Loudoun County Public Schools

Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) is a branch of the Loudoun County, Virginia, United States government, and administers public schools in the county. LCPS's headquarters is located at 21000 Education Court in Ashburn, an unincorporated section of the county.[5]

Loudoun County Public Schools
Address
21000 Education Court
Ashburn
, Loudoun, Virginia, 20148
United States
Coordinates39°02′01″N 77°31′02″W
District information
TypePublic
GradesPre-K through 12[1]
EstablishedApril 2, 1870 (1870-04-02)
SuperintendentScott A. Ziegler[2]
School board9 members
Chair of the boardBrenda Sheridan (Sterling District)
Governing agencyVirginia Department of Education
Schools94[3]
Budget$1.3 billion (FY 2020)[3]
NCES District ID5102250[4]
Students and staff
Students83,936 (2019–2020)[1]
Teachers5,784 (2018–2019)[4]
Staff6,121 (2018–2019)[4]
Student–teacher ratio14.2:1 (2018–2019)[4]
Other information
Websitewww.lcps.org

Due to rapid growth in the region, LCPS is one of the fastest-growing school divisions in Virginia and the third largest school division in the state.[3][6] For the 2019–2020 school year, LCPS educated approximately 84,000 students.[1]

History

The public school system in Loudoun County was established in 1870 to fulfill the needs for free education during the Reconstruction era after the Civil War. For most of its history, LCPS served a rural population known mainly for its dairy farms. Since the opening of Washington Dulles International Airport in 1962, Loudoun County's population has skyrocketed, accompanied by that of the school system. For example, since the 2000–2001 school year, LCPS has opened 51 schools: 28 elementary, 11 middle, 11 high and one educational center.[7]

In the 20th century, including during the civil rights movement and the era of massive resistance, LCPS was one of the last school districts in the nation to begin desegregation in 1967. In 2020 the school board, the administration, and the county board issued a public apology for its "blatant disregard and disrespect of Black people".[8][9]

Administration

The LCPS system, while operated on a day-to-day basis by the Superintendent (Dr. Scott A. Ziegler), is managed under the direction and authority of the Loudoun County School Board, a nine-member panel elected by citizens in the county. Eight of the nine board positions are divided among voting districts that represent communities throughout the county, while the ninth seat is elected at-large by the entire county. The voting districts correspond to those used for Loudoun County Board of Supervisors elections. Unlike the Board of Supervisors, the chairmanship of the School Board is elected annually by its members, while the Chairman of the Board of Supervisors is always the at-large seat. While the School Board makes decisions relating to school policy and curriculum, it receives funding through the Board of Supervisors.

Loudoun County School Board (January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2023)
(Elected on November 5, 2019)[10][11][12][13]
Position Name Party First Elected District
  Chair Brenda Sheridan Independent 2011 Sterling
  Vice-Chair Atoosa Reaser Independent 2019 Algonkian
  Member Denise Corbo Independent 2019 At-Large
  Member Harris Mahedavi Independent 2019 Ashburn
  Member Ian Serotkin Independent 2019 Blue Ridge
  Member Leslee King (Died) Independent 2019 Broad Run
  Andrew Hoyler Independent Appointed 2021
  Member John Beatty Independent 2019 Catoctin
  Member Jeffrey Morse Independent 2011 Dulles
  Member Elizabeth Barts (Resigned) Independent 2019 Leesburg
Vacant Independent Appointed 2021

On August 31, 2021, the Broad Run District member, Leslee King, died from complications due to a heart surgery.[14][15][16] On October 12, 2021, Andrew Hoyler was appointed to serve as the Broad Run District member through December 31, 2022.[17] Hoyler ran against King in 2019 and lost with 37% of the vote to King's 61%.[18] A special election will be held in November 2022 for the voters to select a member to serve from January to December 2023. On October 15 2021, the Leesburg District member, Beth Barts, announced her resignation effective November 2, 2021,[19] citing threats and fear for her and her family's safety.[20] Barts was facing a recall petition over claims that her participation in a private Facebook group violated the School Board's Code of Conduct and open meeting laws.[21] Sterling District member and Chair, Brenda Sheridan, is also facing a recall petition for similar reasons.[22]

Demographics

In the 2021–2022 school year, LCPS students were 42.7% White, 25.4% Asian, 18.3% Hispanic/Latino, 7.1% Black/African American, 5.7% Multiracial, 0.6% Native American, and 0.1% Pacific Islander.[23]

2021 sexual assaults

On May 28, 2021, a male teenager was accused of sexually assaulting a female student in a girls' bathroom[24] at Stone Bridge High School in Ashburn.[25] The Loudoun County Sheriff's Office have stated they were "immediately" made aware by school officials of the assault on May 28.[24] Following a weeks-long investigation, a 14-year-old male was arrested on July 8 and charged with two counts of forcible sodomy.[25] The suspect spent time in a juvenile detention facility before being released and transferred to Broad Run High School in Ashburn.[24] On October 6, 2021, the same male teenager, now aged 15, was accused of sexually assaulting a female student in an empty classroom at Broad Run;[25] the male student was arrested the following day[24] and charged with sexual battery and abduction of a fellow student.[25] The student has since been held in a juvenile detention facility.[24][26] On October 25, the suspect was found guilty on all charges for the May 28 assault.[27][28] On November 15, the suspect pleaded no contest to a felony charge of abduction and a misdemeanor count of sexual battery for the October 6 assault.[29] He is set to be sentenced on December 13.[29]

The parents of Stone Bridge victim have said the perpetrator identified as "gender fluid"[30]—authorities confirmed he wore a skirt during the assault[29]—and accused the school system of covering up the assault to push Policy 8040.[24] Policy 8040 was passed in August and allows students to use lockers rooms and bathrooms corresponding to their "consistently asserted gender identity" to comply with a state mandate under Virginia Code 22.1-23.3.[31]

At a Loudoun County School Board meeting on June 22, while discussing a draft of Policy 8040, superintendent Scott Ziegler stated during the meeting that there were no reports of any assaults occurring in the school system's restrooms and that a "predator transgender student or person simply does not exist". On October 15, Ziegler said he "wrongly interpreted" questions at the June 22 meeting and apologized, calling his comments "misleading".[32] This narrative was disputed by parents,[33] with some parents accusing him of lying.[30]

The father of the Stone Bridge victim was arrested at the June 22 meeting for obstruction of justice and disorderly conduct after getting in an argument with a fellow meeting attendee and was found guilty on August 17.[34] On October 15, the father of the Stone Bridge victim stated his family would sue the school.[35] The father of the Stone Bridge victim has demanded an apology and retraction from the National School Boards Association (NSBA) after he and other parents were characterized as "domestic terrorists" in a September 29 letter to President Joe Biden, with the NSBA citing his arrest at the June 22 board meeting. His attorneys said that the NSBA released an apology to other NSBA members on October 22 but "did not include any specific apology" to him or other parents.[36]

At a school board meeting on October 12, parents criticized the handling of the alleged assaults, expressing fear for their children's safety in Loudoun County Public Schools and calling for the school board, including superintendent Scott A. Ziegler, to resign.[25] During an October 15 press conference, Ziegler stated that, while the schools complied with requirements on how sexual assault allegations are investigated, they "failed to provide the safe, welcoming, and affirming environment" they aspired to.[32] He proposed board policy changes to "protect the safety of the student body and the rights of the accused"[30] and "place greater emphasis on victim rights".[37]

School students across Loudoun County, including students at Stone Bridge High School, Broad Run High School, Loudoun County High School, Briar Woods High School and Lightridge High School, performed walkout protests on October 26 in support of the victims. Students at Broad Run chanted "Loudoun County protects rapists".[38][39]

Schools

High schools

With the opening of Lightridge High School, Loudoun County has 17 high schools. All but two high schools, Loudoun Valley and Broad Run, are two stories. Loudoun County (1954), the oldest high school, can hold around 1,370 students, Loudoun Valley (1962) and Broad Run (1969) can hold around 1,390–1,410 (Loudoun Valley and Broad Run were built with a similar design), although Broad Run can hold more because it has 9 trailers on site as of 2012, Park View (1976) can hold about 1,370 and Potomac Falls (1997) can hold about 1,400. Potomac Falls' design has been used with every high school in Loudoun County built after it, with a bigger auditorium and more classrooms. Stone Bridge (2000), Heritage (2002), Briar Woods (2005), Freedom (2005), and Woodgrove (2010) can hold 1,600 students. Dominion High School (2003) is an exception to the 1,600 capacity rule; the school is structurally designed for 1,600 students, however, because it is the site of the Academy of Science, the actual student capacity for Dominion High School is 1,350, and the remaining seats are designated for the Academy of Science students. With the opening of Tuscarora High School (2010), and John Champe High School (2012), the new high schools still use the Potomac Falls design template but with an 1800 student capacity. When Riverside High School (HS-8) in 2015, and Rock Ridge High School (HS-7) opened in 2014 it had a 1,600 student capacity not the standard 1,800 because of little increase in student population foreseen in the Ashburn area. The 2019–2020 year introduced Independence High School (HS-11) with a newer and refreshed design of Potomac Falls, although the student capacity is to be determined due to the amount of high schools around the build site. The 2020–2021 year introduced Lightridge High School (HS-9) with a new design different than Potomac Falls High School. The school opened to reduce overcrowding at John Champe High School.[40]

All high schools serve grades 9–12.

Middle schools

Loudoun County currently has 17 middle schools, all of which typically feed into one high school currently, or in the near future. Older middle schools such as Simpson, Blue Ridge, Sterling, and Seneca Ridge originally were able to carry about 1,000 students, but have all gone or are going through expansion projects that will allow them to carry 1,200 students once the projects are complete. The older schools are also trying to modernize the building by placing ornamental designs throughout the school. Newer middle schools built since 1995 when Farmwell Station opened typically have capacities of 1,200 to 1,350 students depending on the age of the building and how fast growth was around the particular school when the school opened. Since the opening of J. Michael Lunsford, all middle schools are built with a two-story design that can carry 1,350 students. As of the 2018–2019 year, Mercer Middle School will serve grades 6–7, while Willard Intermediate School will serve grades 8–9. Once Lightridge High School opens in 2020, the two schools will serve grades 6–8, with Willard becoming a full-fledged middle school.

Serves grades 6–8.

  • Belmont Ridge Middle School, Leesburg
  • Blue Ridge Middle School, Purcellville
  • Brambleton Middle School, Ashburn
  • Eagle Ridge Middle School, Ashburn
  • Farmwell Station Middle School, Ashburn
  • Harmony Middle School (Formerly Harmony Intermediate School), Hamilton
  • Harper Park Middle School, Leesburg
  • J. Lupton Simpson Middle School, Leesburg
  • J. Michael Lunsford Middle School, Chantilly
  • Mercer Middle School, Aldie
  • River Bend Middle School, Sterling
  • Seneca Ridge Middle School, Sterling
  • Smarts Mill Middle School, Leesburg
  • Sterling Middle School, Sterling
  • Stone Hill Middle School, Ashburn
  • Trailside Middle School, Ashburn
  • Willard Middle School (Formerly Willard Intermediate School), Aldie

Future schools
  • Elaine E. Thompson Elementary School (ES-23) in Arcola will open in the fall of 2022 off of Arcola Mills Drive.[41]

Intermediate schools

Serves grades 8–9.

LCPS had two previous intermediate schools

  • Harmony Intermediate School, now Harmony Middle School in the western part of the county which served 8th and 9th graders. This was only a temporary concept to relieve crowding at Blue Ridge Middle School and Loudoun Valley High School which ended after Woodgrove High School opened in fall 2010.[42]
  • Willard Intermediate School, now Willard Middle School in Aldie also served 8th and 9th graders. This was only a temporary concept to relieve crowding at Mercer Middle School and John Champe High School which ended after Lightridge High School opened in fall 2020.

Elementary schools

LCPS currently has 51 elementary schools, which are nearly all community based, with over half of them opening in the last 10 years. Newer elementary schools throughout the county can carry approximately 800 to 875 students. Older elementary schools in the eastern part of the county can carry anywhere from 400–600 students. There are some rural elementary schools in Loudoun County as well, nearly all of them in the western part of the county. They are much smaller in size and are much older facilities, typically holding enrollments of about 100–150 students. Since the opening of Buffalo Trail Elementary School, all elementary schools are built with a two-story design that can carry 875 students.

Serves grades K–5.

  • Aldie Elementary School, Aldie
  • Algonkian Elementary School, Sterling
  • Arcola Elementary School, Aldie
  • Ashburn Elementary School, Ashburn
  • Ball's Bluff Elementary School, Leesburg
  • Banneker Elementary School, Saint Louis
  • Belmont Station Elementary School, Ashburn
  • Buffalo Trail Elementary School, Aldie
  • Cardinal Ridge Elementary School, Centreville
  • Catoctin Elementary School, Leesburg
  • Cedar Lane Elementary School, Ashburn
  • Cool Spring Elementary School, Leesburg
  • Countryside Elementary School, Sterling
  • Creighton's Corner Elementary School, Ashburn
  • Discovery Elementary School, Ashburn
  • Dominion Trail Elementary School, Ashburn
  • Emerick Elementary School, Purcellville
  • Evergreen Mill Elementary School, Leesburg
  • Forest Grove Elementary School, Sterling
  • Frances Hazel Reid Elementary School, Leesburg
  • Frederick Douglass Elementary School, Leesburg
  • Goshen Post Elementary School, Aldie
  • Guilford Elementary School, Sterling
  • Hamilton Elementary School, Hamilton
  • Hillsboro Charter Academy (formerly Hillsboro Elementary School), Purcellville
  • Hillside Elementary School, Ashburn
  • Horizon Elementary School, Sterling
  • Hovatter Elementary School, Aldie
  • Hutchison Farm Elementary School, South Riding
  • John W. Tolbert Jr. Elementary School, Leesburg
  • Kenneth Culbert Elementary School, Hamilton
  • Leesburg Elementary School, Leesburg
  • Legacy Elementary School, Ashburn
  • Liberty Elementary School, South Riding
  • Lincoln Elementary School, Purcellville
  • Little River Elementary School, South Riding
  • Lovettsville Elementary School, Lovettsville
  • Lowes Island Elementary School, Sterling
  • Lucketts Elementary School, Leesburg
  • Madison's Trust Elementary School, Ashburn
  • Meadowland Elementary School, Sterling
  • Middleburg Community Charter School (formerly Middleburg Elementary School), Middleburg
  • Mill Run Elementary School, Ashburn
  • Moorefield Station Elementary School, Ashburn
  • Mountain View Elementary School, Purcellville
  • Newton-Lee Elementary School, Ashburn
  • Pinebrook Elementary School, Aldie
  • Potowmack Elementary School, Sterling
  • Rolling Ridge Elementary School, Sterling
  • Rosa Lee Carter Elementary School, Ashburn
  • Round Hill Elementary School, Round Hill
  • Sanders Corner Elementary School, Ashburn
  • Seldens Landing Elementary School, Leesburg
  • Sterling Elementary School, Sterling
  • Steuart W. Weller Elementary School, Ashburn
  • Sugarland Elementary School, Sterling
  • Sully Elementary School, Sterling
  • Sycolin Creek Elementary School, Leesburg
  • Waterford Elementary School, Waterford
  • Waxpool Elementary School, Ashburn

Instructional centers
Academies of Loudoun from bus loop

See also
  •  Virginia portal
  •  Schools portal

References
  1. "Loudoun County Public Schools Quality Profile". Virginia Department of Education. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  2. "Scott A. Ziegler, Ed. D., Superintendent". Loudon County Public Schools. Retrieved November 14, 2021.
  3. "2019–2020 Fact Sheet" (PDF). LCPS. Retrieved February 6, 2020.
  4. "Search for Public School Districts – District Detail for Loudoun Co Pblc Schs". National Center for Education Statistics. Institute of Education Sciences. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
  5. "Directions". LCPS. Retrieved February 6, 2020.
  6. Moore, Jack (August 23, 2018). "New schools, new tech as new school year begins in booming Loudoun Co". WTOP-FM. Retrieved February 6, 2020.
  7. "FY 2020 WABE Guide" (PDF). The Washington Area Boards of Education. October 23, 2019. Retrieved February 6, 2020.
  8. "Letter: To the Black Community of Loudoun County" (PDF). September 25, 2020.
  9. Aspegren, Elinor (September 25, 2020). "'Blatant disregard and disrespect of Black people': Virginia district apologizes for segregated schools – 53 years later". USA Today. Retrieved September 26, 2020.
  10. "School Board | Loudoun County Public Schools". Loudoun County Public Schools. Retrieved February 6, 2020.
  11. "Loudoun County November 5, 2019 General Election Results".
  12. "Democratic Elected Officials – Loudoun County Democratic Committee". Retrieved March 20, 2021.
  13. "Local Republican Elected Officials | Loudoun County Republican Committee". www.loudoungop.com. Retrieved March 20, 2021.
  14. "Broad Run School Board Member Leslee King Passes Away". www.lcps.org. Retrieved October 3, 2021.
  15. Bour, Hayley Milon (August 31, 2021). "School Board Member Leslee King Dies After Heart Procedure". Loudoun Now. Retrieved October 3, 2021.
  16. Report, Times-Mirror Staff. "Updated: Loudoun School Board member Leslee King dies at 74". LoudounTimes.com. Retrieved October 3, 2021.
  17. halas@loudountimes.com, Horus Alas. "Loudoun County School Board appoints Andrew Hoyler to fill Broad Run seat". LoudounTimes.com. Retrieved October 12, 2021.
  18. Bour, Hayley Milon (October 12, 2021). "Hoyler Tapped for School Board Seat". Loudoun Now. Retrieved October 13, 2021.
  19. "Loudoun school board member Beth Barts resigns her position". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved November 14, 2021.
  20. Wilder • •, Drew. "Loudoun County School Board Member Steps Down Over Threats". NBC4 Washington. Retrieved November 14, 2021.
  21. "Barts Recall Case Advances; Commonwealth's Attorney Disqualified". Loudoun Now. October 5, 2021. Retrieved November 14, 2021.
  22. Natanson, Hannah (November 9, 2021). "Loudoun parent group files recall petition against school board chair Brenda Sheridan".
  23. "LCPS Dashboards-School Profiles". dashboards.lcps.org. Retrieved October 3, 2021.
  24. Palmer, Ewan (October 14, 2021). "Loudoun County Officials Address 'Misinformation' Over School Assaults". Newsweek. Archived from the original on October 14, 2021. Retrieved October 15, 2021.
  25. Hilton, Jasmine; Natanson, Hannah; Jouvenal, Justin (October 14, 2021). "Loudoun Country student accused in sexual assaults at two schools, sparking outrage from parents". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on October 14, 2021. Retrieved October 26, 2021.
  26. "Loudoun officials question sheriff's deputies about how school sex assaults were reported". WJLA-TV. November 3, 2021. Archived from the original on November 13, 2021. Retrieved November 13, 2021.
  27. Scott Taylor; 7News Staff (October 25, 2021). "Teen suspect found guilty in Loudoun County school bathroom assault". WJLA-TV. Archived from the original on October 26, 2021. Retrieved October 26, 2021.
  28. Jouvenal, Justin (October 25, 2021). "In case at center of political firestorm, judge finds teen committed sexual assault in Virginia school bathroom". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on October 26, 2021. Retrieved October 26, 2021.
  29. Jouvenal, Justin (November 15, 2021). "Va. teen pleads no contest in politically charged sexual assault case at high school". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on November 16, 2021. Retrieved November 18, 2021.
  30. Natanson, Hannah; Jouvenal, Justin (October 15, 2021). "Loudoun schools chief apologizes for district's handling of alleged assaults, promises changes to disciplinary procedures". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on October 16, 2021. Retrieved October 26, 2021.
  31. "§ 22.1-23.3. Treatment of transgender students; policies". law.lis.virginia.gov. Retrieved November 14, 2021.
  32. "Loudoun schools superintendent: we 'failed' to provide safe environment after assaults". WJLA-TV. October 15, 2021. Archived from the original on October 15, 2021. Retrieved October 26, 2021.
  33. CNN (October 18, 2021). "Parents outraged at Virginia school superintendent's handling of two sexual assault cases". KCRG-TV. Archived from the original on October 18, 2021. Retrieved October 26, 2021.
  34. Greene, Renss (August 17, 2021). "Smith Found Guilty in School Board Scuffle". Loudoun Now. Retrieved November 14, 2021.
  35. Domingo, Ida (October 15, 2021). "Sexual assault victim's family to pursue lawsuit against Loudoun County Schools". WJLA-TV. Archived from the original on October 26, 2021. Retrieved October 26, 2021.
  36. Taylor, Scott (October 25, 2021). "Loudoun County assault victim's dad wants apology for being called 'domestic terrorist'". WJLA-TV. Archived from the original on October 26, 2021. Retrieved October 26, 2021.
  37. "Loudoun Schools Head Promises Change on Handling of Sex Assault Reports". NBC Washington. October 15, 2021. Archived from the original on October 18, 2021. Retrieved October 26, 2021.
  38. Taylor, Scott (October 26, 2021). "'This is BS': Loudoun County, Va. students walk out in protest of sexual assault reports". WJLA-TV. Archived from the original on October 26, 2021. Retrieved October 26, 2021.
  39. Downey, Caroline (October 26, 2021). "Loudoun County Students Stage Walk-Outs to Protest Sexual Assault in Schools". National Review. Archived from the original on October 26, 2021. Retrieved October 26, 2021.
  40. "School Board Adopted FY13 CIP" (PDF). Loudoun County Public Schools. Retrieved September 9, 2012.
  41. "Board Names New School for Loudoun Community Leader, Historian". February 12, 2020. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  42. "School Board Adopted FY10-FY14 Capital Improvement Program" (PDF). Loudoun County Public Schools. p. 140. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 23, 2012. Retrieved September 9, 2012.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.