FCPS holds ribbon cuttings at three Richmond Highway area schools

Leaders from Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) joined elected officials, school staff, students and community members May 25 in celebrating the completion of capital projects at three schools around the Richmond Highway corridor.

Back-to-back ribbon cuttings were held at West Potomac High School, Hybla Valley Elementary School and Washington Mill Elementary School. FCPS Superintendent Michelle Reid, Mount Vernon District Representative to the Fairfax County School Board Karen Corbett Sanders, and the respective school principals spoke at all three ceremonies. They were joined by Mount Vernon District Supervisor Dan Storck who made remarks at the West Potomac and Washington Mill events, and by Franconia District Supervisor Rodney Lusk who spoke at the Hybla Valley Elementary ceremony.

At West Potomac, event attendees celebrated the school’s new capacity-enhancing addition, science classrooms, expanded cafeteria and connector linking the Springbank and Quander buildings. The school now has sufficient capacity for current programs and future growth, according to FCPS capacity utilization thresholds.

FCPS and West Potomac administrators, students and elected officials prepare to cut the ribbon at their school May 25. (Credit: Donnie Biggs/FCPS)

At Hybla Valley Elementary’s ribbon cutting, a group of students proudly sang about their school, which was renovated to provide modern amenities and add 31,000 square feet of space. Students and staff moved into the new building in phases, said school principal Lauren Sheehy, who added that everyone has been under the same roof for about a month now. She said the project’s completion brought her a “sigh of relief, joy and enthusiasm for a new beginning.”

Hybla Valley Elementary principal Lauren Sheehy speaks at the May 25 ribbon cutting ceremony.

Meanwhile, at Washington Mill Elementary, school principal Brad Bennink said staff and students were united within their newly expanded facility last October. The school’s new playground and athletic fields have since been completed. An additional 35,000 square feet was added to the building during its renovation, and it received modern amenities.

FCPS and school administrators, students and elected officials cut the ribbon at Washington Mill Elementary School.

At a Fairfax County School Board meeting on the evening of the ribbon cuttings, Reid thanked community members for supporting FCPS schools and bond dollars. “It really matters,” she said. “I know at Hybla Valley and also today at Washington Mill, the families were so excited about the removal of trailers in particular.”

Watch a brief video from FCPS about recent ribbon cuttings at seven county schools, including the ones around the Richmond Highway area.