Voting Against 2017 FCPS School Bond

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Boundaries need to be shifted. There's excess capacity at schools like Lee and Mount Vernon, while nearby schools like West Potomac and West Springfield are crowded. Hayfield, Lee, and Edison are in very close geographic proximity. I can't stand hearing School Board members beg for funding when money is being wasted to expand the popular, higher performing AP schools while nearby IB schools sit practically empty. Vote no on the bond issue.

It's not just the Eastern part of the County. Stuart is massively oversubscribed. McLean and Marshall are projected to be hundreds of seats over. Madison as well. Also, Fairfax. Also, Woodson.

The county isn't going to build a new high school and leave open seats in Centreville, Chantilly, Oakton, South Lakes, Westfield. It's going to shift boundaries. People don't want this, so why bother building a new school and leaving empty seats.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Boundaries need to be shifted. There's excess capacity at schools like Lee and Mount Vernon, while nearby schools like West Potomac and West Springfield are crowded. Hayfield, Lee, and Edison are in very close geographic proximity. I can't stand hearing School Board members beg for funding when money is being wasted to expand the popular, higher performing AP schools while nearby IB schools sit practically empty. Vote no on the bond issue.

It's not just the Eastern part of the County. Stuart is massively oversubscribed. McLean and Marshall are projected to be hundreds of seats over. Madison as well. Also, Fairfax. Also, Woodson.

The county isn't going to build a new high school and leave open seats in Centreville, Chantilly, Oakton, South Lakes, Westfield. It's going to shift boundaries. People don't want this, so why bother building a new school and leaving empty seats.

The Facilities projections are taking into account when students are moving into the system. Since the largest cohort are at the middle/high school level now, this cohort will more out of the system before a new school could be built (as an example).

http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/598972.page#9958165

http://www.boarddocs.com/vsba/fairfax/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=AG94A5057094

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Boundaries need to be shifted. There's excess capacity at schools like Lee and Mount Vernon, while nearby schools like West Potomac and West Springfield are crowded. Hayfield, Lee, and Edison are in very close geographic proximity. I can't stand hearing School Board members beg for funding when money is being wasted to expand the popular, higher performing AP schools while nearby IB schools sit practically empty. Vote no on the bond issue.

It's not just the Eastern part of the County. Stuart is massively oversubscribed. McLean and Marshall are projected to be hundreds of seats over. Madison as well. Also, Fairfax. Also, Woodson.

The county isn't going to build a new high school and leave open seats in Centreville, Chantilly, Oakton, South Lakes, Westfield. It's going to shift boundaries. People don't want this, so why bother building a new school and leaving empty seats.

The school board is supposed to do what is right for the entire county. Are you saying the school board doesn't have the guts to redistrict? Than why even have a high school on the books all this time?

All the people I know want redistricting. Just because some people don't, doesn't mean the school board shouldn't act.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Boundaries need to be shifted. There's excess capacity at schools like Lee and Mount Vernon, while nearby schools like West Potomac and West Springfield are crowded. Hayfield, Lee, and Edison are in very close geographic proximity. I can't stand hearing School Board members beg for funding when money is being wasted to expand the popular, higher performing AP schools while nearby IB schools sit practically empty. Vote no on the bond issue.

It's not just the Eastern part of the County. Stuart is massively oversubscribed. McLean and Marshall are projected to be hundreds of seats over. Madison as well. Also, Fairfax. Also, Woodson.

The county isn't going to build a new high school and leave open seats in Centreville, Chantilly, Oakton, South Lakes, Westfield. It's going to shift boundaries. People don't want this, so why bother building a new school and leaving empty seats.

Every situation is different.

There is a good argument for expanding Stuart, unless FCPS plans to reclaim TJ as a neighborhood school, in which case they could expand its enrollment above the 1800-cap that Virginia imposes on TJ as a governor's school.

Overcrowding at Marshall and McLean can be addressed by moving students to under-enrolled Langley.

Madison shouldn't be expanded when there are already plans to expand South Lakes and Oakton. It sits on a small piece of land off a major, congested road (Route 123), and its expansion effectively will further delay, if not kill entirely, the construction of a new high school in western Fairfax.

Woodson had a big influx from Annandale and then Fairfax, but the entering classes have been declining in size and some students can be moved to Annandale.

West Potomac should not be expanded when there is capacity at Mount Vernon, Lee, and other schools in SE Fairfax.

And they should still build a new high school in western Fairfax to keep the big schools there from getting even bigger.

[Anonymous]

Why does TJ get to stay at 1800 students and yet other FCPS schools are at 2600 and greater? If TJ is mandated to be 1800 students, whose to say that the state agrees with these larger schools?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why does TJ get to stay at 1800 students and yet other FCPS schools are at 2600 and greater? If TJ is mandated to be 1800 students, whose to say that the state agrees with these larger schools?

While operated by FCPS, TJ is also designated as a governor's school by the state. As such, it gets additional state funding, but one of the conditions is to cap enrollment.

If TJ was not a governor's school subject to that restriction, FCPS could use it as a neighborhood school, in which case it could enroll more students and there'd be no need for an addition at Stuart.

If TJ were reopened as a neighborhood school, with related boundary adjustments at Annandale, Falls Church, Stuart, and Woodson, FCPS could have five high schools with 1800 kids and room for growth. Of course, returning the TJ kids to their home schools would add to overcrowding in the pyramids that send the most students to TJ, including Oakton, McLean and Chantilly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why does TJ get to stay at 1800 students and yet other FCPS schools are at 2600 and greater? If TJ is mandated to be 1800 students, whose to say that the state agrees with these larger schools?

While operated by FCPS, TJ is also designated as a governor's school by the state. As such, it gets additional state funding, but one of the conditions is to cap enrollment.

If TJ was not a governor's school subject to that restriction, FCPS could use it as a neighborhood school, in which case it could enroll more students and there'd be no need for an addition at Stuart.

If TJ were reopened as a neighborhood school, with related boundary adjustments at Annandale, Falls Church, Stuart, and Woodson, FCPS could have five high schools with 1800 kids and room for growth. Of course, returning the TJ kids to their home schools would add to overcrowding in the pyramids that send the most students to TJ, including Oakton, McLean and Chantilly.

I am not arguing why it is a governor's school. I'm asking why governor's schools are capped and yet FCPS thinks neighborhood schools should be so much larger.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why does TJ get to stay at 1800 students and yet other FCPS schools are at 2600 and greater? If TJ is mandated to be 1800 students, whose to say that the state agrees with these larger schools?

While operated by FCPS, TJ is also designated as a governor's school by the state. As such, it gets additional state funding, but one of the conditions is to cap enrollment.

If TJ was not a governor's school subject to that restriction, FCPS could use it as a neighborhood school, in which case it could enroll more students and there'd be no need for an addition at Stuart.

If TJ were reopened as a neighborhood school, with related boundary adjustments at Annandale, Falls Church, Stuart, and Woodson, FCPS could have five high schools with 1800 kids and room for growth. Of course, returning the TJ kids to their home schools would add to overcrowding in the pyramids that send the most students to TJ, including Oakton, McLean and Chantilly.

I am not arguing why it is a governor's school. I'm asking why governor's schools are capped and yet FCPS thinks neighborhood schools should be so much larger.

Sorry. Because it's expedient.

[Anonymous]

12:02. What is the magic reason why TJ can't be expanded to at least 2000 students? There are more than enough applicants. How did they come up with 1800 students? How is FCPS coming up with a much larger cap on high schools?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Boundaries need to be shifted. There's excess capacity at schools like Lee and Mount Vernon, while nearby schools like West Potomac and West Springfield are crowded. Hayfield, Lee, and Edison are in very close geographic proximity. I can't stand hearing School Board members beg for funding when money is being wasted to expand the popular, higher performing AP schools while nearby IB schools sit practically empty. Vote no on the bond issue.

It's not just the Eastern part of the County. Stuart is massively oversubscribed. McLean and Marshall are projected to be hundreds of seats over. Madison as well. Also, Fairfax. Also, Woodson.

The county isn't going to build a new high school and leave open seats in Centreville, Chantilly, Oakton, South Lakes, Westfield. It's going to shift boundaries. People don't want this, so why bother building a new school and leaving empty seats.

Every situation is different.

There is a good argument for expanding Stuart, unless FCPS plans to reclaim TJ as a neighborhood school, in which case they could expand its enrollment above the 1800-cap that Virginia imposes on TJ as a governor's school.

Overcrowding at Marshall and McLean can be addressed by moving students to under-enrolled Langley.

Madison shouldn't be expanded when there are already plans to expand South Lakes and Oakton. It sits on a small piece of land off a major, congested road (Route 123), and its expansion effectively will further delay, if not kill entirely, the construction of a new high school in western Fairfax.

Woodson had a big influx from Annandale and then Fairfax, but the entering classes have been declining in size and some students can be moved to Annandale.

West Potomac should not be expanded when there is capacity at Mount Vernon, Lee, and other schools in SE Fairfax.

And they should still build a new high school in western Fairfax to keep the big schools there from getting even bigger.

The issue with Stuart is that there isn't land to expand. It's maximized, hence the need for shifting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:12:02. What is the magic reason why TJ can't be expanded to at least 2000 students? There are more than enough applicants. How did they come up with 1800 students? How is FCPS coming up with a much larger cap on high schools?

The "magic reason" is there's only so much extra money the state is prepared to spend to subsidize the designated governor's schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Boundaries need to be shifted. There's excess capacity at schools like Lee and Mount Vernon, while nearby schools like West Potomac and West Springfield are crowded. Hayfield, Lee, and Edison are in very close geographic proximity. I can't stand hearing School Board members beg for funding when money is being wasted to expand the popular, higher performing AP schools while nearby IB schools sit practically empty. Vote no on the bond issue.

It's not just the Eastern part of the County. Stuart is massively oversubscribed. McLean and Marshall are projected to be hundreds of seats over. Madison as well. Also, Fairfax. Also, Woodson.

The county isn't going to build a new high school and leave open seats in Centreville, Chantilly, Oakton, South Lakes, Westfield. It's going to shift boundaries. People don't want this, so why bother building a new school and leaving empty seats.

Every situation is different.

There is a good argument for expanding Stuart, unless FCPS plans to reclaim TJ as a neighborhood school, in which case they could expand its enrollment above the 1800-cap that Virginia imposes on TJ as a governor's school.

Overcrowding at Marshall and McLean can be addressed by moving students to under-enrolled Langley.

Madison shouldn't be expanded when there are already plans to expand South Lakes and Oakton. It sits on a small piece of land off a major, congested road (Route 123), and its expansion effectively will further delay, if not kill entirely, the construction of a new high school in western Fairfax.

Woodson had a big influx from Annandale and then Fairfax, but the entering classes have been declining in size and some students can be moved to Annandale.

West Potomac should not be expanded when there is capacity at Mount Vernon, Lee, and other schools in SE Fairfax.

And they should still build a new high school in western Fairfax to keep the big schools there from getting even bigger.

The issue with Stuart is that there isn't land to expand. It's maximized, hence the need for shifting.

Planning funds for a Stuart expansion are included in the 2017 bond referendum. I don't know if they plan to build up rather than out, but they are planning to add seats.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Boundaries need to be shifted. There's excess capacity at schools like Lee and Mount Vernon, while nearby schools like West Potomac and West Springfield are crowded. Hayfield, Lee, and Edison are in very close geographic proximity. I can't stand hearing School Board members beg for funding when money is being wasted to expand the popular, higher performing AP schools while nearby IB schools sit practically empty. Vote no on the bond issue.

It's not just the Eastern part of the County. Stuart is massively oversubscribed. McLean and Marshall are projected to be hundreds of seats over. Madison as well. Also, Fairfax. Also, Woodson.

The county isn't going to build a new high school and leave open seats in Centreville, Chantilly, Oakton, South Lakes, Westfield. It's going to shift boundaries. People don't want this, so why bother building a new school and leaving empty seats.

Every situation is different.

There is a good argument for expanding Stuart, unless FCPS plans to reclaim TJ as a neighborhood school, in which case they could expand its enrollment above the 1800-cap that Virginia imposes on TJ as a governor's school.

Overcrowding at Marshall and McLean can be addressed by moving students to under-enrolled Langley.

Madison shouldn't be expanded when there are already plans to expand South Lakes and Oakton. It sits on a small piece of land off a major, congested road (Route 123), and its expansion effectively will further delay, if not kill entirely, the construction of a new high school in western Fairfax.

Woodson had a big influx from Annandale and then Fairfax, but the entering classes have been declining in size and some students can be moved to Annandale.

West Potomac should not be expanded when there is capacity at Mount Vernon, Lee, and other schools in SE Fairfax.

And they should still build a new high school in western Fairfax to keep the big schools there from getting even bigger.

The issue with Stuart is that there isn't land to expand. It's maximized, hence the need for shifting.

Planning funds for a Stuart expansion are included in the 2017 bond referendum. I don't know if they plan to build up rather than out, but they are planning to add seats.

And even with that expansion, Stuart is going from 145 percent to 125 percent. Even with the seats, it's still overcrowded (and yes, it'll be a jumbo school with 2600 kids).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Boundaries need to be shifted. There's excess capacity at schools like Lee and Mount Vernon, while nearby schools like West Potomac and West Springfield are crowded. Hayfield, Lee, and Edison are in very close geographic proximity. I can't stand hearing School Board members beg for funding when money is being wasted to expand the popular, higher performing AP schools while nearby IB schools sit practically empty. Vote no on the bond issue.

It's not just the Eastern part of the County. Stuart is massively oversubscribed. McLean and Marshall are projected to be hundreds of seats over. Madison as well. Also, Fairfax. Also, Woodson.

The county isn't going to build a new high school and leave open seats in Centreville, Chantilly, Oakton, South Lakes, Westfield. It's going to shift boundaries. People don't want this, so why bother building a new school and leaving empty seats.

Every situation is different.

There is a good argument for expanding Stuart, unless FCPS plans to reclaim TJ as a neighborhood school, in which case they could expand its enrollment above the 1800-cap that Virginia imposes on TJ as a governor's school.

Overcrowding at Marshall and McLean can be addressed by moving students to under-enrolled Langley.

Madison shouldn't be expanded when there are already plans to expand South Lakes and Oakton. It sits on a small piece of land off a major, congested road (Route 123), and its expansion effectively will further delay, if not kill entirely, the construction of a new high school in western Fairfax.

Woodson had a big influx from Annandale and then Fairfax, but the entering classes have been declining in size and some students can be moved to Annandale.

West Potomac should not be expanded when there is capacity at Mount Vernon, Lee, and other schools in SE Fairfax.

And they should still build a new high school in western Fairfax to keep the big schools there from getting even bigger.

The issue with Stuart is that there isn't land to expand. It's maximized, hence the need for shifting.

Planning funds for a Stuart expansion are included in the 2017 bond referendum. I don't know if they plan to build up rather than out, but they are planning to add seats.

The other challenge w/Stuart is that the poverty is concentrated in the areas near the Alexandria and Arlington borders, and if they start redistricting other parts of the district closer to the Falls Church and Annandale HS zones the FARMS rates could easily go up to 70-75%. They have to fight to stay accredited as it is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:12:02. What is the magic reason why TJ can't be expanded to at least 2000 students? There are more than enough applicants. How did they come up with 1800 students? How is FCPS coming up with a much larger cap on high schools?

The "magic reason" is there's only so much extra money the state is prepared to spend to subsidize the designated governor's schools.

The "magic reason" is so TJ students and families can continue to think their special. There is no other reason to justify them getting the "small" school experience while subjecting everyone else to massive overcrowding.