As expected following the approval granted by the Falls Church City Council the night before, the Falls Church School Board voted 7-0 to authorize Superintendent Peter Noonan to ink the first of two “guaranteed maximum price” contracts with the development team of Gilbane, Stantec and Quinn Evans to ensure that construction of an all-new, state-of-the-art George Mason High School will commence with a groundbreaking ceremony on June 14, the day school lets out for the summer.     

A sizeable assemblage gathered at the Mustang Cafe of GMHS for the almost-ceremonial School Board, culminating an arduous first phase of a process that began with Falls Church voters approving a $120 million bond referendum for the new school in November 2017. The new high school construction is scheduled to be completed for occupancy by December 2020.     

Present at Tuesday night’s special School Board meeting were most members of the Falls Church City Council, many school supporters including past School Board members, City staff, and members of the development team, who applauded the vote and ate cake and posed for photos afterwards.