FCPS' plans to address concerns at under-enrolled and over-enrolled schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about the homeowners and non-ESL students that live in the Lewis boundaries? They should be forced to move to other schools and see their home values suffer? Doesn't seem right to me.

Wtf are you babbling about? How would their home values suffer going to a better performing school with more kids? Seems like it would be a win for them.

But, to be fair, I don’t think they should have to move if they don’t want to. 1,500 students is only a critical shortfall if you are trying to make a blatant equity play. It’s the people in Lewis pyramid trying to bolster their own house value at the expense of their neighbors.

I'm asking why people in the Lewis pyramid who are not ESL should have to transfer to other schools to find similar cohorts and challenging classes. That is the situation now and will continue to be unless something is done to help the school. Why are some pyramids designated as the permanent home of the poor and ESL populations? That is how FCPS is treating them. How is that fair to the homeowners in the Lewis pyramid? They moved higher income areas from Gambrill Road and Daventry to West Springfield. That helped their property values. Was that fair to the homeowners still zoned to Lewis? Maybe some people are tired of being dumped on.

Did you not know your school pyramid before you bought your house?

And as for being dumped on, yeah, FCPS families are overwhelmingly tired of this boundary change crap. The school board wasted years on it instead of working to improve the school system. The opportunity cost is through the roof on boundary changes, and they’re going to run it back in four years. It’s insanity.

I’m so tired of this argument. So the “poors” should be the ones that suffer and their kids get a worse education than others?
Things will never be truly equal, but comparing Lewis to say Langley is a huge difference. Why should people in the Lewis pyramid have their backs turned on them by the school board because “they’re too poor to buy a house in a better neighborhood”

And by example, we bought our house in the Lewis pyramid in 2020 thinking we’d move when our kids are older, or things could change in the next ten-ish years. Fast forward to now, we’ve got a kid in kindergarten at Springfield Estates, which is a very good school, but it looks like the school board gives zero Fs about Key and Lewis. We have a very low interest rate on our mortgage, one spouse is fed, and one is a contractor. Mortgage rates are now high, prices are high, gas is expensive, food is expensive. Fed feels like they could be RIFed at any moment. But I guess according to DCUM trolls we should just move in order to have our kids get an equitable education? Noted, sounds so easy I’ll hop right on that. /s

Yes, this is exactly what you can expect to hear from this crowd…

“Suck it up”
“You knew what schools you were zoned for 15 years ago when you bought and should not have expected any improvement”
“Lewis is thriving as a small school!”
“It shouldn’t matter that the school can’t fill basic sports, academic programs”
“ MENTAL HEALTH!”
“Just give it a few more years…”

We pulled our kid last year and are in the process of moving.

Make sure you check out the schools that your new home is zoned for so that you don’t have to continue to try to mooch off your neighbors there. Life is easier when you put in the effort on the front end.

Bon voyage!

+1. The PP took a gamble on buying a house zoned for the worst high school in Fairfax County. They could have either purchased less house in a more well regarded school, but they chose not too. They even acknowledge that they knew about the issues with the school when they purchased. Sorry, let me get out my violin for you. My house has downsides, but when we purchased the number 1 consideration was the schools. That area of Fairfax County was a nonstarter.

I’m not disputing your points. I also didn’t ask for sympathy, and the “we win, you lose” tone isn’t helpful.

We live in a 1200 sq ft townhouse, which is what we could afford. The idea that we should have “downgraded” more, or somehow predicted this, isn’t realistic.

We moved to the county expecting access to good schools. Instead, we’re watching our assigned school fall continue to fall behind with little action to address it. That’s the issue.

If your kids are in a good position, great for you. But dismissing other families’ concerns instead of pushing for better across the board is part of the problem.

DP. Here’s the thing - if you seek to improve your schools by messing with my kids, I will fight you every damn step of the way. I don’t dismiss your concerns, but boundary changes just hurt a lot of people AND degrades the entire school system. If the school system wanted to fix your school without using our kids as their resource, then it would have my full support.

Equity redistricting just doesn’t work.

I like a lot of Lewis parents are advocating to fix problems at the school first without any redistricting involved. The problem is that the school board is turning their backs on them.

But also to play devils advocate, since apparently DCUM is under the impression that you need to pick your home 20 years in advance in a good school district, if you think your kids have a chance of being moved, then maybe you should have foreseen this possibility and moved within an inch of your favored high school. Boundaries are never set in stone. Sorry you’re one of the poors that picked a house on the edge of your boundary.

DP - if you share what the Lewis parents want the school board to do, maybe we can help advocate on your behalf.

Literally read through this thread. Big things are remove IB at Lewis and add AAP to Key.

Are you the Lewis parent? I know this may be what other people think Lewis needs, but what I asked was what Lewis parents think Lewis needs.

Lewis parents and staff told the district what they wanted/needed in a new principal and were flatly ignored.

What did you tell them? Misery loves company?

Wouldn’t it be better to try to improve the school instead? If you build it, they will come.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about the homeowners and non-ESL students that live in the Lewis boundaries? They should be forced to move to other schools and see their home values suffer? Doesn't seem right to me.

Wtf are you babbling about? How would their home values suffer going to a better performing school with more kids? Seems like it would be a win for them.

But, to be fair, I don’t think they should have to move if they don’t want to. 1,500 students is only a critical shortfall if you are trying to make a blatant equity play. It’s the people in Lewis pyramid trying to bolster their own house value at the expense of their neighbors.

I'm asking why people in the Lewis pyramid who are not ESL should have to transfer to other schools to find similar cohorts and challenging classes. That is the situation now and will continue to be unless something is done to help the school. Why are some pyramids designated as the permanent home of the poor and ESL populations? That is how FCPS is treating them. How is that fair to the homeowners in the Lewis pyramid? They moved higher income areas from Gambrill Road and Daventry to West Springfield. That helped their property values. Was that fair to the homeowners still zoned to Lewis? Maybe some people are tired of being dumped on.

Did you not know your school pyramid before you bought your house?

And as for being dumped on, yeah, FCPS families are overwhelmingly tired of this boundary change crap. The school board wasted years on it instead of working to improve the school system. The opportunity cost is through the roof on boundary changes, and they’re going to run it back in four years. It’s insanity.

I’m so tired of this argument. So the “poors” should be the ones that suffer and their kids get a worse education than others?
Things will never be truly equal, but comparing Lewis to say Langley is a huge difference. Why should people in the Lewis pyramid have their backs turned on them by the school board because “they’re too poor to buy a house in a better neighborhood”

And by example, we bought our house in the Lewis pyramid in 2020 thinking we’d move when our kids are older, or things could change in the next ten-ish years. Fast forward to now, we’ve got a kid in kindergarten at Springfield Estates, which is a very good school, but it looks like the school board gives zero Fs about Key and Lewis. We have a very low interest rate on our mortgage, one spouse is fed, and one is a contractor. Mortgage rates are now high, prices are high, gas is expensive, food is expensive. Fed feels like they could be RIFed at any moment. But I guess according to DCUM trolls we should just move in order to have our kids get an equitable education? Noted, sounds so easy I’ll hop right on that. /s

Yes, this is exactly what you can expect to hear from this crowd…

“Suck it up”
“You knew what schools you were zoned for 15 years ago when you bought and should not have expected any improvement”
“Lewis is thriving as a small school!”
“It shouldn’t matter that the school can’t fill basic sports, academic programs”
“ MENTAL HEALTH!”
“Just give it a few more years…”

We pulled our kid last year and are in the process of moving.

Make sure you check out the schools that your new home is zoned for so that you don’t have to continue to try to mooch off your neighbors there. Life is easier when you put in the effort on the front end.

Bon voyage!

+1. The PP took a gamble on buying a house zoned for the worst high school in Fairfax County. They could have either purchased less house in a more well regarded school, but they chose not too. They even acknowledge that they knew about the issues with the school when they purchased. Sorry, let me get out my violin for you. My house has downsides, but when we purchased the number 1 consideration was the schools. That area of Fairfax County was a nonstarter.

I’m not disputing your points. I also didn’t ask for sympathy, and the “we win, you lose” tone isn’t helpful.

We live in a 1200 sq ft townhouse, which is what we could afford. The idea that we should have “downgraded” more, or somehow predicted this, isn’t realistic.

We moved to the county expecting access to good schools. Instead, we’re watching our assigned school fall continue to fall behind with little action to address it. That’s the issue.

If your kids are in a good position, great for you. But dismissing other families’ concerns instead of pushing for better across the board is part of the problem.

DP. Here’s the thing - if you seek to improve your schools by messing with my kids, I will fight you every damn step of the way. I don’t dismiss your concerns, but boundary changes just hurt a lot of people AND degrades the entire school system. If the school system wanted to fix your school without using our kids as their resource, then it would have my full support.

Equity redistricting just doesn’t work.

I like a lot of Lewis parents are advocating to fix problems at the school first without any redistricting involved. The problem is that the school board is turning their backs on them.

But also to play devils advocate, since apparently DCUM is under the impression that you need to pick your home 20 years in advance in a good school district, if you think your kids have a chance of being moved, then maybe you should have foreseen this possibility and moved within an inch of your favored high school. Boundaries are never set in stone. Sorry you’re one of the poors that picked a house on the edge of your boundary.

DP - if you share what the Lewis parents want the school board to do, maybe we can help advocate on your behalf.

Literally read through this thread. Big things are remove IB at Lewis and add AAP to Key.

Are you the Lewis parent? I know this may be what other people think Lewis needs, but what I asked was what Lewis parents think Lewis needs.

Lewis parents and staff told the district what they wanted/needed in a new principal and were flatly ignored.

What did you tell them? Misery loves company?

Wouldn’t it be better to try to improve the school instead? If you build it, they will come.

Obnoxious as always.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about the homeowners and non-ESL students that live in the Lewis boundaries? They should be forced to move to other schools and see their home values suffer? Doesn't seem right to me.

Wtf are you babbling about? How would their home values suffer going to a better performing school with more kids? Seems like it would be a win for them.

But, to be fair, I don’t think they should have to move if they don’t want to. 1,500 students is only a critical shortfall if you are trying to make a blatant equity play. It’s the people in Lewis pyramid trying to bolster their own house value at the expense of their neighbors.

I'm asking why people in the Lewis pyramid who are not ESL should have to transfer to other schools to find similar cohorts and challenging classes. That is the situation now and will continue to be unless something is done to help the school. Why are some pyramids designated as the permanent home of the poor and ESL populations? That is how FCPS is treating them. How is that fair to the homeowners in the Lewis pyramid? They moved higher income areas from Gambrill Road and Daventry to West Springfield. That helped their property values. Was that fair to the homeowners still zoned to Lewis? Maybe some people are tired of being dumped on.

Did you not know your school pyramid before you bought your house?

And as for being dumped on, yeah, FCPS families are overwhelmingly tired of this boundary change crap. The school board wasted years on it instead of working to improve the school system. The opportunity cost is through the roof on boundary changes, and they’re going to run it back in four years. It’s insanity.

I’m so tired of this argument. So the “poors” should be the ones that suffer and their kids get a worse education than others?
Things will never be truly equal, but comparing Lewis to say Langley is a huge difference. Why should people in the Lewis pyramid have their backs turned on them by the school board because “they’re too poor to buy a house in a better neighborhood”

And by example, we bought our house in the Lewis pyramid in 2020 thinking we’d move when our kids are older, or things could change in the next ten-ish years. Fast forward to now, we’ve got a kid in kindergarten at Springfield Estates, which is a very good school, but it looks like the school board gives zero Fs about Key and Lewis. We have a very low interest rate on our mortgage, one spouse is fed, and one is a contractor. Mortgage rates are now high, prices are high, gas is expensive, food is expensive. Fed feels like they could be RIFed at any moment. But I guess according to DCUM trolls we should just move in order to have our kids get an equitable education? Noted, sounds so easy I’ll hop right on that. /s

Yes, this is exactly what you can expect to hear from this crowd…

“Suck it up”
“You knew what schools you were zoned for 15 years ago when you bought and should not have expected any improvement”
“Lewis is thriving as a small school!”
“It shouldn’t matter that the school can’t fill basic sports, academic programs”
“ MENTAL HEALTH!”
“Just give it a few more years…”

We pulled our kid last year and are in the process of moving.

Make sure you check out the schools that your new home is zoned for so that you don’t have to continue to try to mooch off your neighbors there. Life is easier when you put in the effort on the front end.

Bon voyage!

+1. The PP took a gamble on buying a house zoned for the worst high school in Fairfax County. They could have either purchased less house in a more well regarded school, but they chose not too. They even acknowledge that they knew about the issues with the school when they purchased. Sorry, let me get out my violin for you. My house has downsides, but when we purchased the number 1 consideration was the schools. That area of Fairfax County was a nonstarter.

I’m not disputing your points. I also didn’t ask for sympathy, and the “we win, you lose” tone isn’t helpful.

We live in a 1200 sq ft townhouse, which is what we could afford. The idea that we should have “downgraded” more, or somehow predicted this, isn’t realistic.

We moved to the county expecting access to good schools. Instead, we’re watching our assigned school fall continue to fall behind with little action to address it. That’s the issue.

If your kids are in a good position, great for you. But dismissing other families’ concerns instead of pushing for better across the board is part of the problem.

DP. Here’s the thing - if you seek to improve your schools by messing with my kids, I will fight you every damn step of the way. I don’t dismiss your concerns, but boundary changes just hurt a lot of people AND degrades the entire school system. If the school system wanted to fix your school without using our kids as their resource, then it would have my full support.

Equity redistricting just doesn’t work.

I like a lot of Lewis parents are advocating to fix problems at the school first without any redistricting involved. The problem is that the school board is turning their backs on them.

But also to play devils advocate, since apparently DCUM is under the impression that you need to pick your home 20 years in advance in a good school district, if you think your kids have a chance of being moved, then maybe you should have foreseen this possibility and moved within an inch of your favored high school. Boundaries are never set in stone. Sorry you’re one of the poors that picked a house on the edge of your boundary.

DP - if you share what the Lewis parents want the school board to do, maybe we can help advocate on your behalf.

Literally read through this thread. Big things are remove IB at Lewis and add AAP to Key.

Are you the Lewis parent? I know this may be what other people think Lewis needs, but what I asked was what Lewis parents think Lewis needs.

Lewis parents and staff told the district what they wanted/needed in a new principal and were flatly ignored.

What did you tell them? Misery loves company?

Wouldn’t it be better to try to improve the school instead? If you build it, they will come.

We told them we specifically wanted someone with classroom experience, not just another admin lifer. So they gave us an admin lifer, one who was handpicked by central even though they claimed a nationwide search.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about the homeowners and non-ESL students that live in the Lewis boundaries? They should be forced to move to other schools and see their home values suffer? Doesn't seem right to me.

Wtf are you babbling about? How would their home values suffer going to a better performing school with more kids? Seems like it would be a win for them.

But, to be fair, I don’t think they should have to move if they don’t want to. 1,500 students is only a critical shortfall if you are trying to make a blatant equity play. It’s the people in Lewis pyramid trying to bolster their own house value at the expense of their neighbors.

I'm asking why people in the Lewis pyramid who are not ESL should have to transfer to other schools to find similar cohorts and challenging classes. That is the situation now and will continue to be unless something is done to help the school. Why are some pyramids designated as the permanent home of the poor and ESL populations? That is how FCPS is treating them. How is that fair to the homeowners in the Lewis pyramid? They moved higher income areas from Gambrill Road and Daventry to West Springfield. That helped their property values. Was that fair to the homeowners still zoned to Lewis? Maybe some people are tired of being dumped on.

Did you not know your school pyramid before you bought your house?

And as for being dumped on, yeah, FCPS families are overwhelmingly tired of this boundary change crap. The school board wasted years on it instead of working to improve the school system. The opportunity cost is through the roof on boundary changes, and they’re going to run it back in four years. It’s insanity.

I’m so tired of this argument. So the “poors” should be the ones that suffer and their kids get a worse education than others?
Things will never be truly equal, but comparing Lewis to say Langley is a huge difference. Why should people in the Lewis pyramid have their backs turned on them by the school board because “they’re too poor to buy a house in a better neighborhood”

And by example, we bought our house in the Lewis pyramid in 2020 thinking we’d move when our kids are older, or things could change in the next ten-ish years. Fast forward to now, we’ve got a kid in kindergarten at Springfield Estates, which is a very good school, but it looks like the school board gives zero Fs about Key and Lewis. We have a very low interest rate on our mortgage, one spouse is fed, and one is a contractor. Mortgage rates are now high, prices are high, gas is expensive, food is expensive. Fed feels like they could be RIFed at any moment. But I guess according to DCUM trolls we should just move in order to have our kids get an equitable education? Noted, sounds so easy I’ll hop right on that. /s

Yes, this is exactly what you can expect to hear from this crowd…

“Suck it up”
“You knew what schools you were zoned for 15 years ago when you bought and should not have expected any improvement”
“Lewis is thriving as a small school!”
“It shouldn’t matter that the school can’t fill basic sports, academic programs”
“ MENTAL HEALTH!”
“Just give it a few more years…”

We pulled our kid last year and are in the process of moving.

Make sure you check out the schools that your new home is zoned for so that you don’t have to continue to try to mooch off your neighbors there. Life is easier when you put in the effort on the front end.

Bon voyage!

+1. The PP took a gamble on buying a house zoned for the worst high school in Fairfax County. They could have either purchased less house in a more well regarded school, but they chose not too. They even acknowledge that they knew about the issues with the school when they purchased. Sorry, let me get out my violin for you. My house has downsides, but when we purchased the number 1 consideration was the schools. That area of Fairfax County was a nonstarter.

I’m not disputing your points. I also didn’t ask for sympathy, and the “we win, you lose” tone isn’t helpful.

We live in a 1200 sq ft townhouse, which is what we could afford. The idea that we should have “downgraded” more, or somehow predicted this, isn’t realistic.

We moved to the county expecting access to good schools. Instead, we’re watching our assigned school fall continue to fall behind with little action to address it. That’s the issue.

If your kids are in a good position, great for you. But dismissing other families’ concerns instead of pushing for better across the board is part of the problem.

DP. Here’s the thing - if you seek to improve your schools by messing with my kids, I will fight you every damn step of the way. I don’t dismiss your concerns, but boundary changes just hurt a lot of people AND degrades the entire school system. If the school system wanted to fix your school without using our kids as their resource, then it would have my full support.

Equity redistricting just doesn’t work.

I like a lot of Lewis parents are advocating to fix problems at the school first without any redistricting involved. The problem is that the school board is turning their backs on them.

But also to play devils advocate, since apparently DCUM is under the impression that you need to pick your home 20 years in advance in a good school district, if you think your kids have a chance of being moved, then maybe you should have foreseen this possibility and moved within an inch of your favored high school. Boundaries are never set in stone. Sorry you’re one of the poors that picked a house on the edge of your boundary.

DP - if you share what the Lewis parents want the school board to do, maybe we can help advocate on your behalf.

Literally read through this thread. Big things are remove IB at Lewis and add AAP to Key.

Are you the Lewis parent? I know this may be what other people think Lewis needs, but what I asked was what Lewis parents think Lewis needs.

Lewis parents and staff told the district what they wanted/needed in a new principal and were flatly ignored.

What did you tell them? Misery loves company?

Wouldn’t it be better to try to improve the school instead? If you build it, they will come.

We told them we specifically wanted someone with classroom experience, not just another admin lifer. So they gave us an admin lifer, one who was handpicked by central even though they claimed a nationwide search.

The profile for Lewis HS on the FCPS website says the school’s vision statement is “We are Life-long learners who Excel as Engaged global citizens.”

This is pablum: random capitalization and IB cliches. Few could look at that communication and feel good about sending a kid to Lewis.

Maybe at some point they’ll get serious about improving Lewis and how the school is held out to the public. They clearly have a ways to go.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about the homeowners and non-ESL students that live in the Lewis boundaries? They should be forced to move to other schools and see their home values suffer? Doesn't seem right to me.

Wtf are you babbling about? How would their home values suffer going to a better performing school with more kids? Seems like it would be a win for them.

But, to be fair, I don’t think they should have to move if they don’t want to. 1,500 students is only a critical shortfall if you are trying to make a blatant equity play. It’s the people in Lewis pyramid trying to bolster their own house value at the expense of their neighbors.

I'm asking why people in the Lewis pyramid who are not ESL should have to transfer to other schools to find similar cohorts and challenging classes. That is the situation now and will continue to be unless something is done to help the school. Why are some pyramids designated as the permanent home of the poor and ESL populations? That is how FCPS is treating them. How is that fair to the homeowners in the Lewis pyramid? They moved higher income areas from Gambrill Road and Daventry to West Springfield. That helped their property values. Was that fair to the homeowners still zoned to Lewis? Maybe some people are tired of being dumped on.

Did you not know your school pyramid before you bought your house?

And as for being dumped on, yeah, FCPS families are overwhelmingly tired of this boundary change crap. The school board wasted years on it instead of working to improve the school system. The opportunity cost is through the roof on boundary changes, and they’re going to run it back in four years. It’s insanity.

I’m so tired of this argument. So the “poors” should be the ones that suffer and their kids get a worse education than others?
Things will never be truly equal, but comparing Lewis to say Langley is a huge difference. Why should people in the Lewis pyramid have their backs turned on them by the school board because “they’re too poor to buy a house in a better neighborhood”

And by example, we bought our house in the Lewis pyramid in 2020 thinking we’d move when our kids are older, or things could change in the next ten-ish years. Fast forward to now, we’ve got a kid in kindergarten at Springfield Estates, which is a very good school, but it looks like the school board gives zero Fs about Key and Lewis. We have a very low interest rate on our mortgage, one spouse is fed, and one is a contractor. Mortgage rates are now high, prices are high, gas is expensive, food is expensive. Fed feels like they could be RIFed at any moment. But I guess according to DCUM trolls we should just move in order to have our kids get an equitable education? Noted, sounds so easy I’ll hop right on that. /s

Yes, this is exactly what you can expect to hear from this crowd…

“Suck it up”
“You knew what schools you were zoned for 15 years ago when you bought and should not have expected any improvement”
“Lewis is thriving as a small school!”
“It shouldn’t matter that the school can’t fill basic sports, academic programs”
“ MENTAL HEALTH!”
“Just give it a few more years…”

We pulled our kid last year and are in the process of moving.

Make sure you check out the schools that your new home is zoned for so that you don’t have to continue to try to mooch off your neighbors there. Life is easier when you put in the effort on the front end.

Bon voyage!

+1. The PP took a gamble on buying a house zoned for the worst high school in Fairfax County. They could have either purchased less house in a more well regarded school, but they chose not too. They even acknowledge that they knew about the issues with the school when they purchased. Sorry, let me get out my violin for you. My house has downsides, but when we purchased the number 1 consideration was the schools. That area of Fairfax County was a nonstarter.

I’m not disputing your points. I also didn’t ask for sympathy, and the “we win, you lose” tone isn’t helpful.

We live in a 1200 sq ft townhouse, which is what we could afford. The idea that we should have “downgraded” more, or somehow predicted this, isn’t realistic.

We moved to the county expecting access to good schools. Instead, we’re watching our assigned school fall continue to fall behind with little action to address it. That’s the issue.

If your kids are in a good position, great for you. But dismissing other families’ concerns instead of pushing for better across the board is part of the problem.

DP. Here’s the thing - if you seek to improve your schools by messing with my kids, I will fight you every damn step of the way. I don’t dismiss your concerns, but boundary changes just hurt a lot of people AND degrades the entire school system. If the school system wanted to fix your school without using our kids as their resource, then it would have my full support.

Equity redistricting just doesn’t work.

I like a lot of Lewis parents are advocating to fix problems at the school first without any redistricting involved. The problem is that the school board is turning their backs on them.

But also to play devils advocate, since apparently DCUM is under the impression that you need to pick your home 20 years in advance in a good school district, if you think your kids have a chance of being moved, then maybe you should have foreseen this possibility and moved within an inch of your favored high school. Boundaries are never set in stone. Sorry you’re one of the poors that picked a house on the edge of your boundary.

DP - if you share what the Lewis parents want the school board to do, maybe we can help advocate on your behalf.

Literally read through this thread. Big things are remove IB at Lewis and add AAP to Key.

Are you the Lewis parent? I know this may be what other people think Lewis needs, but what I asked was what Lewis parents think Lewis needs.

Lewis parents and staff told the district what they wanted/needed in a new principal and were flatly ignored.

What did you tell them? Misery loves company?

Wouldn’t it be better to try to improve the school instead? If you build it, they will come.

We told them we specifically wanted someone with classroom experience, not just another admin lifer. So they gave us an admin lifer, one who was handpicked by central even though they claimed a nationwide search.

The profile for Lewis HS on the FCPS website says the school’s vision statement is “We are Life-long learners who Excel as Engaged global citizens.”

This is pablum: random capitalization and IB cliches. Few could look at that communication and feel good about sending a kid to Lewis.

Maybe at some point they’ll get serious about improving Lewis and how the school is held out to the public. They clearly have a ways to go.

The profiles for all schools are boilerplate word salad; nobody’s sending or not sending their kids to a particular school because of that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about the homeowners and non-ESL students that live in the Lewis boundaries? They should be forced to move to other schools and see their home values suffer? Doesn't seem right to me.

Wtf are you babbling about? How would their home values suffer going to a better performing school with more kids? Seems like it would be a win for them.

But, to be fair, I don’t think they should have to move if they don’t want to. 1,500 students is only a critical shortfall if you are trying to make a blatant equity play. It’s the people in Lewis pyramid trying to bolster their own house value at the expense of their neighbors.

I'm asking why people in the Lewis pyramid who are not ESL should have to transfer to other schools to find similar cohorts and challenging classes. That is the situation now and will continue to be unless something is done to help the school. Why are some pyramids designated as the permanent home of the poor and ESL populations? That is how FCPS is treating them. How is that fair to the homeowners in the Lewis pyramid? They moved higher income areas from Gambrill Road and Daventry to West Springfield. That helped their property values. Was that fair to the homeowners still zoned to Lewis? Maybe some people are tired of being dumped on.

Did you not know your school pyramid before you bought your house?

And as for being dumped on, yeah, FCPS families are overwhelmingly tired of this boundary change crap. The school board wasted years on it instead of working to improve the school system. The opportunity cost is through the roof on boundary changes, and they’re going to run it back in four years. It’s insanity.

I’m so tired of this argument. So the “poors” should be the ones that suffer and their kids get a worse education than others?
Things will never be truly equal, but comparing Lewis to say Langley is a huge difference. Why should people in the Lewis pyramid have their backs turned on them by the school board because “they’re too poor to buy a house in a better neighborhood”

And by example, we bought our house in the Lewis pyramid in 2020 thinking we’d move when our kids are older, or things could change in the next ten-ish years. Fast forward to now, we’ve got a kid in kindergarten at Springfield Estates, which is a very good school, but it looks like the school board gives zero Fs about Key and Lewis. We have a very low interest rate on our mortgage, one spouse is fed, and one is a contractor. Mortgage rates are now high, prices are high, gas is expensive, food is expensive. Fed feels like they could be RIFed at any moment. But I guess according to DCUM trolls we should just move in order to have our kids get an equitable education? Noted, sounds so easy I’ll hop right on that. /s

Yes, this is exactly what you can expect to hear from this crowd…

“Suck it up”
“You knew what schools you were zoned for 15 years ago when you bought and should not have expected any improvement”
“Lewis is thriving as a small school!”
“It shouldn’t matter that the school can’t fill basic sports, academic programs”
“ MENTAL HEALTH!”
“Just give it a few more years…”

We pulled our kid last year and are in the process of moving.

Make sure you check out the schools that your new home is zoned for so that you don’t have to continue to try to mooch off your neighbors there. Life is easier when you put in the effort on the front end.

Bon voyage!

+1. The PP took a gamble on buying a house zoned for the worst high school in Fairfax County. They could have either purchased less house in a more well regarded school, but they chose not too. They even acknowledge that they knew about the issues with the school when they purchased. Sorry, let me get out my violin for you. My house has downsides, but when we purchased the number 1 consideration was the schools. That area of Fairfax County was a nonstarter.

I’m not disputing your points. I also didn’t ask for sympathy, and the “we win, you lose” tone isn’t helpful.

We live in a 1200 sq ft townhouse, which is what we could afford. The idea that we should have “downgraded” more, or somehow predicted this, isn’t realistic.

We moved to the county expecting access to good schools. Instead, we’re watching our assigned school fall continue to fall behind with little action to address it. That’s the issue.

If your kids are in a good position, great for you. But dismissing other families’ concerns instead of pushing for better across the board is part of the problem.

DP. Here’s the thing - if you seek to improve your schools by messing with my kids, I will fight you every damn step of the way. I don’t dismiss your concerns, but boundary changes just hurt a lot of people AND degrades the entire school system. If the school system wanted to fix your school without using our kids as their resource, then it would have my full support.

Equity redistricting just doesn’t work.

I like a lot of Lewis parents are advocating to fix problems at the school first without any redistricting involved. The problem is that the school board is turning their backs on them.

But also to play devils advocate, since apparently DCUM is under the impression that you need to pick your home 20 years in advance in a good school district, if you think your kids have a chance of being moved, then maybe you should have foreseen this possibility and moved within an inch of your favored high school. Boundaries are never set in stone. Sorry you’re one of the poors that picked a house on the edge of your boundary.

DP - if you share what the Lewis parents want the school board to do, maybe we can help advocate on your behalf.

Literally read through this thread. Big things are remove IB at Lewis and add AAP to Key.

Are you the Lewis parent? I know this may be what other people think Lewis needs, but what I asked was what Lewis parents think Lewis needs.

Lewis parents and staff told the district what they wanted/needed in a new principal and were flatly ignored.

What did you tell them? Misery loves company?

Wouldn’t it be better to try to improve the school instead? If you build it, they will come.

We told them we specifically wanted someone with classroom experience, not just another admin lifer. So they gave us an admin lifer, one who was handpicked by central even though they claimed a nationwide search.

The profile for Lewis HS on the FCPS website says the school’s vision statement is “We are Life-long learners who Excel as Engaged global citizens.”

This is pablum: random capitalization and IB cliches. Few could look at that communication and feel good about sending a kid to Lewis.

Maybe at some point they’ll get serious about improving Lewis and how the school is held out to the public. They clearly have a ways to go.

The profiles for all schools are boilerplate word salad; nobody’s sending or not sending their kids to a particular school because of that.

That’s not true. Some of them do a decent job of describing a school. They get revised periodically and in some cases by people who can actually write. That’s apparently not the case for Lewis.

[Anonymous]

Gee. Just read the Lewis profile. The focus seems to be on the 25 languages spoken and how proud they are of the IB program.

Not sure this is a selling point to families that want a traditional US school for their children. In fact, I would think that the immigrants would want a traditional US school for their kids. Isn't that why they come? To live in the USA?

And, it would appear the IB program they are so proud of is not working for the vast majority of the students.

They need rebranding.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Gee. Just read the Lewis profile. The focus seems to be on the 25 languages spoken and how proud they are of the IB program.

Not sure this is a selling point to families that want a traditional US school for their children. In fact, I would think that the immigrants would want a traditional US school for their kids. Isn't that why they come? To live in the USA?

And, it would appear the IB program they are so proud of is not working for the vast majority of the students.

They need rebranding.

Agree. It’s hard to tell when the references to all the languages spoken stop being about celebrating diversity and instead start becoming justifications for poor performance (i.e., “we are dealing with a LOT of ESOL kids”).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Gee. Just read the Lewis profile. The focus seems to be on the 25 languages spoken and how proud they are of the IB program.

Not sure this is a selling point to families that want a traditional US school for their children. In fact, I would think that the immigrants would want a traditional US school for their kids. Isn't that why they come? To live in the USA?

And, it would appear the IB program they are so proud of is not working for the vast majority of the students.

They need rebranding.

You might think a lot of things about immigrants but have you actually, you know, talked to them about it? Or are you projecting your own wishes onto them?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about the homeowners and non-ESL students that live in the Lewis boundaries? They should be forced to move to other schools and see their home values suffer? Doesn't seem right to me.

Wtf are you babbling about? How would their home values suffer going to a better performing school with more kids? Seems like it would be a win for them.

But, to be fair, I don’t think they should have to move if they don’t want to. 1,500 students is only a critical shortfall if you are trying to make a blatant equity play. It’s the people in Lewis pyramid trying to bolster their own house value at the expense of their neighbors.

I'm asking why people in the Lewis pyramid who are not ESL should have to transfer to other schools to find similar cohorts and challenging classes. That is the situation now and will continue to be unless something is done to help the school. Why are some pyramids designated as the permanent home of the poor and ESL populations? That is how FCPS is treating them. How is that fair to the homeowners in the Lewis pyramid? They moved higher income areas from Gambrill Road and Daventry to West Springfield. That helped their property values. Was that fair to the homeowners still zoned to Lewis? Maybe some people are tired of being dumped on.

Did you not know your school pyramid before you bought your house?

And as for being dumped on, yeah, FCPS families are overwhelmingly tired of this boundary change crap. The school board wasted years on it instead of working to improve the school system. The opportunity cost is through the roof on boundary changes, and they’re going to run it back in four years. It’s insanity.

I’m so tired of this argument. So the “poors” should be the ones that suffer and their kids get a worse education than others?
Things will never be truly equal, but comparing Lewis to say Langley is a huge difference. Why should people in the Lewis pyramid have their backs turned on them by the school board because “they’re too poor to buy a house in a better neighborhood”

And by example, we bought our house in the Lewis pyramid in 2020 thinking we’d move when our kids are older, or things could change in the next ten-ish years. Fast forward to now, we’ve got a kid in kindergarten at Springfield Estates, which is a very good school, but it looks like the school board gives zero Fs about Key and Lewis. We have a very low interest rate on our mortgage, one spouse is fed, and one is a contractor. Mortgage rates are now high, prices are high, gas is expensive, food is expensive. Fed feels like they could be RIFed at any moment. But I guess according to DCUM trolls we should just move in order to have our kids get an equitable education? Noted, sounds so easy I’ll hop right on that. /s

Yes, this is exactly what you can expect to hear from this crowd…

“Suck it up”
“You knew what schools you were zoned for 15 years ago when you bought and should not have expected any improvement”
“Lewis is thriving as a small school!”
“It shouldn’t matter that the school can’t fill basic sports, academic programs”
“ MENTAL HEALTH!”
“Just give it a few more years…”

We pulled our kid last year and are in the process of moving.

Make sure you check out the schools that your new home is zoned for so that you don’t have to continue to try to mooch off your neighbors there. Life is easier when you put in the effort on the front end.

Bon voyage!

+1. The PP took a gamble on buying a house zoned for the worst high school in Fairfax County. They could have either purchased less house in a more well regarded school, but they chose not too. They even acknowledge that they knew about the issues with the school when they purchased. Sorry, let me get out my violin for you. My house has downsides, but when we purchased the number 1 consideration was the schools. That area of Fairfax County was a nonstarter.

I’m not disputing your points. I also didn’t ask for sympathy, and the “we win, you lose” tone isn’t helpful.

We live in a 1200 sq ft townhouse, which is what we could afford. The idea that we should have “downgraded” more, or somehow predicted this, isn’t realistic.

We moved to the county expecting access to good schools. Instead, we’re watching our assigned school fall continue to fall behind with little action to address it. That’s the issue.

If your kids are in a good position, great for you. But dismissing other families’ concerns instead of pushing for better across the board is part of the problem.

DP. Here’s the thing - if you seek to improve your schools by messing with my kids, I will fight you every damn step of the way. I don’t dismiss your concerns, but boundary changes just hurt a lot of people AND degrades the entire school system. If the school system wanted to fix your school without using our kids as their resource, then it would have my full support.

Equity redistricting just doesn’t work.

I like a lot of Lewis parents are advocating to fix problems at the school first without any redistricting involved. The problem is that the school board is turning their backs on them.

But also to play devils advocate, since apparently DCUM is under the impression that you need to pick your home 20 years in advance in a good school district, if you think your kids have a chance of being moved, then maybe you should have foreseen this possibility and moved within an inch of your favored high school. Boundaries are never set in stone. Sorry you’re one of the poors that picked a house on the edge of your boundary.

DP - if you share what the Lewis parents want the school board to do, maybe we can help advocate on your behalf.

Literally read through this thread. Big things are remove IB at Lewis and add AAP to Key.

Are you the Lewis parent? I know this may be what other people think Lewis needs, but what I asked was what Lewis parents think Lewis needs.

Lewis parents and staff told the district what they wanted/needed in a new principal and were flatly ignored.

What did you tell them? Misery loves company?

Wouldn’t it be better to try to improve the school instead? If you build it, they will come.

We told them we specifically wanted someone with classroom experience, not just another admin lifer. So they gave us an admin lifer, one who was handpicked by central even though they claimed a nationwide search.

Didn't Lewis just get a new principal? People are raving about her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Gee. Just read the Lewis profile. The focus seems to be on the 25 languages spoken and how proud they are of the IB program.

Not sure this is a selling point to families that want a traditional US school for their children. In fact, I would think that the immigrants would want a traditional US school for their kids. Isn't that why they come? To live in the USA?

And, it would appear the IB program they are so proud of is not working for the vast majority of the students.

They need rebranding.

You might think a lot of things about immigrants but have you actually, you know, talked to them about it? Or are you projecting your own wishes onto them?

DP. The weakness of the IB program and Lewis speaks for itself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It does not make sense for any Lake Bradfock students to attend Keene Mill for AAP.

Lake Braddock has more than enough elementary kids to move those students to a center or create a center gor them in their pyramid.


It is crazy to call an Keene Mill a split feeder because it simply is not.

AAP feeder patterns are insane. The AAP kids at Gunston who live in the portion of the school zoned to Hayfield go to Lake Braddock, while the kids who live in the South County zone go to South County. Why don’t we have AAP at all middle schools yet? I also think there is a similar issue at Lorton Station where the AAP kids attending the Lorton Station center from Saratoga go to Lake Braddock instead of Lewis.

Which is why they need to eliminate centers for good and just keep all kids at their base schools. Have an AAP group for every subject and allow kids to rotate in and out as needed. This does not need to be the ridiculously complicated system they currently have for something that's not even a gifted program.

Elementary schools don’t rotate for math, reading, social studies and science. They lump math/science together and reading/social studies. They can’t do “an AAP group for every subject’ and have the kids rotate out without losing TONS of time to transitions.

I don’t really care if they get rid of AAP centers at the elementary school level except that it will result in a massive redistricting project.

My kids' elementary school rotates for all four core subjects. The classrooms are all clustered next to one another, so it's not a big deal at all.

And some elementary schools don't have enough AAP kids to make a class. Others barely enough. Are you saying those kids should be stuck with the inferior cluster model just because of where they live? The centers are absolutely required at the elementary level to get a mix of kids - especially if was on a subject-by-subject basis as you suggested since some subjects would have even fewer kids than others.
Now for middle school there is no reason to have centers. Hopefully the push to eliminate them isn't lost after all the boundary changes drain the political will to make the moves.

At this point, there is NO reason to have AAP centers, in either elementary or middle. Sorry. It's redundancy at its worst.

I just gave you the reason. Many elementary schools do not have enough level 4 AAP kids to make a full class. Mixing them in a cluster model makes it no longer an AAP classroom, and the pace goes at that of the slowest kids. Providing gifted children services is a legal requirement in Virginia. You can't just decree that they should be ignored.

Sigh. Every time someone suggests getting rid of AAP centers, people like you immediately jump to the conclusion that we're advocating getting rid of AAP. That's not at all what I said. At this point, decades after AAP centers were implemented, 99% of schools all have their own AAP classes. The idea of giving kids another school to choose from, the center, is ridiculous. If they have AAP at their base school, they should be required to stay there.

The very few schools that don't have AAP (which are??) should get it. And flexible grouping is a much smarter way to give all the kids who can do advanced work a chance to do it, in whatever core subjects are appropriate for them. It's not a gifted program. The whole process should be simplified, not made more complicated with byzantine regulations and zoning issues. Just offer it in all schools. Done.

Just because some schools offer local AAP does not mean it is equivalent of what they offer at the center. "Local level 4" at those schools is just the cluster model with a different name. So no, 99% of elementary schools do not have real AAP.
In my opinion what they really need to do is put even fewer kids in AAP and actually make it a gifted program. Then even fewer schools would have enough kids who qualify to make a full class - which is why the centers exist. That's how it used to be. Parents here can't handle their kid not making the cut to be in the top track, so they've gotten AAP expanded and watered down. Now we end up with a new set of parents like you with kids on the watered down edge of AAP who just want their kid in it for whatever courses they can muster a good enough score to be considered. It's ridiculous.

Sorry, what? How would you know whether my kids are in AAP or not, or whether they're "on the watered down edge" or not?

I'm a parent who has LONG advocated for a much smaller gifted program - taking it back to when it used to be GT and a tiny percentage of kids were in it because only a tiny percentage of kinds are actually gifted. FCPS for whatever reason saw fit to make it this huge, unwieldy program full of kids who range in ability and overlap greatly with the top Gen Ed kids. So if they're not going to go back to a small, true GT program, then they *should* open up advanced classes to any child capable - which is a lot. What's ridiculous is the current iteration of AAP, which isn't really serving anyone in the way it should.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It does not make sense for any Lake Bradfock students to attend Keene Mill for AAP.

Lake Braddock has more than enough elementary kids to move those students to a center or create a center gor them in their pyramid.


It is crazy to call an Keene Mill a split feeder because it simply is not.

AAP feeder patterns are insane. The AAP kids at Gunston who live in the portion of the school zoned to Hayfield go to Lake Braddock, while the kids who live in the South County zone go to South County. Why don’t we have AAP at all middle schools yet? I also think there is a similar issue at Lorton Station where the AAP kids attending the Lorton Station center from Saratoga go to Lake Braddock instead of Lewis.

Which is why they need to eliminate centers for good and just keep all kids at their base schools. Have an AAP group for every subject and allow kids to rotate in and out as needed. This does not need to be the ridiculously complicated system they currently have for something that's not even a gifted program.

Elementary schools don’t rotate for math, reading, social studies and science. They lump math/science together and reading/social studies. They can’t do “an AAP group for every subject’ and have the kids rotate out without losing TONS of time to transitions.

I don’t really care if they get rid of AAP centers at the elementary school level except that it will result in a massive redistricting project.

My kids' elementary school rotates for all four core subjects. The classrooms are all clustered next to one another, so it's not a big deal at all.

And some elementary schools don't have enough AAP kids to make a class. Others barely enough. Are you saying those kids should be stuck with the inferior cluster model just because of where they live? The centers are absolutely required at the elementary level to get a mix of kids - especially if was on a subject-by-subject basis as you suggested since some subjects would have even fewer kids than others.
Now for middle school there is no reason to have centers. Hopefully the push to eliminate them isn't lost after all the boundary changes drain the political will to make the moves.

At this point, there is NO reason to have AAP centers, in either elementary or middle. Sorry. It's redundancy at its worst.

I just gave you the reason. Many elementary schools do not have enough level 4 AAP kids to make a full class. Mixing them in a cluster model makes it no longer an AAP classroom, and the pace goes at that of the slowest kids. Providing gifted children services is a legal requirement in Virginia. You can't just decree that they should be ignored.

Sigh. Every time someone suggests getting rid of AAP centers, people like you immediately jump to the conclusion that we're advocating getting rid of AAP. That's not at all what I said. At this point, decades after AAP centers were implemented, 99% of schools all have their own AAP classes. The idea of giving kids another school to choose from, the center, is ridiculous. If they have AAP at their base school, they should be required to stay there.

The very few schools that don't have AAP (which are??) should get it. And flexible grouping is a much smarter way to give all the kids who can do advanced work a chance to do it, in whatever core subjects are appropriate for them. It's not a gifted program. The whole process should be simplified, not made more complicated with byzantine regulations and zoning issues. Just offer it in all schools. Done.

Just because some schools offer local AAP does not mean it is equivalent of what they offer at the center. "Local level 4" at those schools is just the cluster model with a different name. So no, 99% of elementary schools do not have real AAP.
In my opinion what they really need to do is put even fewer kids in AAP and actually make it a gifted program. Then even fewer schools would have enough kids who qualify to make a full class - which is why the centers exist. That's how it used to be. Parents here can't handle their kid not making the cut to be in the top track, so they've gotten AAP expanded and watered down. Now we end up with a new set of parents like you with kids on the watered down edge of AAP who just want their kid in it for whatever courses they can muster a good enough score to be considered. It's ridiculous.

Sorry, what? How would you know whether my kids are in AAP or not, or whether they're "on the watered down edge" or not?

I'm a parent who has LONG advocated for a much smaller gifted program - taking it back to when it used to be GT and a tiny percentage of kids were in it because only a tiny percentage of kinds are actually gifted. FCPS for whatever reason saw fit to make it this huge, unwieldy program full of kids who range in ability and overlap greatly with the top Gen Ed kids. So if they're not going to go back to a small, true GT program, then they *should* open up advanced classes to any child capable - which is a lot. What's ridiculous is the current iteration of AAP, which isn't really serving anyone in the way it should.

current AAP at a center is amazing. Its not truly gifted, but its the best education offered in FCPS before high school. I think its great too that it is a big program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about the homeowners and non-ESL students that live in the Lewis boundaries? They should be forced to move to other schools and see their home values suffer? Doesn't seem right to me.

Wtf are you babbling about? How would their home values suffer going to a better performing school with more kids? Seems like it would be a win for them.

But, to be fair, I don’t think they should have to move if they don’t want to. 1,500 students is only a critical shortfall if you are trying to make a blatant equity play. It’s the people in Lewis pyramid trying to bolster their own house value at the expense of their neighbors.

I'm asking why people in the Lewis pyramid who are not ESL should have to transfer to other schools to find similar cohorts and challenging classes. That is the situation now and will continue to be unless something is done to help the school. Why are some pyramids designated as the permanent home of the poor and ESL populations? That is how FCPS is treating them. How is that fair to the homeowners in the Lewis pyramid? They moved higher income areas from Gambrill Road and Daventry to West Springfield. That helped their property values. Was that fair to the homeowners still zoned to Lewis? Maybe some people are tired of being dumped on.

Did you not know your school pyramid before you bought your house?

And as for being dumped on, yeah, FCPS families are overwhelmingly tired of this boundary change crap. The school board wasted years on it instead of working to improve the school system. The opportunity cost is through the roof on boundary changes, and they’re going to run it back in four years. It’s insanity.

I’m so tired of this argument. So the “poors” should be the ones that suffer and their kids get a worse education than others?
Things will never be truly equal, but comparing Lewis to say Langley is a huge difference. Why should people in the Lewis pyramid have their backs turned on them by the school board because “they’re too poor to buy a house in a better neighborhood”

And by example, we bought our house in the Lewis pyramid in 2020 thinking we’d move when our kids are older, or things could change in the next ten-ish years. Fast forward to now, we’ve got a kid in kindergarten at Springfield Estates, which is a very good school, but it looks like the school board gives zero Fs about Key and Lewis. We have a very low interest rate on our mortgage, one spouse is fed, and one is a contractor. Mortgage rates are now high, prices are high, gas is expensive, food is expensive. Fed feels like they could be RIFed at any moment. But I guess according to DCUM trolls we should just move in order to have our kids get an equitable education? Noted, sounds so easy I’ll hop right on that. /s

Yes, this is exactly what you can expect to hear from this crowd…

“Suck it up”
“You knew what schools you were zoned for 15 years ago when you bought and should not have expected any improvement”
“Lewis is thriving as a small school!”
“It shouldn’t matter that the school can’t fill basic sports, academic programs”
“ MENTAL HEALTH!”
“Just give it a few more years…”

We pulled our kid last year and are in the process of moving.

Make sure you check out the schools that your new home is zoned for so that you don’t have to continue to try to mooch off your neighbors there. Life is easier when you put in the effort on the front end.

Bon voyage!

+1. The PP took a gamble on buying a house zoned for the worst high school in Fairfax County. They could have either purchased less house in a more well regarded school, but they chose not too. They even acknowledge that they knew about the issues with the school when they purchased. Sorry, let me get out my violin for you. My house has downsides, but when we purchased the number 1 consideration was the schools. That area of Fairfax County was a nonstarter.

I’m not disputing your points. I also didn’t ask for sympathy, and the “we win, you lose” tone isn’t helpful.

We live in a 1200 sq ft townhouse, which is what we could afford. The idea that we should have “downgraded” more, or somehow predicted this, isn’t realistic.

We moved to the county expecting access to good schools. Instead, we’re watching our assigned school fall continue to fall behind with little action to address it. That’s the issue.

If your kids are in a good position, great for you. But dismissing other families’ concerns instead of pushing for better across the board is part of the problem.

DP. Here’s the thing - if you seek to improve your schools by messing with my kids, I will fight you every damn step of the way. I don’t dismiss your concerns, but boundary changes just hurt a lot of people AND degrades the entire school system. If the school system wanted to fix your school without using our kids as their resource, then it would have my full support.

Equity redistricting just doesn’t work.

I like a lot of Lewis parents are advocating to fix problems at the school first without any redistricting involved. The problem is that the school board is turning their backs on them.

But also to play devils advocate, since apparently DCUM is under the impression that you need to pick your home 20 years in advance in a good school district, if you think your kids have a chance of being moved, then maybe you should have foreseen this possibility and moved within an inch of your favored high school. Boundaries are never set in stone. Sorry you’re one of the poors that picked a house on the edge of your boundary.

DP - if you share what the Lewis parents want the school board to do, maybe we can help advocate on your behalf.

Literally read through this thread. Big things are remove IB at Lewis and add AAP to Key.

Are you the Lewis parent? I know this may be what other people think Lewis needs, but what I asked was what Lewis parents think Lewis needs.

Lewis parents and staff told the district what they wanted/needed in a new principal and were flatly ignored.

What did you tell them? Misery loves company?

Wouldn’t it be better to try to improve the school instead? If you build it, they will come.

We told them we specifically wanted someone with classroom experience, not just another admin lifer. So they gave us an admin lifer, one who was handpicked by central even though they claimed a nationwide search.

Didn't Lewis just get a new principal? People are raving about her.

Define “people” please. She was the initial committee’s last choice, so they restarted a “nationwide” search and put her and 2 even worse candidates up.

She’s exactly the same as the previous principal, except she speaks Spanish. Zero classroom experience. Plus ca change…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It does not make sense for any Lake Bradfock students to attend Keene Mill for AAP.

Lake Braddock has more than enough elementary kids to move those students to a center or create a center gor them in their pyramid.


It is crazy to call an Keene Mill a split feeder because it simply is not.

AAP feeder patterns are insane. The AAP kids at Gunston who live in the portion of the school zoned to Hayfield go to Lake Braddock, while the kids who live in the South County zone go to South County. Why don’t we have AAP at all middle schools yet? I also think there is a similar issue at Lorton Station where the AAP kids attending the Lorton Station center from Saratoga go to Lake Braddock instead of Lewis.

Which is why they need to eliminate centers for good and just keep all kids at their base schools. Have an AAP group for every subject and allow kids to rotate in and out as needed. This does not need to be the ridiculously complicated system they currently have for something that's not even a gifted program.

Elementary schools don’t rotate for math, reading, social studies and science. They lump math/science together and reading/social studies. They can’t do “an AAP group for every subject’ and have the kids rotate out without losing TONS of time to transitions.

I don’t really care if they get rid of AAP centers at the elementary school level except that it will result in a massive redistricting project.

My kids' elementary school rotates for all four core subjects. The classrooms are all clustered next to one another, so it's not a big deal at all.

And some elementary schools don't have enough AAP kids to make a class. Others barely enough. Are you saying those kids should be stuck with the inferior cluster model just because of where they live? The centers are absolutely required at the elementary level to get a mix of kids - especially if was on a subject-by-subject basis as you suggested since some subjects would have even fewer kids than others.
Now for middle school there is no reason to have centers. Hopefully the push to eliminate them isn't lost after all the boundary changes drain the political will to make the moves.

At this point, there is NO reason to have AAP centers, in either elementary or middle. Sorry. It's redundancy at its worst.

I just gave you the reason. Many elementary schools do not have enough level 4 AAP kids to make a full class. Mixing them in a cluster model makes it no longer an AAP classroom, and the pace goes at that of the slowest kids. Providing gifted children services is a legal requirement in Virginia. You can't just decree that they should be ignored.

Sigh. Every time someone suggests getting rid of AAP centers, people like you immediately jump to the conclusion that we're advocating getting rid of AAP. That's not at all what I said. At this point, decades after AAP centers were implemented, 99% of schools all have their own AAP classes. The idea of giving kids another school to choose from, the center, is ridiculous. If they have AAP at their base school, they should be required to stay there.

The very few schools that don't have AAP (which are??) should get it. And flexible grouping is a much smarter way to give all the kids who can do advanced work a chance to do it, in whatever core subjects are appropriate for them. It's not a gifted program. The whole process should be simplified, not made more complicated with byzantine regulations and zoning issues. Just offer it in all schools. Done.

Just because some schools offer local AAP does not mean it is equivalent of what they offer at the center. "Local level 4" at those schools is just the cluster model with a different name. So no, 99% of elementary schools do not have real AAP.
In my opinion what they really need to do is put even fewer kids in AAP and actually make it a gifted program. Then even fewer schools would have enough kids who qualify to make a full class - which is why the centers exist. That's how it used to be. Parents here can't handle their kid not making the cut to be in the top track, so they've gotten AAP expanded and watered down. Now we end up with a new set of parents like you with kids on the watered down edge of AAP who just want their kid in it for whatever courses they can muster a good enough score to be considered. It's ridiculous.

Sorry, what? How would you know whether my kids are in AAP or not, or whether they're "on the watered down edge" or not?

I'm a parent who has LONG advocated for a much smaller gifted program - taking it back to when it used to be GT and a tiny percentage of kids were in it because only a tiny percentage of kinds are actually gifted. FCPS for whatever reason saw fit to make it this huge, unwieldy program full of kids who range in ability and overlap greatly with the top Gen Ed kids. So if they're not going to go back to a small, true GT program, then they *should* open up advanced classes to any child capable - which is a lot. What's ridiculous is the current iteration of AAP, which isn't really serving anyone in the way it should.

Yawn. Take it to the AAP forum.