FCPS Boundary Review Updates

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hate how people on this thread keep saying “no one wants boundary changes” when there are posts supportive of a comprehensive review and explaining the reasons. More bullying and dismissiveness by the well-funded, self-interested, entitled opponents.

I bet those IP addresses can be tracked back to gatehouse employees working from home LOL.

This is a perfect example of the dismissiveness those of us who support the review for district wide efficiencies face. I’m a parent, not a gatehouse employee. I just care about running things more efficiently. I also wish they would get rid of the Dunn Loring useless project, try to get the king Abdullah land to address overcrowding, get rid of nardos king and her useless staff and trainings (but not the hearings office), fire the hayfield principal and coach, stop sending bad principals to gatehouse and more. I wish republicans had run non-nuts for SB, especially in Providence (where I don’t live). I value public education, know money is tight and getting tighter and think overenrolled schools next to underenrolled schools is wasteful.

If they are wasting millions on Dunn Loring, what makes you think the boundary study is being done for efficiency and will be planned and implemented improving efficiency and saving money?

Puh-leeze.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I hate how people on this thread keep saying “no one wants boundary changes” when there are posts supportive of a comprehensive review and explaining the reasons. More bullying and dismissiveness by the well-funded, self-interested, entitled opponents.

It does seem like those who want everything to always stay the same are trolling this thread like stormtroopers. Bullying and threatening those who cross them. They must be fun at parties.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hate how people on this thread keep saying “no one wants boundary changes” when there are posts supportive of a comprehensive review and explaining the reasons. More bullying and dismissiveness by the well-funded, self-interested, entitled opponents.

I'm sure there are people who want boundary changes--just like the 2008 South Lakes PTA. They want to choose other neighborhoods to come to their schools. You might be one of them.

The problem is that most people--and this is reflected in the community feedback meetings--do NOT want to disrupt their own communities for yours. That is not hard to understand. The only attack you have is to attack others--your statement: "More bullying and dismissiveness by the well-funded, self-interested, entitled opponents."

Let's break it out:
"well-funded" Please tell us where these funds are coming from. I don't live in Great Falls or near it. I did read that there was a donation of $5000 to Fairfacts. I don't consider that "well-funded."

"self-interested" Don't you think there is something wrong if parents are not interested in educating their own kids? Keeping their own community intact?

"entitled" I hardly feel entitled when a SB member says we have to do this and that kids are "resilient." Resilience is key--when disruptions occur. But, you don't deliberately disrupt kids and cause stress to families when there are other solutions. This is about communities.

"dismissiveness" ? you must be kidding. Just look at how dismissive all these pages of comments are.

Do you know what I think is "dismissive?" Moving kids around because the school system cannot figure out how to help some kids who are struggling.

Well-funded is FairFACTS matters who raised over 40 grand in a couple of months. They are less well funded because the GFCA realized how toxic they are.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hate how people on this thread keep saying “no one wants boundary changes” when there are posts supportive of a comprehensive review and explaining the reasons. More bullying and dismissiveness by the well-funded, self-interested, entitled opponents.

I bet those IP addresses can be tracked back to gatehouse employees working from home LOL.

It's sad that you keep on making false accusations against Gatehouse employees. Are you the same one who keeps complaining about defamation?
-Not a gatehouse employee. Just a parent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hate how people on this thread keep saying “no one wants boundary changes” when there are posts supportive of a comprehensive review and explaining the reasons. More bullying and dismissiveness by the well-funded, self-interested, entitled opponents.

I bet those IP addresses can be tracked back to gatehouse employees working from home LOL.

This is a perfect example of the dismissiveness those of us who support the review for district wide efficiencies face. I’m a parent, not a gatehouse employee. I just care about running things more efficiently. I also wish they would get rid of the Dunn Loring useless project, try to get the king Abdullah land to address overcrowding, get rid of nardos king and her useless staff and trainings (but not the hearings office), fire the hayfield principal and coach, stop sending bad principals to gatehouse and more. I wish republicans had run non-nuts for SB, especially in Providence (where I don’t live). I value public education, know money is tight and getting tighter and think overenrolled schools next to underenrolled schools is wasteful.

If they are wasting millions on Dunn Loring, what makes you think the boundary study is being done for efficiency and will be planned and implemented improving efficiency and saving money?

Puh-leeze.

That’s how I read PP’s post - “it’s a shame they do all these thoughtless, inefficient, and wasteful other things, but my school’s already been expanded and my kids are set, so they might as well claim to save some money by redistricting your kids.”

Very magnanimous - but don’t be surprised if others aren’t buying what this School Board is trying to sell.

[Anonymous]

Well-funded is FairFACTS matters who raised over 40 grand in a couple of months. They are less well funded because the GFCA realized how toxic they are.

Not a member of FairFacts. I've no idea who is running it. But, if you think 40 grand will compete with FCPS who spends millions and millions every day with no thought, 40 grand is miniscule. David vs Goliath.

1.$500K along on a "consultant" that is providing cover for the School board. And, I seriously doubt that the $$$ to Thru will stop at $500K--on a no bid contract.

2. Do you think all these meetings with communities are free? Custodians, staffing, etc? Do you think staff is not being paid for this?

3. A "lottery" with witnesses and video proving that something smells--and no serious response from FCPS.

4. Committee members who are known activists that will support the School Board. (Irony alert--one of the proponents of the SB and "equity warrior" does not want her own neighborhood moved. Talk about hypocrite.)

5. Using overcrowding as an excuse when the most overcrowded schools are functioning well. And, one of them will rapidly lose population over the next years.

6. No discussion on the School Board about eliminating IB which would limit pupil placement and likely bring "more affluent" students back to less affluent schools--and, incidentally bring great savings to FCPS--by eliminating need for high school redistricting and keeping the community happy.

7. Going through with this when so many citizens and families are worried about careers and future.

This is the last thing Fairfax County needs right now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Do you know what I think is "dismissive?" Moving kids around because the school system cannot figure out how to help some kids who are struggling. that’s not why this is being done.

You are delusional if you think this isn’t why it’s being done. With VA’s new accreditation requirements there are certain schools that won’t pass. They are trying to move kids to being scores up. And before you’re changing boundaries bring back the hundreds that pupil place out. If you’re pupil placing for IB you should be required to work toward the IB diploma. Not just take a handful of classes and call it a day. There are so many broken Things to fix in FCPS before they start moving kids around

That is a load of bull. We will have a new governor and that garbage system devised under Youngkin will be dismantled and sent to the glue factory like it should be.
Not a SINGLE person wants to shift kids around for the Youngkin accreditation standards. Heck, not even Lisa Coons, VA Super, is willing to implement them because she just quit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Well-funded is FairFACTS matters who raised over 40 grand in a couple of months. They are less well funded because the GFCA realized how toxic they are.

Not a member of FairFacts. I've no idea who is running it. But, if you think 40 grand will compete with FCPS who spends millions and millions every day with no thought, 40 grand is miniscule. David vs Goliath.

1.$500K along on a "consultant" that is providing cover for the School board. And, I seriously doubt that the $$$ to Thru will stop at $500K--on a no bid contract.

2. Do you think all these meetings with communities are free? Custodians, staffing, etc? Do you think staff is not being paid for this?

3. A "lottery" with witnesses and video proving that something smells--and no serious response from FCPS.

4. Committee members who are known activists that will support the School Board. (Irony alert--one of the proponents of the SB and "equity warrior" does not want her own neighborhood moved. Talk about hypocrite.)

5. Using overcrowding as an excuse when the most overcrowded schools are functioning well. And, one of them will rapidly lose population over the next years.

6. No discussion on the School Board about eliminating IB which would limit pupil placement and likely bring "more affluent" students back to less affluent schools--and, incidentally bring great savings to FCPS--by eliminating need for high school redistricting and keeping the community happy.

7. Going through with this when so many citizens and families are worried about careers and future.

This is the last thing Fairfax County needs right now.

What idiotic comments.
The district needs the solve over and under crowding of our schools, but some people just need to keep making it about them and their "house values" which we all know is code for redlining and keeping "the poors" out.
FCPS taped the lottery with a lawyer and the Fairfax PTSA President. If that isn't good enough for you, nothing will be
Stop going after parents and volunteers on the committee because it just makes you look like a bigger liar than you already are.

[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:How are people finding out specifically what schools are up for grabs? Is if conjecture or is there info somewhere?

Conjecture. An educated guess based on the School Boards comments. I can fully see some of the border shifts that are being discussed, they fit with what the school board has laid out as their reasoning for redistricting.

But there is a lot of fear mongering with the hope that if the groups raise the alarm and FOIAing documents and pointing out how awful the school board is people will place pressure on the school board. This is coming from the same schools with the same posters. I would love to see an analysis of what percent of posters are responsible for the conversation in this topic. I suspect that a relativly small number of posters are responsible for the lions share of the posts.

Anyone who sees pros, to go along with the cons, is shouted down by the people who are violently opposed to any changes that moves their kids. There have been some good suggestions made in the topics, but they are hard to find.

I fully expect there to be large shifts in the Herndon, Centerville, Chantilly, South Lakes, Oakton, Westfield area because of the issues with over crowding and space available in some of the schools. The ES situation is problematic, and those shifts will affect MS and HS. That has been touched on a bit but for the most part the loudest voices have been the Great Falls and WSHS families.

FCPS is too big and really should be broken into smaller districts, but I doubt that is going to happen.

I think the opposition is fanning this flame - they keep bringing up Langley and Herndon all the time. It just creates a response. No where was that discussed in any meeting. But - there they are saying it will happen because of equity. The county, in their view, will pay extra, drive longer distances, just to bus people from GF Village all the way to HHS. Going after trans was the last election, CRT the one before, now it's equity driven boundary change.

From Forestville, 2 minutes longer to cooper than HMS. From Forestville, 9 minutes longer to Langley than HHS. Don’t take my word for it. Check on maps at relevant times of the day.

The narrative about transportation savings is a chimera.

That 9 minutes is significant if they are trying to save costs via bus. It’s not just traveling TO Langley, but also the time it takes to get to those neighborhoods potentially out of route.

DP. You know what's a lot more significant? The wasted almost empty buses that traverse the county to take AAP kids to centers - when they already have AAP in their base school. THAT'S not only grossly wasteful and redundant, but also the very definition of INequity. I certainly hope the SB gets rid of centers and their associated busing before moving a single child to a new school.

Agreed! AAP centers should be the first thing to cut when there is a budget shortfall. That includes the elementary school specialists who work with 3 kids a day and give a lesson once a month.

The AART at our ES was part time. She provided classes for all the kids, plus the LIII pull out, plus a LIV pull out because our school uses the cluster method. DS brought home projects in K-2 that were completed with the AART and enjoyed the LIII pull outs. She was busy, her time was not wasted.

DP. I’m sorry, but this Level 1-3 nonsense is BS. Pull out here, pull out there - it all adds up to a big waste of time. There simply needs to be an AAP grouping for all four core classes that ALL kids have an opportunity to do. Those who need to fall back a level could easily do so if there were flexible groupings. Whoever came up with the current convoluted system was an idiot.

That isn’t what happens with flexible groupings thought. The reality (as parent and a teacher) is that admin then tells you never to meet with the AAP kids because they don’t need it and to focus on the regular kids who need regular instruction and the “bubble’ kids who can pass assessments with lots of extra help.

The AAP kids get sidelined (which I suppose makes you happy) and never get to have small group time with the teacher.

In AAP, those kids aleast can move a little faster.

Baloney. As another teacher and a parent. They already have 2E kids in AAP. Do you think those kids move as fast as the other AAP?

+1
Not to mention, the SPED kids with all kinds of learning disabilities are grouped in the Gen Ed classes, making those kids unable to move as fast as they could otherwise. But somehow, I bet that's ok with the PP. As long as AAP kids get to be separate.

Do NOT dump your ignorance and nastiness on disabled kids. Disabled kids are not a monolith, and many compete with and exceed AAP kids.
Disgusting.

Look - you've posted several times about this. This has nothing to do with "disabled kids," and everything to do with the fact the people like YOU seem to think AAP kids should be insulated from any of the distractions that Gen Ed kids have to put up with on a daily basis. As long as your AAP kid gets to learn in peace, who cares what kind of experience Gen Ed kids have?

I bet you have no problem claiming, "some Gen Ed kids couldn't possibly keep up with AAP kids!" (there are very few who couldn't, btw). So just be honest and admit that many students with disabilities ALSO aren't able to keep up with the Gen Ed students. It works both ways, whether you find it "disgusting" to speak the truth or not.

Gen Ed kids deserve a learning environment where they are free from distractions too.

There must be a bunch of us then, because this is the first time I posted in response to a nasty comment about disabled kids.
I find the comments about Gen Ed and AAP kids to be disgusting too, but your nastiness toward special Ed was a bridge too far.
Stop demeaning kids. You clearly know nothing and are happy to let us all know that fact.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Well-funded is FairFACTS matters who raised over 40 grand in a couple of months. They are less well funded because the GFCA realized how toxic they are.

Not a member of FairFacts. I've no idea who is running it. But, if you think 40 grand will compete with FCPS who spends millions and millions every day with no thought, 40 grand is miniscule. David vs Goliath.

1.$500K along on a "consultant" that is providing cover for the School board. And, I seriously doubt that the $$$ to Thru will stop at $500K--on a no bid contract.

2. Do you think all these meetings with communities are free? Custodians, staffing, etc? Do you think staff is not being paid for this?

3. A "lottery" with witnesses and video proving that something smells--and no serious response from FCPS.

4. Committee members who are known activists that will support the School Board. (Irony alert--one of the proponents of the SB and "equity warrior" does not want her own neighborhood moved. Talk about hypocrite.)

5. Using overcrowding as an excuse when the most overcrowded schools are functioning well. And, one of them will rapidly lose population over the next years.

6. No discussion on the School Board about eliminating IB which would limit pupil placement and likely bring "more affluent" students back to less affluent schools--and, incidentally bring great savings to FCPS--by eliminating need for high school redistricting and keeping the community happy.

7. Going through with this when so many citizens and families are worried about careers and future.

This is the last thing Fairfax County needs right now.

What idiotic comments.
The district needs the solve over and under crowding of our schools, but some people just need to keep making it about them and their "house values" which we all know is code for redlining and keeping "the poors" out.
FCPS taped the lottery with a lawyer and the Fairfax PTSA President. If that isn't good enough for you, nothing will be
Stop going after parents and volunteers on the committee because it just makes you look like a bigger liar than you already are.

1. When you don't have a good argument, crying racism is your fallback. If schools are overcrowded, then fix them. Right now, it appears that is not a problem with the high schools. We know that population is falling in some of them and those schools seem to be working. And, there are many schools that are working fine, but will be dominoed into this process.
2. Yes, the lottery was taped. That is a good thing, but we still do not know what happened. It has been reported that there were other issues aside from #35. Why hasn't there been a decent explanation?
3. What makes me a liar? Did not one of the BRAC committee members claim that her neighborhood should not be moved?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Well-funded is FairFACTS matters who raised over 40 grand in a couple of months. They are less well funded because the GFCA realized how toxic they are.

Not a member of FairFacts. I've no idea who is running it. But, if you think 40 grand will compete with FCPS who spends millions and millions every day with no thought, 40 grand is miniscule. David vs Goliath.

1.$500K along on a "consultant" that is providing cover for the School board. And, I seriously doubt that the $$$ to Thru will stop at $500K--on a no bid contract.

2. Do you think all these meetings with communities are free? Custodians, staffing, etc? Do you think staff is not being paid for this?

3. A "lottery" with witnesses and video proving that something smells--and no serious response from FCPS.

4. Committee members who are known activists that will support the School Board. (Irony alert--one of the proponents of the SB and "equity warrior" does not want her own neighborhood moved. Talk about hypocrite.)

5. Using overcrowding as an excuse when the most overcrowded schools are functioning well. And, one of them will rapidly lose population over the next years.

6. No discussion on the School Board about eliminating IB which would limit pupil placement and likely bring "more affluent" students back to less affluent schools--and, incidentally bring great savings to FCPS--by eliminating need for high school redistricting and keeping the community happy.

7. Going through with this when so many citizens and families are worried about careers and future.

This is the last thing Fairfax County needs right now.

What idiotic comments.
The district needs the solve over and under crowding of our schools, but some people just need to keep making it about them and their "house values" which we all know is code for redlining and keeping "the poors" out.
FCPS taped the lottery with a lawyer and the Fairfax PTSA President. If that isn't good enough for you, nothing will be
Stop going after parents and volunteers on the committee because it just makes you look like a bigger liar than you already are.

Not PP, but the comments are spot on.

If you want to challenge them, you're going to have to come up with something better than calling them "idiotic."

As for the videotaping of the lottery, it serves as a record of just how sloppy and riddled with irregularities the selection process for the community representatives was. No one is attacking the parents who truly may have been selected randomly, but that doesn't change the fact that others were arbitrarily excluded from consideration for the BRAC due to FCPS's sloppiness. Meanwhile they separately stacked the committee with a bunch of special interest representatives whom they appointed expecting to get their support. Like what special expertise does a childless, LBGTQ member of Fairfax PRIDE bring to a boundary review (hint: none)?

If you want to complain about bullying, you might want to invest in a mirror first.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hate how people on this thread keep saying “no one wants boundary changes” when there are posts supportive of a comprehensive review and explaining the reasons. More bullying and dismissiveness by the well-funded, self-interested, entitled opponents.

I am a teacher and I think this is absolutely needed. Not necessarily on an equity stand point but due to operational. There are many kids going to schools that are farther away when other schools are closer. That should be fixed. Some of the boundaries truly make no sense. The piece meal boundary solutions are a quick fix approach but then another school becomes over capacity. The whole system needs an overhaul. I hope also get rid of split feeders. It should be these 8 ES go to this middle school and this high school. I think AP should be offered at all high schools and more languages should be offered at base schools. AAP centers should go away and everyone shoukd be educated at their base schools. There should be specific SPED programming in all pyramids so those kids don’t need crazy long bus rides.

I think most parents on here not wanting this are at risk of moving to a less desirable school.

All so spot on. As a teacher, are they polling you all on this at all?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hate how people on this thread keep saying “no one wants boundary changes” when there are posts supportive of a comprehensive review and explaining the reasons. More bullying and dismissiveness by the well-funded, self-interested, entitled opponents.

I am a teacher and I think this is absolutely needed. Not necessarily on an equity stand point but due to operational. There are many kids going to schools that are farther away when other schools are closer. That should be fixed. Some of the boundaries truly make no sense. The piece meal boundary solutions are a quick fix approach but then another school becomes over capacity. The whole system needs an overhaul. I hope also get rid of split feeders. It should be these 8 ES go to this middle school and this high school. I think AP should be offered at all high schools and more languages should be offered at base schools. AAP centers should go away and everyone shoukd be educated at their base schools. There should be specific SPED programming in all pyramids so those kids don’t need crazy long bus rides.

I think most parents on here not wanting this are at risk of moving to a less desirable school.

The domino effect will result in some moving to schools that are further away.

All so spot on. As a teacher, are they polling you all on this at all?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Well-funded is FairFACTS matters who raised over 40 grand in a couple of months. They are less well funded because the GFCA realized how toxic they are.

Not a member of FairFacts. I've no idea who is running it. But, if you think 40 grand will compete with FCPS who spends millions and millions every day with no thought, 40 grand is miniscule. David vs Goliath.

1.$500K along on a "consultant" that is providing cover for the School board. And, I seriously doubt that the $$$ to Thru will stop at $500K--on a no bid contract.

2. Do you think all these meetings with communities are free? Custodians, staffing, etc? Do you think staff is not being paid for this?

3. A "lottery" with witnesses and video proving that something smells--and no serious response from FCPS.

4. Committee members who are known activists that will support the School Board. (Irony alert--one of the proponents of the SB and "equity warrior" does not want her own neighborhood moved. Talk about hypocrite.)

5. Using overcrowding as an excuse when the most overcrowded schools are functioning well. And, one of them will rapidly lose population over the next years.

6. No discussion on the School Board about eliminating IB which would limit pupil placement and likely bring "more affluent" students back to less affluent schools--and, incidentally bring great savings to FCPS--by eliminating need for high school redistricting and keeping the community happy.

7. Going through with this when so many citizens and families are worried about careers and future.

This is the last thing Fairfax County needs right now.

What idiotic comments.
The district needs the solve over and under crowding of our schools, but some people just need to keep making it about them and their "house values" which we all know is code for redlining and keeping "the poors" out.
FCPS taped the lottery with a lawyer and the Fairfax PTSA President. If that isn't good enough for you, nothing will be
Stop going after parents and volunteers on the committee because it just makes you look like a bigger liar than you already are.

1. When you don't have a good argument, crying racism is your fallback. If schools are overcrowded, then fix them. Right now, it appears that is not a problem with the high schools. We know that population is falling in some of them and those schools seem to be working. And, there are many schools that are working fine, but will be dominoed into this process.
2. Yes, the lottery was taped. That is a good thing, but we still do not know what happened. It has been reported that there were other issues aside from #35. Why hasn't there been a decent explanation?
3. What makes me a liar? Did not one of the BRAC committee members claim that her neighborhood should not be moved?

Amen. She and her other compatriot love to cry racism and staying away from poor people, when in reality, they’re more racist and classist than anyone they attack.

Pathetic school board lapdogs, and as been said before, very clearly gatehouse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hate how people on this thread keep saying “no one wants boundary changes” when there are posts supportive of a comprehensive review and explaining the reasons. More bullying and dismissiveness by the well-funded, self-interested, entitled opponents.

I am a teacher and I think this is absolutely needed. Not necessarily on an equity stand point but due to operational. There are many kids going to schools that are farther away when other schools are closer. That should be fixed. Some of the boundaries truly make no sense. The piece meal boundary solutions are a quick fix approach but then another school becomes over capacity. The whole system needs an overhaul. I hope also get rid of split feeders. It should be these 8 ES go to this middle school and this high school. I think AP should be offered at all high schools and more languages should be offered at base schools. AAP centers should go away and everyone shoukd be educated at their base schools. There should be specific SPED programming in all pyramids so those kids don’t need crazy long bus rides.

I think most parents on here not wanting this are at risk of moving to a less desirable school.

All so spot on. As a teacher, are they polling you all on this at all?

It's not all spot on. MS and HS other than maybe West Potomac would be incredibly overcrowded if they each had 8 ES feeders.

Also, from an operational standpoint, given where schools are located, not everyone can go to the closest school (some areas zoned to Oakton and Langley fall in that category), they need to have some split feeders (Holmes and Poe are two examples), and some of the attendance islands (such as those at Lake Braddock and McLean) really are not a big deal.

We did fine for decades without fetishizing things like split feeders and attendance islands. The fact that they are making such a BFD out of them now tells you that they'd decided that's their Trojan horse to effect some other changes, not because they really care about efficiency. If they really cared about efficiency they would not be wasting $85 million new ES in Dunn Loring for which there is absolutely no compelling need.