COLGAN FOOTBALL: Up-and-coming Sharks ready for breakout year. SPORTS, PAGE 13
August 24, 2023 | Vol. 22, No. 34 | www.princewilliamtimes.com | $1.00 Covering Prince William County and surrounding communities, including Gainesville, Haymarket, Dumfries, Occoquan, Quantico and the cities of Manassas and Manassas Park.
County chair calls for Nov. 21 vote on Digital Gateway
Rezonings seek to open 2,100 acres adjacent to the Manassas battlefield to data centers By Shannon Clark Times Staff Writer
PHOTO BY DOUG STROUD
Students arrive at Osbourn Park High School in Manassas on the first day of school, Monday, Aug. 21.
Staffing, school security a focus as new school year begins By Jill Palermo
Times Staff Writer
About 650 big yellow school buses hit Prince William County roads this week as a new school year began for more than 91,000 students. Superintendent LaTanya McDade, now starting her third year at the helm of the school division, called the first day “an exciting time in Prince William County schools” even though the school division continues to wrestle with challenges such as staffing shortages and concerns about school security. While greeting arriving students outside Osbourn Park High School, McDade said things are looking up. For one thing, the school division began the year with fewer teaching vacancies compared to last year. As of Monday, Aug. 21, the first day of classes, the county’s 100 public schools counted 190 open teaching positions, about 160 of which are classroom positions. The number is down from 300 just two weeks ago. Also, despite the vacancies, all classes would
The Prince William Digital Gateway, a controversial plan to develop about 2,100 acres adjacent to the Manassas National Battlefield Park to make way for as many as 34 new data centers, seems likely to come before the county supervisors for a vote on Nov. 21. Board Chair That’s according to emails Ann Wheeler, exchanged between Board D-At Large of Supervisors Chair Ann Wheeler, D-At Large, an attorney for one of the data center developers involved in the project and other members of county staff.
be “covered” as schools open, McDade said. “We’re in a much better position than we were last year,” McDade said. “We’re seeing things improve, but we’re still dealing with a nationwide teacher shortage.” At the same time, the school division is beginning the new year with fewer school bus driver vacancies than usual. About 53 driver positions remain unfilled this week, down from more than 100 at the start of school last year, McDade said. “We’re in a good place with staffing, so I’m feeling really positive about the new school year,” McDade said. Student safety is another focus this year, and middle and high schools will see big changes as a result. Starting after Labor Day, all 35 middle and high schools will begin using “Evolv” weapons detection systems, which were approved and funded by the Prince William County School Board last spring.
See DIGITAL GATEWAY, page 6
See SCHOOLS, page 2
See TRANSGENDER, page 2
BEWARE: It’s baby copperhead season, page 10
Prince William schools reject state’s transgender policies By Anya Sczerzenie Times Staff Writer
The Prince William County School Board will not adopt the state’s transgender model policies and will instead keep the school division’s existing regulations guiding the treatment of transgender students, which allow students to self-identify as transgender and use facilities that match their gender identity.
BIG BOUNTY: Gardener shares secrets for growing 4-pound tomatoes, page 14
88 DULLES, VA
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