Board Releases Master Plan for City School Buildings

The Falls Church City School Board has posted the final draft of the much-anticipated facilities study prepared by architectural and engineering consulting firm PSA-Dewberry. School Board Chair Ron Peppe posted a comment on the Falls Church Times site earlier today discussing the purpose of the study. To view Mr. Peppe’s comments, see Recent Comments in right column of this website.

Summaries of the study’s recommendations for the four Falls Church Public Schools are as follows.

George Mason High School

This facility has numerous issues, both operational and in the infrastructure, that would be costly, or logistically impossible to repair. While satisfactory for current operations, this facility will require considerable investment to infrastructure which will do nothing to expand capacity. 

Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School

This school is relatively new and was constructed in a thoughtful and contemporary manner. The facility serves the current purpose well and can be expected to continue to do so throughout the 20-year planning period. At the same time, the facility is subject to heavy wear and tear and should be carefully maintained to prevent premature aging. Construction and size make this facility a possibility for an altered mission, either temporarily or permanently, as the master plan options are developed.

Mt. Daniel Elementary

This school is in good condition and is well-designed for its intended purpose. It is, however, currently over utilized, resulting in taxed building systems and increased wear and tear. Use could be continued through the 20-year planning period if capacity were limited to a more appropriate level and if a high degree of maintenance were continued.

Thomas Jefferson Elementary

This school is located on a parcel that is centrally located within the city, and which offers valuable green space due to a part of the site being wetlands, but which does not lend itself to expansion. The facility is currently being over utilized for both school and community purposes, and is experiencing significant wear as a result. While this facility is solid, renovations and updates are necessary to ensure that it can continue to serve through the 20-year planning period. The capacity of the program at this school is smaller than any of the desired components of the master plan, making its long-term school usefulness questionable. 

To access the 338-page document, click on

 http://www.scribd.com/full/16092989?access_key=key-2nap4uww8e5w2wd5bpep