APS boundary process this fall?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is going on with this? I have seen nothing. Anyone with any info? Last I heard was the below from September 19, 2023 with a promise to return to the issue this fall. Williamsburg is still massively underenrolled with other middle schools over-crowded.

APS is pausing the Middle School Boundary Process and the Proposal to Relocate the Spanish Immersion Program until Fall 2024. The decision to pause this process is rooted in a strategic approach to optimize the planning and implementation of this significant undertaking. By aligning it with the concurrent high school boundary adjustments, staff will create an opportunity for a more coordinated and streamlined boundary process that considers the broader educational landscape.

This approach also ensures that the boundary process is well-framed to support the launch of the robust secondary Academic Programming Pathways. Delaying the implementation of this process until Fall 2026 allows staff to implement the changes for students entering both grades 6 and 9 by promoting continuity and providing a clear pathway for students as they transition between middle and high schools.

I heard from my neighbors (involved w that process) that all of the planning staff was forced out last year. So it appears APS will postpone boundaries indefinitely, go at it alone at the senior admin staff level, or hire an outside consultant. Essentially it’s all up in the air and no one knows anything. If anyone has more info please post.

They eliminated the department of planning and evaluation. Because.... who needs planning or evaluation?

Duran chased off the good ones and the school board eliminated the rest.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is going on with this? I have seen nothing. Anyone with any info? Last I heard was the below from September 19, 2023 with a promise to return to the issue this fall. Williamsburg is still massively underenrolled with other middle schools over-crowded.

APS is pausing the Middle School Boundary Process and the Proposal to Relocate the Spanish Immersion Program until Fall 2024. The decision to pause this process is rooted in a strategic approach to optimize the planning and implementation of this significant undertaking. By aligning it with the concurrent high school boundary adjustments, staff will create an opportunity for a more coordinated and streamlined boundary process that considers the broader educational landscape.

This approach also ensures that the boundary process is well-framed to support the launch of the robust secondary Academic Programming Pathways. Delaying the implementation of this process until Fall 2026 allows staff to implement the changes for students entering both grades 6 and 9 by promoting continuity and providing a clear pathway for students as they transition between middle and high schools.

I heard from my neighbors (involved w that process) that all of the planning staff was forced out last year. So it appears APS will postpone boundaries indefinitely, go at it alone at the senior admin staff level, or hire an outside consultant. Essentially it’s all up in the air and no one knows anything. If anyone has more info please post.

If that's true it's way beyond overdue. They were awful and have been for years. This would be a good thing.

I agree that some were not very good at their jobs, but how is no planning an improvement?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is going on with this? I have seen nothing. Anyone with any info? Last I heard was the below from September 19, 2023 with a promise to return to the issue this fall. Williamsburg is still massively underenrolled with other middle schools over-crowded.

APS is pausing the Middle School Boundary Process and the Proposal to Relocate the Spanish Immersion Program until Fall 2024. The decision to pause this process is rooted in a strategic approach to optimize the planning and implementation of this significant undertaking. By aligning it with the concurrent high school boundary adjustments, staff will create an opportunity for a more coordinated and streamlined boundary process that considers the broader educational landscape.

This approach also ensures that the boundary process is well-framed to support the launch of the robust secondary Academic Programming Pathways. Delaying the implementation of this process until Fall 2026 allows staff to implement the changes for students entering both grades 6 and 9 by promoting continuity and providing a clear pathway for students as they transition between middle and high schools.

I heard from my neighbors (involved w that process) that all of the planning staff was forced out last year. So it appears APS will postpone boundaries indefinitely, go at it alone at the senior admin staff level, or hire an outside consultant. Essentially it’s all up in the air and no one knows anything. If anyone has more info please post.

If that's true it's way beyond overdue. They were awful and have been for years. This would be a good thing.

I agree that some were not very good at their jobs, but how is no planning an improvement?

I hope whoever comes in makes decisive decisions and doesn’t just rile up the community and then backtrack

[Anonymous]

A couple of the schools hovering around 100 percent capacity, which feels crowded day to day, while one sits way under capacity is not a solution.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A couple of the schools hovering around 100 percent capacity, which feels crowded day to day, while one sits way under capacity is not a solution.

No one wants to make tough decisions if they can be avoided. Shrinking the W-L boundary in 2018 was a lot of stress for the APS planners and staff involved. And certain neighborhoods are still upset over that. Opening, closing, and moving elementary schools and the boundaries was also a lot of stress and work for staff, planners, and school board members. That said, as I understand it, the planners as of a year ago were planning boundary change studies every couple of years (in line with other districts) before being pushed out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Which middle schools are over-crowded? Last year, they were fine.

Once they started enforcing proof of address, no overcrowding existed.

Yep, Gunston in fact is below 100%

https://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/sites/57/2024/06/U-MEM_281_Membership-Summary-All.pdf (enrollment)

https://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Capacity-Utilization-2021-to-2023-for-posting-online.pdf (for capacity reference; enrollment data is old)

Gunston has 1005 kids this year, so I think its back up over capacity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Which middle schools are over-crowded? Last year, they were fine.

Once they started enforcing proof of address, no overcrowding existed.

Yep, Gunston in fact is below 100%

https://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/sites/57/2024/06/U-MEM_281_Membership-Summary-All.pdf (enrollment)

https://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Capacity-Utilization-2021-to-2023-for-posting-online.pdf (for capacity reference; enrollment data is old)

Gunston has 1005 kids this year, so I think its back up over capacity.

whoops sorry someone already got into this.

nothing is happening this year. I hope they just forget about moving Immersion personally. At least until my current 4th grader is done with middle school. But also they shouldn't move it until they actual survey folks and find the reason that people aren't continuing with the program instead of just assuming they know the answer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A couple of the schools hovering around 100 percent capacity, which feels crowded day to day, while one sits way under capacity is not a solution.

So far they've been handling this with voluntary transfers, giving preference to the most crowded schools. I think this is a pretty good solution for small fluctuations, but obviously isn't enough if a school is tracking to be more and more over capacity. But it is nice to reduce and delay boundary changes--they are tough on kids, teachers and parents.

[Anonymous]

I don't understand why APS doesn't do another residency audit. The last one moved the needle enough to halt a rezoning process. It seems like a no brainer to do another round before even considering boundary changes

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A couple of the schools hovering around 100 percent capacity, which feels crowded day to day, while one sits way under capacity is not a solution.

No one wants to give up walking or commit to a long bus ride.

At capacity changes year to year.

They should colocate HBW middle school students at WMS, and expand the HBW high school enrollment at the Heights.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A couple of the schools hovering around 100 percent capacity, which feels crowded day to day, while one sits way under capacity is not a solution.

No one wants to give up walking or commit to a long bus ride.

At capacity changes year to year.

They should colocate HBW middle school students at WMS, and expand the HBW high school enrollment at the Heights.

I like that last suggestion.

Personally, I would rather my kids be at a school that's not packed to the seams and take a bus. We are walkers for Swanson. Walking has value but these kids are packed into that school all day every day and that has a much bigger impact on them. I don't think I'm the only person who feels that way? Maybe I am. And yes, I understand I could choose a transfer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A couple of the schools hovering around 100 percent capacity, which feels crowded day to day, while one sits way under capacity is not a solution.

No one wants to give up walking or commit to a long bus ride.

At capacity changes year to year.

They should colocate HBW middle school students at WMS, and expand the HBW high school enrollment at the Heights.

Does it though? A couple of the middle schools hover around over stuffed while Williamsburg is pretty empty and just getting more empty. We can all kick the can down the road so the Hamm people don't freak out again, but it doesn't seem like strategic decision making or good use of facilities at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A couple of the schools hovering around 100 percent capacity, which feels crowded day to day, while one sits way under capacity is not a solution.

No one wants to give up walking or commit to a long bus ride.

At capacity changes year to year.

They should colocate HBW middle school students at WMS, and expand the HBW high school enrollment at the Heights.

I like that last suggestion.

Personally, I would rather my kids be at a school that's not packed to the seams and take a bus. We are walkers for Swanson. Walking has value but these kids are packed into that school all day every day and that has a much bigger impact on them. I don't think I'm the only person who feels that way? Maybe I am. And yes, I understand I could choose a transfer.

Isn't it better to have the option to transfer than to be forced to switch in a boundary shift? I know lots of kids who transferred out of Swanson and they were very happy to have that option.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A couple of the schools hovering around 100 percent capacity, which feels crowded day to day, while one sits way under capacity is not a solution.

No one wants to give up walking or commit to a long bus ride.

At capacity changes year to year.

They should colocate HBW middle school students at WMS, and expand the HBW high school enrollment at the Heights.

Does it though? A couple of the middle schools hover around over stuffed while Williamsburg is pretty empty and just getting more empty. We can all kick the can down the road so the Hamm people don't freak out again, but it doesn't seem like strategic decision making or good use of facilities at all.

Yes capacity changes. at very least 5th grade graduates and there is a new kinder.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A couple of the schools hovering around 100 percent capacity, which feels crowded day to day, while one sits way under capacity is not a solution.

No one wants to give up walking or commit to a long bus ride.

At capacity changes year to year.

They should colocate HBW middle school students at WMS, and expand the HBW high school enrollment at the Heights.

I like that last suggestion.

Personally, I would rather my kids be at a school that's not packed to the seams and take a bus. We are walkers for Swanson. Walking has value but these kids are packed into that school all day every day and that has a much bigger impact on them. I don't think I'm the only person who feels that way? Maybe I am. And yes, I understand I could choose a transfer.

The vast majority of walkers do not want to be rezoned. It’s not just about walking. The school itself will likely be quite far away since they are already very close to their current school.

I’m really getting around the HWM co-locate at WMS. They share with Stratford now, so it’s hardly shocking. They would share no classes, maybe share lunch I suppose, and kids would get to do sports which is really important to foster at this age. Kids are already bused from all over so it’s not difference in that regard.

PLUS it increase available high school seats.