To make up for the cuts in state funding for K-12 education, the General Assembly reduced all Virginia school systems’ contributions to the Virginia Retirement System (VRS), saving FCPS $109 million. The lower VRS rate comes with a string: a 10-year repayment plan to make up for the reduced rate.

“This solution is short-sighted and fiscally unsound because starting two years from now, we will have to begin to pay off this loan on top of our regular VRS contribution,” says Superintendent Jack Dale. For that reason, Dale is recommending that a VRS reserve fund be established for the VRS bill that will come due


A reserve?

So FCPS doesn't spend any of this money that was waived but has to pay interest on it??!!

Where were all the FCPS lobbyists when the Governor was ramming this one down our throats?

Where was Kathy Smith?

They send the lobbyists to Richmond to argue against parental notification bills.

They send their lobbyists to Richmond to object to more PE time in schools.

They fight everything...except this.

Well done, Kathy!

There goes FDK funding-that $30 million in interest payments to VRS for the next TEN years would have paid for FDK.

Nice job.

Virginia Retirement System underfunded, JLARC says

Credit: TIMES-DISPATCH/FILE

State Sen. Walter A. Stosch says maintaining the needed rate of return for state-supported pensions will be a challenge.

By Tyler Whitley
Published: December 14, 2010

The combined unfunded liability of the Virginia Retirement System and other state-supported pension plans amounts to $17.6 billion, a report by the legislature's watchdog agency concluded Monday.

That means that contributions by the state and local governments likely will have to increase in the next biennium, said Tracey Smith, an analyst with the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission.

The rate of return would have to be 44 percent for contribution rates to remain where they are, she said. The rate of return this year has been 11 percent, which is good, she added.


Yes, $17 BILLION shortfall.

Yes, 44% return would be needed.

How much more are they going to squeeze from the private sector worker???

I don't pretend to understand the VRS, but I do have a little common sense.

The lack of foresight of our staff and School Board -or is it the state government--who thought they were saving money by offering early retirement to so many teachers is mind boggling.

Many of them then began to double-dip by subbing-or even teaching. One friend, an administrator, told me that she did not want to retire, but when she did the math that she would have been a fool not to.

We are now reaping the fruits of all of this early retirement--they just kicked the problem down the road.

board watcher Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I don't pretend to understand the VRS, but I do
> have a little common sense.
>
> The lack of foresight of our staff and School
> Board -or is it the state government--who thought
> they were saving money by offering early
> retirement to so many teachers is mind boggling.
>
> Many of them then began to double-dip by
> subbing-or even teaching. One friend, an
> administrator, told me that she did not want to
> retire, but when she did the math that she would
> have been a fool not to.
>
> We are now reaping the fruits of all of this early
> retirement--they just kicked the problem down the
> road.


If it is one thing this School Board seemed to be really good at it was being short-sighted and pushing the problems onto somebody else to deal with later.

For example this area is only going to continue to grow and they really NEEDED to keep Clifton Elementary open just to accomodate that growth! Future School Board Members are now going to get stuck with the problem and it is going to impact a lot of children.

To Time to Vote No....

Agree with you, I will not support another bond referendum either.

FCPS and some board members strongly urge parents to demand the BOS to provide additional money.

I heard there was 31 million in construction money in reserve, there is 161 plus million in unsold bonds that were to be used for renovation....and yet here they come again asking the voter to say yes to more bonds.

Now is the time to tell FCPS that while we have been fooled before, those days are over.....NOT Voting for Bond Referendum.....PERIOD !*+//////

Eyes wide open II Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> To Time to Vote No....
>
> Agree with you, I will not support another bond
> referendum either.
>
> FCPS and some board members strongly urge parents
> to demand the BOS to provide additional money.
>
> I heard there was 31 million in construction money
> in reserve, there is 161 plus million in unsold
> bonds that were to be used for renovation....and
> yet here they come again asking the voter to say
> yes to more bonds.
>
> Now is the time to tell FCPS that while we have
> been fooled before, those days are over.....NOT
> Voting for Bond Referendum.....PERIOD !*+//////


Wonder if part of FCPS motivation in pushing all the Clifton kids out to other schools and overcrowding those schools was to motivate the parents of those schools to vote FOR a bond? Aren't most of the schools that are now going to be overcrowded the ones that have higher voter turnout? Even if the bond passes it doesn't mean they have to use that money on those schools though but most voters don't know that.

http://www.novacommonsense.com/2011/04/12/breaking-kathy-smith-to-challenge-jim-lemunyon/

Another report that Kathy Smith will run against Lemunyon for delegate. Is this just a red herring? Is she really going to run for Supervisor?

OOOOOOHHHHH, YOU'RE IN TROUBLE NOW!

Daddy is MAD at YOU.

Fairfax County Board of Supervisors told FCPS SB today that they do not get more money and that they need to get an separate auditor to report to SB instead of the in-house one Dale gets.

The sun, moon and tides are aligning!

Boat rockers unite!

anyone know the status of the lawsuit? I think the outcome of the FOIA case was still pending.

Anyone know what Bradsher's political plan is for November? It's too much to hope that she will just slither away...

Bradsher is getting her wish for South County and the boundary planning phase is about to kick off with FPAC. First meeting to discuss "overcrowding" in South County is coming May 3 at South County. Wonder how Liz will spin the need here?

"overcrowding" in South County??? That's a joke, right? South County middle school is opening WAY BELOW capacity, and they are going to claim overcrowding?!?!

Of course they will. They'll come up with future projections of over-crowding that cry out for relief.

With Bradsher's political career coming to a close, she'll be remembered only for two things - (1) building a school that wasn't needed and (2) closing a school that was needed.

A Soviet economic planner from the 1970s could not have done it any better.

@ Bradsher's Idiot Legacy: Agreed re: comparison of Liz to Soviet economic planner of 1970's. She can spin those facts and data!

@ Justataxpayer: See above. The Liz and the SC Whiners will be at it again.

No, I do not have a student in this fight, thank goodness. My child graduates next year from a fantastic school that is not involved in any of the above discussions. However, as a FFX Co. property owner and taxpayer, I have followed the SC whiners, Bradsher, and the non-representation of the Clifton population by their school board member. I do hope Lizzie is on her way out of politics . . .except maybe as a dogcatcher.

Anyone attend the meetings a few weeks ago where Liz was speaking, that can tell us what she said?

Can't wait to see what lovely boundaries they create for Annandale. I so look forward to see how Lake Braddock and Woodson are impacted by the movement of Annandale students to their schools. If you don't think it's coming, think again, or perhaps you should fully support the non-boundary solutions. Enjoy! What a mess!

The Annandale committee seems hell bent on keeping all the kids there. I find it bizarre...converting it to a 10-12th school...even dumber.

The change will be when Lake Braddock gets raided to populate the new UNNEEDED SOCO MS.....wait for it.

Otherwise, Bradsher, Storck and company will look like even bigger Jacka@** then they already are, by demanding that the school be built.

Oh yea, and look for a drastic OUTFLOW of the illegals in the next 5 years and we will wonder why we have all these schools.

Tax dollars well spent as usual.

Kid juggling said:

The Annandale committee seems hell bent on keeping all the kids there. I find it bizarre...converting it to a 10-12th school...even dumber.



Why? community loyalty--people are happy with Annandale. Why mess with something that works.

Annandale is now an armpit of a school.

2500 students. Tailers everywhere-how did that work out today during the all day tornado watch?

49% FRM. 27% LEP.

One of the highest dropout rates. One of the worst SAT scores.

MS 13 training ground.

What exactly is "working" at this school?

What are you hoping to "preserve"?

Is the court hearing today:
Part of the original case?
Addition to the original case?
Finale of the original case?
what's left of the original case?

The Judge is hearing arguments today on if Jack Dale violated FOIA rules. The Judge will rule whether JacK Dale is exempt from the public record laws.

At issue is emails that were withheld from a Freedom of Information Act request that was made on the decision at close CES.

If Jack Dale did violate the law the SB would need to vote again on the closing of CES.

We do not know yet if the Judge will make her final ruling today.

Is the only thing being considered from the original case the part about Jack Dale? That wasn't the only charge was it? What about the SB members?

court case today Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The Judge is hearing arguments today on if Jack
> Dale violated FOIA rules. The Judge will rule
> whether JacK Dale is exempt from the public record
> laws.
>
> At issue is emails that were withheld from a
> Freedom of Information Act request that was made
> on the decision at close CES.
>
> If Jack Dale did violate the law the SB would need
> to vote again on the closing of CES.
>
> We do not know yet if the Judge will make her
> final ruling today.


Thank you for the update. Can you post the decision, when you find out?

http://fairfaxcity.patch.com/articles/traffic-nightmares-during-school-arrival-dismissal

FCPS complains about "Kiss and Ride"--just wait until next year!

reasons Tistadt didn't list:
unreliable buses--late or no show at all. If the parent has to go to the stop to see if the bus shows up, you may as well drive your child. Parent may drop child off on way to work to be sure kid isn't left standing and waiting.

dangerous bus stops on dangerous roads--Kiss and ride may be a problem, but so is standing in the dark on a busy street.

No ruling on violation of open mtgs act and no mention of a requirement for a re-vote. Judge did indicate release of additional emails won't make a difference anyway. From Fairfax Station Patch:

The Fairfax County School Board must release at least some of the emails sent by Superintendent Jack Dale during the Clifton Elementary School controversy, a judge ruled Friday morning.

“The unfortunate thing about this argument is that there is nothing in those documents that makes a hill of beans of difference, but the legal issue has been brought,” said Judge Leslie M. Alden during the hearing.

At issue are a series of emails withheld from a Freedom of Information Act request made in response to the school board’s controversial decision to close Clifton Elementary School. Clifton resident Jill Hill put in a request last year to view all emails exchanged between school board members during public meetings held in June and July of 2010, according to court records.

While Hill eventually was able to obtain most of those emails sent by school board members, school officials withheld much of the correspondence involving Jack Dale.

“It’s unfathomable to believe that any email sent by the superintendent would be barred from public view,” said Michael Guiffre, who is representing Hill from the Patton Boggs law firm in Washington, D.C.

About 20 to 30 documents were withheld, Alden said. School board attorneys stated that the emails were withheld partially because of a provision in state law which states that correspondence by a state chief executive officer is not public record.

During Friday’s hearing, attorneys on both sides argued over which emails would fall under the exemption.

While the judge ultimately determined that the school board will have to release at least some of those emails, attorneys are still in discussion over exactly which documents will be released.

“We were discussing some innocuous letters, so we will see,” said Tom Cawley, a lawyer with McLean firm Hunton & Williams LLP who representing the school board.

The content of the emails was not revealed at Friday’s hearing, though both attorneys for the school board and the judge stated that the emails would be unlikely to be of great impact.

Look at all the money everyone has spent because of Jack Dale and his big ego. If he had just released the emails we would have not taken him to court.

How was CES to know the emails had nothing in them since JD was so hard up on NOT letting the public see them in the first place.


I bet CES could have stayed open with all the money the county has wasted in court. Morons.

Did the judge rule on the "open meetings" part of the case? The part about the school board conducting meetings by email?

So from what I can tell, the court and the judget opened up more of Dales' communication so we don't get this kind or response?

It looks like we have only gained more open government since Clifton's crazy axe by the school bd led by Liz Bradsher.

Is the Scholl Board required to give up emails now too, like Jack Dale?

This is great news.
Attachments:

Clifton is TOAST. Why don't we all come to our senses and spare the taxpayuers dollars over the fight and move on. I guess "breaking up is hard to do". Great job. Now we hvve all this fodder to read but NOTHING HAS CHANGED! Clifton still isn't going to stay open. Get over it!

We just want to know what was in the emails that JD did want to release under law.

We are all moving on.

Unlike most ninconpoops on the FU, I am extremely grateful to the Clifton parents for their relentless pursuit of the TRUTH.

WE ALL BENEFIT FROM THEIR HARD WORK.

Jack Dale and this School Board think the law does not apply to them.

For goodness sake, READ THESE EMAILS!!!!!!!!!!!!

A SB member-AN ELECTED OFFICIAL-asks a simple question:

"How many middle schools have geometry classes?"

Simple right---what is so damn controversial about this?????

Why do they have to black out the answer under executive privilege??

Talk about dysfunctional government. Is this the crap they do all day?

kudos to Clifton Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Unlike most ninconpoops on the FU, I am extremely
> grateful to the Clifton parents for their
> relentless pursuit of the TRUTH.
>
> WE ALL BENEFIT FROM THEIR HARD WORK.
>
> Jack Dale and this School Board think the law does
> not apply to them.
>
> For goodness sake, READ THESE EMAILS!!!!!!!!!!!!
>
> A SB member-AN ELECTED OFFICIAL-asks a simple
> question:
>
> "How many middle schools have geometry classes?"
>
> Simple right---what is so damn controversial about
> this?????
>
> Why do they have to black out the answer under
> executive privilege??
>
> Talk about dysfunctional government. Is this the
> crap they do all day?

Whine, Whine, Whine. Now get home and make me some cookies! lol

We love wine here in Clifton. Why don't you have a glass and calm the fuck down.

kudos to Clifton Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Unlike most ninconpoops on the FU, I am extremely
> grateful to the Clifton parents for their
> relentless pursuit of the TRUTH.

You're a fucking idiot. Go away NOW!

Name calling is not a form of argument taught in FCPS. You must not have been educated in FCPS.

Now that the Annadale boundary study is about to be released, would any veterans of the SW boundary study have any advice/suggestions/things to look out for? Any particular tactics that were effective, either by the school board or parents?

Don't waste your time with the SB.

I only wish we had come out with our guns fully loaded when we first started. We were too nice and did not wish to turnover the FCPS apple cart. Boy were we wrong. It is too late now. We are all now moving on and looking towards a great next year at our new schools. :)

Good luck to you.

interesting change that was kept under the radar; seems like some of their efforts hit close to home

a lot of scrambling to make changes that weren't there before

http://www.boarddocs.com/vsba/fairfax/Board.nsf/files/8GDHRK49BF25/$file/P1710.pdf

Meetings of School Board advisory committees are subject to the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (the Act) and must be open to the public, unless the meeting subject is one which is exempt from the open meeting requirement of the Act. All advisory committee members, who participate in the meeting, are to be physically present at the site of public meeting. Notice of advisory committee meetings will be furnished to the public at least three working days in advance, while agenda packets for advisory committee meetings shall be available for inspection by the public at the same time as such are made available to committee members. Open meetings of advisory committees may be recorded by the public, provided such does not interfere with the conduct of the meeting. Because the business of School Board Advisory committees is to be conducted at meetings where the advisory committee members are physically assembled, committee members are not authorized to discuss or transact committee business electronically or by conference telephone call, unless such is limited to two committee members.

Woops-I guess FCPS wasn't really following those guidelines all these years.

These advisory panels are garbage anyways.

School Board members pick friends of theirs who will tow the party line and not do or say anything that would be critical of the politboro.

We don't need the Cassie Eatmons and Ted Velkoffs of the world speaking on behalf of Smith or Bradsher.

These committees are a JOKE.

another victory Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Woops-I guess FCPS wasn't really following those
> guidelines all these years.
>
> These advisory panels are garbage anyways.
>
> School Board members pick friends of theirs who
> will tow the party line and not do or say anything
> that would be critical of the politboro.
>
> We don't need the Cassie Eatmons and Ted Velkoffs
> of the world speaking on behalf of Smith or
> Bradsher.
>
> These committees are a JOKE.


+1000 The committees are also administration reinforcements. Layers upon layers of job safety.

Shouldn't a new thread be started? This is old

start a new thread Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Shouldn't a new thread be started? This is old

No need to. CES will be shutdown shortly, as it should be, and this issue will soon die out.

We are all getting ready to transition to our new schools.

I am sad Clifton is closing but I am ready to move forward.

I guess the only thing others need to worry about is the high school lines being redrawn.

All the HS seem fine to me in our area.

Annandale boundary released. One option to move Wakefiled Forest from BOTH Woodson and Annandale to Lake Braddock on the table. Smooth Move! HaHaHaHa. Told Woodson/Lake Braddock to be on the look out. LOL

I am going to laugh when those that wanted Clifton to close see what the SB has for their HS.

We are lucky. We can afford private HS.

HaHaHaHa Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Annandale boundary released. One option to move
> Wakefiled Forest from BOTH Woodson and Annandale
> to Lake Braddock on the table. Smooth Move!
> HaHaHaHa. Told Woodson/Lake Braddock to be on the
> look out. LOL

+1

HaHaHaHa Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Annandale boundary released. One option to move
> Wakefiled Forest from BOTH Woodson and Annandale
> to Lake Braddock on the table. Smooth Move!
> HaHaHaHa. Told Woodson/Lake Braddock to be on the
> look out. LOL

Nutty.

If you move the WF kids from Poe/Annandale to Frost/Woodson, you increase the serious over-crowding at Frost.

If you move the WF kids from both Poe/Annandale and Frost/Woodson to Lake Braddock, you go against everything the School Board said back in 2008 about the "optimal size" of middle and high schools.

It's very hard to believe we pay these people to talk so fast and furiously out of both sides of their mouths.

Confused and Dazed Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> HaHaHaHa Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Annandale boundary released. One option to move
> > Wakefiled Forest from BOTH Woodson and
> Annandale
> > to Lake Braddock on the table. Smooth Move!
> > HaHaHaHa. Told Woodson/Lake Braddock to be on
> the
> > look out. LOL
>
> Nutty.
>
> If you move the WF kids from Poe/Annandale to
> Frost/Woodson, you increase the serious
> over-crowding at Frost.
>
> If you move the WF kids from both Poe/Annandale
> and Frost/Woodson to Lake Braddock, you go against
> everything the School Board said back in 2008
> about the "optimal size" of middle and high
> schools.
>
> It's very hard to believe we pay these people to
> talk so fast and furiously out of both sides of
> their mouths.

And the ESOL % at the new Lacey ES will be between 74% and 86% depending upon what option is chosen.

How many parents will send their kids to a school with such a high ESOL %?

Really?


http://ww2.fairfaxtimes.com/cms/story.php?id=3476

School Board

-At-Large (three seats) -- Incumbents Tina Hone and James Raney are not seeking re-election. Candidates include one incumbent, Ilryong Moon, and challengers Maria Allen, Greg Brandon, Lisa Fagan, Charisse Espy Glassman, Lolita Mancheno-Smoak, Ryan McElveen and Ted Velkoff.

-Braddock -- Incumbent Judith "Tessie" Wilson is not seeking re-election. No candidates have announced.

-Dranesville -- Incumbent, Jane Strauss; challenger, Louise Epstein

-Hunter Mill -- Incumbent Stuart Gibson is not seeking re-election. Nancy Linton is the only declared candidate for the seat.

-Lee -- Tamara Derenak Kaufax

-Mason -- Incumbent, Sandra Evans

-Mount Vernon -- Incumbent, Daniel Storck; challenger, Michelle Nellenbach

-Providence -- Incumbent, Patricia Reed

-Springfield -- Incumbent, Elizabeth Bradsher; challenger, Elizabeth Schultz

-Sully -- Incumbent, Kathy Smith

Really? Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Really?
>
>
> http://ww2.fairfaxtimes.com/cms/story.php?id=3476
>
> School Board
>
> -Springfield -- Incumbent, Elizabeth Bradsher;
> challenger, Elizabeth Schultz


I thought Liz was unable to get endorsed as a Democrat? Is she running as an independent?

I think she's running as an Asshole............................

She's going to take full credit for opening the So Co Middle School, and try to ride that glory into a re-election. Will it work? Are there more people in So Co who will fall for that and vote for her, or more people in Clifton and Burke who hate her for playig favorites and overcrowding their schools?

Really? Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> -At-Large (three seats) -- Incumbents Tina Hone and James Raney are not seeking re-election. Candidates include one incumbent, Ilryong Moon, and challengers Maria Allen, Greg Brandon, Lisa Fagan, Charisse Espy Glassman, Lolita Mancheno-Smoak, Ryan McElveen and Ted Velkoff.<

Tomorrow night (5/24) FCDC will chose 3 among Brandon, Glassman, Allen, Mcelveen, Moon & Velkoff. FCDC will also act on the magisterial recommendations.

Lolita Mancheno-Smoak & Lisa Fagan will run with the FCRC endorsement.

> -Braddock -- Incumbent Judith "Tessie" Wilson is not seeking re-election. No candidates have announced.<

Meaghan McLaughlin has the BDDC recommendation. No word on a FCRC endorsee.

> -Dranesville -- Incumbent, Jane Strauss, has the recommendation of DDDC; challenger, Louise Epstein is seeking the endorsement of FCRC.<

> -Hunter Mill -- Incumbent Stuart Gibson is not seeking re-election. HMDDC has recommend Pat Hynes. Nancy Linton is seeking the FCRC endorsement.

> -Lee -- Tamara Derenak Kaufax has the LDDC recommendation. No word on who is seeking the FCRC endorsement.

> -Mason -- Incumbent, Sandra Evans has the MDDC recommendation. No word on who is seeking the FCRC endorsement.

> -Mount Vernon -- Incumbent, Daniel Storck has the MVDDC recommendation.
Michelle Nellenbach is seeking the FCRC endorsement.

> -Providence -- Incumbent, Patricia Reed, will get the FCRC endorsement. No PDDC recommendation.

> -Springfield -- Incumbent, Elizabeth Bradsher will not receive either FCDC nor FCRC endorsement, doubt she will seek re-election as an independent; Elizabeth Schultz will receive the FCRC endorsement; No word on the SDDC recommendation.

> -Sully -- Incumbent, Kathy Smith has the SDDC recommendation. No word on who is seeking the FCRC endorsement.

From Supervisor Pat Herrity's Newsletter:

The proposed Fall 2012 School Bond Referendum came before the Board for approval at the Tuesday (5/24/2011) Board of Supervisor's meeting. Below are my comments on the referendum.

"Let me start by saying that I fully support the School Bond referendum.

That said, I can't let pass without comment several items in the proposed School Bond Referendum that again point to the need for transparency and accountability by the school system.

First, I note that there are at least three items in the bond package - capacity enhancements at Fairfax Villa ES, Greenbriar East ES and Union Mill ES - that are mostly the result of the closing of Clifton ES.
During the hearings on the closure of Clifton one school board member said "Clifton ES has 366 students and all students can be moved to successful nearby schools without the necessity of additions or renovations."

COO Dean Tisdadt, when discussing the funding of the additions, said "we actually have a great deal of money on what we call the construction reserve," and directly from the schools web site "there will not be construction loans to fund the proposed additions".
These statements are in direct conflict with the inclusion of capacity improvements at these schools in the bond package.

They also repeatedly state "Clifton is more expensive to renovate than a normal elementary school" yet I see every one of the six elementary schools listed in the bond for renovation is well over the $11M to renovate Clifton ES.

During the process of closing Clifton ES, Springfield District residents were repeatedly promised that the closure of Clifton would accelerate the renovation of WSHS and no bond funds would be used in closing Clifton ES - that clearly is not the case.

I do not hold much hope that the school board will reverse the Clifton closure even though the bond referendum clearly shows that the third reason espoused by the school system for closing Clifton is just as false as the other two

• The well water is fine - there is no more bottled water.
• The enrollment is actually growing instead of shrinking as the school system projected, and;
• As the bond referendum clearly shows Clifton was no more expensive to renovate than the other six in this bond referendum.

As the Board knows, I have been a vocal proponent of keeping the schools Capital Improvement Program at the higher amount of $155M when it was due to shrink to $130M due to our overwhelming school construction and renovation needs.

Despite what I consider to be problems with some of the specifics in the package, I will be strongly supporting the Schools Bond Referendum."

Two of the schools listed for capacity enhancements are in the Springfield District. My office is beginning to receive requests for information on the details of these additions and the impacts on traffic. The Board supported my request for schools to provide details on these proposed additions and the projected traffic impacts on the community.


I will share the information on the schools as they provide it. We are only four months from the projected increase in students at these schools.

Thomas More Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Really? Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> > -Braddock -- Incumbent Judith "Tessie" Wilson is
> not seeking re-election. No candidates have
> announced.<
>
> Meaghan McLaughlin has the BDDC recommendation.
> No word on a FCRC endorsee.
>

Meaghan McLaughlin was looking good for awhile... she received some great publicity by climbing aboard the Bash Dean Tisdadt train. But then she sold out to some union leaders (not their members) to promise more money for everyone in exchange for their endorsement. The BDDC meeting was a lovefest.

There is a growing group of Robinson-Lake Braddock-Woodson parents that are trying to convince Nell Hurley to run for Tessie's seat. Tessie's repeated bashing of Nell and Woodson while Nell was PTA President there make Nell very popular, along with all the issues she took on which made her no friend of the current school board and Gatehouse staff. Much of what Meaghan learned was from Nell's work. Unfortunately, Nell is republican, and that's a minority in the Braddock district.

http://washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/columnists/2011/05/lessons-learned-first-battle-clifton


Would still love to know the real reason behind this school closure.

When is someone gonna tie these together?
Where's Thomas More???

http://www.fairfaxunderground.com/forum/read/2/584948.html

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/politics/clifton-fears-closing-towns-only-school-means-end-of-communitys-identity/2011/05/24/AG9IBYBH_story_1.html


“I would really love for people to understand the difficulty of that decision,” Bradsher said Wednesday. But she said the animosity and obscenity-laden hate mail directed at her have been so over the top that she is not comfortable walking down Clifton’s Main Street. She has not decided whether to run again.



Oh, puhleeze! Read this thread from the beginning and a 2 year old can figure how just how difficult this decision was for her.

She's not comfortable walking down Main St? Now that is the BEST news I've heard yet!

She hasn't decided whether or not to run again?!?!
Here's a hint, Liz. NOBODY WANTS YOU TO RUN AGAIN!!! Do Fairfax County a favor and disappear from public service. We've had enough of your mendacious and megalomaniac tendencies to last a lifetime.

I am nice lady but if I ever see Liz in person I think I might spit on her. Dumb bitch better stay clear of Clifton for the rest of her life.

Clifton parents need to move on and grow up.

Their little corner of the world is part of a county. If you don't like it, secede and pay your own taxes. Whiners and crybabies.

the same woman who wouldn't let 370 kids stay in school and has f'd up dozens of communities and the lives of thousands of people incl teachers' built this megalithic school for a gajillion dollars when they are only supposed to have
864 kids in 5 yrs and they have room for 914 now

some nerve

http://schoolprofiles.fcps.edu/schlprfl/f?p=108:107:5839825462882506::::P0_CURRENT_SCHOOL_ID:422

http://www.fcps.edu/fts/dashboard/10-11dashboard.html

http://lorton.patch.com/announcements/south-county-middle-school-update-whats-next

If you drive by the middle school construction site on Laurel Crest Drive, you’ll see construction of the middle school is moving forward with brick and mortar. The school will have the same footprint as Glasgow Middle School and will have an open courtyard at the center. Construction of the school is expected to be complete by the end of this year, however after hearing from faculty, staff, and the community, the School Board has agreed with all parties for a September 2012 opening. There was considerable discussion, at a community meeting in November, of the pros and cons of opening a school mid-year versus in September. Faculty and staff cited many reasons the school should not open mid-year, including considerable loss of instruction time, a consequential interruption of routine, loss of continuity in the school year, and complications in boundaries for those students coming from another middle school. While there were some parents that voiced support for a midyear opening, the majority of attendees supported a September opening date.

So what happens now? According to FCPS, here is a timeline:

Spring 2011 Boundary planning process
Fall 2011 Program discussions & decisions & Principal selection

Spring 2012 School naming
Sept 2012 School opening



There have been some initial discussions regarding a boundary study. School Board representatives Dan Storck and Liz Bradsher have indicated that everyone in the current boundary will remain in the current boundary. There has been discussion to allow for an easy transition to the new school which would prevent a full blown boundary study. A simple administrative boundary adjustment could occur to add the Lorton Valley community to the boundary. An administrative boundary adjustment can occur at the discretion of a School Board member if 5% or less of the school population is affected; for South County this would allow for an additional 150 students to be moved to the new school without a traditional boundary study. FCPS has cited that this would give the school an opportunity to see the impacts of BRAC and “flight” to the new school before making any significant boundary changes. It would also allow the newly formed Citizen Advisory Boundary Task Force an opportunity to truly look at the long term implications on enrollment in the Southern part of Fairfax County.

The new middle school capacity is 1,350 supporting 10 middle school teams.


If you’d like additional information, updates are posted on
www.fcps.edu/cluster5/southcountymiddleschool
Attachments:

This is what Bradsher tried to join. And even these guys wouldn't take her.

LMAO!


http://annandale.patch.com/articles/democrats-endorse-two-school-board-candidates-without-majority-7?ncid=wtp-patch-headline

After two rounds of ballot voting and several special motions, Fairfax County Democratic Committee members endorsed Ilryong Moon, Charisse Espy Glassman and Ted Velkoff as their candidates in November’s Fairfax County School Board elections, at a Tuesday meeting that became heated when the group voted to depart from its bylaws and award two endorsements without a majority.

Good luck with that one. Nell for school board in place of Tessie. Yeah, she will stand up and fight while Wakefield Forest gets sent to Lake Braddock. HaHaHa

LOL Nell for School Board Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Good luck with that one. Nell for school board in
> place of Tessie. Yeah, she will stand up and fight
> while Wakefield Forest gets sent to Lake Braddock.
> HaHaHa

Replace one whackadoodle with another. Suuuuure.

LOL Nell for School Board Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Good luck with that one. Nell for school board in
> place of Tessie. Yeah, she will stand up and fight
> while Wakefield Forest gets sent to Lake Braddock.

If Nell Hurley was on the school board now, then Wakefield Forest ES would not even be considered for a move from Frost/Woodson to Lake Braddock. Nell is leading the fight today (and warned us months ago that this was one option that staff wanted to push), but we all know how the current board and staff make their decisions long before the required public hearing charades begin.

We may lose the fight and end up being bussed to Lake Braddock, but one thing Nell will bring to the board is her expert knowledge of the numbers produced by staff and the ability to use their own data against them when their recommendations are not in line with community expectations.

We remember Tessie's promises that (1) Gatehouse II was a done deal and (2) the Woodson bus depot had to be built. The best part about this election is that Tessie is finally leaving.

http://www.sungazette.net/articles/2011/05/23/fairfax/news/fe80f2.txt

Reader Comments
The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of Sun Gazette Newspapers. Total Comments: 3 comment(s)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

David Hill wrote on May 26, 2011 7:17 PM:

" Ms. Bradsher, You have no credibility and not too many people care what you think anymore. November can't get here fast enough. When you want to criticize for not having facts straight, you should try to do the same. Here are just a few areas you missed.

1. You led the argument that Clifton was too costly at a sum of $11M to renovate for the low head count of 366 students. However, Garfield Elementary apparently isn't too costly. They have a head count of 332 students and are getting a total sum of $14,158,193. Unless my math skills are sub par, that looks to be a bit more costly for a smaller school.

2. Are you really going to try to say the the $13,686,696 that is going to the 3 schools the Clifton kids are being re-located to has nothing to do with the closing of CES? Good luck selling that one.

3. CES radio active well water. Oops, you missed on that one as well.

Strike 3, your out. I will give you credit for at least using your real name on your post.

Another fact, for future reference, if you ever find yourself testifying in court again and are asked that tricky question "How many school board members are there", the answer is 12. It is truly sad you did not know the answer the last time you found yourself in that position. "



Grossed Out Granny wrote on May 26, 2011 5:59 PM:

" Lizzie Lizzie Lizzie:

Is THIS the truth?

"Supervisor Herrity's comments about schools requiring renovations due to the admittance of Clfton students is incorrect. The system is not renovating any schools due to changes in the Clifton boundary. Only one school will be receiving a brick and motor addition in his district and this is due to a boundary changes for students other than those living in Clifton. Another school will be receiving minor interior modifications over the summer."

OR is THIS the truth?

Since Clifton is not near the areas of overcrowding, the capacity at Clifton cannot contribute to solving the issue. Additionally, the schools adjacent to Clifton ES have sufficient capacity to accommodate additional students from the school.
http://www.fcps.edu/fts/planning/southwesternstudy/faq.pdf

OR is THIS the truth?

"Clifton Elementary School has 366 students and all students can be moved to successful nearby schools without the necessity of additions or renovations." Bradsher
http://www.fairfaxtimes.com/cms/story.php?id=2343

OR is THIS the truth?

"There will not be construction loans to fund the proposed additions."
http://www.fcps.edu/fts/planning/southwesternstudy/faq.pdf

OR is THIS the truth?

http://bit.ly/imxEM5

Walking - you - away - is what will benefit all of us. The two way street you need to travel on is away from public service. Forever. "



Elizabeth Bradsher wrote on May 18, 2011 11:53 AM:

" As the School Board member for the Springfield District I remain very pleased the Supervisors approved the 2011 Bond Referendum for our county's schools. However Supervisor Herrity's comments about schools requiring renovations due to the admittance of Clfton students is incorrect. The system is not renovating any schools due to changes in the Clifton boundary. Only one school will be receiving a brick and motor addition in his district and this is due to a boundary changes for students other than those living in Clifton. Another school will be receiving minor interior modifications over the summer. I would argue that "Transparency is a two way street" and it starts with getting the facts correct for the public.

Per Supervisor McKay's comments, I agree we do need more walkers. The system as well as our county needs to address the need for walking paths to our schools. It will benefit all of us. "

What the hell did Pat Herrity do to help save Clifton Elem? Nothing, because he is a supporter of the renovations at WSHS. Oh, sure, he attended all of the Clifton Community meetings, but does anyone have any examples of how he tried to keep the school open?

[Liz, you never learn]

Without any effort, this:

http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/springfield/pdf_files/herrity_report/swb_study.pdf

and this:
http://www.boarddocs.com/vsba/fairfax/Board.nsf/Public

Testimony of Supervisor Pat Herrity
Clifton Elementary School Public Hearing
June 28, 2010
Chairman Smith and members of the School Board, my name is Pat Herrity and I am the Springfield District Supervisor and a resident of Little Rocky Run.
Thank you for the opportunity to speak before you again tonight. I apologize for not having prepared remarks, I left my family at the Outer Banks early this morning to get back here to testify and I did not have time to copy my remarks. I will send them to you tomorrow.
Tonight I am here to speak on behalf of many of my constituents and to respectfully request that you keep Clifton Elementary School open. I am not going repeat many of the arguments you have heard tonight but I want to discuss a possible solution.
I believe one option and perhaps the best option is to defer renovation and not close Clifton Elementary, something you have heard tonight from parents of the Clifton community. Clifton does not need an immediate full scale renovation.
Keeping Clifton ES open and deferring renovation would be beneficial for four major reasons and could be a win-win solution for the entire county:
1) It allows the Clifton community to keep their community school
2) It puts $11 million back into the CIP, allowing schools throughout the county that are in dire need of renovation to move up on the CIP. A win-win for Clifton and school communities throughout the entire county.
3) Per today’s letter from Virginia’s Department of Historic Resources, it gives us time to explore the potential use of creative partnerships and historic rehabilitation tax credits to rehabilitate school buildings for continued educational use.
4) It keeps options open for the future – most importantly for future expansion to address the overcrowding or some form of renovation
The study to close Clifton ES was included with a Southwestern Boundary study and those capacity issues have yet to be addressed. The initial recommendation was to build at the Liberty MS site and close Clifton ES. I ask you to please consider the very real and serious challenges posed by the Liberty Middle School site.
1) Traffic from the four current schools plus the proposed new school on two lane Union Mill Road
2) The location is not near the overpopulated schools
3) There are serious health and cost issues with naturally occurring asbestos at the site
4) Cost
And if these issues can’t be overcome and you can’t build a new school at Liberty, what will happen to children at Clifton? Won’t the kids be sent to three or four different elementary schools? At no time in the last 20 years has Fairfax County closed an elementary school and broken school population into three or four different elementary schools. It’s not right to do it now to the Clifton community; especially when there is an option on the table that keeps Clifton ES open AND puts $11 million back into the CIP. So let me make recent school closing history a fifth major reason to keep the school open and a key difference from the Graham Road closing.
Again I ask that you please consider deferring renovation on Clifton ES and keeping it open because it is the solution that is in the best interest of:
•The students
•The Clifton community
•And the entire county because it accelerates the CIP
Clifton is a community school and the parents are willing to forgo a full renovation in order to save this school. There are options on the table that work for Clifton, the school system and this School Board – let’s take the time to find them. Please keep this school open. Thank you.

Wow, so Pat Herrity spoke at the school board meeting, so did a lot of people. What ACTIONS did he actually take as an elected official?

great job, Rob. thanx for calling it like it is.
can't believe she is still trying to justify this total bs.
fcps, jack dale + this whole school board need the ig office to come do a colonoscopy to get rid of all the *hit they're full of.

liz, you are a pathological liar.

Reader Comments
The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of Sun Gazette Newspapers. Total Comments: 4 comment(s)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rob Jones wrote on May 27, 2011 9:50 AM:

" I would actually be happy if Liz just admitted that she lied to those of us in the Clifton Elementary School attendance area. How did she lie you might ask?

1) She told us that if we were able to find ways to get the renovation costs to between $10-$12 million she would work to get us renovated. FCPS data showed options that would provide a renovation to the school for figures within that range. Based on the evidence shown in her emails that are visible to all due to FOIA, she was working counter to this point and therefore lied to us.

2) "Water, water, water" was said over and over by Liz at meetings with community members as well as the PTA. "You figure out the water issue and you will be good." Hey Liz, the water issue has been resolved thanks to FCPS doing as another state agency has been saying for years. Oh, that radioactive third well which isn't even hooked up to the school water supply but would have been a back-up if ever needed....amazing how the fix for that issue which was also noted by a citizen group actually worked. Interesting to see that Dean decided not to tell anyone until the night of the meeting, during the meeting. Nice job "working for those you represent" there. Again, your actions don't connect with what you said.

3) And this one tops it all. Liz ran for her seat on the School Board in support of community schools noting how critical it is to attend school with those in your local area. Liz went against that campaign promise by closing a community school. She represents Springfield District and no other part of the county. And yes, Springfield District DOES INCLUDE areas outside of South County. Did anyone notice that 3 of the most vocal individuals in the process associated with Clifton were the at-large members who really represent the whole of Fairfax County? I, and many in Springfield District, believe as she stated in a media interview that she "represents the interests of FCPS" and not her constituents (outside of South County). Again, she says one thing and does something completely different.

Liz always said stick with facts and data. Well Liz, the above are facts that are backed by data provided by you and FCPS. "

http://www.sungazette.net/articles/2011/05/23/fairfax/news/fe80f2.txt

Hey, what happened?
Is she a piece of work or what?
Why not work as hard for anything else - does Bradsher have some anti-Clifton complex?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/24/AR2008032402364.html

"I don't want to be ungrateful," said Fairfax County School Board member Elizabeth T. Bradsher (Springfield). "I appreciate their offer. But if you have this amount of money for a wing, why won't you go all the way and work toward resolving the problem in its entirety?"

Griffin said the county can't afford a new middle school, which officials said could cost $35 million to $40 million if built soon. Instead, he offered to recommend that county supervisors approve $10 million over two years to fund the expansion. The deal is subject to approval from the School Board and the
Board of Supervisors.

"I can't fix their problem for them, but I can help them in the short term," Griffin said. He added that he was looking for creative ways to ease crowding, in response to queries from supervisors.
Officials said Griffin's proposal was unusual because it would circumvent the usual process for planning and funding school construction. But as the former Lorton prison and the area around it developed, many residents have lobbied to expedite school construction. Their cause has drawn support from
supervisors, state lawmakers, members of Congress and at least one congressional candidate.

Dean Tistadt, the school system's chief operating officer, said he was "pleasantly surprised" by Griffin's offer and called it an "elegant solution to a complicated problem." He said he plans to recommend that
the School Board accept it.

Tistadt said the expansion could be completed as early as the 2010-11 school year. That would eliminate the need for a change in South County Secondary's attendance zone, which Tistadt said would otherwise be necessary next year. In the aftermath of a widely unpopular boundary change just approved in
western Fairfax, School Board members might find that appealing."

Liz's entire time on FCSB has been characterized by her view that one set of rules applies for her friends and cronies and another set of rules applies for everyone else. Since her friends aren't in Clifton, Clifton got the "regular Liz" rather than the "special Liz" treatment. Unfortunately, we're all paying the price tag for the stupid decisions that she's championed.

I am told that Liz made it very clear to a Chantilly parent during the West County redistricting (South Lakes, Westfield, Chantilly, Oakton and Madison) that while she sympathized with Chantilly parents, that her goal was to get South County Middle School built and that she had to "watch her politics"--that she could do nothing to jeopardize that goal.

She was brand new to the Board then. I was surprised that she would be so open about it.

It is ironic that she supported Stu--but that Stu did not support the middle school. However, I am sure if his vote would have made the difference that he would have.

It is also ironic that South Lakes is now adding a modular.

redistricting veteran Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> It is ironic that she supported Stu--but that Stu
> did not support the middle school. However, I am
> sure if his vote would have made the difference
> that he would have.
>
> It is also ironic that South Lakes is now adding a
> modular.

Ironic is the wrong word. Overcapacity at South Lakes was predicted based on Staff's own numbers. Tisdadt/the SB refused to believe them/pretended to not believe them when they didn't support their plans.

WestfieldDad Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> redistricting veteran Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > It is ironic that she supported Stu--but that Stu did not support the middle school. However, I am sure if his vote would have made the difference that he would have. It is also ironic that South Lakes is now adding a modular.< <

> Ironic is the wrong word. Overcapacity at South Lakes was predicted based on Staff's own numbers. Tisdadt/the SB refused to believe them/pretended to not believe them when they didn't support their plans.<

There was no need to transfer the kids from Floris into South Lakes. The numbers proved it then & we know it now. There will be more trailers as South Lakes soon.

Westfield was, and remains, over-capacity. Something needed to be done to relieve the overcrowding there.

Cubrunner,

You may feel that 2800 is too many for Westfield, but, nevertheless, a wing was added to Westfield which increased its capacity to over 3100. This was done shortly before the redistricting, which begs the question: "What was the School Board thinking?"

Shortly after this wing was added the SB said that the optimum size of a FCPS high school is 2000--and that that policy had been in effect for years!
This was to justify the redistricting.

I personally think that 3000 is too many for a high school--but I also believe that communities and schools suffer with redistricting. Chantilly's population was declining before the Navy students were moved. SB also said then that Oakton would be underpopulated without those students (this has proven to be untrue).

Anyone who reads this forum knows that the SB changes rules to justify its political actions.

Pretty soon the Fairfax SB will vote for having one giant HS.

It will be run like a prison and the kids will be fed in cells during lunch period.

From Reston Patch:
"Almost all schools on the western side of the county are over capacity due to greater than expected growth," South Lakes principal Bruce Butler said in an email. "Herndon is at 108 percent capacity, Madison is at 98 percent capacity, Marshall 103 percent, Chantilly 102 percent, Oakton 108 percent, SLHS and Westfield are both at 101 percent. So we all have more students that predicted several years ago. The trailers will provide us some additional instructional space."


Interesting that a handful of Navy kids had to leave Oakton because Oakton would be underpopulated......

I don't understand how they get these percentages. Westfield clearly has more space than indicated.

redistricting veteran Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> From Reston Patch:
> "Almost all schools on the western side of the
> county are over capacity due to greater than
> expected growth," South Lakes principal Bruce
> Butler said in an email. "Herndon is at 108
> percent capacity, Madison is at 98 percent
> capacity, Marshall 103 percent, Chantilly 102
> percent, Oakton 108 percent, SLHS and Westfield
> are both at 101 percent.

>>> So we all have more
> students that predicted several years ago. The
> trailers will provide us some additional
> instructional space."
>

This is a lie. SLHS and Westfield are just about exactly where they were predicted by CAPs using Staff's own numbers.

And, into the future, for South Lakes, Staff's numbers were stupid low. Staff's numbers assumed no additional Reston kids would stay if they added 300 upper middle class Floris/Fox Mill kids per grade. The entire RD was predicated on raising test scores/changing the SES of the place - the headline numbers for "school quality."

Assume you raise HS average SATs by 150 or more points. Assume you change the low SES from 30% to 15%. Any chance a bunch of the missing couple hundred high SES kids per grade from the Reston elementary schools might end up staying?

Idiots.

>
> I don't understand how they get these percentages.
> Westfield clearly has more space than indicated.


It's easy. Right after the redistricting, Staff redid HS capacities county-wide. rather than the 3100 seat school Fairfax taxpayers paid for, the official capacity became 2795. So, instead of being 250 or so under capacity, Westfield is about 50 over capacity. Magic of running your own numbers.

The new methodology makes some sense - adding classrooms doesn't expand hallways, gyms, etc. Might have been nice if Staff had figured something out as obvious as that out before they got us to spend the money to expand the place.

Keep this woman from being re-elected.

http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=351453&paper=72&cat=104

So she "frankly" doesn't think she needs an endorsement to win an at-large seat?

Why do people always use that word when they are dissembling? She can't get an endorsement, and she can't get re-elected. She's political toast, and seh might as well admit it.

And what's with the weird reference to things happening in her "personal life" that she has to attend to? If it's her personal life, keep it out of the press. More narcissism from Liz. Yech.

Barftastic News Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> So she "frankly" doesn't think she needs an
> endorsement to win an at-large seat?
>
> Why do people always use that word when they are
> dissembling? She can't get an endorsement, and
> she can't get re-elected. She's political toast,
> and seh might as well admit it.

Exactly.

What's the best way to get word beyond Springfield District that Liz should be kept out of (any) office?

Let's send one of those mobile billboard trucks around the county with this, though she probably still wouldn't get it.
Attachments:

Seriously? Seriously? This was written by a sitting politician?
Your mommy & daddy weren't 'nice' to me?
What the hell? Patronizing much?

Lady, you weren't elected Student Government Representative in Junior High School.
You aren't fit to run a bake sale, nevermind billions in taxpayer dollars.
November can't get here soon enough.


Dear [student name],

I know you are upset but my decision was not bad, a lot of people worked hard to determine what would be best for you and your friends. Clifton ES will be closing in a few weeks. A new school will be waiting for you and your friends in the fall. This school will be safe and have a fire safety system, a newer cafeteria, interesting rooms, a media center, better parking for teachers and parents and it will be full of new friends and old friends.

Your parents have written to me too and unfortunately they have not been too nice to me. But I believe that they are upset and don’t really understand the reasons why your school is closing. Next fall is a new beginning, a time of excitement and new experiences.

Sincerely,
Liz Bradsher

To Liz's Love Letter

Did she really write that? When? Can you post the letter the child wrote to her? Was this an email?

I thought she was pretty bad--but this is incredible. "Better parking"--I know my kids would have been thrilled with that!

Absolutely incredible if true.

are you serious? Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> To Liz's Love Letter
>
> Did she really write that? When? Can you post
> the letter the child wrote to her? Was this an
> email?
>
> I thought she was pretty bad--but this is
> incredible. "Better parking"--I know my kids
> would have been thrilled with that!

Yup - nasty woman Bradsher wrote above in response to an elementary age child's letter:

YOU made a VERY bad decision! you know if you shut down this awesome, great, learning, thoughtful Elementary school life is going to be BAD! You do NOT know how much this school means to me! I've been thinking about it since the whole school "shut down" thing started. And B.T.W. my name is [student's name]. I am [age] years old. Ok so back to the shutting down the school thing. So how would U feel if I made a crazy speech saying "I do not care if an [age] year old person is trying not to shut down the school!" and remember, you are pretending to be me so you feel sad and mad that the school is going to shut down. Think of the children and the parents. PLEASE be on my side and do not shut the school down?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! PLEASE? I BEG YOU!!!!

I take it this was an email exchange?

Is Liz's Love Letter something that she really sent to a student?

(sigh) Why won't she just shut up? Or go away? Or both?

Union Mill has no room for cars now. Liz needs to STFU!

Ut videam Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I take it this was an email exchange?


Yes. Can you imagine an elected politician telling a child his/her parents "haven't been too nice to me"?

She must have been the less than popular girl in junior high and hasn't ever gotten over it.

Great quality to have in elected official.

She talks about parking in that note? Hey Liz, here is a news flash...ever driven by Fairview on a day where many parents visit the school? They park along 123 and Burke Center Parkway and walk to the school. These are 4 lane divided highways with speed limits of 40 mph or higher. Don't tell Clifton children they will be safer than they are today exiting their cars at Clifton Elementary. Better / safer parking...you are insane!

"I am still weighing my options." "I don't think I need an endorsement frankly," said Bradsher.

"Elizabeth Schultz, a Clifton resident who led efforts to keep the school open, has filed to run for School Board in the Springfield District.

It is unlikely that Bradsher would win the party's endorsement for School Board this year, especially if she is facing Schultz"

http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=351453&paper=81&cat=104

**With at least 1,061 new elementary kids in the county just since the beginning of the year, Bradsher is 'weighing her options' after crafting Clifton's closure and the loss of almost 400 elementary seats?**

http://schoolprofiles.fcps.edu/schlprfl/f?p=108:42:459499046250021::NO::P42_SCHOOL_YEAR,P42_CLUSTER_ID,P42_DIVISION_ID,P42_SCHOOL_ID:201011,1,DIVISION,

I don't think so.
Attachments:

Justataxpayer Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> She talks about parking in that note? Hey Liz,
> here is a news flash...ever driven by Fairview on
> a day where many parents visit the school? They
> park along 123 and Burke Center Parkway and walk
> to the school. These are 4 lane divided highways
> with speed limits of 40 mph or higher. Don't tell
> Clifton children they will be safer than they are
> today exiting their cars at Clifton Elementary.
> Better / safer parking...you are insane!


Please tell me the difference here? Can the School Board explain how going from a 1953 school to a 1939 school built when Franklin D. Roosevelt was President is justifiable?
If a 1953 school was too old to renovate, what's the point of a 1939 school?
1953 school in the middle of a kind of rural area.
1939 school at a major intersection of Route 123 and Burke Center Parkway.
Cram more kids into the 1939 school?
Both have been renovated in the past, so what's the School Board's problem.
They are stupid people to say this is an improvement for either set of students. This is a lose-lose.
Attachments:

Liz's Love Letter Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Ut videam Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I take it this was an email exchange?
>
>
> Yes. Can you imagine an elected politician telling
> a child his/her parents "haven't been too nice to
> me"?
>
> She must have been the less than popular girl in
> junior high and hasn't ever gotten over it.
>
> Great quality to have in elected official.

I agree that the email was incredibly unprofessional. But just to play devil's advocate for a second... was the student's email sent from an email account belonging to one of his/her parents? If it was, perhaps Ms. Bradsher thought the email was actually from the parents and responded in kind.

Ut videam Wrote:
> If it was, perhaps Ms. Bradsher thought
> the email was actually from the parents and
> responded in kind.


First: Devil's Advocate? Good one - would have to be in this case.

Second: Dear [student's name] + your parents "have not been too nice to me" are a pretty clear indication she knew she was writing to a kid.

Third: The First is so funny, read it again.

they're all alike

reader Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Kathy said:
>
> I got it and didn't even read before recycling -
> why in the world would he insert himself so
> strongly into the issue?. My take on this is that
> the only people who care/are upset are Clifton
> parents (they sound very entitled) and the rest of
> your constituency either doesn't give a damn or
> applauds the belt tightening. Also, there was a
> long letter to the editor in the local paper
> yesterday from a Rob Jones; I bet it's the husband
> of my former almost-behind-me neighbor, who moved
> to a gorgeous home several years ago. Believe me,
> if he's really hot and bothered, he can afford to
> send his kids to private school.
>
> Comment:
> So the Chairman of the School Board can't be
> bothered to read a newsletter from a member of the
> Board of Supervisors who gives the board the money
> for the budget?
>
> And, a "wealthy" taxpayer doesn't deserve for his
> child to go to a public school in his own
> neighborhood?
>
> It seems to me that there is a lot of pettiness
> here. If you are familiar with the South Lakes
> redistricting it went on then, too. Except for
> Great Falls, they are exempt from "pettiness."


I actually know the Rob Jones that wrote the letter to the editor and Mrs. Smith, by no means would I consider him to be the wealthy individual you reference - at least not wealthy by Fairfax County standards (it is clearly a different person). Just as your last name is quite common, so too is that name. Perhaps in the future you might actually check your facts before you slander people. Oh wait, you get all of your facts from Dean and crew, forgot that. Disregard the checking facts comment.

The letter to the editor clearly struck a chord with you as well as Liz B. Truth hurts doesn't it?

Oh, and it is nice to know that the real goals and objectives of the FCPS Board are coming forward in these e-mails. "Wealthy families should send their children to private school and all we at FCPS care about is getting all those tax dollars from them. Who cares if their children receive a public education or not."

I find the actions of the board to be clearly discriminatory. Close a majority white school with over 360 students in it with a renovation cost of about $11M yet push forward with renovating a majority Asian school with under 340 students in it at a cost of over $14M. Very interesting. Shows me yet again how this decision had nothing to do with facts or economics and everything to do with personal attacks. There is a part of me that hopes Liz runs for an at-large seat on the School Board and wins so she can squirm as the newly elected members call her bluff on every "personal and emotional" issue that comes up.

Searching web on the subject and I came acrosss this on another site. Interesting comment about that fact that we could have had FDK a long time ago and if they wanted to, why didn't they?

I don't think Liz Bradsher lifted a finger to help anyone but Liz Bradsher.



http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/90/157003.page#1585074

Anonymous

janie strauss
kathy smith
dan storck
liz bradsher
ilyrong moon

all have had a long time to deliver full day kindergarten and chose to come through months before the election?
when they said they didn't have any money?
they have threatened everything under the sun - sports, arts, music, fees, teacher pay - and without the board of supervisors agreeing to be bled dry, they miraculouly came up with money on a flat transfer?

none, zilch, zero of the above should be voted in again. or anyone they support or stu gibson, tessie wilson, brad center or fcps supports.
send them all packing. time for folks that will listen to voters and taxpayers.