FCPS Boundary Review - New Maps

[Anonymous]

The Lewis problem has been allowed to fester way too long.

Parents in the past have tried to get the school to switch back to AP and that is how they ended up with some AP classes. But the Lee District School Board member at the time (and an assistant superintendent) absolutely refused to consider making a full switch to AP. Even though the numbers (transfers out for AP, low IB diploma rate) should have made it a simple decision. If basic statistics can't make the School Board see the light then nothing will. You really start to question the motivation for the School Board keeping IB at some of these schools. And previous boundary changes where wealthier neighborhoods were moved out of Lee/Lewis only made the school poorer - yet another strike against Lewis.

Lewis enrollment has dropped significantly and most of that is a drop in native English speaking families. Either moved out or avoided the school when purchasing their home. And many pupil place to other schools - LB (AP) and Edison (STEM) as examples. And if all else fails choose a random language to escape.

In sum every major action the School Board has taken (that touched the school) in the last 25 years has undermined Lee/Lewis. It is not something a group of parents can easily fight. So many just flee as others on this board are advising them to do. This cements Lewis' status as a permanent problem school.

I do believe the path to change is:

Switch Lewis to AP
Give Lewis a full slate of language classes (even if the classes are small)
Put AAP at Key
Make Springfield Estates the AAP center for Saratoga - that way all AAP students stay in the pyramid
Check for residency fraud (I am not convinced this is as rampant as others say, but it is worth checking)
They might even want to switch the STEM program to Lewis from Edison because of the excess space at Lewis

They have to give advanced and to some degree simply English speaking natives a reason to attend school in the Lewis pyramid. Otherwise you are basically segregating it into a primarily Hispanic high school. That might even get some negative Federal attention. And what about those poor (and ESL) students who do need more advanced classes? They can't readily transfer to other schools for transportation reasons. Or the total number of advanced class sessions is so small that scheduling becomes impossible (made much worse by the fact that the school has the lowest enrollment in the county).

The School Board needs to take action. Start with some of the items above and move forward.

[Anonymous]

Those are really good changes that 18:12 posted which means no one will ever do them because that’s how it goes here. Every middle school really should have its own AAP center. They’re all large enough for it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Lewis problem has been allowed to fester way too long.

Parents in the past have tried to get the school to switch back to AP and that is how they ended up with some AP classes. But the Lee District School Board member at the time (and an assistant superintendent) absolutely refused to consider making a full switch to AP. Even though the numbers (transfers out for AP, low IB diploma rate) should have made it a simple decision. If basic statistics can't make the School Board see the light then nothing will. You really start to question the motivation for the School Board keeping IB at some of these schools. And previous boundary changes where wealthier neighborhoods were moved out of Lee/Lewis only made the school poorer - yet another strike against Lewis.

Lewis enrollment has dropped significantly and most of that is a drop in native English speaking families. Either moved out or avoided the school when purchasing their home. And many pupil place to other schools - LB (AP) and Edison (STEM) as examples. And if all else fails choose a random language to escape.

In sum every major action the School Board has taken (that touched the school) in the last 25 years has undermined Lee/Lewis. It is not something a group of parents can easily fight. So many just flee as others on this board are advising them to do. This cements Lewis' status as a permanent problem school.

I do believe the path to change is:

Switch Lewis to AP
Give Lewis a full slate of language classes (even if the classes are small)
Put AAP at Key
Make Springfield Estates the AAP center for Saratoga - that way all AAP students stay in the pyramid
Check for residency fraud (I am not convinced this is as rampant as others say, but it is worth checking)
They might even want to switch the STEM program to Lewis from Edison because of the excess space at Lewis

They have to give advanced and to some degree simply English speaking natives a reason to attend school in the Lewis pyramid. Otherwise you are basically segregating it into a primarily Hispanic high school. That might even get some negative Federal attention. And what about those poor (and ESL) students who do need more advanced classes? They can't readily transfer to other schools for transportation reasons. Or the total number of advanced class sessions is so small that scheduling becomes impossible (made much worse by the fact that the school has the lowest enrollment in the county).

The School Board needs to take action. Start with some of the items above and move forward.

All of this! Bravo! 👏

[Anonymous]

Someone from the Lewis area should run for School Board. The last few representatives have been from the Edison area and one of them was definitely very big on IB because her own kid did IB at Edison. Whether it was the right program for most Lee/Lewis kids never seemed to cross her mind.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Lewis problem has been allowed to fester way too long.

Parents in the past have tried to get the school to switch back to AP and that is how they ended up with some AP classes. But the Lee District School Board member at the time (and an assistant superintendent) absolutely refused to consider making a full switch to AP. Even though the numbers (transfers out for AP, low IB diploma rate) should have made it a simple decision. If basic statistics can't make the School Board see the light then nothing will. You really start to question the motivation for the School Board keeping IB at some of these schools. And previous boundary changes where wealthier neighborhoods were moved out of Lee/Lewis only made the school poorer - yet another strike against Lewis.

Lewis enrollment has dropped significantly and most of that is a drop in native English speaking families. Either moved out or avoided the school when purchasing their home. And many pupil place to other schools - LB (AP) and Edison (STEM) as examples. And if all else fails choose a random language to escape.

In sum every major action the School Board has taken (that touched the school) in the last 25 years has undermined Lee/Lewis. It is not something a group of parents can easily fight. So many just flee as others on this board are advising them to do. This cements Lewis' status as a permanent problem school.

I do believe the path to change is:

Switch Lewis to AP
Give Lewis a full slate of language classes (even if the classes are small)
Put AAP at Key
Make Springfield Estates the AAP center for Saratoga - that way all AAP students stay in the pyramid
Check for residency fraud (I am not convinced this is as rampant as others say, but it is worth checking)
They might even want to switch the STEM program to Lewis from Edison because of the excess space at Lewis

They have to give advanced and to some degree simply English speaking natives a reason to attend school in the Lewis pyramid. Otherwise you are basically segregating it into a primarily Hispanic high school. That might even get some negative Federal attention. And what about those poor (and ESL) students who do need more advanced classes? They can't readily transfer to other schools for transportation reasons. Or the total number of advanced class sessions is so small that scheduling becomes impossible (made much worse by the fact that the school has the lowest enrollment in the county).

The School Board needs to take action. Start with some of the items above and move forward.

I wish this were the Lewis fix!

[Anonymous]

I like the new options. More even distribution of ES to HS to build community.

[Anonymous]

They need to get rid of language transfers. Pick three languages, every HS has the same exact three languages.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They need to get rid of language transfers. Pick three languages, every HS has the same exact three languages.

There are five languages offered in immersion.
The suggestion is good, but it is not going to happen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It seems like there's been a large number of posts in the last few days claiming the boundary proposals aren't sufficiently equity-driven.

It doesn't feel like a coincidence, but more like a concerted effort by some folks to lay the foundation for the next round of maps to be very different from those circulated earlier this year.

It's kind of a lose-lose for FCPS, though. If the maps are very different, it may please a few people, but it will antagonize a lot of others and also underscore how incompetent Reid's hired consultants have been. This process has been anything but smooth, and they'd be better served by only dealing with real crises like Coates and figuring out how they might do it better five years from now.

Not to mention that, if KAA is going to be a local school, that's a boundary study that by itself ought to receive careful attention. They've shown no capacity whatsoever to juggle multiple balls at the same time.

I think there's something there. I think that's partly what happened on the West Springfield Facebook group yesterday, too. Groundwork is being set by SB allies now for new maps that are going to look a lot different from what they've released so far.

"School Board Allies?" Are you even listening to yourself? You sound like a conspiracy theorist!!! Take off the tin foil hat, LOL!

I think it was a lot less "school board allies" and much more the folks whose areas are closest to Lewis trying to sell the idea that the neighborhoods farthest from Lewis need to get ready to take one for the team and be happy about getting rezoned, so the areas closest to Lewis don't have to worry about getting rezoned back to Lewis.

That, and a little bit of Rolling Valley wanting either Sangster or Hunt Valley to get rezoned so they can take their spots.

There were also a few Lewis posters defending their school.

It was an interesting thread.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It seems like there's been a large number of posts in the last few days claiming the boundary proposals aren't sufficiently equity-driven.

It doesn't feel like a coincidence, but more like a concerted effort by some folks to lay the foundation for the next round of maps to be very different from those circulated earlier this year.

It's kind of a lose-lose for FCPS, though. If the maps are very different, it may please a few people, but it will antagonize a lot of others and also underscore how incompetent Reid's hired consultants have been. This process has been anything but smooth, and they'd be better served by only dealing with real crises like Coates and figuring out how they might do it better five years from now.

Not to mention that, if KAA is going to be a local school, that's a boundary study that by itself ought to receive careful attention. They've shown no capacity whatsoever to juggle multiple balls at the same time.

I think there's something there. I think that's partly what happened on the West Springfield Facebook group yesterday, too. Groundwork is being set by SB allies now for new maps that are going to look a lot different from what they've released so far.

"School Board Allies?" Are you even listening to yourself? You sound like a conspiracy theorist!!! Take off the tin foil hat, LOL!

It's not too far out there to think that SB members who want something different than what Thru Consulting served up in May/June have been talking to their friends and political allies about socializing the idea of very different (and more aggressive from an equity perspective) boundary changes this fall. Someone mentioned Laura Jane Cohen, who's not on the SB now but used to be, piping up irecently n support of moving kids out of WSHS.

Why yes, she did.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It seems like there's been a large number of posts in the last few days claiming the boundary proposals aren't sufficiently equity-driven.

It doesn't feel like a coincidence, but more like a concerted effort by some folks to lay the foundation for the next round of maps to be very different from those circulated earlier this year.

It's kind of a lose-lose for FCPS, though. If the maps are very different, it may please a few people, but it will antagonize a lot of others and also underscore how incompetent Reid's hired consultants have been. This process has been anything but smooth, and they'd be better served by only dealing with real crises like Coates and figuring out how they might do it better five years from now.

Not to mention that, if KAA is going to be a local school, that's a boundary study that by itself ought to receive careful attention. They've shown no capacity whatsoever to juggle multiple balls at the same time.

I think there's something there. I think that's partly what happened on the West Springfield Facebook group yesterday, too. Groundwork is being set by SB allies now for new maps that are going to look a lot different from what they've released so far.

"School Board Allies?" Are you even listening to yourself? You sound like a conspiracy theorist!!! Take off the tin foil hat, LOL!

It's not too far out there to think that SB members who want something different than what Thru Consulting served up in May/June have been talking to their friends and political allies about socializing the idea of very different (and more aggressive from an equity perspective) boundary changes this fall. Someone mentioned Laura Jane Cohen, who's not on the SB now but used to be, piping up irecently n support of moving kids out of WSHS.

Cohen is not even a West Springfield zoned family. That area is Lake Braddock.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm in the WSHS pyramid and it basically boils down to A. those (who are safe from being moved) who want others to be moved and B. those (at risk of being moved) who don't want to go.

You don't see anyone in favor of boundary review volunteering to pupil place their kids out of WSHS for the common good.

I'm in the HVES neighborhood (with kids at WSHS currently) and personally am not philosophically opposed to a boundary review but feel this is a bandaid and doesn't truly address underlying enrollment issues.

It will be interesting what the real maps look like.

If FCPS wants to rezone part of WSHS to Lewis, the neighborhoods that make the most sense are either Daventry (from West Springfield Elementary) or on the other side of Keene Mill Road, the neighborhoods from the Greeley stoplight to Tiverton near St. Bernadette Church (from Keene Mill Elementary) Both of those neighborhoods are the closest West Springfield High School neighborhoods to Lewis. Either one would make perfect sense to get rezoned to Lewis, if FCPS is trying to fill Lewis.

In the other direction, Gambrill Rd outside the Parkway (from Hunt Valley) is the closest to South County and the farthest from Lewis. If FCPS is trying to add to South County, the current Thru maps make sense to send some of the Gambril neighborhoods to SoCo. Sending that neighborhood to Lewis would be foolish.

The third option is the least disruptive and makes the most sense for WSHS. That option is sending all of Sangster to Lake Braddock, which is one of Thru's suggestions

Right now, there are supposedly several hundred houses, that split from the rest of Sangster and go to Irving, which is farther than Lake Braddock Middle School, and WSHS, which is about the same distance as Lake Braddock.

Keeping all of Sangster together and sending the entire school to Lake Braddock makes far more sense than rezoning any of the other WSHS neighborhoods.

Since your first point is the one I’m most familiar with, no it doesn’t make sense to move Keene Mill or Daventry kids out of WSHS because it will create more split feeders either at the elementary or middle school level. Also many of those kids walk to middle or high school.

And since that was so off, I’m guessing the rest of your post is nonsense tool.

Thru is creating lots of splot feeders, including within the WSHS pyramid.

Daventry is the most recent neighborhood to get rezoned from Lewis (then Lee) to WSHS. According to the Springfield school board rep, Daventry is the reason why WSHS is overcrowded. Daventry should be the first school rezoned back out, since Thru is alrrady creating multiple split feeders on their maps.

Daventry, and the homes zoned for Keene Mill Elementary, from Greeley to Tiverton ard closer to Lewis than WSHS.

If any WSHS neighborhoods are to get rezoned to Lewis, it should be those neighborhoods due to proximity to Lewis and especially Daventry having the most recent connection to Lewis.

They only created Hunt valley split feeders from Thru. IF they took Keene Mill (almost all walk to Irving) then they would get rid of walkers or do a split feeder at middle school. Many Keene mill kids walk to WSHS. IF they took Daventry, that would be a split feeders from West Springfield as many of those kids walk to Irving.

It seems like you aren’t familiar with the neighborhoods. The kids who are already on a bus, and will always be on a bus to go to middle and high are kids from Hunt Valley, Orange Hunt and some parts of Rolling Valley.

Why make more bus routes?

Daventry and mist of Keene Mill are closer to Lewis than WSHS.

Daventry getting rezoned to WSHS in a backdoor deal is what put WSHS over capacity.

Keene Mill should stay at Irving, but they could go to closer Lewis.

Or, the neighborhood of Daventry and along Tiverton could get rezoned back to Lewis.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm in the WSHS pyramid and it basically boils down to A. those (who are safe from being moved) who want others to be moved and B. those (at risk of being moved) who don't want to go.

You don't see anyone in favor of boundary review volunteering to pupil place their kids out of WSHS for the common good.

I'm in the HVES neighborhood (with kids at WSHS currently) and personally am not philosophically opposed to a boundary review but feel this is a bandaid and doesn't truly address underlying enrollment issues.

It will be interesting what the real maps look like.

If FCPS wants to rezone part of WSHS to Lewis, the neighborhoods that make the most sense are either Daventry (from West Springfield Elementary) or on the other side of Keene Mill Road, the neighborhoods from the Greeley stoplight to Tiverton near St. Bernadette Church (from Keene Mill Elementary) Both of those neighborhoods are the closest West Springfield High School neighborhoods to Lewis. Either one would make perfect sense to get rezoned to Lewis, if FCPS is trying to fill Lewis.

In the other direction, Gambrill Rd outside the Parkway (from Hunt Valley) is the closest to South County and the farthest from Lewis. If FCPS is trying to add to South County, the current Thru maps make sense to send some of the Gambril neighborhoods to SoCo. Sending that neighborhood to Lewis would be foolish.

The third option is the least disruptive and makes the most sense for WSHS. That option is sending all of Sangster to Lake Braddock, which is one of Thru's suggestions

Right now, there are supposedly several hundred houses, that split from the rest of Sangster and go to Irving, which is farther than Lake Braddock Middle School, and WSHS, which is about the same distance as Lake Braddock.

Keeping all of Sangster together and sending the entire school to Lake Braddock makes far more sense than rezoning any of the other WSHS neighborhoods.

Since your first point is the one I’m most familiar with, no it doesn’t make sense to move Keene Mill or Daventry kids out of WSHS because it will create more split feeders either at the elementary or middle school level. Also many of those kids walk to middle or high school.

And since that was so off, I’m guessing the rest of your post is nonsense tool.

Thru is creating lots of splot feeders, including within the WSHS pyramid.

Daventry is the most recent neighborhood to get rezoned from Lewis (then Lee) to WSHS. According to the Springfield school board rep, Daventry is the reason why WSHS is overcrowded. Daventry should be the first school rezoned back out, since Thru is alrrady creating multiple split feeders on their maps.

Daventry, and the homes zoned for Keene Mill Elementary, from Greeley to Tiverton ard closer to Lewis than WSHS.

If any WSHS neighborhoods are to get rezoned to Lewis, it should be those neighborhoods due to proximity to Lewis and especially Daventry having the most recent connection to Lewis.

They only created Hunt valley split feeders from Thru. IF they took Keene Mill (almost all walk to Irving) then they would get rid of walkers or do a split feeder at middle school. Many Keene mill kids walk to WSHS. IF they took Daventry, that would be a split feeders from West Springfield as many of those kids walk to Irving.

It seems like you aren’t familiar with the neighborhoods. The kids who are already on a bus, and will always be on a bus to go to middle and high are kids from Hunt Valley, Orange Hunt and some parts of Rolling Valley.

Why make more bus routes?

Sorry, but busting any of those kids who are the farthest neighborhoods from Lewis past a half dozen elementary schools, so your neighborhood 10 minutes from Lewis that used to be zoned for Lewis doesn't get rezoned is just a ridiculous suggestion.

Those parts of Daventry and Keene Mill are bussed to WSHS, and Daventry is bussed to Lewis, so your bussing argument doesn't hold water.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Someone from the Lewis area should run for School Board. The last few representatives have been from the Edison area and one of them was definitely very big on IB because her own kid did IB at Edison. Whether it was the right program for most Lee/Lewis kids never seemed to cross her mind.

Agree.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I asked the question about potential problems the Lewis poster refused to answer and I'm still left scratching my head as to what it is that needs correction by boundary adjustment. It's impossible to have an honest conversation about it when you don't even know what the perceived issues are.

I’m the (potential) Lewis parent and I think you missed the part where I said I wasn’t interested in explaining my concerns to this group. This is clearly not an issue that folks not currently zoned for Lewis will agree, and I accept that.

I didn't miss that part...hence why I said you refused to answer. I was trying to have an honest conversation but it's like dealing with someone who's mad at you but tell you why yet expects you to make it better.

However, I get that you feel like your back is up against the wall so I can't blame you.