FORT BELVOIR, Va. -- Residents of Woodlawn Village met with officials from Fort Belvoir and Fairfax County Public Schools Tuesday night to hash out concerns of overA,AA,Acrowding at Fort Belvoir Elementary School. At the meeting's conclusion, both sides agreed that there's no easy decision in sight beA,AA,Atween now and next fall.
A recent boundary study conducted by FCPS deterA,AA,Amined that FBES is over its enrollment capacity by more t h a n 200 students. Currently at 1,480 stuA,AA,Adents, projections show an increase to nearly 1,700 children by 2013.
In that same study, Woodlawn Elementary School was found to have a capacity of fewer than 200 students - raising the posA,AA,Asibility of relocating chilA,AA,Adren from Woodlawn Village to the elementary school a mile away. Projections also show the school increasing at a sigA,AA,Anificantly slower rate than Belvoir.
According to Denise James, director of Facilities Planning Services for FCPS, on- post housing imA,AA,Aprovements, which have inA,AA,Acreased the number of bedrooms in many units to three, four and, in some cases, five, have attracted many more families to the installation. She cites this as one reason for overA,AA,Acrowding at FBES.
James said Woodlawn Village was considered for relocation due to its proxA,AA,Aimity to Woodlawn ES, which is the only school in the study with the capacity to receive students over the next several years.
One advantage the area has over others studied is that it allows students to walk to school, James said. She added there are safe walkways and a crossing guard to help students cross Pole Road. Installation offiA,AA,Acials are also examining the possibility of opening a back gate to the housing area.
However, those points did not sit favorably among residents attending. Many from Woodlawn cited conA,AA,Acerns from pedestrian acA,AA,Acess to school safety and transportation. Sarah Lake questioned why the concept of children walking to school was being forced onto parents.
'My son is not walking to school. There's no way I would allow that to hapA,AA,Apen,' Lake said. ' There's a concern over gangs and it's not a safe area. I also want more information about this pedestrian gate they want opened up. Right now, I don't see how making our children walk one mile to school is such a great idea.' Of everything menA,AA,Ationed, no issue appeared greater than that of acaA,AA,Ademics. Residents hamA,AA,Amered away at statistics that show Woodlawn ES as having poor test scores - a complete contrast to FBES which is one of Fairfax County's more academically successful schools.
Adding to that, many residents asked about school transitioning proA,AA,Agrams, special education classes and other school reA,AA,Asources available or not available at Woodlawn ES.
From her perspective, Rebecca Spatter, who moved to Woodlawn Village in January, said she would consider moving if her kids have to relocate from FBES to Woodlawn ES.
'It all comes down to a community issue and our preference is to be in a milA,AA,Ai t a ry community. That's why we decided to live here, as opposed to living someA,AA,Awhere else,' Spatter said. 'We want that kind of enviA,AA,Aronment for our children. Surrounding schools are inA,AA,Aferior to Belvoir. As parents, we're upset that this is beA,AA,Aing pushed on us.' When questions arose about an additional eleA,AA,Amentary school being built on post, Bill Parsons, the inA,Astallation's director of Family, Morale, Welfare and Recreation, stated the Army does not fund schools and that a project would have to be negotiated with Fairfax County.
He said previous elemenA,Atary schools at the Barden Education Center and the Markham School Age Services building have been turned over to the DoD. Installation services in those buildings would then have to be displaced to once again beA,Acome elementary schools.
Installation Commander Col. Jerry Blixt said land near FEES has been set aside for a new school, but that the project is years away. For now, both Fairfax County and Fort Belvoir officials reiterated that any deciA,Asion on where to place stuA,Adents would strictly be on an interim basis.
' We're all aware of the issues. I'm not fond of the idea of children walking, either,' Blixt said. 'We care about our children and we care where they get an education. This is not an easy decision, but nothing is being done in haste.' If approved by the Fairfax County School Board, a change would go into effect for the 2009-2010 school year for kindergarten through 5th- grade students. 6thA,Agrade students would have the option of remaining at FEES for their last year and that transportation would be provided for these students, James said.
The school board will conduct a public hearing on the proposal June 3 at Jackson Middle School. Anyone interested in speaking must first sign up through www. fcps. edu.
For additional informaA,Ation, email boundaries © fcps. edu. The board will vote on the proposed boundary change June 25.
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