APS Superintendent High School Overcrowding Plan

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wish they would create a K-12 immersion program somewhere in the middle of Arlington. Or an 8-12. Or just something to make it geographically more feasible to continue with the program after elementary.

Isn't Wakefield where kids do to continue immersion?
Gunston, then Wakefield?

Yeah, and for those who are zoned for Key at the elementary level it often presents a sufficiently long commute that they discontinue with the program.

Oh please! Cry me a river. This county is very small, and no kid is sitting on a bus longer than 30-40 min. They'll live.

Simmer down. I'm not saying it's a massive hardship or anything. I'm just throwing out other an idea for a program with a unique focus that could be situated on a smaller campus than would be required for a traditional school while freeing up seats at neighborhood schools. I think it would more effectively attrract students than the tech program being discussed. You may disagree.

[Anonymous]

As a future Wakefield parent I'm thrilled about the new tech school. It will draw heavily from Wakfield, I would imagine, not only freeing up seats, but removing a large percentage of under performing students. Win-win!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a future Wakefield parent I'm thrilled about the new tech school. It will draw heavily from Wakfield, I would imagine, not only freeing up seats, but removing a large percentage of under performing students. Win-win!

I don't think it will be "underperforming" students, I think it is supposed to draw kids who will probably be first-generation college attendees--kids for whom private college and a liberal arts education doesn't have a good ROI, but who want to be prepared for a real career. They will go to Arlington Tech, get some college credit, and have a path into an engineering program or other tech-related field at a Virginia state school. They aren't the kids who load up on APs and sports and extracurriculars but they are probably going to be kids who are plenty capable. And yes, there are plenty of these kids in Arlington, even at the wealthier high schools.

[Anonymous]

Can somebody explain the VHC deal to me? I'm assuming the County Board makes the decision to buy the land and how to use it. So the School Board can't do anything other than lobby to have it set aside for a school? All we've been hearing at the CIP meetings is that there is no land for a fourth high school, so this VHC land deal is very confusing to me.

The parks vs. schools debate is so aggravating, because many of our parks and community centers were originally built as schools. When APS enrollment dropped a few decades ago, they consolidated and turned them into community centers. I love parks in Arlington too, but we have so many already and the idea of buying that VHC land and turning it into another park is just crazy. And if I hear another cranky baby boomer complaining about traffic, I am going to lose my mind! This idea that we can freeze Arlington into whatever it was in the 1980s when they all raised their kids here is just crazy talk. If they want less traffic, they need to cash out their house and move to West Virginia-- this is Washington, DC-- of course there is traffic.

[Anonymous]

The sad reality is that we will never be able to get a new high school. The elderly vote in every election and they won't approve another big school bond.

[Anonymous]

This is a fascinating discussion. I wonder how all the NIMBYs will feel when their property values start dropping. It's not like people are moving to Arlington for the great restaurants, good weather, or nice architecture. Location and schools are what it has going for it. Take schools out of the equation, and it might as well be Hyattsville.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a future Wakefield parent I'm thrilled about the new tech school. It will draw heavily from Wakfield, I would imagine, not only freeing up seats, but removing a large percentage of under performing students. Win-win!

I don't think it will be "underperforming" students, I think it is supposed to draw kids who will probably be first-generation college attendees--kids for whom private college and a liberal arts education doesn't have a good ROI, but who want to be prepared for a real career. They will go to Arlington Tech, get some college credit, and have a path into an engineering program or other tech-related field at a Virginia state school. They aren't the kids who load up on APs and sports and extracurriculars but they are probably going to be kids who are plenty capable. And yes, there are plenty of these kids in Arlington, even at the wealthier high schools.

Maybe- but that Arlington Sun Gazette article last week did not make this idea sound too promising. They didn't get much interest for next year, and barely any enrollment from female students. The fact that nobody at APS can articulate the purpose of Arlington Tech at a CIP meeting does not help. It seems really obvious that the only real solution is a fourth full-service high school, and it scares the crap out of me that this is the only option not really on the table.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is a fascinating discussion. I wonder how all the NIMBYs will feel when their property values start dropping. It's not like people are moving to Arlington for the great restaurants, good weather, or nice architecture. Location and schools are what it has going for it. Take schools out of the equation, and it might as well be Hyattsville.

In your last sentence, I think you meant "white people," not "schools."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is a fascinating discussion. I wonder how all the NIMBYs will feel when their property values start dropping. It's not like people are moving to Arlington for the great restaurants, good weather, or nice architecture. Location and schools are what it has going for it. Take schools out of the equation, and it might as well be Hyattsville.

Yes- this x 1 million. I'm involved in our neighborhood civic organization, and all they do is bitch and moan about every little change to the neighborhood. They act like it is *their neighborhood* and anyone under the age of 50 is some sort of carpet bagger who shouldn't be allowed to have any influence on the direction in Arlington. But then when they are ready to retire and move, they sell the crappy unrenovated house that they bought for $180K in the 1970s for $900K and laugh all the way to the bank.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The sad reality is that we will never be able to get a new high school. The elderly vote in every election and they won't approve another big school bond.

When's the last time Arlington voters didn't approve a school bond?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a fascinating discussion. I wonder how all the NIMBYs will feel when their property values start dropping. It's not like people are moving to Arlington for the great restaurants, good weather, or nice architecture. Location and schools are what it has going for it. Take schools out of the equation, and it might as well be Hyattsville.

In your last sentence, I think you meant "white people," not "schools."

Nope, Hyattsville has no shortage of "white people" these days. And once that Whole Foods opens up, well, just like the Vietnamese were pushed out of Clarendon . . .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a fascinating discussion. I wonder how all the NIMBYs will feel when their property values start dropping. It's not like people are moving to Arlington for the great restaurants, good weather, or nice architecture. Location and schools are what it has going for it. Take schools out of the equation, and it might as well be Hyattsville.

Yes- this x 1 million. I'm involved in our neighborhood civic organization, and all they do is bitch and moan about every little change to the neighborhood. They act like it is *their neighborhood* and anyone under the age of 50 is some sort of carpet bagger who shouldn't be allowed to have any influence on the direction in Arlington. But then when they are ready to retire and move, they sell the crappy unrenovated house that they bought for $180K in the 1970s for $900K and laugh all the way to the bank.

I actually had someone from Arlington call me a carpetbagger on DCUM because I didn't move here until my kids were school-aged. I could have gotten a house at half the price on the other side of the Potomac - moved here for the schools and will move away if the schools deteriorate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The sad reality is that we will never be able to get a new high school. The elderly vote in every election and they won't approve another big school bond.

When's the last time Arlington voters didn't approve a school bond?

Assuming it was a long time ago, if ever, that's all the more reason the current APS and Board officials ought to be planning, not twiddling their thumbs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a future Wakefield parent I'm thrilled about the new tech school. It will draw heavily from Wakfield, I would imagine, not only freeing up seats, but removing a large percentage of under performing students. Win-win!

I don't think it will be "underperforming" students, I think it is supposed to draw kids who will probably be first-generation college attendees--kids for whom private college and a liberal arts education doesn't have a good ROI, but who want to be prepared for a real career. They will go to Arlington Tech, get some college credit, and have a path into an engineering program or other tech-related field at a Virginia state school. They aren't the kids who load up on APs and sports and extracurriculars but they are probably going to be kids who are plenty capable. And yes, there are plenty of these kids in Arlington, even at the wealthier high schools.

Maybe- but that Arlington Sun Gazette article last week did not make this idea sound too promising. They didn't get much interest for next year, and barely any enrollment from female students. The fact that nobody at APS can articulate the purpose of Arlington Tech at a CIP meeting does not help. It seems really obvious that the only real solution is a fourth full-service high school, and it scares the crap out of me that this is the only option not really on the table.

?? They had almost twice as many applicants as they had slots and ended up accepting about a third more students than they planned to. They also got kids from all five middle schools. Seems pretty successful, except for the girls part.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a fascinating discussion. I wonder how all the NIMBYs will feel when their property values start dropping. It's not like people are moving to Arlington for the great restaurants, good weather, or nice architecture. Location and schools are what it has going for it. Take schools out of the equation, and it might as well be Hyattsville.

In your last sentence, I think you meant "white people," not "schools."

Nope, Hyattsville has no shortage of "white people" these days. And once that Whole Foods opens up, well, just like the Vietnamese were pushed out of Clarendon . . .

Haha. Hyattsville is 33% white. ALL OF Arlington is 2/3 white. I am sure N. Arlington alone is much higher than that.