These things Dan Storck knows: Elementary school students are now in class the full day on Monday and older students will start later beginning next school year. The Mount Vernon school board member lead with these recent accomplishments in his presentation at the Mount Vernon Town Hall Meeting on Saturday Jan. 31.

He also knows is the strain the 10th largest school system in the country is under, citing the 1,000 seat shortage projected over the next several years and the lack of financial support from the state.

“We’re trying to keep the maximum number of teachers working with kids,” Storck said, “but it’s difficult to do what we’ve been doing for so many years in Fairfax County. The state has walked away from their commitment to education and that needs to change.”

And Storck said he still doesn’t know how the FCPS proposed Capital Improvement Program for FY 2016-2020 will move forward. “No decision has been made,” he said, “until the community has had multiple meetings to provide feedback.”

Rainey Astin, a Hollin Meadows Elementary School parent, met with Storck and other parents in the Mount Vernon High School lobby following his presentation. “We’re trying to say look at the effects on existing schools,” she said. “Maybe they should build new schools in the neighborhoods -- look at long term solutions, not Band-Aids.”

According to Storck, the process of discussing plans for school renovations, new buildings and boundary-drawing should last from March until late-summer, or even early fall.