In a message aimed squarely at school board member Megan McLaughlin, outgoing Superintendent Jake Dale's staff recommended that Fairfax Station be redistricted from Woodson to Robinson, and Fairfax Villa be redistricted from Fairfax HS to Woodson.

Payback for McLaughlin advocating for Woodson, the bus depot, SLEEP, funding, and other projects that did not go dale's way.

And you thought this was all about fixing the western boundaries of Fairfax HS? Ha ha ha!!!

Based on community input and the goals of the study, staff proposes a new combination of the boundary adjustments found in the options presented at the community meetings and recommends the boundary plan as described below and as provided in the attached Appendix A:

•Move a portion of the Greenbriar West Elementary School attendance area east of Stringfellow Road from Lanier Middle to Rocky Run Middle School and from Fairfax High to Chantilly High School. This change eliminates the current split feeder assignment for Greenbriar West Elementary and reassigns approximately 40 high school students and 20 middle school students currently attending Fairfax and Lanier, respectively by the 2017-18 school year.

•Move the Fairfax Station, Fairview Woods, and Fairfax Manor Subdivision portions of Oak View Elementary School’s attendance area from Frost Middle School and Woodson High School to Robinson Secondary School. This change eliminates an attendance area “island” at the middle and high school levels and sends these students to a much closer school. The proposed change reassigns approximately 100 students at the high school level and 40 students at the middle school level by the 2017-18 school year. The middle school AAP assignment for these students would change from the AAP Center at Frost to the AAP Center at Lake Braddock Middle School, impacting approximately 20 students. This boundary change makes additional capacity available to move students from Fairfax and Lanier in to Frost and Woodson.

•Move all of the Fairfax Villa Elementary attendance area (including areas north of Lee Highway) from Lanier Middle to Frost Middle School and from Fairfax High to Woodson High School. The proposed change reassigns approximately 330 students at the high school level and 160 students at the middle school level by the 2017-18 school year. The middle school AAP assignment for these students would change from the AAP Center at Rocky Run to the AAP Center at Frost Middle School, impacting approximately 20 students.

Reassignment of the Penderbrook/Fairfax Farms area is not recommended at this time. To do so without removing other sections of the current Oakton attendance area simply transfers the significant overcrowding problem from Fairfax to Oakton, unduly burdening that school which is already projected to be at 109% of capacity by the 2017 school year. Renovation of Oakton High, to include additional capacity, is scheduled to start in the 2017/2018 time frame. Additional enrollment pressure should not be added to Oakton until extra capacity is provided.

Net gain for Woodson of 230 students from the redistricting, plus 240 new students from Frost projections means 470 additional Woodson students. Where will they put all the trailers?

So how long will it take to get from West Ox road to Woodson during morning rush hour? Will they take Braddock Road past robinson/GMU, or Main Street through Fairfax City?

The Dale Empire Wrote:
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> In a message aimed squarely at school board member
> Megan McLaughlin, outgoing Superintendent Jake
> Dale's staff recommended that Fairfax Station be
> redistricted from Woodson to Robinson, and Fairfax
> Villa be redistricted from Fairfax HS to Woodson.
>
> Payback for McLaughlin advocating for Woodson, the
> bus depot, SLEEP, funding, and other projects that
> did not go dale's way.
>
> And you thought this was all about fixing the
> western boundaries of Fairfax HS? Ha ha ha!!!

What are you babbling about? FCPS doesn't want to change the western boundaries of Fairfax HS now because that area may get redistricted when the new high school is built. It's also about time they eliminated the Woodson attendance island in the middle of the Robinson district. It's not a personal rebuke of McLaughlin or anyone else.

What's the breakdown of students from Fairfax Villa? Are those the "undesirables" that nobody else wants? Do they feed from low income housing?

Fairfax Villa Wrote:
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> What's the breakdown of students from Fairfax
> Villa? Are those the "undesirables" that nobody
> else wants? Do they feed from low income housing?

Yep. Look for an increase in gang activity at Woodson, along with a drop in academics. On the positive side, this should help the pathetic football team.

http://fcps.edu/fts/planning/fairfaxlanier/staffrecommendation032812.pdf

Fairfax Villa (Fairfax HS) to Woodson = +174 in 2014 (+332 in 2017)

Fairfax Station (Woodson HS & Frost MS) to Robinson = +70 in 2014 (+135 in 2017)

So one middle and HS are overcrowded so the response is to move those kids out to Frost and WTW and make yet another set of schools overcrowded?! Makes no sense. Only Robinson has room as if right now. Leave the small amount of FFX Station kids where they are and move that entire elementary school FFX Villa to Robinson. Like I said, out of all the middle and HS only Robinson currently has room to take large numbers. They are under enrollment right now. Nobody else in this area is.

Boundary Student Wrote:
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>
> What are you babbling about? FCPS doesn't want to
> change the western boundaries of Fairfax HS now
> because that area may get redistricted when the
> new high school is built.

New high school? Not gonna happen for anyone currently older than pre-school age. There will be at least three redistrictings before they even break ground.

It's also about time
> they eliminated the Woodson attendance island in
> the middle of the Robinson district.

Political power play. Mantua had the political clout to make sure their community was not affected, and were always jealous of the those in Station, ever since the entire Clifton area was downzoned many years ago. The Station parents like Woodson because it's a better school, but their style of quietly supporting the school rubbed some people the wrong way.

The best parties were always in fairfax Station. Woodson will miss those the most.

We got screwed. We went to the meetings and told them that driving through Fairfax City or past Robinson to get to Woodson made no sense.

No Kids No More Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Boundary Student Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> >
> > What are you babbling about? FCPS doesn't want
> to
> > change the western boundaries of Fairfax HS now
> > because that area may get redistricted when the
> > new high school is built.
>
> New high school? Not gonna happen for anyone
> currently older than pre-school age. There will
> be at least three redistrictings before they even
> break ground.
>
> It's also about time
> > they eliminated the Woodson attendance island
> in
> > the middle of the Robinson district.
>
> Political power play. Mantua had the political
> clout to make sure their community was not
> affected, and were always jealous of the those in
> Station, ever since the entire Clifton area was
> downzoned many years ago. The Station parents
> like Woodson because it's a better school, but
> their style of quietly supporting the school
> rubbed some people the wrong way.
>
> The best parties were always in fairfax Station.
> Woodson will miss those the most.

I doubt there will be three redistrictings in western Fairfax before the new high school is built. In either case, the long-term plan is to send Willow Springs to another school, and FCPS knew that moving WS now would drive down Fairfax's test scores immediately and lead the WS parents to complain that they were just going to get redistricted again when the new school was built.

The Fairfax Station attendance island was an embarassment to FCPS that screamed "special treatment." It's good they finally plan to get rid of it.

FCPS is posting comments about the Fairfax HS redistricting on their website. I laughed out loud when I saw this one, what a pretentious snob! Being in the Robinson HS area is going to devalue your house, and you're worried about your 4-year-old being around high school boys 8 YEARS FROM NOW? I'm sure that the School Board is really worried about that...
--------------------------------------

I have a 4 year old daughter and I just moved out of the town of Clifton for two reasons: the
unfortunate closing of the Elementary school (which has the children scattered in the wind) and
having to eventually attend Robinson High. I loved living in the historic town of Clifton. My husband
and I suffered a horrible house fire (before our daughter was born) and lovingly restored our home.
It was a very emotional and difficult decision to leave the home that we loved but we did what we
believed was right for our daughter. We did our research and bought a home in the Fairfax Station
Woodson "island" that you are speaking of. We were thrilled to buy in this neighborhood as it is a
lovely place to live, but the schools were our MAJOR focus. We paid a considerable amount of
money to be in this neighborhood with the school district driving the price. I am sick to my
stomach to think that we could lose our Woodson High School Pyramid. We bought here for the
schools and do not want to see them change. I want the best school experience for my daughter and
I cannot see her going right from elementary school to high school. Even though the middle school
children are supposed to be separated, as the mother of a girl, I do not want her being near high
school boys on a daily basis when she is 11 or 12. Also, it will ruin the value of our home and all of
our friends that have purchased here for the same reason. This neighborhood has seen quite a
revitalization with new young families moving in, updating the homes and looking forward to the
best life and best education for their young family. Leaving Clifton was tough and I was really happy
to meet many families here with children my daughter's age. We are all relatively new to the
neighborhood and are excited in the direction that Fairfax Station is going. I would hate to see that
change.

Thats Right Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Fairfax Villa Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > What's the breakdown of students from Fairfax
> > Villa? Are those the "undesirables" that nobody
> > else wants? Do they feed from low income
> housing?
>
> Yep. Look for an increase in gang activity at
> Woodson, along with a drop in academics. On the
> positive side, this should help the pathetic
> football team.

Speaking as one of the many well-educated, well-enployed parents of Villa parents, I'm sorry you'll be disappointed that my children won't likely boost the prospects of Woodson's football team, but they will no doubt boost the SAT and AP test scores. I have no idea where the quoted poster got the (laughably erroneous) impression that the Villa student population is of a less elite class than the current prevailing demographic segment of Frost/Woodson.

Meant to say "parents of Villa students," of course.

sounds a lot like the South Lakes boundary changes from 7 years ago.

Villa Parent Wrote:
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> We got screwed. We went to the meetings and told
> them that driving through Fairfax City or past
> Robinson to get to Woodson made no sense.


Interesting perspective, but you shouldn't assume you represent the majority of Villa home owners or parents affected by the imminent boundary change. I see little difference in the volume of traffic en route to either set of schools before or after the likely boundary change. Moreover, as a Villa resident and parent of FCPS children, I see Frost and Woodson as excellent options based on their academic reputations.

Villa Intelligentsia Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Thats Right Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Fairfax Villa Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > What's the breakdown of students from Fairfax
> > > Villa? Are those the "undesirables" that
> nobody
> > > else wants? Do they feed from low income
> > housing?
> >
> > Yep. Look for an increase in gang activity at
> > Woodson, along with a drop in academics. On
> the
> > positive side, this should help the pathetic
> > football team.
>
> Speaking as one of the many well-educated,
> well-enployed parents of Villa parents, I'm sorry
> you'll be disappointed that my children won't
> likely boost the prospects of Woodson's football
> team, but they will no doubt boost the SAT and AP
> test scores. I have no idea where the quoted
> poster got the (laughably erroneous) impression
> that the Villa student population is of a less
> elite class than the current prevailing
> demographic segment of Frost/Woodson.

The materials FCPS has posted on its web site make it pretty clear that moving Fairfax Villa to Woodson is likely to pull down Woodson's test scores. Test scores usually follow income levels, and the percentage of low-income students at Fairfax Villa is about three times as high as the current percentage at Woodson. The kids need to go to school somewhere, and there's no reason to think they won't be welcome at Woodson, but the odds are that Woodson's test scores will slip a notch or two.

Robinson has room. Why not just send Villa to Robinson. Leave Station alone. Why involve another school and inconvenience more families if this whole thing can be solved by sending the kids to Robinson?

Sense Wrote:
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> Robinson has room. Why not just send Villa to
> Robinson. Leave Station alone. Why involve another
> school and inconvenience more families if this
> whole thing can be solved by sending the kids to
> Robinson?

Dumb idea that would leave one idiotic attendance island alone and create a second idiotic one to go along with it. Staff recommendation is far more sensible. Grow up.

Speed Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> So how long will it take to get from West Ox road
> to Woodson during morning rush hour? Will they
> take Braddock Road past robinson/GMU, or Main
> Street through Fairfax City?


You can take any route you wish. In your car.

There probably won't be any school buses left running by 2017. Dozens of them break down everyday NOW. There is no money for new ones.

Better Sense Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Staff recommendation is far more sensible. Grow up.


Thank you, Staff, for coming to FU to defend your recommendation.

You do agree that Woodson/Frost are the Biggest Losers in this scenario, right?

Boundary Student Wrote:
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> I doubt there will be three redistrictings in
> western Fairfax before the new high school is
> built.

What year will the new high school open?
Where will it be located?

Nonsense Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Better Sense Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Staff recommendation is far more sensible. Grow
> up.
>
>
> Thank you, Staff, for coming to FU to defend your
> recommendation.
>
> You do agree that Woodson/Frost are the Biggest
> Losers in this scenario, right?

Not Staff. Woodson just got renovated and City of Fairfax ultimately controls Fairfax HS. It makes sense to make use of capacity at both Woodson and Robinson to deal with overcrowding at Fairfax and use this as an opportunity to get rid of a current attendance island that defies logic.

Still makes no sense. Leave the Station people alone. They are happy the way it is. There is no problem there. The only problem is the overcrowding at fairfax hs and Lanier. Robinson has plenty of room - problem solved. Doing anything else or making baby other changes is just causing trouble with the tax payers.

Hmmmmmm Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Boundary Student Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I doubt there will be three redistrictings in
> > western Fairfax before the new high school is
> > built.
>
> What year will the new high school open?
> Where will it be located?

Location undetermined, but goal is to relieve overcrowding at South Lakes, Centreville and Chantilly, and presumably might allow FCPS to move Willow Springs to either the new school or Centreville eventually. Latest FCPS plans call for planning to begin in 2016 and for building to be completed between 2019 and 2023.

Sal Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Still makes no sense. Leave the Station people
> alone. They are happy the way it is. There is no
> problem there. The only problem is the
> overcrowding at fairfax hs and Lanier. Robinson
> has plenty of room - problem solved. Doing
> anything else or making baby other changes is just
> causing trouble with the tax payers.

Taxpayers outside Fairfax Station think it's bad planning and transportation policy to have a Woodson attendance island sitting in the middle of the Robinson district. Your proposal is not on the table.

Sense Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Robinson has room. Why not just send Villa to
> Robinson. Leave Station alone. Why involve another
> school and inconvenience more families if this
> whole thing can be solved by sending the kids to
> Robinson?


Robinson has room. Half of Oak View already goes to Robinson. Move the other half. No split feeder, no attendance island, no extended busing of Villa kids, less overcrowding everywhere.

I still fail to understand why they don't make use of the "middle school" capacity of Robinson to solve this problem. It's the same building!

Taxpayers don't give a rats ass that Station kids are bussed an extra mile or 2 to go to WTW instead of Robinson. Nobody cares about that except Dale because of his issues with certain school board members. The Station kids isn't the issue here. Nobody cares. The issue here is alleviating FFX/Lanier. Or is it?

Sal Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Taxpayers don't give a rats ass that Station kids
> are bussed an extra mile or 2 to go to WTW instead
> of Robinson. Nobody cares about that except Dale
> because of his issues with certain school board
> members. The Station kids isn't the issue here.
> Nobody cares. The issue here is alleviating
> FFX/Lanier. Or is it?

Getting rid of the island creates additional capacity at Woodson to accept kids from Fairfax. It makes perfect sense, and it is finally going to happen, as other parents have been urging for years.

It's not an even swap. There are more kids coming from Villa than Station and Robinson has more room - common sense. As far as round about bus rides - the Villa to Frost/WTW is a hell of a hike and just as stupid as Station to Frost/WTW. So if that's the case anyways just let Station and the ones moving should be Villa to Robinson. Common sense. But as we all know FCPS doesn't use common sense.

Math Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It's not an even swap. There are more kids coming
> from Villa than Station and Robinson has more room
> - common sense. As far as round about bus rides -
> the Villa to Frost/WTW is a hell of a hike and
> just as stupid as Station to Frost/WTW. So if
> that's the case anyways just let Station and the
> ones moving should be Villa to Robinson. Common
> sense. But as we all know FCPS doesn't use common
> sense.

It will be gratifying when the School Board approves this. It does not need to be an even swap in and out of Woodson, because Woodson has extra capacity right now when other schools are overcrowded. And it's a joke for people in Fairfax Station who don't mind the hike to Woodson when Robinson is closer to complain about the distance from Fairfax Villa to Woodson.

Robinson has more capacity than WTW right now. This won't pass. WTW parents are gonna flex their muscles.

Biggie Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Robinson has more capacity than WTW right now.
> This won't pass. WTW parents are gonna flex their
> muscles.

It will pass. Easily.

with respect to the treatment of the Woodson island in Fairfax Station, just ask the "Madison Island" parents who thought they could flex their muscles a few years ago to keep from getting moved to South Lakes. No such luck.

As to Fairfax Villa, few School Board members will give a crap if Woodson parents don't want Villa students at their school. They also know they would be ridiculed if they created a new attendance island, and made Villa students travel through the Woodson district on their way to Robinson.

Megan's Flaw Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

They also know they
> would be ridiculed if they created a new
> attendance island, and made Villa students travel
> through the Woodson district on their way to
> Robinson.

Look at the map. Villa is adjacent to Robinson, not Woodson.

Better Sense Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> Taxpayers outside Fairfax Station think it's bad
> planning and transportation policy to have a
> Woodson attendance island sitting in the middle of
> the Robinson district. Your proposal is not on the
> table.

You poo poo the existing Station island, yet advocate Villa kids driving to Woodson from all the way on the other side of Fairfax City? Woodson will be a gerrymandered school regardless.

It's the Mantua snobs who advocate this solution (Gerry Connolly lives here!). Remember when Mantua tried to redistrict the Mantua apartments out of Mantua ES?

Here's a solution for you: Send Mantua kids to Jackson MS/Falls Church HS, replacing those who are bussed from Oakton. That solves the demographic issues at Falls Church HS. That will never be "considered" as you say.

The travel time and distance for Fairfax Villa students won't change because they're going to Woodson instead of Fairfax. It's the exact same time and distance.

No sense Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Better Sense Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
>
> > Taxpayers outside Fairfax Station think it's
> bad
> > planning and transportation policy to have a
> > Woodson attendance island sitting in the middle
> of
> > the Robinson district. Your proposal is not on
> the
> > table.
>
> You poo poo the existing Station island, yet
> advocate Villa kids driving to Woodson from all
> the way on the other side of Fairfax City?
> Woodson will be a gerrymandered school
> regardless.
>
> It's the Mantua snobs who advocate this solution
> (Gerry Connolly lives here!). Remember when
> Mantua tried to redistrict the Mantua apartments
> out of Mantua ES?
>
> Here's a solution for you: Send Mantua kids to
> Jackson MS/Falls Church HS, replacing those who
> are bussed from Oakton. That solves the
> demographic issues at Falls Church HS. That will
> never be "considered" as you say.

Faifax Villa to Woodson is not a particularly onerous trip.

I am not sure what you mean when you describe Woodson as "gerrymandered." The boundaries for Woodson are affected by the fact that it is close to Faifax HS and the City of Fairfax, and by law all City of Fairfax students go to Fairfax. If that was not the case, some Fairfax City students might go to Woodson and Woodson' boundaries might be more compact. Other schools like Oakton also have odd boundaries, but that's not a reason to perpetuate a Woodson attendance island in the middle of the Robinson district or create a new Robinson attendance island consisting of the Fairfax Villa area within Woodson's boundaries.

The references to Mantua are a sideshow and factually inaccurate. Sending Mantua from Woodson to Falls Church would not relieve overcrowding at Fairfax, which the City of Fairfax has demanded. In addition, Jackson MS has no space right now for Mantua kids now at Frost, and no Oakton kids currently attend Falls Church.

So, while I understand people don't like change, it seems to me that FCPS is compelled by Fairfax City to act here, FCPS has come up with a good proposal, and there is no one in Mantua secretly behind the scenes controlling all the decisions.

A little defensive, are we?

Look at the map. If the "island" concerns you so much, just extend the southwest corner of the Woodson boundary south 4/10ths of a mile to close it. Keep it narrow and fewer than ten students will be affected, or make it wide to accommodate more; your choice. That solves your island problem.

It also opens up space at Robinson to move more Fairfax HS students from the western boonies.

We've known for years that the solution to the demographics problem at Falls Church HS is to move some Mantua students there, and shift some Falls Church students to other schools, including Oakton. Will never happen. Oh, and you forgot to mention all the Oakton students currently attending Jackson that could be moved closer to home to make room for the Mantua students.

Why the rush to make Woodson/Frost so overcrowded? Does Frost not have enough trailers already?

No sense Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> A little defensive, are we?
>
> Look at the map. If the "island" concerns you so
> much, just extend the southwest corner of the
> Woodson boundary south 4/10ths of a mile to close
> it. Keep it narrow and fewer than ten students
> will be affected, or make it wide to accommodate
> more; your choice. That solves your island
> problem.
>
> It also opens up space at Robinson to move more
> Fairfax HS students from the western boonies.
>
> We've known for years that the solution to the
> demographics problem at Falls Church HS is to move
> some Mantua students there, and shift some Falls
> Church students to other schools, including
> Oakton. Will never happen. Oh, and you forgot to
> mention all the Oakton students currently
> attending Jackson that could be moved closer to
> home to make room for the Mantua students.
>
> Why the rush to make Woodson/Frost so overcrowded?
> Does Frost not have enough trailers already?

None of what you are suggesting will come to pass. What you are proposing is more akin to true gerrymandering, and worse from a transportation perspective than what FCPS has proposed. It would also set some neighborhoods in what you so graciously call the "western boonies" up for multiple rounds of redistricting.

I understand that some people would like to redistrict Mantua from Woodson to Falls Church, typically either because they resent people who live there or because they legitimately think it would shore up Falls Church. But it's simply not that germane to a discussion of a boundary study intended to relieve overcrowding at Fairfax. Nor would it necessarily be easy to find a new place for Oakton students now at Jackson if Mantua students were moved there from Frost. Thoreau might be a possibility, but it would need to be renovated first. Sending those kids to Franklin, another Oakton feeder, would be a bigger hike than anything we are talking about here in connection with the Fairfax HS study.

The bottom line is that you will not get what you want. There were some proposals during this study that FCPS backed down on, such as sending the new Metro West development to Falls Church, even though Oakton is much closer. But doing away with the Fairfax Station island and moving the Villa kids to Woodson are at the heart of the proposed solution, and no one has come up with anything better. The fact that many Villa parents have said they'd be happy to move to Frost/Woodson makes this easy for the School Board. They certainly aren't going to listen to Woodson parents who ask the School Board to move Fairfax students to Robinson.

Is "Better Sense" really Jack Dale? Sounds like it.

Bottom line - Robinson has more room than Frost/Woodson and Villa is the same distance apart from both schools. That's all you need to know.

Of course the Villa families want to go to the best middle school and HS in the area. They'd be fools to complain about this move.

It's the Station families that are complaining because they are being forced to downgrade to Robinson.

And WTW families are complaining because they are getting wannabe MS13 gang members from the Villa neighborhoods. There's a reason Lanier and Fairfax will be throwing a party after Villa moves away and it has more to do than just overcrowding.

Robert Spillane Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Is "Better Sense" really Jack Dale? Sounds like
> it.
>
> Bottom line - Robinson has more room than
> Frost/Woodson and Villa is the same distance apart
> from both schools. That's all you need to know.
>
> Of course the Villa families want to go to the
> best middle school and HS in the area. They'd be
> fools to complain about this move.
>
> It's the Station families that are complaining
> because they are being forced to downgrade to
> Robinson.
>
> And WTW families are complaining because they are
> getting wannabe MS13 gang members from the Villa
> neighborhoods. There's a reason Lanier and Fairfax
> will be throwing a party after Villa moves away
> and it has more to do than just overcrowding.

Damn, you caught me.

My pre-retirement routine: tanning, posting on FFXU, and then some more tanning. It's a damn great life.

Not really, but it doesn't matter. On the merits, you have a very weak argument. The Woodson parents didn't complain when taxpayers spent tens of millions of dollars renovating your school, so perhaps you should be a bit more gracious when FCPS decides to send some more students there. And it's probably better for the Villa students, other things being more or less equal, to attend a high school with fewer students. In the case of the Fairfax Station students, however, other things aren't more or less equal, since they are much closer to Robinson. In their case, moving them to Robinson, whether you call it a downgrade, an upgrade, or a lateral move, is probably overdue.

Weak argument, Dale. Every school gets renovated. It doesn't mean they all need to take a cluster's worse elementary school as a price for the renovation.

Again - Robinson is closer to Villa AND has more room than WTW. That's the argument in a nutshell and those two points dominate your weak argument. Sorry.

Weak Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Weak argument, Dale. Every school gets renovated.
> It doesn't mean they all need to take a cluster's
> worse elementary school as a price for the
> renovation.
>
> Again - Robinson is closer to Villa AND has more
> room than WTW. That's the argument in a nutshell
> and those two points dominate your weak argument.
> Sorry.

You again demonstrate a lack of understanding of the facts.

Students are typically far more likely to be moved to schools that have recently been renovated than those awaiting renovation. Woodson should be no exception.

No one other than you has ever called Fairfax Villa the weakest school in Cluster 7. You are making this stuff up.

While both Robinson and Woodson have capacity, it is certainly rational to decide that it is better to send Villa students to Woodson than to send them to Robinson and push Robinson's HS enrollment close to 3,000 students. If you are worried about overcrowding at Woodson, perhaps more of the students living in the western part of Woodson's current boundaries and the Fairfax Station island should be moved to Robinson, at the same time as the Villa students are moved to Woodson.

This is largely a done deal at this point, so there's relatively little point to arguing. You should be extending a welcome mat to Fairfax Villa, or getting ready to switch to Robinson, as the case may be, not acting like immature snobs. No wonder kids at WTW have the reputation of being stressed out.

You're either Dale or a Villa parent who loves the idea of going to a better school even though its way past your community.

Once again - Robinson has more availability than Frost/WTW and is closer to Villa. Problem solved.

Domenick Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You're either Dale or a Villa parent who loves the
> idea of going to a better school even though its
> way past your community.
>
> Once again - Robinson has more availability than
> Frost/WTW and is closer to Villa. Problem solved.

Neither of the above.

Villa is headed to Woodson. The Fairfax Station island is headed to Robinson.
None of FCPS's three original options, nor the final recommendation, have Villa going to Robinson. You are, quite simply, too late to the party to make a difference now. After all the community meetings that were held to discuss options that did not include sending Villa to Robinson, FCPS is not going to reverse course and start over now.

The best you can do is show up at the hearing on April 17, whine in public like a baby for three minutes while the School Board members tune you out and text each other, and wait for FCPS to make these sensible adjustments official. Sorry.

Not Jack Dale Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> This is largely a done deal at this point, so
> there's relatively little point to arguing.

This was a done deal long before the sham community meetings were scheduled (and rescheduled). Just like every other redistricting, backroom deals were made and given to staff to implement. We just don't know what they are yet (see: Clifton/West Springfield). The successful effort to mute comments in the community meetings by creating small groups has been previously reported.

So, yes, the board will vote to approve "staff's" recommendation. What happens next will be interesting. Some posibilities:

If Megan McLaughlin feels her supporters were screwed, she will actively help organize the resistance, using lessons learned from Liz Bradsher, Phyllis Payne, and Catherine Lorenze. Woodson has a history of standing up to staff (see: bus depot) and taking an independent route (see: changing from PTA to PTSO). Plenty of good lawyers who will help write the lawsuit.

Or, if a backroom deal was made, look for these activists to sit this one out and see which policy staff promotes for them. In that case, the screwed families are on their own.

Or, maybe this redisctricting is a payback for Woodson taking the best areas of Annandale (outside the beltway) in the redistricting two years ago.

Or, maybe this redisctricting is a payback for Woodson parents insisting that Fairfax City pay for the bus depot as they promised, instead of FCPS giving the city free land at Woodson.

No Trust Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> This was a done deal long before the sham
> community meetings were scheduled (and
> rescheduled). Just like every other
> redistricting, backroom deals were made and given
> to staff to implement. We just don't know what
> they are yet (see: Clifton/West Springfield). The
> successful effort to mute comments in the
> community meetings by creating small groups has
> been previously reported.
>
> So, yes, the board will vote to approve "staff's"
> recommendation. What happens next will be
> interesting. Some posibilities:
>
> If Megan McLaughlin feels her supporters were
> screwed, she will actively help organize the
> resistance, using lessons learned from Liz
> Bradsher, Phyllis Payne, and Catherine Lorenze.
> Woodson has a history of standing up to staff
> (see: bus depot) and taking an independent route
> (see: changing from PTA to PTSO). Plenty of good
> lawyers who will help write the lawsuit.
>
> Or, if a backroom deal was made, look for these
> activists to sit this one out and see which policy
> staff promotes for them. In that case, the
> screwed families are on their own.
>
> Or, maybe this redisctricting is a payback for
> Woodson taking the best areas of Annandale
> (outside the beltway) in the redistricting two
> years ago.
>
> Or, maybe this redisctricting is a payback for
> Woodson parents insisting that Fairfax City pay
> for the bus depot as they promised, instead of
> FCPS giving the city free land at Woodson.

This is the first major boundary study FCPS has undertaken since Jeff Platenberg took over from Dean Tistadt. If the Woodson parents want to make a big fuss over something that should not be very controversial, that's their right, although it will get them nowhere, yet earn Platenberg's enmity for years to come. There really is nothing that parents can do that infuriates the School Board more than complaining that students from another school should not be redistricted to their school, but instead sent somewhere else, when it is transparent that those parents don't think the other students are good enough for their precious school. Complaining about the elimination of "attendance islands," which on their face bespeak special favors granted to certain neighborhoods in the past, isn't quite as bad, but it's up there. No lawsuit challenging either decision has more than a snowball's chance in hell.

And, if you think folks like Bradsher and Lorenze are role models for how to get things done in FCPS, you are mistaken. Bradsher got West Springfield moved up the renovation queue by agreeing to shutter Clifton, but she burned so many bridges in the process that she couldn't get elected dogcatcher today. As for Lorenze, all of her "slate" of candidates for School Board in 2012 (except for McLaughlin, who distanced herself from Lorenze well before the election) crashed and burned.

All FCPS parents are bad, but Woodson parents are in a league of their own in obnoxiousness.

Stick it to 'em school board!

I also find it amusing that there are now 15 or so buses parked right in front of the school, and the new bus depot is being built about a block from the scene of the PTSO's great victory. LOL

Not Jack Dale Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If the Woodson parents want to make
> a big fuss over something that should not be very
> controversial, that's their right, although it
> will get them nowhere, yet earn Platenberg's
> enmity for years to come.

You know Platenburg? Are you saying that he is more vindictive, or less, than he-whose-name-is-no-longer-spoken?


> There really is nothing
> that parents can do that infuriates the School
> Board more than complaining that students from
> another school should not be redistricted to their
> school, but instead sent somewhere else, when it
> is transparent that those parents don't think the
> other students are good enough for their precious
> school.

You seem to know a lot about the school board. Why is that? Or are you just making this up?

> Complaining about the elimination of
> "attendance islands," which on their face bespeak
> special favors granted to certain neighborhoods in
> the past, isn't quite as bad, but it's up there.

Yes, the attendance island should be eliminated by connecting it to the rest of the Woodson district less than half a mile away.

> No lawsuit challenging either decision has more
> than a snowball's chance in hell.
>
> And, if you think folks like Bradsher and Lorenze
> are role models for how to get things done in
> FCPS, you are mistaken. Bradsher got West
> Springfield moved up the renovation queue by
> agreeing to shutter Clifton, but she burned so
> many bridges in the process that she couldn't get
> elected dogcatcher today. As for Lorenze, all of
> her "slate" of candidates for School Board in 2012
> (except for McLaughlin, who distanced herself from
> Lorenze well before the election) crashed and
> burned.

Gosh, nothing to say about Ms. Payne, the other member of their coffee group?

Actually, Fairfax Villa is a very good school.

http://www.greatschools.org/virginia/fairfax/477-Fairfax-Villa-Elementary-School/#!/overview

No surpise that they want their kids to Woodson instead of Fairfax or Robinson or any of the schools west of them.

I think the Woodson issue is that FCPS is drastically overcrowding a newly renovated school. There is already a massive modular going up at Frost. Even adding a dozen trailers to Woodson won't help if the rest of the building (gym, halls, music rooms, etc.) cannot be expanded.

How about moving Olde Creek to Robinson. It's already a split feeder to Robinson/Woodson, and has a contiguous boundary with Robinson.

BTEP Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> You know Platenburg? Are you saying that he is
> more vindictive, or less, than
> he-whose-name-is-no-longer-spoken?
>
I'm not comparing him to Tistadt. I'm suggesting that anyone in Platenberg's position as a relative newcomer would take note if, in one of his first encounters with Woodson parents, they came across as total assholes, which is what you are doin.

>
> You seem to know a lot about the school board.
> Why is that? Or are you just making this up?

Have been involved in prior redistrictings and seen how SB behaves and reacts.

>
> Yes, the attendance island should be eliminated by
> connecting it to the rest of the Woodson district
> less than half a mile away.
>
Not going to happen. They've been getting grief about this attendance island for years and have been signalling that, when the right opportunity came along, they'd move the island to Robinson, where it belongs. That opportunity has now arisen.
>
> Gosh, nothing to say about Ms. Payne, the other
> member of their coffee group?

Nope. It makes me sleepy just to listen to her.

Vanilla Villa Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

>
> How about moving Olde Creek to Robinson. It's
> already a split feeder to Robinson/Woodson, and
> has a contiguous boundary with Robinson.


Oak View is a split-feeder and much closer to Robinson. Removal of the island is one step toward sending all of Oak View to Robinson - but I doubt it will happen.

For all the parents and kids, I went to a information night hosted by our school board rep. I asked the staff at the event, when was the last time there was a county wide boundary study. They couldn't remember one ever having been done.

Instead, they do minor changes every freaking year. It is simply absurd. They just move overcrowding from one school to the next. No one has any balls to say maybe the whole map is shit.

didnt they just fuck with that part of the county when they closed Clifton?

is any of this a result of that? not too sure how the "pyramids" work with all that...................

Unlikely Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Vanilla Villa Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
>

>
>
> Oak View is a split-feeder and much closer to
> Robinson. Removal of the island is one step
> toward sending all of Oak View to Robinson - but I
> doubt it will happen.

Oak View is literally across the street from Robinson. To be in the Oak View district and not go to Robinson is dumb.

Vanilla Villa Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Unlikely Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Vanilla Villa Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> >
>
>
> >
> >
> > Oak View is a split-feeder and much closer to
> > Robinson. Removal of the island is one step
> > toward sending all of Oak View to Robinson - but
> I
> > doubt it will happen.
>
> Oak View is literally across the street from
> Robinson. To be in the Oak View district and not
> go to Robinson is dumb.

The Oak View boundary includes a large area north of Braddock and West of Ox Road (including the island) that currently goes to Woodson. 324 kids that could go to Robinson have longer bus rides to Woodson.

cause you know damn well that those are 324 kids that wanna keep on riding that bus ha ha ha haha haha!!

p.s. I think you mean "south" of Braddock

Vanilla Villa Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Unlikely Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Vanilla Villa Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> >
>
>
> >
> >
> > Oak View is a split-feeder and much closer to
> > Robinson. Removal of the island is one step
> > toward sending all of Oak View to Robinson - but
> I
> > doubt it will happen.
>
> Oak View is literally across the street from
> Robinson. To be in the Oak View district and not
> go to Robinson is dumb.

ha ha ah ha haha ha ha ha h !!

that's not true and you KNOW it! ha ha ha ha ha!!!!!!!! ROFLMAO!!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/01/2013 12:56PM by Gordon Blvd.

Gordon Blvd Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> cause you know damn well that those are 324 kids
> that wanna keep on riding that bus ha ha ha haha
> haha!!
>
> p.s. I think you mean "south" of Braddock

True that!

Most of Oak View is south of Braddock, but a large chunk is North of Braddock and East of Ox Rd (between GMU and the cemetery)

well, I'm sorry but it seems stupid to change shit if it's gonna put MORE buses on Braddock Rd. If a "large chunk" is North of Braddock, East of Ox Rd", then that means more traffic in the morning and afternoon rush on Braddock Rd around 123.

AND THAT IS FUCKING UNACCEPTABLE!! PERIOD!!!

1. Fairfax HS has every right to demand these students go elsewhere. That is a done deal.

2. The island in Fairfax Station has been a joke for years. Done deal-kids will go to Robinson. Neighborhood is maturing and they have less bite than 10 years ago.

3. Woodson need smore "diversity"--numbers will develop to meet that goal.

4. Jump ball is Annandale which is a DISASTER. Who wants those kids? Falls Chrch and Edison can't afford to take them on. Woodson in play?

NO MONEY FOR NEW SCHOOL ANYTIME SOON. High schools waiting for renovations will pitch a fit if they get bumped. Fairfax is at the breaking point on bond debt rations--no more money for construction.

Absurd Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> For all the parents and kids, I went to a
> information night hosted by our school board rep.
> I asked the staff at the event, when was the last
> time there was a county wide boundary study. They
> couldn't remember one ever having been done.
>
> Instead, they do minor changes every freaking
> year. It is simply absurd. They just move
> overcrowding from one school to the next. No one
> has any balls to say maybe the whole map is shit.

I don't think there's much demand for a county-wide redistricting. Usually, the only people who ask for one are people who are themselves being redistricted and want everyone else to share their pain. Otherwise, people usually just want to be left alone.

The people who favor county-wide redistricings like to indulge in the fiction that, if all the boundaries were just "fixed," we'd never need to have another boundary study again. But the population growth in Fairfax can be uneven. Right now, the most overcrowded high schools are in the western part of the county, but in the future the most crowded schools may be near Tysons and Bailey's Crossroads. If you were really trying to even out the enrollment today based on where the capacity exists, you'd end up doing things like sending kids who live very close to Robinson to Lake Braddock, kids who live very close to West Springfield to Lee, and so on, just so you could fill up Lee, Hayfield and Mount Vernon.

Gordon Blvd Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> didnt they just fuck with that part of the county
> when they closed Clifton?
>
> is any of this a result of that? not too sure how
> the "pyramids" work with all
> that...................

The adjustments involving Clifton a couple of years ago only affected elementary school assignments in the first instance. The current Lanier/Fairfax study only affects middle and high school assignments.

The "pyramids" and clusters in FCPS exist primarily for administrative purposes. FCPS frequently sends kids to schools in different HS pyramids and, sometimes, to schools in different clusters as well. So, for example, you could live in Oakton and go to an elementary high school in the Oakton HS pyramid, a middle school in the Falls Church HS pyramid, and then to Oakton HS, and so on.

hey rookies Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> 1. Fairfax HS has every right to demand these
> students go elsewhere. That is a done deal.
>

why?

> 2. The island in Fairfax Station has been a joke
> for years. Done deal-kids will go to Robinson.
> Neighborhood is maturing and they have less bite
> than 10 years ago.
>

heh............we'll see about that, I reckon

> 3. Woodson need smore "diversity"--numbers will
> develop to meet that goal.
>

lol WHUT? o_0

> 4. Jump ball is Annandale which is a DISASTER. Who
> wants those kids? Falls Chrch and Edison can't
> afford to take them on. Woodson in play?
>

yeah. it's all about sports.


> NO MONEY FOR NEW SCHOOL ANYTIME SOON. High schools
> waiting for renovations will pitch a fit if they
> get bumped. Fairfax is at the breaking point on
> bond debt rations--no more money for construction.

they just rebuilt Woodson a few years ago so I'm thinking yr too late to that party too...............

Gordon Blvd Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> well, I'm sorry but it seems stupid to change
> shit if it's gonna put MORE buses on Braddock Rd.
> If a "large chunk" is North of Braddock, East of
> Ox Rd", then that means more traffic in the
> morning and afternoon rush on Braddock Rd around
> 123.
>
> AND THAT IS FUCKING UNACCEPTABLE!!
> PERIOD!!!

Goodness, relax, Gordo.

The talk is shifting 100 kids to Woodson. That's two buses, tops.

Gordon Blvd Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> hey rookies Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > 1. Fairfax HS has every right to demand these
> > students go elsewhere. That is a done deal.
> >
>
> why?

Because the City of Fairfax OWNS Fairfax High School (and Lanier MS, Providence ES, and Daniel's Run ES). The City pays FCPS big bucks to operate them.

Therefore, the City has every right to demand that their schools are not overcrowded by busing in non-City students.

Elementary School Renovation:

REPEAT.....RENOVATIONS


Terraset
20,096,695$
Haycock
16,534,618$
Ravensworth
15,485,170$
Woodlawn
19,252,107$
Forestville
14,944,600$
North Springfield
17,278,345$
Springfield Estates
14,900,197$
Keene Mill
16,947,180

NEW CONSTRUCTION:

REPEAT.....NEW CONSTRUCTION......a BRAND NEW BUILDING

Eastern Fairfax (Bailey's Area): $20,877,062
Route 1 Area Elem School: $21,169,348

Now, what is the takeaway on this lesson, folks?

Hopefully, you figured it out.

FCPS spends nearly as much on renovating a delapidated 50 year old school as they do building a brand new one.

latest bond deal-2013 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Elementary School Renovation:
>
> REPEAT.....RENOVATIONS
>
>
> Terraset
> 20,096,695$
> Haycock
> 16,534,618$
> Ravensworth
> 15,485,170$
> Woodlawn
> 19,252,107$
> Forestville
> 14,944,600$
> North Springfield
> 17,278,345$
> Springfield Estates
> 14,900,197$
> Keene Mill
> 16,947,180
>
> NEW CONSTRUCTION:
>
> REPEAT.....NEW CONSTRUCTION......a BRAND NEW
> BUILDING
>
> Eastern Fairfax (Bailey's Area): $20,877,062
> Route 1 Area Elem School: $21,169,348
>
> Now, what is the takeaway on this lesson, folks?
>
> Hopefully, you figured it out.
>
> FCPS spends nearly as much on renovating a
> delapidated 50 year old school as they do building
> a brand new one.

My takeaway was that the new buildings usually end up in the Hispanic parts of the county like Bailey's Crossroads and Hybla Valley.

If you have a beef with immigration, call your Congressman/woman.

Don't blame FCPS.

FT Belvoir Elem is one of the most overcrowded....blame the army.

There's nothing wrong with this plan. They're just putting it back the way it was in the 80s.

These mini boundary fights are STOO-PID.

Just do all the schools at once and be done with it.

Move kids from West Springfield to Lee
Move kids from Lake Braddock to SOCO
Move kids from Annandale to Woodson
Move kids from Fairfax to Robinson

Was that so damn hard?

chill Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> Goodness, relax, Gordo.
>
> The talk is shifting 100 kids to Woodson. That's
> two buses, tops.


Let's stick to the facts people:

http://fcps.edu/fts/planning/fairfaxlanier/staffrecommendation032812.pdf

Fairfax Villa (Fairfax HS) to Woodson = +174 in 2014 (+332 in 2017)

Fairfax Station (Woodson HS & Frost MS) to Robinson = +70 in 2014 (+135 in 2017)

I don't know how many buses that means, Frost and Woodson ride the same buses. But I do know that Woodson was told to plan for 10-12 trailers over the next four years, with Frost receiving 5-6 in addition to the new modular currently under construction.

Couldn't they just move the green work van support team and Woodson Adult Education over to the underused space at Gatehouse to make room?

bust it open Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> These mini boundary fights are STOO-PID.
>
> Just do all the schools at once and be done with
> it.
>
> Move kids from West Springfield to Lee
> Move kids from Lake Braddock to SOCO
> Move kids from Annandale to Woodson
> Move kids from Fairfax to Robinson
>
> Was that so damn hard?

You're clearly a genius in your own mind, and yours alone.

Dayhawk Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> chill Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> >
> > Goodness, relax, Gordo.
> >
> > The talk is shifting 100 kids to Woodson.
> That's
> > two buses, tops.
>
>
> Let's stick to the facts people:
>
> http://fcps.edu/fts/planning/fairfaxlanier/staffre
> commendation032812.pdf
>
> Fairfax Villa (Fairfax HS) to Woodson = +174 in
> 2014 (+332 in 2017)
>
> Fairfax Station (Woodson HS & Frost MS) to
> Robinson = +70 in 2014 (+135 in 2017)
>
> I don't know how many buses that means, Frost and
> Woodson ride the same buses. But I do know that
> Woodson was told to plan for 10-12 trailers over
> the next four years, with Frost receiving 5-6 in
> addition to the new modular currently under
> construction.


So 174 will now go to Woodson and 70 who go to Woodson will now go to Robinson. A net of 104--wig damn woop. I doubt the traffic will increase at all.

Nail It Shut Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> bust it open Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > These mini boundary fights are STOO-PID.
> >
> > Just do all the schools at once and be done
> with
> > it.
> >
> > Move kids from West Springfield to Lee
> > Move kids from Lake Braddock to SOCO
> > Move kids from Annandale to Woodson
> > Move kids from Fairfax to Robinson
> >
> > Was that so damn hard?
>
> You're clearly a genius in your own mind, and
> yours alone.


Smarter than the idiots who keep using these bandaids.

Yep, we solved South lakes HS problem, right? right?

Woops, nope, now we have to spend $1 mill on an addition to handle overflow.

We raped and pillaged Hayfield and Lee to fill up SOCO and there are still hundreds of empty seats wile Annandale had 35 trailers!!!

Yes, I am an f'in genuis compared to these ninconpoops.

Somebody has to take the undesirables...this year, it's you! Peace and sunflowers for you.

Anyone go to the work session last night?

Which board members asked for amendments?

moving to??? Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Anyone go to the work session last night?
>

Pretty much the same as what was proposed before all the public hearings. Because of demographics, the Fairfax Station neighborhoods are moving to Robinson to create space at Woodson for the free lunch bunch. Some subtle comments about what's really happening here, but no other proposals will be considered.

Woodson was told to plan for up to 12 trailers over the next four years, with Frost receiving up to 6 in addition to the new modular.

Some talk about moving a fence so that the cell phone toweer is on school property instead of FCPS facilities property. Not clear how that relates to anything.

Pack Your Bags Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> moving to??? Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Anyone go to the work session last night?
> >
>
> Pretty much the same as what was proposed before
> all the public hearings. Because of demographics,
> the Fairfax Station neighborhoods are moving to
> Robinson to create space at Woodson for the free
> lunch bunch. Some subtle comments about what's
> really happening here, but no other proposals will
> be considered.
>
> Woodson was told to plan for up to 12 trailers
> over the next four years, with Frost receiving up
> to 6 in addition to the new modular.
>
> Some talk about moving a fence so that the cell
> phone toweer is on school property instead of FCPS
> facilities property. Not clear how that relates
> to anything.

The Fairfax Station islands will move to Robinson because Robinson has capacity, the island is closer to Robinson, and there's a policy in favor of eliminating attendance islands when it's feasible.

Moving Fairfax Villa to Woodson will probably pull down Woodson's test scores a bit, but any Woodson parent who would "pack their bags" is nutty.

(Sigh)

I wish I were confident that all obnoxious comments above about the Villa population were from trolling teen posters.

If you are Woodson parent making such jabs, you're not only misinformed about the demographics or achievement levels of the Villa school community, but you also don't appear to deserve the high-performing student population that's about to move to Frost/Woodson.

Speaking as a parent with children likely to move Frost and Woodson, I must say that such comments are not endearing to a group that should be gladly welcomed. We may disappoint you, ironically, by far exceeding your condescending expectations (maybe I should apologize in advance that my smart, well-rounded children are likely to intensify the competition in this high school for admissions into selective colleges).

Villa Defender Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> (Sigh)
>
> I wish I were confident that all obnoxious
> comments above about the Villa population were
> from trolling teen posters.
>
> If you are Woodson parent making such jabs, you're
> not only misinformed about the demographics or
> achievement levels of the Villa school community,
> but you also don't appear to deserve the
> high-performing student population that's about to
> move to Frost/Woodson.
>
> Speaking as a parent with children likely to move
> Frost and Woodson, I must say that such comments
> are not endearing to a group that should be gladly
> welcomed. We may disappoint you, ironically, by
> far exceeding your condescending expectations
> (maybe I should apologize in advance that my
> smart, well-rounded children are likely to
> intensify the competition in this high school for
> admissions into selective colleges).

No knock on your kids, but one look at Villa's demographics tells you moving this area to Woodson will pull down Woodson's test scores and ratings.

http://schoolprofiles.fcps.edu/schlprfl/f?p=108:13:4233209239780950::::P0_CURRENT_SCHOOL_ID:173

That's not to say the entire school population should get called the "free lunch bunch" or that making Woodson more diverse might not be a good thing. Lots of commentary these days suggesting that it's uptight and that too many kids there are forced into the same mold.

Entire Proposal Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Based on community input and the goals of the
> study, staff proposes

Is there anyone who actually believes the staff even considered community input and the goals of the study in making their recommendations?

but one look at Villa's (Elementary)demographics -

Limited English Proficient 104students 26.33%

Great here come the no-speaks...

Would it be too much to be able to speak English? Really, is that too much to ask?

Here is Canterbury Woods ES

Limited English Proficient 78students 11.73%

Bill.N. Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Entire Proposal Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Based on community input and the goals of the
> > study, staff proposes
>
> Is there anyone who actually believes the staff
> even considered community input and the goals of
> the study in making their recommendations?


No. This was payback for Woodson being a PITA... the bus depot, Annandale redistricting, going around the FCPS Public Affairs office, and much more. People have been put in their place now. Don't believe me? Watch the board vote on accepting this proposal.

No sir Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Bill.N. Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Entire Proposal Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > Based on community input and the goals of the
> > > study, staff proposes
> >
> > Is there anyone who actually believes the staff
> > even considered community input and the goals
> of
> > the study in making their recommendations?
>
>
> No. This was payback for Woodson being a PITA...
> the bus depot, Annandale redistricting, going
> around the FCPS Public Affairs office, and much
> more. People have been put in their place now.
> Don't believe me? Watch the board vote on
> accepting this proposal.

I gotta admit.............seeing as statistically speaking, it really doesnt make any $en$e to eliminate the "island" (I love that name LoLz) cause if you look at the map, Fairfax Villa is just on the other side of GMU from Robinson.............so if they are the ones being moved, it seems to make sense to just move them there and let everything else alone, y'know?

so yeah, it really DOES seem to be a "payback" situation FAR MORE than the Clifton Elem. school deal did. At least that decision made $en$e in terms of the building.

Gordon Blvd Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> No sir Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Bill.N. Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > Entire Proposal Wrote:
> > >
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> >
> > > -----
> > > > Based on community input and the goals of
> the
> > > > study, staff proposes
> > >
> > > Is there anyone who actually believes the
> staff
> > > even considered community input and the goals
> > of
> > > the study in making their recommendations?
> >
> >
> > No. This was payback for Woodson being a
> PITA...
> > the bus depot, Annandale redistricting, going
> > around the FCPS Public Affairs office, and much
> > more. People have been put in their place now.
> > Don't believe me? Watch the board vote on
> > accepting this proposal.
>
> I gotta admit.............seeing as statistically
> speaking, it really doesnt make any $en$e to
> eliminate the "island" (I love that name LoLz)
> cause if you look at the map, Fairfax Villa is
> just on the other side of GMU from
> Robinson.............so if they are the ones being
> moved, it seems to make sense to just move them
> there and let everything else alone, y'know?
>
> so yeah, it really DOES seem to be a "payback"
> situation FAR MORE than the Clifton Elem. school
> deal did. At least that decision made $en$e in
> terms of the building.

Would be very stupid to create another attendance island just so people in Fairfax Station don't have to move. Sorry to disappoint the drama queens and conspiracy theorists but the proposal is the best way to get the City of Fairfax off FCPS's back.

seems to me it's more stupid to
a) make two neighborhoods move instead of just one
b) make the kids who DO have to move.......... end up going to a school on the other side of the city instead of the one right next to their neighborhood
c) piss off the ppl who apparently want their kids to stay at Woodson

Pack Your Bags Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Some talk about moving a fence so that the cell
> phone toweer is on school property instead of FCPS
> facilities property. Not clear how that relates
> to anything.


Maybe to make it more convenient for suicidal students? Has any kid jumped off the cell tower yet?

Gordon Blvd Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> seems to me it's more stupid to
> a) make two neighborhoods move instead of just
> one
> b) make the kids who DO have to move.......... end
> up going to a school on the other side of the city
> instead of the one right next to their
> neighborhood
> c) piss off the ppl who apparently want their kids
> to stay at Woodson

The Woodson kids who will have to move will attend a school that is closer, and Woodson is more accessible to some of the Fairfax Villa attendance area than Robinson is. Case closed.

What part of Fairfax Villa is "more accesible" to Woodson? That's nuts, yo. They are on the other side of 123 and old town! Adding more traffic to Main Street Fairfax during morning rush is stupid, case closed or not and that's what's gonna happen in all this.

and yr not listening to that neighborhood who says they WANT their kids to stay in that further school.

either way, still it's stupid to switch two sets of communities than just one - piss off MORE ppl, y'know?

edit: kinda forgot about the whole "community" part of the job LoLz



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/01/2013 12:06AM by Gordon Blvd.

Gordon Blvd Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> What part of Fairfax Villa is "more accesible" to
> Woodson? That's nuts, yo. They are on the other
> side of 123 and old town! Adding more traffic to
> Main Street Fairfax during morning rush is stupid,
> case closed or not and that's what's gonna happen
> in all this.
>
> and yr not listening to that neighborhood who says
> they WANT their kids to stay in that further
> school.
>
> either way, still it's stupid to switch two sets
> of communities than just one - piss off MORE ppl,
> y'know?
>
> edit: kinda forgot about the whole "community"
> part of the job LoLz


Survey says WRONG! As a Villa community member, I've talked to a lot of families and neighbors affected by this change, so (speaking with more direct knowledge than you), I can report that most if not all are fine to happy with the change to Frost/Woodson. The understandable exceptions are those whose older kids go or went to Lanier/Fairfax, and naturally some of them have spoken up, unlike the rest of us. Also, you're wrong about the distance--it takes me longer to drive to Fairfax or Robinson than Woodson, partially due to the heavy southbound traffic on 123 and eastbound traffic on Braddock (toward Robinson) many times of day.

No one wants to be uprooted from schools where they already have started, but in the long run that issue fades for all communities affected by boundary changes. Students making a fresh start at schools do not care about boundary changes one way or the other, from what I've observed, unless their parents have led them to believe one school is better than the other.

Villa Fact Checker Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> Survey says WRONG! As a Villa community member,
> I've talked to a lot of families and neighbors
> affected by this change, so (speaking with more
> direct knowledge than you), I can report that most
> if not all are fine to happy with the change to
> Frost/Woodson. The understandable exceptions are
> those whose older kids go or went to
> Lanier/Fairfax, and naturally some of them have
> spoken up, unlike the rest of us. Also, you're
> wrong about the distance--it takes me longer to
> drive to Fairfax or Robinson than Woodson,
> partially due to the heavy southbound traffic on
> 123 and eastbound traffic on Braddock (toward
> Robinson) many times of day.
>
> No one wants to be uprooted from schools where
> they already have started, but in the long run
> that issue fades for all communities affected by
> boundary changes. Students making a fresh start at
> schools do not care about boundary changes one way
> or the other, from what I've observed, unless
> their parents have led them to believe one school
> is better than the other.

Make sure you're talking to your School Board representative. Megan McLaughlin is bending over backwards to try and do the bidding of the Fairfax Station parents. She wants to (1) create a new split feeder at Fairfax Villa, so that only some of the Villa goes to Frost/Woodson in the future; and (2) keep the preposterous "Woodson island" that sits in the middle of the Robinson district intact.

It's sad to see a School Board member make such an idiot out of herself to placate a group of wealthy parents who think they alone should be immune from the boundary changes that happen in the county. Whether the Fairfax Villa area wants to be turned into a split feeder doesn't seem to matter to her at all.

It's outrageous what a hypocrite McLaughlin is. She wants to carve out a little piece of Fairfax Villa and keep it at Lanier/Frost, even though everyone else there is now slated to move to Frost/Woodson.

She claims it will keep that area closer to their "neighborhood schools." But, the area is being moved to Fairfax Villa, so she's proposing to separate about 20% of the school from 80% of their classmates when they hit middle school.

What she really wants to do is keep part of Villa out of Frost/Woodson to prop up test scores at Woodson, and make it easier for the attendance island that sits in the middle of the Robinson district at Woodson.

Patty Reed is actually proposing a sensible amendment to move the piece of Waples Mill that feeds to Lanier/Fairfax to Franklin/Oakton, which the rest of Waples Mill attends. But McLaughlin's amendments are a joke and she ought to be ashamed.

Villa Fact Checker Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> Survey says WRONG! As a Villa community member,
> I've talked to a lot of families and neighbors
> affected by this change, so (speaking with more
> direct knowledge than you), I can report that most
> if not all are fine to happy with the change to
> Frost/Woodson. The understandable exceptions are
> those whose older kids go or went to
> Lanier/Fairfax, and naturally some of them have
> spoken up, unlike the rest of us.


so in other words, yr all ready to right off the feelings of even ppl in YOUR OWN NEIGHBORHOOD!?!? o_0



Also, you're
> wrong about the distance--it takes me longer to
> drive to Fairfax or Robinson than Woodson,
> partially due to the heavy southbound traffic on
> 123 and eastbound traffic on Braddock (toward
> Robinson) many times of day.

then you are speeding down Main Street and running lights at Roberts and Burke Station if that's the case............

> No one wants to be uprooted from schools where
> they already have started, but in the long run
> that issue fades for all communities affected by
> boundary changes. Students making a fresh start at
> schools do not care about boundary changes one way
> or the other, from what I've observed, unless
> their parents have led them to believe one school
> is better than the other.

so the question then becomes WHY MAKE MORE BOUNDARY CHANGES THAN NEED TO BE MADE?

Like I said before.........seems REALLY FISHY to make TWO neighborhoods remix instead of just one. Cause common sense says, like YOU just said "No one wants to be uprooted from schools" so you think the point of ppl in control of such things would be to insure that happens, is all

and it seems that's not the case when it comes to all this.


and like I said before.............at LEAST Clifton issue made $en$e. Uprooting two neighborhoods instead of one and making the one neighborhood move schools on the other side of the city instead of the school right there....................just seems odd, is all.

"Patty Reed is actually proposing a sensible amendment to move the piece of Waples Mill that feeds to Lanier/Fairfax to Franklin/Oakton, which the rest of Waples Mill attends"

Makes perfect sense. Why the border for FHS was moved from Jermantown out to W. Ox was idiotic, stupid, and just plain ig'nant.

Megan's Flaw Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

>
> Patty Reed is actually proposing a sensible
> amendment to move the piece of Waples Mill that
> feeds to Lanier/Fairfax to Franklin/Oakton, which
> the rest of Waples Mill attends. But McLaughlin's
> amendments are a joke and she ought to be ashamed.

Can you provide a link to the amendment list?

good grief Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Megan's Flaw Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
>
> >
> > Patty Reed is actually proposing a sensible
> > amendment to move the piece of Waples Mill that
> > feeds to Lanier/Fairfax to Franklin/Oakton,
> which
> > the rest of Waples Mill attends. But
> McLaughlin's
> > amendments are a joke and she ought to be
> ashamed.
>
> Can you provide a link to the amendment list?

The amendments aren't posted yet. At the last work session, Moon asked for all amendments by mid-day Thursday so they could be posted on Friday. Megan had a hissy fit and said there was no need to post them before next Monday.

As best I could tell, the amendments (to the Staff's recommendation) may be as follows:

- keep the "Woodson island" at Woodson, and not move it to Robinson (McLaughlin, Schultz)

- if the "Woodson island" is moved to Robinson, provide for very extensive grandfathering, so that 7th graders starting at Frost in the fall of 2013 and everyone older would still be grandfathered at both Frost and Woodson (McLaughlin, Schultz).

- move the portion of Waples Mill ES near Fair Oaks that currently feeds into Lanier/Fairfax to Franklin/Oakton (Reed)

- keep the area above Lee Highway that would move from Eagle View to Fairfax Villa starting next year at Lanier/Fairfax (McLaughlin)

- move part of the Franklin/Oakton attendance area near Stringfellow Road to Franklin/Chantilly (Schultz) (wouldn't be surprised if she dropped this one, since several other Board members made clear they opposed this).

Judging from the comments at the work session, I couldn't tell how much support there was to keep the "Woodson island" at Woodson or to provide for greater-than-normal grandfathering if the island is moved to Robinson. McLaughlin and Schultz clearly are in favor of this, and Reed will probably go along with them in order to get them to vote in favor of her amendment. Velkoff was the only Board member who made it clear he opposed these amendments. The other School Board members were silent, which suggests they either haven't made up their minds or won't support the amendment, and don't feel like debating it with McLaughlin and Schultz until the Board meeting.

There did seem to be substantial support for Reed's amendment to eliminate the split feeder at Waples Mill, which will pull more kids out of Lanier/Fairfax. Reed had done her homework on this amendment, and I think other Board members will support it. Plus, Reed struck out a couple of months ago when she tried to get in Janie Strauss's way over the Haycock AAP redistricting, so the other Board members may want to help her out now.

There was a lot of confusion initially as to which part of Fairfax Villa McLaughlin wants to keep at Lanier/Fairfax, so most of the discussion centered on figuring out what area she was talking about. It's kind of a lose-lose issue. If the School Board keeps this area at Fairfax Villa, it creates a split feeder, where about 80% of the kids will go to Frost/Woodson and only 20% or less will go to Lanier/Fairfax. That will kind of suck for those kids. On the other hand, if the School Board approves Reed's amendment, but moves all of Fairfax Villa to Frost/Woodson, I don't think the Lanier/Fairfax boundaries will be contiguous any longer (the western part of the Lanier/Fairfax attendance area will be separated from the eastern part of the Lanier/Fairfax attendance area by neighborhoods assigned to Oakton and Woodson).

I did not sense any support for Schultz's proposal to move part of Oakton to Chantilly. Several Board members said that had never been proposed by FCPS Staff or discussed with parents, and that it would be a bad idea to make it part of the final set of changes.