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Prince William Times 09/02/2021

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FOOTBALL: Osbourn Park, Unity Reed are happy winners. SPORTS, PAGES 15-16

September 2, 2021 | Vol. 20, No. 35 | www.princewilliamtimes.com | $1.00 Covering Prince William County and surrounding communities, including Gainesville, Haymarket, Dumfries, Occoquan, Quantico and the cities of Manassas and Manassas Park.

As costs soar, county considers new housing policies Proposals aim to boost supply, subsidize affordable units By Daniel Berti

Times Staff Writer

Yessica Bonilla graduated from the College of William and Mary in 2020 and landed a job at a medical center in Washington D.C. She and her fiancรฉ found an apartment to rent in Woodbridge with a quick commute and only a short drive from her parentsโ€™ home in Stafford County. Bonilla, 23, said she likes the easy commute and being close to her family. But thereโ€™s a catch: The rent in Woodbridge is just too high. Bonilla said she spends about a third of her monthly pay on rent for her small apartment. And after her student loan and car payments, thereโ€™s not much left to put in savings. Bonilla said sheโ€™d like to stay where she is, but after months of searching, she and her fiancรฉ canโ€™t find anything in their price range.

PHOTO BY RANDY LITZINGER

Principal Nathan Beech talks with a ninth-grade student about their first week of school in the library, which is named for fallen Prince William County police officer Ashley Guindon.

Gainesville High opens amid return to in-person learning By Daniel Berti

Times Staff Writer

Gainesville High School opened its doors to students for the first time this August, and it couldnโ€™t have come at a better time. The new school is alleviating the overcrowding at three other western Prince William County high schools โ€“ Battlefield, Patriot and Unity Reed -- just as students are returning to in-person learning for the first time since March 2020. Against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, thatโ€™s a big win for students, parents and staff, Gainesville High School Principal Neil Beech said. โ€œWeโ€™ve relieved a lot of pressure on those schools. To alleviate enrollment in those schools when students are coming back, full-time, face-to-face, is certainly a win,โ€ Beech said. Last school year, Battlefield High School was 855 students overcapacity and required

See HOUSING, page 6

Nearly 300 students, staff in quarantine after 1st week of school

Gainesville High School

Location: 13150 University Blvd., Gainesville Mascot: Cardinal Colors: Red, gray, black and white Capacity: 2,557 Current enrollment: 1,389 Ninth grade: 680 10th grade: 479 11th grade: 223 Staff: 120 teachers and support staff Cost: $108.5 million

By Cher Muzyk and Jill Palermo Times Writers

21 portable trailers, while Patriot High School was 764 students overcapacity, requiring 20 portable trailers. Unity Reed was 253 students overcapacity, requiring seven trailers, according to school division enrollment data.

Like other school divisions across the state, Prince William Countyโ€™s schools began their second week of classes on Monday with hundreds of students and 11 staff members stuck at home in quarantine as a result of COVID-19 exposures at school. Prince William County schools have so far sent 284 students and 11 staff members home to quarantine because of exposures to a โ€œclose contactโ€ who has a probable or positive case of COVID-19, according to data released Monday by school division spokeswoman Diana Gulotta. Also, at least one entire classroom โ€“ a kindergarten class at Lake Ridge Elementary โ€“ went completely virtual as of Monday, Aug 30, because of at least one positive or probable COVID-19 case, according to a parent of a child at the school.

See GAINESVILLE HIGH, page 4

See QUARANTINE, page 4

SOURCE: GAINESVILLE HIGH SCHOOL, VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION DATABASE.

Vote for Readersโ€™ Choice! See Pages 10-11.

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