New Ashburn Elementary School Boundaries

For those that aren't aware, the school boundaries for virtually all of the Ashburn elementary schools will be redrawn this fall in preparation for the opening of two new schools. Mill Run and Hillside are included.

If you haven't been following the story, the last School Board passed a very controversial plan for the Leesburg cluster that resulted in a lawsuit by some parents.

If you care what school your children attend, pay attention to this issue and get involved!

 

For more information, visit the following:

http://www.lcps.org/site/Default.aspx?PageID=1094

Two new elementary schools will be opening at the start of the 2013-14 school year – Discovery Elementary School (ES-22) which will be located at 44020 Grace Bridge Drive in Ashburn and Moorefield Station Elementary School (ES-16) which will be located at 22325 Mooreview Parkway in Ashburn. In establishing attendance zones for the two new schools, the current attendance boundaries for Ashburn, Belmont Station, Cedar Lane, Creighton’s Corner, Dominion Trail, Hillside, Legacy, Mill Run, Newton-Lee, Rosa Lee Carter, Sanders Corner, Seldens Landing, and Steuart W. Weller Elementary Schools will be reviewed.

The Loudoun County School Board has scheduled a series of meetings to facilitate the necessary attendance zone changes for the greater Ashburn area elementary schools. All of the meetings will be open to the public; all persons are invited to attend.

 

Two new elementary schools will be opening at the start of the 2013-14 school year:

• Discovery Elementary School (ES-22) which will be located at 44020 Grace Bridge Drive in Ashburn and
• Moorefield Station Elementary School (ES-16) which will be located at 22325 Mooreview Parkway in Ashburn.

The opening of these two schools requires the formation of new elementary school attendance zones for the greater Ashburn area. In establishing attendance zones for the two new schools, the current attendance boundaries for Ashburn, Belmont Station, Cedar Lane, Creighton’s Corner, Dominion Trail, Hillside, Legacy, Mill Run, Newton-Lee, Rosa Lee Carter, Sanders Corner, Seldens Landing, and Steuart W. Weller Elementary Schools will be reviewed.

The Loudoun County School Board has scheduled a series of meetings to facilitate the necessary attendance zone changes for the greater Ashburn area elementary schools. All the meetings are public and will be held at the (LCPS) Administration Building at 21000 Education Court in Ashburn at 6:30 PM.

Wednesday, October 3, 2012 - Overview & Public Hearing*
Tuesday, October 16th, 2012 -Overview & Public Hearing*
Thursday, October 18th, 2012 - Attendance Zone Work Session
Monday, October, 22nd, 2012 - Staff Briefing and Public Hearing*
Monday, October 28th, 2012 - Attendance Zone Work Session
Thursday, November 1, 2012 - Staff briefing and Public Hearing*
Monday, November 5th, 2012 - Work Session
Wednesday, November 7, 2012 - Staff briefing and Public Hearing*
Tuesday, Novemeber 27 2012 - Recommendations - Attendance
Monday, December 3, 2012 - Public Hearing*
Tuesday, December 11th, 2012 - School Board adoption of Attendance Zones

* Community members and interested citizens will have the opportunity to address the School Board at the noted attendance zone public hearing dates – October 3, October 16, October 22, November 1, November 7, and December 3. Though open to the community, public comment will not be taken on the evenings set aside for work sessions between the School Board and staff.

The attendance zone meetings will also be broadcast live on both Verizon FIOS channel 43 and Comcast channel 18, as well as viewable via simultaneous web casts on the LCPS website (http://www.lcps.org).

Throughout the attendance zone change process, all correspondence and information received from members of the public will be shared with the School Board; submit written remarks to LCPS Department of Planning and Legislative Services at lcpsplan@lcps.org or 21000 Education Court, Ashburn, Virginia 20148.

For further information and updates, please visit:
http://www.lcps.org/site/Default.aspx?PageID=1094

 

Has this new boundary plan been posted yet? I only found the current boundaries, without the two new schools.

 

No, too soon. They probably won't have anything available until after the first Oct. meeting.

 

I could see the North East section of Mill Run (opposite side of Greenway from Mill Run) ending up at Discovery, but it is hard to imagine that any other portion of MR zone would end up at Moorefield, except possibly the far Western section of Wild Timber Ct./Glebe View (which border Belmont Ridge Road).

I tried to illustrate point 1 (red circle) on my rough drawing (in yellow) of the Mill Run zone.

 

Neighbor-
Don't apply logic to what should happen. Don't forget, they tried to move everyone east of Claiborne from Eagle Ridge to Stone Hill, even those that can easily walk to Eagle Ridge. There are many more ridiculous examples of what the SB has proposed in the past.
If parents of the section in your red circle mobilize and Broadlands remains silent, guess who gets moved?

 

I couldn't find the street of Discovery Elementary School. Where is it going to be located?

 

It appears Discovery ES will be located across the street (of the rear entrance to) Verizon - based on the "Loudoun Tax Payers Dollars at work" sign on the property. I think the road is Red Rum.

I've attached the LCPS "policy" on School Boundary 2.32. I think this needs to be read with a large grain of salt, given the controversial Bergel2 plan, which lead to two lawsuits.

 

I am so glad to visit this forum regularly to get to know these important information regarding our kids' education. I'll definitely try my best to participate the upcoming hearings!

 

There is a Facebook page for "Friends of Discovery Elementary" where you may find more information as things progress.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Friends-of-Discovery-Elementary-School/252516941425973

Mr. Linux is spot on for the location. Also, it is going to be a two story building, which is the new trend for LCPS.

Spread the word about the public input requested by LCPS and have your voice heard. Better to be a part of the planning process than to complain later!

 

Additionally, LCPS School Board member Eric Hornberger has a Facebook page and has posted some things about this issue.

 

A Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document has been created by LCPS and may be accessed at the following link:

http://www.lcps.org/cms/lib4/VA0100.../FAQs - Ashburn Area ES - August 27 2012.docx

 

Based on the Leesburg Today story, it appears that last month's lawsuit Re: Bergel2 plan. This suit brought several pieces of alarming evidence and highlighted several private meetings with LCPS Admin about school boundaries. Because of this disclosure the 2012 School Board voted to approve stricter rules and code of conduct for LCPS Administration, which would prohibit them from communicating with the Public regarding "new" school boundaries. It would also require that a School Board member is required to "sponsor" suggested plans from the Public.

http://www.leesburgtoday.com/news/s...cle_4a39eb42-f831-11e1-9fd1-001a4bcf887a.html

 

According to the letter sent home from our school:

Throughout the attendance zone change process, all correspondence and information received from members of the public will be shared with the School Board; submit written remarks to LCPS Department of Planning and Legislative Services at lcpsplan@lcps.org or 21000 Education Court, Ashburn, Virginia 20148.

So if you have a question or a comment, send an email or write a letter. Hopefully you will receive a response that directly addresses your question. But you can't discuss it orally with LCSB staff members.

 

You may follow the link below to read about proposed changes to the "private meeting" issues. It appears that this will be voted on at the school board meeting on Tuesday.

http://www.boarddocs.com/vsba/loudoun/Board.nsf/files/8Y9J5K4B6B13/$file/Policy%202-32.pdf

Here is the proposed change information:

http://www.boarddocs.com/vsba/loudoun/Board.nsf/files/8Y9J6C4B82C9/$file/Regulation%202-32.pdf

From the website:

Please contact the Superintendent's Office at (571) 252-1020 if you would like to speak before the School Board regarding the FY 2014 Operating Budget. Persons wishing to speak will be asked to provide their name, address and telephone number, subject matter, and organization represented, if applicable. Speakers are asked to limit comments to no more than five (5) minutes, and the Chair may shorten this to ensure that the Board's agenda can be completed. Persons who, due to a disability, need assistance to be able to participate meaningfully in School Board meetings, should contact the Superintendent's Office at least five days prior to the meeting.

 

BUMP...reminder 1st meeting (of a series) is this week.

 

Thanks for the reminder ! Do you know if we should expect the new boundaries to be revealed at the meeting this week, or will there be at least the appearance of considering feedback from this meeting prior to making any sort of formal announcement about the new boundaries ?

 

No boundaries have been decided at this time. The series of meetings is to decide where the boundaries should be. Email the board with your ideas! I think that everything is on the table in the beginning and things get narrowed down throughout the process. There will be five public hearings between now and the December 11th decision. Now is the time to offer your ideas. It's more than the appearance of considering feedback, it's a time for the public to act on their ideas and not just complain later.

http://www.lcps.org/site/Default.aspx?PageID=1094

You can read the FAQ on the issue.

If you feel strongly about something, speak before the board or email it so they have it on record and can consider your opinion.