NEWS
Prince William Times | www.princewilliamtimes.com | October 31, 2018
school division currently lacks sufficient planned new schools to deal with it. One elementary school would be sited in the north end of the U.S. 1 corridor, while the second would be planned for the southern section, according to Dave Beavers, the school division’s supervisor of planning and financial services. Thirty middle school classrooms would be added among “five or six” eastern Prince William middle schools. Those schools could include Potomac, Rippon, Woodbridge, Beville or Fred Lynn middle schools, but Beavers said it was not yet known exactly where the classrooms would be added. The two elementary schools and 30 middle-school classrooms would be added to the 12 new schools and 70 classroom addition already included in the school division’s $1.2 billion, 10-year capital improvement plan. The plan envisions 900- to 1,000-student elementary schools and 1,464-student middle schools. The plan is designed only to eliminate the portable classroom trailers, not to reduce class sizes, which has been an aim of both boards for years. Adding enough space to significantly reduce class sizes has been estimated to cost between $500 and $600 million. Both Principi and Superintendent Steven Walts floated such plans about a year ago, but neither got much traction because of their high price tags. The first of the new elementary
Woodbridge man charged with felony child neglect
A 29-year-old Woodbridge man was arrested on charges of felony child neglect and public intoxication Saturday after police determined he dropped his 4-year-old on the ground while he was intoxicated and then walked away. Police responded to the Kensington Place apartment complex in the 2200 block of York Drive in Woobridge at 4:51 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 27, to investigate a suspicious person. When they arrived, they found a man “acting erratically and under the influence of an unknown narcotic,” according to a Prince William County police news release. When officers attempted to detain the man, he attempted to flee on foot before being detained. During the investigation, officers determined he had been holding his 4-year-old child outside and dropped the child on the ground, causing a minor injury, and then walked away. A citizen found the child before an acquaintance of the accused responded to pick up the child, the news release said. Donte Iraj Hawkins, 29, of 14960 Potomac Heights Place, in Woodbridge, was arrested and charged with felony child neglect and intoxication in public in connection with the incident. He was being held without bond Monday, Oct. 29.
schools would open in 2025, while the second elementary school and the middle-school additions would be timed to open in 2027. There was some discussion among committee members about pushing the schedule up to reduce the need for trailers faster and, perhaps, to save money on land and construction costs, which will likely only rise with each passing year. Principi was the strongest proponent of the idea, saying six of seven schools in his district are currently overcapacity need more immediate relief. “That is a severe problem today and what we’re saying is we can’t open the doors [on a new school] until 2025,” Principi said. “There should be a sense of urgency to this problem and 2025 doesn’t do it.” But county staff members noted the county has other building projects in the works as well as budget constraints, which could make accelerating the plan challenging. Candland and others said the committee needs to bring something to the table for both boards to discuss, even if the plan might eventually be changed or adjusted, particularly if the school division’s enrollment is lower than expected in the coming years. Student enrollment topped 90,000 for the first time this school year. Still, that number was 851 fewer students than the 95-school division was expecting according to projections. Candland said his vote to recommend the plan comes with that cave-
Ask the Arborist
Todd Hagadone Jr. I.S.A. Certified Arborist
Deadly Boxwood Disease Alert!
Boxwood blight has been spreading at an alarming rate in our area with new infections developing rapidly due to the warm, wet weather of early fall. All boxwood species are susceptible to this fungal disease, which can result in severe loss of leaves in as little as one week after initial infection. Given the devastating nature of this disease, it is important to protect uninfected shrubs and to appropriately remove infected plant material to prevent further spread. Small brown spots on the leaves are the first sign of infection. These spots will enlarge and coalesce and eventually the entire plant will turn completely brown or straw-colored. This is a serious disease and removal of infected plants may be the recommended course of action, but every situation and landscape is different and there may be several options for management. While removal of dead and seriously infested shrubs may be warranted, preventative treatment can halt disease progression if caught early enough and protect healthy boxwoods. Prevention is the most effective method for managing boxwood blight, but even properties with current infections are likely in a position to halt the disease progression and maintain the boxwoods on the property. If you have any questions from this article or would like to schedule a property inspection, please contact me at cherrell@bartlett.com, 703-397-8410 or 1-877-BARTLET.
www.bartlett.com
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Planned and proposed new schools: 2019-2028
The school division’s 10-year capital improvement plan already adds 12 new schools and six additions (70 classrooms) between 2019 and 2028, totaling $1.2 billion in new construction. The plan officials are considering would add two elementary schools and 30 middle-school classrooms to the current CIP. Here’s a list of planned new schools as well as the $143.2 million in proposed additional school construction. 2019 “Parkway” elementary: $32.6 million. Additions at: Antietam Elementary (13 classrooms, $10.3 million) Lake Ridge Elementary (13 classrooms, $10.3 million Springwoods Elementary (13 classrooms, $11.8 million) Minnieville Elementary (10 classrooms, $12 million) Leesylvania Elementary (4 classrooms, $6.9 million); Stonewall Middle (17 classrooms, $17.1 million). Other building: Special needs transportation center ($2 million); Western transportation facility ($12.5 million). 2021 “Potomac Shores” Middle: $64.1 million; “13th High School”: $127.4 million 2022 “Stonewall” Elementary: $37.1 million 2023 “Occoquan/Woodbridge” Elementary: $39 million “Cherry Hill” Elementary: $39 million 2024 “Yorkshire-area” Elementary: $40 million “Linton Hall” middle school: $74.2 million “14th High School” mid-county: $148.8 million 2025 Proposed U.S. 1 corridor elementary school: $43 million 2026 Middle School (location TBD): $81.8 million 2027 “15th High School”: $165.2 million Proposed U.S. 1 corridor elementary school: $47.4 million Proposed 30 classroom middle-school additions: $34.3 million 2028 Occoquan Elementary replacement school: $49.8 million Source: Prince William County Schools 2019-2028 Capital Improvement Plan.
at and more. “But I also understand we need to make some progress here and kick
this to the next stage,” Candland said. Reach Jill Palermo at jpalermo@ fauquier.com
