Recently, FCPS bought the King Abdullah Academy for 2 million dollars, and is planning to renovate it into a new high school for FCPS students in the Centreville area. This new school is the newest school added to the FCPS community in two decades.
Inside the school there will be multi-purpose halls, libraries, and athletic areas. There will also be a state-o–the–art auditorium and swimming pool that hold 1777,000 gallons of temperature-controlled water. These many amenities are what makes the New School such an auspicious addition to the Centreville Community.
The New School has the capacity to hold more than 2000 students, and the School Board is seeking to have at least a 1000 students enrolled into the New School for the 26-27 school year. To achieve this goal, 500 rising ninth grade students and 500 rising tenth grade students will be accepted into the new high school. Teachers also have the option to apply for the new teaching and faculty job as well.
Students from the following schools can apply to the New Western School:
- Oakton High School
- South Lakes High School
- Westfield High School
- Centreville High School
- Chantilly High School
The School Board voted to keep the New Western School within the traditional boundaries of Centreville, Chantilly, Oakton, South Lakes, and Westfield. These are also the schools that will also be drawn in the New Western School’s boundaries by the spring of 2026.
The New Western School was a strategic purchase made by the School Board to alleviate the stress of student population at CVHS, and to introduce new teaching techniques for the 22nd century. This purchase will have many impacts on Centreville High school students and faculty.“I can see it being a benefit, because it’s a newer school with newer facilities,” says Mr. Rauluk, a CVHS Chemistry teacher. Although his decision for applying to the New Western School is undecided, he does see the benefits of upgraded rooms and technologies for teachers and students.
At the same time, he can also see the disadvantages of FCPS purchasing this new school. “It’ll be a completely different set of everything,” Mr. Rauluk states that students will have to become accustomed to the new layout of the school. This can be difficult for students who have just learned how to navigate their base school.
It can also be difficult for teachers as well, because the school is still really new. The new high school will have new teachers that will have to communicate with new administrators. Teachers will also have to grow familiar with new types of education techniques that the New School is promoting, which can be something that teachers struggle with when hired into this New Highschool.
“It will be a process,” says Mrs. Clifton, who is an Administrative Assistant to Principal. She knows that the School Board will only be hiring ninth and tenth grade teachers. This means that Centreville teachers who want to apply for the new high school will be considered among other teachers from Chantilly, Oakton, South Lakes and Westfield. This will make the application process much more competitive for teachers who come from Centreville to get hired into the school. She also believes having students transfer into the school is also a real benefit for Centreville Highschool, because it alleviates the overcrowding problem that happens in Centreville Highschool. It would make the population of Centreville High students much more manageable.
Mrs. Wells, a physics teacher for eleventh and twelfth graders, lives in the boundaries for the new school. She also thinks that the school is a positive addition because she thinks that Centreville high school does need to have less population pressure. Centreville shouldn’t really need modular buildings. If the New School can put an end to this problem, then the school won’t be so overpopulated with students.
Although the school is beneficial for alleviating population stress, it can also be a disadvantage for teachers. If enough students from Centreville opt into the new school, then there won’t be as many students in Centreville Highschool classes. If there aren’t enough classes, then teachers will be destaffed or let go due to the decrease in student population. Some teachers who don’t want to opt-into the new high school might end up with this problem. Centreville High School might lose some good teachers and students during the registration process.
There are pros and cons that come with this New High School purchase. There are advantages of new technologies and spacious multi-purpose rooms, and there are disadvantages of possible destaffing, and the loss of good faculty members. can make the best decision for themselves without feeling forced to make one.
