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Supervisors support new schools in Ashburn
The Board of Supervisors has endorsed a committee plan to bring three new schools to Ashburn in the near future.
The Joint Committee of the Loudoun County School Board and Board of Supervisors listened to input from the public earlier this year and came up with the plan, which calls for a new middle school and a new high school in Ashburn north of the Dulles Greenway. Those schools would help to alleviate crowding at Belmont Ridge Middle School and Stone Bridge High School.
According to Superintendent Edgar Hatrick's Capital Improvement Program, $52 million would be needed to purchase land for the middle and high school north of the Greenway.
The committee also recommended that ES-21, which is planned for the Dulles area, be relocated to Ashburn due to the need there.
“Eleven months ago I debated with some of the staff and elected officials about whether or not Ashburn really needed more seats, and I'm happy that we've reached the conclusion that the need is definitely there,” said Supervisor Lori Waters (R-Broad Run) who voted to support the committee's plan Nov. 17. “We know the students are coming. They are aging up through the grades, and we need to accommodate them in schools.”
Under the committee plan, Board of Supervisors Chairman Scott York (I-at large) and School Board Chairman Robert DuPree (Dulles) would each choose a member of their respective boards to join them on a four-member team to determine how to best bring the new schools to the Ashburn area.
York voted to support the plan, but expressed caution when it comes to how quickly this can be done, especially with talks over next year's Capital Improvement Plan already under way.
“Hopefully we can get something accomplished over the next three to four months,” he said, “but negotiating -- if it is property that has to be purchased or a land swap -- takes time.”
Supervisor Sally Kurtz (D-Catoctin) stressed that the joint committee should also come up with some short term solutions for overcrowding such as additional trailers at schools while the process to place three new schools in Ashburn is under way.
During the committee discussion, School Board member Bob Ohneiser (Broad Run) suggested a referendum should be put out to the public on the purchase of land in north Ashburn for the schools.
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