During the Oct. 1 public-comment period at the Prince William County School Board meeting, eleven speakers addressed a range of issues; the first speaker urged the board to rezone Covington Harper Elementary and criticized recent votes the speaker said had opposed rezoning.

"Our school is currently operating at more than 130%," said parent Blake Hara during public comment. Hara described overcrowding as causing stress on teachers and said portable classrooms, security and facility conditions had created safety concerns for families. He asked what the board would do if planned new schools opened later than projected and urged stronger oversight of zoning decisions.

Other speakers addressed students' mental health and suicide-prevention programming, support for LGBTQ+ students and appreciation for county efforts to expand counseling and trainings. Emily Cherry, a parent, thanked the board for suicide-awareness work and for introducing the SOS (Signs of Suicide) training for seventh and ninth graders; she said research shows affirming schools reduce suicide attempts among LGBTQ+ youth.

Ian Khan, a student, asked the board to consider making Lunar New Year an official PWCS holiday, noting the county's growing Asian population and arguing recognition would advance equity and inclusion. Parent Linda Chang spoke in support of Khan's request.

Other public commenters raised dysgraphia and dyslexia awareness, concerns about school bond referendums and tax impacts, and questions about the new cell-phone policy and how the division will measure its effects.

Board members did not take action on rezoning during the meeting. Several members later acknowledged overcrowding as an ongoing issue and described administrative steps already taken in affected areas (for example, additional cameras and site security at portable classrooms) while noting that residential development and county-level land-use decisions factor into long-term capacity planning.

The meeting's public-comment period lasted one hour; the board listened but did not vote on zoning changes at the Oct. 1 session.