FCPS HS Boundary

[Anonymous]

I live near Gambrills and I can’t even believe going to WSHS is 15 mins. Shorter, in my estimation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Gambrill to Lewis is not a long commute. Gambrill to WSHS is very similar. They are both still shorter than many kids in FCPS.

Gambrill to SCHS is about 3 miles, whereas to Lewis, it is about 6 miles. SCHS is currently under capacity by a similar percentage as Lewis.

SCHS doesn't need a whole feeder. Lewis does. However, adding some of the kids by South Run Rec to Newington Forest and removing them from Sangster isn't a bad idea to shorten commutes.

My gosh, you really love using other people's kids as pawns.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Gambrill to Lewis is not a long commute. Gambrill to WSHS is very similar. They are both still shorter than many kids in FCPS.

Gambrill to SCHS is about 3 miles, whereas to Lewis, it is about 6 miles. SCHS is currently under capacity by a similar percentage as Lewis.

SCHS doesn't need a whole feeder. Lewis does. However, adding some of the kids by South Run Rec to Newington Forest and removing them from Sangster isn't a bad idea to shorten commutes.

South County is currently at 88% and Lewis is at 86%. Given those numbers, why would Lewis need a whole new feeder school, as opposed to moving the neighborhoods along Gambrill to Newington Forest/SCHS vs Lewis? If the concern is overcrowding at WSHS? SC makes sense for the Gambrill neighborhoods, but Lewis is very disconnected.

Agree

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Gambrill to Lewis is not a long commute. Gambrill to WSHS is very similar. They are both still shorter than many kids in FCPS.

Gambrill to SCHS is about 3 miles, whereas to Lewis, it is about 6 miles. SCHS is currently under capacity by a similar percentage as Lewis.

SCHS doesn't need a whole feeder. Lewis does. However, adding some of the kids by South Run Rec to Newington Forest and removing them from Sangster isn't a bad idea to shorten commutes.

My gosh, you really love using other people's kids as pawns.

Yes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dear Hunt Valley Parents south of FFX county parkway: As a result of updating policy 8130 to prioritize transportation and reduce travel times, your children will now travel a longer, more dangerous route to Key Middle and Lewis HS. The SB promises this boundary change will provide improved transportation and a better educational experience for all.
P.S. Please ensure you teach your high schoolers defensive driving maneuvers to avoid erratic Maryland drivers making last second changes out of the FFX County Parkway/Gambrill exit only lane.

+1 as a resident of this area, oh but it’s “ToO CoMpLiCaTeD” according to an equity troll who clearly has no idea about the area, to eliminate the Sangster split feeder and send all its kids to Lake Braddock, thus reducing enrollment at Irving and WSHS.

Sorry, maybe I missed it in your weird post but, how exactly does this help Lewis? This might help balance once side of the equation but not the other, and both are needed, ASAP.

It doesn’t and I’m not understanding why everything has to be to “help Lewis.” You can fix some of the (actually fairly slight) crowding at WSHS without shuttling kids down the parkway and actually giving them a longer school commute.

Ensuring that Lewis has a sufficiently large enrollment to support the activities and opportunities available at other high schools ought to be the only boundary change FCPS is currently treating as a priority. Everything else is just noise intended to cancel out the parents who’ll complain if moved to Lewis.

If 230 kids are transferring out of Lewis currently, you will have 500 kids transferring out of Lewis following rezoning.

Almost all of the kids in the fringe neighborhoods take German...

And what makes you think they won't add German to Lewis? Or go Nuclear and remove it from WSHS, lol.

There are not enough German teachers to add German to Lewis.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dear Hunt Valley Parents south of FFX county parkway: As a result of updating policy 8130 to prioritize transportation and reduce travel times, your children will now travel a longer, more dangerous route to Key Middle and Lewis HS. The SB promises this boundary change will provide improved transportation and a better educational experience for all.
P.S. Please ensure you teach your high schoolers defensive driving maneuvers to avoid erratic Maryland drivers making last second changes out of the FFX County Parkway/Gambrill exit only lane.

+1 as a resident of this area, oh but it’s “ToO CoMpLiCaTeD” according to an equity troll who clearly has no idea about the area, to eliminate the Sangster split feeder and send all its kids to Lake Braddock, thus reducing enrollment at Irving and WSHS.

Sorry, maybe I missed it in your weird post but, how exactly does this help Lewis? This might help balance once side of the equation but not the other, and both are needed, ASAP.

It doesn’t and I’m not understanding why everything has to be to “help Lewis.” You can fix some of the (actually fairly slight) crowding at WSHS without shuttling kids down the parkway and actually giving them a longer school commute.

Ensuring that Lewis has a sufficiently large enrollment to support the activities and opportunities available at other high schools ought to be the only boundary change FCPS is currently treating as a priority. Everything else is just noise intended to cancel out the parents who’ll complain if moved to Lewis.

If 230 kids are transferring out of Lewis currently, you will have 500 kids transferring out of Lewis following rezoning.

Almost all of the kids in the fringe neighborhoods take German...

And what makes you think they won't add German to Lewis? Or go Nuclear and remove it from WSHS, lol.

It is sad because what the board is really doing isn’t “fixing” Lewis. It is fixing test scores at Lewis. That is it. Is FCPS only responsible for test scores or does a community owe its children more? To truly “fix” Lewis for the kids who are going there, you need holistic social support. That doesn’t mean holistic boundaries, but looking at what the population there needs. They aren’t as concerned with test scores I would bet. They need strong social supports: health care, English skills, academic skills, food shelter etc. The solution lies more with Geoffrey Canada’s Harlem Children’s Zone project than redistricting. Trade skills would also probably benefit. So, dear Gatehouse person, if you want to FIX Lewis and become an urban setting, let’s do it right.

I totaly agree with this.

To some degree it is about simple student numbers, especially if you can add students who are more likely to take advanced classes. That is really where the school is struggling. So that could help 'fix' Lewis by making it more attractive. They do need to publicly (and prominently) advertise that they are switching to AP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What else will the Board do to support Lewis aside from importing WS kids? How will simply adding bodies (not all white or rich, I must add) help Lewis? How will that enrich opportunities for Lewis students?

Accelerating the replacement of IB with AP; strengthening other electives; assigning top administrators to Lewis; and ensuring the facility is in an updated renovation queue for eventual improvements.

If that means some students have a longer commute, so be it; they will still have a shorter commute than a lot of kids commuting to Robinson, Lake Braddock, Oakton, and Langley.

I guess you missed (dismissed?) the part where reducing bus commutes will be a priority recommendation in the new policy.

It’s rich but not at all surprising that you are OK with other kids continuing to have a longer commute and unequal educational opportunities as long as it doesn’t impact your kids or their community. 🙄

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dear Hunt Valley Parents south of FFX county parkway: As a result of updating policy 8130 to prioritize transportation and reduce travel times, your children will now travel a longer, more dangerous route to Key Middle and Lewis HS. The SB promises this boundary change will provide improved transportation and a better educational experience for all.
P.S. Please ensure you teach your high schoolers defensive driving maneuvers to avoid erratic Maryland drivers making last second changes out of the FFX County Parkway/Gambrill exit only lane.

+1 as a resident of this area, oh but it’s “ToO CoMpLiCaTeD” according to an equity troll who clearly has no idea about the area, to eliminate the Sangster split feeder and send all its kids to Lake Braddock, thus reducing enrollment at Irving and WSHS.

Sorry, maybe I missed it in your weird post but, how exactly does this help Lewis? This might help balance once side of the equation but not the other, and both are needed, ASAP.

It doesn’t and I’m not understanding why everything has to be to “help Lewis.” You can fix some of the (actually fairly slight) crowding at WSHS without shuttling kids down the parkway and actually giving them a longer school commute.

Ensuring that Lewis has a sufficiently large enrollment to support the activities and opportunities available at other high schools ought to be the only boundary change FCPS is currently treating as a priority. Everything else is just noise intended to cancel out the parents who’ll complain if moved to Lewis.

If 230 kids are transferring out of Lewis currently, you will have 500 kids transferring out of Lewis following rezoning.

Almost all of the kids in the fringe neighborhoods take German...

And what makes you think they won't add German to Lewis? Or go Nuclear and remove it from WSHS, lol.

What is wrong with you.

Such mirth over jacking around people's kids.

Do you know any high school teens?

To rezone kids in high school over politics is awful.

To take glee over it is vindictive and cruel.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dear Hunt Valley Parents south of FFX county parkway: As a result of updating policy 8130 to prioritize transportation and reduce travel times, your children will now travel a longer, more dangerous route to Key Middle and Lewis HS. The SB promises this boundary change will provide improved transportation and a better educational experience for all.
P.S. Please ensure you teach your high schoolers defensive driving maneuvers to avoid erratic Maryland drivers making last second changes out of the FFX County Parkway/Gambrill exit only lane.

+1 as a resident of this area, oh but it’s “ToO CoMpLiCaTeD” according to an equity troll who clearly has no idea about the area, to eliminate the Sangster split feeder and send all its kids to Lake Braddock, thus reducing enrollment at Irving and WSHS.

Sorry, maybe I missed it in your weird post but, how exactly does this help Lewis? This might help balance once side of the equation but not the other, and both are needed, ASAP.

It doesn’t and I’m not understanding why everything has to be to “help Lewis.” You can fix some of the (actually fairly slight) crowding at WSHS without shuttling kids down the parkway and actually giving them a longer school commute.

Ensuring that Lewis has a sufficiently large enrollment to support the activities and opportunities available at other high schools ought to be the only boundary change FCPS is currently treating as a priority. Everything else is just noise intended to cancel out the parents who’ll complain if moved to Lewis.

If 230 kids are transferring out of Lewis currently, you will have 500 kids transferring out of Lewis following rezoning.

Almost all of the kids in the fringe neighborhoods take German...

And what makes you think they won't add German to Lewis? Or go Nuclear and remove it from WSHS, lol.

There are not enough German teachers to add German to Lewis.

Not the case. If there is a will, there’s a way. I mean, who’s to say the board won’t shift German to Lewis and orange hunt to Lewis….oh the crazy!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dear Hunt Valley Parents south of FFX county parkway: As a result of updating policy 8130 to prioritize transportation and reduce travel times, your children will now travel a longer, more dangerous route to Key Middle and Lewis HS. The SB promises this boundary change will provide improved transportation and a better educational experience for all.
P.S. Please ensure you teach your high schoolers defensive driving maneuvers to avoid erratic Maryland drivers making last second changes out of the FFX County Parkway/Gambrill exit only lane.

+1 as a resident of this area, oh but it’s “ToO CoMpLiCaTeD” according to an equity troll who clearly has no idea about the area, to eliminate the Sangster split feeder and send all its kids to Lake Braddock, thus reducing enrollment at Irving and WSHS.

Sorry, maybe I missed it in your weird post but, how exactly does this help Lewis? This might help balance once side of the equation but not the other, and both are needed, ASAP.

It doesn’t and I’m not understanding why everything has to be to “help Lewis.” You can fix some of the (actually fairly slight) crowding at WSHS without shuttling kids down the parkway and actually giving them a longer school commute.

Ensuring that Lewis has a sufficiently large enrollment to support the activities and opportunities available at other high schools ought to be the only boundary change FCPS is currently treating as a priority. Everything else is just noise intended to cancel out the parents who’ll complain if moved to Lewis.

If 230 kids are transferring out of Lewis currently, you will have 500 kids transferring out of Lewis following rezoning.

Almost all of the kids in the fringe neighborhoods take German...

And what makes you think they won't add German to Lewis? Or go Nuclear and remove it from WSHS, lol.

What is wrong with you.

Such mirth over jacking around people's kids.

Do you know any high school teens?

To rezone kids in high school over politics is awful.

To take glee over it is vindictive and cruel.

Kids will be grandfathered. Duh.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Gambrill to Lewis is not a long commute. Gambrill to WSHS is very similar. They are both still shorter than many kids in FCPS.

Gambrill to SCHS is about 3 miles, whereas to Lewis, it is about 6 miles. SCHS is currently under capacity by a similar percentage as Lewis.

True.

Lewis is the longest commute of the 4 schools.

WSHS is the fastest.

SoCo is a little longer.

Lewis is the longest by a lot, and involves crossing the worst rush hour traffic spot in that part of northern Virginia.

Nope. When they shifted the boundary decades ago it wasn’t about commute. It isn’t a long commute. You defenders need to stop using that.

Since Covid and telework, the FC Parkway/Franconia-Springfield Parkway down to Frontier has not been bad at all.

You aren't from the area.

Gambril to Lewis is at least twice as long a drive than Gambril to WSHS or Gambrill to SoCo.

That is a fact.

During rush hour, the drive is 3x as long.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Gambrill to Lewis is not a long commute. Gambrill to WSHS is very similar. They are both still shorter than many kids in FCPS.

Gambrill to SCHS is about 3 miles, whereas to Lewis, it is about 6 miles. SCHS is currently under capacity by a similar percentage as Lewis.

From Gambrill and the Parkway:

4.4 miles to Lewis
3.6 - 4.1 miles to West Springfield.

Distance is not the case you want to try to make.

It's also the type of roads. If we are looking at Lewis vs. SCHS for the neighborhoods along Gambrill, you are taking about a shorter commute on neighborhood streets to SCHS, which will make it feel more like a community school.

Agree.

And as long as the school board allowed grandfathering for all current high school students, rezoning to SoCo would be a much less controversial rezoning.

SoCo is an athletic powerhouse. It softens the rezoning a bit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Gambrill to Lewis is not a long commute. Gambrill to WSHS is very similar. They are both still shorter than many kids in FCPS.

Gambrill to SCHS is about 3 miles, whereas to Lewis, it is about 6 miles. SCHS is currently under capacity by a similar percentage as Lewis.

True.

Lewis is the longest commute of the 4 schools.

WSHS is the fastest.

SoCo is a little longer.

Lewis is the longest by a lot, and involves crossing the worst rush hour traffic spot in that part of northern Virginia.

This is simply not the case. Check Google maps. Yes, probably a little longer to Lewis, but many children in FCPS have much longer trips. Fringe Great Falls, parts of Mason Neck, Lake Braddock, Robinson. Some small difference in distance or time is not going to sway the board.

That being said, there are some conflicting goals in their policies - split feeders being the biggest one. Hard to see them sending all of Hunt Valley to Lewis and it doesn't make sense to send the South Hunt Valley children to Saratoga Elementary to solve the split that way. So if they send South Hunt Valley to Lewis that will bring back an old split feeder.

You are not from the area.

Lewis is a twice as long commute than WSHS or SoCo.

The road types and traffic patterns to get to each school are completely different.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Gambrill to Lewis is not a long commute. Gambrill to WSHS is very similar. They are both still shorter than many kids in FCPS.

Gambrill to SCHS is about 3 miles, whereas to Lewis, it is about 6 miles. SCHS is currently under capacity by a similar percentage as Lewis.

True.

Lewis is the longest commute of the 4 schools.

WSHS is the fastest.

SoCo is a little longer.

Lewis is the longest by a lot, and involves crossing the worst rush hour traffic spot in that part of northern Virginia.

This is simply not the case. Check Google maps. Yes, probably a little longer to Lewis, but many children in FCPS have much longer trips. Fringe Great Falls, parts of Mason Neck, Lake Braddock, Robinson. Some small difference in distance or time is not going to sway the board.

That being said, there are some conflicting goals in their policies - split feeders being the biggest one. Hard to see them sending all of Hunt Valley to Lewis and it doesn't make sense to send the South Hunt Valley children to Saratoga Elementary to solve the split that way. So if they send South Hunt Valley to Lewis that will bring back an old split feeder.

Most of Hunt Valley is walkable to Hunt Valley.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Gambrill to Lewis is not a long commute. Gambrill to WSHS is very similar. They are both still shorter than many kids in FCPS.

Gambrill to SCHS is about 3 miles, whereas to Lewis, it is about 6 miles. SCHS is currently under capacity by a similar percentage as Lewis.

From Gambrill and the Parkway:

4.4 miles to Lewis
3.6 - 4.1 miles to West Springfield.

Distance is not the case you want to try to make.

It's also the type of roads. If we are looking at Lewis vs. SCHS for the neighborhoods along Gambrill, you are taking about a shorter commute on neighborhood streets to SCHS, which will make it feel more like a community school.

Agree.

And as long as the school board allowed grandfathering for all current high school students, rezoning to SoCo would be a much less controversial rezoning.

SoCo is an athletic powerhouse. It softens the rezoning a bit.

Would they shift all of Hunt Valley to SCHS or just Gambrill? Would make sense to move Gambrill and then shift some kids from orange hunt.

Agree would soften the blow.