FCPS is turning the new high school purchased to fix crowding into an Aviation magnet school instead of a high school??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There's a soccer pitch, friends. That means there's a football field. They just need to build bleachers, concessions, etc.

There's a baseball diamond at Carson.

There's a ton of space where the trees are that they can tear down in between the two schools. Parking there!

Does FCPS own that space now? I don’t think the county necessarily just lets FCPS tear down trees for parking because they feel like it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:School will need 200+ million dollars of renovations if it is made into a traditional HS. No way that gets done in less than a year. Part of the reason you are starting to hear about magnet options is that it would allow them to open the school on a small scale and fulfill their promise to open in 2026.
I’ve heard from 4 people who have toured the school and all say if it’s made a traditional school they will need 2 full years to renovate and make additions to athletics facilities.

Lady, you can have a high school without a football field. Especially if it's only two grades the first year.

DP. That’s a non sequitur. If it’s two grades at first, they might just have a JV team initially but they’ll be some parents who’ll absolutely throw a fit if the school doesn’t have a stadium with lights, bleachers, goal posts, etc.

Once more: I remember going to games at neutral fields because a school was either building or renovating their stadium. It may have been for a Spring sport. They use a field that is not being used that night.
People will not throw a fit. Believe me. And, they will fundraise for it. One thing people support is sports.

When West Springfield was being renovated, at various points over the four years, sports were held off site, choir concerts were held at local area churches, the fall play was held at Burke fire station, and tennis was held off-site all 4 years because the trailer park was sitting on the tennis courts.

Having some sports temporarily offside, even for 4 years, while construction is completed and students are attending classes at the school, is not without precedence and should be the path FCPS takes for the new school.

The kids can attend school during construction, just like 2600 students did at West Springfield over 4 years. Just put up temporary walls sectioning off the areas under construction, going section by section, opening each new section as soon as it passes inspection.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:School will need 200+ million dollars of renovations if it is made into a traditional HS. No way that gets done in less than a year. Part of the reason you are starting to hear about magnet options is that it would allow them to open the school on a small scale and fulfill their promise to open in 2026.
I’ve heard from 4 people who have toured the school and all say if it’s made a traditional school they will need 2 full years to renovate and make additions to athletics facilities.

Lady, you can have a high school without a football field. Especially if it's only two grades the first year.

DP. That’s a non sequitur. If it’s two grades at first, they might just have a JV team initially but they’ll be some parents who’ll absolutely throw a fit if the school doesn’t have a stadium with lights, bleachers, goal posts, etc.

Once more: I remember going to games at neutral fields because a school was either building or renovating their stadium. It may have been for a Spring sport. They use a field that is not being used that night.
People will not throw a fit. Believe me. And, they will fundraise for it. One thing people support is sports.

Where was this? I’d be very surprised if it was an FCPS high school.

West Springfield High School.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:School will need 200+ million dollars of renovations if it is made into a traditional HS. No way that gets done in less than a year. Part of the reason you are starting to hear about magnet options is that it would allow them to open the school on a small scale and fulfill their promise to open in 2026.
I’ve heard from 4 people who have toured the school and all say if it’s made a traditional school they will need 2 full years to renovate and make additions to athletics facilities.

Lady, you can have a high school without a football field. Especially if it's only two grades the first year.

DP. That’s a non sequitur. If it’s two grades at first, they might just have a JV team initially but they’ll be some parents who’ll absolutely throw a fit if the school doesn’t have a stadium with lights, bleachers, goal posts, etc.

Once more: I remember going to games at neutral fields because a school was either building or renovating their stadium. It may have been for a Spring sport. They use a field that is not being used that night.
People will not throw a fit. Believe me. And, they will fundraise for it. One thing people support is sports.

Where was this? I’d be very surprised if it was an FCPS high school.

In Fairfax County a few years ago.

Yeah, no, that didn’t happen, unless you’re just talking about a temporary renovation of an existing stadium/turf field. That’s different than telling people at a traditional HS their school is opening without a fully functioning stadium.

I’m not saying, by the way, that KAA shouldn’t be a traditional HS, only that people are right to identify what KAA may be lacking and figure out what the implications are in terms of costs, timing, etc.

South County, one of the biggest sports powerhouses in FCPS opened without a football stadium.

This is not unprecedented.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:School will need 200+ million dollars of renovations if it is made into a traditional HS. No way that gets done in less than a year. Part of the reason you are starting to hear about magnet options is that it would allow them to open the school on a small scale and fulfill their promise to open in 2026.
I’ve heard from 4 people who have toured the school and all say if it’s made a traditional school they will need 2 full years to renovate and make additions to athletics facilities.

Lady, you can have a high school without a football field. Especially if it's only two grades the first year.

DP. That’s a non sequitur. If it’s two grades at first, they might just have a JV team initially but they’ll be some parents who’ll absolutely throw a fit if the school doesn’t have a stadium with lights, bleachers, goal posts, etc.

Once more: I remember going to games at neutral fields because a school was either building or renovating their stadium. It may have been for a Spring sport. They use a field that is not being used that night.
People will not throw a fit. Believe me. And, they will fundraise for it. One thing people support is sports.

Where was this? I’d be very surprised if it was an FCPS high school.

Well, I asked google:

No, Westfield High School in Chantilly, VA, did not have a stadium when it opened; the school's football field with bleachers and a stadium were built and added after the school opened, with the main stadium construction happening years later.

Details
Westfield High School opened its doors in 1995.
The athletic fields, including the football field, were in place when the school opened.
However, the permanent stadium with extensive seating and facilities came later, with the main stadium construction and improvements taking place in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Westfield opened in 2000, not 1995. The construction of the stadium did take place in the late 1990s, which was before th school opened. Again, it opened in 2000.

Don't trust everything Google says.

[Anonymous]

I see a lot of people screaming and berating other posters on this thread. They appear to be mad at the posters recapping the school board members’ statements at the work session. Oh and one person who appears to have a daily quota of claiming that this is somehow a great falls-inspired coup which is a clear attempt to malign that area because she’s got absolutely nothing of value to say. It’s like watching the homeless guy ranting to himself as he passes you in the street: “Great Falls, great falls, great falls, LANGLEY! Great falls…”

If you are going to be mad at someone for the idea that this is going to at least include a magnet, save your vitriol for the people who bought the school without a clear plan - you’re very own school board. And also examine your historical posts where you got BIG MAD for those Nextdoor posts asking for an explanation of the plan and costs for the school purchase.

[Anonymous]

If you think there won’t be parents upset that their 9th/10th grader is required to attend a school without varsity sports for a year you aren’t living in today’s reality. The county would have to allow those kids to stay at their originally zoned school and if they do that that opens a can of worms for a bunch of transfers in and out. That is why the school will need to be fully functional right away.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:School will need 200+ million dollars of renovations if it is made into a traditional HS. No way that gets done in less than a year. Part of the reason you are starting to hear about magnet options is that it would allow them to open the school on a small scale and fulfill their promise to open in 2026.
I’ve heard from 4 people who have toured the school and all say if it’s made a traditional school they will need 2 full years to renovate and make additions to athletics facilities.

Lady, you can have a high school without a football field. Especially if it's only two grades the first year.

DP. That’s a non sequitur. If it’s two grades at first, they might just have a JV team initially but they’ll be some parents who’ll absolutely throw a fit if the school doesn’t have a stadium with lights, bleachers, goal posts, etc.

Once more: I remember going to games at neutral fields because a school was either building or renovating their stadium. It may have been for a Spring sport. They use a field that is not being used that night.
People will not throw a fit. Believe me. And, they will fundraise for it. One thing people support is sports.

Where was this? I’d be very surprised if it was an FCPS high school.

In Fairfax County a few years ago.

Yeah, no, that didn’t happen, unless you’re just talking about a temporary renovation of an existing stadium/turf field. That’s different than telling people at a traditional HS their school is opening without a fully functioning stadium.

I’m not saying, by the way, that KAA shouldn’t be a traditional HS, only that people are right to identify what KAA may be lacking and figure out what the implications are in terms of costs, timing, etc.

Oh you know EVERYTHING THAT HAS EVER HAPPENED IN THIS GIANT COUNTY? No you don't. Shut up you sound so incredibly stupid. JUST GO AWAY TROLL

The screaming in capital letters is a nice touch, but you might want to stop being such a giant putz.

OMG, you have no idea what you're talking about. You probably don't even live here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you think there won’t be parents upset that their 9th/10th grader is required to attend a school without varsity sports for a year you aren’t living in today’s reality. The county would have to allow those kids to stay at their originally zoned school and if they do that that opens a can of worms for a bunch of transfers in and out. That is why the school will need to be fully functional right away.

Last I heard, school was about....academics and not sports.

[Anonymous]

I think we all want what is right for all our kids.

While KAA may need some adjustment, it sounds to me like the consensus is that relief for the area from the overcrowded schools is what is needed. A traditional school is the best solutions for starters. That seemed to be the attitude of the School Board--and is the right thing to do.

Now, it seems to me that first things first would be to figure out how to use the current space to achieve that goal. While it may not be ideal, the two additional buildings could provide an answer. And, certainly, it is better than the current solution FCPS uses of trailers and modulars.

I think a better use of staff's time than pipe dreams of magnets and schools of the future, would be to come back to reality and realize why FCPS purchased this school. They need to begin thinking of how to best use and adapt what is there.

I understand there is a similar school in Arlington designed by the same architect/designer. If I were FCPS, I would start there--I would like to think they already have.
1.Tour the Arlington school
2.Take a good look at the KAA space and envision ways in might be used.
2.Invite the company that designed it to suggest ways to adapt the KAA space in the most economic manner.

First: how many classrooms are needed? Could some be expanded/divided to make better use?
Are two cafeterias needed? Could one be adjusted for additional classroom space?

Hopefully, someone at FCPS has already considered this. However, after watching the presentation yesterday, it sounds like their time was spent in brain storming schools of the future instead of creating a school for now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think we all want what is right for all our kids.

While KAA may need some adjustment, it sounds to me like the consensus is that relief for the area from the overcrowded schools is what is needed. A traditional school is the best solutions for starters. That seemed to be the attitude of the School Board--and is the right thing to do.

Now, it seems to me that first things first would be to figure out how to use the current space to achieve that goal. While it may not be ideal, the two additional buildings could provide an answer. And, certainly, it is better than the current solution FCPS uses of trailers and modulars.

I think a better use of staff's time than pipe dreams of magnets and schools of the future, would be to come back to reality and realize why FCPS purchased this school. They need to begin thinking of how to best use and adapt what is there.

I understand there is a similar school in Arlington designed by the same architect/designer. If I were FCPS, I would start there--I would like to think they already have.
1.Tour the Arlington school
2.Take a good look at the KAA space and envision ways in might be used.
2.Invite the company that designed it to suggest ways to adapt the KAA space in the most economic manner.

First: how many classrooms are needed? Could some be expanded/divided to make better use?
Are two cafeterias needed? Could one be adjusted for additional classroom space?

Hopefully, someone at FCPS has already considered this. However, after watching the presentation yesterday, it sounds like their time was spent in brain storming schools of the future instead of creating a school for now.

I would agree that is a best case scenario, and even that best case scenario probably means spending quite a bit of additional money on KAA beyond the initial purchase price. It won’t be the $200 million that someone keeps tossing out, but it could be a substantial sum. And most of this money is going to come out of the next bond and defer the renovation of other schools, some of them in terrible condition.

You all and the SB are asking some obvious questions now, so stop bad-mouthing Great Falls residents for having the insight to ask them weeks ago.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think we all want what is right for all our kids.

While KAA may need some adjustment, it sounds to me like the consensus is that relief for the area from the overcrowded schools is what is needed. A traditional school is the best solutions for starters. That seemed to be the attitude of the School Board--and is the right thing to do.

Now, it seems to me that first things first would be to figure out how to use the current space to achieve that goal. While it may not be ideal, the two additional buildings could provide an answer. And, certainly, it is better than the current solution FCPS uses of trailers and modulars.

I think a better use of staff's time than pipe dreams of magnets and schools of the future, would be to come back to reality and realize why FCPS purchased this school. They need to begin thinking of how to best use and adapt what is there.

I understand there is a similar school in Arlington designed by the same architect/designer. If I were FCPS, I would start there--I would like to think they already have.
1.Tour the Arlington school
2.Take a good look at the KAA space and envision ways in might be used.
2.Invite the company that designed it to suggest ways to adapt the KAA space in the most economic manner.

First: how many classrooms are needed? Could some be expanded/divided to make better use?
Are two cafeterias needed? Could one be adjusted for additional classroom space?

Hopefully, someone at FCPS has already considered this. However, after watching the presentation yesterday, it sounds like their time was spent in brain storming schools of the future instead of creating a school for now.

I would agree that is a best case scenario, and even that best case scenario probably means spending quite a bit of additional money on KAA beyond the initial purchase price. It won’t be the $200 million that someone keeps tossing out, but it could be a substantial sum. And most of this money is going to come out of the next bond and defer the renovation of other schools, some of them in terrible condition.

You all and the SB are asking some obvious questions now, so stop bad-mouthing Great Falls residents for having the insight to ask them weeks ago.

Seems to me that the $$ should be spent on helping kids get into the school. Sounds like there are serious issues with the Centreville expansion. What is holding up the permitting? What documents are missing and why? Maybe, we need to spend less on legal suits and more on facilities engineering.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you think there won’t be parents upset that their 9th/10th grader is required to attend a school without varsity sports for a year you aren’t living in today’s reality. The county would have to allow those kids to stay at their originally zoned school and if they do that that opens a can of worms for a bunch of transfers in and out. That is why the school will need to be fully functional right away.

+1. And it’s not just the field. Good luck moving swimmers from Chantilly/Oakton.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you think there won’t be parents upset that their 9th/10th grader is required to attend a school without varsity sports for a year you aren’t living in today’s reality. The county would have to allow those kids to stay at their originally zoned school and if they do that that opens a can of worms for a bunch of transfers in and out. That is why the school will need to be fully functional right away.

+1. And it’s not just the field. Good luck moving swimmers from Chantilly/Oakton.

So, let them stay. It's not hundreds of kids. But, won't this be the same all over Fairfax County with boundary adjustments?

I think, from reading about the football team, that Westfield opened with juniors. However, when it opened, it really had the A+ staff and faculty--to include coaches.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you think there won’t be parents upset that their 9th/10th grader is required to attend a school without varsity sports for a year you aren’t living in today’s reality. The county would have to allow those kids to stay at their originally zoned school and if they do that that opens a can of worms for a bunch of transfers in and out. That is why the school will need to be fully functional right away.

+1. And it’s not just the field. Good luck moving swimmers from Chantilly/Oakton.

Doesn’t KAA have a pool? Swimming would have what it needs on day 1.