school is what you make it anyhow. if your child is going to do well then he/she will no matter where they go. I do understand how the parents feel however, you move into an area with expectations that your child will go to a certain school and to have that changed is upsetting. i think when county/state leaders make these changes it is not necessarily about overgrowth, but a need to make some changes academically and/or demographically. i dont believe that south lakes is a bad school and i am sure there are students there who do well as AAk pointed out. But some parents are snobby and certain schools just arent good enough for their kid. Overtime, whatever the leaders want to see changed will take place. Parents - calm down. it is not the worst thing in the world. if your kid is smart - he or she will prevail no matter where they go.

I wonder how many illegals are being allowed to go to school. Get rid of them and you might solve some of your overcrowding. Why is English being taught as a second language? Think it might have something to do with the illegals going to school. How about teaching Spanish as a second language? Democrats are turning this country over to them and if you want your kids to be competitive they will have to know Spanish.

I am a father of 2 students at Southlake?s High School. In my four year experience I have never seen or heard anything negative in regards to the demographic makeup of the school, all schools contain bad elements and good elements. As for academics, my sons teachers are very dedicated to seeing all their students succeed and go on to higher education or become well prepared for daily life.

Please stop making this school sound like a decrepit inner city school. It has become an ultra modern state of the art facility, one of the best I have seen in Fairfax County. I currently live in Herndon and would not want my sons to attend that high school over South Lakes. The Administrators, Teachers, Students and Parents are what make a school. I am saddened to here such negative comments from people who live in one of the most affluent and highly educated counties in the country. These people imply that Restonites are beneath them-they may want to research statistics on the percentage of college grads, Masters, PhD Dr. and Juris-doctorate degrees that live in the South Lakes Community.

Furthermore Look at Income/home values, come on people.

The fact that Fairfax County Schools are paid for by all residents-I have no say over programs that are at other schools and not South Lakes, why should we be short changed. My money goes out to every corner too benefit all students. If you want a better system switch to individual municipality run such as Massachusetts, then your kids can go to the schools in your town or city. Not this crazy system of attending elementary and middle school in on neighborhood and then be bussed of to a much further High School.

Any way PLEASE stop slamming South Lakes-many average, above average, National Honor Society and IB students excel there.

I am a father of 2 students at Southlakes High School. In my four year experience I have never seen or heard anyhing negative in regards to the demographic makeup of the school, all schools contain bad elements and good elements. As for academics, my sons teachers are very dedicated toseeing all there students succeed and go on to higher education or become well prepared for daily life.

Please stop making this school sound like a decrepit inner city school. It has become a ultra modern state of the art facility, one of the best I have seen in Fairfax County. I currently live in Herndon and would not want my sons to attend that highschool over South Lakes. The Administrators, Teachers, Students and Parents are what make a school. I am saddened to here such negative comments from people who live in one of the most affluent and highly educated counties in the country. These people imply that Restonites are beneath them-they may want to research statistics on the percentage of college grads, Masters, PhD Dr. and Juris-doctorate degrees that live in the South Lakes Community.

Futhermore Look at Income/home values, come on people.

The fact that Fairfax County Schools are paid for by all residents-I have no say over programs that are at other schools and not South Lakes, why should we be short changed. My money goes out to every corner too benifit all students. If you want a better system switch to individual municipality run such as Massachusetts, then your kids can go to the schools in your town or city. Not this crazy system of attending elementary and middle school in on neighborhood and then be bussed of to a much further High School.

Any way stop slamming South Lakes-many National Honor Society and IB students excel there.

This was going to pass regardless of what the public was going to input. It was a done deal when it was proposed last year.

Why did the Fairfax County school board even hold this meeting?

Seems all the details were worked out and approved before getting "Public Input"

Pathetic excuse for a school board. Politics, nothing more than sick political games using the kids as pawns. Another example of the illegal's and their worthless contribution to our society - schools down the sewer. As viennagirl said - forced integration in order to "skew" the SOL scores/results. Think of it as the English speaking kids being the Fabreeze covering up the smell of that unwanted guest in 'our house'.

...while under enrolled (gee I wonder why), South Lakes also has lower test scores than neighboring schools, and a higher level of stude..err illegals... requiring English as a second language (ESL) instruction.'

I hope all the school board members will be replaced next go around.

The question I have is, Why did they make Southlakes High School so large during there recent upgrade? The area around the school is almost fully developed. They could have enlarged any one of the other schools in the area where growth potential is still a posibility...I suppose the move will only last until the rail goes through Tysons Corner and they add the additionally planned 50 thousand new residents to that area. Yes you heard me right, when the rail goes through, they plan on increasing the population of Tyson's by 50,000. Our Board of STupervisors are such wonderful politicians(for the builders that is). The honestly think that adding the rail, 50000 new employees and 50000 new residents will not effect the roads in Northern Virginia. They also have not planned ahead for how many more firefighters and police officers will be needed. As a matter of fact, I have yet to see the proposal to add any additional officers. This in a time when the fire and police departments are being forced to reduce the overtime. By reducing the overtime on two understaffed agencies, especially the Police that protect us. The officers and detectives are being forced to cut back on investigations of crimes. This is how the Board of STupervisors think. Cut the services so we can pump millions into a rail so they can build Tysons to the size of a major city. I am sooooo confused about the way they think As for the kids, the parents need to stand together and stop the forced move. There is no reason for these kids to be forced to go long distances just to fill a school across the county.

What do you want to bet the board votes against the wishes of the majority of the parents in the county? I think their hope is that putting the smarter, wealthier kids in some of these schools will raise the schools' prestige and test scores, when it is nothing more than forced integration. If it were me, I would yank my kids out and put them in private school. And shame on the parents who favor "convenience" over sending their kids to a school where English-speaking students are in the minority! A longer bus ride isn't necessarily a tragedy while lowering your kids' educational standards is.

Again, the only people to blame are the Fairfax County Board of Directors for allowing densities of neighborhood populations to go unchecked (ie: building and building and building and building and building). It's almost a joke...'hey, let's see how many people we can put on this land at one time and not tfund for schools or roads in that area!!"