Some Annandale HS students will have to transfer

If you or your child plans to attend high school next year, your school might not be the one you had counted on. In spite of strong opposition in the community, the Fairfax County school board voted June 26 to change the attendance area for Annandale High School at the start of the 2010-11 school year.

That means any student who will be a freshman or sophomore this fall can attend Annandale this year but will have to switch schools—to Jeb Stuart or Falls Church—in 2010. Students who will enter Annandale as juniors this fall will be able to stay there for their senior year. See the FCPS map for details on the school boundaries.

Students who will be 11th-graders in 2010-11 who are identified as candidates for an International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma, based on their course selections, will be allowed to remain at Annandale High School until they graduate.

Students who are scheduled to transfer to Falls Church or Stuart next year may choose to transfer for the 2009-10 school year to avoid disruption later in their high school careers, but will have to provide their own transportation. Buses will be not be rerouted this year.

The principals of Falls Church and Stuart promised to accept students transferring from Annandale this fall.

Students who are taking IB courses at Annandale can continue the program at Stuart, but Falls Church does not offer the IB program. It does offer Advanced Placement courses.

All three schools have similar demographics, but Falls Church has about 1,300-1,400 students, and Stuart’s enrollment is about 1,500-1,600. In contrast, Annandale has more than 2,500, which is far above its capacity of 2,100. The boundary change was approved to alleviate overcrowding at Annandale.

Smaller schools have fewer specialized courses, but offer greater opportunities for students to participate in sports, drama, leadership, and other activities.

Falls Church offers academies in criminal justice, practical nursing, and several other health-related fields and has a planetarium. Stuart was featured in an article on diversity in National Geographic in 2001.

If you’re trying to decide whether to attend Annandale or one of the other schools this year, visit the school’s websites and tour the schools.