FCPS is turning the new high school purchased to fix crowding into an Aviation magnet school instead of a high school??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have younger kids and I want them to stay Oakton and ideally move to Franklin so the split isn't as bad. My kids are involved in high level sports. They don't even have the facilities, let alone coaches or a promising future. My kids have been playing with and building relationships with Oakton slotted kids in multiple sports for the past 6 years. My kids have been going through the renovations at crossfield for the past 3 years. Oakton has finally finished their renovations. I don't want them to go right into a high school that will be doing renovations the whole time they're there. Oakton is highly rated with excellent teachers. Western high School is unknown. Oakton has proven to be safe and secure school with little violence.

So what?!

Current and future Oakton sports parents are a big part of the opposition to moving. They’re a little nuts.

To be accurate, the vast majority of the Crossfield homes are Herndon addresses and much farther from Oakton than the new Western HS.

And many kids play Chantilly and Loudoun sports, FYI. The Oakton crew is a minority.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have younger kids and I want them to stay Oakton and ideally move to Franklin so the split isn't as bad. My kids are involved in high level sports. They don't even have the facilities, let alone coaches or a promising future. My kids have been playing with and building relationships with Oakton slotted kids in multiple sports for the past 6 years. My kids have been going through the renovations at crossfield for the past 3 years. Oakton has finally finished their renovations. I don't want them to go right into a high school that will be doing renovations the whole time they're there. Oakton is highly rated with excellent teachers. Western high School is unknown. Oakton has proven to be safe and secure school with little violence.

The only way your kids are building relationships with Oakton kids in sports is if you're doing Vienna Youth Sports. Most of us are doing CYA and our kids have built relationships with Chantilly and Westfield kids. This is a better move for them if you're talking about relationships for my kids. Most of their teammates are at Carson with them. I guess you're okay with your child being at a different middle school than their team mates??

Western will be a safe and secure school with little violence. I don't know why you would think otherwise. It's the same population as Carson and Carson is safe.

Did she read the Oakton freshman football thread?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm all for sports--it is the only thing that had my DS keep his grades up. They don't let you play otherwise.
And, you may learn a lot more life skills in sports than in academics.

But, ultimately, you need to be employable--and you need academics for that.

I don't think anyone believes sports are more important than academics, but if they want less pushback on a new school, at least make it exciting for the first students. Give them something to look forward to. Programs, teachers, a principal, sports, anything other than "it's closer." Having varsity sports (a football team to cheer for). Pep rallies, homecoming, and Friday night lights build culture and it's part of the high school experience. They deserve the same kind of facilities and experience they would have had at any other school, not a school half empty and under major renovations. It's just too rushed.

There is a very specific group of kids that this is important for, but it's not everyone. Somehow I managed to get through four years of high school in Texas without getting immersed in football culture. My high school experience was still amazing. I ended up in a great university and have a very successful and fulfilling career. to think that football and pep rallies and homecoming is the most important aspect of high school is laughable.

I do agree that it's too rushed however. It should open in 2027.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm all for sports--it is the only thing that had my DS keep his grades up. They don't let you play otherwise.
And, you may learn a lot more life skills in sports than in academics.

But, ultimately, you need to be employable--and you need academics for that.

I don't think anyone believes sports are more important than academics, but if they want less pushback on a new school, at least make it exciting for the first students. Give them something to look forward to. Programs, teachers, a principal, sports, anything other than "it's closer." Having varsity sports (a football team to cheer for). Pep rallies, homecoming, and Friday night lights build culture and it's part of the high school experience. They deserve the same kind of facilities and experience they would have had at any other school, not a school half empty and under major renovations. It's just too rushed.

There is a very specific group of kids that this is important for, but it's not everyone. Somehow I managed to get through four years of high school in Texas without getting immersed in football culture. My high school experience was still amazing. I ended up in a great university and have a very successful and fulfilling career. to think that football and pep rallies and homecoming is the most important aspect of high school is laughable.

I do agree that it's too rushed however. It should open in 2027.

it's not MOST important. It's just something they would have had elsewhere. If they're going to be forced to change they should at least have the opportunity to have the same experiences. It's no different than changing the company you work for. You're being asked to go to a start-up without a CEO, with no idea if you'll have a good manager, with a building that's got nice "bones" but needs to be renovated, with less perks and amenities like that free gym membership. Yet you're expected to come in and do your best work.

If they did this in reverse order ie hire great teachers, build out the programs, do the renovations etc if they did all that stuff first maybe they'd have a line waiting to get in. People wanting to get in for the academics without even knowing how this school will perform or what programs they'll have is just as laughable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm all for sports--it is the only thing that had my DS keep his grades up. They don't let you play otherwise.
And, you may learn a lot more life skills in sports than in academics.

But, ultimately, you need to be employable--and you need academics for that.

I don't think anyone believes sports are more important than academics, but if they want less pushback on a new school, at least make it exciting for the first students. Give them something to look forward to. Programs, teachers, a principal, sports, anything other than "it's closer." Having varsity sports (a football team to cheer for). Pep rallies, homecoming, and Friday night lights build culture and it's part of the high school experience. They deserve the same kind of facilities and experience they would have had at any other school, not a school half empty and under major renovations. It's just too rushed.

There is a very specific group of kids that this is important for, but it's not everyone. Somehow I managed to get through four years of high school in Texas without getting immersed in football culture. My high school experience was still amazing. I ended up in a great university and have a very successful and fulfilling career. to think that football and pep rallies and homecoming is the most important aspect of high school is laughable.

I do agree that it's too rushed however. It should open in 2027.

it's not MOST important. It's just something they would have had elsewhere. If they're going to be forced to change they should at least have the opportunity to have the same experiences. It's no different than changing the company you work for. You're being asked to go to a start-up without a CEO, with no idea if you'll have a good manager, with a building that's got nice "bones" but needs to be renovated, with less perks and amenities like that free gym membership. Yet you're expected to come in and do your best work.

If they did this in reverse order ie hire great teachers, build out the programs, do the renovations etc if they did all that stuff first maybe they'd have a line waiting to get in. People wanting to get in for the academics without even knowing how this school will perform or what programs they'll have is just as laughable.

I know a handful of teachers who are interested in working at Western because it would shorten their commutes. I don't think finding good teachers is going to be a problem for this reason.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think anyone with kids that are looking to play D1 in college would prefer Oakton versus a new school just starting out so get the concern there. It's nice that they're allowing current MS to make that call where they want to go but hard when you have younger siblings who don't have that same decision and do you really want to split families up? Just hard all around.

It's actually quite ridiculous that they are thinking of giving current middle school students in 7th grade an option whether to attend KAA.

Usually when there's a boundary change or a new high school, neither rising nor current 9th graders get an option. It's one of the ways they get a new school off the ground or make sure a boundary change starts to provide some meaningful relief.

It means their model for opening the new western HS is flawed. It would make far more sense to wait another year, get KAA to the point where it can hold 1500 kids, start with 9th through 11th graders, grandfather only rising seniors, and offer varsity sports from the outset.

This superintendent and school board are utterly ridiculous. They want big change, but they promptly shy away from big change, and then they coddle everyone with a loud voice or a change.org petition. They are the very opposite of leaders.

You will get a LOT more push back from people who don't want to transfer their junior year because it is so important for college applications. They don't want to lose their positions on academic teams and clubs that is going on their college resume. Sports should not be a driving factor in the school decision.

I was like looking to see what they did when South County opened in 2005. It opened as a 7-11 secondary school and it looks like the juniors had an option to attend South County or stay at their current schools. Not sure if any younger students were given that option.

No bleachers for a football stadium in years 1 and 2 of operation? Hold "home games" at other FCPS sites that have away games. Schedules can be 6 away and 6 home games. HS varsity football can have 55 or more on the roster. HS boys varsity basketball 13. HS boys varsity lacrosse 40.

South County did not waste time on magnets and optional transfer in programs. Went straight to AP. Far more efficient than this Reid mess. Load the 1005 from Westfield and 358 from Chantilly leaving 500 plus slots open for a combo of Oakton and South Lakes.

SCSS got a principal, Athletic director came from Madison [Pete Bendorf had been at Oakton- won football state title]. New Athletic Director was also SCSS teacher and football coach.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/subscribe/signin/signout/?next_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonpost.com%2Farchive%2Fsports%2F2005%2F03%2F29%2Fmadison-ad-bendorf-is-hired-as-south-county-football-coach%2F5a6e6b67-ec4f-4c06-9fde-b937853af980%2F&nid=top_pb_signin&arcId=LJXGWZ7MJ5GANH66XE3YKOXZQA&itid=nav_sign_in

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know for a fact that some of the Crossfield parents don't want their kids going to Western due to there not being established sports. That seems to be the driving force over academics.

I know Fox Mill families who don't want to move because they don't like the idea of going to a school without established programs, I get that. It is also an opportunity for kids to immediately jump into leadership positions and be able to have 3-4 years of leading on their college applications. They can write essays about starting a new school and building a school identity and how they helped by starting club X or their ability to lead a new sports program. Their essays will stand out because their experience will be different.

In a strange way, there might be more opportunities for kids to play sports because they are establishing the programs and there are fewer kids to draw from. While their initial records might not be great, they will have a chance to play where they might not at other HSs.

Is it ideal? No but the con can be turned into a positive for a lot of kids. And when they graduate in 3-4 years, they can look back with pride at what they helped to build in a very different way then they would if they attended their old base school. And they will be doing this with friends from ES and MS.

There is probably more support from ES parents then there is from MS and HS parents because the ES kids will arrive to a completely staffed school with teams and clubs established, but with room to grow.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think anyone with kids that are looking to play D1 in college would prefer Oakton versus a new school just starting out so get the concern there. It's nice that they're allowing current MS to make that call where they want to go but hard when you have younger siblings who don't have that same decision and do you really want to split families up? Just hard all around.

It's actually quite ridiculous that they are thinking of giving current middle school students in 7th grade an option whether to attend KAA.

Usually when there's a boundary change or a new high school, neither rising nor current 9th graders get an option. It's one of the ways they get a new school off the ground or make sure a boundary change starts to provide some meaningful relief.

It means their model for opening the new western HS is flawed. It would make far more sense to wait another year, get KAA to the point where it can hold 1500 kids, start with 9th through 11th graders, grandfather only rising seniors, and offer varsity sports from the outset.

This superintendent and school board are utterly ridiculous. They want big change, but they promptly shy away from big change, and then they coddle everyone with a loud voice or a change.org petition. They are the very opposite of leaders.

You will get a LOT more push back from people who don't want to transfer their junior year because it is so important for college applications. They don't want to lose their positions on academic teams and clubs that is going on their college resume. Sports should not be a driving factor in the school decision.

I was like looking to see what they did when South County opened in 2005. It opened as a 7-11 secondary school and it looks like the juniors had an option to attend South County or stay at their current schools. Not sure if any younger students were given that option.

No bleachers for a football stadium in years 1 and 2 of operation? Hold "home games" at other FCPS sites that have away games. Schedules can be 6 away and 6 home games. HS varsity football can have 55 or more on the roster. HS boys varsity basketball 13. HS boys varsity lacrosse 40.

South County did not waste time on magnets and optional transfer in programs. Went straight to AP. Far more efficient than this Reid mess. Load the 1005 from Westfield and 358 from Chantilly leaving 500 plus slots open for a combo of Oakton and South Lakes.

SCSS got a principal, Athletic director came from Madison [Pete Bendorf had been at Oakton- won football state title]. New Athletic Director was also SCSS teacher and football coach.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/subscribe/signin/signout/?next_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonpost.com%2Farchive%2Fsports%2F2005%2F03%2F29%2Fmadison-ad-bendorf-is-hired-as-south-county-football-coach%2F5a6e6b67-ec4f-4c06-9fde-b937853af980%2F&nid=top_pb_signin&arcId=LJXGWZ7MJ5GANH66XE3YKOXZQA&itid=nav_sign_in

WSHS did things like hold their theater performance at the Burke firehouse, choir and orchestra concerts at lical churches, and sports practices off site for years during their renovation.

It will be simple enough to put in temp bleachers and goal posts for the home football games around the soccer field, or to bus the kids to another field for one season while the stadium is installed.

There are simple solutions to the football field.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm all for sports--it is the only thing that had my DS keep his grades up. They don't let you play otherwise.
And, you may learn a lot more life skills in sports than in academics.

But, ultimately, you need to be employable--and you need academics for that.

I don't think anyone believes sports are more important than academics, but if they want less pushback on a new school, at least make it exciting for the first students. Give them something to look forward to. Programs, teachers, a principal, sports, anything other than "it's closer." Having varsity sports (a football team to cheer for). Pep rallies, homecoming, and Friday night lights build culture and it's part of the high school experience. They deserve the same kind of facilities and experience they would have had at any other school, not a school half empty and under major renovations. It's just too rushed.

Why don’t they take another year and open the school in the fall of 2027? Open as a 9-11 AP school and give juniors the option to stay at the schools they are now attending as freshmen. Open with a full athletic program, even if they aren’t yet in a position to have all the athletic facilities on site. They shouldn’t really have a “Homecoming” until there are graduates coming home, but if they want some special annual celebration they can call it something else for the first two years.

Reid seemed very keen to open next fall and one suspects she thought it would a specialized school that she could put on her resume before she leaves and takes a job elsewhere. If the school opens in the fall of 2027 the School Board can still take credit for it in the November 2027 elections.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think anyone with kids that are looking to play D1 in college would prefer Oakton versus a new school just starting out so get the concern there. It's nice that they're allowing current MS to make that call where they want to go but hard when you have younger siblings who don't have that same decision and do you really want to split families up? Just hard all around.

It's actually quite ridiculous that they are thinking of giving current middle school students in 7th grade an option whether to attend KAA.

Usually when there's a boundary change or a new high school, neither rising nor current 9th graders get an option. It's one of the ways they get a new school off the ground or make sure a boundary change starts to provide some meaningful relief.

It means their model for opening the new western HS is flawed. It would make far more sense to wait another year, get KAA to the point where it can hold 1500 kids, start with 9th through 11th graders, grandfather only rising seniors, and offer varsity sports from the outset.

This superintendent and school board are utterly ridiculous. They want big change, but they promptly shy away from big change, and then they coddle everyone with a loud voice or a change.org petition. They are the very opposite of leaders.

You will get a LOT more push back from people who don't want to transfer their junior year because it is so important for college applications. They don't want to lose their positions on academic teams and clubs that is going on their college resume. Sports should not be a driving factor in the school decision.

I was like looking to see what they did when South County opened in 2005. It opened as a 7-11 secondary school and it looks like the juniors had an option to attend South County or stay at their current schools. Not sure if any younger students were given that option.

No bleachers for a football stadium in years 1 and 2 of operation? Hold "home games" at other FCPS sites that have away games. Schedules can be 6 away and 6 home games. HS varsity football can have 55 or more on the roster. HS boys varsity basketball 13. HS boys varsity lacrosse 40.

South County did not waste time on magnets and optional transfer in programs. Went straight to AP. Far more efficient than this Reid mess. Load the 1005 from Westfield and 358 from Chantilly leaving 500 plus slots open for a combo of Oakton and South Lakes.

SCSS got a principal, Athletic director came from Madison [Pete Bendorf had been at Oakton- won football state title]. New Athletic Director was also SCSS teacher and football coach.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/subscribe/signin/signout/?next_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonpost.com%2Farchive%2Fsports%2F2005%2F03%2F29%2Fmadison-ad-bendorf-is-hired-as-south-county-football-coach%2F5a6e6b67-ec4f-4c06-9fde-b937853af980%2F&nid=top_pb_signin&arcId=LJXGWZ7MJ5GANH66XE3YKOXZQA&itid=nav_sign_in

WSHS did things like hold their theater performance at the Burke firehouse, choir and orchestra concerts at lical churches, and sports practices off site for years during their renovation.

It will be simple enough to put in temp bleachers and goal posts for the home football games around the soccer field, or to bus the kids to another field for one season while the stadium is installed.

There are simple solutions to the football field.

Yes and thanks for the input on WSHS theatre performance and sports sites during the renovation. Sadly FCPS main players appear to have far less competency. And this whole Reid process and BRAC is loaded with junk. A map for Western should have come out with scenario 4, AP comprehensive only, grades 9-11.

What ends up at Western does affect what can go into South Lakes for example.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm all for sports--it is the only thing that had my DS keep his grades up. They don't let you play otherwise.
And, you may learn a lot more life skills in sports than in academics.

But, ultimately, you need to be employable--and you need academics for that.

I don't think anyone believes sports are more important than academics, but if they want less pushback on a new school, at least make it exciting for the first students. Give them something to look forward to. Programs, teachers, a principal, sports, anything other than "it's closer." Having varsity sports (a football team to cheer for). Pep rallies, homecoming, and Friday night lights build culture and it's part of the high school experience. They deserve the same kind of facilities and experience they would have had at any other school, not a school half empty and under major renovations. It's just too rushed.

Why don’t they take another year and open the school in the fall of 2027? Open as a 9-11 AP school and give juniors the option to stay at the schools they are now attending as freshmen. Open with a full athletic program, even if they aren’t yet in a position to have all the athletic facilities on site. They shouldn’t really have a “Homecoming” until there are graduates coming home, but if they want some special annual celebration they can call it something else for the first two years.

Reid seemed very keen to open next fall and one suspects she thought it would a specialized school that she could put on her resume before she leaves and takes a job elsewhere. If the school opens in the fall of 2027 the School Board can still take credit for it in the November 2027 elections.

How does another year change the fact that parents are not going to want kids who started HS at another school to be moved to the new school? You will have even more pushback if you are telling parents that their Juniors need to move. You still have a new school with new teachers to the school a new school administration and new sports teams and music programs and drama clubs. It is going to be new next year or new the following year. Most freshman and sophomores are not playing on the varsity teams, so starting with a JV program is not going to be an issue for most of the kids. Drama and music programs will allow younger kids the chance to take on lead roles.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm all for sports--it is the only thing that had my DS keep his grades up. They don't let you play otherwise.
And, you may learn a lot more life skills in sports than in academics.

But, ultimately, you need to be employable--and you need academics for that.

I don't think anyone believes sports are more important than academics, but if they want less pushback on a new school, at least make it exciting for the first students. Give them something to look forward to. Programs, teachers, a principal, sports, anything other than "it's closer." Having varsity sports (a football team to cheer for). Pep rallies, homecoming, and Friday night lights build culture and it's part of the high school experience. They deserve the same kind of facilities and experience they would have had at any other school, not a school half empty and under major renovations. It's just too rushed.

Why don’t they take another year and open the school in the fall of 2027? Open as a 9-11 AP school and give juniors the option to stay at the schools they are now attending as freshmen. Open with a full athletic program, even if they aren’t yet in a position to have all the athletic facilities on site. They shouldn’t really have a “Homecoming” until there are graduates coming home, but if they want some special annual celebration they can call it something else for the first two years.

Reid seemed very keen to open next fall and one suspects she thought it would a specialized school that she could put on her resume before she leaves and takes a job elsewhere. If the school opens in the fall of 2027 the School Board can still take credit for it in the November 2027 elections.

How does another year change the fact that parents are not going to want kids who started HS at another school to be moved to the new school? You will have even more pushback if you are telling parents that their Juniors need to move. You still have a new school with new teachers to the school a new school administration and new sports teams and music programs and drama clubs. It is going to be new next year or new the following year. Most freshman and sophomores are not playing on the varsity teams, so starting with a JV program is not going to be an issue for most of the kids. Drama and music programs will allow younger kids the chance to take on lead roles.

If you give juniors the option to attend you will still have a junior class the first year and you can offer varsity sports. They might not be very successful the first year or two but you also might be surprised.

And waiting another year means students will spend less time in the school while it’s a construction zone.

[Anonymous]

Building out all the staffing is going to be a huge undertaking. They can’t start that process until the logistics of the school have been finalized which will be tough to turn around before winter break.
Staffing for the teaching staff, and all of the extra curricular programs will be seriously rushed and will leave those programs in shambles come fall.

[Anonymous]

They have not been able to conduct a thoughtful county-wide boundary study and they will not be able to wrap that up and also get the western HS to open smoothly in the fall of 2026. They are not very competent to begin with, and they have way too much on their plates.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think anyone with kids that are looking to play D1 in college would prefer Oakton versus a new school just starting out so get the concern there. It's nice that they're allowing current MS to make that call where they want to go but hard when you have younger siblings who don't have that same decision and do you really want to split families up? Just hard all around.

It's actually quite ridiculous that they are thinking of giving current middle school students in 7th grade an option whether to attend KAA.

Usually when there's a boundary change or a new high school, neither rising nor current 9th graders get an option. It's one of the ways they get a new school off the ground or make sure a boundary change starts to provide some meaningful relief.

It means their model for opening the new western HS is flawed. It would make far more sense to wait another year, get KAA to the point where it can hold 1500 kids, start with 9th through 11th graders, grandfather only rising seniors, and offer varsity sports from the outset.

This superintendent and school board are utterly ridiculous. They want big change, but they promptly shy away from big change, and then they coddle everyone with a loud voice or a change.org petition. They are the very opposite of leaders.

You will get a LOT more push back from people who don't want to transfer their junior year because it is so important for college applications. They don't want to lose their positions on academic teams and clubs that is going on their college resume. Sports should not be a driving factor in the school decision.

I was like looking to see what they did when South County opened in 2005. It opened as a 7-11 secondary school and it looks like the juniors had an option to attend South County or stay at their current schools. Not sure if any younger students were given that option.

No bleachers for a football stadium in years 1 and 2 of operation? Hold "home games" at other FCPS sites that have away games. Schedules can be 6 away and 6 home games. HS varsity football can have 55 or more on the roster. HS boys varsity basketball 13. HS boys varsity lacrosse 40.

South County did not waste time on magnets and optional transfer in programs. Went straight to AP. Far more efficient than this Reid mess. Load the 1005 from Westfield and 358 from Chantilly leaving 500 plus slots open for a combo of Oakton and South Lakes.

SCSS got a principal, Athletic director came from Madison [Pete Bendorf had been at Oakton- won football state title]. New Athletic Director was also SCSS teacher and football coach.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/subscribe/signin/signout/?next_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonpost.com%2Farchive%2Fsports%2F2005%2F03%2F29%2Fmadison-ad-bendorf-is-hired-as-south-county-football-coach%2F5a6e6b67-ec4f-4c06-9fde-b937853af980%2F&nid=top_pb_signin&arcId=LJXGWZ7MJ5GANH66XE3YKOXZQA&itid=nav_sign_in

WSHS did things like hold their theater performance at the Burke firehouse, choir and orchestra concerts at lical churches, and sports practices off site for years during their renovation.

It will be simple enough to put in temp bleachers and goal posts for the home football games around the soccer field, or to bus the kids to another field for one season while the stadium is installed.

There are simple solutions to the football field.

My very sports oriented high school didn’t have a stadium. There was a practice field at school and games were at a stadium 15-20 min away from the school. Everyone survived and went to the games.