King Abdullah Academy Closing: FCPS Buy for HS?

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:The same nextdoor posters complaining (over and over again, and again and again!) about the boundary changes a few months ago, seem to be same ones up in arms about “transparency issues” with the purchase of KAA. They also appear to live in a “North Herndon” neighborhood, currently zoned for Langley. I’m sure it is just a coincidence.

I hope the purchase of KAA goes smoothly, and FCPS can successfully revamp it in time to serve the families in that area. Westfield is so far from Mcnair and Coates. How can Westfield build a thriving community when their students live so far away?

I don't live anywhere near "North Herndon," yet I also have questions about the transparency and funding of this school - even while I think it's a great purchase and will relieve the crowding issues many have spoken of. As FCPS residents, are we allowed to have questions about the process, or are we just supposed to shut up and keep our mouths closed?

One thing is for certain - if this school had been purchased in any other area (such as an area where it wouldn't benefit you), you'd be questioning the process too.

i agree. i work in a school and my kids atttend a different school. several jobs in both schools were cut due to funding. others were notified their pay is going down to make budget. how are we buying and funding a new school when there isn’t money for the current schools?

There is a difference between capital budgets and operating budgets. They are completely separate funds.

Haha. Like clockwork, the entitled pretend that money isn’t fungible.

Just admit that you feel you deserve the neighborhood school even if it means teacher job cuts and lower raises.

It’s better for you to just be honest about how you feel.

The area needs the school. That has been true for 20 years, and given the distance between all the current schools, current overcrowding, and new housing development, it will likely be true for decades in the future. And this was an opportunity that wasn’t likely to come around again anytime soon. The budget is tight now, no question, but I don’t foresee that being the case for long. Buying the school in my mind therefore admittedly creates short-term problems that will be painful (and as someone who works at a school, I really feel for the teachers and everyone else affected), but it also solves a long-term problem that has been painful and would continue to be painful for a long time and can only really be solved in this one way. I think it’s worth the trade off.

I also think the points above are why it’s unlikely this is going to be a magnet school. I think given the budget shortfall, people would be rightly furious if FCPS throws money at a magnet school that isn’t necessary and no one was asking for. Whereas putting money into a neighborhood school is painful when we don’t have a lot of it right now, but it’s understandable and solves a lot of the problems that FCPS has flagged as needing to be addressed.

I noticed you say nothing about the hundreds of seats sitting empty at Herndon. People have a high tolerance for waste when they stand to benefit, but once you get your new school will you be demanding they pinch pennies elsewhere?

Could you game out for me how Herndon is a long-term solution for all of the mess that is Western Fairfax? I could see it being a short-term, partial fix, but how would it fix things like split feeders or ensure that boundaries aren’t continually shifted every few years?

DP. The PP is just the same poster who is *dying* for a certain community to move into Herndon because she hates that particular community. It actually has nothing at all to do with the KAA school and the communities that will be going there.

So we spend tens of millions to expand HHS and then leave hundreds of seats empty there indefinitely?

Maybe those extra seats could be used for an academy or magnet program of some sort?

What kind? Isn’t this the sort of thing we ought to expect FCPS to figure out before it commits to big expansions or purchases?

You mean like their boundary study? The purchase is good. The rollout could certainly have been better. Nevertheless, you want process on the one hand, they plan to use process on figuring this out. They have said that in the articles.

DP. If we had extra funds burning a hole in our pocket, maybe we could act with reckless abandon. But this whole thing feels like it was orchestrated while the sb was drunk at a New Orleans strip club.

Come to think of it, maybe they are buying it with McDaniel’s company credit card?

I'd hardly call it "reckless abandon." It was a bargain and an opportunity that could not have been predicted. And, there is construction going on in that area that would indicate that there was competition for the site. It would be a travesty to pass this up. The excuse for not doing this earlier is that they could not find a site.

In fact you could say, this is just taking its rightful place in the queue.

DP. You could say that, but it would be a stretch, unless you're prepared to say that any project that jumps the queue is just taking its rightful place.

It's a matter of need. It's been planned longer than many things in the queue. They just couldn't find a site. Now, they found one at a bargain price. Would you really think they should have ignored it?

If you needed a bigger house and one came up that was a real, honest bargain, but would not be available for long, would you not take the money you budgeted for something that could wait? Considering that you really need that house now?

DP. To extend your analogy, would I buy a multimillion dollar house when I was barely scraping by and half a million dollars in debt by using someone else’s money and not telling them what the house will be used for or even giving them a choice in the matter?

No I probably would not. Even if it was a good deal, but at the very least, they owe us an explanation of why it’s needed. They should be able to convince us, but the silence makes me think it is not well thought out. And I’m not convinced that we really need this house now as you assert.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The same nextdoor posters complaining (over and over again, and again and again!) about the boundary changes a few months ago, seem to be same ones up in arms about “transparency issues” with the purchase of KAA. They also appear to live in a “North Herndon” neighborhood, currently zoned for Langley. I’m sure it is just a coincidence.

I hope the purchase of KAA goes smoothly, and FCPS can successfully revamp it in time to serve the families in that area. Westfield is so far from Mcnair and Coates. How can Westfield build a thriving community when their students live so far away?

I don't live anywhere near "North Herndon," yet I also have questions about the transparency and funding of this school - even while I think it's a great purchase and will relieve the crowding issues many have spoken of. As FCPS residents, are we allowed to have questions about the process, or are we just supposed to shut up and keep our mouths closed?

One thing is for certain - if this school had been purchased in any other area (such as an area where it wouldn't benefit you), you'd be questioning the process too.

i agree. i work in a school and my kids atttend a different school. several jobs in both schools were cut due to funding. others were notified their pay is going down to make budget. how are we buying and funding a new school when there isn’t money for the current schools?

While school purchases and upgrades will affect the annual budget down the line, they are funded initially by bonds. It is a different funding mechanism.

Did we vote for a bond on the $150 million? I thought it was just a bond on site acquisition.

To date the only funds earmarked for the western HS are about $25 million for site acquisition. The remainder of the projected cost is identified in the most recent CIP as unfunded.

I wish the Carson families were honest and admitted they are fine with jumping the queue and bumping other renovation and construction projects. Instead they crow about how they are going to have the newest and nicest school.

Jumping the queue? This was supposed to be built years ago until they gave the site to KAA for political reasons--likely pressure from the BOS because of a political situation with the Burke site. They probably had pressure from the feds.

Yes, jumping the queue. The latest CIP didn’t call for spending any money on a western high school before 2031. You can say it was “supposed” to be built years ago but there was no actual plan to do so.

+1. This is a zero sum game, so who is going to get screwed by them jumping the line?

Who is going to get a refresh or expansion earlier since they won't be spending $430 million in 2031 anymore? Just think how many immediate and future problems are solved getting this fully built and furnished school for 1/3 the planned price.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The same nextdoor posters complaining (over and over again, and again and again!) about the boundary changes a few months ago, seem to be same ones up in arms about “transparency issues” with the purchase of KAA. They also appear to live in a “North Herndon” neighborhood, currently zoned for Langley. I’m sure it is just a coincidence.

I hope the purchase of KAA goes smoothly, and FCPS can successfully revamp it in time to serve the families in that area. Westfield is so far from Mcnair and Coates. How can Westfield build a thriving community when their students live so far away?

I don't live anywhere near "North Herndon," yet I also have questions about the transparency and funding of this school - even while I think it's a great purchase and will relieve the crowding issues many have spoken of. As FCPS residents, are we allowed to have questions about the process, or are we just supposed to shut up and keep our mouths closed?

One thing is for certain - if this school had been purchased in any other area (such as an area where it wouldn't benefit you), you'd be questioning the process too.

i agree. i work in a school and my kids atttend a different school. several jobs in both schools were cut due to funding. others were notified their pay is going down to make budget. how are we buying and funding a new school when there isn’t money for the current schools?

While school purchases and upgrades will affect the annual budget down the line, they are funded initially by bonds. It is a different funding mechanism.

Did we vote for a bond on the $150 million? I thought it was just a bond on site acquisition.

To date the only funds earmarked for the western HS are about $25 million for site acquisition. The remainder of the projected cost is identified in the most recent CIP as unfunded.

I wish the Carson families were honest and admitted they are fine with jumping the queue and bumping other renovation and construction projects. Instead they crow about how they are going to have the newest and nicest school.

Jumping the queue? This was supposed to be built years ago until they gave the site to KAA for political reasons--likely pressure from the BOS because of a political situation with the Burke site. They probably had pressure from the feds.

Yes, jumping the queue. The latest CIP didn’t call for spending any money on a western high school before 2031. You can say it was “supposed” to be built years ago but there was no actual plan to do so.

+1. This is a zero sum game, so who is going to get screwed by them jumping the line?

Who is going to get a refresh or expansion earlier since they won't be spending $430 million in 2031 anymore? Just think how many immediate and future problems are solved getting this fully built and furnished school for 1/3 the planned price.

From a high school perspetive, it doesn't seem like anyone would need an expansion anymore with the KAA purchase, but definitely still schools in need of a renovation like Centreville. Good news though from my own experience with my house, renovations are significantly less expensive and faster than building an addition.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The same nextdoor posters complaining (over and over again, and again and again!) about the boundary changes a few months ago, seem to be same ones up in arms about “transparency issues” with the purchase of KAA. They also appear to live in a “North Herndon” neighborhood, currently zoned for Langley. I’m sure it is just a coincidence.

I hope the purchase of KAA goes smoothly, and FCPS can successfully revamp it in time to serve the families in that area. Westfield is so far from Mcnair and Coates. How can Westfield build a thriving community when their students live so far away?

I don't live anywhere near "North Herndon," yet I also have questions about the transparency and funding of this school - even while I think it's a great purchase and will relieve the crowding issues many have spoken of. As FCPS residents, are we allowed to have questions about the process, or are we just supposed to shut up and keep our mouths closed?

One thing is for certain - if this school had been purchased in any other area (such as an area where it wouldn't benefit you), you'd be questioning the process too.

i agree. i work in a school and my kids atttend a different school. several jobs in both schools were cut due to funding. others were notified their pay is going down to make budget. how are we buying and funding a new school when there isn’t money for the current schools?

While school purchases and upgrades will affect the annual budget down the line, they are funded initially by bonds. It is a different funding mechanism.

Did we vote for a bond on the $150 million? I thought it was just a bond on site acquisition.

To date the only funds earmarked for the western HS are about $25 million for site acquisition. The remainder of the projected cost is identified in the most recent CIP as unfunded.

I wish the Carson families were honest and admitted they are fine with jumping the queue and bumping other renovation and construction projects. Instead they crow about how they are going to have the newest and nicest school.

Jumping the queue? This was supposed to be built years ago until they gave the site to KAA for political reasons--likely pressure from the BOS because of a political situation with the Burke site. They probably had pressure from the feds.

Yes, jumping the queue. The latest CIP didn’t call for spending any money on a western high school before 2031. You can say it was “supposed” to be built years ago but there was no actual plan to do so.

+1. This is a zero sum game, so who is going to get screwed by them jumping the line?

Who is going to get a refresh or expansion earlier since they won't be spending $430 million in 2031 anymore? Just think how many immediate and future problems are solved getting this fully built and furnished school for 1/3 the planned price.

From a high school perspetive, it doesn't seem like anyone would need an expansion anymore with the KAA purchase, but definitely still schools in need of a renovation like Centreville. Good news though from my own experience with my house, renovations are significantly less expensive and faster than building an addition.

You’re either ignorant or a troll.

[Anonymous]

Anyone who says this was a bad or reckless purchase is really ignorant and just talking out their arse. This was a great deal at the best time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Anyone who says this was a bad or reckless purchase is really ignorant and just talking out their arse. This was a great deal at the best time.

Yeah, people who question where their tax money goes are ignorant.

It’s funny, because technically we ARE ignorant because the school board has not disclosed anything about the purchase or future intent. They’ve kept us in the dark.

Don’t be silly.

[Anonymous]

Where is the money coming from?

What projects get delayed as a result?

What projects get accelerated as a result?

What’s the impact on the current boundary review?

If you can’t answer those questions, it may not be a bad purchase but it is a reckless one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Where is the money coming from?

What projects get delayed as a result?

What projects get accelerated as a result?

What’s the impact on the current boundary review?

If you can’t answer those questions, it may not be a bad purchase but it is a reckless one.

+1. Democracy dies in the darkness.

[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:The same nextdoor posters complaining (over and over again, and again and again!) about the boundary changes a few months ago, seem to be same ones up in arms about “transparency issues” with the purchase of KAA. They also appear to live in a “North Herndon” neighborhood, currently zoned for Langley. I’m sure it is just a coincidence.

I hope the purchase of KAA goes smoothly, and FCPS can successfully revamp it in time to serve the families in that area. Westfield is so far from Mcnair and Coates. How can Westfield build a thriving community when their students live so far away?

I don't live anywhere near "North Herndon," yet I also have questions about the transparency and funding of this school - even while I think it's a great purchase and will relieve the crowding issues many have spoken of. As FCPS residents, are we allowed to have questions about the process, or are we just supposed to shut up and keep our mouths closed?

One thing is for certain - if this school had been purchased in any other area (such as an area where it wouldn't benefit you), you'd be questioning the process too.

i agree. i work in a school and my kids atttend a different school. several jobs in both schools were cut due to funding. others were notified their pay is going down to make budget. how are we buying and funding a new school when there isn’t money for the current schools?

While school purchases and upgrades will affect the annual budget down the line, they are funded initially by bonds. It is a different funding mechanism.

Did we vote for a bond on the $150 million? I thought it was just a bond on site acquisition.

To date the only funds earmarked for the western HS are about $25 million for site acquisition. The remainder of the projected cost is identified in the most recent CIP as unfunded.

I wish the Carson families were honest and admitted they are fine with jumping the queue and bumping other renovation and construction projects. Instead they crow about how they are going to have the newest and nicest school.

Jumping the queue? This was supposed to be built years ago until they gave the site to KAA for political reasons--likely pressure from the BOS because of a political situation with the Burke site. They probably had pressure from the feds.

Yes, jumping the queue. The latest CIP didn’t call for spending any money on a western high school before 2031. You can say it was “supposed” to be built years ago but there was no actual plan to do so.

+1. This is a zero sum game, so who is going to get screwed by them jumping the line?

Who is going to get a refresh or expansion earlier since they won't be spending $430 million in 2031 anymore? Just think how many immediate and future problems are solved getting this fully built and furnished school for 1/3 the planned price.

From a high school perspetive, it doesn't seem like anyone would need an expansion anymore with the KAA purchase, but definitely still schools in need of a renovation like Centreville. Good news though from my own experience with my house, renovations are significantly less expensive and faster than building an addition.

You’re either ignorant or a troll.

As constructive as your post may be, perhaps you may want to give the PP examples of how they may be incorrect.

[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:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The same nextdoor posters complaining (over and over again, and again and again!) about the boundary changes a few months ago, seem to be same ones up in arms about “transparency issues” with the purchase of KAA. They also appear to live in a “North Herndon” neighborhood, currently zoned for Langley. I’m sure it is just a coincidence.

I hope the purchase of KAA goes smoothly, and FCPS can successfully revamp it in time to serve the families in that area. Westfield is so far from Mcnair and Coates. How can Westfield build a thriving community when their students live so far away?

I don't live anywhere near "North Herndon," yet I also have questions about the transparency and funding of this school - even while I think it's a great purchase and will relieve the crowding issues many have spoken of. As FCPS residents, are we allowed to have questions about the process, or are we just supposed to shut up and keep our mouths closed?

One thing is for certain - if this school had been purchased in any other area (such as an area where it wouldn't benefit you), you'd be questioning the process too.

i agree. i work in a school and my kids atttend a different school. several jobs in both schools were cut due to funding. others were notified their pay is going down to make budget. how are we buying and funding a new school when there isn’t money for the current schools?

There is a difference between capital budgets and operating budgets. They are completely separate funds.

Haha. Like clockwork, the entitled pretend that money isn’t fungible.

Just admit that you feel you deserve the neighborhood school even if it means teacher job cuts and lower raises.

It’s better for you to just be honest about how you feel.

The area needs the school. That has been true for 20 years, and given the distance between all the current schools, current overcrowding, and new housing development, it will likely be true for decades in the future. And this was an opportunity that wasn’t likely to come around again anytime soon. The budget is tight now, no question, but I don’t foresee that being the case for long. Buying the school in my mind therefore admittedly creates short-term problems that will be painful (and as someone who works at a school, I really feel for the teachers and everyone else affected), but it also solves a long-term problem that has been painful and would continue to be painful for a long time and can only really be solved in this one way. I think it’s worth the trade off.

I also think the points above are why it’s unlikely this is going to be a magnet school. I think given the budget shortfall, people would be rightly furious if FCPS throws money at a magnet school that isn’t necessary and no one was asking for. Whereas putting money into a neighborhood school is painful when we don’t have a lot of it right now, but it’s understandable and solves a lot of the problems that FCPS has flagged as needing to be addressed.

I noticed you say nothing about the hundreds of seats sitting empty at Herndon. People have a high tolerance for waste when they stand to benefit, but once you get your new school will you be demanding they pinch pennies elsewhere?

Could you game out for me how Herndon is a long-term solution for all of the mess that is Western Fairfax? I could see it being a short-term, partial fix, but how would it fix things like split feeders or ensure that boundaries aren’t continually shifted every few years?

DP. The PP is just the same poster who is *dying* for a certain community to move into Herndon because she hates that particular community. It actually has nothing at all to do with the KAA school and the communities that will be going there.

So we spend tens of millions to expand HHS and then leave hundreds of seats empty there indefinitely?

Maybe those extra seats could be used for an academy or magnet program of some sort?

What kind? Isn’t this the sort of thing we ought to expect FCPS to figure out before it commits to big expansions or purchases?

You mean like their boundary study? The purchase is good. The rollout could certainly have been better. Nevertheless, you want process on the one hand, they plan to use process on figuring this out. They have said that in the articles.

DP. If we had extra funds burning a hole in our pocket, maybe we could act with reckless abandon. But this whole thing feels like it was orchestrated while the sb was drunk at a New Orleans strip club.

Come to think of it, maybe they are buying it with McDaniel’s company credit card?

I'd hardly call it "reckless abandon." It was a bargain and an opportunity that could not have been predicted. And, there is construction going on in that area that would indicate that there was competition for the site. It would be a travesty to pass this up. The excuse for not doing this earlier is that they could not find a site.

In fact you could say, this is just taking its rightful place in the queue.

DP. You could say that, but it would be a stretch, unless you're prepared to say that any project that jumps the queue is just taking its rightful place.

It's a matter of need. It's been planned longer than many things in the queue. They just couldn't find a site. Now, they found one at a bargain price. Would you really think they should have ignored it?

If you needed a bigger house and one came up that was a real, honest bargain, but would not be available for long, would you not take the money you budgeted for something that could wait? Considering that you really need that house now?

DP. To extend your analogy, would I buy a multimillion dollar house when I was barely scraping by and half a million dollars in debt by using someone else’s money and not telling them what the house will be used for or even giving them a choice in the matter?

No I probably would not. Even if it was a good deal, but at the very least, they owe us an explanation of why it’s needed. They should be able to convince us, but the silence makes me think it is not well thought out. And I’m not convinced that we really need this house now as you assert.

And, you would leave your kids scattered among other family members instead? Got it.

[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:The same nextdoor posters complaining (over and over again, and again and again!) about the boundary changes a few months ago, seem to be same ones up in arms about “transparency issues” with the purchase of KAA. They also appear to live in a “North Herndon” neighborhood, currently zoned for Langley. I’m sure it is just a coincidence.

I hope the purchase of KAA goes smoothly, and FCPS can successfully revamp it in time to serve the families in that area. Westfield is so far from Mcnair and Coates. How can Westfield build a thriving community when their students live so far away?

I don't live anywhere near "North Herndon," yet I also have questions about the transparency and funding of this school - even while I think it's a great purchase and will relieve the crowding issues many have spoken of. As FCPS residents, are we allowed to have questions about the process, or are we just supposed to shut up and keep our mouths closed?

One thing is for certain - if this school had been purchased in any other area (such as an area where it wouldn't benefit you), you'd be questioning the process too.

i agree. i work in a school and my kids atttend a different school. several jobs in both schools were cut due to funding. others were notified their pay is going down to make budget. how are we buying and funding a new school when there isn’t money for the current schools?

While school purchases and upgrades will affect the annual budget down the line, they are funded initially by bonds. It is a different funding mechanism.

Did we vote for a bond on the $150 million? I thought it was just a bond on site acquisition.

To date the only funds earmarked for the western HS are about $25 million for site acquisition. The remainder of the projected cost is identified in the most recent CIP as unfunded.

I wish the Carson families were honest and admitted they are fine with jumping the queue and bumping other renovation and construction projects. Instead they crow about how they are going to have the newest and nicest school.

Jumping the queue? This was supposed to be built years ago until they gave the site to KAA for political reasons--likely pressure from the BOS because of a political situation with the Burke site. They probably had pressure from the feds.

Yes, jumping the queue. The latest CIP didn’t call for spending any money on a western high school before 2031. You can say it was “supposed” to be built years ago but there was no actual plan to do so.

+1. This is a zero sum game, so who is going to get screwed by them jumping the line?

Who is going to get a refresh or expansion earlier since they won't be spending $430 million in 2031 anymore? Just think how many immediate and future problems are solved getting this fully built and furnished school for 1/3 the planned price.

From a high school perspetive, it doesn't seem like anyone would need an expansion anymore with the KAA purchase, but definitely still schools in need of a renovation like Centreville. Good news though from my own experience with my house, renovations are significantly less expensive and faster than building an addition.

You’re either ignorant or a troll.

As constructive as your post may be, perhaps you may want to give the PP examples of how they may be incorrect.

Centreville, McLean, Annandale.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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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:The same nextdoor posters complaining (over and over again, and again and again!) about the boundary changes a few months ago, seem to be same ones up in arms about “transparency issues” with the purchase of KAA. They also appear to live in a “North Herndon” neighborhood, currently zoned for Langley. I’m sure it is just a coincidence.

I hope the purchase of KAA goes smoothly, and FCPS can successfully revamp it in time to serve the families in that area. Westfield is so far from Mcnair and Coates. How can Westfield build a thriving community when their students live so far away?

I don't live anywhere near "North Herndon," yet I also have questions about the transparency and funding of this school - even while I think it's a great purchase and will relieve the crowding issues many have spoken of. As FCPS residents, are we allowed to have questions about the process, or are we just supposed to shut up and keep our mouths closed?

One thing is for certain - if this school had been purchased in any other area (such as an area where it wouldn't benefit you), you'd be questioning the process too.

i agree. i work in a school and my kids atttend a different school. several jobs in both schools were cut due to funding. others were notified their pay is going down to make budget. how are we buying and funding a new school when there isn’t money for the current schools?

There is a difference between capital budgets and operating budgets. They are completely separate funds.

Haha. Like clockwork, the entitled pretend that money isn’t fungible.

Just admit that you feel you deserve the neighborhood school even if it means teacher job cuts and lower raises.

It’s better for you to just be honest about how you feel.

The area needs the school. That has been true for 20 years, and given the distance between all the current schools, current overcrowding, and new housing development, it will likely be true for decades in the future. And this was an opportunity that wasn’t likely to come around again anytime soon. The budget is tight now, no question, but I don’t foresee that being the case for long. Buying the school in my mind therefore admittedly creates short-term problems that will be painful (and as someone who works at a school, I really feel for the teachers and everyone else affected), but it also solves a long-term problem that has been painful and would continue to be painful for a long time and can only really be solved in this one way. I think it’s worth the trade off.

I also think the points above are why it’s unlikely this is going to be a magnet school. I think given the budget shortfall, people would be rightly furious if FCPS throws money at a magnet school that isn’t necessary and no one was asking for. Whereas putting money into a neighborhood school is painful when we don’t have a lot of it right now, but it’s understandable and solves a lot of the problems that FCPS has flagged as needing to be addressed.

I noticed you say nothing about the hundreds of seats sitting empty at Herndon. People have a high tolerance for waste when they stand to benefit, but once you get your new school will you be demanding they pinch pennies elsewhere?

Could you game out for me how Herndon is a long-term solution for all of the mess that is Western Fairfax? I could see it being a short-term, partial fix, but how would it fix things like split feeders or ensure that boundaries aren’t continually shifted every few years?

DP. The PP is just the same poster who is *dying* for a certain community to move into Herndon because she hates that particular community. It actually has nothing at all to do with the KAA school and the communities that will be going there.

So we spend tens of millions to expand HHS and then leave hundreds of seats empty there indefinitely?

Maybe those extra seats could be used for an academy or magnet program of some sort?

What kind? Isn’t this the sort of thing we ought to expect FCPS to figure out before it commits to big expansions or purchases?

You mean like their boundary study? The purchase is good. The rollout could certainly have been better. Nevertheless, you want process on the one hand, they plan to use process on figuring this out. They have said that in the articles.

DP. If we had extra funds burning a hole in our pocket, maybe we could act with reckless abandon. But this whole thing feels like it was orchestrated while the sb was drunk at a New Orleans strip club.

Come to think of it, maybe they are buying it with McDaniel’s company credit card?

I'd hardly call it "reckless abandon." It was a bargain and an opportunity that could not have been predicted. And, there is construction going on in that area that would indicate that there was competition for the site. It would be a travesty to pass this up. The excuse for not doing this earlier is that they could not find a site.

In fact you could say, this is just taking its rightful place in the queue.

DP. You could say that, but it would be a stretch, unless you're prepared to say that any project that jumps the queue is just taking its rightful place.

It's a matter of need. It's been planned longer than many things in the queue. They just couldn't find a site. Now, they found one at a bargain price. Would you really think they should have ignored it?

If you needed a bigger house and one came up that was a real, honest bargain, but would not be available for long, would you not take the money you budgeted for something that could wait? Considering that you really need that house now?

DP. To extend your analogy, would I buy a multimillion dollar house when I was barely scraping by and half a million dollars in debt by using someone else’s money and not telling them what the house will be used for or even giving them a choice in the matter?

No I probably would not. Even if it was a good deal, but at the very least, they owe us an explanation of why it’s needed. They should be able to convince us, but the silence makes me think it is not well thought out. And I’m not convinced that we really need this house now as you assert.

And, you would leave your kids scattered among other family members instead? Got it.

no i would keep them in my smaller more crowded house until i had a plan and funds to move.

no one wanted to move, split schools, communities etc until a new shiny school was presented. now everyone is trampling over neighbors to get a spot

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:The same nextdoor posters complaining (over and over again, and again and again!) about the boundary changes a few months ago, seem to be same ones up in arms about “transparency issues” with the purchase of KAA. They also appear to live in a “North Herndon” neighborhood, currently zoned for Langley. I’m sure it is just a coincidence.

I hope the purchase of KAA goes smoothly, and FCPS can successfully revamp it in time to serve the families in that area. Westfield is so far from Mcnair and Coates. How can Westfield build a thriving community when their students live so far away?

I don't live anywhere near "North Herndon," yet I also have questions about the transparency and funding of this school - even while I think it's a great purchase and will relieve the crowding issues many have spoken of. As FCPS residents, are we allowed to have questions about the process, or are we just supposed to shut up and keep our mouths closed?

One thing is for certain - if this school had been purchased in any other area (such as an area where it wouldn't benefit you), you'd be questioning the process too.

i agree. i work in a school and my kids atttend a different school. several jobs in both schools were cut due to funding. others were notified their pay is going down to make budget. how are we buying and funding a new school when there isn’t money for the current schools?

There is a difference between capital budgets and operating budgets. They are completely separate funds.

Haha. Like clockwork, the entitled pretend that money isn’t fungible.

Just admit that you feel you deserve the neighborhood school even if it means teacher job cuts and lower raises.

It’s better for you to just be honest about how you feel.

The area needs the school. That has been true for 20 years, and given the distance between all the current schools, current overcrowding, and new housing development, it will likely be true for decades in the future. And this was an opportunity that wasn’t likely to come around again anytime soon. The budget is tight now, no question, but I don’t foresee that being the case for long. Buying the school in my mind therefore admittedly creates short-term problems that will be painful (and as someone who works at a school, I really feel for the teachers and everyone else affected), but it also solves a long-term problem that has been painful and would continue to be painful for a long time and can only really be solved in this one way. I think it’s worth the trade off.

I also think the points above are why it’s unlikely this is going to be a magnet school. I think given the budget shortfall, people would be rightly furious if FCPS throws money at a magnet school that isn’t necessary and no one was asking for. Whereas putting money into a neighborhood school is painful when we don’t have a lot of it right now, but it’s understandable and solves a lot of the problems that FCPS has flagged as needing to be addressed.

I noticed you say nothing about the hundreds of seats sitting empty at Herndon. People have a high tolerance for waste when they stand to benefit, but once you get your new school will you be demanding they pinch pennies elsewhere?

Could you game out for me how Herndon is a long-term solution for all of the mess that is Western Fairfax? I could see it being a short-term, partial fix, but how would it fix things like split feeders or ensure that boundaries aren’t continually shifted every few years?

DP. The PP is just the same poster who is *dying* for a certain community to move into Herndon because she hates that particular community. It actually has nothing at all to do with the KAA school and the communities that will be going there.

So we spend tens of millions to expand HHS and then leave hundreds of seats empty there indefinitely?

Maybe those extra seats could be used for an academy or magnet program of some sort?

What kind? Isn’t this the sort of thing we ought to expect FCPS to figure out before it commits to big expansions or purchases?

You mean like their boundary study? The purchase is good. The rollout could certainly have been better. Nevertheless, you want process on the one hand, they plan to use process on figuring this out. They have said that in the articles.

DP. If we had extra funds burning a hole in our pocket, maybe we could act with reckless abandon. But this whole thing feels like it was orchestrated while the sb was drunk at a New Orleans strip club.

Come to think of it, maybe they are buying it with McDaniel’s company credit card?

I'd hardly call it "reckless abandon." It was a bargain and an opportunity that could not have been predicted. And, there is construction going on in that area that would indicate that there was competition for the site. It would be a travesty to pass this up. The excuse for not doing this earlier is that they could not find a site.

In fact you could say, this is just taking its rightful place in the queue.

DP. You could say that, but it would be a stretch, unless you're prepared to say that any project that jumps the queue is just taking its rightful place.

It's a matter of need. It's been planned longer than many things in the queue. They just couldn't find a site. Now, they found one at a bargain price. Would you really think they should have ignored it?

If you needed a bigger house and one came up that was a real, honest bargain, but would not be available for long, would you not take the money you budgeted for something that could wait? Considering that you really need that house now?

DP. To extend your analogy, would I buy a multimillion dollar house when I was barely scraping by and half a million dollars in debt by using someone else’s money and not telling them what the house will be used for or even giving them a choice in the matter?

No I probably would not. Even if it was a good deal, but at the very least, they owe us an explanation of why it’s needed. They should be able to convince us, but the silence makes me think it is not well thought out. And I’m not convinced that we really need this house now as you assert.

And, you would leave your kids scattered among other family members instead? Got it.

no i would keep them in my smaller more crowded house until i had a plan and funds to move.

no one wanted to move, split schools, communities etc until a new shiny school was presented. now everyone is trampling over neighbors to get a spot

We would have been happy to have changed HS, we plan on pupil placing out of IB, but that is a unique situation. I would guess that plenty of people would have been fine with changes but their schools were not the ones under consideration to be moved.

[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:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The same nextdoor posters complaining (over and over again, and again and again!) about the boundary changes a few months ago, seem to be same ones up in arms about “transparency issues” with the purchase of KAA. They also appear to live in a “North Herndon” neighborhood, currently zoned for Langley. I’m sure it is just a coincidence.

I hope the purchase of KAA goes smoothly, and FCPS can successfully revamp it in time to serve the families in that area. Westfield is so far from Mcnair and Coates. How can Westfield build a thriving community when their students live so far away?

I don't live anywhere near "North Herndon," yet I also have questions about the transparency and funding of this school - even while I think it's a great purchase and will relieve the crowding issues many have spoken of. As FCPS residents, are we allowed to have questions about the process, or are we just supposed to shut up and keep our mouths closed?

One thing is for certain - if this school had been purchased in any other area (such as an area where it wouldn't benefit you), you'd be questioning the process too.

i agree. i work in a school and my kids atttend a different school. several jobs in both schools were cut due to funding. others were notified their pay is going down to make budget. how are we buying and funding a new school when there isn’t money for the current schools?

There is a difference between capital budgets and operating budgets. They are completely separate funds.

Haha. Like clockwork, the entitled pretend that money isn’t fungible.

Just admit that you feel you deserve the neighborhood school even if it means teacher job cuts and lower raises.

It’s better for you to just be honest about how you feel.

The area needs the school. That has been true for 20 years, and given the distance between all the current schools, current overcrowding, and new housing development, it will likely be true for decades in the future. And this was an opportunity that wasn’t likely to come around again anytime soon. The budget is tight now, no question, but I don’t foresee that being the case for long. Buying the school in my mind therefore admittedly creates short-term problems that will be painful (and as someone who works at a school, I really feel for the teachers and everyone else affected), but it also solves a long-term problem that has been painful and would continue to be painful for a long time and can only really be solved in this one way. I think it’s worth the trade off.

I also think the points above are why it’s unlikely this is going to be a magnet school. I think given the budget shortfall, people would be rightly furious if FCPS throws money at a magnet school that isn’t necessary and no one was asking for. Whereas putting money into a neighborhood school is painful when we don’t have a lot of it right now, but it’s understandable and solves a lot of the problems that FCPS has flagged as needing to be addressed.

I noticed you say nothing about the hundreds of seats sitting empty at Herndon. People have a high tolerance for waste when they stand to benefit, but once you get your new school will you be demanding they pinch pennies elsewhere?

Could you game out for me how Herndon is a long-term solution for all of the mess that is Western Fairfax? I could see it being a short-term, partial fix, but how would it fix things like split feeders or ensure that boundaries aren’t continually shifted every few years?

DP. The PP is just the same poster who is *dying* for a certain community to move into Herndon because she hates that particular community. It actually has nothing at all to do with the KAA school and the communities that will be going there.

So we spend tens of millions to expand HHS and then leave hundreds of seats empty there indefinitely?

Maybe those extra seats could be used for an academy or magnet program of some sort?

What kind? Isn’t this the sort of thing we ought to expect FCPS to figure out before it commits to big expansions or purchases?

You mean like their boundary study? The purchase is good. The rollout could certainly have been better. Nevertheless, you want process on the one hand, they plan to use process on figuring this out. They have said that in the articles.

DP. If we had extra funds burning a hole in our pocket, maybe we could act with reckless abandon. But this whole thing feels like it was orchestrated while the sb was drunk at a New Orleans strip club.

Come to think of it, maybe they are buying it with McDaniel’s company credit card?

I'd hardly call it "reckless abandon." It was a bargain and an opportunity that could not have been predicted. And, there is construction going on in that area that would indicate that there was competition for the site. It would be a travesty to pass this up. The excuse for not doing this earlier is that they could not find a site.

In fact you could say, this is just taking its rightful place in the queue.

DP. You could say that, but it would be a stretch, unless you're prepared to say that any project that jumps the queue is just taking its rightful place.

It's a matter of need. It's been planned longer than many things in the queue. They just couldn't find a site. Now, they found one at a bargain price. Would you really think they should have ignored it?

If you needed a bigger house and one came up that was a real, honest bargain, but would not be available for long, would you not take the money you budgeted for something that could wait? Considering that you really need that house now?

DP. To extend your analogy, would I buy a multimillion dollar house when I was barely scraping by and half a million dollars in debt by using someone else’s money and not telling them what the house will be used for or even giving them a choice in the matter?

No I probably would not. Even if it was a good deal, but at the very least, they owe us an explanation of why it’s needed. They should be able to convince us, but the silence makes me think it is not well thought out. And I’m not convinced that we really need this house now as you assert.

And, you would leave your kids scattered among other family members instead? Got it.

no i would keep them in my smaller more crowded house until i had a plan and funds to move.

no one wanted to move, split schools, communities etc until a new shiny school was presented. now everyone is trampling over neighbors to get a spot

+1

[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:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The same nextdoor posters complaining (over and over again, and again and again!) about the boundary changes a few months ago, seem to be same ones up in arms about “transparency issues” with the purchase of KAA. They also appear to live in a “North Herndon” neighborhood, currently zoned for Langley. I’m sure it is just a coincidence.

I hope the purchase of KAA goes smoothly, and FCPS can successfully revamp it in time to serve the families in that area. Westfield is so far from Mcnair and Coates. How can Westfield build a thriving community when their students live so far away?

I don't live anywhere near "North Herndon," yet I also have questions about the transparency and funding of this school - even while I think it's a great purchase and will relieve the crowding issues many have spoken of. As FCPS residents, are we allowed to have questions about the process, or are we just supposed to shut up and keep our mouths closed?

One thing is for certain - if this school had been purchased in any other area (such as an area where it wouldn't benefit you), you'd be questioning the process too.

i agree. i work in a school and my kids atttend a different school. several jobs in both schools were cut due to funding. others were notified their pay is going down to make budget. how are we buying and funding a new school when there isn’t money for the current schools?

There is a difference between capital budgets and operating budgets. They are completely separate funds.

Haha. Like clockwork, the entitled pretend that money isn’t fungible.

Just admit that you feel you deserve the neighborhood school even if it means teacher job cuts and lower raises.

It’s better for you to just be honest about how you feel.

The area needs the school. That has been true for 20 years, and given the distance between all the current schools, current overcrowding, and new housing development, it will likely be true for decades in the future. And this was an opportunity that wasn’t likely to come around again anytime soon. The budget is tight now, no question, but I don’t foresee that being the case for long. Buying the school in my mind therefore admittedly creates short-term problems that will be painful (and as someone who works at a school, I really feel for the teachers and everyone else affected), but it also solves a long-term problem that has been painful and would continue to be painful for a long time and can only really be solved in this one way. I think it’s worth the trade off.

I also think the points above are why it’s unlikely this is going to be a magnet school. I think given the budget shortfall, people would be rightly furious if FCPS throws money at a magnet school that isn’t necessary and no one was asking for. Whereas putting money into a neighborhood school is painful when we don’t have a lot of it right now, but it’s understandable and solves a lot of the problems that FCPS has flagged as needing to be addressed.

I noticed you say nothing about the hundreds of seats sitting empty at Herndon. People have a high tolerance for waste when they stand to benefit, but once you get your new school will you be demanding they pinch pennies elsewhere?

Could you game out for me how Herndon is a long-term solution for all of the mess that is Western Fairfax? I could see it being a short-term, partial fix, but how would it fix things like split feeders or ensure that boundaries aren’t continually shifted every few years?

DP. The PP is just the same poster who is *dying* for a certain community to move into Herndon because she hates that particular community. It actually has nothing at all to do with the KAA school and the communities that will be going there.

So we spend tens of millions to expand HHS and then leave hundreds of seats empty there indefinitely?

Maybe those extra seats could be used for an academy or magnet program of some sort?

What kind? Isn’t this the sort of thing we ought to expect FCPS to figure out before it commits to big expansions or purchases?

You mean like their boundary study? The purchase is good. The rollout could certainly have been better. Nevertheless, you want process on the one hand, they plan to use process on figuring this out. They have said that in the articles.

DP. If we had extra funds burning a hole in our pocket, maybe we could act with reckless abandon. But this whole thing feels like it was orchestrated while the sb was drunk at a New Orleans strip club.

Come to think of it, maybe they are buying it with McDaniel’s company credit card?

I'd hardly call it "reckless abandon." It was a bargain and an opportunity that could not have been predicted. And, there is construction going on in that area that would indicate that there was competition for the site. It would be a travesty to pass this up. The excuse for not doing this earlier is that they could not find a site.

In fact you could say, this is just taking its rightful place in the queue.

DP. You could say that, but it would be a stretch, unless you're prepared to say that any project that jumps the queue is just taking its rightful place.

It's a matter of need. It's been planned longer than many things in the queue. They just couldn't find a site. Now, they found one at a bargain price. Would you really think they should have ignored it?

If you needed a bigger house and one came up that was a real, honest bargain, but would not be available for long, would you not take the money you budgeted for something that could wait? Considering that you really need that house now?

DP. To extend your analogy, would I buy a multimillion dollar house when I was barely scraping by and half a million dollars in debt by using someone else’s money and not telling them what the house will be used for or even giving them a choice in the matter?

No I probably would not. Even if it was a good deal, but at the very least, they owe us an explanation of why it’s needed. They should be able to convince us, but the silence makes me think it is not well thought out. And I’m not convinced that we really need this house now as you assert.

And, you would leave your kids scattered among other family members instead? Got it.

To extend the analogy again, I’d ask my husband whether we really need a bigger house given our situation because a 2,000 square foot house for 6 people, while tight, is by no means an emergency.

It would result in several conversations with key stakeholders where we could weigh the pros and cons of wherever the benefits outweigh the costs.

That’s what is missing here. Conversation, disclosure, and good stewardship.