McLean area continues growth

TYSONS GROWTH CONTRIBUTES TO CONTINUED MCLEAN OVERCROWDING

School still over capacity after boundary change, modular addition

ZAKAREYA HAMED OPINIONS EDITOR

Over the past 10 years, Tysons has quickly become Northern Virginia’s new urban hub of business, commerce and development, bringing thousands of people to the Tysons area, leading to increased student enrollment in local schools.

“Most of the residential development in the Tysons area is in the Marshall High School boundary,” said FCPS School Board member Elaine Tholen, who represents the Dranesville District. “The biggest impact [of Tysons’ growth] will probably be on Marshall.”

Although Tysons is within Marshall’s boundaries, those who work in Tysons often choose to live in McLean due to its proximity and suburban environment, leading to a large increase in the number of students enrolled at McLean High School.

Currently, the county uses a student yield formula to calculate the perceived impact of new residential units on the school system. Some suggest that due to differences in development and construction across different parts of the county, the student yield formula may need revision.

“A lot of the time, things are approved but never actually get built, or the construction timeframe is lengthy,” Tholen said, suggesting that the student yield formula may need revision. “We’re trying to work on [reviewing the formula] as a way to improve the community.”

While Fairfax County meticulously planned new essential infrastructure in Tysons, the need for capacity adjustments in schools wasn’t as carefully considered. According to the latest data in the Fairfax County Department of Planning and Development’s Tysons Tracker, McLean’s student population is projected to rise to 128% capacity by the next school year. The module was published by the department’s Urban Centers Section Tysons Branch, contradicting FCPS’s own data in the 20232027 Capital Improvement Plan.

At a Sept. 8 Superintendent Community Conversations event held at McLean High School, Tholen expressed concerns about how FCPS is collaborating with county planning and development.

“There hasn’t been great communication between the county and the school district,” Tholen said.

McLean’s capacity peaked at 118% prior to the pandemic, and following the installation of modular buildings, that number was reduced to 107% during the 2021-22 school year. Plans for a new high school within the boundary lines of Herndon High School, to be named Western High School, began in 2019, among multiple other elementary schools to be built in coming years.

“Our biggest challenge is predicting growth over the long-term. The projections we do have are a planning tool but [are] subject to outside forces,” Fairfax County’s Department of Planning and Development told The Highlander.

Communication between the school district and county authorities may improve in coming years. Two new positions were added to the Office of Facilities Planning Services in the school division itself within the past year under new funding allocations.

“I’m hoping that [the addition of two positions in Facilities Planning Services] will help them keep doing this work and keep it moving forward and help us have more accurate information and better communication with the community,” Tholen said.

At the moment, McLean High School’s district is split into four discontiguous geographic pieces, the only school in the county divided in such a way. The school board originally planned to mitigate overcrowding by rerouting all students in one of these pieces from McLean High School to Langley High School, but those plans faced heavy pushback from community members. The proposal was ultimately substituted with a ‘phasing’ transition to Langley High School as a replacement, the full effect of which is yet to be seen.

“If I could snap my fingers tomorrow, would I give McLean a big, gorgeous, brand new building? Of course I would. But I also see the community spirit at McLean—and it’s really special,” Tholen said. “[Student success] is the number one thing [that we prioritize].”

Tysons Construction impact on fcps student population

HIGH SCHOOL

MIDDLE SCHOOL

Elementary SCHOOL 742

425

106 65

215 170

102

335 1405

pending Approved Under Construction

Infographic data provided by Fairfax County via Tysons Tracker

OUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE IS PREDICTING GROWTH OVER THE LONG-TERM.”

- ELAINE THOLEN FCPS SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER

SCHOOL LUNCHES NO LONGER FREE

FCPS returns to a paid school meal policy

OMAR KAYALI WEBSITE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Lunchtime at McLean is always a busy affair, with students and staff flooding the halls to catch a breath of fresh air while re-energizing themselves for the rest of the day. This school year, however, the food on the lunch lines is no longer free for all students.

Last year, FCPS implemented a free meal policy in collaboration with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The policy provided all students with one free breakfast and lunch per day regardless of their household income. No forms were required to qualify for the free meals.

“The FCPS Office of Food and Nutrition Services participates in USDA Child Nutrition Programs,” Director of Food and Nutrition Services Maria Perrone said. “No-cost meals in years past were a USDA decision.”

Thirty-four FCPS schools are participating in the Community Eligibility Provision, which is a USDA program that allows participating schools to continue to provide all students with free meals, no extra applications necessary. Elementary schools make up the majority of participating schools—Justice and Annandale are the only high schools participating in the program this year.

All other schools, including McLean, are using household size and family income to determine whether or not a student qualifies for a free or reduced-price lunch. Application forms were distributed to all households and are still available online and at each school per request. If a household does not meet the requirements for a lunch waiver, students must pay for meals they get at school.

“Last year was easier because everybody got a free lunch,” McLean Food Services Kitchen Manager Amparo Ballestas said. “This year, you have to put [a PIN] number in the line, so it gets delayed.”

According to FCPS, for the 2021-2022 school year, only 11.76% of McLean students would have qualified for a free or reducedprice lunch waiver—a significant difference from the county average of 34.07% at the high school level.

High school students who do not qualify for free or reduced-price meals are charged $1.75 for breakfast and $3.50 for lunch. The types of meals offered by the school have not changed much since last year. Sandwiches, corn dog bites and pizza are still commonly seen on the lunch trays at McLean.

“Barely anything has changed,” senior Michael Choi said. “The quality is still the same, but now with a price.”

The most noticeable impact of the policy change is a shorter yet slower-moving lunch line.

“[The line] is not really as long in comparison to last year because this year many of the students have to pay,” Ballestas said.

While the transition back to paid lunches does pose a challenge for some students, most McLean students can afford to either buy a meal or bring their own lunch.

“Nothing about the change was difficult,” Choi said. “We can choose whatever we want to eat and pay for it with the lunch PIN.”

LAST YEAR WAS EASIER BECAUSE EVERYBODY GOT A FREE LUNCH.”

- AMPARO BALLESTAS FOOD SERVICES KITCHEN MANAGER

11.74 % of mclean students have a free/reduced price lunch waiver

280/2384 students