Comments on Our Loudoun Schools: Notes from Tonight's Meeting

There's a comment that bears repeating on this str...

2009-12-20T11:16:11.235-05:00

There's a comment that bears repeating on this string of posts. Mr. Stevens, where are you?!?!?!? Step up and help put this issue to bed and start the healing process!

THe school board didn't want to shift any other ki...

2009-12-15T06:20:00.343-05:00

THe school board didn't want to shift any other kids in Leesburg because of that thing called a feeder system, see how it has messed everything up! As long as they focus on this, then we will continue to have problems. I still cannot figure out how we can have a feeder system when we don't have equal numbers of high schools and middle schools. And I don't understand how putting kids on busses and shipping them all over the county to keep that system intact is a good thing. I don't see how dividing up neighborhoods can be good. I don't see how building schools far away from student populations is good. I really would like to see that transportation budget and what the forecast for it will be when we build all these schools that all kids will need to be bussed to cuz they can't go to the school within their own neighborhoods. Thankfully my kids are almost out of this messes up system!

First off, let me start by saying I don't live any...

2009-12-15T00:40:34.667-05:00

First off, let me start by saying I don't live any either Ashburn Farm or Lansdowne. I really could care less where your children go to school, except for I don't believe they should go to overcrowded schools. Here's my two cents....

The original staff plan (Spring 09) never addressed the main goal of redrawing the boundaries of SBHS....getting students out of SBHS. In fact, the original staff plan accelerated student enrollment at SBHS above 2000 students. Shipping students from one overcrowded HS (SBHS) to another (BWHS) made no sense whatsoever to me.

The new staff plan (Fall 09) shifted students from Lansdowne to empty seats at Tuscarora in Leesburg. My question on this is why Lansdowne? Why weren't students that were closer to Tuscarora sent there? Lansdowne is right to have a beef with LCPS. Why did LCPS lock in all of Leesburg to the 3 High Schools? The LCPS answer would be this new plan moved the least amount of students. I don't know if it did or not, but it seems it could have been better thought out then this.

Finally the whole Ashburn Farm vs. Lansdowne is a joke. Lansdowne complains the LCPS caved to an HOA to keep AF kids at SBHS. Their argument is that SBHS belongs to Loudoun County, not just AF. And they are right. I don't think AF wanted Lansdowne out of SBHS, they just didn't want THEIR kids out of SBHS....and they used a very organized group of people (Ashburn Farm HOA and Ashburn Farm United) to put their message out.
Since when is a group standing up for what they believe in...a wrong thing?

Thanks for reading the ramblings of an older (not old) person :)

Only half of Ashburn Farm is closer to Stone Bridg...

2009-12-14T21:27:43.510-05:00

Only half of Ashburn Farm is closer to Stone Bridge. The other half of Ashburn Farm is closer to Broad Run. Lansdowne overcrowds Tuscarora in 3 years. Another high school is needed. Stone Bridge does not belong to any HOA. These are the facts and a solution needs to be developed that allows all the children of Loudoun County to attend high schools that are not overcrowded. This is not about Lansdowne and Ashburn Farm; it is about the need for another high school.

when will Lansdowne accept the fact that they are ...

2009-12-14T19:06:10.934-05:00

when will Lansdowne accept the fact that they are Loudoun county schools? What is Lansdowne's obsession with SBHS?? See how it sounds when someone says it about Lansdowne? Not so nice is it- the only obsession that AF has with SBHS is that it is the closest school, many students can and do walk there,and other schools are over-crowded. Tuscarora is a new school with open seats and someone has to go there.Lansdowne is the closest to that school. The only reason that has been given as to why this is a bad idea is because it is temporary- well, welcome to Loudoun county- where ALL the boundaries are temporary, unless you are east of 28. If you want permanent boundaries, then one should lobby building schools where the kids are living not where they are going to be living in the future.

OK, if the solution for Stone Bridge is HS 6 in LV...

2009-12-14T18:38:11.558-05:00

OK, if the solution for Stone Bridge is HS 6 in LV II what then is the solution when it becomes full with the kids that live there, Briar Woods is full with the kids that live in Broadlands and Brambleton and Broad Run is full of AV kids and Stone Bridge is full of Lansdowne and Belmont CC kids, does Af then homeschool? And by the way-- that all happens within the next 8-9 years.

Why can't the Leesburg HS boundaries be redrawn to...

2009-12-14T16:19:08.774-05:00

Why can't the Leesburg HS boundaries be redrawn to include Lansdowne to Tuscarora (or other Leesburg school) on a permanent basis. Even with a LVE HS being built, that will be filled with BWHS overflow kids and the additional gazillion houses in Brambleton. Belmont CC and Ashburn Farm will have enough students to fill Stone Bridge HS. The kids just to the west of Lansdowne don't have a problem going to a Leesburg HS, why do the parents of Lansdowne have a problem with it?

If these are schools that everyone has to share, how come we didn't move out Lansdowne kids when Belmont Ridge MS became over crowded. Oh that's right, we moved Ashburn Farm kids to Eagle Ridge.

AF needs to accept that these are Loudoun schools ...

2009-12-14T16:01:28.764-05:00

AF needs to accept that these are Loudoun schools that everybody has to share and proximity is only one consideration for attendance zones.

The big picture considerations of rational distribution county-wide are far more important since there are too few schools in all locations. We needs more schools now and the LVE property must be the next build site for a high school.

The school board must be grilled for not actively pursuing the LVE site NOW since we own it already and it is ready to build upon.

We can't allow AF to get in the way of building schools because of their obsession with SBHS and staying there.

Does everybody realize that the school board wasted $40,000 to "study" whether the water treatment plant property was suitable to build a school on. This is a horrible site for a school for all kinds of reasons that everybody knew up front. And as it turns out, it can't be built upon...shock. The board can't blame t he BOS on one hand and then waste money searching for phantom land that we don't need. Don't be fooled, they aren't looking for anything but time.

These guys need to be held accountable for their inaction and failure to satisfy the needs of the many for the selfish concerns of a few.

If Ashburn Farm was assigned to Harper Park again(...

2009-12-14T15:48:41.483-05:00

If Ashburn Farm was assigned to Harper Park again(we have been there once before), I doubt that anyone would balk at that since Eagle Ridge and Belmont are over-crowded. BUT... moving AF out of Stone Bridge when it is in the neighborhood and is the CLOSEST high school to the community then yes, that is a problem. And for those who don't know, Briar Woods is in Brambleton- not in the backyard of Ashburn Farm.

Stone Bridge is IN Ashburn Farm. Broad Run is NOT...

2009-12-14T14:47:18.076-05:00

Stone Bridge is IN Ashburn Farm. Broad Run is NOT in Ashburn Farm. Briar Woods is NOT in Ashburn Farm.

Nobody in Ashburn Farm said anything about not wanting to go to Harper Park. Why do you constantly try to stir up trouble? You have provided nothing positive to this conversation.

Belmont Ridge MS is IN Lansdowne. Why doesn't Ashb...

2009-12-14T14:39:41.971-05:00

Belmont Ridge MS is IN Lansdowne. Why doesn't Ashburn Farm want to go to Harper Park? If AF kids have to be bussed out of Ashburn to a Leesburg middle school, what does it matter which Leesburg school it is?

I find it quite interesting that Lansodowne is pr...

2009-12-14T14:25:28.893-05:00

I find it quite interesting that Lansodowne is practically in Harper Park's backyard but they go to Belmont Ridge MS.......AND the Lansdowne community wouldn't dream of going to "Harper Park" - for what reason I don't know! They have a dedicated staff and great opportunities to excel in extra-curricular activities . I know Harper Park is crowded, is that the reason?

BTW...Broad Run has what...8 trailers??? A little over crowded. Plus the fact that all of Ashburn Village goes to Broad Run might be the reason AF doesn't go there.

I find it interesting that Leesburg Today is repor...

2009-12-14T13:05:36.609-05:00

I find it interesting that Leesburg Today is reporting that George Mason has gotten Van Metre to donate 37 acres of land for a new GMU campus in Ashburn. Yet Loudoun officials couldn't get more land out of these developers for K-12 schools in the communities these developers built.

I find it quite interesting that AF is practically...

2009-12-14T11:49:41.923-05:00

I find it quite interesting that AF is practically in BR's backyard but they go to SB.......AND the AF community wouldn't dream of going to "BR" - for what reason I don't know! They have a dedicated staff and great opportunities to excel in extra-curricular activities (State Champions in many sports). I know BR is crowded, is that the reason?

And what is wrong with asking and looking for the ...

2009-12-14T11:21:02.585-05:00

And what is wrong with asking and looking for the best location for schools? After all, poor planning and just accepting anything we can get is really what got us into this mess to begin with. It's time we all stand up and say we need schools in the right locations!

Complaining about what developer proferred sites for schools is irrelevant because ultimately, it is the Board of Supervisors that didn't push for the right number of schools, in the right locations when the developments were approved.

Right, and I guess it doesn't matter to you that m...

2009-12-14T11:09:13.870-05:00

Right, and I guess it doesn't matter to you that my son didn't go to ES with most of the kids he now finds classmates at Eagle Ridge.

Lansdowne is being thrown over neighborhoods that ...

2009-12-14T10:59:23.933-05:00

Lansdowne is being thrown over neighborhoods that they do not go to school with. Lansdowne is an island by itself. Ashburn Farm was not thrown over any neighborhood that they didn't go to school with to attend Briar Woods.

As opposed to Lansdowne's solution of throwing Ash...

2009-12-14T09:34:22.375-05:00

As opposed to Lansdowne's solution of throwing Ashburn Farm kids over several neighborhoods to go to Briar Woods.

Why don't you stop with all the misinformation and bitterness you are putting out there and become part of the solution?

The biggest problem in the "newly named Ashburn" i...

2009-12-14T09:07:31.319-05:00

The biggest problem in the "newly named Ashburn" is the high school students that are being temporarily thrown over 4 other neighborhoods to get to their high school. That is the first priority that needs to be fixed. Tuscarora will be over capacity in its third year. Ashburn Farm wants everyone to forget about anything Leesburg as if Leesburg residents are the second class citizens of Loudoun County. If Lansdowne isn't removed from the Leesburg schools then the stability of Leesburg is at risk but that's not important to Ashburn Farm.

You honestly believe that a middle school in SOUTH...

2009-12-13T21:25:11.066-05:00

You honestly believe that a middle school in SOUTH RIDING will relieve the 1400 kids that will be in Belmont in 2 years?? and Eagle Ridge, where exactly are the kids from Eagle Ridge live that will end up at Stone Hill, glad I won't be one of them..... And what do you propose to do with all the South Riding kids that need a middle school?? Have you seen the South Riding numbers?? There is a new elementary school opening next year and they STILL have overcrowding issues and look at those boundaries-- all over the place, no thank you! They have enough problems already, they certainly don't need Ashburn's. NO the answer to the middle school problem in Ashburn is another middle school in Ashburn! Shifting kids all over is how we got to where we are now.

The middle school problem will be solved when the ...

2009-12-13T20:25:37.271-05:00

The middle school problem will be solved when the new Dulles South middle school opens in 2011 and seats open up at Stone Hill Middle to releive Farmwell, Belmont Ridge and Eagle Ridge. The real question is what is going to be done when 4 high schools are above the 115% capacity. We need a high school in the CIP ASAP.

The idea that sticking with the original staff pla...

2009-12-13T15:49:46.531-05:00

The idea that sticking with the original staff plan as some have stated would have yielded the same result in the end-- Stone Bridge would have remained overcrowed and then who would go--Both Lansdowne and Belmont CC have a 30% growth rate-- AF is stable and Belmont Greene is almost stable so even if you took out AF totally from Stone Bridge it would remain overcrowded and then what would be done?? And to make matters worse, Briar Woods would be extremely overcrowded- even with HS 6 and nothing would be done with Broad Run. Though I don't agree with Mr. Ohneiser on anything else, I do agree that this was the best solution until a new school north is built. But I realize that everyone has their own opinion but the one thing I have not heard is Lansdownes solution to the problem other than HS 6 which would really solve nothing long term and create more issues than it temporarily solves. What is their idea about solving the middle school overcrowding?

UGH..... When will everyone just get it---- WE NEE...

2009-12-13T11:26:56.708-05:00

UGH..... When will everyone just get it---- WE NEED 2 MORE HIGH SCHOOLS!! One north of the Greenway and one south. There are going to be 9000+ kids down the road and if something is not done to address this problem, EVERY kid is going to shuffeled out of their own communities, neighborhoods split apart and a bigger mess then we already have. Sending ANYONE to Briar Woods would have made that school even more overcroweded than it already will be! We should be working TOGETHER to get this issue resolved, not griping about who stays at Stone Bridge-- or whatever school is next on the chopping block. I am just glad my kids will be out of school by that time. If you have a 1st, 2nd or 3rd grader, beware.

Belmont Country Club residents would be wise to st...

2009-12-13T10:26:28.387-05:00

Belmont Country Club residents would be wise to start gearing up now for the next boundary battle because they are next out of Stone Bridge. Even with Lansdowne out of the picture, Stone Bridge will still be over capacity. Then it will be Ashburn Farm vs. Belmont CC. Why do you think the school board sent Lansdowne all the way to Tuscarora instead of to Heritage? They're saving Heritage for Belmont.

And everything that was said about Lansdowne can be said about Belmont. They haven't suffered enough boundary changes. They chose to build a country club instead of a high school. They chose to build a golf course instead of a high school. (Not that residents decide what gets built, but that doesn't seem to matter.) They live further away from Stone Bridge than Ashburn Farm, etc.

The school board would have been very wise in the ...

2009-12-13T08:39:16.053-05:00

The school board would have been very wise in the beginning to 1) take the staff recommended plan AND 2) also take a border DN from Lansdowne. These changes would have made sense geographically and made both communities feel like they had given something rather than either community feeling like they were taken advantage of as is the current perception. The shared pain would have probably brought communities together. The board has made enemies of the communities by dragging this out and singling out a single community as though they were the problem to be solved.

Ashburn even had kids speak at the last minute against phasing which obviously would have meant throwing out current classmates of theirs. I really question the wisdom of the Ashburn parents in making their kids focal points like this in such a heated debate. Particularly when those kids that the Ashburn kids are trying to have removed from the school really want to stay. Hopefully nothing bad will come of this.

Lansdowne never had a chance in this mess because they had no representation. Their "representative" also represents and lives in Ashburn, who was their adversary. After having his own children removed from the argument by taking Broad Run redistricting off the table, he played both good-cop and bad-cop while selling Lansdowne down the river.