Renovating Fairfax and Lanier?
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Renovating Fairfax and Lanier?

The city may propose a bond referendum for November 2004 to renovate two of its schools.

Even though all her children will have graduated from Fairfax High School, Fairfax High parent Toby Sorensen would support future renovations for the school. Some classrooms have no windows, giving the space a claustrophobic feel.

"I think it's absolutely needed," said Sorensen, who's vice president of Fairfax High's PTSA. "They're old. There's a lot more kids going to the school than there were before."

Plans are under way by Fairfax City's School Board to create a bond referendum in November 2004 to renovate and provide additional space at Fairfax High School and Sidney Lanier Middle School. Although the costs have yet to be determined, the renovations would ensure the schools' longevity for another 30 years. Currently, Lanier Middle is 43 years old, while Fairfax High is 32.

If passed, the renovations would include installing new roofs; upgrading the heating, ventilation, air-conditioning, electric, plumbing and safety systems; and refurbishing the media centers and science and computer labs of the two schools.

"The city is looking to sell bonds to renovate Lanier and Fairfax because it is very expensive to pay for the renovations," said School Board member Janice Miller via e-mail. "Selling bonds would allow the city to spread the costs of renovations over 20 years."

Discussions to renovate the two schools began several years ago, as the city's two newest elementary schools, Daniels Run and Providence, were completed in 2000. Both schools were constructed with bond money.

"They're just lovely, they're wonderful. They've worked out really well," Sorensen said.

ALTHOUGH THE AGE of the buildings is a cause for renovation, another reason is the ever-growing student population. For the first time ever, Fairfax High has more than 2,000 students. As a result of reaching that benchmark, the county gave the school an additional assistant principal.

"We are currently overcrowded, and our teachers have to keep moving room to room," said Fairfax High principal Linda Thomson.

Because of the lack of space, Thomson said they've had to reconsider some of the programs they had wanted to offer. The school had intended to start a junior ROTC program but couldn't because of space. If the school cannot get new space, the alternative is to add temporary structures, Thomson said.

"As the program continues to grow, we find that we don't have the space we need," Thomson said.

Once the School Board presents its recommendations to the City Council and mayor for the bond, both the Board and the Council will hold public hearings and vote to place the bond measure on the November 2004 ballot, according to Miller. If a majority of voters favor the bond, the city would be responsible for selling the bonds. Bids for construction and renovation would begin in early 2005, with construction following in the spring. Construction could take about three years.

"We see the other high schools are getting renovated gradually, and it's about time for ours," Sorensen said.