Why is the McLean high pyramid over crowded with crappy buildings and teachers but pays high tax

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would also say that having Jimmy Bierman on the BOS might be a plus for MHS going forward. He’s a smart guy and, while he doesn’t want to criticize Tholen or the current School Board before the election, I think he does appreciate that there’s a conflict between the county encouraging development in areas that feed into MHS and the School Board treating the school like shit.

Speaking of the development, will the new Mclean downtown development add students to Mclean High or Langley high?

Everything in downtown McLean, including the apartments going up now behind Chipotle on Old Dominion, the larger Astoria condos that were just approved on Old Dominion, and at least one other big project on Chain Bridge, will feed into McLean HS.

As will slightly less than half the new development in Tysons (about 55% will feed to Marshall) and all the new development planned near the West Falls Church metro that is in Fairfax County rather than Falls Church City.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is it that the one of the most highly taxed school pyramids has such a dumpy middle and high school building. not to mention overcrowded elementary schools?

Should this be the priority over all else? I mean cooper and langley are / have gotten major renovations and expansions ?

Mclean high looks like a 3rd work slum school

Because McLean voters heavily lean to the left.

People should not be afraid to split their tickets. Even if you want to keep Trump out of the White House and to protect abortion rights and enact strong gun control laws at the state level, recognize that the local Democrats in Fairfax take our area for granted. They want our tax revenues but also to provide us with as few services as possible.

If you live in McLean and vote for any D candidate for the school board, you are literally voting against your children’s best interests.

Why would an R candidate be better for McLean any more than D? Aren't Republicans supposed to be all about being fiscally conservative, keeping a close watch on wasteful FCPS spending, and focusing on academics?

It sounds like they should be in favor of using available space at other facilities to handle any issues at McLean, not waste a hundred million to expand the HS when other options exist.

Your opinion and analysis. Many believe the Republicans woud bring chaos and partisan politics to the school board. See: Hanover County, Spotsylvania County and ask yourself if Republicans have improved the learning envirnonment.

DP. How, exactly, would you characterize the current SB? Because this is a perfect description of the entirely Democratic board.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So much Paul bartkowski spamming on this thread. So obvious!

I would never vote for someone sponsored by Republicans, unless they stop the book-banning, anti-trans, religion in schools hysteria.

More like so many Fairfax Dems spamming this entire forum. So obvious!

I would never vote for anyone sponsored by Democrats unless they stop the idiotic hyperbole like "book-banning, anti-trans, religions in schools" BS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP - I think it is terrible to paint teachers with a brush like you did. There are outstanding teachers and administrators at McLean High. Really, really great school. I feel like people are upping these threads to try and change the outcome of the school board election. McLean is consistently rated one of the best high schools in the state. The teachers are instrumental in achieving that. - Mom of 2 McLean High kids

Yep - the administrators and teachers at both McLean and Longfellow are top-notch. The facilities are not, and the neglect - when FCPS has built permanent additions to newer, less overcrowded schools like Justice and Madison outside the 2008 renovation queue - appears to be deliberate.

Elaine Tholen ran in 2019 promising to make an addition/future renovation a priority, and then did nothing but cherry-pick some McLean neighborhoods comprised entirely of single-family houses to move to Langley. Robyn Lady, the Democrat running to replace her, has made it clear she doesn’t give a crap about McLean.

The only hope is to elect Paul Bartkowski, who is running against Lady, to succeed Tholen or hope that Ilryong Moon will take up McLean’s needs if he’s elected as an at-large member. Otherwise the decline of the entire pyramid is guaranteedIt won’t make the schools in other parts of the county any better, but it will make some local Democrats happy.

Generally it’s the leftists posting here that are overdramatic.

McLean will continue to be a top pyramid and high school.
The most that will happen is that people moving into McLean will prefer Langley (making those houses slightly more costly) and a few people with even more $$$ to spare will send their children to private.
This may reduce crowding a little over time.

The decline won’t happen overnight, but it is already occurring, courtesy of Tholen, and will likely just continue under Lady unless Moon steps up or Bartkowski gets elected.

Save the drama. It will be a top school with a deteriorating building. Massive amounts of people aren’t going to leave McLean or decline to move into the pyramid just because the high school is a crappy facility.

DP. You can't be serious. No one wants to attend a school that looks like that. Especially when they have other options.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So much Paul bartkowski spamming on this thread. So obvious!

I would never vote for someone sponsored by Republicans, unless they stop the book-banning, anti-trans, religion in schools hysteria.

More like so many Fairfax Dems spamming this entire forum. So obvious!

I would never vote for anyone sponsored by Democrats unless they stop the idiotic hyperbole like "book-banning, anti-trans, religions in schools" BS.

+1000

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP - I think it is terrible to paint teachers with a brush like you did. There are outstanding teachers and administrators at McLean High. Really, really great school. I feel like people are upping these threads to try and change the outcome of the school board election. McLean is consistently rated one of the best high schools in the state. The teachers are instrumental in achieving that. - Mom of 2 McLean High kids

Yep - the administrators and teachers at both McLean and Longfellow are top-notch. The facilities are not, and the neglect - when FCPS has built permanent additions to newer, less overcrowded schools like Justice and Madison outside the 2008 renovation queue - appears to be deliberate.

Elaine Tholen ran in 2019 promising to make an addition/future renovation a priority, and then did nothing but cherry-pick some McLean neighborhoods comprised entirely of single-family houses to move to Langley. Robyn Lady, the Democrat running to replace her, has made it clear she doesn’t give a crap about McLean.

The only hope is to elect Paul Bartkowski, who is running against Lady, to succeed Tholen or hope that Ilryong Moon will take up McLean’s needs if he’s elected as an at-large member. Otherwise the decline of the entire pyramid is guaranteedIt won’t make the schools in other parts of the county any better, but it will make some local Democrats happy.

Generally it’s the leftists posting here that are overdramatic.

McLean will continue to be a top pyramid and high school.
The most that will happen is that people moving into McLean will prefer Langley (making those houses slightly more costly) and a few people with even more $$$ to spare will send their children to private.
This may reduce crowding a little over time.

The decline won’t happen overnight, but it is already occurring, courtesy of Tholen, and will likely just continue under Lady unless Moon steps up or Bartkowski gets elected.

Save the drama. It will be a top school with a deteriorating building. Massive amounts of people aren’t going to leave McLean or decline to move into the pyramid just because the high school is a crappy facility.

It’s already happening.

I will ask my local realtor buddies, like I said families moving in will pick the prettier building if they have the funds but a slight dip in the appeal of McLean will just make houses slightly more affordable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP - I think it is terrible to paint teachers with a brush like you did. There are outstanding teachers and administrators at McLean High. Really, really great school. I feel like people are upping these threads to try and change the outcome of the school board election. McLean is consistently rated one of the best high schools in the state. The teachers are instrumental in achieving that. - Mom of 2 McLean High kids

Yep - the administrators and teachers at both McLean and Longfellow are top-notch. The facilities are not, and the neglect - when FCPS has built permanent additions to newer, less overcrowded schools like Justice and Madison outside the 2008 renovation queue - appears to be deliberate.

Elaine Tholen ran in 2019 promising to make an addition/future renovation a priority, and then did nothing but cherry-pick some McLean neighborhoods comprised entirely of single-family houses to move to Langley. Robyn Lady, the Democrat running to replace her, has made it clear she doesn’t give a crap about McLean.

The only hope is to elect Paul Bartkowski, who is running against Lady, to succeed Tholen or hope that Ilryong Moon will take up McLean’s needs if he’s elected as an at-large member. Otherwise the decline of the entire pyramid is guaranteedIt won’t make the schools in other parts of the county any better, but it will make some local Democrats happy.

Generally it’s the leftists posting here that are overdramatic.

McLean will continue to be a top pyramid and high school.
The most that will happen is that people moving into McLean will prefer Langley (making those houses slightly more costly) and a few people with even more $$$ to spare will send their children to private.
This may reduce crowding a little over time.

The decline won’t happen overnight, but it is already occurring, courtesy of Tholen, and will likely just continue under Lady unless Moon steps up or Bartkowski gets elected.

Save the drama. It will be a top school with a deteriorating building. Massive amounts of people aren’t going to leave McLean or decline to move into the pyramid just because the high school is a crappy facility.

DP. You can't be serious. No one wants to attend a school that looks like that. Especially when they have other options.

Elaine Tholen pledged to get funding for at least a permanent addition to McLean if she was elected in 2019 but did nothing of the sort.

Cannot trust the Democrats running for School Board any longer. Tholen was a liar and a hypocrite. And Robyn Lady will be no better if she’s elected.

If you care about the pyramid and haven’t voted yet vote for Paul Bartkowski.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP - I think it is terrible to paint teachers with a brush like you did. There are outstanding teachers and administrators at McLean High. Really, really great school. I feel like people are upping these threads to try and change the outcome of the school board election. McLean is consistently rated one of the best high schools in the state. The teachers are instrumental in achieving that. - Mom of 2 McLean High kids

Yep - the administrators and teachers at both McLean and Longfellow are top-notch. The facilities are not, and the neglect - when FCPS has built permanent additions to newer, less overcrowded schools like Justice and Madison outside the 2008 renovation queue - appears to be deliberate.

Elaine Tholen ran in 2019 promising to make an addition/future renovation a priority, and then did nothing but cherry-pick some McLean neighborhoods comprised entirely of single-family houses to move to Langley. Robyn Lady, the Democrat running to replace her, has made it clear she doesn’t give a crap about McLean.

The only hope is to elect Paul Bartkowski, who is running against Lady, to succeed Tholen or hope that Ilryong Moon will take up McLean’s needs if he’s elected as an at-large member. Otherwise the decline of the entire pyramid is guaranteedIt won’t make the schools in other parts of the county any better, but it will make some local Democrats happy.

Generally it’s the leftists posting here that are overdramatic.

McLean will continue to be a top pyramid and high school.
The most that will happen is that people moving into McLean will prefer Langley (making those houses slightly more costly) and a few people with even more $$$ to spare will send their children to private.
This may reduce crowding a little over time.

The decline won’t happen overnight, but it is already occurring, courtesy of Tholen, and will likely just continue under Lady unless Moon steps up or Bartkowski gets elected.

Save the drama. It will be a top school with a deteriorating building. Massive amounts of people aren’t going to leave McLean or decline to move into the pyramid just because the high school is a crappy facility.

DP. You can't be serious. No one wants to attend a school that looks like that. Especially when they have other options.

Lots of families will move in trusting that it will be renovated by the time their children get to high school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP - I think it is terrible to paint teachers with a brush like you did. There are outstanding teachers and administrators at McLean High. Really, really great school. I feel like people are upping these threads to try and change the outcome of the school board election. McLean is consistently rated one of the best high schools in the state. The teachers are instrumental in achieving that. - Mom of 2 McLean High kids

Yep - the administrators and teachers at both McLean and Longfellow are top-notch. The facilities are not, and the neglect - when FCPS has built permanent additions to newer, less overcrowded schools like Justice and Madison outside the 2008 renovation queue - appears to be deliberate.

Elaine Tholen ran in 2019 promising to make an addition/future renovation a priority, and then did nothing but cherry-pick some McLean neighborhoods comprised entirely of single-family houses to move to Langley. Robyn Lady, the Democrat running to replace her, has made it clear she doesn’t give a crap about McLean.

The only hope is to elect Paul Bartkowski, who is running against Lady, to succeed Tholen or hope that Ilryong Moon will take up McLean’s needs if he’s elected as an at-large member. Otherwise the decline of the entire pyramid is guaranteedIt won’t make the schools in other parts of the county any better, but it will make some local Democrats happy.

Generally it’s the leftists posting here that are overdramatic.

McLean will continue to be a top pyramid and high school.
The most that will happen is that people moving into McLean will prefer Langley (making those houses slightly more costly) and a few people with even more $$$ to spare will send their children to private.
This may reduce crowding a little over time.

The decline won’t happen overnight, but it is already occurring, courtesy of Tholen, and will likely just continue under Lady unless Moon steps up or Bartkowski gets elected.

Save the drama. It will be a top school with a deteriorating building. Massive amounts of people aren’t going to leave McLean or decline to move into the pyramid just because the high school is a crappy facility.

DP. You can't be serious. No one wants to attend a school that looks like that. Especially when they have other options.

Lots of families will move in trusting that it will be renovated by the time their children get to high school.

Lots of families trusted Elaine Tholen, too, when she pledged in 2019 to get funding for at least an addition to McLean. And look at what a liar she turned out to be.

Trust and/or vote for a Democratic candidate in Dranesville again at your peril.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP - I think it is terrible to paint teachers with a brush like you did. There are outstanding teachers and administrators at McLean High. Really, really great school. I feel like people are upping these threads to try and change the outcome of the school board election. McLean is consistently rated one of the best high schools in the state. The teachers are instrumental in achieving that. - Mom of 2 McLean High kids

Yep - the administrators and teachers at both McLean and Longfellow are top-notch. The facilities are not, and the neglect - when FCPS has built permanent additions to newer, less overcrowded schools like Justice and Madison outside the 2008 renovation queue - appears to be deliberate.

Elaine Tholen ran in 2019 promising to make an addition/future renovation a priority, and then did nothing but cherry-pick some McLean neighborhoods comprised entirely of single-family houses to move to Langley. Robyn Lady, the Democrat running to replace her, has made it clear she doesn’t give a crap about McLean.

The only hope is to elect Paul Bartkowski, who is running against Lady, to succeed Tholen or hope that Ilryong Moon will take up McLean’s needs if he’s elected as an at-large member. Otherwise the decline of the entire pyramid is guaranteedIt won’t make the schools in other parts of the county any better, but it will make some local Democrats happy.

Generally it’s the leftists posting here that are overdramatic.

McLean will continue to be a top pyramid and high school.
The most that will happen is that people moving into McLean will prefer Langley (making those houses slightly more costly) and a few people with even more $$$ to spare will send their children to private.
This may reduce crowding a little over time.

The decline won’t happen overnight, but it is already occurring, courtesy of Tholen, and will likely just continue under Lady unless Moon steps up or Bartkowski gets elected.

Save the drama. It will be a top school with a deteriorating building. Massive amounts of people aren’t going to leave McLean or decline to move into the pyramid just because the high school is a crappy facility.

It’s already happening.

DP. This is true.

I am tired of the “everything is fine!” crowd. That crowd assured us that people switching to private during Covid would all come crying back.

Those families are not coming back. Ever. The younger siblings are not being enrolled and never will be.

Thanks to the LWNJs ruining FCPS, we are headed the way of Baltimore county, where there are many excellent private schools, but the public county and city schools are an unmitigated disaster.

Actually the data suggests otherwise (esp. in elementary grade levels). For example the Class of 2031 (figures as of October each year):
SY19-20: 13,614 1st graders
SY20-21: 12,762 2nd graders (-852)
SY21-22: 12,794 3rd graders (+32)
SY22-23: 13,012 4th graders (+218)
SY23-24: 13,258 5th graders (+246)

So it hasn't fully recovered, but seems to be on its way. Some small fraction of this could be organic growth, but in the years leading up to the pandemic the growth from 1st->5th for a cohort was <1%. So unless you think there's some new boom of growth of elementary-age-kid families moving into Fairfax County post-pandemic that wasn't there immediately pre-pandemic, it's fair to conclude that a very significant chunk of those +496 students the past 3 years are kids returning to the system who left during COVID.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP - I think it is terrible to paint teachers with a brush like you did. There are outstanding teachers and administrators at McLean High. Really, really great school. I feel like people are upping these threads to try and change the outcome of the school board election. McLean is consistently rated one of the best high schools in the state. The teachers are instrumental in achieving that. - Mom of 2 McLean High kids

Yep - the administrators and teachers at both McLean and Longfellow are top-notch. The facilities are not, and the neglect - when FCPS has built permanent additions to newer, less overcrowded schools like Justice and Madison outside the 2008 renovation queue - appears to be deliberate.

Elaine Tholen ran in 2019 promising to make an addition/future renovation a priority, and then did nothing but cherry-pick some McLean neighborhoods comprised entirely of single-family houses to move to Langley. Robyn Lady, the Democrat running to replace her, has made it clear she doesn’t give a crap about McLean.

The only hope is to elect Paul Bartkowski, who is running against Lady, to succeed Tholen or hope that Ilryong Moon will take up McLean’s needs if he’s elected as an at-large member. Otherwise the decline of the entire pyramid is guaranteedIt won’t make the schools in other parts of the county any better, but it will make some local Democrats happy.

Generally it’s the leftists posting here that are overdramatic.

McLean will continue to be a top pyramid and high school.
The most that will happen is that people moving into McLean will prefer Langley (making those houses slightly more costly) and a few people with even more $$$ to spare will send their children to private.
This may reduce crowding a little over time.

The decline won’t happen overnight, but it is already occurring, courtesy of Tholen, and will likely just continue under Lady unless Moon steps up or Bartkowski gets elected.

Save the drama. It will be a top school with a deteriorating building. Massive amounts of people aren’t going to leave McLean or decline to move into the pyramid just because the high school is a crappy facility.

DP. You can't be serious. No one wants to attend a school that looks like that. Especially when they have other options.

Lots of families will move in trusting that it will be renovated by the time their children get to high school.

They will be sorely mistaken.