FCPS comprehensive boundary review

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why aren’t we going to see any maps until June? The timeline was March-June2025 and now they are saying by June 2025. Why?
This is annoying in that they pushed the boundary policy meeting until the summer as well- like the knew people had vacations.

I'm on the boundary review committee. We've had four meetings so far and haven't really done anything yet. We're still looking through the feedback from the community meetings that were held in November through January. There was one virtual meeting after our last meeting and I believe we're going to look through that info at our next meeting. So we haven't started discussing any boundary changes yet. You can read the "minutes" from what we've done - its at the bottom of this page.
https://www.fcps.edu/about-fcps/maps/2024-2026-boundary-review/superintendents-boundary-review-advisory-committee

Is it same consultant group working on boundaries and MS start times or different?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are not going about this in any way that is good.

Which schools are having problems? Not the ones with too many students.

What are the problems in the schools that ARE having problems?
Achievement
Truancy
etc

Are the students in the schools with problems going to be helped by more students? Does that even make sense?

So, what is the purpose?
to make the schools look better on paper.

That's it.

This is NOT about equity. This is simply about optics.

If it were about equity, they would be focused on helping the "underserved." They would be far more concerned about truancy, tutoring, and facilities.

This is all so spot on. Why can’t the SB understand this?

Because like my 3-year-old, they won’t admit when they are wrong. Yet messing with said 3-year-old’s future!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why aren’t we going to see any maps until June? The timeline was March-June2025 and now they are saying by June 2025. Why?
This is annoying in that they pushed the boundary policy meeting until the summer as well- like the knew people had vacations.

I'm on the boundary review committee. We've had four meetings so far and haven't really done anything yet. We're still looking through the feedback from the community meetings that were held in November through January. There was one virtual meeting after our last meeting and I believe we're going to look through that info at our next meeting. So we haven't started discussing any boundary changes yet. You can read the "minutes" from what we've done - its at the bottom of this page.
https://www.fcps.edu/about-fcps/maps/2024-2026-boundary-review/superintendents-boundary-review-advisory-committee

I really doubt you will get to see the all the map options even in the committee.
Logically the school board sees them first rules out some options tweaks stuff and then it MAY go to the BRAC but it wouldn’t be all of the different options. Like a toddler you will be offered controlled choices.

They will have you all fake debate during a BRAC and the next morning or quickly thereafter release the maps to everyone.

Too many choices of different maps and it would be more disruptive to the community and BRAC because everyone will just be fighting each other.

I’ve seen this go down in APS and they tightly control things.

FVPS is even doing a worse job because they don’t have the interactive maps we can okay with online to try to readjust boundaries like APS did. I’m sure it was a headache, but it allowed far more buy in then the way FCPs is going about it. People had direct experience in the difficulty of making this work rather than just being told “your kid is found to transfer in the middle of high school”
They are doing a poor job of rolling this out because the school board is inexperienced.

[Anonymous]

Sorry play with online- not okay with

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why aren’t we going to see any maps until June? The timeline was March-June2025 and now they are saying by June 2025. Why?
This is annoying in that they pushed the boundary policy meeting until the summer as well- like the knew people had vacations.

I'm on the boundary review committee. We've had four meetings so far and haven't really done anything yet. We're still looking through the feedback from the community meetings that were held in November through January. There was one virtual meeting after our last meeting and I believe we're going to look through that info at our next meeting. So we haven't started discussing any boundary changes yet. You can read the "minutes" from what we've done - its at the bottom of this page.
https://www.fcps.edu/about-fcps/maps/2024-2026-boundary-review/superintendents-boundary-review-advisory-committee

Thanks for this input! I keep up with and read the BRAC meeting minutes. I do appreciate the transparency. I have a friend on the committee and has said the meetings are pretty lackluster thus far. Seems like it’s an optics thing to say they direct community members reviewing content too. But do appreciate your insights!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why aren’t we going to see any maps until June? The timeline was March-June2025 and now they are saying by June 2025. Why?
This is annoying in that they pushed the boundary policy meeting until the summer as well- like the knew people had vacations.

I'm on the boundary review committee. We've had four meetings so far and haven't really done anything yet. We're still looking through the feedback from the community meetings that were held in November through January. There was one virtual meeting after our last meeting and I believe we're going to look through that info at our next meeting. So we haven't started discussing any boundary changes yet. You can read the "minutes" from what we've done - its at the bottom of this page.
https://www.fcps.edu/about-fcps/maps/2024-2026-boundary-review/superintendents-boundary-review-advisory-committee

I really doubt you will get to see the all the map options even in the committee.
Logically the school board sees them first rules out some options tweaks stuff and then it MAY go to the BRAC but it wouldn’t be all of the different options. Like a toddler you will be offered controlled choices.

They will have you all fake debate during a BRAC and the next morning or quickly thereafter release the maps to everyone.

Too many choices of different maps and it would be more disruptive to the community and BRAC because everyone will just be fighting each other.

I’ve seen this go down in APS and they tightly control things.

FVPS is even doing a worse job because they don’t have the interactive maps we can okay with online to try to readjust boundaries like APS did. I’m sure it was a headache, but it allowed far more buy in then the way FCPs is going about it. People had direct experience in the difficulty of making this work rather than just being told “your kid is found to transfer in the middle of high school”
They are doing a poor job of rolling this out because the school board is inexperienced.

Spot on! Even though they’ve probably signed NDAs, they can’t risk any more “leaked maps or intel”. It’ll be shown the BRAC and then released. This is going to be Battle Royale.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why aren’t we going to see any maps until June? The timeline was March-June2025 and now they are saying by June 2025. Why?
This is annoying in that they pushed the boundary policy meeting until the summer as well- like the knew people had vacations.

No surprise that it’s going to come at very end of their timeline. While cocky, I’m sure they are terrified to actually release it.

It’ll be important to bring notice to neighbors once released and advocate to voice concerns. There’s many in our neighborhood that aren’t following this. Someone posted on our Facebook page about the “leaked map” and it proved so many didn’t know the process was even happening. They’ve now missed any proactive opportunities pre-map draft.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:...There’s many in our neighborhood that aren’t following this. Someone posted on our Facebook page about the “leaked map” and it proved so many didn’t know the process was even happening. They’ve now missed any proactive opportunities pre-map draft.

What opportunities? I've been following this thread since the beginning, and I've yet to see anything posted that someone said or did that would have affected whatever preliminary mapping or planning you suspect has been done. The school board will put out whatever they wanted to as the first draft and then only change the minimal amount they can get away with based on the outrage it generates. They care nothing about anything anyone in the community has said or posted right now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are not going about this in any way that is good.

Which schools are having problems? Not the ones with too many students.

What are the problems in the schools that ARE having problems?
Achievement
Truancy
etc

Are the students in the schools with problems going to be helped by more students? Does that even make sense?

So, what is the purpose?
to make the schools look better on paper.

That's it.

This is NOT about equity. This is simply about optics.

If it were about equity, they would be focused on helping the "underserved." They would be far more concerned about truancy, tutoring, and facilities.

This is all so spot on. Why can’t the SB understand this?

They understand it. This was a major issue my group discussed at our boundary meeting: WHY do we even need this- what problem are we going to solve. They won’t address it and will point to capacity, but no one at the over-capacity schools is complaining so it isn’t really a problem.

The kids are complaining. Most parents only see social status when it comes to their schools. I don't have the time to dig it up right now but there was a community participation session in 2023 with the previous School Board where a group of Chantilly and Centreville kids showed up to share their stories about packed hallways and crowded rooms asking for capacity relief.

Meanwhile their parents are having a heart attack hoping the Board ignores the kids' testimonies and instead listens to parent survey comments about how their property values will be threatened.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:...There’s many in our neighborhood that aren’t following this. Someone posted on our Facebook page about the “leaked map” and it proved so many didn’t know the process was even happening. They’ve now missed any proactive opportunities pre-map draft.

What opportunities? I've been following this thread since the beginning, and I've yet to see anything posted that someone said or did that would have affected whatever preliminary mapping or planning you suspect has been done. The school board will put out whatever they wanted to as the first draft and then only change the minimal amount they can get away with based on the outrage it generates. They care nothing about anything anyone in the community has said or posted right now.

Opportunities - the meetings and writing our representatives. Whether you think they’re listening or not, that’s a way to voice your wants. If you don’t, it’s like not voting and then complaining. Even though I’m not optimistic, at least I’ve spoken my peace outside of this anonymous board.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are not going about this in any way that is good.

Which schools are having problems? Not the ones with too many students.

What are the problems in the schools that ARE having problems?
Achievement
Truancy
etc

Are the students in the schools with problems going to be helped by more students? Does that even make sense?

So, what is the purpose?
to make the schools look better on paper.

That's it.

This is NOT about equity. This is simply about optics.

If it were about equity, they would be focused on helping the "underserved." They would be far more concerned about truancy, tutoring, and facilities.

This is all so spot on. Why can’t the SB understand this?

They understand it. This was a major issue my group discussed at our boundary meeting: WHY do we even need this- what problem are we going to solve. They won’t address it and will point to capacity, but no one at the over-capacity schools is complaining so it isn’t really a problem.

The kids are complaining. Most parents only see social status when it comes to their schools. I don't have the time to dig it up right now but there was a community participation session in 2023 with the previous School Board where a group of Chantilly and Centreville kids showed up to share their stories about packed hallways and crowded rooms asking for capacity relief.

Meanwhile their parents are having a heart attack hoping the Board ignores the kids' testimonies and instead listens to parent survey comments about how their property values will be threatened.

McLean HS kids have also been complaining. The school is overcrowded and falling apart. It needs boundary and renovation relief.

[Anonymous]

They will probably come up with three maps, all bad. And then the BRAC members will get to feel important by telling them which of the three bad options is the least awful. Then they will release the options, say the BRAC supports the least bad option, get an earful from people asking why they are even doing this, and proceed to ignore the additional feedback and adopt the “recommended” option. Fun times ahead.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are not going about this in any way that is good.

Which schools are having problems? Not the ones with too many students.

What are the problems in the schools that ARE having problems?
Achievement
Truancy
etc

Are the students in the schools with problems going to be helped by more students? Does that even make sense?

So, what is the purpose?
to make the schools look better on paper.

That's it.

This is NOT about equity. This is simply about optics.

If it were about equity, they would be focused on helping the "underserved." They would be far more concerned about truancy, tutoring, and facilities.

This is all so spot on. Why can’t the SB understand this?

They understand it. This was a major issue my group discussed at our boundary meeting: WHY do we even need this- what problem are we going to solve. They won’t address it and will point to capacity, but no one at the over-capacity schools is complaining so it isn’t really a problem.

The kids are complaining. Most parents only see social status when it comes to their schools. I don't have the time to dig it up right now but there was a community participation session in 2023 with the previous School Board where a group of Chantilly and Centreville kids showed up to share their stories about packed hallways and crowded rooms asking for capacity relief.

Meanwhile their parents are having a heart attack hoping the Board ignores the kids' testimonies and instead listens to parent survey comments about how their property values will be threatened.

McLean HS kids have also been complaining. The school is overcrowded and falling apart. It needs boundary and renovation relief.

Renovation relief is way different than boundary relief. I don’t think there are too many clamoring for the latter at the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are not going about this in any way that is good.

Which schools are having problems? Not the ones with too many students.

What are the problems in the schools that ARE having problems?
Achievement
Truancy
etc

Are the students in the schools with problems going to be helped by more students? Does that even make sense?

So, what is the purpose?
to make the schools look better on paper.

That's it.

This is NOT about equity. This is simply about optics.

If it were about equity, they would be focused on helping the "underserved." They would be far more concerned about truancy, tutoring, and facilities.

This is all so spot on. Why can’t the SB understand this?

They understand it. This was a major issue my group discussed at our boundary meeting: WHY do we even need this- what problem are we going to solve. They won’t address it and will point to capacity, but no one at the over-capacity schools is complaining so it isn’t really a problem.

The kids are complaining. Most parents only see social status when it comes to their schools. I don't have the time to dig it up right now but there was a community participation session in 2023 with the previous School Board where a group of Chantilly and Centreville kids showed up to share their stories about packed hallways and crowded rooms asking for capacity relief.

Meanwhile their parents are having a heart attack hoping the Board ignores the kids' testimonies and instead listens to parent survey comments about how their property values will be threatened.

What you are missing is that these kids aren’t asking FCPS to redistrict their peers to other schools. They are asking FCPS to prioritize capital spending so high schools like Chantilly and McLean get expanded and elementary schools that aren’t overcrowded don’t get big additions just because they are in the queue and getting renovated.

They get ignored by the School Board, just like everyone else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are not going about this in any way that is good.

Which schools are having problems? Not the ones with too many students.

What are the problems in the schools that ARE having problems?
Achievement
Truancy
etc

Are the students in the schools with problems going to be helped by more students? Does that even make sense?

So, what is the purpose?
to make the schools look better on paper.

That's it.

This is NOT about equity. This is simply about optics.

If it were about equity, they would be focused on helping the "underserved." They would be far more concerned about truancy, tutoring, and facilities.

This is all so spot on. Why can’t the SB understand this?

They understand it. This was a major issue my group discussed at our boundary meeting: WHY do we even need this- what problem are we going to solve. They won’t address it and will point to capacity, but no one at the over-capacity schools is complaining so it isn’t really a problem.

The kids are complaining. Most parents only see social status when it comes to their schools. I don't have the time to dig it up right now but there was a community participation session in 2023 with the previous School Board where a group of Chantilly and Centreville kids showed up to share their stories about packed hallways and crowded rooms asking for capacity relief.

Meanwhile their parents are having a heart attack hoping the Board ignores the kids' testimonies and instead listens to parent survey comments about how their property values will be threatened.

McLean HS kids have also been complaining. The school is overcrowded and falling apart. It needs boundary and renovation relief.

Renovation relief is way different than boundary relief. I don’t think there are too many clamoring for the latter at the school.

It’s the opposite. You can go back and find student articles in the Highlander and they are about the school’s physical condition and when the school might next be renovated and expanded. The students are NOT asking for boundary changes to move kids to other schools.

There are some parents who’d throw other families under the bus by saying they should get moved to Langley or Falls Church but that’s not how the kids think.