APS Closing Nottingham

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:My kids have been at N Arlington schools (elementary and middle) at peak overcrowding. Trailers for sure. But none of the other things you mention were an issue. Anyway, if it gets that bad they can put Nottingham back in action as a neighbor hood school.

You are wrong about this. Kids have to eat lunch at like ten now at our North Arlington elementary (and middle) schools. Cafeteria cannot accommodate.
And school is not overcrowded because everyone pulled their kid for private.

I don’t hate that trailers although I think it’s hilarious that we have kids in overcrowded schools and trailers rather efficiently use under-enrolled actual school buildings.

And the fact that trailers are a long term solution in Arlington. Our school has had them for probably more than 20 years; definitely more than a decade. That cracks me up as well. Idiots at APS. Cannot plan.

Because we have limited land and budget.

No actually, right now the issue is that we have a dumb plan to close a school and put kids in trailers at other schools.

For all of you who think trailers are just fine, good luck.

You say this as though trailers are a new practice and none of us have experience with them.

I do. They were in fact fine. My kids say they were fine. Calm down.

Look at all these pro APS groupies who are perfectly fine with trailers. Did APS staff find this thread?

I thought trailers were horrible…until my kids actually had classes in them. They truly are not bad at all. My kids (and their teachers) liked it because they had some independence.

Do the people complaining about trailers actually have kids in APS?

Funniest thing I realized recently on AEM. One of the biggest APE loudmouths’ kids just started in APS in the last year or so. So much of that screaming was *before* she even had kids in APS. Some people just enjoy complaining.

Yes a lot of the APEs have very young kids or kids not even in APS. A lot moved to private. They are just really loud but they don't have much actual experience with APS or public schools.

Page 73 of this thread is FILLED with anti-APE statements. How can you say that defending a post defending the predicate for their organization — opening schools — should be blocked and off topic?

Anyone who posts on here in defense of keeping Nottingham opening or questioning the APS staff is labeled “APE.” It appears to me that attackers are using it as a proxy to mean a wealthy, entitled, probably white North Arlingtonian. Again, not in APE, but planning on joining based solely on this thread.

Why is APE relevant to this thread and why are the last dozen comments about them? Do they have an opinion on Nottingham? Or is it because they are the proxy for white entitled North Arlington? Why are people so obsessed with this group? Cue 5 more pages of hysteria.

Yes, APE released a statement to Arlnow that they have concerns about the proposal and the anti-APEs lost their mind because the APEs didn’t speak out on masks but would speak out on this. Or something.

Queue a dozen questions about what their mission does and doesn’t entail and a whole lot of stereotyping nastiness about white North Arlington parents, and here we are.

Cue the queue?

People don't like APE because they are irrational and clueless. Plus, they shat on teachers and other parents for years.

Once again, APE was right about COVID. You were wrong. Your fire breathing is what is irrational here. Get over it. You were wrong.

No, given the info at the time they were not "right".

Huge swaths of this bastion of liberal wokeness wanted it open? What are you talking about? Science and history have judged your case and you were wrong.

Careful, your MAGA is showing, Mr. APE

People who wanted the schools open are not only APE they are also MAGA? Holy cow. You are delusional.

DP. The founder and current board are MAGA.

.

I wanted the schools open. I wasnt in APE. I have nothing to do with APE. You insist I am APE. I have voted democratic for decades. The democrats got the covid issue wrong. I am increasingly disagreeing with APS as I see their planning as short sighted. I am also not a Nottingham parent.

+1. The continuing hostility to people who wanted the schools open when it was objectively the right thing to do (in hindsight) baffles me. And while I’m not the PP, I have kids, and they were in daycare at the time because keeping them home was not a viable option for our family. They were nervous times for sure. A lot of fearmongering about remote risks from keeping schools open (ie healthy kids dying), and a lot of discounting of likely risks from keeping schools closed (ie behavioral problems, speech delays, addiction/suicide).

Overreacting based on limited data and an artificially narrow set of considerations seems to be the APS way. And while I hate how MAGA politicized this thing initially, the Left certainly did its part in locking it in. We have to recognize how we went wrong if we ever hope to do better in future.

Well said. My opinion of Arlington as a whole has been impacted by this. We are less rationale then I thought we were. Objectively, APS made a bad call. For lots of reasons. Some of which were valid. But still, objectively it was a bad call. I honestly can't believe how many in APS still can't or won't see that. It's bizarre. (And yes, I realize I will never change any of your minds.)

You know the saying hindsight is 20/20? I think that applies here. APS wasn’t some weird outlier. All the area schools followed the same protocol. You just don’t live there, so I guess you didn’t notice? Of the DMV districts, APS was one of the smallest, so we weren’t the ones calling this shot when the area schools all decided to do the same thing. Move on, FFS. It’s more damaging to your psyche not to put it behind you than whatever damage the closures caused. It was a once in a lifetime event and we all did the best we could with the information we had. As always, some decisions weren’t the right ones in hindsight, but such is life. And that decision has absolutely no bearing on whether or not Nottingham should remain open now that the area is underenrolled.

Exactly

No, they didn't. For certain groups of kids (K-2 and special ed), they did what was best for the adults and we knew it was bad for these kids while it was happening. What is the big deal to just say it. I'm not mad about that fact anymore. My kids are fine. Some kids are really not fine. But I think the revisionist history is shady. Just say what really happened.

+1

I am still mad that Arlington vaccinated teachers BEFORE old people and then they didn’t go back.

What are you talking about? Schools opened shortly after teachers were vaccinated.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:My kids have been at N Arlington schools (elementary and middle) at peak overcrowding. Trailers for sure. But none of the other things you mention were an issue. Anyway, if it gets that bad they can put Nottingham back in action as a neighbor hood school.

You are wrong about this. Kids have to eat lunch at like ten now at our North Arlington elementary (and middle) schools. Cafeteria cannot accommodate.
And school is not overcrowded because everyone pulled their kid for private.

I don’t hate that trailers although I think it’s hilarious that we have kids in overcrowded schools and trailers rather efficiently use under-enrolled actual school buildings.

And the fact that trailers are a long term solution in Arlington. Our school has had them for probably more than 20 years; definitely more than a decade. That cracks me up as well. Idiots at APS. Cannot plan.

Because we have limited land and budget.

No actually, right now the issue is that we have a dumb plan to close a school and put kids in trailers at other schools.

For all of you who think trailers are just fine, good luck.

You say this as though trailers are a new practice and none of us have experience with them.

I do. They were in fact fine. My kids say they were fine. Calm down.

Look at all these pro APS groupies who are perfectly fine with trailers. Did APS staff find this thread?

I thought trailers were horrible…until my kids actually had classes in them. They truly are not bad at all. My kids (and their teachers) liked it because they had some independence.

Do the people complaining about trailers actually have kids in APS?

Funniest thing I realized recently on AEM. One of the biggest APE loudmouths’ kids just started in APS in the last year or so. So much of that screaming was *before* she even had kids in APS. Some people just enjoy complaining.

Yes a lot of the APEs have very young kids or kids not even in APS. A lot moved to private. They are just really loud but they don't have much actual experience with APS or public schools.

Page 73 of this thread is FILLED with anti-APE statements. How can you say that defending a post defending the predicate for their organization — opening schools — should be blocked and off topic?

Anyone who posts on here in defense of keeping Nottingham opening or questioning the APS staff is labeled “APE.” It appears to me that attackers are using it as a proxy to mean a wealthy, entitled, probably white North Arlingtonian. Again, not in APE, but planning on joining based solely on this thread.

Why is APE relevant to this thread and why are the last dozen comments about them? Do they have an opinion on Nottingham? Or is it because they are the proxy for white entitled North Arlington? Why are people so obsessed with this group? Cue 5 more pages of hysteria.

Yes, APE released a statement to Arlnow that they have concerns about the proposal and the anti-APEs lost their mind because the APEs didn’t speak out on masks but would speak out on this. Or something.

Queue a dozen questions about what their mission does and doesn’t entail and a whole lot of stereotyping nastiness about white North Arlington parents, and here we are.

Cue the queue?

People don't like APE because they are irrational and clueless. Plus, they shat on teachers and other parents for years.

Once again, APE was right about COVID. You were wrong. Your fire breathing is what is irrational here. Get over it. You were wrong.

No, given the info at the time they were not "right".

Huge swaths of this bastion of liberal wokeness wanted it open? What are you talking about? Science and history have judged your case and you were wrong.

Careful, your MAGA is showing, Mr. APE

People who wanted the schools open are not only APE they are also MAGA? Holy cow. You are delusional.

DP. The founder and current board are MAGA.

.

I wanted the schools open. I wasnt in APE. I have nothing to do with APE. You insist I am APE. I have voted democratic for decades. The democrats got the covid issue wrong. I am increasingly disagreeing with APS as I see their planning as short sighted. I am also not a Nottingham parent.

+1. The continuing hostility to people who wanted the schools open when it was objectively the right thing to do (in hindsight) baffles me. And while I’m not the PP, I have kids, and they were in daycare at the time because keeping them home was not a viable option for our family. They were nervous times for sure. A lot of fearmongering about remote risks from keeping schools open (ie healthy kids dying), and a lot of discounting of likely risks from keeping schools closed (ie behavioral problems, speech delays, addiction/suicide).

Overreacting based on limited data and an artificially narrow set of considerations seems to be the APS way. And while I hate how MAGA politicized this thing initially, the Left certainly did its part in locking it in. We have to recognize how we went wrong if we ever hope to do better in future.

Well said. My opinion of Arlington as a whole has been impacted by this. We are less rationale then I thought we were. Objectively, APS made a bad call. For lots of reasons. Some of which were valid. But still, objectively it was a bad call. I honestly can't believe how many in APS still can't or won't see that. It's bizarre. (And yes, I realize I will never change any of your minds.)

You know the saying hindsight is 20/20? I think that applies here. APS wasn’t some weird outlier. All the area schools followed the same protocol. You just don’t live there, so I guess you didn’t notice? Of the DMV districts, APS was one of the smallest, so we weren’t the ones calling this shot when the area schools all decided to do the same thing. Move on, FFS. It’s more damaging to your psyche not to put it behind you than whatever damage the closures caused. It was a once in a lifetime event and we all did the best we could with the information we had. As always, some decisions weren’t the right ones in hindsight, but such is life. And that decision has absolutely no bearing on whether or not Nottingham should remain open now that the area is underenrolled.

Exactly

No, they didn't. For certain groups of kids (K-2 and special ed), they did what was best for the adults and we knew it was bad for these kids while it was happening. What is the big deal to just say it. I'm not mad about that fact anymore. My kids are fine. Some kids are really not fine. But I think the revisionist history is shady. Just say what really happened.

Not the PP you were responding to, but who was going to teach if not “the adults?” No revisionist history is needed. Many teachers were threatening to quit, many parents were pressuring them not to open, so I think they made a bad, but reasonable, decision in the moment. Again, we weren’t surrounded by open districts, so they weren’t so far out there. And AGAIN, it’s not relevant to this discussion. Everything about the pandemic sucked donkey balls. Nobody is denying that. But it’s time to move forward and stop blaming APS and pointing fingers. There’s too much blame to go around and very few of us were our best selves during this period. Let’s do what we can now to make things better, for as many of the kids as we can. And that includes not wasting money to keep an under-enrolled school open when it’s surrounded by other schools with space.

This is a perfect way to bring it back around to the original topic.

In a perfect world, APS administrators and School Board would do their jobs and not pander to screaming parents and what's easiest in the moment. It's the same issue, different topic.

FWIW, I agree it's the right thing to close Nottingham for now.

+1 Thanks for bringing it back. I think closing Nottingham would be reactionary to what I believe are temporary trends and for an unclear purpose, and disagree with the proposal. Doesn’t make me a horrible and selfish MAGA or APE or whatever the firebreathers are carrying on about.

Hence the temporary closure as a neighborhood school. They aren’t shuttering it, it will still be operational as a swing space until such a time as it’s needed as a neighborhood school again.

They are proposing closing it IN TWO YEARS. I highly doubt they will be able to re-open it in the same timeframe. Say three years at best. So, five years from now you will have those ES seats again.

Next, ES are overcrowded in S Arlington and expected to grow exponentially. What is the plan? Because we have 400 seats sitting and available now. I am not suggesting busing. What am I asking is; what is APS plan? I am skeptical that we need to lose 400 seats for five years. I don’t think that makes logical sense.

But what if losing 400 seats short-term is the best way to fix another 2000 seats? Isn't that the idea? We can afford to lose these seats now so we do. We take the chance to fix buildings that need fixing.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:My kids have been at N Arlington schools (elementary and middle) at peak overcrowding. Trailers for sure. But none of the other things you mention were an issue. Anyway, if it gets that bad they can put Nottingham back in action as a neighbor hood school.

You are wrong about this. Kids have to eat lunch at like ten now at our North Arlington elementary (and middle) schools. Cafeteria cannot accommodate.
And school is not overcrowded because everyone pulled their kid for private.

I don’t hate that trailers although I think it’s hilarious that we have kids in overcrowded schools and trailers rather efficiently use under-enrolled actual school buildings.

And the fact that trailers are a long term solution in Arlington. Our school has had them for probably more than 20 years; definitely more than a decade. That cracks me up as well. Idiots at APS. Cannot plan.

Because we have limited land and budget.

No actually, right now the issue is that we have a dumb plan to close a school and put kids in trailers at other schools.

For all of you who think trailers are just fine, good luck.

You say this as though trailers are a new practice and none of us have experience with them.

I do. They were in fact fine. My kids say they were fine. Calm down.

Look at all these pro APS groupies who are perfectly fine with trailers. Did APS staff find this thread?

I thought trailers were horrible…until my kids actually had classes in them. They truly are not bad at all. My kids (and their teachers) liked it because they had some independence.

Do the people complaining about trailers actually have kids in APS?

Funniest thing I realized recently on AEM. One of the biggest APE loudmouths’ kids just started in APS in the last year or so. So much of that screaming was *before* she even had kids in APS. Some people just enjoy complaining.

Yes a lot of the APEs have very young kids or kids not even in APS. A lot moved to private. They are just really loud but they don't have much actual experience with APS or public schools.

Page 73 of this thread is FILLED with anti-APE statements. How can you say that defending a post defending the predicate for their organization — opening schools — should be blocked and off topic?

Anyone who posts on here in defense of keeping Nottingham opening or questioning the APS staff is labeled “APE.” It appears to me that attackers are using it as a proxy to mean a wealthy, entitled, probably white North Arlingtonian. Again, not in APE, but planning on joining based solely on this thread.

Why is APE relevant to this thread and why are the last dozen comments about them? Do they have an opinion on Nottingham? Or is it because they are the proxy for white entitled North Arlington? Why are people so obsessed with this group? Cue 5 more pages of hysteria.

Yes, APE released a statement to Arlnow that they have concerns about the proposal and the anti-APEs lost their mind because the APEs didn’t speak out on masks but would speak out on this. Or something.

Queue a dozen questions about what their mission does and doesn’t entail and a whole lot of stereotyping nastiness about white North Arlington parents, and here we are.

Cue the queue?

People don't like APE because they are irrational and clueless. Plus, they shat on teachers and other parents for years.

Once again, APE was right about COVID. You were wrong. Your fire breathing is what is irrational here. Get over it. You were wrong.

No, given the info at the time they were not "right".

Huge swaths of this bastion of liberal wokeness wanted it open? What are you talking about? Science and history have judged your case and you were wrong.

Careful, your MAGA is showing, Mr. APE

People who wanted the schools open are not only APE they are also MAGA? Holy cow. You are delusional.

DP. The founder and current board are MAGA.

.

I wanted the schools open. I wasnt in APE. I have nothing to do with APE. You insist I am APE. I have voted democratic for decades. The democrats got the covid issue wrong. I am increasingly disagreeing with APS as I see their planning as short sighted. I am also not a Nottingham parent.

+1. The continuing hostility to people who wanted the schools open when it was objectively the right thing to do (in hindsight) baffles me. And while I’m not the PP, I have kids, and they were in daycare at the time because keeping them home was not a viable option for our family. They were nervous times for sure. A lot of fearmongering about remote risks from keeping schools open (ie healthy kids dying), and a lot of discounting of likely risks from keeping schools closed (ie behavioral problems, speech delays, addiction/suicide).

Overreacting based on limited data and an artificially narrow set of considerations seems to be the APS way. And while I hate how MAGA politicized this thing initially, the Left certainly did its part in locking it in. We have to recognize how we went wrong if we ever hope to do better in future.

Well said. My opinion of Arlington as a whole has been impacted by this. We are less rationale then I thought we were. Objectively, APS made a bad call. For lots of reasons. Some of which were valid. But still, objectively it was a bad call. I honestly can't believe how many in APS still can't or won't see that. It's bizarre. (And yes, I realize I will never change any of your minds.)

You know the saying hindsight is 20/20? I think that applies here. APS wasn’t some weird outlier. All the area schools followed the same protocol. You just don’t live there, so I guess you didn’t notice? Of the DMV districts, APS was one of the smallest, so we weren’t the ones calling this shot when the area schools all decided to do the same thing. Move on, FFS. It’s more damaging to your psyche not to put it behind you than whatever damage the closures caused. It was a once in a lifetime event and we all did the best we could with the information we had. As always, some decisions weren’t the right ones in hindsight, but such is life. And that decision has absolutely no bearing on whether or not Nottingham should remain open now that the area is underenrolled.

Exactly

No, they didn't. For certain groups of kids (K-2 and special ed), they did what was best for the adults and we knew it was bad for these kids while it was happening. What is the big deal to just say it. I'm not mad about that fact anymore. My kids are fine. Some kids are really not fine. But I think the revisionist history is shady. Just say what really happened.

Not the PP you were responding to, but who was going to teach if not “the adults?” No revisionist history is needed. Many teachers were threatening to quit, many parents were pressuring them not to open, so I think they made a bad, but reasonable, decision in the moment. Again, we weren’t surrounded by open districts, so they weren’t so far out there. And AGAIN, it’s not relevant to this discussion. Everything about the pandemic sucked donkey balls. Nobody is denying that. But it’s time to move forward and stop blaming APS and pointing fingers. There’s too much blame to go around and very few of us were our best selves during this period. Let’s do what we can now to make things better, for as many of the kids as we can. And that includes not wasting money to keep an under-enrolled school open when it’s surrounded by other schools with space.

This is a perfect way to bring it back around to the original topic.

In a perfect world, APS administrators and School Board would do their jobs and not pander to screaming parents and what's easiest in the moment. It's the same issue, different topic.

FWIW, I agree it's the right thing to close Nottingham for now.

+1 Thanks for bringing it back. I think closing Nottingham would be reactionary to what I believe are temporary trends and for an unclear purpose, and disagree with the proposal. Doesn’t make me a horrible and selfish MAGA or APE or whatever the firebreathers are carrying on about.

Hence the temporary closure as a neighborhood school. They aren’t shuttering it, it will still be operational as a swing space until such a time as it’s needed as a neighborhood school again.

They are proposing closing it IN TWO YEARS. I highly doubt they will be able to re-open it in the same timeframe. Say three years at best. So, five years from now you will have those ES seats again.

Next, ES are overcrowded in S Arlington and expected to grow exponentially. What is the plan? Because we have 400 seats sitting and available now. I am not suggesting busing. What am I asking is; what is APS plan? I am skeptical that we need to lose 400 seats for five years. I don’t think that makes logical sense.

But what if losing 400 seats short-term is the best way to fix another 2000 seats? Isn't that the idea? We can afford to lose these seats now so we do. We take the chance to fix buildings that need fixing.

Explain this to me. Where are you “fixing” 2,000 seats? By “fix,” are those seats unusable currently? What is the matter with them that they need to be fixed? Are unable to “fix” those seats without the swing space? If it’s easier/cheaper to fix them when students aren’t in the building, is that easier/cheaper worth losing 400 seats for 5-10 years? I highly doubt that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids have been at N Arlington schools (elementary and middle) at peak overcrowding. Trailers for sure. But none of the other things you mention were an issue. Anyway, if it gets that bad they can put Nottingham back in action as a neighbor hood school.

You are wrong about this. Kids have to eat lunch at like ten now at our North Arlington elementary (and middle) schools. Cafeteria cannot accommodate.
And school is not overcrowded because everyone pulled their kid for private.

I don’t hate that trailers although I think it’s hilarious that we have kids in overcrowded schools and trailers rather efficiently use under-enrolled actual school buildings.

And the fact that trailers are a long term solution in Arlington. Our school has had them for probably more than 20 years; definitely more than a decade. That cracks me up as well. Idiots at APS. Cannot plan.

Because we have limited land and budget.

No actually, right now the issue is that we have a dumb plan to close a school and put kids in trailers at other schools.

For all of you who think trailers are just fine, good luck.

You say this as though trailers are a new practice and none of us have experience with them.

I do. They were in fact fine. My kids say they were fine. Calm down.

Look at all these pro APS groupies who are perfectly fine with trailers. Did APS staff find this thread?

I thought trailers were horrible…until my kids actually had classes in them. They truly are not bad at all. My kids (and their teachers) liked it because they had some independence.

Do the people complaining about trailers actually have kids in APS?

Funniest thing I realized recently on AEM. One of the biggest APE loudmouths’ kids just started in APS in the last year or so. So much of that screaming was *before* she even had kids in APS. Some people just enjoy complaining.

Yes a lot of the APEs have very young kids or kids not even in APS. A lot moved to private. They are just really loud but they don't have much actual experience with APS or public schools.

Page 73 of this thread is FILLED with anti-APE statements. How can you say that defending a post defending the predicate for their organization — opening schools — should be blocked and off topic?

Anyone who posts on here in defense of keeping Nottingham opening or questioning the APS staff is labeled “APE.” It appears to me that attackers are using it as a proxy to mean a wealthy, entitled, probably white North Arlingtonian. Again, not in APE, but planning on joining based solely on this thread.

Why is APE relevant to this thread and why are the last dozen comments about them? Do they have an opinion on Nottingham? Or is it because they are the proxy for white entitled North Arlington? Why are people so obsessed with this group? Cue 5 more pages of hysteria.

Yes, APE released a statement to Arlnow that they have concerns about the proposal and the anti-APEs lost their mind because the APEs didn’t speak out on masks but would speak out on this. Or something.

Queue a dozen questions about what their mission does and doesn’t entail and a whole lot of stereotyping nastiness about white North Arlington parents, and here we are.

Cue the queue?

People don't like APE because they are irrational and clueless. Plus, they shat on teachers and other parents for years.

Once again, APE was right about COVID. You were wrong. Your fire breathing is what is irrational here. Get over it. You were wrong.

No, given the info at the time they were not "right".

Huge swaths of this bastion of liberal wokeness wanted it open? What are you talking about? Science and history have judged your case and you were wrong.

Careful, your MAGA is showing, Mr. APE

People who wanted the schools open are not only APE they are also MAGA? Holy cow. You are delusional.

DP. The founder and current board are MAGA.

.

I wanted the schools open. I wasnt in APE. I have nothing to do with APE. You insist I am APE. I have voted democratic for decades. The democrats got the covid issue wrong. I am increasingly disagreeing with APS as I see their planning as short sighted. I am also not a Nottingham parent.

+1. The continuing hostility to people who wanted the schools open when it was objectively the right thing to do (in hindsight) baffles me. And while I’m not the PP, I have kids, and they were in daycare at the time because keeping them home was not a viable option for our family. They were nervous times for sure. A lot of fearmongering about remote risks from keeping schools open (ie healthy kids dying), and a lot of discounting of likely risks from keeping schools closed (ie behavioral problems, speech delays, addiction/suicide).

Overreacting based on limited data and an artificially narrow set of considerations seems to be the APS way. And while I hate how MAGA politicized this thing initially, the Left certainly did its part in locking it in. We have to recognize how we went wrong if we ever hope to do better in future.

Well said. My opinion of Arlington as a whole has been impacted by this. We are less rationale then I thought we were. Objectively, APS made a bad call. For lots of reasons. Some of which were valid. But still, objectively it was a bad call. I honestly can't believe how many in APS still can't or won't see that. It's bizarre. (And yes, I realize I will never change any of your minds.)

You know the saying hindsight is 20/20? I think that applies here. APS wasn’t some weird outlier. All the area schools followed the same protocol. You just don’t live there, so I guess you didn’t notice? Of the DMV districts, APS was one of the smallest, so we weren’t the ones calling this shot when the area schools all decided to do the same thing. Move on, FFS. It’s more damaging to your psyche not to put it behind you than whatever damage the closures caused. It was a once in a lifetime event and we all did the best we could with the information we had. As always, some decisions weren’t the right ones in hindsight, but such is life. And that decision has absolutely no bearing on whether or not Nottingham should remain open now that the area is underenrolled.

Exactly

No, they didn't. For certain groups of kids (K-2 and special ed), they did what was best for the adults and we knew it was bad for these kids while it was happening. What is the big deal to just say it. I'm not mad about that fact anymore. My kids are fine. Some kids are really not fine. But I think the revisionist history is shady. Just say what really happened.

+1

I am still mad that Arlington vaccinated teachers BEFORE old people and then they didn’t go back.

What are you talking about? Schools opened shortly after teachers were vaccinated.

Sorry did you not see the explanation above? You should probably respond to that one. The one that explains why the poster was frustrated with Arlington.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:My kids have been at N Arlington schools (elementary and middle) at peak overcrowding. Trailers for sure. But none of the other things you mention were an issue. Anyway, if it gets that bad they can put Nottingham back in action as a neighbor hood school.

You are wrong about this. Kids have to eat lunch at like ten now at our North Arlington elementary (and middle) schools. Cafeteria cannot accommodate.
And school is not overcrowded because everyone pulled their kid for private.

I don’t hate that trailers although I think it’s hilarious that we have kids in overcrowded schools and trailers rather efficiently use under-enrolled actual school buildings.

And the fact that trailers are a long term solution in Arlington. Our school has had them for probably more than 20 years; definitely more than a decade. That cracks me up as well. Idiots at APS. Cannot plan.

Because we have limited land and budget.

No actually, right now the issue is that we have a dumb plan to close a school and put kids in trailers at other schools.

For all of you who think trailers are just fine, good luck.

You say this as though trailers are a new practice and none of us have experience with them.

I do. They were in fact fine. My kids say they were fine. Calm down.

Look at all these pro APS groupies who are perfectly fine with trailers. Did APS staff find this thread?

I thought trailers were horrible…until my kids actually had classes in them. They truly are not bad at all. My kids (and their teachers) liked it because they had some independence.

Do the people complaining about trailers actually have kids in APS?

Funniest thing I realized recently on AEM. One of the biggest APE loudmouths’ kids just started in APS in the last year or so. So much of that screaming was *before* she even had kids in APS. Some people just enjoy complaining.

Yes a lot of the APEs have very young kids or kids not even in APS. A lot moved to private. They are just really loud but they don't have much actual experience with APS or public schools.

Page 73 of this thread is FILLED with anti-APE statements. How can you say that defending a post defending the predicate for their organization — opening schools — should be blocked and off topic?

Anyone who posts on here in defense of keeping Nottingham opening or questioning the APS staff is labeled “APE.” It appears to me that attackers are using it as a proxy to mean a wealthy, entitled, probably white North Arlingtonian. Again, not in APE, but planning on joining based solely on this thread.

Why is APE relevant to this thread and why are the last dozen comments about them? Do they have an opinion on Nottingham? Or is it because they are the proxy for white entitled North Arlington? Why are people so obsessed with this group? Cue 5 more pages of hysteria.

Yes, APE released a statement to Arlnow that they have concerns about the proposal and the anti-APEs lost their mind because the APEs didn’t speak out on masks but would speak out on this. Or something.

Queue a dozen questions about what their mission does and doesn’t entail and a whole lot of stereotyping nastiness about white North Arlington parents, and here we are.

Cue the queue?

People don't like APE because they are irrational and clueless. Plus, they shat on teachers and other parents for years.

Once again, APE was right about COVID. You were wrong. Your fire breathing is what is irrational here. Get over it. You were wrong.

No, given the info at the time they were not "right".

Huge swaths of this bastion of liberal wokeness wanted it open? What are you talking about? Science and history have judged your case and you were wrong.

Careful, your MAGA is showing, Mr. APE

People who wanted the schools open are not only APE they are also MAGA? Holy cow. You are delusional.

DP. The founder and current board are MAGA.

.

I wanted the schools open. I wasnt in APE. I have nothing to do with APE. You insist I am APE. I have voted democratic for decades. The democrats got the covid issue wrong. I am increasingly disagreeing with APS as I see their planning as short sighted. I am also not a Nottingham parent.

+1. The continuing hostility to people who wanted the schools open when it was objectively the right thing to do (in hindsight) baffles me. And while I’m not the PP, I have kids, and they were in daycare at the time because keeping them home was not a viable option for our family. They were nervous times for sure. A lot of fearmongering about remote risks from keeping schools open (ie healthy kids dying), and a lot of discounting of likely risks from keeping schools closed (ie behavioral problems, speech delays, addiction/suicide).

Overreacting based on limited data and an artificially narrow set of considerations seems to be the APS way. And while I hate how MAGA politicized this thing initially, the Left certainly did its part in locking it in. We have to recognize how we went wrong if we ever hope to do better in future.

Well said. My opinion of Arlington as a whole has been impacted by this. We are less rationale then I thought we were. Objectively, APS made a bad call. For lots of reasons. Some of which were valid. But still, objectively it was a bad call. I honestly can't believe how many in APS still can't or won't see that. It's bizarre. (And yes, I realize I will never change any of your minds.)

You know the saying hindsight is 20/20? I think that applies here. APS wasn’t some weird outlier. All the area schools followed the same protocol. You just don’t live there, so I guess you didn’t notice? Of the DMV districts, APS was one of the smallest, so we weren’t the ones calling this shot when the area schools all decided to do the same thing. Move on, FFS. It’s more damaging to your psyche not to put it behind you than whatever damage the closures caused. It was a once in a lifetime event and we all did the best we could with the information we had. As always, some decisions weren’t the right ones in hindsight, but such is life. And that decision has absolutely no bearing on whether or not Nottingham should remain open now that the area is underenrolled.

Exactly

No, they didn't. For certain groups of kids (K-2 and special ed), they did what was best for the adults and we knew it was bad for these kids while it was happening. What is the big deal to just say it. I'm not mad about that fact anymore. My kids are fine. Some kids are really not fine. But I think the revisionist history is shady. Just say what really happened.

+1

I am still mad that Arlington vaccinated teachers BEFORE old people and then they didn’t go back.

Huh? They did go back after vaccines were readily available. It was very hard to get a vaccine in the beginning.

1). Arlington vaccinated teachers in mid January 2021 when they entered Phase 1B. Vaccines were incredibly hard to come by at the time and the group emergency responders and correctional officers—people who were in fact in person.

2). Phase 1B included people who were 75+, true. So, if you were 74 or a 70 year old resident of Arlington, you could not get a vaccine but teachers—who were not in person—could. It was mind boggling to me at the time.

3). Then, despite this, they started on the ridiculous hybrid model in early March, meaning basically we did not really “return to schools” until August 2021.

Hence, my frustration.

Yep.

Let's not forget APS would not have re-opened in March 2021 if not for Northam forcing the issue. And they wouldn't have gone back full-tme in August 2021 unless forced by VA law. The teachers associations publicly opposed a return 5 days a week for Fall of 2021.

Lies. APS was already planning to open BEFORE Northam.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids have been at N Arlington schools (elementary and middle) at peak overcrowding. Trailers for sure. But none of the other things you mention were an issue. Anyway, if it gets that bad they can put Nottingham back in action as a neighbor hood school.

You are wrong about this. Kids have to eat lunch at like ten now at our North Arlington elementary (and middle) schools. Cafeteria cannot accommodate.
And school is not overcrowded because everyone pulled their kid for private.

I don’t hate that trailers although I think it’s hilarious that we have kids in overcrowded schools and trailers rather efficiently use under-enrolled actual school buildings.

And the fact that trailers are a long term solution in Arlington. Our school has had them for probably more than 20 years; definitely more than a decade. That cracks me up as well. Idiots at APS. Cannot plan.

Because we have limited land and budget.

No actually, right now the issue is that we have a dumb plan to close a school and put kids in trailers at other schools.

For all of you who think trailers are just fine, good luck.

You say this as though trailers are a new practice and none of us have experience with them.

I do. They were in fact fine. My kids say they were fine. Calm down.

Look at all these pro APS groupies who are perfectly fine with trailers. Did APS staff find this thread?

I thought trailers were horrible…until my kids actually had classes in them. They truly are not bad at all. My kids (and their teachers) liked it because they had some independence.

Do the people complaining about trailers actually have kids in APS?

Funniest thing I realized recently on AEM. One of the biggest APE loudmouths’ kids just started in APS in the last year or so. So much of that screaming was *before* she even had kids in APS. Some people just enjoy complaining.

Yes a lot of the APEs have very young kids or kids not even in APS. A lot moved to private. They are just really loud but they don't have much actual experience with APS or public schools.

Page 73 of this thread is FILLED with anti-APE statements. How can you say that defending a post defending the predicate for their organization — opening schools — should be blocked and off topic?

Anyone who posts on here in defense of keeping Nottingham opening or questioning the APS staff is labeled “APE.” It appears to me that attackers are using it as a proxy to mean a wealthy, entitled, probably white North Arlingtonian. Again, not in APE, but planning on joining based solely on this thread.

Why is APE relevant to this thread and why are the last dozen comments about them? Do they have an opinion on Nottingham? Or is it because they are the proxy for white entitled North Arlington? Why are people so obsessed with this group? Cue 5 more pages of hysteria.

Yes, APE released a statement to Arlnow that they have concerns about the proposal and the anti-APEs lost their mind because the APEs didn’t speak out on masks but would speak out on this. Or something.

Queue a dozen questions about what their mission does and doesn’t entail and a whole lot of stereotyping nastiness about white North Arlington parents, and here we are.

Cue the queue?

People don't like APE because they are irrational and clueless. Plus, they shat on teachers and other parents for years.

Once again, APE was right about COVID. You were wrong. Your fire breathing is what is irrational here. Get over it. You were wrong.

No, given the info at the time they were not "right".

Huge swaths of this bastion of liberal wokeness wanted it open? What are you talking about? Science and history have judged your case and you were wrong.

Careful, your MAGA is showing, Mr. APE

People who wanted the schools open are not only APE they are also MAGA? Holy cow. You are delusional.

DP. The founder and current board are MAGA.

.

I wanted the schools open. I wasnt in APE. I have nothing to do with APE. You insist I am APE. I have voted democratic for decades. The democrats got the covid issue wrong. I am increasingly disagreeing with APS as I see their planning as short sighted. I am also not a Nottingham parent.

+1. The continuing hostility to people who wanted the schools open when it was objectively the right thing to do (in hindsight) baffles me. And while I’m not the PP, I have kids, and they were in daycare at the time because keeping them home was not a viable option for our family. They were nervous times for sure. A lot of fearmongering about remote risks from keeping schools open (ie healthy kids dying), and a lot of discounting of likely risks from keeping schools closed (ie behavioral problems, speech delays, addiction/suicide).

Overreacting based on limited data and an artificially narrow set of considerations seems to be the APS way. And while I hate how MAGA politicized this thing initially, the Left certainly did its part in locking it in. We have to recognize how we went wrong if we ever hope to do better in future.

Well said. My opinion of Arlington as a whole has been impacted by this. We are less rationale then I thought we were. Objectively, APS made a bad call. For lots of reasons. Some of which were valid. But still, objectively it was a bad call. I honestly can't believe how many in APS still can't or won't see that. It's bizarre. (And yes, I realize I will never change any of your minds.)

You know the saying hindsight is 20/20? I think that applies here. APS wasn’t some weird outlier. All the area schools followed the same protocol. You just don’t live there, so I guess you didn’t notice? Of the DMV districts, APS was one of the smallest, so we weren’t the ones calling this shot when the area schools all decided to do the same thing. Move on, FFS. It’s more damaging to your psyche not to put it behind you than whatever damage the closures caused. It was a once in a lifetime event and we all did the best we could with the information we had. As always, some decisions weren’t the right ones in hindsight, but such is life. And that decision has absolutely no bearing on whether or not Nottingham should remain open now that the area is underenrolled.

Exactly

Some school systems got it right.

The ones with more space, fewer kids, ability to force testing (after tests were readily available), nutter politicians who denied covid risks?

Falls Church City happened to have an entire extra building they could use to spread out. Maybe having some swing space can help with future pandemics.

Not what I mean. Florida was open the whole time. I know you are going to say I am thus MAGA, but you are just politicizing it.

Right, so they had more space, less overcrowding, and nutter politicians who denied covid risks.

That's not us.

I understand your nutter politicians point and I agree with you 100%, except for this issue, which disappointingly they got right and we got wrong. I don’t believe your space and crowding factored in one wit to their calculus. My point was only that there were huge swaths of the country that did remain open. They weren’t us but so what? We got it wrong and I think it’s ok to acknowledge when your side is wrong. It’s better than this continued defense of horribleness that everyone knows was the wrong call. It makes us look just as bad as the nutter politicians. We are supposed to be looking at these questions like covid and closing a school from a rational objective point of view. Covid changed my view too about how Arlingtonians and their government handle these issues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids have been at N Arlington schools (elementary and middle) at peak overcrowding. Trailers for sure. But none of the other things you mention were an issue. Anyway, if it gets that bad they can put Nottingham back in action as a neighbor hood school.

You are wrong about this. Kids have to eat lunch at like ten now at our North Arlington elementary (and middle) schools. Cafeteria cannot accommodate.
And school is not overcrowded because everyone pulled their kid for private.

I don’t hate that trailers although I think it’s hilarious that we have kids in overcrowded schools and trailers rather efficiently use under-enrolled actual school buildings.

And the fact that trailers are a long term solution in Arlington. Our school has had them for probably more than 20 years; definitely more than a decade. That cracks me up as well. Idiots at APS. Cannot plan.

Because we have limited land and budget.

No actually, right now the issue is that we have a dumb plan to close a school and put kids in trailers at other schools.

For all of you who think trailers are just fine, good luck.

You say this as though trailers are a new practice and none of us have experience with them.

I do. They were in fact fine. My kids say they were fine. Calm down.

Look at all these pro APS groupies who are perfectly fine with trailers. Did APS staff find this thread?

I thought trailers were horrible…until my kids actually had classes in them. They truly are not bad at all. My kids (and their teachers) liked it because they had some independence.

Do the people complaining about trailers actually have kids in APS?

Funniest thing I realized recently on AEM. One of the biggest APE loudmouths’ kids just started in APS in the last year or so. So much of that screaming was *before* she even had kids in APS. Some people just enjoy complaining.

Yes a lot of the APEs have very young kids or kids not even in APS. A lot moved to private. They are just really loud but they don't have much actual experience with APS or public schools.

Page 73 of this thread is FILLED with anti-APE statements. How can you say that defending a post defending the predicate for their organization — opening schools — should be blocked and off topic?

Anyone who posts on here in defense of keeping Nottingham opening or questioning the APS staff is labeled “APE.” It appears to me that attackers are using it as a proxy to mean a wealthy, entitled, probably white North Arlingtonian. Again, not in APE, but planning on joining based solely on this thread.

Why is APE relevant to this thread and why are the last dozen comments about them? Do they have an opinion on Nottingham? Or is it because they are the proxy for white entitled North Arlington? Why are people so obsessed with this group? Cue 5 more pages of hysteria.

Yes, APE released a statement to Arlnow that they have concerns about the proposal and the anti-APEs lost their mind because the APEs didn’t speak out on masks but would speak out on this. Or something.

Queue a dozen questions about what their mission does and doesn’t entail and a whole lot of stereotyping nastiness about white North Arlington parents, and here we are.

Cue the queue?

People don't like APE because they are irrational and clueless. Plus, they shat on teachers and other parents for years.

Once again, APE was right about COVID. You were wrong. Your fire breathing is what is irrational here. Get over it. You were wrong.

No, given the info at the time they were not "right".

Huge swaths of this bastion of liberal wokeness wanted it open? What are you talking about? Science and history have judged your case and you were wrong.

Careful, your MAGA is showing, Mr. APE

People who wanted the schools open are not only APE they are also MAGA? Holy cow. You are delusional.

DP. The founder and current board are MAGA.

.

I wanted the schools open. I wasnt in APE. I have nothing to do with APE. You insist I am APE. I have voted democratic for decades. The democrats got the covid issue wrong. I am increasingly disagreeing with APS as I see their planning as short sighted. I am also not a Nottingham parent.

+1. The continuing hostility to people who wanted the schools open when it was objectively the right thing to do (in hindsight) baffles me. And while I’m not the PP, I have kids, and they were in daycare at the time because keeping them home was not a viable option for our family. They were nervous times for sure. A lot of fearmongering about remote risks from keeping schools open (ie healthy kids dying), and a lot of discounting of likely risks from keeping schools closed (ie behavioral problems, speech delays, addiction/suicide).

Overreacting based on limited data and an artificially narrow set of considerations seems to be the APS way. And while I hate how MAGA politicized this thing initially, the Left certainly did its part in locking it in. We have to recognize how we went wrong if we ever hope to do better in future.

Well said. My opinion of Arlington as a whole has been impacted by this. We are less rationale then I thought we were. Objectively, APS made a bad call. For lots of reasons. Some of which were valid. But still, objectively it was a bad call. I honestly can't believe how many in APS still can't or won't see that. It's bizarre. (And yes, I realize I will never change any of your minds.)

You know the saying hindsight is 20/20? I think that applies here. APS wasn’t some weird outlier. All the area schools followed the same protocol. You just don’t live there, so I guess you didn’t notice? Of the DMV districts, APS was one of the smallest, so we weren’t the ones calling this shot when the area schools all decided to do the same thing. Move on, FFS. It’s more damaging to your psyche not to put it behind you than whatever damage the closures caused. It was a once in a lifetime event and we all did the best we could with the information we had. As always, some decisions weren’t the right ones in hindsight, but such is life. And that decision has absolutely no bearing on whether or not Nottingham should remain open now that the area is underenrolled.

Exactly

No, they didn't. For certain groups of kids (K-2 and special ed), they did what was best for the adults and we knew it was bad for these kids while it was happening. What is the big deal to just say it. I'm not mad about that fact anymore. My kids are fine. Some kids are really not fine. But I think the revisionist history is shady. Just say what really happened.

+1

I am still mad that Arlington vaccinated teachers BEFORE old people and then they didn’t go back.

Huh? They did go back after vaccines were readily available. It was very hard to get a vaccine in the beginning.

1). Arlington vaccinated teachers in mid January 2021 when they entered Phase 1B. Vaccines were incredibly hard to come by at the time and the group emergency responders and correctional officers—people who were in fact in person.

2). Phase 1B included people who were 75+, true. So, if you were 74 or a 70 year old resident of Arlington, you could not get a vaccine but teachers—who were not in person—could. It was mind boggling to me at the time.

3). Then, despite this, they started on the ridiculous hybrid model in early March, meaning basically we did not really “return to schools” until August 2021.

Hence, my frustration.

So irrational.
1. Teachers were getting vaccinated as quickly as they could, but it took time. They held multiple clinics and teachers had to wait 2 weeks between shots. It wasn't like they could instantly get everyone vaccinated.
2. They were getting vaccinated so they could return in person. You don't think the county should have prioritized teachers? WTH?
3. They tried to get as many kids in person as they could. Even with the reduced CDC distancing recommendation they still couldn't fit everyone at the same time. Some schools were very overcrowded.

Hence, you are misdirecting your frustrations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids have been at N Arlington schools (elementary and middle) at peak overcrowding. Trailers for sure. But none of the other things you mention were an issue. Anyway, if it gets that bad they can put Nottingham back in action as a neighbor hood school.

You are wrong about this. Kids have to eat lunch at like ten now at our North Arlington elementary (and middle) schools. Cafeteria cannot accommodate.
And school is not overcrowded because everyone pulled their kid for private.

I don’t hate that trailers although I think it’s hilarious that we have kids in overcrowded schools and trailers rather efficiently use under-enrolled actual school buildings.

And the fact that trailers are a long term solution in Arlington. Our school has had them for probably more than 20 years; definitely more than a decade. That cracks me up as well. Idiots at APS. Cannot plan.

Because we have limited land and budget.

No actually, right now the issue is that we have a dumb plan to close a school and put kids in trailers at other schools.

For all of you who think trailers are just fine, good luck.

You say this as though trailers are a new practice and none of us have experience with them.

I do. They were in fact fine. My kids say they were fine. Calm down.

Look at all these pro APS groupies who are perfectly fine with trailers. Did APS staff find this thread?

I thought trailers were horrible…until my kids actually had classes in them. They truly are not bad at all. My kids (and their teachers) liked it because they had some independence.

Do the people complaining about trailers actually have kids in APS?

Funniest thing I realized recently on AEM. One of the biggest APE loudmouths’ kids just started in APS in the last year or so. So much of that screaming was *before* she even had kids in APS. Some people just enjoy complaining.

Yes a lot of the APEs have very young kids or kids not even in APS. A lot moved to private. They are just really loud but they don't have much actual experience with APS or public schools.

Page 73 of this thread is FILLED with anti-APE statements. How can you say that defending a post defending the predicate for their organization — opening schools — should be blocked and off topic?

Anyone who posts on here in defense of keeping Nottingham opening or questioning the APS staff is labeled “APE.” It appears to me that attackers are using it as a proxy to mean a wealthy, entitled, probably white North Arlingtonian. Again, not in APE, but planning on joining based solely on this thread.

Why is APE relevant to this thread and why are the last dozen comments about them? Do they have an opinion on Nottingham? Or is it because they are the proxy for white entitled North Arlington? Why are people so obsessed with this group? Cue 5 more pages of hysteria.

Yes, APE released a statement to Arlnow that they have concerns about the proposal and the anti-APEs lost their mind because the APEs didn’t speak out on masks but would speak out on this. Or something.

Queue a dozen questions about what their mission does and doesn’t entail and a whole lot of stereotyping nastiness about white North Arlington parents, and here we are.

Cue the queue?

People don't like APE because they are irrational and clueless. Plus, they shat on teachers and other parents for years.

Once again, APE was right about COVID. You were wrong. Your fire breathing is what is irrational here. Get over it. You were wrong.

No, given the info at the time they were not "right".

Huge swaths of this bastion of liberal wokeness wanted it open? What are you talking about? Science and history have judged your case and you were wrong.

Careful, your MAGA is showing, Mr. APE

People who wanted the schools open are not only APE they are also MAGA? Holy cow. You are delusional.

DP. The founder and current board are MAGA.

.

I wanted the schools open. I wasnt in APE. I have nothing to do with APE. You insist I am APE. I have voted democratic for decades. The democrats got the covid issue wrong. I am increasingly disagreeing with APS as I see their planning as short sighted. I am also not a Nottingham parent.

+1. The continuing hostility to people who wanted the schools open when it was objectively the right thing to do (in hindsight) baffles me. And while I’m not the PP, I have kids, and they were in daycare at the time because keeping them home was not a viable option for our family. They were nervous times for sure. A lot of fearmongering about remote risks from keeping schools open (ie healthy kids dying), and a lot of discounting of likely risks from keeping schools closed (ie behavioral problems, speech delays, addiction/suicide).

Overreacting based on limited data and an artificially narrow set of considerations seems to be the APS way. And while I hate how MAGA politicized this thing initially, the Left certainly did its part in locking it in. We have to recognize how we went wrong if we ever hope to do better in future.

Well said. My opinion of Arlington as a whole has been impacted by this. We are less rationale then I thought we were. Objectively, APS made a bad call. For lots of reasons. Some of which were valid. But still, objectively it was a bad call. I honestly can't believe how many in APS still can't or won't see that. It's bizarre. (And yes, I realize I will never change any of your minds.)

You know the saying hindsight is 20/20? I think that applies here. APS wasn’t some weird outlier. All the area schools followed the same protocol. You just don’t live there, so I guess you didn’t notice? Of the DMV districts, APS was one of the smallest, so we weren’t the ones calling this shot when the area schools all decided to do the same thing. Move on, FFS. It’s more damaging to your psyche not to put it behind you than whatever damage the closures caused. It was a once in a lifetime event and we all did the best we could with the information we had. As always, some decisions weren’t the right ones in hindsight, but such is life. And that decision has absolutely no bearing on whether or not Nottingham should remain open now that the area is underenrolled.

Exactly

Some school systems got it right.

The ones with more space, fewer kids, ability to force testing (after tests were readily available), nutter politicians who denied covid risks?

Falls Church City happened to have an entire extra building they could use to spread out. Maybe having some swing space can help with future pandemics.

Not what I mean. Florida was open the whole time. I know you are going to say I am thus MAGA, but you are just politicizing it.

Right, so they had more space, less overcrowding, and nutter politicians who denied covid risks.

That's not us.

I understand your nutter politicians point and I agree with you 100%, except for this issue, which disappointingly they got right and we got wrong. I don’t believe your space and crowding factored in one wit to their calculus. My point was only that there were huge swaths of the country that did remain open. They weren’t us but so what? We got it wrong and I think it’s ok to acknowledge when your side is wrong. It’s better than this continued defense of horribleness that everyone knows was the wrong call. It makes us look just as bad as the nutter politicians. We are supposed to be looking at these questions like covid and closing a school from a rational objective point of view. Covid changed my view too about how Arlingtonians and their government handle these issues.

It was the right call at the time.

And space absolutely was an issue. Especially for cafeterias back when the recommendation was 6' distance. If you were a covid denier (or had a covid denier boss) then it was easier just to ignore all of the recommendations.

If we have another pandemic, we will have a lot more data to make better informed decisions. But then again, if it's a novel virus, there may be additional unknowns.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids have been at N Arlington schools (elementary and middle) at peak overcrowding. Trailers for sure. But none of the other things you mention were an issue. Anyway, if it gets that bad they can put Nottingham back in action as a neighbor hood school.

You are wrong about this. Kids have to eat lunch at like ten now at our North Arlington elementary (and middle) schools. Cafeteria cannot accommodate.
And school is not overcrowded because everyone pulled their kid for private.

I don’t hate that trailers although I think it’s hilarious that we have kids in overcrowded schools and trailers rather efficiently use under-enrolled actual school buildings.

And the fact that trailers are a long term solution in Arlington. Our school has had them for probably more than 20 years; definitely more than a decade. That cracks me up as well. Idiots at APS. Cannot plan.

Because we have limited land and budget.

No actually, right now the issue is that we have a dumb plan to close a school and put kids in trailers at other schools.

For all of you who think trailers are just fine, good luck.

You say this as though trailers are a new practice and none of us have experience with them.

I do. They were in fact fine. My kids say they were fine. Calm down.

Look at all these pro APS groupies who are perfectly fine with trailers. Did APS staff find this thread?

I thought trailers were horrible…until my kids actually had classes in them. They truly are not bad at all. My kids (and their teachers) liked it because they had some independence.

Do the people complaining about trailers actually have kids in APS?

Funniest thing I realized recently on AEM. One of the biggest APE loudmouths’ kids just started in APS in the last year or so. So much of that screaming was *before* she even had kids in APS. Some people just enjoy complaining.

Yes a lot of the APEs have very young kids or kids not even in APS. A lot moved to private. They are just really loud but they don't have much actual experience with APS or public schools.

Page 73 of this thread is FILLED with anti-APE statements. How can you say that defending a post defending the predicate for their organization — opening schools — should be blocked and off topic?

Anyone who posts on here in defense of keeping Nottingham opening or questioning the APS staff is labeled “APE.” It appears to me that attackers are using it as a proxy to mean a wealthy, entitled, probably white North Arlingtonian. Again, not in APE, but planning on joining based solely on this thread.

Why is APE relevant to this thread and why are the last dozen comments about them? Do they have an opinion on Nottingham? Or is it because they are the proxy for white entitled North Arlington? Why are people so obsessed with this group? Cue 5 more pages of hysteria.

Yes, APE released a statement to Arlnow that they have concerns about the proposal and the anti-APEs lost their mind because the APEs didn’t speak out on masks but would speak out on this. Or something.

Queue a dozen questions about what their mission does and doesn’t entail and a whole lot of stereotyping nastiness about white North Arlington parents, and here we are.

Cue the queue?

People don't like APE because they are irrational and clueless. Plus, they shat on teachers and other parents for years.

Once again, APE was right about COVID. You were wrong. Your fire breathing is what is irrational here. Get over it. You were wrong.

No, given the info at the time they were not "right".

Huge swaths of this bastion of liberal wokeness wanted it open? What are you talking about? Science and history have judged your case and you were wrong.

Careful, your MAGA is showing, Mr. APE

People who wanted the schools open are not only APE they are also MAGA? Holy cow. You are delusional.

DP. The founder and current board are MAGA.

.

I wanted the schools open. I wasnt in APE. I have nothing to do with APE. You insist I am APE. I have voted democratic for decades. The democrats got the covid issue wrong. I am increasingly disagreeing with APS as I see their planning as short sighted. I am also not a Nottingham parent.

+1. The continuing hostility to people who wanted the schools open when it was objectively the right thing to do (in hindsight) baffles me. And while I’m not the PP, I have kids, and they were in daycare at the time because keeping them home was not a viable option for our family. They were nervous times for sure. A lot of fearmongering about remote risks from keeping schools open (ie healthy kids dying), and a lot of discounting of likely risks from keeping schools closed (ie behavioral problems, speech delays, addiction/suicide).

Overreacting based on limited data and an artificially narrow set of considerations seems to be the APS way. And while I hate how MAGA politicized this thing initially, the Left certainly did its part in locking it in. We have to recognize how we went wrong if we ever hope to do better in future.

Well said. My opinion of Arlington as a whole has been impacted by this. We are less rationale then I thought we were. Objectively, APS made a bad call. For lots of reasons. Some of which were valid. But still, objectively it was a bad call. I honestly can't believe how many in APS still can't or won't see that. It's bizarre. (And yes, I realize I will never change any of your minds.)

You know the saying hindsight is 20/20? I think that applies here. APS wasn’t some weird outlier. All the area schools followed the same protocol. You just don’t live there, so I guess you didn’t notice? Of the DMV districts, APS was one of the smallest, so we weren’t the ones calling this shot when the area schools all decided to do the same thing. Move on, FFS. It’s more damaging to your psyche not to put it behind you than whatever damage the closures caused. It was a once in a lifetime event and we all did the best we could with the information we had. As always, some decisions weren’t the right ones in hindsight, but such is life. And that decision has absolutely no bearing on whether or not Nottingham should remain open now that the area is underenrolled.

Exactly

No, they didn't. For certain groups of kids (K-2 and special ed), they did what was best for the adults and we knew it was bad for these kids while it was happening. What is the big deal to just say it. I'm not mad about that fact anymore. My kids are fine. Some kids are really not fine. But I think the revisionist history is shady. Just say what really happened.

+1

I am still mad that Arlington vaccinated teachers BEFORE old people and then they didn’t go back.

Huh? They did go back after vaccines were readily available. It was very hard to get a vaccine in the beginning.

1). Arlington vaccinated teachers in mid January 2021 when they entered Phase 1B. Vaccines were incredibly hard to come by at the time and the group emergency responders and correctional officers—people who were in fact in person.

2). Phase 1B included people who were 75+, true. So, if you were 74 or a 70 year old resident of Arlington, you could not get a vaccine but teachers—who were not in person—could. It was mind boggling to me at the time.

3). Then, despite this, they started on the ridiculous hybrid model in early March, meaning basically we did not really “return to schools” until August 2021.

Hence, my frustration.

So irrational.
1. Teachers were getting vaccinated as quickly as they could, but it took time. They held multiple clinics and teachers had to wait 2 weeks between shots. It wasn't like they could instantly get everyone vaccinated.
2. They were getting vaccinated so they could return in person. You don't think the county should have prioritized teachers? WTH?
3. They tried to get as many kids in person as they could. Even with the reduced CDC distancing recommendation they still couldn't fit everyone at the same time. Some schools were very overcrowded.

Hence, you are misdirecting your frustrations.

NP. The other people in group 1b were ALREADY at work in-person. Teachers (many who were in no risk group and all who were younger) got prioritized over people 70-74. I agree it was nuts and I thought it was mind boggling at the time.

What other profession where in-person is really required as part of the job made going back in-person conditional on getting vaccinated? I can't think of one.

Also, by March 2021, CDC was down to recommending 3 feet separation in classrooms.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids have been at N Arlington schools (elementary and middle) at peak overcrowding. Trailers for sure. But none of the other things you mention were an issue. Anyway, if it gets that bad they can put Nottingham back in action as a neighbor hood school.

You are wrong about this. Kids have to eat lunch at like ten now at our North Arlington elementary (and middle) schools. Cafeteria cannot accommodate.
And school is not overcrowded because everyone pulled their kid for private.

I don’t hate that trailers although I think it’s hilarious that we have kids in overcrowded schools and trailers rather efficiently use under-enrolled actual school buildings.

And the fact that trailers are a long term solution in Arlington. Our school has had them for probably more than 20 years; definitely more than a decade. That cracks me up as well. Idiots at APS. Cannot plan.

Because we have limited land and budget.

No actually, right now the issue is that we have a dumb plan to close a school and put kids in trailers at other schools.

For all of you who think trailers are just fine, good luck.

You say this as though trailers are a new practice and none of us have experience with them.

I do. They were in fact fine. My kids say they were fine. Calm down.

Look at all these pro APS groupies who are perfectly fine with trailers. Did APS staff find this thread?

I thought trailers were horrible…until my kids actually had classes in them. They truly are not bad at all. My kids (and their teachers) liked it because they had some independence.

Do the people complaining about trailers actually have kids in APS?

Funniest thing I realized recently on AEM. One of the biggest APE loudmouths’ kids just started in APS in the last year or so. So much of that screaming was *before* she even had kids in APS. Some people just enjoy complaining.

Yes a lot of the APEs have very young kids or kids not even in APS. A lot moved to private. They are just really loud but they don't have much actual experience with APS or public schools.

Page 73 of this thread is FILLED with anti-APE statements. How can you say that defending a post defending the predicate for their organization — opening schools — should be blocked and off topic?

Anyone who posts on here in defense of keeping Nottingham opening or questioning the APS staff is labeled “APE.” It appears to me that attackers are using it as a proxy to mean a wealthy, entitled, probably white North Arlingtonian. Again, not in APE, but planning on joining based solely on this thread.

Why is APE relevant to this thread and why are the last dozen comments about them? Do they have an opinion on Nottingham? Or is it because they are the proxy for white entitled North Arlington? Why are people so obsessed with this group? Cue 5 more pages of hysteria.

Yes, APE released a statement to Arlnow that they have concerns about the proposal and the anti-APEs lost their mind because the APEs didn’t speak out on masks but would speak out on this. Or something.

Queue a dozen questions about what their mission does and doesn’t entail and a whole lot of stereotyping nastiness about white North Arlington parents, and here we are.

Cue the queue?

People don't like APE because they are irrational and clueless. Plus, they shat on teachers and other parents for years.

Once again, APE was right about COVID. You were wrong. Your fire breathing is what is irrational here. Get over it. You were wrong.

No, given the info at the time they were not "right".

Huge swaths of this bastion of liberal wokeness wanted it open? What are you talking about? Science and history have judged your case and you were wrong.

Careful, your MAGA is showing, Mr. APE

People who wanted the schools open are not only APE they are also MAGA? Holy cow. You are delusional.

DP. The founder and current board are MAGA.

.

I wanted the schools open. I wasnt in APE. I have nothing to do with APE. You insist I am APE. I have voted democratic for decades. The democrats got the covid issue wrong. I am increasingly disagreeing with APS as I see their planning as short sighted. I am also not a Nottingham parent.

+1. The continuing hostility to people who wanted the schools open when it was objectively the right thing to do (in hindsight) baffles me. And while I’m not the PP, I have kids, and they were in daycare at the time because keeping them home was not a viable option for our family. They were nervous times for sure. A lot of fearmongering about remote risks from keeping schools open (ie healthy kids dying), and a lot of discounting of likely risks from keeping schools closed (ie behavioral problems, speech delays, addiction/suicide).

Overreacting based on limited data and an artificially narrow set of considerations seems to be the APS way. And while I hate how MAGA politicized this thing initially, the Left certainly did its part in locking it in. We have to recognize how we went wrong if we ever hope to do better in future.

Well said. My opinion of Arlington as a whole has been impacted by this. We are less rationale then I thought we were. Objectively, APS made a bad call. For lots of reasons. Some of which were valid. But still, objectively it was a bad call. I honestly can't believe how many in APS still can't or won't see that. It's bizarre. (And yes, I realize I will never change any of your minds.)

You know the saying hindsight is 20/20? I think that applies here. APS wasn’t some weird outlier. All the area schools followed the same protocol. You just don’t live there, so I guess you didn’t notice? Of the DMV districts, APS was one of the smallest, so we weren’t the ones calling this shot when the area schools all decided to do the same thing. Move on, FFS. It’s more damaging to your psyche not to put it behind you than whatever damage the closures caused. It was a once in a lifetime event and we all did the best we could with the information we had. As always, some decisions weren’t the right ones in hindsight, but such is life. And that decision has absolutely no bearing on whether or not Nottingham should remain open now that the area is underenrolled.

Exactly

No, they didn't. For certain groups of kids (K-2 and special ed), they did what was best for the adults and we knew it was bad for these kids while it was happening. What is the big deal to just say it. I'm not mad about that fact anymore. My kids are fine. Some kids are really not fine. But I think the revisionist history is shady. Just say what really happened.

+1

I am still mad that Arlington vaccinated teachers BEFORE old people and then they didn’t go back.

Huh? They did go back after vaccines were readily available. It was very hard to get a vaccine in the beginning.

1). Arlington vaccinated teachers in mid January 2021 when they entered Phase 1B. Vaccines were incredibly hard to come by at the time and the group emergency responders and correctional officers—people who were in fact in person.

2). Phase 1B included people who were 75+, true. So, if you were 74 or a 70 year old resident of Arlington, you could not get a vaccine but teachers—who were not in person—could. It was mind boggling to me at the time.

3). Then, despite this, they started on the ridiculous hybrid model in early March, meaning basically we did not really “return to schools” until August 2021.

Hence, my frustration.

So irrational.
1. Teachers were getting vaccinated as quickly as they could, but it took time. They held multiple clinics and teachers had to wait 2 weeks between shots. It wasn't like they could instantly get everyone vaccinated.
2. They were getting vaccinated so they could return in person. You don't think the county should have prioritized teachers? WTH?
3. They tried to get as many kids in person as they could. Even with the reduced CDC distancing recommendation they still couldn't fit everyone at the same time. Some schools were very overcrowded.

Hence, you are misdirecting your frustrations.

NP. The other people in group 1b were ALREADY at work in-person. Teachers (many who were in no risk group and all who were younger) got prioritized over people 70-74. I agree it was nuts and I thought it was mind boggling at the time.

What other profession where in-person is really required as part of the job made going back in-person conditional on getting vaccinated? I can't think of one.

Also, by March 2021, CDC was down to recommending 3 feet separation in classrooms.

What other occupation comes into sustained contact with a classroom full of germ factories for 6 hours?

I'm sorry. We wanted kids back in the classroom safely. Vaccinating everyone is part of the "safely". People 70-74 could continue stay home for a couple more months.

Right, 3' was the reduced distancing recommendation. It was better than 6' but still tough/impossible to fit all kids back in some schools. Particularly in the cafeterias, on buses, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids have been at N Arlington schools (elementary and middle) at peak overcrowding. Trailers for sure. But none of the other things you mention were an issue. Anyway, if it gets that bad they can put Nottingham back in action as a neighbor hood school.

You are wrong about this. Kids have to eat lunch at like ten now at our North Arlington elementary (and middle) schools. Cafeteria cannot accommodate.
And school is not overcrowded because everyone pulled their kid for private.

I don’t hate that trailers although I think it’s hilarious that we have kids in overcrowded schools and trailers rather efficiently use under-enrolled actual school buildings.

And the fact that trailers are a long term solution in Arlington. Our school has had them for probably more than 20 years; definitely more than a decade. That cracks me up as well. Idiots at APS. Cannot plan.

Because we have limited land and budget.

No actually, right now the issue is that we have a dumb plan to close a school and put kids in trailers at other schools.

For all of you who think trailers are just fine, good luck.

You say this as though trailers are a new practice and none of us have experience with them.

I do. They were in fact fine. My kids say they were fine. Calm down.

Look at all these pro APS groupies who are perfectly fine with trailers. Did APS staff find this thread?

I thought trailers were horrible…until my kids actually had classes in them. They truly are not bad at all. My kids (and their teachers) liked it because they had some independence.

Do the people complaining about trailers actually have kids in APS?

Funniest thing I realized recently on AEM. One of the biggest APE loudmouths’ kids just started in APS in the last year or so. So much of that screaming was *before* she even had kids in APS. Some people just enjoy complaining.

Yes a lot of the APEs have very young kids or kids not even in APS. A lot moved to private. They are just really loud but they don't have much actual experience with APS or public schools.

Page 73 of this thread is FILLED with anti-APE statements. How can you say that defending a post defending the predicate for their organization — opening schools — should be blocked and off topic?

Anyone who posts on here in defense of keeping Nottingham opening or questioning the APS staff is labeled “APE.” It appears to me that attackers are using it as a proxy to mean a wealthy, entitled, probably white North Arlingtonian. Again, not in APE, but planning on joining based solely on this thread.

Why is APE relevant to this thread and why are the last dozen comments about them? Do they have an opinion on Nottingham? Or is it because they are the proxy for white entitled North Arlington? Why are people so obsessed with this group? Cue 5 more pages of hysteria.

Yes, APE released a statement to Arlnow that they have concerns about the proposal and the anti-APEs lost their mind because the APEs didn’t speak out on masks but would speak out on this. Or something.

Queue a dozen questions about what their mission does and doesn’t entail and a whole lot of stereotyping nastiness about white North Arlington parents, and here we are.

Cue the queue?

People don't like APE because they are irrational and clueless. Plus, they shat on teachers and other parents for years.

Once again, APE was right about COVID. You were wrong. Your fire breathing is what is irrational here. Get over it. You were wrong.

No, given the info at the time they were not "right".

Huge swaths of this bastion of liberal wokeness wanted it open? What are you talking about? Science and history have judged your case and you were wrong.

Careful, your MAGA is showing, Mr. APE

People who wanted the schools open are not only APE they are also MAGA? Holy cow. You are delusional.

DP. The founder and current board are MAGA.

.

I wanted the schools open. I wasnt in APE. I have nothing to do with APE. You insist I am APE. I have voted democratic for decades. The democrats got the covid issue wrong. I am increasingly disagreeing with APS as I see their planning as short sighted. I am also not a Nottingham parent.

+1. The continuing hostility to people who wanted the schools open when it was objectively the right thing to do (in hindsight) baffles me. And while I’m not the PP, I have kids, and they were in daycare at the time because keeping them home was not a viable option for our family. They were nervous times for sure. A lot of fearmongering about remote risks from keeping schools open (ie healthy kids dying), and a lot of discounting of likely risks from keeping schools closed (ie behavioral problems, speech delays, addiction/suicide).

Overreacting based on limited data and an artificially narrow set of considerations seems to be the APS way. And while I hate how MAGA politicized this thing initially, the Left certainly did its part in locking it in. We have to recognize how we went wrong if we ever hope to do better in future.

Well said. My opinion of Arlington as a whole has been impacted by this. We are less rationale then I thought we were. Objectively, APS made a bad call. For lots of reasons. Some of which were valid. But still, objectively it was a bad call. I honestly can't believe how many in APS still can't or won't see that. It's bizarre. (And yes, I realize I will never change any of your minds.)

You know the saying hindsight is 20/20? I think that applies here. APS wasn’t some weird outlier. All the area schools followed the same protocol. You just don’t live there, so I guess you didn’t notice? Of the DMV districts, APS was one of the smallest, so we weren’t the ones calling this shot when the area schools all decided to do the same thing. Move on, FFS. It’s more damaging to your psyche not to put it behind you than whatever damage the closures caused. It was a once in a lifetime event and we all did the best we could with the information we had. As always, some decisions weren’t the right ones in hindsight, but such is life. And that decision has absolutely no bearing on whether or not Nottingham should remain open now that the area is underenrolled.

Exactly

No, they didn't. For certain groups of kids (K-2 and special ed), they did what was best for the adults and we knew it was bad for these kids while it was happening. What is the big deal to just say it. I'm not mad about that fact anymore. My kids are fine. Some kids are really not fine. But I think the revisionist history is shady. Just say what really happened.

+1

I am still mad that Arlington vaccinated teachers BEFORE old people and then they didn’t go back.

Huh? They did go back after vaccines were readily available. It was very hard to get a vaccine in the beginning.

1). Arlington vaccinated teachers in mid January 2021 when they entered Phase 1B. Vaccines were incredibly hard to come by at the time and the group emergency responders and correctional officers—people who were in fact in person.

2). Phase 1B included people who were 75+, true. So, if you were 74 or a 70 year old resident of Arlington, you could not get a vaccine but teachers—who were not in person—could. It was mind boggling to me at the time.

3). Then, despite this, they started on the ridiculous hybrid model in early March, meaning basically we did not really “return to schools” until August 2021.

Hence, my frustration.

So irrational.
1. Teachers were getting vaccinated as quickly as they could, but it took time. They held multiple clinics and teachers had to wait 2 weeks between shots. It wasn't like they could instantly get everyone vaccinated.
2. They were getting vaccinated so they could return in person. You don't think the county should have prioritized teachers? WTH?
3. They tried to get as many kids in person as they could. Even with the reduced CDC distancing recommendation they still couldn't fit everyone at the same time. Some schools were very overcrowded.

Hence, you are misdirecting your frustrations.

NP. The other people in group 1b were ALREADY at work in-person. Teachers (many who were in no risk group and all who were younger) got prioritized over people 70-74. I agree it was nuts and I thought it was mind boggling at the time.

What other profession where in-person is really required as part of the job made going back in-person conditional on getting vaccinated? I can't think of one.

Also, by March 2021, CDC was down to recommending 3 feet separation in classrooms.

What other occupation comes into sustained contact with a classroom full of germ factories for 6 hours?

I'm sorry. We wanted kids back in the classroom safely. Vaccinating everyone is part of the "safely". People 70-74 could continue stay home for a couple more months.

Right, 3' was the reduced distancing recommendation. It was better than 6' but still tough/impossible to fit all kids back in some schools. Particularly in the cafeterias, on buses, etc.

Er…all the jobs in 1b that never stopped working in person? Pretty pointless to list all the people who kept working in-person during the pandemic.

[Anonymous]

Teachers were only in 1b because some in the country were working in person. And ones in our area road coattails.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids have been at N Arlington schools (elementary and middle) at peak overcrowding. Trailers for sure. But none of the other things you mention were an issue. Anyway, if it gets that bad they can put Nottingham back in action as a neighbor hood school.

You are wrong about this. Kids have to eat lunch at like ten now at our North Arlington elementary (and middle) schools. Cafeteria cannot accommodate.
And school is not overcrowded because everyone pulled their kid for private.

I don’t hate that trailers although I think it’s hilarious that we have kids in overcrowded schools and trailers rather efficiently use under-enrolled actual school buildings.

And the fact that trailers are a long term solution in Arlington. Our school has had them for probably more than 20 years; definitely more than a decade. That cracks me up as well. Idiots at APS. Cannot plan.

Because we have limited land and budget. :roll:

No actually, right now the issue is that we have a dumb plan to close a school and put kids in trailers at other schools.

For all of you who think trailers are just fine, good luck.

You say this as though trailers are a new practice and none of us have experience with them.

I do. They were in fact fine. My kids say they were fine. Calm down.

Look at all these pro APS groupies who are perfectly fine with trailers. Did APS staff find this thread?

I thought trailers were horrible…until my kids actually had classes in them. They truly are not bad at all. My kids (and their teachers) liked it because they had some independence.

Do the people complaining about trailers actually have kids in APS?

Funniest thing I realized recently on AEM. One of the biggest APE loudmouths’ kids just started in APS in the last year or so. So much of that screaming was *before* she even had kids in APS. Some people just enjoy complaining.

Yes a lot of the APEs have very young kids or kids not even in APS. A lot moved to private. They are just really loud but they don't have much actual experience with APS or public schools.

Page 73 of this thread is FILLED with anti-APE statements. How can you say that defending a post defending the predicate for their organization — opening schools — should be blocked and off topic?

Anyone who posts on here in defense of keeping Nottingham opening or questioning the APS staff is labeled “APE.” It appears to me that attackers are using it as a proxy to mean a wealthy, entitled, probably white North Arlingtonian. Again, not in APE, but planning on joining based solely on this thread.

Why is APE relevant to this thread and why are the last dozen comments about them? Do they have an opinion on Nottingham? Or is it because they are the proxy for white entitled North Arlington? Why are people so obsessed with this group? Cue 5 more pages of hysteria.

Yes, APE released a statement to Arlnow that they have concerns about the proposal and the anti-APEs lost their mind because the APEs didn’t speak out on masks but would speak out on this. Or something.

Queue a dozen questions about what their mission does and doesn’t entail and a whole lot of stereotyping nastiness about white North Arlington parents, and here we are.

Cue the queue?

People don't like APE because they are irrational and clueless. Plus, they shat on teachers and other parents for years.

Once again, APE was right about COVID. You were wrong. Your fire breathing is what is irrational here. Get over it. You were wrong.

No, given the info at the time they were not "right". :roll:

Huge swaths of this bastion of liberal wokeness wanted it open? What are you talking about? Science and history have judged your case and you were wrong.

Careful, your MAGA is showing, Mr. APE

People who wanted the schools open are not only APE they are also MAGA? Holy cow. You are delusional.

DP. The founder and current board are MAGA.

.

I wanted the schools open. I wasnt in APE. I have nothing to do with APE. You insist I am APE. I have voted democratic for decades. The democrats got the covid issue wrong. I am increasingly disagreeing with APS as I see their planning as short sighted. I am also not a Nottingham parent.

+1. The continuing hostility to people who wanted the schools open when it was objectively the right thing to do (in hindsight) baffles me. And while I’m not the PP, I have kids, and they were in daycare at the time because keeping them home was not a viable option for our family. They were nervous times for sure. A lot of fearmongering about remote risks from keeping schools open (ie healthy kids dying), and a lot of discounting of likely risks from keeping schools closed (ie behavioral problems, speech delays, addiction/suicide).

Overreacting based on limited data and an artificially narrow set of considerations seems to be the APS way. And while I hate how MAGA politicized this thing initially, the Left certainly did its part in locking it in. We have to recognize how we went wrong if we ever hope to do better in future.

I remember the fearmongering and irrational screaming about virtual school, and total denialism of the risks of Covid.

Only people without children would say: “irrational screaming about virtual school.”

Nope, try again. I have two kids and both were in virtual school in APS. It was not easy or good for either one of them, for different reasons, so we were not fans. Even so, I thought it was the best decision APS could have made under extremely difficult circumstances at the time. It was so very clear how completely unprepared APS would have been to open up in fall of 2020. No screaming from me. The people who were calling for opening schools back in 20-21 were just unhinged.

OMG I’m sure I know you because you are the only person in the universe who says this. You also like spending all day with your only child, explaining the world to them and this was a little gift for you right?

Learning loss from “virtual” school is so well documented now both in Arlington and nationally that most intelligent people shut up. Putting aside, the social and emotional harms which are equally well documented on not only children but also parents.

This posted to the wrong reply. It was for crazy lady who waxed poetic about her time with her kid during virtual. Apologies to this poster.

I said that it was pretty hard but I enjoyed parts of it and it brought our family closer and for that I am crazy?

Fwiw to address your earlier comment I do not (nor do I have time to, since I work full time) spend all day with my child “explaining the world” to them. Wtf

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Sure would be nice if this thread would stay on topic.

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Anonymous wrote:My kids have been at N Arlington schools (elementary and middle) at peak overcrowding. Trailers for sure. But none of the other things you mention were an issue. Anyway, if it gets that bad they can put Nottingham back in action as a neighbor hood school.

You are wrong about this. Kids have to eat lunch at like ten now at our North Arlington elementary (and middle) schools. Cafeteria cannot accommodate.
And school is not overcrowded because everyone pulled their kid for private.

I don’t hate that trailers although I think it’s hilarious that we have kids in overcrowded schools and trailers rather efficiently use under-enrolled actual school buildings.

And the fact that trailers are a long term solution in Arlington. Our school has had them for probably more than 20 years; definitely more than a decade. That cracks me up as well. Idiots at APS. Cannot plan.

Because we have limited land and budget.

No actually, right now the issue is that we have a dumb plan to close a school and put kids in trailers at other schools.

For all of you who think trailers are just fine, good luck.

You say this as though trailers are a new practice and none of us have experience with them.

I do. They were in fact fine. My kids say they were fine. Calm down.

Look at all these pro APS groupies who are perfectly fine with trailers. Did APS staff find this thread?

I thought trailers were horrible…until my kids actually had classes in them. They truly are not bad at all. My kids (and their teachers) liked it because they had some independence.

Do the people complaining about trailers actually have kids in APS?

Funniest thing I realized recently on AEM. One of the biggest APE loudmouths’ kids just started in APS in the last year or so. So much of that screaming was *before* she even had kids in APS. Some people just enjoy complaining.

Yes a lot of the APEs have very young kids or kids not even in APS. A lot moved to private. They are just really loud but they don't have much actual experience with APS or public schools.

Page 73 of this thread is FILLED with anti-APE statements. How can you say that defending a post defending the predicate for their organization — opening schools — should be blocked and off topic?

Anyone who posts on here in defense of keeping Nottingham opening or questioning the APS staff is labeled “APE.” It appears to me that attackers are using it as a proxy to mean a wealthy, entitled, probably white North Arlingtonian. Again, not in APE, but planning on joining based solely on this thread.

Why is APE relevant to this thread and why are the last dozen comments about them? Do they have an opinion on Nottingham? Or is it because they are the proxy for white entitled North Arlington? Why are people so obsessed with this group? Cue 5 more pages of hysteria.

Yes, APE released a statement to Arlnow that they have concerns about the proposal and the anti-APEs lost their mind because the APEs didn’t speak out on masks but would speak out on this. Or something.

Queue a dozen questions about what their mission does and doesn’t entail and a whole lot of stereotyping nastiness about white North Arlington parents, and here we are.

Cue the queue?

People don't like APE because they are irrational and clueless. Plus, they shat on teachers and other parents for years.

Once again, APE was right about COVID. You were wrong. Your fire breathing is what is irrational here. Get over it. You were wrong.

No, given the info at the time they were not "right".

Huge swaths of this bastion of liberal wokeness wanted it open? What are you talking about? Science and history have judged your case and you were wrong.

Careful, your MAGA is showing, Mr. APE

People who wanted the schools open are not only APE they are also MAGA? Holy cow. You are delusional.

DP. The founder and current board are MAGA.

.

I wanted the schools open. I wasnt in APE. I have nothing to do with APE. You insist I am APE. I have voted democratic for decades. The democrats got the covid issue wrong. I am increasingly disagreeing with APS as I see their planning as short sighted. I am also not a Nottingham parent.

+1. The continuing hostility to people who wanted the schools open when it was objectively the right thing to do (in hindsight) baffles me. And while I’m not the PP, I have kids, and they were in daycare at the time because keeping them home was not a viable option for our family. They were nervous times for sure. A lot of fearmongering about remote risks from keeping schools open (ie healthy kids dying), and a lot of discounting of likely risks from keeping schools closed (ie behavioral problems, speech delays, addiction/suicide).

Overreacting based on limited data and an artificially narrow set of considerations seems to be the APS way. And while I hate how MAGA politicized this thing initially, the Left certainly did its part in locking it in. We have to recognize how we went wrong if we ever hope to do better in future.

Well said. My opinion of Arlington as a whole has been impacted by this. We are less rationale then I thought we were. Objectively, APS made a bad call. For lots of reasons. Some of which were valid. But still, objectively it was a bad call. I honestly can't believe how many in APS still can't or won't see that. It's bizarre. (And yes, I realize I will never change any of your minds.)

You know the saying hindsight is 20/20? I think that applies here. APS wasn’t some weird outlier. All the area schools followed the same protocol. You just don’t live there, so I guess you didn’t notice? Of the DMV districts, APS was one of the smallest, so we weren’t the ones calling this shot when the area schools all decided to do the same thing. Move on, FFS. It’s more damaging to your psyche not to put it behind you than whatever damage the closures caused. It was a once in a lifetime event and we all did the best we could with the information we had. As always, some decisions weren’t the right ones in hindsight, but such is life. And that decision has absolutely no bearing on whether or not Nottingham should remain open now that the area is underenrolled.

Exactly

No, they didn't. For certain groups of kids (K-2 and special ed), they did what was best for the adults and we knew it was bad for these kids while it was happening. What is the big deal to just say it. I'm not mad about that fact anymore. My kids are fine. Some kids are really not fine. But I think the revisionist history is shady. Just say what really happened.

Not the PP you were responding to, but who was going to teach if not “the adults?” No revisionist history is needed. Many teachers were threatening to quit, many parents were pressuring them not to open, so I think they made a bad, but reasonable, decision in the moment. Again, we weren’t surrounded by open districts, so they weren’t so far out there. And AGAIN, it’s not relevant to this discussion. Everything about the pandemic sucked donkey balls. Nobody is denying that. But it’s time to move forward and stop blaming APS and pointing fingers. There’s too much blame to go around and very few of us were our best selves during this period. Let’s do what we can now to make things better, for as many of the kids as we can. And that includes not wasting money to keep an under-enrolled school open when it’s surrounded by other schools with space.

This is a perfect way to bring it back around to the original topic.

In a perfect world, APS administrators and School Board would do their jobs and not pander to screaming parents and what's easiest in the moment. It's the same issue, different topic.

FWIW, I agree it's the right thing to close Nottingham for now.

+1 Thanks for bringing it back. I think closing Nottingham would be reactionary to what I believe are temporary trends and for an unclear purpose, and disagree with the proposal. Doesn’t make me a horrible and selfish MAGA or APE or whatever the firebreathers are carrying on about.

Hence the temporary closure as a neighborhood school. They aren’t shuttering it, it will still be operational as a swing space until such a time as it’s needed as a neighborhood school again.

They are proposing closing it IN TWO YEARS. I highly doubt they will be able to re-open it in the same timeframe. Say three years at best. So, five years from now you will have those ES seats again.

Next, ES are overcrowded in S Arlington and expected to grow exponentially. What is the plan? Because we have 400 seats sitting and available now. I am not suggesting busing. What am I asking is; what is APS plan? I am skeptical that we need to lose 400 seats for five years. I don’t think that makes logical sense.

Since they're unwilling to create a new ES in South Arlington, then they'll have to use all the schools (including Nottingham) and suck up the costs of bussing.