Katherine Johnson Middle School
Summary
Katherine Johnson Middle School is a public middle school in Fairfax City, renamed in 2021 after mathematician Katherine Johnson. The school and its grounds appear in the municipal record primarily in two contexts: (1) a proposed capital improvement project to install new turf fields on the school's site, which is noted to have significant stormwater challenges and grade changes, and was specifically named in the Planning Commission's CIP FY2027–FY2031 resolution (PC-26-01) adopted unanimously 5-0 on February 9, 2026; and (2) a civic engagement initiative in which students from the school developed urban planning proposals for the Northfax and Courthouse Plaza areas, presenting to the Planning Commission on March 9, 2026, and subsequently to City Council on June 2, 2026. The school also partnered with the Fairfax City Fire Department and Gwyneth's Gift Foundation on CPR training, reaching over 1,450 students in 2026. A science teacher at the school, Faiza Alam, has been an active public commenter at multiple meetings on environmental and sustainability matters.
Open questions & options on the table
- The CIP resolution (PC-26-01) named the Katherine Johnson turf field project explicitly, but recommended approval 'subject to the considerations discussed' — it is unresolved whether City Council has approved the CIP and the turf field project specifically.
- A February 2026 transcript excerpt raises the possibility of modifications to the Katherine Johnson project design to achieve goals more cost-effectively; it is unclear whether any such redesign process was initiated or concluded.
- The site's stormwater challenges, fill debris issues, grade drop, and need for permanent restroom facilities at Kuttner Park were flagged as factors in the project estimate — their resolution in final design is not recorded.
What members have said
At the February 9, 2026 Planning Commission meeting, Lockhart explained why the resolution was not more explicit about remaining school projects beyond Katherine Johnson, noting the smaller projects did not rise to the level of major capital items. Lockhart expressed comfort leaving Katherine Johnson named explicitly but suggested the commission could address remaining school projects under the theme of keeping schools safe and updated as a quality-of-life factor.
Faiza Alam, a science teacher at Katherine Johnson Middle School and ESC committee member, spoke at multiple public meetings (January 13, 2026 and June 23, 2026). She expressed support for trails, described her students' eco-stewardship projects, and highlighted the student planning presentations to the commission as particularly meaningful civic engagement.
Positions as recorded in meeting minutes; votes without recorded comment aren’t summarized.
Discussion time
Minutes of named discussion per transcribed meeting.
Full history
[6a] Katherine Johnson school project was specifically named in the CIP resolution language; commissioners discussed the level of explicitness needed for remaining school projects in the resolution.
passedMotion to adopt Resolution PC-26-01 as shown in Attachment 1, recommending City Council approve the Capital Improvement Program FY2027–FY2031 as proposed, subject to the considerations discussed.✓ Feather✓ Cunningham✓ Lockhart✓ McCarthy✓ Rice[4a] Students from Katherine Johnson Middle School presented urban planning proposals for Northfax and Courthouse Plaza to the Planning Commission.
[10] Students from Katherine Johnson Middle School presented proposed designs for Northfax and Courthouse Square to City Council on June 2, 2026.
Discussed alongside
Topics that come up in the same meetings.