King Abdullah Academy Closing: FCPS Buy for HS?
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Anonymous
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Anonymous
I believe someone said or they thought KAA could be a 2000 student HS school max, but that it had only 1200 students in K-12 enrolled when it closed. Not sure where the extra 800 came from but perhaps they were not using the whole space, or perhaps FCPS would redo some of the public spaces to make more classrooms. But yes that would make KAA HS the smallest in that area by far. But there are other ~2000 student HS’s in the county. South County is the next-newest building and is around 2000. Falls Church is around 2000 as well, Yorktown in Arlington and Langley both come in around 2200. As long as they could get it to 1900-2000 I don’t think people would complain. Below that and they might not be able to offer as many classes as other schools. |
Anonymous
DP but I am fine with the purchase because $150 million for a ready built building is a lot less then the over $400 million and multiple years to build option. I like saving time and money. And I don't see it as rubber stamping when the Western HS has been discussed for 20 or so years and no progress has been made. A pro for me is that there is a chance my kid might end up there. Another pro, even if my kid doesn't end up there, the other schools int eh area will see a drop in enrollment opening up good pupil placement options that don't exist right now. And I don't buy for a second that the Great Falls group is up in arms with the procedure that was used. Great Falls likes to present themselves as the champion for everyone but the reality is that all they care about is not moving to Herndon. If they can spin it so it looks like they are against all movement, then great, but the level of protest sure seemed to drop once they sae that Great Falls wasn't moving. And now that there is the possibility of a new school that would reduce overcrowding in the area and they are all worried about procedure. My guess is that GF is in part worried about more space at Herndon and a desire to move kids to Herndon and in part worried that they will only get a renovation and not an expansion because there is now space at Herndon. GF is for GF and only GF. And that is fine, pretty much everyone is looking out for what they see as their kids interests and less worried about what happens to other schools. The difference is that the other groups are honest about it. |
Anonymous
Private schools tend to have smaller classes even when the classrooms could hold more students. There are also reports of several bigger spaces that could be divided into multiple classrooms. There are also two buildings on the property that could potentially be used for classes that I don't think KAA used for classes. A 2000 student HS is a reasonable size. We have been expanding schools because there wasn't space. This would alleviate the need to expand and provide a release valve to get the larger high schools to a more comfortable size. If the ES that feed into Carson directly are the kids moved to the new school there would be a decrease in kids at Westfield, Oakton, and SLHS. If they add Oak Hill to those numbers, then Chantilly would see a decline as well. |
Anonymous
People have posted earlier: The private school had 8:1 ratio. Someone said the square footage is the same as Centreville which has close to 2500. With minor adjustments, this could work. All schools require storage spaces, too, and supply rooms. I know the drama department at our school requires space for storage. These could utilize the adjacent buildings that are being purchased. Possibly some clerical requirements could be in those buildings, too. I think it said there were three gyms. Certainly, one of those could also be converted, if needed. |
Anonymous
Well the other groups aren't honest about it either, but otherwise you've got it correct. |
Anonymous
The main thrust of your post is that no one wants their kids moved. I think we can all agree in that! |
Anonymous
Some of us would be happy to move but I think that is a group of folks at IB schools who would be happy to move to an AP school. FCPS seems set on forcing IB on folks. I would be thrilled to be moved to an AP school and not have to worry about pupil placing. But I don't get attached to schools and communities, I have moved enough to know that you can build friendships and community pretty much anywhere. What matters to me is the educational program and how it challenges my kid. The rest is nice but I am less concerned about. I understand that I am in the minority. As a parent at an IB school this is what I see. I see the people who don't like IB pupil placing out of the school. I see a small contingent of people who think that IB is awesome and it should never go away. And I see a group of parents whose kids are not getting the IB diploma but whose kids wouldn't be taking more then 1 or 2 AP classes, so they don't care about IB vs AP. And those families seem to be more into the school culture and community vibe, so they don't want to rock the boat. The IB loving parents think that the those of us who dislike IB are weakening the school by leaving. The middle of the road families keep askin us not to leave because their kid will miss my kid and we are hurting the community by departing. I just want AP Calc BC, AP Physics C, and similar classes for my kid. But yeah, move us to an AP school and I will be thrilled. |
Anonymous
Most parents would prefer to send their kid to a 2000 student HS vs. a 3000 student HS. Sooo much better for the kids in every way. |
Anonymous
The GF people are smart enough to realize that merely objecting to the possibility of GF getting moved to Herndon isn't a winning strategy. So they've very sensibly framed their concerns in broader terms that appeal to people in other pyramids AND they've been more than willing to continue to do legwork on behalf of others even when the boundary consultant's recommendations didn't include moving anyone out of Langley. If they were your School Board representative or member of Congress you'd say they are very good at constituent service. I would contrast that with the attitude of the those near KAA who, once they got wind of the KAA acquisition, have made it clear they only care about getting a new school in their neighborhood and don't care about anyone else. They don't care if other renovation projects now get deferred. They don't care if other areas with facilities needs continue to get ignored. They don't care if there is already excess capacity at some schools in western Fairfax. They don't want to hear any questions that the utlimate price tag could be well in excess of $150M. All they want is their new school and they want it NOW. |
Anonymous
+1 |
Anonymous
Wow! I live in the KAA area. Where has it been said that we don't care about others? Contrast Great Falls with the KAA area. Great Falls has been untouched by THRU. That is fine with me. I've said from the beginning and I still think this county-wide boundary study is ridiculous. If they want their thirty minute bus ride when there is a much closer school, that is fine with me. As for the renovation projects--this school has been promised for years. And, a bond was passed. Other schools may have to wait a year, but this is a relatively inexpensive opportunity. We all know that. You know that and I know that. Centreville will still get a renovation--but, maybe, it will be scaled back from the 3000 member school planned. Take this into consideration, this school will ultimately help Centreville and the Centreville neighbors who have to go on a long bus ride to Fairfax. (You might want to note the VERY expensive renovation there which is way more than what is being paid for KAA.) Why do we want this school? Our area has been split in pieces for years. One by one, they have kicked neighborhoods out of Chantilly and sent them to Oakton because of overcrowding at Chantilly (which we love). THRU plans to kick additional students out. Some neighborhoods have gone through three high school changes in recent history. This means kids in two different high schools at the same time--not out of choice. We have seen no hope for this to change with this School Board. And, now, we have a wonderful opportunity to solve this problem NOW--while waiting for years. Oakton is a thirty minute bus ride over winding back roads or rush hour I66. Oakton is a good school, but most would rather be at Chantilly which is close by. Other neighborhoods in the area are bused over to Westfield. This area is essentially an attendance island--a big one. If you look at a map, you won't notice it because all the area between our neighborhoods and Westfield is commercial and industrial. And, Dulles airport. Not conducive to a community feel. Then, there are the neighborhoods pretty close to Westfield that are sent to Centreville because of the high membership at Westfield. And, you think WE are the selfish ones? |
Anonymous
You do realize that we have been asking for a new HS for over 20 years and that the number of schools that are at the 99th percentile or higher capacity is near 100%? This si not a new topic, it has been around for ages. We would not be talking about massive boundary shifts if the HS had been built when it was first proposed. And there probably wouldn't ahve been the expansions at the schools that you have seen. I started this topic in February when the school first shut down. I am shocked that FCPS did the sane thing and bought the building. It is long overdue. It also saves money for the County allowing for renovations because the cost is less than half the projected cost to build a new building. And it removes the need for expansions. It provides relief to Westfield and Oakton. It could provide relief to Chantilly and maybe SLHS. That means it is serving to help 4 large communities and save money. No one buys that GF cares about anything other then GF. You just said that they framed their concerns in a large view to obscure that all that mattered to them was not moving to Herndon. And now the protest about the cost has little to do with transparency and more to do with the renovation, which McLean very much needs, potentially being pushed back. Now GF is all worried about the kids at ES that are undergoing renovations and how they might be harmed. It is all a big PR stunt geared towards McLean and Langley getting what they want and screw everyone else. McLean should get a renovation. It shouldn't be expanded, just like Centerville should be renovated but doesn't need an expansion. And the money saved from those expansions will help to pay for the new school, that has been needed for years. That was in the CIP as a future project for years. And that means that there are seats in other close by schools that the GF families don't want to move to. |
Anonymous
DP. To answer the question at the end of your post: Yes. Not the end of the world, but yeah, you’re pretty focused on yourself. |
Anonymous
Agree, but you left out Centreville. Big relief there--and they could take their neighbors who are bused to Fairfax. They've been clamoring for years to be sent to Centreville or Chantilly. |