Western High School Boundary Map options (A/B/C/D)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It was crystal clear which of the options was the best for the community and the system as a whole. If they had delayed the comprehensive boundary study and drawn Western first, it would have been much better.

Who knows what they have in mind. I'm a little suspicious that it will have boundaries, but they won't be logical.

The boundaries won’t be logical because FCPS refuses to draw boundaries without listening to the people who complain the most. if it is true that the Crossfield PTO has been meeting with Reid and Gatehouse, then the boundaries are not going to make sense. I understand parents wanting to stay at Oakton, it is a great school, but Crossfield is closer to Western and should move there. It probably won’t because a group of parents is very active in preventing that from happening.

The E map, which I don’t believe was real, looked ridiculous. The map removed Crossfield and Fox Mill but kept Floris which led to this weird looking amoeba looking zone with a very obvious gap that appeased the Crossfield parents and Meren wanting to keep Fox Mill at SLHS. It was a visual demonstration of the stupidity of the process.

Either Crossfield or Fox Mill needs to be at Western. Both make sense but space says it needs to be one or the other.

[Anonymous]

Was anyone at the South Lakes PTA event that I think was held last night by Meren? Did she say anything about Western boundaries?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP here, I think I need to be more clear.

we opted in to Western but our child will be doing course selection for his base school. He won’t be doing course selection for Western. I think the reason for that is that western doesn’t have a staff yet, so there is no one to meet with the kids and plan courses, and because there is the possibility that some kids will not end up at Western. Having the kids select courses at their base school makes sure that they are included in that schools process.

Doesn't this cause some turmoil in planning for the base schools, though? Like if a significant number of kids choose Western instead of their base, won't it result in potential destaffing?

[Anonymous]

My understanding is yes. The only people identified to be working at Western right now are department chairs. The due date for the forms is end of the week, and then the schools should know some information. It feels late in the game on all of this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My understanding is yes. The only people identified to be working at Western right now are department chairs. The due date for the forms is end of the week, and then the schools should know some information. It feels late in the game on all of this.

Am I the only one who feels like Reid is throwing spaghetti against the wall to see if it sticks?

[Anonymous]

It’s just crazy.

They asked the kid to opt in, but course selection isn’t even possible yet.

Their Western High info page keeps changing. The draft boundary maps have basically been thrown out the window. (at one point, the webpage recommended studying the draft options…)

The opt-in form was originally due in February, now is it January 16?

They’ll do a random lottery if more than 500 apply, and since the draft boundary options are no longer applicable, it’s not even clear if priority would be given to close neighborhoods.

Still, if they really stop taking opt-ins on the 16th, I guess that means many kids have already opted in, and FCPS doesn’t need more applicants.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It was crystal clear which of the options was the best for the community and the system as a whole. If they had delayed the comprehensive boundary study and drawn Western first, it would have been much better.

Who knows what they have in mind. I'm a little suspicious that it will have boundaries, but they won't be logical.

The boundaries won’t be logical because FCPS refuses to draw boundaries without listening to the people who complain the most. if it is true that the Crossfield PTO has been meeting with Reid and Gatehouse, then the boundaries are not going to make sense. I understand parents wanting to stay at Oakton, it is a great school, but Crossfield is closer to Western and should move there. It probably won’t because a group of parents is very active in preventing that from happening.

The E map, which I don’t believe was real, looked ridiculous. The map removed Crossfield and Fox Mill but kept Floris which led to this weird looking amoeba looking zone with a very obvious gap that appeased the Crossfield parents and Meren wanting to keep Fox Mill at SLHS. It was a visual demonstration of the stupidity of the process.

Either Crossfield or Fox Mill needs to be at Western. Both make sense but space says it needs to be one or the other.

The new options will be a lot worse.

The draft options, as much as they were criticized, are at least reasonable in terms of geography. In fact, the FCPS webpage states that the draft options “were preliminary concepts intended to explore a geographically based boundary.”

The new options may not even make geographical sense. For example, they might propose a bunch of islands based on the opt-in numbers.

Nothing will surprise me anymore.

[Anonymous]

I’m done with the gymnastics involved with this boondoggle that this is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It was crystal clear which of the options was the best for the community and the system as a whole. If they had delayed the comprehensive boundary study and drawn Western first, it would have been much better.

Who knows what they have in mind. I'm a little suspicious that it will have boundaries, but they won't be logical.

The boundaries won’t be logical because FCPS refuses to draw boundaries without listening to the people who complain the most. if it is true that the Crossfield PTO has been meeting with Reid and Gatehouse, then the boundaries are not going to make sense. I understand parents wanting to stay at Oakton, it is a great school, but Crossfield is closer to Western and should move there. It probably won’t because a group of parents is very active in preventing that from happening.

The E map, which I don’t believe was real, looked ridiculous. The map removed Crossfield and Fox Mill but kept Floris which led to this weird looking amoeba looking zone with a very obvious gap that appeased the Crossfield parents and Meren wanting to keep Fox Mill at SLHS. It was a visual demonstration of the stupidity of the process.

Either Crossfield or Fox Mill needs to be at Western. Both make sense but space says it needs to be one or the other.

The new options will be a lot worse.

The draft options, as much as they were criticized, are at least reasonable in terms of geography. In fact, the FCPS webpage states that the draft options “were preliminary concepts intended to explore a geographically based boundary.”

The new options may not even make geographical sense. For example, they might propose a bunch of islands based on the opt-in numbers.

Nothing will surprise me anymore.

DP and yeah that wording is concerning. Exploring a geographically based boundary? As opposed to what other kind of boundary? It would be incredibly stupid to set boundaries based on the preferences of families right now, given that this is just a snapshot in time and nobody really knows what the programming will look like. If they want to keep the boundaries flexible for everyone in the western part of the county and make the school opt-in only/lottery admission, maybe that works but I don't understand how they could ever plan staffing around that.

I am not in support of a full on magnet with admissions based on test scores. This district caters to the high end and the low end while forgetting all the kids in the middle. Advanced kids already have plenty of opportunities. People clamoring for a TJ West ought to be ignored.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Was anyone at the South Lakes PTA event that I think was held last night by Meren? Did she say anything about Western boundaries?

I believe it is tonight. I can't make it, which is annoying.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP here, I think I need to be more clear.

we opted in to Western but our child will be doing course selection for his base school. He won’t be doing course selection for Western. I think the reason for that is that western doesn’t have a staff yet, so there is no one to meet with the kids and plan courses, and because there is the possibility that some kids will not end up at Western. Having the kids select courses at their base school makes sure that they are included in that schools process.

Doesn't this cause some turmoil in planning for the base schools, though? Like if a significant number of kids choose Western instead of their base, won't it result in potential destaffing?

Yes, especially for the Japanese program at South Lakes. As I understand it, a lot of the JI kids from Fox Mill are opting in at Western. The count I have says over half.

[Anonymous]

There is no logic behind this school at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP here, I think I need to be more clear.

we opted in to Western but our child will be doing course selection for his base school. He won’t be doing course selection for Western. I think the reason for that is that western doesn’t have a staff yet, so there is no one to meet with the kids and plan courses, and because there is the possibility that some kids will not end up at Western. Having the kids select courses at their base school makes sure that they are included in that schools process.

Doesn't this cause some turmoil in planning for the base schools, though? Like if a significant number of kids choose Western instead of their base, won't it result in potential destaffing?

Yes, especially for the Japanese program at South Lakes. As I understand it, a lot of the JI kids from Fox Mill are opting in at Western. The count I have says over half.

That's scary. They shouldn't be coming up with airplane names for Western, but helicopter names.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP here, I think I need to be more clear.

we opted in to Western but our child will be doing course selection for his base school. He won’t be doing course selection for Western. I think the reason for that is that western doesn’t have a staff yet, so there is no one to meet with the kids and plan courses, and because there is the possibility that some kids will not end up at Western. Having the kids select courses at their base school makes sure that they are included in that schools process.

Doesn't this cause some turmoil in planning for the base schools, though? Like if a significant number of kids choose Western instead of their base, won't it result in potential destaffing?

Yes, especially for the Japanese program at South Lakes. As I understand it, a lot of the JI kids from Fox Mill are opting in at Western. The count I have says over half.

How do you have a count?

At the open house they said they are going to take the electives chosen by the opt ins for their base HS and those are going to be the ones they offer. Plus a couple Stem classes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP here, I think I need to be more clear.

we opted in to Western but our child will be doing course selection for his base school. He won’t be doing course selection for Western. I think the reason for that is that western doesn’t have a staff yet, so there is no one to meet with the kids and plan courses, and because there is the possibility that some kids will not end up at Western. Having the kids select courses at their base school makes sure that they are included in that schools process.

Doesn't this cause some turmoil in planning for the base schools, though? Like if a significant number of kids choose Western instead of their base, won't it result in potential destaffing?

Yes, especially for the Japanese program at South Lakes. As I understand it, a lot of the JI kids from Fox Mill are opting in at Western. The count I have says over half.

That's scary. They shouldn't be coming up with airplane names for Western, but helicopter names.

Like Karen.

They’re helicopter moms, wives, neighbors, car parkers, store shoppers, and facebookers!