Board directs future students away from Madison’s Trust Elementary

By Reed Carver

On Aug. 13 the Loudoun County School Board considered school redistricting – redrawing the boundaries that dictate school attendance. Projected student population will go from Madison’s Trust Elementary, to Sycolin Creek Elementary, which matriculates to Brambleton Middle, and Independence High School. 

However, at least 18 students were already counting on attending Madison’s Trust this year.

“I stand here as a concerned parent,” said Sashi Kandru, “We were surprised to hear that there was a rezoning – we would like to ask the board to reconsider, so our kids can get the best education possible.”

Madison’s Trust has student reading and math scores in the 90’s, while Sycolin’s scores are in the high 70’s, according to US News and World Report. In general, it takes eight minutes or less for students to arrive at Madison’s; it will take an estimated 25 minutes to reach Sycolin.

About 30 other parents attended the Public Hearing to express their shared opinions. 

Comments 

Tina Kapoor said she opposes the proposition that her children could not attend Madison’s Trust. They would be commuting farther to school, and it will lead to less sleep for them. “We bought our house where we bought it because we wanted [our children] to attend Madison’s Trust.”

Another parent said, “We came here because of the school … sleep is so important, kids are going to lose sleep with this commute. I was transferred when I was in school and it was one of the most disruptive experiences in that time.” 

“Proximity has been big for us,” another continued. “Kids would have to go half an hour to attend the school [Sycolin].”

An online speaker addressed the Board, “For a decade, you knew this was coming, and just thought you would move our children to another school.” She ran out of time and her microphone was cut off in mid-sentence.

A father said, “We bought homes here considering the fact that we would go to Madison’s. We literally spent one year researching the ratings to be sure this would be good. I [also] have a strong security concern about my six year-old riding that far alone in a bus.”

“I am a mother of a kindergartner,” said Smitha Paramesh. “We are just four minutes away from the school, [Madison’s] and that is an important part of our life because my child gets motion sick, and we are being rezoned to go to Sycolin, 20 minutes away.”

Shrinivas Babu Ganga said, “I saw Madison’s Trust as a school which is less than a mile from the community; it was a primary factor for us moving to the community.”

“[I want] the best for my kid,” another parent said. “[bus riding] takes a toll on my kids’ health because they get up early and go to bed early. We are both working parents and this restricts the time we can spend with our kids.” 

“In case of need for our students to walk, [to school] there is no place to walk. There is a 30 percent degradation of learning outcomes [associated with school changes],” said Saurabh Chatterjee.

“The topic of zoning is never easy,” said an online speaker, “but changing our school will increase commutes from below the national average, to above it, and this will impose stress on our children.” 

“Our children are within walking distance from Madison’s Trust. It is already a big change – a big stress added – it will be hard on mental health. Rezoning can weaken the bonds of our community, which has been built around Madison’s Trust,” said another parent.

“[I oppose] for several reasons: our children wake up extremely early. LCPS is short on bus drivers, so parents have to arrange rides. Parents also need to respond quickly, which they will not be able to do with this rezoning,” said a parent.

Rishabh Shrivastava said, “we strongly oppose the rezoning – this will increasingly exhaust our children, especially when they are to be learning.”

Board members vote

Kevin Lewis, Chief Operations Officer for LCPS, explained, “Madison’s Trust is approaching overcrowding already, and it will be severe in the coming years. … We are close to the third grade being completely overrun.”

Beverly Tate, Director of Planning & GIS Services supported the idea of the rezoning, saying that Sycolin has space in the long term. Madison’s Trust opened in 2016, and it was already over capacity, she said. “It was overcrowded, and will become more so in the next few years.” 

The neighborhoods in the zones to be changed are either under construction or for sale, and upon occupancy, 288 elementary aged students are expected to live there. 

“This is a tough one, Sycolin has a 7:45 a.m. start, Madison’s is 8, so it is a school a distance away and with an earlier start time,” Lauren Shernoff (Leesburg) said. Two parents who stayed for the vote nodded in agreement. “There are many layers here, so we are bringing in those concerns. These are decisions that none of us enjoy making.”

The Board members tried to find alternatives, but other options were eventually exhausted. 

This is an issue Loudoun County has dealt with for years, “Neighborhoods change and there is a constant flux,” said Aaron Spence, LCPS superintendent. “We would not recommend modular classrooms, when there is a built school nearby with substantial capacity. The only other option would be to grandfather in those students whose parents moved here with the understanding that their children would go to that school.”

Dr. Linda Deans (Broad Run) said, “We should go with the recommendation,” she detailed that there was administrative hassle involved with the grandfather idea, likely repeated every year. “Kids are resilient; I think it would be better for my kids to just [do the rezone now].”

The motion to vote was passed, with Deana Griffiths (Ashburn) in opposition. 

April Chandler (Algonkian) said, “There has not been a change since 2012 [of school zoning]; families really identify with their schools, and there are strong connections. It’s not easy when the neighborhoods are new, and it’s really not easy when the neighborhoods are old.”

The vote to rezone passed unanimously.