Fairfax County General :
Fairfax Underground
Welcome to Fairfax Underground, a project site designed to improve communication among residents of Fairfax County, VA. Feel free to post anything Northern Virginia residents would find interesting.
A new middle school is being built in Lorton and they are scheduled to open it this fall. The district held a community meeting to vote on a name a couple of weeks ago. Votes were limited to one vote per household.
The highest votes went to naming it "Harold J Wilson Middle School". Point were:
161 - Harold J Wilson Middle School
118 - South County Middle School
18 - George Malcolm Middle School
18 - Nike Middle School
17 - Dr Theodore Seuss Geisel Middle School
Well, they decided they were going to take the top 4 names to the school board to decide - and part of the "they" is Mr. Storck - the ELECTED school board rep.
The school board met and one of the agenda items was to vote on this. Mr Storck decided to take democracy in his own hands and told the board that he was "going to take this back to the community". He plans on using SURVEY MONKEY of all things to solicit feedback.
I don't know how survey monkey can be used properly for this since there is no way to limit or validate the person taking the survey. When they had the community vote people had to show a valid proof of ID!
I think Mr Storck is just delaying the naming of the school because he has people in his ear trying to get the school named South County....but the community voted for Harold Wilson....
ffxtaxpayer Wrote:
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> A new middle school is being built in Lorton and
> they are scheduled to open it this fall. The
> district held a community meeting to vote on a
> name a couple of weeks ago. Votes were limited to
> one vote per household.
>
> The highest votes went to naming it "Harold J
> Wilson Middle School". Point were:
> 161 - Harold J Wilson Middle School
> 118 - South County Middle School
> 18 - George Malcolm Middle School
> 18 - Nike Middle School
> 17 - Dr Theodore Seuss Geisel Middle School
>
> Well, they decided they were going to take the top
> 4 names to the school board to decide - and part
> of the "they" is Mr. Storck - the ELECTED school
> board rep.
>
> The school board met and one of the agenda items
> was to vote on this. Mr Storck decided to take
> democracy in his own hands and told the board that
> he was "going to take this back to the community".
> He plans on using SURVEY MONKEY of all things to
> solicit feedback.
>
> I don't know how survey monkey can be used
> properly for this since there is no way to limit
> or validate the person taking the survey. When
> they had the community vote people had to show a
> valid proof of ID!
>
> I think Mr Storck is just delaying the naming of
> the school because he has people in his ear trying
> to get the school named South County....but the
> community voted for Harold Wilson....
>
> thoughts?
Wilson Middle School
-------------------------------------------------------
> A new middle school is being built in Lorton and
> they are scheduled to open it this fall. The
> district held a community meeting to vote on a
> name a couple of weeks ago. Votes were limited to
> one vote per household.
>
> The highest votes went to naming it "Harold J
> Wilson Middle School". Point were:
> 161 - Harold J Wilson Middle School
> 118 - South County Middle School
> 18 - George Malcolm Middle School
> 18 - Nike Middle School
> 17 - Dr Theodore Seuss Geisel Middle School
>
> Well, they decided they were going to take the top
> 4 names to the school board to decide - and part
> of the "they" is Mr. Storck - the ELECTED school
> board rep.
>
> The school board met and one of the agenda items
> was to vote on this. Mr Storck decided to take
> democracy in his own hands and told the board that
> he was "going to take this back to the community".
> He plans on using SURVEY MONKEY of all things to
> solicit feedback.
>
> I don't know how survey monkey can be used
> properly for this since there is no way to limit
> or validate the person taking the survey. When
> they had the community vote people had to show a
> valid proof of ID!
>
> I think Mr Storck is just delaying the naming of
> the school because he has people in his ear trying
> to get the school named South County....but the
> community voted for Harold Wilson....
>
> thoughts?
Nike was not a joke. I went to the community meeting and someone actually stood up and defended the name.... Nike - the shoe, the god, the missile - haha
White Beard Man Wrote:
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> Is that Tessie's dad?
>
> I'd love to see his portrait in the school lobby.
Dude looks like a cross between Ernest Hemingway and Fidel Castro.
ffxtaxpayer Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I just don't see how Storck can single-handedly
> decide that what the community voted on doesn't
> count and then take matters in his own hands.
REally? You don't see how they can do that? They do it ALL THE TIME!! What the community wants doesn't mean squat to the school board. They do whatever the hell they want to do and there's not a damn thing you can do about it. Get used to it.
ffxtaxpayer Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I just don't see how Storck can single-handedly
> decide that what the community voted on doesn't
> count and then take matters in his own hands.
Attachments:
Let's get some facts straight here...
1. Nike Middle School was suggested as the school is being built on the site of the former National Nike Missile Site. In addition, there will be a some type of memorial/exhibit inside the school to the Cold War/the Nike Missile site. I will concede that some folks (and probably mostly young adults) like that name because of the shoe.
2. The students and staff very much think of themselves as part of the South County Secondary School family, that's why many of them want to remain "South County Middle School." This school is unique among secondary schools in FCPS. It is a secondary school where the middle and high school staff work closely together. You do not find this at Hayfield, Lake Braddock or Robinson. At those schools the middle school and high school teachers often don't even know each other. The relationship between these teachers is conducive to student success.
3. I was at the community naming meeting. Harold Wilson sounds like he was a wonderful person, and committed member of the Lorton Community. However, Wilson Middle School has no meaning to the students who are rising 7th graders (current 6th graders), or rising 8th graders (current 7th graders). They associate with South County Middle School - for the last few years as this building has gone up - that's the name they used as they talked about their future home.
4. The folks behind Harold Wilson are very organized. I think that a lot of the parents and students felt like South County Middle School was a done deal - and therefore did not show up. This community naming meeting was not well attended, very unlike the naming meeting for South County Secondary in the Winter of 2005. That is too bad. However, Mr. Storck has received several letters and petitions asking for a additional community input and that is probably why he is asking for the vote to be postponed.
I personally think it should be either South County Middle or Nike Middle (which the students have voted on and chosen).
What happened to naming FCPS Middle Schools after poets or authors?
And in regards to Nike - even if they intend it to be associated w/ the missile site and not the shoe company, everyone is going to do the latter, like it or not. Just seems silly to me.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/04/2012 06:41AM by snowdenscold.
So complacency means that you can have a do-over? If there were an election and you didn't get your way, would you whine that you want to have another vote?
as far as the students that will go there - they'll be out in a year or two...
my suggestion Wrote:
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> Gerry Connolly middle school. It will come in
> three times over budget. All meals will be free.
> 2. The students and staff very much think of
> themselves as part of the South County Secondary
> School family, that's why many of them want to
> remain "South County Middle School." This school
> is unique among secondary schools in FCPS. It is
> a secondary school where the middle and high
> school staff work closely together. You do not
> find this at Hayfield, Lake Braddock or Robinson.
> At those schools the middle school and high school
> teachers often don't even know each other. The
> relationship between these teachers is conducive
> to student success.
> 3. I was at the community naming meeting. Harold
> Wilson sounds like he was a wonderful person, and
> committed member of the Lorton Community.
> However, Wilson Middle School has no meaning to
> the students who are rising 7th graders (current
> 6th graders), or rising 8th graders (current 7th
> graders). They associate with South County Middle
> School - for the last few years as this building
> has gone up - that's the name they used as they
> talked about their future home.
Better watch out, calling your school "unique" or "special" will only get you criticized for wanting your own "private" school. Calling a school your "future home"? oh man, now you're really asking for it. It's just a building, you know. Get over it.
Name it Bradsher's $50 million baby. May as well call it what it is.
Re: Naming new middle school HAROLD WILSON SOUNDS GOOD
Posted by:
PAT ALGER
()
Date: March 08, 2012 03:20PM
marsandmen Wrote:
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> Here's the survey - vote for Harold Wilson!
>
> https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/CJQQGTT
South county sux. Besides students shouldn't have the final say. They need to learn that just because you want something doesnt mean you will get it. If an election was held and people couldn't or didn't show up the entire process doesn't stop for you... These are probably the same parents who complain to teachers for their kids to take a test over if they didn't do well the first time. All that is teaching kids today is entitlement and not deserved.
The school should be named South County Middle School per the community's wishes and that of the students.
The Harold Wilson name that certain people voted for was no great literary poet of any great fame or fortune. Funny how history can be rewritten by a few people with an issue to make. Harold Wilson is also the name of a former Prime Minister of England. The name itself means little to the thousands who who live in the South County area and the hundreds of parents who worked to advocate for the Middle School.
Shame on Mr. Storck for trying to coerce a name that is not wanted by the majority of area residents after the survey and many civic meetings. He talks the need for community input, and then gives double talk.
If you want to look at history wasn't Dan Storck the driving force that overcrowded the school in the first place?
@ SCMS - You are partially correct on Wilson, Harold Wilson was also the Poet Laureate of Lorton in 2000 (a title bestowed on him by Gerry Connelly during his term as Supervisor) and has published books.
You are also 100% correct on Storck's double talk - even though I sit on the other side of the matter regarding this naming issue.
I don't think it is the community wishes based on the sanctioned vote that took place at the SCSS meeting. I agree with Seeme and marchmadness - losing does not mean you can have a do over.
The naming meeting was staged by a few people who live in an area known as Lorfax Heights. The people from that area that attended the meeting have never been seen before but at that meeting, did not have children in school, never before contributed to civic issues. I met one person who voted for Wilson and he told me he lived in PW County and said that he was told to attend by a friend in that neighborhood. He gave a false address.
So was that meeting rigged by Wilson's family and friends of this nondiscript Mt. Wilson?
I will say Nike is not a bad name if there is a great community wish for the name due to the history of the area, which is little. But again the community is strong for SCMS and the SC Federation and other civic associations have supported the SCMS name so why is Mr. Storck trying to dictate his own outcome? And why is that OK?
I hate to disagree with you and I personally take offense at your remark - I do not live in Lorfax and I DO have children that will go to that school. Before you make remarks like that you really ought to be careful about who you polarize.
These #s by ffxtaypayer reporting on votes at the community meeting are incorrect:
161 - Harold J Wilson Middle School
118 - South County Middle School
18 - George Malcolm Middle School
18 - Nike Middle School
17 - Dr Theodore Seuss Geisel Middle School
There were not even that many people in the auditorium!
Were you there? The points were weighted - 3 points for 1st choice, 2 points for 2nd choice, and 1 point for 3rd choice....I am correct and it is in public record.
Take offense all you want, you didn't state the weighting in your opening comment. I was looking at pure votes.
I have kids in the schools too in this area and just googled your name, you sure like to spout your rancor in the Underground and you sure seem to think you know it all.
Do you have a job because all you do it appears is post?