News: Ashburn and Dulles North Area Secondary Schools Proposed Boundaries Released

(March 12, 2013) - Loudoun County Public Schools posted a base plan Monday for new Ashburn and Dulles North Area secondary schools attendance boundaries. Changes are need with Trailside Middle School (next to Newton-Lee Elementary School) and a new unnamed high school (next to Rosa Lee Carter Elementary School) opening in 2014 and another unnamed high school opening next to Belmont Ridge Middle School in 2015. See below for FAQs on the process from the school district.


Loudoun County Public Schools
Frequently Asked Questions
School Attendance Zone Change Process
Ashburn & Dulles North Area Secondary Schools
Question #1. Why is the School Board reviewing (in Spring 2013) the current Ashburn and
Dulles North area middle and high school attendance zones?

Answer #1. Two new secondary schools will be opening in Fall 2014 – Trailside Middle
School/MS-6 (located adjacent to Newton-Lee Elementary School) and an unnamed high
school/HS-6 (located adjacent to Rosa Lee Carter Elementary School). Another new unnamed
high school/HS-8, to be constructed adjacent to Belmont Ridge Middle School in the
Lansdowne development, will open in Fall 2015. The opening of these three schools requires
the formation of new secondary school attendance zones for greater Ashburn and Dulles
North.

Question #2. What specific school communities are involved with the current process of
establishing attendance zones for Trailside Middle School and the two unnamed high schools
(HS-6 and HS-8)?

Answer #2. In establishing attendance zones for the three new schools, the current
attendance areas for Belmont Ridge Middle School, Eagle Ridge Middle School, Farmwell
Station Middle School, Mercer Middle School, Stone Hill Middle School, Briar Woods High
School, Broad Run High School, John Champe High School (specifically only those areas within
the John Champe High School attendance zone which are presently within the Stone Hill
Middle School attendance zone), Stone Bridge High School, and Tuscarora High School
(specifically only those areas within the Tuscarora High School attendance zone which are also
presently within the Belmont Ridge Middle School attendance zone) will be reviewed and
possibly changed.

Question #3. If my child’s school is included in the study area for establishing the new
secondary school attendance zones does that mean he/she will be going to a different
middle and/or high school in Fall 2014 or Fall 2015?

Answer #3. Not necessarily. Notification to a current school community does not indicate that
the school’s attendance zone will change with the opening of Trailside Middle School,
unnamed high school/HS-6 and/or unnamed high school/HS-8, only that attendance zone
adjustments may be reviewed, discussed, proposed and/or adopted for the middle and high
schools.Question #4. Why do school attendance areas change?

Answer #4. School attendance areas (commonly referred to as attendance boundaries or
attendance zones) typically change as a result of the opening of a new school or the significant
over or under enrollment of an existing school.

Question #5. Who determines the attendance zone changes?

Answer #5. The Loudoun County School Board establishes all public school attendance zones.

Question #6. When will the school attendance zone changes take effect?

Answer #6. Ashburn and Dulles North area middle school attendance zone changes adopted
by the School Board this spring will take effect in Fall 2014, at the start of the 2014-15 school
year, when Trailside Middle School opens. The high school attendance zone changes will occur
over two school years – beginning in Fall 2014 (2014-15 school year) with the opening of
unnamed high school/HS-6 and in Fall 2015 (2015-16 school year) with the opening of
unnamed high school/HS-8.

Question #7. My community’s middle and/or high school is not over capacity and is not
projected to be over capacity in the near future. Could our school’s attendance zone still be
modified in this current process?

Answer #7. Yes. It is possible that any of the identified middle and/or high school attendance
zones (Belmont Ridge Middle School, Eagle Ridge Middle School, Farmwell Station Middle
School, Mercer Middle School, Stone Hill Middle School, Briar Woods High School, Broad Run
High School, John Champe High School, Stone Bridge High School, and/or Tuscarora High
School) may change.

Question #8. How can I get involved in reviewing the Ashburn and Dulles North area
secondary school attendance zones and establishing attendance zones for three new
schools?

Answer #8. The School Board and staff believe strong community engagement is an important
component in the attendance boundary change process and welcome involvement from
Loudoun residents. All scheduled attendance zone meetings are open to the public and
citizens are encouraged to attend. (The attendance zone meetings will also be broadcast live
on Verizon FIOS Channel 43 and Comcast Channel 18, as well as web cast on www.lcps.org.)
Members of the public may share their thoughts and concerns with the School Board and
staff by attending the work sessions, speaking at the public hearings, and contacting the School
Board. Copies of all written comments received by LCPS Department of Planning and
Legislative Services (lcpsplan@lcps.org) or 21000 Education Court Ashburn, VA 20148) will be
provided to the School Board and Division Superintendent.

Throughout the attendance zone change process, information and data regarding the
Ashburn and Dulles North area secondary school attendance zone changes will be accessible
on the LCPS Planning & Legislative Services web page.

While the School Board provides opportunities for public input, the final decision on
attendance zones is made by the School Board. Proposed attendance zone plans can be changed, modified, and/or rescinded by the School Board, and new plans considered by the
School Board up to the point that a plan is adopted.

Question #9. Does the School Board already have an attendance zone plan for the Ashburn
and Dulles North area secondary schools?

Answer #9. No. The School Board will receive input from the public and staff in formulating
attendance zones for the middle and high schools.

Question #10. What are the projected student enrollments for Trailside Middle School,
unnamed high school/HS-6, and unnamed high school/HS-8?

Answer #10. Projected student enrollments for the new schools will be available only after
attendance zones for the schools are adopted by the School Board.

Question #11. Why doesn’t Loudoun County build schools based on projected growth?

Answer #11. Neither the Board of Supervisors nor the School Board has been willing to build
schools based on future population projections. If schools were built based on projections,
millions of dollars could be spent for facilities that might not be fully utilized for years.

Question #12. Why doesn’t the School Board take steps to control growth?

Answer #12. The School Board is not directly involved in the decisions regarding Loudoun
County’s (or it’s incorporated towns’) growth. School staff provides information and data to
the Loudoun County Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors, as well as to Loudoun’s
incorporated towns, regarding the impact of all proposed residential developments in the
county.

Question #13. Do promises made by a builder to a buyer regarding a school’s attendance
zone in any way bind the School Board to honor those promises?

Answer #13. No. School attendance areas are not prearranged with builders and developers.

Question #14. I live in the 20147 zip code area. Does my zip code bind the School Board in
establishing what schools serve my residence?

Answer #14. No. School attendance areas are not determined by postal zip code zones.
Question #15. How will the students and families prepare if their middle and/or high school
attendance zone changes?

Answer #15. The respective school principals will work together with their communities to
facilitate the transition for students and families.

Question #16. How will the new school bus routes be established?

Answer #16. LCPS Department of Transportation will begin establishing bus routes once the
new school attendance zones are adopted by the School Board. Students and parents will be
notified via their respective schools of bus numbers and student pick-up times prior to the start
of the 2014-15 and 2015-16 school year.Question #17. How can parents, guardians, and interested citizens give input on the secondary school attendance zone proposals being reviewed by the School Board?

Answer #17. All parties can speak at the identified public hearings and/or address the School
Board members via letters and/or email.

Public hearings, at which the public is invited to address the School Board specifically about
the Ashburn and Dulles North area secondary school attendance zone change process, have
been scheduled for March 7, March 18, March 20, April 4, and April 15. All of the hearings will
be held at the LCPS Administration Building (21000 Education Court, Ashburn) and will begin
promptly at 6:30 p.m.

Please review the calendar for the full schedule of work sessions, informational and action
item meetings planned in addition to the public hearings.

Copies of all written comments received by LCPS Department of Planning and Legislative
Services (lcpsplan@lcps.org) or 21000 Education Court Ashburn, VA 20148) will be provided to
the School Board and Division Superintendent.

While the School Board provides opportunities for public input, the final decision on
attendance zones is made by the School Board. Proposed attendance zone plans can be
changed, modified, and/or rescinded by the School Board, and new plans considered by the
School Board up to the point that a plan is adopted.

Question #18. I have an attendance zone proposal that I would like to share with the School
Board and community. Who should I contact?

Answer #18. Following the initial public input session, a base school attendance zone
proposal(s) will be presented by staff on March 11. All subsequent attendance zone
suggestions will be proposed by School Board members. Excluding the base school attendance
zone proposal(s), only School Board originated attendance zone proposals will be posted on
the LCPS website. Members of the public are encouraged to share their thoughts with the
School Board. While you may contact School Board members directly, all written proposals
received by LCPS Department of Planning and Legislative Services will be forwarded to each
School Board member for their consideration.

Question #19. How can I contact members of the School Board?

Answer #19. School Board member contact information is posted on the LCPS website
(www.lcps.org), utilize the ‘School Board’ link near the top of the home page). While you may
contact School Board members directly, all written correspondence received by LCPS
Department of Planning and Legislative Services (lcpsplan@lcps.org) or 21000 Education Court,
Ashburn, VA 20148) will be forwarded to each member of the Loudoun County School Board
and the Division Superintendent.

Question #20. Who should I contact with additional questions about the school attendance
zone process?

Answer #20. Throughout the Ashburn and Dulles North area secondary school attendance
zone change process, answers to all questions received in writing by LCPS Department of Planning and Legislative Services (lcpsplan@lcps.org) or 21000 Education Court, Ashburn, VA
20148) will be posted on the LCPS ‘Planning & Legislative Services’ web page for interested
community members to view. Please review the questions/answers often, as the listing will be
updated frequently.

Members of the public may speak with their School Board representatives at the public
meetings and hearings, or by contacting them directly.
School Board Member Election District Telephone Email Address
Debbie Rose Algonkian 571.291.5983 Debbie.Rose@lcps.org
Eric Hornberger, Chairman Ashburn 571.291.5685 Eric.Hornberger@lcps.org
Jill Turgeon, Vice Chairman Blue Ridge 571.420.3818 Jill.Turgeon@lcps.org
Kevin Kuesters Broad Run 571.420.1818 Kevin.Kuesters@lcps.org
Jennifer Bergel Catoctin 571.223.9724 Jennifer.Bergel@lcps.org
Jeff Morse Dulles 571.420.2243 Jeff.Morse@lcps.org
Bill Fox Leesburg 571.420.0721 Bill.Fox@lcps.org
Brenda Sheridan Sterling 571.233.0307 Brenda.Sheridan@lcps.org
Tom Reed County At Large 571.223.9928 Thomas.Reed@lcps.org