Parents press school board to adopt 'Scenario 6' or a minor modification to keep Mary Williams and Forest Park communities together
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Summary
At a public hearing on proposed attendance-area changes for Woodbridge and Potomac Shores schools, multiple parents and students urged adoption of Scenario 6 to preserve school stability and safety; board member Justin Wilk moved and the board voted to have the superintendent develop a modified '6a' proposal and return it before the next vote.
The board opened a public hearing on proposed attendance-area modifications tied to new Woodbridge Area Elementary and Potomac Shores No. 2 elementary schools, scheduled to open in the 2026–27 and 2027–28 school years. Chair read the public-hearing rules and called seven registered speakers.
Public commenters repeatedly emphasized safety and stability. Shannon Quarles told the board that although Forest Park is within a mile of Dumfries Elementary, "there are no sidewalks and no crosswalks along the busy Van Buren and Bates Town roads," and argued that rezoning to Dumfries would not improve safety or transportation costs and would move students away from high-performing Patty Elementary (PADI), which she said has a framework score of 90.6. Several parents and students, including Carly McDowell, Pedris Pratter, Dr. Renata Leach, Ava Santifull (a fourth grader), and Vashawn Johnson (PTO treasurer), urged the board to keep their communities together and to adopt Scenario 6, citing concerns about lost access to specialized programs, transportation dangers, and disruption for children with special needs.
After public comment, board member Justin Wilk described his own recommended, limited modifications to Scenario 6 — keeping the Grand Park Corridor at Dumfries Elementary while assigning Forest Park to Covington Harper Elementary — and moved that the superintendent develop an alternative redistricting proposal consistent with his request. Wilk said his changes would maintain attendance-area contiguity and help balance capacity while complying with policy regulation 2.64-1.
The motion was seconded by Ms. Williams and the board voted to request the superintendent produce the alternative proposal; the vote was recorded as 7 yes, 1 abstain (Jesse abstained). Chair and staff said the administration is preparing a '6a' map that will be posted before the next meeting for public review, and the board reiterated it will vote on final boundary changes at the next regular meeting.
No final boundary decision was made at this meeting; the request to the superintendent creates an additional option for consideration before the upcoming vote.