FCPS Skyview Boundary Scenario 1/2/3

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Enrollment is dropping across the county and the nation. We won’t have capacity issues in 5 years. Look at our numbers. The district will be shrinking. I’m not saying that area should not have a school. It doesn’t make sense for kids to drive that far to a HS. It just won’t be needed because of capacity. Location is a legitimate argument.

Enrollment is not dropping in the areas being serviced by this new school. The growth is here and in Tysons. Maybe you can convince FCPS to close a school somewhere else (doubt it), but one is definitely needed here and will be long into the future.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If they drop that plan and just use Skyview as a smaller school where everyone opts in indefinitely to be an “Aviator,” ...

This is a non-starter as the only people who would opt in to an optional school are the ones coming from a "worse" school. This would provide no relief to the overcrowded schools in the region, which is the entire reason they spent the money on the new school in the first place. A small opt in only school would be a complete waste of taxpayer funds, and still leave FCPS with the problem of what to do with Chantilly having 3000 kids they don't have room for.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If they drop that plan and just use Skyview as a smaller school where everyone opts in indefinitely to be an “Aviator,” ...

This is a non-starter as the only people who would opt in to an optional school are the ones coming from a "worse" school. This would provide no relief to the overcrowded schools in the region, which is the entire reason they spent the money on the new school in the first place. A small opt in only school would be a complete waste of taxpayer funds, and still leave FCPS with the problem of what to do with Chantilly having 3000 kids they don't have room for.

But that’s what the opt-in model will produce this fall. If the overcrowding were that acute they either would have already taken advantage of the excess capacity at Herndon or gone ahead and set boundaries for Skyview this fall that included Chantilly areas.

Also, their latest projections have Chantilly losing over 300 kids over the next five years, irrespective of Skyview.

Basically they saw a shiny toy and decided they needed to have it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If they drop that plan and just use Skyview as a smaller school where everyone opts in indefinitely to be an “Aviator,” ...

This is a non-starter as the only people who would opt in to an optional school are the ones coming from a "worse" school. This would provide no relief to the overcrowded schools in the region, which is the entire reason they spent the money on the new school in the first place. A small opt in only school would be a complete waste of taxpayer funds, and still leave FCPS with the problem of what to do with Chantilly having 3000 kids they don't have room for.

But that’s what the opt-in model will produce this fall. If the overcrowding were that acute they either would have already taken advantage of the excess capacity at Herndon or gone ahead and set boundaries for Skyview this fall that included Chantilly areas.

Also, their latest projections have Chantilly losing over 300 kids over the next five years, irrespective of Skyview.

Basically they saw a shiny toy and decided they needed to have it.

Herndon is too far away to relieve Chantilly. And the main reason for the opt in this year is because the school won't have many of the sports and activities that require upperclassmen. They didn't want to force kids into a situation like that, and instead let families choose what was most important to them this year (commute vs extracurriculars). The following year they will have a firm boundary and enough kids for VHSL participation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If they drop that plan and just use Skyview as a smaller school where everyone opts in indefinitely to be an “Aviator,” ...

This is a non-starter as the only people who would opt in to an optional school are the ones coming from a "worse" school. This would provide no relief to the overcrowded schools in the region, which is the entire reason they spent the money on the new school in the first place. A small opt in only school would be a complete waste of taxpayer funds, and still leave FCPS with the problem of what to do with Chantilly having 3000 kids they don't have room for.

But that’s what the opt-in model will produce this fall. If the overcrowding were that acute they either would have already taken advantage of the excess capacity at Herndon or gone ahead and set boundaries for Skyview this fall that included Chantilly areas.

Also, their latest projections have Chantilly losing over 300 kids over the next five years, irrespective of Skyview.

Basically they saw a shiny toy and decided they needed to have it.

Well, they will be losing more than 300 with the new school. But, Chantilly is pushing 3000. 2700 is not a small school, and is still over capacity.
That doesn't solve Westfield which is gaining kids and is at capacity or Oakton which is at capacity and growing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If they drop that plan and just use Skyview as a smaller school where everyone opts in indefinitely to be an “Aviator,” ...

This is a non-starter as the only people who would opt in to an optional school are the ones coming from a "worse" school. This would provide no relief to the overcrowded schools in the region, which is the entire reason they spent the money on the new school in the first place. A small opt in only school would be a complete waste of taxpayer funds, and still leave FCPS with the problem of what to do with Chantilly having 3000 kids they don't have room for.

But that’s what the opt-in model will produce this fall. If the overcrowding were that acute they either would have already taken advantage of the excess capacity at Herndon or gone ahead and set boundaries for Skyview this fall that included Chantilly areas.

Also, their latest projections have Chantilly losing over 300 kids over the next five years, irrespective of Skyview.

Basically they saw a shiny toy and decided they needed to have it.

Herndon is too far away to relieve Chantilly. And the main reason for the opt in this year is because the school won't have many of the sports and activities that require upperclassmen. They didn't want to force kids into a situation like that, and instead let families choose what was most important to them this year (commute vs extracurriculars). The following year they will have a firm boundary and enough kids for VHSL participation.

Given the unnecessary expansion of Herndon, it would have been fiscally responsible and efficient to move part of Chantilly to Westfield, and part of Westfield to Herndon.

You can explain away the opt-in model if you like, but it doesn't change the fact that it's inconsistent with claims that the overcrowding at Chantily is acute and demands an immediate solution, because the opt-in model will have only a modest impact on Chantilly's enrollment compared to the impact on the enrollments at Westfield and South Lakes.

They balked at moving kids to Herndon, because they know that people not want to be redistricted there. But now they are going to face a similar situation where families at Chantilly and/or Centreville don't want to be the ones to backfill Westfield. They could have put their feet down earlier, but they didn't, and now things could end up being even more contentious. They are playing a game of whack-a-mole.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If they drop that plan and just use Skyview as a smaller school where everyone opts in indefinitely to be an “Aviator,” ...

This is a non-starter as the only people who would opt in to an optional school are the ones coming from a "worse" school. This would provide no relief to the overcrowded schools in the region, which is the entire reason they spent the money on the new school in the first place. A small opt in only school would be a complete waste of taxpayer funds, and still leave FCPS with the problem of what to do with Chantilly having 3000 kids they don't have room for.

But that’s what the opt-in model will produce this fall. If the overcrowding were that acute they either would have already taken advantage of the excess capacity at Herndon or gone ahead and set boundaries for Skyview this fall that included Chantilly areas.

Also, their latest projections have Chantilly losing over 300 kids over the next five years, irrespective of Skyview.

Basically they saw a shiny toy and decided they needed to have it.

Well, they will be losing more than 300 with the new school. But, Chantilly is pushing 3000. 2700 is not a small school, and is still over capacity.
That doesn't solve Westfield which is gaining kids and is at capacity or Oakton which is at capacity and growing.

Westfield is under capacity and Oakton's enrollment growth could be a temporary spike. The latest CIP projections have Oakton under 100% capacity by 2029.

If you don't believe the CIP numbers then we ought to be insisting on changes to how they determine capacity and forecast enrollments before making major investments.

[Anonymous]

It doesn't really make sense to me that the kids who live in Herndon zoned to Westfield have not been rezoned to Herndon HS. It has a lot of seats, and its very close by to them!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It doesn't really make sense to me that the kids who live in Herndon zoned to Westfield have not been rezoned to Herndon HS. It has a lot of seats, and its very close by to them!

It is actually not very close to them.

You want close? Look at the people who vote at Herndon High and yet send their kids to Langley.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It doesn't really make sense to me that the kids who live in Herndon zoned to Westfield have not been rezoned to Herndon HS. It has a lot of seats, and its very close by to them!

It is actually not very close to them.

You want close? Look at the people who vote at Herndon High and yet send their kids to Langley.

Herndon turned them down a long time ago.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It doesn't really make sense to me that the kids who live in Herndon zoned to Westfield have not been rezoned to Herndon HS. It has a lot of seats, and its very close by to them!

It is actually not very close to them.

You want close? Look at the people who vote at Herndon High and yet send their kids to Langley.

DP. Coates and McNair, both feeders to Westfield, are closer to Herndon than they are to Westfield, and Langley has not been over capacity. Part of Coates already fed to Herndon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If they drop that plan and just use Skyview as a smaller school where everyone opts in indefinitely to be an “Aviator,” ...

This is a non-starter as the only people who would opt in to an optional school are the ones coming from a "worse" school. This would provide no relief to the overcrowded schools in the region, which is the entire reason they spent the money on the new school in the first place. A small opt in only school would be a complete waste of taxpayer funds, and still leave FCPS with the problem of what to do with Chantilly having 3000 kids they don't have room for.

But that’s what the opt-in model will produce this fall. If the overcrowding were that acute they either would have already taken advantage of the excess capacity at Herndon or gone ahead and set boundaries for Skyview this fall that included Chantilly areas.

Also, their latest projections have Chantilly losing over 300 kids over the next five years, irrespective of Skyview.

Basically they saw a shiny toy and decided they needed to have it.

Well, they will be losing more than 300 with the new school. But, Chantilly is pushing 3000. 2700 is not a small school, and is still over capacity.
That doesn't solve Westfield which is gaining kids and is at capacity or Oakton which is at capacity and growing.

Westfield is under capacity and Oakton's enrollment growth could be a temporary spike. The latest CIP projections have Oakton under 100% capacity by 2029.

If you don't believe the CIP numbers then we ought to be insisting on changes to how they determine capacity and forecast enrollments before making major investments.

Westfield and Oakton both have LOTS of new construction in the area. 50 odd new homes in the Westfield boundary as we speak and over 60 new homes in the Oakton boundary--and slated to continue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It doesn't really make sense to me that the kids who live in Herndon zoned to Westfield have not been rezoned to Herndon HS. It has a lot of seats, and its very close by to them!

It is actually not very close to them.

You want close? Look at the people who vote at Herndon High and yet send their kids to Langley.

DP. Coates and McNair, both feeders to Westfield, are closer to Herndon than they are to Westfield, and Langley has not been over capacity. Part of Coates already fed to Herndon.

They are not moving two high FARMs schools into Herndon, it would be a disaster. Essentially, it would turn Herndon into another Lewis.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If they drop that plan and just use Skyview as a smaller school where everyone opts in indefinitely to be an “Aviator,” ...

This is a non-starter as the only people who would opt in to an optional school are the ones coming from a "worse" school. This would provide no relief to the overcrowded schools in the region, which is the entire reason they spent the money on the new school in the first place. A small opt in only school would be a complete waste of taxpayer funds, and still leave FCPS with the problem of what to do with Chantilly having 3000 kids they don't have room for.

But that’s what the opt-in model will produce this fall. If the overcrowding were that acute they either would have already taken advantage of the excess capacity at Herndon or gone ahead and set boundaries for Skyview this fall that included Chantilly areas.

Also, their latest projections have Chantilly losing over 300 kids over the next five years, irrespective of Skyview.

Basically they saw a shiny toy and decided they needed to have it.

Herndon is too far away to relieve Chantilly. And the main reason for the opt in this year is because the school won't have many of the sports and activities that require upperclassmen. They didn't want to force kids into a situation like that, and instead let families choose what was most important to them this year (commute vs extracurriculars). The following year they will have a firm boundary and enough kids for VHSL participation.

Given the unnecessary expansion of Herndon, it would have been fiscally responsible and efficient to move part of Chantilly to Westfield, and part of Westfield to Herndon.

You can explain away the opt-in model if you like, but it doesn't change the fact that it's inconsistent with claims that the overcrowding at Chantily is acute and demands an immediate solution, because the opt-in model will have only a modest impact on Chantilly's enrollment compared to the impact on the enrollments at Westfield and South Lakes.

They balked at moving kids to Herndon, because they know that people not want to be redistricted there. But now they are going to face a similar situation where families at Chantilly and/or Centreville don't want to be the ones to backfill Westfield. They could have put their feet down earlier, but they didn't, and now things could end up being even more contentious. They are playing a game of whack-a-mole.

Whack-a-mole is what they have been doing the past several years. Tacking trailers onto schools and doing unnecessary expansions when schools popped up for their turn in the renovation queue. This new school is the first time in a while they are planning for the future instead of playing whack-a-mole.

[Anonymous]

Westfield has lost 250 kids to Skyview. They will no longer be overcrowed