There was a 60 million or more bond. Therefore, there was money to spend. As the money can not be spent on educational concerns, then build a new building.

Build it and they will come. That is the thinking. But wasn't that a theme of a movie....build it and they will come? Even staff said that SL will have a "state of the art building." Students will flock to this new building.

SL did needed to be a priority - FCPS has recent experience with open classroom schools and no fire suppression - Dogwood ES 1.0 burned to the ground.

As Neen wrote, SL was built during the Open Classroom period. The educrats and school architects had a failure to communicate - when the educrats said open classroom they meant education wise, but when the architects heard the educrats saying open classroom they misinterpreted it to mean open spaces inside the schools. The resulting schools were a complete zoo. They were bad enough that I remember my parents talking about one near my house when I was a kid.



Typical Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Boundary warrior Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > >
> > >
> > > Typical once again. I just went to the SLHS
> > > website to check on the renovation progress.
> > > Boundary Warrior, can you please explain to
> me
> > > whether SLHS was getting an addition or just
> a
> > > renovation and an addition? Some of the
> > pictures
> > > from the site suggested SLHS was getting an
> > > addition as well as a renovation (foundation
> > being
> > > dug out as to make an addition).
> >
> >
> > From the FCPS website about why South Lakes got
> a
> > renovation:
> >
> > "Answer: The School Board did not approve an
> > expansion to South Lakes: the Board approved a
> > renovation. When completed, the capacity for
> South
> > Lakes will be slightly reduced from 2150 to
> 2100
> > as reported in the 2008-2012 CIP.
> >
> > The South Lakes High School renovation planning
> > funds were approved in the 1999 Bond Referendum
> > with construction funding approved in the 2003
> > Bond Referendum. South Lakes High School was
> > originally built in 1978 and this is the first
> > major renovation project for the school."
>
>
> I saw one of the pictures of the renovation of the
> foundation being dug out as if it was going to be
> expanded (or an addition). Looks like a major
> renovation/addition overall to the school. I
> still feel older schools with renovation needs
> should be paid attention to first.

Building dont make a school. South Lakes is sorely lacking acadamic courses - without AP it will always be second tier school. It is better to send kids to a older school with not the best building, but where they get enriched acadamically. School is about learning not about being in a swanky new building

Spending money Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> There was a 60 million or more bond. Therefore,
> there was money to spend. As the money can not be
> spent on educational concerns, then build a new
> building.
>
> Build it and they will come. That is the
> thinking. But wasn't that a theme of a
> movie....build it and they will come? Even staff
> said that SL will have a "state of the art
> building." Students will flock to this new
> building.

nah Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Building dont make a school. South Lakes is sorely
> lacking acadamic courses - without AP it will
> always be second tier school. It is better to send
> kids to a older school with not the best building,
> but where they get enriched acadamically. School
> is about learning not about being in a swanky new
> building
>
Well put. Students can't learn them no acadamics at South Lakes, new building or not.

Maybe Edna was right with the posting that SL needed something to attract students. When it is not the curriculum, then maybe a brand new building will do.

To answer you question, Gibson needed some trick to bring back students to SL. A 63 Million newly renovated building just might work.


-------------------------------------------------------
> I swear if these SL folks told me it was raining
> outside I wouldn't believe them:
>
> Marshall HS built in 1962 Additions
> in 1967 and 1983 1350 kids
> Jefferson built in 1964 Additions
> in 1966 and 1988 1800 kids
> West Springfld built in 1966 Additions
> in 1990 2240 max
>
> Drum roll....please......
>
> South Lakes built in 1978 Renovated
> in 2005 1425 kids
>
>
> Why in hells bells would we renovate SLHS which is
> 16 years newer than Marshall, 14 years newer than
> TJ and 12 years newer than WSHS?
>
> I am so sick of these school board members and
> their corrupt "bridge to nowhere" projects. PORK,
> PORK, PORK-we need to slaughter these pigs.

Any one knows what happened to Stu Gibson recall? If that recall fails now, we will be stuck with Gibson on the SB till 2011!!

How can I support the recall? what he did is bad. imagine how the kid had felt when Gibson used his private information in his election campaign...

gibson recall? Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Any one knows what happened to Stu Gibson recall?
> If that recall fails now, we will be stuck with
> Gibson on the SB till 2011!!

I am sitting at my computer, watching Channel 21 (School Board hearing.) The board members are discussing the motion of moving Grahman School to a new location. While the members talk about "what a hard or difficult decision" and they thank the members of the community who advocate for a community neighborhood school....they go on to say....."we know what is best for the children." The Board wins........you lose. So far, as board members cry the crocodile tears for the parents who do not want to move....they vote for the movement anyway. All voted for this move.

I bet this decision now paves the way for the School Board to go forward with its thinking of acquiring a new administration building. Go figure!






Truth Teller Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Maybe Edna was right with the posting that SL
> needed something to attract students. When it is
> not the curriculum, then maybe a brand new
> building will do.
>
> To answer you question, Gibson needed some trick
> to bring back students to SL. A 63 Million newly
> renovated building just might work.
>
>
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I swear if these SL folks told me it was
> raining
> > outside I wouldn't believe them:
> >
> > Marshall HS built in 1962
> Additions
> > in 1967 and 1983 1350 kids
> > Jefferson built in 1964
> Additions
> > in 1966 and 1988 1800 kids
> > West Springfld built in 1966
> Additions
> > in 1990 2240 max
> >
> > Drum roll....please......
> >
> > South Lakes built in 1978
> Renovated
> > in 2005 1425 kids
> >
> >
> > Why in hells bells would we renovate SLHS which
> is
> > 16 years newer than Marshall, 14 years newer
> than
> > TJ and 12 years newer than WSHS?
> >
> > I am so sick of these school board members and
> > their corrupt "bridge to nowhere" projects.
> PORK,
> > PORK, PORK-we need to slaughter these pigs.

Another neighborhood bites the dust Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I am sitting at my computer, watching Channel 21
> (School Board hearing.) The board members are
> discussing the motion of moving Grahman School to
> a new location. While the members talk about
> "what a hard or difficult decision" and they thank
> the members of the community who advocate for a
> community neighborhood school....they go on to
> say....."we know what is best for the children."
> The Board wins........you lose. So far, as board
> members cry the crocodile tears for the parents
> who do not want to move....they vote for the
> movement anyway. All voted for this move.
>
> I bet this decision now paves the way for the
> School Board to go forward with its thinking of
> acquiring a new administration building. Go
> figure!...

70% are walkers. Kingsley Commons. They don't care about the playing fields of eton. The children testified they are there for an education - not recess. This is to please the people in the single family homes who DO NOT want to go to Graham Rd. The attendees will not go to a school in it's own attendance area.

Yes - part of moving Devonshire staff out was Gatehouse 2. Suspicious. Yes.

Gibson is blabbering on about administrative costs and numbers of non-school based positions. montgomery County MD charges AP and IB test fees plus the $123 per student annual IB registration fee.

91 cents on a dollar is spent in schools in FCPS. he's now comparing it to NJ which has small school districts. They run on the cheap - close to citizens. FCPS beaurocracy drives the engine here.

You really have to keep a watch on the South Lakes students. Apparently the new principal of Langley - LANGLEY! - is a Hughes/South Lakes graduate. Since we all know South Lakes graduates cannot achieve anything on their own merits, having been denied access to rigorous AP courses that build strong minds in their youth, this MUST be the result of yet another back-room deal involving Jane Strauss and Stu Gibson.

To the Infiltrator: You make a good point about the the newly appointed principal being a SL graduate. I don't know when he graduated from SL, but was he in the IB program?

The IB curriculum at SL was the target of concern. Not the SL graduate despite Gibson and the SLPTA trying to spin the discussion and debate.



Infiltrator Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You really have to keep a watch on the South Lakes
> students. Apparently the new principal of Langley
> - LANGLEY! - is a Hughes/South Lakes graduate.
> Since we all know South Lakes graduates cannot
> achieve anything on their own merits, having been
> denied access to rigorous AP courses that build
> strong minds in their youth, this MUST be the
> result of yet another back-room deal involving
> Jane Strauss and Stu Gibson.

Where to begin....so many stupid comments-so little time.

I think the bozo prixe goes to Smith and N-Eichner for their comments on student parking fees. Smith wants to jack up student parking fees from $150 to $200 so kids in a few elementary schools can learn to speak Chinese.

N-Eichner chimes in that the kids don't have to drive-they can take the school bus. Do busses run after soccer practice at 6pm Phil? Do the busses take kids to the mall where they work after school? You are an idiot.

This board is so out of control. Claiming all the time...."IT is about the childrn." Did you see how another neighborhood was axed?

nah Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Building dont make a school. South Lakes is sorely
> lacking acadamic courses - without AP it will
> always be second tier school. It is better to send
> kids to a older school with not the best building,
> but where they get enriched acadamically. School
> is about learning not about being in a swanky new
> building.

Why don't politicians and educrats EVER realize that? They always think that parents care about a fancy building, with lots of art work, a fancy library and gym, and acres of computers. They couldn't be more wrong. If they were right, no one would go to TJ. It's a dump, falling apart with nothing fancy. Although there is some amazing art work on the walls.

edna Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> This board is so out of control. Claiming all the
> time...."IT is about the childrn." Did you see
> how another neighborhood was axed?

YUP. Once again, they moved that school against the wishes of the community. I suppose more white people in the school is more important than whatthe majority, immigrants, wanted for their school. Does the school board EVER care about what the people want for their children and their community?

gibson recall? Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Any one knows what happened to Stu Gibson recall?
> If that recall fails now, we will be stuck with
> Gibson on the SB till 2011!!

And well beyond. Hunter Mill district will never throw a democrat out of office. It's Stu's job, for as long as he wants it. People in Hunter Mill will vote for whoever is on the democrat sample ballot.

Sorry.

Truth Teller Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Maybe Edna was right with the posting that SL
> needed something to attract students. When it is
> not the curriculum, then maybe a brand new
> building will do.
>
> To answer you question, Gibson needed some trick
> to bring back students to SL. A 63 Million newly
> renovated building just might work.

Oh really? Are you saying that people didn't know about the fancy renovation during the redistricting?

Of course they did, but that was not enough to make anyone want to go there and it sure hasn't stopped all the pupil placements back to their old schools.

Another neighborhood bites the dust Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I am sitting at my computer, watching Channel 21
> (School Board hearing.) The board members are
> discussing the motion of moving Grahman School to
> a new location. While the members talk about
> "what a hard or difficult decision" and they thank
> the members of the community who advocate for a
> community neighborhood school....they go on to
> say....."we know what is best for the children."
> The Board wins........you lose. So far, as board
> members cry the crocodile tears for the parents
> who do not want to move....they vote for the
> movement anyway. All voted for this move.
>
> I bet this decision now paves the way for the
> School Board to go forward with its thinking of
> acquiring a new administration building. Go
> figure!

Of course. Graham Road is in Phil's district. He wanted it moved, so the others are on board. His school, his decision.

I can't imagine what would stop them from their building their new building. People always vote for facilities bonds, they're for the Chillren. Anyone who doesn't support school bonds is stingy and mean. Plus the bonds are free money, no tax dollars involved. That's how dumb voters are.

I never missed voting for a school bond. I value education as I struggled to go from high school to college to post graduate school.

I will never vote for another school bond. Maybe this is harsh and trust me, I am not alone. The Board is managing to tick off folks in South County, now Graham Road, Sully, and Hunter Mill. I guess Jane sits there smiling as she gave Langley what they wanted.....more tax dollars going to spiffing up the school and protecting North Reston. Langley and McLean folks would not cross her either. The only solution is that she would not run again. Maybe Gibson will go to a higher level..........someone said he wanted to do something at the national level. Maybe Phil will continue with his political aspirations of being a delegate. Hopefully some interested parties are thinking about running. It takes years to cultivate a political base to win.

taxpayer on Graham Rd Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Another neighborhood bites the dust Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I am sitting at my computer, watching Channel
> 21
> > (School Board hearing.) The board members are
> > discussing the motion of moving Grahman School
> to
> > a new location. While the members talk about
> > "what a hard or difficult decision" and they
> thank
> > the members of the community who advocate for a
> > community neighborhood school....they go on to
> > say....."we know what is best for the children."
>
> > The Board wins........you lose. So far, as
> board
> > members cry the crocodile tears for the parents
> > who do not want to move....they vote for the
> > movement anyway. All voted for this move.
> >
> > I bet this decision now paves the way for the
> > School Board to go forward with its thinking of
> > acquiring a new administration building. Go
> > figure!...
>
> 70% are walkers. Kingsley Commons. They don't
> care about the playing fields of eton. The
> children testified they are there for an education
> - not recess. This is to please the people in the
> single family homes who DO NOT want to go to
> Graham Rd. The attendees will not go to a school
> in it's own attendance area.
>
> Yes - part of moving Devonshire staff out was
> Gatehouse 2. Suspicious. Yes.
>
> Gibson is blabbering on about administrative costs
> and numbers of non-school based positions.
> montgomery County MD charges AP and IB test fees
> plus the $123 per student annual IB registration
> fee.
>
> 91 cents on a dollar is spent in schools in FCPS.
> he's now comparing it to NJ which has small school
> districts. They run on the cheap - close to
> citizens. FCPS beaurocracy drives the engine
> here.

Gotta love that administrative BS that the staff feeds Stu and he parrots back. Sheeze. He has never quite understood that staff works for HIM, he does not work for staff. He'll never see it any other way. The democrats on the board work for staff, not the people of the county.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/23/2008 02:18AM by Neen.

edna Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I never missed voting for a school bond. I value
> education as I struggled to go from high school to
> college to post graduate school.
>
> I will never vote for another school bond. Maybe
> this is harsh and trust me, I am not alone. The
> Board is managing to tick off folks in South
> County, now Graham Road, Sully, and Hunter Mill.
> I guess Jane sits there smiling as she gave
> Langley what they wanted.....more tax dollars
> going to spiffing up the school and protecting
> North Reston. Langley and McLean folks would not
> cross her either. The only solution is that she
> would not run again. Maybe Gibson will go to a
> higher level..........someone said he wanted to do
> something at the national level. Maybe Phil will
> continue with his political aspirations of being a
> delegate. Hopefully some interested parties are
> thinking about running. It takes years to
> cultivate a political base to win.

Stu wants to run for Congress or the Senate? Perhaps the Presidency? If so, he has delusions of grandeur. He's not going anywhere. Democrats won't agree to move him up to state delegate, assuming Ken Plum ever leaves office, which looks doubtful. That's what I have heard from people in the democrat party, no way he gets an endorsement for higher office. PLUS, Stu can't run for any other partisan office until he retires from the federal government. Believe it or not, Stu's under the Hatch Act.

Of course Langley people who re elect Janie. Why wouldn't they? She's a great rep for them. She takes good care of her people and her schools.

I don't think Phil is in a district with any upcoming state openings.

But there may be other SB openings. Moon's seat might open IF Gerry Connelly goes to Congress and IF Sharon Bulova takes his seat. Moon wants to run for Bulova's seat, and being a democrat who can raise lots of money, he'll win. Also, rumors abound that Kathy Smith will run for Ken Cuccinelli's seat if he becomes AG next year. So there could be two special elections for school board before the 2011 election. But lots of IF's in there.

It's nearly impossible for a democrat school board member to lose an election in this county, so don't count on throwing any of the bums out of office. They know that they are bullet proof and can do whatever they want. People just vote for whoever is on their democrat sample ballot. They don't know squat about the school board and they don't care enough to find out. They vote for the bonds for the same reason. They think it will help kids, somehow.

SB Meeting Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Where to begin....so many stupid comments-so
> little time.
>
> I think the bozo prixe goes to Smith and N-Eichner
> for their comments on student parking fees. Smith
> wants to jack up student parking fees from $150 to
> $200 so kids in a few elementary schools can learn
> to speak Chinese.
>
> N-Eichner chimes in that the kids don't have to
> drive-they can take the school bus. Do busses run
> after soccer practice at 6pm Phil? Do the busses
> take kids to the mall where they work after
> school? You are an idiot.

Some kids are also going to learn a little Greek and Italian too. It's a silly program, and costly, and one that very few parents care about. How many kids will jobs because they learned a bit of Italian in elementary school? Better we just give hs kids computer software to learn the language IF they choose. But that wouldn't satisfy the full employment act for teachers of obscure languages.

Remember, the school board works for staff, not the students.

All of this stuff is a game show. Because of budget cuts the teachers will only get a 2 percent pay raise, so in or to pacify the teachers the SB gives teachers two more days off.

Two questions:

How much will this cost and how much will this hurt parents/students?



Thursday, May 22, 2008

Fairfax County School Board Reduces 2007-08 School Year, Adds Professional Development for Staff Members

The Fairfax County School Board has voted to reduce the 2007-08 standard school year calendar by two days, making Friday, June 13, the last day of school for most Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) students. The last day for modified calendar elementary school students will be Tuesday, June 17, and May 30 will be the last day for modified calendar secondary school students.

“The School Board made this decision because we did not use all our inclement weather days this year,” says FCPS Superintendent Jack D. Dale. “By giving the students an extra day or two off, the Board provides teachers with additional time to take advantage of professional development opportunities and complete mandatory training sessions.”

As part of this action, the School Board reassigned Monday, June 16, and Tuesday, June 17, as teacher workdays for schools following the standard calendar and reassigned Wednesday, June 18, and Thursday, June 19, as teacher workdays for schools following the modified elementary school calendar. On these days, teachers can complete end-of-year assignments and mandatory training and make plans for the upcoming school year.

“The Fairfax Education Association (FEA) thanks the School Board for helping ease the time demands on FCPS teachers by reassigning these unused inclement weather days,” says Leonard Bumbaca, FEA President. “The two days will provide time not otherwise available for teachers to complete some mandatory training, reflect on the results of the recent working conditions survey, and facilitate timely and thorough end-of-year procedures.”

An exception to this revision is that students at Braddock Elementary School, Cunningham Park Elementary School, Flint Hill Elementary School, and Wolftrap Elementary School will have their last full day of school on Monday, June 16, to make up for one day of school lost due to a power failure earlier this year.

Infiltrator Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You really have to keep a watch on the South Lakes
> students. Apparently the new principal of Langley
> - LANGLEY! - is a Hughes/South Lakes graduate.
> Since we all know South Lakes graduates cannot
> achieve anything on their own merits, having been
> denied access to rigorous AP courses that build
> strong minds in their youth, this MUST be the
> result of yet another back-room deal involving
> Jane Strauss and Stu Gibson.


Think about what you post here. IB was introduced in South Lakes in Early 2000. So unless this new pricipal at South Lakes is in his early-mid 20's when he graduated from South Lakes it must have AP program!!

Another neighborhood bites the dust Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I am sitting at my computer, watching Channel 21
> (School Board hearing.) The board members are
> discussing the motion of moving Grahman School to
> a new location. While the members talk about
> "what a hard or difficult decision" and they thank
> the members of the community who advocate for a
> community neighborhood school....they go on to
> say....."we know what is best for the children."
> The Board wins........you lose. So far, as board
> members cry the crocodile tears for the parents
> who do not want to move....they vote for the
> movement anyway. All voted for this move.
>
> I bet this decision now paves the way for the
> School Board to go forward with its thinking of
> acquiring a new administration building. Go
> figure!
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Truth Teller Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Maybe Edna was right with the posting that SL
> > needed something to attract students. When it
> is
> > not the curriculum, then maybe a brand new
> > building will do.
> >
> > To answer you question, Gibson needed some
> trick
> > to bring back students to SL. A 63 Million
> newly
> > renovated building just might work.
> >
> >
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > I swear if these SL folks told me it was
> > raining
> > > outside I wouldn't believe them:
> > >
> > > Marshall HS built in 1962
> > Additions
> > > in 1967 and 1983 1350 kids
> > > Jefferson built in 1964
> > Additions
> > > in 1966 and 1988 1800 kids
> > > West Springfld built in 1966
> > Additions
> > > in 1990 2240 max
> > >
> > > Drum roll....please......
> > >
> > > South Lakes built in 1978
> > Renovated
> > > in 2005 1425 kids
> > >
> > >
> > > Why in hells bells would we renovate SLHS
> which
> > is
> > > 16 years newer than Marshall, 14 years newer
> > than
> > > TJ and 12 years newer than WSHS?
> > >
> > > I am so sick of these school board members
> and
> > > their corrupt "bridge to nowhere" projects.
> > PORK,
> > > PORK, PORK-we need to slaughter these pigs.


I did not watch the SB meeting..let me try to understand something here, they want to move the neighborhood school to a new location for what purpose? To have their administrative building built there? Somebody, please enlighten me because it seems to me the SB has yet done another stupid thing and they say it is for the children and how difficult the decision was?

Did you all know that Neen used to volunteer for Stu?

So they from a community panel and this panel suggests that the school remain at its existing location. Yet the SB and the principal say they want it moved??? Why do they bother with the "community input charade". They seem to disregard the advice in the end.

I too am confused how this related to Gatehouse. Are there employees working out of this school??

Neen Campaigned for Stu Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Did you all know that Neen used to volunteer for
> Stu?

Interesting. Neen's posts reflect a mix of admiration and disgust for Gibson - admiration that he's a good behind-the-scenes pol and disgust for the substance of anything he advocates. Maybe the volunteer work was "opposition research."

There is underground whispering that Delegate Steve Shannon wants to run for Attorney General. That would open his slot for Phil.

Neenologist Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Neen Campaigned for Stu Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Did you all know that Neen used to volunteer
> for
> > Stu?
>
> Interesting. Neen's posts reflect a mix of
> admiration and disgust for Gibson - admiration
> that he's a good behind-the-scenes pol and disgust
> for the substance of anything he advocates. Maybe
> the volunteer work was "opposition research."



Any truth to the rumor that TJ will offer an elective in Neenology next year?

Scoop? Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Neenologist Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Neen Campaigned for Stu Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > Did you all know that Neen used to volunteer
> > for
> > > Stu?
> >
> > Interesting. Neen's posts reflect a mix of
> > admiration and disgust for Gibson - admiration
> > that he's a good behind-the-scenes pol and
> disgust
> > for the substance of anything he advocates.
> Maybe
> > the volunteer work was "opposition research."
>
>
>
> Any truth to the rumor that TJ will offer an
> elective in Neenology next year?


Yes, Tom Cruise is going to teach it.

Hippie Bill Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Scoop? Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Neenologist Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > Neen Campaigned for Stu Wrote:
> > >
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> >
> > > -----
> > > > Did you all know that Neen used to
> volunteer
> > > for
> > > > Stu?
> > >
> > > Interesting. Neen's posts reflect a mix of
> > > admiration and disgust for Gibson -
> admiration
> > > that he's a good behind-the-scenes pol and
> > disgust
> > > for the substance of anything he advocates.
> > Maybe
> > > the volunteer work was "opposition research."
> >
> >
> >
> > Any truth to the rumor that TJ will offer an
> > elective in Neenology next year?
>
>
> Yes, Tom Cruise is going to teach it.

Students are reminded not to be late - the bell will ring for class to start at 1:45 AM (when Neen starts sending out her 15-20 posts for the day).

what will happen on July 3 lawsuit. What do the members of this board think? Will Stu Gibson prevail or will the FM and Floris area get justice?

This is not a movie. The bad guys will win over the good guys. Gibson will win and families from FM will have to move out of their houses.

what will happen on July 3 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> what will happen on July 3 lawsuit. What do the
> members of this board think? Will Stu Gibson
> prevail or will the FM and Floris area get
> justice?

FCPS SB caves in to teachers Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> All of this stuff is a game show. Because of
> budget cuts the teachers will only get a 2 percent
> pay raise, so in or to pacify the teachers the SB
> gives teachers two more days off.
>
> Two questions:
>
> How much will this cost and how much will this
> hurt parents/students?
>
>
>
> Thursday, May 22, 2008
>
> Fairfax County School Board Reduces 2007-08 School
> Year, Adds Professional Development for Staff
> Members
>
> The Fairfax County School Board has voted to
> reduce the 2007-08 standard school year calendar
> by two days, making Friday, June 13, the last day
> of school for most Fairfax County Public Schools
> (FCPS) students. The last day for modified
> calendar elementary school students will be
> Tuesday, June 17, and May 30 will be the last day
> for modified calendar secondary school students.
>
> “The School Board made this decision because we
> did not use all our inclement weather days this
> year,” says FCPS Superintendent Jack D. Dale. “By
> giving the students an extra day or two off, the
> Board provides teachers with additional time to
> take advantage of professional development
> opportunities and complete mandatory training
> sessions.”
>
> As part of this action, the School Board
> reassigned Monday, June 16, and Tuesday, June 17,
> as teacher workdays for schools following the
> standard calendar and reassigned Wednesday, June
> 18, and Thursday, June 19, as teacher workdays for
> schools following the modified elementary school
> calendar. On these days, teachers can complete
> end-of-year assignments and mandatory training and
> make plans for the upcoming school year.
>
> “The Fairfax Education Association (FEA) thanks
> the School Board for helping ease the time demands
> on FCPS teachers by reassigning these unused
> inclement weather days,” says Leonard Bumbaca, FEA
> President. “The two days will provide time not
> otherwise available for teachers to complete some
> mandatory training, reflect on the results of the
> recent working conditions survey, and facilitate
> timely and thorough end-of-year procedures.”
>
> An exception to this revision is that students at
> Braddock Elementary School, Cunningham Park
> Elementary School, Flint Hill Elementary School,
> and Wolftrap Elementary School will have their
> last full day of school on Monday, June 16, to
> make up for one day of school lost due to a power
> failure earlier this year.



Did you read the article you posted? Teachers aren't getting two extra days off, most will be at work that Monday and Tuesday.

So will I, a bus driver, with nobody to drive (unless I do one of those elementaries that are open Monday).

On June 61 & 17, we were told we can:

a) Report for work to move and/or wash buses.
b) Take personal leave (we get 3 days per year)
c) Take leave w/o pay if you don't have 2 personal leave days.

Since I used my personal days, I have no choice but to do option "a". I hope it's very hot those days, so us girls can have a water fight as we pretend to wash buses!

The only money I can figure that the early closing saves is the diesel fuel the buses burn in 2 days.

>>>How much will this cost and how much will this hurt parents/students?<<<

Why would the school board care about that? Sure it will be a scramble for parents of elementary students to find sitters. Sure, it will push up finals. But the school board works for staff, the administrators and the teachers. It's not about parents and students, it's about keeping staff and teachers as happy as possible. Sorry.

what will happen on July 3 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> what will happen on July 3 lawsuit. What do the
> members of this board think? Will Stu Gibson
> prevail or will the FM and Floris area get
> justice?

Other than Stu, I doubt anyone on the school board cares what happens. It's not their money or their school.

politics at its worst Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> There is underground whispering that Delegate
> Steve Shannon wants to run for Attorney General.
> That would open his slot for Phil.

Interesting. Steve is certainly a good fund raiser, and a well liked guy. I don't see Phil being able to raise the kind of money necessary to run for state senate. I am sure there are others interested in running.

It would be very interesting if we had several new school board members within the next year or two.

I wonder if Tessie will run for Sharon Bulova's seat? It could be Moon against Tessie. Gee, I think we've seen that race before. ;)

Infiltrator Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You really have to keep a watch on the South Lakes
> students. Apparently the new principal of Langley
> - LANGLEY! - is a Hughes/South Lakes graduate.
> Since we all know South Lakes graduates cannot
> achieve anything on their own merits, having been
> denied access to rigorous AP courses that build
> strong minds in their youth, this MUST be the
> result of yet another back-room deal involving
> Jane Strauss and Stu Gibson.

The new principal graduated before SL got stuck with IB, unless he's under 28, which seems very unlikely.

Tessie will not run for Sharon's seat. Tessie is interested in schools, not politics. Colin Campbell is running for Sharon's seat.

No one on the school board is interested in schools. They are in for it as a stepping stone for other polical offices.

BraddockDistrict Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Tessie will not run for Sharon's seat. Tessie is
> interested in schools, not politics. Colin
> Campbell is running for Sharon's seat.

What is the purpose of this thread any more? SLPTSA has won this war and it is OVER. SL has already had celebration parties and come september the 20 or 30 IB dimploma students will start enjoying the spoils of this war victory, once they start getting the thousands of dollars coming out out the share of the hundreds of new students thrown in South Lakes. In hindsight the anti RDs never had a chance to begin with. This is a done deal, time to move on.

South Lakes long slide into this current state where people would sell and move rather than send their kids to South Lakes High School, started with the introduction of IB. It is simple. School is about acadamics. Once they adopted IB, they ignored 99% of the general population of the school. They started to serve only 1% IB diploma students. South Lakes fate was sealed the moment they threw out AP. No RD or superstar principal like Bruce can help South Lakes. Most parents want their kids to excel in acadamics in high school. South Lakes continued support of IB, just demonstrates that they are not really interested in higher levels of acadamics - South Lakes will only serve the tiny segment of population that is interested in IB diploma.


Neen Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Infiltrator Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > You really have to keep a watch on the South
> Lakes
> > students. Apparently the new principal of
> Langley
> > - LANGLEY! - is a Hughes/South Lakes graduate.
> > Since we all know South Lakes graduates cannot
> > achieve anything on their own merits, having
> been
> > denied access to rigorous AP courses that build
> > strong minds in their youth, this MUST be the
> > result of yet another back-room deal involving
> > Jane Strauss and Stu Gibson.
>
> The new principal graduated before SL got stuck
> with IB, unless he's under 28, which seems very
> unlikely.

purpose? Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> What is the purpose of this thread any more?
> SLPTSA has won this war and it is OVER. SL has
> already had celebration parties and come september
> the 20 or 30 IB dimploma students will start
> enjoying the spoils of this war victory, once they
> start getting the thousands of dollars coming out
> out the share of the hundreds of new students
> thrown in South Lakes. In hindsight the anti RDs
> never had a chance to begin with. This is a done
> deal, time to move on.


Purpose, thanks for explaining the real reasons behind the RD. This is why the thread started in the first place. Please move on, no reason to gloat.

I guess anti RD folks keep expressing their frustrations on the Underground in hopes some RD supporter will explain the benefits to those kids who are being forced to go to South Lakes. Let the explanation begin.

purpose? Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> What is the purpose of this thread any more?
> SLPTSA has won this war and it is OVER. SL has
> already had celebration parties and come september
> the 20 or 30 IB dimploma students will start
> enjoying the spoils of this war victory, once they
> start getting the thousands of dollars coming out
> out the share of the hundreds of new students
> thrown in South Lakes. In hindsight the anti RDs
> never had a chance to begin with. This is a done
> deal, time to move on.

Screw you, Gibson and the SLPTSA. This war has just started.

South Lakes is 22 out of 25 HS in FCPS, with a low GPA of 2.46.

true Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It is simple. School
> is about acadamics. Once they adopted IB, they
> ignored 99% of the general population of the
> school. They started to serve only 1% IB diploma
> students. South Lakes fate was sealed the moment
> they threw out AP. No RD or superstar principal
> like Bruce can help South Lakes. Most parents want
> their kids to excel in acadamics in high school.
> South Lakes continued support of IB, just
> demonstrates that they are not really interested
> in higher levels of acadamics - South Lakes will
> only serve the tiny segment of population that is
> interested in IB diploma.

Please explain how "most parents want their kids to excel in academics" jives with the 1% that are served by IB. Haven't most complained that the full diploma program is too difficult, yet here you are saying parents want their kids to excel which would mean the diploma program, right?? so, do only 1% of the families want their kids to excel? Is IB too difficult or too easy??
>

IB is a all or none choice. Either you are in diploma to benefit or you not not in at all. It is also important for the kid to have a well rounded education and participate in sports and have some fun while in highschool. AP offers the right balance. With IB diploma there is not much that the kid can do other than IB diploma - Also what if the kid cannot cope up?. AP is much more flexible and challenges the kid to take as many as he can cope with, while ensuring recognition from colleges for each course taken.

not an SL family, but.... Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> true Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > It is simple. School
> > is about acadamics. Once they adopted IB, they
> > ignored 99% of the general population of the
> > school. They started to serve only 1% IB
> diploma
> > students. South Lakes fate was sealed the
> moment
> > they threw out AP. No RD or superstar
> principal
> > like Bruce can help South Lakes. Most parents
> want
> > their kids to excel in acadamics in high
> school.
> > South Lakes continued support of IB, just
> > demonstrates that they are not really
> interested
> > in higher levels of acadamics - South Lakes
> will
> > only serve the tiny segment of population that
> is
> > interested in IB diploma.
>
> Please explain how "most parents want their kids
> to excel in academics" jives with the 1% that are
> served by IB. Haven't most complained that the
> full diploma program is too difficult, yet here
> you are saying parents want their kids to excel
> which would mean the diploma program, right?? so,
> do only 1% of the families want their kids to
> excel? Is IB too difficult or too easy??
> >

Please tell me why seven out of eight IB schools in FCPS are under capacity?

AP is the choice of parents and students. Close four IB schools that are under capacity and make those students who want IB go to the remaining four.

With over 4,000 empty seats in FCPS we need to go from 24 HS to 20 HS.

BraddockDistrict Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Tessie will not run for Sharon's seat. Tessie is
> interested in schools, not politics. Colin
> Campbell is running for Sharon's seat.

Hahahaha.........every politician is interested in politics, Tessie is no exception. She's also smart enough to know that she lives in a democrat district in a democrat county/

Who is Colin Campbell?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/24/2008 05:21PM by Neen.

true Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> IB is a all or none choice. Either you are in
> diploma to benefit or you not not in at all. It is
> also important for the kid to have a well rounded
> education and participate in sports and have some
> fun while in highschool. AP offers the right
> balance. With IB diploma there is not much that
> the kid can do other than IB diploma - Also what
> if the kid cannot cope up?. AP is much more
> flexible and challenges the kid to take as many as
> he can cope with, while ensuring recognition from
> colleges for each course taken.
>

You are wrong. It is not an all or none choice. There is benefit to the program for those students just taking a few IB classes, along the lines of what you said, "excel in HS" I have one son doing the full diploma, and he is on the swim team and on the debate team, and enjoys other activities as well, which refutes your comments about "well roundedness". My younger will just take some IB courses, but doesn't want to do the full..just as if he wanted to take a few AP courses.

Perhaps the kids taking a few SL IB courses won't get the college credit some might get with just a few AP, but that issue is far different from your confusing statements regarding it being too difficult and only 1% benefitting, and at the same time somehow not allowing for excellence in HS. You have yet to explain that contradiction...
>

Close four IB schools Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Please tell me why seven out of eight IB schools
> in FCPS are under capacity?
>
> AP is the choice of parents and students. Close
> four IB schools that are under capacity and make
> those students who want IB go to the remaining
> four.
>
> With over 4,000 empty seats in FCPS we need to go
> from 24 HS to 20 HS.

The IB program should be a magnet program, as it is in every other locale. FCPS should have one or two IB schools for those students who are serious IB students who want to pursue the IB diploma. Make the rest of the schools AP, it's cheaper and it's what parents and students prefer.

purpose? Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> What is the purpose of this thread any more?
> SLPTSA has won this war and it is OVER. SL has
> already had celebration parties and come september
> the 20 or 30 IB dimploma students will start
> enjoying the spoils of this war victory, once they
> start getting the thousands of dollars coming out
> out the share of the hundreds of new students
> thrown in South Lakes. In hindsight the anti RDs
> never had a chance to begin with. This is a done
> deal, time to move on.

I have to agree with your numbers. I doubt that South Lakes will get more than 40 to 50 new students, or about 175 over the next 4 years. Stu will not force the school to become an AP school and without that SL will never attract enough students to be anywhere near capacity. Then what? Expand the boundaries yet again? Or will it be time to give up and close SL, sending the students who want AP to Herndon and those who want IB to Marshall? In 4 years, after Stu's next coronation, I mean re-election, I suppose that will be his decision to make. What to do with South Lakes?

Tessie is as her son (an FCPS grad) is 2e.

not one Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> No one on the school board is interested in
> schools. They are in for it as a stepping stone
> for other polical offices.
>
> BraddockDistrict Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Tessie will not run for Sharon's seat. Tessie
> is
> > interested in schools, not politics. Colin
> > Campbell is running for Sharon's seat.

Neen Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> BraddockDistrict Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Tessie will not run for Sharon's seat. Tessie
> is
> > interested in schools, not politics. Colin
> > Campbell is running for Sharon's seat.
>
> Hahahaha.........every politician is interested in
> politics, Tessie is no exception. She's also smart
> enough to know that she lives in a democrat
> district in a democrat county/
>
> Who is Colin Campbell?

Sorry, I disagree about Tessie. She won't run again for School Board anyway and we'll end up with the ultimate political animal Liz Griffith. Lucky us. (!)

Colin Campbell is the Chief Legislative Aide in Sharon Bulova's office.

http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/braddock/staff.htm

Close four IB schools Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Please tell me why seven out of eight IB schools
> in FCPS are under capacity?
>
> AP is the choice of parents and students. Close
> four IB schools that are under capacity and make
> those students who want IB go to the remaining
> four.
>
> With over 4,000 empty seats in FCPS we need to go
> from 24 HS to 20 HS.

I suspect a lot of this has to do with the IB schools tending to be located in older areas of the county with changing demographics. Falls Church, which is in an older, fully developed area, has AP but has lost over 200 students in last three years; Marshall has IB but is gaining students because families who moved into newer Tysons and Vienna-area developments over the past two decades now have high school-age children.

To test your hypothesis, the School Board would need to replace IB with AP at a school like Marshall and see if there was a spike in enrollment. If that happened, it would provide a fairly compelling case for scaling back the number of IB schools elsewhere in the county.

Neen Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> purpose? Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > What is the purpose of this thread any more?
> > SLPTSA has won this war and it is OVER. SL has
> > already had celebration parties and come
> september
> > the 20 or 30 IB dimploma students will start
> > enjoying the spoils of this war victory, once
> they
> > start getting the thousands of dollars coming
> out
> > out the share of the hundreds of new students
> > thrown in South Lakes. In hindsight the anti
> RDs
> > never had a chance to begin with. This is a
> done
> > deal, time to move on.
>
> I have to agree with your numbers. I doubt that
> South Lakes will get more than 40 to 50 new
> students, or about 175 over the next 4 years. Stu
> will not force the school to become an AP school
> and without that SL will never attract enough
> students to be anywhere near capacity. Then what?
> Expand the boundaries yet again? Or will it be
> time to give up and close SL, sending the students
> who want AP to Herndon and those who want IB to
> Marshall? In 4 years, after Stu's next
> coronation, I mean re-election, I suppose that
> will be his decision to make. What to do with
> South Lakes?

What happens to the students who want to take the regular high school academic (non-vocational or academy) courses, but aren't really candidates for either IB or AP courses? Where do they go? It seems that, in the never-ending AP vs IB debate , you and others don't acknowledge that such students exist.

Neen Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> purpose? Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > What is the purpose of this thread any more?
> > SLPTSA has won this war and it is OVER. SL has
> > already had celebration parties and come
> september
> > the 20 or 30 IB dimploma students will start
> > enjoying the spoils of this war victory, once
> they
> > start getting the thousands of dollars coming
> out
> > out the share of the hundreds of new students
> > thrown in South Lakes. In hindsight the anti
> RDs
> > never had a chance to begin with. This is a
> done
> > deal, time to move on.
>
> I have to agree with your numbers. I doubt that
> South Lakes will get more than 40 to 50 new
> students, or about 175 over the next 4 years. Stu
> will not force the school to become an AP school
> and without that SL will never attract enough
> students to be anywhere near capacity. Then what?
> Expand the boundaries yet again? Or will it be
> time to give up and close SL, sending the students
> who want AP to Herndon and those who want IB to
> Marshall? In 4 years, after Stu's next
> coronation, I mean re-election, I suppose that
> will be his decision to make. What to do with
> South Lakes?


I propose after the next election, Stu takes north reston kids to send to South Lakes. After all isn't South Lakes a Reston school as Stu claimed in a email 9 years ago to a Floris parent?

Any takers that Jack Dale will furnish the number of students that attend South Lakes in 2008-2009 year from redistricted areas? If this percentage is less than 40% will the SB treat the RD as a success?

Jack_dale_give_us_the_numbers Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Any takers that Jack Dale will furnish the number
> of students that attend South Lakes in 2008-2009
> year from redistricted areas? If this percentage
> is less than 40% will the SB treat the RD as a
> success?

Cautionary Note Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Jack_dale_give_us_the_numbers Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Any takers that Jack Dale will furnish the
> number
> > of students that attend South Lakes in
> 2008-2009
> > year from redistricted areas? If this
> percentage
> > is less than 40% will the SB treat the RD as a
> > success?

If the number is low because of successful pupil placements, you might want to be careful before pushing for the official release of such information. The School Board didn't always permit as many pupil placements as it does now. Who's to say that it might not cut back on the permissible grounds for pupil placing in the future?

Cautionary Note Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Cautionary Note Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Jack_dale_give_us_the_numbers Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > Any takers that Jack Dale will furnish the
> > number
> > > of students that attend South Lakes in
> > 2008-2009
> > > year from redistricted areas? If this
> > percentage
> > > is less than 40% will the SB treat the RD as
> a
> > > success?
>
> If the number is low because of successful pupil
> placements, you might want to be careful before
> pushing for the official release of such
> information. The School Board didn't always
> permit as many pupil placements as it does now.
> Who's to say that it might not cut back on the
> permissible grounds for pupil placing in the
> future?


I don't think we need to worry about that. Jack Dale is on record saying "We will offer students the choice of programs between AP and IB by pupil placement".

I know some families decided to go to SL even though their pupil placements already approved. It's all because transportation. Very hard to arrange.

So, I am thinking the number might not be very low.

Jack_dale_give_us_the_numbers Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Any takers that Jack Dale will furnish the number
> of students that attend South Lakes in 2008-2009
> year from redistricted areas? If this percentage
> is less than 40% will the SB treat the RD as a
> success?

BraddockDistrict Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Neen Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > BraddockDistrict Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > Tessie will not run for Sharon's seat.
> Tessie
> > is
> > > interested in schools, not politics. Colin
> > > Campbell is running for Sharon's seat.
> >
> > Hahahaha.........every politician is interested
> in
> > politics, Tessie is no exception. She's also
> smart
> > enough to know that she lives in a democrat
> > district in a democrat county/
> >
> > Who is Colin Campbell?
>
> Sorry, I disagree about Tessie. She won't run
> again for School Board anyway and we'll end up
> with the ultimate political animal Liz Griffith.
> Lucky us. (!)
>
> Colin Campbell is the Chief Legislative Aide in
> Sharon Bulova's office.
>
> http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/braddock/staff.htm

Both Colin Campbell AND Moon will be running for Sharon's seat? Moon is better known and can raise more money.

I agree, if Tessie doesn't run again, you get Liz Griffith. If that happens, you have my sympathy. Did you hear what Liz proposed to help balance the budget? No more lights on FCPS fields. Of course that means no more Friday night football. What an idiot. Football! The ONLY sport that MAKES money for FCPS. Since Liz has only lived in FC for a minute and half, and knows nothing about schools, perhaps she will move again to another state, like Maryland, where her 'talents' will be better appreciated.

Why did you tell us that Tessie and her son are 2e? How is that relevant to anything? Just wondering why you posted that.

NotVeryLow Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I know some families decided to go to SL even
> though their pupil placements already approved.
> It's all because transportation. Very hard to
> arrange.
>
> So, I am thinking the number might not be very
> low.
>
Why would transportation be difficult when the buses will still be running for the next 3 years? Most people know that, don't they? So few high school kids take the bus anyway. The buses have to run, but they are almost never full. So it won't be any problem for those who are pupil placed to ride the bus.

Neenologist Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Neen Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > purpose? Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > What is the purpose of this thread any more?
> > > SLPTSA has won this war and it is OVER. SL
> has
> > > already had celebration parties and come
> > september
> > > the 20 or 30 IB dimploma students will start
> > > enjoying the spoils of this war victory, once
> > they
> > > start getting the thousands of dollars coming
> > out
> > > out the share of the hundreds of new students
> > > thrown in South Lakes. In hindsight the anti
> > RDs
> > > never had a chance to begin with. This is a
> > done
> > > deal, time to move on.
> >
> > I have to agree with your numbers. I doubt
> that
> > South Lakes will get more than 40 to 50 new
> > students, or about 175 over the next 4 years.
> Stu
> > will not force the school to become an AP
> school
> > and without that SL will never attract enough
> > students to be anywhere near capacity. Then
> what?
> > Expand the boundaries yet again? Or will it
> be
> > time to give up and close SL, sending the
> students
> > who want AP to Herndon and those who want IB to
> > Marshall? In 4 years, after Stu's next
> > coronation, I mean re-election, I suppose that
> > will be his decision to make. What to do with
> > South Lakes?
>
> What happens to the students who want to take the
> regular high school academic (non-vocational or
> academy) courses, but aren't really candidates for
> either IB or AP courses? Where do they go? It
> seems that, in the never-ending AP vs IB debate ,
> you and others don't acknowledge that such
> students exist.


There's been discussion on this somewhere from this thread about these students who are not candidates to take advanced courses whether it is AP or IB. But given this and I do not have the statistics on hand, there seems to be a higher concentration of high performing students who were redistricted to SL and that has caused an uproar from the redistricted communities to argue about the AP vs IB programs.

Jack_dale_give_us_the_numbers Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Any takers that Jack Dale will furnish the number
> of students that attend South Lakes in 2008-2009
> year from redistricted areas? If this percentage
> is less than 40% will the SB treat the RD as a
> success?

How many have been projected to attend? It should be fairly easy to see how many more 9th graders at South Lakes in fall of 2008 than 9th graders attend this year.

Stu Gibson will claim that redistricting is a success, regardless. If they get fewer than 75 students, they will claim that's all they expected but once those 75 realize how great SL is, each subsequent year will yield more students, until they have an additional 150 per year. (Assuming 150 is their goal. Have they ever established a specific goal?) Politicians can spin anything into a win. I would expect Stu to do just that. It will be a success, regardless of how many students enroll.

Neenologist Wrote:
--------------------------------------------------
>
> I suspect a lot of this has to do with the IB
> schools tending to be located in older areas of
> the county with changing demographics. Falls
> Church, which is in an older, fully developed
> area, has AP but has lost over 200 students in
> last three years; Marshall has IB but is gaining
> students because families who moved into newer
> Tysons and Vienna-area developments over the past
> two decades now have high school-age children.
>
> To test your hypothesis, the School Board would
> need to replace IB with AP at a school like
> Marshall and see if there was a spike in
> enrollment. If that happened, it would provide a
> fairly compelling case for scaling back the number
> of IB schools elsewhere in the county.

Hey you! I love it when guys like you have a crush on me. It's so cute, bless your little heart. You are just precious.

IB was put into schools that had lower enrollment, schools suffering from 'white flight' (Dr. Sprague's words). Staff hoped to stop the flight by giving white parents a special program, assuring them their children would be in this elite program, away from the other students. It never quite worked as they had hoped and all of those schools remained under enrolled although there were some white, liberal, parents who embraced IB. Remember too, several of the schools (or was it all of them?) were told that they would also be able to keep their AP programs. The administration reneged on that promise when they didn't get a big spike in enrollments in IB schools.

Anything else I can answer for my number one fan, Precious?

Smooches,
neen

Here is how I look at it. If I send my kid to IB school and he is does not make it all the way to Diploma, he is going to be viewed less favourably by colleges as not taking the most challenging path in school. In AP there is no such diploma concept, so if he has a bunch of AP that is fine. Personally I think the individual IB courses as almost at par with AP, but they are not recognized by colleges. But as a parent here is my bottom line - if he takes only a few IB courses then he is not at the same level as taking a few AP in eyes of colleges. (I know you IB guys will refute that, but I have read enough colleges not even recognizing IB, that I dont want to gamble on my kid's future.) If he turns out smart enough to do the full diploma, then he would in an AP school be able to take a full suite of AP courses, earning him significant college credit to start with. I am not looking for him to finish college earlier, but that extra credit will give him more flexibility in college. I dont see any rational benefit of IB over AP. So why choose IB? I discussed this with dozens of RDed parents and almost all had simillar views. Even for some if IB is almost the same as AP, why go with IB when AP is more universally recognized in US and has more credits?
Once you have enough of involved parents thinking like this and pulling their kids out of IB schools, you have the situation of poor rankings as SL. Before you jump over and say this is an insult to parents sending their kids to SL, see that I am saying "enough of parents". take for example, if 100 parents are pupil placing and say 20 are moving this year, SL has lost 120 families. These are not just any 120 families - these are the ones that feel so strongly about their kids AP access that they are willing to provide everyday transportion or sell their houses. I bet these 120 will push their kids into more AP courses, raising the schools ranking where they go. That is why SL is at 515 and Oakton is at 103.
IB is a new comer, AP is established. IB needs to offer me a significant advantage over AP for me to choose IB for him. My analysis is that at best IB could be equal to AP, but AP is more recognized. So AP wins. Even if there is a remote doubt in my mind that I will harm my kids future by sending him to a IB school, I am willing to move. There is lots of doubts about IB. This is not a stock bet where worse case I will lose some money. I can never replace high school years for my kid. So South Lakes is out of question for me and dozens of other parents I taked to. I think SLPTSA and Gibson are naive. They were fishing for advantaged families, but offering a questionable product of SL. But these advantaged families have the resources to pupil place, move or send to private - so a good portion of them wont be showing up at South Lakes.




not an SL family, but.... Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> true Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > IB is a all or none choice. Either you are in
> > diploma to benefit or you not not in at all. It
> is
> > also important for the kid to have a well
> rounded
> > education and participate in sports and have
> some
> > fun while in highschool. AP offers the right
> > balance. With IB diploma there is not much that
> > the kid can do other than IB diploma - Also
> what
> > if the kid cannot cope up?. AP is much more
> > flexible and challenges the kid to take as many
> as
> > he can cope with, while ensuring recognition
> from
> > colleges for each course taken.
> >
>
> You are wrong. It is not an all or none choice.
> There is benefit to the program for those students
> just taking a few IB classes, along the lines of
> what you said, "excel in HS" I have one son doing
> the full diploma, and he is on the swim team and
> on the debate team, and enjoys other activities as
> well, which refutes your comments about "well
> roundedness". My younger will just take some IB
> courses, but doesn't want to do the full..just as
> if he wanted to take a few AP courses.
>
> Perhaps the kids taking a few SL IB courses won't
> get the college credit some might get with just a
> few AP, but that issue is far different from your
> confusing statements regarding it being too
> difficult and only 1% benefitting, and at the same
> time somehow not allowing for excellence in HS.
> You have yet to explain that contradiction...
> >

>>>What happens to the students who want to take the
> regular high school academic (non-vocational or
> academy) courses, but aren't really candidates for
> either IB or AP courses? Where do they go? It
> seems that, in the never-ending AP vs IB debate ,
> you and others don't acknowledge that such
> students exist.<<<

FCPS doesn't really have Honors classes anymore. It's regular ed classes, English for Dummies, History for dopes, Algebra for those who can barely count, or the student takes IB or AP. It's a shame, but FCPS doesn't like tracking, so students must choose, difficult college level courses, or thrown into classes with kids who probably won't even graduate, because they don't bother to show up, and when they do show up they don't have their homework done, because they really don't care about school.

There is no bus go to Herndon or Maidson. They can't puiple place to Westfield.

Neen Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> NotVeryLow Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I know some families decided to go to SL even
> > though their pupil placements already approved.
> > It's all because transportation. Very hard to
> > arrange.
> >
> > So, I am thinking the number might not be very
> > low.
> >
> Why would transportation be difficult when the
> buses will still be running for the next 3 years?
> Most people know that, don't they? So few high
> school kids take the bus anyway. The buses have
> to run, but they are almost never full. So it
> won't be any problem for those who are pupil
> placed to ride the bus.

Baffled Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> There's been discussion on this somewhere from
> this thread about these students who are not
> candidates to take advanced courses whether it is
> AP or IB. But given this and I do not have the
> statistics on hand, there seems to be a higher
> concentration of high performing students who were
> redistricted to SL and that has caused an uproar
> from the redistricted communities to argue about
> the AP vs IB programs.

I understand this may be true for Fox Mill/Floris, but my question is what would really happen if South Lakes were closed. Sending AP students to Herndon and IB students to Marshall leaves other current South Lakes students without a school. How are you going to place those students without an RD that's much larger in scope than the last one?

true Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Here is how I look at it. If I send my kid to IB
> school and he is does not make it all the way to
> Diploma, he is going to be viewed less favourably
> by colleges as not taking the most challenging
> path in school. In AP there is no such diploma
> concept, so if he has a bunch of AP that is fine.
> Personally I think the individual IB courses as
> almost at par with AP, but they are not recognized
> by colleges. But as a parent here is my bottom
> line - if he takes only a few IB courses then he
> is not at the same level as taking a few AP in
> eyes of colleges. (I know you IB guys will refute
> that, but I have read enough colleges not even
> recognizing IB, that I dont want to gamble on my
> kid's future.) If he turns out smart enough to do
> the full diploma, then he would in an AP school be
> able to take a full suite of AP courses, earning
> him significant college credit to start with. I am
> not looking for him to finish college earlier, but
> that extra credit will give him more flexibility
> in college. I dont see any rational benefit of IB
> over AP. So why choose IB? I discussed this with
> dozens of RDed parents and almost all had simillar
> views. Even for some if IB is almost the same as
> AP, why go with IB when AP is more universally
> recognized in US and has more credits?
> Once you have enough of involved parents thinking
> like this and pulling their kids out of IB
> schools, you have the situation of poor rankings
> as SL. Before you jump over and say this is an
> insult to parents sending their kids to SL, see
> that I am saying "enough of parents". take for
> example, if 100 parents are pupil placing and say
> 20 are moving this year, SL has lost 120 families.
> These are not just any 120 families - these are
> the ones that feel so strongly about their kids AP
> access that they are willing to provide everyday
> transportion or sell their houses. I bet these 120
> will push their kids into more AP courses, raising
> the schools ranking where they go. That is why SL
> is at 515 and Oakton is at 103.
> IB is a new comer, AP is established. IB needs to
> offer me a significant advantage over AP for me to
> choose IB for him. My analysis is that at best IB
> could be equal to AP, but AP is more recognized.
> So AP wins. Even if there is a remote doubt in my
> mind that I will harm my kids future by sending
> him to a IB school, I am willing to move. There is
> lots of doubts about IB. This is not a stock bet
> where worse case I will lose some money. I can
> never replace high school years for my kid. So
> South Lakes is out of question for me and dozens
> of other parents I taked to. I think SLPTSA and
> Gibson are naive. They were fishing for advantaged
> families, but offering a questionable product of
> SL. But these advantaged families have the
> resources to pupil place, move or send to private
> - so a good portion of them wont be showing up at
> South Lakes.
>
WOW! Great post, very well said. That is EXACTLY how most parents think about AP. Why is this SO difficult for our school board to understand? Why can't they admit they made an mistake with IB, cut their losses, and let most of the IB schools convert back to AP? They are never going to solve their enrollment problems if they don't.

I do hope that you will send your post to the school board, ALL of them. They need to understand how parents feel about IB and AP. They need to know why top students are not in IB programs, why Asian families (among othes) are moving to school districts where their children can be in AP programs. Hopefully a few of the school board members noticed the large number of Asians objecting to their move to SL. Asians value education and will not willingly place their children into IB schools. Also Whites, Blacks, and Hispanics who place a high value on education are moving away from IB schools. After 8 years of IB, that should be rather obvious to our school board. It's time for them to give up on this IB experiment. It hasn't worked. FCPS needs to stop throwing good money after bad and ditch this program.

Neenologist Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Baffled Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> >
> > There's been discussion on this somewhere from
> > this thread about these students who are not
> > candidates to take advanced courses whether it
> is
> > AP or IB. But given this and I do not have the
> > statistics on hand, there seems to be a higher
> > concentration of high performing students who
> were
> > redistricted to SL and that has caused an
> uproar
> > from the redistricted communities to argue
> about
> > the AP vs IB programs.
>
> I understand this may be true for Fox Mill/Floris,
> but my question is what would really happen if
> South Lakes were closed. Sending AP students to
> Herndon and IB students to Marshall leaves other
> current South Lakes students without a school.
> How are you going to place those students without
> an RD that's much larger in scope than the last
> one?

Precious,
Send them to the school closest to their home. Since all the schools around SL's are better than SL's, most people wouldn't be too upset about going to a better school. Most academic students, the 92% who are going on to college, will take an AP course, if they are in a school with AP courses.

Smooches,
Neen

Take_north_reston_stu Wrote:
-Stu takes north
> reston kids to send to South Lakes. After all
> isn't South Lakes a Reston school as Stu claimed
> in a email 9 years ago to a Floris parent?

Yes, he will probably have to do that when SL remains under enrolled. But he may not be able to do that if Herndon isn't overcrowded. Maybe he could snag some of the Madison students who live closer to South Lakes. They are in Kathy's district, so it shouldn't be a problem for Stu.

Neen Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Take_north_reston_stu Wrote:
> -Stu takes north
> > reston kids to send to South Lakes. After all
> > isn't South Lakes a Reston school as Stu
> claimed
> > in a email 9 years ago to a Floris parent?
>
> Yes, he will probably have to do that when SL
> remains under enrolled. But he may not be able to
> do that if Herndon isn't overcrowded. Maybe he
> could snag some of the Madison students who live
> closer to South Lakes. They are in Kathy's
> district, so it shouldn't be a problem for Stu.


Why is that? Is Kathy Smith protective of her constituents? Is that why part of Bradley farms and emerald chase neighbourhoods got spared this time through RD? This RD map looks really weird, how it curves and skips neighbourhoods while grabbing portions of Floris.

Neen Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> BraddockDistrict Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Neen Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > BraddockDistrict Wrote:
> > >
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> >
> > > -----
> > > > Tessie will not run for Sharon's seat.
> > Tessie
> > > is
> > > > interested in schools, not politics. Colin
> > > > Campbell is running for Sharon's seat.
> > >
> > > Hahahaha.........every politician is
> interested
> > in
> > > politics, Tessie is no exception. She's also
> > smart
> > > enough to know that she lives in a democrat
> > > district in a democrat county/
> > >
> > > Who is Colin Campbell?
> >
> > Sorry, I disagree about Tessie. She won't run
> > again for School Board anyway and we'll end up
> > with the ultimate political animal Liz Griffith.
>
> > Lucky us. (!)
> >
> > Colin Campbell is the Chief Legislative Aide in
> > Sharon Bulova's office.
> >
> > http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/braddock/staff.htm
>
> Both Colin Campbell AND Moon will be running for
> Sharon's seat? Moon is better known and can raise
> more money.
>
> I agree, if Tessie doesn't run again, you get Liz
> Griffith. If that happens, you have my sympathy.
> Did you hear what Liz proposed to help balance the
> budget? No more lights on FCPS fields. Of course
> that means no more Friday night football. What an
> idiot. Football! The ONLY sport that MAKES money
> for FCPS. Since Liz has only lived in FC for a
> minute and half, and knows nothing about schools,
> perhaps she will move again to another state, like
> Maryland, where her 'talents' will be better
> appreciated.
>
> Why did you tell us that Tessie and her son are
> 2e? How is that relevant to anything? Just
> wondering why you posted that.

The bottom line:

All of you who have been taking sides against South Lake High School are racists, bigots, and xenophobes. Your posts resonate with it and it has nothing to do with AP or any other class program. You sicken me. You are the most selfish, arrogant people I've ever encountered. You cannot have a clue what the rest of the world is like. You don't appreciate the good school system you have that most of us crave. I don't even live in Fairfax County. I live in Georgia and I was told about this by a family member who lives there. As amazing as I've heard the school system is, I would never move there because of the utter evil you emit on this site. If even a quarter of adults in the school system are like you, the county is full of hateful, prejudiced people who care more about rank than education. Disgusting.

Neen Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> BraddockDistrict Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Neen Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > BraddockDistrict Wrote:
> > >
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> >
> > > -----
> > > > Tessie will not run for Sharon's seat.
> > Tessie
> > > is
> > > > interested in schools, not politics. Colin
> > > > Campbell is running for Sharon's seat.
> > >
> > > Hahahaha.........every politician is
> interested
> > in
> > > politics, Tessie is no exception. She's also
> > smart
> > > enough to know that she lives in a democrat
> > > district in a democrat county/
> > >
> > > Who is Colin Campbell?
> >
> > Sorry, I disagree about Tessie. She won't run
> > again for School Board anyway and we'll end up
> > with the ultimate political animal Liz Griffith.
>
> > Lucky us. (!)
> >
> > Colin Campbell is the Chief Legislative Aide in
> > Sharon Bulova's office.
> >
> > http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/braddock/staff.htm
>
> Both Colin Campbell AND Moon will be running for
> Sharon's seat? Moon is better known and can raise
> more money.
>
> I agree, if Tessie doesn't run again, you get Liz
> Griffith. If that happens, you have my sympathy.
> Did you hear what Liz proposed to help balance the
> budget? No more lights on FCPS fields. Of course
> that means no more Friday night football. What an
> idiot. Football! The ONLY sport that MAKES money
> for FCPS. Since Liz has only lived in FC for a
> minute and half, and knows nothing about schools,
> perhaps she will move again to another state, like
> Maryland, where her 'talents' will be better
> appreciated.
>
> Why did you tell us that Tessie and her son are
> 2e? How is that relevant to anything? Just
> wondering why you posted that.

I did NOT say that Tessie is 2e. I said that her son is 2e. My "Tessie is" statement refers to her interest in the schools and not politics -- e.g., she would not use her seat on the School Board as a stepping stone to another political office. Tessie served on GTAC before she was a School Board member. She was a PTA president. She has been involved in advocacy efforts for her son as well as special ed students. She cares about the schools and students vs. "just politics".

Now you sound like SL supports bringing in the race card. If you look at the public hearing, about 80% of the anti RD were non white. Almost 90% of all pro RD supporters from South lakes were white. If you look at the profile of RD areas - you will find they are not white. Some areas of Floris are completely Asian. Most of the Anti RD speaker parents had trouble communicating in English and were first generation immigrants. These are people who know the world and hardships better than the entire white school board or the entirely white SLPTSA does. Funny it is the white elitists who are playing the race card against a diverse community, who they forced RD on. Totally wierd reversal of roles?

Bottom Line Evil Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The bottom line:
>
> All of you who have been taking sides against
> South Lake High School are racists, bigots, and
> xenophobes. Your posts resonate with it and it has
> nothing to do with AP or any other class program.
> You sicken me. You are the most selfish, arrogant
> people I've ever encountered. You cannot have a
> clue what the rest of the world is like. You don't
> appreciate the good school system you have that
> most of us crave. I don't even live in Fairfax
> County. I live in Georgia and I was told about
> this by a family member who lives there. As
> amazing as I've heard the school system is, I
> would never move there because of the utter evil
> you emit on this site. If even a quarter of adults
> in the school system are like you, the county is
> full of hateful, prejudiced people who care more
> about rank than education. Disgusting.

Neen Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hey you! I love it when guys like you have a
> crush on me. It's so cute, bless your little
> heart. You are just precious.
>
> IB was put into schools that had lower enrollment,
> schools suffering from 'white flight' (Dr.
> Sprague's words). Staff hoped to stop the flight
> by giving white parents a special program,
> assuring them their children would be in this
> elite program, away from the other students. It
> never quite worked as they had hoped and all of
> those schools remained under enrolled although
> there were some white, liberal, parents who
> embraced IB. Remember too, several of the schools
> (or was it all of them?) were told that they would
> also be able to keep their AP programs. The
> administration reneged on that promise when they
> didn't get a big spike in enrollments in IB
> schools.
>
> Anything else I can answer for my number one fan,
> Precious?
>
> Smooches,
> neen

I'm starting to think you've watched "The Graduate" one too many times.

No new questions for now - your latest series of posts are repeats of repeats of earlier generalizations, tossed out for the sheer pleasure of insulting IB, liberals, democrats and/or South Lakes supporters. But thanks for asking.

BraddockDistrict Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> > I did NOT say that Tessie . . . . She cares about the schools and students vs. "just politics".< <

Then why did she defend the FCPS' idiotic grading system in the Jay Mathew's column earlier this year. This grading system puts FCPS grads at a serious disadvantage in college admissions. Is she just that ill informed and accepting of Regnier's pr bs or does she just concentrate on se? God knows the se kids need an advocate on the SB but defending FCPS' indefensible grading scale undercuts any credibility she might have on other issues. She was also fairly dismissive of opponents of the RD.

USPEIN@yahoogroups.com

You don't want to put your kids in IB at all.

The real racists are SBMs like Stu Gibson. He pledged his support to the rich white communities of North Reston going to white Langley, while at the same time pushing more middle class diverse communities from far away into reston south lakes, which has a lot of diverse population. Every one of the school board member who voted for this RD fully knowing that they were shielding rich white areas of Reston, to let them go Langley is a true racist at heart. Here are the exact words of the racist Gibson as qouted in a local newspaper:


"A lot of people choose where to live based on the high schools where they live. It has been suggested before that all of Reston should go to South Lakes. North Point Village doesn't want to go to South Lakes. I love South Lakes. I have a daughter who went there and another that is going to graduate from there, but North Point Village doesn't want to go there," said Stuart Gibson (Hunter Mill). "If someone wants to go out in the community and float the idea of a boundary change, go ahead, but I for one will not be supporting that measure."


No doubt left who is a racist.


Bottom Line Evil rebuttal Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Now you sound like SL supports bringing in the
> race card. If you look at the public hearing,
> about 80% of the anti RD were non white. Almost
> 90% of all pro RD supporters from South lakes were
> white. If you look at the profile of RD areas -
> you will find they are not white. Some areas of
> Floris are completely Asian. Most of the Anti RD
> speaker parents had trouble communicating in
> English and were first generation immigrants.
> These are people who know the world and hardships
> better than the entire white school board or the
> entirely white SLPTSA does. Funny it is the white
> elitists who are playing the race card against a
> diverse community, who they forced RD on. Totally
> wierd reversal of roles?
>
> Bottom Line Evil Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > The bottom line:
> >
> > All of you who have been taking sides against
> > South Lake High School are racists, bigots, and
> > xenophobes. Your posts resonate with it and it
> has
> > nothing to do with AP or any other class
> program.
> > You sicken me. You are the most selfish,
> arrogant
> > people I've ever encountered. You cannot have a
> > clue what the rest of the world is like. You
> don't
> > appreciate the good school system you have that
> > most of us crave. I don't even live in Fairfax
> > County. I live in Georgia and I was told about
> > this by a family member who lives there. As
> > amazing as I've heard the school system is, I
> > would never move there because of the utter
> evil
> > you emit on this site. If even a quarter of
> adults
> > in the school system are like you, the county
> is
> > full of hateful, prejudiced people who care
> more
> > about rank than education. Disgusting.

> "If someone wants to go out in the
> community and float the idea of a boundary change,
> go ahead, but I for one will not be supporting
> that measure."


So according to Stu Gibson the rich whites should be left at Langley, while at the same time he gave a speech on Feb 28th vote on FRL!!. We all know those measures are simply a front for race. Shame on this school board for districting purely on race and class lines.

well said Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The real racists are SBMs like Stu Gibson. He
> pledged his support to the rich white communities
> of North Reston going to white Langley, while at
> the same time pushing more middle class diverse
> communities from far away into reston south lakes,
> which has a lot of diverse population. Every one
> of the school board member who voted for this RD
> fully knowing that they were shielding rich white
> areas of Reston, to let them go Langley is a true
> racist at heart. Here are the exact words of the
> racist Gibson as qouted in a local newspaper:
>
>
> "A lot of people choose where to live based on the
> high schools where they live. It has been
> suggested before that all of Reston should go to
> South Lakes. North Point Village doesn't want to
> go to South Lakes. I love South Lakes. I have a
> daughter who went there and another that is going
> to graduate from there, but North Point Village
> doesn't want to go there," said Stuart Gibson
> (Hunter Mill). "If someone wants to go out in the
> community and float the idea of a boundary change,
> go ahead, but I for one will not be supporting
> that measure."
>
>
> No doubt left who is a racist.
>
>
> Bottom Line Evil rebuttal Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Now you sound like SL supports bringing in the
> > race card. If you look at the public hearing,
> > about 80% of the anti RD were non white. Almost
> > 90% of all pro RD supporters from South lakes
> were
> > white. If you look at the profile of RD areas -
> > you will find they are not white. Some areas of
> > Floris are completely Asian. Most of the Anti
> RD
> > speaker parents had trouble communicating in
> > English and were first generation immigrants.
> > These are people who know the world and
> hardships
> > better than the entire white school board or
> the
> > entirely white SLPTSA does. Funny it is the
> white
> > elitists who are playing the race card against
> a
> > diverse community, who they forced RD on.
> Totally
> > wierd reversal of roles?
> >
> > Bottom Line Evil Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > The bottom line:
> > >
> > > All of you who have been taking sides against
> > > South Lake High School are racists, bigots,
> and
> > > xenophobes. Your posts resonate with it and
> it
> > has
> > > nothing to do with AP or any other class
> > program.
> > > You sicken me. You are the most selfish,
> > arrogant
> > > people I've ever encountered. You cannot have
> a
> > > clue what the rest of the world is like. You
> > don't
> > > appreciate the good school system you have
> that
> > > most of us crave. I don't even live in
> Fairfax
> > > County. I live in Georgia and I was told
> about
> > > this by a family member who lives there. As
> > > amazing as I've heard the school system is, I
> > > would never move there because of the utter
> > evil
> > > you emit on this site. If even a quarter of
> > adults
> > > in the school system are like you, the county
> > is
> > > full of hateful, prejudiced people who care
> > more
> > > about rank than education. Disgusting.

ffx cnty schools are good because of these very parents that care about quantitative ranks. Good education cannot be measured - those hiding behind the good education excuse are not willing to put the effort and energy to achive higher results. If you say a C is OK, then the students wont aspire for A grades. Ranks, grades and competition serves to push everyone for constant improvement and that is what the engine is behind high performing schools. It is the people who fail to compete on measureable standards, that say the standards are bad and we are still getting a "good education" - they fully know that you cannot measure "good education" - so use that as an excuse to hide poor performance.

Bottom Line Evil Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The bottom line:
>
> All of you who have been taking sides against
> South Lake High School are racists, bigots, and
> xenophobes. Your posts resonate with it and it has
> nothing to do with AP or any other class program.
> You sicken me. You are the most selfish, arrogant
> people I've ever encountered. You cannot have a
> clue what the rest of the world is like. You don't
> appreciate the good school system you have that
> most of us crave. I don't even live in Fairfax
> County. I live in Georgia and I was told about
> this by a family member who lives there. As
> amazing as I've heard the school system is, I
> would never move there because of the utter evil
> you emit on this site. If even a quarter of adults
> in the school system are like you, the county is
> full of hateful, prejudiced people who care more
> about rank than education. Disgusting.

You are foolish when you spout off misinformation. North Reston does not attend Langley. Give yourself some education on the subject so you will be credible when you speak.

educate yourself Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You are foolish when you spout off misinformation.
> North Reston does not attend Langley. Give
> yourself some education on the subject so you will
> be credible when you speak.


Are you from North Reston? I believe there are some North Reston students going to Langley, but the majority of North Reston are in the Herndon HS district, am I correct? Reading through these pages of this thread, North and South Reston should be unified as one and attend South Lakes, but I guess Gibson has decided to play the favoritsm and protect North Reston and screw up the south Herndon area.

That is the beauty about trick artists such as Stu Gibson. They are very effective in completely fooling the public.
Most of the areas of zip code 20194 North Reston are in Langley. One home I found for sale is below at a cool 1.06 million there

www.homesdatabase.com/FX6748967

If you dont believe that lookup at listing on zillow and plug in the address at www.fcps.edu/boundary/

Gisbson type politicials are always for sale - if you have enough money or influence, they will back you. Otherwise they will screw you to benefit who have money and influence.



educate yourself Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You are foolish when you spout off misinformation.
> North Reston does not attend Langley. Give
> yourself some education on the subject so you will
> be credible when you speak.

I think this is the zillow link that the above poster is saying. Those north reston neighborhoods are pricy. They can afford to go to Langley.

http://www.zillow.com/HomeDetails.htm?zprop=51710297

Thomas More Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> BraddockDistrict Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > > I did NOT say that Tessie . . . . She cares
> about the schools and students vs. "just
> politics".< <
>
> Then why did she defend the FCPS' idiotic grading
> system in the Jay Mathew's column earlier this
> year. This grading system puts FCPS grads at a
> serious disadvantage in college admissions.

I don't know her specific viewpoint, but I would guess it is because FCPS' grading system (the one you term "idiotic") does not put FCPS grads at a serious disadvantage in college admissions.

Personally I would scrap the whole "letter grade thing" and just go with a numeric grade. Saves everyone a bunch of time and everyone can agree on it.

according to bruce butler 70% of the redistricted students will attend south lakes

BraddockDistrict Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I don't know her specific viewpoint, but I would guess it is because FCPS' grading system (the one you term "idiotic") does not put FCPS grads at a serious disadvantage in college admissions.< <

It most certainly does.

Just one example: a FCPS student was applying to UMich. The child got a 93 in Calc and recieved a B+/3.5 in the course. Mich does not use "+" so it adjusted the grade down to a 3.0, meaning the child was evaluated by UMich as doing Calc equal to an 85. The child was wait listed until the parents walked the Assit. Dean through the transcript.

If that child were in Montgomery or Arlington that 93 would be a 4.0 because it would be awarded an A-/3.75 plus a 0.25 bonus for the honors/AP course.

Multiply the 0.5 difference by 7 courses over 4 years and it is a substantial disadvantage for FCPS students.

Most readers of files at the competitive schools are looking through 5-10 thousand files between January and April. There isn't time to make adjustments on each file that these, mostly 20 something grad students, are expected to read.

> > Personally I would scrap the whole "letter grade thing" and just go with a numeric grade. Saves everyone a bunch of time and everyone can agree on it.< <

Agreed but colleges want high school grades reported on a 4.0 scale and when high schools don't follow that scale it makes the file readers' job harder and makes admission for FCPS students harder.

The reality is that far more FCPS students can handle the work at competitive universities than get into such colleges because of the FCPS grading system.

Where did you hear this number?

Ellie Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> according to bruce butler 70% of the redistricted
> students will attend south lakes

kathy_protects? Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Neen Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Take_north_reston_stu Wrote:
> > -Stu takes north
> > > reston kids to send to South Lakes. After
> all
> > > isn't South Lakes a Reston school as Stu
> > claimed
> > > in a email 9 years ago to a Floris parent?
> >
> > Yes, he will probably have to do that when SL
> > remains under enrolled. But he may not be able
> to
> > do that if Herndon isn't overcrowded. Maybe he
> > could snag some of the Madison students who
> live
> > closer to South Lakes. They are in Kathy's
> > district, so it shouldn't be a problem for Stu.
>
>
> Why is that? Is Kathy Smith protective of her
> constituents? Is that why part of Bradley farms
> and emerald chase neighbourhoods got spared this
> time through RD? This RD map looks really weird,
> how it curves and skips neighbourhoods while
> grabbing portions of Floris.

The folks in Navy district who were booted from Chantilly will disagree with you when you say that Kathy protects constituents. Since Madison is in Stu's district, I don't think that Kathy would have any problem moving her constituents from there to South lakes. Kathy cares about her schools, Chantilly especially. She wanted to reduce enrollment there, so she agreed to send the Navy kids to Oakton.

Cautionary Note Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> If the number is low because of successful pupil
> placements, you might want to be careful before
> pushing for the official release of such
> information. The School Board didn't always
> permit as many pupil placements as it does now.
> Who's to say that it might not cut back on the
> permissible grounds for pupil placing in the
> future?

That would be difficult since they still want to encourage pupil placement into IB schools.

Deleted duplicate post.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/25/2008 10:23PM by Neen.

Bottom Line Evil Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The bottom line:
>
> All of you who have been taking sides against
> South Lake High School are racists, bigots, and
> xenophobes. Your posts resonate with it and it has
> nothing to do with AP or any other class program.
> You sicken me. You are the most selfish, arrogant
> people I've ever encountered. You cannot have a
> clue what the rest of the world is like. You don't
> appreciate the good school system you have that
> most of us crave. I don't even live in Fairfax
> County. I live in Georgia and I was told about
> this by a family member who lives there. As
> amazing as I've heard the school system is, I
> would never move there because of the utter evil
> you emit on this site. If even a quarter of adults
> in the school system are like you, the county is
> full of hateful, prejudiced people who care more
> about rank than education. Disgusting.

Wow. That was quite an outburst. Feel better now that you've insulted and name called people you don't even know, in an area where you don't even live?

Why do I suspect that nothing you have screamed is even remotely related to the truth?

Where in Reston do you live? Or are you in Annanndale?

source of info? Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Where did you hear this number?
>
> Ellie Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > according to bruce butler 70% of the
> redistricted
> > students will attend south lakes

Don't worry about it. Bruce Butler has NO way of knowing that now. If he's saying that, he's making it up. He has NO way of knowing how many students will have moved, or transferred to private school, by September. He's HOPING that 70% will come, but most think it will more like 30% to 40%, or 40 to 55 new students, enough for two new classes of drama.

>>>did NOT say that Tessie is 2e. I said that her son is 2e. My "Tessie is" statement refers to her interest in the schools and not politics -- e.g., she would not use her seat on the School Board as a stepping stone to another political office. Tessie served on GTAC before she was a School Board member. She was a PTA president. She has been involved in advocacy efforts for her son as well as special ed students. She cares about the schools and students vs. "just politics".<<<<

I never said Tessie was only doing it for politics.

When was Tessie on the GTAC? It must have been prior to 1992. But yes, Tessie was involved in FCPS when her children were in school. But then so was Janie, and Stu, and Brad, and Phil. All of them were PTA Presidents, on the county council of PTA's, and on various FCPS committees. Being on school committees, PTA, and school board doesn't mean that they also don't have higher aspirations. It's not incompatible to care about schools and want to move up, particularly since so many of these SB members have been doing this job for more than 10 to 15 years. I would imagine that most are ready for something else. Stu is the only SB member who is currently prohibited from running for a partisan office. Oops, that's not true, Jim Raney is also Hatched.