It is a complete misconception that Westfield is over-crowded. They just had a 44-room and cafeteria expansion added to the school in fall of 2006. The school is just at 68 over-capacity right now and next fall they will be 100 under. The student population will steadily drop each year to 300 under capacity in 2010. There is no need to relieve over-crowding at this school because it does not exist!

Westfield Parent Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It is a complete misconception that Westfield is
> over-crowded. They just had a 44-room and
> cafeteria expansion added to the school in fall of
> 2006. The school is just at 68 over-capacity
> right now and next fall they will be 100 under.
> The student population will steadily drop each
> year to 300 under capacity in 2010. There is no
> need to relieve over-crowding at this school
> because it does not exist!


That is correct - I am looking at the CIP. Meanwhile people in Fairfax Station REFUSED to continue in a boundary process to move from South County to Lake Braddock which also got an ADDITION. What is with these fools on the shool board? Each wants additions and renovations with the result they have to scramble to justify it.

It is bizarre that Westfields [by the airport] is in this boundary process when an addition is being built at Langley to house people who any normal person would have sent to Herndon or South Lakes.

Reston is a distinct community and someone posted about wanting community schools. Anyone not in Reston who is sent there is an outsider. They mentionned Hunters Woods which was listed as having 8 trailers, a GT center, a magnet program, plus who knows what other extra funding...the magnet uses about 4 school busses. Why does that school get all these extras yet I never see Gibson changing any of those boundaries? Why do we have to continue paying for all of that? How many schools does Gibson have with Foreign Language Immersion? Fox Mill and Floris are listed as having japanese. Exactly how many kids are in those programs at each grade level --- why isn't one on the other side of the county? How many schools in Sully have extra /focus/magnet money?

I don't know why people think that Reston as a whole is a distinct community. South Reston and North Reston are completely different communities. I know a lot more people from Fox Mill area because my kids go to Hunters Woods, so i would consider them part of my community. It has more to do with the school in your immediate area than what your address is. Of course, if North Reston was part of SL pyramid, I might feel differently because I would know people there. But I don't think basing arguments on zip codes or addresses holds much water, especially given how they mix and match the schools currently. It's all FFX county.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/12/2007 01:52PM by South Lakes Pyramid parent.

South Lakes Pyramid parent Wrote:
------------------------------------------------------
> ...if North Reston
> was part of SL pyramid, I might feel differently
> because I would know people there. But I don't
> think basing arguments on zip codes or addresses
> holds much water. It's all FFX county.

There are parts of Reston north of the Town Center that go to South Lakes - Forest Edge [areas that border Route 7] and Lake Anne -- both share borders with Aldrin. Who's left in the special tax district that isn't at South Lakes?

Tell it's all FFX to many who won't use Lake Braddock - Gibson, Storck, Strauss, Tom Davis, Hyland, Connelly, etc.

Many of the magnet programs were put in schools that were low performing. For instance, there are no language immersion programs in Vienna and only one in McLean, in the lowest income neighborhood. GT centers were also put in the low income areas. Then the county decided that they really needed more black students in GT centers so the percentage of students in GT centers went from 4.5% to 14% and over crowded all of the schools with GT centers. DUH Couldn't they see that coming?

I am not surprised that there would be fewer magnets and language immersion schools in Sully and more in Reston. Reston schools need all the help they can get.

How much extra in taxes do people in Reston pay? Or does it all go to the Reston Association? How much do people have to pay for the privilege of living in Reston?

Neen, I really wish you would stop being so insulting to SL people, not to mention inaccurate. Floris and Fox Mill aren't even in Reston. And Chantilly has the academy magnet.

We pay around $450 a year for Reston "amenities" including the pools, tennis courts, and trail upkeep. I find it's well worth it just for the pools.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/12/2007 05:24PM by South Lakes Pyramid parent.

South Lakes Pyramid parent~You are most prolific on this thread. Do you receive this attribute from pyramid power? I've heard about this phenomenon, but really never believed it.
Attachments:

I never said that Floris is in Reston, or Fox Mill. Both schools are close enough to South Lakes that they might be part of the redistricting.

What's the Chantilly academy got to do with anything? Chantilly was not one of the higher performing schools, so it's not surprising that they got an academy. Was that your point? Lower performing schools get the special programs. The lowest performing schools got stuck with IB.

What have I said about Reston that is inaccurate?

I'm glad to hear that your Reston taxes are so low. Does that include police protection, trash collection, street cleaning, leaf collection, large refuse removal, Christmas tree removals, and snow removal, like in the town of Vienna and city of Falls Church? If so, that is a great bargain!

Neen:

Did one of your kids lose in a swim meet to a Reston kid? Did RA deny your application to paint your fence a lovely grape color, if you deigned to move to Reston?

Why the antipathy? Give it a rest. I am sure you'll find a way to avoid Reston forever, and to tell everyone what a crappy place it is. Many of us find it a fine place to live, even if we grouse about RA, the traffic, or our taxes.

People can make their own choices, but quit sliming everything about SLHS and Reston. It distorts and cheapens the debate.

I have to laugh at all this talk about property values. Face it folks...regardless of what happens with the redistricting...your home values are in a free fall. And where the bottom is...nobody knows. Before it's over, it might make the Great Depression look like a walk in the park.

I've bought and sold over 30 SFHs since the late 70's and I've never been more apprehensive than I am now....I quit buying houses when the prices started skyrocketing and have been unloading long-held properties as fast as I can.

I truly feel sorry for all the morons that financed that Hummer H2, fancy TVs, and all manner of granite this and stainless that with home equity loans. NO WAY these dumb fucks will be able able to sell their homes in at least the next decade. A lotta these assholes will be lucky to keep their goddamn hair dryers from the repo man!

Nationwide, millions will eventually be forced to walk away....FURTHER worsening the situation. Already, cities like Cleveland, Ohio are facing huge costs to bulldoze entire neighborhoods that have been abandoned.

But I'll be alright...and am actually savoring thought of picking off some choice properties from the lenders for pennies on the dollar.

South Lakes is the LEAST of your worries, suckers!

>>>>People can make their own choices<<<<

Isn't that wonderful? If only they could make their own choice about schools too. If only they had a choice to stay in the schools they like.

DUH, yes, house prices are going down. But most of us didn't buy our homes yesterday. We bought them long before 2004. We'll make money whenever choose to sell. It doesn't really matter if we make $500,000 or $700,000, that we might have made in 2005. It's all gravy for us.

Thanks to the federal government we have the lowest unemployment in the country. This is not Cleveland. You are obviously clueless about economics, and clueless about this area.

Did you really think that house prices would never go down, and you would always be able to be a flipper?

What a dope. I'd have to say that is YOU who is the dump fuck. No wonder you're bitter and jealous. Get used to it. Or get a real job.

Neen Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> DUH, yes, house prices are going down. But most
> of us didn't buy our homes yesterday. We bought
> them long before 2004. We'll make money whenever
> choose to sell. It doesn't really matter if we
> make $500,000 or $700,000, that we might have made
> in 2005. It's all gravy for us.
>
> Thanks to the federal government we have the
> lowest unemployment in the country. This is not
> Cleveland. You are obviously clueless about
> economics, and clueless about this area.
>
> Did you really think that house prices would never
> go down, and you would always be able to be a
> flipper?
>
> What a dope. I'd have to say that is YOU who is
> the dump fuck. No wonder you're bitter and
> jealous. Get used to it. Or get a real job.



I don't need a "real job", asshole...I'm VERY comfortably retired. Actually, my sons are anxiously awaiting my demise! LOL

Of course I understand that this is not Cleveland and that most of "us" bought before the boom...but have you checked the foreclosure section in the newspaper lately? All I'm saying is you better quit tapping your equity line of credit...it's later than you think.

Hey, when are you Republicans going to lower MY taxes....I just sent off my September quarterly IRS payment of almost 16 grand....probably more than you make in a year.

And no I don't live in liberal Reston....I'm on very conservative Chapel Rd in Clifton.

Where do the majority of students for TJ come fom (disticts)?

I think this makes the most sense. Use South Lakes facilities for the TJ program.

It would be "wonderful" if you could make a point without demeaning everything and everyone you oppose or don't agree with.

SLHS is an excellent, rising high school that will expand its very successful IB program and other courses when it gets additional students to fill the renovated, expanded facilities. Parents and students will welcome new families and kids and work to make it a great academic and social experience.

Reston is a very nice, safe, affluent, and diverse community -- not perfect and not for everyone's taste or druthers, but home to many, many successful people of all kinds of political views, backgrounds, and opinions who don't sit around singing Koombiyah, figuring out how to get everyone to dress and think the same, or -- for that matter- espouse some wingnut slogan either.

If people cared about facilities, no one would live in McLean or Vienna. Most of their schools are old, run down, and falling apart. If a nice facility contributed to academics or anything else, Mount Vernon high school would be packed, rather than 800 under enrolled. That school was also renovated, beautifully. No one would attend TJ, if facilities mattered. TJ is a dump, hasn't been renovated in 25 years.

Most TJ kids come from........wait for it........the richest parts of the county. Smart people tend to be richer than dumb people. Smart people tend to have smart kids. (Genetics can be such a drag that way.) That might explain why Langley, Oakton, Madison have higher SAT scores than other parts of the county. South Lakes is close to all of those areas so putting TJ students into South Lakes is perfect. FCPS could make a bundle selling the TJ property. All South Lakes students could be reassigned to Madison, Oakton, Herndon, Oakton, Wesfield, and Chantilly. Four years out, none of those schools would be over crowded, even with the South Lakes students. Do the math.

Again, I'm happy that there are people who like South Lakes. That's wonderful. That doesn't mean you can expect everyone else to share your opinion or want to go to South Lakes. You could just continue to enjoy it and expect to have small class sizes and expect every child to make the team, whatever team they choose. Sounds like a win-win for everyone.

word: hahahahahahaha. lighten up.

yeah westfields starting running back (if you want to know his name go to a game) was expelled from south lakes his freshman year (now a senior) because he and a whole bunch of other players gave out birthday hits to one guy and it escalated.

neen: so what youre saying is... everyone who isnt rich and white is a thug? if youre a parent with a kid with that attitude you can stay out of south lakes. we dont need any cancers. and south lakes HAS been fixed. its people like you who keep propagating its negative image.

academies are useless to the bulk of students. i'm not at chantilly so i never see kids coming in to my school but it really seems like a hassle. however, they offer career training for kids who go into service professions like nursing or EMT. and i swear you have no heart if you can look down on a person who ends up at nova training to be an EMT instead of going to a 4 year college like your kid does.

the lowest performing schools get the IB? then hows robinson for you as an outliar on your nice little chart, there? with the exception of robinson, which has a perfect fit for ib since its a secondary school, the ib schools in ffx co are the smaller ones.

and now, neen, you make your argument based on reston not being a town? i'm extremely pleased that reston neither has no mayor nor a police force. i guess youve never talked to herndon cops, but they are complete cocks. they fine higher, too, since they are privatized and more hard-up for money.


just as an added note, i hope that when the redistricting happens that south lakes doesnt get a new westfield murderer on their hands.


and just for humor's sake on [www.nytimes.com] '“Mostly, people are confused,” said Steve Webb, who dropped out of Westfield last year to become a professional juggler'

brian Wrote:
----------------------------------------------------
> ... westfields starting running back (if you want
> to know his name go to a game) was expelled from
> south lakes his freshman year (now a senior)
> because he and a whole bunch of other players gave
> out birthday hits to one guy and it escalated...

so they physically hurt someone else on the team - that is severe hazing. This must have been under the prior worthless principal. Was that creature the only one punished and how is getting moved to Westfields punitive enough? If the hits wre on the field where were the coaches? Any fired? If they were in the locker room was he also abused sexually? FCPS sweeps everything under the carpet. Wash Post doesn't cover FX as well as it does Montco. More makes the local papers about shenanigans at SL's than other schools. Butler is a real principal and South Lakes now has good admins. Remember Eastern HS in DC? The FCPS admin that went there had been doing a bad job at Madison for years and lasted about 6 months in SE DC before even his colleagues were quoted about his abusve nature in the Post. Hey if you live in SE you have nothing to lose about complaining about lousy public schools...

Woodson has the highest ST scores in this county but FCPS adds in adult ed numbers - it through out IB. Robinson is large enough to have both programs and the other IB schools looked at it as a way out to stop the flight of the middle class, get pupil placements, train lifers , etc. Guess what? The per pupil per course costs are staggering. FCPS does not accurately represent the cost of the program and it is an extremely tight budget cycle for years. I for one expect to pay less property taxes this year since the FMV of my home has decreased. Rather than fool with this no financial benefit boundary chnage this year after the fiscally irresponsible maneuvers over the last year.

They operate like the little money down borrowers who then took out second mortgages for hummers and pools.

Wow—I’m really glad I found this forum. I’ve learned so much from the opponents of redistricting:

1) The Fairfax County School Board is obligated to prop up the value of people’s homes, giving that a higher priority in drawing school boundaries than demographics or the educational needs of all the students in the county.

2) Schools with lots of racial and ethnic diversity are bad. Gangs regularly torment students at such schools. Kids who want to go to college are forced to sit through many classes with hopeless, disruptive losers who like something called “hip-hop.”

3) The education you get at a school where white students average 1161 on the SATs is indisputably superior to one where white kids average 1127. The differing income levels and educational backgrounds of the white parents whose children attend those schools has little if any effect on the variation in test scores.

4) It’s wrong to bus children to schools with lots of black or hispanic students, because the bussed students are merely part of an experiment that will turn them into small rodents. All students should attend the schools closest to their homes—unless a school farther away has more affluent students and higher aggregate test scores, in which case it’s ok for the kids to ride a bus there until they’re old enough to take the Beamer.

But the best thing I learned, is which candidates for the Fairfax County school board are for redistricting, and which are more likely to protect the privileges white and Asian folks thought they had bought themselves by buying houses in certain neighborhoods. I wasn’t going to vote at all, but now I see the light. A big thank you to all of the wealthy racists who’ve expressed their views on this board!

And props to all the SL students and grads who’ve contributed to this discussion—you’re more rational and knowledgeable than most others here, and I hope my daughter in a few years will benefit as much from a SLHS education as you have.

Wow, Maxwell.

Couldn't have said it any better. Nice to have a summary for all the people who have not been around for the whole discussion.

Also, for the record, many of the elementary schools under consideration are closer to SL than to their current high schools.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/15/2007 04:13PM by South Lakes Pyramid parent.

My summary...

Madison, Oakton, Herndon, Westfield, Chantilly - would like things to stay the way they are

South Lakes - wants to increase their enrollemnt by drawing from the schools above

All - might as well keep all the insults and inuendo to yourself, both side have heard it all before - it goes nowhere

Maxwell why don't you have about eight more kids so you can take care of the low numbers at SLHS yourself and then you can put them on the short bus for the short ride to school and then let them stay after and be members of the baseball team or the basketball team. You stay there and we will stay where we are, easy enough! Vote the right way NO redistricting.

...and you might add that thinker will pay increased taxes to subsidize the less fortunate people

...Maxwell did make some valid and factual points, although it is not politically correct to promulgate such information

...Maxwell based upon your analysis of the issues, what members of the school board do you recommend in the upcoming election? opinions on other county candidates?

(I solicit your input in all seriousness--all the political posters along the roads are annoying. And I might add, I will not vote for anyone that calls me with a recorded message.)

You won't for anyone who calls you with information about a campaign? How strange. How do you plan to personally meet all the candidates?

I am hoping that this thread, as well as the local Connection, will provide more information on the candidates. I have read a lot of "hate" campaign material sent via the mail. I tend to believe this negative campaigning, or I think it would be libelous to send out; therefore, there are two candidates I would not vote for. I hope that the League of Women Voters will send out a pro and con for each candidate. Again, Neen, meeting a candidate via an annoying tape recorded message is not satisfactory. Kudos to Mr Frey, running for county clerk, who took the time to meet voters at recent Burke craft show.

No, Maxwell, you haven't learned a thing. Most of this thread is about a group of people who don't see the need to change. We are happy with the schools/communities we have invested in, whether it be Herndon, Oakton, South Lakes or Chantilly; whether we be black/white/asian or honduran. Sure there are a few here that want to slam this school or that, but most of those involved in this boundary study are focused on the birdbrains that forced the situation. The school board who can't account for anything but their own agendas. Those who approve and spend money without a plan; who will never admit to making wrong decisions, yet are oh so williing to spend more money to fix them.

Especially one particular board member who refuses to listen to his constituents including those that attend South Lakes High School. This guy has how many non-performing schools in his district??? more than any other in the county. He has done what to fix this? Nothing. He has been in office for how long? This must be the wealthy racist you speak of.

Actually, I think Maxwell makes some excellent points - there is really very little difference between SAT scores and the like amongst the groups that would be affected by the transfer to SLHS - whites and asians. And frankly, from what I have heard, the leadership of SLHS is doing a fine job in maintaining discipline and order - because, frankly, they have to.

But let's not lose sight of what some are posting about here. As I have repeatedly stated, the academic performance in general of Fairfax County schools (save for TJ) is one of relative mediocrity, particularly when one looks at the income status of the homes that supply the students, and even more so when one looks at certain other higher income areas of the country (e.g., North Suburban Chicago schools), which do considerably better than the average school in Fairfax County in terms of academic achievement. Washington is a town of transplants - don't think that sharp, academically focused parents are not deep down aware of this state of affairs - and accordingly the success that Fairfax County does experience is due more than anything else to parental pushiness and involvement.

So to put it in perspective - concerned parents - already taxed in pushing their kids forward - just are not going to welcome the distraction that a move to SLHS represents. Like it or not - any rational parent will have to advise their kids to pay attention to a novel phenomena - that of outsize disciplinary and conduct problems. Further, and although I agree with Maxwell in that the perception is overblown - the whole discomfort of going to a school that for the most part (due to significant achievement gaps) must engage in a practice of "separate and unequal" (a phrase that Patrick Welsh at TC Williams - a brilliant chronicler of the challenges of teaching at TC and a published author) only adds to the alienation and fear that obtains.

And given this point of view- this is where I depart from Maxwell - for the most part, parents that are concerned are not "racist" - there are some very real negative behaviors that take place at SLHS - behaviors that occur at all schools but frankly with greater frequency and gravity at South Lakes. And this is not a solely a consequence of race, but of cultural factors as well that somehow have evolved to the point where fathers are absent from the home, education is not appreciated, and the nanny state (particularly in Reston) is seen by its recipients as a manipulative source of benefits rather than as any sort of authority to be respected. People do move to the suburbs to get away from these factors - and they should not be made to feel guilty about it - in fact, the incentives to raise a family in a safe and strong educational environment ought to be lauded rather than a marker of white or asian guilt.

In the end, I think the school system is doing what they have to do - they, to avoid an implosion at South Lakes, simply had to improve the physical condition of the school to accomodate imports - white and asian ones - at that - and these imports are really the only way to keep the school viable and keep the school's population from shrinking and the school from "flunking". As the Parents United case before the Supreme Court demonstrated - school success is all about race (why else would have Seattle and Louisville spent millions bringing their cases to the high court) - and white and asian students are very valuable pawns in that game. So while I think Maxwell's points are ones to be heard, they neglect to mention that the real nub of the issue - the game of racial Scrabble that school systems must play. It is the altar to which they now all pray, and it is disappointing to see once again that so few speak openly about it.

Quantum,
I am curious about your statement about the conduct problems at SL. From what I know as a SL parent, I don't hear about incidents as you describe--outsize disciplinary problems. I hear about the occasional fight, but they generally are overblown in the papers compared to what my kids and neighbors tell me.

I don't think you can just look at the statistics, either, because I'm sure there is variation in reporting depending on who the principal is. I've heard of incidences at Oakton from parents there that are not reported in the media, and I wouldn't be surprised if the school is downplaying the incidences. TRICKIE seems to think that there is massive underreporting going on across the board.

So, what are you basing these statements on?

Herndon HS PTA has a good website on the boundary process:
[www.fcps.edu]

If anyone cared to make such a map with school locations and capacity balances for current plus out years, put dots on for actual locations, along with current trailer counts - the public would have a better idea of what how public resources are not used. That is what I care about since I have to pay for them.

After last year I don't even see why this boundary process is occurring [waste of time and money]. My guess is no one is moving except for the Madison Island and perhaps Fox Mill. Why is Herndon in this process?

Ditto, Quantum. Where's the beef?

My kids have seen two fights in 7 years combined attendance at SLHS. One (last year) was a cafeteria fight -- quickly broken up; no one hurt -- that made the TV news here at the same time my nephew told us about a real scrap at a well-known, well-regarded FCPS high school he attends.

The word is that Bruce Butler, the SLHS Principal, reports everything and anything (and the rumor is that other schools don't...feel they need to), and he doesn't tolerate even minor infractions.

Elegant language doesn't cover the fact that you are insinuating that:

(a) "Schools with lots of racial and ethnic diversity are bad. Gangs regularly torment students at such schools."...as articulated above by Maxwell; and

(b) SLHS is a dangerous place, b/c "fathers are absent from the home, education is not appreciated, and the nanny state (particularly in Reston) is seen by its recipients as a manipulative source of benefits rather than as any sort of authority to be respected", as you state.

However, one says it (e.g., "outsize disciplinary and conduct problems"), "bluntly" or euphemistically: It just ain't so; it's misleading; and it's cracker/racist talk.

PS: I still have family and many friends in the northern Chicago suburbs, and those schools, while very good, have warts, too, and are hardly head and shoulders above the FCPS system.....even the vaunted New Trier.

Taxpayer,
I asked the question about capacity numbers--does capacity include trailers or not? If it does, then there still may be an overcapacity problem. I don't know where to find this information.

South Lakes Pyramid parent Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Taxpayer,
> I asked the question about capacity numbers--does
> capacity include trailers or not? If it does,
> then there still may be an overcapacity problem.
> I don't know where to find this information.



go to the CIP- in the back of the document detail sheets show the trailers supposedly for overcrowding parked at any given site:

[www.fcps.edu]

However FCPS might have old trailers just sitting like abandonned cars at some sites yet lists them on this document. I've seen a parko for strings with infrequent use ...These things are expensive.

Who knows? best info is from kids at schools on trailer usage. CIP also does not reflect chnages in core facilities like at Lake Braddock [renovation/addition] v schools like Chantilly where they park modulars. Hughes showed 7 trailers - yet way under capacity. Hunters Woods is always a trailer park.

school locations-
[www.fcps.edu]

[www.fcps.edu]

fall 2006 trailer maps and possible facility utilization ignoring abandonned car effect]:

[southcountymiddleschool.org]

There is no easy answer to building utilization other than treating everyone the same and using the buildings...the upside to that is lower property taxes. People do hope to bond with schools but when you're talking public schools that serve geopgraphic areas we have two types of schools: community and regional. To a watcher of school board maneuvering, they want South Lakes [Reston's community school] to NOT become a regional school [ie Westfields/Langley] but to change people's community identification. That is the problem here.

Last year they booted Lorton people out of South County which is on the Lorton prison site. meanwhile they left in FFX Station people who want to be South County community.

I think this is pretty absurd how ignorant most of the people posting on this topic are. You can look at all of the statistics all you want but you never went to South Lakes but yet all you do is comment and complain on what you believe to be. Scores maybe lower then other schools in the northern Virginia Area but there are things that have to be taken into account. SL has a great program for LD and Mentally retarded student which results in lower test scores obviously. Also the number of students who are not fluent in english obviously do not score as much. But who actually cares? True you get more funding for better scores, but if your student goes to South Lakes and actually trys! they can go anywhere they want. If your student gets good grades they can go where they want. I have close friends from the class of 2006 who went to Princeton, Berklee, Naval Academy, Air force academy, Juliard, Notre Dame, GWU, and all of the Virginia schools(UVA, W&M, Tech, etc). I know for a fact that the graduating class this year is sending people even more places. You think your student cant go places if southlakes "has a bad academic reputation" then they can stand out in their class.
Every talks about violence and gangs at south lakes. In my 4 years at South Lakes I never saw a fight at South Lakes. Which I am surprised at I must admit. But never once did I feel scared or intimidated at South Lakes. They only time I heard about fights at SL was when racial issues were the cause. Like when a white transfer student from Langley called my middle eastern friend a terrorist. I know that South Lakes does not have the same clique high school stereotype culture that other schools have. There are no jocks that making fun of nerds, or drunk kids that pick fights with kids in the hall. You havent gone to south lakes, you probably havent even been to south lakes, but yet you act like its a inner city school. Try opening your mind and stop being rich, narrow minded and try learning how to interact with all people of the world. Thats whats going to help you in the long run, not being a scared, ignorant, and naive individual which is the type of student that schools like langley produce.
Drugs on the other hand is a hugely lopsided issue. South Lakes is probably the most mild school when it comes to drugs and alcohol. I have witnessed it 1st hand and it is not a big deal at South Lakes. But schools such as mcclean and langley are where there are major problems. When your a rich kid with lots of money and no time, drugs come into play, and bad drugs at that. I have worked and talked with alot of students from other schools and they all say the same thing. While all you parents are on your high horse, your kids are out in your bmw, driving drunk and doing coke. Dont believe me, go to one of the parties that one parent allows and thats the only time you'll see kids doing lines in a bedroom. I have never seen that at a south lakes party. You read in the paper about people dying in car accidents with alcohol and drugs involved. Where do they happen and who does it happen to? I think everyone can answer that, daddys little girl or boy driving high and drunk. Its about time you educate your children in more ways then one.
South Lakes is a good school, but like every school needs improvement. They are renovating the school as we speak and Mr. Butler is/has enforced rules that will surely bring South Lakes reputation back to a widely accepted level. But dont talk about South Lakes when you know nothing about it, you have no idea.

You can judge the school by the way its former students perform. One indicator is how well they can articulate their ideas in English in the Fairfax Underground. Some students are terrific examples of native intelligence and top academics. Others are a sorrowful testament to a host of other less favorable conditions, both nature and nurturing.

Taxpayer,
It looks to me from the trailer maps like the trailers ARE included in the school's capacity numbers. If that is the case, then it would seem that many of the schools we are discussing are in fact overcrowded, because trailers don't account for lack of cafeteria or other common space. Westfield has 18 trailers. Yikes!

It looks like South Lakes will have no trailers--yay for us!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/17/2007 02:30PM by South Lakes Pyramid parent.

The point of me calling them abandoned cars is that sometimes FCPS leaves overcrowding related trailers at sites that are no longer in use. I don't know what they're used for at schools unless my kids are actually there. What are the trailers at Hughes? Since I called myself taxpayer, I will say that South Lakes is a good return on investment. IB is a pricey program and kids can gt the full diploma at SL's even at it's current enrollment. Small class sizes?? I did like the 2 caf dining rooms.

Langley has problems beyond those noted by SL's grad. Not a good situation and bad admins.

If they redistrict everybody they plan, SLHS will have trailers.

Cricket,
Since SL is not including trailers in its capacity numbers, it won't be adding them when it's full capacity.

They said this at Westfield when it was being built. There will eventually be trailers. It always happens. The numbers they produce from voodoo are never accurate. If you look at the targeted neighborhoods/communities they want to send to SLHS, it will be overcrowded in a year.

there are four or five trailers at hughes

It seems like South Lake's reputation has little to do with the students' opinions and experiences and more to do with parents' cocktail party bragging rights. No parent wants to explain away how their kid's school is "improving" or the value of "diversity" when they are really after the oohs and ahhs about how smart their kids must be to go to a high-performing school. Take a mid-pack kid at TJ and put her in South Lakes, and she'll get into MIT instead of Tech. This fear of putting kids in South Lakes has nothing to do with educating kids or helping them succeed and everything to do with parents living vicariously and their own social standing.

Here's a student opinion or is that an experience...
(page 2)

Re: high school redistricting
Posted by: South Lake Tyrone (IP Logged)
Date: September 02, 2007 06:28PM

Bob James Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> ...at least the psychodrama may lead to catharsis


I need me some vanilla meat curtains. Mmmm, mmmm, mmm.

The idea that anyone can stop the redistricting through a lawsuit is seriously delusional. Drawing the boundaries of attendance areas is a legislative act to which the courts give great deference. To prevail one would have to show that the decision was arbitrary and capricious. Even in the unlikely event that relevant admissible evidence could be presented to show the decision was arbitrary and capricious, if the School Board presents evidence to justify the reasonableness of its decision so as to make the issue fairly debatable, the School Board wins, you lose! This is an extraordinary high level of proof. The lawsuit would cost $200,000-500,000 and take three or more years to get through the trial and the appeals. Meanwhile, your kids would be going to, and graduating from, their new high school.

There are better uses of your time, energy, emotions and money than a lawsuit that has very little chance of success.

More later.

I wasn't being presumptuous. A few years back students were moved from Herndon high to Langley. NOT ONE WORD of objection. Kids moved out of Hayfield to South county, with no even a whimper. When kids are taken out of bad schools and put in better schools, there are very few objections. If South lakes kids had to go to Madison, Oakton, and Herndon, there would be very few complaints.

Kids coming from all over to TJ is not really a problem. Yes, mom and dad have to travel more to pick up their kid, for the first year or two until the student can drive himself. Most TJ parents don't mind driving across the county. Think of the diversity that their child we experience!

Why would West Field students opt in to Chantilly? Would hundreds of students do that? An academy is a good idea. They could start a bunch of academies at South Lakes, if STu Gibson won't allow a real magnet, like the parents want.

It seems to me the South Lakes community is taking a lot of pleasure in this whole process. So let's just tell it like it is.

No surrounding community wants to attend your lame ass school for all of the reasons outlined on this website. Your enrollment has declined because families avoid the South Lakes area like the plague. You created this mess with all of your project housing. You will have to deal with it without sucking in other white and asian students to bail you out on test scores - how bout those SOLs and failing feeder schools. There will be law suits and this will be stalled... arbitrary how about leaving out Langley and Madison proper - they border South Lakes. Incumbant School Board members Stu Gibson and Kathy Smith will be shown the door and given a swift kick in the ass. South Lakes is the worst school in this area as evidenced by the data on the county web site. You all should be ashamed of yourselves for sucking other into the horrendous mess you created. Like your momma told you - you make a mess, you clean it up.

whatitis and South Lake Tyrone

Race baiting doesn't help find a solution to your socioeconomic status and under achievement.

All of the Madison attendance area is part of the boundary study. Although the Langley attendance area does not directly border South Lakes, the Forestville and Great Falls attendance areas should be added to the study. The entire area west of Springvale attended Herndon not that long ago.

That would enable Aldrin and Armstrong to be added to South Lakes. Both schools attendance areas are predominantly located in Reston. Reston kids should go to Reston's high school: South Lakes.

Be advise, more kids were pupil placed into South Lakes than out of South Lakes this year. Most wanted to get into the IB program.

That still leaves Westfields overcrowded.

More later.

The only part of Madison that is included in the study is the "Madison Island"

Langey does border South Lakes currently, even more so if the "Madison Island" is eliminated

Both Madison (all) and Langley should be part of the study.

Westfield is not overcrowded. Westfield is not complaining. Westfield just had a huge addition.

This whole process would be a lot easier if they did not ignore the elephant in the room -langley and the Forestville Elementary attendance area.

Plus the Colvin Run neighborhood [Langley]that accesses Hunter Mill between the Madison Island and SL's areas.

Forestville/Langley does border Forest Edge/South Lakes for a wide stretch along Route 7.

Gibson weirdly still has his Reston HOA Field view /stones Throw people at Forestville instead of Aldrin [hugely undercapacity] and Forestville borders Herndon feeders like Dranesville also. Anyone know where the bowling alley is located? Herndon or Sterling?

Forestville got a modular building even though it is on a septic site and we have to pay pump and haul. That site was bubbling up and Gibson/Strauss gave it a modular rather than move anyone out to other schools years ago.

They could have at least parked the mobile building at a different site.

Although the Langley attendance
> area does not directly border South Lakes, the
> Forestville and Great Falls attendance areas
> should be added to the study. The entire area
> west of Springvale attended Herndon not that long
> ago.

see above on Langley boundaries - correct on Springvale - but not other point...