Freshmen Orientation at High School

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FCPS needs to have a general information session for parents of rising high school students that explains the high school curriculum, diploma requirements, IB, AP, the variety of academy programs, and extracurricular activities. FCPS is a huge school system with many different high schools and a wide variety of programs. For example, some schools offer certain foreign languages that others don’t, or diploma/trade certificate programs, or a music/art/theater focus. The assumption is that students will attend the school they are zoned for, but when the county offers so much variety in programs, how are parents supposed to know what’s available to our students? It’s overwhelming. If students are expected to attend their base high school, shouldn’t they all be basically the same and offer the same subjects, diplomas, programs?

They have that in the spring when the kids are picking their schedules

Does each HS have its own info session? That would be useful after a student has decided to attend a particular school, but what I’m looking for is an info session that describes what’s available for HS students across FCPS. Who knows, my child may want to attend an IB school instead of an AP one, or attend one of the academies like the health career one at Mt. Vernon or the computer/IT one at Edison.

You’re probably just best off contacting those schools directly.

I agree, but I shouldn’t have to do that. There should be an FCPS “High School 101” info session for parents of middle school students as well as people moving into FCPS from other systems. I think the reason FCPS doesn’t have one is to cut down on the number of requests to attend an out-of-bounds school. However, parents should be able to easily find out about the variety of courses at FCPS high schools without digging through the website for each school. I came from a county where the high schools were basically carbon copies of each other, with the same courses, diploma options, etc. That’s not the case here!

That sounds like a huge hassel when all that information can be found online.

Sure, it may be a hassle for FCPS, but when there’s so much variation among the county’s high schools re: subjects/diplomas/academies offered, an info session for parents should absolutely be provided. Since there is no standardization or consistency among high schools and each one seems to offer different things, it’s unconscionable to provide no guidance to parents about how to navigate the system. Instead, parents are told that students are expected to attend their base school unless there’s an extenuating circumstance. In a system that offers so much variety, parents shouldn’t be kept in the dark about their options. The only base school alternative that gets attention is TJ, although there are other diploma, certificate, academy options. Also, what if my child really wants to learn Japanese or Arabic? Do I have to search through each HS website to find out where those are offered, and then attempt to pupil place? Why does FCPS offer so many different options if they don’t expect students to take advantage of them?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FCPS needs to have a general information session for parents of rising high school students that explains the high school curriculum, diploma requirements, IB, AP, the variety of academy programs, and extracurricular activities. FCPS is a huge school system with many different high schools and a wide variety of programs. For example, some schools offer certain foreign languages that others don’t, or diploma/trade certificate programs, or a music/art/theater focus. The assumption is that students will attend the school they are zoned for, but when the county offers so much variety in programs, how are parents supposed to know what’s available to our students? It’s overwhelming. If students are expected to attend their base high school, shouldn’t they all be basically the same and offer the same subjects, diplomas, programs?

They have that in the spring when the kids are picking their schedules

Does each HS have its own info session? That would be useful after a student has decided to attend a particular school, but what I’m looking for is an info session that describes what’s available for HS students across FCPS. Who knows, my child may want to attend an IB school instead of an AP one, or attend one of the academies like the health career one at Mt. Vernon or the computer/IT one at Edison.

You’re probably just best off contacting those schools directly.

I agree, but I shouldn’t have to do that. There should be an FCPS “High School 101” info session for parents of middle school students as well as people moving into FCPS from other systems. I think the reason FCPS doesn’t have one is to cut down on the number of requests to attend an out-of-bounds school. However, parents should be able to easily find out about the variety of courses at FCPS high schools without digging through the website for each school. I came from a county where the high schools were basically carbon copies of each other, with the same courses, diploma options, etc. That’s not the case here!

This seems a very reasonable request. APS does it, called "High School Information Night". Of course, they have fewer options to discuss but it seems it would be even more worthwhile for FCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FCPS needs to have a general information session for parents of rising high school students that explains the high school curriculum, diploma requirements, IB, AP, the variety of academy programs, and extracurricular activities. FCPS is a huge school system with many different high schools and a wide variety of programs. For example, some schools offer certain foreign languages that others don’t, or diploma/trade certificate programs, or a music/art/theater focus. The assumption is that students will attend the school they are zoned for, but when the county offers so much variety in programs, how are parents supposed to know what’s available to our students? It’s overwhelming. If students are expected to attend their base high school, shouldn’t they all be basically the same and offer the same subjects, diplomas, programs?

They have that in the spring when the kids are picking their schedules

Does each HS have its own info session? That would be useful after a student has decided to attend a particular school, but what I’m looking for is an info session that describes what’s available for HS students across FCPS. Who knows, my child may want to attend an IB school instead of an AP one, or attend one of the academies like the health career one at Mt. Vernon or the computer/IT one at Edison.

You’re probably just best off contacting those schools directly.

I agree, but I shouldn’t have to do that. There should be an FCPS “High School 101” info session for parents of middle school students as well as people moving into FCPS from other systems. I think the reason FCPS doesn’t have one is to cut down on the number of requests to attend an out-of-bounds school. However, parents should be able to easily find out about the variety of courses at FCPS high schools without digging through the website for each school. I came from a county where the high schools were basically carbon copies of each other, with the same courses, diploma options, etc. That’s not the case here!

That sounds like a huge hassel when all that information can be found online.

Sure, it may be a hassle for FCPS, but when there’s so much variation among the county’s high schools re: subjects/diplomas/academies offered, an info session for parents should absolutely be provided. Since there is no standardization or consistency among high schools and each one seems to offer different things, it’s unconscionable to provide no guidance to parents about how to navigate the system. Instead, parents are told that students are expected to attend their base school unless there’s an extenuating circumstance. In a system that offers so much variety, parents shouldn’t be kept in the dark about their options. The only base school alternative that gets attention is TJ, although there are other diploma, certificate, academy options. Also, what if my child really wants to learn Japanese or Arabic? Do I have to search through each HS website to find out where those are offered, and then attempt to pupil place? Why does FCPS offer so many different options if they don’t expect students to take advantage of them?

1. I think they expect parents to know how to navigate a web site and explore options.

2. There are a fair number of presentations about high school options (TJ, AP, IB, Academies) held at the middle schools.

3. They don't want to over-promise. For example, they can tout IB, but it's not so attractive to someone at Langley if it turns out the closest IB program that is actually open to pupil placements is Annandale.

[Anonymous]

Orientation = students only

Back to school night = parents only

[Anonymous]

Above Pp is not correct. Some schools have orientation for both students and parents. When you arrive at the school the students go to one auditorium for information and the parents go to another for their information.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FCPS needs to have a general information session for parents of rising high school students that explains the high school curriculum, diploma requirements, IB, AP, the variety of academy programs, and extracurricular activities. FCPS is a huge school system with many different high schools and a wide variety of programs. For example, some schools offer certain foreign languages that others don’t, or diploma/trade certificate programs, or a music/art/theater focus. The assumption is that students will attend the school they are zoned for, but when the county offers so much variety in programs, how are parents supposed to know what’s available to our students? It’s overwhelming. If students are expected to attend their base high school, shouldn’t they all be basically the same and offer the same subjects, diplomas, programs?

They have that in the spring when the kids are picking their schedules

Does each HS have its own info session? That would be useful after a student has decided to attend a particular school, but what I’m looking for is an info session that describes what’s available for HS students across FCPS. Who knows, my child may want to attend an IB school instead of an AP one, or attend one of the academies like the health career one at Mt. Vernon or the computer/IT one at Edison.

You’re probably just best off contacting those schools directly.

I agree, but I shouldn’t have to do that. There should be an FCPS “High School 101” info session for parents of middle school students as well as people moving into FCPS from other systems. I think the reason FCPS doesn’t have one is to cut down on the number of requests to attend an out-of-bounds school. However, parents should be able to easily find out about the variety of courses at FCPS high schools without digging through the website for each school. I came from a county where the high schools were basically carbon copies of each other, with the same courses, diploma options, etc. That’s not the case here!

That sounds like a huge hassel when all that information can be found online.

Sure, it may be a hassle for FCPS, but when there’s so much variation among the county’s high schools re: subjects/diplomas/academies offered, an info session for parents should absolutely be provided. Since there is no standardization or consistency among high schools and each one seems to offer different things, it’s unconscionable to provide no guidance to parents about how to navigate the system. Instead, parents are told that students are expected to attend their base school unless there’s an extenuating circumstance. In a system that offers so much variety, parents shouldn’t be kept in the dark about their options. The only base school alternative that gets attention is TJ, although there are other diploma, certificate, academy options. Also, what if my child really wants to learn Japanese or Arabic? Do I have to search through each HS website to find out where those are offered, and then attempt to pupil place? Why does FCPS offer so many different options if they don’t expect students to take advantage of them?

1. I think they expect parents to know how to navigate a web site and explore options.

2. There are a fair number of presentations about high school options (TJ, AP, IB, Academies) held at the middle schools.

3. They don't want to over-promise. For example, they can tout IB, but it's not so attractive to someone at Langley if it turns out the closest IB program that is actually open to pupil placements is Annandale.

When FCPS has appx. 30 high school, secondary, or alternative ed. centers, you expect parents to search through each website to find one that offers a particular foreign language or computer class? Not everyone wants Spanish. Some may want American Sign Language or Chinese, for example. If a student’s family can provide transportation to a school other than the one closest to them, the student should be able to go anywhere space is available.

The presentations about high school options that are given to middle schoolers focus only on the high school that the middle school feeds into. TJ might be mentioned briefly, but a middle school that feeds into an AP school is not going to discuss IB, and vice versa.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FCPS needs to have a general information session for parents of rising high school students that explains the high school curriculum, diploma requirements, IB, AP, the variety of academy programs, and extracurricular activities. FCPS is a huge school system with many different high schools and a wide variety of programs. For example, some schools offer certain foreign languages that others don’t, or diploma/trade certificate programs, or a music/art/theater focus. The assumption is that students will attend the school they are zoned for, but when the county offers so much variety in programs, how are parents supposed to know what’s available to our students? It’s overwhelming. If students are expected to attend their base high school, shouldn’t they all be basically the same and offer the same subjects, diplomas, programs?

They have that in the spring when the kids are picking their schedules

Does each HS have its own info session? That would be useful after a student has decided to attend a particular school, but what I’m looking for is an info session that describes what’s available for HS students across FCPS. Who knows, my child may want to attend an IB school instead of an AP one, or attend one of the academies like the health career one at Mt. Vernon or the computer/IT one at Edison.

You’re probably just best off contacting those schools directly.

I agree, but I shouldn’t have to do that. There should be an FCPS “High School 101” info session for parents of middle school students as well as people moving into FCPS from other systems. I think the reason FCPS doesn’t have one is to cut down on the number of requests to attend an out-of-bounds school. However, parents should be able to easily find out about the variety of courses at FCPS high schools without digging through the website for each school. I came from a county where the high schools were basically carbon copies of each other, with the same courses, diploma options, etc. That’s not the case here!

That sounds like a huge hassel when all that information can be found online.

Sure, it may be a hassle for FCPS, but when there’s so much variation among the county’s high schools re: subjects/diplomas/academies offered, an info session for parents should absolutely be provided. Since there is no standardization or consistency among high schools and each one seems to offer different things, it’s unconscionable to provide no guidance to parents about how to navigate the system. Instead, parents are told that students are expected to attend their base school unless there’s an extenuating circumstance. In a system that offers so much variety, parents shouldn’t be kept in the dark about their options. The only base school alternative that gets attention is TJ, although there are other diploma, certificate, academy options. Also, what if my child really wants to learn Japanese or Arabic? Do I have to search through each HS website to find out where those are offered, and then attempt to pupil place? Why does FCPS offer so many different options if they don’t expect students to take advantage of them?

1. I think they expect parents to know how to navigate a web site and explore options.

2. There are a fair number of presentations about high school options (TJ, AP, IB, Academies) held at the middle schools.

3. They don't want to over-promise. For example, they can tout IB, but it's not so attractive to someone at Langley if it turns out the closest IB program that is actually open to pupil placements is Annandale.

When FCPS has appx. 30 high school, secondary, or alternative ed. centers, you expect parents to search through each website to find one that offers a particular foreign language or computer class? Not everyone wants Spanish. Some may want American Sign Language or Chinese, for example. If a student’s family can provide transportation to a school other than the one closest to them, the student should be able to go anywhere space is available.

The presentations about high school options that are given to middle schoolers focus only on the high school that the middle school feeds into. TJ might be mentioned briefly, but a middle school that feeds into an AP school is not going to discuss IB, and vice versa.

You posts are not making any sense.

You cannot just decide you want to go to one school or another.

You have 2 choices, move into the zone, or apply to transfer to to the closest school that is approved for transfer for a particular program not offered at your high school

There is zero point in fcps doing a presentation of all schools as you do not have the option to transfer to the school of your choosing, whether or not you provide transportation.

[Anonymous]

If I pay Fairfax County taxes, you bet my student should be able to attend any school that has space as long as she isn’t relying on bus transportation - especially if the other school provides a desired program or language not offered at her base school. How can the county legally refuse?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If I pay Fairfax County taxes, you bet my student should be able to attend any school that has space as long as she isn’t relying on bus transportation - especially if the other school provides a desired program or language not offered at her base school. How can the county legally refuse?

You are zoned for your school. You have specific options available if you want a program not offered by your school.

So if you attend Robinson and want AP, you can't go across county to Langley. You go to the closest AP school open to transfers. That is a reasonable accommodation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If I pay Fairfax County taxes, you bet my student should be able to attend any school that has space as long as she isn’t relying on bus transportation - especially if the other school provides a desired program or language not offered at her base school. How can the county legally refuse?

You are zoned for your school. You have specific options available if you want a program not offered by your school.

So if you attend Robinson and want AP, you can't go across county to Langley. You go to the closest AP school open to transfers. That is a reasonable accommodation.

That may be the County’s “policy”, but that doesn’t mean it’s legal. It’s just a matter of time before it’s challenged. The “I paid more for my house in McLean so I deserve the better school” defense won’t hold water.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If I pay Fairfax County taxes, you bet my student should be able to attend any school that has space as long as she isn’t relying on bus transportation - especially if the other school provides a desired program or language not offered at her base school. How can the county legally refuse?

You are zoned for your school. You have specific options available if you want a program not offered by your school.

So if you attend Robinson and want AP, you can't go across county to Langley. You go to the closest AP school open to transfers. That is a reasonable accommodation.

That may be the County’s “policy”, but that doesn’t mean it’s legal. It’s just a matter of time before it’s challenged. The “I paid more for my house in McLean so I deserve the better school” defense won’t hold water.

Except that the poorer schools receive more money and resources than the wealthy and high performing schools.

[Anonymous]

They may get more in Federal funds from Title I, but I doubt they get more in County funding.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FCPS needs to have a general information session for parents of rising high school students that explains the high school curriculum, diploma requirements, IB, AP, the variety of academy programs, and extracurricular activities. FCPS is a huge school system with many different high schools and a wide variety of programs. For example, some schools offer certain foreign languages that others don’t, or diploma/trade certificate programs, or a music/art/theater focus. The assumption is that students will attend the school they are zoned for, but when the county offers so much variety in programs, how are parents supposed to know what’s available to our students? It’s overwhelming. If students are expected to attend their base high school, shouldn’t they all be basically the same and offer the same subjects, diplomas, programs?

They have that in the spring when the kids are picking their schedules

Does each HS have its own info session? That would be useful after a student has decided to attend a particular school, but what I’m looking for is an info session that describes what’s available for HS students across FCPS. Who knows, my child may want to attend an IB school instead of an AP one, or attend one of the academies like the health career one at Mt. Vernon or the computer/IT one at Edison.

You’re probably just best off contacting those schools directly.

I agree, but I shouldn’t have to do that. There should be an FCPS “High School 101” info session for parents of middle school students as well as people moving into FCPS from other systems. I think the reason FCPS doesn’t have one is to cut down on the number of requests to attend an out-of-bounds school. However, parents should be able to easily find out about the variety of courses at FCPS high schools without digging through the website for each school. I came from a county where the high schools were basically carbon copies of each other, with the same courses, diploma options, etc. That’s not the case here!

That sounds like a huge hassel when all that information can be found online.

Sure, it may be a hassle for FCPS, but when there’s so much variation among the county’s high schools re: subjects/diplomas/academies offered, an info session for parents should absolutely be provided. Since there is no standardization or consistency among high schools and each one seems to offer different things, it’s unconscionable to provide no guidance to parents about how to navigate the system. Instead, parents are told that students are expected to attend their base school unless there’s an extenuating circumstance. In a system that offers so much variety, parents shouldn’t be kept in the dark about their options. The only base school alternative that gets attention is TJ, although there are other diploma, certificate, academy options. Also, what if my child really wants to learn Japanese or Arabic? Do I have to search through each HS website to find out where those are offered, and then attempt to pupil place? Why does FCPS offer so many different options if they don’t expect students to take advantage of them?

1. I think they expect parents to know how to navigate a web site and explore options.

2. There are a fair number of presentations about high school options (TJ, AP, IB, Academies) held at the middle schools.

3. They don't want to over-promise. For example, they can tout IB, but it's not so attractive to someone at Langley if it turns out the closest IB program that is actually open to pupil placements is Annandale.

When FCPS has appx. 30 high school, secondary, or alternative ed. centers, you expect parents to search through each website to find one that offers a particular foreign language or computer class? Not everyone wants Spanish. Some may want American Sign Language or Chinese, for example. If a student’s family can provide transportation to a school other than the one closest to them, the student should be able to go anywhere space is available.

The presentations about high school options that are given to middle schoolers focus only on the high school that the middle school feeds into. TJ might be mentioned briefly, but a middle school that feeds into an AP school is not going to discuss IB, and vice versa.

The last part isn’t true. When Marshall was still open to transfers they regularly scheduled information sessions at Cooper and Longfellow (which feed into Langley and McLean, which are both AP). They wanted the pupil placements.

[Anonymous]

There’s been a lot of hot air and idle threats on this thread. It’s not hard at all to find out about AP, IB, Academy and magnet programs on the FCPS web site.

They don’t do a great job identifying the different foreign languages offered at different schools. That might take a phone call.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There’s been a lot of hot air and idle threats on this thread. It’s not hard at all to find out about AP, IB, Academy and magnet programs on the FCPS web site.

They don’t do a great job identifying the different foreign languages offered at different schools. That might take a phone call. [/quote

If parents don’t complain about the lack of easily accessible information on the FCPS website and about the inconsistency in programs and course offerings county-wide, FCPS will continue to provide the same poor level of customer service.