Fairfax County General :
Fairfax Underground
Welcome to Fairfax Underground, a project site designed to improve communication among residents of Fairfax County, VA. Feel free to post anything Northern Virginia residents would find interesting.
Welcome to Fairfax Underground, a project site designed to improve communication among residents of Fairfax County, VA. Feel free to post anything Northern Virginia residents would find interesting.
Clifton Elementery school school
Posted by:
Good BYE FCPS
()
Date: June 20, 2011 10:53PM
In place of Clifton school, parents seek a charter school.
With the clock ticking down to the last last day of school at Clifton Elementary on Tuesday, a group of community leaders is drawing up plans for what would be Fairfax County’s first charter school.
Sonia Cromp, left, and Jenny Della Santina have played in Clifton Elementary School’s orchestra. Fairfax County officials decided to close the school because projections indicated falling enrollment there and because of the high per-pupil cost of renovations.
Now that the Virginia Supreme Court has upheld the county School Board’s decision to close Clifton’s only elementary school, the prospect of a charter school may be the best hope of keeping a school in the rural community in southwestern Fairfax.
But to have any chance of opening by the 2012-13 academic year, charter school supporters — including state Sen. George L. Barker (D-Fairfax) — say the application should be submitted to the Virginia Board of Education by June 30. Even then, approval is hardly assured.
If the Clifton group goes forward, its application would be the first submitted from Fairfax since Gov. Robert F. McDonnell (R) and the Virginia General Assembly modified the approval process last year to promote the creation of new charter schools.
In the Washington region, charter schools have established a considerable presence in the District but have not been a significant factor in the suburbs. In the District, 52 charter schools serve about 28,000 students. But in high-performing suburban districts, such as Fairfax and Montgomery County, there are no charter schools. Earlier this year, Montgomery’s Board of Education rejected two charter school applications. In November 2003, Fairfax’s School Board rejected a proposal for a charter school for autistic children, although it incorporated many elements of the idea into the public school system.
The proposed charter school in Clifton, to be named after Virginia-born explorers Merriweather Lewis and William Clark, would be the only elementary school in the county to offer an International Baccalaureate program. The Lewis & Clark School’s board members, including Clifton’s mayor and vice mayor, envision a school with an emphasis on the study of Chinese culture and language, as well as technology, and with more than 400 openings for children from across the county.
But the charter school’s backers also know that their concept faces obstacles, not least the district’s long-standing coolness toward charter schools and the open wounds from the year-long battle over closing Clifton Elementary.
“What we’re trying to show is this is a potential strength for everybody,” said Dwayne Nitz, Clifton’s vice mayor and president of the proposed school’s board.
The School Board voted July 8 to close Clifton Elementary, citing projected enrollment declines and the high per-pupil cost of renovations. An uproar ensued, with hundreds of residents saying that the school was critical to its sense of community.
A lawsuit filed Aug. 6 by Elsa Armendaris and other parents accused the School Board of acting capriciously and arbitrarily. But in December, Fairfax County Circuit Court Chief Judge Dennis J. Smith upheld the board’s decision, and this month the Virginia Supreme Court declined the parents’ appeal.
“I think there are some who do have hope, but the majority of people realize it’s over,” said Patti Hopkins, president of the Clifton PTA. On Friday night, hundreds of people gathered at the school to celebrate its accomplishments and mourn its loss.
But some are optimistic that another lawsuit, which is pending, could force the school board to reconsider. The lawsuit, filed Feb. 17 in Fairfax County Circuit Court by Jill D. Hill, accuses the School Board of violating open-meetings and freedom of information laws while deciding Clifton’s fate.
“What we’re hoping for in the [Freedom of Information Act] suit is that the judge will find they held an improper meeting and we can do it again,” said Tom Peterson, a former mayor.
But others are looking to the future, including this year’s elections. One parent, Elizabeth L. Schultz, has channeled her anger over the School Board’s decision into a political campaign to join the board. Others say there is heightened interest in this year’s School Board election because of Clifton’s closing and other controversies, including the district’s zero-tolerance disciplinary policy.
But most of the energy appears focused on establishing a charter school on the small hilltop where a town school has stood since 1912.
The Virginia General Assembly enacted its charter school law in 1998, but only four such schools now operate in the state.
The schools use public funds but operate more independently than conventional public schools. Supporters say they invite innovation; detractors say they divert scarce public funds and create two-tiered educational systems, often at the expense of children who remain in traditional public schools.
Although McDonnell has made charter schools a priority, only one application has been received by the state Board of Education since he signed the law to encourage their creation. That application has come from a group in Petersburg, said Charles B. Pyle, spokesman for the Virginia Department of Education.
Like any public school, the Lewis & Clark School would not charge tuition, board member Charlie Rau said. The student body would be selected by a lottery, with certain proportions of seats set aside for students from Clifton, from the southwestern part of the county, including a numerical preference for low-income students, and at-large students.
Rau said the charter school could save the county money by providing additional capacity at a reduced cost, because its board would take responsibility for the building and the land, including an estimated $11 million in needed renovations. Backers think they can find that money through many of the educational nonprofit groups and foundations.
“We feel our school has a very sound financial plan,” Nitz said. “For
With the clock ticking down to the last last day of school at Clifton Elementary on Tuesday, a group of community leaders is drawing up plans for what would be Fairfax County’s first charter school.
Sonia Cromp, left, and Jenny Della Santina have played in Clifton Elementary School’s orchestra. Fairfax County officials decided to close the school because projections indicated falling enrollment there and because of the high per-pupil cost of renovations.
Now that the Virginia Supreme Court has upheld the county School Board’s decision to close Clifton’s only elementary school, the prospect of a charter school may be the best hope of keeping a school in the rural community in southwestern Fairfax.
But to have any chance of opening by the 2012-13 academic year, charter school supporters — including state Sen. George L. Barker (D-Fairfax) — say the application should be submitted to the Virginia Board of Education by June 30. Even then, approval is hardly assured.
If the Clifton group goes forward, its application would be the first submitted from Fairfax since Gov. Robert F. McDonnell (R) and the Virginia General Assembly modified the approval process last year to promote the creation of new charter schools.
In the Washington region, charter schools have established a considerable presence in the District but have not been a significant factor in the suburbs. In the District, 52 charter schools serve about 28,000 students. But in high-performing suburban districts, such as Fairfax and Montgomery County, there are no charter schools. Earlier this year, Montgomery’s Board of Education rejected two charter school applications. In November 2003, Fairfax’s School Board rejected a proposal for a charter school for autistic children, although it incorporated many elements of the idea into the public school system.
The proposed charter school in Clifton, to be named after Virginia-born explorers Merriweather Lewis and William Clark, would be the only elementary school in the county to offer an International Baccalaureate program. The Lewis & Clark School’s board members, including Clifton’s mayor and vice mayor, envision a school with an emphasis on the study of Chinese culture and language, as well as technology, and with more than 400 openings for children from across the county.
But the charter school’s backers also know that their concept faces obstacles, not least the district’s long-standing coolness toward charter schools and the open wounds from the year-long battle over closing Clifton Elementary.
“What we’re trying to show is this is a potential strength for everybody,” said Dwayne Nitz, Clifton’s vice mayor and president of the proposed school’s board.
The School Board voted July 8 to close Clifton Elementary, citing projected enrollment declines and the high per-pupil cost of renovations. An uproar ensued, with hundreds of residents saying that the school was critical to its sense of community.
A lawsuit filed Aug. 6 by Elsa Armendaris and other parents accused the School Board of acting capriciously and arbitrarily. But in December, Fairfax County Circuit Court Chief Judge Dennis J. Smith upheld the board’s decision, and this month the Virginia Supreme Court declined the parents’ appeal.
“I think there are some who do have hope, but the majority of people realize it’s over,” said Patti Hopkins, president of the Clifton PTA. On Friday night, hundreds of people gathered at the school to celebrate its accomplishments and mourn its loss.
But some are optimistic that another lawsuit, which is pending, could force the school board to reconsider. The lawsuit, filed Feb. 17 in Fairfax County Circuit Court by Jill D. Hill, accuses the School Board of violating open-meetings and freedom of information laws while deciding Clifton’s fate.
“What we’re hoping for in the [Freedom of Information Act] suit is that the judge will find they held an improper meeting and we can do it again,” said Tom Peterson, a former mayor.
But others are looking to the future, including this year’s elections. One parent, Elizabeth L. Schultz, has channeled her anger over the School Board’s decision into a political campaign to join the board. Others say there is heightened interest in this year’s School Board election because of Clifton’s closing and other controversies, including the district’s zero-tolerance disciplinary policy.
But most of the energy appears focused on establishing a charter school on the small hilltop where a town school has stood since 1912.
The Virginia General Assembly enacted its charter school law in 1998, but only four such schools now operate in the state.
The schools use public funds but operate more independently than conventional public schools. Supporters say they invite innovation; detractors say they divert scarce public funds and create two-tiered educational systems, often at the expense of children who remain in traditional public schools.
Although McDonnell has made charter schools a priority, only one application has been received by the state Board of Education since he signed the law to encourage their creation. That application has come from a group in Petersburg, said Charles B. Pyle, spokesman for the Virginia Department of Education.
Like any public school, the Lewis & Clark School would not charge tuition, board member Charlie Rau said. The student body would be selected by a lottery, with certain proportions of seats set aside for students from Clifton, from the southwestern part of the county, including a numerical preference for low-income students, and at-large students.
Rau said the charter school could save the county money by providing additional capacity at a reduced cost, because its board would take responsibility for the building and the land, including an estimated $11 million in needed renovations. Backers think they can find that money through many of the educational nonprofit groups and foundations.
“We feel our school has a very sound financial plan,” Nitz said. “For
Re: Clifton Elementery school school
Posted by:
Josh, who cares
()
Date: June 20, 2011 11:11PM
You post this as if anyone cares about your little special interest. Yet another grab for the dwindling tax dollars.
Re: Clifton Elementery school school
Posted by:
justsayin
()
Date: June 21, 2011 02:28PM
I have been approached by members of the local press, particularly that friggin Patch outfit, regarding my posts here on charter school alternatives. I thought I'd just answer them all with this post.
I may have been the first to publicly post that idea and I'm flattered by the requests for opinion, but I have no dog in the Clifton ES fight and would rather not comment in that manner.
I may have been the first to publicly post that idea and I'm flattered by the requests for opinion, but I have no dog in the Clifton ES fight and would rather not comment in that manner.
Re: Clifton Elementery school school
Posted by:
Know It All
()
Date: June 21, 2011 03:47PM
justsayin Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I have been approached by members of the local
> press, particularly that friggin Patch outfit,
> regarding my posts here on charter school
> alternatives. I thought I'd just answer them all
> with this post.
>
> I may have been the first to publicly post that
> idea and I'm flattered by the requests for
> opinion, but I have no dog in the Clifton ES fight
> and would rather not comment in that manner.
Same here, so I stopped using my registered user profile. For the Press, its a terrible tragedy that the county has allowed this horrible school board to rum amok as they have and in the closing of this historic school.
-------------------------------------------------------
> I have been approached by members of the local
> press, particularly that friggin Patch outfit,
> regarding my posts here on charter school
> alternatives. I thought I'd just answer them all
> with this post.
>
> I may have been the first to publicly post that
> idea and I'm flattered by the requests for
> opinion, but I have no dog in the Clifton ES fight
> and would rather not comment in that manner.
Same here, so I stopped using my registered user profile. For the Press, its a terrible tragedy that the county has allowed this horrible school board to rum amok as they have and in the closing of this historic school.
Re: Clifton Elementery school school
Posted by:
Gordon Blvd
()
Date: June 21, 2011 04:39PM
If the Cliftonites want to pay to fix that school, I say let'em - never knew why that wasnt an option on the table in the first place, y'know?
Re: Clifton Elementery school school
Posted by:
my suggestion
()
Date: June 21, 2011 04:42PM
I would suggest that if a Charter school is approved, funding from FCPS be drawn by first zeroing out the PR and Hearings Office budgets. That's at least 40 ppl - certainly enough to fund almost all the teaching positions at CES.
Re: Clifton Elementery school school
Posted by:
Fact checker
()
Date: June 21, 2011 05:05PM
Gordon Blvd. Not sure if you realize this but the Clifton Community told the SB that they were willing to keep the school just as it was without any renovations or improvements.They just wanted to keep their community school, can you imagine that?. These rich, racist, elitist, snob residents willing to keep an old (but in good condition) school at no additional costs to tax payers for however many year?! The SB told them that was not an option. Obviously, the sole intent and purpose was to close the school and any reason (even fictitious reasons) were used to accomplish that goal. It worked but some people had to sell their souls to accomplish the goal and it will haunt them.
Re: Clifton Elementery school school
Posted by:
give it up already
()
Date: June 21, 2011 05:08PM
I hope the school board continues along and gleefully denies the Charter request. You fought, you tried, you lost. goodbye. Charter schools may have their place, but not in FFX. Sell the property off and be done with it.
Re: Clifton Elementery school school
Posted by:
give it a try
()
Date: June 21, 2011 05:19PM
give it up already Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Charter schools
> may have their place, but not in FFX.
I think a little competition might not be bad for FCPS. Oh, how they'll howl when they have to write a check to a charter school.
I think FCPS, the board, the teachers have been resting on their laurels for a long time. The schools have been steadily declining - teaching, administration, the buildings themselves, even the bus service. All the school board seems to be able to do is renovations and re-districting. Little BS controversies that take up everybody's attention while the basic mission is not getting done. It took them a decade to get to all day kindergarten for goodness sake.
Good for them if they stand up a charter school.
-------------------------------------------------------
> Charter schools
> may have their place, but not in FFX.
I think a little competition might not be bad for FCPS. Oh, how they'll howl when they have to write a check to a charter school.
I think FCPS, the board, the teachers have been resting on their laurels for a long time. The schools have been steadily declining - teaching, administration, the buildings themselves, even the bus service. All the school board seems to be able to do is renovations and re-districting. Little BS controversies that take up everybody's attention while the basic mission is not getting done. It took them a decade to get to all day kindergarten for goodness sake.
Good for them if they stand up a charter school.
Re: Clifton Elementery school school
Posted by:
left
()
Date: June 21, 2011 05:25PM
give it a try Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I think FCPS, the board, the teachers have been
> resting on their laurels for a long time. The
> schools have been steadily declining - teaching,
> administration, the buildings themselves, even the
> bus service.
+1
I actually moved out of the county so I wouldn't be sending my kids to the FCPS anymore.
I am taking off a couple of weeks this summer to get my children up to speed to where I think they should be.
People who think this school system is the bees knees are only shortchanging their children's futures.
-------------------------------------------------------
> I think FCPS, the board, the teachers have been
> resting on their laurels for a long time. The
> schools have been steadily declining - teaching,
> administration, the buildings themselves, even the
> bus service.
+1
I actually moved out of the county so I wouldn't be sending my kids to the FCPS anymore.
I am taking off a couple of weeks this summer to get my children up to speed to where I think they should be.
People who think this school system is the bees knees are only shortchanging their children's futures.
Re: Clifton Elementery school school
Posted by:
not buying it
()
Date: June 21, 2011 05:27PM
Right Fact Checker. Were they going to pay all maintenance costs as well? Insurance? Teacher salaries? Propery taxes since since they feel this is a community asset instead of a govt. building? What about in 10 years when they feel like it's just not good enough anymore and the land/building costs more to build a new school then? Absolve the county of all potential future suits for water/lead/abestos/xxx exposure? I'm sure you like having 12 kids in a class, but its not economically feasible anymore.
Re: Clifton Elementery school school
Posted by:
Justataxpayer
()
Date: June 21, 2011 05:53PM
not buying it Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Right Fact Checker. Were they going to pay all
> maintenance costs as well? Insurance? Teacher
> salaries? Propery taxes since since they feel
> this is a community asset instead of a govt.
> building? What about in 10 years when they feel
> like it's just not good enough anymore and the
> land/building costs more to build a new school
> then? Absolve the county of all potential future
> suits for water/lead/abestos/xxx exposure? I'm
> sure you like having 12 kids in a class, but its
> not economically feasible anymore.
Clearly you not only are not buying it, but you have not been following it either. The average class size at Clifton was closer to 30 students per classroom than 12. Some of the students are being redistribute to schools with SMALLER class sizes than Clifton. All of the items you note associated with maintenance occur at other schools in FCPS. Try and keep up with the story here and perhaps then I'll consider your thoughts applicable.
-------------------------------------------------------
> Right Fact Checker. Were they going to pay all
> maintenance costs as well? Insurance? Teacher
> salaries? Propery taxes since since they feel
> this is a community asset instead of a govt.
> building? What about in 10 years when they feel
> like it's just not good enough anymore and the
> land/building costs more to build a new school
> then? Absolve the county of all potential future
> suits for water/lead/abestos/xxx exposure? I'm
> sure you like having 12 kids in a class, but its
> not economically feasible anymore.
Clearly you not only are not buying it, but you have not been following it either. The average class size at Clifton was closer to 30 students per classroom than 12. Some of the students are being redistribute to schools with SMALLER class sizes than Clifton. All of the items you note associated with maintenance occur at other schools in FCPS. Try and keep up with the story here and perhaps then I'll consider your thoughts applicable.
Re: Clifton Elementery school school
Posted by:
Dane Bramage
()
Date: June 21, 2011 09:25PM
give it a try Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> I think a little competition might not be bad for
> FCPS. Oh, how they'll howl when they have to
> write a check to a charter school.
They won't HAVE to write a check unless they approve the charter school. With budget woes and limited resources, that likely will not happen. It will go to the state, then to the Fairfax board, and even with McDonnell's new pro-Charter law, it will be DOA.
-------------------------------------------------
“We don’t have any rude, unpleasant people here. We’re different!”
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> I think a little competition might not be bad for
> FCPS. Oh, how they'll howl when they have to
> write a check to a charter school.
They won't HAVE to write a check unless they approve the charter school. With budget woes and limited resources, that likely will not happen. It will go to the state, then to the Fairfax board, and even with McDonnell's new pro-Charter law, it will be DOA.
-------------------------------------------------
“We don’t have any rude, unpleasant people here. We’re different!”
Re: Clifton Elementery school school
Posted by:
long decline
()
Date: June 22, 2011 12:39PM
left Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> People who think this school system is the bees
> knees are only shortchanging their children's
> futures.
Gotta agree. Ever since the SOL's were introduced, the schools think that's the entirety of what they are supposed to teach, not the basic core. Never mind if the kids can do more. Some kids will take all year to master the SOL materials, others will be done by January. Teachers and admin view the minimum standards as the maximum they need to do. If the kids clear that bar, SOL's say they are successful, so why do more work? Not a very ambitious group.
-------------------------------------------------------
> People who think this school system is the bees
> knees are only shortchanging their children's
> futures.
Gotta agree. Ever since the SOL's were introduced, the schools think that's the entirety of what they are supposed to teach, not the basic core. Never mind if the kids can do more. Some kids will take all year to master the SOL materials, others will be done by January. Teachers and admin view the minimum standards as the maximum they need to do. If the kids clear that bar, SOL's say they are successful, so why do more work? Not a very ambitious group.
Re: Clifton Elementery school school
Posted by:
Gordon Blvd
()
Date: June 22, 2011 04:34PM
@fact checker - someone really had it out for Clifton, that's for sure
@not buying it - so yr telling me you ACTUALLY BELIEVE that the ppl of Clifton seriously did not give a fuck THAT THEIR CHILDREN were drinking leaded water and breathing asbestos? You seriously believe that?
@not buying it - so yr telling me you ACTUALLY BELIEVE that the ppl of Clifton seriously did not give a fuck THAT THEIR CHILDREN were drinking leaded water and breathing asbestos? You seriously believe that?
Re: Clifton Elementery school school
Posted by:
Fact checker
()
Date: June 22, 2011 05:19PM
Gordon Blvd. Before the public hearing, FCPS staff receieved the well report and it turned out fine. (This information was withheld from the SB until the meeting was in progress). The well "problem" was created as one of the reasons to close the school. The Clifton community offered to raise the money to fix any well issues but the offer was ignored because fixing the well (that didn't need fixed) would have been one less reason to close the school. As for the asbestos issue, that one is bs. The school was renovated in the 80's and an asbestos issue was taken care of then. Have you ever been inside the school? It is in great shape and the CES families were perfectly willing to go to the very bottom of the renovation cycle (at least 5 years down the road) in order to keep the school open. They were told they couldn't go without renovation because..... blah,blah, blah. The bad guys just wanted to close the school and we'll find out why sometime in the future. The residents of the community are not elitist. They just wanted to keep their community school and I think any responisble family in their postition would have put up the same kind of fight.
Re: Clifton Elementery school school
Posted by:
Gordon Blvd
()
Date: June 22, 2011 06:35PM
@Fact checker - I know Clifton isnt elitist-or more to the point, it's not any more elitist than any other neighborhood in Fairfax County LoLz
I also know that if this had happened to say Bucknell or Hollin Meadows Elementary schools, more ppl would feel differently about it.
basically, it seems that it's cool to "stick it" to the rich, or who you perceive as rich. That's what seems to have happened here.
and to go after children because of that, now THAT'S fucked up.......for lack of better words
I also know that if this had happened to say Bucknell or Hollin Meadows Elementary schools, more ppl would feel differently about it.
basically, it seems that it's cool to "stick it" to the rich, or who you perceive as rich. That's what seems to have happened here.
and to go after children because of that, now THAT'S fucked up.......for lack of better words
Re: Clifton Elementery school school
Posted by:
Dane Bramage
()
Date: June 22, 2011 10:04PM
Fact checker Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Gordon Blvd. Before the public hearing, FCPS staff
> receieved the well report and it turned out fine.
> (This information was withheld from the SB until
> the meeting was in progress). The well "problem"
> was created as one of the reasons to close the
> school. The Clifton community offered to raise the
> money to fix any well issues but the offer was
> ignored because fixing the well (that didn't need
> fixed) would have been one less reason to close
> the school. As for the asbestos issue, that one is
> bs. The school was renovated in the 80's and an
> asbestos issue was taken care of then. Have you
> ever been inside the school? It is in great shape
> and the CES families were perfectly willing to go
> to the very bottom of the renovation cycle (at
> least 5 years down the road) in order to keep the
> school open. They were told they couldn't go
> without renovation because..... blah,blah, blah.
> The bad guys just wanted to close the school and
> we'll find out why sometime in the future. The
> residents of the community are not elitist. They
> just wanted to keep their community school and I
> think any responisble family in their postition
> would have put up the same kind of fight.
Yes, I see it now. The only reason CES was closed is because the school board hates Clifton. Pay back time. It's perfectly clear.
-------------------------------------------------
“We don’t have any rude, unpleasant people here. We’re different!”
-------------------------------------------------------
> Gordon Blvd. Before the public hearing, FCPS staff
> receieved the well report and it turned out fine.
> (This information was withheld from the SB until
> the meeting was in progress). The well "problem"
> was created as one of the reasons to close the
> school. The Clifton community offered to raise the
> money to fix any well issues but the offer was
> ignored because fixing the well (that didn't need
> fixed) would have been one less reason to close
> the school. As for the asbestos issue, that one is
> bs. The school was renovated in the 80's and an
> asbestos issue was taken care of then. Have you
> ever been inside the school? It is in great shape
> and the CES families were perfectly willing to go
> to the very bottom of the renovation cycle (at
> least 5 years down the road) in order to keep the
> school open. They were told they couldn't go
> without renovation because..... blah,blah, blah.
> The bad guys just wanted to close the school and
> we'll find out why sometime in the future. The
> residents of the community are not elitist. They
> just wanted to keep their community school and I
> think any responisble family in their postition
> would have put up the same kind of fight.
Yes, I see it now. The only reason CES was closed is because the school board hates Clifton. Pay back time. It's perfectly clear.
-------------------------------------------------
“We don’t have any rude, unpleasant people here. We’re different!”
Re: Clifton Elementery school school
Posted by:
Tax Smart Not More
()
Date: June 23, 2011 01:17AM
Gordon Blvd Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If the Cliftonites want to pay to fix that school,
> I say let'em - never knew why that wasnt an option
> on the table in the first place, y'know?
why? school board pays for every other school.
http://bit.ly/imxEM5
will people vote for it again is the question?
yup.
stupid is as stupid does.
-------------------------------------------------------
> If the Cliftonites want to pay to fix that school,
> I say let'em - never knew why that wasnt an option
> on the table in the first place, y'know?
why? school board pays for every other school.
http://bit.ly/imxEM5
will people vote for it again is the question?
yup.
stupid is as stupid does.