PSA: Fairfax County Proposed Budget CANCELS Middle School After School Programs

[Anonymous]

This is getting buried in the start times thread, but wanted to ask everyone to please contact the Board of Supervisors and ask them to NOT push this proposed cut through next year. Middle schoolers love the after school program and it give a lot of kids who might otherwise get in trouble or be at home all alone something to do after school a few days a week. Everyone I've talked to has praised this program. Again, please contact your district's supervisor and ask them to say no to this proposal.

*NOTE this is NOT related to the start times at all. This is a COUNTY budget issue, whereas the start times are an FCPS issue.

[Anonymous]

As part of the fcps DOGE, it’s gotta go, OP. Sorry.

[Anonymous]

Can the middle schools do what elementary PTAs do, and offer after school activities from outside organizations?

Or perhaps fcps can keep the activities but ditch the late busses. Parents who want the activities can pick up their own kids.

[Anonymous]

^also that was an attempt at gallows humor.
I actually do think the middle school programs are worth the investment. It may be that the late bus is what costs sooo much money, but you can’t cut those bc boundaries for some are too far away to hike home in the cold and-or dark.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can the middle schools do what elementary PTAs do, and offer after school activities from outside organizations?

Or perhaps fcps can keep the activities but ditch the late busses. Parents who want the activities can pick up their own kids.

I know you mean well PP, but both suggestions revreal an extremely privileged lens. Please take a step back and remember that public schools are meant to provide opportunity and access to all students they serve.

[Anonymous]

This is so devastating - my child is a rising 7th grader and won’t have the opportunities my older child did. The after school program was crucial in their social development.

[Anonymous]

Do we know what programs are being cancelled? Like the ones with an associated school cost, like track or cross country, or everything even the parent led ones, like Mathcounts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can the middle schools do what elementary PTAs do, and offer after school activities from outside organizations?

Or perhaps fcps can keep the activities but ditch the late busses. Parents who want the activities can pick up their own kids.

I know you mean well PP, but both suggestions revreal an extremely privileged lens. Please take a step back and remember that public schools are meant to provide opportunity and access to all students they serve.

Even when we were dirt poor, and our cars broken, my parents found a way to get us where we needed to be when we needed to be there.

What is privileged is unilaterally deciding that if one kid cannot have nice things, then no kids will have nice things.

[Anonymous]

I agree that these programs or after school busses could be cut in favor of having funds for other priorities like teacher raises

[Anonymous]

The afterschool programs in FCPS middle schools are nothing special.

This is something that the Rec Centers should take care of.

[Anonymous]

Are they looking to cancel these programs because they are planning on the option where middle starts at 9:30??

[Anonymous]

I didn’t realize they were funding these clubs and FCPS running them.

[Anonymous]

Oof, if I were a local business owner I’d be campaigning to keep the program. On Fridays when it doesn’t happen the local shopping centers are mobbed with middle schoolers behaving poorly, to the point cops have been called many times.

12-14 year olds cannot get out at 2:15 and be on their own for 3-5 hours. They will find trouble.

If they’re pushing middle schoolers to be the late start/end schools, I’m okay with it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oof, if I were a local business owner I’d be campaigning to keep the program. On Fridays when it doesn’t happen the local shopping centers are mobbed with middle schoolers behaving poorly, to the point cops have been called many times.

12-14 year olds cannot get out at 2:15 and be on their own for 3-5 hours. They will find trouble.

If they’re pushing middle schoolers to be the late start/end schools, I’m okay with it.

I really think the school board should move middle school to 9:40 to 4:40, and start elementary around 7:45.

Middle schoolers will be able to sleep in, and will be dupervised from 2:30-4:30 instead of causing trouble at the local shopping centers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oof, if I were a local business owner I’d be campaigning to keep the program. On Fridays when it doesn’t happen the local shopping centers are mobbed with middle schoolers behaving poorly, to the point cops have been called many times.

12-14 year olds cannot get out at 2:15 and be on their own for 3-5 hours. They will find trouble.

If they’re pushing middle schoolers to be the late start/end schools, I’m okay with it.

They're 12-14, no not all of them will find trouble. Ppl need to stop generalizing.