Anonymous wrote:For those interested, here's what the adjusted 2024-25 enrollments would look like at FCPS high schools based on Reid's county-wide proposals and the initial scenarios floated for Western (italics):

Lake Braddock 2950
West Springfield 2791
West Potomac 2606
Robinson 2484
Woodson 2418
Westfield 2407 to 2472
Langley 2375
Fairfax 2334
Edison 2282
Hayfield 2277
Falls Church 2238
Herndon 2230
Chantilly 2218 to 2215
McLean 2210
Madison 2209
Annandale 2186
Oakton 2165 to 2601
Justice 2156
TJ 2111
South County 2091
Marshall 2066
South Lakes 2002 to 2410
Centreville 1957
Mount Vernon 1893
[Western] 1726 to 2142
Lewis 1632

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Anonymous wrote:It doesn’t explain why they decided to not make a decision. Halley still has an attendance island. Are they too afraid to make a decision?

They got a lot of push back. I think for some areas they’re waiting and hoping the temperature drops? I don’t see that happening but whatever.

I think they really wanted them at Gunston, but due to the efforts of the Mason Neck Citizens Group, and probably also the physical state of Gunston ES, that’s not going to be feasible without big renovations to the school. So now it’s a big hot potato of do they move kids out of Gunston to I guess Island Creek to make room at Gunston? (That’s a long bus ride). Do they add Hagel to Lorton Station and then try to make moves to get LSES as a SC feeder? Not really possible right now without overcrowding South County MS and HS though. Do they add it to Lorton Station/Hayfield and then wash their hands of the whole thing? Do they try to add it to Laurel Hill which makes a nice border on paper but still ends up with a long bus ride? (And another overcrowded school at Laurel Hill as well). Are they ok with potentially taking LSES, which is a big feeder school, out of Hayfield and leaving Hayfield under-enrolled, assuming they’ll need the capacity at Hayfield to relieve Edison? But if Edison needs relief, the first places to look should be under-enrolled Lewis and over-expanded West Potomac.

I really think to solve the South County overcrowding, they should send kids from Springfield to Lewis. Anyways that bus ride for them is about 10-15 minutes so they might as well go to Lewis and let Lorton Students stay in Lorton.

Lorton station elementary students are closest to South County while some Springfield students go to south county. Not right. They should be at Lewis and they’ve got plenty of capacity

The only Springfield kids at SC are in Newington Forest, in which case they’d be bussed the whole way down the parkway to Key and Lewis, past the attendance areas for both Hunt Valley and Rolling Valley, which both go to West Springfield. That would be a gigantic border gerrymander. And at that point people would rightly wonder why it wasn’t at least part of Hunt Valley at Lewis and we’re suddenly back on that nonsense again. South County is fine as is and doesn’t need to lose any students. It’s just if they want it to gain a few hundred from Lorton Station that’s where the problem comes in.

Isn't Newington Forest in Lorton?

Thet would also go past Daventry and West Springfield Elementary.

Daventry is the neighborhood you should be focused on. They were recently zoned to Lewis, and are part of the Franconia magesterial district, not the Springfield district. Daventry and Keene Mill elementary are the closest West Springfield areas to Lewis by a long shot.

Whoever is saying that Newington should attend Lewis is not looking at maps.

There are no Springfield kids at South County. OP is confused. It’s entirely Lorton, Mason Neck, and Fairfax Station.

Technically Newington Forest elementary and the neighborhood has a Springfield 22153 address, same as Hunt Valley. But South County is definitely our closest school. Even West Springfield is a bit of a hike from here but is still closer than Lewis.

Newington Forrest is so close to SC middle and high schools. It would make no sense at all to change those neighborhoods to Lewis, LBSS or WSHS. At least if you care about proximity to the school and transportation times.

So is Lorton Station Elementary but it’s zoned for Hayfield. Lorton station is 5 minutes from south county. Yet, Newington Forest gets to be zoned for South County. We have to drop our children off at Hayfield which is a 15 minute drive. Why don’t Newington Forest go to lewis. Anyways, they are a Springfield school. Lorton should be with Lorton and Springfield with Springfield. Obviously there is no room at west Springfield and Lewis is way under capacity.

Lewis is seemingly getting Bren Mar Park at the 5 year review or possibly earlier, and something is going to go on with Lorton Station too. Since you apparently go there now, you would know that FCPS held a special secret meeting for you guys and laid out the scenarios. No one from along the parkway and west of Rolling is getting bussed to Lewis at this point. Just give it up already.

So those people are too good for Lewis? That is how that sounds.

DP, with no dog in this fight.

Families don’t want their kids moved from the pyramid that they chose when they bought their house. This has been overwhelmingly communicated to the school board, individual members, and FCPS staff throughout the last two years of public engagement.

No matter what words you try to put into people’s mouths, it won’t change the fundamental fact that families don’t want their kids to be moved. And the school board would be wise to revert to just making necessary boundary changes, not comprehensive ones.

That would garner a lot more goodwill among key constituencies as the county deals with a declining membership, declining funding, and the increased threat of vouchers. Frankly, the school board just can’t afford to alienate families, they need all the support they can get.

The school board's job is to maintain an effective and efficient school system. What some families want based off where they bought their house should not be on their list of considerations. Boundaries change over time as different parts of the county grow and shrink at different rates. Factoring in what a bunch of loud, entitled people want instead of making necessary adjustments over time is how you end up with the crazy boundary lines we have today.

Anonymous wrote:For those interested, here's what the adjusted 2024-25 enrollments would look like at FCPS high schools based on Reid's county-wide proposals and the initial scenarios floated for Western (italics):

Lake Braddock 2950
West Springfield 2791
West Potomac 2606
Robinson 2484
Woodson 2418
Westfield 2407 to 2472
Langley 2375
Fairfax 2334
Edison 2282
Hayfield 2277
Falls Church 2238
Herndon 2230
Chantilly 2218 to 2215
McLean 2210
Madison 2209
Annandale 2186
Oakton 2165 to 2601
Justice 2156
TJ 2111
South County 2091
Marshall 2066
South Lakes 2002 to 2410
Centreville 1957
Mount Vernon 1893
[Western] 1726 to 2142
Lewis 1632

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Anonymous wrote:It doesn’t explain why they decided to not make a decision. Halley still has an attendance island. Are they too afraid to make a decision?

They got a lot of push back. I think for some areas they’re waiting and hoping the temperature drops? I don’t see that happening but whatever.

I think they really wanted them at Gunston, but due to the efforts of the Mason Neck Citizens Group, and probably also the physical state of Gunston ES, that’s not going to be feasible without big renovations to the school. So now it’s a big hot potato of do they move kids out of Gunston to I guess Island Creek to make room at Gunston? (That’s a long bus ride). Do they add Hagel to Lorton Station and then try to make moves to get LSES as a SC feeder? Not really possible right now without overcrowding South County MS and HS though. Do they add it to Lorton Station/Hayfield and then wash their hands of the whole thing? Do they try to add it to Laurel Hill which makes a nice border on paper but still ends up with a long bus ride? (And another overcrowded school at Laurel Hill as well). Are they ok with potentially taking LSES, which is a big feeder school, out of Hayfield and leaving Hayfield under-enrolled, assuming they’ll need the capacity at Hayfield to relieve Edison? But if Edison needs relief, the first places to look should be under-enrolled Lewis and over-expanded West Potomac.

I really think to solve the South County overcrowding, they should send kids from Springfield to Lewis. Anyways that bus ride for them is about 10-15 minutes so they might as well go to Lewis and let Lorton Students stay in Lorton.

Lorton station elementary students are closest to South County while some Springfield students go to south county. Not right. They should be at Lewis and they’ve got plenty of capacity

The only Springfield kids at SC are in Newington Forest, in which case they’d be bussed the whole way down the parkway to Key and Lewis, past the attendance areas for both Hunt Valley and Rolling Valley, which both go to West Springfield. That would be a gigantic border gerrymander. And at that point people would rightly wonder why it wasn’t at least part of Hunt Valley at Lewis and we’re suddenly back on that nonsense again. South County is fine as is and doesn’t need to lose any students. It’s just if they want it to gain a few hundred from Lorton Station that’s where the problem comes in.

Isn't Newington Forest in Lorton?

Thet would also go past Daventry and West Springfield Elementary.

Daventry is the neighborhood you should be focused on. They were recently zoned to Lewis, and are part of the Franconia magesterial district, not the Springfield district. Daventry and Keene Mill elementary are the closest West Springfield areas to Lewis by a long shot.

Whoever is saying that Newington should attend Lewis is not looking at maps.

There are no Springfield kids at South County. OP is confused. It’s entirely Lorton, Mason Neck, and Fairfax Station.

Technically Newington Forest elementary and the neighborhood has a Springfield 22153 address, same as Hunt Valley. But South County is definitely our closest school. Even West Springfield is a bit of a hike from here but is still closer than Lewis.

Newington Forrest is so close to SC middle and high schools. It would make no sense at all to change those neighborhoods to Lewis, LBSS or WSHS. At least if you care about proximity to the school and transportation times.

So is Lorton Station Elementary but it’s zoned for Hayfield. Lorton station is 5 minutes from south county. Yet, Newington Forest gets to be zoned for South County. We have to drop our children off at Hayfield which is a 15 minute drive. Why don’t Newington Forest go to lewis. Anyways, they are a Springfield school. Lorton should be with Lorton and Springfield with Springfield. Obviously there is no room at west Springfield and Lewis is way under capacity.

Lewis is seemingly getting Bren Mar Park at the 5 year review or possibly earlier, and something is going to go on with Lorton Station too. Since you apparently go there now, you would know that FCPS held a special secret meeting for you guys and laid out the scenarios. No one from along the parkway and west of Rolling is getting bussed to Lewis at this point. Just give it up already.

So those people are too good for Lewis? That is how that sounds.

DP, with no dog in this fight.

Families don’t want their kids moved from the pyramid that they chose when they bought their house. This has been overwhelmingly communicated to the school board, individual members, and FCPS staff throughout the last two years of public engagement.

No matter what words you try to put into people’s mouths, it won’t change the fundamental fact that families don’t want their kids to be moved. And the school board would be wise to revert to just making necessary boundary changes, not comprehensive ones.

That would garner a lot more goodwill among key constituencies as the county deals with a declining membership, declining funding, and the increased threat of vouchers. Frankly, the school board just can’t afford to alienate families, they need all the support they can get.

Did you ask this question to all Fairfax County parents? I am sure many would love to be switched out of a poor performing school to a better one. Also, there are many renters in the county as well. UMC families are only a percentage of FCPS. Sounds a bit entitled to speak for everybody in Fairfax.

That’s “bussing” and it’s a relic of the 70s and 80s. The research now supports community schools for better attendance, shorter commutes, better sense of community/more community and family involvement, attending school with your neighbors, and so on.

I agree that Bussing can be problematic. I was referring to UMC families that are “stuck” in lower performing schools that know how to work within the system to pupil place their kids to “better schools”. As in out of IB schools to AP ones (and vice-versa), to Langley for Russian, etc….

There is a solution to that, add a full AP program to every school and have one or two IB schools that kids can pupil place into if they want IB. Make sure schools are following the pupil placement rules and kids placing for languages take 4 years of that language. If you pupil place for Russian or Japanese, you had better be in that program all four years. Or the schools accepting pupil placement will have a cap on the number of kids allowed into the language and kids won't be able to use it carte blanche. If they did that, those high FARMs schools would have an increased cohort and test scores would improve.

There is a part of me that thinks that the school board keeps IB so that parents have a reason to pupil place their kids out of schools which would remove some of the more vocal advocates for their kids if there is something that needs to be fixed at a school.

This is absolutely the case IMO. There are some parents who are ok with IB at schools that still have some UMC areas like Annandale. But I do think they keep it at certain other schools so there is a viable pathway out.

At the same time though … you save money or can buy a nicer house in a less desirable school pyramid. There are single family homes in good condition in these areas for under $800k and they are closer to jobs in Arlington and DC than moving further out to Centreville or PWC/Loudoun. So people who live there have made a trade-off. They traded a decent home and shorter commute for schools that aren’t highly rated. They made that choice and now they want to somehow have it all with top rated schools too.

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Anonymous wrote:It doesn’t explain why they decided to not make a decision. Halley still has an attendance island. Are they too afraid to make a decision?

They got a lot of push back. I think for some areas they’re waiting and hoping the temperature drops? I don’t see that happening but whatever.

I think they really wanted them at Gunston, but due to the efforts of the Mason Neck Citizens Group, and probably also the physical state of Gunston ES, that’s not going to be feasible without big renovations to the school. So now it’s a big hot potato of do they move kids out of Gunston to I guess Island Creek to make room at Gunston? (That’s a long bus ride). Do they add Hagel to Lorton Station and then try to make moves to get LSES as a SC feeder? Not really possible right now without overcrowding South County MS and HS though. Do they add it to Lorton Station/Hayfield and then wash their hands of the whole thing? Do they try to add it to Laurel Hill which makes a nice border on paper but still ends up with a long bus ride? (And another overcrowded school at Laurel Hill as well). Are they ok with potentially taking LSES, which is a big feeder school, out of Hayfield and leaving Hayfield under-enrolled, assuming they’ll need the capacity at Hayfield to relieve Edison? But if Edison needs relief, the first places to look should be under-enrolled Lewis and over-expanded West Potomac.

I really think to solve the South County overcrowding, they should send kids from Springfield to Lewis. Anyways that bus ride for them is about 10-15 minutes so they might as well go to Lewis and let Lorton Students stay in Lorton.

Lorton station elementary students are closest to South County while some Springfield students go to south county. Not right. They should be at Lewis and they’ve got plenty of capacity

The only Springfield kids at SC are in Newington Forest, in which case they’d be bussed the whole way down the parkway to Key and Lewis, past the attendance areas for both Hunt Valley and Rolling Valley, which both go to West Springfield. That would be a gigantic border gerrymander. And at that point people would rightly wonder why it wasn’t at least part of Hunt Valley at Lewis and we’re suddenly back on that nonsense again. South County is fine as is and doesn’t need to lose any students. It’s just if they want it to gain a few hundred from Lorton Station that’s where the problem comes in.

Isn't Newington Forest in Lorton?

Thet would also go past Daventry and West Springfield Elementary.

Daventry is the neighborhood you should be focused on. They were recently zoned to Lewis, and are part of the Franconia magesterial district, not the Springfield district. Daventry and Keene Mill elementary are the closest West Springfield areas to Lewis by a long shot.

Whoever is saying that Newington should attend Lewis is not looking at maps.

There are no Springfield kids at South County. OP is confused. It’s entirely Lorton, Mason Neck, and Fairfax Station.

Technically Newington Forest elementary and the neighborhood has a Springfield 22153 address, same as Hunt Valley. But South County is definitely our closest school. Even West Springfield is a bit of a hike from here but is still closer than Lewis.

Newington Forrest is so close to SC middle and high schools. It would make no sense at all to change those neighborhoods to Lewis, LBSS or WSHS. At least if you care about proximity to the school and transportation times.

So is Lorton Station Elementary but it’s zoned for Hayfield. Lorton station is 5 minutes from south county. Yet, Newington Forest gets to be zoned for South County. We have to drop our children off at Hayfield which is a 15 minute drive. Why don’t Newington Forest go to lewis. Anyways, they are a Springfield school. Lorton should be with Lorton and Springfield with Springfield. Obviously there is no room at west Springfield and Lewis is way under capacity.

Lewis is seemingly getting Bren Mar Park at the 5 year review or possibly earlier, and something is going to go on with Lorton Station too. Since you apparently go there now, you would know that FCPS held a special secret meeting for you guys and laid out the scenarios. No one from along the parkway and west of Rolling is getting bussed to Lewis at this point. Just give it up already.

So those people are too good for Lewis? That is how that sounds.

DP, with no dog in this fight.

Families don’t want their kids moved from the pyramid that they chose when they bought their house. This has been overwhelmingly communicated to the school board, individual members, and FCPS staff throughout the last two years of public engagement.

No matter what words you try to put into people’s mouths, it won’t change the fundamental fact that families don’t want their kids to be moved. And the school board would be wise to revert to just making necessary boundary changes, not comprehensive ones.

That would garner a lot more goodwill among key constituencies as the county deals with a declining membership, declining funding, and the increased threat of vouchers. Frankly, the school board just can’t afford to alienate families, they need all the support they can get.

Did you ask this question to all Fairfax County parents? I am sure many would love to be switched out of a poor performing school to a better one. Also, there are many renters in the county as well. UMC families are only a percentage of FCPS. Sounds a bit entitled to speak for everybody in Fairfax.

You would be surprised. There are parents who are happy with the education their kids are getting at schools many people on this board would hate to move to. Their kids have a solid cohort in AP or IB classes, even if it is small. There tends to be less intense competition, which can be good for a kids mental health. There is less competition for things like drama, music, and academic teams. Their kids stand out in college applications because there is less intense competition at the school and it is easier to hit the most rigorous standards for college. And the kids get a good education, which is what we are all after any way. Outside looking in, parents assume that the schools are war zones but that really isn't the case. I know people who teach at Lewis and Mount Vernon and kids attending Herndon. Their parents are happy with the school and my friends enjoy teaching at their schools.

I 100% agree with you on this. My kids attend one of those schools, and have been quite successful.

However, there are hundreds (thousands?) of parents who legally (also illegally) have pupil placed or moved their kids out of those “failing” schools. So, I was just pointing out that it was an overreach to assume everybody chose the school pyramids they bought into, and do not want to me moved. The transfer numbers do not add up.

Agreed. Pupil placement is used to leave the high FARMs schools. I think in part because parents are worried about safety but also because parents want their kids with a larger cohort of motivated kids or kids with parents who are motivating their kids to be motivated. I can see both sides of the argument.

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Anonymous wrote:It doesn’t explain why they decided to not make a decision. Halley still has an attendance island. Are they too afraid to make a decision?

They got a lot of push back. I think for some areas they’re waiting and hoping the temperature drops? I don’t see that happening but whatever.

I think they really wanted them at Gunston, but due to the efforts of the Mason Neck Citizens Group, and probably also the physical state of Gunston ES, that’s not going to be feasible without big renovations to the school. So now it’s a big hot potato of do they move kids out of Gunston to I guess Island Creek to make room at Gunston? (That’s a long bus ride). Do they add Hagel to Lorton Station and then try to make moves to get LSES as a SC feeder? Not really possible right now without overcrowding South County MS and HS though. Do they add it to Lorton Station/Hayfield and then wash their hands of the whole thing? Do they try to add it to Laurel Hill which makes a nice border on paper but still ends up with a long bus ride? (And another overcrowded school at Laurel Hill as well). Are they ok with potentially taking LSES, which is a big feeder school, out of Hayfield and leaving Hayfield under-enrolled, assuming they’ll need the capacity at Hayfield to relieve Edison? But if Edison needs relief, the first places to look should be under-enrolled Lewis and over-expanded West Potomac.

I really think to solve the South County overcrowding, they should send kids from Springfield to Lewis. Anyways that bus ride for them is about 10-15 minutes so they might as well go to Lewis and let Lorton Students stay in Lorton.

Lorton station elementary students are closest to South County while some Springfield students go to south county. Not right. They should be at Lewis and they’ve got plenty of capacity

The only Springfield kids at SC are in Newington Forest, in which case they’d be bussed the whole way down the parkway to Key and Lewis, past the attendance areas for both Hunt Valley and Rolling Valley, which both go to West Springfield. That would be a gigantic border gerrymander. And at that point people would rightly wonder why it wasn’t at least part of Hunt Valley at Lewis and we’re suddenly back on that nonsense again. South County is fine as is and doesn’t need to lose any students. It’s just if they want it to gain a few hundred from Lorton Station that’s where the problem comes in.

Isn't Newington Forest in Lorton?

Thet would also go past Daventry and West Springfield Elementary.

Daventry is the neighborhood you should be focused on. They were recently zoned to Lewis, and are part of the Franconia magesterial district, not the Springfield district. Daventry and Keene Mill elementary are the closest West Springfield areas to Lewis by a long shot.

Whoever is saying that Newington should attend Lewis is not looking at maps.

There are no Springfield kids at South County. OP is confused. It’s entirely Lorton, Mason Neck, and Fairfax Station.

Technically Newington Forest elementary and the neighborhood has a Springfield 22153 address, same as Hunt Valley. But South County is definitely our closest school. Even West Springfield is a bit of a hike from here but is still closer than Lewis.

Newington Forrest is so close to SC middle and high schools. It would make no sense at all to change those neighborhoods to Lewis, LBSS or WSHS. At least if you care about proximity to the school and transportation times.

So is Lorton Station Elementary but it’s zoned for Hayfield. Lorton station is 5 minutes from south county. Yet, Newington Forest gets to be zoned for South County. We have to drop our children off at Hayfield which is a 15 minute drive. Why don’t Newington Forest go to lewis. Anyways, they are a Springfield school. Lorton should be with Lorton and Springfield with Springfield. Obviously there is no room at west Springfield and Lewis is way under capacity.

Lewis is seemingly getting Bren Mar Park at the 5 year review or possibly earlier, and something is going to go on with Lorton Station too. Since you apparently go there now, you would know that FCPS held a special secret meeting for you guys and laid out the scenarios. No one from along the parkway and west of Rolling is getting bussed to Lewis at this point. Just give it up already.

So those people are too good for Lewis? That is how that sounds.

DP, with no dog in this fight.

Families don’t want their kids moved from the pyramid that they chose when they bought their house. This has been overwhelmingly communicated to the school board, individual members, and FCPS staff throughout the last two years of public engagement.

No matter what words you try to put into people’s mouths, it won’t change the fundamental fact that families don’t want their kids to be moved. And the school board would be wise to revert to just making necessary boundary changes, not comprehensive ones.

That would garner a lot more goodwill among key constituencies as the county deals with a declining membership, declining funding, and the increased threat of vouchers. Frankly, the school board just can’t afford to alienate families, they need all the support they can get.

Did you ask this question to all Fairfax County parents? I am sure many would love to be switched out of a poor performing school to a better one. Also, there are many renters in the county as well. UMC families are only a percentage of FCPS. Sounds a bit entitled to speak for everybody in Fairfax.

You would be surprised. There are parents who are happy with the education their kids are getting at schools many people on this board would hate to move to. Their kids have a solid cohort in AP or IB classes, even if it is small. There tends to be less intense competition, which can be good for a kids mental health. There is less competition for things like drama, music, and academic teams. Their kids stand out in college applications because there is less intense competition at the school and it is easier to hit the most rigorous standards for college. And the kids get a good education, which is what we are all after any way. Outside looking in, parents assume that the schools are war zones but that really isn't the case. I know people who teach at Lewis and Mount Vernon and kids attending Herndon. Their parents are happy with the school and my friends enjoy teaching at their schools.

I 100% agree with you on this. My kids attend one of those schools, and have been quite successful.

However, there are hundreds (thousands?) of parents who legally (also illegally) have pupil placed or moved their kids out of those “failing” schools. So, I was just pointing out that it was an overreach to assume everybody chose the school pyramids they bought into, and do not want to me moved. The transfer numbers do not add up.

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Anonymous wrote:It doesn’t explain why they decided to not make a decision. Halley still has an attendance island. Are they too afraid to make a decision?

They got a lot of push back. I think for some areas they’re waiting and hoping the temperature drops? I don’t see that happening but whatever.

I think they really wanted them at Gunston, but due to the efforts of the Mason Neck Citizens Group, and probably also the physical state of Gunston ES, that’s not going to be feasible without big renovations to the school. So now it’s a big hot potato of do they move kids out of Gunston to I guess Island Creek to make room at Gunston? (That’s a long bus ride). Do they add Hagel to Lorton Station and then try to make moves to get LSES as a SC feeder? Not really possible right now without overcrowding South County MS and HS though. Do they add it to Lorton Station/Hayfield and then wash their hands of the whole thing? Do they try to add it to Laurel Hill which makes a nice border on paper but still ends up with a long bus ride? (And another overcrowded school at Laurel Hill as well). Are they ok with potentially taking LSES, which is a big feeder school, out of Hayfield and leaving Hayfield under-enrolled, assuming they’ll need the capacity at Hayfield to relieve Edison? But if Edison needs relief, the first places to look should be under-enrolled Lewis and over-expanded West Potomac.

I really think to solve the South County overcrowding, they should send kids from Springfield to Lewis. Anyways that bus ride for them is about 10-15 minutes so they might as well go to Lewis and let Lorton Students stay in Lorton.

Lorton station elementary students are closest to South County while some Springfield students go to south county. Not right. They should be at Lewis and they’ve got plenty of capacity

The only Springfield kids at SC are in Newington Forest, in which case they’d be bussed the whole way down the parkway to Key and Lewis, past the attendance areas for both Hunt Valley and Rolling Valley, which both go to West Springfield. That would be a gigantic border gerrymander. And at that point people would rightly wonder why it wasn’t at least part of Hunt Valley at Lewis and we’re suddenly back on that nonsense again. South County is fine as is and doesn’t need to lose any students. It’s just if they want it to gain a few hundred from Lorton Station that’s where the problem comes in.

Isn't Newington Forest in Lorton?

Thet would also go past Daventry and West Springfield Elementary.

Daventry is the neighborhood you should be focused on. They were recently zoned to Lewis, and are part of the Franconia magesterial district, not the Springfield district. Daventry and Keene Mill elementary are the closest West Springfield areas to Lewis by a long shot.

Whoever is saying that Newington should attend Lewis is not looking at maps.

There are no Springfield kids at South County. OP is confused. It’s entirely Lorton, Mason Neck, and Fairfax Station.

Technically Newington Forest elementary and the neighborhood has a Springfield 22153 address, same as Hunt Valley. But South County is definitely our closest school. Even West Springfield is a bit of a hike from here but is still closer than Lewis.

Newington Forrest is so close to SC middle and high schools. It would make no sense at all to change those neighborhoods to Lewis, LBSS or WSHS. At least if you care about proximity to the school and transportation times.

So is Lorton Station Elementary but it’s zoned for Hayfield. Lorton station is 5 minutes from south county. Yet, Newington Forest gets to be zoned for South County. We have to drop our children off at Hayfield which is a 15 minute drive. Why don’t Newington Forest go to lewis. Anyways, they are a Springfield school. Lorton should be with Lorton and Springfield with Springfield. Obviously there is no room at west Springfield and Lewis is way under capacity.

Lewis is seemingly getting Bren Mar Park at the 5 year review or possibly earlier, and something is going to go on with Lorton Station too. Since you apparently go there now, you would know that FCPS held a special secret meeting for you guys and laid out the scenarios. No one from along the parkway and west of Rolling is getting bussed to Lewis at this point. Just give it up already.

So those people are too good for Lewis? That is how that sounds.

DP, with no dog in this fight.

Families don’t want their kids moved from the pyramid that they chose when they bought their house. This has been overwhelmingly communicated to the school board, individual members, and FCPS staff throughout the last two years of public engagement.

No matter what words you try to put into people’s mouths, it won’t change the fundamental fact that families don’t want their kids to be moved. And the school board would be wise to revert to just making necessary boundary changes, not comprehensive ones.

That would garner a lot more goodwill among key constituencies as the county deals with a declining membership, declining funding, and the increased threat of vouchers. Frankly, the school board just can’t afford to alienate families, they need all the support they can get.

Did you ask this question to all Fairfax County parents? I am sure many would love to be switched out of a poor performing school to a better one. Also, there are many renters in the county as well. UMC families are only a percentage of FCPS. Sounds a bit entitled to speak for everybody in Fairfax.

That’s “bussing” and it’s a relic of the 70s and 80s. The research now supports community schools for better attendance, shorter commutes, better sense of community/more community and family involvement, attending school with your neighbors, and so on.

I agree that Bussing can be problematic. I was referring to UMC families that are “stuck” in lower performing schools that know how to work within the system to pupil place their kids to “better schools”. As in out of IB schools to AP ones (and vice-versa), to Langley for Russian, etc….

There is a solution to that, add a full AP program to every school and have one or two IB schools that kids can pupil place into if they want IB. Make sure schools are following the pupil placement rules and kids placing for languages take 4 years of that language. If you pupil place for Russian or Japanese, you had better be in that program all four years. Or the schools accepting pupil placement will have a cap on the number of kids allowed into the language and kids won't be able to use it carte blanche. If they did that, those high FARMs schools would have an increased cohort and test scores would improve.

There is a part of me that thinks that the school board keeps IB so that parents have a reason to pupil place their kids out of schools which would remove some of the more vocal advocates for their kids if there is something that needs to be fixed at a school.

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Anonymous wrote:It doesn’t explain why they decided to not make a decision. Halley still has an attendance island. Are they too afraid to make a decision?

They got a lot of push back. I think for some areas they’re waiting and hoping the temperature drops? I don’t see that happening but whatever.

I think they really wanted them at Gunston, but due to the efforts of the Mason Neck Citizens Group, and probably also the physical state of Gunston ES, that’s not going to be feasible without big renovations to the school. So now it’s a big hot potato of do they move kids out of Gunston to I guess Island Creek to make room at Gunston? (That’s a long bus ride). Do they add Hagel to Lorton Station and then try to make moves to get LSES as a SC feeder? Not really possible right now without overcrowding South County MS and HS though. Do they add it to Lorton Station/Hayfield and then wash their hands of the whole thing? Do they try to add it to Laurel Hill which makes a nice border on paper but still ends up with a long bus ride? (And another overcrowded school at Laurel Hill as well). Are they ok with potentially taking LSES, which is a big feeder school, out of Hayfield and leaving Hayfield under-enrolled, assuming they’ll need the capacity at Hayfield to relieve Edison? But if Edison needs relief, the first places to look should be under-enrolled Lewis and over-expanded West Potomac.

I really think to solve the South County overcrowding, they should send kids from Springfield to Lewis. Anyways that bus ride for them is about 10-15 minutes so they might as well go to Lewis and let Lorton Students stay in Lorton.

Lorton station elementary students are closest to South County while some Springfield students go to south county. Not right. They should be at Lewis and they’ve got plenty of capacity

The only Springfield kids at SC are in Newington Forest, in which case they’d be bussed the whole way down the parkway to Key and Lewis, past the attendance areas for both Hunt Valley and Rolling Valley, which both go to West Springfield. That would be a gigantic border gerrymander. And at that point people would rightly wonder why it wasn’t at least part of Hunt Valley at Lewis and we’re suddenly back on that nonsense again. South County is fine as is and doesn’t need to lose any students. It’s just if they want it to gain a few hundred from Lorton Station that’s where the problem comes in.

Isn't Newington Forest in Lorton?

Thet would also go past Daventry and West Springfield Elementary.

Daventry is the neighborhood you should be focused on. They were recently zoned to Lewis, and are part of the Franconia magesterial district, not the Springfield district. Daventry and Keene Mill elementary are the closest West Springfield areas to Lewis by a long shot.

Whoever is saying that Newington should attend Lewis is not looking at maps.

There are no Springfield kids at South County. OP is confused. It’s entirely Lorton, Mason Neck, and Fairfax Station.

Technically Newington Forest elementary and the neighborhood has a Springfield 22153 address, same as Hunt Valley. But South County is definitely our closest school. Even West Springfield is a bit of a hike from here but is still closer than Lewis.

Newington Forrest is so close to SC middle and high schools. It would make no sense at all to change those neighborhoods to Lewis, LBSS or WSHS. At least if you care about proximity to the school and transportation times.

So is Lorton Station Elementary but it’s zoned for Hayfield. Lorton station is 5 minutes from south county. Yet, Newington Forest gets to be zoned for South County. We have to drop our children off at Hayfield which is a 15 minute drive. Why don’t Newington Forest go to lewis. Anyways, they are a Springfield school. Lorton should be with Lorton and Springfield with Springfield. Obviously there is no room at west Springfield and Lewis is way under capacity.

Lewis is seemingly getting Bren Mar Park at the 5 year review or possibly earlier, and something is going to go on with Lorton Station too. Since you apparently go there now, you would know that FCPS held a special secret meeting for you guys and laid out the scenarios. No one from along the parkway and west of Rolling is getting bussed to Lewis at this point. Just give it up already.

So those people are too good for Lewis? That is how that sounds.

DP, with no dog in this fight.

Families don’t want their kids moved from the pyramid that they chose when they bought their house. This has been overwhelmingly communicated to the school board, individual members, and FCPS staff throughout the last two years of public engagement.

No matter what words you try to put into people’s mouths, it won’t change the fundamental fact that families don’t want their kids to be moved. And the school board would be wise to revert to just making necessary boundary changes, not comprehensive ones.

That would garner a lot more goodwill among key constituencies as the county deals with a declining membership, declining funding, and the increased threat of vouchers. Frankly, the school board just can’t afford to alienate families, they need all the support they can get.

The school board's job is to maintain an effective and efficient school system. What some families want based off where they bought their house should not be on their list of considerations. Boundaries change over time as different parts of the county grow and shrink at different rates. Factoring in what a bunch of loud, entitled people want instead of making necessary adjustments over time is how you end up with the crazy boundary lines we have today.

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Anonymous wrote:It doesn’t explain why they decided to not make a decision. Halley still has an attendance island. Are they too afraid to make a decision?

They got a lot of push back. I think for some areas they’re waiting and hoping the temperature drops? I don’t see that happening but whatever.

I think they really wanted them at Gunston, but due to the efforts of the Mason Neck Citizens Group, and probably also the physical state of Gunston ES, that’s not going to be feasible without big renovations to the school. So now it’s a big hot potato of do they move kids out of Gunston to I guess Island Creek to make room at Gunston? (That’s a long bus ride). Do they add Hagel to Lorton Station and then try to make moves to get LSES as a SC feeder? Not really possible right now without overcrowding South County MS and HS though. Do they add it to Lorton Station/Hayfield and then wash their hands of the whole thing? Do they try to add it to Laurel Hill which makes a nice border on paper but still ends up with a long bus ride? (And another overcrowded school at Laurel Hill as well). Are they ok with potentially taking LSES, which is a big feeder school, out of Hayfield and leaving Hayfield under-enrolled, assuming they’ll need the capacity at Hayfield to relieve Edison? But if Edison needs relief, the first places to look should be under-enrolled Lewis and over-expanded West Potomac.

I really think to solve the South County overcrowding, they should send kids from Springfield to Lewis. Anyways that bus ride for them is about 10-15 minutes so they might as well go to Lewis and let Lorton Students stay in Lorton.

Lorton station elementary students are closest to South County while some Springfield students go to south county. Not right. They should be at Lewis and they’ve got plenty of capacity

The only Springfield kids at SC are in Newington Forest, in which case they’d be bussed the whole way down the parkway to Key and Lewis, past the attendance areas for both Hunt Valley and Rolling Valley, which both go to West Springfield. That would be a gigantic border gerrymander. And at that point people would rightly wonder why it wasn’t at least part of Hunt Valley at Lewis and we’re suddenly back on that nonsense again. South County is fine as is and doesn’t need to lose any students. It’s just if they want it to gain a few hundred from Lorton Station that’s where the problem comes in.

Isn't Newington Forest in Lorton?

Thet would also go past Daventry and West Springfield Elementary.

Daventry is the neighborhood you should be focused on. They were recently zoned to Lewis, and are part of the Franconia magesterial district, not the Springfield district. Daventry and Keene Mill elementary are the closest West Springfield areas to Lewis by a long shot.

Whoever is saying that Newington should attend Lewis is not looking at maps.

There are no Springfield kids at South County. OP is confused. It’s entirely Lorton, Mason Neck, and Fairfax Station.

Technically Newington Forest elementary and the neighborhood has a Springfield 22153 address, same as Hunt Valley. But South County is definitely our closest school. Even West Springfield is a bit of a hike from here but is still closer than Lewis.

Newington Forrest is so close to SC middle and high schools. It would make no sense at all to change those neighborhoods to Lewis, LBSS or WSHS. At least if you care about proximity to the school and transportation times.

So is Lorton Station Elementary but it’s zoned for Hayfield. Lorton station is 5 minutes from south county. Yet, Newington Forest gets to be zoned for South County. We have to drop our children off at Hayfield which is a 15 minute drive. Why don’t Newington Forest go to lewis. Anyways, they are a Springfield school. Lorton should be with Lorton and Springfield with Springfield. Obviously there is no room at west Springfield and Lewis is way under capacity.

Lewis is seemingly getting Bren Mar Park at the 5 year review or possibly earlier, and something is going to go on with Lorton Station too. Since you apparently go there now, you would know that FCPS held a special secret meeting for you guys and laid out the scenarios. No one from along the parkway and west of Rolling is getting bussed to Lewis at this point. Just give it up already.

So those people are too good for Lewis? That is how that sounds.

DP, with no dog in this fight.

Families don’t want their kids moved from the pyramid that they chose when they bought their house. This has been overwhelmingly communicated to the school board, individual members, and FCPS staff throughout the last two years of public engagement.

No matter what words you try to put into people’s mouths, it won’t change the fundamental fact that families don’t want their kids to be moved. And the school board would be wise to revert to just making necessary boundary changes, not comprehensive ones.

That would garner a lot more goodwill among key constituencies as the county deals with a declining membership, declining funding, and the increased threat of vouchers. Frankly, the school board just can’t afford to alienate families, they need all the support they can get.

Did you ask this question to all Fairfax County parents? I am sure many would love to be switched out of a poor performing school to a better one. Also, there are many renters in the county as well. UMC families are only a percentage of FCPS. Sounds a bit entitled to speak for everybody in Fairfax.

That’s “bussing” and it’s a relic of the 70s and 80s. The research now supports community schools for better attendance, shorter commutes, better sense of community/more community and family involvement, attending school with your neighbors, and so on.

I agree that Bussing can be problematic. I was referring to UMC families that are “stuck” in lower performing schools that know how to work within the system to pupil place their kids to “better schools”. As in out of IB schools to AP ones (and vice-versa), to Langley for Russian, etc….