Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All this ridiculous sniping back and forth and what I want to know is: why was an aviation academy even suggested? Seems like a completely frivolous idea that NO ONE wants or needs and is the very antithesis of a neighborhood school providing relief for that area. I feel like someone suggested it (one of the idiot SB members) and everyone's fighting over it. It should never have been suggested.

And btw - I live nowhere near this area, so a new western high school won't affect my kids at all. Just chiming in as a FC resident that the idea of a "specialty school" where none is needed is totally absurd. Right up there with the Lewis "leadership academy".

It seems to have gotten some traction because of concerns that the KAA building is not large enough or currently configured to support a traditional high school with a normal enrollment, at least not without a big additional investment.

They were in a big hurry to acquire this property so perhaps their due diligence was less than should have been undertaken.

The Lewis program is a different animal because they were trying to attract more students to a school that, while on the smaller end, has an adequate facility to support a traditional HS.

No one at the school board has said this. Only some NextDoor posters and their alter egos on here are trying to push this narrative.

DP, you should go watch last week’s work session before you make a claim about why some school board members think the school should be a magnet/academy. Because they do think the configuration is a big issue. I think many actually think an academy or magnet is genuinely a good idea too.

What does staff do? No plan at all for how to make the space work?
Lady's comment was that she did not want to destroy those "beautiful small spaces" or something like that. This after she praised the purchase the night they voted because Chantilly needs relief.

What happened in the meantime? She has talked in the past about how Chantilly took every space--closets included and used it in some way. Why not the same at KAA?

The school was built for 1300--certainly it could be adjusted for more--and there are additional buildings available that could easily be utilized for additional space or an academy later.
But, our School Board likes the "extras" not the "basics."

It sounds like staff was just told initially to find a way to buy the building. Then the School Board was told it was beautiful and heard about all the special amenities. They got stars in their eyes.

Only later did they come to earth and focus on the fact that it wasn’t constructed as a public 9-12 school. It was built to hold a maximum 1230 K-12 kids, not 1300 or more high school kids.

So they have to figure out whether to use it for a smaller magnet or tell the public they actually need to spend many millions more to modify and expand the school and outside facilities so it can be a traditional HS.

These aren’t people who’ve shown any ability to approach a challenge of any sort and come up with sensible solutions. So they are floundering. They are already wasting $85 million on Dunn Loring, and now it looks like they may have dug themselves into a hole with KAA. They’ll piss people off if they make it a magnet and they’ll piss off others if they end up having to plow many millions more into the school before it can open as a traditional school. They’ve told others for years there was no money for their schools yet KAA could suck up a large percentage of the capital budget for years.

And we haven’t even started to consider the reaction if it opens as a traditional high school and, due to its small size, can’t offer the same breadth of courses and electives as Oakton or Chantilly.

With a stronger superintendent and better School Board we’d have people who can plan appropriately, develop a sound business case for a major expenditure, commit to a clear vision for a new school, and communicate with transparency to the public. Sadly, all this is lacking.

Anonymous wrote:I'm all for the KAA site being used as a "traditional" high school. But why does it have to have the same capacity as the rest of the HS? Can't we just benefit from the 1200 or 1300 extra seats to relieve overcrowding in the region without waiting and spending to make it hold 2500?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All this ridiculous sniping back and forth and what I want to know is: why was an aviation academy even suggested? Seems like a completely frivolous idea that NO ONE wants or needs and is the very antithesis of a neighborhood school providing relief for that area. I feel like someone suggested it (one of the idiot SB members) and everyone's fighting over it. It should never have been suggested.

And btw - I live nowhere near this area, so a new western high school won't affect my kids at all. Just chiming in as a FC resident that the idea of a "specialty school" where none is needed is totally absurd. Right up there with the Lewis "leadership academy".

It seems to have gotten some traction because of concerns that the KAA building is not large enough or currently configured to support a traditional high school with a normal enrollment, at least not without a big additional investment.

They were in a big hurry to acquire this property so perhaps their due diligence was less than should have been undertaken.

The Lewis program is a different animal because they were trying to attract more students to a school that, while on the smaller end, has an adequate facility to support a traditional HS.

No one at the school board has said this. Only some NextDoor posters and their alter egos on here are trying to push this narrative.

DP, you should go watch last week’s work session before you make a claim about why some school board members think the school should be a magnet/academy. Because they do think the configuration is a big issue. I think many actually think an academy or magnet is genuinely a good idea too.

What does staff do? No plan at all for how to make the space work?
Lady's comment was that she did not want to destroy those "beautiful small spaces" or something like that. This after she praised the purchase the night they voted because Chantilly needs relief.

What happened in the meantime? She has talked in the past about how Chantilly took every space--closets included and used it in some way. Why not the same at KAA?

The school was built for 1300--certainly it could be adjusted for more--and there are additional buildings available that could easily be utilized for additional space or an academy later.
But, our School Board likes the "extras" not the "basics."

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:KAA area is mobilizing. Sign if you’re in support of a traditional school.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSduwJbvM-8kPHyRuqv32Jy2lf6AiKQrfK4WeEXfCnfzZoid8w/viewform

It’s odd that the petition organizers don’t say which areas they actually represent.

I would assume it is the area around KAA

It’s also interesting that they attack magnet schools when Chantilly and Oakton are two of the four pyramids that send the most kids to TJ.

True, but how many kids do NOT go to magnet schools or TJ. The number to TJ was 34 from Carson last year admitted. The numbers have dropped dramatically since the admission policy changed.

They also suggest that a lot of changes would need to be made to KAA to house a magnet program, whereas it’s at least as likely that a lot of changes might need to be made to house a traditional high school with as many kids as other FCPS high schools.

They really did not discuss whether or not they had even tried to figure it out. Yes the school was built for 1350--but, certainly it could hold more. If you don't beleive that--go take a look at Chantilly. The architectural design firm also mentioned that it was built for "flexible" groupings. Not sure, but that could indicate lots of possibilities.
And, again, there are TWO additional 30000 sq foot buildings that are unfinished inside. Lots of classrooms could be added there.

They were clearly enamored of the idea of a magnet school. Interesting that one of the information papers presented prior to the work session was from Brookings. FYI, Brookings is McElveen's employer. And, he was a strong voice for the magnet plan.

One hopes that, one way or another, the School Board will be fiscally responsible in deciding the future use of a building that they apparently bought as an impulse purchase without a clear vision or even a clear understanding as to the school’s capacity.

Something is in play here other than the design of the facility.
Is it that Citizens Association that was lobbying for a magnet? Is it a group that wants other alternatives for a school they resist?

This group did not think the situation at Coates was bad enough to do something NOW. And, it appears they are considering having the same situation in this area in a year or so.

If they cannot see that there is also a problem with having two middle schools close to one another in this area that are being split in multiple directions,..............