The School Board wants to keep it, but the City Council wants it gone.

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The Manassas City School Board and Council held a joint meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024, to discuss future plans for the new Jennie Dean Elementary School following the Board’s design approval on Feb. 13, 2024.

Council and board members met to move the process along and hopefully reach an agreement on a Special Use Permit (SUP) the School Board must obtain from the City Council before school construction may begin. Obtaining an SUP will move the decision to approve the designs and construction to the Planning Commission and then the City Council for a vote.

The meeting began with School Board Chair Suzanne Seaberg fielding questions from the Council about the approved design plan, E-2.5, including the size of the open field and the ability to use it for regulation games.

Councilmember Mark Wolfe said he did not like the school’s design.

“I don’t like it, but I’m willing to tolerate things or swallow, but I think the other issue becomes, obviously … what happens to the old facility,” Wolfe said. “I, for one — I’ll put it out there — I do not see a scenario where I’m willing to go forward with the school, and we retained old Dean.”

This comment sparked a debate between the Council and Board members, which lasted nearly the entire meeting; some members hesitated to move forward with a SUP without figuring out what would be done with the existing Jennie Dean building.

It’s unclear what will happen with the current Dean Elementary School, which dates back to the early 1960s. Councilmember Tom Osina said he wants to move forward with the process.

“I think the discussion about the old Dean and everything is an issue that is separate from the actual building of the school,” Osina said. “We can have future discussions on old Dean and share our thoughts. … I’d like to see us treat the two as separate for this meeting just so we can get this going into the SUP process.”

Officials said tearing down the existing Jennie Dean building would not be possible until the new one was built. Some council members requested language be included that the old building be torn down within 18 months of occupation of the new construction.

“My kids were in this school 30-plus years ago. It was a piece of crap then,” Wolfe, a member of Council since 2008, said. “Every time we talked about building a new Dean, the old Dean was going away because it was so bad.”

City Schools Superintendent Dr. Kevin Newman said he was baffled about what was being asked of him now. He expressed frustration with the city, citing the district’s compromises to accommodate requests but seemingly not pleasing the entire Council.

“Well, [design 2.5] was the compromise based on the direction that was given to staff to do,” Newman said. “So, whatever we’re doing going forward … just be clear on what you want your city manager and this superintendent to do so that we don’t have to come back in here and feel like we’re being chastised for doing what we were asked to do.”

Osina asked if the SUP could get started today and have further discussions in April when the SUP gets to Council. Councilmember Ralph Smith said tearing down old Dean is not a part of the discussion.

“All these arguments that we are hearing could perhaps — are good — arguments against tearing it down,” Smith said. “But, from what I’m understanding, that’s not the issue we’re posed at this moment of this joint [meeting].”

A new Jennie Dean Elementary School has been a sticking point between the School Board and City Council for about a decade. In years past, the City Council voted to raise taxes to fund the new school because the School Board does not have taxing authority; only the Dean replacement was put on the back burner to focus on other projects, like the purchase of 8700 Centreville Road, the city’s largest private office building, to house its administration.

Ultimately, the School Board opted not to purchase the building after a heated debate with the City Council. Some councilmembers questioned the school division’s motives for purchasing the building when it had previously inked a deal with the Council to occupy the city’s old police station on Fairview Avenue, which remains empty after opening a new public safety center in Fall 2023.

This year, the City Council transferred $200 million to the school division, equating to 47 cents on every dollar the city collected in taxes. The school transfer is the largest single allocation in the city budget.

On February 20, 2024, the Manassas City Council will meet to discuss matters regarding education infrastructure and the development of the Jennie Dean Elementary School.

The agenda for the meeting encompassed various topics, including updates on the construction progress of the new Jennie Dean Elementary School. Furthermore, council members deliberated on the current condition of the existing school building and explored potential uses for the former Jennie Dean Elementary School building.

Among the proposed options were considerations for expanding Career and Technical Education (CTE), establishing a STEM Center, or accommodating alternative education programs. Additionally, the council reviewed the school replacement schedule to ensure timely and efficient infrastructure upgrades.

Another significant point of discussion centered on identifying a suitable permanent central office location to streamline administrative operations within the school district. Progress updates on the Osbourn High School Connector project were also provided during the meeting, highlighting the council’s commitment to improving educational facilities and resources for the community.

The Manassas City School Board unanimously approved plans for the new Jennie Dean Elementary School on Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2024, advancing the project to the city’s Planning Commission for further review. This decision follows months of deliberation and planning to address the city’s educational needs. Previous reports by Potomac Local News highlighted tensions between the City Council and School Board regarding the project’s prioritization.

During a closed work session on Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024, the Board discussed various design options with Superintendent Kevin Newman, ultimately settling on concept E-2.5, which entails specific placements for the building, including a baseball field, playground, field, and bus loop.

The proposed two-story school, expected to accommodate 1,000 students, will feature advanced facilities such as an IT workspace, broadcast booth, and collaborative learning areas. Estimated at a cost of at least $87 million, the school will be situated within Jennie Dean Park, near the existing Jennie Dean school constructed in the early 1960s.

The project’s architects are evaluating potential sites adjacent to the current school, known as Dean Park, with the Planning Commission scheduled to review the plans on April 3, following the cancellation of the initial March 6 meeting. Approval from the Commission will precede a vote by the City Council, signaling the next steps in the development of this crucial educational infrastructure.

The joint meeting will take place at the John Conner III Public Safety Facility, Second Floor Policy Room, 9608 Grant Avenue, Manassas, at 5:30 p.m. The meeting is open to the public.

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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“Representatives from the contractor working on the new Jennie Dean Elementary School recently presented updated plans to the Manassas City Public School Board, including space for keeping sports fields on the site, reports Emily Seymour at Insidenova.com. “The proposed design plan is a version of design “Concept E,” which would place the school on the northern part of the site and would displace the fields that currently exist.”

Manassas City Councilwoman Theresa Coates Ellis held an end-of-year wrap-up discussion focused on rebuilding Jennie Dean Elementary School and the potential loss of open park fields.

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The Manassas School Board will hear a revised proposal for a new Dean Elementary School on Tuesday, December 12, 2023.

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Manassas City Councilwoman Theresa Coates Ellis: "After the new Dean School construction plan was presented by the Manassas City School Board to the Manassas City Council last Thursday, I planned a Year End Wrap-Up for this upcoming [Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023, 5:30 p.m., City Tavern, 9550 Center Street, Manassas], and have invited the public to hear more details and welcome questions."

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The city must break a few eggs to build a new elementary school.

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