Okay People,

The re-districting plan is "fait accompli". I have zero intention of honoring the new boundaries and will send my children to the high school of my choice. Can we share information about the following:

1. How exactly do I pupil-place my children at Oakton or Chantilly HS?

2. Has anyone looked into renting an apartment or room in order to place into a particular high school?

3. Is that even necessary? What proof or residency do you need?

Do any of you wise posters out there have creative (or non-creative) ideas or proven ways to get our kids placed at Oakton or Chantilly? Any info on private school options/prices/availability?

Thanks!!

Some background information:

I currently have 10th, 8th and 6th graders and reside in the Navy area being re-districted. I was thinking that I would first try to pupil-place the 8th grader based on family hardship of having the 8th-grader at Oakton next year given the commute and lack of late buses. Thought I'd start with the truth. Does anyone think this will work or not?

Much appreciated.

Also, I sent my kids to the Flint Hill School in Oakton for several years before moving them to FCPS. So if any of you out there have any questions -- ask away.

I know of a family that pupil placed at OHS by saying their son wanted to take sign language. He left Chantilly partway through sophomore year and it seemed easy.

Oakton will have mucho excess capacity next year so they will take anyone they can get. That is the strategy our neighborhood is going to use. just get around the move by doing anything not to go. I have to pick my kid up every day or they get a ride anyway so its just the morning bus and i cant pick up from two schools anyway. how ridiculous

Thanks so much for the replies. That is exactly my problem. I can't possibly pick my kid up from OHS every day after school. My sophomore will drive next year and can bring her sibling home from Chantilly. I have been counting on this because it's hard to work and pick up from school every day at 6pm. And there is no way I can afford the wasted time of driving an hour to pick up at OHS every day at the height of rush hour, not to mention the gas.

Why would anybody want to stay at Oakton or Chantilly High School? They are both terrible schools.

Ummmm...to get away from dipshits like you and your kids?

Why Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Why would anybody want to stay at Oakton or
> Chantilly High School? They are both terrible
> schools.

Aside from TJ, the same could be said about every public school in FFX. True, they rank well nationally, but a pile of cow pies smell rosy when placed next to a pile of raw sewage.

I already tried the Flint Hill School and had to move kiddies into FCPS because they were bored. What private schools are good?

And I totally agree with you that TJ is a great school. Are there any privates on par with TJ?

Can't you just call your high school and ask the subschool administrator for instructions on what to fill out? Do you know if it's a form or do you send a letter?

If you pupil place they will try to place you into the NEAREST HS to your home, so if you aren't near Oakton, be sure to use some other reason that your nearest HS may not have. I have also heard that the school board will try to halt pupil placements out of SLHS (since everyone is going to try to do it, except Erika Castro) by offering it online so have something else as a back-up just in case.

There are parents already making carpools to Oakton from Fox Mill, so you should be able to take part in one of those.

Thank you very much for the reply. My kids are being re-districted from Chantilly to Oakton and I would like to keep them at Chantilly. Chantilly is 2 miles from my house and Oakton is 10 miles, so a pupil-placement should work. Chantilly is by far the closest high school to my house and although I think Oakton is a great school, it's just too far considering I can walk to CHS.

Someone in my neighborhood said that all I have to do is write a letter stating that I want my 8th-grader to attend Chantilly Academy courses, such as robotics, girls in engineering, or even costmotology or animal care. Think that sounds like a plan?

So what is the problem. All you have to do is bitch enough and Fairfax will give you your way.
I knew of a kid whose parents complained that the other kids were always picking on him on the bus. The county gave them vouchers so he could take a cab to school. All it takes is a few letters and some serious complaining.
What is a few million more from taxpayers to make sure everyone gets their way.

No- the kids in vocational are bussed in from schools (Oakton, Woodson, etc) so that wont work.

Hey Fox Mill Dad,

Are there any other "unique" programs at Oakton besides ASL and AP that we can use for pupil-placement? It sounds like the Chantilly parents have a variety of academy classes to cite in their requests. Anything else you can think of? Transportation issues can be solved once we get pupil-placed.

Do I have to get permission from BOTH the principal at Oakton AND Chantilly in order to pupil-place from OHS to CHS? I didn't figure on that. I would never have guessed that you would have to get "release papers".

P.S., Will the SB order Butler and Kacur to refuse to give "release papers" to Fox Mill/Floris/Navy parents? In that case, it's on to plan B...

Thanks AJ!

I thought this forum would be a waste of time but it's a mother lode of ideas. I had no idea that I could get extras like cabfare from the school system. I just wanted to keep my kids all at the same high school (which is also 16 miles per day closer than the one the SB will pay to ship my kids to) But cabfare?!! I'm thinking my kids being picked on as I type this message. I would have never thought to bitch to the school board, but now that they have forced me to start I may just see what kinds of perks I can get.

I have an 8th grader at Carson so my question is how do I apply for high school. Specifically, how does any high school know where you live? Do you send in a form, or does the middle school do it for you?

So, if I decide that i have to rent an apt or a room in the Oakton district in order to qualify to go to Oakton, how do I have to prove that I "live" there? Bills can be easily faked with a good printer and software. Could it be as easy as faking a utility bill or rental agreement? Do they check up on such things?

If the SB plans to stop any transfers out of SLHS, I plan to rent a room in a house in the Oakton district but how do I prove that to the good admin folks at Oakton? Little help here please.

You people act like this is a big deal, are you afraid to just call the school and ask them. So worried about getting caught in a lie you come on to this board to get advice from other stupid parents.

Plain and simple fact. Your kid can go to any school they want. This has been a fact for a very long time. Now, transportation is on you, and some countries require $$ as well. Probably not FCPS but I know down in Montgomery County students that didn't want to attend Riner High School would attend Christiansburg High School, and that is quite a ways.

Graduated from PVI after moving from public schools. Would say that Paul the sixth is a great school, teachers are very good and care about the students. Curriculum is difficult but not impossible, and it is in the center of fairfax, a good location. I agree I wouldn't want to ruin the potential my children have developed at elementary school and middle school by sending them to south lakes.

So grateful to be told how the world works by someone from Moco.

BTW, MOCO in espanol means booger - dry and hard variety or nice and slimey. You seem like the latter.

Thanks PaulVI,

I know two families at PVI and they are the kind of kids you dream your child goes to school with, so I can vouch that there is real quality there. Can you get in if you are not Catholic? I also know several St. Timothy's families and they say it's difficult even if you are a member of the RC church.

Angry Viking Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I have an 8th grader at Carson so my question is
> how do I apply for high school. Specifically, how
> does any high school know where you live? Do you
> send in a form, or does the middle school do it
> for you?
>
> So, if I decide that i have to rent an apt or a
> room in the Oakton district in order to qualify to
> go to Oakton, how do I have to prove that I "live"
> there? Bills can be easily faked with a good
> printer and software. Could it be as easy as
> faking a utility bill or rental agreement? Do
> they check up on such things?
>
> If the SB plans to stop any transfers out of SLHS,
> I plan to rent a room in a house in the Oakton
> district but how do I prove that to the good admin
> folks at Oakton? Little help here please.



If the SB plans to stop any pupil placing out of SLHS, then can we sue? I have a rising 9th grader who is very upset about the redistricting. I may have to break my lease and move. I am only doing this because of no AP programs available at SL. Is it really true the SB and SLHS will actually clamp any pupil placing out of SLHS? If they really are doing that, then what kind of people are they?

I've heard the same thing about blocking pupil placements out of SLHS. Any lawyers out there that know something about this? Is there anyone reading this that has any experience with pupil placing? Thanks

FME Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I've heard the same thing about blocking pupil
> placements out of SLHS. Any lawyers out there
> that know something about this? Is there anyone
> reading this that has any experience with pupil
> placing? Thanks


You might want to check this out with the founder of the website, stoprd.org. He is a lawyer.

OurKidsGoWhereWeWant Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Do I have to get permission from BOTH the
> principal at Oakton AND Chantilly in order to
> pupil-place from OHS to CHS? I didn't figure on
> that. I would never have guessed that you would
> have to get "release papers".
>
> P.S., Will the SB order Butler and Kacur to refuse
> to give "release papers" to Fox Mill/Floris/Navy
> parents? In that case, it's on to plan B...


This would likely be discrimination against FM/F/N. Butler and Kacur sign pupil placements out of their schools today. Are they going to continue to approve those yet deny others? Pupil placements are difficult today. Try to find folks who have been successful and talk to them in person to get their ideas and experiences. There are extremes that you have to go to and through. Unfortunately, we will all have to immerge into those extremes.

The best thing to do is to go to each school and get a course selection guide, including electives and clubs. Find the ones that are offered at OHS, CHS, or WHS but not at SL. Come up with some reason why your kid needs to be enrolled in those particular classes or belong to one of those clubs. Pay attention to the courses/electives the good football players or basketball players are taking. They've probably been advised ahead of this.

The SB gave you the perfect out by not having AP at SL. Take it.

Pupil placement should not be too difficult. When I was a teacher, I had tons of kids who had been pupil placed. One main reason was social reasons. Parents said kid was bullied or had students who bothered them. Another reason was child care placement. They said the babysitter lived in school district X and kid had to stay there. (I taught middle school) Another way to get a pupil placement is to say one school has a class that your's doesn't. Something weird like basket weaving or somethin.

The best way is to move or to say you moved. You will need a lease or a rent thing. Remember Kara Lawson, that great basketball player from West Springfield. Her home school was West Potomac or Mount Vernon and her parents thought WSHS would be a better place for her to play ball. They applied for pupil placement but were denied by the area office. So her dad rented an apartment in West Springfild area andthey lived there a few days a week. They reapplied for pupil placement and got it. Several people have given a relative's name in the area as their address stating that kid is living with grandma.

Also are you aware that any FCPS employee can pupil place their kid for just about any reason. You could get a janitor's job or a teaching job in any FC school and pupil place your kid anywhere.
Finally, I taught at Hayfield before South County was built. Kids would be pupil placed at West Springfield on a regular basis. So much the long bus rides they all were complaining about.

In your case with so manym parents wanting to staym at schools other than South Lakes, they may crack down big time on pupilm placement. You could have your kid sell drugs or something. Instead of expelling kids, they just move them around.

Good luck.

Trickie, I love it. I could have my girls sell drugs or hit someone. They will get the "FCPS shuffle". Keep doing it until they get transfered to Chantilly. Too funny. And I would be a great janitor.

I can tell you that paying rent on an apartment would be cheaper than some private school tuitions. So that can be a fallback option for everyone. It is an expensive extreme, but it will be effective.

I just remembered that OHS has a crew team. That could be a club to join asap.

Plus you could sublet the apartment to am trustworthy GMU student or someone. Or use it for your "art studio" and ask for a deduction from the IRS. Good luck.

outtathere Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The best thing to do is to go to each school and
> get a course selection guide, including electives
> and clubs. Find the ones that are offered at OHS,
> CHS, or WHS but not at SL. Come up with some
> reason why your kid needs to be enrolled in those
> particular classes or belong to one of those
> clubs. Pay attention to the courses/electives the
> good football players or basketball players are
> taking. They've probably been advised ahead of
> this.
>
> The SB gave you the perfect out by not having AP
> at SL. Take it.

The school board list had stuff like curriculum [separate from IB or AP], adjustment, etc. Get it off their website. A few years ago I heard that Dale Rumberger [when at Westfield] gave a job to a parent of a future division 1 football player. Heard about it from more than 1 independent source while standing around at football practices and games in the youth league. One place I heard it was while waiyting around at Poplar Tree at a Chnatilly game. People were surprised by this and a bit disconcerted.

OurKidsGoWhereWeWant Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Trickie, I love it. I could have my girls sell
> drugs or hit someone. They will get the "FCPS
> shuffle". Keep doing it until they get transfered
> to Chantilly. Too funny. And I would be a great
> janitor.
>
> I can tell you that paying rent on an apartment
> would be cheaper than some private school
> tuitions. So that can be a fallback option for
> everyone. It is an expensive extreme, but it will
> be effective.


rent gets cheaper when "more people" live their--buddy up with a car pooler apartment share

OurKidsGoWhereWeWant Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Thanks PaulVI,
>
> I know two families at PVI and they are the kind
> of kids you dream your child goes to school with,
> so I can vouch that there is real quality there.
> Can you get in if you are not Catholic? I also
> know several St. Timothy's families and they say
> it's difficult even if you are a member of the RC
> church.

I am not sure that you need to be Catholic to attend PVI (Biship Ireton or O'Connell), but they do teach Catholic theology and there may be a some other requirements.

I would, however, be careful about generalizing about how "good" the students are at PVI since it is often the school where problem kids from FCPS end up when their parents don't want to pay the cost of a Flint Hill or Congressional. While the majority are hard-working kids, I think that the percentage of druggies and derelicts is much higher than you would find in most FCPS high schools and the administration is not quite as equipped to deal with this proactively.

OurKidsGoWhereWeWant Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I already tried the Flint Hill School and had to
> move kiddies into FCPS because they were bored.
> What private schools are good?
>
> And I totally agree with you that TJ is a great
> school. Are there any privates on par with TJ

TJ is a math/science magnet school and I don't think that there are any private schools which specialize in that way. There is no shortage of excellent private schools in Northern Virgina, but since you seemingly have never heard of Google here are a few that you can look into:

* Congressional
* Episcopal
* St. Stephen's and St. Agnes
* Madeira School (girls only)
* Potomac School

Looking a bit further into Maryland and DC offers a number of schools including:

* Georgetown Day
* Georegetown Visitation
* National Cathedral School
* Holton Arms
* The Landon School
* Sidwell Friends
* Maret School
* St. Albans

These schools generally have very liberal acceptance policies and should have plenty of available seats since there is not a lot competition in the admissions process.

Good luck!

OurKidsGoWhereWeWant Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I just remembered that OHS has a crew team. That
> could be a club to join asap.


I highly doubt that crew is going to keep you at OHS unless your child is ready for the US Rowing national team. There are only a couple of crew teams of note within FCPS with TJ being the most prominent. Crew at OHS is probably on par with DECA and Key Club.

Re: Ways to Stay at Oakton HS and Chantilly HS
Posted by: AlwaysAnEagle (IP Logged)
Date: January 04, 2008 06:01PM

OurKidsGoWhereWeWant Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Thanks PaulVI,
>
> I know two families at PVI and they are the kind
> of kids you dream your child goes to school with,
> so I can vouch that there is real quality there.
> Can you get in if you are not Catholic? I also
> know several St. Timothy's families and they say
> it's difficult even if you are a member of the RC
> church.

I am not sure that you need to be Catholic to attend PVI (Biship Ireton or O'Connell), but they do teach Catholic theology and there may be a some other requirements.

I would, however, be careful about generalizing about how "good" the students are at PVI since it is often the school where problem kids from FCPS end up when their parents don't want to pay the cost of a Flint Hill or Congressional. While the majority are hard-working kids, I think that the percentage of druggies and derelicts is much higher than you would find in most FCPS high schools and the administration is not quite as equipped to deal with this proactively.

AlwaysAnEagle is way off base. These schools aren’t for FCPS drop outs they are college prep schools. The strict moral expectations and dress code (they wear blazers and ties) is too much for public school rejects. They are catholic based and promote faith based principals but you don't have to be catholic, just respectful. Check out their web sites they are dream schools.

experienced parent Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> AlwaysAnEagle is way off base. These schools
> aren’t for FCPS drop outs they are college prep
> schools. The strict moral expectations and dress
> code (they wear blazers and ties) is too much for
> public school rejects. They are catholic based and
> promote faith based principals but you don't have
> to be catholic, just respectful. Check out their
> web sites they are dream schools.

I never said that they are FCPS drop outs, but rather kids who have been expelled from FCPS for disciplinary reasons, typically drugs. Clearly not the majority of PVI students, but I can come up with 5-10 names without trying too hard. Don't get me wrong...I am a big supporter of Catholic education, attended a Jesuit high school and university and believe that these (PVI et al) are generally good schools. You are deluding yourself, however, if you believe that a dress code translates automatically to anything other than typical teenage behavior. Check out the Facebook pages of PVI students and you will see the same level of partying and drinking that you see at Robinson, Lake Braddock, Fairfax, or Westfield.

Personally, my rank order preference for Catholic high schools in the Diocese of Arlington would be O'Connell, BI and then PVI.

Well, something tells me that PVI will have a lot of applications this winter. Flint Hill is 25 grand/year and I am pretty sure both Madeira and NCS and all the DC schools that are non-Catholic are that ore more. If you can afford that you can afford buy your kid a business after high school and skip college.

Tricki touched on this....and yes, FCPS employees can easily pupil place. If you decide to apply for employment, let me recommend bus driving! It's better than janitorial, because we transport and look out for each other's children, which are code named "packages" in the business. We take very, very good care of one another's kids!

The hours are good and the pay is okay (starts at $16.57 an hour). Same benefits package as the teachers too! The only problem is, you have to have an excellent driving record and pass random drug tests. These requirements would probably disqualify most of you folks....and using a cell phone while driving a FCPS bus is grounds for termination, which would probably eliminate the rest of you! j/k

If you decide to try the alternative placement approach....BE CAREFUL! If your child commits too serious of an infraction, or one that involves a weapon, they will be sent to FCPS's version of the "the rock"....Mountain View or Burke Summit. Their classmates will be mostly gangbangers and pregnant kids.
There are no sports, no clubs, no activities, no nothing...however transportation is provided. (One of them pulled a gun on me on the bus one day!)

bus driver Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Tricki touched on this....and yes, FCPS employees
> can easily pupil place. If you decide to apply
> for employment, let me recommend bus driving!
> It's better than janitorial, because we transport
> and look out for each other's children, which are
> code named "packages" in the business. We take
> very, very good care of one another's kids!
>
> The hours are good and the pay is okay (starts at
> $16.57 an hour). Same benefits package as the
> teachers too! The only problem is, you have to
> have an excellent driving record and pass random
> drug tests. These requirements would probably
> disqualify most of you folks....and using a cell
> phone while driving a FCPS bus is grounds for
> termination, which would probably eliminate the
> rest of you! j/k
>
> If you decide to try the alternative placement
> approach....BE CAREFUL! If your child commits too
> serious of an infraction, or one that involves a
> weapon, they will be sent to FCPS's version of the
> "the rock"....Mountain View or Burke Summit.
> Their classmates will be mostly gangbangers and
> pregnant kids.
> There are no sports, no clubs, no activities, no
> nothing...however transportation is provided.
> (One of them pulled a gun on me on the bus one
> day!)

That must be scary! I certainly hope there will be fair guidelines with pupil placing if the redistricting is approved. My rising 9th grader asked me a question tonight if redistricting is constitutional? Is it? She felt that redistricting has infringed on our rights to where we want to live, the kind of schools, etc. Any comments on that? Thanks.

Holy crap bus driver! You should get hazardous pay for sure. I can't believe you had a gun pulled on you. And I do believe that it was said in jest to compel children to commit crimes in order to be shuffled to a different high school. At least I was assuming that it was.

look, it's really easy to get your kid to switch school, just have him get expelled. when that happens, nobody can send him back to SL HS.


"the wisdom of the wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish."

If you desire AP curriculum or unique class, can provide your own transportation, and Oakton has excess capacity then it might be considered unconstitutional if SLHS turns down your pupil placement request (if SLHS can indeed nix the transfer out of their school). It could be an angle because it could be argued that an individual was denied the curriculum of their choice.

FME Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Holy crap bus driver! You should get hazardous
> pay for sure. I can't believe you had a gun pulled
> on you. And I do believe that it was said in jest
> to compel children to commit crimes in order to be
> shuffled to a different high school. At least I
> was assuming that it was.


It sure was scary! At least that got finally got the kid expelled from FCPS forever.

I misspoke I said "alternative placement"...I think the term is administrative placement (the other AP? lol). I had a friend whose son was A/Ped from Robinson to Fairfax High for smoking pot on campus. Keep in mind that if your child administratively placed...he or she is BANNED from their previous school's campus...24/7 That means no football games, no trespassing, period.

Good to know Bus Driver. Sounds like it's not worth it because the consequences outweigh the benefits. Can you tell me what type of hours you have? Thank you.

OurKidsGoWhereWeWant Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Well, something tells me that PVI will have a lot
> of applications this winter. Flint Hill is 25
> grand/year and I am pretty sure both Madeira and
> NCS and all the DC schools that are non-Catholic
> are that ore more. If you can afford that you can
> afford buy your kid a business after high school
> and skip college.

OK, so that means you folks can only buy one BMW this year. Isn't that sacrifice worth it if you can if it means that YOU choose where your kids go to school?

OurKidsGoWhereWeWant Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Thanks PaulVI,
>
> I know two families at PVI and they are the kind
> of kids you dream your child goes to school with,
> so I can vouch that there is real quality there.
> Can you get in if you are not Catholic? I also
> know several St. Timothy's families and they say
> it's difficult even if you are a member of the RC
> church.


Yes there were a number of kids there who were not Catholic, they give preference to Catholics though. As to how hard it is to get in I was a member of a local parish for a number of years before applying, but I don't know how to compare the admission difficulty to a place like flint hill or another private schoool

bus driver Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> FME Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Holy crap bus driver! You should get hazardous
> > pay for sure. I can't believe you had a gun
> pulled
> > on you. And I do believe that it was said in
> jest
> > to compel children to commit crimes in order to
> be
> > shuffled to a different high school. At least
> I
> > was assuming that it was.
>
>
> It sure was scary! At least that got finally got
> the kid expelled from FCPS forever.
>
> I misspoke I said "alternative placement"...I
> think the term is administrative placement (the
> other AP? lol). I had a friend whose son was
> A/Ped from Robinson to Fairfax High for smoking
> pot on campus. Keep in mind that if your child
> administratively placed...he or she is BANNED from
> their previous school's campus...24/7 That means
> no football games, no trespassing, period.



Lol banned from Fairfax for smoking pot? Back when fairfax was built and kids could smoke, they would go out in the courtyard and smoke during lunch. Bet they still do now.

Oh and regarding those Mt View Kids: They are dangerourous. When Mt View was built in the 60s it was in the middle of no where so kids wouldnt escape and the only thing to do was look at the Blue ridge mountains, hence the name.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/04/2008 10:44PM by KeepOnTruckin.

KeepOnTruckin Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

>
> Oh and regarding those Mt View Kids: They are
> dangerourous. When Mt View was built in the 60s it
> was in the middle of no where so kids wouldnt
> escape and the only thing to do was look at the
> Blue ridge mountains, hence the name.


Wrong. Mt View is in a former elem. school, and originated in the mid 90's. Prior to that, all that was around were Bryant, Woodson Adult Ed and Pimmit Hills.

Not all the Mountain View kids are dangerous felons. My best friend's husband teaches there after being at Chantilly for many years. He loves it there. Many of the kids are just social "malcontents". They have a hard time getting up in the morning or they don't get along with the regular populationn at a huge high school. Some are perhaps immigrants who are a little older than the usualm high school kid or they may be young parents who are working full or part time to support a family. The classes are small and personalized and they have mid year graduations.

I also had a very good friend who was a bus driver there and there were very few incidents like the poster who said he/she had a gun drawn on him. Heck, that could happen at any high school on a bus. (Not common but it does happen! And you won't hear about it either)
Basically those Mountain View kids may be different or a little troubled, but all the really want is that high school diploma and to get out so they can work, take care of a family member or go on to some type of training like computers. My friend's son was a total computer nerd who attended Mountain View and he basically acted as the computer internet technician for the faculty while he was there. He had been pupil placed by his former school and his parents. Now he is serving in the Army deciphering codes on enemy computers or something.

Bus driver is correct though. FCPS is always looking for drivers and they are great about supporting each other and helping each other's kids. I loved all the bus drivers from my former school. Oh and my friend whom is a bus driver told me that some of the girls who are at Mountain View are nymphos and that's why they go there! I would love to
see the pupil placement paper work on those cases!

About getting into Paul IV.You do not have to be Catholic to get in but the tuition will be much steeper. In about 10 to 15% of the admissions, my guess is that a family made a big contribution to a church or a program, or the kid is an athlete or they were druggies and miscreants from a public school. I know a coach who sends a small bus to the projects to pick up football players and basketball players to attend Paul IV (this is called recruiting) so if your kid is a male athlete, it would be easy to get in.

Trickie

Speaking from experience, should anyone choose Paul VI, there is a Fairfax County (Connector?) Bus which stops very near the school. As of 4 years ago, that route included Franklin Farm as a drop off point. I imagine it made several other stops along the way which might prove helpful to you.

I recall researching this bus route as a back up plan when my children attended the school. Paul VI does offer bus service….about 600 a year??? ……. and many parents used the carpooling alternative.

The school is a fine one but has a hard time competing with the amount of resourses available at Fairfax County Schools. Nothing like our tax dollars!!

That said....my graduates are finishing up at two top Universities...so, PVI was a good choice for us.

Good luck!

SE Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> KeepOnTruckin Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
>
> >
> > Oh and regarding those Mt View Kids: They are
> > dangerourous. When Mt View was built in the 60s
> it
> > was in the middle of no where so kids wouldnt
> > escape and the only thing to do was look at the
> > Blue ridge mountains, hence the name.
>
>
> Wrong. Mt View is in a former elem. school, and
> originated in the mid 90's. Prior to that, all
> that was around were Bryant, Woodson Adult Ed and
> Pimmit Hills.



Yeah Mt View didnt become a AHS until 1996 i belive, but i thought it had been a high school before that? Couldnt be tho i guess b/c Centreville was built in 88. the Mt View building was built in the 60's. I wonder if it has a bomb shelter.

Yes, Mountain View is the old Centreville Elementary before they built the new one down on 28.

Hey Tricki, Mountain View changed this year with the closing and demolition of Eleven Oaks School. In addition to the type students you mentioned, it now also houses the Alternative Learning Center that was at 11 Oaks. Those are the criminals...but they keep them separated from the general population.

Soon the SB will be re-districting our kids to Mountain View to improve their scores and class offerings!!

I had a friend whose daughter had a baby and got sent to Mountain View. It was okay for her but i kind of lost track of her. I don't think anyone pulled a gun on her or anything like that.

I am glad someone made this thread as it seeks to solve our problems of school choice.

1. I know that my son and some fellow students carpool for football and I think it is a good idea for parents. My wife and I drove my son to and from football during his Freshman year and it was tough; however, when we joined a carpool in his Sophmore year things were a breeze. I think carpooling is a grand idea.

2. I did was check out the "safe and secure" profile of that school. Please visit:

http://www.fcps.edu/profiles/

From the "High Schools" drop down menue select "South Lakes High School." When you are at the school site, select the "Safe and Secure" tab.

Now after you look at those numbers think about how many children attend that high school. Then look at your own high school and check out that school's "Safe and Secure" tab.

You decide if you should do something about it --even paying for private school.

[I did not want to post the information about the "Safe and Secure" tab on the other thread because I knew it would just inflame some posters there.]

I am glad to see some of you are looking for solutions. I am interested.

Good Luck.

Addendum: "I did was check out the "safe and secure" profile of that school." should read "What I did was check out the "safe and secure" profile of South Lakes High School." Sorry.

The other thread was informative when we thought there was a way that we, as parents, could impact the outcome of the school redistricting. In hindsight, it was an unfortunate waste of time, along with attending any redistricting meetings, hiring lawyers, signing petitions, etc. It would have been wiser to explore other ways around the situation. This is a strategy that I have employed before and it's so much more productive and less stressful.

So far, there are two options that will work here:


1. Buy or lease a property/apt/room within the boundary of the desired public school and carpool or provide your own transportation; and

2. Apply to private schools.

Given that we could all apply to the local privates at the same time, this doesn't guarantee your child will get in.

So, producing a lease agreement for a property within the boundary DOES guarantee your child a seat in even the most overcrowded FCPS school. I'm thinking this is the ultimate plan, especially after pupil-placement fails or private schools are full.

I don't know about you guys, but I know people who would be happy to lease part of their house, and others who would share the cost of leasing an apt or room. There is no need for anyone to lose out on what they want for their children.

I think your idea of moving to an apartment or house within the school district is a good idea --particulary if you have more than one child and you think you will be staying there for some time.

Infact, it has occured to me that one may weigh the cost of private school and rental payments and decide which is more cost effective.

I can even imagine some creative investment ideas where one could invest in a property within the desired school district with partners [family members] and make the rental payments to the investment partnership. If you are going to be there for a while, this might make good scense. You are the tenant and you are making the rental payments. You are not going to leave. And when you do, you can find another family who wants to send their children to the school district. I think you couldn't be the sole owner of the property because then the property really would be your primary residence. But if you knew folks who wanted to invest this might not be a bad idea. You could always rent out your house.

I can see a whole bunch of things that could be done. Of course you have to do your homework and find the most cost efficient means of achieving your objective.


Anyway that is one idea.

If I buy a property in my desired school district and it is not my primary residency. Will there be any issues?

The private school issue is a good one too. I know the military academy where my son went to summer school twice charges $26,500.00. That is a boarding school. But those boys have supervised study halls each night. They have to turn in their homework or they walk the "bull ring." They have manditory sports. And they are aimed at college. The graduating class is small and usually one student is accepted to one of the federal military acadamies.

However, it boils down to $2,208.33 a month. Renting in your desired school district may be cheaper. Or making an investment with family in a home in your desired school district with your payments going toward the rents maybe wiser still.

I agree that everyone rushing to the local private schools will cause a problem. The school I sent my son to is in southern Virginia. We did have to travel and my wife wasn't keen on seeing her little boy go away for such a long time. But it worked out. Of course this was just for the summer in our case.

Avoid SL, thank you for your reply.

Avoid SL I "think" you have to be living there. But if you rented out what is currently your primary residence and moved to the investment property then I do not see a problem. You are paying rent. You are the tenant. If you have a share in the partnership or S Corp that holds the property I do not think there would be a problem. That becomes your primary residence.


Your "current" primary residence would have to be rented out I guess --unless you can afford to leave it vacant or let a family member live there. You would no longer be living in that place though you could still own it.

If one rents out their home they would be a land lord and have the responsiblity that goes along with that. But if you own your own house and have been fixing it then you kind of know allot about this business in the first place. The key would be to find someone to rent the house that currently own.

I could see how, if one has some interest in real estate, generally speaking, that this unfortunate event could be turned into a spring-board for growth.

I guess the question would be what do you want to do with your current home? Leave it vacant? [Some people can do this.] Rent it out --that means you will be a landlord. Sell it at a latter date? Or avoid the whole investment idea and stay there and send your children to private school.

I would try and figure out which way is most cost effective and then think about the responsiblity of that choice. I am probably going to be in the same boat if my son doesn't get grandfathered into Oakton.

I should point out that the military academy I sent my son to in the summer didnot charge me $26,500 for the summer session. The $26,500 is a full academic year of tution and fees.

Again, sorry for any spelling errors or grammer mistakes.

Good Luck

How would the administration know which is your primary residence? This is FCPS not the Gestapo. How would it be any different than if you rented or bought in any school district? All that must be produced is a signed lease or deed.

I know many couples that separate and one spouse will rent an apt or room and just as often the children go with. How would this be any different? I can't see any way the SB could reassign your child. Housing is taxed to pay for the local school. If a lease/deed is produced then the parents are paying taxes and they are entitled to a seat at the local school.

A good website for comparing schools and behaviors:

https://p1pe.doe.virginia.gov/reportcard/

Fox Mill Estates Parent Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Avoid SL, thank you for your reply.
>
> Avoid SL I "think" you have to be living there.
> But if you rented out what is currently your
> primary residence and moved to the investment
> property then I do not see a problem. You are
> paying rent. You are the tenant. If you have a
> share in the partnership or S Corp that holds the
> property I do not think there would be a problem.
> That becomes your primary residence.
>
>
> Your "current" primary residence would have to be
> rented out I guess --unless you can afford to
> leave it vacant or let a family member live there.
> You would no longer be living in that place
> though you could still own it.
>
> If one rents out their home they would be a land
> lord and have the responsiblity that goes along
> with that. But if you own your own house and have
> been fixing it then you kind of know allot about
> this business in the first place. The key would
> be to find someone to rent the house that
> currently own.
>
> I could see how, if one has some interest in real
> estate, generally speaking, that this unfortunate
> event could be turned into a spring-board for
> growth.
>
> I guess the question would be what do you want to
> do with your current home? Leave it vacant?
> Rent it out --that means you will be a landlord.
> Sell it at a latter date? Or avoid the whole
> investment idea and stay there and send your
> children to private school.
>
> I would try and figure out which way is most cost
> effective and then think about the responsiblity
> of that choice. I am probably going to be in the
> same boat if my son doesn't get grandfathered into
> Oakton.


Fox Mill Estates Parent, thanks for the info.

Schools have no way of knowing what your primary residence is, nor would the clerk in the school office care. If you can produce a deed, or rental agreement, as proof of residence, they won't argue with it. They can't. Rent an apartment and tell them that you and your son/daughter will be living there. Period. The mail from the school will go to that address, if that matters to you.

I don't see how South Lakes can prevent students from pupil placing out of the school since it is permitted at all other schools. It would be totally unfair to have different rules at ONE school. But I wouldn't put it past them to try.

OurKidsGoWhereWeWant Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> How would the administration know which is your
> primary residence? This is FCPS not the Gestapo.
> How would it be any different than if you rented
> or bought in any school district? All that must
> be produced is a signed lease or deed.
>
> I know many couples that separate and one spouse
> will rent an apt or room and just as often the
> children go with. How would this be any
> different? I can't see any way the SB could
> reassign your child. Housing is taxed to pay for
> the local school. If a lease/deed is produced
> then the parents are paying taxes and they are
> entitled to a seat at the local school.


Thanks OurKidsGoWhereWeWant. I am going to "separate" from my wife when my child is in 8th grade.

OurKidsGoWhereWeWant I agree that you could just as easily rent. Maybe that is best. I do not mean to be a downer, and I could be wrong, but I think one would have to actually live where they say their children are residing.

Certainly, it may be most cost effective to rent an apartment. Some may want to do that.

And I am not certain about this but I seem to recall reading, and it may be at another place where I owned a home, that the school district sent inspectors to see if the children at the school actually where living where they claimed they were.

I "think" you really want to be living there. But that is just what I "think." I do not know if FCPS sends out inspectors. That is something to look into I suppose.

AT the elementary level, parents can get a friend in their desired school district to say that they are providing child care for the child. The parent writes down the friend's name on the school form as child care provider and the child can attend that school. I knew one woman who was the child care provider for 5 students at Louise Archer. She never saw any of them. But on paper she was the child care provider.

So, I am wondering if a high school student's parent had a rental agreement from someone in the desired school district, wouldn't that be good enough? Could you get a friend to sign a deed saying that you are renting his basement or spare room? Why wouldn't that work? I don't see FCPS sending someone to peer into the basement of a home.

You catch on fast AvoidSL. All this stress over redistricting is ruining my marraige too.

The dealine for pupil placing is fast approaching and it would be great if anyone with experiences to share could do so in this forum. We will know very quickly if they are not accepting pupil placements into Oakton (or Chantilly).

OurKidsGoWhereWeWant Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You catch on fast AvoidSL. All this stress over
> redistricting is ruining my marraige too.
>
> The dealine for pupil placing is fast approaching
> and it would be great if anyone with experiences
> to share could do so in this forum. We will know
> very quickly if they are not accepting pupil
> placements into Oakton (or Chantilly).


The pupil placing has already started? When is the deadline? Who is "they" you are referring to, please? Thanks.

Neen, I am glad you reminded me of the pupil placing option. I think it is a great idea, the only problem is how many people are going to try it?

Could you write again how someone goes about this? Do we have to start at the guidance department of the school we wish to place our child into for example?

Thanks

FCPS doesn't have the money or resources to check where you live. No one has to actually move, or even pay any money. Just get a friend to sign a lease agreement and you can buy one of those to download from the internet for 10 bucks. Library probably has them too.

No one has ever checked with me or my wife to see if we really live in the Oakton district and I have a sophomore at Oakton. Why would they start checking now? Now that would be unconstitutional if they deny pupil placements from SL into Oakton (and just Oakton) and they harrass people to see if they really live in the Oakton district and not SLHS. I would sue the SB.

>>>I think one would have to actually live where they say their children are residing.<<<<

I am 99.99% certain that we have no inspectors of housing to see where children live. How would they do that? Check each bedroom for evidence of children? There are rules about establishing housing, but they do not include inspection of anyone's home or bedroom.

From FCPS, establishing proof of residence:

http://www.fcps.edu/ss/StudentServices/StudentRegistration/registration-req08-09.pdf#xml=http://search.fcps.edu/cgi-bin/texis.cgi/webinator/search/xml.txt?query=residence+proof&pr=public&prox=sentence&rorder=750&rprox=750&rdfreq=500&rwfreq=500&rlead=500&sufs=1&order=r&cq=&id=477dcd341e

Baffled,

I think the website said March for the deadline. But I really am not sure at all as I am very new to all of this. And as for the "they", I also do not know for sure. Does anyone out there know if you need approval from one principal, both principals, or both principals and another SB administrator? We've heard tell of different scenarios, and we've heard tell that placements out of SLHS will not be approved.

Hence all of the talk about private schools and renting.

Angry Viking Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> FCPS doesn't have the money or resources to check
> where you live. No one has to actually move, or
> even pay any money. Just get a friend to sign a
> lease agreement and you can buy one of those to
> download from the internet for 10 bucks. Library
> probably has them too.
>
> No one has ever checked with me or my wife to see
> if we really live in the Oakton district and I
> have a sophomore at Oakton. Why would they start
> checking now? Now that would be unconstitutional
> if they deny pupil placements from SL into Oakton
> (and just Oakton) and they harrass people to see
> if they really live in the Oakton district and not
> SLHS. I would sue the SB.

Good point. In my 20 years in FCPS no one ever inspected my house to see if my kids lived here. I wouldn't have let them in if they had tried. Surely our school system doesn't waste money looking through children's bedrooms. I'm fairly certain I would have heard about residence inspectors if FCPS had them. There would also be a legal issue. The government can't enter private homes without a search warrant or evidence of imminent danger to a child or adult.

Guys, they are going to start checking now becaue they know everyone is going to run.

I am not trying to be a trouble maker with you. All I can tell you is that I seem to recall reading, and I think it was in Califronia, where certain very popular schools hired an inspector to check a pupil's residence. They didn't check everyone of course. I think it was random. But I seem to recall that is what happened.

Now of course one could say I will take the chance anyway and if they find out then I will deal with latter. That is up to you.

I am just trying to offer away that I think I know can't fail and perhaps improve one's networth in time. Of course moving to an apartment wouldn't fail either and you wouldn't have be a landlord.

As I said I could be wrong about the checking.

OurKidsGoWhereWeWant Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Baffled,
>
> I think the website said March for the deadline.
> But I really am not sure at all as I am very new
> to all of this. And as for the "they", I also do
> not know for sure. Does anyone out there know if
> you need approval from one principal, both
> principals, or both principals and another SB
> administrator? We've heard tell of different
> scenarios, and we've heard tell that placements
> out of SLHS will not be approved.
>
> Hence all of the talk about private schools and
> renting.

Here's the information from FCPS.edu.
http://www.fcps.edu/ss/student-transfer/

The fcps.edu website is searchable.

OurKidsGoWhereWeWant Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Baffled,
>
> I think the website said March for the deadline.
> But I really am not sure at all as I am very new
> to all of this. And as for the "they", I also do
> not know for sure. Does anyone out there know if
> you need approval from one principal, both
> principals, or both principals and another SB
> administrator? We've heard tell of different
> scenarios, and we've heard tell that placements
> out of SLHS will not be approved.
>
> Hence all of the talk about private schools and
> renting.


Thanks, I received word from the Rachel Carson guidance office not too long ago that the base school would have to approve the pupil placement and if there is room at a desired school and also approved by the desired school's principal. The guidance office also said the middle schools do not get involved with the high schools about pupil placing. Didn't say when the deadline was though. Strange--the SB decision is at the end of Feb and not much time to get the pupil placements out by March. Nice timing on the SB's end.

I like the way you think,.. get the school of your choice AND make some money.

Sorry everyone, I was wrong about the deadline. Thanks to the link from Neen, I checked the FCPS website and it says April 15th for "curricular transfers". Those transfers would be those requesting AP over IB. And note that it says that curricular transfers will be prohibited from sports for one year.

There are other types of transfers and I didn't check to see if they have different deadlines. But yes, not much time to get your ducks in a row and if you miss the deadline, too bad for you, no transfer.

Also, Chantilly is on the list of schools that are "full", along with Westfield and Langley. It says they are on the List of Closed Schools. So Navy area parents are going to have to do something other than pupil-placement.

OurKidsGoWhereWeWant that would be the fun way. Stick it to em and make money too boot. Meanwhile the children go where you think best. Hehehehehehehehe

Lying to the school system to pupil place your kids puts you in the same category as illegal immigrants. What cost to your personal integrity are you willing to pay? Nice role models folks.

I don't think anyone is misleading anyone if they wish to pupil place their children for AP purposes if the school one is sent to fails to offer that option. I don't think that is lying. I would be willing to do that and have no moral problem with it. I want my son to do AP.

Bugs ya to not get your way doesn't it. Well, unlike you, who can't guarantee that your school will get our FMES kids, WE are taking steps to guarantee that we get what we want and continue at OHS. Turn about is fair play right? Why would anyone invoved in this sham of democracy and travesty that sweeps minority students under the rug even deign to speak about integrity or role modeling???? I loathe hypocrisy.

Infact the Pupil Placement Option is probably the most efficient choice though getting paid by the county to drive a bus and getting choice is probably even better --if one wishes to do that.

And buying or renting a house or apartment in order to ensure that your child receives the education that you feel is best is absolutely honorable and I would argue that it is "the American way".

It is this ability to access the education of our choosing that makes our workforce strong, and attracts the best and brightest from around the world to our area, and is our right as taxpayers (and some illegal immigrants pay taxes too -- duh).

FME Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Bugs ya to not get your way doesn't it. Well,
> unlike you, who can't guarantee that your school
> will get our FMES kids, WE are taking steps to
> guarantee that we get what we want and continue at
> OHS. Turn about is fair play right? Why would
> anyone invoved in this sham of democracy and
> travesty that sweeps minority students under the
> rug even deign to speak about integrity or role
> modeling???? I loathe hypocrisy.


I second that. That is why I am baffled by this whole mess.

OurKidsGoWhereWeWant Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Sorry everyone, I was wrong about the deadline.
> Thanks to the link from Neen, I checked the FCPS
> website and it says April 15th for "curricular
> transfers". Those transfers would be those
> requesting AP over IB. And note that it says that
> curricular transfers will be prohibited from
> sports for one year.
>
> There are other types of transfers and I didn't
> check to see if they have different deadlines.
> But yes, not much time to get your ducks in a row
> and if you miss the deadline, too bad for you, no
> transfer.
>
> Also, Chantilly is on the list of schools that are
> "full", along with Westfield and Langley. It says
> they are on the List of Closed Schools. So Navy
> area parents are going to have to do something
> other than pupil-placement.


Thanks. Yes, unfortunately not much time thanks to whoever decided on these boundary study meeting dates and the final decision for Feb 28. Makes one feel like doing a game of water shooting at a duck row booth like the one you would see at a carnival.

Well, it certainly looks and feels like folks in the re-districted zones are being manipulated and forced into switching high schools, doesn't it? Maybe the SB is trying to minimize the "shrinkage" of the group of re-districted students by assuming that people either won't know about the deadlines or won't move fast enough.

It is imperative that the pupil placement deadlines are made known to anyone living in these "zones" so they don't lose out this option.

But even if they do miss the opportunity to pupil place, there are always the options of buying/leasing a house in the district of your choice. That gives you until late summer to make arrangements.

OurKidsGoWhereWeWant Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Sorry everyone, I was wrong about the deadline.
> Thanks to the link from Neen, I checked the FCPS
> website and it says April 15th for "curricular
> transfers". Those transfers would be those
> requesting AP over IB. And note that it says that
> curricular transfers will be prohibited from
> sports for one year.
>
> There are other types of transfers and I didn't
> check to see if they have different deadlines.
> But yes, not much time to get your ducks in a row
> and if you miss the deadline, too bad for you, no
> transfer.
>
> Also, Chantilly is on the list of schools that are
> "full", along with Westfield and Langley. It says
> they are on the List of Closed Schools. So Navy
> area parents are going to have to do something
> other than pupil-placement.


Isn't Navy being moved out of Chantilly? Then it won't be overcrowded! I would go ahead and apply for the pupil placement if that's what you want to do, apply to Chantilly and see what they say. OR apply to Chantilly AND Oakton.

OurKidsGoWhereWeWant Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> And buying or renting a house or apartment in
> order to ensure that your child receives the
> education that you feel is best is absolutely
> honorable and I would argue that it is "the
> American way".
>
> It is this ability to access the education of our
> choosing that makes our workforce strong, and
> attracts the best and brightest from around the
> world to our area, and is our right as taxpayers
> (and some illegal immigrants pay taxes too --
> duh).

Unfortunately most of our poor students in the US do NOT have school choice. Only middle class and upper class have educational options. But change is coming. We have candidates running for President right now who support school choice for ALL students. It's coming.

Correction...we can and do investgate residential issues! And DO NOT get caught lying!!!

Hey Neen...I was patrolling over near North Springfield Elementary the other day and saw a new Mustang convertible bearing the tag "Neen 16"

Was that you, or could you even fit into a Mustang?

A mustang? Hahahahaha............not me. I drive my 330ci or my Z3. Love those convertibles!

Well Neen,

You've brought up the fascinating topic of school vouchers. The American educational system is a marketplace. Currently, consumers of educational services can, with some exceptions, choose their school by the location of their housing purchases.

Despite our public school system, it is really only a "pseudo" governmental system due to the free market for housing. There are overwhelming financial rewards for individuals who achieve academically, Parents will continue to use this capitalistic approach to secure educational services for their children. They will avoid schools perceived to be inferior and will be drawn to schools perceived to be superior.

It's interesting to note that in this area, I see many, many parents from non-market economies like China, et al who are the savviest, and quickest to respond to changes in the school system and pockets of quality services. They have embraced the testing criteria for GT centers and TJ and concentrate on getting their children to qualify based on test scores. I guess when you have lived under an oppressive government, or are a minority and you face discrimination and denial based on your DNA, a test-based qualification is a godsend. Ditto for college testing.

This re-districting effort is attempting to force parents into accepting a different education than they had elected vis-a-vis their housing choices. On some level I am interested to see the CIP reports next year to see how many students actually migrate from one high school to the other. If you believe that public high school education in FCPS is basically a capitalistic marketplace, then parents will vote with their feet and SLHS will not receive the number of FME/FlorisE students that they desire to inject success into this school from without. Under the voucher system, which allows free choice among schools, individual schools have to compete for students and therefore have a powerful incentive for excellence.

Darrell Green took this route to get his son onto the Oakton football team a few years back - renting in the area while still maintaining his residence in Loudoun County. The situation was even investigated due to a complaint about him not being an eligible player, and it was determined to be without merit - multiple residences are perfectly acceptable - or at least they were a couple years ago. If it was good enough for Darrell, then it should be good enough for everyone else, right!

Darrell Green is the perfect example of someone who didn't get where he is today by throwing his hands up and accepting the crap end of the stick and being what society expected of him. Good for him for taking control of his son's future and doing what he thought was best. Mr. Green is not a hypocrite like so many in this forum. He spends loads of time and money helping kids of ALL colors achieve and succeed and do productive constructive stuff. There is no one on this forum who has put more $$ into other people's kids.

If it worked for him to rent an apt in Oakton district and his son stayed and played, then that's what I will do too. We will overcome.

How about sibling pupil placement? If the older one is already in Oakton High, can this be used as a reason for pupil placement for the younger one? If the answer is yes, what happens if the older one graduates?

Despite what you want, these district changes will happen. If you want to buy an apartment fine, although I think for people to be thinking that is ridiculous. All the schools are Fairfax County ones, and their will be transportation options when the time comes.
No public school is worth paying thousands a year to attend when you go to another fine public school; which their is not a bad public school in the county compared to most of the country. So get over yourselves its high school; your kids will get the same experience at high school no matter where they go. Your kids will be fine, when it goes down I guarentee it, I'd be more worried about your property values.

Let me get this straight...are all of the disgruntled parents considering renting a single residence in the district of their choice, hoping that FCPS does not catch on to 30+ students with the same address? I realize that the FCPS administration may not be the most efficient group, but I have to believe that there are some rudimentary administrative computer systems in place to catch this type of behavior.

Pupil placement MAY work, but just about the only guarantee is employment by the school system and even then I don't think that you can simply go anywhere. For example, Robinson's principal lives in Chantilly, but his sons go to Robinson...I doubt that he could have put them, for example, at Westfield or Oakton. Not sure how this works for bus drivers, however.

Other pupil placement options are not as simple and you need to be careful. We knew parents from the Crosspointe area (prior to South County being built) who used the Spanish immersion program at Laurel Ridge ES to stay at Robinson through middle school and then wanted to use IB to stay at Robinson. Unfortunately for them, Hayfield is also an IB school. They tried to use location of their childcare provider, but no one bought the idea of a 14 or 15 year old needing child care. There are a number of kids in my daughter's class at Robinson who should be at either Woodson or Fairfax, but remain only because they are full IB. You can drop down to less than full IB as a senior without being asked to leave, but we know of at least two students who spent 9th and 10th grade as "full IB" who were asked to leave Robinson prior to their junior year when they failed to schedule a full IB course load.

Ombudsman Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Let me get this straight...are all of the
> disgruntled parents considering renting a single
> residence in the district of their choice, hoping
> that FCPS does not catch on to 30+ students with
> the same address?

What are you talking about? If a person rents a apartment and sub lease it out, he/she will be the only one on the lease and the address. If it's lucky with the sublease, he/she can break even and even make money. The only thing is transportation, which can be helped by carpooling.

I am liking this move/rent option more and more. It will hedge the real estate losses expected in Fox Mill and Floris areas and get the job done. Comments about how FCPS will find out about us folks working around the redistrict only serve to help us better our planning. Moving is the only option if pupil placement fails. But my kids are not going to SLHS and whatever the SB throws at us we will work around it. They thought our neighborhood was poor enough to cooperate and accept the disruption, but rich enough to fill up the IB classes that the PTA kids take. WRONGO!!! We may not be rich but we have all worked our tails off to live where we live. A house is just bricks and mortar, I can sell it and move or rent elsewhere and rent my house out for a couple of years. No problem. If I hadn't sidestepped around these types of roadblocks throughtout my life I would be on welfare. I've gotten good at it.

Not only that, there are many folks who may not be redistricted who hate how this whole process has unfolded, and would be willing to assist those who may be adversely affected by this situation. We have several good friends that may be affected, and if they need an address or room to help them out, we're all for it.

Go read the arrogance of the SL parents they are saying they won't let any Fox Mill or Floris kids go for pupil placing and that they masterminded and planned this whole shebang. Like they control my kids destiny. What a bunch of crap. This whole thing makes me sick and I'm not going to stand for it. Like many of you posting here, I'll figure out a way around it. It sounds like lots of us are going to fight to stay. Good luck to you all and this thread is the best thing I've seen. Keep posting parents and share all of your solutions. We can help each other avoid this crap.

navy parent Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Go read the arrogance of the SL parents they are
> saying they won't let any Fox Mill or Floris kids
> go for pupil placing and that they masterminded
> and planned this whole shebang. Like they control
> my kids destiny. What a bunch of crap. This
> whole thing makes me sick and I'm not going to
> stand for it. Like many of you posting here, I'll
> figure out a way around it. It sounds like lots
> of us are going to fight to stay. Good luck to
> you all and this thread is the best thing I've
> seen. Keep posting parents and share all of your
> solutions. We can help each other avoid this
> crap.


Yes, again I am NOT impressed with some of the SL parents' showing arrogance that the pupil placing will not happen to those affected by the redistricting..shows how very welcoming are they? I am sick of this whole mess, too. Ridiculous. I have a locked in lease and I cannot break it and move so if pupil placing is denied for my child's educational needs, then do I need to get a lawyer or what?

Just fake a lease. There's no way to check up on it and there will be so many people moving anyway that even if they checked up on every single one they would all be legitimate moves. So try the pupil placing and then show Oakton a lease -- real or not, doesn't matter. Both acheive the same ends.

Baffled Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I have a locked in lease and I cannot break it and move

have you considered subleasing your current one and get a new lease in Oakton area?

AvoidSL Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Baffled Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I have a locked in lease and I cannot break it
> and move
>
> have you considered subleasing your current one
> and get a new lease in Oakton area?

Thanks, I will get in touch with my real estate agent. Maybe she will help me find a renter to take place of my lease. Hopefully the owner will be okay with it since he is several states away. I will try the pupil placing first and if it is denied then I will go full speed to find a way and move. How convenient!...not.

Neen Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> OurKidsGoWhereWeWant Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Sorry everyone, I was wrong about the deadline.
>
> > Thanks to the link from Neen, I checked the
> FCPS
> > website and it says April 15th for "curricular
> > transfers". Those transfers would be those
> > requesting AP over IB. And note that it says
> that
> > curricular transfers will be prohibited from
> > sports for one year.
> >
> > There are other types of transfers and I didn't
> > check to see if they have different deadlines.
> > But yes, not much time to get your ducks in a
> row
> > and if you miss the deadline, too bad for you,
> no
> > transfer.
> >
> > Also, Chantilly is on the list of schools that
> are
> > "full", along with Westfield and Langley. It
> says
> > they are on the List of Closed Schools. So
> Navy
> > area parents are going to have to do something
> > other than pupil-placement.
>
>
> Isn't Navy being moved out of Chantilly? Then it
> won't be overcrowded! I would go ahead and apply
> for the pupil placement if that's what you want to
> do, apply to Chantilly and see what they say. OR
> apply to Chantilly AND Oakton.



Navy is slated to go to Oakton instead of Chantilly. We will keep fighting this though. However, the irony is that Chantilly is NOT overcrowded. I encourgage you to ask the administration there. They will agree that this whole boundary issue does not do anything to help Chantilly. What will happen though that if our kids have to go to Oakton and all of the "I'm not sending my kids to South Lakes and will find a way to keep my kids at Oakton", Oakton will be VERY overcrowded. Sign up to speak against this atrocity!

Fox Mill Estates Parent Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Guys, they are going to start checking now becaue
> they know everyone is going to run.
>
> I am not trying to be a trouble maker with you.
> All I can tell you is that I seem to recall
> reading, and I think it was in Califronia, where
> certain very popular schools hired an inspector to
> check a pupil's residence. They didn't check
> everyone of course. I think it was random. But I
> seem to recall that is what happened.
>
> Now of course one could say I will take the chance
> anyway and if they find out then I will deal with
> latter. That is up to you.
>
> I am just trying to offer away that I think I know
> can't fail and perhaps improve one's networth in
> time. Of course moving to an apartment wouldn't
> fail either and you wouldn't have be a landlord.
>
> As I said I could be wrong about the checking.



You do like to run around like a chicken with its head cut off!

I have another idea for resolving the dilema. If someone has a family member within a school district that they want their child to go and that family member is an empty nester then one could work for a swap of living spaces.

For example, if one's parents live in the Oakton district and you live in Floris or Fox Mill Estates then you might arrange a swap.

I could see that being a realistic option that costs no money and family helps out family.

Anyway, I hope this helps.

chicoff, this thread is supposed to be a means for concerned parents who wish to look for realistic alternatives for their child's education. The name calling only serves to remind me what it is I should be concerned about. Thanks for the reminder.

I have already talked to a co-worker who lives in my current district and she is very understanding of the situation and we have downloaded a lease agreement for $10 off the internet. I am going to pay her a check every month and she will cash it and return the money to me. The amount is approximately the amount of cash I use in a month so I won't have to go to the ATM anymore. She is more than willing to tell any FCPS employee that the lease is indeed valid and that I and my children live at her house. She doesn't have any children in FCPS as they are all grown. Problem solved.

In the meantime, I'm contacting the school tomorrow to ask about pupil-placement and get the necessary forms and instructions for how to fill them out. I'll get that ball rolling.

I know several real estate agents and they are VERY sympathetic about the situation and will work towards finding affordable housing and facilitating any kind of purchase, rental, or sublet.

And yes, Chantilly is very unhappy about losing a chunk of very high-performing and athletic kids. They count on the navy area students as they are a very solid student population with very active families. The net effect will be to diminish Chantilly and give those high performers to Oakton. Chantilly doesn't want to lose these students and they are not overcrowded. In two years the "bubble" class will be graduated and then Chantilly will be under capacity WITHOUT sending anyone to Oakton. What sense does it make because the bubble class will absolutely be grandfathered because they are juniors now? Once they are out then Chantilly is under capacity.

Not all public highschools in Fairfax are the same.

http://schoolprofiles.fcps.edu/schlprfl/f?p=108:2:2895050744653604::::P0_CURRENT_SCHOOL_ID:320


I am not sending my son to that school. My son doesn't want to go. My wife doesn't want him to go.

Fox Mill Estate Parent Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I have another idea for resolving the dilema. If
> someone has a family member within a school
> district that they want their child to go and that
> family member is an empty nester then one could
> work for a swap of living spaces.
>
> For example, if one's parents live in the Oakton
> district and you live in Floris or Fox Mill
> Estates then you might arrange a swap.
>
> I could see that being a realistic option that
> costs no money and family helps out family.
>
> Anyway, I hope this helps.

It certainly is a good idea. What about those who do not have family members living around here? It would be nice to swap places with friends who live in the Chantilly/Oakton districts. It helps to be creative and be prepared, but still don't give up the fight.

Fox Mill Estates Parent Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Not all public highschools in Fairfax are the
> same.
>
> http://schoolprofiles.fcps.edu/schlprfl/f?p=108:2:
> 2895050744653604::::P0_CURRENT_SCHOOL_ID:320
>
>
> I am not sending my son to that school. My son
> doesn't want to go. My wife doesn't want him to
> go.


Oh my gosh, but where is the information for 2006-2007? That is scary about the weapons!

OurKidsGoWhereWeWant,

I spoke with my wife about this thread and she liked any of the ideas suggested here. This is a very helpful resource.

Thanks for reminding me that we have to actually start doing something. I suppose I should contanct Oakton tommorrow and find out about the pupil-placement. Put it in the Franklin Planner to stay focused.

Good Luck

Baffled,

I am not playing games with the weapons and my son's wealfare.

I do feel sorry for some of the posters on the other thread who I think want change for their school and are not part of the problem. I doubt the parents of the violent students are posting for example.

I went to a school where there were fights all the time and it is like deja vu. I do not want that for my son.

[I knew in some of those other posts on the other thread that I sensed a "hostility" that I reconginzed from my youth. I am most sorry for that.]

And Fox Mill Parent, this thread is going to be very threatening to those hoping to cow and force parents into accepting the re-districting like a herd of cattle. It is their worst fear as it is one piece of the power play that cannot be controlled. There certainly was some serious crowing over on the other thread and arrogant celebrating over the "victory".

OurKidsGoWhereWeWant,

We don't have any friends that live over there but that is a good idea too. Except for a brother we have no family --I do not know what school district he would be a part of come to think of it --maybe Chantilly hmmm. I better ask him.

OurKidsGoWhereWeWant,

Yes. I do not know what kind of "victory" one has in a school with the problems that one high school has. Sending more children to a school will not solve the underlying problems there.

It makes me think the idea of redistricting the disadvantaged children who feed that school to neighboring high schools is an absolute must. [Split them up equally amongst the great schools.] But that idea doesn't seem to be part of any plan --so the disadvantaged children are going to feed the school with the problems. I am baffled as to the reason why. I can't change it; though, I think it needs to be done.

Anyway, if I come up with some more ideas or find out anything new I will post it here. Look forward to learning more.

Good Luck To You

Steve K Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Despite what you want, these district changes will
> happen. If you want to buy an apartment fine,
> although I think for people to be thinking that is
> ridiculous. All the schools are Fairfax County
> ones, and their will be transportation options
> when the time comes.
> No public school is worth paying thousands a year
> to attend when you go to another fine public
> school; which their is not a bad public school in
> the county compared to most of the country. So
> get over yourselves its high school; your kids
> will get the same experience at high school no
> matter where they go. Your kids will be fine,
> when it goes down I guarentee it, I'd be more
> worried about your property values.

Shouldn't that be up to the parents? Some parents have higher expectations than others. It's not up to you to decide how much a good education is worth to someone else.

Yes, our public schools are better than many inter city schools. So what? Why should any parent be satisfied with a 'good enough' education for their children? Your values aren't their values but that doesn't mean their educational values are wrong. "Fine" is in the eye of the beholder.

Fox Mill Estate Parent Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I have another idea for resolving the dilema. If
> someone has a family member within a school
> district that they want their child to go and that
> family member is an empty nester then one could
> work for a swap of living spaces.
>
> For example, if one's parents live in the Oakton
> district and you live in Floris or Fox Mill
> Estates then you might arrange a swap.
>
> I could see that being a realistic option that
> costs no money and family helps out family.
>
> Anyway, I hope this helps.

OR your parent or relative could simply sign a lease saying that your family is renting their basement.

Please remember to speak at the school board hearings and to the board of supervisors. South Lakes PTSA will have parents and students out in full force. Make sure you do the same! The school board needs to know what this will do to families and how very much you object to what they are doing. There are still spaces to speak on January 31`.

http://fcps.edu/schlbd/requestspeak.htm

Fox Mill Estates Parent Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Baffled,
>
> I am not playing games with the weapons and my
> son's wealfare.
>
> I do feel sorry for some of the posters on the
> other thread who I think want change for their
> school and are not part of the problem. I doubt
> the parents of the violent students are posting
> for example.
>
> I went to a school where there were fights all the
> time and it is like deja vu. I do not want that
> for my son.
>
>
I understand and I do not blame you as I am a parent myself. I remember years ago a coworker of mine made me promise her not to send my kids to SL. She lived across the street from the high school. She was very adamant at that time so when you mentioned weapons, it was like deja vu to me, too. Nothing to do racism, please but my coworker was African-american.

OurKidsGoWhereWeWant Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> And Fox Mill Parent, this thread is going to be
> very threatening to those hoping to cow and force
> parents into accepting the re-districting like a
> herd of cattle. It is their worst fear as it is
> one piece of the power play that cannot be
> controlled. There certainly was some serious
> crowing over on the other thread and arrogant
> celebrating over the "victory".

What they don't seem to realize is that they are turning off parents even more, making them even more determined to not send their children to South Lakes. Or maybe they just don't care, figuring that your children will be forced to go to South Lakes and they can laugh at them when they arrive.

Nice, huh?

Neen Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> OurKidsGoWhereWeWant Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > And Fox Mill Parent, this thread is going to be
> > very threatening to those hoping to cow and
> force
> > parents into accepting the re-districting like
> a
> > herd of cattle. It is their worst fear as it
> is
> > one piece of the power play that cannot be
> > controlled. There certainly was some serious
> > crowing over on the other thread and arrogant
> > celebrating over the "victory".
>
> What they don't seem to realize is that they are
> turning off parents even more, making them even
> more determined to not send their children to
> South Lakes. Or maybe they just don't care,
> figuring that your children will be forced to go
> to South Lakes and they can laugh at them when
> they arrive.
>
> Nice, huh?


That is a shame what they are doing then.

Does anyone else find it suspicious that FCPS hasn't posted any of the 'safe and secure' numbers for the last school year, 2006-2007? Those numbers were available to them in June! So where are they? What do they not want us to know?

For those of you who want more up to data, it is posted on the state website. FCPS reported the data to the state for last year, but haven't put it on their own website. Ummmmm.........

Here is the link to South Lakes for the last three years:

https://p1pe.doe.virginia.gov/reportcard/report.do?division=29&schoolName=1310

You can search for all the data on all the schools here:
https://p1pe.doe.virginia.gov/reportcard/

Neen Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Does anyone else find it suspicious that FCPS
> hasn't posted any of the 'safe and secure' numbers
> for the last school year, 2006-2007? Those
> numbers were available to them in June! So where
> are they? What do they not want us to know?
>
> For those of you who want more up to data, it is
> posted on the state website. FCPS reported the
> data to the state for last year, but haven't put
> it on their own website. Ummmmm.........
>
> Here is the link to South Lakes for the last three
> years:
>
> https://p1pe.doe.virginia.gov/reportcard/report.do
> ?division=29&schoolName=1310
>
> You can search for all the data on all the schools
> here:
> https://p1pe.doe.virginia.gov/reportcard/

Neen,

Thanks a bunch. No wonder why SL is demanding they get "advantaged" kids to help boost their school performance...I noticed the last three catagories said NOT IN IMPROVEMENT for academics. As for safety, I looked at the numbers for 2006-2007..,84 incidents related to behavior among other things? Doesn't sound good.

>>>Let me get this straight...are all of the disgruntled parents considering renting a single residence in the district of their choice, hoping that FCPS does not catch on to 30+ students with the same address? I realize that the FCPS administration may not be the most efficient group, but I have to believe that there are some rudimentary administrative computer systems in place to catch this type of behavior.<<<

That can't happen. They can't do that because it would discriminate against some recent immigrants who have several families living in the same house or apartment. They would be afraid of criticizing a culture.

Baffled,
You are more than welcome. If FCPS refuses to give the public the facts, at least our state will and parents need to get those facts out to the public as much as possible. The public has a right to the truth. Afterall, it's the public who is paying for the schools! They work for US, all of us. We have a right to know how they are spending our money, a right to know just how inefficient they are with our funds.

Neen Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Baffled,
> You are more than welcome. If FCPS refuses to
> give the public the facts, at least our state will
> and parents need to get those facts out to the
> public as much as possible. The public has a
> right to the truth. Afterall, it's the public who
> is paying for the schools! They work for US, all
> of us. We have a right to know how they are
> spending our money, a right to know just how
> inefficient they are with our funds.

That is very true. We do need to know because many of us smelled a "rat" when the boundary study started.

Neen Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Does anyone else find it suspicious that FCPS
> hasn't posted any of the 'safe and secure' numbers
> for the last school year, 2006-2007? Those
> numbers were available to them in June! So where
> are they? What do they not want us to know?
>
Jesus Christ people! You would think that this is the grassy knoll or something. Is everything a conspiracy to you? Isn't it more likely that the FCPS webmaster has a ton data relevant to a broad majority of the FCPS community which needs to be posted on a regular basis, rather than focusing on data which is being demanded by a bunch of pinheads? The data was submitted and available through the state DOE and it clearly was not being hidden since you seemed to find it without too much trouble. Move along, there is nothing to see here.

The more I read this and the original forum the more I hope that the lot of you have your schemes for working the system uncovered. There are a lot of valid reasons for pupil placement and for being indignant with FCPS for lack of action, but this NIMBY crap is one more example of how whiny this generation of parents has become which trickles down to your children who feel that with enough yelling and threats they will get their way. Please, find a real problem to solve...God knows that we a lot of them right now...and get your head out of your arse.

Baffled Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Neen,
>
> Thanks a bunch. No wonder why SL is demanding
> they get "advantaged" kids to help boost their
> school performance...I noticed the last three
> catagories said NOT IN IMPROVEMENT for academics.
> As for safety, I looked at the numbers for
> 2006-2007..,84 incidents related to behavior among
> other things? Doesn't sound good.

What is the context for these statistics? How do these numbers compare to other FCPS high schools? You folks really need to take some remedial math courses before trying to draw conclusions from single or highly limited data points.

Robinson, West Springfield, Fairfax, Westfield and South County had 155, 105, 221, 135 and 270 incidents related to behavior respectively in 2006-07. Are those good or bad? I really don't know, but SL does not seem to be that out of line at first glance. More interesting to me are the 'incidents against person' with 44 at South Lakes and 152 at South County.

If one wanted to make one's property in a desired district available for "rent" or swap with a redistricted family, how would one go about letting others know that?

Does South Lakes offer ANY AP courses? If so, you may be hard pressed to use that as a way to pupil place to an 'AP' (non-IB) school. My children go to Robinson which offers a handful of AP courses, primarily to fill POS requirements or where there really is not a roughly equivalent IB course. We looked into having our older daughter, since graduated, pupil-placed at Lake Braddock or West Springfield using AP as the rationale, but were turned down multiple times on the basis that Robinson does offer AP. The reality is that, while there are many AP courses listed in the course catalog, few are ever offered since they are underenrolled and cancelled.

Aside from working to get your kids INTO an IB program, pupil placement in HS is very tough, so you might want to start working on your employment applications and rental agreements now. Good luck!

I do not think South Lakes offers AP. They have IB. I think one could pupil place for the AP. I am about to find out today. I am going to call them and find out.

[Particularly after reading some of the ill wishes from some posters here.]

My "whiny" kid spent two weeks in Mexico building a house for a family there --no showers. I am one of those "whiny" parents who attended a community college in the Bronx. I am the same "NIMBY" who went with his son for three football seasons at the county youth football leauge and watched his son play for the "Sea Hawks" --where I wittnessed first hand a kid's spleen get busted during practice because one of the team mates decided to cold-cock a child during practice.

While I do not advocate lying to folks about where one lives, I do not see what is wrong with moving to a place within the school district of one's choice or pupil placing out if the high school doesn't offer the classes one's child is taking at his/her current school. No matter what anyone says or how angrily they say it.

I am affraid what this really boils down to is that Fairfax County has become overcrowded. And we are seeing the results thereof --including very nasty posts, traffic, and forced movement of thousands of children.

Perhaps Fairfax County has reached its Zenith. Sad to say. And yes, some of the housing values will be affected negatively because of the redistricting. Mine will be one of them.

Anyway, I will post what I learn from my son's school.

addendum to my previous post: my "whiny" son spent only ONE week without a shower in Mexico helping to build a house for a family.

AlwaysAnEagle Wrote:


"I think that the percentage of druggies and derelicts is much higher than you would find in most FCPS high schools and the administration is not quite as equipped to deal with this proactively."

You must have your head in your ass. Privet schools like PVI, BI and O'Connell
don't have 1/100 the problem that FCPS have. There are No gangs, No smoking areas, No girls being asked to go home and put some clothes on, No assaults on teachers, No drug dealing in school, No lock down drills, No gang recruiting, No police officers in the school, No class in trailers, No spitting, NO lesbian clubs, No vulgar language permitted and no eating food or watching T.V in class or by teachers.

My kid witnessed this all of this first month they attended a FCPS. We now attend one of the above mentioned privet schools. The schools don't have to "deal with this proactively" you dumb ass. The kids are just a cut above the rest and their parents are active in their lives. My kid told me about 20% percent of the kids at FCPS were nice and respectful and the rest were honestly losers with looser parents. Sounds like you fit into the latter.

My husband and I came to this country from China and received graduate degrees from Michigan State. I spent my first twenty years living without electricity and indoor plumbing and sometimes not enough to eat. I cannot accept anything less than the best schools and the highest level of work ethic for my two daughters. One qualified for TJHSST but was not selected and therefore she attends Oakton High School and is a sophomore taking two AP classes. Second daughter is in eighth grade at Rachel Carson Middle School.

I am not whining or complaining but I cannot allow my daughters to change schools. Because of my culture and my experiences it is my opinion that others who are middle class Americans can not understand how important it is to go to the best high schools and take the AP and SAT tests with good results. We are going to move because this is what we have to do to give the best education. I risked everything to come to the USA and now my children will know what a parent has to do to ensure the highest level and quality for them. It will make them want to work even harder to succeed and at the right time teach their children how important and powerful their education is for them.

experienced parent Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> AlwaysAnEagle Wrote:
>
>
> "I think that the percentage of druggies and
> derelicts is much higher than you would find in
> most FCPS high schools and the administration is
> not quite as equipped to deal with this
> proactively."
>
> You must have your head in your ass. Privet
> schools like PVI, BI and O'Connell
> don't have 1/100 the problem that FCPS have. There
> are No gangs, No smoking areas, No girls being
> asked to go home and put some clothes on, No
> assaults on teachers, No drug dealing in school,
> No lock down drills, No gang recruiting, No police
> officers in the school, No class in trailers, No
> spitting, NO lesbian clubs, No vulgar language
> permitted and no eating food or watching T.V in
> class or by teachers.
>
> My kid witnessed this all of this first month they
> attended a FCPS. We now attend one of the above
> mentioned privet schools. The schools don't have
> to "deal with this proactively" you dumb ass. The
> kids are just a cut above the rest and their
> parents are active in their lives. My kid told me
> about 20% percent of the kids at FCPS were nice
> and respectful and the rest were honestly losers
> with looser parents. Sounds like you fit into the
> latter.

First, invest in a spell checker. I assume that you meant "private" when you wrote "privet" unless you were really talking about landscaping.

Sorry to disagree, but all of the students at PVI, BI, etc. are not a "cut above the rest", they are just teenagers - some good and some not so good. While I agree about the dress code, you are delusional if you believe that there is no drug dealing going on. I can name at least two former FCPS students who were expelled for dealing marijuana now enrolled at PVI. If you could see their Facebook pages and talk to their friends you would know that this behavior did not stop when they enrolled at PVI.

There are no trailers because the Diocese limits enrollment...that's what private schools do. No lesbian/GLBT clubs or foul language because they either do not fit with Catholic teaching or violate the school's code of conduct. Students can be asked to leave with much less due process than public schools.

I find it hard to believe that PVI does not have an emergency plan, including lockdown drills, since most of the threats are external (i.e., 2002 sniper attacks, terrorist attack, chemical spill). As a parent I would be concerned if there was no plan since this is simply irresponsible and potentially negligent.

Where did your kid go to school before transferring? I really find it hard to believe that he/she met enough of the population to determine that 80% were losers. My personal experience is that about 20% are really outstanding, 70% are somewhere in the middle and the remaining 10% are the ones who ruin it for everyone and/or help color a school's image.

Feel free to call me a dumb ass, but my oldest daughter spent spring break on a mission trip to Haiti and is taking a year off from college to volunteer with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps. She had a 3.7 GPA at Lake Braddock and attends UVA. During high school she had nearly 2100 hours of volunteer time with the Fairfax County Park Authority and won several awards and scholarships based on her community service. My youngest daughter in a youth activist involved with anti-smoking and green programs. Are all of their friends in that top 20% I mentioned? No, but I believe that many of them have become better people as a result of hanging around with my daughters and her other friends.

AlwaysAnEagle Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> experienced parent Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > AlwaysAnEagle Wrote:
> >
> >
> > "I think that the percentage of druggies and
> > derelicts is much higher than you would find in
> > most FCPS high schools and the administration
> is
> > not quite as equipped to deal with this
> > proactively."
> >
> > You must have your head in your ass. Privet
> > schools like PVI, BI and O'Connell
> > don't have 1/100 the problem that FCPS have.
> There
> > are No gangs, No smoking areas, No girls being
> > asked to go home and put some clothes on, No
> > assaults on teachers, No drug dealing in
> school,
> > No lock down drills, No gang recruiting, No
> police
> > officers in the school, No class in trailers,
> No
> > spitting, NO lesbian clubs, No vulgar language
> > permitted and no eating food or watching T.V in
> > class or by teachers.
> >
> > My kid witnessed this all of this first month
> they
> > attended a FCPS. We now attend one of the above
> > mentioned privet schools. The schools don't
> have
> > to "deal with this proactively" you dumb ass.
> The
> > kids are just a cut above the rest and their
> > parents are active in their lives. My kid told
> me
> > about 20% percent of the kids at FCPS were nice
> > and respectful and the rest were honestly
> losers
> > with looser parents. Sounds like you fit into
> the
> > latter.
>
> First, invest in a spell checker. I assume that
> you meant "private" when you wrote "privet" unless
> you were really talking about landscaping.
>
> Sorry to disagree, but all of the students at PVI,
> BI, etc. are not a "cut above the rest", they are
> just teenagers - some good and some not so good.
> While I agree about the dress code, you are
> delusional if you believe that there is no drug
> dealing going on. I can name at least two former
> FCPS students who were expelled for dealing
> marijuana now enrolled at PVI. If you could see
> their Facebook pages and talk to their friends you
> would know that this behavior did not stop when
> they enrolled at PVI.
>
> There are no trailers because the Diocese limits
> enrollment...that's what private schools do. No
> lesbian/GLBT clubs or foul language because they
> either do not fit with Catholic teaching or
> violate the school's code of conduct. Students
> can be asked to leave with much less due process
> than public schools.
>
> I find it hard to believe that PVI does not have
> an emergency plan, including lockdown drills,
> since most of the threats are external (i.e., 2002
> sniper attacks, terrorist attack, chemical spill).
> As a parent I would be concerned if there was no
> plan since this is simply irresponsible and
> potentially negligent.
>
> Where did your kid go to school before
> transferring? I really find it hard to believe
> that he/she met enough of the population to
> determine that 80% were losers. My personal
> experience is that about 20% are really
> outstanding, 70% are somewhere in the middle and
> the remaining 10% are the ones who ruin it for
> everyone and/or help color a school's image.
>
> Feel free to call me a dumb ass, but my oldest
> daughter spent spring break on a mission trip to
> Haiti and is taking a year off from college to
> volunteer with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps. She
> had a 3.7 GPA at Lake Braddock and attends UVA.
> During high school she had nearly 2100 hours of
> volunteer time with the Fairfax County Park
> Authority and won several awards and scholarships
> based on her community service. My youngest
> daughter in a youth activist involved with
> anti-smoking and green programs. Are all of their
> friends in that top 20% I mentioned? No, but I
> believe that many of them have become better
> people as a result of hanging around with my
> daughters and her other friends.


Hey how about you both creating a new thread just to discuss the pros and cons of private schools and public schools? This thread was specifically for parents to try to figure out how to get to their kids to go their desired school districts thanks to the redistricting circus.

I heard that South Lakes will offer some AP classes online (I believe they already have this in the works) to try to cut off that avenue for those of us who would have used it to pupil place out. I hope that this is just an awful rumor; if not, they might as well have left South Lakes the way it was with no windows and no doors because it will truly be a prison - no way out.

I just recieved a nasty email from a school board member in response to my email expressing my anger at how the redistricting has taken place. She said I was "harsh" and thought that people at South Lakes would be offended that I called their school substandard. She has no clue how people feel out here! It IS substandard because it does not offer programs that are "standard" at other schools. So now this sb member is in charge of my opinion? I'm supposed to stop talking because other people might be offended? TOO BAD!! I'm offended! This is a new member who has to be incredibly naive to think that we would sit down and shut up.

I pay 500 bucks a month to board my wife's horse with a nice family off Fox Mill Road. Guess what district they live in?????? You guessed it! Now I have only seen him a couple of times in three years but he looks like a very smart horse and will need to take some AP classes. I write a check on the first of the month EVERY month and have been for years and my wife and daughter are going to talk to them and get something signed here. I can't think of a better reason as to why I have been saddled (getit?) with all these payments but maybe it is a sign from God himslef.

I dont' mean to laugh or make fun of the situation but I just had to tell someone because I'm not going to be able to tell anyone once we notify the school that we've moved. My wife and daughter spend way too much time with the horse and they can pick up any mail from the school. Come to think of it if the Seahawk brigade come a-checkin' they will probably find them both there as my wife takes good care of the horse.

I couldn't care less that parents from SLHS or the SB do not like or agree with my attitude or opinions. I don't like this change and I'm going to fix it for my family. I intend to use this space to tell everyone I can that we are all going to have to move or rent in the Oakton district in order to stay at the school of our choice.

Please don't be intimidated by the SB tactics of scaring and scolding us when we don't go along with their plan. Decide for yourself what is worth doing for your child or children and then do it. Just DO IT. Don't hesitate and don't second guess yourself. Your kids will thank you for it later and they will see a real example of your leadership as a parent and the sacrifices you are willing to make to give them the education YOU want them to have.

fox mill mom Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I heard that South Lakes will offer some AP
> classes online (I believe they already have this
> in the works) to try to cut off that avenue for
> those of us who would have used it to pupil place
> out. I hope that this is just an awful rumor; if
> not, they might as well have left South Lakes the
> way it was with no windows and no doors because it
> will truly be a prison - no way out.
>
> I just recieved a nasty email from a school board
> member in response to my email expressing my anger
> at how the redistricting has taken place. She said
> I was "harsh" and thought that people at South
> Lakes would be offended that I called their school
> substandard. She has no clue how people feel out
> here! It IS substandard because it does not offer
> programs that are "standard" at other schools. So
> now this sb member is in charge of my opinion?
> I'm supposed to stop talking because other people
> might be offended? TOO BAD!! I'm offended! This
> is a new member who has to be incredibly naive to
> think that we would sit down and shut up.


You have got to be kidding. This is in no way a professional manner for a SB member to demonstrate. Sounds like she is in favortism of certain schools? I wonder how credible these SB members are?

Anyone can pay about $700 to take an online AP course. Check it out on the internet and you will see that thise is true. This is something that has been available to anyone for some time. If the SB thinks they can use our taxpayer dollars and "offer" one online course to students to get around pupil-placers, they are worse than we thought originally. If you talk to teachers who teach AP in the classroom, they will tell you that for high school students, taking the course in a classroom with the dynamic of other students trying to do well in a group setting, that there is no online substitute for the classroom learning with a teacher.

Why is this so important to them? They have their brand new high school which is more than everyone else. Is is just because we are defying them? Does it just piss them off that they can't force students to enroll at their new boondoggle?

FME Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Anyone can pay about $700 to take an online AP
> course. Check it out on the internet and you will
> see that thise is true. This is something that
> has been available to anyone for some time. If
> the SB thinks they can use our taxpayer dollars
> and "offer" one online course to students to get
> around pupil-placers, they are worse than we
> thought originally. If you talk to teachers who
> teach AP in the classroom, they will tell you that
> for high school students, taking the course in a
> classroom with the dynamic of other students
> trying to do well in a group setting, that there
> is no online substitute for the classroom learning
> with a teacher.
>
> Why is this so important to them? They have their
> brand new high school which is more than everyone
> else. Is is just because we are defying them?
> Does it just piss them off that they can't force
> students to enroll at their new boondoggle?


This is amazing...a brand new facelift for a high school, a group of PTA members and SB members clamping down on pupil placement and skittish going about offering some AP courses online, what next? Students wearing orange outfits to school?

I hate to see what's next. About the online-AP, I heard that it will be used to complement IB courses. In other words, they'll offer a math or science AP if there is no corresponding IB course. Then they'll say you have to take it online since IB is already offered in the classroom.

By the way, Liz Bradsher is the school board member who gave me a tongue lashing for being angry over the redistricting. Please email her so she doesn't think I'm the only one!

This is a fascinating thread. I have seen several posts that are just downright inaccurate and/or ignorant and several posts endorsing breaking the law and/or at least lying. Do you really want to teach your children to lie or break the law when they don't like whatever situation they are in? Do you really want to teach them that they can't adapt and thrive various circumstances?

I thank the parent who started this thread. I will be making sure that each and every school board member reads this thread by admitting it to the record at the January 30th meeting. Will they be surprised at the depths to which their constituents will go in the name of ignorance?

I though I lived in a County of well-educated and thoughtful people, but boy have I changed my mind.

Good luck with your efforts to avoid South Lakes. I hope your children will be very proud of you.

Dear Fairfax County School Board Members,

After reading the previous comment from "Casual Observer" I would like you to know the following:

I am a father of three and currently reside in the Fox Mill/Franklin/Oakton district and am located inside the boundary of the area slated to be redistricted to South Lakes High School.

I pay taxes and have worked very hard to own a home in this area. I am Hispanic. Unfortunately, threatening comments like those provided by "Casual Observer" have been all too familiar to me during my lifetime. Reread the post by "Casual Observer" and imagine what kind of environment full of bigotry would await my children at South Lakes. Repeatedly, I have been called a liar, law breaker, ignorant, a bad role model to my children, and poorly educated to name a few. This is a situation that I and my family experience from time to time.

Sadly, I feel strongly that after reading these redistricting threads on this website have confirmed my worst fears that the parents of South Lakes High School hold these negative stereotypes. Because of hostile, threatening posts like this I have decided that my children would not be safe attending South Lakes High School.

I attended all of the meetings and was disappointed to see that exactly none of my viewpoints or comments were recorded or taken into consideration.

I would like to record here that I do NOT wish to continue with the boundary study or the redistricting. I too am very grateful to the parents who started and continue these threads because they have allowed me a chance to see how the parents from South Lakes that are posting here truly feel about us and a chance to read the contempt they have for our feelings and decisions for ourselves. If you have never been on the receiving end of discrimination and bigotry, read for yourselves.

I plan to move or enroll my children in a local private Catholic school should the proposed Plan #5 go through.

It is my sincerest hope that posts such as those by "Casual Observer" help the School Board and the administration at South Lakes High School understand why there might be considerable underenrollment. I put much thought and money investing in a home inside the Oakton High School boundary four years ago and I will do it again should the boundaries be adjusted according to Plan #5. This is my right as a citizen and taxpayer, that I may choose to live wherever I wish.


Sincerely,
Ramon de la Sol Pool

Concerned Taxpayers Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Dear Fairfax County School Board Members,
>
> After reading the previous comment from "Casual
> Observer" I would like you to know the following:
>
> I am a father of three and currently reside in
> the Fox Mill/Franklin/Oakton district and am
> located inside the boundary of the area slated to
> be redistricted to South Lakes High School.
>
> I pay taxes and have worked very hard to own a
> home in this area. I am Hispanic. Unfortunately,
> threatening comments like those provided by
> "Casual Observer" have been all too familiar to me
> during my lifetime. Reread the post by "Casual
> Observer" and imagine what kind of environment
> full of bigotry would await my children at South
> Lakes. Repeatedly, I have been called a liar, law
> breaker, ignorant, a bad role model to my
> children, and poorly educated to name a few. This
> is a situation that I and my family experience
> from time to time.
>
> Sadly, I feel strongly that after reading these
> redistricting threads on this website have
> confirmed my worst fears that the parents of South
> Lakes High School hold these negative stereotypes.
> Because of hostile, threatening posts like this I
> have decided that my children would not be safe
> attending South Lakes High School.
>
> I attended all of the meetings and was
> disappointed to see that exactly none of my
> viewpoints or comments were recorded or taken into
> consideration.
>
> I would like to record here that I do NOT wish to
> continue with the boundary study or the
> redistricting. I too am very grateful to the
> parents who started and continue these threads
> because they have allowed me a chance to see how
> the parents from South Lakes that are posting here
> truly feel about us and a chance to read the
> contempt they have for our feelings and decisions
> for ourselves. If you have never been on the
> receiving end of discrimination and bigotry, read
> for yourselves.
>
> I plan to move or enroll my children in a local
> private Catholic school should the proposed Plan
> #5 go through.
>
> It is my sincerest hope that posts such as those
> by "Casual Observer" help the School Board and the
> administration at South Lakes High School
> understand why there might be considerable
> underenrollment. I put much thought and money
> investing in a home inside the Oakton High School
> boundary four years ago and I will do it again
> should the boundaries be adjusted according to
> Plan #5. This is my right as a citizen and
> taxpayer, that I may choose to live wherever I
> wish.
>
>
> Sincerely,
> Ramon de la Sol Pool

Ramon,

Please tell me how the comments from Casual Observer were in any way threatening or antagonistic towards you or any other family affected by the redistricting. Where is the bigotry that you claim? I believe that Casual Observer is spot on in pointing out that this thread is focused on legal, questionable and (potentially) illegal methods for bypassing the SB's decision.

I respect your right to disagree with whatever plan the SB agrees to and wish you a lot of luck with your decision to enroll your children in Catholic school. At the same time, I feel that you are cutting off your nose in spite of your face with actions which would seem appropriate if your children were being sent to school in the 9th Ward of New Orleans, not to a very good high school in one of the premier school systems in the country with nearly unlimited resources. Rather than trying to be an agent of change you and your ilk (not a racial or ethnic commentary by the way) decide to cut and run.

Some of you liken your decision to break the law to a noble act of civil disobedience which should be admired by your children, when in fact you are creating a teachable moment where dishonesty and 'anything to get ahead' is the right way forward. You are the parents which make me worry about this generation as they become leaders in 20-30 years.

Sir or Maam,

Are you a minority? I am guessing that you are not. You have probably never been discriminated against or denied anything you could purchase or achieve. Getting a quality education is, in my opinion and personal experience, THE great equalizer. It is my belief that the threatening posters on this board are either the same person or part of a group that are trying to intimidate and harrass. Some of these threatening posters speak of despicable actions and that moving away from the South Lakes High School district is equal to that of being an illegal alien.

Have you ever been profiled? Do you even know what that is? My family was in the boundaries of the current USA long before the Mayflower arrived, yet I am subject to investigations because for some reason, I "look" like an illegal alien. When I hear threats about someone "turning me in" because I've moved residences or discuss renting or owning within the Oakton High School boundary in a public forum, I feel threatened because unless you've experienced profiling, you don't understand how you can be accused falsely of something and your civil rights violated in the blink of an eye.

So don't talk to me about being a role model to my children. I see moving back into the Oakton High School boundary as no different than the purchase of my current house where my wife and I decided in the first place.

I will not respond to any more posts unless you are willing to post your name. My children will know that I was willing to expose myself to additional profiling in order to keep them at the schools that I choose. Worry about improving not just the school building. If I felt that there was a compelling EDUCATIONAL reason to send my children to South Lakes High School, I would.

Sincerely,
Ramon de la Sol Pool

AlwaysAnEagle Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Concerned Taxpayers Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Dear Fairfax County School Board Members,
> >
> > After reading the previous comment from "Casual
> > Observer" I would like you to know the
> following:
> >
> > I am a father of three and currently reside
> in
> > the Fox Mill/Franklin/Oakton district and am
> > located inside the boundary of the area slated
> to
> > be redistricted to South Lakes High School.
> >
> > I pay taxes and have worked very hard to own
> a
> > home in this area. I am Hispanic.
> Unfortunately,
> > threatening comments like those provided by
> > "Casual Observer" have been all too familiar to
> me
> > during my lifetime. Reread the post by "Casual
> > Observer" and imagine what kind of environment
> > full of bigotry would await my children at
> South
> > Lakes. Repeatedly, I have been called a liar,
> law
> > breaker, ignorant, a bad role model to my
> > children, and poorly educated to name a few.
> This
> > is a situation that I and my family experience
> > from time to time.
> >
> > Sadly, I feel strongly that after reading these
> > redistricting threads on this website have
> > confirmed my worst fears that the parents of
> South
> > Lakes High School hold these negative
> stereotypes.
> > Because of hostile, threatening posts like this
> I
> > have decided that my children would not be safe
> > attending South Lakes High School.
> >
> > I attended all of the meetings and was
> > disappointed to see that exactly none of my
> > viewpoints or comments were recorded or taken
> into
> > consideration.
> >
> > I would like to record here that I do NOT wish
> to
> > continue with the boundary study or the
> > redistricting. I too am very grateful to the
> > parents who started and continue these threads
> > because they have allowed me a chance to see
> how
> > the parents from South Lakes that are posting
> here
> > truly feel about us and a chance to read the
> > contempt they have for our feelings and
> decisions
> > for ourselves. If you have never been on the
> > receiving end of discrimination and bigotry,
> read
> > for yourselves.
> >
> > I plan to move or enroll my children in a local
> > private Catholic school should the proposed
> Plan
> > #5 go through.
> >
> > It is my sincerest hope that posts such as
> those
> > by "Casual Observer" help the School Board and
> the
> > administration at South Lakes High School
> > understand why there might be considerable
> > underenrollment. I put much thought and money
> > investing in a home inside the Oakton High
> School
> > boundary four years ago and I will do it again
> > should the boundaries be adjusted according to
> > Plan #5. This is my right as a citizen and
> > taxpayer, that I may choose to live wherever I
> > wish.
> >
> >
> > Sincerely,
> > Ramon de la Sol Pool
>
> Ramon,
>
> Please tell me how the comments from Casual
> Observer were in any way threatening or
> antagonistic towards you or any other family
> affected by the redistricting. Where is the
> bigotry that you claim? I believe that Casual
> Observer is spot on in pointing out that this
> thread is focused on legal, questionable and
> (potentially) illegal methods for bypassing the
> SB's decision.
>
> I respect your right to disagree with whatever
> plan the SB agrees to and wish you a lot of luck
> with your decision to enroll your children in
> Catholic school. At the same time, I feel that
> you are cutting off your nose in spite of your
> face with actions which would seem appropriate if
> your children were being sent to school in the 9th
> Ward of New Orleans, not to a very good high
> school in one of the premier school systems in the
> country with nearly unlimited resources. Rather
> than trying to be an agent of change you and your
> ilk (not a racial or ethnic commentary by the way)
> decide to cut and run.
>
> Some of you liken your decision to break the law
> to a noble act of civil disobedience which should
> be admired by your children, when in fact you are
> creating a teachable moment where dishonesty and
> 'anything to get ahead' is the right way forward.
> You are the parents which make me worry about this
> generation as they become leaders in 20-30 years.


Pardon me, but we all have choices here where we want to live whether it be schools or communities. I have not seen such a ridiculous boundary study as this one and I have grew up in Fairfax County all my life. If parents do not like whatever situations they are forced to deal with, they have the right to do something about them for the sake of their families. I do not support lying or cheating or teaching our children immoral values of life here, but I do support teaching about choices and what we want with our lives, not be forced to do something against our will. High school is an important time for our children to be part of. This constant redistricting and this particular boundary study is out of context with the true meaning of DISTRICTING and REDISTRICTING when it is absolutely necessary to redistrict and with appropriate/available taxpayer funds to support the redistricting. Now you have mentioned bigotry, why don't you take it to the SB and have them talk about South Reston and North Reston, why can't they be united as one Reston and have the two Reston precints (in the Herndon district)to go to South Lakes? I have driven to these two precints and cannot see why they can't go to South Lakes. Isn't bigotry involved? No? What happened? Certainly the SB had to be involved in this and decided no Reston can't be united. Again, what happened? So let these parents express how they feel once again because we all have CHOICES.

Concerned Taxpayers Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Sir or Maam,
>
> Are you a minority? I am guessing that you are
> not. You have probably never been discriminated
> against or denied anything you could purchase or
> achieve. Getting a quality education is, in my
> opinion and personal experience, THE great
> equalizer. It is my belief that the threatening
> posters on this board are either the same person
> or part of a group that are trying to intimidate
> and harrass. Some of these threatening posters
> speak of despicable actions and that moving away
> from the South Lakes High School district is equal
> to that of being an illegal alien.
>
> Have you ever been profiled? Do you even know
> what that is? My family was in the boundaries of
> the current USA long before the Mayflower arrived,
> yet I am subject to investigations because for
> some reason, I "look" like an illegal alien. When
> I hear threats about someone "turning me in"
> because I've moved residences or discuss renting
> or owning within the Oakton High School boundary
> in a public forum, I feel threatened because
> unless you've experienced profiling, you don't
> understand how you can be accused falsely of
> something and your civil rights violated in the
> blink of an eye.
>
> So don't talk to me about being a role model to my
> children. I see moving back into the Oakton High
> School boundary as no different than the purchase
> of my current house where my wife and I decided in
> the first place.
>
> I will not respond to any more posts unless you
> are willing to post your name. My children will
> know that I was willing to expose myself to
> additional profiling in order to keep them at the
> schools that I choose. Worry about improving not
> just the school building. If I felt that there
> was a compelling EDUCATIONAL reason to send my
> children to South Lakes High School, I would.
>
> Sincerely,
> Ramon de la Sol Pool


Ramon,

My name is Eric Melendez and my family came to the US from Honduras in 1977. I, too, have been profiled and threatened, even long after obtaining a high level security clearance and having senior positions in both the Federal government and the private sector. Honestly, it sucks, but I have learned to deal with this without sacrificing my principles or bringing dishonor to my family.

I appreciate your comments about education, but simply don't buy the argument that your children will be disadvantaged and offered a sub-standard education program at South Lakes. For all of the hand waving and hysteria I fail to see anything other than hyperbole regarding the awful fate which will befall your children in the coming years. So, go ahead, move or send your kids to private school. I really hope that that works out for you, but I am willing to bet that in 5 years that the children who were forced against their will into SL will be at least as successful as their peers at OHS, Chantilly, Madison and Westfield.

Just thought I would offer this -

Years ago a family member of mine made a choice to have his children attend the school he preferred - by using the address of a relative in that school district. Everything went fine for a couple of years or so, then one of the other parents by chance caught wind of the situation and disclosed what was going on. The end result was that my family member had to pay back tuition for the two plus years (IIRC ~$25,000 +).

This was not in the Fairfax school system but was in a neighboring school system.

My recommendation would be to obtain clarity from the schools as to what is allowed/acceptable as far as claiming residency and to be cognizant as to whether or not you are in compliance, and if not, be aware of any risks you may be considering.

Keep in mind the experience related above was not in Fairfax and happened many years ago and I have no idea what the current rules or restrictions are.

Good luck to everyone in having your children attend the schools of your choice.

HA HA HA!!!!


ERIC MELENDEZ? ERIC MELENDEZ? You are a FAKER, a FAKER! I just googled (yes GOOGLED!) and there is nor was any ERIC MELENDEZ in a federal government position.

This is toooo funny. I think whoever is trying to intimidate could only think up a hispano name and came up on the spot with:

ERIC MENENDEZ!!! Remember him? He and his brother Lyle shot their parents to pieces in Hollywood and then spent the money. I think they might have gotten the death penalty. Wow, this is what happens when white people start trying to imitate minorities. Hee hooooweee

This thread is the best and most revealing thing I've seen on this whole mess.

So fake so fake is Mike real? I don't think so.

FME Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> HA HA HA!!!!
>
>
> ERIC MELENDEZ? ERIC MELENDEZ? You are a FAKER, a
> FAKER! I just googled (yes GOOGLED!) and there is
> nor was any ERIC MELENDEZ in a federal government
> position.
>
> This is toooo funny. I think whoever is trying to
> intimidate could only think up a hispano name and
> came up on the spot with:
>
> ERIC MENENDEZ!!! Remember him? He and his
> brother Lyle shot their parents to pieces in
> Hollywood and then spent the money. I think they
> might have gotten the death penalty. Wow, this is
> what happens when white people start trying to
> imitate minorities. Hee hooooweee
>
> This thread is the best and most revealing thing
> I've seen on this whole mess.
>
> So fake so fake is Mike real? I don't think so.

Dude, you are a friggin genius. Don't you realize Ramon of the Sunny Pool is fake as well. They are both fake. Neither individual has a name of record anywhere in Fairfax County.

For what it is worth though, he COULD have been a contractor with a clearance or retired, or whatever. FME, you sir, are a moron.

FME Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> HA HA HA!!!!
>
>
> ERIC MELENDEZ? ERIC MELENDEZ? You are a FAKER, a
> FAKER! I just googled (yes GOOGLED!) and there is
> nor was any ERIC MELENDEZ in a federal government
> position.
>
> This is toooo funny. I think whoever is trying to
> intimidate could only think up a hispano name and
> came up on the spot with:
>
> ERIC MENENDEZ!!! Remember him? He and his
> brother Lyle shot their parents to pieces in
> Hollywood and then spent the money. I think they
> might have gotten the death penalty. Wow, this is
> what happens when white people start trying to
> imitate minorities. Hee hooooweee
>
> This thread is the best and most revealing thing
> I've seen on this whole mess.
>
> So fake so fake is Mike real? I don't think so.


Bingo, you hit it right on the nail. When he stated his "name" as Eric Melendez, I thought sheesh, this name sounded so familiar and when you brought up the real name, Eric Menendez, I said to myself that's it, that was the name I was trying to come up with. Thanks. So why are people trying to accuse us of lying or cheating? They are doing that just as well!

FME Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> HA HA HA!!!!
>
>
> ERIC MELENDEZ? ERIC MELENDEZ? You are a FAKER, a
> FAKER! I just googled (yes GOOGLED!) and there is
> nor was any ERIC MELENDEZ in a federal government
> position.
>
> This is toooo funny. I think whoever is trying to
> intimidate could only think up a hispano name and
> came up on the spot with:
>
> ERIC MENENDEZ!!! Remember him? He and his
> brother Lyle shot their parents to pieces in
> Hollywood and then spent the money. I think they
> might have gotten the death penalty. Wow, this is
> what happens when white people start trying to
> imitate minorities. Hee hooooweee
>
> This thread is the best and most revealing thing
> I've seen on this whole mess.
>
> So fake so fake is Mike real? I don't think so.


Read my post just a wee bit closer...I said that I have held positions in the Federal government, but did not claim to work there presently. I now work in the private sector running a program management office for a large government agency. Even with the many porous government information systems, I find it hard to believe that you can Google the name of every current and former Federal employee with 100% accuracy. All that I can tell you is that your source is wrong - can't say any more than that,

Funny you should mention Eric Menendez. I used to get that a lot...people (maybe even you) thought that the similarity in our names was quite funny. Needless to say, I failed to see the humor. Keep trying, though...maybe you can find a career on the stand-up comedy circuit.

Simple scare tactics to keep the sheep in the pen. Come on people, weeez been lied to!! This is the same idiot trying to place the "scary boogey man" in our minds. We'll have to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars back to the school system. OOOOoh. Not likely. Catholic schools are full of FCPS expels. Not likely. They'll check your houses, your property, your rentals, your marital status. Not likely. FCPS will look for 30+ kids in one home!!! Yeah, maybe but there are those all over the county and no one cares about it now. So not likely. How entertained are we? Not very. Wow, what honor and integrity. This is actually quite funny.

They do think we are morons. Thanks for saying it loud and clear Boolooney. So many different folks checking our thread. NOT!!!

AlwaysAnEagle Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Read my post just a wee bit closer...I said that I
> have held positions in the Federal government, but
> did not claim to work there presently. I now work
> in the private sector running a program management
> office for a large government agency. Even with
> the many porous government information systems, I
> find it hard to believe that you can Google the
> name of every current and former Federal employee
> with 100% accuracy. All that I can tell you is
> that your source is wrong - can't say any more
> than that,
>
> Funny you should mention Eric Menendez. I used to
> get that a lot...people (maybe even you) thought
> that the similarity in our names was quite funny.
> Needless to say, I failed to see the humor. Keep
> trying, though...maybe you can find a career on
> the stand-up comedy circuit.

Eric, if you are real, you live completely off the grid or you do not live in Fairfax County. There is no Eric Menendez in Fairfax and has not been for at least 15 years.

So prove it and give us a verifiable website to confirm your identity. Such a bigshot such as you with your fancy Federal jobs (no less!) and your big bucks private jobs and your high security clearance.

Yah, I didn't think so

Yep everybody, meet your new classmate's parent -- Eric. Get used to it. Or move.

Booloony Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> AlwaysAnEagle Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Read my post just a wee bit closer...I said that
> I
> > have held positions in the Federal government,
> but
> > did not claim to work there presently. I now
> work
> > in the private sector running a program
> management
> > office for a large government agency. Even
> with
> > the many porous government information systems,
> I
> > find it hard to believe that you can Google the
> > name of every current and former Federal
> employee
> > with 100% accuracy. All that I can tell you is
> > that your source is wrong - can't say any more
> > than that,
> >
> > Funny you should mention Eric Menendez. I used
> to
> > get that a lot...people (maybe even you)
> thought
> > that the similarity in our names was quite
> funny.
> > Needless to say, I failed to see the humor.
> Keep
> > trying, though...maybe you can find a career on
> > the stand-up comedy circuit.
>
> Eric, if you are real, you live completely off the
> grid or you do not live in Fairfax County. There
> is no Eric Menendez in Fairfax and has not been
> for at least 15 years.


First, it is MELENDEZ, not MENENDEZ. Second, I work exceptionally hard to on my privacy and you can find some of my publications and presentations with a thorough Web search if you knew what to look for, but most of the simple methods don't work so well and I get lost in the clutter. My real estate, for example, is owned through a trust, so that is not a very promising avenue.

Believe what you want...I am just sharing an opinion which is apparently a minority view. Good luck to all of you in your quest for justice.

FME Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Simple scare tactics to keep the sheep in the pen.

No I'm real. I almost hesitated in posting the information because I'm not sure how relevant the situation is. I also post on the other thread occasionally. I am an ardent opponent of redistricting and I support the exchange of ideas on this thread as to how to attend the schools you choose. I am simply advocating that one check out the rules before making decisions so that you know 1) if you are within rules and 2) if not, if you are at any risk, i.e. so that you could take additional precautions if necessary.

Because you are a FAKER. Go away and leave us alone. State department and sucks in the same paragraph was what tipped me off BTW. Yes, you state dept folks are super secret and write sucks all the time. FAKER. Ha ha ha ha ha

FME Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> So prove it and give us a verifiable website to
> confirm your identity. Such a bigshot such as you
> with your fancy Federal jobs (no less!) and your
> big bucks private jobs and your high security
> clearance.
>
> Yah, I didn't think so

What's the point? Why are you so hostile? What is it about a contrarian view that scares you so much? I don't get why you are calling me a 'bigshot' and talking about a 'fancy' Federal job. You can't swing a dead cat around here without hitting someone in the SES or with a TS clearance...it really is not that big of a deal. I work just like you and your spouse trying to make a living for my family.

Make you an offer, however...post your real name and address and I will do likewise. Deal?

AlwaysAnEagle Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You can't swing a dead cat around here without
> hitting someone in the SES or with a TS
> clearance...

Mr. Melendez:

Maybe swinging a dead cat is cool where you are from in Honduras, but here in the USA and specifically Fairfax, I must tell you it is NOT cool at all. Look, I understand that in some cultures, apparently yours, swinging dead animals is OK, but we just don't do that here. In fact, it might be illegal. Just a word of advice. Have a good evening.

The real way to stay at school of your choice is to throw these left wing liberals out of the school board in the next election.

realways Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The real way to stay at school of your choice is
> to throw these left wing liberals out of the
> school board in the next election.

Ain't going to happen. Welcome to the New Fairfax. We might as well be called Arlington South.

Holy crap what happened here? Let's get back to the issue at hand of sharing ideas about how to enroll in the high school of our choice.

So far we have:

1. Apply to private schools.

2. Move to a house/apt in the desired boundary.

3. Pupil-place based a curriculum request for AP.

Remember the deadline for pupil-placement applications is April 15. We will find out then whether or not these requests will be categorically declined.

Also remember that most private schools have deadlines for applications in the first few months of the year. Some do no fill up and will take students at any point throughout the year.

None of these are illegal and will get you where you want to go. Good luck to everyone who is actually trying to figure this situation out and come up with a workable, effective solution. Take control of your options and don't be scared or intimidated by stupid comments. Those of us who want out will have to ignore the bullies.

OurKidsGoWhereWeWant, Amen to that.

"Take control of your options and don't be scared or intimidated by stupid comments. Those of us who want out will have to ignore the bullies."


It has been my observation that "bullies" are scared of something by the way.

Good Luck to All of You and Stay Strong.

I look forward to my visit tommorrow at Oakton High School.

realways Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The real way to stay at school of your choice is
> to throw these left wing liberals out of the
> school board in the next election.

Way too late for that. They have 4 years to redistrict the entire county.

Something from the Economist.



http://www.economist.com/world/international/displaystory.cfm?story_id=9119786

Fox Mill Estates Parent Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Something from the Economist.
>
>
>
> http://www.economist.com/world/international/displ
> aystory.cfm?story_id=9119786


That is quite an interesting article! Being forced against one's will to a school of not their choice is not a choice so yes we should have choices! Thanks.

Fox Mill Estates Parent Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Something from the Economist.
>
>
>
> http://www.economist.com/world/international/displ
> aystory.cfm?story_id=9119786


Interesting article, but I don't think that it is really germane to the RD issue at hand unless you are suggesting that the SB provide parents dissatisfied with the RD decision with vouchers to attend private school. If so, why don't you approach this from a legal perspective and request an injunction or restraining order (obviously I am not a lawyer) so that this can be reviewed by the courts.

You obviously feel that this RD proposal is akin to busing in Boston during the 70s to create racial balance or in PG county during the 90s. If so, the courts may be your best course of action.

Pupil-placement is the substitute for vouchers in the FCPS re-districting scenario.

It's pupil-placements not private school vouchers.

Pupil-placements would act as vouchers and allow the marketplace for educational services to function efficiently. This way, parents who feel strongly enough and are willing to go through the hassle of getting approval and providing transportation can decide for themselves which high school their children attend, with the exception of TJ which truly is an example of excellence through competition.

This is why parents in the incipient re-districted zones are frustrated at the thought of losing pupil-placement options. People don't like being told that they can't have the school of their choice, assuming they purchased their housing based on the school district.

OurKidsGoWhereWeWant Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> People don't like being
> told that they can't have the school of their
> choice, assuming they purchased their housing
> based on the school district.

I understand your point, but redistricting is a fact within FCPS and assuming that your base school and pyramid will remain the same is really not valid unless you happen to live within, say, walking distance of a school. For better or worse, the county-based model in Virginia makes no guarantees regarding which school your child will attend and I believe that the FCPS SB approaches redistricting carefully since it always results in acrimony on behalf of one group or another.

Also, you and other keep talking about school district when you really mean pyramid since the school district is FCPS. If you want a guaranteed pyramid you may need to look at states like New Jersey, Pennsylvania or Massachusetts where the schools are managed at the town/borough/city level.

I liken your argument to a friend who purchased a house in Springfield about 15 years ago. The lot backed to what appeared to be parkland and was very private and quiet. Five years later the state and county decided to build a long-planned roadway behind his house. He and his neighbors went to the BoS and were told to check the zoning maps which clearly showed the road to be there for a long time with plans to build it when funds and need developed. Had he done his due diligence he would have known about this and been able to make a decision to purchase the house or look elsewhere.

The same holds true for the school system and boundaries. Anyone who purchased a home based solely on the HS pyramid assuming that it would be a future guarantee did not, in my opinion, do all of their homework.

Yes, Cheeky, you are so right. People buy into an entire school system when they choose Fairfax County. If they want a sole high-school system they should move to Falls Church or Alexandria. I am so sick of the whining and complaining and rending of garmets. If they would just shut up and put their energy into whichever school they end up in they would be doing well.

I am so happy to read at this thread, It gives me a light to how to deal with this school change. It's not end of the world. I though was.

I will buy a smaller house in Oakton HS area, I will live there, only during the school year, not summer time, let's say MON/TU/WED/TH night with my child and I will be back in my comfortable SFH Friday night until Monday morning. Since I am the owner of the small house, I pay utility, phone bill and property tax, etc, I have enough to show I live there, there is nothing illegal here, right?

My primary resident doesn't need be the bigger one, right? I get to choose where to be consider as my primary. No problem get my mail there. I will go there every week. That should be OK right? Any problem with this situation?

Please let me know how we can deal with this in legal way. They can send somebody come and check my child's room, they can't put a camera there and record how many nights we sleep there, right?

Thanks a lot for any comments on this.

I did not buy into the FCPS. I bought my house with careful attention to -- among other things -- the public schools my children would attend. The "System" is now proposing to change "my" high school and I don't want the change. So my family will adjust to this change by moving or possibly attending a private high school. It's not necessary to move to New Jersey, just to a house or apartment assigned to Oakton High School.

Casual Observer Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Yes, Cheeky, you are so right. People buy into an
> entire school system when they choose Fairfax
> County. If they want a sole high-school system
> they should move to Falls Church or Alexandria. I
> am so sick of the whining and complaining and
> rending of garmets. If they would just shut up
> and put their energy into whichever school they
> end up in they would be doing well.


Hey please have a little respect for those who aren't happy with the redistricting..buying a home is a huge investment. These constant redistrictings including this ridiculous boundary study--even some of the supporters of RD admitted the boundary study was not carried out really good only remind citizens that Fairfax County has the right to redistrict as much as they please without a whim of thought of wisely spending taxpayers funds on these much alone their own citizens who worked hard to buy homes with the freedom of choice of communities, schools, etc. This thread was supposed to be for those who wanted to talk about moving to schools of their choices not to have people pipe in and say "hey stop whining!". Stop whining then and leave us alone! Thanks.

Baffled Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> This thread
> was supposed to be for those who wanted to talk
> about moving to schools of their choices not to
> have people pipe in and say "hey stop whining!".
> Stop whining then and leave us alone! Thanks.


I second that. This thread is not about right or wrong. It's about how.

How Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I second that. This thread is not about right or
> wrong. It's about how.


“Any preoccupation with ideas of what is right or wrong in conduct shows an arrested intellectual development.” -- Oscar Wilde

Of course, you are concerned about the success of your children's school, not their moral fabric, so I suppose a more approriate quote that you would embrace is:

“Success is the sole earthly judge of right and wrong.” -- Adolph Hitler

Just curious here, if you cheat your way INTO school is that any better or worse than cheating your way THROUGH school?

CheekyMonkey Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> OurKidsGoWhereWeWant Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------

> I liken your argument to a friend who purchased a
> house in Springfield about 15 years ago. The lot
> backed to what appeared to be parkland and was
> very private and quiet. Five years later the
> state and county decided to build a long-planned
> roadway behind his house. He and his neighbors
> went to the BoS and were told to check the zoning
> maps which clearly showed the road to be there for
> a long time with plans to build it when funds and
> need developed. Had he done his due diligence he
> would have known about this and been able to make
> a decision to purchase the house or look
> elsewhere.
>
> The same holds true for the school system and
> boundaries. Anyone who purchased a home based
> solely on the HS pyramid assuming that it would be
> a future guarantee did not, in my opinion, do all
> of their homework.


It's funny you should mention this Cheeky as the McLaren Rd. extension through Fox Mill Estates is another community battle. Yes it is on the master plan and certainly anyone buying a home backing up to it should have been aware but it still doesn't make developing it a good idea. It wouldn't improve traffic flow one bit (next to Fox Mill ES) and would ruin the neighborhood by spliting it.

I can understand our community's aggravation w/the boundary study because we seem to be constantly under siege for one thing or another. The McLearen extension (on hold pending funding & environmnt impact study), a hairbrained scheme by Cathy Hudgins to put low income housing at the corner of Lawyers Rd. & Reston Pkwy (dead & buried I hope) and now the boundary study. I personally view the boundary study as botched, both by the sb and opponents, but the least of our battles. My kids are in ES now but I might feel differently if they were in HS or close to it. About the most sensible advice I've seen on this thread regarding getting out of SL would be to pupil-place for AP curriculum, the others seem too extreme to be practical. What are they going to say, Oakton's too full?

Good luck to all FxCo HS students next fall.

PS- Did everyone notice how I chopped down Checky's quote to focus on the part I wanted to discuss. It's really easy, just use the delete key. Give it a try.

Not So Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Just curious here, if you cheat your way INTO
> school is that any better or worse than cheating
> your way THROUGH school?

I second this notion. With all the talk on this board of the Litsa Mattfeld's of the world sending poor messages to our children, one would think you people would and should know better. As parents, you are the final authority on what is right and wrong. What kind of message do you send your children when you lie and cheat your way into a school you were left out of. You know what? You are all no better than illegal immigrants - sneaking your way into places you are not supposed to be!

Not So Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> How Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I second that. This thread is not about right
> or
> > wrong. It's about how.
>
>
> “Any preoccupation with ideas of what is right or
> wrong in conduct shows an arrested intellectual
> development.” -- Oscar Wilde
>
> Of course, you are concerned about the success of
> your children's school, not their moral fabric, so
> I suppose a more approriate quote that you would
> embrace is:
>
> “Success is the sole earthly judge of right and
> wrong.” -- Adolph Hitler
>
> Just curious here, if you cheat your way INTO
> school is that any better or worse than cheating
> your way THROUGH school?


If you want to discuss whether people should or should not attend the assigned schools, let's open another thread. Leave this thread as is.

Another Fox Mill Dad Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> CheekyMonkey Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > OurKidsGoWhereWeWant Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------

>
> PS- Did everyone notice how I chopped down
> Checky's quote to focus on the part I wanted to
> discuss. It's really easy, just use the delete
> key. Give it a try.

yea, some of us noticed... congrats! you win the gold star for the day. although you left in completely useless "quoted" lines... so i guess it will only be a silver star... we will keep the gold star for someone else. sorry!

How Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If you want to discuss whether people should or
> should not attend the assigned schools, let's open
> another thread. Leave this thread as is.

Who died and made you threadmaster? I believe a discussion about right and wrong is very pertinent to this thread. It might make people think twice about cheating the system and sending poor examples to their children. Are more concerned about your children scoring a few points lower on their SATs or growing up morally and ethically bankrupt?

Not So Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> How Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > If you want to discuss whether people should or
> > should not attend the assigned schools, let's
> open
> > another thread. Leave this thread as is.
>
> Who died and made you threadmaster? I believe a
> discussion about right and wrong is very pertinent
> to this thread. It might make people think twice
> about cheating the system and sending poor
> examples to their children. Are more concerned
> about your children scoring a few points lower on
> their SATs or growing up morally and ethically
> bankrupt?


I opened a new thread. If you want, we can move our discussions there.

How Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I opened a new thread. If you want, we can move
> our discussions there.

No, I believe it should stay here. Right and wrong are always factors in decisions where deceipt and honesty are involved. Teaching your children to ignore right and wrong is as detrimental, if not more so, than going to a subpar high school.

Damn, I thought the last paragraph I quoted from Cheeky was relavent to the topic discussed but apparently Professor SRE didn't think so. I guess I'll have to settle for the silver star, it's kinda like going to SL instead of Oakton.

The FC School Board and the white South Lakes High School parents tell me I HAVE to stay in my current house and I HAVE to send my children to South Lakes. They tell me I HAVE to. White South Lakes High School parents on this thread tell me that I am like Hitler if my children do not go to South Lakes. I can't buy another house and move. I can't pupil-place my children because these requests will be turned down by the South Lakes principal.

Don't tell me what I can and can't do.

Getting back to the purpose of this thread:

1. Does anyone know whether pupil-placements are taken on a first-come, first-served basis?

2. Does anyone know how long it takes to receive a reply?

If so, I need to have mine ready to drop off at SLHS immediately after the boundary change is finalized.

OurKidsGoWhereWeWant Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Getting back to the purpose of this thread:
>
> 1. Does anyone know whether pupil-placements are
> taken on a first-come, first-served basis?
>
> 2. Does anyone know how long it takes to receive
> a reply?
>
> If so, I need to have mine ready to drop off at
> SLHS immediately after the boundary change is
> finalized.

FYI, FCPS Regulation 2230 governs pupil placement (intra-agency transfers). You can find an FAQ at:

http://www.fcps.edu/ss/student-transfer/infofiles/StudentTransferFAQ.pdf

My guess is that under "normal" circumstances these requests are reviewed as they come in, but given that everyone has tipped their hand I would expect that the requests will be collected and reviewed for a pattern before any decisions are made. If a school sees 5-10 pupil placement requests annually, but that spikes to 50 you know that something is going on.

Baffled Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> fox mill mom Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I heard that South Lakes will offer some AP
> > classes online (I believe they already have
> this
> > in the works) to try to cut off that avenue for
> > those of us who would have used it to pupil
> place
> > out. I hope that this is just an awful rumor;
> if
> > not, they might as well have left South Lakes
> the
> > way it was with no windows and no doors because
> it
> > will truly be a prison - no way out.
> >
> > I just recieved a nasty email from a school
> board
> > member in response to my email expressing my
> anger
> > at how the redistricting has taken place. She
> said
> > I was "harsh" and thought that people at South
> > Lakes would be offended that I called their
> school
> > substandard. She has no clue how people feel
> out
> > here! It IS substandard because it does not
> offer
> > programs that are "standard" at other schools.
> So
> > now this sb member is in charge of my opinion?
> > I'm supposed to stop talking because other
> people
> > might be offended? TOO BAD!! I'm offended!
> This
> > is a new member who has to be incredibly naive
> to
> > think that we would sit down and shut up.
>
>
> You have got to be kidding. This is in no way a
> professional manner for a SB member to
> demonstrate. Sounds like she is in favortism of
> certain schools? I wonder how credible these SB
> members are?



Send the note to the media. Herndon Observer.

OurKidsGoWhereWeWant Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Getting back to the purpose of this thread:
>
> 1. Does anyone know whether pupil-placements are
> taken on a first-come, first-served basis?
>
> 2. Does anyone know how long it takes to receive
> a reply?
>
> If so, I need to have mine ready to drop off at
> SLHS immediately after the boundary change is
> finalized.


The boundary study has not been finalized yet, but it is a good idea to have the pupil placement form ready for submission. You might want to talk to your desired school office to see if they should have a copy of the pupil placement form that you would be submitting to SLHS. I am not sure if the base school receives the pupil placements first come first served. Unfortunately, with the SL at the helm of this ridiculous boundary study like with them having intimate meetings with the SB, they could be doing something about the pupil placement forms. By the way, the Dec 19th meeting notes have been posted in FCPS for the latest scenario.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> My guess is that under "normal" circumstances
> these requests are reviewed as they come in, but
> given that everyone has tipped their hand I would
> expect that the requests will be collected and
> reviewed for a pattern before any decisions are
> made. If a school sees 5-10 pupil placement
> requests annually, but that spikes to 50 you know
> that something is going on.

Well of course they'll know exactly whats going on and have undoubtedly factored it into this whole scenario. They could really fuck with parents by assigning them a different school then the one they request for AP but I doubt they want that extra aggravation. If your kid can't cut it w/AP then they may as well go to South Lakes or look at some of those exotic lease/rent/buy primary residence schemes.

OurKidsGoWhereWeWant Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The FC School Board and the white South Lakes High
> School parents tell me I HAVE to stay in my
> current house and I HAVE to send my children to
> South Lakes. They tell me I HAVE to. White South
> Lakes High School parents on this thread tell me
> that I am like Hitler if my children do not go to
> South Lakes. I can't buy another house and move.
> I can't pupil-place my children because these
> requests will be turned down by the South Lakes
> principal.
>
> Don't tell me what I can and can't do.

Ma'am, with all due respect, nobody is telling you that you HAVE to do anything. If you choose to move because of the redistricting, so be it. If you can successfully pupil place, more power to you. Private school is an option too. My comments are addressed to those who would and have advocated surreptitiously and illegally gaming the system. I believe that you and I can both agree that the following statements are just that:

"Is that even necessary? What proof or residency do you need?"

"do I have to prove that I "live" there? Bills can be easily faked with a good printer and software. Could it be as easy as faking a utility bill or rental agreement? Do they check up on such things?"

"rent gets cheaper when "more people" live their--buddy up with a car pooler apartment share."

"Buy or lease a property/apt/room within the boundary of the desired public school and carpool or provide your own transportation."

"How would the administration know which is your primary residence? This is FCPS not the Gestapo. How would it be any different than if you rented or bought in any school district? All that must be produced is a signed lease or deed."

"FCPS doesn't have the money or resources to check where you live. No one has to actually move, or even pay any money. Just get a friend to sign a lease agreement and you can buy one of those to download from the internet for 10 bucks. Library probably has them too."

You get the idea. There are many more statements like these that demonstrate the mens rea of an intent to commit fraud against the county. Every enrolling parent signs the following (pay special attention to the class 3 mesdemeanor language) --


PURPOSE: To certify that I am the natural parent, the adoptive parent, or
the legal guardian of the child or children I am enrolling in school and that
we will be living together in Fairfax County on a permanent basis.

I certify that I am currently residing with my child(ren) in Fairfax County at:

I understand that providing false or otherwise untrue information for
school enrollment purposes constitutes a Class 3 misdemeanor.




Now, my point still stands. If you are concerned about your children's future so much, don't teach them that it is OK to lie and cheat.

Agreed. Someone let the school board in on this thread at the next meeting. It will make them either become the Gestopo with regards to checking up on addresses, or they will stop redistricting due to the massive attempts at cheating the system.

Probably the former will happen, but the latter could. So someone please tell the school board.

To Not So,

Thank you for the advice, we are educated parents who cares about our children's education, will do in legal way. No lie and cheat. Just Daddy and Mommy wants a good school for you so we moved. That's all!

I pupil placed my son at Hayfield for his senior year. I applied for pupil placement I think in Nov. of that year. I first got the paperwork from Fairfax High then took it to Hayfield and filled out more. I waited about a week to hear and my reason was "social." However, I was an employee of FCPS so I pretty much knew it would be approved.

I live across the street from a Korean family with 2 girls. The older attended Fairfax Villa for all six years. After she entered middle school, their youngest attended Fairfax Villa even though the family had a custom home biult in Merrifield. They rented the house out to GMU students and moved yet kept their youngest at Fairfax Villa instead of Cedar Lane or wherever their NEW elementaRY SCHOOL IS. The mom comes by every few days and collects her mail from the other home near Fairfax Villa. I really doubt that she has applied for pupil placement to send the younger girl there but she does own the house which is assigned to Fairfax Villa. Her child has been attending Fairfax Villa for 4 years now. I see the mom bringing her and picking her up after she collects her mail.

And to the poster who said no more that 5 or 10 kids are pupil placed each year, I think it's more than that. In a big high school, it's probably a couple hundred. I used to help our school office workers stuff envelopes with interims and stuff. The envelopes had an address labbel on it. Lots of them were addresses in another suburb. So kids were pupil placed legally and then driving tom school. Plus I bet there were a fair number who had given another address and the mail went to a "guardian" or something.

Trickie

NOT GOING SLHS Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> To Not So,
>
> Thank you for the advice, we are educated parents
> who cares about our children's education, will do
> in legal way. No lie and cheat. Just Daddy and
> Mommy wants a good school for you so we moved.
> That's all!

Perhaps you may feel this way, but as "Not So" has pointed out, many on this thread are contemplating committing fraud against the county with phony addresses. Look at it this way, if you are found guilty, your kids will be going to Fairfax High School as that is the school where residents of the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center would go.

Tricki Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> And to the poster who said no more that 5 or 10
> kids are pupil placed each year, I think it's more
> than that. In a big high school, it's probably a
> couple hundred. I used to help our school office
> workers stuff envelopes with interims and stuff.
> The envelopes had an address labbel on it. Lots
> of them were addresses in another suburb. So kids
> were pupil placed legally and then driving tom
> school. Plus I bet there were a fair number who
> had given another address and the mail went to a
> "guardian" or something.
>
> Trickie

Trickie,

I was suggesting that it might be 5-10 PER SCHOOL per year, not across FCPS. I doubt that any one school is seeing 100s of pupil-placed students.

With regard to the Fairfax Villa family, I just might have my wife keep her eyes open since she is a secretary there and I am sure that the principal would want to put a stop to this.

Nope I still say in a large secondary school it is much more than 5 or 10. I do believe it's a lot more. Perhaps in a small elem school, 5 or 10 may be about right.

And as to the family who still has their daughter at Fairfax Villa, they own the house . Plus they own the one in Merrifield. So why would you ask your wife to go blabbing to the principal about that. I think you and your wife should mind your own business in this family's case. They are a nice family and they love the school and it's programs. It's not like this little girl is some kind of demon child trouble maker. So why would you go tattling about this????

"They are a nice family and they love the school and it's programs. It's not like this little girl is some kind of demon child trouble maker. So why would you go tattling about this????"


Oh, since they are a nice family and the little girl is not a trouble maker than it’s okay!!!

They are not stealing education, they own the house and they are contributing to the tax base of the county. They have not lied or been sneaky. Should this child be charged tuition?

> CheekyMonkey Wrote:

> With regard to the Fairfax Villa family, I just might have my wife keep her
> eyes open since she is a secretary there and I am sure that the principal would > want to put a stop to this.


Does anyone else find this as creepy as I do? I'm not afraid of the kids at SL but I am terrified of the parents.

Liar Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> > CheekyMonkey Wrote:
>
> > With regard to the Fairfax Villa family, I just
> might have my wife keep her
> > eyes open since she is a secretary there and I
> am sure that the principal would > want to put a
> stop to this.
>
>
> Does anyone else find this as creepy as I do? I'm
> not afraid of the kids at SL but I am terrified of
> the parents.

Too bad Cheeky Monkey posted yesterday that he is from Springfield. I guess your attempt to bash the SL parents failed. Are you going to apologize?

OurKidsGoWhereWeWant Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Holy crap what happened here? Let's get back to
> the issue at hand of sharing ideas about how to
> enroll in the high school of our choice.
>
> So far we have:
>
> 1. Apply to private schools.
>
> 2. Move to a house/apt in the desired boundary.
>
> 3. Pupil-place based a curriculum request for
> AP.
>
> Remember the deadline for pupil-placement
> applications is April 15. We will find out then
> whether or not these requests will be
> categorically declined.
>
> Also remember that most private schools have
> deadlines for applications in the first few months
> of the year. Some do no fill up and will take
> students at any point throughout the year.
>
> None of these are illegal and will get you where
> you want to go. Good luck to everyone who is
> actually trying to figure this situation out and
> come up with a workable, effective solution. Take
> control of your options and don't be scared or
> intimidated by stupid comments. Those of us who
> want out will have to ignore the bullies.


To expand on OurKidsGoWhereWeWant's summary, here is what we have so far:

Option 1: Attend private school.

Option 2: Pupil placement

Option 3: Use family/friends addresses in desired school district.

Option 4: Buy/rent a property in desired school district.

The alternative option (a.k.a. AvoidSL Option 5): Move to desired school district.

CheekyMonkey Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> With regard to the Fairfax Villa family, I just
> might have my wife keep her eyes open since she is
> a secretary there and I am sure that the principal
> would want to put a stop to this.


Who knew that this little comment was going to create such a shit storm. It was a poor attempt at sarcasm...my wife is busy with other things at school and while I am sure that the Fairfax Villa would be interested to know about this he has bigger things to worry about.

Casual observer Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Liar Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > > CheekyMonkey Wrote:
> >
> > > With regard to the Fairfax Villa family, I
> just
> > might have my wife keep her
> > > eyes open since she is a secretary there and
> I
> > am sure that the principal would > want to put
> a
> > stop to this.
> >
> >
> > Does anyone else find this as creepy as I do?
> I'm
> > not afraid of the kids at SL but I am terrified
> of
> > the parents.
>
> Too bad Cheeky Monkey posted yesterday that he is
> from Springfield. I guess your attempt to bash
> the SL parents failed. Are you going to
> apologize?


Is he related to Curiousgeorge, one of the posters on the other thread?

> Who knew that this little comment was going to create such a shit storm. It was a poor attempt at sarcasm...my wife is busy with other things at school

You gotta be a little bit fuckin nuts for posting your wife's occupation and place of work on this forum. Seriously.

Casual observer Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Too bad Cheeky Monkey posted yesterday that he is
> from Springfield. I guess your attempt to bash
> the SL parents failed. Are you going to
> apologize?


What does that have to do with anything? There are staff members at Fairfax Villa who live anywhere from Manassas to Arlington. Why would Springfield seem so unusual?

TheMeeper Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> > Who knew that this little comment was going to
> create such a shit storm. It was a poor attempt at
> sarcasm...my wife is busy with other things at
> school
>
> You gotta be a little bit fuckin nuts for posting
> your wife's occupation and place of work on this
> forum. Seriously.


Do you think that everything that you read on this board is 100% truthful?

>Do you think that everything that you read on this board is 100% truthful?

Just sayin

Fox Mill Estates Parent Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Something from the Economist.
>
>
>
> http://www.economist.com/world/international/displ
> aystory.cfm?story_id=9119786

Thanks for that link! Very interesting! Of course choice makes schools better. When did competition NOT work? When was a government monopoly better than free enterprise and competition?

Choice is coming. Most of the republican Presidential candidates support choice. Of course the democrats can't support it or they'll lose the teacher's unions support.

Liar Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> > CheekyMonkey Wrote:
>
> > With regard to the Fairfax Villa family, I just
> might have my wife keep her
> > eyes open since she is a secretary there and I
> am sure that the principal would > want to put a
> stop to this.
>
>
> Does anyone else find this as creepy as I do? I'm
> not afraid of the kids at SL but I am terrified of
> the parents.

Yup. That's what many of us have concluded. The South Lakes kids seem nice, but their parents are creepy, rabid zealots, who seem to put all their energy into the wrong things, and so little energy into actually improving the academics at South Lakes.

Neen, WTF does Cheeky Monkey's post have to do with South Lakes? It must really suck to be you.

Cheeky Monkey said:
>>>Does anyone else find this as creepy as I do? I'm
> not afraid of the kids at SL but I am terrified of
> the parents.<<<

What did YOU think he was saying? Hint: SL means South Lakes.

Perhaps that will help you to understand my response.

In your case, perhaps not. Don't care.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/09/2008 04:14AM by Neen.

I want to make a plea for any of you who are real estate agents or know real estate agents to help those families in the re-districted zones rent or move into the areas of their choice.

This would seem to be an opportunity to get some business during the real estate slump. Get out your maps and figure out exactly what streets and neighborhoods people need to move into in order to stay in their desired school pyramids.

I would appreciate help from real estate agents. Thanks.

Just heard from a friend that they are moving to Loudoun. She works there and doesn't want to make the commute all the way to OHS. She'd been thinking about moving but didn't want to upset her two kids but now that it's gonna happen anyway she's putting her house up. So OHS you heard it here theres a house for sale in the Fair Oaks Hunt.

Can't say as I blame her. Won't be too bad to get there but coming back is a bitch. Driving home from the metro to Fair ridge takes 45 minutes most nights at 6. Tried the bus but it can't go any faster either cause 66 is a parking lot

Navy Parent,
That makes perfect sense to me and further points out why I wouldn't want any of your children to attend SL (even though your friend would go to Oakton). Let's move 10 miles west so that my kids don't have to travel 3 more miles to school. Hope your friend likes to be redistricted because with all the growth in Loudoun, it happens quite frequently.

I hope your friend and/or spouse work in Ashburn. Good luck, schmuck!

Attn: This just in from the South Lakes High School Welcoming committee:

> Navy Parent,
> That makes perfect sense to me and further points out why I wouldn't want any
> of your children to attend SL (even though your friend would go to Oakton).
> Let's > move 10 miles west so that my kids don't have to travel 3 more miles to > school. Hope your friend likes to be redistricted because with all the growth
> in Loudoun, it happens quite frequently.

> I hope your friend and/or spouse work in Ashburn. Good luck, schmuck!

Nice. Now where are those real estate agents?

Neen Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Cheeky Monkey said:
> >>>Does anyone else find this as creepy as I do?
> I'm
> > not afraid of the kids at SL but I am terrified
> of
> > the parents.<<<
>
> What did YOU think he was saying? Hint: SL means
> South Lakes.
>
> Perhaps that will help you to understand my
> response.
>
> In your case, perhaps not. Don't care.

Cheeky Monkey was not talking about the South Lakes community. He was talking about an area well to the east of Reston. At least get your friggin facts straight before making an ass of yourself.

OurKidsGoWhereWeWant:

Booya is not a SL parent. Below is a sampling of Booya's posts on the redistricting thread. Boy, people around here sure do have a knee-jerk reaction in their efforts to pin any and everything on the SL parents.

"SL PTSA is putting together welcome baskets for your little darlings on their first day. It will include a book by Dr. Phil entitled, "How to succeed in spite of your self-important, passive-aggressive helicopter parents".

There will also be a pamphlet on how we beat you at your own game and information on local martial arts academies."

Neen Free,
I am a SL parent - just not one to mince words. Admit it, you were laughing..........

I find it amusing that people will commit felonies and uproot their families (not just send them to different schools, but move to a different neighborhood/county) to avoid SL. That neighborhood bond aint so strong NOW, is it?

Like I said on the other thread - If they don't want to be at SL, why would we want them?

booya,
If I have to move, it's because of I'm forced *unfairly* to go to a HS that's not my choice, it's because the communities are SPLIT, dissected by the RD. The whole RD process is not really help SLH either, except for the 7% or so IB diploma students. Why shall I bother to go there, if it's not the best choise for my kids, and there are not many choices other than IB any ways. Get it?

booya Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Neen Free,
> I am a SL parent - just not one to mince words.
> Admit it, you were laughing..........
>
> I find it amusing that people will commit felonies
> and uproot their families (not just send them to
> different schools, but move to a different
> neighborhood/county) to avoid SL. That
> neighborhood bond aint so strong NOW, is it?
>
> Like I said on the other thread - If they don't
> want to be at SL, why would we want them?

I'm sure this guy booya is really SL parent but just one sat on the sidelines during the RD process and doesn't do a thing for the school. Now that the majority of SL parents seem to have gotten their wish, he's just trying to spook all you fearful parents who are being redistricted there.

Thanks for putting the info about martial arts accademies in the welcome baskets booya but fox mill shopping center already has one that's done great business for years before there was any talk of redistricting. Be sure your kid wears a nametag identifying him or her as your kid next fall. FWIW, this post is meant to be taken as seriously as anything he posts.

ALL OF YOU, JUST SEND YOUR KIDS TO PRIVATE SCHOOL AND BE DONE WITH IT!

New Hawk,
Actually I was in favor of, and tried to promote Option 4 to re-unite Reston. So you see, I didn't get what I wanted either, but I'm not whining.

booya Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> New Hawk,
> Actually I was in favor of, and tried to promote
> Option 4 to re-unite Reston. So you see, I didn't
> get what I wanted either, but I'm not whining.


You are not whining because you and your kid(s) are not being forced to redistrict against your will (choice taken away) so just zip up, will you?

Baffled Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You are not whining because you and your kid(s)
> are not being forced to redistrict against your
> will (choice taken away) so just zip up, will you?

Were you able to vote in the last election, if so, you need to zip it. We live in a representative democracy.

Mission Completed. My son should not be redistricted.

I just left South Lakes High School about an hour ago after submitting my son's High School Curricular Program Student Transfer Application to Principla Butler himself. He shook my hand. I thanked him for seeing me.

Thank You for creating this thread. One extreemly satisfied reader. I would never have known about the High School Curricular Program Student Transfer Application without looking here.

I will write more detail about my experience and what I learned latter as I have an appointment to keep.

Thank You Again

Fox Mill Estates Parent,

Thank you so much for posting. I am looking forward to any other information you can give us regarding your experience, and the success of your application. I sincerely hope it is successful.

Once again, thank you.

Dear Fox Mill parent,

I am glad Principal Butler smiled and shook your hand after you submitted the transfer application BUT ithas yet to be approved, right? I would not go around blabbing to all your friends and the other parents until it's a done deal.

Trickie

CheekyMonkey Wrote:

>
>
> Who knew that this little comment was going to
> create such a shit storm. It was a poor attempt
> at sarcasm...my wife is busy with other things at
> school and while I am sure that the Fairfax Villa
> would be interested to know about this he has
> bigger things to worry about.

Hey Cheeky Monkey,

If I was the secretary at Fairfax Villa, I would be busy with that cute male principal. He's a hottie. Mine were all old or ugly. Now make sure your wife doesn't go tattling. This family's kids raise the SOL scores at that school, I can assure you of that.

Trickie

Well, let's hope it does get approved.

Trickie, can you tell us about all the steps that a curriculum-based pupil placement goes through? Are you thinking that Butler would tell parents that he will sign them and then later in the approval process, they will be denied?

Tricki Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hey Cheeky Monkey,
>
> If I was the secretary at Fairfax Villa, I would
> be busy with that cute male principal. He's a
> hottie. Mine were all old or ugly. Now make sure
> your wife doesn't go tattling. This family's kids
> raise the SOL scores at that school, I can assure
> you of that.
>
> Trickie


Are you referring to Dale Mann? I don't think that he would be interested in my wife. On the other hand, she really had a thing for Jeff Clark, even though he is about 15 years older.

I think that the majority of staff could not care less about a couple of students poaching at Fairfax Villa. That really is a great school with a very interesting demographic mix. You have people from Robinson Square living in Section 8 housing through homes costing nearly $1M and everyone seems to get along fine. While there are some rough kids, some as yound as seven or eight, my wife would be hard pressed to find another school that she likes better.

The staff is by and large very committed and I think that the size makes this a very comfortable place. My wife was a long-term sub at large schools like Laurel Ridge and really did not like it.

Fox Mill Estates Parent Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Mission Completed. My son should not be
> redistricted.
>
> I just left South Lakes High School about an hour
> ago after submitting my son's High School
> Curricular Program Student Transfer Application to
> Principla Butler himself. He shook my hand. I
> thanked him for seeing me.
>
> Thank You for creating this thread. One extreemly
> satisfied reader. I would never have known about
> the High School Curricular Program Student
> Transfer Application without looking here.
>
> I will write more detail about my experience and
> what I learned latter as I have an appointment to
> keep.
>
> Thank You Again


I can think of only one problem with this FMEP, you're not in a South Lakes district yet so the transfer application is meaningless. I suppose it can't hurt to be proactive though, good luck.

Hey all, "Fox Mill Estates Parent " might be on to something. If ALL the parents in the redistricted area fill in these forms before the public hearing, then it will be clear to the SB that they will get NO NEW students from this crazy extortion attempt. Maybe they might give up then...

Thank you for all your well wishes. I will tell you what happened.

First, I went to Oakton High School and spoke to a Guidance Department Staff person. I told the staff person upfront why I was there and why I was requesting the form.I told her that my son was taking AP History at Oakton and I wanted to transfer to Oakton on that basis as my son might be sent to South Lakes.

The kind lady gave me the High School Curricular Program Student Transfer Application. She told me to fill it out and write South Lakes as my "base school" and Oakton the school for transfer -even though my son has not been sent there by the School Board. She then looked on her computer at my son's information and noted that he was taking ADVANCED JAPANESE at Oakton. For some reason she thought this was important as she became animated about the Japanese.

[So I would say that parents of rising 8th graders in Carson whose children are taking the advanced Japanese program have a very real way to pupil place into Oakton as freshmen without taking AP.]

I was told by guidance staff person to check the AP box and write "Advanced Japanese" next to the AP box. The guidance person made a copy of my son's academic courses and told me to take that paper with me.

I was also told that since the forms where being accepted as early as January 1 that technically I could submit the form. I filled out the form, high lighted the AP History Course and the Advanced Japanese Course, stappled the course schedule to application, and went to South Lakes High School.

At South Lakes High School I met the school receptionist in a very modern looking office --the office furniture is of a very modernistic style. Quite impressive.

I explained my situation to the receptionist who took the form and said that perhaps I should speak with the school principal. The school principal came out right away to great me. He looked at the form and said that though I was a bit early as the final ruling by the SB had not been made final, he would keep the form and process it should it be necessary.

The principal remarked that "
[Other posters here have remarked about the grandfathering of high school students. Mr. Butler was under the same impression. So that is good news for parents who want their children to stay with the high school they are attending.]

As one poster here has pointed out it was odd that I should be requesting a transfer from a school my son has yet to be sent to. But the form will not mean anything if my son is never sent there in the first place because both Principals have to sign this form and there is no reason for the Base School Principal to sign the from if my son doesn't get sent there. The principal understood my position, which was quite gracious of him really, and remarked "the early bird catches the worm."

So everything maybe for naught if the children are grandfathered in, which could change depending on the School Board's final decision --Principal Butler made reference to this. But I would not have known what I know now and be confident that my son will stay in Oakton by taking a little insurance regardless of the outcome. It was because of this thread that I was able to take action. So thanks again and I hope this helps.

Addendum: Sorry for the chopped sentence: "The principal remarked that ".

I should repeat two things:

1. The Advanced Japanese Program seemed important to the Guidance Staff Person at Oakton so anyone who is in that program should use it if they want to pupil place. Oakton has the whole shebang so-to-speak on this front.

2. The AP choice was used when I submitted my form. There was no confussion on the part of the staff person at Oakton or the Principal at South Lakes.

3. I brought my son's transcript with me and attached it to the application --high lighting the courses germane to the request.

One other point, my wife was so worried that the application might get lost in the works that she asked that whom ever receives the application should sign to that affect.

I made a second copy of the application and the transcript and stappled them togeather and wrote "Received by" and "Date" at the bottom of the application copy.

We got those signed. My wife was worried that a loose bananna peel from "a" cheeky monkey might undo the transfer.

[I couldn't help but stick that last line in there in good natured jest.]

Oh, and being nice really helped allot.

Good Luck to All of You

It is nice being a hero to your child when his or her world looks as if it is all comming undone.

You heard it here first from Fox Mill Estates Parent. I am going to OHS tomorrow to fill out forms for my kids. Can't see any downside to getting them over to SL asap. I'ts gotta be done by April and that give you what, two weeks?, once this thing is final. I don't want to wait and after reading this forum there is no way I'm risking losing out on this redistricting. And there's no way it's not going to happen and just the way it was posted before the SB revealed it on SLPTSA. OHS is just too good of a school to not try to stay. That's what it comes down to. It's worth it academically and especially if you really care about accelerated math/science/tech.

Calling all parents and other community members:

If you are frustrated by the fighting and incivility the school boundary study has fostered, please look at the "A New Start" thread.

This thread was established to facilitate a candid, open-minded discussion of the needs of all West County schools and their communities.

The goal is to build (and rebuild) bridges between neighborhoods and gain a thorough understanding of everyone's needs and interests.

The intended result is a plan which truly reflects the needs and interests of all.

If this interests you, please visit the "A New Start" thread and read the first message before posting.

I look forward to "seeing" you there.

If you want to pupil place your child based upon curriculum, your "base school" must not offer that curriculum, and you have to designate (choose) the closest school to you geographically that does offer the curriculum. AP vs. IB is probably the main reason for the requests.

Provided that you request a curriculum that your base school does not offer, the Prinicipal at the base school has no discretion to deny the request, he/she must sign off on it. It is the requested school that may cause problems. That Principal has the discretion to say, "my school is over capacity, I am not required to approve this placement". Hopefully this will not happen to you, it did to me when I tried to place my child in a school (the nearest geographically) that offerred AP.

I was figuring that the students whose base school is not yet South Lakes might be caught in limbo, in that the South Lakes Principal is probably not within his authority to sign off on curriculum-based pupil placements for those 8th graders yet. Maybe something has been worked out.

And,to answer the posts going back and forth about the number of pupil placements, the average is probably in the neighborhood of 40-50 per High School per year, but not all are based on curriculum offerred. (this includes renewals, I believe, if so, it is probably 10-15 students per class per year--you did know that you have to reapply every year, didn't you? :) )

Gee maybe someone better make an announcement that anyone who attends or works at OHS should plan to arrive very early tomorrow. The parking lot will be packed!!!!! Why would a kid want to take Japanese? Did you even check with your kid?

To Cheeky Monkey, I know all about Fairfax Villa. I live a few yards from the school. My child attended Catholic school but I agree that it is a very good school. I retired the same year as Jeff Clark and his wife. yes, he was an excellent administrator from what I hear. I probably know your wife too. Sometimes I drop stuff off there to be sent in the pony.

Trickie

Fox Mill Estate Parent Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Addendum: Sorry for the chopped sentence: "The
> principal remarked that ".
>
> I should repeat two things:
>
> 1. The Advanced Japanese Program seemed important
> to the Guidance Staff Person at Oakton so anyone
> who is in that program should use it if they want
> to pupil place. Oakton has the whole shebang
> so-to-speak on this front.

I've got two kids in the JI program at Fox Mill. Is the Advanced Japanese program at Oakton a natural extension of the ES JI program, sans actual imersion, and is it a sufficient reason alone to pupil-place into Oakton based on your conversations w/both schools (ie- no AP also, just Adv.Japanese)?

Who knows what the deal will be by the time my kids are HS age, just wondering about the current situation. Thanks.

Read the Regulation!!!--or at least r Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hopefully this will not happen to
> you, it did to me when I tried to place my child
> in a school (the nearest geographically) that
> offerred AP.

I think that this is what happened to parents in the Crosspointe area who did not want their kids to attend Hayfield (prior to South County) and used IB at Robinson as the rationale for pupil placement since it was geographically closer. Unfortunately, Hayfield is an IB school and their request was denied. Some then tried to attend Lake Braddock for AP, but Hayfield also offers AP courses (although maybe not as many as LB, but that is not the point).

I understand that South Lakes is going to have Advanced Japanese.

SLVerity Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I understand that South Lakes is going to have
> Advanced Japanese.

NOT before April 15th, which is the deadline for curriculum-based pupil placements. So people, hurry and get em turned in now.

FME Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> SLVerity Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I understand that South Lakes is going to have
> > Advanced Japanese.
>
> NOT before April 15th, which is the deadline for
> curriculum-based pupil placements. So people,
> hurry and get em turned in now.


This is what I am trying to understand here, to turn in the pupil placement transfers in to the "base" school even though the boundary plan has not been finalized yet? Yesterday I talked to the Oakton principal and he advised to wait til the SB decides and then submit the pupil placement transfer from the "base" school to the desired school district. The schools start their pupil placement process in April after the deadline. Hmmm, I will do that anyway and make extra copies of the forms just in case somebody missed or misplaced my form at the "base" school.

I have read some of the posts that follow mine, and I can see that I need to repeat some things for the unhappy posters on this thread.

1. I just picked the school I want to send my son to. I wrote in "Oakton High School." I DID IT. Please do not go on about "regulations." I JUST DID IT.


2. Principal Butler of South Lakes did not tell me that South Lakes has an Advanced Japanese Program. He looked squarley at my form. I repeat that NO ONE said to me at South Lakes that they have an Advanced Japanese Program.

[Remember the telemarketers that used to call your house to sell you things before you put your telephone number on the "Do Not Call List." Now look at some of the behavior of some of the posters on this and other threads. What are some of them really?]

The above two points reminds of the question:

Why would anyone want to force another person's child into a school against that person's wishes? Especially when evidence suggests that choice produces the very best learning experience for one's child. Again I offer the Economist as a reference.

http://www.economist.com/world/international/displaystory.cfm?story_id=9119786


Again I want to thank all of you that gave me advice on this thread. You helped my son. You helped my wife and me.

OurKidsGoWhereWeWAnt way to go! Thank you.

And yes, it is nice to be a reall hero to you child when the the chips are down. Thank you for helping me do that for my son.

Fox Mill Estates Parent Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> And yes, it is nice to be a reall hero to you
> child when the the chips are down. Thank you for
> helping me do that for my son.


I am glad it worked out for you, but can I ask you something? Did Principal Butler formally sign the form and approved it even though the boundary study has not been finalized? I just want to make sure before I go see Butler with my form and extra copies of the form. Thanks.

Baffled,

Principal Butler did not sign the transfer form infront of me. He said he would keep the form and send it along [with his signature of course] to Oakton [I presume because the form requires signature from the principal of Oakton High School.] Principal Butler was a very nice man and friendly. The receptionist was nice as well.

[In my case, I explained to them that my wife was from another country where forms regularly get lost and that she was concerned that someone acknowledge having receivied the form --which is all true. The receptionist was nice about that saying you should see her desk sometimes --in terms of the forms issue.]

Just be honest. Go to your guidance department and get their advice. Do what they tell you to do. It should work out.

In my wife's case she is very concerned about people acknowledging they receive papers --I probably would not have been that cautious. But I did this anyway to make my wife feel at ease.


I hope this helps.

How come Oakton and Chantilly HS are not offering some of the advanced classes that South Lakes is offering?

Shouldn't all schools be offering the same classes? Seems like somebody is favoring South Lakes?

Before everyone goes rushing out to fill out and submit transfer forms you might want to review this document linked below, presumably they'll update it for 2008/9 after redistricting:

http://www.fcps.edu/ss/student-transfer/infofiles/Schoolsclosed.pdf#xml=http://search.fcps.edu/cgi-bin/texis.cgi/webinator/search/xml.txt?query=school+capacity&pr=public&prox=sentence&rorder=750&rprox=750&rdfreq=500&rwfreq=500&rlead=500&sufs=1&order=r&cq=&id=4760d46e6e

To repeat a some information:

1. Curricular-based pupil-placement forms would be submitted to your "future" home school for the 2008-2009 school year. By April 15th. That means that you would get the form and fill it out and deliver it to Bruce Butler at South Lakes High School. Please take Fox Mill Parents advice and work with your current counselor (that would be an 8th grade counselor for rising 9th graders) to determine what courses you will put on the form. Fill in the high school of your choice as to where you want your child to go.

2. As another Fox Mill parent points out, Westfield and Chantilly are full for the current school year and could be for next year as well. Chantilly has a number of Academy class offerings like Girls in Engineering, Robotics, Computer-related classes, Cosmetology, Culinary Skills, and Animal Science to name a few. Students from other high schools pupil-place into Chantilly Academy classes each year so I would imagine that it would be an option for the Navy parents who want to stay.

3. As I read it, there could be a single grade (such as 9th) that could be underenrolled and therefore your pupil-placement application can be approved even at a high school that is over capacity like Chantilly and/or Westfield.

4. Even if all rising 9th-graders from Navy go to Oakton they are still projected to be under-enrolled for the freshman class for the 2008-2009 year so that's good news for parents of rising 9th-grade children trying to place at Oakton. I have since heard from two parents (one Chantilly and one South Lakes) who successfully pupil-placed into Oakton for this current school year citing the American Sign Language program as their reason for the transfer.

OurKidsGoWhereWeWant Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> To repeat a some information:
> 2. As another Fox Mill parent points out,
> Westfield and Chantilly are full for the current
> school year and could be for next year as well.
> Chantilly has a number of Academy class offerings
> like Girls in Engineering, Robotics,
> Computer-related classes, Cosmetology, Culinary
> Skills, and Animal Science to name a few.
> Students from other high schools pupil-place into
> Chantilly Academy classes each year so I would
> imagine that it would be an option for the Navy
> parents who want to stay.

I don't know if you can pupil-place for Academy classes since they are sort of a "school within a school" and may not be counted in the overall enrollment figures. The academies draw from all over the county and they are partial-day programs. We have a friend in the drama program at Fairfax Academy who wanted to transfer from Robinson in order to avoid the travel and it was denied.

Also, there may be a separate application/registration process for the academies.

>
> 3. As I read it, there could be a single grade
> (such as 9th) that could be underenrolled and
> therefore your pupil-placement application can be
> approved even at a high school that is over
> capacity like Chantilly and/or Westfield.
>
I think that a school is either above or below capacity, a binary state, and not viewed per grade level. If not, I don't understand the need to reapply each year since I doubt that there are large enrollment swings within a class year.

Arlington County police have arrested and charged a Fairfax County Public Schools teacher and coach with attempting to solicit a minor for sex over the Internet.

Matthew Edward McGuire, 29, of Alexandria has been charged with attempted indecent liberties with a minor and use of a computer to solicit sex with a minor.

McGuire is a teacher and coach at Chantilly High School.

Arlington police say they began investigating McGuire several months ago, when he allegedly made contact over the Internet with someone he believed to be a juvenile. The person was actually an Arlington detective assigned to the regional Internet Crimes Against Children task force. Investigators say McGuire engaged in sexually explicit communications with the detective.

Detectives are investigating whether he had had any alleged inappropriate contact with other children.

SapphicHokieMom Wrote:

> I think that a school is either above or below
> capacity, a binary state, and not viewed per grade
> level. If not, I don't understand the need to
> reapply each year since I doubt that there are
> large enrollment swings within a class year.

The need to reapply each year emanates from a supposed review that the student continues to qualify for the program that he/she placed in for at the outset.

The "binary state", while logical, is pretty much a joke for some schools. The Principal of the requested school can approve a placement to his school, even if his school is over capacity. The regulation leaves this totally to the Principal's discretion. For those of you who have had children attend Oakton HS, did you know that there is a school pretty close to you whose baseball team has probably a higher than average percentage of pupil-placed students? The school is over capacity, yet the Prinicpal has approved a number of incoming pupil placements anyway.

Fox Mill Estates Parent Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Baffled,
>
> Principal Butler did not sign the transfer form
> infront of me. He said he would keep the form and
> send it along to Oakton Principal Butler was a
> very nice man and friendly. The receptionist was
> nice as well.
>
>
>
> Just be honest. Go to your guidance department
> and get their advice. Do what they tell you to
> do. It should work out.
>
> In my wife's case she is very concerned about
> people acknowledging they receive papers --I
> probably would not have been that cautious. But I
> did this anyway to make my wife feel at ease.
>
>
> I hope this helps.

Please do NOT trust your local guidance office. They know little about other schools and their course offerings. Some guidance counselors are very good, others know little about county rules.

Some schools think they can make up their own rules. So, please, know your rights before you ask for anything in the school system. Do NOT rely on school officials for information, many just do not know, and others are not above being less than honest, and making up their own rules. Do your homework and go in with evidence of the rules and your compliance with them.

Fairfax School Board to Discuss Boundaries
January 10, 2008 - 10:51am

FAIRFAX, Va. (AP) - Fairfax County school officials are considering a proposal that would affect high school attendance boundaries in the western part of the county.
Under the plan, South Lakes would gain hundreds of students bound for Westfield, Madison and Oakton high schools. In addition, some students bound for Chantilly High School would be rerouted to Oakton.

The plan will be discussed Thursday night at a school board meeting. The new boundaries would take effect this fall and would not affect current high school students.

South Lakes is operating far below capacity and serves more low-income and minority families than the other schools.

Some parents have voiced concerns about the proposal, saying they are reluctant to send their children to South Lakes because it has lower test scores than neighboring schools.

Information from: The Washington Post

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

FAIRFAX, Va. (AP) - Fairfax County school officials are considering a proposal that would affect high school attendance boundaries in the western part of the county.
Under the plan, South Lakes would gain hundreds of students bound for Westfield, Madison and Oakton high schools. In addition, some students bound for Chantilly High School would be rerouted to Oakton.

The plan will be discussed Thursday night at a school board meeting. The new boundaries would take effect this fall and would not affect current high school students.

South Lakes is operating far below capacity and serves more low-income and minority families than the other schools.

Some parents have voiced concerns about the proposal, saying they are reluctant to send their children to South Lakes because it has lower test scores than neighboring schools.

First of all, let me voice my best wishes to all of the children, parents and administrators at Chantilly High School. This is a difficult situation and one of the nightmares we as parents have for any child, not just our own. I would ask that out of common decency that no one laugh or make light of the recent events at Chantilly in this thread. Thank you.


A point has been made here that we should really look at the course offerings between your "future" base school and your school of choice and make sure that the classes/curriculum you indicate on the form is accurate and the best choice/s for a successful pupil-placement.

Also, it would seem that folks out there have knowledge of certain students with athletic abilities have successfully pupil-placed. It's up to the principal signing the form.

This is for OurKidsGoWhereWeWant...

How did you like Flint Hill School? Is it worth the money. We are currently at Oakton Elementary and are probably going to switch next year.

Thought I would bump this thread...looks like it will be needed.

School board just voted to lock in to 5 years of IB. There you go folks, there's your pupil-placement reason handed to you on a platter.

Please get the word out that you only have until April 15th to pupil-place. Another sneaky move on behalf of our crappy school board to try to pull this on us with very little time to react.

So for anyone filling out the pupil placement forms- or anyone else- now is a great time to step up and fight for FCPS to not build the NEW South County Middle School. Last year Bradsher, Dave Albo, Tom Davis,Jerry Hyland had Bradsher's area removed complete from a boundary process. There was an amendment on them finding the money for the school and that got changed in the January 2008 CIP vote.

So get it off the CIP or we all will be paying for that.