South West County HS?

[Anonymous]

They need to stop expanding these giant high schools. They are enormous enough.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They need to stop expanding these giant high schools. They are enormous enough.

Stark contrast across the county where we have schools like Lewis at 1700 and Mt Vernon at 1900 each sitting around 400 students under capacity. Unfortunately it's too far to be of any help with relieving overcrowded schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They need to stop expanding these giant high schools. They are enormous enough.

Stark contrast across the county where we have schools like Lewis at 1700 and Mt Vernon at 1900 each sitting around 400 students under capacity. Unfortunately it's too far to be of any help with relieving overcrowded schools.

You mean overcrowding at Centreville and Chantilly, right?

Because West Springfield is close to Lewis and is overcrowded and West Potomac is the closest school to Mount Vernon and is overcrowded. But FCPS expanded West Springfield and is expanding West Potomac now so kids don't get moved to Lewis or Mount Vernon, even though both of those schools have capacity.

[Anonymous]

The idea of the Western HS was from resulting Silver Line Growth and overcrowding concerns at Several schools- "Dranesville/Hunter Mill/Springfield/Sully District Option #1 - Construct a new high
school in the western end of the Silver Line Metro vicinity. This solution will involve
multiple boundary adjustments to the schools in the western portion of the county and
will impact Herndon HS, Westfield HS, Centreville HS, Oakton HS, Chantilly HS and South Lakes"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The idea of the Western HS was from resulting Silver Line Growth and overcrowding concerns at Several schools- "Dranesville/Hunter Mill/Springfield/Sully District Option #1 - Construct a new high
school in the western end of the Silver Line Metro vicinity. This solution will involve
multiple boundary adjustments to the schools in the western portion of the county and
will impact Herndon HS, Westfield HS, Centreville HS, Oakton HS, Chantilly HS and South Lakes"

source?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The idea of the Western HS was from resulting Silver Line Growth and overcrowding concerns at Several schools- "Dranesville/Hunter Mill/Springfield/Sully District Option #1 - Construct a new high
school in the western end of the Silver Line Metro vicinity. This solution will involve
multiple boundary adjustments to the schools in the western portion of the county and
will impact Herndon HS, Westfield HS, Centreville HS, Oakton HS, Chantilly HS and South Lakes"

I believe what you posted was from a document circulated to School Board members by FCPS staff in November 2014 that set forth different options to address expected overcrowding.

Clearly the idea that the new school was going to be near the western end of the Silver Line extension in Fairfax County was accepted for some period of time, or they wouldn't have flagged that site in the maps included in the later CIPs that identified the "Western HS site" as near Hutchison ES.

However, since this option was floated in late 2014, FCPS has renovated and expanded Herndon, is finishing the renovation and expansion of Oakton, and has expanded South Lakes. That really leaves Centreville and Chantilly as the two overcrowded high schools in western Fairfax that stand out.

They could build near Hutchison in anticipation of future growth near the Silver Line, but that would require many boundary changes to provide relief to Centreville and Chantilly. Or they could try to find a site somewhere closer to Centreville and Chantilly, which would require fewer boundary changes in the first instance but turn out not to be a great location if the growth near the Silver Line zoned for Westfield and Herndon (mostly, Westfield) were to materialize. Or they could do what they've been doing at other schools, and expand Centreville during its upcoming renovation, move some Chantilly kids to Centreville, and leave other kids at Chantilly in trailers and a modular like they are doing over at McLean.

The fact that the most recent draft 2023-2027 CIP is less specific about where the "Western HS" might be located that some earlier CIPs suggests that they at least want people to think they are having second thoughts about building near Hutchison, but who knows what their actual intentions are at this point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The idea of the Western HS was from resulting Silver Line Growth and overcrowding concerns at Several schools- "Dranesville/Hunter Mill/Springfield/Sully District Option #1 - Construct a new high
school in the western end of the Silver Line Metro vicinity. This solution will involve
multiple boundary adjustments to the schools in the western portion of the county and
will impact Herndon HS, Westfield HS, Centreville HS, Oakton HS, Chantilly HS and South Lakes"

source?

Not PP, but if you go to Board Docs and look for the meeting materials for the November 10, 2014 School Board work session, you'll find various attachments for the Facilities discussion that includes the above statement among many potential options to address overcrowding and other facilities-related issues at different schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The idea of the Western HS was from resulting Silver Line Growth and overcrowding concerns at Several schools- "Dranesville/Hunter Mill/Springfield/Sully District Option #1 - Construct a new high
school in the western end of the Silver Line Metro vicinity. This solution will involve
multiple boundary adjustments to the schools in the western portion of the county and
will impact Herndon HS, Westfield HS, Centreville HS, Oakton HS, Chantilly HS and South Lakes"

source?

Not PP, but if you go to Board Docs and look for the meeting materials for the November 10, 2014 School Board work session, you'll find various attachments for the Facilities discussion that includes the above statement among many potential options to address overcrowding and other facilities-related issues at different schools.

And, almost all the new construction in the area nearest the Hutchison site -other than Herndon kids--has been for Westfield. And, from what I have seen it is mostly condos and townhouses. Don't know what the yield is on high school kids--but there is quite a bit of construction there.

I don't think FCPS has ever done a good job of predicting population and schools. By the time the school is built, Chantilly will likely not be as crowded as now. I don't know of any new construction within its boundaries.

[Anonymous]

Not PP, but if you go to Board Docs and look for the meeting materials for the November 10, 2014 School Board work session, you'll find various attachments for the Facilities discussion that includes the above statement among many potential options to address overcrowding and other facilities-related issues at different schools.

So, this was eight years ago and the site has not yet been determined. So, how many more years would it be--based on a prediction in 2014 that is no longer accurate?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The idea of the Western HS was from resulting Silver Line Growth and overcrowding concerns at Several schools- "Dranesville/Hunter Mill/Springfield/Sully District Option #1 - Construct a new high
school in the western end of the Silver Line Metro vicinity. This solution will involve
multiple boundary adjustments to the schools in the western portion of the county and
will impact Herndon HS, Westfield HS, Centreville HS, Oakton HS, Chantilly HS and South Lakes"

source?

Not PP, but if you go to Board Docs and look for the meeting materials for the November 10, 2014 School Board work session, you'll find various attachments for the Facilities discussion that includes the above statement among many potential options to address overcrowding and other facilities-related issues at different schools.

And, almost all the new construction in the area nearest the Hutchison site -other than Herndon kids--has been for Westfield. And, from what I have seen it is mostly condos and townhouses. Don't know what the yield is on high school kids--but there is quite a bit of construction there.

I don't think FCPS has ever done a good job of predicting population and schools. By the time the school is built, Chantilly will likely not be as crowded as now. I don't know of any new construction within its boundaries.

This information was on another recent thread. It indicates the projected student yield at the HS level for additional housing that is being built or has been approved in different pyramids. Of course, some of the approved housing won't get built, or won't get built soon, and the student yields may vary from the projections. But directionally it probably does indicate some high schools that can be expected to see more student growth over the medium term in FCPS (more of the approved projects near the Silver Line are zoned for Westfield than Herndon).

Westfield 769
Marshall 664
South Lakes 623
McLean 508
Edison 229
Oakton 128
Fairfax 118
South County 79
West Potomac 78
Falls Church 77
Lewis 73
Justice 55
Mount Vernon 55
Woodson 44
Chantilly 41
Hayfield 33
Annandale 21
Robinson 13
Langley 10
West Springfield 8
Lake Braddock 7
Madison 4
Herndon 2
Centreville 0

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Not PP, but if you go to Board Docs and look for the meeting materials for the November 10, 2014 School Board work session, you'll find various attachments for the Facilities discussion that includes the above statement among many potential options to address overcrowding and other facilities-related issues at different schools.

So, this was eight years ago and the site has not yet been determined. So, how many more years would it be--based on a prediction in 2014 that is no longer accurate?

I don't really understand the rhetorical question about "how many more years would it be."

The draft 2023-2027 CIP indicates that $23.5M in site acquisition costs have been funded, first in a 2013 bond and more recently in the 2021 bond. The draft then sets forth a schedule that contemplates planning and design for the new Western HS - site to be determined - in 2026 and 2027, permitting in 2028, and construction starting in 2029.

Of course they could reverse course; if they did so, it would free up funds for quite a few other construction projects. But it is getting closer to a start date every year, and they did just make it part of the 2021 bond. If they do cancel the new school, it will make Facilities look particularly inept, although canceling the school would please some people and disappoint others.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here again.

I had also thought that the new HS would be built on a Hutchison site.

But let’s look at the CIPs.

2021-2025 CIP: the new Western HS was clearly marked above 267 near Hutchison in Additional Maps
2022-2026 CIP: the HS mark was gone in Additional Maps. It still says the new HS will be built in Region 1.
2023-2027 CIP: the Addtional Maps say the location for the new HS is NOT determined. .

I don’t know the future, but if you ask my opinion, I think it will be built in South West area. If it were going to be built on the Hutchison site, there is no reason to say that the location is undermined and no need to bring back the mention of South West HS.

In additon, one of the PPs who actually atteneded the board meeting said that the debate on the location would go on. The board will keep two options open and maybe even hire an outside consultant group. But at the end of the day, we all know which location the Langley parents do not want. So I would bet against the Hutchison site.

Personally I prefer the original Carson site but if that’s not possible, I rather want to have a new school in South West. Hutchison location is not good logistically.

I am a Sully parent. I do not want it. Giving relief to Chantilly and Centreville has nothing to do with Langley and the Hutcheson site will not solve the problem.

I hear you. I live in Hunter Mill district and I would rather send my kids to crowded South Lakes than a new HS on Hutchison site. I think the only people who want the Hutchison site are Herndon parents and One Fairfax supporters who wish sending Great Falls kids to Herndon High.

Again, stop perpetuating this myth about the Herndon parents. Herndon is fine with the kids they have in the pyramid, but not so much with the entitled parents in other pyramids.

[Anonymous]

No one can speak for all the parents in a particular pyramid, as their views may differ.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here again.

I had also thought that the new HS would be built on a Hutchison site.

But let’s look at the CIPs.

2021-2025 CIP: the new Western HS was clearly marked above 267 near Hutchison in Additional Maps
2022-2026 CIP: the HS mark was gone in Additional Maps. It still says the new HS will be built in Region 1.
2023-2027 CIP: the Addtional Maps say the location for the new HS is NOT determined. .

I don’t know the future, but if you ask my opinion, I think it will be built in South West area. If it were going to be built on the Hutchison site, there is no reason to say that the location is undermined and no need to bring back the mention of South West HS.

In additon, one of the PPs who actually atteneded the board meeting said that the debate on the location would go on. The board will keep two options open and maybe even hire an outside consultant group. But at the end of the day, we all know which location the Langley parents do not want. So I would bet against the Hutchison site.

Personally I prefer the original Carson site but if that’s not possible, I rather want to have a new school in South West. Hutchison location is not good logistically.

I am a Sully parent. I do not want it. Giving relief to Chantilly and Centreville has nothing to do with Langley and the Hutcheson site will not solve the problem.

I hear you. I live in Hunter Mill district and I would rather send my kids to crowded South Lakes than a new HS on Hutchison site. I think the only people who want the Hutchison site are Herndon parents and One Fairfax supporters who wish sending Great Falls kids to Herndon High.

Again, stop perpetuating this myth about the Herndon parents. Herndon is fine with the kids they have in the pyramid, but not so much with the entitled parents in other pyramids.

Why do you care about “entitled” parents in other pyramids? Outside of games I would think you barely have to interact with any other pyramid parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here again.

I had also thought that the new HS would be built on a Hutchison site.

But let’s look at the CIPs.

2021-2025 CIP: the new Western HS was clearly marked above 267 near Hutchison in Additional Maps
2022-2026 CIP: the HS mark was gone in Additional Maps. It still says the new HS will be built in Region 1.
2023-2027 CIP: the Addtional Maps say the location for the new HS is NOT determined. .

I don’t know the future, but if you ask my opinion, I think it will be built in South West area. If it were going to be built on the Hutchison site, there is no reason to say that the location is undermined and no need to bring back the mention of South West HS.

In additon, one of the PPs who actually atteneded the board meeting said that the debate on the location would go on. The board will keep two options open and maybe even hire an outside consultant group. But at the end of the day, we all know which location the Langley parents do not want. So I would bet against the Hutchison site.

Personally I prefer the original Carson site but if that’s not possible, I rather want to have a new school in South West. Hutchison location is not good logistically.

I am a Sully parent. I do not want it. Giving relief to Chantilly and Centreville has nothing to do with Langley and the Hutcheson site will not solve the problem.

I hear you. I live in Hunter Mill district and I would rather send my kids to crowded South Lakes than a new HS on Hutchison site. I think the only people who want the Hutchison site are Herndon parents and One Fairfax supporters who wish sending Great Falls kids to Herndon High.

Again, stop perpetuating this myth about the Herndon parents. Herndon is fine with the kids they have in the pyramid, but not so much with the entitled parents in other pyramids.

Why do you care about “entitled” parents in other pyramids? Outside of games I would think you barely have to interact with any other pyramid parents.

You either can't be serious or have a very narrow concept of "interactions."