APS: I can't keep up! (ASFS)

[Anonymous]

Couldn't they just wait until the new elementary school is built and then Just redraw the entire county? Why not see what the entire picture will be?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just watched the school board meeting. The ASFS parents really didn't come off well.
I know that it is a hard temptation to resist, but I wish we could collectively resist thinking that the current space capacity issue is someone's 'fault' and that there are other schools less burdened, in a better position to be overcrowded, etc.
The fact of the matter is- all the schools are overcrowded. ASFS really isn't special. ASFS is a relatively small building- with a capacity of 553, and an enrollment of 652. But the site is pretty typical- 6.6 acres
https://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/FAC_1300-Analysis_Final_20170214-1.pdf
http://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Capacity_Utilization_FallProjections17-26_Final_Web.pdf

It really falls in the middle of the pack in terms of overcrowding.

We need more schools.

You don't understand, at a PTA meeting with a school board member who is just voted out of office.they told us that SFS numbers would double when they convert key to a countywide program. It is only moderately over capacity it now, maybe 130%? That is totally tolerable. It's this policy change that will turn science focus into an 800 students school that is what we want to put the brakes on. Just to give the county and schoolboard time to actually do analysis and projections and plan. They should just do the boundary changes that they are proposing across all north Arlington and then make key countywide program at that point.

This is not correct. If JL said this, he is mistaken. Look at the data. First off, there will no longer be Jamestown and Taylor students in the incoming class as ASFS in 2018, since the team is going away. Then if you look at the additional number of students that *could* attend ASFS from the neighborhood, if there weren't any transfers elsewhere, and you get about 40 total kids. Then figure that there will be transfers out (to option schools) from this pool and we are talking about maybe an additional kindergarten class, give or take. That is what the numbers say.

ASFS is not going to go from 563 to 800. Pure crazy talk.

Certainly adding an additional kindergarten at ASFS is not ideal, but it does not approach the missing seats at McKinley (before addition) or Claremont or Henry or Oakridge. Nor does it create an 820+ elementary school, which is what Oakridge currently is.

There was a numbers staff member at the meeting. ASFS is currently 652, with about 150 Jamestown /Taylor. The staff member said about have the neighborhood attends ASFS, half key -- so the ASFS zone has about 1000 students between key and ASFS. Let's take away all those OOB students, and drop to 500, but if the countywide lottery (which is 12 schools -- so if key is 600, it's like ASFS zone will get 8% of that so, about 50 kids will continue to go to key.) so 1000 in-bound ASFS, 50 go to key, maybe another 15 ATS? You get to a 900 student school in a couple of years -- and you know that new boundary process will be BRUTAL and delayed). Plus we have 150 students grandfathered with siblings.

There are 23 kids from Jamestown, 105 from Taylor and 15 from other schools. Kids will be grandfathered in so you won't have 1,000 kids flooding your school. The key kids will stay at Key because they are grandfathered. You might have a larger kindergarten in the first year, but there will have to be a redistricting - countywide. Science Focus hasn't been a team or Choice school in years. Stop being selfish. Kids at Oakridge and McKinley have crowding. You do not. 70-80% of kids at Randolph and Carlin Springs struggle with food instability. Science Focus is vast majority affluent.

That only works if redistricting happens before the tidal way of former key students arrives -- the SB only realized that it needs to be done now, and I bet they delay it until Reed is ready to prevent serial redistricting. If they just wait to turn key into county wide lottery until they have balanced the schools it would be more prudent.

I agree McKinely over crowding is a lesson on what not to do, they totally screwed that up -- and what they are about to do ASFS will be far worse b/c of the shear number 800 students on a smaller school -- AND by choice b/c there is no need for the lottery chance. ASFS Is already crowded with trailers, not sure why you think not.

The 'food instability' is a red herring -- how does changing school lotteries address that?? As for affluence, ASFS is already quite economically diverse, far more so than Discovery, Taylor, Jamestown, or even McKinely. And many families can't afford to just buy a new home in discovery zone or go private -- instead they will be at school with trailers over the entire field and lunch running from 9:20 -3:20 b/c the facility is way over capacity.

Please tell me that you don't believe that. The key metric that APS uses to assess economic status is Free and Reduced Meals. The APS average is 30.12%. Below is a chart of the 23 elementary schools in APS. ASFS is well below the average at 20.48%. You are correct that ASFS is more economically diverse than the schools you mentioned. But realize that this is a very false narrative. Look at the chart. Be kind. Think about more than just the kids you know and love.

Also, food instability is not a red herring if we care about all students. These kids are the most at risk and are least able to adapt to changes that APS makes.

JAMESTOWN 2.20%
TUCKAHOE 2.41%
DISCOVERY 3.34%
NOTTINGHAM 3.59%
TAYLOR 4.17%
MCKINLEY 7.54%
GLEBE 17.93%
ARLINGTON SCIENCE FOCUS 20.48%
ASHLAWN 20.59%
ARLINGTON TRADITIONAL 21.08%
OAKRIDGE 25.52%
HENRY 33.23%
LONG BRANCH 34.57%
CLAREMONT 38.18%
KEY 44.26%
ABINGDON 47.43%
DREW 53.07%
HOFFMAN BOSTON 54.70%
CAMPBELL 55.79%
BARRETT 56.04%
BARCROFT 59.22%
RANDOLPH 73.16%
CARLIN SPRINGS 79.35%

In the end, ASFS will become less diverse as the boundary shifts closer to the school.

Not true. Look at the chart. The policy changes would mean more kids at ASFS from Key and fewer from Jamestown and Taylor. This would increase the economic diversity at ASFS. It might even bring it up to the average.

I agree that ASFS will be less diverse if it becomes a true neighborhood school. The Taylor boundaries extend deep into Lyon Village as well as a good chunk of Cherrydale. If those planning units are assigned to a neighborhood ASFS then I bet even more currently zoned for Taylor families would attend ASFS.

God, I hope not. We are zoned for taylor and hope we stay there. No interest in science focus. Cherrydale family.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And rather than saying "hey, here is a school that is creating this great environment for all of these kids, let's try to build on that and do MORE of that over the county" these a-holes criticize the school and ultimately will remove the diversity and ruin a good thing. You are shooting yourself in the foot.

As a former ASFS parent I agree with you that diversity is one of the schools' strengths though it has become less SES diverse over time. How do you propose to replicate this in the county without either major boundary changes or busing?

The sad reality is that the team concept that created ASFS is broken and many ES are overcrowded. Given these two facts, admission to ASFS has to change in one way or another. And if it's going to become a neighborhood school it should serve its actual neighborhood.

I'm in Courthouse up by Lee Highway. If ASFS becomes local to the houses surrounding it (fairly logical), where are my kids supposed to go if I don't want bilingual education? There are no walkable schools. I don't actually care at this point because my last kid is in the upper grades and this won't affect us, but they should have stopped allowing transfers in from anywhere that wasn't right nearby (e.g., Jamestown kids go to Jamestown, and northern Taylor go to a Taylor). ASFS is a lovely neighborhood school, and it just needs some boundary adjustments and no more "teaming". The big mistake was made when ASFS/Key wasn't included in the boundary redraw exercise.

No there was no capacity issue at key or ASFS until school board made this abrupt and hawk decision to import a huge new population into the key school via lottery. And aluminate neighborhood preference. There wasn't a lot of excess capacity, so it would not of helped the overcrowded schools like Taylor, so it made sense to exclude it from the process. But now they are going to be importing and an almost an entire new elementary School population into the same two schools. So will have capacity crisis until they get around to redistricting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Couldn't they just wait until the new elementary school is built and then Just redraw the entire county? Why not see what the entire picture will be?

That seems like a smart approach. Slim chances they will do it that way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And rather than saying "hey, here is a school that is creating this great environment for all of these kids, let's try to build on that and do MORE of that over the county" these a-holes criticize the school and ultimately will remove the diversity and ruin a good thing. You are shooting yourself in the foot.

As a former ASFS parent I agree with you that diversity is one of the schools' strengths though it has become less SES diverse over time. How do you propose to replicate this in the county without either major boundary changes or busing?

The sad reality is that the team concept that created ASFS is broken and many ES are overcrowded. Given these two facts, admission to ASFS has to change in one way or another. And if it's going to become a neighborhood school it should serve its actual neighborhood.

I'm in Courthouse up by Lee Highway. If ASFS becomes local to the houses surrounding it (fairly logical), where are my kids supposed to go if I don't want bilingual education? There are no walkable schools. I don't actually care at this point because my last kid is in the upper grades and this won't affect us, but they should have stopped allowing transfers in from anywhere that wasn't right nearby (e.g., Jamestown kids go to Jamestown, and northern Taylor go to a Taylor). ASFS is a lovely neighborhood school, and it just needs some boundary adjustments and no more "teaming". The big mistake was made when ASFS/Key wasn't included in the boundary redraw exercise.

No there was no capacity issue at key or ASFS until school board made this abrupt and hawk decision to import a huge new population into the key school via lottery. And aluminate neighborhood preference. There wasn't a lot of excess capacity, so it would not of helped the overcrowded schools like Taylor, so it made sense to exclude it from the process. But now they are going to be importing and an almost an entire new elementary School population into the same two schools. So will have capacity crisis until they get around to redistricting.

It's not abrupt. They should have eliminated neighborhood preferences for lottery schools decades ago. People have been complaining about this for ages, rightly so, and APS was just setting themselves up for litigation with a policy so inequitable. ASFS is, in essence, a neighborhood school with a focus. It will continue to be one, but you might not be in the boundary. It happens.

Also, this BS about "busing." Dumbies, we don't and never will have enough land or bond capacity to build so that every school is perfectly located with all students in a walk zone. Will some kids who were walkers have to get on a bus? Yes, probably. But some kid who has to get on a bus may now be able to walk. This is a crap argument within Arlington in general, and certainly within neighboring zones.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And rather than saying "hey, here is a school that is creating this great environment for all of these kids, let's try to build on that and do MORE of that over the county" these a-holes criticize the school and ultimately will remove the diversity and ruin a good thing. You are shooting yourself in the foot.

As a former ASFS parent I agree with you that diversity is one of the schools' strengths though it has become less SES diverse over time. How do you propose to replicate this in the county without either major boundary changes or busing?

The sad reality is that the team concept that created ASFS is broken and many ES are overcrowded. Given these two facts, admission to ASFS has to change in one way or another. And if it's going to become a neighborhood school it should serve its actual neighborhood.

I'm in Courthouse up by Lee Highway. If ASFS becomes local to the houses surrounding it (fairly logical), where are my kids supposed to go if I don't want bilingual education? There are no walkable schools. I don't actually care at this point because my last kid is in the upper grades and this won't affect us, but they should have stopped allowing transfers in from anywhere that wasn't right nearby (e.g., Jamestown kids go to Jamestown, and northern Taylor go to a Taylor). ASFS is a lovely neighborhood school, and it just needs some boundary adjustments and no more "teaming". The big mistake was made when ASFS/Key wasn't included in the boundary redraw exercise.

No there was no capacity issue at key or ASFS until school board made this abrupt and hawk decision to import a huge new population into the key school via lottery. And aluminate neighborhood preference. There wasn't a lot of excess capacity, so it would not of helped the overcrowded schools like Taylor, so it made sense to exclude it from the process. But now they are going to be importing and an almost an entire new elementary School population into the same two schools. So will have capacity crisis until they get around to redistricting.

It's not abrupt. They should have eliminated neighborhood preferences for lottery schools decades ago. People have been complaining about this for ages, rightly so, and APS was just setting themselves up for litigation with a policy so inequitable. ASFS is, in essence, a neighborhood school with a focus. It will continue to be one, but you might not be in the boundary. It happens.

Also, this BS about "busing." Dumbies, we don't and never will have enough land or bond capacity to build so that every school is perfectly located with all students in a walk zone. Will some kids who were walkers have to get on a bus? Yes, probably. But some kid who has to get on a bus may now be able to walk. This is a crap argument within Arlington in general, and certainly within neighboring zones.

It is abrupt because they will end up with 800 students at almost 200% capacity rather than redistricting and converting to neighborhood school at that point.

For us, I know we are still in ASFS boundaries almost without a doubt, and we are out in two years, but we feel this is a ridiculous treatment of a principal and staff who have done wonders with a diverse population. Set them up for failure when you can't even provide enough seats.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Couldn't they just wait until the new elementary school is built and then Just redraw the entire county? Why not see what the entire picture will be?

That seems like a smart approach. Slim chances they will do it that way.

Seriously that's all most ASFS parents want, a plan rather than a roll of the dice

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And rather than saying "hey, here is a school that is creating this great environment for all of these kids, let's try to build on that and do MORE of that over the county" these a-holes criticize the school and ultimately will remove the diversity and ruin a good thing. You are shooting yourself in the foot.

As a former ASFS parent I agree with you that diversity is one of the schools' strengths though it has become less SES diverse over time. How do you propose to replicate this in the county without either major boundary changes or busing?

The sad reality is that the team concept that created ASFS is broken and many ES are overcrowded. Given these two facts, admission to ASFS has to change in one way or another. And if it's going to become a neighborhood school it should serve its actual neighborhood.

I'm in Courthouse up by Lee Highway. If ASFS becomes local to the houses surrounding it (fairly logical), where are my kids supposed to go if I don't want bilingual education? There are no walkable schools. I don't actually care at this point because my last kid is in the upper grades and this won't affect us, but they should have stopped allowing transfers in from anywhere that wasn't right nearby (e.g., Jamestown kids go to Jamestown, and northern Taylor go to a Taylor). ASFS is a lovely neighborhood school, and it just needs some boundary adjustments and no more "teaming". The big mistake was made when ASFS/Key wasn't included in the boundary redraw exercise.

No there was no capacity issue at key or ASFS until school board made this abrupt and hawk decision to import a huge new population into the key school via lottery. And aluminate neighborhood preference. There wasn't a lot of excess capacity, so it would not of helped the overcrowded schools like Taylor, so it made sense to exclude it from the process. But now they are going to be importing and an almost an entire new elementary School population into the same two schools. So will have capacity crisis until they get around to redistricting.

It's not abrupt. They should have eliminated neighborhood preferences for lottery schools decades ago. People have been complaining about this for ages, rightly so, and APS was just setting themselves up for litigation with a policy so inequitable. ASFS is, in essence, a neighborhood school with a focus. It will continue to be one, but you might not be in the boundary. It happens.

Also, this BS about "busing." Dumbies, we don't and never will have enough land or bond capacity to build so that every school is perfectly located with all students in a walk zone. Will some kids who were walkers have to get on a bus? Yes, probably. But some kid who has to get on a bus may now be able to walk. This is a crap argument within Arlington in general, and certainly within neighboring zones.

It is abrupt because they will end up with 800 students at almost 200% capacity rather than redistricting and converting to neighborhood school at that point.

For us, I know we are still in ASFS boundaries almost without a doubt, and we are out in two years, but we feel this is a ridiculous treatment of a principal and staff who have done wonders with a diverse population. Set them up for failure when you can't even provide enough seats.

Someone up thread very clearly laid out why you will NOT have 800 students suddenly in the next 2-3 years and why this is a bogus argument full of hyperbole. I guess precious isn't at ASFS yet? If they postpone the policy change to coincide with a larger boundary shift whenever the new ES comes online, they will be shutting out many families from immersion, as has been happening for a few years now, all while crowding at Claremont and Key worsens. This is a countywide problem, and must be dealt with as such. Nobody is getting a pass.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And rather than saying "hey, here is a school that is creating this great environment for all of these kids, let's try to build on that and do MORE of that over the county" these a-holes criticize the school and ultimately will remove the diversity and ruin a good thing. You are shooting yourself in the foot.

As a former ASFS parent I agree with you that diversity is one of the schools' strengths though it has become less SES diverse over time. How do you propose to replicate this in the county without either major boundary changes or busing?

The sad reality is that the team concept that created ASFS is broken and many ES are overcrowded. Given these two facts, admission to ASFS has to change in one way or another. And if it's going to become a neighborhood school it should serve its actual neighborhood.

I'm in Courthouse up by Lee Highway. If ASFS becomes local to the houses surrounding it (fairly logical), where are my kids supposed to go if I don't want bilingual education? There are no walkable schools. I don't actually care at this point because my last kid is in the upper grades and this won't affect us, but they should have stopped allowing transfers in from anywhere that wasn't right nearby (e.g., Jamestown kids go to Jamestown, and northern Taylor go to a Taylor). ASFS is a lovely neighborhood school, and it just needs some boundary adjustments and no more "teaming". The big mistake was made when ASFS/Key wasn't included in the boundary redraw exercise.

No there was no capacity issue at key or ASFS until school board made this abrupt and hawk decision to import a huge new population into the key school via lottery. And aluminate neighborhood preference. There wasn't a lot of excess capacity, so it would not of helped the overcrowded schools like Taylor, so it made sense to exclude it from the process. But now they are going to be importing and an almost an entire new elementary School population into the same two schools. So will have capacity crisis until they get around to redistricting.

It's not abrupt. They should have eliminated neighborhood preferences for lottery schools decades ago. People have been complaining about this for ages, rightly so, and APS was just setting themselves up for litigation with a policy so inequitable. ASFS is, in essence, a neighborhood school with a focus. It will continue to be one, but you might not be in the boundary. It happens.

Also, this BS about "busing." Dumbies, we don't and never will have enough land or bond capacity to build so that every school is perfectly located with all students in a walk zone. Will some kids who were walkers have to get on a bus? Yes, probably. But some kid who has to get on a bus may now be able to walk. This is a crap argument within Arlington in general, and certainly within neighboring zones.

It is abrupt because they will end up with 800 students at almost 200% capacity rather than redistricting and converting to neighborhood school at that point.

For us, I know we are still in ASFS boundaries almost without a doubt, and we are out in two years, but we feel this is a ridiculous treatment of a principal and staff who have done wonders with a diverse population. Set them up for failure when you can't even provide enough seats.

No way asf blows up to 800 students in the one year between the policy change and the elementary boundary changes the following year.

Please stop trying to scare people with talk of 800 students. Oh and your math is bad too - 800 students would be 145 percent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Please ask yourself this question: Do I care about all of the students at APS or just the ones I know?

If the answer is the former, then please stop pitting your school against others and choice against neighborhood. The reality is that some schools at APS are better off than others and may need to "take one for the team" in the next round of changes. (This doesn't mean you must agree with all of the changes. But please understand how it affects everyone. And be constructive.)

If the answer is the latter, please carry on as before.

Y'all don't care about anybody but yourselves no capacity problems until aps sent all these kids to our schools wake up

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And rather than saying "hey, here is a school that is creating this great environment for all of these kids, let's try to build on that and do MORE of that over the county" these a-holes criticize the school and ultimately will remove the diversity and ruin a good thing. You are shooting yourself in the foot.

As a former ASFS parent I agree with you that diversity is one of the schools' strengths though it has become less SES diverse over time. How do you propose to replicate this in the county without either major boundary changes or busing?

The sad reality is that the team concept that created ASFS is broken and many ES are overcrowded. Given these two facts, admission to ASFS has to change in one way or another. And if it's going to become a neighborhood school it should serve its actual neighborhood.

I'm in Courthouse up by Lee Highway. If ASFS becomes local to the houses surrounding it (fairly logical), where are my kids supposed to go if I don't want bilingual education? There are no walkable schools. I don't actually care at this point because my last kid is in the upper grades and this won't affect us, but they should have stopped allowing transfers in from anywhere that wasn't right nearby (e.g., Jamestown kids go to Jamestown, and northern Taylor go to a Taylor). ASFS is a lovely neighborhood school, and it just needs some boundary adjustments and no more "teaming". The big mistake was made when ASFS/Key wasn't included in the boundary redraw exercise.

No there was no capacity issue at key or ASFS until school board made this abrupt and hawk decision to import a huge new population into the key school via lottery. And aluminate neighborhood preference. There wasn't a lot of excess capacity, so it would not of helped the overcrowded schools like Taylor, so it made sense to exclude it from the process. But now they are going to be importing and an almost an entire new elementary School population into the same two schools. So will have capacity crisis until they get around to redistricting.

It's not abrupt. They should have eliminated neighborhood preferences for lottery schools decades ago. People have been complaining about this for ages, rightly so, and APS was just setting themselves up for litigation with a policy so inequitable. ASFS is, in essence, a neighborhood school with a focus. It will continue to be one, but you might not be in the boundary. It happens.

Also, this BS about "busing." Dumbies, we don't and never will have enough land or bond capacity to build so that every school is perfectly located with all students in a walk zone. Will some kids who were walkers have to get on a bus? Yes, probably. But some kid who has to get on a bus may now be able to walk. This is a crap argument within Arlington in general, and certainly within neighboring zones.

It is abrupt because they will end up with 800 students at almost 200% capacity rather than redistricting and converting to neighborhood school at that point.

For us, I know we are still in ASFS boundaries almost without a doubt, and we are out in two years, but we feel this is a ridiculous treatment of a principal and staff who have done wonders with a diverse population. Set them up for failure when you can't even provide enough seats.

Someone up thread very clearly laid out why you will NOT have 800 students suddenly in the next 2-3 years and why this is a bogus argument full of hyperbole. I guess precious isn't at ASFS yet? If they postpone the policy change to coincide with a larger boundary shift whenever the new ES comes online, they will be shutting out many families from immersion, as has been happening for a few years now, all while crowding at Claremont and Key worsens. This is a countywide problem, and must be dealt with as such. Nobody is getting a pass.

They themselves demonstrated that their were 800 in-bound neighborhood students. The only relieve value the offered was the ASSUMPTION that the 50/50 ratio will drive more acceptance from Spanish speaking population in Key zone. But there are easily a huge population of native Spanish students that will feed into the lottery and thus displace this entire population into ASFS.

It won't be 2018, but 2 or 3 years easily ratcheting up the numbers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And rather than saying "hey, here is a school that is creating this great environment for all of these kids, let's try to build on that and do MORE of that over the county" these a-holes criticize the school and ultimately will remove the diversity and ruin a good thing. You are shooting yourself in the foot.

As a former ASFS parent I agree with you that diversity is one of the schools' strengths though it has become less SES diverse over time. How do you propose to replicate this in the county without either major boundary changes or busing?

The sad reality is that the team concept that created ASFS is broken and many ES are overcrowded. Given these two facts, admission to ASFS has to change in one way or another. And if it's going to become a neighborhood school it should serve its actual neighborhood.

I'm in Courthouse up by Lee Highway. If ASFS becomes local to the houses surrounding it (fairly logical), where are my kids supposed to go if I don't want bilingual education? There are no walkable schools. I don't actually care at this point because my last kid is in the upper grades and this won't affect us, but they should have stopped allowing transfers in from anywhere that wasn't right nearby (e.g., Jamestown kids go to Jamestown, and northern Taylor go to a Taylor). ASFS is a lovely neighborhood school, and it just needs some boundary adjustments and no more "teaming". The big mistake was made when ASFS/Key wasn't included in the boundary redraw exercise.

No there was no capacity issue at key or ASFS until school board made this abrupt and hawk decision to import a huge new population into the key school via lottery. And aluminate neighborhood preference. There wasn't a lot of excess capacity, so it would not of helped the overcrowded schools like Taylor, so it made sense to exclude it from the process. But now they are going to be importing and an almost an entire new elementary School population into the same two schools. So will have capacity crisis until they get around to redistricting.

It's not abrupt. They should have eliminated neighborhood preferences for lottery schools decades ago. People have been complaining about this for ages, rightly so, and APS was just setting themselves up for litigation with a policy so inequitable. ASFS is, in essence, a neighborhood school with a focus. It will continue to be one, but you might not be in the boundary. It happens.

Also, this BS about "busing." Dumbies, we don't and never will have enough land or bond capacity to build so that every school is perfectly located with all students in a walk zone. Will some kids who were walkers have to get on a bus? Yes, probably. But some kid who has to get on a bus may now be able to walk. This is a crap argument within Arlington in general, and certainly within neighboring zones.

It is abrupt because they will end up with 800 students at almost 200% capacity rather than redistricting and converting to neighborhood school at that point.

For us, I know we are still in ASFS boundaries almost without a doubt, and we are out in two years, but we feel this is a ridiculous treatment of a principal and staff who have done wonders with a diverse population. Set them up for failure when you can't even provide enough seats.

No way asf blows up to 800 students in the one year between the policy change and the elementary boundary changes the following year.

Please stop trying to scare people with talk of 800 students. Oh and your math is bad too - 800 students would be 145 percent.

You really think they will implement boundary changes across ALL of NO Arlington by 2019? That's delusional.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And rather than saying "hey, here is a school that is creating this great environment for all of these kids, let's try to build on that and do MORE of that over the county" these a-holes criticize the school and ultimately will remove the diversity and ruin a good thing. You are shooting yourself in the foot.

As a former ASFS parent I agree with you that diversity is one of the schools' strengths though it has become less SES diverse over time. How do you propose to replicate this in the county without either major boundary changes or busing?

The sad reality is that the team concept that created ASFS is broken and many ES are overcrowded. Given these two facts, admission to ASFS has to change in one way or another. And if it's going to become a neighborhood school it should serve its actual neighborhood.

I'm in Courthouse up by Lee Highway. If ASFS becomes local to the houses surrounding it (fairly logical), where are my kids supposed to go if I don't want bilingual education? There are no walkable schools. I don't actually care at this point because my last kid is in the upper grades and this won't affect us, but they should have stopped allowing transfers in from anywhere that wasn't right nearby (e.g., Jamestown kids go to Jamestown, and northern Taylor go to a Taylor). ASFS is a lovely neighborhood school, and it just needs some boundary adjustments and no more "teaming". The big mistake was made when ASFS/Key wasn't included in the boundary redraw exercise.

No there was no capacity issue at key or ASFS until school board made this abrupt and hawk decision to import a huge new population into the key school via lottery. And aluminate neighborhood preference. There wasn't a lot of excess capacity, so it would not of helped the overcrowded schools like Taylor, so it made sense to exclude it from the process. But now they are going to be importing and an almost an entire new elementary School population into the same two schools. So will have capacity crisis until they get around to redistricting.

It's not abrupt. They should have eliminated neighborhood preferences for lottery schools decades ago. People have been complaining about this for ages, rightly so, and APS was just setting themselves up for litigation with a policy so inequitable. ASFS is, in essence, a neighborhood school with a focus. It will continue to be one, but you might not be in the boundary. It happens.

Also, this BS about "busing." Dumbies, we don't and never will have enough land or bond capacity to build so that every school is perfectly located with all students in a walk zone. Will some kids who were walkers have to get on a bus? Yes, probably. But some kid who has to get on a bus may now be able to walk. This is a crap argument within Arlington in general, and certainly within neighboring zones.

It is abrupt because they will end up with 800 students at almost 200% capacity rather than redistricting and converting to neighborhood school at that point.

For us, I know we are still in ASFS boundaries almost without a doubt, and we are out in two years, but we feel this is a ridiculous treatment of a principal and staff who have done wonders with a diverse population. Set them up for failure when you can't even provide enough seats.

No way asf blows up to 800 students in the one year between the policy change and the elementary boundary changes the following year.

Please stop trying to scare people with talk of 800 students. Oh and your math is bad too - 800 students would be 145 percent.

You really think they will implement boundary changes across ALL of NO Arlington by 2019? That's delusional.

No more kicking this can. It has to happen. It won't be ideal, but it will be manageable for a few years (doesn't become effective until 2018). When they open the new school in 2021, boundaries will all be opened up across north Arlington.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:And rather than saying "hey, here is a school that is creating this great environment for all of these kids, let's try to build on that and do MORE of that over the county" these a-holes criticize the school and ultimately will remove the diversity and ruin a good thing. You are shooting yourself in the foot.

As a former ASFS parent I agree with you that diversity is one of the schools' strengths though it has become less SES diverse over time. How do you propose to replicate this in the county without either major boundary changes or busing?

The sad reality is that the team concept that created ASFS is broken and many ES are overcrowded. Given these two facts, admission to ASFS has to change in one way or another. And if it's going to become a neighborhood school it should serve its actual neighborhood.

I'm in Courthouse up by Lee Highway. If ASFS becomes local to the houses surrounding it (fairly logical), where are my kids supposed to go if I don't want bilingual education? There are no walkable schools. I don't actually care at this point because my last kid is in the upper grades and this won't affect us, but they should have stopped allowing transfers in from anywhere that wasn't right nearby (e.g., Jamestown kids go to Jamestown, and northern Taylor go to a Taylor). ASFS is a lovely neighborhood school, and it just needs some boundary adjustments and no more "teaming". The big mistake was made when ASFS/Key wasn't included in the boundary redraw exercise.

No there was no capacity issue at key or ASFS until school board made this abrupt and hawk decision to import a huge new population into the key school via lottery. And aluminate neighborhood preference. There wasn't a lot of excess capacity, so it would not of helped the overcrowded schools like Taylor, so it made sense to exclude it from the process. But now they are going to be importing and an almost an entire new elementary School population into the same two schools. So will have capacity crisis until they get around to redistricting.

It's not abrupt. They should have eliminated neighborhood preferences for lottery schools decades ago. People have been complaining about this for ages, rightly so, and APS was just setting themselves up for litigation with a policy so inequitable. ASFS is, in essence, a neighborhood school with a focus. It will continue to be one, but you might not be in the boundary. It happens.

Also, this BS about "busing." Dumbies, we don't and never will have enough land or bond capacity to build so that every school is perfectly located with all students in a walk zone. Will some kids who were walkers have to get on a bus? Yes, probably. But some kid who has to get on a bus may now be able to walk. This is a crap argument within Arlington in general, and certainly within neighboring zones.

It is abrupt because they will end up with 800 students at almost 200% capacity rather than redistricting and converting to neighborhood school at that point.

For us, I know we are still in ASFS boundaries almost without a doubt, and we are out in two years, but we feel this is a ridiculous treatment of a principal and staff who have done wonders with a diverse population. Set them up for failure when you can't even provide enough seats.

No way asf blows up to 800 students in the one year between the policy change and the elementary boundary changes the following year.

Please stop trying to scare people with talk of 800 students. Oh and your math is bad too - 800 students would be 145 percent.

You really think they will implement boundary changes across ALL of NO Arlington by 2019? That's delusional.

Why is it always just about NO Arlington? Hello McFly. Largest growth area is Oakridge boundary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If the ASFS families are so concerned with diversity, I propose we bus Barcroft apts ( zoned Randolph and Barcroft) to ASFS. They will get the diversity they so cherish and those 2 schools will get a fighting chance to improve.
Win-win.

Which kids will be displaced? Are those parents are ok with a long bus ride?

It's 3.6 miles away.
Honestly I think anywhere the Farms rate is over 50% should be broken up. This is going to get me majorly flammed, but I think those extremely poor enclaves in south Arlington should be broken up and blocks of those complexes should be shipped to schools with a lower Farms rate. No, I don't think north Arlington families who pay the lions share of taxes should have to put their kids on a bus. They should get the walkable school they paid for.
But it's not good to clump all that poverty together. Break it up. Let the affordable housing slush fund pay for shuttles for parents on back to school nights etc...
The county is going to need $$$. And it's going to need middle class homebuyers to look elsewhere ( not Westover!). We need more taxes pulled from south Arlington. We need the county to stop talking about seniors not paying their taxes AND not collecting deferred tax plus interest once the home is sold. Deferred taxes? Fine, but they need to square with the county when it sells. We are going to need 2-3 more elementary schools ( not including the new Henry and Reed) another new middle school and a comprehensive high school on top of all the extra seats we're looking at now.
Having schools rated 2/3 hurts property taxes. We simply can't afford it anymore.