Located only 3.4 miles away from the Washington Dulles International airport, Skyview High School, formerly known as Western High School, is opening its doors to next year’s freshman and sophomore classes.

The name reflects the school’s location and its programs, featuring the core FCPS curriculum found in other schools, as well as specialized programs in fields such as robotics, AI and aerospace. Located near the airport, the school sits at a location where planes are often visible overhead.

“When I heard the name Skyview, it made sense,” Sully District Representative Seema Dixit said. “It is close to the airport, it has an aerospace program and a view of the sky. Anytime you walk out of the school, you see a plane flying overhead.” 

According to FCPS, the school board voted on the name during a formal decision process. The naming process also included community meetings, public hearings and surveys, with students making up the majority of survey participants.

“There is a motion by one of the board members and the other board members vote on [it],” Dixit said. “In this particular case, everybody voted for the school name, and we actually presented the name of the high school on a backdrop.”

According to Dixit, board members wanted a name that would distinguish the new school from others in the area. The name itself can play an important role in shaping a sense of community, however, it also serves to clear up misunderstanding. 

“I chose this name based on the recommendation made by the superintendent,” Dixit said. “Western High School would have confused a lot of people because it would have the same initials as Westfield High School. For the sake of clarity and giving a different name, I went with Skyview.”

Dixit believes that students will play a large role in shaping school identity, deciding on different factors. While the school board voted on the name, decisions about other aspects of the school will be more student-based. 

“All decisions will be aided by student input,” Dixit said. “We do not participate in mascot or  school color decisions. That is a decision made by the students of the school coming in.”

While enrollment is opt-in, final boundary decisions will be implemented in the 2027-28 school year, according to FCPS. The school is expected to bring opportunities to students in the area, addressing the growing education needs in the school community.

“This school will be one of a kind,” Dixit said. “It is a beautiful building, with great programs, but it goes beyond the name and the building, so I hope that when the school year starts, the new class will enjoy it.”