It's not a shocker that McDaniel would fall all over himself to declare his support for a neighborhood school, given that people were accusing the aviation magnet of being his idea. Note that he goes out of his way to thank "the Superintendent and her staff" for developing the magnet model.

What neither Reid nor McDaniel nor anyone else associated with FCPS appears to have shared yet is the real cost of converting the private KAA building into a 9-12 FCPS high school. Dunne has repeated the claim that the KAA purchase will save FCPS hundreds of millions that can be spent on other school renovations, but there too FCPS has provided no information on which schools may eventually benefit from the purported savings.

From the Kyle McDaniel September update email that just went out:

Western High School:

As you may have heard, the School Board purchased a high school site in western Fairfax County. I want to thank those who have shared their thoughts on the future of the new western high school. I’ve heard clearly from families that the site should be a “traditional”, neighborhood-based school to provide long-overdue relief to overcrowded schools in western Fairfax County. I appreciate the Superintendent and her staff exploring all options and developing a model for a magnet program. In my comments to the School Board, I stated that the model she developed is a roadmap for much needed expansion of magnet-style programming across the entire school system.

That being said, I support the western site being a neighborhood school with boundaries to provide overcrowding relief in our western Fairfax County communities.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They can open KAA in 2026. That section of the County has a series of schools that are overcrowded, and this is the time to address those issues.

The boundaries of the overcrowded schools need to be addressed for 2026. Coates, Chantilly, Centerville, WSHS are the ones I know off the top of my head. I am sure that there are others. Those have to be addressed this year.

Remove IB schools. Maybe keep the program at the schools that have a greater then 15% completion rate, and by that, I mean across the entire school population and not just the kids who take one IB class, and allow kids to apply to participate in IB. That is what Arlington does. People are not going to apply to take IB at Lewis and Mt. Vernon, we already know that. People might apply to participate at Robinson, Marshall, and Edison because the schools are good schools and the program is attractive to them. The completion rates at SLHS, Annandale, Justice, Lewis, and Mount Vernon are awful. The only one of those schools that have a high transfer in rate is SLHS and those are kids leaving Herndon HS, most who went to AAP at Hughes and have friends at SLHS. It is unclear if those kids use IB or language to transfer, SLHS has Japanese and HHS does not.

The rest of the boundary changes can wait or don't need to happen.

The CIP priorities need to be explored and redone so that schools with serious needs, like McLean, are addressed immediately.

All we do by expanding every school is create unused spaces, many times nearby, and waste money. I get that people don't want to move but we are wasting money to expand schools when there are spaces at other schools. Centerville does not need to be expanded, especially now that there is KAA.

+ 1

Just copy Arlington. One centrally located neighborhood high school that has both a full AP program for the neighborhood students and a countywide magnet IB program. Marshall or Robinson might meet the criteria.

Also don't assume every IB applicant would automatically get a transfer spot. W-L turns applicants away, as does Richard Montgomery (in Rockville).

Marshall barely has enough space for its current enrollment and over 1/2 of growing Tysons feeds into Marshall, so it can’t house a regional IB program.

The obvious site for any regional IB program is Lewis, which has surplus capacity.

But no one will go there. It is that simple.

If you make Lewis the only site where IB is offered in FCPS, kids will go there. The problem with IB in FCPS right now is that the supply far outstrips the demand.

If you keep IB at eight high schools and just allow Lewis to offer both AP and IB, you’re not moving the needle because there are better AP schools and better IB schools.

I don’t think that there are that many people who love IB. Somewhere around 400-500 students complete the diploma, I would guess most of those kids are completing it at their base school because that is what they have. If you told them that they would have to transfer to a different school for IB that number drops. If you tell them they have to transfer to a school that has low test scores and more discipline problems, the program will die.

As I understand it, kids apply for IB in Arlington because they want to attend W-L and not stay at Yorktown more then they want to do IB. They are using IB as an out for Yorktown.

If FCPS wants IB to have a chance at succeeding , it needs to be at a school that people would want to go to if it was their base school. They need to guarantee that the HL classes will be offered for all the classes.

I'd like to see an IB program/academy at 2-3 schools, given the geographical size of the county, such that the significant majority of students have an IB program within a 20-30 minute commute. 8 schools is clearly overkill relative to the demand.

Ideally every school would offer AP (even those with an IB track) to remove that as a transfer justification, but I don't know if there are problems either logistical or financial presented by offering AP and IB at the same school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They can open KAA in 2026. That section of the County has a series of schools that are overcrowded, and this is the time to address those issues.

The boundaries of the overcrowded schools need to be addressed for 2026. Coates, Chantilly, Centerville, WSHS are the ones I know off the top of my head. I am sure that there are others. Those have to be addressed this year.

Remove IB schools. Maybe keep the program at the schools that have a greater then 15% completion rate, and by that, I mean across the entire school population and not just the kids who take one IB class, and allow kids to apply to participate in IB. That is what Arlington does. People are not going to apply to take IB at Lewis and Mt. Vernon, we already know that. People might apply to participate at Robinson, Marshall, and Edison because the schools are good schools and the program is attractive to them. The completion rates at SLHS, Annandale, Justice, Lewis, and Mount Vernon are awful. The only one of those schools that have a high transfer in rate is SLHS and those are kids leaving Herndon HS, most who went to AAP at Hughes and have friends at SLHS. It is unclear if those kids use IB or language to transfer, SLHS has Japanese and HHS does not.

The rest of the boundary changes can wait or don't need to happen.

The CIP priorities need to be explored and redone so that schools with serious needs, like McLean, are addressed immediately.

All we do by expanding every school is create unused spaces, many times nearby, and waste money. I get that people don't want to move but we are wasting money to expand schools when there are spaces at other schools. Centerville does not need to be expanded, especially now that there is KAA.

+ 1

Just copy Arlington. One centrally located neighborhood high school that has both a full AP program for the neighborhood students and a countywide magnet IB program. Marshall or Robinson might meet the criteria.

Also don't assume every IB applicant would automatically get a transfer spot. W-L turns applicants away, as does Richard Montgomery (in Rockville).

Marshall barely has enough space for its current enrollment and over 1/2 of growing Tysons feeds into Marshall, so it can’t house a regional IB program.

The obvious site for any regional IB program is Lewis, which has surplus capacity.

But no one will go there. It is that simple.

If you make Lewis the only site where IB is offered in FCPS, kids will go there. The problem with IB in FCPS right now is that the supply far outstrips the demand.

If you keep IB at eight high schools and just allow Lewis to offer both AP and IB, you’re not moving the needle because there are better AP schools and better IB schools.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They can open KAA in 2026. That section of the County has a series of schools that are overcrowded, and this is the time to address those issues.

The boundaries of the overcrowded schools need to be addressed for 2026. Coates, Chantilly, Centerville, WSHS are the ones I know off the top of my head. I am sure that there are others. Those have to be addressed this year.

Remove IB schools. Maybe keep the program at the schools that have a greater then 15% completion rate, and by that, I mean across the entire school population and not just the kids who take one IB class, and allow kids to apply to participate in IB. That is what Arlington does. People are not going to apply to take IB at Lewis and Mt. Vernon, we already know that. People might apply to participate at Robinson, Marshall, and Edison because the schools are good schools and the program is attractive to them. The completion rates at SLHS, Annandale, Justice, Lewis, and Mount Vernon are awful. The only one of those schools that have a high transfer in rate is SLHS and those are kids leaving Herndon HS, most who went to AAP at Hughes and have friends at SLHS. It is unclear if those kids use IB or language to transfer, SLHS has Japanese and HHS does not.

The rest of the boundary changes can wait or don't need to happen.

The CIP priorities need to be explored and redone so that schools with serious needs, like McLean, are addressed immediately.

All we do by expanding every school is create unused spaces, many times nearby, and waste money. I get that people don't want to move but we are wasting money to expand schools when there are spaces at other schools. Centerville does not need to be expanded, especially now that there is KAA.

+ 1

Just copy Arlington. One centrally located neighborhood high school that has both a full AP program for the neighborhood students and a countywide magnet IB program. Marshall or Robinson might meet the criteria.

Also don't assume every IB applicant would automatically get a transfer spot. W-L turns applicants away, as does Richard Montgomery (in Rockville).

Marshall barely has enough space for its current enrollment and over 1/2 of growing Tysons feeds into Marshall, so it can’t house a regional IB program.

The obvious site for any regional IB program is Lewis, which has surplus capacity.

But no one will go there. It is that simple.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They can open KAA in 2026. That section of the County has a series of schools that are overcrowded, and this is the time to address those issues.

The boundaries of the overcrowded schools need to be addressed for 2026. Coates, Chantilly, Centerville, WSHS are the ones I know off the top of my head. I am sure that there are others. Those have to be addressed this year.

Remove IB schools. Maybe keep the program at the schools that have a greater then 15% completion rate, and by that, I mean across the entire school population and not just the kids who take one IB class, and allow kids to apply to participate in IB. That is what Arlington does. People are not going to apply to take IB at Lewis and Mt. Vernon, we already know that. People might apply to participate at Robinson, Marshall, and Edison because the schools are good schools and the program is attractive to them. The completion rates at SLHS, Annandale, Justice, Lewis, and Mount Vernon are awful. The only one of those schools that have a high transfer in rate is SLHS and those are kids leaving Herndon HS, most who went to AAP at Hughes and have friends at SLHS. It is unclear if those kids use IB or language to transfer, SLHS has Japanese and HHS does not.

The rest of the boundary changes can wait or don't need to happen.

The CIP priorities need to be explored and redone so that schools with serious needs, like McLean, are addressed immediately.

All we do by expanding every school is create unused spaces, many times nearby, and waste money. I get that people don't want to move but we are wasting money to expand schools when there are spaces at other schools. Centerville does not need to be expanded, especially now that there is KAA.

+ 1

Just copy Arlington. One centrally located neighborhood high school that has both a full AP program for the neighborhood students and a countywide magnet IB program. Marshall or Robinson might meet the criteria.

Also don't assume every IB applicant would automatically get a transfer spot. W-L turns applicants away, as does Richard Montgomery (in Rockville).

Marshall barely has enough space for its current enrollment and over 1/2 of growing Tysons feeds into Marshall, so it can’t house a regional IB program.

The obvious site for any regional IB program is Lewis, which has surplus capacity.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They can open KAA in 2026. That section of the County has a series of schools that are overcrowded, and this is the time to address those issues.

The boundaries of the overcrowded schools need to be addressed for 2026. Coates, Chantilly, Centerville, WSHS are the ones I know off the top of my head. I am sure that there are others. Those have to be addressed this year.

Remove IB schools. Maybe keep the program at the schools that have a greater then 15% completion rate, and by that, I mean across the entire school population and not just the kids who take one IB class, and allow kids to apply to participate in IB. That is what Arlington does. People are not going to apply to take IB at Lewis and Mt. Vernon, we already know that. People might apply to participate at Robinson, Marshall, and Edison because the schools are good schools and the program is attractive to them. The completion rates at SLHS, Annandale, Justice, Lewis, and Mount Vernon are awful. The only one of those schools that have a high transfer in rate is SLHS and those are kids leaving Herndon HS, most who went to AAP at Hughes and have friends at SLHS. It is unclear if those kids use IB or language to transfer, SLHS has Japanese and HHS does not.

The rest of the boundary changes can wait or don't need to happen.

The CIP priorities need to be explored and redone so that schools with serious needs, like McLean, are addressed immediately.

All we do by expanding every school is create unused spaces, many times nearby, and waste money. I get that people don't want to move but we are wasting money to expand schools when there are spaces at other schools. Centerville does not need to be expanded, especially now that there is KAA.

+ 1

Just copy Arlington. One centrally located neighborhood high school that has both a full AP program for the neighborhood students and a countywide magnet IB program. Marshall or Robinson might meet the criteria.

Also don't assume every IB applicant would automatically get a transfer spot. W-L turns applicants away, as does Richard Montgomery (in Rockville).

Anonymous wrote:They can open KAA in 2026. That section of the County has a series of schools that are overcrowded, and this is the time to address those issues.

The boundaries of the overcrowded schools need to be addressed for 2026. Coates, Chantilly, Centerville, WSHS are the ones I know off the top of my head. I am sure that there are others. Those have to be addressed this year.

Remove IB schools. Maybe keep the program at the schools that have a greater then 15% completion rate, and by that, I mean across the entire school population and not just the kids who take one IB class, and allow kids to apply to participate in IB. That is what Arlington does. People are not going to apply to take IB at Lewis and Mt. Vernon, we already know that. People might apply to participate at Robinson, Marshall, and Edison because the schools are good schools and the program is attractive to them. The completion rates at SLHS, Annandale, Justice, Lewis, and Mount Vernon are awful. The only one of those schools that have a high transfer in rate is SLHS and those are kids leaving Herndon HS, most who went to AAP at Hughes and have friends at SLHS. It is unclear if those kids use IB or language to transfer, SLHS has Japanese and HHS does not.

The rest of the boundary changes can wait or don't need to happen.

The CIP priorities need to be explored and redone so that schools with serious needs, like McLean, are addressed immediately.

All we do by expanding every school is create unused spaces, many times nearby, and waste money. I get that people don't want to move but we are wasting money to expand schools when there are spaces at other schools. Centerville does not need to be expanded, especially now that there is KAA.

+ 1

They can open KAA in 2026. That section of the County has a series of schools that are overcrowded, and this is the time to address those issues.

The boundaries of the overcrowded schools need to be addressed for 2026. Coates, Chantilly, Centerville, WSHS are the ones I know off the top of my head. I am sure that there are others. Those have to be addressed this year.

Remove IB schools. Maybe keep the program at the schools that have a greater then 15% completion rate, and by that, I mean across the entire school population and not just the kids who take one IB class, and allow kids to apply to participate in IB. That is what Arlington does. People are not going to apply to take IB at Lewis and Mt. Vernon, we already know that. People might apply to participate at Robinson, Marshall, and Edison because the schools are good schools and the program is attractive to them. The completion rates at SLHS, Annandale, Justice, Lewis, and Mount Vernon are awful. The only one of those schools that have a high transfer in rate is SLHS and those are kids leaving Herndon HS, most who went to AAP at Hughes and have friends at SLHS. It is unclear if those kids use IB or language to transfer, SLHS has Japanese and HHS does not.

The rest of the boundary changes can wait or don't need to happen.

The CIP priorities need to be explored and redone so that schools with serious needs, like McLean, are addressed immediately.

Expansions at schools should not happen when there are available seats at other schools and boundaries can be addressed. All we do by expanding every school is create unused spaces, many times nearby, and waste money. I get that people don't want to move but we are wasting money to expand schools when there are spaces at other schools. Centerville does not need to be expanded, especially now that there is KAA.

Anonymous wrote:Based on Mateo Dunne's latest email, I am guessing that the boundary study and KAA opening will be pushed to 2027. The only thing that will start in 2026 is the new start times.

Good, the school board will get to hear the full wrath and fury of its constituents’ anger during the election season. Delaying a year will make changes occur two months before their election.

This is outstanding for those opposed to the comprehensive boundary changes.

Based on Mateo Dunne's latest email, I am guessing that the boundary study and KAA opening will be pushed to 2027. The only thing that will start in 2026 is the new start times.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe make it a pre-med magnet?

That would leave TJ for those interested in engineering or science b

You sound as bad as the board members just throwing "what ifs" up there to see what sticks.
As much as some of you are hoping, the school will not be a magnet. It may have some sort of academy courses at some point, but there is no way they get all that organized for the start of the 2026 school year. It will be a traditional school with only 9th and 10th graders to start, and they'll struggle with even the logistics for that. They won't even seriously work on any academy stuff until all the regular school through 12th grade is sorted out.

DP. I’m old enough to remember when people on DCUM confidently scolded everyone who dared talk about the possibility of a magnet/academy based on news articles with quotes from the school board members that discussed it as a possibility.

I’m not sure what the school will end up as, but I am confident that bold statements proclaiming that the school definitely won’t be a magnet are misguided. That may be your desire, but any confidence in that outcome should have died after last week’s work session.

Sadly, I agree. It should be a traditional school, but with this crew.......

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe make it a pre-med magnet?

That would leave TJ for those interested in engineering or science b

You sound as bad as the board members just throwing "what ifs" up there to see what sticks.
As much as some of you are hoping, the school will not be a magnet. It may have some sort of academy courses at some point, but there is no way they get all that organized for the start of the 2026 school year. It will be a traditional school with only 9th and 10th graders to start, and they'll struggle with even the logistics for that. They won't even seriously work on any academy stuff until all the regular school through 12th grade is sorted out.

DP. I’m old enough to remember when people on DCUM confidently scolded everyone who dared talk about the possibility of a magnet/academy based on news articles with quotes from the school board members that discussed it as a possibility.

I’m not sure what the school will end up as, but I am confident that bold statements proclaiming that the school definitely won’t be a magnet are misguided. That may be your desire, but any confidence in that outcome should have died after last week’s work session.

Anonymous wrote:Maybe make it a pre-med magnet?

That would leave TJ for those interested in engineering or science b

You sound as bad as the board members just throwing "what ifs" up there to see what sticks.
As much as some of you are hoping, the school will not be a magnet. It may have some sort of academy courses at some point, but there is no way they get all that organized for the start of the 2026 school year. It will be a traditional school with only 9th and 10th graders to start, and they'll struggle with even the logistics for that. They won't even seriously work on any academy stuff until all the regular school through 12th grade is sorted out.