Boundary Review Meetings

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here's a recent communication from Marshall:

"With the recent approval of the new boundaries by the school board, we are aware that families who are impacted are wondering what options they have in this transition.

Communication will be coming from the Division soon. As soon as this comes, we will work with Madison to make this transition as smooth as possible for our shared families. Please be on the lookout for targeted communication if you are affected by these changes."

When do kids start taking IB classes? As early as freshmen? This means they missed the opportunity for AP as freshmen.
Another reason to eliminate IB.

You don't normally take IB courses until you're a junior. If Marshall kids transfer to Madison, they may have missed out on opportunities to take AP classes earlier. It creates an additional incentive to stay at Marshall so as not to compare unfavorably with other Madison students, but not everyone will be able to arrange transportation if it's denied.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here's a recent communication from Marshall:

"With the recent approval of the new boundaries by the school board, we are aware that families who are impacted are wondering what options they have in this transition.

Communication will be coming from the Division soon. As soon as this comes, we will work with Madison to make this transition as smooth as possible for our shared families. Please be on the lookout for targeted communication if you are affected by these changes."

When do kids start taking IB classes? As early as freshmen? This means they missed the opportunity for AP as freshmen.
Another reason to eliminate IB.

You don't normally take IB courses until you're a junior. If Marshall kids transfer to Madison, they may have missed out on opportunities to take AP classes earlier. It creates an additional incentive to stay at Marshall so as not to compare unfavorably with other Madison students, but not everyone will be able to arrange transportation if it's denied.

This issue could be fixed by FCPS putting the handful of AP classes available to freshmen and sophomores at every high school.

Then the IB transfers could be offered only to 11th and 12th graders.

This would cut back on the number of IB transfers significantly, as most kids will have established roots at their neighborhood high schools through sports, clubs, performing arts and community, and won't want to transfer for junior and senior year.

Why doesn't FCPS do something sensible like this?

If they put the same AP classes in every 9th/10th grade, then put AAP level 4 at every middle school with zero AAP students attending middle schools they aren't zoned for, then FCPS could effectively fix a ton of issues at the lower performing high schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here's a recent communication from Marshall:

"With the recent approval of the new boundaries by the school board, we are aware that families who are impacted are wondering what options they have in this transition.

Communication will be coming from the Division soon. As soon as this comes, we will work with Madison to make this transition as smooth as possible for our shared families. Please be on the lookout for targeted communication if you are affected by these changes."

When do kids start taking IB classes? As early as freshmen? This means they missed the opportunity for AP as freshmen.
Another reason to eliminate IB.

You don't normally take IB courses until you're a junior. If Marshall kids transfer to Madison, they may have missed out on opportunities to take AP classes earlier. It creates an additional incentive to stay at Marshall so as not to compare unfavorably with other Madison students, but not everyone will be able to arrange transportation if it's denied.

A number of students take Algebra 2 as Freshman and will take an IB math course as sophomores. I'm not sure the restrictions on IB courses that could be offered to Freshmen/Sophomores but I know the IB program is something that can cover all/most grade levels so maybe it's not fully implemented in FCPS.

This issue could be fixed by FCPS putting the handful of AP classes available to freshmen and sophomores at every high school.

Then the IB transfers could be offered only to 11th and 12th graders.

This would cut back on the number of IB transfers significantly, as most kids will have established roots at their neighborhood high schools through sports, clubs, performing arts and community, and won't want to transfer for junior and senior year.

Why doesn't FCPS do something sensible like this?

If they put the same AP classes in every 9th/10th grade, then put AAP level 4 at every middle school with zero AAP students attending middle schools they aren't zoned for, then FCPS could effectively fix a ton of issues at the lower performing high schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here's a recent communication from Marshall:

"With the recent approval of the new boundaries by the school board, we are aware that families who are impacted are wondering what options they have in this transition.

Communication will be coming from the Division soon. As soon as this comes, we will work with Madison to make this transition as smooth as possible for our shared families. Please be on the lookout for targeted communication if you are affected by these changes."

When do kids start taking IB classes? As early as freshmen? This means they missed the opportunity for AP as freshmen.
Another reason to eliminate IB.

You don't normally take IB courses until you're a junior. If Marshall kids transfer to Madison, they may have missed out on opportunities to take AP classes earlier. It creates an additional incentive to stay at Marshall so as not to compare unfavorably with other Madison students, but not everyone will be able to arrange transportation if it's denied.

A number of students take Algebra 2 as Freshman and will take an IB math course as sophomores. I'm not sure the restrictions on IB courses that could be offered to Freshmen/Sophomores but I know the IB program is something that can cover all/most grade levels so maybe it's not fully implemented in FCPS.

This issue could be fixed by FCPS putting the handful of AP classes available to freshmen and sophomores at every high school.

Then the IB transfers could be offered only to 11th and 12th graders.

This would cut back on the number of IB transfers significantly, as most kids will have established roots at their neighborhood high schools through sports, clubs, performing arts and community, and won't want to transfer for junior and senior year.

Why doesn't FCPS do something sensible like this?

If they put the same AP classes in every 9th/10th grade, then put AAP level 4 at every middle school with zero AAP students attending middle schools they aren't zoned for, then FCPS could effectively fix a ton of issues at the lower performing high schools.

[Anonymous]

Most kids don’t use IB as an excuse to leave a low rate school, they move because they want to take IB. the only exception to that might be Herndon to South Lakes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here's a recent communication from Marshall:

"With the recent approval of the new boundaries by the school board, we are aware that families who are impacted are wondering what options they have in this transition.

Communication will be coming from the Division soon. As soon as this comes, we will work with Madison to make this transition as smooth as possible for our shared families. Please be on the lookout for targeted communication if you are affected by these changes."

Good for them! Seems like Gatehouse had no plan on how to roll this out for next year once approved.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here's a recent communication from Marshall:

"With the recent approval of the new boundaries by the school board, we are aware that families who are impacted are wondering what options they have in this transition.

Communication will be coming from the Division soon. As soon as this comes, we will work with Madison to make this transition as smooth as possible for our shared families. Please be on the lookout for targeted communication if you are affected by these changes."

Good for them! Seems like Gatehouse had no plan on how to roll this out for next year once approved.

Jeff Litz is a good guy. Reid and the School Board, on the other hand, operate on the “ready, shoot, aim” model. Biggest group of dunces we’ve ever had.

[Anonymous]

Please make this a separate post - this is something that more people need to see.

Anonymous wrote:I just noticed that Virginia has opted into the federal government voucher program (I’m guessing this was under Youngkin). That’s going to be another source of funds for privates going forward.

Here’s to hoping the school board stops with the unrelenting antagonism against FCPS families with this never-ending comprehensive boundary review nonsense.

Even if they hadn’t done a comprehensive review in 40 years doesn’t mean that they now need to subject us to one regularly. It’s maddening.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Please make this a separate post - this is something that more people need to see.

Anonymous wrote:I just noticed that Virginia has opted into the federal government voucher program (I’m guessing this was under Youngkin). That’s going to be another source of funds for privates going forward.

Here’s to hoping the school board stops with the unrelenting antagonism against FCPS families with this never-ending comprehensive boundary review nonsense.

Even if they hadn’t done a comprehensive review in 40 years doesn’t mean that they now need to subject us to one regularly. It’s maddening.

It was stupid to start with. You cannot solve overcrowded schools when most of them are in one area and the underserved schools are mostly in another area. They should have done smaller studies based on needs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Most kids don’t use IB as an excuse to leave a low rate school, they move because they want to take IB. the only exception to that might be Herndon to South Lakes.

Look at the transfers out of IB schools.

IB is the endorsed loophole used to escspe poor performing schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please make this a separate post - this is something that more people need to see.

Anonymous wrote:I just noticed that Virginia has opted into the federal government voucher program (I’m guessing this was under Youngkin). That’s going to be another source of funds for privates going forward.

Here’s to hoping the school board stops with the unrelenting antagonism against FCPS families with this never-ending comprehensive boundary review nonsense.

Even if they hadn’t done a comprehensive review in 40 years doesn’t mean that they now need to subject us to one regularly. It’s maddening.

It was stupid to start with. You cannot solve overcrowded schools when most of them are in one area and the underserved schools are mostly in another area. They should have done smaller studies based on needs.

They'd done smaller studies under the CIP for decades. Most were at least somewhat screwed up. The SB's solution was to bring in an outside consultant who knew nothing about Fairfax, do a county-wide redistricting, and expect better results.

[Anonymous]

Transportation survey out - wonder what response rate they'll receive; what response breakdown and cost will make them decide they can provide versus cannot provide transportation to current school; whether they'll decide to provide at some grade levels and not others (i.e., middle and high but not elementary); how they'll factor high-school transportation needs declining each year as students graduate or start driving to school; location of students and need for supplemental bus service or if those students can simply be incorporated into a bus run that includes students remain in the boundary for that school; cost offset since that student would not be riding their assigned boundary bus possibly requiring fewer buses for that school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please make this a separate post - this is something that more people need to see.

Anonymous wrote:I just noticed that Virginia has opted into the federal government voucher program (I’m guessing this was under Youngkin). That’s going to be another source of funds for privates going forward.

Here’s to hoping the school board stops with the unrelenting antagonism against FCPS families with this never-ending comprehensive boundary review nonsense.

Even if they hadn’t done a comprehensive review in 40 years doesn’t mean that they now need to subject us to one regularly. It’s maddening.

It was stupid to start with. You cannot solve overcrowded schools when most of them are in one area and the underserved schools are mostly in another area. They should have done smaller studies based on needs.

They'd done smaller studies under the CIP for decades. Most were at least somewhat screwed up. The SB's solution was to bring in an outside consultant who knew nothing about Fairfax, do a county-wide redistricting, and expect better results.

They didn't bring in a third-party consultant because they expected better results. They brought one in hoping to avoid accountability. That was always wishful thinking on their part.

This boundary study was largely a waste of time and money. As McElveen said, the juice wasn't worth the squeeze. Reid and most of the School Board members are complete idiots.