Pimmit Hills question - elementary schools

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have known people who liked both. One nice asset is there is economic diversity there. That is one thing my child's public school lacks to some degree, though we are pleased otherwise.

In what way is economic diversity a nice asset?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have known people who liked both. One nice asset is there is economic diversity there. That is one thing my child's public school lacks to some degree, though we are pleased otherwise.

Kind of BS. People move there for schools that have less diversity than most schools for neighborhoods like PH.

So there are neighborhoods around here with as much diversity as PH, but less diverse schools? That makes no sense. The neighborhood feeds the schools. Where are the "diverse" children of PH going to school, if not the local elementary schools? Do not tell me they go to private schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have known people who liked both. One nice asset is there is economic diversity there. That is one thing my child's public school lacks to some degree, though we are pleased otherwise.

Kind of BS. People move there for schools that have less diversity than most schools for neighborhoods like PH.

So there are neighborhoods around here with as much diversity as PH, but less diverse schools? That makes no sense. The neighborhood feeds the schools. Where are the "diverse" children of PH going to school, if not the local elementary schools? Do not tell me they go to private schools.

I what that poster is saying is that "economic diversity is a nice asset" isn't actually appealing to families; buyers pick schools that are as high SES-wise as possible. No one would move for a school that has "more" economic diversity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have known people who liked both. One nice asset is there is economic diversity there. That is one thing my child's public school lacks to some degree, though we are pleased otherwise.

Kind of BS. People move there for schools that have less diversity than most schools for neighborhoods like PH.

So there are neighborhoods around here with as much diversity as PH, but less diverse schools? That makes no sense. The neighborhood feeds the schools. Where are the "diverse" children of PH going to school, if not the local elementary schools? Do not tell me they go to private schools.

I what that poster is saying is that "economic diversity is a nice asset" isn't actually appealing to families; buyers pick schools that are as high SES-wise as possible. No one would move for a school that has "more" economic diversity.

I don't know if people always pick the highest SES school. But they tend to want some combination of nice house, convenient location, and high SES schools. If the schools happen to have some diversity, they may claim it was an important factor ("nice asset"), but they often steer away from schools with more diversity. It's becomes a way to try and have one's cake and eat it, too.

Or, if you are in a school that doesn't have much diversity, you may say you wish there was more, but actions usually speak louder than words.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have known people who liked both. One nice asset is there is economic diversity there. That is one thing my child's public school lacks to some degree, though we are pleased otherwise.

Kind of BS. People move there for schools that have less diversity than most schools for neighborhoods like PH.

So there are neighborhoods around here with as much diversity as PH, but less diverse schools? That makes no sense. The neighborhood feeds the schools. Where are the "diverse" children of PH going to school, if not the local elementary schools? Do not tell me they go to private schools.

I what that poster is saying is that "economic diversity is a nice asset" isn't actually appealing to families; buyers pick schools that are as high SES-wise as possible. No one would move for a school that has "more" economic diversity.

I don't know if people always pick the highest SES school. But they tend to want some combination of nice house, convenient location, and high SES schools. If the schools happen to have some diversity, they may claim it was an important factor ("nice asset"), but they often steer away from schools with more diversity. It's becomes a way to try and have one's cake and eat it, too.

Or, if you are in a school that doesn't have much diversity, you may say you wish there was more, but actions usually speak louder than words.

It depends on the diversity...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know this neighborhood well and have properties there, here is my take.

Westgate is a a great school is majority Asian, and is very diverse. Diversity as we all know can be a plus but also a negative if you aren't comfortable that a non white majority. Asian is 30%, white is around 27%, hispanic is 27%. It is very diverse and has a FARM/ESOL rate of around 35%. http://commweb.fcps.edu/schoolprofile/profile.cfm?profile_id=075

It has good test scores and is fed by a lot of Single Family homes but quite a few apartments. More and more of the apartments are being torn down to make way for the high priced condos near the silver line. It will be interesting to see what happens in the next few years.

It is also undergoing a complete renovation and expansion slated to be completed in the next few weeks. http://twitter.com/hashtag/westgaterenovation?src=hash

According to the McLean civic association it has the smallest class sizes of any McLean zoned schools (probably due to the 30% FARMs/ESOL rate)

"Whereas, by school, the average class size for each McLean-area elementary school is:
23.9, Chesterbrook;
25.8, Churchill Road;
24.7, Colvin Run;
23.5, Haycock;
25.3, Kent Gardens;
22.1, Lemon Road;
24.6, Franklin Sherman;
25.8, Spring Hill;
21.4 Westgate."

I thought Westgate and Lemon Road were in the Marshall pyramid vice McLean??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know this neighborhood well and have properties there, here is my take.

Westgate is a a great school is majority Asian, and is very diverse. Diversity as we all know can be a plus but also a negative if you aren't comfortable that a non white majority. Asian is 30%, white is around 27%, hispanic is 27%. It is very diverse and has a FARM/ESOL rate of around 35%. http://commweb.fcps.edu/schoolprofile/profile.cfm?profile_id=075

It has good test scores and is fed by a lot of Single Family homes but quite a few apartments. More and more of the apartments are being torn down to make way for the high priced condos near the silver line. It will be interesting to see what happens in the next few years.

It is also undergoing a complete renovation and expansion slated to be completed in the next few weeks. http://twitter.com/hashtag/westgaterenovation?src=hash

According to the McLean civic association it has the smallest class sizes of any McLean zoned schools (probably due to the 30% FARMs/ESOL rate)

"Whereas, by school, the average class size for each McLean-area elementary school is:
23.9, Chesterbrook;
25.8, Churchill Road;
24.7, Colvin Run;
23.5, Haycock;
25.3, Kent Gardens;
22.1, Lemon Road;
24.6, Franklin Sherman;
25.8, Spring Hill;
21.4 Westgate."

I thought Westgate and Lemon Road were in the Marshall pyramid vice McLean??

PP was quoting from a resolution about class sizes adopted by the McLean Citizens Association earlier this year. The MCA purports to speak on behalf of residents who live in areas in and near McLean zoned for various schools in the Langley (Churchill Road, Colvin Run and Spring Hill), McLean (Chesterbrook, Haycock, Kent Gardens and Franklin Sherman) and Marshall (Lemon Road and Westgate) pyramids.

Westgate and Lemon Road are both in the Marshall pyramid, but send kids to both Marshall and McLean. The public school kids in Pimmit Hills go to Marshall, unless they get into TJ or pupil place to McLean for AP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have known people who liked both. One nice asset is there is economic diversity there. That is one thing my child's public school lacks to some degree, though we are pleased otherwise.

Kind of BS. People move there for schools that have less diversity than most schools for neighborhoods like PH.

So there are neighborhoods around here with as much diversity as PH, but less diverse schools? That makes no sense. The neighborhood feeds the schools. Where are the "diverse" children of PH going to school, if not the local elementary schools? Do not tell me they go to private schools.

I what that poster is saying is that "economic diversity is a nice asset" isn't actually appealing to families; buyers pick schools that are as high SES-wise as possible. No one would move for a school that has "more" economic diversity.

I don't know if people always pick the highest SES school. But they tend to want some combination of nice house, convenient location, and high SES schools. If the schools happen to have some diversity, they may claim it was an important factor ("nice asset"), but they often steer away from schools with more diversity. It's becomes a way to try and have one's cake and eat it, too.

Or, if you are in a school that doesn't have much diversity, you may say you wish there was more, but actions usually speak louder than words.

It depends on the diversity...

Absolutely. A multi-ethnic classroom of middle-class kids is desirable. A multi-ethnic classroom of poor kids is not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know this neighborhood well and have properties there, here is my take.

Westgate is a a great school is majority Asian, and is very diverse. Diversity as we all know can be a plus but also a negative if you aren't comfortable that a non white majority. Asian is 30%, white is around 27%, hispanic is 27%. It is very diverse and has a FARM/ESOL rate of around 35%. http://commweb.fcps.edu/schoolprofile/profile.cfm?profile_id=075

It has good test scores and is fed by a lot of Single Family homes but quite a few apartments. More and more of the apartments are being torn down to make way for the high priced condos near the silver line. It will be interesting to see what happens in the next few years.

It is also undergoing a complete renovation and expansion slated to be completed in the next few weeks. http://twitter.com/hashtag/westgaterenovation?src=hash

According to the McLean civic association it has the smallest class sizes of any McLean zoned schools (probably due to the 30% FARMs/ESOL rate)

"Whereas, by school, the average class size for each McLean-area elementary school is:
23.9, Chesterbrook;
25.8, Churchill Road;
24.7, Colvin Run;
23.5, Haycock;
25.3, Kent Gardens;
22.1, Lemon Road;
24.6, Franklin Sherman;
25.8, Spring Hill;
21.4 Westgate."

I thought Westgate and Lemon Road were in the Marshall pyramid vice McLean??

PP was quoting from a resolution about class sizes adopted by the McLean Citizens Association earlier this year. The MCA purports to speak on behalf of residents who live in areas in and near McLean zoned for various schools in the Langley (Churchill Road, Colvin Run and Spring Hill), McLean (Chesterbrook, Haycock, Kent Gardens and Franklin Sherman) and Marshall (Lemon Road and Westgate) pyramids.

Westgate and Lemon Road are both in the Marshall pyramid, but send kids to both Marshall and McLean. The public school kids in Pimmit Hills go to Marshall, unless they get into TJ or pupil place to McLean for AP.

Not exactly true. A very small percentage of children zoned for Westgate and also zoned for Longfellow and then McLean.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Not exactly true. A very small percentage of children zoned for Westgate and also zoned for Longfellow and then McLean.

None of them are in Pimmit Hills.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Not exactly true. A very small percentage of children zoned for Westgate and also zoned for Longfellow and then McLean.

None of them are in Pimmit Hills.

Right - I thought I'd made that clear in the prior post. It's actually more than a "very small percentage" of Westgate students who are zoned for to Longfellow/McLean - it's more like 33%, according to FCPS. But they don't live in Pimmit Hills.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have known people who liked both. One nice asset is there is economic diversity there. That is one thing my child's public school lacks to some degree, though we are pleased otherwise.

In what way is economic diversity a nice asset?

We don't want our kids to grow up entitled . I think it's good to be around people from all different ethnic backgrounds as well as all different economic backgrounds so you see you are all alike more than different.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have known people who liked both. One nice asset is there is economic diversity there. That is one thing my child's public school lacks to some degree, though we are pleased otherwise.

In what way is economic diversity a nice asset?

We don't want our kids to grow up entitled . I think it's good to be around people from all different ethnic backgrounds as well as all different economic backgrounds so you see you are all alike more than different.

Sounds like you should be looking at schools in the Falls Church HS area, not Pimmit Hills.

[Anonymous]

I think Pimmit Hills is treated like some kind of ghetto by the Fairfax County government, particularly Supervisor Foust. If he really cares about Pimmit Hills residents, he should treat Pimmit Hills no differently than he does McLean. Pimmit Hills is full of Central American immigrants, a plurality of whom barely speak English. The roads are neglected, basic services are provided on a barely-there basis.

The biggest issue, which Supervisor Foust must be forced to correct, is that the neighborhood will never get out of ghetto status as long as children whose parents are of higher means are forced to be educated at the level of the lowest common demominator.

Children of Pimmit Hills should be allowed to choose schools in McLean or Tysons, as well as the "economically diverse" public schools they are forced to attend.

[Anonymous]

We live in Pimmit Hills and all our neighbors speak English. We get together with them regularly and everyone is friendly. It is nice that the houses are bit closer together actually because you can really get to know your neighbors. I'm not sure what you're saying about the schools that Foust should do. Both have been recently renovated, one is an AAP center, and both have the option of either going to Marshall which has a great IB and Academy Program or to McLean which has a great AP program. Kilmer is a well regarded middle school as well. Supervisor Foust should be certain that the development in Tysons that abuts Pimmit Hills be rebuilt with lots of amenities and connections to the metro and town, but other than that I don't see an issue with the neighborhood or anything urgent that Foust should do.