A significant component of this year’s budget is a $1.098 billion Capital Improvement Plan (CIP), aiming to address overcrowding, modernize aging facilities, and support long-term student enrollment shifts.
Major Investments in New Schools and Renovations
Key Projects in the CIP
To address overcrowding in high-growth areas, PWCS will build multiple new schools, including:
As Prince William County grapples with shifting enrollment patterns, declining birth rates, and increasing school capacity concerns, school leaders are moving forward with plans to open the county’s 14th high school in the 2029-30 school year.
The new school, which may feature specialized programs such as robotics and drone labs, is intended to relieve overcrowding in central and eastern Prince William County high schools, including Colgan, Freedom, and Woodbridge. However, with fewer students entering the school system than graduating, the long-term necessity of the new school and countywide redistricting remains a topic of debate.
Rania Lateef, a senior at Charles J. Colgan Sr. High School and the Governor’s School @ Innovation Park, daughter of Prince William School Board Chairman Babur Lateef, has been named one of 40 finalists in the prestigious 2025 Regeneron Science Talent Search (STS).
Selected from nearly 2,500 applicants nationwide, Rania is recognized for her groundbreaking research on the effects of artificial light and circadian disruption on biobehavioral systems in Drosophila melanogaster. Her work highlights the impact of sleep and circadian rhythm disturbances on physical and mental health.
Prince William County School Board member Richard Jessie and his wife, former school board member Lillie Jessie, are urging the community to boycott the upcoming presidential inauguration by turning off their televisions at noon on January 20. They believe that lower viewership will send a strong message to the new administration.
In the 2024 presidential election, Donald Trump secured a historic return to the White House, defeating Vice President Kamala Harris. Trump won 312 electoral votes to Harris’s 226, marking a significant political comeback.
Prince William County Public Schools did not provide further details upon InsideNoVa’s request as it is a “personnel matter,” said Director of Communications Diana Gulotta.”
Several schools in our region have announced closures and delays for Wednesday, January 8, 2025, due to inclement weather and hazardous road conditions. Here is the full list of updates:
Colleges and Universities:
Prince William County Public Schools
All schools and offices will be closed Code Red on Tuesday. Inclement Weather Employees are the exception and should follow their assigned schedule.
Prince William County Public Schools (PWCS), the second-largest school division in Virginia, announced the closure of all schools and offices for Monday, January 6, 2025, due to a Winter Storm Warning. The announcement, posted on the division’s official account on X, formerly known as Twitter, stated, “Due to Winter Storm Warning, all Prince William County Public Schools and Offices will be closed Code Red on Monday, January 6, 2025 (exception: Inclement Weather Employees). Weather conditions will be monitored throughout Monday, and an update will be provided as needed.”
The closure affects over 90,000 students enrolled across the division’s 100 schools, including elementary, middle, and high schools and specialty programs. PWCS serves a diverse and growing population, providing academic, athletic, and extracurricular opportunities for students in Prince William County and the cities of Manassas and Manassas Park.
Winter Break is almost here in the Potomac region, here are the dates for the schools in our area.
Stafford County Public Schools:
