Places to Sign Recall Petitions - Tholen/Omeish/Cohen

[Anonymous]

People on dcum Fairfax schools forum think about Langley too much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People on dcum Fairfax schools forum think about Langley too much.

Langley residents are probably the most active in the county when it comes to criticizing FCPS, starting groups like "Voices of Fairfax," and launching recall petitions of School Board members. Even someone like Asra Nomani who has devoted most of her life for the past two years to taking down FCPS for changing TJ admissions lives in the Langley district. They cast a big shadow.

The challenge they face is that many want to replace Tholen and other School Board members, but solely on their own terms. And their terms generally aren't going to win elections. Even when they could align with other parents on issues of mutual concern, many end up bickering and sowing division because they are worried about not having total control (especially on anything that might touch, even remotely, on Langley's boundaries).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DP

Looks to me like Shouse Village wanted to go (back, as I think they had been a few decades ago) to Langley.

That Herndon community where the golf course used to be piped up during the comment period to ask the school board to move them from HHS to Langley since they were changing boundaries anyway.

It is right that Langley parents aren’t in the position to “offer a gift” of seats at LHS to McLean residents. That’s the school board’s authority. It’s also quite clear that McLean parents don’t gaf if growth pushes great falls out of Langley.

In the end, however, it’s the school board that told McLean years ago that they would get an addition and not have to leave.

It’s the school board that dissembled to McLean in late 2018/early 2019 about not re boundary ing some apartments from McLean to Langley (as reminder—they were in the process of overhauling boundary policy to prioritize racial and class mix in schools and disregard neighborhoods— and to allow themselves to change boundaries every three years. They were going to change all the boundaries in the county once the policy was done)

It’s the school board that surprised everyone with the switcheroo at the last minute to go against staff rec for the boundary.

I think we can all agree that with growth in Tysons and the existing overcrowding, McLean needs the addition. We can all agree that the school board has mishandled pretty much everything they’ve touched.

We can be annoyed at GF or McLean parents, but we don’t elect them.

It’s the school board that needs to be held accountable for their constant failure and malfeasance.

I would agree with this. No one has said McLean doesn't need an addition. And yes, I grew up here when Shouse went to Langley and now I have kids at Colvin Run - as I said earlier, we (and many other families) are thrilled that Colvin Run is no longer a split feeder and all the kids go to Langley. That was common sense, even if certain McLean parents continue to whine about it. Eliminating split feeders and islands is good policy. Everything else FCPS has touched, however, has turned to crap.

DP, but there was nothing “common sense” about expanding Langley when it was below capacity and then expanding its already huge boundaries so that even more kids who live closer to other high schools end up attending Langley. That’s wasteful and inefficient.

Tholen can trot out the usual platitudes about the benefits of eliminating split feeders but we all know FCPS creates as many split feeders as it eliminates, and that she’s done nothing about more lopsided split feeders in Dranesville than Colvin Run.

Sorry to hear you think everything else FCPS has touched has “turned to crap.” I might have thought Langley parents would be more appreciative.

Of course it's common sense to enlarge a school if you're renovating it anyway and have the space. It would be foolish *not* to. Look, we get that the boundary issue keeps you up at night, gnashing your teeth, but it is done. You repeating yourself constantly about the same issue is just... exhausting. Try voting for people who don't have a D next to their name next time. And btw - we love Langley. Just hate what FCPS as a whole is becoming, with its constant focus on race and "equity." Glad to be moving on.

The boundary is not done. The current 8th graders at LMS are about to go through their second split feeder in 2 years. So its not done for those kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Colvin Run mom obviously is a staunch Republican who overall has nothing but disdain for FCPS and the School Board. Gather the only reason she replies to virtually every post is she can't bear the idea that some people might not jump at the chance to attend Langley. It's clearly super important to her sense of self-esteem.

I think most on this post have disdain for FCPS and the school board.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:GFCA and MCA have both done and shared a lot of analysis with Tholen about future growth in the Langley pyramid and in Tysons (which feeds into McLean and Marshall).

FCPS admits its enrollment projections are based on a simplistic methodology that only takes into account new developments if the developer has broken ground, regardless of whether the county has approved the developments or paid the county proffer money. The Tysons development in particular is going to add hundreds more kids to Marshall and McLean.

Tholen listens but is incredibly passive as if it’s all out of her hands. When an MCA member asked her point blank why FCPS isn’t planning now for an addition to McLean, she just smirked and talked about the 37-year renovation cycle, ignoring the other high schools like Justice or Madison where FCPS has built or is building additions outside the renovation cycle.

Great Falls and McLean and the Langley/McLean pyramids have a common interest in replacing Tholen with someone who will fight for fair funding and adequate seats at their pyramid schools, whether it’s Kent Gardens ES, Cooper MS, or McLean HS. Tholen doesn’t have it in her to challenge Jeff Platenberg or other School Board members.

The main point of contention between them is that, when push comes to shove, Great Falls would rather see McLean remain overcrowded than risk overcrowding Cooper or Langley to the point where others would push to move Cooper/Langley kids into the Herndon pyramid. But Herndon doesn’t have much excess capacity of its own and it’s only due to the negligence of FCPS and the School Board that the communities at times get pitted against each other.

If someone can get that message out, whether Republican, Democratic, or Independent, we can get rid of ineffective School Board members like Tholen and start to make some progress.

I'm sorry - the bolded is just completely false. Langley stepped up and urged McLean to send kids to Langley to help alleviate McLean's overcrowding. What did we hear from many of the McLean parents? Complaining and whining. Many of YOU didn't want your kids to go to Langley. Fine. We offered. Not sure what it is you want us to do for you. We agree you need an addition. Beyond that, we've offered space and many of you turned your noses up. Maybe next time don't look a gift horse in the mouth?

hahahah - you are funny. So as someone from Shouse who sat through the whole boundary nightmare, I can tell you that your words are pure fiction. Great Falls wanted more kids at LHS in order to increase their capacity and not lose teachers/courses. The logical place to turn was Herndon, but Great Falls rejected that immediately, and Tholen did not dare raise it in public. Then FCPS staff made their recommendation, but that included multi family houses. So Elaine, under pressure from Great Falls (you know who you are) went against the staff recommendation and pushed a boundary that did nothing but introduce stress into the lives of the kids who switch pyramids - put them through a second split feeder in two years. That was the only outcome of the boundary.

I dont really care enough to try and help you understand what actually happened vs. what you want to believe happened. But I will clear this up for the record. LHS hand picked the neighborhoods that came into LHS, even though GFCA, LHS, MHS, mcspaces, Elaine, parents, Principals, and everyone else knew that this change would do nothing to help MHS. No one, including GFCA or yourself, did anything righteous here. Elaine least of all.

I think your 'gift horse' analogy is incorrect, more like a "donkey" kicked us when we were down.

Happy Valentines Day!

Oh, BS. As a Colvin Run parent, I was thrilled that they ended the split feeder there and are sending all the kids to the same high school. And no, it was not "logical" to turn to Herndon to fill seats at Langley, when there was a split feeder of kids right there - far easier to send that one island to Langley, and you know it. The fiction YOU continue to spin in order to further your "poor McLean" victimization narrative is truly inspired.

Oooh I struck a cord with you!

As a Colvin Run parent, i agree with you on the fact that ending split feeders is good. Of course Flip-Flip-Elaine sacrificed about 40 current 8th graders to do so by sending them through a second split feeder in two years. And it is not an island, it is a neighborhood that was part of the MHS Community. Hopefully someday FCPS will find a way to make your kids or grandkids feel like those in Shouse did during this process - then you'll understand some of these posts. Many in Shouse supported Elaine during the election - I cant speak for everyone, but Im pretty sure she lost 99.9% of us in 2023.

Now please keep spinning your 'Langley parents were so generous and kind and righteous during the boundary process' fantasy. I love good fiction.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Colvin Run mom obviously is a staunch Republican who overall has nothing but disdain for FCPS and the School Board. Gather the only reason she replies to virtually every post is she can't bear the idea that some people might not jump at the chance to attend Langley. It's clearly super important to her sense of self-esteem.

Um, you realize that there are many posters who disagree with you - right? Are you so deluded to think you've been talking to the same person?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Colvin Run mom obviously is a staunch Republican who overall has nothing but disdain for FCPS and the School Board. Gather the only reason she replies to virtually every post is she can't bear the idea that some people might not jump at the chance to attend Langley. It's clearly super important to her sense of self-esteem.

I think most on this post have disdain for FCPS and the school board.

Seriously. I'm amazed that the PP actually thinks there's only one person who feels that way. Kind of clueless, to say the least.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People on dcum Fairfax schools forum think about Langley too much.

Langley residents are probably the most active in the county when it comes to criticizing FCPS, starting groups like "Voices of Fairfax," and launching recall petitions of School Board members. Even someone like Asra Nomani who has devoted most of her life for the past two years to taking down FCPS for changing TJ admissions lives in the Langley district. They cast a big shadow.

The challenge they face is that many want to replace Tholen and other School Board members, but solely on their own terms. And their terms generally aren't going to win elections. Even when they could align with other parents on issues of mutual concern, many end up bickering and sowing division because they are worried about not having total control (especially on anything that might touch, even remotely, on Langley's boundaries).

And oh, how different things would be now had people like you actually taken the time to listen to what Voices of Fairfax, etc. had to say about the 2019 elections. But no - you probably called that group all kinds of names to make you feel superior. And now you're complaining about the absurd SB YOU elected. Oh well. Elections have consequences.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:GFCA and MCA have both done and shared a lot of analysis with Tholen about future growth in the Langley pyramid and in Tysons (which feeds into McLean and Marshall).

FCPS admits its enrollment projections are based on a simplistic methodology that only takes into account new developments if the developer has broken ground, regardless of whether the county has approved the developments or paid the county proffer money. The Tysons development in particular is going to add hundreds more kids to Marshall and McLean.

Tholen listens but is incredibly passive as if it’s all out of her hands. When an MCA member asked her point blank why FCPS isn’t planning now for an addition to McLean, she just smirked and talked about the 37-year renovation cycle, ignoring the other high schools like Justice or Madison where FCPS has built or is building additions outside the renovation cycle.

Great Falls and McLean and the Langley/McLean pyramids have a common interest in replacing Tholen with someone who will fight for fair funding and adequate seats at their pyramid schools, whether it’s Kent Gardens ES, Cooper MS, or McLean HS. Tholen doesn’t have it in her to challenge Jeff Platenberg or other School Board members.

The main point of contention between them is that, when push comes to shove, Great Falls would rather see McLean remain overcrowded than risk overcrowding Cooper or Langley to the point where others would push to move Cooper/Langley kids into the Herndon pyramid. But Herndon doesn’t have much excess capacity of its own and it’s only due to the negligence of FCPS and the School Board that the communities at times get pitted against each other.

If someone can get that message out, whether Republican, Democratic, or Independent, we can get rid of ineffective School Board members like Tholen and start to make some progress.

I'm sorry - the bolded is just completely false. Langley stepped up and urged McLean to send kids to Langley to help alleviate McLean's overcrowding. What did we hear from many of the McLean parents? Complaining and whining. Many of YOU didn't want your kids to go to Langley. Fine. We offered. Not sure what it is you want us to do for you. We agree you need an addition. Beyond that, we've offered space and many of you turned your noses up. Maybe next time don't look a gift horse in the mouth?

hahahah - you are funny. So as someone from Shouse who sat through the whole boundary nightmare, I can tell you that your words are pure fiction. Great Falls wanted more kids at LHS in order to increase their capacity and not lose teachers/courses. The logical place to turn was Herndon, but Great Falls rejected that immediately, and Tholen did not dare raise it in public. Then FCPS staff made their recommendation, but that included multi family houses. So Elaine, under pressure from Great Falls (you know who you are) went against the staff recommendation and pushed a boundary that did nothing but introduce stress into the lives of the kids who switch pyramids - put them through a second split feeder in two years. That was the only outcome of the boundary.

I dont really care enough to try and help you understand what actually happened vs. what you want to believe happened. But I will clear this up for the record. LHS hand picked the neighborhoods that came into LHS, even though GFCA, LHS, MHS, mcspaces, Elaine, parents, Principals, and everyone else knew that this change would do nothing to help MHS. No one, including GFCA or yourself, did anything righteous here. Elaine least of all.

I think your 'gift horse' analogy is incorrect, more like a "donkey" kicked us when we were down.

Happy Valentines Day!

Oh, BS. As a Colvin Run parent, I was thrilled that they ended the split feeder there and are sending all the kids to the same high school. And no, it was not "logical" to turn to Herndon to fill seats at Langley, when there was a split feeder of kids right there - far easier to send that one island to Langley, and you know it. The fiction YOU continue to spin in order to further your "poor McLean" victimization narrative is truly inspired.

Oooh I struck a cord with you!

As a Colvin Run parent, i agree with you on the fact that ending split feeders is good. Of course Flip-Flip-Elaine sacrificed about 40 current 8th graders to do so by sending them through a second split feeder in two years. And it is not an island, it is a neighborhood that was part of the MHS Community. Hopefully someday FCPS will find a way to make your kids or grandkids feel like those in Shouse did during this process - then you'll understand some of these posts. Many in Shouse supported Elaine during the election - I cant speak for everyone, but Im pretty sure she lost 99.9% of us in 2023.

Now please keep spinning your 'Langley parents were so generous and kind and righteous during the boundary process' fantasy. I love good fiction.

Well, speaking of fiction... you do realize that before Shouse was a part of the MHS community, it was zoned for Langley - right? I lived in Shouse during the 80s and our family dealt with having to switch from Langley to McLean. Not many people were happy about that. I didn't vote for Tholen in the last election and don't plan to vote for her in 2023 (if she runs) - but this constant whining about Langley parents just makes it clear you're not arguing in good faith. The SB sets the boundaries - not any one school. As much as you enjoy pretending otherwise.

[Anonymous]

DP, but it's indisputable that some Langley parents weighed in very heavily during the boundary process to influence the outcome and that Elaine Tholen, herself a Great Falls resident, prioritized their interests over those of McLean families. There's a reason why, after all the back and forth, McLean is still looking at overcrowding for years to come under FCPS's latest projections (which don't even factor in quite a few of the developments approved for Tysons).

That's not to say that most Langley parents weren't sympathetic to the overcrowding situation there, or wouldn't support an addition to McLean. In fact, building an addition at McLean would give Langley families additional comfort that there won't be another round of boundaries changes in the next 5-10 years that raise similar issues about the spill-over effects.

[Anonymous]

So much was done wrong during the boundary process. Capacity at McLean is getting worse. Development from Tysons will continue to overwhelm adjacent high schools. We (and our kids) have all seen different sides of these problems, and hopefully the board will not continue to fail to develop, fund, and implement long term solutions.

The one thing I think we all agree on (or most of us) is that the one common factor in all of these failures, at least for the Tysons, McLean, Great Falls area, is Elaine Tholen. She has failed our kids and failed us as parents.

[Anonymous]

ALL of the SB members need to go.

[Anonymous]

Our school board needs to stop being used as a springboard for progressive democrat politicians.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So much was done wrong during the boundary process. Capacity at McLean is getting worse. Development from Tysons will continue to overwhelm adjacent high schools. We (and our kids) have all seen different sides of these problems, and hopefully the board will not continue to fail to develop, fund, and implement long term solutions.

The one thing I think we all agree on (or most of us) is that the one common factor in all of these failures, at least for the Tysons, McLean, Great Falls area, is Elaine Tholen. She has failed our kids and failed us as parents.

What was incredibly wrong about this boundary process is when it occurred. FCPS school board has been negligent in their duties as per the Code of Virginia. I'm surprised Tholen got anything done since the school board as an entity has not done boundary changes. Shouse was an easy move to Langley because of the CRES attendance area. Awaken that contentious but dormant beast?

The West Briar Island is baffling. As is the no movement into CRES of Toll Brothers. I don't get why no movement as part of this since FCPS had nothing else going on in the attendance area department. Over a period of years FCPS has had 2 boundary processes and zero administrative boundary changes:

https://www.fcps.edu/about-fcps/facilities-planning-future/school-boundary-adjustments

Shouse etc are the pink on the high school map https://www.fcps.edu/sites/default/files/media/pdf/SY%202021-22%20High%20School%20Boundaries.pdf
First out of Mclean and I expect more to follow in various directions.

[Anonymous]

When Shouse was last at Langley in the mid-80s, all of Great Falls west of Springvale was at Herndon.

They expanded Langley's boundaries and then, even though its enrollment had dropped, they expanded the school and then expanded the boundaries yet again to justify the expansion of the school.

And somehow never managed to assign a single apartment or condo in Herndon, Reston, or Tysons to the 2% FARMS school.

Thanks, Elaine. We can tell just how important "equity" really is to you and your Democrat cronies. Get ready to defend your blatant hypocrisy next year.