FCPS HS Boundary

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:None of the situations are necessary. If you don’t like your kids bumping elbows with other kids, move. There are less crowded options with plenty of seats inside and outside the county.

Good luck moving for better schools when you're suddenly underwater on your mortgage because FCPS shifted your home to a school with a 30% ESL rate and your property value tanked by 25%.

Oh well. This is what we’ve voted for in our state and county. Suck it up buttercup. You’re probably wealthier than 95% of the country.

DP, but as pointed out before no one campaigned for county or state office saying they were committed to large-scale school boundary revisions in FCPS.

It's not an issue where you can predict someone's views based on party affiliation. The far left would redistrict to balance demographics in the name of equity. The far right would redistrict to minimize future taxes and spending on facilities. And most people who aren't either far left or far right would probably say only change school boundaries when it's absolutely necessary and continue to renovate and expand schools in the ordinary course to meet current needs and anticipate future ones.

It’s “far right” not to want to raise taxes for unnecessary expansions and new construction now.

*sigh*

The "right" is a sliding scale of priorities. The center-right want to keep the poor kids segregated while also being in favor of taxpayers subsidizing renovations for their personal school. Perhaps they're more liberal than they think they are.

Going too far right means the possibility of mixing in poor kids through fiscally responsible boundary decisions instead of renovations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:None of the situations are necessary. If you don’t like your kids bumping elbows with other kids, move. There are less crowded options with plenty of seats inside and outside the county.

Good luck moving for better schools when you're suddenly underwater on your mortgage because FCPS shifted your home to a school with a 30% ESL rate and your property value tanked by 25%.

Oh well. This is what we’ve voted for in our state and county. Suck it up buttercup. You’re probably wealthier than 95% of the country.

DP, but as pointed out before no one campaigned for county or state office saying they were committed to large-scale school boundary revisions in FCPS.

It's not an issue where you can predict someone's views based on party affiliation. The far left would redistrict to balance demographics in the name of equity. The far right would redistrict to minimize future taxes and spending on facilities. And most people who aren't either far left or far right would probably say only change school boundaries when it's absolutely necessary and continue to renovate and expand schools in the ordinary course to meet current needs and anticipate future ones.

It’s “far right” not to want to raise taxes for unnecessary expansions and new construction now.

*sigh*

The "right" is a sliding scale of priorities. The center-right want to keep the poor kids segregated while also being in favor of taxpayers subsidizing renovations for their personal school. Perhaps they're more liberal than they think they are.

Going too far right means the possibility of mixing in poor kids through fiscally responsible boundary decisions instead of renovations.

It's more that the majority center wants the county to invest appropriately in the schools that need expansions or renovations, and avoid boundary changes except when absolutely necessary. That is what surveys conducted by FCPS a couple of years ago indicated.

[Anonymous]

I don't have the sense that people at Lake Braddock and Robinson worry about issues relating to overcrowding and facilities to the extent of those in some other parts of the county. Both schools were built in the 1970s to be very large and, while they are showing their age a bit, there's a huge difference between the facilities at Robinson and, say, Annandale or McLean. And neither school is overcrowded like Chantilly. Plus the people at Lake Braddock and Robinson are just more chill generally.

West Springfield is a different story because it's overcrowded and close to Lewis, which keeps losing kids, but even if they did something with the Lewis/West Springfield boundaries it's not clear it would pull in Lake Braddock or Robinson.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't have the sense that people at Lake Braddock and Robinson worry about issues relating to overcrowding and facilities to the extent of those in some other parts of the county. Both schools were built in the 1970s to be very large and, while they are showing their age a bit, there's a huge difference between the facilities at Robinson and, say, Annandale or McLean. And neither school is overcrowded like Chantilly. Plus the people at Lake Braddock and Robinson are just more chill generally.

West Springfield is a different story because it's overcrowded and close to Lewis, which keeps losing kids, but even if they did something with the Lewis/West Springfield boundaries it's not clear it would pull in Lake Braddock or Robinson.

I don't this it's necessarily that they're more chill, I think that most parents are happy with their kids pyramid and would oppose boundary adjustments that effected them personally. Those same parents may support it county wide, but not if it means their kid has to go to a different school

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:.

NP I interpreted that the PP was referring to the schools that got crappy renovations, like McLean, Annandale, Lewis, and Woodson. Unlike the schools with over the top facilities such as, Fairfax, Herndon, Oakton, West Springfield, Langley.

Fairfax was last renovated into the early 2000s. The Library area is great but there are many windowless classrooms and the Cafeteria looks straight out of the early 70s. They do have great fields. Fairfax has a leaky roof. The city is working on a bond to fix that is it will be in the many millions. Fairfax is also different from the other county schools in that the City of Fairfax owns the Building so the city pays for renovations. The City pays the county millions to run it's schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: NP I interpreted that the PP was referring to the schools that got crappy renovations, like McLean, Annandale, Lewis, and Woodson. Unlike the schools with over the top facilities such as, Fairfax, Herndon, Oakton, West Springfield, Langley.

Fairfax was last renovated into the early 2000s. The Library area is great but there are many windowless classrooms and the Cafeteria looks straight out of the early 70s. They do have great fields. Fairfax has a leaky roof. The city is working on a bond to fix that is it will be in the many millions. Fairfax is also different from the other county schools in that the City of Fairfax owns the Building so the city pays for renovations. The City pays the county millions to run it's schools.

A key point, though, is that Fairfax City doesn't have to wait around for the rest of the FCPS to get its act together. They can go ahead and issue a bond for additional improvements to the four city-owned schools (Fairfax, Johnson, Daniels Run, and Providence). Other parts of the county would love to have that flexibility and not be beholden to FCPS and county politicians, but the state won't let them incorporate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:None of the situations are necessary. If you don’t like your kids bumping elbows with other kids, move. There are less crowded options with plenty of seats inside and outside the county.

Good luck moving for better schools when you're suddenly underwater on your mortgage because FCPS shifted your home to a school with a 30% ESL rate and your property value tanked by 25%.

Oh well. This is what we’ve voted for in our state and county. Suck it up buttercup. You’re probably wealthier than 95% of the country.

DP, but as pointed out before no one campaigned for county or state office saying they were committed to large-scale school boundary revisions in FCPS.

It's not an issue where you can predict someone's views based on party affiliation. The far left would redistrict to balance demographics in the name of equity. The far right would redistrict to minimize future taxes and spending on facilities. And most people who aren't either far left or far right would probably say only change school boundaries when it's absolutely necessary and continue to renovate and expand schools in the ordinary course to meet current needs and anticipate future ones.

No one should be expanding HS around here. They are already too large. Kids don’t even know half their classmates let alone their classmates’ names.

In any case, the SB is too politically driven to give a wit about education. They are all about their next political position and won’t actually do anything on this topic. I wish they’d stop wasting everyone’s time and emotional capital on boundaries.

Some recent expansions to a design capacity of at least 2500 seats include: Herndon (2779), Madison (2503), Oakton (2646), South Lakes (2717), West Potomac (3049), and West Springfield (2505)

Some ongoing and planned expansions include: Falls Church (2500), Justice (2500), and Centreville (3000)

Schools that were built large include: Lake Braddock (3124), Robinson (2752), South County (2500), and Westfield (2823)

So that cat is out of the bag, and they obviously struggle mightily to find acceptable sites for any new high school. Given all that, it's more than a bit late to start claiming no other schools should be expanded, regardless of their circumstances.

BS. There is no need for size equity.

It's not especially important at the ES or MS level, but it's certainly a consideration at the HS level.

Spending to expand some high schools while blowing off others with an even greater need for additional seats would be the epitome of unfair treatment.

You fill until you hit the limit. Then you decide is it better to cozy up or send your kid elsewhere. Move if you have to. Stop with your calls for equity. Stop wasting tax followers on buildings.

^tax dollars

Spending to ensure HS facilities are generally comparable is an investment in kids and communities. There are huge disparities in facilities within FCPS, just as there are among when it comes to student achievement. A School Board that wants a first-class system pays attention to both.

“First class” in what sense? lol

Anyway, all schools should be maintained in good repair, buildings, fields, and hardscaping. They don’t all need to be the same size.

Agreed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:None of the situations are necessary. If you don’t like your kids bumping elbows with other kids, move. There are less crowded options with plenty of seats inside and outside the county.

Good luck moving for better schools when you're suddenly underwater on your mortgage because FCPS shifted your home to a school with a 30% ESL rate and your property value tanked by 25%.

Oh well. This is what we’ve voted for in our state and county. Suck it up buttercup. You’re probably wealthier than 95% of the country.

DP, but as pointed out before no one campaigned for county or state office saying they were committed to large-scale school boundary revisions in FCPS.

It's not an issue where you can predict someone's views based on party affiliation. The far left would redistrict to balance demographics in the name of equity. The far right would redistrict to minimize future taxes and spending on facilities. And most people who aren't either far left or far right would probably say only change school boundaries when it's absolutely necessary and continue to renovate and expand schools in the ordinary course to meet current needs and anticipate future ones.

No one should be expanding HS around here. They are already too large. Kids don’t even know half their classmates let alone their classmates’ names.

In any case, the SB is too politically driven to give a wit about education. They are all about their next political position and won’t actually do anything on this topic. I wish they’d stop wasting everyone’s time and emotional capital on boundaries.

Some recent expansions to a design capacity of at least 2500 seats include: Herndon (2779), Madison (2503), Oakton (2646), South Lakes (2717), West Potomac (3049), and West Springfield (2505)

Some ongoing and planned expansions include: Falls Church (2500), Justice (2500), and Centreville (3000)

Schools that were built large include: Lake Braddock (3124), Robinson (2752), South County (2500), and Westfield (2823)

So that cat is out of the bag, and they obviously struggle mightily to find acceptable sites for any new high school. Given all that, it's more than a bit late to start claiming no other schools should be expanded, regardless of their circumstances.

BS. There is no need for size equity.

It's not especially important at the ES or MS level, but it's certainly a consideration at the HS level.

Spending to expand some high schools while blowing off others with an even greater need for additional seats would be the epitome of unfair treatment.

You fill until you hit the limit. Then you decide is it better to cozy up or send your kid elsewhere. Move if you have to. Stop with your calls for equity. Stop wasting tax followers on buildings.

^tax dollars

Spending to ensure HS facilities are generally comparable is an investment in kids and communities. There are huge disparities in facilities within FCPS, just as there are among when it comes to student achievement. A School Board that wants a first-class system pays attention to both.

“First class” in what sense? lol

Anyway, all schools should be maintained in good repair, buildings, fields, and hardscaping. They don’t all need to be the same size.

If they were all the same size, that would mean expanding every school to 3000 seats like West Potomac and, soon, Centreville. Clearly that isn't going to happen.

On the other hand, several schools that are overcrowded. yet have closer to 2000 than 3000 seats, should be expanded to keep kids near their homes but get them out of the trailers and modulars.

Expansions are not necessary if there are seats elsewhere in the system.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: NP I interpreted that the PP was referring to the schools that got crappy renovations, like McLean, Annandale, Lewis, and Woodson. Unlike the schools with over the top facilities such as, Fairfax, Herndon, Oakton, West Springfield, Langley.

Fairfax was last renovated into the early 2000s. The Library area is great but there are many windowless classrooms and the Cafeteria looks straight out of the early 70s. They do have great fields. Fairfax has a leaky roof. The city is working on a bond to fix that is it will be in the many millions. Fairfax is also different from the other county schools in that the City of Fairfax owns the Building so the city pays for renovations. The City pays the county millions to run it's schools.

A key point, though, is that Fairfax City doesn't have to wait around for the rest of the FCPS to get its act together. They can go ahead and issue a bond for additional improvements to the four city-owned schools (Fairfax, Johnson, Daniels Run, and Providence). Other parts of the county would love to have that flexibility and not be beholden to FCPS and county politicians, but the state won't let them incorporate.

When and where has there been a serious push to incorporate an area into a town or city in Fairfax County since Falls Church City walled itself off? I’m serious. I have no idea.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:None of the situations are necessary. If you don’t like your kids bumping elbows with other kids, move. There are less crowded options with plenty of seats inside and outside the county.

Good luck moving for better schools when you're suddenly underwater on your mortgage because FCPS shifted your home to a school with a 30% ESL rate and your property value tanked by 25%.

Oh well. This is what we’ve voted for in our state and county. Suck it up buttercup. You’re probably wealthier than 95% of the country.

DP, but as pointed out before no one campaigned for county or state office saying they were committed to large-scale school boundary revisions in FCPS.

It's not an issue where you can predict someone's views based on party affiliation. The far left would redistrict to balance demographics in the name of equity. The far right would redistrict to minimize future taxes and spending on facilities. And most people who aren't either far left or far right would probably say only change school boundaries when it's absolutely necessary and continue to renovate and expand schools in the ordinary course to meet current needs and anticipate future ones.

No one should be expanding HS around here. They are already too large. Kids don’t even know half their classmates let alone their classmates’ names.

In any case, the SB is too politically driven to give a wit about education. They are all about their next political position and won’t actually do anything on this topic. I wish they’d stop wasting everyone’s time and emotional capital on boundaries.

Some recent expansions to a design capacity of at least 2500 seats include: Herndon (2779), Madison (2503), Oakton (2646), South Lakes (2717), West Potomac (3049), and West Springfield (2505)

Some ongoing and planned expansions include: Falls Church (2500), Justice (2500), and Centreville (3000)

Schools that were built large include: Lake Braddock (3124), Robinson (2752), South County (2500), and Westfield (2823)

So that cat is out of the bag, and they obviously struggle mightily to find acceptable sites for any new high school. Given all that, it's more than a bit late to start claiming no other schools should be expanded, regardless of their circumstances.

BS. There is no need for size equity.

It's not especially important at the ES or MS level, but it's certainly a consideration at the HS level.

Spending to expand some high schools while blowing off others with an even greater need for additional seats would be the epitome of unfair treatment.

You fill until you hit the limit. Then you decide is it better to cozy up or send your kid elsewhere. Move if you have to. Stop with your calls for equity. Stop wasting tax followers on buildings.

^tax dollars

Spending to ensure HS facilities are generally comparable is an investment in kids and communities. There are huge disparities in facilities within FCPS, just as there are among when it comes to student achievement. A School Board that wants a first-class system pays attention to both.

“First class” in what sense? lol

Anyway, all schools should be maintained in good repair, buildings, fields, and hardscaping. They don’t all need to be the same size.

If they were all the same size, that would mean expanding every school to 3000 seats like West Potomac and, soon, Centreville. Clearly that isn't going to happen.

On the other hand, several schools that are overcrowded. yet have closer to 2000 than 3000 seats, should be expanded to keep kids near their homes but get them out of the trailers and modulars.

Expansions are not necessary if there are seats elsewhere in the system.

FCPS opened brand-new schools in western Fairfax decades ago at the same time that it closed Jefferson and Fort Hunt as neighborhood high schools. For similar reasons, they need to expand some schools now, even if there are seats "elsewhere in the system" to keep kids in communities together and reduce transportation costs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: NP I interpreted that the PP was referring to the schools that got crappy renovations, like McLean, Annandale, Lewis, and Woodson. Unlike the schools with over the top facilities such as, Fairfax, Herndon, Oakton, West Springfield, Langley.

Fairfax was last renovated into the early 2000s. The Library area is great but there are many windowless classrooms and the Cafeteria looks straight out of the early 70s. They do have great fields. Fairfax has a leaky roof. The city is working on a bond to fix that is it will be in the many millions. Fairfax is also different from the other county schools in that the City of Fairfax owns the Building so the city pays for renovations. The City pays the county millions to run it's schools.

A key point, though, is that Fairfax City doesn't have to wait around for the rest of the FCPS to get its act together. They can go ahead and issue a bond for additional improvements to the four city-owned schools (Fairfax, Johnson, Daniels Run, and Providence). Other parts of the county would love to have that flexibility and not be beholden to FCPS and county politicians, but the state won't let them incorporate.

When and where has there been a serious push to incorporate an area into a town or city in Fairfax County since Falls Church City walled itself off? I’m serious. I have no idea.

Vienna could create its own school board and purchase the FPCS properties from FCPS, but still pay to have FCPS run them like Fairfax City. But FCPS has done a good job maintaining the town of Vienna schools. Madison just got an addition with a state of the art library. The historic Vienna ES, one of the oldest in all of Virginia, was beautifully restored.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:None of the situations are necessary. If you don’t like your kids bumping elbows with other kids, move. There are less crowded options with plenty of seats inside and outside the county.

Good luck moving for better schools when you're suddenly underwater on your mortgage because FCPS shifted your home to a school with a 30% ESL rate and your property value tanked by 25%.

Oh well. This is what we’ve voted for in our state and county. Suck it up buttercup. You’re probably wealthier than 95% of the country.

DP, but as pointed out before no one campaigned for county or state office saying they were committed to large-scale school boundary revisions in FCPS.

It's not an issue where you can predict someone's views based on party affiliation. The far left would redistrict to balance demographics in the name of equity. The far right would redistrict to minimize future taxes and spending on facilities. And most people who aren't either far left or far right would probably say only change school boundaries when it's absolutely necessary and continue to renovate and expand schools in the ordinary course to meet current needs and anticipate future ones.

No one should be expanding HS around here. They are already too large. Kids don’t even know half their classmates let alone their classmates’ names.

In any case, the SB is too politically driven to give a wit about education. They are all about their next political position and won’t actually do anything on this topic. I wish they’d stop wasting everyone’s time and emotional capital on boundaries.

Some recent expansions to a design capacity of at least 2500 seats include: Herndon (2779), Madison (2503), Oakton (2646), South Lakes (2717), West Potomac (3049), and West Springfield (2505)

Some ongoing and planned expansions include: Falls Church (2500), Justice (2500), and Centreville (3000)

Schools that were built large include: Lake Braddock (3124), Robinson (2752), South County (2500), and Westfield (2823)

So that cat is out of the bag, and they obviously struggle mightily to find acceptable sites for any new high school. Given all that, it's more than a bit late to start claiming no other schools should be expanded, regardless of their circumstances.

BS. There is no need for size equity.

It's not especially important at the ES or MS level, but it's certainly a consideration at the HS level.

Spending to expand some high schools while blowing off others with an even greater need for additional seats would be the epitome of unfair treatment.

You fill until you hit the limit. Then you decide is it better to cozy up or send your kid elsewhere. Move if you have to. Stop with your calls for equity. Stop wasting tax followers on buildings.

^tax dollars

Spending to ensure HS facilities are generally comparable is an investment in kids and communities. There are huge disparities in facilities within FCPS, just as there are among when it comes to student achievement. A School Board that wants a first-class system pays attention to both.

“First class” in what sense? lol

Anyway, all schools should be maintained in good repair, buildings, fields, and hardscaping. They don’t all need to be the same size.

If they were all the same size, that would mean expanding every school to 3000 seats like West Potomac and, soon, Centreville. Clearly that isn't going to happen.

On the other hand, several schools that are overcrowded. yet have closer to 2000 than 3000 seats, should be expanded to keep kids near their homes but get them out of the trailers and modulars.

Expansions are not necessary if there are seats elsewhere in the system.

Uh oh. Better put those shovels down at Justice HS and Falls Church HS (and soon Centreville HS). And maybe tear down the recent Madison expansion and just sell the bricks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: NP I interpreted that the PP was referring to the schools that got crappy renovations, like McLean, Annandale, Lewis, and Woodson. Unlike the schools with over the top facilities such as, Fairfax, Herndon, Oakton, West Springfield, Langley.

Fairfax was last renovated into the early 2000s. The Library area is great but there are many windowless classrooms and the Cafeteria looks straight out of the early 70s. They do have great fields. Fairfax has a leaky roof. The city is working on a bond to fix that is it will be in the many millions. Fairfax is also different from the other county schools in that the City of Fairfax owns the Building so the city pays for renovations. The City pays the county millions to run it's schools.

A key point, though, is that Fairfax City doesn't have to wait around for the rest of the FCPS to get its act together. They can go ahead and issue a bond for additional improvements to the four city-owned schools (Fairfax, Johnson, Daniels Run, and Providence). Other parts of the county would love to have that flexibility and not be beholden to FCPS and county politicians, but the state won't let them incorporate.

When and where has there been a serious push to incorporate an area into a town or city in Fairfax County since Falls Church City walled itself off? I’m serious. I have no idea.

Vienna could create its own school board and purchase the FPCS properties from FCPS, but still pay to have FCPS run them like Fairfax City. But FCPS has done a good job maintaining the town of Vienna schools. Madison just got an addition with a state of the art library. The historic Vienna ES, one of the oldest in all of Virginia, was beautifully restored.

Vienna is a town but I don't think a town can create its own School Board (as can a city like Fairfax City or Falls Church City) under Virginia law. Once they were a city, as I understand it, they could either contract with FCPS like Fairfax City does or operate its own system like Falls Church City does. But since there's a moratorium now through 2032 - which will then probably get extended again before it expires - it's moot.

If there were not a moratorium on future incorporations, Vienna might try to become a city.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:None of the situations are necessary. If you don’t like your kids bumping elbows with other kids, move. There are less crowded options with plenty of seats inside and outside the county.

Good luck moving for better schools when you're suddenly underwater on your mortgage because FCPS shifted your home to a school with a 30% ESL rate and your property value tanked by 25%.

Oh well. This is what we’ve voted for in our state and county. Suck it up buttercup. You’re probably wealthier than 95% of the country.

DP, but as pointed out before no one campaigned for county or state office saying they were committed to large-scale school boundary revisions in FCPS.

It's not an issue where you can predict someone's views based on party affiliation. The far left would redistrict to balance demographics in the name of equity. The far right would redistrict to minimize future taxes and spending on facilities. And most people who aren't either far left or far right would probably say only change school boundaries when it's absolutely necessary and continue to renovate and expand schools in the ordinary course to meet current needs and anticipate future ones.

No one should be expanding HS around here. They are already too large. Kids don’t even know half their classmates let alone their classmates’ names.

In any case, the SB is too politically driven to give a wit about education. They are all about their next political position and won’t actually do anything on this topic. I wish they’d stop wasting everyone’s time and emotional capital on boundaries.

Some recent expansions to a design capacity of at least 2500 seats include: Herndon (2779), Madison (2503), Oakton (2646), South Lakes (2717), West Potomac (3049), and West Springfield (2505)

Some ongoing and planned expansions include: Falls Church (2500), Justice (2500), and Centreville (3000)

Schools that were built large include: Lake Braddock (3124), Robinson (2752), South County (2500), and Westfield (2823)

So that cat is out of the bag, and they obviously struggle mightily to find acceptable sites for any new high school. Given all that, it's more than a bit late to start claiming no other schools should be expanded, regardless of their circumstances.

BS. There is no need for size equity.

It's not especially important at the ES or MS level, but it's certainly a consideration at the HS level.

Spending to expand some high schools while blowing off others with an even greater need for additional seats would be the epitome of unfair treatment.

You fill until you hit the limit. Then you decide is it better to cozy up or send your kid elsewhere. Move if you have to. Stop with your calls for equity. Stop wasting tax followers on buildings.

^tax dollars

Spending to ensure HS facilities are generally comparable is an investment in kids and communities. There are huge disparities in facilities within FCPS, just as there are among when it comes to student achievement. A School Board that wants a first-class system pays attention to both.

“First class” in what sense? lol

Anyway, all schools should be maintained in good repair, buildings, fields, and hardscaping. They don’t all need to be the same size.

If they were all the same size, that would mean expanding every school to 3000 seats like West Potomac and, soon, Centreville. Clearly that isn't going to happen.

On the other hand, several schools that are overcrowded. yet have closer to 2000 than 3000 seats, should be expanded to keep kids near their homes but get them out of the trailers and modulars.

Expansions are not necessary if there are seats elsewhere in the system.

Expansions are fiscally responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars when the district is doing a full renovation of any high school.

Your statement makes sense for elementary schools, where there is practically one every mile.

But it is completely wrong and misguided when you are talking about high schools, which have expansive boundaries and host thousands of students.

Expand when doing a full gut and you save money and time in the long run. Any tradesperson, structural engineer, accountant or architect can tell you this. Construction 101.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:None of the situations are necessary. If you don’t like your kids bumping elbows with other kids, move. There are less crowded options with plenty of seats inside and outside the county.

Good luck moving for better schools when you're suddenly underwater on your mortgage because FCPS shifted your home to a school with a 30% ESL rate and your property value tanked by 25%.

Oh well. This is what we’ve voted for in our state and county. Suck it up buttercup. You’re probably wealthier than 95% of the country.

DP, but as pointed out before no one campaigned for county or state office saying they were committed to large-scale school boundary revisions in FCPS.

It's not an issue where you can predict someone's views based on party affiliation. The far left would redistrict to balance demographics in the name of equity. The far right would redistrict to minimize future taxes and spending on facilities. And most people who aren't either far left or far right would probably say only change school boundaries when it's absolutely necessary and continue to renovate and expand schools in the ordinary course to meet current needs and anticipate future ones.

No one should be expanding HS around here. They are already too large. Kids don’t even know half their classmates let alone their classmates’ names.

In any case, the SB is too politically driven to give a wit about education. They are all about their next political position and won’t actually do anything on this topic. I wish they’d stop wasting everyone’s time and emotional capital on boundaries.

Some recent expansions to a design capacity of at least 2500 seats include: Herndon (2779), Madison (2503), Oakton (2646), South Lakes (2717), West Potomac (3049), and West Springfield (2505)

Some ongoing and planned expansions include: Falls Church (2500), Justice (2500), and Centreville (3000)

Schools that were built large include: Lake Braddock (3124), Robinson (2752), South County (2500), and Westfield (2823)

So that cat is out of the bag, and they obviously struggle mightily to find acceptable sites for any new high school. Given all that, it's more than a bit late to start claiming no other schools should be expanded, regardless of their circumstances.

BS. There is no need for size equity.

It's not especially important at the ES or MS level, but it's certainly a consideration at the HS level.

Spending to expand some high schools while blowing off others with an even greater need for additional seats would be the epitome of unfair treatment.

You fill until you hit the limit. Then you decide is it better to cozy up or send your kid elsewhere. Move if you have to. Stop with your calls for equity. Stop wasting tax followers on buildings.

^tax dollars

Spending to ensure HS facilities are generally comparable is an investment in kids and communities. There are huge disparities in facilities within FCPS, just as there are among when it comes to student achievement. A School Board that wants a first-class system pays attention to both.

“First class” in what sense? lol

Anyway, all schools should be maintained in good repair, buildings, fields, and hardscaping. They don’t all need to be the same size.

If they were all the same size, that would mean expanding every school to 3000 seats like West Potomac and, soon, Centreville. Clearly that isn't going to happen.

On the other hand, several schools that are overcrowded. yet have closer to 2000 than 3000 seats, should be expanded to keep kids near their homes but get them out of the trailers and modulars.

Expansions are not necessary if there are seats elsewhere in the system.

Expansions are fiscally responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars when the district is doing a full renovation of any high school.

Your statement makes sense for elementary schools, where there is practically one every mile.

But it is completely wrong and misguided when you are talking about high schools, which have expansive boundaries and host thousands of students.

Expand when doing a full gut and you save money and time in the long run. Any tradesperson, structural engineer, accountant or architect can tell you this. Construction 101.

Sure, from a purely logistics perspective. But from an educational view, it is well-researched and understood that high school sizes should be smaller in the <2000 students range. This benefits psychosocial development, safety, and quality of relationships which are all critical for excelling academically.