FCPS Boundary Review Updates

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To me, 6 high schools at 90% capacity is preferable to 5 high schools at 100-105% capacity. Especially if it provides stability to those in the area. I also wouldn't want my kid to go to a HS 30 min away, nor would I want random streets in my neighborhood moved around to fine tune capacity issues at every boundary study. I think it's worth it even if it increases operating costs.

They want the schools to be around 85-95% capacity ideally. Having a few empty classrooms helps when you have a particularly large class - you can use your empty rooms for a few years vs. having to get some trailers. The hallways and cafeteria aren’t as crowded, and neither are the parking lots at the HS where you also have to factor in student parking.

We have a middle-high school imbalance in that area. Carson currently sends its neighborhood students to, I think, 3 HS? Plus the AAP center kids as well. If you could assign each MS in the region to a HS I think families would be a lot happier and feel more stable. or at least get the middle schools down to a roughly even two way split if “one middle, one HS” wasn’t feasible.

They should be looking at western Fairfax high schols - Chantilly, Westfield, South Lakes, Oakton, Centreville, and Herndon - collectively.

Currently these schools have a program capacity of 15,148. That excludes the modular at Chantilly and the planned expansion of Centreville. Current enrollment is 15,186. FCPS projects that enrollment will decline to 14,213 students by 2029-30.

Add a new school with a program capacity of 2200 seats and you end up with 17,348 seats and overall capacity utilization under 82%. If you include the Chantilly modular or any expansion of Centreville that number goes down further.

County residents deserve a clear explanation as to why, given these facts, FCPS is going ahead with the purchase of a building for an additional high school in the area. And if this is their plan for western Fairfax, what does it mean for others? Will they use the purported savings to accelerate additions at other schools? Will they just shift kids to schools to schools further west?

You can argue that FCPS's enrollment forecasts are flawed because they don't adequately take into account potential development until a developer has broken ground. But if that's the case, they should be refining their forecasting methodology, not shooting blind and selectively expanding capacity in an area that currently is projected to have a capacity surplus in anticipation of future development they've made no real effort to analyze.

Just take a look at the Wesfield pyramid new development potential student yield. I don’t think that number is included in FCPS CAP
https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/08eca5b417f94ca09dc6c384db28c764

If you’re going to add capacity based on the potential student yields shown in that tool, expanding Marshall and McLean should be the top priorities.

In any event, even if that growth at Westfield did materialize it shares a border with a school with hundreds of vacant seats that we’ve already paid for.

Careful what you wish for. We could make a lot of space available to McLean right now by filling those Herndon seats with Forestville and Great Falls and shifting more of McLean to Langley.

The point is that FCPS has been explicit that it doesn't take new development into account in its enrollment projections until a developer has broken ground. If you start looking at other growth associated with other pending projecs, the two schools with the most growth potential are Marshall and McLean, not Westfield. If we're going to start planning based on these metrics rather than existing enrollments or FCPS's five-year projections, the top priority would be adding more seats near Tysons, not Herndon.

As for the suggestion to move more of McLean to Langley, Thru has already proposed that, and it would entail moving kids who live closer to McLean to Langley. Given your complaints, I'm surprised you'd suggest moving kids to schools further from their homes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:New to this thread but finally finished catching up. Kids will possibly be affected by KAA purchase. We are new to FCPS coming from a Yankee state.

It’s obvious on first glance the fcps districts are gerrymandered to hell. It’s flagrant. And after a bit of Google mapping and Zillow research to understand the last few pages and get a sense of who is where, I can only conclude the Great Falls families are shameless and will do and say anything to avoid their kids going to Herndon even if it means sabotaging other communities and the district itself! Extremely antisocial behavior.

Especially Forestville ES, some of these houses are literally walking/biking distance to Herndon HS. It’s egregious.

The idea that those south of 267 and up to double the distance away from Herndon as compared to Forestville families, should have to go to Herndon, and the county shouldn’t buy KAA, so their precious little urchins don’t have to go to a school with what I can only conclude the GF families consider the have-nots, is a complete farce.

Why should you 2.2 miles away from your nearest high school be going to one that is what, 8-9+ miles away and thinking those families 4-5 miles away go to a school essentially next to your house across insane traffic?

Nonsensical ideas about creating high schools that don’t make sense in Hutchison (per the other poster, that would be a traffic nightmare - though RCMS is too) when KAA is a best case solution for those between Herndon and Westfield are so transparent it is painful to read.

I’m surprised precincts that went so (D) this last election wouldn’t be jumping at the chance to embrace diversity and have their kids attend a school with so many immigrant families, lord knows how many of these wackos were out yesterday with their very clever No Kings No ICE signs.

Did you look at schools and buy your house accordingly when you moved from your yankee state? So did the great falls family. Welcome to FCPS no one wants to move to move except one guy who lives in falls church and wants his kid in Oakton. Now that you’ve read this thread read all community comments from phases 1 and 2. No one wants changes

+1. She should look at the feedback from the community meetings over the last year. It’s very clear almost no one wants boundary changes.

Rachel Carson/Franklin does. It’s been called on here “split feeder hell” and is really hard on the kids who have to make new friends every couple of years and travel really far to high school. I understand no one wants their current kids at a school moved, but that just means they need grandfathering so it can be fixed for future kids. Thru thought the area was too complicated to even address the middle schools, but the new Western High School fixes a lot of problems. It at least makes it possible for some solutions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:New to this thread but finally finished catching up. Kids will possibly be affected by KAA purchase. We are new to FCPS coming from a Yankee state.

It’s obvious on first glance the fcps districts are gerrymandered to hell. It’s flagrant. And after a bit of Google mapping and Zillow research to understand the last few pages and get a sense of who is where, I can only conclude the Great Falls families are shameless and will do and say anything to avoid their kids going to Herndon even if it means sabotaging other communities and the district itself! Extremely antisocial behavior.

Especially Forestville ES, some of these houses are literally walking/biking distance to Herndon HS. It’s egregious.

The idea that those south of 267 and up to double the distance away from Herndon as compared to Forestville families, should have to go to Herndon, and the county shouldn’t buy KAA, so their precious little urchins don’t have to go to a school with what I can only conclude the GF families consider the have-nots, is a complete farce.

Why should you 2.2 miles away from your nearest high school be going to one that is what, 8-9+ miles away and thinking those families 4-5 miles away go to a school essentially next to your house across insane traffic?

Nonsensical ideas about creating high schools that don’t make sense in Hutchison (per the other poster, that would be a traffic nightmare - though RCMS is too) when KAA is a best case solution for those between Herndon and Westfield are so transparent it is painful to read.

I’m surprised precincts that went so (D) this last election wouldn’t be jumping at the chance to embrace diversity and have their kids attend a school with so many immigrant families, lord knows how many of these wackos were out yesterday with their very clever No Kings No ICE signs.

Did you look at schools and buy your house accordingly when you moved from your yankee state? So did the great falls family. Welcome to FCPS no one wants to move to move except one guy who lives in falls church and wants his kid in Oakton. Now that you’ve read this thread read all community comments from phases 1 and 2. No one wants changes

+1. She should look at the feedback from the community meetings over the last year. It’s very clear almost no one wants boundary changes.

Rachel Carson/Franklin does. It’s been called on here “split feeder hell” and is really hard on the kids who have to make new friends every couple of years and travel really far to high school. I understand no one wants their current kids at a school moved, but that just means they need grandfathering so it can be fixed for future kids. Thru thought the area was too complicated to even address the middle schools, but the new Western High School fixes a lot of problems. It at least makes it possible for some solutions.

I don’t object to communities that want to be moved being moved, provided that it doesn’t have negative effects for other communities. Maybe this move fits that criteria.

[Anonymous]

Would they really have ever built a new western HS if they had to pay $450M or so? If not they are lying when they claim this purchase results in savings of almost $300M. It just means they are spending over $150M they hadn’t previously expected to spend.

Also if they are contending this now frees up almost $300M for other projects as Mateo Dunne said during the SB meeting, who else is going to benefit from this windfall?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:New to this thread but finally finished catching up. Kids will possibly be affected by KAA purchase. We are new to FCPS coming from a Yankee state.

It’s obvious on first glance the fcps districts are gerrymandered to hell. It’s flagrant. And after a bit of Google mapping and Zillow research to understand the last few pages and get a sense of who is where, I can only conclude the Great Falls families are shameless and will do and say anything to avoid their kids going to Herndon even if it means sabotaging other communities and the district itself! Extremely antisocial behavior.

Especially Forestville ES, some of these houses are literally walking/biking distance to Herndon HS. It’s egregious.

The idea that those south of 267 and up to double the distance away from Herndon as compared to Forestville families, should have to go to Herndon, and the county shouldn’t buy KAA, so their precious little urchins don’t have to go to a school with what I can only conclude the GF families consider the have-nots, is a complete farce.

Why should you 2.2 miles away from your nearest high school be going to one that is what, 8-9+ miles away and thinking those families 4-5 miles away go to a school essentially next to your house across insane traffic?

Nonsensical ideas about creating high schools that don’t make sense in Hutchison (per the other poster, that would be a traffic nightmare - though RCMS is too) when KAA is a best case solution for those between Herndon and Westfield are so transparent it is painful to read.

I’m surprised precincts that went so (D) this last election wouldn’t be jumping at the chance to embrace diversity and have their kids attend a school with so many immigrant families, lord knows how many of these wackos were out yesterday with their very clever No Kings No ICE signs.

Did you look at schools and buy your house accordingly when you moved from your yankee state? So did the great falls family. Welcome to FCPS no one wants to move to move except one guy who lives in falls church and wants his kid in Oakton. Now that you’ve read this thread read all community comments from phases 1 and 2. No one wants changes

I’m the poster you and the person below you responded to - “no one wants changes” that’s not true - you do! you want to change the rest of our schools around to benefit your kids if there’s any changes. I don’t care what you say, you should go to the school closest to you. Or pay for private school. Pull up your sleeves and make em great schools, the only tripe is your racist whining. The south is alive and well, the southern Dems havent changed since 1865, the lunch counter may be history but “y’all” are as racist and segregationist as ever, dress it up however you want. 🤡

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So much time and effort being put in on an effort that will never come to fruition. People you are being scammed.

It is a distraction to keep people from rioting in the streets about equity grading, raises, bonuses, moving more staff out of the classroom and into administration.

A very successful distraction I might add.

Oh, so we're spending $150Million on a school for no reason? You need to stop with the crazy conspiracy theories. Get help.

No, a wise move to purchase but will need renovation to be useful given FCPS class sizes. Not to mention parking and athletic field needs. So, at least 3 years away from use which is fine. Will arrive sooner and less expensive than building from scratch. Doesn’t change the fact that the boundary study will never be acted upon.

There is no way on the planet that converting this school is a 3 year process.

WSHS entire renovation took only 3.5 years, start to finish, including an addition and full renovation of the theater, sports fields, exterior and library, while 2000+ students were actively attending classes in the building.

Updating this new, beautiful, spacious, modern building with mostly cosmetic, superficial upgrades and adding a football field could be accomplished in less than a year.

Heck, they could open the school in August if they could miraculously find staffing. All they would need to do would be to supplement with trailers as the renovations and any additions come online.

Without a doubt, this school could easily open in Fall 2026 with a full student body, using trailers for the first year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So much time and effort being put in on an effort that will never come to fruition. People you are being scammed.

It is a distraction to keep people from rioting in the streets about equity grading, raises, bonuses, moving more staff out of the classroom and into administration.

A very successful distraction I might add.

Oh, so we're spending $150Million on a school for no reason? You need to stop with the crazy conspiracy theories. Get help.

No, a wise move to purchase but will need renovation to be useful given FCPS class sizes. Not to mention parking and athletic field needs. So, at least 3 years away from use which is fine. Will arrive sooner and less expensive than building from scratch. Doesn’t change the fact that the boundary study will never be acted upon.

There is no way on the planet that converting this school is a 3 year process.

WSHS entire renovation took only 3.5 years, start to finish, including an addition and full renovation of the theater, sports fields, exterior and library, while 2000+ students were actively attending classes in the building.

Updating this new, beautiful, spacious, modern building with mostly cosmetic, superficial upgrades and adding a football field could be accomplished in less than a year.

Heck, they could open the school in August if they could miraculously find staffing. All they would need to do would be to supplement with trailers as the renovations and any additions come online.

Without a doubt, this school could easily open in Fall 2026 with a full student body, using trailers for the first year.

Why so pessimistic, I think it’ll be ready to go in Fall 2025.

If you’re going to completely ignore all logistical considerations let’s just go for broke.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:New to this thread but finally finished catching up. Kids will possibly be affected by KAA purchase. We are new to FCPS coming from a Yankee state.

It’s obvious on first glance the fcps districts are gerrymandered to hell. It’s flagrant. And after a bit of Google mapping and Zillow research to understand the last few pages and get a sense of who is where, I can only conclude the Great Falls families are shameless and will do and say anything to avoid their kids going to Herndon even if it means sabotaging other communities and the district itself! Extremely antisocial behavior.

Especially Forestville ES, some of these houses are literally walking/biking distance to Herndon HS. It’s egregious.

The idea that those south of 267 and up to double the distance away from Herndon as compared to Forestville families, should have to go to Herndon, and the county shouldn’t buy KAA, so their precious little urchins don’t have to go to a school with what I can only conclude the GF families consider the have-nots, is a complete farce.

Why should you 2.2 miles away from your nearest high school be going to one that is what, 8-9+ miles away and thinking those families 4-5 miles away go to a school essentially next to your house across insane traffic?

Nonsensical ideas about creating high schools that don’t make sense in Hutchison (per the other poster, that would be a traffic nightmare - though RCMS is too) when KAA is a best case solution for those between Herndon and Westfield are so transparent it is painful to read.

I’m surprised precincts that went so (D) this last election wouldn’t be jumping at the chance to embrace diversity and have their kids attend a school with so many immigrant families, lord knows how many of these wackos were out yesterday with their very clever No Kings No ICE signs.

Northern VA liberals are limousine liberals not progressive liberals. They want liberal solutions for other people and gated country clubs for themselves.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So much time and effort being put in on an effort that will never come to fruition. People you are being scammed.

It is a distraction to keep people from rioting in the streets about equity grading, raises, bonuses, moving more staff out of the classroom and into administration.

A very successful distraction I might add.

Oh, so we're spending $150Million on a school for no reason? You need to stop with the crazy conspiracy theories. Get help.

No, a wise move to purchase but will need renovation to be useful given FCPS class sizes. Not to mention parking and athletic field needs. So, at least 3 years away from use which is fine. Will arrive sooner and less expensive than building from scratch. Doesn’t change the fact that the boundary study will never be acted upon.

There is no way on the planet that converting this school is a 3 year process.

WSHS entire renovation took only 3.5 years, start to finish, including an addition and full renovation of the theater, sports fields, exterior and library, while 2000+ students were actively attending classes in the building.

Updating this new, beautiful, spacious, modern building with mostly cosmetic, superficial upgrades and adding a football field could be accomplished in less than a year.

Heck, they could open the school in August if they could miraculously find staffing. All they would need to do would be to supplement with trailers as the renovations and any additions come online.

Without a doubt, this school could easily open in Fall 2026 with a full student body, using trailers for the first year.

Why so pessimistic, I think it’ll be ready to go in Fall 2025.

If you’re going to completely ignore all logistical considerations let’s just go for broke.

Yeah, all I’ve been reading is, blah, blah, the renovations will be easy! There was no funding set aside to purchase the property this year, let alone to renovate it. Three years isn’t a timeline for active construction. It’s the timeline for drawing up plans and bidding the construction and both of those steps involve allocating funds in the capital budget.

[Anonymous]

Northern VA liberals are limousine liberals not progressive liberals. They want liberal solutions for other people and gated country clubs for themselves.

Yes I am gathering that quickly! I would be ambivalent or even sympathetic but the willingness to throw everyone else under the best makes me lose sympathy and even hope they get a board-directed attitude adjustment. If you want private school, pay for it. 🙄

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Northern VA liberals are limousine liberals not progressive liberals. They want liberal solutions for other people and gated country clubs for themselves.

Yes I am gathering that quickly! I would be ambivalent or even sympathetic but the willingness to throw everyone else under the best makes me lose sympathy and even hope they get a board-directed attitude adjustment. If you want private school, pay for it. 🙄

Under the bus**

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Northern VA liberals are limousine liberals not progressive liberals. They want liberal solutions for other people and gated country clubs for themselves.

Yes I am gathering that quickly! I would be ambivalent or even sympathetic but the willingness to throw everyone else under the best makes me lose sympathy and even hope they get a board-directed attitude adjustment. If you want private school, pay for it. 🙄

They also think they are "middle class."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:New to this thread but finally finished catching up. Kids will possibly be affected by KAA purchase. We are new to FCPS coming from a Yankee state.

It’s obvious on first glance the fcps districts are gerrymandered to hell. It’s flagrant. And after a bit of Google mapping and Zillow research to understand the last few pages and get a sense of who is where, I can only conclude the Great Falls families are shameless and will do and say anything to avoid their kids going to Herndon even if it means sabotaging other communities and the district itself! Extremely antisocial behavior.

Especially Forestville ES, some of these houses are literally walking/biking distance to Herndon HS. It’s egregious.

The idea that those south of 267 and up to double the distance away from Herndon as compared to Forestville families, should have to go to Herndon, and the county shouldn’t buy KAA, so their precious little urchins don’t have to go to a school with what I can only conclude the GF families consider the have-nots, is a complete farce.

Why should you 2.2 miles away from your nearest high school be going to one that is what, 8-9+ miles away and thinking those families 4-5 miles away go to a school essentially next to your house across insane traffic?

Nonsensical ideas about creating high schools that don’t make sense in Hutchison (per the other poster, that would be a traffic nightmare - though RCMS is too) when KAA is a best case solution for those between Herndon and Westfield are so transparent it is painful to read.

I’m surprised precincts that went so (D) this last election wouldn’t be jumping at the chance to embrace diversity and have their kids attend a school with so many immigrant families, lord knows how many of these wackos were out yesterday with their very clever No Kings No ICE signs.

Northern VA liberals are limousine liberals not progressive liberals. They want liberal solutions for other people and gated country clubs for themselves.

It’s funny, because in response to the original post, I was going to say the next step is that you’d call Great falls families limousine liberals.

Classic playbook from the SJWs and nothing we haven’t heard before from your comrade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:New to this thread but finally finished catching up. Kids will possibly be affected by KAA purchase. We are new to FCPS coming from a Yankee state.

It’s obvious on first glance the fcps districts are gerrymandered to hell. It’s flagrant. And after a bit of Google mapping and Zillow research to understand the last few pages and get a sense of who is where, I can only conclude the Great Falls families are shameless and will do and say anything to avoid their kids going to Herndon even if it means sabotaging other communities and the district itself! Extremely antisocial behavior.

Especially Forestville ES, some of these houses are literally walking/biking distance to Herndon HS. It’s egregious.

The idea that those south of 267 and up to double the distance away from Herndon as compared to Forestville families, should have to go to Herndon, and the county shouldn’t buy KAA, so their precious little urchins don’t have to go to a school with what I can only conclude the GF families consider the have-nots, is a complete farce.

Why should you 2.2 miles away from your nearest high school be going to one that is what, 8-9+ miles away and thinking those families 4-5 miles away go to a school essentially next to your house across insane traffic?

Nonsensical ideas about creating high schools that don’t make sense in Hutchison (per the other poster, that would be a traffic nightmare - though RCMS is too) when KAA is a best case solution for those between Herndon and Westfield are so transparent it is painful to read.

I’m surprised precincts that went so (D) this last election wouldn’t be jumping at the chance to embrace diversity and have their kids attend a school with so many immigrant families, lord knows how many of these wackos were out yesterday with their very clever No Kings No ICE signs.

Did you look at schools and buy your house accordingly when you moved from your yankee state? So did the great falls family. Welcome to FCPS no one wants to move to move except one guy who lives in falls church and wants his kid in Oakton. Now that you’ve read this thread read all community comments from phases 1 and 2. No one wants changes

I’m the poster you and the person below you responded to - “no one wants changes” that’s not true - you do! you want to change the rest of our schools around to benefit your kids if there’s any changes. I don’t care what you say, you should go to the school closest to you. Or pay for private school. Pull up your sleeves and make em great schools, the only tripe is your racist whining. The south is alive and well, the southern Dems havent changed since 1865, the lunch counter may be history but “y’all” are as racist and segregationist as ever, dress it up however you want. 🤡

Weird that the only people in this forum that ever try to differentiate based on race are the progressives pushing DEI.

You’d think they would understand that their constant claims of racism over the slightest perceived transgression really turns people off of their cause, but nope, these buffoons really don’t get it.

Poster, you are a large part of the reason that trump is in the White House. Your cognitive dissonance won’t allow you to see that, but it’s true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Northern VA liberals are limousine liberals not progressive liberals. They want liberal solutions for other people and gated country clubs for themselves.

Yes I am gathering that quickly! I would be ambivalent or even sympathetic but the willingness to throw everyone else under the best makes me lose sympathy and even hope they get a board-directed attitude adjustment. If you want private school, pay for it. 🙄

If you want a handout from these families, go panhandle, Mooch.