Places to Sign Recall Petitions - Tholen/Omeish/Cohen

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

If she somehow does move a few neighborhoods from WS to Lewis (which I doubt, but suppose could happen), she’ll be a pariah in Fairfax County and will have to move away. Lol. People will be so mad.

Are those neighborhoods the ones that were just redistricted OUT of Springfield district?

Yes


So fcps can/will likely move those neighborhoods to Lewis without Cohen bearing any repercussions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Boundary change was needed. McLean was told to wait on a larger conversation years ago, which led to the formation of McSpaces.

\

So elaine's boundary change, negotiated with mcspaces and vance, reduced overcrowding at MHS? The boundary change reduced capacity at MHS by how much? Did it help? If so, please provide more detail so I can understand.

DP, but the MHS enrollment this fall is at an all-time high with 2368 kids in December.

MHS has been overcrowded for a decade, and they've had plenty of time to adjust the CIP to budget for an addition to the school.

When asked what she's doing to fulfill her campaign pledge to secure funding for a permanent addition to the school (which has the least permanent learning space of any high school in FCPS, but an above-average enrollment), Elaine tells MHS that "she's only one of 12 School Board members." Seems like being a Democrat on a School Board with 12 Democratic members might position Elaine to actually advocate for one of her Dranesville schools, but the only schools in FCPS she apparently cares about are TJ and Langley.

As for McSpaces, they seem to have disappeared from the face of the earth. My understanding is the leader is a loyal Democrat unwilling to call out Tholen's failures.

[Anonymous]

The school board just decided to redo the renovation que.

Time for McLean to press Elaine and the At-large members to prioritize McLean.

They might not get anywhere with Omeish if she considers them “too dumb and too white” to be listened to, but they should try anyway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The school board just decided to redo the renovation que.

Time for McLean to press Elaine and the At-large members to prioritize McLean.

They might not get anywhere with Omeish if she considers them “too dumb and too white” to be listened to, but they should try anyway.

I'll believe it when I see it. They may have told Brabrand to start the process to retain a third-party consultant to develop a new queue. No doubt they'll either retain the consultant or come out with a new queue in mid-2023 just before the fall elections, as if it's a big favor Tholen and the other SB members are doing for MHS.

They still haven't explained why they built an addition to South Lakes, and are building additions to West Potomac, Justice and Madison now, even though at least two of those schools (Justice and Madison) were/are less overcrowded than McLean. Somehow it was OK to revise the CIP to build additions at those schools when they weren't on the renovation queue, but string MHS along year after year. The Democrats are going to pay a price in Dranesville in 2023.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The school board just decided to redo the renovation que.

Time for McLean to press Elaine and the At-large members to prioritize McLean.

They might not get anywhere with Omeish if she considers them “too dumb and too white” to be listened to, but they should try anyway.

I'll believe it when I see it. They may have told Brabrand to start the process to retain a third-party consultant to develop a new queue. No doubt they'll either retain the consultant or come out with a new queue in mid-2023 just before the fall elections, as if it's a big favor Tholen and the other SB members are doing for MHS.

They still haven't explained why they built an addition to South Lakes, and are building additions to West Potomac, Justice and Madison now, even though at least two of those schools (Justice and Madison) were/are less overcrowded than McLean. Somehow it was OK to revise the CIP to build additions at those schools when they weren't on the renovation queue, but string MHS along year after year. The Democrats are going to pay a price in Dranesville in 2023.

So Ive heard this statement over and over again, especially West Potomac - basically that there was no logic as to why those renovations were budgeted outside of the renovation queue. If it s so clear and obvious that there was something less than transparent, how can we call them out for that? It just seems like we are all aware and acknowledging that there was potentially some significant misuse of tax payer funds, but there is no accountability nor ability to call this out and stop it from repeating. How do we make FCPS explain why they renovated those schools?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Boundary change was needed. McLean was told to wait on a larger conversation years ago, which led to the formation of McSpaces.

\

So elaine's boundary change, negotiated with mcspaces and vance, reduced overcrowding at MHS? The boundary change reduced capacity at MHS by how much? Did it help? If so, please provide more detail so I can understand.

I’m not saying they got a good deal.

I am saying telling them to wait—yet again— was clearly not an option.

It was an option that would have taken courage. Instead, no one won and a year and a half was wasted when we all could have been focused on a reno. She made a fool of everyone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Boundary change was needed. McLean was told to wait on a larger conversation years ago, which led to the formation of McSpaces.

\

So elaine's boundary change, negotiated with mcspaces and vance, reduced overcrowding at MHS? The boundary change reduced capacity at MHS by how much? Did it help? If so, please provide more detail so I can understand.

DP, but the MHS enrollment this fall is at an all-time high with 2368 kids in December.

MHS has been overcrowded for a decade, and they've had plenty of time to adjust the CIP to budget for an addition to the school.

When asked what she's doing to fulfill her campaign pledge to secure funding for a permanent addition to the school (which has the least permanent learning space of any high school in FCPS, but an above-average enrollment), Elaine tells MHS that "she's only one of 12 School Board members." Seems like being a Democrat on a School Board with 12 Democratic members might position Elaine to actually advocate for one of her Dranesville schools, but the only schools in FCPS she apparently cares about are TJ and Langley.


Exactly - how is it that a boundary change results in the highest enrollment at MHS ever? Because the boundary did nothing. Because platenburg cant predict what day it is tomorrow never mind how many kids will come from Tysons to mclean, marshall, etc. Because FCPS considers itself separate from the fairfax county government vice sharing a renovation budget. Because tholen is a manipulative liar. Because tholens predecessor was a manipulative lazy liar.

As for McSpaces, they seem to have disappeared from the face of the earth. My understanding is the leader is a loyal Democrat unwilling to call out Tholen's failures.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Boundary change was needed. McLean was told to wait on a larger conversation years ago, which led to the formation of McSpaces.

\

So elaine's boundary change, negotiated with mcspaces and vance, reduced overcrowding at MHS? The boundary change reduced capacity at MHS by how much? Did it help? If so, please provide more detail so I can understand.

DP, but the MHS enrollment this fall is at an all-time high with 2368 kids in December.

MHS has been overcrowded for a decade, and they've had plenty of time to adjust the CIP to budget for an addition to the school.

When asked what she's doing to fulfill her campaign pledge to secure funding for a permanent addition to the school (which has the least permanent learning space of any high school in FCPS, but an above-average enrollment), Elaine tells MHS that "she's only one of 12 School Board members." Seems like being a Democrat on a School Board with 12 Democratic members might position Elaine to actually advocate for one of her Dranesville schools, but the only schools in FCPS she apparently cares about are TJ and Langley.

As for McSpaces, they seem to have disappeared from the face of the earth. My understanding is the leader is a loyal Democrat unwilling to call out Tholen's failures.

vance proved himself to be a coward during the boundary process - he knew elaine was selling him a bad deal but he did not have the guts to call her out, or even ask her tough questions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Cohen and Frisch don’t do anything to address overcrowded high schools, but they are constantly asking for money. Talk about “pay to play”!

https://secure.actblue.com/donate/lgbtqljckf22?fbclid=IwAR253DuT1hNjsgg4nZwT7Cy_EOvXJFCVGf-kVqWaJP4DIEShutIlMEbAmr8

The elitists make it clear that they'd rather have their kids go to overcrowded schools instead of adjusting boundaries, so Cohen and Frisch can't really push for policy to address overcrowding. Well, they can, but they'd risk their reputations.

I thought Cohen was supporting moving kids from West Springfield to under-enrolled Lewis. Is that not the case?

We aren’t sure. There was some movement of neighborhoods from (I think) Springfield District to Lee District for magisterial district purposes. Your district for the BoS doesn’t match up with your school pyramid though. It is unclear to me if Cohen understands that fact. West Springfield has pretty compact and logical boundaries and, with the expansion (that is already done and predates Cohen, so no point in arguing about it anymore) is just about at capacity.

Where is the plan for all of this? Tholen had a chance to wait on the MHS boundary until after FCPS hired the boundary consultant - that consultant was supposed to recommend best practices on boundaries for all of FCPS. Tholen did not wait and pushed through the change in the middle of a pandemic - so she failed to make the process better (or make a process at all). How is it that we now see Cohen and Frisch going about this in the same failed way Tholen did - a way that lacks transparency and leaves parents wondering where things stand?

I just hope that people are right and she won’t run again. She hasn’t kept her campaign pledges and is utterly ineffective.

If she somehow does move a few neighborhoods from WS to Lewis (which I doubt, but suppose could happen), she’ll be a pariah in Fairfax County and will have to move away. Lol. People will be so mad.

WSHS/Springfield district really like to play the victim here as if they're being singled out, but the real overcrowding issue is much larger in scope than just affecting WSHS. We obviously know the western schools need significant relief and now even some central and eastern ones like Oakton, Woodson, Mclean, Edison, (and WSHS) are projected to be at or over 100% even when accounting for using modulars and renovations by 2026. A complete county-wide study and overhaul of boundaries is inevitable, especially as the western high school is still at best 8+ years out according to Platenberg.

[Anonymous]

I just hope that people are right and she won’t run again. She hasn’t kept her campaign pledges and is utterly ineffective.

So, why is she fundraising?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I just hope that people are right and she won’t run again. She hasn’t kept her campaign pledges and is utterly ineffective.

So, why is she fundraising?

Original quote refers to Tholen. It's Cohen who is constantly fundraising.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The school board just decided to redo the renovation que.

Time for McLean to press Elaine and the At-large members to prioritize McLean.

They might not get anywhere with Omeish if she considers them “too dumb and too white” to be listened to, but they should try anyway.

I'll believe it when I see it. They may have told Brabrand to start the process to retain a third-party consultant to develop a new queue. No doubt they'll either retain the consultant or come out with a new queue in mid-2023 just before the fall elections, as if it's a big favor Tholen and the other SB members are doing for MHS.

They still haven't explained why they built an addition to South Lakes, and are building additions to West Potomac, Justice and Madison now, even though at least two of those schools (Justice and Madison) were/are less overcrowded than McLean. Somehow it was OK to revise the CIP to build additions at those schools when they weren't on the renovation queue, but string MHS along year after year. The Democrats are going to pay a price in Dranesville in 2023.

Ok then.

Do nothing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The school board just decided to redo the renovation que.

Time for McLean to press Elaine and the At-large members to prioritize McLean.

They might not get anywhere with Omeish if she considers them “too dumb and too white” to be listened to, but they should try anyway.

I'll believe it when I see it. They may have told Brabrand to start the process to retain a third-party consultant to develop a new queue. No doubt they'll either retain the consultant or come out with a new queue in mid-2023 just before the fall elections, as if it's a big favor Tholen and the other SB members are doing for MHS.

They still haven't explained why they built an addition to South Lakes, and are building additions to West Potomac, Justice and Madison now, even though at least two of those schools (Justice and Madison) were/are less overcrowded than McLean. Somehow it was OK to revise the CIP to build additions at those schools when they weren't on the renovation queue, but string MHS along year after year. The Democrats are going to pay a price in Dranesville in 2023.

So Ive heard this statement over and over again, especially West Potomac - basically that there was no logic as to why those renovations were budgeted outside of the renovation queue. If it s so clear and obvious that there was something less than transparent, how can we call them out for that? It just seems like we are all aware and acknowledging that there was potentially some significant misuse of tax payer funds, but there is no accountability nor ability to call this out and stop it from repeating. How do we make FCPS explain why they renovated those schools?

Accountability isn’t their strong suit and they never admit when they’ve made bad or illogical decisions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Boundary change was needed. McLean was told to wait on a larger conversation years ago, which led to the formation of McSpaces.

\

So elaine's boundary change, negotiated with mcspaces and vance, reduced overcrowding at MHS? The boundary change reduced capacity at MHS by how much? Did it help? If so, please provide more detail so I can understand.

DP, but the MHS enrollment this fall is at an all-time high with 2368 kids in December.

MHS has been overcrowded for a decade, and they've had plenty of time to adjust the CIP to budget for an addition to the school.

When asked what she's doing to fulfill her campaign pledge to secure funding for a permanent addition to the school (which has the least permanent learning space of any high school in FCPS, but an above-average enrollment), Elaine tells MHS that "she's only one of 12 School Board members." Seems like being a Democrat on a School Board with 12 Democratic members might position Elaine to actually advocate for one of her Dranesville schools, but the only schools in FCPS she apparently cares about are TJ and Langley.

As for McSpaces, they seem to have disappeared from the face of the earth. My understanding is the leader is a loyal Democrat unwilling to call out Tholen's failures.

vance proved himself to be a coward during the boundary process - he knew elaine was selling him a bad deal but he did not have the guts to call her out, or even ask her tough questions.

I hear he’s a staunch democrat. He probably doesn’t want to do anything that weakens the possibility of the next dem candidate for Dranesville.

Making a huge fuss about Elaine and the school board will might result in hurting the rep of Fairfax dems and give republicans ammo for the next election.

You have to sympathize with his position.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Boundary change was needed. McLean was told to wait on a larger conversation years ago, which led to the formation of McSpaces.

\

So elaine's boundary change, negotiated with mcspaces and vance, reduced overcrowding at MHS? The boundary change reduced capacity at MHS by how much? Did it help? If so, please provide more detail so I can understand.

DP, but the MHS enrollment this fall is at an all-time high with 2368 kids in December.

MHS has been overcrowded for a decade, and they've had plenty of time to adjust the CIP to budget for an addition to the school.

When asked what she's doing to fulfill her campaign pledge to secure funding for a permanent addition to the school (which has the least permanent learning space of any high school in FCPS, but an above-average enrollment), Elaine tells MHS that "she's only one of 12 School Board members." Seems like being a Democrat on a School Board with 12 Democratic members might position Elaine to actually advocate for one of her Dranesville schools, but the only schools in FCPS she apparently cares about are TJ and Langley.

As for McSpaces, they seem to have disappeared from the face of the earth. My understanding is the leader is a loyal Democrat unwilling to call out Tholen's failures.

vance proved himself to be a coward during the boundary process - he knew elaine was selling him a bad deal but he did not have the guts to call her out, or even ask her tough questions.

I hear he’s a staunch democrat. He probably doesn’t want to do anything that weakens the possibility of the next dem candidate for Dranesville.

Making a huge fuss about Elaine and the school board will might result in hurting the rep of Fairfax dems and give republicans ammo for the next election.

You have to sympathize with his position.

The Republicans will have plenty of ammo against any Democrat who asks for votes from McLean precincts in 2023. Along with the Langley precincts that in non-Trump years generally vote Republican there is a very good chance they'll flip both the School Board and Board of Supervisors seats in Dranesville in 2023 (the local supervisor, John Foust, has heavily promoted development in Tysons and downtown McLean, but doesn't put any pressure on the School Board to address the current and future school overcrowding).