What if no one opts in?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid was excited about the presentation, he likes the aerospace engineering and the AI.

I would guess some kids will be excited by the drones, piloting drones, and piloting planes.

Perhaps the ultimate goal is to allow for flexible transfers into or out of this new aerospace / ai focus high school. That won't rock the boat too much with the other nearby comprehensive high schools.

This would be my guess too. They’ll have it be focused on tech the first couple of years to get it off the ground, and then a whole bunch of patents will say that their kids aren’t into tech and shouldn’t be forced to be second class citizens at the school, then they’ll just leave it as an opt-in school with a tech focus

I don’t ever say this about fcps, but it’s kind of an ingenious work around of the push for a traditional school. Not saying I agree with it of course.

Anonymous wrote:I could be wrong, but I think they got worried that they wouldn't have enough kids opting in if they just described Western as another traditional high school - but one whose boundaries hadn't yet been finalized - so they decided to go all in on hyping the AI/robotics/avionics stuff in hopes of convincing more kids to opt in.

Maybe that's a good gamble, maybe not.

The AI, robotics, aerospace stuff has been there from day one. The only change is that they have moved it from being an academy to a program. I have no clue what the difference is between the two, but the academy idea was shot down because we nee a traditional school. It feels like an academy program to me except maybe they won’t provide transportation for kids who are interested? I don’t get the difference.

But the marketing, to adults and kids, is clearly that these new programs and opportunities are going to be great, hope to see you here. Otherwise they are selling “Come to a new school where we are just building traditions”, which is going to do little to get kids or parents excited. I doubt that there are going to be kids whose parents don’t want them to move who went home an were like “I need to go to the new school.”

And they really could have used the help of a kid or two to put together that presentation because it was poorly done, the graphics showing up last? The repeating of the same theme? The lack of “help us build our school spirit through sports, music, and theatre.” The 8th graders probably could have built a better presentation.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Crossfield/Carson moms freaking out about a meeting apparently being held with 8th graders about the new high school. Are their kids so fragile that they can’t hear about the possibility of there being a new school that some kids might choose to attend? Afraid their kids will actually want to go there? I’m baffled by the freakout. 8th graders from all over the country make choices along with their parents about where to attend high school in areas with they have school choice or if they attend a private/Catholic school. They are old enough to weigh pros and cons and talk with parents about their choices. Why are we acting like kids can’t handle anything that might be stressful for them? If this is their biggest concern I’d say life is pretty cushy.

OMG the Facebook page is HILARIOUS. I think this is smart - we shouldn't shelter the kids from the great choices available to them.

What page??

The Crossfield PTO president and her friends (all of whom have kids in AAP, surprise, surprise) started Rooted in Oakton and an accompanying Facebook group. It's mostly them and their friends. Or people they think are their friends, LOL.

I know someone in that whole Crossfield PTO circle, and this is exactly what people are describing. She lives through her daughter’s sports that the constant play-by-play updates are honestly nauseating. Like… give it a break. And if you’re on the sidelines with her, she’ll talk down about other kids who aren’t at her daughter’s level, which is just exhausting. So the freakout over the new high school? Makes zero sense. These families live a couple miles from Western and could actually help make the programs there including sports amazing from day one. Acting like mentioning another school option will emotionally shatter their kids is ridiculous. They could be part of building something great, but instead it’s drama for no reason.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Crossfield/Carson moms freaking out about a meeting apparently being held with 8th graders about the new high school. Are their kids so fragile that they can’t hear about the possibility of there being a new school that some kids might choose to attend? Afraid their kids will actually want to go there? I’m baffled by the freakout. 8th graders from all over the country make choices along with their parents about where to attend high school in areas with they have school choice or if they attend a private/Catholic school. They are old enough to weigh pros and cons and talk with parents about their choices. Why are we acting like kids can’t handle anything that might be stressful for them? If this is their biggest concern I’d say life is pretty cushy.

OMG the Facebook page is HILARIOUS. I think this is smart - we shouldn't shelter the kids from the great choices available to them.

Is there a Facebook page too?

I could be wrong, but I think they got worried that they wouldn't have enough kids opting in if they just described Western as another traditional high school - but one whose boundaries hadn't yet been finalized - so they decided to go all in on hyping the AI/robotics/avionics stuff in hopes of convincing more kids to opt in.

Maybe that's a good gamble, maybe not.

What a mess. It is either a comprehensive high school with traditional boundaries or it is not. If they are making it a tiny comprehensive high school with a magnet, this is not fair to those who want to attend a traditional high school with all that goes with it.
Does this mean that those who do not want to attend an aviation high school can opt out forever?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have to admit, having seen the video (thank you to the poster!) I am very impressed and my son will likely be attending. I am a little concerned about the lack of conversation around AP courses but once they confirm that, for my kid - a STEM kid - its a good fit. I also work as a c-level technology executive in the defense industry and the demand for machine learning, drone, hard and soft robotics and AI is off the charts. I understand their is uncertainty around the classical high school experience (sports etc) but it's not that big of a deal for us. I can see this won't get full steam for a couple years but it will be exciting if this actually comes to be- possibly a national model.

Some U.S. school districts are in fact taking a hard look at the European model of secondary education. Schools there are more focused on developing future skills for work or university, and students choose an educational track. Sports and extracurriculars are sponsored by the local jurisdiction and not the schools themselves. There are also publicly funded sports academies throughout Europe for more athletically-inclined students. While we can only speculate, the future Western HS might be some version of the European model. FCPS is clearly interested in exploring novel educational trends based on proven models.

Yes. Let's give them all a test when they are ten years old that determines their future. Great idea!
We are not Europe. This is not a good idea.

Anonymous wrote:I have to admit, having seen the video (thank you to the poster!) I am very impressed and my son will likely be attending. I am a little concerned about the lack of conversation around AP courses but once they confirm that, for my kid - a STEM kid - its a good fit. I also work as a c-level technology executive in the defense industry and the demand for machine learning, drone, hard and soft robotics and AI is off the charts. I understand their is uncertainty around the classical high school experience (sports etc) but it's not that big of a deal for us. I can see this won't get full steam for a couple years but it will be exciting if this actually comes to be- possibly a national model.

Some U.S. school districts are in fact taking a hard look at the European model of secondary education. Schools there are more focused on developing future skills for work or university, and students choose an educational track. Sports and extracurriculars are sponsored by the local jurisdiction and not the schools themselves. There are also publicly funded sports academies throughout Europe for more athletically-inclined students. While we can only speculate, the future Western HS might be some version of the European model. FCPS is clearly interested in exploring novel educational trends based on proven models.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That's how it was phrased. I hope she meant that cville kids would be affected by it (by rezoning to westfield) but she definitely said that cville kids would be going to the western high school last night. And that the zoning map is not one of the 4

Does she have any idea of how disruptive her comments are? Look at a map. There is no world in which it would make sense to send Centreville kids that far.

I did not attend this meeting but I get the sense from past meetings that Reid thinks kids from other schools that won't ultimately be zoned to KAA will opt in to go there during the phase in period.

I think I saw a rumor that the new scenario will show no relief for Oakton and South Lakes. Maybe they’ll continue letting Centreville kids opt in even after the two year period.

"I think I saw a rumor"

Yeah, okay.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I honestly can't think of anything I would be less interested in then sending my kids to some kind Baggage Handler/AI/Chat GPT themed school.

What are they thinking?

That presentation is possibly the worst thing they could have done. I was on the fence but now I want no part of the western high school. I can't be the only one

You weren't the audience for this, sweetie.

As I think about the model of kids opting in before boundaries are set (which makes no sense for a traditional school), I think they are offering the opt in to all overcrowded schools and if they get a full class, they wont draw traditional boundaries. Just a hunch but it solves for people complaining who don't want to be there and if they don't get enough opt ins, they draw a small boundary of traditionally zoned kids. This would be the only subterfuge that would make sense. Otherwise they are totally off their rockers.

I have to admit, having seen the video (thank you to the poster!) I am very impressed and my son will likely be attending. I am a little concerned about the lack of conversation around AP courses but once they confirm that, for my kid - a STEM kid - its a good fit. I also work as a c-level technology executive in the defense industry and the demand for machine learning, drone, hard and soft robotics and AI is off the charts. I understand their is uncertainty around the classical high school experience (sports etc) but it's not that big of a deal for us. I can see this won't get full steam for a couple years but it will be exciting if this actually comes to be- possibly a national model.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That's how it was phrased. I hope she meant that cville kids would be affected by it (by rezoning to westfield) but she definitely said that cville kids would be going to the western high school last night. And that the zoning map is not one of the 4

Does she have any idea of how disruptive her comments are? Look at a map. There is no world in which it would make sense to send Centreville kids that far.

I did not attend this meeting but I get the sense from past meetings that Reid thinks kids from other schools that won't ultimately be zoned to KAA will opt in to go there during the phase in period.

I think I saw a rumor that the new scenario will show no relief for Oakton and South Lakes. Maybe they’ll continue letting Centreville kids opt in even after the two year period.

Reid said during the community meeting and the most recent board meeting that additional scenarios may not include South Lakes or Oakton but who knows this point.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That's how it was phrased. I hope she meant that cville kids would be affected by it (by rezoning to westfield) but she definitely said that cville kids would be going to the western high school last night. And that the zoning map is not one of the 4

Does she have any idea of how disruptive her comments are? Look at a map. There is no world in which it would make sense to send Centreville kids that far.

I did not attend this meeting but I get the sense from past meetings that Reid thinks kids from other schools that won't ultimately be zoned to KAA will opt in to go there during the phase in period.

I think I saw a rumor that the new scenario will show no relief for Oakton and South Lakes. Maybe they’ll continue letting Centreville kids opt in even after the two year period.