Future Alexandria High School Option To Be Chosen By School Board

ALEXANDRIA, VA — The future of Alexandria's high school system is up for a decision from the school board on Sept. 26. The school district is projecting 5,000 high school students will be enrolled by 2025, creating a need for additional space. The two options under consideration are a second high school or connected high school network.

Alexandria City Public Schools is looking for a site that could host a 312,000-square-foot high school building for 1,600 students. The school district's goal is to deliver the first expanded high school space in 2025 with completion by 2025. Analyses on potential sites as well as educational programs for both options were conducted over the summer.

Earlier this year, a firm hired by ACPS looked into site possibilities for future school development. The search included a public notice and discussions with real estate brokers, developers and land owners within Alexandria, but no privately-owned sites were offered to ACPS.

Because of that, ACPS had to consider only its own land for future school development. The school district identified current or future school use sites that could accommodate either the second high school or connected high school network options. The option of expanding the King Street campus was ruled out because the campus is at "maximum development" and cannot accommodate another 1,600 students.

Here are the site options being considered:

Two high schools option at Minnie Howard Campus: A new high school would be developed on the Minnie Howard Campus. The new Minnie Howard building or buildings would be built on the east side of the Minnie Howard site in the area currently occupied by fields and tennis courts. The existing building would be demolished and replaced by new fields, courts, and parking.

Two high schools option at Francis C. Hammond Middle School: A new high school would be developed on the Francis C. Hammond Middle School site while the existing middle school would remain in place. The new high school building would likely be sited on the west portion of the site, and the Minnie Howard Campus could be redeveloped as fields and courts.

Two high schools option at George Washington Middle School: A new high school would be developed on the George Washington Middle School site and keep the existing middle school in place. The new high school building would likely be sited on the northeast portion of the site, although additional studies could determine if existing public open space on the site's southwest area could be used. The Minnie Howard Campus could be redeveloped as fields and courts.

The corner of Braddock Road and Mount Vernon Avenue, currently a public space with baseball fields, is an alternate location for the new high school at this site. If this location is selected, the public space would be relocated to the other side of the site or elsewhere in the city.

Connected high school network option at Minnie Howard and King Street campuses: The connected high school network would be consolidated onto the King Street Campus and the Minnie Howard Campus. Buildings on both sites would accommodate grades 9-12, and there would no longer be a standalone ninth grade building. This alternative considers below-grade parking and replacing the parking garage with academic areas. The new Minnie Howard building or buildings would be on the east side currently occupied by fields and tennis courts. The existing building would be demolished and replaced by new site amenities such as new fields, courts, and parking.

Connected high school network option at Minnie Howard Campus: An additional building or buildings would be constructed at the Minnie Howard Campus for 1,600 students. The Connected High School Network would be consolidated onto the King Street Campus and the Minnie Howard Campus. The buildings on both sites would accommodate grades 9-12, and there would no longer be a standalone ninth grade building. The new facilities at Minnie Howard would support specialty programs serving all students. New buildings would be on the east side of the Minnie Howard Campus in the area currently occupied by fields. The existing building would be demolished and replaced by new site amenities such as new fields, courts and parking.

Connected high school network option at Minnie Howard and Potomac Yard: The connected high school network would be made up of the King Street campus, new construction at the Minnie Howard Campus and new construction at Potomac Yard. An additional building or buildings on the Minnie Howard Campus would house 1,200 students and new construction at the Potomac Yard site would have a combined middle school and high school STEM Program. Minnie Howard would no longer serve exclusively as a ninth grade center.

Buildings would be built on the east side of the Minnie Howard site in the area currently occupied by fields and tennis courts. The existing building would be demolished and replaced by new site amenities such as new fields, courts and parking.

The two site options at the planned North Potomac Yard neighborhood are Lot 4 and Lot 23. This alternative shows 250,000 square feet of new construction on Lot 23. If Lot 23 is chosen, it would include 150,000 square feet for a high school and middle school program and 100,000 square feet of affordable housing.

Site and cost analysis of the options is underway ahead of a school board work session on Sept. 19. The final decision on the two high school or connected school network option is set for the Sept. 26 school board meeting beginning at 7 p.m. at the school board meeting room, 1340 Braddock Place.

Upcoming community meetings about the high school project include:

• Sept. 11, 5 p.m.-7 p.m. at George Washington Middle School
• Sept. 14, 9 a.m.-11 a.m. at Ferdinand T. Day Elementary School
• Sept. 17, 5 p.m.-7 p.m. at T.C. Williams High School, King Street Campus

For more information, visit the ACPS High School Project page.