FCPS HS Boundary

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:The best nugget of info out of this meeting (because boundary adjustments are a foregone conclusion) is from Dr. Reid's response to Mateo Dunne's question about boundary changes: she stated that HS boundaries will not change much at all, and most of the boundary changes will be at the ES level.

That’s interesting, I wonder why they decided to do that. Most kids attend the closest ES unless they’re at a split feeder or in an attendance island. The kids who have a long ES bus ride would have one regardless because they live in a far-flung area like Clifton or Great Falls. Or they’re getting bussed to the AAP center …

This is false. Anyone with eyes can look at a map of the school boundaries to see lots of elementary schools completely disconnected from their communities.

Such as??

Westbriar, Keene Mill, Flint Hill, Sangster, etc.

The one no-brainer move coming from a savant who spends too much time on Zillow and has no dog in the fight, the Groveland/Green Garland drive area zoned for Sangster will move to Newington Forest and will become part of the South County pyramid.

I can see that happening, although that’s a really small neighborhood that probably won’t make too much of a difference either way.

As a Lorton resident I wonder if the infamous Hagel Circle will continue to get bussed past 95 to Halley or if they will get sent to the much closer Gunston. That’s a hot potato.

I was shocked to learn that Hagel Ct students didn’t go to Lorton Station ES. It’s only a mile away!

That’s one of the equity bussing situations. Sending those kids to the comparatively rich Halley makes Halley and Gunston both around 40% FARMS, and Lorton Station around 55%. Otherwise Halley would have demographics similar to Silverbrook which has single digit FARMS, and Gunston or Lorton Station would be much higher needs.

I imagine if they changed it it would be to send those kids to Gunston so they can stay at South County, as opposed to Lorton Station/Hayfield. But also, without that big neighborhood Halley’s population would drop quite a bit and there’s really nowhere for them to pick up kids from since that is not a growth area of the county.

This may have been their intention when they assigned these attendance islands, but they’re seeing the negative impacts. If kids miss the bus, they’re likely missing school that day, when in some cases, there’s another elementary school within walking distance.

Very true and I’m sure there is a lot of absenteeism coming from that area. A lot of families don’t have cars. If the kid misses the school bus there’s no way to get them to school.

+ 1 never thought of this but I’m positive this is happening.

These are the types of nuances that people who support “keeping things the same” don’t think about. I’m glad that the school board is taking a look at this in a holistic way. Issues like chronic absenteeism only put kids in that community further and further behind, which leads to more stress on the educators and other school resources.

You don’t know what nuance I think about. You’re just throwing crap at the wall to see what sticks.

I don’t have to throw anything, the motion passed so it’s “up and it’s stuck” already! That reference will likely over your head, it just means your whining is pointless at this point. You should focus that energy on opening up your mind to the possibilities now, since this is no longer a question of IF but WHEN and HOW.

Gloat as much as you want. They’re well on their way to destroying the county schools. Those of us with money will leave, those of us like you will just be stuck with lower SES schools and will never stop your pathetic whining.

That’s the nuance that YOU and your SJW friends don’t think about. Oops.

Oh we did and…WE DO NOT CARE. You think you’re the only one in the county with money? ALL of the houses in FFX cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.

It’s just empty threats until/unless it happens and even then, things will be fine. Your house will be snapped up quickly and life will go on.

I have to agree. Houses will still be bought for location, etc. Some of the new buyers will simply expect to go private from the get go unlike whose who had the rug pulled out from under them.

Others will embrace the chance to let their child see how the other half lives so they don’t have to hear them whining about having Izumi for dinner AGAIN.

What I would implore any SJW, economically challenged ideologues on this board to do, is looking at property sales over the next few years in the jurisdictions that are at high risk of getting redistricted. You’ll of course try to spin the ensuing drop as something else, but we all know that the number one reason that people buy their houses is for the schools.

I know you don’t care, but each drop represents a loss for the county, both directly and indirectly.

Ok, hypothetically:
Boundary changes happen and now more poor and diverse kids go to your pyramid. GreatSchools score takes a hit on Zillow. The ultra-wealthy from California and Seattle now refuse to pay 300k over the assessment for homes in your neighborhood. This leaves room for younger mid-grade federal employees and other public servants, from teachers to custodians, to buy and live and work in Fairfax County, just like they used to in the 90s.

How has your own child's education specifically been negatively impacted?

How my own child's education is impacted: now my kid is moving between 10th and 11th grade, completely loses continuity with her school clubs and sports and social groups/friends. Academically, everything is unfamiliar from the courses and path to graduation to the teachers who teach them. She is now exposed to more disciplinary problems, drugs, gang members (yes, not an exaggeration, they are a reality at Lewis). There is no explanation that paints a silver lining for her. But I will make sure she understands there are SJWs who believe she and her cohort are educational martyrs who are fixing the system for FARMS kids and no one else will have to go through what she is going through.

In terms of academics, it’s not just that it is unfamiliar it’s that many advanced courses may not even be available. At least one school board member made this point last night. Not committing to grandfather rising juniors tells me moving them is on the table. Junior year is critical for college admissions and the fact that the school board as whole will not commit to supporting at least that one cohort is disappointing to say the least.

Advocate for more AP in your new school. Contribute to the community.

It is not our community.

Our community is the school zone we originally purchased int, set roots in, and out kids grew up in.

Agree, the school will be two schools within a school. Especially if the kids at the schools are like their smug petty SJW parents. My kids would want nothing to do with them, and I’d fully support that.

Anyone who actually complies with the school board plan and sends their kids would be best served to go in with a good attitude and do all the things they would have done had they stayed at their chosen school.

Why make life less pleasant for your kid and for you? Buy the school logo gear, join the athletic boosters/choral guild/pta and make it a good time.

If you won’t send your kid, good for you and your kid. But if you are going to enroll them, embrace the experience.

+1 The kids are probably handling this better than parents on here.

Yeah because 1) it’s not their property values or ability to sell that’s potentially being affected and 2) kids don’t necessarily have a full grasp on how bad it would be, academically and in terms of their college apps, to move high schools DURING HIGH SCHOOL. If the SB doesn’t figure out the whole AP vs. IB thing, potentially moving from a school with AP classes to one that doesn’t have them. If a kid was on the most advanced math track, moving to a school that could potentially not accommodate that if there has been no demand in the past for the highest AP math classes. No it’s not the same to take those classes at NVCC - as everyone knows, the quality of teaching is generally better in high school when you’re taught by qualified teachers vs. professors whose specialty is research.

And, those same kids also got screwed at some point in elementary school by a year and a half’s worth of closures due to COVID.

I think allowing grandfathering for both juniors and seniors would mitigate a lot of parental stress about this, and I would like to see 6th graders grandfathered as well so they can finish out ES with their class. If a 9th or 10th grader had to move HS, they would have more than half of HS at the new school and that’s not as bad.

What college said they prefer one high school over another? Show us where colleges say they don’t admit kids that move. Post your source.

It's common sense to anyone who knows anything about college admissions. Strength of schedule matters. We're not talking about just getting into college period, we're taking about the potential options of more advance students being limited due to lack of access to AP and DE courses.

Most of us here are not advocating against the boundary changes. We are arguing to grandfather juniors because that is a critical year in terms of college admissions. You are arguing for the other extreme end of the spectrum from those who say "no boundary changes, period." What is best for the county is a moderate position that takes into account the needs of all students, including those being moved.

Show us your source. Show us a college that says they won’t admit a top kid from a school with less AP.

Oh, and here you go.
https://www.nacacnet.org/factors-in-the-admission-decision/

Where does says kids from a school with less AP don’t get in? Even a lower FCPS school has more AP than most districts in VA. You think kids outside FCPS don’t go to college?

If you can't read that chart and make logical inferences, I can't help you. Strength of schedule, which includes advanced courses is number 3 in the chart.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:The best nugget of info out of this meeting (because boundary adjustments are a foregone conclusion) is from Dr. Reid's response to Mateo Dunne's question about boundary changes: she stated that HS boundaries will not change much at all, and most of the boundary changes will be at the ES level.

That’s interesting, I wonder why they decided to do that. Most kids attend the closest ES unless they’re at a split feeder or in an attendance island. The kids who have a long ES bus ride would have one regardless because they live in a far-flung area like Clifton or Great Falls. Or they’re getting bussed to the AAP center …

This is false. Anyone with eyes can look at a map of the school boundaries to see lots of elementary schools completely disconnected from their communities.

Such as??

Westbriar, Keene Mill, Flint Hill, Sangster, etc.

The one no-brainer move coming from a savant who spends too much time on Zillow and has no dog in the fight, the Groveland/Green Garland drive area zoned for Sangster will move to Newington Forest and will become part of the South County pyramid.

I can see that happening, although that’s a really small neighborhood that probably won’t make too much of a difference either way.

As a Lorton resident I wonder if the infamous Hagel Circle will continue to get bussed past 95 to Halley or if they will get sent to the much closer Gunston. That’s a hot potato.

I was shocked to learn that Hagel Ct students didn’t go to Lorton Station ES. It’s only a mile away!

That’s one of the equity bussing situations. Sending those kids to the comparatively rich Halley makes Halley and Gunston both around 40% FARMS, and Lorton Station around 55%. Otherwise Halley would have demographics similar to Silverbrook which has single digit FARMS, and Gunston or Lorton Station would be much higher needs.

I imagine if they changed it it would be to send those kids to Gunston so they can stay at South County, as opposed to Lorton Station/Hayfield. But also, without that big neighborhood Halley’s population would drop quite a bit and there’s really nowhere for them to pick up kids from since that is not a growth area of the county.

This may have been their intention when they assigned these attendance islands, but they’re seeing the negative impacts. If kids miss the bus, they’re likely missing school that day, when in some cases, there’s another elementary school within walking distance.

Very true and I’m sure there is a lot of absenteeism coming from that area. A lot of families don’t have cars. If the kid misses the school bus there’s no way to get them to school.

+ 1 never thought of this but I’m positive this is happening.

These are the types of nuances that people who support “keeping things the same” don’t think about. I’m glad that the school board is taking a look at this in a holistic way. Issues like chronic absenteeism only put kids in that community further and further behind, which leads to more stress on the educators and other school resources.

You don’t know what nuance I think about. You’re just throwing crap at the wall to see what sticks.

I don’t have to throw anything, the motion passed so it’s “up and it’s stuck” already! That reference will likely over your head, it just means your whining is pointless at this point. You should focus that energy on opening up your mind to the possibilities now, since this is no longer a question of IF but WHEN and HOW.

Gloat as much as you want. They’re well on their way to destroying the county schools. Those of us with money will leave, those of us like you will just be stuck with lower SES schools and will never stop your pathetic whining.

That’s the nuance that YOU and your SJW friends don’t think about. Oops.

Oh we did and…WE DO NOT CARE. You think you’re the only one in the county with money? ALL of the houses in FFX cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.

It’s just empty threats until/unless it happens and even then, things will be fine. Your house will be snapped up quickly and life will go on.

I have to agree. Houses will still be bought for location, etc. Some of the new buyers will simply expect to go private from the get go unlike whose who had the rug pulled out from under them.

Others will embrace the chance to let their child see how the other half lives so they don’t have to hear them whining about having Izumi for dinner AGAIN.

What I would implore any SJW, economically challenged ideologues on this board to do, is looking at property sales over the next few years in the jurisdictions that are at high risk of getting redistricted. You’ll of course try to spin the ensuing drop as something else, but we all know that the number one reason that people buy their houses is for the schools.

I know you don’t care, but each drop represents a loss for the county, both directly and indirectly.

Ok, hypothetically:
Boundary changes happen and now more poor and diverse kids go to your pyramid. GreatSchools score takes a hit on Zillow. The ultra-wealthy from California and Seattle now refuse to pay 300k over the assessment for homes in your neighborhood. This leaves room for younger mid-grade federal employees and other public servants, from teachers to custodians, to buy and live and work in Fairfax County, just like they used to in the 90s.

How has your own child's education specifically been negatively impacted?

How my own child's education is impacted: now my kid is moving between 10th and 11th grade, completely loses continuity with her school clubs and sports and social groups/friends. Academically, everything is unfamiliar from the courses and path to graduation to the teachers who teach them. She is now exposed to more disciplinary problems, drugs, gang members (yes, not an exaggeration, they are a reality at Lewis). There is no explanation that paints a silver lining for her. But I will make sure she understands there are SJWs who believe she and her cohort are educational martyrs who are fixing the system for FARMS kids and no one else will have to go through what she is going through.

In terms of academics, it’s not just that it is unfamiliar it’s that many advanced courses may not even be available. At least one school board member made this point last night. Not committing to grandfather rising juniors tells me moving them is on the table. Junior year is critical for college admissions and the fact that the school board as whole will not commit to supporting at least that one cohort is disappointing to say the least.

Advocate for more AP in your new school. Contribute to the community.

It is not our community.

Our community is the school zone we originally purchased int, set roots in, and out kids grew up in.

Agree, the school will be two schools within a school. Especially if the kids at the schools are like their smug petty SJW parents. My kids would want nothing to do with them, and I’d fully support that.

Anyone who actually complies with the school board plan and sends their kids would be best served to go in with a good attitude and do all the things they would have done had they stayed at their chosen school.

Why make life less pleasant for your kid and for you? Buy the school logo gear, join the athletic boosters/choral guild/pta and make it a good time.

If you won’t send your kid, good for you and your kid. But if you are going to enroll them, embrace the experience.

+1 The kids are probably handling this better than parents on here.

Yeah because 1) it’s not their property values or ability to sell that’s potentially being affected and 2) kids don’t necessarily have a full grasp on how bad it would be, academically and in terms of their college apps, to move high schools DURING HIGH SCHOOL. If the SB doesn’t figure out the whole AP vs. IB thing, potentially moving from a school with AP classes to one that doesn’t have them. If a kid was on the most advanced math track, moving to a school that could potentially not accommodate that if there has been no demand in the past for the highest AP math classes. No it’s not the same to take those classes at NVCC - as everyone knows, the quality of teaching is generally better in high school when you’re taught by qualified teachers vs. professors whose specialty is research.

And, those same kids also got screwed at some point in elementary school by a year and a half’s worth of closures due to COVID.

I think allowing grandfathering for both juniors and seniors would mitigate a lot of parental stress about this, and I would like to see 6th graders grandfathered as well so they can finish out ES with their class. If a 9th or 10th grader had to move HS, they would have more than half of HS at the new school and that’s not as bad.

What college said they prefer one high school over another? Show us where colleges say they don’t admit kids that move. Post your source.

It's common sense to anyone who knows anything about college admissions. Strength of schedule matters. We're not talking about just getting into college period, we're taking about the potential options of more advance students being limited due to lack of access to AP and DE courses.

Most of us here are not advocating against the boundary changes. We are arguing to grandfather juniors because that is a critical year in terms of college admissions. You are arguing for the other extreme end of the spectrum from those who say "no boundary changes, period." What is best for the county is a moderate position that takes into account the needs of all students, including those being moved.

Show us your source. Show us a college that says they won’t admit a top kid from a school with less AP.

Oh, and here you go.
https://www.nacacnet.org/factors-in-the-admission-decision/

Where does says kids from a school with less AP don’t get in? Even a lower FCPS school has more AP than most districts in VA. You think kids outside FCPS don’t go to college?

If you can't read that chart and make logical inferences, I can't help you. Strength of schedule, which includes advanced courses is number 3 in the chart.

All FCPS schools have advanced courses. You’re creating an issue that isn’t there. Again, how do kids from districts without AP get in college?

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:The best nugget of info out of this meeting (because boundary adjustments are a foregone conclusion) is from Dr. Reid's response to Mateo Dunne's question about boundary changes: she stated that HS boundaries will not change much at all, and most of the boundary changes will be at the ES level.

That’s interesting, I wonder why they decided to do that. Most kids attend the closest ES unless they’re at a split feeder or in an attendance island. The kids who have a long ES bus ride would have one regardless because they live in a far-flung area like Clifton or Great Falls. Or they’re getting bussed to the AAP center …

This is false. Anyone with eyes can look at a map of the school boundaries to see lots of elementary schools completely disconnected from their communities.

Such as??

Westbriar, Keene Mill, Flint Hill, Sangster, etc.

The one no-brainer move coming from a savant who spends too much time on Zillow and has no dog in the fight, the Groveland/Green Garland drive area zoned for Sangster will move to Newington Forest and will become part of the South County pyramid.

I can see that happening, although that’s a really small neighborhood that probably won’t make too much of a difference either way.

As a Lorton resident I wonder if the infamous Hagel Circle will continue to get bussed past 95 to Halley or if they will get sent to the much closer Gunston. That’s a hot potato.

I was shocked to learn that Hagel Ct students didn’t go to Lorton Station ES. It’s only a mile away!

That’s one of the equity bussing situations. Sending those kids to the comparatively rich Halley makes Halley and Gunston both around 40% FARMS, and Lorton Station around 55%. Otherwise Halley would have demographics similar to Silverbrook which has single digit FARMS, and Gunston or Lorton Station would be much higher needs.

I imagine if they changed it it would be to send those kids to Gunston so they can stay at South County, as opposed to Lorton Station/Hayfield. But also, without that big neighborhood Halley’s population would drop quite a bit and there’s really nowhere for them to pick up kids from since that is not a growth area of the county.

This may have been their intention when they assigned these attendance islands, but they’re seeing the negative impacts. If kids miss the bus, they’re likely missing school that day, when in some cases, there’s another elementary school within walking distance.

Very true and I’m sure there is a lot of absenteeism coming from that area. A lot of families don’t have cars. If the kid misses the school bus there’s no way to get them to school.

+ 1 never thought of this but I’m positive this is happening.

These are the types of nuances that people who support “keeping things the same” don’t think about. I’m glad that the school board is taking a look at this in a holistic way. Issues like chronic absenteeism only put kids in that community further and further behind, which leads to more stress on the educators and other school resources.

You don’t know what nuance I think about. You’re just throwing crap at the wall to see what sticks.

I don’t have to throw anything, the motion passed so it’s “up and it’s stuck” already! That reference will likely over your head, it just means your whining is pointless at this point. You should focus that energy on opening up your mind to the possibilities now, since this is no longer a question of IF but WHEN and HOW.

Gloat as much as you want. They’re well on their way to destroying the county schools. Those of us with money will leave, those of us like you will just be stuck with lower SES schools and will never stop your pathetic whining.

That’s the nuance that YOU and your SJW friends don’t think about. Oops.

Oh we did and…WE DO NOT CARE. You think you’re the only one in the county with money? ALL of the houses in FFX cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.

It’s just empty threats until/unless it happens and even then, things will be fine. Your house will be snapped up quickly and life will go on.

I have to agree. Houses will still be bought for location, etc. Some of the new buyers will simply expect to go private from the get go unlike whose who had the rug pulled out from under them.

Others will embrace the chance to let their child see how the other half lives so they don’t have to hear them whining about having Izumi for dinner AGAIN.

What I would implore any SJW, economically challenged ideologues on this board to do, is looking at property sales over the next few years in the jurisdictions that are at high risk of getting redistricted. You’ll of course try to spin the ensuing drop as something else, but we all know that the number one reason that people buy their houses is for the schools.

I know you don’t care, but each drop represents a loss for the county, both directly and indirectly.

Ok, hypothetically:
Boundary changes happen and now more poor and diverse kids go to your pyramid. GreatSchools score takes a hit on Zillow. The ultra-wealthy from California and Seattle now refuse to pay 300k over the assessment for homes in your neighborhood. This leaves room for younger mid-grade federal employees and other public servants, from teachers to custodians, to buy and live and work in Fairfax County, just like they used to in the 90s.

How has your own child's education specifically been negatively impacted?

How my own child's education is impacted: now my kid is moving between 10th and 11th grade, completely loses continuity with her school clubs and sports and social groups/friends. Academically, everything is unfamiliar from the courses and path to graduation to the teachers who teach them. She is now exposed to more disciplinary problems, drugs, gang members (yes, not an exaggeration, they are a reality at Lewis). There is no explanation that paints a silver lining for her. But I will make sure she understands there are SJWs who believe she and her cohort are educational martyrs who are fixing the system for FARMS kids and no one else will have to go through what she is going through.

In terms of academics, it’s not just that it is unfamiliar it’s that many advanced courses may not even be available. At least one school board member made this point last night. Not committing to grandfather rising juniors tells me moving them is on the table. Junior year is critical for college admissions and the fact that the school board as whole will not commit to supporting at least that one cohort is disappointing to say the least.

Advocate for more AP in your new school. Contribute to the community.

It is not our community.

Our community is the school zone we originally purchased int, set roots in, and out kids grew up in.

Agree, the school will be two schools within a school. Especially if the kids at the schools are like their smug petty SJW parents. My kids would want nothing to do with them, and I’d fully support that.

Anyone who actually complies with the school board plan and sends their kids would be best served to go in with a good attitude and do all the things they would have done had they stayed at their chosen school.

Why make life less pleasant for your kid and for you? Buy the school logo gear, join the athletic boosters/choral guild/pta and make it a good time.

If you won’t send your kid, good for you and your kid. But if you are going to enroll them, embrace the experience.

+1 The kids are probably handling this better than parents on here.

Yeah because 1) it’s not their property values or ability to sell that’s potentially being affected and 2) kids don’t necessarily have a full grasp on how bad it would be, academically and in terms of their college apps, to move high schools DURING HIGH SCHOOL. If the SB doesn’t figure out the whole AP vs. IB thing, potentially moving from a school with AP classes to one that doesn’t have them. If a kid was on the most advanced math track, moving to a school that could potentially not accommodate that if there has been no demand in the past for the highest AP math classes. No it’s not the same to take those classes at NVCC - as everyone knows, the quality of teaching is generally better in high school when you’re taught by qualified teachers vs. professors whose specialty is research.

And, those same kids also got screwed at some point in elementary school by a year and a half’s worth of closures due to COVID.

I think allowing grandfathering for both juniors and seniors would mitigate a lot of parental stress about this, and I would like to see 6th graders grandfathered as well so they can finish out ES with their class. If a 9th or 10th grader had to move HS, they would have more than half of HS at the new school and that’s not as bad.

What college said they prefer one high school over another? Show us where colleges say they don’t admit kids that move. Post your source.

It's common sense to anyone who knows anything about college admissions. Strength of schedule matters. We're not talking about just getting into college period, we're taking about the potential options of more advance students being limited due to lack of access to AP and DE courses.

Most of us here are not advocating against the boundary changes. We are arguing to grandfather juniors because that is a critical year in terms of college admissions. You are arguing for the other extreme end of the spectrum from those who say "no boundary changes, period." What is best for the county is a moderate position that takes into account the needs of all students, including those being moved.

Show us your source. Show us a college that says they won’t admit a top kid from a school with less AP.

Oh, and here you go.
https://www.nacacnet.org/factors-in-the-admission-decision/

Where does says kids from a school with less AP don’t get in? Even a lower FCPS school has more AP than most districts in VA. You think kids outside FCPS don’t go to college?

If you can't read that chart and make logical inferences, I can't help you. Strength of schedule, which includes advanced courses is number 3 in the chart.

All FCPS schools have advanced courses. You’re creating an issue that isn’t there. Again, how do kids from districts without AP get in college?

Oh my word! People arguing for students to move to schools like Lewis say that there is a dearth of AP/DE courses do to lack of demand, and lack of access to these courses limits their college options. They want higher performing students moved there to increase demand and access to those courses. However, there will likely be a lag in access to at least the first group that is transferred, so they would also have a lack of access and their options limited. On the marco level, it would seem like a necessary sacrifice for the long term greater good, but on the individual level, parents, myself included, are not going to want to see the options limited for their own kids and will find ways to alleviate that situation. Sorry.

Again, this is not about not changing boundaries. It's about doing it in a way that is thoughtful and considers the needs of all students.

[Anonymous]

Can we back to the basics? What is the timeline for these boundary changes?

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The best nugget of info out of this meeting (because boundary adjustments are a foregone conclusion) is from Dr. Reid's response to Mateo Dunne's question about boundary changes: she stated that HS boundaries will not change much at all, and most of the boundary changes will be at the ES level.

That’s interesting, I wonder why they decided to do that. Most kids attend the closest ES unless they’re at a split feeder or in an attendance island. The kids who have a long ES bus ride would have one regardless because they live in a far-flung area like Clifton or Great Falls. Or they’re getting bussed to the AAP center …

This is false. Anyone with eyes can look at a map of the school boundaries to see lots of elementary schools completely disconnected from their communities.

Such as??

Westbriar, Keene Mill, Flint Hill, Sangster, etc.

The one no-brainer move coming from a savant who spends too much time on Zillow and has no dog in the fight, the Groveland/Green Garland drive area zoned for Sangster will move to Newington Forest and will become part of the South County pyramid.

I can see that happening, although that’s a really small neighborhood that probably won’t make too much of a difference either way.

As a Lorton resident I wonder if the infamous Hagel Circle will continue to get bussed past 95 to Halley or if they will get sent to the much closer Gunston. That’s a hot potato.

I was shocked to learn that Hagel Ct students didn’t go to Lorton Station ES. It’s only a mile away!

That’s one of the equity bussing situations. Sending those kids to the comparatively rich Halley makes Halley and Gunston both around 40% FARMS, and Lorton Station around 55%. Otherwise Halley would have demographics similar to Silverbrook which has single digit FARMS, and Gunston or Lorton Station would be much higher needs.

I imagine if they changed it it would be to send those kids to Gunston so they can stay at South County, as opposed to Lorton Station/Hayfield. But also, without that big neighborhood Halley’s population would drop quite a bit and there’s really nowhere for them to pick up kids from since that is not a growth area of the county.

This may have been their intention when they assigned these attendance islands, but they’re seeing the negative impacts. If kids miss the bus, they’re likely missing school that day, when in some cases, there’s another elementary school within walking distance.

Very true and I’m sure there is a lot of absenteeism coming from that area. A lot of families don’t have cars. If the kid misses the school bus there’s no way to get them to school.

+ 1 never thought of this but I’m positive this is happening.

These are the types of nuances that people who support “keeping things the same” don’t think about. I’m glad that the school board is taking a look at this in a holistic way. Issues like chronic absenteeism only put kids in that community further and further behind, which leads to more stress on the educators and other school resources.

You don’t know what nuance I think about. You’re just throwing crap at the wall to see what sticks.

I don’t have to throw anything, the motion passed so it’s “up and it’s stuck” already! That reference will likely over your head, it just means your whining is pointless at this point. You should focus that energy on opening up your mind to the possibilities now, since this is no longer a question of IF but WHEN and HOW.

Gloat as much as you want. They’re well on their way to destroying the county schools. Those of us with money will leave, those of us like you will just be stuck with lower SES schools and will never stop your pathetic whining.

That’s the nuance that YOU and your SJW friends don’t think about. Oops.

Oh we did and…WE DO NOT CARE. You think you’re the only one in the county with money? ALL of the houses in FFX cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.

It’s just empty threats until/unless it happens and even then, things will be fine. Your house will be snapped up quickly and life will go on.

I have to agree. Houses will still be bought for location, etc. Some of the new buyers will simply expect to go private from the get go unlike whose who had the rug pulled out from under them.

Others will embrace the chance to let their child see how the other half lives so they don’t have to hear them whining about having Izumi for dinner AGAIN.

What I would implore any SJW, economically challenged ideologues on this board to do, is looking at property sales over the next few years in the jurisdictions that are at high risk of getting redistricted. You’ll of course try to spin the ensuing drop as something else, but we all know that the number one reason that people buy their houses is for the schools.

I know you don’t care, but each drop represents a loss for the county, both directly and indirectly.

Ok, hypothetically:
Boundary changes happen and now more poor and diverse kids go to your pyramid. GreatSchools score takes a hit on Zillow. The ultra-wealthy from California and Seattle now refuse to pay 300k over the assessment for homes in your neighborhood. This leaves room for younger mid-grade federal employees and other public servants, from teachers to custodians, to buy and live and work in Fairfax County, just like they used to in the 90s.

How has your own child's education specifically been negatively impacted?

How my own child's education is impacted: now my kid is moving between 10th and 11th grade, completely loses continuity with her school clubs and sports and social groups/friends. Academically, everything is unfamiliar from the courses and path to graduation to the teachers who teach them. She is now exposed to more disciplinary problems, drugs, gang members (yes, not an exaggeration, they are a reality at Lewis). There is no explanation that paints a silver lining for her. But I will make sure she understands there are SJWs who believe she and her cohort are educational martyrs who are fixing the system for FARMS kids and no one else will have to go through what she is going through.

In terms of academics, it’s not just that it is unfamiliar it’s that many advanced courses may not even be available. At least one school board member made this point last night. Not committing to grandfather rising juniors tells me moving them is on the table. Junior year is critical for college admissions and the fact that the school board as whole will not commit to supporting at least that one cohort is disappointing to say the least.

Advocate for more AP in your new school. Contribute to the community.

It is not our community.

Our community is the school zone we originally purchased int, set roots in, and out kids grew up in.

Agree, the school will be two schools within a school. Especially if the kids at the schools are like their smug petty SJW parents. My kids would want nothing to do with them, and I’d fully support that.

Anyone who actually complies with the school board plan and sends their kids would be best served to go in with a good attitude and do all the things they would have done had they stayed at their chosen school.

Why make life less pleasant for your kid and for you? Buy the school logo gear, join the athletic boosters/choral guild/pta and make it a good time.

If you won’t send your kid, good for you and your kid. But if you are going to enroll them, embrace the experience.

+1 The kids are probably handling this better than parents on here.

Yeah because 1) it’s not their property values or ability to sell that’s potentially being affected and 2) kids don’t necessarily have a full grasp on how bad it would be, academically and in terms of their college apps, to move high schools DURING HIGH SCHOOL. If the SB doesn’t figure out the whole AP vs. IB thing, potentially moving from a school with AP classes to one that doesn’t have them. If a kid was on the most advanced math track, moving to a school that could potentially not accommodate that if there has been no demand in the past for the highest AP math classes. No it’s not the same to take those classes at NVCC - as everyone knows, the quality of teaching is generally better in high school when you’re taught by qualified teachers vs. professors whose specialty is research.

And, those same kids also got screwed at some point in elementary school by a year and a half’s worth of closures due to COVID.

I think allowing grandfathering for both juniors and seniors would mitigate a lot of parental stress about this, and I would like to see 6th graders grandfathered as well so they can finish out ES with their class. If a 9th or 10th grader had to move HS, they would have more than half of HS at the new school and that’s not as bad.

What college said they prefer one high school over another? Show us where colleges say they don’t admit kids that move. Post your source.

It's common sense to anyone who knows anything about college admissions. Strength of schedule matters. We're not talking about just getting into college period, we're taking about the potential options of more advance students being limited due to lack of access to AP and DE courses.

Most of us here are not advocating against the boundary changes. We are arguing to grandfather juniors because that is a critical year in terms of college admissions. You are arguing for the other extreme end of the spectrum from those who say "no boundary changes, period." What is best for the county is a moderate position that takes into account the needs of all students, including those being moved.

Show us your source. Show us a college that says they won’t admit a top kid from a school with less AP.

Oh, and here you go.
https://www.nacacnet.org/factors-in-the-admission-decision/

Where does says kids from a school with less AP don’t get in? Even a lower FCPS school has more AP than most districts in VA. You think kids outside FCPS don’t go to college?

*Where does this say

The reality is that state schools have quotas based on localities. When I went to UVA the joke was that everyone from NoVA went to TJ with 20 AP courses on their resume and already 40 college credits granted. On the other end of the the spectrum you had kids from rural Virginia with 0-4 AP courses. So yes, when your kid from Herndon applies to UVA they are lumped in the NoVA quota and compete against kids with much more academic rigor on their records, which is usually a top 3 criteria in college admissions. If the end game is your kid attending the in-state university of his/her choice then your best bet is to move out of FCPS. And if you do, your children will probably have a better mental health outcome and happier childhood along the way.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:The best nugget of info out of this meeting (because boundary adjustments are a foregone conclusion) is from Dr. Reid's response to Mateo Dunne's question about boundary changes: she stated that HS boundaries will not change much at all, and most of the boundary changes will be at the ES level.

That’s interesting, I wonder why they decided to do that. Most kids attend the closest ES unless they’re at a split feeder or in an attendance island. The kids who have a long ES bus ride would have one regardless because they live in a far-flung area like Clifton or Great Falls. Or they’re getting bussed to the AAP center …

This is false. Anyone with eyes can look at a map of the school boundaries to see lots of elementary schools completely disconnected from their communities.

Such as??

Westbriar, Keene Mill, Flint Hill, Sangster, etc.

The one no-brainer move coming from a savant who spends too much time on Zillow and has no dog in the fight, the Groveland/Green Garland drive area zoned for Sangster will move to Newington Forest and will become part of the South County pyramid.

I can see that happening, although that’s a really small neighborhood that probably won’t make too much of a difference either way.

As a Lorton resident I wonder if the infamous Hagel Circle will continue to get bussed past 95 to Halley or if they will get sent to the much closer Gunston. That’s a hot potato.

I was shocked to learn that Hagel Ct students didn’t go to Lorton Station ES. It’s only a mile away!

That’s one of the equity bussing situations. Sending those kids to the comparatively rich Halley makes Halley and Gunston both around 40% FARMS, and Lorton Station around 55%. Otherwise Halley would have demographics similar to Silverbrook which has single digit FARMS, and Gunston or Lorton Station would be much higher needs.

I imagine if they changed it it would be to send those kids to Gunston so they can stay at South County, as opposed to Lorton Station/Hayfield. But also, without that big neighborhood Halley’s population would drop quite a bit and there’s really nowhere for them to pick up kids from since that is not a growth area of the county.

This may have been their intention when they assigned these attendance islands, but they’re seeing the negative impacts. If kids miss the bus, they’re likely missing school that day, when in some cases, there’s another elementary school within walking distance.

Very true and I’m sure there is a lot of absenteeism coming from that area. A lot of families don’t have cars. If the kid misses the school bus there’s no way to get them to school.

+ 1 never thought of this but I’m positive this is happening.

These are the types of nuances that people who support “keeping things the same” don’t think about. I’m glad that the school board is taking a look at this in a holistic way. Issues like chronic absenteeism only put kids in that community further and further behind, which leads to more stress on the educators and other school resources.

You don’t know what nuance I think about. You’re just throwing crap at the wall to see what sticks.

I don’t have to throw anything, the motion passed so it’s “up and it’s stuck” already! That reference will likely over your head, it just means your whining is pointless at this point. You should focus that energy on opening up your mind to the possibilities now, since this is no longer a question of IF but WHEN and HOW.

Gloat as much as you want. They’re well on their way to destroying the county schools. Those of us with money will leave, those of us like you will just be stuck with lower SES schools and will never stop your pathetic whining.

That’s the nuance that YOU and your SJW friends don’t think about. Oops.

Oh we did and…WE DO NOT CARE. You think you’re the only one in the county with money? ALL of the houses in FFX cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.

It’s just empty threats until/unless it happens and even then, things will be fine. Your house will be snapped up quickly and life will go on.

I have to agree. Houses will still be bought for location, etc. Some of the new buyers will simply expect to go private from the get go unlike whose who had the rug pulled out from under them.

Others will embrace the chance to let their child see how the other half lives so they don’t have to hear them whining about having Izumi for dinner AGAIN.

What I would implore any SJW, economically challenged ideologues on this board to do, is looking at property sales over the next few years in the jurisdictions that are at high risk of getting redistricted. You’ll of course try to spin the ensuing drop as something else, but we all know that the number one reason that people buy their houses is for the schools.

I know you don’t care, but each drop represents a loss for the county, both directly and indirectly.

Ok, hypothetically:
Boundary changes happen and now more poor and diverse kids go to your pyramid. GreatSchools score takes a hit on Zillow. The ultra-wealthy from California and Seattle now refuse to pay 300k over the assessment for homes in your neighborhood. This leaves room for younger mid-grade federal employees and other public servants, from teachers to custodians, to buy and live and work in Fairfax County, just like they used to in the 90s.

How has your own child's education specifically been negatively impacted?

How my own child's education is impacted: now my kid is moving between 10th and 11th grade, completely loses continuity with her school clubs and sports and social groups/friends. Academically, everything is unfamiliar from the courses and path to graduation to the teachers who teach them. She is now exposed to more disciplinary problems, drugs, gang members (yes, not an exaggeration, they are a reality at Lewis). There is no explanation that paints a silver lining for her. But I will make sure she understands there are SJWs who believe she and her cohort are educational martyrs who are fixing the system for FARMS kids and no one else will have to go through what she is going through.

In terms of academics, it’s not just that it is unfamiliar it’s that many advanced courses may not even be available. At least one school board member made this point last night. Not committing to grandfather rising juniors tells me moving them is on the table. Junior year is critical for college admissions and the fact that the school board as whole will not commit to supporting at least that one cohort is disappointing to say the least.

Advocate for more AP in your new school. Contribute to the community.

It is not our community.

Our community is the school zone we originally purchased int, set roots in, and out kids grew up in.

Agree, the school will be two schools within a school. Especially if the kids at the schools are like their smug petty SJW parents. My kids would want nothing to do with them, and I’d fully support that.

Anyone who actually complies with the school board plan and sends their kids would be best served to go in with a good attitude and do all the things they would have done had they stayed at their chosen school.

Why make life less pleasant for your kid and for you? Buy the school logo gear, join the athletic boosters/choral guild/pta and make it a good time.

If you won’t send your kid, good for you and your kid. But if you are going to enroll them, embrace the experience.

+1 The kids are probably handling this better than parents on here.

Yeah because 1) it’s not their property values or ability to sell that’s potentially being affected and 2) kids don’t necessarily have a full grasp on how bad it would be, academically and in terms of their college apps, to move high schools DURING HIGH SCHOOL. If the SB doesn’t figure out the whole AP vs. IB thing, potentially moving from a school with AP classes to one that doesn’t have them. If a kid was on the most advanced math track, moving to a school that could potentially not accommodate that if there has been no demand in the past for the highest AP math classes. No it’s not the same to take those classes at NVCC - as everyone knows, the quality of teaching is generally better in high school when you’re taught by qualified teachers vs. professors whose specialty is research.

And, those same kids also got screwed at some point in elementary school by a year and a half’s worth of closures due to COVID.

I think allowing grandfathering for both juniors and seniors would mitigate a lot of parental stress about this, and I would like to see 6th graders grandfathered as well so they can finish out ES with their class. If a 9th or 10th grader had to move HS, they would have more than half of HS at the new school and that’s not as bad.

What college said they prefer one high school over another? Show us where colleges say they don’t admit kids that move. Post your source.

It's common sense to anyone who knows anything about college admissions. Strength of schedule matters. We're not talking about just getting into college period, we're taking about the potential options of more advance students being limited due to lack of access to AP and DE courses.

Most of us here are not advocating against the boundary changes. We are arguing to grandfather juniors because that is a critical year in terms of college admissions. You are arguing for the other extreme end of the spectrum from those who say "no boundary changes, period." What is best for the county is a moderate position that takes into account the needs of all students, including those being moved.

Show us your source. Show us a college that says they won’t admit a top kid from a school with less AP.

Oh, and here you go.
https://www.nacacnet.org/factors-in-the-admission-decision/

Where does says kids from a school with less AP don’t get in? Even a lower FCPS school has more AP than most districts in VA. You think kids outside FCPS don’t go to college?

*Where does this say

The reality is that state schools have quotas based on localities. When I went to UVA the joke was that everyone from NoVA went to TJ with 20 AP courses on their resume and already 40 college credits granted. On the other end of the the spectrum you had kids from rural Virginia with 0-4 AP courses. So yes, when your kid from Herndon applies to UVA they are lumped in the NoVA quota and compete against kids with much more academic rigor on their records, which is usually a top 3 criteria in college admissions. If the end game is your kid attending the in-state university of his/her choice then your best bet is to move out of FCPS. And if you do, your children will probably have a better mental health outcome and happier childhood along the way.

No quotas at UVA. https://admission.virginia.edu/faqs

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The best nugget of info out of this meeting (because boundary adjustments are a foregone conclusion) is from Dr. Reid's response to Mateo Dunne's question about boundary changes: she stated that HS boundaries will not change much at all, and most of the boundary changes will be at the ES level.

That’s interesting, I wonder why they decided to do that. Most kids attend the closest ES unless they’re at a split feeder or in an attendance island. The kids who have a long ES bus ride would have one regardless because they live in a far-flung area like Clifton or Great Falls. Or they’re getting bussed to the AAP center …

This is false. Anyone with eyes can look at a map of the school boundaries to see lots of elementary schools completely disconnected from their communities.

Such as??

Westbriar, Keene Mill, Flint Hill, Sangster, etc.

The one no-brainer move coming from a savant who spends too much time on Zillow and has no dog in the fight, the Groveland/Green Garland drive area zoned for Sangster will move to Newington Forest and will become part of the South County pyramid.

I can see that happening, although that’s a really small neighborhood that probably won’t make too much of a difference either way.

As a Lorton resident I wonder if the infamous Hagel Circle will continue to get bussed past 95 to Halley or if they will get sent to the much closer Gunston. That’s a hot potato.

I was shocked to learn that Hagel Ct students didn’t go to Lorton Station ES. It’s only a mile away!

That’s one of the equity bussing situations. Sending those kids to the comparatively rich Halley makes Halley and Gunston both around 40% FARMS, and Lorton Station around 55%. Otherwise Halley would have demographics similar to Silverbrook which has single digit FARMS, and Gunston or Lorton Station would be much higher needs.

I imagine if they changed it it would be to send those kids to Gunston so they can stay at South County, as opposed to Lorton Station/Hayfield. But also, without that big neighborhood Halley’s population would drop quite a bit and there’s really nowhere for them to pick up kids from since that is not a growth area of the county.

This may have been their intention when they assigned these attendance islands, but they’re seeing the negative impacts. If kids miss the bus, they’re likely missing school that day, when in some cases, there’s another elementary school within walking distance.

Very true and I’m sure there is a lot of absenteeism coming from that area. A lot of families don’t have cars. If the kid misses the school bus there’s no way to get them to school.

+ 1 never thought of this but I’m positive this is happening.

These are the types of nuances that people who support “keeping things the same” don’t think about. I’m glad that the school board is taking a look at this in a holistic way. Issues like chronic absenteeism only put kids in that community further and further behind, which leads to more stress on the educators and other school resources.

You don’t know what nuance I think about. You’re just throwing crap at the wall to see what sticks.

I don’t have to throw anything, the motion passed so it’s “up and it’s stuck” already! That reference will likely over your head, it just means your whining is pointless at this point. You should focus that energy on opening up your mind to the possibilities now, since this is no longer a question of IF but WHEN and HOW.

Gloat as much as you want. They’re well on their way to destroying the county schools. Those of us with money will leave, those of us like you will just be stuck with lower SES schools and will never stop your pathetic whining.

That’s the nuance that YOU and your SJW friends don’t think about. Oops.

Oh we did and…WE DO NOT CARE. You think you’re the only one in the county with money? ALL of the houses in FFX cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.

It’s just empty threats until/unless it happens and even then, things will be fine. Your house will be snapped up quickly and life will go on.

I have to agree. Houses will still be bought for location, etc. Some of the new buyers will simply expect to go private from the get go unlike whose who had the rug pulled out from under them.

Others will embrace the chance to let their child see how the other half lives so they don’t have to hear them whining about having Izumi for dinner AGAIN.

What I would implore any SJW, economically challenged ideologues on this board to do, is looking at property sales over the next few years in the jurisdictions that are at high risk of getting redistricted. You’ll of course try to spin the ensuing drop as something else, but we all know that the number one reason that people buy their houses is for the schools.

I know you don’t care, but each drop represents a loss for the county, both directly and indirectly.

Ok, hypothetically:
Boundary changes happen and now more poor and diverse kids go to your pyramid. GreatSchools score takes a hit on Zillow. The ultra-wealthy from California and Seattle now refuse to pay 300k over the assessment for homes in your neighborhood. This leaves room for younger mid-grade federal employees and other public servants, from teachers to custodians, to buy and live and work in Fairfax County, just like they used to in the 90s.

How has your own child's education specifically been negatively impacted?

How my own child's education is impacted: now my kid is moving between 10th and 11th grade, completely loses continuity with her school clubs and sports and social groups/friends. Academically, everything is unfamiliar from the courses and path to graduation to the teachers who teach them. She is now exposed to more disciplinary problems, drugs, gang members (yes, not an exaggeration, they are a reality at Lewis). There is no explanation that paints a silver lining for her. But I will make sure she understands there are SJWs who believe she and her cohort are educational martyrs who are fixing the system for FARMS kids and no one else will have to go through what she is going through.

In terms of academics, it’s not just that it is unfamiliar it’s that many advanced courses may not even be available. At least one school board member made this point last night. Not committing to grandfather rising juniors tells me moving them is on the table. Junior year is critical for college admissions and the fact that the school board as whole will not commit to supporting at least that one cohort is disappointing to say the least.

Advocate for more AP in your new school. Contribute to the community.

It is not our community.

Our community is the school zone we originally purchased int, set roots in, and out kids grew up in.

Agree, the school will be two schools within a school. Especially if the kids at the schools are like their smug petty SJW parents. My kids would want nothing to do with them, and I’d fully support that.

Anyone who actually complies with the school board plan and sends their kids would be best served to go in with a good attitude and do all the things they would have done had they stayed at their chosen school.

Why make life less pleasant for your kid and for you? Buy the school logo gear, join the athletic boosters/choral guild/pta and make it a good time.

If you won’t send your kid, good for you and your kid. But if you are going to enroll them, embrace the experience.

+1 The kids are probably handling this better than parents on here.

Yeah because 1) it’s not their property values or ability to sell that’s potentially being affected and 2) kids don’t necessarily have a full grasp on how bad it would be, academically and in terms of their college apps, to move high schools DURING HIGH SCHOOL. If the SB doesn’t figure out the whole AP vs. IB thing, potentially moving from a school with AP classes to one that doesn’t have them. If a kid was on the most advanced math track, moving to a school that could potentially not accommodate that if there has been no demand in the past for the highest AP math classes. No it’s not the same to take those classes at NVCC - as everyone knows, the quality of teaching is generally better in high school when you’re taught by qualified teachers vs. professors whose specialty is research.

And, those same kids also got screwed at some point in elementary school by a year and a half’s worth of closures due to COVID.

I think allowing grandfathering for both juniors and seniors would mitigate a lot of parental stress about this, and I would like to see 6th graders grandfathered as well so they can finish out ES with their class. If a 9th or 10th grader had to move HS, they would have more than half of HS at the new school and that’s not as bad.

What college said they prefer one high school over another? Show us where colleges say they don’t admit kids that move. Post your source.

It’s not just about college admissions - it’s about the quality of one’s education, the opportunities they have to take advanced classes (yes I know a lot of kids won’t take the absolutely highest level math and STEM classes but some kids will), and how well prepared you are for college. The last factor is a huge one and one that people aren’t necessarily considering. Are you going to be thoroughly prepared for a tough college STEM major if your HS stopped at AP Calc, and didn’t offer some of the other classes like AP Chem or Physics at all?

I graduated from a big state university that wasn’t too selective on admissions. I went to college with a lot of kids from small rural schools who had zero or maybe 1-2 AP classes offered for the whole 4 years of HS. They largely did not do well in college. Particularly the STEM majors, but they suffered in English and writing-heavy classes too because they didn’t take the tough analysis classes. I don’t think they were much disadvantaged in admissions - you can only take what your school offers. But they were absolutely disadvantaged in preparation for college and had lower standardized test scores on the SAT and ACT.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The best nugget of info out of this meeting (because boundary adjustments are a foregone conclusion) is from Dr. Reid's response to Mateo Dunne's question about boundary changes: she stated that HS boundaries will not change much at all, and most of the boundary changes will be at the ES level.

That’s interesting, I wonder why they decided to do that. Most kids attend the closest ES unless they’re at a split feeder or in an attendance island. The kids who have a long ES bus ride would have one regardless because they live in a far-flung area like Clifton or Great Falls. Or they’re getting bussed to the AAP center …

This is false. Anyone with eyes can look at a map of the school boundaries to see lots of elementary schools completely disconnected from their communities.

Such as??

Westbriar, Keene Mill, Flint Hill, Sangster, etc.

The one no-brainer move coming from a savant who spends too much time on Zillow and has no dog in the fight, the Groveland/Green Garland drive area zoned for Sangster will move to Newington Forest and will become part of the South County pyramid.

I can see that happening, although that’s a really small neighborhood that probably won’t make too much of a difference either way.

As a Lorton resident I wonder if the infamous Hagel Circle will continue to get bussed past 95 to Halley or if they will get sent to the much closer Gunston. That’s a hot potato.

I was shocked to learn that Hagel Ct students didn’t go to Lorton Station ES. It’s only a mile away!

That’s one of the equity bussing situations. Sending those kids to the comparatively rich Halley makes Halley and Gunston both around 40% FARMS, and Lorton Station around 55%. Otherwise Halley would have demographics similar to Silverbrook which has single digit FARMS, and Gunston or Lorton Station would be much higher needs.

I imagine if they changed it it would be to send those kids to Gunston so they can stay at South County, as opposed to Lorton Station/Hayfield. But also, without that big neighborhood Halley’s population would drop quite a bit and there’s really nowhere for them to pick up kids from since that is not a growth area of the county.

This may have been their intention when they assigned these attendance islands, but they’re seeing the negative impacts. If kids miss the bus, they’re likely missing school that day, when in some cases, there’s another elementary school within walking distance.

Very true and I’m sure there is a lot of absenteeism coming from that area. A lot of families don’t have cars. If the kid misses the school bus there’s no way to get them to school.

+ 1 never thought of this but I’m positive this is happening.

These are the types of nuances that people who support “keeping things the same” don’t think about. I’m glad that the school board is taking a look at this in a holistic way. Issues like chronic absenteeism only put kids in that community further and further behind, which leads to more stress on the educators and other school resources.

You don’t know what nuance I think about. You’re just throwing crap at the wall to see what sticks.

I don’t have to throw anything, the motion passed so it’s “up and it’s stuck” already! That reference will likely over your head, it just means your whining is pointless at this point. You should focus that energy on opening up your mind to the possibilities now, since this is no longer a question of IF but WHEN and HOW.

Gloat as much as you want. They’re well on their way to destroying the county schools. Those of us with money will leave, those of us like you will just be stuck with lower SES schools and will never stop your pathetic whining.

That’s the nuance that YOU and your SJW friends don’t think about. Oops.

Oh we did and…WE DO NOT CARE. You think you’re the only one in the county with money? ALL of the houses in FFX cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.

It’s just empty threats until/unless it happens and even then, things will be fine. Your house will be snapped up quickly and life will go on.

I have to agree. Houses will still be bought for location, etc. Some of the new buyers will simply expect to go private from the get go unlike whose who had the rug pulled out from under them.

Others will embrace the chance to let their child see how the other half lives so they don’t have to hear them whining about having Izumi for dinner AGAIN.

What I would implore any SJW, economically challenged ideologues on this board to do, is looking at property sales over the next few years in the jurisdictions that are at high risk of getting redistricted. You’ll of course try to spin the ensuing drop as something else, but we all know that the number one reason that people buy their houses is for the schools.

I know you don’t care, but each drop represents a loss for the county, both directly and indirectly.

Ok, hypothetically:
Boundary changes happen and now more poor and diverse kids go to your pyramid. GreatSchools score takes a hit on Zillow. The ultra-wealthy from California and Seattle now refuse to pay 300k over the assessment for homes in your neighborhood. This leaves room for younger mid-grade federal employees and other public servants, from teachers to custodians, to buy and live and work in Fairfax County, just like they used to in the 90s.

How has your own child's education specifically been negatively impacted?

How my own child's education is impacted: now my kid is moving between 10th and 11th grade, completely loses continuity with her school clubs and sports and social groups/friends. Academically, everything is unfamiliar from the courses and path to graduation to the teachers who teach them. She is now exposed to more disciplinary problems, drugs, gang members (yes, not an exaggeration, they are a reality at Lewis). There is no explanation that paints a silver lining for her. But I will make sure she understands there are SJWs who believe she and her cohort are educational martyrs who are fixing the system for FARMS kids and no one else will have to go through what she is going through.

In terms of academics, it’s not just that it is unfamiliar it’s that many advanced courses may not even be available. At least one school board member made this point last night. Not committing to grandfather rising juniors tells me moving them is on the table. Junior year is critical for college admissions and the fact that the school board as whole will not commit to supporting at least that one cohort is disappointing to say the least.

Advocate for more AP in your new school. Contribute to the community.

It is not our community.

Our community is the school zone we originally purchased int, set roots in, and out kids grew up in.

Agree, the school will be two schools within a school. Especially if the kids at the schools are like their smug petty SJW parents. My kids would want nothing to do with them, and I’d fully support that.

Anyone who actually complies with the school board plan and sends their kids would be best served to go in with a good attitude and do all the things they would have done had they stayed at their chosen school.

Why make life less pleasant for your kid and for you? Buy the school logo gear, join the athletic boosters/choral guild/pta and make it a good time.

If you won’t send your kid, good for you and your kid. But if you are going to enroll them, embrace the experience.

+1 The kids are probably handling this better than parents on here.

Yeah because 1) it’s not their property values or ability to sell that’s potentially being affected and 2) kids don’t necessarily have a full grasp on how bad it would be, academically and in terms of their college apps, to move high schools DURING HIGH SCHOOL. If the SB doesn’t figure out the whole AP vs. IB thing, potentially moving from a school with AP classes to one that doesn’t have them. If a kid was on the most advanced math track, moving to a school that could potentially not accommodate that if there has been no demand in the past for the highest AP math classes. No it’s not the same to take those classes at NVCC - as everyone knows, the quality of teaching is generally better in high school when you’re taught by qualified teachers vs. professors whose specialty is research.

And, those same kids also got screwed at some point in elementary school by a year and a half’s worth of closures due to COVID.

I think allowing grandfathering for both juniors and seniors would mitigate a lot of parental stress about this, and I would like to see 6th graders grandfathered as well so they can finish out ES with their class. If a 9th or 10th grader had to move HS, they would have more than half of HS at the new school and that’s not as bad.

What college said they prefer one high school over another? Show us where colleges say they don’t admit kids that move. Post your source.

It's common sense to anyone who knows anything about college admissions. Strength of schedule matters. We're not talking about just getting into college period, we're taking about the potential options of more advance students being limited due to lack of access to AP and DE courses.

Most of us here are not advocating against the boundary changes. We are arguing to grandfather juniors because that is a critical year in terms of college admissions. You are arguing for the other extreme end of the spectrum from those who say "no boundary changes, period." What is best for the county is a moderate position that takes into account the needs of all students, including those being moved.

Show us your source. Show us a college that says they won’t admit a top kid from a school with less AP.

Oh, and here you go.
https://www.nacacnet.org/factors-in-the-admission-decision/

Where does says kids from a school with less AP don’t get in? Even a lower FCPS school has more AP than most districts in VA. You think kids outside FCPS don’t go to college?

If you can't read that chart and make logical inferences, I can't help you. Strength of schedule, which includes advanced courses is number 3 in the chart.

All FCPS schools have advanced courses. You’re creating an issue that isn’t there. Again, how do kids from districts without AP get in college?

Oh my word! People arguing for students to move to schools like Lewis say that there is a dearth of AP/DE courses do to lack of demand, and lack of access to these courses limits their college options. They want higher performing students moved there to increase demand and access to those courses. However, there will likely be a lag in access to at least the first group that is transferred, so they would also have a lack of access and their options limited. On the marco level, it would seem like a necessary sacrifice for the long term greater good, but on the individual level, parents, myself included, are not going to want to see the options limited for their own kids and will find ways to alleviate that situation. Sorry.

Again, this is not about not changing boundaries. It's about doing it in a way that is thoughtful and considers the needs of all students.

I think many here don’t understand what equity is about.

Those UMC kids will be fine. The kids in Lewis who are poor and can’t move away and have low opportunities aren’t fine. If moving UMC kids helps impoverished kids and their school, that’s great.

UMC/MC kids will be fine. UMC/MC kids that can’t get into TJ now because of bonus points for URM status and quotas will be fine. Those URMs didn’t have great opportunities but your UMC kid will be fine.

MC kid wants to go on the field trip with Young Scholars? That’s for URMs who don’t have the same opportunities as your MC kid who…. Will be fine.

Does your MC kid want to join a college partnership program. Sorry URMs only. Your kid will be fine.

There’s limited resources, so the county needs to focus on kids who will not be fine. Kids involved in boundary changes will be fine.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:The best nugget of info out of this meeting (because boundary adjustments are a foregone conclusion) is from Dr. Reid's response to Mateo Dunne's question about boundary changes: she stated that HS boundaries will not change much at all, and most of the boundary changes will be at the ES level.

That’s interesting, I wonder why they decided to do that. Most kids attend the closest ES unless they’re at a split feeder or in an attendance island. The kids who have a long ES bus ride would have one regardless because they live in a far-flung area like Clifton or Great Falls. Or they’re getting bussed to the AAP center …

This is false. Anyone with eyes can look at a map of the school boundaries to see lots of elementary schools completely disconnected from their communities.

Such as??

Westbriar, Keene Mill, Flint Hill, Sangster, etc.

The one no-brainer move coming from a savant who spends too much time on Zillow and has no dog in the fight, the Groveland/Green Garland drive area zoned for Sangster will move to Newington Forest and will become part of the South County pyramid.

I can see that happening, although that’s a really small neighborhood that probably won’t make too much of a difference either way.

As a Lorton resident I wonder if the infamous Hagel Circle will continue to get bussed past 95 to Halley or if they will get sent to the much closer Gunston. That’s a hot potato.

I was shocked to learn that Hagel Ct students didn’t go to Lorton Station ES. It’s only a mile away!

That’s one of the equity bussing situations. Sending those kids to the comparatively rich Halley makes Halley and Gunston both around 40% FARMS, and Lorton Station around 55%. Otherwise Halley would have demographics similar to Silverbrook which has single digit FARMS, and Gunston or Lorton Station would be much higher needs.

I imagine if they changed it it would be to send those kids to Gunston so they can stay at South County, as opposed to Lorton Station/Hayfield. But also, without that big neighborhood Halley’s population would drop quite a bit and there’s really nowhere for them to pick up kids from since that is not a growth area of the county.

This may have been their intention when they assigned these attendance islands, but they’re seeing the negative impacts. If kids miss the bus, they’re likely missing school that day, when in some cases, there’s another elementary school within walking distance.

Very true and I’m sure there is a lot of absenteeism coming from that area. A lot of families don’t have cars. If the kid misses the school bus there’s no way to get them to school.

+ 1 never thought of this but I’m positive this is happening.

These are the types of nuances that people who support “keeping things the same” don’t think about. I’m glad that the school board is taking a look at this in a holistic way. Issues like chronic absenteeism only put kids in that community further and further behind, which leads to more stress on the educators and other school resources.

You don’t know what nuance I think about. You’re just throwing crap at the wall to see what sticks.

I don’t have to throw anything, the motion passed so it’s “up and it’s stuck” already! That reference will likely over your head, it just means your whining is pointless at this point. You should focus that energy on opening up your mind to the possibilities now, since this is no longer a question of IF but WHEN and HOW.

Gloat as much as you want. They’re well on their way to destroying the county schools. Those of us with money will leave, those of us like you will just be stuck with lower SES schools and will never stop your pathetic whining.

That’s the nuance that YOU and your SJW friends don’t think about. Oops.

Oh we did and…WE DO NOT CARE. You think you’re the only one in the county with money? ALL of the houses in FFX cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.

It’s just empty threats until/unless it happens and even then, things will be fine. Your house will be snapped up quickly and life will go on.

I have to agree. Houses will still be bought for location, etc. Some of the new buyers will simply expect to go private from the get go unlike whose who had the rug pulled out from under them.

Others will embrace the chance to let their child see how the other half lives so they don’t have to hear them whining about having Izumi for dinner AGAIN.

What I would implore any SJW, economically challenged ideologues on this board to do, is looking at property sales over the next few years in the jurisdictions that are at high risk of getting redistricted. You’ll of course try to spin the ensuing drop as something else, but we all know that the number one reason that people buy their houses is for the schools.

I know you don’t care, but each drop represents a loss for the county, both directly and indirectly.

Ok, hypothetically:
Boundary changes happen and now more poor and diverse kids go to your pyramid. GreatSchools score takes a hit on Zillow. The ultra-wealthy from California and Seattle now refuse to pay 300k over the assessment for homes in your neighborhood. This leaves room for younger mid-grade federal employees and other public servants, from teachers to custodians, to buy and live and work in Fairfax County, just like they used to in the 90s.

How has your own child's education specifically been negatively impacted?

How my own child's education is impacted: now my kid is moving between 10th and 11th grade, completely loses continuity with her school clubs and sports and social groups/friends. Academically, everything is unfamiliar from the courses and path to graduation to the teachers who teach them. She is now exposed to more disciplinary problems, drugs, gang members (yes, not an exaggeration, they are a reality at Lewis). There is no explanation that paints a silver lining for her. But I will make sure she understands there are SJWs who believe she and her cohort are educational martyrs who are fixing the system for FARMS kids and no one else will have to go through what she is going through.

In terms of academics, it’s not just that it is unfamiliar it’s that many advanced courses may not even be available. At least one school board member made this point last night. Not committing to grandfather rising juniors tells me moving them is on the table. Junior year is critical for college admissions and the fact that the school board as whole will not commit to supporting at least that one cohort is disappointing to say the least.

Advocate for more AP in your new school. Contribute to the community.

It is not our community.

Our community is the school zone we originally purchased int, set roots in, and out kids grew up in.

Agree, the school will be two schools within a school. Especially if the kids at the schools are like their smug petty SJW parents. My kids would want nothing to do with them, and I’d fully support that.

Anyone who actually complies with the school board plan and sends their kids would be best served to go in with a good attitude and do all the things they would have done had they stayed at their chosen school.

Why make life less pleasant for your kid and for you? Buy the school logo gear, join the athletic boosters/choral guild/pta and make it a good time.

If you won’t send your kid, good for you and your kid. But if you are going to enroll them, embrace the experience.

+1 The kids are probably handling this better than parents on here.

Yeah because 1) it’s not their property values or ability to sell that’s potentially being affected and 2) kids don’t necessarily have a full grasp on how bad it would be, academically and in terms of their college apps, to move high schools DURING HIGH SCHOOL. If the SB doesn’t figure out the whole AP vs. IB thing, potentially moving from a school with AP classes to one that doesn’t have them. If a kid was on the most advanced math track, moving to a school that could potentially not accommodate that if there has been no demand in the past for the highest AP math classes. No it’s not the same to take those classes at NVCC - as everyone knows, the quality of teaching is generally better in high school when you’re taught by qualified teachers vs. professors whose specialty is research.

And, those same kids also got screwed at some point in elementary school by a year and a half’s worth of closures due to COVID.

I think allowing grandfathering for both juniors and seniors would mitigate a lot of parental stress about this, and I would like to see 6th graders grandfathered as well so they can finish out ES with their class. If a 9th or 10th grader had to move HS, they would have more than half of HS at the new school and that’s not as bad.

What college said they prefer one high school over another? Show us where colleges say they don’t admit kids that move. Post your source.

It's common sense to anyone who knows anything about college admissions. Strength of schedule matters. We're not talking about just getting into college period, we're taking about the potential options of more advance students being limited due to lack of access to AP and DE courses.

Most of us here are not advocating against the boundary changes. We are arguing to grandfather juniors because that is a critical year in terms of college admissions. You are arguing for the other extreme end of the spectrum from those who say "no boundary changes, period." What is best for the county is a moderate position that takes into account the needs of all students, including those being moved.

Show us your source. Show us a college that says they won’t admit a top kid from a school with less AP.

Oh, and here you go.
https://www.nacacnet.org/factors-in-the-admission-decision/

Where does says kids from a school with less AP don’t get in? Even a lower FCPS school has more AP than most districts in VA. You think kids outside FCPS don’t go to college?

If you can't read that chart and make logical inferences, I can't help you. Strength of schedule, which includes advanced courses is number 3 in the chart.

All FCPS schools have advanced courses. You’re creating an issue that isn’t there. Again, how do kids from districts without AP get in college?

Oh my word! People arguing for students to move to schools like Lewis say that there is a dearth of AP/DE courses do to lack of demand, and lack of access to these courses limits their college options. They want higher performing students moved there to increase demand and access to those courses. However, there will likely be a lag in access to at least the first group that is transferred, so they would also have a lack of access and their options limited. On the marco level, it would seem like a necessary sacrifice for the long term greater good, but on the individual level, parents, myself included, are not going to want to see the options limited for their own kids and will find ways to alleviate that situation. Sorry.

Again, this is not about not changing boundaries. It's about doing it in a way that is thoughtful and considers the needs of all students.

I think many here don’t understand what equity is about.

Those UMC kids will be fine. The kids in Lewis who are poor and can’t move away and have low opportunities aren’t fine. If moving UMC kids helps impoverished kids and their school, that’s great.

UMC/MC kids will be fine. UMC/MC kids that can’t get into TJ now because of bonus points for URM status and quotas will be fine. Those URMs didn’t have great opportunities but your UMC kid will be fine.

MC kid wants to go on the field trip with Young Scholars? That’s for URMs who don’t have the same opportunities as your MC kid who…. Will be fine.

Does your MC kid want to join a college partnership program. Sorry URMs only. Your kid will be fine.

There’s limited resources, so the county needs to focus on kids who will not be fine. Kids involved in boundary changes will be fine.

Most of us don’t think moving a few relatively wealthy kids in to Lewis or wherever is going to help Lewis in any meaningful way. It’s not going to change anything for the vast majority of their existing students. It will prop up enrollment numbers and probably standardized test scores on a macro level. Which means that in a few years, with higher numbers the school will be able to offer more advanced classes. But that’s cold comfort for the 2-3 graduating classes worth of kids who have to be the guinea pigs in the name of “equity.”

[Anonymous]

It does really suck if juniors aren’t grandfathered, but I suspect that some seniors will be affected too. I’m doubtful FCPS will be able to offer bus service for grandfathered students. So if a student doesn’t have a way to transport themselves to their original school, they may be out of luck. FCPS does not have a large fleet of busses nor pool of drivers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It does really suck if juniors aren’t grandfathered, but I suspect that some seniors will be affected too. I’m doubtful FCPS will be able to offer bus service for grandfathered students. So if a student doesn’t have a way to transport themselves to their original school, they may be out of luck. FCPS does not have a large fleet of busses nor pool of drivers.

West Springfield kids at least would probably be able to take a Fairfax Connector bus, maybe with a walk on either end, or carpool. I don’t know how much public bus service there is out in Great Falls though.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:The best nugget of info out of this meeting (because boundary adjustments are a foregone conclusion) is from Dr. Reid's response to Mateo Dunne's question about boundary changes: she stated that HS boundaries will not change much at all, and most of the boundary changes will be at the ES level.

That’s interesting, I wonder why they decided to do that. Most kids attend the closest ES unless they’re at a split feeder or in an attendance island. The kids who have a long ES bus ride would have one regardless because they live in a far-flung area like Clifton or Great Falls. Or they’re getting bussed to the AAP center …

This is false. Anyone with eyes can look at a map of the school boundaries to see lots of elementary schools completely disconnected from their communities.

Such as??

Westbriar, Keene Mill, Flint Hill, Sangster, etc.

The one no-brainer move coming from a savant who spends too much time on Zillow and has no dog in the fight, the Groveland/Green Garland drive area zoned for Sangster will move to Newington Forest and will become part of the South County pyramid.

I can see that happening, although that’s a really small neighborhood that probably won’t make too much of a difference either way.

As a Lorton resident I wonder if the infamous Hagel Circle will continue to get bussed past 95 to Halley or if they will get sent to the much closer Gunston. That’s a hot potato.

I was shocked to learn that Hagel Ct students didn’t go to Lorton Station ES. It’s only a mile away!

That’s one of the equity bussing situations. Sending those kids to the comparatively rich Halley makes Halley and Gunston both around 40% FARMS, and Lorton Station around 55%. Otherwise Halley would have demographics similar to Silverbrook which has single digit FARMS, and Gunston or Lorton Station would be much higher needs.

I imagine if they changed it it would be to send those kids to Gunston so they can stay at South County, as opposed to Lorton Station/Hayfield. But also, without that big neighborhood Halley’s population would drop quite a bit and there’s really nowhere for them to pick up kids from since that is not a growth area of the county.

This may have been their intention when they assigned these attendance islands, but they’re seeing the negative impacts. If kids miss the bus, they’re likely missing school that day, when in some cases, there’s another elementary school within walking distance.

Very true and I’m sure there is a lot of absenteeism coming from that area. A lot of families don’t have cars. If the kid misses the school bus there’s no way to get them to school.

+ 1 never thought of this but I’m positive this is happening.

These are the types of nuances that people who support “keeping things the same” don’t think about. I’m glad that the school board is taking a look at this in a holistic way. Issues like chronic absenteeism only put kids in that community further and further behind, which leads to more stress on the educators and other school resources.

You don’t know what nuance I think about. You’re just throwing crap at the wall to see what sticks.

I don’t have to throw anything, the motion passed so it’s “up and it’s stuck” already! That reference will likely over your head, it just means your whining is pointless at this point. You should focus that energy on opening up your mind to the possibilities now, since this is no longer a question of IF but WHEN and HOW.

Gloat as much as you want. They’re well on their way to destroying the county schools. Those of us with money will leave, those of us like you will just be stuck with lower SES schools and will never stop your pathetic whining.

That’s the nuance that YOU and your SJW friends don’t think about. Oops.

Oh we did and…WE DO NOT CARE. You think you’re the only one in the county with money? ALL of the houses in FFX cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.

It’s just empty threats until/unless it happens and even then, things will be fine. Your house will be snapped up quickly and life will go on.

I have to agree. Houses will still be bought for location, etc. Some of the new buyers will simply expect to go private from the get go unlike whose who had the rug pulled out from under them.

Others will embrace the chance to let their child see how the other half lives so they don’t have to hear them whining about having Izumi for dinner AGAIN.

What I would implore any SJW, economically challenged ideologues on this board to do, is looking at property sales over the next few years in the jurisdictions that are at high risk of getting redistricted. You’ll of course try to spin the ensuing drop as something else, but we all know that the number one reason that people buy their houses is for the schools.

I know you don’t care, but each drop represents a loss for the county, both directly and indirectly.

Ok, hypothetically:
Boundary changes happen and now more poor and diverse kids go to your pyramid. GreatSchools score takes a hit on Zillow. The ultra-wealthy from California and Seattle now refuse to pay 300k over the assessment for homes in your neighborhood. This leaves room for younger mid-grade federal employees and other public servants, from teachers to custodians, to buy and live and work in Fairfax County, just like they used to in the 90s.

How has your own child's education specifically been negatively impacted?

How my own child's education is impacted: now my kid is moving between 10th and 11th grade, completely loses continuity with her school clubs and sports and social groups/friends. Academically, everything is unfamiliar from the courses and path to graduation to the teachers who teach them. She is now exposed to more disciplinary problems, drugs, gang members (yes, not an exaggeration, they are a reality at Lewis). There is no explanation that paints a silver lining for her. But I will make sure she understands there are SJWs who believe she and her cohort are educational martyrs who are fixing the system for FARMS kids and no one else will have to go through what she is going through.

In terms of academics, it’s not just that it is unfamiliar it’s that many advanced courses may not even be available. At least one school board member made this point last night. Not committing to grandfather rising juniors tells me moving them is on the table. Junior year is critical for college admissions and the fact that the school board as whole will not commit to supporting at least that one cohort is disappointing to say the least.

Advocate for more AP in your new school. Contribute to the community.

It is not our community.

Our community is the school zone we originally purchased int, set roots in, and out kids grew up in.

Agree, the school will be two schools within a school. Especially if the kids at the schools are like their smug petty SJW parents. My kids would want nothing to do with them, and I’d fully support that.

Anyone who actually complies with the school board plan and sends their kids would be best served to go in with a good attitude and do all the things they would have done had they stayed at their chosen school.

Why make life less pleasant for your kid and for you? Buy the school logo gear, join the athletic boosters/choral guild/pta and make it a good time.

If you won’t send your kid, good for you and your kid. But if you are going to enroll them, embrace the experience.

+1 The kids are probably handling this better than parents on here.

Yeah because 1) it’s not their property values or ability to sell that’s potentially being affected and 2) kids don’t necessarily have a full grasp on how bad it would be, academically and in terms of their college apps, to move high schools DURING HIGH SCHOOL. If the SB doesn’t figure out the whole AP vs. IB thing, potentially moving from a school with AP classes to one that doesn’t have them. If a kid was on the most advanced math track, moving to a school that could potentially not accommodate that if there has been no demand in the past for the highest AP math classes. No it’s not the same to take those classes at NVCC - as everyone knows, the quality of teaching is generally better in high school when you’re taught by qualified teachers vs. professors whose specialty is research.

And, those same kids also got screwed at some point in elementary school by a year and a half’s worth of closures due to COVID.

I think allowing grandfathering for both juniors and seniors would mitigate a lot of parental stress about this, and I would like to see 6th graders grandfathered as well so they can finish out ES with their class. If a 9th or 10th grader had to move HS, they would have more than half of HS at the new school and that’s not as bad.

What college said they prefer one high school over another? Show us where colleges say they don’t admit kids that move. Post your source.

It's common sense to anyone who knows anything about college admissions. Strength of schedule matters. We're not talking about just getting into college period, we're taking about the potential options of more advance students being limited due to lack of access to AP and DE courses.

Most of us here are not advocating against the boundary changes. We are arguing to grandfather juniors because that is a critical year in terms of college admissions. You are arguing for the other extreme end of the spectrum from those who say "no boundary changes, period." What is best for the county is a moderate position that takes into account the needs of all students, including those being moved.

Show us your source. Show us a college that says they won’t admit a top kid from a school with less AP.

Oh, and here you go.
https://www.nacacnet.org/factors-in-the-admission-decision/

Where does says kids from a school with less AP don’t get in? Even a lower FCPS school has more AP than most districts in VA. You think kids outside FCPS don’t go to college?

If you can't read that chart and make logical inferences, I can't help you. Strength of schedule, which includes advanced courses is number 3 in the chart.

All FCPS schools have advanced courses. You’re creating an issue that isn’t there. Again, how do kids from districts without AP get in college?

Oh my word! People arguing for students to move to schools like Lewis say that there is a dearth of AP/DE courses do to lack of demand, and lack of access to these courses limits their college options. They want higher performing students moved there to increase demand and access to those courses. However, there will likely be a lag in access to at least the first group that is transferred, so they would also have a lack of access and their options limited. On the marco level, it would seem like a necessary sacrifice for the long term greater good, but on the individual level, parents, myself included, are not going to want to see the options limited for their own kids and will find ways to alleviate that situation. Sorry.

Again, this is not about not changing boundaries. It's about doing it in a way that is thoughtful and considers the needs of all students.

I think many here don’t understand what equity is about.

Those UMC kids will be fine. The kids in Lewis who are poor and can’t move away and have low opportunities aren’t fine. If moving UMC kids helps impoverished kids and their school, that’s great.

UMC/MC kids will be fine. UMC/MC kids that can’t get into TJ now because of bonus points for URM status and quotas will be fine. Those URMs didn’t have great opportunities but your UMC kid will be fine.

MC kid wants to go on the field trip with Young Scholars? That’s for URMs who don’t have the same opportunities as your MC kid who…. Will be fine.

Does your MC kid want to join a college partnership program. Sorry URMs only. Your kid will be fine.

There’s limited resources, so the county needs to focus on kids who will not be fine. Kids involved in boundary changes will be fine.

Look, you aren’t going to fix immigrant poverty in one generation. Historically, it takes time and is mostly linked to mother’s education level. If you think you are going to take every single immigrant or immigrant’s kid and make sure they go to college, that just isn’t going to happen. Assimilation and should be looked at over a generation or two, not as an immediate goal. I say this as an immigrant’s daughter. Sometimes, it takes awhile. I don’t think we should focus resources on anyone particular group, but those who are more vulnerable irrespective of their social group.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:It does really suck if juniors aren’t grandfathered, but I suspect that some seniors will be affected too. I’m doubtful FCPS will be able to offer bus service for grandfathered students. So if a student doesn’t have a way to transport themselves to their original school, they may be out of luck. FCPS does not have a large fleet of busses nor pool of drivers.

West Springfield kids at least would probably be able to take a Fairfax Connector bus, maybe with a walk on either end, or carpool. I don’t know how much public bus service there is out in Great Falls though.

Probably most WSHS kids could bike to school in under 15 minutes. We have tight boundaries.

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Anonymous wrote:The best nugget of info out of this meeting (because boundary adjustments are a foregone conclusion) is from Dr. Reid's response to Mateo Dunne's question about boundary changes: she stated that HS boundaries will not change much at all, and most of the boundary changes will be at the ES level.

That’s interesting, I wonder why they decided to do that. Most kids attend the closest ES unless they’re at a split feeder or in an attendance island. The kids who have a long ES bus ride would have one regardless because they live in a far-flung area like Clifton or Great Falls. Or they’re getting bussed to the AAP center …

This is false. Anyone with eyes can look at a map of the school boundaries to see lots of elementary schools completely disconnected from their communities.

Such as??

Westbriar, Keene Mill, Flint Hill, Sangster, etc.

The one no-brainer move coming from a savant who spends too much time on Zillow and has no dog in the fight, the Groveland/Green Garland drive area zoned for Sangster will move to Newington Forest and will become part of the South County pyramid.

I can see that happening, although that’s a really small neighborhood that probably won’t make too much of a difference either way.

As a Lorton resident I wonder if the infamous Hagel Circle will continue to get bussed past 95 to Halley or if they will get sent to the much closer Gunston. That’s a hot potato.

I was shocked to learn that Hagel Ct students didn’t go to Lorton Station ES. It’s only a mile away!

That’s one of the equity bussing situations. Sending those kids to the comparatively rich Halley makes Halley and Gunston both around 40% FARMS, and Lorton Station around 55%. Otherwise Halley would have demographics similar to Silverbrook which has single digit FARMS, and Gunston or Lorton Station would be much higher needs.

I imagine if they changed it it would be to send those kids to Gunston so they can stay at South County, as opposed to Lorton Station/Hayfield. But also, without that big neighborhood Halley’s population would drop quite a bit and there’s really nowhere for them to pick up kids from since that is not a growth area of the county.

This may have been their intention when they assigned these attendance islands, but they’re seeing the negative impacts. If kids miss the bus, they’re likely missing school that day, when in some cases, there’s another elementary school within walking distance.

Very true and I’m sure there is a lot of absenteeism coming from that area. A lot of families don’t have cars. If the kid misses the school bus there’s no way to get them to school.

+ 1 never thought of this but I’m positive this is happening.

These are the types of nuances that people who support “keeping things the same” don’t think about. I’m glad that the school board is taking a look at this in a holistic way. Issues like chronic absenteeism only put kids in that community further and further behind, which leads to more stress on the educators and other school resources.

You don’t know what nuance I think about. You’re just throwing crap at the wall to see what sticks.

I don’t have to throw anything, the motion passed so it’s “up and it’s stuck” already! That reference will likely over your head, it just means your whining is pointless at this point. You should focus that energy on opening up your mind to the possibilities now, since this is no longer a question of IF but WHEN and HOW.

Gloat as much as you want. They’re well on their way to destroying the county schools. Those of us with money will leave, those of us like you will just be stuck with lower SES schools and will never stop your pathetic whining.

That’s the nuance that YOU and your SJW friends don’t think about. Oops.

Oh we did and…WE DO NOT CARE. You think you’re the only one in the county with money? ALL of the houses in FFX cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.

It’s just empty threats until/unless it happens and even then, things will be fine. Your house will be snapped up quickly and life will go on.

I have to agree. Houses will still be bought for location, etc. Some of the new buyers will simply expect to go private from the get go unlike whose who had the rug pulled out from under them.

Others will embrace the chance to let their child see how the other half lives so they don’t have to hear them whining about having Izumi for dinner AGAIN.

What I would implore any SJW, economically challenged ideologues on this board to do, is looking at property sales over the next few years in the jurisdictions that are at high risk of getting redistricted. You’ll of course try to spin the ensuing drop as something else, but we all know that the number one reason that people buy their houses is for the schools.

I know you don’t care, but each drop represents a loss for the county, both directly and indirectly.

Ok, hypothetically:
Boundary changes happen and now more poor and diverse kids go to your pyramid. GreatSchools score takes a hit on Zillow. The ultra-wealthy from California and Seattle now refuse to pay 300k over the assessment for homes in your neighborhood. This leaves room for younger mid-grade federal employees and other public servants, from teachers to custodians, to buy and live and work in Fairfax County, just like they used to in the 90s.

How has your own child's education specifically been negatively impacted?

How my own child's education is impacted: now my kid is moving between 10th and 11th grade, completely loses continuity with her school clubs and sports and social groups/friends. Academically, everything is unfamiliar from the courses and path to graduation to the teachers who teach them. She is now exposed to more disciplinary problems, drugs, gang members (yes, not an exaggeration, they are a reality at Lewis). There is no explanation that paints a silver lining for her. But I will make sure she understands there are SJWs who believe she and her cohort are educational martyrs who are fixing the system for FARMS kids and no one else will have to go through what she is going through.

In terms of academics, it’s not just that it is unfamiliar it’s that many advanced courses may not even be available. At least one school board member made this point last night. Not committing to grandfather rising juniors tells me moving them is on the table. Junior year is critical for college admissions and the fact that the school board as whole will not commit to supporting at least that one cohort is disappointing to say the least.

Advocate for more AP in your new school. Contribute to the community.

It is not our community.

Our community is the school zone we originally purchased int, set roots in, and out kids grew up in.

Agree, the school will be two schools within a school. Especially if the kids at the schools are like their smug petty SJW parents. My kids would want nothing to do with them, and I’d fully support that.

Anyone who actually complies with the school board plan and sends their kids would be best served to go in with a good attitude and do all the things they would have done had they stayed at their chosen school.

Why make life less pleasant for your kid and for you? Buy the school logo gear, join the athletic boosters/choral guild/pta and make it a good time.

If you won’t send your kid, good for you and your kid. But if you are going to enroll them, embrace the experience.

+1 The kids are probably handling this better than parents on here.

Yeah because 1) it’s not their property values or ability to sell that’s potentially being affected and 2) kids don’t necessarily have a full grasp on how bad it would be, academically and in terms of their college apps, to move high schools DURING HIGH SCHOOL. If the SB doesn’t figure out the whole AP vs. IB thing, potentially moving from a school with AP classes to one that doesn’t have them. If a kid was on the most advanced math track, moving to a school that could potentially not accommodate that if there has been no demand in the past for the highest AP math classes. No it’s not the same to take those classes at NVCC - as everyone knows, the quality of teaching is generally better in high school when you’re taught by qualified teachers vs. professors whose specialty is research.

And, those same kids also got screwed at some point in elementary school by a year and a half’s worth of closures due to COVID.

I think allowing grandfathering for both juniors and seniors would mitigate a lot of parental stress about this, and I would like to see 6th graders grandfathered as well so they can finish out ES with their class. If a 9th or 10th grader had to move HS, they would have more than half of HS at the new school and that’s not as bad.

What college said they prefer one high school over another? Show us where colleges say they don’t admit kids that move. Post your source.

It's common sense to anyone who knows anything about college admissions. Strength of schedule matters. We're not talking about just getting into college period, we're taking about the potential options of more advance students being limited due to lack of access to AP and DE courses.

Most of us here are not advocating against the boundary changes. We are arguing to grandfather juniors because that is a critical year in terms of college admissions. You are arguing for the other extreme end of the spectrum from those who say "no boundary changes, period." What is best for the county is a moderate position that takes into account the needs of all students, including those being moved.

Show us your source. Show us a college that says they won’t admit a top kid from a school with less AP.

Oh, and here you go.
https://www.nacacnet.org/factors-in-the-admission-decision/

Where does says kids from a school with less AP don’t get in? Even a lower FCPS school has more AP than most districts in VA. You think kids outside FCPS don’t go to college?

If you can't read that chart and make logical inferences, I can't help you. Strength of schedule, which includes advanced courses is number 3 in the chart.

All FCPS schools have advanced courses. You’re creating an issue that isn’t there. Again, how do kids from districts without AP get in college?

Oh my word! People arguing for students to move to schools like Lewis say that there is a dearth of AP/DE courses do to lack of demand, and lack of access to these courses limits their college options. They want higher performing students moved there to increase demand and access to those courses. However, there will likely be a lag in access to at least the first group that is transferred, so they would also have a lack of access and their options limited. On the marco level, it would seem like a necessary sacrifice for the long term greater good, but on the individual level, parents, myself included, are not going to want to see the options limited for their own kids and will find ways to alleviate that situation. Sorry.

Again, this is not about not changing boundaries. It's about doing it in a way that is thoughtful and considers the needs of all students.

Yes I totally agree.

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Anonymous wrote:The best nugget of info out of this meeting (because boundary adjustments are a foregone conclusion) is from Dr. Reid's response to Mateo Dunne's question about boundary changes: she stated that HS boundaries will not change much at all, and most of the boundary changes will be at the ES level.

That’s interesting, I wonder why they decided to do that. Most kids attend the closest ES unless they’re at a split feeder or in an attendance island. The kids who have a long ES bus ride would have one regardless because they live in a far-flung area like Clifton or Great Falls. Or they’re getting bussed to the AAP center …

This is false. Anyone with eyes can look at a map of the school boundaries to see lots of elementary schools completely disconnected from their communities.

Such as??

Westbriar, Keene Mill, Flint Hill, Sangster, etc.

The one no-brainer move coming from a savant who spends too much time on Zillow and has no dog in the fight, the Groveland/Green Garland drive area zoned for Sangster will move to Newington Forest and will become part of the South County pyramid.

I can see that happening, although that’s a really small neighborhood that probably won’t make too much of a difference either way.

As a Lorton resident I wonder if the infamous Hagel Circle will continue to get bussed past 95 to Halley or if they will get sent to the much closer Gunston. That’s a hot potato.

I was shocked to learn that Hagel Ct students didn’t go to Lorton Station ES. It’s only a mile away!

That’s one of the equity bussing situations. Sending those kids to the comparatively rich Halley makes Halley and Gunston both around 40% FARMS, and Lorton Station around 55%. Otherwise Halley would have demographics similar to Silverbrook which has single digit FARMS, and Gunston or Lorton Station would be much higher needs.

I imagine if they changed it it would be to send those kids to Gunston so they can stay at South County, as opposed to Lorton Station/Hayfield. But also, without that big neighborhood Halley’s population would drop quite a bit and there’s really nowhere for them to pick up kids from since that is not a growth area of the county.

This may have been their intention when they assigned these attendance islands, but they’re seeing the negative impacts. If kids miss the bus, they’re likely missing school that day, when in some cases, there’s another elementary school within walking distance.

Very true and I’m sure there is a lot of absenteeism coming from that area. A lot of families don’t have cars. If the kid misses the school bus there’s no way to get them to school.

+ 1 never thought of this but I’m positive this is happening.

These are the types of nuances that people who support “keeping things the same” don’t think about. I’m glad that the school board is taking a look at this in a holistic way. Issues like chronic absenteeism only put kids in that community further and further behind, which leads to more stress on the educators and other school resources.

You don’t know what nuance I think about. You’re just throwing crap at the wall to see what sticks.

I don’t have to throw anything, the motion passed so it’s “up and it’s stuck” already! That reference will likely over your head, it just means your whining is pointless at this point. You should focus that energy on opening up your mind to the possibilities now, since this is no longer a question of IF but WHEN and HOW.

Gloat as much as you want. They’re well on their way to destroying the county schools. Those of us with money will leave, those of us like you will just be stuck with lower SES schools and will never stop your pathetic whining.

That’s the nuance that YOU and your SJW friends don’t think about. Oops.

Oh we did and…WE DO NOT CARE. You think you’re the only one in the county with money? ALL of the houses in FFX cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.

It’s just empty threats until/unless it happens and even then, things will be fine. Your house will be snapped up quickly and life will go on.

I have to agree. Houses will still be bought for location, etc. Some of the new buyers will simply expect to go private from the get go unlike whose who had the rug pulled out from under them.

Others will embrace the chance to let their child see how the other half lives so they don’t have to hear them whining about having Izumi for dinner AGAIN.

What I would implore any SJW, economically challenged ideologues on this board to do, is looking at property sales over the next few years in the jurisdictions that are at high risk of getting redistricted. You’ll of course try to spin the ensuing drop as something else, but we all know that the number one reason that people buy their houses is for the schools.

I know you don’t care, but each drop represents a loss for the county, both directly and indirectly.

Ok, hypothetically:
Boundary changes happen and now more poor and diverse kids go to your pyramid. GreatSchools score takes a hit on Zillow. The ultra-wealthy from California and Seattle now refuse to pay 300k over the assessment for homes in your neighborhood. This leaves room for younger mid-grade federal employees and other public servants, from teachers to custodians, to buy and live and work in Fairfax County, just like they used to in the 90s.

How has your own child's education specifically been negatively impacted?

How my own child's education is impacted: now my kid is moving between 10th and 11th grade, completely loses continuity with her school clubs and sports and social groups/friends. Academically, everything is unfamiliar from the courses and path to graduation to the teachers who teach them. She is now exposed to more disciplinary problems, drugs, gang members (yes, not an exaggeration, they are a reality at Lewis). There is no explanation that paints a silver lining for her. But I will make sure she understands there are SJWs who believe she and her cohort are educational martyrs who are fixing the system for FARMS kids and no one else will have to go through what she is going through.

In terms of academics, it’s not just that it is unfamiliar it’s that many advanced courses may not even be available. At least one school board member made this point last night. Not committing to grandfather rising juniors tells me moving them is on the table. Junior year is critical for college admissions and the fact that the school board as whole will not commit to supporting at least that one cohort is disappointing to say the least.

Advocate for more AP in your new school. Contribute to the community.

It is not our community.

Our community is the school zone we originally purchased int, set roots in, and out kids grew up in.

Agree, the school will be two schools within a school. Especially if the kids at the schools are like their smug petty SJW parents. My kids would want nothing to do with them, and I’d fully support that.

Anyone who actually complies with the school board plan and sends their kids would be best served to go in with a good attitude and do all the things they would have done had they stayed at their chosen school.

Why make life less pleasant for your kid and for you? Buy the school logo gear, join the athletic boosters/choral guild/pta and make it a good time.

If you won’t send your kid, good for you and your kid. But if you are going to enroll them, embrace the experience.

+1 The kids are probably handling this better than parents on here.

Yeah because 1) it’s not their property values or ability to sell that’s potentially being affected and 2) kids don’t necessarily have a full grasp on how bad it would be, academically and in terms of their college apps, to move high schools DURING HIGH SCHOOL. If the SB doesn’t figure out the whole AP vs. IB thing, potentially moving from a school with AP classes to one that doesn’t have them. If a kid was on the most advanced math track, moving to a school that could potentially not accommodate that if there has been no demand in the past for the highest AP math classes. No it’s not the same to take those classes at NVCC - as everyone knows, the quality of teaching is generally better in high school when you’re taught by qualified teachers vs. professors whose specialty is research.

And, those same kids also got screwed at some point in elementary school by a year and a half’s worth of closures due to COVID.

I think allowing grandfathering for both juniors and seniors would mitigate a lot of parental stress about this, and I would like to see 6th graders grandfathered as well so they can finish out ES with their class. If a 9th or 10th grader had to move HS, they would have more than half of HS at the new school and that’s not as bad.

What college said they prefer one high school over another? Show us where colleges say they don’t admit kids that move. Post your source.

It's common sense to anyone who knows anything about college admissions. Strength of schedule matters. We're not talking about just getting into college period, we're taking about the potential options of more advance students being limited due to lack of access to AP and DE courses.

Most of us here are not advocating against the boundary changes. We are arguing to grandfather juniors because that is a critical year in terms of college admissions. You are arguing for the other extreme end of the spectrum from those who say "no boundary changes, period." What is best for the county is a moderate position that takes into account the needs of all students, including those being moved.

Show us your source. Show us a college that says they won’t admit a top kid from a school with less AP.

Oh, and here you go.
https://www.nacacnet.org/factors-in-the-admission-decision/

Where does says kids from a school with less AP don’t get in? Even a lower FCPS school has more AP than most districts in VA. You think kids outside FCPS don’t go to college?

If you can't read that chart and make logical inferences, I can't help you. Strength of schedule, which includes advanced courses is number 3 in the chart.

All FCPS schools have advanced courses. You’re creating an issue that isn’t there. Again, how do kids from districts without AP get in college?

Oh my word! People arguing for students to move to schools like Lewis say that there is a dearth of AP/DE courses do to lack of demand, and lack of access to these courses limits their college options. They want higher performing students moved there to increase demand and access to those courses. However, there will likely be a lag in access to at least the first group that is transferred, so they would also have a lack of access and their options limited. On the marco level, it would seem like a necessary sacrifice for the long term greater good, but on the individual level, parents, myself included, are not going to want to see the options limited for their own kids and will find ways to alleviate that situation. Sorry.

Again, this is not about not changing boundaries. It's about doing it in a way that is thoughtful and considers the needs of all students.

I think many here don’t understand what equity is about.

Those UMC kids will be fine. The kids in Lewis who are poor and can’t move away and have low opportunities aren’t fine. If moving UMC kids helps impoverished kids and their school, that’s great.

UMC/MC kids will be fine. UMC/MC kids that can’t get into TJ now because of bonus points for URM status and quotas will be fine. Those URMs didn’t have great opportunities but your UMC kid will be fine.

MC kid wants to go on the field trip with Young Scholars? That’s for URMs who don’t have the same opportunities as your MC kid who…. Will be fine.

Does your MC kid want to join a college partnership program. Sorry URMs only. Your kid will be fine.

There’s limited resources, so the county needs to focus on kids who will not be fine. Kids involved in boundary changes will be fine.

I will have to bow out after this because it clear that the poster or posters I'm debating are not open to compromise.

While I would rather not see boundary changes, and if those occur, I would rather see my kids moved to a closer, equally under enrolled school, I recognize that capacity, resource management, and equity in terms of academic opportunities need to be addressed. Grandfathering students at a critical juncture in the midst of this process is the moderate approach, and one that is sadly lacking in civic discourse these days. If the school board adopts your position of moving all kids immediately, in my opinion, that is fairly Machiavellian approach for people charged with the well-being of all students in the district. There are other options to help students at schools like Lewis that could be used in conjunction with boundary changes. What about looking at and amending policies with regard to class size and AP/DE offerings for schools that meet certain demographic parameters? That is a resource management decision that is also in keeping with equity, providing students with what they need to achieve, even if it is different from other schools. Again, I said this is in addition to rather than instead of boundary changes. I'm not anti-boundary changes; I'm advocating for the path of maximum benefit and least hardship to achieve a school district that meets the needs of all students. It is worth noting that alleviating poverty, as other posters have stated, is a multi-faceted problem and schools and education are not the silver bullet. They are just one factor. An important one, but not the only one by far.

At then end of the day, I will reach out to my rep and the at large members with my concerns and ideas, as many others on both sides of this debate will also do. This thread is valuable as a means of seeing other views and fleshing out your own views, positions, and arguments. No one has a crystal ball to see what the school board will decide on or the impacts of those decisions. I just hope there can be a civil and rational discourse and people on both sides can be open-minded to nuanced approaches rather than extremes.