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Dear Fairfax County,
At last night's School Board meeting, we reached an important milestone for western Fairfax County by approving the attendance boundaries, student transition plan, and transportation model for Skyview High School.
This has been one of the most significant boundary studies our School Board has undertaken in recent years. Since the process began, thousands of community members participated through public meetings, online feedback, written comments, and testimony before the Board. While no boundary process is easy, and there were many thoughtful perspectives shared throughout, I appreciate everyone who took the time to engage. Your feedback helped shape the final recommendations before the Board.
Skyview High School Boundary Plan Approved
The Board voted to approve the Superintendent's recommended attendance boundaries for Skyview High School and the surrounding western pyramids. The approved plan creates attendance areas for the new school while balancing enrollment among six western Fairfax County high schools.
Under the approved plan:
- Skyview High School will draw students from portions of the Westfield, Chantilly, and South Lakes High School attendance areas.
- Boundary adjustments will also affect several middle schools to improve feeder patterns and align students with their future high schools.
- Approximately 2,544 students will be affected by the boundary changes, including about 2,124 high school students and 420 middle school students.
- Enrollment projections show that the changes will significantly reduce overcrowding across the western region while bringing Skyview to approximately 90% of capacity over the coming years.
Student Phasing and Transportation Approved
The Board also unanimously approved the long-term student phasing and transportation plan for Skyview High School.
The approved transition allows the school to continue growing gradually:
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2026-27: Skyview serves grades 9 and 10 through an opt-in process.
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2027-28: A new ninth-grade class from the approved attendance boundary will be added, and the school will expand to serve grades 9-11. Students already attending Skyview who live outside the boundary may remain or return to their base school. Incoming 9th grade students may choose to opt-out and attend their former base school.
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2028-29: Skyview becomes a full four-year high school serving grades 9-12. Ninth graders within the attendance boundary will attend Skyview as their neighborhood high school.
The transportation plan provides traditional neighborhood bus service for students living within the Skyview attendance boundary while providing depot transportation for students who attend Skyview from outside the boundary during the implementation period.
 Additional Actions
The Board also approved several follow-on motions designed to support the successful implementation of the new school:
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Quarterly Growth Updates: Staff will provide regular public reports on projected housing development in western Fairfax County to help the Board monitor future enrollment growth.
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After-Action Review: By October, staff will present a comprehensive review of the boundary process, including lessons learned and recommendations to improve future boundary studies while addressing potential impacts on instructional programming.
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Westfield Specialized Programming: Staff will develop recommendations for specialized programming pathways at Westfield High School, including potential programs in Business, Information Technology, and Skilled Trades, along with implementation timelines and partnership opportunities.
Looking Ahead
Opening a new high school is a once-in-a-generation opportunity that will benefit students and families across western Fairfax County for decades to come. While I recognize that boundary changes are deeply personal and can be challenging for many families, I believe the extensive community engagement throughout this process helped produce a thoughtful final plan that balances enrollment, supports long-term growth, and positions Skyview High School for success.
Thank you to everyone who participated in this process by attending meetings, submitting comments, speaking at public hearings, or reaching out to my office. Your engagement helped inform the Board's work, and I remain committed to continuing to listen as Skyview High School begins this exciting new chapter.
Sincerely,
Kyle McDaniel
Vice Chairman & Member, At-Large
Fairfax County School Board
The views contained within this newsletter reflect the views of the individual school board member who is the publisher of this newsletter and may not reflect the views of the Fairfax County School Board.
© Fairfax County Public Schools, Fairfax County, Virginia
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