FCPS comprehensive boundary review

[Anonymous]

I'm applying. We are a Carson-Oakton family that lives much closer to two other high schools. I refuse to let my rich neighbors dictate where my kids go to high school just because they think Oakton is somehow magically a better school (it's not).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm applying. We are a Carson-Oakton family that lives much closer to two other high schools. I refuse to let my rich neighbors dictate where my kids go to high school just because they think Oakton is somehow magically a better school (it's not).

People on dcum complaining about “the rich”is always hilarious.

Anyway, it will be the board dictating, not your neighbors but good on you for volunteering. Someone has to serve as checkbox for “community engagement.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm applying. We are a Carson-Oakton family that lives much closer to two other high schools. I refuse to let my rich neighbors dictate where my kids go to high school just because they think Oakton is somehow magically a better school (it's not).

The premise of your post is false.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anyway, it will be the board dictating, not your neighbors but good on you for volunteering. Someone has to serve as checkbox for “community engagement.”

NP. So you'd rather complain on an anonymous board than actually do something? Got it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm applying. We are a Carson-Oakton family that lives much closer to two other high schools. I refuse to let my rich neighbors dictate where my kids go to high school just because they think Oakton is somehow magically a better school (it's not).

I was really thinking about it, but I don't think I have that much time to spare. I hope you do, and that your input is valued.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anyway, it will be the board dictating, not your neighbors but good on you for volunteering. Someone has to serve as checkbox for “community engagement.”

NP. So you'd rather complain on an anonymous board than actually do something? Got it.

The PP is the attitude of all the FCPS employees who hate FCPS but who hate parents even more. There are lots of them and they are chronically online.

[Anonymous]

I’ve posted before that Oakton’s boundaries will always stretch far to the west, given its proximity to Madison, Woodson, and Fairfax and the requirement that all Fairfax City kids attend Fairfax.

We just spent about $100 million to renovate and expand Oakton. It seems to me the moment has largely passed to complain the money should have been spent on Chantilly (which has over 2900 kids) or some other school instead. Who do you think is going to attend Oakton?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anyway, it will be the board dictating, not your neighbors but good on you for volunteering. Someone has to serve as checkbox for “community engagement.”

NP. So you'd rather complain on an anonymous board than actually do something? Got it.

The PP is the attitude of all the FCPS employees who hate FCPS but who hate parents even more. There are lots of them and they are chronically online.

I think it is worth making a record but unfortunately I agree that community feedback will be like the speakers at the board meetings. They will limit the amount and completely ignore any feedback that goes against their pre-set decisions. They already know where this boundary study is heading and even in the unlikely event that the consultant comes out against them they will still do what they want. Their prior boundary policy consultant said stability needed to be one of the core criteria of any policy and they just ignored that and put it as a secondary consideration.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’ve posted before that Oakton’s boundaries will always stretch far to the west, given its proximity to Madison, Woodson, and Fairfax and the requirement that all Fairfax City kids attend Fairfax.

We just spent about $100 million to renovate and expand Oakton. It seems to me the moment has largely passed to complain the money should have been spent on Chantilly (which has over 2900 kids) or some other school instead. Who do you think is going to attend Oakton?

West Potomac was expanded but it has lots of academies [out of boundary students] which are a different program budget item than core high school instruction. Mclean and Langley have the same proximity issues. What is unknown is how much bricks and mortar square footage is used by academies at Chantilly and Marshall. Those 2 are perpetually overcrowded.

FCPS CIP's do split out square footage used for centers like Kilmer, Key, Davis, and Pulley. Same should be done for academies with possible movement to schools like an Oakton or others with an approximate 3000 student build out.

[Anonymous]

I wish they'd be clearer about the time commitment to be on the committee. Is it all evening meetings? Weekly? Monthly? For 6 months? For a year?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve posted before that Oakton’s boundaries will always stretch far to the west, given its proximity to Madison, Woodson, and Fairfax and the requirement that all Fairfax City kids attend Fairfax.

We just spent about $100 million to renovate and expand Oakton. It seems to me the moment has largely passed to complain the money should have been spent on Chantilly (which has over 2900 kids) or some other school instead. Who do you think is going to attend Oakton?

West Potomac was expanded but it has lots of academies [out of boundary students] which are a different program budget item than core high school instruction. Mclean and Langley have the same proximity issues. What is unknown is how much bricks and mortar square footage is used by academies at Chantilly and Marshall. Those 2 are perpetually overcrowded.

FCPS CIP's do split out square footage used for centers like Kilmer, Key, Davis, and Pulley. Same should be done for academies with possible movement to schools like an Oakton or others with an approximate 3000 student build out.

McLean's boundaries are relatively compact and, while it has two islands, the islands are still a good bit closer to McLean than the neighborhoods zoned to Langley and Oakton that are the furthest from those schools.

Marshall is not "perpetually overcrowded." Its freshman class this year is only slightly over 500 kids.

The idea of relocating academies is interesting, but aren't there a lot of sunk costs associated with those programs at specific schools? I'm sure, for example, that a lot of the ongoing renovation at Falls Church has been done with the existing Academy program in mind.

[Anonymous]

Where can I find the boundary review?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wish they'd be clearer about the time commitment to be on the committee. Is it all evening meetings? Weekly? Monthly? For 6 months? For a year?

Megan McLaughlin used to send out the meeting schedule when she'd announce committee openings. They vary wildly, so it's good to have.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Where can I find the boundary review?

They're just starting the process. There is no document to review.

[Anonymous]

I wonder if they will shift academies from Chantilly to Centreville, if the expansion/renovation happens. Seems like a smart idea...although some will complain cause that "loophole" will close.