In the past few years, the Loudoun County School Board has been focused on making changes to positively impact students’ experiences both in and out of the classroom. For example, more school counselors and psychologists have been hired in efforts to ensure students feel supported. To improve safety, schools have added security officers to watch the interior as well as the perimeters of all buildings. Andrew Hoyler, a school board member representing the Broad Run District, says LCPS is trying to “fill in all the gaps that [the district] currently [has].” 

The 2022-2023 budget, which is roughly two billion dollars, will focus on benefiting students. County-wide changes will include free parking for all, free sports (meaning no athletic fees), turf practice fields with lights, adding lights to the tennis courts, baseball and softball press boxes, better quality free lunches, and more advanced course options. Furthermore, 24/7 online mental health support will be available for all students in the county. For now, these are just the current proposals, as the final budget will come out in a few months.

The goal, according to Hoyler, is to make a concerted effort to improve all aspects of school. Along with the countywide upgrades, Briar Woods is first on the list to receive much needed classroom space. The trailers, which are old and antiquated, are finally going to say their goodbyes and be laid to rest. An additional nine classrooms will be built in their current location. Other Loudoun County schools will undergo changes to their main offices and libraries, just as BWHS did, and their trailers – though not as old as Briar’s – will eventually be removed.

The opinions of the students in LCPS are important to the school board. According to Andrew Hoyler, students are encouraged to attend school board meetings and speak during the public comment portion. It’s a great way to feel heard and stay involved in what’s going on within the county. All of the meeting times and dates can be found on the Loudoun County website.