APS middle school boundary process

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:y'all are frickin' lunatics.

y'all have illustrated the many reasons why APS can't seem to adjust their boundaries without craziness.

+1

Eight-one pages of craziness.

[Anonymous]

Yes and 81 pages confirming I am glad we chose S Arlington!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why doesn't anyone want to go to Williamsburg?

It seems like families are doing everything possible not to go there. Is it the teachers, drugs, gangs? I thought it used to be a good school.

If families were doing everything possible not to go there, the Williamsburg area wouldn't have some of the highest home values in the area. Don't take anonymous internet posters as necessarily representative of the population as a whole.

I suspect that it is mostly about logistics. Williamsburg is out of the way for most families where both parents work, esp if both parents are in DC. Your kid misses the bus-- WMS is a lot of backtracking. And you can easily swing by Swanson or Stratford on the way home and pick up your kid from an afterschool activity or check-in. Not so much with WMS. Also, Swanson and Stratford are accessible via public transport, while WMS is not (or at least not as easily). And with DC traffic, those extra 15-20 min can make a big difference when you are trying to make a morning meeting in DC or a 6pm pickup time.

If anything, your argument would suggest home values should be higher near those other schools. People are paying a premium to live in those neighborhoods despite it being less convenient.

Not true. In fact, they have a similar range of activities as Williamsburg at Act Two, sports and clubs. I went to the Kenmore middle school sessions, have friends whose kids do extracurricular s there and know teachers there. My kid is zoned for Williamsburg (although hoping to send my kid elsewhere). I hate when people spread misinformation about schools.

On a square foot to square foot basis, the home values in 22205 have come up to 22207 levels over the past 10 years. There are more larger houses in 22207, which is why the home prices are higher in the aggregate. But if you look at comparably-sized homes, there actually is not much difference in price anymore between the two zip codes.

LOL. Yes, there are more large homes in 22207 because those with the financial means to choose where they buy a lot to build their new home are choosing 22207. If 22205 were more desirable, they'd be building them all there instead.

PP- you are missing the point though. The original question is why are so many Swanson and Stratford families fighting to stay out of Williamsburg? As I said above, I think it has more to do with proximity (again) than anything about Williamsburg's student body. Life is just easier for a dual-career couple when you live near walkable schools and public transit. That is also one of the main reasons why many Westover families fought moving to Kenmore-- getting down to Carlin Springs Rd to pick up a middle school kid from extracurricular activities by 6pm is nearly impossible when you rely on public transit to get home from work, which many families in that area do because the EFC metro is so close and the ART and Metro bus service is so easy to use in that area. It doesn't have to do with home values, or neighborhoods like EFC (which is right next to the metro) wouldn't be fighting so hard against moving to Williamsburg. Arlington families place a high value on proximity generally (and the shorter commutes that come with it) or we'd all be living in Fairfax County where we could find bigger houses on bigger lots in comparable schools for less money. I know that fact aggravates the busing advocates but it is not a part of Arlington's culture that you will be able to change. It is why the solution to more diverse schools has to come primarily from changing housing patterns and making sensible investments in public transit-- not moving kids around on school buses when APS is already facing significant fiscal constraints.

There aren't any after school activities at Kenmore other than the check-program from what I hear. So kids would ride the bus home at the end of the regular school day. Maybe if there were more parents at Kenmore to push for and /or sponsor after school activities this would be a real concern. As it stands, no.

I was just repeating a complaint my neighbor made. She said that kids who do sports can't do Act 2 because they conflict, and there is nothing else besides check-in after school. Other clubs meet during the day apparently. I don't have kids in MS yet, so I do t know whether she is correct or whether it's different at other schools. Are there activity buses at the MS level? Why would a parent need to drive to any middle school to pick-up a child who is participating in an activity other than check-in?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why doesn't anyone want to go to Williamsburg?

It seems like families are doing everything possible not to go there. Is it the teachers, drugs, gangs? I thought it used to be a good school.

If families were doing everything possible not to go there, the Williamsburg area wouldn't have some of the highest home values in the area. Don't take anonymous internet posters as necessarily representative of the population as a whole.

I suspect that it is mostly about logistics. Williamsburg is out of the way for most families where both parents work, esp if both parents are in DC. Your kid misses the bus-- WMS is a lot of backtracking. And you can easily swing by Swanson or Stratford on the way home and pick up your kid from an afterschool activity or check-in. Not so much with WMS. Also, Swanson and Stratford are accessible via public transport, while WMS is not (or at least not as easily). And with DC traffic, those extra 15-20 min can make a big difference when you are trying to make a morning meeting in DC or a 6pm pickup time.

If anything, your argument would suggest home values should be higher near those other schools. People are paying a premium to live in those neighborhoods despite it being less convenient.

Not true. In fact, they have a similar range of activities as Williamsburg at Act Two, sports and clubs. I went to the Kenmore middle school sessions, have friends whose kids do extracurricular s there and know teachers there. My kid is zoned for Williamsburg (although hoping to send my kid elsewhere). I hate when people spread misinformation about schools.

On a square foot to square foot basis, the home values in 22205 have come up to 22207 levels over the past 10 years. There are more larger houses in 22207, which is why the home prices are higher in the aggregate. But if you look at comparably-sized homes, there actually is not much difference in price anymore between the two zip codes.

LOL. Yes, there are more large homes in 22207 because those with the financial means to choose where they buy a lot to build their new home are choosing 22207. If 22205 were more desirable, they'd be building them all there instead.

PP- you are missing the point though. The original question is why are so many Swanson and Stratford families fighting to stay out of Williamsburg? As I said above, I think it has more to do with proximity (again) than anything about Williamsburg's student body. Life is just easier for a dual-career couple when you live near walkable schools and public transit. That is also one of the main reasons why many Westover families fought moving to Kenmore-- getting down to Carlin Springs Rd to pick up a middle school kid from extracurricular activities by 6pm is nearly impossible when you rely on public transit to get home from work, which many families in that area do because the EFC metro is so close and the ART and Metro bus service is so easy to use in that area. It doesn't have to do with home values, or neighborhoods like EFC (which is right next to the metro) wouldn't be fighting so hard against moving to Williamsburg. Arlington families place a high value on proximity generally (and the shorter commutes that come with it) or we'd all be living in Fairfax County where we could find bigger houses on bigger lots in comparable schools for less money. I know that fact aggravates the busing advocates but it is not a part of Arlington's culture that you will be able to change. It is why the solution to more diverse schools has to come primarily from changing housing patterns and making sensible investments in public transit-- not moving kids around on school buses when APS is already facing significant fiscal constraints.

There aren't any after school activities at Kenmore other than the check-program from what I hear. So kids would ride the bus home at the end of the regular school day. Maybe if there were more parents at Kenmore to push for and /or sponsor after school activities this would be a real concern. As it stands, no.

I was just repeating a complaint my neighbor made. She said that kids who do sports can't do Act 2 because they conflict, and there is nothing else besides check-in after school. Other clubs meet during the day apparently. I don't have kids in MS yet, so I do t know whether she is correct or whether it's different at other schools. Are there activity buses at the MS level? Why would a parent need to drive to any middle school to pick-up a child who is participating in an activity other than check-in?

DP. A quick perusal of the Kenmore website and the latest issue of the newsletter showed many after school activities other than sports and Act II. It also showed there is an after-school late bus, I presume those leave some time after 4:15 since the after school activities all seem to end at 4:15.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes and 81 pages confirming I am glad we chose S Arlington!

Good for you for being happy about your choices. On my end, I am beyond relieved that it appears that my kids will still be able to walk to their school next year; too bad for 81 pages of people calling my priority "racist."

[Anonymous]

Kenmore parent here. My kids walk but there is of course a late bus to after sports and Act II let out to get the kids home. It's true Act II conflicts with sports teams but that's a separate issue. Some of the best activities are offered through Act II and allow kids to try more electives. There are other clubs and activities that meet after school including a film club, Phoenix bikes club, theater productions, yearbook, and surely others.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes and 81 pages confirming I am glad we chose S Arlington!

Good for you for being happy about your choices. On my end, I am beyond relieved that it appears that my kids will still be able to walk to their school next year; too bad for 81 pages of people calling my priority "racist."

Oh no sweetie, your real estate choices are racist. That’s all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes and 81 pages confirming I am glad we chose S Arlington!

Good for you for being happy about your choices. On my end, I am beyond relieved that it appears that my kids will still be able to walk to their school next year; too bad for 81 pages of people calling my priority "racist."

Oh no sweetie, your real estate choices are racist. That’s all.

You would almost come across as competent, if you didn't address others the way a petulant child would.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes and 81 pages confirming I am glad we chose S Arlington!

Good for you for being happy about your choices. On my end, I am beyond relieved that it appears that my kids will still be able to walk to their school next year; too bad for 81 pages of people calling my priority "racist."

Oh no sweetie, your real estate choices are racist. That’s all.

NP. OMG. STFU. Picking a house for a good school district is what most families do. Only bitter parents who make the wrong choices for their kids come on to anonymous forums and accuse others of racism for buying a house in an affluent suburb.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes and 81 pages confirming I am glad we chose S Arlington!

Good for you for being happy about your choices. On my end, I am beyond relieved that it appears that my kids will still be able to walk to their school next year; too bad for 81 pages of people calling my priority "racist."

Oh no sweetie, your real estate choices are racist. That’s all.

You would almost come across as competent, if you didn't address others the way a petulant child would.

Ouch... someone struck a nerve. We all understand, it’s hard to live your liberal ideals.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes and 81 pages confirming I am glad we chose S Arlington!

Good for you for being happy about your choices. On my end, I am beyond relieved that it appears that my kids will still be able to walk to their school next year; too bad for 81 pages of people calling my priority "racist."

Oh no sweetie, your real estate choices are racist. That’s all.

NP. OMG. STFU. Picking a house for a good school district is what most families do. Only bitter parents who make the wrong choices for their kids come on to anonymous forums and accuse others of racism for buying a house in an affluent suburb.

+1

So bitter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes and 81 pages confirming I am glad we chose S Arlington!

Good for you for being happy about your choices. On my end, I am beyond relieved that it appears that my kids will still be able to walk to their school next year; too bad for 81 pages of people calling my priority "racist."

Oh no sweetie, your real estate choices are racist. That’s all.

NP. OMG. STFU. Picking a house for a good school district is what most families do. Only bitter parents who make the wrong choices for their kids come on to anonymous forums and accuse others of racism for buying a house in an affluent suburb.

+1

So bitter.

DP, but no I'm not bitter, or jealous. Just disgusted, not by parents who've bought a house in a "good" school zone, but by the constant reminder from posters on this website, and from remarks at school board meetings and community sessions that "good" for so many of you means having no students of color, no students who are immigrants just learning the language, and no economically disadvantaged students, either. I don't care if "everyone" does something, I obviously know that they do. I'm not new here. That doesn't make it right, and it is especially galling in a community that touts its inclusivity and diversity. And I am going to tell the truth, rather than keep you comfortable in your privilege. Comfort doesn't make change.

And also, not everyone does it. I didn't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes and 81 pages confirming I am glad we chose S Arlington!

Good for you for being happy about your choices. On my end, I am beyond relieved that it appears that my kids will still be able to walk to their school next year; too bad for 81 pages of people calling my priority "racist."

Oh no sweetie, your real estate choices are racist. That’s all.

NP. OMG. STFU. Picking a house for a good school district is what most families do. Only bitter parents who make the wrong choices for their kids come on to anonymous forums and accuse others of racism for buying a house in an affluent suburb.

+1

So bitter.

DP, but no I'm not bitter, or jealous. Just disgusted, not by parents who've bought a house in a "good" school zone, but by the constant reminder from posters on this website, and from remarks at school board meetings and community sessions that "good" for so many of you means having no students of color, no students who are immigrants just learning the language, and no economically disadvantaged students, either. I don't care if "everyone" does something, I obviously know that they do. I'm not new here. That doesn't make it right, and it is especially galling in a community that touts its inclusivity and diversity. And I am going to tell the truth, rather than keep you comfortable in your privilege. Comfort doesn't make change.

And also, not everyone does it. I didn't.

I love it when people prop up this strawman in an effort to bolster a weak point. Guess what? Not everybody in the community feels this is their highest priority. Your effort to make people feel guilty is a waste of time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes and 81 pages confirming I am glad we chose S Arlington!

Good for you for being happy about your choices. On my end, I am beyond relieved that it appears that my kids will still be able to walk to their school next year; too bad for 81 pages of people calling my priority "racist."

Oh no sweetie, your real estate choices are racist. That’s all.

NP. OMG. STFU. Picking a house for a good school district is what most families do. Only bitter parents who make the wrong choices for their kids come on to anonymous forums and accuse others of racism for buying a house in an affluent suburb.

+1

So bitter.

DP, but no I'm not bitter, or jealous. Just disgusted, not by parents who've bought a house in a "good" school zone, but by the constant reminder from posters on this website, and from remarks at school board meetings and community sessions that "good" for so many of you means having no students of color, no students who are immigrants just learning the language, and no economically disadvantaged students, either. I don't care if "everyone" does something, I obviously know that they do. I'm not new here. That doesn't make it right, and it is especially galling in a community that touts its inclusivity and diversity. And I am going to tell the truth, rather than keep you comfortable in your privilege. Comfort doesn't make change.

And also, not everyone does it. I didn't.

I love it when people prop up this strawman in an effort to bolster a weak point. Guess what? Not everybody in the community feels this is their highest priority. Your effort to make people feel guilty is a waste of time.

You are a waste of time, that's for sure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
DP, but no I'm not bitter, or jealous. Just disgusted, not by parents who've bought a house in a "good" school zone, but by the constant reminder from posters on this website, and from remarks at school board meetings and community sessions that "good" for so many of you means having no students of color, no students who are immigrants just learning the language, and no economically disadvantaged students, either. I don't care if "everyone" does something, I obviously know that they do. I'm not new here. That doesn't make it right, and it is especially galling in a community that touts its inclusivity and diversity. And I am going to tell the truth, rather than keep you comfortable in your privilege. Comfort doesn't make change.

And also, not everyone does it. I didn't.

I have followed this very closely, and not once have I heard anyone say they don't want their kids in a diverse school. I'm sure there are people that feel that way, but no one has said it. What most people have said loud and clear is that they don't want their kid bused solely for the purpose of going to a diverse school. Rich people, poor people, white people, brown people. All of them have said that to APS staff and School Board very loudly and clearly. It's not diversity they object to, it's busing kids who could otherwise walk. That's very different, no matter how you may want to twist it.