FCPS Boundary Review Updates

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What percentage of the county has a house that is walkable to the trifecta of elementary middle and high school? Much less than 1%, right, if any?

Everyone else is just gambling on their house? Gtfo.

Hayfield - the secondary school (7-12) is located right across the street from Hayfield Elementary.

[Anonymous]

For most middle class people, their home equity is their life savings. If they lose half of their life savings, it's not something they can just "get over."

It is incredible how out of touch the rich can be.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Maybe I am in the minority viewpoint, or it is just that people like me are not too concerned about all this because our houses are not close to a boundary.

You may think you are not close to a boundary, but that does not matter anymore. When I moved here, we were not close to a boundary. We haven't moved, but the boundaries have.
Elementary is safe for us because we are walkers. At least, I think it is safe. Middle school is very close--yet we are close to a boundary. High school is very close--yet we are close to a boundary.

When the boundaries were drawn, there were valid reasons for them. Traffic patterns, overcrowding at some schools, etc. With limited exceptions, that is not true with this boundary study.

This is kind of like going on vacation and having others come in to rearrange your furniture. They throw away what they think is not useful--but is important to you. And, yes, they also rearrange your kitchen so that you cannot find what you frequently use.

Did FCPS promise you that high school in perpetuity?

Did FCPS promise you an equity-based hand-out paid for by your neighbors?

Boundaries changes. All over the country, not just in Fairfax County.

Build a bridge and get over it.

“Get over it.” This is about real impact to real kids so no, I won’t just “get over it”. Since ES, my MS-aged kid has built connections to their zoned HS through sports, music, and academic activities. They visit the HS and know so many of the kids they’ll soon go to school with. Taking that away (and worse, asking them to switch part way through!) isn’t necessary. I’m all for raising resilient kids, but we’ve already asked these kids to be resilient through a pandemic, which significantly disrupted their education and community. What are we trying to achieve through this exercise that’s worth the real impact it will have on kids? I’d prefer that public schools always prioritize the kids.
Also, any data being used to inform decisions isn’t reliable. This area is facing major changes through the ripple effects of downsizing the federal government and curbing immigration. The region needs to stabilize before we use data to make major and costly decisions.

Adjustments need to happen periodically. If it’s not your kid being moved now, it’s somebody else’s kids later. I personally would
have loved for this review to happen years ago, but it’s not about me (or you). Stop taking this personally.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For most middle class people, their home equity is their life savings. If they lose half of their life savings, it's not something they can just "get over."

It is incredible how out of touch the rich can be.

Lose half of their equity? Because of a school change? Don’t be dramatic! Also, as has been stated, the county never guaranteed anyone a specie period (probably for this very reason).

My 401k has taken a major hit recently. It sucks stocks (like real estate) is a gamble. Sometimes it works out in your favor, sometimes it doesn’t. But please, continue to explain why the county should ignore glaring issues and inequities between schools just miles away from each other, all so you and your neighbors don’t lose equity or your “community”…. 🙄

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Maybe I am in the minority viewpoint, or it is just that people like me are not too concerned about all this because our houses are not close to a boundary.

You may think you are not close to a boundary, but that does not matter anymore. When I moved here, we were not close to a boundary. We haven't moved, but the boundaries have.
Elementary is safe for us because we are walkers. At least, I think it is safe. Middle school is very close--yet we are close to a boundary. High school is very close--yet we are close to a boundary.

When the boundaries were drawn, there were valid reasons for them. Traffic patterns, overcrowding at some schools, etc. With limited exceptions, that is not true with this boundary study.

This is kind of like going on vacation and having others come in to rearrange your furniture. They throw away what they think is not useful--but is important to you. And, yes, they also rearrange your kitchen so that you cannot find what you frequently use.

Did FCPS promise you that high school in perpetuity?

Did FCPS promise you an equity-based hand-out paid for by your neighbors?

Boundaries changes. All over the country, not just in Fairfax County.

Build a bridge and get over it.

“Get over it.” This is about real impact to real kids so no, I won’t just “get over it”. Since ES, my MS-aged kid has built connections to their zoned HS through sports, music, and academic activities. They visit the HS and know so many of the kids they’ll soon go to school with. Taking that away (and worse, asking them to switch part way through!) isn’t necessary. I’m all for raising resilient kids, but we’ve already asked these kids to be resilient through a pandemic, which significantly disrupted their education and community. What are we trying to achieve through this exercise that’s worth the real impact it will have on kids? I’d prefer that public schools always prioritize the kids.
Also, any data being used to inform decisions isn’t reliable. This area is facing major changes through the ripple effects of downsizing the federal government and curbing immigration. The region needs to stabilize before we use data to make major and costly decisions.

Adjustments need to happen periodically. If it’s not your kid being moved now, it’s somebody else’s kids later. I personally would
have loved for this review to happen years ago, but it’s not about me (or you). Stop taking this personally.

Which adjustments do you think are necessary? Be specific.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For most middle class people, their home equity is their life savings. If they lose half of their life savings, it's not something they can just "get over."

It is incredible how out of touch the rich can be.

Lose half of their equity? Because of a school change? Don’t be dramatic! Also, as has been stated, the county never guaranteed anyone a specie period (probably for this very reason).

My 401k has taken a major hit recently. It sucks stocks (like real estate) is a gamble. Sometimes it works out in your favor, sometimes it doesn’t. But please, continue to explain why the county should ignore glaring issues and inequities between schools just miles away from each other, all so you and your neighbors don’t lose equity or your “community”…. 🙄

What and where are there these "glaring issues and inequities"? The main one I'm aware of is that some schools are stuck with IB, or don't have a middle school AAP center, and it doesn't require a boundary change to remedy either of those things.

[Anonymous]

If not now, when should the boundary changes be addressed? Won’t families still have the same issues to push against them: community, home values, friends,?

The population in our county has changed. Some areas are more dense, older neighborhoods might have more empty nesters now. Shouldn’t the public schools do their best to serve all students? Sometimes that will mean shifting a few neighborhoods around.

I can see how some have issues with breaking up friend groups, but most of the families with kids at TJ don’t seem very concerned about that. Neither do the ones that pupil place their kids to another school. Are those kids traumatized?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Maybe I am in the minority viewpoint, or it is just that people like me are not too concerned about all this because our houses are not close to a boundary.

You may think you are not close to a boundary, but that does not matter anymore. When I moved here, we were not close to a boundary. We haven't moved, but the boundaries have.
Elementary is safe for us because we are walkers. At least, I think it is safe. Middle school is very close--yet we are close to a boundary. High school is very close--yet we are close to a boundary.

When the boundaries were drawn, there were valid reasons for them. Traffic patterns, overcrowding at some schools, etc. With limited exceptions, that is not true with this boundary study.

This is kind of like going on vacation and having others come in to rearrange your furniture. They throw away what they think is not useful--but is important to you. And, yes, they also rearrange your kitchen so that you cannot find what you frequently use.

Did FCPS promise you that high school in perpetuity?

Did FCPS promise you an equity-based hand-out paid for by your neighbors?

Boundaries changes. All over the country, not just in Fairfax County.

Build a bridge and get over it.

“Get over it.” This is about real impact to real kids so no, I won’t just “get over it”. Since ES, my MS-aged kid has built connections to their zoned HS through sports, music, and academic activities. They visit the HS and know so many of the kids they’ll soon go to school with. Taking that away (and worse, asking them to switch part way through!) isn’t necessary. I’m all for raising resilient kids, but we’ve already asked these kids to be resilient through a pandemic, which significantly disrupted their education and community. What are we trying to achieve through this exercise that’s worth the real impact it will have on kids? I’d prefer that public schools always prioritize the kids.
Also, any data being used to inform decisions isn’t reliable. This area is facing major changes through the ripple effects of downsizing the federal government and curbing immigration. The region needs to stabilize before we use data to make major and costly decisions.

Adjustments need to happen periodically. If it’s not your kid being moved now, it’s somebody else’s kids later. I personally would
have loved for this review to happen years ago, but it’s not about me (or you). Stop taking this personally.

But it IS personal, that’s my point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Maybe I am in the minority viewpoint, or it is just that people like me are not too concerned about all this because our houses are not close to a boundary.

You may think you are not close to a boundary, but that does not matter anymore. When I moved here, we were not close to a boundary. We haven't moved, but the boundaries have.
Elementary is safe for us because we are walkers. At least, I think it is safe. Middle school is very close--yet we are close to a boundary. High school is very close--yet we are close to a boundary.

When the boundaries were drawn, there were valid reasons for them. Traffic patterns, overcrowding at some schools, etc. With limited exceptions, that is not true with this boundary study.

This is kind of like going on vacation and having others come in to rearrange your furniture. They throw away what they think is not useful--but is important to you. And, yes, they also rearrange your kitchen so that you cannot find what you frequently use.

Did FCPS promise you that high school in perpetuity?

Did FCPS promise you an equity-based hand-out paid for by your neighbors?

Boundaries changes. All over the country, not just in Fairfax County.

Build a bridge and get over it.

“Get over it.” This is about real impact to real kids so no, I won’t just “get over it”. Since ES, my MS-aged kid has built connections to their zoned HS through sports, music, and academic activities. They visit the HS and know so many of the kids they’ll soon go to school with. Taking that away (and worse, asking them to switch part way through!) isn’t necessary. I’m all for raising resilient kids, but we’ve already asked these kids to be resilient through a pandemic, which significantly disrupted their education and community. What are we trying to achieve through this exercise that’s worth the real impact it will have on kids? I’d prefer that public schools always prioritize the kids.
Also, any data being used to inform decisions isn’t reliable. This area is facing major changes through the ripple effects of downsizing the federal government and curbing immigration. The region needs to stabilize before we use data to make major and costly decisions.

My, aren’t you provincial.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Maybe I am in the minority viewpoint, or it is just that people like me are not too concerned about all this because our houses are not close to a boundary.

You may think you are not close to a boundary, but that does not matter anymore. When I moved here, we were not close to a boundary. We haven't moved, but the boundaries have.
Elementary is safe for us because we are walkers. At least, I think it is safe. Middle school is very close--yet we are close to a boundary. High school is very close--yet we are close to a boundary.

When the boundaries were drawn, there were valid reasons for them. Traffic patterns, overcrowding at some schools, etc. With limited exceptions, that is not true with this boundary study.

This is kind of like going on vacation and having others come in to rearrange your furniture. They throw away what they think is not useful--but is important to you. And, yes, they also rearrange your kitchen so that you cannot find what you frequently use.

Did FCPS promise you that high school in perpetuity?

Did FCPS promise you an equity-based hand-out paid for by your neighbors?

Boundaries changes. All over the country, not just in Fairfax County.

Build a bridge and get over it.

“Get over it.” This is about real impact to real kids so no, I won’t just “get over it”. Since ES, my MS-aged kid has built connections to their zoned HS through sports, music, and academic activities. They visit the HS and know so many of the kids they’ll soon go to school with. Taking that away (and worse, asking them to switch part way through!) isn’t necessary. I’m all for raising resilient kids, but we’ve already asked these kids to be resilient through a pandemic, which significantly disrupted their education and community. What are we trying to achieve through this exercise that’s worth the real impact it will have on kids? I’d prefer that public schools always prioritize the kids.
Also, any data being used to inform decisions isn’t reliable. This area is facing major changes through the ripple effects of downsizing the federal government and curbing immigration. The region needs to stabilize before we use data to make major and costly decisions.

Adjustments need to happen periodically. If it’s not your kid being moved now, it’s somebody else’s kids later. I personally would
have loved for this review to happen years ago, but it’s not about me (or you). Stop taking this personally.

But it IS personal, that’s my point.

Waiting for PP to identify which changes they think are necessary.

Lots of "we need a county-wide boundary study because there hasn't been one in 40 years," or vague statements about supporting a county-wide study without explaining why it's necessary.

Many things have changed over the past 40 years, and perhaps there was a reason why prior, more informed School Boards did not go down that path.

By itself, the fact that it's been 40 years since the last county-wide boundary study isn't compelling at all. It's like saying we need to reinstate Prohibition because it's been 92 years since the last one or admit another state to the Union because it's been 65 years since Hawaii was admitted as a state.

That's not to say boundaries shouldn't ever change. There are a couple of elementary schools with serious overcrowding - Coates and Parklawn. These situation deserve a boundary study, but that doesn't mean a lot of this other crap they are now rolling out is necessary (and, in fact, much of it appears to have been developed by someone playing with some software but with no real understanding of the county). Indeed, this larger study is now slowing down revisions to the Coates and Parklawn boundaries that might have been implmented earlier if they weren't being tied down by the larger review.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Maybe I am in the minority viewpoint, or it is just that people like me are not too concerned about all this because our houses are not close to a boundary.

You may think you are not close to a boundary, but that does not matter anymore. When I moved here, we were not close to a boundary. We haven't moved, but the boundaries have.
Elementary is safe for us because we are walkers. At least, I think it is safe. Middle school is very close--yet we are close to a boundary. High school is very close--yet we are close to a boundary.

When the boundaries were drawn, there were valid reasons for them. Traffic patterns, overcrowding at some schools, etc. With limited exceptions, that is not true with this boundary study.

This is kind of like going on vacation and having others come in to rearrange your furniture. They throw away what they think is not useful--but is important to you. And, yes, they also rearrange your kitchen so that you cannot find what you frequently use.

Did FCPS promise you that high school in perpetuity?

Did FCPS promise you an equity-based hand-out paid for by your neighbors?

Boundaries changes. All over the country, not just in Fairfax County.

Build a bridge and get over it.

“Get over it.” This is about real impact to real kids so no, I won’t just “get over it”. Since ES, my MS-aged kid has built connections to their zoned HS through sports, music, and academic activities. They visit the HS and know so many of the kids they’ll soon go to school with. Taking that away (and worse, asking them to switch part way through!) isn’t necessary. I’m all for raising resilient kids, but we’ve already asked these kids to be resilient through a pandemic, which significantly disrupted their education and community. What are we trying to achieve through this exercise that’s worth the real impact it will have on kids? I’d prefer that public schools always prioritize the kids.
Also, any data being used to inform decisions isn’t reliable. This area is facing major changes through the ripple effects of downsizing the federal government and curbing immigration. The region needs to stabilize before we use data to make major and costly decisions.

Adjustments need to happen periodically. If it’s not your kid being moved now, it’s somebody else’s kids later. I personally would
have loved for this review to happen years ago, but it’s not about me (or you). Stop taking this personally.

Which adjustments do you think are necessary? Be specific.

Been there, done that. Not at all interested in rehashing this just to give you and the other Fairfax Matters crowd more space to complain.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If not now, when should the boundary changes be addressed? Won’t families still have the same issues to push against them: community, home values, friends,?

The population in our county has changed. Some areas are more dense, older neighborhoods might have more empty nesters now. Shouldn’t the public schools do their best to serve all students? Sometimes that will mean shifting a few neighborhoods around.

I can see how some have issues with breaking up friend groups, but most of the families with kids at TJ don’t seem very concerned about that. Neither do the ones that pupil place their kids to another school. Are those kids traumatized?

What is wrong with living in a neighborhood with empty nesters?!?!? Do you always have to live with people of your age, SES, race/ethnicity, political leanings, book club, wine preference? My God. Some people are so insufferable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If not now, when should the boundary changes be addressed? Won’t families still have the same issues to push against them: community, home values, friends,?

The population in our county has changed. Some areas are more dense, older neighborhoods might have more empty nesters now. Shouldn’t the public schools do their best to serve all students? Sometimes that will mean shifting a few neighborhoods around.

I can see how some have issues with breaking up friend groups, but most of the families with kids at TJ don’t seem very concerned about that. Neither do the ones that pupil place their kids to another school. Are those kids traumatized?

TJ is sui generis, and you know it. Every family whose kid goes to TJ has made an affirmative decision to forego a typical neighborhood high school experience and in many cases travel much longer distances for the TJ education. That's not the case for others (and, in fact, some turn down TJ because they do want to remain in their existing pyramids with their friends).

You haven't pointed to any other specific changes you think are necessary. What Thru Consulting is doing so far is changing a lot of long-established boundaries because, low and behold, someone decided attendance islands are bad or it's terrible if a very small number of schools lie outside their attendance areas. They've come up with a bunch of amateurish revisions that would redistrict a lot of kids for no great benefit other than a prettier map. In some cases, their proposals create new, lopsided split feeders. In others, they reassign kids to schools further than their existing schools, even when they might be especially likely to benefit from living close to their assigned schools. In at least one case (Flint Hill ES), they came up with something that on its face appears to eliminate an attendance island, but actually requires kids to spend more time getting bused through an area assigned to another school. It's garbage.

And, by the way, based on the volume of changes they have already proposed - and they haven't even gotten to the split feeder proposals and remaining capacity proposals - they are not going to be able to offer much, if any, grandfatherings. This is Michelle Reid's "Great Reset," where she grins and smiles and tells people to "imagine the possibilities," even when those possibilities are going to result in kids having a much worse experience, especially in high school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Maybe I am in the minority viewpoint, or it is just that people like me are not too concerned about all this because our houses are not close to a boundary.

You may think you are not close to a boundary, but that does not matter anymore. When I moved here, we were not close to a boundary. We haven't moved, but the boundaries have.
Elementary is safe for us because we are walkers. At least, I think it is safe. Middle school is very close--yet we are close to a boundary. High school is very close--yet we are close to a boundary.

When the boundaries were drawn, there were valid reasons for them. Traffic patterns, overcrowding at some schools, etc. With limited exceptions, that is not true with this boundary study.

This is kind of like going on vacation and having others come in to rearrange your furniture. They throw away what they think is not useful--but is important to you. And, yes, they also rearrange your kitchen so that you cannot find what you frequently use.

Did FCPS promise you that high school in perpetuity?

Did FCPS promise you an equity-based hand-out paid for by your neighbors?

Boundaries changes. All over the country, not just in Fairfax County.

Build a bridge and get over it.

“Get over it.” This is about real impact to real kids so no, I won’t just “get over it”. Since ES, my MS-aged kid has built connections to their zoned HS through sports, music, and academic activities. They visit the HS and know so many of the kids they’ll soon go to school with. Taking that away (and worse, asking them to switch part way through!) isn’t necessary. I’m all for raising resilient kids, but we’ve already asked these kids to be resilient through a pandemic, which significantly disrupted their education and community. What are we trying to achieve through this exercise that’s worth the real impact it will have on kids? I’d prefer that public schools always prioritize the kids.
Also, any data being used to inform decisions isn’t reliable. This area is facing major changes through the ripple effects of downsizing the federal government and curbing immigration. The region needs to stabilize before we use data to make major and costly decisions.

Adjustments need to happen periodically. If it’s not your kid being moved now, it’s somebody else’s kids later. I personally would
have loved for this review to happen years ago, but it’s not about me (or you). Stop taking this personally.

Which adjustments do you think are necessary? Be specific.

Been there, done that. Not at all interested in rehashing this just to give you and the other Fairfax Matters crowd more space to complain.

In other words, you aren't able or willing to be specific and prefer to hide behind meaningless general statements.

As expected.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Maybe I am in the minority viewpoint, or it is just that people like me are not too concerned about all this because our houses are not close to a boundary.

You may think you are not close to a boundary, but that does not matter anymore. When I moved here, we were not close to a boundary. We haven't moved, but the boundaries have.
Elementary is safe for us because we are walkers. At least, I think it is safe. Middle school is very close--yet we are close to a boundary. High school is very close--yet we are close to a boundary.

When the boundaries were drawn, there were valid reasons for them. Traffic patterns, overcrowding at some schools, etc. With limited exceptions, that is not true with this boundary study.

This is kind of like going on vacation and having others come in to rearrange your furniture. They throw away what they think is not useful--but is important to you. And, yes, they also rearrange your kitchen so that you cannot find what you frequently use.

Did FCPS promise you that high school in perpetuity?

Did FCPS promise you an equity-based hand-out paid for by your neighbors?

Boundaries changes. All over the country, not just in Fairfax County.

Build a bridge and get over it.

“Get over it.” This is about real impact to real kids so no, I won’t just “get over it”. Since ES, my MS-aged kid has built connections to their zoned HS through sports, music, and academic activities. They visit the HS and know so many of the kids they’ll soon go to school with. Taking that away (and worse, asking them to switch part way through!) isn’t necessary. I’m all for raising resilient kids, but we’ve already asked these kids to be resilient through a pandemic, which significantly disrupted their education and community. What are we trying to achieve through this exercise that’s worth the real impact it will have on kids? I’d prefer that public schools always prioritize the kids.
Also, any data being used to inform decisions isn’t reliable. This area is facing major changes through the ripple effects of downsizing the federal government and curbing immigration. The region needs to stabilize before we use data to make major and costly decisions.

My, aren’t you provincial.

My, don’t you think you’re sophisticated using a word you probably learned from Disney to counter my emotional argument. Except you didn’t actually counter it with logic or facts, you just named called with some vague superiority complex. So yeah, I’m underwhelmed by how worldly you seem to think you are.