Benjamin Franklin Middle School opened in the fall of 1984, and was officially dedicated on November 4th of that year. Construction of our school was funded by the November 1981 school bond referendum. On June 24, 1982, the Fairfax County School Board awarded the construction contract for Franklin to Fletcher and Sons, Inc., in the amount of $7,183,000. School staff projected the building would be complete and ready to open in 18 to 20 months. Our school was originally called Benjamin Franklin Intermediate School, and was renamed as Benjamin Franklin Middle School in the early 1990s. Our school theme in 1984 was “We touch the Future Through the Past and Present.”

Local History 

In 1937, James Franklin, an airline pilot, and his wife Jean purchased Oak Hill Farm and converted the property from a general farm into a dairy farm. By the late 1970s, Franklin had expanded Oak Hill Farm, then known as the Franklin Farm, to 827 acres, making it one of the largest dairy farms in Fairfax County. The farm encompassed much of the present day Franklin Farm, Oak Hill, Franklin Glen, and Chantilly Highlands neighborhoods. During the construction process, our school was referred to as the Franklin Intermediate School site because of its connection to the Franklin Farm area. It wasn't until May 1984 that our building was officially named for Benjamin Franklin. During the school naming process, other names considered by the School Board were Emily Dickenson and Carl Sandburg.

Our Namesake

Did you know that Benjamin Franklin created the first map of the Gulf Stream?