Anonymous
12/19/2025 11:45
Subject: Re:Boundary Review Meetings
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Meren’s end of the year email said that she was recommending moving FMES to Hughes and staying at SLHS. Never mind that moving anyone to Hughes wasn’t in any of the plans.
I suspect that the school board's final map is going to be very different than the maps the parents have been commenting on from BRAC.
We have no idea what the map looks like now. They never updated it after Version 4 even though they showed a new version to parents at that Lewis meeting. Reid refuses to release any new maps until she gives her version to the school board. It's anyone's guess what's been proposed now.
When does she present her version to the board? Early January?
She delivers it Jan. 8. Two days later, Jan. 10, there will be the final opportunity for families and students to weigh in at a school board meeting on this. It's not much time for the community to really digest the changes on the next map. Board votes to approve a week later.
They really screwed this up completely. It took far too long yet will still be way too rushed at the end.
There needs to be a complete revamp of the School Board and senior leadership in FCPS. These people should be utterly ashamed of themselves.
Anonymous
12/19/2025 11:34
Subject: Re:Boundary Review Meetings
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Meren’s end of the year email said that she was recommending moving FMES to Hughes and staying at SLHS. Never mind that moving anyone to Hughes wasn’t in any of the plans.
I suspect that the school board's final map is going to be very different than the maps the parents have been commenting on from BRAC.
We have no idea what the map looks like now. They never updated it after Version 4 even though they showed a new version to parents at that Lewis meeting. Reid refuses to release any new maps until she gives her version to the school board. It's anyone's guess what's been proposed now.
When does she present her version to the board? Early January?
She delivers it Jan. 8. Two days later, Jan. 10, there will be the final opportunity for families and students to weigh in at a school board meeting on this. It's not much time for the community to really digest the changes on the next map. Board votes to approve a week later.
Anonymous
12/19/2025 11:30
Subject: Re:Boundary Review Meetings
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Meren’s end of the year email said that she was recommending moving FMES to Hughes and staying at SLHS. Never mind that moving anyone to Hughes wasn’t in any of the plans.
I suspect that the school board's final map is going to be very different than the maps the parents have been commenting on from BRAC.
We have no idea what the map looks like now. They never updated it after Version 4 even though they showed a new version to parents at that Lewis meeting. Reid refuses to release any new maps until she gives her version to the school board. It's anyone's guess what's been proposed now.
Agreed. The fact that a School Board member sent out an update that included recommendations that we have never seen is problematic.
They should dial this back to 1) Address the Western HS boundaries 2) Dealt with any school that is overcrowded.
Stop there. They could have reasonable solutions that some people would not love, because no one wants to move, but would make sense because they address an identified need.
OK, but in that case they need to have a clear metric for overcrowding.
Changing boundaries based on being over 105% overcrowding in the fall of 2024 doesn't necessarily make sense. Some enrollments have come down this year.
We were specifically told by a School Board member in the past that FCPS only cared about schools over 110%.
Don't use 2025-26 enrollment. The year is almost over and class of 2026 is abnormally huge.
At many of the schools, class of 2026 is 100 to 150 students larger than the 8th grade classes replacing them. I think Chantilly class of 2026 is over 200 students larger than the 8th grade class replacing them.
Use the current 8th through 11th grade numbers to determin overcrowding.
It will paint a very different picture than the 2024 enrollment projections that FCPS is using to justify rezoining.
Looking forward is smarter than looking backwards but a lot of high schools pick up kids from K-8 private and parochial schools so a comparison of 11th and 8th grade enrollments could be misleading.
We’ve listened to people at one crowded high school say year after year that the enrollment will come down “next year” and it stays overcrowded. They just don’t want to move.
That sounds like West Springfield. I feel like the issue there is the military moves. A lot of military families end up buying or renting in West Springfield. Fort Belvoir attracts older and more established officers, who are more likely to have older kids in middle or HS vs. younger ones. You do see a big jump in enrollment from the various WS elementaries to Irving and WSHS. There are also a higher number of Catholic school parents in this area as well who leave Catholic school after 6th or 8th.
Anonymous
12/19/2025 11:23
Subject: Re:Boundary Review Meetings
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Meren’s end of the year email said that she was recommending moving FMES to Hughes and staying at SLHS. Never mind that moving anyone to Hughes wasn’t in any of the plans.
I suspect that the school board's final map is going to be very different than the maps the parents have been commenting on from BRAC.
We have no idea what the map looks like now. They never updated it after Version 4 even though they showed a new version to parents at that Lewis meeting. Reid refuses to release any new maps until she gives her version to the school board. It's anyone's guess what's been proposed now.
Agreed. The fact that a School Board member sent out an update that included recommendations that we have never seen is problematic.
They should dial this back to 1) Address the Western HS boundaries 2) Dealt with any school that is overcrowded.
Stop there. They could have reasonable solutions that some people would not love, because no one wants to move, but would make sense because they address an identified need.
OK, but in that case they need to have a clear metric for overcrowding.
Changing boundaries based on being over 105% overcrowding in the fall of 2024 doesn't necessarily make sense. Some enrollments have come down this year.
We were specifically told by a School Board member in the past that FCPS only cared about schools over 110%.
Don't use 2025-26 enrollment. The year is almost over and class of 2026 is abnormally huge.
At many of the schools, class of 2026 is 100 to 150 students larger than the 8th grade classes replacing them. I think Chantilly class of 2026 is over 200 students larger than the 8th grade class replacing them.
Use the current 8th through 11th grade numbers to determin overcrowding.
It will paint a very different picture than the 2024 enrollment projections that FCPS is using to justify rezoining.
Looking forward is smarter than looking backwards but a lot of high schools pick up kids from K-8 private and parochial schools so a comparison of 11th and 8th grade enrollments could be misleading.
We’ve listened to people at one crowded high school say year after year that the enrollment will come down “next year” and it stays overcrowded. They just don’t want to move.
Now re read your last sentence.
Parents don’t want their kids moved. Almost universal!
Anonymous
12/19/2025 11:21
Subject: Re:Boundary Review Meetings
I think that there are plenty of parents that have moved kids into private for K-8 or MS and then rejoin public in HS because the cost of tuition for HS is so much more expensive.
Anonymous
12/19/2025 11:16
Subject: Re:Boundary Review Meetings
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Meren’s end of the year email said that she was recommending moving FMES to Hughes and staying at SLHS. Never mind that moving anyone to Hughes wasn’t in any of the plans.
I suspect that the school board's final map is going to be very different than the maps the parents have been commenting on from BRAC.
We have no idea what the map looks like now. They never updated it after Version 4 even though they showed a new version to parents at that Lewis meeting. Reid refuses to release any new maps until she gives her version to the school board. It's anyone's guess what's been proposed now.
Agreed. The fact that a School Board member sent out an update that included recommendations that we have never seen is problematic.
They should dial this back to 1) Address the Western HS boundaries 2) Dealt with any school that is overcrowded.
Stop there. They could have reasonable solutions that some people would not love, because no one wants to move, but would make sense because they address an identified need.
OK, but in that case they need to have a clear metric for overcrowding.
Changing boundaries based on being over 105% overcrowding in the fall of 2024 doesn't necessarily make sense. Some enrollments have come down this year.
We were specifically told by a School Board member in the past that FCPS only cared about schools over 110%.
Don't use 2025-26 enrollment. The year is almost over and class of 2026 is abnormally huge.
At many of the schools, class of 2026 is 100 to 150 students larger than the 8th grade classes replacing them. I think Chantilly class of 2026 is over 200 students larger than the 8th grade class replacing them.
Use the current 8th through 11th grade numbers to determin overcrowding.
It will paint a very different picture than the 2024 enrollment projections that FCPS is using to justify rezoining.
Looking forward is smarter than looking backwards but a lot of high schools pick up kids from K-8 private and parochial schools so a comparison of 11th and 8th grade enrollments could be misleading.
We’ve listened to people at one crowded high school say year after year that the enrollment will come down “next year” and it stays overcrowded. They just don’t want to move.
Anonymous
12/19/2025 11:15
Subject: Boundary Review Meetings
Anonymous wrote:So, parents successfully bullied the SB into letting go of changing anything, right?
It was heroic parents standing up for kids in the face of bully Sandy and the rest of the school board goons.
These parents saved a lot of kids. I wish they could’ve protected them all, and my heart aches for the kids whose lives are about to be upended by boundary changes without any justification.
Anonymous
12/19/2025 10:56
Subject: Re:Boundary Review Meetings
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Meren’s end of the year email said that she was recommending moving FMES to Hughes and staying at SLHS. Never mind that moving anyone to Hughes wasn’t in any of the plans.
I suspect that the school board's final map is going to be very different than the maps the parents have been commenting on from BRAC.
We have no idea what the map looks like now. They never updated it after Version 4 even though they showed a new version to parents at that Lewis meeting. Reid refuses to release any new maps until she gives her version to the school board. It's anyone's guess what's been proposed now.
When does she present her version to the board? Early January?
Anonymous
12/19/2025 10:55
Subject: Re:Boundary Review Meetings
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Meren’s end of the year email said that she was recommending moving FMES to Hughes and staying at SLHS. Never mind that moving anyone to Hughes wasn’t in any of the plans.
I suspect that the school board's final map is going to be very different than the maps the parents have been commenting on from BRAC.
We have no idea what the map looks like now. They never updated it after Version 4 even though they showed a new version to parents at that Lewis meeting. Reid refuses to release any new maps until she gives her version to the school board. It's anyone's guess what's been proposed now.
Agreed. The fact that a School Board member sent out an update that included recommendations that we have never seen is problematic.
They should dial this back to 1) Address the Western HS boundaries 2) Dealt with any school that is overcrowded.
Stop there. They could have reasonable solutions that some people would not love, because no one wants to move, but would make sense because they address an identified need.
OK, but in that case they need to have a clear metric for overcrowding.
Changing boundaries based on being over 105% overcrowding in the fall of 2024 doesn't necessarily make sense. Some enrollments have come down this year.
We were specifically told by a School Board member in the past that FCPS only cared about schools over 110%.
Don't use 2025-26 enrollment. The year is almost over and class of 2026 is abnormally huge.
At many of the schools, class of 2026 is 100 to 150 students larger than the 8th grade classes replacing them. I think Chantilly class of 2026 is over 200 students larger than the 8th grade class replacing them.
Use the current 8th through 11th grade numbers to determin overcrowding.
It will paint a very different picture than the 2024 enrollment projections that FCPS is using to justify rezoining.
Anonymous
12/19/2025 10:48
Subject: Re:Boundary Review Meetings
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Meren’s end of the year email said that she was recommending moving FMES to Hughes and staying at SLHS. Never mind that moving anyone to Hughes wasn’t in any of the plans.
I suspect that the school board's final map is going to be very different than the maps the parents have been commenting on from BRAC.
We have no idea what the map looks like now. They never updated it after Version 4 even though they showed a new version to parents at that Lewis meeting. Reid refuses to release any new maps until she gives her version to the school board. It's anyone's guess what's been proposed now.
Agreed. The fact that a School Board member sent out an update that included recommendations that we have never seen is problematic.
They should dial this back to 1) Address the Western HS boundaries 2) Dealt with any school that is overcrowded.
Stop there. They could have reasonable solutions that some people would not love, because no one wants to move, but would make sense because they address an identified need.
OK, but in that case they need to have a clear metric for overcrowding.
Changing boundaries based on being over 105% overcrowding in the fall of 2024 doesn't necessarily make sense. Some enrollments have come down this year.
We were specifically told by a School Board member in the past that FCPS only cared about schools over 110%.
Anonymous
12/19/2025 10:37
Subject: Re:Boundary Review Meetings
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Meren’s end of the year email said that she was recommending moving FMES to Hughes and staying at SLHS. Never mind that moving anyone to Hughes wasn’t in any of the plans.
I suspect that the school board's final map is going to be very different than the maps the parents have been commenting on from BRAC.
We have no idea what the map looks like now. They never updated it after Version 4 even though they showed a new version to parents at that Lewis meeting. Reid refuses to release any new maps until she gives her version to the school board. It's anyone's guess what's been proposed now.
Agreed. The fact that a School Board member sent out an update that included recommendations that we have never seen is problematic.
They should dial this back to 1) Address the Western HS boundaries 2) Dealt with any school that is overcrowded.
Stop there. They could have reasonable solutions that some people would not love, because no one wants to move, but would make sense because they address an identified need.
Anonymous
12/19/2025 10:37
Subject: Re:Boundary Review Meetings
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Meren’s end of the year email said that she was recommending moving FMES to Hughes and staying at SLHS. Never mind that moving anyone to Hughes wasn’t in any of the plans.
I suspect that the school board's final map is going to be very different than the maps the parents have been commenting on from BRAC.
This is what worries me. We haven’t been the target of any changes so far and our middle and HS are both a little under capacity. But who knows what changes they might push through if there are cascading effects from some of the WSHS/Lewis stuff?
Anonymous
12/19/2025 10:36
Subject: Re:Boundary Review Meetings
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Meren’s end of the year email said that she was recommending moving FMES to Hughes and staying at SLHS. Never mind that moving anyone to Hughes wasn’t in any of the plans.
I suspect that the school board's final map is going to be very different than the maps the parents have been commenting on from BRAC.
We have no idea what the map looks like now. They never updated it after Version 4 even though they showed a new version to parents at that Lewis meeting. Reid refuses to release any new maps until she gives her version to the school board. It's anyone's guess what's been proposed now.
So much for Reid's commitment to transparency. She's such a phony.
Anonymous
12/19/2025 10:35
Subject: Boundary Review Meetings
Anonymous wrote:So, parents successfully bullied the SB into letting go of changing anything, right?
Bless your heart. Reid hired consultants who were deeply incompetent and once that became clear it became a free-for-all.
They could have gone big or gone small, but they just went stupid.
Anonymous
12/19/2025 10:34
Subject: Re:Boundary Review Meetings
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Meren’s end of the year email said that she was recommending moving FMES to Hughes and staying at SLHS. Never mind that moving anyone to Hughes wasn’t in any of the plans.
I suspect that the school board's final map is going to be very different than the maps the parents have been commenting on from BRAC.
We have no idea what the map looks like now. They never updated it after Version 4 even though they showed a new version to parents at that Lewis meeting. Reid refuses to release any new maps until she gives her version to the school board. It's anyone's guess what's been proposed now.