FCPS just launched a boundary study which affects SIX high schools in western Fairfax County - Chantilly, Oakton, Herndon, Westfield, South Lakes and Madison.

There's no new high school being built. FCPS claims they’re doing this to even out enrollment numbers among the schools. BUT they're not using reliable enrollment statistics to justify such wide-sweeping redistricting! It's as if they simply have a desire to play with the numbers again. Don't they realize there are children's lives behind these numbers! Children who have ties to the high schools their neighbors have attended for years. Can you imagine the disruption this is going to cause to thousands of families and students!

There is a website: www.stoprd.org with more information. The website launched an online petition to try and stop this latest FCPS boundary study from proceeding. Check it out and consider signing. If there are enough signatures, maybe they can successfully “fight city hall” on this one!

i should start an online petition to ban online petitions...

FCPS needs to redistrict the entire county, but that simply is not practical and dividing it into three or pieces is the only reasonable approach. FCPS does not need a new school coming online to justify redistricting, but the pattern of housing development has created imbalances across the system.

I do not have the figures in front of me, but I seem to recall that the number of HS seats was roughly in line with the number of current and projected HS students, but that some schools had a good amount of space while others were at or near the breaking point. I don't think that the school board or administration takes a casual approach to a topic which is clearly going to drive emotional arguments, but something needs to be done to better use existing resources.

We saw this recently with South County and the hand-wringing between Lake Braddock, Hayfield and South County with people making the same arguments about friendships and sports teams. People need to realize that high school is only four years and this will mostly likely impact people for less time than that. Life is short...don't sweat the small stuff.

And I am sure that some will look at the study just to see if there any pictures of teenagers included. Not the fat ones, please.

copygirl.

you don't know what you're saying.
schools like westfield and chantilly are grossly overpopulated.
while schools like madison and south lakes have plenty of room to spare.

and stop trying to speak on behalf of the "children"
when you're obviously not.

if you're trying to start up a ruckus just because of the Oakton section.
then just say that and we'll start from there.

Zen

Ok so you live close enough to Chantilly or Westfield that you won't be effected. And you want to get rid of some of your neighbors because it's a little crowded for your kid.

Let me say what the real issue is.... no one wants to be sent to South Lakes.

sal Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Zen
>
> Let me say what the real issue is.... no one wants
> to be sent to South Lakes.

Just like the people who bought houses in Crosspointe did not want their children to go to...gasp...Hayfield. When the boundary discussion for South County started they brought up things like terrorism and traffic on I-95 as reasons why SCSS should be THEIR school.

In other parts of the country where each town has its own school system it is OK for their to be rich schools and poor schools, but I think that FCPS has an obligation to maintain a reasonable range (not necessarily balance) of ESOL and free and reduced lunch students. It would be easy for SCSS to be 90% white with an average household income of $150K, but I don't think that that is appropriate.

If FXCO had some sort of master plan for growth and development 20 years ago the redistricting mess would not be what it is today and now the FCPS school board needs to deal with it. Enrollment projections may be flawed, but I think that these changes, which will eventually filter across the school system are a good thing. I feel badly for kids being taken from their friends and sports teammates being separated, but that is one of the risks of living in a system like Fairfax.

Do you want stability and the knowledge that your kids will be in the same high school pyramid? Move someplace like New Jersey, Pennsylvania or Massachusetts. Otherwise, accept the inevitable and move on.

sal Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Zen
>
> Let me say what the real issue is.... no one wants
> to be sent to South Lakes.

Now that wasn't to hard to admit.
now let me say something
I'm a South Lakes graduate.

sal Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Zen
>
> Let me say what the real issue is.... no one wants
> to be sent to South Lakes.


There that wasn't too hard to admit was it?
now let me say something
I'm a South Lakes graduate.
I had a decision between Oakton, Madison, Westfield AND Langley.
But I chose to attend South Lakes for all four years.
And I have no regrets.

now tell my why one wouldn't want to send their kids to south lakes
honestly.

now tell my why one wouldn't want to send their kids to south lakes
honestly.

I know a very successful doctor that graduated from South Lakes, she's one of the coolest/smartest people I've ever met.

Stop being such a clueless suburbanite, Sal.

South Lakes has a bad reputation. I wouldn't want to go there because of my attachment to Oakton. And when did you graduate... I think the SL has gone downhill over the years.

I live a good 20-30 min from my school but I would rather go there because it has some better programs in the areas that I am interested in. Oakton has a band program that is much stronger than South Lakes.

This one time at band camp.....

As long as there are State Standards and No Child Left Behind, there is going to be pressure on school districts to do this kind of B.S. The idea is to spread the shitty students around as much as possible so all schools eek past the Standards versus letting a handful of schools fly past the exams while others teeter on the brink of losing Federal funding.

The best way to deal with this is to tell you member of Congress not to renew No Child Left Behind. The sooner that debacle is put to bed, the better.

copygirl Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Don't they realize there are children's
> lives behind these numbers! Children who have ties
> to the high schools their neighbors have attended
> for years. Can you imagine the disruption this is
> going to cause to thousands of families and
> students!

to the person who originally wrote the content of the first post and people who feel the same,
   holy crap, could you be more of a whiner? ive heard a lot of stupid things people whine about but this is up their on the retarded level. this isnt even as bad as someone moving yet you act like it's a cataclysmic event that will surely wipe out all life in these schools. if you are truly so distraught over this turn of events, please drill into your right temple to alleviate your pain. stop inventing drama where there is none.

_________________________________
I'm pro-abortion, not pro-choice.

"Oakton has a band program that is much stronger than South Lakes."

are you serious, Jen? apparently no one ever mentioned to you that South Lakes' band is ranked #1 in the state and was among the top 17 programs in the nation sent to Bands of America in Indanapolis.

as far as sliding down, yeah, it did happen in the nineties. but south lakes' principal bruce butler is very good and is turning the school around. people make it seem violent, which it isn't. we had 3 fights this year. not a whole hell of a lot, but more than desirable. compared to other schools, the use of hard drugs is low. i can't back this up with stats but lets say that no one gets offered coke at south lakes parties. (coughlangleycough)

[mcleantimes.com]

that is a link to an article i wrote, published in the times.

i call BS on all of that. except the band, maybe.

3 fights this year? the info hasnt been published yet, but last year there were 16. [schoolprofiles.fcps.edu]
I be there were more than that, they either werent found out about or were kept on the DL b/c of parental pressure or whatever.
for comparison, heres oakton. theey had 6 fights. [schoolprofiles.fcps.edu]

"lets say no one gets offered coke at SL parties" There are drugs at a lot of HS parties. If not alcohol then drugs. If you think there arent then you are also probably one of those people who thinks that their straight-A kid never speeds, gets high, or parties it up.

if you wrote the article then its not necciscarily all that reliable. An article from an independant person would be better.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/04/2007 09:31AM by KeepOnTruckin.

Those school profile reports are not reliable at all. I taught at a large FCPS secondary school. Believe me, those reports were doctored. The incidents are widely under reported. We used to laugh when they came out. Many of the thefts, drug incidents, fights are unreported on purpose. Our security staff was always complaining about this. The principals do not want to have the incidents reported since the school will look bad.

Trickie

I guess if I was paying an Oakton mortgage and Oakton property taxes only to have my kid going to Chantilly or Herndon, I'd be pretty pissed too. Of course, redistricting should do wonders for Oakton's property values.

Glad I'm not an Oaktonian (or whatever they're called).

If the school board is going to review the school districts, it should also consider the McLean and Langley school districts. Besides the McLean area, these schools' boundaries include Herndon, Reston, Vienna, and Fall Church. As a result, these schools and their pyramids are overcrowded with students that should be going to high schools much closer.

For example, homes near Route 7 and Dranesville Rd are part of Langley,which is about 11 miles away. Herndon HS is only a couple of miles away.

What is the school board rational for keeping these boundaries? No. It can't be for higher property values.

Lower my taxes Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If the school board is going to review the school
> districts, it should also consider the McLean and
> Langley school districts. Besides the McLean
> area, these schools' boundaries include Herndon,
> Reston, Vienna, and Fall Church. As a result,
> these schools and their pyramids are overcrowded
> with students that should be going to high schools
> much closer.
>
> For example, homes near Route 7 and Dranesville Rd
> are part of Langley,which is about 11 miles away.
> Herndon HS is only a couple of miles away.
>
> What is the school board rational for keeping
> these boundaries? No. It can't be for higher
> property values.


Hey moron, can't you read? WashingTonLocian already explained EXACTLY why what your asking occurs.

So you don't have to scroll up, let me quote WashingToneLocian:

"As long as there are State Standards and No Child Left Behind, there is going to be pressure on school districts to do this kind of B.S. The idea is to spread the shitty students around as much as possible so all schools eek past the Standards versus letting a handful of schools fly past the exams while others teeter on the brink of losing Federal funding.

The best way to deal with this is to tell you member of Congress not to renew No Child Left Behind. The sooner that debacle is put to bed, the better."

On second thought...the Langley and McLean kids should be going to Herndon! That's the shithole that needs it's scores bolstered.

I guess it's political pressure then.

Sorry I called you a moron!

KeepOnTruckin Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> if you wrote the article then its not necciscarily
> all that reliable. An article from an independant
> person would be better.


Ladies and gents of the jury.
the proper spelling of
-drum roll-
necessarily
&
independent.

sorry it was bugging me.

Okay. So you're asking for independent study/judgment on the schools.
fair enough
Exhibit A
The Seahawk Battalion [Honor Unit].
Yes ladies and gents. Honor unit. Meaning that a team of active duty and retired Army personnel came to South Lakes to inspect the JROTC unit and it's sponsor school all things were taken into account.

everything from demographics to incident reports.
And after intense scrutiny it was in the Army's opinion that the Battalion be awarded Honor Unit Status. Meaning the unit is of the best 15% in the world.

now. lets compare.
Oakton? anything to offer? no? nothing? pity.

im sorry i cant spell the one that starts with N. independent, my bad, we all make typos. i dont care.

but seeing as how the incident reports are bullshit, they mean nothing.

yeah some people from the state government or somthing came to Centreville HS a while back also. They raved about how it was soo good, etc. but its just government BS. all schools have problems and good points. Just usully more of the former.

and if anyone is wondering why people are so adamantly defending and eagerly attacking South Lakes right now
is because no one would dare say one real bad thing about South Lakes in the public eye.

just get one Oakton parent and one Oakton student
and get them to drop all their ridiculous statistics and inaccurate reports and admit why they don't want to come to South Lakes in the next little community meeting they want to call.

Then I'll sit silent.
If anyone wants to call bs in this argument
it is on the other side of the line.

The bogus school districts have been around way before the no child left behind laws and state standards. The moron think it's more of parents chasing SAT scores. So, little Johnny can go to Harvard.

If the school board is stretching the school boundaries, why don't they send students from 7 corners or south Herndon areas to Langley and Mclean. Those areas just as close than Vienna and Herndon. That should dilute their SAT scores.

Duh. Thank you for calling me moron. That's the best thing you ever called me. I'm now using it as my screen name. Stop by Vienna Inn (Freddy's for you old timers) and I'll buy you a beer. Just ask for the moron.

Stop by Vienna Inn and I'll buy you a beer. Just ask for the moron.

Someone should really do that, those waitresses don't take too kindly to foolishness, I bet their reaction would be funny.

As Judge Smails said "Well the world needs ditch diggers too."

For those cynics who don't think I know what I am talking about...

South Lakes - 46% White
[www.greatschools.net]

Oakton - 69% White
[www.greatschools.net]

...The goal is to push underachieving minority students into schools that are whiter and do better on tests. Langley hasn't been touched...yet...because of the number of wealthy lawyers who send their kids there. That's not the case with Oakton. But, if push comes to shove, expect Langley to come under fire as well eventually.

Just FYI- greatschools.net gets their info from the fcps school profiles. So you shouldn't believe it.

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

_________________________________
I'm pro-abortion, not pro-choice.

The opponents of this redistricting should call it what it is...Backdoor Busing (ala Backdoor Draft).

This isn't any different than the forced busing of the 1970s. If the opponents started using the term "Busing," you would scare the shit out of the politicians.

What it really comes down to is some of the white people in places, shall we say, less "economically diverse", like Oakton not wanting their kids in with minorities.

After all, its dangerous being in schools with kids who aren't white or Asian, isn't it?

It's not stimulating the brain if Jack is in a classroom with some kids who aren't affluent, right?

Postscript: South Lakes sent about twenty kids to UVA and about 15 to W&M (I swear to God if you go and pull up the actual numbers, I don't care, I said approximate). One kid is paying PEANUTS (We're talking $5,000 per year) to go to Princeton because of various scholarships won.

Post-postscript: Read in the Post today that former Oakton/current UVA running back Keith Payne was suspended by coach Al Groh for academic reasons. Hell of a player, but looks like walking through the halls on gameday shouting PAYNE-TRAINNN didn't prep him for college courses.

brian Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> What it really comes down to is some of the white
> people in places, shall we say, less "economically
> diverse", like Oakton not wanting their kids in
> with minorities.
>
> After all, its dangerous being in schools with
> kids who aren't white or Asian, isn't it?

why do people always try to make this issue about race/origin/nationality? it seems like a cop-out argument to me. how about this, you pay US taxes and i dont because about 150 years ago some of my ancestors came from germany. you dont like that? then you are a biggot and should be burned alive. oh wait, that's preposterous.


> It's not stimulating the brain if Jack is in a
> classroom with some kids who aren't affluent,
> right?

that's such a bullshit and baseless argument.

Quote
Eric Cartman
'cause ya' po' kenny, ya' po'!

_________________________________
I'm pro-abortion, not pro-choice.

gravis.
even for your standards.
that first point didn't make any sense.

apparently you don't understand sarcasm.

just to throw this one out there... the questionable figures the county puts out may indicate south lakes is more dangerous than oakton, but how can you even argue oakton is not more dangerous? when a school feels the need to pass around free rape whistles to girls, i think there is a problem that people not in the loop would otherwise not know.

and gravis, i really don't have any idea what you're talking about. not in a defiant "you don't know what you're saying" way, but seriously... what the hell are you talking about? burned at the stake wtf?

South Lakes should stay as it is. The school's academic scores are near the bottom of all Fairfax County schools. The students would not benefit from increased classroom size. Increasing enrollment would only hurt the underperformers.

The assertion that South Lakes is at the bottom academically is blatantly false. Look it up! All the other assertions regarding South Lakes (always made by people who don't go there) or equally false. The anti-South Lakes feeling exhibited here and in the local newspapers is openly racist and perpetrated by people who don't know what they're talking about.

Well South Lakes is getting a completely remodeled school so maybe people are just jealous.
Attachments:

I pretty much drive past South Lakes on my way to school (Oakton). I'd much rather attend South Lakes and spend less on gas. The difference in SAT scores between South Lakes and Oakton is negligible, and probably due to the fact that Oakton currently absorbs students from higher income areas. The true reason that people are against redistricting to South Lakes is that Oakton parents are afraid of their kids going to school with black people.

i went to oakton, and i wish i didnt.. i hate that school only good part about it was our soccer team, but u can say i dont live in " Oakton" or vienna or herndon where most the students come from, i live in fairfax circle where most the people from that area where the minorities.. There is alot of racism and favoritism in oakton, most the people i know where kicked out.. i could go thru a park and cross the street and be at fairfax Hs, where i wish i couda gone

In all honesty the environment at Oakton promotes segregation and the monotonous culture of upper middle class white people. There is still a substantial minority population that seldom mixes with the white majority. The atmosphere at chantilly(which has similar racial figures) is much more integrated racially. I would have rather gone to any other school than oakton because everyone there thinks there "place" must be with their own race and income and branching out from that standard is seen strange to many. I bet kids that went to south lakes leave with a better tolerance/understanding of other cultures.

ps im white

i agree with "C"

We live in Oakton but are in the Madison school district. Our children attend Flint Hill Elementary School in Vienna. I'm worried about our children attending South Lakes because of my fear of gangs and violence. My husband is concerned about the quality of the teachers and the low test scores -- although that is old information. I admit that I know very little about what the schools are actually like. How do you find reliable information about the quality of the schools in this area? Are there any local papers that do a good job of covering this?

We are not "afraid of [our] kids going to school with black people". People of any race are capable of contributing to an atmosphere of hate and fear. The question is, Will the students, families, teachers, and administrators work together to create a safe learning environment so that everyone can succeed?

My husband and I bouth a house in Chantilly Highlands three years ago so that our kids could attend Chantilly High School. We borrowed from our retirement funds and have a have a mortgage that leaves us no extra money at the end of the month, but we did this so that our kids could go to Chantilly HS. You can say what you want about South Lakes HS, but the reality is that the value of my home will PLUMMET as a result of being in the South Lakes HS district. That is a FACT!!! Is the School Board going to compensate me for all the money we wasted paying to live in the Chantilly HS district? I can promise you that whatever elected official is up for election better think long and hard about supporting this redistricting. I can tell you right now that the Chantilly Highlands parents ARE NOT going to accept this!!!

Hey, instead of worrying about school districts....make your kiddies unplug the ipod and log off of MyFace (or whatever it is) and CRACK THE BOOKS.

That way, they can go to TJHSST...and it doesn't matter where you live. ALL County high schools are second-rate compared to TJ.

If they're not smart enough to get into TJ...they're just killin' time anyway.

Mom of elementary age children Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> We live in Oakton but are in the Madison school
> district. Our children attend Flint Hill
> Elementary School in Vienna. I'm worried about
> our children attending South Lakes because of my
> fear of gangs and violence. My husband is
> concerned about the quality of the teachers and
> the low test scores -- although that is old
> information. I admit that I know very little
> about what the schools are actually like. How do
> you find reliable information about the quality of
> the schools in this area? Are there any local
> papers that do a good job of covering this?
>
> We are not "afraid of kids going to school with
> black people". People of any race are capable of
> contributing to an atmosphere of hate and fear.
> The question is, Will the students, families,
> teachers, and administrators work together to
> create a safe learning environment so that
> everyone can succeed?


Ma'am my suggestion is for you to go to South Lakes one day and talk to Mr. Butler the principal and I am confident that he will show you around to the true south lakes. In all honesty the school is what you make of it. Some kids choose to just get by. While we have students who sap every possible resource to it's full potential and get into Princeton and MIT just like any school will boast. Last year alone we had five students get into the Academies everything from West Point to Annapolis to Colrodo Springs.

The gangs and violence, low test scores and the quality of teachers is a valid concern that I'm sure Mr. Butler will address with utmost honesty.

All the comments coming out of parents who send their kids to "better" schools support what I have contended all along. People don't want their white Johnny hanging out with black Leon or brown Jose. As for the home value argument, I can sympathize, but the fact is nobody should leverage their entire life in the hopes their kid goes to the best school (by the way, Bush's No Child Left Behind is forcing Fairfax County's hand here. If you don't like it, don't vote Republican).

I have worked in the education realm for years. The No. 1 factor in a student succeeding academically is the home environment. If the kid lives in a home that supports education and that stays on him or her to learn and succeed, the school, unless it is a travesty like some of the DC schools, shouldn't make a huge difference.

In fact, I would rather have my kids hanging around an ethnically diverse group of kids instead of a bunch of well-healed kids of lawyers and lobbyists who can afford blow for every weekend party and good lawyers for those date-rape cases.

My last memory of south lakes was the last meeting as a class we had in the big theater before graduation. I remember after the meeting with "inspirational words" from faculty who were full of shit and then being let out into the hallways where recruiters from the Army and Marine Corps (notice no navy or chair force ? haha) had already set up their stations for recruiting haha. That really made us look forward to our bright futures haha.

Honestly coming from someone who went there and has friends/family still going there if you can avoid sending your kids to SL or herndon do it.

southlakeseatsdicks Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> My last memory of south lakes was the last meeting
> as a class we had in the big theater before
> graduation. I remember after the meeting with
> "inspirational words" from faculty who were full
> of shit and then being let out into the hallways
> where recruiters from the Army and Marine Corps
> (notice no navy or chair force ? haha) had already
> set up their stations for recruiting haha. That
> really made us look forward to our bright futures
> haha.

Every school does this. There is cannon fodder at every school.