New boundary options proposed for Bren Mar Park ES
Fairfax County Public Schools staff presented four boundary options for Bren Mar Park Elementary School earlier this week.
FCPS has dropped a previous proposal opposed by many Bren Mar Park parents that called for students to move to Key Middle School and Lewis High School. Under the latest options under consideration, BMP students would continue to attend Holmes Middle School and either continue at Edison High School or move to Annandale High School.
When the previous boundary plan was announced last spring, Mason school board member Ricardy Anderson agreed with parents that requiring students to cross several lanes of I-395 to get to Key and Lewis was not safe, that other options weren’t considered, and that the community engagement process excluded BMP families.
Related story: Bren Mar Park ES community excluded from FCPS boundary discussions
The newly announced boundary study for BMP includes these draft scenarios:
3A – No change to the school boundary. All BMP students would continue to go to Holmes and Edison.
3B – No change to the school boundary, but students would have the option to attend Annandale High School instead of Edison. If they choose to go to Annandale, FCPS won’t provide transportation.
3C – All BMP students would be reassigned from Edison to Annandale. This option would eliminate the split feeder at Holmes and reduce the capacity deficit at Edison. Approximately 308 students would be reassigned.
3D – Part of the BMP attendance area north and west of I-395 (affecting about 92 students) would be reassigned from Edison to Annandale. This option would create a split feeder at BMP, with some students going to Holmes and Annandale and others going to Holmes and Edison.
None of the scenarios would change the current attendance area for the elementary school.
Related story: Bren Mar Park ES parents concerned about last-minute boundary proposal
BMP families are encouraged to provide feedback to FCPS on the boundary proposals. Responses are due Oct. 1.
A final scenario will be developed in October-November. The school board is expected to hold a public hearing and make a decision in January.