New Elementary School Opening To Be Voted On By Loudoun School Board

LOUDOUN COUNTY, VA — Henrietta Lacks Elementary School in Aldie could welcome its first students in August 2024. The Loudoun County School Board will vote on a recommendation to open the school at Tuesday night's meeting.

The recommendation, prepared by Loudoun County Public Schools staff, would allow students in kindergarten and first grade to attend the new elementary school next year. In the 2025-26 school year, the school would serve students in kindergarten, first grade, and second grade.

The current plan is for Henrietta Lacks Elementary School to only serve children through second grade. Students would transfer to Hovatter Elementary School on the same campus for third, fourth, and fifth grade.

Overcrowding is an issue for Hovatter Elementary School, the report said. This year, kindergarten students zoned for Hovatter are attending classes at Pinebrook Elementary School.

Tuesday's proposal would allow some students to remain at Hovatter instead of transferring to Henrietta Lacks when it opens. Otherwise, some elementary school students would be required to attend three schools within their first four years of education.

At Tuesday night's meeting, school board members will decide whether to sign off on an agreement with Fairfax County Public Schools. The agreement allows Loudoun students to attend the prestigious Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Fairfax.

The school system has already set aside $6.9 million in the 2024 budget for the program. They expect a similar cost in 2025, according to the agenda.

The full school board agenda is available online. Any residents looking to speak at the school board meeting can sign up online.