The farce that is the FCPS SW Boundary study. No credible data, enrollment projections that are always WAY off by plus or minus 15%? Shifting kids all over God's green acre at unknown expense to taxpayers only to turn around and do it again in a couple years? No Census data included? Why not? No transparency on the methodology used. Ridiculous. Toss 'em.

Board needs to start working with Planning & Zoning, get their numbers and finances straight FIRST, then proceed. Stop the sideshow. I mean, "study."

http://www.fcps.edu/fts/planning/southwesternstudy/communitydialogueforms.pdf


Constituents don't...sound...very...happy...

It's what FCPS wants - a bunch of completed forms that express a preference for Option 3, the Staff's preferred option.

That's not what I read...

I read a lot of displeasure and uncertainty

Fail to plan? Plan to fail!

It is up to the entire "Boundary Study" population area to stop this. notsofast is correct that much more information and transparency is required to make a decision. Skeptical is correct that FCPS is making Option C the best choice of 3 bad options. What about Option D which should be "much more information and discussion needed"? WHAT IS THE RUSH ON SUCH AN IMPORTANT ISSUE?

FCPS Staff knew a long time ago what they wanted to do and the School Board SHEEP don't have the guts to do the right thing. The only way to stop this is to inundate the School Board with emails, write Letters to the Editor, and tell your friends and neighbors to get involved.

The majority of reps to the Facilitis Planning Advisory Council agre with you and urged Bradsher, the Chair in that direction on October 19.

Survey on fcps.edu ends tonight. Get your game on...

Sheep Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It is up to the entire "Boundary Study" population
> area to stop this. notsofast is correct that much
> more information and transparency is required to
> make a decision. Skeptical is correct that FCPS is
> making Option C the best choice of 3 bad options.
> What about Option D which should be "much more
> information and discussion needed"? WHAT IS THE
> RUSH ON SUCH AN IMPORTANT ISSUE?
>
> FCPS Staff knew a long time ago what they wanted
> to do and the School Board SHEEP don't have the
> guts to do the right thing. The only way to stop
> this is to inundate the School Board with emails,
> write Letters to the Editor, and tell your friends
> and neighbors to get involved.


How is this any different than the way ObamaCare got pushed down everybody's throats so quickly and without enough information? We've now seen what happened to those politicians when they pulled this on their constituents. Why do they think the reaction will be any different at the local level especially when it is affecting our children? If these politicians don't stop this process right now, they will be looking for new jobs starting November 2011.

says who....that FPAC urged Bradsher, the Chair in that direction on Oct 19. Do you have that in writing? I just have a hard time believing that Bradsher had any other plan other than closing Clifton ES.

Edna, many FPAC members said they hoped to slow this process down and engage and inform parents in a more proactive way. I don't doubt Bradsher's premeditation in closing Clifton, but the way FCPS handles redistricting in general is a sham and that was repeatedly echoed at the meeting.

notsofast Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> That's not what I read...
>
> I read a lot of displeasure and uncertainty
>
> Fail to plan? Plan to fail!

Oh, I read that too. But those comments will be completely ignored, while the higher rankings for option #3 will be tallied up and cited.

It would have been interesting if people refused to play along and just said "we don't want your stinking options." When push comes to shove, however, those affected by options ## 1 and 2, but not #3, will tell the staff what it wants to hear. They know how to pit communities against one another fairly well.

notsofast......are you a FPAC member....you seem to know what you are talking about. You said to Edna, many FPAC members said they hoped to slow this process down and engage and inform parents in a more proactive way.

That is very interesting......

What a great idea.....people should have proposed OPtion D.

The cost for the renovations at the schools surely must be more expensive than the inflated 11 million dollars FCPS proposed for renovating Clifton.

... but not nearly as interesting as SCAT porn !

snake bit Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> What a great idea.....people should have proposed
> OPtion D.
>
> The cost for the renovations at the schools surely
> must be more expensive than the inflated 11
> million dollars FCPS proposed for renovating
> Clifton.


How about the zero dollars for Clifton but also keep it open option that Martina Hone proposed and Jim Rainey, etc. agreed with. That would have cost no money and would have saved all of these families in the Southwestern part of the County from a whole lot of trauma that they are about to endure. Liz Bradsher just wanted to make sure WSHS recognized that she had done something for them. Okay, Liz, we all get it now. Now just leave Clifton open, don't renovate, stop all of this boundary madness and move on. You might actually be able to save some little shred of political career that you have left. Otherwise, get ready to pack your bags.

OptionD Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> snake bit Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > What a great idea.....people should have
> proposed
> > OPtion D.
> >
> > The cost for the renovations at the schools
> surely
> > must be more expensive than the inflated 11
> > million dollars FCPS proposed for renovating
> > Clifton.
>
>
> How about the zero dollars for Clifton but also
> keep it open option that Martina Hone proposed and
> Jim Rainey, etc. agreed with. That would have
> cost no money and would have saved all of these
> families in the Southwestern part of the County
> from a whole lot of trauma that they are about to
> endure. Liz Bradsher just wanted to make sure
> WSHS recognized that she had done something for
> them. Okay, Liz, we all get it now. Now just
> leave Clifton open, don't renovate, stop all of
> this boundary madness and move on. You might
> actually be able to save some little shred of
> political career that you have left. Otherwise,
> get ready to pack your bags.


Martina Hone was Liz's lifeline and she refused to recognize or take it. She could have chosen to not spend anything on Clifton and still leave it open which would have stopped so much of these boundary changes. Then she could have riden the current Republican wave (whose endorsement she used to have) into shore. Instead she decided to let her political ego get the best of her and it is now going to sink her. What comes around goes around.

Don't you think that Bradsher wanted to teach Herrity a lesson.....

"Herrity, you might think that you can be a hero for Clifton, but remember I hold the power. I will vote to close Clifton and you can't do one thing about it."

I am sure there are folks out there who believe that Bradsher would not do that to Clifton....

Listening......

As this goes forward, and it will, you need to be direct in your approach, telling the School Board member from your district that you will not vote for him or her in the next election if the methods for determining school boundaries continue with the status quo.

The days of trying to reason with the School Board by presenting persuasive arguments and evidence are long gone, if they ever indeed existed!

Sorry it has had to come to this... Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> As this goes forward, and it will, you need to be direct in your approach, telling the School Board member from your district that you will not vote for him or her in the next election if the methods for determining school boundaries continue with the status quo.<
>
> The days of trying to reason with the School Board by presenting persuasive arguments and evidence are long gone, if they ever indeed existed!<

That approach will only work with those SB members seeking re-election meaning Kathy Smith, Patty Reed, Ilrong Moon, Dan Storch or Sandy Evans. The rest are lame ducks who have either decided not to run for re-election (Gibson, Wilson, Hone & Center) or cannot get their party's endorsement (Bradsher, Ranney & Strauss) and will do whatever cause them the least annoyance.

Go get'em.

I can't believe they are trying to close Clifton! What is my little Johnny going to do when he gets in a classroom with kids that don't look like him, don't have as much money and, god forbid, have parents that are democrats. We need to keep Clifton open so we can maintain our own little piece of homogeneity in Fairfax County!!!

This affects a lot more boundaries than Clifton and spends money w/out solving the overcrowding issue. Did you go to any of the "community engagement" meetings? Everyone I saw there was frustrated and confused. Staff didn't have any answers. I enjoyed the Chairman Mao-like video presentation though. Wonder what that cost to produce...Time to pull back the curtain and expose this impending trainwreck.

IMHO, the School Board has shot itself in the foot by allowing (or, more accurately, causing) the boundaries to take on the attributes of "gerry-mandered" Congressional districts over the past 20-25 years. The current boundaries already reflect a large number of favors that School Board members have done over the years for their friends, neighbors and political supporters, so any changes that are now proposed are presumed to reflect more of the same. In addition, the rationale that School Board members have provided to justify redistrictings often doesn't hold up under scrutiny. For example, the School Board will assert that a redistricting is needed to provide students at a smaller school with course selections comparable to those available at a larger school, but then do nothing to increase the enrollment at other smaller schools. Or, alternatively, the School Board will assert that a redistricting is needed to relieve overcrowding at larger school, but then release a new study after the redistricting that concludes that the larger school was never overcrowded.

Obviously, if one wants to mitigate the chances of being redistricted, it helps to live close to a particular school; however, under the current boundaries, there are many students who attend schools that are further away from their houses than other schools. There are, however, probably some areas that are immune from a redistricting, at least at the high school level. In particular, students living in the Town of Vienna (as opposed to portions of Fairfax County with a Vienna mailing address) probably will always go to Madison High and students living in the City of Fairfax (as opposed to portions of Fairfax County with a Fairfax mailing address) presumably will always go to Fairfax High. Many also believe that students who live in the affluent neighborhoods that feed into Langley High will never be assigned to another school.

Don't get me wrong - I think the Fairfax schools, overall, remain excellent and compare favorably with the other DC-area public schools. However, it is a very large, and very political, system.

This pretty much sums it up.
Attachments:

edna Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> says who....that FPAC urged Bradsher, the Chair in
> that direction on Oct 19. Do you have that in
> writing? I just have a hard time believing that
> Bradsher had any other plan other than closing
> Clifton ES.

The FPAC meetings are open to the public. My guess (and yes, I am guessing here) is that the poster on FU attended the meeting of FPAC and that is the source of the information.

notsofast Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Did you go to any of the "community
> engagement" meetings? Everyone I saw there was
> frustrated and confused.

There is a lot on display here. A bunch of confused, stubborn and brain dead parents wasting time and energy by anonymously whining on an internet forum.

Pretty effective tactic. Not.

Everything FCPS is doing right now is about re-directing the public's focus. They are directing everybody to focus on the what-ifs of boundaries so they don't spend time asking the bigger question of why is this being done in the first place? Why are they going to spend all of this money on additions when they could have left Clifton open for zero dollars, etc.?

Great political maneuver on their part.

Right. They do this all the time. Budget crisis 2 years ago? Cut clinic aides. Budget crisis last year? Cut frosh sports and band, bussing to AAP sites, etc. Create fear and pandomonium to build support for a new school at an already overcrowdd, asbestos-ridden Liberty site?

Don't drink the Kool-Aid.

Notsofast you say "don't drink the Kool-Aid."

Maybe we say don't vote for the school bond.......there is no assurance that the money to be allocated for your school can't be re-directed to another school.

Remember in 2005 school bond....Clifton was to receive 1 or 2 million for planning. Again in 2007, another 1 or 2 million....(can't remember the amount).

What did Clifton get.....zero. The only way Bradsher could be assured that Clifton would not suck up $11 million in renovation money was to close it.

Bet me....where will those funds be re-directed? You win.....

Thomas More Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Sorry it has had to come to this... Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > As this goes forward, and it will, you need to
> be direct in your approach, telling the School
> Board member from your district that you will not
> vote for him or her in the next election if the
> methods for determining school boundaries continue
> with the status quo.<
> >
> > The days of trying to reason with the School
> Board by presenting persuasive arguments and
> evidence are long gone, if they ever indeed
> existed!<
>
> That approach will only work with those SB members
> seeking re-election meaning Kathy Smith, Patty
> Reed, Ilrong Moon, Dan Storch or Sandy Evans. The
> rest are lame ducks who have either decided not to
> run for re-election (Gibson, Wilson, Hone &
> Center) or cannot get their party's endorsement
> (Bradsher, Ranney & Strauss) and will do whatever
> cause them the least annoyance.
>
> Go get'em.

Why wouldn't Janie get her party's endorsement if she wants it?

Most people in Dranesville like her. She keeps most of their kids in the Langley/McLean schools.

And, if she doesn't get the Democratic endorsement, the Republicans have a better than even chance of picking up her seat.

Do you know for a fact she won't get the Democratic endorsement again, or are you just projecting your own wishes onto others?

Janie Fan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Why wouldn't Janie get her party's endorsement if she wants it?

Most people in Dranesville like her. She keeps most of their kids in the Langley/McLean schools.

And, if she doesn't get the Democratic endorsement, the Republicans have a better than even chance of picking up her seat.

Do you know for a fact she won't get the Democratic endorsement again, or are you just projecting your own wishes onto others?<

More than a few FCDC members remember when Janie was a Republican. And she's been acting a lot more like an R than a D lately.

At least two people are preparing to challenge her for the endorsement.

The endorsement must be voted by the ENTIRE FCDC membership, not just members from Dranesville, though Dranesville members will make a recommendation.

Many members of FCDC from other districts are fed up with Janie's backdoor, underhanded scheming to inequitably redirect resources from their schools to Langley. Folks in Herndon (also in Dranesville) aren't happy with her neglect of Herndon High and her deferral of its long overdue renovations. Same for McLean. If you're really a fan, tell her its time to retire.

Otherwise, she's in for a bloody battle from which she will not emerge unscathed.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/06/2010 02:40AM by Thomas More.

Thomas More Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

>
> More than a few FCDC members remember when Janie
> was a Republican. And she's been acting a lot more
> like an R than a D lately.
>
> At least two people are preparing to challenge her
> for the endorsement.
>
> The endorsement must be voted by the ENTIRE FCDC
> membership, not just members from Dranesville,
> though Dranesville members will make a
> recommendation.
>
> Many members of FCDC from other districts are fed
> up with Janie's backdoor, underhanded scheming to
> inequitably redirect resources from their schools
> to Langley. Folks in Herndon (also in
> Dranesville) aren't happy with her neglect of
> Herndon High and her deferral of its long overdue
> renovations. Same for McLean. If you're really a
> fan, tell her its time to retire.
>
> Otherwise, she's in for a bloody battle from which
> she will not emerge unscathed.

Why does this not surprise me--Janie Strauss' "underhanded scheming to inequitably redirect resources from their schools to Langley." Why is Langley such a sacred cow? It's strange how people like to slam TJ for being like an elite, private high school, but that description truly belongs to Langley, with their entitled students and predatory parents.

Thomas More Wrote:
> More than a few FCDC members remember when Janie
> was a Republican. And she's been acting a lot more
> like an R than a D lately.
>
> At least two people are preparing to challenge her
> for the endorsement.
>
> The endorsement must be voted by the ENTIRE FCDC
> membership, not just members from Dranesville,
> though Dranesville members will make a
> recommendation.
>
> Many members of FCDC from other districts are fed
> up with Janie's backdoor, underhanded scheming to
> inequitably redirect resources from their schools
> to Langley. Folks in Herndon (also in
> Dranesville) aren't happy with her neglect of
> Herndon High and her deferral of its long overdue
> renovations. Same for McLean. If you're really a
> fan, tell her its time to retire.
>
> Otherwise, she's in for a bloody battle from which
> she will not emerge unscathed.

Still sounds a bit like wishful thinking on your part. I live in Dranesville (not Langley district), and people like her. Keep in mind that most people really don't pay any attention to what the School Board does unless it affects them personally in a negative way, and she does what most people in the district want from a representative: keeps them in the schools they like; gets their schools (including Langley, McLean and now Longfellow) renovated on schedule; and shows up at back-to-school nights and tells them how wonderful their kids are. The number of people who know about the deals she made, for example, during the South Lakes redistricting or when Colvin Run ES was built are relatively limited.

Maybe she will face opposition, or maybe she'll retire; if that happens, we'll probably have a new Republican SB member.

jingo Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Thomas More Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
>
> >
> > More than a few FCDC members remember when
> Janie
> > was a Republican. And she's been acting a lot
> more
> > like an R than a D lately.
> >
> > At least two people are preparing to challenge
> her
> > for the endorsement.
> >
> > The endorsement must be voted by the ENTIRE
> FCDC
> > membership, not just members from Dranesville,
> > though Dranesville members will make a
> > recommendation.
> >
> > Many members of FCDC from other districts are
> fed
> > up with Janie's backdoor, underhanded scheming
> to
> > inequitably redirect resources from their
> schools
> > to Langley. Folks in Herndon (also in
> > Dranesville) aren't happy with her neglect of
> > Herndon High and her deferral of its long
> overdue
> > renovations. Same for McLean. If you're really
> a
> > fan, tell her its time to retire.
> >
> > Otherwise, she's in for a bloody battle from
> which
> > she will not emerge unscathed.
>
> Why does this not surprise me--Janie Strauss'
> "underhanded scheming to inequitably redirect
> resources from their schools to Langley." Why is
> Langley such a sacred cow? It's strange how
> people like to slam TJ for being like an elite,
> private high school, but that description truly
> belongs to Langley, with their entitled students
> and predatory parents.

With the manner that the Langley school boundary infringes on other school pyramids and encompasses Great Falls, McLean, Vienna, Reston, and Herndon, I wonder if money was received money under the table.

Janie Fan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Maybe she will face opposition, or maybe she'll retire; if that happens, we'll probably have a new Republican SB member.<

If it's a Republican like Patty Reed, FCPS would be very much better off.

Janie's a vampire who sucks budget money from the middle class of the rest of FFX to further subsidize the already obscenely rich at Langley

Patty Reed Fan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If it's a Republican like Patty Reed, FCPS would
> be very much better off.
>
> Janie's a vampire who sucks budget money from the
> middle class of the rest of FFX to further
> subsidize the already obscenely rich at Langley

Patty's a newcomer. Give her a bit of time before you canonize her.

Obsessing about Langley is a lost cause now. Given the neighborhoods it serves, it should be one of the smallest high schools in the county, and the recent addition to the school never should have been built. But the addition was built, and that makes it very unlikely the boundaries will be changed any time soon.

edna Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Notsofast you say "don't drink the Kool-Aid."
>
> Maybe we say don't vote for the school
> bond.......there is no assurance that the money to
> be allocated for your school can't be re-directed
> to another school.
>
> Remember in 2005 school bond....Clifton was to
> receive 1 or 2 million for planning. Again in
> 2007, another 1 or 2 million....(can't remember
> the amount).
>
> What did Clifton get.....zero. The only way
> Bradsher could be assured that Clifton would not
> suck up $11 million in renovation money was to
> close it.
>
> Bet me....where will those funds be re-directed?
> You win.....


That is where the information is wrong. Clifton did not need renovation right now. It's open now. THe kids are attending now. In fact, Tina Hone put in a motion that would have left Clifton open without renovation for several years and they would review it again later during the next renovation reviews. However, this was all about "the show" for Liz Bradsher. She pissed off WSHS when she moved the build of her new South County Middle School ahead of them. SHe wanted their votes so she wanted them to think she had done SOMETHING for them. Clifton AND NOW ALL THE SURROUNDING ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS were the sacrificial lamb for her to get votes. Just look over at the other thread called Collusion by School Board Member Liz Bradsher and you will see all the emails she wrote.

Janie Fan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Patty's a newcomer. Give her a bit of time before you canonize her.

No one is canonizing anyone. Just comparative choices. Given a choice between Patty Reed and Janie Strauss, Most of the activists on both sides of the aisle would pick Patty every time. Patty's got a lot of experience dealing with the central office staff.

> Obsessing about Langley is a lost cause now. Given the neighborhoods it serves, it should be one of the smallest high schools in the county, and the recent addition to the school never should have been built. But the addition was built, and that makes it very unlikely the boundaries will be changed any time soon.<

Neighborhood. What neighborhood do you know that's 20 miles long and 5 miles wide?

The boundary changes are just starting.

There will no more high schools built in FFX for the next 30-50 years. The shifting demographics will require multiple changes and soon. Langley's time as an almost all white, almost all rich academy in a county that's exceptionally diverse, both ethnically and economically, are coming to an end.

Sorry, Langley, your kids are going to have to mix with the great unwashed but get over it.

You may like Patty but can she get 7 votes for anything? Any activist worth their salt knows this is all that matters. Tina has no turf to protect but couldn't get 6 other votes for a motion that the sky is blue. So love her all you want but dont count on her to get anything done ever.

Patty hasnt figured it out yet. Any good activist takes Janie every time because Patty is moving to marginalize herself while Janie can get 7 any time she wants.

Patty Reed Fan Wrote:

> No one is canonizing anyone. Just comparative
> choices. Given a choice between Patty Reed and
> Janie Strauss, Most of the activists on both sides
> of the aisle would pick Patty every time. Patty's
> got a lot of experience dealing with the central
> office staff.

I don't doubt this. Patty Reed and Tina Hone are the School Board members that the activists love. But most of those who bother to vote in School Board elections aren't activists. They'll keep voting for Janie as long as she's on the ballot, just like they vote for Frank Wolf for Congress. She's obviously made lots of enemies, but most of them are in other magisterial districts. And, to be totally clear, I'm not really a fan of many of her decisions or the condescending tone that she often adopts; I simply admire her ability to remain above most of the fray, while getting what most of her Dranesville constituents want most of the time.
>
>
> Neighborhood. What neighborhood do you know
> that's 20 miles long and 5 miles wide?
>
> The boundary changes are just starting.
>
> There will no more high schools built in FFX for
> the next 30-50 years. The shifting demographics
> will require multiple changes and soon. Langley's
> time as an almost all white, almost all rich
> academy in a county that's exceptionally diverse,
> both ethnically and economically, are coming to an
> end.
>
> Sorry, Langley, your kids are going to have to mix
> with the great unwashed but get over it.

What I meant was that there are a lot of homes of big lots zoned for Langley, both in McLean and Great Falls, so you'd expect it to have a smaller number of students, even with a large attendance area. It only has over 2000 students because student who live out toward Loudoun are also assigned to the school.

You're full of crap if you think Langley is ever going to end up with lower-income students after some imaginary redistricting, given its location. There are no lower-income students anywhere near Langley. You can shrink the school's boundaries, and assign more of its higher-income students to other schools, but that won't leave Langley any less wealthy. The percentage of Asian students will probably continue to increase either way.

Neighborhood. What neighborhood do you know
> that's 20 miles long and 5 miles wide?

J. Strauss and the school board consider extending the boundary 20 miles towards the east so that the kids from Baileys Crossroads and Falls Church area can attend Langley.

Since Lizzie is so hepped up on saving money, let's close her lousy excuse for a school - one of the WORST, if not THE WORST, in the county!

Per Lizzie:
"There are five elementary schools within 20 minutes of every student within the current Clifton Elementary boundary. In fact, one can argue that a portion of the current students at Clifton Elementary students are closer, both physically and in terms of travel time, to these other elementary schools. These schools can accept the Clifton students."

Well, Lizzie - GUESS WHAT?
There are elementary schools within 20 minutes of SILVERBROOK which can accept students without expenses of keeping a school open with with declining enrollment and terrible utilization!

If you are such a "fiscal conservative", why not close one of the poorest utilization schools in the whole county in YOUR own backyard?
Me, oh my, that might have 'political implications', eh?
2007-08 1,205 students
2008-09 1.186 students
2009-10 760 students
2010-11 707 students
Attachments:

Janie Fan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> But most of those who bother to vote in School Board elections aren't activists. They'll keep voting for Janie as long as she's on the ballot, just like they vote for Frank Wolf for Congress. She's obviously made lots of enemies, but most of them are in other magisterial districts. And, to be totally clear, I'm not really a fan of many of her decisions or the condescending tone that she often adopts; I simply admire her ability to remain above most of the fray, while getting what most of her Dranesville constituents want most of the time.<

Janie's enemies and critics in the other magisterial districts within FCDC can, and will, deprive her of the FCDC endorsement. As long as SB has been elected, no one has been elected without the endorsement of one of the parties.

SB is at the bottom of the ballot. The activists will vote the bottom of the ballot. Those without kids in the FCPS tend not to vote those races. The activists got Patty Reed and Sandy Evans elected. They will get rid of Janie and Kathy even if they have to vote for a Republican.

> You're full of crap if you think Langley is ever going to end up with lower-income students after some imaginary redistricting, given its location.<

It's easy to redraw Langley's boundaries to include more neighborhoods of varying ethnicities and incomes. You clearly just don't want it to happen but it will and Dranesville folks won't be able to stop it.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/07/2010 12:57AM by Thomas More.

Thomas More Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Janie's enemies and critics in the other
> magisterial districts within FCDC can, and will,
> deprive her of the FCDC endorsement. As long as
> SB has been elected, no one has been elected
> without the endorsement of one of the parties.
>
> SB is at the bottom of the ballot. The activists
> will vote the bottom of the ballot. Those without
> kids in the FCPS tend not to vote those races.
> The activists got Patty Reed and Sandy Evans
> elected. They will get rid of Janie and Kathy even
> if they have to vote for a Republican.
>
> > You're full of crap if you think Langley is ever
> going to end up with lower-income students after
> some imaginary redistricting, given its
> location.<
>
> It's easy to redraw Langley's boundaries to
> include more neighborhoods of varying ethnicities
> and incomes. You clearly just don't want it to
> happen but it will and Dranesville folks won't be
> able to stop it.

Please tell us the last time Langley folks didn't get want they want.

I'm not in the Langley district, and I've already said I think it was a mistake to build an addition to Langley that effectively enables and perpetuates the school's current boundaries. However, having looked at decisions of the School Boards (appointed and elected) that date back several decades, and knowing the neighborhoods around Langley, I don't see any way Langley's boundaries would be withdrawn to pull in lower-income neighborhoods. I'd like to see the map you envision that would make that happen, if only to have a good laugh.

CLOSE SILVERBROOK Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Since Lizzie is so hepped up on saving money,
> let's close her lousy excuse for a school - one of
> the WORST, if not THE WORST, in the county!
>
> Per Lizzie:
> "There are five elementary schools within 20
> minutes of every student within the current
> Clifton Elementary boundary. In fact, one can
> argue that a portion of the current students at
> Clifton Elementary students are closer, both
> physically and in terms of travel time, to these
> other elementary schools. These schools can
> accept the Clifton students."
>
> Well, Lizzie - GUESS WHAT?
> There are elementary schools within 20 minutes of
> SILVERBROOK which can accept students without
> expenses of keeping a school open with with
> declining enrollment and terrible utilization!
>
> If you are such a "fiscal conservative", why not
> close one of the poorest utilization schools in
> the whole county in YOUR own backyard?
> Me, oh my, that might have 'political
> implications', eh?
> 2007-08 1,205 students
> 2008-09 1.186 students
> 2009-10 760 students
> 2010-11 707 students


Is Silverbrook a feeder into South County Secondary?

JustCurious Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> CLOSE SILVERBROOK Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Since Lizzie is so hepped up on saving money,
> > let's close her lousy excuse for a school - one
> of
> > the WORST, if not THE WORST, in the county!
> >
> > Per Lizzie:
> > "There are five elementary schools within 20
> > minutes of every student within the current
> > Clifton Elementary boundary. In fact, one can
> > argue that a portion of the current students at
> > Clifton Elementary students are closer, both
> > physically and in terms of travel time, to
> these
> > other elementary schools. These schools can
> > accept the Clifton students."
> >
> > Well, Lizzie - GUESS WHAT?
> > There are elementary schools within 20 minutes
> of
> > SILVERBROOK which can accept students without
> > expenses of keeping a school open with with
> > declining enrollment and terrible utilization!
> >
> > If you are such a "fiscal conservative", why
> not
> > close one of the poorest utilization schools in
> > the whole county in YOUR own backyard?
> > Me, oh my, that might have 'political
> > implications', eh?
> > 2007-08 1,205 students
> > 2008-09 1.186 students
> > 2009-10 760 students
> > 2010-11 707 students
>
>
> Is Silverbrook a feeder into South County
> Secondary?

OF COURSE!
South County SS Pyramid
Halley ES
Laurel Hill ES
Newington Forest ES
Silverbrook ES
South County SS

There is no faith in the study, in the process - what starts without integrity cannot yield a result that has integrity.

There is only one answer until we are presented data and a process in which the public has trust:
Attachments:

Wow! People thought Clifton parents didn't want to mix their kids with "lower income families". They obviously didn't know about the parents in VA Run. Good heavens lady, relax! Poor and dumb aren't contagious.

Comments below copied from the FCPS boundary study online survey.



should not compromise the quality of the education provided to our children.
Additional comments:
As a Virginia Run resident I was very concerned to see option B, where it is proposed to send children from Polar
Tree (a low cost housing community and low scoring school system) to Virginia Run ES. Why would the School
Board propose changes that would detriment the quality of education at Virginia Run ES in such a manner?
Shouldn't Fairfax County residents who pay proportionally higher property taxes have a school system accordingly?

Virginia Run is NOT in Clifton. Many kids will be moved even if they do not go to Clifton elementary. Why are you so down on Clifton? I guess you must just pass through Clifton on your long commute to your crappy job.

Reviewing background and now input, there is merit to the request of residents to stop this process before the effects of ethical issues are compounded into more communities.
Attachments:

Listen to the silence? No thanks.
Attachments:

Constituents speak
Attachments:

At what point does SB acknowledge those 'not' silent?
Attachments:

500 people, 6 meetings, 6 different locations - does SB think this is enough to 'survey' and be representative of the fact that this is a broken way to address limited overcrowding?
Attachments:

Process is providing this feedback - so, will it be heeded?
Attachments:

Let's pick the plan with the least number of schools over 100/105% capacity is the plan?

This is what we are offered to solve overcrowding?

The end of the study to solve overcrowding is OVERCROWDING?!

The best plan would be to keep Clifton OPEN. They school is in great shape and the students do not care about a fancy computer room,new bathrooms or a strings classroom. Have you seen the SOL scores for this school? The SOL scores are at the top for elementary schools in Fairfax. Why close a school that works and then move the Clifton kids to 3 differnt schools? And has anyone thought about what the traffic is going to be like or how long the kids will be on the bus? Never once did the school board or Jack Dale care about the kids at Clifton. This should have never even been on the table to begin with. KEEP CLIFTON OPEN!

CLOSE SILVERBROOK Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> JustCurious Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > CLOSE SILVERBROOK Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > Since Lizzie is so hepped up on saving money,
> > > let's close her lousy excuse for a school -
> one
> > of
> > > the WORST, if not THE WORST, in the county!
> > >
> > > Per Lizzie:
> > > "There are five elementary schools within 20
> > > minutes of every student within the current
> > > Clifton Elementary boundary. In fact, one
> can
> > > argue that a portion of the current students
> at
> > > Clifton Elementary students are closer, both
> > > physically and in terms of travel time, to
> > these
> > > other elementary schools. These schools can
> > > accept the Clifton students."
> > >
> > > Well, Lizzie - GUESS WHAT?
> > > There are elementary schools within 20
> minutes
> > of
> > > SILVERBROOK which can accept students without
> > > expenses of keeping a school open with with
> > > declining enrollment and terrible
> utilization!
> > >
> > > If you are such a "fiscal conservative", why
> > not
> > > close one of the poorest utilization schools
> in
> > > the whole county in YOUR own backyard?
> > > Me, oh my, that might have 'political
> > > implications', eh?
> > > 2007-08 1,205 students
> > > 2008-09 1.186 students
> > > 2009-10 760 students
> > > 2010-11 707 students
> >
> >
> > Is Silverbrook a feeder into South County
> > Secondary?
>
> OF COURSE!
> South County SS Pyramid
> Halley ES
> Laurel Hill ES
> Newington Forest ES
> Silverbrook ES
> South County SS


If the parents in this boundary study can't see that Liz Bradsher only cares about the her precious South County Middle School and her area school like Silverbrook, than they are blind. It looks like she is willing to throw this entire area under the bus to protect her schools like South County Middle and Silverbrook. "Representative" is the wrong word to describe her.

Just an observation:

In reality you cannot have more than 100% The use of 105% is not possible. If a school is rated at 100 students capacity but can absorb 105 students then it's capacity is 105 which would be 100%, not 105%.

Whoever made this form must be a product of FCPS "new math".

slubdawg Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Just an observation:
>
> In reality you cannot have more than 100% The
> use of 105% is not possible. If a school is rated
> at 100 students capacity but can absorb 105
> students then it's capacity is 105 which would be
> 100%, not 105%.
>
> Whoever made this form must be a product of FCPS
> "new math".


Too right - those are the curriculum junkies filling up Gatehouse on our dime.
In schools UNDER 100% they have kids SHARING a desk - sharing a desk? What is this, a third world nation? For one of the supposedly wealthiest counties in the country, we sure are telling our kids where we rank their education - trailers and sharing desks. And 35+ in a class. And hour long bus rides.
I'll bet the kids Obama is visiting in Jakarta have it better in a lot of cases.

Greenbriar Wrote:
> If the parents in this boundary study can't see
> that Liz Bradsher only cares about the her
> precious South County Middle School and her area
> school like Silverbrook, than they are blind. It
> looks like she is willing to throw this entire
> area under the bus to protect her schools like
> South County Middle and Silverbrook.
> "Representative" is the wrong word to describe
> her.

This is exactly right. Liz stole from West Springfield to benefit her pals in South County, and then stole from Clifton to pay off West Springfield. She thought that if she pleased enough people in South County and West Springfield, she'd still have a political career; after all, there are fewer voters in Clifton.

What she didn't realize is that people in Clifton aren't doormats, and no one else likes the unnecessary disruption that the decision to close Clifton is going to create. In addition, anyone who cares at all about good government is thoroughly disgusted by her back-room deals.

If the Washington Post had even a somewhat decent Metro section, they would be all over this.

Work Toward Win/Win Solution

Thursday, November 04, 2010

To the Editor:
The Fairfax County Public School Board has quite a mess on their hands. The staff is working to figure out what to do with a bunch of students. Currently, the county has a severe overcrowding issue along the 29 and 66 corridor. Right now there are seven elementary schools that are over capacity, all are along that corridor; Brookfield, Bull Run, Centreville, Eagle View, Greenbriar West, Powell and Providence.
Like most citizens, I rely on our county officials to make smart decisions when faced with problematic situations like overcrowded elementary schools on a tight budget. As we attended community engagement meetings Monday and Tuesday nights to review the current boundary study, we all heard very clearly that some school board members have mixed feelings about closing Clifton and appear to be at a loss of how to fix this mess.
Thus far their solution to solve the overcrowding problem is:
* Shift 1,500 - 2,500 students to different schools, resulting in nine schools at over 100 percent capacity, with Fairview topping out at 106 percent capacity.
* Add additions to three schools for a minimum of $18,000,000.
* Close Clifton Elementary with a capacity of 400 students.
All that this plan accomplishes is spreading the overcrowding problem around. According to school board documents from 2009, if the 28 schools in the planning study were to remain open, we would have had an extra 249 seats for students. Closing Clifton makes a bad situation much worse. We now have the original overcrowding situation along the 29 corridor and now we have new overcrowding around the Clifton area from the 370 Clifton kids crowding into neighboring schools.
We need a win/win scenario. I expected our representatives to create a win/win scenario or at least attempt to.
Clifton should have been left open and renovated. It would have been cheaper, and preserved stability, academics, and alleviated all the newly-created overcrowding south of the route 29 corridor. As a taxpayer, I would like to see a boundary study created with Clifton open. I know some of the school board members would like to see this too. That is one of the best ways to fix this overcrowding mess and save a wonderful community/school. Oh look ... a win/win!

http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=345801&paper=62&cat=110