FCPS Boundary Review Updates

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s quite ballsy to lock in $150 million in additional taxpayer spending this year and then claim that the taxpayers somehow made $300 million in profits. Also to be mad when taxpayers ask for a more detail.

But I would expect nothing less from the SB and the shills.

This solves a long term problem at a relatively low expense.

Westfield will soon be overcrowded. This relieves Westfield.
Students are spending an hour a day on the bus (total) going to and from Oakton because Chantilly is overcrowded.
Neighborhoods are being split that have no major arteries dividing them. Literally houses next door from one another (on small lots) and across the street.
Students who live right behind Centreville are being sent to Fairfax on a long bus ride because there is no space. Again, almost an hour a day on a school bus.
THRU plans to split a neighborhood and add one portion on the hour slog back and forth to Oakton.

The bus rides are current and appear to continue under THRU's plans. There are some current neighborhood splits and some other neighborhoods are being added under THRU's proposals.

This solves problems.

FCPS has no projections of overcrowding at Westfield over the next five years. They have it going down from 97% to 94% by 2029.

So either you're making stuff up, or FCPS needs to improve its forecasting methodology, and that should happen before FCPS makes boundary changes for a new school or otherwise.

94% is not considered low.

There is tons of new construction going on right now in Coates boundary which currently goes to Westfield.
There is also lots of new construction right next to Westfield by the DMV and COSTCO. Also, near Wegmann's.
And, Centreville is overcrowded and could be relieved by Westfield. It is ridiculous that a neighborhood right behind Centreville High is going to Fairfax.

94% may not be low but it is not overcrowded, either.

Three other schools have more upside growth potential than Westfield according to the county.

They can get students from Centreville. Some live closer to Westfield than Centreville. Then, Centreville can absorb their neighbors without the huge addition.

Do keep telling us how all this will work. Can't wait to the part where you fast forward to the part about who's going to move to Herndon. We know it won't be you.

No. No one in this area wants to ride a school bus for 30 minutes each way. Just checked. Over 20 minutes right now and it is not on a school bus and it is not rush hour.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Also, a huge push to get rid of IB at South Lakes is to keep Herndon numbers closer to full capacity. We get it. A lot of people here just want to avoid Herndon, and will come up with different excuses, scenarios. We get it. That still doesn’t change the fact that some Langley kids still have to travel 13 miles to their high school, yet Herndon is only 3 miles away.

Stop bad mouthing Herndon. It’s not a bad school, lady.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Also, a huge push to get rid of IB at South Lakes is to keep Herndon numbers closer to full capacity. We get it. A lot of people here just want to avoid Herndon, and will come up with different excuses, scenarios. We get it. That still doesn’t change the fact that some Langley kids still have to travel 13 miles to their high school, yet Herndon is only 3 miles away.

Have you listened to Floris and Fox Mill parents. Most overwhelmingly would prefer AP at South Lakes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s quite ballsy to lock in $150 million in additional taxpayer spending this year and then claim that the taxpayers somehow made $300 million in profits. Also to be mad when taxpayers ask for a more detail.

But I would expect nothing less from the SB and the shills.

This solves a long term problem at a relatively low expense.

Westfield will soon be overcrowded. This relieves Westfield.
Students are spending an hour a day on the bus (total) going to and from Oakton because Chantilly is overcrowded.
Neighborhoods are being split that have no major arteries dividing them. Literally houses next door from one another (on small lots) and across the street.
Students who live right behind Centreville are being sent to Fairfax on a long bus ride because there is no space. Again, almost an hour a day on a school bus.
THRU plans to split a neighborhood and add one portion on the hour slog back and forth to Oakton.

The bus rides are current and appear to continue under THRU's plans. There are some current neighborhood splits and some other neighborhoods are being added under THRU's proposals.

This solves problems.

FCPS has no projections of overcrowding at Westfield over the next five years. They have it going down from 97% to 94% by 2029.

So either you're making stuff up, or FCPS needs to improve its forecasting methodology, and that should happen before FCPS makes boundary changes for a new school or otherwise.

94% is not considered low.

There is tons of new construction going on right now in Coates boundary which currently goes to Westfield.
There is also lots of new construction right next to Westfield by the DMV and COSTCO. Also, near Wegmann's.
And, Centreville is overcrowded and could be relieved by Westfield. It is ridiculous that a neighborhood right behind Centreville High is going to Fairfax.

94% may not be low but it is not overcrowded, either.

Three other schools have more upside growth potential than Westfield according to the county.

They can get students from Centreville. Some live closer to Westfield than Centreville. Then, Centreville can absorb their neighbors without the huge addition.

Do keep telling us how all this will work. Can't wait to the part where you fast forward to the part about who's going to move to Herndon. We know it won't be you.

No. No one in this area wants to ride a school bus for 30 minutes each way. Just checked. Over 20 minutes right now and it is not on a school bus and it is not rush hour.

You need to account for the bus route and all the stops. We are one of the last stops. My kid's bus ride to/from school is ~50 minutes. It really sucks.

[Anonymous]

Feels like all the fighting could be solved if FCPS would just create an ESOL magnet school to fast-track English language acquisition through a strict and rigorous immersion program. Take the problem kids out of the system at all levels, get their language skills up to par, and then put them back in. Alternatively, created some additional test-in magnet schools at the Elementary and Middle-School levels, and open a second TJ in the Western part of the county. Any/all of these ideas would quell much of the rightful uproar about boundaries changing for families paying the highest property taxes, and empty-nesters tired of seeing their property values penalized by poor school ratings.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Feels like all the fighting could be solved if FCPS would just create an ESOL magnet school to fast-track English language acquisition through a strict and rigorous immersion program. Take the problem kids out of the system at all levels, get their language skills up to par, and then put them back in. Alternatively, created some additional test-in magnet schools at the Elementary and Middle-School levels, and open a second TJ in the Western part of the county. Any/all of these ideas would quell much of the rightful uproar about boundaries changing for families paying the highest property taxes, and empty-nesters tired of seeing their property values penalized by poor school ratings.

You make a lot of sense.

Magnet West. They could even call it the Dunne School or Reid School!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Feels like all the fighting could be solved if FCPS would just create an ESOL magnet school to fast-track English language acquisition through a strict and rigorous immersion program. Take the problem kids out of the system at all levels, get their language skills up to par, and then put them back in. Alternatively, created some additional test-in magnet schools at the Elementary and Middle-School levels, and open a second TJ in the Western part of the county. Any/all of these ideas would quell much of the rightful uproar about boundaries changing for families paying the highest property taxes, and empty-nesters tired of seeing their property values penalized by poor school ratings.

You make a lot of sense.

Magnet West. They could even call it the Dunne School or Reid School!

If all it takes a some ego-stroking, we should all be lobbying for this solution so that everyone can get on with their lives and the real estate market can thaw out a bit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They could change ES boundaries and do that without grandfathering, since people won’t feel as strongly about that, and say they are pausing MS and HS boundary changes until they are ready to open the new HS out near Carson. That would maximize the credit they get to take from buying the KAA and reduce angst over boundary changes.

If they give one part of the county a new HS no one was expecting and give everyone else boundary changes few want, they are jeopardizing their political futures.

This makes sense.

By the way, on Nextdoor, there is a concerted effort by Great Falls/Langley parents to stop the KAA purchase.

I have been sympathetic to these Langley families in the past, because I agree with having kids stay where they are. I, too, wanted my neighborhood to stay put. But THRU was picking my neighborhood to go to a journey comparable to the Langley one. Except, we like our nearby school.

Carson is split between Oakton, South Lakes, and Westfield. The kids that go to Westfield are separated from it by commercial and industrial developments. This is not conducive to building a "community."
Oakton is a ridiculous commute for Carson students.

The KAA site would have a "community" around it which is a good thing. The boundary would easily be reasonable and compact--not gerrymandered. It would alleviate "overcrowding" at Chantilly which is cited frequently by the SB members. It would eliminate an extremely long and hard commute for many students.

I was disturbed when the site was given to KAA years ago with no community input. I do believe that the BOS put political pressure on them because of the protest by the Burke area. Here is a chance to make it right.

Of course the Great Falls families are behind an effort to stop the purchase. Anything that might negatively impact their kids is bad even if it 1) makes sense and 2) is good for other kids. God forbid that something happens that might decrease the student numbers at Herndon and lead to kids being shifted to Herndon from Langley. Far better to keep a massive split feeder out of Carson and shift kids all over the place between SLHS, Westfield, Oakton, Chantilly, Centerville, and Herndon. All that matters is that the kids at Langley stay put.

DP. You are truly ignorant if this is what your narrative is. I've seen the NextDoor discussion and it has NOTHING to do with moving kids around at all. It's about the lack of transparency in making this purchase with zero community input. I think it's a great purchase and makes perfect sense, but I can still understand the point being made about lack of transparency.

A week ago you had Thru proposals out there that would move kids out of Westfield, Chantilly, Centreville, and South Lakes and in many instances families weren’t happy.

Thru wasn’t proposing to move anyone out of Langley, but there were no people more willing to help others articulate their concerns with the processes being followed than the FairFACTS Matters and BRAC members from Langley.

Then when the SB announced the KAA purchase, that was all forgotten, and the people who stood to benefit from a new school attacked the same folks who’d been helping them because they continued to raise questions about some of FCPS’s less than transparent processes.

Don’t get played, people.

A little common sense goes a long way.

This school announced closure in February. BRAC was well underway. I have no love lost for the SB and Reid, but do you really think they should have said: "Good news! We hope to purchase the KAA facility for a new Western High School. So, we are going to stop BRAC."

What could go wrong with a statement like that? What could go wrong with showing your cards in a competitive process like this purchase?

Yes, I appreciate that the Great Falls people tried to stop the boundary process, but with the THRU proposals, they were the only ones untouched.
My neighborhood stands to be split with the THRU proposals and many of the students will be sent on a long, long haul away. So, I really don't see what they have done for us.

Your last sentence is so amazing that it’s worth calling out.

The school board is trying to jam you with boundary changes. A community group is pushing back on your behalf. Literally fighting your fight.

And you have the gall to complain about the community group. Could you be any more pathetic?

STOP LYING. They are not fighting anyone's fight except their own. They are thinking about their own neighborhoods first. Everyone else is a bystander, who yes, gets information out of this group of people, but it's such a lie to say they are fighting MY fight. I live in western Fairfax County and I would welcome a school that is not 12 miles away and a 45-50 minute bus ride for my teen during rush hour. So SHUT UP, YOU ARE NOT SPEAKING FOR ME.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Feels like all the fighting could be solved if FCPS would just create an ESOL magnet school to fast-track English language acquisition through a strict and rigorous immersion program. Take the problem kids out of the system at all levels, get their language skills up to par, and then put them back in. Alternatively, created some additional test-in magnet schools at the Elementary and Middle-School levels, and open a second TJ in the Western part of the county. Any/all of these ideas would quell much of the rightful uproar about boundaries changing for families paying the highest property taxes, and empty-nesters tired of seeing their property values penalized by poor school ratings.

Creating another magnet school does nothing to help overcapacity and split feeders in western Fairfax. We’ve seen nothing but problems and scandals from TJ lately. FCPS doesn’t need more reasons to place out of home schools and cross-bus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Feels like all the fighting could be solved if FCPS would just create an ESOL magnet school to fast-track English language acquisition through a strict and rigorous immersion program. Take the problem kids out of the system at all levels, get their language skills up to par, and then put them back in. Alternatively, created some additional test-in magnet schools at the Elementary and Middle-School levels, and open a second TJ in the Western part of the county. Any/all of these ideas would quell much of the rightful uproar about boundaries changing for families paying the highest property taxes, and empty-nesters tired of seeing their property values penalized by poor school ratings.

You make a lot of sense.

Magnet West. They could even call it the Dunne School or Reid School!

No these are terrible ideas. Aside from the obvious equity issue, there is no way a single school would be able to house all ESOL kids, never mind the transportation challenges in getting them all there. And creating a magnet school would not help solve the capacity issues in the western part of the county which was their whole reasoning for making the purchase.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Feels like all the fighting could be solved if FCPS would just create an ESOL magnet school to fast-track English language acquisition through a strict and rigorous immersion program. Take the problem kids out of the system at all levels, get their language skills up to par, and then put them back in. Alternatively, created some additional test-in magnet schools at the Elementary and Middle-School levels, and open a second TJ in the Western part of the county. Any/all of these ideas would quell much of the rightful uproar about boundaries changing for families paying the highest property taxes, and empty-nesters tired of seeing their property values penalized by poor school ratings.

Creating another magnet school does nothing to help overcapacity and split feeders in western Fairfax. We’ve seen nothing but problems and scandals from TJ lately. FCPS doesn’t need more reasons to place out of home schools and cross-bus.

+1
Everyone was calling to end pupil placements earlier on these boards. Don’t add another variable right next to the biggest split feeder problem school (Carson)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s quite ballsy to lock in $150 million in additional taxpayer spending this year and then claim that the taxpayers somehow made $300 million in profits. Also to be mad when taxpayers ask for a more detail.

But I would expect nothing less from the SB and the shills.

This solves a long term problem at a relatively low expense.

Westfield will soon be overcrowded. This relieves Westfield.
Students are spending an hour a day on the bus (total) going to and from Oakton because Chantilly is overcrowded.
Neighborhoods are being split that have no major arteries dividing them. Literally houses next door from one another (on small lots) and across the street.
Students who live right behind Centreville are being sent to Fairfax on a long bus ride because there is no space. Again, almost an hour a day on a school bus.
THRU plans to split a neighborhood and add one portion on the hour slog back and forth to Oakton.

The bus rides are current and appear to continue under THRU's plans. There are some current neighborhood splits and some other neighborhoods are being added under THRU's proposals.

This solves problems.

FCPS has no projections of overcrowding at Westfield over the next five years. They have it going down from 97% to 94% by 2029.

So either you're making stuff up, or FCPS needs to improve its forecasting methodology, and that should happen before FCPS makes boundary changes for a new school or otherwise.

94% is not considered low.

There is tons of new construction going on right now in Coates boundary which currently goes to Westfield.
There is also lots of new construction right next to Westfield by the DMV and COSTCO. Also, near Wegmann's.
And, Centreville is overcrowded and could be relieved by Westfield. It is ridiculous that a neighborhood right behind Centreville High is going to Fairfax.

94% may not be low but it is not overcrowded, either.

Three other schools have more upside growth potential than Westfield according to the county.

They can get students from Centreville. Some live closer to Westfield than Centreville. Then, Centreville can absorb their neighbors without the huge addition.

Do keep telling us how all this will work. Can't wait to the part where you fast forward to the part about who's going to move to Herndon. We know it won't be you.

Who would have to move TO Herndon as a result of a new HS that is vaguely nearby?

Eliminate IB at South Lakes. That will make the Fox Mill people happy and prevent so many kids leaving Herndon.
The area of the KAA site was never slated to go to Herndon. They are not as close as some seem to think.

Wouldn’t Coates and Mcnair feed into the new high school?

Possibly but primarily it would be those schools closest - Oak Hill, Floris, Fox Mill

[Anonymous]

[twitter]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They could change ES boundaries and do that without grandfathering, since people won’t feel as strongly about that, and say they are pausing MS and HS boundary changes until they are ready to open the new HS out near Carson. That would maximize the credit they get to take from buying the KAA and reduce angst over boundary changes.

If they give one part of the county a new HS no one was expecting and give everyone else boundary changes few want, they are jeopardizing their political futures.

This makes sense.

By the way, on Nextdoor, there is a concerted effort by Great Falls/Langley parents to stop the KAA purchase.

I have been sympathetic to these Langley families in the past, because I agree with having kids stay where they are. I, too, wanted my neighborhood to stay put. But THRU was picking my neighborhood to go to a journey comparable to the Langley one. Except, we like our nearby school.

Carson is split between Oakton, South Lakes, and Westfield. The kids that go to Westfield are separated from it by commercial and industrial developments. This is not conducive to building a "community."
Oakton is a ridiculous commute for Carson students.

The KAA site would have a "community" around it which is a good thing. The boundary would easily be reasonable and compact--not gerrymandered. It would alleviate "overcrowding" at Chantilly which is cited frequently by the SB members. It would eliminate an extremely long and hard commute for many students.

I was disturbed when the site was given to KAA years ago with no community input. I do believe that the BOS put political pressure on them because of the protest by the Burke area. Here is a chance to make it right.

Of course the Great Falls families are behind an effort to stop the purchase. Anything that might negatively impact their kids is bad even if it 1) makes sense and 2) is good for other kids. God forbid that something happens that might decrease the student numbers at Herndon and lead to kids being shifted to Herndon from Langley. Far better to keep a massive split feeder out of Carson and shift kids all over the place between SLHS, Westfield, Oakton, Chantilly, Centerville, and Herndon. All that matters is that the kids at Langley stay put.

DP. You are truly ignorant if this is what your narrative is. I've seen the NextDoor discussion and it has NOTHING to do with moving kids around at all. It's about the lack of transparency in making this purchase with zero community input. I think it's a great purchase and makes perfect sense, but I can still understand the point being made about lack of transparency.

A week ago you had Thru proposals out there that would move kids out of Westfield, Chantilly, Centreville, and South Lakes and in many instances families weren’t happy.

Thru wasn’t proposing to move anyone out of Langley, but there were no people more willing to help others articulate their concerns with the processes being followed than the FairFACTS Matters and BRAC members from Langley.

Then when the SB announced the KAA purchase, that was all forgotten, and the people who stood to benefit from a new school attacked the same folks who’d been helping them because they continued to raise questions about some of FCPS’s less than transparent processes.

Don’t get played, people.

A little common sense goes a long way.

This school announced closure in February. BRAC was well underway. I have no love lost for the SB and Reid, but do you really think they should have said: "Good news! We hope to purchase the KAA facility for a new Western High School. So, we are going to stop BRAC."

What could go wrong with a statement like that? What could go wrong with showing your cards in a competitive process like this purchase?

Yes, I appreciate that the Great Falls people tried to stop the boundary process, but with the THRU proposals, they were the only ones untouched.
My neighborhood stands to be split with the THRU proposals and many of the students will be sent on a long, long haul away. So, I really don't see what they have done for us.

Your last sentence is so amazing that it’s worth calling out.

The school board is trying to jam you with boundary changes. A community group is pushing back on your behalf. Literally fighting your fight.

And you have the gall to complain about the community group. Could you be any more pathetic?

STOP LYING. They are not fighting anyone's fight except their own. They are thinking about their own neighborhoods first. Everyone else is a bystander, who yes, gets information out of this group of people, but it's such a lie to say they are fighting MY fight. I live in western Fairfax County and I would welcome a school that is not 12 miles away and a 45-50 minute bus ride for my teen during rush hour. So SHUT UP, YOU ARE NOT SPEAKING FOR ME.

+100

Great Falls people are going to hurt themselves trying so hard to pay themselves on the back. No one believes the BS they are putting out there about fighting on everyone’s behalf. Their past behavior tells us all we need to know.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Feels like all the fighting could be solved if FCPS would just create an ESOL magnet school to fast-track English language acquisition through a strict and rigorous immersion program. Take the problem kids out of the system at all levels, get their language skills up to par, and then put them back in. Alternatively, created some additional test-in magnet schools at the Elementary and Middle-School levels, and open a second TJ in the Western part of the county. Any/all of these ideas would quell much of the rightful uproar about boundaries changing for families paying the highest property taxes, and empty-nesters tired of seeing their property values penalized by poor school ratings.

You make a lot of sense.

Magnet West. They could even call it the Dunne School or Reid School!

No these are terrible ideas. Aside from the obvious equity issue, there is no way a single school would be able to house all ESOL kids, never mind the transportation challenges in getting them all there. And creating a magnet school would not help solve the capacity issues in the western part of the county which was their whole reasoning for making the purchase.

I really don't care about equity given the property taxes I'm paying in two great neighborhoods bordered by problem areas. FCPS needs to deal with the ESOL issue, and the only way for non-English speakers to achieve fluency and mastery is full immersion in a rigorous environment. As for magnet schools, ift they are test-in it's your choice to have your kids test or not. If not, they can go to your local schools. NYC manages to do this without so much griping, and kids take the public transportation from all the boroughs, with some VERY long commutes. Stop penalizing kids who want to learn in an English-speaking classroom free of behavioral issues, and stop penalizing homeowners who are funding your schools despite the obvious hit to their property values.

[Anonymous]

Watching school board working session today (they start boundaries around 4hour mark) it’s clear that the school board needs to be more actively involved in this process so that constituents are represented….they are clearly not getting the updates they need to answer all the feedback they have got