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Participants at the Nov. 12 boundary study "town hall" meeting quickly learned that getting a straight answer out of FCPS officials was near impossible. This continued "doublespeak" of FCPS is one more reason we are calling for a moratorium on redistricting.

FCPS Statement

 "Currently there are significant enrollment and capacity imbalances among high schools in the western portion of the county. . .Available space should be utilized to reduce overcrowding at other schools in the study area.” --- Staff recommendations in the Western Fairfax High School Boundary Study, July 16, 2007.

The Reality

"Strictly from a capacity and facility standpoint, I don't see a compelling reason for the boundary study," stated FCPS Chief Operating Office Dean Tistadt at a FCSB work session on Nov. 12, 2007.  --- Connection Newspaper article, Nov.15, 2007.

"All of the high schools in the study can physically accommodate current and projected enrollments." --- Mr. Tistadt at the Nov. 12 town hall meeting. 

The list of schools included in the boundary study seems arbitrary at best and politically negotiated at worst.  For example, there is no satisfactory evidence of why Langley HS was not included, especially when the school is in the midst of an expansion to increase its capacity while South Lakes HS sits next door with more than enough capacity to accommodate the Langley students. 

FCPS Statement

“Langley HS enrollment currently exceeds capacity by 182 students and is projected to exceed capacity by 148 students in 2011-2012. Adjacent high schools are operating at or above capacity, thus boundary adjustments to relieve this overcrowding are not possible.”  ---- FCPS Capital Improvement Plan, December, 2006

The Reality

Adding additional schools in the study
“. . . wouldn’t be politically easy, but would be the right decision." --- FCPS school board member Kaye Kory as quoted in the Fairfax County Times article reporting on the July 16, 2007 FCPS boundary study work session.

"FCPS school board member Kathy Smith said the size of the project should stay as proposed.  ‘We have to stay focused,’ Smith said.’”  --- Fairfax County Times article reporting on the July 16, 2007, School Board Work Session.

FCPS Statement

“Community members have expressed concern over the impact these imbalances have on programs and extra curricular activities.”  --- Staff recommendations in the Western Fairfax High School Boundary Study, July 16, 2007.

The Reality

“I have not received complaints regarding overcrowding at Chantilly High School.”  --- FCPS school board member Kathy Smith in response to a question at a Chantilly Highlands neighborhood Meeting, Sept. 2007.

“There aren’t any written or electronic documents pertaining to the community member’s concerns.  The statement reflects input received from citizens at various community meetings regarding school facilities.  The comments were oral, and were not contained in letter or e-mail.”  --- FCPS, in a written response to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Request from Richard Bolger, Esq.

FCPS Statement

“…the school system considers the optimal size of a high school for program purposes to be about 2,000 students”, according to Dean Tistadt. "Schools that are smaller – like South Lakes – have a hard time offering classes like Discrete Math, Pre calculus Honors, Finance, Economics, Piano and Animation.”  --- Connection Newspapers Article, Nov. 15, 2007.

The Reality

Other FCPS high schools operate with enrollment levels comparable to South Lakes High School’s enrollment of 1,350 students:
Marshall HS at 1,325, Hayfield HS at 1,582 and Falls Church HS at 1,318.  --- FCPS Web Site

FCPS Statement

“…Community input is vital.  I understand the angst, but we need to have the discussion.  However, we haven’t made any decisions.”   ---- FCPS school board member Kathy Smith as reported in the Connection Newspapers, October 11, 2007 

The Reality

"The new boundaries will be drawn to relieve overcrowding at Westfield HS and Chantilly HS, and therefore new students will likely come (to South Lakes HS) from the west (in the possible direction of Fox Mill, Crossfield, Floris, or McNair elementary schools) rather than North Reston. The only middle and elementary school boundaries that could be affected are those around "Madison island," an area of Reston that is part of the Madison HS attendance area."  --- Oct 17  statement made to the South Lakes HS PTSA by school board member Stu Gibson -- as reported in the South Lakes HS PTSA Nov. 2007 newsletter. 

Editor's Note: While FCPS continues to refer to the "Madison Island" area as being in Reston, it is geographically located in Vienna.

FCPS Statement

“Enrollment at Chantilly and Westfield High Schools limit opportunities for student participation in co- and extracurricular activities.”  --- FCPS Town Meeting Presentation, Nov. 12, 2007

“We have 47 seniors on one high school football team that don’t get to play,” said Denise James, the schools system’s director of facilities planning.  --- Connection Newspaper Article, Nov. 15, 2007

The Reality

This is a weak argument and not sufficiently compelling to justify the enormous impacts on families, parents, and neighborhoods that would result from a boundary change. Only parents are positioned to make this tradeoff.  FCPS has not provided a forum for parental involvement in this discussion.