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Welcome to Fairfax Underground, a project site designed to improve communication among residents of Fairfax County, VA. Feel free to post anything Northern Virginia residents would find interesting.
What makes Fx Co. Schools so great? I don't get it?
Posted by: Fcpsparent ()
Date: March 04, 2013 02:46PM

I hear over and over parents commending fcps. What is it that everyone loves so much? I'm pretty new to the schools and they're ok, but I'm not wowed by them. The curriculum is better than what I had as a kid. The facilities are old and unappealing. The teachers are hit or miss, that's everywhere, I know. Special Education is disappointing and years behind other school districts. Computers are outdated.

I expected some sort of state of the art creative learning environment when we moved here. Again, the general Ed curriculum seems good, but the environment is institutional and the arts have left my kids disliking art and music. Is there a curriculum for music or just random songs chosen by the music teacher?

I'm not dogging the schools, I'm just wondering what it is parents love so much about the schools here. I don't want this to be a negative thread about fcps, but rather insight into what people view as stellar about the schools. Maybe compare and contrast other schools you've been involved in.

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Re: What makes Fx Co. Schools so great? I don't get it?
Posted by: durrr ()
Date: March 04, 2013 03:09PM


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Re: What makes Fx Co. Schools so great? I don't get it?
Posted by: Rte 1 Hater ()
Date: March 04, 2013 03:24PM

Fairfax County schools made their reputation many years ago when the county's demographics were overwhelmingly white with a small East Asian population. Our current demographics will lead to a constant downward tilt in achievement due to heritable IQ of students. For example Thomas Jefferson is now over 50% Korean and Indian with a large white minority and a few Latinos and blacks.

This is called the California Model. You're better off in a less affluent area with better demographics.

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Re: What makes Fx Co. Schools so great? I don't get it?
Posted by: Duh...... ()
Date: March 04, 2013 03:30PM

Fcpsparent Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I hear over and over parents commending fcps.
> What is it that everyone loves so much? I'm
> pretty new to the schools and they're ok, but I'm
> not wowed by them. The curriculum is better than
> what I had as a kid. The facilities are old and
> unappealing. The teachers are hit or miss, that's
> everywhere, I know. Special Education is
> disappointing and years behind other school
> districts. Computers are outdated.
>
> I expected some sort of state of the art creative
> learning environment when we moved here. Again,
> the general Ed curriculum seems good, but the
> environment is institutional and the arts have
> left my kids disliking art and music. Is there a
> curriculum for music or just random songs chosen
> by the music teacher?
>
> I'm not dogging the schools, I'm just wondering
> what it is parents love so much about the schools
> here. I don't want this to be a negative thread
> about fcps, but rather insight into what people
> view as stellar about the schools. Maybe compare
> and contrast other schools you've been involved
> in.

They're great because we piss away a ridiculous amount of money on them.

That's what makes a good school right, money?

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Re: What makes Fx Co. Schools so great? I don't get it?
Posted by: Maria p ()
Date: March 04, 2013 03:51PM

I graudated from Fairfax High School class of 2007. I don't think FCPS has the best schools

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Re: What makes Fx Co. Schools so great? I don't get it?
Posted by: QUESTION TO EVERYONE ()
Date: March 04, 2013 03:53PM

durrr Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> This is what makes them great.
> http://www.fairfaxunderground.com/forum/read/2/885
> 388.html


is he sleeping?

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Re: What makes Fx Co. Schools so great? I don't get it?
Posted by: The Super ()
Date: March 04, 2013 04:15PM

The school system has a very effective and simple PR plan. If you tell the same lie over and over again, eventually people will believe it to be the truth.

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Re: What makes Fx Co. Schools so great? I don't get it?
Posted by: ><))))*>..><))))*>..><))))*>.. ()
Date: March 04, 2013 04:33PM

The Super Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The school system has a very effective and simple
> PR plan. If you tell the same lie over and over
> again, eventually people will believe it to be the
> truth.

Yep. FCPS stole that strategy wholesale from the GOP.

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Re: What makes Fx Co. Schools so great? I don't get it?
Posted by: lbss dad ()
Date: March 04, 2013 04:35PM

I've been wondering the same thing. We moved here a little over a year ago and were advised to locate in Fairfax County because of the great schools, but we've been pretty disappointed. We came from a large school so understand the logistical difficulties, but fcps takes one-size-fits-all inflexibility to the extreme. In fact, I've taken to referring to lbss as the Lake Braddock Educational Factory. The educational content seems fine, but no better than our old school in the midwest, and the place just feels institutional. We had our high schoolers stay behind with grandparents until the semester break, assuming that would make for an easier transition to new classes. We were amazed that lake braddock offers almost no semester-long classes, so our kids were forced into classes at the half-way point of the year and had to catch up. Chorus and band concerts are standing room only for parents, yet they insist on having four or five bands play in the same concert instead of splitting them up into different nights. Maybe I'm just picking nits, but I'm certainly underwhelmed by the school system. Luckily, I have good students who can thrive, but I don't think it's because of the quality of the system in fcps.

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Re: What makes Fx Co. Schools so great? I don't get it?
Posted by: Chris S. ()
Date: March 04, 2013 04:36PM

><))))*>..><))))*>..><))))*>.. Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The Super Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > The school system has a very effective and
> simple
> > PR plan. If you tell the same lie over and over
> > again, eventually people will believe it to be
> the
> > truth.
>
> Yep. FCPS stole that strategy wholesale from the
> GOP.


It was a youtube video that caused the death of our ambassador!!!

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Re: What makes Fx Co. Schools so great? I don't get it?
Posted by: on wisconsin ()
Date: March 04, 2013 04:38PM

The Super Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The school system has a very effective and simple
> PR plan. If you tell the same lie over and over
> again, eventually people will believe it to be the
> truth.


+1 exact and to the point. They fall back on liberal logic that the more money you spend the better the education. A theory debunked when you look at DC public schools which spends more per student than almost anywhere else in the U S but has among the lowest test scores.

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Re: What makes Fx Co. Schools so great? I don't get it?
Posted by: downhill trends ()
Date: March 04, 2013 04:38PM

The only decent public school system in Northern Virginia is the City of Falls Church and they are going to decline soon as the Falls Church model is unsustainable. All the rest are mediocre at best. If I had to do it all over again, I would not send my kids through the public school system.

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Re: What makes Fx Co. Schools so great? I don't get it?
Posted by: Hay Zeus ()
Date: March 04, 2013 04:43PM

lbss dad Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Luckily, I have good students who can
> thrive, but I don't think it's because of the
> quality of the system in fcps.

Lucky for the FCPS that this area has concentration of college educated people who value education and take an interest in their child’s academics. FCPS owes all of its accolades to the parents of the students, not the teachers and administrators.

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Re: What makes Fx Co. Schools so great? I don't get it?
Posted by: butthead ()
Date: March 04, 2013 05:09PM

the schools are better for two reasons: 1) the parents are educated so the kids are more focused on education, 2) the teachers are better educated because a lot of them came from Fairfax County (or similar area). ok, maybe three reasons. 3) the county has more tax money to throw at the problem..

also, the kids tend to be douche-bags, for reasons #1 and #3.

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Re: What makes Fx Co. Schools so great? I don't get it?
Posted by: not so great ()
Date: March 04, 2013 05:20PM

The schools are not better than many, many places and they are worse than quite a few. I would also not put my child into FCPS if I had it to do over again. The education is cookie cutter and lacks creativity. It has gotten much worse over the years. My grandchildren will not be in FCPS if I have anything to say about it (and the money to do something about it).

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Re: What makes Fx Co. Schools so great? I don't get it?
Posted by: FCPS teachers ()
Date: March 04, 2013 05:26PM

We are the best because our union says we are , now how about another raise and more days off.

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Re: What makes Fx Co. Schools so great? I don't get it?
Posted by: ffx yuppie //m5 ()
Date: March 04, 2013 05:29PM

Hay Zeus Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> lbss dad Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Luckily, I have good students who can
> > thrive, but I don't think it's because of the
> > quality of the system in fcps.
>
> Lucky for the FCPS that this area has
> concentration of college educated people who value
> education and take an interest in their child’s
> academics. FCPS owes all of its accolades to the
> parents of the students, not the teachers and
> administrators.

this

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Re: What makes Fx Co. Schools so great? I don't get it?
Posted by: CrabbyNative ()
Date: March 04, 2013 05:35PM

If you don't get it, you don't get it.

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Re: What makes Fx Co. Schools so great? I don't get it?
Posted by: Igor ()
Date: March 04, 2013 05:45PM

Rte 1 Hater Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Fairfax County schools made their reputation many
> years ago when the county's demographics were
> overwhelmingly white with a small East Asian
> population. Our current demographics will lead to
> a constant downward tilt in achievement due to
> heritable IQ of students.

Came here to post this.

FCPS is currently resting on its laurels earned decades ago in a completely different world. Promoters will point to TJ and STEM programs as signs of success and rightly so, but the core is increasingly rotten.


Many conversations I've had about the county's government schools versus independent schools went something like this:

FCPS-supporter: "There's no need to send your child to a private school here. Fairfax County schools are great."

Me: "Some produce good students, yes. But you can't make that blanket statement. Would you send your kindergartner to Hybla Valley? Or your high schooler to Mt. Vernon or South County?"

FCPS-supporter: Pregnant pause. "No."


Demographics and the explosion of the illegal immigrant population in local schools is the undiscussed elephant in the room. Union-shaped group think amongst local teachers will prevent an honest assessment of that fact within their government facilities.

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Re: What makes Fx Co. Schools so great? I don't get it?
Posted by: mark j ()
Date: March 04, 2013 05:48PM

Years ago FCPS system was touted as one of the best in the country...like I said...YEARS AGO!! however, Fx Cty can not let that go and keep repeating what is now a lie...

one of my kids graduated from private school, one from FCPS....the private school guy breezed through college and into a job....I was happy with his education...the FCPS guy now struggles in college and I see his education at FCPS was very poor...as he has alot of remediation to do...

I regret putting my son in the FCPS system....it was a mistakes...they are not good.

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Re: What makes Fx Co. Schools so great? I don't get it?
Posted by: cupcake ()
Date: March 04, 2013 05:49PM

Every study I have seen was paid for by a teachers union so the results are what would be expected.

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Re: What makes Fx Co. Schools so great? I don't get it?
Posted by: Young Curmudgeon ()
Date: March 04, 2013 06:59PM

Everybody sing along:

Money makes the world go round, the world go round, the world go round, money makes the world go 'round.

FCPS is considered an excellent system because of two things: 1. TJ (which should really be considered its own entity) and 2. Money.

Outside of that, there's no appreciable benefit.

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Re: What makes Fx Co. Schools so great? I don't get it?
Posted by: Shadow ()
Date: March 04, 2013 07:18PM

lbss dad Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I've been wondering the same thing. We moved here
> a little over a year ago and were advised to
> locate in Fairfax County because of the great
> schools, but we've been pretty disappointed. We
> came from a large school so understand the
> logistical difficulties, but fcps takes
> one-size-fits-all inflexibility to the extreme. In
> fact, I've taken to referring to lbss as the Lake
> Braddock Educational Factory. The educational
> content seems fine, but no better than our old
> school in the midwest, and the place just feels
> institutional. We had our high schoolers stay
> behind with grandparents until the semester break,
> assuming that would make for an easier transition
> to new classes. We were amazed that lake braddock
> offers almost no semester-long classes, so our
> kids were forced into classes at the half-way
> point of the year and had to catch up. Chorus and
> band concerts are standing room only for parents,
> yet they insist on having four or five bands play
> in the same concert instead of splitting them up
> into different nights. Maybe I'm just picking
> nits, but I'm certainly underwhelmed by the school
> system. Luckily, I have good students who can
> thrive, but I don't think it's because of the
> quality of the system in fcps.

I would recommend getting your kid out of LB. It's just a factory for streaming kids into college, whether they belong there or not. And it's incredibly easy to fade into the background there. Though I must admit, many of Fairfax county schools are the same way.

The education in Fairfax County is better than MANY other places. I've been astounded at the lack of knowledge in kids graduating from other areas. But then, if you've ever watched Jay Leno's Jaywalking segments, that's no surprise. He's had teachers that couldn't even name who was the first US President (and yes, they were looking for George Washington not the 1st Pres of the Continental Congress) or even who is carved on Mount Rushmore. I'm sorry, but if the history teachers out there can't name those simple things, the kids don't have a chance in hell.

FCPS schools are rated high in large part, as previous posters have mentioned, because the parents are involved in teaching their kids. They don't just rely on the teachers to teach their kids, because they know they aren't going to do it all.

As for outdated equipment, yes, there's plenty of that, but there's also state-of-the-art stuff and things get updated much more regularly. Sometimes because of the county, but more often because of partnerships with local businesses and PTA's working to fund materials. There are many other school systems that don't have anything close to our 'outdated' equipment. It's public school, not Microsoft's offices.

While I don't have the course selection list specifically for LB, here are many of the semester classes the county offers. There are others, but with this many choices you're complaining comes across as whining. Creative writing, speech, debate, forensics, film study, fashion design, fitness and food, dance, a few music classes, drawing, painting, print-making, sculpture, ceramics, jewelry, economics, reason math skills, trig, probability and statistics, anthropology, current affairs.

As for the concerts, many parents have kids in multiple bands and prefer to have them all on the same night, additionally, the school facility schedule is usually quite packed making it difficult to schedule on multiple nights. Plus, the music teachers would then have to be at the school from 7am - 10 or 11pm multiple days in a row. And no, they don't get overtime pay for being there late into the evenings or for the weekend events.

Try sending your kid to school in California, Arizona, or Florida and see how much better FCPS looks. There are better public school systems elsewhere in the US, but they aren't in the middle of such a wealth of employment opportunities for the parents of said children. (with the exception of Montgomery County in MD)

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Re: What makes Fx Co. Schools so great? I don't get it?
Posted by: huh ()
Date: March 04, 2013 07:24PM

South County has pretty wealthy neighborhoods feeding into it. I know there is some route 1 (or near route 1) element but overall I thought it was a preppy type school with the typical problems of all high schools (yes, all have drug use). Why is it being listed as a horrible high school?

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Re: What makes Fx Co. Schools so great? I don't get it?
Posted by: Not ranked #1 in years ()
Date: March 04, 2013 07:32PM

Robinson is ranked 5th in the state of Virginia. FCPS has failed because of Jack Dale and HIS SB pricks.

Thank god JD is out and we can rebuild and rebuid.

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Re: What makes Fx Co. Schools so great? I don't get it?
Posted by: * renew ()
Date: March 04, 2013 07:33PM

Pardon me.

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Re: What makes Fx Co. Schools so great? I don't get it?
Posted by: Yucky24. ()
Date: March 04, 2013 09:33PM

Shhh. We have to keep the myth alive that Fairfax is a great place to raise families with safe neighborhoods, top rated schools, high levels of residents with advanced degrees and an average household income over 100k. It keeps our house prices inflated and tricks naive dupes into moving here.

I took a break from private school to see what a year of public school was like here. And I agree that the Fairfax County education system is nothing to brag about.

If Fairfax has one of the best public education rankings in the country, then holy shit, the rest of the country must be completely screwed.

In reality, Fairfax is a giant backwater shithole artificially made prosperous thanks the the central government sucking the rest of the country dry through taxes and dishing out fistfuls of cash to grossly overpaid federal government employees (including both of my parents).

I can't wait to fucking escape...

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Re: What makes Fx Co. Schools so great? I don't get it?
Posted by: butthead ()
Date: March 05, 2013 12:47AM

Yucky24. Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Shhh. We have to keep the myth alive that Fairfax
> is a great place to raise families with safe
> neighborhoods, top rated schools, high levels of
> residents with advanced degrees and an average
> household income over 100k.

hum...all of those things except the last are obviously true. and the number of 100k plus is one of the highest in the country. which is why the school are good, primarily. try going down to south, even to prince william.

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Re: What makes Fx Co. Schools so great? I don't get it?
Posted by: Kardinal ()
Date: March 06, 2013 02:06AM

http://globalreportcard.org/map.html

Quote

The GRC score indicates the level of math or reading achievement by the average student in a public school district when compared to all students in the United States. The score represents the percentage of U.S. students who would have a lower level of achievement. For example, a percentile of 60 means the average student in a school district would perform better than 60% of the students in the U.S.

Fairfax? 60% Math, 57% Reading.

Not exactly top flight.

As mentioned above, Falls Church is the best in the local area.

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Re: What makes Fx Co. Schools so great? I don't get it?
Posted by: A former student of FCPS ()
Date: March 06, 2013 08:49PM

As someone who has walked the halls and studied in the classrooms of Fairfax Co. Public Schools, I seriously see no reason as to why FCPS is ranked so high, both in state studies/polls and national ones.

Honestly, the only people who make those rankings are parents, teachers, admins, and others who work for FCPS. Of course they'd give themselves good ratings, right? But they've never experienced FCPS from the inside, they've never truly seen its worth. That's like looking at a house from the outside and deciding to buy it anyways just because the shutters look nice. No, no, talk to students about FCPS, and they'll tell you the truth.

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Re: What makes Fx Co. Schools so great? I don't get it?
Posted by: newgatedenizen ()
Date: March 06, 2013 09:56PM

Kardinal Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> http://globalreportcard.org/map.html

> Not exactly top flight.

All depends how you look at it. Out of the 30 largest school districts in the United States - FCPS is #4 in math and #2 in reading according their ranking system.

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Re: What makes Fx Co. Schools so great? I don't get it?
Posted by: john CC ()
Date: March 06, 2013 10:12PM

I hear ya. Moved here to keep step kids in them. Now, my kids go to private school.

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Re: What makes Fx Co. Schools so great? I don't get it?
Posted by: Bob1 ()
Date: March 06, 2013 11:30PM

^
Cary please remove these "shock"images meant to troll/disrupt meaningful converstaions and warn the user as this appears on multiple threads. Thank you.

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Re: What makes Fx Co. Schools so great? I don't get it?
Posted by: Gradu It ()
Date: March 06, 2013 11:59PM

lbss dad Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I've been wondering the same thing. We moved here
> a little over a year ago and were advised to
> locate in Fairfax County because of the great
> schools, but we've been pretty disappointed. We
> came from a large school so understand the
> logistical difficulties, but fcps takes
> one-size-fits-all inflexibility to the extreme. In
> fact, I've taken to referring to lbss as the Lake
> Braddock Educational Factory. The educational
> content seems fine, but no better than our old
> school in the midwest, and the place just feels
> institutional. We had our high schoolers stay
> behind with grandparents until the semester break,
> assuming that would make for an easier transition
> to new classes. We were amazed that lake braddock
> offers almost no semester-long classes, so our
> kids were forced into classes at the half-way
> point of the year and had to catch up. Chorus and
> band concerts are standing room only for parents,
> yet they insist on having four or five bands play
> in the same concert instead of splitting them up
> into different nights. Maybe I'm just picking
> nits, but I'm certainly underwhelmed by the school
> system. Luckily, I have good students who can
> thrive, but I don't think it's because of the
> quality of the system in fcps.

Pretty insightful after only one year here.

You can't fix the system. We had hope with the new school board, but their biggest initiative is to push high schools to start at 8 am instead of 7:20. Meanwhile, they continue to waste money on high-priced consultants who provide guidance that people like you could give for free.

The future of FCPS:
More trailers.
Larger classes.
More teachers who "work to rule."
More graduates taking remedial classes when they get to college.

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Re: What makes Fx Co. Schools so great? I don't get it?
Posted by: randy b ()
Date: March 07, 2013 12:14AM

whatch you mean.. PEOPLE like me?

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Re: What makes Fx Co. Schools so great? I don't get it?
Posted by: nxnxn ()
Date: March 07, 2013 10:35AM

Key word is "parents", and it should be parents and realtors. Anyone who has been to or survived a FCPS education knows otherwise. And then the other thing happens which is people justify to themselves that "it must have been good, I am OK"...or parents justify working long hours never seeing their kids with the head job "well at least they have a quality education, which offsets never seeing them...blah blah blah. FCPS SUCK

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Re: What makes Fx Co. Schools so great? I don't get it?
Posted by: kzkz83 ()
Date: March 07, 2013 01:10PM

As a graduate from FCPS in 2001 and now a working professional who works along side people from all over the world, and college graduates from places such as Cornell, I can say confidently I received a great public education. I have friends that graduated from public schools in other states that still can not spell or speak properly. Please. Also take into account that not every child is the same. The courses offered to me and that I took including the IB and AP programs were great assets to me in my college education. I have friends whom I graduated with that are now doctors, or PhD's teaching courses at GW. Comparing the friends I grew up with and their achievements to friends from outside of the area, there is a huge difference.

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Re: What makes Fx Co. Schools so great? I don't get it?
Posted by: Tough One ()
Date: March 07, 2013 05:06PM

In everything "Fairfax" is great, in a creepy Stepford Wife kind of way.

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Re: What makes Fx Co. Schools so great? I don't get it?
Posted by: Hay Zeus ()
Date: March 07, 2013 05:19PM

kzkz83 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> As a graduate from FCPS in 2001 and now a working
> professional who works along side people from all
> over the world, and college graduates from places
> such as Cornell, I can say confidently I received
> a great public education. I have friends that
> graduated from public schools in other states that
> still can not spell or speak properly. Please.
> Also take into account that not every child is the
> same. The courses offered to me and that I took
> including the IB and AP programs were great assets
> to me in my college education. I have friends
> whom I graduated with that are now doctors, or
> PhD's teaching courses at GW. Comparing the
> friends I grew up with and their achievements to
> friends from outside of the area, there is a huge
> difference.

With all due respect, your writing is sophomoric and narcissistic. You are probably what... almost 30?

Again your friends probably had parents who valued education and made sure the kids did their homework, didn’t cut class and so on.

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Re: What makes Fx Co. Schools so great? I don't get it?
Posted by: Gordon Blvd ()
Date: March 07, 2013 05:42PM

@Hay - now, now............. dont be mean LoLz - but still, +1

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Re: What makes Fx Co. Schools so great? I don't get it?
Posted by: pt4t7 ()
Date: March 07, 2013 05:52PM

They are NOT that great --- this is total bull shit. We drink the Kool-Aid like Jim Jones wannabes.

There are more than 1500 trailers, without bathrooms, in which we are educating our kids --- is this good? Hell no. It's pathetic!

Get charter schools approved and installed and you will, finally, see quality education!

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Re: What makes Fx Co. Schools so great? I don't get it?
Posted by: Young Curmudgeon ()
Date: March 07, 2013 07:33PM

Hay Zeus Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> kzkz83 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > As a graduate from FCPS in 2001 and now a
> working
> > professional who works along side people from
> all
> > over the world, and college graduates from
> places
> > such as Cornell, I can say confidently I
> received
> > a great public education. I have friends that
> > graduated from public schools in other states
> that
> > still can not spell or speak properly. Please.
>
> > Also take into account that not every child is
> the
> > same. The courses offered to me and that I took
> > including the IB and AP programs were great
> assets
> > to me in my college education. I have friends
> > whom I graduated with that are now doctors, or
> > PhD's teaching courses at GW. Comparing the
> > friends I grew up with and their achievements
> to
> > friends from outside of the area, there is a
> huge
> > difference.
>
> With all due respect, your writing is sophomoric
> and narcissistic. You are probably what... almost
> 30?
>
> Again your friends probably had parents who valued
> education and made sure the kids did their
> homework, didn’t cut class and so on.

Zeus, the anonymous poster has disproved the FCPS myth all by himself.

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Re: What makes Fx Co. Schools so great? I don't get it?
Posted by: mrs crabapple ()
Date: March 07, 2013 07:42PM

Fairfax has the best school system in the country, just ask any Fairfax teachers union member.

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Re: What makes Fx Co. Schools so great? I don't get it?
Posted by: Young Curmudgeon ()
Date: March 07, 2013 07:57PM

mrs crabapple Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Fairfax has the best school system in the country,
> just ask any Fairfax teachers union member.

The union here is powerless. That's not a good thing.

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Re: What makes Fx Co. Schools so great? I don't get it?
Posted by: Gordon Blvd ()
Date: March 07, 2013 08:02PM

pt4t7 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> They are NOT that great --- this is total bull
> shit. We drink the Kool-Aid like Jim Jones
> wannabes.
>
> There are more than 1500 trailers, without
> bathrooms, in which we are educating our kids ---
> is this good? Hell no. It's pathetic!
>
> Get charter schools approved and installed and you
> will, finally, see quality education!


not without quality parenting, you wont...........

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Re: What makes Fx Co. Schools so great? I don't get it?
Posted by: Young Curmudgeon ()
Date: March 07, 2013 08:26PM

Gordon Blvd Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> pt4t7 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > They are NOT that great --- this is total bull
> > shit. We drink the Kool-Aid like Jim Jones
> > wannabes.
> >
> > There are more than 1500 trailers, without
> > bathrooms, in which we are educating our kids
> ---
> > is this good? Hell no. It's pathetic!
> >
> > Get charter schools approved and installed and
> you
> > will, finally, see quality education!
>
>
> not without quality parenting, you wont...........

Charter schools often don't work. The problem is rarely the teachers. The problems are the students and parents, but nobody wants to say that.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: What makes Fx Co. Schools so great? I don't get it?
Posted by: afsf ()
Date: March 08, 2013 06:43AM

I agree that the problem is the parents and the students- parents because they are too "busy" to demand better. They just don't give a shit. They make assumptions that it must be OK (and then drug their kids past the droning boredom that is a FCPS education) The unions are powerless and a tool of the FCPS system, and not to sound paranoid, they now own the media (was told this by a media rep) there used to be stories in local papers about the FCPS attrocities, now they largely go unreported (unless it is a story against the students, then they will report like hell about that) but the extreme corruption that is FCPS goes unnoticed and uncared about.

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Re: What makes Fx Co. Schools so great? I don't get it?
Posted by: Hay Zeus ()
Date: March 08, 2013 07:12AM

Young Curmudgeon Wrote:
------------------------------------------------------->
> Charter schools often don't work. The problem is
> rarely the teachers. The problems are the students
> and parents, but nobody wants to say that.


The type of parent that wants to or does put their child in a Charter school is often a parent that understands the value of education. In effect that Charter school is full of mostly students with caring parents which is why the school is more successful than the local public school.

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Re: What makes Fx Co. Schools so great? I don't get it?
Posted by: .... ()
Date: March 08, 2013 07:26AM

If anyone really believes that FCPS is that bad, try other school systems in the country. I've been associated with several other school systems in other states and they are extremely sad compared to FCPS. Coming here was a breath of fresh air. At least the students in FCPS have textbooks, computers and laptops at their hands at all times, etc. It seems to me like parents and students of FCPS have no idea how fortunate they are.

Options: ReplyQuote
just closing down a school and making it a "charter school" doesnt automatically MAKE all the parents of all the kids in that school all of a sudden change ;)
Posted by: Gordon Blvd ()
Date: March 08, 2013 07:26AM

@Hay - "charter school" is a really cool buzzword and everything..................but I mean in case you havent noticed, we dont really need that sorta thing around here CAUSE THE SCHOOLS AINT THAT BAD LoLz

@young - geez..............I can even imagine how extreme corruption could go unnoticed......................IN FAIRFAX COUNTY, VIRGINIA

pic unrelated
Attachments:
you-must-be-new-here-willy-wonka.jpg

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Re: just closing down a school and making it a "charter school" doesnt automatically MAKE all the parents of all the kids in that school all of a sudden change ;)
Posted by: Hay Zeus ()
Date: March 08, 2013 10:06AM

Gordon Blvd Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> @Hay - "charter school" is a really cool buzzword
> and everything..................but I mean in case
> you havent noticed, we dont really need that sorta
> thing around here CAUSE THE SCHOOLS AINT THAT BAD
> LoLz

Charter school, non-public, private, independant whatever you want to call it my point is they tend to be better because the parents are more active in the childs education.

No one is saying that FCPS is bad. The point is their reputation is inflated.

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Re: What makes Fx Co. Schools so great? I don't get it?
Posted by: perfect, no ()
Date: March 08, 2013 10:26AM

Name a public school district better than FCPS if you think they are overrated.

There isn't one-so just accept that FCPS is the best in the nation.

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Re: What makes Fx Co. Schools so great? I don't get it?
Posted by: I can name one ()
Date: March 08, 2013 02:13PM

The city of Falls Church.

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Re: What makes Fx Co. Schools so great? I don't get it?
Posted by: money talks ()
Date: March 08, 2013 02:22PM

On what grounds?


Look what they spend per pupil and compare.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: What makes Fx Co. Schools so great? I don't get it?
Posted by: Hose A ()
Date: March 08, 2013 02:30PM

FCPS was gold back in the day. The last 10 years has seen a huge influx of hispanics who drag the entire system down. If not of Langley, Madison, Oakton and (of course) TJ, FCPS would be average at best. PWC kicked out the hispanics that were consuming county services. Those hispanics either moved to western FFX or stayed in PW but use a FFX address to get services. At my kid's school, there's a steady stream of cleaning women (hispanic mothers) from the direction of PW who drop their future-rapist/MS13er/groper/butt slasher/14 yo mother/Tippy's employee kids off at SACC and then head to MerryMaids or Holiday Inn Express.

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Re: What makes Fx Co. Schools so great? I don't get it?
Posted by: plague of brown locusts ()
Date: March 08, 2013 02:38PM

Hose A Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> FCPS was gold back in the day. The last 10 years
> has seen a huge influx of hispanics who drag the
> entire system down. If not of Langley, Madison,
> Oakton and (of course) TJ, FCPS would be average
> at best. PWC kicked out the hispanics that were
> consuming county services. Those hispanics either
> moved to western FFX or stayed in PW but use a FFX
> address to get services. At my kid's school,
> there's a steady stream of cleaning women
> (hispanic mothers) from the direction of PW who
> drop their future-rapist/MS13er/groper/butt
> slasher/14 yo mother/Tippy's employee kids off at
> SACC and then head to MerryMaids or Holiday Inn
> Express.

Don't tell ol Gordon about the hispanic problem, he will call you a racist.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: What makes Fx Co. Schools so great? I don't get it?
Posted by: Young Curmudgeon ()
Date: March 08, 2013 07:06PM

Hay Zeus Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Young Curmudgeon Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> ----->
> > Charter schools often don't work. The problem
> is
> > rarely the teachers. The problems are the
> students
> > and parents, but nobody wants to say that.
>
>
> The type of parent that wants to or does put their
> child in a Charter school is often a parent that
> understands the value of education. In effect that
> Charter school is full of mostly students with
> caring parents which is why the school is more
> successful than the local public school.

Why do many charter schools in major cities do just as poorly as public schools then?

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: What makes Fx Co. Schools so great? I don't get it?
Posted by: Burke Brat ()
Date: March 08, 2013 07:29PM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charter_school

Back in 1972 my Parents chose Fairfax County because the school system was top notch, and to some degree it still is one of the best. We have found that with Special ED we have to fight a little harder for the appropriate setting for our kids, the system feels they know better, but in reality they are jumping through as many hoops because of the No Child Left Behind, SOL's and Directives set down from higher up.

A smaller system has the ability to focus more Individually since your not Just a Number or Head for Federal Funding, but unless the Jurisdiction has the funds they are limited as well.

We have had 1 child Privately Placed that the county paid for and our Last will also be Privately Placed, once we get through Elementary School. Its a little easier once you get into 7th Grade to get the real services.

Don't get me wrong I am not to Happy with the System we have here in Fairfax but it beats the alternatives. I would have gone to PG County Schools, and my Step Daughters would have been in Montgomery County Schools, The 1970/80 Fairfax was much better than today, and I feel its demise has been the Federal and State System.

ask any Graduate a few Basic Question and see what you get as a Answer.

Dates:
Revolutionary War
Civil War
War of 1812 was against who?
World War I
World War II
Korea
Vietnam

See if they can get the answer within 10 years either side.

I would still Choose here than anywhere else in the country, but then again I am not going to move and change jobs just for a school system.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: What makes Fx Co. Schools so great? I don't get it?
Posted by: Young Curmudgeon ()
Date: March 08, 2013 08:32PM

Burke Brat Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charter_school
>
> Back in 1972 my Parents chose Fairfax County
> because the school system was top notch, and to
> some degree it still is one of the best. We have
> found that with Special ED we have to fight a
> little harder for the appropriate setting for our
> kids, the system feels they know better, but in
> reality they are jumping through as many hoops
> because of the No Child Left Behind, SOL's and
> Directives set down from higher up.
>
> A smaller system has the ability to focus more
> Individually since your not Just a Number or Head
> for Federal Funding, but unless the Jurisdiction
> has the funds they are limited as well.
>
> We have had 1 child Privately Placed that the
> county paid for and our Last will also be
> Privately Placed, once we get through Elementary
> School. Its a little easier once you get into 7th
> Grade to get the real services.
>
> Don't get me wrong I am not to Happy with the
> System we have here in Fairfax but it beats the
> alternatives. I would have gone to PG County
> Schools, and my Step Daughters would have been in
> Montgomery County Schools, The 1970/80 Fairfax was
> much better than today, and I feel its demise has
> been the Federal and State System.
>
> ask any Graduate a few Basic Question and see what
> you get as a Answer.
>
> Dates:
> Revolutionary War
> Civil War
> War of 1812 was against who?
> World War I
> World War II
> Korea
> Vietnam
>
> See if they can get the answer within 10 years
> either side.
>
> I would still Choose here than anywhere else in
> the country, but then again I am not going to move
> and change jobs just for a school system.

Revolutionary War: 1775-1783
Civil War: 1861-1865, but it depends what we consider the start. If we consider secession the start, then 1860-1865.
World War I: 1914-1918 (US entry: 1917)
World War II: 1939-1945
Korean War: 1950-1953, war technically ongoing, no treaty ever signed.
Vietnam: 1965-1973, if we're talking about US involvement, otherwise 1955-1975.

FCPS is a mediocre system that people think is excellent due to money. There are not many redeeming qualities to it. Without TJ or Langley, it's a middle of the road system at best.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/08/2013 08:34PM by Young Curmudgeon.

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Re: What makes Fx Co. Schools so great? I don't get it?
Posted by: me is from fairfax skools ()
Date: March 09, 2013 01:01AM

Young Curmudgeon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Burke Brat Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charter_school
> >
> > Back in 1972 my Parents chose Fairfax County
> > because the school system was top notch, and to
> > some degree it still is one of the best. We
> have
> > found that with Special ED we have to fight a
> > little harder for the appropriate setting for
> our
> > kids, the system feels they know better, but in
> > reality they are jumping through as many hoops
> > because of the No Child Left Behind, SOL's and
> > Directives set down from higher up.
> >
> > A smaller system has the ability to focus more
> > Individually since your not Just a Number or
> Head
> > for Federal Funding, but unless the
> Jurisdiction
> > has the funds they are limited as well.
> >
> > We have had 1 child Privately Placed that the
> > county paid for and our Last will also be
> > Privately Placed, once we get through
> Elementary
> > School. Its a little easier once you get into
> 7th
> > Grade to get the real services.
> >
> > Don't get me wrong I am not to Happy with the
> > System we have here in Fairfax but it beats the
> > alternatives. I would have gone to PG County
> > Schools, and my Step Daughters would have been
> in
> > Montgomery County Schools, The 1970/80 Fairfax
> was
> > much better than today, and I feel its demise
> has
> > been the Federal and State System.
> >
> > ask any Graduate a few Basic Question and see
> what
> > you get as a Answer.
> >
> > Dates:
> > Revolutionary War
> > Civil War
> > War of 1812 was against who?
> > World War I
> > World War II
> > Korea
> > Vietnam
> >
> > See if they can get the answer within 10 years
> > either side.
> >
> > I would still Choose here than anywhere else in
> > the country, but then again I am not going to
> move
> > and change jobs just for a school system.
>
> Revolutionary War: 1775-1783
> Civil War: 1861-1865, but it depends what we
> consider the start. If we consider secession the
> start, then 1860-1865.
> World War I: 1914-1918 (US entry: 1917)
> World War II: 1939-1945
> Korean War: 1950-1953, war technically ongoing, no
> treaty ever signed.
> Vietnam: 1965-1973, if we're talking about US
> involvement, otherwise 1955-1975.
>
> FCPS is a mediocre system that people think is
> excellent due to money. There are not many
> redeeming qualities to it. Without TJ or Langley,
> it's a middle of the road system at best.

A FFX grad would have said most of the questions could not be answered as written. What Revolutionary War? USA? What Civil War? you changed Korea to Korean War and it just says Vietnam. Both are countries so I'm assuming they wanted to know what the country.

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Re: What makes Fx Co. Schools so great? I don't get it?
Posted by: Young Curmudgeon ()
Date: March 09, 2013 02:51AM

me is from fairfax skools Wrote:
----------------------------------
> A FFX grad would have said most of the questions
> could not be answered as written. What
> Revolutionary War? USA? What Civil War? you
> changed Korea to Korean War and it just says
> Vietnam. Both are countries so I'm assuming they
> wanted to know what the country.

It's implied.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: What makes Fx Co. Schools so great? I don't get it?
Posted by: Waiting for an answer ()
Date: March 09, 2013 08:04AM

perfect, no Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Name a public school district better than FCPS if
> you think they are overrated.
>
> There isn't one-so just accept that FCPS is the
> best in the nation.


Just list what makes fcps stand out among other school districts. That's what the op is requesting. Is it the facilities, the teachers, the teaching methods, the arts, sports, transportation, etc.? What makes fcps any different than any other middle to upperclass school district?

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Re: What makes Fx Co. Schools so great? I don't get it?
Posted by: Overall ()
Date: March 09, 2013 10:59AM

With NCLB, state directives, SOL testing, etc., you are not going to get a "stand out" situation as far as teaching methods goes (all must use the same model, approved texts,approved books, approved movies, etc. and tests that drive the teaching). This in turn will affect the teachers (creative teachers need not apply and if any come, they will quicky be frustrated). All of the mandates are pushed down by a huge central office at Gatehouse, Fairfax Ridge, etc. some of the people there are great and others see it as their job to push things down instead of listen to the frontlines. Some just don't do anything. The arts can be good if there is a principal who fights for them at an individual school, but JD tried to get rid of elementary band and orchestra just a couple of years ago so we know where he stands on the arts. Thankfully there are still parents who keep these things going at some of the schools (and there are some schools that are really suffering because the demographics are not there to support them). Transportation is great, but does that make a school? Sports are good if you can get on the team at a huge high school. FCPS does have the academies at the high school level and those have some good programs. TJ is great of course, but it's not really a "public school" in many ways. I believe, however, that the core classes (math, science, English, social sciences) is suffering. Most of the resources are being put into the special programs (mostly at the lower end) in order to fulfill the mandate to increase the graduation rate. The students in the middle get squeezed with high class sizes and a dumbed down curriculum (that caters to the graduation mandate put forth by the politicians). These are just a few of the problems. I would not be so quick to say that the teachers don't recognize this stuff is going on and/or that they support it. The brand new teachers don't all get it.

Overall, FCPS is no different from many suburban school districts in the US---except that the parents work in federal or federally related jobs instead of for private companies. You might have a bit of a boost here because people have to be a bit more ambitious to uproot and come here in the first place (so that self selects for "drive"), but the kids do not have a native IQ advantage.

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Re: What makes Fx Co. Schools so great? I don't get it?
Posted by: Overall ()
Date: March 09, 2013 11:05AM

The facilities are not "stand out". I forgot to address that one. I had much better facilities back in the 60's in the rural Midwest---beautiful, huge playgrounds and nice buildings. I was shocked at the lack of play space when we came here (and that includes parks---the include run off areas as parks so that they can say they have a lot of "park land").

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Re: What makes Fx Co. Schools so great? I don't get it?
Posted by: Bill.N. ()
Date: March 09, 2013 11:52AM

Overall Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The facilities are not "stand out". I forgot to
> address that one. I had much better facilities
> back in the 60's in the rural Midwest---beautiful,
> huge playgrounds and nice buildings. I was
> shocked at the lack of play space when we came
> here (and that includes parks---the include run
> off areas as parks so that they can say they have
> a lot of "park land").

The problem with facilities is that most FCPS facilities date from the 1960s and 1970s, and reflect what was needed at that time.

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Re: What makes Fx Co. Schools so great? I don't get it?
Posted by: Burke Brat ()
Date: March 09, 2013 11:55AM

Play grounds at the schools used to be better, some had Larger, I know Laurel Ridge went from small Metal to a huge Wooden Play Structure, now they have downsized to Recycled Plastic Child Safe systems because of Potential Lawsuits on either Metal or Wood.

County Park Space there is quite a Bit, but its not going to be a Central Park Environment, All the Rec Centers in the county have lots or area, and different attractions at each. You also have Northern Virginia Regional Parks. Wakefield Park now Audrey Moore, Lake Accotink Park, Hidden Pond Nature Center, Burke Lake, Fountainhead, Occoquan, Hemlock, Great Falls, Bull Run, Cub Run, Lee District, Mount Vernon, South Run, Providence, Oak Marr, and Spring Hill. There are 4 or 5 water parks, and each community may or may not have Private Lake Park or Trails. The 2 Biggest in Burke are Lake Braddock and Burke Center, this is only a small fraction of whats here in the County.

As for the War History questions I was using them as General Knowledge questions I would hope most kids Graduating would know off the top of their heads, I don't know if I really got more interested in History until after school where I could spout them out, and basically when the USA was involved in them, I know that we where in a long list of losers with Vietnam.

I am sure they would be more apt to know the Persian Gulf War, Iraq and Afghanistan.

As for the School Buildings, they are being Renovated but the cost for the amount of schools, your not going to see a Instant Makeover.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/09/2013 11:57AM by Burke Brat.

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Re: What makes Fx Co. Schools so great? I don't get it?
Posted by: MoreInfo ()
Date: March 09, 2013 03:16PM

FCPS the best???

It's all about the Kool-Aid.

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Re: What makes Fx Co. Schools so great? I don't get it?
Posted by: sugar added variety ()
Date: March 09, 2013 03:29PM

Ha, ha. Sometimes I think this is partly an "eastern thing" where you talk about how great you are all the time (midwesterners are taught not to do that because it's called bragging and it is considered rude). I worked in Prince William County at Woodbridge High School for a while. The front office staff was instructed to say "Woodbridge High School, the Bridge the Best" when they answered the phone. I remember being in the office when a staff member answered and said, "Woodbridge High School, the Bridge the Breast". They then took up the motto "Woodbridge High School, best high school east of the Mississippi". I actually had students who believed it, but they wouldn't be the kind that you would want to attract to your school area.

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Re: What makes Fx Co. Schools so great? I don't get it?
Posted by: section 8 sharon. ()
Date: March 09, 2013 04:10PM

Who needs school. If you do not like it drop out. Sure there are those that will stay and make something of themselves. But once they start raking in those big bucks myself and Obama will be there to relieve them of part of that money and give it to you.

Housing, food, medical care, cell phones. You can either work for them or the government will give them to you for free. Which do you prefer?

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What makes FCPS sux so much? - all the self-entitled ASSHOLES who can think of nothing LESS THAN PERFECTION as the norm..........................
Posted by: Gordon Blvd ()
Date: March 09, 2013 04:21PM

ROFLMAO@ppl who think calling a school "charter" is automatically gonna make it better

ROFLMAO@ppl who rank on Hispanics, then all of a sudden get all butthurt when you point out their being racist HAHAHAHHAHA cant even be proud of your OWN FUCKING FEELINGS!! HAHHAHAHAHA laughing in yr face!!!

ROFLMAO@ppl ranking on FCPS saying all this and that, never ONCE managing to point out a school juridiction of same size doing any better on a large scale

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Re: What makes Fx Co. Schools so great? I don't get it?
Posted by: Ockham ()
Date: March 09, 2013 04:30PM

I really don't know what makes FCPS schools so great aside from the fact that there's a lot of money to be thrown around. The teachers certainly aren't any more amazing than any other locality.

I went to FHS and it was god awful. I wish I had switched to The New School or Mountainview. Oh well.

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Re: What makes Fx Co. Schools so great? I don't get it?
Posted by: Nothing ()
Date: March 09, 2013 06:09PM

Zero
Nothing

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Re: What makes Fx Co. Schools so great? I don't get it?
Posted by: When they closed ()
Date: March 09, 2013 09:41PM

CES and got away with it I knew FCPS was cooked.

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Re: What makes Fx Co. Schools so great? I don't get it?
Posted by: how democracy doesn't work ()
Date: March 10, 2013 11:05AM

"We want to see our public schools grow better; we oppose school closings. We want educators who are more professional and better prepared, not teachers who are poorly trained and “leaders” with no classroom experience. We want to see a full curriculum in every school for all students, including the arts, physical education, science, history, civics, literature and foreign languages. We want to see tests used appropriately, to help students, not to punish them, not to evaluate their teachers, not to close their schools, not to hand out rewards. We want schools to have the resources, the personnel and the funding that students need. We want a good public school in every neighborhood."


This is an excerpt from a recent article written by Diane Ravitch. This country is going to be screwed if we sell ourselves to the big money. Here is the whole article:


http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/03/08/ravitch-forms-advocacy-group-to-counter-rhee-and-other-school-reformers/

If you don't believe we are selling out, google K12 schools (online schools financed by the infamous Michael Milliken---remember him?)

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Re: What makes Fx Co. Schools so great? I don't get it?
Posted by: writing basics ()
Date: March 10, 2013 08:44PM

I understand what you're trying to get across, but your message gets lost in your random use of capitalization. Editing for this writing fundamental would likely serve your argument well.

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Re: What makes Fx Co. Schools so great? I don't get it?
Posted by: jeanu ()
Date: March 11, 2013 07:06AM

very very very corrupt, more than any other I have ever seen, they certainly don't seem to even know they are there to serve students and parents, they think they just have buildings

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Re: What makes FCPS sux so much? - all the self-entitled ASSHOLES who can think of nothing LESS THAN PERFECTION as the norm..........................
Posted by: Bill.N. ()
Date: March 11, 2013 07:39AM

Gordon Blvd Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> ROFLMAO@ppl ranking on FCPS saying all this and
> that, never ONCE managing to point out a school
> juridiction of same size doing any better on a
> large scale

I think you've nailed it on this one Gordon. Now let me ask you this though-Don't you think for the average student that we could be doing better with the resources that we have, or doing as well with fewer resources?

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Re: What makes Fx Co. Schools so great? I don't get it?
Posted by: summary ()
Date: March 11, 2013 11:09AM

Most school districts do an ok job for the middle 80%. The results are largely out of the control of the district and almost always correlated to income level. I don't see Fairfax being any better or worse in this area.

The test of whether a school district is great is what you do with the top and bottom 10%

The top 10% is arguably served by TJ and gifted and talented at the lower grades (or whatever PC term they are using) so Fairfax gets high marks in that area

The bottom 10% has historically been ignored by Fairfax. Recently there are more efforts being made to address this population. If Fairfax is able to improve the lives of these poor and mostly ESOL students it will actually be a great school district. The jury is still out on the effectiveness of these initatives

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