FCPS Boundary Review Updates

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I still think the long game is to close Lewis in a few years. It’s one of the few schools where they reduce program capacity year after year to stay right around 85% capacity, which used to be their tipping point for capacity surplus. The program capacity used to be 2000 students and now it’s below 1900.

My own personal modest proposal for that area (and I realize it’s a very long game thing and also FCPS never has enough money to make big moves like this) is making Edison the vocational/trades magnet for all the pyramids for which it makes sense to go there, since it is pretty centrally located and has a lot of the specialty classrooms already. So it could get any vocational student from Edison, Lewis, MV, WePo, Hayfield, Annandale, Justice, WS, South County, maybe even further out to LB, Robinson, Woodson etc. if it makes sense. Then give Lewis a nice, showplace renovation and expansion and combine the current attendance area for Lewis and Edison. Make it an AP school too. It would probably be the biggest FCPS HS but not by much, and with such a large enrollment, they could really offer a lot of different classes even if the overall student body was not the highest SES in FCPS. Kids would stop transferring out unless they wanted vocational, IB, or a really specialized language, and a nice building would be a showplace for the community.

Centreville is the last high school in the old 2008 renovation queue. At some point they'll release a new queue and they'll have to decide whether the next high schools in the queue are those built after Centreville (Westfield and South County) or whether they are going to prioritize renovations of the oldest schools built decades earlier that got the cheapest "renovations: in the early 2000s. If the latter, they should be renovating Annandale, McLean, Lewis, Madison, and Justice in that order. The idea that they should plow an especially large amount of money into Lewis when it's been losing rather than gaining kids should be DOA.

I don't know what Westfield looks like, but South County is in much better condition than Lewis.

SoCo looks younger than its 20 year old age.

Lewis looks like it hasn't been touched since the 1960s.

They added the colorful canopy and new signage in the 2000s. The most recent update was when the signage was replaced with the name change.

For what it looked like prior to that, the FCPS Youtube has a Schools in Profile documentary series from the 1980s. Lee was the focus of an hour long show. You can see how the entrance has since been updated. The interiors look the same.

The fields at Lewis are worse than many of the middle school fields, the insides look virtually untouched from 50 years ago.

It would be so negligent for FCPS to renovate South County, which looks almost brand spanking new with really nice sports fields, before giving Lewis and the other 2 decrepit high schools a full modernizing renovation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can someone post the comments for that one?

They turned it off at 9pm and when i tried to refresh all data was gone. There were a lot about Coates (needs relief now). Quite a few about the McLean island going to falls church (people are against it). Lots for just stopping all together. Wanting residency checks, bringing pupil placements back before moving other kids

Well the interesting thing is the parents in the Falls Church island have a Facebook group that was instructing everyone to vote multiple times using an incognito browser. Their group started when the new boundary was announced and they questioned the “equity” of their children being moved to Falls Church High School. Their new angle is they are pointing out that it removes the one Title 1 school from McLean. Which would be a good point if their private group wasn’t originally focusing on property values and how their children are deserve to go to a school farther than two closer high schools. It seems like they are now trying to use the Title 1 families for their own gain. It should be the next episode of Nice White Parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hold your horses - the first legal case against FCPS is already here - https://defendinged.org/complaints/defending-education-files-civil-rights-complaint-against-fairfax-county-public-schools/

It is taking aim at One Fairfax though does not talk about the boundary change… “ Since 2017, FCPS has enforced the “One Fairfax” policy, aiming to eliminate racial disparities and ensure equal outcomes. PDE contends that this policy leads to race-based decision-making, favoring certain groups over others.”

They really should amend their case to include the Boundary Review Committee, which includes a representative, sometimes 2 representatives, for every affinity and racial group in the county except for whites and asians, and where they are on video record talking about how rezoning decisions would be centered on One Fairfax.

The lawsuit really missed that low hanging fruit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I still think the long game is to close Lewis in a few years. It’s one of the few schools where they reduce program capacity year after year to stay right around 85% capacity, which used to be their tipping point for capacity surplus. The program capacity used to be 2000 students and now it’s below 1900.

My own personal modest proposal for that area (and I realize it’s a very long game thing and also FCPS never has enough money to make big moves like this) is making Edison the vocational/trades magnet for all the pyramids for which it makes sense to go there, since it is pretty centrally located and has a lot of the specialty classrooms already. So it could get any vocational student from Edison, Lewis, MV, WePo, Hayfield, Annandale, Justice, WS, South County, maybe even further out to LB, Robinson, Woodson etc. if it makes sense. Then give Lewis a nice, showplace renovation and expansion and combine the current attendance area for Lewis and Edison. Make it an AP school too. It would probably be the biggest FCPS HS but not by much, and with such a large enrollment, they could really offer a lot of different classes even if the overall student body was not the highest SES in FCPS. Kids would stop transferring out unless they wanted vocational, IB, or a really specialized language, and a nice building would be a showplace for the community.

Centreville is the last high school in the old 2008 renovation queue. At some point they'll release a new queue and they'll have to decide whether the next high schools in the queue are those built after Centreville (Westfield and South County) or whether they are going to prioritize renovations of the oldest schools built decades earlier that got the cheapest "renovations: in the early 2000s. If the latter, they should be renovating Annandale, McLean, Lewis, Madison, and Justice in that order. The idea that they should plow an especially large amount of money into Lewis when it's been losing rather than gaining kids should be DOA.

I don't know what Westfield looks like, but South County is in much better condition than Lewis.

SoCo looks younger than its 20 year old age.

Lewis looks like it hasn't been touched since the 1960s.

They added the colorful canopy and new signage in the 2000s. The most recent update was when the signage was replaced with the name change.

For what it looked like prior to that, the FCPS Youtube has a Schools in Profile documentary series from the 1980s. Lee was the focus of an hour long show. You can see how the entrance has since been updated. The interiors look the same.

The fields at Lewis are worse than many of the middle school fields, the insides look virtually untouched from 50 years ago.

It would be so negligent for FCPS to renovate South County, which looks almost brand spanking new with really nice sports fields, before giving Lewis and the other 2 decrepit high schools a full modernizing renovation.

Yes Lewis and Annandale are the same on the inside. McLean had a minimal interior renovation that stripped out the stained hardwood finishes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can someone post the comments for that one?

They turned it off at 9pm and when i tried to refresh all data was gone. There were a lot about Coates (needs relief now). Quite a few about the McLean island going to falls church (people are against it). Lots for just stopping all together. Wanting residency checks, bringing pupil placements back before moving other kids

Well the interesting thing is the parents in the Falls Church island have a Facebook group that was instructing everyone to vote multiple times using an incognito browser. Their group started when the new boundary was announced and they questioned the “equity” of their children being moved to Falls Church High School. Their new angle is they are pointing out that it removes the one Title 1 school from McLean. Which would be a good point if their private group wasn’t originally focusing on property values and how their children are deserve to go to a school farther than two closer high schools. It seems like they are now trying to use the Title 1 families for their own gain. It should be the next episode of Nice White Parents.

Sounds like the Emerald Chase of Falls Church!

This is extremely unfair. Emerald Chase never used incognito mode or bots or anything other than parents simply commenting and upvoting when voting was open. And then parents urged others not to comment on later meetings, even though every one is open to the public anywhere in the county, because we care about other people getting to express their own concerns about their own regions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can someone post the comments for that one?

They turned it off at 9pm and when i tried to refresh all data was gone. There were a lot about Coates (needs relief now). Quite a few about the McLean island going to falls church (people are against it). Lots for just stopping all together. Wanting residency checks, bringing pupil placements back before moving other kids

Well the interesting thing is the parents in the Falls Church island have a Facebook group that was instructing everyone to vote multiple times using an incognito browser. Their group started when the new boundary was announced and they questioned the “equity” of their children being moved to Falls Church High School. Their new angle is they are pointing out that it removes the one Title 1 school from McLean. Which would be a good point if their private group wasn’t originally focusing on property values and how their children are deserve to go to a school farther than two closer high schools. It seems like they are now trying to use the Title 1 families for their own gain. It should be the next episode of Nice White Parents.

Sounds like the Emerald Chase of Falls Church!

Yes, I am in the group because I am in the neighborhood (and do not want to change boundaries), but I am shocked at what my neighbors believe are valid reasons. This is literally one of the suggested talking points:
“· Moving our assigned HS from one of the top in US (McLean ranked 218, vs. FCHS at 5,630), does not provide equity for us or the children in our neighborhood (I think we need to be careful about how we communicate this point. Suggest we soften it or make it implied. I don’t think we’re going to garner a lot of goodwill being so direct)”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can someone post the comments for that one?

They turned it off at 9pm and when i tried to refresh all data was gone. There were a lot about Coates (needs relief now). Quite a few about the McLean island going to falls church (people are against it). Lots for just stopping all together. Wanting residency checks, bringing pupil placements back before moving other kids

Well the interesting thing is the parents in the Falls Church island have a Facebook group that was instructing everyone to vote multiple times using an incognito browser. Their group started when the new boundary was announced and they questioned the “equity” of their children being moved to Falls Church High School. Their new angle is they are pointing out that it removes the one Title 1 school from McLean. Which would be a good point if their private group wasn’t originally focusing on property values and how their children are deserve to go to a school farther than two closer high schools. It seems like they are now trying to use the Title 1 families for their own gain. It should be the next episode of Nice White Parents.

Sounds like the Emerald Chase of Falls Church!

Yes, I am in the group because I am in the neighborhood (and do not want to change boundaries), but I am shocked at what my neighbors believe are valid reasons. This is literally one of the suggested talking points:
“· Moving our assigned HS from one of the top in US (McLean ranked 218, vs. FCHS at 5,630), does not provide equity for us or the children in our neighborhood (I think we need to be careful about how we communicate this point. Suggest we soften it or make it implied. I don’t think we’re going to garner a lot of goodwill being so direct)”

This is NOT a quote from Emerald Chase.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can someone post the comments for that one?

They turned it off at 9pm and when i tried to refresh all data was gone. There were a lot about Coates (needs relief now). Quite a few about the McLean island going to falls church (people are against it). Lots for just stopping all together. Wanting residency checks, bringing pupil placements back before moving other kids

Well the interesting thing is the parents in the Falls Church island have a Facebook group that was instructing everyone to vote multiple times using an incognito browser. Their group started when the new boundary was announced and they questioned the “equity” of their children being moved to Falls Church High School. Their new angle is they are pointing out that it removes the one Title 1 school from McLean. Which would be a good point if their private group wasn’t originally focusing on property values and how their children are deserve to go to a school farther than two closer high schools. It seems like they are now trying to use the Title 1 families for their own gain. It should be the next episode of Nice White Parents.

Sounds like the Emerald Chase of Falls Church!

Yes, I am in the group because I am in the neighborhood (and do not want to change boundaries), but I am shocked at what my neighbors believe are valid reasons. This is literally one of the suggested talking points:
“· Moving our assigned HS from one of the top in US (McLean ranked 218, vs. FCHS at 5,630), does not provide equity for us or the children in our neighborhood (I think we need to be careful about how we communicate this point. Suggest we soften it or make it implied. I don’t think we’re going to garner a lot of goodwill being so direct)”

Here is their longer lists of talking points: https://timberlanemcleanpyramid.com/?page_id=23

As I understand it, Emerald Chase wants to use the boundary study as an opportunity to move to a new HS (Chantilly). These folks, like many others who are the subject of Thru's latest proposals, want to stay at their current school (McLean).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can someone post the comments for that one?

They turned it off at 9pm and when i tried to refresh all data was gone. There were a lot about Coates (needs relief now). Quite a few about the McLean island going to falls church (people are against it). Lots for just stopping all together. Wanting residency checks, bringing pupil placements back before moving other kids

Well the interesting thing is the parents in the Falls Church island have a Facebook group that was instructing everyone to vote multiple times using an incognito browser. Their group started when the new boundary was announced and they questioned the “equity” of their children being moved to Falls Church High School. Their new angle is they are pointing out that it removes the one Title 1 school from McLean. Which would be a good point if their private group wasn’t originally focusing on property values and how their children are deserve to go to a school farther than two closer high schools. It seems like they are now trying to use the Title 1 families for their own gain. It should be the next episode of Nice White Parents.

Sounds like the Emerald Chase of Falls Church!

Yes, I am in the group because I am in the neighborhood (and do not want to change boundaries), but I am shocked at what my neighbors believe are valid reasons. This is literally one of the suggested talking points:
“· Moving our assigned HS from one of the top in US (McLean ranked 218, vs. FCHS at 5,630), does not provide equity for us or the children in our neighborhood (I think we need to be careful about how we communicate this point. Suggest we soften it or make it implied. I don’t think we’re going to garner a lot of goodwill being so direct)”

Here is their longer lists of talking points: https://timberlanemcleanpyramid.com/?page_id=23

As I understand it, Emerald Chase wants to use the boundary study as an opportunity to move to a new HS (Chantilly). These folks, like many others who are the subject of Thru's latest proposals, want to stay at their current school (McLean).

A lot of people want to stay at their current school, which makes sense. Pretending it’s because of your concern for the education your Title 1 neighbors, which is what the group is saying will get the most attention, is ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

As I understand it, Emerald Chase wants to use the boundary study as an opportunity to move to a new HS (Chantilly). These folks, like many others who are the subject of Thru's latest proposals, want to stay at their current school (McLean).

Some parents in Emerald Chase want to be part of the Chantilly pyramid so their elementary-aged kids can stay with their friends (also FCPS wants to move us *because* we're not in the Chantilly pyramid). Others prefer to stay at Westfield, others are happy with a change to South Lakes, and others don't care as long as the elementary school stays the same. There is not a consensus opinion on this. Everyone wants to stay in the same elementary school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can someone post the comments for that one?

They turned it off at 9pm and when i tried to refresh all data was gone. There were a lot about Coates (needs relief now). Quite a few about the McLean island going to falls church (people are against it). Lots for just stopping all together. Wanting residency checks, bringing pupil placements back before moving other kids

Well the interesting thing is the parents in the Falls Church island have a Facebook group that was instructing everyone to vote multiple times using an incognito browser. Their group started when the new boundary was announced and they questioned the “equity” of their children being moved to Falls Church High School. Their new angle is they are pointing out that it removes the one Title 1 school from McLean. Which would be a good point if their private group wasn’t originally focusing on property values and how their children are deserve to go to a school farther than two closer high schools. It seems like they are now trying to use the Title 1 families for their own gain. It should be the next episode of Nice White Parents.

Sounds like the Emerald Chase of Falls Church!

Yes, I am in the group because I am in the neighborhood (and do not want to change boundaries), but I am shocked at what my neighbors believe are valid reasons. This is literally one of the suggested talking points:
“· Moving our assigned HS from one of the top in US (McLean ranked 218, vs. FCHS at 5,630), does not provide equity for us or the children in our neighborhood (I think we need to be careful about how we communicate this point. Suggest we soften it or make it implied. I don’t think we’re going to garner a lot of goodwill being so direct)”

This is gross but not surprising. The title 1 kids at Timberlane never went to McLean. The rich kids did. The Title 1 kids were always at Luther Jackson and Falls Church. Not only is this argument completely disingenuous, it’s totally self-serving. These families are concerned about their property values and ESOL kids. Most of them send their precious children to local privates until 7th grade, just to avoid Timblerlane. They only believe in public schools when it’s the “best” publics their kids are attending. If anything, it’s more equitable to the Title 1 kids to in fact send these rich kids to a lower income schools like Luther Jackson and Falls Church.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can someone post the comments for that one?

They turned it off at 9pm and when i tried to refresh all data was gone. There were a lot about Coates (needs relief now). Quite a few about the McLean island going to falls church (people are against it). Lots for just stopping all together. Wanting residency checks, bringing pupil placements back before moving other kids

Well the interesting thing is the parents in the Falls Church island have a Facebook group that was instructing everyone to vote multiple times using an incognito browser. Their group started when the new boundary was announced and they questioned the “equity” of their children being moved to Falls Church High School. Their new angle is they are pointing out that it removes the one Title 1 school from McLean. Which would be a good point if their private group wasn’t originally focusing on property values and how their children are deserve to go to a school farther than two closer high schools. It seems like they are now trying to use the Title 1 families for their own gain. It should be the next episode of Nice White Parents.

Sounds like the Emerald Chase of Falls Church!

Yes, I am in the group because I am in the neighborhood (and do not want to change boundaries), but I am shocked at what my neighbors believe are valid reasons. This is literally one of the suggested talking points:
“· Moving our assigned HS from one of the top in US (McLean ranked 218, vs. FCHS at 5,630), does not provide equity for us or the children in our neighborhood (I think we need to be careful about how we communicate this point. Suggest we soften it or make it implied. I don’t think we’re going to garner a lot of goodwill being so direct)”

Here is their longer lists of talking points: https://timberlanemcleanpyramid.com/?page_id=23

As someone also with kids in this pyramid, having purchased a new build near Poplar Heights in the last few years, I feel like these talking points are excessively whiney and will be dismissed as such. The argument presented under There is a lack of consideration for other scenarios is ridiculous in suggesting McLean is a natural fit and then proposes Marshall as an acceptable alternative rather than FCHS is transparently self serving. It clearly begs the question of why Marshall and McLean are acceptable and FCHS is not. We all know the real reason. The argument under We have been misclassified as an ‘attendance island is dishonest and can be easily shown false by a casual look at the map. The argument under This change has negative impacts on the safety of our children suggests that, in some world, kids will be walking over 4 miles to McLean High School or over 2 miles to FCHS. That's highly unlikely.

The only suitable argument is the Title I argument, which is a really strong argument. Yet, it loses its strength when merged with the other ridiculous arguments. I have little hope that my young kids will have the opportunity to stay in the McLean pyramid.

[Anonymous]

McLean already has plenty of FARMS students who feed into it. As noted in a previous post, these aren’t the title 1 parents complaining about missing out on McLean. It’s the wealthy parents using them. And it’s completely transparent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can someone post the comments for that one?

They turned it off at 9pm and when i tried to refresh all data was gone. There were a lot about Coates (needs relief now). Quite a few about the McLean island going to falls church (people are against it). Lots for just stopping all together. Wanting residency checks, bringing pupil placements back before moving other kids

Well the interesting thing is the parents in the Falls Church island have a Facebook group that was instructing everyone to vote multiple times using an incognito browser. Their group started when the new boundary was announced and they questioned the “equity” of their children being moved to Falls Church High School. Their new angle is they are pointing out that it removes the one Title 1 school from McLean. Which would be a good point if their private group wasn’t originally focusing on property values and how their children are deserve to go to a school farther than two closer high schools. It seems like they are now trying to use the Title 1 families for their own gain. It should be the next episode of Nice White Parents.

Sounds like the Emerald Chase of Falls Church!

Yes, I am in the group because I am in the neighborhood (and do not want to change boundaries), but I am shocked at what my neighbors believe are valid reasons. This is literally one of the suggested talking points:
“· Moving our assigned HS from one of the top in US (McLean ranked 218, vs. FCHS at 5,630), does not provide equity for us or the children in our neighborhood (I think we need to be careful about how we communicate this point. Suggest we soften it or make it implied. I don’t think we’re going to garner a lot of goodwill being so direct)”

Here is their longer lists of talking points: https://timberlanemcleanpyramid.com/?page_id=23

As I understand it, Emerald Chase wants to use the boundary study as an opportunity to move to a new HS (Chantilly). These folks, like many others who are the subject of Thru's latest proposals, want to stay at their current school (McLean).

A lot of people want to stay at their current school, which makes sense. Pretending it’s because of your concern for the education your Title 1 neighbors, which is what the group is saying will get the most attention, is ridiculous.

If Forestville was a Title I school, and Thru was proposing to move them to Herndon to fill up some of the vacant seats there, those parents would be making the same argument.

People will make every argument they think is at their disposal to stay put. It's not insane to think an all-Democratic school board will have second thoughts about moving the only Title I feeder to McLean out of the pyramid. And these folks only found out last week that Thru was proposing to redistrict them. None of the earlier BRAC slides had this area moving to Falls Church.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can someone post the comments for that one?

They turned it off at 9pm and when i tried to refresh all data was gone. There were a lot about Coates (needs relief now). Quite a few about the McLean island going to falls church (people are against it). Lots for just stopping all together. Wanting residency checks, bringing pupil placements back before moving other kids

Well the interesting thing is the parents in the Falls Church island have a Facebook group that was instructing everyone to vote multiple times using an incognito browser. Their group started when the new boundary was announced and they questioned the “equity” of their children being moved to Falls Church High School. Their new angle is they are pointing out that it removes the one Title 1 school from McLean. Which would be a good point if their private group wasn’t originally focusing on property values and how their children are deserve to go to a school farther than two closer high schools. It seems like they are now trying to use the Title 1 families for their own gain. It should be the next episode of Nice White Parents.

Sounds like the Emerald Chase of Falls Church!

Yes, I am in the group because I am in the neighborhood (and do not want to change boundaries), but I am shocked at what my neighbors believe are valid reasons. This is literally one of the suggested talking points:
“· Moving our assigned HS from one of the top in US (McLean ranked 218, vs. FCHS at 5,630), does not provide equity for us or the children in our neighborhood (I think we need to be careful about how we communicate this point. Suggest we soften it or make it implied. I don’t think we’re going to garner a lot of goodwill being so direct)”

Here is their longer lists of talking points: https://timberlanemcleanpyramid.com/?page_id=23

As I understand it, Emerald Chase wants to use the boundary study as an opportunity to move to a new HS (Chantilly). These folks, like many others who are the subject of Thru's latest proposals, want to stay at their current school (McLean).

A lot of people want to stay at their current school, which makes sense. Pretending it’s because of your concern for the education your Title 1 neighbors, which is what the group is saying will get the most attention, is ridiculous.

It's not insane to think an all-Democratic school board will have second thoughts about moving the only Title I feeder to McLean out of the pyramid. And these folks only found out last week that Thru was proposing to redistrict them. None of the earlier BRAC slides had this area moving to Falls Church.

The Thru proposals give the all-Democratic school board cover. It takes care of the politics for them. Kind of like when big companies have consultants come in to propose layoffs, the hard decisions are being contracted out.