Washington-Liberty boundaries?

[Anonymous]

I think I heard that Washington-liberty high school is being expanded to add more students, and that its boundaries will be redrawn associated with that. Does anyone have any more information about when this will happen and what neighborhoods are on most likely to get pulled in? Thanks!

[Anonymous]

That was already completed, they moved Wakefield planning units when the 600 seats opened up.

[Anonymous]

https://www.arlnow.com/2022/08/18/the-38-million-overhaul-of-the-w-l-high-school-annex-is-nearly-complete/

[Anonymous]

School is going to 3000, whether by zoning, transfers or expanding IB.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That was already completed, they moved Wakefield planning units when the 600 seats opened up.

They only add 200 students last year; they are increasing by 200 the next two years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That was already completed, they moved Wakefield planning units when the 600 seats opened up.

They only add 200 students last year; they are increasing by 200 the next two years.

But aren’t the planning units already pre-identified?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That was already completed, they moved Wakefield planning units when the 600 seats opened up.

They only add 200 students last year; they are increasing by 200 the next two years.

But aren’t the planning units already pre-identified?

I think there’s some grandfathering that’s making the change more gradual.

Are you trying to get into WL or avoid it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That was already completed, they moved Wakefield planning units when the 600 seats opened up.

They only add 200 students last year; they are increasing by 200 the next two years.

But aren’t the planning units already pre-identified?

They moved some PUs that had been rezoned to Wakefield back to WL because Wakefield is overcrowded. No PUs rezoned to Yorktown will be moved to W-L because they are not overcrowded.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That was already completed, they moved Wakefield planning units when the 600 seats opened up.

They only add 200 students last year; they are increasing by 200 the next two years.

But aren’t the planning units already pre-identified?

They moved some PUs that had been rezoned to Wakefield back to WL because Wakefield is overcrowded. No PUs rezoned to Yorktown will be moved to W-L because they are not overcrowded.

High schools boundaries are set in stone for the foreseeable future. A second comprehensive boundary change affecting all three high schools did not happen because of Covid. The idea behind this planned comprehensive boundary change was to better balance demographics among the three high schools whilst accounting for the additional W-L seats. Some years out from now, it’s possible more W-L planning units could move to Yorktown and more Wakefield planning units to W-L if the population continues to grow in South Arlington. But Arlington Tech may solve those issues which is the idea.

[Anonymous]

Some former Ashlawn ES / Washington-Liberty zoned neighborhoods fought to be rezoned back to W-L from Yorktown, but that didn’t happen since they are outside the W-L walk zone and Yorktown has lots of room. Like the other formerly W-L zoned neighborhoods, such as those north of Lee Highway like Dover Crystal, Woodmont, etc, there are no plans to move them back to W-L. The superintendent (in response to those neighborhoods advocating a return to W-L) said students can apply for an administrative transfer into W-L, as Arlnow reported last year. But I doubt that’s guaranteed and likely based on available space at W-L.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Some former Ashlawn ES / Washington-Liberty zoned neighborhoods fought to be rezoned back to W-L from Yorktown, but that didn’t happen since they are outside the W-L walk zone and Yorktown has lots of room. Like the other formerly W-L zoned neighborhoods, such as those north of Lee Highway like Dover Crystal, Woodmont, etc, there are no plans to move them back to W-L. The superintendent (in response to those neighborhoods advocating a return to W-L) said students can apply for an administrative transfer into W-L, as Arlnow reported last year. But I doubt that’s guaranteed and likely based on available space at W-L.

Is Yorktown really that bad? It’s at least not overcrowded…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some former Ashlawn ES / Washington-Liberty zoned neighborhoods fought to be rezoned back to W-L from Yorktown, but that didn’t happen since they are outside the W-L walk zone and Yorktown has lots of room. Like the other formerly W-L zoned neighborhoods, such as those north of Lee Highway like Dover Crystal, Woodmont, etc, there are no plans to move them back to W-L. The superintendent (in response to those neighborhoods advocating a return to W-L) said students can apply for an administrative transfer into W-L, as Arlnow reported last year. But I doubt that’s guaranteed and likely based on available space at W-L.

Is Yorktown really that bad? It’s at least not overcrowded…

Part of the reason is that possibly one small planning unit of Ashlawn kids will end up at Yorktown. Ashlawn is one of those ES that split between 3 middle schools and now 3 high schools. The neighborhoods in question were hoping for a bit more continuity for the kids. Not my neighborhood but I found it to be more of a valid argument than APS staff did apparently.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some former Ashlawn ES / Washington-Liberty zoned neighborhoods fought to be rezoned back to W-L from Yorktown, but that didn’t happen since they are outside the W-L walk zone and Yorktown has lots of room. Like the other formerly W-L zoned neighborhoods, such as those north of Lee Highway like Dover Crystal, Woodmont, etc, there are no plans to move them back to W-L. The superintendent (in response to those neighborhoods advocating a return to W-L) said students can apply for an administrative transfer into W-L, as Arlnow reported last year. But I doubt that’s guaranteed and likely based on available space at W-L.

Is Yorktown really that bad? It’s at least not overcrowded…

its not about Yorktown being bad, its about a group of 10 kids going to a totally different HS than their elementary/middle school friends b/c they are on the "yorktown island". In light of COVID and the stress kids have already been through, parents fought to have them go to W&L with their peers for their mental health. APS did not care.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That was already completed, they moved Wakefield planning units when the 600 seats opened up.

They only add 200 students last year; they are increasing by 200 the next two years.

But aren’t the planning units already pre-identified?

They moved some PUs that had been rezoned to Wakefield back to WL because Wakefield is overcrowded. No PUs rezoned to Yorktown will be moved to W-L because they are not overcrowded.

High schools boundaries are set in stone for the foreseeable future. A second comprehensive boundary change affecting all three high schools did not happen because of Covid. The idea behind this planned comprehensive boundary change was to better balance demographics among the three high schools whilst accounting for the additional W-L seats. Some years out from now, it’s possible more W-L planning units could move to Yorktown and more Wakefield planning units to W-L if the population continues to grow in South Arlington. But Arlington Tech may solve those issues which is the idea.

Yorktown is at capacity, why would they take WL seats?

[Anonymous]

This is from the 2021 boundary process:

600 additional seats opening at Washington-Liberty in January 2022​

New capacity will provide enrollment relief for Wakefield​
If the Fall 2021 projections (available in Jan. 2022) for 2022-23 suggest additional enrollment levels are not manageable at Wakefield or Yorktown, the Annual Update will consider offering targeted transfers for more students to attend W-L. ​
Provides an opportunity to consider reducing the IB waitlist​
The number of applicants to the IB Lottery and number on the waitlist has increased each year over the last four years