Embedded Files
The proposal to rezone the Chantilly Estates neighborhood does not appear to align with the FCPS scenario goals or the School Board 8130.8 Boundary Policy.
Scenarios 2 and 3 in the boundary rezone proposal:
1. WOULD NOT "ensure equitable access to programs and facilities"
FCPS would be rezoning our long-established small and stable non-HOA subdivision (since 1947) to a lower performing school more than twice the distance with a higher student-teacher ratio. FCPS would not be moving the newer built neighborhoods (some established as recent as 2020) that are closer to Westfield than us. This seems extremely unfair and inequitable.
After school activities would be minimized due to longer commutes. We would be faced with inevitable transportation issues and transportation inefficiencies with no means of carpooling given we are isolated from all Westfields HS neighborhoods; while the newer built neighborhoods closer to Westfields would remain in our beloved CHS pyramid that our neighborhood supported since its opening in 1973, way before the real estate boom and the creation of the Dulles Suburban Center boundary in which our neighborhood is situated outside of said boundary.
3. WOULD NOT "using student enrollment projections, balance available capacity” or “promote stability by focusing on long-term attendance zone stability”
According to FCPS Residential Developments Applications Dashboard, the potential student yield continues to rapidly rise for the Westfields pyramid (currently at 1,597), while the CHS new student-yield count for new residential developments appear to be inside the CHS proposed Wegman's area SPA rezone. If the Wegman's SPA area is rezoned to Westfield, then it would move the CHS new student-yield count from 185 to 0.
It is well known that Westfields HS current attendance-zone area is still rapidly growing with many new residential developments, while the Chantilly HS attendance-zone (outside of the designated Dulles Suburban Center) remains mostly stagnant.
It appears that this boundary rezone process may not have followed the FCPS Development Review and Proffer Processes to consider projected potential student yield identified in the FCPS Residential Developments Applications Dashboard in order to address long-term stability.
2. WOULD NOT "provide for walking... limit transportation time... or increase efficiency of transportation routes"
CHS is within walking distance (approx. 1.5 miles); Westfield is not. Students currently walk or bike home from CHS. Westfield requires travel across major highways and commercial zones.
Walking home from school would no longer be an option for our children, transportation time would substantially increase, and transportation routes would become less efficient due to unpredictable heavy traffic traversing the large commercial zones.
4. WOULD NOT "eliminate or prevent the establishment of split feeders"
Our neighborhood on average yields less than 10 high school students. Our few students would be split from the majority of their peers. We would be displaced outside of our stable CHS school pyramid. Lees Corner Elementary and Franklin MS are not part of the Westfield HS pyramid. The rezone would be creating a new split feeder for just a small fraction of children!
5. WOULD NOT "promote a contiguous attendance zone".
Our neighborhood would become a new isolated non-contiguous attendance island that is masked by the large commercial properties and highways that are adjacent to us.
6. WOULD NOT "maintain relationship with school pyramid groupings".
Our kids would clearly be segregated from our neighborhood pyramid high school. We would be displaced outside of our stable CHS school pyramid. Lees Corner Elementary and Franklin MS are not part of the Westfield HS pyramid. The rezone would be creating a new split feeder for just a small fraction of children!
7. WOULD NOT "minimize disruption of students' instructional programs".
7. WOULD NOT "minimize disruption of students' instructional programs".
This proposal would actually increase disruption of our students due to long distance travel time and the emotional distress they would be facing with not having any local peers given the closest Westfields neighborhood could be 3+ miles away.
8. WOULD NOT "reasonably allow for all students from the adjacent neighborhoods and communities to attend school, taking into consideration natural and man-made barriers".
8. WOULD NOT "reasonably allow for all students from the adjacent neighborhoods and communities to attend school, taking into consideration natural and man-made barriers".
There are no man-made or natural barriers that separate students between our neighborhood and our three adjoining and abutting communities (that would remain at CHS). We have shared backyards with other neighborhoods that will remain at CHS.
Google maps also depict the neighborhood contiguous continuity by displaying the small path that exists between our adjoining neighborhoods. Our kids would be separated from majority (and likely all) of their friends that would remain in the CHS pyramid.
9. WOULD NOT "support optimal family/caregiver involvement".
Current after-school care options, emergency contacts, neighborhood family support and carpools (especially for after school activities) would be challenging.
"The success of the boundary changes will be measured by how well they align with the goals outlined in Fairfax County School Board Policy 8130, including ensuring equitable access to programs and facilities, balancing available capacity to make the best use of our school facilities, establishing consistent “attendance zones,” and minimizing travel time for students."
-- Comprehensive Boundary Review: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) | Fairfax County Public Schools
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse