Any updates on Mclean/Langley possible redistricting?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No need to fight about it, when we have to wait for the consultant's report

Since the consultant is getting paid $100K or more to produce a report that will justify FCPS doing whatever is most convenient for FCPS staff, now is the right time to make clear that many McLean families will object to any proposal that does not grandfather all current students, align the middle school assignments, and budget money for a permanent addition at the school. Better that the new School Board members know that now.

I predict they will grandfather the HS students but not the MS students - if past is any indication.

That is most likely, especially since they could have moved kids to Langley starting in the fall of 2018 after the renovations were done if they’d had their act together. Don’t penalize the kids for your own inattention.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes write the board members.

I do believe that when they were discussing a policy change last year that there was talk of grandfathering only kids rising to their final year (juniors, 7th graders and 5th graders)

Yes, and also without transportation, but that policy was likely drafted with major county-wide boundary changes contemplated to occur at the same time, which they seem to have backed away from.

If they depart from past practice and treat McLean students worse than those in prior redistrictings involving South Lakes, Annandale, and Fairfax (where all current students were grandfathered with transportation provided through graduation), there will be a big fight.

Policy must apply to everyone. If they change it the McLean pyramid might be the first to be affected, but they can't single it out for different treatment.

If you believe in equitable treatment, then budgeting funds for an addition at McLean, as has been done for Justice, Madison, and West Potomac, should happen first.

The “policy” to which you refer has not been adopted and the new Board would be well advised to think carefully about revisions to the current one.

They have had extra time to think about it. Voices of Fairfax brought attention to their discussions and proposed revision, and parental disapproval was sufficient to send them scrambling to deny that busing was on the table, postpone the vote, and mollify the community with the CIP amendment.

Best for the community to continue paying attention.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes write the board members.

I do believe that when they were discussing a policy change last year that there was talk of grandfathering only kids rising to their final year (juniors, 7th graders and 5th graders)

Yes, and also without transportation, but that policy was likely drafted with major county-wide boundary changes contemplated to occur at the same time, which they seem to have backed away from.

If they depart from past practice and treat McLean students worse than those in prior redistrictings involving South Lakes, Annandale, and Fairfax (where all current students were grandfathered with transportation provided through graduation), there will be a big fight.

Policy must apply to everyone. If they change it the McLean pyramid might be the first to be affected, but they can't single it out for different treatment.

If you believe in equitable treatment, then budgeting funds for an addition at McLean, as has been done for Justice, Madison, and West Potomac, should happen first.

The “policy” to which you refer has not been adopted and the new Board would be well advised to think carefully about revisions to the current one.

Are you the same poster who keeps emphasizing “there will be a fight” and the Board had “better think carefully” about what they do re: McLean? You sound like a part of the mafia. Maybe you should’ve thought more carefully about the SB members you elected in the fall instead of complaining now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What neighborhood is that? It seems like you’d want to step up and make your views known, since the parents and students who attended the community meetings and testified at the CIP hearing had many reservations.

Or maybe you’re trolling for Langley?

Nope, sorry. But you must be the poster described above. Case in point.

I think PP was probably right, since you obviously dodged the question.

Right, I’m actually going to announce what neighborhood I live in, so that the PP can harangue me (and others who live here)? Uh, no thanks. I guess other families aren’t allowed to have their own opinions about which high school we’d prefer? I’m beginning to understand why people might not want to go to McLean, if parents like you are representative.

No one asked your street address. But your posts are sounding increasing contrived.

Whatever you say. Just please stop speaking for people you don’t even know. Thanks.

+100

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes write the board members.

I do believe that when they were discussing a policy change last year that there was talk of grandfathering only kids rising to their final year (juniors, 7th graders and 5th graders)

Yes, and also without transportation, but that policy was likely drafted with major county-wide boundary changes contemplated to occur at the same time, which they seem to have backed away from.

If they depart from past practice and treat McLean students worse than those in prior redistrictings involving South Lakes, Annandale, and Fairfax (where all current students were grandfathered with transportation provided through graduation), there will be a big fight.

Policy must apply to everyone. If they change it the McLean pyramid might be the first to be affected, but they can't single it out for different treatment.

If you believe in equitable treatment, then budgeting funds for an addition at McLean, as has been done for Justice, Madison, and West Potomac, should happen first.

The “policy” to which you refer has not been adopted and the new Board would be well advised to think carefully about revisions to the current one.

Are you the same poster who keeps emphasizing “there will be a fight” ad the Board had “better think carefully” about what they do re: McLean? You sound like a part of the mafia. Maybe you should’ve thought more carefully about the SB members you elected in the fall instead of complaining now.

Actually the new School Board members seem to be approaching the issue thoughtfully and carefully, at least in the case of Tholen and Frisch. That’s an improvement, because Strauss was lazy and also lied to the community for years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes write the board members.

I do believe that when they were discussing a policy change last year that there was talk of grandfathering only kids rising to their final year (juniors, 7th graders and 5th graders)

Yes, and also without transportation, but that policy was likely drafted with major county-wide boundary changes contemplated to occur at the same time, which they seem to have backed away from.

If they depart from past practice and treat McLean students worse than those in prior redistrictings involving South Lakes, Annandale, and Fairfax (where all current students were grandfathered with transportation provided through graduation), there will be a big fight.

Policy must apply to everyone. If they change it the McLean pyramid might be the first to be affected, but they can't single it out for different treatment.

If you believe in equitable treatment, then budgeting funds for an addition at McLean, as has been done for Justice, Madison, and West Potomac, should happen first.

The “policy” to which you refer has not been adopted and the new Board would be well advised to think carefully about revisions to the current one.

Are you the same poster who keeps emphasizing “there will be a fight” and the Board had “better think carefully” about what they do re: McLean? You sound like a part of the mafia. Maybe you should’ve thought more carefully about the SB members you elected in the fall instead of complaining now.

-1. I'm glad the McLean parents have gotten organized with groups like McSpaces.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes write the board members.

I do believe that when they were discussing a policy change last year that there was talk of grandfathering only kids rising to their final year (juniors, 7th graders and 5th graders)

Yes, and also without transportation, but that policy was likely drafted with major county-wide boundary changes contemplated to occur at the same time, which they seem to have backed away from.

If they depart from past practice and treat McLean students worse than those in prior redistrictings involving South Lakes, Annandale, and Fairfax (where all current students were grandfathered with transportation provided through graduation), there will be a big fight.

Policy must apply to everyone. If they change it the McLean pyramid might be the first to be affected, but they can't single it out for different treatment.

If you believe in equitable treatment, then budgeting funds for an addition at McLean, as has been done for Justice, Madison, and West Potomac, should happen first.

The “policy” to which you refer has not been adopted and the new Board would be well advised to think carefully about revisions to the current one.

Are you the same poster who keeps emphasizing “there will be a fight” and the Board had “better think carefully” about what they do re: McLean? You sound like a part of the mafia. Maybe you should’ve thought more carefully about the SB members you elected in the fall instead of complaining now.

-1. I'm glad the McLean parents have gotten organized with groups like McSpaces.

Great, but maybe they could stop with the threatening attitude.

[Anonymous]

They haven’t been nearly as aggressive as the Langley parents and their groups (One Great Falls/Voices of Fairfax) were last year.

Perhaps they should be.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes write the board members.

I do believe that when they were discussing a policy change last year that there was talk of grandfathering only kids rising to their final year (juniors, 7th graders and 5th graders)

Yes, and also without transportation, but that policy was likely drafted with major county-wide boundary changes contemplated to occur at the same time, which they seem to have backed away from.

If they depart from past practice and treat McLean students worse than those in prior redistrictings involving South Lakes, Annandale, and Fairfax (where all current students were grandfathered with transportation provided through graduation), there will be a big fight.

Policy must apply to everyone. If they change it the McLean pyramid might be the first to be affected, but they can't single it out for different treatment.

If you believe in equitable treatment, then budgeting funds for an addition at McLean, as has been done for Justice, Madison, and West Potomac, should happen first.

The “policy” to which you refer has not been adopted and the new Board would be well advised to think carefully about revisions to the current one.

Are you the same poster who keeps emphasizing “there will be a fight” and the Board had “better think carefully” about what they do re: McLean? You sound like a part of the mafia. Maybe you should’ve thought more carefully about the SB members you elected in the fall instead of complaining now.

-1. I'm glad the McLean parents have gotten organized with groups like McSpaces.

Great, but maybe they could stop with the threatening attitude.

People troll. I wouldn't ascribe this to the entire McLean parent community, and the poster might not be a McLean or at all.

[Anonymous]

McSpaces has over 700 people on its mailing list now. Hundreds of people showed up at the community meetings in December and left underwhelmed by the lack of data and clear plans. Over a dozen community members and students from McLean testified at the CIP hearing in January.

The themes have been clear; if FCPS wants community support:

* All current students must be grandfathered
* The middle school boundaries must also be adjusted
* There must be plans for a permanent addition at MHS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:McSpaces has over 700 people on its mailing list now. Hundreds of people showed up at the community meetings in December and left underwhelmed by the lack of data and clear plans. Over a dozen community members and students from McLean testified at the CIP hearing in January.

The themes have been clear; if FCPS wants community support:

* All current students must be grandfathered
* The middle school boundaries must also be adjusted
* There must be plans for a permanent addition at MHS

Sounds reasonable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:McSpaces has over 700 people on its mailing list now. Hundreds of people showed up at the community meetings in December and left underwhelmed by the lack of data and clear plans. Over a dozen community members and students from McLean testified at the CIP hearing in January.

The themes have been clear; if FCPS wants community support:

* All current students must be grandfathered
* The middle school boundaries must also be adjusted
* There must be plans for a permanent addition at MHS

Sounds reasonable.

I don't know about the permanent addition, because I don't live in that area and know the details. But, the other two I understand. That should apply to anytime kids are redistricted.
It boggles my mind that this was not already done. I live in a boundary where the high school has been bursting at the seams for years. However, there is no neighboring school that has room, either. To have a high school right next door that has room and to have this situation just screams a lack of common sense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:McSpaces has over 700 people on its mailing list now. Hundreds of people showed up at the community meetings in December and left underwhelmed by the lack of data and clear plans. Over a dozen community members and students from McLean testified at the CIP hearing in January.

The themes have been clear; if FCPS wants community support:

* All current students must be grandfathered
* The middle school boundaries must also be adjusted
* There must be plans for a permanent addition at MHS

Sounds reasonable.

I don't know about the permanent addition, because I don't live in that area and know the details. But, the other two I understand. That should apply to anytime kids are redistricted.
It boggles my mind that this was not already done. I live in a boundary where the high school has been bursting at the seams for years. However, there is no neighboring school that has room, either. To have a high school right next door that has room and to have this situation just screams a lack of common sense.

It's not lack of common sense. They specifically said (last year) that they would not adjust the boundaries until the new policy was done.

The new policy was being written to prioritize race and socioeconomics. The board discussed bussing and a complete redraw countywide. McLean and Langley are too demographically similar, and adjusting between those two doesn't distribute children properly.

This is why they rushed to amend the CIP when too many parents started paying attention too close to an election, and why not thing was done for a few months. Now they wait for the consultant.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:McSpaces has over 700 people on its mailing list now. Hundreds of people showed up at the community meetings in December and left underwhelmed by the lack of data and clear plans. Over a dozen community members and students from McLean testified at the CIP hearing in January.

The themes have been clear; if FCPS wants community support:

* All current students must be grandfathered
* The middle school boundaries must also be adjusted
* There must be plans for a permanent addition at MHS

Sounds reasonable.

I don't know about the permanent addition, because I don't live in that area and know the details. But, the other two I understand. That should apply to anytime kids are redistricted.
It boggles my mind that this was not already done. I live in a boundary where the high school has been bursting at the seams for years. However, there is no neighboring school that has room, either. To have a high school right next door that has room and to have this situation just screams a lack of common sense.

It's not lack of common sense. They specifically said (last year) that they would not adjust the boundaries until the new policy was done.

The new policy was being written to prioritize race and socioeconomics. The board discussed bussing and a complete redraw countywide. McLean and Langley are too demographically similar, and adjusting between those two doesn't distribute children properly.

This is why they rushed to amend the CIP when too many parents started paying attention too close to an election, and why not thing was done for a few months. Now they wait for the consultant.

They said when they added McLean/Langley to the CIP last year that this boundary study should be on a separate track than the consultant's policy.

I think the current delays are due to the gradual realization that the consequences of their neglect over the past decade aren't going to be easy to address. When they finally come up with something, there are going to be unhappy people in the McLean or Langley pyramids.

Many McLean families will be unhappy if they don't grandfather, don't align the middle and high school assignments, pull too many kids out of McLean (weakening its academic electives and extra-curricular programs), or don't make arrangements to expand McLean to deal with the continued growth around Tysons and West Falls Church.

Many Langley families will be unhappy if they move kids to Cooper MS right before Cooper undergoes a major renovation (more trailers), move so many kids to McLean that it increases the odds that the western part of the Langley boundary will need to move to another school, or significantly increase the traffic congestion near Langley (there is only one entrance off Georgetown Pike, and it can already take over 25 minutes to get out of the parking lot after school ends).

They made plans in 2017 to build additions at several other schools less overcrowded than McLean outside the normal renovation cycle: Justice, Madison, and West Potomac. They left McLean off that list, because they thought they could save some money by slapping additional seats onto Langley during its renovation (which for years was supposed to take Langley to 2100 kids, but suddenly increased to over 2350). The plans to expand McLean had already been drawn up, and the former School Board member had told McLean families that an addition would be built at McLean before any kids were moved to Langley.

The new School Board members, or at least Elaine Tholen and Karl Frisch, want to do the right thing by both McLean and Langley, but they have quite a legacy of bad planning and poor communication to undue.

[Anonymous]

Undue = undo