Tech school showing its age

[Guest guest]

Tech school showing its age

By Jacks

jjacks@...

03/08/2006

http://www.timescommunity.com/site/tab5.cfm?

newsid=16262179 & BRD=2553 & PAG=461 & dept_id=506096 & rfi=6

Reston, VA

Roaring trucks, dripping urinals, waterless fountains and, worst of

all, mold: No, this is not a filthy bathroom in a gas station on the

interstate. It is one of our nation's top schools.

Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in the

andria section of Fairfax County is showing its age of 42,

parents say.

A petition on the school's parent, teacher, student association Web

site has more than 1,250 signatures, many with venting comments

about the condition of Jefferson's main building directed toward the

Fairfax County school system.

" ... deplorable learning environments, " one woman wrote on the

petition.

Two parents posted that their son was using his inhaler " more " since

he started at Jefferson.

" Help repair our school! " another proclaimed.

In October, several members of the school's PTSA met with school

administrators to discuss their most " pressing " concerns with

respect to Jefferson's deteriorating state.

Their list included leaks in the roof, mold in some classrooms,

noisy air conditioners, Venetian blinds in disrepair, dripping

urinals, old furniture, faulty electrical systems in the cafeteria

and safety concerns about trucks accessing a fuel pump station

located behind the school.

" And water fountains, " added Herndon's Alan Krishnan, whose daughter

is a recent graduate of the magnet school. " They just don't work. "

Krishnan said it is embarrassing to imagine what " dignitaries "

visiting Jefferson must think of what he calls " the best school in

the country. "

In his opinion, the surest solution would be for the county to

spend " $50,000 " to make some of the more immediate fixes. After

that, he said, they should then consider constructing a new building

for Jefferson and converting the current one on Braddock Road into

an arts and humanities magnet school.

Deborah Kilpatrick, president of Jefferson's PTSA, was hesitant to

discuss the school's physical state or the petition, explaining

Jefferson already receives plenty " of negative press " with respect

to the number of minority students it admits.

However, she did concede, " I think most people understand that a 42-

year-old building may need some help ... . We are in the same

situation as lots of Fairfax County schools. "

She confirmed a recent incident of a ceiling vent in the school's

gymnasium falling to the ground, barely missing a student.

" Now, the county did come out and expect all of the vents, " she said

in the school's defense. " But there was still a frightened student.

And this was a safety issue. "

The school's student newspapers also reported that a student was

struck by a falling fluorescent light cover in 2004, cutting her leg.

With respect to mold, Regnier, a spokesperson with Fairfax

County public schools, said staff has responded to all reported

cases at Jefferson. He said the mold might have arose from moisture

formed from the air conditioning being set " too high. "

" This is not atypical of buildings this age, " he said of water build-

up.

Attempts to contact Dean Tistadt, the school system's assistant

superintendent for facilities, were unsuccessful. Also, an e-mail

sent to Fairfax County School Board member Niedzielski-

Eichner, chairman of the board's facilities and operations

committee, was not returned.

However, the county does acknowledge the school's need of an

overhaul.

In its latest five-year Capital Improvement Program, a $78 million

renovation of Jefferson is mentioned. But the project

remains " unfunded, " thus no completion date has been set.

" We are not trying to bump anyone out of the way, " said Kilpatrick,

referring to moving up Jefferson's eventual makeover.

She said the next PTSA meeting, March 22, will focus on the school's

physical condition.

" This is not going to be a quick fix, " she cautioned.

However, Krishnan is a bit more anxious.

For at least two years, he said, he has been pressing the school

board to renovate Jefferson sooner rather than later.

But what of the issue of no money set aside for such a project?

Krishnan thinks the funding is already there.

" Did you see what the housing assessments were? " he asked. " No one

will even miss the money. "