after this change I guess we will be sending ours to private elementary school. I was really excited about lemon road before this news.

IF LR is going to be significantly under populated in a few years and FH is going to be significantly over populated (since it already is over populated), then it stands to reason the LR should take part of the overpopulation. Yeah, it's a bummer that LR might get a population they don't want, but don't claim that it's unjust. It's undesireable, but not unjust (even if filled with lower income kids).

Us vs. Them or rather Them vs. Us has now been established.... I expect that there is going to be a lot of whinging about this study from both sides.

Anonymous wrote:You don't seem to be very concerned that the are already "concentrated" at Freedom Hill

FH is a larger school and the administration has addressed the needs of those students for years. The impact of moving them to Lemon Road, a smaller school that's had its own balance and already has a substantial number of kids living in Pimmit Hills who are non-native English speakers, is something that needs to be considered. In general, educators believe lower-income students fare better when they attend schools with substantial numbers of higher-income students. If FCPS doesn't approach this carefully, they will overwhelm Lemon Road with disadvantaged students who previously had attended different schools.

Maybe you're at Freedom Hill and welcome the prospect of these students leaving? We could impugn each other's motives, but I don't think it's venal to ask FCPS to think this through and not automatically do what Dean Tistadt proposes.

You don't seem to be very concerned that the are already "concentrated" at Freedom Hill

I think what will happen is that FCPS will start off by reassigning a portion of the study area that also includes the nice townhouses on Kings Garden to Lemon Road. Then they'll expand Lemon Road and send part of Shrevewood or Westgate to Lemon Road when the rest of the Freedom Hill study area gets reassigned in a few years.

It's not an issue as to whether "those kids" deserve an education. It's whether FCPS is going to concentrate them at Lemon Road to such an extent, at least for a year, that parents whose kids already speak English say "no mas." FCPS usually tries to be somewhat sensitive to the risk of a tipping point when redistricting.

Great point, 21:59! I get so tired of people acting as though everything FCPS is a conspiracy. I am continually amazed at how well-publicized everything FCPS does is. Just go to the website, people! All their plans, meeting announcements, meeting minutes ... are there in a very well-organized fashion. There are so many public meetings where community members can give their input. Or, sign up for one of the many FCPS newsletters! Or, pay attention to your principal's newsletters! Or, go to your PTA meeting! I've known about this since mid-January and I'm not even at Lemon Road or Freedom Hill!

Great schools is BS...

Anonymous wrote:

Fuck this, where is article, I am gonna get my pta and association dogs on this asap

Why? Because you don't want FCPS to even think about a study that could possibly move "those people" to your school...

Signed,

Those People

Greatschools rates freedom hill very poor, lemon road is rated good. We are concerned about the test scores.

Fuck this, where is article, I am gonna get my pta and association dogs on this asap

Why? Because you don't want FCPS to even think about a study that could possibly move "those people" to your school...

Signed,

Those People

Anonymous wrote:Fuck this, where is article, I am gonna get my pta and association dogs on this asap

http://www.boarddocs.com/vsba/fairfax/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=8R4EJX3AB7D7

Fuck this, where is article, I am gonna get my pta and association dogs on this asap

Odd you say "slipping it through" since FCPS officials were at PTA meetings for both schools in December and the school board rep Patty Reed is active in the issue. This is only the start for the Board to allow FCPS to conduct a study to solve the short term problem. Freedom Hill is the second highest over capacity elementary school (100 over at 710+ and counting) after an expansion subsequent space reprogramming and Lemon Road is 90 under. That is the immediate issue. The second part is that within 4 years the enrollement/capacity continues the current trend to 219 over capacity at FH and 143 under at LR. Studying make a lot sense. It is not only low income...depending on where the line is drawn all those townhouse behind Marshall HS might move. One thing it is, is multi-ethnic...

We are pupil placed at Lemon Road and aren't happy that the school is going to get bigger and possibly not be as appealing, but are fortunate to have an out since it is not our assigned school because the proposed changes seem problematic. I would be concerned if in boundary. There are so few in boundary families I think fcps feels they can slide this thru without opposition.

The good news for Lemon Road parents is that FCPS wants to expand your tiny school, not close it like Clifton. But, FCPS also plans to redistrict the lowest-income area assigned to much larger Freedom Hill to Lemon Road in the process. Any concerns brewing? I can't recall a similar instance in recent memory where FCPS proposed to change a school's demographics so much at once.