the last couple of years.

[Anonymous]

I don’t believe the soccer pitch is lighted. There are nice spectator stands however. The field may need to be repainted for football season. And field lighting would need to be coordinated with the adjacent homes.

[Anonymous]

Sorry Carson families, but this will be as big as the other FCPS HS. Yes, I'm sure you would love a little 1500 exclusive swanky HS, but its not happening while all the surrounding neighborhoods go to giant, prison-like facilities.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:The price tag for KAA will skyrocket by the time they reopen it as a 2100-student public high school. Wait and see. It’s absurd how poorly FCPS is managed. They can’t take care of the basics when it comes to managing their current facilities but when they saw a shiny toy was up for sale they had to have it.

Nonsense. Its practically turnkey. They even sold the furnishings. NOT buying this property would have been the most financially foolish thing FCPS has done in a long time.

KAA had like 850 kids. The ultimate price for FCPS will be much higher than the initial purchase price.

Mateo Dunne just wants to play hero ball. Doesn’t matter if it’s a good or a bad deal as long as he gets attention.

KAA had an 8:1 student-to-teacher ratio. The facilities and classrooms aren’t overly large but they can easily accommodate twice the number kids enrolled at KAA. KAA won’t be a 2,000+ student high school without some significant renovations. However, it could easily take 1,500 students tomorrow.

It might upset a lot of parents, and the local community, but why not just make it a small 1,500 student school. Neighboring schools in Loudoun County are at that size.

It’s basically a turnkey facility.

Why would it upset anyone if FCPS has another small HS like Lewis or even smaller? They can be Class 4 or Class 5 and play against smaller schools in Loudoun like Broad Run and Dominion.

That sounds good to me. Most families are drawn to the large 3,000 student high schools with all their offerings. But if FCPS can offer the variety of courses, including high level AP subjects, and the same number of sports offerings at this smaller school, then it may just work out. Like you said, this new high school could join a sports conference with the Loudoun schools. FCPS would just need to think a little outside the box. Not every high school needs to be a 2,500 to 3,000 student school even if that’s the popular or expected baseline.

The need is for more than 1500. Chantilly and Westfield relief plus elimination of bus to Oakton.

If that’s the case, could FCPS not add modulars and/or convert the adjacent buildings (mentioned previously upthread) into classroom space?

They could, and may in the future. They could also add walls to the kindergarten rooms and do the other renovations necessary for this school to host more than 1500. The main building has the same square footage as Centreville HS (enrollment 2,623), so I'm sure it can handle 2,000.

This is being pitched as a turnkey project so they should not be spending much to modify the building beyond what’s absolutely necessary for it to function as a HS.

And Centreville doesn’t have an enrollment of 2623. Its enrollment last year was 2281 and the main building has a design capacity of 1968.

Agree. Also, though, Centreville has had more kids over the last couple of years.

It would be more accurate to say that Centreville had more kids not that many years ago. Over the past couple of years, the enrollment has been declining and judging from the numbers at Liberty and Rocky Run it seems like that will continue. The most recent CIP has Centreville declining to 2079 kids by the 2029-30 school year.

This is why, with the KAA acquisition likely leading to some Centreville kids shifting to Westfield once three Westfield feeders (Coates, Floris, and McNair) move to KAA, expanding Centreville beyond 2500 during its upcoming renovation no longer makes any sense, if it ever did.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The price tag for KAA will skyrocket by the time they reopen it as a 2100-student public high school. Wait and see. It’s absurd how poorly FCPS is managed. They can’t take care of the basics when it comes to managing their current facilities but when they saw a shiny toy was up for sale they had to have it.

Nonsense. Its practically turnkey. They even sold the furnishings. NOT buying this property would have been the most financially foolish thing FCPS has done in a long time.

KAA had like 850 kids. The ultimate price for FCPS will be much higher than the initial purchase price.

Mateo Dunne just wants to play hero ball. Doesn’t matter if it’s a good or a bad deal as long as he gets attention.

KAA had an 8:1 student-to-teacher ratio. The facilities and classrooms aren’t overly large but they can easily accommodate twice the number kids enrolled at KAA. KAA won’t be a 2,000+ student high school without some significant renovations. However, it could easily take 1,500 students tomorrow.

It might upset a lot of parents, and the local community, but why not just make it a small 1,500 student school. Neighboring schools in Loudoun County are at that size.

It’s basically a turnkey facility.

Why would it upset anyone if FCPS has another small HS like Lewis or even smaller? They can be Class 4 or Class 5 and play against smaller schools in Loudoun like Broad Run and Dominion.

That sounds good to me. Most families are drawn to the large 3,000 student high schools with all their offerings. But if FCPS can offer the variety of courses, including high level AP subjects, and the same number of sports offerings at this smaller school, then it may just work out. Like you said, this new high school could join a sports conference with the Loudoun schools. FCPS would just need to think a little outside the box. Not every high school needs to be a 2,500 to 3,000 student school even if that’s the popular or expected baseline.

The need is for more than 1500. Chantilly and Westfield relief plus elimination of bus to Oakton.

If that’s the case, could FCPS not add modulars and/or convert the adjacent buildings (mentioned previously upthread) into classroom space?

They could, and may in the future. They could also add walls to the kindergarten rooms and do the other renovations necessary for this school to host more than 1500. The main building has the same square footage as Centreville HS (enrollment 2,623), so I'm sure it can handle 2,000.

This is being pitched as a turnkey project so they should not be spending much to modify the building beyond what’s absolutely necessary for it to function as a HS.

And Centreville doesn’t have an enrollment of 2623. Its enrollment last year was 2281 and the main building has a design capacity of 1968.

Agree. Also, though, Centreville has had more kids over the last couple of years.

It would be more accurate to say that Centreville had more kids not that many years ago. Over the past couple of years, the enrollment has been declining and judging from the numbers at Liberty and Rocky Run it seems like that will continue. The most recent CIP has Centreville declining to 2079 kids by the 2029-30 school year.

This is why, with the KAA acquisition likely leading to some Centreville kids shifting to Westfield once three Westfield feeders (Coates, Floris, and McNair) move to KAA, expanding Centreville beyond 2500 during its upcoming renovation no longer makes any sense, if it ever did.

I believe FCPS’ modus operandi for renovation projects when they pop up in the queue is to expand them: Langley, Falls Church, Herndon, etc. Same for Centreville. But as stated above the KAA acquisition likely blocks the renovation/addition at Centreville for now.

The tricky part for FCPS has always been how to fill all these newly renovated and expanded schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The price tag for KAA will skyrocket by the time they reopen it as a 2100-student public high school. Wait and see. It’s absurd how poorly FCPS is managed. They can’t take care of the basics when it comes to managing their current facilities but when they saw a shiny toy was up for sale they had to have it.

Nonsense. Its practically turnkey. They even sold the furnishings. NOT buying this property would have been the most financially foolish thing FCPS has done in a long time.

KAA had like 850 kids. The ultimate price for FCPS will be much higher than the initial purchase price.

Mateo Dunne just wants to play hero ball. Doesn’t matter if it’s a good or a bad deal as long as he gets attention.

KAA had an 8:1 student-to-teacher ratio. The facilities and classrooms aren’t overly large but they can easily accommodate twice the number kids enrolled at KAA. KAA won’t be a 2,000+ student high school without some significant renovations. However, it could easily take 1,500 students tomorrow.

It might upset a lot of parents, and the local community, but why not just make it a small 1,500 student school. Neighboring schools in Loudoun County are at that size.

It’s basically a turnkey facility.

Why would it upset anyone if FCPS has another small HS like Lewis or even smaller? They can be Class 4 or Class 5 and play against smaller schools in Loudoun like Broad Run and Dominion.

That sounds good to me. Most families are drawn to the large 3,000 student high schools with all their offerings. But if FCPS can offer the variety of courses, including high level AP subjects, and the same number of sports offerings at this smaller school, then it may just work out. Like you said, this new high school could join a sports conference with the Loudoun schools. FCPS would just need to think a little outside the box. Not every high school needs to be a 2,500 to 3,000 student school even if that’s the popular or expected baseline.

The need is for more than 1500. Chantilly and Westfield relief plus elimination of bus to Oakton.

If that’s the case, could FCPS not add modulars and/or convert the adjacent buildings (mentioned previously upthread) into classroom space?

They could, and may in the future. They could also add walls to the kindergarten rooms and do the other renovations necessary for this school to host more than 1500. The main building has the same square footage as Centreville HS (enrollment 2,623), so I'm sure it can handle 2,000.

This is being pitched as a turnkey project so they should not be spending much to modify the building beyond what’s absolutely necessary for it to function as a HS.

And Centreville doesn’t have an enrollment of 2623. Its enrollment last year was 2281 and the main building has a design capacity of 1968.

Agree. Also, though, Centreville has had more kids over the last couple of years.

It would be more accurate to say that Centreville had more kids not that many years ago. Over the past couple of years, the enrollment has been declining and judging from the numbers at Liberty and Rocky Run it seems like that will continue. The most recent CIP has Centreville declining to 2079 kids by the 2029-30 school year.

This is why, with the KAA acquisition likely leading to some Centreville kids shifting to Westfield once three Westfield feeders (Coates, Floris, and McNair) move to KAA, expanding Centreville beyond 2500 during its upcoming renovation no longer makes any sense, if it ever did.

There is a neighborhood right next to Centreville that goes to Fairfax. And, there are other neighborhoods close by that are not zoned to Centreville presently.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The price tag for KAA will skyrocket by the time they reopen it as a 2100-student public high school. Wait and see. It’s absurd how poorly FCPS is managed. They can’t take care of the basics when it comes to managing their current facilities but when they saw a shiny toy was up for sale they had to have it.

Nonsense. Its practically turnkey. They even sold the furnishings. NOT buying this property would have been the most financially foolish thing FCPS has done in a long time.

KAA had like 850 kids. The ultimate price for FCPS will be much higher than the initial purchase price.

Mateo Dunne just wants to play hero ball. Doesn’t matter if it’s a good or a bad deal as long as he gets attention.

KAA had an 8:1 student-to-teacher ratio. The facilities and classrooms aren’t overly large but they can easily accommodate twice the number kids enrolled at KAA. KAA won’t be a 2,000+ student high school without some significant renovations. However, it could easily take 1,500 students tomorrow.

It might upset a lot of parents, and the local community, but why not just make it a small 1,500 student school. Neighboring schools in Loudoun County are at that size.

It’s basically a turnkey facility.

Why would it upset anyone if FCPS has another small HS like Lewis or even smaller? They can be Class 4 or Class 5 and play against smaller schools in Loudoun like Broad Run and Dominion.

That sounds good to me. Most families are drawn to the large 3,000 student high schools with all their offerings. But if FCPS can offer the variety of courses, including high level AP subjects, and the same number of sports offerings at this smaller school, then it may just work out. Like you said, this new high school could join a sports conference with the Loudoun schools. FCPS would just need to think a little outside the box. Not every high school needs to be a 2,500 to 3,000 student school even if that’s the popular or expected baseline.

The need is for more than 1500. Chantilly and Westfield relief plus elimination of bus to Oakton.

If that’s the case, could FCPS not add modulars and/or convert the adjacent buildings (mentioned previously upthread) into classroom space?

They could, and may in the future. They could also add walls to the kindergarten rooms and do the other renovations necessary for this school to host more than 1500. The main building has the same square footage as Centreville HS (enrollment 2,623), so I'm sure it can handle 2,000.

This is being pitched as a turnkey project so they should not be spending much to modify the building beyond what’s absolutely necessary for it to function as a HS.

And Centreville doesn’t have an enrollment of 2623. Its enrollment last year was 2281 and the main building has a design capacity of 1968.

Agree. Also, though, Centreville has had more kids over the last couple of years.

It would be more accurate to say that Centreville had more kids not that many years ago. Over the past couple of years, the enrollment has been declining and judging from the numbers at Liberty and Rocky Run it seems like that will continue. The most recent CIP has Centreville declining to 2079 kids by the 2029-30 school year.

This is why, with the KAA acquisition likely leading to some Centreville kids shifting to Westfield once three Westfield feeders (Coates, Floris, and McNair) move to KAA, expanding Centreville beyond 2500 during its upcoming renovation no longer makes any sense, if it ever did.

There is a neighborhood right next to Centreville that goes to Fairfax. And, there are other neighborhoods close by that are not zoned to Centreville presently.

Yes, we've heard that 1000 times. But they can expand Centreville, move part of Centreville to Westfield, and still move the area next to Centreville now at Fairfax to Centreville.

They just don't need to expand it to 3000 seats as planned before the KAA purchase. If we're not going to save some money we'd otherwise be spending in western Fairfax through the KAA acquisition, the deal shouldn't be allowed to close.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The price tag for KAA will skyrocket by the time they reopen it as a 2100-student public high school. Wait and see. It’s absurd how poorly FCPS is managed. They can’t take care of the basics when it comes to managing their current facilities but when they saw a shiny toy was up for sale they had to have it.

Nonsense. Its practically turnkey. They even sold the furnishings. NOT buying this property would have been the most financially foolish thing FCPS has done in a long time.

KAA had like 850 kids. The ultimate price for FCPS will be much higher than the initial purchase price.

Mateo Dunne just wants to play hero ball. Doesn’t matter if it’s a good or a bad deal as long as he gets attention.

KAA had an 8:1 student-to-teacher ratio. The facilities and classrooms aren’t overly large but they can easily accommodate twice the number kids enrolled at KAA. KAA won’t be a 2,000+ student high school without some significant renovations. However, it could easily take 1,500 students tomorrow.

It might upset a lot of parents, and the local community, but why not just make it a small 1,500 student school. Neighboring schools in Loudoun County are at that size.

It’s basically a turnkey facility.

Why would it upset anyone if FCPS has another small HS like Lewis or even smaller? They can be Class 4 or Class 5 and play against smaller schools in Loudoun like Broad Run and Dominion.

That sounds good to me. Most families are drawn to the large 3,000 student high schools with all their offerings. But if FCPS can offer the variety of courses, including high level AP subjects, and the same number of sports offerings at this smaller school, then it may just work out. Like you said, this new high school could join a sports conference with the Loudoun schools. FCPS would just need to think a little outside the box. Not every high school needs to be a 2,500 to 3,000 student school even if that’s the popular or expected baseline.

The need is for more than 1500. Chantilly and Westfield relief plus elimination of bus to Oakton.

If that’s the case, could FCPS not add modulars and/or convert the adjacent buildings (mentioned previously upthread) into classroom space?

They could, and may in the future. They could also add walls to the kindergarten rooms and do the other renovations necessary for this school to host more than 1500. The main building has the same square footage as Centreville HS (enrollment 2,623), so I'm sure it can handle 2,000.

This is being pitched as a turnkey project so they should not be spending much to modify the building beyond what’s absolutely necessary for it to function as a HS.

And Centreville doesn’t have an enrollment of 2623. Its enrollment last year was 2281 and the main building has a design capacity of 1968.

Agree. Also, though, Centreville has had more kids over the last couple of years.

It would be more accurate to say that Centreville had more kids not that many years ago. Over the past couple of years, the enrollment has been declining and judging from the numbers at Liberty and Rocky Run it seems like that will continue. The most recent CIP has Centreville declining to 2079 kids by the 2029-30 school year.

This is why, with the KAA acquisition likely leading to some Centreville kids shifting to Westfield once three Westfield feeders (Coates, Floris, and McNair) move to KAA, expanding Centreville beyond 2500 during its upcoming renovation no longer makes any sense, if it ever did.

I believe FCPS’ modus operandi for renovation projects when they pop up in the queue is to expand them: Langley, Falls Church, Herndon, etc. Same for Centreville. But as stated above the KAA acquisition likely blocks the renovation/addition at Centreville for now.

The tricky part for FCPS has always been how to fill all these newly renovated and expanded schools.

Yes, that's been their modus operandi, but there's been no consistency. Marshall got a smaller expansion than Langley, which got a smaller expansion than Falls Church, which got a smaller expansion than Oakton, which got a smaller expansion than Herndon, which got a smaller expansion than originally planned at Centreville (but which now needs to be scaled back with the KAA purchase).

And then some schools got additions when they weren't "popping up in the queue," such as South Lakes, Madison, Justice, and West Potomac, and meanwhile other schools that needed additions have been ignored and told to go pound sand.

At least in this case, it's clear that buying KAA adds significant capacity, and if they aren't going to rethink the implications for other planned expansions like Centreville then people really need to start voting down bonds until they demonstrate some ability to plan more sensibly.

[Anonymous]

So Centreville is up for renovation regardless.
Do theh renovate schools ever without expanding their capacity?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So Centreville is up for renovation regardless.
Do theh renovate schools ever without expanding their capacity?

They didn’t expand Edison much when it was renovated. Current design capacity is only slightly over 2100.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So Centreville is up for renovation regardless.
Do theh renovate schools ever without expanding their capacity?

They didn’t expand Edison much when it was renovated. Current design capacity is only slightly over 2100.

Nearby RE Lee (Lewis) HS was also renovated but not expanded much. I think FCPS population data at the time showed declining student numbers in the older pre-1980s suburbs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The price tag for KAA will skyrocket by the time they reopen it as a 2100-student public high school. Wait and see. It’s absurd how poorly FCPS is managed. They can’t take care of the basics when it comes to managing their current facilities but when they saw a shiny toy was up for sale they had to have it.

Nonsense. Its practically turnkey. They even sold the furnishings. NOT buying this property would have been the most financially foolish thing FCPS has done in a long time.

KAA had like 850 kids. The ultimate price for FCPS will be much higher than the initial purchase price.

Mateo Dunne just wants to play hero ball. Doesn’t matter if it’s a good or a bad deal as long as he gets attention.

KAA had an 8:1 student-to-teacher ratio. The facilities and classrooms aren’t overly large but they can easily accommodate twice the number kids enrolled at KAA. KAA won’t be a 2,000+ student high school without some significant renovations. However, it could easily take 1,500 students tomorrow.

It might upset a lot of parents, and the local community, but why not just make it a small 1,500 student school. Neighboring schools in Loudoun County are at that size.

It’s basically a turnkey facility.

Why would it upset anyone if FCPS has another small HS like Lewis or even smaller? They can be Class 4 or Class 5 and play against smaller schools in Loudoun like Broad Run and Dominion.

That sounds good to me. Most families are drawn to the large 3,000 student high schools with all their offerings. But if FCPS can offer the variety of courses, including high level AP subjects, and the same number of sports offerings at this smaller school, then it may just work out. Like you said, this new high school could join a sports conference with the Loudoun schools. FCPS would just need to think a little outside the box. Not every high school needs to be a 2,500 to 3,000 student school even if that’s the popular or expected baseline.

The need is for more than 1500. Chantilly and Westfield relief plus elimination of bus to Oakton.

If that’s the case, could FCPS not add modulars and/or convert the adjacent buildings (mentioned previously upthread) into classroom space?

They could, and may in the future. They could also add walls to the kindergarten rooms and do the other renovations necessary for this school to host more than 1500. The main building has the same square footage as Centreville HS (enrollment 2,623), so I'm sure it can handle 2,000.

This is being pitched as a turnkey project so they should not be spending much to modify the building beyond what’s absolutely necessary for it to function as a HS.

And Centreville doesn’t have an enrollment of 2623. Its enrollment last year was 2281 and the main building has a design capacity of 1968.

US News shows Centreville at 2623.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The price tag for KAA will skyrocket by the time they reopen it as a 2100-student public high school. Wait and see. It’s absurd how poorly FCPS is managed. They can’t take care of the basics when it comes to managing their current facilities but when they saw a shiny toy was up for sale they had to have it.

Nonsense. Its practically turnkey. They even sold the furnishings. NOT buying this property would have been the most financially foolish thing FCPS has done in a long time.

KAA had like 850 kids. The ultimate price for FCPS will be much higher than the initial purchase price.

Mateo Dunne just wants to play hero ball. Doesn’t matter if it’s a good or a bad deal as long as he gets attention.

KAA had an 8:1 student-to-teacher ratio. The facilities and classrooms aren’t overly large but they can easily accommodate twice the number kids enrolled at KAA. KAA won’t be a 2,000+ student high school without some significant renovations. However, it could easily take 1,500 students tomorrow.

It might upset a lot of parents, and the local community, but why not just make it a small 1,500 student school. Neighboring schools in Loudoun County are at that size.

It’s basically a turnkey facility.

Why would it upset anyone if FCPS has another small HS like Lewis or even smaller? They can be Class 4 or Class 5 and play against smaller schools in Loudoun like Broad Run and Dominion.

That sounds good to me. Most families are drawn to the large 3,000 student high schools with all their offerings. But if FCPS can offer the variety of courses, including high level AP subjects, and the same number of sports offerings at this smaller school, then it may just work out. Like you said, this new high school could join a sports conference with the Loudoun schools. FCPS would just need to think a little outside the box. Not every high school needs to be a 2,500 to 3,000 student school even if that’s the popular or expected baseline.

The need is for more than 1500. Chantilly and Westfield relief plus elimination of bus to Oakton.

If that’s the case, could FCPS not add modulars and/or convert the adjacent buildings (mentioned previously upthread) into classroom space?

They could, and may in the future. They could also add walls to the kindergarten rooms and do the other renovations necessary for this school to host more than 1500. The main building has the same square footage as Centreville HS (enrollment 2,623), so I'm sure it can handle 2,000.

This is being pitched as a turnkey project so they should not be spending much to modify the building beyond what’s absolutely necessary for it to function as a HS.

And Centreville doesn’t have an enrollment of 2623. Its enrollment last year was 2281 and the main building has a design capacity of 1968.

US News shows Centreville at 2623.

Why on earth would you think some random magazine would have more accurate numbers than FCPS ' s own data?

[Anonymous]

U.S. News numbers are always several years behind. Centreville had around 2600 kids at one point but has lost over 300 kids over the past two years, and FCPS projects it will continue to lose 200 more students over the next five years.

So, again, with the KAA purchase, it would be a misallocation of capital resources to expand Centreville to over 2500 seats when other schools have unmet needs or surplus capacity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:U.S. News numbers are always several years behind. Centreville had around 2600 kids at one point but has lost over 300 kids over the past two years, and FCPS projects it will continue to lose 200 more students over the next five years.

So, again, with the KAA purchase, it would be a misallocation of capital resources to expand Centreville to over 2500 seats when other schools have unmet needs or surplus capacity.

I think the point was that Centreville had ~2600 at some point and it is the same size as the new KAA school. Should be no problem fitting at least 2k in there without any major modifications.