Voting Against 2017 FCPS School Bond

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ding ding ding! The only way a western fairfax school is being built is if the communities across FCPS agree that a massive redistricting is also acceptable. That isn't happening. Hence the expansions in capacity. We brought the issue onto ourselves. If we waited smaller schools we would be okay with boundaries moving. But parents are not.

This is actually strangely logical. And yes, I will be voting yes as wel.

It's a fiction to claim a new high school requires a massive redistricting across the entire county. Doesn't happen. Conversely, the last time there was a county-wide redistricting (about 30 years ago) there was no new high school being opened.

It will be interesting to see how this plays out. The people who want smaller schools vote with their feet by moving to Loudoun. Schools like Stone Bridge and Briar Woods have better reputations now than Herndon and Westfield. If/when they also start outperforming Chantilly, attitudes may change.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP, and I will say that I think a Western County test in-opt in magnet would be great. I would love to see an IB magnet, and then they can pull IB from everywhere else. STEM is more obvious in that part of the county. But right now, most of TJ comes from Western County and Loudoun-- and TJ was just renovated with all the STEM labs. But TJ II is another great solution.

NP. I don't have a dog in this fight yet because my kids are still in early elementary, but I'm in Western Fairfax and have been listening to my neighbors with older children. I'm surprised this idea hasn't gotten more traction from people in this area.

I have a Western County TJ kid. And I think there is a concern that it would water down TJ I. I think a test in IB magnet would be great. And there are just enough affluent families who like IB, that make it competitive entry like TJ and it would work. And then we could stop the ridiculous IB fight about places like Lee where it clearly doesn't work.

My guess is that the anti-AAP crowd would also lose it over more "special education opportunities". Since almost also of TJ fCPS kids come from AAP Center. I would presume IB would too. But maybe also immersion kids could get some preference?

[Anonymous]

People who didn't grow up in a large metropolitan area, with good public schools, think we must have smaller schools. They fight hard for smaller schools because that's all they know. they are comparing this area to where they grew up. My kid's large FCPS HS is still smaller than my own Montgomery County HS of decades ago.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think there is a lot of BS on here. Yes-- everything wants a small HS for their kids. But no one wants to sacrifice. Raise your hand if you are now zoned for Oakton or Chantilly and are willing to be rezoned-- to Westfield, or Herndon-- or a brand new school that is a crapshoot when it opens its doors with no reputation.

Everyone wants someone else to be rezoned, so that their kid can attend a smaller school. But no one is raising their hands to be rezoned except high SES families in crappy HSs. And those are not the people who will be rezoned.

Herndon and Westfield need to keep their non-FARMS kids so they don't slide further. The SB have to pull low income kids from weak HSs and high income kids from strong performers to get a balanced HS. It's lose-lose.

The SB is moving heaven and earth not to rezone because the Western county is still so angry from the last re-zoning that someone assaulted a SB member a couple years ago. And ask yourself if you are okay with YOUR KID being rezoned to a weaker HS or a new HS just getting started, GS unknown. If you are, then go ahead and argue rezoning. But, I'm Chantilly zoned, and I want the Western county schools smaller. But not enough to risk my kid being rezoned to the new HS or Westfield. Or taking the hit in my house value.

All Herndon needs to do to get higher income familiar is take from the ridiculous Langley borders that exist now.

Not so easy when Herndon is overcrowded and Langley is under-enrolled.

Why don't they redistrict some of the lower income homes from Herndon to Langley then?

[Anonymous]

Why don't they redistrict some of the lower income homes from Herndon to Langley then?

Because they are in Herndon. Some are actually closer to South Lakes, but South Lakes PTA did not want them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think there is a lot of BS on here. Yes-- everything wants a small HS for their kids. But no one wants to sacrifice. Raise your hand if you are now zoned for Oakton or Chantilly and are willing to be rezoned-- to Westfield, or Herndon-- or a brand new school that is a crapshoot when it opens its doors with no reputation.

Everyone wants someone else to be rezoned, so that their kid can attend a smaller school. But no one is raising their hands to be rezoned except high SES families in crappy HSs. And those are not the people who will be rezoned.

Herndon and Westfield need to keep their non-FARMS kids so they don't slide further. The SB have to pull low income kids from weak HSs and high income kids from strong performers to get a balanced HS. It's lose-lose.

The SB is moving heaven and earth not to rezone because the Western county is still so angry from the last re-zoning that someone assaulted a SB member a couple years ago. And ask yourself if you are okay with YOUR KID being rezoned to a weaker HS or a new HS just getting started, GS unknown. If you are, then go ahead and argue rezoning. But, I'm Chantilly zoned, and I want the Western county schools smaller. But not enough to risk my kid being rezoned to the new HS or Westfield. Or taking the hit in my house value.

All Herndon needs to do to get higher income familiar is take from the ridiculous Langley borders that exist now.

Not so easy when Herndon is overcrowded and Langley is under-enrolled.

Why don't they redistrict some of the lower income homes from Herndon to Langley then?

The more sensible thing to do if FCPS really believes in diversity is to move some of the multi-family housing in Tysons out of Marshall and McLean to Langley. That relieves overcrowding at those schools and would add some diversity to Langley without requiring the lower-income kids whose families may not have access to cars to travel long distances to school.

[Anonymous]

The above is just a small example of why the SB does not want to touch redistricting that would likely impact Westfield, Chantilly, SLHS, Oakton, Herndon, possibly Centreville and Langley. Maybe more.

Because yes. Everyone is in favor of someone else being redistricted to bring their kids school down.

Besides, the Western county is only going to keep growing. It is not build out, by any stretch. The Western County Expansions are buying time before a new Western high school is needed. But unltimately it will be built. And it will be large too.

[Anonymous]

Also, Loudoun has it's own issues keeping up with demands and capacity. And Loudoun is looking at not renewing its TJ contract now that it has AOS up and running. But AOS does not have the name recognition and is on,y part time. Given how much of TJ comes out Carson and RRMS, I seriously doubt people will be fleeing to Loudoun if TJ is off the table.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People who didn't grow up in a large metropolitan area, with good public schools, think we must have smaller schools. They fight hard for smaller schools because that's all they know. they are comparing this area to where they grew up. My kid's large FCPS HS is still smaller than my own Montgomery County HS of decades ago.

This area still needs to attract families from outside the dc metro area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Madison and West Potomac do not need to be expanded

I cannot vote for a school bond to expand West Potomac knowing that Mount Vernon is under-enrolled and the SB hasn't lifted a finger to redistrict or consider whether IB depresses the enrollment at MV.

Madison is overcrowded now but why expand it to 2500 kids or more when FCPS already has plans to expand both South Lakes and Oakton? I guess to take kids from Marshall so Marshall can become more Tysons-centric?

Marshall just finished a massive renovation and expansion and is already overcrowded. There is a modular in the back parking lot they just added.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People who didn't grow up in a large metropolitan area, with good public schools, think we must have smaller schools. They fight hard for smaller schools because that's all they know. they are comparing this area to where they grew up. My kid's large FCPS HS is still smaller than my own Montgomery County HS of decades ago.

This area still needs to attract families from outside the dc metro area.

And when we do, they will live in an urban area. I'm not sure how you expect to attract people from flyover America and then protect them from the realities of an urban area. The traffic sucks. Commutes suck. Housing prices are high. You will live in a highly educated, affluent area. In many places you will find a lot of diversity. I have always been able to find amazing ethnic foods in random strip mall. We go to the the Kennedy Center and then Smithsonials and Wolftrap. If you quit griping about AAP and IB and HS size, you know that our kids get a better education than what is available in 95% of the country. TJ OOS possible for extremely fright kids. The economy is realitively stable and protected by the federal government. Our kids have opportunities that I certainly didn't have growing up, both my kids do private lessons with people who play at a high level in professional symphonies. My kid's high school humanities teacher was a fellow at a Smithsonian this summer, and the kids are doing a field trip with her to studendy 6 painting that tie in with what they are learning. And then go backstage and learn about the processes of restoring the painting for integrated Chemistry and Humanities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The above is just a small example of why the SB does not want to touch redistricting that would likely impact Westfield, Chantilly, SLHS, Oakton, Herndon, possibly Centreville and Langley. Maybe more.

Because yes. Everyone is in favor of someone else being redistricted to bring their kids school down.

Besides, the Western county is only going to keep growing. It is not build out, by any stretch. The Western County Expansions are buying time before a new Western high school is needed. But unltimately it will be built. And it will be large too.

Pretty sure they don't even have property yet. Years and years away. They sold the property they were holding to the Saudi Academy. And, just where is all this property in the western county that is still yet to be built out?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The above is just a small example of why the SB does not want to touch redistricting that would likely impact Westfield, Chantilly, SLHS, Oakton, Herndon, possibly Centreville and Langley. Maybe more.

Because yes. Everyone is in favor of someone else being redistricted to bring their kids school down.

Besides, the Western county is only going to keep growing. It is not build out, by any stretch. The Western County Expansions are buying time before a new Western high school is needed. But unltimately it will be built. And it will be large too.

Wrong. All the expansions are intended to give FCPS an option never to build that school. Maybe you're OK sending your kid to some ridiculously large high school with over 2600 kids. We are not. Loudoun looks better all the time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The above is just a small example of why the SB does not want to touch redistricting that would likely impact Westfield, Chantilly, SLHS, Oakton, Herndon, possibly Centreville and Langley. Maybe more.

Because yes. Everyone is in favor of someone else being redistricted to bring their kids school down.

Besides, the Western county is only going to keep growing. It is not build out, by any stretch. The Western County Expansions are buying time before a new Western high school is needed. But unltimately it will be built. And it will be large too.

Wrong. All the expansions are intended to give FCPS an option never to build that school. Maybe you're OK sending your kid to some ridiculously large high school with over 2600 kids. We are not. Loudoun looks better all the time.

Then vote with your feet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People who didn't grow up in a large metropolitan area, with good public schools, think we must have smaller schools. They fight hard for smaller schools because that's all they know. they are comparing this area to where they grew up. My kid's large FCPS HS is still smaller than my own Montgomery County HS of decades ago.

This area still needs to attract families from outside the dc metro area.

And when we do, they will live in an urban area. I'm not sure how you expect to attract people from flyover America and then protect them from the realities of an urban area. The traffic sucks. Commutes suck. Housing prices are high. You will live in a highly educated, affluent area. In many places you will find a lot of diversity. I have always been able to find amazing ethnic foods in random strip mall. We go to the the Kennedy Center and then Smithsonials and Wolftrap. If you quit griping about AAP and IB and HS size, you know that our kids get a better education than what is available in 95% of the country. TJ OOS possible for extremely fright kids. The economy is realitively stable and protected by the federal government. Our kids have opportunities that I certainly didn't have growing up, both my kids do private lessons with people who play at a high level in professional symphonies. My kid's high school humanities teacher was a fellow at a Smithsonian this summer, and the kids are doing a field trip with her to studendy 6 painting that tie in with what they are learning. And then go backstage and learn about the processes of restoring the painting for integrated Chemistry and Humanities.

Most urban areas do not have such large high schools. The western part of the country has been expanding now for decades. There really is no excuse why a new high school is not yet planned. It's been on the books for decades with plenty of time to secure the land and plan boundaries.