Western High School - Great Falls Nike Park

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We do not need another high school in FCPS. Enrollment is dropping, not increasing.

The western county HSes are huge. Makes it hard to do things like make competitive sports teams.

The trend that started in the early 1900s of fewer bigger schools over more smaller schools reduced some fixed costs, but also I'd argue gave kids, families, and teachers a worse experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We do not need another high school in FCPS. Enrollment is dropping, not increasing.

The western county HSes are huge. Makes it hard to do things like make competitive sports teams.

The trend that started in the early 1900s of fewer bigger schools over more smaller schools reduced some fixed costs, but also I'd argue gave kids, families, and teachers a worse experience.

PP here. My kids are at Chantilly HS, so I understand how people dislike the crowds. But, as I'm sure you know, FCPS is not going to go back to small, intimate high schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We do not need another high school in FCPS. Enrollment is dropping, not increasing.

The western county HSes are huge. Makes it hard to do things like make competitive sports teams.

The trend that started in the early 1900s of fewer bigger schools over more smaller schools reduced some fixed costs, but also I'd argue gave kids, families, and teachers a worse experience.

PP here. My kids are at Chantilly HS, so I understand how people dislike the crowds. But, as I'm sure you know, FCPS is not going to go back to small, intimate high schools.

To its demise.

[Anonymous]

^ It's not just sports teams. Basically every activity at the school is super competitive. After school clubs, academic teams like MathCounts, honor band, leadership positions. Hard to be a well rounded student and stand out at the same time when so many others are hyper-focused on specific things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^ It's not just sports teams. Basically every activity at the school is super competitive. After school clubs, academic teams like MathCounts, honor band, leadership positions. Hard to be a well rounded student and stand out at the same time when so many others are hyper-focused on specific things.

Yes, Chantilly is a super competitive school. But if your student cannot make the teams at the high school, then they can participate in community sports/activities/volunteering/jobs. You can always stand out in your community rather than your high school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^ It's not just sports teams. Basically every activity at the school is super competitive. After school clubs, academic teams like MathCounts, honor band, leadership positions. Hard to be a well rounded student and stand out at the same time when so many others are hyper-focused on specific things.

Not as much competition at lower rated high schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^ It's not just sports teams. Basically every activity at the school is super competitive. After school clubs, academic teams like MathCounts, honor band, leadership positions. Hard to be a well rounded student and stand out at the same time when so many others are hyper-focused on specific things.

Yes, Chantilly is a super competitive school. But if your student cannot make the teams at the high school, then they can participate in community sports/activities/volunteering/jobs. You can always stand out in your community rather than your high school.

Of course, that is what many people end up doing. Got to have something to put on that college application right? Either that or they sit at home and watch screens or get in trouble after school every day. It just seems like it would be a better high school experience if a larger percentage of students were able to participate in activities at their school with the kids they see every day. The number of sport and other opportunities don't scale up linearly with the size of the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^ It's not just sports teams. Basically every activity at the school is super competitive. After school clubs, academic teams like MathCounts, honor band, leadership positions. Hard to be a well rounded student and stand out at the same time when so many others are hyper-focused on specific things.

Yes, Chantilly is a super competitive school. But if your student cannot make the teams at the high school, then they can participate in community sports/activities/volunteering/jobs. You can always stand out in your community rather than your high school.

Of course, that is what many people end up doing. Got to have something to put on that college application right? Either that or they sit at home and watch screens or get in trouble after school every day. It just seems like it would be a better high school experience if a larger percentage of students were able to participate in activities at their school with the kids they see every day. The number of sport and other opportunities don't scale up linearly with the size of the school.

If wishes were horses...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^ It's not just sports teams. Basically every activity at the school is super competitive. After school clubs, academic teams like MathCounts, honor band, leadership positions. Hard to be a well rounded student and stand out at the same time when so many others are hyper-focused on specific things.

Yes, Chantilly is a super competitive school. But if your student cannot make the teams at the high school, then they can participate in community sports/activities/volunteering/jobs. You can always stand out in your community rather than your high school.

Of course, that is what many people end up doing. Got to have something to put on that college application right? Either that or they sit at home and watch screens or get in trouble after school every day. It just seems like it would be a better high school experience if a larger percentage of students were able to participate in activities at their school with the kids they see every day. The number of sport and other opportunities don't scale up linearly with the size of the school.

If wishes were horses...

If new schools were built instead of being blocked...

[Anonymous]

Yes my kid is at a giant HS and it sucks. 2000 or so would be perfect.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We do not need another high school in FCPS. Enrollment is dropping, not increasing.

The western county HSes are huge. Makes it hard to do things like make competitive sports teams.

The trend that started in the early 1900s of fewer bigger schools over more smaller schools reduced some fixed costs, but also I'd argue gave kids, families, and teachers a worse experience.

PP here. My kids are at Chantilly HS, so I understand how people dislike the crowds. But, as I'm sure you know, FCPS is not going to go back to small, intimate high schools.

To its demise.

Chantilly succeeds because it has built a community around it. Everyone lives close and feels it is a part of the community. No one wants to leave because there is no school that is closer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes my kid is at a giant HS and it sucks. 2000 or so would be perfect.

\

agree.

[Anonymous]

If FCPS had simply built the mythical Western HS years ago, instead of stringing everyone along, we wouldn’t be in the middle of this ridiculous boundary issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If FCPS had simply built the mythical Western HS years ago, instead of stringing everyone along, we wouldn’t be in the middle of this ridiculous boundary issue.

Disagree. This is not about the crowded western schools--and that would not have helped the underperforming schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If FCPS had simply built the mythical Western HS years ago, instead of stringing everyone along, we wouldn’t be in the middle of this ridiculous boundary issue.

Disagree. This is not about the crowded western schools--and that would not have helped the underperforming schools.

DP. I think if the western school had been built then there wouldn't have been enough widespread issues left for the board to try this whole "let's do a comprehensive review of the whole county" thing they've pushed on us. Now we're stuck with an every 5 year fight instead of "as needed" changes focused on actual problem areas and leaving everyone else alone.