Jennie Dean Elementary designs approved

The Manassas City School Board voted unanimously Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2024, to approve the plans for Jennie Dean Elementary School, moving it forward to the city’s Planning Commission for further approval and discussion.

This decision comes after months of discussions, planning, and devising an amenable school plan to fit the city’s needs. Previous reporting from Potomac Local News has shown contention between City Council and the School Board about this project, which has focused on other projects.

The Board met on Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024, in a closed work session to discuss recent updates with Superintendent Kevin Newman, Ed.D.

At the Tuesday meeting, the Board and Newman considered three design options, all with different placements of the building: a baseball field, a playground, a field, and a bus loop. The group ultimately decided on concept E-2.5.

Board member Jill Spall said this had been a very long process and expressed frustrations with the back-and-forth in joint meetings with the City Council.

“At some point, we just need to move forward,” Spall said. “I’m happy and proud of 2.5 that we’re putting forward, and there’s been a lot of work … and thought that’s gone into making this plan. And what’s getting mired is the fact that we have a great design committee … that is working hard and moving forward.”

Board member Sara Brescia then clarified the process moving forward for those listening.

“This is an unusual process to build a school,” Brescia said. “My point in asking is that this doesn’t mean the shovels are going into the ground tomorrow, that there is still a lot of discussion that’s going to be happening here.”

At the time of the meeting, the Planning Commission was slated to meet on March 6, but the meeting has since been canceled. The next time the Commission will meet is April 3. If the plan is approved, then the City Council will be the next to vote.

which is expected to cost at least $87 million and sit in the heart of Jennie Dean Park. According to public documents, the two-story school will hold about 1,000 students and feature an IT workworm, a broadcast booth, and collaborative learning areas.

The school will be built near the existing Jennie Dean school, which was built in the early 1960s. The architects must select a site for the new school and have weighed some options next to the school, known as Dean Park.

In addition to the vote, the School Board heard from multiple district principals and administrators for School Board Appreciation Month. Principals from multiple schools at different levels gave short presentations on arts and music, career-technical classes, and literacy. The Board also celebrated the clerk of the Board, Alba Garza, who was honored and thanked by administrators for Clerk Appreciation Week,

The next scheduled Board meeting is Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2024.

Caitlyn Meisner is a freelance reporter for Potomac Local News.

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