Did Lewis Cancel Its Softball Season?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The problem with Lewis not being able to field a softball team is just one minor example of how students are victims of failed School Board policies. The ACLU should examine how policies like redistricting and expansion of “better” schools (WSHS, West Po) have negatively impacted education for many students at schools like Lewis and Mount Vernon. Students at those schools don’t have the same access to courses or extracurricular activities.

I agree with those expansions. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix (rezone) it; build upon, literally, what already works.

A-holes like you (and Jeff Platenberg, the slimeball who used to head Facilities and made sure West Springfield got a huge expansion while seats at Lewis went unfilled and the school cratered) are responsible for the gaping disparities within FCPS.

You can’t force parents to send their kid to a particular school, particularly a failing one. I think rezoning schools should be extremely rare and an absolute last resort. It’s better to have high-performing “mega schools” (3k+ kids in one building) than to try to shuffle kids around.

Jeff Platenburg specifically rezoned schools to favor where he lived in West Springfield and he refused to build an additional school out west, he decimated Annandale. He was also part of the West Potomac expansion that also rezoned properties and pulled people away from the surrounding IB schools. I remember when he bragged about how he was able to create the least s.f. per student as if that was a benefit to students. All he cared about was budgets and his own district.

West Potomac has had the same pyramid for a very long time. It's a combination of the old Ft Hunt High and the old Groveton High and the feeder pattern hasn't really changed since

That is true. Kind of like how Annandale at one point was a combination of the old Jefferson with Annandale, except in Annandale’s case they eventually rezoned AHS neighborhoods to other schools like Lake Braddock and Woodson and whereas at West Potomac they built a huge expansion so no one would have to move to Mount Vernon.

And they did change Lewis’s boundaries as well.

This is what I meant. They had an opportunity to do something about Lewis before it started failing and decided to facilitate its demise faster. It was irresponsible just like the way they handled Annandale.

Interesting that both Annandale and Lewis have IB instead of AP.

Eliminating IB would be an easy start.
1. It would be better for the current population because AP is much more flexible than IB. There is a wider range of classes available.
2. It would save money--and, if the SB had any common sense at all, they would eliminate IB at most schools that have it.
3. It would close one of those "escape valves" that another PP mentioned.

The problem with number 3 is those parents are going to be the most vocal about problems. Neither the administration nor the school board wants to deal with that

That may be true, but you haven't seen anything if you have never been through a redistricting. This would be simple and cheap.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The problem with Lewis not being able to field a softball team is just one minor example of how students are victims of failed School Board policies. The ACLU should examine how policies like redistricting and expansion of “better” schools (WSHS, West Po) have negatively impacted education for many students at schools like Lewis and Mount Vernon. Students at those schools don’t have the same access to courses or extracurricular activities.

I agree with those expansions. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix (rezone) it; build upon, literally, what already works.

A-holes like you (and Jeff Platenberg, the slimeball who used to head Facilities and made sure West Springfield got a huge expansion while seats at Lewis went unfilled and the school cratered) are responsible for the gaping disparities within FCPS.

You can’t force parents to send their kid to a particular school, particularly a failing one. I think rezoning schools should be extremely rare and an absolute last resort. It’s better to have high-performing “mega schools” (3k+ kids in one building) than to try to shuffle kids around.

Jeff Platenburg specifically rezoned schools to favor where he lived in West Springfield and he refused to build an additional school out west, he decimated Annandale. He was also part of the West Potomac expansion that also rezoned properties and pulled people away from the surrounding IB schools. I remember when he bragged about how he was able to create the least s.f. per student as if that was a benefit to students. All he cared about was budgets and his own district.

West Potomac has had the same pyramid for a very long time. It's a combination of the old Ft Hunt High and the old Groveton High and the feeder pattern hasn't really changed since

That is true. Kind of like how Annandale at one point was a combination of the old Jefferson with Annandale, except in Annandale’s case they eventually rezoned AHS neighborhoods to other schools like Lake Braddock and Woodson and whereas at West Potomac they built a huge expansion so no one would have to move to Mount Vernon.

And they did change Lewis’s boundaries as well.

This is what I meant. They had an opportunity to do something about Lewis before it started failing and decided to facilitate its demise faster. It was irresponsible just like the way they handled Annandale.

Interesting that both Annandale and Lewis have IB instead of AP.

Eliminating IB would be an easy start.
1. It would be better for the current population because AP is much more flexible than IB. There is a wider range of classes available.
2. It would save money--and, if the SB had any common sense at all, they would eliminate IB at most schools that have it.
3. It would close one of those "escape valves" that another PP mentioned.

At least one of those schools is in serious discussions about ending IB- unlikely for next year but very possible for 24-25.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The problem with Lewis not being able to field a softball team is just one minor example of how students are victims of failed School Board policies. The ACLU should examine how policies like redistricting and expansion of “better” schools (WSHS, West Po) have negatively impacted education for many students at schools like Lewis and Mount Vernon. Students at those schools don’t have the same access to courses or extracurricular activities.

I agree with those expansions. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix (rezone) it; build upon, literally, what already works.

A-holes like you (and Jeff Platenberg, the slimeball who used to head Facilities and made sure West Springfield got a huge expansion while seats at Lewis went unfilled and the school cratered) are responsible for the gaping disparities within FCPS.

You can’t force parents to send their kid to a particular school, particularly a failing one. I think rezoning schools should be extremely rare and an absolute last resort. It’s better to have high-performing “mega schools” (3k+ kids in one building) than to try to shuffle kids around.

Jeff Platenburg specifically rezoned schools to favor where he lived in West Springfield and he refused to build an additional school out west, he decimated Annandale. He was also part of the West Potomac expansion that also rezoned properties and pulled people away from the surrounding IB schools. I remember when he bragged about how he was able to create the least s.f. per student as if that was a benefit to students. All he cared about was budgets and his own district.

West Potomac has had the same pyramid for a very long time. It's a combination of the old Ft Hunt High and the old Groveton High and the feeder pattern hasn't really changed since

That is true. Kind of like how Annandale at one point was a combination of the old Jefferson with Annandale, except in Annandale’s case they eventually rezoned AHS neighborhoods to other schools like Lake Braddock and Woodson and whereas at West Potomac they built a huge expansion so no one would have to move to Mount Vernon.

And they did change Lewis’s boundaries as well.

This is what I meant. They had an opportunity to do something about Lewis before it started failing and decided to facilitate its demise faster. It was irresponsible just like the way they handled Annandale.

Interesting that both Annandale and Lewis have IB instead of AP.

Eliminating IB would be an easy start.
1. It would be better for the current population because AP is much more flexible than IB. There is a wider range of classes available.
2. It would save money--and, if the SB had any common sense at all, they would eliminate IB at most schools that have it.
3. It would close one of those "escape valves" that another PP mentioned.

The problem with number 3 is those parents are going to be the most vocal about problems. Neither the administration nor the school board wants to deal with that

That may be true, but you haven't seen anything if you have never been through a redistricting. This would be simple and cheap.

Doing nothing is simpler and cheaper.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The problem with Lewis not being able to field a softball team is just one minor example of how students are victims of failed School Board policies. The ACLU should examine how policies like redistricting and expansion of “better” schools (WSHS, West Po) have negatively impacted education for many students at schools like Lewis and Mount Vernon. Students at those schools don’t have the same access to courses or extracurricular activities.

I agree with those expansions. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix (rezone) it; build upon, literally, what already works.

A-holes like you (and Jeff Platenberg, the slimeball who used to head Facilities and made sure West Springfield got a huge expansion while seats at Lewis went unfilled and the school cratered) are responsible for the gaping disparities within FCPS.

You can’t force parents to send their kid to a particular school, particularly a failing one. I think rezoning schools should be extremely rare and an absolute last resort. It’s better to have high-performing “mega schools” (3k+ kids in one building) than to try to shuffle kids around.

Jeff Platenburg specifically rezoned schools to favor where he lived in West Springfield and he refused to build an additional school out west, he decimated Annandale. He was also part of the West Potomac expansion that also rezoned properties and pulled people away from the surrounding IB schools. I remember when he bragged about how he was able to create the least s.f. per student as if that was a benefit to students. All he cared about was budgets and his own district.

West Potomac has had the same pyramid for a very long time. It's a combination of the old Ft Hunt High and the old Groveton High and the feeder pattern hasn't really changed since

That is true. Kind of like how Annandale at one point was a combination of the old Jefferson with Annandale, except in Annandale’s case they eventually rezoned AHS neighborhoods to other schools like Lake Braddock and Woodson and whereas at West Potomac they built a huge expansion so no one would have to move to Mount Vernon.

And they did change Lewis’s boundaries as well.

This is what I meant. They had an opportunity to do something about Lewis before it started failing and decided to facilitate its demise faster. It was irresponsible just like the way they handled Annandale.

Interesting that both Annandale and Lewis have IB instead of AP.

Eliminating IB would be an easy start.
1. It would be better for the current population because AP is much more flexible than IB. There is a wider range of classes available.
2. It would save money--and, if the SB had any common sense at all, they would eliminate IB at most schools that have it.
3. It would close one of those "escape valves" that another PP mentioned.

At least one of those schools is in serious discussions about ending IB- unlikely for next year but very possible for 24-25.

Any public source on this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are 199 'white' students at Lewis this year. Cut that in half to get 100 'white' girls. If your pony-tailed European descent white girl is what you are looking for to fill out a softball team, then you have to reduce this number even further because 'white' includes people of Middle Eastern descent. There may not be 70 European white girls in all of Lewis. How many of them enjoy softball?

I don’t agree. The Division 1 NCAA softball ranks are rife with Hispanic players. I think the issue with Lewis is that many of the kids there are from families with significant needs, and can’t spend time or resources on sports. Travel teams do dominate, and I think that a problem as it compels kids to specialize at a young age. Playing multiple sports when young has its benefits. But the sport attracts Hispanic players and broad ethnic generalizations don’t cut it. Watch the super regionals this week and there is plenty of Hispanic players. And one of the things I like about softball is that it so often connects dads with their daughters. It is a shame Lewis doesn’t have a team.

My NCAA Division 1 sport was track. It was a veritable United Nations competing, and well, there was discrimination, but thankfully only the stopwatch was discriminating.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are 199 'white' students at Lewis this year. Cut that in half to get 100 'white' girls. If your pony-tailed European descent white girl is what you are looking for to fill out a softball team, then you have to reduce this number even further because 'white' includes people of Middle Eastern descent. There may not be 70 European white girls in all of Lewis. How many of them enjoy softball?

I don’t agree. The Division 1 NCAA softball ranks are rife with Hispanic players. I think the issue with Lewis is that many of the kids there are from families with significant needs, and can’t spend time or resources on sports. Travel teams do dominate, and I think that a problem as it compels kids to specialize at a young age. Playing multiple sports when young has its benefits. But the sport attracts Hispanic players and broad ethnic generalizations don’t cut it. Watch the super regionals this week and there is plenty of Hispanic players. And one of the things I like about softball is that it so often connects dads with their daughters. It is a shame Lewis doesn’t have a team.

My NCAA Division 1 sport was track. It was a veritable United Nations competing, and well, there was discrimination, but thankfully only the stopwatch was discriminating.

Strong rec programs can sustain softball programs at the high school level. The teams won't be great, but they will have enough girls. Travel softball isn't big at all in the eastern part of the county, but Edison, WestPo, Hayfield, and Mt Vernon all manage to field teams

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The problem with Lewis not being able to field a softball team is just one minor example of how students are victims of failed School Board policies. The ACLU should examine how policies like redistricting and expansion of “better” schools (WSHS, West Po) have negatively impacted education for many students at schools like Lewis and Mount Vernon. Students at those schools don’t have the same access to courses or extracurricular activities.

I agree with those expansions. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix (rezone) it; build upon, literally, what already works.

A-holes like you (and Jeff Platenberg, the slimeball who used to head Facilities and made sure West Springfield got a huge expansion while seats at Lewis went unfilled and the school cratered) are responsible for the gaping disparities within FCPS.

You can’t force parents to send their kid to a particular school, particularly a failing one. I think rezoning schools should be extremely rare and an absolute last resort. It’s better to have high-performing “mega schools” (3k+ kids in one building) than to try to shuffle kids around.

Jeff Platenburg specifically rezoned schools to favor where he lived in West Springfield and he refused to build an additional school out west, he decimated Annandale. He was also part of the West Potomac expansion that also rezoned properties and pulled people away from the surrounding IB schools. I remember when he bragged about how he was able to create the least s.f. per student as if that was a benefit to students. All he cared about was budgets and his own district.

West Potomac has had the same pyramid for a very long time. It's a combination of the old Ft Hunt High and the old Groveton High and the feeder pattern hasn't really changed since

That is true. Kind of like how Annandale at one point was a combination of the old Jefferson with Annandale, except in Annandale’s case they eventually rezoned AHS neighborhoods to other schools like Lake Braddock and Woodson and whereas at West Potomac they built a huge expansion so no one would have to move to Mount Vernon.

And they did change Lewis’s boundaries as well.

This is what I meant. They had an opportunity to do something about Lewis before it started failing and decided to facilitate its demise faster. It was irresponsible just like the way they handled Annandale.

Interesting that both Annandale and Lewis have IB instead of AP.

Eliminating IB would be an easy start.
1. It would be better for the current population because AP is much more flexible than IB. There is a wider range of classes available.
2. It would save money--and, if the SB had any common sense at all, they would eliminate IB at most schools that have it.
3. It would close one of those "escape valves" that another PP mentioned.

The problem with number 3 is those parents are going to be the most vocal about problems. Neither the administration nor the school board wants to deal with that

That may be true, but you haven't seen anything if you have never been through a redistricting. This would be simple and cheap.

Doing nothing is simpler and cheaper.

It won't be simpler and cheaper if FCPS ends up with another expensive lawsuit challenging the lack of equal opportunities for Lewis students. This School Board should be ashamed of itself. They have done NOTHING to meet the needs of Lewis students. Instead, we got silly hacks like Karen Keys Gamarra pushing a half-baked academy program that NO ONE wanted because it won't offer anything useful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are 199 'white' students at Lewis this year. Cut that in half to get 100 'white' girls. If your pony-tailed European descent white girl is what you are looking for to fill out a softball team, then you have to reduce this number even further because 'white' includes people of Middle Eastern descent. There may not be 70 European white girls in all of Lewis. How many of them enjoy softball?

I don’t agree. The Division 1 NCAA softball ranks are rife with Hispanic players. I think the issue with Lewis is that many of the kids there are from families with significant needs, and can’t spend time or resources on sports. Travel teams do dominate, and I think that a problem as it compels kids to specialize at a young age. Playing multiple sports when young has its benefits. But the sport attracts Hispanic players and broad ethnic generalizations don’t cut it. Watch the super regionals this week and there is plenty of Hispanic players. And one of the things I like about softball is that it so often connects dads with their daughters. It is a shame Lewis doesn’t have a team.

My NCAA Division 1 sport was track. It was a veritable United Nations competing, and well, there was discrimination, but thankfully only the stopwatch was discriminating.

Strong rec programs can sustain softball programs at the high school level. The teams won't be great, but they will have enough girls. Travel softball isn't big at all in the eastern part of the county, but Edison, WestPo, Hayfield, and Mt Vernon all manage to field teams

This is true. I don't live in Madison area, but know many who grew up there. Baseball and softball have been strong there for years, and years, and years. Vienna Youth has had strong programs there.

Other schools that have strong youth rec programs are Chantilly--though, softball was struggling when my DD played. Lacrosse has become pretty important and that is part of the reason.

But, I agree that a strong sports program would help struggling schools. It helps keep the kids in school, for one thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The problem with Lewis not being able to field a softball team is just one minor example of how students are victims of failed School Board policies. The ACLU should examine how policies like redistricting and expansion of “better” schools (WSHS, West Po) have negatively impacted education for many students at schools like Lewis and Mount Vernon. Students at those schools don’t have the same access to courses or extracurricular activities.

I agree with those expansions. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix (rezone) it; build upon, literally, what already works.

A-holes like you (and Jeff Platenberg, the slimeball who used to head Facilities and made sure West Springfield got a huge expansion while seats at Lewis went unfilled and the school cratered) are responsible for the gaping disparities within FCPS.

You can’t force parents to send their kid to a particular school, particularly a failing one. I think rezoning schools should be extremely rare and an absolute last resort. It’s better to have high-performing “mega schools” (3k+ kids in one building) than to try to shuffle kids around.

Jeff Platenburg specifically rezoned schools to favor where he lived in West Springfield and he refused to build an additional school out west, he decimated Annandale. He was also part of the West Potomac expansion that also rezoned properties and pulled people away from the surrounding IB schools. I remember when he bragged about how he was able to create the least s.f. per student as if that was a benefit to students. All he cared about was budgets and his own district.

West Potomac has had the same pyramid for a very long time. It's a combination of the old Ft Hunt High and the old Groveton High and the feeder pattern hasn't really changed since

That is true. Kind of like how Annandale at one point was a combination of the old Jefferson with Annandale, except in Annandale’s case they eventually rezoned AHS neighborhoods to other schools like Lake Braddock and Woodson and whereas at West Potomac they built a huge expansion so no one would have to move to Mount Vernon.

And they did change Lewis’s boundaries as well.

This is what I meant. They had an opportunity to do something about Lewis before it started failing and decided to facilitate its demise faster. It was irresponsible just like the way they handled Annandale.

Interesting that both Annandale and Lewis have IB instead of AP.

Eliminating IB would be an easy start.
1. It would be better for the current population because AP is much more flexible than IB. There is a wider range of classes available.
2. It would save money--and, if the SB had any common sense at all, they would eliminate IB at most schools that have it.
3. It would close one of those "escape valves" that another PP mentioned.

The problem with number 3 is those parents are going to be the most vocal about problems. Neither the administration nor the school board wants to deal with that

That may be true, but you haven't seen anything if you have never been through a redistricting. This would be simple and cheap.

Doing nothing is simpler and cheaper.

It won't be simpler and cheaper if FCPS ends up with another expensive lawsuit challenging the lack of equal opportunities for Lewis students. This School Board should be ashamed of itself. They have done NOTHING to meet the needs of Lewis students. Instead, we got silly hacks like Karen Keys Gamarra pushing a half-baked academy program that NO ONE wanted because it won't offer anything useful.

I really think that a successful case could be made showing discrimination toward students at Lewis, and likely Mount Vernon and Annandale, too. Students in an adjacent “good” school boundary receives a vastly different education with many more opportunities than a student in the “bad” school just down the road.

What needs to happen is that the courts rule FCPS policies discriminatory. All existing boundaries need to be wiped clean and start from scratch countywide.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The problem with Lewis not being able to field a softball team is just one minor example of how students are victims of failed School Board policies. The ACLU should examine how policies like redistricting and expansion of “better” schools (WSHS, West Po) have negatively impacted education for many students at schools like Lewis and Mount Vernon. Students at those schools don’t have the same access to courses or extracurricular activities.

I agree with those expansions. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix (rezone) it; build upon, literally, what already works.

A-holes like you (and Jeff Platenberg, the slimeball who used to head Facilities and made sure West Springfield got a huge expansion while seats at Lewis went unfilled and the school cratered) are responsible for the gaping disparities within FCPS.

You can’t force parents to send their kid to a particular school, particularly a failing one. I think rezoning schools should be extremely rare and an absolute last resort. It’s better to have high-performing “mega schools” (3k+ kids in one building) than to try to shuffle kids around.

Jeff Platenburg specifically rezoned schools to favor where he lived in West Springfield and he refused to build an additional school out west, he decimated Annandale. He was also part of the West Potomac expansion that also rezoned properties and pulled people away from the surrounding IB schools. I remember when he bragged about how he was able to create the least s.f. per student as if that was a benefit to students. All he cared about was budgets and his own district.

West Potomac has had the same pyramid for a very long time. It's a combination of the old Ft Hunt High and the old Groveton High and the feeder pattern hasn't really changed since

That is true. Kind of like how Annandale at one point was a combination of the old Jefferson with Annandale, except in Annandale’s case they eventually rezoned AHS neighborhoods to other schools like Lake Braddock and Woodson and whereas at West Potomac they built a huge expansion so no one would have to move to Mount Vernon.

And they did change Lewis’s boundaries as well.

This is what I meant. They had an opportunity to do something about Lewis before it started failing and decided to facilitate its demise faster. It was irresponsible just like the way they handled Annandale.

Interesting that both Annandale and Lewis have IB instead of AP.

Eliminating IB would be an easy start.
1. It would be better for the current population because AP is much more flexible than IB. There is a wider range of classes available.
2. It would save money--and, if the SB had any common sense at all, they would eliminate IB at most schools that have it.
3. It would close one of those "escape valves" that another PP mentioned.

The problem with number 3 is those parents are going to be the most vocal about problems. Neither the administration nor the school board wants to deal with that

That may be true, but you haven't seen anything if you have never been through a redistricting. This would be simple and cheap.

Doing nothing is simpler and cheaper.

It won't be simpler and cheaper if FCPS ends up with another expensive lawsuit challenging the lack of equal opportunities for Lewis students. This School Board should be ashamed of itself. They have done NOTHING to meet the needs of Lewis students. Instead, we got silly hacks like Karen Keys Gamarra pushing a half-baked academy program that NO ONE wanted because it won't offer anything useful.

I really think that a successful case could be made showing discrimination toward students at Lewis, and likely Mount Vernon and Annandale, too. Students in an adjacent “good” school boundary receives a vastly different education with many more opportunities than a student in the “bad” school just down the road.

What needs to happen is that the courts rule FCPS policies discriminatory. All existing boundaries need to be wiped clean and start from scratch countywide.

What is your remedy? The students in 'good' bad school have a vasty different education with many less opportunities than students in the real good schools on the other side of the county.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The problem with Lewis not being able to field a softball team is just one minor example of how students are victims of failed School Board policies. The ACLU should examine how policies like redistricting and expansion of “better” schools (WSHS, West Po) have negatively impacted education for many students at schools like Lewis and Mount Vernon. Students at those schools don’t have the same access to courses or extracurricular activities.

I agree with those expansions. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix (rezone) it; build upon, literally, what already works.

A-holes like you (and Jeff Platenberg, the slimeball who used to head Facilities and made sure West Springfield got a huge expansion while seats at Lewis went unfilled and the school cratered) are responsible for the gaping disparities within FCPS.

You can’t force parents to send their kid to a particular school, particularly a failing one. I think rezoning schools should be extremely rare and an absolute last resort. It’s better to have high-performing “mega schools” (3k+ kids in one building) than to try to shuffle kids around.

Jeff Platenburg specifically rezoned schools to favor where he lived in West Springfield and he refused to build an additional school out west, he decimated Annandale. He was also part of the West Potomac expansion that also rezoned properties and pulled people away from the surrounding IB schools. I remember when he bragged about how he was able to create the least s.f. per student as if that was a benefit to students. All he cared about was budgets and his own district.

West Potomac has had the same pyramid for a very long time. It's a combination of the old Ft Hunt High and the old Groveton High and the feeder pattern hasn't really changed since

That is true. Kind of like how Annandale at one point was a combination of the old Jefferson with Annandale, except in Annandale’s case they eventually rezoned AHS neighborhoods to other schools like Lake Braddock and Woodson and whereas at West Potomac they built a huge expansion so no one would have to move to Mount Vernon.

And they did change Lewis’s boundaries as well.

This is what I meant. They had an opportunity to do something about Lewis before it started failing and decided to facilitate its demise faster. It was irresponsible just like the way they handled Annandale.

Interesting that both Annandale and Lewis have IB instead of AP.

Eliminating IB would be an easy start.
1. It would be better for the current population because AP is much more flexible than IB. There is a wider range of classes available.
2. It would save money--and, if the SB had any common sense at all, they would eliminate IB at most schools that have it.
3. It would close one of those "escape valves" that another PP mentioned.

The problem with number 3 is those parents are going to be the most vocal about problems. Neither the administration nor the school board wants to deal with that

That may be true, but you haven't seen anything if you have never been through a redistricting. This would be simple and cheap.

Doing nothing is simpler and cheaper.

It won't be simpler and cheaper if FCPS ends up with another expensive lawsuit challenging the lack of equal opportunities for Lewis students. This School Board should be ashamed of itself. They have done NOTHING to meet the needs of Lewis students. Instead, we got silly hacks like Karen Keys Gamarra pushing a half-baked academy program that NO ONE wanted because it won't offer anything useful.

I really think that a successful case could be made showing discrimination toward students at Lewis, and likely Mount Vernon and Annandale, too. Students in an adjacent “good” school boundary receives a vastly different education with many more opportunities than a student in the “bad” school just down the road.

What needs to happen is that the courts rule FCPS policies discriminatory. All existing boundaries need to be wiped clean and start from scratch countywide.

What is your remedy? The students in 'good' bad school have a vasty different education with many less opportunities than students in the real good schools on the other side of the county.

Start with replacing IB with AP.

Go from there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are 199 'white' students at Lewis this year. Cut that in half to get 100 'white' girls. If your pony-tailed European descent white girl is what you are looking for to fill out a softball team, then you have to reduce this number even further because 'white' includes people of Middle Eastern descent. There may not be 70 European white girls in all of Lewis. How many of them enjoy softball?

I don’t agree. The Division 1 NCAA softball ranks are rife with Hispanic players. I think the issue with Lewis is that many of the kids there are from families with significant needs, and can’t spend time or resources on sports. Travel teams do dominate, and I think that a problem as it compels kids to specialize at a young age. Playing multiple sports when young has its benefits. But the sport attracts Hispanic players and broad ethnic generalizations don’t cut it. Watch the super regionals this week and there is plenty of Hispanic players. And one of the things I like about softball is that it so often connects dads with their daughters. It is a shame Lewis doesn’t have a team.

My NCAA Division 1 sport was track. It was a veritable United Nations competing, and well, there was discrimination, but thankfully only the stopwatch was discriminating.

"Rife?" Really?

Did you intend to use a different word? Rife is typically used to convey undesirable or harmful quanities.

And, no, there aren't a lot of Hispanic players on WCWS teams. Fewer than 8% of softball players nationwide are Hispanic.

Here's Oklahoma's roster: https://soonersports.com/sports/softball/roster
Here's FSU: https://seminoles.com/sports/softball/roster/season/2022-23/
Here's Tennessee: https://utsports.com/sports/softball/roster
Here's Stanford: https://gostanford.com/sports/softball/roster
Here's Georgia: https://georgiadogs.com/sports/softball/roster


I'll leave out the remaining 11 in the super regionals, you get the idea.

[FPYCparent]

My 9th grader is at another Fairfax school, so I cannot comment on Lewis ... or any other. But it seems that softball may have a large hill to climb nationally. If I am not mistaken, softball competes for players with track and field, soccer, lacrosse, tennis, and crew in the spring. My kid is doing club volleyball this winter and spring, and based on the 2023 tournaments we've attended, there are lots of girls who are pursing that sport outside of their schools' teams. I'm sure someone could post a similarly long list of non-sport activities that vie for time ... all beyond their academics.

Top HS sports for girls nationwide (2022: https://www.nfhs.org/articles/nfhs-releases-first-high-school-sports-participation-survey-in-three-years/):

Track & Field
Volleyball
Soccer
Basketball
Softball
Cross country
Swimming and diving
Competitive spirit

"Volleyball continued its rise in popularity among girls sports and was the only top 10 sport to register an increase from three years ago. With 454,153 participants, volleyball is only 2,500 participants behind track and field for the No. 1 participatory sport for girls. In addition, the emerging sport of girls sand/beach volleyball increased from 2,237 to 6,489 participants.

Among other girls top 10 sports, soccer moved ahead of basketball to No. 3 behind track and field and volleyball, with softball remaining fifth. Cross country, swimming and diving, and competitive spirit registered the biggest declines the past three years among top 10 sports with 13-percent drops."

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:The problem with Lewis not being able to field a softball team is just one minor example of how students are victims of failed School Board policies. The ACLU should examine how policies like redistricting and expansion of “better” schools (WSHS, West Po) have negatively impacted education for many students at schools like Lewis and Mount Vernon. Students at those schools don’t have the same access to courses or extracurricular activities.

I agree with those expansions. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix (rezone) it; build upon, literally, what already works.

A-holes like you (and Jeff Platenberg, the slimeball who used to head Facilities and made sure West Springfield got a huge expansion while seats at Lewis went unfilled and the school cratered) are responsible for the gaping disparities within FCPS.

You can’t force parents to send their kid to a particular school, particularly a failing one. I think rezoning schools should be extremely rare and an absolute last resort. It’s better to have high-performing “mega schools” (3k+ kids in one building) than to try to shuffle kids around.

Jeff Platenburg specifically rezoned schools to favor where he lived in West Springfield and he refused to build an additional school out west, he decimated Annandale. He was also part of the West Potomac expansion that also rezoned properties and pulled people away from the surrounding IB schools. I remember when he bragged about how he was able to create the least s.f. per student as if that was a benefit to students. All he cared about was budgets and his own district.

West Potomac has had the same pyramid for a very long time. It's a combination of the old Ft Hunt High and the old Groveton High and the feeder pattern hasn't really changed since

That is true. Kind of like how Annandale at one point was a combination of the old Jefferson with Annandale, except in Annandale’s case they eventually rezoned AHS neighborhoods to other schools like Lake Braddock and Woodson and whereas at West Potomac they built a huge expansion so no one would have to move to Mount Vernon.

And they did change Lewis’s boundaries as well.

This is what I meant. They had an opportunity to do something about Lewis before it started failing and decided to facilitate its demise faster. It was irresponsible just like the way they handled Annandale.

Interesting that both Annandale and Lewis have IB instead of AP.

Eliminating IB would be an easy start.
1. It would be better for the current population because AP is much more flexible than IB. There is a wider range of classes available.
2. It would save money--and, if the SB had any common sense at all, they would eliminate IB at most schools that have it.
3. It would close one of those "escape valves" that another PP mentioned.

The problem with number 3 is those parents are going to be the most vocal about problems. Neither the administration nor the school board wants to deal with that

That may be true, but you haven't seen anything if you have never been through a redistricting. This would be simple and cheap.

Doing nothing is simpler and cheaper.

It won't be simpler and cheaper if FCPS ends up with another expensive lawsuit challenging the lack of equal opportunities for Lewis students. This School Board should be ashamed of itself. They have done NOTHING to meet the needs of Lewis students. Instead, we got silly hacks like Karen Keys Gamarra pushing a half-baked academy program that NO ONE wanted because it won't offer anything useful.

I really think that a successful case could be made showing discrimination toward students at Lewis, and likely Mount Vernon and Annandale, too. Students in an adjacent “good” school boundary receives a vastly different education with many more opportunities than a student in the “bad” school just down the road.

What needs to happen is that the courts rule FCPS policies discriminatory. All existing boundaries need to be wiped clean and start from scratch countywide.

What is your remedy? The students in 'good' bad school have a vasty different education with many less opportunities than students in the real good schools on the other side of the county.

Here's a remedy. Offer every single STEM/unique class at Lewis that is offered at some of the neighboring schools like Aerospace 1-2, Robotics 1-2, Electronics 1-2, and the full array of computer science courses. If only 2 or 3 kids sign up for each, so be it. Hold the small class anyway and don't take away opportunities from kids solely because the majority of their classmates are ESOL level and don't take those classes. That isn't their fault.

Obviously there will be opposition saying that it's ridiculous to pay a FT teacher to teach a class of 3 kids. But that's what it takes to provide equal opportunity in a world where boundary changes are also opposed.

[Anonymous]

Which neighborhoods in WSHS boundaries were zoned for other schools? I live near Hunt Valley ES- I can see it from my house. I can’t imagine that SoCo or Lewis would be closer than WS for me.