Fairfax High School (Fairfax, Virginia)

Fairfax High School

Established	1936
School type	public school
Principal	Scott Brabrand
Location	Fairfax, VA
Enrollment	2,121
Athletic Conference	Concorde District Northern Region
Colors	Blue & Gray
Nickname	Rebels
Homepage	Official Site

Fairfax High School is a public high school in Fairfax, Virginia. The school is owned by the city of Fairfax, but is operated by Fairfax County Public Schools as part of a contractual agreement.

The current building that is Fairfax High School opened in January of 1972. It is currently undergoing a $54 million renovation designed by architectural firm BeeryRio that will be finished by November 2007. Renovations began in March 2005 and will add an additional 86,500 sq. ft. of classroom space.

Daniels Run Elementary School, Willow Springs Elementary School, Providence Elementary School, and Fairfax Villa Elementary School all feed into Lanier Middle School which feeds into Fairfax High School.

Demographics

Fairfax High School's student body is 52% White; 10% Black; 14% Hispanic; and 24% Asian.

Test Scores

Fairfax High School is a fully accredited high school based on the Standards of Learning tests in Virginia. The average SAT score in 2005 for Fairfax High School was 1,093 (532 in Verbal; 561 in Math).

Athletics

Fairfax's nickname is the Rebels, and the sports teams currently play in the AAA Concorde District and Northern Region.

Johnny Reb Controversy

The previous mascot of Fairfax High School was a caricature of a Conferederate soldier known as "Johnny Reb" Due to complaints from black students and parents, and at the suggestion of the school’s Minority Achievement Task Free, the principal (H. Holsinger) removed the “Johnny Reb” symbol in 1988. Student protests, rallies, and a lawsuit followed, which challenged the principal’s actions as violating the First Amendment guarantees of free speech. In Crosby v. Holsinger, 852 F.2d 801 (4th Cir. 1988), the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the federal district court decision in favor of the principal.

Theatre

The F/X Players are the theatre troupe for Fairfax High School. They are dedicated toward the promotion of theatre in every aspect. The current director and sponsor is Wendy Knight.

Fairfax has an orchestra pit that can move up and down, but it has been locked in the house floor position due to safety concerns.

External links