If one thing is certain from Marshall’s $59 million renovation, it is that the school has clearly outgrown its motto of “small school, big heart.” While fitting the ever -growing student population was the primary purpose of the renovation, which officially ended last spring, it might not be long until trailers begin popping up once again around the school.
Even during the initial planning stages for the renovation, Fairfax County Public Schools realized that the student population was growing at a faster rate than it had predicted, and changed the plans from ones which accommodated for 1,850 students to ones which accommodated for 2,000 students.
This adaptation, however, was not enough. No more than four months after renovation officially ended, the school is already above capacity again with 2,026 students.
“[The student population size] will begin, over the next couple years, to present some challenges to us in terms of utilizing our space to its fullest potential” Principal Jeff Litz said. “I think trailers will be back, I don’t know how many will be back, I don’t think we’ll have the 28 we had during renovation, but in the next couple years I can see three or four popping up.”
Litz also added that as the population in the area continues to grow, redistricting might even be a possible outcome in the next 10 to 15 years.
While teachers and students alike largely oppose a return to trailers, the spike in the student population comes at a time when there simply is not extra money available in the FCPS budget, which is nearing a $100 million shortfall.
Sophomore Holly Waters understands the situation that the school is facing, yet she is worried about the potential of moving back to trailers before she graduates.
“I believe I speak for all of my peers when I say that going back to having trailer classes at Marshall is definitely a very worrying thought,” Waters said. “All in all, trailers may be the most convenient in terms of cost or space, but they are exponentially more inconvenient in terms of student education.”
Litz, however, explains that the renovation costs and the shortfall come from two different pools, and he hopes that more money can be put into funding future construction.
“The renovation pot and the hundred million, those are two different pots of money” Litz said. “Our capital improvement plan budget we primarily operate off of bonds which the county tax payers vote for. I think we need to continue finding ways to increase the amount of money we are spending on capital improvement projects.
Although an ever increasing student population has led to growing pains, Litz still sees a bright side in the change.
“We will continue to grow and that will only make us stronger” Litz said.