How did Herndon/Westfield HS go from top to bottom?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s tough when they draw a boundary through a neighborhood

Or when people define a neighborhood based on a boundary.

[Anonymous]

Why is HHS having a SEL day on Tues. I know it's an O day, and no new work can be assigned but they can't work on already assigned work?

[Anonymous]

Are all HS doing this ^^?

[Anonymous]

[
South Lakess has AAP for Hughes middle school. Some Herndon kids that end up wanting to stay at SL.


quote=Anonymous]

There are 224 kids transferring into South Lakes this year. About 2/3 (155) are transferring from Herndon. Westfield and Oakton also send 33 and 20 kids to South Lakes this year. In comparison, South Lakes only sends 13 kids to Herndon this year. FCPS shows both Herndon and South Lakes as closed to new transfers in 2022-23.

The 2007 boundary change ended up overcrowding South Lakes, so they built a further addition to South Lakes to the school outside the normal renovation cycle. Because people from Reston typically have had the most influence over Hunter Mill politics, many of the Hunter Mill School Board and Board of Supervisors members over the years (Stu Gibson, Pat Hynes, Kathy Hudgins, Walter Alcorn) have had close ties to Reston and/or South Lakes. They look out after that school. Dranesville politicians only pay attention to Herndon when they want Herndon residents to vote for Democrats.

Another reason to get rid of IB. This encourages Pupil Placement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:[
South Lakess has AAP for Hughes middle school. Some Herndon kids that end up wanting to stay at SL.


quote=Anonymous]

There are 224 kids transferring into South Lakes this year. About 2/3 (155) are transferring from Herndon. Westfield and Oakton also send 33 and 20 kids to South Lakes this year. In comparison, South Lakes only sends 13 kids to Herndon this year. FCPS shows both Herndon and South Lakes as closed to new transfers in 2022-23.

The 2007 boundary change ended up overcrowding South Lakes, so they built a further addition to South Lakes to the school outside the normal renovation cycle. Because people from Reston typically have had the most influence over Hunter Mill politics, many of the Hunter Mill School Board and Board of Supervisors members over the years (Stu Gibson, Pat Hynes, Kathy Hudgins, Walter Alcorn) have had close ties to Reston and/or South Lakes. They look out after that school. Dranesville politicians only pay attention to Herndon when they want Herndon residents to vote for Democrats.

Another reason to get rid of IB. This encourages Pupil Placement.

The existence of a popular program is not a reason to eliminate the choice to get into said program.

Do you even hear yourself?

[Anonymous]

I was the PP- the comment about eliminating IB was supposes to be quoted as part of someone else's response.
I wanted to say that some Herndon kids stay at SL after Hughes AAP. I don't want to eliminate IB. I would think Herndon needs to do something to attract those 155 kids they are losing to SL transfer.

[Anonymous]

The existence of a popular program is not a reason to eliminate the choice to get into said program.

Do you even hear yourself?

I'm the poster who said to eliminate IB. It may be a "popular" program with some, but many SL families would prefer AP. This was clear during the boundary comments in 2008 and it is still true today. Especially now that fewer Carson kids are attending TJ, more likely feel that way.
As for the 155 students from Herndon, I'm guessing that there are factors other than IB that encourage pupil placement. The AAP center may be one of them. The demographics may be another. And, for those who complain about Herndon/Langley boundary, that may be just as much of a factor with the issues that some people have with Herndon as the boundary.

IB at Lewis also enables students to request AP at a different school.

FCPS should relook at the IB program. I'm betting that more leave Lewis than ask to attend. That is another reason for the discrepancies in schools. I had no idea that 155 Herndon students PP into South Lakes.

As long as FCPS offers both IB and AP at different school, it will have a disparate impact on neighboring schools.

[Anonymous]

Part of that 155 could be kids who went to Fox Mill for Japanese Immersion, I know many of the local ES send kids to Fox Mill. There are are around 100 kids that transfer to Fox Mill. Those kids can then go to Carson and South Lakes in order to continue to pursue Japanese.

[Anonymous]

Time to get rid of language immersion, then.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

The existence of a popular program is not a reason to eliminate the choice to get into said program.

Do you even hear yourself?

I'm the poster who said to eliminate IB. It may be a "popular" program with some, but many SL families would prefer AP. This was clear during the boundary comments in 2008 and it is still true today. Especially now that fewer Carson kids are attending TJ, more likely feel that way.
As for the 155 students from Herndon, I'm guessing that there are factors other than IB that encourage pupil placement. The AAP center may be one of them. The demographics may be another. And, for those who complain about Herndon/Langley boundary, that may be just as much of a factor with the issues that some people have with Herndon as the boundary.

IB at Lewis also enables students to request AP at a different school.

FCPS should relook at the IB program. I'm betting that more leave Lewis than ask to attend. That is another reason for the discrepancies in schools. I had no idea that 155 Herndon students PP into South Lakes.

As long as FCPS offers both IB and AP at different school, it will have a disparate impact on neighboring schools.

The board is talking about doing a program review but I didn’t make a note of when.

[Anonymous]

They don’t really want to do a program review. They just want to avoid paying attention to boundaries or facilities on the grounds they need to do a program review first.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They don’t really want to do a program review. They just want to avoid paying attention to boundaries or facilities on the grounds they need to do a program review first.

So, you think it is better to redraw boundaries than to review programs? No. Eliminating a program does not disrupt students and families. A program can be phased out with little disruption.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They don’t really want to do a program review. They just want to avoid paying attention to boundaries or facilities on the grounds they need to do a program review first.

So, you think it is better to redraw boundaries than to review programs? No. Eliminating a program does not disrupt students and families. A program can be phased out with little disruption.

No, I think they should review programs first. I just don’t believe they have the brains or perseverance to overcome the staff inertia and resistance to change. At some point what ought to be a priority just becomes another excuse.

[Anonymous]

I’m with you there. A competent board could be trusted with a program review.

This one mucks up every damn thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1. I am wondering why Langley is even discussed on this thread. Langley has nothing to do with Herndon/Westfield/SLHS’s performance.

2. Herndon used to on a par with other FCPS high schools and one notch above South Lakes. For some reason a large hispanic population flocked to Herndon and that didn’t help the school academically. Aside from the gang problem, much of school resource is being used for Spanish speakers.

3. Westfield is still an OK school. But many condos and townhouses have been built in that area.

4. South Lakes did become a little (much?) better thanks to the boundary change in 2007. Some people said its IB program attracts students from other wealthier areas. But my observation is that most out of boundary kids are from Herndon, resulting in even worse situation at HHS.

There are 224 kids transferring into South Lakes this year. About 2/3 (155) are transferring from Herndon. Westfield and Oakton also send 33 and 20 kids to South Lakes this year. In comparison, South Lakes only sends 13 kids to Herndon this year. FCPS shows both Herndon and South Lakes as closed to new transfers in 2022-23.

The 2007 boundary change ended up overcrowding South Lakes, so they built a further addition to South Lakes to the school outside the normal renovation cycle. Because people from Reston typically have had the most influence over Hunter Mill politics, many of the Hunter Mill School Board and Board of Supervisors members over the years (Stu Gibson, Pat Hynes, Kathy Hudgins, Walter Alcorn) have had close ties to Reston and/or South Lakes. They look out after that school. Dranesville politicians only pay attention to Herndon when they want Herndon residents to vote for Democrats.

I will say there is something special about Hunter Mill Region. I'm not sure what or who it is but the elementary schools are great in that pyramid. We moved from Region 5 and we couldn't be happier with this change. Region 5 needs to get it together.