What date will we know what FCPS will do for 2016-17 (budget)?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That makes no sense. We're waiting to see what they do to AAP Centers to know which MS 6th grade DC will attend-- and they have school tours/orientation and registration, parent info sessions scheduled in the March-April timeframe. This is now a huge issue for AAP Center students across the County, who are trying to figure out what the he** is going on. And if they start disbanding Centers in late May, it will be a huge shuffle of students, boundary changes to balance school numbers with students going back to base schools, a shuffling of teachers so AAP certified teachers end up in schools with AAP classes. Not to mention that the released calendar has the next round of AAP selection going on this winter. Will they not even start the process of figuring out what to do with all of these students and teachers (more than 20% of grades 3-8) until late May? Similarly, DS is applying to pupil place IB for HS, which has to be done by April 1, but IB is also on the chopping block. Similar issues with magnet & immersion students. Seriously, WTF? They can't implement changes affecting thousands of students that much, if they don't even start looking at logistics until 3 months before the next school year.

You must be new here. There won't be significant cuts. Same story every year. They're trying to scare everyone into yet another tax increase so they can add to the bloat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Meals Tax Now!

Raise $25M, cut $25M. Split the baby.

Feel free to send a check to the Fairfax County Treasury any time you want.

You want higher taxes? Put your money where your mouth is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Meals Tax Now!

Raise $25M, cut $25M. Split the baby.

Feel free to send a check to the Fairfax County Treasury any time you want.

You want higher taxes? Put your money where your mouth is.

Absurd straw man argument. By your logic there should be no public schools, just private, because why should you pay to educate my child.

Anyone OPPOSED to raising taxes or implementing a meals tax should be required to tell us how many kids they have in FCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Meals Tax Now!

Raise $25M, cut $25M. Split the baby.

Feel free to send a check to the Fairfax County Treasury any time you want.

You want higher taxes? Put your money where your mouth is.

Absurd straw man argument. By your logic there should be no public schools, just private, because why should you pay to educate my child.

Anyone OPPOSED to raising taxes or implementing a meals tax should be required to tell us how many kids they have in FCPS.

Did you send in your check yet? Or are you a hypocrite?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Get rid of immersion, aap centers and convert ib to ap.

The above are a good start.

Ok, that's, what, $15M? We need 50.

Also, your post can be summed up as, "Get rid of everything my kid doesn't use."

My kids use or will use all of the above except immersion which is a worthless program anyways. It's either used for esol overloaded schools or a means to get out of bad schools to good (ex mclean kent gardens)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Get rid of immersion, aap centers and convert ib to ap.

The above are a good start.

Nice thought. Now give us a smooth and orderly plan to put all of the above in place, while appropriately transitioning the kids in the existing programs. But don't start planning until June 1. And find $85 million of additional savings and implement them at the same time. And remember, a huge chunk of your staff (the ones who actually know what happens in a classroom) will be on summer vacation. I mean, sure, YOU could do it, because you seem to have the answer for everything. But FCPS apparently can't change HS start times by 30 minutes without spending 5 million dollars and still screwing over the MS students. And is genuinely stumped on how to get my ES aged DC home before 5:00 from a school 2 miles away that releases at 3:25. So, I'm a little skeptical about their ability to enact multiple sweeping reforms on a tight schedule and a tighter budget without it becoming one huge-- what the military term? Oh yeah-- clusterfu**

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Meals Tax Now!

Raise $25M, cut $25M. Split the baby.

Feel free to send a check to the Fairfax County Treasury any time you want.

You want higher taxes? Put your money where your mouth is.

Absurd straw man argument. By your logic there should be no public schools, just private, because why should you pay to educate my child.

Anyone OPPOSED to raising taxes or implementing a meals tax should be required to tell us how many kids they have in FCPS.

Did you send in your check yet? Or are you a hypocrite?

Keep repeating it on every thread, if you repeat it enough times it will become intelligent.

I write a check for $25, nothing changes. It's wasted money because no program gets saved. A million people pay an extra $25 in taxes, they can save AAP, immersion, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That makes no sense. We're waiting to see what they do to AAP Centers to know which MS 6th grade DC will attend-- and they have school tours/orientation and registration, parent info sessions scheduled in the March-April timeframe. This is now a huge issue for AAP Center students across the County, who are trying to figure out what the he** is going on. And if they start disbanding Centers in late May, it will be a huge shuffle of students, boundary changes to balance school numbers with students going back to base schools, a shuffling of teachers so AAP certified teachers end up in schools with AAP classes. Not to mention that the released calendar has the next round of AAP selection going on this winter. Will they not even start the process of figuring out what to do with all of these students and teachers (more than 20% of grades 3-8) until late May? Similarly, DS is applying to pupil place IB for HS, which has to be done by April 1, but IB is also on the chopping block. Similar issues with magnet & immersion students. Seriously, WTF? They can't implement changes affecting thousands of students that much, if they don't even start looking at logistics until 3 months before the next school year.

Life can be unpredictable, you have to roll with it. Go to all the Open Houses.

See, that's the problem-- that FCPS is apparently going to "go with it" and I have a DC who will end up in a Center that nobody started to even PLAN until early June. While they are planning 40-50 other new local Centers. And converting IB HSs to AP. And whatever else they change. I can handle my end and go with plan B (because really, either MS at issue is strong and would be fine, and our AP HS is also fine). But, I have zero confidence in FCPS'S ability to handle their side of things. But then again, DD is still getting home from ES an hour late each day because they mistimed the HS run of the bus that picks her up from ES. And other first week of school transportation fiascos.

Then you seem to be overreacting.

No so much. The LLIV MS is fine now. But-- see my comments in the post above about FCPS's ability to f--- up even small, simple changes (certified by a CHMC health study, no less!) I absolutely believe they can take a strong LLIV Center and badly rezone it into a nightmare. Or enact any of two dozen other ill thought out hastily put together plans.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That makes no sense. We're waiting to see what they do to AAP Centers to know which MS 6th grade DC will attend-- and they have school tours/orientation and registration, parent info sessions scheduled in the March-April timeframe. This is now a huge issue for AAP Center students across the County, who are trying to figure out what the he** is going on. And if they start disbanding Centers in late May, it will be a huge shuffle of students, boundary changes to balance school numbers with students going back to base schools, a shuffling of teachers so AAP certified teachers end up in schools with AAP classes. Not to mention that the released calendar has the next round of AAP selection going on this winter. Will they not even start the process of figuring out what to do with all of these students and teachers (more than 20% of grades 3-8) until late May? Similarly, DS is applying to pupil place IB for HS, which has to be done by April 1, but IB is also on the chopping block. Similar issues with magnet & immersion students. Seriously, WTF? They can't implement changes affecting thousands of students that much, if they don't even start looking at logistics until 3 months before the next school year.

First world problems, but they will likely have a grandfathering in for a year. There is only one constant in life, change.

Since I'm paying first world real estate, sales and income taxes, a first world school system seems like a fair exchange. Also-- Since all of this $$ apparently MUST be saved in the next school year, how does cutting a prograM but grandfathering it solve anything?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Get rid of immersion, aap centers and convert ib to ap.

The above are a good start.

Nice thought. Now give us a smooth and orderly plan to put all of the above in place, while appropriately transitioning the kids in the existing programs. But don't start planning until June 1. And find $85 million of additional savings and implement them at the same time. And remember, a huge chunk of your staff (the ones who actually know what happens in a classroom) will be on summer vacation. I mean, sure, YOU could do it, because you seem to have the answer for everything. But FCPS apparently can't change HS start times by 30 minutes without spending 5 million dollars and still screwing over the MS students. And is genuinely stumped on how to get my ES aged DC home before 5:00 from a school 2 miles away that releases at 3:25. So, I'm a little skeptical about their ability to enact multiple sweeping reforms on a tight schedule and a tighter budget without it becoming one huge-- what the military term? Oh yeah-- clusterfu**

If you can't handle moving back to your base school and the entire summer isn't enough time for you to grieve, I suggest you give up on parenting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That makes no sense. We're waiting to see what they do to AAP Centers to know which MS 6th grade DC will attend-- and they have school tours/orientation and registration, parent info sessions scheduled in the March-April timeframe. This is now a huge issue for AAP Center students across the County, who are trying to figure out what the he** is going on. And if they start disbanding Centers in late May, it will be a huge shuffle of students, boundary changes to balance school numbers with students going back to base schools, a shuffling of teachers so AAP certified teachers end up in schools with AAP classes. Not to mention that the released calendar has the next round of AAP selection going on this winter. Will they not even start the process of figuring out what to do with all of these students and teachers (more than 20% of grades 3-8) until late May? Similarly, DS is applying to pupil place IB for HS, which has to be done by April 1, but IB is also on the chopping block. Similar issues with magnet & immersion students. Seriously, WTF? They can't implement changes affecting thousands of students that much, if they don't even start looking at logistics until 3 months before the next school year.

First world problems, but they will likely have a grandfathering in for a year. There is only one constant in life, change.

Since I'm paying first world real estate, sales and income taxes, a first world school system seems like a fair exchange. Also-- Since all of this $$ apparently MUST be saved in the next school year, how does cutting a prograM but grandfathering it solve anything?

To be fair, considering the massive amount of FARMS and ESOL in FCPS, one shouldn't consider it a first world system any longer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Get rid of immersion, aap centers and convert ib to ap.

The above are a good start.

Nice thought. Now give us a smooth and orderly plan to put all of the above in place, while appropriately transitioning the kids in the existing programs. But don't start planning until June 1. And find $85 million of additional savings and implement them at the same time. And remember, a huge chunk of your staff (the ones who actually know what happens in a classroom) will be on summer vacation. I mean, sure, YOU could do it, because you seem to have the answer for everything. But FCPS apparently can't change HS start times by 30 minutes without spending 5 million dollars and still screwing over the MS students. And is genuinely stumped on how to get my ES aged DC home before 5:00 from a school 2 miles away that releases at 3:25. So, I'm a little skeptical about their ability to enact multiple sweeping reforms on a tight schedule and a tighter budget without it becoming one huge-- what the military term? Oh yeah-- clusterfu**

If you can't handle moving back to your base school and the entire summer isn't enough time for you to grieve, I suggest you give up on parenting.

Let's try this again slowly, since apparently reading is hard for you, but being snarky comes easy. DC isn't going "back" anywhere. She's starting MS. And I am just fine with her going to her base MS (Franklin). It already has a full LLIV AAP team, and would get another if Carson stopped being an option. In fact, DC is seriously considering going to Franklin's LLIV program, even if Carson stays an option. It may just be a better fit for her. But I am very concerned about what would happen to Franklin if they had an influx of all of the Franklin Farm & Armfield Farm AAP kids on very short notice. That's hundreds of kids shifting around, which takes planning. So unless you would like to argue that FCPS has a great record in the planning department, and that things like HS start times & IB have been well implemented, take your "you have an AAP kid and therefore I'm going to stop reading and just be nasty" attitude and --- it. Pushing in 120-150 AAP kids per grade to Franklin would screw things up for Gen Ed kids too (redistricting, overcrowding, inadequate teaching staff, etc)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Get rid of immersion, aap centers and convert ib to ap.

The above are a good start.

Nice thought. Now give us a smooth and orderly plan to put all of the above in place, while appropriately transitioning the kids in the existing programs. But don't start planning until June 1. And find $85 million of additional savings and implement them at the same time. And remember, a huge chunk of your staff (the ones who actually know what happens in a classroom) will be on summer vacation. I mean, sure, YOU could do it, because you seem to have the answer for everything. But FCPS apparently can't change HS start times by 30 minutes without spending 5 million dollars and still screwing over the MS students. And is genuinely stumped on how to get my ES aged DC home before 5:00 from a school 2 miles away that releases at 3:25. So, I'm a little skeptical about their ability to enact multiple sweeping reforms on a tight schedule and a tighter budget without it becoming one huge-- what the military term? Oh yeah-- clusterfu**

If you can't handle moving back to your base school and the entire summer isn't enough time for you to grieve, I suggest you give up on parenting.

Let's try this again slowly, since apparently reading is hard for you, but being snarky comes easy. DC isn't going "back" anywhere. She's starting MS. And I am just fine with her going to her base MS (Franklin). It already has a full LLIV AAP team, and would get another if Carson stopped being an option. In fact, DC is seriously considering going to Franklin's LLIV program, even if Carson stays an option. It may just be a better fit for her. But I am very concerned about what would happen to Franklin if they had an influx of all of the Franklin Farm & Armfield Farm AAP kids on very short notice. That's hundreds of kids shifting around, which takes planning. So unless you would like to argue that FCPS has a great record in the planning department, and that things like HS start times & IB have been well implemented, take your "you have an AAP kid and therefore I'm going to stop reading and just be nasty" attitude and --- it. Pushing in 120-150 AAP kids per grade to Franklin would screw things up for Gen Ed kids too (redistricting, overcrowding, inadequate teaching staff, etc)

I have an AAP kid, sounds like the AAP knowledge skipped past you or came from your spouse's ide. It's not that big of a deal, the base schools were designed to handle the entire population. The summer is plenty of time in fact full day mondays was implemented after the school year started without much fanfare.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Get rid of immersion, aap centers and convert ib to ap.

The above are a good start.

Nice thought. Now give us a smooth and orderly plan to put all of the above in place, while appropriately transitioning the kids in the existing programs. But don't start planning until June 1. And find $85 million of additional savings and implement them at the same time. And remember, a huge chunk of your staff (the ones who actually know what happens in a classroom) will be on summer vacation. I mean, sure, YOU could do it, because you seem to have the answer for everything. But FCPS apparently can't change HS start times by 30 minutes without spending 5 million dollars and still screwing over the MS students. And is genuinely stumped on how to get my ES aged DC home before 5:00 from a school 2 miles away that releases at 3:25. So, I'm a little skeptical about their ability to enact multiple sweeping reforms on a tight schedule and a tighter budget without it becoming one huge-- what the military term? Oh yeah-- clusterfu**

If you can't handle moving back to your base school and the entire summer isn't enough time for you to grieve, I suggest you give up on parenting.

Let's try this again slowly, since apparently reading is hard for you, but being snarky comes easy. DC isn't going "back" anywhere. She's starting MS. And I am just fine with her going to her base MS (Franklin). It already has a full LLIV AAP team, and would get another if Carson stopped being an option. In fact, DC is seriously considering going to Franklin's LLIV program, even if Carson stays an option. It may just be a better fit for her. But I am very concerned about what would happen to Franklin if they had an influx of all of the Franklin Farm & Armfield Farm AAP kids on very short notice. That's hundreds of kids shifting around, which takes planning. So unless you would like to argue that FCPS has a great record in the planning department, and that things like HS start times & IB have been well implemented, take your "you have an AAP kid and therefore I'm going to stop reading and just be nasty" attitude and --- it. Pushing in 120-150 AAP kids per grade to Franklin would screw things up for Gen Ed kids too (redistricting, overcrowding, inadequate teaching staff, etc)

I have an AAP kid, sounds like the AAP knowledge skipped past you or came from your spouse's ide. It's not that big of a deal, the base schools were designed to handle the entire population. The summer is plenty of time in fact full day mondays was implemented after the school year started without much fanfare.

Both our "ides" (of March??). Maybe 15 years ago, this was true. Today, all school are near, at or overcapacity (hello trailers!). If you move 300 kids Carson to Franklin, you end up with too few AAP teachers at Franklin and way too little space. Same if you move 250 kids from Oak Hill to Crossfield, Floris, Lees Corner, etc. So, (1) teachers have to move (which they may not like) and, much more difficult, (2) school attendance Ones have to be redrawn to rebalance the schools. Because in my area of the county, you're not talKing about moving a dozen kids-- you're looking at hundreds per school. And no, the schools, as they stand, can't just accommodate an influx of that many kids. But I'm sure redrawing boundaries will easily accomplished over the summer.

Also, what planet were y

[Anonymous]

You living on that the transfer to full day Full day Monday's was a minor thing accomplished with minimal effort, after the school year was over. Wow! So not the case in our school.. Let me guess-- one member of your household is a SAHM? Who spends very little time at the school?