All this speculation about which schools will be forced to attend SL should only strengthen our determination that NO SCHOOLS will be forced to go anywhere. The only way we can do this is to VOTE STU AND KATHY OUT and vote those in that will listen to what their constituents want.

And I agree with you Don't Tread on Me - we should be compensated but that will be cold day in hell!

Perverse form of Eminent Domain:

When the Metro comes to Reston, and property values near the new stations will increase, but not as much because all the travelers from adjoining communities will further clog roads and so they won't go as high as we want them to go before we retire and move.

Ergo, our property values are decreased because of a government bureaucracy's decision (to build the Metro but not the adequate supporting road and parking infrastructure).,....and we want to be compensated for the resultant economic harm of X appreciation, not X + Y appreciation, of our home values (as well as for pain and suffering caused by slower journeys to the movies at Town Center or Worldgate, or for increased noise audible from the paths).

Leaflet that (should I reprint this thrice?).

SLHS Padre, no don't repeat it 3 times it is not worth it. We really don't want to hear all about RA's problems you all built bought and live there you deal with it. leave us the F&%$ alone. Keep your schoola dn teh metro and whatever else will fit in to your "planned community". OH yea great planning!

Neen Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
Thomas, the situation you describe happens all the
> time. The goal of any bureaucracy is to sustain
> itself and keep it's members happy. The focus
> isn't on the customer, it's on themselves, what
> they want. That's how our entire school system
> works. The focus has never, ever, been on the
> students or parents, but on the staff, keeping
> them happy, allowing them to have their little fad
> projects and fad training, more and more staff so
> they can all do less work, etc. That's why we
> constantly hire MORE support staff for fewer
> students and fewer teachers. It's all about the
> bureaucracy and what works best for THEM.

Is that how it works at TJ also?

voter,
I think SLHS padre is trying to make the point that you bought in Fairfax County, which does redistrict now and then, live with it. If you want to not be redistricted, move to pa or nj, where school districts are much smaller and don't get redistricted. Life happens.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/24/2007 02:10PM by South Lakes Pyramid parent.

Yes Padre, when the metro to Reston is completed, in the next 10 to 20 years, those high rise condos will be worth more. More singles will want to move to Reston.

I fail to see what bearing this has on the current school board move to force students into South Lakes.

Why can't the community decide what happens with South Lakes? Why can't the community discuss options like magnet programs or redistricting even more of the county, like Langley schools? Why do people get stuck with whatever Stu Gibson wants? Why is there no discussion of alternatives? Why does Gibson get to rule so much of the county, even beyond Reston, into Oakton and Herndon?

Neen,
For once I agree with you. I'm hoping the boundary meetings give everyone a chance to be heard. And the election will determine whether Stu will get what he wants.

Interesting vignette from last night at South Lakes - parents from all other schools in the Liberty District were attending an athletic event - lots and lots of construction there - actually nice to see how hard the contractors were working and yet being respectful and polite in recognition of the parents and visitors flooding the place. But posted in the hall - no doubt due to the construction - were several prominent signs reminding the students just where Saturday detention was moved to. Now, these signs were most prominent around the auditorium - which intuits all sorts of vibes that a large room is needed to accomodate this special Saturday event. Who knows how many really attend a Saturday detention session, but it sure gave off a lot of negative vibes to parents that are already touchy about the place.
My own daughter predictably laughed. Look, I am not suggesting anyone should take this seriously, but if the school thinks it gets and unfair image knock, it sure wouldn't hurt to make a little effort to take the signs down.

I, too, would like to know how best to express our concerns to the Central Office. Because, as a SL parent, I am disgusted and dismayed by the comments I have just read in the 13 pages of this blog. The misinformation that is out there is simply unbelievable. The rumours and negativity is beyond belief. This is simply testament to my fellow baby boomers - concerned mostly with themselves, their financial position and their status. If you were really concerned about your children, you would at least make an attempt to learn about all the wonderful things that have and are happening at SLHS. Bruce Butler is at the top of that list. The parental involvement is next. But more importantly, there are the students - a group of wonderful, dedicated and talented teenagers who have as much too lose by welcoming 6-700 new students to their newly remodeled school as they do to gain. Have you made any attempts to talk to these students? Let them tell you what they think of SL - I think you will be awed.

I can tell you this - as the parent of a student who graduated from SLHS in June and a current SL student, I can't think of any other school in Fairfax I'd rather have had them attend. My college Freshman recently told me that he couldn't have been better prepared for college and was so fortunate to have been able to take advantage of his SL education. My Junior is excelling beyond my dreams.

My fellow baby boomers - you need to get a grip, get over this RD thing, and recognize that SLHS is one diamond in the rough. And, if you end up being one of the boomers who can't figure that one out - you will no longer be keepin' up with the Jones' And where will your property values be then????

quantum Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Interesting vignette from last night at South
> Lakes - parents from all other schools in the
> Liberty District were attending an athletic event
> - lots and lots of construction there - actually
> nice to see how hard the contractors were working
> and yet being respectful and polite in recognition
> of the parents and visitors flooding the place.
> But posted in the hall - no doubt due to the
> construction - were several prominent signs
> reminding the students just where Saturday
> detention was moved to. Now, these signs were
> most prominent around the auditorium - which
> intuits all sorts of vibes that a large room is
> needed to accomodate this special Saturday event.
> Who knows how many really attend a Saturday
> detention session, but it sure gave off a lot of
> negative vibes to parents that are already touchy
> about the place.
> My own daughter predictably laughed. Look, I am
> not suggesting anyone should take this seriously,
> but if the school thinks it gets and unfair image
> knock, it sure wouldn't hurt to make a little
> effort to take the signs down.

I was there last night too and had exactly the same thought. I comforted myself that no one from any of the target schools was in attendance. It is a misperception but a careless act on Butler's part in light of the storm around the boundary issue.

Another SL Parent Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> My fellow baby boomers - you need to get a grip,
> get over this RD thing, and recognize that SLHS is
> one diamond in the rough. And, if you end up
> being one of the boomers who can't figure that one
> out - you will no longer be keepin' up with the
> Jones' And where will your property values be
> then????


But you don't get it, Another SL Parent.

Some of us just don't want to move. We are just as happy where we are as you are happy in your world. We don't necessarily fall into your "petty" bucket that you so quickly dumped us. Who's to say we are all headed to SL, some of us may be headed elsewhere just to be headed elsewhere, because that makes a couple of county jerks happy. We are not getting over this RD thing, because it is far more than what you believe it to be.

Peace to your perfect world at SL. And peace to the rest of us at Herndon, Chantilly, Oakton and Westfield. That is what "this RD thing" should be about.

Right frickin' on, Another SL Parent.

I'll add a defense of Bruce Butler, who is always at that school for every scholastic, musical/theater, and athletic event...but might have botched a name on some occasion or revealed the real reason why a science teacher is handling a study hall. That must not happen at TJ, Flint Hill, or BCC. The guy is fully committed to his job and his kids, and snarky asides like the stuff I read here makes me wonder why any one would ever teach, coach or be an administrator. (And please don't tell me the canard about those that can, do.....)

It's a mean, mean world when everybody's got the gotcha bug.

PS: My otherwise flawless SLHS daughter/student/athlete -- :) -- has detention b/c she had an unexcused absence to study for an IB test. At least she'll know where to go this weekend. If the "cover-up" team had done it's work properly, who knows?

Saturday Detention? any other surprises? they simply don't have this at other schools

To Another SL Parent;

(just a what if case)How would you feel if this took place last year and your senor got to finish at SL and your other child had to go to Oakton/Herndon/Westfield or Chantilly? How would you feel about this if you were not give a choice? and with no forewarning! You bought where you are because you like, I have no beef with that, just like you shhould have no beef with where I bought I like for what got, a nice small house in the school district I want my children to go to, which offers AP classes, which they are taking. I am not interestes in IB good bad or indifferent, I don't plan on moving over seas where all IB classes are transferrable and accepted. What we need from people like you that are worried about what 6 or7 hundred trouble makers from Oakton/Westfield/Chantilly/Herndon will do to SL is get out and VOTE! Get Stu and Kathy out of office and get the right people in. You stay where you are and I stay where I am and it is a win/win. But we have to work together on this not against each others district.

Lastly just an opinion on this, if your principle is that good take plan on having him forever, good people like that are hard to find and very sought after. Thank you!!







Fact - just came from a community meeting
> regarding this HOT topic, the first and most
> important thing that the voters from
> CHANTILLY/OAKTON/WESTFIELD/HERNDON can do is get
> out the flyers available from:
>
> www.StopRD.org
>
> the candidates have all been polled and this group
> has the answers the candidates provided and how
> they will vote when this comes before them in
> january. Please vist this web site for all the
> information you will need, it will give you fact
> not fiction. What ever your reason for not
> wanting redistricting this group will provide you
> with the inforation you need. What you HAVE to do
> is get out and vote.
>
> Now my side, GOOD BYE STU, GOOD BYE KATHY, we
> learned so much tonight thank you StopRD.org for
> your valuable information. Pick up a stack of
> flyers(they are already made) they have thousands
> available for your district, bring them to your
> home football game Friday night and cover the
> windshields of all the cars. Have the kids do it
> they even have a form that authorizes this as
> community service for the kids!! WESTFIELD @
> OAKTON this Friday pick up the flyers and you can
> get "two birds with one stone" at the game. When
> it comes to this issue there is no loser at the
> football game as long as every car is given a
> flyer.
>
> LITZENBERGER - sully
> Braunlich - at large
> Costantine - at large
> Raney - at large
>
> VOTE NOVEMBER
> 6th!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
> !!!!!!!!!!!


HAD TO POST IT AGAIN TO REENFORCE THE POINT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As far as the redisticting goes it is entirely possible that some South Lakes students could be sent to other schools. Stu Gibson mentioned this at one of the meetings. So this could be very messy for all involved.

Yikes, truth seeker, it would help if you checked your spelling before you posted.

Another SL Parent Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I, too, would like to know how best to express our
> concerns to the Central Office.

Changing school board representative appears to be the only choice.

The misinformation that is out there is
> simply unbelievable. The rumours and negativity
> is beyond belief.

Which of my too many posts have been untruthful.

> If you were really concerned about your
> children, you would at least make an attempt to
> learn about all the wonderful things that have and
> are happening at SLHS. Bruce Butler is at the top
> of that list.

Bruce is perpetuating the disfunctionality created by Railly by promoting the incompetent dolts she brought in.

I just heard about a boy who was in a serious car accident on 8/28. His parents tried for 10 days, while he was in the hospital, to arrange for a bus with a wheelchair lift to transport him and his wheelchair the three blocks to SL. Despite calling multiple times per day for ten days, nothing happened and the boy missed the first week of school. Not until the Friday of the first week of school when the dad went to physically demand a bus did anything happen. "Why didn't you call me," said Bruce. "I did your voice mail box was full and wouldn't take anymore messages. I left a message at the front desk." They just don't care at about anybody at SL.

> But more importantly, there are the students - a
> group of wonderful, dedicated and talented
> teenagers who have as much too lose by welcoming
> 6-700 new students to their newly remodeled school
> as they do to gain.

The student body is SL's great and almost its only asset.

> Have you made any attempts to
> talk to these students? Let them tell you what
> they think of SL - I think you will be awed.

Quote from a 2006 SL grad on graduation night "Miss this place are you kidding? - I can't remember a single adult at that school who cared if I lived or died and there was a couple who, I swear, were out to do me harm." That boy is dean list at his college and never had a discipline issue at SL.

> I can tell you this - as the parent of a student
> who graduated from SLHS in June and a current SL
> student, I can't think of any other school in
> Fairfax I'd rather have had them attend. My
> college Freshman recently told me that he couldn't
> have been better prepared for college and was so
> fortunate to have been able to take advantage of
> his SL education. My Junior is excelling beyond my
> dreams.

I happy your children were/are happy at Sl but they are in a minority.

The disfunctionality at SL is endemic. Eleven years of torture will not allow me to let these "emperor has wonderful clothes" comments go by unrebutted. Butler has not changed the disfunctionality of the instructional staff. He gave the worst of them a promotion.

Denying that SL has serious problems won't help us make it better.

More later.

SLHS Padre Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> a science teacher is handling
> a study hall.

BSR is NOT supposed to be a study hall. Its supposed to be for remediation of a learning disability. An unqualified teacher was assigned to this student who was already grade levels behind in reading through no fault of her own.

Would you want an english teacher trying to teach your child physics just to fill up the english teachers work day?

I'm glad your little angel is doing well at SL. She's the exception.

For you other South Lakes parents out there--

I have given up trying to tell people how great SL really is, and how much parent upon parent I talk to tell me how happy their kids are. I am done with the lies about statistics etc. These people just really like bashing South Lakes because it gives them all something to get their frustration at the situation out.

And Thomas, really, just stop with the Bruce Butler stuff. What, you mean he is not perfect? Well, all the more reason to join the bashers. If we had all the other principals/high schools under a microscope like SL is here, of course we could find all kinds of negative to say. Enough.

So, SL parents, please come to the boundary meetings and bring as many of your friends as you can. That's the only way we won't get railroaded by these folks that profess to only care about their kids, but will then proceed to throw South Lakes kids under the bus. How incredibly self-centered you all are. I looked at the South County blogs before that redistricting happened, and there was not the extreme nastiness I see here.

Also, about the central staff--contact the superintendent?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/24/2007 08:22PM by South Lakes Pyramid parent.

User name..."Another SL Parent wrote": "This is simply testament to my fellow baby boomers - concerned mostly with themselves, their financial position and their status. If you were really concerned about your children, you would at least make an attempt to learn about all the wonderful things that have and are happening at SLHS"


Go promote your socialistic philosophy somewhere else..maybe Venezuela... This fellow baby boomer views this attempt at redistricting as simply a massive redistribution of wealth. Your home values will go up by 50,000 or more...ours will go down. But, it won't go down without a fight.

Yes, VaDriver,
I think you just proved Another SL Parent's point beautifully. It is all about housing values, not your kids.

You know, house price is a psychological thing. If you would stop spreading untruths about South Lakes, maybe your values wouldn't go down.

South Lakes Pyramid parent Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> And Thomas, really, just stop with the Bruce
> Butler stuff.

Why? Is someone else in charge up?

Do you deny that these events occurred? Are these events not objectionable? If they had happened to your child, you would not have objected?

I shouold keep silent so the disfunctionality can be glossed over, ignored and not changed or improved.

If you think differently, give us examples of good things that Bruce has done. I can't find any and I've been hoping for something, anything to be hopeful about regarding SL.

More later

Well SL Parent....How about you give me $50,000....since my kids are grown and won't be affected and we'll call it even!

South Lakes parents,
Of course most of you are going to praise South Lakes to the hilt and deny any problems. What else could you do? Admit that you've allowed your child to attend one of the more dangerous schools in the county, one with lower scores than all the surrounding high schools? With an administration that cares more about keeping themselves happy than meeting the needs of the students? What parent would want to face putting their children in such a position? What parent would say that they used their child as part of a the failed social experiment that is Reston? Of course you would not want to face that, of course you want to tell yourself that you have done well by your child. What else could you say and live with your decisions?

It's fine to tell yourself whatever you must to live with your decisions, I hope that you find comfort in that. But please, do not expect the rest of the county to go along with your delusions of South Lakes grandeur, when the facts are readily available.

Thomas More,

Whose stories are purely anecdotal now? Who comes out of graduation from any high school saying "awwww im really going to miss being in school this is so sad that i cant wake up every morning at 6am"? That is one student. I'm sure if you spoke SERIOUSLY with students at South Lakes, most would tell you a different story. They are after all teenagers. They do have a tendency to exaggerate for dramatic effect. I also have decided you and a lot of your fellow posters are not worth my time to argue with. You will never understand that it is not your reasons for not wanting to redistrict that we have such a problem with. It is your continual bashing of our school and our community with untruths. You have not taken the time to find out what South Lakes is really like. It is fine that you don't want to leave the school you attend now. I wouldnt either. It is understandable that you are worried about property value. But use those as your reasons. Not the "inner-city-like" atmosphere of South Lakes (which by the way...doesnt exist).

slgrad Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Thomas More,
>
> Whose stories are purely anecdotal now? Who comes
> out of graduation from any high school saying
> "awwww im really going to miss being in school
> this is so sad that i cant wake up every morning
> at 6am"? That is one student. I'm sure if you
> spoke SERIOUSLY with students at South Lakes, most
> would tell you a different story. They are after
> all teenagers. They do have a tendency to
> exaggerate for dramatic effect. I also have
> decided you and a lot of your fellow posters are
> not worth my time to argue with. You will never
> understand that it is not your reasons for not
> wanting to redistrict that we have such a problem
> with. It is your continual bashing of our school
> and our community with untruths. You have not
> taken the time to find out what South Lakes is
> really like.

My kids have gone and are still going to SL. My older child who graduated before the Reign of Railly still misses her high school teachers and came back to visit them every break from college until they all left because of Railly. That child knew teachers cared about her and wanted to help her to succeed in college and in life. Just six years later, that feeling was gone and no semblance remained. It wasn't just one student, those feelings were reflected by many others. Thanks to Railly and Stu.

I have no doubt that I've spent more time at South Lakes over the last 11 years than you have in your life.

More later.

I'm just curious...

So if you are a SL parent and you go to the meeting you say what?
Our school is good? - seems to me whether it's good or not is irrelevant. They are going to take students from another school and place them there regardless of the situation. -my take you can sit this one out, you already know no one will listen

Everyone else will be saying "not me" -guaranteed

Seems pointless.

What needs to be said is keep neighborhoods together, keep feeder schools like elementary schools together, and allow grandfathering. If you are already at a school you stay there. And finally do it right and stop messing around with the boundaries every few years (espcially for the floris folks who have been jerked around.) You're pitting neighbors against each other with this process.

Capys,
You think we have nothing at stake here? Of course we do. You all keep talking about Magnets and which elementary school should go and which should stay, and we should have no opinion on these things? Are you really that clueless? This is our school you guys are punching around.

We're not going to bother defending our school against your vicious attacks--hopefully your neighbors who go aren't as rude as you are here, or at least the facilitators will make you act nice. We are there to make our opinions and concerns heard, just like you.

I think grandfathering is going to happen, btw, despite all the more lies posted here about that. We will be starting with 9th graders. I think that's been plainly stated. Anybody that says anything else is just stirring the hornets nest that is Oakton/Madison/Chantilly for their own political ends. If you were even faintly not upset about the idea of going to South Lakes, they want to make sure that you become upset by posting things like this. They are playing you.

It is our ox that is being gored. Take what you're given and be grateful.

Capys,
I guess you really are that clueless.

Gravis Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> perhaps instead of penalizing the schools for poor
> performance, we could penalize the kids. i think
> weekly public executions of the 50 worst students
> with below average grades would help motivate
> everyone. everyone with a 90% or higher average
> grades would be granted immunity. additionally,
> all dropouts and runaways will be executed on
> sight. i havent settled on a form of execution,
> beheading and hanging are both great so i say a
> hybrid would be best... have a blade decapitate
> them as they are hanging.


I think this is the best solution yet, then we can hire the great attorneys from the Langley area or the few from the Oakton area to defend our actions; after all we are only trying to better our schools. My kids, even though they are only 8 and 10 right now are feeling pretty lousy by the attitudes and opinions towards the high school they will eventually attend. Don't think the kids even this young are spared these additudes. Kinda makes me want to run away from all this segradation, oh I meant, desegradation. Sad, sad.

mykidsaresad,
Where do you live and which school?

OK so what's so clueless about this...

What needs to be said is keep neighborhoods together, keep feeder schools like elementary schools together, and allow grandfathering. If you are already at a school you stay there. And finally do it right and stop messing around with the boundaries every few years (espcially for the floris folks who have been jerked around.) You're pitting neighbors against each other with this process.

Neen: You really are a dope. You repeat myth as mantra.

. Reston is a failed experiment".
. SLHS kids are doomed";
. SLHS Parents are negligent and delusional.
. The Administration at SLHS are members of the Trilateral Commission".
. SLHS community concocted the MRSA bacteria to bring down my property values and to seek revenge for their horrible decisions".
. Elvis is alive and in SLHS Saturday detention center with all of the young bruthas."

Good luck in your cocoon

> I think grandfathering is going to happen, btw,
> despite all the more lies posted here about that.
> We will be starting with 9th graders. I think
> that's been plainly stated. Anybody that says
> anything else is just stirring the hornets nest
> that is Oakton/Madison/Chantilly for their own
> political ends. If you were even faintly not
> upset about the idea of going to South Lakes, they
> want to make sure that you become upset by posting
> things like this. They are playing you.


Grandfathering has NOT been plainly stated. A number of families and communities have been told it is on the agenda (which means it is not a given) by many people who work for the county--school board members, FCPS facility staff, FCPS transportation staff and school administrators. According to some FCPS staff members grandfathering is a nightmare, esp. for the transportation office.

BTW, it is funny how you, South Lakes Pyramid Parent, have reduced everyone else's posts to a bunch of lies. Really, why don't you leave your Ivory Tower at SL and visit some of these other communities/schools? Sit and listen to all the crap that their principals, school board members, FCPS staff, etc are telling/not telling us about this study. How many phone calls or emails have you placed with school board members, other candidates, staff at county offices, principals, vice principals, PTA members, etc? You would be surprised by how much us liars have circulated to learn and understand what not just our neighborhood/community is up to, but what all the impacted school communities are up to. Most importantly, none of us think re-districting is warranted.

It is obvious that you have the least to loose by a redistricting.

I dear say now, most of the SL glory you speak of is diminished because you choose to stoop low and blow us off. When you start turning on other thread contributors perhaps there is nothing more left to say about your school.

mykidsaresad Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Gravis Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > perhaps instead of penalizing the schools for
> poor
> > performance, we could penalize the kids. i
> think
> > weekly public executions of the 50 worst
> students
> > with below average grades would help motivate
> > everyone. everyone with a 90% or higher
> average
> > grades would be granted immunity.
> additionally,
> > all dropouts and runaways will be executed on
> > sight. i havent settled on a form of
> execution,
> > beheading and hanging are both great so i say a
> > hybrid would be best... have a blade decapitate
> > them as they are hanging.
>
>
> I think this is the best solution yet, then we can
> hire the great attorneys from the Langley area or
> the few from the Oakton area to defend our
> actions; after all we are only trying to better
> our schools. My kids, even though they are only
> 8 and 10 right now are feeling pretty lousy by the
> attitudes and opinions towards the high school
> they will eventually attend. Don't think the
> kids even this young are spared these additudes.
> Kinda makes me want to run away from all this
> segradation, oh I meant, desegradation. Sad, sad.


segradation? desegradation?

You must be a South Lakes High alumna! LOL

...
Attachments:

Please stop bashing South Lakes former principal, Realista Rodriquez. She was dedicated and hard working. We need more like her in this system.

HAHAHAHA no way. NO WAY. Cheers and applause rang out through the halls of south lakes the day she came on the loudspeaker and finally announced. Students and teachers alike. It was the last time our ears would be blown out by:

"ESTUDANTSSSSSS, DEES EES YOUR PRIN-SI-PAL SPEAKINGGGGGGG"

as if we couldnt tell/couldnt hear. If youre incompetant, you are incompetant. She was terrible at her job no matter how hard she thought she was working.

Supporter Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Please stop bashing South Lakes former principal,
> Realista Rodriquez. She was dedicated and hard
> working. We need more like her in this system.

Never.

She was an unmitigated incompetent disaster who embarrassed herself everyday at SL. She treated students, teachers, staff, parents and everyone she interacted with disrespect and condescension. Her Reign of Terror was the single worst experience that any child could have. An exceptional high school staff could be created with all of the teachers who fled SL to get away form her. Until a serial murder graduates from SL (sorry Westfields), she will be the single worst human ever to enter South Lakes.

Her name will live in infamy in Reston, the halls of South Lakes and the hearts and minds of those she abused.

Other than that she was terrific

More later.

I wouldnt be suprised if "supporter" = old reilly herself!

Are you kidding me!  I'll never forget the day when I sat in the football stadium at our first pep rally of the year and had to here her introduce herself.

"ESTUDANTSSSSSS, I AM YOUR NEW PRIN-SI-PAL!"

She was so loud my mom heard her down by the 7-11 on Soapstone - little did we know that voice would plague us for years to come.

Every student who graduated during her Napoleonic reign had that Shawshank Redemption moment of lifting their arms to the sky like they just broke out of prison.

Atleast I know how to spell and pronounce her first name. It's Really, short for Realista. And you pronounce it railee. She is from the Phillipines. You sound prejudiced.

Supporter Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Atleast I know how to spell and pronounce her
> first name. It's Really, short for Realista. And
> you pronounce it railee. She is from the
> Phillipines. You sound prejudiced.

And she never learned, or cared to know, anyone else's name or how to properly pronounce it. She was certainly prejudiced against anyone who wasn't Railly.

"earth to tm: put down the crack pipe and no one will get hurt"

haha. seriously, though, more. your facts are a little iffy. bruce played football and sports at herndon... south lakes wasn't open when he was in high school. the way you write makes it seem like this is a typical school day. we're in school 183 days out of the year, so whats wrong with having a senior class talent show? thats right, it wasn't even the whole school. i saw him play it on youtube before i ever heard of anyone talking about it. and you can't actually expect him to know the names of every student in the school. who are you anyway and what do you claim to be the source of your information? the "disfunctionality" you say is here just isn't -- butler runs a tight ship but remains a popular figure among well behaved students (and didn't win principal of the year for nothing).

and that kid was a complete idiot. i had to wait to get to my car because some freshman thinks he can dash between the trailers in a high-traffic area? i'm not saying he deserved to be hit... but you can't try to pin your own stupid actions on a school that didn't have anything to do with it. go ahead and blame fire for burning your hand or say that the sidewalk tripped you while youre at it.

anyway, house prices are bs. realtors control the market. now why, you ask, would our current economic slump be good for the realtors? the same reason that the canadian dollar's current supremacy to the US dollar is good for the us economy. the low dollar value will stimulate more spending, which brings up the economy. http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/147.html this is basically the same thing that happens now, just people are unaware.

supporter -- are you joking? south lakes was at an all-time low under rodriguez. she was the ultimate joke principal. the last thing anything any school system needs is rodriguez at the helm. but hey, every cloud has its silver lining. while your zeppelin just burned in a firey heap, you can take solace in knowing how to spell her name. good for you.

Supporter Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Atleast I know how to spell and pronounce her
> first name. It's Really, short for Realista. And
> you pronounce it railee. She is from the
> Phillipines. You sound prejudiced.

Once again, when discourse is upsetting to someone, the race card is played.

I believe that principals are selected under merit procedures; Did you know that many principals are earning over $100,000 a year?

It is WESTFIELD not WESTFIELDS. thanks

South Lakes is not the only school that had/has an incompetent principal or assistant principals. The higher performing the school the more entrenched or likely they are now to put in the bad ones? ... FCPS is a PR machine. Think about serious stuff like MRSA staff...at least one school had cases in the first part of Sept and they danced on the issue.

Remember Stu's base school [Lake Anne] fiasco? The PTA ended up petitioning out the principal and they shifted her around and now she is at Longfellow as an
asst principal. Longfellow is such a good school I am surprised it is in FCPS. That school is more indicative of STANDARD middle schools found in smaller school districts/divisions in burbs around New York, New Jersey,etc. Parents never get to sit on committees that help choose anyone but the principal and which parents even get on those principal committees? I read SL's didn't even have one of those when Really got a job for life.

Then we have FCCPTA's which should function as an umbrella organization giving parents wide lobbying power WITH FCPS. Does it? NO-the same few people have sat there for years chummy with senior staff. Stockholm Syndrome???

ARAKELIAN has ticked off that organization - FCPS tried to mess with her kid and she did not sit back and let them do to HER CHILD what has been done to countless others.

How many of you ever got to go to a meeting/symposium whatever that surveys important stuff and you get to present your viewpoints to people on Advisory committees before they go to meetings?

FCPS is so big and seems to be an employer of last resort. There was an AP at Madison who did a lousy job- got a job as a principal in DC - there 6 months before he got in the Wshington Post. People in SE DC have nothing to lose by going public and even his DC colleagues slammed him in the Post.

There was a football coach caught years ago with BAGS of crack cocaine in a DC police sting. Most likely now teaching in Loudoun or FCPS.

FYI-Reston is not SE DC or Anacostia or North Philadelphia EXCEPT for the fact that FCPS/STU/STRAUSS have turned it into such an animal plopped down in the middle of western FX county. Note the middle since it is surrounded not a school like Westfield which borders the airport/Loudoun, etc.

As for other jurisdictions- The City of Falls Church runs it's own schools. Might as well be in Maryland. Fairfax City has it's own schools and a school board that interracts with FCPS board and administrators. FCPS administers it but a whole other board is involved on stuff like boundaries IMHO having more input than FXC generic residents in boundary for the perpetually overcrowded Frost/Woodson.

Well Cricket,
I don't think you are the ultimate source of knowledge. i've talked to a lot of people from surrounding schools--you would be surprised at the number of people who want the redistricting to happen-=right in your own neighborhood! So I know the statement that "none of us think redistricting is warranted" is false.

The lies I'm referring to are the lies about statistics ( we have the lowest SAT scores in the county) that are patently false, but keep being restated. Westfield and Herndon's scores are essentially the same, but you wouldn't know that if you listen to people on this board. There is a lot of bashing of SL going on, you have to admit. Most of it unwarranted.

While it is true that we stand to gain by redistricting in the number of courses offered,etc, that is really the only advantage I can think of. We stand to lose if we get a bunch of unhappy kids who have been told to hate the school they are coming to. SL has a great culture and that could be ruined.

I understand that you don't want to move, who does? But your communities also stand to gain--I think the complaints about overcrowding and distance from the school are legitimate, whether you believe that or not. I agree that Westfield should probably stay intact, if the parents don't mind the lack of opportunities for their kids. I agree that Langley should be part of the study. I agree that AP should be on the table. But I think that to say "HELL NO, We WON"T GO" is only going to go so far. If you are unwilling to compromise and name the things that would make the change better for you, you could lose any negotiating position you have. I think you would find a warm welcoming atmosphere at SL that would enable your kids to make a good transition.

And your statement about magnets at South Lakes have no mention of consulting SL parents. Do you know how condescending that sounds to us? You all talk about us like we don't exist, we don't have a voice in this process, we should just be happy with what we get. This proves to me that you really have no idea what you are talking about, how to negotiate, how to see the other person's side, etc. That you are thinking like a child--completely self-centered. When you all are ready to talk to us like adults who are no different than you (we all bought >500K houses too you know, we look no different than you) and stop posting unwarranted statements about SL, then we can talk.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/25/2007 08:45AM by South Lakes Pyramid parent.

Have to wave the BS flag on this one - "i've talked to a lot of people from surrounding schools--you would be surprised at the number of people who want the redistricting to happen"

Franklin Farm is a community of 1771 residences. They took a poll about school preferences. Results below. Anybody else take a poll?
Attachments:

Farmer,
Of course you would expect that most people want to stay where they are. That's a given.

But for that to be a valid survey, there are other details to include, like, how were they polled, how many responded, etc.

If they are self-selected, the results could be very skewed. There is a reason pollsters use stratified samples and other methods to make sure the results are valid.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/25/2007 09:33AM by South Lakes Pyramid parent.

Waving the BS flag again - I agree that Westfield should probably stay intact

Of course you do - you don't want McNair.

Waving the BS flag again - the complaints about overcrowding and distance from the school are legitimate

From a previous post...

The following question was asked about the complaints of overcrowding at Chantilly and Westfield under the Freedom of Information Act...

“Specifically, I need to know who the ‘community members’ are and the details of their ‘concerns.’ I want a list of names, the dates their concerns were expressed, and the details of their concerns…”

FCPS ANSWER:

“There aren’t any written or electronic documents pertaining to the community member’s concerns reflected in the July 16 School Board work session agenda item. The statement reflects input received from citizens at various community meetings regarding school facilities. The comments were oral, and were not contained in a letter or e-mail.”

Here! Here! SL Pyramid Parent - very well said. I am just so embarrased by these SL bashers...people who may be my neighbors, my friends, co-workers,people I grew up with? I mean these people are part of my generation. These are the "adults" my kids may interact with. I'm ashamed for them and for their negativeness. I'm glad that you and I (and many others I am sure) have the willingness and competence to step back and look at the whole situation for what it is and are willing to consider the truths about SL, not the lies. We at least can go forth knowing that we set an exemplary example for our children.

Just a childish as the rest of us, South Lakes Pyramid Parent...


As I said before....

When you start turning on other thread contributors perhaps there is nothing more left to say about your school.

Farmer Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Have to wave the BS flag on this one - "i've
> talked to a lot of people from surrounding
> schools--you would be surprised at the number of
> people who want the redistricting to happen"
>
> Franklin Farm is a community of 1771 residences.
> They took a poll about school preferences. Results
> below. Anybody else take a poll?




Thank you, Farmer!

Farmer,
Still didn't get a response on the methods used for doing the survey.

On Westfield, of course McNair would be another Title 1 school feeding into South Lakes. I have stated that I don't think it is fair either for the surrounding community or the people in the affordable housing/free lunch crowd to be packed into one school. That's not good for anyone. We shouldn't be creating ghettos in the suburbs. I have stated that I think Reston has its fair share of disadvantaged populations, while Oakton and Great Falls have practically none.

But the Westfield people are saying that their schools have the capacity. I really don't know if that's true or not. Stu going on about the "ideal school" being 2100 or so. Don't know what is motivating that.

South Lakes Pyramid parent Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Farmer,
> Of course you would expect that most people want
> to stay where they are. That's a given.
>
> But for that to be a valid survey, there are other
> details to include, like, how were they polled,
> how many responded, etc.
>
> If they are self-selected, the results could be
> very skewed. There is a reason pollsters use
> stratified samples and other methods to make sure
> the results are valid.


How valid this survey is and how well it was conducted would scare you SL Pyramid Parent. I guess if you really know the truth, as you say, you would have already seen this and all the other supporting artifacts and probably known that this survey was started and conducted several months ago, long before all the adults got so wise on this thread.

brian Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> bruce played football and sports at
> herndon... south lakes wasn't open when he was in
> high school.

He says it was basketball @ SL but it really doesn't matter.

> the way you write makes it seem like
> this is a typical school day. we're in school 183
> days out of the year, so whats wrong with having a
> senior class talent show? thats right, it wasn't
> even the whole school. i saw him play it on
> youtube before i ever heard of anyone talking
> about it.

No problem with talent show, especially after SOLs.

> and you can't actually expect him to
> know the names of every student in the school.

This girl was a senior. He hadn't forgotten her name. He had no clue and he had been her sub-school principal. I expect the sub-school principal to know all 300 names after 4 years.

> and that kid was a complete idiot.

The kid was a passenger in a car driven by someone else in an accident on Soapstone. Tell me why exactly how that kid was a complete idiot?

>i had to wait
> to get to my car because some freshman thinks he
> can dash between the trailers in a high-traffic
> area? i'm not saying he deserved to be hit... but
> you can't try to pin your own stupid actions on a
> school that didn't have anything to do with it.

It's a real shame that a sensitive, caring narcissit like yourself should be ever be inconvenienced but you're thinking about a different kid.

> supporter -- are you joking? south lakes was at an
> all-time low under rodriguez. she was the
> ultimate joke principal. the last thing anything
> any school system needs is rodriguez at the helm.
> but hey, every cloud has its silver lining. while
> your zeppelin just burned in a firey heap, you can
> take solace in knowing how to spell her name.
> good for you.

Brian's posting wasn't a complete waste.

Cricket,
Not sure what your point is. I have said lots about our school. No one appears to want to hear it unless it meshes with their preconceived notions.

Thomas More,

No one who had been in Bruce Butler's class was still there by the time he became principal. He was sub-school principal of 2001 and 2005. Did this concert take place in 2005?

You mentioned that it had been "a couple weeks before" the talent show where he played guitar...its not possibile that she had been in his class, unless this upstanding girl you speak of had been held back...

I am amazed at the bad facts and inaccuracies posted on this site. One poster can't even get his facts straight about where Bruce Butler attended high school. In fact, he attended Flint Hill Preparatory (with my husband) where he played baseball and basketball.

If posters can't even get an irrelevant fact such as this one straight, how and why should we trust any anti-south lakes posts?

Let's get a few things straight. Reston is not an incorporated town. Oakton is not an incorporated town. Chantilly is not an incorporated town. Langley is not an incorporated town. Madision and Herndon are, but they pull students from outside the town boundaries (e.g., Herndon has students from "Great Falls," "Reston," "Dranesville." You get my drift....we are all part of one school system FCPS and we are a bunch of suburbs that run together. The idea that we must each stay within our own insulated post office locales is ludicrous. Wesfield currently pulls students from several "districts" as does Oakton and every other school. Why is it ok for these schools but when it comes to Reston, an invisible boundary is put up?

There is no logic in this argument.

As to those who comment that we've made our own bed, au contraire. Because we are not a town, we don't get to vote on these issues. They are just decided by do-gooders at the supervisor level. If they decided to install public housing in Oakton, residents there would have no power but to complain. They would have no voting power to stop it.

South Lakes Pyramid Parent - I will say it again - I think the concerns that most express about South Lakes are overblown but at the same time they are not irrational. A fair and balanced view, right?

And really, it is being merely contentious to summarily uestion the result of a poll conducted by a homeowners association. What can be expected? A Zogby like piece of research? Of course not. But look at the results, 1 percent and 3 percent, respectively, would favor a move to South Lakes? Look, face the facts - the poll is a fair reflection of community sentiment. Anecdotally, this is backed up by virtually everyone I meet in the affected areas - the prospect of a move just doesn't excite them. So I don't understand why you are defensive - even if there is nothing materially challenging or wrong about South Lakes - maybe a dubious proposition - maybe not - but assume that is the place is "great" - people in general are reluctant to change and resistance can fairly be chalked up to just that alone.

What South Lakes really needs to do is to go out of their way to demonstrate that they can meet the educational needs of the new population. The IB program just doesn't do that - it can serve a small minority of good students that really can put in the work - which is considerable. But the IB program does not serve the bread and butter kids of Oakton, Madison, Chantilly, Westfield, etc. well, Who are the bread and butter kids? Reasonably bright and competent, well balanced, with skills in different areas. In a nutshell, people that go to schools like JMU - good, competent but not highly competitive. This population needs the flexibility inherent with a good AP program - it permits, for example, the kid with language arts strengths to take the ap in those areas, get through in moderate math and science courses, and matriculate to a school like JMU by playing on their strengths. And it permits a kid (most often boys) to max out in calculus so they can prepare for a comp sci degree while taking english and history classes that don't crush them. The IB program doesn't do this nearly as well (not a knock on the IB program - an excellent program - but not right for this population). If I were in SL's shoes, I right now would be hiring to get experienced AP teachers - and go out of my way to say we are going to serve this population. I would also continue to be as up front as the school has been (and kudos to them) and say, look we are going to continue to take discipline and conduct problems seriously - more seriously perhaps than surrounding schools - even if it results in us having higher statistics than others. Let the parents know that the school will be uber responsive to their concerns. These suggestions are all easier said than done - there is a status quo in terms of existing teacher retention that is always difficult and there is a lot of continual resistance to being as up front about the behavior problem. But SL parents don't have the luxury of sitting back and being "offended" by those that don't like the school. Support the school in pro-actively changing, and look at the problem from the perspective of the counterparty being asked to change.

Quantum,
We are certainly willing to look at our problems. That's the only way they can be fixed. But, do you really think we can be non-defensive when people keep posting things that are patently false? When they will not acknowledge that there may in fact be good things about South Lakes or about the redistricting?

It works both ways.

Also, I think what you post about the IB program is untrue. That's not defensiveness, it's just not true according to what I've heard from SL parents. If I don't agree with you, that doesn't mean I'm being defensive. But I also would be happy to consider AP for South Lakes, especially if that would make incomers happy. But I don't see a big difference between the programs. Not defensive, just my opinion.

South Lakes Pyramid parent Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Cricket,
> Not sure what your point is. I have said lots
> about our school. No one appears to want to hear
> it unless it meshes with their preconceived
> notions.


My point is, you have turned from so eloquently talking about your school to spitting at everyone else here. Your banter is no longer about your school but refuting what everyone else has to say and/or just plain attacking the individual.

We get it, you love your school. But we are not looking for a red carpet. I think you have figured this out. Enough said.

And, yes, we will use whatever we have, to stay at our own schools. Whether it is skewed, unskewed, scientific, childish, etc...we are fighting this in the same manner are school board members have chosen to fight.

Quantum,
Surveys can also skew the results based on the question that is asked. Of course most people are going to say they prefer the school they are going to.

So, if asked "Would you prefer...this or that school" might get a different response than "Would you consider South Lakes if you could get (AP or whatever other condition you want)"

Also Franklin Farm is not that close to SL, and their high school is close to them. Survey Fox Mill and you might get a different response.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/25/2007 11:09AM by South Lakes Pyramid parent.

South Lakes Pyramid parent Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Quantum,
> We are certainly willing to look at our problems.
> That's the only way they can be fixed. But, do you
> really think we can be non-defensive when people
> keep posting things that are patently false? When
> they will not acknowledge that there may in fact
> be good things about South Lakes or about the
> redistricting?
>
> It works both ways.
>
> Also, I think what you post about the IB program
> is untrue. That's not defensiveness, it's just
> not true according to what I've heard from SL
> parents. If I don't agree with you, that doesn't
> mean I'm being defensive. But I also would be
> happy to consider AP for South Lakes, especially
> if that would make incomers happy. But I don't
> see a big difference between the programs. Not
> defensive, just my opinion.



So, what things do you claim as patently false Pyramid Parent? grandfathering? survey results? non-SL community sentiment? These are the examples you choose to slam. These have nothing to do with performance at your school.

Quantum, I do agree with your IB assessment. It is recognized as an all-or-nothing program. It does little to serve the greater school population at huge expense.

I cannot believe the kind of scare tactics, false information and blatant racism from SL opponents.

I am a parent of an elementary age student in the SL Pyramid, and I live a stone's throw from South Lakes High. Let me tell you what I see:

Four South Lakes seniors ('07) from my little neighborhood of 50-some houses applied - and are attending - Uva this year. There were two more the year before that. The only "gangs" these kids were part of were the band, the orchestra, the baseball team and the National Honor Society.

My son participates in the neighborhood RTSA swim team. The majority of the 15-18 year old swimmers and coaches on the team go to South Lakes. Across the board, they are great kids - putting in long hours working with the young swimmers, showing community spirit, and generally being wonderful examples of motivated teenagers. By the way, ask them and they will tell you they love going to South Lakes.

I see middle- and upper-middle class parents who look at the racial and economic diversity at the school as a positive thing. And let me stress here - minorities do not equal gangs and violence as so many on this board claim. When you have kids of all types together, it teaches tolerence and values - things that are going to prepare our children for the real world in a way that coveting your classmates' BMW won't.

By the way, I went to a high school that was almost 100 percent rich white kids. The school had an outstanding academic record and sent loads of kids to Ivy League schools. Meanwhile, I chose to slack off and barely graduated. Moral of the story: you get out of school what you put into it, no matter where you are. So detractors should stop saying South Lakes is a "bad" school and start understanding that good kids will do well no matter where they are.

Cricket,
I do get that you guys don't want to move. That it's not necessarily about South Lakes. You weren't even the one I was talking about as bashing SL.

South Lakes Pyramid parent Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Quantum,
> Surveys can also skew the results based on the
> question that is asked. Of course most people are
> going to say they prefer the school they are going
> to.
>
> So, if asked "Would you prefer...this or that
> school" might get a different response than
> "Would you consider South Lakes if you could get
> (AP or whatever other condition you want)"
>
> Also Franklin Farm is not that close to SL, and
> their high school is close to them. Survey Fox
> Mill and you might get a different response.



You should get a copy of the survey questions before you continue on. The questions were not slanted. And relook at the early posts on domino-ing high schools. Franklin Farm is part of a possible domino slide to fix your under-enrollment.

Quantum,

Why do you assume that average students can't take selective IB courses, just as with the AP program? In fact, many students at SL take IB courses without getting the diploma - I don't have the stats in front of me, but you are welcome to investigate. Many of those students matriculate to schools like JMU, Tech, and CNU. If you don't yet have children in high school, you may want to rethink your view of what it takes to get into those aforementioned schools. To be competitive, students must take several AP/IB classes and perhaps pursue the diplomas to be considered for admission at those schools, which really do take many above-average students.

As to meeting the needs of the incoming population, why do you assume that a similar population does not already exist at the school? I would venture to say that 50% of the students are from very similar backgrounds as those potential incoming students. Newsflash: their educational needs are being met!!! My children both recently attended SL and both are now attending the University of Virginia. Many of their peers are attending similar institutions of higher learning.

Parents like me have striven to ensure that our children were receiving a good education at SL. If they weren't, do you think we would be there?

Cricket,
One more time--the patently false things I'm referring to are the SAT statistics, and the characterization of SL as gang infested.

Do you have a source for the questionnaire?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/25/2007 11:26AM by South Lakes Pyramid parent.

Franklin farm took a survey all 1777 residence were provided a chance to send in their choices. My numbers here are estimates as I don't have the exact figure in front of me. Of the responders 96% wanted to stay at the school curently enrolled or districted for (Chantilly or Oakton) If a redistrict had to take place I believe 97% chose Chantilly if they were currently at Oakton and 98% chose Oakton if they were currently at Chantilly. The other 2 or 3 % in either didn't care or chose SL. Overwhelmingly FF does not want SLHS. There are many reasons,and they vary per family and that is their choice and they/we/me have a right to that opinion. If I wanted SL I would have bought there, you have had some positives come out of there Grant Hill and Alan Webb two fine athletes. My concern is seperating my kids one at Oakton and another one who knows where if there is a redistricting. How can this be good for a family? How can this be good for a child who has grown up going to Courgar games and looking forward to participating on one of the athletic teams there? Also AP is a huge factor and there is a great difference in that and IB. Look at college web sites to see what is weighted higher and more acceptable colleges, hands down it is AP. Will you find an exception YES, but please don't put out that college because they are far and few.

It has been said many times, you (SLHS)are all good to go, no one is moving from SL, keep your school as is and help us out that want to stay where we are and get out and vote on November 6th. Then we can get a school board in there that is willing to listen and do a full county boundry study that is fair to all county residence not just the poor/rich/white/black/asian/hispanic, etc...

Thank you!!

05stillalive Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Thomas More,
>
> No one who had been in Bruce Butler's class was
> still there by the time he became principal. He
> was sub-school principal of 2001 and 2005. Did
> this concert take place in 2005?

He was a subschool principal during railly's last year and had followed that class from the time they were freshman. And this girl wasn't any mousey haired 5'0" waif who easily lost in a crowd. She was tall & thin with shocking bright red hair who played first chair percussion. Hardly a physical presence that blended into the wall paper.

***
During Railly’s Reign of Terror, parents of SL kids gave each other a blue tee shirt with green and white letters when their last child graduated from SL:

On the front it said “If you tell me to go to hell, I’ll tell you I’ve already been there, . . .

And on the back “my kids went to South Lakes.”

If Bruce doesn’t make some changes in instructional and coaching personnel soon, those t-shirts will reappear at graduation this year.

More later

Voter, if you think that the only positives to come out of SL are Grant Hill and Alan Webb, then you are sadly misinformed. SL produces many wonderful students with great success stories, as I'm sure Oakton and Chantilly do.

Can you present some links to college web sites that favor AP over IB when it comes to admission? I would like to visit them. My childrens' university,UVA, "loves the IB program," a direct quote from John Blackburn, Dean of Admissions.

If you think we are "good to go", why then are we not good enough for you!

SLVerity Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I am amazed at the bad facts and inaccuracies
> posted on this site. One poster can't even get
> his facts straight about where Bruce Butler
> attended high school. In fact, he attended Flint
> Hill Preparatory (with my husband) where he played
> baseball and basketball.

I have heard Bruce claimed to be a Sl alum. Go argue with him.

SL Pyramid Parent, FFHOA's education committee can probably send you a copy of their survey. It use to be posted on their website. Not anymore.

Cricket Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> Quantum, I do agree with your IB assessment. It is
> recognized as an all-or-nothing program. It does
> little to serve the greater school population at
> huge expense.

I hate IB but it should known that a student doesn't have to pursue an IB diploma to take an IB course in just one subject. The problems are the test result don't come back from Zurich in time to advance place in college. The less intense material, disproportionate homework load and eurocentric socialistic world view have been discussed earlier.

More later

Re: the IB program and the misconception that it won't work for all those above average students at Oakton, Westfield, Chantilly etc. that simply is not true. I have a student who takes 4 IB classes but will not get an IB diploma because science is not her "thing" and she takes "regular science. I have a son who took only a handful of IB course and had no problem getting accepted to a "more selective" school. And, newsflash to many of you I'm sure, colleges and universities add points to the overall IB grade which ends up boosting your child's GPA...Yep, it really is all about the kids who are going to succeed will succeed no matter what school they graduate from.

Voter,
Agreed. A fairer process is in order, and one that will factor in the kinds of curriculum issues raised here (AP). But would you then accept the result if your school ends up being redistricted?

SLVerity Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Many of those students matriculate
> to schools like JMU, Tech, and CNU.

You know CNU doesn't belong in that sentence. I know Trible is trying to make it more selective and that it's the new "safety" school for Fairfax kids but they'll have to do better than a four year graduation rate of 13% to be in the same sentence as JMU and Tech with four year rates in the 60-70%. Radford has a higher rate than CNU.

More later

Thomas More, you really should stop posting. You "heard" that Bruce "claimed" to be a SL alum? That is called hearsay, not fact.

Did you ever take IB? You have not a clue about the test scores and the timeline. Test scores are received in time for accreditation. My children and their credits are proof.

If you don't have facts to back up your arguments, only rumor and innuendo (translation: gossip), then please stop wasting bandwidth on this site.

Cricket Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> South Lakes Pyramid parent Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Quantum,
> > Surveys can also skew the results based on the
> > question that is asked. Of course most people
> are
> > going to say they prefer the school they are
> going
> > to.
> >
> > So, if asked "Would you prefer...this or that
> > school" might get a different response than
> > "Would you consider South Lakes if you could
> get
> > (AP or whatever other condition you want)"
> >
> > Also Franklin Farm is not that close to SL, and
> > their high school is close to them. Survey Fox
> > Mill and you might get a different response.
>
>
>
> You should get a copy of the survey questions
> before you continue on. The questions were not
> slanted. And relook at the early posts on
> domino-ing high schools. Franklin Farm is part of
> a possible domino slide to fix your
> under-enrollment.



My underenrollment? I and the rest of SL parents did not create this situation. I didn't even live here 4 years ago. And you guys wonder why we get defensive.

T More, you missed the whole point of the post about second-tier schools...why am I not surprised.

Cricket,

"Our" underenrollment was not caused by us, but by previous school boards that did exactly to us what they are now doing to you. Little by little neighborhoods that formerly attended our pyramid were redistricted to others, most notably North Reston students to Herndon. We felt just as powerless then as you do now.

Guess What? We made the best of the situation and adapted, and now have a great school that has made great strides in the last two years. Guess what? The school can and will be even better. Why? Because of the great administrators, teachers, and families invested in the school. The same kind of families that are in your neighborhood - those that want their children to strive and succeed.

Guess what? If your neighborhood is redistricted to SL, the parents will do all possible to make the situation work, and in time they will come to love the school, cherish the games, etc.

All we are asking is that populations previously removed be restored to us and that people approach this discussion with cool heads, facts, and logical arguments. Not rumor, innuendo, racism, and ignorance as I have seen displayed in some posts on this site.

Another SL Parent Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> newsflash to many of you
> I'm sure, colleges and universities add points to
> the overall IB grade which ends up boosting your
> child's GPA.

That's true at about 100-150 of the 1400 colleges and universities in the U.S. Even the most ardent IB supporters acknowledge that.

Less than 20% of SL kids take an IB exam in any subject. Yet even those who eschew IB are getting into "selective" colleges.

> it really is all about the kids
> who are going to succeed will succeed no matter
> what school they graduate from.

Very true. But their high school can be a help or a hinderence. SL has been a hinderence for too long and hasn't gotten to the help side of the ledger fast enough.

More later

T More,

How do you "know" so much about SL?

SLVerity Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> T More, you missed the whole point of the post
> about second-tier schools...why am I not
> surprised.

I can find no one except you that thinkd VTech and JMU are "second tier" schools. They have graduation rates comparable to W&M and Mr. Jefferson's country club where the one thing your child is sure to learn is how to be a snob.

The problem with Virginia's public university system is that far too few have graduation rates comparable to W&M, VTech, JMU and wahoo land.

More later.

SLVerity Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> T More,
>
> How do you "know" so much about SL?


I think I wrote in an earlier post that I've had a child there almost continuously for 11 years and have lived in its attendance area for 23 years.

How do you not know about the things I've posted.

More later

Thomas More Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> He was a subschool principal during railly's last
> year and had followed that class from the time
> they were freshman.

Im aware of when he was subschool principal. I was in that class. My point is that based on what you said in a previous post (that the concert took place a few weeks prior to the talent show in which Bruce Butler played the guitar), it is not possible that this girl was in the class he was subschool principal of (mine). It was not the same year, we had already graduated and he had already become principal of the school. The girl is younger than us.

SLVerity Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Thomas More, you really should stop posting. You
> "heard" that Bruce "claimed" to be a SL alum?
> That is called hearsay, not fact.

Reread the post. I heard it directly from Bruce. He said it in my presence.

> Did you ever take IB? You have not a clue about
> the test scores and the timeline. Test scores are
> received in time for accreditation. My children
> and their credits are proof.

My children have taken IB courses and didn't get the test results back in time to advance place at college. This happens to lots of IB students. I've reviewed the material myself and discussed them with teachers at South Lakes who have taught both AP and IB.


Any other questions?

05stillalive Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Thomas More Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
>
> > He was a subschool principal during railly's
> last
> > year and had followed that class from the time
> > they were freshman.
>
> Im aware of when he was subschool principal. I was
> in that class. My point is that based on what you
> said in a previous post (that the concert took
> place a few weeks prior to the talent show in
> which Bruce Butler played the guitar), it is not
> possible that this girl was in the class he was
> subschool principal of (mine). It was not the same
> year, we had already graduated and he had already
> become principal of the school. The girl is
> younger than us.

So even after being in the same building with this outstanding person for four years neither he nor you know her name?

Actually, UVa's graduation rate is 84.8% for the class graduating this year, which is considerably higher than those you mentioned.

This forum is really for redistricting discussions, not to debate the merit of Virginia state schools, which are all excellent. I hope we can get back to the subject at hand.

Thomas More Wrote:
>
> Any other questions?


Yes - why the negative comments for UVA? Did you go to VT or just a bad experience?

Thomas More Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> So even after being in the same building with this
> outstanding person for four years neither he nor
> you know her name?

How do you know I don't know the girl's name?

Do you?

Are you really going to attack me for not knowing the name of every one of the some 3500 kids who set foot in SL during my time there? You are the one who wrongly claimed that Butler should know her name because she was in his class when he was subschool principal. Obviously he should know her name if she is such an outstanding band member and after that concert he probably did. Im simply stating that your argument was wrong. Im sorry that you've gotten so defensive about being found wrong on one of your so carefully crafter points. You do not represent the views of everyone at South Lakes. You are one person. Some may agree with you and many disagree so please stop acting as the authority on the school. You are not the only one on this board who has been involved with the school for over a decade.

Thomas More,

Just because you had a bad experience with South Lakes, as regrettable as that may be, does not mean that others have. We are discussing the merits of the whole school, not just your opinion on it or on some colleges about which you have written disparaging remarks.

I am sure that if I went to an AP school I could identify several parents whose children had not been well-served by the school, but that is not an indictment of the whole school.

I think we should stick to facts and leave the personal insults out of the argument.

SLVerity Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> This forum is really for redistricting
> discussions, not to debate the merit of Virginia
> state schools, which are all excellent. I hope we
> can get back to the subject at hand.

Most happy to my dear cavalier friend, you're the one who started ranking, or should I say ranking on, Virginia's other top tier universities.

for those who might be interested

JMU 4 yr 60% (I was thinking of its 6 yr rate 70%)

VTech 43% (Again, I was remembering their 6 yr rate 74%)

ODU 17%

VCU 19%

CNU 13%

longwood 39%

GMU 26%

Radford 34%

Mary Washington 62%

W&M 79%

Really, SLVerity, they're all excellent? Compare these rates to NC, MD or PA public univeristy systems and Va should be embarassed.

But back to the redistricting debate

I only meant South Lakes' underenrollment. The school for which the SL scribes represent. You have acknowledge this in previous posts so why not use "your's." It's not that big of a deal.

SL posters seemed to be fascinated with this "...rumor, innuendo, racism, and ignorance as I have seen displayed in some posts on this site...." You folks continue to bring it up in every post, yet it has been pages of recent material since we have seen any other post fall pray to what you accuse. These accusatory battle cries you continue to emanate have become your self-licking ice cream cone. Whoa is SL. Really, I think this whole thread is probably near done. What more can be said that hasn't already been said except what we have to say about each other?