Thoraia Hussein鈥檚 kids attended Oakton High School in Fairfax County, Virginia, until last year, when they started taking classes at Centreville High.
They immediately noticed a difference, she said.
Oakton High was modernized and expanded in a renovation completed 2022.
But at Centreville High School, Hussein said indoor sports facilities, particularly the gym, aren鈥檛 in good condition. Neither are the music or art rooms or classrooms in general, she said.
One night during a grad event there was an issue with the electricity.
鈥淢y boys, both of them, they didn鈥檛 want to come to school,鈥� Hussein said. 鈥淭hey saw the difference being in a different school that was renovated.鈥�
And as Fairfax County prepares to open its first new high school in decades this fall, some families and students in the Northern Virginia suburb said the condition of Centreville High School doesn鈥檛 seem to be a priority.
鈥淚t is great that the new Skyview High School will open next month,鈥� a rising junior at Centreville told the school board at a recent meeting, 鈥渂ut the Centreville community feels that you have neglected us.鈥�
In 2021, Fairfax County voters approved funding for a project that would include renovating and adding capacity to Centreville High School. Renderings on reveal the scope, including updated classrooms and a renovated library.
But with Skyview High School in Herndon welcoming its first ninth and 10th graders in a few weeks, it鈥檚 unclear whether the extra room at Centreville is still necessary.
During a meeting in June, the school board tasked Superintendent Michelle Reid with examining renovation and potential capacity needs and update elected officials by Aug. 28.
Asked about family concerns, the district told 麻豆官网 in a statement that it has invested more than $260,000 in capital improvements at Centreville, including upgrades to flooring, athletic facilities and accessibility.
鈥淐entreville High School is an important part of the Fairfax County Public Schools community, and we remain committed to providing each and every student with a safe, modern, and welcoming learning environment,鈥� the statement said.
The proposed renovation was submitted for building permit review in January 2025. However, the statement said the site plan is contingent on what鈥檚 called a Floor Area Ratio requirement. A resolution to the zoning issue may require discussion with the Fairfax County Park Authority and possibly the Board of Supervisors, local news site .
鈥淎s a result, architectural and engineering design activities have been placed on hold pending resolution of the FAR issue,鈥� the statement said.
Meanwhile, Hussein, the PTSA president, said the Centreville campus 鈥渇eels like a jail,鈥� emphasizing issues with air conditioning and classroom conditions.
She and other parents plan to continue drawing attention to the issue in the coming weeks.
鈥淚鈥檝e been in many, many other schools in Fairfax County,鈥� Hussein said. 鈥淭his school鈥檚 condition is the worst.”
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