formerhick76 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Neen Wrote:
> > Yeah, well, that's too hard for them. They
> can't
> > figure out how to do that, like the rest of
> state
> > has.
>
> Not sure what you were arguing here.
>
> North/South Arlington. East/West PWC. East/West
> Henrico. Even in Tidewater, there's VA Beach
> (Princess Anne and Gang er I meant Green Run),
> Norfolk (Maury and Norcom), etc., etc.
>
> But in general most big jurisdictions in VA have a
> po' part and a rich part, and the rich part has
> better schools (or are you going to argue that
> Wakefield is better than Yorktown, Varina/Highland
> Springs/Henrico better than Freeman/Hermitage/Deep
> Run, Freedom/Hoodbridge/Gar-Field better than
> Osbourn Park/Brentsville, etc.?)
>
> Fairfax is no different.

I beg to differ. Fairfax is VERY different. FCPS Black students do not do as well as the other Black students in the state. Of the 11 districts in the state, with the highest numbers of Black students, FCPS is on the bottom, in 10 out of 11 categories. Our Black students do not do as well as students in Newport News, Richmond, Norfolk, Roanoke, Chesterfield, etc. The Washington Post made it a front page article last year. We are failing our most vulnerable students and everyone knows it, thanks to Maria Allen. She put together the scores that proved it. Kudos to Maria.

edna Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Do you think they care....SLPTSA was after one
> thing as their leaders often said....they wanted
> your kids because........
>
>
>
>
> disgusting Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > SLPTSA is having a victory celebration on their
> RD
> > victory!!. They are celebrating their success
> is
> > forcing dozens of families out of their homes,
> > hundreds of parents pupil placing and driving
> > every day, thousands of broken student dreams,
> > broken friendships. I bet Stu Gibson is behind
> > this gloating.
> >
> > http://www.southlakesptsa.org

Since they are having a party, they should gloat about their school ranking.

South Lakes

RANK # 22

MATH C+

SCIENCE C

ENGLISH B+

SOCIAL
STUDIES B

GPA 2.45

What a great legacy for the ass hole Gibson.

..to be an ass.

Not a Class Act Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Sorry Neem the message is on their website.
>
> Do you think the SLPTSA will give a grieving party
> for all those parents: (1) who valued their
> child's education so much that they were willing
> to sell their homes at a loss in order to move
> into another school district; (2) or who had to
> tell their kids they can no longer play sports
> with their school friends because they now go to
> Reston schools but live in Vienna: (3) or they
> will have to go to a middle school (Hughes) or a
> high school (SL) where the academic ranking is
> much lower than the schools they were supposed to
> attend?
>
> No, Neems.....SLPTSA throws a CELEBRATION IN YOUR
> FACE PARTY!

More Madison Island self-pity. Consider:

1. Houses much closer to Sunrise/Hughes/SL than Wolftrap/Thoreau/Madison. RD reduces gerrymandering of old SL/Madison boundaries.

2. RD relieves overcrowding at Wolftrap - (young) kids in trailers for years.

3. A lot of MI housing is quite recent - notion of 20-year attachment to Madison is BS. As population continued to increase and place strain on school populations, new buyers should have known RD would happen at some point.

4. MI could have asked for rezone to Kilmer and/or Marshall instead of Hughes/SL on basis that it would eliminate split feeder and and keep Wolftrap kids together - did that ever happen? Unlike other groups that at least proposed alternatives, MI just cited sad stories of "refugee" parents forced to move from house to house to avoid the terrorist threat that is SL.

5. MI parents should be more concerned with academic performance of their kids than "academic ranking" of schools they attend. MI parents were the worst of all RD'd groups in making schools sound like car dealerships selling Fords and Lexuses.

Conclusion: MI has weakest case of all RD'd areas to oppose RD.

No More MI BS Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> 2. RD relieves overcrowding at Wolftrap - (young)
> kids in trailers for years.
>
We've had trailers at Wolftrap for years and coped fine. We are more concerned about losing some very good teachers as a result of the redistricting. It would have been better if the kids could have stayed with their peers. South Lakes may be closer, but these families really identify with Vienna far more than Reston.

Wolftrap Parent Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> We've had trailers at Wolftrap for years and coped
> fine. We are more concerned about losing some
> very good teachers as a result of the
> redistricting. It would have been better if the
> kids could have stayed with their peers. South
> Lakes may be closer, but these families really
> identify with Vienna far more than Reston.

So what? Vienna kids currently go to Madison, Oakton, Marshall, McLean and Langley, with a few already at South Lakes. Since when did any of those parents moan about their kids being forced to go to McLean or Marshall when the kids had played in Vienna rather than McLean or Falls Church youth leagues. This is just one more lame MI excuse. MI should go to South Lakes, just like School Board decided. End of story.

This is just the most weird low point in bad taste I have seen in this RD battle. Celebrating the misfortune that has fallen on these RDed areas?


South Lakes ranks # 22 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> edna Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Do you think they care....SLPTSA was after one
> > thing as their leaders often said....they
> wanted
> > your kids because........
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > disgusting Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > SLPTSA is having a victory celebration on
> their
> > RD
> > > victory!!. They are celebrating their success
> > is
> > > forcing dozens of families out of their
> homes,
> > > hundreds of parents pupil placing and driving
> > > every day, thousands of broken student
> dreams,
> > > broken friendships. I bet Stu Gibson is
> behind
> > > this gloating.
> > >
> > > http://www.southlakesptsa.org
>
> Since they are having a party, they should gloat
> about their school ranking.
>
> South Lakes
>
> RANK # 22
>
> MATH C+
>
> SCIENCE C
>
> ENGLISH B+
>
> SOCIAL
> STUDIES B
>
> GPA 2.45
>
> What a great legacy for the ass hole Gibson.

>>>>Re: high school redistricting
Posted by: Neen (IP Logged)
Date: May 16, 2008 11:34PM


SL Mom Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> word Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Save the date...
> >
> > Appreciation Party for Redistricting Support
> >
> > The Leadership Class at South Lakes High
> School,
> > in conjunction with parent volunteers, will host
> a
> > thank you party for those involved in
> supporting
> > South Lakes High School during the
> redistricting
> > process. The party is open to the public and
> will
> > take place in the high school gym on Tuesday
> > night, May 20, from 6 to 8 p.m. For more
> > information call South Lakes High School at
> > 703-715-4500.
>
>
> Awesome! We'll be there. The party should be a lot
> of fun. Great idea!!
>
> We can also talk about the new SLCAPS.org website
> plans.

I am sure that you and Stu will have a blast at your little party, along with the ALL the new students, all 10 of them. I hear Stu has written some great new Dr. Seuss poems for the occasion and will be leading cheers along with the PTA President, Elizabeth Aging-hippy, in her granny glasses, ever fashionable tie dyed granny dresses, and shag hair cut. What fun! We all enjoy 1960's costume parties. It's SOOOOO Reston! Be sure to take lots of pictures for us. We're all just SICK about having to miss the fun, but we need to do laundry that night, and wash our hair. Darn!

Let us know when your little website exists, since it doesn't now.>>>>>>

Neen, you are a rude, base person to need to make these sorts of personal attacks while hiding behind a fake name. Shame on you! Every post you make turns my stomach and I am not from or a supportor of the South Lakes community that you constantly harass, but your posts give me some empathy for them.

What a stupid idea this party is. Will further antoganize the very people they are trying to get into SL.

Bad taste Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> This is just the most weird low point in bad taste
> I have seen in this RD battle. Celebrating the
> misfortune that has fallen on these RDed areas?
>
>

stupid Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> What a stupid idea this party is. Will further
> antoganize the very people they are trying to get
> into SL.
>
> Bad taste Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > This is just the most weird low point in bad
> taste
> > I have seen in this RD battle. Celebrating the
> > misfortune that has fallen on these RDed areas?
> >
> >

Yes it is rather poor taste and premature to do a party like this. It also sounds rather "gloating". Sorry, SL supporters, but that is JMO.

Dirty dozen Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> > The dirty dozen Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > Take your pick, their are twelve of them.
> > >
> > > THE VERY DIRTY DOZEN.
> > >
> > > When you put everything together we have a
> > > corrupt, evil,unethical and morally
> degenerate
> > > group of unprofessional School board members

>
> These are the dirty dozen who have screwed both
> parents and students in the FCPS system.
>
> Ilryong Moon, At Large;
> Kathy Smith, Vice Chairman and Sully District;
> Elizabeth Bradsher, Springfield District;
> Tessie Wilson, Braddock District;
> Jane Strauss, Dranesville District.
> Stuart Gibson, Hunter Mill District;
> Kaye Kory, Mason District;
> Dan Storck, Chairman and Mount Vernon District;
> Brad Center, Lee District;
> James L. Raney, At Large;
> Martina Hone, At Large;
> Phillip Niedzielski-Eichner, Providence District.

Neen is rude Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Neen, you are a rude, base person to need to make
> these sorts of personal attacks while hiding
> behind a fake name. Shame on you! Every post
> you make turns my stomach and I am not from or a
> supportor of the South Lakes community that you
> constantly harass, but your posts give me some
> empathy for them.

Neen is Fairfax Underground's very own Ann Coulter, aged 20+ years, plunked down in Vienna with a real estate license and too much time on her hands, and given a local, anonymous forum on which to spout her views (AP, TJ, Madison, Oakton, Town of Vienna, and Whites (and possibly, Asians) = very good; IB, South Lakes and everyone else = very, very bad) rather than a national audience. While she brands herself pro-education and conservative, a fair number of her posts are blatantly racist, and she makes generalizations that often fly completely in the face of the facts on the ground. Just as Coulter is a gift to the Democratic Party, Neen is the best friend that the pro-RD crowd ever had. South Lakes should throw its party in her honor.

Did Marie Allen say how many SL minority students enter and graduate from the IB diploma program?

Look at Gibson's profile on fcps - "Member of Reston Optimists" His whole agenda is centered around Reston. It does not matter how the rest of the people feel or suffer. As long as Reston is happy it is a victory dance from Stu Gibson.

http://www.fcps.edu/schlbd/members.htm#gibson



Baffled Wrote:
>
> Yes it is rather poor taste and premature to do a
> party like this. It also sounds rather
> "gloating". Sorry, SL supporters, but that is
> JMO.

Baffled Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> stupid Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > What a stupid idea this party is. Will further
> > antoganize the very people they are trying to
> get
> > into SL.
> >
> > Bad taste Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > This is just the most weird low point in bad
> > taste
> > > I have seen in this RD battle. Celebrating
> the
> > > misfortune that has fallen on these RDed
> areas?
> > >
> > >
>
> Yes it is rather poor taste and premature to do a
> party like this. It also sounds rather
> "gloating". Sorry, SL supporters, but that is
> JMO.


I'm sure it's not a celebration or a gloating party. It's a commiseratory event among people who have had to deal with so much crap from knuckleheads like you and yours and brainiacs like Dame Edna. Sorry but JMHO.

sherman's slog : So what do you call a party that is called to "thank" people who caused people from MI, FM and Floris so much disruption - pupil place, sell their houses, go to private, lose their friends. Now there a word in the english dictionary for people who derive pleasure by inflicting pain on others - sadists


sherman's slog Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Baffled Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > stupid Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > What a stupid idea this party is. Will
> further
> > > antoganize the very people they are trying to
> > get
> > > into SL.
> > >
> > > Bad taste Wrote:
> > >
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> >
> > > -----
> > > > This is just the most weird low point in
> bad
> > > taste
> > > > I have seen in this RD battle. Celebrating
> > the
> > > > misfortune that has fallen on these RDed
> > areas?
> > > >
> > > >
> >
> > Yes it is rather poor taste and premature to do
> a
> > party like this. It also sounds rather
> > "gloating". Sorry, SL supporters, but that is
> > JMO.
>
>
> I'm sure it's not a celebration or a gloating
> party. It's a commiseratory event among people
> who have had to deal with so much crap from
> knuckleheads like you and yours and brainiacs like
> Dame Edna. Sorry but JMHO.

huh Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> sherman's slog : So what do you call a party that
> is called to "thank" people who caused people from
> MI, FM and Floris so much disruption - pupil
> place, sell their houses, go to private, lose
> their friends. Now there a word in the english
> dictionary for people who derive pleasure by
> inflicting pain on others - sadists
>
>
> sherman's slog Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Baffled Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > stupid Wrote:
> > >
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> >
> > > -----
> > > > What a stupid idea this party is. Will
> > further
> > > > antoganize the very people they are trying
> to
> > > get
> > > > into SL.
> > > >
> > > > Bad taste Wrote:
> > > >
> > >
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> >
> > >
> > > > -----
> > > > > This is just the most weird low point in
> > bad
> > > > taste
> > > > > I have seen in this RD battle.
> Celebrating
> > > the
> > > > > misfortune that has fallen on these RDed
> > > areas?
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > >
> > > Yes it is rather poor taste and premature to
> do
> > a
> > > party like this. It also sounds rather
> > > "gloating". Sorry, SL supporters, but that
> is
> > > JMO.
> >
> >
> > I'm sure it's not a celebration or a gloating
> > party. It's a commiseratory event among people
> > who have had to deal with so much crap from
> > knuckleheads like you and yours and brainiacs
> like
> > Dame Edna. Sorry but JMHO.


Calling a spade a spade: I call it whining, big-time.

I wrote the contact on the SLHS PTSA page for the party (if anyone else does so, note that you'll have to remove the period on the end of the email address -- the MAILTO: URL is malformed):


Don't you think that having a party to celebrate such a contentious event, with as-yet unproven benefits, is questionable at best and in bad taste at worst? It comes across as gloating, is exclusive of a large contingent, and ignores the very real community damage that resulted from the redistricting.

It would seem to me to be far more appropriate to hold a party to welcome the new families to the school. The invitee list would be the same, plus the folks redistricted to South Lakes. If none of the new families come, then at least you would have held out an olive branch.

No matter what anyone thinks about the redistricting, it happened. As the public face of the SLHS community, SLPTSA should step up and take the high ground.


The contact forwarded the note to Bruce Butler (which probably makes sense -- she's likely just a parent who's collecting names, not one of the real organizers) and I received the following, sent from Mr. Butler's Crackberry (hence the run-on formatting):


Thanks for your concern and recommendations. We are holding the thank you event for one reason; we wish as a community to recognize the many elementary school, middle school, high school, and graduate parents, and especially the countless students who worked very hard to support the South Lakes High School community during the boundary process. I decided after the first boundary meeting that we would have some snacks and say thanks to the community regardless of the school board's future decision. No one is gloating, and we certainly understand as well as anyone involved the invective that laced aspects of the process. When hundreds of students, past and present, unite to support their school, and do so with dignity and class, even when under intense scrutiny, to say thanks is appropriate. I can assure you the first thing I say, just as I discussed with our PTSA, will be that this is not about the decision, it is about community, and our ongoing responsibility to welcome those new to our school family. For your information we have held a series of welcoming events for our incoming students and families. They have been informative and enjoyable for all involved. We will be holding some special welcoming activities in the late summer to support incoming freshman as well. In terms of proven benifits, all at South Lakes are committed to continuing the same level of instructional rigor that we are respected for. Again this year, just like last year, every 11th senior has been accepted at UVA. Every 7th senior has been accepted at Tech. We have kids accepted at Princeton, Cornell, Penn, Brown, and many, many other extremely selective schools. Our acceptance rates are exceptional and reflect the dedication of both our students and faculty, especially when one undertands that some of our students are the first in their families to attend college. I absolutely agree that if we were to hold a callous celebration to cheer about the board's decision it would be wrong. Rest assured we are not doing this. Again we would be holding the gathering if the board had decided to not change the boundaries. We are simply thanking those, especially the kids, who reprented their school community in a respectul and affirming manner. If you would like to attend please do so, or if you want to visit South Lakes High School to learn more about our instructional program and core values please let me know, I would love to take you on a tour of our school. Thanks again for writing and asking questions, we knew that without context the "thank you" could be misinterpreted. If any of your friends have concerns about the intent of the get together please share the information I have provided. Thanks, Bruce Butler SLHS


It's a plausible reply. I don't think Butler is The Bad Guy here; I don't even think SLHS PTSA necessarily is, although Maria Allen and a few others could stand to learn to think before speaking (gee, none of US have ever had to say THAT to our kids...).

gibson victory dance Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> > His whole agenda is centered around Reston. It does not matter how the rest of the people feel or suffer. As long as Reston is happy it is a victory dance from Stu Gibson.< <

Sadly this is not true. If it were, Gibson would not have perpetuated the partition of Reston into two high schools but would have unified the city into one school by moving Aldrin and parts of Armstrong to SL.

It's never been clear who Stuy is taking care of but it ain't Reston, Reston's kids or anybody else's kids either.

Another Lurker Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It's a plausible reply. I don't think Butler is
> The Bad Guy here; I don't even think SLHS PTSA
> necessarily is, although Maria Allen and a few
> others could stand to learn to think before
> speaking (gee, none of US have ever had to say
> THAT to our kids...).

I think the reply is more than plausible - it is gracious, particularly since it was almost certainly composed in anticipation that nothing said would really make those unhappy with the outcome of this flawed RD feel better. And, while it may be a stock response sent to anyone who sends Bruce Butler a questioning or disparaging e-mail about the upcoming "celebration," it surely compares favorably with Stuart Gibson - who blatantly ignores calls or e-mails from his own Hunter Mill constituents! I would far rather have Mr. Butler on the School Board than most of the current members.

Bruce leads by example. You all would do well to do the same. Now stop with the juvenile attacks, especially you, Jeanine Martin, or whatever you are calling yourself these days.

...and without valid arguments usually resort to personal insults, as Neen so aptly demonstrates below. Her TJ/UVA son would be so proud.

Neen Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> I am sure that you and Stu will have a blast at
> your little party, along with the ALL the new
> students, all 10 of them. I hear Stu has written
> some great new Dr. Seuss poems for the occasion
> and will be leading cheers along with the PTA
> President, Elizabeth Aging-hippy, in her granny
> glasses, ever fashionable tie dyed granny dresses,
> and shag hair cut. What fun! We all enjoy 1960's
> costume parties. It's SOOOOO Reston! Be sure to
> take lots of pictures for us. We're all just SICK
> about having to miss the fun, but we need to do
> laundry that night, and wash our hair. Darn!
>
> Let us know when your little website exists, since
> it doesn't now.

It is obvious that I don't know who Neen is because I said Neems.

I just started coming to the Fairfaxunderground not too long ago.

My question is this....why is everyone so bitter toward Neen?

Because she's entirely unlikable, just like Hillary! Clinton.

Is Neen a supporter of RD or anti RD?

Sometime the posting is simple and concise. I read one the other day that read as if it were written in circular statements. I thought perhaps it was a code that was being sent to RD supporters or anti RD folks.

stupid Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> What a stupid idea this party is. Will further
> antoganize the very people they are trying to get
> into SL.
>
Yes, that group never was the sharpest tools in the shed. Very dull tools. They can't even think about how their little party might be viewed by other people. Sails right over their little pinheads.

Yes, the party is certainly designed for them to gloat and stick it in the face of those who are forced to go to South Lakes.

But we all knew that they weren't very nice people. They don't care about anyone's feelings, other than their own.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/18/2008 03:30AM by Neen.

edna Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It is obvious that I don't know who Neen is
> because I said Neems.
>
> I just started coming to the Fairfaxunderground
> not too long ago.
>
> My question is this....why is everyone so bitter
> toward Neen?

Because they can't handle the truth.

I never supported the RD because I think people should have a CHOICE. Pretty radical, huh?

Heads Held Low... Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> ...and without valid arguments usually resort to
> personal insults, as Neen so aptly demonstrates
> below. Her TJ/UVA son would be so proud.
>
> Neen Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
>
> > I am sure that you and Stu will have a blast at
> > your little party, along with the ALL the new
> > students, all 10 of them. I hear Stu has
> written
> > some great new Dr. Seuss poems for the occasion
> > and will be leading cheers along with the PTA
> > President, Elizabeth Aging-hippy, in her granny
> > glasses, ever fashionable tie dyed granny
> dresses,
> > and shag hair cut. What fun! We all enjoy
> 1960's
> > costume parties. It's SOOOOO Reston! Be sure to
> > take lots of pictures for us. We're all just
> SICK
> > about having to miss the fun, but we need to do
> > laundry that night, and wash our hair. Darn!
> >
> > Let us know when your little website exists,
> since
> > it doesn't now.

You are right, I shouldn't have posted that. I should have just said, once again the PTSA at South Lakes shows no class, and no sensitivity to the feelings of anyone but themselves.

Gloaters R them.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/18/2008 03:20AM by Neen.

carryout Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Did Marie Allen say how many SL minority students
> enter and graduate from the IB diploma program?

Yes, Maria actually cares about ALL the children in Reston. She's aware that many of the Black students in Reston are not getting the education that they deserve. She tends to tell the truth. That might explain why the SL PTSA has little use for her now that redistricting is over. Or, perhaps it's simply because Stu doesn't like her tendency to blurt out the truth, and the PTSA always goes along with Stu. (shrugs)

Maria Allen has compiled some shocking data on Reston schools, data that Stu would prefer not be known.

Thomas More Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> gibson victory dance Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > > His whole agenda is centered around Reston. It
> does not matter how the rest of the people feel or
> suffer. As long as Reston is happy it is a victory
> dance from Stu Gibson.< <
>
> Sadly this is not true. If it were, Gibson would
> not have perpetuated the partition of Reston into
> two high schools but would have unified the city
> into one school by moving Aldrin and parts of
> Armstrong to SL.
>
> It's never been clear who Stuy is taking care of
> but it ain't Reston, Reston's kids or anybody
> else's kids either.

I can assure you that he is not Vienna. We never see him here. But we
are totally find with that. Please keep him in REston.

Isn't he mostly working on Capitol Hill to get rid of NCLB so he can be hero of all teachers? I think that he said that was biggest goal for the next four years. Try not to worry, I'm sure he will take a break in his busy day for the celebration of his little victory over Floris and Fox Mill.

Has anyone driven around the Madison Island and Fox Mill? It looks like half of the houses are for sale! Yikes. They're getting out of Dodge.

Neenologist Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>> Neen is Fairfax Underground's very own Ann
> Coulter, aged 20+ years, plunked down in Vienna
> with a real estate license and too much time on
> her hands, and given a local, anonymous forum on
> which to spout her views (AP, TJ, Madison, Oakton,
> Town of Vienna, and Whites (and possibly, Asians)
> = very good; IB, South Lakes and everyone else =
> very, very bad) rather than a national audience.
> While she brands herself pro-education and
> conservative, a fair number of her posts are
> blatantly racist, and she makes generalizations
> that often fly completely in the face of the facts
> on the ground. Just as Coulter is a gift to the
> Democratic Party, Neen is the best friend that the
> pro-RD crowd ever had. South Lakes should throw
> its party in her honor.

Well, aren't you just the sweetest thing? Bless your heart.
One itty bitty bone to pick. I am not in real estate, never have been.

Neen Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> carryout Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Did Marie Allen say how many SL minority
> students
> > enter and graduate from the IB diploma program?
>
> Yes, Maria actually cares about ALL the children
> in Reston. She's aware that many of the Black
> students in Reston are not getting the education
> that they deserve. She tends to tell the truth.
> That might explain why the SL PTSA has little use
> for her now that redistricting is over. Or,
> perhaps it's simply because Stu doesn't like her
> tendency to blurt out the truth, and the PTSA
> always goes along with Stu. (shrugs)
>
> Maria Allen has compiled some shocking data on
> Reston schools, data that Stu would prefer not be
> known.

Neen how can we see this data?

edna Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It is obvious that I don't know who Neen is
> because I said Neems.
>
> I just started coming to the Fairfaxunderground
> not too long ago.
>
> My question is this....why is everyone so bitter
> toward Neen?

Edna, I don't think everyone is so bitter toward Neen. I am sure there are Neen fans out there as well as you can see there have been anti Neens. She predicted right on the nail the vote was going to be 10 to 2 and also predicted the RD would fail. I have to agree with her on one thing, we do have choice of schools to go to. Even the Fcps website had a link to help parents decide which school is right for their kids.

A nice reply from Bruce. It is propaganda. None of it changes the harsh reality that these RD areas now have to face. Bruce was part of the team that brought about the RD in the horrible way it was done. It would be naive to think that Bruce was not out there lobbying in the background for pulling specific areas into South Lakes. He is as much bought into the notion that rich white familites of North Reston should go Langley and middle class diverse neighbourhoods of FM and floris should go to South Lakes, as is Stu Gibson. Stu Gibson was in the front implementing his racist and facist ideas, Bruce was silently working in the back during the RD.


Another Lurker Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I wrote the contact on the SLHS PTSA page for the
> party (if anyone else does so, note that you'll
> have to remove the period on the end of the email
> address -- the MAILTO: URL is malformed):
>
>
> Don't you think that having a party to celebrate
> such a contentious event, with as-yet unproven
> benefits, is questionable at best and in bad taste
> at worst? It comes across as gloating, is
> exclusive of a large contingent, and ignores the
> very real community damage that resulted from the
> redistricting.
>
> It would seem to me to be far more appropriate to
> hold a party to welcome the new families to the
> school. The invitee list would be the same, plus
> the folks redistricted to South Lakes. If none of
> the new families come, then at least you would
> have held out an olive branch.
>
> No matter what anyone thinks about the
> redistricting, it happened. As the public face of
> the SLHS community, SLPTSA should step up and take
> the high ground.
>
>
> The contact forwarded the note to Bruce Butler
> (which probably makes sense -- she's likely just a
> parent who's collecting names, not one of the real
> organizers) and I received the following, sent
> from Mr. Butler's Crackberry (hence the run-on
> formatting):
>
>
> Thanks for your concern and recommendations. We
> are holding the thank you event for one reason; we
> wish as a community to recognize the many
> elementary school, middle school, high school, and
> graduate parents, and especially the countless
> students who worked very hard to support the South
> Lakes High School community during the boundary
> process. I decided after the first boundary
> meeting that we would have some snacks and say
> thanks to the community regardless of the school
> board's future decision. No one is gloating, and
> we certainly understand as well as anyone involved
> the invective that laced aspects of the process.
> When hundreds of students, past and present, unite
> to support their school, and do so with dignity
> and class, even when under intense scrutiny, to
> say thanks is appropriate. I can assure you the
> first thing I say, just as I discussed with our
> PTSA, will be that this is not about the decision,
> it is about community, and our ongoing
> responsibility to welcome those new to our school
> family. For your information we have held a series
> of welcoming events for our incoming students and
> families. They have been informative and enjoyable
> for all involved. We will be holding some special
> welcoming activities in the late summer to support
> incoming freshman as well. In terms of proven
> benifits, all at South Lakes are committed to
> continuing the same level of instructional rigor
> that we are respected for. Again this year, just
> like last year, every 11th senior has been
> accepted at UVA. Every 7th senior has been
> accepted at Tech. We have kids accepted at
> Princeton, Cornell, Penn, Brown, and many, many
> other extremely selective schools. Our acceptance
> rates are exceptional and reflect the dedication
> of both our students and faculty, especially when
> one undertands that some of our students are the
> first in their families to attend college. I
> absolutely agree that if we were to hold a callous
> celebration to cheer about the board's decision it
> would be wrong. Rest assured we are not doing
> this. Again we would be holding the gathering if
> the board had decided to not change the
> boundaries. We are simply thanking those,
> especially the kids, who reprented their school
> community in a respectul and affirming manner. If
> you would like to attend please do so, or if you
> want to visit South Lakes High School to learn
> more about our instructional program and core
> values please let me know, I would love to take
> you on a tour of our school. Thanks again for
> writing and asking questions, we knew that without
> context the "thank you" could be misinterpreted.
> If any of your friends have concerns about the
> intent of the get together please share the
> information I have provided. Thanks, Bruce Butler
> SLHS
>
>
> It's a plausible reply. I don't think Butler is
> The Bad Guy here; I don't even think SLHS PTSA
> necessarily is, although Maria Allen and a few
> others could stand to learn to think before
> speaking (gee, none of US have ever had to say
> THAT to our kids...).

bruce part of the SL coalation Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> A nice reply from Bruce. It is propaganda. None of
> it changes the harsh reality that these RD areas
> now have to face. Bruce was part of the team that
> brought about the RD in the horrible way it was
> done. It would be naive to think that Bruce was
> not out there lobbying in the background for
> pulling specific areas into South Lakes. He is as
> much bought into the notion that rich white
> familites of North Reston should go Langley and
> middle class diverse neighbourhoods of FM and
> floris should go to South Lakes, as is Stu Gibson.
> Stu Gibson was in the front implementing his
> racist and facist ideas, Bruce was silently
> working in the back during the RD.
<snip>

And...he should have done what instead? I've been as horrified by this RD as anyone (though not directly affected), but shouldn't he have been advocating for his school? I really don't know what else he could have been reasonably expected to do.

If the roles had been reversed, would you have gone into the process believing that the SB could act so duplicitously, manipulating the Pravda to the extent that they did, and that the end result would be so divisive? I sure didn't.

And as one of the cogs on the wheel, it's not clear to me what Butler could have done differently. Should he have said "Gee, after due consideration, I'm happy with a half-empty school"? "You [the SB} are lying to the public"? "I don't want my school 'fixed'"? Not in public, not if he wants to remain principal. Perhaps in private, but we'll never know.

I've never met the man, but everything I've read suggests that he's a decent guy, and I'm inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt.

BTW, I also got a note from the Elizabeth Vandenberg, acknowledging that what's on the PTSA website is insufficient and promising it will be updated.

Another Lurker Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> bruce part of the SL coalation Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > A nice reply from Bruce. It is propaganda. None
> of
> > it changes the harsh reality that these RD
> areas
> > now have to face. Bruce was part of the team
> that
> > brought about the RD in the horrible way it was
> > done. It would be naive to think that Bruce was
> > not out there lobbying in the background for
> > pulling specific areas into South Lakes. He is
> as
> > much bought into the notion that rich white
> > familites of North Reston should go Langley and
> > middle class diverse neighbourhoods of FM and
> > floris should go to South Lakes, as is Stu
> Gibson.
> > Stu Gibson was in the front implementing his
> > racist and facist ideas, Bruce was silently
> > working in the back during the RD.
> <snip>
>
> And...he should have done what instead? I've been
> as horrified by this RD as anyone (though not
> directly affected), but shouldn't he have been
> advocating for his school? I really don't know
> what else he could have been reasonably expected
> to do.
>
> If the roles had been reversed, would you have
> gone into the process believing that the SB could
> act so duplicitously, manipulating the Pravda to
> the extent that they did, and that the end result
> would be so divisive? I sure didn't.
>
> And as one of the cogs on the wheel, it's not
> clear to me what Butler could have done
> differently. Should he have said "Gee, after due
> consideration, I'm happy with a half-empty
> school"? "You [the SB} are lying to the public"?
> "I don't want my school 'fixed'"? Not in public,
> not if he wants to remain principal. Perhaps in
> private, but we'll never know.
>
> I've never met the man, but everything I've read
> suggests that he's a decent guy, and I'm inclined
> to give him the benefit of the doubt.
>
> BTW, I also got a note from the Elizabeth
> Vandenberg, acknowledging that what's on the PTSA
> website is insufficient and promising it will be
> updated.


I will tell you what Bruce could have done!!

He should have lobbied to kick IB out of South Lakes and get the mainstream AP program ASAP. That would have stopped the bleeding.

But I guess he does not have enough balls to stand up to Stu.

A person who lives in Madison Island said in one neigbhorhood of 23 houses, 4 went up for sale. One has sold with a contract on another one.

True leadership requires the moral courage to speak the truth. Bruce should have spoken out for the inclusion of all schools with which SL shares a boundary. Just Ends do not justify unjust means to attain them. He saw what was going on and he kept quiet - implicitly supporting the likes of Stu Gibson. With Langley and Madison both overcrowded and out of the study - there was no just or fair solution to this RD. Without any AP courses, going to SL was viewed by the vast majority of people as a huge loss. People take losses better is there is fairness in the process. Bruce also did nothing to bring back AP so that people did not feel the loss in the first place. Instead South Lakes played the race and victim card to hide behind IB, instead of taking the challenges of AP head on.


Another Lurker Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> bruce part of the SL coalation Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > A nice reply from Bruce. It is propaganda. None
> of
> > it changes the harsh reality that these RD
> areas
> > now have to face. Bruce was part of the team
> that
> > brought about the RD in the horrible way it was
> > done. It would be naive to think that Bruce was
> > not out there lobbying in the background for
> > pulling specific areas into South Lakes. He is
> as
> > much bought into the notion that rich white
> > familites of North Reston should go Langley and
> > middle class diverse neighbourhoods of FM and
> > floris should go to South Lakes, as is Stu
> Gibson.
> > Stu Gibson was in the front implementing his
> > racist and facist ideas, Bruce was silently
> > working in the back during the RD.
> <snip>
>
> And...he should have done what instead? I've been
> as horrified by this RD as anyone (though not
> directly affected), but shouldn't he have been
> advocating for his school? I really don't know
> what else he could have been reasonably expected
> to do.
>
> If the roles had been reversed, would you have
> gone into the process believing that the SB could
> act so duplicitously, manipulating the Pravda to
> the extent that they did, and that the end result
> would be so divisive? I sure didn't.
>
> And as one of the cogs on the wheel, it's not
> clear to me what Butler could have done
> differently. Should he have said "Gee, after due
> consideration, I'm happy with a half-empty
> school"? "You [the SB} are lying to the public"?
> "I don't want my school 'fixed'"? Not in public,
> not if he wants to remain principal. Perhaps in
> private, but we'll never know.
>
> I've never met the man, but everything I've read
> suggests that he's a decent guy, and I'm inclined
> to give him the benefit of the doubt.
>
> BTW, I also got a note from the Elizabeth
> Vandenberg, acknowledging that what's on the PTSA
> website is insufficient and promising it will be
> updated.

from South Lakes but I have read this forum all along and followed all the public hearings. South Lakes did not pull out the race card first and neither did Fox Mill or Floris (because that early they were not paying enough due attention to the issues), it was people on this forum who pulled it out and slandered South Lakes to the point that they felt they had to begin defending themselves-- at which point much spiraled out of control feed by bullies and trolls and all sorts of other opinions and misinformation.

Neen Wrote:
> Well, aren't you just the sweetest thing? Bless
> your heart.
> One itty bitty bone to pick. I am not in real
> estate, never have been.

Ah - should have known that there is no professional reason why you spend your free time canvassing the "For Sale" signs in Fox Mill and Madison Island, and it means only that you're a busy body.

BTW, there are houses for sale all over the place, not just in the two neighborhoods. Did the South Lakes PTSA single-handedly cause the housing and credit crises? And how does it help the FM/MI sellers to suggest that they are putting their homes on the market in fire-sale conditions? Are you sympathizing with them or pointing out the error of their ways for not having bought in your little corner of Vienna?

These SBM have their heads in the sand. To say all schools are equal is stupid. The first thing people do while buying a house is to look at schools and then they only look for what is available in the school area they choose. Fox mill and Floris were a good affordable middle class area in dulles corridor going to Oakton. Now these carpetbaggers SBM took that away - just look at the prices of houses left in Oakton - most are touching a million or more. These SBMs just priced us out of Oakton.

Most of the parents whose kids are not rising 9th graders are still in a state of denial that this has happened to them. The one with younger kids are hoping that another RD will save them before their kids are ready for HS. In how many years can one expect another RD to come along?

bruce part of the SL coalation Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> True leadership requires the moral courage to
> speak the truth. Bruce should have spoken out for
> the inclusion of all schools with which SL shares
> a boundary. Just Ends do not justify unjust means
> to attain them. He saw what was going on and he
> kept quiet - implicitly supporting the likes of
> Stu Gibson. With Langley and Madison both
> overcrowded and out of the study - there was no
> just or fair solution to this RD. Without any AP
> courses, going to SL was viewed by the vast
> majority of people as a huge loss. People take
> losses better is there is fairness in the process.
> Bruce also did nothing to bring back AP so that
> people did not feel the loss in the first place.
> Instead South Lakes played the race and victim
> card to hide behind IB, instead of taking the
> challenges of AP head on.
>
I'm in the same camp (now) as Another Lurker - I think the RD was a mistake and agree the process was terrible.

And yet, these criticisms of Bruce Butler continue to seem off-the-mark. Do principals ever go on the record with respect to the details of a boundary change? If Butler had said that some Langley and more Madison students should have been RD'd to South Lakes rather than Fox Mill and Floris, he surely would have been criticized for pursuing more affluent students and shunning a (slightly) less affluent influx of students. If he had called for the replacement of IB with AP during the RD process, current parents at South Lakes that like the IB program would have accused him of kowtowing to parents who opposed it and didn't even yet have kids enrolled at South Lakes.

There are many important issues that the School Board needs to face directly (when is a RD truly appropriate; how does one conduct a process that is fair in both fact and appearance; and why should IB, with its higher per student costs, be continued as an alternative to AP when some parents will only send their kids to AP schools). I just don't see how you can expect him to have staked out positions on these particular issues during the actual RD process - he had a school to run regardless of what happened.

I am not Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> from South Lakes but I have read this forum all
> along and followed all the public hearings. South
> Lakes did not pull out the race card first and
> neither did Fox Mill or Floris (because that early
> they were not paying enough due attention to the
> issues), it was people on this forum who pulled it
> out and slandered South Lakes to the point that
> they felt they had to begin defending themselves--
> at which point much spiraled out of control feed
> by bullies and trolls and all sorts of other
> opinions and misinformation.

It all depends on how you define "race card." If you study this process carefully, you will conclude that the South Lakes PTA groups who were tight with Stu Gibson lobbied for the RD of particular neighborhoods that they concluded would "improve the school's socio-economic balance" and provide South Lakes with "equal opportunities." This isn't a wild conspiracy theory - it's precisely what the South Lakes PTA articulated and defended in its talking points in support of the RD.

Once this process was set in motion, and other neighborhoods that were equally logical, if not more appropriate, candidates for inclusion in a boundary study were excluded for political reasons, the affected parents no longer viewed this as a potential redistricting, but instead as an annexation. Plenty of bullies and trolls hopped on board the bandwagon afterwards, but the problems began with Gibson and his supporters.

Well I, along with many others, applaud the school board for their efforts and work in redistricting. It is sad that a few want to make such a controversy of it. A 12-2 vote shows that the major of people in the districts are for the redistricting.

Plus, redistricting is mandated by federal standards.

I'll say it again--

If you buy a house based on school statistics and test scores, you are naive. There are no guarantees in life. For all of you in the Oakton or Madison districts--there were never guaranatees that your beloved schools will remain mightier than South Lakes as the years go by. Things change. This is the 21st century. Get with the program.

Lots of houses are for sale--you know why? Because they are about to be foreclosed on, not necessarily because of the schools. Check out the web sites that show which ones they are--on a map. There are tons of pre-foreclosure sales in Herndon. Rich people make stupid financial decisions just as much as us middle and lower class slobs in Reston. Like I said--there are no guarantees in life...

Stop the insults, stop insulting each other, your neighbors, your neighbor's children, and the county workers we can't do without. And--if you really want to make a differfnece, run for the school board. Put up or shut up.

disgusted Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I'll say it again--
>
> If you buy a house based on school statistics and
> test scores, you are naive. There are no
> guarantees in life. For all of you in the Oakton
> or Madison districts--there were never guaranatees
> that your beloved schools will remain mightier
> than South Lakes as the years go by. Things
> change. This is the 21st century. Get with the
> program.
>

I know this is the 21st century - those are the years in which the enrollment at South Lakes declined by the hundreds, while all the other schools in the area grew. Please don't say it's the demographics - that just doesn't cut it.

Sad that you don't have even a remote clue as to how much the South Lakes community has antagonized the rest of us. We do have a "program" - it just won't include you, your school or your beloved school board representative.

Don't blame either SL PTSA or the anti-RDers for this one. Blame Staff and the SB.

Given that the Staff/SB's stated objectives in the first town hall meeting for redistricting included "Improve balance of socio-economic characteristics among these schools to the extent practicable" - townmeeting11-12-07.pdf, slide 38 - and the extremely strong correlation between "socio-economic characteristics" and race in the boundary study area, it's hard to imagine how race wasn't going to be brought up.



Not So Obvious Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I am not Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > from South Lakes but I have read this forum all
> > along and followed all the public hearings.
> South
> > Lakes did not pull out the race card first and
> > neither did Fox Mill or Floris (because that
> early
> > they were not paying enough due attention to
> the
> > issues), it was people on this forum who pulled
> it
> > out and slandered South Lakes to the point that
> > they felt they had to begin defending
> themselves--
> > at which point much spiraled out of control
> feed
> > by bullies and trolls and all sorts of other
> > opinions and misinformation.
>
> It all depends on how you define "race card." If
> you study this process carefully, you will
> conclude that the South Lakes PTA groups who were
> tight with Stu Gibson lobbied for the RD of
> particular neighborhoods that they concluded would
> "improve the school's socio-economic balance" and
> provide South Lakes with "equal opportunities."
> This isn't a wild conspiracy theory - it's
> precisely what the South Lakes PTA articulated and
> defended in its talking points in support of the
> RD.
>
> Once this process was set in motion, and other
> neighborhoods that were equally logical, if not
> more appropriate, candidates for inclusion in a
> boundary study were excluded for political
> reasons, the affected parents no longer viewed
> this as a potential redistricting, but instead as
> an annexation. Plenty of bullies and trolls
> hopped on board the bandwagon afterwards, but the
> problems began with Gibson and his supporters.

The program includes - puplil place or move. Some of my neighbours have bought houses in Oakton area and are in process of selling their existing houses. Going to South Lakes does not even appear as a last resort. If all else fails rent a house in Oakton area and put existing house on rent. The hard part is that in some cases the younger sibling has to go leave foxmill elementary - these areas of Oakton feed into Navy and Crossfield at elementary level. Stu Gibson has totally screwed our families. He has the heartfelt curses of hundreds of families. How does Gibson face himself in the mirror each day after having caused so much pain to so many - evilest of the evil.



21st Century Mom Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> disgusted Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I'll say it again--
> >
> > If you buy a house based on school statistics
> and
> > test scores, you are naive. There are no
> > guarantees in life. For all of you in the
> Oakton
> > or Madison districts--there were never
> guaranatees
> > that your beloved schools will remain mightier
> > than South Lakes as the years go by. Things
> > change. This is the 21st century. Get with the
> > program.
> >
>
> I know this is the 21st century - those are the
> years in which the enrollment at South Lakes
> declined by the hundreds, while all the other
> schools in the area grew. Please don't say it's
> the demographics - that just doesn't cut it.
>
> Sad that you don't have even a remote clue as to
> how much the South Lakes community has antagonized
> the rest of us. We do have a "program" - it just
> won't include you, your school or your beloved
> school board representative.

The school, the PTA, and the SB sould be ashamed of these marks.
South Lakes

RANK # 22

MATH C+

SCIENCE C

ENGLISH B+

SOCIAL
STUDIES B

GPA 2.45

What a great legacy for the ass hole Gibson.

The first step is to forgive. Let God judge Stu Gibson for his sins and the suffering he has caused. Your getting upset is just delaying your healing process. Move on and look for alternatives. As dark as things look now, there is always a way... Best of luck.

sadest... Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The program includes - puplil place or move.
> Some of my neighbours have bought houses in Oakton
> area and are in process of selling their existing
> houses. Going to South Lakes does not even appear
> as a last resort. If all else fails rent a house
> in Oakton area and put existing house on rent. The
> hard part is that in some cases the younger
> sibling has to go leave foxmill elementary - these
> areas of Oakton feed into Navy and Crossfield at
> elementary level. Stu Gibson has totally screwed
> our families. He has the heartfelt curses of
> hundreds of families. How does Gibson face himself
> in the mirror each day after having caused so much
> pain to so many - evilest of the evil.
>
>
>
> 21st Century Mom Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > disgusted Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > I'll say it again--
> > >
> > > If you buy a house based on school statistics
> > and
> > > test scores, you are naive. There are no
> > > guarantees in life. For all of you in the
> > Oakton
> > > or Madison districts--there were never
> > guaranatees
> > > that your beloved schools will remain
> mightier
> > > than South Lakes as the years go by. Things
> > > change. This is the 21st century. Get with
> the
> > > program.
> > >
> >
> > I know this is the 21st century - those are the
> > years in which the enrollment at South Lakes
> > declined by the hundreds, while all the other
> > schools in the area grew. Please don't say
> it's
> > the demographics - that just doesn't cut it.
> >
> > Sad that you don't have even a remote clue as
> to
> > how much the South Lakes community has
> antagonized
> > the rest of us. We do have a "program" - it
> just
> > won't include you, your school or your beloved
> > school board representative.

I am not Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> from South Lakes but I have read this forum all
> along and followed all the public hearings. South
> Lakes did not pull out the race card first and
> neither did Fox Mill or Floris (because that early
> they were not paying enough due attention to the
> issues), it was people on this forum who pulled it
> out and slandered South Lakes to the point that
> they felt they had to begin defending themselves--
> at which point much spiraled out of control feed
> by bullies and trolls and all sorts of other
> opinions and misinformation.


Actually I don't think the talk of racism started on this forum--or certainly didn't end here. It was a teacher at SL, who spoke at the first public hearing, who suggested those who didn't support the RD were racists; it was Stu Gibson who told his farmer and plow story and immediately cited the number of hispanics at SL at the RD vote meeting; and it was Bruce Butler, who in a November article in the SL newspaper, said that he thought those who didn't want/like SL might "fear diversity." What does the phrase fear diversity mean to you? So, there are many people responsible for the racial rhetoric regarding SL.

Hate to burst your bubble DISGUSTED. Not one of the four houses being sold that I see in Madison Island are due to foreclosure. These parents are selling and moving to Vienna. Can't speak about what is happening in other areas. But the 5 familes I know who have sold in Fox Mill and Floris sold due to the redistricting, not to foreclosure.

County Dad Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Well I, along with many others, applaud the school
> board for their efforts and work in redistricting.
> It is sad that a few want to make such a
> controversy of it. A 12-2 vote shows that the
> major of people in the districts are for the
> redistricting.
>
> Plus, redistricting is mandated by federal
> standards.

The vote, which was 10-2 by the way, has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with what the "people in the districts" were for or against. Most people who were not affected had/have no opinion, or at best, they are "for" it as long as their schools weren't touched.

Federal standards assume redistricting will be done in a logical and objective manner. This RD was neither.

Put Them in JAIL Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The school, the PTA, and the SB sould be ashamed
> of these marks.
> South Lakes
>
> RANK # 22
>
> MATH C+
>
> SCIENCE C
>
> ENGLISH B+
>
> SOCIAL
> STUDIES B
>
> GPA 2.45
>
> What a great legacy for the ass hole Gibson.


Your stupidity and your profanity make me sick. STFU. You are a foolish moron. Please stop and get a real life, other than being such a damn fool. It hurts the planetary balance.

Corn heller Wrote:

> > The school, the PTA, and the SB sould be
> ashamed of these marks.

> > South Lakes
> >
> > RANK # 22
> >
> > MATH C+
> >
> > SCIENCE C
> >
> > ENGLISH B+
> >
> > SOCIAL
> > STUDIES B
> >
> > GPA 2.45
> >
> > What a great legacy for the ass hole Gibson.

2 sale I know due to RD. Anti RD crowd calls this exodus. Pro South Lakes school board members call it aging of the community. Foxmill, MI and East floris are now going to "age" at at accelerated pace.

reality check Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hate to burst your bubble DISGUSTED. Not one of
> the four houses being sold that I see in Madison
> Island are due to foreclosure. These parents are
> selling and moving to Vienna. Can't speak about
> what is happening in other areas. But the 5
> familes I know who have sold in Fox Mill and
> Floris sold due to the redistricting, not to
> foreclosure.

>
> I will tell you what Bruce could have done!!
>
> He should have lobbied to kick IB out of South
> Lakes and get the mainstream AP program ASAP.
> That would have stopped the bleeding.
>
> But I guess he does not have enough balls to stand
> up to Stu.<<<<

Why would you think that Bruce doesn't love IB as much as Stu does? He has given NO evidence of anything but a love for IB. Ditto his PTSA. They love IB, it fits their silly political agenda.

Neenologist Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Neen Wrote:
> > Well, aren't you just the sweetest thing?
> Bless
> > your heart.
> > One itty bitty bone to pick. I am not in real
> > estate, never have been.
>
> Ah - should have known that there is no
> professional reason why you spend your free time
> canvassing the "For Sale" signs in Fox Mill and
> Madison Island, and it means only that you're a
> busy body.
>
> BTW, there are houses for sale all over the place,
> not just in the two neighborhoods. Did the South
> Lakes PTSA single-handedly cause the housing and
> credit crises? And how does it help the FM/MI
> sellers to suggest that they are putting their
> homes on the market in fire-sale conditions? Are
> you sympathizing with them or pointing out the
> error of their ways for not having bought in your
> little corner of Vienna?

I am telling you what people who live in Fox Mill have told me. LOTS of homes went up for sale after the redistricting was complete.

Of course I am sympathetic to people who have to move so that they can send their children to the school that the chose for them when they bought their house. Isn't everyone? Other than you?

Data Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Neen Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > carryout Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > Did Marie Allen say how many SL minority
> > students
> > > enter and graduate from the IB diploma
> program?
> >
> > Yes, Maria actually cares about ALL the
> children
> > in Reston. She's aware that many of the Black
> > students in Reston are not getting the
> education
> > that they deserve. She tends to tell the truth.
>
> > That might explain why the SL PTSA has little
> use
> > for her now that redistricting is over. Or,
> > perhaps it's simply because Stu doesn't like
> her
> > tendency to blurt out the truth, and the PTSA
> > always goes along with Stu. (shrugs)
> >
> > Maria Allen has compiled some shocking data on
> > Reston schools, data that Stu would prefer not
> be
> > known.
>
> Neen how can we see this data?

Email Maria Allen. I'm sure that her email is on the SL PTSA website. If they haven't booted her yet.

>>>BTW, I also got a note from the Elizabeth
> Vandenberg, acknowledging that what's on the PTSA
> website is insufficient and promising it will be
> updated.<<<

Gee, too little too late. They've shown themselves. That cannot be undone.

denial Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Most of the parents whose kids are not rising 9th
> graders are still in a state of denial that this
> has happened to them. The one with younger kids
> are hoping that another RD will save them before
> their kids are ready for HS. In how many years can
> one expect another RD to come along?

Four years, after the NEXT election. This redistricting won't work. SL's will remain under enrolled by at least 500 students. The choice will be to close it, or redistrict again. But not until Stu's been re-elected again.

Baffled Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> edna Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > It is obvious that I don't know who Neen is
> > because I said Neems.
> >
> > I just started coming to the Fairfaxunderground
> > not too long ago.
> >
> > My question is this....why is everyone so
> bitter
> > toward Neen?
>
> Edna, I don't think everyone is so bitter toward
> Neen. I am sure there are Neen fans out there as
> well as you can see there have been anti Neens.
> She predicted right on the nail the vote was going
> to be 10 to 2 and also predicted the RD would
> fail. I have to agree with her on one thing, we do
> have choice of schools to go to. Even the Fcps
> website had a link to help parents decide which
> school is right for their kids<<<<

Yes, you have some choice, assuming that you aren't poor. Poor people often can't transport their children to another school. You also can't choose exactly the school you want, but the school FCPS chooses to let you attend.

Not So Obvious Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> bruce part of the SL coalation Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > True leadership requires the moral courage to
> > speak the truth. Bruce should have spoken out
> for
> > the inclusion of all schools with which SL
> shares
> > a boundary. Just Ends do not justify unjust
> means
> > to attain them. He saw what was going on and he
> > kept quiet - implicitly supporting the likes of
> > Stu Gibson. With Langley and Madison both
> > overcrowded and out of the study - there was no
> > just or fair solution to this RD. Without any
> AP
> > courses, going to SL was viewed by the vast
> > majority of people as a huge loss. People take
> > losses better is there is fairness in the
> process.
> > Bruce also did nothing to bring back AP so that
> > people did not feel the loss in the first
> place.
> > Instead South Lakes played the race and victim
> > card to hide behind IB, instead of taking the
> > challenges of AP head on.
> >
> I'm in the same camp (now) as Another Lurker - I
> think the RD was a mistake and agree the process
> was terrible.
>
> And yet, these criticisms of Bruce Butler continue
> to seem off-the-mark. Do principals ever go on
> the record with respect to the details of a
> boundary change? If Butler had said that some
> Langley and more Madison students should have been
> RD'd to South Lakes rather than Fox Mill and
> Floris, he surely would have been criticized for
> pursuing more affluent students and shunning a
> (slightly) less affluent influx of students. If
> he had called for the replacement of IB with AP
> during the RD process, current parents at South
> Lakes that like the IB program would have accused
> him of kowtowing to parents who opposed it and
> didn't even yet have kids enrolled at South Lakes.
>
>
> There are many important issues that the School
> Board needs to face directly (when is a RD truly
> appropriate; how does one conduct a process that
> is fair in both fact and appearance; and why
> should IB, with its higher per student costs, be
> continued as an alternative to AP when some
> parents will only send their kids to AP schools).
> I just don't see how you can expect him to have
> staked out positions on these particular issues
> during the actual RD process - he had a school to
> run regardless of what happened.


Good post. When did the school board ever care about cost efficiency of any program? Never. Why would they? They have no incentive to care. If staff likes IB, they like IB. It fits the SB and staff liberal agenda. They don't care what it costs, nor do they care that the vast majority of people want AP. They made it rather obvious that they like IB and they don't care what the people want or the price.

The school board has figured out how to do redistricting from now on. Outside consultants will now decide redistricting. The School board thinks that lets them off the hook. They've already hired consultants to tell them what to do about the south county middle school. Gee, let's guess what their paid consultants will tell them. lol

Well, the Washington Post/Newsweek rankings are out. Again, SL is a loser compared to Oakton, Herndon and Nowhere Texas. Damn. Good thing I can afford private school. I feel sorry for my neighbors.

...well for South Lakes. Let's see, SL ranks 515 out of 27,000 schools that offer AP/IB - in the top 2% nationwide - yet one cretin thinks that's a failure.

Let's see, South Lakes moved from 859 to 515, without the benefit of redistricting, and one neanderthal considers it a failure.

Let's see, South Lakes is an IB school, IB tests are given after two years of coursework given, so less tests taken, and it still ranks in the top 2%, yet one moron considers it a failure.

Damned if they do and damned if they don't.

The Data Does Speak - your points are good ones insofar as it reflects what good students can and do accomplish at SLHS - and at other similarly situated schools in the FCPS. There's money and socio-economic status here - any jog around the lakes in Reston will authenticate that - and a serious IB program - or for that matter - a serious AP program - is going to produce some pretty darn good students. And whatever the complaints about SLHS, my view is that it takes its upper level academic programs seriously, and ought to be proud of them and its students. So success for a certain portion of that school, while not surprising, is nevertheless earned and welcome.

The challenge is that NCLB does in fact delineate failure - rightly or wrongly - that is what it does. And the "bar" with NCLB goes up every year - to levels that I think are largely unrealistic (some will disagree, especially conservatives) - 100% proficiency by 2014 is a pipe dream. And being in the failure zone - an unfortunate term but not an inaccurate one with NCLB - is really bad news - because in Fairfax the data suggest that a NCLB school will have most of its good students leave and transfer - and that is a never ending trap. I am not sure exactly what SLHS was seeing in the future as far as NCLB - but given the multiple whammy of ever rising NCLB standards, a few constituent schools in the pyramid already in NCLB failing mode, changing demographics, and an "exodus" - for whatever reason, of some middle to upper middle students - it makes sense why the urge to redistrict was so great, and why the PTA party may not be as much of a gloat as a big sigh of survival. The former is in bad taste - the latter people can relate to. Note that I am agreeing with your view that in a practical sense many can do, and do in fact do, well at SLHS and hence concerns about it have been overblown. I would like to see, however, the projections or studies that have been run - and you can almost guarantee the schools system has one or several - over the projected impact of NCLB on the school- along with the type of data that Maria Allen has apparently parsed. I bet the picture is pretty grim. But grim in a NCLB context, which is not necessarily any reflection of reality. And certainly other schools are similarly situated - ready to slide into that negative category.

And quite frankly, my interest is academic and not partisan, notwithstanding the inevitable assertions that will obtain to the contrary. If well off Reston - with its incredible resources, relatively recession proof economy, its Parthenon of social programs, its "progressive" housing assistance, far more favorable student teacher ratios - and so on - can't seem to crack the educational code except with respect to the typical higher achieving, higher socio-economic groups, then what jurisdiction can? Or maybe we shouldn't expect to crack the code at all - and ascribe the problem to high expectations and to the NCLB - and live with, as Gibson implies, a certain amount of socio-economic disparity, which unfortunately means living with lots of racial disparity as well. I have trouble stomaching the latter perspective, but the school system, by its actions in seeking the path of least resistance, seem to be tantalizingly close to doing just that.

As has been said before, if the trickle up theory hasn't worked, at least the SL pyramid is trying the trickle-down approach, and the leadership at SL and Hughes is expecting more from it's feeder schools. So perhaps it's not time to throw in the towel just yet, dear Quantum. It is my understanding that those most vehemently opposed to RD were in the top tier academically, if what parents have said here is true, so it stands to reason that they will do well at SL.

All of this has been said before, though, in many different ways. I think this horse has been beaten to death.

Well looks like Langley is once again the top school in the County. Is everybody now moving to Langley?

Hmmmm...Oakton is ranked 103 and SL 515. If you were in the Oakton pyramid last year, would you want to go to SL this year? I think not. If you were in the SL pyramid last year, would you want to go to Oakton this year? Darn tootin'!

.

The Data Does Speak... Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> ...well for South Lakes. Let's see, SL ranks 515
> out of 27,000 schools that offer AP/IB - in the
> top 2% nationwide - yet one cretin thinks that's a
> failure.
>
> Let's see, South Lakes moved from 859 to 515,
> without the benefit of redistricting, and one
> neanderthal considers it a failure.
>
> Let's see, South Lakes is an IB school, IB tests
> are given after two years of coursework given, so
> less tests taken, and it still ranks in the top
> 2%, yet one moron considers it a failure.
>
> Damned if they do and damned if they don't.

All would, if they had the money to buy a house there. FM area was the most affordable going to Oakton, and now that is gone too. So now if you $$$$$ you can get into the top tier schools. If you are middle class you dont have a choice. Rich get more powerful and richer as they control the SB and other parts of the government.

County Dad Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Well looks like Langley is once again the top
> school in the County. Is everybody now moving to
> Langley?

It would be interesting to actually survey SL and Oakton families in the abutting neighborhoods to see who would want to switch, and who would not. I suspect the majority of "historical" SL areas would leap at the chance to go to Oakton, but not the reverse. Pro-RD folks just do not get it....must be the adage "misery loves company..."


hmmm Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hmmmm...Oakton is ranked 103 and SL 515. If you
> were in the Oakton pyramid last year, would you
> want to go to SL this year? I think not. If you
> were in the SL pyramid last year, would you want
> to go to Oakton this year? Darn tootin'!
>
> .
>
> The Data Does Speak... Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > ...well for South Lakes. Let's see, SL ranks
> 515
> > out of 27,000 schools that offer AP/IB - in the
> > top 2% nationwide - yet one cretin thinks that's
> a
> > failure.
> >
> > Let's see, South Lakes moved from 859 to 515,
> > without the benefit of redistricting, and one
> > neanderthal considers it a failure.
> >
> > Let's see, South Lakes is an IB school, IB
> tests
> > are given after two years of coursework given,
> so
> > less tests taken, and it still ranks in the top
> > 2%, yet one moron considers it a failure.
> >
> > Damned if they do and damned if they don't.

Neen Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I am telling you what people who live in Fox Mill
> have told me. LOTS of homes went up for sale
> after the redistricting was complete.
>
> Of course I am sympathetic to people who have to
> move so that they can send their children to the
> school that the chose for them when they bought
> their house. Isn't everyone? Other than you?

If you are sympathetic, why do you keep suggesting in your posts that certain schools (South Lakes, Marshall, and God knows what you want to do with Falls Church) should be closed. If any of them were closed, the redistricting would make this year's changes look like a warm-up scrimmage.

I would like to see some stats on South Lakes that I don't believe have ever been presented. What is the dropout rate? A breakdown by ethnicity would be helpful. What percentage of minorities take SATs? What is the score gap by ethnicity? What % of minorities are enrolle in IB?

Let's compare these figures with other schools in the county. I keep hearing from the SLHS cheerleaders how great their school is. Let's see if it is a "great" school for ALL STUDENTS.

And before you get attacked, I think it is clear you are trying to gather data about how well the minority/immigrant community is served by SL, and not trying to pass judgment on those kids. If any judgments are to be made, they are made on the faculty and administration.

Old old question...just how are the underperforming kids helped by an infusion of better performing kids? I recall Clarence Thomas wrote a particularly scathing attack on the notion that minorities needed to be surrounded by whites in order to succeed, and that there is a certain 'tipping point' where the % of minorities becomes undesirable. He has championed true color blindness in education, to avoid the stigma of 'tokenism' for those who are honored to be with the majority. Again, the social engineering of the RD is well-intentioned poison to minorities/immigrants. They will be further hidden from view (statistically) so the white families in the immediate vicinity (and who cannot escape without going to private school) can say "Look, we are no longer #513 in the nation....we are now #324!!!,,,,please accept our kids to better schools....please!)

put up or shut up Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I would like to see some stats on South Lakes that
> I don't believe have ever been presented. What is
> the dropout rate? A breakdown by ethnicity would
> be helpful. What percentage of minorities take
> SATs? What is the score gap by ethnicity? What %
> of minorities are enrolle in IB?
>
> Let's compare these figures with other schools in
> the county. I keep hearing from the SLHS
> cheerleaders how great their school is. Let's see
> if it is a "great" school for ALL STUDENTS.

Don't forget that all of the SL denizens can now point to future Newsweek polls and tell their realtor that their schools aren't as bad as before RD, so they should get more for their homes as well. The pro-RD mafia is just a bunch of self-serving twits. They castigate the opponents as racists or elitists when they are guilty of racism and elitism. The castigate opponents as being too interested in their home values, rather than their kids, when they do the same. They coddle opponents by saying "it is great at SL." If it is go great, then why force others there...oh yeah, jewelry making and lacrosse standings. A total bunch of weiners. There is no economic benefit to FCPS for this change. SL was not heating empty rooms. It always has been, and always will be, about Stu and his selfish selfish neighbors trying to improve their home values, their kids' self esteem, and their kids' chances at college placement. It has nothing to do with helping the ESOL kids or the families dragged into this mess. There is no overcrowding being solved, 1000 students/high school is an arbitrary value never enforced before or since. Total total garbage.


good question Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> And before you get attacked, I think it is clear
> you are trying to gather data about how well the
> minority/immigrant community is served by SL, and
> not trying to pass judgment on those kids. If any
> judgments are to be made, they are made on the
> faculty and administration.
>
> Old old question...just how are the
> underperforming kids helped by an infusion of
> better performing kids? I recall Clarence Thomas
> wrote a particularly scathing attack on the notion
> that minorities needed to be surrounded by whites
> in order to succeed, and that there is a certain
> 'tipping point' where the % of minorities becomes
> undesirable. He has championed true color
> blindness in education, to avoid the stigma of
> 'tokenism' for those who are honored to be with
> the majority. Again, the social engineering of
> the RD is well-intentioned poison to
> minorities/immigrants. They will be further
> hidden from view (statistically) so the white
> families in the immediate vicinity (and who cannot
> escape without going to private school) can say
> "Look, we are no longer #513 in the nation....we
> are now #324!!!,,,,please accept our kids to
> better schools....please!)
>
> put up or shut up Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I would like to see some stats on South Lakes
> that
> > I don't believe have ever been presented. What
> is
> > the dropout rate? A breakdown by ethnicity
> would
> > be helpful. What percentage of minorities take
> > SATs? What is the score gap by ethnicity? What
> %
> > of minorities are enrolle in IB?
> >
> > Let's compare these figures with other schools
> in
> > the county. I keep hearing from the SLHS
> > cheerleaders how great their school is. Let's
> see
> > if it is a "great" school for ALL STUDENTS.

I find it interesting that the pro SLHS people have not responded to the question for data regarding minorities.

If they have flattering numbers, one would think that they would offer them??

They seem quick to defend their school on this blog-let's see if their accomplishments regarding minority achievement at their school is one they are proud of.

The posters on this blog who despise South Lakes and the boundary process (most of whom could have cared less if it involved some other school) know who they are. And so do most of the rest of the community.

You probably have absolutely no idea with how much derision you are held by upstanding, respected, and respectable members of the community -- ie, the majority. They know that you are allowing yourselves to become warped human beings with incredibly screwed-up priorities. Most of all, they know you are a teeny, tiny, mouse-dropping size of a group who are trying your mightiest to roar with all CAPS and FUs. So to speak. But your impact is nil and will continue to be as long as you keep up your anger and twisted logic.

The very sad thing is that many of us know you personally (and we know you by your monikers here as well, believe me). And now we know that the saccharine smiles you put on hides sneers, and the oh-so-polite demeanor hides overprotective hyperventilating smothering helicopter parents who are harming their children and their families and their communities more than any invasion of fascists ever could. (Check out the back page of the Outlook section in yesterday's Post to see the impact some of you are having.)

You can redeem yourselves by putting all that negative energy into volunteering for children who don't have the privileges you do. By being cooperative and by imagining the best in others. Your health cannot be benefitting by putting out all this poison, which is poisoning your very own nests.

Take a deep breath. Go home. Say a kind hello to your neighbor.

Redeem- Spare all of us your self-righteousness.

I think it is fair to assume that the parents opposed to this RD, do so because they feel their children are being herded into an inferior school.

Perhaps, with your blind love for SLHS, you too would be deeply troubled and upset if your kids were sent to another school.

I think it is cheap and dishonest to attempt to brand the RD opponents as uncaring. I am sure they contribute to their community as much, if not more than you do.

I am not affected by this RD by the way. So don't be so sure about who your self declared "enemies" are.

hmmm Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
I think not. If you
> were in the SL pyramid last year, would you want
> to go to Oakton this year? Darn tootin'!

Please! No drug slang "tootin"(=cocaine sniffin) from the Oakton parents. This is family forum. ; )

You mean that Yosemite Sam was a coke head....he always said "rootin' tootin' six shootin' "


County Dad Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> hmmm Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> I think not. If you
> > were in the SL pyramid last year, would you
> want
> > to go to Oakton this year? Darn tootin'!
>
> Please! No drug slang "tootin"(=cocaine sniffin)
> from the Oakton parents. This is family forum. ;
> )

SBS Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> County Dad Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Well I, along with many others, applaud the
> school
> > board for their efforts and work in
> redistricting.
> > It is sad that a few want to make such a
> > controversy of it. A 12-2 vote shows that the
> > major of people in the districts are for the
> > redistricting.
> >
> > Plus, redistricting is mandated by federal
> > standards.
>
> The vote, which was 10-2 by the way, has
> ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with what the "people in
> the districts" were for or against. Most people
> who were not affected had/have no opinion, or at
> best, they are "for" it as long as their schools
> weren't touched.
>
> Federal standards assume redistricting will be
> done in a logical and objective manner. This RD
> was neither.


As many here will recall there were 3000 people who attended the second "town meeting." The ONLY folks who supported the RD were those from SL. Others said, go ahead with it if it doesn't affect my neighborhood, but I don't count those folks as RD supporters either.

The Data Does Speak... Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> ...well for South Lakes. Let's see, SL ranks 515
> out of 27,000 schools that offer AP/IB - in the
> top 2% nationwide - yet one cretin thinks that's a
> failure.
>
> Let's see, South Lakes moved from 859 to 515,
> without the benefit of redistricting, and one
> neanderthal considers it a failure.
>
> Let's see, South Lakes is an IB school, IB tests
> are given after two years of coursework given, so
> less tests taken, and it still ranks in the top
> 2%, yet one moron considers it a failure.
>
> Damned if they do and damned if they don't.


Sorry, 515 (when compared to many other schools in FC...including 9 which are in the top 100) is not impressive. The fact that it's better than 859 is not a great endorsement. Come on...MOST of us moved here for the schools, and they are clearly not all the same (contrary to what the SB says).

Redeem Yourselves Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The posters on this blog who despise South Lakes
> and the boundary process (most of whom could have
> cared less if it involved some other school) know
> who they are. And so do most of the rest of the
> community.
>
> You probably have absolutely no idea with how much
> derision you are held by upstanding, respected,
> and respectable members of the community -- ie,
> the majority. They know that you are allowing
> yourselves to become warped human beings with
> incredibly screwed-up priorities. Most of all,
> they know you are a teeny, tiny, mouse-dropping
> size of a group who are trying your mightiest to
> roar with all CAPS and FUs. So to speak. But your
> impact is nil and will continue to be as long as
> you keep up your anger and twisted logic.
>
> The very sad thing is that many of us know you
> personally (and we know you by your monikers here
> as well, believe me). And now we know that the
> saccharine smiles you put on hides sneers, and the
> oh-so-polite demeanor hides overprotective
> hyperventilating smothering helicopter parents who
> are harming their children and their families and
> their communities more than any invasion of
> fascists ever could. (Check out the back page of
> the Outlook section in yesterday's Post to see the
> impact some of you are having.)
>
> You can redeem yourselves by putting all that
> negative energy into volunteering for children who
> don't have the privileges you do. By being
> cooperative and by imagining the best in others.
> Your health cannot be benefitting by putting out
> all this poison, which is poisoning your very own
> nests.
>
> Take a deep breath. Go home. Say a kind hello to
> your neighbor.


Blah blah blah. Violins please. I despise your kind. When you can't respond fact to fact you attack. One More Thing hit the nail on the head. Respond to this poster!!! You are racists and elitists. You didn't want McNair, you wanted bodies from school ranked 103. YOU DIDN'T WANT THE BEST FOR OTHERS!!! You just wanted the best for yourself.

Data Speaks....what is the url for the new rankings?

All of the anti-RD folks said, "improve the school and we will come." SL did improve and now the anti-RD folks move the goal post and feign concern for the kids in the lower socio-economic groups. Please spare us your faux interest in what happens to the underclass - you are only concerned as long as you don't have to go to school with them and you know it.

These south lakes neighbours want to drive us out of our homes or force us to change from AP to IB. They want to make us do what they think is right. They say that anyone who does not agree to their way of thinking is a racist. They have connections with the devil himeself - Stu Gibson - they use that to force their way on us. Bad neighbors.

Redeem Yourselves Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The posters on this blog who despise South Lakes
> and the boundary process (most of whom could have
> cared less if it involved some other school) know
> who they are. And so do most of the rest of the
> community.
>
> You probably have absolutely no idea with how much
> derision you are held by upstanding, respected,
> and respectable members of the community -- ie,
> the majority. They know that you are allowing
> yourselves to become warped human beings with
> incredibly screwed-up priorities. Most of all,
> they know you are a teeny, tiny, mouse-dropping
> size of a group who are trying your mightiest to
> roar with all CAPS and FUs. So to speak. But your
> impact is nil and will continue to be as long as
> you keep up your anger and twisted logic.
>
> The very sad thing is that many of us know you
> personally (and we know you by your monikers here
> as well, believe me). And now we know that the
> saccharine smiles you put on hides sneers, and the
> oh-so-polite demeanor hides overprotective
> hyperventilating smothering helicopter parents who
> are harming their children and their families and
> their communities more than any invasion of
> fascists ever could. (Check out the back page of
> the Outlook section in yesterday's Post to see the
> impact some of you are having.)
>
> You can redeem yourselves by putting all that
> negative energy into volunteering for children who
> don't have the privileges you do. By being
> cooperative and by imagining the best in others.
> Your health cannot be benefitting by putting out
> all this poison, which is poisoning your very own
> nests.
>
> Take a deep breath. Go home. Say a kind hello to
> your neighbor.

We just took a 1000 students from schools at 103,122 and 144 and forced them in a school at a distant 515. Even the loudoun county schools are ranked higher at SL. An they are having a party to celebrate at SLHS!!! So these students are no 5 time worse off they went from 100s to 500s

http://www.newsweek.com/id/39380

55 Langley
73 Woodson
93 Lake Braddock
97 McLean
103 Oakton
104 Centreville
122 Chantilly
139 South County Secondary
141 Herndon
144 Westfield
148 James Madison
....
515 South Lakes

edna Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Data Speaks....what is the url for the new
> rankings?

http://www.fcps.edu/suptapps/newsreleases/newsrelease.cfm?newsid=875

"... Four Fairfax County public schools made the list of top 100 schools published in Newsweek, based on a formula devised by Washington Post education reporter Jay Mathews. In the top 100 are Langley High School at 55; Woodson High School, ranked 73rd; Lake Braddock Secondary School, ranked 93rd; and McLean High School at 97.

Rankings for other Fairfax County Public Schools are: Oakton High School, 103; Centreville High School, 104; Chantilly High School, 122; South County Secondary School, 139; Herndon High School, 141; Westfield High School, 144; Madison High School, 148; Robinson Secondary School, 214; West Potomac High School, 216; West Springfield High School, 244; Marshall High School, 248; Fairfax High School, 252; Stuart High School, 322; Falls Church High School, 383; South Lakes High School, 515; Edison High School, 746; Lee High School, 791; Hayfield Secondary School, 796, Mount Vernon High School, 855; and Annandale High School, 938.
The Challenge Index measures public high schools’ ability to challenge their students. A school’s ranking is determined by dividing the number of Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), or Cambridge tests given by a school to all its students by the number of seniors who graduated in May or June. The index is designed to identify schools that challenge average students.

###

*Note: Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, which serves students across the region, was not included in the list because of its selective admissions process. For more information, contact the FCPS Department of Communications and Community Outreach at 571-423-1200."

SL is listed with **
**Includes IB. Nearly all other schools use just AP tests.

Given that IB is pre college prep, while AP is college level course, that 515 ranking could be lower in reality if they take into account that IB is not at the same level at AP

what was lost... Wrote:
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> We just took a 1000 students from schools at
> 103,122 and 144 and forced them in a school at a
> distant 515. Even the loudoun county schools are
> ranked higher at SL. An they are having a party to
> celebrate at SLHS!!! So these students are no 5
> time worse off they went from 100s to 500s
>
> http://www.newsweek.com/id/39380
>
> 55 Langley
> 73 Woodson
> 93 Lake Braddock
> 97 McLean
> 103 Oakton
> 104 Centreville
> 122 Chantilly
> 139 South County Secondary
> 141 Herndon
> 144 Westfield
> 148 James Madison
> ....
> 515 South Lakes

Incredible! The Jay Matthews scam provides titillating fodder for elitist parents, yet again. Oaktonites are probably just seething that Langley and Woodson and McLean and even Lake Braddock got the better of 'em! I can feel their stewing meat over-boiling in the rancid pot of mush-brains they have. These are the parents who scream "GIVE MY KID CALCULUS BC!!!" But couldn't solve a simple Algebraic equation themselves. How can these poor sops be expected to read a so-called index like Matthews' and understand how it's derived? The couldn't define "standard deviation" if their bonuses depended on it. They have proven themselves eminently simple-minded when it comes to understanding statistics of any kind. These are the same people who buy into class rankings and probably would LOVE to see them in Fairfax schools so they could crow and mutter about their kids' standings -- and stab and claw to get their kids moved up a notch or two.

You know who you are. Go ahead and start weighing in on the Matthews numbers and reeal yourselves to the world. Again.

PS: Don't imagine I have a vested interest in South Lakes. I just have a vested interest in cleaning out rats from neighborhood gutters.

Boy, Madison is losing ground big time.

I think what we as parents should take away from these rankings is the disparity in the rankings among our 25 high schools.

How did all these other schools in the US rank so much higher than some of our lower ranked schools? We spend a fortune per pupil relative to many school districts. We have one of the highest educated work force-the teachers and administrators. We have these well paid strategists and educational wonks at Gatehouse??

FCPS was always considered the best school district in the country? Can we honestly say that when some of our schools are ranked 700?

Let's not worry whether Oakton or Woodson is higher, but ask our School Board why some of our schools are not ranked higher?

The only way to even out this disparity is to redistrict, which the board is doing.

In top 2 percent with schools is amazing for one schools system!! WOWEE!

We should throw a party for our school board, administrators, and teachers.

I haven't done the math, but certainly this shows that our school board is one of the best in the US! That can't be argued or debated with the Newsweek rankings.

Redeem Yourselves Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Incredible! The Jay Matthews scam provides
> titillating fodder for elitist parents, yet again.
> Oaktonites are probably just seething that Langley
> and Woodson and McLean and even Lake Braddock got
> the better of 'em! I can feel their stewing meat
> over-boiling in the rancid pot of mush-brains they
> have. These are the parents who scream "GIVE MY
> KID CALCULUS BC!!!" But couldn't solve a simple
> Algebraic equation themselves. How can these poor
> sops be expected to read a so-called index like
> Matthews' and understand how it's derived? The
> couldn't define "standard deviation" if their
> bonuses depended on it. They have proven
> themselves eminently simple-minded when it comes
> to understanding statistics of any kind. These are
> the same people who buy into class rankings and
> probably would LOVE to see them in Fairfax schools
> so they could crow and mutter about their kids'
> standings -- and stab and claw to get their kids
> moved up a notch or two.
>
> You know who you are. Go ahead and start weighing
> in on the Matthews numbers and reeal yourselves to
> the world. Again.
>
> PS: Don't imagine I have a vested interest in
> South Lakes. I just have a vested interest in
> cleaning out rats from neighborhood gutters.

You are SOOO full of shit.

same observation Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> 2 sale I know due to RD. Anti RD crowd calls this
> exodus. Pro South Lakes school board members call
> it aging of the community. Foxmill, MI and East
> floris are now going to "age" at at accelerated
> pace.
>
Hahaha........good post. And true.

Congrats SB Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The only way to even out this disparity is to
> redistrict, which the board is doing.
>
> In top 2 percent with schools is amazing for one
> schools system!! WOWEE!
>
> We should throw a party for our school board,
> administrators, and teachers.
>
> I haven't done the math, but certainly this shows
> that our school board is one of the best in the
> US! That can't be argued or debated with the
> Newsweek rankings.

Hahahahaha...........

PSSSSTTTT........don't tell, but it's the parents, not the schools. Parents at the best schools send their kids to school with the brains (genetics, you know) and educate them at home after school, with tutors, Kumon Math, science competitions, summers at Johns Hopkins CTY, math camps, etc.

It's hilarious to see FCPS try to take credit for this. It's funny until you look at the scores of the poorest students in our county. FCPS doesn't educate those who need it the most. FCPS only looks good because of the parents in the county, parents with enough brains and money to educate their children despite what happens in school. Smart parents produce smart kids. It's not in the schools, it's in the genes, and money.

The Data Does Speak... Wrote:
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> ...well for South Lakes. Let's see, SL ranks 515
> out of 27,000 schools that offer AP/IB - in the
> top 2% nationwide - yet one cretin thinks that's a
> failure.
>
> Let's see, South Lakes moved from 859 to 515,
> without the benefit of redistricting, and one
> neanderthal considers it a failure.
>
> Let's see, South Lakes is an IB school, IB tests
> are given after two years of coursework given, so
> less tests taken, and it still ranks in the top
> 2%, yet one moron considers it a failure.
>
> Damned if they do and damned if they don't.

Why are you SL supporters always so nasty? Why are you always so unhappy?

Yes, some people in this county have higher standards than number 515. Your mileage may vary. (shrugs) If you're happy at South Lakes, that's wonderful. But you can't expect everyone else to share your standards or views.

Quantum said:
>>>nd quite frankly, my interest is academic and not partisan, notwithstanding the inevitable assertions that will obtain to the contrary. If well off Reston - with its incredible resources, relatively recession proof economy, its Parthenon of social programs, its "progressive" housing assistance, far more favorable student teacher ratios - and so on - can't seem to crack the educational code except with respect to the typical higher achieving, higher socio-economic groups, then what jurisdiction can? Or maybe we shouldn't expect to crack the code at all - and ascribe the problem to high expectations and to the NCLB - and live with, as Gibson implies, a certain amount of socio-economic disparity, which unfortunately means living with lots of racial disparity as well. I have trouble stomaching the latter perspective, but the school system, by its actions in seeking the path of least resistance, seem to be tantalizingly close to doing just that.<<<

THAT is the SAD part. No one is paying any attention to the fact the schools are only educating those who are the easiest to educate, those who come to school with every advantage and with parents who have the money and ability to educate them at home. There is NO reason why FCPS has to settle for this economic disparity. Or it doesn't have to be as large as it is now. They could educate more children, and they even know how, but they won't. Their ideology will not permit it. Since Stu, and most of the others, know what is preventing them from doing what they could be doing, they have no choice but to accept the failures of so many students to receive even a basic education in FCPS.

The Data Does Speak... Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> As has been said before, if the trickle up theory
> hasn't worked, at least the SL pyramid is trying
> the trickle-down approach, and the leadership at
> SL and Hughes is expecting more from it's feeder
> schools. So perhaps it's not time to throw in the
> towel just yet, dear Quantum. It is my
> understanding that those most vehemently opposed
> to RD were in the top tier academically, if what
> parents have said here is true, so it stands to
> reason that they will do well at SL.
>
> All of this has been said before, though, in many
> different ways. I think this horse has been
> beaten to death.

The problem is, the top tier kids who have been redistricted will not attend South Lakes. Their parents care too much about education for that to happen. They will move, pupil place, or send them to private schools.

What makes you think that feeder schools to Hughes are changing at all? I've neither heard that nor seen any evidence of it. Have they changed their reading programs? Abandoned 'Everyday Math" for a real math program that will help their students to be more successful at Hughes and South Lakes? Has the cluster director demanded more rigorous programs in Reston elementary schools? I would love to hear that there have been real changes made in Reston elementary schools. If that has happened, I hope people here will tell us about the changes.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/20/2008 12:59AM by Neen.