When are Herndon Middle and Herndon High going to get a break?!??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No. Better to move some Tysons apartments to Langley and increase the economic diversity there.

If they move the richest parts of McLean to Langley, they should take every reference to “One Fairfax” off the county’s web sites, because it will have been shown to be meaningless.

LOL! So, each school would have @4 or 5% FARMS instead of 8% at McLean? Sure, that will really help the kids. Here "poors," we're moving you a little further away so that you can fulfill the "poor" category at Langley.

How are you even going to decide which kids those are? Is there even any low income housing around there?

This is just silly. Kids should go to the closest school that has capacity for them.

Maybe you can start another petition on your One Great Falls site to cap Langley’s FARMS rate at 2%.

Dp here. I live by Langley and there just isn’t any low income housing in the area. There are a few 800k townhouses and some 900k tear downs but pretty much all the housing is $1m+. The houses surrounding Langley are more in the $2-5m range.

Where do you think these FARMs kids should come from?

McLean parents will have a say on boundaries and don't give a flying about Herndon vs. Great Falls bickering.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No. Better to move some Tysons apartments to Langley and increase the economic diversity there.

If they move the richest parts of McLean to Langley, they should take every reference to “One Fairfax” off the county’s web sites, because it will have been shown to be meaningless.

LOL! So, each school would have @4 or 5% FARMS instead of 8% at McLean? Sure, that will really help the kids. Here "poors," we're moving you a little further away so that you can fulfill the "poor" category at Langley.

How are you even going to decide which kids those are? Is there even any low income housing around there?

This is just silly. Kids should go to the closest school that has capacity for them.

Maybe you can start another petition on your One Great Falls site to cap Langley’s FARMS rate at 2%.

Dp here. I live by Langley and there just isn’t any low income housing in the area. There are a few 800k townhouses and some 900k tear downs but pretty much all the housing is $1m+. The houses surrounding Langley are more in the $2-5m range.

Where do you think these FARMs kids should come from?

McLean parents will have a say on boundaries and don't give a flying about Herndon vs. Great Falls bickering.

Agreed, the various alternatives will be fleshed out over the coming months, notwithstanding the effort of some people to try and dictate in advance which areas are considered.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sorry I messed the previous post up.

I was asking what issues would Elaine Tholen be paying attention to?

I have seen no advocacy from Herndon, but McLean and Langley parents in Dranesville are crystal clear on what the main issues are in that part of the district.

It seems like the issues emerging in the Herndon pyramid are typical of higher FARMS pyramids and include (1) a heightened sense that the schools pay little attention to kids who aren't either gifted/AAP or ESOL/FARMS; (2) lower levels of parental involvement, which means that some parents have to shoulder a heavy burden if they want their schools to be able to offer even a fraction of the extra-curricular opportunities of a Langley or McLean; and (3) in some instances, safety and security concerns.

When you look at Dranesville, Langley precincts have tended to vote mostly for the Republican-endorsed candidate in School Board elections, whereas the Herndon and McLean precincts have tended to vote for the Democratic-endorsed candidate (and the Herndon precincts by larger margins than the McLean precincts). Tholen has been endorsed by the Democrats, and there are a lot of Herndon people who are active in the Fairfax County Democratic Committee and the Dranesville District Democratic Committee who'll be bending her ear. Karloutsos is a relative newcomer to the county and lives in the Langley part of McLean. Mobasheri is one of the Great Falls parents who appears to have become involved entirely to protect Langley's boundaries. Of the three, Tholen seems far and away the most likely to listen to Herndon parents, even if she has also taken the position that there's no need to pull anyone out of the Langley district any time soon

Another plus for Tholen is that it's likely the Democrats will retain control of the School Board. The worst-case scenario for the Democrats is that their 10-2 margin on the School Board shrinks to 8-4; it's entirely possible they could win all 12 seats (Wilson has been a very lackluster Board member in Sully and almost surely will lose; Schultz is facing a tough challenge in Springfield from Cohen; and Moon's decision to take his name off the ballot this week increases the odds that the Democrats will retain the three at-large seats). It will be easier for Tholen to get resources for Herndon schools if she's from the same party as most of her colleagues - that's just a fact.

In other words, nothing changes at Herndon.

[Anonymous]

FCPS has budgeted $106M to renovate and expand Herndon HS; over 1/2 of that amount has already been spent.

And you’d suggest nothing is changing there? I can think of some other schools that never received and would happily take that amount of money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No. Better to move some Tysons apartments to Langley and increase the economic diversity there.

If they move the richest parts of McLean to Langley, they should take every reference to “One Fairfax” off the county’s web sites, because it will have been shown to be meaningless.

One Fairfax never said that "equity" means "distribution of county population evenly by race and socioeconomic status"

It aims to consider how varying communities and populations are affected by various aspects of life.

It makes practical sense to continue a continuous boundary and include McLean neighborhoods that are currently next to the Langley boundary.

No one's going to kick up a fuss if some apartments are also zoned to Langley.

I think alot will depend on available bus drivers and how best to configure the routes.

If Langley and McLean both have 3-7% FARMs when this is over, people will still be mad.

[Anonymous]

Get ready for more families fleeing to privates

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No. Better to move some Tysons apartments to Langley and increase the economic diversity there.

If they move the richest parts of McLean to Langley, they should take every reference to “One Fairfax” off the county’s web sites, because it will have been shown to be meaningless.

One Fairfax never said that "equity" means "distribution of county population evenly by race and socioeconomic status"

It aims to consider how varying communities and populations are affected by various aspects of life.

It makes practical sense to continue a continuous boundary and include McLean neighborhoods that are currently next to the Langley boundary.

No one's going to kick up a fuss if some apartments are also zoned to Langley.

I think alot will depend on available bus drivers and how best to configure the routes.

If Langley and McLean both have 3-7% FARMs when this is over, people will still be mad.

Find the Title 1 schools adjacent to any boundaries of Langley or Mclean. https://www.fcps.edu/about-fcps/performance-and-accountability/title-i/title-i-identified-schools

Mclean has a tight boundary except for the Route 7 island [Shouse] and the Timberlane [Title 1 - rest of it goes to Falls Church]. Springhill split feeder to Mclean include The Rotunda- condos in Tysons and the Lincoln - apartments in Tysons. The Shouse part got spun off when Colvin Run opened.

Justice is getting an addition - could FCSB have redone boundaries and removed that addition from the bond referendum freeing up referendum and bond sales amounts? I didn't and don't see the 3 at large members plus Hunter Mill Hynes offering up some swap - Hutchison to South Lakes from Herndon and Forest Edge from South Lakes to Langley and Forestville from Langley to Herndon.

Now that we're done with the geography lesson what about an Arlington County style option or academy for Langley excess? Transportation provided from base schools? None of the 3 at large members nor any Magisterial District members came up with an idea available to the public. High school level dual immersion with a defined quota on infused Spanish first language and level of proficiency in English near or at zero.

Guess what happens with option sites ? Look at South Arlington and who leaves. Base schools with heavy concentrations of Hispanic disadvantaged and ELs. So people apply for option schools for Spanish Immersion when the base school is a real Spanish Immersion site. It's like DC publics and charter schools.

The getting a break for Herndon Pyramid and anyone else in this county is going to happen when the BOS-Board of Supervisors ups their game and makes FCPS use existing bricks and mortar capacity. BOS has raised the bond referendum amount and the annual bond sales amount. What has FCPS done with the money? Incidentally your property taxes [through ownership or rent paid] are impacted by FCPS debt repayment and operating budget transfer.

Trailers and facility modifications for overcrowding are out of the operating budget. Trailers have the cost of the trailer and site placement. See below for County on optimization and trailer reduction.

https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/budget/sites/budget/files/assets/documents/fy2020/advertised/cip/8-public-schools.pdf

This is not a situation where Herndon is 500 under capacity and Langley is 500 over. Where there is that situation is West Potomac and Mount Vernon and it is a long term issue. It is a farce that any West Potomac trailers go into the trailer reduction number when there is open capacity at Mount Vernon. Same for even building the Oakton area elementary school. http://waynewoodelem.ch2v.com/Content/91_19/Files/PTAMinutesMarch2017.pdf

And what about program money out of property taxes? Compare demographics at Hunters Woods and Hutchison? Which one gets more money? In the east there's Bailey's and the west, Hutchison. Between FCPS and Fairfax County a student whose base school is Bailey's has a greater allocation per pupil cost.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Get ready for more families fleeing to privates

McLean families don't want to move to Langley, but I don't think they'll pull their kids out of FCPS as a result.

[Anonymous]

I didn't and don't see the 3 at large members plus Hunter Mill Hynes offering up some swap - Hutchison to South Lakes from Herndon and Forest Edge from South Lakes to Langley and Forestville from Langley to Herndon.

I don't think anyone thinks that is a good idea except for the Herndon mom.

1. Would middle schools also change? Hutchison is very close to Herndon Middle. And, most of the students live in the Town of Herndon. Present commute would dramatically increase.
2. Forest Edge would triple their commute--maybe more if you measure time. And, they've always been at South Lakes. Unlikely they wish to move.
3. Forestville has gone to Langley for over twenty years. They do not wish to move.

But, sure, let's make lots of people unhappy in the name of OneFairfax.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I didn't and don't see the 3 at large members plus Hunter Mill Hynes offering up some swap - Hutchison to South Lakes from Herndon and Forest Edge from South Lakes to Langley and Forestville from Langley to Herndon.

I don't think anyone thinks that is a good idea except for the Herndon mom.

1. Would middle schools also change? Hutchison is very close to Herndon Middle. And, most of the students live in the Town of Herndon. Present commute would dramatically increase.
2. Forest Edge would triple their commute--maybe more if you measure time. And, they've always been at South Lakes. Unlikely they wish to move.
3. Forestville has gone to Langley for over twenty years. They do not wish to move.

But, sure, let's make lots of people unhappy in the name of OneFairfax.

The reality is that there will be no significant change in the Herndon boundaries unless and until a new high school is built. It's a compact attendance area, and the poverty is coming from areas that are either very close to the School or border another jurisdiction. If and when a new school is built they can bundle Hutchison with some more affluent schools in the Westfield, Chantilly and/or Oakton pyramids, but until then Herndon's boundaries should remain intact. They should be gratified that WMATA is bringing Metro their way, as well as that FCPS has spent lots of money on the HHS renovation - $30M more than was spent on Langley - and that the school has a robust AP program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Get ready for more families fleeing to privates

McLean families don't want to move to Langley, but I don't think they'll pull their kids out of FCPS as a result.

The McLean families that will likely move to Langley already live close to Langley anyway, so most do not really have a problem with the move. It's not likely they would be moving families that live way south near Arlington to Langely. So the families affected already live close to Langley HS and likely have higher incomes and demographics similar to those that live in upper McLean. And given that it likely won't happen immediately, most current McLean HS students will have graduated by the time this goes into effect. It isn't happening next fall, and any changes likely won't go effective for another 2-5 years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Get ready for more families fleeing to privates

McLean families don't want to move to Langley, but I don't think they'll pull their kids out of FCPS as a result.

The McLean families that will likely move to Langley already live close to Langley anyway, so most do not really have a problem with the move. It's not likely they would be moving families that live way south near Arlington to Langely. So the families affected already live close to Langley HS and likely have higher incomes and demographics similar to those that live in upper McLean. And given that it likely won't happen immediately, most current McLean HS students will have graduated by the time this goes into effect. It isn't happening next fall, and any changes likely won't go effective for another 2-5 years.

The plan that Janie Strauss floated earlier this year didn't involve moving the kids at McLean who live closest to Langley there. Doubt that will happen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No. Better to move some Tysons apartments to Langley and increase the economic diversity there.

If they move the richest parts of McLean to Langley, they should take every reference to “One Fairfax” off the county’s web sites, because it will have been shown to be meaningless.

One Fairfax never said that "equity" means "distribution of county population evenly by race and socioeconomic status"

It aims to consider how varying communities and populations are affected by various aspects of life.

It makes practical sense to continue a continuous boundary and include McLean neighborhoods that are currently next to the Langley boundary.

No one's going to kick up a fuss if some apartments are also zoned to Langley.

I think alot will depend on available bus drivers and how best to configure the routes.

If Langley and McLean both have 3-7% FARMs when this is over, people will still be mad.

Further proof, if any were needed, that they have evil motivations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Get ready for more families fleeing to privates

McLean families don't want to move to Langley, but I don't think they'll pull their kids out of FCPS as a result.

Speak for yourself! We would love to move to Langley, as would our neighbors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Get ready for more families fleeing to privates

McLean families don't want to move to Langley, but I don't think they'll pull their kids out of FCPS as a result.

Speak for yourself! We would love to move to Langley, as would our neighbors.

Come to the meetings and let the board know.