When is the Annandale regional study supposed to actually be decided?

[Anonymous]

We are looking at buying a house in some of the areas that may be affected and I'd like things to be decided before we buy or we'll probably avoid the area altogether. I've read a lot on the FCPS website, but haven't found when it's actually to be decided/implemented.

[Anonymous]

My understanding is that it will be voted on Jul 28. Not sure when it will be implemented, but I think very soon. Are you looking in the wakefield area?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My understanding is that it will be voted on Jul 28. Not sure when it will be implemented, but I think very soon. Are you looking in the wakefield area?

The implementation would start in fall 2012 and MAY have liberal grandfathering, so that it will take up to four school years to be fully implemented.

As the PP stated, the full implementation will be decided on July 28.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My understanding is that it will be voted on Jul 28. Not sure when it will be implemented, but I think very soon. Are you looking in the wakefield area?

Thanks - that's the date I was looking for. Yes, we are considering the Wakefield area among other options. I'm still pretty confused about the options for schools. We just want to avoid being in the Annandale, Edison, or Lee pyramids. We are comfortable with Lake Braddock or Woodson. Any insight? The staff recommendation looks like Wakefield Forest would go to Woodson instead of Annandale which sounds like a good change, but I don't know the area very well yet so it's all a little confusing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My understanding is that it will be voted on Jul 28. Not sure when it will be implemented, but I think very soon. Are you looking in the wakefield area?

Thanks - that's the date I was looking for. Yes, we are considering the Wakefield area among other options. I'm still pretty confused about the options for schools. We just want to avoid being in the Annandale, Edison, or Lee pyramids. We are comfortable with Lake Braddock or Woodson. Any insight? The staff recommendation looks like Wakefield Forest would go to Woodson instead of Annandale which sounds like a good change, but I don't know the area very well yet so it's all a little confusing.

You say you don't know the area very well - but yet are ready to claim you don't want to be the Annandale, Edision, or Lee pyramids?

Anybody who know's there is a study can easily find out the decision date - stop TROLLing!

[Anonymous]

Not smart to rule out Annandale HS. Great IB program....and extra curriculars. I consider it a very underrated school because of the number of lower socio-econ students and the impact on scores. The area east of wakefield chapel rd is annandale HS (although kids go to wakefiled elementary). We moved there deliberately because it is a little cheaper than the woodson pyramid and our two high school kids absolutely excelled at Annandale. They had their pick of colleges because they didn't have hundreds of others kids applying to the same schools. They got loads of attention from the school and loved it. If the staff recommendation is accepted, which it may or may not be, our area moves to Woodson and I have to say that not everyone here is happy about it and glad there would be generous grandfathering. Your choice of course, just look at the school boundary map on the FCPS website and you can decide - if Annandale scares you because it is not as highly ranked as woodson and has too many lower-socio econ kids, then please stay away from our little community.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My understanding is that it will be voted on Jul 28. Not sure when it will be implemented, but I think very soon. Are you looking in the wakefield area?

Thanks - that's the date I was looking for. Yes, we are considering the Wakefield area among other options. I'm still pretty confused about the options for schools. We just want to avoid being in the Annandale, Edison, or Lee pyramids. We are comfortable with Lake Braddock or Woodson. Any insight? The staff recommendation looks like Wakefield Forest would go to Woodson instead of Annandale which sounds like a good change, but I don't know the area very well yet so it's all a little confusing.

Oh, good. One more snotty bitch at Woodson. Just what they need.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not smart to rule out Annandale HS. Great IB program....and extra curriculars. I consider it a very underrated school because of the number of lower socio-econ students and the impact on scores. The area east of wakefield chapel rd is annandale HS (although kids go to wakefiled elementary). We moved there deliberately because it is a little cheaper than the woodson pyramid and our two high school kids absolutely excelled at Annandale. They had their pick of colleges because they didn't have hundreds of others kids applying to the same schools. They got loads of attention from the school and loved it. If the staff recommendation is accepted, which it may or may not be, our area moves to Woodson and I have to say that not everyone here is happy about it and glad there would be generous grandfathering. Your choice of course, just look at the school boundary map on the FCPS website and you can decide - if Annandale scares you because it is not as highly ranked as woodson and has too many lower-socio econ kids, then please stay away from our little community.

Just want to say - you do not speak on behalf of the whole community. There are many parents in Wakefield Chapel (like my academically-oriented neighbors and myself) who are very excited about the proposal to send our kids to Woodson. I do not believe there is any reason for parents to apologize for wanting their children in the "best schools" possible as measured by objective rankings.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not smart to rule out Annandale HS. Great IB program....and extra curriculars. I consider it a very underrated school because of the number of lower socio-econ students and the impact on scores. The area east of wakefield chapel rd is annandale HS (although kids go to wakefiled elementary). We moved there deliberately because it is a little cheaper than the woodson pyramid and our two high school kids absolutely excelled at Annandale. They had their pick of colleges because they didn't have hundreds of others kids applying to the same schools. They got loads of attention from the school and loved it. If the staff recommendation is accepted, which it may or may not be, our area moves to Woodson and I have to say that not everyone here is happy about it and glad there would be generous grandfathering. Your choice of course, just look at the school boundary map on the FCPS website and you can decide - if Annandale scares you because it is not as highly ranked as woodson and has too many lower-socio econ kids, then please stay away from our little community.

Just want to say - you do not speak on behalf of the whole community. There are many parents in Wakefield Chapel (like my academically-oriented neighbors and myself) who are very excited about the proposal to send our kids to Woodson. I do not believe there is any reason for parents to apologize for wanting their children in the "best schools" possible as measured by objective rankings.

Neither do you - the community is divided as to whether they prefer to switch to Woodson. Those who already have kids at Annandale tend to be opposed, and those who don't have kids or don't yet have kids at HS tend to support the proposal. You can be "academically oriented" and still prefer to keep the neighborhood at Annandale.

I think the staff's recommendation, however, will largely be adopted, with some minor changes (keeping City Park Homes at Pine Spring ES until Devonshire ES built to replace Graham Road ES; allowing Columbia Pines to attend Glasgow/Stuart rather than Poe/Falls Church).

[Anonymous]

Wakefield parent here - one of the problems is that the "neighborhood" is not at AHS - it is split up.

The only people I have heard that oppose the switch to woodson are those with kids currently at AHS - and only some of them. Now, does that mean that they think AHS is so great (some do - especially those with kids in IB, music, sports and drama which are great I hear) or that it is a huge disruption to have kids switch schools? Doesn't really matter bc of grandfathering. Everyone else is pleased for so many reasons - better educational access, no more beltway crossing mess (not that 236 is easy), keep kids with their friends and of course, property values (which is important to some). I hear this at the playground and at the pool where there are lots of parents. I

Personally, I would rather have my child (who is decades from junior or high school) go to woodson than AHS if possible. It is a great school and everyone knows it. That said, I went to a not so great high school, did very well and had my pick of top colleges, including Ivys. I just didn't have the competition from other students and was motivated so I was near the top of my class. But, when I went to that highly ranked Ivy for college, I was way behind my private schooled or top ranked schooled peers and it took me a while to catch up. They weren't smarter, they just knew more because of the subject matter, level of difficulty and peer competition in their high schools. Woodson, I hear, offers that experience.

[Anonymous]

The opposition among some Wakefield parents is broader than you suggest, and includes families who don't currently have students at Annandale, but may have attended AHS themselves or had kids graduate from AHS. I think many parents are genuinely like the school and are worried about how redistricting so many SFH neighborhoods previously assigned to AHS to Falls Church, Lake Braddock and Woodson will affect the school and, more broadly, inside-the-Beltway Annandale.

The angriest people seem to be those in Bren Mar Park, some of whom had their local elementary school (Edsall Park) and high school (Jefferson) closed, and now face an overcrowded elementary school (BMP), being the only kids at Holmes MS not going to Annandale, and having to travel to the City of Alexandria to cross 495 to get to Edison HS.

[Anonymous]

Perhaps there are some that feel that way, but that is not what I have heard from parents of former AHS kids, or those who went to AHS themselves. Those who went there themselves said the school is not the same as it was when they were there. Those with graduates didn't really seem to care - they were more interested in the property value possibilities as they are now empty nesters. No one wants a school to go downhill - so perhaps there is a concern for the wellbeing of kids in general and a desire that everyone get a good education and have a positive school experience. But were they opposed to redistricting, certainly not. This is all a generalization of course - but based on way too many conversations with other parents. Those who are concerned about the "character" of AHS and the loss of middle income folks were not these same group. I don't know who they are - perhaps parents of those kids who would not be redistricted out under the staff recommendation. I certainly understand their concerns - as I would be unhappy at such a demographic change if I were not part of the potential redistricting plan.

[Anonymous]

I guess there's no official survey to go by, but there were many Wakefield residents who testified against the redistricting earlier this week, and many of them did not have current students at AHS.

In any event, there seem to be enough people in favor of the change that it seems unlikely the Board will reject that part of the staff's recommendation. From what I've read, there may be some other, more modest changes that affect other neighborhoods.

[Anonymous]

I really don't get the segment of Wakefield Chapel (my neighborhood) that says they want to keep our neighborhood at AHS due to (what on the surface looks like, but IS NOT, a politically correct desire to:

A) expose their kids to the diversity of the "real world"

and

B) continue to add to the "amazing energy" at AHS that disproportionally comes from Wakefield Chapel.

Here is why I'm confused by both these reasons:

REGARDING A (exposing kids to the diversity of the "real world" first of all, Woodson is more reflective of real world ethnic demographics, with approx 60 percent white kids and 40 ethnic minorities. That is heardly an all white school. Annandale, on the other hand, gives white kids an opportunity to experience being in the minority (which on its own can be of value -- but no, tht's no reflective of the "real world." Further, these parents at Wakefield talk about how the majority of the kids in our community largely comprise the IB program at Annandale. Then, what are the kids really learning/experiencing? What speccal unique message are they getting? That there are lots of people of different races and socioeconimic status , but they, the white affluent minority, are academically superior and are in their own special classes??

WHICH BRINGS ME TO MY REBUTTAL AGAINST POINT B (that the Wakefield Chapel community is a necessesary contribution to the "amazing energy" at AHS that disproportionally comes from Wakefield Chapel.) How patronizing to the rest of Annandale! Do these people think that AHS needs" the gifted students of Wakefield Chapel" to stay at AHS so that AHS can maintain an IB program? What good does it do for the "underpriveledged kids" who couldn't qulify for an IB program to keep an IB program at the school? OR, perhaps, there are kids outside of affluent Wakefield Chapel who DO qualify for IB, the school paper, the school band, etc and will do just fine enjoying these great programs with or without Wakefield Chapel's contribution.

It's not a popular thing to say in my community but, I think it needs to be said: I think the segment of Wakefield Chapel that feels we need to stay at AHS wants to stay there in order to be able to enjoy what they feel is their superiority -- without having to actually do the really hard work to excel at a competitive place like Woodson.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I really don't get the segment of Wakefield Chapel (my neighborhood) that says they want to keep our neighborhood at AHS due to (what on the surface looks like, but IS NOT, a politically correct desire to:

A) expose their kids to the diversity of the "real world"

and

B) continue to add to the "amazing energy" at AHS that disproportionally comes from Wakefield Chapel.

Here is why I'm confused by both these reasons:

REGARDING A (exposing kids to the diversity of the "real world" first of all, Woodson is more reflective of real world ethnic demographics, with approx 60 percent white kids and 40 ethnic minorities. That is heardly an all white school. Annandale, on the other hand, gives white kids an opportunity to experience being in the minority (which on its own can be of value -- but no, tht's no reflective of the "real world." Further, these parents at Wakefield talk about how the majority of the kids in our community largely comprise the IB program at Annandale. Then, what are the kids really learning/experiencing? What speccal unique message are they getting? That there are lots of people of different races and socioeconimic status , but they, the white affluent minority, are academically superior and are in their own special classes??

WHICH BRINGS ME TO MY REBUTTAL AGAINST POINT B (that the Wakefield Chapel community is a necessesary contribution to the "amazing energy" at AHS that disproportionally comes from Wakefield Chapel.) How patronizing to the rest of Annandale! Do these people think that AHS needs" the gifted students of Wakefield Chapel" to stay at AHS so that AHS can maintain an IB program? What good does it do for the "underpriveledged kids" who couldn't qulify for an IB program to keep an IB program at the school? OR, perhaps, there are kids outside of affluent Wakefield Chapel who DO qualify for IB, the school paper, the school band, etc and will do just fine enjoying these great programs with or without Wakefield Chapel's contribution.

It's not a popular thing to say in my community but, I think it needs to be said: I think the segment of Wakefield Chapel that feels we need to stay at AHS wants to stay there in order to be able to enjoy what they feel is their superiority -- without having to actually do the really hard work to excel at a competitive place like Woodson.

Touche - up to a point.

I wasn't aware that 60% of the world's population was white and lived in upscale SFH neighborhoods like Truro and Wakefield Chapel, so perhaps it's not entirely disingenuous to assert that AHS is a bit more representative of the "real world" than Woodson.

As to your other points, they're fair arguments to make, but - let's be real - ones that typically are made at least as frequently and fervently by those who are looking for their property values to increase as by those who think their kids need to attend a place like Woodson in order to do "really hard work."

At the end of the day, I think a lot of it is emotional. My sense is that there's a lot of the "Avis - we try harder" mentality at AHS. They are used to hearing their school disparaged by Woodson parents and students, but their kids have had good experiences at AHS and they've invested a lot of time supporting the school. They don't have a crystal ball, but they don't want to see the IB enrollment decline or the football team go 2-8. Their angst may or may not turn out to be misplaced, but I think there's something more going on than simply a desire to be big fishes in an overcrowded pond.