FCPS School Board candidates in Dranesville

[Anonymous]

Bingo.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you think an addition at McLean will be costly, how much do you a new HS in Tysons will cost?

I think you just eliminated an ychance of McLean HS district to vote for you since you have damned their children to the over-crowded school for 10-15 years-(how long do you think it would take to find and build a new HS in Tysons?)

And you will lose more Langley aren’t who do not want the diversity of classes decreased at Langley.

This is the candidate Ardavan Mobasheri. Of course, a new high school in Tysons is going to be more costly. But we can't simply take the easy road and band-aid solutions year after year and not have them catch up with us. There is no free money here. Failure to be sufficiently forward-looking will eventually cost us dearly. Consider this simple look at what we will be facing in the next 10 years taken from data from the board of supervisors projections:

1) By 2030, the three zip codes 22101, 22102, and 22182 which serve McLean, Langley, and a small portion of Marshall will see their population growth contribute to 30% of the entire growth in the county.
2) Just between 2025 and 2030, the number of High School students in the county will rise by 6,300
3) Are we being too presumptuous if we assume 30% of that 6,300 increase will not come from 22101, 22102, and 22182? No. But can you assume that all of the projects being approved in those zip codes will add no high school students to any of the three high schools mentioned above? If we assume 30% then that's an additional 1800 students. Let's say its 20%. That's still an additional 1,200 students between the three high schools (assuming Marshall is given exactly 33% of that increase).
4) With the rezoning of some McLean students into Langley both high schools will be at capacity by 2024.
5) So where will you put the additional 400 students per high school? 400 more students will bring both schools at roughly 20% overcapacity.
6) Building an addition to McLean seems like a good band-aid type solution. Let's not consider beyond 2030. Let's kick the can down the road. Let's just do a quick addition and all of the families that will see their kids going to high school in 2030 will have to deal with it when the time comes? Is this how we want to plan things? Just do quick and politically convenient and expedient answers to long term challenges? Isnt that what we have been doing for 27 years now?

Your letter last night was clear. No boundary changes. No open enrollment. No addition at McLean. You make some good points above, but that does not take away from the fact that you are protecting Langley at the cost of McLean. Your letter was helpful to me because it clarified your views absolutely; I was able to make my final decision and vote today and beat the crowds. Thanks for that.

This is the candidate Ardavan Mobasheri again. Can you please tell me what you find objectionable about my campaigns pillars?:

1) McLean deserves better. What is objerctionable to a stance that says enough band aid type kick the can down the road solutions? When we know the trends in our county and zip codes for the next 10 to 15 years, why would we constantly push for relief that can come cheaply and quickly while continously and negatively impacting us in a not so distant future? Why would we choose to create even more traffic on Westmoreland and Old Chain Bridge road with an addition to McLean? Why would we add another 100 cars and tens of school buses into three small two lane roads into McLean HS where familes live and children run around and where families continue to complain about the noise? VDOT will almost certainly object to addtional traffic into Westmoreland and Old Chain Bridge and if they do then it will take an act of VA Legislature and the Governor's signature to get the addition completed. But why would we go thru another round of kicking the can down the road? Dont we want to eventually sell our houses to younger families in five to ten years who would hesitate to look into a town with over crowded schools and congested roads? A new HS in Tysons is the most rational long term solution.

2) Keep One Great Falls. Can you please tell me what is so objectionable about wanting to keep a community that for 25 years has been sending their children to one middle school (Cooper) and one high school (Langley) intact and one? What is wrong with wanting to keep a community together as one? When you split it up you split streets, neighborhoods, soccer teams, cheerleading activities, and recreational activities. What is so objectionable to tell a community that your representative is going to keep your community as one?

3) Let Herndon Decide. Can you tell me what is so wrong when the community itself recognizes that building a new HS will take away a significant part of their park facilities and will increase congestion in and around an already crowded part of town, just so they can shift boundaries so that they avoid doing what is right for Tysons? Can you tell me what is so wrong as to say lets build the HS where it is needed most to satisfy overcrowding at Chantilly, Oakton and elsewhere further south?

4) Can you tell me what is wrong and objectionable for me to say lets play by the rules of the Va Legislature and lets keep the political parties out of our schools and the school board?
5) Can you tell me what you find so objectionable regarding my stance that we should aim for "equality of opportunity" and level the playing field for all of our children and not lower their achievement via "equality of outcome"?
6) Can you tell me what you find wrong with wanting to utilize the latest and greatest in new educational technology so we can fill the achievement gap within our own schools as well as those between us and other countries and getting the help of the latest research from top "education" universities around the country?
7) Can you tell me what you find problematic with wanting to invest even more in our AAP, gifted programs, and special needs programs to not only raise our standards even more but to make us even more competitive globally?

I look forward to hearing your responses

Responded in the other thread as you probably have seen.

But let me ask you this sir: Will you right now agree to the following:

1. I will represent all of Dranesville equally.
2. I am willing to look at boundary changes, open enrollment and/or McLean expansion if Dranesville favors them.
3. I promise relief to McLean High before the end of my term.


Status quo is your game, and that means:
Langley - brand new renovation, under capacity
McLean - no renovation for generations, no plans to, growing overcapacity, and this:

1. I will represent all of Dranesville equally.

From day 1 of my campaign that has been the case.

2. I am willing to look at boundary changes, open enrollment and/or McLean expansion if Dranesville favors them.

Minor boundary changes yes. Open enrollment has proven to be a disaster in other circumstances similar to our and I will not support it. McLean expansion is not something that most of Dranesville supports. In fact, the more I discuss solving our problems with long term solutions rather than short term kick the can down the road band-aid type solutions that create more problems down the road than solve them in the short run, and the more they see the data that I show, the more supportive they become of a new high school in Tysons, especially those I speak to in McLean. VDOT will not support further traffic on Westmoreland or Old Chain Bridge road and the residents neighboring McLean will not support further traffic. I will not support opposing the residents of McLean and going to Richmond and the legislature to get an expansion that will be more costly than anyone anticipates and that will only buy us another three years at most.

3. I promise relief to McLean High before the end of my term.

Of course. It is one of my top priorities. Given that the minor boundary change with Langley is already in the works, I will not oppose it. I will make it a top priority to begin research and analysis and the discussion around building a new high school in Tysons to satisfy the coming demand for the next 15 years so that the next generation does not blame us for sitting on our hands and doing nothing about the trends that stare us right in the eye today.

“McLean expansion is not something that most of Dranesville support.” Is this true? Why?

Most of Dranesville is not in the MHS district. I think you will find that mot of the people in the McLean HS district (including its Principal) are for an addition. You will never find a majority of constituents in any of the magisterial districts for a particular HS expansion because it isn’t theirs. The magisterial districts cover at least three HS.

I have spoken to the McLean HS principal. She never said she is supportive on an addition. She said if there are no other solutions found that she would want an addition. There are other solutions. As Mobasheri discusses with all of the data he points too, the most efficient, rational, and long term solution is to meet the demand for greater public education with new facilities located in more appropriate locals. What is so complicated and wrong with thinking out of the box and looking at our long term challenges and not kiccking the can down the road?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you think an addition at McLean will be costly, how much do you a new HS in Tysons will cost?

I think you just eliminated an ychance of McLean HS district to vote for you since you have damned their children to the over-crowded school for 10-15 years-(how long do you think it would take to find and build a new HS in Tysons?)

And you will lose more Langley aren’t who do not want the diversity of classes decreased at Langley.

This is the candidate Ardavan Mobasheri. Of course, a new high school in Tysons is going to be more costly. But we can't simply take the easy road and band-aid solutions year after year and not have them catch up with us. There is no free money here. Failure to be sufficiently forward-looking will eventually cost us dearly. Consider this simple look at what we will be facing in the next 10 years taken from data from the board of supervisors projections:

1) By 2030, the three zip codes 22101, 22102, and 22182 which serve McLean, Langley, and a small portion of Marshall will see their population growth contribute to 30% of the entire growth in the county.
2) Just between 2025 and 2030, the number of High School students in the county will rise by 6,300
3) Are we being too presumptuous if we assume 30% of that 6,300 increase will not come from 22101, 22102, and 22182? No. But can you assume that all of the projects being approved in those zip codes will add no high school students to any of the three high schools mentioned above? If we assume 30% then that's an additional 1800 students. Let's say its 20%. That's still an additional 1,200 students between the three high schools (assuming Marshall is given exactly 33% of that increase).
4) With the rezoning of some McLean students into Langley both high schools will be at capacity by 2024.
5) So where will you put the additional 400 students per high school? 400 more students will bring both schools at roughly 20% overcapacity.
6) Building an addition to McLean seems like a good band-aid type solution. Let's not consider beyond 2030. Let's kick the can down the road. Let's just do a quick addition and all of the families that will see their kids going to high school in 2030 will have to deal with it when the time comes? Is this how we want to plan things? Just do quick and politically convenient and expedient answers to long term challenges? Isnt that what we have been doing for 27 years now?

Your letter last night was clear. No boundary changes. No open enrollment. No addition at McLean. You make some good points above, but that does not take away from the fact that you are protecting Langley at the cost of McLean. Your letter was helpful to me because it clarified your views absolutely; I was able to make my final decision and vote today and beat the crowds. Thanks for that.

This is the candidate Ardavan Mobasheri again. Can you please tell me what you find objectionable about my campaigns pillars?:

1) McLean deserves better. What is objerctionable to a stance that says enough band aid type kick the can down the road solutions? When we know the trends in our county and zip codes for the next 10 to 15 years, why would we constantly push for relief that can come cheaply and quickly while continously and negatively impacting us in a not so distant future? Why would we choose to create even more traffic on Westmoreland and Old Chain Bridge road with an addition to McLean? Why would we add another 100 cars and tens of school buses into three small two lane roads into McLean HS where familes live and children run around and where families continue to complain about the noise? VDOT will almost certainly object to addtional traffic into Westmoreland and Old Chain Bridge and if they do then it will take an act of VA Legislature and the Governor's signature to get the addition completed. But why would we go thru another round of kicking the can down the road? Dont we want to eventually sell our houses to younger families in five to ten years who would hesitate to look into a town with over crowded schools and congested roads? A new HS in Tysons is the most rational long term solution.

2) Keep One Great Falls. Can you please tell me what is so objectionable about wanting to keep a community that for 25 years has been sending their children to one middle school (Cooper) and one high school (Langley) intact and one? What is wrong with wanting to keep a community together as one? When you split it up you split streets, neighborhoods, soccer teams, cheerleading activities, and recreational activities. What is so objectionable to tell a community that your representative is going to keep your community as one?

3) Let Herndon Decide. Can you tell me what is so wrong when the community itself recognizes that building a new HS will take away a significant part of their park facilities and will increase congestion in and around an already crowded part of town, just so they can shift boundaries so that they avoid doing what is right for Tysons? Can you tell me what is so wrong as to say lets build the HS where it is needed most to satisfy overcrowding at Chantilly, Oakton and elsewhere further south?

4) Can you tell me what is wrong and objectionable for me to say lets play by the rules of the Va Legislature and lets keep the political parties out of our schools and the school board?
5) Can you tell me what you find so objectionable regarding my stance that we should aim for "equality of opportunity" and level the playing field for all of our children and not lower their achievement via "equality of outcome"?
6) Can you tell me what you find wrong with wanting to utilize the latest and greatest in new educational technology so we can fill the achievement gap within our own schools as well as those between us and other countries and getting the help of the latest research from top "education" universities around the country?
7) Can you tell me what you find problematic with wanting to invest even more in our AAP, gifted programs, and special needs programs to not only raise our standards even more but to make us even more competitive globally?

I look forward to hearing your responses

Responded in the other thread as you probably have seen.

But let me ask you this sir: Will you right now agree to the following:

1. I will represent all of Dranesville equally.
2. I am willing to look at boundary changes, open enrollment and/or McLean expansion if Dranesville favors them.
3. I promise relief to McLean High before the end of my term.


Status quo is your game, and that means:
Langley - brand new renovation, under capacity
McLean - no renovation for generations, no plans to, growing overcapacity, and this:

1. I will represent all of Dranesville equally.

From day 1 of my campaign that has been the case.

2. I am willing to look at boundary changes, open enrollment and/or McLean expansion if Dranesville favors them.

Minor boundary changes yes. Open enrollment has proven to be a disaster in other circumstances similar to our and I will not support it. McLean expansion is not something that most of Dranesville supports. In fact, the more I discuss solving our problems with long term solutions rather than short term kick the can down the road band-aid type solutions that create more problems down the road than solve them in the short run, and the more they see the data that I show, the more supportive they become of a new high school in Tysons, especially those I speak to in McLean. VDOT will not support further traffic on Westmoreland or Old Chain Bridge road and the residents neighboring McLean will not support further traffic. I will not support opposing the residents of McLean and going to Richmond and the legislature to get an expansion that will be more costly than anyone anticipates and that will only buy us another three years at most.

3. I promise relief to McLean High before the end of my term.

Of course. It is one of my top priorities. Given that the minor boundary change with Langley is already in the works, I will not oppose it. I will make it a top priority to begin research and analysis and the discussion around building a new high school in Tysons to satisfy the coming demand for the next 15 years so that the next generation does not blame us for sitting on our hands and doing nothing about the trends that stare us right in the eye today.

“McLean expansion is not something that most of Dranesville support.” Is this true? Why?

Most of Dranesville is not in the MHS district. I think you will find that mot of the people in the McLean HS district (including its Principal) are for an addition. You will never find a majority of constituents in any of the magisterial districts for a particular HS expansion because it isn’t theirs. The magisterial districts cover at least three HS.

I have spoken to the McLean HS principal. She never said she is supportive on an addition. She said if there are no other solutions found that she would want an addition. There are other solutions. As Mobasheri discusses with all of the data he points too, the most efficient, rational, and long term solution is to meet the demand for greater public education with new facilities located in more appropriate locals. What is so complicated and wrong with thinking out of the box and looking at our long term challenges and not kiccking the can down the road?

FCPS actually shared draft expansion plans with Ellen Reilly over five years ago and she was supportive of an addition at the time. If you ask her if she wants a boundary change with Langley, she will demur. She does not want to advocate for any students to be moved out of her school.

I’m not sure who thinks McLean would want to end up the smallest high school in its part of NoVa, unrenovated, with no addition, and completely overshadowed by the neighboring schools. I know that’s Mobasheri’s position, but he has little support outside Langley. Elaine Tholen is the only Dranesville candidate who can be trusted to do right by Herndon and McLean.

[Anonymous]

No one at Langley is advocating against expansion at McLean, except Ardavan.

McLean wants a modest boundary change, and we agree.

McLean wants an expansion, and we agree.

[Anonymous]

What is ‘do right by Herndon and McLean?’

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:With or without Mobasheri on the School Board (hopefully without) the School Board is not going to reverse its plans, which prioritize a new high school in western Fairfax, to build a secondary school in Tysons just because some Great Falls parents want to look for even more ways to keep Langley under-enrolled so students from western Great Falls can continue to travel 12 or more miles to Langley.

His arguments in support of this are flimsy on so many levels that it's not worth rebutting them yet again. Rest assured that parents outside his community know his agenda and find it laughable.

What Great Falls parents want is not to be moved to a school with serious gang and FARMS issues, due to the County’s idiot policies. Our kids are not social experiments ripe for exploitation. Life isn’t a Barney episode.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:With or without Mobasheri on the School Board (hopefully without) the School Board is not going to reverse its plans, which prioritize a new high school in western Fairfax, to build a secondary school in Tysons just because some Great Falls parents want to look for even more ways to keep Langley under-enrolled so students from western Great Falls can continue to travel 12 or more miles to Langley.

His arguments in support of this are flimsy on so many levels that it's not worth rebutting them yet again. Rest assured that parents outside his community know his agenda and find it laughable.

What Great Falls parents want is not to be moved to a school with serious gang and FARMS issues, due to the County’s idiot policies. Our kids are not social experiments ripe for exploitation. Life isn’t a Barney episode.

And those of us with kids actually at HHS find these kind of statements to be racist, alarmist and insulting. For anyone who has actually bothered to step inside HHS or Herndon as a community will find a close community filled with excellent teachers, administrators and programs that seek to serve a wide variety of students and families. While we need to figure out how better to serve our most underserved and struggling students, stop trying to act like going to HHS is an academic death sentence for Langley kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:With or without Mobasheri on the School Board (hopefully without) the School Board is not going to reverse its plans, which prioritize a new high school in western Fairfax, to build a secondary school in Tysons just because some Great Falls parents want to look for even more ways to keep Langley under-enrolled so students from western Great Falls can continue to travel 12 or more miles to Langley.

His arguments in support of this are flimsy on so many levels that it's not worth rebutting them yet again. Rest assured that parents outside his community know his agenda and find it laughable.

What Great Falls parents want is not to be moved to a school with serious gang and FARMS issues, due to the County’s idiot policies. Our kids are not social experiments ripe for exploitation. Life isn’t a Barney episode.

And those of us with kids actually at HHS find these kind of statements to be racist, alarmist and insulting. For anyone who has actually bothered to step inside HHS or Herndon as a community will find a close community filled with excellent teachers, administrators and programs that seek to serve a wide variety of students and families. While we need to figure out how better to serve our most underserved and struggling students, stop trying to act like going to HHS is an academic death sentence for Langley kids.

So, you are not the Herndon parent who lobbied to get Hutchison families switched with Great Falls to Langley?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No one at Langley is advocating against expansion at McLean, except Ardavan.

McLean wants a modest boundary change, and we agree.

McLean wants an expansion, and we agree.

Thats what you want, not what "McLean" wants. Stop talking on behalf of the entire community. Mobasheri is right. We need to stop kicking the can down the road and think long term and what the community will look like in 10 ot 15 years. VDOT is going to object to even more traffic on Westmoreland and Old Chain Bridge. The neighbors around McLean are going to object to more cars and traffic polution around their homes. Be reasonable please. We are a growing town and a very crowded town. We need to think bold and long term.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No one at Langley is advocating against expansion at McLean, except Ardavan.

McLean wants a modest boundary change, and we agree.

McLean wants an expansion, and we agree.

Thats what you want, not what "McLean" wants. Stop talking on behalf of the entire community. Mobasheri is right. We need to stop kicking the can down the road and think long term and what the community will look like in 10 ot 15 years. VDOT is going to object to even more traffic on Westmoreland and Old Chain Bridge. The neighbors around McLean are going to object to more cars and traffic polution around their homes. Be reasonable please. We are a growing town and a very crowded town. We need to think bold and long term.

If the School Board votes to put another school in Tyson's when Langley is still underenrolled, then they are more clueless than I believe. Chantilly, Oakton and Centreville are the schools in need of help. And, a school in Herndon will do nothing for them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No one at Langley is advocating against expansion at McLean, except Ardavan.

McLean wants a modest boundary change, and we agree.

McLean wants an expansion, and we agree.

Thats what you want, not what "McLean" wants. Stop talking on behalf of the entire community. Mobasheri is right. We need to stop kicking the can down the road and think long term and what the community will look like in 10 ot 15 years. VDOT is going to object to even more traffic on Westmoreland and Old Chain Bridge. The neighbors around McLean are going to object to more cars and traffic polution around their homes. Be reasonable please. We are a growing town and a very crowded town. We need to think bold and long term.

Sounds a lot like Ardavan is referring to himself in the third person now.

Where is the cancel button?

[Anonymous]

I wonder how some of the families in 22102 just north of Tysons and now at Langley (McLean Hamlet, McLean Hunt, etc) would feel once they figured out they’d get moved to this new urban high school in Tysons - all so parts of Great Falls further out could stay at Langley?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No one at Langley is advocating against expansion at McLean, except Ardavan.

McLean wants a modest boundary change, and we agree.

McLean wants an expansion, and we agree.

Thats what you want, not what "McLean" wants. Stop talking on behalf of the entire community. Mobasheri is right. We need to stop kicking the can down the road and think long term and what the community will look like in 10 ot 15 years. VDOT is going to object to even more traffic on Westmoreland and Old Chain Bridge. The neighbors around McLean are going to object to more cars and traffic polution around their homes. Be reasonable please. We are a growing town and a very crowded town. We need to think bold and long term.

If the School Board votes to put another school in Tyson's when Langley is still underenrolled, then they are more clueless than I believe. Chantilly, Oakton and Centreville are the schools in need of help. And, a school in Herndon will do nothing for them.

The 1st and 2nd RFP [3100000402-1] are available on the VA Procurement website. https://m.vendor.epro.cgipdc.com/Vendor/public/AllOpportunities

I don't know if it's a complete document. FCPS links to the strategic goal on equity not resource stewardship. One board member commented:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/havent-seen-a-year-quite-like-this-inside-epic-battles-for-school-board-seats-in-northern-virginia/2019/10/27/58380e4a-f1df-11e9-89eb-ec56cd414732_story.html#comments-wrapper
"...appropriately engaging a consultant to work with both the community and the Board in examining national best practices to address existing overcrowding and anticipated overcrowding that may come from 2 major county developments: Tysons Corner and Route 1 Corridor. The Board as a body (7+votes) has not and did not indicate any desire to redraw boundaries based on socio-economics, or race..."

The RFP addresses boundaries not where FCPS is building or plans to build additional permanent capacity. Capacity affects boundaries. FCPS has no objective measurement for boundary changes or if no open capacity where/when to build.

The fact that Strauss could not get 7 + votes to move some Mclean to Langley means they were in the process of devising some other plan for bringing up the Langley uitization. Obviously not geographic.

5 public meetings for the entire county and they get this after the toadies build the pork barrel at West Potomac? .This is lunacy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No one at Langley is advocating against expansion at McLean, except Ardavan.

McLean wants a modest boundary change, and we agree.

McLean wants an expansion, and we agree.

+1

Langley parent here - the Langley community is more than ready to welcome other students. McLean is overcrowded. Langley currently has space. Seems like a no-brainer but some (including the SB) are determined to make it as complicated as possible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:With or without Mobasheri on the School Board (hopefully without) the School Board is not going to reverse its plans, which prioritize a new high school in western Fairfax, to build a secondary school in Tysons just because some Great Falls parents want to look for even more ways to keep Langley under-enrolled so students from western Great Falls can continue to travel 12 or more miles to Langley.

His arguments in support of this are flimsy on so many levels that it's not worth rebutting them yet again. Rest assured that parents outside his community know his agenda and find it laughable.

What Great Falls parents want is not to be moved to a school with serious gang and FARMS issues, due to the County’s idiot policies. Our kids are not social experiments ripe for exploitation. Life isn’t a Barney episode.

And those of us with kids actually at HHS find these kind of statements to be racist, alarmist and insulting. For anyone who has actually bothered to step inside HHS or Herndon as a community will find a close community filled with excellent teachers, administrators and programs that seek to serve a wide variety of students and families. While we need to figure out how better to serve our most underserved and struggling students, stop trying to act like going to HHS is an academic death sentence for Langley kids.

DP. I think more to the point is why move kids from an under enrolled school (Langley) to one that is already at (or over?) capacity (Herndon)? How on earth does that make any sense?