FCPS High School Poverty and Enrollment

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:WSHS parent here. I’m reading all these comments and it struck me how funny it is that people are acting like WSHS and West Springfield are these amazing desirable places. DCUM likes to routinely shit on Springfield the community. We bought here because as two government workers, we were priced out of Arlington yet didn’t want to have a massive commute downtown.

And yes, the class of 2026 is enormous. One of my kids is in that class and there were all sorts of behavioral issues in middle school.

It's so true. I don't understand why the focus of these boundary threads is always WSHS/Lewis. My kids go to Rolling Valley which is an incredibly diverse school with a pretty high FARMS rate and we LOVE it. I know that waters down as they move to Irving and West Springfield, but Springfield is not an elite/wealthy area compared to those other McLean/Langley areas that I don't even know about. I feel like our community has and does work hard to keep our schools working well and supports our students, teachers, and admin.

I actually wouldn't care if there was a boundary change and my kids went to Lewis as long as it was a BIG change that really evened things out - talking switching a whole elementary school or half of two. Taking a neighborhood here or there really won't help at all and just splits up our community.

I also think there are more problems than just the demographics at Lewis. I do know several families personally whose kids go there (or tried it) because Rolling Valley is a split feeder to Lewis/WSHS. The admin at Lewis does not have control over that school. Also at Key. I know of real instances of bullying and violence that ended up letting students pupil place to South County (not WSHS, notice).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:WSHS parent here. I’m reading all these comments and it struck me how funny it is that people are acting like WSHS and West Springfield are these amazing desirable places. DCUM likes to routinely shit on Springfield the community. We bought here because as two government workers, we were priced out of Arlington yet didn’t want to have a massive commute downtown.

And yes, the class of 2026 is enormous. One of my kids is in that class and there were all sorts of behavioral issues in middle school.

It's so true. I don't understand why the focus of these boundary threads is always WSHS/Lewis. My kids go to Rolling Valley which is an incredibly diverse school with a pretty high FARMS rate and we LOVE it. I know that waters down as they move to Irving and West Springfield, but Springfield is not an elite/wealthy area compared to those other McLean/Langley areas that I don't even know about. I feel like our community has and does work hard to keep our schools working well and supports our students, teachers, and admin.

I actually wouldn't care if there was a boundary change and my kids went to Lewis as long as it was a BIG change that really evened things out - talking switching a whole elementary school or half of two. Taking a neighborhood here or there really won't help at all and just splits up our community.

I also think there are more problems than just the demographics at Lewis. I do know several families personally whose kids go there (or tried it) because Rolling Valley is a split feeder to Lewis/WSHS. The admin at Lewis does not have control over that school. Also at Key. I know of real instances of bullying and violence that ended up letting students pupil place to South County (not WSHS, notice).

Some Lewis neighborhoods are closer to South County and they aren't going to let kids pupil place to WSHS when it's already above capacity and expected to get to @ 110% capacity. South County is around 90% capacity. That doesn't mean they shouldn't consider moving part of WSHS to Lewis.

[Anonymous]

I also think there are more problems than just the demographics at Lewis.

I have been wondering this. I live nowhere near that area, but I do know that something is wrong when all other races are leaving the school. Black, White, and Asian are leaving in numbers, while Hispanic population is going up.

Herndon has 51% Hispanic, but it still manages well. It also has about 50% free lunch.

Get rid of IB at Lewis ASAP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I also think there are more problems than just the demographics at Lewis.

I have been wondering this. I live nowhere near that area, but I do know that something is wrong when all other races are leaving the school. Black, White, and Asian are leaving in numbers, while Hispanic population is going up.

Herndon has 51% Hispanic, but it still manages well. It also has about 50% free lunch.

Get rid of IB at Lewis ASAP.

It doesn't help that Key Middle school is a disaster by all accounts. The behavior issues there and disruptions to learning mean that any family that can flees before high school. They seem to really need new leadership. I have many friends who have tried Key and been so dismayed that they've found other alternatives for high school - moving, private school, getting into the STEM program at Edison, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I also think there are more problems than just the demographics at Lewis.

I have been wondering this. I live nowhere near that area, but I do know that something is wrong when all other races are leaving the school. Black, White, and Asian are leaving in numbers, while Hispanic population is going up.

Herndon has 51% Hispanic, but it still manages well. It also has about 50% free lunch.

Get rid of IB at Lewis ASAP.

It doesn't help that Key Middle school is a disaster by all accounts. The behavior issues there and disruptions to learning mean that any family that can flees before high school. They seem to really need new leadership. I have many friends who have tried Key and been so dismayed that they've found other alternatives for high school - moving, private school, getting into the STEM program at Edison, etc.

I just looked at the demographic history of Key. (I don't live near there) It is very interesting that numbers are dropping with all races. Percentages remain pretty stable, but it does appear people are leaving.

That is a big red flag.

Why doesn't Gatehouse do something? SB? crickets

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I also think there are more problems than just the demographics at Lewis.

I have been wondering this. I live nowhere near that area, but I do know that something is wrong when all other races are leaving the school. Black, White, and Asian are leaving in numbers, while Hispanic population is going up.

Herndon has 51% Hispanic, but it still manages well. It also has about 50% free lunch.

Get rid of IB at Lewis ASAP.

I taught at Lewis for a while when I was living in eastern Fairfax County. Lewis suffered greatly from defamation after a Newcomer program was established there briefly for 2 years back in 2015. The program was a "school inside a school" for new adult immigrants up to age 22 and rumors got out that 22 year old men were harassing freshman girls.

These adults were there voluntarily to acquire a diploma and learn English so they could work in the US. I never heard of any harassment cases from them and they would have been risking their chance to get ahead.

I can understand parents being concerned about adults being in the same building as their young daughters, but those rumors were unwarranted and likely spread by certain groups angry about border control.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:WSHS parent here. I’m reading all these comments and it struck me how funny it is that people are acting like WSHS and West Springfield are these amazing desirable places. DCUM likes to routinely shit on Springfield the community. We bought here because as two government workers, we were priced out of Arlington yet didn’t want to have a massive commute downtown.

And yes, the class of 2026 is enormous. One of my kids is in that class and there were all sorts of behavioral issues in middle school.

It's so true. I don't understand why the focus of these boundary threads is always WSHS/Lewis. My kids go to Rolling Valley which is an incredibly diverse school with a pretty high FARMS rate and we LOVE it. I know that waters down as they move to Irving and West Springfield, but Springfield is not an elite/wealthy area compared to those other McLean/Langley areas that I don't even know about. I feel like our community has and does work hard to keep our schools working well and supports our students, teachers, and admin.

I actually wouldn't care if there was a boundary change and my kids went to Lewis as long as it was a BIG change that really evened things out - talking switching a whole elementary school or half of two. Taking a neighborhood here or there really won't help at all and just splits up our community.

I also think there are more problems than just the demographics at Lewis. I do know several families personally whose kids go there (or tried it) because Rolling Valley is a split feeder to Lewis/WSHS. The admin at Lewis does not have control over that school. Also at Key. I know of real instances of bullying and violence that ended up letting students pupil place to South County (not WSHS, notice).

Some Lewis neighborhoods are closer to South County and they aren't going to let kids pupil place to WSHS when it's already above capacity and expected to get to @ 110% capacity. South County is around 90% capacity. That doesn't mean they shouldn't consider moving part of WSHS to Lewis.

WSHS will not be over capacity once the current crop of very large high school classes graduate.

It would be very short sighted of FCPS to start a disruptive, controversial rezoning process that will wrap up when the bloated class of 2026 are seniors, when the capacity issues at WSHS are a temporary issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I also think there are more problems than just the demographics at Lewis.

I have been wondering this. I live nowhere near that area, but I do know that something is wrong when all other races are leaving the school. Black, White, and Asian are leaving in numbers, while Hispanic population is going up.

Herndon has 51% Hispanic, but it still manages well. It also has about 50% free lunch.

Get rid of IB at Lewis ASAP.

It doesn't help that Key Middle school is a disaster by all accounts. The behavior issues there and disruptions to learning mean that any family that can flees before high school. They seem to really need new leadership. I have many friends who have tried Key and been so dismayed that they've found other alternatives for high school - moving, private school, getting into the STEM program at Edison, etc.

I just looked at the demographic history of Key. (I don't live near there) It is very interesting that numbers are dropping with all races. Percentages remain pretty stable, but it does appear people are leaving.

That is a big red flag.

Why doesn't Gatehouse do something? SB? crickets

Yes, if the families I know personally that left after trying Key, 2 were white, 1 Pakistani, 1 Iranian, and one Korean.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I also think there are more problems than just the demographics at Lewis.

I have been wondering this. I live nowhere near that area, but I do know that something is wrong when all other races are leaving the school. Black, White, and Asian are leaving in numbers, while Hispanic population is going up.

Herndon has 51% Hispanic, but it still manages well. It also has about 50% free lunch.

Get rid of IB at Lewis ASAP.

Why doesn't Gatehouse do something? SB? crickets

Because they can’t do anything about this, gaps, or any other educational issue without parents supporting their children.

If parents don’t discipline… guess what, kids don’t behave. If parents don’t encourage studies and check report cards, status, etc… guess what, kids might not get good grades.

And If parents don’t care about any of those items, then probably, the kid may not actually attend school during the day.

That’s why, ITT, there are posters literally asking other parents to fix these problems.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I also think there are more problems than just the demographics at Lewis.

I have been wondering this. I live nowhere near that area, but I do know that something is wrong when all other races are leaving the school. Black, White, and Asian are leaving in numbers, while Hispanic population is going up.

Herndon has 51% Hispanic, but it still manages well. It also has about 50% free lunch.

Get rid of IB at Lewis ASAP.

It doesn't help that Key Middle school is a disaster by all accounts. The behavior issues there and disruptions to learning mean that any family that can flees before high school. They seem to really need new leadership. I have many friends who have tried Key and been so dismayed that they've found other alternatives for high school - moving, private school, getting into the STEM program at Edison, etc.

I just looked at the demographic history of Key. (I don't live near there) It is very interesting that numbers are dropping with all races. Percentages remain pretty stable, but it does appear people are leaving.

That is a big red flag.

Why doesn't Gatehouse do something? SB? crickets

Because they can’t do anything about this, gaps, or any other educational issue without parents supporting their children.

If parents don’t discipline… guess what, kids don’t behave. If parents don’t encourage studies and check report cards, status, etc… guess what, kids might not get good grades.

And If parents don’t care about any of those items, then probably, the kid may not actually attend school during the day.

That’s why, ITT, there are posters literally asking other parents to fix these problems.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I also think there are more problems than just the demographics at Lewis.

I have been wondering this. I live nowhere near that area, but I do know that something is wrong when all other races are leaving the school. Black, White, and Asian are leaving in numbers, while Hispanic population is going up.

Herndon has 51% Hispanic, but it still manages well. It also has about 50% free lunch.

Get rid of IB at Lewis ASAP.

It doesn't help that Key Middle school is a disaster by all accounts. The behavior issues there and disruptions to learning mean that any family that can flees before high school. They seem to really need new leadership. I have many friends who have tried Key and been so dismayed that they've found other alternatives for high school - moving, private school, getting into the STEM program at Edison, etc.

I just looked at the demographic history of Key. (I don't live near there) It is very interesting that numbers are dropping with all races. Percentages remain pretty stable, but it does appear people are leaving.

That is a big red flag.

Why doesn't Gatehouse do something? SB? crickets

Because they can’t do anything about this, gaps, or any other educational issue without parents supporting their children.

If parents don’t discipline… guess what, kids don’t behave. If parents don’t encourage studies and check report cards, status, etc… guess what, kids might not get good grades.

And If parents don’t care about any of those items, then probably, the kid may not actually attend school during the day.

That’s why, ITT, there are posters literally asking other parents to fix these problems.

They can suspend and expel far more than they choose to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I also think there are more problems than just the demographics at Lewis.

I have been wondering this. I live nowhere near that area, but I do know that something is wrong when all other races are leaving the school. Black, White, and Asian are leaving in numbers, while Hispanic population is going up.

Herndon has 51% Hispanic, but it still manages well. It also has about 50% free lunch.

Get rid of IB at Lewis ASAP.

Annandale, Falls Church, and Herndon are examples of other schools where over the past five years the Asian, Black, and White enrollments have all declined while the Hispanic enrollments have increased. It's not unique to Lewis, nor should it be cited as if there's some unique flaw with Lewis that must be fixed before others could ever be reassigned to the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I also think there are more problems than just the demographics at Lewis.

I have been wondering this. I live nowhere near that area, but I do know that something is wrong when all other races are leaving the school. Black, White, and Asian are leaving in numbers, while Hispanic population is going up.

Herndon has 51% Hispanic, but it still manages well. It also has about 50% free lunch.

Get rid of IB at Lewis ASAP.

Annandale, Falls Church, and Herndon are examples of other schools where over the past five years the Asian, Black, and White enrollments have all declined while the Hispanic enrollments have increased. It's not unique to Lewis, nor should it be cited as if there's some unique flaw with Lewis that must be fixed before others could ever be reassigned to the school.

It appears that it Herndon, the only race that has dropped dramatically over the last two years is Asian.

There is no question that the Hispanic population has dramatically increased in numbers as well as percentage at all three schools.

Could others be leaving because Spanish is the preferred language among kids? If you don't know what others are speaking about, it leads to social isolation.

I suspect that it will not work if others think redistricting will fix this problem.

Is there any place to see the truancy stats at those schools?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I also think there are more problems than just the demographics at Lewis.

I have been wondering this. I live nowhere near that area, but I do know that something is wrong when all other races are leaving the school. Black, White, and Asian are leaving in numbers, while Hispanic population is going up.

Herndon has 51% Hispanic, but it still manages well. It also has about 50% free lunch.

Get rid of IB at Lewis ASAP.

It doesn't help that Key Middle school is a disaster by all accounts. The behavior issues there and disruptions to learning mean that any family that can flees before high school. They seem to really need new leadership. I have many friends who have tried Key and been so dismayed that they've found other alternatives for high school - moving, private school, getting into the STEM program at Edison, etc.

I just looked at the demographic history of Key. (I don't live near there) It is very interesting that numbers are dropping with all races. Percentages remain pretty stable, but it does appear people are leaving.

That is a big red flag.

Why doesn't Gatehouse do something? SB? crickets

Because they can’t do anything about this, gaps, or any other educational issue without parents supporting their children.

If parents don’t discipline… guess what, kids don’t behave. If parents don’t encourage studies and check report cards, status, etc… guess what, kids might not get good grades.

And If parents don’t care about any of those items, then probably, the kid may not actually attend school during the day.

That’s why, ITT, there are posters literally asking other parents to fix these problems.

They can suspend and expel far more than they choose to.

That may move the issue from school, but then it adds to the problems in the community/society.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I also think there are more problems than just the demographics at Lewis.

I have been wondering this. I live nowhere near that area, but I do know that something is wrong when all other races are leaving the school. Black, White, and Asian are leaving in numbers, while Hispanic population is going up.

Herndon has 51% Hispanic, but it still manages well. It also has about 50% free lunch.

Get rid of IB at Lewis ASAP.

It doesn't help that Key Middle school is a disaster by all accounts. The behavior issues there and disruptions to learning mean that any family that can flees before high school. They seem to really need new leadership. I have many friends who have tried Key and been so dismayed that they've found other alternatives for high school - moving, private school, getting into the STEM program at Edison, etc.

I just looked at the demographic history of Key. (I don't live near there) It is very interesting that numbers are dropping with all races. Percentages remain pretty stable, but it does appear people are leaving.

That is a big red flag.

Why doesn't Gatehouse do something? SB? crickets

Because they can’t do anything about this, gaps, or any other educational issue without parents supporting their children.

If parents don’t discipline… guess what, kids don’t behave. If parents don’t encourage studies and check report cards, status, etc… guess what, kids might not get good grades.

And If parents don’t care about any of those items, then probably, the kid may not actually attend school during the day.

That’s why, ITT, there are posters literally asking other parents to fix these problems.

They can suspend and expel far more than they choose to.

That may move the issue from school, but then it adds to the problems in the community/society.

Do you think the kids constantly getting in fights are destined to end up as productive members of society?