x
Breaking News
More () »

Gloucester High School parents concerned with overcrowding

GLOUCESTER, Va. (WVEC) -- With the start of school just weeks away, several Gloucester County parents are concerned that the high school is overcrowded.

However, school board officials say that's not the case at all. School officials are working on fixing other problems at the high school.

Jill Jackson has lived in Gloucester for 14 years. She's fearful of sending her daughter to Gloucester high school in a few years.

“My friend has lived here all her life, she says the high school has been crowded since she went to Gloucester high school,” Jill Jackson.

It's a perception that many parents in Gloucester have, that the county's only high school is overcrowded. Gloucester County School Board chair Troy Andersen says the high school is actually under-capacity.

“I think where you see some of the concerns with parents and students is in the circulation space and what is seems like when class changes occur,” Andersen says.

Andersen says Gloucester High can hold 2,400 students. They've flirted with that number before, seeing up to 2,200 students at the school in the past. Currently there are only around 1,700 students enrolled at the high school.

“There's a lot more to do with the physical layout of space than most people believe when it comes to increasing the educational opportunity for students,” Andersen says.

Andersen says earlier this year they got $100,000 dollars in their budget to fund a master plan for Gloucester High school. Part of their master plan is to examine the current layout of the high school and make improvements to the infrastructure.

“We want to make sure circulation and classroom sizes are appropriate for modern day education,” Andersen says.

The school board plans on holding meetings this fall to address improvements. It will be open to the public.

Before You Leave, Check This Out