Boundary Review Meetings

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would be upset with that last minute change to increase capacity. They do have all the reasons to be frustrated. That being said, many of their grievances spiraled into things that appear to be school admin specific decisions.

I agree. Cardinal Forest has had trouble getting kids through the lunch line during lunch for years even when it wasn't overcrowded. While overcrowding certainly doesn't help, the fact that a 102% CFES can't provide lunches during lunch while a 107% KMES can suggests that Cardinal Forest is perhaps not run well. Which was reinforced by the discussion about the Cardinal Forest principal stating that they could not hire a permanent 5th grade teacher due to a hiring freeze, which Dr. Reid said was not actually true.

The whole description of the boundary review process is just frustrating. 18 months of community input and BRAC leads to a series of proposals that eliminate a split-feeder attendance island while evening out attendance for three elementaries, which Dr. Reid then alters at the last minute to drastically increase Cardinal Forest students and drastically decrease Keene Mill students. A BRAC rep last night stated that she had no input in and was surprised by Dr. Reid's change, and Dr. Reid didn't seem to know why she made that change, other than some Cardinal Forest walkers were displaced (who might well have also been Keene Mill walkers). As a result, FCPS and the Board is just going to study the issue for a year, which is likely going to result in Cardinal Forest suffering the exact same problems for another year.

And if Dr. Reid is just going to change recommendations at the last minute on a whim, what even is the point of BRAC or community involvement? It just seems like FCPS is doing whatever it feels like under the veneer of community involvement, while also annoying its families by creating an extended time period of uncertainty.

In January 2027, Shannon Station should be moved from Keene Mill Elementary to White Oaks/Lake Braddock as presented in Map 4.

Of all the changes recommended across all schools in FCPS, Shannon Station to White Oaks/Lake Braddock is one of the few changes that should without a doubt made it to the final maps.

That the Shannon Station neighborhood rezoning not only did not happen, but also that it was rezoned to CF resulting in much closer walkers getting rezoned out of CF is absolutely ridiculous.

Are you advocating for Shannon Station to move to CF for one year then move again to White Oaks the next year, given the current status of the maps?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would be upset with that last minute change to increase capacity. They do have all the reasons to be frustrated. That being said, many of their grievances spiraled into things that appear to be school admin specific decisions.

I agree. Cardinal Forest has had trouble getting kids through the lunch line during lunch for years even when it wasn't overcrowded. While overcrowding certainly doesn't help, the fact that a 102% CFES can't provide lunches during lunch while a 107% KMES can suggests that Cardinal Forest is perhaps not run well. Which was reinforced by the discussion about the Cardinal Forest principal stating that they could not hire a permanent 5th grade teacher due to a hiring freeze, which Dr. Reid said was not actually true.

The whole description of the boundary review process is just frustrating. 18 months of community input and BRAC leads to a series of proposals that eliminate a split-feeder attendance island while evening out attendance for three elementaries, which Dr. Reid then alters at the last minute to drastically increase Cardinal Forest students and drastically decrease Keene Mill students. A BRAC rep last night stated that she had no input in and was surprised by Dr. Reid's change, and Dr. Reid didn't seem to know why she made that change, other than some Cardinal Forest walkers were displaced (who might well have also been Keene Mill walkers). As a result, FCPS and the Board is just going to study the issue for a year, which is likely going to result in Cardinal Forest suffering the exact same problems for another year.

And if Dr. Reid is just going to change recommendations at the last minute on a whim, what even is the point of BRAC or community involvement? It just seems like FCPS is doing whatever it feels like under the veneer of community involvement, while also annoying its families by creating an extended time period of uncertainty.

In January 2027, Shannon Station should be moved from Keene Mill Elementary to White Oaks/Lake Braddock as presented in Map 4.

Of all the changes recommended across all schools in FCPS, Shannon Station to White Oaks/Lake Braddock is one of the few changes that should without a doubt made it to the final maps.

That the Shannon Station neighborhood rezoning not only did not happen, but also that it was rezoned to CF resulting in much closer walkers getting rezoned out of CF is absolutely ridiculous.

Are you advocating for Shannon Station to move to CF for one year then move again to White Oaks the next year, given the current status of the maps?

No.

It sounds like there are no changes to Shannon Station in Reid's map.

Shannon Station should get moved in Jan 2027.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My favorite part of the evening was a Cardinal Forest mom who complained that everyone looks down on Cardinal Forest (?) and that the community would not support residency checks (??).

Arguing in favor of residency fraud in an open meeting with FCPS staff and school board members is a real choice.

It wasn’t a bad meeting. There’s just a lot of upset Cardinal Forest moms.

I agree with you on the CF mom, but disagree that it wasn't a bad meeting. Sandy totally avoided a question on Rolling Valley, jumped all over a mom who held up a sign (and then Kyle jumped in to mansplain his kids were there and no one should shout (no one was), told the room to stop shitting on other schools (which no one was doing), and I walked away thinking-what the heck is going to happen in 27 and then again in 2030. At one point Sandy said if you want equity 'sell your house to a minority'. I heard nothing about how the school board is actually helping out kids.

I can’t believe I’m here defending Sandy. But she was responding to a speaker complaining that the school board didnt use economic inequalities as a basis for boundary changes and moving middle class and poor kids around to accomplish equity goals. And Sandy said that wasn’t legal. Which is true.

Meren is very much on board with making all things equitable, she isn’t happy with the new school because it is new and nice and shiny and other schools are not. She has complained that the boundary review did nothing for equity and complained about the different language programs that are not equally available. She didn’t mention the IB/AP inequity, which is used to move out of poorer schools to better off schools.

Oh, please. If Meren was in favor of making all things equitable, she would be objecting to making Thoreau and Madison wealthier at the expense of Kilmer and Marshall. Maybe I’m wrong, but it seemed like she is a cheerleader for the wealthy parents wanting to bail on Kilmer and Marshall.

Meren speaks equity and practices self-interest. You think she’s an equity warrior because she wants to protect South Lakes, but that doesn’t mean she cares about equity across the board.

Absolutely. Meren is a joke who is just out to win votes and the expense of what is best for all students.

Agree! This is her letter she is sending around.

As the Superintendent works to conclude the 18-month long comprehensive boundary review work, I recognize that much attention is on the forthcoming January 22 School Board vote on the recommendation changes. Thank you for sharing your thoughts about the school boundary proposal. Allow me to share these thoughts:

I plan to support the recommended changes shared by the Superintendent publicly at the January 8 School Board meeting. I do not plan to bring any amendments to the Superintendent’s final proposal. To do so at this time would be too last-minute.

I think the recommended changes do a good job of reducing split feeders and addressing some overcapacity issues within Hunter Mill District. I am glad a slower approach to change is being utilized by the Superintendent. I’ve maintained throughout this process that changes should avoid creating massive amounts of anxiety and last-minute change for students and families.

Of note:

By including Wolftrap neighborhoods and SPA 3914 (Tysons Woods Park) into Thoreau Middle School and Madison High School, school capacity is more balanced throughout the area. This also adjusts a long-time desire for Wolftrap ES students to be fully in the Madison pyramid. I’m really pleased about this!

The proposal will reduce split feeders at Westbriar, Colvin Run, and Crossfield elementary schools. Reducing split feeders is what is best for kids, year over year. Town of Vienna addresses remain zoned for Madison HS, an important factor for the community.

Regarding Oakton Elementary School and Flint Hill Elementary School with the Wayside and Tamarack neighborhoods: the Superintendent did not adopt my recommendation to adjust these attendance islands. I continue to hear mixed feelings on this from residents, but the proposed boundary map is what I expect will stand.

Lastly, Coates Elementary School was severely over capacity, and these changes will alleviate that problem by utilizing open capacity at the Floris, Herndon, and the McNair elementary schools.

I seriously hate that all the SB members keep pushing the narrative that ALL spilt feeders are bad. The narrative is used to try to force changes that are not needed. I live in a split feeder that remained such(thank goodness) because of it's geographic location and community ties. Closing split feeders was at the bottom of the priority list for parents per the county-wide survey. Many communities, like ours, value our split feeder. I get that some communities may feel that there split feeder is problematic, but that is not the case for all splits!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My favorite part of the evening was a Cardinal Forest mom who complained that everyone looks down on Cardinal Forest (?) and that the community would not support residency checks (??).

Arguing in favor of residency fraud in an open meeting with FCPS staff and school board members is a real choice.

It wasn’t a bad meeting. There’s just a lot of upset Cardinal Forest moms.

I agree with you on the CF mom, but disagree that it wasn't a bad meeting. Sandy totally avoided a question on Rolling Valley, jumped all over a mom who held up a sign (and then Kyle jumped in to mansplain his kids were there and no one should shout (no one was), told the room to stop shitting on other schools (which no one was doing), and I walked away thinking-what the heck is going to happen in 27 and then again in 2030. At one point Sandy said if you want equity 'sell your house to a minority'. I heard nothing about how the school board is actually helping out kids.

I can’t believe I’m here defending Sandy. But she was responding to a speaker complaining that the school board didnt use economic inequalities as a basis for boundary changes and moving middle class and poor kids around to accomplish equity goals. And Sandy said that wasn’t legal. Which is true.

Meren is very much on board with making all things equitable, she isn’t happy with the new school because it is new and nice and shiny and other schools are not. She has complained that the boundary review did nothing for equity and complained about the different language programs that are not equally available. She didn’t mention the IB/AP inequity, which is used to move out of poorer schools to better off schools.

Oh, please. If Meren was in favor of making all things equitable, she would be objecting to making Thoreau and Madison wealthier at the expense of Kilmer and Marshall. Maybe I’m wrong, but it seemed like she is a cheerleader for the wealthy parents wanting to bail on Kilmer and Marshall.

Meren speaks equity and practices self-interest. You think she’s an equity warrior because she wants to protect South Lakes, but that doesn’t mean she cares about equity across the board.

Absolutely. Meren is a joke who is just out to win votes and the expense of what is best for all students.

Agree! This is her letter she is sending around.

As the Superintendent works to conclude the 18-month long comprehensive boundary review work, I recognize that much attention is on the forthcoming January 22 School Board vote on the recommendation changes. Thank you for sharing your thoughts about the school boundary proposal. Allow me to share these thoughts:

I plan to support the recommended changes shared by the Superintendent publicly at the January 8 School Board meeting. I do not plan to bring any amendments to the Superintendent’s final proposal. To do so at this time would be too last-minute.

I think the recommended changes do a good job of reducing split feeders and addressing some overcapacity issues within Hunter Mill District. I am glad a slower approach to change is being utilized by the Superintendent. I’ve maintained throughout this process that changes should avoid creating massive amounts of anxiety and last-minute change for students and families.

Of note:

By including Wolftrap neighborhoods and SPA 3914 (Tysons Woods Park) into Thoreau Middle School and Madison High School, school capacity is more balanced throughout the area. This also adjusts a long-time desire for Wolftrap ES students to be fully in the Madison pyramid. I’m really pleased about this!

The proposal will reduce split feeders at Westbriar, Colvin Run, and Crossfield elementary schools. Reducing split feeders is what is best for kids, year over year. Town of Vienna addresses remain zoned for Madison HS, an important factor for the community.

Regarding Oakton Elementary School and Flint Hill Elementary School with the Wayside and Tamarack neighborhoods: the Superintendent did not adopt my recommendation to adjust these attendance islands. I continue to hear mixed feelings on this from residents, but the proposed boundary map is what I expect will stand.

Lastly, Coates Elementary School was severely over capacity, and these changes will alleviate that problem by utilizing open capacity at the Floris, Herndon, and the McNair elementary schools.

I seriously hate that all the SB members keep pushing the narrative that ALL spilt feeders are bad. The narrative is used to try to force changes that are not needed. I live in a split feeder that remained such(thank goodness) because of its geographic location and community ties. Closing split feeders was at the bottom of the priority list for parents per the county-wide survey. Many communities, like ours, value our split feeder. I get that some communities may feel that there split feeder is problematic, but that is not the case for all splits!!

If they are all about reducing split feeders, then they should have done the Western boundaries earlier than June and fixed Hughes, Franklin and Carson middle school boundaries.

[Anonymous]

We are also in a split feeder es which is fine - split feeders are only issues when super lopsided.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My favorite part of the evening was a Cardinal Forest mom who complained that everyone looks down on Cardinal Forest (?) and that the community would not support residency checks (??).

Arguing in favor of residency fraud in an open meeting with FCPS staff and school board members is a real choice.

It wasn’t a bad meeting. There’s just a lot of upset Cardinal Forest moms.

I agree with you on the CF mom, but disagree that it wasn't a bad meeting. Sandy totally avoided a question on Rolling Valley, jumped all over a mom who held up a sign (and then Kyle jumped in to mansplain his kids were there and no one should shout (no one was), told the room to stop shitting on other schools (which no one was doing), and I walked away thinking-what the heck is going to happen in 27 and then again in 2030. At one point Sandy said if you want equity 'sell your house to a minority'. I heard nothing about how the school board is actually helping out kids.

I can’t believe I’m here defending Sandy. But she was responding to a speaker complaining that the school board didnt use economic inequalities as a basis for boundary changes and moving middle class and poor kids around to accomplish equity goals. And Sandy said that wasn’t legal. Which is true.

Meren is very much on board with making all things equitable, she isn’t happy with the new school because it is new and nice and shiny and other schools are not. She has complained that the boundary review did nothing for equity and complained about the different language programs that are not equally available. She didn’t mention the IB/AP inequity, which is used to move out of poorer schools to better off schools.

Oh, please. If Meren was in favor of making all things equitable, she would be objecting to making Thoreau and Madison wealthier at the expense of Kilmer and Marshall. Maybe I’m wrong, but it seemed like she is a cheerleader for the wealthy parents wanting to bail on Kilmer and Marshall.

Meren speaks equity and practices self-interest. You think she’s an equity warrior because she wants to protect South Lakes, but that doesn’t mean she cares about equity across the board.

Absolutely. Meren is a joke who is just out to win votes and the expense of what is best for all students.

Agree! This is her letter she is sending around.

As the Superintendent works to conclude the 18-month long comprehensive boundary review work, I recognize that much attention is on the forthcoming January 22 School Board vote on the recommendation changes. Thank you for sharing your thoughts about the school boundary proposal. Allow me to share these thoughts:

I plan to support the recommended changes shared by the Superintendent publicly at the January 8 School Board meeting. I do not plan to bring any amendments to the Superintendent’s final proposal. To do so at this time would be too last-minute.

I think the recommended changes do a good job of reducing split feeders and addressing some overcapacity issues within Hunter Mill District. I am glad a slower approach to change is being utilized by the Superintendent. I’ve maintained throughout this process that changes should avoid creating massive amounts of anxiety and last-minute change for students and families.

Of note:

By including Wolftrap neighborhoods and SPA 3914 (Tysons Woods Park) into Thoreau Middle School and Madison High School, school capacity is more balanced throughout the area. This also adjusts a long-time desire for Wolftrap ES students to be fully in the Madison pyramid. I’m really pleased about this!

The proposal will reduce split feeders at Westbriar, Colvin Run, and Crossfield elementary schools. Reducing split feeders is what is best for kids, year over year. Town of Vienna addresses remain zoned for Madison HS, an important factor for the community.

Regarding Oakton Elementary School and Flint Hill Elementary School with the Wayside and Tamarack neighborhoods: the Superintendent did not adopt my recommendation to adjust these attendance islands. I continue to hear mixed feelings on this from residents, but the proposed boundary map is what I expect will stand.

Lastly, Coates Elementary School was severely over capacity, and these changes will alleviate that problem by utilizing open capacity at the Floris, Herndon, and the McNair elementary schools.

I seriously hate that all the SB members keep pushing the narrative that ALL spilt feeders are bad. The narrative is used to try to force changes that are not needed. I live in a split feeder that remained such(thank goodness) because of its geographic location and community ties. Closing split feeders was at the bottom of the priority list for parents per the county-wide survey. Many communities, like ours, value our split feeder. I get that some communities may feel that there split feeder is problematic, but that is not the case for all splits!!

If they are all about reducing split feeders, then they should have done the Western boundaries earlier than June and fixed Hughes, Franklin and Carson middle school boundaries.

Exactly. They only use spilt feeders as an excuse when it benefits a move they want to make. How about they actually listen to their constituents before they come up with what's "bad" for our kids.

[Anonymous]

They walked back on majority of the split feeder fixes. The primary ones that made it through had vocal support (Wolf Trap) or little to no push back (Spring Hill.) I understand not everyone at those schools are happy with the decision, but they were outnumbered. Even that one street of 12 kids managed to keep their split feeder at Crossfield.

[Anonymous]

Well, looks like today is the day. This turd sandwich waste of time and resources will get voted through. If the school board has a lick of sense, they’d realize how much this has eaten into the support they have from key constituencies. To gain back trust, they need to go small and only fix urgent issues in the future, not subject us to ongoing reviews 40% of the time in perpetuity.

Can they admit their failure here?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well, looks like today is the day. This turd sandwich waste of time and resources will get voted through. If the school board has a lick of sense, they’d realize how much this has eaten into the support they have from key constituencies. To gain back trust, they need to go small and only fix urgent issues in the future, not subject us to ongoing reviews 40% of the time in perpetuity.

Can they admit their failure here?

The passing will be celebrated and then they’ll get the debrief on the consultant and their fees as well as staff hours invested and will see how much the 18 month study cost the county. That’s when they’ll start stepping back from the 5 year comprehensive reviews.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They walked back on majority of the split feeder fixes. The primary ones that made it through had vocal support (Wolf Trap) or little to no push back (Spring Hill.) I understand not everyone at those schools are happy with the decision, but they were outnumbered. Even that one street of 12 kids managed to keep their split feeder at Crossfield.

Yep. They walked them back because parents saw their value. Then why are folks like Meren still writing (in their newsletters) that split feeders are bad. They should just admit their policy (to close split and attendance islands) was wrong from the start (as a whole). Addressing any that truly are problematic is fine. Let's not do this again in five years.

[Anonymous]

What will be next ? How much money will be used to get kids registered to the selected schools. To grandfather with or without transportation. When wolftrap AAP kids want to still go to Kilmervs Jackson and when Thoreau AAP kids stay and the school does not have space for all of the students. What a mess.

[Anonymous]

Will Wolftrap level IV students now be eligible for Luther Jackson or will it be an option to go to Kilmer?

Are the AAP centers associated with the home address or the base school?

[Anonymous]

I just want them to release the opt in numbers for Western.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What will be next ? How much money will be used to get kids registered to the selected schools. To grandfather with or without transportation. When wolftrap AAP kids want to still go to Kilmervs Jackson and when Thoreau AAP kids stay and the school does not have space for all of the students. What a mess.

Kilmer was already the AAP center for a small part of Thoreau (Stenwood and parts of Vienna ES) so presumably it will stay the AAP center for the Wolftrap kids.

The problem will be when Thoreau becomes an AAP center and they have to find more space for hundreds of kids. Pushing Oakton kids out of Thoreau to Jackson becomes the only option because they can’t send Wolftrap back to Kilmer without admitting their mistake. But space at Jackson might come into question too. I don’t know how many Oakton kids there are at Thoreau. They’re setting the stage for extreme lopsided split feeders. Kilmer will have that one Westbriar SPA going to Madison. Thoreau will have a handful of kids going to Marshall (Stenwood) or Oakton (probably Oakton ES) and Jackson will have a small number going to Oakton (probably Mosaic and part of Marshall Rd).

They could have pushed the change until AAP was put at Thoreau so they could thoughtfully balance the shift in students but they HAD to do it now so those poor Wolftrap families wouldn’t be separated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Will Wolftrap level IV students now be eligible for Luther Jackson or will it be an option to go to Kilmer?

Are the AAP centers associated with the home address or the base school?

The AAP boundaries aren’t changing.