Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One school for all 150+ IQ kids? How would you pick a location.

Next to TJ- they cold share busses.

I don't know many 3rd grade parents who would want their children to commute an hour or more each way to go to the one designated center. There is a middle ground between eliminating all centers and having as many as we do now.

Just want to point out that Fairfax often buses special needs kids over an hour each way to designated "centers" to save money.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One school for all 150+ IQ kids? How would you pick a location.

Next to TJ- they cold share busses.

I don't know many 3rd grade parents who would want their children to commute an hour or more each way to go to the one designated center. There is a middle ground between eliminating all centers and having as many as we do now.

Are you kidding? It would provide even more bragging rights. Parents would be clamoring to send their kids there. It would be viewed as a,necessary stepping stone to TJ. There would be no problem getting parents to send their kids there.

Uh no. We live in the Western end of the county. DS has the ability to qualify for TJ (although it is admittedly a crap shoot) and I am actively discouraging him from applying, in part, because I don't want him to spend more than 2 hours a day busing (and in part because I think the OTT competitive environment is unhealthy). Why in the world would a parent want that for an ES aged kid sign them up for that type of commute at the age of 8? Especially when GBW+Navy+ Oak Hill AAP (or some similar combo) could easily fill 28-30 classrooms grades 3-6-- that is fill an entire school? Same with LA + Wolftrap + LLIVs at Vienna & Oakton ESs (or again, some similar combo). I'm sure it's the same in areas like Langley. 3-4 Centers &/or LLIV Centers could fill a complete 3-6 grade school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our property taxes have gone up by a lot the past two years.

Isn't that because your assessment increased? I'm talking about increasing the tax rate. I thought I read that a .1 percent rate increase would more than address the budget issues. I realize tax increases are unpopular, but our rates are actually fairly low (compare to NJ, CT, NY) and I'm not sure there's any sustainable alternative that doesn't decimate the school system, which would have ripple effects on property values and the local economy.

Both tax rates and assessments have increased, and there is no guarantee that the full tax rate increase would be passed on to the schools as opposed to funding lawmakers' other pet projects. Even it did, most of the money would continue to go towards funding expensive services for high-needs areas whose population is rising faster than that of the rest of the county, thereby making the district even more appealing to those populations.
Ted Velkoff did say during an interview that we want to be welcoming to all, meaning in particular the undocumented immigrants who are moving to Fairfax from less friendly neighboring jurisdictions. Well, it's time to pay the piper. It doesn't mean we should pay the piper more and more without end.

“People were driven out of Prince William by the intolerance shown in that film,” Velkoff said. “In Fairfax, our feeling is we welcome everybody here with open arms. I’m happy to be a magnet for people who want to live in a tolerant society.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/in-fairfax-county-kindergarten-classes-school-systems-future-comes-into-focus/2014/06/28/1ced10d2-f25e-11e3-914c-1fbd0614e2d4_story.html

This is old news.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One school for all 150+ IQ kids? How would you pick a location.

Next to TJ- they cold share busses.

I don't know many 3rd grade parents who would want their children to commute an hour or more each way to go to the one designated center. There is a middle ground between eliminating all centers and having as many as we do now.

If you build it, they will come.

Anonymous wrote:

Over time, the assessment rate has increased and decreased. When DH and moved into our current house the assessment rate was $1.23. The current rates is still well below that.

However, the "values" according to the county have gone up. You need to realize that when assessment rate goes down, the "value" usually increases. Not always, but usually. I don't think there have many many years that our tax payment has gone down.

We have benefited from the increased values. Don't you?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One school for all 150+ IQ kids? How would you pick a location.

Next to TJ- they cold share busses.

I don't know many 3rd grade parents who would want their children to commute an hour or more each way to go to the one designated center. There is a middle ground between eliminating all centers and having as many as we do now.

Are you kidding? It would provide even more bragging rights. Parents would be clamoring to send their kids there. It would be viewed as a,necessary stepping stone to TJ. There would be no problem getting parents to send their kids there.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our property taxes have gone up by a lot the past two years.

Isn't that because your assessment increased? I'm talking about increasing the tax rate. I thought I read that a .1 percent rate increase would more than address the budget issues. I realize tax increases are unpopular, but our rates are actually fairly low (compare to NJ, CT, NY) and I'm not sure there's any sustainable alternative that doesn't decimate the school system, which would have ripple effects on property values and the local economy.

Both tax rates and assessments have increased, and there is no guarantee that the full tax rate increase would be passed on to the schools as opposed to funding lawmakers' other pet projects. Even it did, most of the money would continue to go towards funding expensive services for high-needs areas whose population is rising faster than that of the rest of the county, thereby making the district even more appealing to those populations.
Ted Velkoff did say during an interview that we want to be welcoming to all, meaning in particular the undocumented immigrants who are moving to Fairfax from less friendly neighboring jurisdictions. Well, it's time to pay the piper. It doesn't mean we should pay the piper more and more without end.

“People were driven out of Prince William by the intolerance shown in that film,” Velkoff said. “In Fairfax, our feeling is we welcome everybody here with open arms. I’m happy to be a magnet for people who want to live in a tolerant society.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/in-fairfax-county-kindergarten-classes-school-systems-future-comes-into-focus/2014/06/28/1ced10d2-f25e-11e3-914c-1fbd0614e2d4_story.html

So my taxes should increase or the services my kids receive should be cut because he wants to be welcoming without taking into consideration the impact on other Fairfax County residents?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One school for all 150+ IQ kids? How would you pick a location.

Next to TJ- they cold share busses.

I don't know many 3rd grade parents who would want their children to commute an hour or more each way to go to the one designated center. There is a middle ground between eliminating all centers and having as many as we do now.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just eliminate buses for AAP centers. I've got one kid in AAP and one not in the program. I don't like how it's truly the haves and have nots (even though we benefit for one kid). I'd be in favor of eliminating the Center model and encouraging more differentiation within the classrooms. I don't think the AAP kids are special needs in that they actually require separate classrooms. The very gifted kids are a small percentage of those admitted

Agreed. So what happens to the "very gifted kids?" I have one in APP that is "very gifted" and one that is too young for AAP, but I'm pretty certain will make it in based on scores and classroom performance. Youngest doesn't really need it and would do fine at base school with pull outs or classroom differentiation. Oldest will not do well at all with just pull outs or classroom differentiation. I really hope they consider these kids when making this decision.

How exactly won't the old one not do well? Are you worried the commoner kids will pollute his mind?

Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying! I'm glad you're getting it now!! I even told DH that we need to add on to our house so we can separate our two kids. I wouldn't want the oldest to deal with the commoner kid she has as a brother! She's too good for that!

Wow - seriously? Get a grip. My children are friends with many kids through all of the different aspects of their life - friends from sports, friends school, friends from the neighborhood, friends that are kids of our friends, etc. You are making an ignorant judgment.

She has an extremely high IQ and a photographic memory. I'm not bragging, trust me, it would be EASIER if she wasn't this way. For the lessons she is getting at school, she only hears/reads it once and she aces all of the tests without studying. She does extra research for fun. She reads a book in 1-2 days. She taught herself to read at 3. She is different than her brother and different than most kids we know, IN THIS ASPECT. Material is reviewed too slowly and and in too little depth for her, so she either tries to learn way more about the subject and make up projects or she checks out and does something completely different. Also, socially, it's nice for her meet friends similar to her. She is not motivated by grades or accolades, which is the typical gen ed class structure, so she is frustrating to many teachers. The AAP teachers at her school have a completely different take on her and treat her much differently. She is much happier and receiving an education much more suited to her needs. She is strong academically across the board, not just in one or two subject areas so I don't think pull-outs in a base school would be a great fit for her unless you pulled her out for every academic class, in which case that's basically what happens in AAP. In AAP, they combine the gen ed classes with the AAP classes for specials and lunch/recess. So, what would be the difference, except trying to make teachers at a base school figure out what the AAP teachers already have down? She's made friends from the combined classes and aftercare that seems to have other interests she has - music, art. Just like adults, you are typically friends with people that you have similar interests in common with, so do kids. So, why shouldn't she have a peer group closer to her abilities while in academic classes? She didn't have that at her base school.

She was showing other kids and teachers what she's learned or working on, so she either was helping other students or was sent to the reading corner to read most of the day. This is NOT a productive way for my child to spend 7 hours a day when the objective for ALL students is to learn throughout the day. Before it's said, I'll agree that a lot can be learned by helping others. She sees this benefit in sports. She's not as strong as a lot of kids in team sports and likes when other kids help her out. However, she does help other people out (with academics) like her brother, like classmates in AAP and outside (in aftercare) but I don't think she should be responsible for doing that throughout the entire day in school.

If you were an MD and took a job as a receptionist at a medical office, don't you think you would get bored and frustrated after awhile? If you're kid was amazing at baseball and there was no travel team don't you think they'd get bored after awhile running basic drills over and over and over without learning new things for years?

It's just like with a SN kids on the lower end of the spectrum. If you don't have a child like this, you can't understand, but thank you for your judgment.

Over time, the assessment rate has increased and decreased. When DH and moved into our current house the assessment rate was $1.23. The current rates is still well below that.

However, the "values" according to the county have gone up. You need to realize that when assessment rate goes down, the "value" usually increases. Not always, but usually. I don't think there have many many years that our tax payment has gone down.

Over time, the assessment rate has increased and decreased. When DH and moved into our current house the assessment rate was $1.23. The current rates is still well below that.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our property taxes have gone up by a lot the past two years.

Isn't that because your assessment increased? I'm talking about increasing the tax rate. I thought I read that a .1 percent rate increase would more than address the budget issues. I realize tax increases are unpopular, but our rates are actually fairly low (compare to NJ, CT, NY) and I'm not sure there's any sustainable alternative that doesn't decimate the school system, which would have ripple effects on property values and the local economy.

Both tax rates and assessments have increased, and there is no guarantee that the full tax rate increase would be passed on to the schools as opposed to funding lawmakers' other pet projects. Even it did, most of the money would continue to go towards funding expensive services for high-needs areas whose population is rising faster than that of the rest of the county, thereby making the district even more appealing to those populations.
Ted Velkoff did say during an interview that we want to be welcoming to all, meaning in particular the undocumented immigrants who are moving to Fairfax from less friendly neighboring jurisdictions. Well, it's time to pay the piper. It doesn't mean we should pay the piper more and more without end.

“People were driven out of Prince William by the intolerance shown in that film,” Velkoff said. “In Fairfax, our feeling is we welcome everybody here with open arms. I’m happy to be a magnet for people who want to live in a tolerant society.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/in-fairfax-county-kindergarten-classes-school-systems-future-comes-into-focus/2014/06/28/1ced10d2-f25e-11e3-914c-1fbd0614e2d4_story.html

Anonymous wrote:Our property taxes have gone up by a lot the past two years.

Isn't that because your assessment increased? I'm talking about increasing the tax rate. I thought I read that a .1 percent rate increase would more than address the budget issues. I realize tax increases are unpopular, but our rates are actually fairly low (compare to NJ, CT, NY) and I'm not sure there's any sustainable alternative that doesn't decimate the school system, which would have ripple effects on property values and the local economy.

Our property taxes have gone up by a lot the past two years.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are they talking about eliminating local level IV also? How does that even save money?

I have a child who is thriving at a center and I find this all really maddening. So after switching schools once he would suddenly get sent back to his base school?

I actually think it makes sense to eliminate centers where you have robust local level IV programs, but I think it should be phased in so kids don't have to switch schools.

And, really, I wish the County would raise property taxes - when one of the wealthiest counties in the country is talking about cutting school counselor sand high school athletics, etc...something is fundamentally wrong. Why would anyone buy a home in a county with a stripped down school system?

Isn't the issue less about a shortfall and more about needing to spend a great deal more money than fcps has on programs that do not attract high paying taxpayers into the district? Until they get thosenissie figured out we are still going to have problems with the budget.

I think that's true - this problem is only going to keep getting worse, presumably needing to cut more and more "fat" and/or raise taxes. My understanding is the issue is the influx of residents to the County, many of whom do not pay property taxes.

I admit I haven't been following all of this budget stuff very intently over the past few years. It's never clear to me what is a real crisis and what is a manufactured crisis to put pressure on the Board of Supervisors, etc...

BUT, why on earth with this crisis looming did the County (Karen Garza?) decide to get rid of the early dismissal Mondays (which was costly) and change HS start times (also costly)? This all seems incredibly short-sighted. Both of those were good ideas (maybe), but it seems like it makes a lot more sense not to spend millions on "new" programs/situations rather than cutting established programs, music, gifted programs, athletics, raising class sizes, etc...

What am I missing here? This seems so obvious it seems like it can't possibly be true, or are the School Board and the Superintendent making terrible decisions?

Further, it's not as if we are in a severe economic downturn in Fairfax County that we could hope to come back out of...the economy is pretty strong, right? So, if the budget crisis is being driven by the demands of increasing population requiring expensive services (and I don't know that I see that changing) what on earth is going to stop these budgetary problems from increasing, year after year...? There's only so much you can cut...