FCPS HS Boundary

[Anonymous]

The whole mess could be solved by making sure the affected communities are involved and need to approve the decision.

The old policy, in practice, required the community and school admin to raise the boundary adjustment to the SB member, then the SB member would propose the requested change to the SB for a vote. This bottom up practice meant that the community and the school functionally approved the decision by being the origination of the change. It is why everyone felt comfortable with the policy for 40 years.

The new policy appears to be top down with the superintendent (and her consultants) originating the boundary adjustment proposal and the SB voting on them, without any practical involvement of the community, other than holding forums where people can yell into the void. But there are no teeth to the communities' involvement.

The simple fix is amend the new policy and require that the proposed boundary adjustment must be approved by a simple referendum of the affected communities. Or if that is too onerous, you could simply say that the affected communities have the right to organize and pay for a referendum themselves (run by the local govt but funded by the community) and if the majority of the voters disapprove the proposed boundary adjustment, then the proposal is vetoed.

It's an easy fix that would make everyone feel protected.


This sounds good, but what about the taxpayers in the county? The county is taxed as a whole, not by each specific high school pyramid. Inefficiencies cause taxes to go up. Maybe the answer is to have separate taxing and voting districts. So split up into smaller "counties" or "high school taxing districts". Then have separate school boards, etc. Break up the whole thing. Separate superintendents, central offices, hiring, etc., etc. That's where this is going.


If each high school district area taxes separately, Lewis will have a big advantage because of all the businesses, offices, hotels, and medical in that area. Chances are the taxes would be much lower on the homes there (as compared to West Springfield where there are not so many businesses). So WSHS people need to realize this. This really is one county despite all the people who are saying otherwise. West Springfield people shop and go to restaurants over in the Lewis area a lot. It's part of the wider community for sure.

And you would have a high school with low numbers, but incredible funding and a high school with high numbers and not such great funding. Maybe this is a great answer actually. I think Lewis could do a lot with all that money. And WSHS families would be willing to have greater property tax increases in order to keep their kids out of Lewis. Win win.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Fcps desperately needs more dedicated special ed classrooms. They have a huge number of kids without school placements right now just sitting at home. Empty one of these underutilized high school biildings and turn it into a special ed center.

This is a really good idea.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lots of assumptions being made about who does and doesn't support adjustments. This is going to be akin to the common "boomer" vs. new generation conflict. As usual, older folks want to maintain what they feel they rightfully deserve, and younger families want a slice of the same pie.

There are a lot of young, very well-educated families who are completely priced out of top 10 schools. You bet they support boundary changes that make more schools acceptable and affordable. You'd be crazy not to in that position.

spot on! Especially in 22153 (Saratoga/Newington). I’ve talked to many families over the years who either moved or are planning to move/pupil place/private school before HS. Unfortunately our little community of students isn’t large enough to help Lewis get on equal footing with other FCPS schools. Geographically, im not even sure why we are in the Lewis pyramid given that South County is closer in distance and ease of transportation. I wholeheartedly support the SB’s efforts to reasses boundaries and bring more kids to Lewis.

Why would you want people to suffer with you? You gotta sell. Luckily Saratoga is fairly desirable - decent housing stock, community pools and amenities, and convenient. And there’s plenty of “dog mom/dad” DINK buyers who like having more space vs. a condo in Arlington, as well as empty nesters, families with babies who will move out when their kid hits 1st grade, and Catholic school families, not to mention FCPS teachers who pupil place where mom or dad works. Or you could list for rent and get a nice military family to rent for a few years. Just sell and move to the other side of Pohick and your kids could be in bounds for Newington Forest and South County. Or move up the parkway to West Springfield! There’s nothing much that can help Lewis at this point as almost every other school surrounding it is high poverty or also under enrolled.

The only way Saratoga is getting out of Lewis is if ALL the development zoned for Edison comes to pass, and they decide to revisit the Lewis/Edison borders and end up shunting off Saratoga to South County, or if Lewis is closed entirely. Either scenario is AT LEAST 10 years off, conservatively.

I don’t view this as us “suffering together” rather bringing in more students and families like us, to help bring more balance (and thus, opportunities) to Lewis.

Our kids aren’t close to HS age yet, but this boundary assessment will definitely influence whether we join our neighbors in moving/pupil place/go private or if stick around and see if anything can be done to improve Lewis.

This seems like a “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” situation for the SB. If they move kids, people will leave. If they don’t move kids, people will move. They can’t win either way.

Aha.

Well, first, you need to disabuse yourself of the notion that those being redistricted to Lewis are "families like us." They aren't, because they prioritized finding a house zoned to West Springfield rather than settling for Lewis.

Second, you need to anticipate that there will be a lot of attrition, because just because someone gets redistricted to Lewis doesn't mean they will passively accept this and not explore other options.

Third, you need to acknowledge that there are possibilities other than the "damned if you do, damned if you don't" scenario you outlined. Schools can improve if the county encourages development in the surrounding area, or the school does a better job of meeting the needs of the kids who are already zoned for the school. Rezoning - just like adding IB - can be a very crude and not necessarily effective tool for trying to enhance a school's perceived quality.

Oh I see. So, because we were priced out of neighborhoods zoned for WS, our kids don’t deserve an equivalent education? Got it.

To your second point, I guess you missed the part where I suggested that families like mine also have options, and we will continue to exercise them if the SB continues to neglect the needs of the students at Lewis. Trying to stop pupil placements as a retention method ain’t gonna fly!

And as to your third point, there is quite literally no action that the SB can take that will appease everyone. So yes, damned if you do/don’t still applies.

You were never going to get an equivalent education at Lewis and WS, starting with the fact that Lewis has a leadership program that WS doesn't have and WS has an AP curriculum that Lewis hasn't had.

So tell us again, what is it that you really want? Do you think a few hundred WS kids will put Lewis on the same footing as WS, or will it just make you feel better about having bought in the Lewis district if a few hundred more kids are similarly stranded there?

Not sure what you are getting at. I don’t need to “feel better about buying in the Lewis pyramid. I love my home and we bought before we had children. And yes, we knew how the school was rated back then but like many in our community, we figured we’d evaluate when the time came for our kids to attend HS. So yes, I am enthusiastic about the boards interest in improving the conditions at Lewis. And if that means adding a few hundred students from other schools to make it happen, so be it.

Again, tell that to my child. Thank her for her service to your child. Her college applications will be less robust, the next few years will be one change after another. One high school freshman year, a different one the following. All to boost up your child’s chances of getting a better class schedule.

Don’t expect us to cheer this as you throw our kids under the bus.

I don’t expect you to do anything but cry and complain as you’ve been doing for the last 300 pages.

And quite frankly, I couldn’t care less about your kid. In the same way that you clearly don’t care about mine.

What a wonderful welcome to the Lewis community. I’m not throwing your kid under, you bought your house knowing you were going to revisit in the high school years. We didn’t. You ARE actively throwing our kids and community under to boost up your own. That is much more malicious than you dealing with consequences you already knew when you bought your house.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lots of saber rattling by Langley parents at the board meeting last night threatening litigation if the School Board adopts revisions to the boundary policy.

They are the definition of “privilege hoarders” and they should be ordered to pay FCPS’s legal fees if they do bring a frivolous lawsuit.

I heard it way differently than your spin. But I guess to someone who is a trying to foment class warfare, you gotta spin it your way.

It’s really sad how much some folks on this board hate their neighbors based on a perception that didn’t even align with reality.

Be well.

What may be more effective than litigation, folks should consider launching candidates to oppose sb members that vote in favor of the policy change in the 2027 election. It is remarkably undemocratic that these members did not make a peep about this change during their campaigns. They should be forced to defend their position at the ballot box.

Anyone who paid any attention knew this is what they were up to.
When the last board was sworn in January 2020 they got right back to work on boundary policy.
Then Covid panic came and they were busy with their disastrous response, (and name changes and TJ admissions with the urgency of BLM happening) then reopening schools and convincing people who ditched FCPS to return.

They did manage to waste money on a consultant and survey about boundary policy, but it was back burner.

They never stopped working on it so the idea that they should be recalled or run out of office for continuing what they have been working on for years is laughable

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is literally part of their job to look at boundaries. They don't have to campaign on them. Fiscally it is the right thing to do instead of always building new capacity. This may include closing schools.

The people driving this waited until their own schools like West Potomac, Justice, Madison, and Oakton got additional capacity, and now they urge fiscal restraint and boundary changes?

They are from the same party that approved those prior decisions, so they don’t have a lot of legitimacy when they now claim there are no alternatives. It’s simply an opportunistic power play to move kids for social engineering.

Continuing the bad behavior of previous boards is not the answer. Two wrongs don't make a right.

The board should have stopped Karen Corbett Sanders but they did not. But that should not be repeated.

So they are stopping Karl Frisch and his elementary school boondoggle?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lots of assumptions being made about who does and doesn't support adjustments. This is going to be akin to the common "boomer" vs. new generation conflict. As usual, older folks want to maintain what they feel they rightfully deserve, and younger families want a slice of the same pie.

There are a lot of young, very well-educated families who are completely priced out of top 10 schools. You bet they support boundary changes that make more schools acceptable and affordable. You'd be crazy not to in that position.

spot on! Especially in 22153 (Saratoga/Newington). I’ve talked to many families over the years who either moved or are planning to move/pupil place/private school before HS. Unfortunately our little community of students isn’t large enough to help Lewis get on equal footing with other FCPS schools. Geographically, im not even sure why we are in the Lewis pyramid given that South County is closer in distance and ease of transportation. I wholeheartedly support the SB’s efforts to reasses boundaries and bring more kids to Lewis.

Why would you want people to suffer with you? You gotta sell. Luckily Saratoga is fairly desirable - decent housing stock, community pools and amenities, and convenient. And there’s plenty of “dog mom/dad” DINK buyers who like having more space vs. a condo in Arlington, as well as empty nesters, families with babies who will move out when their kid hits 1st grade, and Catholic school families, not to mention FCPS teachers who pupil place where mom or dad works. Or you could list for rent and get a nice military family to rent for a few years. Just sell and move to the other side of Pohick and your kids could be in bounds for Newington Forest and South County. Or move up the parkway to West Springfield! There’s nothing much that can help Lewis at this point as almost every other school surrounding it is high poverty or also under enrolled.

The only way Saratoga is getting out of Lewis is if ALL the development zoned for Edison comes to pass, and they decide to revisit the Lewis/Edison borders and end up shunting off Saratoga to South County, or if Lewis is closed entirely. Either scenario is AT LEAST 10 years off, conservatively.

I don’t view this as us “suffering together” rather bringing in more students and families like us, to help bring more balance (and thus, opportunities) to Lewis.

Our kids aren’t close to HS age yet, but this boundary assessment will definitely influence whether we join our neighbors in moving/pupil place/go private or if stick around and see if anything can be done to improve Lewis.

This seems like a “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” situation for the SB. If they move kids, people will leave. If they don’t move kids, people will move. They can’t win either way.

Aha.

Well, first, you need to disabuse yourself of the notion that those being redistricted to Lewis are "families like us." They aren't, because they prioritized finding a house zoned to West Springfield rather than settling for Lewis.

Second, you need to anticipate that there will be a lot of attrition, because just because someone gets redistricted to Lewis doesn't mean they will passively accept this and not explore other options.

Third, you need to acknowledge that there are possibilities other than the "damned if you do, damned if you don't" scenario you outlined. Schools can improve if the county encourages development in the surrounding area, or the school does a better job of meeting the needs of the kids who are already zoned for the school. Rezoning - just like adding IB - can be a very crude and not necessarily effective tool for trying to enhance a school's perceived quality.

Oh I see. So, because we were priced out of neighborhoods zoned for WS, our kids don’t deserve an equivalent education? Got it.

To your second point, I guess you missed the part where I suggested that families like mine also have options, and we will continue to exercise them if the SB continues to neglect the needs of the students at Lewis. Trying to stop pupil placements as a retention method ain’t gonna fly!

And as to your third point, there is quite literally no action that the SB can take that will appease everyone. So yes, damned if you do/don’t still applies.

You were never going to get an equivalent education at Lewis and WS, starting with the fact that Lewis has a leadership program that WS doesn't have and WS has an AP curriculum that Lewis hasn't had.

So tell us again, what is it that you really want? Do you think a few hundred WS kids will put Lewis on the same footing as WS, or will it just make you feel better about having bought in the Lewis district if a few hundred more kids are similarly stranded there?

Not sure what you are getting at. I don’t need to “feel better about buying in the Lewis pyramid. I love my home and we bought before we had children. And yes, we knew how the school was rated back then but like many in our community, we figured we’d evaluate when the time came for our kids to attend HS. So yes, I am enthusiastic about the boards interest in improving the conditions at Lewis. And if that means adding a few hundred students from other schools to make it happen, so be it.

Again, tell that to my child. Thank her for her service to your child. Her college applications will be less robust, the next few years will be one change after another. One high school freshman year, a different one the following. All to boost up your child’s chances of getting a better class schedule.

Don’t expect us to cheer this as you throw our kids under the bus.

I don’t expect you to do anything but cry and complain as you’ve been doing for the last 300 pages.

And quite frankly, I couldn’t care less about your kid. In the same way that you clearly don’t care about mine.

What a wonderful welcome to the Lewis community. I’m not throwing your kid under, you bought your house knowing you were going to revisit in the high school years. We didn’t. You ARE actively throwing our kids and community under to boost up your own. That is much more malicious than you dealing with consequences you already knew when you bought your house.

Advocating for my kids = throwing yours under the bus? Please. You just expect me to care more about your kids more than I care about mine, and it ain’t happening.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And your remark about "the dumbest kid" just says so much about you.

In the real world some people are smarter than others. Let's not ignore facts because you don't like them. It's an anonymous internet forum. No one is saying it to you or your kid's face. There's no need to protect anyone's feelings. Blunt and to the point is fine here.

The clustering you suggested, an "advanced" group with 2-3 other levels of variation per grade, where any kid can move between levels, is a pipe dream. Logistics (teachers per subject) won't allow all the levels to be taught at the same time for every grade, and when they occur at different times scheduling conflicts will result. AAP, honors, and gen ed is about the best we're ever going to get.

Funny you should say that, because that's exactly what some AAP kids said to my Gen Ed child when he was in elementary school. Verbatim. Meanwhile, that same kid just graduated from high school at the top of his class and is heading to a T20 school. So...

Flexible grouping is not a "pipe dream." It's what I had growing up, as well as millions of other people. There wasn't an issue with logistics, certainly not to the extent that you're claiming. There was also a tiny GT program, comprised of kids who were extraordinary, across the board. No one resented them because it was obvious they needed the differentiation. Everyone else did just fine with flexible groupings.

Sounds like it is *you* who is worried your above-average-but-not-gifted child won't get special busing to go to a special school - for no actual reason.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:Does anyone have the stats for pupil placements? I can never find that in the FCPS website. I’m interested to see how many students follow their AAP pyramid and pupil place to that high school to stay with their cohorts. I still think a huge program reform would be to make sure there’s a dedicated AAP center in every high school pyramid, and to either put AAP into every middle school, or drop the program at that level. The AAP clusters bounce all over the place.

Why doesn’t Wolftrap go to Westbriar to follow cohorts to Kilmer? Why does Forestville go to Forest Edge instead of Colvin Run to tie into Cooper? Why does Wales Mill go to Hunters Woods instead of Navy to feed into Carson? And those are the easy ones…

AAP centers should be eliminated, period.

AAP centers should stay, period.

Nope. With LLIV in virtually all schools, centers are redundant - as is the extra busing required. They are also the epitome of inequity, since one group of kids gets to choose which school they attend while the other group does not. And we know this SB is all about *equity,* so it should be a no-brainer to get rid of centers.

It must be tough to accept your kid isn't advanced. Centers are staying.

You sound really mature. And we'll see about centers.

What's really immature is trying to sink an entire program because you're mad and jealous your kid didn't get in.

When a SB blathers on about seeing everything through an "equity lens," but then allows enormous numbers of students to choose which school they'd like to attend (complete with free busing), then they're doing exactly the opposite of their stated goal. AAP centers are the very definition of inequitable, especially with AAP now offered at 99% (and counting) of all elementary schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Lots of saber rattling by Langley parents at the board meeting last night threatening litigation if the School Board adopts revisions to the boundary policy.

They are the definition of “privilege hoarders” and they should be ordered to pay FCPS’s legal fees if they do bring a frivolous lawsuit.

Please explain what you mean by the bolded term in this situation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lots of assumptions being made about who does and doesn't support adjustments. This is going to be akin to the common "boomer" vs. new generation conflict. As usual, older folks want to maintain what they feel they rightfully deserve, and younger families want a slice of the same pie.

There are a lot of young, very well-educated families who are completely priced out of top 10 schools. You bet they support boundary changes that make more schools acceptable and affordable. You'd be crazy not to in that position.

spot on! Especially in 22153 (Saratoga/Newington). I’ve talked to many families over the years who either moved or are planning to move/pupil place/private school before HS. Unfortunately our little community of students isn’t large enough to help Lewis get on equal footing with other FCPS schools. Geographically, im not even sure why we are in the Lewis pyramid given that South County is closer in distance and ease of transportation. I wholeheartedly support the SB’s efforts to reasses boundaries and bring more kids to Lewis.

Why would you want people to suffer with you? You gotta sell. Luckily Saratoga is fairly desirable - decent housing stock, community pools and amenities, and convenient. And there’s plenty of “dog mom/dad” DINK buyers who like having more space vs. a condo in Arlington, as well as empty nesters, families with babies who will move out when their kid hits 1st grade, and Catholic school families, not to mention FCPS teachers who pupil place where mom or dad works. Or you could list for rent and get a nice military family to rent for a few years. Just sell and move to the other side of Pohick and your kids could be in bounds for Newington Forest and South County. Or move up the parkway to West Springfield! There’s nothing much that can help Lewis at this point as almost every other school surrounding it is high poverty or also under enrolled.

The only way Saratoga is getting out of Lewis is if ALL the development zoned for Edison comes to pass, and they decide to revisit the Lewis/Edison borders and end up shunting off Saratoga to South County, or if Lewis is closed entirely. Either scenario is AT LEAST 10 years off, conservatively.

I don’t view this as us “suffering together” rather bringing in more students and families like us, to help bring more balance (and thus, opportunities) to Lewis.

Our kids aren’t close to HS age yet, but this boundary assessment will definitely influence whether we join our neighbors in moving/pupil place/go private or if stick around and see if anything can be done to improve Lewis.

This seems like a “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” situation for the SB. If they move kids, people will leave. If they don’t move kids, people will move. They can’t win either way.

Aha.

Well, first, you need to disabuse yourself of the notion that those being redistricted to Lewis are "families like us." They aren't, because they prioritized finding a house zoned to West Springfield rather than settling for Lewis.

Second, you need to anticipate that there will be a lot of attrition, because just because someone gets redistricted to Lewis doesn't mean they will passively accept this and not explore other options.

Third, you need to acknowledge that there are possibilities other than the "damned if you do, damned if you don't" scenario you outlined. Schools can improve if the county encourages development in the surrounding area, or the school does a better job of meeting the needs of the kids who are already zoned for the school. Rezoning - just like adding IB - can be a very crude and not necessarily effective tool for trying to enhance a school's perceived quality.

Oh I see. So, because we were priced out of neighborhoods zoned for WS, our kids don’t deserve an equivalent education? Got it.

To your second point, I guess you missed the part where I suggested that families like mine also have options, and we will continue to exercise them if the SB continues to neglect the needs of the students at Lewis. Trying to stop pupil placements as a retention method ain’t gonna fly!

And as to your third point, there is quite literally no action that the SB can take that will appease everyone. So yes, damned if you do/don’t still applies.

You were never going to get an equivalent education at Lewis and WS, starting with the fact that Lewis has a leadership program that WS doesn't have and WS has an AP curriculum that Lewis hasn't had.

So tell us again, what is it that you really want? Do you think a few hundred WS kids will put Lewis on the same footing as WS, or will it just make you feel better about having bought in the Lewis district if a few hundred more kids are similarly stranded there?

Not sure what you are getting at. I don’t need to “feel better about buying in the Lewis pyramid. I love my home and we bought before we had children. And yes, we knew how the school was rated back then but like many in our community, we figured we’d evaluate when the time came for our kids to attend HS. So yes, I am enthusiastic about the boards interest in improving the conditions at Lewis. And if that means adding a few hundred students from other schools to make it happen, so be it.

Again, tell that to my child. Thank her for her service to your child. Her college applications will be less robust, the next few years will be one change after another. One high school freshman year, a different one the following. All to boost up your child’s chances of getting a better class schedule.

Don’t expect us to cheer this as you throw our kids under the bus.

I don’t expect you to do anything but cry and complain as you’ve been doing for the last 300 pages.

And quite frankly, I couldn’t care less about your kid. In the same way that you clearly don’t care about mine.

What a wonderful welcome to the Lewis community. I’m not throwing your kid under, you bought your house knowing you were going to revisit in the high school years. We didn’t. You ARE actively throwing our kids and community under to boost up your own. That is much more malicious than you dealing with consequences you already knew when you bought your house.

YOU knew that boundaries were not guaranteed, and yet you still purchased your home. And now that the SB is exercising their right (and duty!) to make adjustments, you are howling about being thrown under the bus. Spare me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lots of saber rattling by Langley parents at the board meeting last night threatening litigation if the School Board adopts revisions to the boundary policy.

They are the definition of “privilege hoarders” and they should be ordered to pay FCPS’s legal fees if they do bring a frivolous lawsuit.

I heard it way differently than your spin. But I guess to someone who is a trying to foment class warfare, you gotta spin it your way.

It’s really sad how much some folks on this board hate their neighbors based on a perception that didn’t even align with reality.

Be well.

The head of the Langley group definitely made veiled threats last night about litigation if the board adopts the policy revisions later this month.

They are bullies who don’t care about anyone else and can’t believe they might not always get their way.

DP. Curious how wanting to keep your kids at their current school somehow equates to "not caring about anyone else." Are they insisting on taking something from other schools? What, exactly, are you talking about?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lots of saber rattling by Langley parents at the board meeting last night threatening litigation if the School Board adopts revisions to the boundary policy.

They are the definition of “privilege hoarders” and they should be ordered to pay FCPS’s legal fees if they do bring a frivolous lawsuit.

I heard it way differently than your spin. But I guess to someone who is a trying to foment class warfare, you gotta spin it your way.

It’s really sad how much some folks on this board hate their neighbors based on a perception that didn’t even align with reality.

Be well.

What may be more effective than litigation, folks should consider launching candidates to oppose sb members that vote in favor of the policy change in the 2027 election. It is remarkably undemocratic that these members did not make a peep about this change during their campaigns. They should be forced to defend their position at the ballot box.

The problem is that the republicans put up extremist candidates. I was fully prepared to vote for republicans for school board in the fall but each one was a culture warrior focused on things like books and trans kids instead of fixing the operational mistakes and screwed up priorities of FCPS. If they can find normal people next time around, they might win. Problem is being on the school board is a crappy job - you work all the time, get paid almost nothing and have to deal with tons of people attacking you all the time.

And so, you voted for a slate of LEFT-wing extremists. You people just keep "voting blue no matter who" and then complaining about the results. I guarantee, if there was even *one* Republican on this school board, that would at least be one person pushing back on changing boundaries. The same nonsense played out in 2019. WHEN will people learn?
DP

[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:Lots of assumptions being made about who does and doesn't support adjustments. This is going to be akin to the common "boomer" vs. new generation conflict. As usual, older folks want to maintain what they feel they rightfully deserve, and younger families want a slice of the same pie.

There are a lot of young, very well-educated families who are completely priced out of top 10 schools. You bet they support boundary changes that make more schools acceptable and affordable. You'd be crazy not to in that position.

spot on! Especially in 22153 (Saratoga/Newington). I’ve talked to many families over the years who either moved or are planning to move/pupil place/private school before HS. Unfortunately our little community of students isn’t large enough to help Lewis get on equal footing with other FCPS schools. Geographically, im not even sure why we are in the Lewis pyramid given that South County is closer in distance and ease of transportation. I wholeheartedly support the SB’s efforts to reasses boundaries and bring more kids to Lewis.

Why would you want people to suffer with you? You gotta sell. Luckily Saratoga is fairly desirable - decent housing stock, community pools and amenities, and convenient. And there’s plenty of “dog mom/dad” DINK buyers who like having more space vs. a condo in Arlington, as well as empty nesters, families with babies who will move out when their kid hits 1st grade, and Catholic school families, not to mention FCPS teachers who pupil place where mom or dad works. Or you could list for rent and get a nice military family to rent for a few years. Just sell and move to the other side of Pohick and your kids could be in bounds for Newington Forest and South County. Or move up the parkway to West Springfield! There’s nothing much that can help Lewis at this point as almost every other school surrounding it is high poverty or also under enrolled.

The only way Saratoga is getting out of Lewis is if ALL the development zoned for Edison comes to pass, and they decide to revisit the Lewis/Edison borders and end up shunting off Saratoga to South County, or if Lewis is closed entirely. Either scenario is AT LEAST 10 years off, conservatively.

I don’t view this as us “suffering together” rather bringing in more students and families like us, to help bring more balance (and thus, opportunities) to Lewis.

Our kids aren’t close to HS age yet, but this boundary assessment will definitely influence whether we join our neighbors in moving/pupil place/go private or if stick around and see if anything can be done to improve Lewis.

This seems like a “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” situation for the SB. If they move kids, people will leave. If they don’t move kids, people will move. They can’t win either way.

Aha.

Well, first, you need to disabuse yourself of the notion that those being redistricted to Lewis are "families like us." They aren't, because they prioritized finding a house zoned to West Springfield rather than settling for Lewis.

Second, you need to anticipate that there will be a lot of attrition, because just because someone gets redistricted to Lewis doesn't mean they will passively accept this and not explore other options.

Third, you need to acknowledge that there are possibilities other than the "damned if you do, damned if you don't" scenario you outlined. Schools can improve if the county encourages development in the surrounding area, or the school does a better job of meeting the needs of the kids who are already zoned for the school. Rezoning - just like adding IB - can be a very crude and not necessarily effective tool for trying to enhance a school's perceived quality.

Oh I see. So, because we were priced out of neighborhoods zoned for WS, our kids don’t deserve an equivalent education? Got it.

To your second point, I guess you missed the part where I suggested that families like mine also have options, and we will continue to exercise them if the SB continues to neglect the needs of the students at Lewis. Trying to stop pupil placements as a retention method ain’t gonna fly!

And as to your third point, there is quite literally no action that the SB can take that will appease everyone. So yes, damned if you do/don’t still applies.

You were never going to get an equivalent education at Lewis and WS, starting with the fact that Lewis has a leadership program that WS doesn't have and WS has an AP curriculum that Lewis hasn't had.

So tell us again, what is it that you really want? Do you think a few hundred WS kids will put Lewis on the same footing as WS, or will it just make you feel better about having bought in the Lewis district if a few hundred more kids are similarly stranded there?

Not sure what you are getting at. I don’t need to “feel better about buying in the Lewis pyramid. I love my home and we bought before we had children. And yes, we knew how the school was rated back then but like many in our community, we figured we’d evaluate when the time came for our kids to attend HS. So yes, I am enthusiastic about the boards interest in improving the conditions at Lewis. And if that means adding a few hundred students from other schools to make it happen, so be it.

Again, tell that to my child. Thank her for her service to your child. Her college applications will be less robust, the next few years will be one change after another. One high school freshman year, a different one the following. All to boost up your child’s chances of getting a better class schedule.

Don’t expect us to cheer this as you throw our kids under the bus.

I don’t expect you to do anything but cry and complain as you’ve been doing for the last 300 pages.

And quite frankly, I couldn’t care less about your kid. In the same way that you clearly don’t care about mine.

What a wonderful welcome to the Lewis community. I’m not throwing your kid under, you bought your house knowing you were going to revisit in the high school years. We didn’t. You ARE actively throwing our kids and community under to boost up your own. That is much more malicious than you dealing with consequences you already knew when you bought your house.

Advocating for my kids = throwing yours under the bus? Please. You just expect me to care more about your kids more than I care about mine, and it ain’t happening.

And you expect our children to give up leadership opportunities, friendship groups etc so that yours has a better schedule. Those two things are NOT the same thing. It isn’t equal.

You KNEW these consequences when you bought your house as you said before. We did not. Funnily enough, 16 years ago we had contracts on 2 houses in the Lewis area that fell through before we got the one in WSHS district. At the time it didn’t matter to me, I know my kids would be fine.

But kids aren’t fine if they get switched in the middle of high school. It can have mental health effects AND can lead to disengagement AND not as many leadership opportunities because those kids are moving in the middle of their high school career. If PARENTS want that and willingly move, that is one thing. To have it forced upon you is completely different.

I know you don’t care about my kid. But to pretend that these are not consequences for my children or to claim that the consequence for your child of getting access to 1 or 2 more classes is worth those consequences to my kid is callous and irrational. Those two consequences are NOT the same, they just aren’t. One involves a lot of sacrifice from a kid and yes, that should absolutely be acknowledged by parents who are cheering for a small positive outcome for their child.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lots of saber rattling by Langley parents at the board meeting last night threatening litigation if the School Board adopts revisions to the boundary policy.

They are the definition of “privilege hoarders” and they should be ordered to pay FCPS’s legal fees if they do bring a frivolous lawsuit.

I heard it way differently than your spin. But I guess to someone who is a trying to foment class warfare, you gotta spin it your way.

It’s really sad how much some folks on this board hate their neighbors based on a perception that didn’t even align with reality.

Be well.

The head of the Langley group definitely made veiled threats last night about litigation if the board adopts the policy revisions later this month.

They are bullies who don’t care about anyone else and can’t believe they might not always get their way.

It’s actually not a Langley group, but you know that already, just trying to add your spin to the SB’s unpopular policies.

Your definition of bullying is really weird -not sure when advocating for all of Fairfax county kids became bullying.

+100
The bullying is actually what people like the PP are doing - constantly calling out areas that dare to stand up for themselves and fight against this moronic school board.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lots of saber rattling by Langley parents at the board meeting last night threatening litigation if the School Board adopts revisions to the boundary policy.

They are the definition of “privilege hoarders” and they should be ordered to pay FCPS’s legal fees if they do bring a frivolous lawsuit.

I heard it way differently than your spin. But I guess to someone who is a trying to foment class warfare, you gotta spin it your way.

It’s really sad how much some folks on this board hate their neighbors based on a perception that didn’t even align with reality.

Be well.

The head of the Langley group definitely made veiled threats last night about litigation if the board adopts the policy revisions later this month.

They are bullies who don’t care about anyone else and can’t believe they might not always get their way.

It’s actually not a Langley group, but you know that already, just trying to add your spin to the SB’s unpopular policies.

Your definition of bullying is really weird -not sure when advocating for all of Fairfax county kids became bullying.

This is hilarious. Yes, great falls folks are well known for their concern about others in the county.

Ooh, now direct your ire at Springfield/WSHS parents who are doing exactly the same thing. We'll wait.
DP