Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Would you be okay with getting rid of the immersion program at Kent Gardens? Because I think that would get rid of your overcrowding. If that’s not enough, get rid of local level IV and have kids who want to have a Level Iv program go to a center.

I am guessing OP wouldn’t be okay with either of these options or with changing boundaries. But complaining on DCUM is a good idea, too, OP.

All that is needed to reduce the overcrowding at KG is to reduce the number of kids in the immersion program who live outside KG’s base boundaries and to move part of Kent Gardens to nearby Franklin Sherman, which is under capacity. The former has already started to happen but it’s being phased in very slowly.

I sense you like the idea of stripping that pyramid further of any special programs, but it’s neither necessary nor appropriate. As for LLIV, KG already sends kids to the AAP center at Churchill Road. They don’t really have space for more without adding trailers there.

And herein lies the problem with KG. They don't want to get rid of immersion, they just want to get rid of outsiders. Typical Mclean.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FCPS needs to redraw its school boundaries to redistribute the student population.

And then the same parents screaming about trailers will scream about either moving schools or more people coming into theirs.

Literally anything they do y’all will hate.

The curse of active involved parents who want high standards.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FCPS needs to redraw its school boundaries to redistribute the student population.

And then the same parents screaming about trailers will scream about either moving schools or more people coming into theirs.

Literally anything they do y’all will hate.

If FCPS approached facilities and boundaries sensibly that wouldn’t be the case - and insofar as Kent Gardens is concerned moving kids to under-enrolled ES that feed to the same MS and HS would be efficient and generate relatively few complaints.

If you look at the last boundary change involving ES, it involved a bunch of ES that all fed into Glasgow MS and Justice HS to relieve overcrowding at Glen Forest ES. Parents mostly went along with it, other than pointing out that FCPS hadn’t redrawn the boundaries carefully enough, as a result of which they largely transferred the overcrowding problem at one school (Glen Forest) to another school (Parklawn).

But, yeah, go ahead and blame parents for all the problems. That’s been working out really well.

“Sensibly” to y’all means “what I agree with” and not what’s actually sensible. The latter might mean your kid has to go to a school with more of The Poors and, we’ll, that’s just unacceptable!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FCPS needs to redraw its school boundaries to redistribute the student population.

And then the same parents screaming about trailers will scream about either moving schools or more people coming into theirs.

Literally anything they do y’all will hate.

If FCPS approached facilities and boundaries sensibly that wouldn’t be the case - and insofar as Kent Gardens is concerned moving kids to under-enrolled ES that feed to the same MS and HS would be efficient and generate relatively few complaints.

If you look at the last boundary change involving ES, it involved a bunch of ES that all fed into Glasgow MS and Justice HS to relieve overcrowding at Glen Forest ES. Parents mostly went along with it, other than pointing out that FCPS hadn’t redrawn the boundaries carefully enough, as a result of which they largely transferred the overcrowding problem at one school (Glen Forest) to another school (Parklawn).

But, yeah, go ahead and blame parents for all the problems. That’s been working out really well.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Would you be okay with getting rid of the immersion program at Kent Gardens? Because I think that would get rid of your overcrowding. If that’s not enough, get rid of local level IV and have kids who want to have a Level Iv program go to a center.

I am guessing OP wouldn’t be okay with either of these options or with changing boundaries. But complaining on DCUM is a good idea, too, OP.

All that is needed to reduce the overcrowding at KG is to reduce the number of kids in the immersion program who live outside KG’s base boundaries and to move part of Kent Gardens to nearby Franklin Sherman, which is under capacity. The former has already started to happen but it’s being phased in very slowly.

I sense you like the idea of stripping that pyramid further of any special programs, but it’s neither necessary nor appropriate. As for LLIV, KG already sends kids to the AAP center at Churchill Road. They don’t really have space for more without adding trailers there.

There is no need for an immersion program that serves only one school. Keep it and stay overcrowded or get rid of it and don’t be overcrowded.

I am tired of parents complaining but being unwilling to make changes that affect them.

The immersion program will continue to serve students from many feeder schools, but the percentage of kids from our-of-boundary schools will be reduced, as it should be at least until other actions are taken such as a boundary change with Chesterbrook or Franklin Sherman.

In general, FCPS invests very little in the McLean pyramid compared to other pyramids in the county (McLean HS being another example) and treats it like a cash cow instead. There are also very few special programs in the pyramid compared to other pyramids. Parents like OP have every right to be frustrated.

Maybe that's because your PTAs can raise hundreds of thousands of dollars and use those on specials/extracurriculars/etc., while parents in other pyramids can't afford to do that.

You are just making those PTSA numbers up and, even if they were true, they wouldn’t justify the glaring disparities in capital spending within FCPS, which involves much larger amounts. No PSTA is raising the type of money needed to add a wing to overcrowded McLean HS nor can any PTSA decide to change an overcrowded elementary school’s boundaries.

Anonymous wrote:FCPS needs to redraw its school boundaries to redistribute the student population.

And then the same parents screaming about trailers will scream about either moving schools or more people coming into theirs.

Literally anything they do y’all will hate.

Our elementary school has a quad of trailers too. The 5th grade is out there and it takes up half the basketball court. I also have serious safety concerns about them - active shooter, weather, and even walking too and from the bathroom. It's not a safe solution to the problem.

And we do not have a desirable elementary school or any extra programs (no immersion, no AAP, etc.).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Would you be okay with getting rid of the immersion program at Kent Gardens? Because I think that would get rid of your overcrowding. If that’s not enough, get rid of local level IV and have kids who want to have a Level Iv program go to a center.

I am guessing OP wouldn’t be okay with either of these options or with changing boundaries. But complaining on DCUM is a good idea, too, OP.

All that is needed to reduce the overcrowding at KG is to reduce the number of kids in the immersion program who live outside KG’s base boundaries and to move part of Kent Gardens to nearby Franklin Sherman, which is under capacity. The former has already started to happen but it’s being phased in very slowly.

I sense you like the idea of stripping that pyramid further of any special programs, but it’s neither necessary nor appropriate. As for LLIV, KG already sends kids to the AAP center at Churchill Road. They don’t really have space for more without adding trailers there.

There is no need for an immersion program that serves only one school. Keep it and stay overcrowded or get rid of it and don’t be overcrowded.

I am tired of parents complaining but being unwilling to make changes that affect them.

The immersion program will continue to serve students from many feeder schools, but the percentage of kids from our-of-boundary schools will be reduced, as it should be at least until other actions are taken such as a boundary change with Chesterbrook or Franklin Sherman.

In general, FCPS invests very little in the McLean pyramid compared to other pyramids in the county (McLean HS being another example) and treats it like a cash cow instead. There are also very few special programs in the pyramid compared to other pyramids. Parents like OP have every right to be frustrated.

Maybe that's because your PTAs can raise hundreds of thousands of dollars and use those on specials/extracurriculars/etc., while parents in other pyramids can't afford to do that.

Our principal moved the specials out to the trailers and put the grade-level classrooms back in the building. I don't know why more schools don't do that.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They're called "portables" and they can be perfectly capable of housing a classroom. I work in an elementary school where the entire 5th grade is in portables. It's fine. Nobody is upset about it. It's climate controlled and they have water bubblers in there (and this is not a wealthy school). The kids have passes to go inside for the bathroom and they love doing the long walk.

There's no problem here, you're making a problem.

Oh please stop with this! I'm a teacher-teachers dread "portables" aka trailers. Kids don't like it either. And the active shooter subject is a serious concern.

FCPS is spending money on adding security vestibules at the entrances to schools but not prioritizing making sure that schools have adequate permanent seats so kids are out of the cheap detached trailers and modulars.

Anonymous wrote:They're called "portables" and they can be perfectly capable of housing a classroom. I work in an elementary school where the entire 5th grade is in portables. It's fine. Nobody is upset about it. It's climate controlled and they have water bubblers in there (and this is not a wealthy school). The kids have passes to go inside for the bathroom and they love doing the long walk.

There's no problem here, you're making a problem.

Oh please stop with this! I'm a teacher-teachers dread "portables" aka trailers. Kids don't like it either. And the active shooter subject is a serious concern.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Would you be okay with getting rid of the immersion program at Kent Gardens? Because I think that would get rid of your overcrowding. If that’s not enough, get rid of local level IV and have kids who want to have a Level Iv program go to a center.

I am guessing OP wouldn’t be okay with either of these options or with changing boundaries. But complaining on DCUM is a good idea, too, OP.

All that is needed to reduce the overcrowding at KG is to reduce the number of kids in the immersion program who live outside KG’s base boundaries and to move part of Kent Gardens to nearby Franklin Sherman, which is under capacity. The former has already started to happen but it’s being phased in very slowly.

I sense you like the idea of stripping that pyramid further of any special programs, but it’s neither necessary nor appropriate. As for LLIV, KG already sends kids to the AAP center at Churchill Road. They don’t really have space for more without adding trailers there.

There is no need for an immersion program that serves only one school. Keep it and stay overcrowded or get rid of it and don’t be overcrowded.

I am tired of parents complaining but being unwilling to make changes that affect them.

The immersion program will continue to serve students from many feeder schools, but the percentage of kids from our-of-boundary schools will be reduced, as it should be at least until other actions are taken such as a boundary change with Chesterbrook or Franklin Sherman.

In general, FCPS invests very little in the McLean pyramid compared to other pyramids in the county (McLean HS being another example) and treats it like a cash cow instead. There are also very few special programs in the pyramid compared to other pyramids. Parents like OP have every right to be frustrated.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Would you be okay with getting rid of the immersion program at Kent Gardens? Because I think that would get rid of your overcrowding. If that’s not enough, get rid of local level IV and have kids who want to have a Level Iv program go to a center.

I am guessing OP wouldn’t be okay with either of these options or with changing boundaries. But complaining on DCUM is a good idea, too, OP.

All that is needed to reduce the overcrowding at KG is to reduce the number of kids in the immersion program who live outside KG’s base boundaries and to move part of Kent Gardens to nearby Franklin Sherman, which is under capacity. The former has already started to happen but it’s being phased in very slowly.

I sense you like the idea of stripping that pyramid further of any special programs, but it’s neither necessary nor appropriate. As for LLIV, KG already sends kids to the AAP center at Churchill Road. They don’t really have space for more without adding trailers there.

There is no need for an immersion program that serves only one school. Keep it and stay overcrowded or get rid of it and don’t be overcrowded.

I am tired of parents complaining but being unwilling to make changes that affect them.

Anonymous wrote:“We” is our community! Our school district. Everyone who lives in FCPS bounds is responsible to providing our kids a public school education. As per a recent PTA meeting, we have 168 kids in the grade plus specials teachers. I sat and listened to how the kids essentially only go into their school building for the cafeteria, bathrooms or gym. AND while I’m certain the principal and school staff are doing everything they can to make the best of the situation, it is these kids community that owe them, yes OWE them a properly functioning school. My youngest hasn’t even started elementary yet (oldest is already there). None of this will be solved on the current time line prior to either finishing high school!

FCPS has systematically under-invested in your pyramid for many years. As long as the test scores are good, they will keep screwing you over and investing disproportionate amounts of money in other pyramids like West Potomac.

These problems are getting more acute with all the growth taking place and planned near Tysons and West Falls Church.

Your school board member lives in Great Falls and your problems are not hers. She will pretend to listen but there is no sense of urgency on her part to address overcrowding or dilapidated schools where you live. Her own school got a very nice renovation shortly before she took office.

Replacing her next year with someone who is actually a fighter and prepared to rock the boat is needed. Many of the school board members won’t mind if your schools fall apart and you move your kids to privates as long as you keep paying the taxes to fund their projects elsewhere.

Anonymous wrote:Would you be okay with getting rid of the immersion program at Kent Gardens? Because I think that would get rid of your overcrowding. If that’s not enough, get rid of local level IV and have kids who want to have a Level Iv program go to a center.

I am guessing OP wouldn’t be okay with either of these options or with changing boundaries. But complaining on DCUM is a good idea, too, OP.

All that is needed to reduce the overcrowding at KG is to reduce the number of kids in the immersion program who live outside KG’s base boundaries and to move part of Kent Gardens to nearby Franklin Sherman, which is under capacity. The former has already started to happen but it’s being phased in very slowly.

I sense you like the idea of stripping that pyramid further of any special programs, but it’s neither necessary nor appropriate. As for LLIV, KG already sends kids to the AAP center at Churchill Road. They don’t really have space for more without adding trailers there.