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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Here is my suggestion for Emerald Chase:

1. Lobby to stay at Oak Hill along with the Franklin Farm/Navy Island kids being sent there.  There is room, I think according to the slides.
2. Go to Franklin along with the Navy Island.  Again, I think there is room.
3. Lobby to go to Oakton along with the Navy Island.  Chantilly is a non-starter.

[/quote]

I disagree with this gambit. If you want to attend Oakton HS pony up the cash to buy a house in Oakton. I don’t want to be fighting five years from now to keep my Oakton address home zoned to Oakton HS to accommodate “zone stability” for the Emerald Chase vultures. [/quote]

Just because your town name is Oakton and the high school name is Oakton doesn't make it your community high school. Ask all the children all over FCPS who live much closer to one high school and go to a different one. The name doesn't matter, you can't use it as an excuse. [/quote]

This is the silliest post.

Of course, if you live in Oakton you should attend the Oakton neighborhood high school.  If you live in Lorton you should attend the Lorton neighborhood high school.  If you live in Falls Church, you should attend the Falls Church neighborhood high school.   It really is that simple.

At a minimum, students should be zoned for the high school that shares their home zip code, with all boundary tweaks limited to neighborhoods with zip codes outside of the immediate high school zip code.[/quote]

You realize there are more than 1 Falls Church “neighborhood” schools right? [/quote]

They all have different zip codes...

Falls Church high school  22042
Marshall High School 22043
Justice High School 22044
[/quote]

Not to mention the southern portion of McLean HS is also Falls Church (22046)

Whoever is suggesting doing ANYTHING related to school boundaries based on zipcodes really has no clue. Zipcodes are based on logistical convenience for a POST OFFICE from which your particular mail carrier's route originates. They are different in size and scope than schools, not typically co-located, and are not necessarily based on any notion of neighborhood or convenience, even if there does tend to be SOME degree of overlap in some cases with schools, it's by happenstance moreso than by design.[/quote]

Agree.  Some zips have more than one high school and some have none at all.  I think there are a lot that apply to this.[/quote]

If you don't live in the same zip code as a high school, then you would have the current status quo where you (hopefully) go to the nearest high school, but you are at risk of being rezoned every 5 years.

FCPS needs to lock in the closest neighborhoods to each high school if we are going to go through this 2 year process every 5 years.  The zip code is an obvious non partial, concrete method to establish a compact area associated with each high school that will not be rezoned.[/quote]

Or you could just prioritize buying a home as close as you can get to the high school. My neighborhood walks to HS. I think the chances of us ever getting rezoned to another HS- which would require a bus- are approximately 0%. [/quote]

Great idea! There is a walking distance HS to every address in the county!

While we are at it, I hear the peasants calling for bread. Something about starving. What’s they you say? Let them eat cake? Wow, two amazing ideas in a row. You are on fire. [/quote]

Location, location, location... We could have had a wonderful home on the cusp of a border but passed and found something not as nice nearby to the school we wanted. If a particular school is important to you then you need to prioritize location. I'm sorry that's just how it is with the nature of this sort of thing. [/quote]

The Lemon Road ES rezoning takes kids who are literally across the street from Marshall HS and moves them to another HS. These kids could walk toMarshall in 2 minutes but will now have to take a 20 minute bus. So much for those parents' planning, eh?.[/quote]
They shouldn’t move any of that area around Idylwood that’s currently split between Freedom Hill/Lemon Road/Shrevewood because those lines are going to be redrawn in a few years anyway when Dunn Loring elementary opens.

Does Pimmit Hills walk to Marshall? I’ve only ever seen high schoolers get off the bus there while directly across Magarity there are walkers heading to McLean. [/quote]

DP.  Some kids at Pimmit Hills walk to Marshall, but I think PP was talking about kids on the Marshall side of Route 7 next to the school who are zoned to Lemon Road.  The latest Thru proposals move all of Lemon Road, including this area, to McLean.  I don't think those kids will end up at McLean, but the rest of Lemon Road might.  In that case, they might consider giving the families in that area the option to either stay at Lemon Road or get moved to a 100% Marshall feeder like Freedom Hill. [/quote]

[b]The school board already said NO grandfathering.[/b]

They would be insane to allow elementary schools to grandfather, while denying it to high school sophomores, juniors.and possibly even seniors.[/quote]

False. They said they would only grandfather rising seniors. [/quote]

My recollection is that they guaranteed seniors but said they would see about others. So I’m advocating for it-for all high schoolers and middle too![/quote]

They didn't grandfather anyone, officially, but said they would try to grandfathers seniors, 8th and 6th.

If you look at the revised 8130, there is no written guarantee for letting seniors stay at their schools.

*** Note for those of you fighting this, including South County, West Springfield, and yes, even Emerald Chase, FCPS already violated Section V Public Notice which clearly states all the meetings must occur in the PYRAMID affected by rezoning. (See blue and italicized text)

Policy 8130:

Policy 8130.8 School Board FACILITIES SERVICES Facilities Planning Local School Boundaries and Program Assignments This policy supersedes Policy 8130.7.

I.  PURPOSE To define the school boundary policy for the assignment of students to schools and programs, to close or open or consolidate schools and programs where appropriate, and to outline the considerations for such determinations.

II.    SUMMARY OF CHANGES SINCE LAST PUBLICATION

III. AUTHORITY The Fairfax County School Board is vested with the authority to “provide for the consolidation of schools or redistricting of school boundaries or adopt pupil assignment plans whenever such procedure will contribute to the efficiency of the school division.” [Code of Virginia: Section 22.1-79 (4)] Implementation of this policy is delegated by the School Board to the Division Superintendent.

IV. ASSIGNMENT OF STUDENTS AND SCHOOL BOUNDARIES The goal of FCPS’ school boundary establishment, program assignment or location adjustments, or opening or closing a school is to maintain or improve operational excellence and efficiency to sustain a world-class education system, as delineated by section V below. FCPS is committed to providing facilities across the division that are equitably equipped and funded to provide safe and accessible school settings.

Students shall attend the schools and programs that serve the geographic areas of their residences in accordance with the local school boundaries and service areas established by the School Board. Exceptions to this policy will be made in accordance with the current version of Regulation 2230, Student Transfer Process.

Establishment of boundaries and adjustments shall be made without respect to magisterial districts or postal addresses and, whenever possible, shall not affect the same occupied dwellings any more often than once in three years.

V. PUBLIC NOTICE AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

The School Board shall “obtain public comment through a public hearing not less than seven days after reasonable notice to the public in a newspaper of general circulation in the school division prior to providing (i) for the consolidation of schools…(iii)…for redistricting of school boundaries or adopting any pupil assignment plan affecting the assignment of 15 percent or more of the pupils in average daily membership in the affected school.” [Code of Virginia: Section 22.1-79 (8)]

Community engagement shall occur prior to the implementation of any division boundary adjustments as outlined in Regulation 8130.XX, as required by state law. The division reserves the right to base final decisions on the needs of all students in the division.

For emergency temporary boundary adjustments pursuant to Section VII (A) below, no public hearing shall be required.

For the comprehensive review of divisionwide boundaries pursuant to Section VI below, community engagement shall occur both before the review begins and at completion of the review. Results of cyclical review shall be presented to the Board and to the community. Community engagement before the review begins and upon conclusion of the review shall include at minimum in person and virtual meetings in each region and via electronic communications with the community.

[i][color=blue] Public engagement [u]shall occur in each affected school pyramid [/u]before changes are proposed and again after changes are proposed but before any changes are finalized and voted on by the board.[/color] Public engagement at minimum includes pyramid community meetings with in person and virtual options, pyramid wide surveys, and outreach to engage communities, as well as outreach to communities with students placed within the pyramid for programming or other reasons[/i].

For expedited boundary adjustments pursuant to Section VII (B) below, public engagement shall take place in the impacted pyramids before changes are proposed and after again changes are proposed but before any changes are finalized and prior to any board vote on proposed expedited boundary adjustment. Engagement at minimum includes publicly noticed community meetings in each impacted pyramid with in person and virtual options, pyramid wide surveys, and outreach to engage communities.

VI. ESTABLISHMENT OF SCHOOL BOUNDARIES ADJUSTMENTS, INCLUDING SCHOOL OPENINGS AND CLOSINGS

A comprehensive review of divisionwide boundaries shall be conducted at least every 5 years by the Division Superintendent, and any adjustments shall be recommended to the School Board for approval.

Upon this review, in alignment with the Strategic Plan, the Superintendent shall prioritize the following criteria, in no particular order, when recommending individual school boundaries:

● Access to Programming: Ensure equitable access to programs and facilities, and consider impact on school programs and populations.

● Enrollment/Capacity: Using student enrollment projections, balance available capacity across the school division and maximize efficient and effective use of school facilities, as per best practices for capacity utilization and program needs while eliminating or preventing the establishment of split feeders, whenever possible.

● Proximity: Promote contiguous attendance zones and maintain neighborhood groupings (to include condominium and apartment complexes) to eliminate and/or prevent establishment of attendance islands.

● Transportation: Provide for walking and bussing safety and limit transportation times and ensure efficient transportation routes with attendance areas.

As each school community and location is unique, the Superintendent may also consider the following criteria, in no particular order:

● Maintain relationship with school pyramid groupings.

● Minimize disruption of students' instructional programs.

● Minimize future capital and operational budget costs.

● Minimize use of temporary classrooms and modular units.

● Promote stability by focusing on long-term attendance zone stability.

● Reasonably allow for all students from the adjacent neighborhoods and communities to attend a school, taking into consideration natural and man-made barriers (eg major roads, geographic features).

● Support optimal family involvement.

VII. OFF-CYCLE BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENTS

A. Emergency Adjustment: When there is a catastrophic or emergency situation, the Superintendent is authorized to administratively adjust school attendance areas on a temporary basis and after notification to the School Board and the affected communities. The Superintendent shall provide quarterly updates on the status of temporary adjustment, to include its expected duration. If the emergency adjustment is expected to become permanent (or at the direction of the School Board), the Superintendent shall follow the procedure for expedited adjustments.

B. Expedited Adjustment: The Superintendent is authorized to recommend expedited adjustment to school attendance areas, after consultation with the School Board and after publicly-noticed meetings are held in the affected school communities if any of the following instances occur:

○ New unoccupied housing requires reassignment to avoid school crowding

○ to accommodate student transportation

○ in those cases where estimated membership substantially exceeds program capacity of a school

○ program changes

○ School openings or closings

○ unforeseen construction related challenges or delays

The Division Superintendent will provide all recommended adjustments to the School Board for School Board approval at a regularly scheduled meeting.

VIII. PHASING OF ADJUSTMENTS

When possible, adjustments under this policy shall be implemented through attrition and limited phasing, with an effort to ensure consistency of phasing, when possible.

Legal Reference: Code of Virginia Sections 22.1-79 (4) and (8) See also the current version of: Regulation 2230, Student Assignments to Schools (Student Transfers)—Procedure for Exceptions for Intracounty Student Assignments Student Transfer Process

Policy 1440, Educational Equity

FCPS Strategic Plan Policy adopted:  Revised:   Revised:   Revised:   Revised:   Revised:   Revised:   Revised:   Revised:   July 1, 1986 November 6, 1986 July 20, 1989 September 24, 1998 July 27, 2000 October 11, 2002 November 4, 2010 May 9, 2013 DATE

https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/VAEDUFCPS/2024/06/27/file_attachments/2921184/6-18-24%20-%20Policy%208130%20-%20FINAL%20Governance%20Committee%20-%20UPDATED%20Title%20%281%29.pdf[/quote]

I don’t think they violated anything yet because these are just drafts and not official proposals. There will be another round of maps and community engagement and then I’d think they’d need to do them in pyramids affected [/quote]

Public engagement shall occur in each affected school pyramid [u]before changes are proposed[/u] and again after changes are proposed but before any changes are finalized and voted on by the board.

This sounds like proposed changes to me:

"...Initial Draft Boundary Scenarios

Feedback from 12 community meetings during Phase 1 of FCPS’ comprehensive boundary review offered key insights into the community’s perspectives and needs. Our partner, Thru Consulting, collected and analyzed that feedback as well as the input received via email and our online platform. This data informed the creation of three initial draft boundary scenarios: Neighborhood Connectivity, Cohort Continuity, and Comprehensive Balance. (Learn more about the scenarios below.) Now, you can explore and visualize how these initial scenarios may affect boundaries by using our new Boundary Explorer Tool..."

https://www.fcps.edu/about-fcps/maps/2024-2026-boundary-review
[/quote]

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