Bren Mar Park to Key/Lewis

[Anonymous]

Can anyone give a summary about what was discussed at the meeting?

How were people notified about this meeting? My now-middle school kid went to BMP, we're still in the BMP pyramid, I'm signed up for FCPS notifications for boundary changes/school newsletters/etc, I've been to previous meetings where I commented and provided my contact info, and I've submitted the online comment form for both the previous boundary review and this latest bs -- I've even rejoined the BMP PTA because they seem to get more info than other people. But this post is the first I heard of another meeting this week. I swear they're trying to sneak this by the community again like they did 15 years ago.

[Anonymous]

They’re only doing this to BMP because they think they can. What other schools have had the high school boundary changed 2x in 15 years?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Lewis families were informed about the meeting. The Lewis community has been begging for more communities to be zoned into the school.

And please, no comments about eliminating IB and adding more programs. It's been said and done, so thank you.

What Lewis needs is more kids. What happens when there's not enough students to enroll in a class? The class gets cancelled. That means the more specialized classes end up not being offered because the population's not large enough to support that niche subject.

Then parents move into other school districts, because they want the more course offerings, and Lewis shrinks even more.

The school needs a healthy, growing population.

Either the school board grow a freaking backbone and move kids into Lewis, or they just admit that they don't want to invest in the school and shut the damn school down. They don't seem concerned about student population or overcrowded schools, so let's just let the other high schools absorb the population.

WSHS has had classes cancelled and they have tons of students.

Music Theory, for example, was cancelled several years because the number of students registered did not meet the staffing ratios.

Advanced robotics was combined with a lower level class due to low enrollment. The entire latin program was cancelled. Theater 3 and 4 are often combined due to not meeting the staffing ratios. German combines upper levels to meet staffing ratios. The list goes on and on. WSHS is one of the fullest schools in the county, and every year they cancel or combine classes due to low enrollment.

Lewis should offer smaller classes, or combine levels into one class, such as a level 3/4/AP class (one of my kid's German classes one year.)

[Anonymous]

If they are canceling or combining classes at WSHS with 2800 kids, what do you think is happening at Lewis with 1500?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They’re only doing this to BMP because they think they can. What other schools have had the high school boundary changed 2x in 15 years?

I think part of Floris went from Oakton to Westfield to South Lakes within a 15-year period.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Lewis families were informed about the meeting. The Lewis community has been begging for more communities to be zoned into the school.

And please, no comments about eliminating IB and adding more programs. It's been said and done, so thank you.

What Lewis needs is more kids. What happens when there's not enough students to enroll in a class? The class gets cancelled. That means the more specialized classes end up not being offered because the population's not large enough to support that niche subject.

Then parents move into other school districts, because they want the more course offerings, and Lewis shrinks even more.

The school needs a healthy, growing population.

Either the school board grow a freaking backbone and move kids into Lewis, or they just admit that they don't want to invest in the school and shut the damn school down. They don't seem concerned about student population or overcrowded schools, so let's just let the other high schools absorb the population.

WSHS has had classes cancelled and they have tons of students.

Music Theory, for example, was cancelled several years because the number of students registered did not meet the staffing ratios.

Advanced robotics was combined with a lower level class due to low enrollment. The entire latin program was cancelled. Theater 3 and 4 are often combined due to not meeting the staffing ratios. German combines upper levels to meet staffing ratios. The list goes on and on. WSHS is one of the fullest schools in the county, and every year they cancel or combine classes due to low enrollment.

Lewis should offer smaller classes, or combine levels into one class, such as a level 3/4/AP class (one of my kid's German classes one year.)

Such a tone deaf comment

[Anonymous]

And Lewis will probably barely clear 1400 students next year.

[Anonymous]

Shout out to the Bren Mar Park parents who spoke at the School Board meeting tonight about FCPS's shameful attempt to ignore overcrowding at West Springfield HS and make Bren Mar Park the solution to under-enrollment at Lewis HS even though BMP is not overcrowded and the change, if implemented, results in an even worse commute to high school for BMP students.

Listen carefully, Michelle Reid: We are sick and tired of your ALWAYS looking for the easiest way out and your willingness to throw less affluent families under the bus to "fix" problems of FCPS's own making. Enough is enough. Either include West Springfield within the study or table it entirely!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Shout out to the Bren Mar Park parents who spoke at the School Board meeting tonight about FCPS's shameful attempt to ignore overcrowding at West Springfield HS and make Bren Mar Park the solution to under-enrollment at Lewis HS even though BMP is not overcrowded and the change, if implemented, results in an even worse commute to high school for BMP students.

Listen carefully, Michelle Reid: We are sick and tired of your ALWAYS looking for the easiest way out and your willingness to throw less affluent families under the bus to "fix" problems of FCPS's own making. Enough is enough. Either include West Springfield within the study or table it entirely!

If the goal is just filling up Lewis, Bren Mar Park is unfortunately the best option without creating a split feeder or removing Irving’s or Edison’s walkers. I still think they belong at Annandale though. But the Lewis families wanted to fill up Lewis so it seems like this is what you’re going to get.

Aren’t they still doing boundary work between WSHS and Lake Braddock anyway?

[Anonymous]

They treat BMP like a pawn and leave the high school at 114% capacity next to Lewis untouched. What a bunch of lying, hypocritical bullshit artists.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is clearly serving the interests of WSHS families. The school board doesn’t want to pick a fight with them. So chose another group they think won’t push back as much.

But moving WSHS kids creates some of the same problems. Moving kids from the relative edge of Irving/WSHS boundary would move kids from Keene Mill or WSES, who are very likely to be Irving walkers. So you’re creating bussing in that instance. Moving kids from the neighborhoods furthest away south of the parkway re-creates the split feeder at Hunt Valley and the distance from Hunt Valley to WSHS is quite a bit shorter than the distance from HV to Lewis.

Trying to grab kids from the other side of Edison (Franconia ES) takes away Edison’s walkers, since those two schools are really close. Taking from North Springfield (Holmes/Annandale) is the only other somewhat workable option, but you still have the K-5/K-6 school issue, and on top of that I believe either move (Bren Mar Park to Key/Lewis or even North Springfield) will leave Holmes quite a bit under enrolled.

That Keene Mill neighborhoods closest to Lewis are not walkers to WSHS. The neighborhoods along Tiverton and Harwood near St. Bernadette do not walk to WSHS, and are equally as close to Lewis as WSHS.

The Daventry homes do not walk to WSHS either, even if they are farther from Lewis than the Keene Mill neighborhoods by St. Bernadette.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What about Daventry

Keene Mill (the parts next to St. Bernadette) really should be the neighborhood to get rezoned to Lewis. They are closer than Daventry.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If they are canceling or combining classes at WSHS with 2800 kids, what do you think is happening at Lewis with 1500?

Wshs is required to have much larger classes than Lewis.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Lewis families were informed about the meeting. The Lewis community has been begging for more communities to be zoned into the school.

And please, no comments about eliminating IB and adding more programs. It's been said and done, so thank you.

What Lewis needs is more kids. What happens when there's not enough students to enroll in a class? The class gets cancelled. That means the more specialized classes end up not being offered because the population's not large enough to support that niche subject.

Then parents move into other school districts, because they want the more course offerings, and Lewis shrinks even more.

The school needs a healthy, growing population.

Either the school board grow a freaking backbone and move kids into Lewis, or they just admit that they don't want to invest in the school and shut the damn school down. They don't seem concerned about student population or overcrowded schools, so let's just let the other high schools absorb the population.

WSHS has had classes cancelled and they have tons of students.

Music Theory, for example, was cancelled several years because the number of students registered did not meet the staffing ratios.

Advanced robotics was combined with a lower level class due to low enrollment. The entire latin program was cancelled. Theater 3 and 4 are often combined due to not meeting the staffing ratios. German combines upper levels to meet staffing ratios. The list goes on and on. WSHS is one of the fullest schools in the county, and every year they cancel or combine classes due to low enrollment.

Lewis should offer smaller classes, or combine levels into one class, such as a level 3/4/AP class (one of my kid's German classes one year.)

Such a tone deaf comment

Why do you say that?

Did you miss the part that said Lewis should be allowed to run smaller classes? If they only have 12-15 students capable of calculu, run a 12-15 student class. If they only have 10 or so, in a specialty elective, combine levels amd do a 3/4 class or a 1/2 class.

Lewis is bigger than most private high schools. They can find ways to offer a robust selection of courses

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They treat BMP like a pawn and leave the high school at 114% capacity next to Lewis untouched. What a bunch of lying, hypocritical bullshit artists.

WSHS will be down to 110% capacity or lower next year. They will be 100-130 fewer students. It could be even lower if FCPS confirmed residency and sent all the under the radar transfer students back to their high schools.