http://www.dilbert.com/comics/dilbert/archive/dilbert-20071217.html

Restonian Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Berdhuis Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > No one with whom I've spoken from Westfield has
> > ever complained of overcrowding. All of the
> > testimony from Westfield students that I have
> > heard has negated the notion of overcrowding.
> My
> > child at Westfield says there is no
> overcrowding,
> > and has had no difficulty whatsoever in
> > participation of sports.
> >
> > Key elements of the School Board's claim that
> > there is an overcrowding problem at Westfield
> is
> > unsubstantiated. It is just an opinion that is
> not
> > validated.
>
>
> Have you spoken to Westfield students and parents
> who are not in areas that have under consideration
> for redistricting? I spoke to a Westfield mother
> today who said she finds it way too crowded there.
> She said there were many Westfield families who
> will be glad to have a smaller population at the
> school.


The irony with the latest alternative, is they won't see much difference. Unless, of course the Floris 69 are all on the cheerleading squad.

If those Westfield parents are so concerned about the population of the school, let them move to the South Lakes area or pupil place and have their children attend that school. Think there would be any takers? Didn't think so.

The South Lakes PTSA has made it MORE than
> clear that they love their IB program and parents
> who are forced into South Lakes will have NO say
> about their hopes for an AP program. None. It's
> IB or the highway.


No, they really haven't. The SL PTSA contains many voices, and all who join the school can add their voice and perspective to the mix.

I have yet to encounter a PTA that has too many active members. Willing volunteers are always welcome.

I can tell you that from my limited contact, I have been impressed with the IB program. My oldest is just a freshman, but I have met many parents through the school and Girl Scouting with children who went all the way through the program.

Nomansanisland Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> And about Langley, which I know pretty well, just
> look at a street map and see for yourselves
> exactly how many households would ever be moved in
> any inclusion of Langley -- negligible.

Neglible?? Please don't mislead these readers when some live in areas like McNair and Floris and really have no representation. There is plenty of Langley spread out over miles. In fact, more is available than I ever realized until north on Beulah got closed for repaving. Years ago in a galaxy far away I once heard some dialogue sidebar at a boundary meeting about hoping not to ever go to South Lakes. Perplexed a friend asked why are you concerned about that with how you'd have to drive to get there? Little did we know - -

FFX Dad Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
If nothing
> else, we should be role models for the students
> ... to share our opinions, support our neighbors,
> and take action for what is right!
>

The real question is, does your compassion extend to your South Lakes neighbors? Does your good behavior modeling include supporting South Lakes?

I'm not saying you don't and it doesn't, just asking the question.

I hear there is a recall petition for Stu Gibson floating around. Does any one have details about how many have signed. That is the last hope now to stop this

Here is the recall petition. They are very close to having the signature needed but I'm sure they want more



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/21/2007 07:21PM by Thomas More.
Attachments:

Restonian Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Have you spoken to Westfield students and parents
> who are not in areas that have under consideration
> for redistricting?

Yes, some of them were in areas not under consideration for redistricting, and some were.


> I spoke to a Westfield mother
> today who said she finds it way too crowded there.
> She said there were many Westfield families who
> will be glad to have a smaller population at the
> school.

Naturally a body of a couple of thousand families will not share unanimity. But more importantly, did you invite them to pupil-place at South Lakes? If so, then I applaud you. If not, then try to contact them and see if they would be interested. Or, even better, start a general pupil-placement opportunity drive to attract those from Westfield, or anywhere else, who would rather attend South Lakes. Maybe there is just not enough publicity on that option, and folks just don't know about it. I'll bet you would find some more who would decide to go to South Lakes.

I'd like to know how it turns out.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/21/2007 07:58PM by Berdhuis.

FME Mom Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> itcouldalwaysbworse Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > However, if you and your kids come and run down
> > our school and our children...prepare for them
> to
> > kick your kids AZZ. Not pretty but a fact. You
> > either like us or you don't. We don't care but
> be
> > respectful to us we are intitled to that same
> as
> > you and your children are.
>
>
> Wow, you are the exact type of quality person I
> have been speaking of.

Oh gosh!! And it's a middle-aged white man from Fox Mill.......wanna sign a petition?

Isn't Chantilly the school of the student who was either executed or put on death row? And what about the sleazy Jayson Blair plagiarism thing at the New York Times? Or maybe he was a product of Centreville or Westfield.

Is it really a good idea to make generalizations?

Ugh - so many of the people writing on this list (not all) seem to be mean and selfish - full of ignorance and intolerance. It's as if many of you are small-minded but you think you're pretty great. It's just ugly on the inside and out. Very discouraging and depressing to know that I live among you. I hope that it's really only a vocal few ignorant loudmouths and I hope fervently that the vast majority of people in our western Fairfax neighborhood:

- are caring, kind people who see other people not like them as fellow human beings

- realize that we're all on this earth together and at some point we're all related to each other

- understand that we're all flawed

- want to help others as much as they want to help themselves

But the cynical side of me is hoping that some of you meaner types are church goers of some kind because I LOVE HYPOCRISY!

Question:
Has the School Board generated an organized, widely-broadcast attempt in neighboring schools to pupil-place into South Lakes, or any other low-population school? Has it made an overt effort to inform parents of neighboring schools of pupil-placement options into low population schools? Just curious. I imagine, perhaps mistakenly, that this action could help South Lakes get their attendance up.

Anyway, I wish you all a Merry Christmas. May God bless us all with abundant joy and peace! Sleep with the angels tonight.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/21/2007 09:33PM by Berdhuis.

Bulldog Mom Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If those Westfield parents are so concerned about
> the population of the school, let them move to the
> South Lakes area or pupil place and have their
> children attend that school. Think there would be
> any takers? Didn't think so.


Exactly, anyone who says they want the school to be smaller wants OTHER people's kids to leave.

Mike,

Great post, I wish I was in room 215 with you all. We need more posts like that out here. Please get in touch with STOPRD.org with all your information from your room I am sure that will help the case against Stu and the other puppets following him.

Did anyone see Dale on the news say only 4 or 5 high schools were being looked at? Hummmmmm
WHS
OHS
CHS
HHS
MHS
SLHS

????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

Parents pressure school board to rethink boundary change
Printer Friendly | Email | Add to My News | Post comments Font Size: a a A A | Rank: # 21 of 8,635
Filed under: WASHINGTON , William C. Flook , Fairfax County schools
Map data ©2007 LeadDog Consulting, Tele Atlas - Terms of UseMapSatelliteHybridDec 21, 2007 3:00 AM (19 hrs ago) by William C. Flook, The Examiner
WASHINGTON (Map, News) - Fairfax County school officials gained little ground this week in selling parents on a high school redistricting plan that would send more students to an underpopulated but less-affluent high school in the western end of the county.

Calls to scuttle the entire proposal were echoed Wednesday at a public forum in Oakton, where residents overwhelmingly railed against the proposition to expand the student body of South Lakes High School in Reston with chunks of surrounding districts.

Opponents framed the redistricting as an attempt to “dilute” the problems of South Lakes, where more students are on free- and reduced-lunch programs, speak limited English and, in general, fall behind students from surrounding schools on standardized tests.

Some South Lakes parents, however, said their school has been unfairly maligned amid the rancor.

“That’s kind of typical for this sort of situation,” said Maria Allen, vice president of the South Lakes High School Parent Teacher Student Association. “The truth of the matter is that a lot of affluent people don’t want to send their kids to schools that have a large low-income population.”

Allen, who emphasized that she did not speak for the PTSA, called South Lakes an “excellent school” that nevertheless lagged in population because parents chose surrounding districts because of statistics and demographics. The school now serves about 1,400 students and has a capacity for 2,100.

Schools whose enrollments would shrink under the boundary redrawing, such as Westfield, Madison and Chantilly highs, are near or over their capacity.

School Board member Phillip Niedzielski-Eichner acknowledged that the “vast majority” of the hundreds of people attending the Wednesday night meeting opposed the boundary change. He and other member have declined to comment on the redistricting until it reaches the board in January.

Mary Chamberlain, part of a crowd in one room at the forum, joined others in calling for a moratorium on the boundary change. The school system, she said, shouldn’t rob from Oakton, which is not overenrolled, to “dilute another school’s population.”

2008 enrollments

» South Lakes:

Before redistricting: 1,389 After redistricting: 1,615

» Madison:

Before redistricting: 1,868

After redistricting: 1,850

» Westfield:

Before redistricting: 3,050

After redistricting: 2,981

» Chantilly:

Before redistricting: 2,753

After redistricting: 2,688

Note: Projected enrollments under a new school board proposal

Source: Fairfax County Public Schools

WestfieldMom Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Country Hick Wrote:
>
> >
> > Ok, so I think we agree that the scores are
> lower
> > at SL because of non-instruction related
> factors,
> > not because of the quality of instruction.
>
> I don't agree with this. There is a correlation
> between low income and low scores. Low income
> kids tend to score better when in school with
> middle class kids. There is no proof of
> causation. If you read the research, it
> repeatedly comes up that no one knows if the
> difference is due to the influence of the middle
> class kids or other factors such as low teacher
> expectations.
>
> It is a sad comment on our nation's schools that
> there is a decided preference to use students as
> resources rather than teachers.
>
>
>
> > However, from what I read and hear, most of the
> > potential SL families are angry because they
> think
> > their kid will not get as good an education at
> SL.
>
> Yes. Not because of the low income kids, but
> because of the IB program. And the "global
> citizen" garbage.
>
> >doesn't it
> > make sense for a school board member to try to
> > make sure the average scores for the schools in
> > his district reflect what the population is
> crying
> > out for?
>
> It makes sense for a school board member to try to
> make sure that the school in his backyard is not
> an embarassment to him. Of course, he has spent
> the last 12 years trying to make sure that it IS
> and embarrassment to him, so I don't think an
> imputation of good sense or any sense at all
> applies.
>
> >Sure, it would be better from a social
> > and moral standpoint to actually try to educate
> > those kids, but wouldn't that then drift into
> > outcry that white kids are getting cheated
> because
> > more money is being spent on black kids, or
> that
> > taxpayer money is being squandered? On
> previous
> > posts, it seems that a lot of people don't even
> > think they should get to go to school at
> all...I
> > think that instead of posting averages, they
> > should post the whole distribution, or at least
> > the standard deviation, don't you think?
> > Similarly, all those rankings published by
> > illustrious publications should have some sort
> of
> > factor/adjustment for average income of the
> school
> > population....
>
> I think FCPS should publish test scores by income
> for all Fairfax County schools to demonstrate that
> low income kids at Langely (all 0.94 percent of
> them) score higher than low income kids at South
> Lakes etc. Is there a difference in the county
> schools or is this a faith-based redistricting?


Shame on you! quality or non quality of instruction is evident in all FCPS schools. The difference is attitude of parents, students and school staff; including administrators.

This whole redistricting process underscores what a big mistake it was to move to the Strategic Governance process where neither the School Board or the Staff are accountable to the public.

-Naturally a body of a couple of thousand families will not share unanimity.-

That is just so true. Have you lived in McNair long? What do the people there think about this whole redistricting thing. There didn't seem to be anyone from McNair at the meeting. Are you completley in the clear?

I am tired of the excuse that a magnet program would be too expensive.
It is probaly more expensive to offer IB than any kind of magnet program.

So.....Since SL already has IB, Simply make IB the magnet.
Promote IB and offer admission to any student who takes the TJ test.

If county wide busing is too expensive, limit admission to students in western Fairfax. These students can take the bus to their local high school like the TJ kids do and then just a few buses will transport them to SL.

And as others here have said, then we won't have IB teachers teaching such small classes.

>>>Does your good behavior modeling include supporting South Lakes?<<<

Modeling good behavior must include supporting South Lakes? And IB? And their PTSA? Anything else?

So Simple Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I am tired of the excuse that a magnet program
> would be too expensive.
> It is probaly more expensive to offer IB than any
> kind of magnet program.
>
> So.....Since SL already has IB, Simply make IB the
> magnet.
> Promote IB and offer admission to any student who
> takes the TJ test.
>
> If county wide busing is too expensive, limit
> admission to students in western Fairfax. These
> students can take the bus to their local high
> school like the TJ kids do and then just a few
> buses will transport them to SL.
>
> And as others here have said, then we won't have
> IB teachers teaching such small classes.<<<


Great idea! There are so many simple solutions that our school board didn't bother to even think about. They'd rather disrupt thousands of people's lives.

long time fcps mom Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> This whole redistricting process underscores what
> a big mistake it was to move to the Strategic
> Governance process where neither the School Board
> or the Staff are accountable to the public.

How could this have happened? How can NO ONE be responsible for anything?

Berdhuis Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Question:
> Has the School Board generated an organized,
> widely-broadcast attempt in neighboring schools to
> pupil-place into South Lakes, or any other
> low-population school? Has it made an overt effort
> to inform parents of neighboring schools of
> pupil-placement options into low population
> schools? Just curious. I imagine, perhaps
> mistakenly, that this action could help South
> Lakes get their attendance up.
>
> Anyway, I wish you all a Merry Christmas. May God
> bless us all with abundant joy and peace! Sleep
> with the angels tonight.

IB was supposed to do that, encourage people to pupil place into low performing schools, but only a handful of leftists have ever done that, so their little IB experiment flopped. Parents don't want IB.

Anyone here watch the school board meeting last night? Anyone hear this last night? Pretty interesting. They hung Stu Gibson out to dry. The chair, that guy who looks like Lincoln read this:



STATEMENT OF THE FAIRFAX COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD
>
> December 20, 2007
>
>
>
> Recently, the Fairfax County Public
> Schools (FCPS) received
> a letter of findings from the Virginia Department of
> Education (VDOE),
> finding the "school division to be in noncompliance
> regarding the
> confidentiality of educational records" of an
> individual student as charged
> by one parent. The VDOE imposed no sanction and
> required no corrective
> action on the part of FCPS or Stu Gibson, the Board
> member whose statements
> were the subject of the parent's complaint. The
> letter of findings applied
> to this individual complaint only.
>
>School Board member Stu Gibson
> states: "I am sorry. I
> apologize if anything I said caused any harm. It
> was certainly not my
> intent." The School Board accepts Mr. Gibson's
> apology. The School Board
> has also decided not to appeal the letter of
> findings.
>
>Each member of the Fairfax County School Board
> believes in the importance of
> protecting the confidentiality of student records in
> accordance with
> applicable laws. In order to ensure a more complete
> understanding of
> privacy statutes, their interpretations and
> compliance, School Board members
> will receive additional training regarding the legal
> requirements governing
> confidentiality of student records.

Stu screwed up, big time. Didn't he say a couple of weeks ago that he didn't do anything wrong? Looks like the school board disagreed with him. hehehehehehe...........even they don't like him and wouldn't back him on an appeal to the state. They even wrote a little apology for him that he had to vote on. LOL.........LOSER!!!!!

No - but it was CYA... under the rug, done.

For SueBonnetSue, Word, Neen, etc.:

It doesn't matter to the mob whether what Stu did was reprehensible enough to warrant his removal - the Christmas season is upon us and some people are hungry for blood sacrifice.

Your lives must be so empty. Please take time to ponder the meaning of Christmas and ask yourselves whether your time posting here could be better spent. Time spent with family, helping those less fortunate, contemplating how we can be better each and every day. I pray for you all.

word Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> No - but it was CYA... under the rug, done.

Not so fast my friend. Stay tuned for further developments. There's even more to this story. None of it good for his craveness.

But his obvious unpopularity with his fellow Board members was on full display last night for anyone to see; which gives a further explanation for his unwillingness to take on Strauss to add either Langley or Madison to this study or to shift Armstrong or Aldrin to SL. Strauss would fight each of these and the Board members would side with her against Stu, Hunter Mill and Reston.

Father Bob Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Your lives must be so empty. Please take time to
> ponder the meaning of Christmas and ask yourselves
> whether your time posting here could be better
> spent. Time spent with family, helping those less
> fortunate, contemplating how we can be better each
> and every day. I pray for you all.

Shouldn't you be off delivering gifts to the poor, saying a mass or two, sermonizing somewhere other than here? You are offending the Jews and Muslims among us.

Father Bob Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> For SueBonnetSue, Word, Neen, etc.:
>
> It doesn't matter to the mob whether what Stu did was reprehensible enough . . .

So a DOJ attorney who is supposed to be an expert in education law disclosing an 8 year old's private educational information in order to hold his mother up to ridicule and derision so that the attorney can win re-election to a School Board is not reprehensible? Really?

Father Bob is right. You could be jerking it right now instead of arguing with your computer screen.

Thomas More Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> word Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > No - but it was CYA... under the rug, done.
>
> Not so fast my friend. Stay tuned for further
> developments. There's even more to this story.
> None of it good for his craveness.
>
> But his obvious unpopularity with his fellow Board
> members was on full display last night for anyone
> to see; which gives a further explanation for his
> unwillingness to take on Strauss to add either
> Langley or Madison to this study or to shift
> Armstrong or Aldrin to SL. Strauss would fight
> each of these and the Board members would side
> with her against Stu, Hunter Mill and Reston.

OOOHHHHHH........so only schools in Hunter Mill, those in Stu's district, could be redistricted. That explains why it's Fox Mill and Floris. It also explains why the parts of Madison closest to South Lakes, those within two miles or less, are not in this study. Those areas are in Sully district, not Hunter Mill.

I get it now. Thanks!

Father Tim Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Father Bob is right. You could be jerking it right
> now instead of arguing with your computer screen.

Oh look, Father Bob's evil twin has joined us.

Father Bob Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Your lives must be so empty. Please take time to
> ponder the meaning of Christmas and ask yourselves
> whether your time posting here could be better
> spent. Time spent with family, helping those less
> fortunate, contemplating how we can be better each
> and every day. I pray for you all.

Witnessing for social justice and equality is a corporal work of mercy and a vocation of all of Christ's disciples. Pray for that while you're at it.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/22/2007 12:02AM by Thomas More.

Dear Thomas,

I pray more for you, because you need it most.

And he who shall not stop bitching shall be forever imprisoned as a worthless mortal ( Ishmael 34:2 )

Evander Holyfield Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> FME Mom Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > itcouldalwaysbworse Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > However, if you and your kids come and run
> down
> > > our school and our children...prepare for
> them
> > to
> > > kick your kids AZZ. Not pretty but a fact.
> You
> > > either like us or you don't. We don't care
> but
> > be
> > > respectful to us we are intitled to that same
> > as
> > > you and your children are.
> >
> >
> > Wow, you are the exact type of quality person I
> > have been speaking of.
>
> Oh gosh!! And it's a middle-aged white man from
> Fox Mill.......wanna sign a petition?


Hmmm... didn't realize I could be a mom AND a man! Wow! I'm transgendered and I didn't even know it! SWEET!

Father Bob Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Dear Thomas,
>
> I pray more for you, because you need it most.

May God forgive your sin of pride.

Bless my soul, I think Neen and Thomas are having a little online flirtation right here on the underground. That's why they are so often posting with each other in the wee hours. Father Bob is right, their lives must really be empty.

I'll be frank. I wanna do you right now. Get on that counter and we shall fuck till the break of dawn.

word Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> No - but it was CYA... under the rug, done.

I don't think it's quite done for FCPS or Stu now that they have admitted to what he did. Just a guess.

Father Nicholas Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Bless my soul, I think Neen and Thomas are having
> a little online flirtation right here on the
> underground. That's why they are so often posting
> with each other in the wee hours. Father Bob is
> right, their lives must really be empty.

Shouldn't you be loading up the sleigh and feeding, watering and hitching up Rudolph. Let's go buddy, there are millions of kids counting on you.

and keep your hands to yourself. You too Fathers Bob, Tim and Angus.

Is it the discussion of children that brings out all these priests.

Father Angus!? A Catholic Scot. I thought they were all Presbyterians in Scotland.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/22/2007 12:19AM by Thomas More.

Isn't this cute, it's Friday night, the kids are drunk and drawn to a thread that they hoped would be filled with teenage girls. Bless their hearts, they can't get a date on a bet. Poor little guys.

Thomas and Neen sit after midnight by candlelight, fingers tempestuously flying over the keyboard. They hit the Post Message button at the same time, and their posts meet in the ether of the underground. Neen wonders, is he tall with a middle-aged paunch, gray hair, glasses and a red-faced Irish swagger. He wonders, is she a middle-aged brunette with just above the shoulder hair. They anxiously await the next boundary study meeting, hoping that they might end up seated together at the Luther Jackson Middle School hearing room. Perchance they may pass in the crowds and brush up against each other......

Dream on........

What is the Luther Jackson hearing room?

SubmissiveWiiRNot

"The real question is, does your compassion extend to your South Lakes neighbors? Does your good behavior modeling include supporting South Lakes?

I'm not saying you don't and it doesn't, just asking the question."

________________________

WTF are you talking about, ass?

Berdhuis Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Question:
> Has the School Board generated an organized,
> widely-broadcast attempt in neighboring schools to
> pupil-place into South Lakes, or any other
> low-population school? Has it made an overt effort
> to inform parents of neighboring schools of
> pupil-placement options into low population
> schools? Just curious. I imagine, perhaps
> mistakenly, that this action could help South
> Lakes get their attendance up.
>
> Anyway, I wish you all a Merry Christmas. May God
> bless us all with abundant joy and peace! Sleep
> with the angels tonight.

NO- high schools have an IB info session at nearby middle schools to drum up business on pupil placements. Marshall gets people leaving Falls Church High and ex GT center kids from Kilmer, Longfellow. It is a program so you get a school within a school concept just like a BIG GT center. Don't need IB middle - that is truly a COLOSSAL WASTE OF MONEY.

Marshall feeders don't have it!!!

Marshall and South Lakes are actually in competition for some of the same market share on potential IB pupil placements. Marshall IB is percieved as for academics while South Lakes [fix the school] does not have the reputation of Marshall. Plus Marshall has a great location - Tysons, on the way to Dc.

In non-Floris/McNair Westfield people who want IB can scoot over to Robinson. That leaves SL's IB for western Oakton/Herndon/

It's like opening a car dealership for a specialty market - or better yet think of it this way. Best Buy is in Reston and Tysons. I am increasing convinced that school boundaries need to be done by supermarkets [excluding costco field trips], pharmacies, branch banking, etc.

The problem with moving just Aldrin from the Herndon pyramid or just, say Colvin Run, from the Langley pyramid, is that only 75 kids would be moving to SL from middle school (Herndon in Aldrin's case, Cooper in Colvin Run's case), which would be most cruel when 300 or so are coming from Hughes...they really need to move everybody from just ONE middle school, which is why Carson got targeted...can't move Aldrin AND Armstrong, since Armstrong is so close to the high school; I haven't looked closely at the numbers, but you might have to move more than two Langley schools to get 600 kids to SL, which would then leave Langley under-enrolled...etc., etc., Unfortunately, Hughes isn't big enough to move two elementary schools into it, which would have been a really cool option...

But it's okay to move only 69 students from Floris? Why are they more expendable than anyone else's children? Also, Carson also feeds Oakton. They are not talking about moving the whole middle shool.

But moving Fox Mill AND the piece of Floris pulls from ONE middle school...it's going to take more than one elementary school to get enough kids, so they need to come from the SAME middle school...in my opinion...

The SB ruined Christmas for hundreds of families and children. It should have had the compassion of giving such devastating news of redistricting after the holidays.

Berdhuis:

It's really funny that you ask if FCPS has "marketed" the IB program enough so that people could be interested enough to send their kids there voluntarily? I raised this exact point in the very first town hall meeting at Chantilly, and even though the majority of my room was in favor of a moratorium or a magnet, they almost full force shot down this idea. I was perplexed, as I thought that this would be a valid option, but it appeared the either I did not explain it well enough, or that moratoruim was the only word that non-SLHSers wanted to be heard.

Check out this earlier story in the Observer (Sept. 21, 2007 )

Stuart Gibson, Hunter Mill district representative on the school board, said community members who attend these three meetings will "drive the solution."
"The process is driven by the input of the community members who attend the meetings," Gibson said. "One of the benefits of doing it this way is that everyone gets a say."

The community is being driven over a cliff.

http://www.observernews.com/stories/current/news/092107/schools.shtml

I dont agree that the SB is evil. I believe they are clearly callous. They are arbitrary and intractable but evil? Lets pin down who on the SB seems connected to this plan, Gibson and Smith for certain. Who else? I have heard Strauss has made some deal to keep Langley and Herndon out she has offered up her tiny Island. I dont know if this is so. Today her husbands bio appears in the Post. After reading this can this woman really be part of this absurdity? She was married to someone of character. He was an amazing man. So do Gibson and Smith wield so much power that they can choreograph such a large production? Maybe so. I have heard that Storck steps down this year as Chairman and that until the latest ugly Gibson incident he sought the Chairmans seat. Will they vote him in now? If so we will see if he wields the power to have been behind this. If he becomes Chairman he will have the Ring as they say and all hope will be lost for the shire.

Funny how these rich liberals are now against forced movement of kids to another school outside their boundaries. When it was just someone elses kids they were all for it and called anyone against it a racist.

Reminds me of fat thighs Hillary and Slick Willie Clinton. They were all in support of public schools and against vouchers. Then when it came time to send chelsea to a DC school they said whoa just a minute she aint going to that jungle. She went to sidwell friends at a cost of $50,000 a year.

So Simple Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I am tired of the excuse that a magnet program
> would be too expensive.
> It is probaly more expensive to offer IB than any
> kind of magnet program.
>

A magnet program wouldn't do anything to expand the general ed population. A gen ed poplation of 1,150 is too small for SLHS to function in an equitable manner compared to its neighboring schools.

As a resident of the “Sully District”, Oakton pyramid, I do not qualify to be a signatory on the Petition for Stu Gibsons removal from the School Board. Good luck to all in his district.

Unless a new option suddenly appears on the South Lakes PTSA webpage, it seems my neighborhood (as I have discovered….same as “Clarifiers” ) …. has escaped the clutches of the school board and PTSA. But, now understanding the unbridled, unchecked, unsupervised, power of the school board, I will remain on high alert.

In the “for what it worth” column ….these are my remaining impressions:

1. The 7.1 million dollar addition to Langley High School was a misuse of taxpayers money and its allocation based on a fraudulent premise. Most reading this forum have seen the CIP language. Absent that addition, 250 students could have been sent to South Lakes.

2. The South Lakes PTSA has an excessive amount of power and influence over the FC School Board. And, the South Lakes PTSA has ignored the Fairfax County PTSA President’s directive NOT to take an advocacy position regarding this boundary matter. Many, many pages ago, I tried to point this concern out but was shouted down by the posters ….whom I now believe to be PTSA Officers. Please keep in mind. I’m not saying I agree or disagree with the County PTSA President…simply saying her interpretation of the by laws compelled her to write a LONG letter to affected schools with her concerns and strong recommendations.

3. Based on my reading from this forum, I now have a brand new opinion about the IB Programme. Anyone being redistricted to South Lakes….be afraid…be very afraid. I completely support removing the entire Programme and, in its place, the sure thing…AP. If my children were destined for South Lakes, that would be my goal. Of course, first, I’d be working towards a compete halt to the redistricting.

4. And lastly, I have a greeting for all of you…borrowed, with permission, from someone having a sense of humor…which by the way also seems to be absent from the South Lake Posters….with very few exceptions.

To all South Lake IB Advocates,

Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, my best wishes
for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low-stress,
non-addictive, gender-neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your
choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secularpersuasion and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all. I also wish you a fiscally
successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated
recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2008, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose
contributions to society have helped make America great. Not to imply that America is necessarily greater than any other country nor the only America in the
Western Hemisphere. Also, this wish is made without regard to the race,
creed, color, age, physical ability, religious faith or sexual
preference of the wishes.

To all others:

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

LeaveMyKidAlone Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I dont agree that the SB is evil. I believe they
> are clearly callous. They are arbitrary and
> intractable but evil? Lets pin down who on the SB
> seems connected to this plan, Gibson and Smith for
> certain. Who else? I have heard Strauss has made
> some deal to keep Langley and Herndon out she has
> offered up her tiny Island. I dont know if this is
> so. Today her husbands bio appears in the Post.
> After reading this can this woman really be part
> of this absurdity? She was married to someone of
> character. He was an amazing man. So do Gibson and
> Smith wield so much power that they can
> choreograph such a large production? Maybe so. I
> have heard that Storck steps down this year as
> Chairman and that until the latest ugly Gibson
> incident he sought the Chairmans seat. Will they
> vote him in now? If so we will see if he wields
> the power to have been behind this. If he becomes
> Chairman he will have the Ring as they say and all
> hope will be lost for the shire.

J Strauss is much more involved with this than Smith [inherited Westfield boundaries].

>>A magnet program wouldn't do anything to expand the general ed population. A gen ed poplation of 1,150 is too small for SLHS to function in an equitable manner compared to its neighboring schools.


Then that's why IB should be removed from South Lakes.

IB is very expensive in terms of teacher positions.
One full time teacher position is required for the coordinator. I don't think that person teaches any classes.
Then IB requires that certain classes be offered no matter how small the enrollment.

Those teacher postions would be better utilized providing more robust course offerings for the entire student population at South Lakes rather than the elite few.

Restonian Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> So Simple Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I am tired of the excuse that a magnet program
> > would be too expensive.
> > It is probaly more expensive to offer IB than
> any
> > kind of magnet program.
> >
>
> A magnet program wouldn't do anything to expand
> the general ed population. A gen ed poplation of
> 1,150 is too small for SLHS to function in an
> equitable manner compared to its neighboring
> schools.

When you refer to neighboring schools are you referring to Langley?

On middle schools Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The problem with moving just Aldrin from the
> Herndon pyramid or just, say Colvin Run, from the
> Langley pyramid, is that only 75 kids would be
> moving to SL from middle school (Herndon in
> Aldrin's case, Cooper in Colvin Run's case), which
> would be most cruel when 300 or so are coming from
> Hughes...they really need to move everybody from
> just ONE middle school, which is why Carson got
> targeted...can't move Aldrin AND Armstrong, since
> Armstrong is so close to the high school; I
> haven't looked closely at the numbers, but you
> might have to move more than two Langley schools
> to get 600 kids to SL, which would then leave
> Langley under-enrolled...etc., etc.,
> Unfortunately, Hughes isn't big enough to move two
> elementary schools into it, which would have been
> a really cool option...

If they can propose moving Madison Island for elementary and middle then Aldrin can move for middle and some segments of other schools can move for both. How many non-South Lakes students are at Hughes in the GT center? As for moving Langley schools there are portions going to Langley elementary feeders that should be elsewhere. Look at the maps and the CIP. There are kids that actually live near Langley who are sent elsewhere since Gibson and strauss have it stuffed with people who any normal demogrpaher would send to herndon or south lakes

Merry Christmas
Attachments:

I wanted to talk to the nice, Asian, gentleman in Room 247 at the last meeting who was worried about his GT child going to an IB school...but I had to get home, so I'll try to reach him this way and a few more of you as well...

I'm not familiar with AP, so I can't compare the programs from personal experience, but I do know that the Higher Level IB Math class is theoretically comparable to Calc AB, not BC (BC is the more advanced one, right?), so if one thinks when a kid is only 12 or 13 that he might want to be an engineer or a physics major in college, perhaps AP would be better, although there are obviously plenty of kids in the US who go to engineering schools without either of these programs....SL does not currently offer Higher Level Physics, which is one of the reasons it needs more students.

Many, many TJ parents complain that people are using TJ as a "GT" high school; i.e. that a lot of kids there aren't really math/science/technology oriented, they're just smart, and that's taking spots away from the kids who really need to go there for the specialty areas...I know this has fueled some of the comments about turning SL into a liberal arts TJ west, but I know a lot of those people don't realize that it's a Governor's school, not something the local school board can do on their own...

So, my point here is that the IB diploma option is an EXCELLENT option for smart kids who don't get into TJ or who aren't really math/science/tech geeks (and I like geeks, so this is not pejorative). The diploma track is extremely challenging and the college admissions officers know this. A diploma candidate STANDS out! And engineers need to read and write, too!

Too bad FCPS hasn't promoted it more; maybe it's like the elementary schools trying to discourage GT kids from going to the centers (they worry about their own scores going down...); if all the top kids go off to IB schools, then those scores at the AP schools are going to go down...

So take some time and check it out; you might be impressed!

Romance Novelist Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Thomas and Neen sit after midnight by candlelight,
> fingers tempestuously flying over the keyboard.
> They hit the Post Message button at the same time,
> and their posts meet in the ether of the
> underground. Neen wonders, is he tall with a
> middle-aged paunch, gray hair, glasses and a
> red-faced Irish swagger. He wonders, is she a
> middle-aged brunette with just above the shoulder
> hair. They anxiously await the next boundary
> study meeting, hoping that they might end up
> seated together at the Luther Jackson Middle
> School hearing room. Perchance they may pass in
> the crowds and brush up against each other......




POST OF THE WEEK

Restonian Wrote:

>
> A magnet program wouldn't do anything to expand
> the general ed population. A gen ed poplation of
> 1,150 is too small for SLHS to function in an
> equitable manner compared to its neighboring
> schools.

Perhaps if the weirdness that is Reston would change its 'vision' enough to allow for more housing that is desirable and accessible to middle and slightly upper-middle income families within the SLHS boundary, the population of the school would be more to its liking.

Even if all the students who pupil place out of South Lakes or go to private school were put back into South Lakes, it would still be vastly underenrolled. Redistricting is necessary. The way the school board is going about it is not. Langley should be included, Aldrin should be seriously considered, and Madison should also be looked at more closely. I do have to say though that Fox Mill is a logical choice because of its proximity...sorry guys.

Diving Miss Daisy Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Check out this earlier story in the Observer
> (Sept. 21, 2007 )
>
> Stuart Gibson, Hunter Mill district representative
> on the school board, said community members who
> attend these three meetings will "drive the
> solution."
> "The process is driven by the input of the
> community members who attend the meetings," Gibson
> said. "One of the benefits of doing it this way is
> that everyone gets a say."
>

It must have been his evil twin "Stu Gibson" (sick), who told the Post "The truth is not always determined by a show of hands." After all, it's lots easier to know the "TRUTH" after you've been elected.

Or maybe he said it just cause he was running...

Running over Christine's kid.

RealityCheck Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Restonian Wrote:
>
> >
> > A magnet program wouldn't do anything to expand
> > the general ed population. A gen ed poplation
> of
> > 1,150 is too small for SLHS to function in an
> > equitable manner compared to its neighboring
> > schools.
>
> Perhaps if the weirdness that is Reston would
> change its 'vision' enough to allow for more
> housing that is desirable and accessible to middle
> and slightly upper-middle income families within
> the SLHS boundary, the population of the school
> would be more to its liking.

Teardowns. Great idea.

If they're good enough for Langley or McLean, they're certainly good enough for Reston(r).

Wonder if we can get The Association to update the Covenants.

reston:

Are there any scenarios where Crossfield east of West Ox Road would have made sense to move? It couldn't have been done with Fox Mill b/c that would mean too many kids out of Oakton.

But what about Aldrin and "east" Crossfield? Then Floris and part of McNair to Herndon. Unite Navy to make up for Crossfield and relieve Chantilly.

truthbetold Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> reston:
>
> Are there any scenarios where Crossfield east of
> West Ox Road would have made sense to move? It
> couldn't have been done with Fox Mill b/c that
> would mean too many kids out of Oakton.
>
> But what about Aldrin and "east" Crossfield? Then
> Floris and part of McNair to Herndon. Unite Navy
> to make up for Crossfield and relieve Chantilly.

Perhaps you meant to say "The Area Known as Floris this Year.".

Let's not forget that Floris, Hutchison, and McNair get to play Throw Neighborhoods Under the Bus again a year from now.

Taxpayer- sorry to be late getting back. It appears to be a slow blog day for us and everyone. Please tell me why you feel Strauss is so involved other than in keeping Langley out. Have you seen March 16, 2006 board minutes? They have no relevance for Strauss but they point out one of the first times they spoke of this boundary change. During the same minutes they discussed some other relevant information regarding how unsophisticated their projections are. I will save that for another time. At any rate why would a woman like Strauss, well off, sophisticated and from all appearances; kind, be involved in a you scratch mine, I will scratch yours, deal? She has run unopposed for many terms? She doesnt need money and she doesnt need Stu. On the other hand Smith seems oh so needy.

RealityCheck Wrote:

> Perhaps if the weirdness that is Reston would
> change its 'vision' enough to allow for more
> housing that is desirable and accessible to middle
> and slightly upper-middle income families within
> the SLHS boundary, the population of the school
> would be more to its liking.


What exactly does that mean? Reston is built out. Even with FME Mom's idea of kicking out the low income housing there wouldn't be the space to put in housing to generate enough students for SLHS.

There is middle income housing that appeals to families right near South Lakes, and the kids there currently go to school at Oakton and Westfield.

If only there was some way they could go to South Lakes intead...

LeaveMyKidAlone Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Taxpayer- sorry to be late getting back. It
> appears to be a slow blog day for us and everyone.
> Please tell me why you feel Strauss is so involved
> other than in keeping Langley out. Have you seen
> March 16, 2006 board minutes? They have no
> relevance for Strauss but they point out one of
> the first times they spoke of this boundary
> change. During the same minutes they discussed
> some other relevant information regarding how
> unsophisticated their projections are. I will save
> that for another time. At any rate why would a
> woman like Strauss, well off, sophisticated and
> from all appearances; kind, be involved in a you
> scratch mine, I will scratch yours, deal? She has
> run unopposed for many terms? She doesnt need
> money and she doesnt need Stu. On the other hand
> Smith seems oh so needy.

How about this theory, and its just a theory: Strauss's beloved husband is gravely ill last March. She wants to seek re-election but doesn't want the kind of contention that Stu got and so persuades the other School Board members to leave Langley out of it so that she can have some peace and quiet while tending to her husband and seeking re-election. As I said, just a theory.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/22/2007 06:21PM by Thomas More.

samgee Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> > 1,150 is too small for SLHS to function in an
> > equitable manner compared to its neighboring
> > schools.
>
> When you refer to neighboring schools are you
> referring to Langley?

Yes, along with the schools in the study and Madison.

South Lakes needs more general education students. This study is looking at making adjustments to boundaries without including Langley or Madison (outside of the MI).

WestfieldDad Wrote:
>
> Teardowns. Great idea.
>
> If they're good enough for Langley or McLean,
> they're certainly good enough for Reston(r).
>
> Wonder if we can get The Association to update the
> Covenants.

Major remodeling is allowed in Reston.

Restonian Wrote:
>
> Major remodeling is allowed in Reston.

Beware backlash from Neen. Even though she lives in Vienna, she says RA doesn't allow remodeling of any kind.:)

LeaveMyKidAlone Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I dont agree that the SB is evil. I believe they
> are clearly callous. They are arbitrary and
> intractable but evil? Lets pin down who on the SB
> seems connected to this plan, Gibson and Smith for
> certain. Who else? I have heard Strauss has made
> some deal to keep Langley and Herndon out she has
> offered up her tiny Island. I dont know if this is
> so. Today her husbands bio appears in the Post.
> After reading this can this woman really be part
> of this absurdity? She was married to someone of
> character. He was an amazing man. So do Gibson and
> Smith wield so much power that they can
> choreograph such a large production? Maybe so. I
> have heard that Storck steps down this year as
> Chairman and that until the latest ugly Gibson
> incident he sought the Chairmans seat. Will they
> vote him in now? If so we will see if he wields
> the power to have been behind this. If he becomes
> Chairman he will have the Ring as they say and all
> hope will be lost for the shire.

No, they will NOT make Stu chair now. Not a chance.

http://www.examiner.com/blogs/Sharp_Sticks

Read the first two entries in this blog, AND the comments.

FCPS is knee deep in doo doo. They have made too many people too angry for this to end well. It's a shame for South Lakes, but the staff has totally botched this redistricting, from the very beginning, through all the silly, charade, 'community' meetings.

Might the solution be that South Lakes gets money to hire more teachers, so that their kids have more options, and lots of small classes, but no one has to move to South Lakes? I can't see any other solution that won't result in major problems for staff and the school board.

Thomas More Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> LeaveMyKidAlone Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Taxpayer- sorry to be late getting back. It
> > appears to be a slow blog day for us and
> everyone.
> > Please tell me why you feel Strauss is so
> involved
> > other than in keeping Langley out...

If not J Strauss then who ? Facilities? They listen to the board. South Lakes PTA website comments on #4, keeping various Hunter Mill and Dranesville areas at Langley and /or Herndon, modular for forestville in the pre Mcnair days when hutchison was abysmally overcrowded [believe Tom Rust even got involved] ... newpaper articles from years ago with statements indicating what S Gibson and J Strauss would not do for undercapcity schools like South Lkaes and Marshall...

obviously negotiating to keep good PR and not fulling explaining this in 2006:

http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?archive=true&article=80604&paper=68&cat=104

Hunter Mill on North Point and no go to South Lakes back in 2003

http://www.arlingtonconnection.com/article.asp?archive=true&article=14732&paper=73&cat=106


Dranesville on "be my guest" on moving people into Marshall [see Wolftrap Island's boundary], islands, contiguous attendance areas

http://www.potomacalmanac.com/article.asp?archive=true&article=11257&paper=68&cat=104

8th grade GT parent Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> So, my point here is that the IB diploma option is
> an EXCELLENT option for smart kids who don't get
> into TJ or who aren't really math/science/tech
> geeks (and I like geeks, so this is not
> pejorative).

Hi there, I was in Room 247 at the Oakton meeting. I agree that IB is an excellent program for humanities oriented students, and should be better marketed and more fully implemented at the earlier grade levels.

Lola Espanola Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Berdhuis:
>
> It's really funny that you ask if FCPS has
> "marketed" the IB program enough so that people
> could be interested enough to send their kids
> there voluntarily? I raised this exact point in
> the very first town hall meeting at Chantilly, and
> even though the majority of my room was in favor
> of a moratorium or a magnet, they almost full
> force shot down this idea. I was perplexed, as I
> thought that this would be a valid option, but it
> appeared the either I did not explain it well
> enough, or that moratoruim was the only word that
> non-SLHSers wanted to be heard.

Yes, back when they were putting IB into the schools, they marketed it like crazy. They really wanted to get out of boundary students to pupil place into those schools. It never worked. Parents wanted AP and they liked their schools. Very few were willing to let their kids leave a good school to pupil place in a school with lower scores and an European program that they didn't want.

The vast majority of parents, and students, want an AP program. It's grossly unfair to force people from an AP school into an IB school. What a shame that South Lakes PTSA won't even allow the discussion of AP vs IB for their school. That just makes parents more determined to not send their children to South Lakes.

>>>I know this has fueled some of the comments about turning SL into a liberal arts TJ west, but I know a lot of those people don't realize that it's a Governor's school, not something the local school board can do on their own...<<<

Magnet schools need not be Governor's schools. Our school board could set up South Lakes to be a liberal arts magnet, or an IB magnet for those students who are serious about IB, those who are focused on getting the IB diploma, similar to Richard Montgomery in Montgomery County.

Hunters Woods is a magnet, with a focus on science and art, and it has nothing to do with being Governor's school. That same idea could be continued through Hughes and into South Lakes, making it a magnet like Hunters Woods.

Berdhuis Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>>>I agree that IB is an excellent program for humanities oriented students, and should be better marketed and more fully implemented at the earlier grade levels.<<<

There is no earlier grade program. IB is a program for students in 11th and 12th grade. Period. Anything else is pre-IB, and means little, if anything.

IB has been marketed to death in FCPS. Parents don't want it. Period. They can't sell it to the majority of parents, no matter how hard they try or how much money they spend trying to sell this niche program for a few kids. It won't work. Please don't encourage them to try to sell it again, as they did in 2000 and 2001. Why bother? Why not let parents have what they want, especially when it's cheaper, and it's the program that most US colleges recognize? What's the point of spending lots of money to try to sell it again?

>>>South Lakes needs more general education students<<<

Why? To offer more IB classes? Or something else? Why can't South Lakes simply get more money to offer more IB classes, or whatever classes you want for general education students.

So Simple Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> >>A magnet program wouldn't do anything to expand
> the general ed population. A gen ed poplation of
> 1,150 is too small for SLHS to function in an
> equitable manner compared to its neighboring
> schools.
>
>
> Then that's why IB should be removed from South
> Lakes.
>
> IB is very expensive in terms of teacher
> positions.
> One full time teacher position is required for the
> coordinator. I don't think that person teaches
> any classes.
> Then IB requires that certain classes be offered
> no matter how small the enrollment.
>
> Those teacher postions would be better utilized
> providing more robust course offerings for the
> entire student population at South Lakes rather
> than the elite few.

That's the only way that any of this will work, South Lakes has to ditch IB and get the mainstream program that the majority wants. But they won't, so their school will remain under enrolled.

Sorry, SL, that's just the reality. You can love your IB program, but most parents don't. They don't want it, so they won't send you their kids for your beloved program. You'll just have to choose, keep your special program, and keep your school small. OR beginning converting to AP, and grow your school. Your choice.

Neen Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> >>>South Lakes needs more general education
> students<<<
>
> Why? To offer more IB classes? Or something
> else? Why can't South Lakes simply get more money
> to offer more IB classes, or whatever classes you
> want for general education students.

Because of the SB allocation of teachers to each school is based on enrollment. The SB can diviate from the staffing formula but only if there is a Title I or other program to fund the deviation.

The SB may have done it on other circumstances about which I'm sure you will educate me but it ain't easy and his craveness cannot get the votes because he's so unpopular with his fellow SB members.

Ticking off the other SB members has cost Hunter MIll schools and students plenty.

SLVerity Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Restonian Wrote:
> >
> > Major remodeling is allowed in Reston.
>
> Beware backlash from Neen. Even though she lives
> in Vienna, she says RA doesn't allow remodeling of
> any kind.:)


It IS a recent change to the RA policy to allow alterations to housing. Heck, my mom got a citation from RA because her replacement shutters were not the "right" shade of red. It has only been within the past 5 or so years that the restrictions were loosened.

To reiterate IB's current status as a magnet programme, look at FCPS Regulation 7101.7, effective 09-21-07. It lists the reasons for "REQUEST FOR EXCEPTION TO RIDE A SCHOOL BUS" as:
"- Day Care or School-Age Child Care (SACC)
- Foreign Language Partial Immersion
- International Baccalaureate (IB)
- Walker
- Other _________________________"

In other words, transport to an IB school IS a recognized reason to request special permission to ride a school bus. HOWEVER, transport to an AP school is NOT.

FME Mom Wrote:
>
> It IS a recent change to the RA policy to allow
> alterations to housing. Heck, my mom got a
> citation from RA because her replacement shutters
> were not the "right" shade of red. It has only
> been within the past 5 or so years that the
> restrictions were loosened.

No, we just finished the thirteenth renovation on our house. It was first added on to in 1976. Additions and renovations have followed every few years since.

Thomas More Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Neen Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > >>>South Lakes needs more general education
> > students<<<
> >
> > Why? To offer more IB classes? Or something
> > else? Why can't South Lakes simply get more
> money
> > to offer more IB classes, or whatever classes
> you
> > want for general education students.
>
> Because of the SB allocation of teachers to each
> school is based on enrollment. The SB can diviate
> from the staffing formula but only if there is a
> Title I or other program to fund the deviation.
>
> The SB may have done it on other circumstances
> about which I'm sure you will educate me but it
> ain't easy and his craveness cannot get the votes
> because he's so unpopular with his fellow SB
> members.
>
> Ticking off the other SB members has cost Hunter
> MIll schools and students plenty.

Does that mean Stu won't have the votes for his redistricting plan? If he can't get the votes to do it, then I agree, he can't get the votes to allocate more money to South Lakes for some made up program to study something or other.

Would the school board rather continue down this path, and risk alienating thousands of people, while they ask the public to support them in their quest for an additional $100 million from the board of supervisors? Giving South Lakes an extra $500,000, to avoid angering thousands, would seem a small price to pay. I suspect the board of supervisors would agree. It will be difficult for them to tell the public that they have to raise taxes so that the schools can get more money. Some people might mention the waste of money in the new Langley addition. Or the waste of 10's of thousands for these phony community meetings. Or the waste of money for a program that so few want or can benefit from, IB. Or the waste of money in defending Stu Gibson against the state, among others. If things don't change, dramatically, FCPS can forget about their extra $100 million and their $2.2 Billion budget and the Board of Supervisors can forget about raising our taxes. Not a chance. Way too many angry people.

Foreum Reader Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> To reiterate IB's current status as a magnet
> programme, look at FCPS Regulation 7101.7,
> effective 09-21-07. It lists the reasons for
> "REQUEST FOR EXCEPTION TO RIDE A SCHOOL BUS" as:
> "- Day Care or School-Age Child Care (SACC)
> - Foreign Language Partial Immersion
> - International Baccalaureate (IB)
> - Walker
> - Other _________________________"
>
> In other words, transport to an IB school IS a
> recognized reason to request special permission to
> ride a school bus. HOWEVER, transport to an AP
> school is NOT.

This is VERY interesting and rather discriminatory.

If you live in a neighborhood that feeds to an AP school, why would a bus be there that goes to an IB school? Or does this mean that they would send a bus for any student in an AP area who wanted to go to an IB school? Is this a new policy?

Restonian Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> RealityCheck Wrote:
>
> > Perhaps if the weirdness that is Reston would
> > change its 'vision' enough to allow for more
> > housing that is desirable and accessible to
> middle
> > and slightly upper-middle income families
> within
> > the SLHS boundary, the population of the school
> > would be more to its liking.
>
>
> What exactly does that mean? Reston is built out.
> Even with FME Mom's idea of kicking out the low
> income housing there wouldn't be the space to put
> in housing to generate enough students for SLHS.
>
>
> There is middle income housing that appeals to
> families right near South Lakes, and the kids
> there currently go to school at Oakton and
> Westfield.
>
> If only there was some way they could go to South
> Lakes intead...


I didn't say get rid of ALL of the low income housing, however, if Stonegate was demolished and MODEST single family homes were built (i.e. bringing back STARTER home), young couples would flock to Reston to be able to buy a house with a yard that doesn't cost 800K. There are not enough detached homes with yards that are affordable, forcing people into townhomes or condos. Nothing wrong with those if that's what you like, but it's nice to have options. This modest development would also encourage change to the overall demographics of Reston because people ARE afraid of the Section 8 housing. No one moves to the suburbs to live next to the projects.

Restonian Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> FME Mom Wrote:
> >
> > It IS a recent change to the RA policy to allow
> > alterations to housing. Heck, my mom got a
> > citation from RA because her replacement
> shutters
> > were not the "right" shade of red. It has only
> > been within the past 5 or so years that the
> > restrictions were loosened.
>
> No, we just finished the thirteenth renovation on
> our house. It was first added on to in 1976.
> Additions and renovations have followed every few
> years since.

And RA has approved all of these?

You've done major renovations on your home 13 times and never had a problem getting RA to approve?

What's wrong with this story? lol How do we count the ways?

Who the hell renovates their home 13 times? Couldn't get it right the first 10 or 12 times? And who lives in the same house for 31 years? And who in Reston is permitted to change the outside of their house, 13 times? And who would bother? If the house needs that much work, every 2+ years, normal people would have moved, decades ago.

Restonian Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> FME Mom Wrote:
> >
> > It IS a recent change to the RA policy to allow
> > alterations to housing. Heck, my mom got a
> > citation from RA because her replacement
> shutters
> > were not the "right" shade of red. It has only
> > been within the past 5 or so years that the
> > restrictions were loosened.
>
> No, we just finished the thirteenth renovation on
> our house. It was first added on to in 1976.
> Additions and renovations have followed every few
> years since.


Well maybe your neighborhood is special. In my old neighborhood, which is a townhouse community, shutters and storm doors had to be RA approved shades of color, and no one could put additions or decks on second story doors. In the past five or so years, I have seen bay windows added, LOTS of second story decks, and colors that aren't from 1976.

My guess is that Restonian isn't in the part of REston covered by the Reston association, or she's just full of beans. People in Reston can get in trouble of having the wrong mailbox, or cutting down a sapling, or using the wrong color of white on their trim. There is NO way she expanded her house 13 times since 1976. The changes would have been huge, and not approved. I would bet on it. I know enough people in Reston, and read enough, to know that her story isn't true.

It seems to me that you all are wasting precious time...there are limited slots in private/parochial schools. Plus, you need to figure out where you're going to get the tuition. I'm sure most of your HELOCs are maxed out...so this could be a real problem...maybe even requiring a second job?

Better log off and get to work...Flint Hill might soon be tougher to get into than TJ!

>>>She wants to seek re-election but doesn't want the kind of contention that Stu got and so persuades the other School Board members to leave Langley out of it so that she can have some peace and quiet while tending to her husband and seeking re-election. As I said, just a theory.<<<<

No other school board members need to be persuaded of anything. EAch school board member decides for their own districts. Janie, Stu, and Kathy decided the scope of the boundary study. Janie didn't want Langley involved, so it isn't. She made a deal with Stu. No one knows what that deal was, but Stu agreed to not include in Langley. Perhaps because Stu and Janie are old friends and Bill was so ill. But that doesn't explain why her other high school, Herndon, was in allowed to be in the study area. Perhaps that was the trade off, Herndon could be considered, because part of that is in Stu's district, but not Langley.

duh Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It seems to me that you all are wasting precious
> time...there are limited slots in
> private/parochial schools. Plus, you need to
> figure out where you're going to get the tuition.
> I'm sure most of your HELOCs are maxed out...so
> this could be a real problem...maybe even
> requiring a second job?
>
> Better log off and get to work...Flint Hill might
> soon be tougher to get into than TJ!

Aren't you just the sweetest thing?

It might be cheaper to rent an apartment in Oakton district and just use that address.

What's a heloc?

Restonian opined:

> What exactly does that mean? Reston is built out.
> Even with FME Mom's idea of kicking out the low
> income housing there wouldn't be the space to put
> in housing to generate enough students for SLHS.
>
>
> There is middle income housing that appeals to
> families right near South Lakes, and the kids
> there currently go to school at Oakton and
> Westfield.
>
> If only there was some way they could go to South
> Lakes intead...

Until just a few years ago, the current boundaries sent 1700+ students to South Lakes, which is pretty typical for a county high school enrollment. Forecasts based on enrollment of elementary and middle school in 2002 suggested that would stay the same. The declining enrollment isn't solely due to the population aging...that would show up first at the lower grades. Its due to people leaving, with essentially all the decline in white students. You can look it up. Even the SLPTA refers to white flight.

Bottom line, there is enough housing stock in Reston to fill up SLHS.

If you wanted to increase the boundary area of SLHS to include students who are "near", just look at a map...Madison is "near", then Oakton and Langley, then Westfield. Madison is even over capacity. Nobody assigned to Westfield is particularly "near" to SLHS..ever tried to head east in the morning and cross centreville rd, FCPW, and reston parkway? They can get to Westfield quicker.

All that's happening now is somebody told the bureaucrats to try to make all schools have 2000 students, so that's what they're doing. Doesn't matter if the schools won't hold it (Madison) or have extra capacity (Oakton, Herndon)...SLHS has the high percentage utilization of any school in the final proposal. I've got to believe that's because they're aware that a lot of kids just won't show up. Again.

And, as even an IB fan would admit, replacing IB with AP would help reduce pupil placements out of SLHS post-redistricting.

Oakton Parent Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Until just a few years ago, the current boundaries sent 1700+ students to South > Lakes, which is pretty typical for a county high school enrollment. Forecasts
> based on enrollment of elementary and middle school in 2002 suggested that would > stay the same. The declining enrollment isn't solely due to the population
> aging...that would show up first at the lower grades. Its due to people
> leaving, with essentially all the decline in white students.
> You can look it up. Even the SLPTA refers to white flight.

This phenomenon has not been empirically explained by anyone yet. Some have attributed it to kids at GT centers going back to base high schools. Are there really 50-70 of those each year? Dunno

I know of several families who moved out of SL's attendance area once their kids got to Jr. high or high school age. But I don't know 700 of them,

> Bottom line, there is enough housing stock in Reston to fill up SLHS.

Not sure if that housing is available to families with HS kids.

> If you wanted to increase the boundary area of SLHS to include students who are > "near", just look at a map...Madison is "near", then Oakton and
> Langley, then Westfield. Madison is even over capacity. Nobody assigned to
> Westfield is particularly "near" to SLHS..ever tried to head east in the morning > and cross centreville rd, FCPW, and reston parkway? They can get to
> Westfield quicker.

Did you leave Herndon out from some reason?

> SLHS has the high percentage utilization of any school in the final proposal.

Which is a problem given the 4000+ multi-family dwellings to be built in Reston with more likely after Metro is built. They will add 100-300 kids and overenroll SL. Hang onto those trailers, Bruce.

> I've got to believe that's because they're aware that a lot > of kids just won't > show up. Again.

Maria Allen, author of Option 5, is banking on this phenomenon continuing yet cannot explain it empirically.

> And, as even an IB fan would admit, replacing IB with AP would help reduce pupil > placements out of SLHS post-redistricting.

While I intuitively agree with you, Bruce asserts that 45 more kids placed into SL for academics than placed out for academics.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/23/2007 08:59AM by Thomas More.