Due to overcrowding at South County Secondary School, school boundaries for Hayfield Secondary, Lake Braddock Secondary and South County Secondary Schools are once more in question. All affected communities are invited to two important town meetings -- one is this evening, Tuesday, October 10, and the next is on Wednesday, November 1, at 7:30 p.m., both at South County Secondary School's auditorium.
What’s happening to change it?
The Fairfax County School Board is reviewing at least two possible boundary scenarios: making a traditional boundary adjustment based on geography; or eliminating the middle school from South County Secondary and dividing the middle school population (projected at more than 1,000 students) between Hayfield Secondary and Lake Braddock Secondary Schools based on available seats at each school.
What are the desired outcomes?
- Hayfield Secondary School (HSS) should remain under capacity if boundaries are redrawn to allow for future growth. HSS was well over capacity for well over a decade!
- HSS should remain a balanced, diverse and desirable community school, with only elementary schools in the immediately surrounding neighborhoods feeding the school.
- Students should stay at HSS for all six years of middle and high school. Hayfield and Lake Braddock are secondary schools with carefully planned and separate spaces for middle school and high school populations. A large middle school population and a smaller high school population would be detrimental to the educational quality on both sides of the building.
- Transportation routes and bus ride time MUST be considered during the boundary-setting process.
- The school board MUST consider consequences from DoD’s Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process –– with a potential influx of 20,000 workers at Fort Belvoir over the next four years.
What about these town meetings?
Please plan to attend this evening's (Tuesday, October 10) meeting, and be sure to mark your calendar for the follow-up meeting on Wednesday, November 1. Each meeting begins at 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium of South County Secondary School, located at 8501 Silverbrook Rd., Lorton, VA 22079. The meetings will feature group discussions and breakout sessions so the school board can gather data and info from the affected communities. As parents, residents and voters, you are strongly encouraged to attend and prove to the school board that you have a vested interest in the educational needs of your children and the welfare of your community. That’s why it’s important to be there!
2,729 comments:
«Oldest ‹Older 1601 – 1800 of 2729 Newer› Newest»The index is an indicator none the less and you are wrong about the area west of I-95 that went to Hayfield. In 1974 this area along Hooes RD wore orange and blue but they were WSHS Spartans, not Hawks. Ask an old Spartan, they know. The boundary was changed because Hayfield needed kids and WSHS and Lee were full. So they took those with less of a voice and bussed.
Crosspointe and Barrington weren't even a glimmer in a developor's eye in 1974. Nobody cares about Newington Forest. Support Option 2B.
"The index is an indicator nonetheless. . . . "
The Challenge Index placement for Hayfield is flawed because of the drastic reduction in the number of students attending this school. The very simple formula of the Challenge Index (number of AP tests given divided by number of graduates) presupposes a consistent number of students year to year. When a school's population is reduced by 40 percent, it skews the numbers.
You could add all AP tests given at Hayfield AND South County in 2006 and divide by the number of Hayfield 2006 grads (all of South County's seniors attended Hayfield in 2006), and get a Challenge Index number that could have been shared by Hayfield and South County.
What was Hayfield's number last year?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/custom/2005/12/14/CU2005121401454.html
Last year Lake Braddock was ranked 18 and Hayfield was ranked 42.
H fell apart without Silverbrook.
SC doesn't need to be another H.
Tell the SB to vote for 2A.
LBSS went up by 4 Hayfield's Challenge Index dropped down by 10. Considerable drop, don't really think it is about the size of a class just about AP and IB and passing the test.
LB, H and SC are all AP schools. LB can afford to take a poorer community like Newington Forest and still not be harmed in the rankings.
Support Option 2A.
The Challenge Indexes and Equity scores were all fine including Hayfield. What I want to know is the real cost of IB since the number of diploma candidates are low per school and therefore the number of kids in the higher level classes are low. Each kid taking an exam has a subscription fee and a test fee for each course. There is mandatory training and FCPS internal audit did a report on out of country travel where FCPS officials falsified expense reports.
I want no more public private partnerships with major financial impacts or impacts that negatively impact our infrastructure and quality of life. SCSS started a trend in Fairfax that must be stopped. The Board of Supervisors has gone crazy with development and some want a bigger piece of the PR pie. Clark Construction with it's massive ties to politicians thanks to Bradsher and Co has come up with a really sleazy deal where it builds over 150 townhouses and apts on a park and ride lot with no planned metro access. The county wants to give them the land -- this is the result of public private partnerships run amuck.
http://www.timescommunity.com/site/tab5.cfm?newsid=17583220&BRD=2553&PAG=461&dept_id=565197&rfi=6
Couldn't Lake Braddock at least start taking take rising 7th graders from Option 2A/B? Or maybe start with rising 7th grades in the 08-09 Academic year? Is that not too much to ask?
Hayfield can take 7-8-9 from Option #2, but Option #3 is just too many kids too fast.
Of course LB can take grade 7 next year even more easily than they can take 7 and 9. Keep up those letters to the School Board and F&P.
Minimizing split feeders from elementary schools is a worthy goal, but a split elementary school is not that bad. It works fine for Gunston and I suspect it will be ok for Silverbrook too.
It would not work for Middle Schools inside of a Secondary School. That has been proven to be a disaster over and over again. Option #1 should be off the table.
The delay in making a decision Option #3 is not necessary. F&P could simply delay how fast the boundary is implemented and accomplish the same thing. If they must delay, use the Option #2 boundaries and send 7-8-9 to Hayfield. #3 is too many kids sets us up to have bigger problems when the LHES boundary study is complete.
You can't just do Option 2 boundaries with Hayfield and no Lake Braddock. Even with Option 3, SC would be drastically OC. Lake Braddock must be used by redistricting Newington Forest out of SC.
Is the overcrowding at SCSS really that big of a deal? So what if they remain overcrowded for a couple of more years? Return some kids to Hayfield now and send some to Lake Braddock in the future.
I think it should all be done at once. Y'all know full well that once the neighborhoods are sent back to Hayfield, the powers that be will never let us back into SC, middle school or not. And they will kick and scream as they are doing now about going to Lake Braddock.
I think we might need to give 12/14/2006 8:21 PM the "BS" title. Thoughts? Mixing truth and fiction makes for logical falacy.
8:16 you got it all wrong.
SC needed SCSS, Hayfield would be extremely over capacity with no relief until 2009. The School Board politicians made the boundary they should be questioned. The construction of SCSS should not be questioned.
The "partnership" did not impact your taxes, infact it moved other projects up on the CIP queue. The School Board simply made a poor decision. It goes back to your elected officials.
I agree, What is the big deal. Let's wait sending kids to Lake Braddock. Send only what Hayfield can handle and then they are done! The kids will be happy at Hayfield and they won't have to go through another boundary study!
9:36 I agree that once Lorton Station and Mason Neck returns to Hayfield they will never be allowed back to SCSS as Option #3 suggests.
There will be another attempt to push out those kids east of I-95 that stay at SCSS and possibly trade for those on the west side.
Again with the Silverbrook lies! SCSS delayed CIP projects for YEARS.
www.griendling.com/images/Post-cover_story.doc
9:45 I think that if they use the #2 boundaries for SC to Hayfield the students/parents will be happy and not want to return to SCSS. They remember the old overcrowded, underconstruction, broken down trailer Hayfield. Once they return they will be happy.
The #3 boundaries send too many and risk returning the trailers to Hayfield. In that case the parents and students will ask the legitimate question of "Why am I going several miles for a trailer when I could use the trailer near by?"
9:49 SCSS should have been earlier in the CIP than it was. SCSS was years too late. If the community did not step in HF would still be way overcrowded! CIP projects should have been delayed for SCSS. They would have been delayed even more had the community not helped front some of the costs.
The same goes for the Middle
School. The Board should make it a top priority and pay for it, but other areas will scream too loud. Once again, the SC community will bail them out and do the right thing and pay for it themselves. Some would even have us pay the operating costs.
Well, if everyone wants to stay at SCSS, they need to get the middle school built. If LS,MN,SB&NF would work together, I bet they could get it done!
There is no need for a middle school in Lorton at the current time. By using Option 2A, enough kids are moved into Lake Braddock and Hayfield so that SC numbers are manageable. 2B doesn't move enough kids to Braddock and it creates a split feeder.
I think they will get it done. I think that it is almost a done deal. The new School board will have little choice when they take over. Those who are angry about it will have forgotten in six years. Those working on the MS from LS and MN will probably get screwed in the deal after working so hard.
I sincerely hope that property taxes will be assessed at a higher rate of all residents within the South County boundaries if a MS is built before the original CIP date. Once again Selfish Silverbrook can't wait their turn....
The SC community already pays its share (or perhaps more) of taxes and deserves a "turn" now. The CIP has been unfair to the SC community. It is the other areas that are selfish.
let's not pretend that the SC community and the Selfish Silverbrookers have the same end goals.
Selfish??? You are really bitter aren't you. Perhaps Santa will get you a self-help book. Then again perhaps you are not even on his list :(
About that gingerbread recipe anyone have one??
I think selfish is a bit harsh. However, if there was truly a South County community, there would be no ocmments in the paper saying that Option 3 is best.
The end goal is for Silverbrook, Laurel Hills, Newington Forest, and Halley to all feed to a new Middle School and a High School (currently SCSS). The area would draw from the west side of I-95 only. All Lorton Station ES and Gunston would go to Hayfield. The best way to get to that right now is Option #3. It fixes most of the eastern boundary problems and allows the rest of it (Hagel) to be fixed when we do the LHES study.
The new MS will eliminate the need for a boundary move to LB.
I think there are more problems with the northwest boundaries than with the eastern boundaries. My kids are at Halley and SC. According to the F&P options we aren't going to be redistricted. I am a bit tired of my Crosspointe neighbors on the north side of Silverbrook Rd. proclaiming the right to attend SC. All they are doing is causing turmoil at the school and making our area look bad to the rest of the county. There is no benefit to having an overcrowded secondary until a middle school is built (4 years min. according to F&P). Use the space at LB and H.
How about if declare alot more kids from SCSS as "GT" and have them go to LB for Middle School.
Hayfield needs students. It seems the bloggers feel Silverbrook is being selfish because they do not want to go to Lake Braddock now. 1).it's at capacity, & will be for a few years (or maybe longer) & 2). Silverbrook ES should not be a split feeder school. Why is it ok to split up Silverbrook? Gunston & Lorton are split because they wanted to be split! Hayfield needs students, for many reasons. What is so terrible about going back to Hayfield? Then who should go to Hayfield?
Lake Braddock is out of the equation for now. It is not in the plan F&P is submitting to the Board.
Lake Braddock is not at capacity.
Redistricting Newington Forest is sending a school in its entirety. No split feeder is involved.
Supporting Option 2A recognizes the neighborhoods that were instrumental in finding the private/public partnership.
Newington Forest and Silverbrook can fight over who goes to Lake Braddock during phase II of this study. No one is going to Lake Braddock yet. Only HF and SC are being considered now.
It will be very interesting as the Elementary boundaries will be redrawn at the same time.
Is Hayfield o.k. with option 2a/b part (sending kids back to them)? Will Lake Braddock be o.k. with option 3 part (they wait until they get a lower capacity)? If this is ok, then everything is fine, send only the kids back to Hayfield at a capacity that will work. South County will be a little OC! Hayfield and Lake Braddock had a OC problem for a long time. Let SC be OC!
I think the SB is going to send neighborhoods to LB despite what F&P recommends. Most of them have responsibilities to areas of the county that are unsympathetic to the desires of the Crosspointe Crowd. The SB members need to answer to their own constituents if they want to get re-elected.
The Crosspointe Crowd - is this a bad thing? The Silverbrook community would like to stay together. We do not want a split feeder school, and you can not put the entire Silverbrook ES in Lake Braddock, it sends to many kids to that school! I guess we do not want to be split, unlike Lorton Station and Mason Neck who had to go to South County. The problem is South County is Over capacity and Hayfield needs students. Lake Braddock had enough students now! Who should go to Hayfield?
I don't think there's an argument about who should go to Hayfield. The question will be should it be all of Newington Forest who attends LB or should it be North Silverbrook?
More of Lorton Station ES area should go to Hayfield. That is the recomendation in option 2, 3 and the one that F&P is presenting 21 Dec. When LHES is complete perhaps all of what is left at LS will go to Hayfield. I am sure that some of the families in Lorton Station will not like that, but once they return to HF they will find it better than being overcrowded.
The argument is about who and when will go to Lake Braddock. That fight is scheduled for fall of 2008.
Do you really want to have yet another SC/LB boundary study in 2008? To me this is like pulling off the bandaid slowly (2004-5, 2006-7,2008-9) instead of just taking it off in one fell swoop. Every time the communities heal, the wounds are reopened with a new study.
12/15/2006 2:27 PM,
The boundary study in 2008 is better, because you will not send a ton of students to Lake Braddock. I'm sure the communities will not mind the wait. If Hayfield is happy with the outcome of this boundary study, sending less students to the school, what is the problem! Hayfield will have a good student population and they will not be in the next Boundary study! South County will be OC, but so was Hayfield and Lake Braddock for a long time!
In 2008 the enrollment of LB will have started to fall and the "no room at the inn" excuse will be more difficult to argue.
In 2008 the enrollment at SCSS will have fallen from the move back to Hayfield and the numbers will not be sufficent for a Middle School.
In 2008 the School Board will have been in place for a year and still have 5 years remaining on their term. They will not be as concerned with reelection.
Besides, it will be fund to watch!
SB terms are 4 years. The last election was in 2003. If the SB wants to get re-elected they will be embracing Option 2B.
If the School Board wants to get re-elected they will not pick Option 2B.
Only Silverbrook doesn't want Option 2B. Taxpayers across the county don't want a middle school to be built as long as there are empty seats at adjacent schools. Guess who has more people?
3:10,
You have more faith in the county than I do. Only a handful of Lake Braddock and Hayfield people are paying attention to this study -- almost all of South County is paying attention. I doubt people outside of the affected areas will remember this or even know about it in 2011. If they want or need the SC votes they will need to support building a Middle School. This goes for the At Large as well as a couple of other districts.
Only a PORTION of Silverbrook doesn't like 2B. They can be drawn out of Silverbrook when they do the next Elementary School study. I think a little admin change to Sangster is in order. It may not be enough, but it is a start. Just leave Silverline Road alone and it will be a-ok.
The board will not be considering 1, 2 or option #3. They will consider the option that F&P is presenting them and amending it as necessary. That option is already posted on the fcps web site and it delays the decision on a move from SC to Lake Braddock for two years. We need to give up the 2A or 2B discussion for now.
Right now Silverbrook has an ineffectual SB member. Belter is sick and is known to be suffering something that is causing her to barely be cognizant at meetings.
Don't forget that the SB can amend the option by doing everything this year rather than in 2 phases.
True, but why would they? SCSS does not want to move, Lake Braddock doesn't want them, and Hayfield just doesn't want too many. Why force the issue when you have a reccomendation not to?
SC needs to have fewer kids. The areas that know they are staying don't care who leaves as long as enough kids are redistricted out.
This means both peripherals of the north eat and northwest edges should be redistricted.
Option 3 doesn't redistrict enough kids, thus keeping SC vastly OC and diminishing the educational value of the kids who should be at SC.
If option 3 (or some version of it) is adopted by the school board, I want to know from those bloggers in the SCSS area who amoung you would honestly support areas redistricted back to Hayfield next year, would welcome them back to a SC High School if a new middle school is built.
4:00 I think it was made pretty clear this morning by
"Anonymous said...
The end goal is for Silverbrook, Laurel Hills, Newington Forest, and Halley to all feed to a new Middle School and a High School (currently SCSS). The area would draw from the west side of I-95 only. All Lorton Station ES and Gunston would go to Hayfield. The best way to get to that right now is Option #3. It fixes most of the eastern boundary problems and allows the rest of it (Hagel) to be fixed when we do the LHES study.
The new MS will eliminate the need for a boundary move to LB.
12/15/2006 11:48 AM"
Would that not leave an under capacity SC High? I think if a new middle school comes about Lorton Station should be put back in the SC boundary and the room at Hayfield utilized to balance numbers at other High Schools and Middle Schools with communities closer to Hayfield. In fact both Lorton Station. I find it curious that they call Hagel circle a problem to be fixed. They go to Halley so I assume they will want to kick out these kids as well. The boundaries for Hayfield just look crazy. I think in 4 years Edison, Lee and West Potomac, not to mention Key and Twain MS will have crowding issues. These schools are much closer to Hayfield then is SC and the space at Hayfield would better serve the residents in the Alexandria area of the county rather then the Lorton area.
That's why the seats at lake braddock should be used as well as the seats at hayfield.
Use the seats at Hayfield 1st. Then at the next boundary study, maybe Lake Braddock will have seats! (Lake Braddock's % is a projection)! Hayfield has real seats, and they need SOME students back! South County took out too many students from Hayfield, not Lake Braddock!
There is no new housing development being planned on the western side of South County. There will be a ton of new houses being built much closer to SC than Barrington et al. Are you proposing to send the new housing to LB? The school buses will be crossing every morning!
Send Lorton Station and Mason Neck to Hayfield, they are on the same side as Hayfield. Send what ever Hayfield has room for!
I think the Fairfax Station folks are forgetting that South County is IN Lorton Station....
Oh come on, so what it's in Lorton Station. Lake Braddock is in Burke. They don't base school boundary on zip codes!
It's Lorton, not Lorton Station, or Mason Neck or Laurel Hill. Lorton!
No but the people who live closest to the school should be the ones attending the school.
Good Silverbrook is close. I think Lorton Staion is closer to Hayfield, than Silverbrook is to Lake Braddock. Loton Staion ES, is about 5 miles to Hayfield. Silverbrook ES is about 8 miles to Lake Braddock.
How close is Lorton Station to South County?
silverbrook & lorton station are 2 miles to sc! I know both schools are close, but south county is OC. Hayfield needs students, who should go to Hayfield? What should we all do? I know everone is getting upset with each other, but what should be done? The SB did this, and now the South County community has to pay!
I guess that's why the school board would like option 1.
Silverbrook is not willing to compromise. If Lorton Station is just as close to SCSS and they have to split to Hayfield, then Silverbrook should have to do the same split to Lake Braddock. Problem solved. Unfortunately folks are not interested in solving the problem.
Feeder School LB or H/SC Mileage
Lorton Station 5.97/1.76
Silverbrook 7.22/2.12
Gunston 7.20/3.38
Newington Forest 7.04/2.73
Halley 8.38/5.10
Why aren't you all complaining about Newington Forest being unwilling to compromise? Why is it always Silverbrook?
Chiming in here with Silverbrook is further west and sticks out like a bell into the Lake Braddock /Sangster attendance area. Newington Forest is like a hat on top of Halley with a tail along Saratoga. It's geography.
It is much easier for Silverbrook to get to LBSS then it is for Newington Forest. Heck if you going to take NF out of SC then you might as well send them to Hayfield, the trip is much easier on them.
But Newington Forest can take the County Pkwy to Lee Chapel just as easily as Silverbrook getting to Lee Chapel. If NF goes as in Option 2A, there is no new split feeder made.
From 12/15/2006 7:29 PM post, it looks like Newington Forest -7.04/2.73 should go to Lake Braddock. Go 2A!
To me, the 7:29 post supports Option 1 the most. 2 years of a relatively distant school in exchange for 4 years of the nearby school. Of course if this is measuring school distance to school distance, F&P knows that there are Silverbrook neighborhoods even closer to LB/further from SC than the actual school. That's why they proposed 2B that only redistricts the NorthWest Silverbrook subdivisions and not all of Silverbrook.
One must look at where the elementary school sits in relation to its boundaries.
12/15/2006 10:17 PM
To get true distance to each school, you would have to use every community. By using the ES it is a quick way to determine which ES are closer to Hayfield,South County, or Lake Braddock. Also, Hayfield needs students now, Lake Braddock can wait. Lorton Station and Mason Neck are closer to Hayfield!
There are plenty of seats in the area to accommodate all of the students. It is completely irresponsible for staff to recommend that the school board consider building a middle school in South County.
Options which alleviate crowding at South County by sending students to Hayfield AND Lake Braddock are the only ones that make sense.
Becuase you are immersed in this issue, I understand that it may be hard for you to be objective. I only hope that the school board demonstrates objectivity and shows concern for the greater FCPS community when they make their decision.
I agree with the concerned resident. Why is Lake Braddock not being used as part of the solution. The option 3 delay puts pressure on coming up with a plan to build a middle school that is not needed at this time. Why should the rest of the county have to wait for improvements and the south county are not? The middle school is in the plans on CIP already, leave it as is so that other schools get whats needed.
Go to the school board website for the 12/12 meeting and under new business are Chevalier's boundary recommendations. FCPS staff is recommending Option 3 and I am furious. Read the other boundary processes and the cIP. Note the Jackson process uses capacity. Different standards apply across this county. The only people who will ever vote for these board memebers again are those who have some protected scheme that they don't want public like the fact that Langley needs a boundary change not an addition.
Last year F&P recommended in 3 out of 4 different options (including the one recommended to the SB) that the Daventry subdivision be allowed into West Springfield. WSHS people vehemently voiced their disapproval through various media sources and directly to the SB. The recommendation was voted down and the vox populi got their wish.
2 years ago, F&P came up at least 4 options. The one presented to the SB that December was the one that the Silverbrook crowd wanted. However, much to that area's dismay, 3 amendments were added including the one that allowed the small group from Mason Neck to attend SCSS.
My point is that complaining does work. Has the Hayfield PTSA contacted the PTSAs of the schools that are on the CIP schedule? The rest of the county should be informed so they can fight back like Woodson.
You make a good point 10:44. I am not yet part of Hayfield's PTSA but this boundary study effects my upcoming 5th graders in the outyears so I am involved. I think your right the other PTSA with upcoming CIP projects should probably know that a new middle school in Lorton could push back those projects. I am going to see what I can do.
Areas is the south will eventually need a MS. SCSS is a secondary school in a high school design. Growth in the Lee District, WSHS District, LBSS will impact south county as there will be growth there too due to regeneration of neighborhoods and no doubt impact from BRAC. A MS will be needed, perhaps not now but in 5 yrs or so. The county is almost built out this is the last area to go.
Who will run for SB is the question??
Well the fact that SCSS is a secondary in a hs design is the fault of no other but the public-private partnership power brokers (cough Bradsher cough Adler cough).
Bradsher for School Board!
Haha, not even for dogcatcher.
You are pretty bitter. Such a shame to be a blogger and have such bitterness especially during this season of cheer. Perhaps a session with Dr. Phil might help???
Alomg the lines of 10:44 and 1:48,
It is very foresighted to get involved with your feeder hs PTSA. You may want to also notify the feeder schools of all schools on the CIP renovation list. This is not just a southern Fairfax County boundary fight. It's a fight for fiscal responsibilty and a fight against fraud and misappropriation of funds.
12/16/2006 9:55 AM,
I looked at the board docs, and only a small section will go to Hayfield. It looks like only Lorton Station will go to Hayfield. I think Mason Neck will stay as South County. Can someone check this out, if this is true, it looks like Lorton Station got screwed big time!!!!
More of Lorton Station will go to Hayfield. Some already does. I don't think they got screwed at all, they will be coming to a school with a correctly sized population and which has recenlty been renovated. How is that getting screwed, in my eyes they are getting the better of the deal. Besides who wants to walk around with a pony on a shirt, when you cold fly like a HAWK!
So Mason Neck stays at South County? Lorton Staion is much closer to SC!
Lorton Station is also much closer to Hayfield than Gunston.
"Anonymous said...
Feeder School LB or H/SC Mileage
Lorton Station 5.97/1.76
Silverbrook 7.22/2.12
Gunston 7.20/3.38
Newington Forest 7.04/2.73
Halley 8.38/5.10
12/15/2006 7:29 PM"
Ironically Halley is the furthest away from SC of all the feeders. However, since they are a "southern school" along with Gunston, these 2 schools should be at South County.
The schools that need to be redistricted into Lake Braddock and Hayfield are Newington Forest and Lorton Station. Support Option 2A!
Option 2A sends Mason Neck to Hayfield, and keeps part of Lorton Station at SC.
7:19, You can't redistrict all of LS out of SC. Some LS kids are practically walkers to SC.
However, I agree that Mason Neck should stay at SC along with Halley. And as a however to the however, I would like the SB to support Option 2B over 2A.
NF also has kids that are walkers to SC.
Go 2B!
You also can't redistrict all of Lorton Station to Hayfield because it would be to much for Hayfield. Bottom line is Hayfield will get about 500 more kids, how you split that up is the hard part, there are good arguments for staying and going all around, the board has to make the tough decision.
Hayfield and Lake Braddock should both be part of the solution.
Newington Forest is in Springfield, not in Lorton, not in Fairfax Station. This school should not be part of South County.
Redistricting Newington Forest will keep both NF together as a school and Silverbrook together as a school. Nobody has to get split.
Support Option 2A. IT is the logical choice.
The SB should support option 2A, keep part of Lorton Station at South County. Send Mason Neck and Newington Forset to Hayfield & Lake Braddock. Keep Silverbrook together at South County!
9:11, 9:19 we get it, we get it, Silverbrook wants for itself a school with the lowest demographic numbers and the highest income residents to be in the South County boundary. Why don't you just come out and say that, it has nothing to do with split feeder elementary schools. We have split feeders all over the county, it is not a big deal for the kids involved.
Silverbrook is in Fairfax Station not in Lorton, This school should be joining the other Fairfax Station schools at Lake Braddock. How would you like that. You use a zip code arguement only to your advantage. If you take that logic then Lorton Station, and all of Gunston should be at South County as they are in Lorton zip, Silverbrook and Newington forest are not.
Silverbrook is the backbone of South County. Without us, you will just have another Mount Vernon on your hands.
Silverbrook is the backbone of South County because these folks make others feel unwelcome if you dont drive a BMW or if you live in a 2 level townhome. Maybe if you stop looking down your nose at people a more diverse group would get involved.
9:56
if Silverbrook would have wanted a less diverse school they would have gone to Lake Braddock...and any community with a strong sense of total community does not want to be split after 17 years together.
It is over now. move on.
Yes move on MS Sudik and the other 4 from Hayfield. It is over, stop throwing the mud at a community that wants to remain a community. We all make choices Silverbrook's is to move on.
Who is MS Sudik? I am in Newington Forest, and I want to know why the Silverbrook Stallions here on this blog don't want me in South County. I think I know why. You may have moved on but in two years from now will you be moving on without me?
I know Ms Sudik, and I know for a fact that she does not take part in this Blog. Others from Hayfield, including me, do take part, and are moving on as well. Others concerned with this boundary study have found this blog and are concerned about what may happen to the communities they live in. I believe Hayfield is moving on now that our concerns are being heard, but we are watching and we will speak to be sure that Hayfield is treated fairly.
How was Hayfield NOT being treated fairly? This boundary study will only put students back at Hayfield, at a capacity they can handle now! Lake Braddock’s capacity is unknown. Hayfield also made it clear they do not want the Hagel Circle and the other areas like that, at their school. Hayfield needs students, can they say they don’t?
Lake Braddock has a known capacity. We know the number of rising Bruins in the feeder schools. There is plenty of room to redistrict kids under option 2B or 2A. If it really was a concern, then the SB should support 2B as it redistricts fewer kids than 2A.
113% is not an acceptable overcapacity number for South County.
Lake Braddock has a known capacity. We know the number of rising Bruins in the feeder schools. There is plenty of room to redistrict kids under option 2B or 2A. If it really was a concern, then the SB should support 2B as it redistricts fewer kids than 2A.
113% is not an acceptable overcapacity number for South County.
By treating fairly I meant not being overcrowded again. If you go back through this blog you would see that noone has ever said Hayfield should not get students back, just not too many to put us overcrowded again. I know as a Hayfielder we are getting students back and I welcome them. We do need students to balance the programs and we need them to come over a period of time in order to adjust. You would also find that Hayfield bloggers would welcome anyone back weather they are from Hagel Circle, Mason neck, Newington forest or what ever. Our concern is the number of students, not were they come from. Remember, just because facilities has decided on the recommendation does not mean that it will be adopted by the board. This is not over until the board makes the final decision. I for one will be heard by the board to let them know that Hayfield should not be sent on a path to be overcapacity within a few years after decades of overcrowding.
I guess to Hayfield, they do not care what the other schools capacity's are, as long as they stay in the 80% and keep Hagel Cirlce students out!
Show me where anyone from Hayfield said to keep Hagel Circle out? Hayfield will not be at 80% after this redistricting. Your getting Hayfield mixed up with LBSS who will be in the 80 percent range in 5 years. Hayfield will get students, Hafyield wants students, Hayfield (unlike other schools)does not care which students, we just don't want too many. Now if other communities were willing to accomodate there neighbors, SCSS would not have to go another 2 years overcrowded.
Good go with option 2B, send Silverbrook to Lake Braddock and add all of rt 1 to Hayfield! The 07/08 school year for Hayfield they will only be at 77%, and Lake Braddock at 97%. Then Hayfield will still only be at 90%. I think Hayfield can get more students!!! South County needs less students!!!!
Just where do you think the BRACers are going to be buying houses for convenient commuting to Fort Belvoir? Not FFX Station (too expensive for most GS employees) and not Burke (all secondary rd commuting with a million traffic lights). Alexandria and Franconia will bear the brunt of it and enrollment will be increasing in the Hayfield pyramid for all grade levels.
Option 2B or 2a works fine for Hayfield
As I recall, Fairfax County wasn't under court order in 1954 when Brown v. Board went through. Nice to see that Option 3 can turn back the clock more than 50 years simply to accomodate what is in essence a racist move under the guise of creating 'community schools.' The folks in Seattle are trying to pull the same thing right now so it will be interesting to see how the Supreme Court revisits the issue.
12/18/2006 10:52 PM
How is option 3 a "racist move"? Option 3, w/ some modification now, sends kids to Hayfield 1st. Hayfield has "real" seats, Lake Braddock seats are "?". I do feel the new option 3 should include parts of Lorton Station, not Mason Neck, to remain at South County! Lake Braddock is OC now, until the new reno. is completed it still will be pretty near capacity for a few years out! If they redo option 3 to include parts of Lorton Station, then is will be like option 2, w/ Lake Braddock move later!
The new F&P option is just the old Option #3 minus Mason Neck. The original #3 sent too many students (and trailers) to Hayfield. This option gets closer to the School Board's criteria and holds off the trailers for 6-8 years.
This option does not meet the objective of bringing SCSS population down enough. Use Hayfield AND LB. Why bother putting LB on the study if your not even going to use them. Send some Silverbrook students over to LB.
Why bother having a WSHS study last year when they moved no one. Are you getting the picture??
No one is going to LB, at least not this go around. Put your efforts into electing accountable representatives.
Listen up School Board and South County advocates for a new middle school…..this is a county wide issue. No new facilities should be funded until it has been shown that current FCPS capacity cannot meet demand. Utilize available capacity, forecast future requirements – county wide, and then allocate the necessary resources to meet demand. I would bet that there would little support for future school bonds if they are proposed to fund construction of seats that are otherwise available elsewhere. LB should be in play, as should H and Mount Vernon / Lee. Stop thinking about your personal desires and self centered focus on just your neighborhood …. Think about the whole county, other students who will go to substandard facilities that have been neglected due to your consistent pestering of politicians (the School Board) who are more worried about reelection than what is morally right for the broader community (and tax payers) – after all, they are politicians, not community leaders. I, for one, will not vote for any school bond referendum – for any purpose, ever again – should the School Board approve the construction of a MS for South County prior to utilizing available capacity.
So what if your child has to spend an extra 30 to 45 minutes on a bus each day. You knew that when you bought your home – were you thinking of your child then?
Lake Braddock's capacity is a projection! Hayfield & even Mount Vernon has REAL seats! Why are the blogger trying to split up Silverbrook! What's in it for them? If you need to use Lake Braddock, sending a ENTIRE school is better (Newington Forest)!!!! Why not wait and see if Lake Braddock can even add more students to that school. What's the big deal for Hayfield!!!!! They are not getting many students back, so just stop trying to split up Silverbrook!!!!
Silverbrook has enough students to which some can be moved just as much as other areas. Use LB.
Silverbrook should stay together! Stop trying to split up the school! Silverbrook, along with Lorton Station are the closest to South County. The School Board should keep part of Lorton Station at SC. When Laurel Hill ES is built, they can go there!
And the School board should send a part of Silverbrook to LB.
Mason Neck is to far away from Hayfield, they should go to South County.
Mason Neck is to far away from Hayfield, they should go to South County.
It's funny how it's all about Silverbrook as usual. Option 2A sends all of Newington Forest to Lake Braddock. Sounds like a winwin situation.
I’m sure if the school board used all empty seats at nearby schools, no middle school would be needed. They could send part of Lorton Station to Hayfield, Mason Neck to Mount Vernon (this school has so many empty seats, it’s wrong not to use it!) and Newington Forest to Lake Braddock! Since Mason Neck has ONLY 80 students, going to Mount Vernon would be the answer, the middle school that feeds into Mount Vernon could handle the incoming students!
I hope all the bloggers on here has been as diligent as writing to ALL the SB, Dr. Dale, Gary C and the rest of F&P, their local papers etc.
It's all well and good to argue anonymously, but the decision-makers need to hear your voice (the one that votes these clowns into office).
I also will not vote for any school bond referendum if that middle school is built. I also will not vote for one if kids are not moved to Lake Braddock. Chevalier stated in public to a roomful of people in another part of the county that the only reason Option 3 was presented is politicians were involved. And I think he's talking above school board level. Under strategic goverance there are management reports and by not using facilities responsibly Dale can be fired. Ironic his contract is up for renewal on 12-21 the date of the boundary recommendations as new business for the board. If they go through with this the entire board should be removed. I think 76 million plus recurring operating costs that does not have to be spent has a material adverse effect upon the conduct of the office. The Daventry debacle and the waste of public funds on such endeavors was material enough for me. As for other areas of the county bilding an addition at Langley seems to constitute misuse of office especialy when Chevalier states there's no capacity at neighboring schools. What about Glasgow for 1500?
http://www.vbschools.com/policies/1-16_byl.asp
"Code of Va., § 24.2-233.- Removal of elected and certain appointed officers by courts .— Upon petition, a circuit court may remove from office any elected officer or officer who has been appointed to fill an elective office, residing within the jurisdiction of the court:
1. For neglect of duty, misuse of office, or incompetence in the performance of duties when that neglect of duty, misuse of office, or incompetence in the performance of duties has a material adverse effect upon the conduct of the office, or
...
The petition must be signed by a number of registered voters who reside within the jurisdiction of the officer equal to ten percent of the total number of votes cast at the last election for the office which the officer holds. "
I don't think a new middle school will be built! Then the real battle of who leaves to LBSS will start and who do you think will win? I just don't want to see Hayfield brought into this again two years from now. Enough is enough use Lake Braddock now and lets be done with it so we can all move on.
12/19/2006 8:00 PM,
What about the space at Mount Vernon? It has more empty seats, than Lake Braddock! The middle Schools that feeds into Mount Vernon could handle Mason Neck w/ no problems. But I talk to Gary on the phone, & he told me nobody wants to go to that school! So thats o.k. for Mason Neck not wanting to go to Mount Vernon-it's a big waste of tax payers $$$ not using that school! Let's talk about that on this blog!!!
Ok lets talk. Look at a Map, Mount Vernon is further away for Mason Neck then is Hayfield. Mount Vernon will get more students when BRAC gets going. To send Mason Neck to Mount Vernon you would send them up RT. 1 in rush hour for several miles. What Gary is talking about when he said noone wants to go to that school he was refering to folks that now feed into West Potomac. West Potomac is near capacity and could be relieved if folks in the Southern portion of the West Potomac boundary were redistricted to MV. They do not want to go to MV and would rather drive further to West Potomac. But again you bring up a school not in this study. Sure the more schools you consider the more flexibility we would have to solve this problem, yet one school in the study is being effectively removed from consideration making the problem of overcrowding at SCSS impossible to fix and quite possibly create another overcrowded school at Hayfield. Use LBSS now so that this can be done!
How bout this, Send Mason Neck to Mount Vernon, Split Silverbrook (2b portion) to LBSS, and put all of Lorton Station in SCSS. Problem solved. Move on.
Sending the Mason Neck/Gunston kids to Mount Vernon is a nearly 20 mile bus ride on Route 1 during the Ft. Belvoir commuting time. Additionally, Route 1 is notoriously stop-and-go traffic as it is road that consistently exceeds the vehicular limit for productive flow.
Sending Silverbrook to Lake Braddock doesn't use any heavy commuting corriders at all. The students are on secondary roads. There are already kids coming from Fairfax Station to Lake Braddock from points further away than Silverbrook.
Lake Braddock is Silverbrook's GT Center for the middle schoolers. Lake Braddock should be Silverbrook's base secondary.
Please support Option 2B.
Have y'all seen this? It's less about boundaries and more about FCPS waste.
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/fairfaxfocus/2006/12/major_decisions_face_schools_c.html
12/20/2006 8:44 AM,
I see how you can get that 20 mile bus ride from GE to MV!!
Gunston Elementary School to
Mount Vernon High School
Total Est. Time: 15 minutes
Total Est. Distance: 9.48 miles
The school board should support option 2A w/ some mods. Send all of lorton station to hayfield, mason neck to mount vernon & newington forest to lake braddock (they are closer to l.b.)! This would slove the problem and a middle school would not have to be built, but this is too political for the school board & all the bloggers!!!
Support option 2A!
Mt Vernon is not in the study. It cannot be added in at the last minute. The 2 schools that are going to be used to solve the SC OC are Lake Braddock and Hayfield. It is our duty as citizens and taxpayers to ensure that BOTH schools are used as part of the solution.
2B is the right decision!
9:40
Did Newington Forest suddenly get up and move? How did they get closer to LBSS then Silverbrook. All of Lorton Station to Hayfield will overcrowd Hayfield. It sounds to me you want to remove from SCSS demographic numbers.
Hey, the school board can add mount vernon and use it! send mason neck to that school and use option 2A!!!!
Newington Forest Elementary to
Lake Braddock High School
Total Est. Distance: 7.09 miles
SILVERBROOK to
Lake Braddock High School
Total Est. Distance: 7.22 miles
Seems Newington ES is closer to Lake Braddock!
Ok the schools are closer but I bet you would find that the more student in the Newington Forest Boundary would be bussed further to Lake Braddock then the students in the area of Silverbrook proposed to be spit in option 2B. Reciting mileage between schools is meaningless and you know it. The busing would not go from school to school, they go from neighborhoods to schools and back.
I just did a mapping on line to check distance and time. I picked a street in the middle of the proposed split area of Silverbrook and the middle of the Newington forest area. From Hedgewood Rd in the Barrington neighborhood the time and distance to LBSS is 7 miles and 15 minutes. From Rainbow Bridge LN in Newington forest the time and distance is 7.2 miles and 21 minutes or 7.5 miles and 16 minutes depending on which way you travel.
If you take the furthest street in both these areas you would find that Newington forest is much further away and much long drive time to get to LBSS. Would you like me to do that for you? Or are you going to just spew more misinformation to serve your cause of removing Newington Forest from South County?
NF is also closer to SC as compared to Silverbrook. Don't forget that NF has SC walkers. Silverbrook does not.
Go 2B!
Go option 2A, if you are going to take each street, than you might as well do it for everybody! Doing the map quest by ES is quicker and evens out about the same! Look at Lorton Staion, because of the new change to the boundary, they will go to Hayfield and Mason Neck will stay at South County! Seems a wrong to me! The bottom line is Silverbrook should stay at South County, because they are closer and it would not split up a school! Above a blogger posted how FCPS wastes so much $$$$. I was just making a point how this bounday study is very politcal and is a BIG waste of $$$$$ & time!
The distance comparison (12/20 10:20am post) between Silverbrook and Newington Forest is pretty petty. The 0.13 mile difference (if accurate) equates to 228 yards, less than two football fields when you include the end zones. Put another way, 0.13 miles equates to 23.4 seconds of travel time at 20 miles per hour. The travel time is more a factor of traffic and the number of lights.
Unfortunately, logic does not prevail with emotional parents who are focused solely on their child and their neighborhood. Children will have little difficulty in making adjustments to different schools and making new friends…most will be better for it in the long run (for instance, when they go off to college.) Parent’s, on the other hand, are worried about the time it takes them to drive to the school, mileage on their cars, are frequently petrified about having to make new friends themselves with parents at the new school, etc… Ultimately, perhaps by default, these are decision they made when they purchased their house in the first place.
Self interest tears down the fundamental strength of our neighborhoods, county and country and violates the democracy in which we live. This is a broader county / FCPS issue and hopefully that will be reflected in the ultimate School Board decision…will they lead or go with the vocal minority? SC does not speak for the taxpayers of Fairfax County. There should be no SC Middle School until present capacity is utilized and a verifiable requirement exists. If that means sending all of Newington Forest to LB or splitting Silverbrook (or sending all of Silverbrook to LB) so be it.
I took the middle of the areas in question and it is just as easy as distance from the school and makes more sense unless your adovocating for option 2A. Silverbrook school is outside the area being considered for a split. All the kids in the area of the Silverbrook split are closer to LBSS then the School itself you distance arguement is baseless.
2a option keeps better demographic balance at SCSS
you mean 2b
The school board needs to vote for option 2A, it is the best!!
why
What happened to the thousands of other comments?
I heard that Dan Stork is having a special meeting with Silverbrook parents right after the holiday. What's up with that and why isn't it listed on FCPS website.
Only meetings with three or more board members have to be posted on the website. Any details on this meeting?
I am tired of hearing Gary say the reason F&P and the SB are not using Mt. Vernon is because nobody wants to go there. Now Lake Braddock will be left way under capacity for a similar reason. This is not a private school system, it is being paid for with taxpayer money. Use the empty space at all schools before a middle school is built. We need to make politicians and SB members accountable for OUR MONEY.
Check out the middle school profiles and go to tests. Look at Hayfield and South county and you will see that Hayfield was the only middle school in this county that did not offer algebra 1 until 2005-06. That is a lot of kids and happened when the Silverbrook et al education gurus were there. Besides not using facilities I am sick of paying for: modified calendar when they can have community school summer school, full day kindergarten at some schools which really need SACC, Foreign language immersion where they might have less than 15 kids in a class, GTC bussing because those kids are used a fodder to avoid base school boundary changes, ineffective instruction for kids to learn basics in reading and math. FCPS spends more money and has lower performance by objective standards than other school divisions in Virginia for minorities and free and reduced price meals.
The briefing for the meeting on Dec. 21 is out on the School Board's website. So let me get this straight...It's okay for LB to be at 81.5% while SCSS will still be overcrowded at 117.5% and Hayfield at 92.2% before BRAC. And it's okay for the F/R lunches at SCSS to be at 13%. Give me a break. Get the Silverbrook people over at Lake Braddock now!
12/21/2006 8:16 AM,
It is about time somebody spoke up!! I’m sick and tired of the FCPS wasting tax $$$$ for special groups. But if we speak up we may offend some group! I won’t even go into how people are taking advantage of the system, (getting free lunch, etc) and driving to school in BMW!! But, it won’t change and nearby school will not be used in this study (Mount Vernon)!
2/21/2006 8:16 AM
The new F&P option relflects the input of the communities that participated in the study. I think that it is a reasonable solution.
However, I think that it is shortsighted of the communities to avoid using LBSS. We should start sending rising 7th graders now. It will not have that great of an impact on the numbers at SC or LB right away, but 2-3 years from now things will be closer to right sized. 2-3 years from now when they have to make the move to LB they will move 7-8-9 grades all at once and it will be significantly more stressful than it needed to be.
There is not enough room to put all of the students in LB, HF, and SC. We need to either build another school or include other attendence areas. Ultimately, we will need a Middle School. That is why it is on the CIP.
I think that all of Silverbrook will fit at LB after the LHES boundaries are complete and it has less students. When the Board looks at this in two years the decsion of NF or SB will not have to be concerned with the "split feeder" issue.
If the board accepts the new F&P proposal as is SCSS will end up 432 students over its 2500 capacity (and 682 over 90% capacity). Is that enough to justify a Middle School?
This was on the Washington Post blog.
----
Omigosh!!!! I am truly disgusted! I just looked at the document that 8:21 posted. Here is a link.
http://www.boarddocs.com/vsba/fairfax/Board.nsf/Public?OpenFrameSet
[CLICK ON 12/21 MEETING DATE, CLICK ON NEW BUSINESS]
Something is extremely fishy here. If you look at the PDF file in the new business section that will be the powerpoint presentation tomorrow night [MEANING TONIGHT]you will see that the neighborhoods extremely close to South County are ones being considered for redistricting to Hayfield.
Now I bet this isn't going to format right so:
Before and After means Before the redistricting/After the redistricting
School; Building Capacity; Before/After #s in 07/08; Before/After #s in 11/12; Usage %; Before/After ESOL %; Before/After F/R Lunch %
South County; 2500; 3230/2983; 3463/2932; 117.3%; 25.3/23.9; 16.4/13.0
Hayfield SS; 3225; 2324/2571; 2444/2975 92%; 35.8/35.4; 24.1/26.3
Lake Braddock; 4075; 3764/NC; 3322/NC 81.5%; 27.4/NC; 11.7/NC
I have a huge problem with Lake Braddock being at 81.5% capacity while South County is at 117.3% F&P numbers show that the excess overcapacity numbers of SC can easily fit into Lake Braddock.
This is not fair to the children who live closest to South County. Why must the kids of Halley, Gunston etc. suffer in an overcrowded school because Silverbrook and/or Newington Forest are unwilling to attend newly renovated Lake Braddock? There is more than adequate space to phase in 7th, 8th and 9th graders from either of the areas proposed in Option 2A or 2B.
-----
Lake Braddock claims to be at 97% while F&P claims they are at 92.4%. Where does the difference come from?
11:54
There will be room for 7-8-9 at Lake Braddock but there is not enough now. I would like to see at least rising 7 to go to Lake Braddock as that space is available now -- it is not "projected" as the other space.
F&P should figure out what the new ES boundaries will be after LHES is built now and not wait till the school is almost finished. That way the determination of who gets to go to LB and who has to stay at SC can minimize the split feeding.
12:01
Haven't you heard about the extra thick walls and ever-shrinking space? It's a mysterious phenomenon unique to Lake Braddock.
I think only 7 and 9 should get redistricted to L next year. Then in AY 08-09, 7-10 will be there and then 7-11 and then 7-12 in 10-11.
12:01
Haven't you heard about the extra thick walls and ever-shrinking space? It's a mysterious phenomenon unique to Lake Braddock.
I think only 7 and 9 should get redistricted to L next year. Then in AY 08-09, 7-10 will be there and then 7-11 and then 7-12 in 10-11.
I would move only 7 to LB next year, then 7-8, 7-8-9, and so on. Let the kids already at SCSS stay. LB cannot handle too much right now. If you need to two grades, do 7-8. No need for a kid to go to SCSS if they are going to LB or HF the following year anyway. This will phase it in to LB a bit slower. Hayfield can take three grades now.
Oh yeah the new F & P recommendation fits what people who participated in the study want. Does that mean FCPS listens to people in studies? Only in South County and ny for select population? Jackson is a GTC study so why is the LB GTC not impacted? I read all the studies and the Jackson one is a real oddity. There is one option while SC actually has 4 options and a recommendation for the most expensive alternative. What is the point of boundary town meetings if there are no options?
Lake Braddock needs to ditch the GTC to make room for Silverbrook. If you ditch the GTC and reduce utilization at Silverbrook to 90-95% (which can happen with the LHES) they can all fit in LBSS with room to spare!
In two years I would hope Hayfield will not be included in any new boundary study. If it is I may just hang myself.
The point is that there is still plenty of room for North Silverbrook even with the GT Center at Lake Braddock.
The point is that there is still plenty of room for North Silverbrook even with the GT Center at Lake Braddock.
but ALL of Silverbrook will fit with the removal of the GTC and a boundary that gets them to 90-95% capacity.
but ALL of Silverbrook will fit with the removal of the GTC and a boundary that gets them to 90-95% capacity.
The staff recomendation works well for the SC to HF, but ignoring the capcity at LB for two years is not necessary.
If we must delay the decision the board should include Mount Vernon in the study for phase II.
As much as I hate the delay, the idea of doing it in conjunction with the Laurel Hill study makes sense. Maybe they could do it next year instead of 2008?
They can't completely ditch the GTC at LB. Kids go there from LB,Robinson,Irving too. Chevalier should have provided a breakdown on where those kids come from as well as LB pupil placements. I think everyone can see how the GTC s are used as a mobile block here, that is everywhere but in South County. What I do not understand is how this school could be built at no cost. South County had bonds issued through the EDA and there were reductions in the county budget. The middle school will have operating costs. Rumberger said something last night on how its all about people. Well, I think taxpayers are people too and so are all the others waiting for renovation.
Gary Chevalier came out and said last night, there is no need for a middle school.
Can you elaborate as to the conversation between F&P and the SB? Did he actually recommend #3 despite him saying the ms is unecessary?
What meeting? Was this a board meeting? Can someone tells us about it? Thanks!
He recomended Option #3 except that he left the Mason Neck area at SCSS to avoid overcrowding at HF. The option has been posted on the fcps web site in more detail so you should check it out. He said that a new Middle School in the area would increase the amount of surplus seats in the area.
Once again Hayfield is forced to take on more of its fair share to help with overcrowding at SCSS. If Lake Braddock, Silverbrook, and Newington Forest had not been so vocal about option 2, which is obviously a reasonable plan, then Hayfield could have had a good buffer to absorb more numbers surely to come from continued in-fill development, BRAC, and possible projection errors. If the board puts Hayfield at 93-96 percent next year, by the year 2011 Hayfield will be over capacity. What will LBSS be at 81.5 percent? This is not fair.
I don't care what is fair. What is best for the education of the studetns and the taxpayers is more important.
The board needs a "buffer" at Hayfield for themselves. They sent too much to SCSS and it is now OC. They should have learned their lesson! The small buffer that Gary left will be consumed by 2011, but the impact of the boundary change will not be fully realized until 2013. What a mess.
To not use the LB space is a waste of taxpayer $. The space is coming, so NF and SB will have to fight that one out.
One of the board members apoligized last night for the overcrowding at South County, I wonder if he will apologize to Hayfield when that shift of overcrowding comes back to Hayfield 5 years from now. Did anybody care about Hayfield when it was crowded for 12 years. I wonder if certain demographic numbers garner more concern for crowded conditions then other demographic numbers.
Is this the option? Is this pretty much a done deal? Can a new option be presented?
The Board can do what ever it wants. Adopt the proposal, amend it, do one of the other options or even come up with its own plan.
This is not a done deal, but it is now out of the hands of F&P and into the Board's hands now. The board will hear from the public, conduct work sessions, make amendments, and then make a final decision in Feb 07.
It is very important that we all keep writing to the SB and sign up to speak at the public forum.
Don't forget that 2 years ago the SB added 3 amendments to the F&P recommendation due to public pressure and that last year the SB completely vetoed F&P's recommendation due to voter outcry.
It is only important if one of the following:
1: you support the F&P proposal
2: want to ensure no more (or even less) goes to Hayfield
3: think that Silverbrook or Newington Forest or someone should go to Lake Braddock
Do not bother if:
1: you just want a new Middle School
2: you want to stay at SCSS
Looking at budget detail sheets, it costs over 2 million in recurring overhead to operate a middle school: admnistration [over 450k], guidance, custodians [over 450k], maintenance, etc.
That excludes teachers and text which are portable and fully ratio based. The fixed operating costs are one reason why FCPS builds larger schools today. The reason LB middle school has lower capacity is the GT center. Why is nothing done about that? Do I or anyone else other than the admins at LB , Tessie Wilson, really care about it? What is the actual cost of that place? How many kids from Silverbrookk are there now?
Ok let's now place the shoe on the other foot.
Why not ask for a boundary study for West Po, Edison, Hayfield and Mt. Vernon, let's clean up all those Boundaries and despite Hayfield Farms being across the street from Hayfield Secondary let's send them to West Po. Shift some southern West Po students to Mt. Vernon, etc. Sounds absurd doesn't it?? Well it is just as absurd to send north Silverbrook to LBSS. They are right down the street from SCSS, closer than Devereaux Station is to Hayfield. This blog has been all about your wrong perception of the issue of Silverbrook and the residents of Silverbrook. SCSS was not built with EDA bonds. Hayfield was overcrowded and what did that core community of Hayfield Farms and others do about that? Basically nothing. The people to the west got organized and worked the issue to resolve it for their children. So now it is the people of Silverbrook you wish to blame. It was never about Demographics, or $$ as you put it. It was about fairness with respect to county education and the delivery of such education. The blame, if any, starts with your apathy, that right your apathy and reaches to the SB.
1:32 That sort of boundary study would make sense, but it certainly would not result in Hayfield Farms going to West Po. That would be absurd as you say. However, to compare tht move to a north silverbrook move is like comparing apples and donuts.
1:32 OK, how would you solve the problem of overcrowding at SCSS? The option that F&P offered fills up Hayfield, but SCSS will still be overcapacity by @500. Someone should use the space opening in Lake Braddock shouldn't they?
I like the idea of the delay because it allows the new Elementary School boundaries to be set and maybe we can limit the affects of split feeding LBSS and SCSS ... maybe.
I think that 1:32 gets the BS tag. A little bit of T mixed with fiction and logical falacies = BS
12/23/2006 1:32 PM,
Good for you! This blog is ONE sided, not only do they feel Silverbrook should go to Lake Braddock, it has been posted the elementary school should be changed to Sangster. I hope the board will make the RIGHT choice, and Hayfield will get the students they need back! Let’s see, Hayfield has about 900 seats available!
No BS. You think you understand the issue yet you lack the facts to back up your statements. Hayfield is not near capacity with this addition of LS. You talk about BRAC having a huge impact on Hayfield, well ding, ding, ding, that impact will be felt at LBSS, WSHS, SCSS and others just as much as Hayfield. Yet you stress on leaving empty seats for such a potential, If so, then why not leave seats at these other schools. You keep talking about leaving seats due to projections, then leave the seats at LBSS due to their projections of regeneration per the Consultant and BRAC. You discount fact and stress spin, you discount what was done because you perceive unfairness. Why don't you ask to meet with the people or leaders from Silverbrook and work towards something constructive that all could benefit from? It would be far more productive than writing snide comments about Silverbrook and other communities.
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