Dozens of parents told the Fairfax County School Board at a Dec. 1 public hearing that they broadly support creating an Annandale Advanced Academic Program (AAP) center but urged the board to delay a decision, clarify academic and capacity assumptions for Poe Middle School and preserve current students’ paths.

“My son started as early as third grade,” said Thomas Zeenert, a parent at Canterbury Woods Elementary, arguing the plan “rests on a false premise” that students only move at sixth grade and that the proposal would force some children to leave their cohort. Zeenert said parents had been “blindsided” and urged the board to delay the vote, pilot the program at Glasgow and allow case-by-case exceptions so students can remain with their peers.

The hearing included seven pre-registered speakers who raised similar themes: concern about multiple transitions, lack of clear outreach to affected families, questions about Poe’s capacity and academic readiness, and requests that current AAP students be grandfathered through their expected middle-school pathways.

Several parents cited specific capacity figures and testing concerns. “By 2028, Poe is projected to be over capacity at 109%,” Zeenert said during his remarks, while citing Holmes at roughly 84% capacity; Jennifer Wiedemann, a Canterbury Woods parent, also said Poe may be overcrowded by the time incoming students arrive and questioned whether Poe can match Frost Middle School’s SOL performance.

Other speakers framed the issue as one of equity. “Region 6 is the only region without a middle-school AAP center,” said Jackie Chevalier Mosley, a parent representative on the Boundary Review Advisory Committee, who urged the board to approve the proposal to improve access for Mason District and Region 6 families. Joanna Eady, a Poe-district resident, said the effort is “long overdue” after years of advocacy.

Parents pressed for procedural changes. Multiple commenters asked the school system to (1) delay a final decision to allow more engagement, (2) consider a phased rollout beginning at Glasgow, and (3) grandfather students currently enrolled in full-time AAP centers so they may complete the cohort path they already chose (for example, allowing Braddock District students to continue to Frost). Ariana Arisa said parents of AAP students received direct notice but had not been given a formal survey or adequate opportunity to participate.

School staff did not make a presentation or take a vote during the hearing; the clerk confirmed the public-comment period ended after the seven pre-registered speakers. The hearing adjourned at 7:52 p.m. Dr. Anderson and other board members were present for the session, and the board invited written comments to communityparticipation@fcps.edu and provided livestream and website information.

The matter will return to the board for deliberation under the board’s standard agenda process; speakers at the hearing urged the board to delay formal action until families receive more information and key questions about capacity, staffing and accreditation are answered.