Bratz Go Back To School

As yet another school year begins in Reston, South Lakes High School welcomes a host of new students following an uneventful boundary study that received little attention, except maybe from those who decided to take advantage of a long-standing loophole or got a doctor's note saying they were allergic to the latex used in recently manufactured Bratz and whatnot. One thing has become clear, though: More students has, as backers of the redistricting argued, resulted in more classes at South Lakes -- even at a time when the district is facing a $95 million shortfall.

Students at South Lakes High School have more academic options this year as the school has added six new classes – International Baccalaureate business management, Advanced Placement government, fashion marketing, two Japanese courses and a culinary arts program.

South Lakes also will see the addition of many new students with the west county boundary changes and general student transfers. To compensate for that, the school has also hired additional staff members, Principal Bruce Butler said. "We have new upperclassmen as well and the bigger student population has allowed us to expand the staff," he said.

Renovations are mostly finished at South Lakes, Butler said, but construction crews still have to finish roofing the school and complete a few small projects. "The better part of the renovation project is done and should really be wrapped up at the beginning of October," he said.

Additionally, the new design and engineering lab also will be finished later this year and new courses will be added next school year, Butler said. Classes in the lab will include computer-aided design, architecture, fabrication, applied sciences and mathematics, he said.

What about that fashion marketing class?

Butler said he has heard a lot of positive feedback from students so far even though the school year has not yet started. For example, he said, a "critical mass" of students were interested in and excited by the fashion marketing class.

We wonder who those students were.