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Centreville High School families are pushing Fairfax County officials to address reported building deficiencies while a voter-approved renovation project sits on hold, caught between a zoning dispute and the district’s reassessment of whether the school still needs added capacity.
Voters approved funding for the renovation and expansion in 2021, and the district submitted building permits in January 2025. But architectural and engineering design work has been paused pending resolution of a Floor Area Ratio zoning issue that affects the site plan. Resolving the problem may require discussions with the Fairfax County Park Authority and possibly the Board of Supervisors.
The delay has frustrated parents and students who say the campus is deteriorating. Centreville High PTSA president Thoraia Hussein cited poor conditions in the gym, music and art rooms, general classrooms, and electrical and air conditioning systems. “This school’s condition is the worst,” Hussein told the School Board.
A rising junior echoed that frustration, telling officials: “It is great that the new Skyview High School will open next month, but the Centreville community feels that you have neglected us.”
The district has invested more than $260,000 in recent capital improvements, including flooring, athletic-facility, and accessibility upgrades. But the larger renovation project proposed in the voter-approved plan includes updated classrooms and a renovated library, according to district renderings.
In June, the School Board directed Superintendent Michelle Reid to examine the renovation project and assess whether additional capacity is still needed—a question complicated by Skyview High’s planned opening in fall 2026 with ninth- and 10th-grade students. Reid is expected to report back by August 28.
The district said in a statement that “Centreville High School is an important part of the Fairfax County Public Schools community, and we remain committed to providing each and every student with a safe, modern, and welcoming learning environment.”
Hussein said parents plan to continue pressing the issue in the coming weeks.