FCPS comprehensive boundary review

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:These boundaries really are a hot mess

https://www.fcps.edu/sites/default/files/media/pdf/SY2024-25ElementarySchoolBoundarieswithHighSchoolBoundaries.pdf

Actually, West Springfield is not a hot mess at all! That's why people feel so connected to the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These boundaries really are a hot mess

https://www.fcps.edu/sites/default/files/media/pdf/SY2024-25ElementarySchoolBoundarieswithHighSchoolBoundaries.pdf

Actually, West Springfield is not a hot mess at all! That's why people feel so connected to the school.

Keene Mill’s boundaries are a hot mess.

[Anonymous]

Keene Mill and Sangster.

Unfortunately, West Springfield abuts a school that is hugely under-enrolled. Some areas are going to be moved to Lewis (if this system was based on logic, and not politics).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lots of talk at the meeting tonight about making sure current capacity is uniform and about defining equity to be equal access to programs (and also, they need to define equity). A few tables discussed a desire to get rid of AAP centers and standardized programs.

There was also a lot of talk about reducing transportation times, which the facilitators identified as a key priority along with addressing capacity issues of overcrowding and under enrollment.

Which meeting were you at? Facilitators never mentioned “a key priority”. That just sounds like a gaslight attempt.

The meeting tonight at Glasgow. The folks from Thru Consulting who presented prior to the breakout sessions talked about how boundary changes could both address overcrowding and reduce transportation times. I don’t know if they labeled these “key priorities,” but they specifically called these purported benefits out.

I was there. They listed the factors, which included transportation costs. Nothing more.

No need to lie and say they said something they didn’t. Really bad look.

Look, dimwit, the two things they stressed more than anything else were addressing overcrowding and reducing transportation times. You may not like it, but take it up with Reid and Thru Consulting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There was more focus on "equity," whatever that means, in the community comments tonight than there is in revised Policy 8130, maybe because this meeting was at Glasgow MS in the Justice HS pyramid.

Equity, the ultimate Rorschach test. For some it’s let’s ask the naacp’s opinion (someone actually suggested that tonight) for others, it’s making sure that there are no aap centers and languages are standardized.

One of those approaches is likely illegal, btw.

These community engagements are prime opportunities to shine a negative spotlight on this boundary review. Are they recorded? Would love for a fairfax times journalist to hear crazy questions like “let’s ask the naacp,” “how do we take away programs that benefit schools with a >40% white population?,” “can you try bussing more wealthy kids farther to benefit high FARMS schools?” “My child is non-binary at Chantilly and feels isolated, will Karl Frisch make sure we balance out lgbtq student populations during this equity experiment?”

Blend in absurd but tangential questions that shine light on this circus and let the media see it for what it is.

Maybe the Langley crowd can show up en masse at one of the meetings and try and stage a mini-revolt.

Compared to a lot of FCPS community meetings, these sessions are fairly tightly organized. People are encouraged to pre-register. If you pre-register you are assigned a table. Police are present. Reid and Thru Consulting made presentations where they extol the benefits of boundary changes. Then there are breakout sections where people are marched through four times questions, all of which start from the premise that boundary changes are both necessary and inevitable. People find themselves advocating at the margins, but feeling largely powerless to object to the premise or likely outcomes. You will be told repeatedly that Thru Consulting is just in the data gathering phase, that no work on actual recommendations will begin for months, and that you will have endless opportunities to provide feedback. It is all being very carefully orchestrated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Keene Mill and Sangster.

Unfortunately, West Springfield abuts a school that is hugely under-enrolled. Some areas are going to be moved to Lewis (if this system was based on logic, and not politics).

Rememer Bren Mar Park? I think it was that Annandale school that got moved to Edison instead of Lewis. And Edison projected over cap. It spun off some to Hayfield for South County opening plus has academy classes.

Edison + Hayfield Hat - Annandale school to Lewis - academies to Lewis would seem to load the Lewis site? What is abundantly clear is that only staff at academy heavy schools like Chantilly and Marshall which are over capacity PLUS wonderballs at Gatehouse know how much bricks and mortar square footage is used for academies.

So FCPS has to come clean on square footage and capacity used for all academies which accept out of boundary students. Program budget for in boundary is core instruction + advanced {AP/IB}+ sped + ESL.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So to summarize:

Herndon/Great Falls parents zoned for Langley want to make sure they stay at Langley by filling up Herndon HS with kids from outside of Herndon.

Chantilly HS is overcrowded and can't be expanded but Chantilly HS parents do not want to be moved to any other HS.

Centreville HS is overcrowded and due for a renovation that hasn't begun yet.

Westfield HS is mediocre and no one wants their kids moved there, but the Westfield parents also don't want to add even more kids b/c it is already enormous (and I agree, 2700+ is beyond the size of a reasonable HS).

There are hundreds of extra seats at Langley (2100) and at Herndon HS (2300), but these schools are full to overcrowded: South Lakes (2450), Oakton (2600), Chantilly (3000), Centreville (2400), Westfield (2700).

Questions: Why does Langley have so few students? Is the building incredibly small?

Langley has almost 2200 students, not 2100. The building was recently expanded and has a program capacity of 2338.

It has a huge catchment area because the residential neighborhoods generally have large lots, the population trends older, and many people who do have school-age kids send them to privates.

Given its location in the northeastern corner of the county, it probably should be one of the smallest schools in the county, but it is not. When Jeff Platenberg was the head of facilities, he tried to expand every school coming up for renovation, including Langley. The benefit is that some schools got expanded when construction costs were lower. The downside is that filing up a school like Langley requires redistricting, kids commuting long distances and/or reliance on pupil placements.

They will probably move more of McLean there and then send Forestville to Herndon. That might not be required based simply on capacity, but they also seem committed to reducing commuting times and Forestville is much closer to Herndon than to Langley. Plus, redistricting part of Langley would underscore that every pyramid is being affected.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Never realized before how huge geographically the Westfield and Langley zones are.

Western Great Falls is pretty sparsely populated compared to the densest areas of the county in Reston, Alexandria, Falls Church etc. Same with places like Mason Neck and parts of Fairfax Station in the southern part of the county. Just not as many people live there, but they have to go to school somewhere and they presumably knew about or could at least assume there would be a long school commute when they bought their houses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So to summarize:

Herndon/Great Falls parents zoned for Langley want to make sure they stay at Langley by filling up Herndon HS with kids from outside of Herndon.

Chantilly HS is overcrowded and can't be expanded but Chantilly HS parents do not want to be moved to any other HS.

Centreville HS is overcrowded and due for a renovation that hasn't begun yet.

Westfield HS is mediocre and no one wants their kids moved there, but the Westfield parents also don't want to add even more kids b/c it is already enormous (and I agree, 2700+ is beyond the size of a reasonable HS).

There are hundreds of extra seats at Langley (2100) and at Herndon HS (2300), but these schools are full to overcrowded: South Lakes (2450), Oakton (2600), Chantilly (3000), Centreville (2400), Westfield (2700).

Questions: Why does Langley have so few students? Is the building incredibly small?

Langley has almost 2200 students, not 2100. The building was recently expanded and has a program capacity of 2338.

It has a huge catchment area because the residential neighborhoods generally have large lots, the population trends older, and many people who do have school-age kids send them to privates.

Given its location in the northeastern corner of the county, it probably should be one of the smallest schools in the county, but it is not. When Jeff Platenberg was the head of facilities, he tried to expand every school coming up for renovation, including Langley. The benefit is that some schools got expanded when construction costs were lower. The downside is that filing up a school like Langley requires redistricting, kids commuting long distances and/or reliance on pupil placements.

They will probably move more of McLean there and then send Forestville to Herndon. That might not be required based simply on capacity, but they also seem committed to reducing commuting times and Forestville is much closer to Herndon than to Langley. Plus, redistricting part of Langley would underscore that every pyramid is being affected.

The official number of students for Langley last year was 2127.

So it was recently renovated and has room for 211 more students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There was more focus on "equity," whatever that means, in the community comments tonight than there is in revised Policy 8130, maybe because this meeting was at Glasgow MS in the Justice HS pyramid.

Equity, the ultimate Rorschach test. For some it’s let’s ask the naacp’s opinion (someone actually suggested that tonight) for others, it’s making sure that there are no aap centers and languages are standardized.

One of those approaches is likely illegal, btw.

These community engagements are prime opportunities to shine a negative spotlight on this boundary review. Are they recorded? Would love for a fairfax times journalist to hear crazy questions like “let’s ask the naacp,” “how do we take away programs that benefit schools with a >40% white population?,” “can you try bussing more wealthy kids farther to benefit high FARMS schools?” “My child is non-binary at Chantilly and feels isolated, will Karl Frisch make sure we balance out lgbtq student populations during this equity experiment?”

Blend in absurd but tangential questions that shine light on this circus and let the media see it for what it is.

Maybe the Langley crowd can show up en masse at one of the meetings and try and stage a mini-revolt.

Compared to a lot of FCPS community meetings, these sessions are fairly tightly organized. People are encouraged to pre-register. If you pre-register you are assigned a table. Police are present. Reid and Thru Consulting made presentations where they extol the benefits of boundary changes. Then there are breakout sections where people are marched through four times questions, all of which start from the premise that boundary changes are both necessary and inevitable. People find themselves advocating at the margins, but feeling largely powerless to object to the premise or likely outcomes. You will be told repeatedly that Thru Consulting is just in the data gathering phase, that no work on actual recommendations will begin for months, and that you will have endless opportunities to provide feedback. It is all being very carefully orchestrated.

Why would there be police present?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Keene Mill and Sangster.

Unfortunately, West Springfield abuts a school that is hugely under-enrolled. Some areas are going to be moved to Lewis (if this system was based on logic, and not politics).

Rememer Bren Mar Park? I think it was that Annandale school that got moved to Edison instead of Lewis. And Edison projected over cap. It spun off some to Hayfield for South County opening plus has academy classes.

Edison + Hayfield Hat - Annandale school to Lewis - academies to Lewis would seem to load the Lewis site? What is abundantly clear is that only staff at academy heavy schools like Chantilly and Marshall which are over capacity PLUS wonderballs at Gatehouse know how much bricks and mortar square footage is used for academies.

So FCPS has to come clean on square footage and capacity used for all academies which accept out of boundary students. Program budget for in boundary is core instruction + advanced {AP/IB}+ sped + ESL.

At least for Chantilly, students attending academy classes are bused for the class and bused back. You aren't allowed to transfer in as a full time student due to the academies.

[Anonymous]

I think they should put a special education center for HS students in at Langley to fill up the extra space. There is a huge lack of seats in private placements for kids with serious needs, and parents of kids in placements already expect long bus rides.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So to summarize:

Herndon/Great Falls parents zoned for Langley want to make sure they stay at Langley by filling up Herndon HS with kids from outside of Herndon.

Chantilly HS is overcrowded and can't be expanded but Chantilly HS parents do not want to be moved to any other HS.

Centreville HS is overcrowded and due for a renovation that hasn't begun yet.

Westfield HS is mediocre and no one wants their kids moved there, but the Westfield parents also don't want to add even more kids b/c it is already enormous (and I agree, 2700+ is beyond the size of a reasonable HS).

There are hundreds of extra seats at Langley (2100) and at Herndon HS (2300), but these schools are full to overcrowded: South Lakes (2450), Oakton (2600), Chantilly (3000), Centreville (2400), Westfield (2700).

Questions: Why does Langley have so few students? Is the building incredibly small?

Langley has almost 2200 students, not 2100. The building was recently expanded and has a program capacity of 2338.

It has a huge catchment area because the residential neighborhoods generally have large lots, the population trends older, and many people who do have school-age kids send them to privates.

Given its location in the northeastern corner of the county, it probably should be one of the smallest schools in the county, but it is not. When Jeff Platenberg was the head of facilities, he tried to expand every school coming up for renovation, including Langley. The benefit is that some schools got expanded when construction costs were lower. The downside is that filing up a school like Langley requires redistricting, kids commuting long distances and/or reliance on pupil placements.

They will probably move more of McLean there and then send Forestville to Herndon. That might not be required based simply on capacity, but they also seem committed to reducing commuting times and Forestville is much closer to Herndon than to Langley. Plus, redistricting part of Langley would underscore that every pyramid is being affected.

The official number of students for Langley last year was 2127.

So it was recently renovated and has room for 211 more students.

And the FCPS monthly membership reports indicate the October 2024 enrollment is 2177.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There was more focus on "equity," whatever that means, in the community comments tonight than there is in revised Policy 8130, maybe because this meeting was at Glasgow MS in the Justice HS pyramid.

Equity, the ultimate Rorschach test. For some it’s let’s ask the naacp’s opinion (someone actually suggested that tonight) for others, it’s making sure that there are no aap centers and languages are standardized.

One of those approaches is likely illegal, btw.

These community engagements are prime opportunities to shine a negative spotlight on this boundary review. Are they recorded? Would love for a fairfax times journalist to hear crazy questions like “let’s ask the naacp,” “how do we take away programs that benefit schools with a >40% white population?,” “can you try bussing more wealthy kids farther to benefit high FARMS schools?” “My child is non-binary at Chantilly and feels isolated, will Karl Frisch make sure we balance out lgbtq student populations during this equity experiment?”

Blend in absurd but tangential questions that shine light on this circus and let the media see it for what it is.

Maybe the Langley crowd can show up en masse at one of the meetings and try and stage a mini-revolt.

Compared to a lot of FCPS community meetings, these sessions are fairly tightly organized. People are encouraged to pre-register. If you pre-register you are assigned a table. Police are present. Reid and Thru Consulting made presentations where they extol the benefits of boundary changes. Then there are breakout sections where people are marched through four times questions, all of which start from the premise that boundary changes are both necessary and inevitable. People find themselves advocating at the margins, but feeling largely powerless to object to the premise or likely outcomes. You will be told repeatedly that Thru Consulting is just in the data gathering phase, that no work on actual recommendations will begin for months, and that you will have endless opportunities to provide feedback. It is all being very carefully orchestrated.

Why would there be police present?

Reid was there last night, along with multiple School Board members (Anderson, Lady, Moon, St. John-Cunning). [As an aside, Reid didn't know which district St. John-Cunning represents, which was kind of awkward.]

There are always police at School Board meetings, and if anything the opportunity for a confrontation with some angry parent was greater since they were circulating around the tables.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think they should put a special education center for HS students in at Langley to fill up the extra space. There is a huge lack of seats in private placements for kids with serious needs, and parents of kids in placements already expect long bus rides.

Good idea. There is a huge lack of special education seats right now in Fairfax, since they stopped sending kids to schools that do seclusion. A special ed center for high schoolers with ASD or emotional disabilities would really fill a serious community need and is a good use of the space.