Anonymous
08/31/2025 23:02
Subject: FCPS is turning the new high school purchased to fix crowding into an Aviation magnet school instead of a high school??
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:The only thing that makes sense is second TJ. Specializing in an industry is ridiculous. Would they really do something so bizarre? I live basically next door to this school and have a 9th grader next year. I’d like it to be a TJ- I didn’t send any of my kids to TJ due to the insane commute. This would pull from all local HS easing enrollment more uniformly. As a regular high school it’s pretty small.
I don't think there's any reason to believe the state would approve a second STEM-oriented regional Governor's School in the same county. Another "TJ-like" Governor's School would likely be approved in Loudoun first.
APS sends some students to TJ and APS also has “Arlington Tech” which is an STEM option school (academic, not vocational). Arlington Tech is not a Governor’s School. The two schools are slightly different educational paths, both STEM, and both are good. Having both creates more seats and more options for STEM-oriented students. LCPS already has a similar option program to this.
Not advocating, but FCPS has the power to make the new HS a STEM school *without it being a Governor’s School*, following Arlington Tech as an example. If they focused on Aviation-related topics and Physics, but downplayed Chem/Bio, they would get more engineering oriented students (and would have fewer pre-Med students crowding out the would-be engineers and scientists; one of TJ’s secrets is that a lot of students are not really interested in STEM — only are interested in pre-Med/pre-Dental).
Arlington Tech is indeed a Governor's STEM Academy:
https://arlingtontech.apsva.us/about-arlington-tech/
SO IS THE CHANTILLY STEM ACADAMY
Anonymous
08/31/2025 23:01
Subject: FCPS is turning the new high school purchased to fix crowding into an Aviation magnet school instead of a high school??
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:The only thing that makes sense is second TJ. Specializing in an industry is ridiculous. Would they really do something so bizarre? I live basically next door to this school and have a 9th grader next year. I’d like it to be a TJ- I didn’t send any of my kids to TJ due to the insane commute. This would pull from all local HS easing enrollment more uniformly. As a regular high school it’s pretty small.
I don't think there's any reason to believe the state would approve a second STEM-oriented regional Governor's School in the same county. Another "TJ-like" Governor's School would likely be approved in Loudoun first.
APS sends some students to TJ and APS also has “Arlington Tech” which is an STEM option school (academic, not vocational). Arlington Tech is not a Governor’s School. The two schools are slightly different educational paths, both STEM, and both are good. Having both creates more seats and more options for STEM-oriented students. LCPS already has a similar option program to this.
Not advocating, but FCPS has the power to make the new HS a STEM school *without it being a Governor’s School*, following Arlington Tech as an example. If they focused on Aviation-related topics and Physics, but downplayed Chem/Bio, they would get more engineering oriented students (and would have fewer pre-Med students crowding out the would-be engineers and scientists; one of TJ’s secrets is that a lot of students are not really interested in STEM — only are interested in pre-Med/pre-Dental).
Doesn't Chantilly have a STEM Academy already?
Here you go:
https://chantillyacademy.fcps.edu/academics/stem-engineering
It was a rhetorical question you idiot.
Anonymous
08/31/2025 22:46
Subject: FCPS is turning the new high school purchased to fix crowding into an Aviation magnet school instead of a high school??
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:My guess is that they will start it as a regular high school, but add an Aviation or Aerospace-focused Academy as part of the school. They will spend 2-3 years renovating one of the extra buildings to bring in specialized equipment/labs for the academy. That will also give them time to hire the right people.
Here's the academic sequence for students at Raisbeck Aviation HS near Seattle. The school has slightly over 400 students, so it is feasible to have such a program in a building that's built for fewer students than a typical FCPS high school.
https://rahs.highlineschools.org/academics/course-offerings
No.
Not possible.
They didn't follow the proper processes to do this.
The money they spent was money allocated for a new general high school to ease overcrowding through the normal bond process.
It was NOT allocated for a magnet school available to only a few students.
FCPS is cutting money right and left from other students. Most teachers are teaching classes of 30-35 students per year. Many high school teachers have a student load well in excess of 150-180 students per teacher.
If they want a magnet school, then go through the normal bond process.
Do not steal money from the rest of the county meant to relieve overcrowding to fund a vanity project with possible kickbacks or benefits to school board members working in that industry.
They have flexibility in how bond proceeds are used. It’s not like they’d previously earmarked $150 million from bond proceeds to buy KAA or build a high school in western Fairfax. Money got reallocated.
It all really depends on how many high school students KAA currently can accommodate. FCPS hasn’t shared that information. It may not even know yet.
Depending on the capacity, a traditional HS simply may not be feasible. But they own KAA now so it’s incumbent on them to find some use for the facilities.
Anonymous
08/31/2025 22:24
Subject: FCPS is turning the new high school purchased to fix crowding into an Aviation magnet school instead of a high school??
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:My guess is that they will start it as a regular high school, but add an Aviation or Aerospace-focused Academy as part of the school. They will spend 2-3 years renovating one of the extra buildings to bring in specialized equipment/labs for the academy. That will also give them time to hire the right people.
Here's the academic sequence for students at Raisbeck Aviation HS near Seattle. The school has slightly over 400 students, so it is feasible to have such a program in a building that's built for fewer students than a typical FCPS high school.
https://rahs.highlineschools.org/academics/course-offerings
No.
Not possible.
They didn't follow the proper processes to do this.
The money they spent was money allocated for a new general high school to ease overcrowding through the normal bond process.
It was NOT allocated for a magnet school available to only a few students.
FCPS is cutting money right and left from other students. Most teachers are teaching classes of 30-35 students per year. Many high school teachers have a student load well in excess of 150-180 students per teacher.
If they want a magnet school, then go through the normal bond process.
Do not steal money from the rest of the county meant to relieve overcrowding to fund a vanity project with possible kickbacks or benefits to school board members working in that industry.
Anonymous
08/31/2025 21:52
Subject: FCPS is turning the new high school purchased to fix crowding into an Aviation magnet school instead of a high school??
Anonymous wrote:Enough with the STEM schools/academies/magnets.
Yeah I don’t know who’s still thinking STEM everything is so great but…. The job market for the “S” part has sucked for awhile now and is only getting worse. Not as familiar with the others but I think STEM has been pushed too much at the expense of other things.
Anonymous
08/31/2025 21:42
Subject: FCPS is turning the new high school purchased to fix crowding into an Aviation magnet school instead of a high school??
Enough with the STEM schools/academies/magnets.
Anonymous
08/31/2025 21:41
Subject: FCPS is turning the new high school purchased to fix crowding into an Aviation magnet school instead of a high school??
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:The only thing that makes sense is second TJ. Specializing in an industry is ridiculous. Would they really do something so bizarre? I live basically next door to this school and have a 9th grader next year. I’d like it to be a TJ- I didn’t send any of my kids to TJ due to the insane commute. This would pull from all local HS easing enrollment more uniformly. As a regular high school it’s pretty small.
I don't think there's any reason to believe the state would approve a second STEM-oriented regional Governor's School in the same county. Another "TJ-like" Governor's School would likely be approved in Loudoun first.
APS sends some students to TJ and APS also has “Arlington Tech” which is an STEM option school (academic, not vocational). Arlington Tech is not a Governor’s School. The two schools are slightly different educational paths, both STEM, and both are good. Having both creates more seats and more options for STEM-oriented students. LCPS already has a similar option program to this.
Not advocating, but FCPS has the power to make the new HS a STEM school *without it being a Governor’s School*, following Arlington Tech as an example. If they focused on Aviation-related topics and Physics, but downplayed Chem/Bio, they would get more engineering oriented students (and would have fewer pre-Med students crowding out the would-be engineers and scientists; one of TJ’s secrets is that a lot of students are not really interested in STEM — only are interested in pre-Med/pre-Dental).
Arlington Tech is indeed a Governor's STEM Academy:
https://arlingtontech.apsva.us/about-arlington-tech/
Anonymous
08/31/2025 13:49
Subject: FCPS is turning the new high school purchased to fix crowding into an Aviation magnet school instead of a high school??
The Raisbeck school seems pretty cool, and knowing they can operate that type of special school with 400 kids is good to know if they conclude KAA really only works as a HS for 1000 or so kids.
Anonymous
08/31/2025 13:39
Subject: FCPS is turning the new high school purchased to fix crowding into an Aviation magnet school instead of a high school??
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:My guess is that they will start it as a regular high school, but add an Aviation or Aerospace-focused Academy as part of the school. They will spend 2-3 years renovating one of the extra buildings to bring in specialized equipment/labs for the academy. That will also give them time to hire the right people.
Here's the academic sequence for students at Raisbeck Aviation HS near Seattle. The school has slightly over 400 students, so it is feasible to have such a program in a building that's built for fewer students than a typical FCPS high school.
https://rahs.highlineschools.org/academics/course-offerings
That's not what I was saying. I said they would make it an Academy program.
Anonymous
08/31/2025 13:30
Subject: FCPS is turning the new high school purchased to fix crowding into an Aviation magnet school instead of a high school??
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:My guess is that they will start it as a regular high school, but add an Aviation or Aerospace-focused Academy as part of the school. They will spend 2-3 years renovating one of the extra buildings to bring in specialized equipment/labs for the academy. That will also give them time to hire the right people.
Here's the academic sequence for students at Raisbeck Aviation HS near Seattle. The school has slightly over 400 students, so it is feasible to have such a program in a building that's built for fewer students than a typical FCPS high school.
https://rahs.highlineschools.org/academics/course-offerings
Sure. A great way to spend $150 million dollars when there are schools in the area that are overcrowded and need relief. This site with the two additional 30,000 sq foot buildings could easily accommodate a traditional high school.
If they cannot afford to build sufficient space, then open it for a small traditional high school.
The excuse for the South Lakes Boundary adjustment was that "all" schools should be no larger than 2000. What a joke. And, now, they are claiming that a small traditional high school is not desirable.
Maybe, FCPS, how about do the best with what you have?
Anonymous
08/31/2025 13:24
Subject: FCPS is turning the new high school purchased to fix crowding into an Aviation magnet school instead of a high school??
Anonymous wrote:My guess is that they will start it as a regular high school, but add an Aviation or Aerospace-focused Academy as part of the school. They will spend 2-3 years renovating one of the extra buildings to bring in specialized equipment/labs for the academy. That will also give them time to hire the right people.
Here's the academic sequence for students at Raisbeck Aviation HS near Seattle. The school has slightly over 400 students, so it is feasible to have such a program in a building that's built for fewer students than a typical FCPS high school.
https://rahs.highlineschools.org/academics/course-offerings
Anonymous
08/31/2025 12:59
Subject: FCPS is turning the new high school purchased to fix crowding into an Aviation magnet school instead of a high school??
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:The only thing that makes sense is second TJ. Specializing in an industry is ridiculous. Would they really do something so bizarre? I live basically next door to this school and have a 9th grader next year. I’d like it to be a TJ- I didn’t send any of my kids to TJ due to the insane commute. This would pull from all local HS easing enrollment more uniformly. As a regular high school it’s pretty small.
I don't think there's any reason to believe the state would approve a second STEM-oriented regional Governor's School in the same county. Another "TJ-like" Governor's School would likely be approved in Loudoun first.
APS sends some students to TJ and APS also has “Arlington Tech” which is an STEM option school (academic, not vocational). Arlington Tech is not a Governor’s School. The two schools are slightly different educational paths, both STEM, and both are good. Having both creates more seats and more options for STEM-oriented students. LCPS already has a similar option program to this.
Not advocating, but FCPS has the power to make the new HS a STEM school *without it being a Governor’s School*, following Arlington Tech as an example. If they focused on Aviation-related topics and Physics, but downplayed Chem/Bio, they would get more engineering oriented students (and would have fewer pre-Med students crowding out the would-be engineers and scientists; one of TJ’s secrets is that a lot of students are not really interested in STEM — only are interested in pre-Med/pre-Dental).
Doesn't Chantilly have a STEM Academy already?
Here you go:
https://chantillyacademy.fcps.edu/academics/stem-engineering
Anonymous
08/31/2025 09:37
Subject: FCPS is turning the new high school purchased to fix crowding into an Aviation magnet school instead of a high school??
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:The only thing that makes sense is second TJ. Specializing in an industry is ridiculous. Would they really do something so bizarre? I live basically next door to this school and have a 9th grader next year. I’d like it to be a TJ- I didn’t send any of my kids to TJ due to the insane commute. This would pull from all local HS easing enrollment more uniformly. As a regular high school it’s pretty small.
I don't think there's any reason to believe the state would approve a second STEM-oriented regional Governor's School in the same county. Another "TJ-like" Governor's School would likely be approved in Loudoun first.
APS sends some students to TJ and APS also has “Arlington Tech” which is an STEM option school (academic, not vocational). Arlington Tech is not a Governor’s School. The two schools are slightly different educational paths, both STEM, and both are good. Having both creates more seats and more options for STEM-oriented students. LCPS already has a similar option program to this.
Not advocating, but FCPS has the power to make the new HS a STEM school *without it being a Governor’s School*, following Arlington Tech as an example. If they focused on Aviation-related topics and Physics, but downplayed Chem/Bio, they would get more engineering oriented students (and would have fewer pre-Med students crowding out the would-be engineers and scientists; one of TJ’s secrets is that a lot of students are not really interested in STEM — only are interested in pre-Med/pre-Dental).
Doesn't Chantilly have a STEM Academy already?
Anonymous
08/31/2025 09:33
Subject: FCPS is turning the new high school purchased to fix crowding into an Aviation magnet school instead of a high school??
My guess is that they will start it as a regular high school, but add an Aviation or Aerospace-focused Academy as part of the school. They will spend 2-3 years renovating one of the extra buildings to bring in specialized equipment/labs for the academy. That will also give them time to hire the right people.
Anonymous
08/31/2025 09:21
Subject: FCPS is turning the new high school purchased to fix crowding into an Aviation magnet school instead of a high school??
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:The only thing that makes sense is second TJ. Specializing in an industry is ridiculous. Would they really do something so bizarre? I live basically next door to this school and have a 9th grader next year. I’d like it to be a TJ- I didn’t send any of my kids to TJ due to the insane commute. This would pull from all local HS easing enrollment more uniformly. As a regular high school it’s pretty small.
I don't think there's any reason to believe the state would approve a second STEM-oriented regional Governor's School in the same county. Another "TJ-like" Governor's School would likely be approved in Loudoun first.
APS sends some students to TJ and APS also has “Arlington Tech” which is an STEM option school (academic, not vocational). Arlington Tech is not a Governor’s School. The two schools are slightly different educational paths, both STEM, and both are good. Having both creates more seats and more options for STEM-oriented students. LCPS already has a similar option program to this.
Not advocating, but FCPS has the power to make the new HS a STEM school *without it being a Governor’s School*, following Arlington Tech as an example. If they focused on Aviation-related topics and Physics, but downplayed Chem/Bio, they would get more engineering oriented students (and would have fewer pre-Med students crowding out the would-be engineers and scientists; one of TJ’s secrets is that a lot of students are not really interested in STEM — only are interested in pre-Med/pre-Dental).